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EnableBlockDelete is a setting in ESXi that has been around since ESXi 5.0 P3 I believe. It was initially introduced as a way to turn on and off the automatic VMFS UNMAP feature introduced in 5.0 and then eventually canned in 5.0 U1. The description of the setting back in 5.0 was “Enable VMFS block delete”. The setting was then hidden and made defunct (it did nothing when you turned it off or on) until ESXi 6.0. The description then changed to “Enable VMFS block delete when UNMAP is issued from guest OS”. When you issue UNMAP inside of a VM, if the virtual disk is thin, the virtual disk will shrink in the accordance to the space reclaimed. This is default behavior in 6.0 and on. What EnableBlockDelete does is extend this to the next logical step. When enabled, ESXi will take those in-guest UNMAPs and issue UNMAP to the VMFS to reclaim that space on the actual physical storage. This provides for end-to-end space efficiency. So a common best practice is to enable this setting, which is not enabled by default. Let’s take a quick look on how this works in VMFS-5. EnableBlockDelete with VMFS-5 I have a Ubuntu VM with a thin virtual disk on a VMFS-5 volume. Furthermore, I have EnableBlockDelete DISABLED on the ESXi host (set to 0). It is important to note that this is a host-wide setting. In my VM, I will put ext4 on the virtual disk then mount it: We can see through sg_vpd that UNMAP is supported on this virtual disk: root@Ubuntu16:~# sg_vpd /dev/sdb -p lbpv |grep "Unmap" Unmap command supported (LBPU): 1 Now I will put some data on the file system. A couple of OVAs. root@Ubuntu16:/mnt/unmap# df -h /mnt/unmap Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on /dev/sdb 16G 3.9G 11G 26% /mnt/unmap My file system reports as having 3.9 GB used. My VMDK is 4.4 GB in size. There is about 400 MB of capacity that was written when the file system was created, which explains the difference between those. The underlying array reports 3.7 GB used. Smaller due to data reduction. Since the OVAs are compressed already, there isn’t a ton of data reduction to do. Okay, so let’s delete the OVAs. We can see the file system is now down to 44 MB used: root@Ubuntu16:/mnt/unmap# df -h /mnt/unmap Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on /dev/sdb 16G 44M 15G 1% /mnt/unmap But if we look at the VMDK, it is still 4.4 GB: And the array is unchanged too. So we now have dead space in the VMDK and on the array, because those blocks are no longer in use by the guest. So, in Linux, to reclaim space you can either mount the file system with the discard option so UNMAP is triggered immediately upon file deletion, or you can manually run it with fstrim. I did not mount with the discard option, so I will run fstrim. root@Ubuntu16:/mnt/unmap# fstrim /mnt/unmap -v /mnt/unmap: 3.9 GiB (4131360768 bytes) trimmed Now if we look at my VMDK, we will see it has shrunk to 400 MB: But my array is still reporting it as used. This is because EnableBlockDelete is not turned on. The UNMAP in the guest only makes the VMDK size accurate by shrinking it down. But the underlying physical device is not told. So at this point (since it is VMFS-5) I have to run esxcli storage vmfs unmap to reclaim it. esxcli storage vmfs unmap -l vmfs5 Once complete, we can see the capacity reclaimed on the array: So this is the default behavior. Let’s enable EnableBlockDelete and repeat the process. I will copy the data back to the file system, which will grow the virtual disk again and write data back to the FlashArray. We can see we have 3.9 GB used again on my file system. root@Ubuntu16:/mnt/unmap# df -h /mnt/unmap Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on /dev/sdb 16G 3.9G 11G 26% /mnt/unmap My virtual disk is back to 4.4 GB: My array reduced it to 1.7 GB: So now to delete the data and run fstrim. My virtual disk shrinks to 400ish MB again: My space on my array is reclaimed immediately this time! No need to run esxcli to unmap. I ran fstrim at 12:33:00 and the space was reclaimed on the array automatically by 12:33:55. Great! So now, back to the original question, what about VMFS-6? EnableBlockDelete and VMFS-6 As you are likely aware, VMFS-6 introduced automatic UNMAP. So you no longer need to ever use esxcli to run UNMAP on the VMFS. So let’s repeat the test. I moved my VMDK to my VMFS-6 datastore: I will not go through every step again, let’s just start from the “we just deleted the files” step, but we have yet to run fstrim. So we have dead space. VMFS-6: EnableBlockDelete Disabled, Auto-UNMAP Enabled In this test, I have EnableBlockDelete disabled on my host and auto-UNMAP enabled on the datastore. If I use vsish, I can see no automatic UNMAPs have been issued to this datastore from my host. Note “UNMAP IOs” and “Unmapped blocks” are both zero. So I run fstrim. My VMDK is back down to 400 MB: If we look back at the array, we see the space reclaims, but not quite as fast, took a few minutes. Since EnableBlockDelete was disabled and auto-unmap was enabled we can see this was auto-unmap. We can further show that by looking back at vsish: 62 UNMAP I/Os and 3878 blocks reclaimed. So we don’t need to turn on EnableBlockDelete in the case of VMFS-6! VMFS-6: EnableBlockDelete Enabled, Auto-UNMAP Disabled In this test, I have EnableBlockDelete enabled on my host… …and auto-UNMAP disabled on the datastore: Let’s run through the process again. I refreshed my environment so counters are reset etc. Add the VMDK, put data on it, delete the data and run fstrim: The VMDK shrank back down: But if we look at the array, nothing happens. So this shows that EnableBlockDelete is ignored for VMFS-6 volumes. So in this situation we would have to enable automatic UNMAP to reclaim this space, or run the standard esxcli manual UNMAP. Conclusion So what does this tell us. A couple things. In order to have full end-to-end UNMAP with VMFS-5 volumes, you need to enable EnableBlockDelete. For VMFS-6 automatic UNMAP takes care of the VMFS reclamation portion for you. An interesting thing here is that automatic UNMAP invokes fairly quickly. When you delete a VM or a virtual disk, automatic UNMAP can possibly take 12-24 hours to reclaim the space. But with in-guest UNMAP, as soon as the VMDK shrinks, automatic UNMAP kicks in fairly quickly–in a few minutes. Mimicking the behavior of EnableBlockDelete. Which is great–you don’t lose functionality by moving to VMFS-6. I will note, that this was done with 6.5 U1. From my understanding there was a bug in 6.5.0 that EnableBlockDelete was actually honored with VMFS-6 and it would issue UNMAP when a VMDK shrank when the setting was enabled. The problem was that UNMAP was issued twice, as the EnableBlockDelete-invoked UNMAP did not prevent the automatic async UNMAP from issuing reclaim. So UNMAP was issued twice. This behavior was changed in 6.5 P1 and of course in 6.5 U1.

Support for this video player will be discontinued soon. The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Ignacio Verneda (FIM Executive Director, Sport), Herve Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) in the presence of Javier Alonso (Dorna) and Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting), in a meeting held on 13 July 2013 in Sachsenring (GER), made the following decisions: Technical Regulations MotoGP Class - Effective 2014 Electronics (ECU) Regulations A detailed specification and permitted options were confirmed. The use of the official MotoGP ECU, including an internal datalogger, and the official MotoGP software package is compulsory. Maximum fuel capacity is 24 litres. Maximum number of engines per rider, per season, is 12. Factory Status Each Manufacturer, (including motorcycle manufacturers and chassis manufacturers), can choose to enter up to 4 riders for the season who will participate with "Factory" status. The use of the official MotoGP ECU is compulsory. However manufacturers are permitted to develop and use their own software. Maximum fuel capacity is 20 litres. Maximum number of engines per rider, per season, is five. (Nine Engines for the first year of participation by a new manufacturer). Engines are subject to the engine homologation regulations which mandate frozen engine design and internal parts. (New Manufacturers are not subject to frozen engine design and internal parts in their first season of participation).

Good news for people who fall in the Venn diagram intersection of whimsical cyclists and Big Mac aficionados: McDonald’s has a disposable takeout package just for you! In this video by ad agency Tribal Buenos Aires, observe the artisanal Photoshopping and handcraftsmanship of the “McBike” container, which hooks onto your bike’s handlebars so you can have your fries and “choose a healthier lifestyle,” too. The McBike campaign, launched in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Medellín, Colombia, is the latest in a series of cringeworthy rebrands for the beleaguered chain, which has seen its market share eaten up by fast-casual competitors like Chipotle and Panera in recent years. Just in the past few weeks, McDonald’s has introduced an “artisan” grilled chicken sandwich, a kale bowl, and an inexplicable reboot of the Hamburglar—all in a transparent appeal to millennials raised on trans fat-laden Happy Meals. It's not how fast you go through Copenhagen's McBike Thru. It's the style in which you get there. #imlovinit pic.twitter.com/TUNb5JEYZl — McDonald's (@McDonaldsCorp) March 24, 2015 Despite these efforts, the company hasn’t been able to dig itself out of the hole. Yesterday the AP reported that this year, for the first time since 1970 (and possibly ever), McDonald’s will close more stores than it opens.

WASHINGTON — Breitbart News Network, the right-wing populist news organization that played an integral role in Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, will expand its operation in the United States and open new bureaus in Europe, its editor-in-chief said Wednesday. The expansion, first reported by Reuters, had been in the works for a long time, sources at the organization had told CNNMoney. But in the wake of Trump’s historic victory, and in the wake of Brexit, their ambitions have taken on new significance. Breitbart, which already has staff in London and Jerusalem, will launch new websites in Germany and France, countries where right-wing, anti-immigrant parties — Alternative for Germany and National Front, respectively — have made major political strides in recent years. The organization also plans to hire additional reporters throughout the United States, including beefing up its operations in Texas and California. Led by Steve Bannon, the website’s chairman and the CEO of Trump’s presidential campaign, Breitbart has long seen itself as the media vanguard in a global populist movement. He is currently on a leave from Breitbart while working on the Trump campaign. “The core principles that drive Breitbart seem to be gaining popularity,” Alex Marlow, the site’s editor-in-chief, told CNNMoney in October. “There is a movement.” The Breitbart News Network is largely funded by Robert Mercer, a New York City hedge fund billionaire who has spent tens of millions of dollars to combat the Republican establishment. But perhaps no one was so integral to Breitbart’s growth as Trump himself. After hiring Bannon in August, the Republican presidential nominee fully embraced the nationalist, anti-liberal Breitbart worldview, which contributed to the groundswell of support among rural white voters in Tuesday’s election. “There are thousands of ways in which this campaign is a merger between Donald Trump and Breitbart,” Ben Shapiro, a former editor-at-large at Breitbart who has become a vociferous critic of the site, told CNNMoney at the time. “Breitbart’s whole goal was to burn everything down… and Trump has gone full Breitbart.”

RUSH: The Supreme Court’s gone. Even at eight members in a case like this, you count on Justice Kennedy to join ’em, the four libs. So you essentially have a 5-3 leftist court now. But it’s not a court. It is a partisan echo chamber of the Democrat Party or leftist agenda. We have a Democrat nominee, Hillary, who’s wiped away — just erased — all objections to corruption as a disqualifying factor for Democrats. Democrats are making it clear they don’t care how corrupt their leaders are. In fact, the more corrupt their leaders are — if it enables them to defeat us — the better. So here’s to corruption. If it takes corruption — if it takes all kinds of Clintons funny money, Clinton foundations — if it takes selling the White House and selling the presidency to foreign entities, fine, as long as that helps beat conservatives. This wasn’t the case that long ago. Budgets don’t mean anything anymore. The debt doesn’t mean anything. The deficit, the national debt? None of it has any relevance! None of it has any limiting meaning. There is no responsibility whatsoever coming out of Washington when it comes to budgeting, when it comes to economics, when it comes to legislation. There isn’t any responsibility or even adult behavior coming out of that town. Social Security and Medicare are racing to insolvency. Public school bathrooms and how they are used became a presidential concern. Voter ID, a way to ensure legitimacy at the polls, is considered unfair. Yeah, we can’t embark on any major step to ensure legality and fairness at the polls because it’s called racism and sexism and bigotry and everything else! The president enforces laws of his choosing in defiance of federal court and federal appellate court rulings, and if I understand the Supreme Court decision today on abortion, I guess back-alley abortions weren’t really a problem because all Texas did was try to enhance safety procedures for women who wanted to get abortions. “No, no, no, no!” the left said. “You are not gonna put any limit whatsoever, even if it means popularizing the equivalent of back-alley abortions.” And I’m gonna tell you, folks, when it comes to abortion, yes, the substance of the issue matters. But beating us is just as motivating and just as important. If you doubt me, listen to audio sound bite number one. It’s Jeffrey Toobin, legal beagle at CNN, who was asked by Jake Tapper today, “The Supreme Court could have divided 4-4. They could have kicked this back to the lower court. That would have upheld the Texas law. But they staked out a stance on this, Jeffrey.” TOOBIN: As we have said so often, this decision was in the hands of Anthony Kennedy, who was the swing vote. What makes this decision so significant is that after 2010 — after the Republican landslides and all the state legislatures — many states, not just Texas, passed restrictions that are very similar to these Texas rules. Louisiana, Mississippi. And so if the Supreme Court has now struck down these restrictions, it is very likely that other courts will strike down a variety of restrictions that Republican-dominated legislatures have passed since are left. RUSH: Don’t doubt me. You hear that? Of all the things this guy could have said about this ruling, the substance, he didn’t even talk about it. What did he talk about? The crucial importance of this victory is how it thwarts the results of the 2010 Republican landslide midterm election victory. That’s what’s important about it. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Here’s what the Texas law basically did that’s been struck down on abortion. But I’m telling you, as far as the left is concerned, the big deal here is that the meaning… One of the things that happened as the result of the 2010 Republican landslide has been beat-back. Beating us is as big a deal to them. This did not threaten abortion, but they believe any law — any law — that stands in the way of any abortion any time has got to be stopped because it’s a trend toward banning abortion. What would have happened here, Texas argued before the court, is that in its 2013 law and subsequent regulations were needed to protect women’s health. The rules that Texas implemented required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. And the law forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surge. And the pro-aborts looked at this as efforts to limit abortion. What they were, were efforts to make it safer. To the extent that it might have limited abortion by eliminating certain clinics, yeah, you could see that, and that’s what the pro-aborts saw. “No, no, no! We’re not gonna limit our clinics. You’re not gonna shut us down no matter what goes on in there. It doesn’t matter. You are not gonna win! You’re not gonna have one win when it comes to abortion. Abortion is constitutional, and we’re not gonna allow you one maneuver even if it is legitimately made to have qualified doctors and qualified outpatients.” They don’t care. Making sure the abortion happens is the nut of the political agenda. And defeating us in the process is not just icing on the cake; it’s practically as important as the substance of the case. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: No, I’m not exaggerating the Supreme Court decision here. That’s why I said, “Apparently back-alley abortions weren’t really a problem.” Apparently abortuaries that are no better than veterinary clinics like Kermit Gosnell’s are apparently not a problem. “You’re not gonna put any limits. You’re not gonna put safety standards. You’re not gonna do anything to our abortion clinics even under the guys of making it safe that might make it tougher to get an abortion. We’re not gonna allow it!” And that’s exactly what the court said. So the next to you hear ’em talking about… They’re not. There just… This is filthy, is what it is. You know what the grating thing is? These are the people who somehow get the credit for having all the compassion for their fellow human beings. These are the people that get the credit for having so much love and tolerance, compassion, understanding. They are brutal, these people on the left. Now, get this, folks. We’re under assault. We’re under siege everywhere. Richard Posner. He may pronounce it “Pozz-ner;” there are two different pronunciations. Vladimir Posner, Soviet Union spokesman, friend of Phil Donahue, pronounced it “Pose-ner.” This judge, he’s a Seventh Circuit judge, Richard Posner — appointed by Reagan; important to keep in mind here — “and has been alternately praised and condemned by judicial analysts.” This guy, Seventh Circuit judge Richard Posner, posted today a little article at Slate.com, saying that it’s time now that US judges stop studying the Constitution. The Constitution, as a reference point for the law, is outdated, past its time, unhelpful, and irrelevant. He said in his post at Slate. “I see absolutely no value to a judge spending decades, years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, or seconds studying the Constitution, the history of its enactment, its amendments, and it’s implementation.” It’s only the official law of the land, and here’s a Seventh Circuit judge saying it’s worthless! It’s the law of the land. The amendments? Its implementation? It’s a waste of time even if you spend seconds studying it. “‘Eighteenth-century guys, however smart, could not foresee the culture, technology, etc., of the 21st century,’ he continued. ‘Which means that the original Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the post-Civil War amendments (including the 14th), do not speak to today.'” The story’s at Mediaite. They conclude this with this paragraph: “Posner, an influential jurist who has served as a federal judge for thirty-five years, has previously voiced his disregard for the Constitution. “‘I’m not particularly interested in the 18th Century, nor am I particularly interested in the text of the Constitution. I don’t believe that any document drafted in the 18th century can guide our behavior today,’ he said during a 2015 colloquium.” He’s not a dumb guy by any stretch, but this presents a total misunderstanding of what the Constitution is. It’s a profound distortion of what the Constitution is. This is stunning. The Constitution planted the roots of American exceptionalism — again, defined by the fact that America was the “exception” to the way and the rule of life for humanity centuries before. The Constitution… Well, Magna Carta. Magna Carta. I guess we’d have to say Magna Carta was first, but the US Constitution was the first document to ever limit the government. And that is why the opponents want to get rid of it, because it limits the government. It does not empower government. It empowers citizens. It empowers individuals. The Constitution spends all of its time, the Bill of Rights, defining what the government cannot do. And that just irritates people who think the government ought to be able to do anything and everything, because other people — average people — are not competent or qualified to make their own decisions. Or, it’s worse than that. It’s just people that are totally power mad and power hungry who doesn’t believe in representative government, do not believe in republics. But to say that the Constitution cannot guide our behavior today? It has successfully. That’s one of the brilliant aspects of the document is it’s timelessness. Really, the whole thing is a miracle. The entire United States is a miracle, from the Pilgrims arrival to the drafting of the Declaration to the Revolutionary War, the whole thing’s a miracle. And the drafting of the Constitution has never been done before and hasn’t been done since except in a copycat kind of way. But there’s no value in studying its enactment, its amendments, its implications because what’s in it isn’t relevant to today? It’s the law of the land. Anyway, this guy’s appointed by Reagan, and he’s been around for 35 years on the court, which just illustrates how people can lose their grounding. It’s amazing. This is the kind of thing, by the way, that’s gonna be latched onto. There’s a whole movement on the left that agrees with this and that thinks the Constitution… I’ve told you before, they call it “a charter of negative liberties.” You know, when I first heard that, I said, “How can liberty be negative? What the hell does that mean?” And it was insider lingo for leftists who think that the Constitution has negative liberties because it tells government what it can’t do, and that’s not good. “We need something that spells out what the government can do, what the government will do, not what the government can’t do.” And it’s forever going to come under assault and attack in a variety of ways, and this is just most recent one. BREAK TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Adam in Charleston, South Carolina. Great to have you with us today, sir. Hello. CALLER: (garbled) Hello, Rush. First-time caller and longtime listener. Could you explain to me without using the term “double standard” how our elected officials — our state legislators — trying to impose regulations to keep women safer get denied, yet nongovernment employees like the EPA impose sanctions and regulations on businesses, and they get put out of business all the time? RUSH: Well, honestly, I had very much trouble understanding what you said. Not your fault. It’s my cochlear implants and (impression of muffled audio). That’s what you sound like. I had to read what you said, so I’m a little behind. I think what you’re asking me is, how is it that some Texas state officials will pass a legitimate law guaranteed or designed to make abortion safer and Supreme Court comes along and says, “No way, no how! You can’t do that. It’s unconstitutional. Screw you!” Meanwhile, over here, the EPA can write whatever regulations it wants outside of any congressional action and it becomes law and can never be challenged, right? If that’s the question, it’s a great question; it’s a great illustration of exactly what kind of things we’re up against. The EPA is not the only bureaucracy doing these kinds of things, issuing… The number of regulations that come out of the Obama administration, folks, are in the tens of thousands. It’s gotten to the point where it may be impossible for an average citizen to go through the day without violating some federal law or regulation. There are that many of them. Now, I’m gonna give you a generic answer to how come the EPA can do this. It’s not complicated to explain. But apparently it’s very, very hard to do. The Constitution has this thing in it called separation of powers. You see, the Founders distrusted all power in the hands of a single person or entity, so they divided the government up into three branches. You had the courts over here called the judiciary. Then you had the executive branch, which is the president and his cabinet, which includes a Department of Justice and the national security apparatus and the military. And it now includes things like Homeland Security and whatever presidents have created in the process. OSHA was created by Richard Nixon, for example, and EPA was created by Richard Nixon. It was not part of the founding. They were political constructs. In Nixon’s case he was trying, I think, show liberals he wasn’t a bad guy by giving them things that they liked. Didn’t work. They hated him. They were never gonna stop hating him. And then they had the legislative branch, which is House and the Senate. Now, the founders knew that there was gonna be a never-ending fight for federal power. It’s why they divided it up three ways. But they were smart. They were students of history, and they knew that all presidents would try to eventually become kings. They knew that every member of Congress would want to become president. They were very wary of what judges would do. So they put limits. The simple answer to your question is: If you want to stop the EPA from writing regulations that become law, Congress has to stand up and protect its turf. Congress has to call the EPA in and tell the administrator that the last 10,000 regulations are defunct and unconstitutional because they didn’t go through Congress — and if you don’t like it, eat it! If Congress isn’t willing to protect its turf, Adam, then the president will be able to walk all over them, and the judiciary will be able to walk all over ’em. The president and his cabinet will be able to walk all over ’em. It’s no more complicated than that. I mean, that’s the cure for it. The Constitution was brilliant in this way. It set up all kinds of obstacles. It built gridlock into the system, for crying out loud. Gridlock is heralded as one of these horrible things because it stops government from making laws. No. Gridlock is a godsend. Gridlock is the thing that stands in the way of government growing inexorably and unstoppably. They built the Senate and designed the Senate to act slowly. The Senate is there to practically shut down every piece of legislation that comes out of the House. Every spending bill. By virtue of the Constitution, every penny that is spent in this country must first be authorized by the House of Representatives, and the committee that does that is Ways and Means — and if Congress doesn’t authorizes the spending, it can’t happen. So if a renegade agency of the executive branch starts spending money… It’s got a budget. If it starts spending money or doing this or that that has not been authorized, it’s up to Congress to stand up and say, “You can’t do it.” It’s like anything else. If the cops aren’t gonna chase criminals, they’re gonna get away with it. If when we catch criminals, we don’t put ’em in jail for whatever reason, they’re gonna keep getting away with it, they’re gonna get away with it. If we’re not allowed to catch criminals because of stupid things like “profiling,” they’re never gonna get caught in the first place. So if Congress wants to rein in all these out-of-control bureaucracies, they could do it. I’m sure if I had a member here they’d tell me, “Yeah, yeah. Theoretically you’re right, Mr. Limbaugh. But in practice it would be very, very difficult. There would be all kinds of retribution.” I’m sure there would be. None of this is supposed to be easy. But all of this, Adam, is about power. Every single shred of this is about power and the quest for it. That’s another aspect of brilliance in the Constitution. It is to limit that power residing in the federal government. And the federal government as constituted today is led by people who want to rip the Constitution to shreds and either just dispose of it or rewrite it, granting them the power they don’t have now. And in lieu of that, they’re acting as though they do. And when you have the House of Representatives telling the president, “Sir, we’re not going to stop you on the budget. If you want a budget, we’ll give you what you want because we don’t want to harm our candidate in this year’s campaign for the presidency. And, Mr. President, because of your race we’re not gonna ever bring impeachment charges.” Well, if you’re a president subsumed with quest for power, you have just been given blue skies and green lights the likes of which a Congress has never before granted an executive. Why would Obama stop? “Well, because, Rush, he’s a great American. He’s a patriot. He’ll realize here what’s going on. He ought not take advantage of it and have a respect for the rule of law.” Respect for the rule of law? Who are we talking about here? We’re talking about statist, socialist, Big Government, liberal Democrats who have just been given blue skies and green lights for the rest of his term, and he got it two years ago! Why would he stop? Same thing with the IRS. The IRS should not be able to penalize any Tea Party group simply because of politics. But they will if nobody stops ’em. And the rule of law, if it ceases to exist, is not gonna stop ’em. The piece of paper the Constitution’s written on is not gonna stop ’em. It takes somebody blocking ’em and tackling ’em. And if you don’t have the appetite for it, then it’s gonna continue to happen. Meanwhile, the people see all this and they’re livid. They want it stopped. Because all these EPA regulations and all this other caca coming out of Congress is doing nothing but making it harder and harder and harder to simply earn a living, much less achieve the American dream. They want it stopped. They want this stuff all taken out of their way. Some do. Hopefully still most. But if the Congress — and this is not an attack on this current one per se. Theoretically, if Congress is not going to stop the executive branch from trying to take its power away, the executive branch is gonna keep taking its power away. It’s human nature. I don’t know if you’re the kind of person who wants power over other people. I don’t know if you’re the kind of person who wants to amass power at your job or in your family, but rest assured people who do are everywhere, and many of them are in government, and it’s the sole reason they’re there. The Constitution be damned. With the amount of money this government collects because of the vast economy of this nation, you are talking about trillions and trillions of dollars, and where does it all end up? In Washington, DC at something called the Department of the Treasury and at the Federal Reserve in their banks. But theoretically it’s all in Washington. That’s where the collection agency is. That’s where the people who authorize its taxation and spending are, and so that’s where you want to be if you want your share of it. And that is a microcosm of exactly what’s happening now. Go to the Washington, you’ll find the unemployment’s rate’s 3%. You’ll find the per capita income in Washington and the surrounding area dwarfs anywhere else in the country outside of the Hamptons and Beverly Hills and San Francisco and other sufficient places, but it’s right up there. They are experiencing no immigration problems in Washington or surrounding environs. They are certainly not experiencing any unemployment. They’re not seeing their wages decline. They’re seeing, in fact, record amounts of money being collected to be fought over and distributed and used for whatever purposes necessary to acquire and gain even more power. And if those who are constitutionally mandated, as the House of Representatives and the Senate are, with a certain amount of constitutional power, if they’re not gonna stand up and protect it, then you’re gonna have an out-of-control agency like the EPA with impunity pretending that it writes laws. Meanwhile, everybody else obeying the law, following the legislative route, here comes the Supreme Court, they also have become totally politicized now. The Supreme Court’s not a judicial body anymore; it’s a rubber stamp for the Democrat Party. There are four liberal judges, now five with Kennedy, for all intents and purposes, and they are there for one reason: not to study the cases and make the ruling based on law. They are there to rubber stamp whatever — and they all know — the left-wing agenda demands case by case by case. In the abortion case, the word has gone out even though it doesn’t need to go out, they all instinctively know this, there will not be one law, there will not be one regulation, there will not be one rule permitted that is seen to make abortion more difficult to have or be performed. Ergo, Texas comes along and says, you know what, we’re gonna not allow abortion clinics that are no better than veterinary clinics — no offense, veterinarians — we’re not gonna allow these unhygienic, filthy, dirty clinics to exist. There are gonna have to be some standards. There are gonna have to be some post-op standards. People that work in there are gonna have to have admission eligibility for hospitals. The Supreme Court came along, no, you are not gonna do that, Texas, because that might make it harder for our constituents to get an abortion, which is all that matters. Plus we love sticking it to you, so (raspberry) you. And that’s how it all happens. If the people madly in the quest for power are not stopped in that quest or if they are not competed against for it, what do you think is going to happen? Look, you all instinctively know it. That is why you’re so angry at the Republican Party, pure and simple.

Fasten your seatbelts, if some Mormons are right, it's going to be a bumpy September. A perfect storm of Bible prophecies, the Hebrew calendar, the stock market jitters, a blood moon, and an author who claims to have had a near-death experience are all convincing plenty of Utah Mormons that the end is near, reports The Salt Lake Tribune. A store in American Fork, Utah that sells freeze-dried goods says that business has skyrocketed in the past couple of months. Scroll down for video Mormon 'preppers' (stock photo above) who believe the end of the world will happen this month are reportedly cleaning out store shelves in Utah Some Utah Mormons (Salt Lake church pictured above) think that many signs point toward the end of the world happening in September 'There is a sense of urgency, like something is up. A lot of people are mentioning things about September, like a financial collapse,' customer-service representative Ricardo Aranda told the outlet. It's the same deal over at Emergency Essentials in Bountiful, where salesman Jordan Jensen said that 72-hour emergency kits are flying off the shelves. Customers think 'This is the month it will all happen - with a 'blood moon' and a currency collapse and everything,' he said. A jittery September stock market (above) is just one of the many signs that Doomsday is approaching, according to some Mormons The ancient Hebrew calendar (pictured) reportedly predicts the end of the world could happen this month People who are currently preparing for the end of the times are called 'preppers.' Preppers think there are seven years between each major disaster, hence the seven year gap between September 11 and the stock market crash of September 29, 2008. Since September has so far sparked some wild NASDAQ fluctuations and a China stock market free fall, some Utah Mormons think plenty worse could happen any day now. According to prepper lore, September 28, the day of the blood moon, will also usher in an earthquake near Utah, says the outlet. And that's not all set to happen this month, according to preppers. They also reportedly think the U.N. will invade the country and there will be technological disruptions on a mass scale. These fears are egged on by an author named Julie Rowe, a Mormon who has written two books on end times, 'A Greater Tomorrow: My Journey Beyond the Veil' and 'The Time Is Now,' says the Tribune. Thrive Life (above), a Utah store that sells freeze-dried goods, is doing 500 percent more business than usual says an employee Utah store Emergency Essentials (pictured) can't keep their 72-hour emergency kits on the shelves, reports the Salt Lake Tribune Rowe gives speeches at Mormon venues, drawing huge crowds of worry warts, and she urges everyone to prepare for world chaos. Officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took the unusual step of saying that the author didn't represent the church's beliefs. And certainly none of this rising panic will be quelled by author Graham Hancock's recent prediction that a 'planet-killing' comet is speeding towards Earth, according to Yahoo. At least Hancock gives us all a little time to get our affairs in order, as he says this will happen sometime within the next 20 years, not necessarily this month.

Zahra Amir Ebrahimi (Persian: زهرا اميرابراهيمی‎) (born 1981) is an Iranian photographer, television actress and short movies director.[1] She studied theater in Tehran, and started her professional life with making short movies. She made her first movie when she was only eighteen. She became very popular shortly after her first work in Iranian public TV. She was well known in Iran for her role in the popular Iranian soap opera Nargess, as a pious young woman. Ebrahimi is also a professional photographer, whose work focuses on social topics and issues. She now lives outside of her country because of several problems she faced in Iran after a scandal she became the center of. Scandal [ edit ] In 2006, Ebrahimi became the centre of an Iranian sex tape scandal when a videotape of a woman, claimed to be Ebrahimi, having sex with a man was leaked to the internet and released on DVD. She subsequently became the subject of an official investigation handled by Tehran's chief prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi. The unnamed man on the tape, who is suspected of releasing it, reportedly fled to Armenia but was subsequently returned to Iran and charged with breach of public morality laws.[2] In an interview with the Guardian, Ebrahimi denied being the woman in the film and dismissed it as a fake made by a vengeful former fiancé who used studio techniques to form a montage of incriminating images designed to destroy her career.[2] Rumours of an attempted suicide were also denied by Ebrahimi with a public message: "I just want to tell my country's people that I am alive. I am thinking about the strength of Iranian women and will defend the respect of the girls and women of my nation."[3] Ebrahimi reportedly now lives in France.[4] Filmography [ edit ] References [ edit ]

What to expect when you're expecting...to write a Jenkinsfile It's a bit funny that I wrote my last post about starting to work full time at Venmo before promptly dropping off for over a year and a half. Oops. Well, I had a great time at Venmo but I left a few months ago to join Teachers Pay Teachers, or TpT as we call it, but not before an extremely brief tenure at Apple (I'll save that story for another time). When I started at TpT we were just starting to migrate applications to a microservice architecture of Kubernetes orchestrated Docker containers (buzzword overload). One of the issues we ran into was how to standardize and automate our container deployment pipeline. At the time, deploys happened through a mix of bash scripts, automatic image builds on DockerHub, manual image builds on laptops, and Kubernetes configuration editing on the command line. It was clear that we needed to unify deployments and create a framework for future microservices. We were already heavily invested in Jenkins, but I didn't want to manage deployments through freestyle jobs because we couldn't check in changes to revision control and I felt that defining the build via the GUI was error-prone and allowed for too much configuration drift between services. The features that drew me to use Jenkins Pipelines were: The ability to version control our job configuration. First class support for defining automated deploy pipelines and available documentation on possible deploy workflows. A nice UI for visualizing build stages which allows for: Easy monitoring and statistics collection on average stage timing Faster debugging of build failures by being able to see exactly where the pipeline failed and finding the relevant console log lines for a single stage There was just one small detail, in order to get all these benefits the job configuration needed to be defined in a "Jenkinsfile" containing a script written in a custom Jenkins DSL built on top of Groovy. This DSL has a lot of quirks and can difficult to pick up, but after much frustration and trial-and-error I managed to get our pipeline up and running. Now I want to take you through some issues I faced when writing a Jenkinsfile, discuss some weird bits that I found surprising, show a bunch of code samples for discussing and copy/pasting, and also provide some links to helpful resources. Hopefully this will make it easier for you to get your own Pipeline running and clear up some confusion around Jenkinsfile syntax and usage. Some tips It is always tough going back and trying to remember what gave you trouble when you were learning something, but a few points about the Jenkinsfile DSL stuck with me. Dollar signs, $ , need to be escaped in string parameters, except when used for string interpolation. I mentioned this first because I used $ below a few times. Here I am using kubectl to find the current image tag used by a Deployment. Notice that when interpolating MY_APP the $ does not need to be escaped, but it does need to be in the jsonpath argument and in the awk statement: node ( kubernetes-node ) { stage ( 'Find current image tag' ) { MY_APP = "my-app" RELEASE_VERSION = sh ( script: """ kubectl get deployment ${ MY_APP } -o=jsonpath='{\$.spec.template.spec.containers[:1].image}' | awk -F " : " '{print \$2}' """ , returnStdout: true ) .trim () } } Speaking of string interpolation, the syntax is haphazard. There is a helpful gist, but frankly there are no hard and fast rules. The most common case is interpolating a Groovy variable into a string argument: node { stage ( 'Execute some shell' ) { MY_VAR = "foo" sh "echo ${ MY_VAR } " } } You should do almost all of your work within a node block. This is discussed in Jenkins' best practices doc, but it bears repeating. If you don't specify a node block then the step will just execute on your Jenkins master, which is of course bad. block then the step will just execute on your Jenkins master, which is of course bad. You can specify a node label as an argument to the node step, for instance: node ( 'docker-node' ) { stage ( 'Build container image' ) { ... } } If all of your stages can run on a single node type or you need to run the stages in the same workspace, then just wrap all the stages in a single node block: node ( 'docker-node' ) { stage ( 'Run tests' ) { ... } stage ( 'Build container image' ) { ... } stage ( 'Upload image to DockerHub' ) { ... } stage ( 'deploy' ) { ... } } Maybe you need to run some stages on different node types or maybe one of the stages uses a node type that you only have a few executors for, you can specify a node within a stage and even mix and match. The following block has four stages, the first can use any node and so no selector argument is provided, the second and third stages can run on the same node type ( docker-node ) so they are nested in a single node block, the forth and final stage can only run on a single node type ( kubernetes-node ) which we can imagine is in short supply so we run just that single stage within the node block: stage ( 'Run tests' ) { node { ... } } node ( 'docker-node' ) { stage ( 'Build container image' ) { ... } stage ( 'Upload image to DockerHub' ) { ... } } node ( 'kubernetes-node' ) { stage ( 'deploy' ) { ... } } You can run shell commands fairly easily with a sh step but only if the exit code is 0 . Any other exit code will fail the build and terminate early. I'm particularly annoyed by this quirk as I found it to be very unintuitive. If you need to just execute a command and don't care about the exit code you can work around this by running your command in a subshell (by wrapping it in parentheses) and always returning 0 : node { stage ( 'Execute some shell' ) { sh "(exit 1) || true" } } If you do want the exit code, you can use this hack to write to a file in the workspace and read from it later: node { stage ( 'Execute some shell' ) { sh "(./script_that_might_return_bad_exit_code; echo \$? > exit_code_file) || true" real_exit_code = readFile ( 'exit_code_file' ) .trim () } } You cannot run multiple stage steps inside of a parallel block. In my case building a container image and running unit tests are the slowest part of my pipeline. I wanted to write something like this (which doesn't work ): parallel ( 'tests' : { stage ( 'Run unit tests' ) { node { ... } } } , 'build' : { stage ( 'Build container image' ) { node { ... } } , } ) Nope, you can't do that. Instead you have to just stick that parallel step in the single stage, even if the parallel steps you want to do are logically separate. This is mostly an organizational and UI issue, but unfortunate nonetheless. Here is what is allowed: stage ( 'Build image and run tests' ) { parallel ( 'tests' : { node { ... } } , 'build' : { node { ... } } ) } You can't define a "post-build" step to execute on job failures like you can with a freestyle job. The suggested solution is to wrap everything in a try...catch . It isn't great or pretty, but it is what is there. node { stage ( 'Execute some shell' ) { try { ... } catch ( e ) { sh './post_build_failure_script' throw e } } } I actually wrote a function to make this a little nicer looking, in my case I wanted to send a slack notification if a stage failed for any reason but I still wanted the build to fail: void with_slack_failure_notifier ( Closure task ) { try { task () } catch ( e ) { slack_notification ( 'danger' , 'Build has failed! Check the build url below.' ) throw e } } node { stage ( 'Execute some shell' ) { with_slack_failure_notifier { ... } } } Not really a tip, here is the slack_notification function from above. It might be useful on it's own. void slack_notification ( status, message, title = 'Build-and-Deploy' , title_link = " ${ env .JOB_URL } " ) { sh ( script: """ curl -0 -X POST " ${ SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL } " \ -H " Expect: " \ -H 'Content-Type: text/json; charset=utf-8' \ -d @- << EOF { " attachments ": [ { " color ": " ${ status } ", " title ": " ${ title } ", " title_link ": " ${ title_link } ", " text ": " ${ message } \\ nBuild: ${ env .BUILD_URL } " } ] } EOF """ ) } Some concerns I ran into this Reddit rant a few days ago where the poster is going off about all the shortcomings of Jenkinsfiles. It's a little funny, a little entitled, and entirely accurate. Just so you don't feel you are alone when your job fails for the nth time, here are my own biggest frustrations: A serious lack of documentation. It is clear that the Jenkinsfile DSL has enormous power, but there simply isn't enough material published by the maintainers on how to use different features. Features that users would obviously want are not discussed or mentioned, "How can I run a command if a stage fails and my build is going to terminate?" (you can't). The existing documentation is often unclear or incomplete with the primary issue being a near total lack of examples in the docs, "How do I actually provide parameters to a build step?" (like this): build ( job: 'My-Build' , parameters: [ [ $class : 'StringParameterValue' , name: 'MY_PARAM' , value: "MY_PARAM_VALUE" ] ] ) Code examples are few and far between. I don't think this is really anyone's fault. I suspect most Jenkinsfiles are kept in private source control and it isn't popular enough to have much material written about it. No way to test your code aside from actually running it in a job. You can't test, execute, or validate Jenkinsfiles locally. So the only option is to stub values and run the code blocks in a test Pipeline job by pasting the snippet into the script block instead of pulling from a remote repo. I did find one source that showed how to validate your code by sending it to your Jenkins master via the command line, but I couldn't get it to work for me. Perhaps you will have more luck? Some resources It is tricky finding the most useful bits that Jenkins provides, some of the most helpful are: The Pipeline docs, for a high level overview The pipeline-examples repo, especially the best practices section The "steps" reference is the most complete description of available step options and parameters There are very few available code examples, I found the most helpful to be: Wilson Mar's blog post This random repo of examples, although most of the Jenkinsfiles are very specific and maybe not useful to everyone A compilation of string weirdness examples, I mentioned this above as well Final thoughts I hope all that didn't scare you off! I still think writing Jenkinsfiles is worth the trouble in order to get access to Pipelines. And as weird as writing scripted Groovy is, I honestly think Jenkinsfiles are an improvement over the previous Jenkins workflow of writing bash scripts pasted inside of code blocks in the GUI. It isn't perfect, but it is an improvement. I'm looking forward to the documentation and tooling around Pipelines to improve in the near future, but I've been able to be very productive with Pipelines despite the limitations of the current toolset. I'm planning to write again soon, or at least sooner than the last gap :), and I might go over:

The media is all abuzz lately over the ultra-stacked UFC 198 card, which features an incredible breadth and variety of exciting fights across many divisions. The stacked line-up is a gratuitous gift to both the casual and the hardcore fan, including an olive branch to first-timers: a cornucopia of combat that bridges the gap between entertainment and sport. Amongst the plethora of marquee, divisionally relevant, and exciting fights, UFC 198 inaugurates a new name to the UFC: Cris Cyborg Justino. One of the most dominant female fighters to ever compete in the sport of MMA, Cyborg rides a 15 fight win streak into the octagon and has finished her last five opponents by knockout. For those who haven’t watched Cyborg, she has ferocious punching power and has a penchant for the knockout, dispensing those who lie in her wake into heaps of unconsciousness. The card kicks off with Cyborg making her UFC debut at a catchweight fight at 140 lbs against Leslie Smith, an aggressive striker and pressure fighter. Despite Cyborg’s more impressive resumé on paper, both she and Smith have roughly the same pro experience. Smith’s flurry of punches against Jessamyn Duke is her most recent highlight-reel knockout, and was winning the fight against Jessica Eye until a doctor stopped the fight after her ear exploded. The Cyborg fight is guaranteed action and gives the Brazilian bomber a platform to launch her into MMA stardom, thrusting her into the mix with Rousey, Holm, and Tate. Ultimately, the UFC wants to groom Cyborg into a top contender and potential bantamweight champion, assuming she can make the weight. If she decides to stay at 145 lbs, the UFC will have to bring opponents in from other organizations until either A) a division is born, or B) the UFC and Cyborg agree to bill high-profile fights and keep the golden goose laying her eggs. Arguably the biggest card announced to date (some are speculating this event will rival the hallmark UFC 200 card in July), the event sold over 32,000 tickets in the first 90 minutes and features a heavyweight title fight between Stipe Miocic and Fabricio Werdum in the main event. The co-main event between number two contender Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza and Vitor Belfort appears to be a middleweight title eliminator, with the victor likely facing the winner of the rematch between division kingpin (c) Luke Rockhold and former champion and #1 contender Chris Weidman. Yoel Romero (7-0), who many believed was next in line for a shot at the title, is mired in USADA controversy stemming from a failed PED test in January and has been removed from the UFC rankings. Jacaré’s striking has come a long way, and his power is to be respected – but make no mistake – he will want to bring the fight to the ground the first opportunity he gets against Belfort. In 1997, Belfort broke onto the scene and stamped his legacy on the primordial UFC 12, winning the heavyweight championship by knocking out Scott Ferrozzo. He would return at UFC 46 to earn the light heavyweight championship against Randy Couture by TKO. Amazingly, nineteen years later (double his age at his debut), Belfort is not only incredibly dangerous, but remains relevant in a stacked division, sitting at number three in the UFC middleweight rankings. He has won 18 of his 25 victories by way of knockout, and poses a legitimate threat to his fellow countryman, one of the most decorated grapplers to ever compete in MMA. If Jacaré can weather the storm and survive early against the flurry of Belfort, he will likely drag the old lion into deep waters where he will use his jiu jitsu to drown his prey like a giant squid. Three other divisionally relevant fights are billed for the blockbuster event in Curitiba, Brazil, including a welterweight bout between sensational grappler and decorated BJJ black belt Demian Maia and the always exciting Matt Brown. Maia is riding a four-fight win streak capped by a dominant win over another world-class BJJ black belt in Gunnar Nelson. Brown, who snapped a two fight skid by submitting Tim Means with a guillotine choke at UFC 189, looks to steal Maia’s thunder and re-emerge as a title contender by thwarting the jiu jitsu ace’s submission attempts and pounding his opponent into the canvas with his heavy hands and inhuman durability. This is both a fun fight for the fans as well as an important fight for the division, as both men are highly ranked welterweights (Maia is #6 while Brown sits at #8). Long time veteran and former PRIDE champion Mauricio Rua (#8) takes on Corey Anderson (#12), who makes a quick turnaround after defeating “Filthy” Tom Lawlor at UFC 196 in March. This fight is interesting because, while Rua is a big draw (particularly in Brazil), it’s unclear where he goes from here with either a win or a loss. It’s highly unlikely Rua establishes himself anywhere near title contention, and despite being 34 years of age it’s abundantly clear that his best years are far behind him. The upswing is that he’s hardly ever in a boring fight, which makes him a good antidote to Corey Anderson, a wrestler with a big gas tank and a grinding style that occasionally puts fans to sleep. That makes this bout another example of excellent matchmaking from UFC brass Sean Shelby and Joe Silva. In another meaningful bout at light heavyweight, we have Patrick Cummins and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, aka Lil Nog, locking horns in a fight reminiscent of Lil Nog’s battle against Ryan Bader back at UFC 119, where the Brazilian lost a unanimous decision. Bader’s takedowns and ground-and-pound ultimately won him that fight in the third round after a closely contested technical boxing match in the first and second. Lil Nog is a three-time boxing champion in Brazil and possesses both power and precision in his striking, a strong deterrent for Cummins to avoid the stand up and utilize his superior wrestling. Look for Cummins to initiate the clinch and dump Lil Nog on his back, using his massive size and strength to implement his wrestling and his top game. He has outstanding hip pressure which allows him to posture up and rain down shots without his opponent getting back to his feet. Despite Cummins’ wrestling ability, Glover Teixeira was able to thwart both the control and the ground-and-pound of Cummins, getting back to his feet and blasting the wrestler with thunderous hooks and uppercuts en route to a brutal TKO stoppage victory. If Lil Nog can take a page from Teixeira’s book, he stands a chance at keeping the fight on the feet. That scenario is far less likely, however, so I anticipate a three-round drubbing where Cummins is the hammer and Lil Nog is the proverbial nail. This brings us to the most surreal fight on the card, a matchup conceived by a mastermind of a Mortal Kombat dreamscape between Anderson Silva and Uriah Hall. Both men are paragons of precision striking, lightning speed and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Had Hall reached his prime at the zenith of Silva’s career, a dominant reign over the middleweight division that featured a 16 fight win streak and a record 10 successful consecutive title defenses, this fight could have been touted as a fantasy fight come to life, a medley of magic and madness manifesting inside the UFC’s octagon, a dream come true for both fight fans and video game aficionados. Alas, having eclipsed the twilight of his career, and at 40 years old, the post-Weidman Anderson Silva is not the same fighter he once was. His killer instinct has waned, and there is an undeniable low-grade, ambient anxiety watching him fight, a feeling of impending doom as though he might be stricken and collapse at any moment. Perhaps the imagery of Weidman’s left hook connecting square on his chin and his head bouncing off the canvas like a basketball dribble has illuminated the fragility of a once fearless and frightening fighter who has danced with the devil one too many times. Hall emerges from a spectacular knockout victory over the always dangerous and dynamic striker Gegard Mousasi, showcasing his power, precision, and diversity of attack that make the fight with Silva all the more compelling. As of one week ago, Anderson Silva is still the betting favorite, opening at -165 to +135 for Hall. When strikers of this caliber meet in the octagon, anything can happen…but with that said, I’m taking Hall to win this fight since he’s the younger fighter with fewer miles on him. Although both fighters are coming off a loss, Hall is likely the hungrier fighter with more to prove to himself and to the fans. Silva’s performance against Michael Bisping evinced his declining killer instinct, as well as his propensity to showboat and clown around in the cage. The last notable fight on this card is a bout between bantamweights John Lineker and Rob Font. Lineker was dancing with title contention at flyweight, but weight cutting issues have pushed him up to his more natural weight class of 135 lbs. He’s carrying a three-fight win streak into the fight with Font, including his most recent submission victory against slugger Francisco Rivera at his bantamweight debut. Font is riding an 11-fight win streak into the Lineker bout, having finished his last four opponents, specifically the last three by way of knockout. This fight could easily go either way, especially given Lineker’s penchant for throwing caution to the wind and winging wild punches in the pocket. Font fights more intelligently, but don’t be surprised to see him eschew a gameplan in favor of fan-friendly theatrics in the cage. Whatever happens, this is a guaranteed fun fight and everyone should tune in. Much has been said about this historic May 14th card in Curitiba, Brazil, and there will continue to be copious commentary on the changing tide of betting favorites and (most likely) opponent swaps as we march into battle. Let’s all hope this card remains intact and all fighters show up to weigh-ins healthy, and stay tuned for more updates. What a time to be alive! SAN JOSE, CA – AUGUST 15: (L-R) Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos punches Gina Carano during the inaugural Strikeforce Women’s Championship event at HP Pavilion on August 15, 2009 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Esther Lin/Forza LLC/Forza LLC via Getty Images)

At least 25 specimens of fungi that infect plants, collected by George Washington Carver more than a century ago, were discovered Feb. 8 in the Wisconsin State Herbarium at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The herbarium holds the nation’s second-largest collection — as many as 120,000 specimens — of “microfungi,” a type of fungus that does not form a mushroom. Carver (c. 1864-1943) was a prominent African-American scientist with a long record of achievement. Born a slave in Missouri, he became the first black student at what is now Iowa State University, then its first black faculty member. He spent 47 years directing agricultural science at the Tuskegee Institute, which was established during Reconstruction to educate blacks. Although best known for his research on, and advocacy of, peanuts as a profitable, nutritious crop for southern farmers, Carver had many other interests, including the collection of microfungi. Indeed, Louis Pammel, his professor at Iowa State, was a fungus specialist, and Pammel’s name appears on some of the samples just uncovered in Madison. Although microfungi lack eye appeal, they are responsible for some of the most catastrophic agricultural epidemics, most notably the blight that caused the Irish potato famine, which killed millions starting in the 1840s. The Wisconsin State Herbarium, started along with the university in 1848, now houses more than 1.2 million samples of plants, fungi and lichens. Herbarium specimens are used to identify species, track their changes through time, and to identify disease. The herbarium’s reputation for excellence may have induced Carver to send samples to Madison. Until a significant expansion of cabinet space at the herbarium in 2015, “the microfungi collection was sitting unappreciated for, I’m guessing, 50 years, in old wood cabinets in the hallway,” says herbarium director Ken Cameron. The National Science Foundation financed the new cabinets and is also funding an ongoing databasing of 37 national fungus collections, including the large one at Madison. During the digital upgrade, students photograph each sample’s label and enter its text into a database that goes almost immediately online. On Feb. 8, a database user in North Carolina emailed the herbarium to ask whether an Alabama fungus was mistakenly entered as originating in Alaska. The same day, while checking the sample, Carver’s name was noticed, says herbarium curator Mary Ann Feist. Combing through the new database revealed a total of 25 Carver samples. With roughly 100,000 samples remaining to be processed, that number will likely rise. Cameron notes that the Carver find is only the latest historical resonance to emerge from the herbarium’s vast collection. In 2014, curators found a note on an 1864 sample collected during the Battle of Atlanta observing that the specimen was “stained with the blood of (Union army) heroes.” The discovery of fungal samples collected by Carver did not surprise William Jones, a professor of history at UW–Madison who teaches about the civil rights movement. “At Tuskegee, he studied blights as well as agricultural techniques and established agricultural stations to train black farmers in agricultural technology. This is similar to what UW-Extension does: empowering farmers with the knowledge to help them succeed.” History’s perspective on Carver has changed, says Jones. In the late 1800s and early 1900s he, like Tuskegee founder Booker T. Washington, was considered a paragon of the race — a symbol of achievement for the newly freed slaves and their descendants. Carver and Washington were relentlessly practical and apolitical, Jones says. “Washington was famous for believing that training African-Americans and giving them skills would allow them to establish financial independence, and he very pointedly did not criticize political restrictions on the freed slaves. In his view, it was more important to be economically independent.” During the early 1900s, Washington and Carver, who Jones calls “Washington’s most important ally,” clashed with more assertive African-Americans like W.E.B. Du Bois. Although the confrontational approach was later celebrated during the Black Power era of the 1960s and ’70s, today Carver can again be seen as a symbol of scientific and social accomplishment, Jones says. “He represented a marriage of scientific knowledge and popular education for economic empowerment. One can look at what Carver was doing and see that it clearly benefited, in really concrete ways, the lives of millions of people.”

It was the calm before the box office storm this weekend, and there were no survivors. The only new wide release was big budget Moby Dick adaptation In the Heart of the Sea, which disappointed with a very low debut. Meanwhile, Mockingjay Part 2 took first place yet again, while The Big Short put up fantastic numbers in limited release. In the Heart of the Sea disappointed with a very soft $11M opening weekend. The $100M film was originally set to open back in March of this year, which looking back was likely a much better release date. Opening a big budget IMAX 3D would-be ‘event’ film a week before Star Wars was quite a bone headed move that absolutely doomed this film before it even released. The Cinemascore was a B+, but it doesn’t really matter since its going to lose all of its 3D and IMAX screens next weekend, followed by a slew of wide releases on Christmas. Look for this to disappear with only around $25M total. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 fell 41% to $11.3M, which was good enough for first place. That’s a decent enough hold which brings the franchise finale to a new domestic total of $244.4M, and a worldwide total of $564M. Obviously it has no shot of getting near $300M at this point and will be lucky to get much more than another $20M out of its run. Not to sound like a broken record, but its obviously going to get crushed by Star Wars next weekend. The Good Dinosaur fell 32% to $10.5M in its third weekend. Even though that’s a decent drop, it’s still at a very disappointing $89M 3 week total. Once again, it will get crushed by Star Wars and could possibly even close under $110M, which is less than Inside Out made in its first week alone. It is absolutely going to end up being the lowest grossing Pixar movie by a massive margin, and this is a very disappointing total. Krampus fell 51% in its second weekend down to $8M. That’s a fairly solid drop for a horror movie, which tend to fall 55% or more. Considering the unusual nature, this is a very solid hold. If it can hold over the next two weeks it will likely be able to top $45M. Creed had another great hold, down just 32% to $10.1M in its third weekend. The film seems different enough to be able to hold against the onslaught of competition, and still has a decent shot at $100M domestic. In limited release, The Big Short put up the second highest per theater average of the year, behind only October’s mega hit Steve Jobs. The film averaged a fantastic $90K from 8 theaters, giving it a $720K gross for the weekend. That’s a fantastic start for a film that didn’t really seem to be going after the art house crowd (Adam McKay is not exactly what most people would describe as prestigious) but the primary reason for this success has to be the films political commentary and statements about corruption and the world economy. Outside of that, it wouldn’t have seemed like something that would do so well in this market. However, this is definitely not a sure sign of a successful wide release. For example, Sicario averaged $60K but saw much better domestic success than Steve Jobs which averaged a fantastic $130K (for reference, Sicario grosed $46M domestically while Steve Jobs did just $17M). The film goes wide on December 23rd, the Wednesday before Christmas. Whether or not it can hold its own against massive competition is yet to be seen, but the premise is intriguing enough; what happens when four random outsiders take advantage of widespread corruption for personal gain? This seems like something that would do much better in the fall, rather than Christmas. Most audiences would rather not see something satirical about widespread Wall Street corruption over the Holidays (but then again, The Wolf of Wall Street grossed $118M so what do I know). This is certainly a wild card, but it seems like it has the chance to break out. More from Bombs and Blockbusters Weekend Forecast: “Heart of the Sea” to Take a Dive https://bombsandblockbusters.wordpress.com/2015/12/11/weekend-forecast-heart-of-the-sea-to-take-a-dive/ Saturday Update: “Heart of the Sea” Flatlines, “Big Short” Impresses https://bombsandblockbusters.wordpress.com/2015/12/12/saturday-update-heart-of-the-sea-flatlines-big-short-impresses/ Advertisements

The mother of three sons who all are charged or convicted of murder in separate slayings is now also in trouble with the law. Birmingham police have charged 42-year-old Yolanda Seay with conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation for murder. Investigators say Yolanda Seay was active in the planning and solicitation of the shooting of Kandi Hawkins, a witness against two of her sons in separate cases. Hawkins was shot in June and left for dead, but survived her injuries. Her injuries left her a quadriplegic and she is being cared for at an undisclosed location. Yolanda Seay was arrested Friday night at her Bankhead Highway home, said Birmingham homicide Sgt. Sam Noblitt. She was taken to the county jail with bond set at $120,000. Her first-born Martez Seay, 25, is charged with capital murder in the May execution-style slaying of Lonnie Vaughn, a Vestavia Hills father of two who was found in northeast Jefferson County, nude and shot multiple times. Hawkins also is charged with capital murder in that case. Martez Seay is now also charged with solicitation for murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the shooting of Hawkins, his on-again, off-again girlfriend. Yolanda Seay's youngest son, Demarious Seay, is awaiting trial for capital murder in the April 2008 shooting death of a 17-year-old Parker High School student. He also is charged with attempted murder in the shooting of Hawkins. Her middle child, Cortez Seay, pleaded guilty and was sentence to life in prison for the 2004 murder of a 50-year-old man in a drug house in a dispute over money. In an interview with The Birmingham News in June, Yolanda Seay said she ached for the families that have been hurt and said she was heartbroken over Hawkins' injuries. Click on the link below the map to see details on Jefferson, Shelby and Birmingham homicides in 2009.

This knockout technique is something I go to when an opponent is quickly checking using his front leg, has a laid back style using a lot of teeps and lazy jabs, or is a heavy handed fighter with a heavier base and tight guard. I know you are saying, “knockout with the low kick?” Well. . . technical knockout, unless they somehow are pumping so much blood into the site of inflammation on their leg that they go completely out. Anyways! This video gives you all the ins and outs of executing the technique in your next sparring session or fight, but as always. . . THERE’S MORE! Read the notes below the video to enhance your understanding. Although this technique is possible when facing an opponent of the same stance, it is much more devastating against one of the opposite stance. Such as an orthodox boxer facing a south paw or vice versa. Thai fighters are often heavier in their rear leg, and if they are using the teep or front check often, 100% of their weight is in that rear leg making it susceptible to be hit. The rear leg is also usually much less conditioned to being hit, try it out and you will be able to tell. Remember that drilling this with a partner or in sparring will be your KEY to SUCCESS. In the same stance match up, the switch kick is utilized to kick the rear leg or the need for a fake comes into play (Technique Coming Soon!) Paul Banasiak is a Muay Thai fighter/addict, 3x champion, trainer, and fitness professional. After leaving medical school without looking back he decided to fully follow his passion of helping others become the best version of themselves, creating MuayThaiAthlete.com. A website for those who are already passionate individuals who want to take their life&training to the next level. Today we begin forging our bodies and strengthening our minds. Interested in even more? Follow me on: Facebook. Youtube. Instagram. Twitter. Facebook Fighter Fan Page.

+/* + * Enumerating new IP types and HWID values + * in ScalableMCA enabled AMD processors + */ +#ifdef CONFIG_X86_MCE_AMD +enum ip_types { + F17H_CORE = 0, /* Core errors */ + DF, /* Data Fabric */ + UMC, /* Unified Memory Controller */ + FUSE, /* FUSE subsystem */ + PSP, /* Platform Security Processor */ + SMU, /* System Management Unit */ + N_IP_TYPES +}; +enum core_mcatypes { + LS = 0, /* Load Store */ + IF, /* Instruction Fetch */ + L2_CACHE, /* L2 cache */ + DE, /* Decoder unit */ + RES, /* Reserved */ + EX, /* Execution unit */ + FP, /* Floating Point */ + L3_CACHE /* L3 cache */ +}; + +enum df_mcatypes { + CS = 0, /* Coherent Slave */ + PIE /* Power management, Interrupts, etc */ +}; +#endif + case F17H_CORE: + pr_emerg(HW_ERR "%s Error: ", + (mca_type == L3_CACHE) ? "L3 Cache" : "F17h Core"); + decode_f17hcore_errors(xec, mca_type); + break; +/* Scalable MCA error strings */ + +static const char * const f17h_ls_mce_desc[] = { + "Load queue parity", + "Store queue parity", + "Miss address buffer payload parity", + "L1 TLB parity", + "", /* reserved */ + "DC tag error type 6", + "DC tag error type 1", +static const char * const f17h_if_mce_desc[] = { + "microtag probe port parity error", + "IC microtag or full tag multi-hit error", + "IC full tag parity", + "IC data array parity", + "Decoupling queue phys addr parity error", + "L0 ITLB parity error", + "L1 ITLB parity error", + "L2 ITLB parity error", + "BPQ snoop parity on Thread 0", + "BPQ snoop parity on Thread 1", + "L1 BTB multi-match error", + "L2 BTB multi-match error", +}; +static const char * const f17h_de_mce_desc[] = { + "uop cache tag parity error", + "uop cache data parity error", + "Insn buffer parity error", + "Insn dispatch queue parity error", + "Fetch address FIFO parity", + "Patch RAM data parity", + "Patch RAM sequencer parity", + "uop buffer parity" +}; +static const char * const f17h_ex_mce_desc[] = { + "Watchdog timeout error", + "Phy register file parity", + "Flag register file parity", + "Immediate displacement register file parity", + "Address generator payload parity", + "EX payload parity", + "Checkpoint queue parity", + "Retire dispatch queue parity", +}; + "L3 victim queue parity", ... + "Atomic request parity", + "ECC error on probe filter access", ... + "Error on GMI link", uOp Cache has been added based on the new patch FMUL/FADD for FMAC pairing removed, based on some corrections of the znver1 pipeline description. 4x parallel Page Table Walkers added, based on US20150121046 128b FP datapaths (also to/from the L1 D$) based on "direct" decode for 128b wide SIMD and "double" decode for 256b AVX/AVX2 instructions 32kB L1 I$ has been mentioned in some patents. With enough ways, a fast L2$ and a uOp cache this should be enough, I think. issue port descriptions and more data paths added 2R1W and 4 cycle load-to-use-latency added for the L1 D$ based on info found on a LinkedIn profile and the given cylce differences in the znver1 pipeline description Stack Cache speculatively added based on patents and some interesting papers. This doesn't help so much with performance, but a lot with power efficiency. Just one week after my last blog posting, providing a hint of the maximum number of Zen cores supported per socket, a news wave about details of Zen based server processors given in the presentation of a CERN researcher hit the web. The guy works in the institution's Platform Competence Centre (PCC) and manages integration of predominantly prototype hardware according to his CERN profile . So it can be assumed, that anything he says about server platforms might have been provided by representatives coming from the different processor and server OEMs. The 8 memory channels haven't been mentioned before in a leak or patch. And the 32 core number is not related to my posting, as the CERN talk has been held on 29th of January while I published my posting (unaware of the talk) on the 1st of February, after first mentioning the patch already in December Now a new series of patches provides further information about the Zen core's IP blocks. They've been posted on 16/02/16 on the Linux kernel mailing list by an AMD employee, after an earlier round of patches in January, which even mention a "ZP" target, very likely being the abbreviation for "Zeppelin". The more recent patches cover additions to AMD's implementation of a scalable Machine Check Architecture (MCA), and handling of deferred errors. This is implemented in the Linux EDAC kernel module, which is responsible for hardware error detection and correction. The most interesting patch contains following sections, with some details highlighted:The interconnect subsystem is called "Data Fabric", which knows so called coherent slaves according to the last enumeration list. The "FUSE subsystem" might be replaced by something else like "Parameter block", as it just means a block managing the processor's configuration.The second list of enumerations contains a blocks found in the Zen core or close to it. I think, the highlighted "RES" element might actually stand for a real IP block, as it doesn't make much sense to have it sitting inmidst the other elements and not at the end. According to some other code in the patch, the L2 cache is seen as part of the core, while the L3 cache is not (as expected):Now let's go through some of the error string lists, beginning with those dedicated to the load/store unit:This is the first of many lists containing error strings, in this case for the load/store unit. Similar to the enumeration above, there is a reserved element, possibly hiding something, as this is a public mailing list. The strings I left out don't contain any surprises compared to the Bulldozer family. But overall I get the impression, that AMD significantly improved the RAS capabilities, which are very important for server processors. The following block contains error strings related to the instruction fetch block ("if"):There is a new L0 ITLB, which is the only level 0 thing being mentioned so far, while VR World mentioned level 0 caches (besides other somewhat strange rumoured facts like no L3 cache in the APU variant - while this has been shown on the leaked Fudzilla slide). The only thing resembling such a L0 cache is a uOp cache, which has clearly been named in the new patch in a section related to the decode/dispatch block (indicated by "de"):There are strings for both a "uop cache" and a "uop buffer". So far I knew about this uop buffer patent filed by AMD in 2012, which describes different related techniques aimed at saving power, e.g. when executing loops or to keep the buffer physically small by leaving immediate and displacement data of decoded instructions in an instruction byte buffer ("Insn buffer") sitting between instruction fetch and decode. The "uop cache" clearly seems to be a separate unit. Even without knowing how many uops per cycle can be provided by that cache, it will help to save power and remove an occaisional fetch/decode bottleneck when running two threads. The next interesting block is about the execution units:Here is a first confirmation of a checkpoint mechanism. This has been described in several patents and might also be an enabler for hardware transactional memory, which has been proposed in the form of ASF back in 2009. Another use case is the quick recovery from branch mispredictions, where program flow can be redirected to a checkpoint created right before evaluating a difficult to predict branch condition.Let me continue with some random picks:There is a confirmation of the "GMI link" mentioned on an already leaked slide , which mentioned a bandwidth of 25 GB/s per link. The term "Data Fabric" also has been used on that slide.When reporting about the 32 core support, I wrote that some patents used the same wording. It's actually "core processing complex" (CPC) and can contain multiple compute units (like Zen cores). So they are not the same. AMD patent filings using the term are US20150277521 US20150120978 , and US20140331069 Last but not least I have updated the Zen core diagram based on these new informations and some very likely related patents and papers:Notable changes are:It's still interesting, what the first mentioning of fp3 port for FMAC operations was good for. I thought, it was a typo , but more of the kind "fp3" instead of "fp2" in one case. It could still be related to register file port usage and/or bridged FMA, but probably not that useful for telling the compiler. Due to the correction patch I'm still looking further into the FPU topic, as promised earlier. I'll cover that in a followup posting.Finally there is a hint at good hardware prefetcher performance (or bad interferences?), as AMD recommends to switch off default software prefetching for the znver1 target in GCC.BTW have you ever heard of a processor core having 2 front ends and one shared back end Update: There is an update of the bespoken patches, posted on the same day as this blog entry. You can see it here . So far I didn't see any significant additions other than cleanups and fixes.

Death and taxes are inevitable, or so the cliché goes. Given that social media is a relatively new phenomenon, what happens to an online account when a user dies is still being explored. Armed with little more than the terms of service for Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail, and certainly not a law degree, we broke down how the three social network giants deal with a users death. When it comes to Gmail, it should be noted that impersonating a Gmail user is a violation of the Gmail terms of service. If Google finds out that an account is being improperly used, they can suspend or terminate the account at their discretion. That said, in theory, you could bequeath your account to a loved one and legally transfer ownership. Should a person die and not leave their password to a loved one however, their account will shut down after nine months of inactivity. If an individual has passed away and a loved one needed access to their account, in some cases (considered to be rare by the company), Google may be able to provide the Gmail account content to an authorized representative of the deceased user. However, the person will be unable to send or receive new emails from the account. When it comes to Facebook, it’s slightly more complex. The contents of your Facebook account fall under the heading of a digital asset. For the sake of clarification, ‘digital assets’ is a phrase often used to describe all of your electronically stored information (e.g., bank accounts, social media accounts, gaming accounts, etc.) What happens to those things when you die may depend on the user agreement. Furthermore, when a person passes away, Facebook will memorialize their account to protect their privacy upon request. When a timeline is memorialized, Facebook will continue to honour the account’s privacy settings and implement security features to protect the account. While your Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail accounts probably are devoid of pecuniary value, they most likely have immense personal value. Twitter users can contact administrators at the seo company to either completely delete the account or obtain a permanent backup of the deceased user’s public tweets. While your Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail accounts probably are devoid of pecuniary value, they most likely have immense personal value. It can be rather morbid to think about your own demise. However, the best non-legal advice we can give is to plan ahead and be sure to treat your virtual assets the same as your non-virtual ones. It imperative to document the existence of all of your digital assets in a legally binding will, regardless of their value. In addition, there are a few helpful sites that can help you when it comes to planning for your online death. 1) Legacy Locker: Legacy Locker was one of the first services to be offered in the end-of-online-life-planning arena. According to Mashable, the site is a trusted service for transferring access to digital assets. 2) Future.tk: This social network has an online messaging service that lets anyone schedule messages up to 50 years in advance. Using the free post-mortem feature, it can also schedule messages to be sent to recipients after a death. 3) Deathswitch: This service periodically prompts the user to provide a password. If the user fails to enter a password on multiple occasions, it infers that the user has passed away. As such, the service sends out personalized pre-written messages to chosen contacts.

One of my favorite reasons for attending sci-fi conventions (I will be at the StarFest convention in Denver this weekend so if you see me, make sure to say hello!) is to see all of the amazing cosplay that people are sporting to show their love for their favorite sci-fi franchise. While seeing people dressed as Stormtroopers or Starfleet officers is pretty common, I have never seen somebody dressed up as a Borg Cube before. Cliff Nordman took this picture of this awesome guy sporting some giant Borg Cube cosplay. This might be awesome but it also has to be one of the least practical costumes I have ever seen as even things as simple as going to the bathroom would be a big ordeal. Pass this along to any Star Trek fans you know! Like Fanboy Fashion on Facebook too! [Source: Cliff Nordman via Fashionably Geek]

Advertisement For many people, India conjures up images of crowded streets, ancient temples and colourful fabrics. But there is a hidden side to the country that's far away from the usual bustle. Journeying to remote corners of the country, including Karnataka in the south and the Himalayas in the north, photographer Neelima Vallangi has discovered a part of India that's peaceful and serene. She spent a lot of time hiking and travelling to remote corners of the country to explore India's natural diversity. Vallangi, 30, said: 'For the longest time, I shied away from travelling in India. Only when I travelled in 2008 to the Himalayas, I discovered India's silent places. Places full of character yet devoid of the crowd that has become synonymous with my country. 'The stunning diversity in the landscapes was a revelation. From Himalayas to deserts and evergreen forests to pristine beaches, it was almost as if there was a whole wide world to explore here. In my quest my avoid throngs of people as much as possible, I started straying away as far as possible from the mainstream and thus began my journey to discover another India.' Pin river meanders through the high mountains of Pin Valley in Himachal Pradesh, a remote part of northern India with Tibetan influences The lush jungles of Western Ghats are home to waterfalls like the Sathodi Falls in Karnataka. The region is perhaps more closely associated with its beaches and monuments Sunset over the dense forests at the remote Indo-Bangladesh border at Meghalaya. Neelima Vallangi spent a lot of time hiking to these far-away places In the bone chilling winters of Ladakh, where temperatures fall to -40 degrees Celsius, Pangong Lake freezes over completely creating a stunning pattern on ice Closer to Thailand than India, the Andaman and Nicobar islands are a group of around 500 islands with pristine beaches and lush forests Dead trees on the coast of Long Island, one of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The 2004 Tsunami rocked the Indian islands so hard that salt watered entered the trees at the roots slowly killing them Rightly known as 'heaven on earth', this is half frozen alpine lake in the meadows of Kashmir looks almost surreal as the peaks throw their reflections into the water The turquoise-coloured Gurudongmar Lake in Sikkim is an incredible 17,800 feet above sea level. It is one of the world's highest lakes Fed by generous monsoons, Kumaradhara River tumbles down the fall, splitting the lush green forest in two with its gushing rapids A fairy tale landscape in the jungles of Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh. The magical forests inspired Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book As if leaping out of a page of the Jungle Book, a deer is spotted amongst the forests of Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh Uttarakhand offers jaw-dropping views of the Himalayan ranges. At sunset, the mountains take on a postcard quality with shades of pink and blue At a height of 14,100 feet, Pangong Tso, an endorheic high-altitude lake shared between India and China, has a reputation for showing all the possible shades of blue over the course of a day The night sky as seen on the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Far from the crowds and city lights, a universe of stars show up brightly The sky-high cedar trees in the hills of Banjar Valley, one of the most beautiful and pristine regions of Himachal Pradesh, would make anyone feel dwarfed After a night of heavy snowfall in Kinnaur district of Himalayas, the mountains transform into a landscape full of colourful contrasts Nomads of Changthang plateau returning to their base after assisting a group with a week long hike in the high altitude region of Ladakh and Spiti Lush rolling grasslands in Kudremukh National Park, Karnataka, captured when the sun just peeks out from between the storm clouds The Sharavathi River winds through the dense forests of Western Ghats in Karnataka. It feels serene and peaceful compared to the bustling cities

Today we're happy to release Teensy 3.2.Version 3.2 is a minor upgrade to Teensy 3.1. The main change is an improved 3.3V regulator, to allow Teensy to directly power ESP8266 Wifi, WIZ820io (W5200) Ethernet, and other power-hungry 3.3V devices.We're specifying Teensy 3.2's power output at 250 mA and the maximum voltage input at 6 volts, due to PCB thermal dissipation limits. However, the actual regulator chip is capable of up to 10 volts input, and up to 500 mA output. These higher limits are intended to allow Teensy 3.2 to be more rugged when used with non-USB power sources which aren't well regulated 5 volt sources.Teensy 3.2 is fully compatible with all shields and add-on boards designed for Teensy 3.1. It preserves the same size, pinout, and processor as Teensy 3.1.The bootloader chip is also changed from Mini54 to KL02 (the same as Teensy-LC). A full schematic is available:

Gosh, that Diego Costa is a divisive character, isn’t he? Of the two big sports stories in this country last weekend, Japan cutting South Africa down to size and Costa helping cut Arsenal down to nine men, Chelsea’s pantomime villain was the one playing to boos and hisses rather than cheers and wild celebration. In defence of Chelsea’s Diego Costa: a crafty, talented street fighter | Chris Taylor Read more Yet if pantomime villain is an apt description for Costa, who short of cultivating a twirlable moustache could not take a more dastardly persona on to the pitch if he tried, let us remember the original nature of such a figure on stage or screen was to be amusingly unsubtle. The audience is meant to enjoy all the booing and hissing. Pantomime, like football, is part of the entertainment industry after all. So in the light of the Football Association’s rather prissy decision to use television evidence to catch Costa out after the event – a bit like employing slow-motion footage to prove Tommy Cooper had a card up his sleeve all the time – let’s try to see if we can agree on a couple of things about Chelsea’s disagreeable striker. First, what he did in the game against Arsenal was entertaining. It must have been, because people were still talking about it days afterwards. It may not have been particularly sporting, was definitely not a great example to hold up in front of impressionable schoolchildren, but as José Mourinho indicated if you want everything to be contact-free and above-board you can always watch badminton. Schoolchildren might as well take note sooner rather than later that football is played differently around the world. For some players, and some cultures, the game is about what you can get away with. The rules are there to be pushed to the limit, opponents can be respected after the final whistle but are fair game to be provoked and wound up, while pulling the wool over a referee’s eyes is a legitimate contest within a contest. This applies to other sports and neither is it remotely true only foreigners are practised in the dark arts. It is just some players are better at it than others, and at his best Costa is a consummate performer. To accomplish what he did at Stamford Bridge without being pulled up for a single foul was remarkable. And entertaining. Of course he was playing outside the rules, and should have been brought to book much earlier, but you have to concede a sneaking admiration for a villain who hides in such plain view. Costa knew he was treading a fine line but managed to get away with it thanks in no small part to officiating that was either myopic or naive or both. It seems petty and small time to make an example of him in retrospect, particularly as he did not hurt anyone. So, second, what Costa did in the game against Arsenal did not amount to violent conduct. Violent conduct is what he was guilty of last season, when he was correctly handed a retrospective ban for surreptitiously stamping on Liverpool players. His assault on Emre Can could have resulted in serious injury and that sort of underhand behaviour is exactly what television evidence should be used to discourage. The charge sheet from the Arsenal game amounted to little more than a chest bump and a couple of flailing arms. All right, not exactly flailing but used to give opponents what rugby league commentators refer to as a facial. Not eye-gouging or nose-rearranging, which are more serious infringements, just letting the opponent know you are around and possibly provoke a reaction. As Costa has admitted in the past to spitting into his hand and then flicking the contents at opponents when the referee is not looking – or perhaps more truthfully not really expecting such depths of skulduggery – it is possible Laurent Koscielny got more in his face than a palm and four fingers. It is true also that merely to raise one’s arms in football is technically an offence. But if it is done so deftly that none of the on-duty officials even spot it, and the victim carries on with the game rather than being carried off on a stretcher, is it really necessary to swing into action with video evidence and three-match bans? Costa would have got three matches had he punched Koscielny in the face and walked off the pitch before the ref could produce a red card. Let’s try to keep a sense of perspective here. The three match officials are out on the pitch to enforce the rules. Unless there is a serious injury, or a genuine risk of one, their decisions should stand. If Costa is to be given a three-match ban retrospectively for being a naughty boy, what sort of punishment would be deemed appropriate for the sort of tackle that may break an opponent’s leg or the elbow that leads to a fractured jaw? Finally, the FA’s decision to rescind Gabriel Paulista’s ban and transfer the three-match suspension to Costa makes no sense. Even Arsène Wenger admitted Gabriel was guilty. That does not mean he ought to be sitting out three matches because his reaction hardly amounted to violent conduct either, he was goaded into a mistake and the FA have sensibly decided he has been punished enough already. Yet if there is that amount of flexibility and common sense within the disciplinary procedure, why throw the book at Costa just for getting on everyone’s nerves? Neither player did anything so violent or dangerous as to warrant a three-match ban. Why not just warn Costa over his future conduct and privately tell Mike Dean and his assistants to be more vigilant next time? Some might even argue that as the real guilty party, it ought to be the officials serving a suspension. While that would usefully sharpen everyone’s eyesight for the rest of the season, it too would be an overreaction to a not particularly shocking example of gamesmanship. Costa is good at pushing his luck on the sly, and if anyone did not realise that before Saturday’s game they certainly do now. Television and still pictures had already provided a service in bringing Costa’s crimes to light, if his manager will forgive the expression. There the matter could have been laid to rest. He got away with them on the day, he is unlikely to find officials as accommodating again. Wenger was wrong to suggest he will continue doing the same next week and the week after, because he won’t. Television has exposed his underhand methods. But violent conduct remains a trumped-up charge. Had Costa been awarded a second yellow and dismissed he would have earned a one-match ban and no one would have complained. The officials would have got it right. But now the FA’s disciplinary panel has overcompensated. Three matches is excessive, unnecessary, almost unsporting.

Going into 2016, we never could’ve known exactly how much pain we were in store for. No matter where you stand politically, culturally, or musically, the year was dominated by division, conflict, and loss. As it always does, music reacted to that reality, at times offering comfort and escape, while finding an outlet for rage and frustration at others. Though no one will be asking to go through all of that again, the powerful music produced over the last 12 months worked as a powerful consolation. (See: Top 50 Songs of 2016) And that kind of experience will produce an incredibly personal connection to art. Because of that experience, the discussions that led to the production of this list were perhaps more impassioned than any other year, each writer giving a rousing speech for just how each album helped them through a difficult time. Though we can never quantify or rank the feelings engendered by 2016 or the albums produced in its span, lists like these will allow us all to capture the world as we so intensely felt it. __________________________________________________________ 50. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression When you make music that sounds like you’re giving an acid bath to the tainted world around you — burning the pain in your own life while the outside world burns — it suggests a victory not over relative contentment but vile depression. On Post-Pop Depression, Iggy Pop deliberately uses the strength of his sound to summon something more than temporary wrath … for one last time. Whether announced or not, every legendary artist will have a final album. We learned that tragic lesson in real-time with David Bowie’s ★, the master’s impending death revealing itself upon repeat listens. Pop announced that finality himself upon the release of Post-Pop Depression, both in the press and in the album itself. Though still full of the characteristic Pop intensity (“When your love of life is an empty beach, don’t cry,” he muses on “Chocolate Drops”), the former Stooges frontman and Josh Homme teamed up to rage at the dying of the light, funneling the power of its members’ pedigrees and boasting a high-volume homage to Pop’s past. “To really make a real album, you really have to put everything into it,” Pop told Beats 1. He scrapes up every last bit of his power, infusing songs like the bone-dry “American Valhalla” and bruised sunset “Paraguay” with a timeless snarl. In a year when we lost so many legends, it’s good to hear “the last of the one and onlys” (as Homme put it) choosing how to go out — and going out on top at that. –Lior Phillips Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 49. Weaves – Weaves There’s a humor at the heart of Weaves’ work that makes each song sound as if it’s smirking. But no matter how hard you search for it, that joke won’t reveal itself. On the Toronto outfit’s self-titled debut, they zip through 11 art-rock tracks, each more sporadic and jolting than the last. On “Candy” and “One More”, guitarist Morgan Waters and drummer Spencer Cole create a delightful cacophony akin to Deerhoof. They throw in slide guitar, skip downbeats, and zig zag around traditional rhythm structures, accenting the genius side of insanity, even when relatively in row on “Human”. At the front of it all is Jasmyn Burke, elongating words on “Birds & Bees” or “Coo Coo” to complement the plunging bass. The four-piece constantly sound like they’re on the verge of exploding, a dozen colors of confetti prepped to shoot from their cores in a way that even the most familiar listener won’t expect. Come the end of the record, you start to figure out what it is they, and their songs, are smiling about. It’s a shared sense of energy amid a lack of structure, a grin at the unknown, a smile before leaping off a cliff. Weaves are creating pop that distorts its own intentions — and they’re as surprised by the songs’ twists as you are. –Nina Corcoran Listen: Spotify Buy: Kanine __________________________________________________________ 48. White Lung – Paradise “Punk,” as a label, can be liberating or paralyzing. As an example of the latter, White Lung frontperson Mish Barber-Way explained, “There’s this really stupid attitude that only punks have where it’s somehow uncool to become a better songwriter.” It’s that stubborn resistance to change that White Lung rail against on Paradise, pulling back some on the throttle and opening up on cuts like “Below”, “Hungry”, and “I Beg You” — power ballads that don’t require the band to sacrifice any of their scathing ferocity. But Paradise captures more than just a band expanding their sonic arsenal. Barber-Way’s vocals now soar to match her sneer, she steps outside herself to write from various perspectives, and she challenges modern conceptions of feminism, even her own. If evolving to create one of the best hard rock records of the year isn’t deemed “punk” enough, well, fuck punk. –Matt Melis Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 47. Japanese Breakfast – Psychopomp When Michelle Zauner’s mother passed away after a brief and painful battle with cancer in 2014, the singer-songwriter found herself doing the thing she’s instinctively best at: arranging and rearranging songs, trying to make the pieces of her shattered life fit by way of music. And then, one day, she ended up with an album, which she named Psychopomp after the mythological angel who directs souls to the afterlife. The remarkable thing about Psychopomp is not its sadness or its acute sense of tragedy, but rather its defiant celebration of life as something worth holding onto, warts and all. Album standout “Everybody Wants to Love You” says it all in its title — love is fragile but plentiful, painful but omnipresent. Zauner pairs such reflections with understated melodies that may take some time to grow on you but hit you like a ton of bricks when they finally do. Life can only be lived one time through, but this is an album that bears (demands, even) repeat listening. –Collin Brennan Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 46. Martha – Blisters in the Pit of My Heart Martha is a group of young, anarchist punks from northeast England that make music that’s as infectiously hooky as it is progressive in its politics. “I’m a person, you’re a person, nothing else is really certain,” Martha sings on “Precarious (Supermarket Song)”, and there’s really no better summation of their inclusive approach, which results in songs about social outcasts and Catholic school queers struggling with the same shit as everyone else: crushes, day jobs, anxiety. Blisters is also just a goddamn great guitar record — there’s the sloppy abandon of Superchunk, the Exploding Hearts’ razor-sharp snottiness, and please god don’t overlook the “More Than a Feeling” homage on “The Awkward Ones”. Blisters is undoubtedly all killer and no filler, but standout “Ice Cream and Sunscreen” might provide the best glimpse into the band’s promising future. A melancholy, solitary intro seems primed for melancholic reflection (“This year I’ll spend November in the house”) but soon blooms into a celebratory sing-along that can’t help but shine a light on the saddest of seasons. “When all of the band members join together and sing ‘Blisters in the pit of my heart!’” we wrote in our review, “it’s hard to tell whether to be devastated or elated.” I’m both, but the elation will win out in the end. It usually does. –Randall Colburn Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 45. Young Thug – JEFFERY Unpredictability has always been Young Thug’s best quality, whether that meant being unable to predict whether he’d yelp out an explosive ad lib or growl out a nonsense couplet, or if it meant being unable to pin him down. The superb JEFFERY doubles down on that uncompromising complexity while also somehow revealing more of who he is in the process. In an era in which too many rappers lack a unique flow, Thug shows off nine of them on a single tape — the throat-scraped bark of “Harambe” and sing-songy glottal pops of “Kanye West” stand miles apart — and yet these tracks are all so undeniably Thug. From the photo of himself in a dress on the cover, to the tracks named after figures he’s inspired by, to the through-lines of identity and love for his partner, JEFFERY is a thrilling and surprisingly rounded exploration of the complexity of modern life, challenging binaries and expectations at every corner. –Adam Kivel Listen: Spotify __________________________________________________________ 44. Lambchop – FLOTUS Today’s America isn’t the same place that birthed “Americana” as a genre. If anyone knows that, feels that in their bones, it’s Kurt Wagner, the always-evolving core of alt-country mainstays Lambchop. Throughout the act’s 30 years, he has consistently poked and prodded at the definitions of American music traditions, digging at the scabs to reveal the reality behind the facade. In 2016, that meant filtering the country through a vocoder and adding electronic elements for the sublime, haunting FLOTUS. The record unfolds like a drive down the highway, though now digital billboards stud the horizon, promising commercial cures for your blues. Wagner finds beauty even in the most desolate, corrupted moments, as when picking up trash in his backyard on the glittering “Harbor Country” or in the patchworked vocal samples of “Directions to the Can”. Lambchop always reveled in twisting traditions, but FLOTUS insists that they’ve also been honoring the twists along the way. –Lior Phillips Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 43. The Hotelier – Goodness The Hotelier’s breakthrough 2014 album, Home, Like Noplace Is There, may go down as the defining document of the emo revival. With its firecracker energy and relentless procession of anthems, the album idealized youth so fervently that it felt real and hollow all at once, as if it were madly chasing something it could never quite catch. For their third studio album, Goodness, the Massachusetts group took the inverse approach, turning their attention to the unknowns of the here-and-now and crafting a sprawling work of art that aims to capture life at its most mundane as well as its most thrilling. The result sounds like something that finally lives up to emo’s name because genuine emotion doesn’t always express itself at volumes dialed up to 11. Tracks like the gut-punching “Opening Mail for My Grandmother” take on the theme of death, and vocalist-bassist Christian Holden finds himself reflecting on what comes next with the same lyrical skill he once employed to look backwards in time. It may not be the band’s most rousing work to date, but it’s certainly their best and most engaging. –Collin Brennan Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 42. Kevin Gates – Islah During the few years immediately preceding Islah, the ever-impassioned Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates was making his versatility known, filling his free mixtapes with songs that appealed to different audiences. Here, on his debut album, he proves how far he can take those same abilities. As hooky as the album is, Gates didn’t have to water down his sound to make it more accessible. Instead, songs like “2 Phones”, “Pride”, and “Time for That” are evidence that, well, he’s just a really, really good melody-writer and won’t let that talent go to waste. Elsewhere, “The Truth” — where Gates opens up about the incident in Florida last year when he kicked a female fan at a concert — is the exact antithesis of the lighter, melody-driven moments on the album. It’s an intensely honest rhyme spree that’s like one long hook itself. “These tats on my face don’t mean nothin’/ I was locked up, that don’t mean nothin’,” Gates starts on “Ain’t Too Hard”, merely one spot on the album where he refuses to be easily summed up. Really, the entire LP is a triumph of multidimensionality. –Michael Madden Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 41. Mothers – When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired The long title of Mothers’ debut, When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired, is an appropriate fit; the album is a sprawling multi-instrumental landscape, shaped out of exhaustively experimental song structures. Each song follows its own erratic path, and even the most serene moments teeter on the edge of dissolution, about to give away to chaotic instrumental interludes. The album is therefore easy to disappear into, and lengthy, winding songs like “Nesting Behavior” and “Hold Your Own Hand” are the entryway. The submersing atmosphere is the work of the instrumentation, from the simple, frail sound of the plucked mandolin to the bigger orchestral arrangements. The release is an exploration of genre as well, pairing the deconstruction of math rock with the quiet moods of folk. The through-line of the album is Kristine Leschper’s voice, which trembles on the edge of breaking throughout. From this tension, the album draws vulnerability, and at the end of its emotional journey, it is a welcome weariness. –Mary Kate McGrath Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 40. Deftones – Gore Deftones ascended to nü metal sainthood by preaching a religion defined almost entirely by carnal contrasts: sex and death, intimacy and violence, new romanticism and primal aggression. Sixteen years after White Pony — their Sermon on the Mount — the band renew their profane vows to flesh and fury on Gore. It’s their most immersive, elegant record to date, texturally rich and yet, as highlight “Doomed User” so turbulently demonstrates, unflinchingly surly. Gore certainly runs the hard rock gamut, swiveling from “Acid Hologram”‘s paranoid shoegaze, to “Xenon”‘s creeping sludge, to the Jerry Cantrell-featuring stunner, “Phantom Bride”. However, for all its diversity, the album’s ultimately a triumph of firm devotion — and, of course, deathly beauty. –Zoe Camp Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 39. Savages – Adore Life The gestation for the second album by British band Savages was long and complicated, involving multiple studios and a residency in New York that forced them to reassess the writing of several songs. While that could have been the recipe for overreach or work with all the passion squeezed out of it, Adore Life feels fuller and richer than their previous LP, Silence Yourself, even though nothing has been added to their unique formula. The songs are simply more dynamic than ever before. “T.I.W.Y.G.” and “Adore” build and recede like tidal shifts, pushing vocalist Jehnny Beth and guitarist Gemma Thompson to furious new realms. On the latter, especially, Beth sounds as if she’s trying to knock down an entire building with just the power of her voice. Savages take the title of this album very much to heart, as it urges listeners to appreciate every breath and every encounter with the world, no matter how seemingly insignificant. —Robert Ham Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 38. Whitney – Light Upon the Lake Over the course of three Smith Westerns albums, the group matured from fuzzed-out buzz band to 70’s-sheen rockers. But with the emergence of Whitney, it’s apparent that it wasn’t frontman Cullen Omori that made the Smith Westies such an intriguing project. Instead, it’s guitarist Max Kakacek and drummer Julien Ehrlich that have managed to repurpose the band’s best ideas and push things to unexpected places. Where the guitar work previously evoked Bowie and Harrison, Whitney introduces the most straightforward elements of Grateful Dead into the fold, resulting in a record, Light Upon the Lake, that pops with jukebox familiarity. Maybe it’s the guidance of fellow 70’s rock aficionado Jonathan Rado that translates the ideas of Whitney into such a fully-formed, unexpected debut, where a band from Chicago evokes the best moments of Bay Area jams and Laurel Canyon breeziness. It didn’t need Elton John’s cosign to get attention, but it wouldn’t be surprising if other classic rock dignitaries fell similarly in love. –Philip Cosores Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 37. The Range – Potential Potential is the sound of voices united, pieced together from across the globe. That’s not cheesy rhetoric; it’s just what happened. The Range, aka producer James Hinton, crafted the album from various obscure YouTube clips. Some of people singing covers, some of people rapping — basically anything that spoke to him on some level. The result is an uplifting work that bonds together people who might never meet with airy club beats. It captures the feeling of both a late night deep dive into the untouched troves of the internet as well as the loneliness that birthed the original videos. With Hinton’s executed vision, it becomes an amazingly hopeful record. The grunting synth-bass tones and swift piano lines on “Copper Wire” flourish beneath the vocal samples, which alternate between pitched up and pitched down. For an electronic artist, the human voice is Hinton’s greatest instrument. The lush arrangements feel built around each clip, not the other way around. In a year where it’s easy to feel divided or alone, Potential is a reminder of the power of our voices pulled together with the intent of making something beautiful. –Dusty Henry Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 36. Noname – Telefone Noname is too modest to fling her debut mixtape into the major label arena, but her collaborators over the years, including Chance the Rapper to Saba, are more than happy to spread the word. It’s hard not to. Noname is the kind of rapper who appears as a magical figure, someone with remarkably ripe talent and polished work that seems too good to be true, too on the nose to be ignored, too well-crafted to be a debut. On Telefone, she slowly opens cupped hands to reveal soft words that she reeled out of darkness. The production cushions that, full of muted piano, finger snaps, and fluttering vocal harmonies. She talks about death and loss with the optimism of someone clinging to survival mode. She prays for friends to make it home safely in “Casket Pretty” but then swings into pure motivation on “Reality Check”. She does all of this and more, and yet there isn’t a single moment that can be pinpointed where she gets arrogant about it. Noname is the writer and illustrator of her own magic, a type of aching that clings to the sunny side of its soul. The louder her music is played, the brighter her cadence glows, giving her lyrics a type of 3D craft that makes Telefone a diary of lessons too relevant to keep to yourself. –Nina Corcoran Listen: Spotify __________________________________________________________ 35. Into It. Over It. – Standards For any indie kid who came of age in the mid-aughts, the slow burn of Into It. Over It.’s Standards plays like a dog whistle, calling up memories of a simpler time. The influence of Ben Gibbard and Mike Kinsella on the work of Chicago-based artist Evan Thomas Weiss has always been undeniable (Weiss was even in a band with Kinsella for a time), but he’s so much more than just a mimic; on Standards, his band’s most accessible album yet, he proves himself to once again be a thoughtful and observant narrator of his own life and the lives of those around him, trucking in similes and gentle, reflective, reverb-heavy melodies that are evocative even without the O.C.-era context. Recorded in analog at John Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone Studio in San Francisco, there’s a warmth and lived-in quality to this record that can feel like a kind of homecoming. Emo is a much-maligned genre, but Weiss and company make perhaps one of the strongest cases yet for its continued legitimacy. Standards is understated, lush, and carefully plotted; there are emotions, yes, but no hysterics. “They torch their twenties like it’s kerosene,” Weiss, who turned 30 this year, sings of his hometown friends. We’re all entering a new decade together, all of us mid-aughts indie kids, and thank god we have Weiss to show us the way. –Katherine Flynn Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 34. Sioux Falls – Rot Forever Though it’s not going to be regularly compared to Infinite Jest, there’s something to the connection between Rot Forever and the maximalist postmodern literature masterpiece. The band formerly known as Sioux Falls (the group took on the moniker Strange Ranger once they learned that the word Sioux was offensive to many Native American communities) share a dual aesthetic with the David Foster Wallace epic — their debut LP feels like they throw everything at the wall to see what sticks, but it also feels carefully and intelligently curated. Simply put, even at 72 minutes, just about everything sticks. The then-trio wear classic indie rock influences (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Pavement) on their sleeves, but make things their own through the post-modern twist of analyzing the sleeve itself. Guitarist/vocalist Isaac Eiger sounds as if he’s shredded his journal and his vocal cords in equal measure, but knows the former well enough by heart to deliver the rough-hewn self-analysis all over again and in doing so pushes the latter despite the wear and tear. His lines at once evoke incredibly personal details and rally around universal frustration. “I miss my dog and my sister,” he howls on the excellent “If You Let It”, as if those words verified the world’s decay. It’s hard to tell if nothing is alright or if everything’s getting tough, but Strange Ranger/Sioux Falls are there with you for the ride. –Adam Kivel Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 33. Gojira – Magma “It’s bigger than me.” With those simple words spoken in an interview with Rolling Stone, Joe Duplantier, the frontman of French metal outfit Gojira, cut to the chase of the appeal of his band’s Magma. Joe and his brother Mario act as the core of the experimental outfit, and they lost their mother while demoing tracks for their massive new LP. While they once peddled death metal, the record became something so much more interested in connection, with each other in their grooves, with the listener in more approachable hooks, with something greater than all of us in its mystic appeal. Tragedy informed the album, and yet songs like the math-y, magnetic “Low Lands” or the acoustic, golden “Liberation” have an astral, heavenly quality, the music of the spheres ringing beautifully and incredibly loud, especially as the counterpoint to the gnash and churn of more peak experimental metal. –Adam Kivel Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 32. Explosions in the Sky – The Wilderness After slumming it in Hollywood for nearly half a decade with Peter Berg and David Gordon Green, Explosions in the Sky finally returned this year with their long-awaited followup to 2011’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. How they still find ways to make their brand of post-rock feel as fresh and angelic as it first did 16 years ago is one of the many alluring facets of The Wilderness. It’s another sprawling epic, yawning with fresh air and stretching impressive muscles previously unused by the Lone Star post-rockers. Digitized bleeps and bloops punctuate their amber swells (“Tangle Formations”) while Chris Hrasky’s rousing percussion (“Logic of a Dream”) turns self-respecting atheists into believers. Good thing, too, because heaven waits by the end with “Landing Cliffs”, quite possibly the group’s most tender, tranquil ballad to date — and that’s saying a lot. Producer John Congleton bottled up magic with this one, and we could use it right now. –Michael Roffman Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 31. BABYMETAL – METAL RESISTANCE Leave it to three upbeat J-pop idols to deliver one of the most eclectic metal records of the year. When BABYMETAL burst on the scene, their singers only had a passing familiarity with metal. Critics derided them as a manufactured pop outfit, but vocalists Su-metal, Yuimetal, and Moametal paid them no heed. This blank slate continued to favor the kawaii metal band with their latest release, METAL RESISTANCE. Backed by the uber-talented Kami Band, BABYMETAL smashed genre conventions on their sophomore LP. The record traversed the chasms among subgenres, from power metal (“Road of Resistance”, assisted by Dragonforce’s guitarists) to pummeling metalcore (“KARATE”) to synth-infused nu-metal (“Awadama Fever”). The band even incorporated some oddball flourishes (vaudeville piano on “Tales of the Destinies”, a shimmering, anthemic interlude on “Meta Taro”). As the vocalists’ saccharine harmonies bolster an even more accessible sound, BABYMETAL arrived full-force on US shores to solidify their cult status. –Killian Young Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 30. Pinegrove – Cardinal Each year, there’s that one “little rock album that could,” an unassuming guitar record that may often get drowned out by flashier fare but ultimately grows to be one of the albums we return to again and again. Pinegrove’s debut, Cardinal, holds that distinction in 2016. The record feels like one of those off-in-your-own-world walks — head down, hands buried in pockets, feet on auto-pilot — where you suddenly come to and have no idea how you got where you are. It’s a record that understands just how much time we spend wrestling in our own headspace, regretful, confused, and always searching for just the right words to explain ourselves. Musically, the songs step right into that feeling of being lost in one’s thoughts and problems, rallying around a good idea, wilting when doubt creeps in, vocals lagging behind a fickle mind that doesn’t bother to flash a turn signal. It’s self-reflection in the most uplifting way — a record that kicks the tires on the brain and heart, remaining hopeful that one day we’ll figure ourselves out. –Matt Melis Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 29. Nicolas Jaar – Sirens Nicolas Jaar tends to keep his sound palette wide open, with little off limits, and the producer’s latest stretches this principle to his words, too. Sirens, his second solo LP and first since his hugely successful collaboration project with Dave Harrington as Darkside, alternates between Spanish and English, allusions to the unrest of present-day America and that of 1970s Chile, his parents’ home country. The comparison isn’t complicated; Sirens ends with a song called “History Lesson”, a sock-hop waltz dipped in a chemically polluted swamp, which goes: “Chapter one: we fucked up … Chapter three: We didn’t say sorry … Chapter five: we lied. Chapter six: we’re done!” Call it his darkest side yet, but Jaar would rather sound some sirens than sit still. –Steven Arroyo Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 28. Frankie Cosmos – Next Thing If there’s one line on Frankie Cosmos’ Next Thing that might perfectly encapsulate Greta Kline’s impeccable lyricism, it’s this gem from “Outside With the Cuties”: “You are bug bites on vacation/ You find the sad in everything.” Hauntingly innocent yet universally resonant, Kline has always had a knack for pinpointing the most particular feelings and articulating them in the simplest terms. On Next Thing, that talent is as clear as ever, but this time it’s more refined, owing its more polished sound to a professional studio recording and a couple years of artistic growth. As Kline navigates her burgeoning adulthood, her soft and poetic songs flit from acoustic vocal harmonies to ‘80s-style synth breakdowns. Whether it is the insecure friction of leaving adolescence on “I’m 20” or reflecting on a broken relationship on “O Dreaded C Town”, Kline approaches raw teenage emotion with the sage wisdom of someone far beyond it: just close enough to the feeling that she can accurately express it, just far enough away to start drawing the connections. Kline has made a home in this oft-illusive time window, and on Next Thing she’s nice enough to invite us over. –Amanda Freebairn Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 27. Tegan and Sara – Love You to Death It’s hard to tell whether Tegan and Sara leaned into the glossy pop side of their sound or if the world just caught up with the sisters’ meditative messages and the joy of their voices curling skyward. Sure, the Quins teamed up with Top 40 producer Greg Kurstin yet again for Love You to Death, but they didn’t start writing paint-by-numbers love songs. The two deliver songs that openly and honestly address the queer experience in a language that will resonate universally: “B/W/U” tackles marriage in a new era of equality with themes of commitment that ring true to any type of relationship; “Boyfriend” details a queer person dealing with a woman with a male partner, though the unrequited feelings will hit home regardless of gender. These sounds hold together as a set because they offer different perspectives on perseverance. Webbing together ideas with life lessons and influences distilled into each moment, Tegan and Sara force you not to think about what you’ve heard in the past or what you may be hearing now. Suddenly, you understand the changes less than the music’s overarching depth and embrace. Tegan and Sara’s pop songwriting continues to refine, displaying a wisdom and maturity unlike so much of radio pop — and yet these thoughtful songs are also so naturally engaging that they latch easily into your brain and don’t let go. An exquisite, personal kinship/bond. –Lior Phillips Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 26. Jamila Woods – HEAVN A lush mix of sonic innovations, Jamila Woods’ debut album is profoundly impressive and endlessly necessary. Heavn depicts Woods’ experiences as a young black woman, as well as the power she derives from them. The album reads like a love letter to Chicago, with collaborators like Chance the Rapper, Noname, Saba, and Kweku Collins adding their inimitable touches. But it’s Woods who consistently steals the show. Songs include mesmerizing beats, an innovative lyrical syntax, and surprises like revamped nursery rhymes and voicemail snippets sharing Woods’ personal stories. It’s standout, “Blk Girl Soldier”, is an assertive ode to societal ills and harnessing her black girl magic. It’s an album that juxtaposes a sugary surface with the punch of protest language that speaks out against widespread racism and violence. In 2016, no album that tackles these issues in a more head-on and beautiful way. –Sarah Brooks Listen: Soundcloud __________________________________________________________ 25. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition Rather than lean on one big-picture theme as he did on XXX and Old, Danny Brown delivers exactly what the title of Atrocity Exhibition promises: a public display of his own eccentricity. Museum-goers are free to ogle at the playful musical allusions (“Today” pulls lyrics directly from Outkast’s “B.O.B.”), marvel at the heavy-hitting guest verses, and frantically try and unpack words that touch on everything from filthy-ass sex to the economic and criminal downturn of Detroit. But multiple listens reveal that their is somewhat of a through-line in Brown’s deliberate withholding of catharsis. Whether it’s the ’70s-horror bells of “Really Doe” or the drunken stand-up bass of opener “Downward Spiral” (there’s another ’90s musical reference for you), every track stays embedded in perpetual crescendo. There’s rarely a narratively satisfying explosion. That’s probably because Brown knows better than to believe in that sort of thing, especially when rapping about one’s own life. His personality isn’t multifaceted because he’s some kind of Jekyll-and-Hyde monster; it’s multifaceted because he’s a human being. And sometimes, humans only know how to build and build and build, praying for the best while secretly expecting the worst. –Dan Caffrey Listen: Spotify l Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 24. James Blake – The Colour in Anything “I hope my life is no sign of the times,” James Blake croons over a driving 4X4 beat towards the middle of The Colour in Anything, a Hail Mary of a prayer that the trials and tribulations that inspired much of the album aren’t universal — knowing full well that they are. Using sparse electronics to plumb the messy depths of emotion, the record is rife with warm, subtle arrangements that place as much emphasis on the space between the meticulously placed notes and intermittent sub-bass throbs. The disarmingly personal effort finds the singer exposing the depths he’s willing to plumb in search of the ever-elusive mystery of love and whatever it takes to make it stay. Working with kindred spirits, including Frank Ocean and Justin Vernon, Blake finds his emotional center on “I Need a Forest Fire”, where he and Vernon argue for burning it all down and starting anew, in love as in life. –Scott T. Sterling Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 23. The Body – No One Deserves Happiness With love inevitably comes loss, and with loss inevitably comes pain. Pop albums have been written about this kind of pain for generations, but few have tread into the deeply frightening and immensely harsh territory where Portland’s experimental duo The Body now reign. Promoted as “the grossest pop album of all time”, No One Deserves Happiness wears the title well thanks to its penchant for sludgy riffs that are often undercut with an 808 drum machine and powerful vocals that recall the most jarring moments of Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky”. Adorned with ear-splitting harsh noise and Chip King’s shrieks, the album strips away any trace of romance or companionship from the concept of love in order to present a foundation built on vulnerability and isolation. And while the experience of listening to No One Deserves Happiness is all very bleak, you’ll still find yourself tapping your foot. –Sean Barry Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 22. Kaytranada – 99.9% It’s fitting that Kaytranada rose to prominence on Soundcloud — his thrilling Polaris-winning debut LP, 99.9%, mirrors the seemingly endless web of world-spanning, genre-jumping productions found on the music-hosting site. However, thanks to the superb curatorial powers of the young Haitian-Canadian producer, the major inconsistencies in quality are replaced with a unifying glow, a beaming personality core that ties together house, R&B, hip-hop, and funk, as well as guest appearances from big, unique personalities from Syd (on the transcendent “You’re the One”) to Craig David (on the sultry “Got It Good”). The apex is the deliriously smooth Anderson .Paak feature “Glowed Up”, two of the most exciting voices in dance-friendly hip-hop uniting in one woozy jam. Kaytranada offers a little bit of everything, but is certainly no dilettante — he makes anything and everything sound powered by a magical force. –Adam Kivel Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 21. Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch Blood. A lot of the world is uncomfortable with blood — and even more with menstrual blood. Though about half the world understands the flow of the viscous life force on an intimate basis, and while menstruation has been the focus of countless works of art, it still remains somewhat of a sensitive subject in the world at large, and even in the relatively progressive art world. On her sixth studio album, Jenny Hval puts a close focus on “blood that is shed naturally … the purest and most powerful, yet most trivial, and most terrifying blood.” Moreover, the wondrous Norwegian avant-garde artist places that analysis in a concept album that pairs menstruation with vampire tropes. Like a soundtrack to some unproduced horror movie (complete with pained breathing, scratching sounds, eerie cave-like dripping), Hval exposes the absurdity of the fear and discomfort that menstruation breeds, from the meta-analysis of the album in progress on “The Great Undressing” to “Conceptual Romance”, which addresses eternity and production of life. On Blood Bitch, Hval dissects menstruation, mortality, vitality, and even the act of making art itself, all in a compelling burst equal parts art and pop. It’s bloody perfect. –Lior Phillips Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 20. Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein – Stranger Things (Volume 1 & 2) When Netflix dropped the first season of Stranger Things way, way back in July, most viewers wondered, “Where can I get the score?” Almost overnight, analog synth gurus Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein became the two hottest electronic musicians in the nation, turning their Austin-based outfit S U R V I V E into a household name of sorts. The demand was extraordinary; after all, when was the last time anyone who couldn’t quote Escape From New York or The Thing would want to listen to moody, ambient synth music? Nevertheless, two addicting volumes of music were released, comforting the die-hard fans who yearned to be whisked away to Hawkins, Indiana. But you know what? The score stands apart from the series and goes much further than being a faithful homage to Tangerine Dream, John Carpenter, Brad Fiedel, or Brian Eno. There are so many emotions within these two records — nostalgia (“Kids”), wistfulness (“First Kiss”), alarm (“Fresh Blood”), calm (“This Isn’t You”), melancholy (“Eleven”), et al. — that, after awhile, you start to forget all about Barb. And boy is that a fucking relief. –Michael Roffman Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 19. Solange – A Seat at the Table Depending on who you talk to, racism has either been an undercurrent or a monsoon these past few years. Hate crimes happen more frequently because of increased awareness (thanks, social media), but also because our nation continues to divide itself over something that seems so obvious: equality. And yet people of color, in particular those who are black, continue to suffer the consequences for actions they never took nor provoked. That includes Solange and her family who were struck with trash when attending a Kraftwerk concert. In turn, she wrote an essay and then an album that fight back, wielding pride as a weapon. A Seat at the Table preens on behalf of a whole group of people who were, and continue to be, wrongly condemned, routinely chastised, and talked over. Solange’s voice, glossy and full of air, delivers lines of justice with moving beauty on “Weary”, “Don’t Touch My Hair”, and “Mad”. Interludes about reverse racism and expectations create tension in an album of instrumentally soothing tones. But for all of its blended stratification (from indie superstar contributions to deeply rooted history references), A Seat at the Table earns its canonization not just because of its role in black artistry, but because, like the shrill note that closes “Cranes in the Sky”, it illustrates the ever-present climb of those who refuse to give up. —Nina Corcoran Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 18. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial 2016 was a down year for indie rock and perhaps the start of a larger trend in which guitar music slouches meekly towards the graveyard. After all, we’re not far from the day when Pavement’s squiggly guitar leads squiggle their way onto classic rock radio, and one could argue that the cultural heft of a distorted tube amplifier may be stuck permanently in the pre-digital (that is, prehistoric) past. But for those who still can’t resist the siren song of a straight-up rock band, it didn’t get much better than Car Seat Headrest’s Teens of Denial in 2016. Teens of Denial followed hot on the heels of Car Seat Headrest’s Matador debut, the similarly titled Teens of Style, but the two were never meant to be sibling albums. Whereas Style functioned as a clearinghouse for Will Toledo’s fruitful Bandcamp career, Denial marks his entrance into a different class of songwriter. Its lead single, “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales”, stretches on for just over six minutes and may go down as the indie rock song of the decade. Elsewhere, the album is filled with rousing choruses, superfluous alter egos, and other tropes that unabashed rock fans will take comfort in. The genre is in need of a standard bearer these days, and Toledo is more than up for the task. –Collin Brennan Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 17. Tim Hecker – Love Streams Even the most bitter people ache with genuine tenderness; you just need to catch them at the right moment. Electronic musician and sound artist Tim Hecker breaks out of his shell to place his heart on his sleeve for this year’s Love Streams. Over the course of 11 songs, Hecker blends melodies and, in turn, moods. But no matter which song he’s caught up in, a warmth pools at its core. “Up Red Bull Creek” feels remarkably emotional, especially compared to past releases, as does a song like “Castrati Stack”, even with its sharp glitching and static trips. It all comes back to Hecker’s use of voices, a change-up in his usual musicmaking that he worked hard to integrate. Medieval choral music is translated to digital sighs. New choral parts appear with help from Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson. It’s most viscerally felt during both parts of “Violent Monumental”, particularly on the second. Hecker turns inward towards what sounds to be oboe, looping notes until they begin to feel like an extension of the self, particularly an extension of thought via rumination in the style Philip Glass made famous. Electronica, even drone, has a stereotype of being cold. Love Streams is Hecker’s chance to correct that, offering a numbing sensation that gives life instead of stripping it. —Nina Corcoran Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 16. Wilco – Schmilco “I don’t think I’ve been afraid to show emotion,” Jeff Tweedy explained in our Wilco cover story this past summer. “But there are certain things I feel are just so silly and cliché to share as a singer-songwriter. And on this record, I think I just went, ‘Fuck it.’” No kidding. Despite playing the game for over two decades, the 49-year-old singer-songwriter has hardly ever sounded so intimate as he does on Schmilco, grappling with the never-ending angst of knowing that you never really can escape yourself. On album standout “If I Ever Was a Child”, he vividly paints this feeling, singing: “I slump behind my brain/ A haunted stain never fades/ I hunt for the kind of pain I can take.” The Chicago rockers add some color to each of the album’s 12 tracks by stripping things down to its core essentials, peppering the proceedings with lush tapestries that speak to the hearty wisdom of each member. It’s the sister album to last year’s Star Wars, but the older and wiser sister, the one who cleans up the dishes after a raucous pizza party and spends the rest of the night wondering if life will always be like this. It’s a beauty. –Michael Roffman Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 15. ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP What’s an artist to do when he’s equal parts raw talent and goofy commercialism? Instead of straddling the line between dark humor and the realism of gangsta rap once more, ScHoolboy Q dipped a hand in each this year and found he delivers some of his best songs to date in doing so. Blank Face entertains thanks to that balance. “Groovy Tony”, a song driven by eerie backing vocalists and mischievous bass, tells a comic book-style revenge story — complete with the pew-pew of a raygun — that bears truths when not cranking on the cheese. That’s what ScHoolboy Q does best. Whereas other rappers get caught in the tangled web of their scarring backstories, Q gets busy coloring noir tales, bringing characters to life on “Overtime” and “Dope Dealer”. His delivery steps up from past lows — at times, Oxymoron’s delivery could be faulted by rote mirroring radio — to bear a ruthless sneer. With a reliable crew on board (Kanye West’s backwards yell on “THat Part” echos in your head for days), it upholds the structure of any good storybook without losing the grit of his early days. Forget about the bucket hat days. This is Schoolboy Q’s dark, twisted fantasy and, boy, is it a beauty. —Nina Corcoran Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 14. Blood Orange – Freetown Sound Some blame album-equivalent units for the year’s glut of albums that burst at the seams with music. It may be what sank Drake’s Views from critical esteem and found some listeners losing patience with offerings from the likes of Frank Ocean, James Blake, and The Weeknd. The difference between an opus and a ploy for chart position feels slimmer than ever. Blood Orange’s Freetown Sound is just as guilty as any for walking that tightrope, but it never feels bloated or buried under its own weight. Dev Hynes took years preparing the record, trying out material live and working the collection into a coherent presentation. The songs flow into each other fluidly, at times representing more sonic collages than distinct tracks. Every moment on the record holds weight, be it appearances from the likes of Empress Of, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Nelly Furtado, a spoken word poetry sample of Ashlee Haze reciting “For Colored Girls (The Missy Elliott Poem)”, or interview clips from Ta-Nehisi Coates and Vince Staples. In the hands of Hynes, sprawling is the only way to paint a portrait dedicated to those told they were “not black enough, too black, Too queer, not queer the right way.” Freetown Sound is the music of inclusion, and that’s a message that shouldn’t be truncated. –Philip Cosores Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 13. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool Radiohead has made a career out of tension, often reveling in the mismatch between Thom Yorke’s gorgeous voice and and the skittering anxiety of the music. A Moon Shaped Pool is unique among Radiohead’s nine albums because the tension has been released, and a band long-capable of making beautiful music has finally succumbed to loveliness. Jonny Greenwood’s experience as an orchestrator has allowed the band to play with a new palate of sounds, and the luscious strings of the London Symphony Orchestra mesh perfectly with the sparse pianos and electronic clicks that have long been a part of Radiohead’s repertoire. Not that the album is without drama: “Burn the Witch” is a scathing takedown of nationalism and xenophobia, and tracks like “True Love Waits” and “Ful Stop” have some of the band’s bitterest lyrics. But it’s the bitterness of strong dark chocolate, the kind that goes down sweet and leaves a smile on the lips. –Wren Graves Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 12. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service If A Tribe Called Quest had left things where they did after the release of 1998’s The Love Movement, the legendary hip-hop crew’s trailblazing credentials would have been set in stone. Knowing that, We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service doesn’t expand upon anything we didn’t already know, but it does reaffirm just how great Tribe was and still are. The Queens group’s latest is a dense, 16-track collection that’s still grounded by the jazzy, afrocentric sounds of its predecessors, but the formula has been upgraded for 2016. That applies not only to the group’s music, which today is packed with more samples, loops, and studio tricks than ever, but also the group’s mindset. Tribe have always operated with a deliberate social conscience, but tracks like “We the People” and album closer “Dis Generation” are as pointed and direct as anything the group has done. In a world sorely in need of healing, the return of one of the smartest, most forward-thinking acts in hip-hop couldn’t be more welcome. –Ryan Bray Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 11. Mitski – Puberty 2 Between the jokes about how 30 is the new 20 and “young adults” living at their parents’ houses for longer and longer, there are real trials and tribulations that come along with the altered timeline of adulthood in the modern era. On Puberty 2, Mitski takes on that anxiety and stress and explores what it means to truly grow up and try to find your own slice of happiness. Songs ache as though memoirs about how the crushing struggles of this life will sublimate into redemption when all the pain has collapsed. To illustrate that, Mitski Miyawaki produced “Happy”, a song that at once illustrates the heartbreak of a failed romance with a character named Happy and unveils her failed attempts to capture the feeling itself. Mitski’s status as outsider to love and happiness aside, the singer-songwriter is also culturally other. Born in Japan and then having lived in countries from China to Turkey, she’s unlike any other artist — ironically displayed in the pitch-perfect indie rock epic “Your Best American Girl”. Throughout Puberty 2, Mitski looks at the extremes of happiness and sadness, of heaviness and dynamics that take textural and thematic chances, and attempts to split the difference based on the expectations of a modern American woman. She finds nothing quite sitting right. But in that struggle, Mitski discovers the ceiling of her symbolic voice and dares to dissect it, producing incredibly introspective, powerful art that digs at the struggle we all face trying to be the best adults we can. –Lior Phillips Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 10. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker The pall that Leonard Cohen’s death cast upon You Want It Darker may linger for some time, just as it’s nearly impossible to separate ★ from David Bowie’s passing. For many, it’ll stand as the surrogate last words of a man we never knew but so often, through his poetry, seemed to know us. Last month, Cohen told The New Yorker, “I am ready to die.” In July, he wrote a letter to one of his muses, Marianne, who was on her deathbed, suspecting that he wasn’t long for this world either. And yet, shortly after Cohen’s passing, we learned that he had two music projects and a book of poetry in the works. It speaks to a compelling duality that we’ve witnessed several times throughout this grave year. The man felt and accepted his mortality; the artist had work left to do. And that’s what we undeniably hear as Cohen gruffly leads us down You Want It Darker’s shadowy corridors, where the familiar beacons – love, faith, and truth – have all burned out. Never once do we sense an artist stepping away from life; we hear one who’s still in the thick of it. –Matt Melis Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 09. Bon Iver – 22, A Million After nabbing Best New Artist and Best Alternative Music Album Grammys in 2012, Justin Vernon chose to blow up Bon Iver. Not that he ended the band, instead locking it in a box tucked underneath other projects. But when he finally lit the fuse again, it was only to explode expectations of his work. It’s that kind of gutsy confidence that often leads to the most peerless art, and it’s what allowed him to deliver 22, A Million. Although the album risks polarizing fans with its technological reliance, that’s a fallacy of demanding that artists fence themselves in while also ignoring the obvious progressions. “00000 Million” and “29 #Strafford APTS” are some of the most assured “folk” numbers Vernon has ever written while the horns of Bon Iver, Bon Iver simply find themselves Messina-ized as they cross over. “715 – CR∑∑KS” is “Woods” filtered through some 2016 Prismizer software, coming out once more as a startlingly gorgeous piece of contemporary a cappella. Even as his lyrics remain as abstruse as ever and he’s further obscured behind the instrumentation, Vernon has boldly advanced his sound — which is what he’s always done. He creates with a daring that sets him apart from his fellows, as it does with 22, A Million and the rest of 2016’s best efforts. –Ben Kaye Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 08. Anderson .Paak – Malibu No artist more thoroughly dominated 2016 from start to finish than singer, rapper, lyricist, and multi-instrumentalist Anderson .Paak, who released his stunning sophomore album, Malibu, in January and spent the rest of the year touring relentlessly to bring it to the masses. Eleven months after its release, Malibu remains at the forefront of the pop musical conversation, its lyrical and musical limbs stretching to encompass the same breadth as Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly but resulting in an entirely different — and perhaps even more personal — hip-hop masterpiece. Malibu plays like the spontaneous outpouring of pent-up energy, hopping from Hov-style zingers (“Volume One was too heavy for you frail niggas”) to horn blasts with the gleeful charisma of one who knows he’s on top of his game and can’t wait to show it to the world. .Paak’s talents come across here as larger than life, but the scope of his story is refreshingly intimate. On album highlight “The Season / Carry Me”, he relates an embarrassing story from his childhood, while on “Silicon Valley” he focuses on the insecurities hidden beneath physical beauty. It’s all a way of showing that, hey, we’re all silly people with our dumb, fucked-up contradictions, but sometimes we can be magical. Malibu, for lack of a more accurate word, is magical. –Collin Brennan Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 07. Angel Olsen – My Woman There’s nothing braver, or scarier, than outgrowing sadness. Angel Olsen flirted with melancholy on Burn Your Fire for No Witness and seemed to suffer from it on Strange Cacti. On first listen, My Woman seems to flip off her trademark frown, chasing sunny guitars and ‘70s jams instead of isolated folk ballads, but listen closer and there’s still a tremble within. Sadness moves to the background, quite literally in “Intern” where Olsen harmonizes with herself, and in its place is happiness as it grapples with fear: fear of choosing to be happy and fear of finding out that choice was naive. She manages to both feign insanity and demand validation on “Shut Up Kiss Me”. She articulates the sprawling stress of now with the trite optimism of the ‘60s on “Sister”. She downshifts her voice to be used as an instrument first and a vessel of poetry second on “Those Were the Days”. There’s a sturdy confidence within her that launches her songwriting to the next level, full of well-produced solos and goosebump-inducing howls, and it all stems from the conscious choice to strive for a better feeling. Angel Olsen has always been an artist of hidden complexities. My Woman is just the album that makes that visible to the public. —Nina Corcoran Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 06. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree The pain that Nick Cave endured during the creation of Skeleton Tree, when his 15-year-old son, Arthur, died falling from a cliff, is not something that most of us can relate to. And thank god for that. It’s a similar pain that’s fueled a couple of the year’s finest films, Manchester by the Sea and Arrival, but with Cave we know it isn’t just actors on a screen reading lines from a page. The pain in Cave’s voice is the embodiment of grief, even though the songs don’t necessarily dwell on the real-life events. It’s stark and purposeful in the album’s opening line: “You fell from the sky/ Crash landed in a field/ Near the river Adur.” It’s otherworldly and eternal over the millennial whoop of “Rings of Saturn”. It quivers and spits the dust of a broken heart on “I Need You”. “I’ll miss you when you’re gone away forever,” Cave mourns, “because nothing really matters.” It’s been a year where we’ve been stuck in our own grief, be it for our favorite artists, for young men killed by police officers, or for our ideal American way of life that feels so threatened by the changing government. Cave’s grief is real, and hearing him put the pieces back together is shadowed in hope. If Cave can survive, why can’t we all? –Philip Cosores Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 05. ANOHNI – Hopelessness For protest music to be truly impactful, it needs to make the listener uncomfortable, urging them to action. On Hopelessness, ANOHNI, the auteur formerly of Antony and the Johnsons, uses her powerful, operatic voice to construct a harsh vision of our society, issuing a dire warning for the future. ANOHNI barrels forward on a righteous path of destruction, taking on climate change, drone warfare, the hostile reaction to globalism, and the surveillance state. Everyone is held accountable, from herself to President Obama. Reinforcing ANOHNI’s urgency is the heightened melodrama of the production, the result of the maximalism of Hudson Mohawke clashing with the hyperkinetic experimentation of Oneohtrix Point Never. Between psychosexual voyeurism to feminist theory about our connection to the Earth, ANOHNI issued a scathing indictment of how we got here. Utilizing extremism, ANOHNI dares to imagine a world where self-reflection causes citizens to unite against cycles of violence and the destruction of our ecosystem. An album that grows more prescient by the day, Hopelessness is the sound of the realization that it might be too late. –David Sackllah Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 04. Frank Ocean – Blonde It just seems patently unfair that the metric Blonde might never escape is whether it was worth the wait. The underlying assumptions are insulting: Frank Ocean as entertainer instead of human being, four years as protracted delay instead of artistic gestation period, music as obligation instead of gift. The world hungered for Ocean’s talent and voice, an appetite that turned into entitlement. It’s just as well then that Ocean gave us an album that meanders as if oblivious to expectations. On Blonde, there are few stable drumbeats, some indulgent interludes (“Facebook Story” is the album’s biggest misstep), oddly paced tracks, and unpredictable guest appearances (head nods to a masterful André 3000 and Beyoncé, in the background but in her element). But Blonde is nothing if not beautiful. Ocean’s voice — ”That’s a pretty fuckin’ fast year flew by,” “You see me like a UFO” — cuts through the haze with enthralling suddenness and clarity. Blonde is an album to luxuriate in, one that gives up little secrets when you thought you’d worn it out. Frank Ocean made Blonde to last. –Karen Gwee Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 03. David Bowie – ★ He was ready. In a year of immense darkness, we needed an album like ★, a record that reminds us that death is not the all-encompassing conclusion that it may seem. Upon its release, ★ felt like a bold new statement, a jazz and electronic-addled labyrinth. David Bowie’s meticulously coordinated commotion, somehow crushing and atmospheric, a cocoon of life. We had all our information logged and saved for quite sometime; Bowie was sick and suddenly befriending mortality in a way that made you feel alive. But his death two days after the album’s release unearthed new layers of meaning within that maze — layers avowing both the depth of darkness that his disease entailed and the transcendence that only an artist like Bowie can summon. We thought we were ready. By and large, these songs glow from the core, built with an underlying, unabashed sense of accession. “Look up here, I’m in heaven,” he sings on “Lazarus”. “I’m dying to, I’m trying to,” he yearns on “Dollar Days”. “I know something is very wrong,” he adds on “I Can’t Give Everything Away”. The songs feel mortality around the corner and reject it, embrace it, and ignore it at turns, as Bowie leads the way through concentric circles of meaning. To achieve that, he returns to his most iconic instrument: his voice, which soars, sours, cracks, and burns to convey the entirety of his circuitous career in one voyage. And much like Bowie himself, the complex riffs and rhythms yet carry many idiosyncratic twists waiting to be discovered. Meant as a mournful requiem and an anthem of acceptance, positioning death as a rueful reminder that we all still have a chance to live. –Lior Phillips Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 02. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book There have been plenty of theories discussing Chance the Rapper’s album covers — from 10 Day to Acid Rap to Coloring Book, telling a story from his skyward intentions, his head-on assessment of the world, and his look back at the ground now that he’s risen to the stars. More to the point, in an interview with The Fader, artist Brandon Breaux revealed that he captured that loving look on Chance’s face by having him hold his baby daughter. Coloring Book beams with pride, love, joy, passion. As much gospel as rap, the mixtape rightfully spawned a Magnificent Coloring World Tour, a Magnificent Coloring Day festival, and the immersive Magnificent Coloring World event. The latter was a listening party experience in which Chance invited listeners into a magical listening party full of candy, coloring, dancing, carnival games — and, more importantly, the power and beauty of African-American culture even in the face of a dark environment like Chance’s violence-riddled Chicago, or, hell, the oppressive, racist state of the country today. Even in the face of all this darkness, Chance finds salvation in love, in God, in music, in friends, in family. And it’s infectious: He’s the kind of guy that can threaten to give Satan a swirlie in a rap track and call for smiles rather than eye-rolls. From the gleefully independent “No Problems” to the Chicago-tastic “Angels” to the spiritual “Blessings”, from twisty wordplay to pure musical elation, Coloring Book feels like having Chance’s beneficial smile beam right into your heart. As the many tragedies, pains, deaths, frustrations, atrocities, and insanities of 2016 have unfolded, nothing has been as comforting, inspiring, and life-affirming as Coloring Book. Happily, Chance the Rapper backs that all up with charitable work, putting good into the world. But if the mixtape stood entirely on its own, it would be a strong enough contribution to the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual well-being of the world to look to Chance for years to come as an inspiration and friend. –Adam Kivel Listen: Spotify Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 01. Beyoncé – Lemonade On a November night so cold I could see my breath, I looked up at the looming Trump Tower in Manhattan and wondered if the pain would ever go away. A small, disorganized group of protesters milled about around me, signs half raised, chants a little muffled. Some seemed confused as to what to do next while others looked too tired from having marched and shouted all day. In that moment, I have to admit it all felt a little uninspiring. As I began to make my way out of the crowd, an old, black woman pushed past me. She had an eagerness about her I hadn’t yet come across that evening. Seeing her enthusiasm, two younger women who were supplying materials for signs approached her and asked if she wanted to make one herself. She didn’t hesitate, and I watched as she hurriedly scribbled “Donald Trump is a Pussy Grabber!” on a piece of construction paper while telling those nearby, “He ain’t grabbing my pussy! He ain’t grabbing my pussy!” She laughed, and we smiled, amused but also sincerely delighted by her passion. It’s like she’d been waiting forever for this moment and knew exactly what she wanted to say. For the next 45 minutes, I stood beside this woman. She was thin, likely in her early sixties, and looked a bit fragile. But when it came time to hoist up her sign and yell, she seemed invincible. Even as others’ words were drowned out by New York’s noise, hers rang out clearly. When multiple chants were being orchestrated from various sections of the crowd, she joined in them all. “Not my president! My choice, my body! Black lives matter!” I got the sense that she was really fighting for something and that her sign, which now was nearly torn down the middle from excitement, represented so much more than the phrase written across it. Sometimes her timing would be off and she’d end up yelling all by herself, but she didn’t mind it one bit. It appeared she was familiar with the burden of having to speak out against forces that encourage submission. She seemed to know what it was like to have to resist a broken system; to heal and will oneself strength after being wronged; to carry on with a cause till its last breath. Despite a tepid group of protesters, she still looked so happy to have found some form of solidarity, grateful for the opportunity to have her voice heard. This one woman single-handedly changed the energy around us — things finally felt alive and purposeful. — Beyoncé’s Lemonade was made for people like the woman I encountered that night. Though hers is a narrative about heartache — supposedly at the hands of her adulterous husband, Jay Z — she speaks a universal language of tremendous human struggle. In particular the strife of black women, “the most disrespected person in America,” as Malcolm X (who was sampled on Lemonade) once famously said. Beyoncé’s betrayal, healing, and rebirth are theirs, too, and it’s a story as old as time. Like her “Formation” music video, the visual accompaniment of Lemonade immediately highlights Beyoncé’s ancestry. There are scenes featuring Louisiana plantations, West African religious rituals, and people covered in Yoruba paint. It’s a prideful showing of her blackness, but also bittersweet given the exploitation she and generations of her family have suffered. The music itself also quickly illustrates this mistreatment. On the Yeah Yeah Yeahs-sampling “Hold Up”, she sings, “To ever feel this worthless/ How did it come down to this?” She’s calling out the philandering father of her child as well as those who’ve chosen to question the value and place of the black woman. It’s hardly an issue from the days of slavery; if you’ll recall, Trump and his surrogates have cut the pop singer down countless times this year. Also, her recent, now-controversial Country Music Awards performance brought out some of the vilest, most hateful bigots. To say that seeing Beyoncé simply destroy shit with a baseball bat in the song’s visual component is cathartic would be a massive understatement. A million cars couldn’t stand the weight of her pain. It’s not unheard of for disenfranchised people to blame themselves, believing that the fault is somehow with them, but Beyoncé isn’t falling for that evil, psychological trick. On the next couple of tracks, her wounds seep anger and retaliation as she reasserts her worth. “I ain’t sorry,” she says on “Sorry”, in a tone that’s the equivalent of a cold shrug. “I don’t give a fuck, chucking my deuces up.” Later on the Jack White-assisted blues rocker “Don’t Hurt Yourself”, she’s got nothing but rage coursing through her veins: “Who the fuck do you think I is? You ain’t married to no average bitch, boy.” At the end of the day, Beyoncé advocates for the protection and respect of black lives. The last third or so of Lemonade suggests the key to accomplishing that can be found through healing, rebirth, and solidarity. “True love breathes salvation back into me, with every tear came redemption/ And my torturer became my remedy,” she sings during the euphoric exhale of “All Night”. Penultimate song “Freedom” is a powerful anthem in which Beyoncé deals with her oppression by staring it in the face and resisting. She’s born anew, stronger and more convicted than ever. “I break chains all by myself,” she boasts with a voice like fire, not unlike the flames that lit up her blazing BET Awards performance). Accompanying her on the track is none other than the mighty King Kendrick Lamar, whose masterful To Pimp a Butterfly dealt with similar topics on blackness in America. While “Formation” was the only single to preface Lemonade, its placement as the final song is perfect. As a closing note, Beyoncé issues a call to arms and asks that black women stand together, own their blackness, and defy the forces that seek to abuse and enslave them. “My daddy Alabama, momma Louisiana/ You mix that negro with that Creole, make a Texas bama,” she touts, later directing, “Okay, ladies, now let’s get in formation!” It’s no coincidence she sported Black Panther-style garb during her performance of the song at this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show or repeatedly showed her support for the Black Lives Matter movement — Beyoncé is ready to make sure the invisible are seen and heard, ready to reclaim her humanity and body, much like that woman outside of Trump Tower who refused to be silenced. –Michelle Geslani Buy: Amazon __________________________________________________________ 01. Beyonce – Lemonade 02. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book 03. David Bowie – ★ 04. Frank Ocean – Blonde 05. ANOHNI – Hopelessness 06. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree 07. Angel Olsen – My Woman 08. Anderson .Paak – Malibu 09. Bon Iver – 22, A Million 10. Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker 11. Mitski – Puberty 2 12. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service 13. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool 14. Blood Orange – Freetown Sound 15. Schoolboy Q – Blank Face LP 16. Wilco – Schmilco 17. Tim Hecker – Love Streams 18. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial 19. Solange – A Seat at the Table 20. Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein – Stranger Things (Volume 1 & 2) 21. Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch 22. Kaytranada – 99.9% 23. The Body and Full of Hell – One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache 24. James Blake – The Colour in Anything 25. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition 26. Jamila Woods – HEAVN 27. Tegan and Sara – Love You to Death 28. Frankie Cosmos – Next Thing 29. Nicolas Jaar – Sirens 30. Pinegrove – Cardinal 31. Babymetal – Metal Resistance 32. Explosions in the Sky – The Wilderness 33. Gojira – Magma 34. Sioux Falls – Rot Forever 35. Into It. Over It. – Standards 36. Noname – Telefone 37. The Range – Potential 38. Whitney – Light Upon the Lake 39. Savages – Adore Life 40. Deftones – Gore 41. Mothers – When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired 42. Kevin Gates – Islah 43. The Hotelier – Goodness 44. Lambchop – FLOTUS 45. Young Thug – JEFFERY 46. Martha – Blisters in the Pit of My Heart 47. Japanese Breakfast – Psychopomp 48. White Lung – Paradise 49. Weaves – Weaves 50. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression

An explosive opinion was handed down by a federal court in Rhode Island on Monday in Doe v. Brown Univ., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21027 (D.R.I. Feb. 22, 2016). Judge William Smith refused to dismiss a complaint filed by a male student who was suspended from the school for 2.5 years after being found responsible for sexual misconduct in connection with the alleged sexually assault of a female student. John Doe claimed the encounter was entirely consensual. We won’t chronicle the court’s lengthy decision in detail, but a few things are noteworthy. The court looked with a jaundiced eye at the way colleges handle allegations of sexual misconduct: “. . . there is a fundamental question whether the way in which universities have chosen to respond to allegations of sexual misconduct in response to the Dear Colleague Letter is appropriate given the criminal nature of some of the allegations involved . . . .” The court referenced the perceived backlash against male students created by the climate of guilt fostered by the “Dear Colleague” letter. It cited some writings familiar to our regular readers: See, e.g., Max Kutner, The Other Side of the College Sexual Assault Crisis, Newsweek (Dec. 10, 2015) and 28 Members of the Harvard Law School Faculty, Opinion, Rethink Harvard’s Sexual Harassment Policy, The Boston Globe (Oct. 15, 2014), The court noted: “‘It is well established that a school’s failure to prevent or remedy sexual harassment of a student, including sexual assault, may violate Title IX.’ . . . . However, ‘it is equally well established ‘that Title IX bars the imposition of university discipline where gender is a motivating factor in the decision to discipline.'” The court proceeded to detail the male student’s allegations to determine whether, if true, they stated a claim for which relief may be granted (which will allow the case against Brown to proceed to discovery). The court held that Doe has pled “facts sufficient to cast some articulable doubt on the accuracy of the outcome of the disciplinary proceeding.” Among other things, John Doe alleged that Brown ignored exculpatory evidence, including the alleged victim’s own testimony in the her complaint to the school that she had in fact articulated consent. Most important, he has alleged particular circumstances suggesting that gender bias was a motivating factor behind the erroneous finding. The court wrote: Plaintiff’s Complaint in this case does include specific allegations related to gender bias as opposed to bias against students accused of sexual assault. Specifically, the Complaint includes the following allegations concerning Brown’s gender bias: • Upon information and belief, one former Brown employee stated that Brown treats male students as “guilty, until proven innocent,” that Brown has “loaded the dice against the boys” and that the fact-finding process in cases of sexual misconduct at Brown operates under the assumption that it’s always the “boy’s fault.” (Compl. ¶ 98, ECF No. 1.) • Upon information and belief, one Brown professor stated that “there is gender bias that is overwhelming at Brown” when referencing sexual misconduct cases at Brown. (Id. ¶ 100.) • Upon information and belief, in December 2014, a Brown professor held a [27] debate to discuss rape issues on campus. During the debate, one female debater remarked that males are “bad” and females are “victims” when it comes to sexual misconduct. The Brown professor stated that these remarks are consonant with the culture of thinking on Brown’s campus. (Id. ¶ 101.) • Upon information and belief, Brown’s handing [sic] of John Doe’s case fits within a pattern of showing gender bias toward female students in cases of sexual misconduct, including its conduct in: (i) McCormick v. Dresdale, supra; (ii) a sexual misconduct case against former Brown student Adam Lack (Class of 1997); and (iii) other instances documented in the Brown Daily Herald (April 29, 2010) and the Brown Spectator (May 26, 2012). (Id. ¶ 123.) Among the most surprising aspects of the decision was the vitality of John Doe’s claim for breach of contract. The court held that the student handbook constitutes a contract, and the school is bound to honor the promises it creates. Among the most explosive aspects of the decision: the court held that the school’s attempt to comply with the “Dear Colleague” letter can be a breach of contract: Doe first alleges that Brown failed to conduct a pre-charge investigation of Jane Doe’s complaint prior to directing Plaintiff’s immediate removal from campus. (Pl.’s Opp’n 26, 28, ECF No. 15.) Doe alleges [37] this to be a violation of the statement in Brown’s Code that “[s]tudents and student organizations charged with offenses” have the “right[] . . . [t]o be assumed not responsible of any alleged violations unless she/he is so found through the appropriate student conduct hearing.” (Ex. A to Compl. at 7, ECF No. 1-1.) Brown counters that “[n]owhere is there any such restriction imposed upon Brown regarding interim measures during an investigation and a disciplinary process. In fact, the OCR in its Dear Colleague letter specifically mandates that a university may invoke interim measures as part of its Title IX response to sexual harassment allegations.” (Def.’s Reply 15, ECF No. 17.) However, the Code also states that “[a]ll members of the Brown University Community are entitled to . . . the right to attend, make use of or enjoy the facilities and functions of the University subject to prescribed rules.” (Ex. A to Compl. at 3, ECF No. 1-1.) The question here is not whether Brown was following the OCR’s guidance; it is whether Brown’s actions violated the reasonable expectations of a student based on its Code. The Court finds that, taking Doe’s allegations as true, Brown’s decision to ban him from campus prior to conducting an investigation states a plausible claim for a breach of the rights outlined in the Code to be assumed not responsible until proven otherwise, and to enjoy use of Brown’s facilities. In addition, and also very important, the school’s conduct restricting John Doe from presenting his case may also be a breach of contract: Doe next alleges that Brown failed to allow him “an opportunity to offer a relevant response” to the evidence against him, as required by the Code. (Pl.’s Opp’n 27, 29, ECF No. 15; see Ex. A to Compl. at 7, ECF No. 1-1.) Specifically, Doe contends that Brown: improperly redact[ed] relevant information from Plaintiff’s evidence, assembl[ed] Plaintiff’s text messages out of order and out of context, exclude[ed] the majority of Plaintiff’s character witness statements that spoke to his credibility, disallow[ed] Plaintiff from making a full “midpoint” statement, in violation of the Opening and Questioning Timeline, and refus[ed] to consider the Facebook photos showing lack of any “bruising” on Jane Doe based on baseless privacy concerns. (Pl.’s Opp’n 29, ECF No. 15.) Although the term “relevant” is vague and undefined, the Court finds that Plaintiff has – at the motion to dismiss stage – presented sufficient allegations to state a claim that he was prevented from presenting a “relevant” response. In particular, the fact that Plaintiff was prevented from making his “midpoint” statement may be a violation of the Code, depending on what the facts show. All in all, this is among the best decisions to date handed down for presumptively innocent college students accused of sexual assault. It ought to send shockwaves through the rarefied halls of academia. Thank you for visiting Title IX For All. If you like our work, feel free to sign up for our newsletter below: For a more in-depth look at the litigation movement for due process and equal access to education: Enter Legal Database

The study was carried out by evolutionary geneticist Dr Maarten Larmuseau, of KU Leuven University, Belgium, who said that the figure was actually lower than was previously thought (file picture) A shocking new study has revealed one in 50 British fathers may have unknowingly brought up another man's child - a figure lower than was previously thought. Studies have previously suggested the figure could be as high as ten percent but in reality it is more likely to be between one and two percent, say scientists. Evolutionary geneticist Dr Maarten Larmuseau, of KU Leuven University, Belgium, said: 'The observed low cuckoldry rates in contemporary and past human populations challenge the well known idea women routinely 'shop around' for good genes by engaging in extra pair copulations to obtain genetic benefits for their children.' Some fathers' rights groups in Australia have called for mandatory paternity testing of all children at birth, with or without the mother's consent or even her knowledge. But Dr Larmuseau and his colleagues say the emerging evidence consistently indicates just one in 50 fathers may have unknowingly raised children who were not biologically their own. They say evidence for low rates of extra-pair paternity (EPP) challenges the notion that it pays, evolutionary speaking, to sleep around. When they first began exploring the issue they were surprised how little hard evidence there was. Despite that, the scientific literature frequently suggested about one in ten of all children would have a biological father different from the alleged one. But reliable data on contemporary populations have become available over the past decade, mainly as supplementary results of medical studies.

Posted on The public is invited to gather with Royal Orders and societies, cultural practitioners, kānaka, leaders of Ali‘i Trusts and dignitaries at the Queen’s promenade and statue on the grounds of the Hawai‘i State Capitol on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. for Aloha Lili‘u, a centennial observance of the life and legacy of Queen Lili‘uokalani. Over 100 churches across the state will toll their church bells at 8:30 a.m. in honor of the last reigning monarch in Hawai‘i, replicating the moment of her passing on November 11, 1917. In addition to the bells, there will be 100 conch shell blowers (pū), as well as hula dancers (‘ōlapa), drums (pahu), and chanters (mea oli) from across the islands to pay homage to the Queen. The program that morning will include pieces written by Queen Lili‘uokalani, performed by Hawaiian musicians Marlene Sai, Manu Boyd, Owana Salazar and the Aloha Lili‘u Choir led by Nola Nahulu. “A century after her passing, she is still beloved by her people, many of whom have benefitted from her legacy,” said State Senator Kai Kahele, co-organizer of Aloha Lili‘u. “We hope through this observance, we can all be reminded of and emulate her spirit and character of grace, courage, strength and compassion.” “More than just marking a milestone in history, this event is intended to provide an historical admonition for us today to act with intention which benefits the greater good and encourages the best in all of us,” said Senator Brickwood Galuteria, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs and co-organizer of Aloha Lili‘u. “This also begins a year of discussion and reflection on how the Queen’s legacy continues to impact our lives today and how as a State, we can continue to improve the lives of the people of Hawai‘i.” For more information on Aloha Lili‘u, please visit www.alohaliliu.org. Related Filed under: Announcements, Hawaiian Tagged: | Aloha Lili‘u., Queen Lili'uokalani

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Do students want to have debates? Or stop other people from speaking? Free speech - too much of it or too little of it - has become one of the thorniest and most emotive subjects for universities. At what point do strongly held views become extremism or hate speech? There have been violent flashpoints, particularly in US universities, about what can be said about race, gender and sexuality. And when does the ultra-liberal assertion of "safe spaces" and limits on language become intolerant and controlling? Or are these just first-world problems, missing the point about what freedom is really about? So as new academic terms begin, where are the significant battlegrounds? Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption 'It gets lonely': Being conservative on a liberal campus 1) In Hong Kong, students are under pressure to stop putting up posters and flying banners promoting independence from China. University campuses are being told that this is not an issue of freedom of speech, but an attack on the principle of Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" relationship with China. The posters are put up by students on "democracy walls", but authorities say this is an "abuse" of freedom. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Security for a campus speech at Berkeley cost the university $600,000 2) The dollar price of free speech: The University of California, Berkeley, was a cradle of the "free speech movement" in the United States in the 1960s, when students were protesting against the Vietnam war. It's still on the front line of debates about free speech. Right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro spoke at Berkeley this month, drawing angry protests from opponents. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Torches have been banned at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville The university authorities said the security operation around the event cost them $600,000 (£440,000). Another right-wing free speech event, also likely to provoke another protest, is planned for the autumn. 3) Looking west or east?: The Central European University in Budapest in Hungary has been at the centre of an international struggle, which the university says could see it being shut down. The university, originally funded by the liberal philanthropist George Soros, says it is being targeted by an unsympathetic, nationalist government. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Protesters in Budapest want to protect the threatened Central European University Hungary's government says the university needs to comply with new higher education regulations - and negotiations in the United States have been trying to break the deadlock. 4) Illiberal liberals?: Republican lawmakers in the US state of Ohio are trying to put campus free speech into legislation - challenging what they see as excessive political correctness. They warn that a "mentality is creeping into our culture that views disagreeable speech as inherently hateful, or even violent". They want to stop universities setting up designated "free speech zones" on campus, where controversial opinions can be aired, arguing that the whole university should be open to free speech. 5) Torch ban: After the confrontations between torch-carrying white supremacists and protesters at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, the universities have clarified that carrying such "open flames" will not be permitted by the campus police. Image copyright Reuters Image caption US campuses have seen conflicts over what views should be allowed to be expressed It shows the power of the symbol in arguments over free speech, with the burning torches evoking images of the Ku Klux Klan and far-right rallies. There are other measures toughening up security, but university authorities say that carrying "open flame devices" will be prohibited. 6) Turkey trial: The trial of a university lecturer accused of terror-related charges began last week in Turkey. Nuriye Gulmen, and a primary school teacher also facing charges, have been on a hunger strike protest and were not present at the court in Ankara, with supporters warning of their ill-health. They lost their jobs in a crackdown that followed the failed coup attempt against Turkey's president last year. Their case has become a symbol of the 150,000 people claiming to have been sacked or suspended since the coup attempt. 7) Carving out an argument: US universities have been caught in a series of symbolic battles over statues, the names of buildings and what constitutes campus freedom. Much of this has been about representations of race and identity. Image copyright EPA Image caption Hong Kong students are being told to take down posters and banners calling for independence Yale has decided that it needs to remove a 1920s carving from one of its buildings which "depicts a Puritan settler holding a musket pointed toward the head of a Native American". The university says leaving it in place could create the "unintended effect" of endorsing an image which shows a "scene of warfare and colonial violence toward local Native American inhabitants". The push for gender neutrality has also seen the university switch away from the traditional term "freshman" for new students to using "first year". 8) Chelsea Manning, imprisoned after giving government information to Wikileaks, was named as a visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School last week. But two days later the university rescinded the appointment describing it as a "mistake". Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Harvard reversed its decision to offer a post to Chelsea Manning Harvard said in appointing her they wanted to hear from people who "significantly influenced events in the world even if they do not share our values". This raised the recurrent issue about being free to hear opposing views. But after ex-acting CIA director Michael Morell resigned from his post at the university over the decision, Harvard reversed her appointment. 9) "My job is not to make you feel comfortable." The University of Oxford vice chancellor, Louise Richardson, warned fellow university leaders that they had a responsibility to protect free speech on campus. She told them that students needed to confront views with which they disagreed, even if it meant addressing attitudes that made them "uncomfortable" or they found offensive. Image copyright EPA Image caption Should universities focus on protecting free speech or preventing provocation? But she then became embroiled in a row over whether the example she used showed a lack of opposition to homophobia, with calls for an apology and clarifications that she had been "completely misconstrued". 10) North Korea: What are their worries about free movement? A private, English-language university in the country, the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, has been struggling with getting overseas staff through the US travel ban, but opened as planned this term. Meanwhile Kim Il-sung University, working on a technology project forecasting exchange rates, has only "success" to report. More from Global education Ideas for the Global education series? Get in touch.

Recently, some homeowners in the Kent County section of Milford received letters from the City of Milford telling them that they would owe no property taxes for the tax year starting October 1, 2017. Instead, their taxes were paid from the Peter DeVisser Tax Relief Fund, a trust set up by Mr. DeVisser in his last will and testament. “All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, be it real, personal or mixed, or of whatever kind and nature and wheresoever located, I give, devise and bequeath unto the Government of the City of Milford, State of Delaware, the governing body of which consists of the elected City Council members to be used and expended in Milford only to grant homeowners in the Kent County part of Milford a proportional reduction in city property taxes,” the handwritten will read. “Excluded will be homeowners whose houses are rented to others; homeowners who rent rooms and/or apartments to others; owners of properties where business is conducted.” Mr. DeVisser also excluded the owners of three houses on North Washington Street, a home on Northeast Sixth Street, a home on Lakeview Avenue, a home on Hall Place and one on Old Shawnee Road. According to Eric Norenberg, City Manager, the will provided for a lump sum to be used after expenses. As of July 1, the amount in the trust was slightly more than the anticipated tax bills for those properties so those homeowners will see a credit on the bill rather than the balance owed. The credit will be applied to the property tax bill for the 2018 year. “I knew Mr. DeVisser, represented him on Council,” Councilman Owen Brooks said. “I have no idea why he decided to leave the money in trust in order to pay the Kent County property taxes or why he decided to exclude those particular addresses. I remember once I came home from patrol and went to bed. My wife came and woke me up about nine to tell me there was a man downstairs and he was not leaving until he talked to me. Apparently, he was mad that I voted to raise trash fees $0.25, claiming I sided with a longtime councilman over him. I was new on council and wasn’t about to challenge those who had been there a long time. Plus, they were able to demonstrate why they needed the increase. Peter was not at all happy with me.” Brooks states that once at his residence, Mr. DeVisser told the Councilman he was a spy in the war and that he had “killed people” with a the gun Councilman Brooks had seen on a dresser at the DeVisser home. Mr. DeVisser also once showed him a letter he wrote to Vice-President Joe Biden when he was serving as a United States Senator telling him he did not like the way this country was being run. City Solicitor David Rutt, who informed Council about the will, said that the will was handwritten and witnessed by two people. Mr. DeVisser specifically disinherited his heirs, leaving all his remainder estate to the owner-occupied property owners in Milford within Kent County, with the exceptions of owners of those particular homes. The Petition explains that Mr. DeVisser died on July 7, 2010. Since the will was written, properties have changed in the Kent County area of Milford. In addition, the will is not clear whether the date determined which properties were eligible for the tax relief. It does seem clear that the excluded properties were more than likely due to who owned the property at the time he wrote the will and not the property itself. For this reason, the City asked the Court of Chancery to make a determination on how to proceed with the trust. Based on the decision of the court, the City determined the addresses that were eligible for the tax credit and issued letters informing homeowners. “I can’t tell you a lot about Peter, but I can tell you he was a good man,” Councilman Brooks said. “He was very smart and very opinionated. I think he did this because he wanted to do something good for the people of Milford.” Sign up for you free digital subscription of The Weekly Review, delivered directly to your email every Tuesday morning. A quick cover-to-cover read to catch up on the news of the week and experience great stories about our local communities. Sign up for your free email subscription below.

Marines assigned to the legendary "Dark Horse" battalion may get the chance to try out new gear, technology, and fighting methods before they are introduced service-wide. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said Friday that 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., would spend the next year acting as the Corps' experimental unit, working with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab to field-test new ideas and equipment over the course of ordinary training and operations. "They're going to be our experimental platform, if you will, and we'll give them capabilities and do it in an efficient way -- which is, give it to Marines and let them figure it out, because they're our best developers and experimenters," Neller said. It's the first time the Marine Corps has ever designated an experimental unit, and underscores the heavy emphasis the Marine Corps and Navy communities are placing on innovation. Speaking to Military.com following remarks at the AFCEA West conference in San Diego, Neller said 3/5 was chosen because its schedule made it available. The unit is now deployed to Japan for six months with the Unit Deployment Program. "Normally, when you go to UDP, you end up sending a company here, a company there, and since we're looking at distributed ops and how that will all work, everything that was already built in their schedule will already fit that," Neller said. He added that Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force out of Japan, had shown a keen interest in being part of the planned experimentation. The unit will participate in the international Rim of the Pacific maritime warfare exercise this summer, Neller said. This year, RIMPAC will feature some 40 experiments and experimental concepts. Marines with 3/5 can also expect to operate with quadcopters or other small unmanned aerial vehicles, try out new communications gear, and experiment with changes to rifle company operations. "So it's organization, capabilities, technologies, how to distribute companies, how do we sustain them, how do we logistically sustain them, how do we make sure they have enough fire support, how do we move them?" Neller said. While many experiments are already planned, it's possible new ideas will surface as the year progresses. "There will be stuff we'll discover along the way," Neller said. "We'll be counting on the Marines to say, 'Hey, it would really help us if we had something that did this.'" Initially, he said, Marine Corps brass had considered setting up a dedicated experimental unit to work with the Warfighting Lab, but the idea was scrapped as too difficult to pull off. However, using a traditional infantry battalion has its own advantages. "We've found, over the last 15 years of war, the most innovative people out there are the Marines doing the operations," Neller said. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

In a video released by the Israeli military, the pilot is heard telling his command center: “It loks like there are people, possibly children, in our targeted area.” The response from command center: “We’re not going to strike this target now, let’s move on.” An Israeli Air Force pilot flying over the Gaza Strip last week decided to abort his mission after spotting Palestinian children in the vicinity of a confirmed terror target. This by no means was an isolated incident. Israel’s military goes to great lengths to minimize civilian casualties. As an Israeli squadron commander remarked: “I can say categorically, if the slightest doubt arises, then they don’t fire.” Israel has scattered thousands of leaflets over northern Gaza Strip neighborhoods, warning residents to evacuate homes that may be targeted for airstrikes. Hamas instead advises these same Gazans to stay home so as to put them in greater danger and so they can be used as propaganda fodder to claim fictitious Israeli brutality. “To its credit, Israel has used sophisticated technology, including targeted text messages and dummy warning missiles, to minimize civilian casualties,” the Washington Post reported editorially. In fact, no other military in the world has gone to such lengths to avoid civilian casualties. But despite all this evidence, the Obama White House evidently still hasn’t gotten this basic message from the Gaza battlefield. Here’s what White House press secretary Josh Earnes, speaking for Obama, told reporters after faulting Hamas for rejecting an Egyptian-sponsored cease-fire: “But what we would ask the Israelis to do is to exhibit some concern for the safety and welfare of innocent civilians who are at risk of being caught in the crossfire.” This is an outrageous slap at Israel. The Israeli military doesn’t need to be lectured by a U.S. presidential press secretary about taking precautions to limit civilian casualties. It’s already doing it -- and with great and painful self-control, handcuffing itself when civilians might be caught in the cross-fire. In any military conflict, there will be civilian casualties and unfortunately, some civilians still get injured and killed. But Israel’s performance has been outstanding and greatly minimized civilian fatality counts. Civilian interests would be better served if the White House lectured Hamas to stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields and to cease rocket barrages aimed at Israeli civilians To suggest that Israel still hasn’t exhibited “some concern for the safety and welfare of innocent civilians” is nothing short of malicious slander of an ally. Leo Rennert is a former White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief of McClatchy Newspapers

It was one of the saddest emails I have had to read when I got the news about Ramblin Lou passing away. Lou has been an inspiration in my life not only for his longevity and success in radio, but in the world of country music and most importantly as a great man, father, husband and friend. I was given the chance (honor) of being able to present Lou with his plaque commemorating his entrance in the Erie County Fair Hall of Fame. Ramblin Lou (photo by Craig Wilkins) The way Ramblin Lou (Lou Schriver) was able to keep an audience entertained was a thing of beauty. Yes, he had thousands upon thousands of fans who no doubt will miss hearing his soft and soothing voice on WXRL over the last few decades, but Lou was able to bring a smile to anyone who walked by one of his live shows. His jokes (although corny) had people of every age, color and walk of life laughing. Even the jokes that most of us had heard him use year after year at The Erie County Fair shows, which Lou was able to play even as recently as last August. As a man of amazing stature in the world of country music, Lou was well respected among artists and country record executives alike. There are not many artists that didn't know who he was and what is most intriguing is that they became his friend. Legendary names like Hank Williams, Bill Anderson, Box Car Willie, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, George Jones and countless others called on Lou for more than just the chance to gain an extra spin of their records. The radio business is truly unique. Even after my 20 years (still a rookie by Lou's standards) I have a long way to go to gain the respect and loyalty that Lou was given by his audience. We were all truly his "friends and neighbors." It was more than just a catchy way to grab our attention. Lou said these things with honest feeling. From dances at local fire halls, county fairs, concerts and who can forget the thousands of trips Lou and WXRL sponsored, to an early Saturday morning of Grand 'Ol Country, we as friends and neighbors tuned in to Lou with more than our ears. I met Lou on a few occasions; and although he didn't have to, he was always so generous and gracious, even to a young kid from a competing radio station. Lou even invited me on with him once in awhile when I would see him out at events like Jam In The Valley and he was one of the nicest and easiest people with which I have had the pleasure of speaking. He made anyone who was on with him feel like the most important person in the world at that moment. He made you feel like a star. But it was when Lou had his family join him on the show that really encapsulates who he was and what his legacy will be. There was never a father or grandfather more proud of his children and grandchildren. Nor a man more proud and honored to be a husband to a beautiful woman like Joanie. He didn't brag about them. He didn't have to. You could see it on his face, and what's more amazing is how you could hear it in his voice when he introduced them on his radio program or during his live shows. Western New York has lost a household name. Ramblin Lou will forever be our friend and neighbor.

A- A+ Two new members joined St. Charles Health System’s board of directors in August, replacing members who left in 2015 and 2016, according to a news release from the hospital system Monday. Sanaz Askari, a doctor with Cascade Internal Medicine Specialists, and Shawn DeGroot, president of Compliance Vitals, LLC, are the new board members. The addition of Askari and DeGroot to the board brings the number of directors up to 13, according to Lisa Goodman, a spokeswoman for St. Charles. The board can have up to 15 people, but adding directors is done at the discretion of the board chairman. In addition to the two new members, the board of directors has another change in effect: Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, has taken a leave of absence effective through 2018 since he announced his run for governor, Goodman said. Askari joined Cascade Internal Medicine Specialists in February 2011. In addition to providing internal medicine care for hospitalized patients, Askari is also involved in several local medical and hospital organizations meant “to improve the quality of health care provided to patients in the community” St. Charles’ release said. Askari is an active member of the American College of Physicians and the Oregon Medical Association, a past president of the Central Oregon Medical Society and the St. Charles Hospital Bend medical staff. Askari is also an medical staff member at St. Charles’ hospitals in Bend and Prineville. DeGroot, a resident of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, joined the board after serving on the Audit and Compliance Committee for one year, the release said. DeGroot is a certified fellow in health care compliance, compliance and ethics, human subject research and privacy, and is the past president of the Healthcare Compliance Association. In addition, she’s served in leadership roles at several nonprofit organizations. Askari and DeGroot will both serve three-year terms. 18538846

Greece should sell islands to keep bankruptcy at bay, say German MPs Greece must consider a fire sale of land, historic buildings and art works to cut its debts, two rightwing German politicians said today in a newspaper interview that is bound to exacerbate tensions between Athens and Berlin. Alongside austerity measures such as cuts to public sector pay and a freeze on state pensions, why not sell a few uninhabited islands or ancient artefacts, asked Josef Schlarmann, a senior member of Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, and Frank Schaeffler, a finance policy expert in the Free Democrats. The Acropolis and the Parthenon could also fall under the hammer, along with temptingly idyllic Aegean islands still under state ownership, in a rush to keep bankruptcy at bay. "Those in insolvency have to sell everything they have to pay their creditors," Schlarmann told Bild newspaper. "Greece owns buildings, companies and uninhabited islands, which could all be used for debt redemption." Only yesterday the ruling socialist government in Greece published its third attempt to reduce the country's debts and please EU governments, which have pledged to support the beleaguered economy if austerity measures are enacted. Strikes and street protests have already threatened to bring many industries and public services to a standstill if the cuts go ahead. But Germans remain unmoved by the troubles facing Greece. Opinion polls show Germans are overwhelmingly against a Berlin-funded bailout. Greece's deficit was 12.7% of national income in 2009, well ahead of the EU's 3% limit. Merkel will meet the Greek prime minister, George Papandreou, in Berlin on Friday. "The chancellor cannot promise Greece any help," Schaeffler told Bild in a story under the headline: "Sell your islands, you bankrupt Greeks! And sell the Acropolis too!" "The Greek government has to take radical steps to sell its property – for example its uninhabited islands," Schaeffler told Germany's best-selling daily newspaper. Greece's deputy foreign minister, Dimitris Droutsas, was asked about the idea in an interview with ARD TV. "I've also heard the suggestion we should sell the Acropolis," Droutsas said. "Suggestions like this are not appropriate at this time." Germans have had an allergic reaction to reports their country may be part of a bailout for Greece. Many fear it could lead to similar calls for cash from Spain and Portugal, which have also been badly hit following the financial crash. Europe's biggest economy itself is only just creeping out of its worst postwar recession. Last week figures revealed the German economy had stalled, while separately, politicians wrestled with a bigger bailout for its second-largest bank, Commerzbank, which purchased billions of pounds worth of exotic financial instruments linked to US sub-prime mortgages. Greeks reacted with outrage to the proposals today, with many taking to the airwaves to complain about all things Teutonic. "I don't mind so much about the austerity measures, it's the Germans," a former government employee told a radio host. "The suggestion that we now sell off our national assets has got me so angry I am boycotting all their products." The country's consumer federation, INKA, summoned Greeks to boycott German products, including supermarket chains and car dealerships, following a spasm of national fury at the way the country was being portrayed by the German media. "The pressure the Germans are putting us under is outrageous," said Sarandi Pitsas, a pensioner who took to the streets to protest against the austerity measures. "When we were carving beautiful statues like the Venus de Milos," he said, referring to the cover of a German magazine which showed the statue gesturing obscenely under the headline 'Greek cheats', "they were living in caves and growling like dogs." Five days after it was launched, the 100,000-strong consumer group says the boycott of products and shops is going splendidly. "The response has been immense," Haralambous Velidarakis, a board member of INKA, said. "This is not against the German people but in protest against sustained attacks from the German government, which will lead to the impoverishment of Greeks." Greece's satirical weekly To Pontiki (the mouse) put it another way today. Its front-page cover asked: "Does Greece belong to the Greeks?"

In just two weeks, Arc System Works brings the BlazBlue Experience to Sakura-Con 2015 in Seattle, Washington. Check out the packed schedule of events below featuring our Guests of Honor! Each panel will feature an exclusive pin give-away at the door, so attend all FOUR to collect them all. Don’t forget to visit us at Arc System Works Booth # 325 all weekend to play the upcoming BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend. FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD 10:00 – 11:00 AM GUEST APPEARANCE: Opening Ceremonies Main Stage: Room 4A 11:00 AM TOURNAMENT SIGN-UPS BEGIN (BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-) Room 6D 2:00 – 3:00 PM AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Kanako Kondo (voice of Noel Vermillion, Mu-12, Lambda-11, Nu-13) Autographs 4B 3:00 – 4:00 PM PANEL: BlazBlue Past, Present and Future with Toshimichi Mori (Director) Talk with the creator about the past, present and future of the fighting game franchise, BlazBlue from Arc System Works. Panels 2: Room 4C-2 **EXCLUSIVE PIN #1 GIVE-AWAY FOR ALL PANEL ATTENDEES (COLLECT ALL FOUR!) 4:00 – 5:00 PM AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Kana Ueda (voice of Rachel Alucard) Autographs 4B 5:00 – 6:00 PM AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Toshimichi Mori (Director) Autographs 4B 6:30 – 10:00 PM Guest Reception Dinner with Fans **VIP Tickets Required SATURDAY, APRIL 4TH 10:00 – 11:00 AM PANEL: Q&A with Kondo Kanako – The voice of Noel Vermillion Mu-12, Lambda-11, Nu-13 of BlazBlue A special Q&A session with Kando Kanako, the Japanese voice actress of Noel Vermillion, Mu-12, Lambda-11, Nu-13 from the hit fighting game by Arc System Works, BlazBlue. Panels 2: Room 4C-2 **EXCLUSIVE PIN #2 GIVE-AWAY FOR ALL PANEL ATTENDEES (COLLECT ALL FOUR!) 11:00 – 12:00 PM PANEL: Q&A with Kana Ueda – The voice of Rachel Alucard from BlazBlue by Arc System Works A special Q&A session with Kana Ueda, the seiyuu behind characters such as Rachel Alucard (BlazBlue series), Rin Tōsaka (Fate/Stay series), Yumi Fukuzawa (Maria-sama ga Miteru), Hayate Yagami (Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A’s), and many more. Panels 2: Room 4C-2 **EXCLUSIVE PIN #3 GIVE-AWAY FOR ALL PANEL ATTENDEES (COLLECT ALL FOUR!) 12:00 – 1:00 PM AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Toshimichi Mori, Kanako Kondo, & Kana Ueda Autographs 4B 9:00 – 12:00 AM EVENT: The BlazBlue Experience Experience the grand finals to the BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, Guilty Gear Xrd, and BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extend tournaments sanctioned by Arc System Works. Also, a live musical performance by Kondo Kanako (Voice of Noel Vermillion) and special guest appearances by Mori Toshimichi (Director of BlazBlue) and Ueda Kana (Voice of Rachel Alucard). Panels 1: Room 6C **EXCLUSIVE PIN #4 GIVE-AWAY FOR ALL PANEL ATTENDEES (COLLECT ALL FOUR!)

The former Sarasota County Sheriff's deputy was convicted in October of kidnapping, exploitation of the elderly, and 11 other felonies. SARASOTA — A former Sarasota County sheriff's deputy was sentenced to 15 years in prison for kidnapping and exploiting an elderly woman he helped Baker Act in 2016. Frank Bybee, 46, was found guilty by a jury Oct. 6 of kidnapping, exploitation of the elderly, three counts of computer fraud and eight counts of fraudulent use of personal information. He could have faced life in prison on just the kidnapping charge, but Charlotte County Judge Donald H. Mason considered Bybee's honorable military service and clean criminal history prior to his conviction. Mason, a former law enforcement officer, strayed from his personal rule of not making comments to the defendant before sentencing by telling Bybee that the majority of law enforcement officers take their job to heart. "Remembrance is the highest compliment you can give a law enforcement officer," Mason said. "They say he or she is a good cop — no one can say that about you. You'll forever be known as a bad cop." Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig had asked the judge to sentence Bybee to more than 70 years in prison because he "lured" the victim with empty promises of becoming family. The prosecutor said the victim admittedly had few friends, and Bybee took advantage of his personal knowledge of the elderly woman. The Herald-Tribune has not named the woman because of the newspaper's policy not to identify victims of certain crimes. Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig’s reactions to the Frank Bybee sentence. Bybee was sentenced to 15 years, the state asked for 70+.pic.twitter.com/5Ny8YI4fSl — Carlos R. Munoz (@ReadCarlos)November 9, 2017 Bybee withdrew money from the victim's accounts using ATM cards, forged checks for $65,000 and sent them to himself — some written out to his three sons, ages 16, 12 and 3 — according to Fraivillig. He hacked both her AOL and PayPal accounts. "(The victim) was victimized and re-victimized by him," Fraivillig told the court. "He gamed the system — the system we work under in this courtroom. His knowledge allowed him to know how Baker Act (an involuntary mental committal) worked and he used that knowledge to isolate (the victim) in a legal and effective way." Fraivillig asked the judge to sentence Bybee to at least 30 years on the kidnapping charge alone. Bybee's attorney, Ronald Kurpiers, said his client will suffer from the decisions he made for the rest of his life, and that since his arrest in January, he has been treated deplorably. "He went through hell for the first 60 to 90 days of his incarceration," Kurpiers said. "He was not allowed to wear clothes — he wore a turtle suit (a tear-resistant, one-piece garment that prevents inmates from using the clothing to kill themselves). The lights were on 24/7. He was given bologna sandwiches and lost 30 pounds in 60 days. "There were times he would shower and it’d be a shower filled with feces — he was treated like an animal." Bybee’s attorney Ronald Kurpiers’s reaction to his client’s sentencepic.twitter.com/KlcH6BhsZt — Carlos R. Munoz (@ReadCarlos)November 9, 2017 Kurpiers said the treatment was part of a "suicide watch," but that his client was never suicidal. The attorney said Bybee has justifiably been in protective custody since his arrest because he was a deputy and received threats from other inmates. Kurpiers said Bybee's food was tampered with, and that his life will be in jeopardy in confinement. "He will live in protective custody, I suspect," Kurpiers said. Judge Mason said he based his findings on the jury's decision, but that he was troubled by Bybee's "evil intent." "The penalty you face is incalculable to me," Mason said. "You have lost your family, your job and your most important thing — your reputation. ... You've hurt every one of these people in here today with a uniform on. You've made their job that much tougher by your actions when being a cop is already a tough thing to be. "People will look at you, and your name will forever be infamous in Sarasota County. It's incomprehensible to me." Mason then sentenced Bybee to 15 years in prison and 10 years probation for kidnapping; 15 years for exploitation and computer fraud; and five years probation for all eight fraudulent use of personal information convictions. The charges will all be served at the same time. Bybee will have to pay court costs, prosecuting fees and restitution. Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight, who made his first appearance in the courtroom since the start of the trial, said outside the courthouse that he was angry Bybee had abused the uniform and the badge. .@SarasotaSheriff says he is angry over Frank Bybee’s abuse of the “uniform” and the “badge” following Bybee’s sentencingpic.twitter.com/nYE5hU56WJ — Carlos R. Munoz (@ReadCarlos)November 9, 2017 "Judge Mason did an outstanding job today explaining his decision and the seriousness of Bybee's crimes," said Knight, who personally walked Bybee to jail after his January arrest. "Wearing a uniform and having a badge is cherished. If you take it lightly and exploit it, you deserve to be taken to state prison. I'm glad he's not wearing the same uniform anymore that I wear and that nearly 1,000 people in my Sheriff's Office wear. I'm extremely proud of my detectives." Fraivillig said Judge Mason struggled with his decision because he served 30 years as a Massachusetts police officer. "He gave a very, very just sentence based upon the fact Bybee dishonored his badge and brought dishonor on all the men and women of our community," Fraivillig said. Kurpiers, who submitted a motion to withdraw from the case after the sentencing, said Bybee will continue to fight the kidnapping conviction. A motion during sentencing to stay the conviction was denied. "Fifteen years is better than life," the attorney said. "Not saying 15 years is what this man wants to do — he's gone through hell and he will have a very difficult time in custody." No contempt Before the sentencing phase, Sarasota County sheriff's deputies Chris Butler and Sgt. Chris Felix appeared before Judge Mason to show why they shouldn't be charged with contempt of court for their actions during the trial. The two deputies reviewed evidence of the case, while Felix was still under oath, in a patrol car belonging to Deputy Russell Reynolds. Butler and Felix testified that they watched the video from the squad car's "Watchguard" system to help them recall candid conversations made at the victim's home the day she accused Bybee of trying to kill her. Butler and Felix were told they could each face six months in jail if they were found in contempt of court. Mason was lenient with the two deputies who were called to testify late. He did not feel they were properly instructed before their testimony. Butler said he was unaware of the rules of sequestration. "I would just like to let you know, your honor, that I have been a law enforcement officer for 31 years. My whole life has involved law enforcement," Felix said. "I would not do anything to disobey a direct order from you. My son is a prosecutor. My whole life has been law enforcement." Butler said nothing. After hearing testimony from Reynolds, Butler and Felix, the judge said he was satisfied that the deputes did not intend to undermine or embarrass the "orderly administration of justice." Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kaitlyn Perez said the agency will go forward with an internal affairs review of Butler and Felix. "The Sheriff's Office supports the court's findings in this case, however, will continue to conduct the internal affairs investigation to determine if both members were in compliance with agency standards and procedures," she said.

BAMAKO (Reuters) - A German military helicopter assigned to the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali crashed in the West African nation’s desert north on Wednesday, killing the two crew members, the German military said. FILE PHOTO: German Air Force Tiger attack helicopter by German Bundeswehr is pictured at the U.S. military base in Grafenwoehr, Germany, October 26, 2016. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle/File Photo The Tiger helicopter crashed around midday about 70 km (45 miles) north of Gao, burning out completely with no survivors. The crash was reported by a second helicopter following in the mission. “We have now certainty that two soldiers have given their lives in the service of our country,” German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference. The Germans were the first killed in combat since 2013 in Afghanistan, a military spokesman said. Germany increased its commitment to the MINUSMA peacekeeping mission this year with the deployment of eight attack and transport helicopters and 350 additional soldiers to Mali where fighters with links to al Qaeda regularly target Malian soldiers and U.N. troops. A German military officer in Berlin said there was no indication the helicopter had been downed by an attack. “The reason for the crash is still completely open. There is no evidence at this point of any outside factors,” Vice Admiral Joachim Ruehle, deputy inspector general of the armed forces, told reporters. German military investigators will head to the scene on Thursday to search for the helicopter’s flight data recorder, he said. All routine flights by other Tiger helicopters will be suspended indefinitely, he said, and only flights deemed necessary for “life and limb” will be conducted. Germany now has around 1,000 troops serving in Mali as part of MINUSMA and a separate European Union mission. Helicopters are seen as key to MINUSMA’s mission in northern Mali where they help monitor the position of armed groups that are officially signatories to a U.N.-led peace process. A Dutch helicopter crashed in 2015 and there is speculation about whether extreme heat and dust contributed to accidents. The mission has struggled to replace seven Dutch helicopters that were withdrawn this year. The crash comes at a politically sensitive time in Germany with just weeks to go to a national election in which Chancellor Angela Merkel is seeking a fourth term. Merkel’s Social Democratic challengers have raised questions about increasing military spending to reach a NATO target of 2 percent of economic output, and blocked plans for leasing an armed drone to support troops, for instance in Mali. Four years after a French-led military intervention drove Islamist fighters from cities and towns they seized in 2012, northern Mali remains racked by violence, and attacks have made MINUSMA the world’s deadliest U.N. peacekeeping mission.

Why you should not feed your cat vegan food I recently heard about some vegetarian people who are also turning their cats to vegans. While the choice to be vegan is each his own, you can not make your cat a vegan and this is why. Cats have been eating meat-only for many thousands of years. A long time ago, before cats became pets, there were no domestic cats, the only food-source for cats were other animals, preferably small rodents or birds. Their whole digestive system evolved on a meat-only carnivore diet. The digestion of a cat can not handle vegetable food, this is one of the reasons why cats eat grass. They can not digest it and it will induce a vomit reflex to throw up hairs stuck in its stomach. Vegetables do not contain the proper nutrients that cats need for their well being. Nutrients like proteins, vitamin A, vitamin B and taurine are essential for cats and are not found in vegan food. Maybe your cat will eat the vegan food, but because it does not contain the right nutrient, your cat will become weak and more vulnerable to diseases and health problems. We, humans, are omnivores, meaning we can live on meat or vegetables. Cats are carnivores, they need meat. So if you really love animals, let your cat be an animal, and feed it a healthy type of cat food.See our guide on good quality cat food here.

"Some might call it prostitution. I call it a 'mutually beneficial arrangement' that pays for my killer wardrobe." We just call it bizarre: a college student justifies her life as a professional mistress on The Daily Beast. Her verdict? Beats waitressing! "Melissa Beech" is a college student from a privileged background. "I was blessed to have been raised with class, sent to the best schools, and taught to be well read, well spoken and well traveled." Yet the world of higher learning proves a rude awakening! But when I got to college, I spent the first two years straining for financial independence. I tried working, but in retail, surrounded by temptation all day, I spent more than I made. Waiting tables was exhausting. I went on several job interviews, but all of the internships were unpaid. As my years in college wore on it was evident that the job market was sliding into decline. When the economic climate grew worse, my friends panicked that their resumes and high GPAs wouldn't be enough to give them a leg up on the competition, and my goal became getting my foot in the door before everyone else. What's a girl to do? She goes on an interview and the guy - "in his early thirties, single and successful" -offers her a job as his mistress instead. Turns out the dude's in this businesslike world of mistresses and sugar-daddies where, as in 18th century London, these arrangements are understood. There's even a social networking website that connects sugar daddies and their beneficiaries. This man told me about it: SeekingArrangement.com. He had been referred to it by a close friend who was a hedge fund manager. At his urging, I logged onto the site and looked at his profile. It didn't have a picture, for privacy reasons. But it did contain information: his marital status (single), the industry he worked in (media and communications), and-a key element-his salary (seven figures). I was encouraged by the fact that the website vets its clients and offers only Certified Sugar Daddies, whose tax returns have been carefully examined so you know that you're getting. I also learned that he was attracted to bright, smart women-he wasn't in the market for the dumb bombshell. His profile said he wanted more of "a Jackie Kennedy than a Marilyn Monroe." I fit the type. Basically, she'll be his girlfriend, and he'll support her. She asks that they wait to get to know each other before sleeping together; he accedes. As for the allowance, he doesn't just cut me a check. He simply ensures that I need never worry about expenses. I rent a $1,600 apartment in the city, for which he pays the rent in full. I carry an AmEx Black card in both our names, and use it for things like shopping, spa trips, manicures, and tanning; the bill goes to him. And the company car I drive costs him around $700 a month for the lease and the insurance. I've even managed to build up a little nest egg over the past year – at his insistence – putting away around $12,000. All in all, he probably spends in the ballpark of $5,000 a month on my lifestyle. Advertisement It seems hard to believe that this scenario could actually inspire moral outrage, even from those who consider it to be prostitution: neither party is married, and the arrangement is, as she says, mutually beneficial. (And if she and her benefactor are suffering from the now-official recession - as many mistresses apparently are - she gives no indication.) More than anything, it seems odd and unsatisfying - a bloodless compromise between a relationship and a business transaction. But whatever one thinks about her choices, her justifications ring false to any young woman who's been strapped for cash in college - which is to say, most of us. Retail tempted her? Waitressing exhausted her? Please. These easy rationales lose her a lot of sympathy pretty quickly. And her defensive claims that although "he didn't hire me for the internship position, but because of him I have had several internships at well-known PR companies, and have plenty of networking opportunities, shoring up my future prospects for when I graduate this spring" don't win much sympathy, either. If this was all some plan to bolster her resume, it seems like there are more direct ways - and this can't bring much comfort to the qualified young women who failed to obtain the same jobs because, while they may have been restrained enough to work a retail job, they didn't have the prescience to nab a sugar daddy. If she wants to be some emotionally disconnected rich guy's mistress, it's her prerogative - it's not like couples haven't been doing this for centuries - but attempting to justify it on professional grounds is an insult to the rest of us. My Sugar Daddy [Daily Beast] Earlier: Girly Golddiggers Are Reeling From The Recession

On 11 September 2016, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made headlines for appearing unsteady on her feet before abruptly leaving a 9/11 memorial event (a phenomenon later attributed to pneumonia). Two hours later, Clinton appeared outside daughter Chelsea Clinton’s apartment, sparking rumors (along with a hashtag, #HillarysBodyDouble) that political impersonator Teresa Barnwell had “filled in” for the candidate in public later in the day to create a false appearance of renewed vigor. The rumor took off on Twitter alongside the aforementioned hashtag, with a number of details appended to the intriguing mystery. Twitter users were confused by Clinton’s seemingly vast medical improvement in the space of two hours and referenced a widely-circulated clip of a visibly recovered of the presidential candidate: Here is Hillary Clinton leaving Chelsea’s apartment. (A little girl came up to give her a hug) pic.twitter.com/VreSXmT1Yh — Liz Kreutz (@ABCLiz) September 11, 2016 Even before rumors began flying about Barnwell filling in for Clinton, commenters balked at an apparent lack of Secret Service agents visibly present and an atypical amount of space around the candidate: @ABCLiz is this a joke? Secret Service would never allow this unless it was staged. No spontaneous actions like this would happen. — Wylde Rhoads (@WyldeRhoads) September 11, 2016 Among further evidence circulating on Twitter was a screenshot from a post attributed to Barnwell about a particularly intensive gig impersonating Clinton for an event: Here’s #HillarysBodyDouble @teresa_barnwell claiming she was contracted to double for Hillary last June pic.twitter.com/SVO8SxrNWI — Deplorable (@JaredWyand) September 12, 2016 The referenced post was legitimate, but it was clear that Barnwell had previously appeared as a political impressionist and not as part of any attempts to trick people into believing she was genuinely Hillary Clinton. Images circulating under the #HillarysBodyDouble hashtag contrasted earlier shots of Clinton with enhanced photographs of her second 11 September 2016 appearance: #HillarysBodyDouble Clinton’s ‘body double twin’, Teresa Barnwell, 61, earns $1000’s monthly impersonating Hillary pic.twitter.com/Wx36rO58aZ — A World of Truth (@aworldoftruth) September 12, 2016 Rumors of #HillarysBodyDouble maybe True! Notice very different noses & subtle hair differences! ??pic.twitter.com/u3rdkuU2GN — Vegas4Trump (@trump2016fan) September 12, 2016 Users contrasted footage of Clinton at the 9/11 event with photographs of Clinton taken later in the day, not with images of Barnwell specifically. Barnwell shared a photograph of herself on 11 September 2016: Had a blast today! We were LIVE on Lip Sync Battle! Fight the power! pic.twitter.com/FcYGGeyL54 — Teresa Barnwell (@teresa_barnwell) September 12, 2016 Although Barnwell clearly kept busy impersonating Clinton for entertainment purposes, her imperfect resemblance to the former Secretary of State made the conspiracy theory less plausible. Additionally, Barnwell said that she was in Los Angeles that day, not New York City: OK people, calm down. I was in LA today, all day. Was just messin’ with your crazy conspiracy minded little heads. Go to bed. — Teresa Barnwell (@teresa_barnwell) September 12, 2016 Many speculated that a lack of Secret Service agents in view around the candidate was a clear indicator that the Clinton spotted later that day was an impostor. However, if that unprotected “Hillary Clinton” were seriously wounded or killed by an assassin, it would be impossible for the real Clinton to recover from the subterfuge and go on to win the 2016 election, so the risk of fallout from such a large cover-up would far outweigh the benefits of Clinton’s faking a “body double” reappearance on 11 September 2016. It also doesn’t require a denial from Teresa Barnwell to determine she was not the woman depicted in the 11 September 2016 footage of Clinton following her early exit from a 9/11 memorial event. Whether Clinton looked the same in the two photosets is a subjective assessment, but video and photographs of the subsequent appearance reveal a woman who is clearly not Teresa Barnwell. There is no way the two women could be confused for each other, given their clear facial dissimilarities.

The image, taken by the Aqua satellite, showed how the effects of the explosion are still evident from space three weeks after the Deepwater Horizon sank off the Louisiana coast. It was captured earlier this week by the space agency’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Instrument that flies aboard the satellite. Appearing as a dull grey on the water's surface, a Nasa spokesman described the image, released late on Wednesday, as looking like a swan. He said the oil spill “continues to change with the movement of the waters”. Since the April 20 explosion, at least four million gallons of oil are thought to have been pumped into the sea from a broken pipe on the rig. Wildlife has been killed while the livelihoods of the fishermen living in the costal region have been threatened. Nasa has brought in its "remote-sensing assets" to help investigate the spread and impact of the oil spill after being called in by the US disaster response authorities. Researchers will study vegetation changes and how local habitats are coping from the spill. These include marshes, swamps, and beaches “that are difficult to survey on the ground”. “The combination of satellite and airborne imagery will assist … in forecasting the trajectory of the oil and in documenting changes in the ecosystem,” the spokesman said. Earlier on Wednesday BP released the first photo showing oil spewing out from the broken pipe, a mile under the surface of the water. The photo was released after the oil giant came under pressure from government officials over their handling of the crisis. A Congressional investigation into the massive oil spill heard that a critical device meant to prevent a disaster was faulty. The "blowout preventer," a five-story, 900,000-ton device on the sea floor that was supposed to cap the well before a blowout occurred, was deemed to be unsatisfactory. Its failure, while not the cause of the disaster, could have prevented the blast that killed 11 people and unleashed a flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, the industry officials said. "This seemed astounding to us," said Rep. Bart Stupak, a Michigan Democrat who is helping oversee the investigation. "The safety of its entire operations rested on the performance of a leaking, modified and defective blowout preventer." BP is planning to have a small containment dome in place by late Thursday which it hopes will staunch the oil flow from the Gulf floor. BP engineers have lowered a "top hat" over the leak along the seabed and are hoping to start capturing oil in it. The company is not guaranteeing it will work, citing the difficulties of working almost a mile under the ocean surface. BP also is drilling a relief well, which could take 80 more days. Within two weeks it aims to try to plug the leak by pumping materials like shredded tires and golf balls into the well at high pressure. Despite the efforts, U S Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he was unhappy with the inability so far to stop the leak. "We're depressed, frankly, with what has happened here," he said after he and Energy Secretary Steven Chu met with BP engineers in Houston. "There is a great deal of frustration." Also on Wednesday, President Barack Obama asked Congress for at least $129m (£87m) in new emergency funding to cope with wide-ranging fallout from the massive oil spill. Administration officials said they couldn't forecast total costs from the cleanup of the massive spill and a multitude of economic damages to the Gulf region, but the changes they're seeking in the legislative package suggest a multibillion-dollar response. The administration wants to increase from $1 billion to $1.5 billion the amount that could be spent from an emergency cleanup fund paid with industry fees, and raise a $75 million liability limit BP would bear for costs not directly connected to cleaning up the spill, such as lost wages and tourism. Administration officials said the company will pay as much as possible. Some of the new proposed spending, including money for the Interior Department to conduct inspections for proposed offshore drilling leases, cannot be charged to BP. White House energy adviser Carol Browner said: "We take BP at their word. They say they intend to pay for all costs. And when we hear 'all' we take it to mean all." BP were unavailable to comment, but the company has said it will pay cleanup costs and "legitimate claims”. Investors have cut the value of BP shares by more than $30 billion since the accident, exceeding even the worst estimates of the spill's cost.

Makeovers seem to be the latest trend in the world of railway stations in India. Mumbai, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Chennai, and more – stations across the country are getting swanky walls with beautiful paintings, clean platforms, colourful stairs, and a very welcoming environment. The beautification everywhere is being done by citizens and the government alike. There are NGOs, students, volunteers, government organizations and many others who just want their stations to look fabulous – instead of giving the same dull feeling we usually get on entering a station. 1. Chennai Central railway station: All Pictures: Twitter 2. Bikaner railway station: 3. Udaipur City railway station: 4. Hazaribagh Road railway station: 5. Borivali station, Mumbai: 6. Gandhinagar Jaipur railway station: 7. Sawai Madhopur railway station, Rajasthan: 8. King’s Circle railway station, Mumbai: 9. Bhubaneshwar railway station: 10. Govindpuri Metro Station, Delhi: A photo posted by St+art India (@startindia) on Jan 29, 2016 at 5:04am PST Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

HTC is believed to be manufacturing two Nexus handsets, which will become 'showcase' devices for Android 7.0 Nougat, the new version of Google's OS that's launching later this summer. Last week, key specs of both devices were reported by Android Police, which has now followed up with further details, and an image that purportedly shows what the new devices will look like. This is not an official render, but rather an image created by Android Police based on information provided by a "reliable source". However, the site also acknowledged that it is "uncertain of the age and finality of particular details received from that source", and that "the final design of the Nexus phones may differ slightly or perhaps even substantially from what you see here in certain respects". The report adds: At this point, we are uncertain if the software home button will be solid white or solid white with the previously-leaked 4-color "flower" design. In this case, we opted for faithfulness to the source's information which indicated solid white, though we know that information to be older than that given to us in regard to the "flower" home button. The "G" logo on the back of the device may or may not be part of the final design. It remains unclear to us if the final design will include an HTC logo, but we are inclined to believe the answer is no. We lack exact dimensions and measurements for the phones, and so some edges and curves may appear visibly different in the final retail press renders. With those caveats in mind, the report states that the image offers "a general idea of the 'look' of the phones" - and significantly, it also claims that its render is representative of the design of both of the new Nexus devices. Unlike the LG-made Nexus 5X and Huawei's Nexus 6P - which launched at the same time last year, but do not share a common design - it seems that HTC's new handsets will be virtually identical in appearance, differing only in size. Codenamed 'Marlin' and 'Sailfish', the phones are said to have aluminum bodies, with the exception of the glossy rear panel, which is believed to be plastic ("it could be glass, though"). Among the rumored color options will be the dark grey/black model shown here, a white/aluminum-silver option, and a white/"electric blue" variant. The circular cutout in the glossy rear panel is the location of the fingerprint scanner - and if the image is accurate, you can probably expect that whole area to get covered in fingerprints and greasy smudges pretty quickly. So, assuming that the image is accurate, what do you think of HTC's Nexus handsets from what you've seen and read of them so far? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Source: Android Police

Lawrence Kudlow Distasteful or even alarming though he may be, Donald Trump has presented a tantalizing possibility of a Republican who would take “a wrecking ball to many of his adopted party’s orthodoxies, proposing a vision of right-wing politics far more mercantilist, nationalist and statist than anything we’ve seen from the post-Reagan, post-Goldwater G.O.P.,” as Ross Douthat, among many others, put it. But the emerging cast in Trump’s administration, from the appointment of Tom Price to run the Department of Health and Human Services to the slew of bankers and other millionaires, suggests something different: On domestic policy, he has not wrecked his party’s domestic platform, but continued and even intensified it. And the single most emblematic development is the report that Lawrence Kudlow is the leading candidate to run his Council of Economic Advisers. The CEA chair is typically an economist. Kudlow is not, a fact on his résumé that qualifies rather than disqualifies him for his job. Kudlow is a fanatical adherent of supply-side economics. While many conservative economists believe that, all things being equal, lower tax rates can produce faster growth, Kudlow believes it with a religious intensity. No serious body of economic work could substantiate his beliefs. Indeed, even hard-core conservatives in academia — like Greg Mankiw, a Republican economist with a deep moral disdain for progressive taxation — have nonetheless described the arguments used by Kudlow as those of “charlatans and cranks.” And yet his views have come to dominate the Republicans Party despite decades of unremitting failure. What is remarkable about Kudlow is not just how flamboyantly and demonstrably wrong he has been, but that his influence over the Republican agenda has actually increased. Kudlow’s core doctrine is that upper-bracket tax rates are the primary driver of economic growth, and that even minor changes in the level of taxation on the rich have enormous consequences on growth. In 1993, when Bill Clinton proposed an increase in the top tax rate from 31% to 39.6%, Kudlow wrote, “There is no question that Presdient Clinton’s across-the-board tax increases…will throw a wet blanket over the recovery and depress the economy’s long-run potential to grow.” This was wrong. Instead a boom ensued. Rather than question his analysis, Kudlow switched to crediting the results to the great tax-cutter, Ronald Reagan. “The politician most responsible for laying the groundwork for this prosperous era is not Bill Clinton, but Ronald Reagan,” he argued in February, 2000. By December 2000, the expansion had begun to slow. What had happened? According to Kudlow, it meant Reagan’s tax-cutting genius was no longer responsible for the economy’s performance. “The Clinton policies of rising tax burdens, high interest rates and re-regulation is responsible for the sinking stock market and the slumping economy,” he mourned, though no taxes or re-regulation had taken place since he had credited Reagan for the boom earlier that same year. By the time George W. Bush took office, Kudlow was plumping for his tax-cut plan. Kudlow not only endorsed Bush’s argument that the budget surplus he inherited from Clinton — the one Kudlow and his allies had insisted in 1993 could never happen, because the tax hikes would strangle the economy — would turn out to be even larger than forecast. “Faster economic growth and more profitable productivity returns will generate higher tax revenues at the new lower tax-rate levels. Future budget surpluses will rise, not fall.” This was wrong, too. (I have borrowed these quotes from my 2007 book on the rise of right-wing economic crackpots, in which Kudlow plays a prominent role.) Kudlow then began to relentlessly tout Bush’s economic program. “The shock therapy of decisive war will elevate the stock market by a couple-thousand points,” he predicted in 2002. That was wrong. He began to insist that the housing bubble that was forming was a hallucination imagined by Bush’s liberal critics who refused to appreciate the magic of the Bush boom. He made this case over and over (“There’s no recession coming. The pessimistas were wrong. It’s not going to happen. At a bare minimum, we are looking at Goldilocks 2.0. (And that’s a minimum). Goldilocks is alive and well. The Bush boom is alive and well.”) and over (“The Media are Missing the Housing Bottom,” he wrote in July 2008). All of this was wrong. It was historically, massively wrong. When Obama took office, Kudlow was detecting an “inflationary bubble.” That was wrong. He warned in 2009 that the administration “is waging war on investors. He’s waging war against businesses. He’s waging war against bondholders. These are very bad things.” That was also wrong, and when the recovery proceeded, by 2011, he credited the Bush tax cuts for the recovery. (Kudlow, April 2011: “March unemployment rate drop proof lower taxes work.”) By 2012, Kudlow found new grounds to test out his theories: Kansas, where he advised Republican governor Sam Brownback to implement a sweeping tax-cut plan that would produce faster growth. This was wrong. Alas, Brownback’s program has proven a comprehensive failure, falling short of all its promises and leaving the state in fiscal turmoil. Any economic forecaster is bound to make some wrong predictions. But Kudlow hasn’t made a handful of failed guesses. He is in the grips of a comprehensively failed worldview. His devotion to upper-bracket tax-cutting is a theology, and incorrect prediction has been met with denial or a shifting of the original predictive grounds. But Kudlow’s crank theories have a key advantage over the crank theories propounded by, say, the Jim Jones cult: They confer massive windfall benefits upon society’s richest individuals. His unwavering fealty to supply-side theology is the very characteristic that proves his ideological bona fides and qualifies him to give Trump advice — and the content of Kudlow’s advice can be known in advance with absolute certainty, and it will not waver no matter what happens in the world. And so, even in the face of failure after failure, Kudlow has retained his place in Republican politics, and the Republican Party is as devoted as ever to its doctrine of upper-class tax reduction. The sales pitch may change, and other aspects of the product may change, too, but the core strategy never does. If you put Republicans in office, the Kudlows of the world will be designing their policy agenda, and the agenda will be designed around lower taxes for rich people. And Kudlow will insist it worked.

TRENTON -- A bill dedicating $10 million to a fund that would pay to remove lead paint from old housing stock in New Jersey was vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday. State lawmakers voted to earmark $10 million from the state budget for the Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund. The money would have been used to pay for lead abatement projects, relocate families whose children have high lead levels in their blood, create a web-based housing registry among other efforts, according to the bill. The $10 million is money accrued based on a fee on paint sales. Governors have diverted the funds revenue to support the state budget since 2004, according to the bill's supporters. The governor pocket-vetoed the bill, (S1279) which means he declined to act on it and allowed it to expire in the legislative session that just ended Jan. 12. He did not include a statement explaining why he rejected the legislation. This is the third consecutive two-year legislative session in which the $10 million bill has failed to be signed into law. An angry Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, likened the governor's veto to "stealing money that would keep lead out of our homes and protect our children from lead poisoning." N.J. school changes: What did Christie approve, reject? "What Gov. Christie did in vetoing this bill is outrageous. This is money that should be used for lead abatement and instead it's going to balancing the budget. He is vetoing the health of our children," Tittel said. Lead has been scientifically proven to cause brain damage in children who inhale or eat paint dust or chips. "Governor Christie's pocket veto of the lead poisoning prevention bill is extremely disappointing especially as the nation witnesses the devastation of lead contamination," said Staci Berger, president and CEO of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey. "New Jersey cannot become the next Flint, a town that sacrificed safety to be cost-effective," Berger said. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in the United States in 1978 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

There is much debate over the idea that pirates were tattooed. Pirates in this case existing in the Golden Age of Piracy which was 1650-1730, though piracy existed before and after, and still exists today in a more modern form. Thanks to popular culture many people assume that pirates during this time period would have had tattoos due to their lives of crime. In the popular films Pirates of The Caribbean, Jack and other pirates do have tattoos and body modifications, as do a number of the pirates seen on the show Black Sails. Captain Jack has a ‘P’ branded on his arm, meaning that he is a pirate, as well as a tribal piece from his sailing travels, and a sparrow design on his arm, hence the name. On his back is also the poem the Desiderata, meaning that the world has both joys and troubles. This poem also speaks to Jack’s tendency towards non-violent methods of resolving problems (for a pirate anyway). Johnny Depp (the actor) also has many of his own tattoos, and they were not covered for his role as Jack Sparrow. Black Sails features pirates with tattoos such as the character Mr. Gates, who has the iconic naval tattoo “Hold Fast” tattooed across his knuckles, as well as an all seeing eye in a pyramid on the back of his head, which nods towards the esoteric linkage of pirates to secret masonic groups such as the Knights Templar. These ideas were all researched by the actor playing Mr. Gates, Mark Ryan. Other tattooed or bodily marked characters from the show are Albinus (portrayed by Garth Collins), as well as Joshua (portrayed by Richard Lukunku) who features large scarification pieces that would have been done in Africa where his character is from. There are other minor characters from Africa who also have scarification. Realistically it is unknown if pirates had tattoos or not. They were criminals who frequently visited places such as Africa and the Polynesian Islands, both of which had rich body modification taking place at this time, which makes it plausible.Historically, Captain James Cook and his crew brought tattoos to the forefront of European culture after their voyages to New Zealand and Polynesia in 1771. We know that pirates also visited these and other islands before that, so it is plausible that they would have been tattooed on the islands, or at the very least seen tattoos being done, and copied them. If not tattooed, at the very least some pirates would have had some marks on themselves in the form of brands and, or, scarification. Many pirates were either African , Irish, or other European slaves, and all groups were quite often marked cruelly by their captives as proof of their enslavement. Many people brought from Africa would have had art made by scarification which has been done for centuries. These designs made by pricking the skin so it protrudes outwards in magnificent designs were for social rankings, age, gender, and certain rituals throughout life. It is estimated that approximately 90% of pirate crews were made up of former slaves (these were men either freed from slavery who became pirates, escaped slaves, or freed by pirate raids and joined them). The argument against pirates having tattoos is more one of plausible deniability on the part of pirates. Pirates would often be caught, and if one was to try to deny being a pirate, why would they have marked their bodies permanently showing that they were in fact a pirate, as tattoos were still seen as quite criminal at this time. As well as the fact that historical descriptions and paintings of real pirates such as Edward Teach (Blackbeard), Charles Vane, (Calico) Jack Rackham, Mary Read, Anne Bonny, William Kidd, and other famous pirates were usually seen wearing clothing that covered their whole bodies (hiding potential tattoos). Though pirates may not have been the tattooed miscreants we often think of, they certainly did have piercings through their ears and noses, though they would often be removed for battle so they would not be caught on a sword. Piercings were part of the pirate look, but also a superstition. It was believed that a golden ring would save one from drowning, as believe it or not, many sailors at this time couldn’t swim. Whether or not pirates were tattooed, they were fearsome fighters not to be trifled with. If you would like more information on pirates check out the books The Republic of Pirates, Under the Black Flag, and Pieces of Eight: More Archaeology of Piracy. Advertisements

Lines of communication between President Trump and former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaChicago's next mayor will be a black woman Obama portraits brought more than 1 million visitors to National Portrait Gallery in first year With low birth rate, America needs future migrants MORE have gone dark. The two men haven’t spoken since Inauguration Day, sources tell The Hill, a drastic turn since their string of phone calls and pleasantries during the presidential transition. Trump and Obama — with their vastly different styles and personalities — were never likely to be friends. But the former president, perhaps hoping to preserve some influence with his surprise successor, vowed to have a cordial relationship with the 45th president when he left office. Since then, Trump has sought to repeal his predecessor’s signature healthcare legislation while overhauling his regulatory agenda. He’s ordered a travel ban on people from six predominantly Muslim countries — a proposal Obama opposes. And earlier this month, he accused Obama of tapping his phones last year. That allegation by Trump, declared false by FBI Director James Comey on Monday, left Obama annoyed. “It’s ridiculous,” he told people close to him. He wanted to correct the record, triggering a rare statement from his spokesman, Kevin Lewis. ADVERTISEMENT “He wasn’t thrilled,” said one official close to Obama. “When it impacts the integrity of the White House and the office of the president, that’s concerning to him,” a second source close to Obama said. The wiretapping allegation took another turn on Wednesday, when House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) made waves by telling the media and Trump that U.S. intelligence agencies incidentally collected information on Trump’s transition team and disseminated it widely. Nunes’s briefing resulted in Trump telling reporters that he felt “somewhat” vindicated, a statement that is sure to prolong a story that began on March 4 — and that might get under Obama’s skin. While Obama and Trump haven’t talked since Inauguration Day, they did try to get in touch early in Trump’s presidency. First, Trump called his predecessor in late January, but Obama was on a cross-country flight at the time, The Wall Street Journal reported. Sources tell The Hill that Obama tried to return the call with an assistant, who sought to connect the two men. A Trump aide at the White House told the Obama assistant that Trump had simply called to thank his predecessor for the kind note he left him in the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. “Can you relay that message to President Obama?” the president’s aide said. The message was passed along, and the two leaders never attempted to reconnect, sources said. Jen Psaki, a longtime Obama aide who served as his communications director in his final months in office, said Wednesday in an interview that the “understanding” of the Trump-Obama relationship was always “over-cranked.” Obama “conducted a smooth transition, and that’s what his focus was on. But that doesn’t mean they were going to become golf buddies,” Psaki said. The Hill talked to half a dozen former aides and others in Obama’s orbit to ask about the former president’s relationship with his successor. Those close to Obama say he is doing what he’s always said he would do after his presidency: returning to life as a private citizen. While they say Obama may make public statements from time to time, he wants to give room for other Democrats to find their way. “At the end of the day, he’s a former president — he’s not the face of resistance,” said one source close to Obama. “It’s time for new voices in the party,” Psaki said. Obama, who recently signed a lucrative book deal with Penguin Random House, has spent much of his time focused on his foundation in Chicago. He has also been enjoying some down time: He and former first lady Michelle Obama Michelle LeVaughn Robinson ObamaChicago's next mayor will be a black woman Obama portraits brought more than 1 million visitors to National Portrait Gallery in first year Barack and Michelle Obama announce new heads of their production company MORE recently toured the National Gallery in Washington and had lunch in New York with U2 lead singer Bono. He was spotted taking in the Broadway show “The Price” with his elder daughter, Malia. This month, the former president has also retreated to French Polynesia, where he will stay for a few weeks, according to numerous reports. Then-candidate Obama harshly criticized former President George W. Bush and his administration during the 2008 presidential race, but Bush did not return the fire after he left Washington. Bush’s example appeared to leave a mark on Obama, who frequently cited the Bush team’s help in the 2009 transition as an example he wanted his staff to follow in 2017. In the case of Trump and Obama, it is the current president who is firing at the former commander in chief, who has been relatively silent in response. Trump initially had nice things to say about Obama. After the two met in November just two days after Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails County GOP in Minnesota shares image comparing Sanders to Hitler Holder: 'Time to make the Electoral College a vestige of the past' MORE, Trump described it on Twitter as a “really good meeting,” saying the two had “great chemistry.” But Trump has since reversed course. “Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!” Trump wrote on Twitter earlier this month. A few days later, he took to Twitter again to blast Obama’s policies on Guantanamo Bay, writing, “122 vicious prisoners, released by the Obama Administration from Gitmo, have returned to the battlefield. Just another terrible decision,” he wrote. More recently, Trump has taken to ripping Obama’s healthcare legislation as the GOP Congress moves to repeal and replace it. Only a few dozen people have ever held the U.S. presidency, making Obama and Trump members of one of the nation’s most elite clubs. That’s made Trump’s accusations about Obama tapping his phones all the more remarkable. Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, said tension between presidents is normal when real policies are on the table. But he added of Trump and Obama, “This is clearly worse than what we usually see.”

One of the most interesting performances of the UFC 207 card featured a revealing fight between Dominick Cruz and Cody Garbrandt. For many years, Dominick Cruz had reign undefeated as the Bantamweight champ and bewildered the sport with his unorthodox style, but for the first time in his career since his UFC reign, we saw someone else getting the best of the technical exchange. Cody Garbrandt is relatively new with mostly quick knockout victory to refer to, so going into this fight, there were a lot of questions surrounding how he would solve the mystery of beating Dominick Cruz. After a full five round bout, Cody came out on top, scoring multiple knockdowns and handing Cruz his defeat. This fight told us a lot about these fighters and where they stand, but most importantly, we now have a clearer grasp of what Cody Garbrandt can do. The Gist of The Fight Dominick Cruz is a well-rounded fighter who’s capable of going on the offensive or playing the counter game. Statistical data show that he’s a high pressure fighter due to his offensive output. His offensive style centers around pressuring opponents with a lot of footwork-based feints. In the fight with Garbrandt, we saw Cruz going on the offensive a lot more than he typically does. Surprisingly, Garbrandt played a more patient approach by waiting for Cruz to lead. This ended up proving detrimental to Cruz down the line because when Cruz went on the offensive, Garbrandt sat back waiting to counter. Multiple times throughout the fight Garbrandt was able to drop Cruz. Today, we examine the technique and look at a few defining moments of how it was all done. How Did Garbrandt Do It? As I mentioned earlier, Cruz uses a feint-heavy offensive style to attack the opponent. I’ve been over this quite a few times in past articles, but to quickly review this concept, take a look at Cruz’s slide step. He often uses a slide-step to hit an angle from the opponent. This lets him feint at the opponent so he can read their reaction and build off of what they give him. The weight he puts on the back leg allows him to quickly retreat. Here are some offensive examples working off the slide-step: [slide-step into body shot] [slide-step into kick] For many years, Cruz has brilliantly stifled opponents with this approach, but for this one night, it proved to tell a different story! To counter Cruz, an opponent must understand what he’s doing. Garbrandt looked to be on par with Cruz’s intentions that night. When Cruz looked to initiate a slide-step, Garbrandt worked to undo the offensive angles Cruz created, and as a result, we would often see Garbrandt moving away and switching his stance to adjust to Cruz’s new positions. This prevented Cruz from gaining dominant angles. By controlling the range, this allowed Garbrandt to control the outcome of Cruz’s offensive approach. Cruz personally likes to use a slide-step into a cross [Example Here]. Several times during Cruz’s slide-steps, we’d often see Garbrandt stepping out of range to undo Cruz’s offensive footwork, but he didn’t always reset the range though. Garbrandt was happy to sit in range and counter the slide by adjusting his own angle. When Cruz looked to slide step out at an angle, Garbrandt would adjust his angular base in order to open up the proper angle to connect with his counter shots. Check out this next example to see where Cruz tries to slide-step, but Garbrandt adjust his feet in order to land his counter to Cruz’s new angle. Note Cruz slide-steps to the outside of Garbrandt’s lead foot (his weak-side angle), Garbrandt would move his lead foot out laterally to adjust his angle to Cruz’s new position. Remember that when the opponent moves their lead foot outside of your lead foot, your offensive angles are limited. If you’re not familiar with this concept, this next picture should illustrate what that looks like when someone moves to your weak side. T.J. Dillashaw and Urijah Faber have tried similar countermeasures to adjust their angles, but Garbrandt seemed to have the explosive speed in order to time his shots successfully. Ironically, Cruz managed to undo Dillashaw’s offensive footwork in a similar manner as in their fight. Garbrandt’s Counter Habit Garbrandt had a tendency to lower his posture, widen his angular base, and throw his short rear hook counters as he waited for Cruz to move forward. That level change lets him cover attack angles where Cruz could have potentially slipped his head over. you’ll see in the following GIF that Garbrandt was able to catch Cruz’s head slipping over. Garbrandt did this multiple times throughout the fight. It made sense to keep his line of attack low where Cruz typically moves his head. Your punching range is mechanically linked to the placement of the lead foot since your transferring your weight across it. So when Garbrandt widens his base, take notice in how his lead foot scoots closer to the opponent. Doing this allows him to extend the range of his powershot. As the lead foot moves closer during the level change, his ability to connect farther extends.Keep in mind that Cruz is quite good at using his reach, so it proved useful that Garbrandt was able to close that range gap in order to connect his shots when necessary. Since you’re lowering your level on the initial dip, there’s some risk of taking a knee to the head. Any kind of slips or lowering of the head always put you at some kind of risk. Let Jose Aldo’s flying knee knockout on Cub Swanson be a reminder of that. Cruz did attempt one flying knee, but was just mere inches away from connecting on the head. [Cruz flying knee] Continue on the part 2 where we look at what it took to solve the Dominick Cruz puzzle and what aspects of the fight Garbrandt had the edge.

Flickr/Soumyadeep Paul Twitter has a reputation as an open platform for expressing one's opinions. It's become a place for dissent and debate. It played a key role in the "Arab Spring" revolutions of the last couple of years. But last week, it agreed to censor a pro-Ukrainian Twitter feed in Russia. It also blocked a "blasphemous" account in Pakistan. It's not the first time Twitter has censored politically sensitive accounts. Now, it seems, Twitter's reputation as a platform for free speech is at risk. Here's a brief history of Twitter's foreign policy. At a conference in 2011, CEO Dick Costolo proudly proclaimed, "We're the free speech wing of the free speech party." His words came after events in Egypt, Tunisia — and also the U.S. — where Twitter made it possible for people to organize protests and voice their ideas inside often repressive regimes. Twitter was a place where you could let your unfettered opinion ring free, even if your government wasn't too happy about it. But then things began to change. The next year, Twitter decided that it was going to allow countries to block certain content on the social media site. "We give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country — while keeping it available in the rest of the world," Twitter wrote in a blog post. Since then, any request to remove content from Twitter is filed to a database called Chilling Effects Clearinghouse, which is maintained by eight American law schools and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). Twitter didn't immediately exercise this new power, but it became policy, and slowly but surely requests started rolling in. The idea was that it was better to allow some censorship as opposed to a country completely blocking the platform. It was the "the least worse censorship," as the EFF's Global Policy Analyst Eva Galperin explained to Business Insider. Fast forward a couple years, and Twitter's country-by-country takedown policy has been getting some new attention. This past Monday, Twitter was called out for blocking a pro-Ukrainian political account from Russian users. If a user's profile connected the user to Russia and they tried accessing @PravyjSektorRus, a Ukrainian ultra-nationalist group, the users were met with a message that read "This account has been withheld in: Russia." Two days later, Twitter was again in the news for reportedly working with Turkey to monitor content. This comes about two months after Turkey shut down the platform entirely. A senior government official in Turkey told Reuters that Twitter will be more responsive to Turkish court orders calling for content to be removed from the platform. Moving forward to Thursday, and Twitter is revealed to have blocked tweets after a Pakistani bureaucrat requested they be taken down. According to The New York Times, the Pakistani claimed the tweets were "blasphemous" or "unethical." Twitter complied with his five requests, which you can view on Chilling Effects. Twitter has yet to make a public statement about any of these cases, and it did not respond to our request for comment. The company has previously explained that it simply wants to follow the law each country it operates in: Many countries, including the United States, have laws that may apply to Tweets and/or Twitter account content. In our continuing effort to make our services available to users everywhere, if we receive a valid and properly scoped request from an authorized entity, it may be necessary to reactively withhold access to certain content in a particular country from time to time. "Over the last several years Twitter has made the explicit point of being a defender of free speech," Galperin said. "This is something the CEO has said himself. You cannot claim to be a defender of free speech and then cave in to Pakistan or Russia. You simply can't have it both ways. To watch it backpedal like this is extremely disappointing." Galperin holds Twitter to a higher standard than other platforms like Facebook and Google since Twitter asked for higher expectations when it called itself a defender of freedom of speech. Google notably pulled out of China entirely after facing issue over censorship. While Twitter is trying to avoid such a total pullout from any country, the current state of censorship may be a mistake. "Companies like Google and Facebook cave like this all the time, but they never called themselves the free speech wing of the free speech party," Galperin said. "This is what Twitter is good for. This is what Twitter has built its reputation on."

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on LinkedIn + Finland is the only country in the European Union that is not struggling with a crisis of homelessness and housing exclusion, according to a new report published by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (Feantsa). In Finland, homeless people are given permanent housing as soon as they become homeless. In an interview with The Guardian, Juha Kaakinen, chief executive of the Y-Foundation, which provides 16,300 low cost flats to homeless people in Finland, said the difference is ending homelessness instead of managing it. “The basic idea is to offer permanent housing and needs-based support for homeless people instead of temporary accommodation in hostels or in emergency shelters,” he said. “Permanent housing means an independent rental flat with own rental contract.” Since 2008 the national homelessness strategy in Finland has been based on the Housing First model, as a result of dedicated cooperation between the state, municipalities and NGOs. “Finland has all but eradicated rough sleeping and sustainably housed a significant number of long-term homeless people. Finland is the only country in Europe where the number of homeless people has declined in recent years,” added Kaakinen. He explains that tenants pay rent and are entitled to receive housing benefits. Depending on their income, they may contribute to the cost of the services. The rest is covered by the municipalities. They provide the support themselves or buy support from other service providers, mainly from the NGOs. “Stable living conditions enable the use of mainstream services instead of using expensive emergency services,” said Kaakinen. “This will save money in a long term.”

Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. April 24, 2014, 6:00 PM GMT A new study on how coral reacts to global climate change has some researchers optimistic that at least a few of the polychromatic reefs crucial to underwater ecosystems may be better able to adjust to a warming world than was previously thought. That's good news, given that coral reefs soften the blow of storms headed to areas where people live, and nurture a kaleidoscopic array of fish that provide a livelihood and food for people around the globe. But coral reefs aren’t out of hot water yet. The new study’s findings stem from research on a single coral species in a remote Pacific Ocean lagoon that laps the shores of Ofu Island in American Samoa. The findings could well apply to corals around the world, explained Stephen Palumbi, a marine biologist at Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove, Calif., and the study's lead author. "If that is true, then perhaps corals around the world have a slightly longer period of time before global ocean warming completely does them in. … As the oceans warm, they will pick up some of the slack, but we don't know what the limits of that are. We don't know when they are going to get maxed out," he told NBC News. "As the oceans warm, they will pick up some of the slack, but we don't know what the limits of that are. We don't know when they are going to get maxed out." What the researchers do know is that the coral Acropora hyacinthus is able to adjust its physiology to the gradual, annual rise in ocean warmth due to the forces of global climate change. Some colonies have also evolved adaptations over generations that appear to afford even greater resilience to warming. The finding is reported Thursday in the journal Science. "It sends a very clear message that all of the doom and gloom we are hearing about coral reefs — while we don't want to take these threats any less seriously — we might have more time than we think" to deal with the challenges posed by climate change, Elizabeth McLeod, an Austin, Texas-based coral reef expert who studies climate adaptation science for The Nature Conservancy, told NBC News. McLeod, who was not involved with the study, added the caveat that "this is one particular species in one very special place. There are other places like it in the world, but it is not the common trend. So, for us, it is really about learning what are the conditions that make the place special and how do we use that information to prioritize areas for protection." One lagoon, two pools Palumbi and his colleagues conducted their research in a lagoon with two pools of water on the shoreward side of a barrier reef. One pool is shallower than the other and thus heats up more at low tide — to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which had been considered too high for corals to survive. But, in fact, corals of the same species thrive in both pools. The researchers wanted to know why. To find out, they swapped some pieces of coral from both pools and let them grow in their respective new environments for several years. They then exposed the corals to heat stress tests and performed genetic analyses. "As we learn more information about corals that are potentially genetically resistant … we can be selecting ones that are more likely to survive a stressful climate." Their findings suggest that corals are able to acclimate to warmer waters and that way deal with higher heat stress about 50 times faster than they would adapt through evolutionary change alone. But there is also an evolutionary aspect given that the corals from the warm pool that stayed in the warm pool performed the best. "That there are differences from corals between two pools is not necessarily surprising," Cynthia Riginos, who studies ecological and evolutionary genetics at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, told NBC News via email. "Adaptive differences — that is, DNA-based differences — might underlie those fixed effects, but there are several other equally plausible explanations." Informing conservation management Regardless of what underlies the differences, the findings suggest that the corals already adapted to warm water ought to become a conservation priority "so that when the ocean is warm, there is a repository of warm water adapted coral that might be able to still live," Palumbi said. Nor are these corals necessarily resilient to other known threats from global climate change such as ocean acidification, though it's possible such corals exist, Palumbi said. What's more, the acclimation to warmer water is a gradual process that is unlikely to offer much protection from a bulge of warm water that suddenly appears over a reef and sits there for several months, triggering a mass bleaching event. This happened during the 1997-98 El Niño with dire consequences for corals around the world. "This information also has implications for more controversial ideas like selective breeding of heat resistant corals," McLeod said of the new study. "As we learn more information about corals that are potentially genetically resistant … we can be selecting ones that are more likely to survive a stressful climate."

“Shock is a merciful condition. It allows you to get through disaster with a necessary distance between you and your feelings.” ~ Lisa Kleypas It never gets easier, it just gets different. It’s hard to see another year start without him in it, hard to believe it has been three years without him here with us, hard not to remember how valiantly we were fighting for his life at this time in 2011. Good things are happening in my life, big changes. My oldest son graduated high school and is looking towards the future. It’s hard not to have Tucker, my youngest son, here to share it with us. My life is not always covered in this sadness, joy filters in like God’s Light pours out of a stormy sky. But I’ve come to realize that I take it everywhere I go. Like people do, each year grief changes and takes on a new form. I think sometimes it was easier to deal with when the shock and numbness hadn’t worn off: so much was hidden in the dense fog of it, as if you can only bare to see just two feet in front of your face. In a way, that kind of grief had a protective quality to it—shielding you from the size of it all, allowing you to take it on only a bit at a time. Without the fog this new grief cries loudly, “The Emperor has no clothes.” as it points out how exposed and unprotected I feel in the face of it. The covering of the numbing fog has lifted and I can see more that two feet in front of me. It’s like looking out at the ocean: I have become aware that I will not ever be able to see the end of it, just the horizon off in the distance. Suddenly the blissful blindness of the shock-induced fog is missed. The numbing shock that clothed my grief has been ripped away. To say that there was bliss in early grief seems foreign and ironic but compared to the nakedness of this reality, while shocking, it is on some level true by comparison. The saying that it gets better with time is not true. It just gets different. I believe that there will always be a certain level of unprotected exposure I will continue to face, moments where I will become acutely aware that the Emperor has no clothes. This is a realization that regardless of what I put on there will always be this raw unrelenting grief. As the years move purposefully forward I have learned that time stops for no one, not even when we need a good cry or a corner to sequester ourselves in. I am challenged to get up and get dressed, to seek to clothe myself in hope, joy, love and happiness, even if my undergarments are still sadness. Maybe they always will be but I must continue to remind myself that it doesn’t have to be the only thing I am wearing. Maybe that is how it becomes different. Love elephant and want to go steady?

The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan has claimed that the Batman trilogy is the last time that a filmmaker will be afforded the “luxury of time” on a studio movie. Nolan, in a wide-ranging interview at the The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in London, added that he will one day make his long-gestating Howard Hughes project. Nolan was speaking at a BAFTA: A Life In Pictures event, hosted by film journalist Edith Bowman and he discussed many of the major films over his career including Memento, The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar and Dunkirk as well as the Batman films. He noted that Batman Begins, which starred Christian Bale in the title role, launched in 2005, while The Dark Knight, which featured Heath Ledger, launched in 2008 and The Dark Knight Rises launched in 2012. “That’s a privilege and a luxury that filmmakers aren’t afforded anymore. I think it was the last time that anyone was able to say to a studio, ‘I might do another one, but it will be four years’. There’s too much pressure on release schedules to let people do that now but creatively it’s a huge advantage. We had the privilege and advantage to develop as people and as storytellers and then bring the family back together,” he said. Nolan didn’t particularly discuss the fact that he is well known to prefer film to digital, but he did warn that he would be part of the last generation of filmmakers to “grow up” with Super 8 film. “It was a question of putting interesting images together. It’s very different for kids today, working with sound.” Nolan, who launched his career with noir thriller Following in 1998, added that he still wanted to make his Howard Hughes project, which was initially beaten to the screen by Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, one day. The film about the reclusive billionaire previously had Jim Carrey attached to star. “Howard Hughes is a fascinating character. A lot of what I put into the script, which I do intend to make one day, I put into Bruce Wayne. There’s been many films that have addressed different aspects of his life but not the whole thing.” Nolan added that he was a “big comedy nerd” and his favourite comedy film was Withnail and I and that the first film he ever saw was Star Wars, which he saw 12 times.

D'Andrea USA. is a manufacturer of plastic instrument picks. Luigi D'Andrea made the world's very first plastic guitar pick out of celluloid in 1922. In October 2007, D'Andrea celebrated 85 years of designing and manufacturing professional guitar picks and music accessories, making it one of the oldest companies in the musical accessory industry. Introduction [ edit ] The tonal effect of a musical piece can depend as much on the selection of pick as it does on the choice of strings, amplifiers, effects, or guitar. Many players keep a variety of types and gauges available for varied sounds and playing styles. History of the plastic pick [ edit ] Up until 1922, most picks were handmade from real tortoise shell - the carapace of the Atlantic Hawksbill turtle. It provided the finest tonal quality but it had some drawbacks. It was very expensive, had a tendency to break, and was scarce. People had tried other materials such as bone, stone, and ivory but none had been particularly successful. Luigi D'Andrea punched the little disks out of celluloid by hand, with a heavy mallet and a variety of knife edged dies which he designed. The cut edges were then finished by hand with sand paper. He also made the traditional tortoise shell picks the same way. The real shell came from Europe in irregularly shaped "plates" which were then soaked in oil and pressed between heated stainless steel plates for days. The plates were regularly tightened with a hand wheel. The pick material was then taken off the press hot and cut by hand with a steel die and wooden mallet, to get as many good picks as possible from the irregular plate. They had to work quickly because if the shell cooled or dried out, it would shatter when cut. The edges of the plate made thin picks, further in was medium, and the center supplied the thick gauge. They were then either tumbled or finished by hand on a sanding wheel. Some would have to be re-pressed flat again at the end of this process, for the gauges were never uniform. By comparison, the celluloid process was slightly simpler because the 2'x5', sheets were flat and uniformly gauged. It was readily available in the U.S. until the late 1960s, and only from Italy and Japan. During this early time he experimented with different shapes and sizes. Guitarists he knew would visit him, and bring their special needs to his attention: making the picks bigger, smaller, longer, more round, sharper, point two sides, then three. He started numbering the styles. Soon he had created 23 shapes in tortoise and 56 shapes in celluloid. Among them is the famous #351 which eventually becomes the 'standard' "Fender" pick. One of the oddest was the #84, a combination of 3 #353 picks in thin, medium and heavy, beveled on one edge, and joined by a rivet. It could be flipped out like a pocket knife to the desired thickness when needed. Because he tried to please so many of the players with modifications to pick styles, most of today's pick "inventions" were already included in the D'Andrea catalogs of the 1920s! The problem of holding on to a pick was also addressed. There is a whole line with shaped cork cushion grips, including a heart shaped grip for a heart pick, in several sizes. One line also had notches in the sides of the picks that held tiny rubber bands. That look actually became part of the D'Andrea logo from the 1920s to the 1950s. Some picks even had 1/4" holes in the centers for grip. When imprinting became an integral part of pick manufacturing, different "patterns" were embossed for grip. Some styles were actually struck with a die which embedded tiny ridges in the tops to "corrugate" them. By the 1970s, D'Andrea introduced yet another innovation addressing the grip problem—PRO-GRIP celluloid. This treated the normally polished surface with a resin coating. The shiny pick was now dusty looking but it stayed put. In the 1990s that treatment was used on the molded Delrin PRO-GRIP BRITES pick line. By 1928, Luigi D'Andrea was the Henry Ford of guitar picks, with semi-automated equipment to punch, tumble and imprint as many as 59 differently shaped picks in both celluloid and real tortoise shell. His New York City factory produced flat picks, thumb and finger picks, pick guards, as well as guitar, bass, sax, accordion & drum bags, and cases. In the 1930s, Luigi's son Anthony joined the business and began some innovations of his own. Not only the production, but the marketing of picks became his forte. He took his cue from the candy business and secured some surplus compartmentalized boxes with glass tops which he filled with pick assortments. Picks were soon sold by the gross and half gross in 4" square plastic 'jewel' boxes with separate lids. These eventually evolved into the clear plastic compartment boxes we see today. He put picks on cardboard displays, die-cut point of purchase counter easels, and pop-up boxes. The 1930s "Nick Lucas" picks on a card were an example of his packaging ideas. The picks originally made in the 1920s were used on mandolins, banjos and acoustic guitars. The early blues and jazz players used the picks back then. In the 1950s they were used by early rockers. As more and more folks began playing guitar, the demand grew rapidly. Anthony (Tony, Sr.) then began the search for new materials for picks. Tortoiseshell was hardly available, and by 1975 would be on the endangered list and no longer used. Celluloid always was an expensive and a difficult material to handle. The lead times were tremendous and erratic. To meet the demand, he introduced a molded nylon pick with circular patterns for grip. Tony D'Andrea Jr. [ edit ] In 1962,Tony Sr.'s son, Tony Jr., joined the company. Coming out of the Aircraft industry and familiar with industrial plastics, he pioneered the use of some of the plastics still used in modern picks. A Dupont acetal polymer, Delrin was introduced as the D'Andrea Delrex line. A colorful sheet plastic, it had some of the tonal qualities of celluloid, excellent endurance, but could not be colored in shell patterns. As a sheet plastic however, it could easily be produced in many shapes. Today, D'Andrea offers it in seven shapes and six gauges. The same material is also able to be molded. So Tony Jr. developed uniquely designed molds to accommodate the needs of the faster paced music of the Rock revolution. His molds had innovative sharply beveled edges to provide fast release with clearer tone. Those molds are used to produce the three Delrin lines: Jetex with a multi-leveled gripping surface, and the Brites and Pro-Grip Brites lines with Fluorescent pigmented colors. A new stronger Nylon formula was also developed and used in these sharp edged molds. As the "standard" #351 pick emerged as the dominant pick shape, the need for 59 shapes diminished, but Tony wanted to increase its versatility. In 1974, he introduced the 4th and 5th sound: .58mm Thin /Medium and .84mm Medium/Heavy. Today picks come in 8 gauges, up to 2.00mm super heavy. As for shapes, 10 still remain from the early days. Still the professionals favorite for its unique sound quality, the breadth of the celluloid material was necessarily reduced. Because of its constantly increasing cost, many colors have been eliminated. To fill players' need for an economical pick, Tony introduced a polymer plastic, V-Resin. It mimics most celluloid properties, but its lower material cost, domestic availability, and familiar colors make it widely popular. It is available in jewel like transparent hues and stone patterns. Variations of it are used for several premium pick lines: SPECTRA-PLEC, SPECTRA SHARP-transparent jewel colors, ULTRA PLEC in burled wood, malachite and crystal patterns and PRO PLEC, a super heavy, rich shell patterned pick in vintage shapes. Another area of innovation for Tony Jr. has been the pick imprinting processes. From the very beginning, simple hot stamping had been used to identify the picks, first with a D'Andrea logo and then simple block letter dies for a player name. These were originally imprinted in one shot, foot pedal operated machines. One of the first to make the player imprint popular was Nick Lucas. In the 1930s, using the old round top #351 pick Luigi developed for him, each pick was imprinted with his logo and sold as a "Nick Lucas" pick. The 1950s saw the advent of mass-producing private labeled picks for guitar companies, requiring sophisticated automated printing and packaging. The 1960s was the heyday of rock and every player and store wanted their pick personalized. Tony developed some of the fastest multi-shot equipment for punching, imprinting and bagging. In the 1990s he revolutionized the imprint process with the introduction of pad printing. It overcame some of the speed and design limitations of hot stamping. Now very intricate logos can be produced by computer generation and they can be multicolored. By 1996, even a photograph could be imprinted on a pick! D'Andrea today [ edit ] D'Andrea manufactures twelve D'Andrea brand pick lines, private label picks for many prominent guitar makers, custom imprinted picks for thousands of music retailers worldwide, and most of the veteran and contemporary artists. Among the many endorsees are Al Di Meola, Lee Ritenour, Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi, Slayer, and The Ventures — representatives of a variety of musical styles. There are over 50,000 imprint dies in the D'Andrea archives. After 85 years of producing, developing and innovating, picks are now made from five plastics including celluloid. When Luigi’s son, Anthony, took over the business in the 1940s, it was expanded into cases and other guitar accessories. Today, his grandson Tony, operates the family business, along with his brother-in-law, Charles Lusso as general Mgr. In 2002, they expanded by purchasing the Snarling Dogs line of signature wah pedals and amp emulators, and the rights to the Snarling Dogs Brain Pick. In 2003, D'Andrea began distributing products from other manufacturers. Today, celluloid has very few uses other than guitar picks, pickguards, other guitar related parts, ping pong balls and accordion shells. Large commercial sources of it have vanished except for one in Italy. There is new hope as, thankfully, mainland China has taken on the task of keeping celluloid alive and is now a viable and fairly abundant resource of the substance. It is produced from cotton cellulose (nitrocellulose) and camphor, in huge vats which take months to cure. The lead time is anywhere from four to six months for production alone. It is then made into 300 lb. blocks, skived into sheets and shipped from overseas—a costly and time consuming process in the era of overnight delivery. As they celebrated their 90th year, effective July 1, 2012, D'Andrea USA was purchased by Delmar Products, a plastics company in Berlin, CT. Though Tony D'Andrea is in contact with the company and brother-in-law, Charles Lusso continues to work at the company, the D'Andrea family is, theoretically, no longer involved. References [ edit ]

By By Sean Fraser May 1, 2012 in World Neuroscientist, author, and atheist Sam Harris caught serious heat from his fans and the general press for expressing his views on profiling Muslims at the airports. Although I don’t think I look like a jihadi, or like a man pretending not to be one, I do not mean to suggest that a person like me should be exempt from scrutiny. But other travelers fit the profile far less than I do. One glance at these innocents reveals that they are no more likely to be terrorists than walruses in disguise. He recalls an incident at JFK International Airport involving an elderly couple who were subjected to rather unnecessary security measures. The woman was in a wheelchair, and her husband slowly prepared their bags to be checked. Once their bags were finally ready to be scanned, the couple approached the full body scanner, but were stopped because they forgot to take their shoes off. A pair of TSA screeners stepped forward to prevent this dangerous breach of security—removing what appeared to be orthopedic footwear from both the woman in the wheelchair and the man now staggering at her side. Harris then goes on to detail an incident where a TSA scanner dragged away a three year old child from its parents to check its sandals while his bag, which he accidentally forgot to remove two pounds of live 9mm ammunition, went unnoticed. Harris explained that the scanners were being distracted by much lesser threats while something that was dangerous was getting through. He said, "Every moment spent frisking the Mormon Tabernacle Choir subtracts from the scrutiny paid to more likely threats. Who could fail to understand this?" Harris makes his point very clear. While terrorism is not exclusive to one race or religion, the current race and religion that partakes in the majority of terrorist activities are Middle Eastern Muslims. Because of this, they should be the ones screened most often. "Imagine how fatuous it would be to fight a war against the IRA and yet refuse to profile the Irish? And yet this is how we seem to be fighting our war against Islamic terrorism." In closing, Harris comments: Needless to say, a devout Muslim should be free to show up at the airport dressed like Osama bin Laden, and his wives should be free to wear burqas. But if their goal is simply to travel safely and efficiently, wouldn’t they, too, want a system that notices people like themselves? At a minimum, wouldn’t they want a system that anti-profiles—applying the minimum of attention to people who obviously pose no threat? Harris's blog has been met with criticism and praise, but mostly criticism. Michael Mungai of the Huffington post wrote a I am not sure how you'd recommend that the TSA go about identifying Muslims. Unless all Muslims are forced to don a star and crescent on their clothing, I am assuming that you are advocating for the profiling of people who appear to be from the Middle East and other Muslim countries, i.e. identifying them by their race. Mungai also pointed out that racial profiling does not help bring down the crime rate. He also brought up the issue of race determining religion, and cited the case of the Underwear Bomber, who was a black man from Nigeria, stating that the Underwear Bomber "would also slip through security while the TSA frisks a Pakistani family heading to Disney World for holiday." Greg Laden, who writes for the Freethought Blogs, is adamantly supportive of Harris. Laden states in Laden suggests also using things like a passenger's itinerary to determine whether or not someone might be a terrorist. "Had the American security people been on the ball with itineraries, they may have prevented 9/11, where several guys who had a loose association independently bought plane tickets...". Whether you are for or against racial and religious profiling, one thing is certain: the TSA conducts a lot of invasive searches on people who do not need to be subjected to such behavior. There is absolutely no reason for children or the elderly to be screened so harshly. The heavy list of unnecessary "precautions" needs to be wittled down to three: metal detectors, explosives detectors, and X-ray machines. And everyone must go through all three, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, or status. By streamlining the security process, the easier it will be to get people to their planes on time. The travelers who have been scared away by the procedures will come back to fly and airline profits will rise. This will in turn lead to more flights, more jobs, and happier travelers. Harris, who has written many books on the subject of religious intolerance and morality, posted a blog expressing his views about how the TSA wastes valuable time, energy, and resources searching people, like children and the elderly, who are clearly not going to smuggle explosives on a plane. He writes:He recalls an incident at JFK International Airport involving an elderly couple who were subjected to rather unnecessary security measures. The woman was in a wheelchair, and her husband slowly prepared their bags to be checked. Once their bags were finally ready to be scanned, the couple approached the full body scanner, but were stopped because they forgot to take their shoes off.Harris then goes on to detail an incident where a TSA scanner dragged away a three year old child from its parents to check its sandals while his bag, which he accidentally forgot to remove two pounds of live 9mm ammunition, went unnoticed. Harris explained that the scanners were being distracted by much lesser threats while something that was dangerous was getting through. He said, "Every moment spent frisking the Mormon Tabernacle Choir subtracts from the scrutiny paid to more likely threats. Who could fail to understand this?"Harris makes his point very clear. While terrorism is not exclusive to one race or religion, the current race and religion that partakes in the majority of terrorist activities are Middle Eastern Muslims. Because of this, they should be the ones screened most often. "Imagine how fatuous it would be to fight a war against the IRA and yet refuse to profile the Irish? And yet this is how we seem to be fighting our war against Islamic terrorism."In closing, Harris comments:Harris's blog has been met with criticism and praise, but mostly criticism. Michael Mungai of the Huffington post wrote a letter-style article to Harris saying he was disappointed in Harris. Mungai went on to write:Mungai also pointed out that racial profiling does not help bring down the crime rate. He also brought up the issue of race determining religion, and cited the case of the Underwear Bomber, who was a black man from Nigeria, stating that the Underwear Bomber "would also slip through security while the TSA frisks a Pakistani family heading to Disney World for holiday."Greg Laden, who writes for the Freethought Blogs, is adamantly supportive of Harris. Laden states in his article that using a certain criteria when judging whether a person is a terrorist is fine, stating, "If your concept of what makes a person more likely a terrorist is correct, then you will have a better chance of catching a terrorist, and it will take fewer resources to do so. But it must be done correctly."Laden suggests also using things like a passenger's itinerary to determine whether or not someone might be a terrorist. "Had the American security people been on the ball with itineraries, they may have prevented 9/11, where several guys who had a loose association independently bought plane tickets...".Whether you are for or against racial and religious profiling, one thing is certain: the TSA conducts a lot of invasive searches on people who do not need to be subjected to such behavior. There is absolutely no reason for children or the elderly to be screened so harshly. The heavy list of unnecessary "precautions" needs to be wittled down to three: metal detectors, explosives detectors, and X-ray machines. And everyone must go through all three, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, or status.By streamlining the security process, the easier it will be to get people to their planes on time. The travelers who have been scared away by the procedures will come back to fly and airline profits will rise. This will in turn lead to more flights, more jobs, and happier travelers. This opinion article was written by an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily intended to reflect those of DigitalJournal.com More about Sam harris, Atheism, Racial profiling, religious profiling, Tsa Sam harris Atheism Racial profiling religious profiling Tsa Airport security Racism

Motorists ride past a graffiti of the Islamic State group's flag in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia. AP Photo CIANJUR, Indonesia (AP) — A businessman who proclaims himself leader of the Indonesian chapter of the Islamic State group says he has personally overseen the departure of scores of fighters from this Southeast Asian nation to Syria and Iraq. Police detained him for a night recently, but were unable to charge him with a crime. Chep Hernawan reflects both the success IS has had in attracting support in the region, and the challenges Indonesia faces in responding. The government, home to most of the up to 200 Southeast Asians believed to be fighting in Syria and Iraq, has forcefully spoken out against the Islamic State, as have mainstream Muslim organizations in the country. But Indonesia is limited in what it can do to stop suspected militants from traveling abroad. The country lacks the sort of laws that neighboring Malaysia and Singapore have, allowing for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances. It also does not ban speech that could incite hatred and intolerance. National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said his force could only monitor IS supporters. "If they have no record of terrorism activities then they can't be charged under our criminal law," he said. Any changes will be a challenge given the fractious nature of the new Parliament and other legislative priorities, according to a recent report into the evolution of the Islamic State group by the Institute of Policy Analysis for Conflict. For the first time since the 1990s and the Afghan jihad, Indonesians, Malaysians and other extremists in Southeast Asia are traveling abroad in an organized fashion to join a global militant movement, picking up battlefield skills and militant contacts. Security officials fear they could take part in terrorism on their return to Southeast Asia, as those trained in Afghanistan did in attacks such as the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people. Radicals at home also could heed the Islamic State group's exhortations to carry out revenge attacks on Western targets. In response to the threat posed by foreign fighters, the United Nations Security Council last month adopted a resolution demanding member states prevent the recruitment and travel of people to join militant groups like IS. Hernawan's brush with the law has not stopped him from campaigning on behalf of the group or defending its actions, including the beheading of journalists and opposition forces. "I'm convinced that these are religious acts based on Islamic teachings (permitting acts) that strike fear in the hearts of enemies of Islam," he told The Associated Press recently at his white, colonial-style house, which stands prominently on the edge of Cianjur town's main road. His home's decor includes a real stuffed tiger, and at the time of his interview he had a pile of warm clothes and blankets ready to be delivered for refugees in the Gaza Strip. Hernawan, 63, owns hotel and manufacturing companies and is a longtime public supporter of radical Islam. He said he was appointed the head of IS head in Indonesia at a meeting of radicals on March 16. While he is a well-known for speaking on IS's behalf in the country, two experts on militancy in Indonesia said it was unclear or even unlikely whether he had any structural links to the group's leadership in Syria. Like some other radicals in Indonesia, he says violent jihad within Indonesia is not justified because the country doesn't meet the conditions required under Islamic law. Not so elsewhere. "In countries where there are wars such as Iraq, Syria and Palestine, you either kill or get killed," Hernawan said. Earlier this year he addressed a gathering of IS supporters in the heart of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. On the stage with him was a man called Bahrumsyah, who in July later appeared in an IS propaganda video with other Indonesians in Syria. The Islamic State group has quickly achieved popularity among a section of extremists in Southeast Asia because it has a territory that welcomes those willing to fight, a slick social media campaign and a reputation for battlefield success. The danger posed to Indonesia from IS was brought into focus last month when police arrested four ethnic Uighurs they allege were being taken to meet the country's most wanted militant to discuss recruitment for IS. The militant, Abu Wardah Santoso, has taken responsibility for the killings of several Indonesian police officers and has pledged allegiance to IS. The Indonesian government has outlawed IS and ordered regional leaders to improve coordination and cooperation with security agencies to monitor activities regarding the spread of the group's ideology. The Indonesian Ullema Council, the country's top Muslim clerical body, has declared IS to be a violent and radical movement that tarnished the image of Islam as a peaceful religion. In Malaysia, authorities have revoked the passports of 30 suspected militants who had previously been arrested under the country's now-defunct national security act, said Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, head of the national police counterterrorism unit. In late September, police detained three suspected jihadists at Kuala Lumpur International Airport as they were about to board a flight to Turkey. Ayob Khan said at least 22 Malaysians were known to have left for the war in Syria. Sri Yunanto, an expert on militancy at Indonesia's anti-terrorism agency, said many jihadi groups within Indonesia are trying to use the war in Syria to create a pool of combat-trained and indoctrinated recruits. "Their goal is to send young people to Syria to provide them with expertise and experience," Yunanto said. "When the time comes for terrorism, they will have skilled operatives." At least four Indonesians are known to have been killed in Syria and Iraq. The first was Wildan Mukhollad, who blew himself up in a restaurant in Baghdad earlier this year. He grew up in the same village as two notorious militants convicted and later executed for their role in the Bali bombings, and attended a school founded by them. Ali Fauzi, his teacher at Al Islam boarding school, remembers Mukhollad watching the funerals of the two militants in the village. "He was a good boy, a smart boy," Fauzi said. "I knew that it was his dream, he had reached what he dreamed of as a kid: to be martyred and go to heaven." ___ Associated Press writers Jim Gomez in Manila and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.

Tony Barson / WireImage Tom Cruise and German officer Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. Tom Cruise may suit up nicely as an American flying ace or an acrobatic crime buster, but when it comes to portraying Germany's most beloved anti-Nazi, Germans would prefer a different actor, bitte. Cruise is due to play German officer Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, celebrated for trying to kill Hitler in 1944, but the German Defense Ministry has warned that if Cruise gets the role, Ministry sites will be off-limits to the filmmakers. The reason? Because Cruise, as the Defense Ministry puts it, "has publically professed to being a member of the Scientology cult." "Stauffenberg played an imporant role in the military resistance against the Nazi regime," a Ministry of Defense spokesman explained Wednesday , adding that "a sincere and respectful depiction of the events of July 20 [the failed plot to assassinate Hitler] is therefore very much in our interest. Tom Cruise, with his Scientology background, is not the right person for this." Ursula Cabreta, director of a government-sponsored group that monitors Scientologist activities in Germany was more blunt. She called the selection of Cruise to play the role of von Stauffenberg a "scandal." The furor says more about Germany's struggle with Scientology than it does about the actor, who does, it's worth noting, bear a passing resemblance to the square-jawed German national hero. Cruise was offered the role, says United Artists CEO Paula Wagner, "because [director Bryan Singer] thought he was perfect for the part. Aside from his obvious admiration of the man he is portraying, Mr. Cruise's personal beliefs have absolutely no bearing on the movie's plot, themes, or content." The German authorities have had a long history of run-ins with the Church of Scientology, which they accuse of masquerading as a church in order to make money — a charge the group vehemently rejects. Germany, along with several other European countries, has aggressive laws targeting groups that they deem to be cults. Their hostility to Scientology is also based, Cabreta told TIME, on a perception that the writings of the church's founder , L. Ron Hubbard, split the world into "social " and "anti social" personalities, and also that the group "propagates the idea that Germany is controlled by Nazis." The German government recently tried, unsuccessfully, to prevent the Church of Scientology from opening a new 43,000-square-foot headquarters in the upscale Berlin district of Charlottenburg. The facility opened in January, and Cruise and his wife, Katie Holmes, dropped by earlier this month during a visit that also took in the Von Stauffenberg memorial. The memory of von Stauffenberg is close to German hearts. His plot to assassinate Hitler on July 20, 1944, while unsuccessful, has come to symbolize German resistance to the Nazis. Repelled by Hitler's racist policies and military bungling, Von Stauffenberg tried to blow him up with a suitcase bomb at the field headquarters known as Wolf's Lair, but the blast was partially obstructed and failed to find its target. Von Stauffenberg was executed in a purge shortly afterwards. Casting Cruise in the role has drawn fire from a range of sources. "He should keep his hands off my father," Von Stauffenberg's son Berthold told the Suddeutsche Zeitung. "He should go climb a mountain or go surfing in the Caribbean. I don't care as long as he stays out of this." Von Stauffenberg said that he was not commenting on Cruise's acting prowess, though based on the star's oeuvre, he feared the result would be "terrible kitsch." German actor Thomas Kretschmann (King Kong, The Downfall) told the Welt am Sonntag that Cruise's selection "an absolute catastrophe, a real blow." He said the very idea of this "epitome of modern American action cinema" putting on a German uniform with an eye patch is "quite ridiculous." The furor is unlikely to have any impact on the movie. Entitled Valkyrie and directed by Bryan Singer (Superman Returns), it is still scheduled for release in 2008. The Defense Ministry refusal to allow access to its buildings will bar cameras from the original cluster of rooms, including von Stauffenberg's office, where the plot was hatched, though presumably the setting can be replicated at studios outside Berlin. The German government action seems unlikely to cost Cruise his role. The publicity, if anything, will probably boost ticket sales, even as Germans find comfort in having spoken out: "I am very glad that the filming permission for such a high-ranking Scientology member could have been prevented," a senior official in the ruling Christian Democratic Union party, Antje Blumenthal said. "This would have equalled an acceptance of Scientology." As the world now knows, Germany is having none of that.

I almost had to take out a second mortgage to go to Bumbershoot. How did it come to cost $109 per day? The answer is we abandoned our arts festival, so this is what we get. Dear young people of Seattle: I’d like to apologize. We older folks have once again screwed up for you a generous and beautiful tradition that we ourselves enjoyed nearly cost-free for decades. Until we abandoned it, that is. I’m talking about Bumbershoot, the music and arts festival on right now at Seattle Center. This is not about its quality — it’s got some great musical acts this year, as usual. They also say we’re lucky to have it at all, as it almost went out of business. But as someone who spent the better part of this past week trying to score tickets so my 15-year-old daughter could see a few of her favorite bands, my take-away is we have morphed a community treasure into another corporate predator out to make a buck. Or as I found out, a hundred bucks. My odyssey started Tuesday, when my daughter pored over the Bumbershoot schedule and decided Saturday was the best day. Tickets were surge-priced at an eye-watering $109, plus another $14 in service fees. I can’t pay that, I thought. The first year I went to Bumbershoot, in 1985, a ticket cost only $4. Seriously, $4. Adjusting for inflation, $4 then equals $9 today. So somehow we’ve tacked a hundred bucks past inflation onto the value of what is euphemistically still called the city’s arts festival. Only suddenly, even those $109 tickets weren’t for sale. The festival’s producer, the global sports and entertainment presenter Anschutz Entertainment Group, blocked all sales of Saturday-only tickets, even as it insisted the day was not sold out. Why would it do this? Because it was pushing sales of higher-priced passes. Now we were told we could still go to Bumbershoot on Saturday, but only if we bought a three-day pass instead. The price for that? $189! “Please note — WE ARE NOT SOLD OUT on Saturday,” an AEG spokesman wrote to The Seattle Times. “But doing it this way allows us to factor in better safety and enhance the guest experience. Please don’t say that S.O. word as it would kill the festival. We do have Saturday tickets available IF you buy the 3 day ticket.” This meant it would cost my family of four $756 to get onto the grounds. I would have to take out a second mortgage to go to Bumbershoot. How did this happen to our arts festival? It’s a long story, some of it involving mismanagement and hyperinflation in the live-music business. But the bottom line is: It isn’t ours anymore. Bumbershoot used to be heavily subsidized by the government. I didn’t know it then, but back in 1985 the festival got a city-budget appropriation. It used Seattle Center and even some staffers for free. It was all the outgrowth of a national flowering of government support for the arts that started back in the 1960s. It meant that when I showed up in this little fishing village, Seattle, you could go see Stevie Ray Vaughan or Bonnie Raitt or Black Uhuru plus art like the “Bumberbiennale” — a retrospective of Seattle painting that became a huge hit — all for $4. Now the city gives zero money, and Seattle Center charges rent. It’s no longer a nonprofit, but run by an entertainment conglomerate. So this is what we get. Or rather, you, younger generation, it’s what you get. We older folks already got ours. After a few days of badgering the ticket sellers, on Friday I went to the box office in person to complain. They told me, bafflingly, that it was true they had no Saturday tickets earlier, but now they mysteriously did. For $109 it can be your lucky day, they actually said. I winced and paid. The good news is I didn’t fall for the $189 three-day pass upselling scheme. The bad news is I paid a 2,600 percent markup over the 1985 price. My wife warned me not to write this column. You’ll sound like an old man telling stories, she said. True, but isn’t that basically the job description of a newspaper columnist? So my old-man story, kids, is that Seattle’s great music and arts festival used to be relaxed and accessible to everyone not because of some halcyon days-gone-by economy but because we, collectively, paid for it to be that way. It was ours because the city made it ours. Then we all got corporatitis, and now it isn’t ours anymore. As I said, from my generation to yours: Sorry.

Movie: in the final part of our series of exclusive video interviews with Bjarke Ingels, the architect compares his design method to the family game of Twister and claims BIG's Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant will "transform people's perceptions" about public utility buildings. BIG's Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant, which is currently under construction in Copenhagen, will blow rings of smoke and feature a 31,000-square-metre ski slope on its roof. "One of the things that I love about architecture is that it is the art and science of turning fiction into fact," Ingels says. "Right now you can say it's a science-fiction idea to have a power plant with smoke rings and ski slopes, but in three years they will ski on their power plants in Denmark." He adds: "It's really going to transform people's perception of what a public utility building should be. There is this world-changing element in architecture, that once you're done, now that's how the world is. When you started it was a crazy idea, now it's just how it is." The whole concept is made possible by how clean and efficient the plant will be in operation. Related story Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant by BIG "It's going to be so clean that the smoke coming out of the chimney is completely non-toxic," Ingels explains. "The smoke coming out of the chimney is going to come out in the form of smoke rings so you can see how much carbon dioxide emission there is – to make the something uncountable countable." Ingels hopes the new slope will help to improve Denmark's medal tally at the next Winter Olympics. "We have snow in Denmark but we have absolutely no topography," he explains. "Some people might have noticed that Denmark got zero medals in Sochi. We hope to contribute to improving that situation by actually giving the Danes a home slope where they can practice." Ingels says the Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant is an example of how his practice BIG tries to solve multiple challenges in a single building. Related story "BIG never makes any design decisions just for fun" says Bjarke Ingels "One way to explain our design approach is that it's like an architectural game of Twister," he says. "When you start the game it's quite easy, but then as you load on more demands you suddenly find yourself in back-bending positions with your face rubbing up against the body parts of family members. It gets really difficult and enjoyable." "I think that's essentially our design method. We don't just answer one question, we try to actively find more questions to answer, more problems to solve, more possibilities to create." This is the third in a series of three exclusive interviews with Bjarke Ingels. Watch all of the movies in the series »

“Road tax is a thing of the past,” says Mitsubishi in its new TV ad, which first aired last night. Well, yes, that’s accurate. But the use of the phrase in the TV ad isn’t meant to mean “road tax” is dead but that there’s a vehicle that doesn’t have to pay it. Interestingly, Mitsubishi UK have revealed in a Facebook conversation that they sought official views on the use of the offensive and inaccurate term “road tax”. The company checked with trhe legal advisory team at the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the copy advice team at the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), and Clearcast (the body responsible for clearing copy before a commercial can be aired on TV). “Their collective view is that the phrase ‘Road Tax’ is a more commonly used phrase than ‘Vehicle Excise Duty’ and would therefore be better understood by the widest audience. As a consequence this advice has been followed in the development of the advertising copy for the launch of the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV,” said Shona of Mitsubishi. However, ASA is a serial offender here, always refusing to tackle advertisers on this subject. Thing is, “car tax” is also a widely used and understood phrase. Why don’t car advertisers switch to that? That’s the term used by many official bodies. “Vehicle tax” is also used. DVLA, the Post Office, the AA, and many other organisations get the terminology right, why do car manufacturers find this so difficult? Small print on the Mitsubishi website mentions the “Government road fund licence”. Like “road tax”, this was abolished in 1937.

RAYMORE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities are investigating whether police were targeted when someone tossed an explosive device at a patrol car along a Missouri highway. No one was injured Thursday when the device detonated on the pavement behind a westbound police patrol vehicle along Missouri 58 in Raymore, a Kansas City suburb. Investigators say the device was thrown from an eastbound vehicle. John Ham is a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Ham says the device was “likely homemade” and could’ve caused “severe injury.” He declined to provide further details. Ham says the concern is the unidentified suspect “targeted law enforcement.” A $5,000 reward is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Ham says dashcam video isn’t available because the patrol vehicle’s lights and sirens weren’t activated.

The body of a man found in a cardboard bale at a recycling plant in Hamilton had been taken to the plant by truck, police say. Daniel Bindner, 40, was homeless and had been living rough in his home town of Te Awamutu. His body was discovered by workers at OJI Fibre Solutions' plant in Frankton on Tuesday. Photo: Supplied Trucks carry cardboard to the plant, where it is then processed into bales. Detective Inspector Hywel Jones said the results of the post-mortem were inconclusive, and further tests were needed to determine the exact cause of Mr Bindner's death. "Today, we followed numerous lines of inquiry in the Te Awamutu area, where we believe it is possible Mr Bindner was picked up in a recycling truck and delivered to OJI Fibre Solutions in Hamilton. "The last recorded sighting we have of Mr Bindner is on Tuesday 21 June in Te Awamutu at McDonald's." The the focus was on finding where the cardboard was picked up from, he said. "We are going back through all the compnaies who had delivered during that time to establish who had run that route." Mr Bindner was reported missing on Monday of this week, one day before he was found. Police said he was unemployed and estranged from his family. He had three children, aged 16, seven and five.

It happens like clockwork: starting on October 1st, pink takes over. Pink lights dot the skylines of our cities, athletes don pink gear in games, clothing and jewelry designers offer rosy-hued merchandise — all in the name of increasing awareness about breast cancer. It’s become increasingly popular to criticize breast cancer awareness peer-to-peer fundraising strategies. A quick search for “breast cancer awareness backlash” turns up 1.8 million results, including articles in notable, well-regarded publications. Critics suggest that pink-drenched campaigns sugarcoat breast cancer, or that slapping a pink ribbon on merchandise is an exploitative way to increase sales. More concerning are the accusations that some pink products don’t have a connection to a charity at all. Naysayers also tend to point out that even with all this money raised, breast cancer is still without a cure. As our infographic below shows, these opponents couldn’t be more wrong. Despite the “pink fatigue,” breast cancer awareness is now more important than ever. The decline in mortality shows the benefit that concerted awareness efforts, and the money that follows them, can bring. And the fact that breast cancer is still without a cure shows that these problems are more intricate and involved than any of us would like to believe. While breast cancer deaths in the US are declining and the number of nonprofits dedicated to the disease is rising sharply, we’re far from a cure. Worldwide, women are diagnosed with breast cancer far more often than any other type of cancer, with 16.8 million cases diagnosed in 2012. What’s more, according to the American Cancer Society, U.S. cases are actually projected to be higher in 2014 than in 2009. Although there’s still work to do, it’s important to recognize the leaps that have been made with breast cancer awareness. The fact that we see Breast Cancer Awareness Month as “too much” is progress in and of itself. Forty years ago, sexism and discrimination combined to make this massive killer nearly invisible. Now that we’ve built a strong foundation and audience for breast cancer awareness, we need to inure our constituents and ourselves against complacency. And to that end, peer-to-peer fundraising organizations will need their fundraising strategies to go beyond “think pink” to creating impactful campaigns that inspire constituents. More than ever, it’s time to wear our hearts on our sleeves and hold our shovels in hand. Guard your successful cause from complacency. Download our free e-book "The Seven Success Factors" for the complete guide to growing your program.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pushed back on Friday against renewed calls for him to release his tax returns before the election, saying the rate that he pays is "none of your business." Trump, who has all but locked up the Republican Party's nomination for the Nov. 8 presidential election, has said the Internal Revenue Service is auditing his returns and he wants to wait until the review is over before making them public. "It should be and I hope it's before the election," Trump told ABC's "Good Morning America." Trump, a billionaire real estate developer who has boasted of his wealth during the campaign, was asked why he had been willing in the past to release his taxes to Pennsylvania and New Jersey officials when seeking casino licenses, even though he was being audited by the IRS. "At the time it didn't make any difference to me. Now it does," Trump said. Pressed on what tax rate he pays, Trump refused to say. "It's none of your business," he said. "Before 1976, people didn't do it. It used to be a secret thing," he added. U.S. presidential nominees have voluntarily released their tax returns for decades. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton and her rival, Bernie Sanders, have both released their returns. Clinton began calling this week on Trump to do the same. Sanders released his 2014 return in April, while former first lady Clinton posted the past eight years of her and her husband's tax returns on her website in August. Trump has said there is nothing voters can learn from his tax filing. Tax filings show sources of income, both from within the United States and other countries, as well as charitable giving, investments, deductions and other financial information. Trump said his company was "clean." "I don't have Swiss bank accounts, I don't have offshore accounts," he said. The 2012 Republican presidential nominee, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, has been scathing in his criticism of Trump and said this week it was "disqualifying" for a nominee to refuse to make his tax returns public. "There is only one logical explanation for Mr. Trump's refusal to release his returns: there is a bombshell in them," Romney said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

“What kind of bike should I get?” I used to get that question frequently. Makes sense, I guess. If you see a guy who’s always filthy and mucking about with some loud, old contraption, I can see how you might assume that guy (me) has some clue what he’s doing. (In a two-wheeled sense, anyway.) Now that I review bikes for Common Tread and write about them, I get that question all the time. I still usually have no idea what I am doing, but I have lots of opinions I share while stroking my beard, which I imagine lends them an air of gravitas. Seriously, though, what I’m about to write isn’t the end-all and be-all of opinions. I don’t usually think of bikes as “beginner bike” or “not a beginner bike.” Rather, most of them live on a continuum between those two points. It’s not a binary label, you know? A lot of it depends on the rider’s experience, size, skill set and budget, to name a few of the big determinants. With that said, I have a few philosophies on first bikes, and I also have three hard rules. Let’s cover my guidelines first, then we’ll get to the rules. The Kawasaki Versys 650 offers a practical division between fun and safety. Comfort is through the roof. The package is friendly and approachable, except perhaps for a new rider who's short. That's why fit matters. Revzilla photo. Make sure the bike feels good. I think this could be the piece of advice that I hear touted least often, which is a shame, because it’s really important. Not only does your bike need to fit you, but it also needs to be comfortable. I have seen more than one person start their motorcycle life on a race-rep bike (a terrible decision for a number of reasons), and they simply feel uncomfortable. Beginner bikes tend to place riders in a fairly neutral seating position which allows great visibility, comfort, and range of motion. I don’t really care if you think you need to be on a bike that looks like a badass cruiser — if a small dual-sport bike actually fits you and lets you stay in the saddle for a reasonable amount of time, you will learn to ride well more quickly, and that’s all there is to it. Of course, you can force yourself into a position that’s used by far more experienced riders and fail or work harder than you need to not to fail. The choice is yours. Don’t assume you know what you want to do. Sure, those Supercross dudes look like they’re having a grand old time catching all that air, but if you don’t have a buddy with lots of land handy, maybe a dirt bike isn't the best choice for you. Similarly, a cruiser might look real cool, but might not deliver the performance you’re looking for. Motorcycles today are very specialized. Before that specialization, the standard bike or UJM was plentiful. (Google it.) The less specialized a bike is, the more flexible it will be if you try out different types of riding. (Maybe cruise down a dirt road here or there or perhaps go do a track day.) You don’t have to buy a standard motorcycle, but if you have no idea what kind of motorcycling you want to do, it’s usually a good starting point. Plan on buying at least two bikes. I can hear the gasps already. Hear me out. You should plan on your first bike being exactly what its name implies. It’s your first bike, not your last bike. Don’t worry about getting bored on it — you will. Don’t worry about looking cool on a “learner bike” — you won’t. After your first season, you’ll probably be shopping for bike #2. If simply buying and selling a bike is “too much hassle,” as I have heard before, perhaps a motorcycle is not for you. Motorcycles are generally inconvenient vehicles. They require much more frequent fueling than a car, and go through tires way more quickly. There is no weather protection. You will often smell of sweat, weather, and motorcycle fluids. Don’t try to justify not getting a beginner’s bike. You are starting as a beginner. You need to pay your dues and feel dorky for a season, just like many other riders have for a hundred years. The reward? Actually learning to ride, not learning how not to die on a motorcycle. There is a difference. Spend wisely. You can skimp wherever you please, but in the entry-level market for both bikes and gear, sometimes a little money buys you a lot of features. This is true in almost any specialty hobby — golf, photography, cycling. As you buy more and more expensive gear, you hit the point of diminishing returns, where you’re paying a ton of money for what amounts to small or not-so-significant features. But down at the other end of the price spectrum where most rookies are coming in, sometimes the small price difference between two products can buy you a lot usability, comfort, or features. Just be mindful that at the entry price point, a few extra bucks here and there can go a pretty long way. Is the dealer the best spot to buy a first bike? Maybe. It depends on your priorities. Photo by Lemmy. New or used has no clear answer. Not much of a tip, right? I think there’s upsides and downsides with both methods. The new bike offers convenience — at a cost. It’s going to fire right up every time you want to ride. If it doesn’t, you have a warranty to protect you. Short of crashing your new motorcycle into an inoperable status, your new bike should be the most reliable bike one can purchase. A used bike might work, too, though. You may be dealing with imperfections, running issues, and the whims of the previous owner. None of those things is necessarily bad, but you'll take a little bit of a gamble. The payoff is a lower buy-in — sometimes thousands less than the new bike. It’s not uncommon to pick up a serviceable learner bike for literally a tenth of the cost of a new, entry-level motorcycle. Getting nosy near open garage doors in the neighborhood can really help here. Plenty of folks want to sell that old bike, but never get around to listing it for sale. It can be easy to swoop in and score a deal if you're a friendly, outgoing person. Especially if you’re not in a hurry, buying a used bike can save you buckets of cash, and that's why the market for them is so healthy. Generally speaking, the older or more abused a used bike is, the more willing you, the buyer, should be to either repair the machine or pay to have it repaired. All bikes break. Old bikes break more. This is a mechanical certainty; I’ve tested this theory a jillion times. Trust me, it’s airtight. If you are unwilling to wrench, be prepared to spend a bit more. If you are unprepared to spend a bit more, be prepared to wrench. The Yamaha SR400's small size, low displacement, and low-frills design lends itself well to learners who are looking to quickly pick up the mechanics of riding a motorbike. Revzilla photo. I'm negotiable on all of the aforementioned items to some degree or another. However, I did also promise you hard-and-fast rules. I have a short checklist to go through when it comes right down to answering the question “What bike should I get?” I’ve been using this now for about five years, and it hasn’t failed me (too much). I’m sure salty vets can — and will — come up with some bikes that are grossly inappropriate that sneak past my rigorously developed criteria. That's not the point. The checklist is a tool of speed and convenience. If you’re a rookie and you’re trawling craigslist and a bike you are considering meets all three criteria, it will probably be a workable first street bike. The list assumes you have sat on the bike and you are comfortable upon it. The bike must also meet all three rules. I am not Meatloaf. Two outta three is bad. Rule 1: No more than two cylinders This rule serves to eliminate the larger triples or four-cylinder racing machines. A twin will have plenty of power for an incoming rider, so if you’re going to trot out the “don’t want to get bored with it” line, save it. Spurgeon still happily rides around on his first bike — an 865 cc twin. Rule 2: No more than 900 cc Couple this up with the previous rule. You can find some very big twins, ranging from a Honda RC51 to a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, but the displacement is usually abnormally high. That's why I put the cutoff for a rookie at 900 cc. Stick with this rule, and you can consider bikes like the ever-popular Suzuki SV650 and also the smaller Harley Sportsters. These are bikes that even experienced riders have a ball on. Schultzy, our cameraman, rides an SV650 and let me take a short hop on it not long ago. I had forgotten how much fun those bikes are. Rule 3: No Italian I have nothing against Europe. The Italians make a lovely motorcycle, delicious food, and passionate love, I am told. Here’s the rub: Most Ducatis are not good bikes for the freshman class. The smallest Monster is not a bad entry-level choice, but it suffers the same flaw that other suitable Italian beginner bikes do: the cost of the parts is usually a little nuts. Other Italian marques fare just as poorly. Take a Moto Guzzi V7 Stone, for example. This is a near-perfect learner bike by the spec sheet, but a replacement fuel tank — a common “Oops, I dropped my bike!” item — is hard to come by and very expensive. Did I mention the incredibly long wait for parts that can occur? You don't want to waste half the season because you knocked a footpeg off your ride and someone in Mandello del Lario isn't scheduled to make another batch of them for eight weeks. Japanese motorcycles tend to have plentiful parts both new and used, and American bikes, while expensive, usually have a decent aftermarket keeping the prices reasonable. If you’ve got to have the Euro-sexy, don't say you were not warned. This is also an example of why all three rules have to be met: a Ducati 899 Panigale meets Rules One and Two and in no way should be considered even remotely appropriate for a beginning rider. There are plenty of motorcycles that meet all three rules and still provide plenty of fun and even style. Photo by Kevin Wing. That’s it. Not too bad, right? (I know the Ducatisti are taking to their keyboards at this moment.) There’s other opinions out there; they’re worth what you pay for them — just like mine. Yes, you can find someone who will tell you that he started on a 1,000 cc sport bike and he was OK just as long as he “was careful with the throttle.” It’s still a crappy idea. As a biker with a little gray starting to show up in his muzzle, I can assure you that learning to ride a bike is fun. Hell, damn near everything about motorcycling is fun. I can promise you this: you will never look back on your riding career and say, “Man, I didn't buy nearly enough first bike.”

'OMG! Please tell me this isn't true': The horrifying moment Ohio footballers' rape 'victim' discovers by TEXT what happened to her after 'she passed out on drunken night' Texts between alleged victim and male friend who witnessed her being stripped naked and humiliated before alleged sexual assault read out on second day of trial Reveals horror as the girl, who claims she was so drunk she passed out, discovers there was a picture circulated of her with semen on her body Court told of texts in which she angrily confronts one of her alleged rapists, Trent Mays, 17, telling him he has 'no f***ing respect' Mays even sent message to her father to claim it was 'a misunderstanding' Mays and fellow Steubenville footballer Ma'lik Richmond, 16, accused of raping girl in case which has scandalised America The horrific moment a 16-year-old girl learned from a series of graphic text messages that she had been stripped naked, humiliated and allegedly sexually assaulted after she claims she passed out from drink, was today revealed in court. In a fraught text exchange with a friend the morning after the alleged attack, the girl at the heart of the Ohio rape case was overcome with a sense of dawning terror: ‘OMG please tell me this isn’t f***ing true.’ She pleaded: ‘You couldn’t have told them to stop or anything?’ Hours of text and email conversations were read out during an explosive second day of testimony at the trial of footballers Trent Mays, 17, and Ma'lik Richmond, 16. Scroll down for video 'Bitches is Bitches': Explicit texts from one of the accused, Trent Mays, left, to his friends were read to the court Texts: Trent Mays' (left) explicit and disturbing texts and emails with the victim and his friends were read out on the second day of the rape trial. His co-accused Ma'lik Richmond, 16, sits to his left 'No respect': The alleged victim told Mays 'he had no respect' as she pleaded in texts the morning after: 'you shouldn't have let it happen' 'You have no f***ing respect': The angry texts from alleged victim to Mays August 12 10.09pm Victim: OK. So tell me right now wtf happened last night because I need to know the truth and people keep asking me and Idk (I don't know) what to say 10.11pm Trent Mays: Nothing happened last night you gave me a hand j*b and that’s it. Victim: OK. That’s not all that happened tell me the truth now I’m not going to tell anyone. 10.13pm Victim: How the f*** could you let that happen? 10.13pm Victim: Seriously you have no f***ing respect. People are telling me so much sh*t. Why the f*** or whoever the f*** it was took my clothes off in front of everyone. You shouldn’t have let that happen. 10.19pm Victim: Why wouldn’t you try and help me? They include the heartbreaking exchange between the alleged victim and the friend who left her naked on the ground in a basement on the night of August 11-12. They also detail the girl's furious railing against Mays and her desperate attempts to discover what happened to her. The communications also appear to show how Mays’ bragging gave way to a growing panic which even led to an extraordinary exchange between Mays and the teenage victim's father. Emails: The court was told Mays told a friend who called the victim a 'dead body' that he got a 'handygandy' from her and would have had full sex with her Trial by social media: The messages over Twitter, Instagram and text that were exchanged that night and the next day have become central to the case - and to the outrage it has caused nationwide Mays and Richmond are accused of twice digitally penetrating the girl - described as 'too impaired to say no' - and subjecting her to 'degradation, humiliation and violation'. The alleged assaults took place in the back of a car and once in the basement of a house in a case that has scandalized America and thrust the small industrial town of Steubenville, Ohio, into the national spotlight. The defense contends she was coherent enough to walk and make decisions. But in a string of texts from the victim the day after, she repeatedly claims not to remember anything after the second of three back-to-back parties that took place that night. In one her friend, a former boyfriend, told her: ‘You were like dead…I left when I saw you naked on the ground. I seriously felt so bad for you and I couldn’t do sh*t about it. I’m so sorry.’ Football town: Big Red football - who the boys played for - is a big deal in Steubenville 'I don't remember sh*t beside throwing up': Desperate texts of victim to friend August 12 5.45pm Male friend: Are you all right? (Sent repeatedly until 6.37pm) 06.39pm Victim: I’m good I need to find my phone tho and Trent went through my phone and looked at all our sh*t but what happened last night? Male friend: You were like dead. Then they took you to Mark’s. I went there and left when I saw you naked on the ground. I seriously felt so bad for you and I couldn’t do sh*t about it. I’m so sorry. 06.44pm Victim: WTF? Who was there? Who did that to me? Male friend: The kids who you woke up with and Idk (I don’t know) you’ll have to ask them. Victim: You couldn’t have told them to stop or anything? Male friend: You don’t think I did? I flipped out on them and they just said they were going to put you to bed and I don’t know what happened after that. Victim: Thanks. I hate my life. I don’t even know wtf happened. The following exchange takes place after the victim learns about a picture of her with semen on her stomach: 9.08pm Male friend: Do you remember anything from last night? Victim: I remember everything at Cammy’s (first party) then I remember walking out of the house and after that I don’t remember sh*t beside sitting in some road throwing up. Male friend: That was Jake’s road and you were like dead in the middle of the road throwing up. It was terrible. Victim: OMG please tell me this isn’t f***ing true. Male friend: WTF let me find out. Victim: OMG Male friend: You ok? Victim: Not at all 9.50pm Male friend: You’ll be all right but I mean did you do anything at all with them? If you remember anything at all you have to tell me. I promise I won't be mad. Victim: Swear to God I don’t remember doing anything with them because I didn’t feel good after throwing up. I passed out. I remember Trent telling me to do something but I said no. Male friend: If there’s [semen] on you that’s f***ing crazy. Victim: Please find out. Her response was one of shock and dismay: ‘You couldn’t have told them to stop or anything?’ Later that same day, the court heard, how the alleged victim had contacted one of her alleged attackers begging him to tell her what had taken place as the rumors began to swirl around her peer group. Images taken of her had already appeared on Instagram and several youths at the parties had tweeted mocking comments, a reality to which she was only just waking up. Detail: Prosecuting attorney Marianne Hemmeter, left, looks at evidence during the second day of the high-profile trial In one text to Mays read out in court, she simply asked: ‘How could you let that happen to me?’ Mays was telling her not to worry, that ‘nothing happened’ and he played down the events of just hours earlier. But exchanges between him and male friends paint a different picture. Referring to a multimedia message – including an image which could no longer be retrieved by the forensic analyst - the alleged victim texted her friend: 'Someone sent this to me. I have never read anything more f***ed up in my entire life.' She admitted: 'I've been crying all f***ing day. I wasn't being a slut they were taking advantage of me.' The testimony of Computer Forensic Specialist for Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations revealed a flurry of texts between Mays and several friends – many asking for copies of pictures and video taken that night. One text sent at 11.25 am (local time) by a Big Red football team-mate stated: ‘She looks dead lmao.' Mays responds: ‘She is.’ Another sent an hour or so earlier read: ‘Did you do it?’ A subsequent text from the same sender bearing the time stamp said: ‘I wanna see the video of you hitting her with your wiener. lol.’ Mays responded: ‘Idk who took it.’ Quizz: Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff Ellen Berger (left) listens to a question from Hemmeter. the trial is expected to last until the weekend Contact: Mays contacted the victim's father by text, addressing him 'Sir', to claim that he would never do anything to harm his daughter, the court heard 'I'm so f***ing scared': Mays to his friends and even alleged victim's father August 12: Between Trent and victim's male friend (after male friend has spoken to the victim) Male Friend: You are a felon. Trent Mays: Not really. August 12: Between Trent Mays and his friend Trent Mays: 10.50.24pm ‘I should have raped her now cos everyone thinks I did. Friend: Yeh you should.’ August 13: Mays to is friend Trent Mays: ‘..I’m so fucking scared. Her dad knows and our names were brought up and listen if we get questioned she was really drunk so we took her to your house and took care of her.’ August 13: To the victim’s father 12.27am Trent Mays: ‘Sir this is Trent Mays this is all a big misunderstanding. She was at the party and we talked. She was really drunk. I never once tried to do anything forceful with your daughter and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has brought you.’ Father: ‘What is on the video?’ Across several hours Mays was shown to vacillate between bragging that he had had sexual intercourse with the alleged victim to denying it. Twice he admitted to digitally penetrating her. One text from Mays read simply: ‘Bitches is bitches. F***’em.’ The alleged victim is repeatedly referred to as ‘a dead body.’ Asked by a team-mate: ‘Did you have sex with that dead body last night lol?’ Mays responded: ‘No. But would I? Yes.’ But by the following day, 13 August, one day before the alleged victim’s parents walked into Steubenville City Police Department with their daughter and reported the crime, the tone of Mays and his peers’ texts had notably shifted. Several warned him to stop sending pictures and video taken that night. One told him to ‘check’ the alleged victim. “Bro she’s telling people she got drugged.’ Op RollRedRoll: Protesters united under the banner of Anonymous 'steamrolled into Steubenville' to 'give Jane Doe a voice'

Sitting in an armchair at Because Coffee, Michael Genzoli hoists a big, blue fox head out of his bag and combs the turquoise shock of hair between its ears. If the weather holds, he and his roommate, who suits up as a white tiger, are going out for Arts! Alive in Old Town Eureka. "If we do, there'll be lots of hugs. And tail pulling," he adds with a shrug. They hate tail pulling. Once the head is on, along with paws and a fat swoosh of a tail, so is Genzoli, hamming it up in pantomime for the photographer. Two young women in the corner, Alexis Roberts and Marie Profant, ask to take a picture and he obliges. When they hear the word "furries," Profant's face freezes and the women exchange a look. If Genzoli notices, it doesn't show. He cocks his head for the crouching photographer. He knows the drill; he's a furry. Furries — in suits or otherwise — are tired of being labeled deviants, and they're quick to point out that it's a fandom — a group of like-minded fans — not a fetish. Sensational portrayals of fur-suited sex romps in the media and conflation of the group's love of humanoid animals with bestiality have left many skittish about talking to outsiders and the press about the subculture at all, much less anything beyond a G rating. Sex, as it turns out, is only a part of the picture, and not in the way you might think. In fact, this community of fluffy pariahs may have created a uniquely accepting place to experiment with who they are — or could be — including their sexuality and gender. Remember how much you loved talking cartoon animals as a kid? What if you still loved them? A lot? Just as Trekkies love Star Trek, furries define themselves as fans of fictional anthropomorphic characters — animals that look or behave like people — the kind you might find in a Disney movie, a folk tale or a comic book. And just as not all Trekkies wear Spock ears or Starfleet uniforms, not all furries dress up as animals. In fact, according to the International Anthropomorphic Research Project (IARP), a team of social scientists who've surveyed thousands of self-identified furries annually over the past five years, fewer than 15 percent of self-proclaimed furries own suits. The vast majority of furries are white males under the age of 30 with some secondary education. Their numbers in Humboldt County are tough to estimate, since many keep their interests secret from all but the closest of friends due to the social stigma. Owners of one local fursuit company declined to comment for this story because they didn't want to draw attention to themselves in connection with furries, and most of those who would talk opted not to use their real names. But the Humboldt Furries Facebook page has 18 friends and Humfurs, a local MeetUp group, has 22 members. They're out there. Kylani is a bobcat. Well, in real life, she's an undergraduate wildlife major at Humboldt State University who got into the furry fandom six years ago through her interest in drawing animals, which she finds far more captivating than humans. "Eh," she says over the phone, "[human] faces all look the same." Kylani isn't her name, either, it's her fursona, an alter ego she created. Like most furries, who typically only have one or two over the years, she chose her fursona for personal reasons, starting with an animal that spoke to her and creating a version of herself as she'd like to be. It's similar to cosplay, in which fans dress as favorite characters, but without a ready-made identity and backstory or, necessarily, a costume. (Kylani doesn't have one.) "For me, personally, it's about expressing an inner personality," she says. Like her, bobcats aren't very large, but "they're very adaptable, often ignored, but pretty fierce, pretty awesome creatures." For Kylani, being a furry isn't about sex at all. Her fursona is a creative outlet, a stronger self she leans on. "I was heavily bullied, I suffered from depression. In my first year of college, I was sexually assaulted," she says with a quiet, steady voice. Her imagination was "a place of refuge" and, in the aftermath of the assault, it was easier to channel her anger through drawings of Kylani than it was to express it directly. "She's got the claws, she's got the teeth," she says, her voice lifting a little. She still struggles, sometimes turning to Kylani for inspiration. "I did not get justice," she says, but she's turned some of her energies to victim support and rape prevention, which, evidently, is what Kylani would do. Dr. Courtney Plante is a psychology researcher at the University of Waterloo and a co-founder of the IARP. (He's also the only furry on the five-person research team.) Plante says he's interviewed furries who say the escape and community of furry fandom have saved their lives. Acceptance by other furries is "a source of self-esteem for them, sometimes for the first time in their lives." He also notes that, according to the study, some 25 percent of furries keep their fursonas totally separate from their sex lives. For many furries, he says, "This is an idealized version of themselves and they don't want to taint it. For them it would be like drawing genitals on Mickey Mouse." While Kylani knows there are furries who are into the sexual aspect of the lifestyle, she doesn't know any, and she's not wild about being accused of bestiality or stereotyped as hypersexual. She's also skeptical about those apocryphal tales of costumed orgies. "I'm very sex positive. As long as it's two or more consenting adults," she says. But, "the last thing people want is to get semen on their very expensive fursuit. ... They get very hot and very sweaty and not in a sexy way ... and they're super hard to wash," she adds, laughing. It's an observation repeated (usually with chuckling) by every furry who agreed to be interviewed. In fact, those suits are damn pricey — upward of $2,000 for a custom model. And they're so cumbersome and stuffy that some furry conventions feature "headless lounges" where participants can take off their foam-packed animal heads and sit in front of a fan. The bestiality rap is unearned, according to Plante, and abusing animals is reviled among the community, which is largely made up of animal lovers. In fact, he says, "There's been a long history of people missing the point ... they go on the assumption that this is a fetish." He says there is a sexual aspect to the fandom because furries are, after all, only human. Mind you, roughly 38 percent of furries surveyed by the IARP say sex is part of their interest but not a defining element (most cite community as key). Thirty-six percent say the sexual aspect is a major draw. Plante estimates that sexual themes are no more prevalent than among comic book fans, for instance. "If you are a 25-year-old male and you're into comic books ... the natural sex drive is already there," he says. And if superheroes enter your sexual imagination and your eyes linger over those tights, "you're just combining your interests." Fair enough when it comes to Captain America and Wonder Woman, but what about the animal thing? Plante finds the hand wringing silly and blames a "sex negative" society. "You pop a pair of furry cat ears on somebody instead of lingerie and suddenly it's scandalous. ... A Playboy bunny can put on a pair of ears and nobody bats an eye." The bunnies shaking their tails around Hefner's mansion and people in skimpy animal costumes on Halloween are accentuating their human bodies and hinting at an animal nature. And that's a far cry from bestiality. It's actually pretty cliché. Tucking a lock of wavy brown hair behind her ear, Crysta (fursona name) leafs through sketches — some naturalistic, some humanoid — from the wolf comic she's working on. She wears a tie-dyed T-shirt emblazoned with a phoenix. She's in her 20s but came up with her fursona as a child. It morphs into a new creature every year — a dog, a horse, a snake and once even a human. It wasn't until an old boyfriend introduced her to furry culture that she put a name to the role-play she'd kept going in her imagination into adulthood. Her alter ego, a strong and adventurous heroine, goes into every part of her life. Among friends, she'll use animal gestures here and there and do a little "skritching," or affectionate scratching similar to grooming. "Gonna say it: Having someone scratch your head is the best thing ever," she proclaims. Like Kylani, she studied wildlife and loves furry art, but some of her drawings and the ones she enjoys looking at are a whole lot friskier. Plante says the term for furry-themed erotic art, "yiff" (what the mating fox says, apparently), is used ironically and is as uncool as "nookie." But it still pulls up quite an inventory on Google — cartoon images (not actual animals, folks) of wildly varying artistic skill, that skew more Jessica Rabbit than Bugs Bunny. "Sometimes I'm like, 'That's a really nice piece of art,' and sometimes it's like, 'That's hot," says Crysta. She laughs and turns her large, hazel eyes to the ceiling. "It's porn!" According to the IARP's numbers, among furries, 96 percent of fellas and 78 percent of ladies view porn with anthropomorphic animal themes, though it seems to be mixed in with PG furry art. Crysta says it's all good fun; nobody gets hurt and it's a little more creative than typical pornography. "And there's a curiosity about what that would be like and feel like," she says, and she sees nothing wrong with exploring that kind of fantasy. She recalls a Christian friend confiding in her that he was worried about some of the images he'd been enjoying online. Crysta rolls her eyes at the memory. She told him to forward them to her for an opinion. "I was like, 'Dude, you might be a furry.'" Crysta sees Puritanism and a warring obsession with sex as the reason the media and the general public freak out and zoom in on the sexual element of the furry life, ignoring the camaraderie of shared interests. She shrugs. "Because something is different, we're against it. We're horrified, but we're kind of curious." She says she's a sexual person, adding with a laugh, "even though I don't get any right now." She personally can't handle gory images and "vore," in which anthropomorphic characters engulf one another in a puzzling sexual way. "Sometimes I feel like, why is this a thing?" she asks, smiling and covering her face. But she's not judging anybody. The nonjudgmental nature of the furry community is a big part of its draw. With the exception of things that are illegal, not too much will get you kicked out of the club. Still, Plante says the vast majority of furries "don't want to hear about sex in fursuits, and while they might not reject you, they don't want to know." The same goes for vore, enthusiasts of which he calls a "minuscule" part of the fandom. What will raise the hackles of fellow furries is making the community look pervy to outsiders. In March 2001, Vanity Fair ran an article, "Pleasures of the Fur," that lumped the fandom in with bestiality, animal cruelty and "plushies," people who have sex with stuffed animals. Then a 2003 episode of CSI titled "Fur and Loathing" depicted outlandish fursuited orgies. Those depictions caused many furries to tire of being portrayed as sex nuts in the media and they muzzled up. Buster is not sure about talking. He leans into the table on his elbows and looks around the café. His backward hat tops a rounded face and soft, sleepy eyes. He's worried the article will reflect badly on the fandom and other furries will hold him responsible. He also doesn't want to use his real name, because neither his family nor his coworkers know he's a furry, and he's not confident they would understand. While he's not a small guy, his fursona, Buster, is a brown shepherd-lab puppy who's all about play and joy. He doesn't own a suit but he lets the character come out through running, jumping and being "in the moment." He says his alter ego gives him freedom to return to childlike play and express his "authentic self," even if it's one he only shares with his closest friends or at conventions. Buster draws a hard line between his fursona and his sexuality. He's homosexual, but he's not out to his family about that, either. He'd always been "animalistic in the bedroom," scratching and biting here and there, so pet play was a natural fit. During pet play — a branch of submission/domination role play that is outside the furry fandom — he explains he's not a fully formed anthropomorphic character like Buster, just a dog with collar and a master who gives commands, expects obedience and might use a rolled up newspaper now and then. When you consider the mainstream success of E.L. James' books, it's not that wild — sort of Fifty Shades of Greyhound. The scene gives him some of the same respite from societal expectations that his fursona does — he references the famous Samuel Johnson quote, "He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man." Buster is about bringing out his true personality, but pet play is about vanishing into a role and becoming something he's not. And he doesn't expect all furries to understand. Even in the typically accepting fetish community, he says people who don't get what being a furry means are put off. Plante says staying in the furry closet is not uncommon given the stigma surrounding the community, and there's even some nerd-on-nerd hate. According to the IARP's research, furries perceive hostility from outsiders keenly. And not for nothing. The group surveyed sports fans, whose response was "overwhelmingly negative" toward furries, and despite some overlap in membership, even anime fans' perception of furries was "generally negative." Et tu, Sailor Moon? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle freaky? Plante says it's not such a shock, just one stigmatized group throwing another one under the bus to avoid an embarrassing association. The furry community may not have many allies outside, but inside it's created what Plante sees as a safe space to experiment with one's identity. He observes, "It's hard to judge someone if you're wearing a pair of cat ears." That applies to sexual orientation, too. A recent IARP study found that while 90 percent of Americans say they are heterosexual or mostly so, that number is down to 35 percent among furries, with 25 percent checking off mostly or exclusively homosexual and another 25 percent seeing themselves as bisexual. Nearly 2 percent of furries identify as transgender, which is twice the percentage of anime fans and four times that of fantasy sport fans. When it comes to fursonas, things get, well, fuzzier. Let's say you identify as a heterosexual male. When it comes to your alter ego, it ain't necessarily so. Crysta says, "I identify as bi but lean toward straight. For my fursona, she's also bi, but I might express her a little more equal opportunity." Other fursonas may differ more strongly. In a 2011 IARP survey, the percentage of fursonas that were exclusively heterosexual was almost 10 percent lower than that of their real-life counterparts. There was a similar gap in the middle of the spectrum, with more fursonas than their furry owners marking off equally heterosexual and homosexual. "Our hypothesis," says Plante, emphasizing that more research and data are needed, "is that a fursona may be a way of compartmentalizing and testing the waters," saying, in effect, "'I'm not gay but my fursona is,'" and seeing how it goes. A fair amount of gender swapping goes on, too. The survey found that while 84 percent of furries at a convention were male and 16 percent were female, only 66 percent of fursonas were "entirely male," and 10 percent were "entirely female." The rest fell somewhere in between. "I would wager," Plante continues, "that there's nothing systematic about the fandom. ... More than anything, the fandom is a safe place for people to be who they want to be." Michael Genzoli is 25, and he's been a furry since he was 12. He leans back in his chair, spiky black hair peeking out from a black ball cap with a fox logo. And he's fine using his real name instead of his fursona, Tokala. "It's never been anything I've ever felt I should be ashamed of," he says. He knows how lucky he is to be accepted by his family — his grandmother helped him find his first suit. He knows people who haven't had it so easy. His ex's mother, for example, "immediately got on the animal-fucker train" and refused to hear any more. Tokala is blue — a Fennec fox and red fox hybrid — who's a bit more outgoing and playful than Genzoli is in daily life, though watching him chat up a woman about her boots, it's hard to imagine him as shy. His suit is partial — head, paws and a tail — but he's working on a full one, considering both the design and the maker as carefully as one might plan a serious tattoo. Since he was a kid, Genzoli has connected with animal characters in cartoons, and he wondered if it was normal that he was more interested in them than in fictional humans. Then he found his tribe. He's just gotten back from the Further Confusion conference in San Jose, where 3,560 attendees (some 700 in fursuits) showed up for panels, vendors, socializing and dance-offs. Genzoli especially loves watching people cut loose and get down in their animal get-ups, which is both physically impressive and hilarious. (Treat yourself to a video search — let's just say Lou Seal needs to step it up.) The conference was definitely not a den of faux fur lust. Neither are the furry hangouts with friends in town. Mostly they watch movies, drink, do some drawing and maybe scritch. "Who doesn't want to get their head scratched?" he asks. "It's great!" If somebody shows up with a suit, there's a lot of platonic hugging and petting, but not for too long, he says with a laugh, "those things are hot." Which isn't to say he doesn't enjoy the sexual aspect of furry culture. "Something that arouses me is furry characters, so it kind of plays a part," he says. While Genzoli hasn't brought his fursona (or his suit) into the bedroom, his partners know about his interests before they start dating, since he and Tokala are more or less "inseparable." He does some online role play which can get steamy. Asked if he means an online game or chatting, he grins and taps his fingers on the table like a keyboard. His fursona is always male, and he prefers role play with women, but he's "not a stickler." In fact, he says of his online furry identity, "I am bisexual, but when it comes to me and other people [in daily life], I'm straight." As far as men in real life, "I've tried it and it just wasn't for me," but there are male characters that he finds "appealing." He knows that some furries won't be thrilled that he's talking about his sexuality in relation to the fandom. "There are a lot of furries who wish it wasn't so ... denial might fit," he says. He says the hostility toward the community is unfair, noting that other fan groups, such as Trekkies, have adult themes, too, but aren't met with disgust from outside. "Who cares? Who cares if someone else wants to be an animal? Who cares if people want to have sex in their fursuits, or whatever?" Furries, he says, "aren't even the weirdest thing out there by societal standards." While he gets why so many furries hide, it saddens him. Furries, he feels, need to "stop being ashamed of what we are." And if someone reads this and judges Genzoli, then he or she probably isn't a person he needs in his life. After all, like he says of his fursona, "It's me."

Those who have been waiting with bated breath for Dwell and Target to unveil Modern by Dwell Magazine, a new home collection launching December 27, can now exhale—the lookbook has arrived! Read on for a first look at what will be available, and start making picks for your own home. Newsletter Join the Daily Dose Newsletter Get carefully curated content filled with inspiring homes from around the world, innovative new products, and the best in modern design Brighten Up Your Inbox Modern by Dwell Magazine is a holistic home collection, available exclusively through Target starting December 27. Pictured above from left to right: the Bar Trolley in black/copper, $149.99; LED Pendant Light in white, $99.99; Side Table in white/natural, $89.99; Lounge Chair in white/natural, $249.99; Outdoor Lounge Chair in gray, $269.99 for two; Outdoor Side Table in gray, $89.99. Initially announced in the fall, Modern by Dwell Magazine was designed by Chris Deam and Nick Dine of the bi-coastal firm Deam + Dine as a way to bring Dwell’s editorial vision off the page and into people’s homes. The collection of over 120 products includes indoor and outdoor furniture, tabletop, lighting, decor, and accessories, with prices ranging from $16.99 to $399.99. Affordable, adaptable, and accessible, this collaboration between Dwell and Target speaks to the brands’ shared mission of connecting a wider audience to the modern world. After deciding what would be included in the collection, Deam and Dine first approached the designs they had ideas about, either from their individual thought process or their shared conversations. Thin steel profiles are a recurring motif throughout Modern by Dwell Magazine. "The process of designing the animals was actually some of the most fun I had on this project," said Deam. "I really felt like a 'nice modernist'!" "So often, good design or design-driven product is out of reach to the regular consumer," said Dine. The duo seized the opportunity to bring their design practice to the mass market, taking care to develop a line that would fit a spectrum of lifestyles. "I see these pieces living comfortably in any home," continued Dine. "We want people who are just starting out or have an established home to be able to integrate our work." Dine likened the collaborative design process to being in a band with Deam. "You have to work together creatively and as friends and business partners," he said. "It's complicated but very fun." Tools for dining and entertaining round out the collection. The Bar Trolley above holds the Bar Tools 3-pc. Set, $29.99, and the Metallic Cocktail Glasses, $29.99 for four. From animal figurines that serve a dual purpose to bookshelves that marry style and strength, Modern by Dwell Magazine introduces an impressive array of home goods at attractive price points. For Deam, husband of Dwell founder Lara Deam and a guiding influence for the brand, the reasons to get excited are many. "As with your children, it’s definitely hard to choose favorites," he said, "but similar to the people I like, I tend to like certain designs for their idiosyncrasy. The outdoor furniture is a favorite because of the slim profiles that don’t block your view of the landscape, and because the comfort comes from a careful consideration of posture, not thick upholstery." Citing the "execution and scope" of the outdoor seating collection, Dine names these pieces among his favorites. "I think that the guest will find them amazingly comfortable." The Large and Small Hexagonal Concrete Planters are $89.99 and $69.99, respectively. "The outdoor furniture is a favorite because of the slim profiles that don’t block your view of the landscape, and because the comfort comes from a careful consideration of posture, not thick upholstery," said Chris Deam. The Posture Chair and Ottoman Set ($269.99) comes in white, gray, or orange. Copper lanterns ($34.99 for the large) add metallic accents to an outdoor setting. The Outdoor Sofa in gray, $399.99, gets an extra layer of comfort with the Sofa Cushion in gray, $109.99.

The 'teenage' Moroccan asylum seeker who has admitted to killing two people and wounding eight in what is believed to be Finland's first ever terror attack, lied about his identity.. Abderrahman Bouanane, aged 22, claimed to be a 17-year-old boy called Abderrahman Mechkah when he arrived in Finland last year, and applied for asylum as an unaccompanied minor. Bouanane appeared in court via video link last week, and confessed to carrying out the attack in Turku, but denied he had a terrorist motive. Scroll down for video Abderrahman Bouanane, 22, (pictured during the hearing at his hospital bed) confessed to carrying out the attack that left two women dead, but denied he had a terrorist motive Killer: Bouanane, 22, claimed to be a 17-year-old boy called Abderrahman Mechkah when he arrived in Finland last year Police have said he targeted women in the Friday afternoon attack at a market square in the southwestern port city. Two women were killed and six women and two men were injured. His true identity, revealed in court documents, could be established following an international police investigation after his arrest, local media reports '(My client) admits manslaughter and injuries. But based on what the investigator has presented thus far, the crime was not necessarily with terrorist intent,' his lawyer Kaarle Gummerus said at the time of the hearing last week. He appeared via video link at a court in Turku, where the horrific stabbing frenzy happened on Friday. As of Tuesday, Bouanane is the only suspect who remains in custody. Finnish police arrested a total of seven people after the attack, and have now released five of them without charge. He appeared via video link at a court in Turku, where the horrific stabbing frenzy happened on Friday It has emerged that Bouanane had been living in a Red Cross reception centre in Turku, and was appealing the result of an asylum application when the attack happened. A spokeswoman from the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation said: 'He has received the result of his asylum application and he has appealed it. 'He is still in the (asylum) process.' In a Twitter post the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said: 'The offender in Turku incident is suspected on probable cause of murders and attempted murders with terrorist intent and placed in detention.' It emerged last week that the Finnish intelligence service had received a tip-off earlier this year about Bouanane. 'According to the tip-off, the suspect seemed radicalised and was interested in extreme thinking,' a Finnish intelligence statement said, while adding there was no information to suggest a threat of an attack. Two women were killed and six people were injured in the knife attack on Friday in Turku Friday's attack is being investigated as Finland's first ever terror attack, but the killer denies being a terrorist The service said Bouanane was not among the around 350 people it was monitoring in its terrorism prevention programme. Bouanane, who was shot in the thigh by police minutes after the attack, appeared before the Turku court last Tuesday via video link from hospital. Most of the hearing was held behind closed doors, but press photos taken at the beginning showed the suspect lying in his hospital bed, his head propped up on a pillow and his face shielded by a white sheet. The motive for the attack is unclear, but the country's intelligence agency SUPO said Monday that he might have been radicalised. The investigation is the first into suspected terrorism-related crimes in Finland's history. Gummerus said it was 'impossible to take a final stance at the moment' on the issue of whether the stabbings were terrorism-related.

VATICAN II +50:TODAY THE BEST experts in the Catholic Church cannot coherently explain its governance structures or its juridic infrastructure. This is largely thanks to Vatican II, which failed to articulate clear guidelines for the future development of conciliar collegiality or church governance at any level. This is a singularly bad moment historically to be shrouded in such vagueness. The church, and in particular authority in the church, is under probative, forensic, widespread scrutiny as never before, not to mention ground-breaking civil investigations in several jurisdictions. Indeed, a new generation has grown up against a relentless backdrop of well-grounded scholarly criticism of the church based on thorough-going investigations, particularly in relation to clerical child abuse. Somewhat late in the day, church protocols on that subject have improved considerably in some jurisdictions, and the pope has insisted that all dioceses throughout the church make child-protection provision a priority. The ground-breaking Conference on Child Protection hosted by the Gregorian University in Rome in February has helped to draw attention to the problem throughout the universal church and to promote a universal best-practice response. However, these developments have only served to underline that the structures of church governance were not in fact markedly updated in the 21st century, leaving the church one among very few global institutions not to have been updated from within or without. The hopes that Vatican II would create a pathway to reform of governance have not yet been realised and the road map it left is barely intelligible. There are many varieties of organisational model throughout the world, few of which nowadays match the solitariness of the church’s primatial rule. There is no forum in the church for determining the views of the People of God on the subject of governance and collegiality, or virtually anything else for that matter. They have never been asked for their views, and there is an abhorrence at the centre of the dangers of being governed by opinion polls. Often the reaction from the centre has been one of surprise on hearing the views from the circumference. In a collegial church, where information was free-flowing horizontally and vertically, there should be no such surprises The church is in effect, arguably, constitutionally incoherent. It has a governing head, the nature of whose authority, though divinely instituted, is opaque; that authority is linked to the College of the Apostles and to Peter, but precisely how is not clear. The College of Bishops has full and supreme power over the universal church, but how that power relates to papal power remains undifferentiated and untested except in conciliar format. The college has not met or actively expressed its collegial will since 1965. The pope, the Synod of Bishops and the College of Cardinals are all said to represent the College of Bishops, but in fact only the pope does so canonically. No one knows for sure when he acts in the name of the college or when he acts personally. The Curia acts like a government, but on what authority? Discussion within the church at every level is generally heavily circumscribed and controlled to avoid dissent. Rightly or wrongly it looks as if the centre does not want to hear bad news or to face challenges from the circumference. In the early part of the 20th century, fewer than 10 per cent of the nations of the world were democracies. Today that figure is closer to 65 per cent. The pace of change has been as relentless as it has been incredible with much of it impossible to predict. The church has been challenged by both the changes and the speed at which life is being transformed. Those who live in the world’s growing number of democracies have considerable freedom of expression in the civil sphere but highly restricted freedom of expression in the religious sphere. Reconciling both spheres can be difficult; the same discussion may be perceived in one sphere as acceptable freedom of expression and unacceptable disrespect for the teaching magisterium in the other. Church teaching on clerical celibacy, the ordination of women, gay marriage and the admission of divorced and remarried Catholics to the sacraments is not necessarily an expression of the views of Catholics generally, as opinion polls in Ireland have shown. Church teaching on birth control is so widely ignored that some canonical commentators question whether it can be said to have been “received” and therefore validated by the faithful. The heterocentricity of Catholic teaching, and indeed the teaching of other faiths, is now being looked at critically in the light of the deadly consequences of homophobic bullying, with research, mainly in the US, showing a tragic link between male youth suicide and homosexuality. The future impact on Catholic schools is a question already being pondered. Could church teaching on homosexuality be the new psychological child-abuse issue of the coming decade? The church, which is still in the process of adapting to the Vatican council after 50 years, exists in a world that has shown an amazing capacity to adapt much more rapidly to things infinitely more complex than collegiality. MUCH OF THEVatican II discussion of governance, collegiality and the People of God occurred as the world was merely on the cusp of these changes. The educated laity was then an elite, not the mass phenomenon it is today. Communications media and technologies lacked the immediacy and huge global reach they currently have. The role of women in society was considerably more circumscribed than it is now. Today’s world of increasingly democratic and inclusive secular structures makes solitary centralised authorities look like an ebb tide. For those who hoped for greater cogovernance of the universal church between the pope and the College of Bishops, it has been a journey of disappointment since the council. As the bishops dispersed throughout the world after the council, the conciliar momentum behind episcopal collegiality also dispersed, never to be regained. By default an excluded and largely trained-to-be and expected-to-be passive laity also contributed little. Those who hoped for a more open engagement, and who now see the local and universal church as more dithering than decisive in the face of very public problems, are faced with a logjam that, constitutionally, only the pope can release. The forces of ecumenical dialogue, of crisis management and of sustained and often strident debate in the civic, canonical and theological spheres have a momentum that is impinging asymmetrically on both the centre and the circumference of the church from outside and inside. So are we in a process of ongoing conversion or irreconcilable division, a journey towards greater collegiality or enduring primatialism in an increasingly fragmented church? Some might argue, whither collegiality, whither the church. Teilhard de Chardin says it elegantly: “Some day after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity [we] shall harness . . . the energies of love. And then for the second time in the history of the world we shall have discovered fire.” Wind and waves are pounding us. Tides are swollen and angry. Once, a long time ago, a God-man invited us to push out into the deep, where there are no safe bunkers, just the adventure of seeing what faith in God and love can accomplish in a world that needs healing from all the hurts that life, nature and human beings inflict, from the enigma of life and the enigma of death. He placed his trust in frail humanity, in Peter, a far from outstanding man who eventually found his strength in facing his many weaknesses, not on his own but with Christ’s help. In this moment those who ardently desire a truly collegial church have no option but to look to Peter’s successor to push out into the deep, to open the closed doors and let the future in. “Quo vadis?” Christ is said to have once asked Peter. The answer changed the course of history. The same question is being asked again. The above is an edited extract from Quo Vadis? Collegiality in the Code of Canon Law by Mary McAleese. It is published by Columba, €19.99. It will be launched in Dublin next Saturday by retired chief justice Ronan Keane

GoPro is having a bad day, and the company's investment in itself is probably making it worse. The company reported earnings Wednesday posting a unexpected loss of -$0.08 per share versus expectations for earnings of $0.02 per share. And this was merely the latest piece of bad news for the company which had pre-announced that its fourth quarter earnings would be disappointing. But while shareholders hoping to own the stock for the long-term have certainly endured losses over the last few months — shares of GoPro are down about 80% in the last six month — the company was also a huge loser on an investment in itself during the fourth quarter. "Commencing in the fourth quarter of 2015, GoPro has acquired approximately 1.5 million shares of its Class A capital stock at an average price per share of approximately $23.05, representing a total share repurchase of approximately $35.6 million through December 31, 2015," the company said in its earnings release. Based on GoPro's closing share price of $10.71 on Wednesday, GoPro's 1.5 million share repurchase is worth about $16 million. Said another way, the company lost about $19 million buying back its own stock. GoPro said Wednesday that it has another $264.4 million available under its current repurchase plan to buyback its stock. NOW WATCH: Watch Tina Fey take on Sarah Palin's Trump endorsement speech on SNL More From Business Insider

Advertisement BEAUMONT, TEXAS — A robber looking to hit an easy mark picked the wrong guy stepping out of a Mexican restaurant in Beaumont, Texas. According to Beaumont Police, the target happened to be legally licensed to carry a concealed handgun and used it to open fire on the man attempting to rob him. The suspect was taken to the hospital and listed in critical trauma with a bullet wound to his abdomen. Beaumont Police say the concealed carrier did nothing wrong. As Fox 4 Beaumont reports, the event happened around 10:30 pm outside Taqueria El Paraiso. Little else is known about the case other than the good guy survived and the bad guy is going to jail after he gets out of the hospital. It’s just a friendly reminder that being prepared at all hours of the day, especially after going out to a restaurant, is important. We just reported on a similar incident that happened in St. Louis, Missouri, when a man stepped out of a diner to get into his truck. In this case, it was an attempted carjacking but the result is the same: a good guy being threatened with deadly force or perceiving a direct threat to his own life and property may use the same amount of force in his defense. Advertisement In Texas, it’s called stopping a violent felony in progress. In St. Louis, it’s probably just called a day that ends in “day”. Whatever your state decides to call it, nearly every state allows the use of force given certain circumstances. When you perceive a direct threat against yourself, your family, your property, and your home, you have an inalienable right to defend yourself accordingly. This concealed carrier got it. And hopefully we will too should that time come. In the meantime, maintain situational awareness, practice regularly, and carry your concealed handgun every day.

BROOKLYN – PIX11 Investigates – working along with “Crime Watch Daily,” on the unsolved, 2006 strangulation of a teen honors student – has learned the NYPD and Brooklyn District Attorney’s office are reviewing multiple “cold cases” in New York City to determine whether Caribbean murder suspect, Veron Primus, could be a serial killer. “This is a big one,” a law enforcement source told PIX11. “We are pursuing every cold case that may be linked to him.” The 2006 case – involving Primus’ former classmate Chanel Petro Nixon of Bedford-Stuyvesant – has exploded to the forefront again, after a young woman was rescued April 15 from a mountain home on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Mewanah Hadaway told investigators Primus, 29, locked her in a wooden enclosure for three months. She was dating Primus last summer and told detectives he showed her a 2006 news clipping from the Petro-Nixon case. Crime Watch Daily flew PIX11’s Mary Murphy to St. Vincent to get the back story. Murphy interviewed the former captive. Hadaway’s harrowing story will be presented on Crime Watch Daily Monday at 2 p.m. It airs on PIX 11 in New York and different times in cities around the U.S. At this point, Primus has been charged with one murder on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the November 2015 fatal stabbing of real estate agent, Sharleen Greaves. He had been deported to St. Vincent just last June, after completing state prison time in New York, for violating an “order of protection” secured by an ex-girlfriend. Investigators in New York and the Caribbean think Primus has exhibited a pattern of behavior with ex-girlfriends and other females that involves rage. His family had lived for years in a Crown Heights, Brooklyn brownstone. Primus was accused of the St. Vincent murder on April 22, a week after police made a disturbing discovery inside his aunt’s mountain home. On April 15, St. Vincent police found a 24-year-old woman locked in a small room in the house. Hadaway said he refused to let her leave on New Year’s Day. When she tried to escape, she told PIX11 he repeatedly assaulted her. Primus was accused on April 29 of kidnapping and rape. Hadaway said Primus even took cell phone video of a grave that he dug and threatened to bury her in. The way that Hadaway was rescued involved an ingenious plan – and you will hear her incredible story during the interview on Crime Watch Daily Monday at 2 p.m. on PIX 11. Primus has long been the main “person of interest” in the 2006 strangulation of 16-year-old Petro-Nixon. She knew Primus from middle school. Their families attended a Seventh Day Adventist Church. Primus was three years older than Chanel. On Father’s Day 2006, Petro-Nixon told her mother, Lucita, and her best friend that she was going to meet Primus and file job applications at an Applebee’s restaurant on Fulton Street. Chanel never came home. Detectives initially characterized her as a runaway on a police report. Petro-Nixon’s friend said Primus claimed the girl “stood him up.” Four days later, Chanel’s body was found in a trash bag on the sidewalk outside 212 Kingston Ave., less than a mile from her home. A sanitation man had tried to lift the bag and told a woman resident on the block she needed to break up the trash. When she opened the bag, she discovered Chanel’s body. “It was folded over in a fetal position,” Brooklyn North homicide detective, Chris Scandole, recalled to PIX 11 in 2014, when we did a review of the unsolved case. Rev. Taharka Robinson, a Brooklyn minister, called Chanel “the best our community had to offer.” He held marches for justice with Petro-Nixon’s family and friends, seeking information on the murder. Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network raised reward money. The Petro-Nixon case was featured on “America’s Most Wanted” and the Nancy Grace program on CNN. Now, because of a rescue in the Caribbean, there could be new hope for a resolution in the Petro-Nixon case. During the Crime Watch Daily broadcast, viewers will also meet the woman who found the cry for help from the alleged captive on St. Vincent.

If you're a Chromebook user, you might have momentarily longed for an Android app or two for ChromeOS. Here's why this might not be such a good idea. Image: Jack Wallen Lately I've been giving this question quite a bit of thought. I depend on both Chrome OS and Android. I use them throughout every day and would find my process a bit more challenging without them. When it was first announced that Chrome OS would be able to run Android apps, my initial thoughts were positive; I considered this move by Google to be the most logical step forward. It was clearly the best way to compete with the Microsoft Surface and to bring more users into the fold. Although chromebooks continually sell incredibly well, some consider Chrome OS to be less than a legitimate platform. Why? The lack of native apps. And that is why Google gave life to the Android Play Store on Chrome OS (at least for certain devices). As soon as the Android Play Store became available for the Pixel 2, I enabled it on my device and started looking around for apps to use. During that first period of excitement, I did find a few apps to install and use. But very soon after, that new car smell faded and I stopped using the Android apps. My Pixel returned to doing what it does so well: allow me to be productive. Since my return to form, I've been curious as to why the Android Play Store holds less interest to me now than it did when it was little more than a carrot dangling before me. Ultimately, the answer always goes back to that singular word. Productivity. No matter how hard I try, I cannot find Android apps for Chrome OS that are more productive than the apps Chrome OS already works with. Sure I could install WPS Office, but I already have Google Docs. Yes, I can install K-9 email, but I already have Inbox (as well as web mail for my own domain accounts). Many of the other apps I run on Android (such as Buffer, Facebook, Twitter, Keep, Dropbox, etc.) I already use in web form on Chrome OS (some of which open spectacularly in an app window, so they look and feel like standard apps). If you're an MS Office user, you can use that ecosystem via Chrome, so there's no need for an app. And so, again, I ask myself, "Why?" What Chrome OS does, no other platform can match with the same level of efficiency and ease. Let me offer you an example. Errant update During this past weekend, the Chrome OS Beta channel updated on my Pixel 2. When I rebooted, my trackpad was behaving erratically. I rebooted a couple of times to no avail. So I switched to the Stable channel, powerwashed, rebooted when prompted, and still found the trackpad behaving poorly. Finally I switched to the Unstable Channel, powerwashed, and rebooted. When I logged in, everything was fine. All of my settings and shortcuts were back and I was ready to work. Yes, I was running on the Unstable Channel, but knew that it would only take an update to the Stable channel to solve the problem. I could run with the Unstable channel until said day. The above took about ten minutes of my time. Ten minutes and I had pretty much reset the device twice. I can't pull off that kind of efficiency on an Android device. That, my friends, is what makes Chrome OS so appealing to many users. It offers an incredibly streamlined experience that rarely, if ever, bogs down and can be reset to zero (should anything go awry) in a few quick minutes. Adding Android apps to this equation layers on a complexity that will only muddy the efficiency of the platform. And to what end? Will those added Android apps bring extra productivity to the platform? If the answer to that question is "yes", I don't see it. No matter how much I dig around in the Android Play Store on my Chromebook, I have yet to find an app that is a "must have" or makes me truly see the point of installing and keeping Android apps on Chrome OS. Why do you "Chromebook"? Naturally, I understand that users purchase devices for different reasons. Not everyone adopts a Chromebook because they are an efficient means to a productive end. I know users who own Chromebooks that never log into Google's productivity tools; instead, their devices serve them as a vehicle to use social media, shop, and browse the web. I know users who work with Chrome OS as a tool for development (mostly working with online tools). I know users whose Chromebooks serve as a mobile media device (movies on Netflix and Youtube, music on Google Play Music or Spotify). Every one of those users, keep their phones nearby. When they need to contact someone, they grab their Android or iOS device. On the rare occasion those users want the distraction of a game, they go for the phone. In the end, if Google is actually planning to merge Chrome OS and Android, they will come to understand that it will make the platform less efficient and users will still see those devices (the Chromebook and the smartphone) as two distinct tools with two distinct purposes. Combining those devices and purposes will distract from what makes ChromeOS and Chromebooks so special: elegant and efficient simplicity. ChromeOS may not be the platform for you, but for those who have grown to depend upon the highly productive ecosystem, the idea of muddying those waters with a layer of Android might be cause for concern. What do you think? Would a ChromeOS/Android merger be a progression or regression? Mobile Enterprise Newsletter BYOD, wearables, IoT, mobile security, remote support, and the latest phones, tablets, and apps IT pros need to know about are some of the topics we'll address. 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This article is over 1 year old Eighty-year-old Argentinian pontiff, who often prays for long periods with his eyes closed, claims saints also napped while praying Pope Francis has confessed he sometimes nods off while praying, and claims saints too have been known to grab some Holy shut-eye. Catholic and Protestant leaders unite to mark start of Reformation Read more “When I pray, sometimes I fall asleep,” he said in an episode of a Catholic TV2000 television programme published Tuesday on YouTube. “Saint Therese did it too,” he said in reference to a 19th-century French nun, adding that Christians were called to feel like children lying in their fathers’ arms – a place conducive to napping, he implies. The 80-year-old Argentinian head of the Roman Catholic church radiates energy and enthusiasm when he meets people, but his expression turns very grave when he prays, often bowing his head and closing his eyes for long periods. The pontiff values his sleep and is tucked up in bed each night by 9pm – though he rises with the lark at 4am. His fast-paced schedule is only possible because he gets his head down for a snooze after lunch, Vatican sources say.

Last week, city council members in Watertown, New York, which is 70 miles north of Syracuse, voted 3-2 to outlaw roommates. Via Your News Now: A woman living on Thompson Boulevard in the city brought concerns to the council because she said her [next-door] neighbor was living with his fiancé and two other roommates and didn't want to see it become a regular thing. Three lawmakers agreed. …"Fundamentally, I think it's wrong that we put these kinds of procedures and policies in place. Really all we're doing is hurting the people who live in this community," said Watertown City Councilwoman Teresa Macaluso. Macaluso says in these tough times, a roommate could be needed to keep someone from losing a home, there are soldiers who need roommates and also same-sex couples would be harmed. Previously, the city allowed up to four roommates in neighborhoods zoned for single-family homes. The change reduces that number to zero. From the Watertown Daily Times: During a public hearing before the vote, Mr. Hartman tried to convince council members that he invited his friends to live with him because he had just purchased the house last February and needed some help because he “was just starting out.” “All I’m trying to do is live a normal life, a quiet life,” he said. But the three council members who supported the change said the city had to make sure that the characteristic of Residential A zones are protected. Other zoned districts allow for such arrangements, they said. [The neighbor who complained] gathered 80 signatures on a petition requesting that unrelated people not be allowed to live in a single-family house in a district zoned Residential A. The Planning Department has decided to grandfather in the roommates in question, but presumably everyone else will need to start coughing up their marriage licenses if they want to stay in their homes.

Image caption More than half of all eggs analysed have abnormalities A new egg screening technique, which doctors hope will boost the success rate of IVF, can predict genetic problems in 90% of cases, research shows. However, it is not yet clear whether or not it increases pregnancy rates, European fertility experts warned. Some clinics already offer the £2,000 test to older women who have failed multiple attempts at IVF. A large trial is due to start next year to further assess the technology. Up to half of the eggs in younger women and up to 75% in women over 39 are chromosomally abnormal. Fertility doctors want a reliable way of finding which eggs are genetically sound to try to boost the chances of IVF success. Delegates at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) conference in Rome heard that the egg-screening method may be safer and more accurate than other tests which look for genetic problems in cells taken from the developing embryo. We need a randomised controlled trial to demonstrate this test is going to be of additional benefit on what we already do Tony Rutherford, British Fertility Society It detects problems by testing a by-product of the egg called the polar body, which contains a carbon copy of the genetic material in the egg, enabling doctors to see if there are too many or too few chromosomes. The latest analysis of around 200 eggs from 41 couples has proven that it is a reliable method for picking up genetic problems. Trials needed But as only eight pregnancies were achieved in the small study, it is not yet possible to say how successful the technique is in boosting birth rates. Professor Joep Geraedts, who led the ESHRE taskforce on analysing the test, said they were now planning a large trial of several hundred women to see if it has the potential that some claim. He said that he did have concerns about clinics offering the technique before it had been properly tested. "I hope it will improve pregnancy rates but I can't say that - that's why we need another trial." Professor Simon Fishel, managing director of Care Fertility, who pioneered the test and who has now carried out this treatment in more than 150 women, says his data shows it doubles the chance of pregnancy. "What I'm very pleased about is they have confirmed that what we started is the way to go forward. "What we haven't yet got from the ESHRE taskforce is any assessment of clinical potential. "If this technology proves as robust as we think it is, then logic tells us all patients should benefit, not just the older ones." The chairman of the British Fertility Society, Tony Rutherford, said the results were an important advance, but that women should only be given the test as part of a research study. "We need a randomised controlled trial to demonstrate this test is going to be of additional benefit on what we already do."

Namaste Chancellor Merkel! Warm welcome to you & the delegation. I look forward to fruitful discussions & strengthening India-Germany ties. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 4, 2015 German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is on a two-day visit to India, held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi today. The discussions between the two leaders covered a wide range of issues including security and defence, with special focus on boosting trade ties.Ms Merkel arrived in New Delhi on Sunday. This morning, after she received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtraparti Bhavan, she said Germany "fully intends to support the ambitious program that PM Modi has outlined for the development of this nation.""We will co-operate on areas such as economy, agriculture, internal security, defence matters and financial relations," she added.The two leaders are also scheduled to have a one-on-one meeting before delegation-level talks. During her visit, Ms Merkel will also meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj today before heading to Bangalore for a business conference.Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the German Chancellor with a message on Twitter.The talks between the two leaders aim at deepening bilateral engagement in education, renewable energy, skill development, science and technology, railways, water and waste management, urban development and agriculture.This is Ms Merkel's first visit to India since the Narenda Modi government came to power. The leaders met in April when PM Modi visited Germany, where he sought to draw more investment towards his "Make in India" campaign.During her meeting with PM Modi, Ms Merkel is expected to convey the concerns of German industries in proceeding with planned investments in India. Both leaders are also likely to exchange views on regional and global issues including climate change.Germany is India's most important trading partner in Europe and both PM Modi and Ms Merkel have said they are keen to boost two-way trade.But for Germany, Europe's largest economy, India last year ranked just 25th on the list of countries with which it does business.The two nations exchanged nearly 16 billion euros ($17.9 billion) in trade in 2014 -- mostly chemicals, machine tools, electrical goods and textiles -- but the figure has declined in the past three years.

Ohio Sen. Rob Portman is running for reelection to the U.S. Senate. | Getty Portman 'not interested' in Trump VP slot Rob Portman has been floated as Donald Trump’s potential running mate, but the incumbent Ohio senator who faces a tough reelection this year has no interest in the position, his campaign manager said Thursday. “Rob is not interested in anything but continuing to serve Ohio in the U.S. Senate,” Corry Bliss said in a statement. “He will continue to do what he does each and every day: wake up determined to get results for Ohio families.” Trump, now the presumptive Republican presidential nominee with Ted Cruz and John Kasich exiting the race this week, has said he will definitely choose a Republican to run as his veep and signaled that his selection will have political experience to help usher legislation through Congress. The Senate campaign of Democratic challenger Ted Strickland issued a statement Thursday tying Portman to Trump, whose rise has divided the Republican Party, driving longtime Republicans to leave the party and others to claim they now stand with Hillary Clinton. “It’s no surprise that Donald Trump wants Senator Portman to be his Vice President because on many issues Trump and Portman share the same toxic agenda: both oppose a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions, higher wages for … working people, and have a record of pushing the agenda of the wealthy and well-connected at Ohio’s expense,” Strickland spokeswoman Liz Margolis said in a statement. “On the other hand, Portman’s status as the ultimate Washington insider and his unabashed, decades-long support for job-killing trade deals may disqualify him from this position in Trump’s view,” she continued. “Only time will tell.” Bliss maintained that Portman will retain his Senate seat, calling Strickland “the worst Senate candidate in America.” “The race for U.S. Senate offers Ohio a choice between a brighter future with Rob Portman or a return to Retread Ted's Ohio when the state lost more than 350,000 jobs and ranked 48th in job creation,” he said. “It's simple: Ted Strickland is the worst Senate candidate in America and has enough baggage to sink the Titanic.” Portman and Strickland are tied in the latest poll of the Ohio Senate race released last week.

The premium-priced iPhone X is on track to be a colossal success for Apple, but whether or not the company can overcome production issues to satisfy consumer demand remains a major question mark ahead of its November launch. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said on Monday he believes that preorder demand for the iPhone X could top 50 million units. He noted that it is the first completely revamped form factor for the iPhone since the iPhone 6 debuted in 2014 —an update that generated a so-called "super cycle" for purchases, upgrades and switchers.In particular, Kuo said he is convinced that the new Face ID login feature will be a major selling point, as no one else on the market offers such a seamless and reliable experience.But that selling point is also a bottleneck for Apple in terms of iPhone X production, Kuo claims. "The 3D sensing (TrueDepth camera) on iPhone X is composed of a structured-light system, time-of-flight system and a front-facing camera, which represents a far more complex structure than those of rivals," Kuo said. "It will therefore be harder to achieve mass production."Kuo believes that Apple will ramp up output of the iPhone X in late October, ahead of an early November launch. But he doesn't think that supply will begin to catch up with demand until some point in the first half of calendar year 2018.Preorders for the all-new iPhone X begin Oct. 27, while the device arrives on Nov. 3. In addition to its facial recognition camera, it features an edge-to-edge OLED display, wireless charging, and dual rear cameras.

Jennifer Lopez brands Sarah Palin 'a b***h' in Spanish slang on TV Hollywood A-listers are normally well versed in hiding their true opinions. So it's all the more surprising that Jennifer Lopez has labelled former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin 'la cabrona' - Mexican slang for 'bitch'. The star made the declaration during U.S. TV show Lopez Tonight. Action girl: Jennifer Lopez tried her hand at presenting as she made a surprise cameo appearance guest-hosting George Lopez's show Showing off her moves: J Lo soaked up the audience's wild applause Former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin The show is hosted by George Lopez, but to the delight of the audience Jennifer appeared onstage and launched into a stand-up routine. 'Welcome to 'Lopez Tonight,' she said. 'Where nobody gets fired - they just get replaced by a bigger star with the same last name.' She then commented on former Alaska governor Palin. To laughter from the audience Lopez continued her routine, before her namesake returned to the stage. The singer, 40, wore a white suit with cut out panels for her starring moment. It was from Hussein Chalayan Spring 2010's collection. She is currently promoting her new film role, which sees her star as a career-driven single woman who, tired of waiting for the right guy to have a baby with, decides to have a child using In vitro fertilisation.

STAMFORD, Conn. — On tonight’s special live broadcast from WWE’s TV studios in Stamford, Conn., we’ll hear from Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar and 2015 Royal Rumble Match winner Roman Reigns, just one night after one of the most talked-about Royal Rumble events in WWE history. After earning a WWE World Heavyweight Title Match against Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 31, Reigns received a surprising reaction from the WWE Universe in Philadelphia. Tonight, the powerhouse will address the unexpected fallout from his victory for the very first time. What will Reigns have to say as he prepares to battle The Beast Incarnate on The Grandest Stage of Them All? Additionally, what will happen when Reigns and Lesnar appear in the same building at the same time? Also tonight, courtesy of WWE Network, the WWE Universe will have the chance to relive the bombastic 2015 Royal Rumble Match and the chaotic WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat Match between Lesnar, Rollins and John Cena in their entirety! Tune in to tonight’s special coverage at 8/7c on USA Network!

Joe Jacobi reunited with Olympic gold after girl's medal discovery in rubbish pile Posted A US Olympic champion is thanking a seven-year-old Atlanta girl who found his gold medal in a pile of rubbish weeks after it was stolen. Joe Jacobi won the medal in men's canoe double slalom at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Jacobi says it was stolen when somebody broke into his car in June. Weeks later, Chloe Smith was walking with her father when she spotted the gold medal discarded in a pile of garbage. Chloe returned the medal to Jacobi, who had posted about the theft on social media. The former Olympian then promised to visit Chloe's school and let her classmates know about her good deed. Jacobi spoke on Monday to Chloe's first-grade class at Woodson Park Academy and the Olympian brought his recovered gold medal with him. AP Topics: sport, olympics-summer, united-states

The United Nations has appealed for $16.4 billion (13.3 billion euros) to pay for global humanitarian needs in 2015 for more than 57 million of the world's most vulnerable people affected by conflicts and natural disasters. The appeal also covers the Central African Republic, Iraq, and South Sudan, the top humanitarian priorities, as well as Afghanistan, Congo, Myanmar, occupied Palestinian territories, Somalia, Ukraine and Yemen. Since asking for $12.9 billion a year ago to help some 52 million people, the number of people in need has nearly doubled to a record 102 million, UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said. 'Unprecedented' "We will continue to put people at the centre of our relief efforts and do everything we can to respond quickly and effectively," said Amos, who launched the appeal in Geneva. "But the rising scale of need is outpacing our capacity to respond." With 80 percent of the needy in conflict-ridden countries, Amos said the demands for aid are outstripping the ability to pay for them. Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said there is an "unprecedented" level of humanitarian need. "This is not business as usual in the humanitarian world," Guterres said. "Without more support there simply is no way to respond to the humanitarian situations we're seeing in region after region and in conflict after conflict." Syria in need More than 40 percent of the appeal would go to help 18.2 million people suffering from the war in Syria. The request from the UN came just a week after the World Food Program announced it would have to cut food rations to Syrian refugees. In response, the UN has now requested $2.8 billion to help those displaced by the conflict inside Syria and a further $4.4 billion to help more than 3,250,000 Syrian refugees. The 2015 request, on behalf of 455 aid organizations, does not, however, include funds to help feed millions facing hunger in Africa's Sahel region, which has seen repeated droughts and conflicts. That appeal is being launched in February. ksb/lw (AFP, AP, dpa)

As professors at the University of Chicago who value, on the one hand, the special relationship between faculty members and graduate students and, on the other hand, the important work done by all those who teach and do research on our campus, we welcome the recent decision of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) affirming that teaching and research assistants at private universities are employees under federal labor law, and thus can form and join unions. In their August 24, 2016 email to faculty and graduate students, President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Daniel Diermeier express their opposition to a union of graduate student employees at the University of Chicago. Notably, they do not dispute the NLRB’s claim that “a graduate student may be both a student and an employee; a university may be both the student’s educator and employer” (Case 02–RC–143012, p. 7). It is therefore striking that although President Zimmer and Provost Diermeier say a good deal about the possible effects of unionization on the student-teacher relationship, they have chosen to say nothing about its possible effects on the employee-employer relationship. As a result, they appear to concede the principal contention of those who favor unionization: namely, that unionization would lead to improved working conditions for student employees. The President and Provost limit their critical remarks to expressions of concern that a labor union “could” undermine “the special and individual nature of students’ educational experiences” and “impede students’ overall educational goals.” In response, we draw attention specifically to the following paragraph in the NLRB ruling, which observed: “The Brown University Board failed to demonstrate that collective bargaining between a university and its employed graduate students cannot coexist successfully with student-teacher relationships, with the educational process, and with the traditional goals of higher education. Labor law scholars have aptly criticized the Brown University decision as offering ‘no empirical support’ for its claims, even though ‘those assertions are empirically testable.'” (Case 02–RC–143012, p. 7) Many world-class universities—both public and private—have student employee unions. If unionization is damaging to graduate student education, there should by now be some evidence of that. The email from President Zimmer and Provost Diermeier provides no such evidence. Reasonable people may disagree about the wisdom of the NLRB’s ruling. There can be no disagreement, however, that student employees now have the right to collectively determine how they will relate to the university that employs them. Advertisements

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last year, you’ve seen Pusheen the cat around your favorite parts of the internet. If you haven’t, prepare yourself to be blown away by this incredibly adorable and talented feline of the interwebs. Not only is Pusheen probably the cutest thing on the internet, but she also has a professional side. Let’s check it out – right meow. Professional House Sitter, $14,641/year Okay, maybe Pusheen wasn’t a “real” house sitter, but you have to admit that this cat is good at sitting. If we close our eyes and pretend that Pusheen got paid to loaf around the house, we can assume she was getting paid up to $19/hour or an equivalent of 19 cat treats per hour. Do You Know What You're Worth? GET A FREE PAY REPORT Musician, $100,524/year You’re probably thinking, “Wait, Pusheen was a musician?” Of course she was. Although none of her songs cracked the top 100 charts this year, we can still respect Pusheen for her artistic talents. Had Pusheen succeeded in the music industry, she could have been earning millions. It’s been said that Pusheen might have inspired popular artist like Katy Perry back in the day. Baker, $28,655/year While Pusheen might have been enthusiastic about her time as a baker, I’m pretty sure we all know she did more snacking than eating. But that’s what you get to do when you’re a cute cat on the internet. According to the PayScale database, Pusheen could have been earning up to $27k a year – not too bad for a cat. Private Detective, $49,460/year It’s no surprise that Pusheen’s time as a detective played to her strengths. For example, one of her strengths is her ability to conduct super-secret and serious surveillance on humans and dogs. If you ever had a feeling Pusheen was watching you, she probably was. And she was doing it for almost $50k a year! Book Author, $51,734/year Last but not least, in 2013 Pusheen had her first book published, titled “I am Pusheen the Cat.” Of course, we assume she had a little help from her human Claire Belton, but still. Publishing a book is no small feat, and Pusheen did it with grace. Book authors make around $51k a year, or in Pusheen terms, 50 pounds of catnip. GIFs via Pusheen.com Tell Us What You Think! Did we miss an important part of Pusheen’s career? We want to hear from you! Comment below or join the discussion on Twitter.

Ian McKellen Blasts IOC for Acceptance of Russia's Antigay Laws Out actor and LGBT activist Ian McKellen has used Facebook to air his feelings about the International Olympic Committee’s recent announcement that Russia’s antigay laws — one of which which forbids any public display of support for LGBT people — did not violate the organization’s charter. "As a gay participant in the opening ceremony of the London Paralympics in 2012, I am angered by the International Olympics Committee's announcement that harsh Russian anti-gay laws do not transgress its own Sixth Fundamental Principle of Olympism that 'any form of discrimination is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic movement,'" McKellen wrote on his Facebook page. "In Russia, it is now effectively illegal to speak about homosexuality in public. That means that openly gay visitors to Russia, including Olympians, are only welcome if they bring their closets with them. I agree with the Human Rights Campaign that, ‘The IOC has completely neglected its responsibility to athletes, corporate sponsors, and fans.'" Last month, the IOC announced that it is "completely satisfied" with vague promises from Russian diplomats that LGBT athletes and spectators will be safe during the Winter Games and will not be affected by the country’s antigay laws while on the Olympic grounds. "The Olympic Charter states that all segregation is completely prohibited, whether it be on the grounds of race, religion, color, or other, on the Olympic territory," Jean-Claude Killy, chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission, told the Associated Press at a press conference in Sochi, where the games will be held. "That will be the case, we are convinced."

Euthanasia as a Dutch neoliberal success story Flavia Dzodan Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 30, 2016 I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears…in…rain. Time to die. — Roy Batty, Blade Runner In Blade Runner, the Tyrell Corporation created its replicants with a built in expiration date, a post human planned obsolescence where the replicants had a pre-set life expectancy. Dutch actor Rutger Hauer, who improvised the monologue for one of the most moving death scenes in film history, knows his life is completed, utters the words “Time to die” and quietly expires. At the time, the film was quite reviled by critics. It had a short run in theaters and its dystopian plot confused most viewers. Thirty four years later, Blade Runner is generally considered a cult classic and one of the best sci-fi films ever made. Roy Batty’s death scene is one of the most quoted and revered in pop culture history. It was through the eyes of a dying replicant, an artificial entity’s “completed life” that we shed tears for our own ephemeral humanity: we, too, have seen things; we, too, have unachieved dreams and a will to thrive. A completed life in The Netherlands In 2014, the phrase “completed life” was introduced to the Dutch mainstream through quite extensive reports and subsequent discussions. The phrase was used in relation to a healthy 63 year old man who was euthanized the year before due to “fear of pension”. These, “fear of pension”, were the words used by the psychiatrist who approved the procedure for the man. When describing his patient’s state of mind, the psychiatrist said “People told him it was a shame he had to go. Is this really necessary was also something I heard people saying. They thought he had a good job. But he was so close to retirement. Many people knew how lonely he was and that he spent all his time working.” The man had never been on holidays. He had never built a life outside his work. Now, with retirement upon him, his life was “completed”. Around the time of this man’s death, the ruling Party of The Netherlands, the right wing People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, initiated a study on the feasibility of adjusting the current euthanasia law to include aging or elderly patients with no physical or psychiatric symptoms who simply wished to die due to considerations that their lives were “completed”. The study, “Completed Life. About assisted suicide for people who deem their lives completed” was released earlier this year. It included input from ethicists, academics from the medical establishment and interest groups. The report offered a series of conclusions and recommendations, the most important one being that they did not see the need to change the current law which already contemplates “complains and illnesses related to old age” as reasons to opt for assisted suicide. This conclusion, however, did not deter the proponents of “completed life” as an ethical framework from bringing the discussion to mainstream media. They continue to argue that, after a certain age, when a person no longer leads a productive life, they can see themselves as having done their share for society and might wish to opt for euthanasia. “Time to die”, indeed. Fear of the mentally ill In 2015 media reported widely on the statement from the parents of a 25 year old woman who chose euthanasia. She was a comedian who had gotten national attention when she auditioned (and got through the semi finals) at the TV show “Holland Got Talent”. She suffered from psychiatric as well as physical problems. Her family released a message upon her death which media amplified accordingly, always stressing on how this was “her freedom day”. In May of this year, international media reported with a sense of horror on the case of a 26 year old sex abuse victim who was euthanized because she found her life unbearable. Her case was exemplary of the widespread belief that victims of sexual abuse are “broken beyond repair”; people whose lives are unlivable to the point that death might be a better option than enduring the ongoing trauma. In Dutch media, with some notable exceptions, these cases of psychiatric patients, which have been on a steady rise in the past couple of years, are presented under a very positive light. Almost always there are statements from the family about how relieved they are, how “happy” the patient was to finally be able to end their lives and how it was a “sad but positive” moment for all involved. Every couple of months, there is a new documentary or article about a family member telling the story of their loved one who chose assisted suicide for psychiatric reasons. Always stressing how important it was for their family member to make such choice. Absent from these reports and discussions are the roles of the State and the community in the care of the infirm, the elderly or those with severe disabilities. Notably absent as well are discussions about the responsibilities of mental health institutions providing treatment, care and solutions for patients. We simply hear “we did everything but the patient did not get better” or “the patient made a choice”. The success story of the “soft death” “A soft or gentle death” is an euphemism commonly used to refer to euthanasia in the Dutch language. “Soft” because the patient avoids the violence inherent in the suffering from ongoing physical or psychiatric torments and because this “soft death” is foreseen, expected rather than in an uncertain future. In this rhetoric, “a soft death” is presented as a success story, the result of a carefully planned procedure that might even include drinking champagne prior to being administered the lethal drugs. The softness and gentleness evoke a sense of innocence, a pastel colored narrative of reassured family members who are ready to let go of their loved ones, to mercifully relieve them of their pain. There are a few words in the Dutch language that cannot be accurately translated into English. The impossibility stems from the fact that these words denote some cultural belief or quality that doesn’t necessarily exist, in its exact incarnation, in other languages. One such word is “gidsland”. A literal translation, “guiding country” would be quite nonsensical since such a concept does not exist in English. Yet, this is a word that describes a deeply held belief in The Netherlands: the country seen as a “guiding force”, leading by example, setting the path to push the boundaries of what later on becomes acceptable across the Western world (and eventually everywhere else). When Dutch political analysts refer to The Netherlands as a “guiding country”, they use the examples of same sex marriage, attitudes towards soft drugs and euthanasia. This, they believe, is what defines the culture. It is in this context of seeing itself at the forefront of what is acceptable, that The Netherlands insists on narratives of the “soft death” as the ultimate success story in self determination. The suffering patient, an individual in full use of his or her faculties, drinks champagne for one last time and predetermines his or her own “time to die”. Both Dutch media and government officials insist on these success stories, always completely removed from the bigger sociopolitical context. The patient as an island. Individual choice in the age of collective loss In February 2013, the same year a healthy 63 year old man terminated his life on the brink of retirement, all pension funds in The Netherlands issued a joint announcement: for the first time in their history, pensions would be reduced up to 7%. Suddenly, “fear of pension” meant the elderly could find themselves unable to make ends meet. Since 2010, almost all elderly homes and assisted living facilities have been closed down in The Netherlands. The elderly, facing further budget cuts that have removed almost all alternatives of home care, are left to fend for themselves with the help of family or neighbors. Community centers and recreation facilities where the elderly used to build a social life have been defunded. Aging migrants who moved to The Netherlands as adults, even after 30+ years of work, are not entitled to full pension benefits and, in some cases, are unable to afford even basic 2 euro meals offered by NGOs. Elderly people from the colonial territories in the Caribbean, classified as “foreign” under Dutch pension law find themselves in a colonial limbo, unable to access the full set of pension benefits afforded to native Dutch. Migrants from Morocco or Turkey, who moved here during the post war reconstruction efforts are denied the full scope of their pension if they choose to move back to their countries of origin. Mental health care, like all healthcare, fully privatized in The Netherlands, has been reduced to the most basic infrastructure, imbued with a laissez faire mentality where nobody is held accountable for the care and well being of patients who sometimes suffer for years with little in the form of solutions or treatments. Access to mental health care is heavily restricted with family doctors discouraging or directly refusing referrals for therapists. The waiting lists for psychiatric care are measured in months and that is for the lucky few who are referred to a specialist to begin with even though the suicide rates are at an all time high and suicide is the number one cause of death for people between the ages of 20 and 40. For those that suffer from chronic conditions, pain management is scarce and frowned upon by healthcare professionals under the widespread belief that “pain makes one stronger”. Due to a mixture of for profit insurance corporations and Calvinist belief in predestination for suffering, medications are scarcely offered, rarely followed up with therapy and complains are mostly shrugged off with recommendations to “spend more time outside” or “find a nice hobby”. The current right leaning coalition government is engaged in an ongoing campaign to make the care of the elderly, the sick and people with disabilities the duty of their families and, for those without family, their neighbors. They use words like “own responsibility” and “neighbor assistance” while they steadily remove all State provided care through systematic austerity measures that are increased every year. Recently, a document by the Finance Ministry was leaked to the press. In this document, Ministry officials made a list of possible further cuts for the next government which would represent savings of 50 billion Euros from the budget. The list was distributed as a confidential document to officials of all major political parties in view of next year’s general elections. It further recommended that all political parties start analyzing on which areas they would be willing to compromise. It is in this context of never ending austerity that euthanasia is presented as the ultimate individual success story. A matter of personal choice where the State has eschewed all sense of obligation towards aging or chronically ill persons and where the ruling Party, with ongoing support from opposition neoliberal Parties such as D66, pushes narratives of “completed lives”. The underlying message, one where a life outside the capitalist system of production, a life that requires care (and a budget allocation) is a life that has outgrown its usefulness. The “soft death”, in its pastel colored rhetoric, presented as the lesser form of suffering, the individual triumph over the inevitable. However when all options of care and support are removed, is there really any choice left? When the State insists that the care for those in need should be left in the hands of unpaid neighbors and strangers, the “soft death” for a “completed life” is obliquely presented as the best viable alternative. The supposedly non violent “soft death” as a mask for the violence brought upon by endless budget cuts. In 2012, speaking at a public interview celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of Blade Runner, Rutger Hauer said that when he improvised Roy Batty’s death monologue he felt he had seen the future, even though he couldn’t quite put into words what he had seen. Perhaps the future was a capitalist dystopia where humans who have outgrown their production cycle face their “completed lives”. I am an independent writer with no affiliations. If you find value in the type of work I do, please consider making a donation. You can also support my work on Patreon. Any funds, no matter how small will allow me to continue this ongoing research and analysis. Follow me on Twitter for daily updates.

Chromebooks are making inroads into the education sector , and a push is coming for the enterprise with new native Chrome capabilities from Citrix. Google and Citrix have announced Citrix Receiver for Chrome, a native app for the Chromebook which has direct access to the system resources, including printing, audio, and video. To provide the security needed for the enterprise, the new Citrix app assigns a unique Receiver ID to each device for monitoring, seamless Clipboard integration across remote and local applications, end user experience monitoring with HDX Insight, and direct SSL connections. Google and Citrix have partnered to bring Chromebooks with the Citrix software to 20 global enterprises over the coming months. These deployments cover many industries, including healthcare. Chapters Health Systems, a company providing hospice and palliative care to patients in Florida, has tested using Chromebooks to provide secure access to apps and tools to mobile nurses and remote healthcare providers. Chris Williams, Director of IT for Chapters Health Systems explains why the company went with Chromebooks running Citrix software. “At Chapters Health, our main priority is delivering superior patient care. Our investment in HP Chromebooks combined with XenApp and Citrix Receiver give caregivers simple, secure access to the virtual clinical and business apps they need, when they need it. By keeping the technology simple and easy to use, we’re giving them the freedom to put patients first. This combination works for our employees and for our organization, which is why we are looking at additional deployments of Chrome with XenApp in the near future.” Chapters Health conducted a test with its caregivers using Chromebooks, Windows systems, and iPads to determine which solution was best suited for remote work. The following infographic sums up the conclusions of the real-world test. Image: Google Citrix partnered with Google due to the growing popularity of Chromebooks. Calvin Hsu, VP of Citrix, sees Chromebooks as a solid mobile solution. “Citrix and Google are changing the way people work. In addition to the joint collaboration around XenApp and XenDesktop with Chromebooks, Citrix ShareFile features a personal cloud connector for accessing Google Drive files, Citrix GoToMeeting® is now available on Chrome, and Citrix Podio is integrated with Google Apps. Google and Citrix are committed to continued innovation across our product lines to bring best in class mobile workspaces to our customers.” Citrix technology is one of the top remote communications solutions for the enterprise. Major corporations use Citrix to allow workers to remotely access computing environments back at the office, and have secure access to files. App and desktop virtualization are key features of the Citrix solution. The company’s GoToMeeting service is an industry standard collaborative tool, and along with the new Citrix Receiver for Chrome is a solid effort to make the Chromebook a good fit for the enterprise. The Chromebook/ Citrix combination goes a long way to counter the upcoming " Chromebook Killers " from Microsoft and its partners. Additional Chromebook coverage:

Halloween. For most kids my age, Halloween means vodka-infused pumpkin spiced lattes, dressing up like sluts, and getting wasted beyond remembrance. For me, however, Halloween involves a much more sacred tradition: Watching Hocus Pocus. If you haven’t seen Hocus Pocus, by all means stop reading this article, speed responsibly to your local Redbox and watch it immediately. If you have seen it, you’ll most certainly understand the “8 Reasons Why You Should Drop All Your Halloween Plans and Just Watch Hocus Pocus.” 1. Because you’d rather watch Hocus Pocus than some stupid horror movie. Horror movies have their place. Many people enjoy watching young, beautiful people make stupid, irrational decisions in the face of insurmountable and horrific danger, a la virtually every horror movie ever created. But for those few times around Halloween during which you don’t want to scream in terror, weep in shock, or wet yourself in panic, you have fun, topical movies like Casper Meets Wendy and Hocus Pocus. And, since no one including Hilary Duff herself feels the need to watch Casper Meets Wendy again, you really just have Hocus Pocus. 2. Because Bette Midler is the better than any Halloween date. You know Bette Midler from that song, “From A Distance,” and the movie The First Wives Club. Actually, scratch that. Your mom knows Bette Midler from that song, “From A Distance,” and the movie The First Wives Club. You know Bette Midler from Hocus Pocus, and she put a spell on you as Sanderson sister, Winifred. Those teeth, that crazy lipstick, the way she says “vook” instead of “book,” that song cameo mid-film that really lightens the mood, and her ability to shoot the best sparks 1993 computer graphics could create out of her hands make her the best witch to bless the silver screen in cinematic history. Would you rather spend your evening with anyone else? 3. Because where else are you going to see a talking cat as awesome as Binx? Homeward Bound 1-7, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and that movie Cats and Dogs all featured talking cats. But Hocus Pocus did it first, and they did it best. I know I wasn’t the only one who, after watching Hocus Pocus on repeat as a 4-year-old, spent the rest of his childhood (and part of his adolescence) convinced that cats could actually talk. 4. Because there’s no better vocabulary lesson than this film. “Yabos.” “Amuck.” “Buffoon” 5. Because your first childhood crush came from this movie. Boys and budding lesbians, you know you thought Alison’s yabos were great, too. That, or you were into Sarah Jessica Parker. Girls and gay boys, you know you had a crush on Thackery Binx or Max Denison. 6. Because you can watch stars before they became stars. Sarah Jessica Parker, Thora Birch, that guy that played Thackery Binks who is now in NCIS, and even the director of High School Musical got their starts on Hocus Pocus. 7. Because you’d rather relive these iconic moments that are burned into your consciousness than watch slutty girls and stupid guys makes fools out of themselves. (Perhaps not, but just go with me on this one…) 8. Because you can experience all of these best parts of Halloween from the comfort of your couch with wine and left over candy from your trick-or-treat stash in hand. (Read: #Perfection) Magical Witches. Trick-or-Treaters. Black Cats. And even those girls dressed in slutty costumes. And those are the “8 Reasons Why You Should Drop All Your Halloween Plans and Just Watch Hocus Pocus.” At least, those are the 8 I narrowed my long list down to. Props to you, Hocus Pocus, for being the best Halloween movie that defined my childhood and for giving me so many wonderful reasons to watch you. …Now, excuse me. I have a movie to watch.

Life on Earth may have begun far earlier than thought, researchers have revealed. Researchers claim to have discovered evidence of the earliest life ever found in 3.77 billion year old fossil microbes discovered on Canada's ancient sea floor . If confirmed, the find is is at least 300 million years earlier than previous estimates - and the team who made the discovery say it suggests that there could also be life lurking on Mars. Scroll down for video Experts from UCL studied tubes and filamentous structures preserved in the rocks that resemble similar structures attributed to bacterial life seen in other seafloor hydrothermal environments THE OLDEST MICROFOSSILS There are no confirmed microfossils older than 3,500 million years on Earth. This is probably because of the highly metamorphosed nature of the oldest sedimentary rocks, according to the study. 'Therefore, studies have focused almost exclusively on chemical traces and primarily on the isotopic composition of carbonaceous material,' the researchers explained. The features are mineralized remains of what appear to be bacteria that lived some 3.77 billion to 4.28 billion years ago, the scientists said. That would surpass the 3.7 billion years assigned to some other rock features found in Greenland, which were proposed to be fossils last August. The new results come from examining rock found along the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in northern Quebec. The microscopic filaments and tubes, composed of an iron oxide called hematite, appeared within a rock type called jasper. A single strand may represent a chain of cells. A team of experts led by Matthew Dodd of University College London (UCL) searched for signs of the earliest habitable environments on our planet. Dodd said the microbes lived near a vent in the seafloor where water was heated by a volcano. Since the fossil are nearly as old as Earth, which formed some 4.5 billion years ago, the finding supports previous indications that life may have begun in such an environment, he said. Left: Layered haematite (red) and quartz (white) rock and right: a mass of haematite filaments, both from the 480 million-year-old hydrothermal vent deposit in Norway Ironcarbonate rosette and a core of a crystal with inclusions of red hematite from the Nuvvuagittuq. These may have formed through the oxidation of organic matter from microbes living around vents WHY DOES THIS SUGGEST LIFE ON MARS? Mr Dodd added: 'These discoveries demonstrate life developed on Earth at a time when Mars and Earth had liquid water at their surfaces, posing exciting questions for extra-terrestrial life. 'Therefore, we expect to find evidence for past life on Mars 4,000 million years ago, or if not, Earth may have been a special exception.' The team analysed jasper rocks, believed to be from ancient hydrothermal vents, found in the Nuvvuagittuq belt in northeastern Canada. The Nuvvuagittuq belt represents a fragment of the Earth's early oceanic crust and is made of basaltic rocks preserving pillow lava structures 'consistent with a submarine setting,' according to the researchers of the study. The experts studied tubes and filaments preserved in the rocks that resemble similar structures attributed to bacterial life seen in other seafloor hydrothermal environments. 'Modern hydrothermal vent deposits host communities of microorganisms, some of which are iron-oxidising bacteria that form distinctive tubes and filaments,' the researchers wrote. The new results come from examining rock found along the eastern shore of Hudson Bay in northern Quebec. 'Epifluorescence imaging [microscopes that use fluorescence to generate an image] of modern vent samples has shown that cylindrical casts composed of iron oxyhydroxide are formed by bacterial cells and are undeniably biogenic. 'Hence, morphologically similar tubes and filaments in ancient jaspers may be taken as biosignatures that can survive elevated temperatures and pressures.' A CONTROVERSIAL CLAIM Two experts who've previously reported similar findings said they're not convinced. 'I would say they are not fossils,' Martin J. Van Kranendonk of the University of New South Wales in Australia, who reported the Greenland findings last year, wrote in an email. The paper's evidence for a biological origin falls short, he said. Abigail Allwood, a NASA geologist, said the authors have produced 'one of the most detailed cases yet made' for evidence of life in rocks older than 3.5 billion years. But 'it's an extraordinary claim to make and you do need extraordinary evidence,' she said. While the rock features could be signs of past life, she said, 'I think the jury is still out a little bit.' Stronger evidence for ancient fossils comes from several findings in rocks at around 3.5 billion years old, she said. The researchers believe that their findings point to life on other planets. Mr Dodd added: 'These discoveries demonstrate life developed on Earth at a time when Mars and Earth had liquid water at their surfaces, posing exciting questions for extra-terrestrial life. 'Therefore, we expect to find evidence for past life on Mars 4,000 million years ago, or if not, Earth may have been a special exception.' The landscape from the the Nuvvuagittuq Supracrustal Belt in Quebec, Canada, showing a few Nastapoka Islands in the distant background Left: convoluted layers of light-grey quartz and dark-grey magnetite, both a bit thinner than a Canadian penny. Right: Laminated hematitic chert (jasper) from the Early Ordovician time period They explained that additional features preserved in these rocks, such as iron oxide granules and carbonate rosettes, are indicative of biological activity. 'Collectively, these observations are consistent with an oxidized biomass and provide evidence for biological activity in submarine-hydrothermal environments more than 3,770 million years ago,' they wrote. In fact, there's a chance the fossilised microorganisms could date as far back as 4,280 million years ago. The Nunavik territory in Quebec, Canada, showing the nearly perfect crescent of the Nastapoka structure in the lower left Rock containing tubular and filamentous microfossils. This co-called jasper is in contact with a dark green volcanic rock in the top right and represent hydrothermal vent precipitates on the seafloor These findings complement a recent report in the same journal about stromatolites — geological structures made by microbial colonies — from 3,700-million-year-old rocks in Greenland. Stromatolites formed in the sunlit surface waters of the sea, and signs of life from hydrothermal vents show that even at this early date life had colonised the sea from its surface to the depths. But not everyone is convinced of the findings. Roger Buick, a professor in Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, said of the finding: 'I'm rather dubious that this finding will stand up to further scientific scrutiny. 'Where's the organic carbon in the filaments (rather than adjacent to them), where's the internal (rather than external) carbon isotope data supporting biological carbon fixation, where's the evidence of cellularity, where's the evidence of behavior? 'This study seems to have been held to a lower burden of proof than other microfossil reports and fails to meet the standards that would be required for a younger microfossil claim to be accepted. Possible, but not probable, and certainly not persuasive or compelling.' The study was published in the journal Nature.

They do things differently in Saudi Arabia, in Abu Dhabi and in Egypt. In the countries of the Middle East, where Arabic is spoken and where, to a greater or lesser extent, religious mores shape much of daily life, different rules apply. For video game companies, the region has traditionally been an afterthought, an add-on to its European efforts. English-language versions of games are shipped into Arabic countries or, if they contravene local beliefs to do with alcohol, sexual behavior or simulated violence, they are not. There is no need for a ratings agency like the ESRB because local distributors know perfectly well which games will provoke concern, and which games will not. They self-regulate. Of course, anyone who wishes to buy a game that is not being distributed through official channels can do so easily, and many people do just that. Even in countries like Saudi Arabia, where rules and laws are taken very seriously, little attention is paid to imported or downloaded video games. People play the games they want to play. On the whole, they play these games in English. But some companies are seeking ways to create Arabic versions of games. FIFA games are translated into Arabic and feature local teams and leagues. Ubisoft has set up a localization and culturalization office in Abu Dhabi and is retooling games for the vast Arabic market, estimated to be worth $1 billion a year, through official channels. Yannick Theler is heading up the Ubisoft operation, which is also working on original content, due to be announced next year. For him, the biggest problem about localizing a game for the region isn't about the widely-assumed cultural differences between Middle East and West, it's about the language itself. "It's mainly about user interface," he said. "What we see as a Westerner with our eyes, how we look at the computer when we play a game, it's not exactly the way they look at them here. That's something we're learning about and trying to integrate in our games." The challenge is that Arabic is read from right to left. "It's not enough to just take the game and translate it into Arabic," he said. "Making sure that it reads right to left is just localization. Culturalization is asking yourself, where do people look? For me I look at the left side to find a certain button. They'll tend to look to the right side. That's what we try to address." So entire UIs are being addressed to reshape game screens so that they more naturally adhere to Arabic reader-habits. "We need to understand how they look at the screen and what will be easiest for them, so they can automatically find what they're looking for." It's not a simple matter of switching screens around. Many gamers are accustomed to reading English from left-to-right and to playing games with UIs that have been designed that way. But there are areas where a more Arabic feel is called for, most especially with children's games. Theler said that the company worked hard to make its Smurfs game as fully Arabic as possible, and scored way higher sales than an English-language / UI version would have managed. "We have 1.5 million players in Arabic, which was our first try. It's done very well. The first Smurfs was in English. I think only 400 people from the Arabic region were playing. It's good feedback from the market." Clearly, there is an untapped pool of people who want to play games in their own language. But Arabic culture, and even language, is not a uniform thing. Mohamed Mazloum is a gamer based in Egypt. "I've seen very few games which get localized into Arabic," he said. "It's definitely a challenge, because of the way Arabic reads, and also because of the many idiomatic uses which would probably not translate into Arabic. Another problem would be the various dialects in the Arab world, because localizing the game into formal Arabic would make the game seem quite stilted and, in my opinion, could damage the general tone developers aim for. So, just thinking about the idea of localizing for dialects boggles the mind." Ideas of proper behavior and dress-codes, different to those we value in the West, are still a concern. Theler said that all references to booze must be eliminated and that skimpy clothing is replaced. But generally, games that tend towards themes like alcohol and sex are deemed inappropriate for official release. "Maybe we'll simply not publish that game in this region," he said. "We wouldn't be able to get a validation [from distributors] to publish the game." Mazloum said that in Egypt, any and all games are freely available, but in Saudi Arabia, where he lived for two years, "there is a much stricter culture." "I've seen several games banned from release for clashing too violently with the perceived norms of the country." he said. "For example, GTA is definitely a no-go there, due to its portrayal of alcohol, sex and drugs. God of War games have been banned before too, not on grounds of the violence, but because of the rampant nudity and because it includes the word 'God' in the title." He said that, nevertheless, gamers in all countries have little trouble securing whatever games they want. Saleem Dabbous grew up in Kuwait and now lives in Canada. He recalls games being banned for their content (just as some games are banned or severely restricted in Western countries). "There is a huge import culture supported by specialty game stores," he said. "Most of these stores import games from the U.S. and Japan and sell them, usually with no regards to content. Most of these games fly under the government's radar, but with a game that's garnered enough attention the government will issue a ban on its import. Stores that carried the game would have to bribe officials and would sell the games at a premium due to scarcity and high demand." Theler, who spent some years living in China, said that he is struck more by similarities between gaming culture in the Middle East and the West, than by differences. "In every mall center you have a shop selling video games and consoles," he said. "The teenagers and even adults are playing games. I think 50 percent of the population is below 25 years old and they like games."

Media Create Sales: Week 30, 2017 (Jul 24 - Jul 30) Code: +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+ |System | This Week | Last Week | Last Year | YTD | Last YTD | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+ | ALL | 2.462.000 | 987.000 | 590.000 | 16.910.000 | 15.992.000 | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+ Code: +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ |System | This Week | Last Week | Last Year | YTD | Last YTD | LTD | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | 3DS # | 142.600 | 34.145 | 29.043 | 936.406 | 796.005 | 23.097.151 | | PS4 # | 93.356 | 30.878 | 20.567 | 995.055 | 760.380 | 5.095.722 | | NSW | 89.314 | 98.999 | | 1.286.300 | | 1.286.300 | | PSV # | 4.967 | 4.545 | 11.016 | 230.725 | 516.726 | 5.673.792 | | WIU | 142 | 176 | 5.228 | 14.225 | 211.988 | 3.327.435 | | PS3 | 121 | 142 | 1.049 | 18.710 | 41.468 | 10.468.478 | | XB1 # | 94 | 77 | 68 | 5.149 | 3.492 | 80.733 | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | ALL | 330.594 | 168.962 | 66.971 | 3.486.570 | 2.330.059 | 49.029.611 | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | XB1 | 94 | 77 | 68 | 5.149 | 3.492 | 80.733 | |PS4 Pro| 10.988 | 7.037 | | 197.474 | | 328.285 | | PS4 | 82.368 | 23.841 | 20.567 | 797.581 | 760.380 | 4.767.437 | | PSV | 4.967 | 4.545 | 11.016 | 230.725 | 516.726 | 5.488.341 | |n-2DSLL| 110.963 | 17.717 | | 171.995 | | 171.995 | | 2DS | 3.680 | 2.300 | | 148.597 | | 437.206 | |n-3DSLL| 26.587 | 13.108 | 24.118 | 568.969 | 594.378 | 4.396.965 | | n-3DS | 1.370 | 1.020 | 3.973 | 46.845 | 133.784 | 1.127.853 | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ Famitsu Sales: Week 31, 2017 (Jul 24 - Jul 30) Code: +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ |System | This Week | Last Week | Last Year | YTD | Last YTD | LTD | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | 3DS # | 126.790 | 28.831 | 25.259 | 1.099.969 | 778.013 | 23.011.382 | | NSW | 105.697 | 102.581 | | 1.310.784 | | 1.310.784 | | PS4 # | 93.954 | 27.530 | 21.030 | 1.084.963 | 822.984 | 5.006.579 | | PSV # | 4.364 | 4.417 | 11.340 | 283.156 | 588.842 | 5.530.575 | | WIU | 207 | 214 | 6.048 | 19.925 | 258.034 | 3.299.663 | | PS3 | 103 | 142 | 713 | 15.461 | 36.977 | 10.273.180 | | XB1 # | 83 | 102 | 39 | 5.463 | 3.486 | 78.411 | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | ALL | 331.198 | 163.817 | 64.429 | 3.819.721 | 2.488.336 | 48.510.574 | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ | XB1 S | 83 | 102 | | 681 | | 6.409 | |PS4 Pro| 9.381 | 6.303 | | 191.685 | | 308.735 | | PS4 | 84.573 | 21.227 | 21.030 | 893.278 | 822.984 | 4.697.844 | | PSV | 4.364 | 4.417 | 11.340 | 283.156 | 588.842 | 5.530.575 | |n-2DSLL| 98.611 | 17.281 | | 152.752 | | 152.752 | | 2DS | 2.980 | 1.922 | | 226.579 | | 523.726 | | n-3DS | 25.199 | 9.628 | 24.603 | 720.638 | 732.476 | 5.414.627 | +-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+ Media Create / Famitsu database Previous Threads

Ian Walton/Getty Images LIVERPOOL, England — If Liverpool supporters knew nothing of their new manager before his appointment, they do now: Brendan Rodgers, 39, loves to talk. Not that talking is bad, necessarily. When he was introduced to the media as the new manager of Liverpool last month, he had a lot of talking to do, not only to those at the news conference but to the club’s global fan base, watching intently. The fans were still coming to terms with the usurpation of their king two weeks earlier. Supporters’ wounds were still open, and tears still stained their sleeves, yet here stood the man who took the crown from Kenny Dalglish. The new coach had worked his way up the ranks at Chelsea but failed to find success at Reading, had taken Swansea to the Premier League with an attractive, pragmatic style, yet has spent one year in the top flight of English soccer. He had a lot of talking to do. And talk he did. For a job in which harmonizing the fan base is key, Rodgers struck the right chord from the beginning, noting the link between the city of Liverpool, its people and its club. The role of manager at Liverpool is not only about winning matches, it is about being an ambassador for the city; telling supporters he will fight for the club and the city is a good first day on the job, especially when delivered with such seeming sincerity. He loves to talk. Already we know which formation Liverpool will play next season, and the philosophy behind it. So do their opponents. The more astute managers will contemplate how to nullify their pressing, keep-ball 4-3-3, while the rest will look to swamp the midfield and play route one. Already we know the sort of player Rodgers is on the lookout for. On signing the Italian forward Fabio Borini, he said: “He’s technically strong; he’s a good finisher with both feet; he can play central or on the sides in a 4-3-3 up front; he’s quick; and he’s tactically very good. He is arguably the best physical player I’ve worked with in terms of his pace, power and fitness. Mentally, he’s very strong. We’ve got a player who is on the up and someone who I think Liverpool will benefit from.” We even know the players Liverpool and Rodgers want to bring to the club this summer. Midfielder Joe Allen and forward Clint Dempsey are both well thought of. Rodgers’s appointment signals intent from the club’s owners to build something over time, but the manager knows the importance of doing well in his first season. It used to be the case that one step back would be acceptable if two forward followed; that is now an erstwhile idea in an era of Manchester City’s wealth, Manchester United’s global dominance and the pulling power of London clubs Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. A scathing criticism of Liverpool throughout last season was a lack of direction on the field, an identity crisis over how it should play and how the players were best used. Concentrating on players already familiar to him — Borini, Allen, Gylfi Sigurdsson (who ended up at Tottenham) — solves both of those problems. It is why the interest in Dempsey is conspicuous. Rodgers has not worked with him before, although the Northern Irishman would not be expected — or encouraged — to sign only those he is familiar with. It is at this point that Rodgers’s loose tongue helps. The list of attributes he reeled off for Borini — strength, finishing, versatility, tactical awareness, fitness — can easily be applied to Dempsey. Last season serves as proof. Dempsey’s 17 Premier League goals came from a number of positions across Fulham’s front four; those goals resulted from good finishing, intelligent movement, strength and pace. His fitness record is fantastic, too He failed to start just three league games over the past two years. The interest in Dempsey bodes well for Liverpool, regardless of how people rate him as a player. Rodgers knows the exact sort of player he wants to improve Liverpool’s standing. Whether it is the right choice remains to be seen, but supporters can rest slightly easier knowing it is not a misinformed one. A team that finishes eighth in the league, regardless of two Cup final appearances, lacks a lot. Cries that the habitual striking of the woodwork cost Liverpool a Champions League spot are misguided. Liverpool lacked players with finishing ability, pace, movement and intelligence — just a few of the qualities Borini possesses. With the form Dempsey has shown during his time at Fulham, he could also bring that to Anfield. He could also bring something else much coveted at Anfield — the United States dollar. Dempsey is arguably the U.S. national team’s most prized asset having been capped 87 times and spent three years at the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. Liverpool’s American owners are keen to raise awareness of the club across the Atlantic. If preseason games in Toronto, Boston and Baltimore did not serve as a clue, perhaps the coming six-part show on Fox Soccer to be shown in the autumn will. For Rodgers, it matters not whether he is from the United States, Uruguay or Upminster, the main thing is the role Dempsey can fulfill in his new-look Liverpool setup. Much like Allen and Borini, the name of Dempsey is not one to get fans giddy with excitement, but his courtship with Liverpool represents far more than his two feet: Rodgers has started to build his kingdom, and he knows how he wants it to look at the end; it is how he gets there that is the struggle. A signing like Dempsey could be a good building block, both on and off the pitch. And Rodgers cannot be expected to keep quiet if that proves to be the case, nor should he be. It is good to talk. Kristian Walsh has written for The Telegraph, BBC Sport, Sky Sports and other publications. Follow him on Twitter.

U.S. Precedent Donald Trump unveiled his “final solution” for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this morning during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Political analysts believe the proposal is part of Trump’s infamous negotiation style of aiming for bigger goals in the hopes of making the other side settle where he wanted all along. “Israel is going to be begging for a two-state solution now,” said Slick Rick, Stubhill’s resident used car salesman. “It’s a classic move, you open the sale at $10,000 and the sucker feels like he won when he talks you down to $6,000. When you go high, they go low.” Trump started the meeting by simultaneously speaking while live tweeting his decree. “In order to achieve piece(sic) in the region, Donald J. Trump is calling for an immediate ban on all violence,” tweeted Trump. “Additionally, I am recommending the Israeli and Palestinian people forge a 50-state government modeled after the U.S. THANK YOU! #FinalSolution” Trump then gifted Netanyahu the original U.S. Constitution to help speed up the founding process, and remarked that we no longer were in need of it. At press time, Trump was tweeting suggestions for names for the new states, which were just U.S. state names with “New” added to the front of them. Follow Stubhill News for all the newest news.

Losing Faith: Why Faith Bandler felt the 1967 referendum's promise was betrayed Posted I met Faith Bandler in 2007. I was making a radio documentary for the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum, when an overwhelming majority of Australians voted to change the constitution. A lead campaigner for the "yes" vote, Faith was a radical in her own way: a socialist with an ASIO file, who with Aboriginal activist Pearl Gibbs and Jessie Street formed the Aboriginal-Australian Fellowship, an independent grassroots organisation that sold buttons to finance its activities. Her ideas weren't radical enough for some, particularly after the historic vote in 1967. We had something in common: she was born up my way, at Tumbulgum, on a bend in the Tweed River north of Murwillumbah and south of Tweed Heads, so I nervously asked her if she remembered the Brownings, in particular my great-great aunts. "Oh yes," she said, "they had beautiful singing voices." She elongated the "beautiful", holding the syllables like a musical note. We sat together in the front room of her home in Turramurra, set in the bush in Sydney's northern suburbs. She was dressed in a flowing muumuu, both imperious and magisterial in a reclining armchair. Her head quivered slightly when she spoke. "The most difficult part about that campaign was to get people to support the idea and be involved in it," she told me. "Very few people were involved in getting that legislative change — I'm speaking of Aboriginal people — because it was a matter of getting food on the table. It was a very bad time for the Aboriginal people prior to '67, very bad." As I drew myself closer, I was struck by something: Faith was born in the same year as my grandmother, Mary Emzin. I have never met anyone so like my grandmother. They also shared a common heritage — in the traffic of human cargo from the islands of Vanuatu — without being burdened by it. I knew I was imposing on her as she gave interviews quite rarely at this time. Her daughter Lilon, with whom I'd been in infrequent contact for a few years, had put in a good word for me. In the late 90s, as a young triple j news reporter, I'd been drafted to produce obituaries for some leading Aboriginal people, and Faith was one of those nominated. It was extremely presumptuous, because Faith lived on for at least another 15 years. And of course Faith wasn't Aboriginal — she was the daughter of a South Sea Islander, Wacvie Mussingkon, who as a 12-year-old was brought to Australia from Vanuatu to work as an indentured labourer in the Queensland canefields. Faith offered me a cup of tea, and when I said yes, she bolted upright in that reclining armchair and called out to her husband Hans in that lilting soprano voice of hers: "Hans! Haaa-aaans!" As the tea sat undrunk, I set up my equipment, toyed with the mic, cursorily explained my line of questioning, and hit record. The ABC had just issued us with new digital recording devices, a box-fresh black Marantz. It was the first time I'd used a digital recorder. You had to hit save when you paused and it was halfway through the interview that I realised I'd lost most of what I'd recorded. What I did capture was the drive for social justice that compelled this extraordinary woman. For Faith, the racism and the deliberate exclusion inherent in those two sections of the constitution was glaring. "See, new people were coming in to Australia and were immediately acquiring all the rights of Australian citizenship and here you had the first people deprived of it. I mean — it was too ridiculous for words." Her eyes flashed a few times during the interview. It didn't take much to light the activist fire, although here she was, in her 89th year. "Well, the constitution had to be changed — there was no question about that." Faith had helped established the Aboriginal-Australian Fellowship in 1956 to lobby for legislative change, and was secretary when the referendum campaign began. "When I said to them: 'Well, we have to change the constitution,' I think they thought I was mad," she said. "Here were we, about four or five people, the poorest little group functioning in Australia, I'm sure, talking about having to change the federal constitution." The "yes" vote in 1967 secured two seemingly minor but fundamental changes: the repeal of a section which disallowed the reckoning, or counting, of Aboriginal people in the Commonwealth census, and the extension of the race power, which granted the Commonwealth the power to legislate on behalf of Aboriginal people, previously exercised by the states. I could sense Faith's disappointment at the eventual outcome of the 1967 referendum — and her incredulity at the lack of political will to go beyond mere constitutional reform. In the 1990s, when the Commonwealth was asked to intervene over the construction of a bridge near Goolwa in South Australia, to an island in the Murray said to be the site of sacred women's business, there was legal argument about the extent of the so-called "race power" granted to the Commonwealth after the 1967 referendum. A battery of High Court judges decided that the race power did not limit the Commonwealth to legislating for the benefit of Aboriginal people — it could make special laws to their detriment. The bitter, excoriating dispute went all the way to the High Court, with the Ngarrindjeri claimants in the case invoking the race power in their appeal, in a bid to stop the construction of the bridge. That appeal was denied, and in 1997, the Howard government introduced its own legislation to allow the bridge to proceed, excising the island from the Racial Discrimination Act. "For many people, including for her, that was a terrible betrayal," says her daughter Lilon. "That was because there'd been an act of trust: we hand over power to people in an expectation that they will do the right thing by us. Those decisions that were clearly not in the best interests of Aboriginal people I think were seen as a betrayal not only of trust, but an obligation and a responsibility." Faith had little time for the former prime minister, John Howard, who when I met her was in the final months of his last term. In the lead-up to the 40th anniversary of the referendum, a government-funded media campaign — and its slogan — urged Australians to think positively about the 1967 "yes" vote. "'Recapturing the spirit of 1967' — well what does it mean?" Faith asked. "The power is in his hands, and he has the power to create the right changes. "A prime minister should just get on with the job, and make sure people are treated fairly regardless of who they are." As we spoke, the Howard government was preparing to introduce a controversial raft of legislation, the Northern Territory Emergency Response, which hinged on the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act in what the government termed "prescribed communities". According to Faith's daughter, the old activist was disturbed by those events. "It troubled her deeply," says Lilon, a doctor lecturing in Indigenous health at the University of Sydney. "One is troubled because it is, in and of itself, poor decision-making, but also because it came out of those powers that were handed to the Federal Government through that referendum." In 2007, I baldly asked Faith Bandler why — as a South Sea Islander woman — she felt compelled to speak out about Aboriginal rights, and to advocate for constitutional reform for the first people. "It depends on a person's sense of justice." Topics: activism-and-lobbying, government-and-politics, indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, community-and-society, referendums, reconciliation, turramurra-2074, nsw, australia

Kate Major has resigned from Star Magazine because of her relationship with Jon Gosselin. Although a source close to Gosselin told RadarOnline that Major is making things up, Kate told Star Magazine Wednesday night that she was indeed the new Kate in Jon’s life, saying: “I went to do a story on Jon and ended up falling for him.” Jon Gosselin has a different kind of complicated life now. He seems to be trading eight kids for eight girlfriends. Jon wasted no time on the heels of his divorce to jet off to France with his new 22-year-old girlfriend, Hailey Glassman. He had been staying at Hailey’s parents house during his split from Kate, but claims to have only dated Glassman after the divorce was final. No one was sure how serious either Glassman or Jon was about the relationship until party-girl Glassman told People a few details about their fun-filled courtship. She refuted engagement rumors, but certainly sounded smitten. Unfortunately Glassman’s revelations about Jon was sandwiched in between Jon’s dinner with Kate Major on Saturday night and Jon staying with Kate at Michael Lohan’s house in the Hamptons. Read more about Hailey Glassman at PopEater Wednesday night Jon and his new Kate (who rocks the white trash hair like no other) had dinner with Michael Lohan (a long-term friend of Kate Major), Jill Zarin from The Real Housewives of New York, her husband Bobby, the Mayor of Southampton Mark Epley and his wife Marianne. I wouldn’t be surprised if cameras from both TLC and Bravo! were at the get-together. Maybe this is a golden opportunity for Mike Lohan (notorious father of Lindsay) to get his own reality show where he has dinner with the strangest groups of people possible. Anything involving Michael Lohan could result in a few tables getting thrown and hair weaves getting snatched out, so this could work. ~ Carrie Glass Subscribe to Starcasm by Email

On April 9th, Richard Spencer, with the support of Mike Peinovich (Mike Enoch) and several other Alt Right “shitlords” held a rally in front of the White House in opposition to Donald Trump’s bombing of Syrian airfields. This strays from their American First nationalism, as they quite like Assad’s authoritarian regime in the Middle East. While the left also opposed the invasion of Syria, it is for dramatically different reasons than the Alt Right, organized anti-fascists came out to confront the Alt Right at their rally. What ensued was Richard Spencer and other far-right provocateurs baiting, insulting, and prodding the opposition. The anti-fascist contingent swelled so large that the Alt Right were forced to cut down their rally early and were chased out of the square. Richard then tried to get into his planned ride, but anti-fascists blocked this. Spencer then got into a cab, which was also blocked by anti-fascists, while police came to Spencer’s defense. Spencer cowered and then ran out of the cab and down the street as police tried to block the anti-fascist protesters. Police arrested two anti-fascist protesters, and we will be posting information on how to donate to their legal fund when that information becomes available. The video ends by following Spencer as he ducked in and our of alley ways, hiding from protesters, and then mocking them when he felt like he was safe. This really shows that his ability to organize has been destroyed by the opposition, and he will never be able to hold an unopposed public event. The video below is the best video of the whole incident, including Spencer being run out of town and the protesters being arrested. We do not enjoy sharing a video below that includes Spencer being able to speak his views, nor do we endorse the operation that put the video together, but it is also the most clear angle of the events we have found thus far. Advertisements

“You dropped a 150 grand on a fucking education that you could’ve got a $1.50 in late charges at the public library” – Good Will Hunting (1997) I love that quote. It not only speaks to the accessibility of knowledge, it also speaks to the importance of being efficient with your learnings. I just recently shut down Rewire Attire, the exclusive high end apparel marketplace. We hand picked and recruited high end fashion designers to list their designs for sale. We marketed and sold those designs. We arranged shipment and accepted payment. Designers packaged their orders and dropped them off for shipment. One of our biggest selling features for shoppers was our “perfect fit” technology. The pitch was to get away from inaccurate generic sizing terms like “small”, “medium” and “large” and move to a system based on body measurements. While it’s impractical to use body measurements in a traditional bricks and mortar retail environment, the internet is well suited to log a shoppers body measurements and compare those measurements to a catalogue of fashion designs – “have designs try you on instead”. Even after shutting down the business, writing about it still gets me excited. I still feel the future of fashion retail (or clothes shopping) involves an improvement on sizing with the help of the internet (and data). Here’s the problem. I’m not the target audience. The target audience for Rewire Attire, the high end fashion marketplace, was women with enough money to afford high end fashion and that are young enough to be comfortable shopping for clothes on the internet. It turns out that these women are not comfortable sharing their body measurements, overwhelmingly so, despite the benefits. I found this out by spending $100 on a Google consumer survey: …after already investing over a year of my time and over $40,000 developing the business. Even though I’d listened Eric Reis speak at Stanford (via podcast…thanks Stanford for sharing). And even though I read Steve Blank‘s The Four Steps to the Epiphany. I was still inefficient with my learnings. Needless to say, I’m now an even bigger proponent of The Lean Startup. Cheers T Advertisements

One day after Pakistan freed Hafiz Saeed, the emir of al Qaeda and Taliban-allied terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani government claimed its resolve to fight against terrorists “is unmatched in the world.” Saeed was freed from house arrest after the Lahore High Court determined that his release would not “bring diplomatic and financial problems to the country,” Dawn reported. The Lashkar-e-Taiba leader was put under house arrest on Jan. 31. The US government has listed Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and issued a $10 million bounty for information leading to his arrest and capture. Lashkar-e-Taiba – which is now known as Jamaat-ud-Dawa – and several of its charitable fronts have been listed as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The Lahore High Court decided to release Saeed one week after US Congress, in its 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, removed the condition that Pakistan must take action against Lashkar-e-Taiba in order for cash from the Coalition Support Fund to be disbursed to the Pakistani government. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that Pakistan does not support terrorist organizations and takes the lead in fighting them while it rebuffed India’s protests over the release of Saeed. “Pakistan’s resolve, actions and successes in the fight against terrorism, terrorist violence and terrorists is unmatched in the world,” a statement by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “Pakistan condemns and opposes all forms of terrorism by any individual or group.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs then accused India of conducting “acts of terrorism inside Pakistan and elsewhere.” Pakistan’s denial that it supports and harbors terrorist groups is laughable. Last August, after President Donald Trump called out Pakistan and said that the US “can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that terrorist groups operate inside its borders. Inside Pakistan, LeT operates openly and has offices throughout the country. Markaz-e-Taiba, its headquarters in Muridke near Lahore, is a sprawling complex used to indoctrinate future jihadists before they are sent off for military training. The provincial government of Punjab has financed Markaz-e-Taiba in the past. LeT has mastered the art of using charitable groups to fundraise as well as promote its message and recruit. Since 2010, the US has identified the following groups as LeT fronts: Falah-i Insaniat Foundation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Al-Anfal Trust, Tehrik-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool, Tehrik-e-Tahafuz Qibla Awwal, and Al-Muhammadia Students. These LeT fronts continue to operate inside Pakistan without consequence. Saeed’s terror organization has been directly linked to numerous terror attacks in South Asia, including the Nov. 2008 terror assault in Mumbai that resulted in the deaths of 165 people. The US and Indian governments have accused Saeed and other Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives and leaders of plotting, financing, and executing the Mumbai attack. A former adviser to President Obama on Afghanistan and Pakistan stated in 2012 that evidence seized at Osama bin Laden’s compound linked the slain al Qaeda emir to the Mumbai attack and Saeed. [See LWJ report, Osama bin Laden helped plan Mumbai attacks.] Saeed, who formed LeT at the behest of Abdullah Azzam, bin Laden’s mentor and co-founder of al Qaeda, praised bin Laden after US Navy SEALs killed the al Qaeda emir at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in May 2011. “Osama bin Laden was a great person who awakened the Muslim world … Martyrdoms are not losses, but are a matter of pride for Muslims,” Saeed proclaimed. “Osama bin Laden has rendered great sacrifices for Islam and Muslims, and these will always be remembered,” Saeed continued, as his followers chanted “Down with America” and “Down with Obama.” The Pakistani government has protected Saeed, despite his complicity in terror attacks, and has refused to act against his terror network. Saeed is favored not only by Pakistan’s military and Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, which provides Lashkar-e-Taiba with direct support, but also by a wide swath of Pakistani civil society. According to the US Department of State, the only “significant action against LeT” taken by Pakistan in 2016 was to continue “implementing an ongoing ban against media coverage of their activities.” Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.

When Jim Nill worked for the Detroit Red Wings, his house was a 10-minute drive to the Compuware Arena, home of the Plymouth Whalers. He’d often go to junior games, taking stock of the emerging players, paying more attention to those with serious talent. Tyler Seguin was one of those kids he couldn’t take his eyes off of. “I knew him well enough from his Plymouth days,” said Nill, the first-year general manager of the Dallas Stars. “I saw him lots in his draft year. I met with him quite a few times. I know a lot of people around that area. So when we had a chance to get him, I knew what I needed to know. I asked a lot of questions. I didn’t have a lot of concerns.” For years, Nill was everybody’s general manager-in-waiting. In his first year on the job, he pulled off a franchise- and reputation-changing trade: He brought in the controversial Seguin from the Boston Bruins, paid a reasonable — if not in retrospect, light — price to do so and, unlike the Maple Leafs and so many teams in the NHL, has his first-line centre for now and for the future. Acquiring Seguin wasn’t Nill’s first choice, he admits. He, like a lot of GMs, made a play for Vinny Lecavalier. He thought he needed that kind of veteran presence at centre. But when Lecavalier wound up signing in Philadelphia after being bought out in Tampa Bay, Nill and his staff started going over rosters trying to determine who might be available, and at what price. They targeted the 21-year-old Seguin — and it has worked out brilliantly for the Stars. “We looked at Seguin and we knew our weakness was at centre. And you looked a Boston’s roster and saw they had (Patrice) Bergeron and (David) Krejci and Tyler couldn’t play centre on their first two lines. And if they didn’t like him on the wing…that made him available. “I watched him a lot in Plymouth. To me, he was a natural centre. I didn’t see him as a winger. They (Bruins) were trying to make their roster work and we were trying to do the same, so everything just fit. “The timing was right for both teams. We had the right assets. They wanted a winger and Loui Eriksson is a great player, with good cap numbers. And they didn’t want (Seguin), I guess, knocking on their doors in the East. It helped that we were a Western Conference team. And we gave them some good prospects (Reilly Smith had 15 goals for the Bruins entering Monday’s play.) It was just right timing for us.” What he doesn’t say: The Bruins tired of Seguin, marginalizing him in the post-season, uncertain about his level of maturity. In just a few short years, he had worn out his welcome with the Bruins. Nill knew enough to trust his knowledge and instincts on Seguin. “You hear things in this business,” said Nill. “You hear a lot of things. It’s always a 50-50 thing with me. If you hear things, there’s probably something going on — but it’s probably not as bad as people are saying it is. That’s been my experience. It’s never as bad as it is. “On the flip side, you have to understand he’s 21 years old. You know how young that is? And I know there’s a lot of temptations out there and he’s got a lot of maturing to do and he knows that. “We looked at it — I was willing to take that risk knowing what I was getting in return. Sometimes the expectations we put on these young guys are not fair at times. Patience and expectations — they really get crossed up in the sporting business. And there are examples everywhere. We’re in a competitive business and there’s pressure to win, but you can’t speed up Mother Nature and we try to way too often. “For us to find a player of that magnitude, we would have had to bottom out. Dallas, for the last six or so years, has been a bubble team, not good enough, not bad enough. When you’re picking 10-15 every year, you don’t get those (great) players.” It looks like they have acquired a great player in Seguin, whom everyone knows by now was taken in one of the draft picks the Leafs relinquished in the now-infamous Phil Kessel trade. The established Kessel has scored 20 goals thus far this season. The kid, Seguin, playing centre regularly for the first time in the NHL, has scored 21. His emergence comes too late for this year’s Olympic team, but if NHL players are involved four years from now, Seguin might be a Canadian sure thing. What a turnabout this season has been: From dubious winger to first-line centre; from troubled kid to apparent model player; from a winger the coach can’t trust to the game-breaker the Stars need; from outcast to team leader. And, so far, without the off-ice questions that plagued him in Boston. “He made some bad choices in the past,” said Nill. “He understands that now. “When we brought him down to Dallas, he reached out to me. He admitted he made some mistakes. He talked about being on that team, and how everybody was married, and he’d walk out after games and he’d think, ‘Where am I going?’ “And he made some wrong choices. But what I’ve found so far — he has a huge heart and he wants to be a good person and do the right things. We’ve had some great talks. He’s an honest kid. He’s willing to accept he made some wrong decisions and learn from them. We haven’t had any kind of problem with him at all.” The Hartford Whalers traded Chris Pronger away at the age of 21 because they didn’t like the way he was playing or living. The Seguin deal by Boston seems somewhat similar. It can be franchise-changing for the Stars, and in Dallas it brought Nill instant credibility, as if he didn’t already have that. Nill has an open-door policy with his players in Dallas, and especially with Seguin. “I told him, ‘I’m here to talk about anything, on the ice, off the ice.’ He trusts me. We have good talks. “What’s really impressed me about him, considering all we heard, is his maturity. Tyler is a student of the game, a very intelligent player. When he was traded here, he started watching films of Jamie Benn and seeing how they would fit together. He studies the game a lot. I know that surprises people.” And off the ice? So far, nothing to report. “I talk to Mike Modano a lot down here,” said Nill. “He told me if they had cellphones and camera phones back when he played, he would have gone through the same thing Tyler did in Boston. I would have. You would have. We all would have. Social media has changed the world. It’s made life more complicated for these kids. “I’ve told Tyler the same thing I’ve told most of our players: Remain humble. Let’s keep trying to do things right. It’s about coming to work every day and making the right choices on and off the ice. He’s doing that. And look at the results we’re getting from him.” steve.simmons@sunmedia.ca twitter.com/simmonssteve STARS’ PERFORMER As of Jan 5, Tyler Seguin is … 5th among Canadian forwards in goals scored 9th in points 4th in even-strength goals 6th in even-strength points 1st in road goals 2nd in road points

Pennsylvania's Tom Marino, a three-term member of the House of Representatives and a former prosecutor, will likely be Trump's nominee to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy, CBS reports. More: A source familiar with personnel moves in the White House says that Marino is in the final stages of completing his paperwork and an official announcement is forthcoming. When asked for comment, the White House said it had no personnel announcements at this time. Marino's office had no comment. Marino, who is serving his third term representing Pennsylvania's rural 10th congressional district, was appointed to serve on the House's bipartisan committee combating the opioid epidemic in 2016 after the enactment of two bills he introduced on drug control. Marino spent 10 years as District Attorney of Lycoming County before President George W. Bush nominated him in 2002 as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, where Marino says he prosecuted "a wide range of federal offenders, from violent criminals and drug dealers to white collar businessmen who cooked the books." As a member of the House, he's also voted against pretty much every piece of marijuana reform legislation: New Trump drug czar voted NO on all medical marijuana amendments, including limited CBD and veterans ones. https://t.co/CCCfo2dEph — Tom Angell (@tomangell) April 11, 2017 While the Trump White House declined to comment, marijuana prohibitionist Kevin Sabet told CBS News, "My understanding is that Tom has a deep understanding of the issue and is excited to get started." Tom Angell, the most dogged reporter of marijuana policy news I know, is currently combing through Marino's record of drug policy statements. Here's a taste: "One treatment option I have advocated for years would be placing nondealer, nonviolent drug abusers in a secured hospital-type setting under the constant care of health professionals," he wrote. "Once the person agrees to plead guilty to possession, he or she will be placed in an intensive treatment program until experts determine that they should be released under intense supervision. If this is accomplished, then the charges are dropped against that person. The charges are only filed to have an incentive for that person to enter the hospital-slash-prison, if you want to call it." More from Angell here.

We Love Thee Heavenly Father It’s one of the most looked to programs during Sacrament meeting, the Primary Program. You see sweet little kids go up and sing and give talks in their adorable little voices. If you’ve been lucky enough to have experienced when a Primary Program goes wrong, you know how funny it can be. If not, here are some hilarious experiences from our fans on our Facebook page. If you have any of your own to add, please add them in the comments below as these are the stories we use for these type of posts. “They were doing the Primary Program during Sacrament Meeting and one of the primary kids was giving the prayer. The teacher was right next to him whispering in his ear the prayer. She said “…and we love Thee Heavenly Father” and he repeated “…and we love Thee Heavenly Father.” She then said “And we love Thy Son Jesus Christ” and he then said “and I loooove cookies.” The primary teacher quickly said “No, we love Jesus” to which he simply said “No! I love cookies, in the names of Jesus Christ Amen.” Thankful to Heavenly Father “One program that I attended a little girl got up and was bearing her testimony of how grateful she was for her family and that Heavenly Father has given us families to live with. She finished by saying that she was also thankful for Heavenly Father allowing us to go poop and pee because she has to do that everyday.” Being a Big Brother “Years ago I was visiting my friend in his ward and they had the primary program. One boy got up and talked about how much he loved his family and how excited he was that he was going to be a big brother soon. Well it turned out that the mom just found out that morning and told him but hadn’t told her husband yet because he was the bishop of the ward and left early for meetings. He was clearly shocked and excited. It was funny watching him lip to his wife ‘really? really?’ throughout the program.” Hurry “We had a young man in the Primary Program who got up to give his portion of the program. Towards the end of reading the scripture he was reading he started to read faster and faster and quickly closed saying ‘in the name of Jesus Christ amen.’ The second he finished he ran down from the pulpit and through the aisles and ran directly to the bathroom. Apparently he had to go really badly.” Young Man and His Mom “An older primary kid got up and started his talk. In the middle of his talk he stops and says ‘mom, stop waving to me! I can see you and it is really distracting so can you just keep your hands to yourself please?’ I was in tears laughing when I heard him say that.” A Little Girl’s Prayer “A little girl got up and everyone in her class was talking about prayer. She told a story where she had a favorite rock that she loved very much but that she had lost it. She said ‘I prayed and prayed and prayed to find that rock.’ and very abruptly said ‘and the rock is still lost so if you see it, please tell my mommy.”

Sincerely Screwed This comic is based on something I read on Daily Kos about the Longmont fracking ban ruling. The phrase “sincerely held beliefs” caught my eye, since that’s been in the news a lot lately, thanks to the Hobby Lobby ruling. While the judge in the fracking case cited a conflict between the local ban and state law and opened the door to further appeals, it seems like Longmont’s concerns about the health effects of fracking go beyond mere “beliefs.” You’d think such concerns might be accorded more gravitas than Hobby Lobby’s pre-Enlightenment worldview, if a corporate charter can indeed be said to have a cosmology. It is frightening how little power communities seem to have to decide very basic public safety issues when they come up against energy interests. On an unrelated note, Hobby Lobby really needs a better logo. The Lord hath created an abundance of attractive fonts. Go forth and use one!