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Church Where AC/DC Fimed "Let There Be Rock" Video Sold The church in AC/DC's music video for their song "Let There Be Rock" recently sold for some big money. Kirk Church in Sydney, Australia, is where the band filmed it back in 1977, but it wasn't exactly a church. According to Blabbermouth, it was owned by dominatrix Gretel Pinniger, who bought it for $205,000 in 1986. It was also reportedly the site of some pretty wild parties. Earlier this month, the church was sold for just shy of $4 million USD. Photo: Getty Images Sponsored Content Sponsored Content

https://997thefox.iheart.com/featured/tyson/content/2022-11-21-church-where-acdc-fimed-let-there-be-rock-video-sold/

Saudi Arabia & UK Sign Military Cooperation Deal Saudi Arabia and Britain have signed a framework deal on military and security cooperation. According to Saudi state media the deal was signed as British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon discussed military cooperation with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmanon. The move comes just two days after Gulf rival Qatar signed a deal with the British government to buy typhoon jet fighters. last year, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain would invest over three billion pounds in defense in the Gulf Arab states over the next decade. The Telegraph reports: The agreement came after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed security ties with visiting British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, the Saudi Press

Agency said without disclosing details of the agreement. “During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations particularly the mechanism… joint coordination in the field of defense. They also discussed… efforts to combat terrorism,” SPA said. The agreement comes as Britain seeks to explore lucrative trade deals outside Europe, including energy-rich Gulf monarchies, after voting to leave the European Union. Qatar on Sunday signed an agreement to buy 24 Typhoon fighter jets from Britain, a second major defence deal signed by Doha during its prolonged diplomatic dispute with its neighbours. Regional kingpin Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran.

https://newspunch.com/saudi-arabia-uk-sign-military-cooperation-deal/

January 11 - Cargolux has appointed Gerard Ter Bruggen as its new regional director for west and north Europe, covering Benelux, the UK, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. With 35 years of experience in the aviation industry, Ter Bruggen joins Cargolux from Qatar Airways where he held the role of cargo manager for north and western Europe. He has also previously served at Martinair, Pan American World Airways, Dragonair Cargo and Cargo B Airlines. Ter Bruggen will be based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

https://www.heavyliftpfi.com/business/ter-bruggen-soars-into-cargolux/10394.article

Supreme Court seems split on DC sniper Lee Boyd Malvo's potential resentencing The U.S. Supreme Court seemed split Wednesday on whether to grant Lee Boyd Malvo, one half of the "D.C. sniper" duo who terrorized the nation nearly two decades ago, a new sentencing hearing. Lawyers for Malvo argued before the highest court to reconsider Malvo's life sentence without the possibility of parole, given the fact that he was a minor when he committed the crimes. Malvo, alongside mastermind John Allen Muhammad, killed 10 people and injured three others during a three-week rampage in October 2002. The seemingly random shootings gripped the D.C. region and the world. The pair eventually was arrested near Frederick, Md., and prosecuted in Virginia in 2003. Capital punishment at the time was still

an option for juveniles in the state. Muhammad was executed in 2009. Malvo, a Jamaican-born 17-year-old at the time, was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole. At issue for the Supreme Court: whether Malvo, now 34, should be resentenced in Virginia in light of a pair of recent Supreme Court rulings restricting life-without-parole sentences for crimes committed by juveniles. Justice Elena Kagan, on the court’s liberal wing, said the high court’s previous rulings on the subject should be understood broadly, and that courts were bound to give serious consideration to the notion that "youth matters" in determining a juvenile’s sentence. "You have to consider youth in making these sorts of sentencing determinations," said Kagan, referring to a 2012 precedent in a case known as Miller v. Alabama, which directed what trial judges had to consider when sentencing criminal underage offenders. "How much youth matters and how a judge or a jury, whoever the sentencer is, has to take that youth into account. That's the lesson of Miller." Malvo attorney Danielle Spinelli told the justices, "Virginia is not doing anything to comply with Miller." On the other side, conservative Justice Samuel Alito suggested the court should simply apply the wording from its earlier case, which banned only mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles. Because Virginia’s Supreme Court already ruled that Malvo’s trial judge had discretion to lower Malvo's sentence, he would not be entitled to any relief under the court's previous ruling. He also questioned whether Malvo's alleged "immaturity" because of his age meant he should be considered for possible freedom in the future. "I thought that was the test that you're saying that the court has to apply, whether it is a child who committed the crimes because of transient immaturity," he asked Spinelli. "So, if he can demonstrate, as a result of good behavior in prison, for example, that he has been rehabilitated, then he must be released?" The closely watched case could also be an opportunity for the Supreme Court, after the appointments of conservative justices under President Trump, to put the brakes on what has been a gradual move toward more leniency for juvenile offenders. Regardless of the case's outcome, Malvo isn't going to be walking the streets anytime soon. He's serving four life sentences in Virginia and was sentenced to another six life-without-parole terms for shootings in Maryland. Youth advocates generally have signaled approval with the direction of the Supreme Court on juvenile sentencing in recent years. The court frequently has recognized that minors should be treated differently than adults, citing their lack of maturity and greater ability to change. In 2005, the court eliminated the death penalty for offenders who were under 18 when they committed crimes. In 2012, the justices said teenage killers couldn't automatically get life sentences with no chance of parole, explaining such a punishment should be rare for minors. Four years later, the court made the decision retroactive, giving additional prisoners hope. The justices' 2012 and 2016 rulings provided opportunities for inmates such as Malvo to go back to

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dc-sniper-lee-boyd-malvo-supreme-court-split-potential-resentencing

The Swiss bank Ersparniskasse Schaffhausen AG (EKS) finds an agreement wit the US under the US Tax Program announces the DoJ, EKS (DoJ). The institution will pay a $2.066m penalty to avoid prosecution and signs a Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA). From the NPA we learn that the bank opened accounts after 2009 and had 90 accounts amounting to over $65m at its peak. The bank is part of the US Tax Program under Category 2.

http://www.ustaxprogram.com/swiss-bank-ersparniskasse-schaffhausen-ag-will-pay-a-2m-penalty-to-avoid-prosecution-under-a-us-tax-program/

This Milwaukee 3-year-old has impaired vision. But she's helping her mom see that her future is bright. Eleanna Rivas suffers from vision loss. Her mom talks about how scary that can be, and how they move forward. Elenna Rivas' impaired vision presents challenges. But they are challenges this Milwaukee 3-year-old girl takes head on and with a positive attitude. C.T. Kruger/Now News Group Share This Story "I'm a mom. And I would love my child no matter what," said Milwaukee mom Anna Rivas. She was talking about her 3-year-old daughter, Eleanna, who is vision impaired. Eleanna was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, a congenital condition that means her optic nerves are underdeveloped. Rivas said Eleanna has about one-eighth the vision that people with normally developed eyes have. She

has to hold things close to her eyes to see them, and her focal point is off center, which means she has to work on how to position her head in a way that allows her to see the best she can. Of course, Eleanna's disability doesn't change Rivas' feelings toward her daughter. But it's hard for her to see how other people react to her, and how they will in the future. "Right now, she doesn't really notice that she's different, but when she gets older, I know it's going to hurt me to hear her tell me how people ask her questions about her disability," Rivas said. "I don't want her to feel like she's different. It's hard having a child with a disability because you don't just have to adapt everything to their needs. "You also have to be prepared for what the world is going to throw at them and how they're going to handle that. It's not even that people look at her in a bad way, but I don't want her to feel like everyone's staring at her." At the moment, though, Eleanna's personality easily dispels any prejudice people might feel toward her. Of course, people notice that she hesitates as she walks and needs to hold things closer than usual to see them, but once Eleanna starts talking to them, they forget everything except how delightful she is. Rivas described Eleanna as happy, smart and very friendly. "She draws everyone in to them," Rivas said of her daughter. "She just says, 'hi,' 'hi,' 'hi,' to whoever she meets. She has a huge personality, and she's so bubbly and so silly. She loves to talk and make jokes." Rivas said it's hard not to get pulled in by Eleanna's giggle — even at 3 in the morning. "Lately, she's been waking up in the middle of the night. She tells me, 'I've gotta tell you something.' And when I ask her what she needs to tell me, she says, 'Why did the chicken cross the road?' and laughs." Show Thumbnails Show Captions Living with Eleanna Rivas and Eleanna live with Anna's mom, Mary Ann Garcia, and the two women have done their research to accommodate Eleanna's needs in their home. They give the little girl cups with straws to drink from because she can't see well enough to gauge how much she has to tip the cup. They've set up a stool outfitted with pillows and blankets in front of the TV so Eleanna can get close enough to see. They've learned that lights and bright colors help Eleanna to see better, and the house is filled with both. There's a cardboard fort decorated with Christmas lights and light-up stickers that Eleanna loves to play in. Garcia said that for every holiday, she sets up large 3-D decorations down the hallway from Eleanna's bedroom into the kitchen. "When she wakes up in the morning, she comes down the hallway and reaches out to feel the decorations first," Garcia said. "She gets so excited about it as

https://www.jsonline.com/story/life/wisconsin-family/2018/07/16/milwaukee-mom-adapts-vision-impaired-daughters-needs/766007002/?from=new-cookie

Federal Politics License article Coalition moves to lift Qantas foreign ownership restrictions Qantas could be freed from foreign ownership restrictions under plans being drafted by the federal government, Transport Minister Warren Truss says. The struggling airline is expected to announce a large half-yearly loss on Thursday and plans to cut thousands of jobs. Mr Truss said on Tuesday the government was drafting laws that would allow changes to the Qantas Sale Act which stop the airline from being majority foreign-owned. The announcement came as Prime Minister Tony Abbott told the Coalition party room the federal government would no longer be the "ATM of last resort" for struggling Australian businesses. Mr Abbott told colleagues that it took courage for government to knock back requests for assistance from iconic Australian

businesses, as it has recently done with SPC Ardmona and Holden, but "if you say yes, you will have a queue a mile long". Qantas refused to confirm reports on Tuesday the airline could axe 5000 jobs and sell its terminal at Melbourne Airport to show the federal government it is willing to make tough changes to its business practices in exchange for federal funding but acknowledged that the company would make ''tough decisions" to achieve $2 billion in cost savings over the next three years. Mr Truss said the Sale Act had distorted the market and inhibited the airline's ability to grow. ''We are working on legislation to achieve that. Fairfax Media reported two weeks ago that Treasurer Joe Hockey was prepared to throw a lifeline to Qantas in the form of a government backed debt guarantee, which would give the airline access to cheaper finance. Labor and the Greens have both vowed to oppose changes to the Act, with six Labor MPs speaking out against the plan in the Labor caucus meeting on Tuesday. One Liberal MP spoke against changes to the Act, arguing that Qantas was already an "8800 pound gorilla" in the domestic air market and would become a "Godzilla" if changes to the Act went through. If the government pushes ahead with plans to change the Act, it may also struggle to secure the numbers for changes when the new Senate sits from July 1 this year. Follow us on Twitter

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/coalition-moves-to-lift-qantas-foreign-ownership-restrictions-20140225-33epo.html

A crowd of angry protesters on Tuesday staged an agitation against alleged vandalism in a temple in the Jammu. The city was clouded with tension after a youth reportedly entered Aap Shambu temple in Janipura neighbourhood and broke the protective glass in front of the idols inside, The Indian Express reported. The suspect, Yasir Alfaz of Doda district’s Shiva village, was arrested. He also allegedly misbehaved with women while they were performing aarti at the temple. According to police, Alfaz was of "unsound mind". He vandalised the temple following reports that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr-al-Baghdadi was killed in an airstrike in Syria, sources told The Indian Express. CCTV footage of the temple’s desecration went viral on social media platforms, which worsened communal tension in the area. Protesters

attacked a police station in the city and set vehicles on fire on Tuesday night. They gathered outside the police station, when Alfaz’s brother Tanvir was taken into protective custody.

https://scroll.in/latest/809968/protests-in-jammu-after-youth-of-unsound-mind-desecrates-temple

Gorakhpur (UP): A Samajwadi Party worker was shot dead by unidentified assailants at his residence in Sahabganj area of the district, police said on Tuesday. 45-year-old Merajul Hasan, who was also a Nagar Nigam contractor, was fired upon by some men last evening while he was talking on his mobile phone in the verandah of his residence, the police said. Hasan was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. Latest News from Uttar Pradesh News Desk

http://post.jagran.com/samajwadi-party-worker-shot-dead-by-unidentified-assailants-in-gorakhpur-1343718289

The online Muslim community has made a habit out of creating hilarious memes and tweets based on its religion, and truth be told, the jokes simply never get old. If you follow Muslim social media users, you have probably stumbled upon their famous halal pickup lines, in which Muslims add a halal twist to their attempts at flirting. This time around, and with Ramadan right around the corner, Muslims are taking their pickup lines to a whole new level, entertaining the interwebs with lines inspired by the holy month. It all began with this tweet The Twitter user followed up with another tweet, writing, "Btw it was a joke don't use 'Ramadan pick up lines' FEAR ALLAH. [sic]" Still, people couldn't help but pitch their favorite Ramadan-themed pickup

lines: When a flirt has some oh-so-noble intentions The struggle to keep it halal is REAL Who said romance is dead? Nope, it's alive and well Promises, promises Naturally, there were plenty of "date" references Crush and iftar: So close, yet so far away Halal flirting at its finest Bonus: If you can't relate to the above, you're not alone! Not everyone was a fan of the thread During the month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during fasting hours. Muslims are also encouraged to focus on their religious duties during the holy month and to steer away from acts that are impermissible or frowned upon in Islam.

https://stepfeed.com/people-are-getting-ready-for-ramadan-with-halal-pickup-lines-4385?fbclid=IwAR1wyiKzxYxGx0xCQoy8MDN-BwjWPpAUXkctnCnF3SEDvTuI0czHPYgnzU0

1040 WHO Radio News License Plate Holders Can Prompt Traffic Stops A piece of metal or plastic surrounding your license plate could lead to you being stopped by police. A divided Iowa Supreme Court Friday ruled police have the right to pull you over if your license plate holder is coving up the name of the county on the bottom of the plate. A majority of the court said it was ok for police to pull over Craig Harrison of davenport for that reason. He was later convicted of drug trafficking . The court ruled a holder that covers up the county name is a violation of state law and therefore police can stop a vehicle. But Justices Daryl Hecht and Brent Appel opposed the decision saying the

section of Iowa law in question says nothing about the name of the county They added because of the majority ruling, Iowans had better get to their garage and make sure the holder does not obscure the county name or else they could be pulled over for no other reason. More Articles

http://m.whoradio.com/articles/1040-who-radio-news-121648/license-plate-holders-can-prompt-traffic-12312408/

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit bid to block Albany's plans to evict homeless residents from the Albany Bulb. U.S. District Court Judge Charles R. Breyer issued his ruling shortly after a 55-minute hearing on the request at the federal courthouse in San Francisco. Albany Housing Advocates and 10 residents of the Bulb sued Nov. 13, seeking a restraining order and jury trial. "The court, having thoroughly reviewed the papers and declarations, and having considered the arguments made at hearing, finds that plaintiffs have failed to establish likelihood of success on the merits," Breyer wrote in his ruling denying the restraining order request. Attorney Maureen Sheehy argued for the plaintiffs that the city's plan to house 30 of the estimated 60 residents of

the Bulb in a temporary shelter to be located nearby violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because several of the Bulb's residents suffer from physical and mental disabilities. Those disabilities would preclude housing them in the temporary structure. Breyer questioned Sheehy's assertion that the city had violated the disabilities law. The city, represented by outside counsel Toussaint Bailey, argued that the ADA does not apply in this case, and that even if it did, it would not be triggered until the disabled individuals made a specific request for accommodations. The suit also claims that the city's plans to evict the homeless violated the Eighth Amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment. Breyer was dismissive of that claim during the hearing. Bailey also argued that the plaintiffs did not meet the federal standard of being likely to suffer irreparable harm if the city evicted them from the Bulb. Breyer was sharp in his questioning of Bailey, noting that whether the plaintiffs had a legal right to occupy the Bulb was a separate legal question from whether they would suffer harm if they were evicted. The city's supporting documents included one from the state water board that said the encampments are a health risk. The city also asserted that as long as there are no beds available in city shelters -- including the temporary one to be set up at the waterfront -- nobody will be cited. A hearing on the actual case has not been scheduled. Undaunted, several supporters of the Bulb residents appeared at the Albany City Council meeting later Monday night, interrupting the meeting with a call and response chant before marching to the Bulb, where they camped overnight. "Residents of the Bulb have proposed their own alternatives, but they have been rejected," the protesters chanted. "Again and again you have ignored us. ... We do not intend to let this community and art center be destroyed." The Bulb is owned by Albany and scheduled to be turned over to the East Bay Regional Park District as part of the McLaughlin Eastshore State Park. The city is responsible for cleaning up the park before the transfer. In May, the City Council voted to begin enforcing the city's anti-camping ordinance starting in October. However, to this point, no action has been taken to evict the homeless population. The city also has allocated more than $500,000 to create the temporary shelter and to find permanent housing for the homeless.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_24554721/judge-declines-block-planned-eviction-homeless-from-albany

Woman Forged Ex-Husband's Signature to Get IVF Treatments, Now Demands Child Support A German man never intended for his ex-wife to have his children once they were divorced, but thanks to the miracle of modern science, and a little forgery, she was able to conceive without his help. The woman had fertility treatments, twice, forging her ex-husband's signature. Now, she has won a battle in court and the man has been ordered to pay child support. The man, known only as Karl, was married to the woman, known as Inge, for several years. For privacy reasons, German courts do not release the surnames of individuals involved in legal battles. About five years ago, when still married, Karl and Inge had her eggs fertilized with his sperm and had

the eggs frozen at a local clinic. They had hoped to have children later in life, but the marriage ended in divorce. Inge, now 42 years old, decided after the divorce that she wanted a baby. She went to the fertility clinic and had the eggs she and Karl had preserved implanted in her womb. She had the IVF treatments twice, and both times she forged her ex-husband's signature. Karl never consented for the eggs to be used after the divorce. A baby was the result of the IVF treatment, and now Inge took Karl to court, demanding child support from the 37-year-old father. Karl argued that he did not want the child, and that after he and his wife split up, he revoked his permission that would let her use the fertilized eggs. Because he is the biological father, a regional court in Munich disagreed. They ordered the man to pay support, even if he did not consent to the procedures that produced the child. Karl argued that the clinic that gave his wife the IVF treatments without checking with him should be forced to pay financial support for the child. The court ruled, however, that the clinic had no reason to believe the signatures were forged. Furthermore, they felt that when Karl called them after the marriage had ended to revoke his consent for use of the fertilized eggs, he was not clear enough. A growing movement in Western nations question whether men should be forced to support children that they never wanted in the first place. The idea sprang up in 1998, when Brown University sociology professor Frances K. Goldscheider proposed that in the early stages of pregnancy, a man should be able to opt for a 'financial abortion'. This would effectively eliminate any and all responsibilities and privileges when it comes to the child in question. Even some modern feminists, who staunchly argue that it's a woman's right to choose whether to have a baby or not is hers alone, are starting to embrace that men should also have a right to choose whether or not to be a parent. Men, as the argument goes, should also have reproductive autonomy. At this time, no country in the world gives men any kind of out of being responsible for unwanted children. The choice to have the child, if given at all, is given to the woman. Karl's case is unusual in that he is being bound by these same laws, even though he withdrew consent for his sperm to be involved before the child was even conceived. Because the decision was made by the court's malpractice section, it's not legally binding. At this point, Karl has not indicated whether or not he plans to appeal the ruling. Source: DW Photos: Pixabay, Pexels, Reddit Tell Us What You Think More News Stories A couple in Utah were very excited about their pregnancy, but during a routine ultrasound things took a turn for the worst. They were told their... The disturbing wave of mass shootings across the US continues, with the

http://www.allthatsnews.com/articles/society/woman-forged-ex-husbands-signature-get-ivf-treatments-now-demands-child-support

Auto Dealer Groups Escalate Battle Against Tesla Stores Page 2 Follow Richard Tesla's retail store concept Tesla's retail store concept Enlarge Photo As we reported earlier this week, Tesla now faces lawsuits in four states, and as the company's network of showrooms expands, we'd expect to see a few more dealer networks calling up their armies of legal experts. Ahead of the curve Tesla and Musk surely understand that they're pushing the boundaries of what's acceptable in these showrooms. After all, being audacious is part of their M.O. But unlike today's attention-starved pop stars, Tesla isn't just pushing boundaries for the sake of being edgy. They're exploring new ways of communicating with customers, and in doing so, they seem to be part of a larger trend of soft-sells

and conversations, rather than old-school, stereotypical car sales techniques. Think of social networking, think of Facebook and Pinterest and Instagram. This is how a growing number of us get our information and how we communicate with friends, "friends", businesses, and brands. Successful marketers on social networks aren't the ones who shout offers at potential customers, Mad Men-style; they're the ones who share information, engage consumers, give the public a sense of what they're about, let shoppers peek behind the green curtain. That, in essence, is what Tesla is doing. Its showrooms are more like information hubs than traditional car lots -- that's why they're located in malls. The company's front-line workers are like Apple Geniuses, answering questions and explaining what makes Tesla different from its competitors. Basically, Tesla has reimagined the auto shopping experience, removing the two things that customers hate most: haggling and buying. Creating a space for the public to window shop for cars, without pressure from sales personnel? That's pretty smart. In fact, it's so smart that Audi recently riffed on the idea with its new Digital City showroom in London. Will Audi run into the same legal problems as Tesla? We'll know soon: the company plans to add another 19 of its showrooms over the next three years. Our take There's little question that Tesla's showrooms are skating on thin ice when it comes to legal issues. The real question is: are state franchise laws outdated? Are the laws that Tesla is flouting in need of revision? And just as importantly, will Tesla's soft-sell sway shoppers? Let us know your thoughts on Tesla's unique techniques in the comments below. Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Us Commenting is closed for this article Take Us With You! Get FREE Dealer Quotes From dealers near you Find Green Cars

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1079729_auto-dealer-groups-escalate-battle-against-tesla-stores/page-2

Shut out for the first time all year, Tigers fall 3-0 to Sosa and the Mets Justin Rogers | By Justin Rogers | Follow on Twitter on June 09, 2007 at 1:39 PM, updated June 12, 2007 at 1:39 PM DETROIT - You kept waiting. They kept waiting. Chad Durbin kept waiting. Waiting for the home runs, the triples, the big innings. The Gary Sheffield rockets. The Magglio Ordonez RBIs. The Curtis Granderson triples. Something. Anything. Nothing? "As a pitcher on this team, every time you get back in the dugout, you're thinking we'll put up a five- or a six-spot," said Durbin, the unlucky guy who got the loss on the night when Detroit Tigers finally didn't score. The Tigers, who hadn't been shut out since Game

3 of the World Series, were shut out Friday. They were beaten 3-0 by a New York Mets right-hander named Jorge Sosa, a 29-year-old who has been pretty good this year but still owns just a 33-41 career record. This is a guy who was 3-11 last year, a guy who finished 2006 with St. Louis but was left off the postseason roster. This is the guy who finally shuts down the Tigers? The guy who allows just four hits in eight scoreless innings, and turns it over to closer Billy Wagner? "He did just enough," Granderson said. "There was nothing really overpowering. I'm not sure what it was. But he was doing something to miss the barrel of the bat." For the most part, he was throwing sliders. Sliders inside. Sliders outside. Mix in a few fastballs and a very few changeups, and you have eight shutout innings against the hottest team baseball has to offer. "He pitched exactly like what our reports said," manager Jim Leyland said. "But he's really good." He must be, to shut down this offense - no matter what that career record says. It's worth pointing out that Durbin also looked really good on Friday. He needed just 79 pitches to finish eight innings, and became just the second Tiger starter this year to throw a pitch in the ninth. But Durbin allowed a fourth-inning home run to David Wright, and a seventh-inning homer to Carlos Delgado. Meanwhile, the Tigers had nothing. Not really nothing, but nothing that resembled a run. They never even got a runner to third base. Granderson led off the first with a single, but shortstop Jose Reyes made a nice play to keep Ordonez from a two-out run-scoring single. Granderson led off the third inning with a long fly ball that for a while looked like yet another triple, but Mets right fielder Carlos Gomez ran it down. "Not that many outfielders would have caught it," Leyland said. The Tigers grumbled some about home-plate umpire Marty Foster's generous strike zone, but mostly they agreed with their manager that Sosa was doing something right. Then again, so was Durbin. "He was tremendous," Leyland said. "His effort was more than enough to win. I think he's figured out that it's all right to pitch his way." Pitching his way, Durbin allowed three runs in eight innings-plus. Pitching his way, Sosa gave up none. So the Tigers lost, just the second time since mid-April that they lost a game where they allowed fewer than four runs. And the first time all year they lost a game where they scored fewer than one. Hey, it happens. Even when you least expect it.

http://blog.mlive.com/tigers/2007/06/shut_out_for_the_first_time_al.html

IBM and Microsoft Will Let You Roll Your Own Blockchain They call it the Hyperledger. And it can be yours. Paul Taylor/Getty Images They call it the Hyperledger. And it can be yours. In late December, several big-name companies from across both the tech and financial industries---including IBM, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and the London Stock Exchange---unveiled a new open source software project based on the blockchain, the global online ledger that underpins the bitcoin digital currency. The project aims to build blockchain-like software that can more efficiently, reliably, and openly track the exchange of financial assets, including stocks, bonds, futures, houses, and car titles. And considering the names involved---particularly the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or DTCC, which oversees Wall Street's stock settlement system---it's an enormously significant

undertaking. Unlike the blockchain itself, the Hyperledger software isn't battle-tested. In fact, it's still being built. But on Tuesday, IBM unveiled a new cloud computing service that lets anyone kick the proverbial tires on this fledgling technology. "Anyone who signs up can use it," says Arvind Krishna, the IBM Research director who is perhaps the man most responsible for the creation of the Hyperledger project, explains that although you'll have to pay to spin up the software on a large number of IBM cloud machines, the service is free for use on a few computers. Last year, researchers under Krishna began building an alternative to the blockchain. And after Krishna and others helped bootstrap the Hyperledger project---which operates under the aegis of the not-for-profit Linux Foundation---IBM donated its code to this open source effort. Others have donated additional code, but it appears that IBM's contribution will serve as the foundation of the project. With its new cloud service, IBM aims to give businesses and developers a means of testing and, eventually, deploying this blockchain-like software for real-world tasks. Using cryptographic algorithms running across a vast network of independent machines, the blockchain can potentially oversee the exchange of any digital asset. With bitcoin, the blockchain oversees the exchange of currency. But it could also bring a new level of efficiency and transparency to the stock market. That's why the DTCC's involvement is so important, since it provides the system that ultimately transfers stock ownership from one shareholder to another. Overcoming Inertia As with other blockchain advocates, IBM sees the open online ledger as a transparent way to track and trade ownership of houses, cars, and so many other assets. Microsoft is another tech giant that's also getting behind the idea with its own cloud service based on the blockchain concept. In the fall, Microsoft unveiled a service that revolves around a blockchain alternative called Ethereum, and it plans on building a similar service using yet another alternative called Ripple. Microsoft claims that developers can start using the software in less than 20 minutes. But these cloud services represent just a small part of the blockchain movement. Nasdaq OMX, the company that oversees the Nasdaq stock exchange, is building a private stock market service based on the blockchain, while online retailer has received SEC approval to offer public stock on the blockchain via a service it calls TØ. For Marley Gray, who oversees Microsoft's blockchain work, this movement is a way to completely reinvent how financial markets operate. "[Bitcoin] proved that this thing works---that it scales, that it's secure," he says. It's true---so true that even the big Wall Street players are embracing this idea. But it's an open question how far they'll take the blockchain, considering that it could overturn their businesses. The DTCC drives stock settlement, for instance; if taken to its logical extreme, the blockchain could replace the DTCC. Plus, such organizations will be slowed by good old industry inertia. DTCC chief technical architect (Robert Palatnick calls the idea of the whole industry using a single system to oversee the stock

https://www.wired.com/2016/02/ibm-and-microsoft-will-let-you-roll-your-own-blockchain/

PHS girls tennis: Ella Skinkis Philomath's Ella Skinkis and her No. 1 doubles partner Lindsay Schell took a 6-4, 6-3 win Tuesday at North Marion. The Philomath High School girls tennis team put in a dominating performance Tuesday with an 8-0 victory at North Marion. The Warriors didn't lose a single set in their victory Philomath improves to 4-0 overall and opens league play at 1-0. Among the closer matches was a No. 2 singles win by Maddie Melton over her opponent, 7-5, 6-4. The No. 1 doubles match was somewhat close with Lindsay Schell and Ella Skinkis winning 6-4, 6-3. Selah Carlisle (6-1, 6-2), Madison Francis (6-2, 6-4) and Emma Nelson (6-3, 6-2) all won in singles matches. Other doubles winners were Amelia Skinkis and Claire Skinkis

(6-1, 6-0), Atira Fairbanks and Chloe Jurva (6-1, 6-0) and Kena Bacho and K Bacho (6-2, 6-2). Philomath's girls are scheduled to play Thursday at Cascade. The boys' match scheduled for Tuesday at home against North Marion was called off because of rain. It has been tentatively rescheduled for Friday. The boys are also slated to host Cascade Thursday. Both of those matches will be played at Ashbrook Independent School, weather permitting. Philomath 8, North Marion 0 Tuesday at Aurora No. 1: Selah Carlisle, PHS, def. Kailee Jones, 6-1, 6-2 No. 2: Maddie Melton, PHS, def. Makayla Cha, 7-5, 6-4 No. 3: Madison Francis, PHS, def. Carissa Jones, 6-2, 6-4 No. 4: Emma Nelson, PHS, def. Marrissa Berkey, 6-3, 6-2 No. 1: Lindsay Schell/Ella Skinkis, PHS, def. Emilee Cha/America Perez, 6-4, 6-3 No. 2: Amelia Skinkis/Claire Skinkis, PHS, def. Odalis Bedolla/Leslyee Garibay, 6-1, 6-0 No. 3: Atira Fairbanks/Chloe Jurva, PHS, def. Desi Diaz/Jackey Meza, 6-1, 6-0 No. 4: Kena Bacho/K Bacho, PHS, def. Sophie Davenport/Hailey Gatlin, 6-2, 6-2 Subscribe to Breaking News

https://www.gazettetimes.com/community/philomathexpress/sports/philomath-girls-sweep-north-marion-in-tennis/article_de477cbc-4991-5821-b322-a8ad51798151.html

Many glad that gay marriage bill behind them National Organization for Marriage biggest loser Perhaps the biggest loser in last Tuesday's historic passage of a gay marriage bill in Springfield was the National Organization for Marriage. The group, based in Washington, D.C., has been at the forefront of attempts to stop gay marriage in states throughout the country. A Maine investigation uncovered alleged internal NOM documents about the group's strategy that included this passage: The organization tried all that in Illinois, spending tens of thousands of dollars on politically connected consultants and robocalls into black districts in the spring, summer, and right up until the day of the vote, and holding media-friendly events in the black community. The bill wasn't called for a vote last spring mainly because

black House members were overwhelmed by fervent local opposition. In the end, NOM lost badly. Fourteen of 20 Democratic members of the House Black Caucus voted "yes" on the gay marriage bill, while just four voted "no" (Monique Davis, Mary Flowers, Eddie Lee Jackson and Chuck Jefferson) and two voted "present" (Rita Mayfield and Derrick Smith). Ironically enough, though, other than gay marriage supporters, those who probably cheered the loudest after the bill's passage may have been the four Republican gubernatorial candidates. They've been hoping this issue would be safely put away, allowing them to move on to their own agendas. They may be right. These things do tend to fade away once a bill is passed. The big talk last week in the U.S. Congress was about a bill to prohibit employment discrimination against gay people. Illinois has had that law on its books for years. Despite much screaming by opponents that the end of the word was surely near, everybody just accepted the law and moved on without incident. But people don't always move on. Social conservatives could try to stir up a backlash by demanding that the Republican candidates pledge to repeal the marriage measure. Three of the four candidates are on record opposing gay marriage. The fourth, Bruce Rauner, said he would sign a gay marriage bill into law only if the public had first voted to approve it via a non-binding referendum. It obviously wasn't done that way, so he could be forced to answer some touchy questions. State Rep. Tom Cross, a Republican candidate for state treasurer, is undoubtedly hoping that the issue fades quickly, at least in the run-up to the spring primary. Cross voted "yes," even though a spokesman had recently told the Sun-Times that he opposed the bill. But it's been known for weeks that Cross was truly struggling with the issue, both on philosophical and political levels. Cross has a Republican primary opponent, the socially conservative DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan. Grogan hasn't been much of a campaigner to date, raising little money and garnering few major supporters. But he says he's not interested in Cross' vote. Some anti-gay marriage forces are, though, and that could cause him problems. The immediate fear among Cross' allies is that his gay marriage vote could spark more interest among, and money from, the far right to defeat him. Cross has done a good job so far of rounding up traditional GOP supporters, however, so the calculation was that the vote won't be fatal in the primary. Last week's vote will, however, take an issue away from Cross' Democratic rival, state Sen. Michael Frerichs. Cross clearly took the long view, and that could come with significant benefits, including campaign contributions from gay marriage supporters and the ability to paint himself as a moderate and "modern" Republican in the general election. And speaking of Republicans, unlike in the Senate, where the lone Republican "yes" vote was more symbolic than essential to the outcome, the three House Republicans who voted for the bill last week helped provide the

http://www.saukvalley.com/2013/11/11/many-glad-that-gay-marriage-bill-behind-them/cojyt35/?__xsl=/print.xsl

Can you tell them apart? Left is the childhood picture of actress Ko Hyun Jung and right is a picture of Moon Geun Young. This picture is inspired by Nanunnk who thought the actress in Name The Drama 4 was Moon Geun Young. It's an understandable mistake. They look strikingly similar.

https://www.dramafever.com/news/celebrity-look-alike/

Two years after Rush performed what may well have been their final concert, bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson are reportedly considering teaming up under a new name. As reported by Cygnus-X1, this news comes from radio host Eddie Trunk, who gave a surprisingly expansive and tantalizing answer to a fan question about the legendary trio's future. After immediately eliminating any chance of drummer Neil Peart participating -- "I've heard that he doesn't even have drums in his house anymore," he said -- Trunk revealed that “Geddy told me he is actually reinvigorated. He told me at the time he made some changes to his diet, which helped his voice, and [that] he had a ton of energy, and he wanted to make music and continue in

some way.” Trunk went on to describe Lifeson, who has admitted that he's been dealing with tendinitis and arthritis in recent years, as "somewhere in the middle" about the idea of teaming up with Lee. However, he said “there has been talk about a band called LeeLifeson, which would be the two of them going out and doing stuff together." While again cautioning that all this is something he's only "heard rumors about," Trunk was quick to assure fans that Lee and Lifeson “would never call it Rush. Those guys are too classy. They would never do that. They would call it potentially LeeLifeson, maybe play some Rush tunes and make new music, because they want to continue to create new music as well.” UPDATE 8/26: Trunk has walked back his original comments, saying on Facebook that he was merely speculating and had nothing he said came from either Rush or its management. You can read it in full below. 24 Potential Collaborators for Rush's Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson

https://koolfmabilene.com/geddy-lee-alex-lifeson-new-band/

Aaron Sorkin’s HBO Series Gets New Title? The Newsroom. That is the official title of Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming HBO drama series, once known as More As This Story Develops. The new title made its debut in HBO’s just- released end-of-year trailer (video below), which highlights the network’s 2011 series and movies as well the upcoming attractions for 2012, including The Newsroom, represented by several frames, the first footage from the show to be released by HBO. Sorkin’s series has been without a title for the past couple of months though speculation about Newsroom being the top choice surfaced early this month following a post on TVNewser. At the time, the title had not been cleared. Its variation, The Newsroom, was confirmed by HBO as the official title today.

The Newsroom stars Jeff Daniels as the anchor of a primetime program on a cable news network; Emily Mortimer as his new executive producer; Alison Pill, John Gallagher Jr, Olivia Munn, Dev Patel and Thomas Sadoski as newsroom staffers; and Sam Waterston as the network’s president. They were joined recently by Jane Fonda, who signed on for a recurring role as the CEO of the network’s parent company.

http://deadline.com/2011/12/aaron-sokins-new-hbo-series-gets-title-the-newsroom-207592/

Remember back when Evan Turner had "cursed" the Pacers? People were hinting that the Sixers trade that sent him to Indiana was also somehow responsible for the team's sputtering. That is, of course, ridiculous. Yahoo! Sports explains that the "cursing" Evan Turner does is at one of his teammates, after a fight. Apparently, the conflict had been building for weeks, and was bound to happen sooner or later, it's just... the day before a playoff game isn't perfect timing. Stephenson isn't the most delightful player - ejections, threats, and moping are all in his repertoire - and his prickly demeanor likely didn't improve matters in the Pacers locker room as the team faltered and stumbled the past few weeks. But clearly, Turner is no stranger to the occasional

fisticuffs. He seems to be even a connoisseur. Just drove past a cat fight. Wasn't bad

https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/sports/sixers/Evan-Turner-warms-up-for-Pacers-playoff-game-with-fight-at-practice.html

clock menu more-arrow no yes Filed under: New York Red Bulls thrive under formation change A convincing 5-1 win has shown the true reward of a new formation for Marsch and the Red Bulls MLS: San Jose Earthquakes at New York Red Bulls Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports The New York Red Bulls are finally catching a good run of form. A convincing 5-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes was met with jubilation and praise for a new formation. The 3-6-1 the Red Bulls now deploy has been a big part of the four match winning streak by New York, and it seems to be all the rage in the team. Sean Davis, scorer of the opening goal in Wednesday’s win over the Quakes, said, “It’s a

formation that puts a lot of guys in a position to succeed, and I'm definitely one of those guys.” Not only is Davis allowed to roam freely in his new role, but he is also allowed to get forward more due to Felipe playing in a more defensive position. This lets Davis show his true ability in the final third and what ultimately helped him grab his first goal of the season. Despite not making a new signing yet, most Red Bulls fans felt like they got a new player when midfielder Sacha Kljestan returned to his old form. Grabbing a goal and two assists, Kljestan completely bossed the game and looked much like he did for a majority of last year. Commenting on the formation and why it has worked, Kljestan said, “It’s nice having a little more help, being able to build out of the midfield…if i come deep to get the ball, we have two other attacking mids that can float and move around as well.” The pressure to always be the creator has been slightly lifted off the shoulders of Kljestan, who did lead the league in assists the previous year. This allows him to not feel the need to force a pass every time he has the ball at his feet. He can play more relaxed and even play a one-two if needed, allowing him to open up more space for others to create or run in behind. Head coach Jesse Marsch clearly liked the formation, sticking with it for the past four matches. One of the main things he focused on was the versatility it allowed the squad. “So there's still, when I say flexibility, there is flexibility. We're putting guys in positions to plug in their strengths and I think we can do that by rotating a lot of different things.” Staying flexible is a huge part of any coaching job, but at the Red Bulls especially. Players like Kljestan and recently Kemar Lawrence could be called to their respective national teams and injuries are always a concern. Being able to slot in a number of different players at certain positions makes Marsch’s life a lot easier during team selection. He is able to confidently fill gaps in his squad and not have to worry about a player under performing or being in an unfamiliar position. As any coach would say, though, Marsch added, “But, you know, I think it was very good, and we're moving in the right direction. But I still believe there is plenty of room for improvement.” Always looking to add, remove or just alter an aspect of the team is something that puts Marsch and other coaches in the league on top. Knowing that one thing they did against San Jose might not work against Minnesota could mean the difference between an embarrassing loss and a decisive win. Going into the match against Minnesota United, Marsch knows that no match in MLS is to be taken for granted. “So, Minnesota's still not been easy to beat at home in the

https://www.onceametro.com/2017/7/22/16007258/new-york-red-bulls-hail-and-thrive-under-formation-change-veron-royer-felipe

Babies Begin Learning Language In The Womb; Remember Words After Birth baby learning Babies learn to recognize words while still in their mothers' wombs. Creative Commons For many pregnant mothers who play music or speak to their unborn child, a kick might be the only confirmation that the child heard anything at all. But according to a new study, an unborn child does indeed hear everything, including people’s voices, which allows them to begin learning words and remembering them once they’re born. “If you put your hand over your mouth and speak, that’s very similar to the situation the fetus is in,” Eino Partanen, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Helsinki, told Science Magazine. “You can hear the rhythm of speech, rhythm of music, and so on.”

For fetuses, whose ability to hear develops around the last trimester of pregnancy, this means that their developing brains can begin to pick up sounds from the outside world. "Tatata" vs. "Tatota" From their 29th week of pregnancy, 17 mothers were given a recording of a woman repeating the word “tatata” hundreds of times. Sometimes the word would also change to “tatota,” a so-called pseudoword “that is important for research. It has three syllables, and we chose such a long word to make it challenging for the small brains to find the changes and give them something difficult to learn,” Mina Huotilainen, co-author of the study, told HealthDay. “Such a word could exist in Finnish. It follows all the rules of Finnish language.” The mothers were told to play the recordings five to seven times a week, said in various ways and at different pitches. Overall, the babies had heard the words more than 25,000 times by the time of their birth. The babies were subjected to electroencephalograms (EEG), which were able to test their memories for word recognition through electrodes attached to their head. Those who remembered words showed a stronger response through the scans, compared to 16 babies who acted as controls. What’s more, responses were even stronger when their brains remembered “tatota” — also called a mismatch response, according to ScienceNews. Partanen says that adults also had similar neural reactions when they’re learning a new language. “The fact that learning from frequently presented sounds occurs while infants are still in the womb means that language learning does not begin on day one at the moment of birth, but while the infant listens to sounds in utero. It’s really quite amazing that the fetal brain has that capacity,” Patricia Kuhl, director of the University of Washington’s National Science Foundation Science of Learning Center, told HealthDay. She was not involved with the study. Unborn Babies Learning Vowels The findings build on previous research, that found that babies were able to hear vowels while in the womb, and remember them after they were born. For the study, babies listened to vowel sounds in their native language (either Swedish or English) and then in the other, foreign language. The researchers tested for recognition by using a pacifier hooked up to a computer. When babies heard sounds they weren’t familiar with, they became interested in the new sounds and tended to suck on the pacifiers more. This study and others, however, relied heavily on babies’ behaviors rather than their neural reactions. “The better we know how the fetus’ brain works, the more we’ll know [about] early development of language,” Partanen told NBC. “If we know better how language develops very early, we may one day be able to develop very early interventions [for babies with abnormal development].” Source: Partanen E, Kujala T, Huotilainen M, et al. Learning-induced neural plasticity of speech processing before birth. PNAS. 2013. Join the Discussion

https://www.medicaldaily.com/babies-begin-learning-language-womb-remember-words-after-birth-254441

Lamar's seasoned pass-rushing duo loves nothing more than driving an offensive player into the ground. Seniors Jesse Dickson and Mark Murrill, better known as "salt and pepper" for their sack celebration that mimics shaking a salt or pepper shaker, have been stalwarts on the Cardinals defense since the program was resurrected five years ago. In four seasons together, the duo has combined to record 20 sacks and 57.5 tackles for a loss. With seven games in the books, "Salt" Dickson leads the team with 9.5 tackles for a loss and five sacks, while "Pepper" Murrill is second with 8.5 tackles for a loss. "It is such a boost for me to get a sack," said Dickson, who has been invited to play in the FCS Senior Scout Bowl

in South Carolina. "The feeling when you get a sack is like nothing else. All that energy comes out of you. It's hard to put into words." "I have to get on the quarterback quick," said Murrill, known for his scraggly beard. "Because if I don't, Jesse will jump on the pile and get himself half a sack." With Dickson and Murrill on the line, the Cardinals defense has been especially impressive this season. Lamar (3-4, 0-2) enters Saturday's game at Southeastern Louisiana (5-2, 2-0) ranked No. 1 in team defense and No. 3 in scoring defense in the Southland Conference. "They are the bell bulls of our team," said Lamar defensive coordinator Bill Bradley. "The best thing about them two is that they are smart football players and their motor runs all the time and they play our technique and do what we ask them to do. We couldn't have two better book ends." That ranking and praise from their coach would make most players beam with pride, but not these two. "It is bittersweet," said Murrill. "Yes, we are happy when we do a good job, but it's just not enough. As good as we have played the past two weeks, we are still not doing enough to win as a team and as a defense. There is always something we can better at." "They scored on us to win the game last week," said Dickson, referring to Lamar's 26-24 loss to No. 20 ranked Central Arkansas last week. "That means we have to do better." A contributing factor that has helped the duo, who watch hours of tape on such NFL legendary pass rushers as Deacon Jones and John Randle, is the competition between themselves. "If I can't get to the quarterback, then Mark is going to find a way," said Dickson. "After he gets a sack that makes me want to get another one even more." According to Murrill, they also complement each other because of their different personalities. Dickson is known for being more friendly and a bit of a jokester, while Murrill is known for being more in-your-face, especially when it comes to leadership. "We complement each other well and motivate each other," said Murrill. "He's everybody's friend and is very encouraging. I am a little more aggressive and not as friendly." In the past five years, Dickson and Murrill have helped Lamar become a more competitive program but that alone does not satisfy the duo's hunger. "At the end of the season, I want to look back at a winning record," said Dickson. "No one remembers guys who fought hard but still lost. This is our senior year and something has to change."" "Just being competitive is not what we want," said Murrill. "We want to win."

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/lamar/article/Twice-the-spice-Lamar-s-Salt-and-Pepper-duo-4924078.php

Accessibility links Pope Says Self-Defense Against Terrorism is Legimate - 2001-12-12 In a message issued this week Tuesday, Pope John Paul II has spoken out about the right to combat terrorism. He said self-defense against acts of terror is legitimate, but warned against expanding the fight against entire nations, ethnic groups or religions. The pope's message, intended for World Peace Day on January 1, focussed on what he described as "the new level of violence introduced by organized terrorism." The pope said terrorism is "born in hatred," flourishes in poverty, isolation, and fanaticism and leads to a "tragic spiral of violence that involves each new generation." But he made clear that "the injustice that exists in the world can never be used as an excuse to justify terrorist

attacks," and added that "terrorism's pretext that it acts in the name of poverty is clearly false." He condemned the September 11 attacks in the United States as a "horrendous massacre." The fight against terrorism is legitimate, the pope continued, but it must follow moral and legal rules in the choice of objectives and means. Pope John Paul said, "The guilty must be correctly identified, since criminal culpability is always personal and cannot be extended to the nation, ethnic group or religion to which the terrorists may belong." Of utmost importance in the fight against terrorism, the pope added, is international cooperation along with political and economic steps to relieve oppression. "Recruiting terrorists is easier," he said, "in a social context in which rights are violated and injustices tolerated over a long period of time." The pope's message was released Tuesday, exactly three months after the September 11 attacks against the United States. As is traditional, it will be sent by Vatican embassies around the world to heads of state, government, and international organizations. In the 16-page document, the pope also sharply condemned terrorism in the name of God or religion. "It is a profanation of religion," he said, "to declare oneself a terrorist in the name of God."

https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-a-2001-12-12-29-pope-66417052/550054.html

News America's Carlucci Admits He's a "Godfather" Fan; Denies Unannounced Price Rises Last Updated Jun 22, 2009 11:54 AM EDT News America Marketing CEO Paul Carlucci talked about his interest in the mafia in a video deposition at a Michigan State court trial in which his company is accused of anticompetitive practices. The court also heard about a memo in which Carlucci discussed raising prices without telling clients to see how much money the company could collect before anyone noticed. The testimony was entered by lawyers for Valassis, a rival newspaper coupon provider, who claim that News America priced it out of the business. Valassis has been attempting to demonstrate to the jury that Carlucci regards himself as a mob-like enforcer in the world of coupons and supermarket

advertising (BNET's coverage of the trial is several days old due to this.) At the beginning of Carlucci's testimony, he admitted showing a scene from the movie The Untouchables at a sales meeting. That scene is believed to be the one in which Al Capone beats someone to death with a baseball bat. Next, a Valassis lawyer demonstrated that Carlucci's memory is somewhat faulty as to whether he refers to News America owner Rupert Murdoch as the the "Capo di Tuto Capo," a mafia reference meaning boss of all bosses. Initially, Carlucci testified that "I don't recall" using the term to describe Murdoch. But later he admitted using the term in a speech: Question: Now, on the next page of your speech, 3923, you again make a reference to "Capo di Tuto Capo of all secret agents." Do you see that? Answer: Yes, I do. Question: And you are leading into a fairly long and actually quite a good joke. Answer: Thank you. Question: But the -- why do you choose again to use that mafia reference? Answer: It's actually an Italian reference. I am Italian American, and I do use a lot of Italian American express, expressions. Capo di Tuto Capo means head -- boss of all bosses. Question: So, within News, are you the Capo di Tuto Capo or is Mr. Murdoch? Answer: I don't know who is the Capo -- I don't use that term with him. Question: Does -- do you use that term with reference to him? Answer: No. The implication appears to be that he regards himself as the don. Carlucci also admitted that he's a big fan of The Godfather: Question: You were talking here about the regional offices. And at the bottom of the prior page, the sentence begins, "the mafia would refer to our General Sales Managers as I 'good earners' and indeed they are." Do you see that? Answer: Yes, I do see that. Question: Why would you use mafia references? Answer: I -- mafia references, probably I enjoy, you know, Godfather and I enjoy the term "good earnings" as a term. And I thought it was a nice term that people would relate to. It has no bearing on being an Italian American. When questioned about one of the more dramatic turns in the direct-marketing wars (a meeting at the Dish of Salt restaurant in New York in which Carlucci warned a competing agency, Floorgraphics, "I will destroy you!") Carlucci claimed not to remember the threat or any other details of the meeting, even though the incident eventually led to News America acquiring Floorgraphics. In attempts to avoid questions about the meeting, Carlucci also revealed a Clintonesque side -- he initially denied having a lunch meeting at the Dish of Salt because the meeting wasn't at "lunch": Question: Okay. So, you did have a meeting with them at the Dish of Salt, is that right? Answer: A very brief meeting in the afternoon, yes. Question: I see. So it was not a luncheon meeting, but an afternoon meeting, is that right?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/news-americas-carlucci-admits-hes-a-godfather-fan-denies-unannounced-price-rises/

At a city council meeting Feb. 6, 2018, community members voiced their opinions about placing lockers for people experiencing homelessness outside a church. Nick Coltrain The city of Fort Collins won't be funding lockers for homeless individuals at the Mennonite church near the Old Town library, but that doesn't mean the church or the city will be letting the issue rest. Council member Ross Cunniff said he'd push for increased city investment in the Murphy Center, near Conifer Street and North College Avenue. Steve Ramer, pastor of the Fort Collins Mennonite Fellowship, said the church has started receiving donations for the lockers, even though it hasn't sought them. "It's not a very expensive project," Ramer said, referring to the $10,500 proposal for 20 lockers that would be always

accessible near Library Park. "I think there may be community support, even if there's not council support." David Rout, executive director of Homeless Gear, which manages the Murphy Center, said a conversation on expanding services is still early and details need to be sorted out. Early discussions involve expanding hours from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and possible weekend hours. The Mennonite church and advocates for people who are homeless asked for the $10,500 from the city to try the always-accessible locker program. They argued that too many people are forced to lug around all their possessions, adding to the stigma of their situation and making it more difficult to obtain work. Or they may store their goods in other places that aren't always accessible and end up needing them during an unexpected storm, for example. Background: Fort Collins staff doesn't support funding Old Town lockers The City Council sympathized with the plight of people experiencing homelessness, though they almost unanimously didn't support the lockers. Only Council member Kristin Stephens voted in favor of it. Instead, their criticisms focused on concerns from neighbors that it would spur more activity in the neighborhood — several residents shared stories of witnessing violence or being harassed — or that the lockers would be divorced from a continuum of services designed to help people escape homelessness. More investment in the Murphy Center, Cunniff reasoned, would increase access to lockers, which advocates want, while connecting people using the service to other services. It would also allay safety concerns from residents. A memo sent recently by Assistant Police Chief Kevin Cronin highlighted "very concerning violent crime and property crime committed by homeless/transient people." He cites five homicides allegedly committed by homeless or transient individuals, as well as a string of burglaries. More: City Council pushes back meeting on Poudre River Whitewater park Cronin calls out the library site specifically as a "focal point for disruptive behavior." According to the memo, the number of homeless and transient people arrested in the library area increased from 13 in 2013 to 35 in 2017. "Experience has shown that positive impacts made by increasing staffing in some areas are likely to displace problems in other parts of the city," Cronin wrote. "The long term solution is to assess the reasons homeless/transient criminals are choosing our community and take decisive steps to make it less attractive to this criminal element where possible." In the memo, he cites free resources provided in the city as one of the aspects that makes it a destination place for people who are transient or homeless. Fort Collins Mennonite Fellowship Pastor Steve Ramer went over his allotted time for public comment in a fiery speech to city council Tuesday, January 16, 2018. Nick Coltrain/Coloradoan Read or Share this story:

https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2018/02/06/fort-collins-council-says-no-funding-homeless-lockers-eyes-murphy-center-expansion/311747002/

Hans Reiser Sentenced to 15-to-Life Hans Reiser Sentenced to 15-to-Life Hans Reiser Sentenced to 15-to-Life (Stephen Elliott reporting) "I wish to humbly apologize to society for my crime," Reiser said in a statement before his sentence was pronounced. "Every human life is sacred. I took the life of a human being and I'm very sorry for that." Hans Reiser killed his wife, Nina, at about 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2006, according to the belated confession Reiser wrote as part of his deal, said prosecutor Paul Hora after the sentencing. He first punched her in the mouth, cutting his hand, then strangled her to death. He briefly stored the body in the bathroom, then moved it to his car, where it stayed for two days while he searched

for a place to bury her. Nina Reiser, at age 31, was last seen alive at Hans Reiser's house in the Oakland hills on the day of her murder, when she dropped off the once-happy couple's two young children to stay with him the Labor Day weekend. The couple were in the middle of a heated divorce. The developer of the ReiserFS file system becomes eligible for parole in about 13 years, having already served two years since his October 2006 arrest. The 44-year-old defendant's jury trial here concluded in April this year with Reiser's first-degree murder conviction. That carries a 25-to-life term, but the authorities, in a backroom deal, later offered him 15-to-life if he produced his wife's body and waived any rights to appeal his conviction. Hans Reiser arrived in court today in his red jumpsuit wearing a long-sleeve undershirt, his hair wild and unkempt. Reiser was wearing a chain around his waist, linked to his handcuffs. With no jury to impress, there was no longer a need for Reiser to have a haircut and a suit. The courtroom was filled, and nearly all the jurors from his trial earlier this year were seated in the front row of the gallery. When they saw one another, they exchanged hugs. The start of the hearing was delayed, as Judge Larry Goodman met with Reiser and the attorneys in chambers. Reiser sat reading through his 30-page transcribed confession he produced under the terms of his new agreement, which, in addition to leading the police to Nina's remains, required him to waive his right to appeal. Just before noon, defense attorney William DuBois returned to the court room, leaned over the table, and told Reiser, "If it takes until midnight, you're going to be sentenced today." The court came to order at 1 p.m. Judge Goodman got right to business. He pointed out that since the verdict, several significant events have occurred, including the agreement, which would turn Reiser's first-degree murder conviction into second-degree. The judge asked Reiser if he understood he was waiving all of his rights to appeal, and Reiser said yes. But the proceeding ground to a halt when Goodman asked Reiser if he had received competent council in regards to the plea agreement. There was a long pause and Reiser lowered his head. He mumbled something. After repeating the question several times, Goodman finally asked DuBois what Reiser was talking about. Du Bois said he knew, but that it would not be good for the defendant, and asked if they could go to chambers. They quickly returned, and Goodman formally found Hans Reiser guilty of second-degree murder. Reiser was allowed to give a statement before being formally sentenced. Reiser vowed to try to make up to society for what he had done. He said he was putting Namesys and ReiserFS into a trust fund his children, and that he hoped to earn money while in prison to make their lives a little more comfortable, "assuming I'm able to get access to a computer and the internet." He also apologized

https://www.wired.com/2008/08/hans-reiser-s-1/

Jewish Journal July 28, 2005 Political Journal Expatriates' Vote It's long been more socially acceptable for Jews to immigrate to Israel than to emigrate out of it. Some Israelis feel that they're abandoning the project of the Jewish state, not doing their part, not facing the same risks as those they leave behind. So it's somewhat understandable that Israelis living abroad have never been able to vote in Israel's elections, even though other democracies make such allowances for their citizens abroad. However, attitudes are shifting both here and in Israel. Between 150,000 and 300,000 expatriate Israelis live in the Los Angeles area, and some of them are pushing for the right to cast absentee ballots in Israeli elections. The Council of Israeli Community L.A., a group that organizes

local cultural and political events for Israelis, is stoking the debate. Israel "deals with the question of its own existence on a daily basis," said Moshe Salem, president of the Tarzana-based nonprofit. So it is "in the interest of [Israel] to grant the Diaspora Israelis the right to vote." Israelis in America "have a vested interest." They "want to know what's happening." Israel maintains about 350,000 Israelis on its voter rolls who can't cast ballots because they live abroad. "Granting voting rights would unite them around Israel, and means they will influence [non-Israeli] Jews around them," Salem said. He's discussed the matter with Israeli Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Los Angeles Consul General Ehud Danoch, Israeli Maj. Gen. Doron Almog and several members of the Knesset. Salem reported that all have supported the idea. Bills expanding balloting to overseas Israelis have been raised and defeated in several recent Knesset terms. In January, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he supported the notion; he even appointed a high-level committee to examine the details, the Jerusalem Post reported. But earlier this month, opposition emerged from left-leaning Israeli parties, which fear introducing hundreds of thousands of absentee Jewish voters who are generally perceived to be more hawkish. The measure was defeated in the Knesset 25-23. It'll be at least six months before the Knesset can take up the matter again. Supporters point out that a growing Arab population could eventually eclipse Jewish voters, and Israelis from abroad could act as a counterbalance. Besides, many expats have served in the Israeli Defense Forces, pay taxes to Israel and intend to return some day. A compromise that would honor individual rights ought to be within reach, given that numerous democracies around the world have successfully preserved voting rights for their citizens abroad. But any policy that could alter the balance of power between left and right and between Jews and Israeli Arabs is destined to be contentious. "Everybody will be tuning in," said Salem, describing the benefits of Israelis voting worldwide. "In a way, you're affecting the entire Jewry outside of Israel. It's not going to happen overnight, but it is going to happen." Battling Over Message The college campus has always been a central battleground for hearts and minds -- and that includes education about Israel. In Washington, that battle is engulfing H.R. 509, legislation being supported by a range of groups, including the American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Congress (AJCongress). The bill would re-authorize decades-old grants that pay for foreign affairs education, while simultaneously creating a new advisory board to review the instructional content of programs receiving funds. The aim, at least among Jewish supporters, is to balance perceived anti-Israel bias with other perspectives. "What we're having now in the college campuses is basically professors using their desks as pulpits for political propaganda," said Sarah Stern, director of the office of governmental and public affairs for the AJCongress. These academics, she said, are "looking basically at the entire world through the paradigm that America is a colonial hegemonic occupier, and Israel is the persona non

http://www.jewishjournal.com/articles/print/political_journal_20050729

Cycle 2A BRITISH widower has cycled from the north of England to the south of Spain in memory of his wife. Cycling 750 miles from Merseyside to Benicassim, Keith Dawson raised €4,150 for cancer charity The Julie Mountford Dawson Foundation; set up in honour of Keith’s wife who died last year. Visiting some of Julie’s favourite places in the UK and Spain on his journey, Keith returned to the Benicassim beach where his wife last walked on sand and swam in the sea. “My main intention in setting up the foundation, and embarking upon my ride back to Julie’s beach, was to keep Julie’s memory alive,” Keith, 49, told the Olive Press. “Raising funds to help people living with cancer can only be a good thing, and I

am so grateful to everyone who has made a donation to the foundation, no matter how big or small. “I am also extremely grateful to Spain for welcoming me with open arms, and to the Spanish people who I met during my ride, who took such an interest in what I was doing and in Julie’s story.” The foundation will be donating approximately €1,800 to Wirral Hospice and the remainder will be divided between four UK cancer charities.

https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2016/09/19/british-widower-raises-e4000-for-uk-cancer-charities-in-cycle-from-merseyside-to-benidorm/

21:39 GMT +309 December 2019 Listen Live This photo released on Tuesday June 28, 2016, provided by the New Syrian Army anti-government rebels, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows U.S.-backed Syrian rebels of the New Syrian Army run in an unknown place in Syria 'Timber Sycamore': Untold Story of CIA Covert Operation in Syria © AP Photo / Get short URL The US involvement in Syria comes in "two main flavors": one is an overt military operation which aims to defeat Daesh (ISIL/ISIS), while the other is a CIA-led clandestine program to support the Syrian rebels which are seeking to topple Bashar al-Assad. Although US efforts to supply rebels in Syria have repeatedly resulted in American weapons finding their way into

the wrong hands, Washington's covert operation in Syria is worth the trouble, US academics Austin Carson and Michael Poznansky believe. "By most accounts, America's efforts to covertly train and supply moderate rebels in Syria aren't going so well… What, then, is the rationale for US policy in Syria? Why has the White House continued to draw on the tool of covert military aid despite its shoddy track record?" Austin Carson of the University of Chicago and Michael Poznansky of the University of Pittsburgh ask in their article for War on the Rocks. According to the scholars, "escalation dynamics" and "unique reputational concerns" lie at the root of the White House's covert operations abroad. The academics explain that the Obama administration's involvement in Syria "comes in two main flavors": the first one is a limited covert operation aimed at toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the second is an overt military campaign to defeat Daesh (ISIS/ISIL). "The first rebels trained, funded, and armed by the CIA — a small '50-man cell' of fighters — were reported to have arrived in the fall of 2013, a few months after Obama gave the green light," the scholars narrate, adding that the CIA program was codenamed 'Timber Sycamore'. "The CIA and State Department had begun stepping up their coordination with the Free Syrian Army in March 2012 in furtherance of the US goal of regime change," Hammond wrote. "With Russian and American pilots in the skies, keeping the American program against Russia's ally in Damascus low-profile makes US-Russian crisis prevention measures easier," they note. "A second risk driving the Obama administration to act covertly in Syria turns on concerns about preserving America's reputation as a superpower that respects and adheres to international norms and principles… The very nature of what the United States is trying to achieve in Syria — regime change — renders such concerns particularly salient," the academics emphasize. Regardless of the fact that the covert program to train and arm the rebels does not work properly when the US weapons end up on the black market, "systematic evidence about the CIA's success in affecting Assad's thinking, influencing the battlefield, and expressing American interests," show that the operation was worth the trouble, the scholars stress. Time will show what fruits Timber Sycamore will bear. Hand in Hand: Untold Story of Muslim Brotherhood's Collusion With Daesh Untold Story of Syrian Coup: Who is Really Behind the Plot to Topple Assad? Oops! Obama Makes Pentagon and CIA Clash in Syria Jihadi Driving Forces: Washington Knew Who Fomented Syrian Civil War Middle East, covert operations, arms deliveries, moderate Syrian rebels, The Syrian war, NATO, Daesh, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Pentagon, Bashar al-Assad, Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama, Syria, United States, Russia Community standardsDiscussion Comment via FacebookComment via Sputnik

https://sputniknews.com/politics/201607221043483385-us-cia-pentagon-syria/

Sri Lanka imposes curfew and blocks social media amid protests Sri Lanka’s government has blocked access to social media and imposed a 36-hour curfew, following protests against food and fuel shortages, BBC reported. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued a notice prohibiting anyone from being on any public road, in a park, on trains, or on the seashore, unless they have written permission from the authorities. The curfew began at dusk on Saturday. The social media sites blocked include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. WhatsApp is also down, and mobile phone users received a message saying this was “as directed by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission”. The stringent restrictions are aimed at preventing new protests, after crowds were accused of setting vehicles ablaze near the president’s private residence on Thursday. The military

has since been deployed and now has the power to arrest suspects without warrants. The island nation is in the midst of a major economic crisis. It is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which is used to pay for fuel imports. Faced with power cuts lasting half a day or more, and a lack of fuel and essential food and medicines, public anger has reached a new high. Thursday’s protest outside President Rajapaksa’s Colombo house began peacefully, but participants said things turned violent after police fired tear gas, water cannons and also beat people present. Protesters retaliated against the police by pelting them with stones. At least two dozen police personnel were reportedly injured during the clashes, according to an official cited by Reuters news agency. On Friday, 53 demonstrators were arrested, and local media reported that five news photographers were detained and tortured at a police station. The government said it would investigate the latter claim. Despite the crackdown, protests continued, and spread to other parts of the country. Demonstrators in the capital carried placards calling for the president’s resignation. The demonstrations mark a massive turnaround in popularity for Mr Rajapaksa, who swept into power with a majority win in 2019, promising stability and a “strong hand” to rule the country. Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Also like this

https://english.nepalpress.com/2022/04/03/sri-lanka-imposes-curfew-and-blocks-social-media-amid-protests/

3min read PREVIOUS ARTICLE Jobs lost, more flights cut am... NEXT ARTICLE Aluminium hits 45-month low... The Australian share market has dived to a nearly eight-year low as borders close and businesses shut in efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 finished Monday down 270.6 points, or 5.62 per cent, to 4,546, while the All Ordinaries index plunged 290.2 points, or 5.98 per cent, to 4475.8 as some businesses and state and territory borders closed with stricter measures to control the pandemic. One Australian dollar was buying 57.55 US cents, down from 58.82 on Friday when the share market closed.

https://thebull.com.au/aust-stocks-erase-all-gains-since-2012/

May 9, 2021 Launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket scrubbed in Virginia Vapors stream away from a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket during a launch attempt Thursday night at Wallops Island, Virginia. Credit: NASA TV/Spaceflight Now Northrop Grumman called off the launch of an Antares rocket and a Cygnus space station cargo freighter Thursday night on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the third aborted countdown in less than 24 hours for three different U.S. rockets. The countdown at Wallops Island, Virginia, was ticking down to liftoff of the 14-story Antares launcher at 9:43 p.m. EDT Thursday (0143 GMT Friday) to kick off a two-and-a-half day pursuit of the International Space Station with nearly 8,000 pounds of cargo, provisions, and experiments. But a member of the launch team announced an abort around

2 minutes and 40 seconds before liftoff. The countdown had encountered a five-minute delay earlier Thursday evening that pushed the launch attempt to the end of the day’s available window. That meant any stoppage in the countdown would automatically delay the launch to another day. The launch team began procedures to “safe” the Antares rocket and drain its liquid propellants. The Antares launch conductor instructed the team to tentatively set up for another launch attempt Friday at 9:16 p.m. EDT (0116 GMT Saturday). Northrop Grumman, lead contractor on the Antares rocket and Cygnus supply ship, tweeted that managers scrubbed Thursday night’s launch attempt “after receiving off-nominal data from ground support equipment.” Plans to proceed with another launch attempt Friday night in Virginia hinges on the Antares team resolving the problem that caused the abort Thursday night. The Antares rocket’s abort Thursday night was the third time in less than 24 hours that a U.S. rocket launch was halted moments before takeoff. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida was supposed to launch at 9:17 a.m. EDT (1317 GMT) Thursday, but the countdown stopped at T-minus 18 seconds due to an unexpected reading from a ground sensor, SpaceX said. The Falcon 9 rocket is set for another launch opportunity this weekend, perhaps as soon as Saturday. It is set to deploy 60 more satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink internet network. Just hours before the Falcon 9 countdown, a United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket was poised to blast off from pad 37B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with a classified spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. That launch was also aborted, and the countdown stopped seven seconds before the mission’s targeted liftoff at 11:54 p.m. EDT Wednesday (0354 GMT Thursday). Tory Bruno, ULA’s president and CEO, tweeted that the Delta 4-Heavy countdown was halted by an automatic sequencer after a “sensor detected a fault” just before ignition of the rocket’s three main engines. A new launch date for the Delta 4-Heavy rocket, which had suffered several delays since late August, has not been announced by ULA. It is expected to be grounded at least several days. SpaceX is preparing another Falcon 9 rocket for launch during a 15-minute window opening at 9:43 p.m. EDT Friday (0143 GMT Saturday) with a Global Positioning System navigation satellite for the U.S. military. Preparations for that launch are moving forward on pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Assuming Antares launch from Virginia and the Falcon 9 launch from Florida both go ahead Friday, the rockets could fire into orbit just 27 minutes apart. Their flight paths will even intersect, with the Antares launching first toward the southeast from Virginia over the Atlantic Ocean. The Falcon 9’s trajectory over the Atlantic toward the northeast from Cape Canaveral will cross the Antares rocket’s path, but by that time, the Antares will already be in orbit thousands of miles away. The Antares rocket’s mission is to place Northrop Grumman’s automated Cygnus supply ship into orbit on the way to the space

https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/10/02/launch-of-northrop-grummans-antares-rocket-scrubbed-in-virginia/

Tom Hanks tries to land a plane on the Hudson River in the trailer for 'Sully' Warner Bros. just released the first trailer for the Clint Eastwood-directed "Sully," which tells the story of US Airways captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. The pilot performed a heroic feat that became known as "The Miracle on the Hudson" after he saved the lives of more than 150 people by landing a damaged plane in the Hudson river after a flock of birds flew into its engines, causing them to fail. The movie stars Tom Hanks in the titular role, and it promises to garner Oscar buzz for the two-time Academy Award-winner. "Sully" is scheduled for release on September 9th, 2016. Follow BI Video: On Twitter Deal icon An icon in the shape

of a lightning bolt. Keep reading Most Popular Videos Most Recent Videos

https://www.businessinsider.com/sully-tom-hanks-hudson-river-airplane-crash-sullenberger-2016-6

Sperm bank donors - A genetic roll of the dice? Sperm bank donors - A genetic roll of the dice? Children conceived with donated sperm from sperm banks are struggling with serious genetic conditions inherited from men they have never met. Sharine and Brian Kretchmar tried a number of medical treatments to conceive a second child. After a depressing series of failures, a doctor finally advised them to find a sperm donor. For more than a year, the Yukon, Okla., couple carefully researched sperm banks and donors. The donor they chose was a family man, a Christian like them, they were told. Most important, he had a clean bill of health. His sperm was stored at the New England Cryogenic Center in Boston, and according to the laboratory’s

website, all donors there were tested for various genetic conditions. So the Kretchmars took a deep breath and jumped in. After artificial insemination, Sharine Kretchmar became pregnant, and in April 2010 she gave birth to a boy they named Jaxon. But the baby failed to have a bowel movement in the first day after birth, a sign to doctors that something was wrong. Eventually Jaxon was rushed to surgery. Doctors returned with terrible news for the Kretchmars: Their baby appeared to have cystic fibrosis. “We were pretty much devastated,” said Sharine Kretchmar, 33, who works as a nurse. “At first, we weren’t convinced it was cystic fibrosis, because we knew the donor had been tested for the disease. We thought it had to be something different.” But genetic testing showed that Jaxon did carry the genes for cystic fibrosis. Sharine Kretchmar had no idea she was a carrier, but was shocked to discover that so, too, was the Kretchmars’ donor. His sperm, they would later discover, was decades old, originally donated at a laboratory halfway across the country and frozen ever since. Whether it was properly tested is a matter of dispute. Sadly, the Kretchmars’ experience is not unique. In households across the country, children conceived with donated sperm are struggling with serious groenetic conditions inherited from men they have never met. The illnesses include heart defects, spinal muscular atrophy, neurofibromatosis type 1 and fragile-X syndrome, the most common form of mental retardation in boys, among many others. Hundreds of cases have been documented, but it is likely there are thousands more, according to Wendy Kramer, founder of the Donor Sibling Registry, a website she started to help connect families with children who are offspring of the same sperm donor. Donated eggs pose a risk as well, but the threat of genetic harm from sperm donation is arguably much greater. Sperm donors are no more likely to carry genetic diseases than anybody else, but they can father a far greater number of children: 50, 100 or even 150, each a potential inheritor of flawed genes, and each a vector for making those genes more pervasive in the general population. The scale of the problem is only now becoming apparent with the advent of online communities like Kramer’s. “There needs to be oversight, and some regulation of the industry,” she said. Genetic testing optional But compliance with those guidelines is not obligatory, and genetic testing practices vary widely across the United States. Critics of the industry are calling for mandatory and consistent medical and genetic testing of all donors. “In this day and age, when you have genetic testing available for about $200, there’s no reason sperm banks can’t provide this for clients,” Kramer said. The fertility industry, however, has long resisted the idea. “Human reproduction is an inherently risky proposition, and it always will be, so it’s impossible to remove all the risk and uncertainty of reproducing,” said Sean Tipton, director of public affairs for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. “You’ll never be able to catch everything. As the technical capabilities

https://www.prideangel.com/News-Events/Blog/2012/May-2012/Sperm-bank-donors-A-genetic-roll-of-the-dice.aspx

Is Mike Trout too good at baseball to be a role model? NBC on Yahoo Sports Very few people, let alone baseball players, measure 6-foot-1, 230 pounds with blazing speed and colossal strength. Even fewer possess the ability to hit a curveball 430 feet to the opposite field and the baserunning instincts to score from first on a double to left. Mike Trout is this perfect storm of physical gifts and innate baseball intelligence -- a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy who has already earned the mantle of "the game's greatest player" at the age of 22. It's all incredibly impressive, but for the head baseball coach at Trout's alma mater, the nearly unprecedented success of the Angels' superstar outfielder makes for a tough sell to current players at Millville High

School. "He's almost too good," said Roy Hallenbeck. "It's unrealistic. How do you look at a kid and say 'Hey, go be Mike Trout.'" The coach has a point. Trout is the only player in Major League history to lead his league in WAR in both of his first two seasons. The odds aren't necessarily in favor of anyone repeating the feat in the near future. "There isn't another Mike Trout, so it's almost to the point where it's laughable how good he is," said Hallenbeck. "I always say it would be a lot better for these guys [current high school players at Millville] if he was the fourth outfielder who was sticking on the team. 'Hey, let's go be him. You can do that.' But to say 'Hey, go be one in a million, one in a billion.' That's tough to ask of a kid." What to Read Next

https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nbc-yahoo-sports/is-mike-trout-too-good-at-baseball-to-be-a-role-model-144520741.html

C. Ore. aviation company builds planes from kits REDMOND, Ore. (AP) -- A central Oregon man has turned his childhood interest in aviation into a company that builds small planes from kits. Matthew Collier owns Fibercraft, a shop near the Redmond Airport that helps kit-plane owners build their aircraft. The Bulletin newspaper in Bend reports that Fibercraft has expanded beyond its core business of helping assemble aircraft. It's also helping develop a new engine for experimental airplanes and has started making plastic-molded products using a method known as thermoforming. Fibercraft also modifies experimental aircraft, making safety or performance improvements, and offers aircraft detailing, painting and maintenance. Information from: The Bulletin, http://www.bendbulletin.com

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/jun/10/c-ore-aviation-company-builds-planes-from-kits/

4-year-old killed in crash when car plunges off East Freeway bridge A 4-year-old girl was killed when the car she was in plunged off of an East Freeway bridge. Authorities say an 18-wheeler and a sedan were involved in a crash, and the sedan went through a guardrail and off a steep drop. The car flipped between two bridges near the San Jacinto River. Firefighters worked to free the family trapped inside the car. A 4-year-old girl was confirmed deceased at the scene. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says the girl was not in a child safety seat or wearing a seat belt. A man was taken to the hospital by Life Flight. Police say the girl’s mother was distraught and church members were trying to comfort her

at the scene.

https://www.fox26houston.com/news/4-year-old-killed-in-crash-when-car-plunges-off-east-freeway-bridge

3G iPhone in 2008: didn't we know already? Web goes barmy for feature no one wants Exclusive US iPhone carrier AT&T says that a 3G model of the Apple iPhone will launch in 2008. But while blogs and fanboys excitedly discuss the news, the big question is: why does anyone care? After all, Steve Jobs has already said that a second generation 3G iPhone was due out next year. It's the worst kept secret in tech. But more importantly, is there really anyone out there who gives a stuff about 3G? At the UK iPhone launch on 9 November, we asked hundreds of queuers if the lack of 3G had any baring on whether they would buy the phone. Not a single person we spoke to said they

cared. Instead, we got people saying things like, "We don't need 3G," and, "I don't care at all. I have 3G on my current phone and I never use it". It's not about the phone The fact is that as a phone, the Apple iPhone isn't very exciting. It makes phone calls and sends texts. That's standard. It's the unique multitouch interface which makes it the most fascinating tech product of 2007. It's unlike anything ever seen before. That's why so many people go goggle-eyed when they see one for the first time. The lack of 3G is often talked about because it's in our nature to pick faults. When was the last time you heard someone say, "It may be a jolly nice phone but the I think the lack of 3G is truly distressing. I shall not be getting one for that very fact"? Is a 3G iPhone likely to spark a massive sales boom when it launches? Almost certainly not. Unless, of course, the new model comes with other new features such as improved storage capacity. Do you care that the iPhone doesn't have 3G capability? Let us know. Article continues below

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/internet/web/3g-iphone-in-2008-didn-t-we-know-already-153780

PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE By Mike Johnson on 2010-06-26 08:50:25 Professional wrestling is a strange genre, to say the least, and there have been moments in time where the weird aspect of the business just turns the "reality" of the business on it's side. Some are memorable and some are embarrassing to fans. Some are so unique they stand out to the point you wonder what in the world the creative minds behind them were thinking in the first place - forget Dusty vs. Flair, how about the night Robocop rescued Sting from being caged by The Four Horsemen? Everyone is raving about Jay Lethal's mic work and impressions in TNA lately, but what about the time Rick Steiner met his match on the mic

in the terms of horror character Chucky during a live WCW Nitro? Yes, these things actually happened and now, thanks to the magic and mystique of Youtube, we can see that Batman's true arch-enemy was not the Joker or Killer Croc or even Ra's al Ghul. No, Batman's mortal foe is indeed, Jerry "The King" Lawler. Say what? Yes, indeed, once upon a time in the magical kingdom of Memphis, WMC-TV Studios was invaded by the one and only Batman, as played by Adam West. In town for a personal appearance, some genius who has been forever lost to history was able to get West booked to appear, in character to promote the appearance. As part of that appearance, West confronts the evil Jerry Lawler. As you'll see, Lawler, who is well known Superman fan, jumps right in with his own nod to the DC Universe that is so ridiculous, it's genius. Meanwhile, the cowl-clad West is apparently not up to speed on the wars between comics' top companies, name-dropping Spider-Man. It's the strangest, funniest thing you'll ever hope to see in pro wrestling, at least today. Years before we had Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper, there was Adam West vs. Jerry Lawler, and that's our Classic of the Day - Enjoy! Note from Mike: This video is believed to have entered into public domain. No rights or claim to ownership of video footage given or implied.

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/48657/youtube-video-classic-batman-adam-west-vs-jerry-lawleryes-really.html?p=1

Dinosaurs fell prey to a series of unfortunate events, palaeontologists showReuters Dinosaurs might have survived the asteroid strike that wiped them out if it had taken place slightly earlier or later in history, but instead fell victim to a "perfect storm of events", according to a study. A fresh study using up-to-date fossil records and improved analytical tools has helped palaeontologists build a new narrative of the prehistoric creatures' demise, some 66 million years ago. They found that in the few million years before a 10km-wide asteroid struck what is modern-day Mexico, Earth was experiencing environmental upheaval. This included extensive volcanic activity, changing sea levels and varying temperatures. At the time, the dinosaurs' food chain was weakened by a lack of diversity among the large plant-eating dinosaurs on

which others preyed, likely due to changes in the climate and environment. "It was a perfect storm of events that occurred when dinosaurs were at their most vulnerable," he told BBC News. An international team of palaeontologists led by the Universities of Edinburgh and Birmingham studied a catalogue of dinosaur fossils, mostly from North America, to examine how dinosaurs changed over the few million years before the asteroid hit. Dr Richard Butler of the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, said: "Although our research suggests that dinosaur communities were particularly vulnerable at the time the asteroid hit, there is nothing to suggest that dinosaurs were doomed to extinction. Without that asteroid, the dinosaurs would probably still be here, and we very probably would not." Co-author Paul Barrett, of the British Natural History Museum, told the Guardian: "The great dinosaur mass extinction has been one of the world's biggest mysteries and has captured the imaginations of many people. The study was published in the journal Biological Reviews.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/dinosaurs-bad-timing-creatures-had-potential-survive-perfect-storm-events-if-asteroid-1458616

Paris-Nice was turned on its head yesterday. Robert Gesink, so strong on the climb of Mont Ventoux on Thursday, was left isolated by attacks on the descent of the Col du Tanneron. CW explains where the Dutchman lost the race, and how his rivals exposed his weaknesses perfectly. A combination of two things cost Robert Gesink the race lead yesterday ? fatigue and inexperience. The Dutchman is still only 21 years old, and while he is as strong as anybody on a single day, especially riding uphill, he hasn?t developed the physical maturity and resilience that would enable him to ride strongly day after day. He complained of feeling tired on the ascent of the Tanneron, whereas two days previously he had blown virtually the entire field off

his back wheel on the much harder Ventoux. But it was on the downhill where his inexperience cost him. The descent of the Tanneron involves a long section of false flat, where he allowed gaps to open in front of him. And then it becomes very technical, with corners ranging from shallow to sharp. When he saw Frank Schleck crash in front of him, he completely lost his nerve, braking far too hard into the corners, and all but taking his feet out on the sharper bends. Meanwhile, Davide Rebellin, who has ridden Paris-Nice many times, was the opposite. He was confident and fresh, the opposite of Gesink. Gesink had to ride alone into the headwind, with little help, in a pursuit match against a very well-organised and motivated lead group. He didn?t stand a chance. At the top of the Ventoux, Gesink looked invincible. But the next day exposed chinks in the Rabobank armour. They let a dangerous, and large break go on a rolling stage. Large breaks are much more difficult to bring back – there were 15 strong riders sharing the work ahead, while Rabobank, had less than half that manpower to chase them down. Three of the riders in orange had been dropped earlier in the stage, which made their task an impossible one. When the lead reached three minutes, Gerolsteiner had to go and help out, to protect Rebellin?s position in the overall. Carlos Barredo, the best-placed rider overall, was only four minutes down ? if it had been left to Rabobank, the Spaniard would have taken over the race lead. Gesink?s rivals would have noticed that Rabobank were vulnerable, and they put the Dutch team on the rack on the Col du Tanneron the next day. On the climb, Caisse d?Epargne, Quick Step and Silence-Lotto rode a very hard tempo, dropping all the Rabobank riders and leaving Gesink on his own. They still couldn?t drop him going uphill, but they made short work of him on the descent. With only 15 kilometres from the base of the climb to the finish, and the wind blowing in the face of the riders, Rebellin and Rinaldo Nocentini knew that if Gesink was dropped, the gap would only get larger on the run-in. The lead group comprised Bobby Julich, who had been way in a break all day, Damiano Cunego and Sylvain Chavanel, who were well down overall, but fancied the stage win, and overall contenders Nocentini, Rebellin and Luis Leon Sanchez. Julich ? a renowned non-sprinter ? went first, at a kilometre to go. This was the right thing to do ? he gambled on the others being too preoccupied with gaining time on Gesink to go after him. He knew neither Rebellin nor Nocentini, separated by three seconds overall, would chase him down, since neither would want to gift the other a time bonus. Cunego and Chavanel, eyeing the stage win, were in a similar situation ? whichever one chased would give the other a free ride to the line. Unfortunately for Julich, Sanchez chased him down,

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/gesink-finds-it-lonely-at-the-top-97509

US prison conditions worse than Guantanamo US prison conditions worse than Guantanamo Holding terrorism suspects at the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba may actually be a reward, given the harsh reality of high security supermax prisons across the United States. The US House voted recently to refuse entry into the United States any and all detainees currently held at the Guantanamo Bay prison, effectively preventing Guantanamo inmates from entering supermax prisons on US soil. Interestingly enough however, some are arguing that conditions at Americas high security prisons are far more draconian that those at Guantanamo. For up to four hours a day, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, can sit outside in the Caribbean sun and chat through a chain-link fence with the detainee

in the neighboring exercise yard at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,” noted Peter Finn in an earlier article n the Washington Post. In addition, inmates have free access to a state-of-the-art gym, a number of movies they can watch in the on-site media room, various newspapers and books, and even video games. Inmates at one of America’s supermax prisons enjoy no such luxury. Inmates in high security are typically left in isolation for long periods of times – no prolonged daylight, no conversations, no tropical breezes. Federal supermax prisons currently hold the 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and Teodore Kaczynski aka the Unabomber and also Terry Nichols, who was convicted of the 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. Conditions at US supermax prisons are so horrid, the accused terror suspects in United Kingdom once appealed to the European Court of Human Rights to prevent their extradition to the US on grounds their placement in a supermax would violate human rights. By voting to require Guantanamo inmates remain in a tropical paradise the US House may inadvertently granted accused terrorists a simpler life.

https://www.rt.com/usa/usa-prison-conditions-worse-guantanamo/

Couple try to be first to row from Monterey to Hawaii Honolulu Monterey June 14, 2014 Updated: June 16, 2014 8:19am Their first date after meeting on was kayaking in Sausalito. Their second get-together was a trail run in the Marin Headlands that lasted for three hours because neither would admit to fatigue. And for their first overnight trip, the two climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. Tech entrepreneurs and endurance athletes Sami Inkinen, 38, and Meredith Loring, 34, hope to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary as the first couple to row from California to Hawaii. In coming days, the San Anselmo residents - he is a co-founder of the real estate search and information site Trulia - will set off on a 2,400-mile journey from Monterey to Oahu.

They would be the first couple to make it from Monterey to Hawaii, but not the first rowers to cross the Pacific. In 1976, Patrick Quesnel rowed from Washington state to Hawaii, and was followed in the 1980s by British racer Peter Bird. In 2008, Roz Savage became the first woman to row solo from San Francisco to Oahu in 99 days. "People have done things like this," said Ray Dean, rowing commissioner of the San Francisco Dolphin Club. "I don't think it's crazy, but it is an aggressive challenge. They will have to deal with weather, navigation, exhaustion, sleep deprivation and each other. The mental strain is hard to imagine. It's like living locked in your car and you can't get out. "It's a little boat in a very big ocean." Quest a real test Inkinen and Loring's quest to set a speed record for their row will be a test of mind, body and marriage. "I think the biggest threat will be to our relationship," said Loring. "It's going to be uncomfortable. We'll be sleep-deprived and hungry and sore, so it will be easier to cross boundaries that we don't want to cross." Inkinen agreed. "The mental side is going to be the most challenging. How we deal with ourselves and with each other." The rowing record for this route was set by Mick Bird in 1997 in a time of 64 days. Inkinen (his name is pronounced SAH-me INK-in-en) grew up on a farm in Finland, has a master's degree in engineering physics from Helsinki University of Technology, and worked for a brief period as a radio chemist in a nuclear power plant in Finland. After selling his first wireless software company, Matchem, in 2000, he came to Stanford to earn an MBA, and while there he co-founded Trulia and became a competitive triathlete. Trulia, started in 2005, now has more than 400 employees and reported a record 50 million unique visitors to its site in April. Extreme challenge Inkinen said he was drawn to triathlons because of the challenges of pushing himself to extremes. But he also loved tracking every aspect of his performance, from the quality of his sleep and meditation to his heart rate. The self-professed "data geek" has become one of the nation's top amateur triathletes in his age group. Loring grew up as a competitive gymnast in New Hampshire, studied economics and psychology at the University of Massachusetts and earned a master's from Babson College. She was a product manager for FactSet Research Systems, which sells software and analytic applications to investment banks, and moved to the company's San Francisco office in 2008. Soon after, she met Inkinen. Loring is a cyclist and runner, and in late May won the women's division of the Mount Everest marathon in Nepal, a race that is billed as the world's highest trail running event. "Both of us were looking for a new and difficult adventure that would push our mental and physical capabilities," said Inkinen of the 2,400-mile row. Weather permitting, the two plan to set out

http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Couple-try-to-be-first-to-row-from-Monterey-to-5553239.php?cmpid=premmovie

The plans to make these stools are free. (AtFAB) Modest ideas that can change the world. See full coverage It's not often that a company gets its start by giving away 100 percent of its intellectual property and encouraging potential customers to manufacture the company's products on their own. But that's exactly how AtFAB, a tiny, two-person furniture startup based in Lexington, Kentucky, first germinated. Now AtFAB is one of the pioneers of a new model of making things known as "distributed manufacturing." Imagine, for example, the usual way that a chair from IKEA arrives in your home. First the materials are sourced from all over the world, then shipped to factories for refining and (partial) assembly, and finally they're distributed to retail outlets. All that shipping has

a huge cost in energy and, ultimately, dollars. By contrast, in AtFAB's version of distributed manufacturing, plans for their chairs, tables and stools exist solely as "cut files" which can be sent to a CNC router, a machine that can cut any shape out of almost any material, in three dimensions. (CNC routers have been around at least since the 1960s, and are sort of the manufacturing world's subtractive, more-useful predecessor of 3D printing.) Small manufacturing facilities with CNC routers have proliferated across the world -- they're standard equipment in most machine shops, for example. So anyone with AtFAB's digitized designs can get the parts of AtFAB's furniture cut at a nearby facility, from almost any material that's strong enough, from plywood and plastic to aluminum and steel. Now AtFAB is taking its give-away-everything model and bolting on what most companies would have started with in the first place: A business that involves actually selling its furniture. Giving away the plans, but selling the product "It's like how you give away a recipe, but people still go to your restaurant," says Anne Filson, co-founder of AtFAB. "We feel the [do-it-yourself person] is always going to want to be curious and make our furniture themselves, while a consumer may have the aspiration to own our furniture, but may not have the luxury of the time or resources to do it." Selling furniture rather than just giving away the plans won't end AtFAB's commitment to distributed manufacturing, says Filson. Once their business gets to a sufficient scale, they'll still be able to have their furniture manufactured at facilities that are as close as possible to the end consumer, from readily available materials. One way this might work is through a licensing model: Manufacturers that are vetted by AtFAB and agree to maintain a certain standard of quality could purchase the right to cut the parts for AtFAB furniture and sell it directly, as flat-pack kits that consumers can assemble themselves. And what about the style and usability of furniture that comes as a snap-together kit? AtFAB's designs are compelling enough that the company already completed a commission to outfit the Brooklyn offices of MakerBot (which recently announced it was being acquired by Stratasys for more than $400 million) with custom furniture. Turning 'Makers' into a free, distributed R&D operation Because AtFAB released its designs a year before it decided to sell the results as a finished product, the company has had plenty of time to build up enthusiasm among hobbyists -- so-called Makers -- who appreciate AtFAB's approach to giving away intellectual property. "One thing we realized is that there is this community of makers who are all over the world have been making our designs," says Filson. "Which means we have been essentially crowdsourcing our R&D, and that has been a lot of fun, but also super interesting." Early on, people who downloaded AtFAB's designs discovered that they couldn't always be reliably produced on different models of CNC routers, which led the company to modify the designs and come up with new ways

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/06/the-distributed-future-of-manufacturing-think-ikea-minus-the-furniture/277149/

TOKYO, Oct. 25— Nobody looks less like a politician than Kiyomi Tsujimoto. For starters, she's a she. Miss Tsujimoto is one of 23 women elected to Parliament in the national elections last Sunday. That is still a tiny fraction of the 500 members, but almost double the 12 women who held seats before the election. ''I took a good look at the Parliament, and I found it's a world of men, especially men over 50,'' said Miss Tsujimoto, a 36-year-old social activist. ''It's very hard for us to break in. I feel suffocated.'' In Japan, married women are often supposed to stay home and clean the house and raise the children. In fact, the Japanese word for wife means ''Mrs. In-the-Back-of-the-House.'' There are even legal incentives to encourage

married women to quit full-time jobs, and married couples are still legally required to use the same last name, almost always the husband's. Japan is such a male society that when people talk of women in politics they often mean the wives of politicians. Thus, while women made inroads on Sunday, the election also underscored the immense obstacles that women must still overcome to transform themselves into a meaningful force in Japanese politics. ''For as long as history, women have been taught that they should be inside the house and men outside the house, so they don't much aspire to advance,'' said Teiko Kihira, head of the League of Women Voters in Japan. ''The parties don't push women forward, and that's not good. What's more, women who are chosen tend to be actresses or celebrities, people with flashy backgrounds.'' In a 1995 international survey of the proportion of women in parliaments in 161 countries, Japan ranked 145th, with women constituting only 2.3 percent in the more influential lower house. Even the new lower house would, with 4.37 percent women, rank Japan around 121st. In America, women make up 7 percent of the Senate. While a record 153 women in Japan ran in the elections, nearly all were defeated, and there are now more Communist legislators (26) than legislators (23) who are women. Moreover, most of the women are in opposition parties and have little influence; only four are in the governing Liberal Democratic Party. Thus, the notion of a mom in tennis shoes running for office is such an alien concept that even the women who have won seats have some difficulty imagining it. Indeed, married women with children are rare in Parliament. ''A mom in tennis shoes?'' asked Mrs. Kihira, who has a son and once was a member of the upper house. ''Hmm, well, there was one woman member who was a tennis player, but she wasn't a mom.'' Women were elected to Parliament in large numbers immediately after World War II, at a time when they had just been given the vote and when society seemed enormously open to new ideas. In 1946, 7.8 percent of Parliament's lower house were women. But social rigidities re-emerged soon after, and women were pushed out of Parliament. Still, the number of women in local town and county assemblies has blossomed over the last decade, bringing attention to issues like environmental and food safety. But at the national level women have negligible influence. Shinako Tsuchiya is rare among the newly elected women in perhaps having a shot at building influence. She is the only one of them elected from a single-seat district, for all the others won proportional representation seats in Parliament, effectively given to them by their parties. Miss Tsuchiya is also unusual in that she comes from a formidably wealthy, political family. She is the daughter of the current Governor of Saitama prefecture, a Tokyo suburb of 6.7 million people, where she won her seat. Her two opponents quit the race after she began her campaign, and local leaders vied to

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/26/world/in-a-house-ruled-by-men-23-women-break-in.html?pagewanted=3&src=pm

Federal Politics License article Stumble with plan to prevent jihadists' return to Australia Despite steadfast vows from the government in recent days to do everything possible to keep these fighters out of Australia, the latest revelation means they cannot be stripped of their Australian citizenship and must be allowed to return. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told the Coalition party-room meeting on Tuesday that most of the roughly 150 people alleged to be involved with extremist groups were believed to be Australian citizens only. The admission appears to contradict a feisty declaration by the Prime Minister to the meeting that ''the government that stopped the boats will stop the jihadists''. Revoking citizenship would leave these people stateless, which is regarded as legally and diplomatically impossible. The Independent National Security

Legislation Monitor, Bret Walker, urged the government in a report last week to consider revoking citizenship of such people but stressed only if ''to do so would not render them stateless'' - meaning it could only apply to dual citizens. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop told the meeting the deteriorating security situation in Iraq and Syria was arguably ''the greatest threat to our domestic security that we have faced in some time''. Meanwhile, Ms Bishop confirmed the government was considering as part of a raft of new counter-terrorism laws, giving the foreign intelligence agency extra powers to track Australians overseas. This would allow the Australian Secret Intelligence Service to more easily gather intelligence on Australians abroad, a power it now has only in exceptional circumstances. ''We are looking at giving ASIS the capacity to carry out activities on Australians in Syria and Iraq,'' Ms Bishop told the ABC. She also said she wanted to improve communication between intelligence agencies to prevent potential terrorists falling through the cracks. ''We're concerned about … intelligence communities not being able to cross-refer information,'' she said. ''We want to make sure that there's a seamless flow of information across our intelligence community, so that we can monitor and track and, if necessary, arrest, detain and prosecute people who are engaging in terrorist organisation.'' The government's mixed messages over revoking citizenship reflect the legal limitations it faces in meeting the expectations it has raised in tackling the threat posed by returning jihadists. Mr Abbott told his colleagues on Tuesday the government would not demonise any particular group in the community, but community safety was paramount, and ''we will not let our country down in rising to this latest national security challenge''. ''We should never do anything to sully our reputation as a beacon of hope and freedom to people across the world,'' Mr Abbott said. On Tuesday night, Mr Abbott told Sky News that while there was a case for cancelling passports and citizenship, it should not be regarded the sole measure to deal with the problem. ''What we need to do is take appropriate steps to protect our security, to enhance our intelligence and I suppose to reach out intelligently, sensitively and compassionately to all elements of the Australian family to try to ensure that no one in this country of ours feels like second class citizen purely on the basis of race, of ethnicity, of culture or religion,'' he said. ''I certainly think it would be helpful if there were more senior leaders of the Islamic community in Australia, more senior leaders of religious communities generally speaking out in favour of the sort of decency and fair mindedness which has always been a hallmark of our society and which frankly is why so many people from the four corners of the earth want to come here and live here.''

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/stumble-with-plan-to-prevent-jihadists-return-to-australia-20140624-3ardk.html

RSS Feeds Court will hear Ariz. case on voter registration Monday - 10/15/2012, 12:18pm ET WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up an appeal from Arizona over its requirement that people prove they are American citizens before registering to vote. The justices will review a federal appeals court ruling that blocked the law in some instances. A 10-member panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said that federal law trumps the Arizona requirement. Federal law allows voters to fill out a mail-in voter registration card and swear they are citizens under penalty of perjury, but it doesn't require them to show proof as Arizona's 2004 law does. Four other states, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas and Tennessee, have similar requirements,

according to a legal brief filed by Alabama in support of the Arizona law. The case poses some of the same issues as voter identification disputes. Arizona and the other states argue that they should be allowed to ask for additional documentation to keep illegal immigrants and other non-citizens off the voting rolls. Opponents of the laws say they are used to exclude disproportionately poor and minority voters who lack birth certificates and other identity documents. Arguments will not take place until February, with a decision likely by late June. The justices earlier refused Arizona's request to reinstate the provision before the November elections. The citizenship requirement stems from Proposition 200, approved by Arizona voters in 2004. The law also denied some government benefits to illegal immigrants and required Arizonans to show identification before voting. The 9th Circuit upheld the voter identification provision. The denial of benefits was not challenged. Soon after voter's approved the law, Latino, native American and other rights advocacy groups filed lawsuits challenging the voter registration provision and other aspects of the law. The appeals court has issued multiple rulings in the case concerning the need for registrants to prove they are U.S. citizens. A three-judge panel initially sided with Arizona. A second panel that included retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who from time to time sits on appeals courts, reversed course and blocked the registration requirement. At that point, the appeals court judges voted to have the case heard by the larger, en banc court. The federal and state governments share responsibility for elections and this dispute is over where the line should be drawn between them.

http://www.wtop.com/319/3078507/Court-will-hear-Ariz-case-on-voter-registration

Sheriff's Asshole Culture Revealed In Jail Indictments Sheriff's Asshole Culture Revealed In Jail Indictments Photo by Ted Soqui Evelin Fischer, an Austrian consul, went to the Men's Central Jail on June 6, 2011, to pay a visit to an Austrian citizen who had been arrested. It was a routine diplomatic errand, and she brought her husband along. As the jail scandal has unfolded over the past two years, it's become commonplace to talk about the culture of violence within the Sheriff's Department. The Citizens Commission on Jail Violence hammered on that theme in its report last year. What do we mean by "asshole"? Aaron James, a professor of philosophy at UC Irvine, has taken the trouble to answer that question with some rigor. In his book, "Assholes: A

Theory," James defines an asshole as someone who "systematically allows himself to enjoy special advantages in interpersonal relations out of an entrenched sense of entitlement that immunizes him against the complaints of other people." This is not an isolated incident. The same culture is on display when two sergeants -- allegedly -- go to the home of an FBI agent and threaten to arrest her because she won't return their phone calls. It's not violent behavior; it's asshole behavior. And in the eyes of the federal government, the Sheriff's Department's asshole culture is so out of hand that it has become a criminal matter. The incident with the Austrian consul only came to light on Monday, when the U.S. Attorney's Office unsealed charges against Womack and Ayala for violating the Fischers' civil rights. Womack and Ayala have yet to give their side of the story. Womack's attorney, Matt Lombard, declined to comment on Tuesday, saying he was still gathering information about the case. Ayala's attorney, Patrick Smith, said that his client's involvement is "very limited." "The allegation is pretty much that she was there," he said. The Fischer incident is shocking if true. But that sort of behavior is not out of the norm in the jails. In a 2011 court declaration, a jail chaplain alleged that after the chaplains would made their rounds and were ready to leave the facility, deputies routinely kept them locked inside for extended periods. He reported that on one occasion in July 2011, Chaplain Julio Gonzalez was kept locked in a module for more than 25 minutes, and was yelling to be let out. When the deputy in charge was notified, he looked up briefly and went back to reading his newspaper. In testimony to the CCJV last year, retired Commander Bob Olmsted said that the chaplains complained to him that they had been locked in for up to an hour. That, again, is not violent, and it's not criminal. It's just being an asshole. What makes the Fischer incident shocking, then, is not that jail deputies are capable of behaving like assholes. It's that they treated a consular officer the way they treat everyone else. Sponsor Content

http://www.laweekly.com/news/sheriffs-asshole-culture-revealed-in-jail-indictments-4176589

Delicious new page follows storied past February 04, 2010|By Phil Vettel, TRIBUNE CRITIC Quince *** For 20 years I've been driving up to this Evanston address, and it has rewarded me with a lifetime of dining memories. This unpretentious, multiroom space has been home to Cafe Provencal and Trio, their kitchens graced by such stellar names as Leslee Reis, Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand, Shawn McClain and Grant Achatz. I can recall Achatz's olive-oil ice cream sandwich amuse, Tramonto's mushroom cappuccino, and the time Andy Reis refused my American Express card (he was feuding with the company at the time). FOR THE RECORD - This review contains corrected material, published Feb. 4, 2010. And now there is Quince, which has been here for nearly four years, and its third

and arguably best chef, Andy Motto, on board since September and previously head chef at the late Le Lan, and who also has logged time at Charlie Trotter's, Tru, Les Nomades and French Laundry. If Motto is intimidated by the hallowed names that have preceded him here, he doesn't show it. "I feel great about it," he says of his current gig. "I feel like I've finally found a welcoming home." It's too soon to know if Quince and Motto will become as well-known as their predecessors, but I'm disinclined to bet heavily against it. For instance, 10 years hence I probably will retain fond memories of Motto's liquid-cauliflower ravioli, which is somewhat reminiscent of the liquid-truffle ravioli Achatz unveiled in this very room in 2001. Achatz's creation hid assertive, black-truffle essence inside delicate pasta squares; Motto employs rounds of squid-ink pasta, resembling black-mushroom caps, as virtual soup dumplings containing pure cauliflower essence, its sharp flavor edges blunted with a topping of apple compote crowned by a sliver of smoked salmon, supported by a rich herbed-butter sauce beneath. As befits his French training, Motto is fond of duets as main courses, such as a lamb loin and wagyu beef pairing (tied together by a spiced lamb jus) I enjoyed back in November, and a skate wing and lobster combination (the wing formed into a roulade with a bit of scallop mousse) over a sauce Americaine. Motto's subtle, nuanced seasonings can slip past the too-quick diner; his food doesn't grab you by the lapels, demanding attention. So slowly savor creations such as his "duck duck jus," in which a gentle cardamom-scented jus and three baby-cigar-sized garlic-spinach cannelloni elevate the traditional duck breast, leg confit creation into something truly memorable. In a similar way, a "melted duck" appetizer, which essentially is Motto's nontraditional take on duck rillettes, is accented with barely-there juniper foam. Crispy pork dumpling with serrano-pepper vinaigrette sounds assertive -- it scared off my chile-averse companion one night -- but the vinaigrette-supporting wrapped packages of braised pork belly wouldn't have singed a baby's palate. In this case, the seasoning might have been too understated. Fans of bigger flavors will prefer the pork loin, perfectly pink slices bolstered by a pork gastrique and strewn Brussels sprouts leaves, and the artichoke and quail salad, in which Motto starts with the basics of a salade Lyonnaise (frisee, olives) and lets his imagination take flight, tossing in braised artichoke hearts, roasted tomatoes and, in place of an egg, a grilled bird (quail) that might have laid one. Claire Crenshaw sees to the desserts, having fun with creme brulee by breaking up the caramelized sugar crust and placing the jagged shards upright in the chamomile-scented creme. And her chocolate assortment is a delicious melange of flavors and textures, including a rich chocolate semifreddo, a chocolate sponge cake layered with chocolate mousse and chocolate gelee and more chocolate mousse piped into a crispy cornet. Service is friendly, low-key and unobtrusively competent. The wine list numbers some 200 bottles and won't break your budget unless you wish it to.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-02-04/entertainment/1002020527_1_duck-quince-vinaigrette

Baltimore drug dealer sentenced for fatal hit and run Umar Burley was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday by a city circuit court judge after pleading guilty to vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident in April 2010, when he slammed his Acura into an elderly man's car while fleeing police, the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office said. Officers also discovered heroin in Burley's car after the crash, and he was charged in federal court with drug dealing. He pleaded guilty in that case in June and is expected to receive a 15-year prison term at his September sentencing. He was charged in state court with automobile manslaughter in connection with the same incident for killing Elbert Davis, who was driving a Monte Carlo at the

time. The sentences are set to run concurrently, according to his federal plea agreement.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-burley-plea-20110810-story.html

Paybits Lets You Get Paid In Bitcoin, Launches Beta This Month Paybits wants you to get paid in bitcoin, and it doesn't care what your employer thinks. Getting Bitcoins isn't the easiest process. Unless you want to pay a premium on LocalBitcoins, you have to connect a bank account or send a (possibly international) money order, then wait several business days, during which time, the price of Bitcoin can change drastically. Paybits is attempting ot make that process far easier, by cutting out the process of "buying" bitcoins entirely. Paybits is a paycheck processing company that will allow its customers receive a set portion of their paychecks in Bitcoin while still getting the rest direct deposited in fiat as normal. Employees just gives payroll Paybits' instructions, which has

the company send a set dollar amount to them, like they would for any direct deposit or investment account. Paybits turns it into bitcoins and sends it to an address the employee controls. For its trouble, Paybits takes a flat five dollar a month fee. In a statement released by the company, Founder Scott Nichols was quoted as saying: “Bitcoin shouldn't require membership in the technocracy to acquire it. Bitcoin should be as easy to get as your paycheck.” While there already is an industry building around bitcoin that includes people getting paid in bitcoin, but that doesn't help the majority of the world that still gets paid in fiat money. If Paybit's process is as easy as they make it sound, it could greatly lower the barrier to entry for some people. Nichols continued in the statement: Paybits is an automated service, so the customer doesn't have to think about the right time to buy bitcoin. Enabling individuals to be paid in bitcoin is another step in extending the bitcoin ecosystem into our economy It is that barrier that many people see as the main obstacle preventing Bitcoin from reaching mass adoption. A commonly used analogy is that getting someone set up to use bitcoin is a lot like getting someone set up to use the internet in 1992: You have to teach them the definition to a lot of words, they will certainly get confused at some point and you may get frustrated. At least this time around you don't have to tell them to disconnect their phoneline. Paybits isn't designed for the complete Bitcoin newbie, but it should make it easier for the computer literate to access, store and spend the digital currency. Paybits is launching in beta this month, you can request an invite on its official site. The public version is planned to launch in October, 2014. This should alleviate some of the difficulty people feel when it comes to getting into bitcoin investing, albeit with a five dollar fee. We will have more from Paybits as it moves into its public phase. Follow us on Facebook

https://cointelegraph.com/news/paybits-lets-you-get-paid-in-bitcoin-launches-beta-this-month

Blu Note: Dell Adds Blu-ray to Sub-$1,000 NoteBook (or Does It?) The immediate benefit of the end of the high-definition DVD format war--spoiler: Sony's Blu-ray won--is that you'll be able to cram much higher density optical storage into a laptop or computer without worrying about obsolescence. Blu-ray can store up to about 50 gigabytes on a dual-layer disc, as well as handle playback that will look perfectly fantastic on a typical computer monitor. Dell aims to move Blu-ray into the mainstream by offering it as an option on their Inspiron 1525 entry-level laptop line. Here's the rub, however: Dell's press release says that you can get a 1525 with Blu-ray "playback starting at $879." That's true: you get a CD/DVD burner that can play Blu-ray videos and read

Blu-ray discs for $250 above the cost of a CD/DVD burner. Should you want the whole megilla, however, it's a $450 premium to get a CD/DVD/Blu-ray burner--40 percent of the cost of the $1,079 base model with that feature and no other extras. (They've crammed a lot of lasers in that disk.) The cost will plummet this year, but if you absolutely, positively need to burn up to 50 GB at time (at a cost of about $35 per blank disc), you don't have to get a premium laptop to match the premium drive. Shop Tech Products at Amazon Notice to our Readers

http://www.pcworld.com/article/143953/dell.html

Pence, Giuliani defy demands by Congress for documents The refusals escalates the standoff between the White House and Congress. Declaring the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry illegitimate, Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday refused to hand over documents on Ukraine. The Defense Department and White House's Office of Management and Budget also declined to comply with the investigation, defying congressional subpoenas, officials said. The move dramatically escalates the standoff between the Democratic-led House and the White House, which also has told administration officials not to testify and has otherwise stonewalled Congress. "If they enforce it, then we will see what happens," Giuliani said of his congressional subpoena. Trump and his supporters say the inquiry isn't legitimate because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi initiated

impeachment without a formal vote. They note that in the cases of Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, the House held initial votes on whether to proceed. Democrats have insisted that a vote isn't necessary for an inquiry ahead of more formal impeachment proceedings. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday stood by that decision, at least for now, telling reporters that Republicans couldn't defend Trump so they were attacking the process. Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said the House would stay focused on gathering information. "The evidence of obstruction of Congress continues to mount," he told reporters. "We are nonetheless continuing to get good and important information from witnesses." While Giuliani was given a wide-ranging subpoena by Democrats, Pence's office was asked to provide Congress with certain documents. In a statement released late Tuesday, Pence's office said it would only cooperate if Congress returned to the "regular order of legitimate legislative oversight requests." "Until that time, the Office of the Vice President will continue to reserve all rights and privileges that may apply, including those protecting executive privileges, national security, attorney-client communications, deliberations, and communications among the President, the Vice President, and their advisors," Pence's office stated. The House is investigating a whistleblower complaint that Trump pressed Ukraine to investigate his political rival Joe Biden and Biden's son. Giuliani has emerged as a central figure in the inquiry, pressing repeatedly a discredited theory that corrupt Ukrainian politicians meddled in the 2016 elections and were trying to help Democrat Hillary Clinton. U.S. intelligence officials say it was Russia, not Ukraine, that orchestrated election interference and in favor of Trump, not Clinton. Pence and Giuliani also have defended the push for Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. In an interview with ABC News, Hunter Biden denied any wrongdoing by engaging in foreign work but acknowledged "poor judgement" by failing to take into account his father's position as vice president. Tuesday was the deadline for Giuliani to comply with a wide-ranging subpoena from three of the House committees working on the impeachment inquiry. "A growing public record indicates that the President, his agent Rudy Giuliani, and others appear to have pressed the Ukrainian government to pursue two politically-motivated investigations," the Democratic chairmen wrote. "The Committees have reason to believe that you have information and documents relevant to these matters." Giuliani had previously told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos that he would "consider" cooperating with the congressional request but only if his client -- the president -- signed off. "I'm a lawyer. It's his privilege, not mine," Giuliani told ABC News last month. "If he decides that he wants me to testify, of course I'll testify, even though I think Adam Schiff is an illegitimate chairman. He has already prejudged the case." Separately, Giuliani said Tuesday that he is no longer retaining the services of Jon Sale, who was acting as his attorney for this matter. Giuliani said that if Congress seeks to enforce a subpoena, then he will retain counsel. As part of his final acts as his attorney, Sale

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/giuliani-comply-congressional-subpoena/story?id=66293635

Contributions Cascade In For Washington February 24, 1987|By R. Bruce Dold and Mark Eissman. Mayor Harold Washington`s campaign committees reaped $154,500 in contributions in the last five days of the Democratic primary race, more than five times the amount received by former Mayor Jane Byrne. Washington`s contributions include a $10,000 donation from the chairman of a bank that was at the center of a controversy over city deposits in a non- interest-bearing account. Byrne received $30,265 in contributions during the same period and reported that she received and paid off a $10,000 loan from husband Jay McMullen. Meanwhile, third-party mayoral candidate Ald. Edward Vrdolyak (10th) planned a television and radio campaign to enhance his image that will be funded in part by a $250,000 donation from Youngstown, Ohio,

multimillionaire Edward DeBartolo Sr. The contribution is apparently the largest ever in a local election and bolstered Vrdolyak`s contention that predictions he will drop out of the race are wrong. As Byrne and Washington wrapped up their Democratic primary campaigns, the new contribution reports filed with the State Board of Elections showed Washington has raised at least $2.4 million since last July, and Byrne has raised at least $1.8 million since then. The $10,000 contribution to Washington is listed under Jacoby Dickens, chairman of Seaway National Bank, which received attention in 1985 when Circuit Court Clerk Morgan Finley charged that the administration had deposited $1.4 million in city parking fine money in an account there that drew no interest. The lost interest was estimated at $11,000. Ald. Edward Burke (14th) also charged that the money was deposited in Seaway because the bank had loaned Washington more than $149,000 in his 1983 race for mayor. Then-city revenue director Charles Sawyer said the city allowed the bank to place the money in a no-interest account to compensate the bank for its paperwork costs. Efforts to reach Dickens for comment were unsuccessful. As the primary campaign drew to a close, interest also focused on the $250,000 contribution by DeBartolo to Vrdolyak, who is on the Illinois Solidarity Party ballot in the primary. DeBartolo`s contribution came just weeks after he sold Balmoral Park in south suburban Crete, freeing him from a state law that forbids racetrack owners from making political contributions. Associates of Vrdolyak and DeBartolo described them as longtime friends who found a mutual interest as offspring of working-class families who made their own fortunes. Vrdolyak has come to DeBartolo`s assistance at least once on business matters. State Rep. Alfred Ronan (D., Chicago), a close Vrdolyak associate who is now political adviser to Byrne, said Vrdolyak called him several years ago when DeBartolo wanted legislation passed to allow Balmoral to have racing dates run simultaneously with a nearby track. Vrdolyak ``contacted me, for one, to say he was interested in the change,`` Ronan said. ``I assume it was because DeBartolo wanted it to change.`` Vrdolyak said he did not make a concerted lobbying effort on behalf of the bill. ``I did not make it a lobbying effort,`` Vrdolyak said. ``He`s an outstanding, reputable, first-class businessman. If I could intercede for him, I would.`` Another Vrdolyak associate, attorney William Harte, represented track owners in the last year on negotiations that led to passage on Dec. 5 of legislation that lowered state taxes on all tracks and allowed each track to establish two remote betting parlors, called teletracks. Lawmakers closely involved in the legislation said Vrdolyak made no personal appeals on DeBartolo`s behalf. Both laws helped improve the financial appeal of Balmoral, which reportedly was losing $1 million a year for DeBartolo. DeBartolo sold the track earlier this month for a reported $8 million to $10 million. Several racing and legislative sources estimated that the market value of the track was doubled when the racing legislation passed in December. Real estate experts expressed surprise that DeBartolo made

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-02-24/news/8701150716_1_debartolo-mayor-harold-washington-mayor-jane-byrne

Syria given 24 hours to sign Arab League deal or face sanctions Officials given ultimatum after missing deadline to let in international monitors amid rising death toll Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, said sanctions will take effect if Syria does not sign the initiative soon. Photograph: Carsten Koall/Getty Syria has been given a final deadline by the Arab League to accept international observers into the country or face sanctions. The Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, said on Saturday that the league had given Bashar al-Assad's regime 24 hours to sign its initiative. "If they want to come [and sign] tomorrow they can," he said, after a meeting of the Arab League

ministerial committee in Doha. He later told al-Jazeera television: "If the signing does not happen tomorrow, and I doubt it will … if the signing does not happen soon, then the Arab sanctions that have been approved will be in effect." The Arab League's sanctions committee confirmed it would freeze the assets of 19 top Syrian officials and Assad associates, and ban them from entering other Arab countries. The number of flights to Syria would be halved. Thani warned that more measures could be imposed if Syria did not stop the crackdown against protesters. The Arab League agreed to impose sanctions a week ago after Syria missed a previous deadline to allow monitors into the country, amid an escalating death toll. The UN's human rights chief, Navi Pillay said this week that the death toll from the crackdown against protesters in the nine-month uprising had reached "much more" than 4,000 and included 307 children. The UN human rights council has appointed a special investigator for Syria. Despite the Arab League's efforts, the bloodshed has continued unabated. The Local Co-ordination Committees, which reports on protests, said 22 people, including two children, were killed on Saturday. They claimed 848 people were killed in November alone, including 59 children, making it the deadliest month since the uprising began. Restrictions on access for foreign press make it difficult to independently verify activists' reports. The Syrian government claims it is fighting foreign-backed "terrorist groups" trying to create civil war who have killed around 1,100 soldiers and police officers since March. It has pointed to the emergence of the renegade Free Syrian Army (FSA), which has been launching attacks on the regular army, as evidence it is facing an armed insurgency. The main opposition group, the Syrian National Council, has urged the FSA to only use violence in defence of protesters. Syria says sanctions by the Arab League amount to economic war and has accused the league of "internationalising" the crisis. Last week, Turkey, which was until recently a close ally of the Assad regime, increased pressure on the president by freezing financial assets and cutting strategic links with Damascus. China and Russia oppose sanctions against Syria and, in October, vetoed western efforts to pass a UN security council resolution condemning Assad's government.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/04/syria-arab-league-sanctions?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

'They were crying to be rescued. But there was no way to help them. It was survival' Bad planning may be to blame for pilgrim deaths For once, there were no cars rigged with explosives, no men with assault rifles or bomb-filled vests - no proof of malice. The culprit was a combination of panic and the weight of Shia pilgrims crushing against each other. One moment Ali Naji was part of a tense, solemn religious procession moving slowly across Baghdad's al-Aima bridge on his way to the golden domes of al-Kadhimiya shrine to commemorate the death of Moussa al-Kadhim, one of Shia Islam's 12 most revered imams. The next, he was part of a terrifying scramble for life in Iraq's biggest loss of life since the US-led

invasion in 2003. At least 769 people were reported killed and 307 injured, but the final death toll could top 1,000. "We heard some shouting," said Mr Naji, 37, a civil servant, from his hospital bed. "People started pressing against us, but we couldn't move because there were so many in front of us. We couldn't breathe. "My wife and children begged me not to go. They said there would be bombers." People who had been in the middle of the bridge bore the brunt when panic set in, according to survivors interviewed at the children's central teaching hospital in al-Iskan. The weakest - including children and the elderly - were the first to fall. Squeezed, fighting for breath, many fainted, others stayed conscious but were knocked to the ground and clawed at the legs of those still standing, said Hadi Shakir, 25, a street trader. "They were crying; shouting out, 'Please rescue me!' But there was no way to help them. It was a matter of survival." The fittest had the best chance of staying on their feet or fighting their way to the side of the bridge and jumping. Mr Shakir's nephew, Hamid, 12, lifted a trouser leg and showed teeth marks on his left calf. "I stood on faces and one of them bit me," he said. He survived because Mr Shakir hoisted him on to his shoulders and together they leapt about 12 feet onto the bank of the Tigris. Those in the centre of the bridge had to jump at least 50 feet to escape into the brown river water. The strong swam to the banks, but others floundered and drowned. When a waist-high barrier broke, hundreds, including babies, fell in on top of each other. One man who jumped was Fakah al-Hassan, 41, a retired soldier. "I didn't want to die slowly," he said. "I wanted it to end fast." Someone hauled him on to the bank and he lived. Some witnesses reportedly said the panic erupted when an unknown voice shouted there was a suicide bomber among the throng. Two hours earlier, mortars had landed near the shrine, killing seven people and wounding dozens. The government then suggested that an insurgent infiltrator was responsible for the false warning about the bomber. "We hold the terrorists, Saddamists and radical extremists, responsible for what happened," said Ammar al-Hakim, a leader of one of the Shia parties in government, the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq. If that is confirmed - if the bodies being dredged from the Tigris were victims of a simple plot, Iraq plumbed a sectarian low yesterday. But the evidence was sketchy. No one identified the alleged shouter. And if there was indeed one it could have been a well-meaning pilgrim drawing attention to a suspicious character. Not in doubt was the woeful organisation of the commemoration. It had been known for months that a vast crowd - some put it as large as a million strong - was due to descend on the 16th-century shrine, and that it would struggle to pass

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/01/iraq.rorycarroll

- The Washington Times - Sunday, December 30, 2001 BANJA LUKA, Bosnia Bosnia's Serbian entity has lower wages and higher unemployment than the rest of the country. Its leaders are constantly harangued by the international community for having not arrested a single war crimes suspect. Even local Serbs have become doubtful that their government can do much for them. So when Slobodan Milosevic was indicted last month on genocide charges in connection with the 1992-95 war in Bosnia, it was a blow the Republika Srpska (R.S.) didn't need. The reaction from here in the capital was swift. "Whether Milosevic defends himself or not, the R.S. government must overturn this accusation in his name and in the interests of Republika Srpska," said Sinisa Djordjevic, the prime minister's adviser to

the war crimes tribunal at The Hague. "Defending the charges is important, because Muslims and Croats still insist that the R.S. was created on genocide and ethnic cleansing, and is thus politically illegitimate." Republika Srpska authorities were already facing an impatient international community, which has ramped up its criticism that the government in Banja Luka is corrupt, incompetent and bent on creating a monoethnic state. International officials charge that the government has done nothing to arrest the two most-wanted suspects in Bosnia Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. Privatization has gone slowly and favors those with political connections. In the national parliament at Sarajevo, politicians from the Serbian entity routinely block legislation that would give the central government more power. Croats and Muslims who want to return, officials say, are discouraged from doing so in a manner organized by the government. Six years after the war in Bosnia ended, the country is still governed by the United Nations, but the internationa body is trying to devolve its power to the central government and the two other entities: the Muslim-Croat Federation and Republika Srpska. But non-Serbs have long called for a more unified Bosnia. Their arguments have gained strength in recent months as criticism of the Republika Srpska has reached a fever pitch. Leading the charge has been U.N. High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch. He met senior government officials last month in Banja Luka. "If the politics of isolation continue to be pursued, the R.S. will remain a deserted island that cannot survive," he told Sarajevo television station Studio 99 this month. "If reforms are not implemented, there will be no Republika Srpska," he said. "Therefore, I will be watching very carefully the developments there." The think tank International Crisis Group also had harsh words for the Republika Srpska in a recent report. "The logical solution would be the dissolution of Republika Srpska due to its manifest unreformability and its incompatibility with the basic democratic development of the Bosnian state. However, such a radical step is currently neither feasible nor even desirable. The way ahead is to demand much, much more of the R.S." The root of the problem, international officials and analysts say, is the nationalist Serbian Democratic Party (SDS), founded by Mr. Karadzic. In the last elections, the SDS won handily, but international officials engineered a government ruled instead by their choice, Mladen Ivanic, and including many SDS members in nominally nonparty "expert" roles. Although Mr. Ivanic is favored by the internationals and makes statements they like to hear, he is thought to be too weak to fend off the SDS elements in his government. SDS members have consolidated control of many bureaucratic and municipal administrations in the Republika Srpska and can obstruct policies they don't approve of, international officials say. In addition, their invisible role in the government gives them considerable leeway. "The SDS stands up in parliament and criticizes the government like they're not part of it. They're trying to have it both ways," said one international official here. The government's most high-profile "failure" is that Mr. Karadzic and Mr. Mladic

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2001/dec/30/20011230-034354-3959r/

HipHopDX Premiere: Doomtree MC Sims has recruited Chicago duo Air Credits — The Hood Internet’s Steve Reidell and rapper ShowYouSuck — and Minneapolis producer ICETEP for a new concept album called Artería Verité. Ahead of its release, the foursome has dropped a video for lead single, “Hologramme.” Directed by Peter Angus Medlock, the dark visual takes places during the wee hours of the night, sometime in what Sims describes as “next week’s dystopian future.” “Sims and ShowYouSuck handle the raps, pulp-driven snapshots from the wasteland and its inhabitants, their means for survival, their need to commune, their arterial link to one another through underground channels of communique,” the press release reads in part. “ICETEP and Reidell handle the production, sweeping synths over a vascular pulsing of low frequencies

creating a tension, like a machine seeing its own blood. The songs speak to our baser needs to find each other, especially when in the shit. Artería Verité is expected to arrive on August 3 via Doomtree Records and pre-orders are available here. Check out the album art and tracklist below, and watch the “Hologramme” video above. 1. We Scan Everything 2. Hologramme 3. Octadant 4. Raising Helvetica 5. Omega Planet vRE9T 6. Bitchin Technology 7. Eye In The Sky 8. Fourwheels 9. No Waves

https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.47420/title.dxclusive-doomtrees-sims-announces-new-side-project-with-hologramme-video

It's truly unbelievable the amount of rain that has been dumped upon south east Texas, the central gulf coast region along with the greater Houston metropolitan area since Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas Gulf Coast late Friday night. Coming on shore as a category 4 hurricane, Harvey wasn't quick to go anywhere and parked itself over Victoria, Texas for a couple of days causing massive amounts of rain to fall from the skies over the Houston metro area. Some areas experienced rainfall as much as 35 to 40", and in some cases more, causing massive flash flooding and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. National Weather Service. At one point the NWS sent out a Tweet stating, With so much rain coming down on the region (and continues

to come down), the National Weather Service could no longer accurately display the total amount of rain that has fallen upon the region, because an event like this has never happened. So they had to revise and update the scale they use to measure and display rainfall across an area to give a better visual description of the amount of rain that fell during this storm. Now instead of one color dominating the map due to the excessive amount of rainfall, the new scale allows for more coloring and better picture of just exactly how much rain fell during this natural disaster.

http://965kvki.com/the-national-weather-service-had-to-update-the-legend-for-rainfall-total-colors/

When John Cage observed that music happens all the time but we only listen some of the time, he hadn't anticipated the listening skills of Bill Fontana. From Cage, Fontana learned that all sound is art, but Fontana added something that wasn't especially important to Cage: pleasure. While a Cage concert could be painful, Fontana orchestrates the random sounds from urban daily life into a richly symphonic flow. For "Objective Sound" at Western Bridge, Fontana brought the outside sounds of Western Bridge's Duwamish industrial neighborhood indoors, playing them on a range of resonant objects, also from the neighborhood, such as steel floats and pulleys. If Dylan Thomas were alive, he might say Fontana's sound sings in its chains like the sea. Western Bridge is taping this live concert

to preserve a record of the current uses of the district as it moves from heavy uses to multiple use, but Fontana's sound is not the district's. What Wallace Stevens wrote about Picasso's Blue Period painting of an old guitarist is true of Fontana's work, "Things as they are/ Are changed upon the blue guitar." Although Fontana titled his show "Objective Sound," there's nothing remotely objective about the results, these rare choirs of industrial tools singing room to room. Through Aug. 4 at Western Bridge, 3412 Fourth Ave. S., Thursdays-Saturdays noon-6 p.m. Free. -- Regina Hackett

http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/article/Bill-Fontana-s-installation-at-Western-Bridge-is-1242782.php

Discuss as: First thoughts: Necessary, realistic, and unsatisfactory Summing up Obama’s speech in three words: necessary, realistic, and unsatisfactory… Obama’s answers (or non-answers) on the endgame, the cost, the Libyan opposition, and future humanitarian crises… The president, in New York today, sits down for an interview with NBC’s Brian Williams… Also in New York, he speaks at a dedication and attends two DNC events… Will Libya impact the budget debate?... Report: Obama will file for re-election less than three weeks for now… Is Barbour wooing Huckabee?... Santorum remains in New Hampshire, while Newt is in Wisconsin… And "Daily Rundown" interviews Stephen Hadley and Martin O’Malley, while "Andrea Mitchell Reports" has Susan Rice, Joe Lieberman, and Amy Klobuchar. *** Necessary, realistic, and unsatisfactory: President Obama's speech on Libya last

night was necessary, realistic, and unsatisfactory. NECESSARY because, nine days after the military campaign began there, he needed to update the American public on its status, aims, and future (arguably this should have happened at the start). REALISTIC because while he said U.S. intervention was needed to avert a humanitarian crisis, it had to be limited and multinational to avoid repeating the mistake of Iraq. And UNSATISFACTORY because it pleased very few, which in retrospect shouldn’t be too surprising given how complex and fluid the Middle East is right now. Despite all the backseat driving (Obama should have acted earlier! He shouldn't have acted at all! He should have gotten Congress' approval first!), the president will ultimately be judged by voters how he's navigating these difficult waters -- not by every paddle stroke, but rather by if the boat eventually gets to shore safely. *** On the endgame: Yesterday, we said we were looking for Obama to answer four questions in his speech. Here are his responses (or lack thereof). Our first question: What's the end game for U.S. involvement? What happens if Khaddafy's forces and the rebels are locked in a months-long stalemate? Will the U.S. continue to intervene? The president’s answer: "Going forward, the lead in enforcing the no-fly zone and protecting civilians on the ground will transition to our allies and partners, and I am fully confident that our coalition will keep the pressure on Khaddafy’s remaining forces. In that effort, the United States will play a supporting role -- including intelligence, logistical support, search and rescue assistance, and capabilities to jam regime communications." *** On the cost: Our second question: How much has the mission cost, and how much will it cost? His answer: "Because of this transition to a broader, NATO-based coalition, the risk and cost of this operation - to our military, and to American taxpayers - will be reduced significantly." Bottom line: He didn’t fully answer that question. *** On the Libyan opposition: Our third question: If the rebels triumph, what kind of governing order would they bring to Libya? His answer: "[Today], Secretary Clinton will go to London, where she will meet with the Libyan opposition and consult with more than 30 nations. These discussions will focus on what kind of political effort is necessary to pressure Khaddafy, while also supporting a transition to the future that the Libyan people deserve -- because while our military mission is narrowly focused on saving lives, we continue to pursue the broader goal of a Libya that belongs not to a dictator, but to its people." He avoided showing direct support for the opposition, even as U.S. actions clearly show the administration taking sides. *** On future humanitarian crises: Our fourth question: What happens the next time there's a humanitarian crisis and the international community supports an intervention? What does that mean for Syria? What about Iran? His answer: "In this particular country - Libya; at this particular moment, we were faced with the prospect of violence on a horrific scale. We had a unique ability to

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2011/03/29/6367597-first-thoughts-necessary-realistic-and-unsatisfactory?lite

Some real show "toppers" are among 50 hats from museum's permanent collection. The new exhibition at Wm. McKinley Presidential Library & Museum — “Under Cover: Highlights from the Hat Collection" — is more than a history of headgear. Admittedly, the exhibition, which opens Friday and will be on display until Oct. 21 in the museum's Keller Gallery, traces the evolving styles in hats through the handful of colorful 20th century decades that make up the "Golden Age" of hats. "You are about to step into a world where a woman would never dream of leaving her house without a hat and gloves, even to run to the grocery store,” says an introductory text panel at the entrance to the exhibit. "During the 'Golden Age' of hats, women would

often alter a design to go with a new outfit. Millinery shops featured the latest styles for each season." Visitors to the exhibition also will be introduced, at least through their imagination, to the sense of style — outlook on life, really — of the women who wore the 50 hats chosen from the more than 600 hats in the museum's permanent collection. "When we put the exhibition together, the idea was that these hats represented the personality of the wearers," said museum curator Kimberly Kenney. "With 50 hats we've got 50 different people who wore these hats. Some are traditional and some are outrageous." Guest curator Kathy Fleeher, former assistant curator at Canton Museum of Art and a volunteer at McKinley museum, is guest curator for the hats exhibition. She was helping Kenney catalog the hats when the idea to display them was born. "I told her that the museum had a lot of wonderful hats," Fleeher said. "We saw that we had so many cool ones that we decided to show them off." Fleeher said she has had "an affinity for hats" since the days she saw the older female members of her family wear hats on special occasions. "My mom was a real fashion plate and she wore hats all the time," Fleeher recalled, noting occasions large and small once caused women to top off their attire with hats. "Hats were accessories," she explained. "At times when clothing was simple, hats made outfits more flamboyant. Women styled them to bring a little life into clothing that might have been more austere." Personal flair If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the stylishness of hats rests in the eyes of the women who wore them. One of Fleeher's favorite hats in the "Under Cover" exhibition is a flamboyant display of fashion sense that provides a glimpse into the obviously outgoing personality of its previous owner. "I'm intrigued by who owned it. It's completely filled with dangling lily of the valley," said Fleeher. "You have to wonder what woman bought this hat, what was she thinking when she bought it, and where was she planning to wear it after she bought it." Out of style History is also, by definition, in the past. In the past, as well, is the practice of wearing hats, Fleeher's research shows. "After the 1960s, hats went out of fashion. People still wore them, but it wasn't as necessary as it was in the decades before," Fleeher explained. "But, it was not until the 1980s and 1990s, when fashion got more relaxed and people didn't dress up as much, that people stopped wearing hats." Even Fleeher, one of the area's most knowledgeable proponents of hats, rarely wears hats as statements of her style. "I do wear hats, but most of the time the hats I wear are not for fashion," she said. "They are sun hats or rain hats. They're hats that are more for function." Others in the Stark County no doubt could echo her admission. That's why the "Under Cover" exhibition will

http://www.indeonline.com/entertainmentlife/20180506/monday-after-mckinley-museum-new-exhibition-is-all-about-hats?rssfeed=true

IntelliResponse Adds Predictive Matching to Virtual Agents Latest enhancements improve answer accuracy by up to 17 percent while substantially reducing customer effort. Posted Feb 7, 2013 Page 1 IntelliResponse Systems, a provider of virtual agent technology solutions, has released IntelliSuggest, a new feature of IntelliResponse Virtual Agent 6.2 that leverages predictive matching technology to deliver answers to self-service questions. IntelliSuggest's predictive matching capabilities match questions posed to possible answers in a company's knowledgebase based on the intent of the query, and not the keywords. By using this unique, proprietary approach, IntelliSuggest can find answer matches even when the typed keywords are neither in the title, nor in the text of the answer. Options that the user can select are based on match probability, with the order changing in

real-time as users get more exact with their questions. "A common challenge with existing search and Web self-service/virtual agent technologies is that their understanding of customer intent is not always clear or explicit, which limits the accuracy of responses," said Paul Smith, vice president of product and services at IntelliResponse, in a statement. "Many of these technologies rely on keyword matching, which drives the user to a set of results. The problem with this approach is that in most cases keyword matching only returns previous entries that were provided by other users based on exact matches of those keywords. Additionally, multiple responses are often ambiguous or confusing to the consumer compared to being able to deliver a single correct answer." Empirical data gathered from live customer deployments using IntelliSuggest have far surpassed the company's expectations. A/B testing results have demonstrated up to a 17 percent improvement in answer accuracy and a more than 20 percent reduction in customer effort. Page 1 To contact the editors, please email editor@destinationCRM.com Related Articles Advances in technology will help contact centers shine. Popular Articles

http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/CRM-News/Daily-News/IntelliResponse-Adds-Predictive-Matching-to-Virtual-Agents--87604.aspx

DID YOU KNOW? Painful Periods Are a CLUE To What Giving Birth Will Be Like, Reveals Study Most women experience period pain at some point in their lives. For some, ‘time of the month’ causes little or no discomfort, while for others it can be excruciating. Most of us dismiss period pain as just ‘one of those things’ and get on with it. However, it seems the level of discomfort you feel can be a warning sign of what level of pain to expect from childbirth. ‘The initial stages of labour are very similar to periods,’ explains Dr Dasha Fielder, an Australia GP who specialises in women’s health. ‘Except with periods the pain stays about the same, whereas with labour it continues to increase and get worse until

the baby is born.’ The reason behind the thinking is that period and childbirth pain are similar as they both originate from the cervix opening. As with childbirth, menstruating also involves contractions. Period pain occurs when the muscular wall of the womb contracts to encourage the womb lining to shed away as part of your monthly period. During the heaviest days of our period, the cervix open ups to around one cms to allow the uterine lining to pass. The continual contractions are usually so mild that most women can’t feel them. but for some, this process involves cramping and intense bursts of pain. During labour, the cervix needs to open not one cm but around 10 to allow the baby to be born. ‘The initial stages of labour, when the cervix goes from around zero to five centimetres in diameter, are very, very similar to period cramps,’ Fielder tells Mamamia. ‘It tends to be in a cyclical fashion and the contractions come usually every half an hour or every 20 minutes, and it does feel exactly like period pain. ‘I have tested it three times with my children, so I can tell you as a doctor and a mother it’s exactly right.’ She explained the pain comes from the many nerve fibres within the cervix. Photo Credits: Read More: [fbcomments data-width="100%"]

https://classic105.com/did-you-know-painful-periods-are-a-clue-to-what-giving-birth-will-be-like-reveals-study/

Steven Spielberg's 'War Horse' debuts on DVD and Blu-ray Published: Thursday, April 5 2012 5:27 p.m. MDT Jeremy Irvine stars as Albert Narracott in "War Horse," based on the children's book. Associated Press A winner from Steven Spielberg leads these new movies on Blu-ray and DVD. "War Horse" (Touchstone/Dreamworks/Blu-ray + DVD + Digital, 2011, PG-13, four discs, $45.99). Spielberg has made an artful and thoroughly involving film (based on the children's book and Tony-winning play) about an English teenager bonding with a horse he names Joey as World War I is on the horizon. They are torn apart when Joey is sold to the British cavalry, then the horse changes hands several times between the enemy and the Allies as the war rages, until he and his master,

now a soldier, are eventually reunited. Episodic and unabashedly old-fashioned, this is the very definition of a movie parents and their kids can enjoy together. Some critics grumbled that it's not a realistic enough examination of war but Spielberg gave us that already with "Saving Private Ryan." This is a different kind of entertainment and it works very well on its own terms. Extras: widescreen; Blu-ray, DVD and digital versions; featurettes (also on two-disc DVD, $39.99, and single-disc DVD, $29.99) "Chasing Madoff" (Cohen/Blu-ray, 2011, $29.98). Documentary on Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme — the largest in history — doesn't have a lot of new information. The focus is on securities analyst Harry Markopolos, who discovered the fraud a decade before it fell apart and tried to blow the whistle, but no one would listen. Interesting, but could use some other voices. Extras: widescreen, deleted scenes/alternate ending, audio commentary, trailer (also on DVD, $24.98) "Angels Crest (Magnolia, 2011; R for language, sex; $26.98). Downbeat tale is set in a gossipy, small, snow-covered town in the Rockies (filmed in Canada). A very young father loses track of his toddler son, with tragic results. A local prosecutor decides to pursue charges of neglect and everyone in town has an opinion, including the child's alcoholic mother. Familiar supporting cast includes Elizabeth McGovern, Jeremy Piven, Mira Sorvino and Kate Walsh. Extras: widescreen, deleted scenes, featurettes, trailer "Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man" (eOne, 2012, $19.98). Luke Perry returns as a circuit court judge working the Western Territories when he finds himself going up against a ruthless gang terrorizing a small town. Entertaining western sequel made for the cable Hallmark Channel. Extras: widescreen, featurette "Hidden" (eOne, 2012, $19.98). Mysterious goings-on in an experimental addiction-treatment center and former monastery set the stage for a visit by a young heir and his dopey pals. Basic don't-go-in-the-woods horror. Extras: widescreen EMAIL: hicks@desnews.com Get The Deseret News Everywhere

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765566338/Steven-Spielbergs-War-Horse-debuts-on-DVD-and-Blu-ray.html

Missouri Bans Student-Teacher Social Networking New Delhi, Aug 2: Missouri recently banned student-teacher Facebook friendships under a law preventing students from having social relationships with their teachers. The law specifically prevents ‘exclusive’ access to students, which bans using Facebook for things like private study groups. Some teachers believe the ban will prevent students who wouldn’t otherwise seek their counsel from reaching out. It's time to do a massive Facebook friend-purge, Missouri teachers. A new bill signed into law by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon makes it illegal for students and teachers within the state to have private relationships on Facebook. We should note that the new law isn't targeting Facebook exclusively–or even social networks. The entire point of the legislation centers on curbing sexual misconduct between teachers and students.

The "Amy Hestir Student Protection Act," named for a former Missouri public school student who was molested by a teacher decades prior, increases penalties for school districts that fail to report abuse allegations within a timely manner and fail to disclose instances of past abuse by former staff members. Buried within the law, however, is a provision that effectively eliminates private social relationships between students and teachers on any of the Web's many social networks. Missouri school districts are required to develop written policies to address the "appropriate use of electronic media" by the start of 2012, which must include guidelines for social network use. "Teachers cannot establish, maintain, or use a work-related website unless it is available to school administrators and the child's legal custodian, physical custodian, or legal guardian," reads the law. "Teachers also cannot have a nonwork-related website that allows exclusive access with a current or former student." The word "exclusive" is the key part of the text, as the law still allows teachers to set up social networking pages for friendships, class use, or program support so long as the site is publicly available to all. But even that provision isn't sitting well with Missouri teachers who maintain that Facebook is a valuable tool for students that might otherwise feel uncomfortable bringing up issues in a face-to-face setting. "For some students, that move could very well prevent them from confiding in a trusted adult friend who might be able to help them get through serious problems in their lives," writes Randy Turner, a middle school communications arts teacher in Missouri's Joplin School District. "For Joplin students, that could be dealing with the aftermath of losing their homes and having their lives uprooted on May 22. For others, it may be confiding in just the kind of horrific crime that the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act is supposedly designed to eliminate," she adds.

https://demo.infyways.com/128-ticker-news/112-missouri-bans-student-teacher-social-networking

"It's the year 299, and we catch up with our dastardly group along the rippling waters of The Riverlands. Tywin Lannister with the Lannisters strike Edmure Tullys and the Tullys. The Lannisters outweigh the Tullys in number with an army of 20,000 men. But with a twist of fate, Edmure Tullys and Jason Mallister defend Red Fork, claiming victory." If the preceding paragraph looks familiar, you've probably spent some time with "A Song of Ice and Fire," George R. R. Martin's fictional saga that became the basis for HBO's hit show "Game of Thrones." If it doesn't look familiar, that might be because it never appeared in the blockbuster fantasy series — because it wasn't written by a human. The recap emerged from a hackathon held this June

by Automated Insights, a company that develops and peddles software that turns structured data into readable narratives. Wordsmith, the company's flagship product, can't compete with Martin when it comes to imaginative and inventive prose. But unlike Martin — who takes years to pen each novel — Wordsmith "wrote" the summary in an instant, using a new interface that's currently being tested by Automated Insights. On Tuesday, Automated Insights publicly announced that interface, a product that will make Wordsmith available for self-service for the first time. "We get requests all the time from people that wanted to touch it, use it, play with it," said Robbie Allen, the founder and CEO of Automated Insights. "We heard that enough, and the technology had developed in such a way that we could create something that I thought would be user-friendly." The new offering, which is currently in the beta stage, represents a new frontier for Automated Insights. Up until today, the company's business revolved around working with clients to produce "custom implementations," models for data narratives that were crafted by staffers at Automated Insights and written by the company's software. This service comes with a significant price tag — anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 per month depending on the client's request. The new product, which does not require input from staffers at Automated Insights, will be much cheaper, although a price hasn't been fixed yet. "We'll still offer the ability to use our services to help with your data or creating the story structures or whatever you need," Allen said. "But if you just want to use the platform, depending on the volume at which you're needing to use it, it'll be significantly less than if you had us doing the work." Before today's launch, Automated Insights was already well known in future-of-media circles for automating the production of earnings report stories and collegiate sports recaps for The Associated Press. The software proved to be extremely prolific and accurate — in January, Automated Insights announced Wordsmith increased the news cooperative's earnings reports stories by tenfold with "far fewer errors" than stories produced by humans. In March, The AP announced it would use the software to generate thousands of stories about NCAA athletics. This was all done amid hand-wringing that automated labor would replace journalists, as it has workers in so many other industries. But so far, Allen says, Automated Insights isn't aware of a single journalist that has been pushed out of a job by Wordsmith. Lou Ferrara, a managing editor at The Associated Press, has repeatedly said the software hasn't eliminated jobs; rather, it frees up journalists to do work that can't be automated. A demo of the product given to Poynter earlier this month shed some light on how the new software works. After users upload their data to Wordsmith, they are invited to create a template that dictates how the files will be interpreted. By creating a series of logical steps called branches, users can determine how variables in the data will appear in the story. Each template reads like a mad

http://www.poynter.org/2015/with-new-product-automated-insights-hopes-to-make-robot-journalism-cheaper-and-more-plentiful/379809/

Five soldiers injured by bombs, Patani insurgent killed in conflict-torn Thai South Frightened children huddled on the classroom floor amid the sound of gunfire and a hovering helicoper as security forces and militants clashed in a rubber plantation near their school in Chanae district on Friday morning. One militant was killed. Four others escaped but left trails of blood behind them. In Sungai Padi district, five members of a security team patrolling a road along a railway track were wounded by the second of two bombs detonated by ambushers. The first bomb was detonated about 7.30am when a soldier and five paramilitary rangers based at Toh Deng train station were patrolling a road parallel to the track in tambon Toh Deng of Sungai Padi district. A steel box

stuffed with explosives believed to weigh about 10 kilogrammes had been hidden in a pipe running beneath the road and was detonated remotely. The patrol members were uninjured and opened fire into roadside bushes they believed were concealing the attackers. As they tried to move away from the scene of the attack, a second bomb exploded about 15 metres from the first, wounding five of them. Three suffered serious injuries. The second bomb was inside a cooking gas cylinder and believed to weigh about 20kg. Shortly before, about 7.15am, police and paramilitary rangers raided a rubber plantation in Ban Tue Kor in tambon Chanae of Chanae district. They converged on a shelter where there were five armed men. The two sides exchanged gunfire for about half an hour. As the militants began retreating a helicopter was called in to help track them. One militant was found dead at the scene. He was later identified as Abdulloh Masae. An AK-47 rifle and several empty magazines were beside his body. There were blood trails leaving the area and it was believed other suspects were wounded. Continue reading Bangkok Post: Five soldiers injured by bombs, insurgent killed in far South Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Google photo Twitter picture Facebook photo Connecting to %s

https://bedlamfury.wordpress.com/2019/01/19/five-soldiers-injured-by-bombs-patani-insurgent-killed-in-conflict-torn-thai-south/

Laramie Daily Boomerang, Aaron LeClair , Associated Press Tom Mangan discusses his multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and the MS-support group he founded in Laramie, Wyo. on Dec. 13, 2011. LARAMIE, Wyo. — Five years ago, Laramie resident Thomas Mangan was at a football game when he experienced a sign of the disease he couldn't avert. The hair on the right side of his head hurt. "I was wearing a sweatshirt with a hood. And it was all I could do to get it up over my head it hurt so bad. Why? It made absolutely no sense," Mangan said. He thought he had a pinched nerve, but an initial X-ray and MRI at a local clinic didn't detect anything. After a series of medical examinations, including spinal fluid

analysis, Mangan was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Before he was diagnosed, Mangan, vice president of First Interstate Bank in Laramie, also had experienced other changes in his body, including limited sensations in three fingers of his right hand, cramps in his legs and fatigue. "I would go home at night and sit down and go to sleep. It didn't matter if we had company or not," he said. "(Before MS) I was one of those people who could stay up until 10 p.m., 11 p.m., 12 a.m. and get up at 4-5 a.m. and I was fine . I couldn't control it." He informed his employer of the diagnosis and the potential side effects of his medications. But not everybody diagnosed with MS feels they can be open about the disease with their employers out of fear of losing their jobs, Mangan said. Shortly after Mangan was diagnosed, he decided to start a local support group for people who have various unanswered questions about the elusive disease. "I want people to know that there's somebody who has MS that they could call and talk to (about) why things are happening. One of the most important parts in a disease, and I don't care what disease it is, is support," he said. "It's one of those (diseases) that people hear about it, but they don't really know a lot about it because it's so different in how it affects people. It can be anywhere from affecting your ability to walk, to write. Part of the problem is you don't know. Today you are fine. Tomorrow you've got an issue." The National MS Society defines MS as a disease that affects the central nervous system by disrupting the flow of information from the brain to the body; it has no known cause and no known cure. MS usually strikes between the ages of 20-50 and 73 percent of those diagnosed are women. Wyoming has one of the highest incidences of MS in the nation, the organization reports. "It's like the cable on my computer monitor that goes down your spine and that's where all your nerves run through. MS causes a lesion on that so when they get big enough and open then the brain sends a signal for me to do something with this arm, and the signal goes out instead of going through," Mangan said. Mangan's decision to form a support group in essence became a revival of the MS support group that used to exist in Laramie but had lost its momentum by the time he was diagnosed. Now, the group has about 12 members who meet every second Wednesday of the month at the Ivinson Memorial Hospital. The group invites guest speakers for presentations on various topics that affect people with MS such as physical therapists, yoga instructors and brain specialists. The group also receives educational information from the National MS Society on various issues related to the disease. Each year in March, the group, in conjunction with the UW College of Nursing, organizes a walk to promote awareness

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/700207372/Laramie-man-fights-MS-starts-support-group.html

There’s a trend toward minimizing wallet clutter these days with various alternative card receptacles that force you to limit the plastic you haul around. Although, what if you only needed one card because it was actually all your cards? That would certainly cut down on wallet mass dramatically, and one company is trying to make just such a product happen. Coin is an electronic device the size of a credit card that can morph into eight different cards with a simple button press. The technology that makes Coin possible is a new type of magnetic strip that can change on demand to replicate any of your saved cards. You press the button to cycle through your accounts, then swipe it. Coin is scarcely thicker than a regular credit

card, which means it can be swiped normally. However, almost everything else about the Coin’s appearance is distinctly not normal. This is a plastic slab with a monochrome LCD and prominent button on the front. There are no numbers and no signature box, as far as anyone can tell. Handing this device to a server at a restaurant or a cashier at the supermarket is going to result in plenty of confused looks and awkward conversations as you explain that, yes, it can be swiped like a credit card. Even then, what’s the point of signing a receipt with nothing to compare? Maybe it’s just time to admit that signatures are a terrible way to verify identities. Losing a single credit card is bad enough, but losing the one card containing all your cards? That’s a serious financial disaster waiting to happen. The folks behind Coin are trying to prevent that by building in Bluetooth 4.0 LE. Coin will be tethered to your smartphone so if you walk off without it, the phone can alert you. If you forget your phone and card, you’ve got bigger issues. Misplacing the coin is not the only possible security concern — it could also make it extremely easy for people to steal card numbers. Card skimmers are nothing new, but the user-friendly nature of Coin could make duplicating cards considerably easier. The device will come with a card reader that plugs into a smartphone’s headphone jack. It reads the magnetic stripe and shoots the card over to Coin so you can use it instantly. That’s great when you want to get your own cards set up, but it could also allow someone else to make a clone of your credit card in mere seconds. Coin 2 Maybe these misgivings about Coin are really just an amplification of the problems with credit cards in general. There’s really very little security when it comes to a piece of plastic that’s as good as cash. It would make more sense to use a phone, which can be secured with passcodes and fingerprints for payment. Although, efforts in this area — such as Google Wallet and Isis — have thus far fallen flat. If credit cards are going to continue to dominate, perhaps we do need a smarter card like Coin. (Read: Google Wallet: A year of failure, and how to fix it.) Coin might not be the perfect way to deal with wallet clutter, but it’s undeniably cool technology. It could really simplify things if it takes off, but you’ll have to wait to find out. Coin can be preordered now for $55 with delivery expected in summer 2014. Now read: Researchers create RFID-enabled paper, bringing us ever closer to traceable cash

https://www.extremetech.com/electronics/171102-coin-is-an-insecure-meta-card-that-morphs-into-all-your-credit-cards-at-the-push-of-a-button

Meth Breast Milk: Mom Charged with Murder of Baby - FindLaw Blotter FindLaw Blotter - The FindLaw Crime and Criminals Blog Meth Breast Milk: Mom Charged with Murder of Baby Maggie Jean Wortman of Eureka, California has been charged with murdering her 6-week-old son via meth breast milk. In other words, she's been accused of nursing while ingesting methamphetamine, which caused the baby boy to develop breathing problems and subsequently die. Her older daughter, at 19 months, has also tested positive for the drug. Wortman tested positive for meth while 6 months pregnant and told authorities that she had smoked the drug while nursing, reports the Times Standard. Prosecutors believe that she passed the meth on to her son via breast milk, as he was found to have

died from methamphetamine toxicity. Originally charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, prosecutors this week elevated the charges to murder, though Wortman's defense attorney believes there isn't enough evidence to warrant such a charge. Is there? In California, murder requires "malice aforethought," which is either when there is a deliberate intent to kill another; no provocation; or when the circumstances show "an abandoned and malignant heart." "An abandoned and malignant heart" is another way of saying "reckless indifference to an unjustifiably high risk of death." Because of the given circumstances, prosecutors are likely going to claim that Wortman acted with a malignant heart, arguing that she acted recklessly and without care to her son's life by feeding him meth breast milk. They're certainly going to have some trouble proving this if they can't show that she knew, or should have known, that drugs can be transmitted to children while nursing. Such proof may be required to show that Maggie Jean Wortman disregarded the possibility that meth breast milk could harm her son. Related Resources:

http://blogs.findlaw.com/blotter/2011/08/meth-breast-milk-mom-charged-with-murder-of-baby.html

Italian Labels Battle To Register Brand Names In China 22 Nov 2012 DSQUARED2, Costume National and Iceberg have been denied the right to register their labels in China, because their brand names have already been unrightfully used in the country by an unnamed single party. Italy's governing fashion body, The Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, is currently fighting for the decision to be reconsidered. "The impediment of the legitimate brand owners to operate in China and develop their markets on international grounds is an extremely serious matter that has forced the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana to reach out for the help and collaboration of the Chinese institutional bodies that have always contributed to a positive mutual relation between the two countries," a statement from the Italian organisation

read, The Telegraph reports. The release went on to add that the three Italian labels should be recognised as separate entities from the company that has current ownership of the brand names.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/dsquared2-costume-national-and-iceberg-lose-name-rights-in-china

A teenage drug dealer was given a chance by a judge, who told him to: "Go away and don't even think about coming back." Joshua Finn, 19, of Woodland Way, Bedmond, received a two year suspended sentence and a six month curfew after the police found 13 wraps of the cocaine hidden in the loft at his home. Prosecutor Margaret Mascherenas told St Albans crown court on Tuesday that the officers discovered cocaine, weighing 12.34 grams, and a dealer's list when they raided the address. Finn was arrested and made no comment to police questions. He refused to give the officers the PIN to his mobile phone, so they were unable to investigate his contacts. He pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine on March 25 this year. He had

no previous convictions, but one caution for shoplifting. Defence barrister Richard Storey said: "He had begun to use cocaine and had developed an £80-a-day habit. "He got into debt with pay day loan companies and owed £3,000, but has sought help and is now paying the money back at £250 a month. "He has said he deserves to be punished and has stopped taking cocaine." Mr Storey said Finn was now working as a trainee roofer, earning £300 a week. Judge John Plumstead told him: "You have a good work record. You are going to have to decide whether you are going to settle down as a decent member of humanity or go into criminality. Do you understand?" Finn, who had been supported in court by his mother and a former boss, replied: "I understand." The judge passed a two year jail term suspended for 18 months, with a six month curfew on Friday and Saturday nights between 8pm and 8am and ordered him to pay £380 costs. He said: "Go away and don't even think about coming back."

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/11152084.Teenage_drug_dealer_told_to__go_away_and_don_t_even_think_about_coming_back__by_judge/?ref=var_0

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 @04:34pm CST DECATUR- A stun cuff could keep control of aggressive inmates in Macon county. They could be used when Willie Thompson goes to court. He's the man charged with killing a Douglas county deputy and was put in isolation after police say he punched an officer in the face. Officers say they hope to never have to use them but know that in some cases inmates can get disruptive...Trying to run....or even attacking the judge. The stun cuff would prevent that from happening. Chief Deputy Tom Schneider says it's technology they can use, "Whenever we get high risk people in the jail it's a situation where we look at it and say o-kay is there any new technology out there?" It's technology that

will fit on an inmates leg, under their pants, you wouldn't even know it was there. But if they get out of control in court they could be in for a shock. A correctional officers volunteered to show us just how powerful stun cuffs can be. "It stops you in your tracks ...putting your finger in a light socket almost." The cuff would be used on inmates that are deemed high risk fighting in jail, being disruptive or trying to escape. Defendants aren't hand-cuffed in court so officers say it's one way to keep control and ensure everyone's safety. "For an inmate that has been a problem in court, could be a problem in court it's a very effective tool. It's gonna literally stop them in their tracks.": Inmates aren't hand-cuffed in court once their trial begins. So a jury can presume their innocence. These stun cuffs would only be used in extreme cases. Macon county is one of the first in our area Sangamon county says it's looking to up some security but has not looked into these cuffs just yet. They'll wait and see how they work in Macon county. Request product info from top Prisoner Transport companies Thank You! = required Error occured while sending data Join the discussion

http://www.policeone.com/police-products/vehicle-equipment/prisoner-transport/articles/1694836-Macon-Co-Stun-Cuffs/

NEW YORK—Amanda Knox, the college junior who spent four years in an Italian prison after being accused of murdering her British roommate, is telling her story to ABC News. Knox was an American student studying in Italy when, in 2007, she became the center of a murder case that seized the world's attention. She was convicted in 2009. But after an appeal, she was acquitted and released in October 2011. The interview is timed to the publication of Knox's book, "Waiting to Be Heard."

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_22564848/former-jailed-student-amanda-knox-talking-abc

Womb with a View: Labor inside an MRI Scanner Reveals the Mechanics of Childbirth Enlarge Image credit: Charité Hospital/European Radiology MORE IMAGES In 2010 a woman in Germany became the first person to give birth inside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The results, published May 2 in European Radiology, provide an extraordinary view of what exactly happens as a baby moves through the birth canal. The study details how the researchers adapted a regular MRI machine to hold the mother-to-be and her accoutrements. They widened the machine's mouth to make room for the obstetrician, stripped the metallic components out of a fetal heart monitor so that it could be used near the scanner's big magnet, and laid down sheeting to protect the machine from "fluid leakages." During

labor, the 24-year-old volunteer lay supine and wore earmuffs to block out the noise of the machine. As the baby's head emerged, the machine was shut off to prevent damage to its ears.* Movement distorts MRI images, but you can't reasonably ask a woman in labor to hold still (go ahead and try it…); the sharpest images (above) were taken before and immediately after the birth. The first (a) shows the baby heading toward the birth canal, and the following images show the uterus before (b) and after (c) it expelled the afterbirth. Researchers were able to watch the writhing contortions of the uterine muscles and the rotation of the fetus during its journey. The images revealed "how extensively the rectum and adjacent muscles are pushed against the coccyx to enable the child to pass through the birth canal," the researchers wrote. Although they aren't recommending that doctors should adopt this technique to monitor normal births, the research paves the way for using MRI technology to understand what goes wrong during obstructed labor—including why the baby fails to move properly through the birth canal in 15 percent of vaginal deliveries. —Sarah Fecht * Correction (6/11/12): This sentence originally stated incorrectly that the machine was shut off before the amniotic sack broke. Share this Article: Scientific American Back To School Back to School Sale! 12 Digital Issues + 4 Years of Archive Access just $19.99 Order Now > Email this Article

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'Knight and Day': Good and bad, according to critics knight-and-day-3.jpg "Knight and Day" is Tom Cruise's first movie since the 2008 World War II thriller "Valkyrie" -- and arguably the first real "Tom Cruise movie" since "Mission: Impossible III" in 2006. As such, it's getting more scrutiny than your average summer action movie might, with questions about whether Cruise is still the eminently bankable star he's been for much of his career. Moviegoers will determine that over the course of the next few weeks, but there's also the question of whether the movie, in which he plays a spy opposite Cameron Diaz's caught-up-in-the-action regular gal, is any good. The answer from the critics is, "Yes and no." At the time of this posting, "Knight and Day" is scoring

a 53 on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning reviewers are just about equally split on its quality. Here's a sampling of the reviews. "The character of Roy Miller is so quintessentially Cruise-ian that he skirts the edges of self-conscious parody. He's an indestructible superspy who's bottomlessly cheerful and yet vaguely malevolent." -- Dana Stevens, Slate "If you doubt Cruise's skills in the star department, 'Knight and Day' should make you a believer. It's hardly a perfect film, not even close, but it is the most entertaining made-for-adults studio movie of the summer." -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times "There's never been a particularly crisp line between intense, SUPER-AWESOME Tom Cruise and the characters he plays. In 'Knight and Day,' his age-old cool curdles into motormouthed neediness." -- Dan Kois, Village Voice "The structural sameness is balanced by genuinely witty action sequences that also create a rooting interest. The banter is fairly diverting, too, especially as delivered by actors who are naturally funny." -- Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle "The plot doesn't twist or turn so much as link one poorly orchestrated action set piece to the next. Throughout it all, Cruise doesn't allow even the single bead of sweat that dropped in 'Mission: Impossible' to escape his pores." -- Scott Tobias, A.V. Club "Cruise's Roy engages in many feats of derring-do, leaping from rooftop to rooftop and executing crazy bike jumps. But the results are curiously unthrilling, and it's hard not to wonder what the picture would be like with another male star." -- Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline "Whatever the sins of the movie ... [they] are for the most part softened by Cruise's assured performance. An underrated actor, Cruise gives Roy the confidence a man who is willing to leap from a speeding motorcycle onto the hood of a speeding car in the middle of a freeway would surely need. ... Either that or he really is crazy. Works either way." -- Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic "The wonder is that Cruise and Diaz are effective enough in their roles that they're not overwhelmed by all the commotion surrounding them. They make the movie work because they cheerfully project that they know it's utter nonsense and pitch in to enjoy the fun." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Photo credit: 20th Century Fox

http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/knight_and_day_good_and_bad_according_to_critics-2010-06

Oscars: Lin-Manuel Miranda Raps Intro to Auli’i Cravalho's Performance of 'Moana' Oscar-Nominated Song The 'Hamilton' creator and 'Moana' star performed the original song "How Far I'll Go" from the animated feature. Lin-Manuel Miranda introduced the 16-year-old star of the Oscar-nominated film Moana, Auli'i Cravalho, with a rap performance leading into her first-ever Oscar appearance. As Miranda exited the stage, the curtains opened to reveal Cravalho, dressed in a red gown, as she performed the Oscar-nominated original song "How Far I'll Go" from Disney's aquatic animated feature As dancers waved blue banners behind her, evoking the oceanic feel of the film, Cravalho belted the hit to the room full of some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Miranda, who wrote the tune, earned his first Oscar nomination for his work writing

the music for the family film.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lin-manuel-miranda-s-oscars-2017-how-far-i-ll-go-performance-watch-980201

American goldfinch What the hell's flying around your back yard? You should find out. Then you should tell the members of Columbus Audubon, which is participating in the national Christmas Bird Count, running through Jan. 5. Says the National Audubon Society: [Main page]

http://www.columbusalive.com/content/blogs/venture/2008/12/nature_notes_count_birds_for_c.html

Ed Sheeran Admits He Accidentally Pooped His Pants During Concert British crooner Ed Sheeran reveals in a new interview that he actually had a pretty disgusting accident during one of his concerts, pooping his pants on stage. ... Seriously, Ed?! "I actually once misjudged a fart on stage, which ended up being a shart," he told Australian radio station Nova FM. "It was midway through a performance and I was kind of like, really lively, and then halfway through I was like, 'All right, I'm just going to stand for the rest of the performance, and hope it's over soon, and then go home and throw these trousers out.'" Ed also said he passes gas while performing "all the time," and admitted to having gone three days without

changing his underwear. Clearly, there's much more to the 24-year-old "Thinking Out Loud" singer than his super-romantic ballads. This, of course, isn't the first time Ed has gotten super-candid in an interview. Check out the video below to hear the hilarious reason why he says he'd never hook up with his close pal, Taylor Swift.

http://www.etonline.com/news/168662_ed_sheeran_admits_he_accidentally_pooped_his_pants_during_concert

By Girish Gupta URIBANA, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan authorities transferred inmates out of a prison on Sunday following a bloody riot two days earlier that killed 58 people and again highlighted chaos in the country's jails. It was the fourth high-profile incident in 18 months in a penal system that has experienced repeated fatal clashes and shootouts. Venezuela's prisons house three times the number of inmates they were designed to hold. The violence broke out at the Uribana jail as cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez continues receiving treatment in Cuba and Vice President Nicolas Maduro - the notional head of state - visited him in Havana then flew to a summit in Chile. In surprisingly candid comments to state TV, Prisons Minister Iris Varela acknowledged that weapons-smuggling enabled by

corrupt prison workers had let armed gangs effectively control the run-down facility, near the city of Barquisimeto in southwestern Venezuela. "It was nearly impossible to operate a penitentiary here given the level of violence," Varela told a news conference. "This is part of the corruption of some officials. We have opened battle lines against them." Varela said 2,000 male prisoners and 130 female prisoners were being transferred to other facilities, while 46 remained in hospital recovering from injuries. The government did not provide its own official number of 58 dead until late on Sunday afternoon. A hospital official had earlier put the death toll at 61. Television images showed the burnt remains of cells that had been burned by prisoners. Makeshift shacks with teetering roofs and exposed electrical wiring, built by inmates in the overcrowded prison, lay charred by the blaze. Prisoners had been raising goats and chickens inside the grounds, Varela said, and had an extensive network of tunnels for escape and trafficking. She said the inmate gangs had probably wanted to stay, most likely because of the ample opportunity for lucrative illicit business within the jail. "The prisoners didn't escape from here en masse because they didn't want to," she said. "If all the men that were in here pushed the wall, they would have knocked it over." On Friday, the authorities had attempted to carry out an inspection at Uribana targeting the gangs' weapons, but were unable to do so because of armed resistance, the minister said. Searching through the wreckage on Sunday, officers found a hand grenade and the charred remains of an unidentified body, which was included in the official toll. Earlier in the day, relatives gathered outside voiced anger at the lack of information about where inmates were being sent. "We're suffering here, and the government is saying nothing," said Josefina Ramirez, 36, seeking information about her 25-year-old husband. "We want Chavez to come here to give us news. We want an answer." Chavez has not been seen in public nor heard from in 45 days, an absence that has spurred criticism from opposition leaders that the country is effectively without a president. Allies insist he is fully carrying out his duties. Maduro promised a full investigation of the incident just after returning to Venezuela from Havana on Saturday. Within hours, he left to meet with Latin American and European dignitaries at a summit in Chile. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff scrapped her agenda at that summit and returned home after a nightclub fire killed at least 233 people early on Sunday. Varela had earlier blamed opposition media for reporting the search, which she said triggered the violence. Prisons have been a growing headache for the Chavez administration. Inmates refusing to be transferred out of a Caracas prison battled security forces in May for days as smoke rose above the compound and shots rang out. Chavez later said he called from Cuba, where he was receiving treatment, and spoke with one of the inmates to help negotiate an end to the standoff. An online animated series about

http://townhall.com/news/world/2013/01/27/venezuela-prison-riot-kills-61-government-mum-n1498959

“Leo Rubinfien: Wounded Cities” The National Museum Of Modern Art, Tokyo The terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, are imprinted on the memories of people around the world. Now, after 10 years, the physical damage in New York seems to be gradually mending. But what about the psychological recovery in society? Leo Rubinfien saw the 9/11 attack first hand, and has dealt with his experience by photographing the faces of people walking on streets in cities where terrorism has occurred, such as New York, London, Madrid, Moscow and Tokyo. The “mental wound” reflected in the faces of people vividly shows how terrorism can affect us. This exhibition comes to Japan for the first time with several unpublished works; till Oct. 23. The National Museum

of Modern Art, Tokyo; (03) 5777-8600; 3-1 Kitanomaru Park, Chiyoda-ku; 3-min walk from Exit 1b of Takebashi Station, Tozai Line. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Fri. till 8 p.m.) ¥420. Closed Mon., Sept. 20 and Oct. 11. www.momat.go.jp.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2011/08/19/culture/leo-rubinfien-wounded-cities/

Lucky Train combines elements railroad tycoon with city building to create an uniquely social gaming experience Train routes have been connecting people and places to each other for centuries, so it seems only natural for Lucky Train to do the same on Facebook. The brand new title from startup A Bit Lucky combines elements of the railroad tycoon genre (think Sid Meier’s Railroads!) with city building and a heavy dose of social gameplay. At the heart of Lucky Train is your train station, where train tracks stretch out on either side as far as the eye can see. When a train rolls in, you’ll fill it up with passengers and send it on its way again, collecting coins and experience points in the process. Lucky Train Around the

train station you’ll get to build up a city by building houses, shops, parks, and a variety of flowers, shrubs and other decorations. These structures are what produce the passengers that ride the train. Different types of buildings produce different passengers, including your typical economy class commuter up to luxury passengers, as well as children, teens, senior citizens, politicians and more. Both the trains and buildings can be upgraded. You’ll start with plain old trains, but can add more powerful engines and more cars, increasing their passenger capacity and speed and turning your fleet from old clunkers to sleek diesel-engined monorails. The faster a train, the faster it completes its route and returns to the station to load up more passengers. Lucky Train According to the developer, the game’s graphics were a blend of European style and an aesthetic inspired by Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away). The social aspects of Lucky Train are quite intriguing. With each new friend invited to the game, you add a train route between you and that friend. You can add multiple friends to the same train route by incorporating multiple “stops” along the way, and your friends can do the same so that routes can grow by six degrees of separation. Lucky Train Another interesting feature currently in the “coming soon” category is that trains will at some point be able to haul cargo as well as passengers. For example, you could send a train out to get steel and then use that to build a tower for your city. Lucky Train is still in the very early stages of development, so expect the game to expand and change a lot in the upcoming weeks. Be sure to add a Gamezebo game alert to be notified the moment our walkthrough and review become available!

http://www.gamezebo.com/2010/07/06/lucky-train-preview/

Another one of the Orioles’ attempts at a reclamation project has been lost for the year. Right-hander Joel Pineiro will undergo surgery Tuesday for a slap tear in his labrum. Doctors will also look at Pineiro’s rotator cuff while performing surgery, according to Orioles manager Buck Showalter. The 33-year-old Pineiro was signed in April to a minor-league deal as rotation insurance after being released by the Philadelphia Phillies. He appeared in two games for Triple-A Norfolk, going 1-0 with a 3.65 ERA. He also pitched in three games in the Gulf Coast league in Sarasota. He was 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA for the GCL Orioles. In other Orioles’ news, righty Stu Pomeranz, who had a cortisone shot in his back earlier this month, will be re-evaluated by

doctors Tuesday. He had been on the disabled list with an oblique tear, but dealt with back issues while rehabbing. Brian Roberts continues to do baseball activities in Sarasota in an attempt to rehab a hip injury. No timetable is set on his return. ShortstopJ.J. Hardyis getting a routine day off. Showalter said he has been looking to get Hardy some rest, especially for his aching shoulder. Hardy had a cortisone shot in the shoulder right before the All-Star Break and it appears to be improving. Omar Quintanilla is making his first start for the Orioles. He will play shortstop and bat ninth. Ryan Flaherty will make his fourth straight start at second base. Here are the lineups: Orioles: Markakis 9, Chavez 7, Thome DH, Jones 8, Wieters 2, Betemit 5, Davis 3, Flaherty 4, Quintanilla 6. Hunter 1. Indians: Choo 9, Cabrera 6, Kipnis 4, Brantley 8, Santana 2, Hafner DH, Damon 7, Kotchman 3, Hannahan 5. Masterson 1.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-rhp-joel-pineiro-is-out-for-the-year-with-labrum-tear-20120723,0,5685867.story

Latest in Canada Image credit: Canadian customers get lumps of clay instead of iPads Vancouver, B.C. resident Mark Sandhu bought a new iPad 2 for his wife for Christmas, but when she opened the box, she found a tablet of another kind: a big chunk of clay. Sandhu took his purchase back to Canadian retailer Future Shop and complained, but the store initially thought he was trying to run a scam on them. It's only after Sandhu contacted CTV, and after more cases of "clayPads" started showing up in Vancouver-area Future Shops and Best Buys, that Sandhu finally got compensation in the form of a full refund and a replacement iPad 2. This isn't the first time we've heard of a scam like this, unfortunately. Cases involving bricks

or other items inserted into iPod boxes and then returned for full refunds have happened several times in the past, with unsuspecting retail clerks simply returning them to shelves and selling the iBricks to customers down the road. One particularly effective scam I saw when I worked retail security a few years back was when a scammer would buy both a 1 GB and 4 GB iPod nano, then return the 1 GB nano in the 4 GB box. The differences between the two units were too subtle for most returns desk clerks to notice, but the price gap was wide enough for scammers to turn a tidy profit this way. According to CTV, 10 fake clayPads have been found in the Vancouver area so far. If you live in Vancouver and are planning to buy an iPad from anywhere other than an Apple Store, we'd suggest you shoot an unboxing video when you first open your purchase; if you "win" the lottery and wind up with a clayPad instead of an iPad, at least the video should be proof enough that you're the scammed and not the scammer. From around the web

https://www.engadget.com/2012/01/19/canadian-customers-get-lumps-of-clay-instead-of-ipads/

Trump may visit DMZ during South Korea trip Trump and Moon "I think it's not going to take long to see AI being a core assistant to commanders", the source told the Yonhap news agency. Combined Forces Command in Seoul, South Korean defense officials said. A North Korean soldier, left, and a South Korean soldier at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone, about 34 miles north of Seoul. The paraglider attack drills were allegedly the reason that South Korean and US forces held a joint short-range air defense drill in September-the first of its kind in South Korea-it notes. Other sources said that the discovery of the paragliding drills spurred the USA and South Korean forces to conduct their first-ever short range air defense exercise

at the end of September, aimed at targeting enemy "low altitude cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems and air breathing threats", the US military explained. Kim Jong-un has repeatedly tested Washington's patience by continuing work on nuclear and ballistic missiles. US Defence Secretary James Mattis warned the US Army to "stand ready" for any attack from North Korea. Vegas shooting leads Chicago Marathon to increase security The exercise involved South Korea's air defense unit and soldiers from the USA 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment. South Korea has been monitoring military activity in North Korea so that it could counter any attack before it is too late. White said in a statement that "This is the farthest north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) any USA fighter or bomber aircraft have flown off North Korea's coast in the 21st century, underscoring the seriousness with which we take [North Korea's] reckless behavior". North Korea is now slowly emerging as a threat to the entire human community as the country continuously violates opposition from all corners regarding their nuclear experiments and tests. In September, North Korea's most recent missile launch cleared Japan, before crashing into the Pacific Ocean. Trump tweeted Sunday that only "one thing would work" to stop Kim Jong Un's regime from further developing a nuclear arsenal aimed at hitting the us mainland. Related News: Most liked USA slaps new 80pc duty on Bombardier Darvish earns 1st playoff win in majors as Dodgers advance India vs Australia, 2nd T20I: Australia finally record a win that matters Behrendorff also became the first bowler to send Kohli back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers in T20 global cricket. India clinched a comprehensive nine-wicket victory in a rain-truncated first T20I encounter JSCA Stadium on Sunday. Projected Week 7 AP Top 25 Poll Google Home Max makes the Assistant blast music Father of missing Richardson girl arrested New Character Costumes Leaked Enjoy an early look at four Legendary skins for the Overwatch Halloween Terror seasonal event set to start on October 10th. Called the 2017 Halloween Terror event , fans will get to dress up their favorite character in new themed character skins. Chatswood police stand-off ends after more than 12 hours Speaker is open to idea of 'bump stock' ban "Right now our focus. has been on healing and uniting the country", said press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders . Trump blasted the NBC News story as "fake news" from his Twitter account and demanded an apology. Google posts first unedited Pixel 2 camera photos and they look stunning Brendan Steele successfully defends Safeway Open title Zac Blair (66) and Tony Finau (65) were 9 under, and Graham DeLaet (67) and Brian Davis (66) were another stroke back. Steele, who has two wins on the Tour, recorded five birdies in a six-hole stretch from number 13 to number 18. Legendary LSU QB YA Tittle passes away at age of 90 Panetta: Trump's 'calm before the storm' comment a 'play for attention' Police said, that the shooting which began late Sunday night left at least 58 people

http://eleganthomesinla.com/2017/10/11/trump-may-visit-dmz-during-south-korea-trip/

Former LSU baseball great Eddy Furniss set to enter the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Todd Walker might always be remembered for having the sweetest swing in LSU baseball history. But Eddy Furniss, by far, had the most prolific. Fourteen years after his college playing days ended, Furniss still holds five major Southeastern Conference hitting records and is in the top five all-time in four NCAA categories. Eddy-Furniss.jpgEddy Furniss Although he didn't follow Walker's footsteps into Major League Baseball, he does follow him into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, where he will be one of eight inductees Saturday. "I'm so honored; I had no idea this would ever happen to me, much less getting to go to LSU and having the four years I had there," said

Furniss, who won the Dick Howser Trophy as the nation's best college player in 1998. "I didn't write any of this down; I never wrote a list of goals like (LSU) Coach (Skip) Bertman always wanted us to do. It's just not something you think about doing. "I was in the right place at the right time with the right teams and the right part of a good lineup with a lot of good players. There were a lot of stars aligning for me." Joining Furniss in this year's class of inductees are running backs Deuce McAllister, Warrick Dunn and Terry Robiskie, former Grambling State and New Orleans Jazz player Aaron James, former Southern football coach Pete Richardson, former Louisiana Tech and Baltimore Colts receiver Roger Carr and jockey Mark Guidry. Furniss, 36, is in his second year of medical practice after his run of four minor league baseball seasons ended in 2002. But his legacy already was cemented. He holds the SEC career records for hits (349), home runs (80), runs batted in (309), doubles, (87) and total bases (689). Furniss finished his career in the NCAA's statistical ledger No. 3 all-time in total bases, No. 4 in home runs and doubles, and No. 5 in RBIs. He posted a .371 lifetime batting average, improving his average each year after batting .326 as a freshman. In 1996 he helped LSU to its third NCAA title and won SEC Player of the Year honors by batting .374 and leading the nation with 26 home runs and 103 RBIs. He contributed to another NCAA title the following season. He topped off his career with a .403 average in 1998, with 27 doubles, three triples, 28 homers, 85 runs and 76 RBIs, despite being walked a career-high 72 times, and striking out a career-low 40 times. He earned first-team All-America and All-SEC honors. He put in hard work off the field, too, earning Academic All America honors. "He's the best pure hitter I knew," said former teammate Tom Bernhardt, now a youth baseball hitting instructor. "He was a great teammate. I've never seen someone as disciplined, on the field and off the field. There's only a handful of guys I really respected. All around, Eddy had everything." Furniss' life dream was to become a general practitioner in his hometown of Nacogdoches, Texas. That's where he is now, following in the footsteps of his father, Dr. Wilburn Furniss, and working in the same building with his 68-year-old dad. Along the way he made for some great memories for LSU fans. As he did with Walker, then LSU Coach Skip Bertman instructed assistants not to coach Furniss hitting. He was blessed with a textbook left-handed swing honed by hours of hitting in the cages in college and long before. Perhaps his most memorable hit was an eighth-inning home run against Long Beach State in a 1998 NCAA regional elimination game to tie the score and allow the Tigers to win in 11 innings on the way to a national title. Three times he hit three homers

http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2012/06/former_lsu_baseball_great_eddy.html

Skip to navigation | Skip to content Overworked hospitals spreading hardy germs staph bacteria An Australian report estimates that approximately 6900 cases of MRSA infection occur annually (Source: iStockphoto) As populations grow, and as people live longer lives, this problem will only worsen, say the authors, whose report appears in the current edition of Lancet Infectious Diseases. The authors warn that "the drive towards greater efficiency by reducing the number of hospital beds and increasing patient throughput has led to highly stressed healthcare systems with unwelcome side-effects." Hospitals filled to capacity are more likely to have outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other infections, they say. They add that many studies have shown that doctors, nurses and other health care workers do not wash their hands as

well and as frequently as recommended, and this problem worsens during times of understaffing and high workload. Struggling to cope But co-author of the report, Dr Michael Whitby of Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, says the blame should not be directed towards healthcare workers. "The concern we have is that MRSA is being used as a marker of the quality of patient care," Whitby says. "The two major factors that are allowing the spread of MRSA is the over utilisation of hospitals, with more patients than they were ever built to see, and under resourcing - a shortage of doctors and nurses. The study notes that in Australia, the number of public hospital beds per person fell by 40% between 1982 and 2000, while 14% more patients were treated. Other developed countries such as Britain, the United States and Canada have similar trends, they say. Hospitals often cope by treating patients in a single day instead of admitting them as inpatients. Fewer healthcare workers The authors also point out that fewer people in high-income countries are choosing nursing as a career. "Workforce ageing is also a problem - in the (United States), average-age of nurses has increased from 37.4 years in 1983 to 46.8 years in 2004," they write. MRSA infections can range from boils to more severe infections of the bloodstream, lungs and surgical sites. It is spread by the hands and on contaminated medical equipment. In 2005 an Australian report into MRSA, estimated that approximately 6900 episodes occur annually, adding approximately A$150 million in additional hospital costs. The report also found that more than 30% of Staphylococcus aureus samples from patients admitted to hospital for more than 48 hours were the meticillin-resistant form, MRSA.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/06/24/2284326.htm?site=science&topic=latest

Looking for the latest stories? We're now at cironline.org After losing, politician rethinks ranked-choice voting San Leandro Mayor Tony Santos was a big booster of ranked-choice voting, the controversial new system for conducting local elections in California. But after losing re-election by 232 votes in the sixth round of a computerized instant runoff, Santos says he realized, too late, that ranked-choice has all sorts of problems. city photoMayor Tony Santos “The pure fact is, RCV is misunderstood by many voters,” he wrote in a recent e-mail, using the acronym by which the new system is known. “And it discriminates against minorities and individuals who have a problem with language, and further, with the number of spoiled ballots, it reflects confusion among many voters, enough to (skew) elections.” Santos

says he has such deep misgivings about the system he once championed that he has refused to concede last month’s election to mayor-elect Stephen Cassidy. Santos received the most first-place votes but lost because more voters picked Cassidy as their second or third choices. Instead, Santos says he’s going to devote his retirement to “working nationally to stop RCV elections nationally." "This is now my goal,” as he put it. “The only thing I could suggest is, ranked-choice voting is not the way to go,” Santos said in an interview. “My race should be the poster child against this system.” Santos’ is the latest local complaint to be registered about ranked choice, a system that was first used in a California election in San Francisco in 2004. This November, three Alameda County cities – Oakland, Berkeley and San Leandro, at Santos' urging – used it for the first time. Other California cities are considering the new system for their elections, attracted in part by the promise of cost savings: With ranked choice, there’s no need to hold a second runoff election when no candidate gets a majority of the votes. But this year some voters – including even San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor-elect – complained they found the system so confusing they didn’t fill out their ballots properly. In Oakland, former state Senate leader Don Perata, loser to council member Jean Quan, said he couldn't figure the system out. The San Francisco Chronicle’s John Diaz detailed other complaints in a recent op-ed; as he noted, Perata, Santos, and two candidates for San Francisco's board of supervisors, Janet Reilly and Tony Kelly, were declared losers even though they got the most first-place votes. Ranked-choice advocates have downplayed concerns, saying that the new system is legal, fair and not really very confusing at all. Rob Richie, executive director of FairVote, a nonprofit which advocates for ranked-choice voting, said after the Oakland mayoral election: Under the old, two round runoff system there would have been five months of mostly negative mudslinging and a much bigger impact from big campaign spending. But with RCV, Oakland was able to finish in a single, high turnout November election, thereby saving a lot of tax dollars and allowing voters and candidates to participate in a robust electoral process. However the final mayoral results turn out, this has been a win-win for democracy in Oakland. For his part, Santos says he worries that ranked-choice by its very nature disenfranchises some voters. As the rounds of computerized runoffs proceed, more and more ballots are “exhausted” – set aside – because all the candidates for whom voters cast ranked votes have been eliminated. In his race, he says that more than 2,100 votes had been exhausted by the finale. “Wait a minute,” he says. “People who vote in elections want their votes to be counted.” Santos’ second thoughts have frayed relations with his former friends in the ranked-choice movement. Steven Hill, a co-founder of FairVote, wrote Santos an impassioned e-mail last month trying to dissuade him from going public

http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/after-losing-politician-rethinks-ranked-choice-voting-7291

Casey Anthony Complains Of Boredom 5 Years Since Acquittal For Daughter’s Murder A new feature in People Magazine finds the now 30-year-old living on a shoestring budget and unable to make friends. In a new People Magazine feature, Casey Anthony complains of being bored with her life and living on a shoestring budget 5 years to the month since her controversial acquittal for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. According to various sources, the now 30-year-old lives on financial handouts from her former legal team, an unsuccessful photography business and staged paparazzi photo-ops. She is for the most part eastranged from her family, whom she claimed abused her as part of her defense, and has few friends or romantic opportunities due to her notorious past. “She doesn't

really make a lot of friends, for obvious reasons,” the source tells People, adding, “When people find out about her history, they usually bail on her.” The case of Casey Anthony and the death of her daughter Caylee engrossed and ultimately shocked the nation after the little girl was reported missing by her grandparents on July 15, 2008. Anthony told authorities a series of different stories about the events surrounding her daughter’s disappearance leading to her arrest for first degree murder in October, 2008. In December of that year, Caylee’s decomposing body was found in a trash bag in the woods near the Anthony family property. Anthony was tried in 2011 and prosecutor’s sought the death penalty. However her legal team mounted a strong defense, casting doubt on the alleged evidence introduced by the prosection and dubbig it "fantasy forensics.” Casey Anthony was found not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child. She was found guilty of four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to law enforcement, according to ABC News. An appeals court later overturned two of those misdemeanor convictions. You May Also Like... Recommended by Zergnet

https://www.oxygen.com/blogs/casey-anthony-complains-of-boredom-5-years-since-acquittal-for-daughters-murder

Skullcandy Starts Fresh With PLYR, SLYR Headsets No lazy reboots here: Skullcandy's new headsets for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC cut wires, eschew vowels and take cues from Astro while keeping prices under $200. Skullcandy owns Astro now, and while they've admirably chosen not to water down a premier high-end gaming audio brand with budget models, they obviously still have an interest in catering to that level of the market. (And the fact is, Skullcandy's prior stabs at gaming audio have left much to be desired.) So while we're happy to see them borrowing essential features from Astro headsets like the A50, we're also glad they're sticking with the Skullcandy branding for models under $200. Here's a run-down of everything Skullcandy's bringing gamers this fall: PLYR 1 ($180)

The biggest fish in Skullcandy's small pond is the PLYR 1. These full-size over-ear cans come packing Dolby Headphone surround-virtualization. The boom mic is adjustable, and there's an EQ dial that should make optimizing levels for games, movies or music dead simple. PLYR 2 ($130) The PLYR 2 lets you ditch Dolby surround and save $50. Otherwise it's the same headset as the PLYR 1: still big, still wireless, same buttons. SLYR ($80) Willing to sacrifice more features to save $50 more? The wired SLYR model is lighter and has a slightly cleaner design than its big brothers, thanks to moving the volume/EQ dials to a remote along the cord. Just don't forget you're wearing it when you get up for a snack. Do the PLYR and SLYR look tempting or trashy? Let us know in the comments. Jon Fox is a Seattle hipster who loves polar bears and climbing trees. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN. blog comments powered by Disqus Become a fan of IGN

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/20/skullcandy-starts-fresh-with-plyr-slyr-headsets

RSS Feeds NTSB: Use ignition locks for all drunken drivers Tuesday - 12/11/2012, 3:09pm ET Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - Every state should require convicted drunken drivers, including first-time offenders, to use devices that prevent them from starting a car's engine if their breath tests positive for alcohol, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday. The ignition interlock devices _ already required for all convicted drunken drivers in 17 states _ are currently the best available solution to reducing drunken driving deaths, which account for about a third of the nation's more than 32,000 traffic deaths a year, the board said. Drivers breathe into breathalyzers mounted on the vehicle's dashboard. If their breath-alcohol concentration is greater than the device's programmed limit _ usually a blood alcohol concentration of

.02 percent or .04 percent _ then the engine won't start. The five-member board made the unanimous recommendations after reviewing evidence that an average of 360 people a year are killed when drivers turn the wrong way into the face of oncoming traffic on high-speed highways. "Wrong-way crashes shatter lives and families," said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman, calling the report and the recommendations a "milestone" for the board. The technologies hold "great promise to be a game changer in highway safety," she said. The board's recommendations are likely to be strongly opposed by the alcohol industry. The American Beverage Institute, which represents about 8,000 chain restaurants in the U.S., said mandatory ignition interlock devices should be reserved for "hardcore" drunken drivers and it opposes the new technology that government and industry are researching. First-time drunk drivers with blood alcohol levels that are less than double the legal limit should be treated differently than drivers with higher alcohol levels and repeat offenders, Sarah Longwell, the institute's managing director, said. "You don't punish somebody going five miles over the speed limit the same way you do somebody going 50 miles over the speed limit," she said. Also, the developing technology would effectively prevent any one with relatively small amounts of alcohol in their blood from driving, Longwell said. "This would eliminate people's ability to have a glass of wine with dinner or to have a beer at a ballgame and then drive home," she said. Most wrong-way crashes _ including seven of the nine accidents directly investigated by NTSB _ take place in the fast lane of the highway, investigators said. The accidents also tend to happen at night and on weekends, the study found. 1 2 - Next page >>

http://www.wtop.com/931/3152399/NTSB-Use-ignition-locks-for-all-drunken-drivers

Breed-Specific Bans Spark Constitutional Dogfight Maryann Mott for National Geographic News June 17, 2004 Imagine being told you have ten days to get rid of your dog. That's what pet owners in Caraway, Arkansas, were recently ordered to do after the city council passed an ordinance in May that bans pit bulls, Dobermans and Rottweilers from being kept in the city. Caraway now joins about 200 cities and towns throughout the United States that restrict or prohibit ownership of certain breeds of dogs, according to the American Canine Foundation in Belfair, Washington, an organization dedicated to fighting against such legislation. Large, powerful dogs are frequently targeted, including Akitas, chow chows, Dalmatians, Dobermans, German Shepherds, Great Danes, pit bulls, Rottweilers as well as mixes of these breeds. Cities like

Miami (Florida), Pawtucket (Rhode Island), and Cincinnati (Ohio) ban breeds they deem dangerous or vicious. Other communities place restrictions on owners, such as requiring that they carry liability insurance or muzzle their pets in public. The laws are often passed after a fatal dog attack in a community and city officials want to protect the public from future incidents. But animal organizations say breed bans don't keep residents safe because they fail to target the real problem: irresponsible pet owners. "If a specific breed is banned, irresponsible owners intent on using their dogs for malicious or illegal purposes will go underground with their dogs, or switch to another breed and continue to jeopardize public safety," said Gina DiNardo Lash, director of club communications for the American Kennel Club (AKC), an organization that supports breeding and exhibiting of pure bred dogs. The AKC, headquartered in New York City, recognizes 152 different breeds; worldwide there are about 400. Legal Loophole Stephen Zawistowski, senior vice president and science advisor for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York City, said the difficulty with breed-specific legislation is that it doesn't address the root problem: dogs are bred and created by people. "If you want to make pit bulls and Rottweilers illegal today, give somebody a couple of generations and they'll make German Shepherds into the dog of danger," he said. Zawistowski, a certified applied animal behaviorist, says if given the choice of six breeds, he could create a dog in ten years that would make drug dealers "pee in their pants." But he adds it's more than just genetics that determine how a dog behaves. Training and environment also play a part. "A pit bull that has been properly socialized and trained—and kept in a home, walked on a leash, and kept in a yard with a fence—isn't necessarily dangerous," Zawistowski explained. On the other hand "a pit bull kept by somebody who facilitates its fighting behavior and its aggressive behavior; fails to control the dog and fails to keep the dog in the yard—that's a dangerous combination," he said. In 1989 Denver banned ownership of American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, and Staffordshire bull terriers—three breeds commonly referred to as pit bulls. Mixes of those dogs are also outlawed. The ban was put into place as a public safety measure, said City Councilwoman Rosemary Rodriguez, after two separate incidents involving pit bulls where a minister was severely mauled, and a young boy killed. But in April, a state law passed that stopped Denver from enforcing the ordinance. The city fought back, filing a lawsuit against the state claiming the new law infringes on its power as a home-rule city. A decision on the case could be made as early as July, according to the city attorney's office. "Once that [lawsuit] is resolved we are going to fully discuss whether or not the current law is what we want to maintain, or if we should look toward revising our breed-ban law," Rodriguez said. None of the city council members

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/10820260.html

Thanks to Eric for the following TNA iMPACT! Wrestling spoilers from tonight's tapings in Orlando, airing this Thursday on Spike: * New TNA World Champion Mr. Anderson opens the show with a celebration. Gunner comes out and wants a title shot for helping Anderson hurt Sting. Anderson brushes him off. Gunner sends Anderson through a table. * Brother Devon beat Hernandez after The Pope and Mexican America got involved. * Austin Aries beat Kid Kash and another indy star to win a contract and a match at Destination X. * Kurt Angle comes out to announce he is trying to compete at the 2012 Olympics. Jeff Jarrett comes out and wants a rematch, he isn't done with Angle. * Rosita and Sarita defeated Velvet Sky and Miss Tessmacher.

* Rob Van Dam beat Samoa Joe. * Gunner defeated Mr. Anderson in a non-title match. Eric Bischoff made an appearance after the match and riled up Gunner.

http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2011/0613/540652/impact-wrestling/

San Francisco, CA — A motorist who struck a jaywalker while trying to park on Mission Street was acquitted of hit-and-run after a jury determined he had no knowledge he hit anyone and fled because he believed he was being attacked by a mob, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi announced today. Jurors deliberated less than 30 minutes Wednesday afternoon before acquitting Nelson Garcia, 29, of misdemeanor hit and run. He faced a year in jail if convicted, said his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Herman Holland. On the evening of Jan. 27, Garcia and his girlfriend were traveling down Mission Street in Garcia’s Scion when they spotted a parking place. As Garcia backed into the spot, a 39-year-old man darted into the busy street mid-block. Garcia’s back bumper

struck the man, who banged on the Scion’s trunk before falling to the ground. Garcia and his girlfriend both testified that they heard the noise but did not see anyone behind the car. Meanwhile, the man was lying under Garcia’s bumper. As Garcia continued to back up, witnesses rushed to his car and began banging on it in an effort to get him to stop. Garcia, who had experienced harassment and assaults from strangers while growing up in the Mission District, reacted with confusion and panic. “Mr. Garcia had no idea that he had hit someone and that the people who were angrily banging on his car were trying to help. Because of his past trauma, he truly believed he was under attack,” Holland said. Garcia drove several blocks to his mother’s house. A witness followed him and called the police, who found him standing outside the home. Both Garcia and his girlfriend told police they were unaware of what they had done to provoke the group who attacked his car. Police arrested Garcia, who spent several days in jail before making bail. Garcia, his girlfriend, and several witnesses testified during the one-day trial. The pedestrian, who suffered a concussion, also took the stand, admitting his attention was divided between trying to reach his own car across the street and avoiding passing vehicles. “All of Mr. Garcia’s actions were consistent with someone who did not realize they had hit someone. If someone knowingly hit a pedestrian and then fled, it would not make sense for them to park nearby and stand around in plain sight,” Holland said. The case was ultimately about fear, Holland argued. “Fear is not necessarily rational, but that does not make it less real to someone in its grip,” Holland said. “Mr. Garcia believed he was about to become the victim of a crime and he panicked.” Adachi praised the outcome of the case. “This was a frightening experience for everyone involved, but it was an accident—not a crime. Fortunately, Mr. Garcia’s public defender was able to show the jury exactly what happened both on the street and in Mr. Garcia’s mind,” he said. Please enter your comment! Please enter your name here

https://sfpublicdefender.org/news/2013/10/motorist-acquitted-in-hit-and-run-of-jaywalker/

Robots could soon possess hand gesture recognition in the emergency room (Source: Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) Approach was inspired by the Tom Cruise film, "The Minority Report" Purdue University researchers are developing a system that controls robots working in the hospital through hand gesture recognition. Juan Pablo Wachs, an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Purdue University, along with researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Israel, are developing a system of robotic scrub nurses and computers that can obey commands through the use of hand gestures in a hospital setting. "It's a concept Tom Cruise demonstrated vividly in the film 'Minority Report,'" said Wachs. Research on the vision-based hand gesture recognition system started years ago by researchers at Washington Hospital

Center and Ben-Gurion University, which included Wachs when he was a research fellow and doctoral student. Now, Wachs is working to develop and continuously improve the system at Purdue University. This hand gesture recognition system consists of a camera and specific algorithms that apply anthropometry, which predicts the position of the robot's hands based on where the surgeon's head is. The camera, which is a Kinect camera developed by Microsoft that maps images in 3-D, is mounted over a screen that shows the surgeon medical images of a patient during an operation. The robotic scrub nurse is used to assist the surgeon during surgery and is capable of helping because of advanced algorithms. "While it will be very difficult using a robot to achieve the same level of performance as an experienced nurse who has been working with the same surgeon for years, often scrub nurses have had very limited experience with a particular surgeon, maximizing the chances for misunderstandings, delays and sometimes mistakes in the operating room," said Wachs. "In that case, a robotic scrub nurse could be better." While this technology could have huge benefits in the operating room, such as reducing the length of surgeries, coordinating emergency response efforts and assisting surgeons efficiently during an operation, there are still a few challenges ahead that need to be overcome before this system can be applied to an actual hospital. "One challenge will be to develop the proper shapes of hand poses and the proper hand trajectory movements to reflect and express certain medical functions," said Wachs. "You want to use intuitive and natural gestures for the surgeon, to express medical image navigation activities, but you also need to consider cultural and physical differences between surgeons. They may have different preferences regarding what gestures they may want to use." Other roadblocks that may temporarily hinder this technology would be the development of computers that understand the meaning of certain hand gestures as well as "discriminate" between intended and unintended gestures. Wachs and his fellow researchers plan to make the system recognize easy vocabulary and simple gestures. They also want to make it so that surgeons do not have to wear virtual reality gloves, and that the system responds with an "OK" when it understands a command. Of course, the system is to be accurate and as low-cost as possible. In addition, they'd like the system to configure itself quickly when placed in different environments. "Eventually we also want to integrate voice recognition, but the biggest challenges are in gesture recognition," said Wachs. "Much is already known about voice recognition." This study was published in Communications of the ACM.

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=20834&commentid=653721&threshhold=1&red=5929

Experts Say High Price Deters Would-be Smokers Sift Media Share this content Americans bought as many cigarettes last year as they did in 1951, when the population was half what it is today. A new report by the National Association of Attorneys General said that the nation's per capita consumption of tobacco fell to levels last found in the 1930s. Cigarette sales declined more than 20 percent since tobacco companies reached a $246 billion settlement with the states in 1998. The pact required companies to reimburse states for the billions of dollars they spend treating smoking-related illnesses. Sales were 378 billion last year, a 4.2 percent drop from 2004, association leaders said, using data from cigarette taxes. The association said the settlement drove up cigarette prices, which in

part led to the decline in sales. Local health directors agree that high prices serve as a deterrent to teens. “Data shows that a tax increase does affect the use of tobacco,” said Betty Mallen, the Hancock County (Iowa) Public Health Director. “If we raise taxes, many kids won't be able to afford cigarettes,” she told the Britt News-Tribune. “Anything we can do to prevent them from starting means we don't have to help them quit.” Other reasons for the drop in sales are limits on cigarette advertising and a negative image of cigarette smoking, the attorneys general association said. "I think we're reaching a tipping point, where the image of tobacco is that it's unhealthy and dangerous, and not glamorous like years ago or neutral like the cigarette companies say now," Tom Miller, Iowa's attorney general, told the Washington Post. Miller is co-chairman of the National Association of Attorneys General's tobacco committee. Various states and local governments are considering cigarette tax increases or other legislation. In Missouri, a proposed constitutional amendment would dedicate part of a tobacco tax increase to requiring licensure of tobacco retailers and hiring enforcement agents and clerks. Missouri, Minnesota and Wyoming are the only states that don't license tobacco retailers. Minnesota allows cities to do the licensing. "They're not licensed presently, so we don't even have a good idea who is retailing cigarettes and tobacco products to the public," Pete Lobdell, supervisor of Missouri's Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, told the Associated Press. "If you don't have them identified, it's hard to keep track of the criminals who are selling tobacco products." In Mississippi, the House has sent a second bill to Gov. Haley Barbour that would cut taxes on groceries and increase them on cigarettes. Barbour vetoed the first bill. The latest bill would cut the 7 percent grocery tax in half, while increasing the cigarette excise tax to 80 cents a pack this July 1 and then to $1 a pack a year later. The excise tax is currently 18 cents a pack. Please login or register to join the discussion.

http://www.accountingweb.com/technology/trends/experts-say-high-price-deters-would-be-smokers