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In A.D. 143 or 144, when he was in his early 20s, the future Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius set out for the country estate of his adoptive father, Emperor Antoninus Pius. The property, Villa Magna (Great Estate), boasted hundreds of acres of wheat, grapes and other crops, a grand mansion, baths and temples, as well as rooms for the emperor and his entourage to retreat from the world or curl up with a good book. Which is just what young Marcus did, as he related in a letter written to his tutor, Fronto, during the excursion. He describes reading Cato’s De agri cultura, which was to the gentlemanly farmer of the Roman Empire what Henry David Thoreau’s Walden was to nature lovers in the 19th century. He hunted boar, without success (“We did hear that boars had been captured but saw nothing ourselves”), and climbed a hill. And since the emperor was also the head of the Roman religion, he helped his father with the daily sacrifices—a ritual that made offerings of bread, milk or a slaughtered animal. The father, son and the emperor’s retinue dined in a chamber adjacent to the pressing room—where grapes were crushed for making wine—and there enjoyed some kind of show, perhaps a dance performed by the peasant farmworkers or slaves as they stomped the grapes. We know what became of Marcus Aurelius—considered the last of the “Five Good Emperors.” He ruled for nearly two decades from A.D. 161 to his death in A.D. 180, a tenure marked by wars in Asia and what is now Germany. As for the Villa Magna, it faded into neglect. Documents from the Middle Ages and later mention a church “at Villa Magna” lying southeast of Rome near the town of Anagni, in the region of Lazio. There, on privately owned land, remains of Roman walls are partially covered by a 19th-century farmhouse and a long-ruined medieval monastery. Sections of the complex were half-heartedly excavated in the 18th century by the Scottish painter and amateur treasure hunter Gavin Hamilton, who failed to find marble statues or frescoed rooms and decided that the site held little interest. As a result, archaeologists mostly ignored the site for 200 years. Then, in 2006, archaeologist Elizabeth Fentress—working under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania and the British School at Rome—got permission from the property owner and the Italian government to excavate the area and began to make some interesting discoveries. Most important, near the old farmhouse, her team—accompanied by Sandra Gatti from the Italian Archaeological Superintendency—found a marble-paved rectangular room. At one end was a raised platform, and there were circular indentations in the ground where large terra-cotta pots, or dolia, would have been set in an ancient Roman cella vinaria—a wine pressing room. The following summer, Fentress and a team discovered a chamber shaped like a semicircular auditorium attached to the pressing room. She was thrilled. Here was the dining area described by Marcus Aurelius where the imperial retinue watched the local workers stomp grapes and, presumably, dance and sing. “If there was any doubt about the villa,” says Fentress, “the discovery of the marble-paved cella vinaria and the banquet room looking into it sealed it.” In all, roman emperors constructed dozens of villas over the roughly 350-year span of imperial rule,from the rise of Augustus in 27 B.C. to the death of Constantine in A.D. 337. Since treasure hunters first discovered the villas in the 18th century (followed by archaeologists in the 19th and 20th), nearly 30 such properties have been documented in the Italian region of Lazio alone. Some, such as Hadrian’s, at Tivoli, have yielded marble statues, frescoes and ornate architecture, evidence of the luxuries enjoyed by wealthy, powerful men (and their wives and mistresses). As archaeological investigations continue at several sites throughout the Mediterranean, a more nuanced picture of these properties and the men who built them is emerging. “This idea that the villa is just about conspicuous consumption, that’s only the beginning,” says Columbia University archaeologist Marco Maiuro, who works with Fentress at Villa Magna. The villas also point up the sharp contrast between the emperors’ official and private lives. “In Rome,” says Steven Tuck, a classical art historian at Miami University of Ohio, “you constantly see them through their service to the state—dedications of buildings, triumphal columns and arches and monuments.” But battles and bureaucracy are left at the villa’s door. Tuck points to his favorite villa—that of Tiberius, Augustus’ stepson, son-in-law and successor. It lies at the end of a sandy beach near Sperlonga, a resort between Rome and Naples on the Mediterranean coast. Wedged between a twisting mountain road and crashing waves, the Villa Tiberio features a natural grotto fashioned into a banquet hall. When archaeologists discovered the grotto in the 1950s, the entrance was filled with thousands of marble fragments. Once the pieces were put together, they yielded some of the greatest sculptural groups ever created—enormous statues depicting the sea monster Scylla and the blinding of the Cyclops Polyphemus. Both are characters from Homer’s Odyssey as retold in Virgil’s Aeneid, itself a celebration of Rome’s mythic founding written just before Tiberius’ reign. Both also vividly illustrate man locked in epic battle with primal forces. “We don’t see this kind of thing in Rome,” says Tuck. It was evocative of a nymphaeum, a dark, primeval place supposedly inhabited by nymphs and beloved by the capricious sea god Neptune. Imagine dining here, with the sound of the sea and torchlight flickering off the fish tail of the monster Scylla as she tossed Odysseus’ shipmates into the ocean. If the imperial villa provided opportunities for Roman emperors to experiment with new images and ideas, then the one that Hadrian (A.D. 76-138) built at Tivoli in the first decades of the second century may be the ultimate in freewheeling expression. Occupying about 250 acres at the base of the Apennine Hills, Villa Adriana was originally a farm. When Hadrian became emperor in A.D. 117, he began renovating the existing structure into something extraordinary. The villa unfolded into a grand interlocking of halls, baths and gathering spaces designed to tantalize and amaze visitors. “This villa has been studied for five centuries, ever since its discovery during the Renaissance,” says Marina De Franceschini, an archaeologist working with the University of Trento. “And yet there’s still a lot to discover.” Franceschini is especially beguiled by the villa’s outlandish architecture. Take the so-called Maritime Theater, where Hadrian designed a villa within a villa. On an island ringed by a water channel, it is reached by a drawbridge and equipped with two sleeping areas, two bathrooms, a dining room, living room and a thermal bath. The circular design and forced perspective make it appear larger than it is. “The emperor was interested in experimental architecture,” says Franceschini. “It’s an extremely complicated place. Everything is curved. It’s unique.” What exact statement Hadrian wanted to make with his villa has been the subject of debate since the Renaissance, when the great artists of Italy—including Raphael and Michelangelo—studied it. Perhaps to a greater extent than any other emperor, Hadrian possessed an aesthetic sensibility, which found expression in the many beautiful statues discovered on the site, some of which now grace the halls of the Vatican museums and the National Museum of Rome, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Louvre in Paris. Hadrian traveled frequently, and whenever he returned to Italy, Tivoli became his preferred residence, away from the imperial palace on the Palatine Hill. Part business, part pleasure, the villa contains many rooms designed to accommodate large gatherings. One of the most spacious is the canopus—a long structure marked by a reflecting pool said to symbolize a canal Hadrian visited in Alexandria, Egypt, in A.D. 130, where his lover Antinous drowned that same year. Ringing the pool was a colonnade connected by an elaborate architrave (carved marble connecting the top of each column). At the far end is a grotto, similar to that at Sperlonga but completely man-made, which scholars have named the Temple of Serapis, after a temple originally found at Alexandria. Today, the canopus and grotto may look austere, but with the emperor seated there with up to 100 other diners around the pool, it must have been something to see. A network of underground tunnels some three miles long trace a labyrinth beneath the villa, which allowed servants to appear, almost magically, to refill a glass or serve a plate of food. The pool on a warm summer night, reflecting the curvilinear architrave, was surely enchanting. Standing at the grotto today, one can barely see the line made by two small aqueducts running from a hillside behind the grotto to the top of this half-domed pavilion. Water would have entered a series of pipes at its height, run down into walls and eventually exploded from niches into a semi-circular pool and passed under the emperor. Franceschini believes the water was mostly decorative. “It reflected the buildings,” he says. “It also ran through fountains and grand waterworks. It was conceived to amaze the visitor. If you came to a banquet in the canopus and saw the water coming, that would have been really spectacular.” Hadrian was not the only emperor to prefer country life to Rome’s imperial palace. Several generations earlier, Tiberius had retired to villas constructed by his predecessor Augustus. Installing a regent in Rome, the gloomy and reclusive Tiberius walled himself off from the world at the Villa Jovis, which still stands on the island of Capri, near Neapolis (today’s Naples hills). Tiberius’ retreat from Rome bred rumor and suspicion. The historian Suetonius, in his epic work The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, would later accuse him of setting up a licentious colony where sadomasochism, pederasty and cruelty were practiced. (Most historians believe these accusations to be false.) “Tradition still associates the great villas of Capri with this negative image,” says Eduardo Federico, a historian at the University of Naples who grew up on the island. Excavated largely in the 1930s and boasting some of the most spectacular vistas of the Mediterranean Sea of any Roman estate, the Villa Jovis remains a popular tourist destination. “The legend of Tiberius as a tyrant still prevails,” says Federico. “Hostile history has made the Villa Jovis a place of cruelty and Tiberian lust.” Perhaps the best-known retirement villa belonged to the emperor Diocletian (A.D. 245-316), who ruled at the end of the third century and into the fourth. Besides his tireless persecution of Christians, Diocletian is known for ending a half-century of instability and consolidating the empire—before dividing it into eastern and western halves (thereby setting the stage for the rise of the Byzantine Empire). Much of this work involved quelling rebellions on the perimeter and keeping the ever-agitating senatorial class under control. By A.D. 305, at the age of 60, Diocletian had had enough. In a bold, unprecedented move—previous emperors had all died in office—he announced his retirement and sought refuge in a seaside villa on the coast of Dalmatia (today’s Croatia). Now called Diocletian’s Palace, the ten-acre complex includes a mausoleum, temples, a residential suite and a magnificent peristyle courtyard complete with a dais and throne. Even out of power, Diocletian remained a force in the empire, and when it fell into chaos in 309, various factions pleaded for him to take up rule again. Diocletian demurred, famously writing that if they could see the incredible cabbages he’d grown with his own hands, they wouldn’t ask him to trade the peace and happiness of his palace for the “storms of a never-satisfied greed,” as one historian put it. He died there seven years later. Located in the modern city of Split, Diocletian’s Palace is one of the most stunning ancient sites in the world. Most of its walls still stand; and although the villa has been looted for treasure, a surprising number of statues—mostly Egyptian, pillaged during a successful military campaign—still stand. The villa owes its excellent condition to local inhabitants, who moved into the sprawling residence not long after the fall of Rome and whose descendants live there to this day. “Everything is interwoven in Split,” says Josko Belamaric, an art historian with the Croatian Ministry of Culture who is responsible for conservation of the palace. “It’s so dense. You open a cupboard in someone’s apartment, and you’re looking at a 1,700-year-old wall.” Belamaric has been measuring and studying Diocletian’s Palace for more than a decade, aiming to strike a balance between its 2,000 residents and the needs of preservation. (Wiring high-speed Internet into an ancient villa, for instance, is not done with a staple gun.) Belamaric’s studies of the structure have yielded some surprises. Working with local architect Goran Niksic, the art historian realized that the aqueduct to the villa was large enough to supply water to 173,000 people (too big for a residence, but about right for a factory). The local water contains natural sulfur, which can be used to fix dyes. Belamaric concluded that Diocletian’s estate included some sort of manufacturing center—probably for textiles, as the surrounding hills were filled with sheep and the region was known for its fabrics. It’s long been thought that Diocletian built his villa here because of the accommodating harbor and beautiful seascape, not to mention his own humble roots in the region. But Belamaric speculates it was also an existing textile plant that drew the emperor here, “and it probably continued during his residence, generating valuable income.” In fact, most imperial Roman villas were likely working farms or factories beneficial to the economy of the empire. “The Roman world was an agriculturally based one,” says Fentress. “During the late republic we begin to see small farms replaced by larger villas.” Although fish and grains were important, the predominant crop was grapes, and the main product wine. By the first century B.C., wealthy landowners—the emperors among them—were bottling huge amounts of wine and shipping it throughout the Roman Empire. One of the first global export commodities was born. At Tiberius’ villa at Sperlonga, a series of rectangular pools, fed by the ocean nearby, lay in front of the grotto. At first they seem merely decorative. But upon closer inspection, one notices a series of terra-cotta-lined holes, each about six inches in diameter, set into the sides of the pools, just beneath the water’s surface. Their likely use? To provide a safe space in which fish could lay their eggs. The villa operated as a fish farm, producing enough fish, Tuck estimates, not only to feed the villa and its guests but also to supply markets in Rome. “It’s fantastic to see this dining space that also doubled as a fish farm,” says Tuck. “It emphasizes the practical workings of these places.” Maiuro believes that the economic power of the larger villas, which tended to expand as Rome grew more politically unstable, may even have contributed to the empire’s decline, by sucking economic—and eventually political—power away from Rome and concentrating it in the hands of wealthy landowners, precursors of the feudal lords who would dominate the medieval period. “Rome was never very well centralized,” says Maiuro, “and as the villas grow, Rome fades.” Paul Bennett lived in Italy for five years and has lectured widely on Roman history, archaeology and landscape design.

By calling out homophobia on the field, David Pocock was just enforcing the very principles the rugby world claims to uphold. Pity the sport's bosses don't share his approach, writes Tracey Holmes. "We take the issue of homophobia in sport seriously," says Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver. Why then is former Wallabies captain David Pocock - the player who reported the homophobic slur in a weekend Super 15 match - now being targeted? In an article in The Australian today by rugby writer Wayne Smith, there are claims that Pocock's "mere presence in the Wallabies now threatens to have a polarising effect". It goes on. "The problem is that the ARU could not take the risk that if it reinstated him as Wallabies captain that he wouldn't use his position as a soapbox for his personal beliefs." A soapbox? His "personal beliefs"? These are the very beliefs the ARU has inscribed in its player code of conduct. These are the beliefs that prompted the four codes of football and cricket to stand on a stage last year and declare they were united in their commitment to ending homophobia in sport. How serious are they then when NSW Waratahs player, Jacques Potgieter, uses a homophobic slur that most likely would have been ignored had Pocock not heard it and reported it to the referee? By reporting it to the referee it had to be investigated further. The referee-cam recorded the conversation. Well done, David Pocock. Well done, referee-cam. Others have bemoaned the fact there are so many microphones and cameras on the field now and that Pocock broke the age old rule that "what happens on the field stays on the field". But that doesn't apply any more. This is 2015. It is not OK to keep quiet about domestic violence in the home and it's not all right that bigoted athletes can get away with abusing others on the field. Don't sports bodies, like the ARU, keep telling us about the physical, mental and spiritual benefits that come from playing sport? A principled person who has a history of making his beliefs public and standing by them when the pressure is on should be the exact person they turn to to uphold what they claim are the very hot-button beliefs they stand for as a sport. Pulver said Potgieter's comments during the weekend match breached the players code of conduct that prohibited homophobic or racist comments. It's similar to comments he made when Queensland Reds player Karmichael Hunt admitted last month to using recreational drugs outside the football season when he wasn't yet signed to the code of rugby union. So let's look at how seriously the ARU takes these "code of conduct" breaches. The ARU fined Potgieter $20,000 - $10,000 of it suspended - and ordered him to undergo further education. The ARU suspended Hunt for six weeks and fined him $30,000. The ARU is not as serious about stamping out homophobia as it is about tackling a social drug issue that occurred outside its jurisdiction and for which Hunt had already been found guilty and fined in a court of law. As for Potgieter, he has given the apology you give when you are not sure you've done something wrong. "I'm very sorry for any offence caused by what I said on the field during a heated encounter. It was an offhand remark made without thought for the hurt it could cause to those around me," he said in a statement. First of all, he's sorry for any offence caused - not for what he said. Next, it was only an "offhand comment". Actually it wasn't, it broke the rules of the ARU code. Sports bodies have a history of ducking for cover whenever an athlete makes a stand. And yet, these same sports bodies are happy to take the credit when the benefit of time applauds these momentous occasions that alter the path of history. In 1968 Australian 200 metre runner Peter Norman supported John Carlos and Tommie Smith when they raised their fists to highlight the civil rights struggle in the US. Nelson Mandela used rugby itself to heal a post-apartheid South Africa when his nation hosted the 1995 World Cup. Apartheid's final collapse came partly at the hands of numerous sporting teams refusing to travel to, or play against, South Africa while the racist policies existed and determined who could play the game based on skin colour. Pocock joins an impressive list of athletes who are not afraid to take a stand - to uphold values that are bigger than the sport itself but are crucial in showing how sport can lead the way to a better society. Pity, it seems, sports bosses don't see it quite the same way. Wayne Smith's article in the Australian finishes with this: If Pocock wants to make political statements, one rugby official told me yesterday, he should stand for parliament. I hope he does. He'd get my vote. Mine too. It's just a shame that taking a stand against homophobia is seen as something that should be sidelined from sport, despite their claims, and assigned to the political domain. If Pocock's future is stymied because he continues to stand up for what is right then all of rugby's lofty claims will be shattered. The ARU's inclusion policy will be shown to be nothing more than another empty vessel sailing on the promotional sea of sport. Tracey Holmes has focussed her career in journalism on sport and its wider implications.

Rick Santorum raised eyebrows last week for making claims that he has been making for years, including his criticism of public schools. As the Los Angeles Times reported, Santorum called public schools “anachronistic” and compared them to factories: In his remarks to the Ohio Christian Alliance, however, Santorum went further, seeming to attack the very idea of public education. In the nation’s past, he said, “Most presidents homeschooled their children in the White House.… Parents educated their children because it was their responsibility.” “Yes, the government can help,” he continued, “but the idea that the federal government should be running schools, frankly much less that the state government should be running schools, is anachronistic.” He said it is an artifact of the Industrial Revolution, “when people came off the farms where they did homeschool or had a little neighborhood school, and into these big factories … called public schools.” While industry has evolved, public schools remain stuck in the factory era, he said, “back in the age of Henry Ford. You get what we give you. One color, two models. It wouldn’t work for Henry Ford today, and it won’t work for America today. Santorum has long opposed public education and in his 2005 book It Takes a Family marveled how “so many kids turn out to be fairly normal, considering the weird socialization they get in public schools.” In fact, public schools are consistently in the crosshairs of Religious Right activists, as seen in this anti-public education film made by Truth in Action Ministries: While Santorum is an unapologetic opponent of public schools, or as he calls them, “government-run schools,” he has no problem making taxpayers cover the tab for his homeschooling. While a U.S. Senator, Santorum moved his family to Virginia but still stuck Pennsylvania taxpayers with the bill for his decision to have his children attend a cyber-school:

Washington, DC — A New Jersey Congressman has proposed a bill in the House of Representatives to designate February 12th as national Darwin Day. Representative Rush Holt, a Democrat and a professing Quaker, recently submitted the proposal to Congress as a way to honor Darwin, who he calls “an amazingly creative man.” “Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by the mechanism of natural selection, together with the monumental amount of scientific evidence he compiled to support it, provides humanity with a logical and intellectually compelling explanation for the diversity of life on Earth,” he wrote in the text of the bill. “[T]he validity of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection is further strongly supported by the modern understanding of the science of genetics.” “[I]t has been the human curiosity and ingenuity exemplified by Darwin that has promoted new scientific discoveries that have helped humanity solve many problems and improve living conditions,” he continued. “[T]he advancement of science must be protected from those unconcerned with the adverse impacts of global warming and climate change.” Holt then takes aim at Biblical creation as he outlines his belief that “the teaching of creationism in some public schools compromises the scientific and academic integrity of the United States education systems.” “Charles Darwin is a worthy symbol of scientific advancement on which to focus and around which to build a global celebration of science and humanity intended to promote a common bond among all of Earth’s peoples,” he said. “Whereas February 12, 2013, is the anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin in 1809 and would be an appropriate date to designate as Darwin Day, now, therefore, be it resolved that the House of Representatives (1) supports the designation of Darwin Day; and (2) recognizes Charles Darwin as a worthy symbol on which to celebrate the achievements of reason, science, and the advancement of human knowledge.” The bill was referred to the Congressional Committee on Science, Space and Technology for consideration. Connect with Christian News Follow @4christiannews In speaking with the New York Times about the matter, Holt stated that he would like for evolution to play a greater role in Congress. “I hope we can hold hearings,” Holt told the publication, “where people can hear about Darwin and science and the jobs it creates, the lives it saves–everything.” Holt takes a very different stance than that of United States Representative Paul Broun of Georgia, a medical doctor and member of the federal Science and Technology Committee, who, as previously reported, called evolution and the big bang theory “lies straight from the pit of Hell.” “God’s word is true. I’ve come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, the big bang theory–all of that is lies straight from the pit of Hell,” Broun stated at a sportsman’s event held at a local church last year. “And it’s lies to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a Savior. You see, there’s a lot of scientific data that I’ve found as a scientist that this really is a young earth. I don’t believe that the earth is but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was made in six days as we know them. That’s what the Bible tells us.” According to historical documentation, during the 1860 Oxford evolution debate, Admiral Robert FitzRoy, who had once served as the captain for Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos Islands and played a significant role in the development of the Origin of Species, repented of his participation. He walked to the front of the room, “lifting an immense Bible, first with both and afterwards with one hand over his head, [and] solemnly implored the audience to believe God rather than man.”

Tenemos algo para ofrecerte Con nuestra suscripción digital disfrutás de más de 300 artículos exclusivos por mes y navegás sin límites nuestros sitios. Tenemos newsletters premium, una comunidad exclusiva para vos, descuentos con Club La Voz y más. Quiero suscribirme desde $30 A las 6.20, el gobernador de Córdoba José Manuel de la Sota informó que 52 personas fueron detenidas durante la noche. Se espera que a las 7 los policías acuartelados den una respuesta a la última oferta de la Provincia. Esta madrugada los uniformados fueron intimados por la Justicia para que retornen a sus funciones. Las postales fueron desoladoras. Vecinos desprotegidos, estudiantes en vela en Nueva Córdoba, barricadas para defender la propiedad y la seguridad, mientras miles de policías reclaman un aumento salarial y mejoras laborales. Se vivieron escenas de violencia en diferentes puntos de la ciudad. Supermercados y locales comerciales fueron saqueados y atacados por delincuentes y vecinos actuaron por mano propia para detener a los malvivientes. Corridas, disparos y miedo fueron los relatos comunes durante una madrugada en la que pocos pudieron dormir. Publicidad Numerosos supermercados y locales comerciales sufrieron saqueos y robos a partir de las 16 del martes y durante toda la noche, mientras Córdoba veía reducida la presencia policial en las calles a raíz de una protesta que mantienen los efectivos en reclamo de mejoras salariales y en las condiciones de trabajo. Vecinos desprotegidos, algunos portando armas de fuego sobre los techos de sus locales para defenderse, agresiones de la gente a delicuentes que atacaron comercios, balaceras en diferentes barrios de la ciudad, supermercados desvalijados, puestos de vigilancia incendiados y un descontrol generalizado marcaban los hechos de violencia minutos antes durante esta madrugada. Hoy no habrá transporte, escuelas ni bancos en la ciudad de Córdoba. Muy pocos comercios abrirán sus puertas. A las 11, el gobernador De la Sota convocó a una reunión con representantes de partidos políticos, legisladores, empresarios y gremios para analizar la situación de violencia, al tiempo que exigió que los policías acuartelados vuelvan a sus funciones. La Justicia también los intimó a regresar a sus puestos. Cronología de robos y saqueos Publicidad En la ciudad de Córdoba y alrededores se registraron saqueos, intentos de saqueo o robos a mano armada en los siguientes locales comerciales. De los últimos 25, no hay precisión de la hora en que ocurrieron, pero fueron entre la madrugada y la mañana del miércoles. • Planta de Manfrey. Circunvalación entre Pilar y ruta 9. Ingresaron unas 200 personas. Esta mañana mientras De la Sota daba el discurso. • Pinturería en Argüello. En la mañana del miércoles la robaron y la prendieron fuego. Está ubicada en avenida Donato Álvarez al 4800. Publicidad • Empresa de transporte Lancioni. En barrio Los bulevares. Está ubicada en Los catalanes 4475. • Mueblería desvalijada. En Monseñor Pablo Cabrera y Nieto. • Local de ropa en Recta Martinoli 7900. Gongo, local de indumentaria. Rompieron puerta de vidrio y robaron ropas y zapatillas. • Hiper Libertad Rodriguez del Bustos. En la sucursal de Rodríguez del Busto entraron a saquear y hubo empleados encerrados en una oficina del comercio, informó a este diario la empleada de un call center que funciona en la planta alta de ese hipermercado. • Zapatería Peppers. En Mariano Fragueiro 3849. Saqueo total. • Feria La Toscana. En Juan B Justo 4521. • Mini Libertad de calle Alem. Totalmente saqueado. • Tarquino de Juan B. Justo 2828. Saqueo total. • Car Music. En avenida Alem. • Supermercado Vea de barrio General Paz. Está ubicado en General Deheza y Buchardo. • Hipermercado Libertad de Barrio General Paz. • Ferniplast del Centro. En avenida San Martín. • Supermercado Vea del Centro. En avenida Colón. • Movistar del Centro. En calle Tucumán y 9 de Julio, rompieron la vidriera de un local de la firma Movistar y se llevaron celulares. Este mediodía, cuatro comerciantes del área y un vecino permanecían en esa esquina, custodiando la zona. • Disco del Centro. En Vélez Sarsfield 132. • Belgrano y Achaval Rodríguez. Varios locales fueron saqueados, a partir de la rotura delas vidrieras. • Avenida Sabattini y Sargento Cabral. Múltiples barricadas en las esquinas del área. Hubo muchos intentos de saqueo. No todos prosperaron. Comerciantes armados custodiando muchos de los negocios. • Vélez Sarsfield al 3600. Locales atacados. • Mariano Max de barrio Las Flores. En el Hipermercado Mariano Max, de Vélez Sarsfield al 4051, hubo intentos de saqueos. El helicóptero de la Policía sobrevoló durante la mañana la zona. • Avenida Vélez Sarsfield al 6000. Varios locales saqueados, incluidas algunas casas de familia que compartían el mismo domicilio. • Cordiez de barrio Empalme. Usuario de Facebook reporta saqueo al supermercado de avenida Sabattini 4417 y Rayo Cortado. • Pollería asaltada. Usuario de Facebook reporta robo a una pollería en Sabattini y Carnerillo. • Tiny Baby. En avenida Colón y Sagrada familia. • Cordiez de Alto Alberdi. En Colón 3.200. • Zárate. Hubo un intento de saqueo en el local ubicado en Colón al 4.500. El local sufrió la rotura de escaparates. • Illia e Ituzaingó. Grupo comando en moto robó un local de ropa. • Donato Álvarez, zona oeste. Sujetos no identificados atacaban locales en avenida Donato Álvarez al 7.200, ingresando a diferentes negocios como mercerías y outlets para llevarse mercaderías en camionetas y motos, a las 4.30. • Carrefour, avenida Colón. Delincuentes intentaron ingresar al hipermercado ubicado en avenida Colón, barrio Villa Urquiza. La Policía intentaba dispersar a las personas encapuchadas, minutos antes de las 4 de la mañana. Había disparos, piedras y enfrentamientos. • Saturno Hogar. En avenida Colón casi esquina Domingo Zípoli, y otro en Colón y Sagrada familia. A las 3.30 se informó que la casa de electrodomésticos sufrió el robo de aires acondicionados, televisores y minicomponentes, según denunció el gerente del local. "Esto no fue un saqueo, no se roba por hambre", dijo el representante de la firma. • Supermercado Vea barrio Maipú. En avenida Sabattini. La sucursal del supermercado había quedado a merced de delincuentes que robaban mercaderías pasada la 1 de esta madrugada, informó Cadena 3. • Nueva Córdoba. A las 12.27 comerciantes de Nueva Córdoba salieron a las calles para defender sus locales, según informaron usuarios de la red social Twitter, en la esquina de calles Estrada y Buenos Aires. • Claro, avenida Colón. Cerca de la medianoche, delincuentes ingresaron a las oficinas de atención al cliente de la empresa de telefonía móvil ubicada en avenida Colón. Se llevaron equipos mientras los uniformados presentes en el lugar intentaban reprimir los robos con balas de goma. • Súper Vea, barrio Las Palmas. Personas ingresaron a la sucursal ubicada en avenida Colón y robaron electrodomésticos y mercadería y luego fueron repelidos por policías que se hicieron presentes en el lugar. • Vea, barrio San Vicente. Una sucursal del supermercado ubicada frente a la plaza Mariano Moreno (plaza del Mercado) había sido saqueada, informó un periodista de este diario desde el lugar. • Ferniplast, barrio San Vicente. El local de la juguetería ubicado en calle San Jerónimo de barrio San Vicente también sufrió ataques durante la noche. • Makro, avenida Colón. A las 22.30, el hipermercado mayorista de avenida Colón también sufría ataques vandálicos y el robo de mercaderías, como colchones y electrodomésticos, según testigos y medios periodísticos presentes en el lugar. • Hiper Libertad, Rodríguez del Busto. En la sucursal de Rodríguez del Busto entraron a saquear y hay empleados encerrados en una oficina del comercio, informó a este diario la empleada de un call center que funciona en la planta alta de ese hipermercado. • Cordiez, Los Paraísos. Rompieron las persianas del local ubicado en la calle Cornelio Saavedra y en la noche intentaban entrar al comercio. • Ruta 20. Se registraron robos en numerosos comercios ubicados en avenida Fuerza Aérea y a autos estacionados en las calles, según confirmaron fuentes policiales. • Monseñor Pablo Cabrera al 5500. Un grupo de personas entró a un local de electrodomésticos. • Mariano Max, barrio Los Plátanos. Un saqueo se registró en el comercio ubicado entre calles Félix Paz y Santa Ana. • Mariano Max, barrio Los Gigantes. El local ubicado en la calle Carlos Jimenez también fue saqueado. • Supermercado Vea, avenida Santa Ana. A las 21, un grupo de al menos 30 personas logró ingresar a la sucursal ubicada en avenida Santa Ana esquina García Martínez, en la zona sur de la ciudad. Rompieron las rejas e irrumpieron en el local que se encontraba cerrado. Se llevaron heladeras y mercaderías. Efectivos policiales intentaron despejar el área arrojando balas de goma, informó un móvil de Cadena 3 apostado en el lugar. “Corrían con carros que tenían televisores LCD, aires acondicionados y ventiladores. También había otro grupo que intentaba entrar con motos y armas", dijo un vecino que comunicación con este diario. • Cordiez, barrio SEP. Un grupo de unas 50 personas saqueó en dos oportunidades la sucursal ubicada en avenida Ricchieri al 4200, a escasas cuadras del lugar donde policías mantienen un acuartelamiento. Los vecinos se llevaron bebidas y mercadería. “Han sacado mercadería, no hay lesionados. Se han llevado mucha bebida alcohólica y también mercadería. Los empleados no han sido golpeados”, dijo un efectivo policial a Cadena 3. Una hora más tarde, otro grupo de personas volvió a ingresar al local y huyeron luego de que tres policías que se presentaron en un móvil efectuaran disparos "al aire". El primer saqueo ocurrió a las 16 y una más tarde volvieron a ingresar. Cerca de las 18.30, efectivos del Eter llegaron para custodiar la sucursal. • Cordiez, barrio Ituzaingó. Diego Brasca, de la sucursal de Cordiez de barrio Ituzaingó, dijo esta tarde a Mitre Córdoba que un grupo de personas ingresó en dos oportunidades al local y se llevó mercadería. Brasca no pudo precisar cuántas personas fueron las que participaron del saqueo en avenida Vucetich esquina Graham y adelantó que han pedido a otras sucursales un cierre preventivo para evitar más robos. "Hemos bajado la orden en algunas sucursales para hacer el cierre para evitar cualquier tipo de inconvenientes de esta naturaleza", dijo. • Cordiez,Villa Allende. Hubo rotura de vidrios en avenida Goicoechea en un intento de saqueo. La Policía y los guardias lograron evitarlo, según reportes periodísticos. • Súper chino, barrio Jardín del Sur. Pasadas las 20, se produjeron saqueos en un supermercado chino ubicado en Soconcho y Celso Barrios, en la zona sur de la ciudad, informaron vecinos de la zona a una periodista de este diario. • Chango Más, Ruta 20. El local ubicado frente al CPC de ruta 20 fue saqueado, según reportó un movilero de Cadena 3. Hasta las 21.45, la Policía lo tenía registrado como un intento de saqueo. • Mariano Max, barrio Yofre. Otro robo se produjo en un supermercado Mariano Max de la calle Saavedra Lamas. Allí un grupo de sujetos sustrajo bebidas alcohólicas y una moto, según pudo presenciar un periodista de este diario. • Dexter Shop, Fuerza Aérea. Un grupo de entre 10 y 15 jóvenes entraron al local de ropa deportiva Dexter shop. Allí un móvil del Eter logró detener a dos menores, según informaron en Cadena 3. • Súper chino, barrio Jardín. Delincuentes se llevaron mercaderías y dinero en un supermercado chino ubicado en avenida Richieri 2792, de barrio Jardín, según denunció uno de los empleados del lugar en declaraciones a Cadena 3. "Estaban armados y entraron con violencia", dijo el hombre, que atiende la carnicería. El hombre descartó que se haya tratado de un saqueo. "Esto no es por hambre, fue un robo", indicó. • Disco, Plaza de las Américas. También se produjo un robo en un supermercado Disco situado en cercanías de la Plaza de las Américas, donde el vicepresidente de la Cámara de Supermercados Benjamín Blanch dijo que unas 15 personas ingresaron y robaron cerca de siete televisores. • Talleres Sur. Una carnicería y una panadería que comparten un local en barrios Talleres Sur fueron asaltados por un grupo de hombres en motos, indicaron voceros policiales. 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As a freelance composer, I am constantly striving to improve my work flow. Work flow is the order or method used to complete a project. While each artist will have their own workflow, it can change depending on the project. Here are some tips on organizing, optimizing and implementing your workflow for whatever project you’re working on: Break the project into smaller parts by mapping it out While this might seem like an obvious starting point, have you ever taken the time to map out every conceivable aspect of your project? Have you researched the work flow of other people in your field? You’d be surprised at how complex a project truly is once you map it out. You may even discover a new aspect to add to it that you hadn’t considered before! You can use this flowchart maker to create a template for use on your projects. You can also create a simple list using evernote to accomplish this. Take a half hour to write out every possible aspect of your project that you can think of, research how other people map out their projects and then create your own project map. The path of least resistance Now that you have your chart ready, you can decide where you want to start. Look through your map and assess which steps are going to be the easiest versus the more difficult ones. Start with the easier ones. Who cares if you’re doing easy work first, you’ve got to get it done eventually, right? Once this is finished, move on to the next easiest item on the map. Sometimes you have to do some of the tough work before you can get to the easier work; maybe you need to have a solid story line established before you can get into the character designs and mechanics. The unavoidable aspect of the path of least resistance is that it will always lead you to more difficult tasks. It is here that we find ourselves getting stuck or unmotivated. Check out my blog post on motivation for what to do if you’re not feeling motivated. For times when we feel stuck or intimidated by one of the tougher tasks, I like to implement the rule of three. The rule of three The most difficult tasks seem to be the ones that we feel the weakest on or have the least experience with. It’s while working on these tasks that I often implement the rule of three. The rule of three is the principle that you will always make at least three different versions of what you’re working on to give you different options to work with. Let’s say that you’re not sure what your character will look like, instead of doubling down on the first draft that you’re not too thrilled on, make two more different versions. Strive to make each version as unique from the others as possible. This will more than likely cause a breakthrough. If you still aren’t making anything that you’re happy with after following the rule of three, follow the rule of three again! If you don’t use these ideas on your current project, you can always save them and use them for something else! Following the rule of three might seem like it’s slowing you down but the benefits are worth the effort. Not only are you giving yourself perspective on what you’re working on, you’re literally sharpening your creativity by giving yourself extra repetitions. It actually gives you more freedom because you know that you have multiple tries to get something right as opposed to being crushed by the pressure if trying to get something right on the first try. The rule of three can be used in any aspect of your project, from what your character’s arms are going to look like to figuring out what type of game you want to make. You can think of the rule of three as a way to implement the path of least resistance on a difficult task. Detachment Developing a game, writing music or creating art tends cause us to focus in like a microscope lens. Its easy to lose perspective on what you’re doing after you’ve put in 3 continuous hours or work a day for several weeks. It’s critical that you learn how to detach from what you’re focused on so that you can gain a wider perspective on things. Perhaps the purest form of detachment is meditation. I simply think of meditation as sitting quietly for a few minutes while gently pushing thoughts away as they try to creep into my mind. You can use meditation virtually at any time and any place. Another form of detachment is getting feedback from someone you trust and respect. Reach out to someone to give you feedback on what you’ve made and try to take in as much advice as you can. If you really want some perspective, you’ll seek advice from several people at once so that you can see the contrasts or consistencies in the feedback! Don’t be afraid to ask for critiques, most people love giving constructive criticism and find it flattering that you would seek their expertise. Another way to detach is to defer to the path of least resistance. Temporarily move on to another aspect of your project in order to give yourself something else to think about (preferably something that contrasts with what you were working on). Mapping your project out, following the path of least resistance, implementing the rule of three and learning how to detach are great ways to keep your workflow moving and will give you options when you are starting to feel stagnant or burned out. Thank you for reading! Good luck on your projects!

Facebook is facing an existential crisis and moral reckoning. Last week, Mark Zuckerberg Mark Elliot Zuckerberg2.5 million US users register to vote using Facebook, Instagram, Messenger Hillicon Valley: Trump's ban on TikTok, WeChat in spotlight | NASA targeted by foreign hackers | Instagram accused of spying in lawsuit The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine, masks MORE, Facebook’s chief executive, finally broke his deafening silence to apologize for the stunning misuse of 50 million Americans’ personal data by Cambridge Analytica to sow chaos online and “fight a culture war in America.” ADVERTISEMENT In the wake of these reports, Facebook has hemorrhaged investors and advertisers, losing more market value in several days than Uber’s entire estimated worth. Even more importantly, it has lost Americans’ confidence that Facebook is not merely an engine of corporate surveillance more interested in turning a quick advertising buck than protecting our privacy and democracy. This latest crisis of public confidence has been years in the making. In 2010, Facebook responded to widespread concerns about its opaque data policies by promising to make its privacy settings easier, and promised consumers that “[w]e don’t share your information with advertisers. Our targeting is anonymous. We don’t identify or share names. Period.” This was, of course, not true. Facebook did sell Americans' personal data to advertisers without consent. Later that year, another report confirmed that Facebook shared the data of tens of millions users—including friends of friends and “people who set their profiles to Facebook’s strictest privacy settings”—despite making assurances that it would fix this problem through tighter control over data used by third-party apps. And in 2011, Facebook settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that it “deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook.” Even though this settlement barred Facebook from misrepresenting consumers’ privacy or security on Facebook, you guessed it: this was yet another broken promise. Professor Tim Wu of Columbia Law School attributes Facebook’s pattern of recidivism and unwillingness to address systemic abuse on its platform to its core business model as a surveillance machine: “They get as much data as they can, and they promise advertisers that they’re able to manipulate us, and that is at the core.” But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Despite its pledge to work with Congress and security researchers to investigate election interference, Facebook has instead attempted to elude congressional oversight of this matter while preventing researchers from analyzing the extent of misinformation and propaganda on Facebook. Facebook funneling Americans’ access to quality journalism and trustworthy sources of information threatens the very existence of the free and diverse press, a lynchpin of our constitutional democracy that is key to rooting out corruption and holding the government and powerful corporations accountable. Internationally, human rights experts say that Facebook has played a “determining role” in ethnic violence in Myanmar, similar to the role of extremist radio in enabling unimaginable violence and death in Rwanda. Facebook has also been outright blocked in other countries due to its role in spreading and amplifying hate speech. Taken together, this string of broken promises and patterns of abuse illustrate why we need more than empty assurances from Facebook. Americans expect more from Facebook than the same empty promises from before. And they expect more from Congress than non-public briefings conducted by Facebook’s lobbyists and mid-level staff. That’s why Mark Zuckerberg must appear before Congress to be held to account for Facebook’s moral failure. Cicilline represents Rhode Island’s 1st District and is ranking member of the Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee.

It is a happy day when we can tell you about a brand new cupcake! (Or at least one that’s new to us!) HUGE thanks to DFB readers Matt and Lenore for telling me about this — and making it imperative that I head over to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort on my last Disney World Visit! Monkey Cupcake! One of the treats that I couldn’t wait to sample on my recent trip to Walt Disney World was the Monkey Cupcake at Old Port Royale Food Court within Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. I’d heard it had peanut butter buttercream icing (hubba hubba!!) and a surprise inside! You might be asking at this point: so, what makes this a “monkey cupcake?” I mean, there are no little chocolate monkeys or faces on it, like you’d find on the Elephant Cupcake at Animal Kingdom’s Kusafiri Bakery and Coffee Shop… But when you cut into the moist cake, you begin to get the picture. The proof is in the pudding — or filling as it were. And the filling just happens to be chock full of bananas! If you get a fork in there like I did, you can see that there are real banana pieces in the custard. It’s not just banana flavored. The effect is a very fresh, from-scratch taste in the filling that I really loved! The combination of the moist cake, a good amount of that thick, sweet buttercream, and the filling was delicious. I quickly realized that it’s basically the King Cupcake from Pop Century Resort, minus the candied bacon crumbles! So if you enjoyed the King Cupcake, you’ll love this one, too! It’s not particularly flashy, like some of the other cupcakes we’ve seen recently (the Contempo Cafe’s Birthday Cupcake springs to mind 🙂 ) but it was tasty and somewhat lighter. I really enjoyed it! If you’re as big a fan of Disney Cupcakes as we are, be sure to check out our Disney Cupcake Gallery, or sign on to take a Disney Cupcake Crawl Challenge! NOTE! This particular cupcake has the awesome distinction of coming in both chocolate and vanilla flavors. So you can take your pick depending on what flavor you’re feeling that day! (To see a cross section of the chocolate version, head over to our review of the King Cupcake at Pop Century Resort!) I love finding unique items at Disney Resort restaurants and food courts!! Be sure to tell us when you run into something awesome on your trips by sending us an email! Will you be heading over to Caribbean Beach Resort to try out the Monkey Cupcake? Weigh in with comments below!

Essay von Evelyn Roll Ein Gespenst geht um in Europa - das Gespenst des Nationalismus. In fast jedem europäischen Land marschieren sie jetzt, die kleinen Trumps, wie Karikaturen und Zwerg-Wiedergänger der Schlafwandler von 1914. Mit populistischen Dummheiten, nationalistischen Abschottungsfantasien, Verschwörungstheorien und Scheinlösungen sammeln sie die Stimmen der von den globalen Herausforderungen Überforderten, Verängstigten, der Denkfaulen und Verbitterten. Sie wollen vor allem eines: An die Macht. Und dann? Europa abschaffen. In Polen bestand eine der ersten Amtshandlungen der neuen Rechtsregierung darin, die EU-Flagge aus öffentlichen Gebäuden zu entfernen. Marine Le Pens Front National, der Frankreichs Austritt aus dem Euro fordert, hat erschreckend realistische Chancen, die Macht zu übernehmen. Ungarn scheint schon ganz verloren zu sein. Auch sozialistisch inspirierte Populisten wie Robert Fico in der Slowakei oder Tschechiens Präsident Milos Zeman machen gegen Europa Politik . Cameron riskiert mit seiner Anbiederung an den nationalpopulistischen Zeitgeist, das Europa-Projekt erst zu schwächen und sein Land dann in den Abgrund des Brexit zu stürzen, aus Versehen sozusagen, als Unfall, Braccident. Schon seit der Europawahl 2014 sind euroskeptische Parteien die drittstärkste Kraft im europäischen Parlament. 156 von 751 Abgeordnete wollen das Parlament, in das sie sich haben wählen lassen, in seinen Rechten beschneiden oder noch lieber ganz abschaffen. Jeder Fünfte also. So etwas hat es in der Geschichte des Parlamentarismus auch noch nicht oft gegeben. In der nächsten Woche beim EU-Rat wird sich zeigen, ob es die Europäische Union im eigentlichen Sinn überhaupt noch gibt, ob die 28 Länder sich in der Flüchtlingsfrage wenigstens auf einen Minimalkonsens einigen können. Es wird, auch wenn das nicht gelingt, nicht den einen großen Knall geben, mit dem die Europäische Union dann auseinanderfliegt. Aber sie löst sich mehr und mehr auf in zu wenig Solidarität, Ernsthaftigkeit, Enthusiasmus und zu große Skepsis. Und wir aufgeklärten bis leidenschaftlich überzeugten Europäer aller Länder müssen zuschauen und abwarten, weil wir gegen die Erosion Europas leider so gar nichts tun können? Das ist falsch. Jeder von uns kann zum Beispiel gleich an diesem Wochenende mit den intelligenteren seiner Einfache-Lösung-Freunden zum örtlichen Chinesen gehen und sich an den Tisch setzen, der unter der pazifikzentrierten Landkarte platziert ist. Man kann solche Karten natürlich auch im Internet betrachten oder den Globus mit dem Pazifik-Bauch nach vorne drehen. So also sehen alle anderen die Welt: Amerika, Lateinamerika, China, Russland, Indien, Afrika, fette Landmassen, beeindruckende Wirtschaftsräume. Ernüchternd marginal und klein am äußeren linken Rand dagegen: Europa, die Länder der europäische Union. Suchen wir unser Land: Italien, Polen, Kroatien, wo sind sie? Sogar Frankreich und Deutschland sind nicht gleich zu finden, Luxemburg oder Slowenien nur Stecknadelköpfchen. Unter diesem Weltbild sprechen wir über: Klimawandel, Epidemien, Geldströme, Informationsgeschwindigkeit, globale Wirtschaftsunternehmen, Finanzkrisen, Islamfaschisten, internationalen Terrorismus, Armut, Hunger, Gerechtigkeit und über die fast 60 Millionen Menschen, die weltweit auf der Flucht sind. Noch bevor das Essen kommt, ist schon einmal klar: Ein Stecknadelköpfchen allein wird keine dieser Aufgaben lösen können. Es gibt keine wirksame Politik isolierter Nationalstaaten mehr. Einmauern ist keine Alternative. Der Verzicht auf Weltpolitik schützt nicht vor ihren Folgen. Wer angesichts einer der globalen Herausforderungen in einem europäischen Land sagt "Wir schaffen das", muss mit "wir" genau genommen die Weltgesellschaft meinen, mindestens aber Europa. Besser wäre es, wenn Angela Merkel das gleich dazu gesagt hätte. Wenn das Weltbild und damit das Selbstbild korrigiert oder befestigt ist, müssen wir - vielleicht beim Gehen nach dem Essen - nur noch einen Denkfehler beseitigen, bevor sich die Energie unserer Sorge in intelligente Aktion umwandeln kann: Es gibt keinen Fortschritt in der Geschichte. Das ist nur eine Utopie, eine säkularisierte Jenseitsvorstellung, die Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts mit dem Verbleichen der christlichen Glaubensgewissheiten leider zu einer Art Zivilreligion der Aufklärung wurde. Marx und Hegel haben daraus die Meistererzählung der Moderne gemacht, die seither zur kulturellen DNA Europas gehört und trotzdem ein Irrtum ist. Wir haben das in der Wolle wie kindliche Dressurbefehle: Ein Junge weint nicht! Kartoffeln nicht mit dem Messer schneiden! Immer schön die rechte Hand geben! Geschichte schreitet linear fort zum Besseren! Man legt das nicht so leicht wieder ab. Aber man muss es versuchen. Weil dieser Denkfehler einerseits das übertrieben große Erschrecken, die Ratlosigkeit und lähmende Erschütterung über den gegenwärtigen Zustand der Welt erzeugt ("aber wir waren doch schon viel weiter") und andererseits die selbstgefällige Gleichgültigkeit und den mangelnden Kampfgeist ("man kann ja eh nichts tun"). Geschichte schreitet nicht zum Besseren fort, jedenfalls nicht von alleine. Was immer gewonnen ist, Demokratie, Rechtsstaatlichkeit, Achtung der Menschenrechte, Aufklärung, kann in Hochgeschwindigkeit wieder verloren gehen. Sogar Deutsche vergessen das gelegentlich: Jederzeit kann das Schlimmste in einer zivilisierten, gebildeten, Dichtung und Musik verehrenden Gesellschaft passieren. Empört euch! reicht deswegen fast nie. Besser ist: Tut was! In Deutschland haben diejenigen, die nicht mit den Weltverfinsterern und Nationalpopulisten von AFD oder CSU den Apokalypso tanzen wollten, dank der vielen Geflüchteten in den vergangenen Monaten eine interessante Wiederentdeckung gemacht: sich selbst. Den Bürger, der sich kümmern und einspringen muss, wenn sein Staat nicht in die Puschen kommt. Bürger sein ist eine Aufgabe, die Sinn und sogar Spaß macht, nicht nur für Kant-Liebhaber: "Aufklärung ist der Ausgang des Menschen aus seiner selbstverschuldeten Unmündigkeit." Der nächste, entscheidende Schritt des aufgeklärten, um Europa besorgten Bürgers könnte sein, sich zu vergewissern, dass er nicht alleine ist. In jedem EU-Land gibt es überzeugte Europäer, gerade in Victor Orbáns Ungarn, in Polen, auch in Bayern: Menschen, die unbedingt dafür sind, dass ihre Regierungen sich nicht an kurzfristigen nationalen Interessen oder sogar an reinen, nur parteipolitisch oder persönlich bedeutsamen Umfragewerten und Rachegelüsten orientieren, sondern am Gemeinschaftsinteresse Europas und an den globalen Notwendigkeiten. Sie artikulieren sich noch nicht so deutlich wie die Angsthasen. Aber es sind viele.

Trump says tax plan is about 'jobs, jobs, jobs' President Trump continued his push for tax reform at the White House on Oct. 24. "It's time to take care of our country, and fight for our families," he said.

After missing the mark on their Kickstarter goals, Forged Chaos returned to the drawing board to design a new method to get their highly ambitious MMORPG, Trials of Ascension, funded. Earlier this month a store offering a set bounty of goods for any level of donation in addition to other purchasables garnered this sandbox title over $10,000 in funding. And none of that is going to be given as a cut to any middlemen mind you. Those looking for an industry changing sandbox MMORPG that’s ready to take risks should check out the store themselves and gain access to the Founder’s Forum to stay up-to-date on development of Trials of Ascension.

-- Posted Wednesday, 18 February 2009 | | Source: GoldSeek.com Analysis of News�www.analysis-news.com Of Interest to Investors, Survivalists and Others Concerned About Their Economic and Financial Futures, for Week of Feb 1, 2009 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ With a focus on the Plutocrats, Goldsmiths, Super-Rich Insiders, and their Allies and what they are conspiratorially doing to manipulate the financial markets, make more profits, rip us off and install a world government under their control By R. D. Bradshaw In the Goldsmiths, Part XXXIII (published at goldseek.com), I outlined the basic problem faced by gold advocates and proponents. I recognized the power of the Rothschild Cabal to make or break markets, however they see fit to do so. The gold and silver markets have been seriously impacted by this Rothschild oversight for many years now. Here�s what I suggested in Goldsmiths XXXIII: Today, the Rothschilds and their relatives, cousins, and colleagues own or control most of the wealth and assets on planet earth. Obviously, this ownership and control of money has made this combine the plutocratic rulers of much of Western Christianity�particularly in Europe and in North America . While much of the Third World puts up with this combine, because of the Cabal�s power over money (principally the US dollar which is their primary currency), some of the people in the Third World nations are now or will be soon looking for ways to break the money yoke which the Rothschild Cabal holds over them. This backdrop will have a profound impact on gold as will be demonstrated in comments to follow in this Goldsmiths. With its power over money, and therefore over politicians who need money to win elections, the Rothschild Cabal has come to literally control most or all of the Western Christian civilization found in Europe, North America and the White British Commonwealth. With this control, and the Cabal�s ownership of the international banks in the West, it has meant that the Cabal has owned and controlled all of the central banks in these countries. Yes, the Rothschild Cabal owns the Bank of England, the Bank of France, the ECB, the Swiss National Bank, the Federal Reserve and so forth. This ownership, plus the fact that the bosses and leaders at these banks are often Rothschild cousins/relatives, has meant that the Cabal issues orders and instructions to the central banks. Hence, people like Ben Bernanke actually work for and serve the Rothschild team. The same is true with the financial market exchanges and most of the big brokerage houses. They are all linked together under the Rothschild umbrella. With a background in gold, it is a historic fact for the past centuries that the Rothschilds and their cousins/relatives/colleagues have controlled gold and pretty well have determined its price or value in the financial markets. Therefore, it is safe to say that the Rothschild combine controls and/or owns most of the gold in the world today. Of course, some might argue that nations and central banks own much gold. But it must be understood that even here the control of that gold rests with the Rothschild Cabal (since the Cabal controls the central banks and political leaders in the democratic Western Christian civilization). In my years of watching and studying the Rothschild combine and gold, I have long ago concluded that the price of gold will explode up--either when the Rothschilds and their allies control it all or when they lose control of it. I am not absolutely sure which of these courses will come first. But I am certain that both motions are underway right now. Along with their lust and appreciation for gold, it is interesting that this Cabal of bankers introduced and promoted paper money over the past 200 years (which has turned out to be fiat money thru the irresponsible spending habits of the nations and central banks involved). What a paradox this whole thing has come to be because the Cabal has had to suppress the price and value of gold in order to keep up public acceptance and use of fiat paper money. In any case, the Cabal has actively suppressed the value of gold for many years now. So here, one might ask if this conflicting paradox of gold versus fiat paper money will ever end? Hence, the answer must devolve to my position stated above�that the price and value of gold will explode up when the Rothschilds and their relatives/cousins/colleagues either own it all/almost all or lose control of it in the markets. With this backdrop, the situation for gold ultimately comes down to if and when the Cabal has it all or loses control. What is Involved In that Goldsmiths study, I offered some of the current thinking among some persons that the gold and other financial markets will reach a turn around time in March 2009�meaning that precious metals will once more resume a strong up-turn. But I also cautioned readers that the Rothschild team (especially JP Morgan-Chase) is holding a large short position in gold. It is not clear where all these shorts are amassed by date, but we can be sure that the Cabal intends on taking gold down again, if it can. Of course, the basic question devolves to when the Rothschild combine either owns/controls all or most all of the world�s gold supply or when the combine will lose control over gold in the financial markets. I think that either of these options will cause some sharp moves up in gold (and silver as well). But if and when gold starts up in earnest, the Rothschild controlled US government will make a fast, surprise call-in of US gold (and in marking their call, they will blame people like me and other gold supporters for the alleged problems necessitating the call-in). The ruling plutocrats and their prostitute politicians are not going to sit back and allow the American people to make much money in gold or anything else. They are in a position of power to control what happens in gold. And they will use that power. In any case, the whole dilemma boils down presently to the question of timing. I outlined in Goldsmiths 33 some of the arguments for a possible significant change in gold value in March. It could come this early. But I doubt that we will see the explosion up which will come later if and when the Cabal either owns/controls all or most of it or when the Cabal loses control. Frankly, my guess would be a loss of control. But I would suppose that this will come later this year or perhaps starting by Passover in 2010. In any case, in the vein of broaching the possible date for a major change in the direction in gold, I recently picked up on an article from the Asia News, as published by rense.com. I have read and quoted material from the Asia Times/Asian News before since these sources seem to have some grip on thinking in particularly China . The Asia News of Dec 24, 2008 Here�s what the Asia News reported back in Dec 2008 on �US Debt Approaches Insolvency: In 2007, 61.82% of America �s public debt was held by foreign investors, most of them Asian,� viz: In the United States, the danger of debt insolvency is growing, putting at risk the currency reserves of foreign countries, China chief among them. According to new figures published by Bloomberg in recent days (Nov. 25, 2008), the American government has employed a total of 8.549 trillion dollars to stop the financial crisis. This means a total of about 24-25.4 trillion dollars of direct or indirect public debt weighing on American taxpayers. The complete tally must also include the debt - about 5-6 trillion dollars - of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are now quasi-public companies, because 79.9% of their capital is controlled by a public entity, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which manages them as a public conservatorship. In 2007, public debt in the United States was 10.6 trillion dollars, compared to a GDP (gross domestic product) of 13.811 trillion dollars. In just one year, direct and indirect public debt have grown to more than 100% of GDP, reaching 176.9% to 184.2%. These percentages exclude the debt guaranteed by policies underwritten by AIG, also nationalized, and liabilities for health spending (Medicaid and Medicare) and pensions (Social Security). By way of comparison, the Maastricht accords require member states of the European Union (EU) to reduce their public debt to no more than 60% of GDP. Again by way of comparison, in one of the EU countries with the largest public debt, Italy, public debt in 2007 was equal to 104% of GDP. In 2007, 61.82% of America's public debt was held by foreign investors, most of them Asian. So the U.S. public debt held by nonresident foreigners is equal to about 109.39% (113.86%) of GDP. According to a study by the International Monetary Fund, countries with more than 60% of their public debt held by nonresident foreigners run a high risk of currency crisis and insolvency, or debt default. On the historical level, there are no recent examples of countries with currencies valued at reserve status that have lapsed into public debt insolvency. There are also few or no precedents of such a vast and rapid expansion of public debt. The United States also runs large deficits in its public balance sheet and balance of trade. Families and businesses are also deeply in debt: in 2007, American private debt was equal to a little more than 100% of GDP. At the moment, it is not clear how much of America's private debt has been "nationalized" with the recent bailouts. In the early months of next year, when the official data are published, the United States will run a serious risk of insolvency. This would involve, in the first place, a valuation crisis for the dollar. After this, the United States could face a social crisis like that in Argentina in 2001. A crisis in U.S. public debt would likely have a severe impact on the Asian countries that are the main exporters to the United States, China first among them. Chinese monetary authorities, thanks to a steeply undervalued artificial exchange rate, at about 55% of its fair value, have limited imports (including food) and have achieved an export surplus. This has allowed them to accumulate a large stockpile of dollar reserves. In a currency crisis, China risks losing much of the value of its accumulated currency reserves. At the same time, pressure on imports (wheat, other grains, and meat) have led to inflation in the prices of food, the most important expenditure for more than 900 million Chinese. This is nothing more than a small confirmation of the recent statements of the pope, in his message for the World Day for Peace, where the pontiff calls the current financial system and its methods "based upon very short-term thinking," without depth and breadth, preoccupied with creating wealth from nothing and leading the planet to its current disaster. The US debt structure has ballooned up even more since December 2008. We can be sure that people in China are watching this gigantic spending of money and wondering how much longer should they sit on the sidelines and allow the US to ruin their investments with give-away programs for the big banks. In a related report, World Net Daily had a story by Jerome R. Corsi on �Federal obligations exceed world GDP.� It provides some clue to the dangerous predicament that the US government is now in. Corsi took note of the recent $800 billion stimulus plan and said that the �true deficit of the federal government already is measured in trillions of dollars, and in fact its $65.5 trillion in total obligations exceeds the gross domestic product of the world.� In his further remarks, Corsi noted that the debt situation has placed the US government in bankruptcy�even before new obligations take place. Corsi quoted John Williams of shadowstats.com that �The federal government is bankrupt� In a post-Enron world, if the federal government were a corporation such as General Motors, the president and senior Treasury officers would be in federal penitentiary� the appetite of foreign buyers to purchase continued trillions of U.S. debt has become more questionable as the world has witnessed the rapid deterioration of the U.S. fiscal condition in the current financial crisis.� As noted above from Asia News, the presentation back in December offered some cause to believe that the next big turn date in the US financials (and thus in gold and silver) could come in early 2009. Well, we haven�t had a collapse yet in US IOU paper. But those days are on the horizon. We need to be extra careful at this time and start watching Asia more carefully. Decisions in China may be the catalyst to turn the gold and US IOU markets around. The Bottom Line Before concluding this study, it should be noted that as of this writing on Feb 17, 2009, stocks and commodities are generally down while gold and the US dollar are up. The dollar index is almost at 88. It appears that the Cabal will next let the dollar index come down later this week and perhaps into next week. But March currency options and contracts won�t expire until in March. So by early March, they may try to repeat things with another boost up in the dollar. The manipulators love their controlled oscillations up and down as they make money on the moves. Since gold options and contracts expire on February 24-25, the manipulators logically will try to hold the line on gold this week, to protect their huge short positions. If they are unable to keep it flat this week, for whatever reason, it could be an excellent clue that they are having manipulating and control problems for some reason�like possible trouble from Asia as the Asia News allows. Asians could be buying some gold in secret. After all, we must remember that the Chinese and other Asians are not as stupid and gullible as the manipulating Cabal seems to think. ___________________________________________________________________________ Back issues of the Goldsmiths, by the editor of the Analysis of News, can be accessed from a Google or Yahoo search engine by typing in �The Goldsmiths� and R. D. Bradshaw. Several hundred web sites can be found with the back issues and with translations to Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese and other foreign languages. The goldseek.com archives have the first 28 Goldsmiths. Finally, the �Archives-Goldsmiths� of this website ( www.analysis-news.com ) has all of the Goldsmith articles issued to date. Besides the revelations contained in the Goldsmiths� articles, the work of the plutocratic financial market manipulators to conspiratorially manipulate and control the financial markets (to make more profits and install a world government under their management) is also addressed at length in the periodic analysis of the news and in other articles produced at www.analysis-news.com . This website has an article of interest to any person interested in understanding the market Manipulators. It is the Hidden Secret of the Manipulators, why they succeed and how to follow their manipulations. Readers of the above articles are invited to visit www.analysis-news.com and become a subscriber to regularly read some of the material from the world of information which will further reveal how extensive the manipulation, control and dishonesty realities are in the financial, currency and commodity markets, not only in the US but indeed around the world. To go to this related website, please click at the link here: www.analysis-news.com . -- Posted Wednesday, 18 February 2009 | Digg This Article | Source: GoldSeek.com Previous Articles

"Juan Manuel has been unequivocal in his assertion that he never voluntarily left the country while he had DACA. We believe him. We filed a [Freedom of Information Act] lawsuit to get answers. Rather than continue to provide half-truths and varying assertions, [Homeland Security] should respond to our request for documentation," said Nora A. Preciado, a staff attorney with the National Immigration Law Center and co-counsel on the case.

Using some of the Earth’s most powerful telescopes and supercomputers, Japanese researchers have made a discovery about black holes which may force a rewrite of the world’s astronomy textbooks. Takuma Izumi, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), led a team of astronomers who were investigating the theorized ‘donut’ shaped structures at the gaping mouth of the universe’s supermassive black holes. Specifically, the team pointed the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at the central black hole in the Circinus Galaxy, located roughly 14 million light-years away from Earth. The team then compared the observations with a simulation produced by the Cray XC30 ATERUI supercomputer and they discovered that the rings of gas around supermassive black holes, which are millions or even billions of times as heavy as our sun, found at the centers of galaxies are not quite the simple donut shapes that were previously theorized. Instead, the gas expelled from the black holes combines with additional gas that is falling inwards creating a circulating pattern not dissimilar to the water in a public drinking fountain. According to Izumi’s team’s model, the initial cold, falling gas forms a disc at the mouth of the black hole. As it falls it heats until the molecules break up into their constituent atoms and ions which are then expelled above and below the disc. The hot atomic gas fired upwards then falls back on top of the disc creating a tumultuous three dimensional structure. READ MORE: Massive black hole’s spectacular spin ‘may rotate space around it’ “By investigating the motion and distribution of both the cold molecular gas and warm atomic gas with ALMA, we demonstrated the origin of the so-called ‘donut’ structure around active black holes,” Izumi said in a press release. “Based on this discovery, we need to rewrite the astronomy textbooks.” Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

As friend Emily Loechen comforts him, James van Kuilenburg talks about some of his experiences as a transgender student in Frederick County, Md. (Essdras M Suarez/For the Washington Post) When James van Kuilenburg used the bathroom at his Maryland high school, he always worried. Would he be taunted by his classmates? Would he be shamed or beaten? Most of the time, he avoided the risk altogether. "You don't feel safe," the teenager said, five years after coming out as transgender. But van Kuilenburg and others in Frederick County hope this year marks a turning point across the Maryland system's 67 schools as a new policy takes hold that is regarded as one of the most progressive in the state. The policy spells out that bathrooms and locker rooms should be used according to gender identity and provides alternatives for students uncomfortable for any reason. It also covers privacy, preferred names, dress codes for major events and participation in sports teams. "I see it as one of the most comprehensive transgender student policies in the country," said Jabari Lyles, executive director of GLSEN Maryland, which advocates for LGBT students on issues of education. Some in Frederick see the policy's adoption — in a growing exurb of Washington once viewed as largely rural and conservative — as a reflection of changing politics, greater diversity, dogged student activism and a school board that did not shy away from a contentious issue. Members of the Frederick County Public School Trans Student Support group talk about their struggles, achievements and frustrations. From left are Maxx Frazier, 15, James Van Kuilenburg, 17, Emily Loechen, 16, and Asher Burrows. (Essdras M Suarez/For the Washington Post) "It was sort of unstoppable," said Alicia Barmon, a Frederick psychotherapist who joined in rallies and meetings. But critics have spoken out, too. A suit was recently filed on behalf of a mother and her 15-year-old daughter, asserting the girl's rights to bodily privacy and saying the teen fears for her safety and feels humiliated to undress in front of "the opposite sex." The family's attorney, Dan Cox, an unsuccessful Republican candidate for Congress last year, declined to comment on the suit, which at points invokes totalitarian regimes and Nazi death camps. Frederick school officials will soon respond to the complaint in court, said attorney Donny English. "We look forward to defending our policy, which we think is inclusive and respects everyone's rights," he said. The push for change started in February, when van Kuilenburg and others went to Frederick's school board as the Trump administration revoked federal guidance that said transgender students have the right to use public school restrooms that match their gender identity. They said they felt unsafe and urged local action. "There's no procedure, and there's no policy," testified Maxx Frazier, a transgender student who is 15, "and it's worrying because right now with the election and the results of that, a lot of people feel they have the right to hate." [Trump administration rolls back protections for transgender students] Led by van Kuilenburg, who attends Gov. Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, students told the board about school experiences — crude comments, fear of harassment, being outed when teachers use the wrong name. They organized an email campaign, launched a Facebook page and held two rallies. They were joined by parents, classmates, educators and community members. "We see this as being on the right side of history, and an overall sign of fairness," said Tyler Oyler, 34, the owner of a craft brewery who heard about the effort through social media. The Frederick deliberations came at a time of flux nationally, with both the Trump administration's action and a U.S. Supreme Court decision to remand a key case — involving Virginia student Gavin Grimm — to a lower court, leaving many without the legal clarity they sought. Some school districts have responded with local policies, as Frederick did, but a large majority are accommodating students on a case-by-case basis, out of the spotlight, said Francisco M. Negron Jr., chief legal officer for the National School Boards Association. Dozens of legal complaints have been filed in recent years on both sides of the debate, he said. "The priority for schools is keeping students safe, and they are squarely in the middle of this," he said. [Appeals court sides with transgender student in Wis. school bathroom case] The policy that emerged in Frederick largely reflected what the district was already doing on key issues such as bathrooms but it is more clear and concrete, with the idea of increasing consistency and compliance, supporters say. Teachers backed the change, said Melissa Dirks, president of the Frederick County Teachers Association. "It's brought a peace of mind to our students that they will be treated more fairly and equitably, and has also brought about more training for staff," she said. But as the board voted in June, opponents spoke out. "One of our problems with this policy is it appears to be concerned only with the rights and affirmations of transgender students," said Cindy Rose, speaking for the Republican Women of Frederick County. "Will there be a policy protecting the band geek, the math nerd and the other children who have felt unwelcome and bullied for decades? Will they get a similar carve-out?" Rose described the issue as a question of privacy rights and "whether boys should be able to watch girls undress and vice versa." Other critics cited a greater risk of emotional distress or sexual assault, and a string of speakers took issue with a privacy provision that allows students to express a gender identity at school that parents potentially may not know about. As board members voted, several recounted months of getting to know an unfamiliar subject and thinking it through. "My opinions have changed, and a lot of the concerns I had I find no longer to be valid," board member Ken Kerr said. Board member Michael Bunitsky compared the issue with other historical flash points: integrated schools, voting rights, women's rights. "What was once controversial we now consider to be as American as apple pie," he said. Van Kuilenburg held up his transgender flag after the policy passed, 5 to 1, with the student member also in favor. He hugged friends and supporters. That night, he cried. The 17-year-old describes the policy as "perfect," a change he never imagined. "We created history in Frederick County," he said. He recalled that when he came out as transgender at age 12, the principal at his West Virginia middle school had no idea what to do. The principal told the then-seventh-grader to use the bathroom in the nurse's office and removed him from his P.E. class, he said. "The years I felt completely hopeless," he said, "and I felt that nothing would get better — it was all worth it." Students say they recognize that the policy won't change everything immediately, but it has begun to make a difference. Asher Burrows, 15, who identifies as neither male nor female, recalls being singled out last year for dress code violations that seemed vague and related to clothing that teachers appeared to consider too feminine. "It's very embarrassing," the teenager said. "It makes me feel that I am not allowed to wear the clothes that make me feel comfortable in my own skin." This year, there have been fewer such moments, the teenager said. Van Kuilenburg said he thinks school is more welcoming — and so is the county he lives in. With the lawsuit challenging the policy underway, students and their allies launched another social media campaign to show the breadth of their support. They asked people to contribute photos of themselves with a sign that says "#IAmFrederick and I support trans youth because . . . " "No child should be afraid to be themselves!" one person wrote. Said another: "School should be about learning, not survival."

The MBTA reports the first four new Orange Line cars from Chinese manufacturer CRRC arrived in South Boston this morning, from where they will be transported to the Orange Line maintenance facility in Wellington for a year of testing and shakedown runs before they are put in service. These cars were built in China. The remaining 148 cars will be assembled from Chinese components in a plant in Springfield and delivered, four every month if everything goes according to schedule, through 2022. The Springfield plant will also assemble new Red Line cars. What the new cars will look like when not covered in plastic.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption New laws would make it easier for police to target people with drugs such as cannabis in their bloodstream New laws to introduce a "zero tolerance" approach to drug driving are being proposed by the Scottish government. Ministers want to make it easier for the police to target people driving with illegal drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine, in their bloodstream. The plan would do away with the existing need to prove someone was driving in an impaired manner as a result of taking drugs. The crackdown will begin in October. Currently in Scotland it is illegal to drive if impaired by drugs - whether they are prescription drugs or illegal substances such as heroin. But under the changes, there would be specific limits for certain drugs - as there is with alcohol - and a zero tolerance approach to others. The aim is to make it quicker and easier to hold drug-drivers to account. 'Completely unacceptable' Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: "The introduction of drug driving limits will strengthen the power of Scotland's police and prosecutors to tackle the minority of drivers who irresponsibly put themselves and other road-users at risk. "Drug driving is completely unacceptable, and we will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to prevent the avoidable deaths and damage caused by those who drive under the influence of drugs. "Together with our stringent drink-driving limits, these new laws will ensure that Scotland has the UK's most robust laws against impaired and unsafe driving." Under the Scottish government plan, eight of the most common illegal drugs - including heroin, ketamine and ecstasy - will have limits set very close to zero so as to rule out claims of accidental exposure. A further eight drugs, which can have medicinal purposes - such as diazepam and methadone - will have higher limits based on their ability to impair drivers. Crucially, the proposals mean for the first time that just having drugs in your system is sufficient evidence to prosecute, if you breach the limits - removing the need to prove driving was impaired. Image caption Police say the new legislation will enhance their ability to detect and deter drug-drivers A similar crackdown came into force in England and Wales in 2015 where officers use a device called a 'drugalyser' to check for cannabis and cocaine. The testing kit uses a mouth swab to check for the presence of drugs and a blue line appears after eight minutes if the person has taken them. Police Scotland is currently deciding whether they will use these machines for the crackdown, set to come into force on October 21, but officers are expected to expand use of field impairment tests, which assess a drivers balance and co-ordination, for all drugs. Existing law makes it an offence to be in charge of a vehicle while unfit to drive through drink or drugs, with the penalties being a minimum 12 month driving ban, up to six months in prison and a fine of up to £5,000. The new offence of driving while above specified drug limits will operate alongside this current offence and carry with it the same maximum penalties. A vote of MSPs will be needed for the Scottish government's plans to come into force. A crackdown on drink driving, which reduces the legal alcohol limit from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood, came into force in 2014. Chief Inspector Stephen Innes, of Police Scotland, said: "Police Scotland is committed to reducing road casualties, and tackling drink and drug driving is a key focus of our activity. The devastating impact of drug driving on victims, communities and users themselves cannot be understated. "This new legislation will significantly enhance our ability to detect and deter motorists engaging in this extremely risky driving behaviour. "We are currently working closely with key partners and plans are well advanced to deliver this new legislation in October."

HAVANA (Reuters) - A United Nations agency said on Tuesday an “unjust” U.S. financial and trade embargo on Cuba had cost the country’s economy $130 billion over nearly six decades, coming up with the same estimate as the island’s communist government. FILE PHOTO: A vintage car driver waits for tourists after Hurricane Irma caused flooding and a blackout, in Havana, Cuba September 12, 2017. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini Although many U.S. allies join Washington in criticizing Cuba’s one-party system and repression of political opponents, the United States has lost nearly all international support for the embargo since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The UN has adopted a non-binding resolution calling for an end to the embargo with overwhelming support every year since 1992. In a report ahead of the vote last year, Cuba estimated total damage from the embargo at $130 billion. “This country which welcomes us today .. is testing its own ways to face the brutal human costs that it has sustained during an unjust blockade,” the head of the UN’s regional economic body for Latin America, ECLAC, Alicia Barcena told its biennial meeting in Havana on Tuesday. “We evaluate it every year as an economic commission and we know that this blockade costs the Cuban people more than $130 billion at current prices and has left an indelible mark on its economic structure,” she said, without detailing how the organization came to that estimate. After agreeing to a historic U.S.-Cuban detente in 2014, former U.S. President Barack Obama eased the embargo, which was fully put into place in 1962. But U.S. President Donald Trump last year tightened travel and trade restrictions again. Only the U.S. Congress can lift it in full. “Despite the difficulties the Cuban economy is faced with, particularly due to the intensification of the blockade imposed on Cuba... we will continue to focus on the development goals set,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in his opening remarks at the meeting, attended also by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Cuba’s Soviet-style, centralized economy has grown just 2.4 percent on average per year over the past decade, official statistics show, much less than the 7 percent annual expansion the government has estimated it needs in order to develop. Cuba hoped market reforms introduced in the last decade would boost growth, but they have so far borne mixed results. The ruling Communist Party earlier this year admitted implementation had been harder than expected. ECLAC will support Cuba’s reform program, Barcena said.

ORLANDO, Fla. – A 23-year-old Orlando woman was arrested Tuesday after she was spotted walking without any pants. Danielle McMillon was arrested on a charge of indecent exposure. According to an arrest affidavit, a security guard called authorities after seeing a woman who was exposing herself on Cinderlane Parkway near the Rosemont Country Club apartments. The guard said when he told her to leave, she lifted her dress and said, "Is this what you want?" according to police. The guard said he was familiar with McMillon, because she had previously been trespassed from the property, according to police. An officer headed to the area saw McMillon and told her to put some clothes on, police said. The woman, who was carrying a bag, put on a pink pair of pants, the affidavit said. She was arrested and taken to jail.

It used to be that craft beer nerds living in St. Paul had to cross the river for some variety — there just weren’t enough breweries in the Capital City to satisfy us. But now some of the metro’s best breweries reside squarely in the 651 area code. We officially have 12 breweries and one brewpub in St. Paul proper. Five more will open soon. That doesn’t include the east metro suburbs, which are home to some really great breweries and brewpubs. In case you’re not aware, the difference between brewpubs and breweries is that brewpubs can serve wine, beer or liquor made outside the premises, but they cannot distribute the beer they make. Brewpubs almost always serve food. Breweries can serve food (most choose not to), but they cannot serve outside wine, liquor or beer. They can distribute what they make to liquor stores and restaurants. Hours vary at many breweries. Some are open just a few days a week, so be sure to call or check their website before heading out. Here is our east-metro guide to craft beer drinking at the source, where a glass of suds tastes best. COMING SOON Clutch Brewing Company This brewery will be located in the mezzanine level of the Keg and Case development in the old Schmidt Brewery on West Seventh Street. Owners Jordan Standish and Max Boeke are longtime homebrewers ready to live the craft brewery dream. Expected opening is April 2018. Clutch Brewing: 928 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; clutchbeer.com Waldmann Brewing Owner Tom Schroeder took on a daunting project in renovating the oldest surviving commercial building in the Twin Cities. The saloon was originally built in 1857, and the restaurant and taproom portion of the brewery will reside in the original building. There’s an addition off the back that will house the kitchen and the brewing equipment. The beers here will be classic German styles, and more than 80 percent of what they serve will be lagers. Waldmann will also serve a menu that mostly consists of sausage and sides, including a currywurst, weisswurst and a hot dog from Red Table Meats. Expected opening is Oct. 1. Waldmann Brewing: 445 Smith Ave., St. Paul; 651-222-1857; waldmannbrewery.com Culhane Brewing When Sidhe Brewing on Payne Avenue closed, owner Kathleen Culhane immediately launched a new project, Culhane Brewing. To be located in the former Station 4 building in Lowertown, the brewery will be another super-small batch operation, but this time with a kitchen. Opening date has yet to be determined. Culhane Brewing: 201 E. Fourth St., St. Paul; culhanebrewing.com Stacked Deck Brewing Company Formerly known as Looney Bin Brewing, this brewery, which will be in the Treasure Island Center in the former Macy’s downtown (which will also house a training facility for the Minnesota Wild), will serve a wide variety of beers, according to co-owner Andy Erickson. He and his partners, Brad Randall and Scott Wege, are former homebrewers taking the next step. Expected to open in February or March 2018. Stacked Deck Brewing: 421 Cedar St., St. Paul; stackeddeckbrewing.com Yoerg Brewing Another historical revival, but of a different sort, Yoerg has already brought back beer originally brewed in Minnesota in 1848, but they’ve been brewing it in Wisconsin. The new taproom they’re working on, in the former Wabasha Bar on St. Paul’s West Side, will also serve food, mostly bar food, including a currywurst, pizzas from Giovanni’s in Brainerd, Minn., pickled eggs and pate. They’ll have wine, too. Expected opening is Oct. 1. RELATED: Map of breweries in St. Paul and east metro suburbs Yoerg Brewing: 427 S. Wabasha St., St. Paul; yoergbeer.com ST. PAUL 12welve Eyes Brewing This downtown St. Paul brewery quietly opened in July with a whopping 12 beers on tap. They’re making really small batches, so don’t get too attached to any one beer because they go fast. That said, if something is popular, they’ll probably bring it back around. Related Articles Lunds & Byerlys to stay closed on day after Thanksgiving Surdyk’s adds bar and eatery called Sidebar Neighborhood girl finds and returns chef Justin Sutherland’s stolen knife roll 8 ways to make school-at-home lunches easier Game on! Tailgating takeout ideas for game day The space, in the historic Pioneer Endicott building, is on the garden level, but still manages to get plenty of light. There’s ample seating around the bar and at tables to bring a group or spread out and play games — there was a group playing poker on one of our visits. They have a space in their alley for food trucks that they’ll use eventually, but for now you’ll have to bring your own. What to drink: They haven’t been open long enough to have a flagship beer, but we’ve enjoyed their IPAs. 12welve Eyes Brewing: 141 E. Fourth St., Suite LL2, St. Paul; 651-493-8106; 12welveeyes.com Bad Weather Brewing Bad Weather has quickly evolved into a must-visit spot for most of my beer-nerd friends, and I’m no exception. There is always a huge variety of beer on tap — I can’t remember ever visiting and not finding something new. For all the variety, each one is made with so much care that I never hesitate to order something I’ve never tried. The staff is friendly and efficient, and the space is big enough that you can usually find a table, even when it is busiest. It can be tough to score a spot on the patio, but at least the garage doors that open to the outside offer some fresh air. There’s usually a food truck at Bad Weather, and because they’re usually so busy, they get some of the best street food in the cities. What to drink: Whatever they’re pouring, but our favorite seasonals are Tippin’ It Down (an ESB brewed with Earl Grey Tea) and Firefly Rye (a pale ale made with rye malt). Bad Weather Brewing: 414 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-207-6627; badweatherbrewery.com Bang Brewing You have to admire the moxie of Jay and Sandy Boss Febbo, the owners of Bang. They are making 100 percent organic beer, and that’s not easy to source. In addition, the brewery, which is housed in a slick, stainless steel grain bin, is 100 percent wind-powered. All their good intentions would be for nothing if the beer wasn’t good, but it is. Some of my favorite in the state, as a matter of fact. Add to that the charm of one of the two of them always being behind the bar and the fact that they brew every batch without help, and you’ve got a great story and reasons to come back again and again. Oh, and there’s a sweet patio, too. There is often a food truck or sausage cart, but check their website if you’re counting on it. What to drink: Neat (a sparkling bitter) or Nice (a dark ale that’s great with a shot of coffee in it, which the brewery also offers). Bang Brewing: 2320 Capp Road, St. Paul; 651-243-2264; bangbrewing.com Barrel Theory Squarely at the center of exciting things happening in St. Paul brewing, Barrel Theory is the result of two former Surly employees spinning off on their own. The brewery is churning out expensive, labor-intensive beers that are available only in their sleek Lowertown taproom. Beer enthusiasts have been packing the place, so much so that they tend to run out of popular brews quickly. If you’re a fan of sours, or even if you’re not, try any of their Berliner Weisse variations — they’re best in class. They’re also brewing some really nice, hazy IPAs and currently have my favorite pale ale. No food trucks, but you can order from Dark Horse Bar and Eatery, which is next door and has great bar food, including some of the most underrated pizza in town. What to drink: Everything, but especially Falkor (an American pale) and Key Sublime (a Berliner Weisse). Barrel Theory Beer Company: 248 E. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-600-3422; barreltheory.com BlackStack Brewing This spacious warehouse brewery shares a building with Can Can Wonderland, the crazy artist-created mini-golf course/eatery/entertainment space in the industrial area off University Avenue near the Minneapolis border. Their lineup of beer might be smaller than some other breweries, but the beers they do have are solid, creative and easy to drink. The taproom is sizable, so feel free to bring a group, and even though Can Can gets crowded, there’s ample parking available. There are food trucks some days but not others — check the calendar on their website. What to drink: Ends Meet (an amber-colored Belgian ale) or whatever northeast-style IPA they’re pouring. Black Stack Brewing: 755 N. Prior Ave., St. Paul; 612-369-2934; blackstackbrewing.com Burning Brothers Brewing This brewery’s tagline, “Don’t fear the beer,” says it all — co-founder Dane Breimhorst has celiac disease but loves beer. So he decided to make something he could drink. The brewery boasts a variety of styles, including a lime shandy in the summer, that are popular among the gluten-free crowd and even those who can have regular beer. The brewery is in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood, nestled in a residential area, and though it’s a cozy spot, we haven’t had trouble getting a seat. They even host gluten-free food trucks pretty regularly — there’s a calendar on the website. What to drink: Parched (a lime shandy), or Roasted (a coffee strong ale) Burning Brothers Brewing: 1750 W. Thomas Ave., St. Paul; 651-444-8882; burnbrosbrew.com Flat Earth Brewing Company Housed in the former Hamm’s brewery facility on the East Side, Flat Earth has a giant bar, a separate sampling room, plenty of seating and a patio for outside imbibing. The brewery also has lots of events, including trivia, live music and quirky Hot Wheels races for kids and adults alike. Flat Earth makes a lot of Belgian ales, but also plenty of American standards and fun seasonals. Food trucks are hit or miss here, so it’s best to eat before you come. What to drink: Belgian-style pale ale or Black Helicopter coffee stout Flat Earth Brewing: 688 E. Minnehaha Ave., St. Paul; 651.698.1945; flatearthbrewing.com Great Waters The only brewpub in St. Paul, Great Waters has occupied the corner of St. Peter Street and Seventh Place in downtown St. Paul for 20 years — long before the current craft-beer boom. They’ve been brewing some award-winning ales during that time and always offer an array of regular and cask-conditioned beers. The restaurant menu is huge, and includes a wide array of bar snacks, sandwiches, entrees and salads. It’s a great place to meet friends before a downtown event or unwind after work. What to drink: Saint Peter Pale Ale or Brown Trout Brown Ale Great Waters Brewing Company: 426 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-224-2739; greatwatersbc.com Lake Monster Brewing Housed in the gorgeous old King Koil Mattress Factory just off the Cretin-Vandalia exit of Interstate 94, Lake Monster’s spacious taproom means you can bring all your friends to hang out. The brewery’s beers are generally pretty standard, but solid, but there’s usually one on the list that is at least somewhat experimental. There’s also a pretty sprawling patio out front, and most nights, there’s a food truck. What to drink: Empty Rowboat IPA or India Pale Gose Lake Monster Brewing: 550 Vandalia St., St. Paul; 612-964-6288; lakemonsterbrewing.com Summit Brewing The oldest brewery on this list, Summit Brewing has been making craft beer since before it was cool — founder Mark Stutrud first brewed the brewery’s flagship Extra Pale Ale in 1986. The brewery’s stable of year-round beers are always a solid choice, but in recent years, they’ve really let their brewers get creative, to great effect, with their Unchained series. The beers are limited-release, and they are distributed, but also served in the brewery’s Beer Hall, a community gathering room that basically turned into a taproom on the weekends after the Surly Bill was passed in 2011. What to drink: The beer that started it all, Extra Pale Ale, Oatmeal Stout (which isn’t sold in retail outlets) or any of the Unchained varieties. Summit Brewing: 910 Montreal Circle, St. Paul; 651-265-7800; summitbrewing.com Tin Whiskers Started by three electrical engineers, Tin Whiskers was the first brewery to locate downtown. Their signature Wheatstone Bridge, a wheat beer brewed with chamomile tea and honey, might be the most ubiquitous tap beer in St. Paul restaurants. The taproom is a modern space in the Rossmor Building. Given that there are three restaurants in the building (Black Sheep Pizza, Keys Cafe and Sawatdee), the brewery does not partner with food trucks but encourages patrons to bring in food from its neighbors. What to drink: Wheatstone Bridge or Flip Switch IPA. Tin Whiskers Brewing: 125 E. Ninth St., St. Paul; 651-330-4734; twbrewing.com Urban Growler The only full-fledged brewery in St. Paul that has a kitchen (for now), Urban Growler has recently hired a new chef that has kicked the food up a notch to really good bar food. The brewery is owned by two women, which makes it unusual in the heavily bearded hipster-heavy craft beer scene. The beer here is great, too. Though their flagship beers are firmly in the classic category, their Plow to Pint series, in which they partner with local farmers to add farm-fresh ingredients, and their seasonals offer some seriously fun variety. What to drink: Big Boot Rye IPA or any of the Plow to Pint beers. Urban Growler Brewing Company: 2325 Endicott St., St. Paul; 651-340-5793; urbangrowlerbrewing.com Wabasha Brewing This brewery on St. Paul’s West Side has a pretty, historic taproom, with the brewery operation up above. It’s usually full of neighborhood regulars, which gives it a charming dive-bar feel, but with artwork for sale on the walls. There’s also a small patio adjacent to the taproom. The brewery is probably best known for its West Side Popper, a jalapeno cream ale that is heavy on the fresh, green pepper flavor and pretty light on the spice. What to drink: West Side Popper or Lawnmower Porter. Wabasha Brewing Company: 429 S. Wabasha St., St. Paul; 651-224-2102; wabashabrewing.com EAST METRO SUBURBS Angry Inch Who knew downtown Lakeville was so charming? This storefront brewery is on Holyoke Avenue, the main drag of the historic district. It has a family vibe — there were moms, dads, kids and even grandparents there when we visited. They have a wide variety of beer, with a lot of styles on the sweet, dark and high-alcohol side of things. What to drink: Daddy’s Honeypot (a French saison) or Samoan Kisses (a milk stout with chocolate and coconut notes) Angry Inch Brewing: 20841 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville; angryinchbrewing.com Bald Man Brewing Housed in an industrial strip mall just across from the Eagan Outlet Mall, this brewery is the perfect place to hide while your friends and family who love to shop are across the street. The taproom here is sizable, and there are seven solid beers on tap at any given time. Bald Man has a food truck almost every night, too. What to drink: Tupelo Honey Brown Ale or Young American Pale Ale. Bald Man Brewing: 2020 Silver Bell Road, Suite 28, Eagan; 651-600-3164; baldmanbrewing.com Bent Brewstillery This combo brewery/distillery is the only one of its kind in the Twin Cities. Owner Bartley Blume is one part mad scientist, one part activist, as the state’s liquor laws don’t allow him to serve both beer and cocktails. The beer here, which they are allowed to serve, is creative and the atmosphere cool. Be sure to check out the bathrooms, which are some of our favorites in the Twin Cities. What to drink: Nordic Blonde or any of the beers in their Funked Up series of sour beers. Bent Brewstillery: 1744 Terrace Drive, Roseville; 844-879-2368; bentbrewstillery.com Barley John’s This roadside brewpub in New Brighton has a great patio with a soaring fire pit and hops growing up trellises surrounding it. If you’re lucky, there might be live music, too. They have a full bar, wine and a fairly large menu that includes sandwiches, salads, burgers, pizzas and entrees. What to drink: Stockyard IPA or Old 8 Porter Barley John’s Brewpub: 781 Old Highway 8, New Brighton; 651-636-4670; barleyjohns.com Big Wood Brewing This downtown White Bear Lake brewery embraces its suggestive moniker in more ways than one, first by outfitting its taproom with lots of wood, including heavy wood-carved chairs (short shorts are a no-no here, you could end up with a splinter) and beers with cheeky names like Morning Wood, Bad Axe and Bark Bite. Ignore the names if they are off-putting to you, though, because the beer here is good. What to drink: Morning Wood (a coffee stout) or Amigo Grande (a Mexican lager) Big Wood Brewing: 2222 Fourth St., White Bear Lake; bigwoodbrewery.com HammerHeart It’s the farthest flung of the suburban breweries on this list, but HammerHeart makes some road-trip worthy beers. The brewery has a dark, Nordic theme that is very masculine, but very cool, and the brewery has a tasty niche: smoked beer. There are often some delicious non-smoked varieties on tap if that doesn’t float your boat. Smoke is applied to the grains here with an expert hand and it’s really worth a try. What to drink: Thor’s Hot Pepper Porter or Bog Burial (Scotch barrel-aged peat-smoked old ale) HammerHeart Brewing Company: 7785 Lake Drive, Lino Lakes; 651-348-2654; hammerheartbrewing.com Lift Bridge Brewing A true community gathering spot, Lift Bridge hosts something called Townie Tuesdays, in which the brewery donates to a local charity. They also host a holiday cookie bake-off, an annual hop-picking event and live, local music. It doesn’t hurt that the beers here are some of the best in the entire metro area — good enough to travel for, even if you don’t live in the Stillwater area. What to drink: Anything, really, but Hop Dish, Mango Blonde and The Warden (a rich milk stout) are our favorites. Lift Bridge Brewing Company: 1900 Tower Drive W., Stillwater; 888-430-2337; liftbridgebrewery.com Maple Island Brewing This charming brewery is in historic downtown Stillwater, and the best place to be is the little patio in the back of the shop, with views of the St. Croix River. The beers here trend toward the gimmicky, including one brewed with ice cream from the legendary Stillwater shop Nelson’s, and one named White Butt IPA. Just go with it. What to drink: Maple Island Bock or Burlesque Kolsch Maple Island Brewing: 225 Main St. N., Stillwater; 651-430-0044; mapleislandbrewing.com Nutmeg Brewhouse Related Articles Game on! Tailgating takeout ideas for game day The brave, the few, the takeout only: Booya in 2020 More than a dozen walk-up window ideas for your outdoor dining pleasure Here’s your list of 20+ places offering State Fair food & drinks in lieu of the Fair We haven’t yet been to the original Burnsville location of this suburban brewpub, but the beer is the same in Arden Hills, and it’s good. The food menus are different at the different locations, too, and the Arden Hills spot, which is located squarely in a nondescript strip mall, changes its menu fairly frequently. As with all brewpubs, you can get outside booze here — beer, wine and cider in Arden Hills, and a full bar in Burnsville. What to drink: Any of the rye IPAs Nutmeg Brewhouse: 1905 County Road 42W, Burnsville; 952-892-1438 or 3673 N. Lexington Ave., Arden Hills; 651-340-8812; nutmegbrewhouse.com

There are two types of frames: Futon lounger and bi-fold. The Bi-fold frame is made up of two parts, the backrest, and the sitting part. In spite of this, some manufacturers offer matching ottoman instead that can also be used as a bench. Moreover, they also offer twin futon mattress which is suitable for single use. Futon mattresses were first used in Japan but have since spread throughout the globe due to their comfort factor. Futons are made up of two parts: the frame and mattress. Futon can be in different sizes, where the frame and mattress determine the size. But just how big is a futon mattress ? How Big Is A Futon Mattress? Their depth usually varies from 5 to 20 inches depending on the materials used to make the mattress. So finally purchase the standard and best futon for your family and our buying guide must be very much helpful for you. Mostly, cotton is used for basic futon mattresses though; a foam layer may be used to maintain the rigidity. Polyester and pocket coils or foam can also be used with innerspring. While the Futon loungers, also known as loveseats, have an additional lounge extension that folds and hides between the seat deck and futon base. This enables it to give the most sitting and sleeping space in small rooms. The mattresses have also been improved and can be found in both custom and standard sizes which answer the question, how big are a futon mattress? The standard sizes are in the main four groups: chair, full, twin and queen which allows them to fit on standard beds. Types of Futon Mattresses In answering the question of how big is a futon mattress, we will look at the different types present. Futon mattresses act as bendable beds with frames that can be folded, but since modern futon mattresses have western dimensions, some of them cannot fold to 180 degrees. Nevertheless, futons offer maximum utilization of spaces as they can give room for other functions, working as both beds and chairs making them popular for their flexibility. Futon mattresses come in different sizes and designs. The different types of futon mattresses include: The Chair It is a classy chair that can be used as a single person chair by day and a single person bed at night. It usually measures 28 inches wide by 54 inches long when opened to a bed position and can be utilized with an elective ottoman that uses 28 inches wide by 21 inches long mattress. The Twin It is a durable futon mattress that is reversible and can be folded into a coach or opened into a bed. There are two types of twin futons: ·The Twin Split: Dimensions for the twin split are 39 inches wide by 75 inches long, and it needs an non-compulsory stand-alone ottoman along with a compatible 39 inches wide by 21 inches long mattress to be used as a bed. ·The Twin Lounger: The dimensions for the twin lounger is 39 inches wide by 80 inches long and will also need a twin size mattress to be used as a bed. However, they can both fit on twin beds. The Full Futon Mattress Among the best futon mattress , it is considered as a luxurious type of futon mattress that comes in three styles: The Loveseat: This measures 54 inches wide by 54 inches long but requires an optional stand-alone ottoman part and a love ottoman mattress to be used as a bed. The Full: That measures 75 inches wide by 54 inches long and can be used with a full-size futon mattress. The Full Adjustable Seat: which includes an ottoman that slides into the frame and a love ottoman mattress when used as a bed. Nonetheless, all three can open to a full sized bed. The Queen Futon Mattress They are found in three styles: The Queen: It measures 80 inches wide by 60 inches long when opened and uses regular queen mattresses. The Queen Split: Whose dimensions are 60 inches wide by 54 inches long when open conversely; an optional stand-alone ottoman and compatible mattress 60 inches wide by 26 inches long are required for it to be used as a bed. The Queen Lounger: It has the same body as the Queen Split the only difference is that the ottoman part slides into the frame and it needs a Queen Ottoman mattress to be used as a bed. Conclusion Futon mattresses come in different categories allowing the buyer to choose from a variety of alternatives depending on their tastes and preferences. The fact that they can be easily folded and stored elsewhere gives them an advantage over normal mattresses. The problem of estimating how big is a full size futon is quite important in case you want to find out a suitable one for yourself and your family. Chair or twin sizes can be used when one wants to utilize the least floor space possible, but they will need an alternative when they get guests. In such a case they should consider purchasing bigger futons such as Queen Split. Then again, if one requires more sitting space, a Queen Size or full futon would be a great fit. They allow maximum utilization of space as the can serve multiple purposes such as floor couches, play area or even outdoor rest areas. This makes them a must-have home accessory both because of its aesthetics and comfort. Having stated all this, you must now have realized the answer to how big is a futon mattress. Related Posts: How To Fold Up A Futon Mattress How To Put A Futon Cover On What Size Sheets For A Futon ​

Immigration Minister Sylvi Listhaug said the migrant crisis is going to have violent consequences We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights. Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. The centre-right Government is proposing tighter controls in order to avoid what the immigration minister described as "violent consequences" to the country's welfare system. The measures, which would need parliamentary approval, would make it difficult for refugees to bring family members to Norway and raise the requirements for permanent resident permits. The move comes after more than 30,000 asylum-seekers sought shelter in the country, which has a population of 5.1million people, this year. Immigration Minister Sylvi Listhaug, of the right-wing Progress Party, said the country’s influx of migrants was one of the highest numbers in Europe in relation to its population size.

(Bloomberg) -- Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. is losing business from Microsoft Corp., one of the world’s largest users of servers, the latest sign of trouble for the pioneering computer maker as it struggles with the rise of cloud services, people familiar with the matter said. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Meg Whitman said last week her company saw "significantly lower demand" for servers from a tier-1 service provider, but without identifying the customer. Tier-1 service providers are typically major cloud and telecom companies. The softer demand came from Microsoft, the people said, as the software giant pushes for lower prices from hardware providers to help it efficiently expand its public cloud service and keep up with rivals Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google. Spokeswomen for Microsoft and HPE declined to comment. Late last year, the Redmond, Washington-based company unveiled a new in-house cloud server design that it will require hardware vendors to follow. This forces HPE and rival Dell Technologies Inc. to compete against lower-cost generic, commodity manufacturers. Already, Microsoft has been using less-expensive gear for its data centers and the new design is set to be fully implemented later this year. "We will continue to meet customer demand by expanding data center capacity while driving efficiencies through new technologies," Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood said on a call with analysts in January when it announced earnings. Microsoft’s Azure public cloud business reported a 93 percent revenue surge in the final quarter of 2016 as more businesses opted for the flexibility and ease of accessing computing power and storage over a network instead of building their own data centers. HPE has been a leading seller of servers that go in these corporate data centers. But the shift to the public cloud means businesses don’t need to buy their own servers anymore. Selling to the big cloud providers is harder, either because they demand more volume discounts, or increasingly they design their own cheaper servers. "Within Tier 1 we had a much lower demand from a single large customer," Whitman said on the call, noting that these types of deals aren’t as profitable as other parts of the server business. "The Tier 1 business is very competitive, and we’ll see what happens there." HPE last week cut its adjusted profit forecast for the current fiscal year and reported sales that missed analysts’ projections for the third consecutive quarter.

Dennis Maddux Cleveland City Manager Janice Casteel The City of Cleveland has replaced its police chief after his first official day on the job. Cleveland City Manager Janice Casteel said in a release this afternoon that she will serve as head of the police department effective immediately. It was not immediately clear what will become of former chief Dennis Maddux. Sunday was Maddux's first official day on the job, though he's been acting chief since January. On Saturday, Maddux was found in a car with the wife of one of his officers before that officer was arrested, according to an affidavit. Casteel is appointing Capt. Mark Gibson to assist her with day-to-day operations at the Cleveland Police Department, she said in the release. Casteel will act as Cleveland's fourth police chief in just more than a year. She said she intends to ask the city council to form a committee to review the organizational structure and policies of the police department. Maddux replaced David Bishop, who took over in December 2013 but went on medical leave in October. Gibson acted as interim chief until Maddux was named to the position. The chief shuffle began with the abrupt retirement of longtime chief Wes Snyder at the end of 2013. Snyder retired after video footage surfaced showing him trysting with a woman not his wife at a warehouse storage unit in Cleveland. This is a developing story. Stay with the Times Free Press for more details.

Knows Sirius Black didn't betray the Potters. Lets him get life sentence in Azkaban anyway. 792 shares

The head of the Calgary Airport Authority says more changes will be coming to the new international terminal over the next two years. Bob Sartor, CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority, addressed some of the complaints about the new terminal at the authority's annual general meeting Thursday. The new facility opened last fall, but there were complaints from travellers about a lack of seating at the gates, the distance travellers have to go to make their connections, and the fact there are no water fountains. Sartor says seating has been added. Some water stations have been installed, but the issue will take some time to fix. "What we're doing is adding not only water fountains but water stations where you can fill a bottle," Sartor says. "Some of them take time because there's more plumbing to it than I thought," he says. Sartor also says a number of moving sidewalks are being added to shorten the walking time from one end of the building to the other. "We will not be finished completely until 2019 because the connectivity program which brings all of the incremental moving sidewalks from the domestic part of the terminal all the way to D and E won't be finished until then," he says. "We'll open it up in sections but the final section will be in 2019." Sartor says work is going on this year to extend a new baggage handling system into all areas of the old terminal so it connects better with the new terminal.

Federal investigators close off access to the offices of the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Massachusetts, October 16, 2012. Criminal investigators from the FDA were on site at the center on Tuesday in the first public indication that the government was preparing a criminal case against the company linked to a deadly outbreak of meningitis. (Photo: Barry Chin / Boston Globe)More Americans than died in the attacks on the World Trade Center die every year from contaminated medicine, food, air and water. Yet the GOP argues we cannot afford the promulgation and enforcement of the regulations that would save these lives. I doubt Lilian Cary, 67, would be voting for Mitt Romney or any Republican this year. Actually, Lilian won’t be voting for anyone next week, because she died of meningitis, weeks after being injected with steroids for back pain. She is one of 25 people so far to have died from contaminated vials of epidural steroids. Her husband was also given those injections at the same clinic and could be facing a similar fate. As of late October, 338 people have been stricken by infection. In all, over 14,000 people have been injected with these contaminated steroids. There will undoubtedly be more illnesses and deaths before this mass tragedy is over. The tainted vials were made by a pharmacy, New England Compounding Center (NECC). A deadly black fungus, Exserohilum, found in the vials was also found throughout the facility. “The entire pharmacy was an incubator of bacteria and fungus. The pharmacy knew this through monitoring results, and chose to do nothing,” said former FDA officer Sarah Sellers who left the agency in 2008 after unsuccessfully pushing it to increase regulation of compounding pharmacies. Employees knew about the unsterile conditions and violated established protocols, but the pharmacy chose to do nothing about it. Inspectors found multiple breaks in sterile techniques, including that employees had turned off the air conditioning at night to save the company money, undermining the conditions needed to prevent growth of contaminating organisms. Every drug the company made is now suspect. Drug manufacturing companies such as NECC, prepare medications for clinics and doctors largely outside federal control. The FDA says that the law does not give it adequate authority to establish oversight, leaving regulation largely to the states. In my state, there is exactly zero oversight of this kind of product. In my speciality, anesthesiology, it isn’t just contaminated drugs; there’s also a shortage of critical drugs. For the last several years, anesthesiologists have had to resort to suboptimal drug selection because some of our most important drugs have simply been unavailable. It seems that the free market doesn’t compel drug companies to make drugs if they don’t want to, or don’t find it profitable, or they can create artificial shortages to drive up prices. Welcome to a glimpse of Mitt Romney’s and the Republican’s Party’s Holy Grail for economic revival – a free market on steroids, and a war on regulation. Virtually all government regulatory functions are under attack. Drug manufacturing, food safety, environmental protections, health care, banking and financial regulations, work place safety, and non-discrimination protection have all been placed on the altar of the free market under the cloak of “freedom, job creation” or the discipline and joy of “personal responsibility.” Mitt Romney types can say that NECC will probably go out of business and in that respect it affirms that the free market works. But in this case – and so many others – the road to free market vindication is littered with dead bodies, lost jobs, lost life savings, and widespread suffering. Lilian Cary and the other NECC victims paid the ultimate price for poor regulations. I suppose in a sick way you could rationalize that even this is a manifestation of how well the free market works, like the “free market” of the Serengeti – the weak and the unlucky fall victim to predators in the jungle of corporate negligence and profiteering. And who could dispute that weak regulation has helped NECC create jobs – although at the morgue. While the Republican’s wage an overt war on regulation, they also wage a covert war by demanding budget cuts to virtually all regulatory agencies, further neutering their ability to function. With the GOP demand for budget austerity, first on their list of things to cut is “discretionary spending,” which, among other things, means spending on enforcing regulations. For example, even though President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act into law – giving the FDA wider power to prevent food-borne illness outbreaks – the number of Americans who became sick or died because of contaminated food increased 44% over the last two years, according to a new report from the US Public Interest Research Group. But the FDA remains unable to implement the reforms because of Republican refusal to fund them. Typical of the Republican thought process is this statement last year from Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA): “The food supply in America is very safe because the private sector self-polices, because they have the highest motivation. They don’t want to be sued; they don’t want to go broke. They want their customers to be healthy and happy.” This is how wildly successful this self policing strategy is: 76 million illnesses occur annually from contaminated food, with 128,000 requiring hospitalization and 3,000 people dying – every year – as many as died in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center (remember contaminated spinach, peanut butter, hamburger, and cantaloupes?). We have spent trillions of dollars on the “War on Terror,” the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, homeland security, and Mitt Romney wants the sky to be the limit on even more defense spending, yet spending a few million to prevent contaminated food – which kills far more people – is something that the entire Republican Party just can’t tolerate. Every five years, the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to revise national air quality standards to reflect current science. Current science indicates that existing standards are not strict enough and that standards 25% stricter would save about 36,000 lives – over ten times the number of deaths on 9/11 – every year (1). You have a far greater likelihood of dying from air pollution than you do from a terrorist attack. But Mitt Romney and the Republicans will not let up on the idea that clean air and clean water are killing jobs and the big polluters can’t afford it. Voting for them this fall means you will be voting to gut the Clean Air Act and the EPA’s budget, and that of the FDA, the SEC, and virtually every federal regulatory agency whose job it is to protect our citizens. For the Republicans, deregulation has such mythical power they would even have us be fooled by Wall Street into letting them police themselves again. In the last few years, millions of Americans have lost their financial nest egg, the equity in their home, their job, health or even their lives because of the greed and excesses of business. And the Republicans would have you believe that somehow you are better off for it. In the immortal words mangled by George W. Bush, “Fool us once, shame on them, fool us twice, shame on us.” Lilian Cary was fooled into thinking her government was looking out for her. It wasn’t. And if Romney and the Republicans fool Americans into voting for their war on regulation, we will have become a ship of fools indeed. References 1. Report by the American Lung Association, Earthjustice, and Clean Air Task Force -How the EPA can save lives by cleaning up fine particle pollution. 2011.

File this under I had no idea this existed. During the early 20th century residents of Fort Bragg, California chose to dispose of their waste by hurling it off the cliffs above a beach. No object was too toxic or too large as household appliances, automobiles, and all matter of trash were tossed into the crashing waves below, eventually earning it the name The Dumps. In 1967 the North Coast Water Quality Board closed the area completely and initiated a series of cleanups to slowly reverse decades of pollution and environmental damage. But there was one thing too costly (or perhaps impossible) to tackle: the millions of tiny glass shards churning in the surf. Over time the unrelenting ocean waves have, in a sense, cleansed the beach, turning the sand into a sparkling, multicolored bed of smooth glass stones now known as Glass Beach. The beach is now an unofficial tourist attraction and the California State Park System has gone so far as purchasing the property and incorporating it into surrounding MacKerricher State Park. (images courtesy digggs, matthew high, meganpru, lee rentz and linked to sources. via kuriositas) Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now!

Героїзація Бандери ніяк не вплине на відносини з Україною - посол Польщі 23 лютого 2017, 18:42 Вы также можете прочесть этот материал на русском языке Пекло: Питання Бандери - це минуле, важливіше майбутнє (Фото: Фото: polskieradio.p) Україні та Польщі необхідно думати про майбутнє, а питання Степана Бандери - це минуле, заявив посол Польщі в Україні Ян Пєкло Таку позицію дипломат висловив у відповідь на запитання журналіста з проханням прокоментувати нещодавню заяву лідера правлячої партії Польщі Право і Справедливість (Піс) Ярослава Качинського про те, що "Україна не ввійде в Європу з Бандерою", передає Liga.net. "Це історія. Історія важлива для поляків, і для українців. Але є і майбутнє, і майбутнє важливіше. Нам потрібно думати про майбутнє. Качиньський також думає про майбутнє... Багато хто, напевно, вже забули, як він під час Революції Гідності був на Майдані і кричав "Слава Україні!". Це яскравий приклад, що він проукраїнський, а не навпаки", - відповів Пекло. Польський дипломат підкреслив, що питання героїзації Степана Бандери в Україні ніяк не вплине на відносини двох держав. Глава Інституту національної пам'яті Володимир В'ятрович прокоментував різкі випади польського лідера. На його думку, Качиньський намагається нав'язати українцям власне викривлене уявлення про історію свого народу.

"Temos uma terra a qual nunca vamos renunciar", disse o presidente A Argentina relançou nesta sexta-feira (3) sua campanha pela soberania das Malvinas (Falklands, para os britânicos). “Temos uma terra a qual nunca vamos renunciar. Os britânicos invadiram as Malvinas e, nesta primeira vez que me refiro ao tema como presidente, quero enfatizar que nossa convicção em lutar por recuperar este território continua sendo contundente”, afirmou o presidente Alberto Fernández, em discurso realizado no Porto de Buenos Aires. No mesmo evento, o chanceler Felipe Solá assegurou que a campanha internacional pela soberania argentina voltou a ser “prioridade” da política externa argentina. “Queremos uma solução pacífica e definitiva para a disputa”, disse. (Com agências internacionais) (Estadão Conteúdo)

There’s no strong evidence that if you warm up, you will reduce your risk of injury, but there is evidence that warming up can improve your performance. Five to 10 minutes of aerobic exercise will raise your muscle temperature and your heart rate so that more oxygen reaches your muscles. Warming up also provides an opportunity to incorporate beneficial exercises such as strengthening and control work. Whether or not you warm up will probably depend on how long and how hard you plan to work out. If you have 20 minutes for a run, you could just put your shoes on and go. If you are about to take part in a race, such as a Parkrun-type event, you might want to warm up for 15 or 20 minutes. Elite athletes will warm up for 45 minutes to an hour before they go into competition, and may do specific exercises such as “strides” – race-pace speeds to prepare the body. You don’t need to do that if you’re going for a gentle jog around the park. If you’re really unfit, you could warm up with a walk-run. As far as stretching is concerned, it also doesn’t prevent injury, and there is a school of thought that if you do lots of sustained static stretching – holding a position – it can dampen down some of the force your muscles can produce. Most athletes will do more “dynamic mobility” work, where you take your joints through their range of motion, rather than holding a stretch. Toby Smith is technical lead physiotherapist at the English Institute of Sport. He was talking to Emine Saner

This undated photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Billy Jack Crutsinger. Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice A Texas death row inmate was executed Wednesday for fatally stabbing an 89-year-old woman and her daughter more than 16 years ago after entering their Fort Worth home under the pretense of doing some work for them. Billy Jack Crutsinger, 64, received a lethal injection Wednesday evening at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the 2003 killings of Pearl Magouirk and her 71-year-old daughter Patricia Syren. Authorities said Crutsinger killed the two women and stole Syren's car and credit card. Crutsinger was arrested three days later at a bar in Galveston, more than 300 miles away. In a final statement that lasted four minutes, Crutsinger thanked three friends who witnessed the execution. Get Breaking News Delivered to Your Inbox "I'm at peace now and ready to go and be with Jesus and my family," Crutsinger said. Then as the lethal dose of pentobarbital began, he said he could feel it "in my left arm. It's kind of burning." Crutsinger then began coughing and breathing heavily and then made snoring noises at least 29 times before he stopped moving. At 6:40 p.m. CT — 13 minutes after the lethal dose started — Crutsinger was pronounced dead. No family members of Magouirk and Syren witnessed the execution. Crutsinger did not mention the two women during his final statement. "The defendant stabbed two elderly women to death in their own home. They had offered him a chance at honest work. The loss of mother and daughter Pearl Magouirk and Pat Syren is still felt deeply by their family and the Fort Worth community. Our sympathy and thoughts continue to be with them," Michele Hartmann, one of the prosecutors with the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office who convicted Crutsinger, said in a statement. Crutsinger was the 14th inmate put to death this year in the U.S. and the fifth in Texas, the nation's busiest capital punishment state. Ten more executions are scheduled in Texas this year. The U.S. Supreme Court declined a request by Crutsinger's attorney to stop the execution. Crutsinger's attorney had alleged his previous lawyer had a long history of incompetent work in death penalty cases. "The jury heard nothing from the defense that provided an explanation about the disease of alcoholism in relation to the offense conduct," including such things as "a history of domestic violence and abuse, and repeated losses of significant friends and relatives," Lydia Brandt, Crutsinger's current attorney, wrote in her one of her Supreme Court petitions. Brandt also argued lower courts had wrongly denied Crutsinger funding to investigate competency and mental health claims that were not sufficiently reviewed by prior attorneys. Lower appeals courts and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles had also declined to stop the execution. At trial, Hartmann told jurors Crutsinger's actions had nothing to do with alcohol but were the result of "evil." Friends and family described Magouirk, known as "R.D.," as an avid gardener. Syren volunteered as a receptionist at her church. Both women were retired and lived together. Crutsinger had been "spiraling downward much of his adult life," including three failed marriages and a propensity for violence when he drank, according to a report by a forensic psychologist hired by his trial attorneys. In the months before the slayings, Crutsinger became homeless and increasingly desperate after his wife kicked him out of their home and his mother, who had enabled his behavior, stopped helping him, according to the report. When Crutsinger realized Magouirk and Syren didn't have enough work to give him much financial relief, he flew into an alcoholic rage, the report said. "All of his anger at being left to fend for himself and of having his safety net taken from him was then brought to bear on the victims," according to the report. Magouirk was stabbed at least seven times while her daughter was stabbed at least nine times. Authorities said DNA evidence tied Crutsinger to the killings and he confessed to the crime. In an email, Brandt described Crutsinger's previous appellate lawyer, Richard Alley, as a "great word processor" who cut and pasted "worthless" legal arguments from other cases and who was removed from another death row client's case and suspended from practicing in federal court. Brandt alleged Alley performed similar shoddy work in at least six other death penalty cases. Four of those inmates have been executed. An attorney for former death row inmate Bobby Woods also alleged incompetent work by Alley before Woods was executed in 2009. In 2006, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals removed Alley from its list of lawyers eligible to represent death row inmates in their appeals. Alley died in 2017. "I do the best I possibly can on all these cases," Alley told the Austin American-Statesman in a 2006 story that was part of a series that looked at the bad work by court-appointed attorneys in appeals of death penalty cases. The Texas Attorney General's Office called Crutsinger's allegations against Alley "speculative" because he had not identified any claim that Alley should have raised but did not. The attorney general's office also said Crutsinger's case has received an "extensive review" during his appeals process.

Diamond Platnumz is in trouble for a kiss By Sammy Awami BBC Africa, Dar es Salaam Published duration 17 April 2018 One of Africa's top musicians - Diamond Platnumz - has been questioned by Tanzanian police after posting a video clip of himself playfully kissing a woman on Instagram, which authorities say is indecent. It comes a few weeks after the award-winning "bongo flava" hip hop star threatened to leave the East African nation when his songs were included in list of more than 10 banned by the government for having sexually suggestive video images or lyrics. What law is he accused of breaking? Information Minister Harrison Mwakyembe told MPs the musician had fallen foul of the new Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulations, introduced a few weeks ago. He said the authorities plan to file charges against Diamond Platnumz, who has since removed the offending Instagram post. Five things about Diamond Platnumz image copyright AFP One of East Africa's richest musicians Popularised "bongo flava", Tanzanian hip hop Sold second-hand clothes before he found fame Recently launched his own TV and radio station 4.5 million followers on Instagram If found guilty he could face a fine of at least five million Tanzanian shillings ($2,200; £1,500) or a prison sentence of a minimum of 12 months, or both. Mr Mwakyembe said the government was also monitoring other artists who had been engaging in "decadent behaviour", and warned they would be brought to justice irrespective of their popularity. What else do the regulations cover? Apart from censoring obscene content, the legislation requires bloggers to pay a hefty registration fee of more than $900. They must also fulfil a long list of other requirements, like submitting staff CVs, to qualify for a licence to operate. Many activists, online content providers and ordinary users have accused the government of using these regulations to suppress freedom of expression. But the government says they are to protect the nation's "culture". What's behind the crackdown? Since coming to power in 2015, President John Magufuli, nicknamed "The Bulldozer" , has taken a no-nonsense approach to running affairs - cracking down on corruption and government waste. image copyright Reuters image caption President John Magufuli is accused of having little tolerance for dissent His authoritarian nature has won him fans, but critics have also accused him of trying to silence dissenting voices. These online regulations follow the arrests of several people charged with "abusing" the president for criticising him on Facebook and WhatsApp.

Update 9/25: DC has revealed five more retailer-exclusive variant covers for The Dark Knight III: The Master Race #1, as well as a general 1:50 variant cover from Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons. Scroll down for a look at all 13 covers revealed so far. dark knight iii variant covers 13 IMAGES Comic*Pop Collectibles – Matt Wagner ConBox – Kenneth Rocafort ComicXposure – Babs Tarr Heroes Aren't Hard to Find – Brian Stelfreeze Past Present Future Comics – Tony Daniel BuyMeToys.com – Gary Frank Newbury Comics – Michael Allred Comic Book Legal Defense Fund – Paul Pope Books-A-Million – Rafael Albuquerque Silver Snail – Francis Manapul Hypno Comics – Bill Sienkiewicz Borderlands Comics and Games – Klaus Janson Graham Crackers Comics – Darwyn Cooke Yesteryear Comics – Jason Fabok Third Eye Comics – Brian Bolland M&M Comics Service – Dave Dorman Legacy Comics and Cards – Artgerm Dynamic Forces – Jae Lee Midtown Comics – Greg Capullo Midtown Comics – Marc Silvestri Rebel Base Comics & Toys – Sean Murphy Lone Star Comics (mycomicshop.com) – John Cassaday Dragon’s Lair – Ivan Reis Tate’s Comics + Toys + More – Kevin Eastman Cards, Comics & Collectibles – Amanda Conner Diamond UK – Jock Forbidden Planet Limited – Adam Hughes AOD Collectibles – Dale Keown JScottCampbell.com – J. Scott Campbell Heroes and Fantasties – Tim Sale Yancy St. Comics – Kelley Jones Zapp! Comics – Terry Dodson Madness Games & Comics – Joshua Middleton Ssalefish Comics – John Romita, Jr. Lange's Sports – David Finch Disposable Heroes Comics – Simon Bisley Phantom – Walter Simonson Hastings – Tyler Kirkham Beyond Comics – Eduardo Risso Instock Trades – Lee Bermejo Discount Comic Book Service – Neal Adams Bulletproof Comics – Gabriele Dell’Otto DC has also revealed the full list of retailers that will be offering exclusive covers and the artists that will be drawing them:Keep checking back as more of these dark, striking covers are revealed in the coming weeks.The original story is below. The Dark Knight III #1 cover by Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson The Dark Knight III #2 cover by Andy Kubert We have the exclusive reveal for the cover and solicitation text for the second issue of DC's highly anticipated mini-series The Dark Knight III: The Master Race. This information sheds a bit more light on a project that's still very much shrouded in mystery, including confirming that a major player from the Dark Knight mythos will be a focus of the story.DC will be publishing both regular and oversized "collector's editions" versions of of The Dark knight III #2 in December. Scroll down to find out what's in store that month:DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #2Written by FRANK MILLER and BRIAN AZZARELLOArt by ANDY KUBERT and KLAUS JANSONMinicomic art by TBDCover by ANDY KUBERT1:10 variant cover by KLAUS JANSON1:25 variant cover by ANDY KUBERT1:50 variant cover by TBD1:100 variant cover by FRANK MILLER1:500 variant cover by JIM LEEOn sale DECEMBER 2332 pg comic: 6.375” x 10.1875”16 page minicomic: 5.5” x 8.5”FC, 2 of 8, $5.99 US • RATED T+The unexpected finale to the Dark Knight saga continues as Carrie Kelly gets caught…that is, she finds herself…she gets into—well, you’re just going to have to read it yourself.DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #2 COLLECTOR’S EDITIONWritten by FRANK MILLER and BRIAN AZZARELLOArt by ANDY KUBERT and KLAUS JANSONCover by JIM LEEOn sale JANUARY 6 • 40 pg, FC, 7.0625” x 10.875”, $12.99 US • RATED T+This oversized paper-over-boards COLLECTOR’S EDITION features both stories from DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE #2 at the same size!Obviously DC still isn't revealing much about the plot of The Dark Knight III, but the issue #2 solicit does confirm that Carrie Kelly will play a major role in the story. Carrie has apparently evolved from being Robin in The Dark Knight Returns to Catgirl in The Dark Knight Strikes Again to assuming the mantle of Batman proper in this sequel. This lends credence to early rumors that The Dark Knight III will parallel the original and revolve around Carrie seeking her superhero successor.In related news, we also recently learned why the rumors about current Batman writer Scott Snyder being involved with this project were wrong.We'll find out more about this futuristic Batman epic when the first issue hits stories in November. Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter , or Kicksplode on MyIGN

Written by: Dumisani Kili On 28 December 2018, protesters flocked to Clifton Beach in Cape Town to protest alleged racism by a private security company and residents in general. At this protest, a sheep was sacrificed to ‘cleanse off racist spirits’. There is a lot to say about the protest in general, but this article will be dealing with the case of the slaughtered sheep, and how the protesters have not only desecrated African customs, but did so for petty politics. The Folly of Prophecy Nongqawuse was a Xhosa prophetess born in 1841 near Gxarha River in the independent Xhosaland, close to the border of the recently colonised territory of the British Kaffraria. She grew up under her deeply religious and vigilant uncle, Mhlakaza, after her parents died while she was still very young. Around April 1856, a 15 year old Nongqawuse and her friend Nombamba, who was 8-10 years old, went to scare birds from her uncle’s crops in the fields by the mouth of the Gxarha River in the present-day Wild Coast area of the Eastern Cape. When Nongqawuse returned back home she told Mhlakaza that she had met the spirits of three of her ancestors. She claimed that the spirits had told her that Xhosa people should destroy their crops. She further claimed that the ancestors who had appeared to them said the dead would arise and all living cattle would have to be slaughtered, having been reared by contaminated hands. Nongqawuse managed to win over her uncle and most of the other members of her tribe with this story. This resulted in the killing of between 300,000 and 400,000 cattle and only the Amagogotya/Amagogonya (the tribe of the stingy ones) people in Xhosaland refused to destroy their wealth for no other reason than the words of a 15 year old child. Nongqawuse would later blame the Amagogotya for the failure of her prophecy to come true. They were the blockage in the toilet, if you will, and no plumber was forthcoming from her divine ancestors. I was reminded of Nongqawuse when I saw the nonsensical spectacle at Clifton Beach. A sheep was literally made into a sacrificial lamb in order to cleanse the beach of so-called demonic racial spirits, just when I thought we had learned from our history, and tomorrow would be slightly brighter than yesterday. It turns out that the past just had a better fluorescent light, and was lacking only in electric ballast to limit the damage. We have the Black People’s National Crisis Committee (BPNCC) to thank for this fiasco — a group of peace-time, self-absorbed and self-hating celebrities masquerading as the heroes and heroines of black people. Betrayal The BNPCC has in fact, betrayed their ancestors, just as Nongqawuse did. They define themselves in terms of what white people do and how they react to their actions instead of spending their time doing things that will actually make things better for other black people. Nongqawuse destroyed her people by convincing them to commit suicide. The BNPCC turned sacred African customs into nothing more than political theatre, an object of ridicule. A black man who defines and identifies himself under the banner of what they call ‘Black Excellence’ is a fuming, livid and foam-mouthed man committing suicide in broad daylight. He does not know who he is and seeks validation from pieces of his past which he does not properly understand. African Customs My black ancestors do not care for Clifton Beach and have no interest in knowing it. When they were among the living they spent their days under the glorious African Sun building their civilisations and a better future for themselves, instead of spending money on a holiday called Christmas. If there are African ancestors at Clifton Beach, my custom dictates that those young people who are part of BNPCC first needed to be introduced to those ancestors through the slaughtering of a sheep by people who knew them or had themselves been introduced in such a manner. The place where the ceremony itself takes place has to be introduced to the ancestors as the family/clan altar. African ancestors didn’t just do things haphazardly. They had their own laws which they adhered to and continue to do so. Two years ago my younger brother underwent initiation into manhood. The first phase of this ritual involves slaughtering a goat in order to introduce the young man to our ancestors. I and my older brother could not perform this introduction at my house since the house itself has not yet been introduced to our ancestors. We had to go to my father’s house since it had been introduced to the ancestors long before I was born. The Clifton Beach saga was an insult to African ancestors and the customs they left behind for us. The events of Clifton Beach are nothing but an anti-black publicity stunt and an excuse to have a party, with the added benefit of shocking white people. How dare anyone slaughter a sheep in a place unknown to our ancestors? What are you actually cleansing? Certainly, black ancestors are out of the equation. Black ancestors don’t cleanse foreign spirits such as racism. They introspect and cleanse themselves. Steve Biko left you with this message: “Black Consciousness is an attitude of the mind and a way of life, the most positive call to emanate from the black world for a long time. Its essence is the realisation by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of their oppressor — the blackness of their skin — and to operate as a group to rid themselves of the shackles that bind them to perpetual servitude”. The likes of Chumani Maxwele and BNPCC do the opposite of what Biko said. They fight for the renaming of airports and streets and call it decolonisation. That is a lie. Pre-colonial Africa didn’t even have airports — the first airplane was invented in 1903, long after colonialism was well and truly underway. These so-called activists just want to find a niche for themselves in a white man’s world without first understanding who they are. At least Nongqawuse believed she was fighting for her people and her land, the likes of BNPCC are fighting to further entrench the colonialism already running rampant in their minds. * Dumisani Kili is a soldier with a rank of private 1st class in the South African National Defense Force. He writes in his personal capacity on matters of black consciousness and Africanism in general.

For indispensable reporting on the coronavirus crisis, the election, and more, subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily newsletter. Because the rest of the world seems to be slowly going to hell (quickly, in the case of Osama Bin Laden), we’ve been a little slow to jump on the latest reports out of the Mississippi Valley. But the news, per Good, is pretty bad: The Mississippi River is expected to exceed its highest water level in nearly a century, and has already forced thousands of residents to head for higher ground. At the epicenter of this disaster is the embattled city of Cairo, Illinois (as in Care-o or Kay-ro), which sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and is ringed on all sides by protective levees. The river’s height outside Cairo is at 61 feet, which is totally nuts, and the town has been evacuated. To alleviate some of the pressure and save Cairo from being washed out, the Army Corps of Engineers decided the best course of action was to blast a hole in a levee further downstream in Missouri, which would leave 130,000 acres of farmland underwater. After a failed legal challenge by Missouri, the Corps blasted the levee last night, reducing the water level at Cairo by a foot. But that plan of action has, unsurprisingly, stirred some strong feelings. Here’s what Missouri State Rep. Steve Tilley, the Republican Speaker of the House, had to say last week: When Tilley was asked Tuesday whether he would rather see Cairo or the farmland underwater, he told reporters, “Cairo. I’ve been there, trust me. Cairo.” “Have you been to Cairo?” he added. “OK, then you know what I’m saying then.” Unless you’ve been to Cairo, you probably don’t really know what Tilley is saying, but basically it’s this: The place is a mess. Since the 1920s, Cairo’s population has shrunk from nearly 20,000 to under 3,000. Just inside the Ohio-side floodwall, its historic commerical drag is entirely empty and most of the buildings are burnt-out. Tilley would be a pretty lousy representative if he didn’t stand up for his constituents’ property, but there’s a lot more to it than that: The debate over what to do about Cairo is colored by the way Cairo’s neighbors view the place—and those views are colored by the city’s traumatic history. Last summer, when I asked an elderly man in New Madrid, just downriver, why he thought I should avoid Cairo, he was blunt: “The blacks.” That’s one way to put it; another way is this: For nearly a decade, the city was the site of some of the most violent, hostile clashes of the Civil Rights era. The all-white city government enforced a curfew over the black neighborhoods, and tasked the White Hats, a deputized paramilitary organization so named because of the white helmets they wore on patrol, with enforcing it. Black residents launched a devastating boycott of whites-only businesses, and—when the White Hats got too close—occasionally shot at their adversaries. Cairo, nominally in Illinois but geographically and culturally a Delta town, was on the wane anyway, but the armed citizenry brought things to a whole new level. Its high school football team, the Pilots, went years without playing a home game, because rival high schools refused to cross the city limits; in the early ’90s, the high school principal told the graduating class to leave while they still could. In 2004, a US Senate candidate from Chicago was sufficiently affected by his trip to Cairo that he made it part of his stump speech; against the backdrop of Cairo’s ruins—and its steps toward reconciliation—Barack Obama honed his pitch for a post-racial America. So anyway, that’s what goes unsaid when an elected official goes on the record saying that it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if the Mississippi River was let loose on a neighboring town. (Tilley has since apologized.) There are practical arguments for prioritizing the Missouri shore over Cairo—especially if you live in Missouri. But it’s worth understanding how Cairo got to the point where it’d be plausible to suggest, as the Riverfront Times put it, that “nature run its course.”

The Oregon Supreme Court ordered changes Wednesday to the ballot title of an initiative that would ban the sale of many semiautomatic guns and high-capacity ammunition magazines in the state. It's a setback for the Portland-area clergy behind Initiative Petition 43, who have just over a week to gather the 88,184 signatures necessary to get it on the November ballot. The signature deadline is July 6, and they cannot begin gathering signatures until the ballot title is finalized. In an opinion issued Wednesday morning, the court said Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum must revise the summary of the initiative that would be put before voters in November. Several gun rights and hunting groups appealed to the Oregon Supreme Court to modify the ballot title, saying the use of such terms as "assault weapons" and "large capacity magazines" is misleading. The ballot title now reads: "Prohibits 'Assault Weapons' (Defined), 'Large Capacity Magazines' (Defined), Unless Registered With State Police. Criminal Penalties." The court agreed with the gun rights and hunting groups that "assault weapons" is an imprecise term that could be interpreted in different ways and that the attorney general's reference to the definition within the full text of Initiative Petition 43 was not adequate to explain the effect. Chief Justice Thomas Balmer wrote: "We conclude that the (ballot title) caption could accurately state that the proposed measure would criminalize the possession and transfer of many semiautomatic weapons, as well as magazines holding over 10 rounds." The ban would apply to certain semiautomatic rifles and pistols capable of accommodating detachable magazines and have other military-style features, such as a collapsible stock or grenade launcher, plus some semiautomatic shotguns. Military and law enforcement employees who are required to carry firearms would be exempt, as would retailers and manufacturers who supply those agencies. Initiative Petition 43 would allow existing owners of such weapons to keep them if they passed a criminal background check and registered with the Oregon State Police in order to keep the firearms. The court said the attorney general's office must also make clear that the exception would apply only to weapons people owned at the time the initiative would take effect. One of the initiative's chief petitioners, Rabbi Michael Cahana of Congregation Beth Israel, declined to comment Wednesday on the outlook for the initiative. Supporters of the initiative, who call their campaign "Lift Every Voice," are planning a press conference on Thursday morning. On its Facebook page, the group shared inspirational quotes and urged supporters to remain optimistic. -- Hillary Borrud 503-294-4034; @hborrud

Last updated on .From the section Athletics Britain's Mo Farah claimed a record fourth successive victory in the 37th Great North Run. The 34-year-old overcame New Zealand's Jake Robertson in a thrilling duel to win in one hour six seconds. London Marathon winner Mary Keitany of Kenya surged to her third victory in the women's race in 1:05:59. Three-time runner-up Simon Lawson won the men's wheelchair race and Manuela Schar broke the course record by over a minute in the women's wheelchair event. Farah equals the number of victories in the race by Kenyan Benson Masya, who won in 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1996. The four-time Olympic gold medallist, who ended his track career with victory in the 5,000m in Zurich last month, timed his push for the line to perfection to pass Robertson and finish six seconds clear. "That was really, really tough," Farah told the BBC. "I think it was a lack of training really. "With four miles to go I was hanging on - but I managed to believe in myself and know that at the end I can sprint. "The kick worked for me and I'm really enjoying myself and living the dream. I'm so pleased with how the season has gone." Keitany, meanwhile, broke clear of the pack in the opening stages and set a tough pace as she finished one minute and 45 seconds clear of fellow Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot, who won last year. Caroline Kipkirui, who pushed hard to keep pace with compatriot Keitany up until the eight-mile mark, finished third in 1:09:52. Britain's Sammi Kinghorn, competing in the women's wheelchair race, finished second in her first half-marathon in 52:47. And finally...

Crime Mon Feb 14 2011 This article was submitted by freelance journalist Shane Shifflett. After seven years and thousands of cameras, neither Chicago's police nor its public officials can claim that their video surveillance program, Police Observational Devices (PODs), is effective at stopping and preventing crimes. This shouldn't be a surprise, though. After sifting through mountains of crime data provided by the police and observing two Chicago neighborhoods, the Urban Institute, a public policy think tank in Washington D.C., couldn't say how well the cameras were working. What may be surprising, however, is that the police department looked into this twice before; they never shared the findings and evidence suggests no one will ever know if the system is truly effective. In 2005, a group of Northwestern University students led by Dr. Mark Iris, professor of law and politics and former head of the semi-independent Chicago Police Board, examined 137 cameras throughout the city to conclude the system has "mixed levels of effectiveness." Which is more or less what the Urban Institute has said. Just one year later, in 2006, the Chicago Police Department evaluated 111 of its own cameras to uncover a measurable 13.7 percent decrease in reported crime incidents near cameras. Iris' study contained 100 pages of detail and analysis (with 42 pages of crime data provided by the police) while the police department's examination consisted of eight pages of findings and an additional 18 pages of crime data. But both of these studies have remained under the lock and key of the police department since they were conceived. The problem is that after three attempts at evaluating Chicago's dystopian camera network, it appears the system was constructed in a manner that can't be properly studied. While the police plan to expand the system, Chicago's citizens can't be sure the existing cameras are working. Rajiv Shah, an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago who specializes in researching surveillance technologies, draws analogy with the pharmaceuticals industry, which has to know if the tools it deploys, the drugs, are making a difference. "If we studied [pharmaceutical] drugs the same way, we would never know if they worked," Shah said. We've mapped the change in crime near 113 Police Observational Devices (PODs). Click on the map to explore our findings. The study conducted by the Urban Institute marks the first time the police have bestowed upon the public some idea of how well the system works and cast the cameras in anything less than a positive light (to be sure, any concerns that the system was a bad purchase should be mollified because they found the cameras were, at the very least and in an abstract sense, cost effective). Despite at least $48 million hard tax dollars poured into this system, according to a spokeswoman from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the public has been given surprisingly few details and no benchmarks for success concerning these cameras. "It seems to me that the people who want to bring these systems to every corner ought to be excited and thrilled at the opportunity to share information about how wonderful these systems are," said Ed Yohnka, the communications director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois. "...And that doesn't seem to happen." If it weren't for Yohnka and the ACLU of Illinois, these studies, one of which sets forth a never-used rubric for deploying cameras so future research could yield firm results, may have never been seen. Three years ago, Shah submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the police department requesting any research they had conducted concerning the cameras. Naturally, Shah's request was denied by the police. But he contacted the the ACLU of Illinois and they, with the help of two private attorneys volunteering their time, grappled with the police for years before the documents were turned over. "The ACLU was the only reason I received these studies, they fought the city to make the studies public," Shah said. The ACLU-IL recently released a report taking issue with Chicago's use and deployment of surveillance cameras, including PODs, and calling for a moratorium on their installation. Shah and Jeremy Braithwaite, a doctoral student at the University of California at Irvine, reviewed and reanalyzed the data contained in both studies. The police department's evaluation appears paltry and more optimistic than Iris' findings. It controlled for seasonal changes in crime (crime tends to increase with rising temperatures and during evening hours) and it examined outdoor and indoor crime separately, but it didn't look at issues concerning demographics nor the cameras' technical limitations. It looked at changes in crime over time within 330 feet of the cameras and noticed that more than half of the camera locations experienced a decrease in crime after cameras were installed. Their findings exclude narcotic arrests, and they state an inability to control for many variables that influence crime near cameras. Despite several attempts, the police have not responded to requests for an interview to discuss the findings in their evaluation, Iris' study, and the Urban Institute's study. Iris' study looked at the changes in crime at four different points in time: a week before a camera is installed, a week after installation, a week before removal, and a week after removal. His team also broke the cameras into the categories of effective, somewhat effective and not effective, and tried to associate demographic data with their findings. They even looked at changes in crime at varying distances from the cameras' lenses, starting with all crimes within 50 meters of a camera and extending out to within 500 meters. After all that work, they realized there was a great deal of variance in the effectiveness of cameras. Iris's team couldn't draw any grand conclusions about the how well the cameras deter crime because there was no statistical conformity among the different locations observed. In the end, he could only recommend future approaches for deploying cameras in a manner that facilitated the scientific method when studied. Iris declined to comment on his findings for this story. Chicago is one of the most surveilled cities in the nation. But what does that look like? See for yourself . We've plotted all the cameras the police department would turn over and surrounded those locations with a sphere to indicate the area these tiny orbs keep watch over. Shah and Braithwaite took another stab at parsing the data in both studies to see if they could come up with anything. After accounting for a few mathematical errors in Iris' study (theoretically a reason why the police never released the study), Shah said, "Diffusing a large number of cameras throughout a city does not appear to be effective in reducing crime." His number crunching showed that cameras work best in high crime areas. Shah said that much of the credit given to the cameras is being confused with a larger effect: amplified police attention on a problem. As crimes increase in geographic regions, the police devote additional resources to abate crime. Whether it's additional staffing to monitor cameras (a shared resource among at least 1,216 cameras accessible for real-time viewing, according to documents returned by a Freedom of Information Act request I submitted in April), or more cops on the streets, crime is generally reduced so long as police response to a crime remains timely. In other words, people adjust their behavior under the camera's glare only if an understood consequence, like an arrest, manifests soon after a crime occurs. But because the cameras are so pervasive and were installed without establishing control groups -- regions with similar demographics and crime patterns but lacking only in cameras -- the effects of the cameras can't be definitively ascertained, Shah said. Criminal theory and anecdotal evidence suggests that cameras in areas with low to moderate amounts of crime don't realize the same benefits because the people under their watch recognize the likelihood of being arrested for committing a crime in their presence is low. Some residents have witnessed criminals' indifference to the cameras. "Something is either wrong with the cameras or they mislead the public by saying they would do this or do that," said Brian Lewis, a resident of the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side. According to an analysis of police documents, Woodlawn has at least nine cameras and a moderate crime rate, and Lewis says he has seen drug dealers slinging dope within the cameras' range. "It's real obvious that they aren't doing what they supposed to be doing, unless they was trying to instill fear by saying we got a camera right here to see what you all are doing." But Shah's analysis could only go so far. Because the cameras have been deployed in such an erratic manner as the police respond to various stimuli, there are no areas left without cameras to compare against areas that have them. It's the same issue that has hampered the Urban Institute's effort to account for the performance of Chicago's camera system. Iris and his team enumerated a few options for the police to follow if they wanted to ensure quality results and avoid this issue in future studies. Both the police evaluation and the Urban Institute have looked at the cameras since Iris' team completed their study, and it appears his recommendations weren't heard. Dr. Nancy La Vigne, the director of the Criminal Justice Policy Center at the Urban Institute, who is in charge of researching Chicago's cameras, said the previous studies weren't provided to her team and that the police department had not followed any of Iris' recommendations. Still, police continue to feed ambiguous statistics to the press and stand behind their terribly expensive system. In an August 2010 interview on WBEZ's Eight Forty-Eight, Chicago Police Commander Jonathan Lewin said nearly 5,000 crimes have been solved thanks to the help of the cameras since 2006. There were 734,643 index crimes since 2006, which include murder, rape and burglary, according to police documents. Using Lewin's figures then, at most 0.68 percent of crimes from 2006 through July of 2010 were solved with the help of cameras. Lewin didn't indicate whether those 5,000 crimes are only index crimes or if that number also included quality-of-life crimes, such as narcotics arrests. Including such arrests would also greatly reduce the percentage of crimes solved using cameras. In the same conversation on WBEZ, La Vigne and Lewin deflected calls for increased transparency by reminding listeners the system is cost effective based on estimates of costs to society given various crimes. David Coleman, a managing partner at the Avrio RMS Group, one of the contractors that supply surveillance equipment to Chicago, noted that crime statistics are only one way of quantifying the cameras' effects. Because the cameras can be used by several different agencies for different purposes, like allowing emergency dispatchers to look for dangerous elements of a major accident before responders arrive, there can be many different criteria for success other than reductions in crime. While Shah and La Vigne can both agree with Coleman, the evidence, or lack thereof, indicates the police aren't utilizing their system efficiently. "Chicago should stop trying to have a blanket of cameras throughout the city, and instead focus on high crime areas and give up the idea of a camera on every corner," Shah said. "That's just a wasteful use of money." ~*~ This feature is supported in part by a Community News Matters grant from The Chicago Community Trust and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. More information here.

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for PEOPLE since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach. "It’s about winning the war. It’s not about winning the battles." –Peih-Gee Law, Survivor: China Get push notifications with news, features and more. Julius Caesar wrote, “Fortune can bring about great changes in a situation through very slight forces.” He was talking about war – and about life – but those words ring equally true for Survivor. You grab the green-colored woven Cambodian box instead of the pink and suddenly everything is different. We are all fortune’s fools on Survivor – at the mercy of the television gods for the people we’re competing against, for the food we find, even for the weather that buffets us at night. The right immunity challenge when you need it most can be the difference between reality TV greatness and irrelevance. Witness poor purple Tyler from Worlds Apart. What happens to our narrative of the entire season if he wins a memory challenge at the final seven instead of losing an endurance competition? Small injuries can bring down entire alliances. That’s why it’s so important to be careful with your chopping! You scrape your hands building the shelter, your tribe narrowly loses immunity and suddenly you’re cooling your heels at Ponderosa, your best moments confined to the YouTube secret scenes. Nowhere is the topsy-turvy impact of chance so apparent as at the Survivor swap. I used to hate the swap, the way it could unravel all of a player’s hard work and planning, but now as a viewer – and, hell, as a competitor – I recognize that the swap creates a thrilling upheaval, keeps the stable predictability that contestants like me struggle to establish from ossifying the entire season. Spin the wheel of fortune, and find yourself at the mercy of your enemies Joe and Savage, or secure amongst your friends Jeremy and Kimmi and Spencer. Tyson Apostol on Blood vs. Water chose last at his swap and at the rock draw. He placed himself at the mercy of the Survivor gods, and they rewarded his humility. Ciera and I imitated him this season: Ciera elected to choose the last box for the women, and I chose the last one for the men. We both lucked out. I couldn’t believe my good fortune to wind up on a tribe in the majority alliance and with people I legitimately liked. I’ll also admit a little schadenfreude: I was thrilled to see Savage head out to Camp Suck. I could hardly wipe the manic grin off my face as we walked back to camp. Jeremy, Monica, Kimmi and I quickly affirmed our bond, and Spencer and I had a joyful hello. Best of all, finally my alliance and I could look for the immunity idol in earnest. One thing TV doesn’t communicate is Survivor‘s level of uncertainty. Viewers at home know for sure there is an immunity idol in play; you also know that the clue was hidden in a tree. But while we spent hours every day hunting under every rock or branch, we couldn’t be certain there even was an idol – or if there was one, where it would be hidden. Would it be buried underground? High in a tree? Would it be obvious or obscure? At Bayon beach, every tree looked significant; every cluster of water-carved rocks held a thousand little hiding places. On recent seasons, idol clues have been hidden in rewards, so we turned every reward we won inside-out. At Bayon, whenever we brought a reward back to camp, the savvier tribe members would eye each other warily, waiting to see who pounced first. Tasha and I dug deep into a bag of coal once while the rest of our tribe was off gathering food, then quickly washed off the black dust before anybody noticed. Of course, there’s also the possibility that you’re climbing trees and getting devoured by rabid mosquitos while somebody else has already found it. It was fun to be in the tribe majority. Spencer and Wiglesworth threw each under the bus – or, I guess in the new idiom of our times, kicked each other there. Both of them insisted they were at the very bottom of their tribes with no commitments to anybody. (Spencer, we saw last week, was telling the truth.) Spencer was more baldly strategic in his attempts to integrate himself with our Bayon foursome. Wiglesworth took the classic old-school approach. She never spoke strategy at all but rather worked hard around camp – went clam hunting with Kimmi out among the tidal rocks, sliced coconuts with the practiced arm of a seasoned outdoorsman. It was a wonder to watch her spring into action when she saw that scorpion: she grabbed the machete and cleaved the pale monster in two before the rest of us even recognized it. At Bayon, we felt that our new tribe probably had the most even strength spread across our six members – but that Ta Keo had the challenge advantage. Survivor challenges favor specialists (though not, to be clear, The Specialist). Because the challenges are often done in stages – a physical part then a puzzle part – you’re better served to field a carnival of oddball experts than a squad of generalists. On Ta Keo, Terry is strong, Keith is a master at balls and knots, and while Ciera and Kass may be small, they’re both superb puzzlers. Joe is a Survivor freak, probably created by Mark Burnett in a secret laboratory to dominate challenges, build camp and flip his hair. I’m not sure I love Wentworth’s decision to tell everybody on Ta Keo that Terry was idol hunting. If I’m in the power position on that tribe, I’d probably be more inclined to throw votes at the person who I don’t think has the idol than the one I do. (That said, I doubt Wentworth’s work at building bonds with her new Bayon masters began and ended with Terry talk.) Terry, on the other hand, is just sitting back and being awesome. In some ways, their strategies on Ta Keo mirror Spencer’s and Wiglesworth’s new school/old school split on Bayon. We weren’t surprised that Ta Keo won the first Immunity. In fact, Bayon only came in second by unabashedly copying their puzzle. We had the advantage – fortune once again at play! – to be placed between the other two tribes, so we could see the Ta Keo puzzle much better than could Angkor. Wigles and I shouted orders to Spencer and Jeremy from the mat. It’s not cheating if it’s not against the rules! The challenge that day was brutally hot – that’s something else that TV doesn’t capture. Kimmi almost passed out afterwards, and we were all a little loopy and sun-drunk when Varner exploded. Has anything like that ever happened before – an entire tribe just falling apart in full view of everybody? RELATED VIDEO: Survivor‘s Jeff Varner Sounds Off on the Other Contestants But the Angkor meltdown wasn’t just “crazy people being crazy.” Remember their conditions. Having to build shelter and establish a camp is tough on day one with 10 people at work. A week into Survivor, when you’re malnourished and baking in the blazing sun, it’s brutal. Savage was the biggest guy on their tribe, and his hands had just been lacerated at the previous immunity challenge. Hot tempers were running particularly hot that day. It’s a tribute to the full insanity of the Angkor tribe that Varner didn’t go home. And of course it’s a tribute to Tasha and Savage. There’s a lot of luck on Survivor – but you also have to make your luck work for you. The Fishy goes to Tasha and Savage for brilliantly playing a tribe of erratic people off against each other. Of course, Abi also deserves credit for Peih-Gee’s ouster. My favorite of Abi’s qualities is that she constantly asserts how loyal she is. Yet she has betrayed every single alliance she’s been a part of – sometimes the same alliance multiple times. She seems almost predisposed to prefer the sweet nothings her opposition is whispering to her – like an insecure lover who cheats first because she’s afraid of getting cheated on. “There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will,” says Hamlet. On Survivor, we call our divinity Jeff Probst. And on Angkor, there is no hewing Abi-Maria. RELATED VIDEO: Get a Tour of Survivor Host Jeff Probst’s ‘Spectacular’ Pad Survivor: Second Chance

Candace Buckner IndyStar CHICAGO — Larry Bird may have a “list” of potential coaches for the Indiana Pacers, but he's not revealing it to anyone — including the candidates. On Thursday when asked about progress of the coaching search, Bird, Pacers president of basketball operations, said: “Haven’t started yet.” Bird and a front-office contingent are in Chicago for the NBA draft combine. Flanked by general manager Kevin Pritchard, director of scouting Ryan Carr and vice president of basketball operations Peter Dinwiddie among others, Bird spent several hours watching 5-on-5 action inside the Quest Multisport gym. Also, the Pacers have conducted interviews with prospective draft picks with workouts beginning next week at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The team has the No. 20 pick in the June 23 draft. So the Pacers appear to be going about business as usual — while not illuminating much about their important business. Bird — he began the brief interview with IndyStar by declaring: “I have nothing to say” — confirmed that he has not even had a conversation with an agent for a prospective coach. Though Bird said that Pritchard “talks to agents every day,” he did not disclose if any of those conversations were related to the coaching search. On May 5, Bird announced that Frank Vogel would not return as head coach. “I got a list of guys and I’m just putting it together,” Bird said during the news conference. Though nearly a week has passed since the announcement, only scarce details about potential candidates exist. If the Pacers appear to be taking their time, they’re not the only ones. Vogel, who led the Pacers for more than five seasons, has talked to the Houston Rockets about their coaching vacancy, a league source confirmed. However, no formal interview has been scheduled as Vogel wants to spend time with his family. Follow IndyStar Pacers Insider Candace Buckner on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.

Broke records set in 1970 and 2010, respectively Most every day recently local residents have joked on social media about the heat. One post equated Florida with the surface of the sun. Another, circulated on Monday, said: “Welcome to Hotober.” Well, it was not your imagination that September seemed hotter than normal. It was the hottest September on record for many towns in central and north Florida, including Gainesville and Ocala, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service determines the average temperature for a month by averaging the average daily low temperatures with average daily high temperatures. Gainesville broke its record, set in 1970, and Ocala broke the record set in 2010. Gainesville’s daily average temperature during September was 83.5 degrees. That is 5.3 degrees warmer than the average September temperature, but the weather service didn't say what the old record temperature was. Ocala’s daily average for September was 82.5 degrees, or 2.6 degrees above the normal average. The weather service didn't say what the old record was. Gainesville’s daily average high temperature for September was 93.3 degrees. The low temperature averaged 73.8 degrees, the highest average low temperature ever recorded in Gainesville during September. The all-time hottest average daily temperature for Gainesville in September was 93.9 degrees in 1925. Ocala’s daily average high temperature for September was 92.4 degrees. The low temperature averaged 72.7 degrees. The all-time hottest average daily temperature in September was 93.1 degrees in 1936. One reason Gainesville and Ocala broke records is that a high-pressure ridge blocked most afternoon thunderstorms from forming. Those storms usually cool the region by a few degrees each afternoon. Gainesville only received 2.84 inches of rain in September, which is about half of its typical rainfall for the month. Gainesville’s official weather station is at the Gainesville Regional Airport. Ocala only received 2.91 inches, about half of its 6.08 average dating back more than a century. Ocala’s official weather station is located at the city’s water treatment plant off Southeast 36th Avenue, just north of Maricamp Road. Temperatures and rainfall totals can vary significantly throughout Marion County, which is larger than Rhode Island. Scott Cordero, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Jacksonville, said the region did not get its typical afternoon thunderstorms. Typically afternoon sea breezes from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico collide in the middle of the peninsula along the Interstate 75 corridor. But this year, that high pressure stifled that activity, and temperatures often reached the mid-90s without that afternoon relief. The end result: hotter than normal temperatures across central Florida. The weather service’s Climate Prediction Center is predicting a 70 percent chance of an El Niño onset during winter 2018-19. That usually means a warm, wet winter in this part of Florida. El Niño is a weather phenomenon that occurs when the eastern Pacific Ocean water near the equator becomes warmer than average. That causes changes in weather patterns worldwide. The stronger the El Niño, the more likely the region could experience weather extremes. El Niño is good in that it helps protect Florida during hurricane season, but it does bring threats. In this area of the country, El Niño tends to throttle hurricane development by sheering off the tops of building tropical systems, which is happening this year in the Caribbean Sea. El Niño is also known to allow severe lines of thunderstorms to pass through Florida in the winter. A strong El Niño also happened in 2007, when what has been dubbed the “Groundhog Day tornado” blasted through Lady Lake, killing eight people, and then slammed Lake Mack in northern Lake County, killing 13 more. In 1998, another strong El Niño was in place when Florida had one of its worst tornado outbreaks in history. Two killer tornadoes struck in Kissimmee and Daytona Beach, killing 42. In March 1998, Marion County had record flooding. Then a record drought set in and, by Memorial Day, the state was experiencing one of its worst wildfire outbreaks. What happens in this part of Florida will depend on how strong this El Niño winter becomes, Cordero said. He added that only time will tell what kind of winter that El Niño will bring Gainesville and Ocala. Joe Callahan can reached at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeOcalaNews.

LOS ANGELES — Elon Musk might have lost the battle to build a tunnel below one of the nation's busiest freeways, but he's digging in with a long-term dream to build a subterranean transportation system beneath Los Angeles. On Wednesday Musk's Boring Company announced it was withdrawing its plans to develop a "test tunnel" beneath Sepulveda Boulevard, which runs parallel to the 405 freeway, as part of a settlement with community groups that sued the city because it exempted the project from normal environmental review requirements. The Los Angeles City Attorney's office said it was not a party to the settlement. In March an "initial study" on the Sepulveda test tunnel published by the city said the 2.7-mile project would be completed in nine months. Elon Musk answers questions during SXSW at ACL Live on March 11, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Diego Donamaria / Getty Images for SXSW It's not clear how much of it was completed, but Boring has been busy. Last year the city of Hawthorne initially gave the company permission to dig a tunnel from SpaceX's One Rocket Road office to its employee parking garage across the street. Musk, who lives in Bel Air and who once called his 405 commute south to the city of Hawthorne "soul crushing," tweeted Wednesday, "We're moving forward with a much larger tunnel network under L.A." Musk's dream of a web of tunnels beneath the region, however, is news to many of the regulators who would very likely have to give it approval if it's ever going to see the light of day. Officials from the California Department of Transportation, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), and the L.A. County Department of Public Works all said Musk's plans for a tunnel network have not been formally or informally submitted for review or permits. "No formal plan submitted for a 'Tunneling Network' so far," Metro spokesman Rick Jager said via email. Neonika Walker, community engagement manager for Los Angeles County Public Works, said even if such a large-scale project didn't appear to touch county property, including buildings, county roads and flood control right-of-ways, planners should probably check in with the county "just to make sure they're not encroaching on our jurisdiction." This did happen with Boring Company's Sepulveda test tunnel proposal about a year ago, she said, and Boring Company was rejected for a permit. It's not clear if that was a contributing factor in the demise of Musk's most publicized tunneling project so far, but as early as August there were indications that this particular experiment was not long for this world, especially as the Boring Company began to focus on a new proposal to build a transportation tunnel to Dodger Stadium. A company answer to a question on its website from August 16, since scrubbed, stated, "The Boring Company has made technical progress much faster than expected and has decided to make its first tunnel in Los Angeles an operational one, hence Dugout Loop!" This new proposal would create a three mile route from Los Feliz, East Hollywood or Rampart Village to Dodger Stadium. The tunnel would utilize Boring's "electric skate" concept, explained by Mike Thompson, the company's principal geologist, during a public meeting on the Dodger tunnel in August. "Each electric skate can carry up to 16 passengers," he said. "They're battery operated, and are, basically, based off of modified Tesla Model X chassis. The great thing about Loop is that they're high speed and can travel at up to 150 miles per hour." This "Loop" concept would involve either ramps or "Loop Lifts" to take passengers to tunnel level and whisk them away on modified Teslas. The idea has raised eyebrows in the transportation world, but the Boring Company has had some success persuading governments in Los Angeles and Chicago, where it's working on the "Chicago Express Loop," that this future is near. Boring has demonstrated that it can dig big round holes — and a public showing of a tunnel in Hawthorne was scheduled for Dec. 10 — but it has not demonstrated the viability of its "electric skate" concept beyond a YouTube video and slideshows at public meetings. The Dugout Loop would initially be limited to 1,400 round trip bookings per game day, which would only amount to about 2.5 percent of home game attendees, according to a city analysis. And there are concerns that even at that, the Loop's ingress and egress points would create their own traffic as travelers vie to get in the tunnel. Juan Mutate, deputy director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, said a Loop system under L.A. "would create a lot of car congestion at the stations where you get on these skates." In other words, this could be a solution that creates another problem. "We’ll have a lot more info if and when the Dugout Loop or whatever first tunnel is constructed," Mutate said.

Image copyright Getty Images Deaf school pupils in Wales underachieve at every key stage and face being left behind without urgent action, a charity has said. The latest Welsh Government figures suggest the attainment gap widened again at GCSE level. National Deaf Children's Society Cymru is calling for more support and awareness in classrooms. Ministers said they were raising educational standards and investing in pupils with additional learning needs. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Jayne Dulson from NDCS says nothing is changing The attainment results for deaf children in the last three years fluctuated, according to figures obtained by BBC Wales. In 2014, 48% of deaf children achieved a grade A* to C in the core subjects at key stage four - English/Welsh, maths and science - compared to 64% of peers who can hear. The following year the attainment gap narrowed - but last year it grew again with 48.5% of deaf pupils achieving the grades, compared to 69.5% of hearing children. And the problem is not confined to Year 11. Over the last three years, the attainment gap has remained the same or worsened at foundation phase and for primary school children aged 7 to 11. The figures come as organisations across the UK mark Deaf Awareness Week, which runs from 15 to 21 May. Four years ago, the National Deaf Children's Society Cymru launched the Close the Gap petition following a poor set of results. Debbie Thomas, policy and campaigns officer, said the latest results were "unacceptable". "Deafness is not a learning disability so that gap shouldn't be there and we need to make sure that deaf children and young people are appropriately supported so they can reach their full potential," she said. "There's no reason why they should be underachieving - other than the fact they're not accessing the appropriate support." Image copyright NDCS Image caption Poor acoustics in the classroom can make hearing even more difficult for partially deaf children Ms Thomas said there were also practical steps which could be taken. "The big thing that deaf children and young people tell us time after time is about raising deaf awareness and also about improving acoustics in the classroom but it's also about making sure that deaf children and their families are supported from the start," she added. The Welsh Government said its "national mission" was to improve attainment for all children, including those with additional learning needs (ALN), aims to raise standards via a range of reforms. A spokesman said: "Our ambitious Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Bill, if passed, will completely overhaul the system for supporting pupils with additional learning needs, including learners with hearing impairments. "The bill will place the learner at the heart of that process and will make the system far simpler and less adversarial for those involved." A £20m package of reforms will support the bill's implementation and wider plans, the spokesman added.

Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience is the logical next step for writer, director, and enthusiast of hands gently grazing wheat stalks Terrence Malick. The 45-minute, large-format version of his spin on the history of the world is as visually stunning, languid, and heavy on the voice over—a feature-length cut subs in Cate Blanchett for Brad Pitt as narrator—as you’d expect, but the nature doc framing gives him permission to ignore story and character entirely. In practice, the result is something much closer to the IMAX films of old—the kind of thing school children would watch during a field trip to a museum, except with a bit too much elliptical narration. (While seeing the movie’s stunning global-and-galaxy-trodding visuals on the IMAX-sized screen is enough reason to opt for the shorter cut, this thing does not need to be any longer.) Enjoyed on that level, Voyage of Time is a beautiful diversion, but almost entirely empty, even in its inquisitive big swings for profundity. C+

Potato processors are rushing to buy supplies and ship them across North America in order to keep French fries on the menu after cold, wet weather damaged crops in key producers in Canada and the U.S. Cool conditions started to hit growing regions in October, lashing potatoes with frost. Farmers in Alberta and Idaho were able to dig up some damaged crops for storage. But growers in Manitoba, North Dakota and Minnesota received snow and rain, forcing them to abandon some supplies in fields. As the wild weather hurt crops, an increase in fry-processing capacity in Canada has boosted demand. The combination will lead to tight supplies, and it’s likely that potato prices could climb this year across North America, Stephen Nicholson, a senior grains and oilseeds analyst at Rabobank, said. International costs may also rise as the U.S. won’t be able to export as much. “French fry demand has just been outstanding lately, and so supplies can’t meet the demand,” Travis Blacker, industry-relations director with the Idaho Potato Commission, said. The United Potato Growers of Canada estimates about 4,900 Manitoba hectares, or 18 per cent of the province’s planted area, were left unharvested — equal to what was abandoned for all of Canada last season. About 6.5 per cent of Alberta’s potatoes are estimated to be frost damaged. Manitoba is the country’s second-largest grower, followed by Alberta. Prince Edward Island is No. 1. The government will issue estimates for the nation’s crop on Dec. 6. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts domestic output will drop 6.1 per cent this year, to the lowest since 2010, the agency said in a Nov. 8 report. In Idaho, the top producer, output is forecast to fall 5.5 per cent. Part of the problem for processors is that crop damage means potatoes are coming in smaller. French-fry makers usually favour longer spuds. In Canada, Cavendish Farms recently opened a new processing plant in Lethbridge, Alta. Thanks to a better harvest on the country’s East Coast, the company isn’t expecting any customer shortages at this time, Mary Keith, a spokesperson, said by email. “It’s a manageable situation,” Kevin MacIsaac, general manager of the United Potato Growers of Canada, said. “Potatoes are going to have to move from one channel to another that they sometimes don’t move in a normal year.” Read more about:

Stewart Nicoll was found guilty of professional misconduct Stewart Nicoll was struck off by the General Teaching Council for Scotland after being found guilty of professional misconduct. He faced suspension from teaching at Grantown Grammar School because of his alleged right-wing views. Mr Nicoll resigned just before he was to face a disciplinary hearing. Police revoked Mr Nicoll's gun licences three years ago because of the "propaganda and indoctrination" he taught at the school. I feel that positive discrimination has gone too far and has to be roped in Stewart Nicoll In court, as he tried to win his certificates back, the history and modern studies teacher was compared to Thomas Hamilton, who murdered 16 children and a teacher in Dunblane 11 years ago. A solicitor for Northern Constabulary, Norman Phillips, also claimed Mr Nicoll's life bore similarities to Hungerford killer Michael Ryan, who killed 14 people. The teacher, who joined Grantown Grammar in 1979, had caused controversy with some of his methods. During lessons he showed teenage pupils SAS tapes of dead bodies and videos of the Columbine massacre in the US. He was also said to have repeatedly played video footage of the assassination of US President John F Kennedy. A disciplinary panel of the General Teaching Council for Scotland met in Edinburgh and found he had behaved in an inappropriate manner towards pupils. Media attention They found he had made reference to racial and minority groups in an inappropriate manner; repeatedly presented topics to pupils which included graphic video, pictures of violence, use of guns and other firearms and conducted himself in a manner which caused alarm and stress to pupils and other staff. He had previously been suspended by the local authority on full pay after his civil case against the police to win back his guns attracted media attention. During the hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court three years ago, the police lawyer said Nicoll had "a tendency to dwell on matters, lose his temper and may resort to violence". Mr Nicoll, who lives alone, told the court: "Those men had nothing else in their lives except firearms. I have lots of things in my life. "I would never revenge myself on an innocent person, nor with a shotgun. That man killed children and that is wrong."

PROVO — It was a case of getting caught red-handed. Four suspects were arrested and cited for criminal mischief for vandalizing the cougar statue outside of LaVell Edwards Stadium the night before the BYU-Utah football game, the first game in Provo between the two schools since 2013. Lt. Steven Messick of the Brigham Young University police department told the Deseret News that around 4:50 a.m., a student called police and reported seeing people painting the cougar statue, which sits on the southwest corner outside of the stadium. Messick said officers responded and located the suspects in a vehicle with red paint on their hands. The suspects admitted to vandalizing the statue, were cited for criminal mischief and released. By 11:30 a.m., BYU grounds crew personnel were finishing cleaning the statue of the vandalism. That was the only statue on BYU’s campus that was vandalized. Pictures of the vandalized statue began to circulate in the early morning hours on Saturday. I can confirm that this is a completely legit photo. Did BYU seriously not wrap up the statues this year? pic.twitter.com/adPnVHsp9I — Drew Troutner (@drewsky5) September 9, 2017 BYU students began lining up around the stadium around 9 a.m. to fill the “Roar of the Cougars” section. University and athletics department officials did not immediately return a request for comment. BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe reacted on Twitter.

BRENTWOOD, Tennessee, January 31, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – While 'smart' technology gives the impression that it knows just about everything, it appears that Google Home cannot answer the question, "who is Jesus?" Author and television producer David Sams conducted an experiment and streamed it live on Facebook. He noted answers from the most popular “smart” machines when asked, “Who is Jesus Christ?” When he asked Google Home “Who is Jesus Christ?” the reply he received was, “I’m not sure how to help you with that.” When asked about Jesus, or about Jesus Christ, or about God, Google Home answered, “My apologies, I don’t understand.” The answer is puzzling given that the Google device has an encyclopedia of answers about Mohammed, Allah, Buddha, and other religious figures – even Satan. “It’s almost like Google has taken Jesus and God out of smart audio,” Sams said. “I even asked Google, who is David Sams?” the speaker told Nashville’s Fox TV affiliate. “Google knew who I was, but Google did not know who Jesus was, Google did not know who Jesus Christ was, and Google did not know who God was.” “Is there somebody at Google that has something against Jesus, something against God?” Sams asked. “Is this a corporate mandate of some sort?” He said Google should reprogram its speaker to be “Jesus-friendly.” The Amazon Echo (“Alexa”) did offer information about Jesus. And Google Home did refer to Jesus when asked about the Last Supper.​ Jillian Blackwell first ran the experiment and found the same suspicious ignorance from the “smart speaker.” In a video post, she facetiously asked if there was a law requiring the “separation of church and technology.” “They think just taking Jesus out of everything is politically correct these days and I think that’s the stem of a lot of our problems,” Martin Collins charged. He says he is certain that Google’s removal of Jesus and God is intentional. “I don’t know if there’s some kind of wizard making these decisions or if it’s some kind of oversight, but whatever it is, they need to address it immediately,” Sams warned. “This is the hottest technology trend – and spreading like a wildfire. Soon, smart audio will be in our vehicles,” Sams reasoned. “To eliminate ‘Jesus’ from the knowledge base of this technology would be so very alarming.” Sams appealed to Christians to speak out against such discrimination and censorship. “We need to help...the generations to come by making sure that we do everything possible to protect and share THE TRUTH,” he posted. Google admitted it did withhold information about Jesus, but says the company did so not “out of disrespect but instead to ensure respect.” Responding to the backlash, Google decided to disable all answers about religious figures. A company-issued statement reads, “We’re exploring different solutions and temporarily disabling these responses for religious figures on the Assistant.” Last year, Amazon’s device told inquirers that Jesus “is a fictional character.” Talk show blogger Steven Crowder exposed the historically false answer, which apparently has been corrected. Home speaker/encyclopedias have grown in popularity, with 40 million people in the U.S. – one in every six adults – issuing voice commands and receiving instant answers. Devices like Google Home or Amazon Echo (“Alexa”) play music on request, call people, and answer questions.

Hello Windows Insiders! Today we are excited to release Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 16257 for PC to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring and also in Skip Ahead! We are also releasing Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15237 to Insiders in the Fast ring. We won’t have a new Windows Server Insider Preview build for Windows Insiders this week. What’s New in Build 16257 For PC Eye Control (beta) Yesterday, we announced Eye Control, which makes Windows 10 more accessible by empowering people with disabilities to operate an on-screen mouse, keyboard, and text-to-speech experience using only their eyes. The experience requires a compatible eye tracker, like the Tobii Eye Tracker 4C, which unlocks access to the Windows operating system to be able to do the tasks one could previously accomplish with a physical mouse and keyboard. We are starting by supporting the EN-US keyboard layout, and we are looking to expand to more keyboard layouts in the future. We are excited to release this experience as a beta and would love your feedback! Setting up Eye Control: Own or purchase a Tobii Eye Tracker 4C (Coming next will be support for Tobii Dynavox PCEye Mini, PCEyePlus, EyeMobile Plus, and I-series.) Download and update to Tobii’s Core eye tracking hot fix release 2.10.11.6458 and run calibration with your own profile Check for Windows Updates; the new Tobii Eye Tracker HIDClass Driver should be found on Windows Update and installed automatically. Make sure your Tobii eye tracker is connected to your PC and turn on Eye Control by going to Settings > Ease of Access > Other Options > Eye control. Eye Control launchpad – When you turn on Eye Control, the launchpad will appear on the screen. This allows you to access the mouse, keyboard, text-to-speech, and to reposition the UI to the opposite side of the screen. Eye Control interaction model – To interact with the UI for Eye Control, simply look at the UI with your eyes until the button activates. A visual affordance will appear around the UI that you are looking at. Eye Control mouse – To control the mouse, select the mouse from the launchpad, position your eyes on the screen where you want the cursor to be placed, fine tune the position, and select what action you want to take (left click, double left click, right click, or cancel). Eye Control keyboard – To use the keyboard, select the keyboard from the launchpad, and dwell at the characters you want to type. You can type numbers and symbols on the &123 page and function keys on the Fn page. We currently support the EN-US keyboard layout. Eye Control shape-writing – Type faster with your eyes by shape-writing on the Eye Control keyboard. To use shape writing, turn it on from the keyboard settings (found on the Fn page). Once it is on, you can form words by dwelling at the first and last character of the word, and simply glancing at letters in between. A hint of the word predicted will appear on the last key of the word. If the prediction was incorrect, you can simply select an alternative prediction provided. Eye Control text-to-speech – Communicate with your family and friends in person by using text-to-speech. To use text-to-speech, select text-to-speech from the launchpad. From here, you can use the keyboard to type sentences and have it spoken aloud. At the top are phrases that are spoken aloud immediately and can be edited to say different words. This uses the default text-to-speech voices, which can be changed in Settings > Time & Language > Speech > Text-to-speech. Eye Control settings – Access settings from the Fn keyboard page to adjust the dwell times, turn on/off shape-writing, and turn on/off the gaze cursor used to test hardware calibration. Known Issues: Eye tracking does not work well in direct sunlight. The device may require new calibration when moving to a location with different lighting conditions. The launchpad partially blocks the Tobii UI during device calibration. To work around this, turn off Eye Control during calibration and turn it back on when you are done. You can also use touch or mouse to reposition the UI during calibration. Sometimes shape-writing can get stuck on. You can fix this by dwelling at the shape-writing icon to turn it on and off again Sometimes the reposition UI icon in the launchpad takes focus after exiting text-to-speech Hardware support: Currently, Eye Control works with select Tobii hardware. We are open to working with additional hardware vendors to provide customers a broader set of hardware options to enable this experience. To learn more: If you have questions or feedback on how we can continue to improve our products and services, you can also contact us through the Disability Answer Desk (now with ASL support) and Accessibility User Voice Forum. You can learn more about accessibility at Microsoft by visiting, http://microsoft.com/accessibility. Microsoft Edge Improvements We’re giving Microsoft Edge a refreshed and more modern look in the browser frame, inspired by the Fluent Design System. The use of Acrylic material provides depth and transparency to the tab bar and other controls, and we’ve improved button animations to feel more responsive and delightful. Based on your feedback we’ve adjusted the design of the address bar so now even if the address bar isn’t in focus to start with when you click and drag the text it will remain under the cursor. Previously the text would shift as the “http://” appeared – this change will make it easier to quickly edit parts of the URL. We fixed an issue where right-clicking on an image in Microsoft Edge and selecting copy then later pasting the clipboard content would result in the image URL being pasted rather than the image itself. We fixed an issue where if a tab had been opened while Microsoft Edge was in full screen mode, using Ctrl + W to close that tab while still in full screen mode would close the content but leave the tab in the frame. We fixed an issue where if you had two unrelated tabs in Microsoft Edge and opened a link from the first in a new tab, the new tab would appear to the right of the second tab rather than the first. Console Improvements During the Creators Update development we updated the Windows Console to support full 24-bit RGB color and today the Windows Console’s default colors are getting their first overhaul in more than 20 years! Yay! The default color values have been changed to improve legibility of darker colors on modern screens, and to give the Console a more modern look & feel. To preserve your preferences, this new color scheme will only be visible in Properties if you clean install this build. For more details about Windows Console, head to the Command Line Blog. Input Improvements We’ve improved the performance of launching the touch keyboard after tapping the touch keyboard button in the taskbar. We fixed an issue where using WIN+H to dictate into a UWP app’s text field wasn’t working. We fixed an issue resulting in the Japanese IME prediction candidates position being shifted and overlapping with typed text if you set the page zoom level to something other than “100%” in Microsoft Edge. We’ve adjusted the design of the Japanese curve-flick touch keyboard to display numbers and English letter keys in a smaller font that’s more consistent with the size of the Japanese character keys. Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) Improvements We have added new status strings to the WDAG splash dialog to provide more information about the startup stages for WDAG. These new strings will be displayed to users when WDAG is starting up and when it’s being resumed from a paused state. We have also made significant improvements to container launch times by optimizing background preparation of the WDAG container. We fixed a number of issues that were impacting networking inside the WDAG container as well as a poor user experience when connecting to the WDAG container. Fixed an issue where the WDAG launch resulted in Error Codes 0x02 / 0x00 or 0x02 / 0c. Fixed an issue where only part of the WDAG window was being displayed after launch. Added a registry key to allow users to optimize WDAG launch times during active browsing by not suspending the WDAG container when the WDAG window is closed. You can set the registry key to optimize for performance here: Computer\HKLM\Software\Microsoft\HVSI\, Value name: SuspendOnContainerClosed, REG_DWORD, Value data: 1. Note: Setting this key will result in the container not pausing and the container will not release committed memory. General changes, improvements, and fixes for PC We fixed an issue where the battery flyout might have shown unexpected text for the % charged (specifically “%1!s!%2!s!% until fully charged”). We’ve fixed an issue resulting in certain network setting being lost on upgrade and reverting to default. Specifically, static IP address configuration was reverted to DHCP, and networks marked private were reverted to public. If you had installed Builds 16226-16237 and had found Storage Spaces to not be working, today’s build expands upon the fix in 16241 to remediate those PCs that had upgraded from the impacted build range and were still in a bad state. Thanks again to the Insiders that have helped us investigate this! We fixed an issue where if you switched to a new tab and back in Microsoft Edge, Narrator would start reading from the top of the page again, rather than remember where you had been on the page. We fixed an issue where right-clicking on a folder in File Explorer and saying Scan with Windows Defender wouldn’t work if the folder name contained #. We fixed a rare issue where the Windows Search Service might get stuck on initialization after upgrade, resulting in File Explorer showing “Working on it…” infinitely when accessing certain folders. We fixed an issue resulting in certain games such as Wargaming’s World of Tanks, World of Warships, and World of Warplanes appearing to hang/freeze shortly after launch when played on x86 PCs in recent flights. We fixed an issue where some Insiders were not being offered builds higher than Build 16241. We fixed an issue where connecting to a VPN using a solution downloaded from the Windows Store may result in a system crash. Known issues for PC Start, Action Center and notification toasts may at times have a background that is 100% transparent. A fix will be available in later flight – for now, if you encounter this issue, try ending ShellExperienceHost.exe via Task Manager or rebooting to resolve the issue. We’re investigating reports where Action Center shows it has some number of notifications but when you click to open Action Center, there are no notifications shown. We’re investigating reports that suggested apps are visible in Start despite the related setting being off. For now, if you encounter this please try toggling Settings > Personalization > Start > “Occasionally show suggestions in Start”. When installing or updating a Windows Store app, you may see error 80070057. As a workaround, you can get the latest app by uninstalling the older version of the app from your device and reinstall latest version from Store. ADDED 8/3: The Virus and Threat Protection pillar in Windows Defender Security Center will show as “unknown” after upgrading to this build. We are investigating. The workaround is the reboot your PC and then Windows Defender Security Center will display the correct status. General changes, improvements, and fixes for Mobile We made some improvements to the Field Medic Store app, where we fixed an issue with collecting Watson crash data, enabled spell checking when editing a report, and updated the PowerOn/PowerOff profiles to include additional battery info. We fixed an issue where the screen would occasionally flash black after launching or rotating the Camera app. We fixed an issue with the HP Elite X3 reporting that the SD card had been removed from the device when it had not. We fixed an issue with Continuum where, after the attached monitor is unplugged, occasionally the mobile LCD does not power off and the mobile battery could be drained. We fixed an issue with the Windows inbox NFC driver where occasionally the wrong card type data was reported. We improved the Cortana resume-from-suspend behavior to enable a Cortana skill to be authenticated before the user interacts with the skill. We fixed an issue with the behavior of the hardware search button in countries where Cortana is not available. In this case, the OEM provides the search app or URI. Known issues for Mobile There is a problem with the HP Elite X3 with wired docks where the portrait orientation setting is lost when the external display is disconnected and reconnected. A workaround for this is to reboot the phone after tapping the “OK” button instead of disconnecting and reconnecting. This workaround must be performed every time you connect to an external display you want to use with Continuum in portrait orientation. If you have apps saved to your SD card, you may see error 8007000B when trying to update those apps. As a workaround, you can move these apps to internal memory, update them, and then move them back to your SD card. Thank you to all the Insiders who reported this to us! When installing or updating a Windows Store app, you may see error 80070057. As a workaround, you can get the latest app by uninstalling the older version of the app from your device and reinstall latest version from Store. Support for 3D in Office apps Windows Insiders who are also Office Insiders will be able to incorporate 3D objects in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Easily insert a 3D object from the Remix 3D catalog or your PC, change its perspective and use transitions like Morph in PowerPoint to create cinematic animations between slides to bring 3D objects in your presentations to life. Not an Office Insider? Sign-up here! Community & Team Updates We have some updates to our team! Joining team “Something Happened” are: Marissa Zhang – Marissa, our intern, is reporting to Jason this summer and she is working on Insider communication channels. LinkedIn? Instagram? Forums? She is helping us choose the channels and what kind of content we want to show on each! Vivek Elangovan – Vivek is a software engineer AND a film-maker who just finished his first feature film. He’s helping us talk to the creatives, artists, film-makers, VR designers in our Insider audience and make sure their voices are heard in product development as well! He is also going to lead the charge on app flighting. As a reminder, the rest of the team and what they work on are: Tyler Ahn – leads the Insider MVP program, our website development (and soon forums) and the global Windows fan programs. – leads the Insider MVP program, our website development (and soon forums) and the global Windows fan programs. Jason Howard – leads debugging Insider issues on social and forums and is the resident Webcast MixerMaster. – leads debugging Insider issues on social and forums and is the resident Webcast MixerMaster. Jeremiah Marble – is our program architect who figures out what more we can be doing for our various Insider audiences. – is our program architect who figures out what more we can be doing for our various Insider audiences. Brandon LeBlanc – works with all the product teams to write content for our blogs, websites, Feedback Hub, etc for Insiders. Also has the best Star Trek outfit collection on earth! – works with all the product teams to write content for our blogs, websites, Feedback Hub, etc for Insiders. Also has the best Star Trek outfit collection on earth! Dona Sarkar – wrangles the product teams into making sure the right bugs are fixed and causes general chaos. – wrangles the product teams into making sure the right bugs are fixed and causes general chaos. Blair Glennon – is Lord of Insider Data. He works with the Data Science team to understand the telemetry, feedback and survey results from Insiders and make recommendations as well as leading WIP4Biz. One more thing – this month’s webcast on Mixer will be focused on our Engineering Systems. This includes the building of the Windows OS, code-flow processes, ISOs, symbols, our migration to Git, and much more. We’d love to take your questions in advance so we can try to address them in the webcast. Click here to submit your questions! No downtime for Hustle-As-A-Service, Dona <3

Chinese scientists announced they have converted sand into fertile soil using a new method they developed, which they hope to use to fight desertification. A 1.6-hectare sandy plot in Ulan Buh Desert in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, north China, has been transformed into fertile land. [Photo/www.cqnews.net] A team of researchers from Chongqing Jiaotong University has developed a paste made of plant cellulose that, when added to sand, helps it retain water, nutrients and air. A 1.6-hectare sandy plot in Ulan Buh Desert in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, north China, has been transformed into fertile land, yielding rice, corn, tomatoes, watermelon and sunflowers, after being treated by the new method. A forthcoming issue of the English-language journal "Engineering," published by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), will publish the research by the Chongqing scientists Yi Zhijian and co-author Zhao Chaohua. The new method will hopefully help turn desert areas into an ideal habitat for plants, said Yi. The plants in the sandy test plot needed about the same amount of water as those grown in regular soil, but required less fertilizer and bore higher yields, according to estimates by experts. Since 2013, scientists have been experimenting with outdoor cultivation at two sites with areas of approximately 550 and 420 square meters in Chongqing, where scientists simulated desert landform conditions. The plants have survived the heavy rain and high temperatures, the typical climate conditions in Chongqing. The crops, including rice, corn and potatoes, flourished in the newly converted soil, according to the scientists. To verify the method, a large-scale planting experiment in Ulan Buh Desert began in April this year. There is very little rain fall in the area. The converted sand has proved to be an ideal habitat for plant species with a strong resistance to wind erosion, according to the research findings. The paste is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, cheap, and suitable for mass production, they said. The cost of sand conversion is between 22,500 yuan and 40,500 yuan (3,373 to 6,071 U.S. dollars) per hectare, Yi said. Hopes, cautions Enabling plants to thrive in deserts just like in soil is a major breakthrough said, Li Jia'na, with the China Agro-technological Extension Association. The new method is an important breakthrough in combating desertification and may prove fundamental in transforming deserts into fertile, arable land, said Zhong Zhihua, an academic with the CAE. Desert control is a global challenge. If the sand conversion method could be used on a large-scale for agriculture it could help address several environmental problems, such as deforestation, bio-diversity loss and climate change, the paper said. There have been no publicized studies internationally about this method, according to Zhong, and the paper itself cautioned that its experiments had all been carried out in places with underground water. Despite the lack of rainfall, Ulan Buh Desert has abundant underground water reserves, perfect to support irrigation. Large-scale desert control through the sand-to-soil conversion "must take into consideration the risks of excessive or undue exploitation of underground water resources," the paper said. Before the large-scale application, planning and assessment must be carried out, and this might start in areas with access to adequate water resources, the paper added.

Beyond the Votes Voting on an issue is the least of what a legislator can do. If a rep sees their base advocating strongly for an issue, it incentivizes them to advocate for it publicly and within their chamber, or they can even ask for a bill not to be brought up at all.

The Marcellus Shale has been underneath Pennsylvania for centuries, but the extraction of natural gas began only recently. The "fracking" boom is changing the landscape of northeastern and southwestern Pennsylvania. Use this tool to learn which operators are drilling, and where. Find active wells in your county or municipality — and see whether the drillers have been cited for violating state environmental regulations. Read more about the data.

Why 'MAGAnomics' Isn't Likely To Work Enlarge this image toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images The Trump administration this week unveiled its strategy for the economy and dubbed it "MAGAnomics." In the Wall Street Journal, Trump budget director Mick Mulvaney wrote that "the focus of MAGAnomics is simple: Grow the economy and with it the wealth of, and opportunity for, all Americans." The simple plan: Ratchet the economic growth rate up to a sustained 3 percent annually. That's an ambitious target, given current levels of around 2 percent. But there are a couple of problems. One is that sustained 3-percent growth is highly unlikely — and it's not a simple proposition. "I can't see how it's achievable," said Joel Naroff, chairman of Naroff Economic Advisers, an economic consulting firm. "I never say never. Anything is possible. But the possibility of that happening is between slim and none." Another problem is that some Trump policies could in fact work against achieving that level of economic growth. And a Congressional Budget Office analysis released the day after Mulvaney's op-ed delivered a blow to "MAGAnomics," estimating the Trump budget would fall well short of its economic growth goal. The nonpartisan referee of all things money on Capitol Hill estimated that the Trump budget would only yield 1.9 percent economic growth on average over the next decade. That's not only below the 3-percent goal, it's also not much of an improvement — it's just 0.1 percentage point higher than what growth would be under current law. Experts say sustained 3-percent growth is unrealistic It's possible, of course, for the economy to get to 3 percent for a short while — tax cuts, for example, could bump growth up to that mark "for a few quarters, but not a few years." Indeed, GDP growth bounces up and down from quarter to quarter. In the third quarter of 2016, for example, it reached 3.5 percent. But the economy hasn't held around or above 3 percent for an extended period of time since the booming 1990s. And there are significant economic factors holding the U.S. back from that kind of growth. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget illustrated this in a May report. In order to get to near 3-percent growth, major factors that contribute to growth would have to bounce back to the booming levels of a quarter century ago. "By our estimates, returning capital growth, productivity growth, and prime-age labor force participation to where they were in the 1990s would result in 2.9-percent growth," they wrote, adding that that's "an unlikely scenario given recent trends." And top economists from both sides of the political spectrum have recently framed 3 percent as an unreasonably high aim. "If we could move the U.S. from where it is now, which is say somewhere between 1.8 and 2 [percent GDP growth rate] to somewhere like 2.5, or God forbid 2.75," said Doug Holtz-Eakin, former director of the CBO and president of the conservative American Action Forum, at a May panel discussion in Chicago. "If we did that, that's hall-of-fame work. That's hard." "Yeah. If you went from 2 to 2-and-a-half, that would be amazing," concurred Austan Goolsbee, who chaired President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers. One big Trump policy area could undermine growth The size of the labor force and productivity growth are the two big factors that dictate the size of the economy, according to Holtz-Eakin. And growth in the labor force — that is, growth in the pool of people working or looking for work — has slowed way down, largely due to an aging population. Here is how the annual growth rate in the labor force looks over time: "The only way to reverse that is to have a fundamental change in our immigration policies and generate more workers in the near term," said Holtz-Eakin at that May event. "Without immigration, the U.S. is Japan: it shrinks and gets old." Boomers are aging out of the workforce; there's no reversing that. And the birth rate has fallen off. So immigration could be key here. People oppose or promote immigration for a variety of reasons, including a view that immigrants take American jobs. But, actually, slashing the number of immigrants — in the country illegally or legally — would likely mean negative economic consequences for the U.S. It's true that Mulvaney proposes more work incentives — encouraging people back into the labor market via welfare reform. That could boost the labor force, but not by a lot, said one expert. "So the slower economic growth that's due to the labor force, about 80 percent of that is from the aging of the population," said Maya McGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. And once again: lower immigration levels, and you offset whatever you gain from doing welfare reform. The other factor here is productivity — and economists aren't totally sure why it's so low. A few policies could potentially help — for example, the tax reform that Mulvaney proposes. But, McGuineas said, if it increased the debt, it's possible it could also slow economic growth in the long run. Not only that, but tax reform might only be a short-term shot in the arm, Naroff added. It may not deliver productivity growth that lasts. One more policy area to consider is trade. The Trump administration pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one area that CRFB and some economists predicted would contribute to economic growth. Trump has talked about inserting the U.S. into what he believes would be "fair" trade deals. Depending on what the administration ends up doing on trade, that could also play a part in boosting (or hurting) U.S. growth. "They" said it can't be done There's something distinctly Trumpian about the administration's economic plan (The MAGA in MAGAnomics derives its acronym from Trump's Make America Great Again campaign slogan.) Part of it is the fact that its main 3 percent goal seems unattainable. Trump proposed other similarly difficult-to-imagine policies during his campaign: deporting 11 million people in the U.S. illegally and promising to bring the federal debt to zero in eight years are examples. Mulvaney acknowledges that many have called 3-percent growth unfeasible but shrugs it off with a kind of tough, rugged-individualistic attitude: "For merely suggesting that we can get back to that level, the administration has been criticized as unrealistic. That's fine with us. We heard the same pessimism 40 years ago, when the country was mired in 'stagflation' and 'malaise.' But Ronald Reagan dared to challenge that thinking and steered us to a boom that many people thought unachievable." The premise here seems to be that getting the economy to hit a certain level is in large part a function of having leaders who are independent-thinking enough to go their own way and really try. A failure of the economy here seems to be merely a failure of the imagination. And, in fact, a slow economy may not be just a failure of policy but a kind of conspiracy, in Mulvaney's telling — that there are unnamed, shadowy forces "who don't want you to remember—what a great America means." This kind of "they said it couldn't be done" thinking is a common theme for the Trump administration — it pops up every time the president gloats about how no one thought he could win the election. Now, it has brought it over into the realm of economics. It makes the administration's message coherent rhetorically, but it doesn't mean that the economic policies will deliver. Winning the Electoral College, it turns out, is a very different beast from growing the economy. With reporting from Uri Berliner.

It seems that everywhere you look, Maroon 5 are smashing another record, dropping another classic, making another surprise collaboration, or just plain astounding you with the seemingly endless run of creativity that Adam Levine and co seem to enjoy. Not just charting the history of a band, Maroon 5’s best moments trace the development of pop music in the 21st Century, whether it’s revelling in their gleefully genre-blind mash up of styles, or harnessing the power of social media and their devoted fanbase to create truly astonishing moments that will go down in history. With their much-anticipated Super Bowl performance seemingly set to add another to the list, we take a look at ten of Maroon 5’s best moments. Listen to the best of Maroon 5 on Apple Music and Spotify, and scroll down to read our pick of Maroon 5’s best moments. 10: The band ask fans to help with The Daylight Project Sometimes the flashier tracks get all the glory, but ‘Daylight’ – from Maroon 5’s fourth album, Overexposed – proves that slow burners can often linger the longest. Released in November 2012 as Overexposed’s third single, the song showcased the melodic charisma of the band’s softer material and gave Maroon 5 another US Top 10 success. Acclaimed producer Jonas Åkerlund crafted an innovative video from The Daylight Project, a platform where fans could share their thoughts and feelings. Frontman Adam Levine has said many times that ‘Daylight’, created with legendary hitmaker Max Martin, is his favourite track on Overexposed. 9: ‘This Love’ becomes an international smash The band’s debut single, ‘Harder To Breathe’, had nibbled at the upper tiers of the charts, but this – the band’s second single – was their big international breakthrough and their first radio staple, likely to feature on playlists for decades to come. Adam Levine wrote the song with keyboardist Jesse Carmichael and it ended up becoming the third most-played song of 2004, earning the band a Grammy for Best Pop Performance. Written about Adam’s relationship at the time, ‘This Love’ bears all the hallmarks of classic Maroon 5: soulful melody, a rocky spine and an assured, memorable vocal from the band’s charismatic frontman. The videos would get a little slicker, but the ‘This Love’ secured an MTV Award for Best New Artist and would showcase what was to come. The earliest among a long list of Maroon 5’s best moments. 8: The ‘Payphone’ video breaks the bank, unnerves parents By 2012, Maroon 5 videos had become marquee events, but ‘Payphone’, featuring rapper Wiz Khalifa, had the sort of big-budget treatment you would expect from a Hollywood blockbuster… It’s the clip you’ll most likely find in a Maroon 5 time capsule. The sharp way the band’s compositions flirted successfully with contemporary pop styles is clearly in evidence here – ‘Payphone’ fit easily in pop and urban playlists, and, while its explicit lyrics and the video’s edge-of-your-seat drama unnerved parents, there’s no doubting this was Technicolor, widescreen Maroon 5, fast on their way to becoming the biggest band in the world. 7: Maroon 5 give newlyweds the wedding present of their lives with ‘Sugar’ Distancing this summery pop standard from its simple yet effective video treatment is now almost impossible – a testament to the band’s visual flair. From a run of great video performances, ‘Sugar’ actually takes one of the simplest approaches. Casting Maroon 5 as the ultimate LA wedding band adds a magic accessibility to a song that was lifted from 2014’s V; despite being the third single taken from the album, ‘Sugar’ would become the biggest of them all. Written with Mike Posner, it was performed on TV shows, including The Voice, but no matter how good those appearances were, it’s the great video we’re always going to return to, easily staking its claim among Maroon 5’s best moments. 6: A single Ellen performance of ‘Don’t Wanna Know’ hits big on both sides of the Atlantic Kendrick Lamar guested on the first single from Red Pill Blues, but wasn’t featured in the kooky Pokémon-inspired video. Benny Blanco shares production duties on the song, neatly bridging contrasting aspects of Maroon 5’s work: contemporary dance influences, soul and R&B top-notes, and the rock foundations that all their songs are built on. Performing ‘Don’t Wanna Know’ live on Ellen for the first time helped the band score another Top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 2016. 5: ‘She Will Be Loved’ proves they were no one-trick ponies Following a first big hit is a challenge that many bands fail at, but Maroon 5 bettered ‘This Love’ with ‘She Will Be Loved’ – a powerful ballad that further broadened the band’s audience away from its alt.rock base. In Australia, the song introduced the group to the top of a singles chart, three years before they reached the same position stateside (though ‘She Will Be Loved’ matched the No.5 placing of ‘This Love’ in their homeland). Sophie Muller steered the band’s first truly memorable video production with a clip that starred actress Kelly Preston trapped in a complex love triangle involving Adam Levine. The impact Down Under led to Australian singer Kate Ceberano being one of the first artists to cover a Maroon 5 song when she recorded ‘She Will Be Loved’ for her So Much Beauty album four years later. 4: The ‘One More Night’ Live On Letterman shows everyone how its done As the second single from Overexposed, ‘One More Night’ was heavily promoted across a range of TV slots and live shows, but it’s the Live On Letterman performance in New York that goes down as one of Maroon 5’s best moments in front of the cameras, showcasing the then-five-piece at their tightest. Shellback and Max Martin collaborated on the track, and the dramatic video, which amped up Adam Levine’s sex appeal to red-hot pitch, is among their most memorable. Keyboardist and guitarist Jesse Carmichael was on a break from the band during the creation of Overexposed, but PJ Morton stepped into the breach after a spell supporting the group’s live shows. The song became another Billboard chart-topper for Maroon 5 and reached the Top 10 in the UK. 3: ‘Makes Me Wonder’ makes Billboard chart history There’s a moment when you know a group are in it for the long haul. ‘Makes Me Wonder’ was Maroon 5’s inaugural US chart-topper and launched the It Won’t Be Soon Before Long album in 2007, signalling that important gear change to the world. The band’s soul and funk influences were truly front of stage for the first time, helping the catchy track make Billboard chart history, when it registered one of the biggest-ever jumps to the top spot, vaulting from No.64 to the pole position. The song secured another Grammy win for Best Pop Performance and saw the band celebrated as innovative songwriters who were prepared to experiment and adapt their sounds to accommodate contemporary influences. ‘Makes Me Wonder’ might have borrowed its hooks from dancefloors of the past, but it had its sights fixed firmly on the future. 2: ‘Girls Like You’ makes a potent statement for the 21st Century Maroon 5’s fourth US chart-topper, recorded with rapper Cardi B, is one of those infectious earworms that we’ll likely still be humming decades from today. Its simple, nagging hooks build and build, and saw the track – the third single from Red Pill Blues – become one of the biggest radio hits in years (and arguably the biggest 21st-century hit to date). The clever video, featuring a host of celebrity cameos alongside Adam Levine, chimes perfectly with contemporary culture, which is now finally looking hard at how we treat each other. A simple, understated celebration of women that makes its point with potency, ‘Girls Like You’ easily ranks among Maroon 5’s best moments. 1: ‘Moves Like Jagger’ gets approval from the man himself In the unlikely event that someone doesn’t know who Maroon 5 are, they’ll certainly know this song, which broke records to become one of the world’s biggest selling singles of all time, and tops our list of Maroon 5’s best moments. Adam Levine’s fellow-The Voice coach Christina Aguilera was drafted in to guest on the final single release from a repackage of 2010’s Hands All Over album, while the Jonas Åkerlund video was another gem that still receives regular airplay. Mick Jagger called the homage “very flattering”, but has joked that he’d wished he could collect royalties from the track. A perennial party favourite since 2011, it’s been nagging him ever since! Looking for more? Discover the best Maroon 5 songs of all time.

Robert Gibson and Orlando "Unc" Giles are the last people to leave the homeless camp along the Mississippi River in East St. Louis. They were slow packing up. Gibson, 59 years old with a long gray beard, had lived there more than three years and considered it home — a place with neighbors, regular routines and a sense of belonging. Giles, 51, arrived less than year ago but shared his friend's appreciation for the place. Rather than bouncing between shelters, imposing on relatives or sleeping on the streets, they had been able to settle in and control their own lives. But the collection of tents and wooden huts, which had sprawled into two camps, had grown too big and too public in recent months. Both camps were on private land, and when the owner decided it was time for everyone to go, the nearly two-dozen residents saw no choice but to clear out. A 30-day order to vacate was followed by a seven-day extension. In four hours, at midnight on February 26, the extension will expire, too. "You see how hectic it is," Gibson says, juggling phone calls from supporters checking to make sure he's OK. "We're trying to get things done." During the final days, Pastor Tina Crawford drove the men and two other camp residents back and forth across the river, trying to pin down driver's licenses and arrange appointments with service organizations. The bureaucratic untangling may pay off in benefits, but that is still in the future. The immediate concern is how to get their things out of their old home and into somewhere else. The way other residents moved out irritates the two men. They lived in the camp closest to the road, on a cracked concrete slab they call simply "the platform." The back camp, an intricate collection of homemade wooden huts with a communal kitchen at its center, was set out of sight in the woods. Residents supported each other, sharing food and chores. But in the stress of the order to vacate, people scattered in all directions and tempers spiked. Second- and third-hand accounts of who is getting help from which organizations ran rampant. Rumors of slights spread. "We supposed to be like a family," Giles says, "but when people get their places to go, they start downgrading us." He and Gibson decided to stick together. They spent the first part of the day pushing wheelbarrow loads of their stuff to their new place, a windowless cinder-block building that is a five-minute walk from the camps. A friend put down $25 to rent the space for Gibson. "It's not the Taj Mahal," Gibson says, leading the way to the new place, "but it's better than a tent." The one-room structure is small and dirty, and living there surely violates some sort of building ordinance. Gibson has killed eight brown recluse spiders by his count, smashing them against the walls with his thumb. But there is an honest-to-God door with a lock. The walls are not at risk of collapsing in a strong wind, and there is enough head space to stand up and even stretch your arms overhead without hitting tarp. "We're going to make it, ain't we," Gibson says to Giles. Gibson's twin bed is pushed against a wall, and an Army cot for Giles sits on the other side of the room. A single light bulb dangles overhead from an extension cord, powered by the generator chained up outside. There are still piles of clothes, tools and furniture to move from the platform, but that will have to wait. The men are worn out. They sit sipping 24-ounce cans of Milwaukee's Best Ice, gingerly flexing sore knees and shifting in their seats every few moments to realign aching backs. The air is filled with the smoke of Show-brand cigarillos. "We're chilling," Gibson says. After five weeks of stress, tonight feels like their first opportunity to relax. "Last night, I went into my tent, I sat down on the bed, and I just cried," Giles says. The place has potential, but there are already signs of trouble. Relatives of the landlord chastise Gibson for inviting visitors to the space, and he says they seem bothered after spotting Giles moving in. As long as the rent is paid and he is not causing problems, Gibson says, he should be able to do as he likes. "Come on, people, get your thumb off us," he fumes. The mood lightens as the hours pass. The two men soon fall into old tales of life in the camps, which often include wildlife encounters. Giles, a part-time DJ and natural storyteller, recalls the night he was walking back to his tent from the East St. Louis MetroLink station when a massive buck, brandishing a menacing set of antlers, stepped out of the fog and stared him down. Gibson has heard the story, but he still laughs out loud as his friend describes freezing in fear and then racing home when the buck finally sauntered away. "I ran in the tent," Giles says, his eyes going wide as he recreates the fright. "I put the lock on. I jumped in the bed fully clothed. I was shaking like a leaf." They have arranged a pair of folding chairs around a propane heater. A battered stereo sits on a small table near the wall. After a while, they pop open new beers and smoke more cigarillos. It is 1 a.m. when they finally turn out the light. "What it all boils down to," Giles says. "We — Orlando Giles and Robert Gibson — we went down with the ship." The next morning, the landlord orders them to move out.

A few days after a member of the mainly Palestinian Joint List in the Israeli Knesset, Jamal Zahalka, raised a political uproar by accusing his alleged allies from the Labor Party of being historically more racist than the extreme right, a letter to the editor appeared in the Haaretz newspaper. “I understand this harsh criticism,” the author wrote sarcastically. “Without the (Jewish) Left in 1948, the Palestinian people would have no Nakba (catastrophe); no Palestinian would have lost his home. On the contrary, the Palestinians would have gained a quarter of a million Jewish homes." This letter sums up the core of this sensitive issue still deeply dividing the Israeli left-wing camp between Jews and Palestinians. For many Palestinian citizens of Israel, the Labor movement which ruled over Israel in its founding years was not only historically responsible for exiling 750,000 Palestinians in 1948, it also robbed them of their property by building hundreds of kibbutzim on their lands. For most supporters of the Labor Party, like the writer of the letter, the actions of their predecessors in 1948 is something to be proud of: according to their side of the story, under the leadership of David Ben Gurion, their party led the Zionist movement, founded the state of Israel, and saved it from extinction by Arab invaders. The same kibbutzim that Zahalka complained about were their movement's finest achievement. Things have changed, of course, since 1948. While Mapai, the predecessor of the current Labor Party, ran Israel almost unopposed in its first 30 years, since 1977 Labor has won the elections only twice and its power in parliament has shrunk from 56 to 24 seats. The Palestinian minority, which was barely represented in Israel's first years, now holds 13 seats in the united Joint List formed in the last elections. And the Jewish left as well as the Palestinian minority are supposed to have a common enemy: Israel's right-wing coalitions. The finest hour of the coalition between Labor and Palestinian citizens of Israel came in 1992, when Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin formed his government with their representatives for the first - and last - time in Israel's history. The Oslo agreement would not have been made possible without their support. In 1999, Palestinians voted massively in favor of Ehud Barak and helped put him in power. This story had a sour end: 13 Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed by police in demonstrations which followed the beginning of the Second Intifada in October 2000. The old memories of 1948's Nakba rose again. Since then, the Labor Party has treated the Palestinian minority as a mistress: it has counted on their votes in order to prevent the right-wing from forming a coalition, but did not see their representatives in parliament as fit to serve in a possible Labor-led government, preferring a "Zionist" coalition. No wonder the Palestinian citizens of Israel feel rejected. "The Labor Party takes us for granted," said Thabet Abu Ras, a political geographer and co-executive director of Abraham Fund. "And they treat us with patronage. We are supposed to vote for them, but we are not allowed to act in our own interests." Abu Ras gives the example of the Naturalisation Law which prevents Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza from marrying Palestinians in Israel. This is an issue of deep emotional value for Palestinians. Labor leader "Buzi (Yitzhak) Hertzog wants to take care of 10,000 Syrian refugees but is not ready to allow for an Israeli-Palestinian to marry his loved one from the West Bank. This is hypocrisy," he said. The Labor party, remarks Abu Ras, was silent on many other civil issues concerning the Palestinian minority in Israel, from house demolitions in Palestinian cities and villages to redistribution of lands in a more just way toward Palestinian citizens of Israel. It is not the first time in which Zahalka, head of the far-left Balad party that is now part of the Joint List, accused the kibbutzim and the Ashkenazi Jews (Jews of European origin) that settled in them as responsible for the Palestinian tragedy. "The Ashkenzis took our land, not the Oriental (Mizrahi) Jews," he said in a televised interview in 2010. "Not those who shout 'death to the Arabs' but those who sang 'we bring peace on you,'" he added, referring to one of the most popular Zionist songs. Standing on the Knesset's podium last week, Zahalka went even further. "The right-wingers are much better than you,” he stormed. “The Likud established the settlements alongside Arab villages, but Labor established its kibbutzim atop the ruins of Arab villages. Give us back our land!” Abu Ras is uneasy about the tone of this attack. He also argues that the current right-wing coalition is much more racist and anti–Arab than the Labor Party. But he does have sympathy for the political thinking that lies behind Zahalka's speech. The formation of the Joint List in the last elections, assembling together all the political forces of the Palestinian minority for the first time, strengthened their political self-confidence, according to Abu Ras. This newfound political power enabled the Joint List to negotiate with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on fulfilling some civilian needs of the Palestinian minority in return for their support in a crucial vote on a controversial gas deal in the Knesset The negotiations did not lead to an agreement with the Joint List, but Abu Ras claims they represent a political maturity from the Palestinian minority's side. If the Labor party does not feel obliged to join in issues relevant to Palestinian citizens of Israel, Palestinians do not feel obligated to the Labor party's interests. The ultraorthodox Jews, who use their brokering political power to get financial benefits from the government, serve as an example. In his words in the Knesset and in other interviews, Zahalka has referred to a possible coalition between Palestinians and Mizrahi Jews, bypassing the "racist" Ashkenazi Jews who came from Europe. This hope, or rather dream, to revive good relations, which allegedly existed between Arabs and Jews in Palestine and elsewhere in the Middle East before the Zionist Jews came from Europe, is common to many Palestinians. Yossi Beilin, one of the architects of the Oslo agreement, wrote recently that Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas was convinced for many years that this was the way to achieve peace with the Israelis. But to no avail. During a television debate before the last elections, Ayman Odeh, the head of the Joint List, offered "an alliance of the transparent people" to Arie Der'I, head of Shas, a party representing mainly working-class Mizrahi Jews. Der'I flatly declined the offer. Palestinian citizens of Israel, as Abu Ras notes, may have a much clearer civil agenda. The problem is that they are still struggling to find a partner in this agenda outside the radical left. A quick look at the numbers may show that without the Palestinian minority, which represents more than 20 percent of the Israeli population, the Labor party, and the left in general, has a slim-to-none chance to win elections. But it seems it is not ready yet to pay the price of normalising its relations with the Palestinian minority and see it as a true partner and not just a supplier of votes. Zahalka's words were an expression of this frustration, but Abu Ras and other Palestinian leaders still hope they can change this attitude. - Meron Rapoport is an Israeli journalist and writer, winner of the Napoli International Prize for Journalism for a inquiry about the stealing of olive trees from their Palestinian owners. He is ex-head of the News Department in Haaertz, and now an independent journalist. ​The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye. Photo: Joint List MK Jamal Zahalka (L) delivers a speech next to fellow MK Ayman Odeh at the party's headquarters in the city of Nazareth on 17 March 2015 (AFP)

Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery calls home every week. He wants to check in with Grandma Adell in St. Matthews, South Carolina. Often, it’s typical talk. She wants to know whether his game is on TV and wants to make sure he’s still catching those balls. But the moment is important. ‘‘I’ll call her two or three times a week just to hear her voice,’’ Jeffery said. ‘‘We had her 80th birthday party this offseason.’’ Jeffery’s grandmother is one of the most important people in his life. ‘‘That’s where I get my personality,’’ Jeffery said. It’s a personality he revealed during a 25-minute interview with the Sun-Times. He is one of the Bears’ most important players, but little is known about him because of his quiet, private nature. This season is undeniably huge for Jeffery, who was voted a team captain for the first time. One of the NFL’s best receivers, he is playing out the year on the franchise tag. A big payday is coming. Unlike other big-name receivers, though, Jeffery avoids the spotlight. Those close to him at Halas Hall describe him as humble, soft-spoken and laid-back. But there’s so much more to him. * * * ‘‘He’s a humble cat. Alshon is different, man. He comes from a small area in South Carolina. The humility he has, I can’t even think of another receiver to compare it to. That’s why myself and a lot of guys like him so much.’’ — Quarterback Connor Shaw, Jeffery’s teammate with the Bears and at South Carolina * * * Two stoplights. No Walmart. That’s how Jeffery describes his hometown of St. Matthews, which had a population of 2,021 in the 2010 census. There are Chicago-area high schools with larger populations. ‘‘Everybody knows everybody,’’ Jeffery said. ‘‘It’s a good town. Quiet. Peaceful. You try to support everybody.’’ Jeffery’s background is blue-collar. His father, Charles, worked for a lumber company before taking a job at the University of South Carolina in facilities. His mother, Deloris, worked in a factory. Jeffery is the third of four brothers. The others are Charles, Darren and Shamier. ‘‘My mom and dad used to tell me to always respect people, to give them the utmost respect because respect is going to take you further than anything,’’ Jeffery said. With his parents working, Jeffery spent the bulk of his young life with Grandma Adell, his mother’s mother. He learned many life lessons from her, and he recites them with a smile. ‘‘Be patient.’’ ‘‘Never rush things.’’ ‘‘What’s going to happen is going to happen.’’ ‘‘You should live your life and just enjoy it.’’ ‘‘Don’t judge.’’ ‘‘I would just see the things that she would go through and how she viewed life,’’ Jeffery said. There were personal hardships and grief. Jeffery said his grandmother lost family members, including a son. ‘‘She always just stayed positive,’’ he said. ‘‘She would feed everyone in the neighborhood if she can.’’ Looking at Jeffery the football player, one message stands out. ‘‘She never liked anybody being loud or obnoxious,’’ he said. ‘‘She always liked to be chill and just relaxed.’’ * * * ‘‘He did a lot more listening than he did talking, but he always had that expression in his eye that he knew what you were talking about. He understood what we trying to do.’’ — Former South Carolina receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. * * * Jeffery’s first love was basketball, and he was a star. At Calhoun County High, his teams lost only two games in four years and won four state titles. ‘‘My town, we’re known for basketball,’’ said Jeffery, who called himself a slasher. ‘‘I can make a few shots here or there when I’m feeling it.’’ Jeffery jokingly said one of the two losses deserves an asterisk because he missed it for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, an all-star game for the best football players in the state. On the field, it’s obvious where the basketball comes in. Few, if any, defensive backs can beat Jeffery on jump balls. But he also understands football. He’s more than a go-up-and-get-it receiver. Spurrier Jr., who helped recruit Jeffery to South Carolina, recalls a player who spent countless hours watching film. ‘‘He wasn’t an arrogant guy,’’ said Spurrier Jr., who now works at Oklahoma. ‘‘You didn’t know exactly what he would develop into. But you knew he had a special range and a special trigger to play the game.’’ Los Angeles Rams passing coordinator Mike Groh, the Bears’ receivers coach from 2013 to 2015, also remembers Jeffery’s study habits. The difference was how he analyzed defensive backs and other receivers. ‘‘He is one of those gym-rat kind of guys,’’ Groh said. During a recent practice, Jeffery didn’t like a red-zone concept and spoke up. He thought the Bears should do something else. ‘‘It was a really good idea,’’ offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. ‘‘It was a really good thought. We changed it on the field. He’s a sharp guy. As coaches, we very much respect his football knowledge.’’ As far his reliable, strong hands, Jeffery said that started in St. Matthews. The Jeffery boys were athletes. Shamier, the youngest, followed Alshon to South Carolina as a receiver. But Charles, the oldest, is said to be the best athlete of the bunch, an absolute superstar in high school. ‘‘He used to throw balls to me so hard all the time,’’ Jeffery said. ‘‘That’s the reason why I always try to catch the ball and everything with my hands. He’d be 10 feet or not too far from me and throwing it real hard, so I had to catch it.’’ * * * ‘‘Believe it or not, Al’s a real people person, a caring person who looks out for others. If we’re out somewhere [among fans], he’ll be like, ‘Hey, man, let’s take this picture for somebody.’ Or it’s, ‘Come on, man, let’s sign something.’ ’’ — Bears receiver Josh Bellamy * * * The menu at Bears receivers coach Curtis Johnson’s house is Louisiana Cajun, and the mood at the frequent dinners is light. The purpose is for the players to ‘‘put their hair down,’’ Johnson said. It’s for fun. ‘‘The joke’s on me a lot,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘I guess they try to impress my wife or whatever. They talk about me just like a dog.’’ And they talk about everything, especially Jeffery. ‘‘It’s a little different than some of the guys I’ve been around,’’ said Johnson, 55, a longtime coach in the NFL and college. ‘‘I can talk about whatever. We can talk about taxes. We can talk about religion. He’s smart, and then he’s down-to-earth. He can make a conversation about different subjects and different things that most guys can’t or won’t.’’ What is Jeffery into? As far as food, Bellamy said Jeffery loves the lobster tempura at Fleming’s and the cheesesteak egg rolls at Sullivan’s, though Jeffery’s diet has changed. ‘‘He used to be a fat boy, but I can’t eat with him anymore,’’ Bellamy said, laughing. ‘‘He changed up his diet. He’s been eating that crazy healthy stuff.’’ Asked about Jeffery’s home, receiver Cameron Meredith painted a picture of a simple place without much furniture or decorations. They go there to watch Netflix and play video games. NBA2K is Jeffery’s game. It often comes back to basketball. Jeffery said he roots for the Cubs and Blackhawks, but he proudly calls himself a ‘‘die-hard’’ Bulls fan. ‘‘Both of us didn’t like LeBron [James] when he went to Miami because of how he did it,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘But when he came back to Cleveland and was down 3-1, came back and beat Golden State — and how he did it — we feel he’s one of the top-five players.’’ * * * ‘‘If it doesn’t work out this year, next year I guarantee that the Chicago Bears are going to be a totally different team. We’re going to be a hell of a lot better. Right now, we’re just in the moment.’’ — Jeffery * * * Shaw was a struggling, inexperienced starter, and Jeffery was the older star bound for the NFL. But Shaw remembers how Jeffery treated him at South Carolina. ‘‘When he was coming out, the negatives on him were that he didn’t really have a quarterback to get him the ball,’’ Shaw said. ‘‘But he was always so positive with me. He was right there with the growing pains. In good and bad, he was always so positive. That’s what I remember about Alshon.’’ That’s Jeffery as a captain in a nutshell. Jeffery might be quiet, but his positive outlook connects with others. ‘‘Honestly, sometimes you never know what you’re going to get,’’ Meredith said. ‘‘But it’s going to be good because he’s always in a good mood.’’ Jeffery’s approach is St. Matthews-simple. ‘‘I want people around me to enjoy life like how I enjoy life,’’ he said. That kind of optimism matters at Halas Hall, this year or beyond. ‘‘I really believe in this team,’’ Jeffery said. ‘‘And I know this team believes in me.’’

Boston Red Sox’s David Ortiz raises his hand while taking the oath of citizenship along with 220 other immigrants during naturalization ceremonies at the John F. Kennedy Library, in Boston, Wednesday, June 11, 2008. National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, celebrates the histories, accomplishments and contributions of Hispanics and Latinos. Here are seven athletes who have used their platforms to showcase their pride and uplift their communities: Carmelo Anthony NBA superstar and three-time Olympic gold medalist Carmelo Anthony never had the chance to grow up with his Boriqua dad, Carmelo Iriarte, who died when he was 2 years old. But it’s no surprise that the Houston Rockets guard, outspoken especially when it comes to social inequity, is the son of a former member of the Young Lords, a Puerto Rican nationalist group that worked alongside the Black Panthers in the 1960s and 1970s. Anthony, who has a Puerto Rican flag tattoo on his right hand, has exhibited his love for the island by building and restoring basketball courts through the Carmelo Anthony Foundation, founding North American Soccer League expansion franchise Puerto Rico FC and putting together relief efforts after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Victor Cruz Super Bowl XLVI champion turned ESPN analyst Victor Cruz was born to a Puerto Rican mother and an African-American father. The wide receiver played all six of his years in the NFL with the New York Giants and famously celebrated touchdowns by dancing salsa merengue in the end zone. His grandmother, Lucy Molina, taught the Paterson, New Jersey, native how to dance the Caribbean rhythm. David Ortiz The 10-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion David Ortiz played most of his MLB career with the Boston Red Sox before retiring in 2016. Ortiz finished 17th on MLB’s all-time home run list, hitting 541 home runs over his 20-season career. Ortiz’s nickname is a nod to his native Dominican Republic. On the island, people refer to each other, even strangers, as “papi.” When Ortiz became a part of the Red Sox organization, he couldn’t remember anybody’s name, not even those of his teammates, so he would call them “papi” just as he would back home. “It’s just a friendly thing, a sign of respect,” Ortiz said in an interview with The Boston Globe in 2015. “After a while, they started calling me ‘Papi’ in return, and then it became ‘Big Papi.’ It took off.” Ortiz, who became a U.S. citizen in 2008, has never forgotten where he came from. He founded the David Ortiz Children’s Fund to help children in both Boston and the Dominican Republic receive lifesaving cardiac treatments. Massy Arias Celebrity fitness trainer and CoverGirl ambassador Massy Arias identifies as both a black woman and a Latina. When she moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic at 14, she knew almost no English. The 28-year-old now speaks English fluently. But when she addresses her 2.5 million followers on Instagram, she is always sure to communicate in both English and her native Spanish. Sophina DeJesus The UCLA gymnast Sophina DeJesus caught the world’s attention, including more than 32 million views on Facebook, with a floor routine against Utah in 2016 . The then-21-year-old rocked royal blue ombre box braids and incorporated the most popular dances at the time — Whip, Nae Nae, Quan and Dab — into her performance. The half African-American, half Puerto Rican scored a 9.925, helping her team secure a win. Maria Isabel Urrutia In 2000, Maria Isabel Urrutia became the first Colombian to win a gold medal at the Summer Games in Sydney. And she did it after tearing cartilage in her knee the previous year at the Pan-American Games. After winning the women’s 75-kilogram weightlifting event, the Colombian used her gold medal to address the guerrillas who kidnapped approximately 80 people from her home city. ”I’m sending a special message to them … hoping they take pity on the families of all the people they have in captivity,” the weightlifter said from Sydney. After retiring from competition, Urrutia was elected twice to the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia from 2002 to 2010 before transitioning into coaching. Idalys Ortiz Idalys Ortiz, a Cuban judoka, won her most recent Olympic medal, a silver, at the 2016 Rio Games. She won the gold medal in the over 78-kilogram division at the 2012 Olympics and won bronze at the 2008 Games in Beijing when she was 18, making her the youngest Olympic medalist in the heavyweight category.

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Tropical Storm Gordon has made landfall on the US Gulf Coast, coming on onshore around 50km east of Biloxi, Mississippi, on Wednesday. On arrival, Gordon had sustained winds approaching 115kmph, which is just short of Category 1 hurricane strength. State of emergency was declared across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the western side of the Florida Panhandle as damaging winds and heavy rain causing flood swept across the region. The worst of the storm lashed the northwest Florida and the Alabama coast where up to 150mm of rain fell in a matter of a few hours. According to the Associated Press, roads were blocked off due to widespread flooding. Similarly, a storm surge led to flooding along the Gulf Coast and barrier islands. The strong winds were also a major concern as trees and power lines were brought down, resulting in widespread outages. At some point, nearly 50,000 people were without power in Alabama. Gordon developed on September 3 around the Turks and Caicos Islands. It then went on to cross the Florida Peninsula, gaining strength as it tracked over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The storm went on to spawn several tornadoes before weakening as it moved inland towards Arkansas. Additional flooding is likely across the Mississippi Valley as the remnants of the storm move up towards the Midwest. By the end of the week, tropical moisture from Gordon is forecast to continue to fuel heavy rain right across the region.

You'll be familiar with some of these near-misses, but others are frankly astonishing. Which rapper almost took Matt Damon's role in Elysium? Which former Friends star was the first choice to front Men in Black? And why is Leonardo DiCaprio Christian Bale's nemesis? Read on... 1. Al Pacino – Star Wars Wenn Getty Images Pacino revealed during a Q&A session in 2015 that the role of roguish smuggler Han Solo was "his for the taking" back in the '70s, but he turned it down because he didn't understand the script. Harrison Ford made the role iconic and ended up having his own issues with Lucas's script, famously telling the director "You can type this shit, George, but you sure can't say it." 2. Tom Selleck – Indiana Jones Rex Features PA Images The first choice for the role back in the day was none other than Tom "The Moustache" Selleck. He recently set the record straight on rumours that he turned down Indy – Spielberg and his producers held out for a month in the hopes Selleck would become available, but CBS refused to let him out of his Magnum PI contract. 3. Henry Cavill – Casino Royale AP/Rex Features Prior to being cast as Superman, Henry Cavill was the perpetual franchise bridesmaid and never the bride. He was cast to play Supes in McG's cancelled movie before being replaced by Bryan Singer with Brandon Routh, and he was a frontrunner for Twilight's Edward Cullen. Before both these near-misses, Cavill was neck-and-neck with Daniel Craig for the chance to play Casino Royale's steely new James Bond, and lost out to Craig because 007's producers wanted someone older. 4. Leonardo DiCaprio – American Psycho Bale was initially cast as killer yuppie Patrick Bateman, but was unceremoniously replaced by Lionsgate after DiCaprio began pursuing the role, fresh off his Titanic success. Bale was "obsessed" with the project and reclaimed it after ferocious lobbying, but his beef with DiCaprio supposedly predated the Brett Easton Ellis adaptation by several years. Bale lost This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape to DiCaprio, and unsuccessfully campaigned for the role of Jack in Titanic. Related: Here's how the Harry Potter films almost looked... 5. Anne Hathaway – Silver Linings Playbook It's safe to say that Jennifer Lawrence and David O Russell mesh well together; Lawrence won her first Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook and was nominated for his American Hustle, and the enthused O Russell went on to cast her in his biopic of Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano. But Lawrence's role as Playbook's volatile Tiffany was earmarked for Anne Hathaway, who dropped out over "creative differences" with the famously prickly director. Hathaway won her own Oscar for Les Misérables, so this all worked out for the best. 6. Angelina Jolie – Gravity An impressive list of actresses were considered to shoulder the lead role in Alfonso Cuarón's spectacular space drama, including Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz and Marion Cotillard. But Angelina Jolie was the firm frontrunner to play astronaut Ryan Stone, but was unable to take the role thanks to scheduling conflicts with either her directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey, or her role in Maleficent, or both. Sandra Bullock went on to earn a slew of nominations for her physically and emotionally gruelling turn. 7. Michael Fassbender – Pearl Harbour Rex Features PA Images Yeah, this one came as a surprise. One of Fassbender's very first professional auditions was for the role of soldier Rafe McCawley in Michael Bay's Pearl Harbour, which ultimately went to Ben Affleck. It would be another seven years before Fassbender got his break in Steve McQueen's Hunger, but he might have dodged a bullet – Pearl Harbour was a critical disaster even by Bay's low standards, and might have done Fassbender more harm than good had it been audiences' first exposure to him. 8. Hailee Steinfeld – The Hunger Games Every young actress in Hollywood was vying for the role of The Hunger Games' tough-as-nails heroine, but Steinfeld – along with Abigail Breslin and Nikita star Lyndsy Fonseca – was one of the few contenders to make it down to the wire. It's easy to understand why she got close; both Steinfeld and first choice Jennifer Lawrence were nominated for Oscars in the year the role was cast, and both earned their nods for playing grounded, resourceful young women in True Grit and Winter's Bone respectively. 9. Eminem – Elysium Director Neill Blomkamp dropped this bombshell in an interview with Wired. Prior to casting Matt Damon, Blomkamp was looking to go unconventional with the casting of reluctant hero Max, and was turned down by South African rap-rave icon Ninja from Die Antwoord before approaching Eminem. The real Slim Shady was interested, but only on the condition that the film shot in his hometown of Detroit. Denied. Ninja, by the way, later appeared in Blomkamp's Chappie. 10. Gwyneth Paltrow – Jurassic Park It's widely known that Paltrow was in the running for Kate Winslet's role in Titanic, but a few years earlier she missed out on the female lead in a similarly iconic blockbuster. Having worked with Steven Spielberg previously on 1991's Hook, the still unknown Paltrow screen-tested for the role of plucky paleobotanist Ellie Sattler, which eventually went to Laura Dern. 11. Will Smith – The Matrix Smith and Ewan McGregor were both offered the role of The One in the Wachowskis' groundbreaking cyberpunk saga, and both passed. Smith has since admitted that he wouldn't have been a good fit for the project, explaining: "I would have absolutely messed up The Matrix. I wasn't smart enough as an actor to let the movie be, whereas Keanu was smart enough to just let it be." 12. Robin Williams – Harry Potter PA Images A lot of the Potter series' alternative casting choices are easy to picture – Tim Roth as Snape, Hugh Grant as Lockhart – but Robin Williams as gentle giant Hagrid? That's a struggle, and it came very, very close to happening before JK Rowling made the stipulation that only British actors could be cast in the adaptations. Williams was a great actor, and one of his best performances (Good Will Hunting) was also one of his beardiest, but Hagrid he ain't. 13. Tom Cruise – Iron Man Rex Features PA Images When the concept of an Iron Man-centric movie was first in development back in the late '90s, Tom Cruise was in line to produce and star as Tony Stark. Supposedly, Stan Lee also had a hand in one draft of the script and Quentin Tarantino was among the names considered to direct. While it's very unlikely Iron Man would have become the franchise lynchpin he has under Robert Downey Jr, this version does sound bizarrely fascinating. 14. OJ Simpson – Terminator Rex Features PA Images No, seriously. Back in the early stages of Terminator's development – long before the murder trial in 1994 – Simpson was suggested to play the title role. The football player had enjoyed a decent sideline in acting, with roles in The Naked Gun trilogy and The Towering Inferno among others, but James Cameron and his producers ultimately looked elsewhere because, and we quote, "People wouldn't have believed a nice guy like OJ playing the part of a ruthless killer". 15. Jake Gyllenhaal – Batman Begins In 2003 when Christopher Nolan was casting the reboot that would spearhead arguably the most critically acclaimed superhero franchise of all time, Gyllenhaal was still a relative unknown, with Donnie Darko gradually gathering cult steam and Roland Emmerich's The Day After Tomorrow still a year away from release. Still, he was scriptwriter David Goyer's first choice for the role of Bruce Wayne, but ultimately Nolan passed him over in favour of the older Christian Bale. 16. David Schwimmer – Men in Black Rex Features Getty Images Ross Geller could have been Agent J. Schwimmer was offered the chance to star opposite Tommy Lee Jones, but chose to turn it down in favour of joining Gwyneth Paltrow in poorly received rom-com The Pallbearer, supposedly because he wanted to "grow rather than go for the quick cash". It's fair to say that decision maybe didn't work out exactly the way he'd hoped. 17. Emily Blunt – Iron Man 2 Not many of the entries on this list leave you feeling wistful for what could have been, but Emily Blunt as Marvel's duplicitous Black Widow feels like close to perfect casting. Scarlett Johansson has done well with the role, but Blunt has a very different, more cerebral presence on screen that could have made up for the character's patchy writing in Iron Man 2. 18. Jim Carrey – Pirates of the Caribbean Rex Features PA Images It's not hyperbole to say that Jack Sparrow would not exist were it not for Johnny Depp. Yes, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's original script did feature a character by that name, but everybody involved in the franchise has made it clear that it was Depp's performance, part Keith Richards, part Pepé Le Pew, all inspired madness, that made the character an insta-icon. Carrey was Disney's first choice, and we don't feel too bereft for not knowing what his Sparrow would have looked like. 19. Jack Nicholson – The Godfather Rex Features Al Pacino inhabits Michael Corleone so completely throughout his gradual, three-film-long arc from hero to villain that it's hard to imagine anybody else in the role. But Jack Nicholson was reportedly Francis Ford Coppola's first choice, and turned the role down because "at that time I believed Indians should play roles written for Indians, and Italians should do the same". 20. Josh Hartnett – Thor Marvel Getty Images Nothing against Josh Hartnett, but it's hard to imagine that his take on Thor's treacherous brother Loki would have become the breakout fan favourite that he has under Tom Hiddleston's watch. Hartnett reportedly had several meetings with director Kenneth Branagh for the role, around the same time Alexander Skarsgård was rumoured to be the frontrunner for Thor. Want up-to-the-minute entertainment and tech news? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set. 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Chapter 3 The woman walked out of her house and headed straight for the wall surrounding the village. She did not even bother to close the door behind her. She stopped just a few feet short of the wall and crouched down. With a single swift motion she leaped twenty feet into the air and over the wall. "Well, that explains why no one sees them go." Ruby said. "Is it normal for people in this world to make superhuman leaps in the middle of the night?" Yosuke asked. He was a bit thrown off by Team RWBY's lack of reaction to the sight. "No, but most hunters and huntresses are capable of this." Yang explained. "Either she's secretly a huntress or something strange is going on. We'd better follow her." "We can't make that jump." Chie said. "Ruby, take them around the long way." Blake advised. "I'll follow her." With that Blake rushed forward and bounded over the wall and out of sight. "I shouldn't let her go alone." Yang said and headed off as well. "If we just try to leave through the gate in the middle of the night like this, the guards are going to have a lot of questions." Weiss said. "Is there any way your Personas could get you over the wall?" "We could give it a shot." Yosuke said. He summoned his Persona and it picked him up. "Looks like it shouldn't be a problem." His Persona leaped over the wall and out of sight. The others soon followed. "I really hope nobody saw that." Yukiko said after leaping over the wall. "It would be quite a shock." She sounded out of breath. "Why are you out of breath?" Ruby asked. "Using our Personas requires extreme concentration and exertion." Naoto explained. "Even a short duration use can be exhausting." "Did you try to stop her?" Ruby asked. "We tried walking in front of her, talking to her, even standing in her path." Yang replied. "It's like she's sleepwalking. She just ignored us." "I'd be worried about trying to stop her physically." Blake said. "She could hurt herself or us." "We'll just have to follow her." Ruby said. They had gone quite deep into the forest. They had expected to be attacked by Grimm, but no attack had materialized. They had seen some, but the Grimm appeared to be keeping their distance. It was bizarre. The woman continued her trek, heading for a mountain at the edge of the forest. She arrived at its slope and immediately headed for a large cave. The entrance to the cave had a strange, unnatural look and feel about it. The woman walked into the cave and the group followed. "Now this is like the TV world." Yosuke said confidently. He put on a pair of glasses. "Definitely the same." "I can't see anything, it's too foggy." Ruby said in frustration. "Try these." Yukiko took off her glasses and handed them to Ruby. "Wow, it's like there's no fog at all." Ruby said after putting on the glasses. "Where did you get these?" "Teddie made them for us when we first met him." Chie explained. "There's fog just like this in the TV world. It's disorienting if you don't have the glasses." The Persona users looked at Teddie expectantly. "My time to shine!" Teddie exclaimed. "Ta-da!" He produced four sets of the glasses and handed them out to Team RWBY. "I always keep extras just in case!" "Maybe he's not totally useless after all." Weiss said. Teddie just smiled, seemingly oblivious to the sarcastic and backhanded nature of the compliment. The looked around, but the woman was gone. More worryingly, the location did not look like the inside of a cave at all. They appeared to be standing on a dirt path, an imposing fortress looming in the distance. Team RWBY was visibly concerned by the turn of events. "I wouldn't worry too much." Kanji said. "This kind of thing always happens." "It's hard to explain, but in the TV world, there are many locations that take strange forms like this." Yosuke said. "The cave probably wasn't a cave at all. It was probably some kind of portal, sort of like the TVs we use to enter and exit the TV world." "So what do we do now?" Ruby asked. She did not fully understand what he was saying, but Yosuke clearly had experience she did not have. "Well, that's up to our leader." Yosuke said. "Yu, what should we do?" "First we need to find her." Yu replied. He nodded in Rise's direction. "Kouzeon!" Rise shouted. Behind her, the figure of a six-armed woman in an elegant dress, with a telescope for a head, appeared. The figure placed a visor in front of Rise's face as she concentrated. The Persona vanished and she collapsed to her knees. Yu was nearby to catch her as if he knew it would happen. "I'm alright." She stumbled to her feet. "That way." She pointed deeper into the world. "I'm not sure if it's the woman we followed in here, but I sense a tremendous source of power in that direction. There are lots of shadows here too, powerful ones." "We should rest." Yu said. The other Persona users nodded and began to head for the exit, a cave entrance that was a mirror image of the one they had used to enter the world. "But we have to save that woman!" Blake shouted. "We can't just leave!" "Trust us." Naoto said. "We haven't slept in more than a day, and you're in this world for the first time. It is imperative that we are fully rested and prepared." "In our experience, people aren't killed by the shadows right away." Yukiko explained. "That woman and the others should be alright for a while. Besides, if we can't save them, there's no one else. We need to be ready." "They're right." Ruby said. "Just being here makes my head hurt and I am pretty tired. We should go to our camp and get a night's rest." "I'm worried about them partner." Yosuke said to Yu. They were on watch while the others slept. "We all faced our shadows, they haven't yet. What if we run into their shadows? The way they fight without Personas, their shadows would be incredibly powerful. And who knows what secrets they're hiding. It could get weird, Kanji-weird. Besides that, it took us all time to recover after accepting our other selves." Yu shrugged. "Working together, I'm sure we can overcome anything." "Another thing's bothering me." Yosuke admitted. "This world, we were transported here by Margaret, but she didn't meet us here. When we went into the Hollow Forest, she was there to explain things and provide an exit. When all this is over, how will we get home?" "I'm sure she wouldn't send us here if there was no way back." Yu said. "You know her better than I do." Yosuke sighed. "I just hope you're right." The group trudged down the path leading to the fortress. If not for the yellow sky, constant fog and warped sense of distance, there would have been nothing to distinguish this place from the real world. Upon entering the world, the fortress had seemed to be miles away, but they arrived at it after just minutes of walking. They were greeted by a roiling red and black mass where the gate should have been. "It's a portal." Yosuke explained. "The TV world was subdivided like this too." "The power I sensed earlier is definitely inside." Rise said. "This place kind of reminds me of Yukiko's castle." Teddie said. "Can we please not talk about that?" Yukiko said with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "Well, in we go." Kanji said as he confidently stepped through the portal. The others followed. The inside was entirely incongruous with the outside. While the outside had been an imposing fortress with towering stone walls, the inside was a narrow snow-covered path. The path was lined by trees and bushes too thick to push through, so the only way to proceed was straight ahead. "This place seems…familiar." Ruby said. "It's like I've been here before." Yu and Yosuke exchanged knowing looks. "If this is like the TV world, it is partly created by the minds of the people in it." Teddie said. "In our experience, it's a place from your imagination or that relates to the part of yourself you keep hidden." Naoto explained. "For us, it was related to the kidnapping victim, but it could be different here." The Investigation Team was not going to say it, but somewhere inside was likely Ruby's shadow, assuming this was 'her' world. They would cross that bridge when they got to it. Rise summoned her Persona and scanned the area. "There is definitely a person in here." She reported. "There are shadows too, and some powerful ones." "We should get moving." Yang said. "We won't do any good just standing here, there are people who need saving." They walked deeper into the snowy forest, for hours it seemed. It was hard to keep a sense of time. The scenery never changed, so they could not judge how long they had been walking by how much progress they had made. It was a good thing the path was a straight shot; with no landmarks it would be easy to get lost. Finally, Kanji said what most of them were thinking. "So, where are all the shadows?" The group looked to Rise for an answer. "I've been tracking them. They're acting differently than I've ever experienced. The weak ones we'd normally be fighting have been avoiding us. They're all around, but outside the bounds of the path." Yu pressed his hand against the foliage lining the path. Instead of feeling trees and bushes, it was a solid wall. He shook his head to indicate they could not pass through. "Maybe they can sense our power and don't want to fight us." "Or maybe they're setting up an ambush." Naoto cautioned. "I don't think so." Rise said. "If they were going to ambush us, you'd expect them to gather in one place. They're just getting out of the way as we pass and then going back to normal." She stopped to scan the path ahead. "There's a strong shadow nearby. It's just around the corner and I doubt this one will be running away." The path ahead curved lazily before opening into an open field. It was circular, more like an arena than a natural feature. In the center stood a shadow that looked like a twisted version of a Deathstalker. It stood its ground as the group approached. When they got close, it hissed and snapped its claws threateningly but did not charge them. "I'll take care of this!" Yang shouted, charging straight at the shadow. "Wait!" Rise warned. "You shouldn't…" Before Rise finished speaking, Yang slammed her fist full force into the Deathstalker shadow's face. There was a brilliant flash of light and Yang recoiled in pain, clutching her arm. "It reflects physical attacks." Rise finished. With a swipe of its claw, the shadow sent Yang sailing across the field. She slammed into the side of the clearing before falling flat on her face. Even with her aura to protect her, it was tremendously painful. Ruby fired a shot from Crescent Rose. It hit the shadow and deflected harmlessly into the air. "We've got to use something else." Naoto implored. "Your normal weapons won't hurt it." She took a step forward and summoned her Persona. "Yamato Sumeragi!" A figure wearing formal attire, knee-high boots, a sharply pointed triangular helmet, and trailing a cape and flowing blond hair behind it appeared. The Persona made a sweeping motion in the air with its sword and a square of light appeared beneath the shadow. The square collapsed with no effect. It was replaced by a black circle. It too collapsed without doing any damage. "Light and darkness don't have any effect either." Naoto cautioned. "So what should we use?" Blake demanded. "I can't get a good reading." Rise replied. "Just try some things and see what works." She sounded as frustrated as the others. The shadow was now on the attack, charging at the group with its claws and stinger. They scattered but the shadow zeroed in on Weiss. Yu tried to distract it, his Persona delivering a shot of electricity from the flank, but it seemed little more than an annoyance for the shadow. In desperation, Weiss used her glyphs to encase the shadow's legs in ice. The shadow hissed in pain and recoiled, circling back away from her. "That's it!" Rise encouraged. "It's vulnerable to ice!" Chie and Teddie stepped forward and summoned their Personas. Chie's Persona was the form of a female samurai, clad in golden armor with a two-bladed sword. Teddie's was just as strange as the man himself. Rainbow colored and conical, it sported a large, confident smile. Its defining feature was its tail, a rocket. Both Personas unleashed a torrent of ice into the shadow. The ice first pinned it in place and then encased it. The two Personas flew high into the air before coming crashing down into the frozen shadow, which now shattered into innumerable pieces. The pieces evaporated and the shadow was gone. Yang stumbled back over to the group, still wobbly on her feel. "Yang, are you alright?" Ruby asked with clear concern in her voice. "I'll be fine, just a scratch." Yang replied confidently. Her confident front was undermined by her appearance. She still clutched her arm and blood trickled from a cut near her hairline. The others looked at her with apprehension. "I've had worse." She let go of her injured arm to wipe the blood from her face. "I definitely didn't see that coming." "You can't fight shadows the way you fight Grimm." Yosuke warned. "Lots of them, especially the strong ones, have hidden properties. They're most dangerous when they use your own power against you." "You really must fight them more tactically." Naoto added. "See what works and what doesn't first, and then hit them hard when you know it won't backfire." "That kind of hesitation is dangerous." Blake countered. "It is." Yukiko agreed. "But it's necessary, and the abilities Teddie and I have can buy us the time we need." She turned to Yang. "Let me heal you." Yang stepped forward, unsure of what this healing would entail. "Sumeo-Okami!" The figure of a golden woman with elegant wings and flowing hair appeared. With a flourish, Yukiko's Persona surrounded Yang with brilliant light. In an instant her cuts and bruises were gone and her arm no longer hurt. "Thanks." Yang said. Her aura would have healed the damage in a short time, but instant healing was certainly a plus. "That was…interesting." The feeling was hard to describe. It was a warm, perhaps loving feeling. She stretched and flexed her arm to make sure it was fully healed; it was. "I'd rather not need it again, but that's a cool power to have." "There are no other shadows in the immediate area." Rise reported. "Just a few relatively strong ones and a very powerful one further in. The strongest one is very close to the person in here, we should hurry."

On the 28th of December 2014, Indonesia Air Asia flight QZ8501 disappeared mid-flight on a routine journey from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore. On the 1st of December 2015, the Komite Nasional Keselamatan Transportasi (KNKT), the Indonesian ministry in charge of aviation investigations in Indonesia, released a report of over 200 pages regarding the accident. The results make for chilling reading. The aircraft was an Airbus A320-216, registration PK-AXC, built in 2008. Indonesia Air Asia is an Indonesian airline within the Air Asia Group which operates 30 Airbus A320 aircraft for domestic and regional routes. Flight QZ8501 was a scheduled flight from Surabaya Juanda International Airport, Indonesia to Changi International Airport, Singapore. The crew consisted of two pilots and four flight attendants. There were 156 passengers on board, including 22 children under 15. The Airbus A320 departed Juanda airport at 22:35 UTC (6:35 in the morning local time). The departure and initial cruise at FL320 (32,000 feet) was uneventful. At 23:00, 25 minutes after take-off, the Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitoring set off an advisory alarm. The Master Caution light lit up, a chime sounded and AUTO FLT RUD TRV LIM 1 appeared on the display To understand this crash, we need to understand first the aircraft system and maintenance as well as the history of this error. The Airbus A320 has two Flight Augmentation Computers (FACs) which perform four main functions including the yaw functions. Under normal circumstances, FAC1 controls the yaw damper, turn coordination, rudder trim and rudder travel limit while FAC2 is in standby. The A320 also has a Centralised Fault Display which collects issues that arise during aircraft operations. Maintenance personnel access the data through the Post Flight Report (PFR), which can be displayed or printed. In the month before the accident, the Post Flight Report is dominated by failure messages relating to the Rudder Limiting Function on the Flight Augmentation Computers. On the 19th of December, the flight crew received 11 cautions on the first flight of the day and 13 cautions on the second. Each time, the pilots reset the caution using the emergency cancel button. The emergency cancel button turns off the master warning light and stops the aural warnings for that particular error condition. It is specifically used to suppress spurious master cautions. There’s no other approved method for cancelling multiple, repetitive cautions. The personnel doing the daily maintenance of the aircraft saw the error on the Post Flight Report relating to the Rudder Travel Limiter Unit. The Airbus Trouble Shooting Manual is quite clear that the Rudder Travel Limiter Unit electronic module needs to be replaced if the problem persists. However, the initial maintenance action was the BITE test, which tests the system’s electrical and computer connection. Each time maintenance personnel performed the BITE test, the system passed. The issue was dealt with by resetting the Flight Augmentation Computer and running an operational test. Thus, there was no need to continue on to the next steps in the Trouble Shooting Manual. Aircraft issues highlighted on the Post Flight Report that are resolved using the Trouble Shooting Manual don’t need to be listed on the Maintenance Report. This means that every maintenance person saw the issue on the PFR as an isolated event, rather than a recurring problem. On the 25th of December, the captain of the accident flight was in the same aircraft for a scheduled flight to Kuala Lumpur. During push back, the AUTO FLT RUD TRV LIM SYS message appeared and the captain decided to return the aircraft to the parking bay and report the fault. A company engineer came to the cockpit to trouble-shoot the issue. Based on the advice on the Airbus Trouble Shooting Manual, the engineer reset the circuit breakers for both Flight Augmentation Computers and then performed the BITE test. This appeared to address the issue. The captain asked the engineer if he could perform the same reset action whenever the problem reappeared. The engineer said that the pilots could reset the circuit breakers whenever instructed on the Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitoring display. The aircraft was ready for departure and push back. During the pushback, the AUTO FLT RUD TRV LIM SYS error reappeared. The pilot used the reset button for the Flight Augmentation Computers but it did not fix the error. The engineer saw that the aircraft had not moved and contacted the pilot via the interphone. The captain explained that the rudder travel limiter issue had occurred again and asked if he could reset the system by pulling the circuit breakers for the Flight Augmentation Computers. The circuit breakers were behind the right seat in the cockpit and could not be reached by either pilot while sitting. The second-in-command, who was not the same pilot as on the accident flight, left his seat, presumably to reset the circuit breakers. The problem still existed and the engineer asked the captain to return the aircraft to gate. The engineer replaced Flight Augmentation Computer 2 (FAC2) and asked the captain to start both engines. After both engines started, the problem did not reappear. The captain was happy that the fault had been resolved and the flight proceeded as scheduled with only a slight delay. There were no further occurrences of the error in that flight or the next. Three days later, the 28th of December, the same captain and his first officer were flying over the Java sea when the errors started again. 23:01 Both Rudder Travel Limiter Units failed, triggering a chime and a master caution light. The captain performed the cited action to press the push-buttons on the overhead panel to set Flight Augmentation Computers 1 and 2 to OFF and then to ON, one by one. Both Rudder Travel Limiter Units returned to normal. 23:04 The captain requested a 15 miles deviation left of track to avoid thunderstorms in the area, which was approved. 23:06 The first officer, who was Pilot Flying, did a standard cruise crew briefing, including actions in case of an engine failure or emergency descent and that Semarang Airport would be the alternate. 23:09 Both Rudder Travel Limiter Units failed, triggering a chime and a master caution lights. The captain performed the cited action to press the push-buttons on the overhead panel to set Flight Augmentation Computers 1 and 2 to OFF and then to ON, one by one. Both Rudder Travel Limiter Units returned to normal. 23:11 The flight crew confirmed to Air Traffic Control that they had routed left to avoid the storm. They were asked to report when clear of the water. 23:12 The flight crew requested a climb to flight level 380 (38,000 feet) when possible and were asked to standby. 23:13 Both Rudder Travel Limiter Units failed, triggering a chime and a master caution lights. The captain performed the cited action to press the push-buttons on the overhead panel to set Flight Augmentation Computers 1 and 2 to OFF and then to ON, one by one. Both Rudder Travel Limiter Units returned to normal. Three failures in just over ten minutes must have been frustrating but it didn’t stop there. 23:15 Both Rudder Travel Limiter Units failed for the fourth time, triggering a chime and a master caution lights. 23:16 Air Traffic Control issued a clearance for the flight to climb to flight level 340. The pilots did not respond. 23:16:27 The master caution was triggered for the fifth time, this time for a fault in Flight Augmentation Computer 1. The Flight Data Recorder recorded the components controlled by Flight Augmentation Computer 1 as fluctuating, which is a pattern which occurs when the data to be recorded is not available. 23:16:39 Flight Augmentation Computer 1 came back online. 23:16:44 The master caution was triggered for the sixth time with a fault in Flight Augmentation Computer 1 and Flight Augmentation Computer 2. The same data fluctuation was logged by the Flight Data Recorder. The autopilot and the auto-thrust disengaged. Flight control law reverted from Normal Law to Alternate Law. The rudder deflected 2°. The aircraft started to roll. 23:16:54 Flight Augmentation Computer 2 came back online. The autopilot and autothrust remained disengaged. Flight control law remained in Alternate Law. The Airbus flight control system has two modes in Normal Law: GROUND and FLIGHT. Under Normal Law in flight mode, the pilot has control of the roll and heading but the aircraft limits the roll rate and the bank angle and coordinates the turns. So for example, the pilot can depress the side-stick for a turn at a high bank angle and then release, the bank angle is automatically reduced to 33°. If the pilot holds the side-stick to the full deflection at the side, the bank angle goes to 67° and no further. If Angle-of-Attack protection is active, the bank angle will not go beyond 45°. If High Speed Protection is active, the bank angle will not go beyond 40°. However, if there are failures in the flight control system, the aircraft will revert to Alternate Law. This means that there are reduced protections and bank angle protection is not provided. The first four faults were caused by the intermittent failure of the Rudder Travel Limiter Units. Examination of the unit after the crash showed cracked soldering on the electronic module which had caused the repetitive faults. However, the fifth fault was caused by a failure of Flight Augmentation Computer 1. The push-button on the overhead panel was set to OFF and Flight Augmentation Computer 1 had no power. Power was restored 12 seconds later but the pushbutton on the flight control overhead was not reset, so it did not return to service. All equipment controlled by Flight Augmentation Computer 1 was not operational. Flight Augmentation Computer 2 was then “de-energised” as the report puts it, causing the sixth master caution that both Flight Augmentation Computers had failed. The data recorded on the flight data recorder matches the data from 25th December 2014, when the aircraft had the RTLU problem on the ground and the circuit breakers were reset by pulling out and pushing back in. However, returning the circuit breakers during flight does not re-engage the FAC functions; the FAC push button on the overhead panel must be reset. The auto-pilot and the auto-thrust disengaged as a result and the rudder deflection of 2° to the left was not automatically corrected. The quick reference guide for the airbus states that the flight crew should only reset computers listed in the table (which does not include the flight augmentation computers) and that the flight crew must consider and fully understand the consequences. As the captain had seen the engineer resetting the Flight Augmentation Computer circuit breakers on the ground, he may have considered himself to fully understand the consequences. It may not have occurred to him that the consequences of resetting the circuit breakers mid-flight were very different than on the ground. The action certainly implies that he did not have a good understanding of the aircraft systems and how they hung together. The investigation report states that there was no evidence on the Cockpit Voice Recorder that the flight crew ever discussed resetting the circuit breakers or that they considered the risks. Even if they discussed the situation during the 54 seconds after the fourth master caution, when the communications were not recorded, it’s quite clear that they did not anticipate the consequences. The Rudder Travel Limiter Unit failure would stop the rudder limiter at the last position but not affect the rudder operation. The autopilot, auto-thrust and other systems controlled by the Flight Augmentation Computer are still available. The flight safety was not affected. By pulling out both circuit breakers, the captain put his flight at immediate risk by disabling the Flight Augmentation Computer completely. When the breakers were pushed back in, the flight crew clearly expected the Flight Augmentation Computers to just work, as neither ever pushed the reset button to bring them back online. The aircraft went into alternate law, disabling everything, and they apparently had no idea why everything had suddenly gone wrong. It’s not possible to reset the circuit breakers from a seated position. As the first officer was the pilot flying, it seems likely that it was the captain who left his seat and reset the circuit breakers. After the autopilot disengaged and the rudder deflected at 2°, the aircraft rolled to the left, without pilot input, at a rate of 6° per second; twice the speed of a normal roll rate operation. The master caution triggered with a chime to attract the crew’s attention to the fact that the autopilot was disengaged. Under normal conditions, a pilot will respond immediately to level the wings when an aircraft is rolling unexpectedly. It took the first officer nine seconds to respond after the autopilot disengaged. It’s not clear where his attention was or why it took so long to respond. By the time he responded, the aircraft roll angle was 54°. 23:16:53 The flight data recorder records initial movements of the right side stick, where the first officer was seated. His initial response was a backward movement on the side step up to 15° and to the right to the maximum deflection. In normal law, the 15° pitch up would have allowed the aircraft to climb back to its preset level at a sensible rate. In alternate law, the sidestick motions gave the aircraft the instruction to pitch up fast and roll hard to the right. The aircraft began to climb rapidly and rolled to the right from 54° left to 9° left bank. The pilot flying did not notice the rudder deflection of 2°, which made the aircraft even more difficult to manage. At this stage, he appeared to suffer from “the leans”, a form of spatial disorientation where the inner ear messages give the wrong feedback as to whether you are banking. Still banking 9° to the left despite his hard roll to the right, he shifted the side stick to the left again. Having never achieved straight-and-level flight, he rolled the aircraft back to the left to 53°. He then began using gentler movements on the side stick moving it back to the right. The aircraft gently rolled to 2.5º to the left (so still not straight and level) and pitched up to 5°. The aircraft continued to climb. 23:16:56 The stall warning activated, including a voice message which calls out STALL, STALL. The voice message activates when the aircraft reaches 8° Angle of Attack: the angle between the oncoming air or relative wind and a reference line on the aircraft or wing. A plane is stalled when the angle of attack is beyond the stalling angle. Under Normal Law, the aircraft system would switch the elevator control to protection mode, so that the angle of attack is proportional to side-stick deflection. Even if the pilot pulls the side-stick all the way back, the angle of attack will not exceed the maximum. If the pilot releases the side-stick, the angle of attack returns to what it should be. This protection against stall and wind shear has priority over all other protections. However, in Alternate Law, which the flight had been in since the Flight Augmentation Computers had been disconnected, this protection is overridden. When the audio stall warning goes off in Alternate Law, the flight crew recover from the impending stall by lowering the nose to reduce the angle of attack. The first officer reacted instinctively to the mechanical voice calling STALL, STALL. The right side stick was at neutral and then moved forward for two seconds. The Angle of Attack decreased to below 8° and the stall warning stopped. One second later, the right-side stick was pulled back again to 12°. The aircraft pitched up and began to climb at a rate of 11,000 feet/minute. The stall warning sounded again. This time, he did not react. He continued to pull back on the side stick and the aircraft continued to pitch up. The captain called out, “level…level….” There were no side-stick inputs from the captain; he was almost certainly at the circuit breakers and would have found it difficult to get back to the seat. He may have been referring to the previous high roll angle. In any event, the command appeared to focus the first officer on levelling the wings rather than paying attention to the pitch. The aircraft continued to climb. The cockpit voice recorder recorded the captain saying “Oh my god!” 23:17:03 The first input from the left-side side stick was logged: the captain was in his seat and apparently attempting to take control of the flight. The first side stick input lasted two seconds. Fifteen seconds later, a second input was logged, also lasting two seconds. If one pilot uses the side stick, it sends control signals to the computers. If both pilots use their side sticks simultaneously in the same or opposite direction, then the system adds the signals algebraically. Two green Side Stick Priority lights go on and a voice message activates which says DUAL INPUT, DUAL INPUT. However, in this case the DUAL INPUT voice was overridden by the higher priority STALL, STALL, STALL. In a stall situation, the captain can should take control of the situation and can take control of the aircraft. The standard call out is “I HAVE CONTROL” to which the other pilot should respond “YOU HAVE CONTROL”. If the captain was not taking control of the flight, then he should not have been touching the side-stick. The captain could have stopped the dual input by pressing the priority push button which gives his seat priority while the button is depressed. If he held down the priority push button for 40 seconds or more, priority would have been transferred to him and no further input would have been accepted from the other side stick unless the first officer pushed the button to take it back. The captain pressed the push button twice, once for two seconds and once for five. No comment about transfer of control was ever made. The captain never pressed the priority push button long enough to make a difference, let alone take control. Instead, they worked against each other: the first officer pulled back while the captain pushed forward. 23:17:15 The aircraft pitch reached 24° up. The captain called out “pull down, pull down!” The captain was Indonesian and the first officer was French; they spoke to each other in English. It is unfortunate that in the heat of the moment, the captain used exactly the wrong phrase for what he wanted the first officer to do. The aircraft speed was below the stall speed, the engines were on cruise power and the aircraft was descending at 12,000 feet per minute. The pitch and roll were near 0°; the aircraft appeared to be straight and level. This high altitude stall was not standardly taught as a part of pilot training and the first officer might not have ever realised the high angle of attack despite the stall warning and the buffet. The airline did not train its pilots in Upset Recovery which might have helped the first officer to recognise the situation. Although Airbus’s operator’s training manual included this training, the airline’s Operations Manual said that The effectiveness of fly-by-wire architecture, and the existence of control laws, eliminates the need for upset recovery maneuvers to be trained on protected Airbus. The problem with an unstallable plane is that you can’t believe your eyes when it finally stalls. 23:17:29 The left-side side stick is used continuously from this point on. The captain never took priority, so the aircraft continued with dual input. The average of the side stick inputs recorded on the flight data recorder indicated that the first officer was pulling almost full back input while the Captain was slightly pushing nose down. The sum of both side stick inputs commanded a nose-up pitch. The aircraft descended at a rate of up to 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot training for stalls teaches the pilot to recognise the indications of a stall condition and recover. The aircraft system is designed to prevent the stall by providing early warning. Both are intended to avoid the aircraft stalling. There is no training for dealing with an angle of attack over 40° and recovering from this is considered “beyond the competency of an airline pilot”. Once the angle of attack reached 48°, there was nothing left that they knew how to do. 23:18 AirAsia flight QZ8501 disappeared from the Jakarta Radar controller’s screen. According to the flight data recording, the STALL, STALL, STALL warning continued and the two pilots continued their dual input, the first officer pulling all the way back while the captain pushed gently forward, until the aircraft crashed into the Java sea. Contributing Factors The cracking of a solder joint of both channel A and B resulted in loss of electrical continuity and led to RTLU failure. The existing maintenance data analysis led to unresolved repetitive faults occurring with shorter intervals. The same fault occurred 4 times during the flight. The flight crew action to the first 3 faults in accordance with the ECAM messages. Following the fourth fault, the FDR recorded different signatures that were similar to the FAC CB‟s being reset resulting in electrical interruption to the FACs The electrical interruption to the FAC caused the autopilot to disengage and the flight control logic to change from Normal Law to Alternate Law, the rudder deflecting 2° to the left resulting the aircraft rolling up to 54° angle of bank. Subsequent flight crew action leading to inability to control the aircraft in the Alternate Law resulted in the aircraft departing from the normal flight envelope and entering prolonged stall condition that was beyond the capability of the flight crew to recover. One thing I’d like to add. Often, there’s an argument that pilots are no longer being taught how to hand fly and that modern airlines are becoming too reliant on technology. There’s no evidence for that in this instance. The captain was an Air Force pilot for ten years, flying everything from jet fighters to transport planes. He was a flight instructor on single-engine propeller aircraft. He flew twins and propeller aircraft and Boeings as well as the Airbus A320 and had over 14,000 hours. You couldn’t ask for a more experienced pilot. The full report is available in English on the KNKT site as a PDF.

Two dozen injured in a road accident (Representational) Seven persons were killed and two dozen injured in a road accident early on Friday on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, the police said. Fifty passengers from different parts of Bihar were headed in a sleeper bus for Rajasthan, when the bus rammed against a sand carrying truck in the Fatehabad area, SHO Parvesh Kumar said.

There's a whole realm of fantastic worlds and characters to explore, and when you pick up the Xbox 360 games for sale that we feature, you can collect the best titles at amazing prices. We've been working hard searching the web for all the greatest deals and offers on these video games so you'll know exactly where to find them. Who Has the Best Xbox 360 Game Deals? One of the most popular places to buy and trade Xbox 360 games, consoles and accessories is GameStop. Buying used games is an easy way to get the same product for less, and here you can take any old Xbox 360 games you don't want and trade them in for cash or credit off your purchase. Another place to find used game deals is eBay, where you can buy directly from individual sellers and score classics like Battlefield 4, Resident Evil 6, Fallout 3 and more—and often for under $10. With a GameFly membership, you can buy used and disc-only games, as well as rent games, which are all savings opportunities when it comes to Xbox 360 games. A wonderful perk of living in this technological age is the ability to purchase digital products and games online without ever having to go to the store. You can visit Gamesdeal for digital game codes and live cards at discounted and affordable prices way below retail options, in addition to special hot deals and promos. Newegg and Amazon also advertise weekly and daily digital game sales, so be sure to check there for special Xbox 360 games deals. Remember to check out big-box stores like Walmart, Target and Best Buy for deals and coupons. Though these places sell a huge range of products, they also carry a wide selection of Xbox 360 games and game accessories. Be on the lookout for free shipping offers and clearance sales to get the most out of your shopping experience. Price Breakdown The price was a major issue at the Xbox One’s launch, as its $499 price point was the highest among consoles. The fact that this price was due to the “required” Kinect camera system, which many people didn’t want, didn’t make the Xbox One a lot of friends early on. Microsoft then removed the Kinect, dropping the price to $399, and then they instituted a “holiday deal” at $349, which has remained in place since then. There is also a $399 model with a 1 TB hard drive, as opposed to the standard 500 GB. Your best option is to find a good bundle that includes additional games or accessories for the same $349 price point. We’ve seen occasional console deals as low as $288, and it wasn’t even during Black Friday or Cyber Monday. However, that’s usually the best time of the year for gaming console deals. Last Black Friday saw deals around $329 from several retailers (though Wal-Mart and Target added store gift cards on top of the deal, making their bundles better overall) back when retail price was $399, so expect to see sub $280 deals this year. Best Buy is also a popular retailer to get gaming consoles from because you can always get an extra 10 percent off with the Movers Coupon, which will at least cover sales tax. Remember not to get too fixated on just the price, though. A bundle might cost an extra $40 or so, but you could be getting games, gift cards or other bonus items worth $100+ in value. You can also help reduce the cost of a new Xbox One by trading in your 360. At the moment, you can get about $50 from Gamestop, but you may be able to find more for your trade-in elsewhere. Other Ways to Save on Xbox 360 Games You don't always have to rely on Xbox 360 game coupons and promo codes to save cash on your purchase. You can also: Sign up for rewards programs. Many benefits of being a rewards member are earning points every time you buy, special birthday offers, exclusive pricing and more. Look for price-match guarantees. For most places, this means they'll match prices if you find a better deal advertised somewhere else. About Slickdeals Slickdeals is the leading crowdsourced shopping platform:

A record number of women are running to be the next president of the United States, but Americans still don’t seem to think the country is ready for them, according to a new Daily Beast and Ipsos poll. Only 33 percent of voters surveyed believed their neighbors would be comfortable with a woman in the Oval Office, despite 74 percent saying they themselves would be comfortable with a woman president. The poll, which was conducted in early June, also showed 20 percent of Democratic and independent men also agreed with the sentiment that women were “less effective in politics than men.” It should be said, as Harvard political scientist Ryan Enos pointed out on Twitter, there’s some inherent “murkiness” in this opinion poll, because it’s impossible to tell how much respondents are conflating their own opinions with their peers’ — although this is one way pollsters get at opinions voters are possibly embarrassed about holding. But even beyond what the poll might say about voters’ own beliefs, that murkiness is also a takeaway. Among Democrats and independents, 82 percent of respondents said their top priority in picking a Democratic nominee was based on who they thought could beat President Donald Trump — so whether people think their neighbors will support a candidate is statistically important on its own. While it’s still early in the presidential election cycle, we’ve seen “electability” play a role over and over in how Democrats are approaching the presidential primary. And this poll gives greater insight into how factors like gender and identity — whether or not they are actually rooted in reality — could play a factor in making those determinations. Democrats are hung-up on electability So far, poll after poll has shown Democrats prioritizing “electability.” In other words, it’s really important to Democrats that whomever they pick will be able to actually beat Trump, sometimes even more so than if their beliefs match up with the candidate’s. So there’s a big difference between what Democratic voters say they want in a president, and who they are supporting. A recent survey from Pew Research Center suggests more Democrats might prefer their 2020 candidate wasn’t an old white man than those who would. Yet former Vice President Joe Biden remains the heavy favorite in early polls, followed most consistently by Sen. Bernie Sanders — two septuagenarian white men. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has been rising in the polls, but that’s been a fairly recent development. As Vox’s Li Zhou has reported, the emphasis on electability goes a long way to explain why so many Democrats are gravitating toward men: “the expectation of who can win is inextricably wrapped up in the knowledge of who has won,” Zhou writes. “Metrics like authenticity and likability and electability are just code that we use against candidates who are not like what we are used to,” Christina Reynolds, a spokesperson for Emily’s List, a political organization that supports women candidates, previously told Vox. Elected women are actually more effective in political office The pervasiveness of sexism in American politics actually creates a paradox in government — elected women are actually more effective in office. Political scientists Sarah Anzia and Christopher Berry from University of California, Berkeley and University of Chicago, respectively, call it the “Jill Robinson effect” — after Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player who became one of the biggest stars in the game. “Robinson had to be better than almost any white player in order to overcome the prejudice of owners, players, and fans,” Anzia and Berry write. In their 2011 study, they argue there’s a parallel with women in politics; because women have to work harder to prove themselves in the electoral process, they actually perform better when they get into office as well: First, if voters discriminate against female candidates, only the most talented, hardest working female candidates will win elections. Second, if women in the political eligibility pool underestimate their qualifications for office, or if women perceive there to be sex discrimination in the electoral process, then only the most qualified, politically ambitious females will emerge as candidates. Since 2009, as Sarah Kliff reported for Vox, the average female legislator in Congress had 2.31 of her bills enacted, compared with men, who turned 1.57 bills into law. And on average, women lawmakers were able to secure 9 percent more in funding for their congressional districts than their male colleagues. All told, districts represented by women received $49 million more per year than districts represented by men. A significant percentage — 20 percent — of Democratic and independent male voters don’t see women as effective in politics; this speaks to the challenges many of the 2020 candidates are facing. Voters have had only one example of a female nominee for a major political party, Hillary Clinton. And if the polling around gender, and electability has shown anything, Clinton’s loss clearly remains a factor for the women running now.

New boy Santi Cazorla has revealed that former Gunners Cesc Fabregas and Robert Pires encouraged him to sign for the club. Speaking to Arsenal Player, in his first interview since joining, the Spanish international said he’d sought advice before making the switch, and received nothing but positive comments. “I spoke to Robert Pires, we played together at Villareall,” he said, “and obviously he knew about the rumours of me coming here and encouraged me to sign. He said it was a really good club and that I would enjoy London. “The same with Cesc, he said the same, that it was a great club. He said I would be very happy here and I would adapt easily. I can feel that even though I’ve only been here a few hours!” Cazorla also spoke about how the move came about, confirming he almost joined the club last summer before his switch to Malaga, and outlined why he joined the Arsenal. “It was always a club I liked very much. Because of circumstances in football things have not gone as well as we’d have liked in Malaga this year, but now I’m going to have the opportunity to experience the Premier league and I couldn’t miss it. I’m 27 years old, it was the last train I could catch. “I think it’s one of the greatest clubs in Europe. ” And his aim is quite simple, “I hope to win trophies here, that’s what I want.” Bienvenido, Sanit! — See the full interview on Arsenal Player

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Refugees who enter the European Union alone as minors can apply to be reunited with their families, even if they reach legal adulthood before the end of the process, the EU’s top court ruled on Thursday. At the peak of Europe’s migrant crisis in 2015, 96,465 lone children applied for asylum in the EU, although numbers have fallen since then. The European Court of Justice ruled on a Dutch case in which authorities rejected an application by an Eritrean who arrived as a minor for her family to obtain temporary residence permits. Since her paperwork was not submitted by a refugee organization until after she turned 18, the application was rejected because she no longer could be considered an “unaccompanied minor”. Winning approval for refugees’ families to join them in Europe can become more difficult if they are considered adults. However, the court determined that the Dutch rejection breached EU law, saying it would otherwise be “entirely unforeseeable” for a minor to understand whether they had the right to seek asylum for their families. It ruled that applications for family reunification should be made within three months of a minor obtaining refugee status.

The Probation Service says there is no evidence to show that disclosing details of sex offenders reduces reoffending. A new Government bill which will allow gardaí to give names and address of sex offenders to the public is being cautiously welcomed. The proposals will also allow for the electronic tagging of an offender as part of a sex offender order. Probation Service Director Vivian Geiran says there is a concern that the open disclosure will cause offenders to go off the radar. That can drive sex offenders underground and the lack of a stable living situation is shown to be a high-risk factor. "There's no evidence to show that public information would help in that way," he said. Digital Desk

The man was taken to an area hospital for treatment and is expected to be charged with attempted murder, assault and various gun-related charges, police said. Officials said the armed guard was not an off-duty police officer.

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M Deepika (17) married a 25-year-old man, one of her relatives living in her neighbourhood in Gerahalli village near Magadi. But it did not go down well with her father as the two families were not on good terms. So he hatched a murder plan to eliminate his own daughter and at the same time punish his son-in-law. The shocking incident happened on Sunday when Deepika—a second pre-university student at Kutagal Government PU College—was fast asleep. Her father Mahadevaiah smothered her using a pillow and shifted her body to the bathroom in her husband S Aswath’s house. Magadi police station circle inspector H Ravi told DNA that the incident happened around 1am at the girl’s residence. But the incident came to light only at daybreak when Aswath’s father Shivanna went to the bathroom. He immediately called up the police. Mahadevaiah tried to put the blame on Aswath’s family and alleged that one of them had murdered her. The police, however, grew suspicious over his behaviour and took him to custody. During interrogation he confessed that he had murdered his daughter for marrying Aswath against his wish. Police said that despite family rivalry, Deepika was having an affair with Aswath for the past few years. Mahadevaiah had warned his daughter against the affair, but she was defiant. In June, Deepika and Aswath tied the knot at Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Kengal on Mysore Road, without their parents’ knowledge. But later the villagers came to know of it, which created a sensation. The villagers then held a compromise meeting between the families. At the meeting it was decided that the couple would stay separately for now, but will get married once Deepika becomes 18. Mahadevaiah, however, was not happy with this decision and decided to eliminate her. On Sunday, he pretended as if he was concerned about his daughter’s disappearance, but capitulated during police interrogation. The Magadi police said they have also arrested Aswath for marrying a minor. “We have registered a case against Aswath too,” an investigating officer said. Karnataka State Commission For Women president C Manjula and officials visited the village and directed the police to register a case against Aswath.Manjula told DNA that the girl’s family was upset after the marriage. The villagers tried to resolve the issue by convincing both the families to get the couple married again. They also organised a Tamoola exchange programme, but Aswath was absent. He also chided his parents for accepting Tamoola from Deepika’s parents. This had further frustrated the girl’s family, she said, calling the police to investigate into the issue.

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Etsy, the e-commerce platform for handmade goods, is acquiring music gear marketplace Reverb for $275 million in cash. The site, which sells new, used, and vintage musical instruments and accessories, will continue to operate as a standalone business. The two companies have a natural connection to each other, with Etsy CEO Josh Silverman describing Reverb “as the ‘Etsy’ of musical instruments.” Reverb CEO David Kalt also credited Etsy with giving him the confidence to launch his own marketplace. Kalt, a former guitar store owner, started the site in 2013 to create a place where musicians could buy and sell instruments from each other. Kalt will step down from the CEO position after the acquisition closes, which is expected in the third or fourth quarter of 2019. Etsy has made a similar acquisition in the past, buying French marketplace A Little Market in 2014, only to shut it down in 2017 amid Etsy’s layoffs and leadership changes. Since going public in 2015, Etsy’s most recent acquisition was in 2016 for Blackbird Technologies, an AI startup that developed algorithms to help with the site’s search functionalities.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The head of BART's Board of Directors on Wednesday denounced an attempt by the transit agency's chief spokesman to stock a news conference with riders critical of activists who have staged rush-hour protests in downtown San Francisco stations. The spokesman, Linton Johnson, sent an e-mail to BART colleagues hours before a planned protest Aug. 11 in which he outlined a strategy to win over public opinion by showcasing "loyal riders" at a news conference. The riders were to say that protesters were putting their safety at risk. Johnson planned for two sport utility vehicles to bring 10 to 15 riders to the news conference at the Powell Street Station in San Francisco, where they would read from scripts that the spokesman wrote. The scripted statement concluded, "We riders demand an immediate end to these illegal acts that make us late and put our lives at risk." The e-mail was first reported by the Bay Citizen online newspaper Tuesday. On Wednesday, board President Bob Franklin said that Johnson's plan had been unnecessary and that only one rider contacted by BART had actually appeared at the news conference. The Chronicle did not quote the man, and Franklin said other news outlets had not, either. "It was inappropriate for him, or anyone, to provide talking points to passengers," Franklin said of Johnson. "It wasn't genuine, and there was no need for it. BART doesn't have to do that." Although the SUVs were never used to shuttle riders to the news conference, renting the vehicles for four hours still cost BART $872, Franklin said. Johnson, a former TV news reporter, has been out on personal leave since Aug. 22. Attempts to reach him Wednesday were unsuccessful. More for you News Linton Johnson is no longer BART's spokesman Franklin said he was not aware of any other attempts by the BART spokesman to steer riders toward news cameras and coach them on what to say. "I think the intent was to show some context," Franklin said. "There were a couple dozen protesters and 350,000 riders. Some are not good in front of the camera, so I think he was trying to provide some focus. ... But it's not genuine, and we don't think it's a good idea." Johnson has been at the center of several controversies since the near-weekly protests began in July, following the fatal shooting of a 45-year-old transient, Charles Blair Hill, by a BART police officer. BART police say Hill was winding up to throw a knife at an officer at the Civic Center Station when the officer shot him. BART called the Aug. 11 news conference in reaction to a planned protest that did not happen. BART cut off wireless service in the downtown stations that evening to prevent activists from coordinating their movements, an idea that Johnson later said had been his. Free-speech activists denounced the action, and BART has not repeated it at subsequent protests. Franklin said Johnson had also erred when he defended the idea by declaring that riders' free-speech rights end at the fare gates. "I think at the time, Linton began taking some of this personally," Franklin said. "He made a series of errors in a limited amount of time." Franklin said Johnson's bosses would discuss the e-mail after the spokesman returns from his leave Monday. "We can have a proactive approach not to do this again," Franklin said - "acknowledging it and taking corrective steps, and moving on."

October 15, 2018 | 2 minutes read Komodo founder James Lee stated that its clients can choose to use VerusHash, a CPU-friendly algorithm, in their forked independent blockchains. Updated: October 16, 2018 Blockchain builders on the Komodo Platform can soon choose an “ASIC-resistant” and CPU-friendly algorithm to use on their networks. On messaging app Discord, founder and lead developer James Lee shared that the Komodo team is working on integrating the VerusHash algorithm as an additional option for businesses and projects creating their own native blockchains through the Komodo. Komodo, the network in which the cryptocurrency Komodo (KMD) is used, is a blockchain solutions provider that allows for the creation of a parallel blockchain called an assetchain. The network also lets startups to launch their own decentralized initial coin offerings (dICOs). Komodo is currently using the Equihash algorithm. VerusHash is a hash function that allows CPU miners to perform competitively with GPU and ASIC miners. The whitepaper explained that the algorithm provides a solution to the risk of centralization brought by large ASIC mining pools. Verus, a fork from Komodo, uses VerusHash. Lee—known online as jl777—stated that there is no timetable set for adding VerusHash as an option for assetchains. However, he expects the development to be finished this 2018. Dr. Gültekin Çetiner, editor for Turkish publication Protocol for Blockchain Communities, added that the inclusion of VerusHash would be discussed in a workshop held at Marmara University in Istanbul later this month. My friends! You need to understand significance of what Komodo leader #JL777 says here. Having CPU friendly VerusHash algorithm as an Option in Komodo means we could allow and see performances of both ASIC devices and CPUs running in a real competition, pic.twitter.com/OxBmlrgHt5 — MarmaraChain (@marmarachain) October 14, 2018 The release of ASIC miners compatible with Komodo could have spurred this development. Earlier this June, Chinese mining rig manufacturer Bitmain released the Antminer Z9 mini, the first miner capable of mining cryptos using then-ASIC-resistant Equihash. As a result, a number of networks using Equihash—Zcash (ZEC) and Bitcoin Gold (BTG), to name a few—tweaked their algorithms to avoid the risk of centralization brought by ASIC mining pools. Adding the option to use VerusHash could be one way for Komodo to offer its clients with an ASIC-resistant solution as an alternative to Equihash. As of October 15, KMD was trading at US$1.25 against the US dollar. The price increased by around 12 percent since last week’s US$1.12, and by more than 24 percent from US$1.01 a month before. Investors can trade this crypto for other digital coins and fiat currencies on several exchange platforms, including Binance, Upbit, Bittrex, and HitBTC, among others. | Related: Top 7 Crypto Exchanges Where Australians Can Buy Bitcoin Erratum: An earlier version mistakenly reported that the Komodo mainchain will move from Equihash to VerusHash. This has been since corrected.

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They were coming home from work one night, they made that sharp turn you make from Sheridan Road onto Eastlake Terrace. Boom, there it was: a large silver sphere, at the edge of the park, overlooking Lake Michigan. To be precise, it sat at the north end of the park, which is the northernmost park in Chicago, which also happens to be the northernmost point in the city. Surely, that location couldn’t be a coincidence? What did the orb know that the rest of us didn’t? Why was it there? Who was its leader?

Blink 182 have announced a deluxe edition of their latest album ‘California’, featuring new track ‘Parking Lot’. Check it out below. Due for release on 19 May, the new version of their acclaimed 2016 album ‘California‘ will come with 11 new tracks along with an acoustic version of the single ‘Bored To Death’, as well as the original album. “We just felt like making more music so we jumped back in the studio,” said drummer Travis Barker. “It started out as three or four songs but we ended up with 12 that we were all excited about.” The first of the new songs to be unveiled is ‘Parking Lot’ – an old-school Blink blast of pogo-friendly pop punk in which they nostalgically look back on time spent hanging out, ‘listening to The Smiths and The Violent Femmes’. https://play.spotify.com/track/503xVIOMfUp542pdZgHACb The album was their first recorded with Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba in place of former singer and guitarist Tom DeLonge – who recently spoke out about the potential of re-joining the band. “It’s not like I (permanently) walked away,” he said. “They have someone doing my job for me [new guitarist Matt Skiba]. It’s just that I’m so busy. If I wanted to, I could be back (in the band) in a period of days.” Meanwhile, Blink 182’s upcoming UK tour dates are below – with support from Frank Turner and the Front Bottoms. Tickets are on sale here. Monday 3 July CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena Tuesday 4 July NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena Wednesday 5 July LEEDS First Direct Arena Friday 7 July BIRMINGHAM Barclaycard Arena Sunday 9 July NEWCASTLE Metro Radio Arena Tuesday 11 July GLASGOW The SSE Hydro Wednesday 12 July ABERDEEN GE Oil & Gas Arena Friday 14 July MANCHESTER Arena Saturday 15 July LIVERPOOL Echo Arena Monday 17 July BOURNEMOUTH Int Center Wednesday 19 July LONDON The O2 Thursday 20 July LONDON The O2 Advertisement

Sunderland want to make a double Irish swoop to try and save themselves from relegation, by signing Norwich City's Robbie Brady and taking James McCarthy on loan from Everton. While Norwich are willing to sell Brady to whoever meets their £12m (€13.75m) valuation, Goodison Park sources say manager Ronald Koeman is now much more reluctant to let McCarthy go. The 26-year-old midfielder's future has been in doubt since the start of the season, with Irish manager Martin O'Neill saying in October he has to "fight like mad" for his first-team place, amid a public dispute with Koeman. It had been anticipated that McCarthy would move on this January, especially with Everton's £22m (€25m) signing of Morgan Schneiderlin from Manchester United, but it is understood the club now want to keep him. With Idrissa Gueye at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, and Tom Cleverley having gone on loan to Watford, the Dutch coach requires back-up in midfield and sees McCarthy as a more mobile option than 35-year-old Gareth Barry. On the other side, Celtic are so far one of the few clubs to express serious interest in the Glasgow-born midfielder beyond Sunderland, but they would not be able to come close to matching his wages. Sunderland are just the latest club to express interest in Brady, along with Burnley, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Aston Villa. Norwich manager Alex Neil made clear on Friday that he would be willing to sanction a sale so long as the club's valuation is met, meaning Brady could have his pick. David Moyes is understood to be keen to take Brady on, and feels he could be the difference-maker in Sunderland's battle for survival, but the fact they are still so far off safety makes the move that bit more unattractive. Brady must pick his club carefully, as there is a danger he could find himself in the same situation he was with Norwich City last summer, having just joined them in the Premier League only to then get relegated. Burnley, Palace and West Ham are in superior positions, and there is also more tentative interest from champions Leicester City, who monitored Brady in the summer. Aston Villa are with Norwich in the Championship, but the fact manager Steve Bruce has worked with Brady at Hull City could yet prove persuasive, not to mention the fact that the Birmingham club are willing to heavily invest to re-establish themselves as a Premier League club as quickly as possible. Sunday Indo Sport

– Jeg skulle heller spilt ball, men jeg begynner jo å bli gammel, humrer den tidligere Premier League-proffen Frank Strandli. Etter 36 mål på 90 kamper for Start fra 1989 til 1993, ble Frank Strandli solgt til den daværende Premier Leauge-klubben Leeds United i 1993. Han scoret i debuten mot Middlesbrough, men etter varierende innsats vendte han tilbake til norsk fotball året etter. Den tidligere angriperen opplevde stor suksess i Brann og Lillestrøm, før han igjen prøvde lykken i utlandet – denne gang hos greske Panathinaikos. Strandli spilte to sesonger i den greske toppdivisjonen og scoret totalt 18 mål. I 1999 skrev han under for danske Aalborg. Der ble det 24 mål på 53 kamper før en skade førte til at han måtte legge opp i 2001. Pizza og import av islandske varer Strandli fikk med seg 24 A-landslagskamper for Norge, og han scoret tre mål. Han spilte også 26 U21-landslagskamper og scoret 12 mål. De siste årene har 46-åringen først og fremst drevet med pizzabaking. – Jeg jobber og driver en franchise av pizzbakeren til daglig i Kristiansand. I tillegg driver jeg litt med eiendom og import av islandske varer og produkter. Jeg skulle heller spilt ball, men nå begynner jeg jo å bli en gammel mann, sier Frank Strandli til TV 2 Sporten. TIDLIGERE LANDSLAGSSTJERNE: Frank Strandli. Foto: Richardsen, Tor Strandli innrømmer at årene etter idrettskarrieren var over ikke var noe hyggelig. Det tok sin tid før den tidligere spisskjempen fant ut hva han ville gjøre etter karrieren på fotballbanen. – Jeg havnet i et vakuum Strandli sier at han havnet i et slags vakuum. – Utfordringen når du avslutter karrieren er egentlig at du går inn i et vakuum. Det gjorde i hvert fall jeg i noen år før jeg skjønte at jeg måtte gjøre noe annet. Som idrettsutøver er du vant til å være i rampelyset og få alt ordnet i kulissene. For meg var det derfor en merkelig følelse å legge opp, og som jeg sier, det ble rett og slett et vakuum. Jeg tok valget om å holde meg borte fra fotballen noen år etter jeg la opp, og til slutt fant ut at måtte gjøre noe annet, sier Strandli. – Hva trivdes du best med – livet som idrettsutøver eller det du gjør nå? – Helt klart livet som idrettsutøver. Det var fantastisk å bare stå opp og trene to timer, spille kamper og oppleve adrenalinet som fulgte med det å spille kamper og slåss om poeng. Dessuten var livet i garderoben noe helt eget og noe jeg savner. Som idrettsutøver er man utrolig privilegert, men livet som idrettsutøver er som kjent kort, poengterer han. Sluttet i 2. klasse på videregående skole – Hvilke råd har du til idrettsutøvere som driver i toppen nå for livet etter karrieren? – Jeg gamblet og hoppet av skolen i 2. klasse på videregående skole. Jeg var skolelei og satset alt på å bli fotballproff. Men hvor mange lykkes med det? Egentlig veldig få. Så det å få en utdannelse ved siden av idrettskarrieren er noe alle bør prøve å få til. Det er fullt mulig å drive toppidrett og samtidig ta en utdannelse. Det er noe jeg angrer på idag, at jeg ikke tok skole. Når man er 18 år så føler man seg vel udødelig og tenker ikke på fremtiden, men mitt tips til unge idrettsutøvere er å få seg en utdannelse, slår han fast.

Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian special forces participating in military training in southeast Niger, near the border with Nigeria, were ordered to withdraw recently to avoid battling with Boko Haram Islamists, the military said Thursday. The troops had been posted to the town of Diffa, where the government of Niger declared a state of emergency on February 11 following attacks in the region that borders Boko Haram's stronghold in northeast Nigeria. The Canadians are participating in US-sponsored counterterrorism training that started on February 16 and is due to wrap up on March 9. The annual program has 1,300 troops from 19 countries training militaries in five African countries in shooting, movement, communications, and mission planning. Dominique Tessier from Canada's defense department did not say how many Canadians were at risk of confrontation with Boko Haram, but noted in an email to AFP that "several members" were relocated from Diffa to other areas such as Agadez and Niamey in Niger and N'Djamena in Chad "due to security issues." "This was seen as a prudent measure given the current security situation in the region," Tessier said, adding the exercise continues. "Recent events in Niger involving Boko Haram do highlight training such as this to help collective efforts against violent extremist organizations." The Canadian special forces also stand ready to provide humanitarian or other assistance, should Ottawa decide to offer help, Tessier said.

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The deaths of two female students from Thailand, whose bodies were found in an apartment on Tuesday, has been ruled a murder-suicide, The Seattle Times reported Thursday. Kornkamol Leenavarat, 25, and her friend Thiti-orn Chotchuangsap, 32, were found dead in an apartment in Seattle’s University District on Tuesday after police responded to a call from a building manager around 9:30 a.m. The building managers had conducted a welfare check and “found a seriously injured woman inside,” a police statement said. When police arrived, both of the women were dead. The younger woman died from multiple stab wounds and her death was ruled a homicide, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office in Seattle said Thursday. Bangkok media reported that she had flown to the U.S. recently to attend the University of Washington. The medical examiner said the older woman died of a stab wound to the chest and that her death was ruled a suicide. Both women died on Saturday. Seattle Police said there are no outstanding suspects in the investigation. The younger woman is reportedly a member of a political family in Thanyaburi, a district located about 35 miles northeast of Bangkok. Both women were studying for a master’s degree in law, according to a statement from University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce. "This is a heartbreaking loss for their families, friends and our entire community. I offer condolences on behalf of our University to everyone who is grieving as a result of this tragedy," she said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Getty Images A bad start to the season for Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown is getting worse. The thumb injury McCown suffered in Thursday night’s loss in Atlanta is likely to force McCown to miss “several weeks,” a source told Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. That would mean Mike Glennon, the 2013 third-round pick who became the starter during his rookie year, will start. Glennon showed some promise during his rookie season, but the new regime in Tampa obviously didn’t think he was ready to start, because the Bucs gave McCown a two-year, $10 million contract this offseason to become the starter. Unfortunately, McCown hasn’t done much with the starting job: After throwing just one interception in 224 passes last season, McCown has thrown four interceptions in just 68 passes this season. Although Bucs coach Lovie Smith has insisted that McCown is the starter when healthy, Glennon will get an opportunity to show he deserves to keep the starting job.

Washington Wizards point guard John Wall doesn’t think he’ll be selected to compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with Team USA. Despite being named to the All-Star team in each of the past two seasons, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall doesn’t think he’ll make the final Team USA roster for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “I’ll be out of the picture,” Wall told CSN Washington with a laugh. Veteran point guard Chris Paul is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and will likely be joined on the roster by 2012 gold medalist Russell Westbrook. Kyrie Irving, who plays with Team USA star LeBron James for the Cavaliers and played for national team coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, likely stands to make the team as well. Reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry also sits above Wall in the point guard pecking order. • MORE NBA: SI's USA Basketball 2016 Dream Team | Minicamp takeaways “I’m just being honest,” Wall continued. “Chris Paul has already won one (Olympic gold medal) [sic]. Steph Curry had an amazing last year and just won the World Cup. Kyrie just won the World Cup. Russell will probably be on the team. They’ll use him as a two-guard.” Wall was one of 34 players (and six point guards) who attended last week’s Team USA minicamp in Las Vegas. Attendance at the camp was mandatory to be considered for a spot on the 12-man roster at the Olympics next summer. - Dan Gartland

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#accident #Tourbus on E 62 st & 5 ave a New York tour bus crash into a tree at Central Park. pic.twitter.com/8LVk6jOsi7 — Kevin Diaz (@Canis_Lupus86) July 21, 2016 [UPDATE BELOW] A tour bus crashed into a tree in Central Park on East 63rd Street and 5th Avenue this afternoon, leaving nine people injured according to the FDNY. Five people with minor injuries were taken to Lenox Hill Hospital, as well as four additional people with more serious but not life threatening injuries. One witness told DNAinfo that the bus "was cut off by a yellow cab and swerved to avoid hitting the vehicle before jumping the curb." The cause of the crash has not been officially determined or disclosed but we will update as we learn more. UPDATE: The NYPD affirmed the witnesses' account of the crash, telling us that tour bus driver was "traveling south along 5th Avenue between 62nd and 63rd Streets and then swerved to avoid a taxi." The location of the taxi is currently unknown. UPDATE 3:55 p.m.: An FDNY spokesman said that the injury count has risen to 13, with three of the injured people refusing medical attention.

Derechos de autor de la imagen Rhonda Hunter Photography Image caption Si bien las vacas saben nadar, su travesía de varios kilómetros está fuera de las habilidades conocidas de estos animales. Los dueños las daban por muertas tras el paso del huracán Dorian a principios de septiembre por la costa de Carolina del Norte, en Estados Unidos. Sin embargo, las tres vacas aparecieron vivas semanas después a varios kilómetros de distancia de donde convivían con su rebaño, en una zona rural de la isla de Cedar. La única explicación posible es que las vacas pastaban apaciblemente aquel 6 de septiembre cuando la marejada ocasionada por el fenómeno atmosférico las arrastró hacia el mar. Los animales habrían logrado nadar 8 kilómetros hasta el parque Cape Lookout Seashore, en los Outer Banks de Carolina del Norte, una cadena de islas separada del continente. Vacas marinas El vocero del parque BG Horvat explicó a un medio local que trabajadores del parque vieron a la primera vaca un mes después de la tormenta, mientras que las otras dos fueron descubiertas hace dos semanas. Horvat explicó que los animales tuvieron la suerte de no ser arrastradas al Atlántico, lo cual sucedió con varios caballos. Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images Image caption Isla Gran Ábaco en las Bahamas. El huracán Dorian afectó severamente el archipiélago, donde causó devastación en este paraíso turístico, ahora en reconstrucción. Estas vacas "sin duda, tienen una fascinante historia que contar", añadió. Las autoridades están planificando cómo devolverlas a su hogar. El huracán Dorian golpeó la costa este de Carolina del Norte a principios de septiembre como una tormenta categoría 1, lo cual provocó copiosa lluvias, vientos fuertes e inundaciones. Dorian llegó a Estados Unidos proveniente de Bahamas, donde dejó importantes pérdidas humanas y materiales. Ahora puedes recibir notificaciones de BBC News Mundo. Descarga nuestra app y actívalas para no perderte nuestro mejor contenido.

More Google employees are blowing the whistle about intimidation, discrimination, and dogma at the company following the firing of viewpoint diversity advocate James Damore. Breitbart News’ interview series, Rebels of Google, has revealed an atmosphere of profound fear at the company, in which employees who challenge Google’s hyper-progressive narratives face bullying and ostracization from co-workers, and frequently find themselves added to blacklists aimed at destroying peoples’ careers both inside and outside Google. Our last interviewee even described an incident in which someone was punched for expressing a contrary viewpoint. In our latest interview, current Google employee (alias “Gordon”) reveals more stories of intolerance and dogma at the company. He describes senior managers at Google being on the “verge of tears” following Trump’s election win, “cult-like” diversity training sessions, and an autistic employee who was fired after questioning the idea of gender as a spectrum. Every week, Google holds an end-of-week meeting with all its Mountain View employees called a “TGIF meeting” (Thank God It’s Friday). According to Gordon, the TGIF that followed Trump’s election victory was something to behold. “After the 2016 election, we had an entire TGIF dedicated to the election result, in which several of our top management gave emotional speeches as though the world was going to end, and seemed to be on the verge of tears.” says Gordon “It was embarrassing.” (our previous interviewee, Emmett, similarly described an “internal meltdown” at Google after Trump’s win) He recounts the story of an autistic Google employee who was fired shortly after questioning the idea, popular among progressives, that gender is a “spectrum” rather than a “binary” of male and female. “There used to be a Googler very high on the autism spectrum. At our TGIFs (weekly propaganda sessions) he would always take up time during the question period with long, strange, frustrating questions.” “This went on for months, and was always tolerated until one fateful LGBT-themed TGIF when he expressed skepticism about the gender “spectrum.” He was fired very shortly afterward.” Before publishing, we checked with our previous interviewee, Emmett, to see if he recalled the incident and could corroborate. He did. Gordon also recalls an incident in which an employee was sent to Human Resources for questioning the idea of special treatment for minorities. “On an internal list, there were people from certain minority groups presenting poor arguments demanding to be listened to because of their victimization.” “A coworker asked if any of them had been personally victimized, and if not, why they should receive special treatment. A few days later I found out he’d received a complaint from HR (they took it seriously).” According to Gordon, things took a turn for the worse when the Black Lives Matter ideology started to spread through the corporate culture. “One thing that’s unusual about Google is that it is fine to harshly and even unprofessionally criticize managers and other teams. Before we became politicized, this seemed liberating. Then, when Black Lives Matter hysteria hit its peak, sometime in 2015, it became taboo to criticize identity politics, and later on, it became very dangerous to criticize any member of a minority group at all (even if the criticism had nothing to do with their identity).” “The worst part isn’t the ‘diversity.'” says Gordon “It’s the “inclusion” – the banner under which they justify dangerous pseudosciences like unconscious bias and microaggressions, and try to make them company policy.” Ideological conformity at Google, says Gordon, is “far worse” than James Damore’s viewpoint diversity memo indicates. “Google is run like a religious cult. Conform and carry out the rituals, and you’ll be rewarded and praised; ask any uncomfortable questions or offend the wrong people, and the threats and public shaming will be swift and ruthless. The religion in this case is a kind of intersectional feminism, its central tenets are Diversity and Inclusion, its demonic enemy is Bias, and its purifying rituals include humiliating forms of “training” that resemble Maoist struggle sessions.” “This might sound crazy to a lot of your readers, but college students should understand, since it’s a similar culture.” According to Gordon, efforts to terrorize employees over identity politics come from both managers and rank-and-file Googlers. “The agitation ranges from very subtle (“it’s not OK,” “we cannot stand for this,” “these are shitty opinions”) to quite overt (“this is violently offensive,” “I will not tolerate,” “I could not in good conscience assign anyone to work with you”).” “I’ve seen around 20-30 managers agitating this way, each of whom is in charge of anywhere from a few dozen to over a thousand employees. There are some very high-level people who consider the progressive agenda to be more important than the success and mental health of their teams.” “I can’t categorically say that it goes up to “the very top”. However, as you now already know from James’s unceremoniously quick firing, the top brass are either sympathetic to or afraid of the mob.” Gordon says there’s only one way to fight back. “Tell the truth, even when the truth hurts. Especially when the truth hurts. Tell it to everyone who will listen and make sure they pass it on.” This interview is part of the “Rebels of Google” series. Read previous interviews here. You can follow Allum Bokhari on Twitter, Gab.ai and add him on Facebook. Email tips and suggestions to abokhari@breitbart.com.

We all love sweet rolls, soft and fluffy and packed full of flavour! The flavour combinations are unlimited with these lovely rolls I have already shared a few with you Sweet Pumpkin Rolls and Christmas Sweet Rolls and I have another one for you today! Banana Fudge Sweet Rolls 😀 Grab your FREE copy of 'The Little Boof of Easy Healthy Recipes' and sign up for new weekly recipes. All recipes are Vegetarian, many are Vegan & some are Gluten Free. For information on how we use your data please read our full Privacy Policy. Opt-In to emails Check your email for subscription details Filling I thought it was about time I stuffed some sweet rolls with my all time favourite flavour, banana! I love and adore it so much I have shared so many banana recipes with you already, Chocolate and Banana Loaf, Pumpkin and Banana Muffins, Banana Maple Cake with Salted Caramel Swirl, Rum Banana and Coffee Cupcakes, Banana Cake but to name a few. Sorry my banana obsession can be a little too much at times 😀 so I thought it was about time I mixed the two 🙂 But if that wasn’t enough for you, these lovely rolls are also packed full of creamy fudge. I am sure you can imagine how gorgeously gooey these rolls were 🙂 Cinnamon I also added a generous helping of cinnamon, as well as being a lovely companion to the banana I just couldn’t bring myself to make sweet rolls without adding cinnamon. After all, all these variations come from the classic and timeless cinnamon rolls. Breakfast Treat These beautiful sweet rolls make a lovely late breakfast treat for a lazy weekend, soft, sweet and sticky! Could you ask for more? But I have to be honest Michael (Mr. Bake Then Eat) and I ate them throughout the day and enjoyed them after lunch, for afternoon tea and also for dessert. As you can imagine these didn’t last very long in our house 😀 then again sweet rolls of any kind never do. Glaze I kept the glaze really simple for these rolls, I did try a fudge topping but on my second bake I just drizzled them with a little simple icing and I found that to be perfect, not too sweet but enough to give them a lovely sticky sweetness. Storage Like all bread based baked products these are best eaten on the day of baking but kept in an airtight tin will keep for up to 3 days. Recipe:

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O empresário de Mário Rui contou à TSF que o internacional português do Nápoles vê com bons olhos a hipótese de regressar ao Benfica. Mario Giuffredi adianta que não há contactos com os encarnados, mas não fecha a porta a negociações. "Neste momento não há contactos. Mas a ideia de regressar ao Benfica, uma equipa de primeiro nível, agrada muito ao jogador. Se durante o defeso houver alguma aproximação, o Mário Rui ficaria muito contente e disponível para regressar ao Benfica", disse à TSF o empresário italiano."Nos últimos dois anos jogou muito e fez dois campeonatos importantes. Ficou duas vezes em segundo na Serie A, jogou a Champions e há diversos clubes interessados, em Itália e no estrangeiro, mas sobretudo em Itália. No entanto, ele tem o sonho de regressar ao Benfica", acrescentou.A TSF falou também com João Alves, treinador que trabalhou com Mário Rui no Benfica. "Ofensivamente é muito bom, com muita raça, é um jogador reguila (no bom sentido), descomplexado. O Mário Rui não é muito alto, mas compensa isso com uma raça tremenda, e com um pé esquerdo maravilhoso. É um grande jogador", analisou o técnico."Tem feito a carreira dele a pulso: quando chegou a sénior foi dispensado pelo Benfica, embora os relatórios indicassem que tinha valor para poder vir a singrar. A carreira dele passou por outros lados e acabou por chegar à Seleção e tem feito um percurso brilhante. Neste momento é um jogador completo, a atacar e a defender é muito equilibrado", garantiu.Mário Rui, recorde-se, foi convocado por Fernando Santos para a final-four da Liga das Nações.

WASHINGTON — In the legislative blueprint that Republicans hope will serve as a roadmap to winning control of the House, they declared their two highest priorities to be creating jobs and stopping “out-of-control spending” by the federal government. “To create jobs, we need to end the uncertainty for job creators and the spending spree in Washington,” the House Republican leader, John A. Boehner of Ohio, said on Thursday at a hardware store in Sterling, Va., where the party unveiled its agenda. The approach Mr. Boehner set out is based on a belief that smaller government, lower taxes and less regulation will fuel economic growth, create jobs and ultimately lead to a more prosperous nation. It deviated little from the tenets of mainstream conservatism over the last generation. But even conservative-leaning budget and policy analysts said that the Republican blueprint, as drafted, would lead to bigger, not smaller, deficits and that it did not contain the concrete, politically difficult steps needed to alter the nation’s fiscal trajectory.

400 Mal hat das Chemische Untersuchungsamt in Karlsruhe ganz genau nachgemessen und Thermometer in frisch aufgebrühten Kaffee gesteckt. Überall dort, wo Verbraucher ihn Tag für Tag zu sich nehmen: "Das waren typische Cafés, alle bekannten Kaffeeketten, Bäckereien und sonstige Stellen. Denken Sie an den Hauptbahnhof, wo man sich schnell noch einen Kaffee mitnimmt. All dieses haben wir gemessen. Auch alle Maschinentypen. Es gibt ja Vollautomaten oder Siebträgermaschinen. Und im Haushalt gibt's verschiedene Typen: Filtermaschinen, Padmaschinen - all das haben wir berücksichtigt." Über die Ergebnisse der Messungen berichtete Projektleiter Dirk Lachenmeier jetzt in Würzburg auf dem Deutschen Lebensmittelchemikertag. Demnach ist Kaffee im Durchschnitt 75 Grad heiß, wenn er frisch aus der Maschine kommt. "Unsere Messungen wurden grundsätzlich als Serviertemperatur durchgeführt, das heißt: Wenn ich den Kaffee wie der normale Kunde auf dem Tisch stehen hatte oder auf dem Tresen, wenn es eben Selbstbedienung ist, dann habe ich die Messungen durchgeführt. Wenn ich den dann unmittelbar trinke, kann ich davon ausgehen, dass ich ihn dann auch mit der gemessenen Temperatur verzehre, das heißt mit den 75 Grad im Durchschnitt. Die höchsten Werte waren auch über 80 Grad oder sogar 90 Grad in Einzelfällen." Zu heißer Kaffee erhöht das Risiko einer Speiseröhrenkrebs-Erkrankung Kaffee wird also viel zu heiß serviert. Denn wer ihn ohne Umschweife so trinkt, hat ein erhöhtes Risiko, an Speiseröhrenkrebs zu erkranken. Das hat die Weltgesundheitsorganisation WHO im vergangenen Jahr noch einmal bekräftigt. Demnach ist der Genuss von Heißgetränken schon dann mit einem Krebsrisiko verbunden, wenn die Trinktemperatur 65 Grad übersteigt: "Das ist aus Südamerika bekannt oder auch aus dem Iran. Das sind Länder, wo Getränke nochmal deutlich heißer konsumiert werden als hier. Man vermutet, dass das eine ständige Reizung des Gewebes ist, so entzündliche Prozesse. Man verbrennt sich einfach und schädigt das Gewebe. Vielleicht erleichtert man dadurch auch den Eintritt für andere Stoffe, denen man ständig ausgesetzt ist, die dann das Gewebe, das eh schon vorgeschädigt ist, eher angreifen können." Wenn Kaffee bei uns im Schnitt mit 75 Grad Celsius serviert wird, wie die neuen Messungen zeigen, dann bewegen sich auch deutsche Verbraucher im roten Bereich. Doch wie sollen sie wissen, wann ihr Getränk nur noch 65 Grad hat und damit bedenkenlos genießbar ist? Wie lange der Kaffee heiß bleibe, hänge von verschiedenen Dingen ab, erläutert Lebensmittelchemiker Lachenmeier: "War die Porzellantasse vorgewärmt oder nicht? Das macht schon 'mal einen Unterschied. Gebe ich kalte Milch rein oder warme Milch wie beim Cappuccino? Oder nehme ich einen sogenannten To-go-Becher, der isolierend ist? Da hält sich die Temperatur teilweise bis zu 20 Minuten oder noch länger in diesem sehr heißen Bereich." Lieber warten als direkt trinken Also besser weder das Gefäß noch die Milch vorwärmen! Wer seinen Kaffee schwarz trinkt, sollte die Tasse nach dem Servieren erst einmal fünf bis zehn Minuten lang nicht anrühren. So lange dauere es in etwa, bis die Trinktemperatur von 75 auf 65 Grad gefallen sei, sagen die Analytiker. Der Leiter des Karlsruher Untersuchungsamtes, Stephan Walch, möchte aber auch die Hersteller mit ins Boot holen: "Die Empfehlung ist jetzt sicherlich, dass man sich mit dieser Studie oder mit diesen Daten an die Industrie wendet und generell anregt, darüber nachzudenken, vielleicht die Temperatur bei den Geräten runterzuregulieren." Das haben die Karlsruher Lebensmittelchemiker jetzt auch in einer Branchenzeitschrift der Gastronomie angeregt. Eine Reaktion darauf steht noch aus. Dirk Lachenmeier ist derweil selbst aktiv geworden und trinkt seinen Kaffee inzwischen nicht mehr so heiß wie vorher. Zumal dann auch das Aroma besser zur Geltung komme, der Kaffeegenuss also eigentlich größer sei: "Ich persönlich habe 'mal in meinen Vollautomaten geschaut, und da kann man tatsächlich die Temperatur einstellen. Das weiß kaum jemand. Das ist fast bei jedem Vollautomaten möglich. Und ich habe meinen jetzt auf die geringste Temperatur eingestellt."

There’s a full slate of mid-week La Liga fixtures this week–two matches today and the rest of La Liga playing tomorrow. One of today’s matches has Barcelona hosting Granada. It shouldn’t really be much of a contest–Barcelona hasn’t lost at home all season. Perhaps the only reason to watch is that there’s a good chance Lionel Messi will pull even with or even surpass César as Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer. But it’s also a chance to take a look at Granada’s unique arrangement with Italian club Udinese. Granada essentially serves as a development squad for Udinese, with a large number of Granada’s squad over the past few years arriving on loan from Udinese. From AFootballReport piece on how this came about: In 2009, Granada CF was a club in crisis, both competitively and financially. The club was on the brink of disappearing, despite a rich 80 year history. Gino Pozzo saw a money-making opportunity that would double as a way to develop Udinese talent, and in July 2009, the two clubs signed a partnership agreement so the majority of Granada’s squad would become Udinese-owned, while the Italian club could also send over its reserves and youngsters. So what are the benefits for Gino Pozzo and Udinese Calcio? Well, the strategy is to use the exposure Granada gets in the Spanish league to showcase Udinese-owned talent that will, in turn, gain value in the transfer market. With Pozzo’s commitment to investing, Granada only seems likely to improve in the future. And Pozzo’s “buy cheap, gain exposure, sell high” philosophy is already working. Just imagine the possibilities for profit if Granada gets into the top flight in Spain. The agreement came about via a Spanish football wheeler and dealer named Quique Pina, who took over as Granada’s president in 2009, in that time of crisis. Although he had operated in Spain, he happened to be working for an Italian club at the time. From a Sid Lowe SI column about Granada from last fall: Pina was a former player (with Mérida), agent, and the owner of the short-lived Ciudad de Murcia — a club that was founded in 1999 and disappeared in 2007 when Pina effectively sold its Second Division place to the owner of Granada 74, which in turn, disappeared in 2009. At the time, Pena was working for Udinese in Italy. When Pina was asked to take over at Granada, the Pozzo family who own Udinese, allowed him to combine both jobs with their blessing. In fact, they supported Pina — and they supported his “other” new club. Really supported. How did the Pozzo family and Udinese support Pina’s new venture in the south of Spain? By essentially providing him with the fruits of their extensive and much-admired scouting system. From a column in The Independent last summer, when Alexis Sanchez was the biggest transfer target in Europe, headlined “Super Sanchez is the latest big success story of little Udinese’s scouting system“: Udine is a city of 100,000 in the misty terrain between Venice and the Alps. With crowds at the Stadio Friuli typically no more than 17,000, annual gate receipts are equivalent to those trousered by Manchester United after a single match at Old Trafford. According to the erudite football blog, Swiss Ramble, Udinese’s 2009-10 wage bill of €31m compared with €230m and €172m at Internazionale and Milan respectively. Only the club’s ageless talisman, Di Natale, has an annual salary exceeding €1m; Sanchez himself has apparently been taking home around €700,000. Internazionale, Milan and Juventus, meanwhile, all enjoyed annual revenues of over €200m. At €41m, Udinese did not match a single Premier League club. Income from television accounted for €26m; Internazionale’s was €138m. […] When Giampaolo Pozzo bought Udinese, 25 years ago, the club was still prey to the maddening, odious debilities that have so retarded the Italian game. A betting scandal earned a points deduction, and relegation. But Pozzo devised a solution that has now secured 16 consecutive seasons in Serie A, and regular European competition. Udinese built up a network of 50 scouts around the world, concentrated primarily in South America and Africa. They focused especially on youngsters from second-tier nations, and duly found Sanchez as a 16-year-old in Chile. He cost just €2m, but his sale this summer will merely consummate a policy that has already yielded a transfer surplus of €112m over the past decade. Stars to have used Udinese as a stepping stone include David Pizarro, Asamoah Gyan, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Sulley Muntari, Andrea Dossena, Fabio Quagliarella and Gaetano D’Agostino. Unlike so many clubs with a reputation for grooming young talent, however, Udinese have consolidated their status to the extent that they can now provide Champions League football themselves. Indeed, although Udinese fell to Arsenal in the qualifying stage and failed to make it to the Champions League group stage, they’ve remarkably repeated their domestic success of last season and are poised to get another shot at European competition. They current sit 4th in Serie A, tied with Napoli (and that only thanks to two late goals last Sunday by Edinson Cavani that salvaged a draw for Napoli in Udine)–despite selling off not only Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona, but Swiss-Turkish midfielder Gökhan Inler to Napoli and Colombian defender Cristian Zapata to Villareal. Swiss Ramble’s long piece on “Udinese Selling Their Way to the Top“, also from last summer following their impressive performance in Serie A, mentions the Granada component of their business plan: Udinese have bolstered their strategy by forming a partnership with Granada, a club playing in the Spanish second division, where they loan youngsters that need playing time, such as the Ghanaian Jonathan Mensah. Given the Friuli club’s connections with the South American market, it is no coincidence that they opted for a club in a Spanish speaking country to park their players. In total, Granada currently have an amazing 14 players on loan from Udinese. In fact, one of the logical results of Udinese’s approach is that they end up having an extremely large squad, so they absolutely need to loan out a vast number of players every season (earning them €3.6 million in 2010). Including the players at Granada, I make the current total 63, though I may well have lost count. This is the sort of “wheeler dealing” that makes Harry Redknapp look like a rank amateur. That was last season, as Granada fought their way to promotion out of Segunda Division (a fuller account of that promotion, and in fact the story of their promotion from even lower tiers of Spanish football, can be found on yet another treatment of the Pozzo-Pina/Udinese-Granada story, titled “Granada’s Italian job“, on In Bed With Maradona. Another account from the Spanish press, in Madrid-based sports daily AS is headlined “Pina y Pozzo: un tándem para reflotar equipos en crisis“) This season, the number of players on Granada’s current squad (included below) on loan from Udinese is apparently down to five. But there are six additional players on loan from other clubs, including three from Benfica, another club that Pina has strong ties with. Again from Sid Lowe: In total, 12 of Granada’s first team squad [last season] were Udinese players. It was good for the Italians because their squad members got playing time, the chance to develop and gain first team experience, while keeping them in the shop window for potential buyers; it was good for Granada because it helped them clinch a top division place at last — and on the cheap. The relationship has continued. Of those in this year’s squad, Allan Nyom, Odion Ighalo, Jaime Romero, Benítez, Geijo and Diego Mainz are all on loan from Udinese in one capacity or another. Guilherme Siqueira has been signed from them. Meanwhile Pena’s relationship with Benfica has facilitated them bringing in four others from Portugal, three on loan and one on a free transfer. And at the other end of the scale, nine players have been loaned out to Cádiz. Where Pena is employed as the sporting director. For the details, see Granada’s squad list below. But to bring this back around to today’s match, we quote the opener to that IBWM piece for a nice bit of historical resonance: October 28th 1973; quite the memorable date in Spanish football history. A young, straggly but immensely gifted Dutchman by the name of Johan Cruyff made his league debut for FC Barcelona, and the effect he’d have on football from that point on, not just in Spain, is one that still shapes the game today. This story, however, is not about the number 14 – it’s about the number 35. Barça’s opponents that day were Granada CF, a team who have spent 35 years away from the Spanish top flight…until now. Granada’s squad list as of today (according to Wikipedia):

Image 1 of 6 Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin) (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 2 of 6 Nathan Haas (Cannondale-Garmin) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 3 of 6 Omar Fraile (Caja Rural) leads the mountains classification (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 4 of 6 Steven Cummings wins stage 14 of the 2015 Tour de France. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 5 of 6 Daniel Teklehaimanot and MTN-Qhubeka were a feel good story at the Tour de France in 2015 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 6 of 6 Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka) gives a post-race interview Dimension Data have announced the signing of Nathan Haas and Omar Fraile for the 2016 season. The pair will join Mark Cavendish, Mark Renshaw and Bernhard Eisel who were confirmed as joining the team on Tuesday. Fraile, 25, moves over to the team from Spanish Pro Continental outfit Caja Rural, after a hugely successful Vuelta a Espana that saw him take the mountains classification. He also took the mountains competition at the Vuelta al País Vasco and claimed victories at the Four Days of Dunkirk and the Giro dell'Appennino. The team were quick to spot his potential at the Vuelta and had him contracted before the race had reached its third week. "I am very excited to get the chance to ride for such a well-established and international team. I have had a great year and I only can thank my current team, Yet, for my development as a rider I feel like it's time to move on. This team will help me stepping up," Fraile said in a team statement. For Haas, Dimension Data will be only his second professional team after turning professional with Jonathan Vaughters' Garmin team in 2012. The Australian has victories at the Tour of Britain and the Herald Sun Tour to his name. He's ridden multiple Grand Tours and made his Tour de France debut this season, however he abandoned on stage 17 just after the rest day. He'll be reuniting with his former teammate Tyler Farrar, who has renewed his contract with the team. "I'm incredibly excited to join the team because I feel it on the most inherent level represents the true Global and Worldwide reach that professional cycling is moving in," said Haas. "The team has shown to be a team that races – and truly races, not rides – at every event they participate in, and they do so with their hearts and pride on their sleeves." "I'm proud of the opportunity to get to be a part of this team, and hopefully create opportunities for my teammates and myself that further demonstrate that racing from the hearts can win the hearts of the world. And to be back with Tyler, what can I say, he's one of my best friends in the sport and I've missed racing with him. So to be back together is just huge! He's a great captain and moral booster for any team so we are all lucky to be riding with him." The team also announced a raft of extensions including Eritreans Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus, who had been linked with a move away from the team. South African champion Jacques Janse van Rensburg and sprinter Reinardt Janse van Rensburg will remain with the team as will Edvald Boasson Hagen, Steve Cummings, Farrar and Serge Pauwels. All three have played key roles for the team with Cummings earning the South African outfits first Grand Tour stage win at the Tour de France, while Boasson Hagen has enjoyed some late season success by winning the Tour of Britain. Click here to subscribe to the Cyclingnews podcast on iTunes.

Ace in the Hole? Is Obama’s Strategy on Iran Sound? While other items on President Obama’s foreign policy agenda have come and gone, his drive to coming to some kind of agreement with Iran over nuclear weapons has been remarkably consistent. But has the White House carefully considered the strategic consequences of “success”?