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Stories like this always get me excited as a journalist and fellow philanthropist. I first heard about this story on Twitter and I took it upon myself to find out more and track down the individuals involved in this story. I quickly tracked down two responsible for this, Vlad Rascanu and Tudor Stanescu from 80 Proof Digital, a Toronto based Digital Marketing agency. These two Toronto natives took it upon themselves to give back to the community and partner up with the Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN), and offer their SEM expertise to their vast network of charities and nonprofit organization at no cost. The goal was to select 5 charities and nonprofit organizations each quarter to help them apply for the Google Grants Program and set up their online advertising campaigns. The Google Grants Program is a program by Google which gives accredited charities and non for profit organizations up to $10,000 a month in spending in AdWords, Google's platform for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. Having a strong online presence is often very expensive, and often not within budget for these types of organizations, and Google aims to gives these organizations a fighting chance in the online environment to reach potential donors, volunteers, sponsors, or help them achieve any other organizational goal through online advertising. I had a quick chat with Vlad and Tudor at 80 Proof Digital, the agency behind this cool project, and Vlad explained that the idea came from a Marketer's Unbound event that his brother hosts: "The meetups bring together digital marketing experts from different industries and different companies. One of the presentations at an event I attended surrounded the topic of marketing for nonprofit organizations and the challenges behind that. Something that was said during the presentation just sparked an idea in my mind. I realized there was a need for this service, because many small nonprofits and charities did not have the budget to be able to afford online advertising or to hire an in-house/agency expert to create or manage a PPC campaign." Vlad explains that a typical setup fee for a PPC campaign can cost anywhere between $2,000 and $5,000 and then there's an on-going cost associated with maintaining the campaign which is a percentage of spend. Restricted by their small operating budgets, many organizations are unable to afford online advertising or to hire an in-house/agency expert to create or manage a PPC campaign. They knew that their services would become instantly invaluable. "After talking to my brother about the idea", Vlad continues, "he offered to make an introduction to one of his contacts in the marketing department for the Ontario Nonprofit Network [a provincial network for around 55,000 nonprofit organizations across Ontario] ... They help bring the voice of the sector to the government, funders and businesses, to create and influence systematic change. He graciously put me in touch with his contact and I proposed my idea towards the organization. They agreed to partner up with us, and announce our Pro-Bono service to their network, in their upcoming newsletter." Vlad proudly recalls how many charities and nonprofit organizations reached out to the agency, interested in the free service. "...our only regret, Vlad bemoans, "was not being able to help out every single one of them at the same time. Unfortunately we do not have the resources to take on more than 5 organizations each quarter. The organizations that we have helped so far are forever grateful, and even though we are not making any money off this service, our contribution to community is rewarding enough." While the guys at 80 Proof Digital selected the organizations to work with in a 'first come, first served' manner, the application to apply for the Google Grant Program is a little more complicated. Tudor explained that he wishes for every nonprofit and charitable organization to take advantage of this program, whether they have the expertise available or not to run an online PPC campaign. "Google provides you with a budget of up to $10,000 a month in ad spending online, how could you ever pass up something like that? I want to help other's help themselves and learn how to properly apply for the grants program successfully." Having gone through the process countless times Tudor explains how charities and nonprofits can apply for this program on their own. He warns everyone that the sign up process is very delicate. He explains that he is only familiar with the application process for Canadian organizations, as the agency is based in Canada, and each country has their own process. "There will be some similarities in the first step of the application, and the AdWords set up will be identical. Each country has its own governing body which verifies nonprofit and charitable organizations for their eligibility for applying for the Google Grants Program. In the case for Canada, it's an organization called Tech Soup Canada. The sign up process is relatively straight forward, and you will need to have some basic information about your organization handy, such as the legal name, address, phone number, charity registration number or business registration number, etc." After receiving an approval from Tech Soup, with a validation code, comes the Google Grants application. It is best that you thoroughly read through Google's set up/application guide before you get started since I won't go into as much detail. Much like the Tech Soup application, this application is pretty straight forward, where you provide them with the organization's name, mission statement and three goals the organizations wants to achieve through this grants program. "The next steps are pretty crucial that you get correct the first time around, otherwise it's a nightmare to get it corrected later (speaking from experience). You will have to create an AdWords account. You must also set your currency to USD, regardless of your country of origin. Other requirements for the program include a maximum daily spend of $329.00 (adds up to $10,000 a month), max cost-per-click (CPC) of $2.00, only running keyword-targeted campaigns which appear in Google search results, and only using text ads. Until you get approved by Google you must set up a dummy campaign and after approval you can begin your keyword research and craft your ultimate ad copies." Vlad and Tudor shared some of the success off some of the organizations they have helped out. They described the work they did for each PPC campaign. Each organization received it's own in-depth keyword research to target their specific goals which they had provided them with and crafted the perfect ads. These goals ranged from raising awareness about their organization, getting more volunteers to getting more donations. To show the success of one of the campaigns they launched for one of the organizations Vlad and Tudor shared with me a campaign screenshot, which brought over 6,000 users to the website in the last 30 days, and was able to successfully spend the entire $10,000 monthly grants budget. Vlad comments to stay they would love to continue helping more and more organizations with this great program that Google has for charities and nonprofits. "We will continue to help out 5 NFPs each quarter with the campaign setup and with any questions they may have. We encourage all nonprofits and charities to take advantage of this program one way or another! Don't hesitate to get in contact with us and we will try our best to help everyone".

Marijuana Leveque: 2008 Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Pharmacologist, Toxicologist and Physician. Jack Herer, author of "The Emperor Wears No Clothes", with Dr. Phil Leveque at HempStalk 2008 in Portland, Oregon. Photo: Austin King, Salem-News.com (MOLALLA, Ore.) - Some may dislike and shudder at such a name. "Marijuana Leveque". I don’t. I have been called much worse – Quack, Snake oil salesman. In Italy, I’m Dr. Pot, here I'm "most dangerous man in Oregon", etc. After I saw “REEFER MADNESS” six times – I was forced to do so as a pharmacology instructor in medical school - I had to monitor the class to prevent them from laughing out loud or leaving the room. Even Judge Francis Young of the DEA said it was the safest drug ever found by man. “REEFER MADNESS”, my foot! 2008 has been an unusual year for me. Now on Salem-News.com I have about 46 articles and about 26 video segments, and at least 300 on Google. We get questions and comments/responses by email regarding my articles about the VA (a mess), PTSD, lots about all aspects of Medical Marijuana, with several articles engendering nearly 100 responses each. One I wrote about “Restless Leg Syndrome” (RLS) produced 75 comments including one about “a poorly written local paper from Oregon”. I can only thank that reader for his acerbic comment. CANNABIS WORKS FOR RLS. I shouldn’t be a shrinking violet about this. Cannabis offers help for about 200 diseases with more coming in all the time. The Ohio Patient Network – ohiopatientsnetwork.org – posts 270 medical conditions medical marijuana is useful for. Yet, the U.S. Govt. says cannabis has NO legitimate medical use. FUBAR! Last night I saw Billy Ray Cyrus talking about his home “stomping grounds”, Kentucky. He says the cannabis crop is 8 BILLION DOLLARS per year. Kentucky is third after California and Texas for the value of the cannabis crops. The U.S. Govt. still says it is no good. With Michigan, a very populous state coming in as the 13th medical marijuana state and Obama as an admitted former user of this “Devil Weed”, things are looking up. Even a California Federal Judge says State Laws trump Federal Laws regarding medical marijuana use (see: U.S. Supreme Court: State Medical Marijuana Laws Not Preempted by Federal Law). YES, things are looking decidedly UP regarding medical marijuana. Why isn’t it just legalized so we can stop making millionaires out of illegal marijuana dealers? Happy 2009 everybody, Legal MMJ is coming soon! _________________________________________

One of the richest LSU football traditions is playing Saturday night home games, but the Tigers won’t be afforded that privilege when they host Florida on Nov. 19. The SEC cross-division rivals will kick off at 12 p.m. CT, making it the first LSU home game to begin at noon in nearly three decades. Since 1969, @LSUfootball has had only 1 game scheduled for noon CT @LSUTigerStadium: Oct. 28, 1989 vs. Tennessee on TBS. (KO at 12:11 p.m.). — Todd Politz (@tpolitz) November 7, 2016 The Gators requested the rescheduled game in Baton Rouge not be played at night, according to The Advocate. Florida canceled the game on its original date, Oct. 8 in Gainesville, due to the impending threat of Hurricane Matthew, kick-starting messy negotiations and a war of words between the schools and their fans. The two schools ultimately canceled their non-conference home games to play in Baton Rouge on Nov. 19, but it came at a price for the Tigers.

next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The doner kebab, that grilled fast-food sandwich which is the gastronomic equivalent of an American hamburger in many European cities, is under fire. The European Union's legislature is moving to ban the phosphates used in the slabs of meat at the heart of the popular street snack that originated in Turkey. Up-in-arms kebab vendors in Germany have skewered the idea. EU lawmakers are citing health concerns based on studies that linked phosphates to cardiovascular disease. Owners of takeout restaurants and industry groups claim the additives are needed to keep seasoned kebab meat juicy and flavorful, both during transport and on the vertical retail rotisseries where it is cooked. Fueling the brouhaha is that some sausages containing phosphates are allowed to be sold in EU countries and would not be affected by any move involving kebab meat. The disparity has some vendors alleging that "doner discrimination" was cooked up deliberately to disadvantage Turkish-owned businesses. "They are looking for ways to hurt Turkish businesses here," said Baris Donmez, the owner of a 24-hour kebab bistro in Berlin's Mitte district. "Such a ban would be the biggest pile of garbage imaginable." The kebab issue came up when the EU's executive Commission proposed to officially authorize the use of phosphates in the lamb, mutton, beef or veal that goes onto a shop spit. Some other meats had previously received such clearance. The proposal ran into trouble in the European Parliament earlier this week when its Health Committee voted 32-22 to oppose it. Based on more recent health studies, legislators expressed concern that carving out blanket approval for kebab meat could put Europeans at greater risk of heart disease. A rejection by the full Parliament when it meets in two weeks would send the proposal back to the Commission — and keep the mighty kebab lingering in limbo. Just the threat of any changes to the beloved dish — in Europe, shaved kebab meat usually comes stuffed into pita bread with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions and one, or several, dressings — made headlines in Germany, where the doner kebab is the late night grub of choice. "If the European Parliament gets its way, this would be the death sentence for the entire doner kebab industry in the European Union," Kenan Koyuncu of the German Association of Doner Kebab Producers told Germany's Bild daily newspaper. Renate Sommer, a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party in the European Parliament, wrote on Facebook that "a ban of the phosphate addition would be the end of doner production and would lead to the loss of thousands of jobs." According to daily Frankfurter Rundschau there are some 16,000 doner restaurants in Germany and 3 million of the dishes are slung daily. Tens of thousands of people are employed in the multi-billion euro (dollar) industry. The doner sandwich is in fact a recent European interpretation of the Turkish roast classic which was introduced to Germany by immigrants from Turkey. In recent years the "Berlin doner" variety has even spread to London and New York. Boosted by such popularity, Donmez is convinced the ban of the chemical in kebab meat will never be implemented in Germany. "Germans love doner," he said, looking at the long line of lunch customers at his Rosenthaler Grill und Schlemmerbuffet restaurant. "Nobody's going to take away it away from them." ___ Raf Casert reported from Brussels. Frank Jordans contributed from Berlin.

The Mississippi's River southernmost delta is home to a rich ecosystem, robust, culture and booming economy. Wetlands provide critical storm protection for the Louisiana's coast. A recent poll by America's Wetland Foundation found that 74 percent of Louisiana residents "consider saving the coast to be the most important issue [in the state] of our lifetime." For Delta citizens, flood protection is a matter of survival. Louisiana wetlands are disappearing at a rate of approximately 1 football field every hour and coastal communities are already washing into the Gulf of Mexico. To date, roughly 2,000 square miles of land have disappeared under water and the erosion is accelerating. The disappearing land once buffered communities including New Orleans from catastrophic storm surges. Managing the Mississippi River Delta is a daunting challenge, but the greatest barrier to restoration and flood protection is politics. Last year, a board of flood experts, acting to protect New Orleans, ignited a battle that has starkly pitted the public welfare against the sycophantic fealty of Louisiana's toadying politicians to a rapacious oil and gas industry. The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority -- East (SLFPA-E) oversees the greater New Orleans levee system. The deterioration of the wetlands that protect the levees surrounding New Orleans led the SLFPA-E to file suit against 97 oil and gas companies. While the Army Corp of Engineers diversion projects have contributed to wetland shrinkage by starving the delta of sediments, study after study, including those conducted by the state and the oil industry, point to oil and gas activities as a principle culprit in the loss of Louisiana's wetlands. The petroleum titans have dredged approximately 10,000 miles of canals through Louisiana's fragile wetlands in their thirst for oil and gas allowing wave action and salt water from the Gulf to infiltrate and destroy what is left. State issued dredge permits require these companies to restore the injured wetlands. Petroleum industry practice is to ignore those permit mandates. SLFPA's suit seeks to force these companies to finally repair the damage they have inflicted on coastal wetlands as the law requires. These permit violations are not victimless crimes. In breaking the laws that require wetland restoration, these companies endanger everyone who depends on Louisiana's productive and delicate coasts. The protection of the many should take precedence over the protection of the money, but Louisiana's servile politicians seem more concerned with protecting cash flow for the most profitable industry in history -- an industry that provides local pols their largest source of campaign lucre. Genuflecting to Big Oil's pressure, the industry's chief indentured servant, Governor Bobby Jindal, is leading an attempt to kill the suit by orchestrating the replacement of several members of the levee authority. Jindal's caper violates state laws that guarantee that body's political independence. Urged on by the Governor, crooked Legislators are currently advancing bills to undermine the levee board and retroactively kill the lawsuit. Louisiana is a classic corporate kleptocracy. There is no sunshine in Baton Rouge ; Like so many cockroaches Big Oil's state house sock puppets are working their mischief in the darkness with no accountability or public participation. A Louisiana elected official once said "the flag of Texaco flies over the Louisiana State Capitol." Right now that flag is flapping in the face of every citizen. Tax-hating governor Jindall now wants to spend tens of millions of dollars of tax payer money to plug oil canals which companies are required by law to plug themselves. That money pales beside to the $50 billion cost of the state's Master Plan to protect the coast. Jindal's funding proposal caper will protect his oil industry patrons and stick the public with the bill: taxpayers will cover the costs of damage caused by oil companies. A recent poll by the nonprofit, Restore Louisiana Now, found that 90 percent of state residents believe the oil and gas industry should pay it's fair share, and 75 percent believe the governor has no business shielding the oil and gas industry from the costs of its misbehavior.

TV Asahi’s weekly “Music Station” program has rarely served as a staging ground for exciting young domestic acts in recent years. It has been more of an opportunity to gawk at Johnny’s boy bands and test how many members of AKB48 can fit on the interview bench. On the Feb. 26 edition of the show, however, viewers were treated to a puppet show courtesy of an artist sporting novelty sunglasses and a University of Michigan radiology lab coat. Rising pop artist Komuai of the group Suiyoubi No Campanella ripped through two hip-hop-pop-dance hybrids — that even featured gunshot samples — in front of long-time host Tamori. Prime-time television isn’t the only place Komuai is making an appearance. Suiyoubi is set to appear (as Wednesday Campanella) at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference and festival in Austin, Texas, a yearly gathering of industry types and fans. Also visiting Austin from Japan are rock group [Alexandros] and fantastical electronic artist De De Mouse. “They try it to get their motivation up and also expand their audience in the world,” Hiroshi Asada, co-founder of the annual Japan Nite showcase and Asia representative to SXSW says via email about acts that make the choice to head to the festival. “I also imagine the artists think it’s a cooler place to perform than Anime Expo in Los Angeles or Japan Expo in Paris.” SXSW is primed to be a big opportunity for rocker Rei, who will bring her blues-inspired shredding to Japan Nite. “I’ve always wanted to play my music in America, it’s like a dream come true,” she said after a gig in Tokyo recently. “I’m a little anxious, though, as I’ll be playing songs inspired by American styles to an American crowd.” The 2016 edition of SXSW, however, is just one place where Japanese artists will be making their presence felt in the next two months. A surprising number of shows and tours are set to take part in the United States in particular, far from the anime conventions and cultural jamborees Japanese musicians usually get stuck in. Rather, domestic artists, both major and minor, are reaching the world on their own. All this despite billions of yen earmarked by the government for the Cool Japan Fund, a project that has backed no purely music-related enterprises since being established in 2013. Same as it has always been, reminds Asada, who says Japanese artists have been making the trip to Austin without national assistance for two decades now. This year’s SXSW features one of the most eclectic lineups ever from the Japan side. Alongside the long-running Japan Nite showcase on March 18 — an event that shines a light on relatively obscure indie acts — buzzier names such as Suiyoubi and rapper Kohh are set to play. The former will join De De Mouse at an event featuring popular American outfit Anamanaguchi, a group who have long highlighted Japanese talent when possible. Also appearing — and playing a show in New York on April 14 — will be Wagakki Band, who has gained online attention by incorporating traditional Japanese instruments into its sound. Yet Asada points out another development at SXSW 2016, and one he calls “a new trend” at the event. A handful of Japanese electronic artists are appearing across the five-day gathering, many of whom made a name for themselves through online “netlabels.” And for all involved, Austin is just one destination — netlabel Maltine Records will hold shows in New York and Los Angeles the weekend before SXSW (where they’ll put on an event March 15 at club Elysium,the same venue hosting Japan Nite). Meanwhile, high-energy producer Seiho stops in Austin as part of a larger tour featuring gigs in New York and at celebrated Los Angeles electronic party Low End Theory. Allen Huang, who organizes a club event in Seattle called Customs, hosted Seiho’s first U.S. show in 2014. “The biggest difference (this time) is that he has got professional sights set on America now, so the shows have more of a focus this time,” Huang says via email. “Last time it was ‘real happy to be here’ type-business, he got his name on some shows with a lot of people playing.” To that end, Seiho is taking advantage of one way Japanese artists can get attention abroad — sharing a bill with other established acts, which Huang had in mind for his Seattle show, where he’ll play alongside buzzed-about producer Sophie. “His people at Sony have been very great and very motivated in this regard and on a talent-level I think Seiho is ready to succeed.” Sapporo-based electronic artist Momiji Tsukada, who records as Qrion, is also flying out to Texas for several SXSW gigs. Two months later, she’ll go to Moogfest in Durham, North Carolina, a three-day event featuring names such as Grimes and Gary Numan. Her U.S. manager, Chelsea Moon, says getting her over to the States hasn’t been a simple task, though. “It’s been a long and expensive process getting her official artist visa,” Moon says over email. It was recently approved, but to cover costs totalling over $3,000 Tsukada turned to fans for help. Her and Moon established a special online store selling Qrion merchandise — from CDs to pins — to make up the charges. “Being an international artist with a legal visa is a big deal, and it wouldn’t be possible without all the support from the community,” Moon says. Many are excited for Qrion’s shows, but the biggest Japan-related concert of the spring might be courtesy of Babymetal, the metal-meets-idol trio who blew up online two years ago. The group is set to release a new album April 1, before embarking on a world tour that stretches into July. On top of that, they’ve achieved a media saturation many J-pop acts only dream of — a plan released by Babymetal’s U.S. distribution company Red Distribution revealed forthcoming articles in publications such as Rolling Stone, and they’ll appear on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” while stateside. And they’ve done that by themselves, proving to be such a surprise hit that Tomomi Inada, the government’s Cool Japan strategy minister, asked the three young members how they pulled it off during a joint TV appearance. For most acts playing abroad in coming months, though, having some connections make things run smoother. Asada champions all the bands heading to SXSW, while in Qrion’s case, Moon says Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth helped get her on the Moogfest lineup. “It really takes a conscious decision to change the status quo,” Moon says.

Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and Howard & Janet Kagan have just announced that the critically acclaimed and Tony-nominated Broadway musical PIPPIN will launch a US national tour in September 2014, at the Buell Theatre in Denver, CO. Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's beloved coming-of-age musical comedy PIPPIN is directed by Diane Paulus featuring choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse and circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers). The production is now playing at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street). PIPPIN leads the winners of the 2013 Outer Critics Circle Awards with 7 wins including Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Diane Paulus), Outstanding Choreographer (Chet Walker), Outstanding Lighting Design (Kenneth Posner), Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Patina Miller), Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Terrence Mann), Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Andrea Martin). PIPPIN has received 10 Tony Nominations including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Patina Miller), Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Terrence Mann), Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Andrea Martin), Best Direction of a Musical (Diane Paulus), Best Choreography (Chet Walker), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Scott Pask), Best Costume Design of a Musical (Dominique Lemieux), Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Kenneth Posner), and Best Sound Design of a Musical (Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm); 6 Drama Desk Nominations including Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Diane Paulus), Outstanding Choreography (Chet Walker & Gypsy Snider), Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Andrea Martin), Outstanding Costume Design (Dominique Lemieux), and Outstanding Lighting Design (Kenneth Posner) and 3 Drama League nominations including Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical and the Distinguished Performance Award (Andrea Martin and Patina Miller). The Broadway cast features Matthew James Thomas as Pippin, Tony and Olivier Award nominee Patina Miller as Leading Player, Tony Award nominee Terrence Mann as Charles, Tony Award nominee Charlotte d'Amboise as Fastrada, Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine and Tony Award winner Andrea Martin as Berthe. Other members of the company include Erik Altemus, Grégory Arsenal, Andrew Cekala, Lolita Costet, Colin Cunliffe, Andrew Fitch, Orion Griffiths, Viktoria Grimmy, Sabrina Harper, Olga Karmansky, Bethany Moore, Brad Musgrove, Stephanie Pope, Philip Rosenberg, YanNick Thomas, Molly Tynes, Anthony Wayne, Ashton Woerz. With a book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, PIPPIN features music supervision and arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo, orchestrations by Tony Award-winner Larry Hochman, scenic design by Tony Award winner Scott Pask, costume design byDominique Lemieux, lighting design by Tony Award-winner Kenneth Posner, sound design by Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm. Royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his "corner of the sky." The original production of PIPPIN, directed by Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won five Tony Awards and five Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2000 performances before closing in 1977. This production of PIPPIN made its debut at American Repertory Theater(A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, where Diane Paulus serves as Artistic Director; December 5, 2012 to January 20, 2013. PIPPIN is noted for many Broadway standards including "Corner of the Sky," "Magic To Do," "Glory," "No Time at All," "Morning Glow," and "Love Song." Related Articles More Hot Stories For You

There is no such thing as the perfect food, but a group of scientists from Oregon State University (OSU) is trying to come up with one. Researchers from the Hatfield Marine Science Center claim they’ve come up with the next superfood—a new type of seaweed that tastes exactly like bacon and could rival kale in terms of health benefits. ADVERTISEMENT According to a TIME report, the tasty creation of red marine algae called “dulse” appears much like the typical red lettuce, but is actually packed full of minerals and protein. The patented underwater herb usually grows in the wild along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines and is harvested, dried and normally sold as a cooking ingredient or nutritional supplement. “Dulse is a superfood, with twice the nutritional value of kale,” said Chuck Toombs, an OSU faculty and member of the team working to develop the product into a foodstuff. “And OSU had developed this variety that can be farmed, with the potential for a new industry for Oregon.” The team intended to focus its research on farming the new strain of dulse to feed abalone, but quickly shifted direction after realizing its potential to do well in the human-food market. “There hasn’t been a lot of interest in using it in a fresh form. But this stuff is pretty amazing,” said chief researcher Chris Langdon. “When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it’s a pretty strong bacon flavor,” he added. The Oregon Department of Agriculture is backing the idea of exploring dulse as a “special crop” and has already provided Langdon’s group with a sizable grant. The team is currently working with the Food Innovation Center in Portland, as well as several chefs, to find out ways to incorporate dulse in everyday cooking. The US currently has no commercial operation that sanctions dulse for human consumption, but the team is optimistic that their product would be sold commercially in food markets in the near future. Khristian Ibarrola ADVERTISEMENT Read Next LATEST STORIES MOST READ

[Update: In July 2015 I gave a talk based on this post at the Seattle Node.js meetup. Here’s the screencast. The slides and demos are on Github.] It’s not all roses in the world of Node.js. In fact, more than just about every other platform I’ve used, it can feel like a precarious mountain path with a long cliff below. Yes, it features some very beautiful vistas, but one wrong step and it’s all over. Let’s cover four of those simple mistakes with substantial, unexpected consequences, as well as some potential guardrails. Crashes The simplest of these mistakes is the classic crash. My code has done this so very many times. It’s easy; just try to get a key from an null object, or try to call a string like a function, and you’ve crashed. var x = 5 ; x.getData(); var y; y.left = 6 ; The difference in Node.js is the event loop. When you ask for a file from disk, your provided callback will be called directly by the system on a future turn of the event loop. A crash in that callback will immediately take down the entire process. I’ll say that again - in an asynchronous callback, a crash will immediately take down the entire process. Ah, brings me back to those core dumps I got all the time when I was writing C++… So, the general approach in the world of Node.js is to let the process crash. Just restart it with apps like forever , nodemon , pm2 , or OS-level systems like upstart , runit , systemd , etc. Maybe capture the error with its callstack via process.on('uncaughtException') and report it somewhere. This feels a bit weird at first, especially if you’re used to the standard application server approach: catching the error, serving an error page, and moving on. Sadly, even quick restarts will result in socket hang-ups for your clients. In the worst case, if you have a multi-stage async operation in progress, it can even result in corrupt or inconsistent data. What else do you expect if you immediately take down the process? Mitigations: thehelp-cluster is a library I wrote to shut down your express server gracefully when a crash happens. It first responds with an error to the original request (via your express error handler), then closes all open keepalive connections, and finally takes the process down when all outstanding requests are complete. After a crash your process is in an unknown state, so I thought it prudent to shut down as soon as possible. is a library I wrote to shut down your server gracefully when a crash happens. It first responds with an error to the original request (via your error handler), then closes all open keepalive connections, and finally takes the process down when all outstanding requests are complete. After a crash your process is in an unknown state, so I thought it prudent to shut down as soon as possible. hapi is also resilient to crashes in endpoint handlers. It keeps the server alive after crashes, which could result in unexpected behavior or memory leaks. is also resilient to crashes in endpoint handlers. It keeps the server alive after crashes, which could result in unexpected behavior or memory leaks. Both of these solutions use domain . Sadly, domains are deprecated despite having no good replacement solution. Hangs Last November one of my node.js apps started taking a really long time to respond. It was responding in about a minute, where I was expecting it to be far less than a second. First, I looked at the application logs on the app node the slow requests were coming from, and found no responses that took longer than a few ms. Confused, I looked at my load balancer’s logs and discovered that the app node which actually served me the response I saw was the second one tried, and 60 seconds was the load balancer’s timeout. After some poking of the problematic first app node, I discovered that my node processes were hanging when they requested session data from redis. Node is really, really good at doing a lot of async operations in parallel. Promises and libraries like async help you kick off several at once and then do something when they’re all complete. But what happens when one of those async calls never returns? In Rails, for example, if a page takes too long to gather data and render, an error is raised. In the Node.js world, it just looks like the user cancelled the request. Happily, a lot of libraries have timeouts and will return errors in these kinds of cases. superagent and request will return a timeout error even if the underlying web request never returns. redis , however, can get into a bad state and hang on all async requests (be sure to listen for both ‘error’ and ‘end’ events on your redis client object). This is a perfect example of why we all need to understand our dependencies well. But even if you’ve fully vetted all your third-party libraries, it’s still easy to cause this yourself by forgetting a res.send() or next() call somewhere. Or even easier, in a multi-branch async method, forgetting to call the callback in an infrequently-hit branch. Mitigations: Monitor nginx logs for hang notifications. By default they are in the error-specific log file, and look like this: upstream timed out (110: Connection timed out) Install express logging. I use the morgan express logger, which installs a high-resolution timer you can access via the :response-time token. I’ve found that on hangs it outputs not a duration but a dash, but this can also mean that the user cancelled the action. Either way, lots of dashes for :response-time is a bad sign. express logger, which installs a high-resolution timer you can access via the token. I’ve found that on hangs it outputs not a duration but a dash, but this can also mean that the user cancelled the action. Either way, lots of dashes for is a bad sign. hapi doesn’t seem to output anything to the logs on a hang, even with the good-console plugin in place. :0( doesn’t seem to output anything to the logs on a hang, even with the plugin in place. :0( Even if you’re detecting these situations, I think we can agree that we don’t want users waiting very long to finally get no response. By default, express and hapi will both keep a connection open until the remote client gives up, and I’ve seen Chrome to be something like two minutes, and nginx is 60 seconds by default. hapi does have a built-in route timeout option you’ll want to investigate. express is a little trickier. You can use middleware like timeout , but you will need watch for your long-running handlers attempting to send responses after the timeout error has already been sent to the client. and will both keep a connection open until the remote client gives up, and I’ve seen Chrome to be something like two minutes, and is 60 seconds by default. does have a built-in route timeout option you’ll want to investigate. is a little trickier. You can use middleware like , but you will need watch for your long-running handlers attempting to send responses after the timeout error has already been sent to the client. If you’re not writing a server interacting with clients, then embrace logging. The only way to catch a hang in this scenario is by detecting missing log entries! Blocking the event loop My first Node.js app backed a site with heavy client-side interactivity, and delivered the required data in three big chunks. Some of that data went back as far as a year to enable all the interactivity we wanted in the charts. More and more data built up every day, adding to the size. Things just didn’t seem snappy with all that data flying around. It became clear that getting the data from the data store, then transforming it and sending it to the client, took long enough to slow down the event loop. With the event loop rapidly processing through many small tasks, a Node.js process is healthy. You keep this in mind as you implement a standard web application endpoint: you validate an incoming request’s user and parameters, then make a request for some data from a database, transform it slightly, and send it back to the client. What could be wrong with that? Well, if the database query doesn’t include any kind of limit, we could get an order of magnitude more records than expected. The transformation step would then take more than a couple milliseconds. For all that data transformation time, the process is unresponsive to other requests. Callbacks from your setInterval calls are dropped. Even if other in-progress responses would take just a couple milliseconds, they will all need to wait until their turn on the single-threaded event loop. Every in-flight request will have that wait time added to its response time. All of your users will see delays, not just the one that requested the large data set. Mitigations: Prefer streams. streams are the way to handle large amounts of data without taking down the process. Put the time in to learn how to use them effectively. are the way to handle large amounts of data without taking down the process. Put the time in to learn how to use them effectively. If you must get all the data up front, be sure that you include some kind of limit clause, and check any user-provided bounds input. clause, and check any user-provided bounds input. Monitor your request response times. New Relic plugs into Express automatically, or you can use morgan support for response times. The good-console plugin for hapi includes response times by default. Because one too-long synchronous code block will delay everything else, you’ll see very clear patterns in the data. Too much concurrency For my last contract I needed to write a program to process 11.6 gigabytes of JSON data, transforming it before injecting it into a database. Happily, JSONStream was there to assist in handling the data little bits at a time, because I certainly couldn’t load it all into memory at once. I had it implemented in short order, then started my first run. It was working, but the JSON processing it was just a little bit faster than the import into the database, so memory usage increased as the database imports fell further and further behind. The solution? Periodically call stream.pause() , then wait on all outstanding database import calls, then call stream.resume() . With that key application of backpressure, my program was free to rip through all that data in about 45 minutes, with constant memory usage. Node.js is really good at kicking off a lot of concurrent tasks. But like anything, it’s good to think about the long-term in addition to the short term. Otherwise, it’s really easy to get into a state where you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. Or worse, perhaps you’re fine, but a service you depend on is starting to buckle under the pressure of your application’s highly-concurrent onslaught. Mitigations: Getting to the summit Of course, testing is the first line of defense to prevent all of these things. But a production service needs resiliency. These mitigations are defense in depth techniques, so if an issue does get to production, its effect will be minimized. With all this in place, and our service humming along in production, we can relax for a bit. Maybe even enjoy the view.

The Maltese parliament has approved the Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression Bill, which will see conversion practices criminalised and categorised as a deceptive and harmful act. Amendments to the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Acts were also approved. Under the Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression Bill, conversion practices, and their advertising, will be met with fines and the potentially a prison sentence. In addition to this, the Bill affirms that no sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression constitutes a disorder, disease or shortcoming of any sort. The changes to the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act, will allow non-Maltese individuals who are detained to have their lived gender recognised. In addition to this, the bill will also lower the age at which persons may request a change in gender. The amendments will allow anyone who is sixteen years or older to have their gender changed without needing to file an application in Court and will not require parental approval. The Malta Chamber of Psychologists (MCP) welcomed the law banning the “inhumane” gay conversion therapy. The Bill, which enjoyed the unanimous support of all MPs, will see people who attempt to change, repress or eliminate a person’s sexual orientation receive a fine ranging between €1,000 and €5,000 or a jail term of five months. A spokesperson for the MCP said “the Malta Chamber of Psychologists (MCP), The Maltese Association of Psychiatry (MAP), The Malta Association of Family Therapy & Systemic Practice (MAFT–SP), as well as the Malta Association for the Counselling Profession (MACP)are together, very proud to have played an integral part in the drafting of this bill, which openly disapproves of practices which are harmful to people in our community.” Describing gay conversion as “inhumane,” the MCP said “not only does it reject a group of individuals on the basis of unfound prejudice and lack of tolerance for diversity, but also because it impinges on the international recognition of LGBTIQ rights; also supported by progressive trends to depathologise such individuals from mental health statistical manual classifications.” “As a body we promote respect and equality for all persons, and are determined to continue working towards ensuring our clients can enjoy as safe a therapeutic experience as they deserve,” the statement added.

Photo Ambition is an impressive thing, particularly when a desire for world domination is combined with existential survival. Four heavyweight tech companies are translating that ambition into investments in their cloud computing services: IBM, Microsoft, Amazon and Google are all expected to spend more than $1 billion annually on their global networks in the coming years. Even more important, however, is that all the companies are developing knowledge through their cloud services of how to run truly huge Internet-based computing systems — systems that may soon be nearly impossible for other companies to match. If any other company is thinking of entering the business, like China’s Tencent, for example, they’ll need to move fast or come up with something revolutionary. IBM’s response? You ain’t seen nothing yet. In 2014, the company will make a series of announcements that will shiver all challengers, according to Lance Crosby, chief executive of SoftLayer, a cloud computing company that IBM purchased earlier this year for $2 billion. More than 100 products, like e-commerce and marketing tools, will be put inside the cloud as a comprehensive series of offerings for business, Mr. Crosby said. So will another 40 infrastructure services, like big data analysis and mobile applications development. “It will take Amazon 10 years to build all of this,” he said. “People will be creating businesses with this that we can only dream about.” Maybe. IBM already claims to lead in cloud computing revenue, with $1 billion in revenue in the past quarter alone. That’s impressive, though that revenue includes revenue from software that used to be attributed to a different category at the company. And some of the revenue is being generated by companies IBM recently acquired, including SoftLayer. On many other fronts, such as the number of machines it operates, the number of major companies running big parts of their business on IBM’s public cloud, and the new technology it appears to have built for cloud computing, IBM is arguably the laggard among the top four providers. As the SoftLayer purchase indicates, it has had to buy big for what the others have mostly grown internally. What IBM does have, however, is a lot of money and resources it plans to throw at cloud computing. And given its experience in the early-1990s, when it faced a near-death experience after missing a major technology shift, the company may also have a belly for a swift change. Photo The big push will begin in February, Mr. Crosby said, with a formal inauguration of its new cloud offerings by Virginia M. Rometty, IBM’s chief executive. IBM has also deployed 400 employees to OpenStack, an open source software project with more than 200 corporate members that goes after much of the proprietary cloud systems of Amazon, Microsoft and Google. This seems much like IBM’s involvement a decade ago in Linux, which helped that open source operating system win corporate hearts and minds. In addition to the consolidation of online software and services, Mr. Crosby said, IBM is “absolutely” looking to sell its big mainframe computing capabilities as a cloud-based service. It also plans to draw on the insights it has gained from building and licensing technology used by Microsoft in the Xbox gaming console, and Google in its own network operations, he said, and will make more acquisitions for the cloud business. “We make the processors in Google’s server racks,” he said, “We understand where gaming is going. Before I got here, I thought this was a big old tech company, too; I didn’t see all of the assets.” It’s true that IBM is big. And, it is also a tech company. And undeniably 102 years old, which makes it both a survivor and a creature of successful processes. Mr. Crosby has two bosses between him and Ms. Rometty, and numerous executive vice presidents above him that may agree on the eventual future, but have their own views about the speed with which they’ll move there.

High drama, incident, excitement and a nail-biting finale – it is unlikely Lewis Hamilton would have imagined that securing his fourth Formula One championship would prove such an extraordinary business. But at the end of it all, with a ninth-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix, he did indeed emerge as champion. There was understandable joy and elation from the 32-year-old at his remarkable achievement in becoming Britain’s most successful racing driver and not a little relief after a race that had the driver, his team and fans on the edge of their seats. Q&A Where does Hamilton rank? Show Hide World titles 7 Michael Schumacher (Germany) 5 Juan Manuel Fangio (Argentina) 4 Lewis Hamilton (GB) 4 Alain Prost (France) 4 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) 3 Jack Brabham (Australia) 3 Jackie Stewart (GB) 3 Niki Lauda (Austria) 3 Nelson Piquet (Brazil) 3 Ayrton Senna (Brazil) Pole positions 1st Lewis Hamilton 72 (2nd Schumacher 68) Race wins 1st Michael Schumacher 91 (2nd Hamilton 62) Percentage wins 1st Juan Manuel Fangio 46.15% (6th Hamilton 30.24%) Podium finishes 1st Michael Schumacher 155 (2nd Hamilton 116) Fastest laps 1st Michael Schumacher 77 (4th Hamilton 38) Consecutive starts 1st Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg 206 “It was a horrible way to do it, to be honest,” he said after a run of five wins from the last six races meant he clinched the title with his lowest finish of the season. He ended down the field after a clash with his championship rival, Sebastian Vettel, at the start put the British driver into last place. The race was won by Max Verstappen, his second victory of the season in the Red Bull, but Vettel’s recovery from 19th to fourth was insufficient to continue his challenge. Vettel’s fightback was determined but Hamilton had a 66-point advantage going into the race and it proved enough for him to take his place in the history books. After a season that has pushed him to perform at his very best, the end was nerve-racking but the championship deserved. Hamilton had wanted to seal it with a win in style at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez but that was almost out of his hands after the opening-lap incident. Hamilton took a puncture and the subsequent pit stop put him a full minute off the lead; damage to the diffuser meant he had lost performance, making any fightback even harder, while Vettel was also forced to visit the pits for a new nose. “Did he hit me deliberately?” asked Hamilton, but the stewards took no further action after what did appear to be a racing incident. Although both drivers came back through the pack, the German had too much to do. Lewis Hamilton divides opinion but is undoubtedly the best of British | Richard Williams Read more This fourth title, after winning for McLaren in 2008 and twice for Mercedes in 2014 and 2015, is one more than Sir Jackie Stewart achieved in 1973. It is one more than Hamilton’s hero Ayrton Senna scored and puts him level with Alain Prost and Vettel. Only two drivers have more – Juan Manuel Fangio on five and Michael Schumacher with seven. It is a remarkable achievement given how hard he has been pushed by Vettel. The German knew his only chance of staying in the fight here was to win or finish second because the championship had already swung decisively in Hamilton’s favour over the course of three races in the second half of the season. Ferrari proved to have an extremely competitive car this season – it was arguably better than the Mercedes which has struggled for set-up and balance at certain circuits. It made the fight between the pair very tight as punch and counter-punch across meetings left little to choose between them. Reaching the point of being able to take the title in Mexico had been far from plain sailing. Hamilton had difficulty with the car in Russia, Monaco and Hungary and took a grid penalty in Austria. Vettel’s barge on him in Baku was a flashpoint but it was a loose headrest that ultimately cost him the win in Azerbaijan. Crucially, however, he made the most of these difficult weekends to stay in touch with the German. When he had the pace he exploited it, with three wins in China, Spain and Canada and a dominant display at Silverstone. But by the summer break after Hungary he was still 14 points behind Vettel. What followed was a virtuoso performance that was concluded in Mexico. Wins at Spa and Monza were sealed and the fight looked to be going to the wire, but Vettel’s hopes disappeared with two DNFs at Singapore and Japan and only fourth in Malaysia. After his win at last week’s US GP Hamilton was 66 points ahead – an advantage that proved vital in Mexico. This race seemed almost certain to be host to the denouement of the season but was not expected to be quite as dramatic as it proved. After a strong start, with the front runners Vettel, Hamilton and Verstappen heading into turn one together, Vettel and Verstappen touched through turn two with the Dutch driver taking the lead and Hamilton having to go round the outside of them both into turn three. He had passed Vettel in doing so but the pair just clipped one another; Hamilton was blameless but took a puncture to his right rear and Vettel damage to the front wing. Both had to come into the pits at the end of the lap and Hamilton emerged in last place, behind Vettel in 19th. F1: Mexico Grand Prix 2017 – live! Read more Vettel moved up to eighth by lap 32 with skilful, controlled but aggressive driving. Hamilton, with damage, had found things more difficult and the team opted to pit him under the VSC on lap 32 with Vettel following a lap later. They emerged in 16th and seventh respectively but Vettel’s gap to Valtteri Bottas in second was still a full minute. His charge continued and he had reached sixth by lap 51 but ran out of time to make it further than fourth. Hamilton had been told by the team that Vettel would be unable to reach the second place he needed but the British driver’s determination to ensure he did all he could was clear. He came through the field until going wheel to wheel with Fernando Alonso on lap 69 – two from the end. After some superb racing between turns one and five where Hamilton finally made it stick, he took ninth place – enough to ensure the title even if Vettel had claimed second. In the end Hamilton’s points advantage had been enough. He already had the numbers that made the difference, including 12 podiums, 11 poles, seven fastest laps and nine wins this season to Vettel’s four. The title was the objective and, while Hamilton may not like to look back on how it was closed out, it will in no way diminish the pleasure he takes from winning one of the most demanding championships of his career.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Coach Gene Chizik says in his upcoming book that Auburn never would have let Cam Newton play if the Tigers had any concerns about the quarterback's eligibility and described a star player with high character and "incredible focus" who used football as an escape. "We knew we had done nothing wrong during the recruiting process," Chizik wrote in "All In: What it Takes to Be the Best." "If we'd had any level of concern regarding Cameron's eligibility, we would not have put him on the field and risked forfeiting games for playing an ineligible player," he wrote. The Associated Press received an advance copy of the book, which is co-written by Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist David Thomas and is due out July 5. Chizik devoted two of the 282 pages to the NCAA's investigation into Newton's recruitment and described his initial reluctance to sign a junior college quarterback despite the urging of assistant coach Curtis Luper and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn in December 2009. He even joked that Newton would be known as "Cameron Malzahn" if the Tigers took that plunge. The New Year's Eve signing worked out better than anybody could have predicted on the field, where Newton won the Heisman Trophy and led the Tigers to a national title before becoming the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Carolina Panthers. Off the field, the ride was bumpy after reports surfaced in November of a pay-for-play scheme during his recruitment by another school. The NCAA later said that Newton's father, Cecil, solicited money from Mississippi State but did not accuse Auburn or Cam Newton of wrongdoing. A steady stream of reports and accusations shadowed Newton even as he became a runaway Heisman winner and completed the 14-0 season -- and that rankled Chizik. "My complaint comes when some individuals in the media engage in irresponsible journalism that destroys someone's reputation," the coach wrote. "It takes a long time to repair a reputation, and sometimes that damage is impossible to recover from. In this case there were a lot of assumptions being made and criticisms being spun out of those assumptions; it was harming Cameron's reputation." He described Newton as a good role model who doesn't drink alcohol, loves kids and impressed him by asking to pray after Chizik's first meeting with the family. Newton also made quite an impression with how he continued to perform amid the hovering cloud of scrutiny and negative publicity over the season's final two months, leading the Tigers to a win over Oregon in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game. "Yet through all the speculation and all the insinuations, Cameron showed an incredible focus that few mature adults -- let alone college students -- could have maintained," Chizik said in the book. "In addition to the recruiting controversy, he was also dealing with the frenzy of media attention that goes with being favored to win the Heisman. "In the midst of everything, football became Cameron's place of refuge," he wrote. Newton could focus on football not the Heisman or NCAA probe in meeting rooms with coaches and teammates "and just be an Auburn football player." Chizik tried to defuse the situation early by repeating that Newton remained eligible, but then he and Auburn mostly adopted a no-comment stance the rest of the way. And Auburn made Newton off-limits to the media toward the end of the regular season. Auburn ruled Newton ineligible five days before the Southeastern Conference championship game and immediately appealed to the NCAA, which restored his eligibility the next day. Chizik defended his star player's character in the book. "One of the most frustrating parts of the controversy for me was that most of the people who were criticizing Cameron had never met him," Chizik wrote. "I was around him every day, and I knew his character well. At Auburn Cameron had proven himself to be a great Christian kid. In interview after interview, he would take the opportunity to thank God for his abilities and the chance he had been given to play football. "He was a fine role model for his teammates. He didn't drink alcohol. He worked hard. He was smart, and he had a big heart. In one of my first meetings with Cameron, I asked him what he wanted to do if football didn't work out for him. His answer: 'I want to open a day care center,'" he wrote. Chizik said it was a month and a half into the season before he knew of Newton's weekly visits with kids at a local elementary school. "None of us knew he was doing that," he said. "The media didn't know about it either. That's just how Cameron was -- quietly finding ways to use his position as an Auburn football player to make a positive impact. That's the Cameron Newton I had come to know in our program."

In light of the Aug. 1 split of Bitcoin into two separate cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, many questions remain. While the IRS has issued guidance on cryptocurrency — labeling it an “intangible asset” for investors subject to capital gains and loss treatment using the realization method — it has not issued guidance on cryptocurrency split or “fork” transactions. There are thousands of cryptocurrencies, and many formed in this type of division in the blockchain. Tax reporting for the receipt of Bitcoin Cash The initial market price of Bitcoin Cash was $266 per unit, which was 9.5% of the comparable Bitcoin unit price at that time of $2,801. Bitcoin holders were distributed one unit of Bitcoin Cash for each unit of Bitcoin, a separate financial instrument with a liquid market value. In the eyes of the IRS, that’s taxable income. Bitcoin holders should report the receipt of Bitcoin Cash on their 2017 income tax returns . It does not qualify as dividend income on Schedule B since a cryptocurrency is not a security. It’s also not considered interest income on a debt instrument or bank deposit. I suggest reporting the value received as “Other Income” on line 21 of Form 1040 —a catchall category for income that does not fit into a standard category. Some taxpayers might choose to use Form 8949 (Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets) instead. The taxpayer reports the $266 value of Bitcoin Cash as proceeds and 9.5% of Bitcoin cost basis as Bitcoin Cash cost basis. The initial value of Bitcoin Cash was 9.5% of the Bitcoin price at that time. This alternative treatment reduces taxable income by the cost basis amount. Another benefit is capital gains use up capital loss carryovers. I question whether this method would pass muster with the IRS — Bitcoin did not decline in value by a material amount after the split, and that undermines the use of this treatment. Constructive receipt of income Some Bitcoin holders mishandled or skipped arranging access to Bitcoin Cash, or their exchange does not support Bitcoin Cash, making retrieval difficult or impossible after Aug. 1, 2017. These taxpayers may believe they don’t have to report the Bitcoin Cash as taxable income since they don’t currently have access to it. While that seems reasonable, the IRS could apply the constructive receipt of income doctrine to argue the Bitcoin holder had access to Bitcoin Cash but turned his or her back on receiving it. Kelly Phillips Erb of Forbes goes into more detail in her article, Bitcoin Shift Could Cause Tax Headaches For Some Users). Tax reporting for the sale of Bitcoin Cash If you sold your Bitcoin Cash, you need to use capital gains treatment on Form 8949. For proceeds, enter the selling price. For cost basis, enter the $266 Bitcoin Cash value received per unit as you previously reported it as Other Income on line 21 of your 2017 Form 1040. The holding period for these units of Bitcoin Cash started on Aug. 1, 2017. A cryptocurrency split is not a tax-free exchange Taxpayers may feel a cryptocurrency split such as Bitcoin Cash qualifies as a tax-free exchange. I don’t think it does because cryptocurrencies are not securities, where tax-free splits are possible. “Receipt of new Bitcoin Cash assets is a taxable event,” said tax attorney Roger D. Lorence. “Corporate taxation concepts on distributions to shareholders, dividends, spin-offs, split-offs, corporate reorganization nonrecognition events under Section 368 and allied rules, are all not applicable, as cryptocurrency is not a security. The new Bitcoin Cash assets are substantially different economically from the old Bitcoin assets.” Lorence said the Supreme Court decision in Cottage Savings supports the view that the two classes of Bitcoin assets are not identical and therefore the transfer of the assets is considered a new class for which no nonrecognition provision of the code applies. The IRS goes after cryptocurrency investors Many cryptocurrency investors made a fortune the past several years selling high-flying Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for cash. Unfortunately, far too many of them did not report this taxable income to the IRS. Some cryptocurrency investors used Section 1031 like-kind exchange tax law to defer taxation, but that may be inappropriate (stay tuned for a blog post on that soon). Some cryptocurrency exchanges issued Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions. The IRS feels they are insufficiently informed, so they are taking action. Bitcoin rose in price from $13 in 2009 to more than $3,000 on June 11, 2017, and on Aug. 1, 2017, its market cap was $44 billion. Ethereum had a market cap of $21 billion. Bitcoin Cash skyrocketed overnight to a market cap of $12 billion on Aug. 2, 2017. The IRS figures hundreds of thousands of American residents did not report income from sales or exchanges of cryptocurrency and they might be able to collect several billion dollars in back taxes, penalties, and interest. The IRS recently summoned Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, to turn over its customer lists. It later agreed to narrow the scope of the list to people with cryptocurrency transactions worth over $20,000 without a Form 1099-K. (Read IRS Blinks in Bitcoin Probe, Exempts Coinbase Transactions Under $20,000.) Tax treatment for sales of cryptocurrencies The IRS was slow to issue guidance for cryptocurrencies. It finally declared cryptocurrencies an “intangible asset,” not a sovereign currency, and sales and exchanges are subject to capital gain or loss treatment for investors and traders, using the realization method. (Read If You Traded Bitcoin, You Should Report Capital Gains To The IRS.) There is tax controversy brewing with cryptocurrency investors, which means tax exams will escalate. Don’t be greedy: Pay your capital gains taxes on windfall income and amend tax returns to report capital gains before the IRS catches up with you. Darren Neuschwander CPA, Adam Manning CPA and tax attorneys Roger D. Lorence and Mark M. Feldman contributed to this blog post.

Cher got into a viral confrontation with a Twitter user on Tuesday who called out the singer's pledge to offer a DREAMer a place to stay, shortly after the Trump administration announced plans to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. In a Twitter post, Cher said “Those Who Can Must Take a DREAMER In2 Their Home & Protect Them‼ I’m Ready 2 Do This & Others in MY BUSINESS WILL DO THE SAME‼ SANCTUARY.” The tweet prompted one user, named Brenda Webb, to call out the singer, tweeting “Sure you will Cher…I’ll believe it when I see it!” The Daily Mail took a screen grab that shows Cher's response to the user: “Then keep your eyes open bitch.” Cher, who was a Hillary Clinton supporter, has been a frequent critic of President Trump whose latest decision to end DACA has drawn flack on both sides of the aisle. Trump said he is putting the pressure on Congress to reform the Obama-era immigration policy, with a "gradual process, not a sudden phaseout" that allows current recipients six-months before permits expire. “Permits will not begin to expire for another six months, and will remain active for up to 24 months. Thus, in effect, I am not going to just cut DACA off, but rather provide a window of opportunity for Congress to finally act,” Trump said. Whether Cher does in fact open up her doors remains to be seen.

Philippe Starck is working on a project with US computer makers Apple, he told French radio Friday. It will be “fairly, if not very, revolutionary”, the 63-year-old French designer promised. "Indeed, we have a big project together that will be out in eight months," Starck told France Info radio. But the world will have to wait to find out just how revolutionary it is. Starck cannot reveal any details because of Apple’s “secrecy cult”, he said. Starck, who has designed everything from lemon squeezers to night clubs, told France Info that he regularly visited Apple boss Steve Jobs, who died last October, at his home in Palo Alto, California. "For seven years I went to see him once a month in Palo Alto and I'm going there on Monday because even if he's dead, now I go to see his wife. We used to love talking about interesting things," he said. Starck also revealed that he is designing a restaurant at the famous flea market in St Ouen, just north of Paris. As from 1 January 2013 lucky Paris commuters will have a Starck-designed travel pass thanks to a commission by the region’s image-conscious public transport network, the RATP, and Starck artefacts can be purchased at the shop in the Pompidou Centre modern art museum.

After spending nearly 17 years in the same prison cell just outside of Oaxaca City, seven indigenous Loxicha political prisoners were transferred this month—twice. The transfers, which enraged and frightened their families and supporters, were part of a nationwide shuffle of existing prisoners to fill beds at newly opened facilities that were financed by Mexican and United States drug war money. After spending nearly 17 years in the same prison cell just outside of Oaxaca City, seven indigenous Loxicha political prisoners were transferred this month—twice. The transfers, which enraged and frightened their families and supporters, were part of a nationwide shuffle of existing prisoners to fill beds at newly opened facilities that were financed by Mexican and United States drug war money. The prisoners, Agustín Luna Valencia, Eleuterio Hernández Garcia, Fortino Enriquez Hernández, Justino Hernández José, Abraham Garcia Ramirez, Zacarias Pascual Garcia López, and Alvaro Sebastián Ramirez, are Zapotec indigenous men from Oaxaca’s Loxicha region, one of Oaxaca’s poorest and most marginalized regions. The seven Loxichas are accused of participating in the August 29, 1996, Popular Revolutionary Army (EPR) uprising in la Crucecita, Oaxaca, in which 11 government agents were killed. The indigenous men say they were tortured into signing hundreds of pages of blank paper that were later filled in with confessions. The Loxichas were convicted of murder (of the federal agents), terrorism, and conspiracy, and they were sentenced to up to 31 years in prison. This past June 7, the Loxicha prisoners were transferred to the new private medium security federal prison Cefereso #13 in Miahuatlan, Oaxaca, located three hours from the Ixcotel state prison where they spent the past sixteen years. The publicly financed, privately managed prison opened this past March. It is Oaxaca’s first federal prison and Mexico’s first private prison. In response to increasing prison overpopulation throughout the country, the federal government has promised to transfer federal prisoners out of the state prisons where they are currently incarcerated and into new federal prisons. As part of this reshuffling, the seven Loxichas—all held on federal charges—were transferred to the Miahuatlan prison along with 186 other federal prisoners from state prisons around the country. When prison officials didn’t notify the prisoners’ families about the transfer, this led to fears that the Loxicha political prisoners had been disappeared. When the Loxichas’ families located them in Miahuatlan’s new private prison, they attempted to visit them there in order to assure that the prisoners were not abused during the transfer. The families were shocked to discover that the prison prohibits face-to-face visits. The prisoners are only allowed 30-minute visits via closed-circuit television. “My father thought that I was calling him from somewhere else,” recounted Erica Sebastián, Alvaro Sebastián Ramirez’s daughter, following a televised visit. “He told me that all of the other prisoners were surprised because we were the first people to visit that prison. That’s how we know that was due to political pressure that we were allowed to see them.” Contrary to the government’s claims that its new “modern” private prison would “offer clinic services, education, and recreation areas to the prisoners,” as well as “job training” and “dignified facilities,” Erica found her father and the other Loxichas living in “degrading and inhumane” conditions. “They went a whole week without any toilet paper,” complained Erica. “They had to bathe themselves in front of female guards.” In a press release, the families denounced that the prisoners had gone “13 days without seeing the sun, without leaving their cells, without being able to change their clothes, drinking [dirty] tap water, eating small rations of only beans and a piece of bread, suffering from chronic illnesses and not having access to neither medicine nor medical attention.” The families also discovered that Federal Police abused the inmates during the transfer. “[Federal Police] violently removed them from cell #22 in the Ixcotel prison, they stole their money and valuables, [and] they left them outside exposed to the elements for several hours with their hands tied behind their backs and in uncomfortable positions.” On June 21, the same day the families held a press conference to denounce the inhumane conditions at the Miahuatlan prison, the government transferred the prisoners yet again—this time, to a maximum security federal prison in Tabasco, which is located over 12 hours from their families in Oaxaca. “The government is mocking us,” commented Erica after learning of the new transfer. “It wants to wear us down.” During a three-hour face-to-face visit in the Tabasco prison on June 26, Alvaro told his daughter that the conditions there were better than in Miahuatlan’s private prison. “They’re thankful to be out of that place,” reported Erica after leaving the prison. “They aren’t thinking of [the transfer] as retaliation. They think of it as a victory that they were transferred out of Cefereso #13, because whoever gets sent to that prison goes crazy.” Nonetheless, the families are upset that their loved ones were sent so far away because the trip is prohibitively expensive. The relatives had to beg for donations to cover travel costs for their first visit, and they borrowed a vehicle from the Oaxacan teachers union to get to the prison in Huimanguillo, Tabasco. The Tabasco and Miahuatlan prisons are two of 12 new federal prisons that are financed in part by funds from the United States government’s Merida Initiative drug war aid package. Under the rubric of “prison reform,” the Merida Initiative aims to increase federal prisons’ capacity from 6,400 to 20,000 prisoners by funding new prisons, training prison guards in the United States, and establishing a corrections academy and canine training facilities in Mexico. The construction of new prisons has been a priority due to concerns that Mexico’s overburdened, corrupt prison system could not handle the influx of new prisoners that officials hoped the drug war would create. The 12 new prisons constitute a veritable boom for Mexico’s budding industry, bringing the total number of federal prisons up to 25. Legal Recourses Exhausted The seven Loxicha prisoners deny that they belonged to the EPR and participated in the uprising. Furthermore, Erica argues that the government’s charges against her father are contradictory and unlawful: “The State accuses my father of participating in a rebellion, but he was judged as a common criminal.” Erica points out that Article 137 of Mexico’s Federal Penal Code states, “When the crimes of homicide, robbery, kidnapping, looting, and other crimes are committed during a rebellion, the rules of combat apply. The rebels will not be responsible for the homicides nor injuries occasioned by the acts of a combatant…” If the Loxichas were tried and convicted as rebels—as the government claims they are—instead of common criminals, they would have been sentenced to 1-20 years for rebellion instead of thirty years for homicide and terrorism. In other words, they could have possibly already served their sentences instead of living in federal prison alongside some of the drug war’s most ruthless convicts. The Loxicha prisoners have exhausted their legal options within the Mexican court system. On May 6, 2013, Alvaro Sebastián filed a complaint with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission in the hopes that the Inter-American Human Rights Court will hear his case. Because the Mexican government is legally required to abide by all Inter-American Human Rights Court verdicts, a favorable verdict is his only remaining legal recourse. However, Sebastián and his supporters, known as the Voice of the Zapotec Xiches Collective, are not idly waiting for the Inter-American Commission to review his case. They believe political pressure from civil society will ultimately free Sebastián and the other Loxicha prisoners. Sebastián has followed in the footsteps of other high-profile indigenous political prisoners and publicly declared his support for the Zapatistas. During his tour of Mexico in 2006, the Zapatistas’ Subcomandante Marcos appealed to supporters to create a national campaign for the liberation of the country’s political prisoners. Since then, dozens of indigenous political prisoners and their supporters, particularly in the Zapatistas’ home state of Chiapas, have united under the Zapatista banner to agitate for their freedom. The strategy gives political prisoners access to the Zapatistas’ supporters around the world. The resulting political pressure has forced the government to release dozens of imprisoned Zapatista supporters, including Gloria Arenas and her husband Jacobo Silva Nogales, both former commanders of the Guerrero-based Revolutionary Army of the Insurgente People (ERPI).

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. AMY GOODMAN: Our guest is Van Jones for the hour. Rebuild the Dream is his book, the first former White House administration to write about his experience inside. But it is beyond that. It’s talking about the movements he was a part of coming into the White House and where he is going now. Occupy, the Occupy movement, the significance of this, where you were on September 17th, Occupy Wall Street. People take over Zuccotti Park. Your thoughts about what you saw there and what it meant around the country? VAN JONES: Well, first of all, I don’t speak for Occupy. I speak up for Occupy, as people need to do. But I think I was like most people. When they first went down there, I said, you know, well, they’ll probably be there for 20 minutes, and then they’ll be arrested, and we’ll have to go on and find other things to do. I wasn’t a part of it. I wasn’t part of planning it. I was aware of it, but I think, like most people, radically underestimated what they were going to be able to achieve. However, they proved something, which I talk about in the book, which is that when you have—we always focus, often—liberals, lefties, progressives—on good ideas and the inside game. “What’s happening in Congress today? What does the president saying about this? What’s in the Ryan budget? Blah blah blah blah blah.” It turns out that when people come from the heart—talking about the head space and the heart space—the heart space and connect with the outside game, that’s when you have real game-changing moments. You know, the president is really, most of the time, just a guy on a tightrope, or hopefully someday a woman on a tightrope, just—you know, they can only lean so far to the left or the right before the laws of gravity punish them. What the Tea Party did, they came, and they moved the tightrope. While we were trying to tug on his sleeve and try to pull him to the left a little bit, they picked up the whole tightrope and moved it. Occupy moved it back. We were headed toward this awful austerity mania. The Tea Party had hijacked Congress in August of 2011, and even the President was talking about a grand bargain that was going to really put a lot of pain onto the American people’s shoulders. And Occupy just obliterated that whole discussion. The supercommittee basically disappeared suddenly and couldn’t even function, because Occupy brought up the issue of inequality, of the economy working for only the 1 percent, not the 100 percent, the 99 percent being left out. And that, I think, was a telling moment. One of the reasons why we created Rebuild the Dream the summer before Occupy was a recognition that the economic issues in America were not being effectively addressed by the progressives. We’re very good on issues around the environment, race, gender, immigration, sexuality. All those issues are very, very important key issues, but there is a hole in the donut on the economy. And the Tea Party was just driving through that hole in the donut every day. We thought it was important to raise an economic populist view from the left that would be willing to take on the financial elites, the economic elites, but do it from a progressive point of view and not from a “destroy the government” point of view. And we were beginning to ramp that up. We had about a hundred grasstops organizations, from MoveOn.org to the SEIU and others, Planned Parenthood, and then the grassroots just took off. And so, we were able to swing right behind, push as hard as we could. Today, what are we doing? Rebuild the Dream now has 600,000 members. We’re in every congressional district. Anybody who wants to be a part can go to RebuildTheDream.com and sign up. We are taking on what we think are the two big fights that Occupy teed up. We may not be able to save the American Dream from the point of view of, you know, everybody is going to have a McMansion and be rich, but we should be able to make a—have a country where you can work hard and get somewhere. The two big barriers right now are these. It used to be the case that the pathway from poverty into the middle class was go to college and buy a house. Today, those are the trapdoors from the middle class into poverty, because student debt is crushing a whole generation of young people who are trying to make a better life for themselves, and underwater mortgages—one-quarter of every mortgage in America underwater—is dragging people from the middle class into poverty. So the American Dream, so-called, has been turned upside down, inside out. Rebuild the Dream has two campaigns up to get Fannie and Freddie, on the one hand, to cut the principal on these underwater mortgages so that people can actually get back to their lives and quit being trapped by the false evaluation of the banks earlier, but number two, the student loan debt is now $1 trillion. There’s more student debt in our economy than all the credit card debt combined. Every credit card in every pocket of America, you stack that up, the pile of debt is smaller than the student debt in America. That’s never happened. So we’re fighting to change that. July 1st, it could get worse if Congress lets the interest rate double on the Stafford student loans. We’re going to stop them from doing that. But listen, I came out of the White House. I was hurt. I was sad. I felt like I had let people down. I felt embarrassed. I was confused. I took some time off. I got a chance to teach a little bit at Princeton. What I’ve decided is, I’ve got to get back, and all of us have to get back, to where we were before Obama ran. Before Obama ran, we had big movements up against the war. We mainstreamed opposition to the war, to climate concerns. We pulled the country, before Obama even ran, in a very positive direction. We got excited. We elected a president. We broke Karl Rove’s stranglehold on Congress. And then we sat down. And some of us went to work for the government. Some of us decided to try to appease the government. Some of us didn’t know what to do. But those days have got to come to an end. This war on women has to stop. The continued attacks on the safety net have to stop. And this book is my battle plan to get back—to get our movement back on track. AMY GOODMAN: You talk in Rebuild the Dream about Occupy candidates for Congress that Rebuild is— VAN JONES: Sure, mm-hmm. AMY GOODMAN: —supporting. Like who? VAN JONES: Sure, well, Rebuild the Dream is in a coalition with a number of organizations who are all putting forward candidates. I would—you know, Progressive Majority is really leading that effort. It may not be as clear as it should be in the book. Progressive Majority is leading that effort. You have Bob Borosage. He’s with Campaign for America’s Future, who’s a part of that. And we’ve identified and we’re pushing forward a number of candidates, as we say, from dogcatcher to Congress. Obviously, you know, the one we’re most excited about is Elizabeth Warren, who we think is going to be an amazing addition to the Senate, if we can get through with that. AMY GOODMAN: A number of questions are coming in on Facebook, are being tweeted in, emailed. This is from James Hetrick, who says, “Do you think the purpose of Occupy Wall Street should be to get Obama re-elected?” VAN JONES: No, no, no. Well, here—well, first of all— AMY GOODMAN: And there’s a number of questions about co-opting the movement. VAN JONES: Sure, sure, sure. Well, here’s the deal. Occupy Wall Street—again, I don’t speak for Occupy Wall Street. I speak up for them when they come under attack. Occupy Wall Street is kind of like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, right? The most idealistic, the most aggressive young people of the '60s. What did they do? They occupied the lunch counters. They occupied the buses. They occupied the voting booth in Mississippi, where that was. But they were the spearhead. But you had a whole bigger movement called the civil rights movement right behind them, that included the NAACP, who had much, you know, different set of tactics, that included Dr. King, that included CORE. I think that the movement of the 99 percent is like the civil rights movement. That's a much bigger movement. It’s going to have lots of different kind of people in it. Some will be for elections, some will be against elections. Some will be for lawsuits. Some will be for—but Occupy speaks for itself. And it seems to me that Occupy should keep doing what Occupy is doing, which is driving the discussion. They’re experimenting in participatory democracy and showing what democracy can really look like and feel like. I think that’s an important contribution. And they should continue to do what they do. But the rest of us, 100 million people, one-third of Americans agree with them, but 100 million people are not going to go to the general assemblies, and we’re not going to go and march. Well, what should the rest of us do? The book is really talking about the rest of us. Are you going to let these young folks and struggling folks, who have gotten the conversation started, go out there by themselves, or can we come with a whole set of tactics and strategies that let the entire 99 percent movement, the 100 million people that the polls say agree with Occupy’s critique, how can we move forward? And no one group—Occupy, Rebuild the Dream or anybody else—can claim to own the 99 percent movement.

Posted April 9, 2010 by Mehrdad in Choqok, PlanetKDE. 4 Comments As a result of my previous post about speeding up Choqok development by community help, I have launched a BBPress forum to do the job. Why forum? We need a platform to discuss about features and Ideas and their implementation as needed, And of course, It should be in a way that others (than me) can create entries. Extendable platform may help us later. It should be super light. How do it works? Someone starts a new topic in New Idea forum with information about what’s in his/her mind to be implemented in Choqok. He/She announces it anywhere thinks that interested peoples can find it (i.e. Identi.ca) to get here and help us in development. Then We (Interested users and me) will discuss about it and it’s implementation and will set the donation amount it requires to be implemented. Now we have to collect donation for it: Anyone who wants to have that feature sooner (and likes to help to its development) can donate to it. He/She should note in donation comment about what feature/idea he/she donates to! When donation is about to reach the requirement, I will start to implement the idea, and it’s topic in forum will move to Under Development forum. still we can discuss about it there! And when them implementation is done! I’ll announce it there and move topic to Implemented forum. I have added some ideas there for example and to start this job, You can add your ideas you want to donate to their implementation Or think that there are users who like to donate to their implementation. When you add an idea or see an interested idea there, You can(better to) spread the word and tell other users about it, to donate for it and have it sooner. There are 4 different forums there: New Idea – Add your ideas here, We will discuss about them and I announce the donation amount to implement them! This is the main forum to discuss, Anyone can create a new topic(idea) to start. – Add your ideas here, We will discuss about them and I announce the donation amount to implement them! This is the main forum to discuss, Anyone can create a new topic(idea) to start. Under Development When new idea donated amount reached the required, I will move it to this forum, It’s still open to discuss But nobody can create a new topic here! When new idea donated amount reached the required, I will move it to this forum, It’s still open to discuss But nobody can create a new topic here! Implemented – Ideas will come here after they’ve implemented! When implementation of an idea is done and pushed to svn/git repository, It’s topic will move here from Under Development forum. This forum is read only too! – Ideas will come here after they’ve implemented! When implementation of an idea is done and pushed to svn/git repository, It’s topic will move here from Under Development forum. This forum is read only too! Free Discussion – If you want to discuss about other Choqok related topics, come here This forum is just open to contain other Choqok related discussions! Of course this is not the only way to continue Choqok development! We will have previous developments as well! But we want to make the process faster. OK, Let’s Begin… =-=-=-=-= Powered by Blogilo Advertisements

​Hackers seized a digital database from the city of Detroit earlier this year and then demanded they receive a ransom in bitcoin, Mayor Mike Duggan said this week, but the city balked and ultimately the hijackers were unsuccessful with their request. Duggan, who was elected last year to lead the Motor City after a headline-making bankruptcy filing, explained at a conference on Monday this week that hackers had asked for hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency after compromising a city database back in April. The pilfered database wasn’t used or needed by the city, however, The Detroit News reported, so the ransom was never paid. Speaking at the North American International Cyber Summit, Duggan said the incident from earlier this year made him realize that sensitive information needs to be stored more securely. “It was a good warning sign for us,” he told his audience at the conference, Detroit News journalist Holly Foumier reported. According to the Associated Press, Duggan said the hackers asked for 2,000 bitcoins after seizing the database, worth roughly $803,000. Unfortunately for the city, such attacks aren’t isolated, either. The Michigan state government suffers around 500,000 computer attacks every day, the AP reported, and Duggan believes that improvements are needed across the board. “It was pretty disturbing what I found,” the mayor said with respect to the type of technology the city currently relies on. “I found the Microsoft Office system we had was about 10 years old and couldn’t sync the calendar to my phone.” “We’re in the early stages of ramping up,” he said. “The stakes in play in the state and in the country are enormous.” Another factor involved in making that determination, Duggan added, occurred when an unnamed person involved in last year’s historic bankruptcy was victimized in a cyberattack that involved money being removed from that individual’s personal banking account. “The timing was such that he certainly thought it was a political agenda,” the mayor said. With regards to the “ransomware” that could have cost the city of Detroit an entire database — or arguably worse, more money than Motown could afford — other targets have been impacted as well by similar campaigns as of late in which victims are asked to pay with bitcoin to regain control of seized data: earlier this month, the Dickson County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee acknowledged that it paid around $500 in bitcoin to a hacker who cracked into a server used by the law enforcement agency and also demanded ransom. At Monday’s cyber conference, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder warned that such attacks may only increase in severity over time as more assets rely on being connected to the web. “Twenty years from now, your car is going to be driving itself,” Foumier quoted him as saying. “The vehicle will be talking to other vehicles, making decisions on when to stop and when to brake.” “The risks we have today are only going to dramatically increase,” he said.

Engineers from both companies are working through a full set of requirements, beginning with extensive testing in lab environments and then moving to field trials. This approach ensures customers will have a seamless experience making VoLTE HD Voice calls between networks and lays the foundation for interoperability of other Rich Communications Services (RCS) such as video calls, rich messaging, and more in the future. VoLTE in action on Verizon AT&T and Verizon today announced voice over LTE (VoLTE) interoperability plans that will allow Verizon Wireless and AT&T customers to make VoLTE to VoLTE calls between networks.VoLTE is a feature that is designed to enable high-definition voice calls that significantly improve call quality.Verizon introduced its Advanced Calling 1.0 services with VoLTE support back in September, shortly before the release of the iPhone 6. With VoLTE, Verizon customers are able to use simultaneous voice and data capabilities over a 4G LTE network for the first time.AT&T is still in the process of rolling out VoLTE support to all markets, continuing to test the feature in a limited number of cities in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, Georgia, and Texas.VoLTE requires both built-in phone support, included in the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, and carrier participation. VoLTE interoperability between AT&T and Verizon is good news, as it is not currently possible to make VoLTE calls to outside carrier networks.Both Verizon and AT&T state hope to establish similar deals with other carriers in the future as VoLTE continues to pick up traction.

President Trump has a handful of go-to moves when facing political trouble, but they’re not going to help him much as his former campaign chairman and an associate face federal charges. On Monday, former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort was indicted on charges of funneling more than $18 million through overseas shell companies, while his longtime associate, Rick Gates, was indicted on charges of transferring more than $3 million from offshore accounts. Trump has already broken out some tactics he’s used successfully in the past: Changed the subject to Hillary Clinton On Sunday, Trump tweeted that the investigation should focus on the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee’s roles in funding opposition research on Trump that ended up in the FBI’s hands and leaked after the election as an infamous dossier. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now This is a well-worn tactic known as “whataboutism,” which Trump has long used. When faced with allegations of sexual harassment and assault during the campaign, he brought forward women who had accused Bill Clinton in the past. But courts don’t care about someone else. They care about the person sitting at the defendant’s table. As the cases against Manafort and Gates churn on, Trump won’t be able to change the subject. Hoped conservative media would avoid the topic On Monday, Trump tweeted out praise for “Fox and Friends,” a morning show on Fox News that he’s praised in the past. As many people pointed out, the show had a big segment on an emoji cheeseburger. (To be fair, “Fox and Friends” covered the indictments, but not with the same kind of wall-to-wall coverage as other cable channels.) Trump has long relied on conservative media. A Pew Research survey released in January found that 40% of Trump voters said they relied on Fox News for election coverage, while just 8% said they tuned into CNN, the second most-cited source. But again, courts don’t care. In fact, the U.S. legal system has a long history of trying to avoid media bias from affecting proceedings, from sequestering jury members away from broadcast news to barring participants from commenting to the media during a trial. Complained that he’s being unfairly targeted On Monday, Trump also argued that Democrats were ginning up a controversy over possible campaign collusion with Russia as part of a “terrible (and bad for our country) Witch Hunt for evil politics.” This is a move that Trump has relied on in the past, even down to using the term “witch hunt.” In May, he argued at a Coast Guard graduation that “no politician in history — and I say this with great surety — has been treated worse or more unfairly.” He’s also frequently argued that the press treats him unfairly. Again, courts aren’t here for that. Judges and juries determine whether the facts they are presented prove the case that the prosecutor has made beyond a reasonable doubt. Defense attorneys sometimes use unfairness as a counterargument, but Trump’s tweeting isn’t going to change what takes place in the courtroom. In short, facts matter now more than spin As the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller moves into its next phase, Trump will have less ability to set the narrative. The 31-page indictments of Mueller and Gates have already laid out a number of facts about their finances, their contacts with Russia and their work on the campaign. The guilty plea of former Trump campaign adviser George Papadapoulos contains even more facts that will dog Trump and his team. In the world of cable news appearances, Twitter and the White House press briefings, spin is the chief currency. But Trump is about to learn that politics plays out differently in the courtroom. That doesn’t mean he has no options. He can still use pardons or even try to fire Mueller to influence the investigation, but there are risks to any of those actions. Contact us at editors@time.com.

Sweden is now "okay" with public masturbation. On June 6, a 65-year-old man took off his shorts at a beach near Stockholm and began masturbating into the ocean. The man was charged with sexual assault, but was acquitted last week after a judge ruled he was not targeting a specific person. Even though the Södertörn District Court's judgment stated it “may be proven that the man exposed himself and masturbated on this occasion,” the court decided the man had not committed a crime, a decision the public prosecutor agreed with, though he said in the future public masturbation might be considered disorderly conduct. "For this to be a criminal offence it's required that the sexual molestation was directed towards one or more people," Olof Vrethammar said. "I think the court's judgement is reasonable. With that we can conclude that it is okay to masturbate on the beach." The ruling in the case comes just three months after Sweden's last major sex scandal, when police in Stockholm announced that a man who fucks bicycles was on the loose. [Image of Swedish beach via flickr]

The last few years have seen a growing number of liberal and environmental heavyweights publicly call for more nuclear energy to deal with climate change. Today, the pro-nuclear ranks include Bill Gates, Al Franken, Richard Branson, and Barack Obama. Also on the list are superstar economist Jeffrey Sachs, the novelist Ian McEwan, Google chairman Eric Schmidt, and Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen. There are former environmental leaders, including former Greenpeace Executive Director Stephen Tindale, and former Friends of the Earth trustee Hugh Montefiore. And there are prominent scientists including Gaia hypothesis ecologist James Lovelock, former NASA climate scientist James Hansen, much-cited climate scientist Tom Wigley, and MIT climate scientist Kerry Emanuel. Many of these individuals recognize that one of nuclear's chief challenges is to become much cheaper, so that new nuclear plants can replace fossil fuels. In service of this goal, Breakthrough Institute has analyzed the factors that drive the cost of new nuclear plants, and has proposed a way to deal with them. The key is innovation. In particular, developing, demonstrating and deploying advanced, or what are called Generation IV, nuclear technologies. Already Breakthrough's new report, How to Make Nuclear Cheap, has received positive notices from Time, SmartPlanet, and IEEE Spectrum (a leading high-tech science magazine), and was received positively by both Republicans and Democrats at a standing-room only briefing on Capital Hill last week. Safety is critical to the economics of nuclear, but it is not the only factor. Advanced reactors that are able to operate at ambient pressures, and with fuels that are much more resistant to melting, require fewer redundant safety systems and less substantial containment. Molten metal and salt coolants promise not only greater safety, but also allow reactors to operate at higher temperatures, making them more efficient. Smaller reactors, produced modularly, or in many cases manufactured entirely off-site, promise to eliminate the rising costs and delays that have plagued large, customized reactor builds. Reactor designs that can deliver these benefits while utilizing as much of the present light-water supply chain can be commercialized fastest and most cheaply. Oilprice.com Premium: Get the same inside information as the CEOs of Exxon, Chevron and BP - as fast as they get it, often before they get it Advanced nuclear designs are not new. Many alternative designs were demonstrated by the US Department of Energy in the sixties, seventies, and eighties. Unfortunately, the antinuclear movement succeeded in halting most advanced nuclear research and demonstration projects in the early 1990s. The new documentary film, Pandora's Promise, documents the most notorious of these episodes, when Democrats in the US Senate, working with environmentalists and the Clinton White House, halted the development of the integral fast reactor, which used liquid sodium, a metal, as a coolant. The question is not whether the world will pursue advanced nuclear reactors but rather whether the United States will. The United States developed virtually every advanced reactor design under consideration today, and we still lead the world in the technical expertise to build them. But while China, India, and South Korea are all building advanced reactors, the United States has no plan to build even a demonstration-scale plant. That may change. A majority of Americans (57 percent) told Gallup last year they support nuclear energy — a number that rose from 46 percent in 2001 and was unchanged by Fukushima. Where liberal baby boomers grew up fearing nuclear war and power, liberal millennials born well after Three Mile Island grew up fearing climate change. The MIT and UC Berkeley nuclear engineering programs have been revitalized in recent years by climate concerned directors, Richard Lester and Per Peterson respectively, and have attracted millennial graduate students to their programs. MIT has already spun off advanced nuclear start-ups, including Transatomic, profiled last month in the New Yorker, which designed a reactor made to burn waste as fuel. UC Berkeley is working with China to demonstrate an advanced design. Meanwhile, in Washington, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced legislation that promises to finally resolve the dispute over waste storage. Oilprice.com Premium: Find out first about the latest technology and technology investments being made by energy industry insiders America's environmental movement, of course, remains stubbornly antinuclear, but it's not obvious how much that matters. Climate scientists have increasingly stepped up to act as a counterweight to antinuclear greens. In his new book, Kerry Emanuel writes, "Environmentalists must accept some measure of responsibility for today’s most critical environmental problem." Wrote Hansen, "The danger is that the minority of vehement antinuclear ‘environmentalists’ could cause development of advanced safe nuclear power to be slowed." As support for advanced nuclear as a climate solution grows, green leaders will have an increasingly hard time claiming that global warming demands continued subsidies for deploying wind and solar but not modest investments in developing and deploying advanced nuclear technologies. By. Michael Shellenberger & Ted Nordhaus

Alaska state officials said Tuesday they plan to proceed with this week’s count of write-in ballots in the Senate contest after Republican Joe Miller sued the state’s lieutenant governor and Division of Elections in federal court to try stop the state’s plan for counting write-in ballots that misspell the name of his rival Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Absentee ballots are counted at the State of Alaska Division of Elections Office Tuesday in Fairbanks. (Photo by Eric Engman/Getty Images) The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, said that the U.S. Constitution requires that election rules be set by state legislatures. The state Division of Election’s plan to consider “voter intent” when reading ballots, though doing so isn’t part of the state law, is therefore unlawful, it argues. “We are aware of the lawsuit,” Lt. Gov. Craig Campbell said in a statement. “We have sent it to the department of law and the attorney general, and we are proceeding with the write-in count as planned at this time.” Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai has previously pointed to Alaska cases in which voter intent was considered. Thomas Van Flein, Joe Miller’s attorney, said Mr. Miller decided to filed suit after the Division of Elections published guidelines for counting names on write-in ballots, which noted that some misspellings could be counted in Ms. Murkowski’s favor.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s three films in the MSG series released in 2015-16 have been ridiculed, thrashed and made fun of by not only the critics but the majority of social network users too quite openly and strongly. The films have been subject of crude jokes, memes, tweets and posts shared at various platforms and almost everyone has been successfully fooled by the supposedly spiritual leader/guru calmly working on his hidden well-planned goals achieved through his film-series. But before moving further on the subject, I would clearly like to mention that these are just conclusions based on my personal assumptions after going through the experience of watching all the three films in the theatre with a completely different kind of crowd wherein almost everyone seemed to be the follower of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh or accompanying a long time devotee friend for a free show. So just consider it as a personal study and not any factual presentation to be precise. The most obvious but least important reason assumed by almost everyone. The first and most widely assumed reason behind the making of these films remains the hidden wish of every (insanely) wealthy person in the country of becoming a dashing ‘Hindi Film Hero’ performing the stylish fights, songs and emotional scenes on the screen fulfilling his childhood ambition. No doubt, this seems to be one of the reasons behind the MSG film series in all probabilities, but let me assure you that this is certainly not the key or any major reason at all. In fact this seems to be the last and least important of them all looking at the actual DERA mission with a much broader vision. The first two films and their basic structure. All spiritual organisations, individual Guru’s and ashrams in India normally print their brochures, pamphlets, lecture excerpts, magazines and list of programs/social works undertaken as their publicity material to influence more devotees or followers. At present many have regularly updated websites too going with the new-age trends to reach the young minds more active on the social networks. But moving far ahead of that routine-outdated practice, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh thought of a new unique idea and made his ‘Part One’ and ‘Part Two’ of the series as a complete audio-visual publicity brochure of his works in Sirsa Ashram starting a new trend. And strangely every viewer/reviewer/interviewer or channel writing or airing about the movie unintentionally contributed in his intelligent promotional campaign designed so cleverly. As a matter of fact even the national newspapers and government too contributed in the mission, when the Censor Board created a controversy while clearing the first MSG film brought in for the certification. So just in a few weeks, almost everyone in the country (as well as abroad) came to knew about Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and the Dera through his questionable cinematic venture serving the purpose well. Proving the above observation or conclusion right, where the first film had people lovingly addressing their leader as Guruji or Pitaji introducing the DERA in Sirsa, the second film went one step further by even including ‘real life footage’ of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s social works and discourses in the narration with a voice-over spreading the message much bright and clearer. However post these first two propaganda films the makers became even more confident leaving ‘the DERA brochure format’ behind and presented the third film in the series as a heroic fantasy tale serving another important purpose explained in the section ahead. The shrewd strategy of turning Cinemas into a hired venue of the ‘DERA Event’. If you have been a part or have visited a few of these so called spiritual DERAS in any region of the country (especially in Punjab and North India), then you must have noticed that they all have an annual celebration event and then a few other special events organized on regular intervals in a year bringing all the devotees together under one roof for a day or two. Purpose of which is to maintain or reinstate the spirit of ‘Shishya or Disciple’ in them, which might have got diminished or gone weak in the last gap period due to various reasons. As a result, after attending every such ‘well-planned’, ‘energetic’ timely event organized by the Dera or Ashram, the people ‘satisfactorily’ return back to their homes reassuring themselves that there certainly is some ‘gifted divine person’ as their Guru who can help them in their difficult times providing both financial and emotional assistance as per their personal requirements. And mind you these DERA leaders do fulfill their personal and family needs unlike the politicians (which in fact is one of the major reasons of them having such mind boggling following and powerful local base.) Now every such annual or half yearly event involves professional management, huge amount of expenditure and efforts of hundreds of people managing the visiting crowd coming in thousands and lakhs too, making an unbelievable sight. But there lies a big practical limitation in such regular DERA celebrations, as the event has to be organized at a particular central place where all the disciples need to come travelling from their far off cities for a day or two which is both time consuming and painstaking, witnessing a good number of people missing the ‘special event’ unwillingly. So Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and his team thought of an extremely clever idea of taking this half yearly event to the people itself, instead of them coming to the DERA for the joyful celebrations. And for this he decided to use the medium of films and theatres as the means to reach his widespread followers living in various cities of the country playing an intelligent game. Working on this superfine vision, he made the third film as a heroic fantasy extravaganza with many (amateurish) action and animation driven scenes saving the world from some ‘Alien Evil Forces’ like a ‘God Sent Saviour’ to be thoroughly enjoyed and cheered by his true disciples. So what he did with his third film is that he converted the key theaters of selected cities as his DERA representatives and sent tickets to his disciples to come and celebrate their GURU within the theatre itself through the most famous medium of communication in the country. In other words now his disciples don’t need to travel to Sirsa for celebrations spending both their time and money, as their Guru himself will come to their city every 6-8 months with a film, to remind them that they are still his disciples and he is always there for help in any time of need. The assumption got proved when I saw Dhol players standing outside a theatre in a Delhi multiplex, people wearing T-shirts having the film’s name and pictures printed prominently and everyone dancing in big groups before entering the theatre exactly like participating in a cultural festival happening in the DERA itself. A very well thought strategy indeed, to maintain and increase his fan-base reaching out to the existing as well new potential followers through cinema. Sponsored HOUSEFULL in the theatres - Benefiting both the exhibitors as well as the followers creating a win-win situation. Before the 80s it was reported that tickets of selected theatres were being purchased in bulk by both the producers and famous actors for either presenting their films as instant HITS or ruining the rival films by first buying at bulk and then selling it a lesser price projecting a rejection in the opening days itself playing a dirty game. In fact the trend was again reported to be back in the 90s too with the competition becoming stronger between the young newcomers. Perhaps Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and his team took an intelligent inspiration from this internal politics of the film-world and planned exactly the same benefitting both the exhibitors as well as the viewers creating a win-win situation. Putting it bluntly, a film is made casting the key Dera members only as actors under the guidance of their creative head (Guruji), its released in major multiplexes by buying the complete 1 or 2 shows (per day) allotted by the theatres and then the tickets are distributed free of cost to the followers in that particular region of city by the appointed volunteers. Further the followers are also provided assistance in reaching the theatre through various means of transports, a whole ambience of some kind of pilgrimage is silently displayed reminding them of the DERA itself, the big collective chants of ‘Dhan Dhan Satguru Tera Hi Aasra” can be repeatedly heard during the entire screening and then photographs of the big crowd watching the movie are also clicked for various purposes by the volunteers (as witnessed personally in a Delhi’s multiplex with the manager unable to stop them from anything standing as a mute spectator). For friends having some doubts, the free distribution of tickets gets proved the moment you study the people visiting in big numbers (certainly not from the local surroundings) meeting and talking to the other groups in the lobby in a quite friendly manner. When families keep coming into the theater even after 40-50 minutes of the show-timings so casually as if they have come to enjoy a sponsored picnic instead of watching a film, when kids of different groups start exchanging theirs seats in the dark, giggling and making noise enjoying the free outing (without any interruption from the theatre people) and when you realize that almost everyone in the theatre knows each other except you sitting alone studying their collective response. Admittedly I had nothing in mind but praises looking at the way Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and his volunteers organized the entire show exactly making you feel like sitting in a DERA with the ‘Guru Ji’ addressing on the screen through his ‘already known’ dialogues. No doubt the disciples appeared to be more than thankful while coming out of the theater feeling some kind of gratitude towards their ‘spiritual master’. In all, the followers are deeply satisfied, the theatre owners are getting their returns, the so called creative team gets to make a film and ‘the master’ is cleverly reaching out to his followers without even moving out of his chair sitting in the headquarters. Moreover, the entire share of the tickets bought in bulk (in heavy discounts of course) again goes back to the DERA only ‘in white’ without any hassles proving the film-series a highly successful business plan by all means. So anyone who thinks that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is making a fool of himself or the medium is severely wrong as he is not even concerned about me, you, the art-form or the creativity involved in the first place. The man is just using the system in a visibly successful manner and you can do nothing about it since it’s neither wrong nor illegal by any angle. On a concluding note, where we are busy mocking his films as lavish trash bins, the unconcerned ‘tech-savvy Guru’ is busy addressing his people living hundreds and thousands of miles away through these continuing sequels. And in this way is increasing his fan-following with such an intelligent personal contact and communication program without even moving out of Sirsa. Amazing it is …….. all I can say post studying the strategy in details.

Share. Android and iOS versions of the game are coming next year. Android and iOS versions of the game are coming next year. Blizzard's new free-to-play card game, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, will be available for everyone to play beginning very soon, as an open beta is scheduled to kick off next month. The announcement was made by chief creative officer Rob Pardo during today's BlizzCon opening ceremony. He said the open beta will begin next month, but qualified that in case of a potential delay: Saying the open beta will begin in December could end up meaning January "in Blizzard speak." Pardo also announced iPhone and Android versions of Hearthstone are in the works and are currently slated for launch in the second half of 2014. Exit Theatre Mode Stay tuned to IGN for all the latest on Hearthstone and all things Blizzard as BlizzCon continues. Chris Pereira is a freelance writer who spends his spare time agonizing over the final seasons of The X-Files. Check out what he's saying on Twitter and follow him on IGN.

SDEROT, Israel, Jan. 4 -- Just over the border in Gaza, thousands of Israeli troops battled Hamas fighters Sunday while Israeli warplanes, helicopters and drones bombarded targets from above. But in this working-class Israeli town two miles from the Gaza boundary, Yoav Peled chased rockets, as he has been doing for years. "It's the same as usual," Peled, the community's security coordinator, said as he stood in a wheat field examining the mangled remains of a 19mm Qassam rocket that had slammed down minutes before. "They probably built this one just a couple days ago. It's brand new." Since the Israeli offensive began nine days ago, the country's leaders have insisted that Israel's largest military operation in Gaza since its troops withdrew in 2005 would not stop until it ended the Hamas rocket fire. But residents of southern Israel have no such expectations. The rockets, they say, will go on despite what Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak described as an "all-out war" on the armed Islamist group that runs Gaza. Israeli ground forces pushed into Gaza on Saturday night, but on Sunday about 40 rocket and mortar attacks struck half a dozen Israeli towns and cities, roughly the same number as the day before. Since the Israeli operation began on Dec. 27, there have been approximately 500 rocket and mortar strikes. Most of the Qassams, Katyushas and mortar shells fired from Gaza have fallen without causing damage. But four Israelis have been killed in the barrage, while other strikes have caused injuries or destroyed buildings. Cities once believed to be beyond the range of rocket fire from Gaza -- including Ashdod and Beersheba -- have been hit regularly in the past week. "I hope the invasion succeeds," said Peled, 65, who is responsible for finding the rockets after they land and making sure they have detonated. "But after so many years, it's difficult to believe this will work." Israeli military officials say they are not surprised that Hamas has been able to keep up the attacks, even as the group's fighters attempt to stay alive amid the massive Israeli assault. "That's to be expected," said Capt. Elie Isaacson, an Israeli military spokesman. "Hamas previously had the ability to fire 200 rockets a day. Now at most they're firing 70. So we know for a fact that they're under pressure. If after an eight-day air campaign they're still able to fire rockets, it just highlights the importance of this mission." Still, a senior Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it is highly unlikely Israel will succeed in stopping the rocket fire entirely. A more realistic goal, he said, is a "lower level of terror." Other Israeli leaders have adopted that same vague formulation. But some, including top officials, have been more categorical. In announcing the ground invasion Saturday night, Barak, a candidate for prime minister in elections scheduled for next month, said the goal is to "get Hamas to stop its hostile activities against Israel." Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said the operation will end only when Israel is assured that "the civilian population in the south of the country will no longer be on the receiving end of Hamas rockets."

How difficult is it really to go through official channels and find out if Rahul Gandhi was ever British? It literally is just a case of picking up the phone and making a call, rather than waving pieces of privately-acquired paper around. We have a massive High Commission functioning in London. We have 1.6 million Indians in the UK — working in government, media and even the intelligence services. By that token, we have our own intelligence services working across the globe. We have Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is good chums with his counterpart David Cameron, and three days ago we saw tangible evidence of that friendship. Both nations are members of the Commonwealth and share information. In this hi-tech age nothing is secret. Surely, all it needs is one call to the UK Foreign Office to get confirmation about whether this accusation against Rahul applying for British citizenship has any merit. This is the number of the Foreign Office on King Charles Street: +44 20 7270 3000. They are closed now but will reopen in the morning (GMT). Give them a call. If the UK government issued him a passport or can show an application under his signature, he is toast. Dump him, make him pay the penalty, whatever the law says. The paper trail will be thick and impossible to cover up. He is the son of a former Prime Minister of India and with the BJP in the current bilateral flow of affection, even the Brits would be hard-placed to wipe away the trail. Let’s go a step further. Where were our agencies these 10 years of which we can for the sake of argument, concede that the Congress strong-armed Whitehall into submission, but the BJP has been in command for 18 months and it's only now that this comes up. You cannot get a visa to the UK as an Indian without jumping through multi-coloured hoops and doing the most humiliating Q and As possible, and we are to believe that this guy strolled in and got British citizenship, and the whole of the Indian administrative system never had a clue? Try getting a British passport. Half the guys working there in the passport services are Indian and no one said, "Uh-oh, isn’t this that Rahul Gandhi fellow?". There is no mystery, no great intrigue. Either he did or he didn’t apply for a document that made him a British passport holder. Even the Mohamed al-Fayed couldn't get one, and he owned Harrods... and his son was dating Princess Diana. Does Subramaniam Swamy have any idea how vicious the tabloid press is in the UK? And does he really think they would pass up a story like this for a decade and nobody would know? Heathrow probably has more Indians in the airport than Delhi, if you get the drift. Throw the book at Rahul by just demanding, not asking, but demanding an answer. Summon the British High Commissioner to the External Affairs Ministry and ask for an official clarification. Is that so difficult? You should get an answer in a day. Ask Rahul directly. He is on Indian soil, so what’s the problem? Besides, he loves microphones. Having his name on some company document without legal or official declaration is not evidence and that is plain common sense. When you can print currency, what is the big deal in producing some company document with wrong information? That said, there is one area of grey. That striking out of the nationality from 'British' to a handwritten 'Indian' is odd. And clumsy. And foolish. And amateurish. Surely, if Rahul was guilty someone on his side would have had the common sense not to be so obviously stupid. What it boils down to is simply finding out the answer officially and ending this speculation: Attn: Rahul Gandhi Did you at any stage apply for a British passport? Yes/No Have you ever filled in any form requesting British citizenship? Yes/No Were you, at any time a British passport holder? Yes/No Have you ever been abroad from India on any passport besides an Indian one? Yes/No Have you ever been rejected by the British government in an application to be a British citizen? Yes/No Sign here. Frankly, I would be a lot more concerned about about Mani Shankar Aiyer and his mouthings in Pakistan. Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) expands access to health insurance in the United States, and, to date, an estimated 20 million previously uninsured individuals have gained coverage. Understanding the law's impact on coverage, access, utilization, and health outcomes, especially among low-income populations, is critical to informing ongoing debates about its effectiveness and implementation. Early findings indicate that there have been significant reductions in the rate of uninsurance among the poor and among those who live in Medicaid expansion states. In addition, the law has been associated with increased health care access, affordability, and use of preventive and outpatient services among low-income populations, though impacts on inpatient utilization and health outcomes have been less conclusive. Although these early findings are generally consistent with past coverage expansions, continued monitoring of these domains is essential to understand the long-term impact of the law for underserved populations.

When Google first announced Doze for Android Marshmallow, it was touted as a bid to significantly boost battery life by putting the device into a very low power-consumption mode whenever it was stationary and the screen was turned off. This meant that leaving your phone on a table overnight or even for a full day would only sip away a very small amount of your battery. Unfortunately, since it only kicks in for a fully stationary device, Doze in Marshmallow doesn't get triggered if, say, you leave your phone in your pocket instead of placing it on the table, meaning that you won't see any of those battery savings. Thankfully, that's about to change: starting with Android N, Doze will now activate whenever the device's screen is turned off, even if it's not laying on a still surface. This will undoubtedly be great news for sea captains and people who live in areas that are especially prone to earthquakes, but it's also great for normal people who keep their phones in their pockets for the larger part of the day. In addition to an improved Doze mode, Google is also continuing to invest in Project Svelte, their effort to make Android much more memory efficient so that it can run smoothly on an even broader range of devices. By making background work more efficient, Android N should also consume less resources and gain even more battery savings too. We'll be trying out the newly released N developer builds and paying close attention to how effective this updated version of Doze is in practice.

Like catchy melodies and men dancing in unison, boy bands and Disney are a combination that is just meant to be. We’ve done a fantasy Disney prince boy band lineup before, and now it’s high time we revisit this most important of ideas using even more of our favorite Disney guys. Behold, the product of hours of spirited debate and giddy imagination: Charismatic Lead Singer: Naveen As fan favorite and outspoken frontman, Naveen would charm his way into everyone’s hearts with the timeless combination of wild dance moves and ukulele skills. His strong personality would eventually lead to him amicably parting ways with the band to pursue a solo career replete with high-profile relationships and sketch comedy show hosting appearances. Best Singer Who is Also Nicest Guy: Quasimodo Though sometimes overlooked by casual observers, Quasi will do the heavy vocal lifting and maintain the most loyal crew of core fans, who we suspect would enthusiastically refer to themselves as “Quasi-locos.” Friendly Hottie: Hercules Herc subverts the expectations his impressive physique implies by never forgetting his humble roots. He loves interacting with fans more than anyone else. Paparazzi will often catch him in the act of changing strangers’ flat tires while posing for fan selfies and handing out $100 bills. Lovable Provider of Witticisms: Kristoff Kristoff’s undeniable charm and devil-may-care attitude ensure that he can get away with saying things the rest of the band is thinking. He’d have a strong social media presence, give great soundbites during interviews, and always get the last word when the band is giving an acceptance speech during awards shows. Dashing and Beloved Replacement Frontman: John Smith After a nationwide search to fill the gap left by Naveen’s departure from the band for his solo career, the boys will recruit John Smith for his gentle, understated vocals and comfortingly stoic stage presence. As his popularity grows, he’ll release the occasional solo and Christmas albums to meet fan demand (they’ll call themselves John Smittens, we’re 99% sure). Hype Man: Shang This band member is commonly found hyping up the crowd with backflips and various other feats of parkour. As the band’s behind-the-scenes leader, he can commonly be found choreographing everyone within an inch of their life and expecting nothing less than perfection. Slightly Unpredictable but Always Entertaining B-boy: Peter Pan He’ll rap the occasional bridge and take up the breakdancing mantle whenever necessary. He’s the least predictable member of the group (the Rolling Stone write-up as the band’s star rises will describe him as a “loose cannon”), but his boyish charm and broad appeal render him immune from reprimands from the band manager (Lilo). Mysterious Hottie: Tarzan More like GUITARzan. (Anybody? Anybody?) Tarzan would fill the crucial role of mysterious, quiet, oldest brother figure whose brooding nature belies his haunting harmonies. No one would be quite sure of where he came from, but everyone would be quite sure that his plaintive guitar solos and lyrical abilities bring tears to the eyes of children and adults alike. What’s your dream Disney boy band lineup? Sound off in the comments! Posted 4 years Ago

Matias Sanchez impressed in his first game in Melbourne Victory colours, playing an hour in the 3-1 win over Brisbane. Playing alongside Leigh Broxham in midfield, it was Sanchez’ first competitive match since June, with his range of passing the highlight. The Argentine put Besart Berisha through on goal for his first of the night, and had a string of impressive passes in the first half. Talking about his performance after his game, Sanchez was pleased but still identified areas of improvement. “I feel good, that I have energy but the most important thing is improving. “The passing and the tackles, keeping the ball, this was ok. “The pitch was a bit wet, so different to Argentina, so I have to improve with (playing on) this.” Victory looked assured for large parts of the evening, and this was what pleased Sanchez the most. “I’m happy because we won, this is the most important thing, and we played well. “We played, we kept the ball, and the team looked like a family. We pressed high and the team was compact. “If we look like this, we can have a big season.”

The White House announced Sunday that President Donald Trump will have dinner Thursday with the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump dining with Supreme Court justices on Thursday, per White House pool report pic.twitter.com/ApgPxdi0ex — Lawrence Hurley (@lawrencehurley) April 23, 2017 “That evening, the President will have dinner with the Justices of the Supreme Court, including his successfully confirmed nominee Justice Neil Gorsuch,” the announcement read. Judging by the wording, it seems like all nine are expected show up, though this remains unclear. What they’ll talk about also remains unclear. We’ve reached out to the White House for comment. All eyes will be on Trump and the Court in the upcoming years since he has the chance to transform it for decades by adding more conservative jurists. Three seats may plausibly open up as he remains in office. Two liberals, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Stephen Breyer, are 84 and 78. A third, noted-swing voter Anthony Kennedy, is 80 and rumored to be thinking about retirement. The next youngest justice, conservative Clarence Thomas, is only 68. For comparison’s sake, Antonin Scalia, who passed away in February 2016, was 79. Whatever happens, Gorsuch will be there to see it. He is 49, and will expectedly sit on the court for decades. [Screengrab from Gorsuch’s April 2017 swearing-in ceremony via White House]

Qty: 1 2 5 10 20 50 Do you want them autographed? Not autographed $3 Autographed on back $5 + $2 flat-rate shipping IN STOCK August 2015 Hillary Clinton was asked, "Did you wipe your email server?" and she evasively replied, "Like with a cloth or something?" A year later we found out that "cloth" was BleachBit, a software application that deletes information "so even God can't read it," as Congressman Trey Gowdy announced August 2016. After you have smashed your BlackBerry, don't forget to wipe the fingerprints from your email server with this non-abrasive, soft microfiber Cloth or Something. Thin, foldable size makes it easy to stash the Cloth or Something in burn bags. in burn bags. 6" x 6" size quickly wipes even the biggest email servers with thousands of emails. Optionally autographed on the back by Andrew, creator of BleachBit. Printed in the USA! Guaranteed not to prove intent, or you will get a full refund paid when you are released from prison. USPS first-class shipping and handling is a flat rate of $2 per order. Yes, this cloth is real, and you can really buy it. Frame it as a collectible or clean smudges from your eyeglasses, jewelry, smartphones, and tablets. Buy an extra cloth for your VIP (VERY VIP) client. Andrew has appeared on interviews with Fox Business News, the Sean Hannity radio show, and others. Cloth or Something has been mentioned on the Fox News TV channel, FoxNews.com, Charles Tendell show, and many others. Don't wait for a subpoena: Order Now! See terms and conditions about payment methods, refund policies, and more. For customer service email cloth@bleachbit.org.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Robert Hooke, the 17th-century scientist with a wide variety of interests from elasticity to microscopes who fell out with Newton. Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and work of Robert Hooke (1635-1703) who worked for Robert Boyle and was curator of experiments at the Royal Society. The engraving of a flea, above, is taken from his Micrographia which caused a sensation when published in 1665. Sometimes remembered for his disputes with Newton, he studied the planets with telescopes and snowflakes with microscopes. He was an early proposer of a theory of evolution, discovered light diffraction with a wave theory to explain it and felt he was rarely given due credit for his discoveries. With David Wootton Anniversary Professor of History at the University of York Patricia Fara President Elect of the British Society for the History of Science And Rob Iliffe Professor of History of Science at Oxford University Producer: Simon Tillotson.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo renewed his call for national gun control legislation on Saturday as he delivered a eulogy for the top state attorney who was fatally wounded by a stray bullet in Brooklyn earlier this month. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference in the Manhattan borough of New York January 18, 2015. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri State officials and family members gathered at Brooklyn’s Emmanuel Baptist Church in a private service for Carey Gabay, 43, who was struck in the head at a pre-dawn outdoor celebration on Sept. 7 before the annual West Indian Day parade, an event plagued by violence in recent years. Gabay is believed to have been an unintended target, police said. “His death was one of the most tragic, pointless examples of the rampant violence that is spreading like a cancer through our society, especially in our poorer communities and especially in our communities of color,” Cuomo said. After he was declared brain dead, Gabay was taken off a respirator at Kings County Hospital Center and pronounced dead on Sept. 16. Cuomo referenced the mass shootings at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012 and at a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina in June as he said New York’s firearm restrictions are ineffective on their own. “It’s not enough for New York State to pass a gun law and close the front door when the guns are coming in the back door, when the guns can come up from Virginia or South Carolina for anyone willing to take a car ride,” he said. Gabay, the first deputy counsel at Empire State Development, the state’s chief economic development agency, was a Harvard-educated lawyer who was raised in public housing in the Bronx by Jamaican immigrant parents. He became an assistant counsel for Cuomo in 2011 after working in finance. A police spokeswoman said on Saturday that no arrests have been made in the case. Police released a surveillance video two weeks ago that shows two men apparently armed with handguns running into a building near the site of the shooting. Police also released a sketch of a suspect who is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting. The suspect was described as a 19- to 20-year-old black man wearing a white T-shirt, black pants and a Jamaican flag around his neck. “I met Pope Francis this week, and a big part of me wanted to ask Pope Francis the same question: Pope, why? Why would God take Carey?” Cuomo said. “The Lord gives us no answers. Instead, the Lord gives us faith.”

Gingrich's Path From 'Flameout' To D.C. Entrepreneur Enlarge this image toggle caption Craig Ruttle/AP Craig Ruttle/AP A new poll released Wednesday by Time magazine and CNN finds Newt Gingrich staying ahead of Mitt Romney in three out of the four states with January primaries or caucuses. Gingrich's lead in the key primary states has sparked private discussions among President Obama's advisers about the former House speaker's "realistic chance" of winning the Republican presidential nomination, CBS News reported. Though Gingrich's campaign is currently in debt, Gingrich himself has made a fortune. Over the past decade, Gingrich has "transfigured himself from a political flameout into a thriving business conglomerate," writes Washington Post national political correspondent Karen Tumulty. On Thursday's Fresh Air, Tumulty — who has covered Gingrich for decades — talks about his quick rise in the 2012 presidential race and his appeal to Tea Party members, who see him as a "Washington outsider." She also details how he became a wealthy man after leaving Congress, by what she describes as "playing the Washington system in an entrepreneurial way." Gingrich has generated millions of dollars in revenue over the past decade through his consulting practice, his lecture fees, an in-house literary agency and his for-profit think tank, which businesses join by paying annual membership fees ranging from $20,000 to $200,000, says Tumulty. When he decided to run for president, Gingrich "disentangled himself from most of the firms," she writes. But some of his business dealings continue to raise eyebrows in Washington, she says, including up to $1.8 million Gingrich received as a consulting fee from the mortgage giant Freddie Mac. Gingrich said he was acting as a "historian" for Freddie Mac — not a lobbyist. "He argues that what he did was give them advice," she tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "He also says he warned them that their business model was flawed. There is no secondary source that has been willing to confirm that. But the fact is, he was hired to help them promote their agenda. So I think this has become a big problem for him out on the campaign trail. And his opponents are going to say, 'How are we supposed to press the arguments about Fannie and Freddie in next fall's election if our standard-bearer was on their payroll?' " Gingrich also received money from his nonprofit political advocacy group, American Solutions for Winning the Future. Before it closed last summer, the group generated more than $50 million in revenue. Some former officials of the organization have told Tumulty that the organization also provided money for Gingrich to travel by private jet and limousine to nonprofit events that coincided with his for-profit operations. "Some of the former officials of American Solutions — [Gingrich] denies it — say that sometimes the bookkeeping was set up so that American Solutions would pay his travel expenses," she says. "His own lawyers say they were very, very careful about the use of private aircraft ... and that everything was properly billed. But former officials of his two enterprises — American Solutions and his for-profit enterprises — say that was not their impression." Tumulty is a national political correspondent for The Washington Post. She has also written for Time magazine and the Los Angeles Times. She was awarded the Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished business and financial journalism in 1982 and the National Press Foundation Edwin Hood Award for diplomatic correspondence in 1993. She was previously on Fresh Air to discuss her brother Patrick's health problems. Interview Highlights On what has been the most interesting part of covering the 2012 presidential primary "I think everything we thought we could assume at the beginning has turned out to be so wrong, and Newt Gingrich's resurrection is probably the very best case of that. Given where he was in June, I would have never thought he would even still be in the race at this point, much less leading it. And the stumbles — Republican races have generally been more like coronations. They figure out their front-runner usually in February of the year before the election, and that person usually has a pretty straight shot to the nomination. What we've seen this year has just been so remarkable." On the future of Gingrich's candidacy "Two big questions about Newt Gingrich I think right now are: whether he can maintain the type of discipline people expect of a presidential candidate, [and whether] he can marshal the resources and organization that will carry him forward in this campaign beyond Iowa and New Hampshire and South Carolina. Because if this becomes a long, drawn-out primary — the kind we usually see in the Democrats — organization and money are going to matter a lot. We know that Mitt Romney has both of these things, and it is yet to be seen whether Newt Gingrich can pull all of that together, especially because his surge has come so late." On the lack of support for Gingrich among representatives who served in Congress with him "I have found so many people who were in Congress at the time [Newt Gingrich was in Congress] who are very uneasy about this surge that they are seeing on Newt Gingrich's part. One of his closest friends in the House was Minnesota Congressman Vin Weber. He's now supporting Mitt Romney. I think that people in Washington who saw him in action are generally pretty uneasy. They're worried about his lack of discipline in the past. They're worried about his penchant for doing things that hurt the party. So you are not seeing very many of his former congressional allies supporting him." On Gingrich's for-profit think tank "He would not actually ... pick up the phone and say, 'Congressman X, would you agree to meet with Corporation Y.' But he would arrange things like conferences where businesses would have a chance to rub elbows with policymakers. And another thing he would do, he would become a very public advocate for some of the causes ... that were also good for these companies' bottom lines." On Gingrich's power in Washington in the mid-1990s "For a while there, the House of Representatives was so powerful in Washington, that the then-president of the United States — Bill Clinton — actually had to assert one time, during a news conference, that he was still relevant. ... [In 1994, Gingrich] brought into office, with his new majority, a new kind of politician — one who did not feel particularly beholden to the party structure. ... People who didn't have as much regard or respect for the structures of the institution. And I do think that the culture of the House has never been the same. And to some degree, the culture of the Senate hasn't either." On Tea Party support for Gingrich "A lot of Newt Gingrich's support is coming from Tea Party members, from the grass roots. They see in Newt Gingrich a voice for their own frustrations with Washington, and they also believe ... that next fall, Newt Gingrich would be the man they'd want to see on a debate stage against Barack Obama. ... They remember Newt Gingrich as very much a force for change in the party." On the government shutdown in 1995 "In 1995, [Gingrich] decided that he was going to get through a very large tax cut that was going to be paid for by reductions in Medicare spending. And that was actually the issue that led to the now-infamous government shutdown at the end of 1995. That was the point where the Democrats and Bill Clinton basically found his voice again. And Gingrich said, 'I am going to push this, and if necessary I am going to shut down the government.' And he did. And this shutdown went on for weeks, but ultimately the public saw this, it disapproved of this, and it very much blamed the Republicans for it. And I think in many ways, that laid the premise for Bill Clinton's re-election in 1996. And after that, interestingly enough, we also saw a very productive period in the Congress."

poster="http://v.politico.com/images/1155968404/201705/210/1155968404_5425994584001_5425975100001-vs.jpg?pubId=1155968404" true Obama urges 'political courage' to save Affordable Care Act 'It takes great courage to champion the vulnerable and the sick and the infirm.' BOSTON — Barack Obama on Sunday night called on members of Congress to exercise the “political courage” to not repeal Obamacare — his first public comments about the law since the House voted to repeal it on Thursday, and a rare entry into the current political debate since leaving office. “I hope they understand that courage means not simply doing what’s politically expedient, but doing what, deep in our hearts, we know is right,” Obama said, in a speech here at the John F. Kennedy Library accepting the Profiles in Courage award in honor of what would have been Kennedy’s 100th birthday. Story Continued Below “I expect to be busy, if not with a second career, at least a second act,” Obama said, promising more involvement. Citing those who lost their seats after voting for the healthcare law in 2010, Obama described his “fervent hope” that current members “recognize it takes little courage to aid those who are already powerful, already comfortable, already influential — but it takes some courage to champion the vulnerable and the sick and the infirm, those who often have no access to the corridors of power.” The contrast of an Obama celebration days after the House vote on his signature law and President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that it’s “dead,” was on the minds of many in the room. “It’s ironic, isn’t it?” said former interim Massachusetts Sen. Mo Cowan on his way into the event earlier in the evening. “I think it is altogether fitting that we’re here this evening,” said Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.). “Barack Obama was able to pass the Affordable Care Act, a continuation of the vision of President Kennedy and Ted Kennedy. Today, Donald Trump is trying to destroy that vision.” Some of that seemed to be on the mind of Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, the lone Republican member of Congress who joined the library for the event (he's on the award committee), held in a white-and-gold draped tent behind the library building. A moderate who had a good relationship with Obama in the White House and is now one of Democrats’ top two Senate targets for next year, Flake said he wants to start the Obamacare conversation from scratch. "I wouldn't expect the House bill to come through intact,” he said, also repeating that he opposes Trump’s border wall. “We'll see. It'll be a long process." Flake said he’s been happy to see Obama’s overall approach since the morning after the election to move toward unifying the country. Asked if he feels Trump has been unifying, Flake said, “at times. At times, not so much.” Obama avoided any explicit comments about Trump, though he also made a passing mention of immigration reform, praising “Dreamers,” as the children brought undocumented by their parents to America whom he protected from deportation via executive orders while in office, “who push down their fears to keep working and striving in the only country they’ve ever called home." And lamenting politics “filled with division and discord,” Obama said, “everywhere, we see the risk of falling into the refuge of tribe and, and anger at those who don't look like us or have the same surnames, or pray like we do.” Obama has been edging slowly back into public after going dark for the first few months after leaving office. He made his first appearance, at a discussion with young leaders at the University of Chicago two weeks ago, and has since started doing paid speeches. Sunday was his first major speech as a former president, and he will now depart for an event at the Milan food summit with his friend and former White House chef Sam Kass and several other private events. He last week publicly endorsed French presidential winner Emmanuel Macron, and will travel to Berlin at the end of the month for an event with his friend and soul sister German Chancellor Angela Merkel, facing her own election campaign in the fall. Like many Democrats, Obama found his own understanding of American politics challenged by Trump’s election, and continues to oppose the path that the new president is taking, demanding to see it as a hiccup rather than a new reality. He delivered the political but non-partisan call to action that he’s trying to thread, tying that to the spirit of Kennedy, calling the current environment a turning point in world history that demands the courage that the award is meant to recognize. “At such moments, we need courage to stand up to hate — not just in others, but in ourselves,” Obama said. “At such moments, we need courage to believe that together, we can tackle big challenges like inequality and climate change.” As he did at the Chicago event, Obama spoke about the need for more people to get involved in their communities and in politics, with a particular emphasis on young people. The Kennedy family was happy to hear that message. “One of the heartbreaking parts of our current political dynamic at the moment is that so many young people feel that politics isn’t a constructive path to address those concerns,” said Rep. Joe Kennedy III. “Yet many of those same young people looked at President Obama as somebody who inspired them and was willing to take on those challenges and was energized by them.” As for Obama’s own record, historian David McCullough said, “We’ll have to wait 50 years for the dust to settle.” “It really takes a great deal to chip away at a mountain — I think he built quite a mountain over time,” Cowan said. The event was largely an Obama celebration, complete with James Taylor mini-concert — “It’s frankly a relief” to be with Obama and not thinking about Trump, the musician said as he kicked off a set that ended with a rendition of the French national anthem in honor of Macron’s win. David Letterman, in blue-tinted glasses and the raggedy mass of a beard he’s grown since retiring from his late night show, said of the award, Obama “should get it every year.” Despite his own dismay at Trump, Letterman said he didn’t need to hear Obama talk about the new president, but did want to hear Obama talk about inspiring a new generation to get involved. “If you don’t have people doing this,” Letterman said, “it’ll turn into a dictatorship.”

Donate Written by Aleksandr Khramchikhin; Originally appeared at VPK, translated by GM exclusively for SouthFront Saud Arabia is considered to be the most influential state, not only amongst the Arab countries, but in the whole Islamic world, since Islam was born on its territory, and because it hosts Islam’s sacred cities: Mecca and Medina. The capabilities of the Saudi Kingdom are considerably improved by its enormous reserves in oil and gas and, as a matter of fact, by the considerable financial resources the Kingdom has at its disposal. Saudi Arabia is the only Stare where the Wahhabi (Salafi) branch of Sunni Islam is the official religion. This makes Saudi Arabia one of the most totalitarian countries in the world. Saudi Arabia is one of the main organisers and sponsors of gobal Sunni terrorism, but this doesnt prevent the country from being considered as a major strategical ally by the West in general and by the US in particular. However, the links between Riyadh and Beijing have significantly tighten latlely, as Beijing is the main buyer consumer for Saudi oil. An armored collection Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force have four missile bases at their disposal: Al-Watah, Rawdah, Al Sulayyil, Al Jufayr. All of them are situated in the South-West of the country. They are equipped with 10 to 12 silos for Chinese intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) DF-3A containing from 50 to 120 missiles. The DF-3A missile has a range of approximately 2800 kilometres. In 2004, Saudi Arabia acquired new Chinese DF-21 IRBM (to 35 units). Officially, all of these IRBM are equipped with conventional warheads, although they were designed for nuclear ones. Saudi Arabia could have acquired such charges either directly in China, or in Pakistan. “A significant part of the Saudi military budget is used to fund terrorism” The Saudi Arabian ground forces (GF) are complemented with the National Guard (NG), which is in fact the king’s personal guard and is made up of men from the most loyal tribes and families of the kingdom. The ground forces are composed of 21 brigades: 3 brigades of armoured ground forces, 9 of mechanized forces (5 from the ground forces and 4 from the National Guard), 8 brigades of light infantry (3 GF and 5 NG), and one airborne brigade (GF). The base of the country’s tank fleet is made of 369 americans M1A2 “Abrams“. But the kingdom also has at its disposal 422 old M60A1/3 and 288 French AMX-30 tanks, which are for the most part in storage. The kingdom considers purchasing 800 new German “Leopard-2A7” to replace the M60 and the AMX-30. It is also known that the country also plans to buy more than 150 “Abrams”, which are partly intended to replace the losses in Yemen. There is also an inventory of 250 reconnaissance vehicles (36 German “Fuchs“, 215 French AML-60/AML-90), at least 64 Canadian light armoured vehicles LAV-AG, approximately 600 IFVs (up to 201 French AMX-10P, 375 American M2 “Bradley“), more than 5000 APCs: 1064 American M113, 150 French M3 “panhard“ and 14 ASMAT, 24 German UR-416, 261 British “Tactic“, 98 Turkish “Cobra“, 55 South African “Al-Kasser“, 25 “Mamba“, 46 RG-32, up to 100 homemade “Al-Fahd“, up to 2107 Canadian and Swiss “Piranha“ (and more than 211 command vehicles and 203 various auxiliary vehicles based on this vehicle), 1073 American V-150, 245 “Oshkosh“ M-ATV armoured vehicles. The artillery consists of more than 300 self-propelled guns (SPGs): 51 French AU-F-1 and 132 new wheeled SPGs “César“, 159 American M109, 54 Chinese PLZ-45. Towed artillery: 100 American M101 and 30 M102, 37 British FH-70, 50 American M114, 87 M198, 5 Austrian GHN-45, 28 French TR-F-1 and 8 M115. Mortars: 70 self-propelled 81mm, 220 American M30, 110 French “Brandt“, 37 M12-1535, 200 RT-61, 28 2R2M mounted on M113, 24 Mo-120 mounted on AMX-10P and at least 36 mounted on “Piranhas”. There are also 76 Brazilian “Astros-2” Multiple rocket launchers. Anti-tank missiles: 92 French self-propelled “hot” mounted on AMX-10 IFVs, 1303 American “TOW” (224 of which are mounted on Italian VCC-1 IFVs, 139 on “Piranhas”), 1000 old American M47. The counter-air defence consists of 1000 manpads (of which 500 are American “Red Eye” and “Stinger”), 20 Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons mounted on V-150 and 160 anti-aircraft guns – 30 M167 “Vulcan”, 130 M2. The army’s and the National Guard’s aviation counts not less than 54 AH-64 “Apache” (23 D, more than 31 new E; 48 AH-64E in all), up to 80 multipurpose and transport helicopters (4 French AS365N, 15 American Bell-506CS, up to 50 S-70A-1 and UH-60L, 24 UH-60M). The air force is divided into 9 wings. It is equipped with 68 new European fighters “Typhoon” (4 more will be bought), up to 154 American fighters F-15 (60-62 C, 20 D training fighters, 68 S, 4 SA. 80 more SA will be bought), 80-82 British “Tornado” IDS. It also has a few Chinese ““Wing Loong” drones. In service: 5 American E-3A AEW aircrafts and 2 Swedish “Saab-2000”, 2 Sigint planes RE-3, 19 tanker aircrafts (up to 7 American KC-130H and KE-3A, 5 European A330MRTT), up to 90 transport aircrafts (35 C-130H, 1-3 L-100-30, up to 19 “Cessna-172“, 5 “Beech-300C”, 10 “Beech-300”, 1 Boeing-767, 2 Boeings-757, 2 Boeings 737, 4 “Gulfstream”, 1 “Learjet-35”, 2 “Learjet-60”), up to 150 training aircrafts (up to 47 British “Hawk”, 20 Pakistani “Mushshak”, 1 British “Jetstream” Mk31, up to 47 Swiss PC-9 and 34 PC-21, 25 American SR22), up to 100 helicopters (12-15 American “Bell 412”, up to 30 Bell-212, up to 18 Bell-205, 9-11 French AS532, 16 S-92, 8 AW139). Anti-aircraft warfare: separated from the Air Force. 21 SAM batteries “Patriot”, from which 8 are PAC-3 modernized variants (168 launchers), 16 “Tomahawk” guided missile batteries (128 launchers), approximately 200 short range guided missiles (40 French “Crotale” and 141 “Shaheen”), 500 American Manpads “Red Eye”, 145 ZSU: 92 American M163, 53 French AMX-30SA (30mm), 128 Swiss GDF AA canons. The navy has at its disposal 7 French made frigates (3 Riyadh/Lafayette-class, 4 Medina-class), 4 Badr-class corvettes, 9 Al-Siddiq-class missile boats, 3 British Sandown-class minehunters. Naval aviation: 40 French helicopters (from 10 to 20 AS365F, up to 19 AS332F). The Saudi Marine Corps consist of 2 battalion using 135 armed Spanish AFV BMR-600P. When oil doesn’t help The military budget of Saudi Arabia is traditionally one of the biggest in the world, although a big part of it goes to funding Sunni terrorism abroad. The Saudi armed forces are of course professional. That means that they are composed of strictly hired and highly paid military personnel, equipped with a huge quantity of armoured vehicles, including some of the most up to date. Besides, as shown by the spring 2015 Saudi leaded Arab intervention in Yemen, the combat efficiency of the kingdom’s army is extremely low. Even when using its huge advantage in manpower and equipment, the coalition didn’t manage the chuck out the Houthis far from the territory that was initially in their control. In the meantime, the Saudi army lost more than 20 tanks (at least 5 “Abrams”), 9 light armoured vehicles LAV-AG, 25 IFVs M2 “Bradley”, and more than 120 APC and other armoured vehicles, 1 fighter bomber F15-S, and up to 5 helicopters (including 1 to 2 “Apache”), and one “Wing Loong” drone. The losses in human lives are unknown, but they can be counted in hundreds, if not in thousands. Because of that, Riyadh is constantly searching for mercenary to fight this disgraceful war, even in Latin America. Saudi Arabia is of course dangerous for Russia, not for its military power (even if its ballistic missiles were equipped with nuclear warheads), but for its funding of terrorism and the progress of its barbaric ideology on our territory – which is what the Riyadh is doing since the 80s. Saudi Arabia has on its hands the blood of our soldiers and peaceful citizens of Chechnya in particular, but also the blood of all the victims of Islamic terrorism in Russia in general. Moreover, it is the Arab monarchies, with at their head the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in partnership with Turkey that organised and funded the “Arab Spring”. They ruined Libya and Syria. And the West at least supported it. Regarding the really surprising and permanent “flirts” of Moscow with Riyadh: it appears particularly strange that, because of various – and frankly absurd – reasons, there is still no progress on the interdiction of Wahhabism at a federal level in Russia. For example, with the really popular argument of “we can’t forbid an ideology” (then why is Nazism forbidden?), or by directly admitting that “it would negatively affect our relations with Saudi Arabia” (and so what?). Sadly, the Saudi lobbies in Russia are extremely active. Nevertheless, by dumping the oil market and by overthrowing the secular Arab regimes, Riyadh has mostly hewing down the bough on which it is sitting. The huge expenses for the support of the Syrian opposition and for the war in Yemen, with the abrupt fall of the price of the barrel of oil have put a several blow to the kingdom’s economy. Moreover, the Saudis recently got embroiled with most of the other monarchies in the region; especially with the UAE and Qatar. It is quite hard to expect the Saudi authorities to sober up, although it cannot be totally excluded. There are also chances for an economical crash or a political crisis. More about Saudi Arabia’s Armed Forces HERE Donate

Bon Voyage In late 1516, five hundred years ago this winter, Thomas More published the work by which he is remembered: Of a Republic’s Best State and of the New Island Utopia. The tale is of a faraway island, whose name means “no place”, founded by its eponymous king Utopus; the teller is Raphael Hythlodaeus, whose name means “merchant of nonsense”. This sardonic coding leaves many believing that the book is satire, but lessons abound. Utopia provides a grounding perspective for design and planning, exploring first principles through the lens of the good life. For the purposes of this paper then, we will trust the tale, following D.H. Lawrence’s lead, if not the teller. Above all, Utopia is a full-flavoured endorsement of Aristotelian ideals; the pursuit of happiness forms its foundation. Eudaimonia, Aristotle’s attempt to capture happiness, underpins the Utopian nation: one position even argues that Utopia can also mean “good place”—”eu”-topia, substituting the same Greek “good” from “eu”-daimonia, or good demon. The orthographic confusion that allows u-topia to become good-place while lacking that pesky “e” is perhaps caused in part by More’s stance on Aristotelian theory. Utopia, the text, espouses a strong Aristotelianism and much of what comprises eudaimonia suffuses Utopia, the place. Still relevant today, More’s story illustrates an imagined community that places humanity and urbanity at its core. Its themes are particularly evident in an interim issue of the United Nations’ World Happiness Report (2016), which contains a lengthy analysis on both philosophical and psychological understandings of happiness, and synthesis of the two. Anthony Annett (2016) explores in this publication the transition from civic conceptions of happiness to individual ones, a summum bonum—common good—supplanted by a Hobbesian summum malum. Luigino Bruni and Stefano Zamagni (2016) then explore the relational good, a product—Aristotelian in nature—consumed in cooperation with other people, and its ramifications for well-being. The choice of ideal society is, in these contemporary studies and when Utopia went to press, one between Roman and Greek values, of individual greatness and social goodness, respectively. The purveyor of Roman values during More’s period, Nicolo Machiavelli makes an easy comparison to More, and their linguistic contributions—Machiavellian and Utopian—are the more memorable political coinages of that century. Written in 1513, the Prince was never published, ensuring that More could not consider it when he penned his opus in 1516. Thus, these two texts do not interact directly, but as voyages imaginaires they convey distinct visions, horizontally aligned in history. Generally, Machiavelli advises that it is better for a leader to be feared than loved. Machiavelli’s government is one of self-sustenance: power-qua-power is synonymous with good governance as all the optimal moves for the prince ensure his supreme reign. More’s government is one for the people, even if it is not of the people: he envisioned benevolent monarchy, with a population happy to be subjected beneath this hierarchy. The irreducible theme here is such: for one, we must worry about government and the people will fall into place; for the other, we must worry about the people and government will fall into place. Roman greatness meets Greek goodness. Should a society be defined by its greatness or by its goodness? This is the question brought to bear when these monographs are positioned antipodally. While Machiavelli gives short shrift to policy, More can be seen as an early proponent of what is now occasionally called the ‘happy city’ hypothesis, that the best investments are made in well-being, rather than in wealth. The entanglement of wealth and well-being begins with their roots: weal, from which we get both wealth and well, indeed means health. In his Theory of Moral Sentiments, Adam Smith criticised the potemkin nature of riches, which facilitate ‘a few trifling conveniences’. Wealth, however, is more robust. Bruni and Zamagni (2016) posit the importance of Smith’s word choice in The Wealth of Nations, over, say, the The Riches of Nations, because of this. Easterlin (1974) is oft-cited as the proto-paper in “money does not buy happiness”, but Smith prodded at this paradox. More, though, imagined a society from it five hundred years ago. The claim of this paper is that wealth, in its oldest sense, and eudaimonia deserve a place in urban planning—a profession that has focused heretofore on more pecuniary concerns. Further, that the relational life, what Smith called “fellow-feeling”, form the first step in planning the conscious city. With this human-urban bent, More’s work is made available for the 21st century. The View from Above Utopia, is first and foremost, grounded in geography: towns neatly placed one day apart, surrounding the capital city. Focusing on Amaurot, which Hythlodaeus claims to be the representative settlement pattern, we are presented with streets of uniform facades and each home, blending into this continuous curtain, getting a garden. The uniformity in Utopia is important, forming the foundation for shared ownership: economic competition is incompatible with More’s conception of the perfect place. In the opening dialogue, Hythlodaeus criticises what he calls the corruption of individuals: governments, for him, ‘first make the thieves and then punish them’. The root of this is inequality: some are educated; others are not. Manners are molded and customs conveyed, but only for the upper crust. A formal syllogism follows: We create poverty Poverty creates crime We create crime Looking through this lens, the modern metropolis appals: inequality is sine qua non—from beds in sheds to rough sleeping. There is no room for the “poor door” in Utopia, where people routinely trade homes—such is the absence of material difference from one Utopian to the next. Social and behavioural sciences have much to say about this syllogism, but the geography of Utopia gives an interesting launch point from which to begin our exploration of the ideal city. Generally, literature reinforces one of More’s tacit positions: the self is situated socially, and there is good reason to believe that an economically “flat” city like Amaurot might be better for its inhabitants than a “spiky” one, borrowing from Richard Florida (2011). Objective variables involved in economic growth play a key part in life satisfaction. Luttmer (2005) looked into neighbourly rivalry, finding that opinions of the neighbourhood are improved by wealthy neighbours, but opinions of one’s own life suffer. Glaeser, Gottlieb & Ziv (2014) find additional evidence that inequality drags down subjective well-being—and this relationship is stronger in European countries. Glaeser and associates cite Bernard de Mandeville’s Fable of Bees for explanation: ‘the less notion a man has of a better way of living, the more content he’ll be with his own’. Subjective variables are also involved. Adler et al (2000) compiled preliminary data indicating judgements based on subjective social status, determining that supposed position on the social ladder can adversely affect mental health. Heart rate and blood pressure are also implicated 1,13. In further study, another team (of which Adler was a member) explored potential confounding factors, including mood, before finally supporting these findings 19. Effects of these subjective valuations increase when conditions are considered internal to oneself; notably, higher internalisation—or the belief that our condition is caused by some internal personality trait—leads to lower fulfillment of psychological needs 18. Moreover, different referent groups impact perceptions of self differently; Haught and colleagues (2015) contend that global groups—say, median income earners—allow for fudging more so than local comparison: your neighbour’s flat is definitively nicer than yours. Perceptions exert particular pressure on life satisfaction when local referents form the basis for judgement. Zell & Alicke (2010, 2013) provide evidence in the form of the local dominance effect. In these studies, students in a battery of tests used the most local comparison to evaluate themselves (ibid). We are constantly comparing, and cities are implicated. Could we design a more successful reification of hierarchy than separate entrances? Education is another component, with the happiest among us most educated, and settlement patterns exert a profound influence in this theatre from childhood into adulthood. Research by Raj Chetty and colleagues (2015, 2016) has shown the importance of neighbourhood in childhood development. Further research by Laura Tach at colleagues (2016) found evidence that similar effects may exist block-to-block. The causation is multifarious, but one study of cadets at the United States Air Force Academy points to the importance of the people around you in educational success 7. Indeed, Chetty’s work has also pointed to the influence of environmental effects like segregation and household composition, rather than selection effects, when it comes to variations in achievement. The results of these studies and more show life satisfaction shaped by larger spaces and on longer timelines than our quotidian routine—who lives nearby, do they rent or own, and generally how am I doing? Thus, a “happy” city is just as importantly planned from above as it is lived on the ground. When Daniel Burnham moved his office to the 18th floor of Chicago’s Merchant Exchange Building in 1906, a sea change was underway. As he ascended the skyscraper, architects were taking interest in looking down: master plans of Washington DC, Philadelphia, and others revealed increased concern with maps that were as beautiful from the bird’s eye as from the human’s (Koch and Latham 2014). This beauty—the beauty of “Big Plans”—was often detached, concerned with abstract aesthetic (ibid). New understanding our relational lives, however, gives renewed importance to the “view from above”. Eudaimonia is in one interpretation recursive, ‘the state of being well and doing well in being well’ (Alasdair MacIntyre in Annett 2016); this recursion only occurs with successful social assemblage. The above findings give the rational detachment Burnham achieved an emotional consciousness—sensitive to the sentiments of its planned population but from the highest altitude. Put differently, at the highest order of simplicity (the master plan), conscious city research can reintroduce complexity (the variegated individuals involved). Contemporary cities prioritise greatness over goodness, with clean economic models making for simple plans; symbolic, economic victories, insofar as measures like GDP and GNP are, supercede social ones. This need not be the case: as social science informs, even infiltrates, economics, there is opportunity for new policy. What ever happened to happiness? Between antiquity and today, understandings of what constitutes happiness have varied. More penned Utopia during a period of debate: the renaissance’s ad fontes reformulation of ideals from classical thought put Roman and Greek logics in conflict. The winner of this intellectual battle is obvious today. Holistic conceptions of society fell to atomistic conceptions. During this period of diminished religion, notions of good could no longer come down from on high, instead needing “proof”. Courtesy of ‘I think, therefore I am’, the day’s most prominent proof, Renaissance thinkers could not reconcile the Cartesian solipsism—wherein one’s mind was all that mattered—with socialism. Indeed, the Latin word for atom, individuum, gave us individual—the indivisible, provable societal unit. The prevailing value proposition moved from common good, whose dominance was maintained by Catholic decree, to individual good 2. Eudaimonistic ideals and the relational life gave way to hedonistic ideals. Over time, the western world became a “goods society” and abandoned the “good society”, for Anthony Annett. This goods society had a profound urban influence. In that same 2014 paper on happiness across America, Edward Glaeser and colleagues contend there are spatial irregularities in reported happiness, with certain cities home to unhappy people that would be better off moving to new environs. Controlling for income, as well as other factors, they conclude that economic decline comes with falling subjective well-being. Applying analysis by Oswald and Wu (2011), which studied states rather than cities, Glaeser, Gottlieb and Ziv (2014) determine that amenity has a hand in these parallel falls. People opt into places high in amenity now that it is not a lag on productivity: we no longer need to pattern our settlements around mills and mines, freeing form to comply with different functions. The irregularities occur because some cities fit these new functions better than others—namely, the newer ones, which can save on site clearance. Early industrial towns were ones in which amenity came at the expense of productivity: a riverwalk would have impeded these mills in early industrial towns. Newer cities are amenity: bars, urban beaches—the consumer city supplanting the producer city. ‘In the early part of the 20th century, a city needed to be unpleasant to be productive. In the late 20th century, it did not.’ [15] These researchers go on to show that the greatest predictor of unhappiness is not population, but population in 1950: the developers of old were building towards different ends than the developers of new, and the result is differences in life satisfaction today—such is the fixity of the built environment. The need for comfort manifests further in America: in the 20th century, the most important predictor of metropolitan growth is January temperature 14. The contemporary consumer city, however, is burdened by new problems: the trend toward skyscrapers—vertical gated communities, or what Leon Krier calls urban culs-de-sac—and groundscrapers shows the prevalence of consolidated private property. It is the acquisitive developer that wins: Canary Wharf and Hudson Yards furnish the perfect lessons. This was not always the case. When the New York Railroad Company decked over its tracks in the early 20th century, creating what is now Park Avenue, property was sold parcel by parcel; when transit agencies came together a century later to create Hudson Yards, property was sold in lump sum. Ownership patterns like this extend beyond the skyscraper: the land that Park House—a groundscraper on Oxford Street in London—occupies was once distributed between dozens of owners. These consolidations portend problems with ownership, and the effects could limit cooperative living. That said, The consumer city does not necessarily mean the demise of Eudaimonia. In line with research by Leaf van Boven and Thomas Gilovich (2003), Glaeser et al (2014) offer a function of happiness with experience at its core. Further research 25, 6 has indicated both that people form the core of experience and that an important knock-on effect is the human network that results. Providing evidence for the value of what Luigino Bruni and Stefano Zamagni (2016) call the “relational good”, a product or service with an interpersonal component, this research simultaneously makes the case for eudaimonistic and hedonistic—good and goods—relational life. A relational life forms the foundation for a new brand of urbanism. According to Anthony Annett (2016), contemporary economics arose from the twin forces of utilitarianism and libertarianism, as the individual—and his governing principles of pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain—took preference from the common good. Discoveries in behavioural science advance a theory of interlinkage, though, bringing the relational life to the fore and blurring the distinction between “good” and “goods” societies. For personal happiness, we must do well with and likely for others—network effects only holding, presumably, if the feeling is mutual. On greatness and goodness The Utopian Project gained ground in the 19th century, hundreds of years after the eponymous publication went to press. Many of these attempts have been doomed by their architectural rigidity. Moving from the prescriptivism of Utopias past, and even from the pragmatism of Utopias present, there is unique niche for conscious cities. It is old hat to say that human nature will always waylay utopian plans, but with descriptivism—human needs—underpinning prescriptivism, conscious planning can improve upon previous projects. Urbanisms undergirding good—promoting human happiness—is challenged in wealthy, western nations: the correlation between urbanisation and reported happiness weakens in the west. 15 This is unsurprising: smartening cities have kept productivity up, but advances in social sciences are fringe factors in how we build cities. This is More’s lesson for today writ large: excessive concern for competition and production neglects happiness—the underpinning point of all the building and buying. As in Easterlin’s (1974) paradox, more money is failing to buy more urban happiness; humanisation is urbanisation for developing nations, but more developed nations have different demands. Similarly, some cities must concentrate more on material needs: relational goods provide dividends only for those living well to begin. Supplementing development, Eudaimonia then provides a valuable starting point for planning the conscious city. This planning process must reconceive the view from above, exploring the hedonic and eudaimonic opportunities in master planning, rather than simply site planning and design. Incentivising certain agglomerative variations can help or hinder the happiness of entire populations. Constituting a spatial approach to the foundational layer of Tom Frieden’s (2010) oft-referenced pyramid of health impact, planning for improved wellness is responsible best practice. As frieden points out, situational interventions present the ‘greatest potential to improve health’ (ibid). Frieden quotes Rose’s Strategy of Preventive Medicine, ‘it makes little sense to expect individuals to behave differently than their peers’ (Rose 2008)—an unwitting case for the planning as grouping. He goes on, however, to explain that sustained political will is paramount for these interventions, which roll out over vast space and time. Yet the conscious cities concept comes to planning as support for preventative medicine is cresting. Medical professionals have long been concerned with density, and their coinages convey this. Linguistic constructions follow western urbanisation: neurasthenia, or nervous exhaustion, coined in 1879, prefigured the fever pitch of densification. Freud followed with his own contribution, angstneurose, in 1895 as cities swelled (Smith 2015). The concerns continue—”burnout” being the malady du jour. The conscious city and its “Big Plan” can play an important role in improving the lives of its citizens. Planning professionals should not wait—not least because sites and structures experience lower rates of “shearing”, borrowing from Brand (1995). The consequences of poor planning will be felt for decades. Too often, mayors grow cities simply to grow cities, making a Prince out of development. More cities could consider what kind of place they would like to be and weigh proposals against that, rather than the immediate monetary injection. In serving both the civic and economic, a city can, as Benjamin Franklin once mused, do well by doing good. This begins with the view from above. References 1 Adler, N., Epel, E., Castellazzo, G. and Ickovics, J. (2000). Relationship of subjective and objective social status with psychological and physiological functioning: Preliminary data in healthy, White women. Health Psychology, 19(6), pp.586-592. 2 Annett, A. (2016). Human Flourishing, Common Good, and Catholic Social Teacher. In: J. Helliwell, R. Layard and J. Sachs, ed., World Happiness Report 2016, 1st ed. 3 Becchetti, L., Corrado, L. and Sama, P. (2016). Inside the Life Satisfaction Black Box. In: J. Helliwell, R. Layard and J. Sachs, ed., World Happiness Report 2016, 1st ed. 4 Brand, S. (1995). How buildings learn. New York: Penguin Books. 5 Bruni, L. and Zamagni, S. (2016). The Challenge of Public Happiness. In: J. Helliwell, R. Layard and J. Sachs, ed., World Happiness Report 2016, 1st ed. 6 Caprariello, P. and Reis, H. (2013). To do, to have, or to share? Valuing experiences over material possessions depends on the involvement of others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 104(2), pp.199-215. 7 Carrell, S., Fullerton, R. and West, J. (2009). Does Your Cohort Matter? Measuring Peer Effects in College Achievement. Journal of Labor Economics, 27(3), pp.439-464. 8 Chetty, R. and Henderson, N. (2016). The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility: Childhood Exposure Effects and County-Level Estimates. Unpublished Manuscript. 9 Chetty, R., Hendren, N. and Katz, L. (2016). The Effects of Exposure to Better Neighborhoods on Children: New Evidence from the Moving to Opportunity Experiment. American Economic Review, 106(4), pp.855-902. 10 Easterlin, Richard A. (1974). “Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot?” In Abramovitz, M., David, P. and Reder, M. (1974). Nations and households in economic growth. New York: Academic Press. 11 Easterlin, R. (1995). Will raising the incomes of all increase the happiness of all?. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 27(1), pp.35-47. 12 Frieden, T. (2010). A Framework for Public Health Action: The Health Impact Pyramid. American Journal of Public Health, 100(4), pp.590-595. 13 Ghaed, S. and Gallo, L. (2007). Subjective social status, objective socioeconomic status, and cardiovascular risk in women. Health Psychology, 26(6), pp.668-674. 14 Glaeser, E. and Tobio, K. (n.d.). The Rise of the Sunbelt. SSRN Electronic Journal. 15 Glaeser, E., Gottlieb, J. and Ziv, O. (2016). Unhappy Cities. Journal of Labor Economics, 34(S2), pp.S129-S182. 16 Haught, H., Rose, J., Geers, A. and Brown, J. (2015). Subjective Social Status and Well-Being: The Role of Referent Abstraction. The Journal of Social Psychology, 155(4), pp.356-369. 17 Helliwell, J., Layard, R. and Sachs, J. ed., (2016). World Happiness Report 2016. 1st ed. 18 Jackson, B., Richman, L., LaBelle, O., Lempereur, M. and Twenge, J. (2014). Experimental Evidence That Low Social Status Is Most Toxic to Well-Being When Internalized. Self and Identity, 14(2), pp.157-172. 19 Kraus, M., Adler, N. and Chen, T. (2013). Is the association of subjective SES and self-rated health confounded by negative mood? An experimental approach. Health Psychology, 32(2), pp.138-145. 20 Luttmer, E. (2005). Neighbors as Negatives: Relative Earnings and Well-Being. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 120(3), pp.963-1002. 21 Machiavelli, N. and Bull, G. (2003). The prince. London: Penguin Books. 22 More, T. and Turner, P. (n.d.). Utopia. 23 Oswald, A. and Wu, S. (2009). Objective Confirmation of Subjective Measures of Human Well-Being: Evidence from the U.S.A. Science, 327(5965), pp.576-579. 24 Oswald, A. and Wu, S. (2011). Well-Being across America. Review of Economics and Statistics, 93(4), pp.1118-1134. 25 Reis, H., Smith, S., Carmichael, C., Caprariello, P., Tsai, F., Rodrigues, A. and Maniaci, M. (2010). Are you happy for me? How sharing positive events with others provides personal and interpersonal benefits. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(2), pp.311-329. 26 Rose, G. (2008). Rose’s Strategy of preventive medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 27 Tach, L., Jacoby, S., Wiebe, D., Guerra, T. and Richmond, T. (2016). The Effect of Microneighborhood Conditions on Adult Educational Attainment in a Subsidized Housing Intervention. Housing Policy Debate, 26(2), pp.380-397. 28 Van Boven, L. and Gilovich, T. (2003). To Do or to Have? That Is the Question. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(6), pp.1193-1202. 29 Zell, E. and Alicke, M. (2010). The Local Dominance Effect in Self-Evaluation: Evidence and Explanations. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(4), pp.368-384. 30 Zell, E. and Alicke, M. (2013). Local dominance in health risk perception. Psychology & Health, 28(4), pp.469-476. Thumbnail image: Ksenia Makagonova

A woman brought to London to work as a nanny and domestic worker was beaten, raped and threatened at knifepoint, Croydon Crown Court heard. The mother-of-four, 39, from Hyderabad, India, was treated as a "sexual toy or general dogsbody", the jury heard. The victim, who cannot be named, worked in three households but was paid only about £2,300 between 2003 and 2006, the court was told. [The victim] was entitled to something in the region of £100,000 - more within the region of £150,000 Caroline Haughey QC , Prosecutor Five people on trial deny offences, including trafficking for exploitation. The defendants also deny charges of rape, assault and threats to kill. The court heard that on her arrival the woman's passport was taken from her and she was made to work up to 16 hours a day for 365 days a year. Giving evidence she said: "I wanted to make a future for my children and send them to state school." 'No peace' The court heard that during police interviews, she said: "Just because I'm illiterate and cannot read or write, I have been treated so badly. "They have not let me live in peace." The victim first worked for supermarket manager Aleemuddin Mohammed, 35, and his wife, Shamina Yousuf, 33, of Edgware, north London, before moving in with shop worker Shahnaz Begum, 57, and her partner, butcher Enkarta Balapovi, 53, both from St John's Wood, north-west London, the court heard. The 39-year-old finally worked for Shashi Obhrai, 54, and her husband Balram in Northwood. Prosecutor Caroline Haughey said the defendants made the victim "comply with their wishes whether as a domestic worker, sexual toy or general dogsbody". The lawyer said: "She was entitled to something in the region of £100,000 - more within the region of £150,000 - for the hours that she worked and the work that she did." Mr Mohammed is accused of sexual assault between 2005 and 2007 and his wife Ms Yousuf is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Ms Begum, Mr Balapovi and Mrs Obhrai are each charged with arranging or facilitating the travel of a person within the UK for exploitation. Mr Balapovi is also charged with five counts of rape between July and October 2007. Both Mr and Mrs Obhrai, are accused of trafficking and making threats to kill but Mr Obhrai is not standing trial due to ill health. The hearing continues.

A White House that has railed against leaks was fractured Wednesday by a new one: President Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate agreement. An initial story in Axios, attributed to two sources close to the decision, was immediately contradicted by other administration sources who said Trump was leaning toward pulling out of the deal but has made no final decision. One unnamed official told the Associated Press there may be “caveats” in Trump’s language withdrawing from the deal. Some sources close to the White House suggested those talking to Axios were opponents of the Paris deal, like chief strategist Stephen Bannon, who were seeking to box the president in by making it more difficult to not exit the deal. ADVERTISEMENT Others speculated the leak came from those who want to remain in the pact, such as senior advisers Jared Kushner or Gary Cohn, in an attempt to whip up opposition to leaving it.Trump himself said a decision was coming “very soon,” but refused to reveal which way he is leaning.“You’re going to find out very soon,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office who asked if he was leaning toward exiting the accord. “I’m hearing from a lot of people, both ways. Both ways.”The result was another confusing day in which it often appeared the administration was fighting itself.The breaking news caught the White House on its heels and underscored the administration’s problem with leaks, its lack of a communications strategy and the divisions between rival wings within the administration.“It’s a problem,” said one former Trump adviser. “Whoever leaked this isn’t trying to help the president, they’re looking out for their own agenda. “The White House would have preferred to roll this out on their own terms,” the former adviser said. “It just shows the problems you run into when there are two wings of the White House that are diametrically opposed to each other.” Trump’s top spokesman, Sean Spicer, was unable to say whether he even knew if the president has made a decision. “I obviously don’t know whether he’s made it,” he said during an off-camera briefing at the White House. Wednesday’s whiplash showed the difficulty Trump has had in wrestling with the decision. For months, the president and his advisers have engaged in a heated internal debate over whether to leave the 195-nation agreement, as he pledged to do during the 2016 campaign. Trump’s longtime allies, including Bannon, Vice President Pence, Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsFormer Trump refugee director did not notify superiors about family separation warnings Court rejects challenge to Mueller's appointment Trump says he hasn't spoken to Barr about Mueller report MORE, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, policy adviser Andrew Bremberg and legislative adviser Rick Dearborn support withdrawing from the agreement, according to those close to the negotiations. Those who want to see the U.S. stay in the accord or renegotiate it include Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, senior adviser Jared Kushner, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, economic adviser Gary Cohn and national security adviser H.R. McMaster. The debate has in some cases split junior staff from their bosses, those close to the negotiations say. “I’ve heard we’re leaning toward an exit but as of last night this was not a done deal,” said one person with knowledge of the situation who supports U.S. withdrawal. “It doesn’t look like we’re out of the woods yet, so we’re pounding away.” The White House was poised to make a decision earlier this month, but punted until after last week’s meeting in Sicily with leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations. At the summit, leaders expressed frustration about Trump’s stance on the landmark agreement and urged him to remain in it. That came after Pope Francis used an audience with Trump to make a push for climate action, gifting him with a copy of his 2015 encyclical on climate change and the environment. Trump, who has called climate change a Chinese-invented hoax, appeared to signal an exit was imminent when he refrained from signing a joint statement of support for the Paris deal with leaders of other G7 nations. But the president has changed his mind in the past on major policies, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, and he was still speaking to key stakeholders Wednesday even as reports of his decision leaked to the media. When the Axios story broke, Trump had yet to huddle with Tillerson, who had a Wednesday afternoon meeting on the books. Pruitt, an opponent of the deal, met Tuesday with Trump. Administration officials who support and oppose the pact were scheduled to meet again Wednesday for a final discussion on the matter, according to a source familiar with the deliberations. The rival factions — one led by Bannon and another that included first daughter Ivanka Trump, Kushner and Cohn — appeared to be taking their fight public on Wednesday as they sought to sway Trump’s final decision. “Here’s what we know about the president — you can influence him with media coverage,” said the former adviser. “That’s why people leak, that’s why this stuff gets out there before the White House is ready to deal with it.” Amid the debate within the West Wing, the private sector and the international community have ramped up the pressure on Trump. Tech CEOs Tim Cook of Apple and Tesla's Elon Musk both reached out to the White House on the Paris agreement this week, according to reports. Musk tweeted Wednesday that he would “have no choice” but to leave White House advisory councils if Trump pulls the plug on the deal. “Don't know which way Paris will go, but I've done all I can to advise directly to POTUS, through others in WH & via councils, that we remain,” he tweeted. Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris reportedly penned a letter with 30 other companies asking Trump to stay in the deal. The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, an NGO, is running a newspaper ad on Thursday highlighting support for the pact from 25 companies, including tech giants and energy firms. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker doubled down on that pressure Wednesday, warning Trump that exiting the agreement could take years and could prove to be a messy process. “Not everything in international agreements is fake news, and we have to comply with it,” Juncker said. But outside opponents have also made their voice heard. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellWhite House pleads with Senate GOP on emergency declaration Senate Dems seek to turn tables on GOP in climate change fight Pence meets with Senate GOP for 'robust' discussion on Trump declaration MORE (R-Ky.) and 21 of his GOP colleagues sent a letter to Trump last week urging him to honor his campaign promise to pull out of the deal. Devin Henry contributed.

It is often said that to reach the end of any journey, one needs to look back and see where it all began. It’s from this vantage point that the first part of the BSG series finale “Daybreak, Part 1” starts out and in doing such, provides us with some greater insight into these characters and through it, the significance of the choices they’ve made and probably will make in the final two hours of this remarkable drama series. Watching the flashback scenes of what life was like on Caprica, we now learn that many of the series characters had in fact lost much of what mattered to them well before the fall of the thirteen colonies. The Kara we see traipsing around the apartment getting the place ready for her first dinner with her fiancé’s brother is almost unrecognizable from the Starbuck character we’ve known from the start, making the psychological impact of Zack’s death and her sense of responsibility for her part in it that much more palpable than it was before. When Adama wraps his arm around Kara later in the episode, reminding her that no matter what has happened she is still his daughter, serves to reinforce this reality, that those who knew Kara when she was engaged to Zack have seen the tectonic shift in her emotional grounding. Adama’s gentle words to Kara at this point also serves to remind her and all of us that the bond they have over that shared grief transcends any concerns over the nature of Kara’s existence, that such issues ultimately don’t change who she is or what she means to those around her. Compare this now to the Lee Adama we’re shown during those days on Caprica. Instead of the self-assured, do-gooder we’re accustomed to seeing, we see a Lee who’s clearly lost without a purpose, stumbling about his apartment in a drunken stupor. The scene where he finds that pigeon in his home that he vainly tries to chase away is evocative of the listlessness he clearly feels at this point in his life. The imagery of the bird seeing freedom just outside those windows but being unable to figure out how to get out there reflects Lee’s state of mind at this point, with his annoyed utterance “stupid frakkin’ bird” being said as much to himself as it is to the pigeon. Clearly, Lee is trapped in his current life on Caprica as much as that bird is trapped in his house. But just as he is unable to get the bird out to freedom, he’s also incapable of freeing himself from whatever shackles are holding him down in his life on Caprica. In this short scene, Moore reveals to us that even before this journey had begun, Lee was in many ways like the bird in his apartment, fluttering around the place trying to figure how to get out to a place where he could be free (remember his admission to Dee about how he didn’t want to be rescued when his Viper was destroyed during the attack on the Cylon Resurrection ship?). The sudden scene switch to Lee as the head of the fleet’s government and his obvious comfort in addressing the concerns and fears of all those around him tells us that finally, the bird had broken out from this cage of glass and metal and is now flying about, free in the air where it belongs. We also get some valuable insight into the character of Gaius and with it perhaps a glimmer of the true nature of Head Six. In the first scenes featuring Gaius and Caprica Six in the limousine, Caprica Six makes the observation that unlike her, Gaius is a person who prefers that others do things for him, something that becomes more apparent with Gaius’ attempts to bribe the nurse to stay with his dad for another night. Of course, this is hardly a revelation in regards to Gaius since his narcissistic attitude was clearly evident to everyone around him from the beginning. And yet, from the scenes with Gaius’ dad, we finally understand the nature of his narcissism – it’s not that he’s in love with himself as it is he’s in love with what he’s transformed himself into and in particular, how it removes him from the working-class, ‘people of the land’ lineage he originally came from. This move by Gaius to distance himself from his true origins is no doubt the key reason for the spite and hatred Gaius and his dad have for each other as both now represent what the other despises most. The sad irony is that this also makes it impossible for Gaius to truly understand his father who, as Caprica Six points out, is in many ways like Gaius in being a complicated man who is nonetheless capable of being contented “by the most simple of things”. The fact that Caprica Six was capable of making his father happy, something that was clearly elusive for Gaius, might in some ways explain the existence of Head Six and Gaius’ burgeoning need for Caprica Six’s aid. As the only person who ever seemed to understand his father, it’s possible that Gaius created Head Six as a means to sustain this persona he’s created for himself while at the same time seeking out the one person who was able to help his father and thus perhaps himself. In some ways even, Head Six is the bridge between his true origins and the reality he has built for himself. That’s why it’s clear that his hesitation to join Adama’s mission to rescue Hera has less to do with a selfless act for the greater good than his desire to try to gain some ground with Caprica Six in the hopes that she might be able to help him in the same way she did for his father. His conversations with Lee regarding his followers having a seat on the government reinforce the comment Caprica Six made to Gaius in last week’s episode of still being the same person he was on Caprica; despite all the twists and turns that Gaius has taken over the last four years, he is still in that same position of wanting others to do the work for him. But the most dramatic revelation had to be in the character of Roslyn, not only because the event that leads her to that emotional coldness that’s been her source of strength to keep pushing ahead is a powerful and heartrending one, but also because it highlights the significance of her admission in last week’s episode regarding her sentiments about finding home again in Adama. In that first scene at the end of her younger sister’s baby shower, we clearly see a Laura Roslyn we’ve never seen before, one that’s infused with a joy and effervescence for life and family. When the police arrive to inform her of the death of her entire family – her dad and her two sisters – that moment when she turns away and addresses the officers to leave, you could feel the chill entering the room; it’s a testament to Mary McDonnell’s performance that in that moment, her inflection sounded very much like the Laura Roslyn we’ve grown accustomed to hearing over these last four years. Indeed, the subsequent scenes showing Roslyn tiding up her place – a task her sister told her to stop and take a break from – evoked the no-nonsense, let’s-just-move-on Roslyn we know, the one who told Adama a few episodes back how he needed “to clear his head” to deal with the unpleasant realities that they faced. With this character reveal, we now understand the weight of those words, and that possibly it’s something that’s been her mantra ever since that painful day back on Caprica when her whole world was torn asunder. The next scene showing Roslyn walking into the fountain, resting against the rock formation and opening her arms to the cascading water is powerful in its imagery, prefaced by the bubbling of grief shown on Laura’s face before she takes her walk into the wading pool of the fountain. Her embrace of the falling water was her physically clearing her head of this pain, of washing herself of her old life, a life that now had no meaning given the loss of her whole family. Indeed, when she picks up that picture of her dad and her two sisters, we see her abruptly shaking her head, as if attempting to deny herself that this should have any meaning or importance to her. Although Adama’s scene on Caprica is rather cryptic for the moment (I’m assuming we’ll be given more insight into the relevance of that short scene in next week’s two-hour finale), we still are given a wonderful Adama moment in this episode on board the Galactica after he encounters Hotdog collecting the pictures of all the lost pilots. As Adama walks down this corridor, looking at the images left on the walls because there’s no one left who knows who these individuals are, it’s a poignant reminder of what the fleet is about to leave behind. As Gaius admits to Lee in an earlier scene, Galactica has been a repository for both the fleet’s hopes as well as a reminder of the life they left behind. This corridor was very much what a memorial is – a tangible connector to some past loss that we don’t want to forget or lose touch with. And yet, the almost barren walls reflect the reality that they now have to cut ties with that past life and accept the reality of starting anew, with some new way to define who or what they are. The moment when Adama stops dead in his tracks after seeing the picture of Hera is an important one because he realizes that Hera is not another fragment from their past lives; instead, she is very much a reflection of the new lives they must now start, if not perhaps the very key to that new life. Adama’s fixed stance just outside the corridor for such a long time reflects his own internal battle to not only finally accept this reality, but also his coming to the realization that he has one final mission to complete, one last person who is in need of his saving them. Granted there were some gaping plot holes like how they were able to find the location of the Cylon Colony – simply asking Anders while he’s hooked up for that information is just a tad too sloppy. Although this is the first of a two-part episode, I doubt they’re going to explain this relevant point further as there are larger series issues that need to be resolved before the series ends. Another moment that was equally disappointing was the casual scene shown between Helo and Tyrol. Given Tyrol’s part in the abduction of Hera, I couldn’t see why Helo would even want to speak to Tyrol, let alone what he could gain from such a conversation. Yes, it was nice to see that Tyrol was being held accountable for his part in Boomer’s escape. However, his release soon after at the episode’s end made this scene feel a bit too much like a throwaway one that really would have served the storyline better had it been included in last week’s episode. Regardless, given the continued stellar performances of the actors, it’s easy to move past these points in order to enjoy the more significant portions of this part of the final episode. When BSG resumed earlier this year, Moore and Eick assured fans that ‘all would be revealed’. In “Daybreak, Part 1”, they certainly have gone about doing just that by shedding light into who these characters were before the apocalypse, not only so we can better appreciate the transformation they have undergone, but also where they are headed. As I said at the start of this review, the only way to truly appreciate how this journey will end is to understand how it all first began. Advertisements

Donald Trump Says He'll Accept The Results Of The Election ... If He Wins Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP In front of an exuberant crowd Thursday in Delaware, Ohio, Donald Trump again addressed whether he would accept the outcome of the November election. "Ladies and gentleman I want to make a major announcement today," Trump said, continuing, "I would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters, and to all of the people of the United States, that I will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election ..." But there was more. Trump then finished that sentence with, "if I win," seemingly admitting a strange logic: that a system rigged against him would be totally acceptable if that rigging ultimately worked out in his favor. At Wednesday night's presidential detbate, moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he would accept the results of the presidential election. For weeks, Trump has been claiming the race is rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor, in part because of deceased individuals and immigrants in the country illegally casting votes and election officials throughout the country colluding against Trump. When first asked, Trump refused to say yes, replying in part, "I will look at it [the election results] at the time." When pushed on the issue, Trump told Wallace, "I'll keep you in suspense." At Thursday's event, Trump went on to expound on why he thinks the election is rigged. He cited Clinton staff emails recently leaked to the public by WikiLeaks, alleging that Clinton campaign Chairman John Podesta said that immigrants in the country illegally could vote with just driver's licences. "Don't be naive, folks," he told the crowd. Trump also claimed that the Clinton campaign paid people to "incite bedlam" at Trump campaign events. Trump called Clinton a candidate "capable of anything, including voter fraud." Several elections experts have spoken out against Trump's comments on a rigged election, saying that his words threaten one of the central tenets of American democracy: the peaceful transition of power. Trump cited the presidential election of 2000 as justification for his refusal to accept outright this year's election results. "If Al Gore or George Bush had agreed three weeks before the election to concede the results, and waived their rights to a legal challenge, or a recount, then there would be no Supreme Court case, and no Gore v. Bush, or Bush v. Gore." (That election case didn't start until on and after Election Day, unlike Trump, who has started claiming the election is rigged weeks before the the country finishes casting its ballots.) Trump then went on to say that even asking him to accept the results of the election is unfair. "In effect," Trump said, "I'm being asked to waive centuries of legal precedent designed to protect the voters." In his remarks Thursday, Trump seemed to contradict himself on the issue of a rigged election. After citing several examples that he claimed prove the entire American election system is corrupt, Trump then seemed to suggest that very system could be fair. "Of course I would accept a clear election result," Trump said, appearing to read from a teleprompter, "but I would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. And always I will follow and abide by all of the rules and tradition of all of the many candidates who have come before me." Before moving on to other topics in his speech, Trump seemed to brush the whole issue off. "Bottom line, we're gonna win," Trump said, "We're gonna win so big. We're gonna win so big. Nov. 8, we're gonna win."

Presented below are ten sobering facts about Glyphosate (the key ingredient in Monsanto’s RoundUp weedkiller, which the majority of Monsanto’s seeds are genetically engineered to withstand): 1) Glyphosate causes disease and biological / physiological disorders in crops Fifteen years of research by the USDA indicates that the chemical glyphosate, the key ingredient in RoundUp herbicide, is linked to fungal root disease in plants. Article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/04/13/us-usa-gmos-regulators-idUSTRE63C2AJ20100413 Purdue Report about biological/physiological disorders: http://www.btny.purdue.edu/weedscience/2011/GlyphosatesImpact11.html 2) Glyphosate is no longer effective at killing weeds Article about Superweeds: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/business/energy-environment/04weed.html International Database on Glycines (Glyphosate family): http://www.weedscience.com/summary/MOA.aspx?MOAID=12 Iowa State: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2011/0120hartzler.htm University of Arkansas: http://arkansasagnews.uark.edu/610-20.pdf National Academy of Sciences Report: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12804 3) Glyphosate use is increasing steadily According to the USGS, more than 88,000 tons of glyphosate were used in the United States in 2007, up from 11,000 tons in 1992. Since the advent of “super weeds,” the use of glyphosate (and other even stronger weed killers) has risen significantly. Article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-glyphosate-pollution-idUSTRE77U61720110831 4) Glyphosate is not breaking down as promised In 1996, New York’s attorney general sued Monsanto over the company’s use of “false and misleading advertising” about RoundUp. That case ended with Monsanto agreeing to stop calling Roundup “biodegradable,” and to pull ads claiming that Roundup was “safer than table salt,” “practically nontoxic,” and “stayed where you put it.” Two decades after the advent of “RoundUp Ready” crops and their dominance in the agricultural marketplace, the evidence of their falsehoods abound: multiple studies have found significant levels of glyphosate in streams, soil, air, rainwater, and groundwater: Wastewater: http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/glyphosate_wastewater.html 51 Midwestern Streams in 9 states: http://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/glyphosate02.html Rain and Streams (2011): https://archive.usgs.gov/archive/sites/www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp-ID=2909.html Mississippi and Iowa Streams: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2009AM/finalprogram/abstract_162346.htm Mississippi Air and Rain: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24549493 Groundwater: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22101424 Soil (2015): http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896971530989X Soil (2016 report citing multiple studies): https://www.soilassociation.org/media/7202/glyphosate-and-soil-health-full-report.pdf Atmosphere, Soil and Surface Water in Alberta, Canada: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/182025#page/4/mode/1up In our food: a recent study found that Glyphosate residues in the main foods of the Western diet – sugar, wheat, and genetically modified corn and soy – inhibit critical enzymes in mammals [which] manifests slowly over time, as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body. Source: http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416 In humans (study #1): No surprise, a study done in Germany in 2012 found glyphosate in all of the urine samples it took from non-agricultural workers in Berlin, at levels 5-20 times the limit for drinking water. Source: http://www.ithaka-journal.net/herbizide-im-urin?lang=en In humans (study #2): in June 2013, another study found traces of glyphosate in the urine samples of individuals across 18 countries in Europe. Summary: http://gmoevidence.com/dr-hans-wolfgang-hoppe-glyphosate-found-in-human-urine-across-europe/ Original Study Report: http://gmoevidence.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/glyphosate_studyresults_june12.pdf In pregnant women (study #3): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22261298 In humans and animals (study #4): in January 2014, researchers from Germany and Egypt discovered that animals fed GM feed had much higher levels of glyphosate in their urine and organs than animals fed non-GM or organic feed, which translated into higher levels of the toxic chemical in humans as well. Source: http://omicsonline.org/open-access/detection-of-glyphosate-residues-in-animals-and-humans-2161-0525.1000210.pdf 5) Glyphosate causes birth defects, tumors, disease, and reproductive disorders in animals, antibiotic resistance, and contributes to the decline of monarch butterflies And often at dilutions far lower than the concentrations used in agricultural and even home garden spraying… Study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20695457 Study: http://www.scribd.com/doc/57277946 Study: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep39328 Study: http://mbio.asm.org/content/6/2/e00009-15.full.pdf+html Study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23820267 Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/abstract Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/j.1752-4598.2011.00142.x/full A June 2011 report assembled by an international team of scientists revealed that studies done as early as the 1980s by biotech and ag-industry corporations (including Monsanto) all showed that Roundup’s active ingredient glyphosate causes birth defects in laboratory animals… again, at very low exposures. Read a related article here. 6) Glyphosate is a genotoxic endocrine disruptor to human cells and gut bacteria Human Cells: http://www.barnstablecounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/gasnier-toxicology-elsevier-262-184-191-glyphostae-ed-human-cell-lines2.pdf Human Placental Cells: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1257596/?report=classic#b36-ehp0113-000716 Gut Bacteria: our gut bacteria was recently discovered to contain the very same metabolic pathway in plants that is being targeted and disrupted by Glyphosate—in direct opposition to Monsanto’s claims that the human body did not contain this pathway: http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416 (watch a full video presentation on this topic). Glyphosate is the key ingredient in Monsanto’s RoundUp weedkiller, along with other “inert” ingredients that are potentially even more dangerous. Use vinegar instead! 7) Glyphosate is linked to cancer and deadly kidney disease in humans Three studies have linked glyphosate exposure with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: 2001: http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/10/11/1155.long 2002: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12148884 2003: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1740618/ A 2014 study linked glyphosate exposure to kidney disease in multiple countries: http://archive.lankabusinessonline.com/news/sri-lanka-killer-kidney-disease-linked-to-monsanto-weedicide,-phosphate-fertilizer:-study/2081217214 8) Glyphosate causes DNA damage Inhalation of glyphosate was observed to cause DNA damage after short exposure to concentrations that correspond to the 450-fold dilution of spraying most commonly used in agriculture: Study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22331240 9) The EPA is still working on Glyphosate’s human risk assessment Although the EPA has found the time to establish a National Acceptable Daily Intake of glyphosate (5.5% per day; as cited in the study done on pregnant women), long-term human risk assessment studies are slow to emerge. EPA Study Outline and Schedule: http://pesticidetruths.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Reference-glyphosate-2009-12-00-Final-Work-Plan-EPA.pdf 10) Glyphosate resistance is the primary purpose of genetic crop engineering GM crops have been responsible for a 527 million pound increase in herbicide use in the United States over the first 16 years of commercial use of GM crops (1996 – 2011). Article in Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/02/us-usa-study-pesticides-idUSBRE89100X20121002 Article compiling facts researched by Nature Magazine: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/05/01/the-rise-of-genetically-modified-crops-in-two-charts/ Study Report containing multiple source links: Benbrook, C. 2009. Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use: The First Thirteen Years Glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed infesting RoundUp Ready corn; photo by Dr. Bill Johnson Additional Sources and Studies about Glyphosate: For those who want as many scientific references, peer-reviewed studies, and reports as possible… Why Glyphosate Should be Banned A Review of its Hazards to Health and the Environment Sirinathsinghji, E., Ho, Mae-Wan Overview: http://permaculturenews.org/2012/11/01/why-glyphosate-should-be-banned-a-review-of-its-hazards-to-health-and-the-environment/ ISIS Report: http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Why_Glyphosate_Should_be_Banned.php Glyphosate Fact Sheet from Beyond Pesticides http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticides/factsheets/Glyphosate.pdf Glyphosate Fact Sheet from Pesticide.org http://www.pesticide.org/get-the-facts/pesticide-factsheets/factsheets/glyphosate Glyphosate Fact Sheet from the Journal of Pesticide Reform http://www.eastbaypesticidealert.org/Glyphosate%20Factsheet%201.htm Glyphosate Toxicology Caroline Cox. Journal of Pesticide Reform, Volume 15, Number 3, Fall 1995. Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, Eugene, OR. — © GMO-Awareness.com, 2011–2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to GMO-Awareness.com with appropriate and specific links back to the original content.

Forty-six people were sentenced by a Chinese court in Zhejiang province yesterday for selling meat from sick pigs, according to Chinese state media. The announcement came at a time of heightened concern about health safety after more than 6,000 dead pigs were found this month in the Huangpu River, a major waterway that runs through the center of Shanghai. (See related link here.) ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER ADVERTISEMENT The court found that Zhang Xingbing had bought more than 1,000 pigs which had died of disease and sold the meat after slaughtering them in 2010-12, the China Daily reported today. Zhang received a six-and-a-half-year jail sentence and a $129,000 fine. Forty-five others involved were sentenced, including farmers that “knowingly sold pigs killed by illness, “ the government-published paper said. Eastern Zhejiang is adjacent to Shanghai, one of China’s richest cities and a key international business hub in the country with prominent investments by Citibank, GM and other U.S. companies. Hormel also has operations in the city. -- Follow me on Twitter @rflannerychina

When U.S. officials claimed two weeks ago that an American aircraft carrier was heading toward waters near North Korea, it was actually sailing in the opposite direction, The New York Times and Defense News report. Amid growing tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, U.S. Pacific Command announced on April 8 that the USS Carl Vinson strike group would sail north to the western Pacific after departing Singapore that day. An American official told Reuters at the time that the ships’ move toward the Korean Peninsula was a show of force directed at the regime of Kim Jong Un. U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster told Fox News the next day that the group was being rerouted from Singapore toward the Korean Peninsula as a “prudent” show of force. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sean M Castellano/Released The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson transits the Sunda Strait on April 15, 2017. Mere days after the announcement about the strike group’s new course, President Donald Trump weighed in on the North Korean threat. “We are sending an armada, very powerful. We have submarines, very powerful, far more powerful than the aircraft carrier,” Trump told Fox on April 12. “We have the best military people on Earth. And I will say this: He is doing the wrong thing,” Trump added, referring to Kim Jong Un. But Defense News pointed out on Tuesday that photos released by the U.S. Navy showed the aircraft carrier passing through the Sunda Strait in Indonesia, about 3,500 miles from the Korean Peninsula, last Saturday. It was moving away from North Korea when U.S. officials said it was moving toward the peninsula, the Times confirmed on Tuesday. The ship has changed direction since then, but is expected to arrive far later than initial reports suggested. CNN’s Jim Acosta tweeted that an administration official blamed the mix-up on a miscommunication. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Senior admin official blames miscommunication for mix-up over whereabouts of USS Carl Vinson which admin had said was headed to Sea of Japan — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) April 18, 2017 North Korea has recently ramped up work on its nuclear program, hoping to develop a missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to the United States. Trump has vowed to “solve” the North Korean problem, but is facing few good options to confront the threat. Pyongyang test-fired missiles during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the U.S. in March, and again on April 4 ahead of a visit to the U.S. by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Following the April launch, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released a three-sentence statement acknowledging the launch: “The United States has spoken enough about North Korea. We have no further comment,” it read. Tensions further escalated in the runup to April 15, the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea’s founder, Kim Il Sung. Experts warned that Pyongyang might conduct a missile test. Satellite imagery at the time indicated that Pyongyang might have been preparing for a sixth nuclear test in addition to a massive military parade. While North Korea did end up test-firing a missile on Sunday, the projectile exploded almost immediately after launch. Following the launch, Vice President Mike Pence said Trump would take a more aggressive stance against Pyongyang than previous administrations. “We’re going to abandon the failed policy of strategic patience. But we’re going to redouble our efforts to bring diplomatic and economic pressure to bear on North Korea. Our hope is that we can resolve this issue peaceably,” Pence told CNN.

When writing the post for our contest in January, I stumbled across a small mystery that was entirely separate from low first baseline that was the subject of the contest. When I moved the text frame in the contest file from the page to the pasteboard, it instantly became overset. Having seen this phenomenon before, I had a hunch about what was going on. And it made me think it would be worth listing some of the reasons why a text frame can become unexpectedly overset. Here are a few reasons I can think of, please add some more in the comments. 1. Keep Options. This is what was happening in the contest file. The frame contained text for the start of a book chapter, and the chapter number paragraph style was set with a keep option to start On Next Odd Page. Thus, when you move the frame so it is no longer touching an odd-numbered page, it becomes overset. 2. Text Wrap. A common reason for mysteriously overset text: an object with text wrap applied to it has been hidden, or is on a hidden layer. When you move your text frame into the bounds of the invisible text wrap, you get overset. 3. No Break. When No Break has been applied to a range of characters, either manually or automatically through the use of a nested or GREP style, the frame will be overset if it isn’t wide enough to fit the range of text. 4. Align to Grid. When text is forced to snap to a baseline grid, it can be overset, even thought it appears like there is plenty of room in the frame. If you move the frame to the pasteboard, the overset goes away since the baseline grid only covers the page. I covered this in detail back in a post called The Curious Case of Occasional Overset. 5. Text Frame Options. Plenty of potential culprits here. If your text frame has a custom baseline grid, insets, or a large minimum value for the First Baseline Offset, the frame itself might be causing the overset. OK, that’s 5. How many other reasons for unexpected overset can you folks think of?

Skip to comments. How Hillary Clinton can get that ‘presidential look’ Washington Post ^ | 9/7/2016 | Alexandra Petri Posted on by Borges Trump is not wrong that Hillary Clinton does not have That Presidential Look. She is, after all, female, something that no prior president has had the misfortune to be. And if there is one sort of content that women need more of, it is an article about how to look a certain way. So here is a quick guide to getting That Presidential Look. (Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ... TOPICS: Humor KEYWORDS: 2016issues hillary2016 Whatever the political motives of this article it's still pretty funny. To: Borges Have the moturary beautician work her magic? To: Borges They started all the blather about appearing Presidential. Because appearances are all that matter, see. Now it’s blowing back at them. by 3 posted onby rightwingcrazy ("We will not tolerate those who are intolerant to the intolerant.") To: Gaffer Whoever gets that job better have a background in mudding drywall To: Borges This article is insulting sexist mockery of great men of the past. Typical juvenile slander that has come to represent feminism, which consists of nothing but mockery and derision and contempt - and stupidity. Because when the hags want to be respected themselves, all of a sudden there’s “gravitas” and “nuance” and god help anyone who “disses” them. These females aren’t even women - they’re vermin. : spit : by 5 posted onby Talisker (One who commands, must obey.) To: Gaffer She can shed her mortal coil and have an idealized, stylized bronze bust made depicting her in her prime. That is the only way she would ever look “presidential”. by 6 posted onby Jmouse007 (Lord God Almighty, deliver us from this evil in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.) To: Borges She has that presidential look. She looks exactly like James Tyler does right this minute. To: Talisker You’re taking too seriously. It’s catty retro fashionista snark. To: Borges Our President? I’d settle for that Mussolini look. Mussolini afterwards. Elena Ceausescu pulled it off, Hillary can do it. To: Borges No matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it's still a pig. by 10 posted onby BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.) To: Borges She could start by dropping all the phony folksiness. No more wide eyes. No more exagerratedd head bobbing. No more mouth agape feigned expression of childlike wonder. Be herself. Her bloodless ambitious self. by 11 posted onby BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.) To: Borges She could let her beard grow out... by 12 posted onby wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.) To: Borges She has the presidential look suited for Cuba or Venezuala. by 13 posted onby TADSLOS (Vote Trump. Defeat the Clinton Crime Syndicate. Reset America.) To: Talisker “spit” Perhaps something with a bit more gutteral flem: Raca! To: Scott from the Left Coast She has that presidential look. Yup. She looks like Hoover. Or wears a dress that looks like it was snagged from a Hoover. by 15 posted onby Flick Lives (TRIGGER WARNING - Posts may require application of sarcasm filter) To: wastoute Grow her beard?? i’m thinking that Bill’s pretty much as tall as he’s gonna get. :=) by 16 posted onby Bob (No, being a US Senator and the Secretary of State are not accomplishments; they're jobs.) To: Borges Agreed. Pretty funny even though they naturally had to compliment Barack 0bama at the end. To: Borges The mumus made in a Captain Kangaroo pattern (multiple, huge pockets), made out of quilted oven mitt material, don’t help much. by 18 posted onby Hardastarboard (This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: Death, destruction, terrorism and weakness.) To: Borges To: Borges You’re taking too seriously. It’s catty retro fashionista snark. I get what you're saying. But it's like the Comedy Central roast recently where they called Coulter a c**t 19 times under the guide of "humor." Its not funny to me anymore. It's a lie to cover savage hatred and abuse, and I'm sick of it. I'm tired of living in a country where women have been taught to be lower than animals. Those are the 40 million reliable morons who will vote for Hillary - they're not even human anymore. And they're not funny, either. by 20 posted onby Talisker (One who commands, must obey.) 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

The FBI's crime lab was at one point reputed to be one of the most elite, well-run labs in the world. Not so much anymore. For the last year, the agency has been embroiled in a huge and growing scandal in which its crime lab technicians have been found to have vastly overstated the value and conclusiveness of forensic evidence in criminal cases. The breadth and seriousness of the problem have only come to light in the last year or so, although there have been warning signs going back to the 1990s. The number of convictions affected is in the thousands, possibly the tens of thousands. But as the Washington Post reported last week, that may only be the beginning. In July, the Justice Department announced a nationwide review of all cases handled by the FBI Laboratory's hair and fibers unit before 2000 -- at least 21,000 cases -- to determine whether improper lab reports or testimony might have contributed to wrongful convictions. But about three dozen FBI agents trained 600 to 1,000 state and local examiners to apply the same standards that have proved problematic. None of the local cases is included in the federal review. As a result, legal experts say, although the federal inquiry is laudable, the number of flawed cases at the state and local levels could be even higher, and those are going uncorrected. It would be difficult to overstate just how catastrophic this is. It's a scandal that strikes at the very heart of our democratic system of government, and it isn't getting nearly the attention it deserves. We're talking about one of the most basic functions of government -- the administration of justice. And we're talking about nationwide systemic failures in the way the government has been presenting scientific evidence in the courtroom going back 40 years, over tens of thousands of cases, all with the approval of the courts in which that evidence was presented. Worse yet, the Justice Department had to be dragged kicking and screaming into conducting even the federal review. From the Washington Post, last April: Justice Department officials have known for years that flawed forensic work might have led to the convictions of potentially innocent people, but prosecutors failed to notify defendants or their attorneys even in many cases they knew were troubled. Officials started reviewing the cases in the 1990s after reports that sloppy work by examiners at the FBI lab was producing unreliable forensic evidence in court trials. Instead of releasing those findings, they made them available only to the prosecutors in the affected cases, according to documents and interviews with dozens of officials. In addition, the Justice Department reviewed only a limited number of cases and focused on the work of one scientist at the FBI lab, despite warnings that problems were far more widespread and could affect potentially thousands of cases in federal, state and local courts. As a result, hundreds of defendants nationwide remain in prison or on parole for crimes that might merit exoneration, a retrial or a retesting of evidence using DNA because FBI hair and fiber experts may have misidentified them as suspects. Justice Department officials said that they met their legal and constitutional obligations when they learned of specific errors, that they alerted prosecutors and were not required to inform defendants directly. I mean, think about that. Taxpayer-paid employees of the Justice Department had direct and exclusive knowledge that there may be hundreds of innocent people in prison, they knew that flawed forensics in these cases needed to be reviewed, and their justification for not doing more as these people continued to rot in prison was, Hey, we did the bare minimum required of us by law... But even beyond the problematic ethical requirements, I'm having a hard time fathoming how no one on this task force felt morally compelled to go beyond those requirements -- to, you know, actually reach out to defense attorneys, or attempt to actually reach the convicts or their families. How in the world can you possess this sort of information, then still sleep at night, year after year, knowing that (a) the information obviously isn't reaching the people who have an incentive to actually put it to use, (b) you're one of the few people who could make that happen, and (c) because the information was only available to a select group of people, if you or one of your colleagues doesn't act, no one else will? This is happening all over the country. As I noted in a piece for HuffPost last year, crime lab scandals have erupted in recent years. Scandals have plagued state crime labs "in North Carolina, California, Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia and Mississippi; the city crime labs in Houston, Cleveland, Chicago, Omaha, Oklahoma City, Washington and San Francisco; the county lab in Nassau County, New York; and... the Army crime lab." Public officials tend to be reluctant to admit to the scope of the problem because doing so would call thousands of convictions into question. Of course, that's exactly what should happen, but I think it's about more than that. When you're talking about thousands and thousands of possibly corrupted cases spread out over several decades; when you're talking about implicating not only crime labs and crime lab technicians, but prosecutors, judges, appeals courts that failed to pick up on the problem, and, frankly, the entire field of forensics -- well, now you're talking about implicating the criminal justice system itself. It all raises some profound, far-reaching questions that start to scratch at the notion of what justice means in America. How is it that our courts have for decades now allowed the use of bad science to put citizens in prison -- or even to send them to their deaths? Why is it that junk science can so easily slip into the courtroom during a criminal trial, but when said science is later called into question -- or even shown to be complete nonsense -- it can be so difficult, sometimes impossible, for the people convicted by that science to get a new trial? Should the objective of a prosecutor be to seek justice, or to win convictions? Do crime labs exist to objectively test and analyze forensic evidence, or are they part of the prosecution's "team?" How have we structured the incentives at crime labs, in prosecutors' offices, and at the Justice Department? Are prosecutors rewarded for seeking justice, or for racking up convictions? We know there are professional rewards for high-profile convictions and for high conviction rates. But are there professional sanctions for going too far to win convictions? Are those sanctions severe enough to offset the payoffs for getting convictions? Perhaps we don't want the incentives to be perfectly balanced. Maybe we want to slightly nudge prosecutors toward seeking convictions, on the theory that they're counterbalanced by defense attorneys. But it's a discussion we ought to have. Right now, we aren't having it. Currently, not only does it appear that prosecutors are rarely sanctioned for bending or breaking the rules, the Justice Department won't even tell us what punishment or sanctions they get when they do. This isn't acceptable. The immense power afforded to federal prosecutors, the fact that they're on the public payroll, and the fact that their misconduct can and has resulted in putting innocent people in prison far outweighs any interest in protecting their professional privacy. Their successes in the courtroom can be championed in public and used to advance their careers. The public most certainly ought to be made aware of their transgressions. But let's get back to the hard questions about crime labs. If a crime lab analyst comes up with results that could undermine a high-profile prosecution, is the analyst typically rewarded, potentially thwarting a pending injustice, or possibly punished for derailing a conviction? I've reported on cases in which crime lab technicians and medical examiners have been punished for testifying for the defense. And some in the forensics community tell me its still considered unethical for a forensic expert to take the initiative of calling a defense attorney if the analyst believes he has found exculpatory evidence that the prosecution is ignoring, or hasn't turned over to defense counsel. Crazier still, there are parts of the country where crime lab technicians report to prosecutors. Prosecutors conduct their performance reviews, determine who gets promoted and who gets a raise. Who thought this was a good idea? There have been enough scandals now that we need to start talking about these issues as systemic failures, and no longer as individual incidents to be addressed and fixed on a case-by-case basis. And it's time to start considering more fundamental changes to how we test, analyze, and use forensic evidence in the courtroom, changes that may seem radical, but that would restructure the incentives of the key players here so that we reward people for moving cases toward just outcomes, not outcomes that serve political interests

West Linn Paper Company said Monday that it will close down, eliminating roughly 250 jobs and closing the door on the mill's 128-year history. "Several unforeseeable events have led to a significant reduction in available pulp, making continued operations impossible. As a result we will wind up our operations as quickly and efficiently as possible, beginning immediately," Brian Konen, West Linn Paper's chief operating officer, said in a written statement. In a note to employees, obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive, Konen said the decision to close came abruptly. "One of our major pulp suppliers suddenly stopped production due to a major equipment failure, and other pulp suppliers recently withdrew our normal and viable credit terms in the wake of credit and insurance developments in the industry," he wrote. "Accordingly, we are unable to secure the pulp necessary to continue operations and do not have sufficient economic resources to idle our plant pending improved conditions." In addition to the mill in West Linn, Konen said West Linn Paper will shut down a warehouse, logistics and transportation site in Vancouver. The riverfront mill opened in 1889 and once employed 1,600 people, making newsprint, wrapping paper and paper bags. Historians credited it with helping fuel regional publishing, and supplying paper for publications across the country. Originally Willamette Falls Pulp and Paper Co., later owned by Crown Zellerbach, it took its current name from an investment group that acquired it in 1997. The mill once made its own pulp but shut down those grinders in 1991 and began buying pulp from suppliers in the U.S. and Canada. Oregon's job market remains historically strong, with the statewide unemployment rate at 4.2 percent. However, several large employers including SolarWorld, Microsoft, SureID have cut jobs this year. The state's forest products industry, meanwhile, has been in steady decline for decades. Oregon timber harvests have declined from more than 8 billion board feet in the 1970s to 4 billion board feet now, according to a new report by the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. The sector's employment has fallen from 80,000 direct jobs during the '70s to around 30,000. And the state report found wages have stagnated, held down by automation, competition and an abundance of workers created by the closure of other former mills and timber operations. -- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699

Amazonian Jews (Hebrew: יהודי אמזונאס, "Yehudei Amazonas"; Spanish: judíos amazónicos; Portuguese: judeus amazônicos) is the name for the mixed-race people of Jewish Moroccan and indigenous descent who live in the Amazon basin cities and river villages of Brazil and Peru, including Belém, Santarém, Alenquer, Óbidos, and Manaus, Brazil; and Iquitos in Peru. They married indigenous women and their descendants are of mixed race (mestizo). In the 21st century, Belém has about 1000 Jewish families and Manaus about 140 such families, most descended from these 19th-century Moroccans.[1] A small Jewish community was established in Iquitos by immigrants from Morocco during the rubber boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Other than Lima, with a larger, mostly Ashkenazi Jewish community, Iquitos has the only organized Jewish community in Peru.[2] Since the late 20th century, some of these Sephardic descendants have studied Judaism and formally converted in order to be accepted by Israel as Jews. Hundreds from Iquitos have emigrated to Israel since then, including about 150 from 2013 to 2014.[3] Origins [ edit ] This ethnic group is descended from Moroccan Jewish traders who worked in the Brazilian, and later Peruvian, Amazon basin. They spoke Ladino, Hebrew, and Haketia. The earliest Moroccan Jews came in 1810 from Fez, Tanger, Tetuan, Casablanca, Salé, Rabat, and Marrakesh. In 1824 they organized the first synagogue, Eshel Avraham, in Belém, Brazil, at the mouth of the Amazon River. With the rubber boom of the late nineteenth and early 20th century, thousands more Moroccan Jews entered the Amazon towns. Those who stayed married indigenous Native American women, and their children have grown up in a culture of Jewish and Christian, and Moroccan and Amazonian influences. The peak of the rubber boom between 1880 and 1910 attracted so many merchants and other workers that it was the height of Jewish immigration to the Amazonian Basin; they established new communities along the interior of the Amazon River, in Santarém and Manaus, Brazil, and ventured as far as Iquitos, Peru, on the east side of the Andes. This was a major center on the Amazon for rubber export and related businesses. It was the headquarters of the Peruvian-owned Peruvian Amazon Company (PAC). The rubber boom also attracted Jewish adventurers from England, Alsace-Lorraine and France, and other Europeans, who helped found new Jewish and European institutions in Iquitos, including an opera house.[2] Some of the Jewish immigrants settled in Iquitos, marrying native women and establishing a Jewish cemetery and synagogue. Even after the rubber boom, some Moroccan Jews remained in Iquitos and other cities of the Amazon. Many of their mestizo descendants were reared Catholic in their mothers' faith, also absorbing Amazonian culture, and the remnants of the Jewish community gradually gave up much of their practice.[2] Other Moroccan Jews lived in isolated ribeirinho settlements in Brazil. Rabbi Shalom Imanuel Muyal, who lived in Brazil for two years prior to his death, has come to be considered a holy man, healer and folk saint, admired by non-Jews in Brazil. He is referred as "Santo Moisézinho" (Saint Little Moses).[4] Jewish religious authorities in Morocco decided to they should have one of their rabbis in Brazil to raise funds for a yeshiva and ensure the Jewish community there was keeping to religious norms and practice, and Rabbi Muyal was sent over.[5] When he died in Manaus in 1910, two years after arriving and probably from yellow fever, he was buried in a Christian cemetery as no Jewish one existed locally.[5] After his death, he started to be revered as a saint by local Catholics and people began making pilgrimage to his grave.[5] This led to the Manaus rabbi building a wall around the tomb, which only made the visitors more numerous.[5] In the 1960s, the nephew of Rabbi Muyer who was then serving as a Minister in the government of the State of Israel wanted to exhume the rabbi's remains and reinter them in a Jewish cemetery.[5] This led to the outbreak of protests, and the Amazonas government asked that his body not be moved.[5] Relationship with other Jewish communities [ edit ] For the Peruvian communities, an enduring casta system stemming from the colonial period resulted in virtually no interaction between these Jewish-Peruvian descendants living on the east side of the Andes and religious leaders of the small, mostly ethnic European, Ashkenazi population concentrated in Lima. The latter did not consider the Amazonian Jews to be Jewish, according to the halakha, because their mothers were not Jews. Some suspected that the Peruvians wanted to emigrate to Israel for economic reasons.[6] But in the late 20th century, a small group in Iquitos began independently to explore their Jewish heritage and study Judaism. They reached out to Marcelo Bronstein, a sympathetic rabbi of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in from Brooklyn, New York to follow a formal conversion process in 2002 and 2004 in order to be eligible for aliyah to Israel.[2][6] After completing their conversions, a few hundred Amazonian Jews from the Iquitos area made aliyah to Israel in the early 21st century. Another conversion of numerous Peruvians was completed in 2011, following their five years of study; and more emigrated to Israel, including about 150 from in 2013–2014. They have mostly been settled in Ramle.[3] Documentaries [ edit ] The documentary, Eretz Amazonia (by David Salgado), is based on Samuel Benchimol's book Eretz Amazonia; The Saga of Jews in the Amazon, about Jews in northern Brazil. [7] (by David Salgado), is based on Samuel Benchimol's book about Jews in northern Brazil. Stephen Nugent and Renato Athias made Where is The Rabbi , showing the life of Jews in the Amazon Basin. , showing the life of Jews in the Amazon Basin. The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America, (2006), a documentary written by Gabriela Bohm that is focused on descendants of crypto-Jews in South America, particularly Ecuador and Colombia, some of whom pursue conversion to be accepted as Jews. [6] [8] (2006), a documentary written by Gabriela Bohm that is focused on descendants of crypto-Jews in South America, particularly Ecuador and Colombia, some of whom pursue conversion to be accepted as Jews. The Fire Within: Jews in the Amazonian Rainforest (2008) is about the Peruvian-Jewish descendants in Iquitos, and their efforts to revive Judaism and emigrate to Israel in the late 20th century. It is written, directed and produced by Lorry Salcedo Mitrani.[9][10] Notable people [ edit ] Samuel Benchimol Isaac Benayon Sabba Abraham Pinto Moyses Pinto See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] 11. http://moroccan-jews-in-amazonia.com/index.php

Case New Holland is looking to hire 75 to 100 new employees, including welders, supervisors and product engineers. Increased spending in the nation’s private sector and the promise of government infrastructure investments are proving to be a god-send to the manufacturers of capital goods and construction equipment. New houses and factories, highways and bridges are spurring a strong demand for the heavy machinery necessary to shape the land and build the structures. Burlington’s Case New Holland — a member of the community’s manufacturing scene since 1937 — has been especially impacted by customer demand for high performance construction equipment. This has, in turn, created a demand for qualified manufacturing personnel to join its team at the Des Moines Avenue facility. Plant manager Eric Tharp said his plant is looking to add 75 to 100 new employees to its present employment base of 600. The new jobs will span a wide range of skills and experience, including welders and manufacturing assemblers to supervisors, logistics specialists and product engineers. Skilled trades, such as electricians and millwrights also are in strong demand. Tharp acknowledged hiring so many qualified workers will prove a challenge in Des Moines County’s increasingly tight labor market. “From where I sit, it is pretty obvious that locally, unemployment is pretty low and there is a lot of competition out there for good workers,” Tharp said. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show Des Moines County had an unemployment rate of 5 percent in 2016, more than a point greater than the state average of 3.7 percent that year. Case New Holland is positioning itself to meet the demand for qualified personnel by instituting in-plant training programs for trades in high demand. It will soon begin an in-house welder program to meet the need for this skilled position. Additional training programs may be offered in the future, and Case will continue its relationship with West Burlington's Southeastern Community College and its job training programs. Tharp said the demand for new employees is particularly strong at this time not only because of increased product demand, but also many long-time employees have retired in recent years. Eighty percent of current plant employees have less than five years seniority. “We are also looking for engineers and designers and will make campus visits and attend trade fairs to let potential employees know that Case is a great place to work. We have been around here for a long time and we want potential employees to know that we can be counted on,” he said. Burlington's Case New Holland plant has largely built its longevity on the production of construction equipment, a market segment that does not experience as great of demand swings as agricultural equipment. The local facility churns out loaders, landscape equipment, heavy forklifts and crawler dozers. The iconic Case backhoe has long been a mainstay of the plant’s production, proudly claiming to be the “backhoe capital of the world.” The plant keeps its ties to the agricultural community alive by producing a line of combine heads. Both agricultural and construction equipment is offered under the Case and New Holland brand names. The company is a division of the Fiat Industrial Group and in recent years has invested heavily in Burlington with a dedicated paint line, welding center and computer numerical control equipment. “We have a good mix of products and those lines promise to continue to grow," Tharp said. "We look to recruit qualified and motivated workers to join us. Because as we grow, the advancement opportunities for people at Case New Holland remains great. If you want advancement and you want opportunity, then this is the place to work."

It's that time again. AT&T has been busy adding and upgrading several markets with high-speed LTE. This round of upgrades seems to focus a bit more attention to the Northeast, particularly in the New York and New Jersey areas. Still, quite a few other locations are popping up around the country. With most new spots checking in with populations below 100,000 people, and some below the 10k mark, AT&T is closing in on its target to finish covering the United States with LTE by the end of this year. New Camden, AR El Dorado-Magnolia, AR Prescott, AZ Flagstaff-Sedona, AZ Quad Cities, IL & IA Sterling, IL Duluth-Superior, MN Kinston, NC Southern New Jersey Shore Points, NJ Auburn, NY Cortland, NY Seneca Falls, NY Dayton, OH Astoria, OR Berwick, PA Brookings, SD Watertown, SD Expanded Salinas, CA (Carmel Valley) Jackson, MS (Leake & Nashoba Counties) Reno, NV (along I-80 connection and Spanish Springs) Oswego, NY New York City, NY (Sussex County) Northern Madison County, NY (Oneida City, Canastota, Lenox, Sullivan, and many connecting highways) Wilkes-Barre, PA (Scranton, Clarks Summit, Harveys Lake) If you find yourself spending time in these areas, go forth and enjoy some speedy streaming music, fast-loading web pages, and smooth video chats. Just remember to keep an eye on your data usage. [PR Newswire]

Looking for news you can trust? Subscribe to our free newsletters. While I have blogged before about the ridiculous sexism of American Apparel CEO and founder Dov Charney, I was hoping not to have to repeat myself. Unfortunately, aging hipster Charney has been sued—yet again—by a female employee. Former product placement executive Jeneleen Floyd has sued 38-year-old Charney for screaming at her and demanding she “pretend to masturbate” in front of coworkers. Floyd declined, but a different employee simulated masturbation while Charney pretended to engage in an oral sex act with him. According to the lawsuit filed last week, Charney verbally castigated Floyd during off-work hours and demanded she work until midnight as retribution for her actions. Floyd is just the newest member of a rapidly growing sorority, having filed the fifth suit against American Apparel for sexually explicit offenses. Though so far no one has had a jury trial against American Apparel, Charney has freely admitted he uses words like “slut” and “c*nt” around the office, saying that they’re not necessarily meant pejoratively: “some of us love sluts,” he said in a recent deposition. He’s also open about conducting meetings in his underwear and posting pornographic magazine images in his stores. Sad to say, I will not be able to buy any candy-colored, American Apparel socks or t-shirts. I’d love to, since they’re made in the US and are sweat-shop free. But I just can’t understand why Charney can respect the women who work in his factories, but not the ones in his offices.

Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said any new arms race would weaken Russia's economic opportunties, but warned that it was still capable of defending itself. A senior Russian official has told reporters that Russia is not planning to enter a new arms race, but nontheless remains ready to react to any threats against it. “Russia is trying to react to new threats, nothing more than this. We are not entering an arms race, we are against any arms race as it would weaken our opportunities in the economic sphere,” Reuters quoted Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov as saying. “We are in general against this. I think that our president has made very precise statements on this matter.” Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin stunned the West when he announced that Russia will add 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles to the country's nuclear arsenal later this year. Putin said the missiles are “capable of penetrating the most modern defences”, and vowed to push forward with the rearmament of the military. Not surprisingly, Western leaders reacted with predictable outrage to the news. John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, said the plan was concerning and indicated Russia was making a reversal in the disarmament sphere. NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg went even further, slamming the announcement as “unjustified, destabilizing and dangerous”, even though the U.S. is pursuing its own plans to build a global missile defence shield across Europe. While President Putin has repeatedly said Russia wouldn't be dragged into a new arms race, earlier this week he warned the West that the country was prepared to target its military at any threats it faced. Previously, Putin has called on the international community to create legally-binding guarantees that weapons such as the U.S.'s missile defence shield will not be targeted at Russia. Putin said last week that statements from Western leaders like “We promise that nothing will happen” amount to nothing in the current climate, adding, “We need guarantees and serious agreements in the security sphere.” Image credit: Pavel "KoraxDC" Kazachkov via Flickr.com

New Greens immigration spokesman Nick McKim to arrange trip to Nauru and Manus Updated The Australian Greens' new immigration spokesman, Tasmanian senator Nick McKim, will today move to arrange a trip to both Nauru and Manus Islands. Key points: McKim says he "will give everything I've got" to close camps on Manus and Nauru Analyst says immigration a "significant issue for the Greens", McKim rewarded for experience Decision to dump Sarah Hanson-Young took many by surprise Senator McKim was announced as the Greens immigration spokesman yesterday, taking over from South Australian senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Speaking exclusively to the ABC, Senator McKim said he would today start the process to travel to both Nauru and Manus Island. "I'll be moving to institute visa requests and appropriate requests to the relevant authorities to see whether I can visit both Manus and Nauru," he said. "I've always believed in politics that the best way to inform yourself about issues is to see them for yourself. "I will give everything I've got to close the camps on Manus and Nauru and bring the people who are currently on Manus and Nauru back to Australia." The decision to dump Senator Hanson-Young took many by surprise but she will be kept busy with the Education, Finance, Trade, Water, Arts and Youth portfolios. Senator McKim gave his predecessor a glowing endorsement, and said there was no plans to change any of the Greens' immigration policies — but he said there would be some differences. "The simple fact is I am not Sarah and Sarah is not me, and inevitably we will have different ways of expressing ourselves," he said. "But that shouldn't be taken to be any indication at all that we are downgrading our work in this area or that our policy will change." Senator Hanson-Young has expressed her disappointment with losing immigration and said she fought hard to keep it. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said she "had done an incredible job". "She's led the charge on a more humane, compassionate and decent approach to the treatment of refugees," he said. "[But] after nine years, it's time I think to refresh and reinvigorate the team." Immigration a 'very significant issue for the Greens', analyst says Senator Hanson-Young's time at the helm was eventful. She alleges that during a previous visit in 2013 she was subject to covert surveillance from security guards on Nauru who gave her the code-name "Raven". Just this week her application to return to the island was rejected. The University of Tasmania's political analyst Richard Eccelston said Senator McKim had big shoes to fill. "Immigration is a particularly important portfolio for the Greens because they've been alone really in their opposition to offshore processing of asylum seekers," he said. "It is a very significant issue for the Greens and for the left in Australian politcs." Just one month ago Senator McKim was battling for his political survival. He secured the last Senate spot in Tasmania by just 141 votes, from a One Nation candidate. Senator McKim is a former Tasmanian Greens leader and state government minister in Tasmania's previous minority government. Mr Eccleston said he was being rewarded for his experience. "The allocation of the portfolio to McKim, I guess, recognises his considerable experience in state politics," he said. "He's one of the few Greens that can say they've had ministerial experience." Topics: greens, government-and-politics, immigration, community-and-society, sarah-hanson-young, australia, tas, nauru First posted

France officially reneged on its sale of Mistral-class amphibious assault ships to Russia last week. This was not surprising, but it was a long time coming: a number of NATO members had been pressuring France to take this step since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis in February. French President François Hollande resisted cancelling the deal after the overthrow of Viktor Yanukovych, resisted after the annexation of Crimea by Russia, resisted after the start of the rebellion in the Donbass, and resisted after the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. But the confluence of the release of explicit evidence of Russia’s involvement in the separatist rebellion and the start of the NATO summit in Wales appears to have been too much. Hollande’s hand was forced. But why did Hollande resist for so long? Lest anyone think otherwise, it was certainly not for strategic reasons. François Hollande is one of the most unpopular leaders the Élysée Palace has ever seen. He came into office with a socialist platform of combating former President Sarkozy’s austerity and fighting Germany’s strict policy of fiscal restraint in Europe. Yet this he did not do—because it was not within his power. France itself has a deficit and debt problem and cannot therefore afford expansionist EU monetary policies. Hollande not being the most charismatic of leaders, coupled with his failure to produce an alternative to austerity, has cost him the support of French citizens left and right. Advertisement His determination to retain the Mistral contract with Russia, far from being motivated by some form of strategic statesmanship, was an attempt to ingratiate himself with a traditionally left-wing electorate: workers in the shipping industry. But this too has apparently failed, and now the question is who will foot the 1.2 billion euros ($1.6 billion) bill for the ships. Add crews, helicopters, and maintenance, and the total burden of being stuck with the ships will rise two- or threefold. This has undercut the possibility of NATO or the EU purchasing the ships from France and putting them to “collective use,” as has the fact that NATO does not have any shortage of amphibious assault ships to begin with—the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and the U.S. have plenty—and the states most likely to operate such vessels are all strapped for cash and coming out of severe economic crises. So how does the suspended sale affect Russia, the object of NATO’s concerns? This is certainly not good news for Russia since the strengthening of its amphibious military capability has been postponed for years. Russia inherited a number of amphibious forces from the USSR, but these are old, and the Soviets never really specialized in this area. Russia is first and foremost a continental power; its naval investments were mostly designed for interdiction of enemy assets rather than power projection. It was this handicap that led Moscow to look abroad for some aspects of its naval modernization program. The contract with France called for the construction of two Mistral-class ships in France and two more to be built in Russia with French expertise and technology. Yet suspension of the deal can at best be called a nuisance for Russia. Its money will now have to be repaid in full by France, with interest; much of the technology sharing has already occurred; and Russia can easily team up with countries such as China or India to build its own model of amphibious warship, probably at a significantly lower price. Who comes out ahead from France’s change of course? NATO has the biggest, most powerful navy on the planet and is preparing to designate Russia as a competitor for the foreseeable future. What benefit two redundant ships will have when what NATO’s eastern European allies are seeking is land and aerial commitments is anyone’s guess. For Hollande, this will solidify the alienation of France’s proletariat from the centrist parties. Marine le Pen has made great inroads with this electorate, and the Front National is publicly opposed to the government’s stance on Ukraine and confrontation with Russia. The strategic benefits of scotching this deal with Russia are minimal, and the political costs are real. The episode is another illustration of how counterproductive NATO’s actions are becoming. The current policy towards Russia is the fruit of two structural tendencies: short-term thinking in the West and Russophobia in central and eastern Europe. Western democracies’ governments operate with about a four-year shelf life, and unpopular policies that would involve confronting the sentiments of the masses or the proclivities of liberal cosmopolitan elites simply cannot be fathomed. Because of this dynamic, NATO was enlarged to include the small and easy to integrate former members of the Warsaw Pact. As a result, NATO gained a severely Russophobic voting bloc which, coupled with short-termist ambivalence from the Atlantic powers, tilted the scales of public opinion and decision-makers in astrategic directions. Also worthy of mention is the influence of elites with transnational values who see constructs like the EU or NATO not as instruments of national interest but as ends in themselves. In the days of the Cold War, France and other Alliance members would collaborate on defense against the USSR but pursue divergent foreign policies when it suited their interests. Since 1989, there has been a tendency to force foreign policies to harmonize, even when it makes little sense for them to do so. There is still the possibility that France’s decision may turn out to be a postponement rather than a cancellation. Regardless, France and the West have definitively added to their list of woes. As with many European policies, the hot potato will be passed to the next generation. Miguel Nunes Silva is an analyst for the geostrategy consultancy Wikistrat, a member of CIMSEC the Center for International Maritime Security, and lectures at the Portuguese Atlantic Youth Association.

NEW YORK, April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show and Bridgestone Corporation, the Porsche 911 GT3 was declared the 2014 World Performance Car. This is the third consecutive year that Porsche has won the prestigious World Performance Car title and the fourth overall. The Porsche Boxster / Cayman won last year's award, the 911 won the award in 2012, and the Cayman was the recipient of the inaugural World Performance Car award in 2006. This year's winner was chosen from an initial entry list of twenty-six new cars from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists: the winner as well as the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the Ferrari 458 Speciale. "To be chosen as the winner of the World Performance Car by this global jury is extremely rewarding," said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. "Each generation of the 911 GT3 epitomizes our vision of the ultimate pure bred, track ready sports car. And our newest iteration is no exception. To be elected against such formidable competitors by a large number of auto experts pays a huge compliment to our designers and engineers." The World Car jurors observed that, "Essentially race-engineered cars are Porsche's original bread and butter. The latest 911 GT3 is 100 percent at home on any track, with surprising buckets of fine balance and handling prowess even with the engine theoretically in the "wrong" place. Heavy aero work, the stripping down of the car's weight, and 469 horsepower from the 3.8-liter flat-six engine, all help with lap times and launch time." Candidates for the World Performance Car award must demonstrate a specific and overt sports/performance orientation while satisfying the same availability criteria as for the overall World Car of the Year award. Candidates may be chosen from the World Car of the Year list of eligible vehicles, or they may be newly introduced variants that satisfy the same criteria, but are derived from existing rather than brand-new models. In all cases, they must have a minimum annual production rate of five-hundred (500) vehicles. Previous World Performance Car winners were the Porsche Boxster/Cayman in 2013, the Porsche 911 in 2012, the Ferrari 458 Italia in 2011, the Audi R8 V10 in 2010, the Nissan GT-R in 2009, the Audi R8 in 2008, the Audi RS4 in 2007 and the Porsche Cayman S in 2006. Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of sixty-nine top-level automotive journalists from twenty-two (22) countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. About the World Car Awards Now in their tenth year, the annual World Car Awards are now the number one awards program in the world based on Prime Research's 2013 report. The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs. The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. Peter Lyon (Japan) and Matt Davis (Italy) are the co-chairs; Jens Meiners (Germany), Mike Rutherford (U.K.), Eddie Alterman (USA), and Gerry Malloy (Canada) are the directors. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise. PHOTOS from today's press conference are available for download on our web site at www.wcoty.com > Award Photos. About PRIME RESEARCH PRIME Research International, a global leader in strategic communication research and consultancy, has joined forces with the World Car Awards to provide strategic studies in the fields of automotive assessment criteria and automotive awards. PRIME Research is a well-trusted research partner for the automotive industry with a broad range of automotive clients. PRIME Research sets the standard in automotive media research by providing strategic benchmark information and SWOT analyses on over 100 brands and over 10,000 different automobile models. About BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world. About the 2014 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) Showcasing the latest automotive trends, the 114-year old New York International Auto Show will unveil an extensive collection of the most technologically advanced vehicles on display anywhere in the world. The OICA-sanctioned event is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association. Important Show Information: Press Days: April 16 & 17, Public Show Dates: April 18 – 27 Show Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sundays: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. www.autoshowNY.com; Twitter: #NYIAS @NYautoshow; Facebook: Like us, we like you! Mobile: Download our iPhone app; on iTunes for Show info on the go For a list of past World Car Awards winners, please visit our web site: www.wcoty.com SOURCE World Car Awards

25 July 2016, 09:56 RFU and PRL agree eight-year partnership Partnership worth over £200m The Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) have agreed a progressive new partnership for the next eight years (July 2024). The ground-breaking agreement for club and country will see Premiership clubs benefit from the successful financial performance of England Rugby for the first time, as PRL and the RFU have agreed an appropriate share of rugby revenues as a basis for the investment over the life of the deal. This will enable both the RFU and the clubs to continue to grow together on and off the pitch, and to ensure all parties work together to make the domestic game and England international teams stronger in the future. PARTNERSHIP IS WORTH OVER £200M The partnership is worth over £200 million, with the first four-year payment fixed at £112 million. The second four-year payment could potentially be higher than £112 million subject to financial performance under the rugby revenue share partnership approach. The funding model for the clubs is based on the English Qualified Player (EQP) threshold being met, the Elite Player Squads (EPS) and standards for club academies being achieved. The Professional Game Agreement will see the England Elite Player Squad (EPS) increase from 33 to 45 players and greater flexibility during core international periods so 36 players can be selected for the camp instead of 33. The England Head Coach will now also be able to make the final selection of 45 squad members in the first week of October. A reduced number of 20 players will be selected as part of a Next EPS squad for training camps and possible Saxon fixtures. WELFARE REMAINS A PRIORITY An England two-day training camp will continue to take place ahead of the start of the Aviva Premiership season in August, plus an additional two-day camp in the beginning of October before the Old Mutual Wealth Series. There will also now be an additional camp prior to the RBS 6 Nations in the first week in January. No players will be released back to clubs in the preparation week, two weeks before the first match of the Old Mutual Wealth Series and RBS 6 Nations, which means they will miss one ‘club’ weekend. Welfare remains an important priority. The England players involved in the Old Mutual Wealth Series in November who pass a threshold of minutes played in a match will have a mandatory one weekend rest period over Christmas and those who play throughout the RBS 6 Nations will also have one weekend off in the four weeks following the competition. 10-WEEK OFF SEASON As part of a regular season England players will continue to have, as a minimum, a 10 week off-season in the summer for rest and preparation prior to the first weekend of the Premiership Rugby season. On average last season, players involved in the England senior side played an equivalent of just over 23 matches, well under the maximum limit of 32. The announcement follows on from a new five-year funding deal between the RFU, Rugby Players Association and PRL last season which sees a minimum of £7m injected into the RPA welfare, personal development and education programmes to support 650 current and over 350 former RPA members. FUNDING OF ACADEMIES The new agreement will include increased funding of academies, and new academy licences have been awarded to 14 professional clubs. This will build on the success of the England Rugby academy system and will see increased investment directed to develop players of the highest quality for clubs and the national team. The recent successes of the England U20s side, winning three World Rugby U20 Championship titles in the last four years, highlights the partnership between the RFU and clubs in producing thriving academies. The Greene King IPA Championship will continue to have play-off finals in the 2016/17 season. However the format will be negotiated between the Championship clubs, RFU and PRL for the following season and beyond as to whether there is a play-off system to decide promotion. Premiership Rugby will now manage and sell the commercial rights of the Anglo Welsh Cup from the beginning of this season while the RFU will continue to regulate the competition. MULTI-MILLION POUND COMMUNITY GAME The new partnership will not affect the level of investment the RFU puts into the community game. Last year saw record levels being invested into grassroots rugby in England, across a multitude of areas. The RFU and Premiership Rugby will also commit to a multi-million pound community programme. Ian Ritchie, RFU Chief Executive said: “This is a true partnership focused on making English rugby the best in the world for club and country. A strong partnership between the RFU and the PRL is critical if we are to grow professional rugby across the country for the benefit of the players, fans and the game. “This is a true partnership focused on making English rugby the best in the world for club and country" “Player welfare, as ever, is a priority for us all, and so further rest periods have been built into the season. The RFU is focused on investing in Premiership clubs, to ensure they are sustainable, thriving businesses, which will develop players for the national game. “We look forward to working with Premiership Rugby over the next eight years to promote and support rugby in England.” AN EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP Mark McCafferty Premiership Rugby Chief Executive Officer said: "Success for England and the clubs depends on an effective partnership between the RFU and Premiership Rugby on many levels. "We've seen that emerge from the last few years of the previous agreement and this new one is capable of setting the platform for a period of sustained success for both club and country, as we look to build on the strong finish to last season. "The next year will also be very important in working together to secure the necessary improvements to the global season structure. “The significantly increased monies to the Premiership clubs, alongside their own increased TV and commercial revenues, will ensure that Aviva Premiership Rugby continues to go from strength-to-strength based on world-class England Qualified Players (EQPs) and a very strong academy pipeline of talent. In addition, this is intended to underpin further European success."

When I was a kid, whenever I told out-of-towners I was from New York, their eyes would light up and they'd say, "That's so cool! Do you go to Central Perk all the time?" It was then my sad duty to inform them that though their beloved TV show Friends took place in New York, it was actually filmed on the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles, which is the true home of Central Perk, as well as the fountain in which the characters frolic during the opening credits. Indeed, the NYC that Friends creates is mostly fictional, and not just because they keep leaving babies alone in unlocked apartments and there are only a handful of people of color. But even though the street scenes look like nothing you'd actually find in the Village, there are still some moments in the show that speak truths about the city. Below, we've compiled some of our favorites. "PIVOT." When Ross buys a couch in the Season 5 episode "The One With The Cop," he makes a typical walk-up resident's mistake—he refuses to pay extra for delivery. The fact is, getting a couch up or down a narrow stairwell never works out, unless you are a trained professional who can magically manipulate furniture. Ross learns his lesson the hard way, of course, but his mistake meant one of the best moments in Friends history: PIVOT. "YEAH, WE HAVE RAT BABIES NOW." There exists an odd bond between a New Yorker and their pest infestation, one explored accordingly in the Season 9 episode "The One With Phoebe's Rats." When Phoebe accidentally kills Bob, the low-fat Triscuit eating rat that lives in her cupboard, she feels compelled to raise Bob's tiny babies. This does not go over well with the rest of the crew, and even her boyfriend Mike (Paul Rudd), who is a good sport, finally convinces her to give the rat babies up. I once named all the cockroaches who lived in my closet so I'd be less afraid of them when they jumped out and surprised me. I feel your pain, Phoebes. "SO THIS IS BROOKLYN?" Obviously Brooklyn is its own monster now, but back in the Friends era, it wasn't the same Soho extension it is today—I recently found a 1998 NY Mag issue whose listings only included two Brooklyn restaurants. Times, they change, and in the Season 7 episode "The One With The Cheap Wedding Dress," Brooklyn is merely a place to fight over discount clothing at a Loehman's knockoff. Indeed, I remember going to Borough Park with my mother to get cheap shoes for my bat mitzvah around the time this episode came out, so I think this holds up. WHEN CHANDLER PLAYS TOURIST I am a native New Yorker and I have never been to the Statue of Liberty, a fact I am so proud of I brag about it in my Gothamist staff bio. [Editor's note: The Statue of Liberty is actually a wonderful symbol of hope, and we highly recommend humbling yourself by visiting this goddess of freedom.] The mark of a true New Yorker is a deep aversion to tourist spots, as exhibited by Chandler in the Season 10 episode: "The One Where Joey Speaks French." Of course, as Chandler ends up discovering, some tourist spots are pretty cool (though they could do with fewer tourists). BLACKOUT Blackouts in NYC can be dangerous—when they happen during the summer it can be hard to stay cool, for instance; if you're not at home when the lights go out, it can be pretty difficult to get there, and as we saw in 1977, there was always the threat of an uptick in crime. On the other hand, when you're young in a blackout or snowstorm or hurricane, getting trapped somewhere with your friends is a good excuse to get drunk and hook up with people you shouldn't, which is more or less what happens in the Season One episode: "The One With The Blackout." NYC NEIGHBORS Everyone in New York either has a bad neighbor or is a bad neighbor, or both. I once lived next to an electronica band whose preferred practice time was 4 a.m., I currently live below someone who wouldn't turn off her leaking radiator so it tore open my ceiling, and in my first apartment I threw loud parties that drove my neighbors crazy. There's always something. In the Friends universe, there's Mr. Heckles, who complains incessantly about Monica and Rachel making noise—though in an unusual twist, he's the upstairs neighbor, and usually the upstairs neighbor is the worst. THE NEW ROOMMATE Letting a stranger move into your apartment is a real gamble—I'd tell you my Craigslist roommate horror story but I'm still afraid they'll somehow find me and leave a horse head in my bed. When Joey moves out in Season 2, Chandler replaces him with Eddie, who he had the misfortune of meeting at the supermarket. It's not a great match. Not only does Eddie not share his passion for Baywatch, but he steals the insoles from Chandler's shoes, watches him when he sleeps, and refuses to move out when Chandler confronts him. Eddie is every terrible roommate, though in a way, we are all Eddie sometimes. THE NYC SUBWAY CAMEO One of the weirdest things about Friends' New York is that they don't appear to take public transportation (this also bugs me about Sex and the City). But in the Season One episode "The One Where Underdog Gets Away," we get treated to a rare shot of a '90s subway station, or at least a Warner Bros. recreation of one, thanks to Joey's very unfortunate VD ad. Bonus points for all the extra external NYC shots once that ad becomes ubiquitous—it might ruin Joey's dating life for a bit, but it's fun for the rest of us to revisit Times Square before the M&M store moved in. THE NYC BUS CAMEO In Season 2, we got another glimpse of NYC's public transit system when Chandler and Joey leave baby Ben on a bus while attempting to pick up some women. Not only is this clip a good opportunity to see Warner Bros.' rendition of 23rd Street, it's also a reminder of how terribly homophobic (and sexist!) Friends is. THAT APARTMENT There's been a lot of fuss about how unrealistic Monica's apartment is, both because of its sheer size and the layout. The show repeatedly tried to explain that Monica managed to afford that beast of a place because she was living on her grandmother's rent-controlled lease, and though I still don't buy it, in the Season 4 episode "The One With The Ballroom Dancing," they do address a realistic apartment issue in this town—not pissing off the landlord/super when you're trying to hang onto your under-the-market home. Note that this plot was basically recycled in New Girl, but with less homophobia. ROSS'S APARTMENT SEARCH On the other end of the real estate spectrum, in the Season 5 episode "The One Where Ross Moves In," Joey and Chandler try to push Ross to move into a tiny studio so he'll stop crashing at their place. The studio is marketed as harrowing, but it's actually the most realistic apartment on that show, plus a kitchen and bathroom is nothing to sneer at. ROSS GOES TO AVE A There is nothing more anxiety-inducing than attempting to get from one side of the city to the other in some limited timeframe, and in the Season 8 episode "The One Where Joey Dates Rachel," Ross has to get from an NYU class in Greenwich Village to one on Avenue A in 10 minutes. It's pretty good. The sprint is real. OOPS, WRONG AIRPORT My mother once told me a story about my grandfather nearly missing a flight after he went to Newark instead of JFK, and ever since then I've triple-checked my ticket to make sure I'm not heading to the wrong airport (and I have definitely confused LaGuardia and JFK). So it's fairly fitting that Ross goes to JFK to chase down Rachel in "The Last One," when Rachel's actually leaving from Newark—indeed, he's fulfilling a very legitimate fear harbored by New Yorkers. Of course, the sad, drab terminal Rachel's flying out of would be more realistic if it were at LaGuardia. And finally... EXTREMELY UNREALISTIC SKYLINE Technically this Season 7 moment is not a great NYC one, with a very obvious, phoned-in NYC in the background. Almost looks like one of those NYC skyline shower curtains!

Lightning strikes the right hand of the statue Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Jan. 16, 2014. Credit: ANTONIO LACERDA/EPA A vicious lightning strike from the heavens hurt Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue during an electrical storm on Thursday night. The 125-foot-tall figure that presides over the Brazilian city had its right thumb damaged when a lightning bolt struck its outstretched hand. Father Omar, of The Archdiocese of Rio, who manages the shrine that holds the statue, said that the icon, which sits atop the 2000-foot Corcovado mountain, is frequently hit by lightning during storms. The middle finger of the right hand was also chipped by lightning last month. A lightning rod and other equipment designed "to protect the image," aren't always failproof, the priest told the Globo radio station. "They say lightning does not strike the same spot twice. But with the Christ it does," the priest said. "I have already endured the situation of being at the Christ at a time of rain and a lot of lightning, and it is scary. But we have a plan to quickly take all visitors away from there," Omar said. Earlier in the month the statue received media attention after the only train to the top of the mountain broke down due to an unidentified mechanical failure. More than 100 people were left stranded at night for more than 2 hours at the tourist attraction before officials sent vans and a second train to bring the visitors down. The statue, erected in 1931, is set to be refurbished next month, during which time the broken finger and other damage will be fixed using the church's stockpile of the same stone used to build the statue, Omar said. In 2010 the statue received a $4 million renovation repair parts of its face and hands that had been badly eroded. The AP contributed to this report.

The Typewriter: An Innovation in Writing The typewriter is one of the great inventions of the modern world. A marvel of industrial engineering and ingenuity, it revolutionized communication and was an essential tool for countless writers. To comprehend the typewriter’s impact, consider a world where typing did not exist and handwriting was the main form of non-verbal communication. Until refillable fountain pens were introduced in 1884, handwriting was a cumbersome process accomplished with pens dipped in ink. The ease and speed of communication on paper increased dramatically when typewriters became available in the late 1800s. Typewriting was efficient, created clear and legible documents, and easily produced multiple copies using carbon paper. During the early 1900s, offices staffed by typists, bookkeepers, and clerks made the desktop typewriter indispensable. Inventions such as the telephone, telegraph, and railroad allowed business and manufacturing to grow exponentially, and extensive office organization was required to keep pace. Countless agencies worldwide created professional offices based on principles of scientific management. Daily tasks were clearly defined for each employee, and working structures mirrored arrangements between foremen and workers on factory floors, with office personnel organized by hierarchies and job specialization. From local repair shops to international corporations, offices of all sizes employed typists trained in touch-typing techniques based on keyboard memorization. The largest typing pools, staffed by legions of women entering the workforce for the first time, offered low wages for monotonous work in expansive, factory-like rooms. As businesses reorganized into smaller, specialized departments, typing environments improved. Secretaries played an instrumental role in this modern office system. Often trained as entry-level typists, they were promoted through the ranks to draft letters, take dictation, and work in liaison with managers and staff. Although it has fallen out of widespread use, typewriter technology remains foundational in digital devices such as the computer, smart phone, and tablet. Modern typing is translated directly from typewriting, with the keyboard layout of most digital devices rooted in typewriter development. Nicknamed “QWERTY” for the first six letters at the top-left of the keyboard, this layout was not developed to promote efficient typing or for ergonomic reasons. In 1873, QWERTY was introduced to alleviate clashing and jamming of type-bars on the Type Writer, the first commercially produced writing machine with a four-row keyboard. In recent years, a renewed interest in typewriting has brought many of these classic machines back into focus. While some writers never left their trusty Royal desktops and Olympia portables, other enthusiasts have discovered the typewriter as a creative outlet in an era defined by endless streams of information. Unlike computers, typewriters translate ideas directly onto paper through an audible rhythm of keys and swinging type-bars. There is no delete function to shroud errors, and a well-edited typescript illustrates a creative process through handwritten notations and corrections typed over in ink. Today, collectors and writers all over the world value the timeless aesthetics and utility of the typewriter. This exhibition traces a history of typewriter technology and innovation through more than a century of design, from early writing machines to modern portables and Asian typewriters with thousands of characters. Thank you to the following lenders for making this exhibition possible: California Typewriter, Computer History Museum, History San José, Joe Welch American Antique Museum, Mickey McGowan, Thomas S. Mullaney, Timothy S. Mundorff, Museum of American Heritage, Peter Smith, Steve Soboroff, Nick Tauriainen, and Janine Vangool. © 2017 by San Francisco Airport Commission. All rights reserved.

ROSLINDALE (CBS) – A 26-year-old man shot and killed by officers in Boston Tuesday morning was under investigation for threats against law enforcement, CBS News reports. A law enforcement source told CBS News that the investigation is consistent with the threat stream being tracked by the FBI that ISIS is urging attacks against law enforcement and military personnel by any means available. I-Team: Targeting Homegrown Radicals The Federal Law Enforcement source says Usaamah Rahim, of Roslindale, had been on investigators’ radar for several months and recently became radicalized and inspired by ISIS’ online propaganda. According to the source, Rahim “started to act differently” on Tuesday. Investigators did not have an arrest warrant but wanted to question him. The source says Rahim was about to get on a bus, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force wanted to prevent that from happening. Video from a nearby restaurant showed the confrontation. Earlier Tuesday, officials said the investigation into Rahim was “terrorist-related.” Officials said there’s no current threat to the public, but another man was arrested in Everett and a home in Warwick, Rhode Island was searched in connection with the investigation. Boston Police commissioner Bill Evans told reporters Boston police and the FBI were watching the man around 7 a.m. near the CVS in the Stony Brook Plaza on Washington Street when they confronted him to speak with him. RAW VIDEO: Police, FBI News Conference Evans said law enforcement officials did not have their guns drawn when they approached Rahim. At that point, Evans said, Rahim pulled out a “military-style knife,” and officers believed their lives were in danger. Evans said officers gave Rahim several commands to put the knife down and when he came closer to them, both Boston Police and an FBI agent fired their weapons. Jennifer Wicks, the Litigation Director for the Council on American Islamic Relations says, “Our organization is concerned about what happened and what led to the death of this man.” Surveillance video apparently shows officers backing away from Rahim, who was holding the knife, Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley told reporters Tuesday. Boston Police say they will show the surveillance video of the shooting to the Boston Islamic Society on Wednesday. A witness told WBZ-TV at least three shots were heard. Officials said Rahim was shot twice. He was rushed to Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he died. Conley said the shooting is under investigation. Related: Rahim’s Brother Tells Different Story “At that time he was considered to be armed and dangerous,” Vincent Lisi, FBI special agent in charge said at a press conference Tuesday. According to investigators, Rahim had been under 24-hour surveillance by the joint terrorism task force for the last several weeks. Evans did not elaborate on why Rahim was being watched. No law enforcement officers were hurt in the shooting and their names were not released. EVERETT INVESTIGATION Investigators arrived at a triple-decker building on Linden Street in Everett Tuesday morning. About 10 hours later, a man, later identified as David Wright, was taken out of the house and arrested by State Police and Boston Police. Wright is expected to appear in U.S. District Court in South Boston on Wednesday, but specific charges have not been released yet. WBZ-TV’s Jim Armstrong reports Boston Police say the arrest is connected to the investigation in Roslindale. Neighbors say they never noticed anything strange about the building. WARWICK, RI INVESTIGATION Shortly after the shooting in Boston, federal agents with the support of RI State Police showed up at a home on Aspinet Drive in Warwick. Neighbors say officers went into the home with their weapons drawn, but no shots were fired. WBZ-TV’s Bill Shields Reports Neighbors say a man in his late 20’s has lived in the house for quite some time. According to neighbors, the man recently grew a beard, and started wearing robes and acting strange. It is unclear if anyone was taken into custody at the home. WPRI reports that the investigation at the home in Warwick’s Gaspee Point neighborhood is connected to the anti-terror investigation. ED DAVIS REACTION WBZ Security Analyst Ed Davis says the situation is troubling. “We hear these things coming out of the Middle East all the time but to have something so close to our homes manifest itself like this is certainly concerning,” Davis said. Davis, who was Boston Police Commissioner during the marathon bombings, says police must know a lot more than they are telling the public. Watch: Ed Davis On Terror Probe “I know personally that you don’t put this kind of 24 hour, seven day a week surveillance on people unless you have a significant worry and a significant amount of information that they’re up to something dangerous so everything would indicate that this is an unfolding plot,” Davis said. “This has all the classic indications of rolling up a terrorist plot and a cell that has gone active.” WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Karen Twomey reports

The indictment charged that the DMN conspirators used organized- crime ties to ''instill fear in brokers and other market participants who did business with the enterprise.'' Prosecutors charged that members of the conspiracy used beatings and threats to ensure that brokers and stock promoters followed through on promises to cooperate with the fraud in exchange for bribes. ''No matter what market the mob tried to infiltrate, from the fish market to the stock market, the methods it uses are always the same: violence and the threat of violence,'' said Barry W. Mawn, assistant director in charge of the New York F.B.I. office. Prosecutors estimated that the fraud cost investors about $50 million, though they said millions of dollars more would have been lost if the investigation had not stopped a number of frauds before they could come to fruition. The prosecutors estimated that about $25 million of the losses was tied to organized- crime members or associates. Prosecutors charged that the defendants involved with DMN used a twist that has long been a feature of organized crime: bribing union officials to allow them to use large union funds for the scheme. They charged that the treasurer of the Detectives Endowment Association of New York agreed to use his influence to invest union money in a fraudulent investment. Prosecutors said the official, Stephen E. Gardell, who recently retired, had agreed to accept kickbacks in exchange for his participation. Detective Gardell, 52, is also accused of using his police contacts to provide confidential information to organized-crime members. Federal prosecutors said that he had passed along confidential information about continuing investigations, influenced a city police investigation into one of the conspirators, assisted in obtaining firearms permits for organized- crime members and provided law enforcement parking permits to organized-crime members. In return, they said, Detective Gardell received cash and property including money for a new pool at his house, rooms and meals at casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and a fur coat. Prosecutors said the scheme to use the detectives union money was never carried out and the union never lost any money. Yesterday afternoon, Detective Thomas J. Scotto, the union president, said that Detective Gardell never approached the union's officers about investing union money in any companies named in the charges. He said the union, which only invests in large, established companies, would have rejected the suggestion if it had been made. Detective Gardell's lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said yesterday that his client maintained his innocence. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to divert money from the detectives' retirement fund and from another union pension fund to Husic Capital Management, a San Francisco investment firm that manages $4.5 billion for big companies and pension funds. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content , updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. The indictment charged that the chief investment officer of Husic, William Stephens, then planned to use some of the money to buy stock from a company that would kick back 20 percent of the money to the defendants. By skimming from the members' retirement savings, the defendants could reap millions of dollars in illegal profits, the indictment said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story By using Husic as an intermediary, the defendants hoped to conceal the skimming, said Richard Walker, enforcement director for the Securities and Exchange Commission. ''This is a very important case from our point of view,'' he added. A Husic spokeswoman, Abigail Baker, said the company would cooperate with law enforcement officials and had suspended Mr. Stephens when it learned of his indictment. ''The firm as a whole is completely shocked,'' Ms. Baker said. At 6 a.m. yesterday, more than 600 F.B.I. agents began rounding up nearly 100 defendants throughout the city and as far away as Texas, Utah and California. Investigators coordinating their efforts through New York charged 120 people in 16 indictments and 7 criminal complaints. Prosecutors said that 10 of the people charged yesterday were reputed members or associates of organized crime. They said it was the largest number of people ever arrested at one time on stock fraud charges and one of the largest groups ever arrested by the federal government. In the last several years, a string of criminal cases has uncovered organized crime's involvement in the stock market, particularly in dealing with securities known as microcap stocks, issued by small, little-known companies. In one 1997 case, organized-crime figures were charged with bribing brokers to fraudulently inflate the value of certain stocks. Earlier this year, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn charged 19 people with stock fraud, including men they said were members of Russian organized crime and a high-ranking member of the Bonanno organized- crime family. Federal investigators said, however, that while these cases were a serious blow to organized crime's efforts to infiltrate the stock market, criminal activity was not anywhere near a common presence in the financial world. ''Today's actions are not an indication that the tentacles of organized crime have reached anywhere beyond the seamy underbelly of the microcap market,'' Mr. Walker of the S.E.C. said. He said the bull market of the last 10 years has lured more sophisticated criminals as it has lulled less-sophisticated investors into a false sense of security. Prosecutors said they had charged members of each of New York's five organized-crime families in yesterday's case, though they said the fraud was coordinated by the Colombo and Bonanno families. In addition to using informants and undercover officers posing as willing participants, prosecutors said federal agents managed to install an eavesdropping device in the office of DMN. Between December 1999 and May 4, agents recorded over 1,000 hours of conversation. Prosecutors charged that the members of the DMN operation infiltrated corrupt brokers into several New York area brokerage firms. They said that the members of the conspiracy then used a variety of tactics, like creating phony stock sales and secretly bribing brokers to sell stock to increase its value. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Ms. White, the United States attorney, said the inquiry was continuing and more arrests were expected.

Written in Coptic (an Egyptian language), the Gospel of Jesus's Wife, if authentic, suggests that some people in ancient times believed Jesus was married, apparently to Mary Magdalene. The truth may be finally emerging about the "Gospel of Jesus's Wife," a highly controversial papyrus suggesting that some people, in ancient times, believed Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. New research on the papyrus' ink points to the possibility that it is authentic, researchers say, while newly obtained documents may shed light on the origins of the business-card-sized fragment. Debate about the credibility of the "gospel" began as soon as Harvard University professor Karen King reported her discovery of the papyrus in September 2012. Written in Coptic (an Egyptian language), the papyrus fragment contains a translated line that reads, "Jesus said to them, 'My wife …'" and also refers to a "Mary," possibly Mary Magdalene. King had tentatively dated the papyrus to the fourth century, saying it may be a copy of a gospel written in the second century in Greek. [Read Translation of Gospel of Jesus's Wife Papyrus] Analysis of the papyrus, detailed last year in the Harvard Theological Review journal, suggested the papyrus dates back around 1,200 years (somewhere between the sixth and ninth centuries) while the ink is of a type that could have been created at that time. These findings have led King to support the text's authenticity. However over the past year many scholars have come to the conclusion that the papyrus is a modern-day forgery, though King and a few other researchers say they are not ready to concede this: "At this point, when discussions and research are ongoing, I think it is important, however difficult, to stay open regarding the possible dates of the inscription and other matters of interpretation," wrote King in a letter recently published in the magazine Biblical Archaeological Review. King has not responded to several interview requests from Live Science. Now, researchers at Columbia University are running new tests on the ink used on the papyrus. Initial tests published by the Columbia University team in 2014 indicated the ink could have been made in ancient times. Researchers are saying little until their report is published; however they did talk about one finding that could provide some support for its authenticity. A gospel steeped in mystery The current owner of the papyrus has insisted on remaining anonymous, claiming that he bought the Gospel of Jesus's Wife, along with other Coptic texts, in 1999 from a man named Hans-Ulrich Laukamp. This person, in turn, got it from Potsdam, in what was East Germany, in 1963, the owner said. Laukamp died in 2002, and the claim that he owned the text has been strongly disputed: Rene Ernest, the man whom Laukamp and his wife Helga charged with representing their estate, said that Laukamp had no interest in antiquities, did not collect them and was living in West Berlin in 1963. Therefore, he couldn't have crossed the Berlin Wall into Potsdam. Axel Herzsprung, a business partner of Laukamp's, similarly said that Laukamp never had an interest in antiquities and never owned a papyrus. Laukamp has no children or living relatives who could verify these claims. [6 Archaeological Forgeries That Tried to Change History] Over the past few months, new documents have been found that not only reconstruct Laukamp's life in greater detail, but also provide a new way to check the anonymous owner's story. King reported in a 2014 Harvard Theological Review article that the anonymous owner "provided me with a photocopy of a contract for the sale of '6 Coptic papyrus fragments, one believed to be a Gospel' from Hans-Ulrich Laukamp, dated Nov. 12, 1999, and signed by both parties." King also notes that "a handwritten comment on the contract states, 'Seller surrenders photocopies of correspondence in German. Papyri were acquired in 1963 by the seller in Potsdam (East Germany).'" After searching public databases in Florida a Live Science reporter uncovered seven signatures signed by Laukamp between 1997 and 2001 on five notarized documents. Anyone can search these databases and download these documents. These signatures can be compared with the signature recording the sale of the Gospel of Jesus's Wife — providing another way to verify or disprove the story of how the "gospel" made its way to Harvard. While Harvard University would have to work with forensic handwriting experts to verify the signature, the fact that these notarized documents exist, and are publicly available, presents the opportunity to see if Laukamp really did own the Gospel of Jesus's Wife. Forensic handwriting analysis, while not always conclusive, has been used to determine if signatures made on documents or works of art are authentic or forged.

Argentina’s Unidad de Información Financiera (UIF) has ordered financial services companies within the country to report all transactions involving digital currency. The UIF document, which outlines amendments to previous regulations, cites the threat of money laundering and criminal financing. It suggests that the UIF will act as a conduit for information enabling greater oversight of bitcoin and other “virtual coins”. The UIF is Argentina’s chief anti-money laundering agency. The announcement, dated 4th July, comes more than a month after Argentina’s central bank issued a warning to businesses seeking to use digital currencies. In that release, the BCRA cautioned that “there is no consensus on the nature of these assets”. Other financial regulators in Latin America have adopted similar stances. A translation of the UIF resolution reads: “Virtual currencies are often traded remotely online. The movement of assets, and that entities from different countries can participate in the same jurisdictions that do not have controls to prevent money laundering and financing of terrorism, make it difficult for regulated entities to detect suspicious transactions.” Financial institutions in Argentina are required to file monthly digital currency reports with the UIF. The purpose, the agency said, is to prevent criminal funds from moving outside of the country’s regulatory framework. Digital currency vs electric money As outlined in the document, the UIF draws a distinction between digital currency and electric money. The latter, the document reads, is meant to represent fiat currencies in an online format whereas bitcoin and other digital currencies fall outside of that definition. Whereas electric monies are considered well-regulated, Argentina’s money regulators suggest that digital currencies risk promoting financial fraud or criminal funding. The amendments serve to push companies in the Argentine financial system to track and catalog transactions made using digital currencies. “The regulated entities…must pay particular attention to the risk involving transactions with virtual currencies and establish enhanced monitoring on these operations.” The rules take effect in August, according to the document. Sign of regulatory tightening At least one member of Argentina’s bitcoin communiy sees the UIF action as bad sign for bitcoin. Carlos Guberman, a researcher at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa who specializes in digital currencies, told CoinDesk that the move reflects the continued restrictive nature of national money regulators in regards to digital currency. He said: “I think the decision of Argentinean authorities regarding virtual currency reports as suspicious of money laundering are a bad thing. It is somehow weird that at the very same time that there is in place a law for exteriorizing dollar holding of Argentinians, the UIF comes out with a measure like this that is clearly penalizing virtual currencies.” Guberman added that he believes many bitcoin transactions currently take place in dark pools and off-the-grid markets. As a result, he doesn’t foresee these regulations having an impact on those activities in the near future. Tough environment for bitcoin The UIF oversight order is yet another development from a Latin American financial or monetary regulator that cites the threat of money laundering, criminal activity and terrorist financing in relation to digital currency. In June, Bolivia’s central bank, El Banco Central de Bolivia, announced that it was instituting a ban on bitcoin. At the time, it cited risks to investors and consumers when it deemed the use of the digital currency illegal. Colombia’s central bank said in April that bitcoin is not a legal currency, adding that it was conducting research into the kinds of dangers cited by the UIF and other government agencies around the globe. However, Colombia has stopped short of declaring bitcoin illegal. Despite these regulatory challenges, bitcoin businesses in Latin America continue to grow and develop. Earlier this month, Uruguay-headquartered bitcoin startup Moneero opened its debut wallet service to beta testers after operating under the radar. As well, the region’s first Ripple gateway opened in June, bringing the payment network to seven local markets including Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Tanaya Macheel contributed reporting Image via Shutterstock

Criminals infected 70 percent of storage devices tied to closed-circuit TVs in Washington DC eight days before the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The ransomware infection downed 123 of its 187 network video recorders, each controlling up to four CCTVs, and forced the city to wipe its affected IT systems which it says did not include deeper componentry of the Washington DC network. Public space cameras were out of action between 12 and 15 January. Police eventually noticed four were not recording, The Washington Post reports. Technicians wiped and rebooted the devices across the city and did not pay ransom demands. It is unclear if valuable data was lost or if the encrypted data was decrypted for free, or if the ransomware merely crippled the affected network devices. Victims unable to restore encrypted data with clean back ups need not always pay ransoms; many malware variants have been undone by white hack hackers working under the No More Ransom Alliance, a recent outfit focused on finding and exploiting holes in ransomware that allows free file decryption. That effort unifies a formerly scattered and siloed, but furious effort by malware researchers to waste the exploding number of ransomware forms hitting end users and enterprises. ®

Negotiators at the United Nations climate summit are searching for broad agreement that will lead to a new treaty requiring deeper cuts to each country's greenhouse-gas emissions after 2020, even as Canada struggles to achieve its existing commitments. In an interview from Warsaw on Sunday, Ottawa's climate ambassador Dan McDougall rejected suggestions from critics that Canada has no credibility at the global summit due to its failure to adopt policies that would meet emission-reduction commitments made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the 2009 meeting in Copenhagen. In the run-up to the two-week summit in the Polish capital, both the federal government and the United Nations issued reports that suggest Canada is not on track to meet its commitment to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020. However, over the next few years, countries will be expected to make more ambitious commitments for the post-2020 period as part of a new treaty, which they have agreed to have in place by 2015. Story continues below advertisement "There are a number of countries that still have further work to do and we're well aware of that," Mr. McDougall said Sunday. He said the federal government has implemented some policies as have provinces, and Ottawa remains committed to new regulations for the oil and gas sector that will slow the growth of emissions from sectors such as the oil sands. But critics argue Canada will not meet its 2020 commitments unless the government adopts a far more aggressive stand than it has to date. Ottawa has delivered about $1.2-billion in aid to developing countries to help them address climate issues, and it is working with other nations to make good on a commitment to provide $100-billion (U.S.) in public and private sector funding by 2020 for that effort. "There is a lot of work we're doing on both fronts, both domestically and internationally, so I think we do have a credible voice," Mr. McDougall said. Heading into the summit, the UN's chief climate officer, Christiana Figueres, said it was crucial that countries stop bickering and find common ground to confront the urgent challenge of the warming climate. Governments have agreed to limit the increase to two degrees Celsius, but a UN report said countries are not on track to achieve the emissions reductions needed to meet that goal. Negotiators are not looking for concrete commitments in Warsaw, but rather they will try to achieve common ground on the framework of such a deal. Canada insists that all major emitters – including countries such as China and India – make the same sort of binding commitments, though with differing level of ambition. Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq will attend the second week of the summit. "The issue for Canada is how do we get to a new, more ambitious and effective agreement that is applicable to all, so that we can get real emission reductions that are going to have the desired effect from a global perspective," Mr. McDougall said. The UN reported last week that developing countries have caught up to the developed world in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions since 1850, and that those poorer countries – including China, India, Brazil and South Africa – now account for 60 per cent of annual emissions. Mr. McDouglall said he hopes this will help move the debate away from a focus on historical grievances. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement "There are some countries that continue to hammer away on this whole notion of historical responsibility and I don't think it's a particularly productive track to focus on," he said. "We're only going to solve this if we're all contributing to the maximum that we can."

House Shoots Down Legislation That Would Have Stopped Employers From Demanding Your Facebook Password Well, that didn’t take long. A proposed Facebook user protection amendment introduced yesterday in the U.S. House of Representatives has already been shot down. The legislation, offered by Democratic Congressman Ed Perlmutter, would have added new restrictions to FCC rules that would have prohibited employers from demanding workers’ social networking usernames and passwords. The final vote was 236 to 184, with only one House Republican voting in support of the changes. Had it passed, this amendment would have tacked on an extra section to H.R. 3309, the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2012, basically allowing the FCC to step in to stop any employers who asked applicants for this confidential information. The amendment to the bill was put forward following a series of media reports about this increasingly* common practice, which recently caught the attention of the ACLU, and even Facebook itself. On Friday, Facebook’s Chief Privacy Officer on Policy, Erin Egan, took a hard stance on the matter, reminding employers that not only was this a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, it could also put them in other legally troublesome situations, leading to things like discrimination complaints, for example. When introducing the proposed amendment, Perlmutter explained the problem like so: “People have an expectation of privacy when using social media like Facebook and Twitter. They have an expectation that their right to free speech and religion will be respected when they use social media outlets. No American should have to provide their confidential personal passwords as a condition of employment. Both users of social media and those who correspond share the expectation of privacy in their personal communications. Employers essentially can act as imposters and assume the identity of an employee and continually access, monitor and even manipulate an employee’s personal social activities and opinions. That’s simply a step too far.” The majority of House Democrats agreed, with only two voting against the legislation, which would have added the following paragraph: SEC. 5. PROTECTING THE PASSWORDS OF ONLINE USERS. Nothing in this Act or any amendment made by this Act shall be construed to limit or restrict the ability of the Federal Communications Commission to adopt a rule or to amend an existing rule to protect online privacy, including requirements in such rule that prohibit licensees or regulated entities from mandating that job applicants or employees disclose confidential passwords to social networking web sites. But the measure failed, with Republicans arguing that Democrats’ proposed legislation didn’t help, but they would be willing to work on new legislation in the future. In the meantime, individual states may enact their own legislation, like Minnesota is considering. On the other side of Congress, senators are asking the Justice Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to begin investigations into the matter of employers demanding Facebook passwords. Oh, and, by the way, in case you thought C-SPAN was boring, you’ll get a real kick in watching this. I especially like the part where Rep. Ed Perlmutter refers to it as “the Facebook.” *A report out yesterday by the Hartford Courant indicates that this practice may have not been so widespread after all. The original Associated Press that started the outcry was based on a reporter’s conversation with Reddit users.

Demo To get started, simply install jquery.dynatable.js (along with jQuery), and add the following in the document.ready or after the table: $ ( '#my-table' ). dynatable (); How it works Dynatable does three things: Read / Normalize The HTML table is scanned and normalized into an array of JSON objects (or collection) where each JSON object (or record) corresponds to a row in the table. Operate The JSON collection can be sorted, searched/filtered, and paginated/sliced. Write / Render The results of the Operate step are rendered back to the DOM in the body of the table. This 3-step approach has several advantages: Efficient reading/operating/writing Since the logic and operations occur on the JSON collection, the DOM operations (reading and writing/drawing) are grouped together, making interactions quick and efficient. Operations are simple JavaScript An operation is simply a function that acts on the normalized JSON collection; sorting, filtering, and paginating are straight forward in JavaScript. The built-in functions are easy to augment with your own custom sorting and querying functions. Steps can be customized, swapped or skipped Since the normalization, operation, and rendering modules are separated, each can easily be customized, replaced, or skipped. Already have a JSON API to work with? Skip the Read step. Want to add paginating, filtering, and sorting to a chart? Customize the Render step. Normalization The first module normalizes an HTML table into a JSON collection. Dynatable names the attributes of each record according to the table heading, so that the JSON collection is human-readable and easy to work with. The following table: <table> <thead> <tr> <th> Name </th> <th> Hobby </th> <th> Favorite Music </th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> Fred </td> <td> Roller Skating </td> <td> Disco </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Helen </td> <td> Rock Climbing </td> <td> Alternative </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Glen </td> <td> Traveling </td> <td> Classical </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Results in this JSON collection: [ { "name" : "Fred" , "hobby" : "Roller Skating" , "favoriteMusic" : "Disco" }, { "name" : "Helen" , "hobby" : "Rock Climbing" , "favoriteMusic" : "Alternative" }, { "name" : "Glen" , "hobby" : "Traveling" , "favoriteMusic" : "Classical" } ] Converting attribute names By default, dynatable converts headings to JSON attribute names using: Style Example camelCase (default) favoriteMusic trimDash Favorite-Music dashed favorite-music underscore favorite_music lowercase favorite music $ ( '#my-table' ). dynatable ({ table : { defaultColumnIdStyle : 'trimDash' } }); $ . dynatableSetup ({ table : { defaultColumnIdStyle : 'underscore' } }); PROTIP: When using dynatable in a Rails application, set the global style to underscore , matching the Rails parameter and input field naming conventions. This is useful when getting the JSON data via AJAX from Rails, or when connecting dynatable events with form inputs on the page). We could also define our own column-name transformation function. Consider the following table with these column headings: Name Hobby Favorite Music Fred Roller Skating Disco Helen Rock Climbing Alternative Glen Traveling Classical We can set up our own function for transforming column labels to JSON property names of our desired custom format when we instantiate dynatable on the table above: $('#text-transform-example').bind('dynatable:preinit', function(e, dynatable) { dynatable.utility.textTransform.myNewStyle = function(text) { return text .replace(/\s+/, '_') .replace(/[A-Z]/, function($1){ return $1 + $1 }); }; }).dynatable({ table: { defaultColumnIdStyle: 'myNewStyle' }, features: { paginate: false, search: false, recordCount: false, perPageSelect: false } }); You may edit the code to the left to experiment with different custom text-transform functions. Click the button to the right. Do it! Run Code Click this button to run the code above, populating the box on the left with the resulting JSON collection built by dynatable. Sometimes, we need columns with labels different than the record attribute name. If a column heading contains the data-dynatable-column attribute, the associated record attribute will be named by that value. So this: <table id= "my-final-table" > <thead> <th data-dynatable-column= "name" > Band </th> <th> Hit </th> </thead> <tbody> ... </tbody> </table> Would result in: [ { "name" : ..., "song" : ... }, { "name" : ..., "song" : ... } ] The default behavior makes it easy to make an existing HTML table dynamic. But we're not limited to reading tables. Existing JSON Perhaps we already have our data in JSON format. We can skip the initial record normalization by setting up an empty table for rendering and directly passing our data into dynatable: HTML table to render records: <table id= "my-final-table" > <thead> <th> Band </th> <th> Song </th> </thead> <tbody> </tbody> </table> Of course we could just code the json data directly in our JavaScript on the right, but what's the fun in that? As a bonus, edit the JSON data to the right and watch the data in the table update in real-time. → This is a pre#json-records element: [ { "band": "Weezer", "song": "El Scorcho" }, { "band": "Chevelle", "song": "Family System" } ] var $records = $ ( '#json-records' ), myRecords = JSON . parse ( $records . text ()); $ ( '#my-final-table' ). dynatable ({ dataset : { records : myRecords } }); Band Song JSON from AJAX Or maybe, we want to fetch the data via AJAX: <table id= "my-ajax-table" > <thead> <th> Some Attribute </th> <th> Some Other Attribute </th> </thead> <tbody> </tbody> </table> $ ( '#my-ajax-table' ). dynatable ({ dataset : { ajax : true , ajaxUrl : '/dynatable-ajax.json' , ajaxOnLoad : true , records : [] } }); View AJAX data NOTE: When using AJAX to load data, operations such as sorting, searching, and paginating are performed on the server before building the returned JSON. This example has these features disabled since, we're just loading a static JSON file for the purposes of documentation. Some Attribute Some Other Attribute When using Dynatable in "AJAX mode" ( dataset.ajax = true ), delegates all operations (pagination, sorting, and querying/filtering) to the server. For each operation, dynatalbe culls the parameters (sort, search, page) into an AJAX request and fetches the results from dataset.ajaxUrl (if this setting isn't set, it will send an AJAX request to the URL of the current page). AJAX mode is intended to be used when you want the server to look up the records only as needed. This generally means your server is looking up the records from a database using the database's query, limit, and offset functions to select the appropriate subset of records. Because your server is only ever returning a subset of the records at a time to Dynatable, the response must contain some extra meta-data. The following format is the default format expected by Dynatable. { "records" : [ { "someAttribute" : "I am record one" , "someOtherAttribute" : "Fetched by AJAX" }, { "someAttribute" : "I am record two" , "someOtherAttribute" : "Cuz it's awesome" }, { "someAttribute" : "I am record three" , "someOtherAttribute" : "Yup, still AJAX" } ], "queryRecordCount" : 3 , "totalRecordCount" : 3 } If you instead want to fetch all records from the server at once via AJAX, you may consider leaving AJAX mode off, fetching the records, and calling Dynatable with the normal JSON recordset returned by the server: $ . ajax ({ url : 'ajax_data.json' , success : function ( data ){ $ ( '#my-final-table' ). dynatable ({ dataset : { records : data } }); } }); Lists and non-Tables Or maybe we do need the normalization step, but we want to read the data from an unordered list instead of a table: We can use the table settings to configure such awesomeness. We'll use the table.bodyRowSelector setting to tell dynatable to use li elements as record rows instead of the default tr elements, and we'll use the writers._rowWriter setting to tell dynatable how to process each li into a JSON record object. Dynatable will call the readers._rowReader function once for each record in the table.bodyRowSelector collection, and pass it the current count index, the DOM element, and the JSON record. This allows full control over which data in the DOM maps to which data in the JSON: NOTE: We'll also need a readers._rowWriter function to tell dynatable how to write the JSON records back to the page, but we'll get to that in the Render section. The following HTML: <ul id= "my-list" > <li> <span class= "name" > Fender Custom Esquire GT </span> <span class= "type" > Guitar </span> $ <span class= "price" > 450.00 </span> </li> <li> <span class= "name" > ESP LTD B4-E </span> <span class= "type" > Bass </span> $ <span class= "price" > 400.00 </span> </li> </ul> And JavaScript: $ ( '#my-list' ). dynatable ({ table : { bodyRowSelector : 'li' , rowReader : function ( index , li , record ) { var $li = $ ( li ); record . name = $li . find ( '.name' ). text (); record . type = $li . find ( '.type' ). text (); record . price = parseFloat ( $li . find ( '.price' ). text ()); } } }); Will result in the following JSON: [ { "name" : "Fender Custom Esquire GT" , "type" : "Guitar" , "price" : 450.0 }, { "name" : "ESP LTD B4-E" , "type" : "Bass" , "price" : 400.0 } ] Operations Once we have our JSON dataset, we can perform all our interactive and dynamic logic directly on the JSON using JavaScript. By default, dynatable comes with functions for sorting, filtering (aka searching), and paginating. By default, dynatable performs all operations on the JSON record collection in the page. However, if dataset.ajax is enabled, dynatable simply passes the operations (pagination, queries, and sort columns) as parameters to the AJAX URL, thereby delegating the logic to your server-side code. The parameter names for pushState and AJAX requests can be customized in the params configuration settings for dynatable. Sorting Dynatable allows for single or multi-column, smart sorting out of the box. Dynatable can be made aware of the value types of each column, or record property, so that e.g. dates and numbers are sorted properly (plain-text sorting would cause February to come before January, and 10 to come before 2). By default, if dynatable detects HTML code within the value of a record (such as an img tag, it will automatically sort and search based on the text-equivalent value of the cell, so sorting won't be affected by HTML tags or attributes). Basic Sorting Click the header rows below to sort by each column. Click a header once for ascending, again for descending, and again to stop sorting by that column. Hold shift and click a second row to add secondary sorting, and so on. Make Model Year Price Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg 2008 11,000 Ford Focus 2013 20,000 Ford Escape 2001 4,000 Mini Cooper 2001 8,500 Ford Focus SVT 2003 9,000 In the example above, we run the "Price" column values through an "reader" function which returns a JavaScript Number and parses out the comma seperator. Likewise, we then run it through a rendering "writer" which re-inserts the comma when rendering the number back to the DOM. Sort by Another Value Sometimes, we need one column to sort based on some other attribute. For example, maybe we have a column which needs to sort on another hidden column. We can use the data-dynatable-sorts attribute on the column header to let dynatable know. <table id= "sorting-example" > <thead> <tr> <th> Name </th> <th data-dynatable-sorts= "computerYear" > Year </th> <th style= "display: none" > Computer Year </th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td> Steve </td> <td> Two Thousand and Thirteen </td> <td> 2013 </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> In the above example, dynatable will detect that the last column heading is hidden, and will hide all cells under that column, and it will sort the "Year" column based on the attribute in the last column. If we have a column we don't want to be sortable, we just add the data-dynatable-no-sort attribute. Custom Sort Functions We can also use our own custom sort function. This demo sorts the "color" column by the average color content in the images, from greenish to bluish to reddish (using javascript and canvas in our sorting function to evaluate the color content of each image): Sort by Color Cerasinops Ceratosaurus Allosaurus Tyrannosaurus Brachylophosaurus Albertaceratops Utahraptor * Images from List of North American dinosaurs from Wikipedia We may also sort programmatically with the dynatable API. For example, let's add a button which sorts our table by dinosaur names, and a button that clears all our sorts, putting the records back in their original order: Sort A-Z Clear Sorts The code for the buttons above: $ ( '#sorting-function-example' ). bind ( 'dynatable:init' , function ( e , dynatable ) { $ ( '#sorting-function-example-button' ). click ( function ( e ) { // Clear any existing sorts dynatable . sorts . clear (); dynatable . sorts . add ( 'name' , 1 ) // 1=ASCENDING, -1=DESCENDING dynatable . process (); e . preventDefault (); }); $ ( '#sorting-function-example-clear-button' ). click ( function ( e ) { dynatable . sorts . clear (); dynatable . process (); e . preventDefault () }); }); There are a couple different ways to achieve the custom color sorting above, and it's useful to explore each way to gain a better understanding of what's possible. Creating a Custom Sort Function The first way is to create a custom sort function, add it to dynatable's list of sort functions in sorts.functions , and then tell dynatable to use that function when sorting that column. A sort function takes in the two records being compared (a and b below), the attribute column currently being sorted, and the direction (1 for ascending, -1 for descending). The function needs to return a positive number (if a is higher than b), a negative number (if b is higher than a), or 0 (if a and b are tied). // Our custom sort function function rgbSort ( a , b , attr , direction ) { // Assuming we've created a separate function // to get the average RGB value from an image. // (see source for example above for getAverageRGB function) var aRgb = getAverageRGB ( a . img ), bRgb = getAverageRGB ( b . img ), aDec = ( aRgb . r << 16 ) + ( aRgb . g << 8 ) + aRgb . b , bDec = ( bRgb . r << 16 ) + ( bRgb . g << 8 ) + bRgb . b , comparison = aDec - bDec ; return direction > 0 ? comparison : - comparison ; }; // Wait until images are loaded $ ( window ). load ( function () { $ ( '#sorting-function-example' ) // Add our custom sort function to dynatable . bind ( 'dynatable:init' , function ( e , dynatable ) { dynatable . sorts . functions [ "rgb" ] = rgbSort ; }) // Initialize dynatable . dynatable ({ features : { paginate : false , search : false , recordCount : false }, dataset : { // When we sort on the color column, // use our custom sort added above. sortTypes : { color : 'rgbSort' } }, readers : { color : function ( cell , record ) { var $cell = $ ( cell ); // Store the average RGB image color value // as a decimal in "dec" attribute. record [ 'img' ] = $cell . find ( 'img' ). get ( 0 ); // Return the HTML of the cell to be stored // as the "color" attribute. return $cell . html (); } } }); }) The sort function gets run between each pair of records to determine which comes first. This means it gets run n! times (where n is the number of records), or n-1 times for each record. So, the average RGB values in this example are being re-computed multiple times for each record. This kills the efficiency. Creating a Custom Attribute to Sort On Instead, it's much more efficient to compute values only once for each record and store them as record attributes. We were already storing the image file above for each record, so why not go ahead and store the RGB values too? Furthermore, notice that in our custom rgbSort function above, after it calculates the RGB value for each record, it's just doing a standard number comparison (by subtracting one value from the other). Dynatable has built-in "number" sorting. $ ( window ). load ( function () { $ ( '#sorting-function-example' ) // Initialize dynatable . dynatable ({ features : { paginate : false , search : false , recordCount : false }, // We have one column, but it contains multiple types of info. // So let's define a custom reader for that column to grab // all the extra info and store it in our normalized records. readers : { color : function ( cell , record ) { // Inspect the source of this example // to see the getAverageRGB function. var $cell = $ ( cell ), rgb = getAverageRGB ( $cell . find ( 'img' ). get ( 0 )), dec = ( rgb . r << 16 ) + ( rgb . g << 8 ) + rgb . b ; // Store the average RGB image color value // as a decimal in "dec" attribute. record [ 'dec' ] = dec ; // Grab the dinosaur name. record [ 'name' ] = $cell . text (); // Return the HTML of the cell to be stored // as the "color" attribute. return $cell . html (); } } }); }) We could now create a custom sort function for the "color" column, to make sure it sorts based on the "dec" attribute instead. Or, we could just tell dynatable to sort the "color" column based on the "name" attribute directly in our table with data-dynatable-sorts : <table> <thead> <tr> <th data-dynatable-column= "color" data-dynatable-sorts= "dec" > Sort by Color </th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src= "/images/dinosaurs/cerasinops.jpg" /> Cerasinops </td> </tr> <!-- ... --> </tbody> </table> Querying (aka filtering or searching) In addition to sorting, we can also query the data by some term or value. By default, dynatable includes a search box which matches from the plain-text values (case-insensitive) across all attributes of the records. Try it in the demo at the top of this page, by typing in the search box above the table and hitting "Enter" or "Tab". Custom Query Functions Queries can also be added programmatically via JavaScript to be processed by dynatable. We simply add a query key-value to the dataset.queries array, where the key matches the JSON record attribute you'd like to match, and the value is what we're matching. Below, we'll include the default text search, and additionally include our own "Year" filter. <select id= "search-year" name= "year" > <option></option> <option> 2001 </option> <option> 2003 </option> <option> 2008 </option> <option> 2013 </option> </select> NOTE: This JS is the long version, to show how customizable queries are. See below for the easier, built-in way to add your own query controls. → var dynatable = $ ( '#search-example' ). dynatable ({ features : { paginate : false , recordCount : false , sorting : false } }). data ( 'dynatable' ); $ ( '#search-year' ). change ( function () { var value = $ ( this ). val (); if ( value === "" ) { dynatable . queries . remove ( "year" ); } else { dynatable . queries . add ( "year" , value ); } dynatable . process (); }); Year: 2001 2003 2008 2013 Make Model Year Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg 2008 Ford Focus 2013 Ford Escape 2001 Mini Cooper 2001 Ford Focus SVT 2003 There's a shortcut to the above code; to hook up our own search filters, we can just pass an array of jQuery selectors which point to our filter inputs. Instead of binding to our input's change event, adding the input's value to the queries array and calling the dynatable.process() function, we could have just done this: $ ( '#search-example' ). dynatable ({ features : { paginate : false , recordCount : false , sorting : false }, inputs : { queries : $ ( '#search-year' ) } }); Doing it this way also hooks the query into the pushState functionality to update the page URL parameters and cache the query result for the browser's forward- and back-buttons, and sets the query event (the JS event that processes the query) to the inputs.queryEvent setting (which can also be customized per-input via the data-dynatable-query-event attribute). The key-name for the query will be set to the data-dynatable-query attribute, the name attribute, or the id for the input. Using our own query filters, we may also need something other than text-matching. Perhaps we want a filter which sets a price range. We can add our query input with the inputs.queries setting as above, and then define our own query function for that key. When using our own query function, the query key must match the name of the query function, rather than the name of a column or record attribute. $ ( '#search-function-example' ) . bind ( 'dynatable:init' , function ( e , dynatable ) { dynatable . queries . functions [ 'max-price' ] = function ( record , queryValue ) { return parseFloat ( record . price . replace ( /,/ , '' )) <= parseFloat ( queryValue ); }; }) . dynatable ({ features : { paginate : false , recordCount : false , sorting : false , search : false }, inputs : { queries : $ ( '#max-price' ) } }); By default, when a query is added, dynatable will first look in the queries.functions object to find the query function matching the query's key-name. If none is found, it will fall-back to doing a plain-text search on the record attribute matching the query key-name. If that attribute doesn't exist either, then dynatable will throw and error alerting us to add the function. The query function is called once for each record and should return either true or false , letting dynatable know if that record matches the query or not. Max Price: $ Make Model Year Price Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg 2008 11,000 Ford Focus 2013 20,000 Ford Escape 2001 4,000 Mini Cooper 2001 8,500 Ford Focus SVT 2003 9,000 Paginating Dynatable also provides pagination by default, by selecting a specific slice of the JSON record collection to render to the page, and adding page selection links to the table, as well as a drop-down allowing the user to select how many records are shown per page. In other words, dynatable is aware that the currently rendered records in the DOM may only be a subset of the total records. We can customize the default number of records displayed per page via the dataset.perPageDefault configuration setting. And we can customize the per-page options via the dataset.perPageOptions configuration setting. We can also set the page and perPage values via the dynatable API: var dynatable = $ ( '#my-table' ). data ( 'dynatable' ); dynatable . paginationPerPage . set ( 20 ); // Show 20 records per page dynatable . paginationPage . set ( 5 ); // Go to page 5 dynatable . process (); If dataset.ajax is enabled, then the page and per-page parameters are simply passed to the server. Record Count When pagination is enabled, dynatable will also show the currently displayed records and the total number of records in the form: Showing { x } to { y } out of { z } records This message can be customized via the dataset.recordCountText configuration, and the params.records configuration. The text displayed on the table is of the form: { dataset . recordCountText } { x } to { y } out of { z } { params . records } Dynatable will also show the queried and total record counts when querying data, in the form: Showing { x } of { y } records (filtered from { z } total records) Or more accurately: { dataset . recordCountText } { x } of { y } { params . records } (filtered from { z } total { params . records } ) When dataset.ajax is enabled, in order for dynatable to display this message, our server must return the number of total records in addition to the sliced record set for the current page. By default, dynatable looks for the total number of records in the responseJSON.totalRecordCount attribute. PushState Dynatable uses HTML5's pushState to store operation results (sorting, querying and paginating) and update the browser's URL, so that we may hit the browser's back- and forward-buttons to step through our interactions with the table. If the resulting data can be stored in the browser's pushState cache, then it will be, and dynatable will simply render the cached data for that step rather than re-running the (potentially complex) operations. If dataset.ajax is enabled, then dynatable will render the pushState-cached results rather than re-submitting the AJAX request to the server. If the resulting dataset for a given operation is too large for the pushState cache, then dynatable will automatically fallback to re-running the operations or re-sending the AJAX request to the server. Processing Indicator For long-running operations (and for AJAX tables which must request data form the server), dynatable automatically appends a "processing" indicator to the table to let users know something is happening. We can style this indicator however we want. By default, it's just the word "Processing..." overlaid in the center of the table. We can customize the html content of the processing indicator (including images or gifs), using the inputs.processingText configuration. We can also style the processing indicator overlay and inner block, by attaching styles to the dynatable-processing class and the .dynatable-processing span CSS selector, respectively. Important Things E=MC2 F=MA A2+B2=C2 Show Standard Processing Indicator Important Things E=MC2 F=MA A2+B2=C2 Show Nicer Processing Indicator To show or hide the processing indicator above, we can call the dynatable.processingIndicator.show() and dynatable.processingIndicator.hide() functions. For the nicer example, we just add our own custom markup for the processing indicator, along with some custom CSS. $ ( '#processing-indicator-nice-example' ). dynatable ({ inputs : { processingText : 'Loading <img src="/images/loading.gif" />' } }); .dynatable-processing { background : #000 ; opacity : 0 . 6 ; - webkit - border - radius : 4px ; - moz - border - radius : 4px ; border - radius : 4px ; } .dynatable-processing span { background : #FFF ; border : solid 2px #57A957 ; color : #333 ; padding : 25px ; font-size : 2em ; box - shadow : 0px 0px 15px rgba ( 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 . 5 ); } .dynatable-processing span img { vertical-align : middle ; } Rendering When rendering JSON data to the page, dynatable passes data through "writers" (you may notice that this is the opposite of the normalization step which runs the DOM elements through "readers"). When rendering (and normalizing), dynatable assumes that our container element (on which we called dynatable) contains elements matching table.bodyRowSelector , each mapping to one record. By default, dynatable assumes we're rendering to an HTML table, so our table.bodyRowSelector is 'tbody tr' . To render our records, dynatable will loop through our records, running writers._rowWriter on each record to create a collection of DOM elements. The default writers._rowWriter creates a table tr element and loops through the element attributes (matching our columns) to call writers._cellWriter on each. A Stylized List * List of U.S. state dinosaurs from Wikipedia If our container element is a ul , like above, we could customize our rowWriter as follows: <ul id= "ul-example" class= "row-fluid" > <li class= "span4" data-color= "gray" > <div class= "thumbnail" > <div class= "thumbnail-image" > <img src= "/images/dinosaurs/Stegosaurus_BW.jpg" /> </div> <div class= "caption" > <h3> Stegosaurus armatus </h3> <p> State: Colorado </p> <p> Year: 1982 </p> <p><a href= "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stegosaurus" class= "btn btn-primary" > View </a> <a href= "#" class= "btn" > View </a></p> </div> </div> </li> <!-- ... //--> </ul> // Function that renders the list items from our records function ulWriter ( rowIndex , record , columns , cellWriter ) { var cssClass = "span4" , li ; if ( rowIndex % 3 === 0 ) { cssClass += ' first' ; } li = '<li class="' + cssClass + '"><div class="thumbnail"><div class="thumbnail-image">' + record . thumbnail + '</div><div class="caption">' + record . caption + '</div></div></li>' ; return li ; } // Function that creates our records from the DOM when the page is loaded function ulReader ( index , li , record ) { var $li = $ ( li ), $caption = $li . find ( '.caption' ); record . thumbnail = $li . find ( '.thumbnail-image' ). html (); record . caption = $caption . html (); record . label = $caption . find ( 'h3' ). text (); record . description = $caption . find ( 'p' ). text (); record . color = $li . data ( 'color' ); } $ ( '#ul-example' ). dynatable ({ table : { bodyRowSelector : 'li' }, dataset : { perPageDefault : 3 , perPageOptions : [ 3 , 6 ] }, writers : { _rowWriter : ulWriter }, readers : { _rowReader : ulReader }, params : { records : 'kittens' } }); We could have defined our own writers._cellWriter as well, defining a custom function for rendering each attribute within the row, but we opted to skip it entirely and to just do everything in the writers._rowWriter . An Interactive Chart Show Table to Sort the Chart Series City Population Tokyo 34.4 Jakarta 21.8 New York 20.1 Seoul 20 Manila 19.6 Mumbai 19.5 Sao Paulo 19.1 Mexico City 18.4 Dehli 18 Osaka 17.3 Cairo 16.8 Kolkata 15 Los Angeles 14.7 Shanghai 14.5 Moscow 13.3 Beijing 12.8 Buenos Aires 12.4 Guangzhou 11.8 Shenzhen 11.7 Istanbul 11.2 Our initial data: <div id= "chart-example-chart" ></div> <a class= "btn primary" id= "toggle-chart-table" > Show Table to Sort the Chart Series </a> <table id= "chart-example" class= "table table-bordered" > <thead><tr><th> City </th><th> Population </th></tr></thead> <tbody> <tr><td> Tokyo </td><td> 34.4 </td></tr> <tr><td> Jakarta </td><td> 21.8 </td></tr> <tr><td> New York </td><td> 20.1 </td></tr> <tr><td> Seoul </td><td> 20 </td></tr> <tr><td> Manila </td><td> 19.6 </td></tr> <tr><td> Mumbai </td><td> 19.5 </td></tr> <tr><td> Sao Paulo </td><td> 19.1 </td></tr> <tr><td> Mexico City </td><td> 18.4 </td></tr> <tr><td> Dehli </td><td> 18 </td></tr> <tr><td> Osaka </td><td> 17.3 </td></tr> <tr><td> Cairo </td><td> 16.8 </td></tr> <tr><td> Kolkata </td><td> 15 </td></tr> <tr><td> Los Angeles </td><td> 14.7 </td></tr> <tr><td> Shanghai </td><td> 14.5 </td></tr> <tr><td> Moscow </td><td> 13.3 </td></tr> <tr><td> Beijing </td><td> 12.8 </td></tr> <tr><td> Buenos Aires </td><td> 12.4 </td></tr> <tr><td> Guangzhou </td><td> 11.8 </td></tr> <tr><td> Shenzhen </td><td> 11.7 </td></tr> <tr><td> Istanbul </td><td> 11.2 </td></tr> </tbody> </table> The JS: ( function () { var $table = $ ( '#chart-example' ), $chart = $ ( '#chart-example-chart' ), chart ; // Create a button to toggle our table's visibility. // We could just hide it completely if we don't need it. $ ( '#toggle-chart-table' ). click ( function ( e ) { e . preventDefault (); $table . toggle (); }); // Set up our Highcharts chart chart = new Highcharts . Chart ({ chart : { type : 'column' , renderTo : 'chart-example-chart' }, title : { text : 'World\'s largest cities per 2008' }, yAxis : { min : 0 , title : { text : 'Population (millions)' } }, series : [{ name : 'Population' , color : '#006A72' }] }); // Create a function to update the chart with the current working set // of records from dynatable, after all operations have been run. function updateChart () { var dynatable = $table . data ( 'dynatable' ), categories = [], values = []; $ . each ( dynatable . settings . dataset . records , function () { categories . push ( this . city ); values . push ( parseFloat ( this . population )); }); chart . xAxis [ 0 ]. setCategories ( categories ); chart . series [ 0 ]. setData ( values ); }; // Attach dynatable to our table, hide the table, // and trigger our update function whenever we interact with it. $table . dynatable ({ inputs : { queryEvent : 'blur change keyup' , recordCountTarget : $chart , paginationLinkTarget : $chart , searchTarget : $chart , perPageTarget : $chart }, dataset : { perPageOptions : [ 5 , 10 , 20 ], sortTypes : { 'population' : 'number' } } }) . hide () . bind ( 'dynatable:afterProcess' , updateChart ); // Run our updateChart function for the first time. updateChart (); })(); Configuration If you want to change any of the following default configuration options globally (for all instances of dynatable within your application), you can call the $.dynatableSetup() function to do so: $ . dynatableSetup ({ // your global default options here }); For example, this documentation page has features: { pushState: false} so as not to fill your browser's pushState queue as you click around through made-up data in the examples (except for the first example, which re-enables it for demo purposes). The confiuration options (with default values) for dynatable are: { features : { paginate : true , sort : true , pushState : true , search : true , recordCount : true , perPageSelect : true }, table : { defaultColumnIdStyle : 'camelCase' , columns : null , headRowSelector : 'thead tr' , // or e.g. tr:first-child bodyRowSelector : 'tbody tr' , headRowClass : null }, inputs : { queries : null , sorts : null , multisort : [ 'ctrlKey' , 'shiftKey' , 'metaKey' ], page : null , queryEvent : 'blur change' , recordCountTarget : null , recordCountPlacement : 'after' , paginationLinkTarget : null , paginationLinkPlacement : 'after' , paginationPrev : 'Previous' , paginationNext : 'Next' , paginationGap : [ 1 , 2 , 2 , 1 ], searchTarget : null , searchPlacement : 'before' , perPageTarget : null , perPagePlacement : 'before' , perPageText : 'Show: ' , recordCountText : 'Showing ' , processingText : 'Processing...' }, dataset : { ajax : false , ajaxUrl : null , ajaxCache : null , ajaxOnLoad : false , ajaxMethod : 'GET' , ajaxDataType : 'json' , totalRecordCount : null , queries : null , queryRecordCount : null , page : null , perPageDefault : 10 , perPageOptions : [ 10 , 20 , 50 , 100 ], sorts : null , sortsKeys : null , sortTypes : {}, records : null }, // Built-in writer functions, // can be overwritten, any additional functions // provided in writers will be merged with // this default object. writers : { _rowWriter : defaultRowWriter , _cellWriter : defaultCellWriter , _attributeWriter : defaultAttributeWriter }, // Built-in reader functions, // can be overwritten, any additional functions // provided in readers will be merged with // this default object. readers : { _rowReader : null , _attributeReader : defaultAttributeReader }, params : { dynatable : 'dynatable' , queries : 'queries' , sorts : 'sorts' , page : 'page' , perPage : 'perPage' , offset : 'offset' , records : 'records' , record : null , queryRecordCount : 'queryRecordCount' , totalRecordCount : 'totalRecordCount' } } Data Attributes In addition to the configuration options directly available above, some properties apply specifically to certain columns or elements. Those can be set using HTML5 data attributes. Documentation on each data-attribute and what it does coming soon. On table column headers data-dynatable-column data-dynatable-sorts data-dynatable-no-sort On query inputs data-dynatable-query-event data-dynatable-query Event Hooks Event Description Parameters dynatable:init Run after dynatable is initialized and setup, right before the initial process() is run. dynatable (attached dynatable instance object) dynatable:beforeProcess Run at the beginning of process() . data (the data object containing the settings and records for the process() function) dynatable:ajax:success Run only if the dynatable instance has dataset.ajax=true , when the AJAX request returns successfully during the process() function. response (the jqXhr response object) dynatable:afterProcess Run at the end of the process() function. data (the data object containing the settings and records for the process() function) dynatable:beforeUpdate Run right before the DOM is updated with the current record set. $rows (the set of DOM rows about to be written to the DOM) dynatable:afterUpdate Run right after the DOM is updated with the current record set. $rows (the set of DOM rows just written to the DOM) dynatable:push Run when pushState data is pushed to the window. data (the data object containing the settings and records to be cached in the pushState cache) API You can interface directly with the dynatable API for finer grained control and greater customization. The internal API is divided into namespaces. To use the API, just call the namespaced function on the dynatable object (stored in the data['dynatable'] attribute of the element on which dynatable was called). var dynatable = $ ( '#my-table' ). data ( 'dynatable' ); For example, to update the dom with the current record set: dynatable . dom . update (); Since dynatable is still pre-version-one, the API is still in flux and may change. Below is a list of the current API functions and arguments (if any). dom update domColumns getFromTable add [$column, position, skipAppend, skipUpdate] remove [columnIndexOrId] removeFromTable [columnId] removeFromArray [index] generate [$cell] attachGeneratedAttributes records updateFromJson [data] sort paginate resetOriginal pageBounds getFromTable count recordsCount create attach processingIndicator create position attach show hide state push [data] pop [event] sorts add [attr, direction] remove [attr] clear guessType [a, b, attr] functions (object) sortsHeaders create [cell] attach attachOne [cell] appendArrowUp [$link] appendArrorDown [$link] removeArrow [$link] removeAllArrows toggleSort [event, $link, column] sortedByColumn [$link, column] sortedByColumnValue [column] queries add [name, value] remove [name] run runSearch [query] setupInputs functions (object) inputSearch create attach paginationPage set [page] paginationPerPage create attach set [number] paginationLinks create attach

Reverend Religious Relics Mohammed's Hair About Mohammed's Hair a sacred and reverend religious relic in Muslim history. REVERED RELIGIOUS RELICS MOHAMMED'S HAIR The single brownish strand is kept in a silver and crystal bottle inside three cloth bags, three wooden boxes, and a locked cabinet. The cabinet, protected by four guards, resides in the innermost of four cells at the mosque of Hazratbal in Srinagar, Kashmir. Only on Muslim holy days is Mohammed's hair presented to the faithful, who crowd into the mosque's great quadrangle. On such days, one of the hereditary keepers of the relic removes it from its resting place and attaches it to a chain worn around the waist. Despite the enormous security provided for Mohammed's hair, the relic was stolen in 1964; to the great relief of thousands of Muslims, it was recovered within a few days and returned to its sanctuary.

Ridley Scott's The Martian doesn't have a trailer yet, but the first promo for the film has been released, and it's deceptively great. The three-minute promo clip was released on YouTube on Sunday and features Matt Damon's character, NASA astronaut Mark Watney, seemingly giving viewers a "personal" guided tour of his vessel, the Hermes, six hours before the ship travels to Mars. Watney introduces some of the crew, including characters played by Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Michael Peña and Aksel Hennie. The Martian tells the story of Watney when he's left for dead on the Red Planet after the crew get caught up in a storm. With little equipment and supplies Watney must survive long enough to get a message back to Earth. Based on the book by Andy Weir, The Martian screenplay is written by Drew Goddard and the film will also star Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig and Sean Bean, who don't appear in the promo. The film will hit theaters on Nov. 25.

The Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, CNS Kunming. (Photo : PLAN) The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has deployed four of the five operational Type 052D guided missile destroyers -- its most modern and also referred to as the "Chinese Aegis" -- to the South Sea Fleet responsible for the defense of the South China Sea. Chinese military analysts said the deployment of the Type 052D (NATO code name: Luyang III-class) to the South Sea Fleet indicates the strategic priority of PLAN has shifted to the southern end of the "First Island Chain," which they identified as a "weak spot" the U.S.-Japan military alliance has been "working hard" to exploit. Advertisement They also claim the Type 052D destroyers and the older and less capable Type 052C destroyer (of which only six were built) together form a "stepped difference in combat force." They say PLAN places great faith in the Type 052D and plans to order 18 of these destroyers. Of this total, five are in active service; four are undergoing sea trials while three are fitting out. Two more are being built. Of those in active service, four are with the South Sea Fleet: CNS Kunming (172); CNS Changsha (173); CNS Hefei (174) and CNS Yinchuan (175). Each of these destroyers is armed with a 64-cell vertical launching system (VLS) firing a combination of surface-to air; anti-ship; land attack cruise and anti-submarine cruise missiles. Each also mounts an H/PJ-38 130 mm dual purpose deck gun. Chinese pundits claim the performance of the Type 052D is as good as that of the U.S. Arleigh Burke-class Flight I guided missile destroyer, which is the oldest iteration of this warship. Flight I destroyers were built from 1991 to 1997. They also claim the Type 052D "can largely narrow the gap between Chinese combat vessels and those in developed countries, and is of great importance for building a blue-water navy." The Type 052D was designed to escort the PLAN's aircraft carriers. PLAN only has one operational carrier, CNS Liaoning (CV-16), but expects to launch a second carrier, CNS Shandong (CV-17) as early as this year. A third carrier is building. Each carrier strike group will be escorted by at least three Type 052D destroyers, which will be responsible for fleet air defense, as well as long-range raids and shore bombardment using their land attack cruise missiles.

The data and digital director for President Donald Trump’s campaign said Friday he will speak with the House Intelligence committee later this month as part of its Russia probe. Brad Parscale said in a statement that he is “unaware of any Russian involvement” in the data and digital operations of Trump’s campaign. He said he is voluntarily appearing before the panel and looks forward to “sharing with them everything I know.” Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democratic on the House Intelligence Committee, says lawmakers are reviewing whether Trump campaign’s team worked with Russians in any way, including to distribute “fake news.” “We are very interested in finding out whether there was an effort to make use of data analytics—whether there was Russian funding or support for that, or Russian assistance in any way with gathering data that could be used by the campaign or any associates of the campaign,” Schiff said last month in an interview on MSNBC. Parscale is a key figure in that part of the probe. He’s close with the Trump family, having worked on websites for the Trump Organization and Ivanka Trump’s company since 2011. Parscale and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, pushed Trump, a political newcomer, to embrace data—an aspect of modern campaigns that Trump had disparaged as “overrated.” The Trump campaign paid Parscale’s San Antonio, Texas-based firm more than $90 million to advertise on social media, analyze data and perform other campaign functions. He said the campaign “used the exact same digital marketing strategies that are used every day by corporate America.” Through Parscale, the campaign paid dozens of data and digital specialists to work out of the San Antonio office of Giles-Parscale. Major technology companies including Facebook, Twitter and Google detailed employees to work “side-by-side” with the campaign operatives, Parscale said. Companies often detail representatives to major advertisers, and those three offered the same services to Clinton’s campaign. Facebook said in a statement the company has been in touch with several lawmakers who are interested in the subject.

On behalf of the Spring Data team I’d like to announce the availability of the second service release of the Spring Data Hopper release train. The release ships 103 issues fixed. We fixed a couple of bugs in the area of repository projections, especially for JPA users and introduce Hibernate 5.2 compatibility with this release (also already back-ported to the Gosling release train for inclusion in the upcoming service release). Hopper SR2 is a recommended upgrade for all Hopper users and also users of previous release trains. Here are the released modules: Spring Data Cassandra 1.4.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data Commons 1.12.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data Couchbase 2.1.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data Elasticsearch 2.0.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data Envers 1.0.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation Spring Data Gemfire 1.8.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data JPA 1.10.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data KeyValue 1.1.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data MongoDB 1.9.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data Neo4j 4.1.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data REST 2.5.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data Redis 1.7.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog Spring Data Solr 2.0.2 - Artifacts - JavaDocs - Documentation - Changelog The release will be included in the upcoming Spring Boot 1.4.0 RC1 release which should make the upgrade a non-issue. If you’re using the BOM, make sure you upgrade to Hopper-SR2 . In case you missed it: a huge chunk of the program for this year’s SpringOne Platform conference is already live on the event website. We’re going to cover data related topics from a variety of angles. A discounted ticket price is still offered until July 1st, so use the chance to save a couple of bucks (not bugs!) and register.

Bayern Munich are giving serious consideration to making a January move for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar, according to reports in the German media. The France winger was the subject of interest from both Arsenal and Liverpool during the summer transfer window, with the Gunners reported to have had a club record £92million bid accepted for the player. Jurgen Klopp was also reported to be interested as Barcelona hovered over Philippe Coutinho, but the player ended up staying with Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev explaining they needed to keep Lemar after selling a number of other stars this summer. The duo have again been linked with Lemar ahead of the January transfer window, while Manchester United are also reported to be plotting a possible swoop for the 21-year-old by paying him a huge £250,000 a week. However, the greatest threat to Arsenal and Liverpool’s hopes of landing Lemar could come from Bayern Munich, with Kicker reporting that Bayern are considering making a move for him. With Jupp Heynches replacing Carlo Ancelotti at the Allianz Arena, it’s claimed the new boss is ready to send summer loan signing James Rodriguez back to Real Madrid – and he already wants Lemar as his replacement. Rodriguez joined Bayern on a two-year loan with a view to making the move permanent, but it’s claimed Heynckes does not fancy him and is exploring the idea of bringing the deal to a premature end. The Colombian has scored once in three Bundesliga appearances so far for the Bavarians. Bayern have been criticised in the past for not spending vast sums and competing with European football’s biggest clubs, but any move for Lemar would emphatically end that talk.

Why Vim? From the original on Reddit, reposted here, slightly reformatted for legibility. TL;DR: If you don't use Vim, do not read this post. Or if you read it, do not believe it. Keep using what you enjoy using now. Do not go down the Vim rabbit hole. Vim is a disease. I know this, for I suffer from it. It is a mind-altering ailment that permanently rewrites your concept of text editing, preventing you from ever thinking in the way you used to. When you're infected with Vim, all other modes of editing text become deeply unsatisfactory to you. Other editors will look like tricycles to you. Even worse, you will find endless frustration in being unable to explain Vim to someone that isn't already infected themselves. I'm a dev team leader, and I do not push Vim on my junior members, for that should be criminalized. Two things can happen when you try to learn Vim: either you fail to master it, in which case it was wasted time, or you succeed, in which case you can never go back, even if you want to. So, what is so great infectious about Vim? 1. Modal editing Most editors are in a perpetual if you start typing now, what you type will appear on the screen mode. This is insert mode in Vim, and it is not the default mode. Vim users will switch in and out of this mode to type. But the rest of the time, they are in other modes, usually one called normal mode. What is normal mode? When in normal mode, letters you type will not be text entered on the screen, but rather they are commands. It's like your entire keyboard has become a command panel for manipulating the text in many complex ways, rather than editing the text character-by-character. Lest you think normal mode is something that just gets used here and there: Vim users will spend most of their time in normal mode. They will enter insert mode to type text, and then immediately exit insert mode. It's that fundamental to the Vim experience. Visual and Visual Block mode also exist for selecting areas of text in order to perform actions upon them. 2. Text objects and editing commands Normal mode wouldn't make much sense on its own, if the act of editing text was a character-by-character action like it usually is. One of the core things about Vim is that the single character ceases to be the only fundamental object in text editing. Vim elevates words, sentences, lines and paragraphs into first-class objects. Text objects are important because the facilitate actions being performed upon them. Part of why Vim is hard to explain is that any single editing command is usually not all that impressive upon its own. If I have the text: "something in quotes" ... and I want to replace what's inside quotes, I can use the editing command ci" (mnemonic: "change inside quote"), which will wipe out the text inside that quote, and put me into Insert mode to type new text. By itself, that's not very impressive. Sure, it's faster than using the mouse to highlight the text and hit the Delete key, but it's not that much faster. What you have to understand is: Everything becomes a fast, streamlined text edit command like this. This is a tiny example, and here's some more small examples but every common edit action you'd take can be boiled down into a snappy command like this, and... The edit actions can become very complex. An individual command, like the one I demonstrated, is a tiny thing. But these commands are meant to be composed together into much bigger operations. Much like how programming itself can take complicated manual tasks and turn them into simple repeatable routines, complicated manual editing tasks can be turned into simple repeatable Vim actions. Why this is useful is hard to explain. It's kind of one of those "nobody can be told what the Matrix is" sorts of things. You don't really get it until you fully experience it yourself. Vim users often describe the act of editing text in Vim as feeling like you're programming text, rather than just editing it. 3. UNIX is your IDE If you are using Vim in a GUI window, I would argue that you're only half using Vim. Vim is really the editor part of an IDE, and that IDE is the UNIX base system. It is a tool you use in conjunction with UNIX utilities in order to manipulate text. You can pipe a buffer of text into a UNIX tool, and have the transformed text returned to your buffer. This isn't just possible, it is idiomatic. Likewise, your "project browser" is your UNIX shell itself. Particularly when paired with a terminal multiplexer like tmux, Vim and UNIX make for a complete, portable, language-agnostic development environment. 4. Vim springs eternal As I said in another comment: Vim was here before your IDE. Vim will be here after your IDE is long gone. Vim will outlast your job, your career, your marriage, your life. Learning Vim means you learn an environment that you can (and, once the disease sets in, will) use for the rest of your career. Long after everything else you know has gone to dust, Vim will be there. Some version of Vim will be running on whatever computer triggers armageddon. 5. Vim is composable Vim is far from the only editor with plugins. But while most editors have a larger "out of the box" footprint and a smaller amount to which they can be configured and overridden, core Vim is a very small, tight package, upon which you build the editing environment you want with a very deep and powerful level of customization. Vim is a core around which you build your personal editor. 6. Vim operates at the speed of thought People talk about Vim saving keystrokes and mockingly comment on how that will add up to entire seconds of time saved. It is correct that the value of efficient editing is not best measured in time saved. But what should be familiar to programmers is reducing the interruption of thought. We programmers have plenty of rants and comics about the pain of even brief interruptions of our thought processes. Well, what you don't realize until fully down the Vim rabbit hole is how you are putting up with thought-interrupting manual editing actions that become streamlined into oblivion in a Vim environment (and thus, those tasks you didn't think twice about before are completely intolerable to you now). 7. Even more crazy stuff than I know I'm still falling down the hole. Years into my fall, I am still finding Vim features which are entirely new to me, which further impact my ability to manipulate a text buffer in new and efficient ways. If it's conceivable, someone has probably already thought of it and made it possible in Vim. Much like Zombo.com, the limit is your own imagination. TL;DR #2: Look, I said to stay away. It's a bit like Operation: Mindcrime. Don't ever trust the Vim needle, it lies. Coda: Some of this post uses a bit of exaggeration for humorous effect. This is /r/ProgrammerHumor after all. So don't pick any of the hyperbole apart in comments, please.

Looking for news you can trust? Subscribe to our free newsletters. Pity Anheuser-Busch InBev, the Belgian-owned behemoth responsible for such beloved US beers as Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra. When InBev bought US beer giant Anheuser-Busch back in 2008, the company accounted for 49 percent of the US beer market, the Wall Street Journal reported. Since then, its US market share has dipped to 45 percent. Since 2005, sales of its big domestic brands like Bud have dropped 5.7 percent, even as craft-beer sales have rocketed up 173.6 percent. What’s a transnational, industrial-scale maker of flavor-light, marketing-heavy brews to do? Distributors whose beer sales are 98 percent InBev brands can get as much as $1.5 million in rebates—as long as they don’t also sell some popular craft brews as well. The answer, according to the Journal: use its still-formidable US market heft to squeeze out those fast-growing craft-beer makers. Understanding AB InBev’s maneuver requires a bit of background. After Prohibition, the US government sought to limit the market power of brewers by imposing a three-tiered system on the industry. One set of firms would brew beer; another set would distribute it; and a third would retail it, either in bars or carryout stores. Much of that old regime has broken down—in many states, for example, small brewers can sell directly to the public through brewpubs. But in most states, distributors—the companies that move beer from breweries and stock retail outlets’ shelves and bars’ taps and bottle offerings—can’t be owned directly by brewers. ? To get around that restriction, megabrewers have for decades sought more or less exclusive agreements with nominally independent distributors. Today, the US beer market is dominated by AB InBev and rival MillerCoors, which together own about 80 percent of the market. Independent craft brewers account for 11 percent of the US market—and that’s growing rapidly, even though crafts tend to retail for $8 to $10 per six-pack, versus about $6 for conventional beers. Most distributors sell either InBev or MillerCoors brands as their bread and butter, the Journal reports, plus a smattering of independent craft brews. That’s why in supermarket beer coolers these days you’ll typically find a few national craft brews like Sierra Nevada, along with maybe a few local favorites, after you walk past towering stacks of Bud and Miller six-packs. So AB InBev has launched what The Wall Street Journal calls a “new plan to reverse declining volumes” in the United States by offering sweet incentives for company-aligned distributors to restrict sales of craft beers and push more Bud Light and whatnot. Get this, from the Journal😕 The world’s largest brewer last month introduced a new incentive program that could offer some independent distributors in the U.S. annual reimbursements of as much as $1.5 million if 98% of the beers they sell are AB InBev brands, according to two distributors who requested confidentiality because they were asked not to discuss the plan. Distributors whose sales volumes are 95% made up of AB InBev brands would be eligible to have the brewer cover as much as half of their contractual marketing support for those brands, which includes retail promotion and display costs. AB InBev, which introduced the plan at a meeting of distributors in St. Louis, estimates participating distributors would receive an average annual benefit of $200,000 each.? One distributor has already dropped a craft brewer in favor of InBev’s incentive program. The beer giant plans to devote big bucks to the scheme—about $150 million next year, as part of a “three-year plan to restore growth in AB InBev’s most profitable market,” the United States, the Journal reports. ? And beyond pushing up the percentage of AB InBev products in the mix, the incentive plans place another restriction on the distributors who choose to take advantage of the offers: They can only carry craft brewers that produce less than 15,000 barrels or sell beer only in one state.? Such a provision would put a hard squeeze on excellent, relatively large craft brewers like San Diego’s Stone, Northern California’s Sierra Nevada, and Colorado’s Oskar Blues. InBev’s new program is already having an impact, the Journal reports. At least one distributor has dropped a craft brewer as a result of the incentive program. Deschutes Brewery President Michael Lalonde said Grey Eagle Distributing of St. Louis last week decided it will drop the Oregon brewery behind Mirror Pond Pale Ale because it “had to make a choice to go with the incentive program or stay with craft.” All of this raises the question: Under US antitrust law, can a giant company legally throw around its weight like that? The answer may well be yes. Ricardo Melo, Anheuser-Busch’s vice president of sales strategy and wholesaler development, stressed to the Journal that the incentive program is voluntary—that is, distributors are free to decline the extra support and continue stocking as many craft brands as they want. But apparently, the company doesn’t think many distributors will turn down such a sweet deal. Currently, the Journal reports, just 38 percent of AB InBev-aligned distributors participate in the company’s incentive programs. The company “aims to double participation in three years behind the new rewards plan,” the article adds.

Saúl Ñíguez will continue at Atlético de Madrid until June 2021 after adding an extra year onto his existing contract with the Rojiblancos, the club confirmed this afternoon.The midfielder was under contract with the Rojiblancos until 2020 but interest from other clubs, including Manchester United and Barcelona, forced the board to revise the player's previous arrangement just one year after his last contract renewal. In an official statement from the club, Saúl said: "I'm delighted to be able to continue defending the Atlético shirt". The club did not however, disclose the buy-out fee, which is also believed to have been modified. Several months ago, Football Leaks revealed that the previous buy-out clause was set at 45 million euros, as well as detailed how 40% of the player's economic rights belong to a limited company registered in Dublin. Saúl joined Atlético de Madrid directly from Real Madrid's youth academy in 2007. From Atleti's lower categories, he spent a season on loan at Rayo Vallecano, returning to the Calderón last year.

Salesforce and WeWork are taking their relationship to the next level: They're moving in together. Salesforce Tower, a 1,070-foot-high skyscraper that will be the tallest and most expensive building in San Francisco when it's completed, has signed on WeWork as a major tenant. The co-working giant will lease three floors for its second headquarters (the other is in New York City), according to Recode. Some space will be designated as WeWork office rentals. WeWork, a startup that leases trendy, millennial-friendly office space to startups and Fortune 500 companies, has been scooping up real estate after a $4 billion funding infusion from SoftBank. Its $20 billion valuation makes it the most valuable startup in New York. In April, Salesforce opened the doors of Salesforce Tower to the media for a sneak peak inside. "It seems like everywhere I am in this city or around the Bay, I can see this tower," Marc Benioff, founder and CEO of Salesforce, told the crowd at the event. Take a look inside the new $1.1 billion Salesforce Tower. Slides View As: One Page Salesforce and its billionaire CEO, Marc Benioff, are riding high these days. Salesforce celebrated 18 years in business earlier this year. It was No. 8 on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2017, and the cloud-computing company is on track to become a $100 billion organization in the next three years, according to some analysts. The near completion of Salesforce Tower is the cherry on top. It rises 61 stories over the city's Financial District, making it the tallest building west of Chicago that's capable of being occupied. It was originally named Transbay Tower, but the enterprise giant bought the naming rights in a landmark real-estate deal. Salesforce will pay the developer Boston Properties close to $560 million over 15 and a half years to lease 30 floors at the tower, on Mission and Fremont streets. "It's a great deal more than simply another office building," said Fred Clarke of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. He called it a "display of optimism" that San Francisco's future is bright. Some 700 construction workers are on site every day, working around the clock to complete Salesforce Tower, according to Boston Properties. It's expected to open in early 2018. Clarke said the building was "firmly and safely socketed into earth's bedrock" — a slight dig at the tower's next-door neighbor, the leaning, sinking Millennium Tower. A 58-story skyscraper in San Francisco is tilting and sinking — and residents say their multimillion-dollar condos are 'nearly worthless' » Each floor will have metal sunshades, which are basically automated awnings. They move throughout the day to maximize light and prevent the sun from overheating the offices. Source: Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects The tower will have direct access to the new Transbay Transit Center, which is under construction next door. It will connect eight Bay Area counties through 11 transit systems. The bus terminal's rooftop park and 100,000 square feet of retail space will be steps away. (Salesforce Tower will also have retailers, though they have yet to be announced.) Salesforce Tower is expected to hold 10,000 Salesforce employees — about one-third of the company's global workforce — according to Benioff. "I can't tell you how many times people say to me, 'Well, where's your office going to be on the top floor?'" Benioff said. "I don't have an office on the top floor!" Salesforce offices will take up the bottom 30 floors, but the company will also lease the top two floors. They will function as communal spaces for team meetings and events. Benioff said the 61st floor was called the Ohana Floor, a nod to the company's community-centric culture and his obsession with Hawaii. (Ohana means "family" in Hawaiian.) Salesforce will allow nonprofit groups and nongovernmental organizations to rent the event space for free. Business Insider had the chance to ride this rickety elevator to the 60th floor, the second-highest level at Salesforce Tower. It's an active construction zone. We were not disappointed. Salesforce Tower would sit in the shadows of many skyscrapers in cities like New York or Dubai. But in San Francisco, it towers over the city's best-known landmarks.

The timing of President Trump's pardon of former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio had nothing to do with a desire to dodge media coverage, Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert said Sunday. Trump pardoned the controversial law enforcement figure, who was convicted in July of violating a court order in a racial profiling case, hours before Hurricane Harvey touched down on the Gulf Coast last Friday. While the pardon itself drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, several Democrats also accused the president of taking advantage of news coverage of the hurricane to reduce the attention the Arpaio announcement would have otherwise drawn. "As millions of people in TX and LA are prepping for the hurricane, the President is using the cover of the storm to pardon a man who violated a court's order to stop discriminating against Latinos and ban courageous transgender men and women from serving our nation's Armed Forces," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a series of tweets. "The only reason to do these right now is to use the cover of Hurricane Harvey to avoid scrutiny," Schumer added. Bossert rejected such accusations during an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation." "He's clearly wrong," the White House aide said of Schumer. Bossert continued, "The president weighed the totality of the circumstances and the sheriff's history of service, both in the military and to the law enforcement community, and decided that the 80-something-year-old man with his history and record of service deserved clemency at this point." "That was a very unique and personal decision the president took, and he made that decision on Friday night. I don't think that took up more than a minute of his time on Friday night," he said.

It’s come to this. Leftist Democrats are so off their rockers these days, they are holding a “Cast a spell on Donald Trump” thing tonight. Starting at midnight, witches around the country are calling for a mass spell to be cast on Donald Trump every night of a waning crescent moon until he’s driven from office. Seriously! The spell was publicized by Michael M. Hughes, who told ELLE.com that it was tweaked from multiple spells he saw going around private witchcraft groups. He published it on Extra News Feed because he felt “it would be very welcome to a lot of people.” It quickly spread, with events being formed around the country and support on social media. Hughes explained that he chose a binding spell because “we’re not wishing harm on anyone, we’re just trying to stop the harm they’re doing. It’s not the equivalent of punching a Nazi in the face, it’s the equivalent of tying him up and taking his bullhorn away.” The ritual itself is pretty standard magic working, binding Trump from doing harm to others and to himself, rather than asking any forces to do harm to him. There are objects to represent the elements and to represent Trump himself. The tarot card of the Tower represents ambitions built on lies, which are struck down by a lightning flash of truth. For those who believe in witchcraft, it looks to be an effective spell.

In one of the more bizarre homages to Jane Austen, biologists have named a protein in mice urine after her famed character Mr. Darcy from the novel "Pride and Prejudice." Much like Mr. Darcy had a magnetic pull on Elizabeth Bennet (and countless readers), the protein is a pheromone responsible for attracting female mice to the odor of a particular male. The scientists dubbed the protein "darcin" after the character from Austen's 1813 novel. Analogous chemicals could be at work in human sexual attraction, too. "Although darcin is species-specific, similar pheromones that stimulate learning of an individual's scent could even underlie some complex, individual-specific responses of humans," said lead researcher Jane Hurst of the University of Liverpool. Hurst and colleagues studied more than 450 female house mice. The scientists exposed the mice to two urine scents – one from a male, and one from a female – and measured how long the females lingered near the smelly spot. In some trials, the mice were allowed to touch the scent mark, and in some cases only smell it. "Contact with darcin consistently doubled the time spent near a male's scent," Hurst said. "Touching darcin with the nose also made females learn that particular male's odor, subsequently tripling the time spent near to the airborne scent of that individual male but showing no attraction to other males." Mice are known to use urine scent marks to advertise their location and claim ownership of territory and dominance. And female mice have been shown to use their sense of smell to select mates. But the new finding is the first time a specific protein has been shown to drive sexual attraction to individual males in a complex vertebrate, the researchers said. The biologists report their discovery in the latest issue of the journal BMC Biology. Copyright © 2010 LiveScience.com. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

When they tell the story of the 2014 NFL Draft, they'll start with the quarterbacks. They'll talk about Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel, and they'll talk about which teams pulled the trigger on a signal caller, and which teams decided to wait. Will these quarterbacks develop into franchise passers, or will some of these franchises be going back to the well in a few years? This class of players has a handful of elite talents at the top, but the quarterbacks will provide an interesting twist to the top of the order. There should be plenty of moving around on the first night of the draft as well. Here's our latest guess at the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. And at this point, it's just that: a guess. 1. Houston Texans - Blake Bortles, QB, UCF This isn't so much a reaction to the pro days of Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater as it is a representation of the current feeling about the Houston Texans and the No. 1 overall pick. Bridgewater is our top-ranked quarterback, and that's not going to change because of something he or Bortles did while throwing in shorts and a T-shirt. However, Bortles has legitimate connections to Houston's coaching staff with the relationship Bill O'Brien and George O'Leary have. Bortles is also bigger and arguably has a higher ceiling than Bridgewater. Whether it's right or wrong, Bridgewater is losing momentum in the pre-draft process. 2. TRADE Atlanta Falcons (via St. Louis Rams) - Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina *The Rams receive a first and third round pick in 2014 and a second rounder in 2015 from the Falcons for the No. 2 overall pick. After he dominated the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine, it's tough to imagine Jadeveon Clowney falling out of the top three picks in the draft. The Rams are an obvious candidate to trade this pick, and there should be plenty of teams willing to move up ahead of the Jaguars to land the most talented player in this class. In this scenario, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimtroff uses his relationship with Rams general manager Les Snead to move up from the No. 6 pick and get the impact pass rusher Atlanta needs. 3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville The Jaguars brought back Chad Henne, but that certainly doesn't mean they won't be drafting a quarterback with the No. 3 pick. Bridgewater's pro day shouldn't affect him too drastically, especially with the number of quarterback-needy teams drafting in the top 10. Jacksonville already addressed the defensive line in free agency, so Bridgewater makes the most sense. He should be ready to start on day one. Bridgewater has a proven ability to read defenses both before and after the snap. Plus, he's skilled at moving around the pocket. Forget his hand size and weight, the skills Bridgewater brings to the table as a quarterback should help make him a top-five pick. More scouting profiles 4. TRADE Buffalo Bills (via Cleveland Browns) - Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn *The Browns receive a first and third round pick in 2014 and a third-round pick in 2015 from the Bills for the No. 4 pick. Here's our second trade of the top five. The Browns already have plenty of picks in this draft but are able to pick up a few more so that the Buffalo Bills can move up and take advantage of some value at offensive tackle. Greg Robinson is one of the top prospects in this class and would immediately fill Buffalo's need at right tackle. If he improves in pass protection, Robinson could end up being the best NFL offensive tackle from this draft class. 5. Oakland Raiders - Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo Lamarr Houston leaving in free agency opens up another need for the Oakland Raiders. With Matt Schaub under center, the Raiders don't have to select a quarterback early if the right player isn't there. Instead, Oakland grabs one of the few elite players left on the board. Khalil Mack would be an excellent fit for Oakland's defense as well. 6. TRADE St. Louis Rams - Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson The St. Louis Rams are in a great position to come away with two impact players early in the 2014 NFL Draft. Even after moving back four spots, the Rams still land the top wide receiver available. Sammy Watkins would be the second first-round wide receiver the Rams have picked in the last two drafts, but Sam Bradford needs all the help he can get if he's going to finally live up to expectations. 7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M Jake Matthews seems to have trouble getting noticed. He played on an offensive line with last year's No. 2 overall pick, Luke Joeckel. He's also been stuck in the shadow of Johnny Manziel for most of his career. Now, Matthews likely will be passed over by Greg Robinson as the first offensive tackle off the board in May. Still, Matthews is the type of versatile offensive tackle who should be a top-10 pick. He's an outstanding technician and has a good combination of quickness and length. Free agency opened up a need at offensive tackle for Tampa Bay. 8. Minnesota Vikings - Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama Figuring out which teams like Johnny Manziel won't be easy. Not every team will like him, and most that do won't show their hand. Manziel breaks the prototype at quarterback. He's undersized but has incredible field vision. He makes plays because of his creativity, but that same imaginative playing style has some skeptical about how he will translate to the NFL. If the Vikings decide to pass on Manziel, that opens them up to address other needs in the first round. Minnesota could certainly use an upgrade at safety, and one could make the argument that Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix is the best player available. 9. TRADE Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo Bills) - Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M Maybe between now and May, we'll get a clearer picture about how the NFL feels about Manziel. For now, it's safe to say some team will like him enough to take a chance on him in the top 10. Cleveland traded back to this spot and still lands a quarterback who could change the franchise. 10. Detroit Lions - C.J. Mosley, Linebacker, Alabama Many have linked the Detroit Lions to offensive playmakers, but another linebacker would complete an already solid front seven. C.J. Mosley has the speed to play outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense. He moves through traffic efficiently and has more strength than most give him credit for. Add in his cover skills, and Mosley should have no trouble making an early impact in the NFL. More scouting profiles 11. Tennessee Titans - Jason Verrett, CB, TCU The Titans need to find another cornerback after Alterraun Verner left in free agency. Jason Verrett may be a bit undersized, but he's still the best cornerback in this class. He has outstanding footwork and closes on the football so well. 12. New York Giants - Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M The Giants need a big body on the outside after losing Hakeem Nicks in free agency. Mike Evans fits the bill. He had an outstanding showing at the combine and would likely be an upgrade over Nicks before long. 13. St. Louis Rams - Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville Safety is one of the few remaining holes on the Rams' defense. Calvin Pryor may be more of an in-the-box safety than a center fielder, but he still has value in the top half of the first round. Considering how many teams need safeties, it shouldn't be surprising if Pryor is drafted between picks 10 and 20. 14. Chicago Bears - Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame The Bears invested a lot of money in the defensive line in free agency. Chicago could still use help on the interior, though. Louis Nix lost some value after an injury-plagued season in 2013, but he's lost a bit of weight and seems healthy for the first time in a while. If Nix falls to the back half of the first round, some team is getting a steal. In this scenario, the Bears don't let that happen. 15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State Justin Gilbert is tough to figure out. On one hand, he has the ability to be a shutdown cornerback with his length and straight-line speed. On the other hand, he struggles with his footwork and was inconsistent in off coverage throughout his career. On talent alone, Gilbert should be a first-round pick. The Steelers have a big need at cornerback. 16. Dallas Cowboys - Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri Kony Ealy improved on almost all of his combine numbers at his pro day last week. His value is in his versatility. Ealy showed the ability to move in space during linebacker drills at the combine, but he can also play with his hand in the dirt on the edge and the interior. After letting DeMarcus Ware go, the Cowboys need a pass rusher. 17. TRADE - Kansas City Chiefs (via Baltimore Ravens) - Xavier Su'a-Filo, OG, UCLA *The Jets receive a first and fourth round pick from the Chiefs for the No. 17 pick. Free agency wasn't kind to Kansas City's offensive line. The Chiefs now need multiple upgrades at offensive guard. With the Jets and Dolphins both possibly looking for offensive guards, the Chiefs may need to trade up to address the need. Xavier Su'a-Filo is the best guard in this class and worth trading up for. He moves well in space and has a lot of functional strength for the position. 18. New York Jets - Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU Eric Decker was a nice score for the Jets in free agency, but Geno Smith still needs more weapons to take a step forward at quarterback in year two. Odell Beckham Jr. has some of the best hands in this draft, as well as the speed and body control to be a threat down the field. 19. Miami Dolphins - Zack Martin, G, Notre Dame The Dolphins can't be picky about how they address their offensive line issues. A guard and a tackle would both be useful in Miami. Zack Martin can play either spot but would probably be best served at guard in the NFL. 20. Arizona Cardinals - Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA Anthony Barr falls to No. 20 in this mock draft because he's still such an unfinished product as a pass rusher. His talent is undeniable, and he's been dominating his workouts. Barr could go much higher than this, but the Cardinals won't complain if he's available at this juncture. 21. Green Bay Packers - Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina The Green Bay Packers have needs on defense that trump the need for a tight end, but Eric Ebron would be too good of a value to pass up. He needs to attack the football a bit better in the air. Ebron is a vertical threat with solid body control for his size. 22. Philadelphia Eagles - Demarcus Lawrence, OLB, Boise State The Eagles need an edge rusher, and Boise State's Demarcus Lawrence is a dark horse to find his way into the first round. He's a perfect fit as an edge rusher in the 3-4 defense. Chip Kelly will appreciate his versatility and length. 23. TRADE Baltimore Ravens (via Kansas City Chiefs) - Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama Offensive tackle is still an issue for the Ravens, even after bringing back Eugene Monroe. Cyrus Kouandjio has injury issues that may scare some teams off, but the Ravens have enough of a need to take a risk on the Alabama offensive lineman. 24. Cincinnati Bengals - Dee Ford, DE, Auburn Losing Michael Johnson in free agency was a big blow to the Bengals. There aren't a ton of talented 4-3 defensive ends available in the 2014 NFL Draft, but Dee Ford is probably worth a late first-round pick. He doesn't have a ton of size, but he uses his speed well and shows surprising strength when rushing the passer. 25. San Diego Chargers - Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State Darqueze Dennard has gone as high as the top 10 in some mock drafts, but he's not quite as fast as the other corners in this class. The Chargers would likely rush to the podium if Dennard were still available this late in the first round. More scouting profiles 26. Cleveland Browns - Gabe Jackson, G, Mississippi State Protecting Johnny Manziel should be a priority for the Browns after investing a top-10 pick in him. Gabe Jackson doesn't get a ton of love as a first-round player, but he probably should. Jackson plays with great technique and is a smart blocker. He could stand to get a bit stronger. 27. New Orleans Saints - Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan How much will Taylor Lewan's most recent off-the-field incident affect his draft stock? It's tough to say. With two offensive tackle-needy teams sitting at the end of the first round, Lewan will likely still be a first-round pick. The Saints take a chance with this pick, but it's a chance that could result in a big reward down the line. 28. Carolina Panthers - Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia Morgan Moses has a chance to sneak into the first round. He quietly had a strong senior season and grades out in this range of the draft. Considering the current state of the Panthers' offensive line, Moses could be on their radar. 29. New England Patriots - Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh If there's one thing Bill Belichick loves, it's versatility. Aaron Donald can definitely wear a few different hats on the Patriots' defensive line. Donald has a chance to go much higher than this in the first round, but the Patriots would be fortunate if he were still available at this spot. 30. San Francisco 49ers - Marqise Lee, WR, USC The 49ers desperately need speed at wide receiver. Marqise Lee has been knocked for his hands and inability to beat press coverage, but his speed is not an issue. Lee would have a ton of potential in San Francisco's offense. 31. Denver Broncos - Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State The Broncos are clearly in win-now mode. Decker left in free agency, so adding another wide receiver would help the offense. Brandin Cooks is an exciting playmaker who could at least contribute on special teams early. 32. Seattle Seahawks - Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech Tight end is one of the remaining missing pieces on the Seahawks' offense. Jace Amaro is worthy of a first-round pick and would be an excellent red-zone option for Russell Wilson. Second Round 33. Houston Texans - Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee After finding their quarterback of the future with the first pick, the Texans add some depth to the offensive line, which was a weakness for them a year ago. Antonio Richardson is an athletic tackle who is a bit rough around the edges. Thus, he's available at the top of the second round. 34. Washington Redskins - Ra'Shede Hageman, DL, Minnesota Defensive end is among the many holes on Washington's defense. Ra'Shede Hageman could go much earlier than this, but he has a long way to go in terms of developing technique. 35. Cleveland Browns - Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech The Browns bolstered the offense with their first two picks in the first round, and their first second-round pick will likely turn to the defensive side of the ball. If not for injuries, Kyle Fuller would be a lock for the first round. Instead, the Browns get some value. 36. Oakland Raiders - Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State The Raiders were well represented at Derek Carr's pro day, and the Fresno State quarterback performed well. Even with Matt Schaub in town, Carr would make some sense. Schaub is not a long-term answer, and Carr would be able to sit for a bit before starting. 37. Atlanta Falcons - Jack Mewhort, OT, Ohio State Offensive tackle is just about as big of an issue for the Falcons as defensive end is. Jack Mewhort gets pushed down the board because of the strength of this class. Note: For now, we're assuming this pick was not included in the first-round trade with the Rams. 38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt Mike Williams hasn't done enough, on or off the field, to be counted on going forward. Jordan Matthews is a big-bodied wide receiver with the speed to be a vertical threat for the Buccaneers. 39. Jacksonville Jaguars - Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State The Jaguars' defense should look a lot better after Dave Caldwell plugged a lot of holes in free agency. Another linebacker could still be added, though. Ryan Shazier would be a nice fit as a weakside linebacker in Jacksonville's defense. 40. Minnesota Vikings - David Fales, QB, San Jose State Despite bringing back Matt Cassel, the Vikings are likely to take a quarterback at some point in the draft. David Fales is one of the best quarterbacks in the second tier of players at the position. He's one of the last quarterbacks available who has a realistic chance to develop into a starter. 41. Buffalo Bills - Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington The Buffalo Bills need to add another weapon to the passing game, but rather than spend a top-10 pick to do so, Buffalo adds one of the most dynamic tight ends in the draft at pick 41. Austin Seferian-Jenkins has some injury issues, but he's still a talented pass catcher with impressive body control. 42. Tennessee Titans - Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU Jake Locker's time is running thin with the Tennessee Titans. He hasn't shown enough to be considered the team's franchise quarterback, but he should get at least one more season. Tennessee would be wise to invest in another quarterback as an insurance policy. 43. New York Giants - Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame Eli Manning would be happy with a two-round result of Mike Evans and Troy Niklas. Niklas is still developing as a tight end, but he would be an instant threat in the red zone as a rookie. 44. St. Louis Rams - Ja'Wuan James, OT, Tennessee The Rams need to bolster the offensive line a bit during the NFL Draft. If Rodger Saffold kicks inside to guard permanently, Ja'Wuan James could play right tackle. 45. Detroit Lions - Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State With the depth of this wide receiver class, the Detroit Lions will likely try to add some talent on day two. Kelvin Benjamin has a few serious flaws to his game, including route running and hands, but his physical talent is enticing enough to make him worth this pick. 46. Pittsburgh Steelers - Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU Markus Wheaton and Antonio Brown are the Steelers' best two options at wide receiver right now. Both are a bit on the small side. Jarvis Landry isn't much bigger, but he gives the Steelers a little bit of size on the outside. 47. Dallas Cowboys - Lamarcus Joyner, S, Florida State After addressing the defensive line in the first round, the Cowboys need to add some talent to the secondary. Lamarcus Joyner can play a bit of safety and corner, two areas of need for the Cowboys. 48. Baltimore Ravens - Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State The Ravens drafted Matt Elam a year ago, but more help is needed in the secondary. Deone Bucannon is a hard-hitting safety with plenty of range. 49. New York Jets - Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood Without Darrelle Revis, the Jets' cornerback group was subpar in 2013. Dee Milliner wasn't great as a rookie, but even if he improves, New York needs to find another corner. Pierre Desir should be the first small-school player off the board after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. 50. Miami Dolphins - Stephon Tuitt, DT, Notre Dame The interior of both lines have been an issue for the Miami Dolphins. Stephon Tuitt would be a nice upgrade at defensive tackle in Miami. 51. Chicago Bears - Bradley Roby, Cornerback, Ohio State The Bears' defense was a bit of a mess in 2013. The front seven was the focus of free agency, and the secondary will likely be a focus in the NFL Draft. 52. Arizona Cardinals - Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech The Cardinals landed Jared Veldheer in free agency, filling the need at offensive tackle. Why not draft a quarterback to develop under Carson Palmer? Logan Thomas has the size and arm strength Bruce Arians is looking for. 53. Green Bay Packers - Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU The Packers need quite a few upgrades to their front seven. Adding another pass rusher behind Clay Matthews would be a smart move. Kyle Van Noy is versatile enough to play a few different linebacker spots, but he would definitely upgrade the pass rush. 54. Philadelphia Eagles - Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State With the Eagles shopping DeSean Jackson, wide receiver could become a need. Davante Adams is in the mold of Michael Crabtree, though his speed is a bit underrated. 55. Cincinnati Bengals - Billy Turner, OT, North Dakota State Free agency opened up a few needs for the Cincinnati Bengals, and offensive tackle is one of them. Billy Turner is a bit of a project, but he has the skill set to be either a right tackle or a guard in the NFL. 56. San Francisco 49ers - Marcus Martin, C, USC Marcus Martin was a bit of a surprise entrant into the 2014 NFL Draft, but his addition bolsters the center class. The 49ers could look for a center early on in the draft to push Daniel Kilgore. 57. San Diego Chargers - Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech It seems like the Chargers have been trying to find an impact pass rusher for years. Jeremiah Attaochu is at his best when rushing the passer from the outside linebacker spot. He could be what the Chargers have been looking for. 58. New Orleans Saints - Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State The Saints brought Jimmy Graham back, but they still need more weapons in the passing game. Allen Robinson is a big receiver with some downfield ability. 59. Indianapolis Colts - David Yankey, OG, Stanford For a team like the Colts that needs multiple upgrades on the offensive line, a player with David Yankey's versatility is even more valuable. He could play all over the offensive line. 60. Carolina Panthers - Donte Moncrief, WR, Mississippi Offensive tackle and wide receiver are the two most obvious needs for the Panthers entering the 2014 NFL Draft. They attempt to fill one in the first round, and the other in the second round. 61. San Francisco 49ers - Antone Exum, CB, Virginia Tech With a wide receiver and a center added with the first two picks, the 49ers turn to the secondary. Antone Exum dealt with tons of injuries during his college career, but the talent is there for him to be an NFL starter. 62. New England Patriots - Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers With the Patriots' need at wide receiver, and Belichick's connection to Rutgers, this pick feels almost too obvious. 63. Denver Broncos - Joel Bitonio, OL, Nevada After losing Zane Beadles, the Broncos could use another offensive lineman to add a little depth. Joel Bitonio could play tackle in the NFL, but he's likely going to end up at guard. 64. Seattle Seahawks - Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State All of a sudden, the Seahawks need some depth on the defensive line. Scott Crichton is a perfect fit for their defense, too.

SA, abbreviation of Sturmabteilung (German: “Assault Division”), byname Storm Troopers or Brownshirts, German Sturmtruppen or Braunhemden, in the German Nazi Party, a paramilitary organization whose methods of violent intimidation played a key role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. The SA was founded in Munich by Hitler in 1921 out of various roughneck elements that had attached themselves to the fledgling Nazi movement. It drew its early membership largely from the Freikorps (Free Corps), armed freebooter groups, made up largely of ex-soldiers, that battled leftists in the streets in the early days of the Weimar Republic. Outfitted in brown uniforms after the fashion of Benito Mussolini’s Fascist Blackshirts in Italy, the SA men protected party meetings, marched in Nazi rallies, and physically assaulted political opponents. Temporarily in disarray after the failure of Hitler’s Munich Putsch in 1923, the SA was reorganized in 1925 and soon resumed its violent ways, intimidating voters in national and local elections. From January 1931 it was headed by Ernst Röhm, who harboured radical anticapitalist notions and dreamed of building the SA into Germany’s main military force. Under Röhm SA membership, swelled from the ranks of the Great Depression’s unemployed, grew to 400,000 by 1932 and to perhaps 2,000,000—20 times the size of the regular army—by the time that Hitler came to power in 1933. Röhm, Ernst Ernst Röhm, 1933. Heinrich Hoffmann, Munich During the early days of the Nazi regime, the SA carried out unchecked street violence against Jews and Nazi opponents. But it was eyed with suspicion by the regular army and by the wealthy industrialists, two groups whose support Hitler was trying to secure. Against Hitler’s expressed wishes, Röhm continued to press for a “second Nazi revolution” of a socialist character, and he hoped to merge the regular army with the SA under his own leadership. On June 30, 1934, the Night of the Long Knives (die Nacht der langen Messer), Hitler, using SS forces, carried out a “Blood Purge” of the SA leadership. Röhm and dozens of SA leaders were summarily executed. Thereafter the SA, reduced in strength, continued to exist but ceased to play a major political role in Nazi affairs. From 1939 it was in charge of training all able-bodied men for Home Guard units.

Anonymous central just posted a notice on its website calling for the Occupy Wall Street Movement to avoid a full blown revolution and put its weight behind forming a new political party. The statement says a vote for either party is a vote for the status quo and the two party system is entirely insufficient to carry the country through its problems and into the future. This new party would work in the interests of th 99%. The full proposal is below. A Sincere Proposal In my observation of this movement of the American people, I have begun recently to hear/read suggestions that a revolt might be brewing. I understand why people are saying these things, but I think we can all agree that it would be best to avoid such an outcome. So, I have a proposition, a vision for what we as a nation could achieve. Currently, the media mocks us, the police beat and arrest us, the business people laugh at us, and every politician in the United States of America is wondering how to sway the full support of the movement in their favor. Each of these groups understands the true power of the 99%. They see us as votes, wasted potential, criminals and a story to keep the viewers at home watching through commercial breaks. We need to be honest with ourselves: given the current viable options (Republican/Democrat), we cannot vote our way out of this mess that our government and the financial institutions created. It's as simple as that. Furthermore, any actions taken by the governing body will be meant to placate the masses. If you cast a vote for a Democrat, you cast a vote for the status quo. If you cast a vote for a Republican, you cast a vote for the status quo. I don't care if you are a libertarian, anarchist, communist, leftist, right-winger or a completely disillusioned non-voter; you must recognize that this nation's current political structure is not equipped to fix the problems this nation is facing. If our politicians refuse to work together in the interests of the people, the two party system cannot carry us safely or securely into the future. And so, we face possibly the most challenging moment in this nation's history, since the Civil War. We need ideas to avoid a revolution and ways to reign in the policy makers of this country. Our elected officials need to work for us, not against us. So, I offer this path to a better, more accountable nation. I propose a new political party, one that will always work in the interests of the 99%. I'm sure we all understand the concept of a republic, but if some need to be reminded, I believe this quote from wikipedia should be sufficient: "A republic is a country with a specific type of form of government, in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government, at least in theory, and where offices of state are not granted primarily based upon family, military, or business connections." Unfortunately, republics are extremely difficult to maintain. It's impossible to educate oneself on every issue which requires a vote. It's difficult for people to find the time to vote. It would obviously be difficult to establish a pure republic in the United States of America. However, we could have a party that is bound to the will of the people. Let's assume we can communicate the votes of the individual to an elected representative of this theoretical party. Given its feasibility, it would look something like this: 1. Each person of voting age in a district that is represented by a member of this theoretical party is entitled to one 'vote.' Remember, this is not a legitimate federal vote. It is merely a 'speaking up' of the entirety of a representative's constituency. The people's votes are then tallied, and the representative, being bound to the will of the people, will vote as directed. 2. Each person of voting age in these districts may choose to actively vote, passively vote or not vote. An active vote is a Yes or No vote chosen by the individual. A passive vote is a vote as the Democratic majority votes or vote as the Republican majority votes. A choice not to vote on a particular issue is a forfeiture of the right to to vote on that particular issue.

The Florida Gators will host its first annual Next Level quarterback camp under Jim McElwain this weekend, an event that features some of the best quarterback coaches in America working with big name quarterbacks from all classes. The event starts on Thursday and runs through Saturday morning, players will have several practices in the mornings and evenings, plus have meetings with the coaching staff to review practice film. Leading the coaching staff for the camp will be Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. Quarterback coach guru George Whitfield, quarterback coach Quincy Avery, Quarterback Country’s David Morris, quarterback coach Lavelle Durant, quarterback coach Eric Kresser, quarterback coach Tony Ballard and former NFL quarterback Charlie Frye will also be working the camp. This event is a good chance for the Gators to get several underclassmen prospects on campus in order for the coaching staff to get more familiar with them. Headlining the quarterbacks participating in the camp is Florida Gators quarterback commit Jake Allen, who works out personally with Kresser. Allen has led the Gators recruiting efforts off the field and has been a leader of the 2017 class. Here are the rest of the quarterbacks scheduled to participate in the event this weekend. 2018 QB Zack Annexsted (6-3, 199, Bradenton, FL. IMG Academy)- who picked up his first offers this spring. Southern Miss and Western Kentucky offered. 2018 QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (6-2, 190, Las Vegas, NV Bishop Gorman)- would be one of the top quarterbacks in the 2018 class if he wasn’t playing behind Ohio State commit Tate Martell. Thompson-Robinson should be a top rated quarterback next year. So far he has offers from big schools like Michigan and UCLA. 2018 QB James Foster (6-3, 199, Montgomery, AL. Sidney Ladnier)- is committed to North Carolina but is keeping his options open. Foster picked up his first SEC offer from South Carolina this spring. 2018 QB Artur Sitkowski (6-5, 205, Old Bridge, NJ High)- has offers from Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers and many more but is looking for an offer from the Gators. Sitkowski could be one of the guys who gets an offer. 2018 QB Emory Jones (6-4, 179, Franklin, GA Heard County)- has offers from most SEC schools including the Florida Gators. Jones is said to be high on Florida, Clemson and Tennessee heading into his junior year. 2018 QB Cade Fortin (6-2, 195, Suwanee, GA North Gwinnett)- has 13 scholarship offers including one from Texas A&M. The Georgia prospect is looking for a Gators offer. 2018 QB Swift Lyle (6-2, 185, Mobile, AL. St. Paul’s)- missed a lot of his sophomore season due to injury but many people around him believe Lyle has talent to become a big name quarterback. Lyle worked out for the Gators in Pensacola at the Florida satellite camp. 2018 QB Michael Penix Jr. (6-2, 177, Tampa, FL Tech)- picked up an offer from Tennessee this offseason. Penix is teammates with current receivers commit Daquon Green. 2018 QB Casey Thompson (6-1, 176, Moore, OK. Southmoore)- has offers from Miami, Ohio State and Oklahoma among many more. Thompson has a big arm and athletic ability. 2018 QB Allen Walters (6-1, 203, Highstown, NJ. The Peddle School)- has offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Arkansas among many others. Walters has had interest in the Gators since Doug Nussmeier arrived in Gainesville. 2019 QB Michael Johnson Jr. (6-2 175, Sunnyvale, CA. Kings Academy)- has offers from California, Florida State and Mississippi State already. Johnson is going to be one of the top prospects in his class.

CHRISTIAN ADVERTISEMENT: Custom Designed Menstrual Shacks Exquisitely Crafted by Fundamentalist Baptist Architect, William Hargraves. To schedule a formal design meeting with Hargraves Inc. please contact your Christian Property Commissioner or assigned Deacon. A Biblical Curse, A Husband's Comfort: The Menstrual Shack at Hardwick Farm was designed and built by Fundamentalist Baptist architect, William Hargraves. It was featured in this month's issue of Fundamentalist American Magazine. It’s a perfect example of form follows function. It can accommodate a single Fundamentalist female weighing up to 600 pounds, which is precisely why Landover Baptist's Pastor Deacon Fred was so attracted to the design. Personal Testimony: "When I hear the first sign of nagging, I pop in my ear-plugs, load my wife, Macel into the back of our Hummer and make the two-minute trek over rough terrain due-south of our Christian summer home. I can view Macel at my Godly leisure though a telescope installed on the deck outside of my Estate library to make sure the shack has not shook loose of its foundation. I can also simply turn my head and vomit right off the deck into the garden instead over the bedpost onto the floor, if I happen to catch a glimpse of her unclothed. Thank-YOU! Mr. Hargraves! You have made a Christian gentleman very happy for almost 40 days out of each year! Glory! - Pastor, Deacon Fred . A Comfort For the Afflicted and Unclean Female: Located over 700 cubits from Pastor's residence at Hardwick Farm, heat and hot water is supplied via a Franklin wood burning stove and meticulously re-created New Testament olive oil lamps provide lighting enough for Bible reading and devotions. Handcrafted turtle boxes and pigeon cages are fully stocked and located within a 2-minute hobble of the menstrual shack. The carefully placed wildlife items provide the habitant with precious company during her seven or so day separation. They also serve as a sacred reminder of her atonement as she struggles with her period of sin. Sanitized "String-to-Can" communication is part of the whole package for use in any "real" emergency. Accessed without a road and perched above a beautiful view of Malachi Valley, this quaint little custom made menstrual shack is simply beautiful. A Cleansed Wife, Returned to Service: The location and design of this exquisite Menstrual Shack provide Mrs. Deacon Fred (Macel Sue Anne Jenkins) with the tranquility, peace, and solitude needed to endure her monthly curse. When her cleanliness is restored, she returns to her husband and her family invigorated, refreshed and eager to clean her husband's 17-room Christian Estate. She is revitalized with the spirit of her natural duty and filled again with the precious womanly gift of servitude as she finds strength enough to carefully prepare her "Welcome Back Home Mommy!" dinner for the 12 family and 22 extended family members currently residing at Hardwick Farm. Exclusive for Landover Baptist Church Members Residing West of Highway 7 Available to Silver Tier - Platinum Level Tithers with East Malachi Valley Summer Homes ONLY COUPON: 4% Discount on Hargrages Inc. Menstra- Shack Design Consultation! Ends April 24, 2009 Print this Page Coupon! And Bring it to Your First Consultation!: Hargraves Inc. Menstrual Shacks - Legal Advice, Mission Statement and Consultations Consultation Appointments: Fundamentalist Baptist architect, William Hargraves Custom Designed Menstrual Shacks are exclusively available to Landover Baptist Platinum Tithers residing in the gated Christian communities of Leviticus Acres, Exodus Landing and Malachi Valley of Freehold County, Iowa. Over 20 custom made menstruation shacks have been designed and 12 are on order to be completed by Summer 2009. Hemopurifier Cleaning Consultation: Hargraves Inc. recommends, "Lucia Sanchez Evanjelico Ex-Catholic Maid Services" for monthly menstra-shack disinfection and cleaning. Hargaves Inc. "Custom Menstrual Shacks" Scriptural Mission Statement: "And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness." Leviticus 15: 25-30 Copyright 2009, LandoverBaptist.Org. All rights reserved. TOS. The Landover Baptist website is not intended to be viewed by anyone under 18 or by anyone who is Unsaved.

Story highlights Search efforts are now over with a confirmed death toll of 301, government officials say "If you boo the country's prime minister, you get slapped," Turkey's PM says in video Mine owner says the Soma site met the standards required by Turkish law Ruling party spokesman says PM's aide kicked a protester after he was attacked by him The search for victims of this week's coal mine fire in Turkey is now over, with a final death toll of 301, Turkish government officials said Saturday. Authorities believe they have now recovered the bodies of all the workers who perished in the Soma mine when the fire erupted Tuesday. The investigation into what caused the deadliest disaster in Turkish mining history continues, the Natural Disaster and Emergency Coordination Directorate said. The final bodies were pulled out Saturday afternoon, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said. However, as the recovery effort comes to an end, controversy over Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's response to the tragedy refuses to blow over. JUST WATCHED Turkish PM's aide kicks a protester Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Turkish PM's aide kicks a protester 01:38 JUST WATCHED Mine disaster leaves families devastated Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Mine disaster leaves families devastated 01:08 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – People try to help an injured man who was hit by the jet of a police water cannon on Friday, May 16, during a protest against the government after a mine explosion in Soma, Turkey. Hundreds have taken to the streets across the country since nearly 300 miners died in a mine fire near Soma on May 13, protesting the government and a lack of safety regulations. Unions called for strikes May 15. Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – Police use water cannons and tear gas to disperse people gathered to commemorate victims and protest the government's labor policy in Izmir, Turkey, on May 16. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – Yusuf Yerkel, an aide to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, kicks a person who is being wrestled to the ground by two police officers during protests in Soma, Turkey, on Wednesday, May 14. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – Riot police try to stop protesters attacking the offices of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party in Soma on May 14. Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – Protesters riot outside the Justice and Development Party office in Soma. Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – People march to the Soma offices of the Justice and Development Party. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – A protester is detained in front of the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration headquarters in Istanbul on May 14. Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – Riot police use a water cannon to disperse protesters in Istanbul. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – Protesters clash with riot police in Ankara on May 14. Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Photos: Turkey mine protests Protests over Turkey mine disaster – Police arrest a protester in Ankara on May 14. Hide Caption 10 of 10 JUST WATCHED Mass funeral held for Turkish miners Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Mass funeral held for Turkish miners 02:05 On Friday, police in the western city used tear gas, plastic pellets and a water cannon on protesters angered by the government's response. The protesters, dressed mostly in black, chanted "Don't sleep, Soma, remember your dead!" as they passed through city streets a few miles from the disaster site, trying to reach a statue honoring miners. Amid a rising tide of discontent, local authorities have banned protests in Soma and apparently clamped down on those taking part. Lawyers' representatives told Turkish broadcaster DHA that eight lawyers and 25 other citizens were detained Saturday. The lawyers were in town to try to help represent families of the dead miners. Abdurrahman Savas, the governer of Manisa province, where Soma is located, declined to say how many people had been detained over the protests. But he told reporters that the authorities took the decision Friday to ban rallies and demonstrations in Soma in order to maintain peace and security. He said that "this is not to prevent freedom of expression." Distrust of the government is running high in certain sectors of society, with some voicing doubts about the official count of those missing, while others question the fact no one has yet taken responsibility for the tragedy. Some are also critical of the authorities' use of tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators. Erdogan's missteps Public anger has been fueled in part by Erdogan's own missteps while visiting the scene of the disaster Wednesday. First, Erdogan's comments to relatives of dead and injured miners, in which he described the disaster as par for the course in a dangerous business, were seen as highly insensitive and drew scathing criticism. Then video taken on the same day in Soma showed Erdogan telling a man "don't be nasty," according to the footage aired Friday by DHA. The remarks initially reported and translated by DHA were confirmed by a CNN native Turkish speaker. "What happened, happened. It is from God... If you boo the country's prime minister, you get slapped," Erdogan is heard saying. That was after another video clip emerged showing a crowd outside a grocery store angrily booing Erdogan. As the Prime Minister entered the crowded store, he appeared to put his arm around the neck of a man who was later identified as a miner. JUST WATCHED Turkey shaken by mine disaster Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Turkey shaken by mine disaster 01:40 Map of the mine location JUST WATCHED Family: 'Let this mine take my life too!' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Family: 'Let this mine take my life too!' 01:00 After the confrontation, the video captured what appeared to be Erdogan's security guards beating the same man to the floor. The miner said later that Erdogan slapped him, possibly by mistake. He wants an apology for the way he was treated by the Prime Minister's staff. In addition, a photograph surfaced Wednesday of an aide to Erdogan kicking a protester, an image that quickly became a symbol of the anger felt by many against the government, and amid mounting questions over safety practices at the mine. Huseyin Celik, a spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, dismissed the grocery store incident and said the image of the aide, Yusuf Yerkel, kicking the protester was misleading. Yerkel was quoted by Turkey's semiofficial Anadolu news agency Thursday as saying that he had been deeply saddened by the previous day's events. "I am sad that I could not keep my calm in the face of all the provocation, insults and attacks that I was subjected to that day," he reportedly said. Questions over safety chambers The mine complex exploded in flames for unknown reasons Tuesday -- trapping many miners deep underground. Among other issues, mine officials indicated Friday that workers may not have had access to an emergency refuge where they could have sheltered from the flames and choking fumes. Site manager Akin Celik told reporters that the mine had closed one emergency refuge when excavation work moved to a lower area. Miners were building, but had not finished, a new safety chamber at the lower level, he said. The owner of the company, Alp Gurman, said the mine met the highest standards laid out by the law in Turkey. The company, he said, had no legal obligation to build safety chambers. Asked about that issue, Minister of Labor and Social Security Faruk Celik defended Turkey's workplace safety act and said it was set up within the framework of EU regulations, according to CNN Turk. "This is a dynamic area," he said, adding that it is the duty of each company to ensure workers' safety needs are met. "Could people be sent to death because a certain sentence is not in the regulations?" he said. Istanbul Technical University said it had dropped Gurman and a fellow Soma Holding manager, Ismet Kasapoglu, from an advisory panel in its mining faculty, following protests and an occupation by students at the university, CNN Turk reported. Yildiz, speaking to journalists earlier Saturday, when the death toll stood at 299, said 15 bodies had been recovered overnight. Most have been returned to their families but DNA testing is being carried out on the remains of 13 people, the Energy Minister said. Fumes from a new fire, a few hundred yards from the one that broke out Tuesday, hindered search and recovery efforts Saturday, Yildiz said. Initial reports said the main fire was sparked by a transformer explosion, but Celik told reporters Friday that the cause of the fire was still unknown. Asked what had happened, he said, "We don't know either. Never seen anything like this before. We are trying to find out." Political bonfire Hundreds have also taken to the streets this week in anti-government protests in Istanbul and Ankara, with police answering, in some cases, with water cannons and tear gas. As Erdogan took a stroll through the city, onlookers showered him with deafening jeers as well as chants of "Resign, Prime Minister!" Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu defended Erdogan in an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Thursday. "He was feeling all these pains in his heart," he said. "Everybody knows that our Prime Minister is always with the people, and always feels the pain of the people. Otherwise, he wouldn't get such a high support in eight elections in (the) last 10 years." But the disaster opened up an old political wound. Opposition politician Ozgur Ozel from the Manisa region, which includes Soma, filed a proposal in late April to investigate Turkish mines after repeated deadly accidents. Erdogan's government rejected the proposal. It claimed that the mine, owned by SOMA Komur Isletmeleri A.S., had passed recent inspections. A Turkish engineers' association criticized mine ventilation and safety equipment this week as being "insufficient and old." A lack of safety inspections has caused 100 coal mines to be closed in the last three years, according to Turkey's Energy Ministry. President Abdullah Gul, speaking as he visited Soma on Thursday, said he was sure the investigation already begun would "shed light" on what regulations are needed. "Whatever is necessary will be done," he said.

Using dis to look at the bytecode generated for the two versions: not == 4 0 LOAD_FAST 0 (foo) 3 LOAD_FAST 1 (bar) 6 COMPARE_OP 2 (==) 9 UNARY_NOT 10 RETURN_VALUE != 4 0 LOAD_FAST 0 (foo) 3 LOAD_FAST 1 (bar) 6 COMPARE_OP 3 (!=) 9 RETURN_VALUE The latter has fewer operations, and is therefore likely to be slightly more efficient. It was pointed out in the commments (thanks, @Quincunx) that where you have if foo != bar vs. if not foo == bar the number of operations is exactly the same, it's just that the COMPARE_OP changes and POP_JUMP_IF_TRUE switches to POP_JUMP_IF_FALSE : not == : 2 0 LOAD_FAST 0 (foo) 3 LOAD_FAST 1 (bar) 6 COMPARE_OP 2 (==) 9 POP_JUMP_IF_TRUE 16 != 2 0 LOAD_FAST 0 (foo) 3 LOAD_FAST 1 (bar) 6 COMPARE_OP 3 (!=) 9 POP_JUMP_IF_FALSE 16 In this case, unless there was a difference in the amount of work required for each comparison, it's unlikely you'd see any performance difference at all. However, note that the two versions won't always be logically identical, as it will depend on the implementations of __eq__ and __ne__ for the objects in question. Per the data model documentation: There are no implied relationships among the comparison operators. The truth of x==y does not imply that x!=y is false. For example: >>> class Dummy(object): def __eq__(self, other): return True def __ne__(self, other): return True >>> not Dummy() == Dummy() False >>> Dummy() != Dummy() True

Some components of the Flame spyware worm were signed using forged Microsoft certificates, according to a recent investigation by Microsoft. These unauthorised digital certificates allowed the Flame developers to make the malware appear as if it was actually created and approved by Microsoft. The company has already released an emergency patch via Windows Update to block the certificates used by Flame. Mike Reavey, Senior Director of Microsoft's Security Response Center (MSRC), says that the malicious code was signed using the company's Terminal Server Licensing Service, which is used by corporate customers to authorise Remote Desktop services. While Reavey doesn't provide specific details on how the Flame developers were able to sign their code with such certificates, he does say that it has something to do with exploiting a weakness in "an older cryptography algorithm". This could mean that the Microsoft Certificate Authority (CA) used the MD5 algorithm, which is now considered to be insecure, to sign these certificates. By creating two certificates with the same MD5 hash – a so called hash collision – an attacker can transfer the Microsoft signature from a legitimate Terminal Server certificate to his fraudulent code signing certificate. Because of the matching hash, the Microsoft signature will be accepted as valid and the certificate can then be used to sign code. "The Terminal Server Licensing Service no longer issues certificates that allow code to be signed", added Reavey. In total, three certificates are affected; these include two "Microsoft Enforced Licensing Intermediate PCA" certificates issued by "Microsoft Root Authority", and a "Microsoft Enforced Licensing Registration Authority CA (SHA1)" certificate from "Microsoft Root Certificate Authority". The emergency patch issued by Microsoft for all supported versions of Windows moves these to the Untrusted Certificate Store, blocking software signed by the unauthorised certificates. Further information, including the thumbprints of the affected certificates, can be found in a TechNet blog post by MSRC Engineering team member Jonathan Ness. See also: Note: This article has been updated since publication to be clearer on how hash collisions could be used to sign a fraudulent certificate. (crve)

Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. July 29, 2016, 3:45 PM GMT / Updated July 29, 2016, 6:34 PM GMT By Josh Meyer, Alex Moe and Tracy Connor Another Democratic Party group confirmed Friday it has been hacked and said the breach was "similar" to a cyber strike on the Democratic National Committee, which has been blamed on the Russians. A senior U.S. official told NBC News that the FBI is investigating the intrusion on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's computer system but that agents have not yet found a link to the earlier DNC hack. The Kremlin has denied it is behind either breach — and a top official responded to the allegations on Friday by denouncing a "poisonous anti-Russian" narrative coming out of Washington. The latest disclosure is escalating concern among U.S. national security officials that the intrusions are aimed at swaying the outcome of the presidential election. The DCCC, which raises money for Democrats running for House seats, said in a statement that it has retained the forensic investigation firm CrowdStrike, which was also retained by the DNC. The firm concluded two Russian security agencies had hacked into its servers and internal files. Related: Could Russian Hackers Spoil Election Day? "Based on the information we have to date, we’ve been advised by investigators that this is similar to other recent incidents, including the DNC breach," DCCC spokeswoman Meredith Kelly said in a statement. "The DCCC takes this matter very seriously. With the assistance of leading experts we have taken and are continuing to take steps to enhance the security of our network in the face of these recent events. We are cooperating with the federal law enforcement with respect to their ongoing investigation." Related: Why Experts are Sure Russia Hacked the DNC Emails The DCCC did not say what data the hackers might have obtained from its system. Last week, nearly 20,000 emails stolen from the DNC, the governing body of the Democratic Party, were leaked to the public just ahead of the national convention in Philadelphia, causing political turmoil. Hillary Clinton's campaign has accused the Russians of orchestrating the embarrassing leak to boost Donald Trump's candidacy. As NBC News reported this week, senior U.S. national security officials are confident that Russian intelligence agencies hacked the DNC but have not determined if those agencies gave the material to WikiLeaks for the pre-convention email release. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Ryabkov told Russian media on Friday that the hacking allegations threaten to damage relations with Moscow. "Seeing the hand of Moscow everywhere reflects a certain Russia-related complex that has formed in the U.S.," he said. "They go to sleep with the thought of Russia, they wake up with the thought of Russia. They have a constant phantom. "Many in Washington have developed a bad habit to blame everything on Russia," he continued. "Anything goes wrong at your own turf, you switch the media and public attention to the 'foreign factor.'" Three U.S. senior security officials told NBC News that the DNC and DCCC breaches are worrisome because political organizations have donor lists and other important data that, if compromised, could undermine a campaign’s functioning. Cybersecurity experts agreed. “We are going to much more targeting of political campaigns, at all levels of elections,” said Peter W. Singer of New America. Singer, the author of several books on cybersecurity, said political campaigns are at particular risk because they’re temporary, loosely structured organizations with "an ever-changing cast” of workers who don't have enough resources, training or time to spend on protecting information. “Yet they hold massive amounts of high value info, from internal policy to financial info on mass [numbers] of donors,” Singer said in a series of tweets. “So basically take all the #cybersecurity problems that bedevil any company or agency and put them on steroids.” The hacking disclosures come as the two presidential nominees are poised to receive classified briefings about a host of national and global security threats. “Now is the appropriate time, since both candidates have been officially anointed,” National Intelligence Director James R. Clapper Jr. said at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colo. Some U.S. intelligence officials have expressed concerns about delivering classified briefings to Trump because of his pro-Russian rhetoric and business projects with Russian investors — although they are done in secure facilities only for candidates and senior campaign officials with security clearances. “We’ve been doing these for many years and haven’t seen a leak of information yet,” one senior U.S. intelligence told NBC News.

Far-right activists continue to warn that President Obama is stealthily preparing to create a dictatorship, attack white Christian civilians and incite a civil war, and a new story from WorldNetDaily finally gives us absolutely definitive proof that Obama is plotting exactly that. According to WND’s favorite forensic profiler Andrew Hodges, a joke that President Obama made about sequestration negotiations with congressional Republicans was really a ploy to begin imposing martial law, just as Saul Alinsky wanted: In his newest analysis, he looks further into Obama’s statements in his press conference about the sequester issue in which he berated Republicans for not doing what he wants. Hodges said “another spontaneous image” appeared from Obama’s “super intelligence.” “Asked whether he couldn’t have pushed negotiations until a deal was reached, Obama replied, ‘I can’t have Secret Service block the doorway,’” Hodges explained “He suggests the secret wish to block the Republicans from the door to the government. Failing to negotiate, he has made every effort to demonize/crush Republicans to gain total control of the government after the 2014 election. His ‘have Secret Service’ image further suggests a desire to totally control major government law enforcement agencies– to block any opposition,” Hodges said. “The frightening image ‘of blocking the doorway’ to those who oppose him suggests progressively ideas of imprisonment/forced containment, and a picture of martial law. Extreme? Likely so for now but equally a potential major warning of his true intent – if everything fell into place,” he said. … “What exactly was he thinking and why? Undeniably this was extreme: a civilian force just as well funded and strong as our military – implying majorly armed. The question is what exactly was Obama secretly confessing about his future plans? His unconscious super intelligence suggests a warning from a very dangerous Obama,” Hodges contends. … “The background of murderous drone attacks he personally took delight in supervising – a suggestion of just how furious he is,” he wrote, noting Obama’s “pattern” of weakening the U.S. militarily and citizens individually by cutting budgets and restricting gun rights. “Throw into the mix the seemingly extreme idea of using drones on the American people but still a possibility and we have yet another issue of war against the citizens,” Hodges said. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., staged a nearly 13-hour filibuster because the administration refused to confirm for him that Americans on U.S. soil would not be killed by Obama-ordered drone strikes. “Remember, too, Obama was an Alinsky trainer. And Alinsky’s motto was “trick” – deception … “When he wonders (regarding Republicans) if he could do something else ‘to make these guys not paint horns on my head’ we indeed should be frightened beyond belief. He suggests America is in for a devil of a time to put it mildly – that deep down he harbors evil intentions,” Hodges said. Hodges previously claimed that he found “proof” Obama stole the 2012 election because he joked about his refusal to have a second family dog during his victory speech:

Like many countries witnessing feudal system, Japan also become a part of this medieval feudal institution and people in Japan got structured their society in four tier class system. Although feudal system in European countries was completely based on land distribution and peasants were the people among the lowest class in the feudal system. The Japanese feudal system that existed between 9th century and 12th century saw little variation from the traditional European feudal system. In the feudal hierarchy of Japan the whole society was divided into various classes and the merchants were among the lowest rung. According to the Confucian ideals, the farmers and fishermen were emphasized as one of the productive members in the society. As their job was to provide food to all the people, hence fishermen and farmers enjoyed higher status in Japan as compared to merchants or shopkeepers. Following are the various classes that existed in Japanese feudal system apart from king and noblemen. Samurai Class This was the topmost class of the feudal Japan which constituted of samurai warriors. If we look at the population of Japan, the samurai warriors constituted only 10% of the total population, but since they showcased enormous power along with their daimyos lords, they were placed on top. The Japanese feudal system also forced lower class people to bow down in order to show respect while surpassing any samurai. There were people above samurais also for whom samurai worked, and Shoguns were the masters of Daimyos. But these classes were among the emperors and were the highest ranked people. Daimyos were the powerful warriors, also known as warlords, hence they were not made a part of this class system. Farmers or Fisherman (Peasants) On the japan social hierarchy ladder, after the samurais the next position was acquired by farmers. Since they were the producers of the food on which the whole population and all the classes depended, they were considered as an honorable class. They were placed higher in the hierarchy and enjoyed more privileges than the merchants or the artisans. Artisans These were the people who produced the goods of daily requirements like utensils, clothes etc. Some of the artisans were also involved in making swords and Boatwright for samurais. Merchants The traveling traders and the shopkeepers constituted the lowest class in the Japanese feudal hierarchy. The Japanese theories even referred merchants as parasites as they were considered to be making profits from the labor & work done by the more productive class of peasants. But as the time passed the merchants managed to grow their economic power and it resulted in weakening of the restrictions against them. This was a close description of feudal hierarchy of Japan which seized its existence in the 19th century as the floating world came to an end. In the Japanese feudal system also, the distribution of people in various classes resulted in the diversification of people in the country. Some aspects of feudalism can be witnessed even today in this country.

With a movie based on the animal kingdom, it made sense for Disney to host the promotional tour for Zootopia at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. That meant we Orlando locals also got an invite to sit at the table and share a few moments with the films production team and stars. It was definitely a privilege. Disney also filmed a few brief interviews which I’m happy to be able to share with you here: In addition to the interviews that were filmed above, I got to spend a bit of time on a panel of journalists interviewing both Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin. I found Bateman to be as cool a character as the onscreen fox he provides a voice to. Goodwin we interviewed on Skype, so it was hard to pick up the nuances, but she definitely exhibited the best traits of Judy Hopps. Plus she’s a Disney fan through-and-through. Bateman’s previous animation experience was scant (Darkos in Arthur and the Invisibles was a highlight), but he was excited to work on his first Disney film. There’s something about doing a Disney film when you have children, and Bateman has two daughters. The oldest of which was 6 when he got the part, she’s 9 now. She found it cool that her dad’s voice was coming out of a Disney character. As to how much Nick resembles him, Bateman says, “I can see the half-interested eyelids. He’s a real smart-ass. He always has his fist on his hip. There’s a lot of body language that’s similar to me.” Asked what his older daughter might take from the film, Bateman said “The central message of Judy’s sense of optimism and enthusiasm, ‘I’m going to go to the big city and make it’ thread is a great one for young girls to see. Because [Judy] immediately runs into this pessimistic and cynical character saying that life’s not all cherries and ice cream and she proves [Nick] wrong.” On the topic of what sort of staying power his character of Nick Wilde will have: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, because maybe I’m being not very realistic about the track record that Disney has. I always want to err on the side of humility and caution. I don’t want to take anything for granted (because I’ve lived the other side of that a few times). But from everything I’ve seen (I’ve seen the film a couple times now) and everything I’m reading, it is 100% a classic. These guys did such an incredible job with the story, with the themes, with the humor, the artistry, the animation. Chances are high that the character walking around Disneyland won’t just be for the theatrical release cycle.” What lessons do you hope people take from the movie? “Judy starts with this notion that she’s going to big city to make it. Then she runs into this orange blob of cynicism and pessimism and she’s really kind of all inside out. ‘Whatever you feel you can make happen.’ He’s basically saying ‘it’s all about the outside-in.’ People may not be cooperative if they have a bias. She rips that down for him. Kids can do well by not being burdened by any sort of preconceived notion. It matters that’s on the inside.” On staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: “The neatest thing for me was the first morning I woke. I got in here at night and when I woke up in the morning the first thing I saw was two giraffe outside my window. You know. My wife’s great, but waking up to a giraffe outside is tough to beat.” Our time with Ginnifer Goodwin was different, but I could feel the Disney fandom connection even over Skype. She talked about how acting with your voice is different and how she learned about it on ‘Legend of the Neverbeast” like a boot camp for voice acting. Goodwin’s tale of how she heard she got the part of Judy Hoops was classic: “Oh my gosh. This is going to sound like BS. I was in Mickey Mouse pajamas. Red Mickey Mouse pajamas that had my name embroidered on them that my mother gave me. They matched my sister’s. I was pregnant with my first son. I was sitting in my kitchen in Vancouver where we shoot ‘Once Upon a Time’ and I had a message on the phone from all my acting representatives, including my voiceover agent. So I thought I was getting fired from, at the time, I was working on ‘Legend of the Neverbeast.’ Because why else would everyone call at once.” When she was offered the part she answered yes without even learning about the role or reading the script. “I said ‘no, no, no. I do, but later. Call them and tell them that I’m taking the job. Because I want it to be legally binding. Then you can call me back and tell me what it is.” On her favorite Disney films, “my first love was Winnie the Pooh. Snow White was a big one for me. She was, like, my first Princess. I mean, she was Brunette, and so I thought that that means we’re related. Alice in Wonderland was an obsession for a while. I mean I grew up seeing and loving every Disney film. Hence it being the goal to be in a Disney animated feature.” On what she hopes children will take from the movie, “I mean, there’s so many, right? I feel like the overlying theme, the one that Judy articulates in the movie, that anyone can be anything is gonna be one of the first things that I hope my kids pick up on when they’re old enough to see this film. There’s some more underlying themes that are a little more sort of politically based and about the human condition. Ironic, since this is a story about animals, that I hope that they get to at some point when they’re ready for it. Then I just love that, for instance, Judy takes real responsibility for her actions. I think she’s so noble in that way. I hope that kids pick up on that.” I personally hope that Jason and Ginnifer will be invited back for a sequel, TV show, and the whole nine yards. There’s a long way to go, but early reviews are good. Stay tuned for more from the Junket and my review later this week.

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AP Photo Christian Hackenberg observations Intentional or not, the Jets didn't make observing Christian Hackenberg's first public throws since the 2016 preseason finale very easy. At the team's first organizes team activity of the year, Hackenberg worked on the far field away from the media. He threw primarily to scrub receivers, who were covered by scrub defenders. Still, we did our part to observe everything Hackenberg did. How'd he look? Was he improved from an inactive rookie season? Should Jets fans be hopeful this team finally has a franchise quarterback? Here are a few observations. Oh, before we get to them: This was the first of 10 voluntary offseason workouts. Players wore shorts and shirts. If you thought you'd get an inkling on Hackenberg's franchise quarterback potential, you're crazy. Now to the takeaways ...

The Council of the European Union announced Monday that it would attempt to again designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. The Palestinian group was taken off the EU’s official blacklist following a December 17 decision by the General Court of the European Union. High representative Federica Mogherini, the vice president of the council, emphasized that the original ruling to include Hamas in the list “was clearly based on procedural grounds and did not imply any assessment by the Court of the merits of designating the Hamas as a terrorist organization.” Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up The original listing in 2001 was based on conclusions derived from the media and the Internet, the General Court said in its ruling last month. “This ruling was clearly based on procedural grounds and did not imply any assessment by the court of the merits of designating the Hamas as a terrorist organization,” Mogherini said in a statement Monday. The ministers have “now decided to challenge some of the findings of the court regarding the procedural grounds to list terrorist organizations,” she said. In his response to the original judgment, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “The burden of proof falls on the EU, and we expect it to permanently return Hamas to the list, so everyone will understand that it is an inseparable part of it — Hamas is a murderous terror organization that emphasizes in its charter that its goal is to destroy Israel.” As a result of the appeal, the effects of the December decision are suspended until a final judgment is made. One of the implications is that Hamas’s European assets, which were before only frozen temporarily will now remain so pending the final judgement. “The European Union’s insistence on keeping Hamas on the list of terrorist organizations is an immoral step, and reflects the EU’s total bias in favor of the Israeli occupation,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP on Monday. Times of Israel staff and AFP contributed to this report.