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Almost every single thing we do in life is about solving problems. There are problems in our personal lives. For example, hunger is a problem. How do you solve it? Grab a snack. Fatigue is a problem. How do you solve it? Get some sleep. Loneliness is a problem. How do you solve it? Make a friend. There are problems in society. Poverty. How do you solve it? Start a charity or government program. Pollution. How do you solve it? Pass new environmental laws. I could go on, but you get the idea. Think about how many problems you solved, or attempted to solve, in the past 24 hours. If you take the time to meticulously count each one, I’m sure you’ll end up with a number in the hundreds or thousands. That’s a lot of problems. Humans dislike problems, so we try to devise efficient and comprehensive solutions. Great solutions mean fewer problems in the future. For example: getting from point A to B is a problem. A horse-drawn carriage solves this problem, but a car is a more efficient and comprehensive solution. Technology, from the automobile to the computer to the smartphone, is all about efficient, comprehensive solutions to problems. The beliefs that humans hold – religious, political, philosophical – are about problem solving too. Fear of dying is a problem. You can solve it by believing in an eternal afterlife. Now, how does this relate to antinatalism? It’s simple. The goal of every religious, political, and philosophical worldview is to solve problems, but only one – antinatalism – successfully solves every problem. Christianity may solve problems A, B, and C, but it ignores millions of other problems (and creates a few new ones as well). Same for Islam and Buddhism. Same for socialism and capitalism. Same for existentialism and stoicism. Antinatalism, on the other hand, leaves no problem unsolved. It’s efficient and comprehensive. Problems only exist because living creatures with needs exist. If these creatures disappear, all of the problems disappear too. Most humans have an innate desire to solve problems. If antinatalism is described in this way – as the the ultimate problem solving mechanism – perhaps we can convert a few new people to our ideology. Advertisements

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) on Sunday suggested another Republican candidate could run a write-in campaign to win the Senate seat up for election in Alabama and again called on the current GOP candidate Roy Moore to drop out. "[GOP Sen.] Lisa Murkowski Lisa Ann MurkowskiHouse to push back at Trump on border GOP Sen. Tillis to vote for resolution blocking Trump's emergency declaration Pence meeting with Senate GOP ahead of vote to block emergency declaration MORE won as a write-in candidate in Alaska and she won, so let’s see where it goes,” Kasich said on ABC's "This Week." ADVERTISEMENT Murkowski previously suggested Sen. Luther Strange Luther Johnson StrangeDomestic influence campaigns borrow from Russia’s playbook Overnight Defense: Senate bucks Trump with Yemen war vote, resolution calling crown prince 'responsible' for Khashoggi killing | House briefing on Saudi Arabia fails to move needle | Inhofe casts doubt on Space Force Five things to watch in Mississippi Senate race MORE (R-Ala.) should run a write-in campaign for the seat, even after he lost to Moore in a primary in September, and has renewed that call in the wake of allegations that Moore initiated a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl in 1979, when he was in his 30s. “We’re not talking now about convicting somebody of some criminal offense. It’s just really a matter as to whether he ought to be the candidate, the standard bearer of the Republican party. And I just think he shouldn’t be, and I hope the people of Alabama, the party officials will look at it again,” Kasich said. “I just think it’s inappropriate and I really would like it if he stepped aside,” he continued. Leigh Corfman, now 53, accused Moore of initiating sexual contact with her when she was 14 and he was 32, The Washington Post reported. Three other woman also said Moore approached them when they were between the ages of 16 and 18. Moore has denied Corfman's accusations, saying they are “completely false,” and suggesting it is a smear campaign. He did not deny that he may have dated girls in their late teens while he was in his 30s, saying he did not remember. The Republican Party shouldn’t support Moore moving forward, Kasich said. A number of Republican senators said following the report that if the allegations are true, Moore should step aside. “I think he should step aside on this,” Kasich said. “He can continue to defend himself, but I think at the end the party ought not to be for this and give somebody else a chance.” Alabama law prohibits candidates from removing their name from the ballot this soon before an election. Kasich said he’s unsure if Democratic nominee Doug Jones has a chance to win the Senate seat in the aftermath of the Moore allegations. “Everything in life can’t be about who wins an election," he said. "It just can’t be that way.” During a separate appearance Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Kasich expressed hope that the issue will be addressed "in the next few days," refusing to comment on what the Senate should do if Moore wins. — Mallory Shelbourne contributed.

Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz speaks during the company's annual shareholders meeting last year in Seattle, Washington. - Stephen Brashear/Getty Images Listen To The Story Marketplace Embed Code <iframe src="https://www.marketplace.org/2016/12/08/business/starbucks-schultz/popout" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="240px"></iframe> One of the world's most recognizable of brands is currently in transition. Starbucks founder Howard Schultz is stepping down as CEO and will give the reins to his right hand, Kevin Johnson — the president and chief operating officer at Starbucks. Schultz, who will stay on as executive chairman, joined us to talk about the shift in power and his new focus at the company: rolling out a line of what you might call the Porsche, Lexus, or Mercedes of cafes, where a single cup might run $12. On Starbucks' venture into "fancy coffee": If you think about other companies as an example, BMW they’ve gone from a 3-Series all the way up to a 7. If you think about Porsche, they created an SUV. You think about Air Jordan inside Nike. We have an opportunity to create a super, ultra-premium brand experience inside Starbucks — new revenue source, new profit — that will shine a halo on the entire company. On whether high-end coffee can be compared to pizza: I mean, I wouldn’t use pizza because I think it’s too much of a commodity, but I understand the analogy. I think it’s not just the coffee, it’s the experience. As an example, they’re spending about 40 minutes, the average customer, inside the roaster because the experience is a cathedral of coffee. It is the Willy Wonka of coffee. You will not believe it when it opens on the corner of 9th and 15th in New York. On whether we might be "coffee'd out" in America: Well, not only are we not coffee'd out, but I think we're living in an age right now where people are spending much more time, as you know, at home, on their screen, on their phone. There's a longing, and even more so in the future, for human connection and a sense of community. Starbucks has been the third place between home and work, and we're going to become even more relevant in the future. On whether he might "breathe down" Johnson's neck: I think that question would be highly relevant if we did not know each other so well. And I think the currency between Kevin and I is mutual respect and trust. But I made it very clear to a large group of investors and all of Wall Street that Kevin Johnson is the CEO and has the last word. And I think I'll be there to help and coach when and if he needs it. On the belief that his involvement in social issues means he wants to run for office: Well, my thoughts are that over the years, I viewed the opportunity to leverage Starbucks' platform and scale for good. And I also felt that we are living in a time where the rules of engagement in terms of responsibility for a company had changed. So you're right, we've taken on a number of issues that we believe are part of the fabric of our company. But that should not suggest that I'm interested in running for office. I'm only interested in doing everything I can to elevate the Starbucks brand and my responsibility. Listen to our recent interview with incoming CEO Kevin Johnson here. “I think the best compliment I can give is not to say how much your programs have taught me (a ton), but how much Marketplace has motivated me to go out and teach myself.” – Michael in Arlington, VA As a nonprofit news organization, what matters to us is the same thing that matters to you: being a source for trustworthy, independent news that makes people smarter about business and the economy. So if Marketplace has helped you understand the economy better, make more informed financial decisions or just encouraged you to think differently, we’re asking you to give a little something back. Become a Marketplace Investor today – in whatever amount is right for you – and keep public service journalism strong. We’re grateful for your support. BEFORE YOU GO

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption John Simpson reports: ''Ramadi under the Islamic State - shocked, silent, fearful'' The Iraqi city of Ramadi has fallen to Islamic State (IS) after government forces abandoned their positions, officials say. The police and military made a chaotic retreat after days of intense fighting. But the US refused to confirm the capture, saying the situation was "fluid and contested" and it was too early to make "definitive statements". Ramadi is the capital of Iraq's largest province, Anbar, and is just 70 miles (112km) west of Baghdad. A statement purportedly from IS said its fighters had "purged the entire city". It said IS had taken the 8th Brigade army base, along with tanks and missile launchers left behind by troops. A very well-placed source in the Anbar governor's office told the BBC Ramadi was now under the full control of Islamic State, and all government troops had withdrawn. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Ramadi has been the scene of intense fighting Image copyright AP Image caption Fighting has forced thousands to flee the city Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had ordered troops to stand their ground, saying he was deploying Shia militia to the city. But an army officer told the BBC that most troops had retreated to a military base in the city of Khalidiya, east of Ramadi. Government troops were running out of ammunition and could not repel the massive onslaughts by IS, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Footage posted on social media showed military vehicles speeding away from Ramadi, with soldiers hanging off the sides. Reports said Iraqi forces fled following a series of suicide car bomb attacks on Sunday. Four almost simultaneous explosions hit police defending the Malaab district in southern Ramadi. Later, three more suicide bombers drove explosive-laden cars into the gate of the provincial military headquarters, the Anbar Operation Command, officials said. Earlier, Mr Abadi called on pro-government forces to "hold their positions and preserve them and not allow Daesh (IS) to extend to other areas in Ramadi". Image copyright AP Image caption Iraqi forces could be seen retreating from Ramadi "There is continuous air cover that will help ground troops there hold their positions while waiting for support from other forces and the Popular Mobilisation Units," he said, referring to the umbrella group for Shia militias. The militias played a key role in the government's recent recapture of the city of Tikrit from IS, but pulled out of the city following reports of widespread violence and looting. The loss of Ramadi represents a very serious setback for the government, and Iraqi officials are alarmed, the BBC's Ahmed Maher reports from Baghdad. However, the Pentagon said that, while IS had the advantage, there was still fighting in the city. "We're continuing to monitor reports of tough fighting in Ramadi and the situation remains fluid and contested. It is too early to make definitive statements about the situation on the ground there at this time," said spokeswoman Maureen Schumann, quoted by AFP. Anbar province covers a vast stretch of the country west from the capital Baghdad to the Syrian border, and contains key roads that link Iraq to both Syria and Jordan. IS reportedly controls more than half of Anbar's territory. The deputy head of Anbar council, Faleh al-Issawi, told the BBC that more than 500 people had been killed in the last two days of fighting in and around Ramadi, including policemen who had run out of ammunition, and civilians caught in the crossfire. Some 8,000 people have been displaced over the same period, according to the International Organisation for Migration. The battle against IS in maps Troubled history of Anbar province Image copyright Getty Images Image caption US troops occupied Anbar for eight years, suffering heavy losses in the process

As 2016 is coming to a close, it’s time to look back at what has become one of Microsoft’s most interesting brands this year. In the past couple of months, it seems that Microsoft’s early bet on hybrid laptops has finally started to pay off, and we’ve also seen many great hybrid devices from third-party manufacturers including Samsung, Huawei and Lenovo released to the market. This kind of healthy competition is definitely promising for the future of the 2-in-1 form factor, and we can’t wait to see new devices being revealed at CES 2017 next month. Market research company IDC also acknowledged earlier this year that Microsoft’s Surface devices and Apple’s iPad Pro were leading the “detachable tablet” revolution. It’s also worth reminding that Apple, which initially mocked touchscreen laptops and 2-in-1 devices has since launched two iPad Pro models which it advertises as “computers”. But does Microsoft still has a better understanding of what consumers wants from 2-in-1 devices? Well, Windows 10 definitely seems to have fixed many shortcomings of Windows 8 and Windows RT, and it’s safe to say that Microsoft’s latest operating system is one of the most versatile operating systems on the market today. According the company, Apple’s iPad Pro just can’t compare. Just like Apple though, Microsoft slowly iterates: the Surface Pro 3 was a massive improvement over previous Surface Pro models, but the company’s Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book really pushed the hybrid laptops to the next level. Surface may not be a blockbuster success for the company yet, but the Redmond giant seems to be doing all the right things to make it become one of its most successful brands going forward Microsoft’s latest Surface portfolio is likely its most successful ever While Microsoft doesn’t disclose how many Surface units it sells, it’s clear that the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book enjoyed great momentum this year. Microsoft’s latest earnings report for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 puts Surface revenue at $926 million, up a whopping 38% from $672 million last year. But as many signs points to Surface becoming the company’s next billion dollar business, Microsoft highlighted last week that November 2016 was the company’s best month ever for Surface sales. “The momentum was seen worldwide,” explained Corporate Vice President for Microsoft Devices Brian Hall, despite the fact that Microsoft did not release a Surface Pro 5 or a Surface Book 2 this fall. Moreover, the exec added that “the combination of excitement for the innovation of Surface coupled with the disappointment of the new MacBook Pro – especially among professionals – is leading more and more people to make the switch to Surface.” Take that, Apple. Some hiccups along the line We love Microsoft’s Surface brand and hardware, though it’s worth reminding that the launch of the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book has not been completely smooth for the company. Both models were the first to ship with Intel’s Skylake processors, and those of you who purchased them at launch have probably been affected by annoying sleeping issues. Fortunately, Microsoft was pretty quick to fix it through several firmware and driver updates, though we definitely hope not to see these kind of problems with the next generation of Surface devices. On a different note, it’s not clear if Microsoft’s multi-million-dollar deal with the NFL managed to improve brand awareness for Microsoft’s 2-in-1 devices. While the company explained earlier this year that it was “very pleased” by the partnership, adding that coaches loved the hybrid devices, it seems that some of them disagree. Two months ago, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichik explained that he was “done with the tablet” during a five-minute-long public rant, and Microsoft did its best to answer to what looked like unfair criticism. “We know change can be hard and technology adoption typically has a growth curve. We’re excited to be working with some of the best IT professionals in the industry at the NFL to help with the transition,” explained Corporate Vice President, Windows and Devices Group Yusuf Medhi. An increased focus on professionals While Redmond chose not to release a successor to the 10-inch Surface 3 this year, the unveiling of the Surface Book in October 2015 pretty much took Microsoft enthusiasts by surprise. Indeed, the “ultimate laptop” seems like one of Microsoft’s best hardware efforts yet, offering great versatility in what a familiar form factor for fans of old-school laptops. Compared to the Surface Pro 4, the bigger 13.5-inch PixelSense display, improved battery life and dedicated GPU option also make it an attractive option for professionnals. Interestingly, the Surface Book i7 with Performance Base was the only new Surface 2-in-1 to be released this year, but its $2,399 starting price probably makes it out of reach for most consumers. Moreover, let’s not forget the launch of other Surface products this year including the enterprise-focused Surface Hub and the creative-focused Surface Studio. After some delays, the Surface Hub digital whiteboard launched earlier this year and already enjoys some momentum with sales up 20% with a payback period of nine months. As for the Surface Studio, it was definitely the highlight of Microsoft’s Windows 10 October event, though it’s too early to know if the versatile all-in-one PC will become an attractive option for artists creative professionals. Still, the introduction video quickly became the most viewed video on Microsoft’s Surface YouTube channels, with more than 10 million views at the time of our writing. Last but not least, Microsoft also expanded earlier this year its Surface Enterprise Initiative with a Surface as a Service leasing program, bringing new partners to help create an ecosystem of services around the hybrid devices. Additionally, the company announced last week a Surface Hub Try And Buy program which will allow select Microsoft resellers to provide customers Hubs for 30 days before committing to purchasing a large set of devices. What to expect for 2017? Microsoft’s Surface line seems to be at crossroads at the end of 2016. The increased focus on professionals seems to have been the main theme this year, though it doesn’t seems to hurt the growth of the product line so far. Of course, Surface devices also remain popular with Microsoft enthusiasts and consumers looking for a tablet that can replace their laptop, but Microsoft could well bring some changes to its Surface portfolio next year. First of all, Microsoft announced earlier this year that it is developing a new version of Windows 10 that runs on ARM chips: this will allow partners to build new Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered Windows 10 PCs that run x86 Win32 and universal Windows apps, but we suppose that this breakthrough could well push Microsoft to release a new Surface device to showcase the new platform. Indeed, this new architecture would be perfectly suited for a Surface 4 model targeted at consumers who don’t need the more powerful and less battery-efficient Intel processors. We also guess that Microsoft has iterative updates for the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book in the pipeline, though the company may well wait for the release of the Redstone 3 update in the second half of 2017 to release them. Last but not least, the rumored Surface phone will likely remain a topic of interest next year. A month ago, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explained that the company was planning the “ultimate mobile device,” which would bring true differentiation to a nearly saturated market. Overall, we hope that Microsoft will continue to surprise us next year. In just four years, Surface has become a very valuable brand for the company, pushing forward new product categories and reshaping what we expect from computers in a world where mobile devices are ubiquitous. Microsoft may well remain a productivity-focused and business-focused company, but the Surface line proves that the technology giant takes its hardware efforts very seriously, and we can’t wait to see what’s next. 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Samsung and Xbox Join Forces for Marketing and Retail Partnership for QLED TV and Xbox One X in the U.S. RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ – September 1, 2017 – Samsung Electronics America Inc., the global leader in television for over 11 years, today announced an exclusive U.S. marketing and retail partnership with Xbox to utilize Samsung’s flagship premium lineup of QLED TVs as the official 4K TV partner for the highly-anticipated Xbox One X. The partnership kicked off at E3 2017 in June as attendees experienced, for the first time ever, true, breathtaking 4K HDR gaming on Xbox One X and Samsung QLED TVs. Gamers will be able to experience the power of Xbox One X on QLED 4K TVs at various Xbox and Samsung marketing and retail activations throughout the US. Consumers will also see a custom Samsung TV spot showcasing Xbox One X and QLED together that will run nationally around the launch of Xbox One X this fall. “The arrival of true 4K UHD gameplay on Xbox One X this Fall gives gamers the perfect reason to upgrade their television,” said Eddie Combs, Vice President of Marketing for Samsung Electronics America. “If gamers are looking for a TV that delivers premium 4K HDR picture quality with industry leading design and smart functionality, then the QLED TV and Xbox One X are an unbeatable 4K gaming combination.” “Xbox One X will bring true 4K gaming to console players for the first time with 40 percent more power than any other console,” said Mike Nichols, Corporate Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Xbox. “Samsung’s QLED 4K TV is our favorite way to play Xbox One X, and we’re thrilled to join forces with Samsung in the U.S. to deliver immersive 4K gaming experiences to our fans.” QLED TV Samsung’s QLED TV takes Quantum dot technology to the next level with advancements in light efficiency, stability and a wider color spectrum. The QLED TV can express accurate color and achieve 100 percent color volume – addition, the QLED TV’s 4K HDR Elite features rich, deep black levels and bold contrast that displays hidden detail as it was meant to be seen. For gamers, the QLED TV provides an unparalleled 4K HDR gaming experience. It leverages Quantum Dot technology to bring even the smallest graphical details to life in perfect color. And with 3-step image processing, the QLED TV features an exceptionally low input lag of less than 20 milliseconds to provide a seamless experience on even the most demanding multiplayer games. Meanwhile, a lifetime guarantee against burn-in means that gamers will never have to worry about potential display damage that could distract them from the next mission. Samsung’s Smart Hub has been expanded to offer an even more intuitive and unified experience, directly via the QLED TV. By simply connecting Xbox One X, the TV automatically recognizes the console and sets up the Samsung One Remote – which now supports more devices and offers voice control capabilities across more Smart TV features. Just by saying “Game Mode” into the One Remote, users will have immediately optimized their audio and video settings for gaming. Paired with the latest Smart View App – available on Android or iOS mobile devices – users will enjoy their very own personalized Smart Hub. Additionally, Samsung introduced new design elements that can fit into any home – regardless of the interior aesthetics or setup. The all-new Invisible Connection cable allows placement of the console elsewhere, with a single connection to the TV. Consumers can now reclaim their living room space once occupied by set-top boxes, external streaming devices and video game consoles with a single optical cable that brings all devices together in a clean, orderly manner. Additionally, Samsung has also introduced the No Gap Wall-mount which brings the TV flush against the wall, closer than ever before. Samsung’s 2017 QLED TV lineup is available now at Samsung.com and at retailers nationwide. [1] **In the event of burn-in from normal consumer use, Samsung Customer Service (1-800-726-7864) will either repair or replace at its option the 2017 QLED TV with a similar model. This guarantee requires valid serial number, valid picture proof of burn-in, and product registration on Samsung.com starting from May 1st, 2017. Does not cover fraudulent claims or claims of burn-in resulting from negligence or improper use of TV. Repair or replacement typically occurs within 2-3 weeks but could take longer.

President Donald Trump’s outside attorney Marc Kasowitz delivered a statement, following James Comey’s testimony from earlier today. WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s personal attorney says the president “never, in form or substance” directed former FBI director James Comey to stop investigating anyone. That includes former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Marc Kasowitz is responding to Comey’s Thursday morning testimony, in which the fired FBI director said Trump urged him to drop the Flynn case. READ MORE: What to watch for in Comey’s Senate testimony Kasowitz says that the president is “entitled to expect loyalty” from those serving the administration. But he says Trump never told Comey, “I need loyalty, I expect loyalty,” in form or substance, as Comey claimed. Trump tasked Kasowitz late last month with responding to matters arising from various probes of Russian interference in the election. WATCH: James Comey testifies in Senate hearing on Russia

Nas didn’t mince words about President Donald Trump in an open letter he shared on Mass Appeal today. “We all know a racist is in office,” he wrote. “People can talk their shit...but when you have the responsibility of being President and you carry on like that, you send a strong message to people outside of your group that they ain’t worth shit.” Nas insisted that it doesn’t matter who is in office, but rather how their actions affect the citizens they govern. “My way of addressing these issues is through my work,” he continued. “I observe what’s going on and that goes into my creative process. The person himself, I’m not caught up with. I don’t even have time for Trump or Pence. I don’t give a fuck.” Read the entire letter here. It’s not the first time he’s voiced his opinion about Trump. He obliquely went after the then-presidential candidate in his 2016 collaboration with DJ Khaled, “Nas Album Done,” saying, “‘Celebrity Apprentice’ a devil show.” (Watch the video for that song here.) He also called Trump a “toupee-wearing liar” during his verse on Robin Thicke’s single “Deep.” Several rappers have been vocal about their disdain for Trump, including Snoop Dogg, who released a music video for “Lavender” that featured a Trump lookalike dressed as a clown. Trump himself tweeted about it.

The beefcakes are back and better than ever in Eugene. The Oregon Ducks' offensive linemen have once again been featured in a series of "modeling" photos. The group approached photographers Ryan Kang and Taylor Wilder last year about shooting images for a "sexy calendar," according to Kang's Instagram account. Though the calendar never made it to production, Kang released the photos Thursday. As you might guess, the images are rather eye-catching. Among the highlights: nine players -- one sporting a laurel crown -- draped in togas and feeding each other grapes; a lumberjack ensemble featuring a chainsaw, an axe and a shirtless, suspenders-clad center preparing to hike a log; and a pool party complete with inflatable tubes, boogie boards and fishing gear. You can see all 12 photos here. Perhaps the Ducks road-graders were inspired by the 2008 O-line, which took part in a similar production. That group drew plenty of attention, so much so that the players had to turn the focus away from their calendar and back to football. We can only imagine this new round of snapshots will attract similar fanfare.

Luca Sage/Getty The first true brain-to-brain communication in people could start next year, thanks to huge recent advances. Early attempts won’t quite resemble telepathy as we often imagine it. Our brains work in unique ways, and the way each of us thinks about a concept is influenced by our experiences and memories. This results in different patterns of brain activity, but if neuroscientists can learn one individual’s patterns, they may be able to trigger certain thoughts in that person’s brain. In theory, they could then use someone else’s brain activity to trigger these thoughts. “You could detect certain thought processes and use them to influence other people’s decisions” Advertisement So far, researchers have managed to get two people, sitting in different rooms, to play a game of 20 questions on a computer. The participants transmitted “yes” or “no” answers, thanks to EEG caps that monitored brain activity, with a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation triggering an electrical current in the other person’s brain. By pushing this further, it may be possible to detect certain thought processes, and use them to influence those of another person, including the decisions they make. Another approach is for the brain activity of several individuals to be brought together on a single electronic device. This has been done in animals already. Three monkeys with brain implants have learned to think together, cooperating to control and move a robotic arm. Similar work has been done in rats, connecting their brains in a “brainet”. The next step is to develop a human equivalent that doesn’t require invasive surgery. These might use EEG caps instead, and their first users will probably be people who are paralysed. Hooking up a brainet to a robotic suit, for example, could enable them to get help from someone else when learning to use exoskeletons to regain movement. This article appeared in print under the headline “Mind-reading fuses thoughts”

Opera singing Brit Tony Henry has become a Croatian hero for mispronouncing a line in the country's national anthem before its team consigned a lamentable England to the dustbin of footballing history on Wednesday night. The ditty is "written in the old Croat style", the Telegraph explains, and instead of singing Mila kuda si planina - "You know my dear how we love your mountains" - Henry thundered Mila kura si planina, or "My dear, my penis is a mountain". This evidently delighted Croatian players Vedran Corluka and Luka Modric, who were seen "grinning at each other" at the gaffe, and fans claim the slip helped relax the team before its 3-2 drubbing of McClaren's lacklustre side. Accordingly, Croatians are now calling for Henry to be awarded with a medal and appointed their team's official mascot for Euro 2008. Mate Prlic, of Croatian footie mag Torcida , suggested: "He obviously relaxed the players so why not invite him to Euro 2008 to keep the winning streak going?" Henry's agent, Douglas Gillespie, said: "Tony had a great reception from the Croatian fans and already feels part of their campaign for Euro 2008." ®

Lightstorm Two rival photographers searching for mutual harmony while tempting the raw powers of nature and action will engage in a game of photographic mayhem on the ice fields of Greenland to resolve a bet that one can produce a better calendar than the other. Will Jake the action junkie win? Or will Kate's eye for tranquility claim her victory? Can their mutual respect even survive such harsh conditions? More In 1992, photographers Jake and Kate are sent to Greenland to shoot a calendar highlighting the ice country in its fiercest majesty. Both believe their styles are better than the other’s, so much in fact that they split the assignment into two separate calendars, “Icy Wonders” and “Greenland’s Fury,” and make a bet that one can outsell the other by the end of the year in an all-out commercial war. Their rivalry is heated in spite of the frigid cold they walk, eat, and sleep in, but at the end of the day, only one can win. Is it the spirited Jake, who will bait a herd of muskoxen into a fight just to make his calendar month amazing, or the zen-like Kate, who has an eye for the risky tranquility of sleeping wolves, that will win the calendar battle of the year? Their adventure takes them through several harrowing turns as each photo shoot puts them closer to that line between victory or defeat. But nothing prepares them for the moment when their respective styles come back to bite them and they are forced to reconcile their differences. Will their understanding of each other bring them closer together, or will their stubborn ideas enhance their rivalry? And what long-term effects will their exciting yet frightening adventure leave with them once the calendars are released and the bet is settled? Can they handle the fame that follows them into the twenty-first century? In “Lightstorm,” these opposing forces of nature will find out just how wild their ambitions can get and how drastically one week in Greenland can change their lives forever.

Share 0 SHARES TAOISEACH Enda Kenny said he was shocked and disgusted at former party member Hugh McElvaney who “only asked for £10,000” during an RTÉ investigation into political corruption. Speaking outside Leinster House today, Mr. Kenny said the sum of money asked by Councillor McElvaney was very low and unusual for someone in his position of power. “This is not just an insult to our party, but every other hardworking politician on the island,” he said. “To be caught asking for such a small envelope of money is an embarrassment and is the reason I accepted Mr. McElvaney’s resignation last month.” Echoing the Taoiseach, opposition leader Micheál Martin said he was also shocked at yesterday’s investigative report, which saw Sligo-based councillor Joe Queenan offering to act as an intermediary for a company in return for an investment in an agricultural business he was planning. “We are shocked that a member of our party didn’t ask for any money at all,” Mr. Martin said. “This is very un-Fianna Fail, and I have put a floor on all our financial bribes at one hundred thousand euros going forward, as suggested in 1995 by our internal minister for bribes, Bertie Ahern”. The Taoiseach made sure to make a solemn pledge to the Irish people, ensuring these incidents would not be repeated again. “I have to admit my error, and say I didn’t do enough to foster a culture of dishonesty. That is why I now appeal to former Fine Gael member Michael Lowry, to come back into the fold and teach everyone how to do this stuff properly,” a tearful Taoiseach concluded. The Irish public for their part have vowed for the 1,345th time to never vote for any politician who has been shown up as deceitful and dishonest.

Let us know which titles stood out for you this year It’s that time of year again! Whether you’re finishing up last-minute holiday shopping, prioritising your gaming catch-up plans, or just taking it easy until 2016, there’s one thing we can all come together for: Game of the Year voting! We’re lucky enough to live in a world where every year is pretty darned good for gamers, but 2015 was a year where PlayStation 4 really started to hit its stride. We started 2015’s list of GotY nominees nice ‘n early with FromSoftware’s Bloodborne, but things have stayed steady throughout the year. A few quick housekeeping notes before we dive in: Nominees are limited to games that have never appeared on a PlayStation platform before . . Additionally, if a game has won for a specific category in a previous year, it’s no longer eligible to win in that category this year . . We tried to include a (very) wide range of nominees for each category, but if your favorite isn’t on the list feel free to write it in at the bottom of each form. We’re keeping the polls open until the end of 2015 to give folks time to catch up on any games they might still have in their backlog (I’m looking at you, Geralt). Once the polls close at 7:59am GMT on 1st January, we’ll start tallying ’em up, with the big winners post following in early January. But enough stalling — let’s vote! [polldaddy poll=”9234132″] [polldaddy poll=”9234147″] [polldaddy poll=”9234152″] [polldaddy poll=”9234156″] [polldaddy poll=”9234164″] [polldaddy poll=”9234181″] [polldaddy poll=”9234186″] [polldaddy poll=”9234193″] [polldaddy poll=”9234199″] [polldaddy poll=”9234200″] [polldaddy poll=”9234203″]

Tempers boiled over at the United Nations on Wednesday (12 April) when a Russian envoy launched into a tirade against a British ambassador over events in Syria, at one point saying furiously: "Look at me while I'm talking to you." Vladimir Safronkov, Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, appeared to lose his cool while responding to the UK's UN ambassador Matthew Rycroft, who accused the Kremlin of supporting the "murderous" Assad regime. Jabbing his finger towards Rycroft, at the UN Security Council session in New York, an angered Safronkov said: "You are afraid. You have been losing sleep over the fact that we might be working together with the United States. "That is what you fear. You're doing everything to make sure that this kind of cooperation be undermined. Look at me when I'm speaking. Don't look away. Why are you looking away?" Accusing Rycroft of having behaved "irresponsibly, offensively, and obscenely" in his criticism of Russia and other states, he concluded angrily: "Don't you dare insult Russia again." The extraordinary outburst came as Russia vetoed a draft UN resolution that would have condemned last week's alleged chemical attack in Syria and demanded Damascus cooperate with investigators. The resolution was presented by the US, UK and France, who were angered by Russia blocking the move. The US accused Russia of protecting a "murderous regime", with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson saying relations between the US and Russia had reached a low point. Boris Johnson, the UK foreign secretary, said he was also "dismayed" by the Russian veto, saying Moscow was "on the wrong side of the argument". The chemical incident on rebel-held Khan Sheikhoun, on 4 April, killed more than 80 people. British scientists who took samples from the site concluded that nerve gas sarin, or a sarin-like substance, had been used. Western allies blamed Bashar al-Assad's Syrian government for launching the alleged chemical attack, with US President Donald Trump ordering missile strikes against a Syrian air force base in response. But the Syrian government denies it was responsible, with Russia's Vladimir Putin also rejecting the allegations, saying Syria had given up its chemical stockpile. Russia has called for an independent international investigation, and questioned how Western countries could have assigned responsibility to the Syrian regime so quickly. It has blamed the chemical incident on Syrian rebels, saying they possessed a stockpile of chemical weapons that were hit by a conventional airstrike. The proposed UN resolution – which Russia said had an "anti-Syrian slant" – would have backed international investigators to probe the details of the chemical incident. It would have allowed them access to "any sites deemed relevant", such as Syria's air bases, and access to information such as flight plans, logs and the names of military personnel in command of any aircraft being probed. A previous attempt at a compromise resolution which left out the request for flight logs had been dismissed by the US, UK and France. It is the eighth time during Syria's six-year-old civil war that Russia has used its UN Security Council veto to protect ally Assad. Addressing the UN Security Council session on 12 April, Rycroft said: "Time and time again, Russia has abused its veto protect the regime and to defend its use of chemical weapons. "What has Russia got in return for its seven vetos in six years? Russia's initiative in 2013 to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons has been exposed as a shambles. "Russian pride in the Astana process has been turned to humiliation and Russia's credibility and reputation across the world have been poisoned by its toxic association with Assad. "They have chosen to side with a murderous, barbaric criminal rather than with their international peers. They have chosen the wrong side of history. "However, it is not to late for Russia to change course, not to late for Russia to use its influence over the regime to bring conflict to an end." US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, also called on Moscow to stop protecting Assad, saying the US would work with Russia towards a political solution for Syria. "Russia once again has chosen to side with Assad, even as the rest of the world, including the Arab world, overwhelmingly comes together to condemn this murderous regime," Haley told the 15-member Security Council. "If the regime is innocent, as Russia claims, the information requested in this resolution would have vindicated them."

Let’s Talk about Nuclear Survival Gear today. I hear a lot going on about nuclear war with Russia. I would like to say up front that I do not think that is going to happen. Nuclear war with any of the big world powers is very unlikely. If any world power launches a nuclear attack on anyone the rest of the world will retaliate. Putin may be many things but he is not a Nihilist. No one wants to scorch the world. If we ever see a nuke set off It will be a lone wolf bomber. Or a group that is not affiliated with a country that doesn’t care about the outcome. I see the likeliness of a dirty bomb being set off in strategic locations to be more probable. With that said having preps for a dirty bomb makes sense. If I’m wrong and Russia hits us with some nukes then the same gear will work. At least if there’s anything left. If you are in the area that gets hit it’s game over. No prep can save you from taking on a nuclear bomb. Nuclear Survival Gear Some of these you will probably know. Lists of nuclear survival gear are always going around. My buddy Matt sent me a link recently to one. It was bad. They had soap on the list. Yes, It can help but I’m sure you have soap anyway. I wanted ones you might not know. Iodine Pills I’m sure you’ve seen this one and might already have it in your preps. Potassium iodide pills are the first nuclear survival gear people think of. The price has come down significantly on the iOSAT pills since Fukushima. Iodine pills are not a magical radiation pill, though. It only prevents radioactive iodine from being absorbed by the thyroid gland. It won’t help once the thyroid is damaged. In the event of a nuclear attack, you want to begin immediately taking Potassium Iodide. You need to fill up the thyroid with stable iodine so no radioactive iodine gets in. Prussian Blue No, not the artist or laundry kind. The CDC says it is not that same. I can’t find any sources to either prove or disprove this. Prussian Blue is a pill, by prescription, that can help remove radioactive cesium and thallium from people’s bodies. It traps radioactive cesium and thallium in the intestines and keeps them from being re-absorbed. The radioactive materials then move through the intestines and are passed in bowel movements. Prussian blue reduces the biological half-life of cesium from about 110 days to about 30 days and thallium from about 8 days to about 3 days. You will need to either ask your doctor about getting a prescription or poke around on the internet for a source to buy. DTPA (Diethylenetriamine pentaacetate) DTPA (Diethylenetriamine pentaacetate) is a medicine that can bind to radioactive plutonium, americium, and curium to decrease the amount of time it takes to get radioactive plutonium, americium, and curium out of the body. It works by tightly binding to radioactive materials then passing them from the body in the urine. It is best to take right after radiation exposure to reduce the time that the material is inside your body. This too is by prescription only. Which makes no sense since it, not Prussian blue have off-label uses. Radiation badge Radiation badges are carried by first responders and people that work in and around radiation. These badges are a calmative indication of radiation exposure. So the meter will never reset. It, however, does not require power. It will fit in a wallet so you can carry it everywhere you go. They will work great to check your exposure after an event. It will also show you how well you are avoiding radiation. Geiger counter There are a ton of Geiger counters on amazon. Many of them are well over $100 though. I know y’all don’t have tons of money floating around. Neither do I. There are some affordable smartphone ones. You just plug them into the headphone jack. Or you could go the DIY route and make one. Here is a link to an Instructable on building a Geiger counter. It might be a project for the more experienced of you. Radiation hazmat suit Chem suits are pretty cheap on Amazon. Here is one for $12. I would not recommend getting a cheap one and deliberately going out in radiation. I would use them for emergencies. Only use them when you have to. Best practices would be to stay inside. I have also seen hazmat suits at army surplus stores. I would trust a mil surplus one. They overbuild everything. Plastic sheeting In a nuclear event, you want to seal up your home. Cover the windows, vents, and doors. You do not want radiation to get inside. The more radiation you keep from getting inside the less you have to worry about removing. Only physical barriers will keep radiation from entering the body. Stored Water Not much to add to this. You need stored water in your Nuclear Survival Gear preps. If you follow the rest of the advice I’m giving you and drink radiated water you’re screwed. I almost left it off the list because you need to have water storage covered in basic preps anyway. Since water is so important I’m telling you again. Sea Salt And Baking Soda This is where the list of Nuclear Survival Gear gets weird. I like weird. And hopefully, you do too. I came across this article on using sea salt and baking soda. It is kinda out there and suggests using diet for radiation and cancer (which I agree with). One of the gems learned from this article is that Sodium bicarbonate binds with uranium. Yup good old baking soda binds with uranium. It recommends soaking in a bath of sea salt and baking soda to draw out the radiation. Although it does seem like pseudo-science it may just help out. And both items should be in your preps anyway. Ketone Esters This one was a bit harder to track down sources for. I remember hearing Dom D’Agostino on the Tim Ferriss show mention ketones effect on radiation exposure. Basic science supports the idea, that nutritional ketosis could preserve the cellular, tissue and physiology of people exposed to radiation. He talks about this concept for astronauts but also for Japanese near Fukushima. I like to be in at least mild ketosis the majority of the time. So I will be fine. If you don’t want to eat a ketogenic diet you have options now. This science paper stated that: ❝ The invention relates to methods of using ketogenic compounds to protect against the adverse effects of radiation exposure, including ionizing radiation tissue damage. NIH inventors have discovered that ketone esters can be used to reduce tissue damage if administered before or after exposure to radiation. Specifically, the invention relates to esters and oligomers of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate that are capable of elevating blood levels of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate to sufficient levels to reduce cell death caused by radiation-induced damage of DNA and RNA. The development of effective radioprotectant molecules such as these is of great importance in reducing tissue damage following intentional or accidental radiation exposure. This discovery can also increase the therapeutic efficacy of radiation therapies by protecting non-target tissues from incidental radiation damage. ❞ So by having some exogenous ketones as a prep you can start taking it as soon as you are exposed. New products are coming out all the time if the price on KetoCaNa is a little steep. With the benefits from it though I would say, is will easily pay for itself. Fasting will get you into ketosis fast too. In Conclusion There are probably more herbal remedies out there for radiation. And I encourage you to go look and research on your own. With the Nuclear Survival Gear, I recommend in this post I feel that you will survive a radiation exposure event. In the case that you are not a direct target. Nothing I can recommend for that. The best advice I have is to not live in a city that is a desirable target. If you live in a town with a small population at least some distance from the larger cities you will be better off. We preppers often gravitate to smaller towns anyway. The big key is to minimize exposure. So the less exposure to radiation you have the better off you will be. Next is that most of the nuclear survival gear items need to be used ASAP. The sooner you treat radiation sickness the better your chances of survival is. Combining any or all of these will raise those chances more. Be safe out there. What do you have for nuclear attack in your preps? Let me know in the comments! It’s Fall and that means Pumpkin Spice! Check Out My Ebook On Paleo Pumpkin Recipes! Subscribe to the show Want to hear yourself on the podcast? Call in with your questions at (615) 657-9104 and leave us a voice mail. Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe

An amazingly beautiful WebGL demo by Felix Woitzel. It looks like he’s been doing a lot with shaders, like this l-system demo, and this fractal attractor demo. It’s made with the WebGL pixel shader language GLSL which is executed on the graphics card. It’s a really fast way of affecting all the individual pixels in a bitmap. Felix describes it: Fine-tuned 8Bit Reaction-Diffusion system with added traveling wave fronts and subpixel decay. Using the gradients of the generative texture for a displacement mapping of a light source. But still kinda hard to see what’s going on. We’re waiting to hear back from Felix to get more details on his impressive work. [UPDATE] We’ve spoken to Felix about his work – he’s a recent graduate based in Rostock, Germany who cut his teeth making shader-based visualizers for WinAmp plug-in MilkDrop. We’ll be writing a post about him in the future. Traveling wavefronts shader demo [via philogb]

Fred Hoiberg's talks with Cameron Payne have moved from playing time to preparation. Fresh off his second Development League stint, Payne landed on the inactive list Thursday night, and it doesn't appear the centerpiece to last month's trade with the Thunder will return to the regular-season rotation. "I just had a conversation with him about how important it is to finish out the season the right way, whether he's getting minutes or not," Hoiberg said. "Going into the third year, it's very important to have the best summer of his life to get himself prepared, get himself ready to battle for a spot in the rotation in next year's camp." Hoiberg said it hasn't been determined whether Payne will play in summer league. But Hoiberg did say Payne at least would practice with the summer league entry. Payne said he has tried to use the Development League assignments to build confidence. "He did show some things that you get excited about," Hoiberg said. "We've done some things in practice that show he has a chance to be a player." The King: Earlier this week, Jimmy Butler shrewdly refused to answer whether LeBron James is his toughest defensive assignment, pointing out that saying so might provide motivation and ammunition for others like Kevin Durant. But Robin Lopez did wade into whether James is the most valuable player in a season when Russell Westbrook and James Harden have produced eye-popping numbers to make them the favorites. Not surprisingly, Lopez offered an astute take. "It has been a very competitive race. Obviously Russ and James are at the head of that conversation, but I almost feel somebody like LeBron, it's almost absurd to say but you take his efforts for granted," Lopez said. "You expect so much out of him that par for the course people aren't so much so surprised by. He's up there for me." Hoiberg joked that "it didn't go well" the one time he found himself matched against James early in James' career. Layups: Cristiano Felicio returned after missing three games with a lower back contusion. … James said he talks to Dwyane Wade "three to four times a week" but doesn't counsel his former Heat teammate on his fractured right elbow. "He knows what he's doing," James said. Wade did some pregame shooting. … Asked about the Bulls' inconsistencies this season, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue offered an unsolicited compliment: "Fred Hoiberg runs some great stuff."

We started SpectroCoin, an all in one solution for cryptocurrencies, back in 2013. By January 2017 we had over 130,000 clients. As we approach 2018, we are happy to announce we have surpassed the 500,000 client milestone. In over four years of being in the crypto scene, we have learned a lot and have grown together with our customer base. Throughout the years, we have been driven by the core goal of offering the best possible service to our customers. That is why we are constantly working on expanding our service range. This year we launched a peer-to-peer fund transfer capability that allows clients to send any currency supported by SpectroCoin instantly and free of charge between SpectroCoin accounts. We have also introduced pre-paid debit cards that are directly linked to SpectroCoin wallets and allow clients to spend cryptocurrencies by exchanging them to a preferred fiat currency such as EUR, USD, and GBP on the spot. Furthermore, we are the only cryptocurrency wallet in the market to have introduced the possibility to claim International Bank Account Numbers. That is in addition to the more than 20 fiat and cryptocurrencies we have been adding to our services over the years with more than 20 money deposit and withdrawal methods available. From day one we set big goals ourselves. That is why this year we also introduced our operational fork Bankera – a banking project that connects the traditional banking world with the crypto world. Bankera is currently holding its ICO sale to collect funds for the project and, together with its pre-ICO, has already collected over 30 million euros. In addition to the expansion of our services, we have welcomed over 50 employees to our team in fields of expertise such IT, Finance, Customer Support, and Marketing. These new team members are here to help us grow even more. However, none of this could have been done without you, so we want to say 500,000 Thank-Yous. We will continue working hard, and we hope you will carry on with us through the journey. If you have not done so, join us now!

DETROIT -- Two things are evident in the wake of Tuesday's decision by the Tigers to send closer Bruce Rondon home for the season. First, Rondon's teammates fully support the move, made by manager Brad Ausmus and general manager Al Avila as a response to growing concerns about Rondon's lack of maturity and professionalism. Ausmus cited Rondon's "effort level," although he declined to elaborate on the move. Second, his teammates also recognize the sort of talent Rondon, 24, possesses and the value he can provide and would welcome him back with open arms if he uses this disciplinary action to work on those areas that appear to be lacking. "Absolutely. Absolutely," Ian Kinsler told ESPN.com after Wednesday's 7-4 win over the Chicago White Sox. "Everybody grows up, everybody changes, everybody makes mistakes, and if he shows that he wants to compete and compete with his teammates, then absolutely." Bruce Rondon was sent home amid growing concerns about the 24-year-old pitcher's lack of maturity and professionalism. AP Images/Orlin Wagner Third baseman Nick Castellanos echoed Kinsler's sentiments and fully endorsed Rondon's return next season, provided the issues that sent him packing do not continue to be a problem and a distraction to the team. "Without a doubt," Castellanos told ESPN.com "Because our number one goal is we want to win, and he has the stuff to help us win." That is what makes Rondon's apparent apathy so maddening for his teammates and the organization. He is regarded as having a powerful arm, yet in recent outings he was decidedly passive in letting his fastball go. Although he is able to hit between 97-100 mph on most occasions, his fastball in his last appearance, in the ninth inning of the club's second game of Monday's double-header, was in the low-to-mid 90s. Rondon's teammates knew something was off. So did Ausmus, who when questioned whether Rondon was injured said he felt fine. "To be frustrated that things aren't going your way and just pout and do that, it's not going to accomplish anything," Castellanos said. "It doesn't mean that it can't click for him in the future if he figures it out, because without a doubt he has the stuff to be an All-Star closer in the game of baseball. I guess it's just all the intangibles he has to bring back together to make it complete. If this is a disciplinary action that the front office thinks is necessary, the players are going to be on board." Castellanos said in an earlier interview with Detroit's 105.1 radio station that Rondon's "antics" bothered his teammates and that a few veterans approached Rondon about these things. Kinsler, a heart-and-soul leader for the Tigers who has acted in many ways as the club's de facto captain, chose his words carefully. He wanted to respect the fact that Rondon remains a member of the team. "It's kind of sensitive because Bruce is still part of this team and he's someone that can be a big part of this team in the future," Kinsler said. "So it's tough for me as his teammate to comment on the situation. I'm completely for what the organization decision is. If they want to make a decision and they think it's beneficial to the organization, then I'm for it. And hopefully, Bruce can recognize what happened and appreciate where he's at and what opportunity he has and come back and be ready for next year." Justin Verlander, the resident leader of the Tigers' pitching staff, said he wants to set his example on the mound, and he did just that Wednesday with a dazzling performance punctuated by eight strikeouts and a final at-bat in which he fanned catcher Geovany Soto with a 99 mph fastball. "I don't think you can say, 'OK, I'm going to set an example of effort level,'" Verlander said. "That just comes. You lead by example. I've always been someone that when I go out there everything I've got on that given day is what I give you. You know you're going to get 100 percent from me." Asked how he felt about the Rondon situation, Verlander said, "Yeah, it's disappointing, but that was our management and Brad's decision, and it is what it is." Disappointment seemed to be the consensus among Tigers players, with Castellanos saying he felt similarly let down. "It's extremely disappointing, because to play in the big leagues is a privilege" Castellanos said. "And you should want to represent yourself and the organization as best you can every day you wear a uniform, you know?" Kinsler pointed out one more thing. "One thing you've got to remember is that talent doesn't always win. You've got to work hard," said Kinsler, a former 17th-round draft choice who worked his way to stardom in the majors. "You've got to have some sort of drive, some sort of competitive edge. It's not the team that is the best, it's the team that plays the best that wins on any particular day. Regardless of talent or results, I just want my teammates to play hard and compete and try to win, and that's really it."

The search for start-worthy running backs never stops in Fantasy Football. A few running backs you drafted and pegged as starters won't be available for Week 1. Obviously that includes suspended Steeler Le'Veon Bell, but now it looks like Jamaal Charles could remain sidelined as he puts the final touches on his rehab from a torn ACL. Other teams such as Baltimore and Seattle have question marks at running back heading into the first weekend. So how much is too much to "rent" a starting running back for the early portion of the season? View Profile DeAngelo Williams PIT • RB • 34 2016 preseason stats ATT 4 YDS 12 TD 0 TAR 4 REC 3 REC YDS 9 REC TD 0 View Profile Spencer Ware KC • RB • 32 2016 preseason stats ATT 24 YDS 85 TD 3 TAR 8 REC 8 REC YDS 50 REC TD 0 We know Williams will get extensive opportunities for the first three weeks while Bell sits out. He's the most attractive running back to target for an early-season boost, but you have no chance of getting him if he's on the same roster as Bell. You also have no chance of getting him if the Williams owner doesn't have another running back to replace him. But Williams himself doesn't have much long-term appeal because he won't be a reliable starter in Fantasy once Bell comes back. His value will sink. So, anyone trying to trade Williams away shouldn't expect big value. Eli Manning, Chris Ivory, LeGarrette Blount, DeSean Jackson or Travis Kelce should be fair enough exchanges for Williams. Ware's not exactly in the same situation. His status is tied to Charles' ability to not only get on the field but stay on it for 70 percent of the snaps per week. That might last into October, it might last one or two games. But he should fetch the same kind of player in trade as Williams in non-PPR leagues because he'll likely have at least a minor role once Charles comes back. And unlike Bell in Pittsburgh, Charles is a candidate to re-injure himself since he's coming back from an injury. If that were to happen and Charles would miss time, Ware would emerge as at least a top-20 Fantasy running back. Blake Bortles, Philip Rivers, Ameer Abdullah and Emmanuel Sanders are additional players you could get for Ware in PPR formats. What are the Trade Values? The chart is designed to help guide you in making fair trades in your standard-scoring or PPR leagues. The values assigned to the players below are a long-term measurement of their Fantasy value. By adding two players' values you could determine what one player you should be able to get in return. This list also works as a "Rest of Season" rankings. Also, any player not on the chart should be considered valued at no more than four points. Running backs Wide receivers Tight ends Quarterbacks

Sign of different coexisting school types on a school complex in Germany The responsibility for the education system in Germany lies primarily with the states (Länder), while the federal government plays a minor role. Optional Kindergarten (nursery school) education is provided for all children between one and six years old, after which school attendance is compulsory.[1] The system varies throughout Germany because each state (Land) decides its own educational policies. Most children, however, first attend Grundschule from the age of six to eleven. German education is very important to the German government. There are many reasons for this, but one main reason behind this is due to the fact that Germany has the world's second oldest population. Many Germans are at the retired age and are not about of the labor market. Even if by 2060, if the population decreases the way that the Federal Statistical Office of Germany believes, the best outcome would still still result in a "decreased working-age population"[2]. Because of this the German government has found great importance from the "internationalization of education"[2]. Internationalization can help promote immigration to Germany and it can help Germany's labor shortage. Like many other countries, Germany does struggle with low death rates but also low birth rate. Many individuals are living for quite a while and even though that is fortunate for them, it harms the economy. The German population is getting older and simply cannot be supported by its youth[3]. Immigration is seen as a solution to solve this. Internalization not only helps the labor market but also creates schools with a great global connection[4]. Germany's secondary education is separated into two parts, lower and upper. Lower-secondary education in Germany is meant to teach individuals basic general education and gets them ready to enter upper-secondary education. In the upper secondary level Germany has a vast variety of vocational programs. The format of secondary vocational education is put into a way to get individuals to learn high skills for a specific profession. "Most of Germany highly skilled workforce has gone through the dual system of vocational education and training also known as V.E.T."[5]. Many Germans participate in the V.E.T. programs. These V.E.T. programs are partnered with about 430,000 companies, and about 80 percent of those companies hire individuals from those apprenticeship programs to get a full time job[5]. This educational system is very encouraging to young individuals because they are able to actively see the fruit of their loom. The education system is encouraging to individuals because they know that most likely a job will be waiting for them when they are done with school. The skills that are gained through these V.E.T. programs are not easily transferable and once a company commits to an employ that came out of these vocational schools, they have a commitment to each other [6]. Germany's V.E.T. programs prove that a college degree is not necessary for a good job and that training individuals for specific jobs could be successful as well [7] German secondary education includes five types of school. The Gymnasium is designed to prepare pupils for higher education and finishes with the final examination Abitur, after grade 12 or 13. The Realschule has a broader range of emphasis for intermediate pupils and finishes with the final examination Mittlere Reife, after grade 10; the Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational education and finishes with the final examination Hauptschulabschluss, after grade 9 and the Realschulabschluss after grade 10. There are two types of grade 10: one is the higher level called type 10b and the lower level is called type 10a; only the higher-level type 10b can lead to the Realschule and this finishes with the final examination Mittlere Reife after grade 10b. This new path of achieving the Realschulabschluss at a vocationally oriented secondary school was changed by the statutory school regulations in 1981 – with a one-year qualifying period. During the one-year qualifying period of the change to the new regulations, pupils could continue with class 10 to fulfil the statutory period of education. After 1982, the new path was compulsory, as explained above. Other than this, there is the Gesamtschule, which combines the Hauptschule, Realschule and Gymnasium. There are also Förder- or Sonderschulen. One in 21 pupils attends a Förderschule.[8][9] Nevertheless, the Förder- or Sonderschulen can also lead, in special circumstances, to a Hauptschulabschluss of both type 10a or type 10b, the latter of which is the Realschulabschluss. The amount of extracurricular activity is determined individually by each school and varies greatly. Many of Germany's hundred or so institutions of higher learning charge little or no tuition by international comparison.[10] Students usually must prove through examinations that they are qualified. In order to enter university, students are, as a rule, required to have passed the Abitur examination; since 2009, however, those with a Meisterbrief (master craftsman's diploma) have also been able to apply.[11][12] Those wishing to attend a "university of applied sciences" must, as a rule, have Abitur, Fachhochschulreife, or a Meisterbrief. If lacking those qualifications, pupils are eligible to enter a university or university of applied sciences if they can present additional proof that they will be able to keep up with their fellow students through a Begabtenprüfung or Hochbegabtenstudium (which is a test confirming excellence and above average intellectual ability). A special system of apprenticeship called Duale Ausbildung allows pupils on vocational courses to do in-service training in a company as well as at a state school.[9] History [ edit ] Prussian [ edit ] Historically, Lutheranism had a strong influence on German culture, including its education. Martin Luther advocated compulsory schooling so that all people would independently be able to read and interpret the Bible. This concept became a model for schools throughout Germany. German public schools generally have religious education provided by the churches in cooperation with the state ever since. During the 18th century, the Kingdom of Prussia was among the first countries in the world to introduce free and generally compulsory primary education, consisting of an eight-year course of basic education, Volksschule. It provided not only the skills needed in an early industrialized world (reading, writing, and arithmetic) but also a strict education in ethics, duty, discipline and obedience. Children of affluent parents often went on to attend preparatory private schools for an additional four years, but the general population had virtually no access to secondary education and universities. In 1810, after the Napoleonic wars, Prussia introduced state certification requirements for teachers, which significantly raised the standard of teaching. The final examination, Abitur, was introduced in 1788, implemented in all Prussian secondary schools by 1812 and extended to all of Germany in 1871. The state also established teacher training colleges for prospective teachers in the common or elementary grades. German Empire [ edit ] Gymnasium pupils in 1904 When the German Empire was formed in 1871, the school system became more centralized. In 1872, Prussia recognized the first separate secondary schools for females. As learned professions demanded well-educated young people, more secondary schools were established, and the state claimed the sole right to set standards and to supervise the newly established schools. Four different types of secondary schools developed: A nine-year classical Gymnasium (including study of Latin and Classical Greek or Hebrew, plus one modern language); (including study of Latin and Classical Greek or Hebrew, plus one modern language); A nine-year Realgymnasium (focusing on Latin, modern languages, science and mathematics); (focusing on Latin, modern languages, science and mathematics); A six-year Realschule (without university entrance qualification, but with the option of becoming a trainee in one of the modern industrial, office or technical jobs); and (without university entrance qualification, but with the option of becoming a trainee in one of the modern industrial, office or technical jobs); and A nine-year Oberrealschule (focusing on modern languages, science and mathematics). By the turn of the 20th century, the four types of schools had achieved equal rank and privilege, although they did not have equal prestige. Weimar Republic [ edit ] Classroom furniture from 1900 (left) to 1985 (right) After World War I, the Weimar Republic established a free, universal four-year elementary school (Grundschule). Most pupils continued at these schools for another four-year course. Those who were able to pay a small fee went on to a Mittelschule that provided a more challenging curriculum for an additional one or two years. Upon passing a rigorous entrance exam after year four, pupils could also enter one of the four types of secondary school. Nazi Germany [ edit ] During the Nazi era (1933–1945), teaching of National Socialist ideology was integrated into the school system, however the basic education system remained unchanged. The Hitler Youth accepted students aged 7–18, and education often focused more on Nazism and Nazi-related activities, rather than traditional academic subjects. Children who were not interested in learning about Nazism would automatically have all other aspects of their education suffer, and risk never graduating from school. East Germany [ edit ] The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) started its own standardized education system in the 1960s. The East German equivalent of both primary and secondary schools was the Polytechnic Secondary School (Polytechnische Oberschule), which all students attended for 10 years, from the ages of 6 to 16. At the end of the 10th year, an exit examination was set. Depending upon the results, a pupil could choose to come out of education or undertake an apprenticeship for an additional two years, followed by an Abitur. Those who performed very well and displayed loyalty to the ruling party could change to the Erweiterte Oberschule (extended high school), where they could take their Abitur examinations after 12 school years. Although this system was abolished in the early 1990s after reunification, it continues to influence school life in the eastern German states.[citation needed] West Germany [ edit ] Pupils of the Gymnasium Nonnenwerth, an all-girls Catholic school in 1960 After World War II, the Allied powers (Soviet Union, France, United Kingdom, and the U.S.) ensured that Nazi ideology was eliminated from the curriculum. They installed educational systems in their respective occupation zones that reflected their own ideas. When West Germany gained partial independence in 1949, its new constitution (Grundgesetz) granted educational autonomy to the state (Länder) governments. This led to widely varying school systems, often making it difficult for children to continue schooling whilst moving between states. Multi-state agreements ensure that basic requirements are universally met by all state school systems. Thus, all children are required to attend one type of school (five or six days a week) from the age of 6 to the age of 16. A pupil may change schools in the case of exceptionally good (or exceptionally poor) ability. Graduation certificates from one state are recognized by all the other states. Qualified teachers are able to apply for posts in any of the states. Federal Republic of Germany [ edit ] Since the 1990s, a few changes have been taking place in many schools: Introduction of bilingual education in some subjects Experimentation with different styles of teaching Equipping all schools with computers and Internet access Creation of local school philosophy and teaching goals ("Schulprogramm"), to be evaluated regularly Reduction of Gymnasium school years (Abitur after grade 12) and introduction of afternoon periods as in many other western countries After 2000 much public debate about Germany's perceived low international ranking in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) there has been a trend towards a less ideological discussion on how to develop schools. These are some of the new trends: Establishing federal standards on quality of teaching More practical orientation in teacher training Transfer of some responsibility from the Ministry of Education to local school Overview [ edit ] Overview over German school system In Germany, education is the responsibility of the states (Länder) and part of their constitutional sovereignty (Kulturhoheit der Länder). Teachers are employed by the Ministry of Education for the state and usually have a job for life after a certain period (verbeamtet) (which, however, is not comparable in timeframe nor competitiveness to the typical tenure track, e.g. at universities in the US). This practice depends on the state and is currently changing. A parents' council is elected to voice the parents' views to the school's administration. Each class elects one or two "Klassensprecher" (class presidents; if two are elected usually one is male and the other female), who meet several times a year as the "Schülerrat" (students' council). A team of school presidents is also elected by the pupils each year, whose main purpose is organizing school parties, sports tournaments and the like for their fellow students. The local town is responsible for the school building and employs the janitorial and secretarial staff. For an average school of 600 – 800 students, there may be two janitors and one secretary. School administration is the responsibility of the teachers, who receive a reduction in their teaching hours if they participate. Church and state are separated in Germany. Compulsory school prayers and compulsory attendance at religious services at state schools are against the constitution. (It is expected, though, to stand politely for the school prayer even if one does not pray along.) In 1995, it was ruled that the Christian cross was not allowed in classrooms, as it violates the religious freedom of non-Christian students. The cross is allowed if none of the pupils object, but must be removed in the event of an objection.[13] Some German states have banned teachers from wearing headscarves. Literacy [ edit ] Over 99% of Germans age 15 and above are estimated to be able to read and write.[14] Preschool [ edit ] A forest kindergarten in Düsseldorf The German preschool is known as a Kindergarten (plural Kindergärten) or Kita, short for Kindertagesstätte (meaning "children's daycare center"). Children between the ages of 2 and 6 attend Kindergärten, which are not part of the school system. They are often run by city or town administrations, churches, or registered societies, many of which follow a certain educational approach as represented, e.g., by Montessori or Reggio Emilia or "Berliner Bildungsprogramm", etc. Forest kindergartens are well established. Attending a Kindergarten is neither mandatory nor free of charge, but can be partly or wholly funded, depending on the local authority and the income of the parents. All caretakers in Kita or Kindergarten must have a three-year qualified education, or be under special supervision during training. Kindergärten can be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. or longer and may also house a Kinderkrippe, meaning crèche, for children between the ages of eight weeks and three years, and possibly an afternoon Hort (often associated with a primary school) for school-age children aged 6 to 10 who spend the time after their lessons there. Alongside nurseries, there are day-care nurses (called Tagesmutter, plural Tagesmütter – the formal, gender-neutral form is Tagespflegeperson(en)) working independently from any pre-school institution in individual homes and looking after only three to five children typically up to three years of age. These nurses are supported and supervised by local authorities. The term Vorschule, meaning ‘pre-school’, is used both for educational efforts in Kindergärten and for a mandatory class that is usually connected to a primary school. Both systems are handled differently in each German state. The Schulkindergarten is a type of Vorschule. During the German Empire, children were able to pass directly into secondary education after attending a privately run, charged "Vorschule" which then was another sort of primary school. The Weimar Constitution banned these, feeling them to be an unjustified privilege, and the Basic Law still contains the constitutional rule (Art. 7 Sect. VI) that: Pre-schools shall remain abolished. Primary education [ edit ] Education system in Germany Parents looking for a suitable school for their child have a wide choice of elementary schools State school. State schools do not charge tuition fees. The majority of pupils attend state schools in their neighbourhood. Schools in affluent areas tend to be better than those in deprived areas. Once children reach school age, many middle-class and working-class families move away from deprived areas. or, alternatively Waldorf School (2,006 schools in 2007) Montessori method school (272) Freie Alternativschule (Free Alternative Schools) (85 [15] ) Protestant (63) or Catholic (114) parochial schools Homeschooling [ edit ] Homeschooling is illegal in Germany, so some families have sought asylum abroad in order to home-school their children.[16] The illegality has to do with the prioritization of children's rights over the rights of parents: children have the right to the company of other children and adults who are not their parents, also parents cannot opt their kids out of sexual education classes because the state considers a child's right to information to be more important than a parent's desire to withhold it.[17] Secondary education [ edit ] After children complete their primary education (at 10 years of age, 12 in Berlin and Brandenburg), there are five options for secondary schooling: Gymnasium (grammar school) until grade 12 or 13 (with Abitur as exit exam, qualifying for university); and Fachoberschule admission after grade ten until grade twelve (with Fachhochschulreife (between Abitur and Realschulabschluss) as exit exam) it is also possible to leave after grade thirteen and get either the ″fachgebundene Abitur″ (if you haven′t learned a language besides English) or get the ″Abitur″ (with a second language on European level B1) ;[18] Realschule until grade ten (with Mittlere Reife (Realschulabschluss) as exit exam); Mittelschule (the least academic, much like a modernized Volksschule [elementary school]) until grade nine (with Hauptschulabschluss and in some cases Mittlere Reife = Realschulabschuss as exit exam); in some federal states the Hauptschule does not exist and pupils are mainstreamed into a Mittelschule or Regionale Schule instead. Gesamtschule (comprehensive school) (sorted by the quality and relevance of the exit exam. The comprehensive schools stands apart as it offers each of the mentioned exit exams) [18] Standard classroom at a primary school in Germany After passing through any of the above schools, pupils can start a career with an apprenticeship in the Berufsschule (vocational school). The Berufsschule is normally attended twice a week during a two, three, or three-and-a-half year apprenticeship; the other days are spent working at a company. This is intended to provide a knowledge of theory and practice. The company is obliged to accept the apprentice on its apprenticeship scheme. After this, the apprentice is registered on a list at the Industrie- und Handelskammer IHK (chamber of industry and commerce). During the apprenticeship, the apprentice is a part-time salaried employee of the company. After passing the Berufsschule and the exit exams of the IHK, a certificate is awarded and the young person is ready for a career up to a low management level. In some areas, the schemes teach certain skills that are a legal requirement (special positions in a bank, legal assistants). Some special areas provide different paths. After attending any of the above schools and gaining a leaving certificate like Hauptschulabschluss, Mittlere Reife (or Realschulabschuss, from a Realschule) or Abitur from a Gymnasium or a Gesamtschule, school leavers can start a career with an apprenticeship at a Berufsschule (vocational school). Here the student is registered with certain bodies, e.g. associations such as the German Bar Association Deutsche Rechtsanwaltskammer GBA (board of directors). During the apprenticeship, the young person is a part-time salaried employee of the institution, bank, physician or attorney's office. After leaving the Berufsfachschule and passing the exit examinations set by the German Bar Association or other relevant associations, the apprentice receives a certificate and is ready for a career at all levels except in positions which require a specific higher degree, such as a doctorate. In some areas, the apprenticeship scheme teaches skills that are required by law, including certain positions in a bank or those as legal assistants. The 16 states have exclusive responsibility in the field of education and professional education. The federal parliament and the federal government can influence the educational system only by financial aid to the states. There are many different school systems, but in each state the starting point is always the Grundschule (elementary school) for a period of four years; or six years in the case of Berlin and Brandenburg. Percentage of jobholders holding Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss or Abitur in Germany[19] 1970 1982 1991 2000 Hauptschulabschluss 87,7 % 79,3 % 66,5 % 54,9 % Realschulabschluss 10,9 % 17,7 % 27 % 34,1 % Abitur 1,4 % 3 % 6,5 % 11 % Grades 5 and 6 form an orientation phase (Orientierungsstufe) during which students, their parents and teachers decide which of the above-mentioned paths the students should follow. In all states except Berlin and Brandenburg, this orientation phase is embedded into the program of the secondary schools. The decision for a secondary school influences the student's future, but during this phase changes can be made more easily. In practice this rarely comes to bear because teachers are afraid of sending pupils to more academic schools whereas parents are afraid of sending their children to less academic schools. In Berlin and Brandenburg, the orientation is embedded into that of the elementary schools. Teachers give a so-called educational (path) recommendation (Bildungs(gang)empfehlung) based on scholastic achievements in the main subjects (mathematics, German, natural sciences, foreign language) and classroom behavior with details and legal implications differing from state to state: in some German states, those wishing to apply for a Gymnasium or Realschule require such a recommendation stating that the student is likely to make a successful transition to that type of school; in other cases anybody may apply. In Berlin 30% - 35% of Gymnasium places are allocated by lottery. A student's performance at primary school is immaterial.[citation needed] The eastern states Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia combine Hauptschule and Realschule as Sekundarschule, Mittelschule and Regelschule respectively. All German states have Gymnasium as one possibility for the more able children, and all states - except Saxony - have some Gesamtschulen, but in different forms. The states of Berlin and Hamburg have only two types of schools: comprehensive schools and Gymnasium. Learning a foreign language is compulsory throughout Germany in secondary schools and English is one of the more popular choices. Students at certain Gymnasium are required to learn Latin as their first foreign language and choose a second foreign language. The list of available foreign languages as well as the hours of compulsory foreign language lessons differ from state to state, but the more common choices, besides Latin, are English, French, Spanish, ancient Greek. Many schools also offer voluntary study groups for the purpose of learning other languages. At which stage students begin learning a foreign language differs from state to state and is tailored according to the cultural and socio-economical dynamics of each state. In some states, foreign language education starts in the Grundschule (primary school). For example, in North Rhine-Westphalia, English starts in the third year of elementary school. Baden-Württemberg starts with English or French in the first year. The Saarland, which borders France, begins with French in the third year of primary school and French is taught in high school as the main foreign language. It may cause problems in terms of education for families that plan to move from one German state to another as there are partially completely different curricula for nearly every subject. Adults who did not achieve a Realschulabschluss or Abitur, or reached its equivalent, have the option of attending evening classes at an Abendgymnasium or Abendrealschule. School organization [ edit ] The Witten-Annen Freiligrathschule, a Hauptschule Cadets of the German Navy taking exercises in front of one of the gyms of Germany's naval officers school, the Marineschule Mürwik A few organizational central points are listed below. It should however be noted that due to the decentralized nature of the education system there are many more additional differences across the 16 states of Germany. Every state has its own school system. Each age group of students (born roughly in the same year) forms one or more grades or classes ("Klassen") per school which remain the same for elementary school (years 1 to 4 or 6), orientation school (if there are orientation schools in the state), orientation phase (at Gymnasium years 5 to 6), and secondary school (years 5 or 7 to 10 in "Realschulen" and "Hauptschulen"; years 5 or 7 to 10 (differences between states) in "Gymnasien" [20] ) respectively. Changes are possible, though, when there is a choice of subjects, e.g. additional languages; Then classes will be split (and newly merged) either temporarily or permanently for this particular subject. years 5 to 6), and secondary school (years 5 or 7 to 10 in "Realschulen" and "Hauptschulen"; years 5 or 7 to 10 (differences between states) in "Gymnasien" ) respectively. Changes are possible, though, when there is a choice of subjects, e.g. additional languages; Then classes will be split (and newly merged) either temporarily or permanently for this particular subject. Students usually sit at tables, not desks (usually two at one table), sometimes arranged in a semicircle or another geometric or functional shape. During exams in classrooms, the tables are sometimes arranged in columns with one pupil per table (if permitted by the room's capacities) in order to prevent cheating; at many schools, this is only the case for some exams in the two final years of school, i.e. some of the exams counting for the final grade on the high school diploma. There is usually no school uniform or dress code existing. Many private schools have a simplified dress code, for instance, such as "no shorts, no sandals, no clothes with holes". Some schools are testing school uniforms, but those are not as formal as seen in the UK. They mostly consist of a normal sweater/shirt and jeans of a certain color, sometimes with the school's symbol on it. It is however a common custom to design graduation class shirts in Gymnasium, Realschule and Hauptschule. School usually starts between 7.30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. and can finish as early as 12; instruction in lower classes [ which? ] almost always ends before lunch. In higher grades [ which? ] , however, afternoon lessons are very common and periods may have longer gaps without teacher supervision between them. Usually, afternoon classes are not offered every day and/or continuously until early evening, leaving students with large parts of their afternoons free of school; some schools ( Ganztagsschulen ), however, offer classes or mainly supervised activities throughout the afternoons in order to offer supervision for the students rather than increasing the hours of teaching. Afternoon lessons can continue until 6 o'clock. almost always ends before lunch. In higher grades , however, afternoon lessons are very common and periods may have longer gaps without teacher supervision between them. Usually, afternoon classes are not offered every day and/or continuously until early evening, leaving students with large parts of their afternoons free of school; some schools ( ), however, offer classes or mainly supervised activities throughout the afternoons in order to offer supervision for the students rather than increasing the hours of teaching. Afternoon lessons can continue until 6 o'clock. Depending on school, there are breaks of 5 to 20 minutes after each period. There is no lunch break as school usually finishes before 1:30 for junior school. However, at schools that have "Nachmittagsunterricht" (= afternoon classes) ending after 1:30 there's sometimes a lunch break of 45 to 90 minutes, though many schools lack any special break in general. Some schools that have regular breaks of 5 minutes between every lesson and have additional 10 or 15 minute breaks after the second and fourth lesson. In German state schools lessons have a length of exactly 45 minutes. Each subject is usually taught for two to three periods every week (main subjects like mathematics, German or foreign languages are taught for four to six periods) and usually no more than two periods consecutively. The beginning of every period and, usually, break is announced with an audible signal such as a bell. Exams (which are always supervised) are usually essay based, rather than multiple choice. As of 11th grade, exams usually consist of no more than three separate exercises. While most exams in the first grades of secondary schools usually span no more than 90 minutes, exams in 10th to 12th grade may span four periods or more (without breaks). At every type of school, pupils study one foreign language (in most cases English) for at least five years. The study of languages is, however, far more rigorous and literature oriented in Gymnasium. In Gymnasium , students can choose from a wider range of languages (mostly English, French, Russian - mostly in east German Bundesländer - or Latin) as the first language in 5th grade, and a second mandatory language in 7th grade. Some types of Gymnasium also require an additional third language (such as Spanish, Italian, Russian, Latin or Ancient Greek) or an alternative subject (usually based on one or two other subjects, e.g. British politics (English & politics), dietetics (biology) or media studies (arts & German) in 9th or 11th grade. Gymnasiums normally offer further subjects starting at 11th grade, with some schools offering a fourth foreign language. , students can choose from a wider range of languages (mostly English, French, Russian - mostly in east German Bundesländer - or Latin) as the first language in 5th grade, and a second mandatory language in 7th grade. Some types of also require an additional third language (such as Spanish, Italian, Russian, Latin or Ancient Greek) or an alternative subject (usually based on one or two other subjects, e.g. British politics (English & politics), dietetics (biology) or media studies (arts & German) in 9th or 11th grade. Gymnasiums normally offer further subjects starting at 11th grade, with some schools offering a fourth foreign language. A number of schools once had a Raucherecke (smokers' corner), a small area of the schoolyard where students over the age of eighteen are permitted to smoke in their breaks. Those special areas were banned in the states of Berlin, Hessen and Hamburg, Brandenburg at the beginning of the 2005-06 school year. (Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony 2006-07)). Schools in these states prohibit smoking for students and teachers and offences at school will be punished. Other states in Germany are planning to introduce similar laws. (smokers' corner), a small area of the schoolyard where students over the age of eighteen are permitted to smoke in their breaks. Those special areas were banned in the states of Berlin, Hessen and Hamburg, Brandenburg at the beginning of the 2005-06 school year. (Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony 2006-07)). Schools in these states prohibit smoking for students and teachers and offences at school will be punished. Other states in Germany are planning to introduce similar laws. As state schools are public, smoking is universally prohibited inside the buildings. Smoking teachers are generally asked not to smoke while at or near school. Students over 14 years are permitted to leave the school compound during breaks at some schools. Teachers or school personnel tend to prevent younger students from leaving early and strangers from entering the compound without permission. Tidying up the classroom and schoolyard is often the task of the students themselves. Unless a group of volunteering students, individuals are being picked sequentially. Many schools have AGs or Arbeitsgemeinschaften (clubs) for afternoon activities such as sports, music or acting, but participation is not necessarily common. Some schools also have special mediators who are student volunteers trained to resolve conflicts between their classmates or younger students. or (clubs) for afternoon activities such as sports, music or acting, but participation is not necessarily common. Some schools also have special mediators who are student volunteers trained to resolve conflicts between their classmates or younger students. Only few schools have actual sports teams that compete with other schools'. Even if the school has a sports team, students are not necessarily very aware of it. While student newspapers used to be very common until the late 20th century, with new issues often produced after a couple of months, many of them are now very short-lived, usually vanishing when the team graduates. Student newspapers are often financed mostly by advertisements. Usually schools don't have their own radio stations or TV channels. Therefore, larger universities often have a local student-run radio station. Although most German schools and state universities do not have classrooms equipped with a computer for each student, schools usually have at least one or two computer rooms and most universities offer a limited number of rooms with computers on every desk. State school computers are usually maintained by the same exclusive contractor in the entire city and updated slowly. Internet access is often provided by phone companies free of charge. Especially in schools the teachers' computer skills are often very low. and most universities offer a limited number of rooms with computers on every desk. State school computers are usually maintained by the same exclusive contractor in the entire city and updated slowly. Internet access is often provided by phone companies free of charge. Especially in schools the teachers' computer skills are often very low. At the end of their schooling, students usually undergo a cumulative written and oral examination ( Abitur in Gymnasien or Abschlussprüfung in Realschulen and Hauptschulen ). Students leaving Gymnasium after 9th grade do have the leaving examination of the Hauptschule and after 10th grade do have the Mittlere Reife (leaving examination of the Realschule, also called Mittlerer Schulanschluss). in or in and ). Students leaving after 9th grade do have the leaving examination of the Hauptschule and after 10th grade do have the Mittlere Reife (leaving examination of the Realschule, also called Mittlerer Schulanschluss). After 10th grade Gymnasium students may quit school for at least one year of job education if they do not wish to continue. Realschule and Hauptschule students who have passed their Abschlussprüfung may decide to continue schooling at a Gymnasium , but are sometimes required to take additional courses in order to catch up. students may quit school for at least one year of job education if they do not wish to continue. and students who have passed their may decide to continue schooling at a , but are sometimes required to take additional courses in order to catch up. Corporal punishment was banned in 1949 in East Germany and in 1973 in West Germany. Fourth grade (or sixth, depending on the state) is often quite stressful for students of lower performance and their families. Many feel tremendous pressure when trying to achieve placement in Gymnasium, or at least when attempting to avoid placement in Hauptschule. Germany is unique compared to other western countries in its early segregation of students based on academic achievement. School year [ edit ] The school year starts after the summer break (different from state to state, usually end/mid of August) and is divided into two terms. There are typically 12 weeks of holidays in addition to public holidays. Exact dates differ between states, but there are generally six weeks of summer and two weeks of Christmas holiday. The other holiday periods occur in spring (during the period around Easter Sunday) and autumn (during the former harvest, where farmers used to need their children for field work). Schools can also schedule two or three special days off per term. Timetables [ edit ] Students have about 30-40 periods of 45 minutes each per week (depending on year and state), but especially secondary schools today switch to 90 minutes lessons (Block) which count as two 'traditional' lessons. To manage classes that are taught three or five lessons per week there are two common ways. At some schools teaching 90 minutes periods there is still one 45-minute lesson each day, mostly between the first two blocks; at other schools those subjects are taught in weekly or termly rotations. There are about 12 compulsory subjects: up to three foreign languages (the first one is often already taken in primary school, the second one beginning in 6th or 7th grade, another is taken somewhen between 7th and 11th grade), physics, biology, chemistry, civics/social/political studies, history, geography (starting between 5th and 7th grade), mathematics, music, visual arts, German, PE and religious education/ethics (to be taken from primary school on). The range of offered afternoon activities is different from school to school however, most German schools offer choirs or orchestras, sometimes sports, theater or languages. Many of these are offered as semi-scholastic AG's (Arbeitsgemeinschaften – literally "working groups"), which are mentioned, but not officially graded in students' reports. Other common extracurricular activities are organized as private clubs, which are very popular in Germany. Sample grade 10 Gymnasium timetable (Bavaria, Humanist) Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 08.00–08.45 English Physics Biology Physics Greek 08.45–09.30 History English Chemistry Mathematics Chemistry 09.30–09.40 break 09.40–10.25 Latin Greek Mathematics Latin Economics 10.25–11.10 German Geography Religious studies Greek German 11.10–11.30 break 11.30–12.15 Music Mathematics Geography German Biology 12.15–13.00 Religious studies Civic education Economics English Latin 13.00–14.00 break 14.00–14.45 Arts Intensive course 14.45–15.30 Intensive course Greek 15.30-16.15 PE 16.15–17.00 PE There are three blocks of lessons where each lesson takes 45 minutes. After each block, there is a break of 15–20 minutes, also after the 6th lesson (the number of lessons changes from year to year, so it's possible that one would be in school until 4 o'clock). "Nebenfächer" (= minor fields of study) are taught two times a week, "Hauptfächer" (=major subjects) are taught three times. In grades 11–13, 11–12, or 12–13 (depending on the school system), each student majors in two or three subjects ("Leistungskurse"). These are usually taught five lessons per week. The other subjects ("Grundkurse") are usually taught three periods per week. Sample grade 12 Gymnasium timetable (Lower-Saxony) Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 08.00–08.45 English Religious studies French Physics German 08.50–09.35 English Religious studies French Physics German 09.55–10.40 German Geography/Social Studies (taught in English) Mathematics Geography/Social Studies (taught in English) Mathematics 10.45–11.30 German Geography/Social Studies (taught in English) Mathematics Geography/Social Studies (taught in English) Mathematics 11.50–12.35 Physics Politics-Economy History English French 12.40–1.25 Physics Politics-Economy History English French 1.40–2.25 Arts "Seminarfach"+ History PE (different sports offered as courses) 2.30–3.15 Arts "Seminarfach"+ History PE (different sports offered as courses) +"Seminarfach" is a compulsory class in which each student is prepared to turn in his/her own research paper at the end of the semester. The class is supposed to train the students' scientific research skills that will be necessary in their later university life. There are huge differences between the 16 states of Germany having alternatives to this basic pattern such as Waldorfschulen or other private schools. Adults can also go back to evening school and take the Abitur exam. Public and private schools [ edit ] In 2006, six percent of German children attended private schools.[21] In Germany, Article 7, Paragraph 4 of the Grundgesetz, the constitution of Germany, guarantees the right to establish private schools. This article belongs to the first part of the German basic law, which defines civil and human rights. A right which is guaranteed in this part of the Grundgesetz can only be suspended in a state of emergency, if the respective article specifically states this possibility. That is not the case with this article. It is also not possible to abolish these rights. This unusual protection of private schools was implemented to protect them from a second Gleichschaltung or similar event in the future. Ersatzschulen are ordinary primary or secondary schools which are run by private individuals, private organizations or religious groups. These schools offer the same types of diplomas as in public schools. However, Ersatzschulen, like their state-run counterparts, are subjected to basic government standards, such as the minimum required qualifications of teachers and pay grades. An Ersatzschule must have at least the same academic standards as those of a state school and Article 7, Paragraph 4 of the Grundgesetz, allows to forbid the segregation of pupils according to socioeconomic status (the so-called Sonderungsverbot). Therefore, most Ersatzschulen have very low tuition fees compared to those in most other Western European countries; scholarships are also often available. However, it is not possible to finance these schools with such low tuition fees: accordingly all German Ersatzschulen are subsidised with public funds. Some students attend private schools through welfare subsidies. This is often the case if a student is considered to be a child at risk: students who have learning disabilities, special needs or come from dysfunctional home environments. After allowing for the socio-economic status of the parents, children attending private schools are not as able as those at state schools. At the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) for example, after considering socioeconomic class, students at private schools underperformed those at state schools.[22] One has, however, to be careful interpreting that data: it may be that such students do not underperform because they attend a private school, but that they attend a private school because they underperform. Some private Realschulen and Gymnasien have lower entry requirements than public Realschulen and Gymnasien. Special schools [ edit ] A special school for children with special emotional needs in Kötitz, Germany Most German children with special needs attend a school called Förderschule or Sonderschule (special school) that serves only such children. There are several types of special schools in Germany such as: The "Sonderschule für Lernbehinderte" - a special school serving children who have learning difficulties The "Schule mit dem Förderschwerpunkt Geistige Entwicklung" - a special school serving children who have very severe learning difficulties The "Förderschule Schwerpunkt emotionale und soziale Entwicklung" - a special school serving children who have special emotional needs Only one in 21 German children attends such a special school. Teachers at those schools are qualified professionals who have specialized in special-needs education while at university. Special schools often have a very favourable student-teacher ratio and facilities compared with other schools. Special schools have been criticized. It is argued that special education separates and discriminates against those who are disabled or different. Some special-needs children do not attend special schools, but are mainstreamed into a Hauptschule or Gesamtschule (comprehensive school) and/or, in rare cases, into a Realschule or even a Gymnasium. Elite schools [ edit ] St. Afra is one of few specialist schools that serve only gifted children There are very few specialist schools for gifted children. As German schools do not IQ-test children, most intellectually gifted children remain unaware that they fall into this category. The German psychologist, Detlef H. Rost, carried out a pioneer long-term study on gifted children called the Marburger Hochbegabtenprojekt. In 1987/1988 he tested 7000 third graders on a test based on the German version of the Cattell Culture Fair III test. Those who scored at least two standard deviations above the mean were categorised as gifted. A total of 151 gifted subjects participated in the study alongside 136 controls. All participants in the study were tested blind with the result that they did not discover whether they were gifted or not. The study revealed that the gifted children did very well in school. The vast majority later attended a Gymnasium and achieved good grades. However, 15 percent, were classified as underachievers because they attended a Realschule (two cases) or a Hauptschule (one case), had repeated a grade (four cases) or had grades that put them in the lower half of their class (the rest of cases). The report also concluded that most gifted persons had high self-esteem and good psychological health.[23] Rost said that he was not in favour of special schools for the gifted. Gifted children seemed to be served well by Germany's existing school system.[24] International schools [ edit ] As of January 2015 the International Schools Consultancy (ISC)[25] listed Germany as having 164 international schools.[26] ISC defines an 'international school' in the following terms "ISC includes an international school if the school delivers a curriculum to any combination of pre-school, primary or secondary students, wholly or partly in English outside an English-speaking country, or if a school in a country where English is one of the official languages, offers an English-medium curriculum other than the country’s national curriculum and is international in its orientation."[26] This definition is used by publications including The Economist.[27] In 1971 the first International Baccalaureate World School was authorized in Germany.[28] Today 70 schools offer one or more of the IB programmes including two who offer the new IB Career-related Programme.[29] International comparisons [ edit ] The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), coordinated by the OECD, assesses the skills of 15-year-olds in OECD countries and a number of partner countries. The assessment in the year 2000 demonstrated serious weaknesses in German pupils' performance. In the test of 41 countries, Germany ranked 21st in reading and 20th in both mathematics and the natural sciences, prompting calls for reform.[30] Major newspapers ran special sections on the PISA results, which were also discussed extensively on radio and television. In response, Germany's states formulated a number of specific initiatives addressing the perceived problems behind Germany's poor performance.[31] By 2006, German schoolchildren had improved their position compared to previous years, being ranked (statistically) significantly above average (rank 13) in science skills and statistically not significantly above or below average in mathematical skills (rank 20) and reading skills (rank 18).[32][33] In 2012, Germany achieved above average results in all three areas of reading, mathematics, and natural sciences.[34] The PISA Examination also found big differences in achievement between students attending different types of German schools.[35] According to Jan-Martin-Wiadra: "Conservatives prized the success of the Gymnasium, for them the finest school form in the world – indeed, it is by far the number one in the PISA league table. But what they prefer to forget is that this success came at the cost of a catastrophe in the Hauptschulen."[36] The socio-economic gradient was very high in Germany, the students' performance there being more dependent on socio-economic factors than in most other countries.[32][33] Performance on PISA 2003 (points earned) by school attended and social class type school social class "very low" social class "low" social class "high" social class "very high" Hauptschule 400 429 436 450 Gesamtschule 438 469 489 515 Realschule 482 504 528 526 Gymnasium 578 581 587 602 PISA 2003 – Der Bildungsstand der Jugendlichen in Deutschland – Ergebnisse des 2. internationalen Vergleiches .[37] Some German teachers' representatives and a number of scientists disputed the PISA findings.[38] They claimed, amongst other things, that the questions had been ill-translated, that the samples drawn in some countries were not representative, that German students (most of whom had never done a multiple choice tests in their lives before) were disadvantaged by the multiple choice questions, that the PISA questions had no curricular validity and that PISA was "in fact an IQ-test",[39][40] which according to them showed that dysgenic fertility was taking place in Germany.[41][42][43][44][45] Additionally, the OECD was criticized for following its own agenda of a strictly economically utilitarian education policy—as opposed to humanist education policy following the German ideal of Bildung—and for trying to establish an educational testing industry without democratic legitimation.[46][47] Apprenticeship [ edit ] A Meisterbrief (master craftsman's certificate) from the Berliner Handwerkskammer (Berlin chamber of handicrafts), the motto on the certificate reads "Work is the ennoblement of the citizen; boon will be the reward for his labour Germany has high standards in the education of craftspeople. Historically very few people attended college. In the 1950s for example, 80 percent had only Volksschule ("primary school")-Education of 6 or 7 years. Only 5 percent of youths entered college at this time and still fewer graduated. In the 1960s, 6 percent of youths entered college. In 1961 there were still 8,000 cities in which no children received secondary education.[48] However, this does not mean that Germany was a country of uneducated people. In fact, many of those who did not receive secondary education were highly skilled craftspeople and members of the upper middle class. Even though more people attend college today, a craftsperson is still highly valued in German society. A master discusses a vacuum compressor with his apprentice and several other craftsmen Historically (prior to the 20th century) the relationship between a master craftsman and his apprentice was paternalistic. Apprentices were often very young when entrusted to a master craftsman by their parents. It was seen as the master's responsibility not only to teach the craft, but also to instill the virtues of a good craftsman. He was supposed to teach honour, loyalty, fair-mindedness, courtesy and compassion for the poor. He was also supposed to offer spiritual guidance, to ensure his apprentices fulfilled their religious duties and to teach them to "honour the Lord" (Jesus Christ) with their lives. The master craftsman who failed to do this would lose his reputation and would accordingly be dishonoured - a very bad fate in those days. The apprenticeship ended with the so-called Freisprechung (exculpation). The master announced in front of the trade heading that the apprentice had been virtuous and God-loving.[49][50][51] The young person now had the right to call himself a "Geselle" (journeyman). He had two options: either to work for a master or to become a master himself. Working for another master had several disadvantages. One was that, in many cases, the journeyman who was not a master was not allowed to marry and found a family. Because the church disapproved of sex outside of marriage, he was obliged to become a master if he did not want to spend his life celibate.[52] Accordingly, many of the so-called "Geselle" decided to go on a journey in order to become a master. This was called "Waltz" or Journeyman years. A German roofer thatching a roof with reeds (he is wearing the traditional waistcoat and trousers of a craftsman) In those days, the crafts were called the "virtuous crafts" and the virtuosness of the craftspersons was greatly respected. For example, according to one source, a person should be greeted from "the bricklayer craftspersons in the town, who live in respectability, die in respectability, who strive for respectability and who apply respectability to their actions"[53] In those days, the concept of the "virtuous crafts" stood in contrast to the concept of "academic freedom" as Brüdermann and Jost noticed. Nowadays, the education of craftspersons has changed - in particular self-esteem and the concept of respectability.[54] Yet even today, a craftsperson does sometimes refer to the "craftspersons codex of virtues" and the crafts sometimes may be referred to as the "virtuous crafts" and a craftsperson who gives a blessing at a roofing ceremony may, in many cases, remind of the "virtues of the crafts I am part of". Also certain virtues are ascribed to certain crafts. For example, a person might be called "always on time like a bricklayer" to describe punctuality.[55] On the other hand, "virtue" and "respectability", which in the past had been the center of the life of any craftsperson became less and less important for such education. Today, a young person who wants to start an apprenticeship must first find an "Ausbilder": this may be a master craftsperson, a master in the industrial sector (Industriemeister) or someone else with proof of suitable qualifications in the training of apprentices. The "Ausbilder" must also provide proof of no criminal record and proof of respectability. The Ausbilder has to be at least 24 years of age. The Ausbilder has several duties, such as teaching the craft and the techniques, and instilling character and social skills. In some cases, the Ausbilder must also provide board and lodging. Agreement is reached on these points before the apprenticeship begins. The apprentice will also receive payment for his work. According to §17 Berufsbildungsgesetz, a first year apprentice will be paid less than someone who has been an apprentice for longer. An Ausbilder who provides board and lodging may set this off against the payment made. In the past, many of those who applied for an apprenticeship had only primary school education. Nowadays, only those with secondary school education apply for apprenticeships because secondary school attendance has become compulsory. In some trades, it has even become difficult for those holding the Hauptschulabschluss to find an apprenticeship because more and more pupils leave school with the Realschulabschluss or Abitur. The apprenticeship takes three years. During that time, the apprentice is trained by the Ausbilder and also attends a vocational school. This is called the "German model" or "dual education system" ("Duale Ausbildung"). Tertiary education [ edit ] Germany's universities are recognised internationally; in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) for 2008, six of the top 100 universities in the world are in Germany, and 18 of the top 200.[56] Germany ranks third in the QS World University Rankings 2011.[57] Most of the German universities are public institutions, charging fees of only around €60-200 per semester for each student, usually to cover expenses associated with the university cafeterias and (usually mandatory) public transport tickets.[58][59] Thus, academic education is open to most citizens and studying is very common in Germany. The dual education system combines both practical and theoretical education but does not lead to academic degrees. It is more popular in Germany than anywhere else in the world and is a role model for other countries.[60] The oldest universities of Germany are also among the oldest and best regarded in the world, with Heidelberg University being the oldest (established in 1386 and in continuous operation since then). It is followed by Cologne University (1388), Leipzig University (1409), Rostock University (1419), Greifswald University (1456), Freiburg University (1457), LMU Munich (1472) and the University of Tübingen (1477). While German universities have a strong focus on research, a large part of it is also done outside of universities in independent institutes that are embedded in academic clusters, such as within the Max Planck, Fraunhofer, Leibniz and Helmholtz institutes. This German peculiarity of “outsourcing” research leads to a competition for funds between universities and research institutes and may negatively affect academic rankings.[citation needed] Figures for Germany are roughly: 1,000,000 new students at all schools put together for one year 400,000 Abitur graduations graduations 30,000 doctoral dissertations per year 1000 habilitations per year (the traditional way to qualify as a professor, but typically postdoc or junior professorship is the preferred career path nowadays, which are not accounted for in this number) Types of universities [ edit ] The German tertiary education system distinguishes between two types of institutions: The term Universität (university) is reserved for institutions which have the right to confer doctorates. Other degree-awarding higher education institutions may use the more generic term Hochschule. Universitäten [ edit ] Only Universitäten have the right to confer doctorates and habilitations. Some universities use the term research university in international usage to emphasize their strength in research activity in addition to teaching, particularly to differentiate themselves from Fachhochschulen. A university covering the full range of scientific disciplines in contrast to more specialized universities might refer to itself as Volluniversität. Specialized universities which have the formal status of Universität include Technische Universitäten, Pädagogische Hochschulen (Universities of Education), Kunsthochschulen (Universities of Arts) and Musikhochschulen (Universities of Music). The excellence initiative has awarded eleven universities with the title University of Excellence. Professors at regular universities were traditionally required to have a doctorate as well as a habilitation. Since 2002, the junior professorship was introduced to offer a more direct path to employment as a professor for outstanding doctoral degree. Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Sciences) [ edit ] There is another type of university in Germany: the Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Sciences), which offer mostly the same degrees as Universitäten, but often concentrate on applied science (as the English name suggests) and usually have no power to award PhD-level degrees, at least not in their own right. Fachhochschulen have a more practical profile with a focus on employability. In research, they are rather geared to applied research instead of fundamental research. At a traditional university, it is important to study "why" a method is scientifically right; however, this is less important at Universities of Applied Sciences. Here the emphasis is placed on what systems and methods exist, where they come from, what their advantages and disadvantages are, how to use them in practice, when they should be used, and when not. For professors at a Fachhochschule, at least three years of work experience are required for appointment while a habilitation is not expected. This is unlike their counterparts at traditional universities, where an academic career with research experience is necessary. Prior to the Bologna process, Fachhochschule graduates received a Diplom. To differentiate it from the Diplom which was conferred by Universitäten, the title is indicated starting with "Dipl." (Diplom) and ending with "(FH)", e.g., Dipl. Ing. (FH) Max Mustermann for a graduate engineer from a Fachhochschule. The FH Diploma is roughly equivalent to a bachelor's degree. An FH Diploma does not qualify the holder for a doctoral program directly, but in practice universities admit the best FH graduates on an individual basis after an additional entrance exam or participation in theoretical classes. Admission [ edit ] University entrance qualification [ edit ] Students wishing to attend a German Universität must, as a rule, hold the Abitur or a subject-restricted qualification for university entrance (Fachgebundene Hochschulreife). For Fachhochschulen, the Abitur, the Fachgebundene Hochschulreife certification or the Fachhochschulreife certification (general or subject-restricted) is required. Lacking these school leaving certifications, in some states potential students can qualify for university entrance if they present additional formal proof that they will be able to keep up with their fellow students. This may take the form of a test of cognitive functioning or passing the Begabtenprüfung ("aptitude test", consisting of a written and oral exam). In some cases, students who do not hold the Abitur may enter university even if they do not pass the aptitude or cognitive functioning tests if they 1) have received previous vocational training, and 2) have worked at least three years and passed the Eingangsprüfung (entrance exam). Such is the case, for example, in Hamburg.[61] While there are numerous ways to achieve entrance qualification to German universities,[62] the most traditional route has always been graduation from a Gymnasium with the Abitur; however this has become less common over time. As of 2008, less than half of university freshmen in some German states had graduated from a Gymnasium. Even in Bavaria (a state with a policy of strengthening the Gymnasium) only 56 percent of freshmen had graduated from a Gymnasium.[63] The rest were awarded the Abitur from another type of school or did not hold the Abitur certification at all. High school diplomas received from countries outside of Germany are, in many cases, not considered equivalent to the Abitur, but rather to a Realschulabschluss and therefore do not qualify the bearer for admission to a German university. However, it is still possible for such applicants to be admitted to a German university if they fulfill additional formal criteria, such as a particular grade point average or points on a standardized admissions test. These criteria depend on the school leaving certificate of the potential student and are agreed upon by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. For example, holders of the US high school diploma with a combined math and verbal score of 1300 on the SAT or 29 on the ACT may qualify for university admission. Foreign students lacking the entrance qualification can acquire a degree at a Studienkolleg, which is often recognized as an equivalent to the Abitur. The one-year course covers similar topics as the Abitur and ensures sufficient language skills to take up studies at a German university. Admissions procedure [ edit ] The process of application depends on the degree program applied for, the applicant's origin and the university entrance qualification.[64] Generally, all programs of study follow one of three admissions procedures.[65] Free admissions: Every applicant who fulfills the university entrance qualification will be admitted. This is usually practiced in subjects in which many students quit their studies, e.g., mathematics, physics or engineering. Sometimes, the number of students who fail a course can be as high as 94 percent in these programs. [66] Local admission restrictions: For degree programs where only a limited number of places are available ( numerus clausus , often abbreviated NC), criteria by which applications will be evaluated differ from university to university and from program to program. Commonly used criteria include the final grade of the university entrance qualification (which takes into account the grades of the final exams as well as course grades), a weighted grade point average which increases the weight of relevant school subjects, interviews, motivational letters, letters of recommendation by previous professors, essays, relevant practical experience, and subject-specific entrance exams. Such restrictions are increasingly common at German universities. [67] , often abbreviated NC), criteria by which applications will be evaluated differ from university to university and from program to program. Commonly used criteria include the final grade of the university entrance qualification (which takes into account the grades of the final exams as well as course grades), a weighted grade point average which increases the weight of relevant school subjects, interviews, motivational letters, letters of recommendation by previous professors, essays, relevant practical experience, and subject-specific entrance exams. Such restrictions are increasingly common at German universities. Nationwide admission restrictions: In the subjects medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and pharmacy, a nationwide numerus clausus is in place. In these subjects, applications of Germans and foreigners who are legally treated like Germans (e.g., EU citizens) are handled centrally for all universities by a public trust ( Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung ). The following quotas are applied in this procedure: [68] 20 percent of available admission slots are admitted by the final grade of the university entrance qualification 20 percent of slots are granted to students who have the highest number of so-called waiting semesters in which they were not enrolled at university 60 percent of slots are awarded by criteria at the university's discretion. Criteria universities commonly apply are: 1) final grade of the university entrance qualification (used most often), 2) interviews, 3) essays or motivational letters, and 4) entrance exams. some additional slots are reserved for special cases and do not count into the previous three quotas: [69] For example, up to 2 percent of slots can be so called hardship cases ( Härtefälle ), which are granted preferential admission. An applicant may be counted as a hardship case only if there are exceptional circumstances making it impossible for the applicant to wait even a single semester for a place at university, e.g., because of a progressing disease. [70] is in place. In these subjects, applications of Germans and foreigners who are legally treated like Germans (e.g., EU citizens) are handled centrally for all universities by a public trust ( ). The following quotas are applied in this procedure: According to German law, universities are not permitted to discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to persons on basis of race, ethnic group, gender, social class, religion or political opinion. Tuition fees [ edit ] Public universities in Germany are funded by the federal states and do not charge tuition fees. However, all enrolled students do have to pay a semester fee (Semesterbeitrag). This fee consists of an administrative fee for the university (only in some of the states), a fee for Studentenwerk, which is a statutory student affairs organization, a fee for the university's AStA (Allgemeiner Studentenausschuss, students' government) and Studentenschaft (students' union), at many universities a fee for public transportation, and possibly more fees as decided by the university's students' parliament (e.g., for a cooperation with a local theater granting free entry for students). Summed up, the semester fee usually ranges between €150 and €350.[71] In 2005, the German Federal Constitutional Court ruled that a federal law prohibiting tuition fees was unconstitutional, on the grounds that education is the sole responsibility of the states. Following this ruling, seven federal states introduced tuition fees of €500 per semester in 2006 and 2007. Due to massive student protests and a citizens' initiative which collected 70,000 signatures against tuition fees, the government of Hesse was the first to reverse course before the state election in 2008; other state governments soon followed. Several parties which spoke out for tuition fees lost state elections. Bavaria in 2013 and Lower Saxony in 2014 were the last states to abolish tuition fees.[72][73] Since 1998, all German states had introduced tuition fees for long-time students (Langzeitstudiengebühren) of €500 up to €900 per semester.[74] These fees are required for students who study substantially longer than the standard period of study (Regelstudienzeit), which is a defined number of semesters for each degree program. Even after the abolition of general tuition fees, tuition fees for long-time students remain in six states.[75] Additionally, universities may charge tuition fees for so called non-consecutive master's degree programs, which do not build directly on a bachelor's degree, such as a Master of Business Administration. With much controversy, the state of Baden-Württemberg has reintroduced tuition fees at public universities starting in 2017. From autumn 2017, students who are not citizens of an EU/EEA member state are expected to pay €1,500 per semester. Students who enroll for their second degree in Germany are expected to pay €650 per semester regardless of their country of origin.[76] Although heavily criticised in Germany, the amount is considered below average in comparison with other European countries.[77][78] There are university-sponsored scholarships in Germany and a number of private and public institutions award scholarships—usually to cover living costs and books. There is a state-funded study loan programme, called BAföG (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz, "Federal Education Aid Act"). It ensures that less wealthy students can receive up to €735 per month for the standard period of study if they or their parents cannot afford all of the costs involved with studying. Furthermore, students need to have a prospect of remaining in Germany to be eligible; this includes German and EU citizens, but often also long-term residents of other countries.[79] Part (typically half) of this money is an interest-free loan that is later repaid, with the other half considered a free grant, and the amount to be repaid is capped at €10,000. Currently, around a quarter of all students in Germany receive financial support via BAföG.[80] For international students there are different approaches to get a full scholarship or a funding of their studies. To be able to get a scholarship a successful application is mandatory. It can be submitted upon arrival in Germany as well as after arrival.[81] But due to the fact that many scholarships are only available to students who are already studying, the chances of an acceptance are limited for applicants from abroad. Therefore, many foreign students have to work in order to finance their studies. Students [ edit ] Since the end of World War II, the number of young people entering a university has more than tripled in Germany, but university attendance is still lower than that of many other European nations. This can be explained with the dual education system with its strong emphasis on apprenticeships and vocational schools. Many jobs which do require an academic degree in other countries (such as nursing) require completed vocational training instead in Germany. The rate of university graduates varies by federal state. The number is the highest in Berlin and the lowest in Schleswig-Holstein.[citation needed] Similarly, the ratio of school graduates with university entrance qualification varies by state between 38% and 64%.[82] The organizational structure of German universities goes back to the university model introduced by Wilhelm von Humboldt in the early 19th century, which identifies the unity of teaching and research as well as academic freedom as ideals. This model lead to the foundation of Humboldt University of Berlin and influenced the higher education systems of numerous countries. Some critics argue that nowadays German universities have a rather unbalanced focus, more on education and less on research.[citation needed] Handball-Mixed-Tournament at the 4th Eurokonstantia, the international sports tournament at the university sports centre in Konstanz in 2009 At German universities, students enroll for a specific program of study (Studiengang). During their studies, students can usually choose freely from all courses offered at the university. However, all bachelor's degree programs require a number of particular compulsory courses and all degree programs require a minimum number of credits that must be earned in the core field of the program of study. It is not uncommon to spend longer than the regular period of study (Regelstudienzeit) at university. There are no fixed classes of students who study and graduate together. Students can change universities according to their interests and the strengths of each university. Sometimes students attend multiple different universities over the course of their studies. This mobility means that at German universities there is a freedom and individuality unknown in the US, the UK, or France. Professors also choose their subjects for research and teaching freely. This academic freedom is laid down in the German constitution. Since German universities do not offer accommodation or meals, students are expected to organize and pay for board and lodging themselves. Inexpensive places in dormitories are available from Studentenwerk, a statutory non-profit organization for student affairs. However, there are only enough places for a fraction of students. Studentenwerk also runs canteens and cafés on campus, which are similarly affordable. Other common housing options include renting a private room or apartment as well as living together with one or more roommates to form a Wohngemeinschaft (often abbreviated WG). Furthermore, many university students continue to live with their parents. One third to one half of the students works to make a little extra money, often resulting in a longer stay at university. Degrees [ edit ] Recently, the implementation of the Bologna Declaration introduced bachelor's and master's degrees as well as ECTS credits to the German higher education system. Previously, universities conferred Diplom and Magister degrees depending on the field of study, which usually took 4–6 years. These were the only degrees below the doctorate. In the majority of subjects, students can only study for bachelor's and master's degrees, as Diplom or Magister courses do not accept new enrollments. However, a few Diplom courses still prevail.[83] The standard period of study is usually three years (six semesters, with 180 ECTS points) for bachelor's degrees and two years (four semesters, 120 ECTS) for master's degrees. The following Bologna degrees are common in Germany: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.); Master of Arts (M.A.) Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.); Master of Science (M.Sc.) Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.); Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.); Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.); Master of Music (M.Mus.) In addition, there are courses leading to the Staatsexamen (state examination). These did usually not transition to bachelor's and master's degrees. For future doctors, dentists, veterinarians, pharmacists, and lawyers, the Staatsexamen is required to be allowed to work in their profession. For teachers, judges, and public prosecutors, it is the required degree for working in civil service. Students usually study at university for 4–8 years before they take the First Staatsexamen. Afterwards, they go on to work in their future jobs for one or two years (depending on subject and state), before they are able to take the Second Staatsexamen, which tests their practical abilities. While it is not an academic degree formally, the First Staatsexamen is equivalent to a master's degree and qualifies for doctoral studies. On request, some universities bestow an additional academic degree (e.g., Diplom-Jurist or Magister iuris) on students who have passed First Staatsexamen. The highest German academic degree is the doctorate. Each doctoral degree has a particular designation in Latin (except for engineering, where the designation is in German), which signifies in which field the doctorate is conferred in. The doctorate is indicated before the name in abbreviated form, e.g., Dr. rer. nat. Max Mustermann (for a doctor in natural sciences). The prefix "Dr." is used for addressing, for example in formal letters. Outside of the academic context, however, the designation is usually dropped. While it is not an academic degree formally, the Habilitation is a higher, post-doctoral academic qualification for teaching independently at universities. It is indicated by appending "habil." after the designation of the doctorate, e.g., Dr. rer. nat. habil. Max Mustermann. The holder of a Habilitation may work as Privatdozent. Research [ edit ] Scientific research in Germany is conducted by universities and research institutes. The raw output of scientific research from Germany consistently ranks among the world's best.[84] The national academy of Germany is the Leopoldina Academy of Sciences. Additionally, the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities acts as an umbrella organization for eight local academies and acatech is the Academy of Science and Engineering.[85] Organizations funding research [ edit ] National libraries [ edit ] Research institutes [ edit ] Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, an association of advanced research centers in science, technology, biology and medicine Max Planck Society, focusing on fundamental research Fraunhofer Society, focusing on applied research and mission oriented research Leibniz Association, addressing research issues of particular interest to the society Prizes [ edit ] Every year, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft awards ten outstanding scientists working at German research institutions with the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, Germany's most important research prize. With a maximum of €2.5 million per award it is one of the highest endowed research prizes in the world.[86] Additionally, numerous foundations and non-profit organizations award further prizes, medals and scholarships. Determinants of academic attainment [ edit ] The Schule Schloss Salem is considered as one of the most prestigious elite schools in Germany. 50 years ago the person least likely to attend a Gymnasium was a "Catholic working-class girl from the rural parts of Germany". Nowadays however the person least likely to attend a Gymnasium is a "minority youngster from the ghetto",[87] who is "the son of immigrants"[88] The influence of social class on educational achievement is much greater in western Germany than it is in eastern Germany (former GDR). An analysis of PISA data on Gymnasium pupils for the year 2000 showed that, while in western Germany the child of an academic was 7.26 times as likely as that of a skilled worker to attend, in eastern Germany a child from an academic family was only 2.78 times as likely as a working-class child to attend.[89] The reasons for this were unclear. Some people believed that immigrants were responsible, because more uneducated immigrant families lived in western than in eastern Germany. This assumption however could not be confirmed. The difference between east and west was even stronger when only ethnic German children were studied.[90] Social class differences in educational achievement are much more marked in Germany's big cities than they are in the rural parts of Germany. In cities with more than 300,000 inhabitants, children of academics are 14.36 times as likely as children of skilled workers to attend Gymnasium.[89] Gender [ edit ] Educational achievement varies more in German males than it does in German females: boys are more likely to attend special education schools but also more likely to be postgraduate students; 63% of pupils attending special education programs for the academically challenged are male. Males are less likely to meet the statewide performance targets, more likely to drop out of school and more likely to be classified emotionally disturbed. 86% of the pupils receiving special training because of emotional disturbance are male.[91] Research shows a class-effect: native middle-class males perform as well as middle-class females in terms of educational achievement but lower-class males and immigrant males lag behind lower-class females and immigrant females. A lack of male role models contributes to a low academic achievement in the case of lower-class males .[91] On the other hand, 58% of all postgraduate students and 84% of all German college professors were male in 2010.[92] Socioeconomic factors [ edit ] Children from poor immigrant or working-class families are less likely to succeed in school than children from middle- or upper-class backgrounds. This disadvantage for the financially challenged of Germany is greater than in any other industrialized nation.[93] However, the true reasons stretch beyond economic ones. The poor also tend to be less educated. After allowing for parental education, money does not play a major role in children's academic outcomes.[94][95] Immigrant children and youths, mostly of lower-class background, are the fastest-growing segment of the German population. So their prospects bear heavily on the well-being of the country. More than 30% of Germans aged 15 years and younger have at least one parent born abroad. In the big cities, 60% of children aged 5 years and younger have at least one parent born abroad.[96] Immigrant children academically underperform their peers.[97] Immigrants have tended to be less educated than native Germans. After controlling for parental education, ethnic group does not play a role in children's academic outcomes.[98] Immigrants from Pakistan, India, China and Vietnam perform exceptionally well. In eastern Germany, Vietnamese and Chinese of lower-class backgrounds outperform students from European backgrounds despite the fact that in most cases their parents are poorer and less educated than the parents of their European-born peers. Teachers in eastern Germany have also been shown to be more motivated than teachers in western Germany. That might be another reason for this Asian achievement.[99] Studies [ edit ] ELEMENT-study Multiple Regression Analysis Variable Beta (strength of influence) Factors determinating mathematical performance in 6th-graders attending a Berlin primary school mathematical performance in 4th grade 0,540 general cognitive ability 0,236 parents hold the Abitur (as compared to children of parents without school diploma) 0,144 parents hold the Mittlere Reife (as compared to children of parents without school diploma) 0,096 Number of books present in the child's home 0,055 male gender no influence could be found German is spoken in the child's home no influence could be found parents hold the Hauptschulabschluss (as compared to children of parents without school diploma) no influence could be found The ELEMENT study dealt with determinants of academic achievement in Berlin. It was carried out in Berlin, where some of the pupils started at a Gymnasium after the 4th grade, while others stayed in primary school until 6th grade and started at different schools after the 6th grade. Factors correlated with academic achievement tend to be intercorrelated (that means that they are also correlated with other factors that determine academic achievement). The number of books owned by a pupil's parents, for example, is correlated with the parents' education. Because of this Multiple Regression Analysis was used. Multiple Regression allows us to understand the influence of one variable when the other variables are held fixed. It was revealed by the study that the most important variable determining mathematical performance in the 6th grade was mathematical performance in the 4th grade. Children who have a head start in the 4th grade keep it until the 6th grade. It was also revealed by the study that some variables were immaterial. If a language other than German is spoken in the home that was correlated with poor mathematical performance in other studies. However correlation does not imply causation and the ELEMENT-study revealed that if other factors were taken into account for the language spoken at home, this had no effect on mathematical performance. ELEMENT-long term study of the development of mathematical ability Development in mathematical ability of children attending a Berlin primary school by parents' education mathematical ability by 4th grade mathematical ability by 6th grade[100] no school diploma 89,7 105,4 Hauptschulabschluss or similar diploma 91,1 108,2 Mittlere Reife or similar diploma 94,8 112,8 Abitur 101,0 120,8 Development in mathematical ability of children attending a Berlin Gymnasium by parents education mathematical ability by 4th grade (while still in primary school) mathematical ability by 6th grade (Gymnasium)[100] no school diploma 104,2 123,3 Hauptschulabschluss or similar diploma 111,0 128,8 Mittlere Reife or similar diploma 111,6 131,3 Abitur 114,5 135,2 The aim of another ELEMENT-study was to monitor the development of general mathematical ability. One finding is that those admitted to a Gymnasium after the fourth grade had showed better mathematical ability than those who stayed in primary school, ab initio. That was true for all social classes. Another finding was that children of all social classes did better in the sixth grade when they were at a Gymnasium. By the end of the sixth grade, those attending a Gymnasium were two years ahead of those attending a primary school. Did the Gymnasium boost students ability? There are different opinions about this. Some argue that this is the cases and even after testing performance in grade four, those who were admitted to a Gymnasium outperformed their peers who were not at grade six.[101] That was also the interpretation of Prof. Dr. Dr. Lehman, who did the study. He stated: The findings indicate that the Gymnasium help students of all social classes reach their full mathematical potential.[102] Others however, who have reanalized the data, claimed that those attending a Gymnasium were different ab initio and could not properly be compared to those attending a primary school. The data is of high political relevance as those who are in favour of the tripartite system and those who are in favour of comprehensive schools both use it to prove their point. Those, who are in favour of comprehensive schools, claim that the data shows that the primary schools which resembles a comprehensive schools boost children's ability, while those in favour of the tripartite system argue that the data shows the Gymnasium boost students ability. Children [ edit ] Children whose families receive welfare, children whose parents dropped out of school, children of teenage parents, children raised by a lone parent, children raised in crime-ridden inner-city neighbourhoods, children who have multiple young siblings, and children who live in overcrowded substandard apartments are at risk of poor educational achievement in Germany. Often these factors go together, making it very hard for children to overcome the odds. A number of measures have been assessed to help those children reach their full potential.[103] http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Klassenzimmer1930.jpg Kindergarten has been shown to improve school readiness in children at risk. Children attending a kindergarten were less likely to have impaired speech or impaired motor development. Only 50% of children whose parents did not graduate from school are ready for school at age six. If such children were enrolled in a high-quality three-year Kindergarten programme, 87% were ready for school at age six. Thus Kindergarten helps to overcome unequal opportunities.[104] Families whose children are at risk for low academic achievement may be visited by trained professionals. They offer a wide variety of services that relate to each child's and each family's background and needs. Such professionals may visit pregnant low-income women and talk with them about positive health-related behaviors, such as following a healthy diet or refraining from the use of alcohol or tobacco while pregnant. Positive health-related behavior may have a major impact on children's school performance. Home visitors may provide information on childcare and social services, help parents in crisis and model problem-solving skills. They may help implement the preschool/school curriculum at home or provide a curriculum of educational games designed to improve language, development and cognitive skills. In most cases, such support is offered to families on a voluntary basis. Families who are eligible for the program may decide for themselves whether or not they want to participate. There are no penalties if they decide against it or against continuing with the program.[103] Working class pupils [ edit ] In Germany most children are streamed by ability into different schools after fourth grade. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study revealed that working class children needed better reading abilities than middle-class children to be nominated for the Gymnasium. After allowing for reading abilities, odds to be nominated to Gymnasium for upper-middle-class children were still 2.63 times better than for working-class children. Points needed to be nominated for Gymnasium[105] Teachers nominating child for Gymnasium Parents wanting child to attend Gymnasium children from upper-middle-class backgrounds 537 498 children from lower-middle-class backgrounds 569 559 children of parents holding pink-collar jobs 582 578 children of self-employed parents 580 556 children from upper-working-class backgrounds 592 583 children from lower-working-class backgrounds 614 606 Germany's Left Party brought up the discussion about affirmative action. According to Stefan Zillich, quotas should be "a possibility" to help working class children who did not do well in school gain access to a Gymnasium.[106] Headmasters of Gymnasien have objected, saying that this type of policy would "be a disservice" to poor children, that they would not be able to academically keep up with their classmates and that they would not feel welcome at a Gymnasium. Wolfgang Harnischfeger, headmaster of a well known Berlin Gymnasium, stated: "It can be noticed in children as young as kindergarten-age, that children take after their parents. They emulate their language, their way of dressing, their way of spending their freetime. Children from Neukölln (a poor neighbourhood) would not feel good about themselves if they had to attend that type of school that mainly serves pupils from social classes different from their own. They will not be able to integrate. Every field-day, every school party will show that very soon." He also said that "this kind of policy would weaken the Gymnasium" and that this would be dangerous, because "German society could not afford to do without the truly educated adults the Gymnasium produces".[107] Stefan Zillich has answered to this, saying that "German society can not afford having only so few adults who were truly educated".[107] While affirmative action laws were not passed (status: January 2010) sought after schools have been guaranteed the right to employ their own quotas since the 1970s. Contemporary issues [ edit ] There is a constant public debate about tracking students by ability into several types of secondary school (i.e. Gymnasium, Realschule and Hauptschule). Opponents of streaming by ability claim that streaming is unfair, that parents from higher socio-economic groups are more effective in sending children of similar aptitude to higher-level schools (Gymnasium). Proponents of streaming claim that it limits income segregation between rich and poor areas, as wealthier parents in poor neighborhoods may still send their gifted children to a fairly good public school due to streaming, giving them less motivation to move to a wealthier area. They also say that potential access to a Selective school would allow gifted children of lower-class parents living in poor neighborhoods better educational opportunities than if they were confined to schools with the average pupil population of their neighborhoods. Opponents of streaming have pointed out that countries that performed very well in PISA, such as Finland, do not stream by ability. Proponents have pointed out that German comprehensive schools ranked below other German schools on PISA and that children from the lower socio-economic groups attending comprehensive schools fare worse in PISA than middle-class students attending the same schools. See also [ edit ]

Boston Celtics wing Gordon Hayward is now out of his hard cast and has begun shooting out of a chair, according to head coach Brad Stevens. During a Wednesday interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak and Bertrand, Stevens said Hayward's rehab from a gruesome ankle injury is "moving in a great direction." "He got his hard cast off," Stevens said. "He's in a boot. He still won't be weight-bearing for quite a while, but his spirits have been really good. He has gotten a few shots up in a chair in each of the last few days, and it's just been fun to see him the last couple of days, and to see him smile, and to know that he's excited about attacking his rehab." Stevens said the Celtics picked Hayward's brain for tips on how to match up with the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo as well as the San Antonio Spurs. While he recovers, Hayward will spend some time assisting the Boston coaching staff. He has also spent some time in a Halloween outfit: Happy Halloween! #gorilla #panda #sheep #iucheerleader #unicorn #minimouse A post shared by Robyn Hayward (@robynmhayward) on Oct 31, 2017 at 4:29pm PDT Despite the optimism from Stevens, the Celtics received a disabled player exception, meaning the NBA believes Hayward will likely miss the rest of the season, including the playoffs.

August 13, 2017 DONALD J. TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT, INC. RELEASES NEW CAMPAIGN AD AD CITES MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS, INCLUDING JOBS, THE ECONOMY AND MILITARY STRENGTH EXCORIATES MEDIA “ATTACKING OUR PRESIDENT” AND “POLITICIANS STANDING IN THE WAY” National Ad Buy Planned on Cable TV News and the Internet New York, NY – Today, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., President Trump’s reelection campaign committee, released a new campaign advertisement that highlights some of the President’s remarkable achievements, exposes the President’s “enemies,” and references Americans who are “…saying let President Trump do his job.” Key achievements by President Trump that are highlighted in the ad include: One million new jobs created More Americans working than ever before Unemployment at its lowest level since 2001 The strongest military in decades Michael S. Glassner, Executive Director of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., commented on the new campaign ad, saying: “After only 200 days in office, President Trump has already achieved great success. He has fueled the creation of one million new jobs and growth in the economy, including new lows in unemployment claims and all-time record highs in the stock market, and he is rebuilding our military to be the strongest in decades. “Yet, the mainstream media continue to attack the President and career politicians continue to stand in the way of his progress. This new campaign ad speaks directly to the American people and sets the record straight, reminding them that President Donald Trump will not stop fighting for them and will not allow anyone to stand in his way to deliver success for them.”

KIEV – Several dozen Ukrainian nationalists stormed a tent encampment of ultra-Orthodox visitors in Uman over the weekend, destroying equipment and dismantling parts of the fence surrounding it. A police force was dispatched to the area, but according to witnesses, the officers failed to intervene. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "On Shabbat, when they knew we wouldn’t be able to respond or activate the communication device, they simply knocked down the fence, pushed the light poles and security cameras and caused damage estimated at half a million dollars," Eliezer Kirshboim, chairman and director of the Jewish association in Uman told Yedioth Ahronoth. "We are approaching the High Holidays, and this disrupts all our work arrangements." Brutal Beating Dutch Holocaust survivors assaulted Itamar Eichner The Jewish community in Amsterdam is in an uproar after an elderly Jewish couple who survived the Holocaust was severely beaten in their home while being called ‘dirty Jews.' Dutch Holocaust survivors assaulted Although the information about the incident was transferred to the highest diplomatic ranks, no suspects have been arrested yet. Kirshboim added that anti-Semitic right-wing activists were seeking to "harass the Jewish Hasidim" in order to gain political points among the local public. "Whoever harasses the Hasidim more has a better chance of winning the elections in October," he said. Jewish pilgrims in Uman. 'Their goal is that the Hasidim won't come to Ukraine at all (Archive photo: AFP) According to Kirshboim, the current mayor was "appointed" by members of the nationalist Svoboda party following the revolution in Ukraine. "There is crazy state of anarchy here," he said. "All they want is a bribe and to prove that they are harassing Hasidim." The Hasidim say that although they recently invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the city's development, the authorities are still hostile towards them. "We are under the impression that their goal is that the Hasidim won't come to Ukraine at all," Kirshboim said. Attorney Genadi Beloritski, who represents the Hasidim, explained that although they have made a great contribution to the city's development, the nationalistic groups have a lot of influence on the local authorities and continue to disrupt their activity in the area. As an example, he pointed to the fact that the authorities have failed to grant the Hasidic tent encampment license, although the Hasidim own 70 percent of its area.

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Sign up for Take Action Now and we’ll send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. Did you know you can support The Nation by drinking wine? I’ve seen the past, and it works. To be more precise, I have heard Latin spoken, sung, read and rapped, and I have seen that it can change contemporary lives. I teach history at Princeton University. Every year, students from many fields take my seminars and write papers for them, and seniors write BA theses under my direction. Since 1975, I have read drafts, suggested revisions and assigned grades. Though always interesting and sometimes engrossing, this part of my job never overwhelmed me or swallowed a disproportionate amount of my time. The single most dramatic alteration in my working life occurred with the introduction of “track changes,” which enabled me to edit on screen and write legible comments for the first time. Ad Policy Three or four years ago, something happened. I found myself rising before dawn every day in February and March, since that was the only way to work through the essays and thesis chapters that students were submitting: undergraduate scholarship based on untranslated manuscripts and rare books in Latin (and English, and French, and German, and Ottoman Turkish). Their technical virtuosity impressed me deeply. But so, even more, did the energy that powered it: the engagement, the passion, the deep love of and feeling for very distant realms of the past. In a long and happy career of undergraduate teaching, I hadn’t experienced anything quite like this outbreak—or epidemic?—of inspired work. An infestation of undergraduate genius doesn’t have a single cause. To be a humanist nowadays, you have to be a refusenik. The students who have remained with us on the burning deck are not only intelligent but also independent-minded. The resources available to them are far richer than they were a generation ago. They can call the rarest of sources from the vasty deep of the Internet, or go to the library or archive that houses them and make their own digital copies. Even in the hours between midnight and 4 am, when the world quiets down and students do their most intensive work, they have access to a library without walls, bigger and richer than any that has ever existed. Other factors must also play a role. But it turns out that for a surprising number of students, Latin—and Latin study of a special kind—has been the fuse that sparked this explosion. Many of the students who have robbed me of my sleep have spent a summer or two at the Paideia Institute—a nonprofit organization created by two young scholars named Jason Pedicone and Eric Hewett. In classical Greek, paideia means education or upbringing—more properly the ideal method of education, which sought to form the mind, character and body of the young men who would serve their cities as active citizens and soldiers. This concept has grown and changed over time, as it was adopted, and adapted, by ancient Christians and modern humanists, and it still inspires Pedicone and Hewett—reformulated in a special, newly inclusive way. A few years ago, they and some equally committed colleagues started bringing high school and college students, and a few graduate students, to Rome, where they spend some weeks studying Latin. Summer study, a dead language, hours traveling on buses: it doesn’t sound exciting on the face of it, especially to anyone who knows how little studying takes place in many summer programs. But these summer experiences are different. A lot of Paideians come back in love—with something bigger than they’re used to, something bigger than what we usually offer them in schools and universities, and that love makes a huge difference in everything they do. * * * University humanists don’t talk, or hear, a lot about love, at least in connection with their disciplines. Curious—and exhausted—I wanted to know more. Last summer, I went to Rome, hoping to learn some of the secrets of Paideia. Some of the story I already knew: Pedicone and Hewett—and the colleagues they recruit each year—build from a single, shared experience that shaped their lives. All of them studied Latin with a legendary teacher, Reginald Foster, an American priest who worked for many years as a papal secretary, writing Latin documents. In Rome, many things change slowly, or not at all. Foster held the same position that the great Renaissance scholar Lorenzo Valla—famous for exposing the Donation of Constantine as a fake—occupied in the fifteenth century. He also shared the passion for Latin that inspired Valla to write the first modern analysis of classical Latin prose usage. For decades, Reginaldus—as generations of loving students called him—also taught Latin, for anyone who wanted to learn, at the Gregorian University during the academic year and in a separate program every summer. And he gave it a special twist. Reginaldus could never stand the miserable, slow, passive way in which students in the modern world learn Latin. In Rome, as he has been known to say, things were different: “Every bum and prostitute in the city spoke Latin fluently.” From the start, he showed his students that they could do the same. Systematic exercises—all of which Reginaldus composed himself—made them use Latin actively, as they would use a modern language, from the first day. His pedagogy combined grumpiness, demands for improvement and occasional outbreaks of fury with an obvious love of students and Latin alike. Reginaldus labeled assignments ludi domestici, homeplay, rather than homework, and he meant it. Yet the play was serious, and incompetence provoked roars of denunciation. Somehow it all worked. Students who had spent years at good schools and colleges, learning how to read thirty or forty lines of Latin at a time and looking up every word, found after a summer with Reginaldus that they could read the hardest Latin texts on sight—and not just read them, but translate them into English or paraphrase them in Latin, and hear their power and their melody, their wit and their scorn, as they did so. Reginaldus worked a kind of magic. He transformed Latin from a set of puzzles to be solved into something to be known, possessed and loved. From the outside, Latin looks like a truly dead language—one not so much embodied as embalmed in canonical texts written more than 2,000 years ago. Within a stunningly short period—less than a century—Cicero and Livy built models of literary prose, Lucretius and Virgil composed didactic, epic and pastoral poems, and Catullus and Horace crafted lyrics, all of which became absolute standards. In them—as Jürgen Leonhardt shows in a recent, and excellent, history of Latin—the written language reached its definitive form. These works became the models that later writers imitated and struggled with for centuries. They became so exemplary, in fact, that even the language they were written in froze. Latin syntax and grammar ceased changing, as they had for the two or three centuries before these men wrote. Eventually, Latin became a written language, pronounced only in such places as churches and schools or on formal occasions like royal entries into cities. A language can fall out of everyday use, its forms can cease to change, and yet writers will still use it to do new things. This happened, as Leonhardt points out, to Sumerian and Hebrew—and it happened to Latin too. People all over the Mediterranean world and beyond continued to use Latin after Virgil and Cicero—and they did so in endlessly creative ways. Early in the third century, Perpetua, a Christian woman at Carthage, composed a graphic Latin diary of the visions that sustained her as she waited to die in the arena. Two hundred years later, Augustine wove, in his Confessions, an intimate history of his own development into a Christian. In the twelfth century, Peter Abelard and Heloise exchanged passionate Latin letters about love and philosophy. A hundred and fifty years later, Thomas Aquinas built massive Latin structures of Christian doctrine, complex and consistent as Gothic cathedrals. Later still, Desiderius Erasmus devised his own brilliantly original form of Latin prose and used it to launch sharp satires on superstition and passionate arguments that Christians must seek peace. * * * Pagan and Christian, ancient and medieval, Renaissance and Baroque: for Reginaldus, it was all Latin. And he assigned his students samples of all of it, along with the classics. Students who had seen Latin as a strange set of linguistic puzzles, to be translated forty lines at a time, not only started reading; they came to see what they read not as the product of a few marmoreal Roman geniuses but as the work of real men and women from many times and places, a deposit of more than 2,000 years of artistry and history and tradition. Reginaldus’s courses became famous. Young students and experienced teachers, high school students and retirees took them. Renowned historians would come back every summer for a tune-up before heading into the archives. Halfway through the summer of 2008, the twenty-third year of his Latin course in Rome, Reginaldus had to be hospitalized. Pedicone, Hewett and another former student of Reginaldus, Leah Whittington, who now teaches English and classics at Harvard, led the course for the remaining five weeks. Eventually, it became clear that Reginaldus would not return to Rome. He retired to Milwaukee, where, happily, he is now teaching actively again. So his disciples set out to rebuild his program—and to put it on a new foundation. Reginaldus’s method remains the groundwork of their teaching, and he himself is present in the conversation every day, as the ruling spirit. They celebrate him with inspiring loyalty. But they have also found ways to build an infrastructure—something Reginaldus’s courses lacked. Paideia’s staff members teach in modern, air-conditioned classrooms rather than a sweltering convent cafeteria, where the students once sat at desks built for Italian 5-year-olds. Paideia’s programs have multiplied. Classical scholars take high school Latin teachers to Gaul—well, to France—to follow Julius Caesar’s invasion. The trip gives new life to the teaching of his Gallic Wars—another work traditionally taught as if it weren’t about real people fighting and dying in real places. High school as well as college students come to Rome for five-week Latin sessions. Those who have a good background in classical Greek can spend a similar period in a pretty seaside village on the north coast of the Peloponnese, reading and speaking Attic Greek and performing in a Greek tragedy. That much I knew when I arrived in Rome in late June. But the experience was richer and stranger than anything I had expected. On my first evening, students and teachers met for dinner in an ancient Roman cellar—a restaurant in the basement of Pompey’s theater. Latin texts were read and discussed. Latin songs were sung, including an account of Caesar’s career, set to “Oh My Darling, Clementine.” The enthusiasm and hilarity that accompanied all of this didn’t remind me of any Latin class I had ever taken. Nor did the fluency with which students read Latin. For the next few days, I attended classes, sat in on discussions and went on trips. And I began to see how the magic works. Paideia—like Reginaldus’s summer course before it—is simultaneously easy and demanding. The students don’t do a lot of required homework, and they don’t memorize as many forms as Reginaldus’s pupils did. They are still assigned those ludi domestici, on which some of them put in a lot of work. In practice, though, they seem to spend most of their time in classes and on trips reading Latin or doing exercises that they haven’t seen before. Everyone ends up reading a lot of Latin aloud—and being corrected; suggesting Latin ways of saying things—and being corrected again; and translating—and being corrected yet a third time. Paideia may not demand the expenditure of midnight oil, but it asks for—and receives—a wonderful kind of concentration. It also requires public, active performance, which is always judged. Day by day, the language becomes real. A central principle, for Paideia as for Reginaldus, is that reading ancient texts in the places where they were meditated and written gives them a special impact. This idea has a Roman pedigree. Cicero describes himself and his Roman friends studying Greek philosophy in Athens. They imagine that they might bump into Socrates or Plato and argue about the merits of their favorite Greek thinkers within sight of their haunts and their monuments. Paideia turns Cicero’s evocation of a beloved past into a powerful pedagogical method. One day, we went south by bus to the abbeys of Monte Cassino, where Aquinas studied, and Fossanova, where he died. Standing under shade trees on the great hilltop at Monte Cassino, students read and translated an account of the great theologian’s early life. Sitting in the chapel at Fossanova, we all did our best to sing a hymn that Aquinas himself had composed. A lost world rose around us. On another, sunny day, we walked along the rocky surface of the Appian Way, the road that leads out from the city to the southeast. Sitting in the shade, we read a satire in which Horace vividly describes the miseries of traveling—on the Appian Way. In the course of the full five weeks, students read Seneca’s discussion of gladiators in the Colosseum and recite the Sibyl’s prophecy in her cave, work through Cicero’s oratory in the Forum and read Horace’s poems, barefoot, by the Bandusian Fountain, to which he dedicated a lovely ode. Cicero, it turns out, was right. There’s something magical about reading these texts in their places—and seeing what the places themselves have meant over the centuries. As we read Horace, who rants like an ancient Paul Theroux about life on the road, we saw travelers walking by in pairs, just as Horace had. Hewett, who led the class that I sat in on, pointed them out as eagerly as he explained the details of the poem’s geography and terminology. He also took time to evoke the French painters of the seventeenth century who walked the Appian Way to leave the hot city for the countryside that they loved more. I have been reading Horace, off and on, since my last year in high school. But I never felt his humor or appreciated his powers of observation as I did, sitting on a stone wall in the sun and listening to bright young Latinists arguing about the precise way to translate difficult words. Past and present didn’t just meet: they intertwined. Instead of heavy dictionaries, the students used smartphone apps to find definitions and parallels to support their arguments. Paideia has nothing against computers, or even distance instruction: those who want remote access can have it, via Telepaideia. But the heart of the enterprise is very old: to find the sort of contact with a living, human past that the Romans themselves knew how to find. * * * Paideia’s emphasis on the long term fits its Roman habitat perfectly. Latin culture was born old. By the time that Romans and immigrants began to compose ambitious literary works, the city had existed for several hundred years. It had been besieged and sacked by foreigners and fought over, often viciously, by natives. Latin literature was new, but it embodied and transmitted the values of an ancient society. There is something profoundly right, accordingly, about treating Latin, as it developed in Rome and survived after Rome fell, as a coherent millennial tradition. And it’s not just the language that Paideia treats in this richly historical way. The program, as one alumna wrote me, “reveals and peels back layers of history, even within the program itself, as you are adopted into a peculiar academic genealogy (beginning with Reginaldus), somewhat as Romans were always adopting each other. By the end, with our T-shirts, we were all ciceroniani, which is what Reginaldus called his students. And then there is the way the program shows the layers of the landscape of Rome itself, from the archaeological to the textual. You arrive in Rome—often for the first time, if you’re 20—and as your knowledge of the landscape grows with trips to espresso bars and nighttime bars, you start to see the way the loci of Latin literature overlap with those of the city…. Paideia gives you double vision.” Another former student evoked Paideia’s unique “collapsing of modern Italy and ancient Rome.” In an age of instant messages and flashing images, Paideia teaches lessons about a past that, as Faulkner taught us about that of the South, has never died. The Latinists who teach at Paideia take very different approaches to their work. Pedicone, whip thin and given to bouncing off the walls, pulls students with him into activities that range from arguing about the meaning of texts to singing “Yellow Submarine” (“Navis Lutea”). He lives, plays and raps in Latin. Hewett walks a slower, more reflective path, binding texts to the long history of the city and the language—though he can be as quick as Pedicone to make fun of everybody’s bad pronunciation. Daniel Gallagher—a cleft-chinned and charismatic priest who now writes Latin documents for the pope—brings a striking intensity and seriousness to the classroom. Leah Whittington wasn’t teaching this year—but a former student vividly described her fluid, natural Latin and the joyous “Optime!” with which she greets an elegant use of unusual Latin words. Every one of their colleagues—including some dedicated teachers from American universities—has a distinctive approach (and sense of humor). They’re united, though, by the example and the method of Reginaldus, who taught them all. And they share a passion for Latin and for communicating with students that is—let’s just say—not always as evident in universities as it is in this little, intense world. The mix becomes even richer thanks to other Foster students, Paideia alumni and Latin-speaking friends of the staff who appear from time to time—as well as restaurateurs who have welcomed Paideia groups year after year, offering Italian hospitality at its most appealing. Pedicone and Hewett describe their institute as a humanities start-up. That’s a sunny, optimistic term, one rarely heard in connection with the humanities, except when someone tells us that massive open online courses will transform higher education. And it fits. Paideia has five universities as institutional members—Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard and Princeton. They support Paideia by sending students to study and faculty members to teach in its programs. There are also high school members, and some inspiring projects—especially Aequora, a collaboration created by Paideia’s alumni board and a Brooklyn nonprofit, Still Waters in a Storm, which provides an after-school sanctuary for children in Bushwick. A friend who visited writes: “Latin is currently in vogue as a paternalist form of social reform (cf. Boris Johnson), but there could not be anything less old-school than the classroom of 3rd graders, none of them white, to whom Liz Butterworth [a Paideia alumna who holds a fellowship with the institute] and her high-school helpers were teaching Latin conjunctions.” But the institute exists, for the moment, in a world of its own. You don’t go there to earn a credit or a grade, though those may well come in the future, but to learn a set of skills—ones that seem the quintessence of the impractical, skills with no market value. And that, in turn, explains a big part of Paideia’s impact. Students go because they want to, and come back because they’re addicted. Alumni join the current group for a day or two. Sometimes it’s just to recharge spiritual batteries. Sometimes they take things in a direction of their own. One of my history students led an impromptu tour of Rome’s obelisks, commenting in Latin about the seventeenth-century Jesuit Athanasius Kircher, who helped Bernini create two dizzyingly dramatic Baroque monuments. Paideians work hard. But they experience the work as pleasure and want more of it. The students who choose Paideia stand out in many ways—not least for the sense that learning can be joyous, which makes many of them a delight to teach. Especially striking, though, as one of them remarked to me, is the fact that so many of them “feel called to be high school or university teachers.” The old term “calling” is just right here. Paideians whom I have met see teaching as a vocation—a high one, whose object is to touch souls as well as to train minds. And one of Paideia’s central purposes is to cultivate this vision. The program provides its students not only with Latin, but also with downtime and ample opportunity to talk, with one another and the teachers, about teaching and Latin and what it all means. On bus trips and over coffee, under the shade trees and in cafes, the students have many chances to chew over the state of the humanities. They hear and tell horror stories about the university’s woes—the pressure to publish, for example, which can squeeze the joy from the lives of brilliant young academics. But they also hear stories that convey, so much more vividly than manifestos, how the humanities—and their teachers—can change lives. Some seem to become more determined as they learn more about the difficulties that they may confront (I said they were refuseniks). All of them have a clearer sense, by the end of the summer, of the worlds they hope to enter. Otium—leisure for thought and discussion—was prized and honored in ancient Rome. Paideia gives its students just that, and they use it as they should. * * * Classics, in the English-speaking world, used to go with privilege, white and male. Some Paideians—not all of them white or male or rich—come from excellent private schools. Some pay the full fees, which are not cheap. But the institute’s backers have already begun to provide scholarships. Classics departments help out when they can. Admission to all Paideia programs will soon be need-blind. Paideians are male and female, rich and poor, gay and straight, white and nonwhite, glinty-eyed conservative and bleeding-heart liberal (and if you think that last match is easy to broker, you haven’t been on a campus lately). There’s something about Latin that compels and enchants them all—as Latin once gave the African playwright Terence, who came to Rome as a slave, a way to explain what cosmopolitanism means. “Homo sum,” one of his characters says, “humani nihil alienum a me puto”—“I’m a human being, I don’t think anything human is foreign to me.” One afternoon on the bus, Pedicone and Hewett began to tell stories about Reginaldus. Great teachers generate anecdotes—it’s how they live on, how the meaning of their work is passed on across the generations. They spoke, with loving astonishment, about how far he seemed, in person, from a model of charisma. Reginaldus was utterly unadorned. He wore a suit like a Maytag repairman’s uniform, spoke roughly with students who disappointed him, and made no effort to win anyone’s favor. As they talked, I remembered seeing him in the Forum on a blazing hot Roman Sunday. The sun reflected off his bald pate as he spoke Latin, in a ringing voice, to a group whose members seemed to be melting. Students listened intently. Questions came. A Chinese classicist who had taught herself English, and then Latin, recalled a famous text by Erasmus, “The Silenus of Alcibiades.” Here the great humanist described Alcibiades’ verbal portrait of Socrates as a Silenus: an ugly figure, shabby and unattractive on the outside—yet full of treasures for those who could see within. Listen hard to Reginaldus, Hewett and Pedicone explained, and you hear that he is not teaching you about conjugations and declensions, but something much simpler and much deeper. Latin can save your life. Latin is infinite, and infinitely rich. We come to an end, but Latin doesn’t. Studying it gives us perspective, vision and inspiration. It’s not that every Paideian becomes, or should become, a professor. The humanities don’t work that way. Studying Latin, the way Paideia teaches you to do, makes you more human, in a special sense that can make you decide to pursue careers of many kinds. One of Paideia’s mottoes is: “Lingua Latina non est piscis mortuus”—“The Latin language is not a dead fish.” It sure isn’t. Paideians choose Paideia. But Paideia also changes them. It brings them things that an ordinary education, even a good ordinary education, may not: the joy of hard-won competence and discovery, a sense of the depth and power of tradition, a grasp of the music of poetry. It teaches them that what they study matters, because it can change lives, and it makes them hope that if they become the humanists they want to be, they’ll change lives too. I don’t know if Paideia will always have the impact it has now. I don’t know if these students, who come back from Rome and Greece and throw themselves into scholarship, will find everything they hope for there. For the moment, though, I know what awaits me in a few weeks: sleepless nights, exhausted mornings and boundless pleasure. The joy of Latin, the joy of scholarship. Who’d have thought it? Reginaldus, for a start, and his disciples. Maybe more of us should start listening to them.

0 – While speculation has run rampant for over a year now about Ben Affleck maybe possibly directing a standalone Batman movie, things are finally coalescing as Affleck has indeed confirmed that he’ll be directing and starring in a new Batman pic called The Batman. While the filmmaker/writer/actor has been mighty busy shooting Justice League and completing post-production on his long-awaited directorial follow-up to Argo, the Prohibition-era crime drama Live by Night, he’s also been laying the groundwork for The Batman as it was recently revealed that not only will Deathstroke be Batman’s adversary in the new film, but Joe Manganiello will be bringing him to life. Collider’s own Steve Weintraub recently spoke with Affleck in anticipation of his staring role in the upcoming thriller The Accountant, and during the course of their conversation Steve asked Affleck what it was about Deathstroke that made him the right villain for his movie: “He’s a great villain because—I just had an instinctive feeling that he would match up with him well. You know, I’m a big admirer of that character as well, especially in the New 52 the way that they did Deathstroke, and I thought that it could work.” Deathstroke’s comics origins involve the character of Slade Wilson joining the Army as a teenager, going on to be trained in a number of forms of combat and eventually signing onto a secret experiment that enhances him with the physical powers that make him an unstoppable mercenary. In the New 52 version that Affleck mentions, however, the story picks up after Slade’s glory days, with an inciting event forcing him to don his suit once more and reclaim his legacy as the murderous mercenary. That storyline certainly provides an interesting foil for Affleck’s Batman, who we also met in the back half of his career as a crime fighter. It also makes 39-year-old Joe Manganiello’s casting more suitable if they’re going this direction, offering up a dichotomy between two men who aren’t just starting out, but have seen some serious stuff along the way. Affleck has reportedly been working on the script for The Batman alongside DC Comics CCO and DC Films head Geoff Johns, and while the film doesn’t yet have a release date, a tease of Deathstroke footage from the Justice League set hinted that we’ll get our first look at the character in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman follow-up, which hits theaters next November. Look for Steve’s full interview with Affleck and Accountant director Gavin O’Connor on Collider soon.

National Security: The Last Refuge of Scoundrels If the Obama Justice Department’s legal doctrine is allowed to stand, there will be absolutely no way of holding government officials civilly or criminally accountable for violating the rights of American citizens, short of a foreign power conquering the United States and putting its officials on trial. Barring a new Nuremberg trial, the officials of the United States government are above the law when it comes to “National Security.” That’s the necessary implication of the Justice Department’s call to dismiss Jewel v. National Security Agency, a lawsuit on behalf of Americans who were subjected to warrantless–and hence illegal–surveillance by the National Security Agency. The administration, in calling for dismissal, advanced two morally repellent arguments. First, it used the “state secrets” argument: that any such lawsuit would compromise the “sources and methods” of the NSA, and in particular whether the agency had relationships with any particular telecommunications company (a disclosure, in particular, which would cause “exceptional harm to national security”). The claims of the plaintiffs, it said, “would require or risk the disclosure of information properly protected by the DNI’s assertion of the state secrets privilege.” The “very subject matter” of the lawsuit “would inherently risk or require the disclosure of state secrets.” (Thanks to Glen Greenwald, by the way, for posting the document with the money quotes highlighted.) Second, the Justice Department claimed sovereign immunity for the government. The first argument is, of course, complete and utter nonsense. The NSA’s technical capabilities for surveillance of domestic communications are notorious matters of fact, as is its pattern of relationships with AT&T and other telecom companies. So translated out of legalese, the argument is simply that a lawsuit would embarrass some bureaucrats. The second argument is utterly pernicious. It means, in essence, that government officials cannot legally be held accountable for violating our liberties, because–wait for it!–they’re government officials. Think about that for a moment. If the government cannot be held liable for violating constitutionally defined rights, then what mechanism exists for enforcing those rights? Apparently, not much–aside from another country conquering the United States and putting its officials on trial. You know, like the Nuremberg trials. That claim, the bald assertion that the government can’t be called to account for violating our rights because IT’S THE GOVERNMENT, rivals Nixon’s claim that “if the President does it, it’s not illegal.” Such sheer executive chutzpah hasn’t been matched since Charles I met writs of habeas corpus with the reply that the prisoner “is being held at the King’s good pleasure.” A high school civics textbook parody by Doug Kinney, published in National Lampoon back in the 1970s, mentioned that the Bill of Rights was “kept around mainly as an example of good penmanship.” That wasn’t much of a joke, even back then. Today, things are even worse. We’ve got a Bill of Rights which is unenforceable because exposing the cockroaches of the police state to the light of day might be bad for “national security.” That’s about as bad as the insurance policy on Monty Python, with the clause in fine print reading “No claim made by you will be paid.” The accretion of war powers around the office of President, over the past century or so, has resulted in legal claims resembling the prerogatives of a Stuart monarch. The Obama administration seems to have reined itself in a bit compared to Bush; it isn’t matching Cheney, Yoo et al in the sheer grandiosity of claims entailed in “Unitary Executive” doctrine. But anyone who expected a serious scaling back of executive national security powers, comparable to what happened under the post-Watergate Church Committee, is probably in for a disappointment. There are two lessons to be drawn: First, the upward ratcheting of executive “national security” powers, unfortunately, is very much a bipartisan phenomenon. And second, under Democrats as well as Republicans, “National Security” is the last refuge of scoundrels.

Weiss finished the last of her pull-ups, practically crumpling on the floor as she let go of the bar. Yang had to give it to her, though – the extra weight on her ankles surely would have dragged Weiss down, but she pushed through the pain anyway. "Hey, not bad for your first try!" the trainer exclaimed as she held out her hand for a high-five. Weiss swung her hand lamely at it and missed completely. "Although that could use some work." "Oh, shut up," Weiss shot back between heavy breaths. "Not everyone has the insane stamina that your family apparently does." Yang knew that she meant Ruby by that comment, but her little sister's energy was of a different sort. She could yammer on and on about the things she learned at school and did get from one place to another extraordinarily quickly, but the thought of Ruby attempting to lift weights made the blonde snicker uncontrollably. "What's so funny?" Weiss demanded. "Oh, it's nothing. Just thought about how wrong you are," Yang retorted with a grin. "Ruby and I might both be energetic, but she'd burn out like a fuse doing anything I do here. Besides, it's not about what you got, it's about what you can do with what you have." She then offered her hand to the fallen heiress, who promptly accepted it and allowed herself to be pulled up. "Well, having more still means you can screw up more often without having to worry so much." As if to emphasize her point, Weiss attempted to stretch out her limbs until Yang could hear how sore they were. "I bet Ruby would have a much better time of this than I am." Yang tilted her head thoughtfully to the side, considering Weiss's assessment of her little sister. "True. Then again, you're the one out here, not her, so it doesn't really matter what Ruby does or doesn't have." She slapped her trainee on the back and continued. "Anyway, don't sell yourself short. You've come a long way in these past few weeks. You even know how a treadmill works!" That last comment elicited a groan from Weiss. "I would really like to forget that ever happened, thank you very much," she said begrudgingly, ignoring Yang's laughter. Weiss looked up at the clock up on the far wall and froze up momentarily. "Crap, it's five minutes past the hour!" "I don't have another client after you, so you're not cutting into my time or anything." Of course, Yang meant more than that. She quite enjoyed Weiss's company, especially after the events of the past weekend. Speaking of— "No, that means I missed the bus back to the dorms!" Weiss grunted in annoyance, wringing her hands. "I don't see how that's a problem," Yang said plainly. "I'm sure there are more buses that'll come by later, and it's not like I'm gonna kick you out of here. I might have been busy, but you're always welcome to stay as long as you want here." This answer didn't seem to satisfy Weiss. "Yes, and I thank you for your offer, but the next bus in twenty minutes, and that's twenty extra minutes of sitting around in these… disgusting clothes." She gestured to her current garments, which were indeed thoroughly soaked through with sweat. Even Yang had to agree that it was a little gross. "Well," Yang started, playfully drawing out the "L". "If it makes you feel any better, I have some news that might brighten your mood." Weiss raised an uncertain eyebrow. In the weeks that she'd gotten to know Yang, one thing was for certain: Yang was almost never up to any good. "And what, may I ask, is this news?" "Well, it's got two parts. First, you don't have to come tomorrow—" "Ohthankgods," Weiss quickly breathed out in relief. "I don't know if I could make it to Sunday for a break this week." "Wow, tuckered out already? You were doing so well last week," Yang teased. "Well, sometimes I don't want to have to torture myself like this every day." "Everyday but Sunday," Yang quickly corrected. Even someone as dedicated as she was knew the value of a proper rest every once in awhile. "Right." "Anyway, that's not the best part." The heiress once again returned her attention to her trainer, a cautious look still painted on her face. "No, the best part is why you get a day off." "I don't suppose you're going to say that it's because we're going to a spa or something instead?" Weiss must've known how ridiculous that proposal was, but after Yang saw the hopeful look on her face, the blonde couldn't help but keep a mental note of that. Princess likes to be pampered, I see. Yang shook her head. "Nah, something better. A while back, I skipped out on going out with a friend of mine and promised that I would come the next time he was out and about. That next time happens to be tomorrow night, and I—" Yang pointed at herself with her thumbs "—want you—" and then toward Weiss with her fingers "—to come with me." Yang paused for a moment, crossing her arms proudly as she waited for the idea to sink in. Weiss didn't look nearly as excited as Yang was expecting. "Wait, by going out, you mean to say that we will be going to a club and all that?" "Yep!" "With alcohol and people I don't know?" "Of course! Well, only as much alcohol and socializing as you want, but you get the idea." Yang's voice grew a little more serious as she stood up straight and level. "Consider it my treat to you for helping out with my little sis." Weiss's defeated sigh and hand on her forehead were also not part of the response Yang was expecting. Maybe she's got plans already? "Yang, I'm glad you thought of including me in this plan, and thank you for the offer, but I'm going to have to pass on this. Partying isn't really my thing, anyway." The blonde frowned. "You sure? I guarantee that you'll like my friend Sun – even if he is a bit of a handful – and I personally know the owner of this one really sweet club." Weiss gave Yang a polite smile but shook her head. "Thank you, but no," she said a little more firmly. Truth be told, Yang was a little disappointed with this response. She had been looking forward to treating Weiss to something loose and free ever since she helped her reconcile with Ruby. Of course, there were other ways of doing so, but seeing how Sun had invited her to party that weekend, it seemed like an all too perfect idea. There was also a part of Yang that was curious to see what the cool heiress was like when unwound with a little drink. Nevertheless, if Weiss was unwilling, she wouldn't press the matter any further. "Alrighty then. Well, you've still got tomorrow off, so you get to relax for an extra day at least." Yang flashed Weiss a broad grin. "And if you change your mind, my invitation still stands, 'kay?" Weiss returned the smile. "Thanks for understanding." "Sure! I'm not always in the mood to party myself, so I see where you're coming from." Weiss shot her a questioning glance. "Really? You, not in the mood to party?" "What? You think that just because of my sunny, energetic personality and good looks, I'd be partying every weekend?" Yang teased, well aware of how much she was exposing her chest to Weiss as she leaned over. "W-well, I mean…" Weiss stammered, somewhat taken aback by the sudden display from Yang. "You do seem to fit the part?" Yang grinned again and conked Weiss on the head. "Way to judge a book by its cover. I actually haven't been going out as much ever since I got this job – if I went out as often as I did before, I'd never make it to the gym. Still, every now and again, I make an exception – a girl's gotta let loose, y'know?" Yang then proceeded to sway her body to imaginary dance music, eliciting an awkward cough from her trainee. "Right. Well, I should get going now – bus should be nearing the stop soon." "Huh… has it already been fifteen minutes?" Yang asked as she looked at the clock. Nope, only about ten minutes have passed. Why— "Not quite, but you know how the bus system can be," Weiss said with a slight tone of unease. Yang had to admit that Vale's transit was never that consistent, but it still seemed that Weiss was trying to scurry off in a hurry. "Anyway, I'll talk to you later. Bye, Yang." "See ya," Yang replied with a weak wave as Weiss swiftly made her way to the exit of the gym. That's weird, does she really not parties? That was the only explanation that Yang could muster up. Still, it seemed odd; Weiss didn't strike her as one to be as one to shy away from social situations. Then again, it could be something else entirely that Yang didn't think of. I shouldn't be jumping to conclusions, Yang thought as she shook the questions from her head. Let Weiss do her thing, and I can do mine. Yang smiled at that thought. Yeah, Saturday night's gonna be great – I just know it! Weiss plopped down limply onto her bed, the soreness in her muscles reaching a painful peak. That wasn't what was on her mind, though. Do I really have a good reason not to go out with Yang tomorrow? The answer seemed simple enough: no, of course not. Weiss had one too many a night during her first couple years at Beacon when something went wrong, either because of creepy guys all approaching her unsolicited or getting out-of-control drunk just to keep up with her friends back then. She could never hold her liquor well, so she had no idea why she bothered. Perhaps she'd feel left out if she wasn't as inebriated as everyone else? It sure felt that way. And then there was the issue of control. Weiss was a girl who was always in full control of her actions. Every move she made was precisely calculated, but with just a couple drinks, all that went away. First, she'd lose control of her thoughts, doing things she would normally never dream of doing, and soon Weiss wouldn't even be able to tell her body to move where she wanted. Add to that the disgusting feeling of her gut rebelling against her and the headache wracking her brain the next morning… no, there was no reason for Weiss to ever want to subject herself to that again. Then why am I so doubtful right now?! Weiss knew well why – her alternatives weren't too exciting. She was going to have dinner with Coco and Velvet later that night, but other than that, she had no real plans for the weekend. Well, more like no plans that she was excited about. Weiss hadn't planned around doing anything Saturday evening, but she knew she always had the option of… well, not much, really. One of her classmates invited her to a house party, but Weiss had no inclination of going. Sure, it was not like she would not have anything to do there – plenty of people to talk to, plenty of music, plenty of shenanigans occurring – but it would all be so shallow. Weiss would come back from all that, crash in bed, and wake up in the morning not remembering anything exciting. Joy. Of course, there was always studying that could be done. Professors always thrust upon her more things than a reasonably functioning human being could handle, so any extra time would be a godsend. Weiss smiled at the idea. Yes, I can start working on that presentation for history a day early. And if I do that, I can have just a bit more time on Sunday to work at the lab and finish the last bit of optimization! Then I can start my week with so much more free time! Weiss tried to continue forcing the smile, but there was no use lying to herself. Yes, all that free time to do more work. Lovely. Weiss sat up and rubbed her forehead, nursing a headache that had burrowed into her skull. So much of her life had been about being the best, performing perfectly. She had forgotten what it meant to relax. …except for that one time, Weiss mused. That night wasn't entirely therapeutic, but Yang really did try her best to get Weiss to wind down the stress that had been coiling up within her that week. Besides, the movie, as stupid as it was, did distract her from worrying about exams for just a little bit, and there was something exhilarating about clinging onto Yang and her monstrous vehicle as they jetted down the streets of Vale. Weiss felt… normal, for once. No tests, no family to appease, no stress about small failures, just… anything else. Perhaps… perhaps it might really be different this time. Weiss whipped out her scroll and began scrolling through her contacts until she reached Yang Xiao Long. BETA: Jefardi EDITORS: Just_one_more_ and Leivve Short one, eh? In fact, this is the shortest chapter of them all, which is primarily thanks to this being only part of the original chapter. It turned out to be massive again, and when discussing it with Jef, we agreed that the pacing would be better if broken up like this. So, while this may be a shorter update than usual, it will be followed up with something much larger much sooner, as I already have a good portion of the next chapter already done! Stay tuned for more. Also, I've recently released chapters for my other story, The Purrfect Day, a RL Pussy Magnet fic, and a brand-new story called The Many Escapades of Mercury and Emerald (or MEME for short :D)! If you like my writing, you're likely to enjoy those stories as well. Feel the Burn will always my main baby, but these other stories are what keep me sane in between writing sessions for FTB. That's all for now!

Well, Wikileaks has done it again. Not being content with having shown video of a turkey shooting in Baghdad–oh, wait a moment–those weren’t turkeys, those were REUTERS NEWS MEN!–they now have had the effrontery to publish 92,000 documents concerning our wartime activities in Afghanistan. 92,000! This makes the 4100 pages of the Pentagon Papers look like small potatoes. You couldn’t do this before the Interwebs! Let’s hear it for technology! As for what’s in those documents, God only knows. WhoTF has even read them yet? I mean, this makes the last couple of Harry Potter books look like Victoria’s Secret flyers! Wikileaks founder Julian Assange tells us that there is evidence of war crimes there. The Guardian–the British newspaper given advance looks at the stuff–says there no such thing. But one thing, they and the NYTimes and Der Spiegel agree on–it’s worse than we were told. The White House is making sure that everyone knows that the bulk of these documents deal with things that happened B.O.–Before Obama! But if this was the situation B.O., WTF are we still doing there now? The Pentagon, sharp as ever, wants to remind everyone that no one vetted these documents. Hell, back in the good ol’ days when Stan McChrystal was in charge, the Army vetted all leaks! As for the reaction of the American public, who knows? The loudest shouters are so far, and have always been, the people who think we’re at war in Afghanistan because THEY ATTACKED US! Wait a minute, that war was over seven years ago–and WE WON! But perhaps these documents may convince more people that the reason for being in Afghanistan vanished a long time ago and–like the guy at last call who hasn’t left yet–the reason we’re still there is because we’re too drunk to see where the door is. But I doubt it–the size of the leak is too vast for anyone to get a handle on it and its sheer weight will dull its own impact. As for war crimes–hey, there’s only a couple of them in there and they’re just little ones anyway! Besides, it’s war! You can’t make an omelet without breaking a couple of eggs! I’m afraid we’ll be eating that Afghan Omelet for some time. And it will be about as appetizing as eating my Aunt Margie’s Afghan. No cartoon next week–I’m taking time off and going to Otakon! Have fun y’all and try to stay out of the heat! Comments

U.S. military assets in the Black Sea are on high alert amid reports Ukraine troops traded gunfire Tuesday with pro-Russian militants. A journalist with Associated Press reported intense gunfire at an airport in eastern Ukraine after the government sent in army troops to retake control from militiamen loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The mayor of Kramatorsk told the Associated Press that Ukrainian troops have now occupied the military airport and are blocking its entrance. The action comes a day after the revelation a Russian fighter jetted buzzed a U.S.S. destroyer multiple times over the Black Sea. Russia declared Ukraine on the brink of civil war, and Kiev said an “anti-terrorist operation” against pro-Moscow separatists was under way, with troops and armored personnel carriers seen near a flashpoint eastern town. Twenty-four hours after an Ukrainian ultimatum expired for the rebels to lay down their arms, witnesses however saw no signs yet that Ukraine’s forces were about to storm state buildings in the Russian-speaking east that armed militants have occupied. Interim President Oleksander Turchinov insisted the operation had started in the eastern Donetsk region, although it would happen in stages and “in a considered way.” “It will be conducted step by step, responsibly, cautiously,” he said. “The aim of these actions is to protect the citizens of Ukraine, to stop terror, to stop criminality, to stop attempts to tear Ukraine to pieces.” The pro-Russian mayor of Slaviansk claimed Tuesday that a Ukrainian military convoy including troops and armored vehicles had now surrounded the town, Russian state news agency ITAR-Tass reported. “If they try to move in, we will have to stop them,” the acting mayor said, according to the news agency. Amidst the deepest East-West crisis since the Cold War, Mr. Putin and President Obama spoke by phone Monday and called on each other to do all in their power to avoid further bloodshed. The standoff has raised fears that Moscow might turn off gas supplies to Kiev, disrupting flows to the European Union. Russian exporter Gazprom promised it would remain a reliable supplier to the EU, but German energy company RWE began deliveries to Ukraine on Tuesday - reversing the usual east-west flow in one central European pipeline. — This article is based in part on wire service reports. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Wackers declare the term offensive say “it is our term to be used by us” Most every department has a few of them. The guys with more lights on their Chevy or Ford than the front line engine has. People who carry multiple pagers, and radios twenty-four hours a day. The person who dresses head to toe, all day, everyday in 5.11 gear. We all know this person as a “wacker”. But recently a group of so-called wackers have declared the word “wacker” as offensive. They feel that it is derogatory to be called that term. Virgil Brigman sat down to talk about this issue. “These guys make fun of us for being enthusiastic. But they are the pathetic ones. When the shit hits the fan they all look to us loser wackers to take control of the scene.” Virgil then gave us a tour of his ford truck. In addition to having a 200watt siren system Brigman has many lights to make sure people know he is coming. “See I got a full light bar. I also got a set of LED lights on my dash. Then in my grill I got two mini LED light bars. Also on the side of my license plates I also got some LED lights. Now check this out. The lights in the grill and by the license plates are slightly tilted out. So it makes it easier to see from an angle. Then I also have lights on the back of my truck but they are not as impressive.” Getting back to the topic of wacker being offensive, Brigman had this to add. “All the lights, the siren, even my own radio paid for out of my pocket. Guys on my department give me shit about them. But I get to every call. Let that sink in… I make EVERY CALL… Some of the guys I know are lucky to make 40% of the calls. We got guys who don’t have any lights in their cars. They never make calls. They always show up about the time the call is done.” When CallTheCops pointed out that there are web pages and online forums devoted to the Wacker Lifestyle, Brigman claimed this. “People who are Wackers, have the right to call each other a Wacker. For us to call each other that, it is not a big deal. But when someone else calls us that, it is derogatory. One Wacker cannot degrade another Wacker. For us to use that word in private it is appropriate, but only for us to use.” Brigman is lobbying for his department to add a policy about harassment and including Wacker in that policy. Chief Sonny Dawson has thus far declined to take Brigman seriously.

A House Republican this week introduced legislation to eviscerate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Wasteful EPA Programs Elimination Act of 2017, declared Rep. Sam Johnson (Texas), is a "commonsense bill does right by the hardworking Americans." According to a press statement from Johnson, the legislation "would terminate or eliminate federal funding for 13 wasteful EPA programs, would close all EPA field offices, and require the EPA to lease or sell all underutilized properties." Among the programs it would kill are environmental justice programs and all EPA grant programs. It would strip funding for the greenhouse gas reporting program, regulating greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, regulating greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants; and climate research at the EPA's Office of Research and Development. The Hill writes that it "is modeled after a report from the Heritage Foundation," a conservative think tank. It also regurgitates a failed bill Johnson introduced in 2015, which Bloomberg BNA described at the time as "the anti-EPA bill to end all anti-EPA bills." The Center for Responsive Politics, using data from the Federal Election Commission, reveals that Johnson has received $586,600 from the oil and gas industries from 1991-2016. SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Help Keep Common Dreams Alive Our progressive news model only survives if those informed and inspired by this work support our efforts His, however, is far from the only recent threat to the agency. Last week, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) introduced legislation to kill the EPA entirely. Beyond that, Trump's pick to head the EPA, Scott Pruitt, has been described as a "fossil fuel industry puppet" and climate change denialist who fought EPA regulations. And Myron Ebell, the former head of Trump's transition team at the EPA, said to the Associated Press two weeks ago that the administration may pursue slashing the agency's workforce by half—or perhaps more. Further, AP writes: "Ebell suggested it was reasonable to expect the president to seek a cut of about $1 billion from the EPA's roughly $8 billion annual budget." While Rep. Johnson argued that gutting the EPA was in the public's interest, BillMoyers.com reporter John Light explores how doing so is anything but, as it threatens public health and people's lives.

Former Jefferson County sheriff apologizes RIGBY, Idaho - Former Jefferson County Sheriff Blair Olsen was sentenced Monday for misusing public funds. Olsen, who was convicted on three felony counts in May due to his wife using a county cell phone, was sentenced to 30 days each for two of those counts and 15 days in jail for the third count. That adds up to a total of 75 days that Olsen must serve concurrently. That means, after the first 15 days, Olsen will have the option of completing his sentence with community service. If he performs 120 hours of community service within 60 days, he will only spend those initial 15 days in jail. "I've failed by using poor judgment, and I'm sorry." -- Blair Olsen He must also pay a $2,500 fine and $1,023 in restitution. Judge Greg Moeller also issued a withheld judgment, which means after three years of probation -- if Olsen behaves -- he will get his civil rights back. He had already forfeited his office due to his conviction. There is no word on where Olsen will serve his jail time, but we do know it will be local. "The real loss in these cases is to the erosion of trust and faith citizens have in their government." -- Attorney General Lawrence Wasden At the sentencing, Olsen publicly apologized to the people of Jefferson County. "I understand that being sheriff -- a public official -- that I am expected to hold myself to a higher standard," he said. "I honestly feel that I've tried to do that. In this case, I've failed by using poor judgment, and I'm sorry." The case was investigated by the Idaho Attorney General's Office at the request of the Jefferson County Commission and Jefferson County Prosecutor Robin Dunn. In a statement, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said his office takes these cases seriously. "Public corruption cases are serious for the simple fact that the offender holds a position of public trust and authority, and then takes advantage of that position," Wasden said. "This remains true if the crime results in the loss of even the smallest amount of public funds. But the real loss in these cases is to the erosion of trust and faith citizens have in their government. Tackling public corruption is essential to restoring that trust and faith citizens must have in their government and those elected to lead it."

It is time to move forward from women’s development to women-led development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the National Conference of Women Legislators in New Delhi on Sunday. “If a survey is done, then I am sure that women will be more successful than men when given an opportunity to work," he said. Last week, Modi proposed in Parliament that only female parliamentarians should speak in Parliament on 8 March—International Women’s Day. Currently, out of 543 MPs in the Lok Sabha, only 62 are women. However, this is the most on record in the lower house. In the Rajya Sabha, there are 31 women out of 245 MPs. The prime minister lauded the contribution of women in strengthening the nation. “A country is not made strong by its infrastructure. Every citizen of India strengthens the nation and mothers give strength to these citizens. It is the mothers who have been contributing to nation building for years," he said. Modi also appealed to female MPs to embrace technology to connect with their respective constituencies. “Women adapt to technology much easier than men. I have received so many enriching thoughts and views through the Narendra Modi app and MyGov.in. All of you can also use technology similarly to stay well-informed about your own areas," he said. Modi suggested that e-platforms be created for female MPs of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. While appreciating their ability to multitask, the prime minister said that female legislators must further the cause of women’s empowerment in their respective constituencies by holding similar conferences with local women leaders. Though analysts see Modi’s address as a progressive step, they feel that it is more important to see how his words translate into action. “Such a statement coming from the prime minister is a big thing and I welcome this new pitch to women’s empowerment, but is it being actioned out? For instance, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme was launched quite a while ago and we are yet to see progress being made. Let this not be a government of mere slogans, but a government that also works towards fulfilling what it says," said New Delhi-based political analyst Manisha Priyam. In his 15 August address last year, Modi spoke about the need to acknowledge the gender bias in Indian society and condemned the increasing incidence of rape in the country. “In every home, parents ask daughters lots of questions as to where she is going, when will she return, and ask her to inform them when she reaches her destination. But have you ever asked your son where he is going, why is he going and who are his friends? After all, the person committing the rape is also someone’s son," Modi had said, placing on men the onus of violence against women.

Finding the Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) Epoch 2012 Sept. 30.0 TT = JDT 2456200.5 T 2013 Nov. 28.8394 TT MPC q 0.012521 (2000.0) P Q z -0.000142 Peri. 345.4975 +0.3139615 +0.5214934 +/-0.000006 Node 295.7567 -0.7595010 -0.3634939 e 1.000002 Incl. 61.7529 -0.5697249 +0.7719565 From 1418 observations 2011 Dec. 28-2013 Jan. 12, mean residual 0".4. SkyTools 3 Pro, I was able to plot the projected path. It is currently in Gemini, rising shortly before dusk. By May, it will be setting at dusk. Thereafter, it will remain below the horizon during the night time hours until it rises again before dawn in September. A 3-D diagram of the path through the solar system is shown on First Glimpse - Jan 30 Importing these into, I was able to plot the projected path. It is currently in Gemini, rising shortly before dusk. By May, it will be setting at dusk. Thereafter, it will remain below the horizon during the night time hours until it rises again before dawn in September. A 3-D diagram of the path through the solar system is shown on Wikipedia and corresponds to an orbit with inclination of about 60 degrees. This is how much its orbital plane is tipped relative to that of the Earth. You can see a more precise inclination of 61.7529 listed in the orbital elements above. Also of interest is the eccentricity of 1.000002. Since it is greater than 1.0, the orbit is hyperbolic, not elliptical. This means that, unless something changes the orbit, the comet will not be coming back for a second visit. Using SkyTools to control the mount, I centered the camera on the predicted position and took a sequence of 12 exposures, each 600 seconds long, using a 5" TMB-130SS, refractor guided on a nearby star and a QSI-540 cooled CCD camera with a luminance filter. I was not interested in color as much as in gathering the maximum amount of light with this small telescope. Observations are between 2013.01.31 01:54 UTC and 2013.01.31 03:54 UTC from my observatory in Georgetown, Texas. Try rolling your your mouse over the images to see a zoomed-in view. C/2012 S1 (ISON) at 2013-01-31 01:54 UTC C/2012 S1 (ISON) at 2013-01-31 03:54 UTC The progression of the comet is clearly visible. Due to the exposure length, there is some smearing of the comet image; it is much too faint to try to be guided on with my equipment. Comparing against other stars in the image, the comet appears to be a bit brighter than the predicted magnitude 18. I can't confirm any coma or tail yet as the amount of fuzziness is comparable with the evening's seeing conditions. As an added bonus, a faint galaxy, MCG 5-18-2, is labelled at the bottom of the image. This next, zoomed-in image is an animation of the 12 observations, representing 2 hours of elapsed time. Again, no obvious tail yet. The "tumbling" effect you may notice is an artifact of the imaging and corresponds to a different pattern of blur in each frame. Animation of C/2012 S1 (ISON) from 01:54 to 03:54 UTC This screen shot from SkyTools shows the plotted trajectory over this time period Comet Gets a Tail - Feb 7 Tonight, I went back outside and imaged the comet again. It is still in the constellation Gemini, now about 1º 40' north of Tau Gem. According to a I took a different approach to imaging the comet this time. Using the same equipment as before, I gathered a sequence of 20 shorter frames in order to reduce smearing of the comet image in any given frame. I confirmed that 300 seconds was short enough that the comet head was visually round - at least to within the evening's seeing conditions and my equipment. In each frame, a consistent tail was discernible on the comet, trailing behind the path of the comet (path is left to right in the images) and angled out by about 30 degrees. This is the single full-frame image from 03:02 to 03:07 with no processing other than a dark-frame subtraction, a gamma stretch, and conversion to JPG. Zoom-in and try to find the comet near the center of the frame. In order to emphasis the details of the comet tail, I combined the 20 images in post-processing. Using MaxIm DL, I first aligned the frames on the stars and stacked using "sigma clipping" mode. I then re-aligned the frames on the centroid of the comet and stacked using "averaging" mode. Finally, I normalized the background intensity of these two images and combined them using the single frame taken around 03:05 as a reference for alignment. The combined image was then stretched and moderate noise-reduction applied to the background. This process works because the comet only changes position, not shape over the two hours I was imaging. In the image below, the comet is clearly visible and shows the beginnings of a tail. For reference and context, the brightest star, in the upper right corner, is TYC-02438-0115-1 located at RA: 07h09m38.3s, Dec: +31°47'24" and has visual magnitude 11.5. I plate-solved the image spanning 03:02 to 03:07 using MaxIm DL/PinPoint. is a numeric technique whereby the stars in the image are identified and the patterns they make in the image are correlated against a large data-based of stars in order to find a match. This allows the direction in which the telescope was pointing to be inferred very accurately Once completed, the tool was then able to read off the position of the center of the comet in that frame as RA: 07h09m49.5s, Dec: +31°46'49". For comparison, this was the position computed by SkyTools for 03:07 UTC so pretty close. I am still impressed by how accurately the orbital elements can be estimated and used to place these fast moving objects in the sky. Luminance image of C/2012 S1 (ISON) at 2013.02.08 03:05 UTC The false-color image below makes it easier to see the tail, especially on a video display which has poor differentiation of dark shades. I used the Gradient Map tool in Photoshop to accomplish this effect. False color image of C/2012 S1 (ISON) at 2013.02.08 03:05 UTC The cropped images below show the first and last observations. Sure enough, something moved! It was very gratifying to pick out something so small in the immense sky. For context, the "bright" star in these images is HD 56222 which, at visual magnitude 6.8, is still too dim to be visible to the naked eye under a typical dark sky. The comet, at magnitude 18 would be about 20,000 times dimmer!Observations are between 2013.01.31 01:54 UTC and 2013.01.31 03:54 UTC from my observatory in Georgetown, Texas. Try rolling your your mouse over the images to see a zoomed-in view.The progression of the comet is clearly visible. Due to the exposure length, there is some smearing of the comet image; it is much too faint to try to be guided on with my equipment. Comparing against other stars in the image, the comet appears to be a bit brighter than the predicted magnitude 18.I can't confirm any coma or tail yet as the amount of fuzziness is comparable with the evening's seeing conditions. As an added bonus, a faint galaxy, MCG 5-18-2, is labelled at the bottom of the image.This next, zoomed-in image is an animation of the 12 observations, representing 2 hours of elapsed time. Again, no obvious tail yet. The "tumbling" effect you may notice is an artifact of the imaging and corresponds to a different pattern of blur in each frame.Tonight, I went back outside and imaged the comet again. It is still in the constellation Gemini, now about 1º 40' north of Tau Gem. According to a Feb 5, 2013 story by NASA , the comet is just inside the orbit of Jupiter and that, as of Jan 18, it had a tail extending over 64,400 km. This website also gives a nice summary of the comet's history. I had not been able to image a tail last week on Jan 30, but this evening I clearly did. This is a new development from my point of view.I took a different approach to imaging the comet this time. Using the same equipment as before, I gathered a sequence of 20 shorter frames in order to reduce smearing of the comet image in any given frame. I confirmed that 300 seconds was short enough that the comet head was visually round - at least to within the evening's seeing conditions and my equipment. In each frame, atail was discernible on the comet, trailing behind the path of the comet (path is left to right in the images) and angled out by about 30 degrees.This is the single full-frame image from 03:02 to 03:07 with no processing other than a dark-frame subtraction, a gamma stretch, and conversion to JPG. Zoom-in and try to find the comet near the center of the frame.In order to emphasis the details of the comet tail, I combined the 20 images in post-processing. Using, I first aligned the frames on theand stacked using "sigma clipping" mode. I then re-aligned the frames on the centroid of theand stacked using "averaging" mode. Finally, I normalized the background intensity of these two images and combined them using the single frame taken around 03:05 as a reference for alignment. The combined image was then stretched and moderate noise-reduction applied to the background. This process works because the comet only changes position, not shape over the two hours I was imaging.In the image below, the comet is clearly visible and shows the beginnings of a tail. For reference and context, the brightest star, in the upper right corner, is TYC-02438-0115-1 located at RA: 07h09m38.3s, Dec: +31°47'24" and has visual magnitude 11.5.I plate-solved the image spanning 03:02 to 03:07 using Plate-solving is a numeric technique whereby the stars in the image are identified and the patterns they make in the image are correlated against a large data-based of stars in order to find a match. This allows the direction in which the telescope was pointing to be inferred very accurately Once completed, the tool was then able to read off the position of the center of the comet in that frame as RA: 07h09m49.5s, Dec: +31°46'49". For comparison, this was the position computed byfor 03:07 UTC so pretty closeI am still impressed by how accurately the orbital elements can be estimated and used to place these fast moving objects in the sky.The false-color image below makes it easier to see the tail, especially on a video display which has poor differentiation of dark shades. I used the Gradient Map tool into accomplish this effect. This screen shot from SkyTools shows the plotted trajectory over this time period Tail is Still Visible - Feb 13 C/2012 S1 (ISON) Epoch 2013 Apr. 18.0 TT = JDT 2456400.5 T 2013 Nov. 28.7665 TT MPC q 0.012472 (2000.0) P Q z -0.000387 Peri. 345.5361 +0.3145590 +0.5164431 +/-0.000004 Node 295.6950 -0.7592155 -0.3667537 e 1.000005 Incl. 62.1109 -0.5697758 +0.7738077 From 1999 observations 2011 Dec. 28-2013 Feb. 11, mean residual 0".4. I used the same imaging and post-processing procedures as last week but used a total of 48 frames over a total of 6 hours. The tail is more pronounced in the resulting image that it was last week. I suspect this enlargement may have more to do with the larger amount of image data, rather than the comet itself. This first two images show the detail near the comet at 2013.02.14 03:10 UTC. The comet is still in Gemini and the center of the comet head is at RA: 07h03m44.2s, Dec: +31°46'03". The brightest star here is GSC 02438-0073 with visual magnitude 11.1. The "GSC" prefix indicates that this star is included in the Hubble Space Telescope uses to visually hold its camera position fixed while exposing long image. This MaxIm DL to plate-solve the images. The object near the left edge, slightly up from the comet is not a star but the galaxy LEDA 1963553. Luminance image of C/2012 S1 (ISON) - 2013.02.14 03:10 UTC False-color image of C/2012 S1 (ISON) - 2013.02.14 03:10 UTC This next image shows a wider field of view. You can zoom-in by hovering with your mouse. False-color image of C/2012 S1 (ISON) - 2013.02.14 03:10 UTC Why do these change? Progressively more accurate estimates of the shape of the orbit can be computed as more observations of the comet's apparent position in the sky are obtained. For example, note the slight increase in both inclination and eccentricity from before. The last line in the text above indicates the set of observations used in the computation. These elements are based on observations up to two days ago.I used the same imaging and post-processing procedures as last week but used a total of 48 frames over a total of 6 hours. The tail is more pronounced in the resulting image that it was last week. I suspect this enlargement may have more to do with the larger amount of image data, rather than the comet itself.This first two images show the detail near the comet at 2013.02.14 03:10 UTC. The comet is still in Gemini and the center of the comet head is at RA: 07h03m44.2s, Dec: +31°46'03". The brightest star here is GSC 02438-0073 with visual magnitude 11.1. The "GSC" prefix indicates that this star is included in the Hubble Guide Star Catalog , a collection of stars that theuses to visually hold its camera position fixed while exposing long image. This publicly available catalog is what I use into plate-solve the images. The object near the left edge, slightly up from the comet is not a star but the galaxy LEDA 1963553.This next image shows a wider field of view. You can zoom-in by hovering with your mouse. This screen shot from SkyTools shows the plotted trajectory over this time period SkyTools Includes the Comet - Feb 21 Greg Crinklaw, author of SkyTools 3.0 Pro, sent me a note saying that "... you don't need to update the orbital elements in SkyTools by hand. Just select "Update 'current' Lists from web" on the Observing List menu of the Nightly Planner or Real Time tools. In addition to the Current Comets observing list, all of the orbital data is also updated as necessary..." Wow, how's that for proactive customer service! However, when I did the first observation in January, Comet C/2012 S1 was not yet included in the list of "Current Comets" he describes. However, I tested this again last night and it is listed now. If you are using SkyTools, this is an even easier approach to locating the comet. More Details on Bad Astronomy - April 3 Phil Plait of "Bad Astronomy" has a posting on his blog about ISON in which he used my Feb 7 images. Unfortunately, I had gotten the year wrong in the image legend and have since corrected the images on this page. It has some nice charts showing the projected path of the comet through the solar system and across the stellar background as well as other interesting factoids. It also found a link to one of Phil's articles that lists his top 10 things you don't know about comets ISON Makes a Turn - April 28 Tonight's image consists of 10 frames, each 300sec using TMB-130SS. Once again, the tail is visible. I would not read too much in the apparent size of the tail on any of these observations as the signal-to-noise ratio is pretty poor. The direction of the tail, however, is pretty clear and seems to have flipped direction. Specifically, the comet is now moving toward the lower left in this frame rather than toward the right. Thus, the comet now appears to be traveling with its tail in front whereas before it was to the rear. I assume this is optical illusion due to Earth's change in position over 3 months, similar to apparent retrograde motion in planets, and that most of the true motion of the comet is towards us. The comet also appears to be moving slower against the star field. False-color image of C/2012 S1 (ISON) - 2013.04.29 02:40 UTC This screen shot from SkyTools shows the plotted trajectory over this time period. The motion trace taken over a broader time-frame below indicates a change in direction of the comet against the star field during early April. It had made a prior change back in November so the observations in January and February were probably during the "retrograde" segment of the apparent motion. The comet should now proceed back through Gemini and on through the zodiac to catch up with the Sun on November 28 in the constellation of Scorpio. This is likely my last shot of ISON before it goes below the western horizon at the end of the month. By around May 10 from my location, the comet will have dropped too low in the western horizon to get a clear image by the time it is sufficiently dark. The chart below shows the altitude of ISON (red curve) at each of the new moons from now until the perihelion late November. I will start looking for the comet again in the pre-dawn hours in September. Altitude of C/2012 S1 (ISON) at each new moon - assembly of screen captures taken from SkyTools 3 Pro. This post tracks my amateur attempt at viewing comet C/2012 S1 (ISON), early in its approach, from my backyard using modest imaging equipment. It is predicted to be an impressive sight this Fall, likely even better than C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) which will make its appearance in early March.To start, I obtained orbital elements from the IAU Minor Planet Center . These elements will be periodically updated so go there for the latest values. The values I obtained were listed asI updated the orbital elements this evening as shown below.

Lillian Porter takes a chance on a new job and a new future . . . but rumors surrounding her job make Lillian begin to wonder if she made the right choice in Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse's Beyond the Silence. There are rumors in town that her new employer, Woodward Colton, caused the death of his wife. This accusation doesn't match the man Lillian comes to know . . . but soon the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. Will Mrs. Goodman and Jimmy be able to speak what they know in time to save Lillian from tragedy? Tracie and Kimberley are celebrating the launch of Beyond the Silence with a Loaded Fire Prize Pack giveaway (details below) and an author chat party on February 11! —One copy of Beyond the Silence—A Kindle Fire 7—A $50 Amazon gift card to load your Fire with books The winner will be announced at the Beyond the Silence Facebook party . RSVP for a chance to connect with Tracie, Kimberley, and other readers, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!Find out what readers are saying about the book HERE

The following is a script of "Chernobyl" which aired on Nov. 23, 2014. Bob Simon is the correspondent. Michael Gavshon and David Levine, producers. Some tragedies never end. Ask people to name a nuclear disaster and most will probably point to Fukushima in Japan three years ago. The nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl in Ukraine was 30 years ago, but the crisis is still with us today. That's because radiation virtually never dies. After the explosion in 1986, the Soviets built a primitive sarcophagus, a tomb to cover the stricken reactor. But it wasn't meant to last very long and it hasn't. Engineers say there is still enough radioactive material in there to cause widespread contamination. For the last five years a massive project has been underway to seal the reactor permanently. But the undertaking is three quarters of a billion dollars short and the completion date has been delayed repeatedly. Thirty years later, Chernobyl's crippled reactor still has the power to kill. It's called the Zone and getting into it is crossing a border into one of the most contaminated places on Earth. The 20-mile no man's land was evacuated nearly 30 years ago. Drive to the center of the Zone today and you'll see a massive structure that appears to rise out of nowhere. It's an engineering effort the likes of which the world has never seen. With funds from over 40 different countries, 1,400 workers are building a giant arch to cover the damaged reactor like a casserole. It will be taller than the Statue of Liberty and wider than Yankee Stadium -- the largest movable structure on Earth. Nicholas Caille is overseeing the arch's construction. Bob Simon: You know when you think about it, you have this massive project going on. All these people working here. Billions of dollars being spent because of one day 30 years ago. Nicolas Caille: Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right. It was the biggest disaster of the nuclear industry, yes. The disaster was sparked by massive explosions that tore the roof off of Chernobyl's reactor number four, spewing radioactive dust into the atmosphere. The Soviets drafted over half a million troops to put out the fire and clear the nuclear debris. Thousands got seriously ill from radiation exposure. Today, three decades later, the cleanup continues. But as this recent video shows, the reactor is still packed with poison: heaps of gnarled steel and concrete, pools of nuclear fuel that have hardened into a dense mass called the "elephant's foot." There's still so much radiation coming from the reactor that workers have to construct the arch nearly a thousand feet away, shielded by a massive concrete wall. When finished, the arch will be slid into place around the Sarcophagus, then sealed up. Nicolas Caille: We will push it in once, the average speed it will be around 10 meters an hour. So it's approximately the speed of a snail. Bob Simon: Right. But that's pretty rapid considering the size of this thing. Nicolas Caille: It is. Yes, yes. But the construction itself will have to move a lot quicker. The old plant and sarcophagus are falling apart. Just two years ago, a snow storm caused the roof of one of the buildings to collapse, forcing workers to be evacuated and raising fears of further contamination. "This was a terrifying picture. It looked like a sunset in the distance, about 100, 200 yards from you." Radiation is not subject to the usual rules of life and death. It is virtually eternal. When Caille took us on a tour of the site, we were fitted with dosimeters to tell us how much we were being exposed to. Suddenly, a sound we didn't want to hear. Bob Simon: Hey, there's beepers going off. Nicolas Caille: No, no. It's not. It's normal. Bob Simon: You're sure? Nicolas Caille: Yes, yes, yes. I'm definitively sure. Bob Simon: I don't like a beeper in Chernobyl. I don't like that sound. Chernobyl’s "invisible" danger Building the arch under these conditions is challenging enough. But some of the biggest obstacles have nothing to do with radiation. As violence gripped Ukraine this year, one of the arch's contractors backed out. The project is also 770 million dollars short, and it has been plagued by repeated delays. No matter when it's completed, vast stretches of the Zone will never recover. This is the city of Pripyat, two miles from the reactor. Thirty years ago, the population was 50,000. Today it is zero. Pripyat was where many of the plant's workers lived, grateful for their posting in a town that was the model of Soviet modernity. Nine-story apartment buildings lined this boulevard. They're still there, but you can't see them anymore. The forest has taken over. A vision perhaps of what the whole world might look like were people to just disappear. It was springtime in Pripyat that day in 1986, and an amusement park was due to open in a few days. Andre Glukhov lived here then. Bob Simon: So, that Ferris wheel never had any kids in it? Andrey Glukhov: Never had any kids. These bumper cars, on your left, had never kids on it, too. Bob Simon: When you talk to your former neighbors, what do you call it? The accident? the catastrophe? Andrey Glukhov: We just call it 26, which was the date of the accident. Bob Simon: Twenty-six? Andrey Glukhov: Twenty-sixth of April. Bob Simon: Sort of like the Americans call 9/11? Andrey Glukhov: Exactly. Back then, Glukhov worked for Chernobyl's nuclear safety division. He took us on a tour through a part of the plant that had not been destroyed. He was off duty that night, but what he saw when he drove past the damaged reactor was like nothing he, or anyone else, had ever seen. [Andrey Glukhov: This is the control room...] Andrey Glukhov: This was a terrifying picture. It looked like a sunset in the distance, about 100, 200 yards from you. And this was the glowing core of the reactor. Bob Simon: That was the first and the only time you saw it? Andrey Glukhov: No, that was the first time when I realized the scale of the disaster. Glukhov told his family in Pripyat to stay inside and close the windows. Soviet authorities covered the area with secrecy, told people they had nothing to worry about. But 36 hours later, over a thousand busses were sent in to evacuate everyone. Authorities told people it would only be for three days -- one of many lies. The people never came back, and Pripyat is being overwhelmed by the elements. One of the only things still recognizable is that old Soviet iconography. Radiation at Chernobyl is "a global problem" Drive through the Zone, and you'll find that many villages suffered the same fate as Pripyat. A row of simple markers has been planted with the names of each one. But amidst this wilderness, the strangest sight of all. People, just a few. Ivan Ivanovitch and his wife Maria were evacuated to an apartment block near Kiev after the accident, but couldn't take it. They weren't made for the city, so two years later, they came back. Today, there are three other people living in this village... just a few miles from the old power plant. "There certainly is evidence that some of the genetic damage that occurs at the level of the DNA can be transmitted from one generation to the next." Bob Simon: When you decided to come back to live here, did anyone tell you it was dangerous? Ivan Ivanovitch: It's really OK here. You know, when I lived in that apartment block, I got sick all the time. But when I came back here, I was fine. And I've been fine ever since. Bob Simon: You should never leave home. Ivan Ivanovitch: I would be long gone if I'd stayed there. I'd be in the ground. Despite the danger, Tim Mousseau also chose to be here. For the last 15 years, the University of South Carolina biologist has been studying the contamination's impact from a makeshift lab inside the Zone. Bob Simon: Aren't many serious labs I've seen that look like this. Tim Mousseau: Yeah this is an opportunistic lab. It's an old villager's house. Mousseau's research has shown that the catastrophe continues to take its toll. Tim Mousseau: And we're going to attempt to measure just how radioactive these mice are. Bob Simon: What's the comparison between the amounts of radiation a mouse would have here and a mouse somewhere else? Tim Mousseau: Some of these mice have on the order of 10,000 times more radioactivity in their bodies than in clean areas. The human toll has been profound as well. Thyroid cancer and leukemia affected thousands -- though the exact number of deaths is still being debated. Tim Mousseau: There certainly is evidence that some of the genetic damage that occurs at the level of the DNA can be transmitted from one generation to the next. Bob Simon: So a nuclear disaster is never over? Tim Mousseau: There will be areas that will be contaminated for thousands, if not millions, of years. This makes the Zone like no other place on Earth, which is why it's attracting tourists. If you've done Paris and Rome, why not try a holiday in hell. Check out the apocalypse? Bob Simon: How did your friends react when you told them you were coming on vacation to Chernobyl? David McHale: They thought it was very strange, you know. But, I mean, people have been coming here for a while, so you know, I guess it must be safe. Bob Simon: You guess it must be safe. What makes you believe it's safe? David McHale: Well, you know, I would assume that the guides wouldn't bring people here if it wasn't safe. Bob Simon: All right, well, I hope you're right. David McHale: So do I. Thousands of workers flood into the Zone every day, to look after what remains of the plant. Others live here year-round, in one of the few places safe enough for inhabitants: the town of Chernobyl itself. Yevgen Goncharenko was our guide. He lives here too. Bob Simon: Why are you living here and not in Kiev? Yevgen Goncharenko: Because I like this place. For me and it's very interesting maybe even sacred place for me. Bob Simon: A sacred place? Yevgen Goncharenko: For me, yeah. He spends much of his time writing music on his bass guitar. Music as desolate as the landscape surrounding him. As desolate as the remains of this empire that has long since disappeared. A decade after the disaster, workers here built a monument honoring their colleagues whose lives had been destroyed. Bob Simon: The workers and the firemen made the monument themselves? Yevgen Goncharenko: Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah. Bob Simon: And what does it say? Yevgen Goncharenko: "To those who saved the world." Bob Simon: "To those who saved the world." That may sound a bit hyperbolic. But when the reactor exploded in 1986, radioactive dust and debris were carried as far away as Italy and Sweden. Until the arch finally seals up that stricken reactor, and no one knows when that might be, something like that could happen again. Unlike other historic relics, Chernobyl does not belong to the past; its power will never die. Chernobyl is forever.

RUSSIAN media is less than impressed by Tony Abbott and his aggressive talk towards their president, Vladimir Putin. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been pummelled with a barrage of personal insults for his tough talk over Russia’s part in the MH17 disaster. News website Pravda, widely considered a mouthpiece for the Russian Government, has slammed Abbott as “rude, insolent, insulting, impolite, impertinent, unpolished, gross, unpleasant and downright impudent” in a particularly harsh opinion piece. The stinging rebuke came before Mr Abbott’s foot-in-mouth moment yesterday when he threatened to “shirt-front” Mr Putin at the upcoming G20 leaders summit in Brisbane. Mr Abbott’s comment was sparked by his anger over Russia’s support for separatists who shot down the Malaysia Airlines flight in eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people including 38 Australian residents. RELATED: Abbott should be scared shirtless of Putin “I’m going to shirt-front Mr Putin. You bet you are (sic), you bet I am. I’m going to be saying to Mr Putin, ‘Australians were murdered. They were murdered by Russian-backed rebels using Russian-supplied equipment’,” Mr Abbott told reporters yesterday. (For the record, “shirt-front” is a footballing term that can either mean to grab someone by the collar, or shove someone to the ground.) The acid-tongued opinion piece on Pravda, entitled “Tony Abbott: The chip on Australia’s shoulder”, was authored by commentator Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey. “I would advise Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to wash his hands carefully and sterilise them after shaking the paw offered to him by Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the forthcoming G20 Summit in Brisbane. It is not about Ebola Virus Disease, it is about the disease called insolence and Australia’s colonial chip on its shoulder,” he wrote. In reference to Mr Abbott’s comment that he understood why people wouldn’t want him to shake Putin’s hand at the G20, Bancroft-Hinchey wrote: “Tony Abbott displays a degree of insolence, arrogance and incompetence which mirrors the intrusiveness, belligerence and chauvinism inherent in other members of the Anglo Saxon alliance in NATO.” He goes on to reject the idea that Russia played any part in the downing of MH17, dismissing the allegation as “bulls**t”. The strange opinion piece goes to great lengths to say that the “good people of Australia” are not well represented by Mr Abbott. The proof? One need only look to Neighbours for its “community-based family-oriented people “ or MasterChef, where “the judges are nice to the contestants and teach them instead of insulting them and making them feel inadequate”. “Mr Abbott does not represent Australia or Australians. Period,” Bancroft-Hinchey concludes.

Five members of a reggae band accused of smoking marijuana at a Strip District concert last weekend are among the first cases Pittsburgh police are pursuing under a city ordinance decriminalizing pot possession. Members of Truth & Rites were inside their van shortly before they were set to perform at Sunday night’s KayaFest when, according to Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler, officers working a security detail at the music festival smelled marijuana coming from the van. Chester “King Banja” Bailey, one of the band members charged, said the band and others were in the van waiting to go on stage when an officer knocked on the van door. When someone opened it, he said, the officer drew his gun and took some of them into custody. “We were sitting in the van that took us to the event — just chilling, you know, smoking a little bit,” Bailey said. Bailey, 56, of the Hill District; Oriel Barry, 32, of the Hill District; Jacque Minniefield, 32, of Oakmont; Jantz Markie, 24, of McKeesRocks; and Blaise Panizzi, 24, of McKees Rocks will receive summary citations via mail for possessing or smoking a small amount of marijuana. Bailey said no one told him what he’d been charged with, but officers told him he’d receive a citation in the mail. “We are worldwide travelers; we smoke marijuana,” said Bailey, who is Jamaican and a Rastafarian. “Some of us have been smoking it since we (were) teenagers. Some of us smoke it for health, some of us smoke it to help us through the day, with concentration.” The incident happened behind the outdoor concert’s stage on Smallman Street shortly before 9:30 p.m. when the band was slated to perform. Toler said two of the men attempted to flee, and officers zip-tied their hands and had them sit on the ground while charges were sorted out. The citations are an example of city police using a relatively new city ordinance that decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, giving police the option to issue a summary citation rather than a more serious misdemeanor charge for breaking state law prohibiting marijuana possession. Information on how many citations have been handed out under the city ordinance was not immediately available. City Council began tinkering with the idea of decriminalization late last year, attempting to emulate a Philadelphia ordinance that allows police to cite a person and issue a $25 fine for possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana or 8 grams of hashish. A person caught smoking the drug could be fined $100. Council passed an initial bill in December but ran into an issue: The bill gave officers the choice to charge a suspect under state law or to issue a civil citation, but Pittsburgh courts have no mechanism for processing civil violations, thus rendering the ordinance unenforceable. The amended ordinance allowed for a summary offense, though the language of the bill indicates the charge would make no reference to drugs. When council passed the bill, some members said a conviction for possession of a small amount of marijuana shouldn’t taint a person’s criminal record and permanently hurt their chances of getting a job. Bailey said he was frustrated by the citations. “We are people of ganja,” he said. “We smoke ganja. We don’t go around selling it; we smoke it. We are musicians. There was no violence. No one created a scene.” Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 412-380-8519 or mguza@tribweb.com. Staff writer Tony Raap contributed. Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff reporter. You can contact Megan at 412-380-8519, mguza@tribweb.com or via Twitter .

The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) issued their joint statement on Wednesday evening, calling upon Russia to take concrete measures to calm the situation in Ukraine's east - or face the consequences. "We stand ready to intensify targeted sanctions and to consider meaningful additional restrictive measures to impose further costs on Russia should events so require," said the statement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference that the West would check "again and again" to see if progress had been made in calming the situation in eastern Ukraine. "We cannot afford a further destabilization in Ukraine," she told the news conference, warning of possible "phase 3" sanctions against Russian industries such as banking and defense. "If we do not have progress in the questions we have to solve there is the possibility of sanctions, even heavy sanctions of phase 3 on the table." Demand to cut supplies The G7's demands include a stipulation that Russia cooperate with new Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and take action to halt the flow of weapons and separatists across the Russian border. Measures to secure gas supplies were also said to be included. Leaders from the United States, Germany, France, Britain, Canada, Japan and Italy were present for the talks in Brussels. Putin's absence was particularly significant, as Russia technically holds the G8 Presidency in 2014. The leaders voted in March to suspend Russia and rename the group from G8 to G7, in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea. The remaining member nations decided to move the two-day summit to Brussels. It had been scheduled to take place in the Russian resort town of Sochi. In an address to the German parliament on Wednesday afternoon, Merkel said Russia's behavior in annexing Crimea had made the suspension "unavoidable." D-Day anniversary meetings Despite Russia's isolation by the G7, Putin is set to hold face-to-face meetings with Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Britain's David Cameron at a D-Day anniversary gathering in France later this week. Ahead of the G7 talks, US President Barack Obama - currently touring Europe - met Ukraine's Poroshenko for talks in Warsaw, declaring him to be him a "wise choice" to lead Ukraine. Poroshenko, a chocolate-industry billionaire, said he would be willing to meet Putin for talks at the anniversary in Normandy, although no meeting has been set up. In the Wednesday meeting, the G7 leaders also said they would join forces against the threat of radicalized foreign fighters returning from fighting in Syria. A recent deadly shooting at Belgium's Jewish Museum has been attributed to a suspect who trained with a jihadist group in Syria. Ukraine was expected to dominate the second day of talks, with Europe's gas dependency and energy security likely to be big topics, as well as climate change and a proposed EU-US trade pact. rc/jlw (dpa, AFP)

The unfortunate reality of lung cancer is that in most cases, symptoms don’t present themselves until the disease has advanced. Educating the public on the common sources and risk factors has become valuable for early detection, since the majority of cases are attributed to preventable causes. As Healthy Lung Month comes to a close, we hope to raise awareness and encourage anyone at high-risk to consult a doctor about getting screened as early as possible. 9 out of 10 lung cancer cases can be attributed to smoking cigarettes, which is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide. While smoking is largely considered to be a personal choice, that’s not the case for those who involuntarily inhale tobacco smoke. Secondhand exposure claims 7,300 deaths a year, which not only puts non-smokers at risk, but pollutes the air and environment as well. While both smoking and secondhand smoke play a major role in the rate of existing lung cancer cases, the amount of diagnoses are slowly reducing nationwide as a result of a decreased number of people smoking cigarettes. If you are between the ages of 55-85 years old and have a long history of heavy smoking, it’s recommended to be screened once a year. “Heavy” smoking means you would have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years or more. Even if you haven’t touched a cigarette in 15 years, you may still fall into this category. Screening is designed to detect a disease in individuals who present no symptoms, but are considered at high-risk of developing cancer. While this may sound like a simple procedure, CT scans are costly, associated with adverse health effects, and may present potential false positives. While these concerns have warranted healthcare professionals to only screen those considered high-risk, this still includes around 9 million Americans today. Another major contributor to lung cancer is a product of our own environment – radon. A natural gas released from rocks and dirt, radon exists outdoors at safe levels. These fumes are invisible and can seep into homes or buildings without our knowledge, where they then become trapped and concentrated. The gas is responsible for as many as 20,000 lung cancer cases each year and, unfortunately, the only way to know if one has been exposed to heighten levels of radon is to conduct a proper test. The most common ways radon can enter the home include: Structural damage Any cracks in basement floors Drains or sump pumps Construction joints Well water There are still a handful of other carcinogens that have proved lethal for the lungs. Asbestos, for example, continues to be a leading factor in occupationally-related cancers. In the past, the toxin received immense recognition because of its strength and thermal resistance, however, it has since proved to cause the severe cancer, mesothelioma. The inhalation of another occupational hazard, silica, is is not only linked to lung cancer, but an irreversible condition known as silicosis. Workers at high-risk of exposure to either of these hazards should be trained on how to properly handle them and avoid returning home with contaminated clothing or equipment. High-risk fields include: Construction Mining Manufacturing Ceramics Power plants Shipyards Contractors Masonry Make a Difference The best way to protect public health at large is by helping those close to you quit smoking. While this may seem obvious, your loved ones may feel it to be out of their control and as if there’s nothing they can do to break this toxic cycle. Sharing the reality of the statistics surrounding cigarette smoke, secondhand smoke, and human health may help them take a second thought before reaching for their next cigarette. Even if they don’t quit altogether, they may be more mindful of where they smoke and who is affected. If you know someone who works in a high-risk field, talk to them about the potential risks of airborne toxins and encourage them to notify their doctor of their occupation. This may be the extra push they need to finally consult a professional and ultimately catch an occupational disease in the early stages.

The point of the exercise is to foster interoperability between advanced fifth-generation stealth fighters—such as the F-22 and F-35—and fourth-generation jets—such as the Typhoon. Next month, the United States Air Force will once again host a massive international wargame with the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air (AdA). The exercise—called Atlantic Trident 17—will feature the U.S. Air Force’s elite 1st Fighter Wing’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, Lockheed F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from the 33rd Fighter Wing as well as British Eurofighter Typhoons and French Dassault Rafales. Additionally, Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles from the 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho will participate in the exercise alongside Boeing E-3 AWACS radar planes. The point of the exercise is to foster interoperability between advanced fifth-generation stealth fighters—such as the F-22 and F-35—and fourth-generation jets—such as the Typhoon, Rafale and F-15E—against the highest-end threats. Moreover, combined exercises such allow America’s most important allies to train together in a realistic combat setting against a peer-level adversary. “Although we have fought alongside each other for decades in the Middle East and elsewhere, this exercise will give us an opportunity to refine our skills and ‘night-one’ interoperability against a high-end threat,” Col. Peter Fesler, commander of the 1st Fighter Wing said. The key to refining those skills is to train against the most difficult possible threats the three allies might face under realistic conditions. As such, the F-15Es will primarily be tasked with providing a realistic presentation of the most advanced enemy aircraft—such as advanced versions of the Sukhoi Su-30 Flanker—that the NATO alliance might face. Northrop T-38 trainers flown by the 1st Fighter Wing’s 71st Fighter Training Squadron will back up the Strike Eagles in providing “Red Air” support. The exercise will also include advanced surface-to-air missile threats that the friendly Blue Force will have to defeat. “Atlantic Trident 17 is designed to further the development and sharing of air combat TTPs [tactics, techniques and procedures] with our French and U.K. partners,” Fesler said. “To accomplish this, we will train together against a range of potential adversaries and threat systems.” Some of the British Typhoon aircraft have already arrived at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia—which is the 1st Fighter Wing’s home base—for some preliminary training. The remaining British jets will arrive by April 15. The French, too, will have arrived by then. The National Interest expects to cover the exercise on site later in April. Stay tuned.

UN special rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer has issued a new statement on Wednesday claiming information that Gitmo detainee Ammar al-Baluchi continues to be subjected to torture by US forces, including treatments banned under international law. Baluchi is being accused of having “facilitated” 9/11, and worked as a courier for Osama bin Laden. During his detention at a CIA black site, he was repeatedly beaten by interrogators and subjected to multiple “enhanced interrogation techniques.” Though the US nominally banned torture 10 years ago, Melzer indicated that the information he has is that Baluchi continues to be subjected to sleep deprivation and other mistreatment, and not given access to proper medical care for the torture he suffered in the past. The Pentagon denied that this was the case, saying they see “no credible evidence” any torture took place. That they’re presenting this with the same language as the reports of civilian deaths in US airstrikes is bizarre, because while the US doesn’t have access to victims of their strikes on the ground, they certainly know about the treatment of detainees within their own facilities. Yet instead of categorically denying that torture is taking place, they simply deny that the evidence exists. Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz

Singing (vocalizing) Students on the autism spectrum have a natural ability to perceive pitch and to reproduce melodic patterns. These natural inclinations become building blocks to learning in music. Students experiment vocally by creating sounds in response to the leader’s directions. This may begin with activities in which they follow the conductor’s lead, producing sounds that are high and low. As well, groups of pitches may be produced to create ascending or descending tonal patterns. Through vocal imitation, students begin to greet others by singing hello. Over time, students may begin to sing complete songs or portions of songs with the clarity of the lyrics improving as they practice this skill. Moving (psychomotor) Students may engage fine muscle movements by interacting with a variety of stuffed toys that motivate their involvement with others through music and enhance their enjoyment of music-based activities. For example, a student who likes cats might stroke a stuffed [toy] cat’s fur while the teacher sings a song about cats such as Dean’s Pete the Cat: The wheels on the bus (2013). Many students on the autism spectrum are able to demonstrate the beat through movement activities with ease. These students may appear to automatically stroke the cat in imitation of the beat of the song. Teachers who model the beat may find that, with repeated experiences and practice, student may refine their fine muscle control to model the beat. Varied experiences in music activities also provide students with opportunities to develop and practice gross motor skills by moving in place (non-locomotor) and space (locomotor). For example, a student stands in place while making a bird puppet fly by moving it higher and lower; the student moves through space using hand movements to create the bird’s flight path and crouching down to make the bird land on the ground. A teacher uses a kazoo to improvise ascending and descending melodic patterns in response to the student’s movements. Students engage in musical problem solving when they devise movements to accompany listening experiences such as the movement Hens and Roosters from Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the animals. Playing instruments Students on the autism spectrum have opportunities to develop and practice fine motor movements and visual/motor awareness when playing instruments. Musical activities also provide avenues for tactile understanding when students discover what percussion instruments are made of, how they are held, and how they are played. Through experiences in music students gain an awareness of sound. As they become familiar with the variety of sounds emanating from their music classrooms, they become better-able to tolerate a variety of sound frequencies such as the high metal sounds of a triangle or the relatively low sounds of a drum. They also learn how instruments comprised of different materials produce varying timbres. This provides students with an increased awareness of sound and greater understanding of sound sources. These experiences may help students tolerate the sounds they encounter within their everyday environments. Summary Children on the autism spectrum interact with music by singing or vocalizing, moving, and playing instruments. Singing may begin with vocal experimentations with melodic patterns and proceed to singing select words, parts of songs, and complete songs. Moving to music may begin with hand motions that reflect the beat, to activities that promote locomotion. Playing musical instruments provides students opportunities to explore tactile understanding and to increase their awareness of sounds and sound sources. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder all demonstrate their understanding in unique ways. Educators are encouraged to use the ideas shared here as a starting point for interactions, using the children’s reactions to guide moment-to-moment decisions in their classrooms. Featured image credit: Piano Music by allegralchaple0. CC0 Public Domain via Pixabay

Image copyright National Museum of Nature and Science Image caption Researchers previously tried out a straw boat in the waters off Japan in 2014 A team of scientists is planning to recreate the perilous ocean journey that brought early human settlers to Japan. The researchers, led by the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, have launched a crowdfunding campaign to build either a primitive boat made of bundled grass or a bamboo raft of the kind believed to have been used by the first settlers, The Japan Times reports. They're hoping the make the first voyage between Yonaguni and Iriomote - two outlying islands in Japan's extreme southwest - in July this year. The Asahi Shimbun newspaper says that the team is planning to cover the 75km (46.6 mile) stretch of water in 25 hours using millennia-old technology. The next stage of the project will take the scientists on a longer and more dangerous trip from neighbouring Taiwan to Yonaguni in July 2017. This will recreate one of the three routes believed to have been taken by early settlers some 30,000 years ago, says Yosuke Kaifu, who runs the project. "We hope to solve riddles about the origin of Japanese people," he tells a news conference. "We wonder whether they could see Yonaguni from Taiwan and whether they were affected by the Black Current. What they did was very challenging," he adds. The Black Current, also known as Kuroshio Current or Japan Current, is similar to the Gulf Stream and is active in the western part of the northern Pacific Ocean. The project will cost around 50m yen ($435,000; £300,000), of which 20m yen will be covered by donations from the public. If the team doesn't reach its target by 12 April, the donations will be returned, The Japan Times says. It adds that this is the first venture into crowdfunding by a Japanese national museum. Next story: Slovenian town goes ahead with beer fountain plan Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.

On the newest Empire Film Podcast, Lawrence Kasdan stopped by to talk about his work on Star Wars: The Force Awakens. At several moments, the discussion turns towards the Han Solo film and what it will and won’t be. There is some skepticism about a Han Solo movie and Kasdan says: I think it won’t be the thing you’re worried about. It will not be like here is where he was born and this is how he was raised. I think what it will be is what was he like ten years earlier, ya know maybe a little earlier you’ll get a glimpse but… what formed the person we meet in the cantina? It is not so much about his specific history. It is about what makes a person like that? He’s not full formed in the cantina! Kurosawa once said ‘the heroes are the ones that are still changing and the villains are locked and petrified into what they are’ and Harrison embodies in Force Awakens someone that’s still not settled on who he is. The more we hear Kasdan talk about the movie, it sounds like it will be a film that simply tells an important adventure in Han Solo’s life and maybe plays into the reason he’s so callous in A New Hope’s cantina sequence. If this movie isn’t so much about the “becoming” Han Solo stuff and the origin story type stuff, it could also mean the elements written for Han Solo in Star Wars Underworld are fairly intact still should those scripts see the light of day on screen down the road. Christopher Miller and Phil Lord are directing Han Solo which was written by Lawrence Kasdan and his son, Jon Kasdan. The movie is set for release on May 25th, 2018. Casting is still underway with over 2500 candidates vying for the role.

SALT LAKE CITY — A prominent Utah defense attorney is feared dead after slipping and falling down a waterfall in Norway. Kent Hart, executive director of the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, was hiking at the top of a large waterfall Sunday near Oslo when he fell. Hart has not been located since the incident, his son reported on Facebook. "The outlook … for his survival does not look good," the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers said in a statement. The waterfall is about 750 feet high, according to the organization, which also published a link to a GoFundMe page in Hart's name* dedicated to supporting his family. Hart has served as executive director for the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers since 2009. He has also served as a federal public defender in the U.S. District Court in Utah. In 2011, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah presented Hart with the Mickey Duncan Award, an honor given for his defending of civil rights. Hart received his law degree from the University of Utah. His son, Evan Hart, said he is about to begin college in Norway and that the family was sightseeing there. ---- *KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes works against Maryland's Justin Jackson during the Badgers' win on Sunday at the Kohl Center. (Photo: Stacy Revere, Getty Images) MADISON – Whether they discovered a sense of urgency, understood they needed more grit or just decided a three-game losing streak was unthinkable, Greg Gard’s players came together and produced perhaps their most critical 20 minutes of basketball Sunday at the Kohl Center. Down by six points at halftime to No. 24 Maryland, largely because of another awful shooting performance, No. 10 Wisconsin dominated the second half on both ends en route to a 71-60 victory in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 17,287. Led by Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ, UW pounded the ball inside and worked the ball effectively out of double-teams. Led by guard Zak Showalter, UW defended with tenacity despite foul trouble and in the end had Maryland coach Mark Turgeon waving a white flag by sitting guard Melo Trimble (27 points) for the final 4 minutes, 23 seconds with UW leading by 12. “We played more mature in the second half,” Gard said. “Maybe we grew up in the 15 minutes we sat in the locker room. “In the first half we were getting the ball to the right spots, but the production wasn’t what it needed to be.” UW entered the day having shot less than 40% overall in five of its last six games. The Badgers shot 28% in the opening half (7 of 25) and had more turnovers (seven) than assists (four). BOX SCORE: UW 61, Maryland 50 UW in the second half shot 51.5% (17 of 33) and had more assists (five) than turnovers (one). According to Gard, UW hit 11 of 17 shots in the lane in the second half after going 3 of 11 in the opening half. “I’m not a mathematician, but I know that’s a lot better,” he said. “We finished around the rim. We didn’t fade away. We went strong through people. We drew fouls. When we do it, that makes us really good." The Badgers (22-5, 11-3 Big Ten) thus moved into a tie for first place with Purdue (22-5, 11-3), though the Boilermakers hold the tiebreaker over UW because of their victory last month in West Lafayette, Ind. Maryland (22-5, 10-4) suffered its third loss in the last five games but just its second road loss in nine games this season. The Terrapins came in averaging 74.8 points in Big Ten games, and Sunday marked just the sixth time they have been held to 60 or fewer points in 50 Big Ten games. UW has been responsible for three of those performances. Hayes and Happ proved to be too much for the Terrapins’ big men and combined for 41 points, 25 of UW’s 37 free-throw attempts and 17 rebounds. Hayes, who vowed to be more aggressive on offense, contributed 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals. He scored 14 points in the second half. NEWSLETTERS Get the Packers Update newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Daily updates on the Packers during the season Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-844-900-7103. Delivery: Daily Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Packers Update Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Happ battled foul trouble but added 20 points, seven rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocks. He scored eight points during UW’s 19-5 run in the first 7:43 of the second half. “They were terrific,” Turgeon said. “We couldn’t guard them. We couldn’t double them.” Senior guard Bronson Koenig, who missed the loss Thursday at Michigan because of a left calf injury suffered Jan. 24, came off the bench and played 31 minutes. He missed all three shots in the opening half but hit 4 of 8 shots after halftime and contributed nine points, two blocks and an assist. Guards D’Mitrik Trice and Brevin Pritzl added seven points apiece. Pritzl had five in the opening half; Trice had five in the second. Pritzl’s only basket in the second half was critical, however, as he tipped in a miss by Koenig to give UW a 62-52 lead with 5:42 seconds left. Pritzl grabbed seven rebounds, five on the offensive end. Zak Showalter, who was the primary defender on Trimble but picked up three fouls in the first half, added six points and three rebounds. Khalil Iverson, who was the No. 2 defender on Trimble, added seven rebounds. “Coach Gard challenged us individually to do what we need to do and as a team to pull together and get the job done,” Hayes said. “I think we responded today.”

HOUSTON—The Houston populace admitted to reporters Tuesday night that the Astros’ World Series victory will not heal the hurricane-ravaged city quite as much as a Super Bowl win would. “This will do a lot for us, but to be perfectly honest, it’s not going to usher in the same kind of renewed hope and pride we’d get from watching J.J. Watt lifting the Lombardi Trophy in February,” said Houston resident Daryl Northrup, who echoed the sentiments of his fellow 2.3 million Houston residents by adding that, while he certainly appreciated all that the Astros had accomplished, seeing the team celebrate on the field was probably barely enough to get the devastated city halfway back onto its feet. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled we won. That being said, this is Texas, and when it comes down to it, a Super Bowl-winning touchdown is really the transformative sports moment that would truly bring the city together.” Houston’s residents then assured reporters that the World Series win would still go a long way toward getting hammered tonight. Advertisement

Hawaiian term for individuals who are not descendants of the ethnic native Hawaiians or other Polynesians. Haole (; Hawaiian [ˈhɔule])[1] is a Hawaiian term that refers to individuals who are not Native Hawaiian or Polynesian, usually white people. In Hawaii, the term has been used to describe any foreigner or anything else introduced to the Hawaiian islands of foreign origin.[2] The origins of the word predate the 1778 arrival of Captain James Cook, as recorded in several chants stemming from antiquity. Its connotations have ranged from merely descriptive to invective, while today it is considered to be mildly pejorative. History [ edit ] Haole first became associated with the children of European immigrants in the early 1820s. It unified the self-identity of these Hawaii-born children whose parents were as much culturally different as they were similar.[3] With the first three generations of Haole playing key roles in the rise of the economic and political power shifts that have lasted through the current day,[4] Haole evolved into a term that was often used in contempt especially after the missionaries imposed strict rules prohibiting games, singing, and playing. It evolved further to racial meaning, replacing "malihini" (newcomer)[5] in addressing people of Caucasian descent who move to Hawaii from the U.S. mainland by the 1860s.[6] A 1906 phrase book sometimes translates it to "English (language)".[7] Etymology [ edit ] The 1865 Dictionary of the Hawaiian Language, compiled by Lorrin Andrews, shows the pronunciation as ha-o-le. A popular belief is that the word is properly written and pronounced as hāʻole, literally meaning "no breath," because foreigners did not know or use the honi (hongi in Māori), a Polynesian greeting by touching nose to nose and inhaling or essentially sharing each other's breaths, and so the foreigners were described as breathless. The implication is not only that foreigners are aloof and ignorant of local ways, but also literally have no spirit or life within.[8] St. Chad Piianaia, a Hawaiian educated in England, said the word haole implies thief or robber (from hao, thief, and le, lazy).[8] In 1944 Hawaiian scholar Charles Kenn wrote, "In the primary and esoteric meaning, haole indicates a race that has no relation to one's own; an outsider, one who does not conform to the mores of the group; one that is void of the life element because of inattention to natural laws which make for the goodness in man. In its secondary meaning, haole ... implies a thief, a robber, one not to be trusted.... During the course of time, meanings of words change, and today, in a very general way, haole does not necessarily connote a negative thought.... The word has come to refer to one of Nordic descent, whether born in Hawaii or elsewhere."[8] Native Hawaiian Professor Fred Beckley said, "The white people came to be known as ha-ole (without breath) because after they said their prayers, they did not breathe three times as was customary in ancient Hawaii."[8] New findings have proven all of these theories to be incorrect. The earliest use of the word "haole" in the Hawaiian language was in the chant of Kūaliʻi; in which a pre-European voyager from the island of Oʻahu describes Kahiki, a term used for all lands outside Hawaiʻi: Ua ʻike hoʻi au iā Kahiki He moku leo pāhaʻohaʻo wale Kahiki ʻAʻohe o Kahiki kanaka Hoʻokahi o Kahiki kanaka – he Haole This roughly translates to: I have seen Kahiki Kahiki is an island with a puzzling language Kahiki has no people Except for one kind—a foreign kind In this chant, the word "haole" has no glottal stops or elongated vowels. The pronunciation of the word to mean "breathless" is conjecture and should be disregarded as myth, as there is absolutely no evidence of anyone using the word "hāʻole" prior to Western contact.[9] Discrimination [ edit ] In Hawaii's "Rainbow" ethnic melange of peoples, "Haole" is the slang word used to describe Caucasians, and by itself is not a racial slur and has no pejorative connotations. Many visitors are haole, and may be targeted by criminals, but this is because they are vulnerable tourists, not because they are haole. There are rumors that in Hawaii the last day of school is called "Kill Haole Day". According to this rumor, on this day, "local" (nonwhite) children beat up, bully, and harass the "haole" or "white" children in their school. Some residents say there is little to no evidence or documentation of incidents involving "Kill Haole Day" or of Caucasian students being assaulted on specific days. Other residents dispute this. Hawaii schools have responded by saying that they take the initiative to achieve tolerance, safety, compassion, and acceptance for all students.[10] The word "Haole" is used as a racial slur or insult in incidents of harassment and physical assaults by Native Hawaiians and members of other "minority" (nonwhite) groups on white people in Hawaii—tourists as well as residents and military personnel.[11] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] Further reading [ edit ]

WASHINGTON — A Colorado company that said last year it had achieved a technological breakthrough in space transportation has decided to shut down, citing the high costs and risks associated with further development. Escape Dynamics of Broomfield, Colorado, announced on its website recently that it decided to wind down its operations because its “external propulsion” technology was not attractive enough to potential investors to fund its continued development. “While microwave propulsion is feasible and is capable of efficiency and performance surpassing chemical rockets, the cost of completing the R&D all the way through operations makes the concept economically unattractive for our team at this time,” the company stated in a brief note posted on its website. “We also concluded that at current stage technical risks and uncertainty about the cost and timeline are still very high and are not attractive to private investors,” the statement continued. “Therefore, we decided to discontinue the operation of Escape Dynamics and stopped the R&D effort at the end of 2015.” The company did not disclose additional details about its decision, and did not respond to an email inquiry Feb. 2. It’s unclear how many employees lost their jobs when the company decided to shut down, but an undated group photo on the site included 20 people. Escape Dynamics had been working on microwave propulsion technology, where a transmitter on the ground beams microwaves to a vehicle ascending into space. The microwaves heat a propellant such as helium or hydrogen to generate thrust. Beamed propulsion technology offers the potential of simpler and more efficient launch vehicles, and therefore less expensive access to space. Tests by Escape Dynamics indicated that microwave propulsion had a specific impulse, a measure of rocket engine efficiency, higher than the most energetic chemical propellants in common use today. “Microwave-powered launch is the next giant leap in spaceflight because it has the capability to produce specific impulse above the threshold needed for single-stage-to-orbit operations,” said company president Laetitia Garriott de Cayeux in a presentation last July at the NewSpace 2015 conference in San Jose, California. At the conference, Garriott announced that Escape Dynamics had completed a small-scale test of microwave propulsion in its lab, using microwaves to heat up helium propellant and generating thrust. The tests demonstrated the effectiveness of overall technology, she said. The company had plans to scale up the tests over the next few years, conducting tests in the field using hydrogen propellant. It eventually planned to develop a reusable single-stage launch vehicle using microwave propulsion to carry payloads weighing up to 200 kilograms into orbit at about one percent the cost of current launch systems. “We are three years into an eight-year plan,” Garriott said in July. The company did not disclose how much it had raised, or how much it expected its full development program to cost.

Newswise — Feeling sleepy? That's because parts of your brain are actually asleep, according to a new theoretical paper by sleep scientists at Washington State University. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the researchers say, there's no control center in your brain that dictates when it's time for you to drift off to dreamland. Instead, sleep creeps up on you as independent groups of brain cells become fatigued and switch into a sleep state even while you are still (mostly) awake. Eventually, a threshold number of groups switch and you doze off. Lead author James Krueger said the view of sleep as an "emergent property" explains familiar experiences that the top-down model doesn't, such as sleepwalking, in which a person is able to navigate around objects while being unconscious, and sleep inertia, the sluggishness we feel upon waking up in the morning. "If you explain it in terms of bits and pieces of the brain, instead of a top-down phenomenon, all of a sudden you can make sense of these things," said Krueger. "The old paradigm doesn't even address these things." Krueger teamed with fellow neurobiologists David Rector, Hans Van Dongen, Gregory Belenky, Jaak Panksepp and electrical engineer Sandip Roy on the work. Their paper, "Sleep as a fundamental property of neuronal assemblies," will appear in the December issue of Nature Reviews/Neuroscience. It is available online at http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nrn2521.html. If sleep were being directed by a control center, the whole brain would respond at the same time, said Krueger. Instead, it behaves like a self-directing orchestra in which most sections are more-or-less in sync, but a few race ahead or lag behind at any given time. During sleepwalking, he said, the neuronal groups needed for balance are in a wake state while those needed for consciousness are in a sleep state. Conversely, in sleep inertia, enough neuronal groups are in a wake state for you to be awake in a general sense, but some groups are still in a sleep state—enough to hamper your ability to perform tasks. "Everybody has sleep inertia every morning," said Krueger. "It takes 30 minutes to an hour to recuperate from being asleep" and get all your neuronal groups up and running. The authors drew on evidence from several lines of research to develop their hypothesis. For example, a group of brain cells that work together to perform a certain function become less responsive and switch into a sleep-like state after the cells have been active for a long time. The likelihood that a given group of cells will enter the sleep state is proportional to how long it has been "awake" and how active it has been—in other words, how hard it has been working. Also, while you are awake, the cerebrospinal fluid bathing your brain accumulates proteins called Sleep Regulatory Substances, or SRSs. When the level of SRSs gets high enough, you go to sleep. Putting a drop of an SRS onto a neuronal group causes that group to enter the sleep state, showing that sleep can occur in a group of a few hundred cells without affecting the rest of the brain. Sleep researchers have long wondered how neuronal activity, which is measured in milliseconds, interacts with SRSs, which persist for hours or days. How do they coordinate to produce a coherent sleep response? The authors cited numerous studies showing that when neurons transmit electrical signals to each other, they also release ATP, a small chemical best known as an energy source for cells. The ATP causes cells called glia to produce SRSs, which in turn enter nearby neurons and activate a cascade of other chemicals that affect how the neurons respond to neurotransmitters. "It's a long-term change in sensitivity," in the range of hours, said Krueger. "You've got to think in terms of hundreds of these operating simultaneously in a network. If you're changing the sensitivity of the [neuron], and you have the same input coming into the cell, what happens? You've got a different output in the network for the same input. And that, by definition, is a state shift. So now we've got a complete mechanism" connecting neuronal activity, the production of Sleep Regulatory Substances and the occurrence of sleep. As a final piece of the puzzle, co-author Sandip Roy developed a mathematical model accounting for the experimental finding that when one neuronal group goes into a sleep-like state, neighboring groups become more likely to do so. The same happens when a sleeping group returns to wakefulness; its communications with its neighbors prompt them to "wake up" as well. The model showed that as communication among groups spreads, it can lead to the global synchronization that causes the whole animal to go to sleep. Krueger said such behavior is typical of all sorts of coordinated networks of functional units that operate mostly independently. "Whether it's an engineered system or whether it's fireflies glowing on a summer's evening, they tend to synchronize," he said. Krueger added that the classic brain "sleep centers" still have a role in the new paradigm. They coordinate the sleep-like and waking-like states of neuronal groups to help the organism adapt to its surroundings (such as whether it's light or dark out) and achieve peak performance. The paper's authors research many major aspects of sleep biology. Krueger studies the biochemistry of sleep; Rector explores the connections between neuronal activity and sleep/wake cycles; Van Dongen and Belenky study the relations between sleep and human performance; Panksepp studies the mechanisms of instinctual emotional and motivational behaviors; and Roy models network formation and coordination of action among independent units.

Belfast citizens and visitors will soon be switching on to free wi-fi throughout the city as our digital transformation continues. By the end of March more than 100 public city venues will offer free internet access including City Hall, Belfast Waterfront and St George’s Market, as well as non-council owned buildings such as Laganside and Royal Courts and Northern Ireland Housing Executive offices. The service is now available at nine venues, including the Ulster Hall and Belfast Castle. The BelfastWi-Fi network is the latest initiative to be delivered through the Super Connected Belfast programme, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Urban Broadband Fund and the council’s own Investment Programme for the city. Lord Mayor Nichola Mallon said: “With 70 per cent of us now owning a smartphone or other wi-fi enabled device, it’s vital that our venues keep up to date with changing trends and meet the demands and expectations of the people who use them. “This network of wi-fi hotspots will eventually reach into every corner of the city, and make it easier for citizens, businesses and visitors to check their emails, access social media and surf the web – all for free.” DUP councillor Lee Reynolds, chair of the strategic policy and resources committee, said the rollout of the BelfastWi-Fi network underlined the city’s ambition to create a world-class digital infrastructure. He said: “Belfast is one of 21 Super Connected Cities in the UK, with a total of £16.7 million being spent to develop our connectivity and attract more jobs and investment here.” He said citizens should take advantage of “a programme of digital inclusion activities” running at IT hubs.

It's brutal to watch this. The references to "playing out the string" have been numerous, but "watching out the string" is more painful. The Phoenix game may have set hockey back to Gary Bettman's ideal of the clogged early naughts. There's not much fun in being an Oiler fan and even less fun knowing that we still watch with no chance of a management change. There are a few small milestones left, however. After the jump - the top ten things left to look forward to in the last four games. Dustin Penner could tally 60 points. He would be the first non-Ales Hemsky Oiler to do so since 2005-2006. Fernando Pisani needs two more games played to reach game 400 for his career. Fernando's path to the NHL is well-known. Combine that with the IBS and it's remarkable that Pisani has a chance at 400 games. If he doesn't win the Masterton Trophy this year, the league should stop handing out the award. Zack Stortini needs to go -2 or better to remain a plus player for the year. Though he's only played fourth-level minutes for the year, on this squad, it's an accomplishment nonetheless. Marc Pouliot needs to go +1 to get back to even for his half-season, or +2 to finish in the black. On this team, that's an accomplishment worth recognizing, especially since his games have come during the worst stretch in franchise history. Robert Nilsson needs to go +2 in scoring chance differential over the last four to finish in the black for the season. He would be only one of two Oilers to have finished the season with the club and finished in the black in scoring chances. Dustin Penner could score 30 goals. He would be the first Oiler to do so since Ryan Smyth in 2006-2007. The Oilers need five points in the next four games to avoid the worst finish in team history. Jeff Deslauriers needs to win two games to avoid a thirty loss season. Perhaps making a short-side save for once this season might help him avoid this accomplishment. A win over the Avalanche on April seventh would go a long way towards getting the Flames into the playoffs. A loss to the Avs would help to keep the Flames out of the playoffs. Dustin Penner needs to go +1 or better over the last four games to become only the second player in Oilers' history to lead the team in Goals, Assists, Points, and +/-.

Mumbai: Ramraje Nimbalkar, senior Nationalist Congress Party leader, was declared elected unopposed as the new chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council here on Friday. The development followed a surprise decision by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena to "boycott" the election earlier today. BJP's Eknath Khadse and Sena's Ramdas Kadam, both senior ministers in Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's cabinet, jointly made the announcement of their party's decision, paving the way for Nimbalkar's unopposed election to the august post. "We stand united on this... there is no question of supporting either the Congress of Nationalist Congress Party... hence we have decided to boycott the election," Khadse told media persons near the state legislature. The chairman's election was necessitated after council chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh in an unprecedented no-confidence motion was voted out of the office. The veteran Congress leader held the august post in the upper house for 11 years. The decision smoothened the way for Ramraje Nimbalkar, given the arithmetic in the 78-member house. The NCP enjoys a brute strength of 28, followed by the Congress (21), BJP (12), Shiv Sena (seven), and the rest belonging to other parties. On March 19, the Shiv Sena had attempted to corner ally BJP by fielding Neelam Gorhe for the post in what would have become a four-cornered contest comprising Gorhe, NCP's Nimbalkar, Congress' Sharad Ranpise and an Independent from Amravati teachers' constituency, Shrikant Deshpande. In the March 16 voting on the no-confidence motion against Deshmukh, the opposition NCP was virtually "helped" by the BJP to defeat the Congress amidst charges that the BJP and NCP had already arrived at an "understanding" over the issue. Nimbalkar, hailing from the erstwhile royal family of Phaltan in Satara district that had close relations with the Chhatrapati Shivaji clan, is considered a protege of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. Chief Minister Fadnavis and other leaders hailed Nimbalkar's election and paid glowing tributes to his long experience as a legislator and minister.

SEVRAN, France — The last will and testament of Quentin Roy, a good-looking 23-year-old from the Paris suburb of Sevran, was written in neat blue biro on a piece of paper torn from a notebook. He gave instructions for his Samsung tablet to be given to fellow fighters, and listed mobile phone numbers for “Maman” and “Papa” so that his parents could be informed of his death via Whatsapp. Véronique Roy, who sells advertising for health magazines, received a photograph of her son’s will on January 14. The Islamic State member who sent it added that Quentin had blown himself up in Iraq, “martyred on the soil of the caliphate.” Sevran, an unloved town a 20-minute train ride from Gare du Nord, has seen 15 of its young men depart for Iraq or Syria since 2014. Nine are now believed dead, according to Véronique and Thierry Roy, who are in touch with families in the same situation. When Quentin left Sevran in September 2014, his parents recalled that many young men from the local housing estates had sounded impressed. “So he’s gone to look for a life,” was a common refrain. “Respect, man. He’s got balls.” Sevran lies in the banlieues, the French word for “suburb” that has come to serve as shorthand for the poverty, crime and failed integration that have blighted the edges of French cities for decades. Cities minister Patrick Kanner estimates there are “a hundred” French neighborhoods that bear a resemblance to Molenbeek, the Brussels district now globally infamous as a jihadist breeding ground. Sevran is high on the list. “What is Molenbeek? It is a concentration of enormous poverty and unemployment,” Kanner told Europe 1 radio. “It’s a system where public services have practically disappeared, it’s a system where politicians have thrown in the towel.” The topic is especially sensitive since men from both Molenbeek and the Parisian banlieues coordinated attacks that killed 130 people in Paris last November. French commentators have warned against assuming that if a neighborhood is poor, crime-ridden and full of immigrants, it must also be a hotbed of radical Islam. The last thing Sevran’s residents want is for “jihad” to top the list of things for which their town is already notorious — crime, drugs, poverty. But it may be too late. In an open letter, Véronique and Thierry Roy accused Sevran’s mayor of failing to shut down a jihadist recruitment network. “We are outraged by your inaction,” they wrote. “Radicalization is all the rage. One recruiter has been arrested, but there are others still hard at work.” ‘The government has no idea’ In the late 19th century, Sevran was a leafy village at the heart of France’s explosives industry, and home to the national gunpowder factory. To Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite before his name took on more peaceful connotations, it was the perfect place to experiment. Today, Mayor of Sevran Stéphane Gatignon says the banlieues themselves “risk exploding.” The riots that engulfed suburbs nationwide in 2005 could easily repeat themselves, he warned on the 10th anniversary of the uprising. While France’s economy is officially growing again, there is little to show for it here. The gunpowder factory closed in the 1970s, followed by two other major factories in the 1990s. The old industrial quarter is a ghost town. Gatignon is a lean man of 46, and an unusual mayor. He went on hunger strike in 2012 to demand more state funding for hard-up towns, and walked away with a budget increase. Now he looks exhausted. He has been hounded by the media over the Roy family’s letter, and regularly refers to being “at war.” Sevran has indeed paid the price for radicalization in more ways than one: A member of Gatignon’s town hall staff was killed in the carnage at the Bataclan concert venue in November. Gatignon says he has done everything he can to stop jihadist recruiters from operating in Sevran, but that there are limits to what a mayor can do. He lays the blame firmly on the state. “The government has no idea what is happening on the ground,” he says, wearily rubbing his eyes. “There is a total disconnect between what happens in offices in Paris and what happens in reality.” Many of the young Sevranais who left to wage jihad had frequented an informal prayer hall known locally as the “Daesh mosque.” Gatignon repeatedly asked the state to shut it down — he did not have the authority to do so himself — but says he was ignored. It was finally closed for good in March. The mayor has a raft of other problems to deal with. Sevran’s public housing is overcrowded and school funding is scarce. In 2011, violence between drug gangs got so bad that Gatignon suggested U.N. peacekeepers should be brought in. Forty percent of young adults are officially unemployed, a rate that surpasses Molenbeek’s. The government recently placed Sevran on a list of 12 “priority neighborhoods” with particularly dire social problems, and ordered officials to be brought in from Paris in April. ‘Wanted to stay open-minded’ Sevran is home to more than 70 nationalities. “It’s not like the Muslim community dominates everything,” says Gatignon. The 15 young men who left Sevran to join the Islamic State came from a variety of family backgrounds: Algerian, Moroccan, Mauritanian, Haitian. Some came from Muslim families; several, including Quentin Roy, were converts. Some came from the cités, the post-war housing blocks synonymous with drugs and gang violence. Quentin, privately educated, did not. His parents live in a neat detached house. Thierry, a hippyish Haitian, works as a medical salesman. Their remaining son is a software engineer. Quentin was raised a Catholic. He converted in 2013 and made no attempt to hide it from his parents, who tried to be supportive. “We wanted to stay open-minded with him, to have a conversation about it,” Thierry says over dinner at their home, which is full of pictures of both of their sons. In the space of a few months, Quentin’s views became increasingly extreme. He quit his job at a sports store when they wouldn’t let him schedule his shifts around prayer. He refused to join in family celebrations or attend his grandmother’s funeral because it was held in a church. A month later, he left for Frankfurt. Quentin told his parents he was picking up a new car for his work as an Uber driver. He never came back. From the battlefield, Quentin sent sporadic messages defending the holy fight. The manager of Sevran’s Grand Mosque helped Véronique write a reply, using quotations from the Koran to tell her son why he was wrong to think he should fight in Syria. An energetic woman, she says she has been let down by the authorities. She and Thierry feel lonely and helpless. They say Gatignon has tried to shift the blame for things he should have fixed himself, doing little, for instance, to publicize a helpline for parents worried that their kids have been radicalized. The reason, she says, is political. “It’s a way of not sticking the town with the ‘radicalization’ label when we already have a drug problem.” The Daesh mosque Véronique and Thierry Roy are the only Sevran parents to have gone public about their son’s death as a jihadist. Most parents don’t speak out, Véronique says, “because they don’t want to get involved with the authorities and they don’t want to be judged by the community.” The couple receives regular messages from other Sevran families who have lost their children to ISIL. They want to raise the alarm but avoid the public scrutiny the Roys have dealt with since their open letter to the mayor. The young men who left Sevran departed between 2014 and the end of 2015, when the Islamic State appeared to be making massive inroads in its mission to create a caliphate straddling Syria and Iraq. All were younger than 25, and many had played soccer together. Instead of worshiping at the mainstream Grand Mosque of Sevran, several of the boys began frequenting the informal prayer hall known as the Daesh mosque. This was not, in fact, a mosque: It was a former shop rented out as a private prayer space by Muslims who felt that the town’s official mosque did not preach a strict enough version of Islam. Among the young men who worshipped there is a Sorbonne history graduate called Ilyes. He has been in detention since November for “criminal association in relation to terrorist activity,” a charge he denies. He is the one who accompanied Quentin Roy to the airport when he set off for jihad. Achraf Ben Brahim, a law student at Nanterre University who has known both Quentin and Ilyes since childhood, describes Ilyes as “someone who joked with everyone and smiled 24/7.” The pair shared a spirit of intellectual curiosity and would often linger after soccer matches, “imagining a better world.” Ilyes had a clean criminal record, and had previously held a job as a middle school supervisor. The last time Ben Brahim saw Ilyes, in September 2015, he worried that his friend’s opinions had become increasingly extreme. The next thing he knew, he was phoning his old friend in prison. ‘They work in the shadows’ Members of Sevran’s mainstream Grand Mosque were the ones to first alert officials to radical preaching at the Daesh mosque two years ago. Merzak El-Bekkay, an imposing man who manages the Grand Mosque’s administration and finances, says that beyond warning the authorities, there was little he could do to stop the extremist preaching at the informal prayer hall across town. “We can’t stop people meeting in a private setting,” he says. “Our mission is to have a dialogue — and, when we hear people preaching hate and violence, to come up with counter-arguments.” The shopfront of the Daesh mosque has now been bricked up, but no one believes this puts a definitive end to radical preaching in Sevran. “They work in the shadows,” El-Bekkay says of the preachers who frequented the makeshift mosque. “Today they’re in Sevran, tomorrow it might be Aubervilliers or somewhere else.” Suburbs on the defensive There is, experts are at pains to say, no such thing as a French jihadist “profile.” Some are radicalized in prison, others self-radicalize on the Internet. Some grew up in the banlieues, including Bataclan attackers Omar Ismail Mostefai and Samy Amimour. Many French citizens heading to Iraq and Syria have been women. Some, like Quentin, played the piano. The renewed media attention has banlieue mayors like Sevran’s on the defensive. Trappes, on the southern fringe of Paris, and Lunel in southern France have also seen a trickle of young men leave to fight in Syria. Authorities announced they had foiled another attack on France last month when police raided an apartment in Argenteuil, a banlieue in northwestern Paris, and found assault rifles, handguns and TATP, the homemade explosive most often used by the Islamic State. Mayor Georges Mothron angrily denied that he presides over a “French Molenbeek.” ‘Lifelong humiliation’ In a country built on liberté, egalité and fraternité, people from places like Sevran often talk of changing their name to something “more French” to get a job interview, or using a fake address on their CVs. For Ben Brahim, it does not come as a surprise that alienated French Muslims from the banlieues have headed to Syria. He points to rising Islamophobia after the Paris attacks. “In a social crisis doubled by contempt for Muslims, how can you get outraged by the idea that the youth of this country might be won over by the arguments of ISIL?” he says. “Because ultimately, what future does a kid from the banlieues have in France? Getting into debt to open a kebab shop? Or finishing up as an Uber driver?” Thierry and Véronique Roy, meanwhile, are embroiled in a legal fight to stop plans to build a large mosque on their street. Then there is their ongoing public battle with the mayor — and a struggle to pick up the pieces at home. “They stole my son,” Véronique says. Claire Sergent is a freelance journalist working for Europe 1 and other media in France, previously based at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in London. Katy Lee is a journalist with Agence France-Presse in Paris, formerly reporting from London and Hong Kong.

While we have had a few retail leaks giving us an idea of when to expect the release of The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine, we haven’t had anything truly definitive, well until last weekend, when the Steam store page for the expansion was accidentally updated to show the release date, before being quickly taken down. CD Projekt Red has said recently that it would be sharing more information on its largest Witcher expansion this month and now, it seems like we can expect it to release on the 30th of May. It seems likely that someone over at CD Projekt Red was fiddling with the details of the Blood and Wine Steam store listing, before accidentally going live with it ahead of time. The page almost went down immediately after but not before people got screenshots. Given how soon that date is, we could probably expect to see a trailer and hear some form of official announcement from CD Projekt Red in the next week or so. However, it is worth noting that this date does clash with previously listed retail dates, which pointed to an early June release. That said, the Steam leak is probably a tad more trustworthy. KitGuru Says: There are a lot of Witcher 3 owners waiting for this release, including myself, so I am hoping that this Steam leak proves to be accurate. Are any of you planning on playing the next Witcher expansion when it comes out?

Three months following the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement, two key members of the MLS Players Union’s front office, including U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame defender Eddie Pope, are leaving to join sports marketing powerhouse Octagon. The division established next month by Pope and MLSPU staff counsel Mike Senkowski may shake up the North American player representation landscape, which is dominated by Wasserman Media Group and James Grant Sports. Pope and Senkowski will work out of Octagon’s headquarters in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., as directors of the firm’s new North American soccer practice. According to Octagon’s website, it currently represents around 900 athletes and sports and media personalities around the world, manages more than 13,000 events annually from 68 offices and is responsible for approximately $3 billion in sponsorship spending. NBA MVP Stephen Curry, swimmer Michael Phelps and six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson are among the athletes in Octagon’s portfolio. The company hasn’t done much with soccer, however. It managed World Cup sponsorships for MasterCard, Budweiser and Johnson & Johnson, among others. Octagon also represents Liverpool and England forward Daniel Sturridge and NBC pundit Graeme Le Saux, a former Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers and England defender. Pope and Senkowski hope to bring Octagon’s size and influence to bear in North America, and eventually beyond. “An opportunity was presented to us, a really good opportunity, and it was just too good to pass up,” Pope told SI.com. “The ability to run a soccer division, essentially build my own business at a large company, it was just really hard to pass up.” A three-time World Cup veteran and three-time MLS champion, Pope retired following the 2007 season and has spent some eight years as a liaison between the MLS player pool and MLSPU office. As Director of Player Relations, the North Carolina graduate visits every club every year and is available to players who have questions about their contracts or career. He’s played a role in two CBA negotiations. “The phone calls that you get in my position, any problem that any player could ever come up with, I’ve probably had to deal with it and counsel that player and tried to help them get through that issue,” Pope said. “If a player were to retire and come to me and say, ‘I want to become an agent,’ my advice would be to go work at the Union for five years and get that experience. You’re forced to deal with everything … You’re touching almost every aspect of the business from both sides of the business—from the league side of the fence and player side of the fence.” Senkowski earned his law degree from American University and spent time at Creative Artists Agency and the NFL Players Association before joining the MLSPU, where he monitors CBA compliance, reviews contracts, represents players with grievances and helps them prepare for upcoming contract negotiations. Asked for comment, MLSPU executive director Bob Foose said the departure of Pope and Senkowski was amicable. Pope said the MLSPU’s main priority over the next year would be to help players adjust to the new CBA—to “really dig into the weeds of everything and educate everyone”—while preparing for the league’s first foray into free agency this winter. “I am grateful for all of the great work Eddie and Mike did on behalf of players in their years at the Union,” Foose said. “It was a pleasure working with them both and I wish them the best of luck in their new venture."

AUSTIN, Texas — Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have successfully stopped cocaine and alcohol addiction in experiments using a drug already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat high blood pressure. If the treatment is proven effective in humans, it would be the first of its kind — one that could help prevent relapses by erasing the unconscious memories that underlie addiction. The research is published this week in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. Scientists once believed that drug addiction was simply a physical craving: Drug addicts who became sober and then later relapsed merely lacked willpower. But that view has gradually shifted since the 1970s. Today, most experts acknowledge that environmental cues — the people, places, sights and sounds an addict experiences leading up to drug use — are among the primary triggers of relapses. It was an environmental cue (a ringing bell) that caused the dogs in Ivan Pavlov’s famous experiments to salivate, even when they couldn’t see or smell food. Led by Hitoshi Morikawa, associate professor of neuroscience at The University of Texas at Austin, a team of researchers trained rats to associate either a black or white room with the use of a drug. Subsequently, when the addicted rats were offered the choice of going into either room, they nearly always chose the room they associated with their addiction. Then one day, the researchers gave the addicted rats a high dose of an antihypertensive drug called isradipine before the rats made their choices. Although rats still preferred the room they associated with their addiction on that day, they no longer showed a preference for it on subsequent days. In fact, the lack of preference persisted in the isradipine-treated group in ways that couldn’t be found in a control group — suggesting the addiction memories were not just suppressed but had gone away entirely. “The isradipine erased memories that led them to associate a certain room with cocaine or alcohol,” said Morikawa. Addictive drugs are thought to rewire brain circuits involved in reward learning, forming powerful memories of drug-related cues. Antihypertensive drugs all block a particular type of ion channel, which is expressed not only in heart and blood vessels but also in certain brain cells. The researchers found that blocking these ion channels in brain cells, using isradipine, appears to reverse the rewiring that underlies memories of addiction-associated places. There are already medications that have been shown to prevent people from feeling euphoria when they take an addictive drug and that might prevent them from developing an addiction. A treatment based on this latest research, however, would be much more effective, said Morikawa, targeting the associations an addict has with the experience leading up to taking a drug. “Addicts show up to the rehab center already addicted,” he said. “Many addicts want to quit, but their brains are already conditioned. This drug might help the addicted brain become de-addicted.” Morikawa noted that because isradipine is already labeled as safe for human use by the FDA, clinical trials could potentially be carried out much more quickly than with nonapproved drugs. One challenge with using isradipine in high doses to treat addiction is that it lowers blood pressure. So it might be necessary to pair it with other treatments that prevent blood pressure from falling too low. Morikawa’s co-authors are Mickaël Degoulet, a former postdoctoral researcher at The University of Texas at Austin who will soon begin a postdoctoral fellowship at Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone in Marseille, France; Claire Stelly, a graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin; and Kee-Chan Ahn, a former postdoctoral researcher at UT Austin, now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of British Columbia. This research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, both of which are part of the National Institutes of Health. Read the article “L-type Ca2+ channel blockade with antihypertensive medication disrupts VTA synaptic plasticity and drug-associated contextual memory,” Molecular Psychiatry (June 23, 2015): http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mp201584a.html

Skip to comments. "Unite The Right" organizer, Jason Kessler, was an "CNN assignment editor"? Posted on by ETL Poll: Most New Yorkers side with protesters By CNN Assignment Editor Jason Kessler October 17th, 2011 http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/17/poll-most-new-yorkers-side-with-protesters/ Wall Street protests grow after unions’ endorsement By Jason Kessler and Michael Martinez, CNN October 5, 2011 http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/05/politics/occupy-wall-street/index.html Unions endorse, will join Occupy Wall Street protests By Jason Kessler and Michael Martinez October 4, 2011 http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/04/politics/occupy-wall-street/index.html (Excerpt) Read more at news.blogs.cnn.com ... TOPICS: Front Page News KEYWORDS: cnn dsj02 fakebutaccurate fakenews jasonkessler jasonkesslerarticles jasonkesslercnn occupywallst ows unitetheright yellowjournalism To: ETL by 2 posted onby Bodleian_Girl (Don't check the news, check Cernovich on Twitter) To: ETL And what say CNN about this inconvenient note? by 3 posted onby Reno89519 (Drain the Swamp is not party specific. Lyn' Ted is still a liar, Good riddance to him.) To: ETL Sooooo....the Alt-Right organizer is a LEFTY?? by 4 posted onby Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.) To: All not him carrying the sign... That ishim carrying the sign... by 5 posted onby ETL (Obama-Hillary--REAL Russia-US collusion! (UraniumOne Deal, Missile Defense, Nukes) See my home page) To: ETL This is really starting to look like an orchestrated false flag operation designed to thwart resistance to the left. Pigeon-hole anyone supporting American values, history, culture and country as racist white supremacists. Make it impossible to speak against the agenda without being ostracized. by 6 posted onby Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents - Know Islam, No Peace -No Islam, Know Peace) To: ETL Are they sure its the same Jason Kesler? If so, it would appear he got a new assignment from Obama’s shadow government, and, with their help, he intended to create events to match the political agenda the Marxist want to taint anyone to their right with - as in ALL the “right” is racist. To: Ann Archy REPORT: White Supremacist Leader in Charlottesville Jason Kessler Was Obama Supporter – Occupy Protester Aug 14th, 2017 10:19 am White supremacist and ‘Unite the Right’ leader, Jason Kessler, was once reportedly a supporter a former President Obama and the Occupy movement. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (an organization that is certainly no friend to Conservatives), Kessler revealed his political transformation around November 2016, the same month then candidate Donald Trump won the presidential election. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/08/report-white-supremacist-unite-right-leader-jason-kessler-obama-occupy-supporter/ by 8 posted onby ETL (Obama-Hillary--REAL Russia-US collusion! (UraniumOne Deal, Missile Defense, Nukes) See my home page) To: Bodleian_Girl NEVER FORGET JESSICA CHAMBERS! by 9 posted onby BilLies (Judge Excoriates Two Hearst Executives http://yale64.org/news/white.htm) To: Lurkinanloomin conspiracy ....conspiracy.... <> Please shake Jeff (Rip Van Winkle) Sessions <>Admiral Ackbar has issued a warning: “It’s a trap!” by 10 posted onby ptsal ( Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. - M. Twain) To: ETL by 11 posted onby Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US)) To: Wuli Wuli.... Don’t know if I go to the bank on that one. by 12 posted onby ptsal ( Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. - M. Twain) The right was already united behind Trump. by 13 posted onby proust (Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.) To: ETL The Charlottesville Jason Kessler has actually written a novel, so that's a surprise. The CNN blogger Jason Kessler writes about New York City, so it's not likely he's also living in Virginia. To: x On the other hand, those articles are six years old and Jason Kessler apparently hasn’t contributed anything to CNN since, so who knows? To: ETL Well there is only one Jason Kessler in the entire U.S. so it must be the same Jason Kessler, right? :-) To: ETL The subversive role players infiltrated the pro-Robert Lee statue demonstrators. The plot thickens. by 17 posted onby jonrick46 (The Left has a mental illness: A totalitarian psyche.) To: ETL Thought so. The left organized the “Unite the Right” in a vain attempt to stereotype whites. To: ETL Sessions will be right on it! Yeah, right. To: ETL WOW!!!!! This is HUGE!! by 20 posted onby Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.) Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works. FreeRepublic , LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794 FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson

Blaise Nkufo will join the Sounders for training on July 13. He can be added to the roster on July 15 when the one-way MLS summer transfer window opens. “In our discussions with Blaise we encouraged him to take a full two weeks off once he returned from the World Cup,” Sounders general manager Adrian Hanauer said in a statement. Nkufo represented Switzerland during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He played the past seven seasons for FC Twente in Enschede, Holland. Twente won the Dutch Eredivisie in May and Nkufo scored a club record 114 goals in league play. The supporters of Twente will pay tribute to Nkufo on July 11, unveiling a statue outside De Grolsch Veste, the team’s home stadium. The Sounders are likely to use their second designated play spot on Nkufo, something they don’t have to decide prior to July 15. That would mitigate the salary cap hit of Nkufo’s $480,000 wage for this season.

PORTLAND, OR — Last year, a parent’s outrage over a government school locking her child in a padded cell without her knowledge or permission caused so much outrage that a new state law was passed, prohibiting schools from purchasing or using free-standing “seclusion cells” or “isolation booths,” as they are called. With the new law taking effect, some schools are scrambling for a way around the provisions, so they can continue to place students in solitary confinement at their discretion. In November 2012, KATU News broke a story about the use of an isolation booth at Mint Valley Elementary School in Longview, WA. Concerned parent, Ana Bate, said her son saw students being locked in the booth at school and was traumatized. “[He was] thinking it was scary, it was abusive, are they gonna do this to me?” Bate said. School administrators defended locking children in padded cells, saying that it had “therapeutic purposes” for some children. “How come they’re not providing documentation about how this ‘therapeutic booth’ is beneficial?” said Bate. “Show me some real numbers. Show me something from the medical community that says more times than not and all the documentation that backs it up. Don’t tell me ‘well, their parents said we could do it.'” “I have a 20-year-old daughter who’s actually been institutionalized, medicated heavily, ADD, ADHD, RAD, OCD, among other things,” Bate said. “I never had to have anybody put her in a box. I didn’t have any problems dealing with the situation, so I do know both sides.” The outrage over the story grew, with the help of the alternative media. And more stories came forth. Jared Harrison, a 7th grader at the McCornack school in the Eugene district, testified in front of legislators that he was placed in an isolation room hundreds of times — “at least every day” — as a punishment for the smallest things. His punishments began in the 1st grade, and continued for years. Anything from not following directions, to throwing paper balls, could earn Jared time in the cell. Jared’s confinement sessions were so frequent, and begun at such a young age, that he thought that spending time in the cell was part of a normal day at school. So normal, that he never even thought to tell his mother about it. To a child it had been normal, but to those hearing the testimony, the stories were shocking. “You have two adults dragging you into a room and locking the door behind you and you’re just a little kid and you don’t know what’s going on,” Harrison told lawmakers. “You’re not going to be calm. And I know no one else in the room was calm. They were all freaking out because their friend’s being locked in a room. It didn’t help the situation at all. It made it worse – much worse than it would’ve been if I had just sat in a timeout chair for five minutes.” Jennifer Harrison, Jared’s mother, told lawmakers that these kind of isolation punishments were more commonly found in prisons and mental health facilities. “I don’t think that schools are jails. I hope they’re not,” said Jennifer Harrison. By February 2013, a bill in Oregon was introduced to prevent these controversial measures from being used on students in their state. Oregon’s House Bill 2756 prohibits government schools from purchasing, building or installing seclusion cells, and prohibits their use. By April, it had been passed and signed by the governor. The new law defined the cells as free-standing units — like the one used in Longview, WA — to avoid the unintended prohibition of using rooms in the school for normal purposes. Therefore, in order to get around the new law, schools simply need to lock students in isolation rooms, instead of isolation booths. And voilà! A well-intentioned, albeit reactionary, law is being easily circumvented. The same policy of locking children in solitary confinement will continue, as long as the cells are built-in to the building, rather than in free-standing booths. An audit of records from Oregon earlier this year showed that eight school districts had used their isolation booths 791 times, reported OregonLive.com. One Portland school had alone used theirs 100 times since the beginning of the school year. Some of the newly outfitted isolation rooms were explored by KATU News. Compliant with the new law, the solitary confinement will no longer be performed in a free-standing booth. One school, Cherry Park, converted part of a locker room into isolation rooms for students. Now there is an observation window, a light, and ventilation. To see what the new cells will look like, view KATU’s coverage below. Jared Harrison’s mother is right; isolation rooms belong in prisons, not schools. But the parallels of between schools and prison go well beyond throwing children into solitary confinement for misbehavior. The whole education system is modeled to achieve conformity and obedience. Institutions are lined with live-feed cameras. Students are subjected to warrantless searches and often forced to give urine. Police presence in schools is becoming more pervasive and lockers and backpacks can be sniffed with dogs. Attendance is compulsory. Students are having to carry RFID badges or give biometric identification. Even the parking lots are subject to warrantless searches. And that’s without even touching on the curriculum, which is very pro-statism. As we see with the new law in Oregon, it is difficult to legislate even one aspect of the problem away, let alone all these prison-like characteristics. Only your vigilance and public pressure can reverse these problems, but ultimately the system always retains the systemic problems created by its Prussian roots. Many parents would just as soon not let the government raise their children for 12 years of their young lives, resorting to home schooling or carefully-chosen private schools. { Support Police State USA } PLEASE NOTE: Isolation rooms/booths are NOT isolated to Oregon & Washington.

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company. So George Kamitani, the artist behind Dragon's Crown, stuck his foot in his mouth and said something really stupid on Facebook. So let me explain what he said and why, why it was stupid, and why I'm offended. I lashed out on Twitter, and I think that my response, while genuine, was also rather perplexing to some people. But that's Twitter for you: its immediacy means that you get a realtime feed of thoughts and feelings as they happen. Kotaku's Jason Schreier took George Kamitani to task for the character designs in Dragon's Crown, an upcoming game Kamitani's studio, Vanillaware, is developing for Atlus. Many of characters are incredibly over-the-top women in ridiculous states of undress. Aside: What bugs me -- maybe not Schreier, as I didn't read his original blog post -- is not so much their bodies as their FACES. With the Amazon, that pretty, petite face stuck on that massive body -- it's surreal and it cements the reality that the male gaze is at play here. All the same, the art is so over-the-top that it comes across as ridiculous (to me, at any rate) and hyperstylized. As someone pointed out to me on Twitter, it's a riff on the Boris Vallejo style fantasy novel cover: Barbarian women in bikinis. The effect is so strange that I actually don't find it all that offensive. But I can totally understand why people do, and I certainly wouldn't tell them not to. Especially today... Kamitani responded to Schreier like this: If you can't read the caption, it says: "It seems that Mr. Jason Schreier of Kotaku is pleased also with neither sorceress nor amazon. The art of the direction which he likes was prepared." Now, let me address what's going on here. This is casual homophobia. What Kamitani is saying is "if you don't think my characters are sexy, check out these dudes." Yes, it's pretty tame, but it's still damaging, and I'll explain why. First, yes -- it's not intended to hurt anyone's feelings, but that's the problem with it. If the person who makes the joke assumes that it doesn't hurt anybody, it's because he's assuming that nobody who might conceivably be hurt by it is paying attention. Either he thinks Dragon's Crown isn't for them, or he thinks they don't like video games, or that they don't even exist -- who knows what? Second: Being gay is a punchline. This is lazy humor. Lindy West writes about this really intelligently a lot (I'd go find her posts on this for you, but I'm too busy to do it and she's too great, so just strap in and take a spin through her writing yourself.) Lazy people make gay jokes, because they know they can get a laugh with no effort. Third: The picture is of large, muscular, bearded guys. Gross, right? Who could be sexually attracted to that? Well, me, for starters. While the actual picture in question doesn't do it for me, that's broadly the type of guy I like. So now I feel stupid because George Kamitani thinks this is ridiculous. So here's where I'm at when I see his comment. Normal morning, and then suddenly, I find out that the creator of a game I'm looking forward to thinks I'm invisible to him, then that I'm ridiculous to him, too. And my immediate reaction is to feel betrayed. I feel betrayed specifically because of the game that this is, and who this creator is. Dragon's Crown is a niche game. All of Vanillaware's games are. When Odin Sphere appeared I was floored -- so floored that, in my previous life as a consumer-focused game journalist, I grossly overrated it simply because of what it represented: beautiful 2D art and complicated action-RPG gameplay. It pushed my buttons, and I wanted to reward it, whatever deficiencies it might actually have. And with that game, I became a fan of Vanillaware. Over the years, I've really been pulling for this studio -- the underdog. As Dragon's Crown began to attract negative attention for its character designs, I stayed out of it, because I just am so happy that the studio even exists that I don't want to jinx it. There are not a lot of studios pushing the art of 2D graphics like Vanillaware is. Barely anyone is producing high-resolution 2D games anymore, and Kamitani, while idiosyncratic, is also incredibly talented. It's a niche that I am ecstatic to see filled. And then this. I'm hurt because I feel that Kamitani played me for a fool. He didn't, of course. He doesn't even know I exist; he doesn't know anything about me. In fact, his comments rather suggest that, don't they? If Kamitani knew he had gay fans, he probably wouldn't say things like that. That's the point. So, no: What Kamitani said wasn't tantamount to true, virulent, Proposition 8-style homophobia -- the kind that knows I exist and is determined to make it as difficult as possible for me to do so. The kind that in fact is deliberately designed to negate me. It's just an offhand remark -- it's even ambiguous enough that I had to explain why it was anti-gay to people on Twitter (which is partially what inspired this blog post.) Am I overreacting, though? Whenever this topic comes up, people good naturedly suggest that -- and, in my view, that's adding insult to injury. It wasn't that bad, was it? Well, sure -- if it doesn't affect you, it isn't that bad. At my heart I'm just a gay dork who likes video games way too much, and on that level -- that's where it stings. Not the journalist, of course. Not the professional. Not the guy who knows that things are changing in the real world day by day. But I'm a gay nerd. For Kamitani, that's apparently half okay and half impossible. And you don't want the people you respect to negate you. It's that simple. To turn it back to "Gamasutra material," so to speak, I'd just urge developers out there who are speaking publicly to not forget that just because you don't know somebody exists, whatever their gender, race, sexuality, religion, ability -- however they might differ from you or from your conception of your audience -- doesn't mean they don't. And they might like your games. So be thoughtful and respectful. It's that simple.

Ari Phillips is on a mission. He wants to travel around the American Southwest for about 50 days examining and reporting on climate change and energy with an eye to revealing the intricacy and reciprocity of the two. Phillips, with the support of pledges from Kickstarter to pay travel costs like food, lodging and fuel, will be writing while traveling, focusing on locations and issues like Midland, Texas, the heart of the Permian Basin oil and gas play, and Clovis, N.M., the site of the future Tres Amigas interconnect, which will tie together the country’s three primary electric grids (WECC, or the Western Electricity Coordinating Council; SPP, the Southwest Power Pool; and ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas). Issues of equal importance are gas fracking in the Permian Basin and the inevitable environmental degradation of critical habitat like the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, which is already listed as endangered in New Mexico [PDF] and has been proposed for listing in Texas. Phillips also plans to tackle development of energy resources like coal, uranium, wind and solar on Navajo tribal lands. In all, Phillips has focused on nine critical subjects: gas fracking in the Permian; Navajo tribal land development; the impact of Tres Amigas on Clovis, N.M.; climate change in Tonto National Forest, Sedona, Ariz.; Biosphere 2, Tucson, Ariz.; the Mojave Desert; oil drilling off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif.; Monterey and California state parks; Pacific sea level rise; and cap-and-trade, which we reported on at length in March. Phillips—who grew up in Santa Fe, N.M., in the heart of the Southwest—is already a reporter of some skill, with work published in the likes of the Austin American-Statesman and Texas Observer. Approaching his subjects from the viewpoint of accelerating (and eventually catastrophic?) climate change, Phillips plans to collect all his material when he is done and deliver one piece of long-form journalism (10,000 words) for publication in a journal or magazine. Given Phillips’s writing style—highly factual and carefully parsed for clarity—the end goal is clearly within reach.

The Central Board of Film Certification’s website does not have any information about the films it has certified for the last one and a half years. No censorship data for films released after mid-2015 is indexed on the Board’s website. Before then, the Board had been uploading the “cut-list” for films that it had been certifying on its website. In response to an RTI application filed, the CBFC denied this, and said that “Information is being uploaded on [the] website,” and the fact that this information is not available for titles released after mid-2015 is “not true”. Interestingly, the Board also declined to give the censorship data it is claiming to be uploading, saying that the “data [is] not available”. Right before this story went live, the censor board’s website announced that all data will be uploaded next month, in February. When Pahlaj Nihalani took office as CBFC chairman in early 2015, he placed an embargo on censor certificates being made available online for two weeks after certification, according to a report by the Hindustan Times. In the same report, which came out on October 2016, he is quoted as saying that the embargo was later lifted, and that all certification data was now being uploaded online immediately. As of 8th January 2017, no information on titles certified after July 2015 is available on the CBFC website. This is contrary to the CBFC’s response to the RTI application and the chairman’s claim. Just days after the Board replied to the RTI application falsely claiming that information was being uploaded on the website, it seems to have backtracked. Since March last year, the censor board has been discussing the revamp and redesign of their website going live next month, according to minutes of a meeting published by the Board last year. Other digitisation efforts that they are undertaking include getting encrypted versions of all films they certify to prevent piracy from their end. *** Here are the questions asked the RTI application: Please provide the following information. Concerned authority is Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). i) Whether a digital database of all certification records exists. ii) If not, whether CBFC has any plans to create such a database. iii) Reason for non-availability of any certification records after beginning of 2015 on CBFC website. iv) Whether there are any plans by CBFC to upload the information of these records on the website. v) Whether CBFC has any IT officer to manage digital records of CBFC, including certificate details. vi) Physical location of certificate data on the website–whether it is in NIC server or CBFC server. vii) Please provide full copy of all available digital certificate records that are available on the website in the form of a CD. The responses from the CBFC are provided below:

Some news about the German Minor Leaguers. Max Kepler of the Minnesota Twins has been nominated to play in the Arizona Fall League. He will become the third German player to suit up in Arizona after Kai Gronauer and Donald Lutz in previous years. Kepler missed the start of the 2013 season due to a nagging elbow injury. He eventually joined the Cedar Rapids Kernels in the Midwest League and batted .237/.312/.424 with nine home runs, 35 runs and 40 RBI. The 20-year-old outfielder, who also played 24 games at first, struggled after a strong start and is supposed to get some more playing time in the highly regarded AFL. Meanwhile Kai Gronauer (Triple-A, New York Mets) and Daniel Thieben (Rookie, Seattle Mariners) have returned to Germany following the completion of their respective Minor League seasons in the Pacific Coast League and Appalachian League. Both will strengthen their home clubs during the Baseball-Bundesliga playoffs. Gronauer suits up with the Solingen Alligators in game three to five of their semi-finals against the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe. Thieben is going to pitch for the Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg in their series against the Bonn Capitals. Donald Lutz (Double-A, Cincinnati Reds), who made his Major League debut this year, had seen his season got cut short due to a fractured finger, is going to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Saturday’s matchup between the Buchbinder Legionaere and Capitals.

Photo Credit: Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports The Vancouver Canucks and the agent for Ryan Miller gently disputed some of the details of a report that surfaced on Wednesday from TSN’s Farhan Lalji, which suggested that the Canucks’s starter was not going to return to action within his original four-to-six week recovery timeline, that he was several weeks away from even skating, and that the goaltender wouldn’t return before the NHL playoffs. It would appear that while Miller has taken part in some on-ice workouts, he’s yet to skate with equipment, according to Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins. Also Miller’s agent Mike Liut contended in a conversation with News 1130 Sports that Miller isn’t behind schedule, he’s on schedule, and a four week recovery timeline was always an optimistic fallacy. Read past the jump. Let’s get into the nitty gritty a bit, and try to figure out what’s going on here. Liut – Miller’s agent, who also represents former Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider, so we can assume he’s familiar with how crazy the Vancouver market can get about Canucks goaltenders – elaborated on Miller’s timeline during a conversation with News 1130 Sports on Thursday. “He is not behind schedule, he is on schedule,” Liut insisted. “This injury is never 4 weeks for a goalie, it’s 6-8 weeks.” Liut : “As I told you 2 weeks ago, goalies take longer to recover from this type of knee injury.” #Canucks — News1130 Sports (@News1130Sports) March 19, 2015 Wednesday’s news was also a surprise to Canucks general manager Jim Benning: Nux GM Jim Benning says via text: “I haven’t heard that Ryan (Miller) is going to be out longer than expected.” #canucks — Elliott Pap (@ElliottPap) March 18, 2015 Meanwhile, Canucks head coach Desjardins suggested that Miller had in fact begun skating but avoided confirming that Miller’s recovery is behind schedule during his availability on Thursday. “I think Ryan is on track from everything I’ve heard,” Desjardins said. “He has skated, but not with gear on.” So what do we make of this cacophony of mixed messages? I think the key thing to remember is that Miller was originally reported to be likely to miss “a minimum” of four-to-six weeks. That was three-and-a-half weeks ago, and obviously Miller isn’t close. So the four-to-six week timeline seems like it was overly optimistic, which is what Lalji’s report stated, although – we suppose – technically Miller may still be ‘on’ rather than ‘behind’ schedule because four-to-six weeks was always presented as an optimistic projection. In the immediate wake of Miller’s knee injury the Canucks were very open about their intention of proceeding with extreme caution. From a Benning appearance on TSN 1040 in late February: So he got the MRI done, it looks like he’s got a sprained knee and so the timetable for Ryan is going to be anywhere from 4-6 weeks. So we’ll just keep looking at it as we go through the process here. We won’t bring him back, and he won’t be playing, until he’s 100 percent healthy. It looks like it’s going to be that long.. With the end of regular season rapidly approaching – it’s now only 23 days away – Miller isn’t close to returning. That much everyone seems to agree on. Though details were quibbled with and semantics debated on this issue on Thursday, all that really matters is that the substantive part of Lalji’s report – that Miller won’t be back in the Canucks crease prior to the beginning of the NHL postseason – isn’t in any obvious dispute.

0 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard Attorney General Jeff Sessions was not about the special counsel until after the deputy attorney general has signed the letter making the appointment. Jim Acosta of CNN tweeted: It's almost more interesting that Sessions was informed after Rosenstein signed Mueller order. — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) May 17, 2017 The Trump White House was only given 30 minutes notice before the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel was announced, and Jeff Sessions wasn’t told until after the letter had been signed appointing the special counsel. This behavior should dispell anyone of the notion that Jeff Sessions can be trusted to have anything to do with the Russia investigation. It is heartening that the DOJ took steps to make sure that Sessions could not interfere before they appointed Mueller. By not giving Sessions any advanced notice, they also made sure that Trump could have no advance notice. All of this leads one to believe that Jeff Sessions may be more than a conflicted Attorney General. Sessions may also be a target of the investigation. If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:

German head coach Joachim Löw, left, stands with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at a public training session in Mainz, Germany, on June 5, 2014. Photo by Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Unlike some other European countries, Germany has no great history of expeditions to South America. The last time a German World Cup team played here was in 1978, in Argentina. West Germany came as world champions and went home after the second round. The most memorable moment of the team’s campaign came in the match against the Netherlands. West Germany was leading 2–1 when Dutch winger René van de Kerkhof broke through and shot past German keeper Sepp Maier. The blond German defender Rolf Rüssmann flung himself full length and tried to punch the ball clear, but he couldn’t quite stop it going into the net. That German side wasn’t quite good enough to win the World Cup, but Rüssmann had at least proved that they wouldn’t think twice about doing what had to be done to win it. He had shown their hearts were in the right place. Germany’s most successful forays into South America in the 1970s were made not by their footballers but by their filmmakers. In 1972, director Werner Herzog led a cast and crew that hailed from 16 different nations on a five-week shoot in the Amazon rainforest. The resulting film, Aguirre, the Wrath of God, starred Klaus Kinski as the eponymous Aguirre, a mad conquistador obsessed with finding El Dorado. Aguirre was arguably more psychologically stable than the man who played him. Kinski, the most famous German actor of the 1970s, was a maniac whose frequent tantrums made him almost impossible to work with. Keeping him on the set took all of Herzog’s resourcefulness. He once threatened to shoot his star if he followed through on one of his threats to quit. One of their confrontations was recorded by a sound engineer without Kinski or Herzog knowing it. Herzog had presumed to advise Kinski on some matter pertaining to the scene. Kinski didn’t like this. “Don’t give me stage directions! I can’t stand that! I can do it by myself! If you think you’re better, why don’t you do the acting!” Kinski was working himself up into a rage. “You’re always for half-measures. You’re scared shitless of the consequences! If you want someone to be excited then let him get excited! I’ll act it the way I want to!” Herzog interjected: “OK, but we have to …” “Keep your half-baked advice to yourself! You’re no director! You have to learn from me! You’re a beginner! A dwarf’s director, not a director for me!” “Now, don’t insult me …” “Insult you?! You couldn’t insult me more than by trying to direct me!” And so on. Klaus Kinski in Aguirre, the Wrath of God. Courtesy of Werner Herzog Filmproduktion/Shout! Factory Herzog later explained: “I ought to say that all the hysteria that Kinski introduced was turned to productive ends. Maybe that’s the main point. Of course it sounds embarrassing for him, or embarrassing for me, it depends. But whenever Kinski really got going, hysterical as hell, we tried to start shooting quickly, and he gave it something that perhaps no one else in the world could have put into a scene. I think that’s what counts.” The world has grown more polite since the 1970s. When Luis Suarez pulled a (successful) Rüssmann in the World Cup four years ago, he was condemned by half the world. And if Christopher Nolan ever threatened to shoot Christian Bale, Bale probably wouldn’t believe him. But even today, we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of creative tension, and a certain ruthlessness. * * * The 2014 German World Cup squad goes to South America far better equipped than either Helmut Schön’s 1978 team or Herzog’s crew in 1972. With Europe’s most impressive suite of corporate sponsors, Germany could afford to build its own bespoke World Cup training base on Brazil’s Atlantic coast. The team’s slogan is Bereit wie nie! Ready like never before! The Germans’ 54-year-old coach, Joachim Löw, has become one of the most recognizable figures in international football, with his carefully curated touchline outfits and shiny helmet of lustrous black hair. His youthful looks are a godsend for national team sponsor Nivea, which uses Löw in several commercials. “It’s a long time since men’s cosmetics were considered uncool,” he said in a recent interview with Nivea Men. It’s not every day that a leading international coach is expected to give quotes to a leading cosmetics brand, but in the weeks leading up to a World Cup a man in Löw’s position has to do a hell of a lot of interviews. Germany’s biggest tabloid, Bild, devised a feature in which 50 German world champions from various disciplines each put a question to Löw. Most of the questions were predictably innocuous. Pole-vaulter Raphael Holzdeppe wanted to know the riskiest thing Löw had ever done (climbing Kilimanjaro) while canoeist Ronald Verch wanted to know what Löw would have been if he hadn’t become a football manager (he dreamed of being a pilot). 1990 World Cup winner and victim of male pattern baldness Jürgen Kohler asked Löw how a man of his age got to have such enviably full, dark hair (sorry Jürgen: it’s just good genes). It was left to former world middleweight champion Felix Sturm to pose a somewhat more awkward question. “In boxing, it’s always all or nothing. Would you see anything other than winning the World Cup in Brazil as a defeat?” “Not necessarily,” said Löw. Löw told Sturm that in football, you need both skill and luck. You could, for instance, play well, then lose on penalties. “We could end up disappointed, but that doesn’t mean we will have disappointed,” he explained. The coach knows that such Jesuitical distinctions are unlikely to appease a football nation that is hungry for its first tournament win since 1996. Maybe that’s why he has seemed unusually downbeat at times during this buildup. “We have a chance to win the tournament,” he told Stern, “and likewise, so do several other teams—but nobody wants to hear this.” Indeed, the German public rates the squad very highly. It’s not unusual to hear the claim that this is the most-talented squad any German coach has taken to a World Cup. It’s no use for Löw to argue that injuries have left them some way short of full strength, that torn ankle ligaments have robbed him of a brilliant talent in Marco Reus, that key players like Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Sami Khedira are still short of full fitness with the opening game days away. These are just the normal problems any World Cup coach has to deal with. The tournament is full of wounded warriors. Stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, and Yaya Touré are all struggling with injuries. Their coaches don’t have as much talent in reserve as Löw does. Germany has won three World Cups and yet many Germans think this is their best ever squad. If this squad fails, what would that say about Löw? “When you win,” Löw told Stern, “you’re celebrated as a messiah, the savior of the whole nation. And when you lose, you’re public enemy No. 1.” In any case, Löw says, his legacy will not be defined by success or failure in any given tournament. You need to take account of the bigger picture. “My salvation doesn’t depend on these days in Brazil. One win more, one defeat more. There are other important things: family, friendship, values … and I think we have evolved football enormously,” he says. But since Germany used to win tournaments all the time, and now they don’t, some are asking whether it’s been the right kind of evolution. * * * These days, international coaches tend to work in a two- or at most four-year cycle. Löw has been on the national team staff for 10 years and has been the head coach for eight. He has had four major tournaments with Germany—the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships—one as assistant to Jürgen Klinsmann and three as head coach. There are two ways to look at his record. One view is that his team has reached three semifinals and one final, winning acclaim for its style and new admirers around the world. The other view is that it’s a four-time loser. After Germany’s impressive performances at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, Löw could have left to manage a major club side, but he stuck with it because he was sure his team was on the cusp of winning something big. Germany’s long wait for a title was really supposed to end two years ago, in the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine. Germany beat Portugal, the Netherlands, and Denmark in the group stage and crushed Greece in the quarterfinal. Their eyes were on the final against Spain, the team that had beaten them in the final of Euro 2008 and in the semifinal of the 2010 World Cup. This time it was going to be different. Except Germany ran straight into an Italian sucker punch in the semifinal. Italy had the craft and cunning of Antonio Cassano and Andrea Pirlo, the stubbly ruthlessness of Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Buffon, the explosive speed and power of Mario Balotelli. They made Germany look like a bunch of college kids. A nation struggled to come to terms with defeat. How could this have happened? Where was the guile? Where was the power? And a familiar theme began to emerge: Where were the leaders? Where were the Real Men? * * * The question of why Germany no longer wins has many answers. The simplest explanation is that other teams, such as Spain and Italy, have been better. (Particularly Spain. Germany might have dodged a bullet or four by losing that 2012 semifinal. Spain had been saving its best for the final. It was Italy’s worst defeat in 55 years.) As an answer, “Spain is just better” might be correct, but it’s too simple to be satisfying. So a debate has developed around the personal qualities of this generation of German players as compared with the serial winners of the past. As Lothar Matthäus recently told World Soccer magazine: “[T]he only thing we lack is the nasty characters.” When Matthäus talks about nasty characters, he means guys like him. Someone who is prepared to do what it takes. Most of all, someone who is prepared to lead. There is a special vocabulary for this. The usual German word for “leader,” Führer, isn’t used much in this context. Instead, people complain about the lack of a Führungsspieler (leader-player), Führungsfigur (leader-figure), and sometimes even Leitwolf—literally “lead wolf.” Germany once drew on an apparently inexhaustible supply of Leitwolfs. The 1982 squad alone had men like Matthäus, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Felix Magath, Uli Stielike, and Paul Breitner, any one of whom would probably have been the captain and undisputed alpha male in any other squad. The center-forward was Horst Hrubesch, whose mere name sounded like it would probably beat you in an arm-wrestling contest. Hrubesch’s nickname was “the Header Monster.” Mesut Özil runs with the ball during a friendly against Cameroon on June 1, 2014, in Moenchengladbach, Germany. Photo by Boris Streubel/Getty Images The difference between the old-school German teams and the team of today is best summed up by the contrast between someone like Hrubesch and Mesut Özil, the skillful Turkish-German playmaker who would have been prevented from representing the sides Hrubesch played in by the old German nationality laws. Özil is so gifted that everything he does on the field looks absolutely effortless. This is both his blessing and his curse. When things are going against his team, some fans have a tendency to become irritated by the fact that Özil, with his drooping eyelids and slouching shoulders, looks like he doesn’t care enough. Özil’s Körpersprache—his body language—has become the focus of national debate. In May, Löw told Kicker magazine that Özil needed to work on that body language. Then the former national team captain Michael Ballack chimed in, repeating that Özil needed to massively improve his body language. Nobody had ever questioned Ballack’s body language. But then Ballack is more in the traditional Leitwolf mold: 6 feet, 2 inches with a highlight reel full of 30-yard shots and massive leaping headers. His shoulders were probably physically incapable of slouching at an Özil-ian angle. The current German captain, Philipp Lahm, has taken issue with the principle that every good team needs a Leitwolf. The German team that failed at Euro 2004 had two: Michael Ballack and Oliver Kahn (a Kinski-like figure who can easily be imagined in a steel helmet, tossing a monkey into a river). Analyzing Germany’s 2004 group stage exit, Lahm wrote in his 2011 autobiography that their failure had demonstrated the bankruptcy of the principle of the “so-called Führungsspieler.” The problem, according to Lahm, was that if all the authority was bound up with the coach and the on-field Leitwolf, the other players were not encouraged to step up and take responsibility. “It’s becoming apparent that a new way of thinking, a commitment to collective responsibility, to flatter hierarchies, is necessary in order to be successful in modern football.” The problem is that so far, flatter hierarchies haven’t won any trophies for Germany. Annoying as it is for Lahm to have to listen to the old-timers grumbling that he and his teammates aren’t mean enough (meaning man enough) to do it, the only way to shut them up is to win the World Cup. Löw is also a flat-hierarchies man. Asked by those great chroniclers of the German World Cup adventure, Nivea Men, whether he assessed candidates for his squad purely on footballing ability, he gave a thoughtful response: Of course, that’s very important. Can the player implement what the coach is looking for? But when you’re at a tournament like the World Cup, you also ask: Which players can give us energy? Which players are tolerant of frustration, if they sometimes don’t play? Which players can promote competition, which players can withstand it? And: Which players are perhaps a little too egotistical? We are away with a big group for several weeks. … For this team, there are certain values to be considered: respect, tolerance, discipline, reliability, integrity, humility, ability to concentrate. If a player has flaws in these areas, the group suffers. You wonder whether Löw is quite sure what he’s looking for. On the one hand, Özil has been criticized for not strutting about the field like a Leitwolf. On the other hand, the coach says he’s looking for sociable, well-adjusted types who won’t kick up any trouble during five weeks on the road. If Werner Herzog had cast his movies according to the Löw rulebook, Klaus Kinski would plainly have been the last man on earth he’d have hired. And quite possibly nobody outside the German-speaking world would ever have watched Aguirre. It’s not as though there’s an actual footballing Kinski out there who’s been excluded by Löw for being unable to get on with his teammates. It’s more the romantic ideal of what Kinski represents—the ungovernable passion, the untrammeled egotism, the demonic energy—that feels like it’s been forgotten about. All these qualities were evident in the Germanies of Breitner, Rummenigge, Matthäus, even Klinsmann. They have not yet shone through in the Germany of Lahm, Özil, Schweinsteiger, and Mertesacker. The ongoing preoccupation with the Führungsspieler and the Leitwolf reflects a widespread suspicion among Germans that their team is simply too nice. Can Löw solve the problem by getting them to be even nicer? Read all of Slate’s World Cup 2014 coverage.

Suicide Victim on Mel's Property in Movie Biz Suicide Victim on Mel's Property in Movie Biz TMZ has learned the man who committed suicide on Mel Gibson's property was a construction foreman on a number of movie sets, including "The Matrix Reloaded," and "Dr. Dolittle 2," "Star Trek: Nemesis," and "Karate Kid II."We're told the victim is Michael John Van Dyke. Van Dyke was 48-years-old, and was listed as a prop foreman for the remake of "Psycho."Sources say Van Dyke was a long-time friend of the contractor hired on Gibson's property and was going through financial troubles. He had no connection to Gibson.We've learned Michael went through a messy, protracted divorce a few years ago. People who worked with him on the "Star Trek: Nemesis" set say he was in desperate financial shape. His ex-wife is a hair stylist for movies.Van Dyke had a twin brother, Robert, who also works construction in the film business.

Microsoft has been on a roll lately. Its massive Windows 10 update ‘Threshold 2’ has far more good features than bad ones, the ‘free upgrade’ rules have been improved and even Microsoft’s Black Friday 2015 deals are surprisingly great. But a new discovery has been made which isn’t good news - at all… Earlier this month Microsoft finally went on record admitting that automatic spying within Windows 10 cannot be stopped. This sparked a lot of outrage and with ‘Threshold 2’ it appeared Microsoft had done a sharp U-turn because the background service at the heart tracking (the ‘Diagnostics Tracking Service’ aka ‘DiagTrack’) appeared to have been removed. Critics celebrated and it was another well deserved pat on the back for Microsoft. Except it turns out Microsoft had just been very sneaky. What Tweakhound discovered and was subsequently confirmed by BetaNews, is Microsoft simply renamed DiagTrack. It is now called the ‘Connected User Experiences and Telemetry Service’ - which is both a) deliberately vague, and b) misleading (don’t ‘Connected User Experiences’ sound great). Even sneakier is, in being renamed, Microsoft also reset users preferences. Those who dug deep into the Windows 10 registry to disable DiagTrack will find it has been re-enabled now it is called the Connected User Experiences and Telemetry Service. Yes, tracking is back and without any warning and your preferences were irrelevant. The good news is you can disable the Connected User Experiences and Telemetry Service the same way as DiagTrack: Hold down the Windows key and tap the R key In the box that opens type ‘services.msc’ and press the Enter key In the ‘Services (Local)’ section locate ‘Connected User Experiences and Telemetry’ and double-click it In the ‘Service status’ section click ‘Stop’ Under the ‘Startup type’ drop down menu select ‘Disabled’ and then confirm this and close the window by clicking ‘OK’ Note: it is advisable to disable Not delete the service. Deleting it can cause problems So what is Microsoft thinking here? I've reached out to the company but, despite recognising my enquiry, it has yet to issue a statement. I'll update this post when it does. While Microsoft thinks about what to say, I'd say the problem with the DiagTrack rebrand is the company wasn’t thinking. Subtle under the hood changes will always be picked up for such a high profile product. That said such a move is consistent with the negatives in Threshold 2 namely: it resets many user preferences (including basics like your preferred web browser) if they weren’t Microsoft product/services as well as silently deleting third party system monitoring apps like: CPU-Z, speccy, 8gadgetpack, SpyBot, HWMonitor and more. In my opinion it is this kind of overriding desire for control and a disregard for user choices which is harming Windows 10. At its core Windows 10 is a modern and highly capable platform, but it has been buried under ludicrous layers of control. Worst still it has created a two tier customer base where consumers are forced to take updates which businesses can delay, effectively turning everyday users into bug testers for corporations. It all feels unsavoury and unnecessary and (while it could be coincidence) there has been a dramatic slowdown in Windows 10 growth after an explosive beginning. For the first ever Free version of Windows, that’s not great. How can Microsoft reignite the love for Windows 10? I’d say a good start would be to stop doing daft things like this… ___ Follow Gordon on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ More On Forbes Microsoft ‘Black Friday’ 2015 Deals Are Surprisingly Great Microsoft Makes Windows 10 ‘Free Upgrade’ Rule Changes Microsoft Makes Windows 10 Upgrades Automatic For Windows 7 And Windows 8 Microsoft Admits Windows 10 Automatic Spying Cannot Be Stopped

A column or article in the Opinions section (in print, this is known as the Editorial Pages). Opinion A column or article in the Opinions section (in print, this is known as the Editorial Pages). The New York Times building. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images) The The New York Times on Wednesday appended a correction to a story about a climate change study: Correction: August 9, 2017 An article on Tuesday about a sweeping federal climate change report referred incorrectly to the availability of the report. While it was not widely publicized, the report was uploaded by the nonprofit Internet Archive in January; it was not first made public by The New York Times. That correction, which sits at the foot of the story, dutifully straightens out the record. Yet given the magnitude of the screw-up, it should sit atop the story, surrounded by red flashing lights and perhaps an audio track to instruct readers: Warning: This story once peddled a faulty and damaging premise . That premise suggests that the Trump administration is stifling a damaging draft report — part of the congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment — with dire warnings about climate change. “The average temperature in the United States has risen rapidly and drastically since 1980, and recent decades have been the warmest of the past 1,500 years, according to a sweeping federal climate change report awaiting approval by the Trump administration,” noted the lead of the article, which was written by Lisa Friedman. opinions erik-wemple Orlando Shooting Updates News and analysis on the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. post_newsletter348 follow-orlando true after3th false Please provide a valid email address. Sign up You’re all set! See all newsletters true The story must be told. Your subscription supports journalism that matters. Try 1 month for 99¢ As it detailed the conclusions of the draft report, the New York Times highlighted an equally scary prospect: That without the intervention of the New York Times, it might not have seen the light of day. Examples: • “One government scientist who worked on the report, and who spoke to The Times on the condition of anonymity, said he and others are concerned it will be suppressed.” • “A copy of it was obtained by The New York Times.” • “The draft report by scientists from 13 federal agencies, which has not yet been made public, concludes that Americans are feeling the effects of climate change right now.” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said in interviews broadcast on June 4 that the Paris climate agreement hampered the U.S. economy. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) As part of its corrective effort, the New York Times has pulled the language saying that “a copy of it was obtained by the New York Times,” as well as the mistaken assertion that it has “not yet been made public.” Even so, the article continues to carry this line: “Another scientist involved in the process, who spoke to The New York Times on the condition of anonymity, said he and others were concerned that it would be suppressed.” As well as this one: “Scientists say they fear that the Trump administration could change or suppress the report.” Though it may be the case that certain scientists maintain such fears, that’s a pretty tough position in light of the fact that the report “was uploaded by the nonprofit Internet Archive in January” and publicized by the New York Times in August. It is unclear how such a mistake came about. Maybe reporter Lisa Friedman failed to consult It is unclear how such a mistake came about. Maybe reporter Lisa Friedman failed to consult one Bob Kopp , or others who cited the error on Twitter: Any intimation that the Trump administration is blocking or somehow suppressing a dire climate-change study is explosive stuff, in large part because it would align with actual transparency problems. As Any intimation that the Trump administration is blocking or somehow suppressing a dire climate-change study is explosive stuff, in large part because it would align with actual transparency problems. As Philip Rucker and Ed O’Keefe reported in June , Republicans in Congress have complained that federal agencies aren’t sharing information; the White House began banishing live coverage of briefings; and it ended the Obama practice of releasing White House visitor logs. So this whole climate-change report is another case-in-point, right? No, at least not yet: White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders blasted away in a statement: “It’s very disappointing, yet entirely predictable to learn The New York Times would write off a draft report without first verifying its contents with the White House or any of the federal agencies directly involved with climate and environmental policy. As others have pointed out – and The New York Times should have noticed – drafts of this report have been published and made widely available online months ago during the public comment period. The White House will withhold comment on any draft report before its scheduled release date.” Former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is suing The New York Times for defamation over an editorial suggesting links between her political action committee and the 2011 Arizona shooting that severely injured Rep. Gabby Giffords. (Reuters) Next up: A tweet about the “failing” New York Times from a certain fellow. New York Times Washington bureau chief Elisabeth Bumiller says of the draft report’s status: “We were just not aware that somebody involved in the report had put a draft on this nonprofit Internet site,” she says. “It was not a well-known site to us and the point is that the people who shared the draft with us were not aware of it either. That doesn’t change the larger point that scientists were worried that the government wouldn’t approve the report or release it through normal channels.” When pressed on Sanders’s criticism, Bumiller said, “We spent a lot of time trying to sort out where it had appeared before,” said Bumiller. “Again, we just didn’t know. The reporter just didn’t know and the editors didn’t know and once it was brought to our attention, we sorted it out” and ran a correction. At a June panel discussion hosted by the Washington Press Club Foundation, CNN senior congressional reporter Manu Raju spoke about the stakes involved with factual integrity these days. “You just cannot screw up in this environment because they’ll use every small mistake to come after you and suggest that you have some nefarious motive in your reporting,” he said.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley gave a very strong statement condemning the United Nations for their anti-Israel bias and double standards against America's Middle East ally. She made her comments to the press shortly after attending her first Security Council meeting Monday. "The first thing I want to do is talk about what we just saw in there," Haley began. "The Security Council just finished its regular monthly meeting on Middle East issues. It’s the first meeting like that that I’ve attended, and I have to say it was a bit strange." The Security Council is supposed to discuss how to maintain international peace and security. But at our meeting on the Middle East, the discussion was not about Hezbollah’s illegal build-up of rockets in Lebanon. It was not about the money and weapons Iran provides to terrorists. It was not about how we defeat ISIS. It was not about how we hold Bashar al-Assad accountable for the slaughter of hundreds and thousands of civilians. No, instead, the meeting focused on criticizing Israel, the one true democracy in the Middle East. I am new around here, but I understand that’s how the Council has operated, month after month, for decades. I’m here to say the United States will not turn a blind eye to this anymore. I am here to underscore the ironclad support of the United States for Israel. I’m here to emphasize the United States is determined to stand up to the UN’s anti-Israel bias. We will never repeat the terrible mistake of Resolution 2334 and allow one-sided Security Council resolutions to condemn Israel. Instead, we will push for action on the real threats we face in the Middle East. United Nations Resolution 2334 is the controversial policy that the United States abstained from vetoing as one of the last acts of former President Obama before the inauguration. Under that resolution, the United Nations formally condemned the settlements that Israel built in contested lands claimed by the Palestinians. "We stand for peace," Haley continued. We support a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that is negotiated directly between the two parties, as President Trump reiterated in his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday. The outrageously biased resolutions from the Security Council and the General Assembly only make peace harder to attain by discouraging one of the parties from going to the negotiating table. Incredibly, the UN Department of Political Affairs has an entire division devoted to Palestinian affairs. Imagine that. There is no division devoted to illegal missile launches from North Korea. There is no division devoted to the world’s number one state-sponsor of terror, Iran. The prejudiced approach to Israeli-Palestinian issues does the peace process no favors. And it bears no relationship to the reality of the world around us. "It is the UN’s anti-Israel bias that is long overdue for change," Haley concluded. "The United States will not hesitate to speak out against these biases in defense of our friend and ally, Israel." U.S.A amb to the UN @nikkihaley's strong words on the anti-Israeli hypocrisy of the UN & UNSC. (Vid via @arik3000)pic.twitter.com/PgZRMXGu6P — Shlomi Ben Meir (@shlomikliab) February 20, 2017 The statement follows up on Haley's announcement that the United States would take notice of what supposed allies did not back us sufficiently at the United Nations, and would make an appropriate response. Haley also signaled at her confirmation hearing that she would not absolutely follow President Trump's policies as promised on the campaign Trump when she said that she was opposed to the "Muslim ban" and that part of their mission was to "educate" Trump about the benefits of the United Nation. Trump had promised to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that would enflame Muslim passions because it signals the preeminence of the Jewish claim over the ancient holy city. Trump has since distanced himself from moving the embassy and the Israeli settlements after becoming president.

Just behind Senegal’s Palais de Justice that houses the Supreme Court, and close to the Dakar seafront, a run-down red-tiled roof indicates the city’s Rebeuss prison. It is here that the West African country’s most famous son, former “superminister” Karim Wade, has been held for over a year. His trial for corruption during the reign of his father, former president Abdoulaye Wade, will start on July 31, according to a statement by the government. In an interview with the Mail & Guardian last week, Justice Minister Sidiki Kaba said it would be a fair trial and there would be justice. Senegal has a solid, independent justice system that can try even the most sensitive, high-profile cases, he believes. “Senegal has a long history of supporting the fight against impunity,” he says. Yet Kaba is reluctant to talk about the case, which has major political implications. He would much rather talk about the other high-profile case that has put the country’s judiciary in the spotlight for almost a decade. Further along the overcrowded peninsula that is Dakar, the 72-year-old former dictator of Chad, Hissène Habré, is also behind bars, awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity, torture and war crimes. He is accused of killing and torturing thousands of people during his rule in Chad in the 1980s. “The Habré case shows that Africa is not for impunity,” says Kaba. Battling to justify candidature The fact that Habré will be tried in Dakar by Senegalese judges attached to a special African Union (AU) court – a unique case in Africa – will probably count in Kaba’s favour when he stands for election as president of the assembly of state parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) later this year. Kaba is a well-known human rights lawyer and former head of the International Federation of Human Rights, but still has to battle to justify his candidature for the election in December amid huge acrimony around the court and its role in Africa. Kaba says he will work on “the principle of complementarity” of the court, to make sure local courts are strengthened to insulate them from political pressure. “In the end the ICC will only be necessary as an ultimate recourse,” he says. The main problem is found in the “explosive relationship” between politics and justice, and is also true for international justice, he says. The internal divisions in Africa over the court were clear at a conference on international justice hosted in Senegal last week by the Dakar-based Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa. The conference was titled International Justice, Reconciliation and Peace in Africa: the ICC and beyond. At the three-day conference, ­lawyers, legal experts and human rights activists were divided over whether Africans should continue supporting the court. Some of the participants said Africa should find its own “indigenous” justice solutions and make sure criminals are tried either in their home countries or through regional African courts. Others said that African countries, especially those experiencing conflict, do not have the means to try perpetrators of war crimes and, besides, justice systems in many African countries are not independent. African heads of state and the AU have been at loggerheads with the ICC since the indictment of Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, in 2009 for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The acrimony deepened following the charges against Kenya’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta, and his deputy, William Ruto, for their role in the 2008 postelection violence in Kenya. So far, all the cases before the court have been from Africa, yet a number of important countries, including the United States, China and Russia, are still not members of the ICC. Tricked “It’s as if Africans were tricked into signing up for the ICC,” says Ebrima Sall, executive secretary of the research development council. “All the statistics show only Africa is targeted,” said Sall. “I would much rather see the strengthening of local African solutions,” he said. Tim Murithi, programme director at the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation in Cape Town, agrees and says the court reflects the un-equal international system. “International justice was a visionary, noble idea, but the problem comes in when some powers can exclude themselves. Then it is no longer international.” Ibrahima Kane, director at the Open Society Initiative for East Africa, said Africans could not understand why all the cases before the court are Africa-based. “In 2002, the ICC wanted to investigate in Bosnia, for example, but stopped because UN forces could have been involved. The impression is that the ICC can only investigate where people are weak.” The prosecutor also refused to investigate in Iraq and has never wanted to be involved in the Middle East crisis, he said. Ongoing invesigations Kane says the fact that only former Côte d’Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo and one of his henchmen, former student leader Charles Blé Goudé, are being tried by the court in The Hague, following postelection violence in the country in 2011, is seen by many as “victor’s justice”. No one in the camp of President Alassane Ouattara has been charged, even though the court says investigations are ongoing. In the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, up to six million people have been killed in a succession of conflicts, but only a handful of warlords and the former vice-president, Jean-Pierre Bemba, have been brought before the court. Kaba admits that the prosecutor should intensify its investigations in other parts of the world to dispel the perception that only African countries are targeted. So far, most of the African cases have been brought before the court by African states or through a United Nations resolution, as for example in Libya in 2011. “I will work for the universality of the court,” said Kaba. Amady Ba, the head of international co-operation in the office of the ICC prosecutor, says it is unfair to say the court is targeting Africa. “We are a court; we are not political,” said Ba. He added that Africa is confronted by such huge crimes that something simply has to put a stop to impunity. “I didn’t leave my country to go to work at the ICC to target Africa,” he said. Much time was spent at the conference looking at possible alternatives to the court. Could the Habré solution be repeated elsewhere? Could one imagine Robert Mugabe, for ­example, being tried for the 1980s massacres by an African court set up outside Zimbabwe? Academics and lawyers are sceptical of the African solutions on the table. The Habré case, which is expected to be heard in April next year, has taken almost 15 years since he was first charged while living in exile in Senegal in February 2000. Plans are also under way to expand the jurisdiction of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, currently based in Arusha, Tanzania. But the AU, at its summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea last month, passed a resolution that ensures immunity for heads of state against this court. El Hadj Guissé, a judge at the human and people’s rights court, says he is disappointed by this move by the AU leaders, because it will dilute the work of the planned new African Court. “No one should be able to have immunity against the serious crimes stated in the Rome Statute such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he says. The one consensus at the Senegal conference was that the strengthening of the local justice systems in individual African countries should be a priority. This would ensure that perpetrators, even those responsible for the most hideous crimes such as genocide and crimes against humanity, can be tried at home. Liesl Louw-Vaudran was invited to Senegal by the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa

Ohio voters will decide this fall whether to legalize marijuana in the Buckeye State for recreational and medical use. ResponsibleOhio's marijuana legalization constitutional amendment was certified Wednesday by the Ohio secretary of state. It will appear as Issue 3 on the statewide ballot for the general election on Nov. 3. If approved by voters, Ohio would be the fifth state to legalize marijuana for recreational use and the first to do so without first having a medical marijuana program. "It's time for marijuana legalization in Ohio, and voters will have the opportunity to make it happen this November — we couldn't be more excited," ResponsibleOhio Executive Director Ian James said in a statement. "Drug dealers don't care about doing what's best for our state and its citizens. By reforming marijuana laws in November, we'll provide compassionate care to sick Ohioans, bring money back to our local communities and establish a new industry with limitless economic development opportunities." – Cleveland.com, Aug. 12, 2015 On the surface, Ohio looks like a strong candidate to join the list of states allowing legal recreational marijuana. Look deeper and you will find a more complicated story. "ResponsibleOhio" is a noble-sounding name for a group of investors who seek a state-enforced monopoly on growing marijuana in Ohio. They wrote the proposed constitutional amendment and collected the signatures to get it on the ballot because they believe it will make them rich. If the amendment passes, ten specific companies will have their sites written in Ohio's constitution as the state's only legal marijuana growers. They see enough profit potential to have invested $20 million just in the campaign to pass the amendment. Profit seeking is not wrong per se, but it becomes so when it relies on state power to restrict competition. That is what ResponsibleOhio's amendment will do. Who will own these monopolies? Ten companies whose ownership hides behind corporate veils. So not only is the group asking Ohio residents to grant it a monopoly, it asks them to grant a monopoly to unknown parties. This seems like a recipe for trouble. The Ohio legislature, displeased by this, will have its own amendment on the same ballot to prohibit constitutionally guaranteed monopolies. If both proposals pass, the Ohio Constitution will then contain mutually exclusive amendments. Months of court drama will then follow. Of course, none of this would be happening if the Ohio legislature would respect its voters enough to legalize marijuana without granting monopolies. That is apparently too hard. There is one positive bit of news in all this, though. The fact that statist groups like ResponsibleOhio want to coopt the legal marijuana movement is evidence it is on the road to success. Pro-legalization should move forward confidently and not let powerful corporate interests take over the process.

0 Flares Twitter 0 Facebook 0 Google+ 0 Pin It Share 0 StumbleUpon 0 Email -- LinkedIn 0 Filament.io 0 Flares × When I am asked to donate for bake sales or concession stands, I normally say yes, then whip up this super easy and low cost Peanut Butter Fudge. It also makes a great gift, especially in a pinch. Ingredients – 1 – Jar of any brand peanut butter – 16.3 oz 1 – Tub ready made frosting any flavor ( I like the plain vanilla,the best) Empty peanut butter and frosting into a microwave safe container. Microwave on high for 1 min, stir Micorwave on high for 1 min stir until smooth. Pour mixture into lightly greased glass pan. (8 x 8, works best) Smooth out, then refrigerate until hard . I always get lots of compliments on my fudge. I have had my children’s friends request it. I made this over the weekend and it cost me. $3.02 to make. That was running in to the store, grabbing what I needed and out again. I am sure if you use coupons and stock up during sales, the cost could be lower yet. Thanks and enjoy! Sorry I didn’t get a picture before the kids dug in!

MOUNT CARMEL TOWNSHIP — A woman was found dead after getting her arm caught in a clothing drop-off bin, leaving her dangling for more than six hours. Judith Permar, 56, died from a combination of trauma and possible hypothermia, according to Northumberland County Coroner James Kelley. Permar used a step stool to reach the bin when her arm became stuck and the stool collapsed — her feet dangling just above the ground, PennLive reported . She broke her left arm and wrist, which prevented her from escaping, authorities said. Investigators believe the woman went to the bin around 2 a.m. Sunday. The bin is located on Route 54 in Natalie. She was found around 8:30 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner ruled the cause of her death accidental. Permar’s son said she always wanted to help the less fortunate and constantly donated to those clothing bins. Her son says in honor of his mother’s giving heart, the family welcomes anyone who would like to attend her funeral service this Friday at the Stutz Funeral Home in Mount Carmel. Her daughter, Angela Minnig, posted a message about her mother to Facebook following the news of her death: “To the friends and family of Judy Permar: “I know it’s in the paper and it’s beginning to spread on social media, but for those who do not know; On Sunday morning my Mother passed away. It was very sudden and our family will learn to coupe with the loss of such an amazing Wife, Mother, Sister, and Friend. We will be updating everyone on her viewing and wish all who knew her to visit and pay her respects. She was such a fun loving person and we know it would mean the world to her to say ‘See you Again.'” Services for Permar will start with a viewing at 10 a.m. with her funeral to follow after. The Stutz Funeral Home is located at 40 South Market Street in Mount Carmel. In lieu of flowers, her family asks people make donations to their local SPCA or animal shelter as Judith was an animal lover.

Nathaniel Clyne has given Saints fresh hope that he could yet sign a new contract with them, by revealing he is happy to stay at the club. The right-back is approaching the final 12 months of his current deal, with a number of high-profile sides, including Manchester United, said to be seriously interested in him. Negotiations between Saints and Clyne’s agent began some months ago, but the lack of an agreement to date has fuelled fears that the 24-year-old will end up being sold this summer. Clyne, however, has at least indicated that he would be happy to remain a Saints player beyond this season. He told the Daily Echo: “I’m enjoying my football for Southampton, playing week-in, week-out and it’s an up-and-coming club, so, yeah, I’m happy playing for Southampton and happy to stay at Southampton as well.” Clyne’s comments add weight to those from Saints’ executive director of football, Les Reed, who last week said “the signs are good” that the player would stay with the club. Saints are clearly keen for a swift resolution, though, with manager Ronald Koeman saying last Thursday that the England international needed to let them know within ten days what he plans to do, adding that the club has made him the maximum offer they can. Asked about that deadline, Clyne, who has made 101 appearances for Saints since signing from Crystal Palace in 2012, said the matter remained in the hands of his representative. “My agent is negotiating, so I’ll just leave it with my agent and I’m just going to concentrate on playing my football,” he explained. While Clyne’s words may provide encouragement, there remains plenty of concern that this will be his last season at St Mary’s. It remains to be seen what bids, if any, will come in for him this summer, but if a club like United is willing to sign him as their first-choice right-back, with the prospect of regular Champions League football and the additional wages that such a move could entail, it would clearly be a hard one for the player to resist. Additionally, it is unlikely that Saints would be happy to let Clyne’s value diminish if it becomes clear a new contract will not be agreed, especially as he would still command a large fee even with just a year left on his current deal. But the defender’s acknowledgment that he would be happy to stay at St Mary’s beyond this summer at least provides some optimism as the end of the season, not to mention negotiations, approaches.

Battery-run rickshaw puller Md Shamim Sikder, 35, from Norsingpur area of Ashulia, has set himself on fire after traffic police seized the battery from his rickshaw on Friday afternoon. Locals first rushed him to a local hospital, and later he was admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in critical condition. Shamim, who hails from Bhaijora village of Morolganj thana in Bagerhat, lives with his wife and children in Ashulia. He bought the battery-run rickshaw in instalments by selling off the last of his possessions. The rickshaw was the only means through which he could feed his family. According to locals and the police, because of the intense pressure of passengers returning to Dhaka after Eid, Shamim left his home on Friday with his rickshaw and got on the Abdullahpur-Bipel highway. When he reached the Bipel bus-stand, the on-duty highway Sergeant Aminur Rahman and other traffic police stopped his rickshaw and seized his battery for illegally driving a battery-run rickshaw on the highway. Watching his only means of survival being taken away from in front of his eyes, Shamim pleaded frantically with the traffic police. However, they only agreed to return the battery for a bribe of Tk2,000. Barely able to make a livelihood, Shamim told the police again and again that he did not have the Tk2,000 with him, but the police turned a deaf ear. He finally left the scene. After a few minutes, he came back with a bottle of kerosene and told the police he would burn himself if he could not get his battery back. Yet, even this desperate action brought no sympathy from them. Finally, as an act of helpless protest, Shamim poured the kerosene on himself and set himself on fire in front of everyone on the Abdullahpur-Bipel highway. He is now in critical condition at DMCH, as 25% of his body, including his face, received severe burn injuries. The district police super of Dhaka, Shah Shafiur Rahman Mizan said that an investigation is ongoing into any faults committed by the on-duty traffic police. He also said that Tk5,000 has been given to Shamim for medical reasons. Earlier this month, a disabled battery-run rickshaw puller died out of heart complications after his battery was confiscated by traffic police. Abdur Razzak, 32, was forced to drive a battery-run rickshaw instead of a regular rickshaw because of his disability. After his battery was seized, he could not bear the worry of the incident and later succumbed to death. Battery-driven rickshaws have been banned from being driven on highways all over Bangladesh since 2015. However, outside the capital, there is an abundance of such rickshaws. For many drivers and their families, a battery-run rickshaw is the only means of survival.

Final Fantasy: Memory of Heroes is a book consisting of three short stories written by Umemura Takashi, each a retelling of one of the three first Final Fantasy games. It was released on 31st October 2012.[1] The four Warriors of Light from the original Final Fantasy game are named in the novelization: Zest, the Fighter Sauber, the Thief Floe, the White Mage Daewoo, the Black Mage Contents show] Story Edit The four Warriors of Light awaken in a field not knowing who they are, where they're from and what they're doing there. Each bears a crystal shard, and they know they can rely on each other. The group decides to head for the nearest human habitation, which turns out to be the city of Cornelia, where they are identified as the Warriors of Light and take on the task to defeat the rogue knight Garland and save Princess Sarah. After doing so the four are advised to head where the earth is dying. They eventually take control of a ship and reach Melmond. They defeat the Vampire, and discover that more must be done to heal the land. They find Lich by the Earth Crystal who is defeated and the Earth Crystal regains its light. It tells the Warriors that they must bring back the light of the three other crystals as well. The next destination is Crescent Lake, where the Warriors of Light receive advice from the Circle of Sages. They head to Mount Gulg, take down Marilith, and return the light of the Fire Crystal. Discouraged by the task ahead, they nevertheless unearth an ancient airship with a stone found by the Fire Crystal, and on their way north encounter a huge dragon in the skies. The dragon presents them a task: to bring proof of their courage from the Citadel of Trials in exchange for more strength to complete their journey. The Warriors succeed, and emboldened by their success, reach Onrac. The city at first offers them nothing, but a strange girl asks if they are going to save the mermaids. After some hesitation, the Warriors agree to follow her, and the girl guides them to a huge barrel they can use to travel to the temple where the Water Crystal lies, the oxyale needed to breathe underwater, and instructions to save the crystal so that the mermaids may live. Despite their doubts the Warriors soon discover that mermaids do in fact live in the temple, and that in its deepest parts lives Kraken, guarding the crystal. The Warriors head on, chop Kraken to pieces and return the light of the Water Crystal. Onwards on their journey, the Warriors end up in the town of Lufenia whose people used to rule the skies where the Wind Crystal lies. The Lufenians guide them to the Mirage Tower that was used in ancient times to reach the Flying Fortress they used to live in. The Warriors climb the tower and encounter its guardian robots who have been waiting for a challenger for Tiamat ever since the Lufenians left the fortress. The robots show the Warriors recorded events of the day the fortress was evacuated by Cid, and activate the teleporter so they can head for the fortress themselves. The Warriors use it, and soon encounter Tiamat. The many-headed dragon is not an easy opponent but it eventually goes down, and the Wind Crystal regains its light. Instead of telling them that their job is done, the crystal urges the Warriors of Light to vanquish darkness from the world. Stumped, the Warriors exit the fortress and end up at Crescent Lake whose sages guide them to the Chaos Shrine where they find a portal that takes them through time to the shrine 2,000 years in the past. The past world is bright and almost hurts their eyes. At the entrance, the Warriors find the four Chaoses they defeated. Both sides are confused, with the Chaoses accusing the Warriors of Light of having come to destroy the era of light, while the Warriors accuse the Chaoses of plotting to destroy the world. Garland enters and reveals himself to be the mastermind behind everything, and absorbs the four Chaoses, becoming monster-shaped himself. His powers are unimaginable, and the Warriors are soon defeated. Zest, the warrior, refuses to lose. He rises up and calls for power. The crystal shards respond to his call and form a multi-elemental sword of light, and he defeats Chaos with it. The Warriors slumber in the light. Before losing consciousness, Zest wishes the four of them the best in their new adventures together. Destiny must never be left to chance, no one knows what the future holds except the Wild Rose. A world of light, and a world of darkness, joining forces to stop the Cloud destroying the land. This article or section is a stub in Final Fantasy: Memory of Heroes. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it Gallery Edit Add an image Trivia Edit This is the only time the original Four Warriors of Light are given names. Each Fiend has a unique, and in some cases, even graphic death.

With so many new series popping up on streaming services and DVD, it gets harder and harder to keep up with recent shows, much less the all-time classics. With TV Club 10, we point you toward the 10 episodes that best represent a TV series, classic or modern. They might not be the 10 best episodes, but they’re the 10 episodes that’ll help you understand what the show’s all about—without having to watch the whole thing. Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before: A small group of twentysomething friends try to navigate the treacherous waters of the real world after college. It’s the basic premise of any hang-out comedy, and it works just as often as it flops, both critically and popularity-wise. Somewhere in between the realm of working and flopping lies Two Guys, A Girl And A Pizza Place, later given the briefer and more hang-out appropriate title Two Guys And A Girl. Despite its relative ratings success and a winning ensemble cast featuring future stars Ryan Reynolds and Nathan Fillion, Two Guys And A Girl remains a somewhat forgotten sitcom. Advertisement The two guys and the girl were Reynolds as slacker-turned-med-student Michael “Berg” Bergen, Richard Ruccolo as the neurotic Pete Dunville, and Traylor Howard as Sharon Carter, the volatile professional of the bunch. When the series begins, Pete is only seven months away from 25. He’s in grad school, and obsessing over the fact that when his father was his age, he had a career, a house, a wife, and a child (that would be Pete). Meanwhile, his buddy and roommate Berg is a philosophy major—for now—and can’t even imagine a world where he has to be that decisive. Sharon (who lives in the apartment above them) works as a marketing executive for a chemical company, hating the fact that she sells a piece of her soul with every passing day. In the first season, the cast is rounded out with Pete’s girlfriend who’s not “The One” (Jennifer Westfeldt as Melissa), the owner of the pizza place (Julius Carry as Bill), and a regular patron who regales the characters with stories from his life that are actually movie plots (David Ogden Stiers as Mr. Bauer). It was young, hip, and completely off-brand with what ABC became in the following decade. While the network’s comedies have traditionally focused on the family, after the heyday of TGIF and Home Improvement, the ABC of the late ’90s found itself struggling to get out of third place, and in that failure found itself at a crossroads. Thus began a new, yellow-hued, and surprisingly controversial (yet highly memorable) advertising campaign for the 1997-98 season: “TV Is Good.” Advertisement The campaign was all about making television hip and cool, targeting Generation X-ers and viewers in the coveted 18 to 34 age bracket, the obvious audience demographic of Two Guys And A Girl. (If that weren’t evidence enough, a promo for the show’s second season premiere spoofed the era’s ubiquitous “Got Milk?” ads.) ABC was suffering an identity crisis, and while the next season saw the yellow color return with the new tagline “We love TV,” the supposed damage of the ironic, detached brand reboot was already done. Critical consensus was that Two Guys, A Girl And A Pizza Place was a dud, for all the reasons mentioned above. The first season is a mess at worst and a standard sitcom at best. The show’s greatest strength was the trio of Ruccolo, Reynolds, and Howard, and even that wasn’t good enough for critics. A People C+ review of the first season called Ryan Reynolds “a young, less ingratiating John Ritter.” Sharon fell into the trap of being an outspoken woman, which led to Entertainment Weekly calling the character “a too-short-skirted, inexplicably hostile career woman who can’t seem to hold on to a boyfriend.” “They should have named her Elaine McBeal,” the review states, as if that combination is a bad thing. The only thing more one-note than the show, it would seem, were all of the pizza jokes critics threw into their reviews. But unlike other non-Friends shows like Significant Others and House Rules that it was constantly compared to, Two Guys And A Girl actually made it past its first season. For season two, executive producer Danny Jacobson (Mad About You, Roseanne) claimed to be changing Two Guys And A Girl into “less of a a frat romp and tapping into more relatable issues.” Advertisement The show’s underlying and sometimes bizarre take on sitcom conventions made it salvageable. While plenty of criticism was directed at Mr. Bauer’s one-joke nature, few addressed the fact that such a weird character even existed—and even fewer addressed the fact that he successfully used the Jedi mind trick in one episode. The first-season finale featured a lengthy sendup of Apocalypse Now, starring Pete, not Mr. Bauer. On the surface, Two Guys And A Girl was a standard hang-out sitcom, but—much like its characters—it wanted to break free. So with its season-two refocus (the beginning of the “relatable” seasons) Two Guys And A Girl became what it wanted and needed to be. At least for a time: This season introduced Johnny Donnelly (Nathan Fillion) and Ashley Walker (Suzanne Cryer), love interests for Sharon and Berg, respectively. The Berg/Ashley relationship ushered in a new era and genre for the show entirely: romantic comedy. While the first season cast Berg as the slacker/womanizer sidekick in Pete’s search for “The One,” season two flipped a switch, realizing that Ryan Reynolds would make a much better and more convincing romantic lead. The show hit its creative peak as Berg pursued Ashley, with the added romantic bonus of Johnny and Sharon’s relationship building to a cliffhanger marriage proposal. The once hard-working, goal-oriented, and romantic Pete ended up dropping out of grad school, got stuck working at the pizza place, and developed feelings for Sharon despite her relationship with Johnny. In season three, it’s Berg’s world that’s crashing down around him, while Pete gets back on track, and Sharon—who finally quits her job after constantly talking about it—struggles with whether she wants to marry Johnny. As the show shrugged off its rom-com trappings, and ditching school as a factor (with the exception of Berg’s medical studies), Two Guys And A Girl let go of another defining trait in season three’s second episode, “Au Revoir Pizza Place.” With the help of a naked Blink-182 and a youngster named Germ (Giuseppe Andrews), the gang abandoned a setting whose remnants were already mostly gone. The fourth and final season was tonally off during its first half, as the characters had gone through the wringer so many times, it was hard to believe that they would ever have any reason to laugh or cause laughter. Germ became a regular character (and basically Berg’s best friend in his time of failure and need), reaching mass overexposure in an episode titled “A Germ Runs Through It.” Advertisement The original trio’s interactions were minimized in the last two seasons, as the realities of life caused them to drift apart. Pete’s quest for love merged with a personal attack on his friends, as he fell for both Berg’s mother (Bo Derek) and Ashley. ABC kept airing episodes out of production order, despite the fact that the show followed a linear narrative continuity. Even when Two Guys And A Girl was inconsistent, it never failed to try something new within the confines of its rigid multi-camera walls. The show was experimental in a way not typically seen in hang-out sitcoms—especially not in multi-camera sitcoms, though its contemporary The Drew Carey Show also went out of its way to do the same. If nothing else, that should be Two Guys And A Girl’s legacy: A series that constantly redefined itself. As Pete, Berg, and Sharon went through their quarter-life crises, so did the show. Like its characters and its network, Two Guys And A Girl was looking for an identity. Along the way, it touched something unique, and these are the 10 episodes—listed in original broadcast order—that best embody what that was. “The Pilot” (season one, episode one): In Two Guys And A Girl’s “frat romp” era, the introduction is full of everything critics didn’t like about the show. At this point, Ryan Reynolds’ gesticulating isn’t a part of his charm (or a punchline for the other characters to make), as he isn’t a known-enough quantity to have “a charm.” But the first line Sharon utters in the episode is a quick “You guys suck” to Pete and Berg (in the form of a greeting), telling viewers everything they need to know about what they’re getting into. Advertisement “Two Guys, A Girl And How They Met” (season one, episode 11): Answering the loaded question of why neither Berg nor Pete date Sharon (beyond Berg and Pete’s rather flippant answer of “She’s Sharon”), this flashback to the trio’s college and pre-pizza place days is full of goofy Milli Vanilli jokes and terrible facial hair. It’s also another example of just how much these characters could change in a short while, as Pete thinks his goatee is a good idea (and thought yet another girl was “The One”), Berg is a Russian economics major, and Sharon is saving the world, one petition at a time. It answers the question of how three kind-of-terrible people found each other and stuck together, even through all their identity crises. As for why they’re not dating Sharon, the answer is simple: “This girl is a nightmare.” “She’s like us. Only a chick.” Advertisement “Two Guys, A Girl And A Psycho Halloween”/“Halloween 2: Mind Over Body”/“The Satanic Curses” (season two, episode six/season three, episode six/season four, episode four): Much like the last three seasons themselves, there’s a case of diminishing returns with each Two Guys And A Girl Halloween episode, but that doesn’t negate the rush of watching them all in the first place. The first one, “Two Guys, A Girl And A Psycho Halloween” is a classic, with a “Psycho Berg” going on a spree and killing, well, everyone. The fact that it’s the first Halloween episode of the series makes it all the more unexpected and solidifies the “no rules” nature of these types of episodes: The episode’s twist is a sign of the times, and the morbid end tag is one of the most brilliant in the show’s run. Season three offers brain swapping and Ryan Reynolds and Nathan Fillion coming insanely close to kissing, and season four sees a satanic curse with an ending better than anything that comes before it. Advertisement “Two Guys, A Girl And Oxford” (season two, episode nine): Berg spends the episode living out the role of Richard Gere in a romantic comedy (while Pete lives out the role of Richard Gere in American Gigolo), making grand gesture after grand gesture to get Ashley to choose him over her long-distance boyfriend. It’s here that Ryan Reynolds’ future role as a leading man (and not the sidekick) is solidified. The ending to the episode is one of the more heartbreaking moments of the series, and still only a preview of what’s to come for the Berg/Ashley saga. Advertisement “Two Guys, A Girl And Barenaked Ladies” (season two, episode 21): Up until this point, Two Guys And A Girl hadn’t really pointed out just how self-involved and destructive the show’s original straight man was. Here, the traveling chorus of the Barenaked Ladies puts that point to music, as Pete looks for a new career and ruins the lives of others around him in the process. Until the episode tag, this comes across as less of a promotional ploy than Blink-182’s appearance in “Au Revoir Pizza Place.” But even with that gimmick looming overhead, it’s a fun experiment that leads to the show’s first farewell to the pizza place. Advertisement “Sunday In The Apartment” (season three, episode five): “Sunday In The Apartment” is 99 percent a bottle episode, with the gang finding every excuse not to go to a football game, see a movie, or get Chinese food, despite Pete’s promises to pay and the lies they accidentally tell crazed neighbor Irene (Jillian Bach) about meeting up with her. Bringing the Friends comparisons back, this aired three years after “The One Where No One’s Ready,” but in true Two Guys And A Girl fashion, the episode doesn’t put any emotional weight into the situation, instead focusing on just how shallow and trivial these characters can be. Advertisement “Bridesmaid Revisited” (season three, episode 13): Even on a list of the strangest episodes of the series, this one takes the (wedding) cake. “Bridesmaid Revisited” sees an a cappella group follow Ashley and Sharon around as their consciences, singing songs like Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On” (before that became synonymous with Bridesmaids) and Barbra Streisand’s “People.” The plot itself solidifies the friendship between Ashley and Sharon, previously bound only by Ashley being Berg’s girlfriend (and then ex-girlfriend who wouldn’t move out) and the fact that neither of them had any other girl friends. It’s odd, for the most part, but at times, the a capella moments actually lend themselves to genuine feelings. Advertisement “The Monitor Story” (season three, episode 14): Reminding the audience that crummy people are the key to any acceptable hang-out show (but not too crummy, Mixology), “The Monitor Story” sees new apartment superintendents Sharon and Johnny stumble upon a set of monitors, allowing them to watch every one of their friends and tenants like television shows. Sharon and Johnny become obsessed with the monitors, using them as a tool to manipulate their friends, all while Two Guys And A Girl pays tribute to Alfred Hitchcock with riffs on Rear Window and Psycho. But what really makes “The Monitor Story” work is that neither Sharon nor Johnny really learn anything from the experience. Advertisement “The One Without Dialogue” (season four, episode six): Obviously, this is a tip of the hat to Friends in terms of episode titles, because if you’re going to get such comparisons, you might as well lean into them. The thing about “The One Without Dialogue” is that it’s more a set of vignettes than it is a true episode; a spiritual and more narrative successor would arrive three episodes later, in the form of “The Drip.” Pete’s storyline is the big one, as his never-ending search for “The One” turns into a beautiful Singin’ In The Rain ballet homage, but the episode is also a good one for the physical comedy of Ryan Reynolds. “The Internet Show” (season four, episode 22): In the gimmick episode to end all Two Guys And A Girl gimmick episodes, the unexpected series finale found each of the series’ regular female characters possibly pregnant. The show left it up to the internet to decide who was expecting, choosing from Sharon (the obvious choice), Ashley (the actual winner), Irene, or no one. Being the series’ last episode, “The Internet Show” left things on a cliffhanger, as Ashley being pregnant coincided with her departing for a residency at Stanford. (If you wanted to see the other outcomes, the episode ended with each filmed version.) And so Two Guys And A Girl drew to a close, raising more questions about these characters’ futures than they could raise themselves. Next time: Joshua Alston selects 10 strains of Weeds.

Michael Buck, a 59-year-old retired art teacher from Oxfordshire, England, managed to build a gorgeous cob house in his garden for a mere £150 (USD $250). Buck adhered to some basic principles to keep costs down—he used only materials that he could find himself, and he made sure that no power tools were used in the home's construction. The rock-bottom price is an inspiration for anyone who feels that home ownership is an unattainable goal. Buck initially designed the home on the back of an envelope, and then spent over two years collecting local materials that he foraged or salvaged himself. The floorboards were from a neighbor’s derelict boat, while the glass for the windows was salvaged from a scrapped truck. Even the straw used to thatch the rooftop was collected from fields in the surrounding area. The house has no electricity and no running water, but a nearby creek provides an ample source of fresh water. Buck keeps the house warm with a woodstove, which provides more than enough to heat the house thanks to its insulated cob walls. An artfully crafted spherical pile of stacked wood outside provides fuel for the stove, a chicken coop offers up free food, while a nearby well serves as a refrigerator. And no house would be complete without a composting toilet—this sits in a separate outhouse. Buck wanted to set an example for others, and only had to pay the $250 when he ran out of straw and nails during construction. As he puts it: “A house doesn’t have to cost the earth, you only need the earth to build it. I wanted to show that houses don’t have to cost anything. We live in a society where we spend our lives paying our mortgages, which many people don’t enjoy.” + Michael Buck Via TreeHugger Images by Michael Buck

I love pancakes to the moon and back. They’re just so flipping good (yes, that was almost a pun)! Here’s one of my favourite pancake recipes. Because of the bananas in the batter you don’t need any sweetener, so it’s sugarless! It also happens to be vegan…and it is really low in calories, but don’t worry, what is sacrificed in calories is not traded off for flavour! In my mind, this equals the perfect pancake. Vegan Banana Oatmeal Pancakes 1 ¼ cup old fashioned oats ½ cup organic whole wheat flour 2 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. sea salt 1 ½ cups soymilk* 2 ripe bananas *Or a dairy-free milk – I like using this store bought almond milk or my homemade almond milk Blend all the ingredients in a blender, except the bananas. Now add the bananas and continue to blend (in blender) until the bananas are smooth. Pour onto a hot griddle (lightly oiled with olive oil or coconut oil) and cook. Once the pancake bubbles on one side, it’s time to flip it to the other. This makes a dozen, medium-sized pancakes, serving 4 people. I love these pancakes with a little bit of peanut butter with real maple syrup…these pancakes are very fluffy and it tastes like a giant marshmallow AND it’s healthy! Soooo good. Okay, I need to stop drooling on the keyboard. You know what’s weird though? I do not like waffles…in fact, they are one food I really, really don’t like. Isn’t that strange? It’s not really the taste, it’s the texture of all those little squares…I don’t know…maybe I’ve just never had the perfect waffle. Nutritional Info (per pancake): Cals: 64, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 102mg, Carbs: 12g, Fibre: 1g, Sugar: 2.5g, Protein: 2g So what is it…pancakes or waffles? What are you favourite toppings for pancakes? You might like these recipes:

How could Catalonia line up? And what would Spain's national team look like? Cesc Fabregas (L) and Gerard Pique are among a number of Spanish players born within the autonomous region of Catalonia If Catalonia was to gain independence, how would their potential side line up? And what would Spain's national team look like? The weekend's La Liga action was overshadowed by events off the pitch, with protests taking place in relation to the Catalonian independence referendum. Catalan officials said that more than 750 people were injured in clashes between police and people trying to vote in the referendum, which the national government declared illegal. Real Madrid fans hoisted Spanish flags in their match with Espanyol to protest against Catalan independence Real Madrid fans hoisted Spanish flags in their match with Espanyol to protest against Catalan independence Barcelona played Sunday's match against Las Palmas behind closed doors, while Gerard Pique went on to say he would quit the Spanish national side if his support for Catalan's independence became a problem. Pique is one of four players from Catalonia to feature in Spain's current 25-man squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers alongside Jordi Alba, Marc Bartra and Sergio Busquets. Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas is also from the autonomous region, as is former Barcelona midfielder Xavi, who quit international duty in 2014 but made an appearance for Catalonia in a 3-3 friendly draw with Tunisia last December. Here's a look at how Catalonia could potentially line up… Meanwhile, here's a look at how Spain would line up if the Catalonia contingent were to become unavailable…

Portland, Oregon (CNN) He sat in a German brewpub in Southeast Portland for more than an hour without being recognized. Wearing Levi's, boots, and a light-blue dress shirt, he ate a Reuben sandwich and chatted up the waitress. While looking at the menu, he quipped that it was "criminal" to use words like "notes" — as in "lovely banana-fruity notes"— in the beer descriptions. It wasn't until the waitress ran his credit card and brought back the check that she realized she'd been serving one of Oregon's two US senators. "Sen. Merkley, oh my gosh," she said, as she handed him his receipt. "I'm star struck. I didn't have context for your face. I'm so proud that you represent us." Jeff Merkley, the soft-spoken Democrat, has a way of sneaking up on people, both in casual settings and more formally in his political career. He may not be the most bombastic personality in the room, but he's managed to maneuver his way from a blue-collar neighborhood in Portland — where he still lives — to the Oregon House to the US Senate, without losing a race. And as 2020 approaches, he might be quietly mounting a bid to run for president in what will likely be a crowded Democratic primary. "If Jeff doesn't feel that there is a strong progressive voice in the race, it would motivate him to get in," said a source close to the senator. "He's committed to making sure Democrats have a progressive choice." Merkley, 60, has seen his profile rise in the past year, in part because he was the only senator to endorse Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary, but also because of his biting attacks against President Donald Trump. JUST WATCHED How realistic are Sanders' promises? Supporter Sen. Merkley responds Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH How realistic are Sanders' promises? Supporter Sen. Merkley responds 05:32 He's not up for re-election until 2020, and he plans to hit the trail for colleagues fighting to keep their seats in the midterm elections, a move that will further raise his name recognition. Asked at the brewpub if he was interested in a presidential bid, the senator said his mind is "completely in the 2018 battle" but acknowledged a lot of Democrats will be angling to take on Trump. He alluded to the old joke that every senator wakes up in the morning and sees a future president in the mirror. "Right now, every elected Democrat in the nation knows they'd be a better president than Donald Trump," he said. "And I'm not just talking the House and the Senate, I'm talking every city council member, mayor, and county commissioner knows that they would be a better president," he continued. "So I'm sure we'll have many people sharing their thoughts and considering participating in the effort to make sure Donald Trump's damage to this country is limited to this four year period." Merkley having a moment Indeed, the progressive lane alone could have some stiff competition. Potential contenders include Sanders again, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota -- three household names in Democratic politics and three of Merkley's good friends in the Senate. Merkley has neither the charisma nor the attention-grabbing flare of any of them, but one Democratic Senate aide argued voters may be looking for a softer style in 2020. "After four years of Trump, that could be a huge asset." The senator, now in his second-term, has been actively working with progressive groups and building a reputation as a leading voice in the grassroots movement. "I would say he has a rising national profile," said Sarah Badawi, co-leader of legislative affairs work with the Warren-aligned Progressive Change Campaign Committee. "Obviously, he's well-known on the West Coast, but whenever something is happening on a progressive issue, Jeff Merkley is not far behind. People are recognizing that and more and more are coming to see him as a leading champion on the Hill." Badawi described him as being "at the tip of the spear" when it comes to progressive rallying cries like the public option in the health care debate, debt-free college, and the expansion of social security benefits. Merkley was one of several Democrats who spoke last month at a daylong event hosted by the liberal think tank Center for American Progress , which was widely seen as the first big cattle call for the 2020 Democratic primary. Standing out among Trump critics He made national headlines when he launched a 15-hour plus talkathon on the Senate floor against the nomination of Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court earlier this year, something he joked was "more uncomfortable" than the Ironman triathlon he completed last year. JUST WATCHED Senator: SCOTUS nominee is far extreme right Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Senator: SCOTUS nominee is far extreme right 01:17 Also on the Senate floor, he got national attention when he backed up Warren in February after she was censured for reading a 1986 letter from Coretta Scott King against the then-nomination of Jeff Sessions to a federal court. In support of Warren, Merkley came to the floor that night to read the same letter. Despite his gentle demeanor, he's become one of the fiercest critics of Trump and his administration in the Senate, particularly when it comes to anything related to White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, whom Merkley early on labeled a "white supremacist." And after the stabbings in May of three men -- two fatally -- who came to the defense of a pair of African-American teenage girls on a light-rail train in Portland, Merkley told CNN he felt Trump was responsible for a larger wave of violence and hate crimes in the country. He voted "no" against 18 of 22 Trump Cabinet and other top administration nominees , tying with Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California. The only senators who voted against more nominees were Warren, Sanders and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York. And the left-leaning magazine The Nation named him "the most valuable senator" in its 2016 Progressive Honor Roll , calling him an "essential opposition leader" who "knows how the Senate works and pulls no punches when it comes to taking on racism, sexism, economic inequality, climate change, and Trumpism." A history of long shots Jeff Mapes, a senior political reporter for Oregon Public Broadcasting, noted that even though Merkley lacks charisma, the senator has a long history of defying expectations. "The guy does have a lot of ambition, and he is somebody who is willing to take long shots," said Mapes, who has covered Merkley for years. Merkley was born in Myrtle Creek, Oregon, where his father worked as a mechanic at a lumber mill. The first in his family to attend college, he muses that he ended up at Stanford almost by "pure accident," saying he applied to elite schools at the last minute simply because his vice principal gave him the names of schools and told him apply. "So I showed up on Stanford's campus not knowing a damn thing about the school," he said. He went on to get a graduate degree at Princeton and got a job as an analyst at the Pentagon and in the Congressional Budget Office. He then returned to Oregon to head up the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Portland and also served as president of the World Affairs Council there. In 1998, he ran for the Oregon House of Representatives. An article in Portland Monthly describes Merkley's state house bid as an unlikely endeavor, with no staff or polling in a crowded four-way primary. Merkley, the article said, would jog from house to house, asking people to put his campaign sign in their yards since political signs were banned on bigger streets, even though his opponents didn't follow those rules. Merkley won. During his next four terms in the Oregon House, he would work to help Democrats win the majority. They found victory in that pursuit in 2006, and soon after that, Merkley became Speaker. Boosted by his political wins, Merkley set his eyes on another challenge and successfully unseated Republican Gordon Smith from the US Senate in 2008. "His history is being willing to take gambles like that," Mapes said. His time as senator Since being in the Senate, Merkley has risen to a low-level leadership position as chief deputy whip in the Democratic caucus. He sits on four committees: Budget, Appropriations, Foreign Relations, and Environment and Public Works. Democratic leadership aides describe Merkley as a smart, under-the-radar senator who has his pulse on the grassroots movement. "He's quiet but doesn't have to be loud to make his point heard," one top Democratic aide said. Frustrated by Republican obstructionism when Democrats held control of the Senate, Merkley became a big backer of filibuster reform, calling to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to advance legislation and nominees. He also wanted to restore the tradition of a talking filibuster, where senators had to literally stand on the floor and keep talking to hold up key votes. Merkley did however blast Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's recent move to remove the 60-vote threshold for Supreme Court nominees as a "dark deed," which led critics to accuse him of hypocrisy. Legislatively, Merkley also put himself on the map with his push to get breastfeeding rights included in Obamacare, and he's continued to introduce legislation to expand those rights to cover salaried workers. That initiative mimics a law he got passed in Oregon in 2007. He authored provisions against predatory mortgages in the Dodd-Frank bill, and was active on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which the Senate passed in 2013 when Democrats still had control of the Congress; the legislation prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Furthermore, Merkley is adamant about legislation he co-introduced that would aim for 100% renewable energy use by 2050 to fight climate change. A day in Portland Merkley might seem tranquil in comparison to some larger-than-life politicians, but he's nonetheless engaged and smiles often -- as exemplified during a recent day he spent in his home state. He answered one question about his record for 17 minutes at the brewpub, growing more animated as time went on and speaking loud enough to drown out Lionel Richie's "Don't Stop," which was playing in the background. While on tours of a vinyl record factory and a knife factory in the Portland area, he was inquisitive, asking detailed questions about the products and recalling his own time working in a factory as a young man. He next spoke to a group of locally elected officials sitting in a circle of chairs. Hunched over in his seat, he offered assurances that Trump's budget, which had just been announced days earlier, wouldn't end up as "dramatic" as proposed and spoke as fluently about questions over public lands and timber issues as he did about appropriations. At a town hall in Clackamas, Oregon, he fielded questions from constituents for an hour, then spent another 45 minutes talking one-on-one with people afterward. One Washington-based Democratic strategist, who asked not to be named in order to speak freely, argued it's going to be a challenge for Merkley to turn up the heat if he runs for president, noting the range of other potential contenders includes some who have celebrity status like Sen. Cory Booker or billionaire Mark Cuban. "You're going to have to have a really loud voice to cut through a crowded field," the strategist said. What he lacks in volume, however, could be made up for with his blue collar appeal, his supporters argue. "When I think about Jeff, I think of someone who has a unique ability to channel a lot of what Bernie Sanders' supporters are looking for in a candidate, while also having a unique ability to speak to Trump supporters, as well," said a former Merkley staffer, who also asked not to be named. "He doesn't have to fake it to speak to the concerns of working class voters, because that's who he is." Blythe Nordbye, a voter who attended Merkley's town hall, was intrigued at the idea when asked how she felt about a potential Merkley White House bid. "I'd have to think about that," she said as she began to seemingly think out loud. "He's got experience. He's got good principles. He doesn't represent money, he represents people." Still, voters at the town hall were quick to point out that it's very early to start talking about possible 2020 candidates. "I hesitate to start floating names," said Margy Lowe of Rhododendron, Oregon. "They become lightning rods."

What did I tell you? The EIA has done it again. First, it is important to remember that weekly EIA production numbers are just estimates (except for Alaska, which is near real time). For the week ending on May 22, the EIA reported a monster increase in production of 3 percent from the week before; way above what has essentially been a flat trend line for several months. On an inventory basis, crude stocks fell over 2 million barrels versus a 1 million barrel gain from the API inventory report. The main culprit, which was the reason for past stock gains, was a fall in imports as well as continued strong gasoline demand as refiner’s ramp post seasonal maintenance. Related: Which East African Nation Will Win The LNG Race? I warned oil enthusiasts that EIA numbers are very suspect and this latest game just shows you how suspect they really are. After production flat lining around 9.3 million barrels per day since February, even declining a bit in recent weeks, last week the EIA says that output jumped by 300,000 barrels per day? And out of the blue, they decided that the March baseline should be raised 130,000 barrels per day (Bbls/day) (“based on what?”, I ask) and then decided to estimate another 75,000 Bbls/day for the week ending May 22 (again, “based on what rig count?”). Related: Iraqi Oil Sector Shrugs Off ISIS Threat True, Alaskan output climbed 95,000 Bbls/day after falling quite a bit the week earlier and this figure is probably accurate. However, after I and others have repeatedly called out the EIA for over estimating output and underestimating demand, what do they do? Magically revise figures higher at the perfect time when prices are being beaten down by Goldman Sachs and others as the economy slows. And, as a reminder, this comes at the time when the US government decides that the seasonal GDP adjustment needs to be adjusted again to better reflect growth in the economy. Also, let us not forget what all the rail data showed in late winter: that production is slowing, not going up. What is disturbing is that the EIA continues to do the opposite of what hard indicators are saying by revising production up instead of down, a move that I had expected. I will admit that in the first quarter of this year E&P companies did show marginally better output in their quarterly results, although not by a huge amount. But the fact is, no hard evidence exists to justify these revisions that go counter to the physical data such as rail figures, rig count, depletion etc. Remember, production numbers are just estimates. And the EIA actions come at a time when fudging via Related: Coal Facing Worst Year Yet in 2015 government agencies appears accepted as the norm when it supports policy. In the end, the most important takeaway here is that there wasn’t any surge in output in May, but simply math games at the EIA. By Leonard Brecken of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

Change the temperature of your Nest Learning Thermostat™ with just a few taps and without ever opening an app. That's the beauty of Thessa, an incredibly easy to use widget that allows you to control your Nest Thermostat, right from Notification Center on your iPhone or iPad. Prefer your wrist? Thessa is on Apple Watch, too! You can also use Thessa to turn your Thermostat on or off, or change the Home or Away state. Do it from your home or even on the go. - Set the target temperature for your thermostat. - Check the current temperature and humidity. - Set states like Home and Away. - Supports both Celsius and Fahrenheit. - Supports multiple Learning Thermostats. Use of Thessa requires at least one Nest Learning Thermostat. Got a Mac? Don't forget to check out the Thessa Widget for Mac OS X Yosemite in the Mac App Store!

Transform more of your landscape and get a coupon from SAWS to help you pay for every 200 square feet of grass you remove! The wait is over — it's time to put your fall landscaping plans in motion. The 2019 spring edition of WaterSaver Coupons have returned and are waiting for you! Imagine transforming your landscape and getting a coupon from SAWS to help you pay for every 200 square feet of grass you remove! All while saving water and money. SAWS residential customers can apply for up to four WaterSaver coupons to replace part of your thirsty lawn with lush, drought-tolerant garden beds and/or permeable patios. Combine the Landscape and Patioscape coupons any way you like. Apply by May 31 and redeem your coupons by July 31, 2019. Here's How it Works Take a single photo of your project site where you plan to remove grass and install your new landscape bed and/or patioscape. For each coupon, you must remove at least 200 square feet of lawn grass, the single most water-demanding element in a residential landscape. WaterSaver Landscape Coupon — $100 Pick 15 drought-tolerant plants from more than 100 gorgeous plants in any combination to create a 200 square feet garden bed you'll admire for years. Pick 15 drought-tolerant plants from more than 100 gorgeous plants in any combination to create a 200 square feet garden bed you'll admire for years. WaterSaver Patioscape Coupon — $100 ($200 if you have an irrigation system) Purchase enough flagstone, pavers or stepping stones (your choice) to create a contiguous 200 square foot patioscape, perfect for an outdoor living space. Each coupon is intended to cover only a portion of the cost. You may apply for four coupons in each season (spring and fall) in any combination of Landscape and Patioscape coupons, but there is a lifetime limit of eight coupons per service account. That’s up to 1,600 square feet of outdoor space that can be transformed from bland to beautiful. Eligible customers will receive an email with their eCoupon(s) within one week. It will be sent to the email address provided in the application. Customers who apply for multiple coupons will receive them in separate emails. Redeem your eCoupons from your mobile device at participating stores. A cashier will enter the store code on your mobile device to validate the coupon. A printed version or screenshot of the coupon will not work. Planning and design are key to making smart water-saving landscape changes. Be sure to identify and measure the areas to change and visualize the beautiful lush flower beds and inviting outdoor living spaces you can create with the WaterSaver coupons. Have an irrigation system? If you have an automatic irrigation system, schedule a free irrigation consultation now. To take advantage of the WaterSaver coupons, you’ll need to cap all the irrigation heads in the area where you will install beds or patios. If the required changes to your system are extensive, you may also qualify for our residential irrigation design rebate, which may further defray the cost of your project. Homeowners that have an irrigation system must schedule a free SAWS irrigation consult to qualify for a coupon. To schedule your consult, call 704-SAVE (7283) or email consult@saws.org. Photo Inspection and Special Mulch Coupon You can get a $50 special mulch coupon this spring after you redeem your WaterSaver coupon(s) and complete your project. Apply for your WaterSaver Landscape or Patioscape coupons by May 31. Redeem the coupon(s). After redeeming a WaterSaver Coupon, you''ll receive an email with a link to submit an inspection form and up to three (3) photos of your completed project. Apply by July 31, 2019. You’ll receive an email with a link to the mulch application. Attach photos of your completed project to the form. After approval, we’ll send your mulch coupon via email. Redeem it with your mobile device at participating mulch vendors (same as Rewards Mulch Retailers). Completed project photos and inspection form must be submitted by July 31, 2019. Special mulch coupon expires Aug. 15, 2019.

HOUSTON -- A 23-year-old man has been charged with capital murder in the shooting deaths of his girlfriend and her baby daughter in their Houston home on Friday. Authorities said Monday that they believed the suspect, Jonathan Figueroa, is heading toward the Mexican border in a maroon Ford Taurus with Texas license plates CTS3225. Homicide detectives said that before Veronica Mercado died, Figueroa made statements to a friend that caused the friend concern for Mercado's welfare. When police went to her home to check on her, they found the front door forced open, CBS affiliate KHOU reports. Mercado, 26, and her daughter, Linette Cano, had been shot multiple times and died at the scene. Mercado was found still holding the child, who would have turned 2 Nov. 21, the station reported. The home's front door had been forced open. Mercado's two older children were at school at the time. A co-worker said Mercado was having problems with Figueroa and was afraid of him. "There is a history of family violence going on here," said Houston Police Department Sgt. Mark Holbrook, according to the station. Figueroa is not the child's father.

Working in a global retail environment poses some interesting availability challenges when you have physical Bricks and Mortar stores. I have been thinking about the problem of high availability in this environment for a little while now due to a project I am involved with to harmonise the retail systems used between global groups. It is quite a common problem for an organisation that has grown through acquisition that you have different systems used in different business units, but after a while it makes sense to try and go with a common platform. This article talks about how this architecture could look and how you can support the staggered roll-out of new Point of Sale features to the store whilst still maintaining high availability. Logical View Before I talk about the architecture, I want to cover a scenario first of the end state. Imagine there is a global retail company based in both North America and Europe. Both territories have around 1000 physical bricks and mortar stores. These stores each have a number of tills (cash registers for my American friends). There could be between 2 and 5 tills per store depending on its size. Each till communicates with systems hosted at a centralised location. These systems consist of web services, caching servers and databases. This has been illustrated in the diagram below. This diagram shows 2 geographic regions. Each Region contains a head office network infrastructure and a store network infrastructure. Both of the global regions are completely separate from each other. There are no shared resources between the two. A requirement for this architecture is that it be highly available. The stores should always have access to the services. The easiest thing to do is to put a load balancer in front of the web services and have multiple app servers. Then if any app server should go down or exhibit problems, the other load balancers can pick up the slack. Physical Architecture Although the App Servers described are load balanced and provide a degree of availability, if there is a problem/outage with the data centre where they are hosted, then you have a problem as no matter how many load balanced App Servers you have, if connectivity goes to the data centre then your retail stores are cut off from working. The way around this is to have co-location facilities in each region. This is shown in the diagram below. Each global region has 2 locations. There are 2 ways you can run this configuration. Active – Active: This is where you run both locations at the same time and load balance between the 2 of them. If one location goes down the other location picks up the traffic. Active – Passive : In this configuration, you run one location as active and have all your traffic point to this location. The 2nd location is running cold and is only there if location 1 has problems. My preferred option is to run Active – Active and always have both data centres running. If you run Active – Passive it is very easy for the 2nd location to get out of date if you are not disciplined. If this happens and you need to switch over to the 2nd location, you could cause a big outage as the centralised services may not match up with the client point of sale system in the store. Regardless of whether you’re Active-Active or Active-Passive, you will need to keep the databases synced between the 2 locations. You do this with whatever replication technology is available to your database system. I am currently looking into SQL Server 2012 HADRON. Typical Head Office Deployment So far I have covered the logical and physical architecture with regards to high availability. But now I want to take a closer look at a typical deployment scenario within one of the locations. I work with Microsoft technologies so this is all swayed towards .NET. There is nothing particularly special about this set-up and it should look very familiar to most developers, but I want to just cover it off before talking about pre-release and beta testing in a retail environment. The diagram below shows a typical services deployment scenario. I will start at the top and work my way down. In the top layer you have the databases used by your applications and systems. On the left I have the application databases and on the right the App Fabric monitoring database. The monitoring database is used monitor the performance and errors from the app servers. App Fabric is a set of middle-ware technologies for Windows Server, released by Microsoft. It consists of two main features, Hosting and Caching. App Fabric features provide an easy way to deploy and manage Workflow and WCF services. App Fabric includes an extension of the IIS web server tool that enables IIS administrators to monitor the performance of services and workflows. App Fabric caching is an in memory, distributed cache that runs on one or more on-premise servers to provide a performance and scalability boost for .NET Framework applications. App Fabric caches store data in key-value pairs using the physical memory across multiple servers. Below the database layer there is a caching layer. The example in the diagram references the App Fabric Cache, but you can use any kind of distributed in memory cache. The idea with this layer is to store any frequently accessed, but not often changed data so that the client can access this data quicker. The caching servers need to contain a lot of RAM as the data is cached in memory for speed of access. Below the caching servers are the Application Servers. These are the servers that contain the Web Services accessed by the client point of sale application running on the store tills. In the example above these servers are Windows Servers running the IIS web server and Windows Server App Fabric. Each App Server is added into a Load Balancer group to distribute the load across the multiple servers. Because of this you need to ensure that each App Server contains identical web services. Whenever I set an environment up like this I always make sure I have an even amount of App Servers and plan for double the capacity that I need. This is to facilitate doing a Zero Downtime Deployment where during a deployment you temporarily switch down to half the server capacity. I explain how the Zero Downtime Deployment model works in my article about Composing Web Services into Layers. Zero Downtime Deployment is a deployment mode where upon deploying software you can do so without causing an outage. The method described in the link above gives an easy method for performing a roll-back should you encounter a problem with a deployment. Piloting and Beta Testing An important requirement in a retail environment is to be able to pilot changes to your point of sale system. By this I mean when a new version of the POS is ready you want to gradually roll it out to all the stores in a safe and controlled manner. As an example you may want to pilot new features with 10% of the stores first. Then pilot with 25%, followed by 50%, and finally 100% full roll-out. In this next section of the article I want to discuss some different deployment patterns that you can use for piloting. Each pattern has its pros and cons. Your choice of piloting pattern will depend on your circumstances, and budgets. The examples demonstrated below are per location per region. So, for example, the European Region has 2 locations in separate data centres and the ideas below would apply to each region. In the examples in this article you will have noticed that even though we use separate sets of app servers and cache servers for managing piloting and high availability, we only have a single set of instances for the databases. It is important that you use your particular database technologies high availability features to mitigate against any single point of failures. This may include things like clustering or sharding. Also when you design your database tables you need to ideally design the schema for extension and not modification, this is a little like the Open/Closed principal in object oriented design. Single Instance to the Side This is the simplest of the patterns. Here if you want to pilot versions of the Point of Sale system, you deploy the POS to the tills and then point them at a separate instance of the App Server at head office. You also want a separate instance of the memory cache server. PRO : Easy to Set-up – Out of all of the patterns described here, this is the easiest to set-up. CON : Creates a Single Point of Failure – By only having 1 app server for piloting on and several stores connected to that server, you are creating a single point of failure. If you have say 20 stores connected to that server and it goes down, then you have 20 stores unable to work. Small Load Balanced Setup to the Side This version builds up on the single server to the side model and creates a smaller load balanced environment at a reduced capacity to the main environment. This gives you a level redundancy in case one of the App Servers goes down. PRO : Level of Redundancy – By using a couple of servers in a load balanced group you get a degree of redundancy in case one App Server goes down. CON : Additional Complexity – This is more complicated to set-up and run compared to the single server version. Master / Slave Environment The Master / Slave environment is a much more complex environment to set up, but it gives you a much more flexible environment to work in with regards to high availability. This version maintains separate versions of the deployed App Server and Caching Servers. The original set of servers is called the Master and the 2nd set is called the Slave. All your retail stores are pointing towards the load balancer for the Master. As you roll out a pre-release version of the Point of Sale system, you deploy it to the Slave environment. Then you start gradually moving stores over to the Slave. Once all the stores have been migrated to the Slave environment, it becomes the new Master, and the previous Master becomes the Slave. PRO : Level of Redundancy – By having a duplicate deployment environment in each location you are ensuring that your pre-release services are in an identical load balanced environment. PRO : Slave becomes Master – Once you have completed the migration of tills over to the Slave environment, it becomes the new Master. This makes the deployment process much smoother to manage. CON : Additional Complexity – This is a much more complex set-up to maintain as you need a duplicate of each App Server and Cache Cluster Group Per Location and Region. This doubles the size of the environment. Canary Testing (Champion / Challenger) The final model I want to present builds upon the Master / Slave scenario. In the previous version you would deploy your pre-release / piloting version to the slave set-up and then migrate stores over to the slave. When this is completed, the Slave would become the new master. In the Canary Testing scenario you deploy the new version to the slave as before, and then have a routing service that performs a champion challenger redirect to the desired version. Champion challenger lets you define a split in traffic, so that, for example, you can say 10% of the requests go to the Master and 90% goes to the Slave. Over time you adjust the split so that eventually 100% points to the slave. This works great provided the version of the client software on the tills can work with changes on both the Master and the Slave. If the Slave introduces breaking changes then this model will not work that well. The previous Master/Slave scenario above works better when there is a completely different version of the Client software. PRO : Level of Redundancy – By having a duplicate deployment environment in each location you are ensuring that your pre-release services are in an identical, load balanced environment. PRO : Champion / Challenger – Allows you to define the split in traffic going to both the Master and the Slave environment. CON : Complexity – This is a much more complex set-up to maintain as you need a duplicate of each App Server and Cache Cluster Group Per Location and Region. This doubles the size of the environment. There is also additional complexity in using an A/B Router to split the traffic. You need to ensure this mechanism doesn’t introduce a single point of failure. CON : Single Client – This only really works if the client software running on your tills can work with the services on the Master and the Slave, i.e. you haven’t introduced any breaking changes. Conclusion In this article I have talked about potential ways of introducing High Availability into a global retail store environment where you have many physical bricks and mortar stores. As with any solution, there are multiple ways to solve the same problem, and I am sure there are many ways to solve this particular problem, these are just the thoughts I have been having on it recently. If you have had to solve this kind of retail scaling and availability scenario, I would love to hear in the comments how you tackled it. Advertisements

Saturday afternoon, I read about how the U.S. had bombed the only hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan, which was being staffed by the French volunteer group, Doctors without Borders.I recalled the 2004 U.S. bombings of a hospital in Fallujah. So I tossed out a tweet – Blowing up that Kunduz hospital is a small price to pay in the greater campaign to rid the world of extremist violence. — James Bovard (@JimBovard) October 3, 2015 Nattie Roman responded with a great quip – @JimBovard @scotthortonshow "You mean we were supposed to blow up insurgents? I thought you said surgeons." — Nattie Roman (@TsarKastik) October 4, 2015 Her tweet got lots of pickup – boosted after I replied, “Close enough for government work.” Then Wick Allison, the chairman of the board of the American Ideas Institute, the publisher of the American Conservative (where I’m a contributing editor), replied with a message aimed at me and Clark Stooksbury, another contributing editor who had retweeted (or favorite) my original line: @JimBovard @clarkstooksbury Sorry you weren't in it. Might have introduced a different perspective. — Wick Allison (@wickallison) October 3, 2015 Allison later clarified that he lives in an “irony-free zone” and missed my attempted humor. After Angela Keaton @antiwar2 kindly retweeted my original line, the topic reheated. Here’s an insightful response from a twitter user named DJkilllist Go fuck yourself, you terrible motherfucker https://t.co/8zdw7d1Oyz — djkilllist (@djkilllist) October 5, 2015 On Saturday Kevin McKenzie replied to my original tweet, so I tossed out another line exonerating all government killings: .@kevinmckenz Govt. killings are never extremist because they are done for the good of the people. — James Bovard (@JimBovard) October 4, 2015 Alas, this was not well-received by Twitter users calling themselves Anarchoantihero and Lo https://twitter.com/anarchoantihero/status/651107178896560128 Regardless, I continue to have unbounded hope that social media will cure all the ills of Attention Deficit Democracy. If nothing else, my Twitter account will increase the number of people who dance at my funeral – or who at least do cartwheels upon hearing of my demise.

Okay. Deep breaths here. Let me just start by saying I’m sure I’m going to do something insanely untraditional and offensive at my wedding if I ever have a wedding. I realize it’s batshit insane to assume that someone would spend their life with me and my collection of lesbian sneakers, but let’s just go with it for now. If I get married, I’ll probably wear bedazzled sweatpants or take irony new level and wear a wife beater. I’ll also proceed to get blackout drunk and get liver poisoning. I’m sure I’ll get in a fist fight with someone I’m pretending to be friends with just so they’ll get me a wedding gift. It’s going to be like an episode of Flavor of Love but with pigs in a blanket. So, I’m all for unique and different. Hell, I’m all for being shocking and insane. But this. THIS. I’m overwhelmed. I mean this woman had so many chances to abort this decision. It’s one thing to make a bad decision but another to keep reinforcing it. I imagine a woman’s wedding day is the day of her life when a she looks in the mirror the most times. This hot mess kept checking herself out over and over again and going “yup, still a good idea. Still gonna wear a skirt with two fabric-y ears over my nipples to my wedding day." Now, trust me. I’m the first person to go, "Whit, (that’s what I call myself when I talk to myself in my head) are you just being bitter and jealous because your sternum looks like that of a seven year old asian boy and you could never wear a frock like this?” I entertained that. If I had boobs like that, would I wear a similar ensemble? The answer is yes I would. But not on my WEDDING DAY in front of my FAMILY. Would I think about it? Yes. Would I want to wear it and invite all my ex boyfriends in a misguided attempt to make them miss what they threw away? Absolutely. But, I wouldn’t go through with it. Not because I have class or morals. I just…I don’t know. This is beyond any of that. I know I’m all over the place here but, I mean, isn’t she cold? Maybe it’s more the shape of the boobs that are bothering me. They look like they’re out of an issue of National Geographic. And the Claire’s Accessories pearl choker monstrosity jammed between them feels very wicked witch…of the breast. And guy? This is the mother of your children? I don’t know. Maybe she’ll be a good mom. Her babies certainly won’t starve. I guess I just don’t think women should be wearing wedding gowns that look like they were dreamed by Larry from Three’s Company. I guess my point is: at your wedding your supposed to have rice thrown at you, not dollar bills. I’m sure her guests felt incredibly unprepared. P.S. This is not off my chest. I am still very stressed out about this.

The dragon is one of the most well-known creatures in ancient mythology, and many cultures have this creature (or one of its related forms) in their folklore. In East Asian countries, for instance, dragons are regarded as symbols of power, strength and good fortune. They are believed to be benevolent creatures that have power over bodies of water, rain and floods. In Western Europe, by contrast, dragons are viewed as malevolent creatures that are the embodiment of evil. One popular motif of Western European art is that of St. George slaying the dragon. One of the lesser known dragons is that of the zmaj, a dragon that can be found in Slavic folklore. In certain Slavic countries, dragons can viewed either as good or evil, depending on their sex. In Bulgarian legends, for instance, male dragons are believed to be the protectors of crops, whilst the female ones are bent on destroying the fruits of man’s labour. In other parts of the Slavic world, the dragon is seen as a wicked beast, similar to those of Western Europe. In Russia and Ukraine, a particular dragon-like creature, Zmey Gorynych, is a dangerous beast with three heads that spit fire. ‘Zmey Gorynych’ by Viktor Vasnetsov ( Wikimedia Commons ) In Serbia, however, the zmaj is generally regarded as a benevolent being, just like the dragons of East Asia. These creatures have been described as having “a ram’s head and a seductive snake’s body”. These dragons are said to protect the people from the Ala, or Azjada, a creature believed to bring bad weather and storms that destroyed crops. An illustration of a zmaj with a ram’s head and serpent body, from Milenko Bodirogić’s “Fairies and Dragons – Serbian Mythology”. Photo source: www.serbia.com. In addition to great strength and wisdom, the zmaj are also reputed to be able to take on different forms, including that of human beings. In this form, they were able to pursue one of their favourite hobbies – the pursuit of women. Some zmaj are thought to be so engrossed in this activity to the extent that they neglect the protection of farmlands from bad weather. If crops were destroyed by bad weather, villagers would gather to expel the zmaj from the houses of local women. The lust of the zmaj for mortal women is also a major theme in a Serbian folk tale known as The Tsarina Militza and the Zmaj of Yastrebatz . ‘The Great Red Dragon and the Woman clothed with the sun’ by William Blake ( Wikimedia Commons ) In this tale, the Tsarina Militza is said to have been visited by a zmaj from Yastrebatz every night for a year. When her husband, the 14 th century Serbian ruler, Tsar Lazar, hears this, he tells the tsarina to ask the zmaj if he feared anyone besides God, and whether there is a hero on this earth superior to himself. The zmaj is tricked into revealing that there is indeed one that he feared, the Zmaj-Despot Vook, who lived in a village called Koopinova in the plain of Sirmia. The next day, the Tsar sent for the Zmaj-Despot Vook, who arrives, and subsequently slays the zmaj of Yastrebatz. It has been pointed out that the Zmaj-Despot Vook is actually based on a real historical figure, Despot Vuk Brankovic, who lived during the second half of the 15 th century, and was believed to be a descendant of a dragon. The portrayal of Vuk Brankovich as a hero shows how history and legend could be merged to suit a ruler’s needs. Vuk was not the only Serbian ruler to employ the legend of the zmaj to bolster his image. There are other rulers who claim that their fathers were actually zmaj. These include Tsar Lazar’s son and successor, Stefan Lazarević, as well as Stojan Čupić and Vasa Čarapić, two important figures of the First Serbian Uprising that took place in the early 19 th century. Portrait of Vuk Brankovic ( Wikimedia Commons ) Some years ago, there were plans in Serbia to capitalize on the country’s rich dragon lore, and turn it into a tourist attraction. Numerous landmarks, including castles, fortresses and churches where the zmaj are said to have visited would be incorporated into a ‘dragon trail’ for tourists. Today, such a trail, known as the “Paths of Dragons through Serbia” is in existence. The route begins in Fruška Gora in the north, passes through the country’s capital, Belgrade, and ends at the fortress of Markovo Kale in the south. In a way, this might help to preserve the legends of the zmaj for future generations, and also contribute to Serbia’s tourism industry. Tourist attractions are now incorporating ‘dragon lore’. A typical 3-headed obese Slavic dragon, Zmey Gorynych. ( Wikimedia Commons ) Featured image: Dragon Bridge (Slovene: Zmajski most) is a road bridge located in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia ( FromTheNorth / Flickr )

The Maryland Transportation Authority has released rules for bicyclists using the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge when cycling access to the Route 40 span across the Susquehanna River between Havre de Grace and Perryville begins on July 1. Maryland Transportation Secretary and Chairman Pete K. Rahn announced at the annual Bike Maryland Symposium in February his decision to open up the bridge to bicyclists. The Hatem and other Maryland toll bridges and tunnels are off-limits to bikes, and MDTA officials said last winter they had received complaints from cycling enthusiasts that the 1.3-mile long bridge is a chokepoint for cyclists traveling on the 9/11 Memorial Trail and use the East Coast Greenways from Maine to Florida. The announcement caused some consternation, because the bridge, the oldest of the state's toll bridges, doesn't have shoulders. When the bridge was built in 1940, it had a sidewalk, but that was taken out in subsequent reconstructions of the highway decking. The bridge has two travel lanes in each direction. While state transportation officials are urging bicyclists and motorists to "Share the Bridge and Cross with Care," the mayors of the two municipalities at either end of the bridge have some concerns, some which they say were addressed. "I feel that the way the bridge is designed, with no shoulder on it, I just feel it's a dangerous plan and quite frankly, I have some serious concerns over it," Havre de Grace Mayor Bill Martin said Wednesday. Havre de Grace, Perryville and Cecil County leaders met with MDTA officials in late April regarding multiple concerns about the safety of bike riders and motorists on the bridge. Perryville Mayor Jim Eberhardt said state officials made some modifications, such as placing an age restriction on riders, prohibiting bikes when there is heavy traffic on the Hatem Bridge, such as when I-95 is closed and traffic is diverted to Route 40, and moving the time of public notification from late June to early June. He noted MDTA representatives made a presentation during a Perryville town commissioners' meeting earlier this month. "There's still a number of safety concerns that we have with this proposal," Eberhardt said Wednesday. He expressed concerns about truck drivers not having enough room to give riders 3 feet of clearance, which is required by state law when driving next to a bicyclist. Martin, a motorcycle rider, said tractor trailers "rock me a little bit" when they pass him on the bridge. He said he has friends who ride bicycles, and he supports any opportunities governments can provide for recreation. "I just have concerns that it's not a matter of if someone gets hurt, it's a matter of when someone gets hurt, and I pray that doesn't happen," Martin said. According to a recent MDTA announcement, effective July 1, bicyclists will be allowed to cross the bridge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and from dawn to dusk Saturday, Sunday and on state holidays. Prior to crossing the bridge, bicyclists will push a button to activate flashing warning lights that alert drivers when a bicyclist is crossing the bridge. The lights will flash for 10 to 15 minutes, providing the bicyclist time to safely cross the bridge, MDTA said. Bicyclists must ride in the direction of traffic and should position themselves in the center of the right lane. Motorists are encouraged to use the left lane when warning lights are flashing. Trucks over five tons still must use the right lane but may use the left lane to safely pass bicycles. When the right lane on the bridge is closed for maintenance and construction, motorists and bicyclists will share the open left lane. Bicyclists traveling east will pay the $8 two-axle toll in the far right toll lane, where cash and E-ZPass are accepted. Other bicycle access restrictions include: • Bicyclists must be 18 years old or older or have a valid driver's license; • Bicyclists are encouraged to ride single file and follow all rules of the road; • Bicyclists are not permitted to stop while crossing the bridge; • Pedestrians, skateboards, scooters and skates are not permitted; and • When bicycle access is restricted in the event of fog, wind, other inclement weather or incident, notification will be made via variable message signs and on MDTA's Twitter account at twitter.com/TheMDTA.

We are at a point in Heroes of the Storm where we almost certainly know which heroes we will get to see in 2017. With Alextraza(Warcraft), Firebat(Starcraft unit) and Hanzo(Overwatch) all leaked with a decent amount of certainty. It is now time to look at what heroes we want to see added in 2018, or more importantly, which villains we want to see. Not all of our concepts include basic abilities. We mainly chose to make full hero concept if it was crucial to give an idea of their overall kit. NOTE: If you think some of your favorite villains are missing. Be sure to check out our earlier hero concept. Xavius, Nightmare Lord “Elune… There is only one god… and his name is Sargeras.” The nightmare has always been an intriguing concept and Blizzard could make some fascinating mechanics around it. Universe : Warcraft : Warcraft Class: Ranged Assassin Ranged Assassin Trait: Nightmare Lord – Xavius’ auto attacks, minions and abilities grant one stack of nightmare corruption on heroes when dealing damage. When a target is inflicted with 5 stacks, a nightmare tentacle spawns at the target’s feet. With X amount of health, that does X amount of damage and knocking back enemies in its range. Nightmare tentacle lasts for 20 seconds or until killed. When a nightmare tentacle is active, Xavius’ auto attacks does 50% increased damage and completely ignore armor, this effect stacks up to 5 times. – Xavius’ auto attacks, minions and abilities grant one stack of nightmare corruption on heroes when dealing damage. When a target is inflicted with 5 stacks, a nightmare tentacle spawns at the target’s feet. With X amount of health, that does X amount of damage and knocking back enemies in its range. Nightmare tentacle lasts for 20 seconds or until killed. When a nightmare tentacle is active, Xavius’ auto attacks does 50% increased damage and completely ignore armor, this effect stacks up to 5 times. Heroic ability 1: Waking Nightmare – Trap the target enemy hero in the nightmare for 8 seconds. Forcing him to fight a nightmarish echo of himself with X amount of health and damage. Killing the nightmarish echo will instantly reset all primary cooldowns and free the hero from the nightmare. While a hero is trapped in the nightmare, he cannot be attacked by anyone besides the nightmarish echo, and the hero also loses vision of all other heroes. – Trap the target enemy hero in the nightmare for 8 seconds. Forcing him to fight a nightmarish echo of himself with X amount of health and damage. Killing the nightmarish echo will instantly reset all primary cooldowns and free the hero from the nightmare. While a hero is trapped in the nightmare, he cannot be attacked by anyone besides the nightmarish echo, and the hero also loses vision of all other heroes. Heroic ability 2: Corruption Nova – Xavius channel the power of the nightmare for 3 seconds, then erupt a nova of nightmare energy in a huge area around him. Dealing a large amount of damage and inflicting all enemies hit with 5 stacks of nightmare corruption. – Xavius channel the power of the nightmare for 3 seconds, then erupt a nova of nightmare energy in a huge area around him. Dealing a large amount of damage and inflicting all enemies hit with 5 stacks of nightmare corruption. Alternate Hero choice: Peroth’arn, the second Satyr Peroth’arn, the second Satyr Skin Idea: Devilish Xavius Belial, Lord of Lies ”I cast off these petty illusions! Behold, the true vision of the Lord of Hell!” Lies and deception are hard to make work as an actual mechanic in a MOBA. However, if Blizzard did manage to give Belial the power to manipulate some core mechanics of the game, that could be incredibly interesting if done right. Universe: Diablo Diablo Class: Melee Specialist Melee Specialist Trait: Lord of Lies – Make it appear as if your team captures a mercenary camp. The mercenary camp will walk down lanes as usual and do 50% of normal damage but will instantly disappear once attacked by enemy heroes. 60-Second Cooldown. Passive: Allied heroes close to Balial have their health bar manipulated to the eyes of enemies, making it appear as if they have full health. – Make it appear as if your team captures a mercenary camp. The mercenary camp will walk down lanes as usual and do 50% of normal damage but will instantly disappear once attacked by enemy heroes. 60-Second Cooldown. Passive: Allied heroes close to Balial have their health bar manipulated to the eyes of enemies, making it appear as if they have full health. Heroic ability 1: Realm of Lies – Change a vast targeted area to the realm of lies. Stealthing allied heroes and creating several illusions of each allied hero in the area. This ability last for 8 seconds and is on an 80-second cooldown. – Change a vast targeted area to the realm of lies. Stealthing allied heroes and creating several illusions of each allied hero in the area. This ability last for 8 seconds and is on an 80-second cooldown. Heroic ability 2: Swarm of Flies – Channelling ability that sends a massive swarm of flies in the targeted direction for 5 seconds. Obscuring vision for all enemy heroes hit and dealing X amount of damage every second they remain in the swarm, the damage doubles for every second an enemy hero stay inside the swarm. – Channelling ability that sends a massive swarm of flies in the targeted direction for 5 seconds. Obscuring vision for all enemy heroes hit and dealing X amount of damage every second they remain in the swarm, the damage doubles for every second an enemy hero stay inside the swarm. Skin Idea: Belial, Lich of Lies Wilfred Fizzlebang/Jaraxxus ”A-HA! I’ve done it! Behold the absolute power of Wilfred Fizzlebang, master summoner! You are bound to me, demon!” – Wilfred Fizzlebang ”You face Jaraxxus, Eredar lord of the Burning Legion!” – Jaraxxus One of the more iconic fights and voice lines from World of Warcraft. Having a hero build around gathering enough power to unleash an Eredar lord of the Burning Legion just sound like a lot of fun. Universe: Warcraft Warcraft Class: Ranged / Melee Assasin Ranged / Melee Assasin Trait: Master Summoner – Wilfred Fizzlebang gain summoning points by killing enemy heroes, minions, and structures. Once Wilfred’s summoning bar reaches 100% he can summon forth Jaraxxus, Eredar Lord of the Burning Legion. Activating this ability will kill Wilfred and grant control of Jaraxxus until killed. Jaraxxus has an empowered version of Wilfred’s abilities and a much more health. – Wilfred Fizzlebang gain summoning points by killing enemy heroes, minions, and structures. Once Wilfred’s summoning bar reaches 100% he can summon forth Jaraxxus, Eredar Lord of the Burning Legion. Activating this ability will kill Wilfred and grant control of Jaraxxus until killed. Jaraxxus has an empowered version of Wilfred’s abilities and a much more health. Heroic ability 1: Infernal Eruption – Summon an infernal volcano with X amount of health at the targeted location. The infernal eruption will continually throw out felflames at random in a large area around its position, dealing X amount of damage to enemies hit. The volcano last for 8 seconds. If the Volcano last’s for its full duration, it will summon a felflame inferno. Which deal X amount of damage to enemies nearby and last for 8 seconds. 80-Second cooldown. This ability is empowered when used by Jaraxxus. – Summon an infernal volcano with X amount of health at the targeted location. The infernal eruption will continually throw out felflames at random in a large area around its position, dealing X amount of damage to enemies hit. The volcano last for 8 seconds. If the Volcano last’s for its full duration, it will summon a felflame inferno. Which deal X amount of damage to enemies nearby and last for 8 seconds. 80-Second cooldown. This ability is empowered when used by Jaraxxus. Heroic ability 2: Nether Portal – Open a portal to the Nether. Summoning a big wave of demons that last until killed. Reactivate this ability to control the demons. When a demon dies, it adds X amount of energy to Wilfred’s summoning bar. 80-Second cooldown. This ability is empowered when used by Jaraxxus. Zoltun Kulle, Betrayer of the Horadrim I live again..! Steve Blum’s voice acting of Zoltun Kulle is more than enough reason to bring Zoltun Kulle into the Nexus. Besides that, he is one of the most exciting characters from Diablo and not a straight-up villain but more of a very morally ambiguous character on a quest for power. Universe : Diablo : Diablo Class: Ranged Assassin Ranged Assassin Trait: The Undying – When Zoltun is killed he becomes a ghost. Zoltun Kulle remains on the battlefield as a ghost, granting vision and experience to his allies. Activate to return to life. Cooldown is decided by the default respawn timer. – When Zoltun is killed he becomes a ghost. Zoltun Kulle remains on the battlefield as a ghost, granting vision and experience to his allies. Activate to return to life. Cooldown is decided by the default respawn timer. Heroic ability 1: Slow Time – Slow time in a large area. Reducing the speed of all enemy abilities, attacks, and movement by 50%. This ability last for 5 seconds and is on a very long cooldown. – Slow time in a large area. Reducing the speed of all enemy abilities, attacks, and movement by 50%. This ability last for 5 seconds and is on a very long cooldown. Heroic ability 2: Energy Twister – Unleash a tornado of pure energy at the targeted location. Dealing high damage to enemies, it comes in contact with and knocking them back. Reactivate this ability to control it. Energy Twister lasts for 8 seconds and is on a long cooldown. – Unleash a tornado of pure energy at the targeted location. Dealing high damage to enemies, it comes in contact with and knocking them back. Reactivate this ability to control it. Energy Twister lasts for 8 seconds and is on a long cooldown. Skin Idea: Necromancer Zoltun Related: Best MOBA’s on the market. Zurvan, The Ancient One No allegiance but to self. Kill or be killed Zurvan would create an exciting opportunity to make a character that is less reliant on his team and even have the chance to become ”fed”. Universe : Starcraft : Starcraft Class: Melee Warrior Melee Warrior Z: Evolving Speed – Zurvan cannot use mounts but has his own mount animation. His mounted speed is 20% by default but he gains 2% for each 50 essence he gains up to a maximum of 50% movement speed. – Zurvan cannot use mounts but has his own mount animation. His mounted speed is 20% by default but he gains 2% for each 50 essence he gains up to a maximum of 50% movement speed. Trait: No allegiance but to self – Zurvan doesn’t benefit from his teams experience gains, but gather experience for himself at an increased rate(His experience gains still contribute towards his team). Zurvan gains essence from enemy minions heroes and structures and will gain one stack of Evolution per 50 essence he gathers. Evolution increase Zurvan’s size, attack damage and health. Zurvan loose 1 stack of Evolution when killed. Quest: Upon reaching Evolution stage 5 Zurvan gain 20% physical armor. Upon reaching Evolution stage, 10 Zurvan gain 20% attack speed and no longer lose Evolution stacks on death. – Zurvan doesn’t benefit from his teams experience gains, but gather experience for himself at an increased rate(His experience gains still contribute towards his team). Zurvan gains essence from enemy minions heroes and structures and will gain one stack of Evolution per 50 essence he gathers. Evolution increase Zurvan’s size, attack damage and health. Zurvan loose 1 stack of Evolution when killed. Quest: Upon reaching Evolution stage 5 Zurvan gain 20% physical armor. Upon reaching Evolution stage, 10 Zurvan gain 20% attack speed and no longer lose Evolution stacks on death. Heroic ability 1: Survival of the Fittest – Activate to make Zurvan stronger each time his allies take damage, increasing his movement and attack speed by 2%. This effect can stack 25 times. Survival of the Fittest last for 10 seconds and is on a 60-second cooldown. Passive: Zurvan gains 10% increased damage every time an allied hero dies. This effect lasts until the hero respawns. – Activate to make Zurvan stronger each time his allies take damage, increasing his movement and attack speed by 2%. This effect can stack 25 times. Survival of the Fittest last for 10 seconds and is on a 60-second cooldown. Passive: Zurvan gains 10% increased damage every time an allied hero dies. This effect lasts until the hero respawns. Heroic ability 2: Pack Leader – Summon Zurvan’s pack of zergs to defend the targeted location or allied hero. Attacking any enemy hero nearby said location or hero. The pack of zergs last for 15 seconds and is on a 60-second cooldown. – Summon Zurvan’s pack of zergs to defend the targeted location or allied hero. Attacking any enemy hero nearby said location or hero. The pack of zergs last for 15 seconds and is on a 60-second cooldown. Alternate Hero choice: Brakk Brakk Skin Idea: Fel Hound Zurvan Grand Apothecary Putress Did you think we had forgotten? Did you think we had forgiven? Behold, now, the terrible vengeance of the Forsaken! Death to the Scourge! And death to the living! Main antagonist from the perhaps the most epic quest chain ever in World of Warcraft. Putress has phenomenal voice acting, and his Plague could make for a great mechanic. Universe: Warcraft Warcraft Class: Melee Support Melee Support Trait: Plague Master – All of Putress’ attacks and abilities infect enemies with the plague. The Plague: Deal X amount of damage every second and slow the target by 10%. Lasts for 3 seconds. This effect stacks up to 5 times. Upon reaching 5 stacks, the target leaves behind a plague cloud and lose two stacks of plague. Primary Abilities Q: Plague Barrel – Throw a barrel of plague at the targeted area. Dealing X amount of damage to enemies and heal allied heroes for X amount. Plague barrels leave behind plague clouds for 3 seconds that deal periodic damage to enemies and healing to allied heroes. This ability is on a 6-second cooldown. – Throw a barrel of plague at the targeted area. Dealing X amount of damage to enemies and heal allied heroes for X amount. Plague barrels leave behind plague clouds for 3 seconds that deal periodic damage to enemies and healing to allied heroes. This ability is on a 6-second cooldown. W: Unholy Frenzy – Send an allied hero into an unholy frenzy. Increasing attack and movement speed by 25% for 5 seconds and cause the heroes auto attack to spread the plague. This ability is on a 16-second cooldown. – Send an allied hero into an unholy frenzy. Increasing attack and movement speed by 25% for 5 seconds and cause the heroes auto attack to spread the plague. This ability is on a 16-second cooldown. E: Patient Zero – Throw a vile of concentrated plague onto the targeted enemy hero. Dealing X amount of damage every second and make the target a vessel for the plague. Spreading stacks of plague to nearby allied heroes. This effect lasts for 5 seconds and is on a 12-second cooldown. Ultimates Heroic ability 1: Hour of the Forsaken – Bombard a massive area with plague barrels. Dealing X amount of damage to enemies and heal allied heroes. The targeted area is covered in plague clouds that continuously heal allies and damage enemies for X amount every second. Clouds last for 5 seconds. This ability is on a very long cooldown. – Bombard a massive area with plague barrels. Dealing X amount of damage to enemies and heal allied heroes. The targeted area is covered in plague clouds that continuously heal allies and damage enemies for X amount every second. Clouds last for 5 seconds. This ability is on a very long cooldown. Heroic ability 2: Plague Wagon – Summon a plague wagon with X amount of health that lasts until killed. Plague Wagon grants an additional charge of Plague Barrel(Q) as long as it is alive. Passive: Increase the healing and damage done by plague clouds by 10%. Plague Wagon is on a 60-second cooldown. Only one Plague Wagon can be active at a time. – Summon a plague wagon with X amount of health that lasts until killed. Plague Wagon grants an additional charge of Plague Barrel(Q) as long as it is alive. Passive: Increase the healing and damage done by plague clouds by 10%. Plague Wagon is on a 60-second cooldown. Only one Plague Wagon can be active at a time. Skin Idea: Doctor Putress Overmind, the Great Hungerer ”Awaken my child, and embrace the glory that is your birthright. Know that I am the Overmind; the eternal will of the Swarm, and that you have been created to serve me” A clear opportunity to introduce elements from real-time strategy games into Heroes of the Storm. It could potentially be a lot of fun to control hordes of zerg instead of an actual hero. Universe: Starcraft Class: Specialist Z: Head of the Swarm – Take over allied keep or fort, granting bonuses to the structures and minions in that lane. This ability is on a 30-second cooldown and has a 10 second cast time. Damage done to the fort/keep will interrupt Head of the Swarm. If there are less than 2 allied forts/keeps left, the Overmind can take over the core. Granting his trait bonus to all lanes. – Take over allied keep or fort, granting bonuses to the structures and minions in that lane. This ability is on a 30-second cooldown and has a 10 second cast time. Damage done to the fort/keep will interrupt Head of the Swarm. If there are less than 2 allied forts/keeps left, the Overmind can take over the core. Granting his trait bonus to all lanes. Trait: Swarm Override – Spawn 8 zerglings alongside each minion wave on the Overmind’s current lane, as well as granting the overmind full control of all minions that originated from that lane. Regular minions on this lane will also become swarm infected, increasing their health and damage by 20%. When the Overmind takes over a fort, it also infects all nearby towers and buildings, enhancing the health and damage of those buildings by 100%. Primary abilities All of the Overmind’s primary abilities has global range, but all require vision to land. Q: Locust Swarm – Spawn 5 locusts at the targeted visible area. Locusts detonate when in contact with enemy heroes or minions, with a 0.5-second delay. Dealing X amount of damage and slowing enemies hit by 25%. This ability is on a 12-second cooldown. – Spawn 5 locusts at the targeted visible area. Locusts detonate when in contact with enemy heroes or minions, with a 0.5-second delay. Dealing X amount of damage and slowing enemies hit by 25%. This ability is on a 12-second cooldown. W: Zerg Drop Pod – After a 1.5-second delay, send down a zerg drop pod at the targeted visible location. Enemy heroes and minions hit are stunned and take X amount of damage. Once the zerg pod lands it spawns 5 zerglings and 1 hydralisk that can be controlled by the Overmind and have X amount of health and damage. Last for 20 seconds and is on a 20-second cooldown. – After a 1.5-second delay, send down a zerg drop pod at the targeted visible location. Enemy heroes and minions hit are stunned and take X amount of damage. Once the zerg pod lands it spawns 5 zerglings and 1 hydralisk that can be controlled by the Overmind and have X amount of health and damage. Last for 20 seconds and is on a 20-second cooldown. E: Baneling Drop – Drop a baneling at the targeted visible location after a 1-second delay, dealing X Amount of splash damage. This ability is on a 10-second cooldown and holds 3 charges. Ultimates Heroic ability 1: Might of the Swarm – Instantly infect all allied minions on the map, granting full control of them until they are killed and giving them the infected bonus of 20% health, damage, and movement speed. This ability is on a long cooldown. Might of the Swarm – Instantly infect all allied minions on the map, granting full control of them until they are killed and giving them the infected bonus of 20% health, damage, and movement speed. This ability is on a long cooldown. Heroic ability 2: Leviathan – Spawn a controllable flying zerg leviathan at the Overmind’s current location. The leviathan deal x amount of damage every second to enemies at its position. It also spawns 8 zerglings every 20 seconds at its current location, which will prioritize heroes but roam to the nearest lane if no enemy is present. The Leviathan has X Amount of health and lasts until killed. This ability goes on a 20-second cooldown when the Leviathan is destroyed. Skin Idea: C’Thun inspired skin. Related: Heroes of the Storm vs League of Legends Kil’jaeden, the Deceiver ”The expendable have perished… So be it! Now I shall succeed where Sargeras could not! I will bleed this wretched world and secure my place as the true master of the Burning Legion. The end has come! Let the unraveling of this world commence!” One of the most iconic villains of the Warcraft franchise and with his recent demise in World of Warcraft: Legion he is looking for another world to bring about his fiery destruction. What better place than the Nexus? Universe: Warcraft Warcraft Class: Melee Specialist Melee Specialist Trait: Kil’Jaedens Gift – Offer untold power to the targeted hero, granting 15% increased damage and make the hero a pulsing vessel of fel energy. Dealing X amount of damage to nearby enemies every second. Passive: Allied minions and mercenaries close to Kil’Jaeden also gain the gift of Kil’Jaeden. Primary Abilities 1: The Deceiver – Nearby minions killed grant 1 stack of deceiving, heroes killed grant 10 stacks, and fort/keeps give 100 stacks. Use 25 stacks to instantly defeat the targeted non-boss mercenary and grant them 50% increased damage. Can also be used on enemy captured mercenaries. – Nearby minions killed grant 1 stack of deceiving, heroes killed grant 10 stacks, and fort/keeps give 100 stacks. Use 25 stacks to instantly defeat the targeted non-boss mercenary and grant them 50% increased damage. Can also be used on enemy captured mercenaries. Q: Soul Flay – channeling ability that flay the targeted enemy’s soul for 5 seconds. Dealing 5% of the hero’s maximum health every second. This ability can be used on all enemy targets(including buildings) and is on a 14-second cooldown. – channeling ability that flay the targeted enemy’s soul for 5 seconds. Dealing 5% of the hero’s maximum health every second. This ability can be used on all enemy targets(including buildings) and is on a 14-second cooldown. W: Doom – Inflict the target with impending doom for 5 seconds, dealing X amount of dmg every second. If the target dies while Doom is active a doomguard will spawn with X amount of health and damage that last until killed. While a doomguard is active it can be controlled by reactivating this ability. Passive: Kil’Jaeden does 20% increased damage to enemies inflicted with Doom. Doom has a 10-second cooldown and cannot be used while a doomguard is active. – Inflict the target with impending doom for 5 seconds, dealing X amount of dmg every second. If the target dies while Doom is active a doomguard will spawn with X amount of health and damage that last until killed. While a doomguard is active it can be controlled by reactivating this ability. Passive: Kil’Jaeden does 20% increased damage to enemies inflicted with Doom. Doom has a 10-second cooldown and cannot be used while a doomguard is active. E: Soul Portal – Summon a demonic portal that summons 6 felfire imps every 12 seconds. Felfire imps do X amount of ranged damage and have a low health pool. After 12 seconds or when below 25% health they will run to the nearest enemy target and explode for heavy damage. The Portal last for 24 seconds with a 12-second cooldown. Only 1 portal can be active at a time. Ultimates Heroic ability 1: Doom Lord Kazzak – Summon Doom Lord Kazzak to wreak havoc on enemies. Kazzak has a large health pool and passively cleave enemies in front of him for X amount of damage. Doom Lord Kazzak last for 15 seconds and is on an 80-second cooldown. – Summon Doom Lord Kazzak to wreak havoc on enemies. Kazzak has a large health pool and passively cleave enemies in front of him for X amount of damage. Doom Lord Kazzak last for 15 seconds and is on an 80-second cooldown. Heroic ability 2: Reign of Chaos – Summon down a giant meteor that does X amount of damage and stuns enemies in the targeted area for 0.5 seconds and leaves a pool of felfire on the ground for 3 seconds, dealing x amount of damage every second. This ability hold 3 charges and is on a 30-second cooldown. – Summon down a giant meteor that does X amount of damage and stuns enemies in the targeted area for 0.5 seconds and leaves a pool of felfire on the ground for 3 seconds, dealing x amount of damage every second. This ability hold 3 charges and is on a 30-second cooldown. Alternate Hero choice: Jaraxxus Jaraxxus Skin Idea: Prophet Kil’Jaeden Deathwing, The Destroyer Pain… agony… my hatred burns through the cavernous deeps. The world heaves with my torment. Its wretched kingdoms quake beneath my rage. But at last, the whole of Azeroth will break, and all will burn beneath the shadow of my wings. Probably the most requested hero among the Heroes of the Storm community since the release of Kel’thuzad and it is easy to see why. Universe: Warcraft Warcraft Class: Melee Assassin Melee Assassin Z: Take Flight – Deathwing takes flight, making him able to move over terrain and increasing his movement speed by 2% for every second he stays airborne, up to a maximum of 40%. Also reducing the damage, Deathwing takes from area of effect abilities but also removes his ability to auto attack. Damage taken or done resets all movement speed bonuses. 3- second cast. Take Flight – Deathwing takes flight, making him able to move over terrain and increasing his movement speed by 2% for every second he stays airborne, up to a maximum of 40%. Also reducing the damage, Deathwing takes from area of effect abilities but also removes his ability to auto attack. Damage taken or done resets all movement speed bonuses. 3- second cast. Trait: Black Scourge – Deathwing’s abilities leave areas engulfed in fire for 5 seconds, dealing X amount of damage every second to enemies. Primary Abilities Q: Spew Destruction : 3 charges. Spew fire onto the targeted area doing X amount of damage on impact. This ability has a short range and is on a 12-second cooldown. : 3 charges. Spew fire onto the targeted area doing X amount of damage on impact. This ability has a short range and is on a 12-second cooldown. W: Tail Swipe – Deathwing swipes his massive tail in a cone. Dealing X amount of damage to enemies and knocking them back. This ability is unusable while in flight and is on a 12-second cooldown. – Deathwing swipes his massive tail in a cone. Dealing X amount of damage to enemies and knocking them back. This ability is unusable while in flight and is on a 12-second cooldown. E: Ablaze – Set the targeted enemy hero ablaze. Dealing massive damage over 5 seconds and causes the hero to leave behind a trail of fire wherever he goes. This ability is on a 16-second cooldown. Ultimates Heroic ability 1: Deep Breath – Deathwing takes flight and breathes fire onto the targeted area for 3 seconds. Dealing heavy damage every second to enemies. This ability is on a 60-second cooldown. Deep Breath – Deathwing takes flight and breathes fire onto the targeted area for 3 seconds. Dealing heavy damage every second to enemies. This ability is on a 60-second cooldown. Heroic ability 2: Cataclysm – Deathwing flies to a chosen lane and brings forth the cataclysm. Covering the chosen lane in fire and destruction. Killing all allied and enemy minions and doing a small amount of damage to structures, as well as leaving that lane consumed by fire for 30 seconds. Dealing heavy damage every second to heroes and minions inside the area. This ability is on a 100-second cooldown. Cataclysm – Deathwing flies to a chosen lane and brings forth the cataclysm. Covering the chosen lane in fire and destruction. Killing all allied and enemy minions and doing a small amount of damage to structures, as well as leaving that lane consumed by fire for 30 seconds. Dealing heavy damage every second to heroes and minions inside the area. This ability is on a 100-second cooldown. Alternate Hero choice: Onyxia Onyxia Skin Idea: Earthwarder(uncorrupted) Mephisto, Lord of Hatred And the Evil that was once vanquished shall rise anew. Wrapped in the guise of man, shall he walk amongst the innocent, and Terror shall consume they that dwell upon the Earth. The skies shall rain fire, and the seas will become as blood. The righteous shall fall before the wicked, and all of Creation shall tremble before the burning standards of Hell! The most requested Diablo character and the eldest of the prime evils. Heroes of the Storm need more Diablo villains, and Mephisto is among the greatest. Universe: Diablo Diablo Class: Melee Support Melee Support Trait: Feeding Hatred – Mephisto heals himself and the nearest allied hero for 50% of the damage he inflicts on heroes. Passive: Allied heroes near Mephisto heal for 25% of the damage they do. Activate to make Mephistos next 5 attacks to do 50% increased damage and become ranged. 20-Second Cooldown. Primary Abilities Q: Charged Bolts – Send out 3 bolts of lighting that seek out the nearest enemy heroes. Dealing X amount of damage and slows them by 15% for each bolt hit. This ability is on a 12-second cooldown. – Send out 3 bolts of lighting that seek out the nearest enemy heroes. Dealing X amount of damage and slows them by 15% for each bolt hit. This ability is on a 12-second cooldown. W: Despair – Put the targeted hero into a state of despair. Reducing all damage the hero does by 50% for 5 seconds and increase the damage Mephisto does to the target by 100%. – Put the targeted hero into a state of despair. Reducing all damage the hero does by 50% for 5 seconds and increase the damage Mephisto does to the target by 100%. E: Blind Hatred – Put the targeted hero into a frenzy of blind hatred for 5 seconds. Increasing the hero’s damage by 25% and cause abilities to hit both friends and foes. Ultimates Heroic ability 1: Manic Laughter – The mere sound of Mephisto’s laughter causes pain every second to enemy heroes in a large area around Mephisto. Manic Laughter deal X amount of damage every second to enemies nearby and slow them by 15% for every point of damage they take from Manic Laughter. If a hero receives damage from all 5 ticks of Manic Laughter, they are stunned for 1 second. Manic Laughter – The mere sound of Mephisto’s laughter causes pain every second to enemy heroes in a large area around Mephisto. Manic Laughter deal X amount of damage every second to enemies nearby and slow them by 15% for every point of damage they take from Manic Laughter. If a hero receives damage from all 5 ticks of Manic Laughter, they are stunned for 1 second. Heroic ability 2: Devil on his shoulder – A long ranged channeling ability that takes control of the targeted enemy hero for 7 seconds or until Mephisto takes damage. Mephisto can use all of the hero’s primary abilities during the duration. Damage done by the controlled hero contributes toward Feeding Hatred, and the ability is on an 80-second cooldown. Poll – We would love to hear which of these villains you are dying to see in Heroes of the Storm. Which of these 10 Blizzard Villains would you be most hyped about? Xavius Belial, Lord of Lies Wilfred Fizzlebang / Jaraxxus Zoltun Kulle Zurvan, The Ancient One Grand Apothecary Putress Overmind, the Great Hungerer Kil'jaeden, the Deceiver Deathwing, The Destroyer Mephisto, Lord of Hatred View Results Loading ... Loading ...

Editor's Preface The present volume on anattaa concludes the treatment of The Three Basic Facts of Existence (or The Three Characteristics) within The Wheel series. Though the Buddha's teaching on not-self has been treated quite often in these publications it was felt that some more material from sources not easily accessible to the general reader should be offered here. From different angles, these essays and translations will throw light on that central teaching of Buddhism, anattaa. As the earlier books on anicca and dukkha, this volume, too, concludes with a concise and systematic treatment of the subject by the late venerable Ñanamoli Thera, which is a valuable guide to the source material as well as to a deeper study of this profound doctrine. The diverse renderings chosen by the individual authors for the key term anattaa or nairaatmya (Skt.) have been retained. Hence it should be understood by the reader that egolessness, soullessness, impersonality and not-self all stand for the Pali term anattaa (Sanskrit: anaatma or nairaatmya). — Nyanaponika Thera Egolessness (Anattaa) by Nyanatiloka Mahathera More and more the noble teaching of the Buddha seems to be on the way to conquer the world. More than ever before, the Buddhists are working for its propagation in nearly all the countries of the earth. Especially in India, the birth place of Buddhism, whence it disappeared for nearly a thousand years, Buddhism has again made its entrance and gained a firm footing, and with rapid strides it is ever gaining more and more ground. One therefore should rather think it a good omen that India, having regained its independence, has adopted as its emblem the Buddhist Four-Lion symbol of Emperor Asoka, and that, at the proclamation of the Indian Republic, behind the presidential throne, crowned with this Buddhist emblem, there appeared the Buddha's statue. Also all over Europe and America a mighty Buddhist wave is set in motion, which no longer can be kept back and suppressed and which, sooner or later, will flood the world with its beneficial influence. The world is no longer satisfied with dogmas based on blind belief. Everywhere in the world there is found today a striving for freedom and independence, externally and internally; and ever more the thinking man feels that the destinies of beings are not dependent on the omnipotence and infinite goodness of an imaginary creator, but that they rest entirely on the beings themselves. It is in Buddhism that one may find the true answers to many of the problems that are troubling men, and which they wish to get solved. Everybody knows that Buddhism is not a revealed religion and not based on blind belief, but that it is a doctrine to be realized by man's own understanding, a doctrine that makes man free and independent in his thinking, and assures him of happiness and peace. But of one thing I wish to warn all those who are working for the propagation of Buddhism, namely: not to allow themselves to be influenced or carried away by seemingly identical theosophical, Christian, or what is still worse, materialistic teachings. For all these are, in essence and substance, very often diametrically opposed to the Buddha's doctrines and prevent a real understanding and realization of the profound law discovered and proclaimed by the Buddha. The most crucial point for most men seems to be the Buddha's fundamental teaching of phenomenality, egolessness and impersonality of existence, in Pali anattaa. It is the middle way between two extremes, namely on the one hand the spiritualistic belief in an eternal ego-entity, or soul, outlasting death; on the other hand the materialistic belief in a temporary ego-entity becoming annihilated at death. Therefore it is said: There are three teachers in the world. The first teacher teaches the existence of an eternal ego-entity outlasting death: that is the Eternalist, as for example the Christian. The second teacher teaches a temporary ego-entity which becomes annihilated at death: that is the annihilationist, or materialist. The third teacher teaches neither an eternal, nor a temporary ego-entity: this is the Buddha. The Buddha teaches that, what we call ego, self, soul, personality etc., are merely conventional terms not referring to any real independent entity. And he teaches that there is only to be found this psychophysical process of existence changing from moment to moment. Without understanding the egolessness of existence, it is not possible to gain a real understanding of the Buddha-word; and it is not possible without it to realize that goal of emancipation and deliverance of mind proclaimed by the Buddha. This doctrine of egolessness of existence forms the essence of the Buddha's doctrine of emancipation. Thus with this doctrine of egolessness, or anattaa, stands or falls the entire Buddhist structure. Indeed, for anyone who wishes to engage in the study of the Buddhist scriptures, the best thing would be, from the very start, to get himself acquainted with the two methods, in which the Buddha taught the Dhamma to the world. The first method is the teaching in conventional language; the second method is the teaching in philosophically correct language. The first one relates to conventional truth, the second, to truth in the ultimate sense. Thus, whenever the Buddha uses such terms as I, person, living being, etc., this is to be understood as conventional speech, hence not correct in the highest sense. It is just as speaking of the rising and setting of the sun, though we know thoroughly well that this does not correspond to reality. Thus the Buddha teaches that, in the ultimate sense, amongst all these psychophysical phenomena of existence there cannot be found any eternal or even temporary ego-entity, and hence that all existence of whatever kind is something impersonal, or anattaa. In this connection I would like to emphasize the fact that this fundamental doctrine of egolessness and emptiness is not, as some misinformed Western Buddhists assert, only taught in the southern school of Buddhism, but that even in the so-called the Mahayana schools it forms a most essential part. Without this teaching of anattaa, or egolessness, there is no Buddhism; and without having realized the truth of egolessness no real progress is possible on the path to deliverance. The Buddha is, in every respect, a teacher at the golden mean, ethically as well as philosophically. From the ethical standpoint, for example, the Buddha rejects two extremes: the way of sensual pleasures and the way of self-torture. From the philosophical standpoint he rejects eternity, as well as temporariness of an ego entity. Just so he rejects belief in an absolute identity and an absolute otherness of the various stages of the process of existence. He rejects the determinism, as well as the belief in chance. He rejects the belief in absolute existence and absolute non-existence; likewise in freedom of will, as well as in unfreedom of will. All these things will become clear to one who understands the egolessness and conditioned nature of all phenomena of existence. On the understanding of these two truths depends the understanding of the entire doctrine of the Buddha. Hence the understanding and final penetration of the egolessness and conditionedness of all phenomena of existence are the necessary foundation to the realization of the noble eightfold path leading to deliverance from all vanity and misery, namely: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right bodily action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration of mind. Only this golden middle path, based on these two kinds of right understanding, namely of "egolessness and conditionedness," can alleviate and destroy these vain illusions of "self" and craving, which are the root-causes of all war and bloodshed in the world. But without these two kinds of understanding there is no realization of the holy and peaceful goal pointed out by the Buddha. There are however, to be found various would-be Buddhists in the West who are attached to an imaginary Great Self, and who uphold that the Buddha did in no way reject the view of an "eternal Atman," or soul, behind and independent of the phenomena of existence, and who believe that the Mahayana texts teach such a doctrine. Such assertions, however, do not in the least prove correct, for neither do the Pali texts, nor the early Mahayana texts proclaim an eternal self. Any reader, who is unbiased in mind and free from prejudices, can never from a study of the Buddhist scriptures come to the conclusion that the Buddha ever taught any such ego-entity within or outside the corporeal, mental and spiritual phenomena of existence. Nowhere in the world can there be found such an entity, as was clearly pointed out by the Buddha. Regarding the questions whether the Holy One will continue after death, or not continue etc., the Buddha says that all such questions are wrongly put. And why? Because what is called the "Holy One" is here only a conventional term and refers to no real entity while in reality there is only to be found a process of corporeal, mental, and spiritual phenomena. In another text, therefore the Buddhist asks a monk, whether he considered corporeality as the Holy One, or the feelings, or the perceptions, or the mental formations, or consciousness. Or whether he believed the Holy One to exist within these five groups of phenomena or outside thereof. Or whether all these phenomena heaped together were the Holy One. And denying all these questions, the Buddha further said that, even during lifetime, the Holy One could not be discovered in reality, and that therefore it would be wrong to ask whether the Holy One will continue or not continue after death, etc. Thus, no entities are existing in the world, but only ever-changing processes. The Buddha further says: Only because man does not understand corporeality, feeling and the other mental and spiritual phenomena being impermanent, unsatisfactory and impersonal (aniccaa, dukkha, and anattaa), and does not understand their conditioned origin, their extinction, and the path leading to their extinction, therefore he will think that the Holy One does continue, or does not continue after death etc. This, therefore, is the reason why the Buddha did not answer such questions. According to Buddhism, the whole of existence is comprised in the five groups of phenomena mentioned above, or still more briefly expressed in the three groups: corporeality, consciousness, and the mental factors. And within these three groups are comprised the only and ultimate things given, though also these again are mere fleeting and evanescent phenomena, flashing up for a moment, in order to disappear immediately thereafter forever. Thus whenever in the Buddhist scriptures mention is made of I, self, living being, etc., even of the Buddha, these expressions accordingly are used merely as conventional terms, without referring to any real entities. Therefore the Buddha has said: "It is impossible, it cannot be that a man with real understanding should ever consider anything as a real entity." He who does not understand the egolessness of existence, and who still attached to ego-illusion, such a one cannot comprehend and understand the four Noble Truths of the Buddha in the true light. These four truths are: the truth of the impermanency, unsatisfactoriness and impersonality of existence; the truth that repeated rebirth and misery are rooted in self-illusion and craving for existence; the truth that through the extinction of all self-illusion vanity, and craving, deliverance from all rebirth will be attained; the truth that the eightfold path, based on right understanding, is the path leading to this goal. He who has not penetrated the ego-illusion and is still attached to self-vanity will believe that it is he himself that suffers, will believe that is he himself that performs the good and evil deeds leading to his rebirth, that it is he himself that will enter Nirvana, that is he himself that will bring the eightfold path to perfection. Whoso, however, has fully penetrated the egolessness of existence, knows that, in the highest sense, there is no individual that suffers, that commits the kammic deeds, that enters Nirvana, and that brings the Eightfold Path to perfection. In the Visuddhi Magga it is therefore said: Mere suffering exists, no sufferer is found. The deeds are, but no doer of the deeds is there, Nirvana is, but not the man that enters it. The path is, but no traveller on it is seen. Therefore, wherever the doctrine of the egolessness of all existence is rejected, there the Buddha's word is rejected. But wherever, through penetration of the egolessness of all existence, the ego-vanity has reached ultimate extinction, there the goal of the Buddha's teaching has been realized, namely: freedom from all vanity of I and Mine, and the highest peace of Nibbaana. Self by G.N. Lewis If something is yours you have power over it; you can make it into whatever you wish. It will change according to your plans. But have you power over your self? Can you make your body larger or smaller or let it be this or that as you desire? If it is not governed by your power but by its own laws and processes then it is not yours. If it were the body would not be involved in sickness for you would be able to make it be whatever you wished. Admittedly one has control over the body to an extent but not as much as one has over this house or any other possession. Why? Your body was once very much more delicate and smaller than it is now. Now it is bigger and stronger. It will get weaker and degenerate later on. This body which you call yours — has it developed and deteriorated according to your will? Or perhaps the question of ownership does not arise — the body being subject to the same laws of nature as everything else, i.e., birth, decay, and death. If this is so, should one be concerned or unconcerned regarding the body? If neglected, the natural processes of destruction act quickly, disease and death soon resulting. Therefore food, exercise, and clothing must be used to maintain it and to stop the natural processes being accelerated. Do people feed and dress the body for maintenance only, and, if not, why? Take a person who dresses only to keep his body protected from the elements. What's wrong with this? Should he be criticized and, if he is, for what? Because others don't dress similarly doesn't mean he's doing something wrong. Someone may say he looks ugly and unsightly but how did we learn what ugliness was in the first place? Is the person criticizing him or his clothes? Well, "him" is not the body; the person criticizing him is not taking offense at the body but just at the clothes. This is where opinion together with vanity creep in and facts become concealed. Leaving the body let us turn to another aspect of self — feeling. Say a man tries to grasp something which continually slips through his fingers. Can he say that thing is his? He tries to keep it but he can never clutch it solidly and he would never dream of calling that thing his own. But say he has a fountain pen. That really seems to be his own. It is always with him and it keeps its shape and doesn't change very much. How about feelings — happiness, indifference, and pain? Are not these like the first example? How can we ever say feelings are our own? If they were, happiness would be ours for the rest of our life and not an illusive thing which comes and goes against our wishes. Body is born, it decays and dies. Likewise we find on investigation that exactly the same is true for feelings. The body does not come from nothing. It starts off by the fusing of two cells from mother and father. By way of nourishment it grows and develops. Then it dies. Feeling is born of sense-impingement; e.g., eye and material shape lead to sense impingement, which leads to visual consciousness which leads to feeling — pleasant, indifferent or painful according to whether or not what has been seen is liked or disliked as a result of past experience. Thus we see how feeling is born. But this feeling changes. If a painful feeling arises we are not content but crave to get away from it. Alternatively if we have perceived something that gives a pleasing feeling we long to keep this feeling and try to possess whatever has caused it to arise. Why don't feelings last? Because the very things from which they arise do not last. Therefore if we do not grasp after feelings we never suffer. Feelings are continually born and continually die but the body takes a long time to do so. If we cannot call body our own, how much less so is this true of feelings? Let us now examine a third aspect of ourselves — perception. What do we perceive and is it we who actually perceive? Perception is the recognition of sense-impingements. How is it born? I hear a loud noise and recognize that a door has been slammed. What is the basis of this recognition? Firstly, without the ear no sound would be heard; therefore the ear is a necessary basis. The sound impinges on the ear, this being sensory impingement. From this perception arises, but like feelings it does not last and soon dies away, another rising in its place. Do I enter into this perception? Do I perceive the door slamming? No. We have definitely seen that perception arose of its own accord, with oneself not being involved at all. Well, if body, feeling and perception are not "me," what is? Before this can be answered there is yet another aspect of ourselves and this is volitional action. Here surely we shall find our true self. I say to a friend "I am going to do that" and I keep to what I've said. Here it appears a deliberate choice has been made between doing two specific things: either I will or I won't. How does the will or act of choosing arise, or is it there all the time? Does it only come into force when we have to make a choice? On investigation we find that this is so; for example: I'm going to ride my bicycle tonight. This is a deliberate choice. I could have gone to the cinema or for a walk. Why did I choose riding? Does volition come into this at all? What other volitional tendencies are there? I have killed a man. Surely volition was there. But if I ask myself why I wanted to kill him, several interesting things come to light. For argument's sake let us say he murdered my wife. I was very attached to her. He took something away from me which I wanted. Missing the pleasurable feelings which were continually aroused by my wife's company, a painful feeling took its place when I lost her and I craved to get the former feeling back. The only satisfaction for me was to get rid of the object (the man) which caused the painful feeling to arise and therefore I killed him. So we see from this example that the volitional drive (the desire to kill) had a basis for arising and we see also that after arising it passed away on completion of its primary object (the death of a man). Volition therefore is a conditioned force directed specifically toward something, e.g., I can arouse myself to apply my mind to something. But, as just proved, volition is a conditioned phenomenon. Can I therefore be equated with volition? If so, I only exist when volition is present; when it passes away I die also. But we say we are present all the time — therefore I cannot be equated with volition. In conclusion we can state that if I say, "I'm going to do this or that," what this really means is that this or that is going to be done, not by me but through cause and necessity. Well, we still have not found ourselves; yet there is only one more aspect of ourselves to consider — consciousness. Are you conscious, am I conscious? "Yes," is the usual immediate answer. If this were not so you would say, "I'd be unconscious." Can you be conscious without being conscious of anything? Most people would say not. Let us find out what are the factors involved in being conscious. Can one be conscious without a body? Not that we know of, so we can assume from this that consciousness arises dependent on the body. Will there be consciousness if no sense-organs are in the body? We can categorically state that there will not be. So our second step is that consciousness is dependent on the sense-organs. Will there be consciousness with body and sense-organs and no internal or external sense-impingement? Again we can say definitely, "No." Given sense-impingement shall we be conscious? Yes, but it will not be a very meaningful consciousness. We shall see a conglomeration of colors, hear noises, smell things, have bodily sensations, and taste things, but not be able to recognize them. If perception is missing one cannot say, "I am conscious." We have already discussed perception and shown that it is not one's real self. Sense-consciousness, together with perception, gives us our awareness of things, but is there an "I" who is aware? If you say, "I am conscious of a vase of flowers on the table," are you really conscious of it? By our investigation we have tried to show that you do not enter into is at all and that consciousness, like all the other aspects of self, has birth, decay, and death. To fall into the delusion that the body, feelings, perception, volitional action, and consciousness are you is to suffer because unfortunately they are not of you and you are not of them, and you cannot expect them ever to give satisfaction for very long. In conclusion I would say that the more disgusted one becomes with compounded things the closer one gets to things that give lasting happiness. — From "The Maha Bodhi," May 1964. Physical and Biological Aspects of Anattaa by Edward Greenly The labors of a succession of devoted scholars, from Turnour to Rhys Davids, has now made impossible, at any rate for all serious students of religion, the cruder misconceptions of Buddhism that were current in Europe at the end of last century. Its deeply intellectual character, its unique and unsullied record of tolerance, its priority (relatively to the Mediterranean systems) of five centuries in promulgation of the higher ethic, all these things are now widely known. And yet in spite of all this, even among such as are devoid of prejudice, it is seldom that one meets with a real, penetrating understanding of the Teaching. To some its philosophy, to others its influence, appear alike unintelligible. Now the source of this perplexity, it may safely be affirmed, is, invariably, a failure to apprehend that characteristic and central doctrine or principle of Buddhism that is summed up in the Pali term anattaa. Without this, there must appear to be an unbridgeable gap in the Buddhist doctrine of causation, its power over the hearts and lives of men must seem incapable of explanation, its final goal still present the insoluble enigma that it has for long presented to the European mind. Anattaa once comprehended, however, all whether thought or practice, is clear and open. That is the key that unlocks the secret, the way to the heart of the Buddhist mystery. The term is generally explained as meaning "denial of the soul"; and yet such a translation is apt to be somewhat misleading to a European. For it involves, in a certain sense, both less and more than that. It does not by any means imply, for example, that "death ends all" in the sense of some of the Western schools. And on the other hand, the idea of a "soul" is but a part, though indeed the most important part, of the great body of conceptions which it denies. Taken in connection with aniccaa, the principle of impermanence, that which it denies is the idea of separate and abiding substance in anything whatever in the whole unbounded universe, whether psychical or physical. Psyche, of course, was the particular kind of substance which the Buddhist teachers had in view, and its proper treatment is, naturally, psychological. But every kind of substance comes under the same condemnation; and, as the Western mind of today is far more at home in, and thinks far more clearly and powerfully upon, physical affairs, a consideration of some of the physical and biological aspects of anattaa is likely to be the best possible preparation for an understanding of those psychical aspects of it which the Buddhist teachers so earnestly labored to convey, the more so as such cases are, it should most clearly be understood, not "illustrations" or analogies only; they are actual examples of the principle itself. Consider such a phenomenon as a rainbow. To the unsophisticated mind, a rainbow is just as real as any other object, much more vivid and real than the faint and distant hills that lie beyond it. A child, indeed, filled with longing, will beg that it may be given to him, that he may have and hold and possess for himself this beautiful and brilliant thing. Later on, he learns something of its real nature, learns that there is in it no "thing" whatever capable of being so held; that it is but a conditioning of certain rays of light and drops of water, and has no existence in itself at all.[1] That is precisely, the anattaa doctrine. The rainbow is anattaa. This step in sound philosophy every sane adult is taught to take. How many take any further steps? For most, "the cares of life and the deceitfulness of riches" — riches often of another world as much as of this — occupy the mind entirely, and there is no desire for further knowledge. Yet to some, one day to all, the question cannot but arise — "If this be so, if the rainbow be but a conditioning, how about the things of which it is a conditioning? How about the light and water? Surely those are real enough?" Very well, then. The light, first, what is that? Little as we all know, we know enough to answer that it is an undulation or vibration, a particular kind of very rapid movement of something. But what is this but just the very answer that was given to the child about the rainbow, given to the adult about the light? Just as that rainbow was a conditioning of the light and had no existence in itself, so now the light proves to be a conditioning in its turn, to have no more existence in itself than the rainbow had. The light, too is anattaa. Yet, if it be an undulation of what is it an undulation? Of the ether. [2] And what is this ether? Here we are getting near the limits of our knowledge. Yet this much can be said, that it is not matter. It is not this, it is not that, it is not the other — to any question concerning it, such are the replies: and yet it is not non-existence. Seek it, and it vanishes from the grasp of the mind, just as the rainbow and the light did in their turn. It is the very type of insubstantiality, of anattaa. The water, however: that at least is tangible and substantive enough. Here is existence in a way that cannot be denied. Go far enough to north or south, and water will react to even the Johnsonian fist. Nevertheless, let it but feel the touch of a lump of sodium, or even of a few inches of hot copper, and where is it? Vanished utterly, and in its place two things that are no more water than it or light were rainbow. Water in itself, then, is not and never was — nothing "was" but a particular conditioning of these other things, this hydrogen and oxygen, as we call them; and "water" is but a name for such conditioning. Nor need we even think that this water-conditioning is the rule, and the water-abolishing experiments mere curious exceptions. Throughout the whole vast universe that is visible to us, only in a score of tiny specks is that the case. Not for one fleeting moment in the great star that daily lights us, or in a single one of the millions of its peers in the depths of space, could the water-conditioning hold good. Both the constituents of the rainbow, therefore, are as truly anattaa as the rainbow itself. As in the case of the first constituent, however, the question leads us further. What of these elements, this hydrogen and this oxygen, into which the water has resolved itself? Well, it is true that, misled by the unsound views of the nature of things in which they were brought up, many, probably most, chemists did, for a long time, think that in the ultimate combining particle, the "atom" of such elements, real, separate, and abiding substance had at last been hunted down. Not all, indeed, were so deceived. Hardly had the atomic theory been formulated, when discerning minds began to seek, first by one means, then by another, for that of which the atom must be but a compounding. The time had not come, and they were baffled. How in the last few years they have been completely justified, how abiding substance eludes us no less in the atom than it does elsewhere, has been already told elsewhere. The hydrogen and oxygen, therefore, are in their turn nothing but conditionings of something else, and when we inquire concerning that of which they are conditionings, then, as we have done to the ether, we can give to it a name, we can show that it must behave in such and such a way; but the moment that we attempt to lay the profane finger of thought upon it, and say that it is this or that, it is gone. As of the rainbow, so of all things: process there is, conditioning there is, but nowhere the least trace of substance, nowhere the least trace of "self." That is the anattaa doctrine as exemplified by matter. According to the theory of the soul, familiar to all of us from our childhood, each living body, at any rate each living human body, is inhabited and informed by a single psychic entity, the thinker of all its thoughts, doer of its deeds, and director of the organism generally. In Christianity, until very lately, such a soul was ascribed to human beings only; animals had no souls. For them death ended all, without even the hope of a future life in which might be redeemed some of their unmerited sufferings; and the present writer well remembers his passionate yearnings as a child after a larger hope for some of the dear animals he loved so well, and remembers the quenching of this hope by his orthodox instructors.[3] The Roman Catholic Church still holds valorously to this ancient orthodoxy,[4] but the rapidly-growing feeling of compassion for animal suffering that has sprung up in the Western world during the past hundred years, and is one of its kindliest and noblest features,[5] has, outside the Roman pale, begun to modify opinion, and souls are now postulated for at any rate the higher animals. Concurrently with this, an influence of a different kind has accelerated the movement of men's minds in the same direction. This comes from the acceptance, now general, of the theory of evolution. Fear for the existence of the human soul was the motive, indeed, of much of the early opposition to that theory, but now that resistance is no longer possible, it is coming to be felt that a worthier way out of the difficulty is to be found in the concession of a soul to these our fellow-beings. The inter-relationship and unity of all life left, indeed, no other way, if the soul theory was to be held at all. The unity of life, however, has other bearings very searching, some of them, upon the whole question and a consideration of these may throw some light upon animistic views in general. For there is no stopping at the higher animals, still less at those who are our especial friends and lovers. If we concede a soul to a dog, so must we also to a wolf; if to a cat, then also to a tiger. Nor can we call a halt at any place, as, passing from these sensitive and splendid beings, we descend lower and lower through the mammalia till we reach the very humblest of the primitive marsupials. But the mammalia form but one of the branches of the Tree of Life; bird, reptile, fish put in the same claim, and it cannot be denied to them. Not even the lowly Amphioxus brooks the refusal of a soul, and he, standing at the confines of his kingdom, opens the gates to the still vaster and dimmer armies of the life we call Invertebrate. To cut an almost endless story short, we find even here no place at which to stop, and are fain to concede at last that the microscopic protoplasmic cell-units called the protozoa are as able to make good their title as the lordliest of the mammalia. Besides, if we were inclined to pass them by with a De minimis non curat lex, they could reinforce their claim, by pointing out that man himself enters upon his existence as a protozoan unit indistinguishable from themselves, and that if this unit contains a soul, why should not each of them contain one likewise? There is another curious consideration. If my soul enters upon existence along with me, and is mine and no one else's, so also does any other being's even such as a protozoan's, and it is his soul and no other protozoan's. Now, man propagates his kind at an exceptionally slow rate, but the rate of increase in the lower ranks of life is prodigious. Statisticians amuse themselves sometimes by computations of the progeny of a single cod-fish in quite a moderate space of time, and the results are astonishing. But the multiplication of the protozoa proceeds by geometrical progression, so that, without books at hand, I am afraid to quote the shortness of the period in which one such will have given rise to millions. The influx of new souls into this world alone, therefore, is proceeding at a rate beyond all power of numbers to convey, and when we reflect that this has been going on throughout the whole of geological time, the conception is truly staggering. Well-found indeed must be the ship of speculation that can carry such a freight as that across the stormy seas of modern thought! So far we have considered the single soul in a single body, such as we ourselves have been taught we are endowed with. But there are cases not so simple. Among the coelenterata and the polyzoa there are, as well as a single hydroid animals, many species of compound ones, in which whole colonies of such beings are united by a "coenosarc" or flesh-body common to them all. What are we to say of the soul in a case of this sort? Shall we ascribe it to the individuals, to the coenosarc, or to the colony as a whole? The individual is just such another as any simple hydroid, yet if we assign to him a soul like that of the simple one, what becomes of the coenosarc, which is just as much alive? Or, if we assign it to the community, then why, to the hydra that is rooted in a coenosarc, should be denied that which is conceded to his cousin who is rooted on a stone? And, as if this were not perplexing enough, sometimes a member of such a community will detach himself from it altogether, and conduct his life on his own account. To return, however, to the higher beings, ourselves included, with a single body and its single soul. Closely bound up with the theory of evolution are the facts of histology, the structures and relationships, that is to say, of the microscopic units that compose the living being. Let us consider, first, the corpuscles of the blood. They are of the two kinds, the large white corpuscles, and the smaller red ones. Both are cells, but we will consider just now the white ones. They are minute specks of living protoplasm, constantly changing their shape, moving slowly about, and living upon what they meet with. Now, amongst the protozoa, animals consisting of a single cell, whose claims to a single soul we were obliged to admit capable of being made good with such irresistible effect, is a creature known as the amoeba. It is a speck of protoplasm that moves slowly about from point to point, changing its shape as it goes along, and living upon any suitable object it can meet with. The white blood-corpuscles, in short, and the amoeba are indistinguishable in composition, aspect and behavior. They differ in nothing but their habitat: the amoeboid corpuscle (as it is called) can make every whit as effective a claim to a single soul as the amoeba. The one, however, is an independent being; the other an integral part of a most essential portion of our own economy, essential, indeed, for without them the blood cannot perform its functions; and is not the blood, as we have long ago been told, "the life" (Deut. xii,23)? Even if we take refuge in the brain, and seek to locate the soul where thought goes on, to that retreat also they pursue us; for stop the blood, and in a few short minutes thinking ceases. Clearly there is something wrong. It is evident that the simple-seeming hypothesis of a single soul in a single body hides a world of perplexities and complications. The difficulty of the hydrozoan coenosarc has reappeared in a more subtle form than ever, and that within our own breasts, the very citadel of the soul-hypothesis. Nor is this even the end of the matter. The relations of the amoeboid corpuscle to the amoeba strike the mind at once, and the lessons that they teach are past mistaking. But the red corpuscle is no whit less a cell, which, were it found elsewhere than in the blood, would pass without challenge as one among many protozoan creatures. Nay, further still. If we watch through the microscope a drop of pond-water full of paramecium or any other simple animals, it will not be long before we see one of them constrict into a sort of "waist," develop there a medial cell-wall, and part along that into two, each of which proceeds without more ado to go about its own business.[6] In paramecium and its congeners the new cells leave each other, but in slightly higher animals they remain united along the medial wall, dividing, perhaps, and redividing until we have a tissue or colony of several cells. The members of such a tissue are to the free separating cells as the hydroids of a coenosarcal community to the solitary hydroids. The inner nature of the cell remains the same. Now, all the tissues of the living body are neither more nor less than just such colonies. Modified in various ways according to the nature of the tissue, here for muscle, here for skin, there for bone, differently again for nerve, and finally in a special way for brain itself: the units of these tissues are, throughout the body, cells, alike in their essential nature, different only in their modifications. The blood corpuscles are just some of these cells which, in order to perform a particular function, remained detached and free to move, like the protozoa. And every activity of the being, physical or psychical, depends entirely on the co-ordinated activities, physical or psychical, of this vast multitude, which indeed no man can number. But each one of these is, as we now perceive, a being to whom, if we set out the hypothesis of souls, it is logically impossible to refuse a separate soul-unit of its own. Seeking in the first part of this article for the essential, inner self or being of the rainbow, light, water, and their elements, we found that there was not in any one of them any essential self or being whatsoever. Every one of them turned out to be, by its very nature, a conditioning of elements that were not itself, and this held good to the last stages of analysis that knowledge could apply. Every one of them had to be pronounced anattaa. What have we now found (using a biological analysis) to be the case of the living being? We have found it to be, more conspicuously if possible than even those other phenomena, a conditioning of a vast number of elements that are not one of them itself, dependent absolutely upon these elements, having apart from them and their activities no existence "in itself" whatever. Beginning with a phenomenon, the rainbow, with regard to which the Anattaa doctrine is already held by every sane adult, we have followed that doctrine and found it to apply to the highest form of existence that we know upon this earth. From the biological point of view, the living being is, and that in a superlative degree, anattaa. Further treatment of the anattaa subject is, of course, psychological. With that, this article is not concerned. But any sound psychology must be in harmony, not at variance, with biology and physics. Suffice it, then, to say here, that we may be sure that what is biologically compound will not prove to be psychologically simple. Were we ever inclined to regard the doctrines of anattaa and the khandhas as either fantastic or perverse, we may wonder rather at the discernment which perceived the one, long before biology and physics were, and at the moderation which gave us but five khandhas where modern science would give for one of them alone (viz. ruupa) something much more like five hundred millions! Far more marvellous, however, was that surpassing spiritual penetration that could see, in this compositeness of our nature, nothing less than the balm of sorrow, the justification of the Golden Rule, and life's liberation from the house of bondage. Parts of this article may have, perhaps, a somewhat polemical expression. Well, argument, if undertaken at all, should be made conclusive and convincing, if that be possible, and should result in intellectual conviction. But intellectual conviction is not religion, it may not even have religion as its consequence in life. Something more is needed. He who discerns not life's pathos and its sorrow, will not find out the Annattaa path of love to sorrow's utter ceasing. — From "The Buddhist Review," Vol. III, No. 1 (1911). Notes 1. The writer can even now recall his own childish perplexity at being told that a rainbow was "the sun shining upon drops of water." For what resemblance of any kind did it bear to either drops of water or the sun? 2. The theory of a "luminiferous ether" as the medium in which light — and all forms of electromagnetic radiation — propagates was dealt a mortal blow in the 1887 Michelson-Morley experiment. The final nails were hammered in its coffin by Einstein in 1905. The author, writing in 1911, was probably not aware of this. — ATI ed. 3. The great Bishop Butler, however, ventured to suggest some such hope. 4. With the sinister corollary that as animals have no souls, neither have they any rights. 5. In the Buddhist countries of Asia such a sentiment has long prevailed. 6. In passing, it may well be asked, what has happened with the soul. Has that divided also, or has a new soul arisen to animate one of the two bodies? And if so, which, for they are substantially equal and alike? The Spell of Narcissism and the Anattaa Doctrine by M.W. Padmasiri de Silva "Narcissism is a passion the intensity of which in many individuals can only be compared with sexual desire and the desire to stay alive. In fact, many times it proves to be stronger than either. Even in the average individual in whom it does not reach such intensity, there remains a narcissistic core which appears to be almost indestructible." — Erich Fromm, The Heart of Man The word "narcissism" is derived from a Greek legend. Narcissus in mythology is a beautiful youth who loved no one till he saw his own body reflected in water. Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection; finally he pined away, died, and was turned into the flower of like name.[1] Thus the word "narcissism" derived from this legend has been generally used to refer to a kind of morbid self-love.[2] The concept of narcissism was woven into psychological theory by Sigmund Freud. Freud himself borrowed this name from Paul Nacke, who used the term to describe a perversion, where "an adult individual lavishes upon his own body all the caresses expended only upon a sexual object other than himself."[3] it was Freud, however, who grasped for the first time the tremendous significance of the concept of narcissism. Freud's essay on narcissism is one of the richest spots in his psychology, unfortunately neglected by his fellow psychiatrists and submerged by the popular image of Freud's work. Freud's essay on narcissism is a little gem which would have been pushed into an insignificant corner in the field of psychological theory, but for the efforts of Eric Fromm who remarks that, "One of the most fruitful and far-reaching of Freud's discoveries is his concept of narcissism. Freud himself considered it to be one of his most important findings..."[4] In this paper I shall very briefly refer to the Freudian concept of narcissism and then present Fromm's development on this against the background of the anattaa doctrine. Before his paper on narcissism appeared, Freud made a clear distinction between the sexual instinct (libido) and the ego instinct, or in more popular terms between "love" and "hunger." But he came across an interesting category of patients whose condition presented a great challenge to this distinction between sexual and ego instincts. "We became slowly accustomed to the conception that the libido, which we find attached to certain objects and which is the desire to gain some satisfaction in these objects, can also abandon these objects and set the ego itself in their place," says Freud.[5] More reflection on this point made him realize that a fixation of this kind to the subject's own body and his person was not something accidental, it is probable that this is the original condition of man (primary narcissism) out of which object love develops later without thereby necessarily affecting a disappearance of narcissism. This conception of narcissism was backed by evidence from a number of sources. In megalomania, we get the subjective over-estimation of self-importance, in dementia praecox we get the magical belief in the "omnipotence of thought." Freud also studied the mind of the infant and the primitive man and here too discovered an expression of narcissism. There are also other situations in life like disease, after an accident, in old age etc., "when the tendency to this withdrawal into self-preoccupation is apt to become pronounced." Normal love is also affected by a great deal of narcissism. The notion of narcissism was used to explain a wide range of distinct phenomena ranging from love, jealousy, and fear to mass phenomena. Continuing on these lines Fromm has worked out the spell of narcissism in group behavior, nationalism, and war. It was due to Fromm's insight that the concept of narcissism was salvaged from its limited base in the libido theory and given a more comprehensive interpretation. Narcissism in Buddhism and the Writings of Fromm Fromm himself makes a reference to Buddhism which is extremely significant for an understanding of narcissism. Fromm says that the essential teachings of all the humanistic religions in the world can be summarized in one sentence: "It is the goal of man to overcome one's narcissism. Perhaps this principle is nowhere expressed more radically than in Buddhism."[6] Fromm concludes on these lines that if man sheds the "illusion of his indestructible ego" and the other objects of greed, only then can he be totally open, awake and be fully related to the world. The illusion of the indestructible ego that Fromm mentions is quite clearly a reference to the Buddhist doctrine of anattaa (egolessness). There is no ego entity existing apart and independently of those physical and mental processes that constitute life. The illusion of the ego has two basic forms: eternity belief and annihilation belief. The craving for selfish pursuits arises with a false conception of personality, based on the dogma of personal immortality (sassata-di.t.thi), and the craving for annihilation arises with a false conception of personality, based on the annihilationist view (uccheda di.t.thi).[7] An understanding of the doctrine of sakkaaya-di.t.thi (twenty forms of wrong personality beliefs) helps us to grasp the Buddhist doctrine of egolessness. Where there is a mere complex of corporeality, feeling, perception, dispositions, and consciousness, the individual being subject to the ego illusion assumes the existence of an ego: 1-5: Ego is identified with corporeality, feeling, perception, dispositions, and consciousness. 6-10: Ego is contained in them. 11-15: Ego is independent of them. 16-20: Ego is their owner. This does not mean that the ego is merely an intellectual construction. The roots of the ego illusion are strong and it is fed by deep effective processes.[8] These processes are dormant proclivities described in the Discourses of the Buddha as the latent desire for continued existence (bhava-raaga anusaya). Corporeal Overtones of the Ego Concept The origin of the Freudian concept of narcissism is the point at which Narcissus falls in love with his own body. In relating auto-eroticism to narcissism, Freud says that the ego is first and foremost a "body-ego." Fromm also says that one of the most elementary examples of narcissism can be found in the attitude to the body exhibited by the average person.[9] The narcissistic relation to one's body has its parallel in the doctrine of the Buddha, where he discusses the operation of personality beliefs (atta di.t.thi) in relation to corporeality. The majority of the people who are not skilled in the doctrine of the Buddha are subject to the ego-illusion associated with their body. This ego-illusion is described in the suttas: These people who are untrained in the doctrine of the Buddha, "regard body as the self (attaaa, Skr: aatman); they regard the self as having a body, body as being in the self, the self as being in the body. 'I am the body,' say they; 'body is mine'; and they are possessed by this idea." The Buddha also says that due to the excessive attachment to the body, when it alters and changes, sorrow and grief set in; thus the doctrine of anattaa is linked to the doctrine of dukkha (suffering). However, while the body-image concept of the ego dominates the thought of Freud, the Buddha offers a more comprehensive analysis, relating the ego-illusion to feeling, perception, dispositions, and consciousness. To use a phrase of Wolheim, "the corporeal overtones of the ego concept" prevented Freud from presenting a broad base for his theory of narcissism. In fact, Wolheim has pointed out a significant ambiguity in the Freudian analysis of narcissism. Sometimes Freud conceives narcissism as an attraction towards one's own person, and sometimes as an attraction towards one's own body. Fromm has not merely re-vitalized the Freudian concept of narcissism, but takes it very much beyond this, and brings it close to the doctrine of the Buddha. Not merely does Fromm offer a theory of narcissism which is of interest to the Buddhist, but he quite clearly refers to the doctrine of the Buddha: "The 'awakened' person of whom Buddhist teaching speaks is the person who has overcome his narcissism, and who is therefore capable of being fully awake."[10] The Narcissistic "Self-Image" The narcissistic person is not only proud of his body but he has an exaggerated and inflated image of all aspects of his personality: his intelligence, his honor and his wealth, his social standing, etc. "Just as the narcissistic person has made his 'self-image' the object of his narcissistic attachment, he does the same with everything connected with him. His ideas, his knowledge, his house, but also people in his 'sphere of interest' become objects of his narcissistic attachment."[11] As both Freud and Fromm point out, one's narcissistic image about oneself is projected on to the children. This is extended to identification with wider groups, culminating in nationalism. Karen Horney was quick to point out that at the root of this kind of narcissistic self-image is found a kind of "self-inflation" rather than "self-love," with a need not for love but the admiration of others. At this point we see the relevance of the Buddhist concept of maana (self-conceit). Self-conceit, according to the Buddha, takes three forms: I am superior to others (seyyo' ham asmi-maana); I am equal to others (sadiso 'ham asmi-maana); I am inferior to others (hino 'ham asmi maana). Maana is one of the fetters that bind man to the ills of existence, and it varies from a crude feeling of pride to a subtle feeling of distinctiveness that prevails till the attainment of arahantship (sainthood). If a person is proud of his attainments, exaggerates them, and feels infuriated when someone gives a lower estimation of his doings, he suffers from an inflated sense of vanity (maana mada). If he feels frustrated, disappointed and underestimates his attainments he is subject to a kind of inferiority complex. This is similar to what Fromm describes as "depression." "The element of mourning in melancholia refers, in my opinion to the narcissistic image of the wonderful 'I' which has died, and for which the depressed person is mourning." Pride, vanity and conceit manifest clearly in interpersonal relations, as a reactive expression, as "wounded narcissism." Its mechanism is similar to what Freud refers to as "secondary narcissism." One's wounded narcissism gives way either to an ego collapse, depression and melancholy or to anger and fury. The Antinomy between Self-love and Love for Others Apart from discussing the pathology of narcissism and its crippling impact on healthy personality growth, Fromm raises the question whether there could be a kind of healthy self-love, a benign form of narcissism as different from malignant narcissism. Is a certain degree of narcissism necessary for survival? Is there a necessary antinomy between love of self and others? Part of the problem could of course arise due to the linguistic issues besetting the use of the word "self" in diverse contexts. A grasp of the subtle mechanisms that bear upon the psychology of human motivation can clear up another facet of this issue. Ultimately this might involve a whole philosophical perspective or a way of looking at the universe and man. Fromm's analysis of this question too can be presented against the background of the Buddhist analysis of the issues involved. The problem arises when we consider love for others and love for oneself as alternatives which are mutually exclusive.[12] Selfishness is not identical with mature self-love. In fact selfishness is caused by a real lack of genuine self-love. "Love, in principle, is indivisible as far as the connection between the 'objects' and one's own self is concerned. Genuine love is an expression of productiveness and implies care, respect, responsibility, and knowledge. It is not an 'affect' in the sense of being affected by somebody, but an active striving for the growth and happiness of the loved person, rooted in one's own capacity to love."[13] Fromm says that it is only a "symbiotic attachment" which is rooted in one's narcissism. Symbiotic attachment takes two basic forms: that of passive submission (to use a clinical term, masochism), and active dominance (sadism). The masochistic person escapes from the unbearable feeling of separation and isolation by making himself a part and parcel of another person; the sadistic person wants to escape from his aloneness by making another person part and parcel of himself. From the Buddhist standpoint, a clear distinction could be made between self-devoting motives and self-centered motives. The practice of metta-bhaavanaa is the finest expression of the fusing of self-love and love for others in Buddhism. The meditation of loving-kindness is first developed towards oneself and then radiates towards others. One first starts with the thought, "May I be happy," and then extends it to the welfare and happiness of others. Even, where a person makes a sacrifice and forgoes certain material benefits for the sake of others, it merely strengthens his self-development. The very nature of the good is such that no one can seek the salvation of others without seeking his own. It is extremely important to mention that Buddhism considers the life of renunciation as the highest expression of the other-regarding instincts. This is very well expressed in the Kindred Sayings: He who of both is a physician, since Himself he healeth and the others too. In the suttas, there is a classification of beings into four types: He who is neither bent on his own profit nor on the profit of another; he who is bent on the profit of another but not his own; he who is bent on his own profits not another's; and he who is bent on the profit both of himself and another.[14] The Buddha considers the last category as the best. The context in which the Buddha made the analysis cited above may be a little different from the context in which Fromm has made a case for genuine self-love. But I do not see any fundamental difference between the approaches in Buddhism and that of Erich Fromm. It is true that the Buddha was basically concerned with the life of renunciation, and the other-regarding virtues in Buddhism are based on a deeper doctrine of compassion. But if we present the basic human relations presented in a homily to Sigaala, it will be quite clear that even in limited social situations, the Buddha advocates mature human relations which deny any symbiotic attachment[15] of abnormal domination or dependence. There is however a wider dimension in which the Buddhist analysis of self-love has to be presented. A layman who has made a necessary compromise with life will find it difficult to handle the obtruding ego, while the recluse committed to the path of renunciation will have at his command a more effective therapeutic control over the spell of narcissism. The only way to bridge the gap is to discover significant similarities between the techniques used by the psychiatrist in special "clinical situations" and that the recluse who has made a life-long commitment to a therapeutic procedure of his own. This short paper is essentially a response to a psychiatrist with vision who has opened a significant dialogue with humanistic religions. Notes 1. Oxford Classical Dictionary (London, 1970), p. 722. 2. Oxford Dictionary of Etymology (London, 1966), p. 602. 3. Sigmund Freud. A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis (N. York, 1960), p. 423. 4. Erich Fromm, The Heart of Man (London, 1965), p. 62. 5. A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis, p. 422. 6. The Heart of Man, p. 88. 7. See M. W. Padmasiri de Silva, Buddhist and Freudian Psychology (Ceylon, 1973), p. 143. 8. See Nyanaponika Mahathera, Anatta and Nibbana (Ceylon 1959). 9. Heart of Man, p. 67. 10. Ibid p. 88. 11. Ibid p. 71. 12. Erich Fromm, Man for Himself (New York, 1947), p. 128. 13. Ibid p. 129. 14. See Buddhist and Freudian Psychology, pp. 126-7. 15. The concept of "symbiotic attachment" could be understood in terms of the Buddhist notion of upaadaana (clinging). Extracts from the Samyutta-Nikaya Dealing with Egolessness Compiled and translated by Nyanatiloka Mahathera When certain things we find combined, We speak of "chariot," speak of "car." Just so when all Five Groups appear, We use the designation "man." 'Tis naught but woe that does arise; And that exists and passes off. Nothing but suffering appears, Nothing but woe that vanishes. — SN 5.10 The "five groups" are a classification, in which the Buddha has summed up all the physical and mental phenomena of existence, and in particular, those which appear to the ignorant man as his ego, or personality. They are: corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness. It is said in the Visuddhi Magga: "Whenever different parts, as axle, wheels, frame, pole, etc., are combined in a certain manner, we use the conventional designation 'chariot.' But if we examine one part after the other, we cannot, in the ultimate sense, discover anything that can be called a chariot." It is likewise with the five groups of existence (khandha). If they are present, one uses the conventional designation "being" or "personality," etc. But if we examine each phenomenon in its ultimate sense, there is nothing that can form a basis for such conceptions as "I am" and "I." Hence in the ultimate sense only mental and physical phenomena exist. (Through sense-impression is conditioned feeling — thus it is said in the formula of Dependent Origination (paticca-samuppaada): "But who, Venerable One, is it that feels?" "This question is not proper," said the Exalted One. "I do not teach that there is one who feels. If however the question is put thus: 'Conditioned through what, does feeling arise?' then the answer will be: 'Through sense-impression is feeling conditioned... through feeling, craving; through craving, clinging...'" — SN 12.12 But what are old age and death, and to whom do they belong? I do not teach that there is one thing called old age and death, and that there is someone to whom they belong. Verily if one holds the view that life (jiiva: life principle, soul, etc.) is identical with the body, in that case there can be no holy life. And if one holds the view that life is one thing but body another thing, also in that case a holy life is impossible. Avoiding both of these extremes (i.e., complete identity and complete otherness), the Perfect One has taught the doctrine that lies in the middle, namely: Through rebirth conditioned are old age and death;... Through the (karmical) process of becoming, rebirth;... through clinging the process of becoming;... through craving, clinging;... through feeling, craving; etc. — SN 12.35 (Through sense-impression is conditioned feeling — thus it is said in the formula of Dependent Origination (): Visuddhi Magga quotes: From woe and sorrow springs delusive thinking. No first beginning of existence can be seen. No doer can be found, nor one that reaps the fruits And twelvefold empty is the cycle of rebirth, And steadily the wheel of life rolls on and on. Better it would be to consider the body as the "ego," rather than the mind. And why? Because this body may last for 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 years, even for 100 years and more. But that which is called "mind," "consciousness," "thinking," arises continuously, during day and night, as one thing, and as something different again it vanishes. Now, here the learned and noble disciple considers thoroughly the Dependent Origination: If this is, then that becomes. Through the arising of this, that comes to arise; through the extinction of this, that becomes extinguished, namely: Through ignorance conditioned arise the karma-formations; through the karma-formations, consciousness (in next life); through consciousness, corporeality and mind;... through the extinction of ignorance, the karma-formations become extinguished; through the extinction of the karma-formations, consciousness... etc. — SN 12.61 Corporeality... feeling... perception... mental formations... and consciousness are impermanent...woeful... egoless, be they of the past or the future, not to mention the present. Understanding thus, the learned and noble disciple does no longer cling to things past, and he enters the path leading to the turning away therefrom, to detachment and extinction. — SN 22.9-11 The five groups of existence are impermanent, woeful, and egoless. And also the causes and conditions of the arising of these groups of existence are impermanent, woeful, and egoless. How could that which has arisen through something impermanent, woeful, and egoless as its root, be itself permanent, joyful, and an ego? — SN 22.18-20 All those ascetics and priests, who again and again in manifold ways belief in an ego (attaa), they all do so with regard to the five groups of existence, or to one of them, namely: There the ignorant worldling... considers one of the five groups as the ego; or the ego as the owner of that group, or that group as included in the ego, or the ego as included in that group. — SN 22.47 Now, someone holds the view: This is my "ego," this is the world. After death I shall remain permanent, steady, eternal, and not be subject to any change. This eternity-view is one karma-formation. (This is the second link in the formula of the Dependent Origination, and signifies here the unwholesome volitional action accompanied by wrong views and ignorance.) But through what is this karma-formation conditioned? It is the craving which has arisen in the ignorant worldling while being impressed by a feeling conditioned through an infatuated sense-impression. It is through this craving (ta.nhaa) arisen hereby, that the karma-formulation has arisen. Hence that karma-formation is impermanent, created, and has conditionally arisen. In one who thus understands, thus sees, the immediate extinction of biases (aasava) takes place. Again, someone holds the view: "May I not be! May there nothing belong to me! I shall not be! Nothing will belong to me!" Also this annihilation-view is a karma-formation... is impermanent, created, and conditionally arisen. In one who thus understands, thus sees, the immediate extinction of biases takes place. — SN 22.81 To the monk Yamaka once the following wrong view had arisen: "Thus do I understand the doctrine shown by the Blessed One that he in whom all Biases have vanished at the dissolution of the body after death, will become annihilated and will no longer exist after death." [Sariputta:] "What do you think, Brother Yamaka, are corporeality... feeling... perception... mental formations... or consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "Now, do you consider corporeality etc., as the Perfect One?" "No, venerable sir." "Or do you consider the Perfect One as contained therein?" "No, venerable sir." "Or do you consider all these groups combined as the Perfect One?" "No, venerable sir." "Or do you think that the Perfect One is without corporeality, or without feeling, without perception, without mental formations, without consciousness?" "No, venerable sir." "Now, since you cannot, even during life-time, make out the Perfect One according to truth and reality, how can you rightly maintain that the Perfect One will, at the dissolution at the body, become annihilated and no longer continue after death? "Should someone asked me, what will become of the Holy One, I should answer thus: 'Corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are impermanent; and what is impermanent, that is woeful; and what is woeful, that will become extinguished and annihilated.'" — SN 22.85 (Hence, it is only these five groups of phenomena embracing all existence whatever, which are here to be considered, while the designations "Perfect One," "I," "ego," "self," "person," "man," "animal," etc. are merely conventional terms, not referring to any real entities. And the so-called pure ego is merely a metaphysical fiction or hypothesis.) Five groups of existence forming the objects of attachment have been taught by the Blessed One: corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness. With regard to these five groups I do not find any ego (attaa), or something "belonging to an ego" (attaniya), but still I am not yet a Holy One, not yet freed from biases. Also concerning these groups of existence liable to attachment, I am no longer subject to the thoughts of "I am," or "this I am." — SN 22.89 The world, as a rule, is fettered by attachment and clinging to things, and is firmly adhering to them. But the learned and noble disciple does no longer attach himself, cling, and firmly adhere and incline to the thoughts: "I have an ego (attaa)," and he knows: "Merely woe is it that arises, merely woe that vanishes." — SN 22.90 Suppose a man who is not blind beheld the many bubbles on the Ganges as they drive along; and he watched them, and carefully examined them. After carefully examining them, they will appear to him empty, unreal, and unsubstantial. In exactly the same way does the monk behold all corporeal phenomena, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and states of consciousness, whether past, present, or future; one's own or external; gross or subtle; lofty or low; far or near. And he watches them, and examines them carefully; and after examining them, they appear to him empty, unreal and unsubstantial... The body's like a lump of foam, The feeling like a water-bubble, Perception like a void mirage, Formations like a plantain tree, And consciousness like jugglery. — SN 22.95 There is no corporeality, no feeling, no perception, no mental formation, no consciousness that is permanent, enduring, and lasting, and that, not subject to any change, will eternally remain the same. If there existed such an ego that is permanent, enduring, and lasting and not subject to any change, then a holy life leading to complete extinction of suffering will not be possible. — SN 22.96 Once the contemplation of impermanency has been developed and has attained full growth then it will overcome all craving for sensuous existence, all craving for fine-material existence, all craving for immaterial existence; it will overcome and uproot all conceit of "I am." — SN 22.102 (Only on reaching perfect Holiness, all conceit of "I am" will disappear forever.) The learned and noble disciple does not consider corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations or consciousness as the ego; nor the ego as the owner of one of these groups, nor this group as included within the ego, nor the ego as included within this group. Of such a learned and noble disciple it is said that he is no longer fettered by any group of existence, his own or external: Thus I say. — SN 22.117 ...It is possible that a virtuous man, while contemplating the five groups of existence as impermanent, woeful... empty, egoless, may realize the fruit of stream-entrance... — SN 22.122 The noble disciple who out of faith has gone forth from home to the homeless life, has with regard to the five groups of existence, to fulfil the task of living in contemplation of their impermanency, woefulness, and egolessness. And while penetrating these things, he becomes freed therefrom, freed from rebirth, old age and death, from sorrow, lamentation, grief, and despair, becomes freed from suffering: thus I say. — SN 22.147f "What must exist, and what must be the condition, that such views may arise as 'This is my ego, this the world. After death I shall continue, be everlasting, eternal, not subject to any change'?" "The five groups of existence must exist... that such views may arise." "What do you think: Are these five groups permanent or are they impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that joyful or woeful?" "Woeful, venerable sir." "But based on that which is impermanent, woeful, and subject to change, may (rightly) arise such views as: 'This is my ego, this the world. After death I shall continue, be everlasting, eternal, not subject to any change'?" "No, venerable sir." — SN 22.151 (In SN 22.47 it was stated, in a more general way, that any kind of ego-illusion is necessarily based upon the five groups of existence. Here, however, the same is said with special reference to the eternity-views.) The visible objects are egoless (anattaa); sounds, odors, tastes, bodily impressions, and mind-objects are egoless. But of that which is egoless, one has, according to reality and true wisdom to know thus: "That am I not, that does not belong to me, that is not my ego"... — SN 35.6 What is the totality of things? Eye and visible objects, ear and sounds, nose and odors, tongue and tastes, body and bodily impressions, mind and mind-objects: these are called the totality of things. — SN 35.23 All things are egoless. All things one has to comprehend fully [first truth], all things one has to overcome [second truth], all things one has to know directly... — SN 35.45-49 It is said that the world is empty. But why does one call the world empty? Because the world is empty of an ego (attaa), and of something belonging to the ego (attaniya), therefore the world is called empty. But which are the things that are empty of an ego? Empty of an ego are eye and visible objects, ear and sounds, nose and odors, tongue and tastes, body and bodily impressions, mind and mind-objects. — SN 35.85 One should not imagine oneself of being identical with the eye, should not imagine oneself of being included within the eye, should not imagine oneself of being outside the eye, should not imagine oneself: "The eye belongs to me." One should not imagine oneself of being identical with the visible objects, should not imagine oneself of being included within the visible objects, should not imagine oneself of being outside the visible objects, should not imagine: "The visible objects belong to me." One should not imagine oneself of being identical with eye-consciousness, should not imagine oneself of being included within eye-consciousness, should not imagine oneself of being outside of eye-consciousness, should not imagine: "The eye-consciousness belongs to me."... One should not imagine oneself of being identical with the totality of things... Thus not imagining any more, the wise disciple clings no longer to anything in the world. Clinging no longer to anything he trembles not. Trembling no longer, he reaches in his own person the extinction of all vanity: "Exhausted is rebirth, lived the holy life; and no further existence have I to expect;" thus he knows. — SN 35.90 Consciousness (mind) is egoless. Also the causes and conditions of the arising of consciousness, they likewise are egoless. Then, how could it be possible that consciousness, having arisen through something which is egoless, could ever be an ego? — SN 35.141 Whoso understands and contemplates the mind as egoless, in him the ego-view disappears. Whoso understands and contemplates as egoless (anattaa) the mind-objects... mind-consciousness... mind-impression... and the agreeable, disagreeable, and indifferent feeling conditioned through mind-impression, in him the ego-view disappears... — SN 35.163 ... Just as this body has in various ways been revealed, disclosed and explained as egoless, in exactly the same way one should explain also mind as egoless... — SN 35.193 ... "Empty village" is the name for the six sense-organs. Thus whenever an experienced, learned, and wise man examines the six sense-organs, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind-organ, then all these things appear to him as delusive, empty and deceitful... — SN 35.197 "I am" is a delusion. "This I am" is a delusion. "Corporeal shall I be" is a delusion. "Uncorporeal shall I be" is a delusion. "Endowed with perception shall I be" is a delusion. "Without perception shall I be" is a delusion. "Neither with nor without perception shall I be" is a delusion. Delusion is a sickness, an ulcer, a thorn. — SN 35.207 ... What is the mind-deliverance of emptiness (su~n~nataa)? There the monk repairs to the forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty hut. And he contemplates thus: "Empty is all this of an ego and of anything belonging to an ego"... — SN 46.7 ... If one develops the contemplation of impermanency... of egolessness due to woefulness, then all these contemplations are leading to higher blessing... — SN 46.72 Do not think such evil, unwholesome thoughts as "Life and body are identical"; or "Life is one thing, but another is the body'; or 'Does the Perfect One live after death?"; "or not?";... and why should one not think such thoughts? Because such thoughts are not profitable, do not belong to the genuine holy life, do not lead to the turning away and detachment, not to extinction, appeasement, enlightenment, and Nirvana. — SN 56.8 The Advantages of Realizing the Doctrine of Anattaa (Anattaanisa"msa) by The Venerable Ledi Sayadaw, Agga Maha Pandita, D.Litt. [Extracts from Anattaa-Dipani. Adapted from the translation by U Sein Nyo Tun. From The Light of Dhamma (Rangoon), viii, 2.] I shall show here the advantages arising from the realization of the characteristic of not-self (anattaa). If one can clearly perceive the characteristic of anattaa, one achieves the knowledge pertaining to the path of stream-entry (sotaapatti-magga-~naa.na), wherein ego-delusion (atta-di.t.thi) and personality belief (sakkaaya-di.t.thi) are totally eradicated. Anattaa Realization and Past Kamma All beings who drift and circle in the long and beginningless round of rebirths called sa"msaara rarely encounter the teachings of a Buddha. They may not encounter them for the time of even a hundred thousand world-cycles. They may not get the opportunity of hearing of a Buddha's teachings even once while an infinite number of world-cycles elapse. The number of existences and world-cycles in which beings have been afflicted by evil and error predominate. Hence, in the mental make-up of a being, there is always an infinite number of unwholesome actions (akusala-kamma) that can result in its falling into a world of utmost torment (avici-niraya), or in being reborn in other worlds of woe. Ego-delusion is the foremost of the unwholesome kamma of old and accompanies beings incessantly. As long as personality-belief exists, these old unwholesome actions are fiery and full of strength. Though beings may be enjoying happiness and splendour as deities, as divine rulers (Sakka) or in the fine-material or immaterial Brahma worlds, yet they necessarily exist, as it were, with their heads forever turned towards the four worlds of woe (apaaya). Palm fruits in a palm grove have an ever-existing tendency to fall to the ground, even though they may be attached to the very top of a palm tree. So long as the stalks are firm the fruits will remain on the tree; but as soon as the stalks weaken they will inevitably fall to the ground. In the same way, deities and Brahma gods afflicted with ego-delusion will be able to exist in their respective worlds only as long as the "stalks" of vital life force as deities and Brahmas remain intact. But when these "stalks" of vital life force are severed, they inevitably fall into worlds below, just like the palm fruits. This happens because personality-belief, which is ever present in the mental make-up of a being, is a great burden — heavier than even the Mount Meru — inasmuch as personality-belief gathers in its fold an infinite number of unwholesome kamma accumulated in the past. Thus beings who harbor within themselves this personality-belief are continually under pressure to gradually descend or directly to fall towards the worlds of woe although they may be living in the highest of the Brahma worlds. The cases of beings living in the lower Brahma worlds or in the celestial or human world, are much worse and need no further comment. Although such beings may exist as the rulers of Brahma worlds or of celestial worlds, yet their mental makeup contains, ready-made, the eight great hells, the lesser hells, the worlds of ghosts and demons and the animal realm. It is because these beings do not know that the tendency towards those misery-filled lower realms is always present in their mental make-up, that the Brahma kings and divine kings can afford to derive pleasure and enjoyment from their form of existence. But all the old unwholesome actions that have accompanied beings throughout the long and beginningless round of rebirths, will be extinguished completely when their head and chief, personality-belief (sakkaaya-di.t.thi), has been made to disappear entirely. Apart from that old unwholesome kamma that had accompanied beings since time immemorial, even in the case of the numerous unwholesome actions committed in the present existence (such as killing or stealing), their (rebirth-producing) tendencies entirely disappear as soon as their head and chief, the personality-belief, becomes completely extinguished. For such beings there may remain occasion to fear affliction by vermin, but there no longer remains any occasion for them to fear the resultants of the infinite number of past unwholesome actions.[1] Beings whose mental make-up is entirely freed from personality-belief have, as it were, their heads turned towards the higher planes of the celestial and Brahma worlds even though they may be living in the human world. And if living in the lower celestial and Brahma realms, their heads are always turned towards the higher planes of those worlds. They resemble the vapors that invariably rise upwards from forests and mountains during the latter part of the rainy season. This shows the greatness of the advantages arising from the extinction of personality-belief as far as relating to past kamma. Anattaa Realization and Future Kamma Human beings, deities and Brahmas, who have personality-belief in their mental make-up, may be good and virtuous beings today, but any time later they may commit an unlimited number of evil deeds, even grave offences like matricide, parricide, killing of arahants, etc.; and this may happen to them tomorrow or the day after, next month or next year, or in following existences. Today they may be devotees within the fold of the Buddha's Dispensation, while tomorrow or the day after, etc., they may be outside its pale or even become enemies and destroyers of the Buddha Saasana. Those beings however, human or divine, who well perceive the characteristic of not-self (anattaa) and thus have entirely extirpated personality-belief from their mental make-up, will cease to commit evil deeds and other unwholesome kamma even in their dreams, although they may continue to circle in sa"msaara for many more lives to come. From the day of freeing themselves from personality-belief until their final existence before their attainment of Nibbaana, they will always remain within the fold of the Buddha's Dispensation, wherever they are reborn. They will never appear in a form of existence or in a world where the Buddha's Dispensation is absent. This shows the greatness of the advantages arising from the extinction of personality-belief as far as relating to future kamma. How Past Kamma Becomes Inoperative How the innumerable unwholesome karmic actions of the past become inoperative[2] at the moment when personality-belief is extinguished, may be illustrated as follows: In a string of beads where a great number of beads are strung together by a strong silk thread, if one bead is pulled all the others will follow the one that is pulled. But if the silk thread is cut or removed, pulling one of the beads will not disturb the other beads because there is no longer any attachment between them. Similarly, a being that possesses personality-belief harbors a strong attachment to the series of the aggregates (khandha) arisen during past existences and past world cycles, and transforms them into an ego. Thinking, "In the past I have often been a human being, a deity, or a Brahmaa," he acquires the thread that is personality-belief. It is thus that the innumerable unwholesome karmic actions of the past which have not yet produced resultants, will accompany that being wherever he may be reborn. These unwholesome actions of the past resemble beads that are strung and bound together by a strong thread. Beings, however, who clearly perceive the characteristic of not-self and have rid themselves of personality-belief, will perceive that the bodily and mental aggregates that arise and disappear even within the short period of one sitting, do so as separate phenomena and not as a closely interlinked continuum. The concept of "my self" which is like the thread, is no longer present. Those bodily and mental processes appear to them like the beads from which the thread has been removed. They clearly perceive that the unwholesome actions of the past committed by them, are not "persons" nor "beings" not an "I" nor "my actions," but that they arise and disappear in an instant. That is why that past unwholesome kamma disappears as soon as personality-belief disappears. It should be known, however, that only unwholesome (akusala) kamma disappears. Wholesome (kusala) kamma of the past does not disappear through the mere disappearance of personality-belief. It is only when the stage of the path of sainthood (arahatta-magga) is reached and when craving (ta.nhaa) is completely eradicated that wholesome kamma of the past becomes inoperative. The Evil of Personality Belief Personality-belief is an evil that is extremely deep-rooted and far-reaching. A person who commits an evil deed and thus becomes extremely agitated and worried over the prospect of being reborn in states of woe, transforms that evil deed of his into a "self" (attaa) and becomes greatly distressed by such firmly held thoughts as, "I have done wrong. I have gravely erred." But if that being fully comprehends and realizes the characteristic of not-self and thereby can abolish attachment to such thoughts as, "I have gravely erred," that kamma (unless it is a weighty one) will no longer have the power of producing resultants (in a future rebirth) so far as that being is concerned. But, generally, beings do not discard their attachment to such thoughts. Although that kamma does not, as it were, desire to accompany that being nor to produce resultants, yet it is forced to do so by the fact that being takes possession of it by harboring such thoughts as, "I myself have committed that deed. It is my kamma." Because of this forcible possessive act that kamma is obliged to produce its resultants. To this extent are beings possessing personality-belief deluded and erring in their ways. It is the same in the case of unwholesome kamma of the past that remains operative. It is because of the forcible possessive act of personality-belief that this kamma accompanies beings throughout their samsaric wanderings and will produce its resultants in due course. Beings find that they cannot discard their unwholesome actions though being oppressed by their resultants, and suffering great privations in the process. They think, "I have committed those evil deeds," and thus (identifying themselves with them) they take, as it were, possession of them. Thus these unwholesome actions cannot help to produce resultants and continue to do so, disabling those beings to achieve release. To this extent, personality-belief is profoundly evil and erroneous. Beings are very much afraid of the dangers of disease, old age, and death. But, through harboring such fear, they become attached to the past incidents of disease, old age, and death by identifying themselves with those experiences in the thought, "For a long time in the past I have suffered these ills." Thus they find it impossible to relinquish even such fearsome phenomena. Hence these phenomena of disease, old age, and death continue to accompany them, as it were, against their own will, and continue to cause oppression. To this extent, too, is personality-belief profoundly evil and erroneous. In this present existence, too, when external and internal dangers are encountered or disease and ailments occur, beings attach themselves to them through such thoughts as, "I feel pain; I feel hurt," and thus take a possessive attitude towards them. This becomes an act of bondage that later may obstruct beings from ridding themselves of those diseases, ailments, and dangers. Because this bondage through personality-belief is so strong, beings have often found those diseases, ailments, or dangers to be their inseparable companions through many existences up to the present day. Thus, personality creates a possessive attachment even to diseases, ailments, and dangers though these are so greatly oppressive. Also fears of encountering disease, ailments, and dangers in future, will produce such a bondage. And as long as there is personality-belief, beings will certainly meet such eventualities also in future. This is a brief description of how personality-belief is profoundly evil and erroneous. Superficial and Deep Attachment The attachments of craving (ta.nhaa) and conceit (maana) are not necessarily attachments of wrong views (di.t.thi). Craving develops an attachment for all the (physical and mental) phenomena in the three spheres of existence, in the form, "It is my property." Conceit develops a proud attachment for them in the form, "It is I who owns it" or "It is I who has those great qualities." In the case of beings who have personality-belief, craving and conceit follow the lead given by personality-belief. In the case of stream-winners, once-returners, and non-returners who have eliminated personality-belief, craving and conceit follow the distortion of perception (sa~n~naa-vipallaasa) and the distortion of consciousness (citta-vipallaasa). The attachments produced by these distortions are superficial; but those produced by personality-belief are deep. This ends the description how unwholesome actions of the past totally cease with the disappearance of personality-belief. Notes 1. This means that the unwholesome actions of the past can no longer generate a new rebirth, though they might cause resultants (vipaaka) to appear in the present life times of stream-winners and even of arahants. — (Editor, The Wheel)] 2. I.e., inoperative as to producing rebirth. Is There a Self or Not? Vacchagotta the Wanderer went to visit the Exalted One, and said: "Now, master Gotama, is there a self?" At these words the Exalted One was silent. "How, then, master Gotama, is there not a self?" For a second time the Exalted One was silent. Then Vacchagotta the Wanderer rose from his seat and went away. Now not long after the departure of the Wanderer, the Venerable Aananda said to the Exalted One: "How is it, lord, that the Exalted One gave no answer to the question of the Wanderer Vacchagotta?" "If, Aananda, when asked by the Wanderer: 'Is there a self?,' I had replied to him: 'There is a self,' then, Aananda, that would be siding with the recluses and brahmins who are eternalists. "But if, Aananda, when asked: 'Is there not a self?' I had replied that it does not exist, that, Aananda, would be siding with those recluses and brahmins who are annihilationists. "Again, Aananda, when asked by the Wanderer: 'Is there a self?,' had I replied that there is, would my reply be in accordance with the knowledge that all things are impermanent?" "Surely not, lord." "Again, Aananda, when asked by Vacchagotta the Wanderer; 'Is there a self?,' had I replied that there were not, it would have been more bewilderment for the already bewildered Vacchagotta. "He would have said: 'Formerly indeed I had a self, but now I have not one any more.'" — SN 44.10 The Search for a Self or Soul Chas. F. Knight In the Sa"muytta-Nikaaya is the story of Vacchagotta the Wanderer, the man who was concerned with the existence or non-existence of his "self." In the Digha-Nikaaya is the story of Po.t.thapaada, an inveterate asker of questions, in search of a "soul." It is of interest to note the different response these two inquirers received from the Buddha. Vacchagotta's questions remained unanswered, while Po.t.thapaada's doctrinal questions were discussed and answered in full. Both of these inquirers have their counterparts in the West today — those who are concerned with a "self," and those who are concerned with a "soul." While the two terms self and soul are often used as synonyms and interchangeable, I think that those who use them in reference to themselves have a differential conception of the two words. The seeker for a "self" is more concerned with the preservation of his ego in the here and now, whereas the would-be possessor of a "soul" is perturbed as to survival after death. It is empiric that the protagonists of the self theory, or concept, are by nature extrovert and egotistic. On the other hand, those who most ardently cling to the soul concept, are less concerned with asserting themselves before others, but are concerned mainly with their inmost nature — natural introverts. Yet these too in their quiet way are also egotistical, in that they desire to preserve their "identity." While the Asian Buddhist world unanimously accepts and adheres to the doctrine of anatta — the absence of an abiding and stable entity — it is by no means uncommon to find nominal "Buddhists" in the West who are unable to shake off 2000 years of indoctrination of the "soul" concept, and, as a consequence, bring to their "Buddhism" preconceived views, often bolstered up by a syncretic admixture of other Indian beliefs. The story of Vacchagotta precedes this article. His questions are akin to asking a man if he has stopped beating his wife. The man may have not have lifted his hand against her at any time, but if he answers "Yes," the inference is that he had previously beaten her. If he answers "No," the inference is that he still beats her. Had the Buddha agreed that Vacchagotta had a self, for the Buddha did not deny the existence of phenomenon, Vacchagotta could have taken it as a confirmation of the brahmin belief in an eternal atman, or spark of the Divine to survive after death. Had the Buddha agreed that there was not a "self" in the ultimate sense, Vacchagotta could have taken the reply as an endorsement of the view held by the annihilationists — that nothing survived after death. Vacchagotta was not asking questions idly, but this was an occasion on which confusion could have arisen, and so the Buddha maintained the noble silence and left Vacchagotta to ponder further on the point that was bothering him. He still had not grasped the higher truths of karma and aniccaa under which the conventional "self" is but a momentary manifestation of ever-changing components to be cast aside at death, and without a stable entity to be carried forward to a new birth. Later, Vacchagotta did grasp these truths, and he finally became one of the arahants. Those who are fond of quoting this dialogue between the Buddha and Vacchagotta to support their theory of a soul seldom, if ever, go on to the Buddha's final explanation to Aananda which closes the passage, and which, incidentally displays one of those flashes of the Buddha's humor that peeps out here and there in his dealings with inquirers. It would be stretching the argument beyond reason to presume that the Buddha was not capable or not inclined to make an assertion on the "soul" if it really existed, in the light of his many expositions of its non-existence. The commentator, Kumaralabdha, quoted by Dr. Malalasekera in the Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, puts it in a nutshell: If there was an "atta" (soul), what on earth was there to prevent the Buddha from saying so? For our purpose we can dismiss the "self" seekers, for while they insist on having a "self" to satisfy their ego, many of them give at least lip-service to the anattaa doctrine. They have their "self" that thinks, writes, or teaches, to present to the world. They have their "self" that strives to lift the "self" still higher in man's estimation, till it equals or becomes part of the "SELF," and some go on to the "Overself," or Godhead by another name. These people see themselves as gods in the making, and their word is final — so far as they are concerned. Their concepts are usually derived via Theosophy from pre-Buddhistic Brahmanism, even though they may call themselves "Buddhists." Brahman, the First Cause, or Great SELF, was personified as Brahma the Creator, the Self, and all beings were, or had in them, a spark of the Divine, a lesser self, which was still essentially of the same substance as the Great SELF, to which it eventually returned when purified by rites and ceremonies. On the question of a "soul," Po.t.thapaada and his friends were discussing the importance of consciousness, its arising and its ceasing. One had put forward the theory that: "States of consciousness come to a man without reason and without a cause, and so also do they pass away. At the time when they spring up in him, then he becomes conscious." This was rejected by a second speaker who protested: "That, sirs, will never be as you say. Consciousness, sirs, is a man's soul (attaa). It is the soul that comes and goes. When the soul comes into a man, then he becomes conscious; when the soul goes away out of a man, he becomes unconscious." Seeing the Buddha approaching they decided to ask his opinion on the matter, and Po.t.thapaada outlines the pith of their discussion and the various arguments that have been put forward. The Buddha refuted the former view by stating that it was precisely through a reason, by means of a cause, that states of consciousness come and go. "By training some states of consciousness arise. By training others pass away." Through training one sort of consciousness arises, and through training another passes away. The Buddha illustrates his meaning by a lengthy discourse on training, showing the causal origination of consciousness as a consequence. He then goes on to the cessation of consciousness dependent on the cessation of ideas as the adept in meditative practices achieves the various trance states of the jhaanas. "To him neither thinking anymore, nor fancying the ideas, the states of consciousness he had pass away, and no others, coarser than they, arise. So he enters in jhaana. Thus it is, Po.t.thapaada, that the attainment of the cessation of conscious ideas takes place step by step." The first proposition of the independent arising of ideas leading to consciousness having thus been disposed of by the Buddha, Po.t.thapaada admits to not having heard this explained before, "but I now understand what you say." He then proceeds to the second opinion that had been expressed by his fellow mendicants: "Is then, Sir, the consciousness identical with a man's soul, or is consciousness one thing and the soul another?" "But what then, Po.t.thapaada? Do you really fall back on the soul?" queries the Buddha. Po.t.thapaada replies that he takes for granted the existence of a soul of some kind. Maybe a material soul, he suggests tentatively, but without much conviction. Failing that, what about a soul the exact copy of the body, but so subtle in texture that it could only be described as being "made of mind." No? Well then a soul without form, and made of consciousness. To all of these suggestions the Buddha has but one reply. Suppose you did have a soul conforming to any of these descriptions, still some ideas, some states of consciousness, would arise to the man, and others would pass away, so "you can see how consciousness must be one thing, and the soul would be another." However Po.t.thapaada was still not convinced that he was totally lacking in a soul. On that point he had a closed mind as is shown by his next question. He does not ask: "Is there, or is there not, a soul?," but is it possible for him to ever understand what the soul is. "Is it possible for me to understand whether consciousness is the man's soul, or is the one different from the other?" The Buddha's reply to Po.t.thapaada is equally applicable to the "soul-seekers" of today; those who accept the Buddha's teachings with reservations — the right to reject what does not fit in with their preconceived notions, beliefs, and views. "Hard it is for you, Po.t.thapaada, holding as you do different views, other things approving themselves to you, setting different aims before yourself, striving after a different perfection, trained in a different system of doctrine, to grasp this matter." Po.t.thapaada abandons his search for a definition of his soul, to which he still clings, and changes the subject by propounding ten questions on the imponderables. The Buddha bears patiently with him, and in answer to each question replies it is not a matter on which he had expressed an opinion, for such questions were not calculated to profit, were not concerned with his Dhamma, nor to the attainment of Nirvana. But Po.t.thapaada has not exhausted his propensity for asking questions. "Then what is it that the Exalted One has determined?" "I have expounded what Dukkha is; I have expounded what is its origin; I have expounded what is the cessation of Dukkha; I have expounded what is the method by which one m

State Sen. Janet Howell (D-32nd) announced on Thursday she is recovering from breast cancer treatment. The Reston resident, who has served in Richmond since 1992, said in her newsletter to constituents that the diagnosis was “totally unexpected” and that she finished a course of radiation treatment last week. Said Howell: The summer began with a totally unexpected diagnosis of stage 1 breast cancer. A screening mammogram revealed an 8mm malignancy. Biopsies, a lumpectomy and several weeks of radiation followed. The radiation was completed last week. The treatments have totally discombobulated my schedule and I have missed many events I otherwise would have liked to attend! I am extremely grateful for the wonderful medical care I received from all the caring professionals at Kaiser Permanente. They assure me that my prognosis is excellent. Howell, 71, has been an advocate for expanding Medicaid in Virginia. The Republican-led Virginia General Assembly has voted against the program that would provide coverage to thousands of low-income citizens, saying Virginia will end up having to pay for it eventually. “From this experience I have become even more aware of how important it is for everyone to have health insurance,” she said. “Not having to worry about paying for the expensive treatment has been a blessing. I wish everyone were so fortunate. The cruelty of those who would deprive healthcare coverage to nearly 400,000 of their fellow Virginians is unfathomable to me.” “This is especially true given that failure to expand Medicaid means turning back $5 million dollars of federal aid daily, damaging the viability of our hospitals, and spurning 30,000 well-paying healthcare jobs.” Howell is running unopposed for re-election in November.

Back in March, former LSU Homecoming Queen and soccer star Mo Isom tried out for the LSU football team because she had one year of eligibility of college athletics left. She tried out for kicker, but she did not make the cut. But that was the first time. The star athlete is back at it again on the Bayou and is now 32 days away from her final tryout. When the news came that she did not make the team last spring, she said that she would in fact try out again in the fall. Her tweet from yesterday: Exactly 33 days until my final tryout for the LSU Football team. I would appreciate yalls continued prayers for health, preparation & favor! — Mo Isom (@MoIsom89) July 19, 2012 If the girl can kick, let her lace ‘em up just the like rest of ‘em. This is the South; we don’t hold judgment on others. I dig the desire and the enthusiasm Isom has to pursue one of her dreams. Could you imagine Brad Wing and Mo Isom on the same special teams unit?

A woman assaulted a Jewish mother and her baby in Paris while shouting anti-Semitic slurs. In Tuesday’s incident, the assailant shook the stroller belonging to a 27-year-old mother while her 6-month-old baby was inside, according to the Drancy-based National Bureau for Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism, or BNVCA. The mother described the attacker as being in her 50s with a European complexion and features, BNVCA said. The mother said the attacker shouted, “Dirty Jewess, enough with your children already, you Jews have too many children, screw you.” Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up Identified by BNVCA by her initials, A.M., the mother said the assailant continued to hurl insults at her in front of onlookers at the Faubourg Monmartre bus stop in the 9th arrondissement, a district in central Paris. BNVCA founder Sammy Ghozlan said the mother has filed a complaint with police and can identify her attacker. “We ask police to make all the efforts necessary to identify and arrest the attacker,” Ghozlan said. He added, “The anti-Semitism which persists despite all the measures taken is causing great distress to many Jewish citizens, who are contemplating their future in our country.” In 2013, the SPCJ, the French Jewish community’s watchdog on anti-Semitism, recorded 423 anti-Semitic incidents, a 31 percent decrease from the number recorded the previous year. However, the 2013 level was still higher by 8 percent than the number recorded in 2011.