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[WM]LEXINGTON, Mass., Nov. 03, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRIS), a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative and effective therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, today announced upcoming presentations at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 32 nd Annual Meeting and a presentation by Ali Fattey, CEO, as part of an analyst-moderated fireside chat at the Cowen IO NEXT Summit. The presentations will take place Nov. 10, 2017, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
In an oral presentation at the SITC Meeting, researchers will provide updated preliminary clinical trial data from the Phase 1 dose escalation stage of CA-170, an oral small molecule targeting the immune checkpoints PDL-1 and VISTA. In addition, preclinical data related to combination therapy with CA-327, an oral small molecule PDL-1, VISTA and TIM-3 immune checkpoint antagonist, will be provided in a poster presentation. |
[WM]Persistent weakness in the eurozone economy will cause imports and exports through North Europe ports to decline this year, a new report predicts.
“We are seeing weak consumer demand and a consequent impact on the carriers who persist in continuing to provide far too much capacity, resulting in exceptionally low freight rates. 2015 could be as bad for carriers as 2009 was,” said Ben Hackett of Hackett Associates.
The dour outlook in the latest edition of the North Europe Global Port Tracker, produced by Hackett Associates and the Bremen-based Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics, comes as Asia-Europe spot rates are struggling to recover from a steep fall this year.
The Port Tracker report forecasts containerized imports to North Europe ports will contract 0.8 percent, to 14.89 million 20-foot-equivalent units. Exports from the ports are forecast to drop 1.7 percent, to 11.74 million TEUs. Last month’s report forecast growth of 0.4 percent in imports and 0.2 percent for exports.
Declines in volumes at North Europe ports are expected to be offset by increased volume at Mediterranean and Black Sea ports, where imports are forecast to rise 6.6 percent, to 8.54 million TEUs, while exports are predicted to increase 11.1 percent, to 7.17 million TEUs.
Total European exports are forecast to rise 1.8 percent, to 23.43 million TEUs while exports are expected to increase 2.8 percent, to 18.91 million TEUs.
Hackett said upbeat forecasts of a strong eurozone recovery from the Greek crisis are wrong. He said consumer demand in Europe’s three largest economies, the U.K., France and Germany, is expected to be weak and be primarily for services and vacations.
“Despite the improvement in some of the basic econometric data, trade demand does not reflect the same growth,” he said.
The report noted shifts in market share among North European ports. The opening of the Maasvlakte II terminal has enabled Rotterdam to increase its share of the market to above 30 percent. Despite fears it would lose market share, Antwerp’s share rose to 23 percent in the first quarter from 21.4 percent in the third quarter of 2014, the Port Tracker report said.
Contact Joseph Bonney at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter: @JosephBonney. |
[WM]Welcome back to “ATWT” fan fiction, where we are writing stories about the characters we miss from Springfield. We hope you enjoy us bringing these beloved characters back to life. Please feel free to read our last ATWT fan fiction story before reading on.
Jeffrey hides unknown in a closet in the estate that he tracked Edmund to in San Cristobel. He wonders if it was Tammy he saw, or some trick that Edmund is trying to pull. Jeffrey knows he has to get inside the room to see for himself. He waits in the dark until he hears Edmund and the nurse leave. Jeffrey quietly walks into the room where he saw Tammy sleeping. As he approaches her bedside, the young woman sleeping appears to be Tammy, at least in looks. Her eyes begin to flutter and before he can escape, her eyes open and look directly at him. “Tammy,” is all he can muster up to say. Tammy smiles and says, “Richard.” Jeffrey gets closer and takes her hand. “Are you here to rescue me,” a groggy Tammy asks. He smiles and confirms he is, but asks her to keep it a secret from Edmund. Tammy promises she will and can’t wait to get back home to Springfield to see her family. Jeffrey tells her Jonathan will be overjoyed beyond belief to see her. Tammy wonders who Jonathan is, and Jeffrey knows he must act quickly and get Tammy proper medical treatment. He doesn’t want to give up his cover and sends Jonathan a text for help.
As Jonathan is wrapping up lunch with Sarah, he is pleasantly surprised when a familiar voice booms through the door. “I’m back!” announces Reva. Jonathan laughs as his mom saunters into the kitchen at Cross Creek. Reva wants all the details of everything going on in Springfield. Jonathan doesn’t have any news to share and informs her it has been business as usual. “Good thing I came back to liven things up,” Reva laughs. Reva fills her son and granddaughter in on all of the places she, Josh and Colin traveled to on their trip, complete with a visit to Marah. Jonathan is happy to hear that they intend on staying in Springfield for awhile. As Reva begins to question Jonathan about his love life, he becomes distracted with a text. He asks Reva if she can watch Sarah while he makes a phone call. Stepping outside, Jonathan calls Jeffrey and tells him he doesn’t have long to talk.
Josh arrives at Company and surprises Shane, Billy and Bill, who are all having lunch together. The Lewis men all have a group hug, and then Billy launches in to ribbing Josh about leaving the rest of them behind to go on a love jaunt. Josh tells Shane that he and Reva can’t wait to meet their new granddaughter. Billy pulls Josh aside and tells him he has some concerns to share with him, but wants to discuss it all with him in private later. Josh agrees and privately worries what all has been happening while he has been away.
Danny returns home to find Michelle helping Robbie and Hope with their homework. The two make small talk about his day at work. He sees an envelope on the bar that says, "Reardon." Danny announces that it is bedtime and sends the kids away so he can talk to Michelle privately. "Why in the world would you leave something like this laying around in plain view," asks a pensive Danny. Michelle wants to tell Rick the truth, but Danny believes it is too risky. He doubts Rick could keep such a secret from his wife, Mindy, let alone anyone else. Michelle points out that the truth is eventually going to come out, especially since Blake has been snooping around.
Dinah and Mallet share a croissant at a French café in Paris. Mallet wonders where in Europe she would like to bounce to next. As Dinah is mulling over their next destination, she becomes distracted by some familiar faces. "It can’t be," she says as her jaw drops. Mallet looks around but doesn’t see anything. He asks what she sees. "I don’t even know how this is possible, but I know for a fact that I see Roger Thorpe and Maureen Bauer at that table together!" she exclaims. Mallet laughs, "Roger, as in the old dude you used to hook up with?" He stops laughing when he realizes she is serious.
What do think Maureen and Roger are doing together? Take a moment to vote in our Guiding Light poll.
Do you miss the other characters in Springfield? What do think Maureen and Roger are doing together? Take a moment to vote in our poll.
Do you miss the other characters in Springfield? Take a look at our first fan fiction story featuring some other beloved characters. |
[WM]Accra, July 20, GNA - The management of Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) on Tuesday presented the last batch of 28 Hyundai cars to winners of its "90 days 90 cars Promotion".
Mr Clement Asante, General Manager, Marketing MTN, said the promotion signified 90 minutes of football play time and rewarded their customers.
The recipients expressed appreciation to management of MTN for the gesture.
The vehicles were presented to the winners by Mr Shaibu Haruna, General Manager Sales and Promotion, MTN, Mr Jihad Jihazi, Managing Director, Hyundai Auto Plaza and Mr Dudjo Nyawodzi, General Manager V. Mobile. |
[WM]A failure to scan outsourced medical records has caused an approximate three- to five-month backlog at the Memphis Veteran Administration Medical Center, The Daily Caller has learned.
TheDC was exclusively given a photo snapped of the medical records room on June 12, 2014. In the photo, hundreds of unprocessed medical records sit idly, causing delays of up to five months.
According to a whistle-blower who wished to remain anonymous because they are still employed by the Memphis VA Medical Center, the medical records room is for entering test results and other medical data that occurs after a patient is outsourced for medical tests or procedures.
A recent audit by the VA flagged the Memphis VA Medical Center after it found the facility had an average wait time for the initial appointment of fifty days.
The medical records shown in the photo are generated when the VA refers a patient to another hospital for further medical procedures. Medical tests like colonoscopies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and X-rays, are among the tests that can be performed by an outside hospital, said the whistle-blower.
The outside hospital then sends their results back to the Memphis VA Medical Center, and those results are supposed to be scanned into the VA system.
Instead of being scanned in, the results are piling up, said the whistle-blower, causing further delays beyond the initial wait times.
“If you’re waiting for the results of a colonoscopy, [the added wait time is] the difference between life and death,” the whistle-blower told TheDC.
According to this whistle-blower, about an hour after TheDC sent VA communications officer Sandra Glover an email listing these charges, the medical records were moved from the medical records room and into the office of Rebecca England, the chief of Medical Records. Glover is a communications officer for the Veteran Integrated Services Network 9, which includes the Memphis VA Medical Center.
The Memphis VA Medical Center is now scrambling, asking dozens to work over-time in order to clear up the back log, and the VA police are investigating the source of the leak to TheDC, the whistle-blower noted.
The Memphis VA Medical Center cares deeply for every veteran we are privileged to serve. Our goal is to provide the best quality care in a safe environment, as quickly and effectively as we can. After receiving the photograph you sent, we checked with the Memphis VA Medical Center to determine its validity and, if warranted, what actions could be taken to process those medical records as quickly as possible.
It was determined that the record — forwarded from the facility’s outpatient clinics — should have been processed, and subsequently the facility took the appropriate actions to scan them in to the electronic patient record. Memphis VA Medical Center hired a new supervisor two months ago in the patient records area and the consult process has been redesigned to better monitor timeliness. We continue to take action to strengthen oversight mechanisms to prevent delays.
While we regret that the files weren’t processed in a more timely fashion, this is an administrative function that did not impact patient outcomes. Critical clinical information was previously communicated with treating clinicians. In the end, these files have been addressed – which is what we want for the sake of all our patients. Thank you for your concern for our nation’s veterans and for bringing this to our attention.
TheDC spoke with a veteran who was likely affected by this backlog. Jesse Blakely served in the military in the early 1970s.
In November 2013, he walked into the Memphis VA Medical Center complaining of chest pains. After waiting several hours in the emergency room with no help, Blakely left and was treated at nearby Methodist Hospital.
Blakely said Methodist Hospital ran several tests as part of his treatment, but his follow-up appointment at the Memphis VA Medical Center didn’t occur until the beginning of June — more than six months later.
Blakely told TheDC that to add insult to injury, even though he was initially assured by the VA that his medical bills would be covered, he’s since been charged for his trip to the Methodist Hospital emergency room.
Earlier in June, TheDC broke exclusively that in 2010, the same Memphis VA Medical Center approved over $1 million in bonuses while closing a therapy pool just a few months later citing a lack of funds. Bill O’Reilly used that report as the basis of his “Is it Legal” segment the next day.
A staffer at the House Veteran Affairs Committee told TheDC the committee was unaware of any other VA hospitals where outsourced medical tests were causing back logs. |
[WM]Cracking down on thieving retailers is of course a good idea, but, really? Going after SNAP beneficiaries who try to convert their meager benefits to an even more meager amount of cash? I imagine some people who do this are using the money for Things We Officially Frown Upon, but some are probably trying to pay their damn bills.
My guess is that this crackdown is hardly a huge program, so it’s not as if loads of resources are being diverted to make life more difficult for the poor. Beyond that, though, Obama seems to instinctively get something that the rest of us lefties probably ought to appreciate more: like it or not, if you want the public to support government programs, you need to make sure they’re administered effectively. That’s doubly or triply true of social welfare programs, which are easily demagogued even in the best of times. If anything, liberals who support these programs ought to be more concerned about rooting out fraud and improving efficiency than conservatives, who’d be just as happy to see them simply go away.
This is fundamentally a Charlie Peters-ish neoliberal insight, and neoliberalism has obviously taken a lot of lumps over the past decade. Some of them were deserved, some weren’t. Either way, this particular insight is one worth holding onto. |
[WM]The first teaser trailer has been unveiled for the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales film.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is due for release on May 26, 2017. It will see Johnny Depp return as Jack Sparrow, alongside Orlando Bloom, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Skins star Kaya Scodelario, Brenton Thwaites and a cameo from Paul McCartney.
Depp doesn’t appear in this new trailer but the clip does introduce Thwaites as new character Henry Turner. Watch below.
It was recently reported that Paul McCartney would appear in Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Filming had apparently already concluded on the fifth movie in the franchise, when The Beatles bassist was added to the cast. |
[WM]Proclus of Athens (*412–485 C.E.) was the most authoritative philosopher of late antiquity and played a crucial role in the transmission of Platonic philosophy from antiquity to the Middle Ages. For almost fifty years, he was head or ‘successor’ (diadochos, sc. of Plato) of the Platonic ‘Academy’ in Athens. Being an exceptionally productive writer, he composed commentaries on Aristotle, Euclid and Plato, systematic treatises in all disciplines of philosophy as it was at that time (metaphysics and theology, physics, astronomy, mathematics, ethics) and exegetical works on traditions of religious wisdom (Orphism and Chaldaean Oracles). Proclus had a lasting influence on the development of the late Neoplatonic schools not only in Athens, but also in Alexandria, where his student Ammonius became the head of the school. In a culture dominated by Christianity, the Neoplatonic philosophers had to defend the superiority of the Hellenic traditions of wisdom. Continuing a movement that was inaugurated by Iamblichus (4th c.) and the charismatic figure of emperor Julian, and following the teaching of Syrianus, Proclus was eager to demonstrate the harmony of the ancient religious revelations (the mythologies of Homer and Hesiod, the Orphic theogonies and the Chaldaean Oracles) and to integrate them in the philosophical tradition of Pythagoras and Plato. Towards this end, his Platonic Theology offers a magisterial summa of pagan Hellenic theology. Probably the best starting point for the study of Proclus’ philosophy is the Elements of Theology (with the masterly commentary by E.R. Dodds) which provide a systematic introduction into the Neoplatonic metaphysical system.
Since Proclus’ extant works contain almost no evidence about his biography, we have to rely on the information transmitted by his direct pupil Marinus of Neapolis in the eulogy he devoted to his predecessor Proclus or on Happiness. Moreover, some scattered remarks on Proclus and valuable information about the schools in Athens and Alexandria can be found in Damascius’ Life of Isidorus (called by other scholars The Philosophical History). As with Porphyry’s Life of Plotinus, both Marinus’ and Damascius’ works are biographies written by students praising extensively the achievements of their teachers both in doctrine and in philosophical life.
On Proclus’ works see Beutler (1957), 190–208, Saffrey-Westerink (1968), lv–lx, Rosán (²2009), 266–274, and especially Luna–Segonds–Endress (2012), as well as the short overview given below (1.2). Although a large part of his numerous writings is lost, some major commentaries on Plato have survived (though incomplete) and some important systematic works. Moreover, later Neoplatonists such as Damascius, Olympiodorus, Simplicius, and Philoponus have conserved many extracts of lost work, but these fragments have never been collected (see now, however, Luna–Segonds–Endress (2012)).
Proclus was born in Constantinople/Byzantium (now Istanbul) into a rich Lycian family in 412. Not long after his birth his parents returned to their hometown Xanthos in Lycia, a maritime area of what is now southwest Turkey. He began his education in Xanthos and moved from there to Alexandria (Egypt) to pursue the study of rhetoric in order to become a lawyer, as was his father. However, during a journey to Byzantium he discovered philosophy as his vocation. Back in Alexandria he studied Aristotle and mathematics. Marinus reports that the very gifted pupil easily learned all of Aristotle’s logical writings by heart.
In 430–431, 18 years old, Proclus moved to Athens, attracted by the fame of the Platonic School there. He studied for two years under the direction of Plutarch (of Athens; to be distinguished from the 1st–2nd c. philosopher/biographer), reading with him Plato’s Phaedo and Aristotle’s De anima. After Plutarch’s death in 432, Syrianus became the head of the Academy. Proclus followed with him the usual curriculum of the school (going back to Iamblichus), reading first Aristotle’s works and after that entering the ‘greater mysteries,’ the Platonic dialogues. Under Syrianus, Proclus also came into contact with the older traditions of wisdom such as the theology of the Orphics and the Chaldaean Oracles. Among Syrianus’ lost works we find a treatise On the harmony of Orpheus, Pythagoras and Plato with the Chaldaean Oracles. As the Suda lexicon attributes a work with this title also to Proclus, it is not unlikely that he published Syrianus’ treatise, adding comments of his own. Since Syrianus and Proclus worked intensively together for six years, Proclus was strongly influenced by his teacher. On many occasions Proclus praises the philosophical achievements of his teacher and he never criticizes him. Because of this, it is almost impossible to distinguish between Proclus’ original contribution and what he adopted from Syrianus.
After Syrianus’ death (437), Proclus succeeded as head of the Athenian school, and he kept this position for almost fifty years until his death in 485. His tight schedule of the day, starting with a prayer to the sun at sunrise (repeated at noontime and at sunset), included lectures, reading seminars, discussions with students, and literary work of his own. Besides his philosophical activities, Marinus also portrays Proclus as an experienced practitioner of theurgy (Life of Proclus, § 28–29; on theurgy see below 3.6). The practice of these pagan rites could only be continued in the private sphere of the School’s grounds. Though Proclus was in Athens a highly respected philosopher and had some Christian students, he had to be prudent to avoid anti-pagan reactions. Marinus tells that he had to go into exile for about one year to Lydia (in Asia) to avoid difficulties (Life of Proclus § 15).
Marinus notes that Proclus was an extremely industrious writer, having an “unbounded love of work” (Life of Proclus § 22). Apart from an impressive teaching-load and several other commitments, Proclus wrote every day about 700 lines (about 20–25 pages). It is unlikely that Proclus published all of them. However that may be, from Proclus’ extant works and the information about his lost works it emerges that he was a productive writer indeed. Roughly two thirds of Proclus’ output is now lost and several works, especially his commentaries on Plato, have been transmitted in a mutilated form.
Proclus’ Works (the main extant works).
It is difficult to establish a chronology of Proclus’ works. The Platonic Theology is generally considered to be his last work. In writing the Theology Proclus heavily depends on his interpretation of the Parmenides and often refers to his commentary on this dialogue, which must have been finished some time before. We know from Marinus (Life of Proclus §13) that Proclus finished his Commentary on the Timaeus by the age of 27. However, it cannot be excluded that Proclus rewrote or modified it later. As the Alcibiades came at the beginning of the curriculum in the school, its commentary may also be an early work. The Commentary on the Republic is not a proper commentary, but a collection of several essays on problems and sections in this dialogue. These essays may have been written at different times in Proclus’ life and only later put together (by Proclus himself or by someone else). The Hypotypôsis (Exposition of Astronomical Hypotheses) was written in the year after Proclus’ exile in Lydia, but we do not know when exactly that took place. The Tria opuscula all deal with similar topics, but they need not have been composed at the same time. There are plausible arguments to put the second treatise, On What Depends on Us, some years after the events forcing Proclus to go into exile. The first treatise, which in some parts depends very much on Plutarch (of Chaironea, 1st–2nd c. C.E.), could be set earlier in his career. It also contains a discussion on the nature of evil, which is much simpler than what we find in the treatise On the Existence of Evils, which is more sophisticated and probably was composed later. Because of its introductory character, one may be inclined to consider the Elements of Physics as an early work. This has also been claimed for the Elements of Theology, which, however, shows all the sophistication of Proclus’s mature thought. It may be possible that Proclus revised this text several times in his career.
The center of Proclus’ extensive oeuvre is without doubt his exegesis of Plato, as is shown by the large commentaries he devoted to major dialogues. This Platonic focus is also evident in the composition of his systematic works. The Platonic Theology offers a systematic exposition of theology based on an interpretation of all relevant sections on the gods and their attributes in Plato’s dialogues, and in particular on the Parmenides, considered as the most theological of all dialogues. Proclus probably commented on all dialogues included in the curriculum of the school since Iamblichus. In addition Proclus wrote the commentary on the Republic mentioned above. The curriculum consisted of altogether 12 dialogues distributed into two cycles. The first cycle started with Alcibiades (on self-knowledge) and ended with the Philebus (on the final cause of everything: the good), comprising two dialogues on ethics (the Gorgias and the Phaedo), two on logic (the Cratylus and the Theaetetus), two on physics (the Sophist and the Statesman), and two on theology (the Phaedrus and the Symposium). The second cycle included the two perfect dialogues that were considered to encompass Plato’s whole philosophy (In Tim. I 13.14–17), namely, the Timaeus (on physics) and the Parmenides (on theology).
In the form and method of his commentaries, Proclus is again influenced by Iamblichus. He assumes that each Platonic dialogue must have one main theme (skopos) to which all parts of the arguments ought to be related. To interpret the text, different approaches are possible (theological, mathematical, physical, ethical exegesis), but they are all interconnected according to the principle ‘everything in everything’ (panta en pasin). Thus, the Timaeus has in all its parts as its purpose the explanation of nature (physiologia). Even the introductory sections, the summary of the discussion in the Republic and the anticipation of the story about Atlantis, must be understood from this point of view; for they contain, in the mode of ‘images and examples,’ a description of the fundamental forces that are at work in the physical world. Also the long treatise on human nature, which concludes Timaeus’ exposition, has ultimately a cosmological meaning, as the human animal is a microcosmos wherein all elements and all causes of the great universe are found. More problematic was the determination of the skopos of the Parmenides. In a long discussion with the whole hermeneutical tradition since middle-Platonism, Proclus defends a theological interpretation of the dialogue. According to him, the dialectical discussion on the One and the Many (ta alla) reveals the first divine principles of all things.
With the exception of the commentary on the Cratylus, of which only a selection of notes from the original commentary is preserved, the exegetical works of Proclus have a clear structure. They divide the Platonic text in different lemmata or cited passages, discussing first the doctrine exposed in the particular section (pragmata, later called theoria), next commenting on the formulation of the argument (called lexis) [see Festugière 1963]. Whereas modern scholars usually accept a development in Plato’s thought and distinguish between an early, middle, and late Plato, the Neoplatonists take the Platonic corpus as the expression of a divinely inspired and unitary philosophical doctrine. This enables them to connect different Platonic dialogues into one system and to see numerous cross-references within the Platonic oeuvre. What may seem to be contradictions between statements made in different dialogues, can be explained by different pedagogical contexts, some dialogues being rather maieutic than expository, some elenctic of the sophistic pseudo-science, some offering a dialectical training to young students.
A Neoplatonic commentary offers much more than a faithful interpretation of an authoritative text of Plato. Plato’s text gives the commentator an opportunity to develop his own views on the most fundamental philosophical questions, the first principles, the idea of the Good, the doctrine of the Forms, the soul and its faculties, nature, etc. As was said, the two culminating dialogues, the Timaeus and the Parmenides, offer together a comprehensive view of the whole of Platonic philosophy.
The interpretation of the Parmenides thus prepares the way for the Platonic Theology, offering the systematic structure for a scientific demonstration of the procession of all the orders of gods from the first principle. As Proclus explains at Theol. Plat. I 2, p. 9.8–19, the Platonic Theology falls into three parts (after a long methodological introduction). The first part (Theol. Plat. I 13–29) is an investigation into the common notions (koinai ennoiai) of the gods as we find them in Plato’s dialogues: it is a treatise on the divine names and attributes. The second part (Theol. Plat. II–VI), which is incomplete, unfolds in a systematic way the procession of the divine hierarchies, from the One, that is the first god, to the ‘higher kinds,’ i.e., angels, daimones, and heroes, while the third part, which is altogether missing, was supposed to deal with the individual hypercosmic and encosmic gods.
Following Plato, Aristotle explains in his Physics the general principles of natural things: form, matter, nature, the essence and principles of movement, time and place; again taking inspiration from the Timaeus, he studies in other works the specific principles of the distinct regions of the physical world, thus in the De Caelo the celestial and the sublunary realm, and in On generation and corruption and in Meteorologica the sublunary realm. In this domain, it cannot be denied, Aristotle did much more than his master. According to Proclus, however, he developed the subject ‘beyond what is needed’. The same remark must be made about Aristotle’s extensive zoological research. Whereas Plato limited himself in the Timaeus to an analysis of the fundamental principles of all living organisms, Aristotle gave most of his attention to the material components of animals and scarcely, and only in few cases, did he consider the organism from the perspective of the form. Plato, on the contrary, when explaining the physical world, never got lost in a detailed examination.
When trying to determine Proclus’ profile as a philosopher, one has to keep in mind that Platonists were not keen on introducing new elements into the Platonic doctrine. They despised innovation (kainotomia). Yet it cannot be denied that Neoplatonic philosophy differs considerably from what we read in Plato’s dialogues. There is also overwhelming evidence for continual discussions in the school on the right interpretation of Plato or on certain doctrinal points (such as the transcendence of the One, or the question whether the soul wholly descended from the intelligible world). In order to evaluate Proclus’ originality, one ought to compare his views with those of the Neoplatonists before him, such as Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, and Syrianus. Only with regard to Plotinus is this possible to a great extent, because we still have the full corpus of Plotinus’ writings. Proclus certainly admired the first ‘founder’ of the new Platonism and even devoted a commentary to the Enneads, of which, alas, we have only some fragments. He shared Plotinus’ views on the three principal hypostases the One, the Intellect and the Soul, and often uses language inspired by his reading of Plotinus, as in his description of the union of the soul with the ineffable One. Yet on many points, he is very critical of Plotinus, pointing to contradictions, rejecting provocative views such as the thesis that One is cause of itself (causa sui), the doctrine of the undescended soul, or the identification of evil with matter. Another radical difference from Plotinus (and Porphyry) is the importance attributed to theurgy for the salvation of the soul and the authority of Chaldaean Oracles.
As said before, it is very difficult to mark off Proclus’ originality with regard to his teacher Syrianus, the only predecessor he never criticizes. Of the literary production of the latter, we have only his Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics. It is possible that most of Syrianus’ courses on Plato never were published, but were continued and further worked out by Proclus himself. We have, however, the commentary on the Phaedrus by Hermeias, who was sitting together with Proclus, in Syrianus’ course. One gets the impression that Syrianus was very interested in Orphic theogony, whereas for Proclus the Chaldaean Oracles are more authoritative when developing a Platonic theology. But here again, it is difficult to compare as we do not possess Proclus’ own commentary. Is Proclus after all then not so original, but only an excellent teacher and wonderful systematizer of the new Platonic doctrines which became dominant in the school since Iamblichus on? We shall never know, and it is after all not so important when assessing the philosophical merits of his works. To praise Proclus’ philosophical achievements, Marinus devotes in Life of Proclus one chapter to the discussion of the doctrines we owe to him (§ 23). Surprisingly, for all his admiration for the master, he can only enumerate a few innovative doctrines; and they are of such a minor importance that we shall not even discuss them in this article.
In late antiquity, Aristotle’s Metaphysics was considered to be a theological work, because Aristotle investigates in this treatise the first principles of all being.
Indeed, there is precedent for this in Aristotle himself, for in Metaphysics VI, 1, 1026a15ff, he classifies “first philosophy,” or metaphysics, as theology.
Proclus himself often uses the term ‘theology’ in this metaphysical sense for the study of the first (‘divine’) principles of all things. His Elements of Theology can in fact be considered an introduction to his metaphysics. The work is a concatenated demonstration of 217 propositions, which may be divided into two halves: the first 112 propositions establish the One, unity without any multiplicity, as the ultimate cause of reality and lay down basic metaphysical concepts/structures such as causality, participation, the relation of wholes to parts, infinity, and eternity. The second half deals with the three kinds of true causes within reality recognized by Proclus: gods (which he calls henads or “unities,” see below), intellects, and souls. This elaborate metaphysical framework makes it possible for Proclus to develop a scientific theology, i.e., a demonstration of the procession and properties of the different classes of gods. In what follows we will only discuss some characteristic features of Proclus’ metaphysics (see further Steel 2011).
On the whole, Proclus’ doctrine of first principles is a further development of Plotinus’ innovative interpretation of Platonic philosophy. With Plotinus, Proclus recognizes three fundamental levels of reality called ‘hypostases’ (or self-subsistent entities): One, Intellect, and Soul. However, following a concern of his predecessor Iamblichus for greater precision in the relationship and distinction between the One and Intellect, Proclus distinguishes between the intelligible Being (to noêton—what is the object of intellectual intuition) and the intellective (to noeron—what is intelligizing), and introduces between both, as an intermediary level, the noêton-noeron (what is being intelligized and intelligizing). These three ontological levels thus correspond to the triad of Being, Life, and Intellect, which already play an important role in Plotinus’ and Porphyry’s speculations about the procession or ‘emanation’ of the intelligible world from the One, without, however, being hypostasized. Since Zeller (influenced by Hegel) the application of the triadic structure to reality has been seen as the characteristic feature of Proclus’ system, but see Dodds 19632, pp. xxii and 220, on possible sources of the doctrine.
Another fundamental triad is the triad Unparticipated-Participated-Participating (amethekton-metechomenon-metechon). Plato’s theory of participation, which explains the relation between the intelligible world and the sensible reality it grounds, raised many problems, several of which Plato himself brings up in the first part of his Parmenides. Most pressing was the puzzle: How can a Form be at the same time one and the same and exist as a whole in many participants? (see Plato, Parmenides 131a-b). The basic idea of the triad of participation, which can also be seen as responding to Aristotle’s criticism of participation, is to maintain the transcendence, and hence, the unity of the Form, while allowing for its presence in the participants. Thanks to the existence of an ‘unparticipated’ principle, that is, one that is not such as to be participated in by anything, to which the ‘participated’ entities, the ones that are participated in by something, are connected by means of “the triad of triads” (Elem. Theol. § 23), the universal nature of the Form can be safeguarded.
Proclus, however, also applies this principle to explain the most difficult problem facing Neoplatonic metaphysics, namely, how to understand the procession of the manifold from the One. How can the One be wholly without multiplicity, when it must somehow be the cause of any and all multiplicity? The One remains in itself absolutely unparticipated; the many different beings proceeding from it participate in a series of participated henads or unities (gods). According to some scholars it was Iamblichus who introduced this innovative doctrine, others attribute it to Proclus’ teacher Syrianus. Even if the doctrine does not originate as such from Iamblichus himself, the existence of the divine henads somehow follows from his law of mean terms. This law states that “every producing cause brings into existence things like to itself before the unlike.“ (Elem. Theol. § 28). Thus there are no leaps in the chain of being, but everything is linked together by similar terms. The henads fulfill this function, for as participated unities they bridge the gap between the transcendent One and everything that comes after it. The doctrine of the henads can thus be seen as a way of integrating the traditional gods of Greek polytheistic religion into the Neoplatonic metaphysics of the One.
a. Auxiliary and true causes. From Middle Platonism onwards, various attempts were made to integrate the Aristotelian doctrine of causes within the Platonic philosophy (see Steel 2003). In Plato’s work, it was argued, one can find the four types of causality that Aristotle distinguishes, to wit formal, material, efficient, final, and, besides, the paradigmatic cause, which Aristotle wrongly rejected. This system of causes (with the addition of the instrumental cause as a sixth) became standard in later Neoplatonism. In his commentary on the Timaeus, Proclus observes that Aristotle never rises to the proper level of causality. For the four causes, as Aristotle understands them, can only be applied to the explanation of processes in the sublunary world. In the Platonic view, however, the material and formal causes are only subservient or instrumental causes. Those causes are in fact immanent in their effects and constitutive elements of the thing they produce. As Proclus asserts in prop. 75 of the Elements of Theology, “that which exists in the effect is not so much a cause as an auxiliary cause (sunaition) or an instrument of the producer.” Causes in the proper sense must act upon their effects from outside, while transcending them. For a proper understanding of what the true causes are of all things, Proclus argues, one must follow Plato, who lifts us up to the level of the transcendent Forms and makes us discover the creative causality of the demiurge and the finality of the Good as the ultimate explanation of all aspirations.
Although Aristotle also discusses efficient and final causes, he falls short of a true understanding of creative causality because he abandons the hypothesis of the Forms. Without the transcendent Forms, there can be no explanation of the being of things, only an explanation of their movement and change. Given Aristotle’s narrow understanding of nature, it must come as no surprise, Proclus notices, that he admits of cases of ‘spontaneous generation’ in the sublunary realm, which again restricts the purport of efficient causality. Moreover, because of his rejection of the demiurge (and of the One), Aristotle is also forced to limit efficient causality to the sublunary realm. In fact, in his view there is no cause of existence of the celestial bodies or of the sensible world as a whole: they exist necessarily in all eternity. But, as Proclus argues, such a position will force him to admit that the world has the capacity to constitute itself, which is absurd (see below).
The Neoplatonic concept of causality is therefore quite different from that of the Peripatetics, even if both share the same terminology, such as final or efficient cause. Aristotle’s causes are primarily intended to explain how things move and change, come to be and cease to be, but also offer to explain what given things are. For the Neoplatonists, generalizing a principle formulated in the Philebus — “that everything that comes to be comes to be through a cause” (26e, cf. Tim. 28a) — causality is of much wider application than the explanation of change and motion, it is not only about what things are, but about what constitutes (hupostatikos) their being, and it can be, analogously, used to explain relations between all levels of being. Thus we can say of the One that it is the cause of Intellect, and of Intellect that it is cause of Soul. In the Timaeus, however, the main interest is to understand what is the cause of the sensible world and all the cosmic beings: this is primarily the demiurge or creator of the world (the One is not the ‘creator’ of Intellect).
Every body has by its own nature the capacity to be acted upon, every incorporeal thing the capacity to act, the former being in itself inactive, the latter impassive; but through association with the body, the incorporeal too is acted upon, just as bodies too can act because of the participation in incorporeal entities.
In this proposition Proclus first sets apart the corporeal and incorporeal as being active/impassible and passive/inactive respectively. However, the two realms are not absolutely separate from each other. The soul, which is an incorporeal substance, enters into association with the body and thus becomes itself, though only accidentally, subject to different passions. The body, on the contrary, may gain great profit from the association with the incorporeal. This is evident in the case of animated bodies, which owe all their vital activities to the presence of the soul in them. But also inanimate natural bodies acquire all capacities and powers from nature and its inherent logoi or organizing rational principles (see Steel 2002).
c. The relation of cause to its effect. The relation between a cause and its effect is characterized by both similarity and dissimilarity. For every cause produces something that is similar to it, and every effect thus resembles its cause, though in a secondary and less perfect way. But in so far as the effect is really distinguished from its cause, it acquires its own characteristic form of being, which was not yet developed on the level of its cause. For this reason each thing can be said to exist in three manners (Elem. Theol. § 65). First, it is in itself as expressing formally its own character (kath’ hyparxin). Second, it exists in a causal manner (kat’ aitian) being anticipated in its cause. Finally, it exists as being participated (kata methexin) by the next level of being, which is its effect. Thus life is a property of a living organism as being participated by it. Life characterizes the soul formally. Life also exists qua Form in the divine mind. Finally, Proclus stresses that the higher a cause, the more comprehensive it is, and the further its effects reach (Elem. Theol. § 57). All things, including matter, which has in itself, apart from the forms existing in it, no ‘being’, participate in the One; all beings participate in Being; all plants and animals participate in Life; all rational souls participate in Intellect.
Proclus’ epistemology is firmly rooted in his theory of the soul. For Proclus, souls as self-moving principles represent the lowest level of entities that are capable of reverting upon itself (so called self-constituted beings [authypostata], see Elem. Theol. § 40–51). They are incorporeal, separable from bodies and indestructible/immortal (Elem. Theol. § 186–7). Yet, they are principles of life and of movement of bodies (Elem. Theol. § 188). In accordance with Proclus’ general metaphysical principles (cf. above 3.1), from the unparticipated soul-monad proceed different kinds of participated soul: divine souls, daemonic souls, human souls, souls of animals). As with other Platonists, Proclus frequently discusses the vexed question as to why a soul would descend into a body at all (‘fall of the soul’) (see Dörrie / Baltes (2002.2) 163–218). Moreover, the Neoplatonist distinguishes between altogether three so-called vehicles (ochêmata) of the soul. The rational soul is permanently housed in the luminous vehicle, while the non-rational soul is located in the pneumatic vehicle. By being incarnated in a human body, soul, or rather, the vegetative soul attains thus a (third) ‘shell-like’ vehicle. The theory of the different vehicles or the psychic ‘astral body,’ familiar nowadays from modern theosophic theories, fulfils several crucial functions in Neoplatonic psychology: it explains (a) how an incorporeal soul can be linked to a body, (b) how souls can move in space, (c) how souls can be punished after death (cf. Plato’s myths), (d) where certain faculties of the soul such as imagination are located. Proclus distinguishes between two kinds of vehicles, one mortal and the other immortal (In Tim. III 236.31 ff. and Elem. Theol. § 207–210). Proclus also adheres to the Platonic theory of transmigration, but argues that human souls never enter animal bodies as their constitutive forms. For only animal souls can be organizing principles of animal bodies. If some rational souls are ‘degraded’ in the next life and forced to live in an animal body because of their misdemeanour in this life, they are only ‘relationally’ (schesei) present to this animal body.
Proclus distinguishes between the following faculties of soul: sense perception, imagination (phantasia), opinion, discursive thought, and intellection. While sense perception and imagination belong to the non-rational soul, opinion forms the lowest level of rationality. The aim of epistemological ascent is to free oneself eventually from the lower psychic faculties, including the lower rational ones, in order to enjoy a state of pure contemplation.
As with many other Platonists, Proclus’ epistemology is based on a theory of innate knowledge (in accordance with the Platonic dictum that ‘all learning is recollection [anamnêsis]’). Proclus refers to the innate contents of the soul as its reason-principles (logoi) or Forms (eidê). These innate reason-principles constitute the essence of soul. That is why they are called ‘essential reason-principles’ (logoi ousiôdeis) (Steel 1997). The traditional translation reason-principles was chosen on purpose, because on an ontological level these same logoi serve as principles of all things. They are extended or unfolded images of the Forms that exist in intellect; and by means of them the world-soul with the assistance of Nature brings forth everything. In other words, the psychic logoi are instantiations of Platonic Forms on the level of soul as are the logoi in Nature and the forms immanent in matter. According to the fundamental Neoplatonic axiom panta en pasin (‘all things are in all things’), Forms exist on all levels of reality. But the logoi in soul also offer the principles of all knowledge and are the starting points of demonstration. At In Parm. IV 894.3–18 (ed. Steel) Proclus argues that only with reference to these notions within the soul predication is possible (see Helmig 2008), since they are universal in the true sense of the word. On the other hand, both transcendent Platonic Forms and forms in matter are not taken to be universals proper by Proclus. The former are rather intelligible particulars, as it were, and cannot be defined (Steel 2004), while the latter are strictly speaking instantiated or individualised universals that are not shared by many particulars (see Helmig 2008, cf. above 3.1–2). For this reason, it does not make much sense to talk about ‘the problem of universals’ in Proclus.
It is another crucial assumption of Proclus’ epistemology that all souls share the same logoi (Elem. Theol. § 194–195). In terms of concept-formation this entails that psychic concepts, once they are grasped correctly, are universal, objective, and shareable (see Helmig (2012) 13–24). Moreover, if all souls share the same logoi, and these logoi are the principles of reality (see above), then by grasping the logoi souls come to know the true principles or causes of reality. Already Aristotle had written that to know something signifies to know its cause (Met. A 3, 983a25–26 and An. Post. I 2, 71b9–12). In his Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus, Proclus introduces an interesting distinction. Taking his start from the problem of how we can recognise certain objects, he considers the example of an apple. The different senses tell us that there is something sweet, red, even, with a nice smell. And while common sense (koinê aisthêsis) can distinguish the different impressions of the special senses, only opinion (doxa) is capable of saying that the object there on the table is an apple. Doxa is able to do this, because it has access to the innate logoi of the soul. However, as Proclus explains (In Tim. I 248.11 ff.), opinion only knows the ‘that’ (hoti), that is, it can recognize objects. Discursive thought (dianoia), on the other hand, also knows the ‘why’ (dihoti), that is, the causes of something. This distinction can also be rephrased in terms of concepts, implying a distinction between factual concepts that allow us to identify or recognise certain objects, and concepts that fulfil an explanatory role. On the whole, Proclus’ reading and systematisation of Plato’s doctrine of learning as recollection makes Platonic recollection not only concerned with higher learning, since already on the level of object recognition we employ concepts that originate from the innate logoi of the soul (Helmig (2012) 299–333).
Proclus argues at length that the human soul has to contain innate knowledge. Therefore, one should not consider it an empty writing tablet, as Aristotle does (Aristotle, De anima III 4). He is wrong in asserting that the soul contains all things potentially. According to Proclus, the soul contains all things (i.e., all logoi) in actuality, though due to the ‘shock of birth’ it may seem as if the soul has fallen to potentiality. At In Crat. § 61, Proclus asserts that the soul does not resemble an empty writing tablet (agraphon grammateion) and does not possess all things in potentiality, but in act. In Eucl. 16.8–13 expresses the same idea: “the soul is not a writing tablet void of logoi, but it is always written upon and always writing itself and being written on by the intellect.” As with his philosophy of mathematics, Proclus presents a detailed criticism of the view that universal concepts are derived from sensible objects (by abstraction, induction, or collection). In the fourth book of his Commentary on Plato’s Parmenides and in the two prologues of the Commentary on Euclid we find the most comprehensive criticism of abstractionism in antiquity (see Helmig (2010) and (2012) 205–221).
Proclus devoted three entire books or ‘monographs’ (monobiblia) to problems of providence, fate, free choice, and evil. The first treatise (Ten problems concerning providence) examines ten different problems on providence that were commonly discussed in the Platonic school. For Proclus providence (pronoia) is the beneficent activity of the first principle (the ‘source of goods’) and the gods (henads), who have their existence before intellect (pro-nou). One of the problems discussed is the question of how divine foreknowledge and human free choice can be reconciled. For if god knows not only past and present, but also future events, the outcome of future events is already pre-determined (as god has a determinate knowledge of all things), and hence there is no free choice for humans. Proclus’ answer, which ultimately goes back to Iamblichus, consists in applying the principle that the mode of knowledge is not conditioned by the object known but by the knower. In the case of gods, this entails that they know the contingent event in a non contingent manner, the mutable immutably. They have an undivided knowledge of things divided and a timeless knowledge of things temporal (Elem. Theol. § 124, cf. De decem dub. § 6–8). Proclus’ answer was later taken up by Ammonius in his Commentary on the De Interpretatione IX and in Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy V 6 as well as in his Commentary on the De Interpretatione IX.
These three distinctions taken together make it possible for Proclus to ultimately reconcile providence, fate, and free choice. In so far as we are rational agents and let ourselves being determined in our choices only by intelligible principles, we may transcend the determinism of fate to which we belong as corporeal beings. Yet, our actions are integrated into the providential order, as we willingly obey the divine principles.
The third treatise (On the existence of evils) asks why and how evil can exist if the world is governed by divine providence. Proclus argues that evil does not have an existence of its own, but only a derivative or parasitic existence (par-hypostasis, sc. on the good) (De mal. § 50).
Dionysius the Areopagite adopted Proclus’ views on evil in his work On the Divine Names. Thanks to this adaptation Proclus’ doctrine of evil had an enormous influence on the later medieval discussions on evil both in Byzantium and in the Latin West and dominated the philosophical debates on evil up to the 19th century.
Before offering an explanation of the generation of the world, Timaeus sets out the fundamental principles that will govern his whole explanation of the physical world (Tim. 27d5–28b5). As Proclus observes, it is the task of a scientist to formulate at the start of his project the principles proper to the science in question, and not just to assume some general axioms. The science of nature too is based on specific axioms and assumptions, which must be clarified before we can move to the demonstration. In order to make phusiologia a real science, the philosopher must deduce his explanation, as does the geometer, from a set of fundamental propositions or axioms.
Starting from these fundamental propositions, Proclus argues, Plato deduces the different types of causality that are required for a truly scientific understanding of nature (efficient, exemplary, and final cause; see Steel 2003 and above 3.2).
Proclus discusses eternity and time in his commentary on the Timaeus and in propositions 53–55 of the Elements of Theology (see Steel 2001). Aristotle had defined time as a “measure of movement according to the before and after.” Therefore, anything measured by time must have a form of existence or activity in which a past and a future state can be distinguished. In fact, an entity in time is never wholly and simultaneously what it is, but has an existence extended in a process of before and after. Opposed to it stands the eternal, which exists as a simultaneous whole and admits of no composition or change. “There is no part of it,” writes Proclus, “which has already subsisted and another that will subsist later, but as yet is not. All that it is capable of being, already possesses it in entirety without losing it or without accumulating” (Elem. Theol. § 52). One must distinguish the temporality of things in process from the time by which they are measured. Temporal things participate in time, without being time. “Time exists prior to all things in time” (Elem. Theol. § 53).
With Iamblichus, Proclus distinguishes absolute time, which is not participated in and exists ‘prior’ to all temporal things, from participated time, or rather the many participated times. The same distinctions must also be made regarding eternity. For Eternity precedes as cause and measures the multiple eternal beings that participate in it. “Every Eternity is a measure of things eternal, every Time of things in time; and these two are the only measures of life and movement in things” (Elem. Theol. § 54). To conclude, there are two measures of the duration of things. First there is eternity, which measures at once the whole duration of a being. Second, there is time, which measures piecemeal the extension of a being that continually passes from one state to another. Eternity can be seen as the prefiguration of time; time as the image of eternity. Each of them governs a separate sphere of reality, eternity the intelligible being, time the temporal (corporeal and psychic) world of change.
Notwithstanding the sharp distinction between the temporal and the eternal realm, there are beings that share in both eternity and time. As Proclus notes in the corollary to Elem. Theol. § 55, “of the things which exist in time, some have a perpetual duration.” Thus the universe as a whole and the celestial spheres in it are both eternal and temporal. They are eternal because they never come to existence in time and never will cease to exist. But they are temporal because they possess their being only through a process of change in a sequence of moments. The same holds true for the psychic realm: all souls are immortal and indestructible; nevertheless, they are continually undergoing change. Therefore, as Proclus says, “‘perpetuity’ (aidiotês) is of two kinds, the one eternal (aiônion), the other in time; […] the one having its being concentrated in a simultaneous whole, the other diffused and unfolded in temporal extension (paratasis); the one entire in itself, the other composed of parts, each of which exists separately in a sequence of prior and posterior.” (Elem. Theol. § 55, trans. Dodds, modified).
Against Aristotle’s critique in De Caelo I 10, Proclus defends the view that the cosmos is “both eternal and generated (genêtos).” As a corporeal being, the universe cannot produce itself and maintain itself in being. It depends for its existence upon a superior cause, and it is for that reason “generated.” This does not prevent it, however, from existing for ever, in an infinite time. As we just saw, Proclus distinguishes between what is eternal in an absolute sense (the intelligible realm) and what is eternal because it continues to exist for the whole of time, what Boethius later called “aevum” in distinction from “aeternum.” As Proclus notices, at the end of the Physics (8.10, 266a27–28), Aristotle himself establishes that no body can possess from itself an unlimited power to exist. If the world exists eternally, it must have this power from an incorporeal principle. Therefore, Aristotle too is forced to admit that the world is somehow generated, though it continues to exist for eternity. For it always receives from its cause its infinite power and never possesses it at once as a whole, because it is limited. The world is eternal, because it has an infinite power of coming to be, not because it exists of infinite power (In Tim. I 252.11–254.18).
Related to the eternity of the world is the question of the nature of the celestial bodies. Aristotle argues in De Caelo I 2 that the celestial bodies, which move with a natural circular motion, must be made of a simple substance different from the four sublunary simple bodies (whose natural movements are in a straight line: up or down). This ‘fifth element,’ which is by nature imperishable, is the ether. With this explanation Aristotle seems to oppose the view Plato defends in Timaeus where it is said that the Demiurge made the divine celestial bodies “mostly out of fire” (40a2–4). Proclus admits that the heaven is composed out of the four elements with a preponderance of fire, but he insists that the elements are not present in the celestial bodies in the same mode as they exist in the sublunary bodies. Therefore Aristotle is right when he considers the heavens to constitute a fifth nature besides the four elements. “For in the heavens the elements are not the same as they are here, but are rather the summits of them” (In Tim. II 49.27–29). If one counts the whole heaven composed out of the best of the elements as one nature and adds to it the four sublunary elements, we may speak of five natures altogether.
Contrary to Aristotle, Proclus argues that the whole universe (to pan) is in a place (topos). He can do this because his conception of place differs in many respects from Aristotle’s own. The latter defined place as “the unmoved limit of the surrounding body” (Physics IV 4, 212a21–22). From this it follows as a necessary corollary that the universe as a whole cannot be in a place, because there is simply nothing outside it. Aristotle’s definition, as we learn from Simplicius’ and Philoponus’ Corollary on Place, had been criticized by all later Neoplatonists (Syrianus, Proclus, Damascius, Simplicius, and Philoponus). It is notable that Proclus’ own theory of place, as reported by Simplicius, differs considerably from other Neoplatonic theories in that he considered place an immaterial ‘body’, namely a special kind of immobile light. As emerges from Proclus’ Commentary on Plato’s Republic, his theory took inspiration from the column of light mentioned at Republic X, 616b.
Since the heavenly bodies were considered divine, because they are eternal and living beings, the study of the heavens was of special importance to Neoplatonists. In the preface to his treatise On Astronomical Hypotheses (a summary and evaluation of astronomical views of his time), Proclus makes it clear that his approach is based on Plato’s remarks on astronomy (especially in the Republic and in the Laws). He feels the need to go through the different theories, because one can observe a great disagreement among ancient astronomers on how to explain the different phenomena (Hyp. I § 33). Fundamental to Proclus’ approach is the distinction between two kinds of astronomy (Hyp. I § 1–3). The first kind contents itself with observing the heavenly phenomena and formulating mathematical hypotheses to explain them and make calculations and prognostics possible. This is the astronomy as practiced by the most famous astronomers before Proclus’ time (Aristarchus, Hipparchus, and Ptolemy). The second, which is developed by Plato in the Timaeus, and is confirmed by the tradition of the “Chaldaeans and Egyptians,” investigates into the intelligible causes of heavenly movements. An example for this approach can be found in his Commentary on Plato’s Republic (In Remp. II 227.23–235.3). There, Proclus explains that the seemingly irregular movements of the planets ought not to be explained by means of Ptolemy’s complicated theory of excentric spheres and epicycles, but are rather due to the fact that the planets are moved by intelligent souls which express in the movements of their bodies “the invisible powers of the Forms” (232.1–4). Yet Proclus appreciates Ptolemy’s astronomy as long as it is seen only as a mathematical-mechanical construction making it possible to calculate and predict the positions of planets, and as long as it does not claim to have any real explanatory value. For the history of astronomy Proclus’ Astronomical Hypotheses remains a most valuable document, since it represents one of the best introductions to Ptolemy’s Almagest extant from antiquity and since it explains the most important ancient astronomical theories, in order finally (in chapter seven of the work) to evaluate them critically. Proclus’ arguments also played an important role in the scientific discussion of the Ptolemaic hypotheses in the 16th and 17th century.
Proclus’ distinctively non-empirical approach towards physics and astronomy also influences his philosophy of mathematics, which is set out in the two prologues to his commentary on the first book of Euclid’s Elements. The first prologue deals with the mathematical sciences in general, while the second prologue focuses on geometry proper. Proclus argues in great detail that the objects of mathematical sciences cannot be derived from sensible particulars by means of abstraction. Because of the imperfect and deficient character of the sensible objects one cannot derive from them objects that are as perfect and as precise as mathematical objects are. Therefore, mathematical objects reside primarily in intellect and secondarily in souls (as logoi). As universal concepts (cf. 3.2) we can grasp mathematical objects by means of recollection (anamnêsis). Since geometrical objects are not universal, but particulars, and since by definition they possess extension, Proclus argues that their place is human imagination (phantasia). Imagination acts as a mirror and provides the mathematical objects which are projected into it by the soul with intelligible matter. By means of the latter geometrical objects gain extension and particularity. As with physics and astronomy, the ultimate aim of geometry is not the study of these extended, material objects. Rather, geometry serves an anagogical task (just as in Plato’s Republic), leading the soul upwards to a study of the true and unextended causes of geometrical objects in the divine mind (In Eucl. 54.14–56.22).
Relying on Plato, Theaetetus 176a-b late Platonists saw the assimilation to god (homoiôsis theôi) as the goal (telos) of philosophy. Proclus was faithful to this ideal, as is attested by his biographer Marinus (Life of Proclus § 25). There was a fundamental discussion in late Neoplatonism on how this assimilation to the divine was possible for humans. Damascius (In Phaed. I § 172 Westerink) distinguishes two tendencies: Plotinus and Porphyry preferred philosophy, which makes us understand the divine principles of reality through rational explication, while others like Iamblichus and his followers, Syrianus, and Proclus, gave priority to hieratic practice or theurgy (theourgia, hieratikê [sc. technê]). Their different evaluation of respectively theory and theurgy as means of salvation may be explained by their different views on the human soul and its possibilities of ascent to the divine realm. While Plotinus and Porphyry claimed that the superior part of the human soul always remains within the intelligible realm, in touch with the divine principles, and never completely descends into the body, Iamblichus, followed by Proclus, criticised such a view. The soul does indeed wholly descend into the body (Steel 1976, 34–51). Hence the importance of theurgic rites established by the gods themselves, to make it possible for the human soul to overcome the distance between the mortal and the divine, which cannot be done through increasing philosophical understanding. In Theol. Plat. I 25, Proclus expresses his great admiration for the power of theurgy, which surpasses all human knowledge.
As stated before (cf. 3.3), the human soul contains the principles (logoi) of all reality within itself. The soul carries, however, also sumbola or sunthêmata which correspond to the divine principles of reality. The same symbols also establish the secret correspondences between sensible things (stones, plants, and animals) and celestial and divine realities. Thanks to these symbols, things on different levels (stones, plants, animals, souls) are linked in a ‘chain’ (seira) to the divine principle on which they depend, as the chain of the sun and the many solar beings, or the chain of the moon. Of great importance in the rituals was also the evocation of the secret divine names. In his Commentary on the Cratylus, Proclus compares divine names to statues of the gods used in theurgy (In Crat. § 46), pointing to the fact that also language is an important means in the ascent to the divine.
In the wake of an article of Anne Sheppard (1982), scholars usually distinguish between three kinds of theurgy in Proclus. The first kind, as described in the above quoted treatise On Hieratic Art, was mainly concerned with animating statues (in order to obtain oracles or to evoke divine apparitions) or, in general, with activities related to physical phenomena or human affairs (influencing the weather, healing illnesses etc.) (see Life of Proclus § 28–29). As emerges from our sources, it is this kind of theurgy that involved much ritualistic practice, including hymns and prayers. The second kind of theurgy makes the soul capable of ascending up to the level of the hypercosmic gods and the divine intellect. This second kind too operates by means of prayers and invocations and it seems especially characteristic of Proclus’ Hymns. And finally, the third kind of theurgy establishes unity with the first principles, that is the One itself. This third kind corresponds to the level of the highest virtues (i.e., ‘theurgic virtues’) in the scale of virtues. It is not clear whether some form of ritual is involved here at all. For this last stage of the Platonic homoiôsis theôi the following elements are of major importance: negative theology (culminating in the negation of the negation), mystic silence and the intriguing notion of faith (pistis), which thus enters with a non-Platonic meaning - though even for the latter notion Proclus will search for confirmation in the Platonic dialogues.
Those who hasten to be conjoined with the Good, do no longer need knowledge and activity, but need to be established and a stable state and quietness. What then is it which unites us to the Good? What is it which causes in us a cessation of activity and motion? What is it which establishes all divine natures in the first and ineffable unity of goodness? […] It is, in short, the faith (pistis) of the Gods, which ineffably unites all the classes of Gods, of daemons, and of blessed souls to the Good. For we should investigate the Good not through knowledge (gnôstikôs) and in an imperfect manner, but giving ourselves up to the divine light, and closing the eyes, to become thus established in the unknown and occult unity of beings. For such a kind of faith is more venerable than cognitive activity, not in us only, but with the Gods themselves. (Proclus, Platonic Theology, I 25, trans. Th. Taylor, modified).
That Proclus, who set up his elaborate Platonic Theology in an attempt to rationally justify a pagan religious tradition whose existence was threatened by the upcoming Christian civilization, would have had such an influence in Christian medieval thought might seem surprising. His influence, however, is mainly indirect, as his ideas circulated under the names of other philosophers. There was, of course, a direct confrontation with the works of Proclus in the later Neoplatonic school (via Damascius and Ammonius, 5th-6th cc) and in Byzantium. In the 11th century, Michael Psellus studied Proclus intensively and even preserved fragments of his lost works. One of his disciples was the Georgian Ioanne Petritsi, who translated Proclus’ Elements into Georgian and composed a commentary on it (Gigineishvili 2007). In the 12th century, bishop Nicolaus of Methone wrote a Christian reply to Proclus’ Elements, thus showing indirectly that the work was still attracting interest. Moreover, Isaac Sebastocrator (11–12th century) produced a Christian adaption of the Tria opuscula. Around 1300 Proclus attracted the interest of the philosopher George Pachymeres, who prepared an edition of Proclus’ Commentary on the Parmenides, which was only preserved in a very corrupt tradition, and even composed a commentary to the last part of the dialogue where Proclus’ commentary was lacking. Cardinal Bessarion was an attentive reader of Proclus’ works and possessed several manuscripts. We owe to the interest of scholars such as Psellus, Pachymeres, and Bessarion, the preservation of the work of the pagan Proclus, who had not such a good reputation in theological circles in Byzantium. And yet, the number of direct readers of Proclus before the Renaissance was very limited.
During the Middle Ages Proclus’ influence was mainly indirect, above all through the writings of the Christian author Dionysius the Areopagite and the Arabic Liber de causis. Dionysius was a Christian author writing around 500, who was deeply fascinated by Proclus. He fully exploited Proclus’ works – which he must have read intensively — to develop his own original Christian Platonic theology. He presented himself as a disciple of Saint Paul, a pretence which was generally accepted until the late 19th century, thus giving his works, and indirectly Proclus’ theology, an almost apostolic authority. As Dodds ²1969, xxviii, has nicely put it: “Proclus was […] conquering Europe in the guise of an early Christian.” The well known Book of Causes is an Arabic adaption of the Elements of Theology, made in the 9th century. Translated in the 12th century, the Liber de causis circulated in the Middle Ages under the name of Aristotle, and was considered as a complement to the Metaphysics, offering a treatise on the divine causes. The text entered the corpus of Aristotelian works and was intensively studied and commented at the universities. Thomas Aquinas is the first to have discovered that this work derived in fact from Proclus’ Elements of Theology, of which he had obtained a Latin translation made by his Dominican confrere William of Moerbeke in 1268 (see Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Liber de causis, introduction). Moerbeke also translated the Tria opuscula and the huge commentary on the Parmenides, but these works had almost no readers in the Middle Ages. Berthold of Moosburg wrote in the 14th century a comprehensive commentary on the Latin Elements of Theology . The real rediscovery of Proclus started in the Italian Renaissance, mainly thanks to Marsilio Ficino who followed Proclus’ influence in his Platonic commentaries and even composed, in imitation of Proclus, a Christian Platonic Theology on the immortality of the soul. Before Ficino, Nicolaus Cusanus had already intensively studied Proclus in translations. Proclus continued to enjoy wide interest at the turn of the 18th century. Thomas Taylor (1758–1835) translated all of Proclus’ works into English (reprinted by the Prometheus Trust [London]) and tried to reconstruct the lost seventh book of the Platonic Theology. Victor Cousin (1792–1867) aimed at a complete edition of his preserved work. At the beginning of the 20th century we have the great editions of commentaries in the Teubner collection. Renewed philosophical interest in Proclus in the last century started with the edition of the Elements of Theology by Eric Robertson Dodds, and carried on with the edition of the Platonic Theology by Henry Dominique Saffrey, Leendert Gerrit Westerink and, not least, in Germany with the works of Werner Beierwaltes.
Proclus’ complete works (extant, lost, and spurious).
Dodds, E.R., 1933, 19632, The Elements of Theology, Oxford: Clarendon.
Boese, H., 1987, Proclus: Elementatio theologica, translata a Guillelmo de Morbecca, (Series: KUL, Ancient and medieval philosophy, De Wulf-Mansion centre, Series, 1, vol. 5), Leuven: Leuven University Press.
Saffrey, H.D., and L.G. Westerink, 1968–1997, Proclus: Théologie platonicienne, 6 vol., (Series: Collection des Universités de France), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
Boese, H., 1960, Procli Diadochi tria opuscula (De providentia, libertate, malo) Latine Guilelmo de Moerbeka vertente et graece ex Isaacii Sebastocratoris aliorumque scriptis collecta, (Series: Quellen und Studien zur Geschichte der Philosophie, 1), Berlin: de Gruyter.
Strobel, B., 2014, Proklos: Tria opuscula. Textkritisch kommentierte Retroversion der Übersetzung Wilhelms von Moerbeke, (Series: Commentaria in Aristotelem Graeca et Byzantina, Quellen und Studien, 6), Berlin: de Gruyter.
Isaac, D., 1977, Proclus: Trois études sur la providence, I. Dix problèmes concernant la providence, (Series: Collection des Universités de France), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
Opsomer, J. and Steel, C., 2012, Proclus: Ten Doubts Concerning Providence, (Series: The Greek commentators on Aristotle, 93), London: Duckworth.
Isaac, D., 1979, Proclus: Trois études sur la providence, II. Providence, fatalité, liberté, (Series: Collection des Universités de France), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
Steel, C., 2007, Proclus: On Providence, (Series: The Greek commentators on Aristotle), London: Duckworth.
Isaac, D., 1982, Proclus: Trois études sur la providence, III. De l’existence du mal, (Series: Collection des Universités de France), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
Opsomer, J., and C. Steel, 2003, Proclus: On the Existence of Evils, (Series: The Greek commentators on Aristotle, 50), London: Duckworth.
Segonds, A.-Ph., 1985–1986, Proclus: Sur le premier Alcibiade de Platon, 2 vol., (Series: Collection des Universités de France), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
Westerink, L.G., 1954, Proclus Diadochus. Commentary on the First Alcibiades, Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company.
O’Neill, W., 1964, 19712, Proclus: Alcibiades I, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff.
Westerink, L.G., and O’Neill, W., 2011, Proclus’ Commentary on the First Alcibiades, (Series: Platonic Texts and Translations), Westbury: the Prometheus Trust.
Pasquali, G., 1908, Proclus Diadochus in Platonis Cratylum commentaria, (Series: Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana), Leipzig: Teubner [Reprint Stuttgart: Teubner, 1994].
Duvick, B., 2007, Proclus. On Plato’s Cratylus, (Series: The Ancient Commentators on Aristotle), London: Duckworth.
Diehl, E., 1903–1906, Procli Diadochi In Platonis Timaeum commentaria, (Series: Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana), Leipzig: Teubner [Reprint Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1965].
Festugière, A.-J., 1966–1968, Commentaire sur le Timée, 5 vol., (Series: Bibliothèque des textes philosophiques), Paris: Vrin.
Tarrant, H., 2007, Proclus. Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus. Vol 1, book I: Proclus on the Socratic State and Atlantis, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Runia, D.T., and Share, M., 2008, Proclus. Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus. Vol 2, Book II: Proclus on the Causes of the Cosmos and its Creation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Baltzly, D., 2009, Proclus. Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus. Vol 4, book III, Part 2: Proclus on the World Soul, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Baltzly, D., 2013, Proclus. Commentary on Plato’s Timaeus. Vol 5, book IV: Proclus on Time and the Stars, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Steel, C., 2007–2009, Procli in Platonis Parmenidem commentaria (edition prepared with the collaboration of P. d’Hoine, A. Gribbomont, C. Macé and L. Van Campe) (Series: Oxford Classical Texts), 3 volumes, Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Segonds, A.-Ph., and C. Luna, 2007–2014, Proclus. Commentaire sur le Parménide de Platon, 5 vol., (Series: Collection des Universités de France), Paris: Les Belles Lettres (on this edition see C. Steel, Mnemosyne 63 (2010), 120–142 and idem, 2013, “Corrections and Hypercorrections: On a Recent Edition of Proclus’ Commentary on the Parmenides,” Aevum: Rassegna di Scienze Storiche, Linguistiche e Filologiche 87: 215–248).
Morrow, G.R., and J.M. Dillon, 1987, Proclus’ commentary on Plato’s Parmenides, Princeton (New Jersey): Princeton University Press.
Kroll, W., 1899–1901, Procli Diadochi in Platonis rem publicam commentarii, 2 vol., (Series: Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana), Leipzig: Teubner [Reprint Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1965].
Festugière, A.-J., 1970, Proclus: Commentaire sur la république, 3 vol., (Series: Bibliothèque des textes philosophiques), Paris: Vrin.
Ritzenfeld, A., 1912, Procli Diadochi Lycii institutio physica, (Series: Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana), Leipzig: Teubner.
Boese, H., 1958, Die mittelalterliche Übersetzung der Stoicheiosis phusike des Proclus, (Series: Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, Institut für griechisch-römische Altertumskunde, Veröffentlichungen 6), Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
Friedlein, G., 1967, Procli Diadochi in primum Euclidis elementorum librum commentarii, (Series: Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana), Leipzig: Teubner [Reprint Hildesheim: Olms, 1967].
Morrow, G.R., 1970, A Commentary on the First Book of Euclid’s Elements, Princeton (N.J.): Princeton University Press [Reprinted 1992, with a new foreword by I. Mueller].
New edition prepared by C. Steel, G. Van Riel and L. Van Campe, first volume forthcoming, Paris, Vrin.
Manitius, C., 1909, Procli Diadochi hypotyposis astronomicarum positionum, (Series: Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana), Leipzig: Teubner; reprint Stuttgart: Teubner 1974.
Rabe, H, 1899, Ioannes Philoponus: De aeternitate mundi contra Proclum, Leipzig: Teubner [Reprint Hildesheim: Olms, 1963].
Lang, H.S., Macro, A.D., and J. McGinnis, 2001, Proclus: On the Eternity of the world (de Aeternitate mundi), Berkeley / Los Angeles / London: University of California Press.
Gleede, B., 2009, Platon und Aristoteles in der Kosmologie des Proklos. Ein Kommentar zu den 18 Argumenten für die Ewigkeit der Welt bei Johannes Philoponos (Series: Studien und Texte zu Antike und Christentum) Tübingen: Mohr.
Marzillo, P., 2010, Der Kommentar des Proklos zu Hesiods ‘Werken und Tagen’. Edition, Übersetzung und Erkläuterung der Fragmente, Tübingen: Narr.
Vogt, E., 1957, Procli hymni accedunt hymnorum fragmenta; epigrammata, scholia, fontium et locorum similium apparatus, indices, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Van Den Berg, R.M., 2001, Proclus’ Hymns: Essays, Translations, Commentary, Leiden–Boston–Köln: Brill.
Saffrey, H.D., and A.-P. Segonds (together with C. Luna), 2001, Proclus ou Sur le bonheur, (Series: Collection des universités de France), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
Edwards, M., 2000, Neoplatonic Saints. The Lives of Plotinus and Proclus by their Students, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, pp. 58–115.
Scotti Muth, N., 1993, Proclo negli ultimi quarant’anni. Bibliografia ragionata della letteratura primaria e secondaria riguardante il pensiero procliano e suoi influssi storici (anni 1949–1992), (Series: Publicazioni del Centro di ricerche di metafisica. Temi metafisici e problemi del pensiero antico. Studi e testi, 27), Milano: Vita e Pensiero.
d’Hoine, P., Chr. Helmig, C. Macé, L. Van Campe under the direction of C. Steel, 2002 (immo 2005), Proclus: Fifteen Years of Research (1990–2004). An Annotated Bibliography, (Series: Lustrum, 44).
An online-bibliography of Proclus, including a list of editions and translations of his works can be found on the website of the Leuven project “Plato Transformed” (see below internet resources).
Beutler, R., 1957, “Proklos, 4) Neuplatoniker,” in Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, 23.1, Stuttgart: Alfred Druckenmüller, coll. 186–247.
Zeller, E., and R. Mondolfo, 1961, La filosofia dei Greci nel suo sviluppo storico, Parte III: La filosofia post-aristotelica, vol. VI: Giamblico e la Scuola di Atene, Firenze: La Nuova Italia, pp. 118–196.
Beierwaltes, W., 1965, 1979², Proklos. Grundzüge seiner Metaphysik, Frankfurt am Main: Vittorio Klostermann.
Reale, G., 1989, Introduzione a Proclo, (Series: I Filosofi, 51), Roma-Bari: Laterza.
Siorvanes, L., 1996, Proclus. Neo-Platonic Philosophy and Science, New Haven: Yale University Press.
Steel, C., 2006, “Neoplatonism” and “Proclus,” in Encyclopedia of Philosophy, D.M. Borchert (ed.), Detroit : Macmillan Reference USA, vol. 6, col. 546–557; vol. 8, col. 40–44.
Steel, C., 2011, “Proclus,” in The Cambridge History of Philosophy in Late Antiquity, L. Gerson (ed.), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, vol. 2, pp. 630–653.
Chlup, R., 2012, Proclus: An Introduction, Cambridge–New York: Cambridge University Press.
Luna, C., Segonds, A.Ph., and Endress, G., 2012, “Proclus de Lycie”, in Dictionnaire des Philosophes Antiques, R. Goulet (ed.), Paris: CNRS Éditions, tome Vb (de Plotina à Rutilius Rufus), pp. 1564–1674.
Bastid, P., 1969, Proclus et le crépuscule de la pensée grecque, (Series: Bibliothèque d’histoire de la philosophie), Paris: Vrin.
Le Néoplatonisme, 1971, Actes du colloque international organisé à Royaumont 9–13 juin 1969, (Series: Colloques Internationaux du CNRS), Paris: Éditions du CNRS.
Trouillard, J., 1972, L’Un et l’âme selon Proclos, (Series: Collection d’études anciennes), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
De Jamblique à Proclus, 1975, Neuf exposés suivis de discussions, (Series: Entretiens sur l’Antiquité Classique, 21), Vandoeuvres-Genève: Fondation Hardt.
Pépin, J., and H.D. Saffrey (eds.), 1987, Proclus lecteur et interprète des anciens, actes du colloque international du CNRS, Paris 2–4 oct. 1985, (Series: Colloques Internationaux du CNRS), Paris: Éditions du CNRS.
Boss, G., and G. Seel (eds.), 1987, Proclus et son influence, actes du colloque de Neuchâtel, juin 1985, Zürich: Éditions du Grand Midi.
Duffy, J., and J. Peradotto (eds.), 1988, Gonimos. Neoplatonic and Byzantine Studies presented to Leendert G. Westerink at 75., Buffalo (New York): Arethusa.
Reale, G., Introduzione a Proclo, (Series: I Filosofi, 51), Roma-Bari: Laterza.
Bos, E.P., and P.A. Meijer (eds.), 1992, On Proclus and his Influence in Medieval Philosophy, (Series: Philosophia antiqua, 53), Leiden-Köln-New York: Brill.
Cleary, J. (ed.), 1997, The perennial tradition of neoplatonism, (Series: Ancient and medieval philosophy, Series I, 24), Leuven: Leuven University Press.
Segonds, A.Ph., and C. Steel (eds.), 2000, Proclus et la Théologie platonicienne, actes du colloque international de Louvain (13–16 mai 1998) en l’honneur de H.D. Saffrey et L.G. Westerink, (Series: Ancient and medieval philosophy, Series I, 26), Leuven-Paris: Leuven University Press / Les Belles Lettres.
Perkams, M., and R.M. Piccione (eds.), 2006, Proklos. Methode, Seelenlehre, Metaphysik, Akten der Konferenz in Jena am 18.–20. September 2003, (Series: Philosophia antiqua, 98), Leiden–Boston: Brill.
Beierwaltes, W., 2007, Procliana. Spätantikes Denken und seine Spuren, Frankfurt am Main: V. Klostermann.
Gersh, S., 2014, Interpreting Proclus. From Antiquity to the Renaissance, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Adamson, P., H. Baltussen, and M.F.W. Stone (eds.), 2004, Philosophy, Science and Exegesis in Greek, Arabic and Latin Commentaries, vol. I, (Series: Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. Supplement, 83.1), London: Institute of Classical Studies.
Athanassiadi, P., 1999, “The Chaldean Oracles: Theology and theurgy,” in Pagan monotheism in late Antiquity, P. Athanassiadi, and M. Frede (eds.), Oxford: Clarendon, pp. 149–183.
Baltes, M., 1976 & 1978, Die Weltentstehung des platonischen Timaios nach den antiken Interpreten, (Series: Philosophia Antiqua, 30 & 35), Leiden: Brill.
Baltzly, D., 2002, “What goes up: Proclus against Aristotle on the fifth element,” Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 80: 261–287.
–––, 2004, “The virtues and ‘becoming like god’: Alcinous to Proclus,” Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, 26: 297–321.
–––, 2013, “Proclus and Theodore of Asine on female philosopher-rulers: Patriachy, metempsychosis, and women in the Neoplatonic commentary tradition,” Ancient Philosophy, 33.2: 403–424.
Barbanti, M., and F. Romano (eds.), 2002, Il Parmenide di Platone e la sua tradizione. Atti del III Colloquio Internazionale del Centro di Ricerca sul Neoplatonismo. Università degli Studi di Catania, 31 maggio–2 giugno 2001, (Series: Symbolon. Studi e testi di filosofia antica e medievale, 24), Catania: CUECM.
Beierwaltes, W., 1985, Denken des Einen, Frankfurt am Main: Vittorio Klostermann.
–––, 1998, 2001, Platonismus im Christentum, (Series: Philosophische Abhandlungen, 73), Frankfurt am Main: Klostermann.
Breton, S., 1969, Philosophie et mathématique chez Proclus, suivi de Principes philosophiques des mathémathiques d’après le commentaire de Proclus aux deux premiers livres des Éléments d’Euclide par N. Hartmann, traduit par G. de Pesloüan, Paris: Beauchesne.
Brisson, L., 1995, “Proclus et l’Orphisme,” in Orphée et l’Orphisme dans l’Antiquité gréco-romaine, (Series: Variorum Collected Studies Series), Aldershot: Ashgate, pp. 43–103.
Charles-Saget, A., 1982, L’architecture du divin. Mathématique et philosophie chez Plotin et Proclus, (Series: Collection d’études anciennes), Paris: Les Belles Lettres.
Coulter, J.A., 1976, The Literary Microcosm. Theories of interpretation of the later Neoplatonism, Leiden: Brill.
Cürsgen, D., 2002, Die Rationalität des Mythischen: Der philosophische Mythos bei Platon und seine Exegese im Neuplatonismus, (Series: Quellen und Studien zur Philosophie, 55), Berlin–New York: de Gruyter.
D’Ancona, C., 2005a, “Greek into Arabic: Neoplatonism in translation,” in The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy, P. Adamson, and R.C. Taylor (eds.), (Series: Cambridge Companions to Philosophy), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 10–31.
–––, 2005b, “Les Sentences de Porphyre entre les Ennéades de Plotin et les Eléments de Théologie de Proclus,” in Porphyre. Sentences, L. Brisson (ed.), 2 vol., Paris: Vrin, I, pp. 139–274.
–––, 2007, “The libraries of the Neoplatonists. An introduction,” in The libraries of the Neoplatonists, Proceedings of the meeting of the European Science Foundation ‘Late Antiquity and Arabic thought: Patterns in the constitution of European thought’ held in Strasbourg, March 12–14, 2004, C. D’Ancona (ed.), (Series: Philosophia antiqua, 107), Leiden–Boston: Brill, pp. xiii–xxxvi.
D’Ancona, C., and R.C. Taylor, 2003, “Liber de Causis,” in Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques., R. Goulet, J.-M. Flamand, and M. Aouad, Paris: CNRS, pp. 599–647.
D’Hoine, P., 2004, “Four problems concerning the theory of ideas: Proclus, Syrianus and the ancient commentaries on the Parmenides,” in Platonic ideas and concept formation in ancient and medieval thought, G. van Riel, and C. Macé (eds.), (Series: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Series I, 32), Leuven: Leuven University Press, pp. 9–29.
–––, 2006, “The status of the arts. Proclus’ theory of artefacts,” Elenchos, 27: 305–344.
–––, 2011, “Les arguments de Proclus contre l’existence d’Idées des maux,” Études Platoniciennes, 8: 75–103.
–––, 2014, “The Forms of Likeness and Unlikeness in Proclus,” in Proceedings of the Boston Area Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy, vol. 29, ed. by G.M. Gurtler and W. Wians, Leiden–Boston: Brill, 1–37.
De Haas, F.A.J., 1997, John Philoponus’ new definition of prime matter: Aspects of its background in Neoplatonism & the ancient commentary tradition, (Series: Philosophia antiqua, 69), Leiden-Boston-Köln: Brill.
Di Pasquale Barbanti, M., 1983, 19932, Proclo tra filosofia e teurgia, Catania: Bonanno.
Dillon, J.M., 1972, “Iamblichus and the origin of the doctrine of Henads,” Phronesis, 17: 102–106.
–––, 1986, “Proclus and the forty Logoi of Zeno,” Illinois Classical Studies, 11: 35–41.
Dillon, J.M., and S. Klitenic, 2007, Dionysius the Areopagite and the Neoplatonist tradition: Despoiling the Hellenes, (Series: Ashgate Studies in Philosophy and Theology in late Antiquity), Aldershot: Ashgate.
Dörrie, H., 1973, “La doctrine de l’âme dans le Néoplatonisme de Plotin à Proklus,” Revue de Théologie et de Philosophie, 23: 116–134.
–––, 1975, De Jamblique à Proclus, (Series: Fondation Hardt. Entretiens tome, 21), Genève: Vandœuvres.
Dörrie, H., M. Baltes, and Chr. Pietsch, 1987ff, Der Platonismus in der Antike, Band 1–7.1, Stuttgart–Bad Cannstatt: Frommann–Holzboog, (three more volumes will be published, 7.2 and 8.1–2).
Endress, G., 1973, Proclus Arabus. Zwanzig Abschnitte aus der Institutio theologica in arabischer Übersetzung, Wiesbaden: Steiner.
Esser, H.P., 1967, Untersuchungen zu Gebet und Gottesverehrung der Neoplatoniker, Köln: Dissertation der Universität Köln.
Festugière, A.-J., 1971, Études de philosophie grecque, Paris: Vrin [contains reprints of the following papers: “Modes de composition des Commentaires de Proclus” (pp. 551–574); “Contemplation philosophique et art théurgique chez Proclus” (pp. 585–596); “L’ordre de lecture des dialogues de Platon aux Ve/VIe siècles” (pp. 535–550)].
Gersh, S., 1973, Κίνησις ἀκίνητος. A study of spiritual motion in the philosophy of Proclus, Leiden: Brill.
–––, 1978, From Iamblichos to Eriugena. An investigation of the prehistory and evolution of the Pseudo–Dionysian tradition, (Series: Studien zur Problemgeschichte der antiken und mittelalterlichen Philosophie, 8), Leiden: Brill.
Gerson, L.P., 1997, “Epistrophe eis heauton: History and Meaning,” Documenti e studi sulla tradizione filosofica medievale, 8: 1–32.
–––, 2005, Aristotle and Other Platonists, Ithaca – London: Cornell University Press.
–––, 2011, “Proclus and the Third Man,” Études Platoniciennes, 8: 105–118.
Gritti, E., 2008, Proclo. Dialettica, Anima, Esegesi, (Series: Il Filarete, Collana die studi e testi), Milano: LED.
Günther, H.-Chr., 2007, Die Uebersetzung der Elementatio Theologica des Proklos und ihre Bedeutung für den Proklostext, Leiden: Brill.
Hankins, J., and W. Bowen (eds.), 2001–2006, Marsilio Ficino. Platonic theology, 6 vol., (Series: I Tatti Renaissance Library), Cambridge (Mass.): Harvard University Press.
Hankinson, R.J., 1998, Cause and explanation in ancient Greek thought, Oxford: Clarendon.
Halfwassen, J., 1999, Hegel und der Spätantike Neuplatonismus. Untersuchungen zur Metaphysik des Einen und des Nous in Hegels spekulativer und geschichtlicher Deutung, (Series: Hegel Studien, 40), Bonn: Bouvier.
Harari, O., 2006, “Methexis and geometrical reasoning in Proclus’ Commentary on Euclid’s Elements,” Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, 30: 361–389.
Helmig, C., 2004, “What is the systematic place of abstraction and concept formation in Plato’s philosophy? Ancient and modern readings of Phaedrus 249b-c,” in Platonic ideas and concept formation in ancient and medieval thought, G. van Riel, and C. Macé (eds.), (Series: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, I, 32), Leuven: Leuven University Press, pp. 83–97.
–––, 2008, “Proclus and other Neoplatonists on universals and predication,” Documenti e Studi sulla Tradizione Filosofica Medievale, 19: 31–52.
–––, 2009, “‘The truth can never be refuted’ – Syrianus’ view(s) on Aristotle reconsidered,” in Syrianus et la Métaphysique de l’Antiquité tardive, A. Longo (ed.), (Series: Elenchos, 51), Rome: Bibliopolis, 347–380.
–––, 2010, “Proclus’ Criticism of Aristotle’s Theory of Abstraction and Concept Formation in Analytica Posteriora II 19 and elsewhere,” in Interpreting Aristotle’s Posterior Analytics in Late Antiquity and beyond, F.A.J. de Haas, and M.E.M.P.J. Leunissen, and M. Martijn (eds.), (Series: Philosophia Antiqua, 124), Leiden – Boston – Köln: Brill, 27–54.
–––, 2012, Forms and Concepts. Concept Formation in the Platonic Tradition, (Series: Commentaria in Aristotelem Graeca et Byzantina, Quellen und Studien, 5), Berlin – Boston: de Gruyter.
–––, and Vargas, A.L.C., 2014, “Ascent of the Soul and Grades of Freedom. Neoplatonic Theurgy between Ritual and Philosophy,” in Fate, Providence and Moral Responsibility in Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern Thought. Studies in Honour of Carlos Steel, P. d’ Hoine, and G. van Riel (eds.), (Series: Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, I, 49), Leuven: Leuven University Press, 253–266.
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The authors would like to thank Radek Chlup (Prague), John Cooper (Princeton), Antonio Luis Costa Vargas (Berlin), and Sabrina Lange (Berlin) for comments. |
[WM]Donald Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway walked away from CNN’s Dana Bash in the middle of an interview following Wednesday’s final presidential debate, but she was extremely polite while cutting the interview short.
Conway answered several questions related to Trump’s comments during the debate that he would consider contesting the results of the general election, but an additional follow-up from Bash was the last straw for Conway.
Conway actually answered the question and walked away as Bash tried to ask yet another follow up on the same subject.
CNN tweeted the exchange, saying Trump’s campaign manager walked away “mid-interview,” but Conway has been extremely accommodating to the media since talking over as Trump’s campaign manager. Check out the video and let us know if you think it’s a big deal.
It all started because Trump said he’s not sure he’ll accept the election results come Nov. 8, which quickly became the biggest story of the debate.
“What I’m saying is that I will tell you at the time. I’ll keep you in suspense,” he continued. |
[WM]Blackpool Symphony Orchestra continues its 2017/18 season with a concert celebrating the arrival of spring.
The performance, under the baton of Helen Harrison, takes place on Saturday 7.30pm at St. Andrew’s Church, Rough Lea Road, Cleveleys.
The concert opens with Delius’ popular,‘On hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring’ followed by Copland’s well known piece for ballet, Appalachian Spring’ featuring the well-known tune ‘Lord of the Dance’.
Brahms’ famous and much-loved first symphony brings their spring concert to a close.
Ms Harrison, who is also musical director of the orchestra, said: “Last year, our audience really enjoyed our performance of Copland’s Rodeo Suite and we really loved rehearsing and performing it.
“On the back of that success we really wanted to continue to explore Copland’s musical world knowing that our audiences would enjoy it and we’d enjoy rehearsing it too.
“This then gave us the inspiration for another work on the programme.
Wendy Pallant, the orchestra’s chairman, added: “We have really enjoyed the rehearsals for this spring concert.
“We are extremely pleased to have had four consecutive sell-out concerts – thank you to all our loyal and supportive audiences. We really appreciate the relationship we have developed with our audience over the years.
“We would really urge anyone who wants to guarantee their ticket to book online as soon as they can as we have never sold so many tickets in advance of the concert as we have done so far.
Tickets are £10 online at www.blackpoolsymphony.co.uk. Any remaining tickets will be sold on the door at £11. |
[WM]You may need to set aside some extra time if you use Metro's Green or Yellow line.
Train service was suspended on parts of the Green and Yellow line for a short time Monday morning due to late-clearing track work, Metro said on Twitter.
Trains on the Yellow Line shared a track from Pentagon City to Mt. Vernon Square for about an hour, but they are no longer single-tracking, according to Metro. On the Green Line, trains are no longer single-tracking from Navy Yard to Mt. Vernon Square.
Trains were also single-tracking on the Red Line, but normal service has resumed.
Riders should expect delays in both directions on all three lines. |
[WM]Starting Tuesday, travellers from Europe, the Middle East and Africa will have to provide fingerprints and photos when they apply to visit, work or study in Canada, if they don’t want to be turned away at the border.
Currently, foreign nationals are required to obtain pre-authorization to travel to Canada by air, and the biometric check on arrival is an extra step to confirm a person seeking admission is really the same pre-screened individual on the travel documents.
“Biometric screening has proven effective in protecting the safety and security of Canadians and the integrity of the immigration system. Systematic fingerprint verification allows border service officers to confirm a traveller’s identity,” said Immigration Department spokesperson Shannon Kerr.
“Biometric screening has also made it easier to identify known criminals at the earliest opportunity in order to prevent them from coming to Canada. It has made it more difficult for others to forge, steal or use another person’s identity to gain access to Canada,” Kerr added.
Since 2013, personal biometric information has been required of tourists, students and foreign workers from 29 countries including Afghanistan, Burma, Congo, Haiti, Sudan and Syria, as well as the Palestinian territories — all places where many refugees originate and the use of fraudulent travel documents is rampant.
In addition, permanent residency applicants from these countries and territory, as well as refugees and overseas refugee resettlement applicants were required to undergo biometric screening. The rule will extend to visitors from Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and the Americas on Dec. 31, when the biometric plan will be fully implemented.
“Expanding the collection and verification of biometrics to more applicants will strengthen immigration and border screening processes by confirming a person’s identity,” said Kerr.
Since the requirement rolled out in 2013, Canada has collected biometric information from 1,066,806 students, foreign workers and tourists, resulting in matches to 760 Canadian criminal records, 1,951 previous asylum claimants and 157,105 previous immigration applicants, said Kerr.
The fingerprints, stored by the RCMP in the “national repository,” are valid for 10 years and must be renewed when they expire.
Visa-exempted nationals coming to Canada as tourists who hold a valid electronic travel authorization from Ottawa.
Children under 14 or applicants over 79.
Heads of state and government.
Foreign nationals travelling to Canada must go to a Canadian visa application centre and pay a fee of $85 per person — or $170 for families — to cover the collection of fingerprints and a photograph. The centre is responsible for transmitting the records to and from the immigration offices.
At airports and land ports of entry, the Canada Border Services Agency will check a visitor’s fingerprints against the record submitted by the visa centre in its database. Automatic fingerprint verification is available at eight major airports: Toronto Pearson, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Pierre Elliott Trudeau in Montreal, and Halifax.
Authorities can deny entry to people with unmatched fingerprints, detain them and send them back.
The biometrics initiative is part of a joint border security information-sharing arrangement with the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.
Both the U.S. and Australia require fingerprints and a photograph from visiting foreign nationals, except Canadians. In the U.K., foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area have to apply for what’s known as a biometric residence permit, while New Zealand currently requires the biometrics of asylum seekers, refugees applying for resettlement and deportees.
Biometrics are not required of Americans applying for work or study permits and coming to Canada as tourists.
Correction - July 31, 2018: This article was updated from a previous version that said all permanent residency applicants and those seeking asylum within Canada, regardless of their country of origin, are already required to undergo biometric screening. In fact, prior to July 31, permanent residency applicants from 29 countries and one territory, as well as refugees and overseas refugee resettlement applicants were required to undergo biometric screening. |
[WM]Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton had just declared victory in the Nevada caucuses when most campaign reporters heard Jeffrey Berman’s voice for the first and only time.
Berman, Sen. Barack Obama’s director of delegate selection, chimed in during a conference call with the media to make an unexpected case: Despite Clinton’s popular vote victory in Nevada and an authoritative Associated Press count giving Clinton the edge in the Nevada delegate count, Obama had actually won the state by the only measure that mattered.
“Obama had a majority in the district that had an odd number of delegates, so he won an extra seat,” Berman told the puzzled press; the Associated Press delegate expert, on the call, promised to revise his count.
Obama’s Nevada delegate victory was widely viewed at the time as a curiosity, an asterisk to Clinton’s win. But in February, as Obama amassed delegates despite losing big states, the shape of the race became clear: The name of the game was delegates.
It was the game Berman and a friend, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, had been playing all along. And as Clinton’s staff scrambled after Super Tuesday to remake her strategy to meet that reality, it began to become clear that Berman had helped build Obama a lead too big to surmount.
“He is the unsung hero of the Obama effort,” said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic consultant who supports Clinton.
The bearded, no-profile 50-year-old lawyer’s central role in Obama’s likely nomination is emblematic of the depth of Obama’s preparation for the 2008 campaign.
Clinton’s delegate chief is the much-heralded, oft-profiled, tough-talking past master of the party’s rules, Harold Ickes. But Ickes had a broad portfolio that included fundraising and politicking, a lobbying and consulting business, and a sideline in bitter infighting — all conducted while Berman was concentrating solely on tasks such as hashing out the details of the mixed Texas primary system and arranging obscure Puerto Rican political deals.
Berman’s counterpart on the staff level in the Clinton campaign, meanwhile, is a former New York State Democratic Party official new to the delegate hunt.
Berman, by contrast, 25 years ago joined the very small fraternity of Democratic operatives steeped in the obscure — and typically unrewarding — subfield of delegate selection. It’s a job description that begins with getting the candidate on the ballot with full delegate slates in 50 states and extends through building a whip operation for a possible floor fight at the convention.
In the middle is the crucial process of setting a campaign’s strategy for amassing the maximum number of delegates — a mind-numbing blend of math and politics that will focus a candidate’s energies on congressional districts in which the math of proportional representation gives him or her a chance to pick up an extra delegate or run up a big margin.
Since Gary Hart and Walter Mondale battled toward the nomination, this particular political skill also has been a waste of time: Democratic contests have been decided early. |
[WM]MEXICO CITY (AP) — Three children have drowned off Mexico's southern Pacific coast after an immigrant trafficker's boat capsized amid heavy rains.
The state government of the southern state of Chiapas says the three children were Salvadoran citizens. They were apparently trying to bypass Mexico's stepped-up immigration enforcement along traditional routes by taking a boat.
The three children's father was with them, and managed to survive the accident.
The government said Friday the accident occurred on a stretch of coast near the Guatemala border.
Many Central American migrants cross Mexico in a bid to reach the United States. |
[WM]Kirill Kudryavtsev, AFP | In this file photo taken on January 22, 2017 people walk in downtown Astana (now renamed Nursultan), with the Baiterek monument seen in the background.
Kazakhstan's new interim president was sworn in Wednesday following the shock resignation of the country's long-time ruler and in his first official act renamed the capital after his predecessor.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took office in a pomp-filled ceremony less than 24 hours after Nursultan Nazarbayev, the only leader an independent Kazakhstan had ever known, suddenly announced he was stepping down.
Tokayev immediately proposed changing the name of the Central Asian nation's capital from Astana to Nursultan, or "Sultan of Light" in Kazakh, and parliament approved the change within hours.
The senate also appointed Nazarbayev's eldest daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva as speaker, setting her up as a potential contender to succeed her father.
Tokayev, 65, will serve out the rest of Nazarbayev's mandate until elections due in April next year, though the former president retains significant powers in the country he ruled for nearly three decades.
Tokayev told lawmakers that Nazarbayev had "shown wisdom" by deciding to step down, a rare move in ex-Soviet Central Asia where other leaders have stayed in power until death.
"Yesterday the world witnessed a historic event," Tokayev said, hailing Nazarbayev as a visionary reformer.
"The results of an independent Kazakhstan are there for all to see," Tokayev said.
Nazarbayev changed the capital from Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty to Astana in 1997, transforming it from a minor provincial town into a futuristic city of skyscrapers rising from the steppes.
Its name meant "capital" in Kazakh and there had long been speculation of a renaming after the leader who shaped it.
The city is central to government propaganda highlighting the achievements of Nazarbayev's reign and his journey to build it was recently the subject of a state-funded film, "Leader's Path: Astana".
Nazarbayev, 78, ruled Kazakhstan since before it gained independence with the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
He steered the country through a major transformation, developing huge energy reserves and boosting its international influence, but was accused of cracking down on dissent and tolerating little opposition.
Nazarbayev will continue to enjoy significant powers thanks to his constitutional status as "Leader of the Nation", life-time position as chief of the security council and head of the ruling Nur Otan party.
Tokayev appeared to be in pole position to take over in the long term until senators voted shortly after his swearing-in to name Nazarbayeva, 55, as their new chief.
She is the most politically prominent of Nazarbayev's three children and has long been mooted as a potential successor.
Kazakhstan's deputy prime minister from 2015 to 2016, Nazarbayeva has significant influence over the media.
Analysts said it was too early to declare a clear frontrunner to become the next elected president, with the recently named prime minister, 53-year-old Askar Mamin, another possible contender.
Tokayev, the interim president, has a strong diplomatic record dating back to the Soviet period and has twice been foreign minister.
This should go some way to reassuring Kazakhstan's major partners including China, the European Union, Russia and the United States that the move will not threaten key relationships.
But analysts are in two minds over whether he has the attributes to take the job beyond the term that Nazarbayev would have served.
As Tokayev alternated between Russian and Kazakh in his speech in the parliament on Wednesday, he appeared notably more comfortable in Russian.
Independent political analyst Dosym Satpayev said that language skills are closely scrutinised by Kazakh speakers tired of the dominance of Russian.
"In terms of Kazakh language, we cannot say that Tokayev is as comfortable as the first president. This is an important issue in the long term as over 60 percent of the population is Kazakh and this demographic is expanding," Satpayev said.
But Satpayev also said that Tokayev's diplomatic skills had helped him forge a careful career path through an elite prone to clannishness and regionalism.
"He is capable of negotiating between different groups and taking different interests into account. He lacks popular recognition to some extent but he is a heavyweight in the bureaucracy."
The new leader will need to tackle growing discontent over falling living standards after Kazakhstan's economy was hit by the 2014 drop in oil prices and sanctions against Russia, a key trading partner. |
[WM]CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - With the high school football season in the books and all the state champs crowned, WBTV Sports and Football Friday Night announced their final FFN Top 10 and the team of the year on Tuesday night and that squad is Charlotte Christian.
The Knights finished the year 11-0 and won the NCISAA Division 1 State Championship.
Of their 11 victories, 9 came against teams with a .500 or better record including handing Charlotte Catholic their only loss of the season.
Chester finishes the season as the #2 team. The Cyclones started the season unranked and a relative unknown, but they went 15-0 and won the South Carolina AAA State Championship. Their first title since the 1960s.
Charlotte Catholic started the year as the preseason #1 team but suffered their one and only loss of the season in week one to Charlotte Christian. That lost dropped the Cougars out the poll, but they got back in week 8 and finish the year as the #3 team.
The Cougars won the 3A state title this past weekend 17-14 over Jacksonville to claim their 2nd straight state title.
Weddington is another team that started the season unranked but finish the year as the #4 team after going 15-1 and winning the 3AA State Championship. Their only loss of the year was to conference rival Charlotte Catholic.
Shelby rounds out the top 5 as they are #5.
The Golden Lions started the year 1-3 and were written off by many. But they finished the season with a 12 game winning streak and won the 2AA state title Saturday with a dominate victory over North Davidson 42-21.
That’s the Golden Lions 5th title in the last 6 years.
After finishing the season 14-2 and the 4AA state runners up, the Vance Cougars come in at the #6 spot. This was the Cougars' first ever appearance in the title game as the 14 victories are also a single season program record.
On the strength of a 13-1 record, Hunter Huss is the #7 team. That record is the best in program history as the Huskies won a conference title for the 2nd time in the last 3 years.
Hibriten finishes the final FFN Top 10 in the #8 spot. Their only loss of the year was to Shelby in the 2AA Western Regional Final.
The Panthers finished the year 14-1 and won a conference title for the 3rd straight year.
South Pointe started the season with hopes of winning their 5th straight state-- something no program in South Carolina has ever done. The Stallions would fall to Daniel in the 2nd round of the AAAA playoffs 50-49 in overtime on a controversial play late in the game.
The Stallions finished the year 10-2 and won a region title for the 5th straight year.
Myers Park rounds out the final FFN Top 10 of 2018 as they are #10.
The Mustangs had their best season ever as they finished 13-2 and made it to the 4AA Western Regional Final where they lost to Vance. |
[WM]A lot of folks say they don’t like okra, but the deer at New Moon Farms just south of Loganville love it. They also love green beans, watermelon, cucumbers and sunflowers. And they don’t even wait for the vegetables to grow or the sunflowers to blossom. They just nibble the young plants right down to the ground.
That’s been Mike Moon’s experience this year. About the middle of May, he planted 10 200-foot long rows of okra, each seed dropped in six inches from its neighbor. That’s 2,000 row feet of okra. And no sooner did the plants come up, then the deer came in and ate the tender young seedlings.
The land he’s farming has been in the family since the early 1800s.
Now a firefighter in Loganville, Moon has 13 more years until retirement and is planning to keep farming right up until retirement and beyond. He hopes to pass along at least some of the land to his children.
And he isn’t giving up on okra. In mid-July he prepared to plant okra again, although this time under plastic mulch. He’s growing Clemson spineless green okra, the same variety his grandfather planted when Moon was a young child.
If a farmer keeps his okra picked, he’ll have new pods coming along right up until frost. Picking okra can be an itchy job, although Moon doesn’t find himself bothered by the prickly hairs of the okra plants. His mother and wife don’t have the same immunity, so they use gloves when they’re harvesting.
Fortunately, his customers like okra prepared in many different ways. He sells to restaurants like Graft in Grayson, to local produce stands like Three Peas in a Pod in Loganville and to local residents.
And he takes it to his booth at the Saturday morning Snellville Farmers Market. His new crop should be ready to harvest in early September, if the deer will let the plants grow.
Robbins is a loyal supporter of local farmers and farmers markets. Well-known for her chef demos around town, she created this recipe for a demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a large cast iron skillet in oven to heat at the same time.
Per serving: 130 calories (percent of calories from fat, 77), 2 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 11 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 78 milligrams sodium.
Per 1-tablespoon serving: 92 calories (percent of calories from fat, 97), trace protein, trace carbohydrates, trace fiber, 10 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 90 milligrams sodium. |
[WM]Centralizing the procurement process, diversifying supplier portfolios and assessing the capabilities of each manufacturing partner will allow enterprises to mitigate the impact of or eliminate product recalls.
In 1982, 31 million bottles of Johnson & Johnson's Tylenol were recalled, costing the company more than $100 million. An order for the bottles to be returned was incited after seven people around in the Greater Chicago area were killed after consuming tablets laced with potassium cyanide.
Bridgestone/Firestone recalled an estimated 6.5 million tires after Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers equipped with those tires experienced tread separation. Not only did Bridgestone spend $440 million on the ordeal, Ford's bill amounted to a whopping $3 billion, not including the $600 million in lawsuits incited by individuals who either sustained major injuries themselves as a result of the tires or were taking legal action on behalf of deceased relatives.
In 2004, Merck, a pharmaceutical company, recalled arthritis drug Vioxx after research discovered that people who had been taking the drug for at least 18 months were likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes. First, Merck lost $725 million in potential Vioxx sales. Then, three years later, the company paid $4.85 billion in settlements, resolving a whopping 27,000 lawsuits.
As one can see, the human and monetary costs associated with recalls can be quite ugly. From what can be gleaned by these two incidents, purchasing management professionals should not only assess what materials are going into the products they're selling, but how item design can impact customer safety.
Coffee machine manufacturers aren't exempt from request for returns, either. According to IndustryWeek, Keurig Green Mountain is recalling an estimated 7.2 million single-serve hot coffee brewing units due to a previously unnoticed burn risk. Apparently, users have reported being scalded because of a malfunction that causes the machines to spray hot water. The recall requests owners return their Keurig MINI Plus Brewing Systems, model number K10, with serial numbers beginning with 31.
What can be learned from this incident? While the parts used to assemble these machines should have been scrutinized more carefully by designers and procurement specialists, the construction of the units should also come into question. Blueprinting may not be a direct concern of the purchasing department, but it's a phase that should never be taken for granted. |
[WM]What's The Fastest Boat Ever Made?
What you’re looking at above is a sportfishing boat that has a 6.2l V8 engine on the back. And next to that 6.2l V8 engine are three more identical engines. Total power is 2,228hp. Not bad, right?
That’s indeed a crazy powerful boat, and I’m sure it’s fast. Watch this video spotted over on BangShift and you’ll see what I mean.
Assuredly though, this boat only barely begins to enter the world of fast boats. What’s the fastest that you can recall? |
[WM]KEI KECIL, Indonesia: It is believed by many on the Kei Islands that some of their earliest ancestors came from Bali, braving the long expanses of sea to the west.
Those original descendants, countless generations ago, jumping from one island to the next, found a home in Kei. They brought religion and culture to a truly remote part of the world, a paradise that largely still exists in raw form.
Where Bali has exploded into one of the world’s best known holiday escapes, Kei’s location - closer to Darwin in Australia than Jakarta - has left it in a long shadow. From a state of seclusion adrift in the Banda Sea, the islands’ magic has been left untapped.
There are no beachside cocktail bars or luxury resorts in sight. Instead, the gentle waves lap onto some of the world’s finest untouched sand, so ethereal and white that the locals compare it to flour.
Bali receives as many foreign tourists per day as Kei has had in total over the past seven years. There is a staggering gulf in fortunes when it comes to modern development.
But under the administration of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the development of eastern Indonesia has come into focus. He wants to attract investors to spur economic growth in eastern Indonesia, where significant challenges exist compared to the more populous west. For instance, poor connectivity has seen commodity prices soar for local populations.
However, the resulting massive infrastructure projects rolled out in recent years, including roads and airports, as well as the investment in vast internet networks, has the remote region well placed to take advantage of a growing curiosity of domestic and foreign travellers to explore the country’s outer reaches.
Long after the intoxicating days of pirates and spice in this part of the world, once at the centre of a global tussle for cloves, nutmeg and mace, a new bounty is being uncovered.
Kei is starting to enjoy the riches of the government’s attention. The airport is built for a future growth in capacity, the roads are surprising in their size and quality and 4G coverage even reaches budding Instagrammers on outer atolls surrounded by lively coral reefs.
Getting to Kei Kecil remains a challenge to all but the equally intrepid and well-heeled. Domestic flights from Jakarta, connecting in Makassar and Ambon, still cost hundreds of dollars each way. Schedules are still limited but more frequent flights - and some building competition between Garuda Airlines and Lion Air - suggest fares could eventually drop.
Local tourism authorities now want to ignite the industry and create a “mini Bali”. It is a marketing tag thrown around regularly in Indonesia but Petrus Renwarin, the secretary of tourism in South East Maluku, says Kei’s ambitions have substance.
They are building cooperation with Bali authorities, using ancestry links as a contemporary connector between the two destinations.
“There is a more permanent strategy looking at how they can help us. If the tourists go there we can divert them to come here as well,” Petrus said.
Tourism is a new concept for Kei residents, but many are showing a keen desire to be involved.
On Wab Beach, an exquisite stretch of waterfront, a local man was busy hammering and sawing under the shade of a grove of coconut trees. He was constructing a warung, a simple restaurant, as part of a community effort to attract visitors to the area. Nearby, other stalls were being put together, hammocks stretched between trunks and a social media-ready swing framed by the shimmering waters was ready to be snapped.
A couple of years ago, 65-year-old Alfred Inuhan said, no-one from Wab would have ever seen a foreigner padding across the sand or wading in the shallows. Today, they are still rare, but he is hoping that will soon change.
“We want a lot of of foreign tourists to come,” he said. His simple hospitality is just a start, he says, and he welcomes larger scale tourism investment, on his land or in the area, even if the sight of bikini-clad visitors would come as quite a shock for some.
“We really understand that tourists come but they will not change our culture. I believe that Bali in the beginning was also like that but sooner or later it has changed, since I already visited Kuta and have seen that myself.
“Kei culture is about respecting one another. Whoever they are, we respect them,” he said.
One of the local tourism industry pioneers based near Kei’s best known beach, Pasir Panjang, a pristine three-kilometre stretch of powdery sand, has doubts about plans to attract more people.
Geeryt Martin Tarantyin started one of Kei’s first guesthouses after visiting the island, the traditional home of his father, back in 1989. He continues to run the rustic beach lodgings with his wife Lucy, attracting backpackers, families of explorers and curious Jakartans.
“When people come here they think I live in a paradise,” he said, explaining that in the past the only way to reach Kei was by taking ferries that slowly traverse the seas, connecting the archipelago as far as Batam, near Singapore.
That isolation brought challenges, but also protection. Now, he fears local and investors alike may have good intentions but cultural misunderstandings are inevitable.
Petrus confirmed that five-star developments would be developed “in the near future” but Tarantyin says local beliefs similar to voodoo could stand in the way.
Land ownership is problematic in Kei because of the possible effects of ‘sasi’, meaning prohibition. It is a powerful superstition invoked throughout Maluku, a kind of unseen magic that locals cast onto property or land to ensure others cannot possess or use it without proper permission.
In 2003, the bridge between the island’s two main towns, Tual and Langgur, had sasi placed upon it due to a land dispute. No-one dared to cross for months, until officials remedied the situation and held a ceremony to remove it.
In the case of a prospective hotel on Kei, entire communities would need to have their say on the sale or lease of land. Land is communal, not owned by individuals and negotiations can be lengthy and difficult.
“If you want to buy ground here, the whole community needs to know and approve. If you miss one family, maybe they can put sasi,” Tarantyin said.
Petrus says having united decisions about the future of Kei will bring about togetherness. From land use to conservation and protection of the environment, he wants locals to have a stake. It is the Kei way.
“Local people are very proud when the tourists come,” he said. “We have the custom of accepting people no matter what.
The local government is yet to introduce concrete economic plans to assist villagers navigate a possible looming tide of outsiders, rather it is providing “the spirit” to help push them forward.
Promotion is mostly being left up to informal groups, like a collection of youth under the umbrella Kei Paradise. They are harnessing Instagram to expose Kei to the world.
“We are promoting an unknown destination,” said one of its founders, Rudolof Stanislaus Rettob.
“We often sell Kei as a complete destination. But since it is far away, there are lot of obstacles. Many tourists say that they prefer to go to Singapore rather than Kei, because of the cost, not just the distance.
In the meantime, Rudolof and his partners continue to explore their own home, discovering more - the hidden beaches, cascading waterfalls, mysterious caves and limestone formations - all with the hope that others too, will be enraptured by what Kei holds.
The lure of the horizon, the idyllic, the unknown. It is something these islanders’ ancestors might have understood quite well. |
[WM]Wildwood at Keowee... "Where the living is casual and relaxed". Today's buyers that plan to build new homes are searching for areas which take them back to nature. It's easy getting back to nature when you live in it, and that's what you get when you build your home at Wildwood. What you save purchasing at this price will buy you a lot of extra features in your new home. This location is convenient to Seneca for work, dining, schools, hospitals and shopping. Drive by today and view this community in person. Dwelling Size: 1. One Story - 1,400 Square Foot Minimum 2. One and a half Story - 1,600 Square Foot Minimum 3. Two Story - 1,800 Square Foot Minimum. This lot has partial lake view and is next to common area giving you a buffer for privacy. |
[WM]TWENTY-seven provinces were placed under tropical cyclone warning signal number 1 as supertyphoon Ompong continues to move westward over the Philippine sea.
This was announced yesterday by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) spokesman Edgar Posadas.
Posadas said Typhoon Ompong has slightly slowed down as it continues to move westward over the Philippine sea with maximum sustained winds of 205 kms per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 255 kms per hour.
Ompong was.moving west at 20 kms per hour.
The eye of the typhoon was located at 725 kms east of Virac Catanduanes.
Posadas said Ompong continues to threaten Northern Luzon and occasional rains and gusty winds will be experienced over the areas under tropical cyclone warning signal number 1.
Ompong is expected to make landfall in the Northern tip of Cagayan on Saturday morning.
However, Posadas said the forecast may change based on its track.
Posadas said the typhoon enhanced the Habagat or Southwest monsoon.
In line with this, Regional Disaster Risk and Management Councils of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and all other concerned Regions are placed on red alert.
Also under red alert are NDRRMC emergency operation center, NDRRMC Region 1, Region 2, Regionn3 and CAR.
Regions in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Regionn5, Region 2, Region 12, NCR, ARMM and Caraga are now on blue alert.
As of yesterday, Ompong’s effect was not yet being felt in several areas but Posadas said we should not stop preparing because during Yolanda, the day before the disaster, the weather was calm.
“Sabi ko ‘wag po tayong pakakasiguro kasi remember yung Yolanda, the day prior, mainit at umaaraw, pero nung kinabukasan yun na yung delubyo,” Posadas said.
He said the diameter of Typhoon Ompong is bigger than Yolanda’s.
He said Yolanda’s diameter was only 600 kms while Ompong has a 900-km diameter.
“In fact 900 kms yung diameter n’ya, if I’m not mistaken Yolanda was just 600 kms so makikita mo yung laki, pero panalo lang si Yolanda sa lakas ng hangin pero sa lawak ng kanyang nasasakupan mas malaki si typhoon Ompong,” Posadas explained.
As an initial preparation for Typhoon Ompong a total of 29 provinces and 30 cities and municipalities in regions 1, 2, 3, Calabarzon Mimaropa 5, 6,7, 8 CAR have suspended their classes in all levels. |
[WM]Renting an apartment with bad credit may not be easy. Many large apartment complexes owned by corporations now require credit checks and will refuse applicants who do not meet their standards. Even if you have the income to pay for the apartment, you may still be refused if your credit score is too low.
Is Renting an Apartment with Bad Credit Possible?
One way to solve this problem is to bypass the credit issue entirely. Many privately-owned homes and apartment buildings do not look at credit, preferring to find tenants with good references from previous landlords. You can find advertisements for privately-owned rentals in the classified section of your newspaper, on the internet at sites like Craig's List and Rental.com, as well as through local real estate agents.
Many local homeowners and condo owners rent their houses because they are having trouble selling them in the current real estate market, so you may be able to find a very nice property at a reasonable rate, provided you are a good tenant and are willing to keep the place clean and in order.
However, more and more private owners are looking at credit checks as one way to separate the "good" tenants from the "bad" tenants. If you are forced to deal with the credit issue, you can salvage some of the damage by handling your bad credit report in a proactive way.
Step #1: Clean up your credit.
First, get a copy of your credit report and check it carefully. You can get a credit report from your bank or by contacting the "Big 3″ credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. You are entitled to one free copy from each per year; you can also request additional copies at a cost.
Review your credit report carefully and get someone such as a banker or financial manager to go over it with you if you do not understand it. You can also find internet sites which translate the terminology and abbreviations on your report.
Next, dispute any inaccurate information. Sometimes companies report a late payment incorrectly, or you may have been charged for something you did not purchase. If you dispute a transaction, it is up to the lender or seller to prove that you were truly late with your payment or that you did not pay a bill. If the seller or lender cannot prove this, the credit bureau will remove the bad credit from your report.
Step #2: Talk to your potential landlord.
Once your credit report is clean, you are better able to determine if it will be a report that will trigger a "no" with prospective landlords. If you had a few late payments to a hospital five years ago, you are far less likely to be turned down by a landlord than if you had three evictions last year from apartment complexes for non-payment of rent.
Use common sense when analyzing your credit report; if you are unsure how something will impact your rental prospects, ask the landlord what type of information they gather when looking at a credit report. Be honest if you have had late payments in the past, and ask the agent or representative of the rental company if this will disqualify you from renting. Surprisingly, in many cases, it won't.
Step #3: If necessary, find a cosigner.
You can also use the cosigner option. If you have a parent, spouse or friend with good credit who is willing to sign for you, renting an apartment with bad credit is often no problem. Of course, this is because the landlord knows that your cosigner will be on the hook for any rent you do not pay.
This is a terrible option to take if you are unable to pay the rent in a timely manner, because you will not only be hurting your own credit, but that of someone else. If you do know someone willing to cosign, you must commit to making your payments every month, on time.
Step #4: Be prepared to pay up front.
Finally, you may be approved for an apartment rental in spite of bad credit, but have to pay more up front or per month. Some larger corporations have instituted measures whereby those with poor credit can still rent, but have to pay much larger security deposits. Generally, the security deposit is reflective of how much rent you would pay during the time it takes to evict you for non-payment of rent.
For example, suppose you pay $600 a month for your apartment and it takes 90 days to evict a tenant in your state. Expect to pay around $1,800 in additional security money up front, as the landlord will want that money in escrow in case you default on your rental payments.
This post originally appeared on Go Banking Rates. |
[WM]Position dovetails with French stand; Olmert tells Mitchell IDF op gave PA chance to reassert in Gaza.
In a sign that the international community's position on Hamas is weakening, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana would not say unequivocally Wednesday during an interview with The Jerusalem Post that the EU should stick with the three preconditions it set for talking with the Islamist group. Solana's comments came as US special Mideast envoy George Mitchell arrived in Israel on what Israeli officials described as a "stock-taking" mission. One of the major issues on the agenda was consolidating the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. Ever since Hamas took over Gaza in 2007, the international community has largely isolated it, saying it must recognize Israel, forswear violence, and accept previous Palestinian-Israeli agreements. Since Operation Cast Lead, however, there are an increasing number of voices in Europe saying this policy is anachronistic, and that a way must be found to deal directly with Hamas. Asked his opinion, Solana said, "We want to move in a political dynamic, that political dynamic is impossible to have outside two basic parameters." Solana said those two parameters were a two-state solution and the Arab League peace initiative. Solana's comments dovetailed with efforts by some in Europe, led by France, to drop recognition of Israel as a condition for talking with Hamas, saying it would be enough if Hamas accepted the Arab peace initiative, which calls for a two-state solution, and which would then be tantamount to tacit recognition of Israel. Foreign Ministry officials said this position weakened the Israeli and US argument that there are moderate Palestinians with whom it is possible to work, and extremists who must not be given legitimacy. "It is clear that some in Europe are looking for a way to deal with Hamas," one official said. "They are willing to give up on the need to recognize Israel. But that is a cornerstone of our policy." He said Israel would diplomatically fight any changes to the three conditions, and that letting Hamas in "through the back" door would only weaken the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in his meeting on Wednesday with Mitchell, said Hamas had emerged weakened from Operation Cast Lead, and there was now an opportunity for the PA to reestablish itself in some form inside the Strip. Olmert also talked about the Gaza border crossings with Mitchell, saying that while they would be open for humanitarian assistance, they would not return to "full, routine functioning until the issue of Gilad Schalit is solved." According to Olmert's office, the two men also spoke about the diplomatic process, with Olmert repeating his commitments to a two-state solution, the Annapolis process, and the road map peace plan. He also reiterated to Mitchell the importance of former US president's George W. Bush's letter to Ariel Sharon stating that the US recognized that facts on the ground had changed since 1967 and would have to be taken into consideration when drawing up future borders, and that the US would not support a right of Palestinians refugees to return to pre-1967 Israel. Mitchell also met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who, according to a statement issued by her office, said that while Israel believed in the two-state vision, Palestinian refugees would not be allowed into Israel. Other top Israeli officials, including the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Security Bureau chief Amos Gilad, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilna'i and Israeli Ambassador to the US Sallai Meridor later joined the meeting between Barak and Mitchell. Mitchell also met President Shimon Peres. The US envoy, after meeting Olmert, issued a brief statement saying that "the prime minister and I discussed the critical importance to consolidate the cease-fire, including the cessation of hostilities and an end to smuggling, and the reopening of crossings based on the 2005 agreement. President Obama has said the US is committed to Israel's security and to its right to defend itself against legitimate threats." Mitchell, who did not take any questions from the press, said Obama had made clear that the US "sustain an active commitment toward reaching the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security." Before coming to Israel, Mitchell met Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, and following their talks told reporters that the Gaza cease-fire was "critical." "The United States is committed to vigorously pursuing lasting peace and stability in the region," he said. On Thursday, Mitchell is scheduled to meet Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, Mossad director Meir Dagan and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Yuval Diskin. He will then go to Ramallah for a meeting with Abbas and PA Prime Minister Salaam Fayad. On Friday he is scheduled to meet Likud head Binyamin Netanyahu, before going to Amman. He is also scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Paris and London before returning to Washington early next week. Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report. |
[WM]LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Sunday was a day several years in the making at Lufkin’s First Baptist Church.
After Sunday worship, the church broke ground on their new building project with the church’s children doing the honors.
Just over two years ago the church started demolition on the 1928 chapel. Since then, the space has sat vacant.
A new building will now be built that will expand the current property by 25,000 square feet. The new building will include children’s classrooms, a children’s worship area, a new nursery, and new church offices. The building will be used for not just Sunday but for the church’s Mother’s Day Out program.
The project will also include the building of “The Reich Chandler Great Hall” which will connect the new education building and sanctuary.
Reich Chandler was a church member and the son of George and Martha Chandler. After graduating from Lufkin High School in 1985, he went to Baylor University to study law. Chandler practiced law in Houston and Dallas before returning home to practice with his father.
Sadly after battling cancer for 15 months, Chandler died in 2006 at the age of 39.
The Chandler family was in attendance.
The groundbreaking is the beginning of a three-month process. In October, the church hopes to have the loan secured and plans are being finalized on the interior look. Newton hopes that building will begin at the beginning of December. |
[WM]A day to celebrate education and reading was held in Fort Saskatchewan as students from St. John XXIII took part in a global event.
On Friday, February 1, 2019, the students of St. John XXIII filled the gymnasium to listen to Principle Bonnie-Lynne Boehm read.
Boehm read “The Story Book Knight” by Helen and Thomas Docherty to the entire school.
Once the assembly in the gymnasium was complete students were broken into smaller reading groups.
The children were taken to a quiet place to enjoy more stories which were read to them by various staff members.
Isabella Morales is a student at St. John XXIII. Morales is very engaged in her studies and loves to read.
Reading has many benefits and this was the main focus by educators to the children at St. John XXIII.
A decade has passed since Read Aloud Day first began, Principle Boeham left the students with the main message of encouragement to improve their literacy.
“A story can take you anywhere and you can do this anytime or anyplace,” Boeham said. |
[WM]BILLINGS- The Montana Rescue Mission announced Monday a familiar face as its new leader in a new partnership.
Matt Lundgren, the current director of the Friendship House in Billings, is the executive director of the Billings Leadership Foundation, a new entity that encompasses both nonprofits.
Lundgren said the new move is not a merger but a shared management agreement and structure designed to improve efficiency.
“If your nonprofit and his non-profit and her nonprofit all have to hire an HR Director, a finance director, a fundraising team, it gets really expensive to run a nonprofit. If all of those folks are shared under one umbrella, you can be more efficient, you can stretch donations and you can make a greater impact in your community,” Lundgren said.
The Montana Rescue Mission started looking for a new director after the retirement of Perry Roberts. |
[WM]I am compelled to get the word out regarding a Senate bill that could adversely affect private preschools in California. The bill is labeled SB 837 or Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2014. This bill is written with good intentions, but the implementation is a problem. The bill written by state Sen. Darrell Steinberg is asking for approval to provide free preschool to all 4-year-olds — a noble idea. Because of how the author and co-authors have chosen to fund the bill, it places these 4-year-olds in our public school system. I would imagine any person in the field of early childhood development; teacher, psychologist and doctor would oppose this bill.
The bill states that through longitudinal studies it has been found that those children who attended quality preschool programs had higher graduation rates, college enrollment rates and earning rates. This is what preschool educators have provided for years. Four-year-olds still need help developing social skills and gaining confidence. They need space inside and out allowing them to explore their environment. This will not happen at an elementary school. Elementary schools predominantly have blacktop as the surface outside. Inside the classroom, the environment will not be warm and inviting as in a quality preschool and won’t have the supplies needed to create and invent.
What about working parents that need an after-school program? After a certain time of day, the young children will more than likely be mixed in with the older children (as it is now). Again, not appropriate. The funding cannot be used to upgrade facilities for 4-year-olds; meaning they will make do with what they have in place, which is suited for 5 years and up. Let’s also talk about whether or not your local school has space to house a whole new age of children. Will class sizes grow in the other grades to make space for the younger children?
If this bill passes how it is written, with parents unable to access the funding and choose a quality preschool, we feel that a great number of private preschools will have to shut their doors. Most preschools have 50% of children age 4, which also helps the schools differ the costs of the younger children who require smaller class sizes. As we have seen through the already implemented TK classes in the public schools, parents will leave a preschool they have to pay for, if another one is free. If we can’t keep our doors open because of losing half our clientele then who will service the families with younger children? This bill could impact preschools, teachers, vendors and families.
Let’s put aside all the financial ramifications. My passion is and has been helping shape the minds and spirits of young children. I have been in the field for 23 years, first as a teacher and now as a director of Parents and Children’s Nursery School in La Cañada. None of us in our field do our jobs for the paycheck, because there isn’t much of one. We do it because we are passionate about helping young children understand who they are and how far they can go.
We need to keep enriching our children with experiences, music, art and expression. A quality program embraces the whole child. Children leave us with the love of school and the curiosity needed to learn. We need our artists, musicians, scientists and writers as well as our leaders in business. Our public school system has already taken away so much from our children. Do we want them to take it away even sooner?
MARJI GOLDEN is a resident of Glendale. She can be reached at [email protected]. |
[WM]BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – The No. 11 Texas A&M Aggies surrendered a late lead in a 2-1 loss to the No. 12 LSU Tigers in Friday evening's series opener at Alex Box Stadium.
Texas A&M led 1-0 at the seventh inning stretch, but the Tigers took advantage of an Aggie error to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and LSU grabbed the lead with a solo home run by Josh Smith in the eighth.
Aggie starting pitcher John Doxakis was left with no-decision despite a stellar performance on the mound. He yielded just one unearned run on four hits while striking out four over 6.2 innings. The southpaw became the 18th Aggie to reach the 200-strikeout plateau in their career. Bryce Miller (4-1) was saddled with the loss, yielding one run on one hit while striking out one in 1.1 innings.
Texas A&M pounded balls all night, but the LSU defense played flawless and limited the Maroon & White to six hits. Logan Foster and Braden Shewmake each registered a double for the Aggies. Texas A&M was doomed by five runners left on base in the fifth and sixth innings, missing opportunities to add insurance runs.
The Aggies and Tigers play a doubleheader Saturday with games scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
T3 | Logan Foster started the frame with a wall-banger to centerfield for a double. With one out, Zach DeLoach drove a single up the middle, plating Foster. A&M 1, LSU 0.
B7 | Leadoff batter Brandt Broussard reached base and scored on a pair of errors by the Texas A&M rightfielder. A&M 1, LSU 1.
B8 | With one out, Smith hit a first-pitch offering over the rightfield fence for the go-ahead home run. LSU 2, A&M 1. |
[WM]Hey all, my name is Wollemi... I freestyle rap. I keep it fresh like Yo Gotti because I want to make it, don't mistake it.. I rake it. I don't jot, but I keep the flow hot. And I'm about spreading good vibes. Would appreciate feedback. It's all about the hustle. PEACE!
Miss Hip Hop Ep #11 - A Beautiful Voice - Without R&B where would Hip Hop be? |
[WM](CN) – A federal appeals court in New Orleans upheld Mississippi’s three-drug method of lethal injection on the ground that the inmates challenging it had filed their complaint too late.
Death-row inmates Alan Walker, Paul Woodward, Earl Berry, Dale Bishop and Gerald Holland sued the state in October 2007, claiming that the lethal-injection procedure constituted cruel and unusual punishment. Berry and Bishop have been executed since the filing.
The 5th Circuit said their complaint is time-barred, because the procedure could be challenged as early as 1997, and the state never hid its lethal-injection procedure. The limitation period for the inmates’ actions accrues from the date of their convictions and sentencing, the court ruled, or when the state changes its execution procedure. The plaintiffs’ actions accrued between 1998 and 1999.
When the state moved for summary judgment based on the three-year statute of limitations, the inmates argued that it did not apply because their lawsuit sought an injunction, not damages. The plaintiffs also argued that even if the statute of limitations applied, the action did not accrue before the Supreme Court’s rulings in Hill v. McDonough (2006) and Baze v. Rees (2008).
But the circuit characterized the complaint as a personal injury action, despite the injunction request, and said the action is subject to a time bar. |
[WM]Harington revealed he hasn't filmed Thrones "for a while."
Game of Thrones fans have been debating for what feels like years about the fate of Jon Snow after that fifth season finale, but actor Kit Harington has potentially dealt us all a fatal blow to the heart.
Kit told Digital Spy that Jon Snow is very much dead, and that fans should "get used" to the prospect, echoing various comments from other cast members over the past nine months or so.
Talking about the intense fan reaction to the final scenes which saw Jon Snow being betrayed by the Night's Watch, he said: "I was hoping that there would be an outcry of 'why?' and 'oh god, no, no' rather than 'thank god'. That was the right reaction as far as I was concerned!
"People didn't want me to die, but he's dead. So there you go, everyone has to get used to it."
"I haven't done Thrones in a while. I had quite a lot of time off last year. I've been taking it easy. And relaxing. When I realized I was doing this, I had a few months to prepare for it, and something like this takes some working through before even getting into the rehearsal room."
"I've just hit the ground, and gone undercover. I've tried to do absolutely no press for anything."
"It's brilliant, the fact that people care about this TV show and what happens to the people they love or hate in it, is a special thing. I've got nothing to complain about, put it that way. If they care about it and I get asked about it a lot, it means that people hold it dear to their hearts and it's doing what it meant to."
So if Jon Snow is dead, will he still watch it?
"Yeah, absolutely. Can't wait for the next season."
We're not totally sure whether or not to believe Kit, but he sounded very convincing. Either way, we'll have to wait until April to find out if he was having us on or not. |
[WM]Vote Leave has been blasted on social media for a “subversion of democracy,” as an outraged public reacts to allegations that the group cheated to win votes in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
Lawyers acting on behalf of Brexit whistleblowers Chris Wylie and Shahmir Sanni are calling for the Electoral Commission to investigate allegations that the group exceeded campaign spending limits. In a 50-page dossier, the lawyers claim Vote Leave circumvented the limit by donating £625,000 ($885,000) to pro-Brexit student BeLeave group, to which it was closely linked.
The donation, however, was allegedly used for Vote Leave, bringing its total spending over the legal limit of £7 million ($9.9 million), breaching electoral law.
The dossier is largely based on witness statements by former Cambridge Analytica employee Wylie, and Sanni – a volunteer who worked at both Vote Leave and BeLeave. Speaking to journalists on Monday, Wylie said the dossier contains evidence undermining the legitimacy of the EU referendum result, which could prompt a new one to be held. Vote Leave has strongly denied any wrongdoing and said the £625,000 donated to BeLeave in the final days of the 2016 campaign was within the rules.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign, also denied any wrongdoing, tweeting a denial. In turn, Channel 4 News challenged Johnson directly to answer questions live on air.
Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat’s Brexit spokesperson, said the allegations were “stunning,” adding: “The British people expect fair play and campaigns to abide by the rules – they must not be cheated. These allegations must be examined by the police. If they represent what happened it is outrageous and shameful.
“The referendum had a very narrow outcome. One of the biggest exercises in democracy must not turn out to be one of Britain’s biggest electoral frauds,” he said, according to The Independent. |
[WM]A report this weekend by Axios cited documents from within the National Security Council describing the possibility — nay, inevitability — of a 5G network built and operated by the U.S. government. Officials have since poured cold water on this idea, and really, it was never feasible.
In brief, the report cited by Axios suggested that the only way to truly secure the next generation of wireless networks, on which critical infrastructure like self-driving cars will rely, against snooping by China and others, would be for the government to build that network itself.
There are several things wrong with this idea. You probably thought of a couple before you even got to this sentence.
That would be awkward, since those companies, along with others around the world, are well into the process of testing and deploying 5G networks. The idea of a government network operating separately but in concert with the commercial networks doesn’t hold water (we’ve considered it before).
Even if it was attempted, there’s just no way that the U.S. government, even at its best and most efficient, and if it started bipartisan work on this tomorrow, could be in any way competitive in the timing and scale of such a deployment. It takes billions of dollars and years of work to lay the foundation for something like this, and others have a huge head start. And let us not forget that we are experiencing one of an endless series of budget crises, which would not be alleviated by the proposal of this kind of massive undertaking.
I oppose any proposal for the federal government to build and operate a nationwide 5G network. The main lesson to draw from the wireless sector’s development over the past three decades—including American leadership in 4G—is that the market, not government, is best positioned to drive innovation and investment. What government can and should do is to push spectrum into the commercial marketplace and set rules that encourage the private sector to develop and deploy next-generation infrastructure. Any federal effort to construct a nationalized 5G network would be a costly and counterproductive distraction from the policies we need to help the United States win the 5G future.
The United States’ leadership in the deployment of 5G is critical and must be done right. Localities have a central role to play; the technical expertise possessed by industry should be utilized; and cybersecurity must be a core consideration. A network built by the federal government, I fear, does not leverage the best approach needed for our nation to win the 5G race.
While I’m glad that the Trump Administration recognizes that maintaining American leadership in the information age requires a significant investment commitment, I’m concerned that constructing a nationalized 5G network would be both expensive and duplicative, particularly at a time when the Administration is proposing to slash critical federal investments in R&D and broadband support for unserved areas.
The Trump administration itself told Recode that the document Axios saw was dated, and that it wasn’t a seriously considered proposition. The National Security Council doesn’t oversee broadband deployment, and there’s no way this would get past the FCC, which as you can see above would likely be united in opposition to such a strategy.
And although the NSC clearly has national security in mind when it suggests this path, I frankly would not trust the government to build a secure network of any kind, let alone one this big. There would also be considerable irony in a government attempting to secure its internet infrastructure while simultaneously attempting to undermine effective encryption.
The U.S. government may very well use part of the 5G network being built for its own purposes, and it of course subsidizes the rollout of the tech so it can use it itself — first responder networks, military stuff, that kind of thing. But the idea that it would, or could, build a competitive 5G network in the manner suggested has no basis in reality. |
[WM]The Middle East Forum's Young Adult Division (YAD) is a network of young professionals between the ages of 18 and 40 years old with an interest in the Middle East and related topics.
YAD was launched in 2016 with 50 members. Today, there are more than 200 members across 6 countries, affiliated with more than 35 organizations, including: Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA), The Daily Caller, The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), and Turning Point USA, to name a few. |
[WM]Today Sony unveiled a new 2-in-1 USB Flash Drive that features both micro and normal USB 2.0 connectors. The new flash drive is designed to help consumers easily backup, share, and store files between their computer and mobile devices such as Android tablets and smartphones.
The compact yet stylish flash drive is available in capacities of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB, and are compatible with Android devices running Android 4.0.3 up to 4.3 that offer USB OTG (On The Go) functionality. Sony has also released a free file manager to help users transfer files from their device to the flash drive. The devices will retail between $19.99 and $62.99.
"Consumers want to let a friend see the photo they just took or share a video easily with as few steps as possible," said Viviano Cantu, director of consumer media marketing, Sony Electronics. "These new drives combine convenience, peace of mind and performance and are perfect for mobile multi-tasking." |
[WM]The Predators will open the Stanley Cup playoffs at home next week with two games against an undetermined opponent.
The tremendous success of the Predators’ unexpected Stanley Cup Final run last season can be tied to its novelty.
Nashville embraced the team like never before. With each passing playoff series, fan support swelled and captured international attention. Watch parties outside Bridgestone Arena, which began as respectable gatherings attended by diehards, ballooned into Broadway-clogging events.
"I really think last year was a lightning-in-a-bottle kind of thing," said Scott Barry, better known by his wrestling-inspired "Ultimate Predator" alter ego. "It was the first. There were a lot of firsts happening, and everybody wanted to be a part of the first and wanted to be a part of the excitement."
Last year, the Predators unexpected Stanley Cup run saw a lot of fanfare. This year, the team is looking to go even bigger to surpass expectations.
That's the challenge that the Predators have long been preparing for. How will they create similar buzz when the playoffs start next week now that an expectation has been set?
"There's no doubt matching last year is going to be hard," Predators president and CEO Sean Henry said. "But it's also why we're probably investing two-and-a-half times what we did last year into our game entertainment. ... We're going to be doing some things that I don't think have been done before in our sport."
Henry didn't divulge any specifics, but hinted at an impressive pregame presentation that will be capped off each night by the return of star-studded national anthem performances.
Carrie Underwood, the first of 11 high-profile country artists to sing last season, promised “great surprises" in an email to The Tennessean earlier this week.
"The only way I can think to make it bigger and try to keep that attention span is to make it bigger," Barry said.
Most importantly, the Predators are better this season, which should generate more excitement at the outset of the postseason.
The Predators were an eighth-seeded underdog last season, starting each of their four series on the road.
As they prepare for their regular-season finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, they've already clinched the NHL's best record and home-ice advantage throughout the entirety of the playoffs.
The Predators will host Game 1 at Bridgestone Arena on either Wednesday or Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche or St. Louis Blues.
"We can put on a great show, but the real show happens when the puck drops," Henry said. "This is the most talented team we've ever had. There are two things that are slightly better than last year going for us — the team we have on the ice (and the fact) we've all walked through this experience now." |
[WM]Addressing a business envelope correctly helps ensure that your letter gets to its intended recipient quickly. It’s important to follow standard practices for addressing correspondence, particularly if you are sending a letter to a large company with many departments. Failing to include complete information might mean that it will take longer than necessary for the envelope to reach the correct person or department. If you use the same format for every business envelope, addressing envelopes will soon become second nature.
Print your name, company name, title and address in the upper left corner of the envelope if your business doesn’t use preprinted envelopes. You may wish to print your name above the preprinted area even if you use envelopes printed with your company’s return address. If the U.S. Postal Service returns the envelope for any reason, your mailroom will be able to easily route it back to you if your name is located prominently on the envelope.
Put the recipient’s name on the first line of the envelope. Center the address block in the middle of the envelope. Start the address block several lines below the return address. The Postal Service recommends using all capital letters when addressing envelopes.
Add the person’s title on the next line if you know the title. If you don’t know the title, you may want to include the name of the department instead.
Include the name of the company on the next line.
Put the first address line on the next line. The Postal Service recommends placing the complete address on one line if possible. If the address is too long, divide the address between two lines and place the suite number or building number on the first address line.
Complete the envelope with the city, state and ZIP code. Use one space between the city and state and two spaces between the state and ZIP code.
Use the ZIP+4 code if you know it. The ZiP+4 code contains the usual five-digit ZIP code followed by a hyphen and four additional numbers. The additional numbers makes it easier for the Postal Service to locate the recipient.
Legibility is important. Use black ink and avoid fonts that are hard to read.
Don’t place any text below the city, state and ZIP code. The Postal Service automatic processing machines scan envelopes from the bottom up. If you place anything other than city, state and ZIP code on the last line, you’ll confuse the machine, which could delay delivery of your envelope.
McGurgan, Holly. "Correct Way to Address a Business Envelope." Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/correct-way-address-business-envelope-57164.html. 08 March 2019. |
[WM]Published: Sept. 18, 2013 at 09:44 a.m.
Updated: Sept. 19, 2013 at 02:04 a.m.
The Cleveland Browns spent the offseason touting a quarterback competition between Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell that, from the start, felt like a mirage.
That's exactly what it was.
With Weeden sidelined by a sprained thumb, coach Rob Chudzinski announced Wednesday that Brian Hoyer, not Campbell, will start Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Hoyer, listed as the Browns' third-string passer, will make just his second NFL start. Last December, he started in a 27-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
Hoyer was signed in the offseason to pad Cleveland's quarterback room. For anyone following the team closely, his arrival felt inevitable.
The former New England Patriots quarterback is a favorite of new general manager Michael Lombardi, who during his tenure with NFL Network repeatedly touted Hoyer as a starter-in-waiting. Before Chudzinski was brought aboard, coaching candidates Ray Horton, Ken Whisenhunt and Bill O'Brien each told Browns' brass they would add Hoyer to the roster if they landed the gig.
Add it all up, and Campbell's demotion is no surprise. He is what he is. A strong-armed passer with accuracy issues who struggles to generate points. Hoyer, if nothing else, brings a dash of mystery to the role.
Besides, Chud hinted this was coming. After Weeden was hurt in Sunday's 14-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the coach said Monday that both backups were in the running to take over.
That opened the door for Hoyer to hopscotch Campbell, who must wonder today what his future holds in Cleveland. |
[WM]Opinion|Should I Give Up on White People?
Should I Give Up on White People?
Mr. Yancy is a professor of philosophy at Emory University.
Glenn Ligon, “Palindrome #1” (2007), neon, 8 x 105 inches.CreditCreditPhotograph by Farzad Owrang/Glenn Ligon; Image courtesy of the artist; Luhring Augustine, New York; Regen Projects, Los Angeles; and Thomas Dane Gallery, London.
You deserve to be punished with several fists to your face! You’re nothing but a troublemaker! I’ve had enough of your Racist talk! You’d better watch what you say and to whom you say it! You may just end up in the hospital with several injuries or maybe on a cold slab in the local morgue! You’ve got a big mouth that needs to be slammed shut permanently!
Local morgue? Slammed shut permanently? These threatening words are taken from a letter sent to me by an anonymous white person. It was handwritten in black ink, covering both sides of a yellow sheet of paper torn from a legal pad. It is one of hundreds of letters, emails, postcards and voice messages I received — to say nothing of menacing discussions of me on white supremacist websites — after I wrote and published the essay “Dear White America” in December 2015 here at The Stone. What I had offered as a letter of love had unleashed the very opposite — a wave of white hatred and dehumanization.
After receiving the letter that spoke of a cold slab and shutting my mouth permanently, I decided to share it with my students in my graduate philosophy seminar. I needed a witness — perhaps I needed my students to help carry some of what I was feeling. So, I read it aloud.
I had not anticipated my emotional response. As I read the letter, I began to feel a different kind of threat. The kind of threat that has implications for those whom I love. You see, a threat to my life will inevitably impact the lives of my loved ones. And that is a threat that impacts me, my body, my spirit, with a different kind of existential and emotional gravitas.
When I finished reading the letter, I looked at my students as I thought about the reverberations of such a threat. My eyes watered, my body became stilted, I felt a rush of unspeakable anger run through my blood. I said to my students: “This involves my loved ones. I can’t take this hatred anymore! I need a few minutes outside of class.” The room fell silent.
Well, that didn’t happen. I came back into the room, where everyone was still silent. My students’ faces, for the most part, were turned down. I know what they had felt, black students, students of color and white alike. They bore witness to my vulnerability, my suffering, the sting of unmitigated hatred. And they saw the impact in an otherwise safe academic space.
A few moments passed. I apologized to them and resumed teaching. But the space between us in the classroom was not the same; we had witnessed something together. That space will never be the same.
I wanted to model for my students what it is like to be a contemporary philosopher who remains steadfast in the face of hatred. I wanted them to internalize something of what it means to practice philosophy, to love wisdom, in the face of danger, threats of violence and intolerance. Yet, there was a part of me that failed that day.
My composure had collapsed. I seemed to have lost my bearing, my confidence was shaken. I was pushed to rethink what I assumed was a mission of love, the kind of love that refuses to hide and requires profound forms of vulnerability. I had wanted to help heal our broken world, to exalt love in an otherwise ethically catastrophic America. Now I could hear the voices of some of my students of color, “Dr. Yancy, why do you continue to write about whiteness and to address white people?” There is affection and alarm in that question, concern for my safety. And it is a reasonable question.
Given such nasty, unconscionable, violent and perhaps liable discourse, why do I continue to speak to white America about its racism? After all, I am not a masochist, nor do I want to be a martyr.
It is true that being on the receiving end of such hate caused me to grow weary, fatigued and profoundly pained. Mixed with all of that was the outrage I felt when “white innocence” was uncovered as white privilege and white complicity with systems of white racism. I had become, as the civil rights heroine Fannie Lou Hamer once said, “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” And in so many ways, and for good reason, I still am.
So, here I am facing a dilemma. Do I give up on white people, on white America, or do I continue to fight for a better white America, despite the fact that my efforts continue to lead to forms of unspeakable white racist backlash?
I am convinced that America suffers from a pervasively malignant and malicious systemic illness — white racism. There is also an appalling lack of courage, weakness of will, spinelessness and indifference in our country that helps to sustain it. That indifference is itself a cruel reality, a reality that often makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs until I fall flat on my face from exhaustion. That indifference makes me sick to my stomach.
When it comes to white racist hatred, America never seems to have short supply. Perhaps you believe that I exaggerate. But I know better. You see, many whites in America have no need of me. They refuse what James Baldwin called a disagreeable mirror, one that shows them what they would rather not see.
White people have told me where to go: “Yancy, flights leave for Africa every day. We can all admit bringing you to this country was a mistake, so let us get rid of you and correct the mistake. You are not happy, we are not happy with your behavior, so do it.” Or “There are two ways you can return to Africa: On a passenger ship, or in a coffin freighter. Choose quickly.” Notice the urgency of that warning, the implied threat to my life.
Beheaded ISIS style? A meat hook? Kill myself? Reader, the sickness of these threats should trouble your very soul.
James Baldwin writes, “People who shut their eyes to reality simply invite their own destruction, and anyone who insists on remaining in a state of innocence long after that innocence is dead turns himself into a monster.” White America has long lost its innocence. Given its horrendous treatment of the indigenous peoples of this land, there was never any innocence. There were monsters, though. Land takers. Brutal dispossession. And then body snatchers and the selling and buying of black flesh. To be haunted while asleep has its advantages, because one will awake. But to be haunted while awake by a teratology of whiteness is far more frightening.
In response to these positive responses, however, some will still insist, “Their white history speaks louder than their words.” But history, I say, is not fixed. And as human beings we are protean. |
[WM]Green Bay -- The Green Bay Packers have agreed to terms on a three-year deal with wide receiver James Jones, a source told the Journal Sentinel.
According to the source, QB Aaron Rodgers and WR Donald Driver went to bat for Jones with Packers management and might have had some influence in the Packers stepping up with a good offer. It's true that Jones' options were drying up after the Minnesota Vikings signed WR Michael Jenkins and the New York Jets signed Plaxico Burruss.
But Jones could have stayed out on the market and waited until some team had an injury and reaped a decent reward. Instead, he and the Packers came to terms on a deal this morning that will reunite him with his Super Bowl teammates.
Rodgers spoke to reporters less than an hour ago but about the importance of re-signing Jones and running back John Kuhn.
Other teams had some concerns about Jones' drops and were unwilling to pay him the kind of money he was looking for. The Vikings settled on Atlanta's Michael Jenkins and the Jets settled on former Giant Plaxico Burruss.
That really left the Packers as the only team left, but Jones still had leverage in that he didn't have to return to the team now. So, his agent, Frank Bauer, and Packers negotiator Russ Ball, kept working on a deal that both could live with.
Reached by phone, Bauer admitted that Rodgers and Driver really pressed Packers management to re-sign Jones. You'll never get GM Ted Thompson to admit a player influenced his decision to re-sign a player, but Jones is a popular teammate and with the Eagles acquiring cornerbacks Nnmadi Asmougha and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, you had to wonder if the coaches felt they needed him back.
"I don't know many quarterbacks who could have done that other than Peyton Manning," Bauer said. "He and Driver really stepped up. That's rare for a quarterback and receiver to do that. That's really neat. James is really excited about coming back. He's very happy."
The Packers bring back their top four receivers and add second-round pick Randall Cobb to the mix. Jones and Jordy Nelson still have to clean up their issue with dropped passes, but this gives coach Mike McCarthy options if one receiver is hot and the other isn't.
Throw in the return of TE Jermichael Finley and the addition of rookie TE D.J. Williams and the Packers should be able to create at least one very favorable match-up against each opponent. The onus now will be on the offensive line to protect QB Aaron Rodgers so he can get them the ball.
Also, LB Nick Barnett sent out a Tweet that said "Go Bills", which means he apparently has signed with Buffalo. |
[WM]Apple Inc. is experimenting with the design of a device similar to a wristwatch that would operate on the same platform as the iPhone and would be made with curved glass, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported.
The articles cited unnamed sources "familiar with the company's explorations."
The watch-like product that could be used to make mobile payments is currently in the experimental stage and would operate on Apple's iOS platform, which is the foundation of its iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch consumer devices, the Times said.
An Apple spokesperson did not immediately return a call for comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported that one person briefed on the effort said Apple discussed such a device with its major manufacturing partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., also known as Foxconn, which has been working on some technologies that could be used in wearable devices.
The Taiwan-based company has been working toward making more power-efficient displays and its technologies are aimed at multiple Foxconn customers, the Journal reported, citing the same person. |
[WM]CLEVELAND – Two women -- one with a ticket, one tearfully without -- laid claim to a $162 million lottery jackpot Tuesday, triggering a legal dispute that could come down to "finder's keepers" or fraud.
Elecia Battle (search) went to police Monday with the teary story of a lottery ticket lost outside a convenience store, and a small crowd with flashlights soon gathered in the snowy parking lot in search of the precious paper scrap.
Tuesday morning, Rebecca Jemison (search) said Battle's claim prompted her to quit stalling, submit her ticket and collect the prize from the Dec. 30 drawing.
"I was angry at first, but not worried at all," said Jemison, 34. "I knew what I possessed."
Police, who originally said Battle, 40, had told a credible story about losing the winning ticket, are now investigating whether she lied in a police report, a misdemeanor punishable by 30 days to six months in jail.
Jemison turned in the ticket for the 11-state Mega Millions (search) jackpot at Ohio Lottery headquarters. The lottery validated it Tuesday as the sole winning ticket for the drawing and Ohio Lottery Director Dennis Kennedy said the lottery is confident Jemison bought the ticket, not found it.
As proof, Jemison provided another ticket purchased at the same time and place as the winning ticket and had an outdated lottery ticket that showed she had played the same numbers in the prior drawing, Kennedy said.
Battle immediately filed suit Tuesday seeking to halt any payout to the winner.
"My ticket was lost. I do recall all the numbers. They are all somehow family-related. No one can tell me what I did and did not play. I did it honestly and I have no doubt," Battle told The Associated Press at the office of her attorney, Sheldon Starke.
Battle's suggestion on television that she had bought and lost the winning ticket "made me laugh," Jemison said.
"Let authorities handle her," she said. "It's very unfortunate that someone would think of something like this."
The lottery commission had no immediate comment on the lawsuit, said spokeswoman Mardele Cohen. Jemison, who said she had waited to come forward because she wanted to speak with a lawyer and accountant, could not be reached for comment after the suit was filed.
Jemison, who handles telephone and doctor paging duties at a suburban hospital, said she is looking forward to buying a new home, taking a vacation and sharing her prize with her family. She and her husband, Sam, have a 12-year-old daughter.
She took her winnings in an immediate lump sum of $94 million, before taxes. After taxes, it will be worth an estimated $67.2 million.
South Euclid, meanwhile, is expecting its own windfall to the tune of about $1.4 million in taxes from the prize. The Cleveland suburb had been expecting a $1 million deficit for 2004, and Mayor Georgine Welo laid off 11 employees last week.
Welo said Tuesday the unexpected income tax will make life easier in South Euclid, and that she likely would soon rehire two of the laid-off workers.
Earlier Tuesday, Starke, unaware that the lottery was validating Jemison's claim, said he intended to make a case that the winning ticket was Battle's lost property.
"If there is one type of property that is not presumed to be abandoned, it's money," he said. "Anyone who finds it is not the owner."
The Ohio Lottery says the ticket is a bearer note, which means whoever turns in a valid ticket is legally entitled to the winnings.
After learning that Jemison turned in the winning ticket, South Euclid police Lt. Kevin Nietert said he had not been able to reach Battle and her attorney by phone. "From a police department point of view, it obviously draws into question the integrity of Elecia Battle's report."
The winning ticket was sold at Quick Shop Food Mart in South Euclid, about 15 miles east of Cleveland.
Battle filed a police report saying she dropped her purse as she left the store after buying the ticket. She said she realized after the drawing last Tuesday that the ticket was missing and told police that the numbers she picked represented family birthdays and ages. |
[WM]Before SAP Labs designed its new digs in Palo Alto, company executives asked employees how to make it a welcoming place to work. After all, that’s where they spend most of their day.
The answer? Windows. Lots of windows letting in lots of light.
The German-based business software company complied – even going so far as to move executives away from windows to give more workers access to daylight.
As the country embraces “green” building design – be it in the workplace or at home – daylight has become a premium. Not only does it save energy – more sunlight means less bulb light – but research shows that workers with access to natural light are more productive.
“Your mind is pretty powerful. If you feel more connected naturally, you perform better,” said Alan Turner, principal of the Mountain View architectural firm Hawley, Peterson and Snyder, which designed the Hewlett Foundation’s Menlo Park headquarters, one of California’s first buildings to earn a gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Perhaps, but recent studies supporting the productivity claim are helping architects convince developers that such green features are good for business – everybody’s business. Not only can landlords charge more for the space, but companies can achieve better results from their employees.
Lisa Heschong, founder of Heschong Mahone Group in Sacramento, has spent years studying the connection between people and sunlight. In 2003, Heschong studied workers in a Sacramento Municipal Utility District call center to discover whether natural light plus a view made any difference.
Based on a 1999 analysis she performed with shoppers and schoolchildren, she already knew that natural light caused shoppers to buy more and students to perform better in school. But in the study requested by the California Energy Commission, she wanted to analyze worker productivity and whether it mattered if people had a view.
“We found really, really big effects,” said Heschong, who studied two call centers operating 12 hours a day with 100 employees. In each study, employees with views outside their windows answered and processed calls 7 percent faster than employees doing the same work without a view.
No one is exactly sure why people perform better with a view, but Heschong has a theory. It has to do with circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycle in the physiological processes of living beings.
While the data was compelling, when it was released four years ago there was little if any construction under way in the U.S. commercial real estate market, and Silicon Valley was experiencing one of its worst downturns in history. Now that the construction pipeline is bulging with commercial projects, the research is beginning to resonate with companies planning new buildings, as well as the developers in charge of building them.
In fact, after years of watching developers’ eyes glaze over when he mentioned environmentally friendly design, David Hobstetter, principal at KMD Architects in San Francisco, has seen a change.
One developer who’s already on board is Jay Paul Co. of San Francisco, currently building Silicon Valley’s largest development in five years, the 1.8-million-square-foot Moffett Towers. Matt Lituchy, chief investment officer for Jay Paul, said bona fide research linking light with worker productivity helps make the case for designing buildings with more natural lighting.
The seven-building, eight-story Moffett Towers offer what Lituchy called a “curtain wall” of floor-to-ceiling windows, with floors that measure 38,000 square feet, allowing more light to reach the buildings’ interior. In comparison, much of the valley’s older building stock has floors that are two and three times as large, and not much if any light reaches inside. None of the Moffett Towers buildings has leased yet, but Lituchy said the interest is high.
To critics who say such construction costs too much, architects counter that green design is no longer more expensive than standard design because more suppliers have entered the marketplace, bringing down prices.
Companies have also discovered that offices designed to make workers more comfortable pay for themselves. Standard industry norms say that during a building’s 30-year life cycle, a company will spend 90 percent of the costs on salaries for its workers; 3 percent on energy for lighting, heating and cooling; 4 percent on operating the building; and 3 percent on constructing the building.
“If we can achieve a minor improvement in productivity – and good daylighting has demonstrated that you can get 7, 8 or 10 percent improvements in performance – you pay for the bricks and mortar,” said Hobstetter, whose firm is designing the San Francisco headquarters for the Public Utilities Commission, touted to be the greenest building in the country.
Roney said that bolstered with the research, he has little trouble convincing the bosses to give up the corner office with a view so more people can enjoy it. Especially in Silicon Valley, where companies lure workers with such features as chef-prepared meals, massages and dry cleaning service, it stands to reason that offices with views would not be a tough sell.
“All companies are realizing that their most important asset is their people,” Roney said. |
[WM]Wait, Did Trump’s EPA Just Do Its Job for a Change?
Look at that beaut. Volvo’s all-electric truck, the Volvo FL Electric.
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday it plans to better regulate the pollutants spewing out of heavy-duty trucks. Yes, this is the same EPA that wants to keep coal power plants alive, plans to scrap regulations on mercury emissions, and does not care about fuel efficiency.
Could Trump’s EPA actually be doing something helpful for our planet and health for a change? Maybe! But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here.
The proposed “Cleaner Truck Initiative” seeks to decrease nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from heavy-duty trucks, which can worsen or help spur asthma and other respiratory issues when inhaled regularly. These gases can also help contribute to the formation of smog. Nitrous oxide, a form of nitrogen oxide, also warms the planet, making up 6 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
The proposal to tighten NOx emissions standards, which have not been updated since 2001, began under former President Barack Obama. And while it’s a rare sign of progress for Trump’s EPA to push forward with an Obama-era regulation, this one still doesn’t go far enough, said Mustafa Ali, former environmental justice administrator at the EPA.
The U.S. emitted 14.1 million tons of NOx in 2011. In 2014, roughly half of those emissions were from vehicles. Most of those come from vehicles running on diesel like heavy duty trucks, according to a 2017 EPA document. If we were really serious about decreasing this (and all other) truck pollution, it’d mean going electric.
Obviously, this is easier said than done: Implementing a nationwide ban on fossil fuel trucks would require a complete infrastructure makeover that’d switch out gas stations for charging stations to support these vehicles. And of course, charging stations would need to run on renewable energy for the electric vehicles to be better for the environment. If the EPA even took the miraculous step of mandating zero truck emissions, industry officials and likely even state governments would be pissed and challenge the proposal in court.
Nothing about it would be easy.
But it wouldn’t be impossible, and radical change is becoming increasingly necessary as the threat of catastrophic climate change looms. And other countries are stepping up. Spain, for example, proposed Tuesday to remove all gas-powered cars from its roads by 2040. Other European countries and cities are also moving forward with fossil fuel car bans. If the U.S. is going to update these standards, why not go all the way?
He’s right: In 2017, University of Washington researchers published findings on nitrogen dioxide emissions nationwide, which largely come from transportation, and found that people of color experienced higher exposure to this pollutant between 2000 to 2010. That’s why advocacy organizations like the Moving Forward Network have been urging the EPA to implement zero-emissions technologies in heavy-duty trucks since at least 2016.
The communities that live day to day exposed to pollution from truck traffic are sure to welcome any relief. The EPA could always, however, go a step further to ensure no communities need to bear the burden of unhealthy air. |
[WM]Najib arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
KUALA LUMPUR - Disgraced former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been out in recent weeks campaigning as if for an election, trying to shed the image of a wealthy, elite politician and elicit public sympathy before his corruption trial begins next Tuesday (Feb 12).
The trial starts nine months after Malaysians voted Najib out of office in a general election dominated by public disgust over allegations some US$4.5 billion (S$6.1 billion) was stolen from 1MDB, and about a quarter of it went into his personal bank accounts.
Police found nearly US$300 million worth of goods and cash at properties linked to Najib soon after the May 2018 election.
The 65-year-old son of Malaysia's second prime minister is also trying to build an image as a folksy voice of working people, especially members of the ethnic Malay majority.
Najib, in a viral video last month, crooned a Malay-language version of the 1970s hit Kiss And Say Goodbye, surrounded by a chorus of sombre young singers, criticising Mahathir's coalition for failing to live up to election promises.
"On May 9, 2018, I was ousted. All this time, I have been fighting with my life for the people I love. But what can I do?" an earnest Najib says of his "saddest day" in the introduction to the song.
Najib has also been hitting out online. His jibes against ruling party politicians on Facebook and Twitter have some social media users referring to him as "King of Trolls".
A relaxed, casually dressed Najib also paid a visit this month to Langkawi, Mahathir's island constituency, where he pottered around town, visiting markets, eating at hawker stalls and rubbing shoulders and posing for selfies with passers-by.
Mahathir was not impressed. He told a news conference last week Najib seemed to be getting popular on social media because "he provides a lot of stories".
Harvinderjit Singh, one of Najib's lawyers, declined to comment on the former premier's public appearances but said the 1MDB trials were unlikely to be affected by the hoopla.
"The case is going to be determined by what happens in court, not out of it," he said.
While Najib has been trying to build public support, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has been building a formidable team to prosecute Najib, his wife and a host of other former top officials charged for corruption. All of them have pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution has been recruiting top-notch criminal attorneys including former federal court judge Gopal Sri Ram and Sulaiman Abdullah, a lawyer with a background in cases of white-collar crime.
Seven of those charges will be the subject of Tuesday's trial, relating to transfers totalling RM42 million (S$14 million) into Najib's personal bank account from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit.
Prosecutors have handed nearly 3,000 pages of documents to the defence ahead of the trial, said Najib's lawyer Singh.
"Our client is of the view that if he gets a fair trial, then the truth will show itself to the public," he said. |
[WM]The move also appears to be a tacit admission by the company that currently there is more of that opportunity in music subscriptions than there is in video.
Her comment took on new meaning when, on May 16, Google-owned YouTube said that it was overhauling its subscription business, doing away with YouTube Red and in its place introducing two new offerings: the $10-per-month YouTube Music Premium for ad-free music streaming and the $12-per-month YouTube Premium, which combines the music subscription with ad-free video viewing and access to original programming.
The move also appears to be a tacit admission by YouTube that currently there is more of that opportunity in music subscriptions than there is in video, a landscape overrun with competition from deep-pocketed players including Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Apple. While those companies are pumping several billion dollars each into premium programming and rich talent deals, sources say the budget for originals has not expanded meaningfully from the high nine-figures it spent last year despite the recent success of more high-profile projects like Cobra Kai. “The premium subscription service has been a tepid success at best,” notes GBH Insights analyst Daniel Ivesof early efforts to draw paying members through original programming alone. YouTube has not disclosed how many subscribers Red has.
A version of story first appeared in the May 23 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. |
[WM]Diamond Foods Inc. completed its acquisition of Oregon-born Kettle Foods, the San Francisco based company announced today.
Under the terms of the agreement, Diamond paid Kettle's London-based parent, Lion Capital LLC, $615 million in cash for the snack food operation founded in Salem.
Kettle's all-natural chips, nut butters and trail mix are distributed throughout North America, Japan, Guam and Western Europe. It had sales of $235 million in 2008, according to Lion Capitals Web site.
The transaction was financed with proceeds from Diamond's recent common stock offering, borrowings under a new five-year $600 million credit line, and existing cash resources.
"The addition of Kettle Foods greatly strengthens our presence in the snack market," Michael J. Mendes, chairman and CEO of Diamond Foods, said today. "Kettle has been an innovator in the premium, natural potato chip category and is a brand which has demonstrated strong growth. We look forward to investing in the Kettle brand to further build its footprint."
Diamond Foods has focused on acquiring and building food brands that also include Emerald snack nuts, Pop Secret popcorn and Diamond of California nuts. |
[WM]English Premier League Burnley v Newcastle (Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub Ch227, tomorrow, 4am).
Sociedad v Celta (StarHub Ch213, tomorrow, 3.55am).
ABL HK Eastern v Macau Black Bears (StarHub Ch112/205 & 76.25MHz, 8pm).
Uefa Champions League Group E: AEK v Ajax (Singtel TV Ch110 & StarHub Ch202). Gp G: CSKA Moscow v Plzen (Ch112 & Ch213) - Wednesday, 1.50am. Gp H: Man United v Young Boys (Ch110 & Ch202), Juventus v Valencia (Ch112 & Ch213). Gp G: Roma v Real Madrid (Ch113). Gp F: Lyon v Man City (Ch203) - Wednesday, 3.55am. |
[WM]Hair loss is no longer an inevitable march to baldness. Medical advances in recent decades mean male hair loss can be treated, and it need not break the bank.
The cause of male pattern baldness is well established as an act of nature not nurture. Identical twins go bald at the same age, rate and pattern, irrespective of diet, lifestyle or stress levels.
There's no need to go bald any more.
Baldness is a complex polygenic trait: up to five genes are involved, and it is the interplay between these genes, not unlike the interaction between the cards in a poker hand, that determine the specifics of male pattern hair loss.
So, what are the treatment options?
Finasteride is a Therapeutic Goods Administration-approved drug that dermatologists and general practitioners have been prescribing to treat hair loss for about 15 years.
It works by stopping the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in the prostate, by blocking an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase.
You'll need a prescription for finasteride, and your doctor will explain the benefits and risks of the drug before you decide to proceed.
The benefits are clear: men who start taking daily finasteride at the first signs of hair loss will not go bald. Plus there are no interactions with other drugs.
But there is a small risk of sexual side effects such as such as erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory problems and reduced libido, which require careful management by an experienced doctor.
An added bonus is that finasteride reduces a man's future chance of developing of prostate cancer, though it does not increase longevity, as the reduction in risk is exclusively for low-risk prostate cancer, which is not the type men generally die from.
The cost for a year's supply of tablets starts at as low as about $200 (plus the extra you will need to put aside for haircuts!).
Developed in the 1950s as a tablet to treat high blood pressure, minoxidil was an abject failure because of unwanted hair growth. Reinvented as a lotion applied directly to the scalp, it was launched in the United States in 1988 and soon became popular around the world.
Minoxidil is also TGA-approved and available over the counter in pharmacies for between $15 and $60 a month, depending on the brand.
No prescription or trip to the doctor is required, but talk to your pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, especially high-blood-pressure medication.
Hair removal laser has led to a renaissance in the use of minoxidil tablets, as doctors can now effectively manage the unwanted hair that was previously a deal breaker. Low doses of minoxidil, as low as one-40th of a tablet, can still grow hair with minimal effect on blood pressure and no need to put anything in your hair.
While finasteride works best at arresting progression of genetically programmed hair loss, some men will achieve partial regrowth. The sooner you begin treatment, the more hair there is to protect.
Minoxidil is better at stimulating new growth rather than preventing progression. A bit like the bank manager who lends an umbrella when the sun is shining, and wants it back when it starts to rain, minoxidil works better before you go bald. Men who still have hair regrow more hair than men who have lost it all.
When used together, the combination of minoxidil and finasteride is a man's best chance to both arrest hair loss progression and maximise hair regrowth.
Men whose hair is too far gone to be saved by tablets and lotions might consider hair transplantation surgery, a cosmetic surgical procedure that has improved dramatically in recent years.
Various techniques are available, but all involve taking hair-bearing skin from one part of the scalp and grafting these pieces of skin onto bald or thinning areas of the scalp.
The main downside, apart from the cost ($5000 to $10,000, depending on the number of grafts required) is the linear scar left behind on the back of the head, locking men into long-hair styles.
Another option is follicular unit extraction. Rather than a strip of skin and a scar, donor tissue comprises multiple tiny punch grafts that heal invisibly by wound contraction. Further dissection of these grafts releases single hair follicle units that can be implanted one by one into the bald scalp to recreate a natural hair line.
The only limiting factor for follicular unit extraction is whether there is enough remaining donor hair to transplant. While chest and body hair have been used when donor hair is poor, artificial hair implants, also TGA-approved, remain the last resort. Artificial hairs cover the scalp but do not grow and grey and regenerate like hair transplants.
What about other suggested treatments such as vitamins, dietary supplements, lasers, stem-cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma? At this stage the most generous interpretation of the available data is that they are unproven, expensive and poor value compared with the TGA-approved treatments.
The take-home message for boys staring at their bald fathers' scalp and wondering what their genes have in store for them is, don't panic, but don't leave it too late.
Rodney Sinclair is Professor of Dermatology, Honorary, Epworth Hospital at the University of Melbourne. |
[WM]Facebook users old enough to remember watching their oxen die while fording a river, or the time when M. T. Pockets stole “the banks of the Nile” will be pleased to hear that both The Oregon Trail and Carmen Sandiego have been reborn on the popular social media site.
The Oregon Trail for Facebook was launched on February 2 and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? launched today, February 9. Both titles make use of the Facebook credit system and allow players to team up with friends, à la Zynga hits CityVille and FarmVille.
The core games are free, but as with Farmville and CityVille, extra features will cost you.
To give you an idea of the staying power of these titles, consider that The Oregon Trail was first developed by a group of college students in 1971 — 40 years ago — and debuted on the Apple II in 1981 — 30 years ago — with a series of releases occurring every few years since. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? was first released in 1985 — 26 years ago — with a series of games following that were based in different geographical regions.
Interested gumshoes can check out the Carmen Sandiego Facebook game trailer below. |
[WM]Start your MINI FARM! NO HOA & NO RESTRICTIONS! Gorgeous 6.7+- acres with 2 ponds and mountain view! Back has fencing, 4 bdrms, 3.5 baths, +bonus room and has been remodeled w/new fixtures and fans, plantation blinds, cherry hardwood flooring, carpet, fresh paint, chimney, convertible gas-log fireplace in Family Room, and more! Kitchen has granite, refreshed cabinets w/under cabinet lighting, new SS double oven & Dishwasher, island w/b'fast bar, and HW floors. Master has HW floors, triple trey ceiling, walk-in closet, sitting room with gas log fireplace and deck access. Downstairs is all HW and tile, upstairs has carpet. New ceiling fans, fixtures, and hardware. Granite in master bath. |
[WM]We're all feeling a little desensitized now, aren't we?
Another mass shooting. Ho hum.
Nothing will change, so why bother making noises about the gun sickness that pervades this country?
Congress won't do anything to tighten up gun regulations.
Politicians who advocate for stronger gun measures will be tossed out of office.
The mentally ill will continue to fall through the cracks (with or without Obamacare).
Background checks for military contractors will never be up to par.
Young men who tell police they hear voices, are being followed or sent vibrations through microwaves will never be forced into 72-hour mental health holds.
Guys who shoot up people's cars and fire bullets through ceilings into their neighbors' apartments will never have searchable arrest records.
We will simply have to make peace with the idea that mass public shootings are the price we pay to live in a "free" country.
We are so very sorry for the victims and their families (especially the little ones at Sandy Hook Elementary School). It was just terrible what happened to Gabby Giffords. And of course, we are praying for them all the time, which makes us feel so much better.
But these shooters are madmen. They watch too many violent video games. What can you do?
All we have are symbolic gestures, like the one made Tuesday by Starbucks.
In an open letter couched as a "respectful request," Starbucks President and CEO Howard Schultz announced that his chain does not want people bringing guns into its stores or outdoor seating areas anymore unless they are law enforcement personnel.
Until now, Starbucks' policy has been to welcome armed customers in states that allow people to openly carry weapons.
Schultz said that the coffee chain has grown tired of being used as an unwilling pawn in the gun debate.
"Pro-gun activists have used our stores as a political stage for media events misleadingly called 'Starbucks Appreciation Days' that disingenuously portray Starbucks as a champion of 'open carry.' To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores. Some anti-gun activists have also played a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric and friction, including soliciting and confronting our customers and partners."
People who continue to bring guns into Starbucks, wrote Schultz, will not be asked to leave. Nor will the company put up any signs about its new policy.
So what will change? Not much. It may tick off a few gun toters. It may endear Starbucks to those who have grown sick of our swaggering gun culture.
But in the end, will it prevent the next mass shooting?
When it comes to policies aimed at preventing gun violence, we're just shooting blanks. |
[WM]I first lived in Quezon City in 1975, when I transferred in first-year in high school from Don Bosco Academy in Bacolor, Pampanga.
I stayed in the USA for a month and visited seven states in 30 days. It was a whirlwind visit that started when I landed at LAX, the Los Angeles International Airport.
Batty, bratty and simply crazy.
Metrobank Foundation is reminding us to honor our favorite teachers this September.
I was only able to visit the National Art Gallery upon landing in London because I had to go to the University of Nottingham for the External Examination Board meetings.
I haven’t been to London in 25 years. The last time I was there was in 1993, when I landed at Heathrow on my way to Hawthornden Castle in Lasswade, Scotland, on an international writing fellowship.
Mute with grief at the death of essayist and historian par excellence Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, I was able to retrieve an essay I wrote about her book, Legends & Adventures.
My column on politics a fortnight ago generated a storm of email that roosted in my account for weeks.
Ten years ago, J. Neil Garcia and I edited the third volume of the landmark Ladlad 3: An Anthology of Philippine Gay Writing, published by Anvil.
In the 2000 years I’ve worked as an advocate of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, I‘ve listened to so many stories of despair but also of joy, gladness as well as gloom.
That is the title of my new book published by Ateneo de Naga University Press. It will be launched in November this year.
June is the Pride Month for the LGBT + (lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders + intersex and queer), which began in the West in 1969.
I was born in Basa Air Base, Pampanga.
It has its deep roots sunk many years ago. |
[WM]Metaphysics special: Do we have free will?
“DID I really just decide to have fish and chips for lunch?” Humans have been wrestling with such questions for millennia. Maybe not about the fish and chips, but about whether we are truly in control or whether some external agent – be that an omnipotent god or the laws of physics – predetermines the trajectory of our lives.
Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. Who is the “I” who decided to have fish and chips? Your gut reaction might tell you that you are a conscious entity controlling your physical body. But that physical body includes the brain that generates your consciousness. There is no splitting the two.
Metaphysics special: What is consciousness?
We do know that any sense we have of being in control of our actions is, to some extent, an illusion. In particular, neuroscientist Benjamin Libet showed in the 1980s that mechanisms within the brain initiate actions long before that brain’s owner is aware of deciding to perform them.
It’s a big extrapolation to claim that all of our actions are outside our control. “Libet deals with the very short-term precursors of very simple actions,” says Patrick Haggard, a neuroscientist at University College London. Then again, even longer-term decisions and actions are the result of specific brain processes. “I assume this is also deterministic,” says Haggard. |
[WM]"Oops" isn't exactly what anyone wants to hear in a high-pressure environment of vote counting, but there it was Tuesday night. The big "oops."
LAFAYETTE — "Oops" isn't exactly what anyone wants to hear in a high-pressure environment of vote counting, but there it was Tuesday night. The big "oops."
A novice election employee inserted a card from a vote machine to tally the results on it. But the election employee ejected the card before the machine counted its votes, erasing all of the information on the card, Tippecanoe County Clerk Christa Coffey said about 12:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Meanwhile, crowds gathered and waited for election returns in the Tippecanoe Room at the County Building, frequently asking why it was taking so long to count the votes.
As Coffey talked with reporters about the mistake, it had been barely 45 minutes since the final results were published on a very late election night that followed a very long Election Day.
Fortunately, the card did not erase all of its information.
Election workers matched the card to a specific machine from which it was pulled, Coffey said. Then they located where in Tippecanoe County that machine was.
It was in Dayton, Coffey said.
This launched a mad dash to the Dayton Town Hall to find the machine, which they successfully did, she said.
The voting machine stored its data in a cache, and election workers successfully downloaded the voters' selection from this backup onto a card, Coffey said.
Then it was back to the County Building downtown to put that card into the reader — and not remove it until the machine finished its task.
Long story short: No votes were lost; everyone's vote was counted, and those waiting on election returns had to wait considerably longer for the final results. |
[WM]Enjoy the beautiful sunset view from this nice deep lot on St. Martins Point with a westerly big water view. The septic tank and drain field have already been installed which is a highly desirable feature for someone wanting to build a home or cottage. Part of the lot has been cleared also making it easier and less costly to begin a building project. You are able to drive a vehicle partially into the lot. This lot affords nice privacy too, and with some tree trimming on the waterfront you'd have a picture perfect site to build that dream house!
Hardwood 40 acres on Chard Road in Hessel. Timber on schedule to be another harvest in 3 years. Seller willing to consider a land contract. |
[WM]There's a lot of talk these days, and a lot of evidence, of school districts getting raked by layoffs, and by forced attrition—basically not filling positions when teachers and others leave, or retire.
In a story this week, I take a look at one of the oft-overlooked consequences of that district downsizing: schools having move employees from one job to the next, again and again, to cover for lost workers and make up for their duties.
My story focuses on a couple districts in Texas: a big one, Northside ISD in San Antonio; and a tiny one, Perrin-Whitt, in the northern part of the state. Both have been forced to chop spending because of state budget cuts, and both have been forced to move a lot of people around to make up ground—while also trying to keep teachers and others in their areas of expertise and certification.
A superintendent I talked to from a Pennsylvania district recently called this people-moving process "checkerboarding." If you're working in a district that's gone through something similar, what kinds of job-shuffling have budget cuts wrought? |
[WM]�A Moon Township man faces a slew of charges stemming from a drunken-driving arrest last Wednesday in Moon, township police reported.
Police said William T. Bronson, 21, of 412 College Park Drive drove into a parked car in the 400 block of Wyndhurst Drive and then struck another car at Wyndhurst Drive and Sharon Road around 6:45 p.m. June 17.
Police said they stopped Bronson�s car a short time later at Beaver Grade and Thorn Run roads. Bronson failed field sobriety tests and then became combative, police said. Bronson, who refused to submit to a blood-alcohol test, tried to kick one officer in the face and had to be subdued with a Taser gun on two occasions, police said.
Bronson was charged with drunken driving, resisting arrest, aggravated assault and two counts of being involved in an accident that caused damage to another vehicle. |
[WM]The latest news on law firm technology, software, hardware and systems designed to make your law firm more efficient – and profitable.
Speech technology is the most natural way for humans to interact with technology and it is the way we’ve been brought up to think that in the future computing will be done using your voice.
Unfortunately, our computing platforms to date were designed for use with keyboards, mice and, most recently, fingers. Typing, mousing or gesturing imposes interaction methods that do not work well with voice. So voice systems to date have been restricted by the platforms that host them.
One of the interesting things about the adoption of new technology in law firms is that it is frequently small firms that lead the charge. An innovative lawyer running a smaller practice can make a decision without the delays that can accompany large firm practice.
Resolve Technology – One of the most innovative cloud hosting providers in New Zealand, Resolve Technology provides hosting services suited to the New Zealand legal environment.
Using specialised knowledge of the New Zealand legal world, Resolve Technology is able to provide both consultancy and related services to law firms that ensure efficient and secure hosting solutions based on their experience with a growing number of New Zealand law firms. Read more about Resolve Technology.
LawHawk – This software uses HotDocs automation to provide automated legal document templates to New Zealand lawyers and procurement specialists.
The LawHawk user interface prompts lawyers to input relevant details then automatically drafts a customised legal document based on those key inputs.
Resolve Technology is an innovative kiwi company providing Cloud technology services to some of New Zealand’s most innovative and successful law firms. Attuned to the New Zealand legal and regulatory environment Resolve Technology is a leading provider of Cloud hosting and related services who will provide a full costing and briefing on hosting and other issues for your law firm.
For lawyers, having a good practice management program or system is one of the keys to operating a successful law practice.
Yet, as with so many technology options, the alternatives and choices appear endless and making the correct decision is key to having the right practice management software to guide your firm successfully. |
[WM]Jake is a gorgeous, talkative, fun and energetic female blue parakeet looking for a loving guardian.
Jake flew into the backyard of a family in Chicago and landed on a man's shoulder. His children named the bird Jake, but they decided not to keep the bird themselves, so I took her in.
I'm pretty sure this bird is a female based on the color of her feet, and the color of her cere (the "bump" above her beak). I understand that Parakeets can live 20 years, so acquiring a bird, like any pet, should not be taken lightly.
Personally, I love having a bird around. I've had a rescued Cockatiel for many years and she alerts me to someone coming to the door - before my dogs! They are intelligent, interactive and fun.
Feel free to read up on Parakeet care before taking the plunge. Here are a couple articles that I found interesting.
If you'd like to meet and possibly adopt Jake, please contact me directly at [email protected] or 773-777-2891. Her adoption fee is $25, or $50 if you'd also like her cage, food, toys and treats. She's being fostered in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. |
[WM]The two Marlborough men hurt in a bicycle vs. motorcycle accident on Friday were listed in good condition yesterday at UMass Memorial Medical Center.
Police say Paul Shahood, 63, was on a motorcycle that collided with a bicycle on which 25-year-old Zachary Boudreau was riding. They crashed at the intersection of Mechanic and Lincoln streets at 1:42 p.m., police said.
Both men were taken by ambulance to the UMass hospital in Worcester, one with a concussion and the other with a broken leg, police said.
A nursing supervisor said both men were recovering in good condition yesterday.
Police say the nature and cause of the crash are still under investigation. The state police accident reconstruction team is assisting. |
[WM]When Apple unveiled the all-new Apple TV with an all-new remote during its iPhone 6S September event, it glossed over some really interesting features for the new set-top box.
So, we have created this feature to tell you about a few of them.
The new Apple TV is now available to buy, starting at £129 in the UK and $149 in the US, and it comes with a fresh operating system, sleek interface, and voice-command functionality, to name a few things.
With that in mind, and to help you better understand what else is awesome about the latest version of Apple's set-top box, we've dug through all the details and rounded up 14 of the coolest features.
We can't delve into Apple TV features without first addressing one major change: Apple has added a new operating system to its set-top box. The new software offers an interface that's pretty similar to the old interface, though Apple has cleaned it up and replaced the black background with white.
Apple is calling its new operating system "tvOS". It is based on iOS, with various modifications added, such as support for the new remote. Beyond the interface, core aspects of tvOS include voice search through Siri, universal search across apps, a full-fledged app store, support for gaming, and more.
The new Apple TV is all about apps, thanks to the new Apple TV App Store, which Apple wants developers to make exclusive tvOS-based apps and games for.
Gilt Groupe's CEO, Michelle Peluso, showed off the new Gilt app designed specifically for Apple TV during the unveiling of the device. She showed how you can scroll or swipe with the new remote to navigate through the Glit app.
Buy-now buttons appear on carousel views and product pages, for instance, and so with a simple press of the new remote, you can buy stuff. Netflix, Hulu, and HBO have also released new apps for tvOS.
iTunes Movies has been redesigned as well, while the Apple Music app will soon deliver Beats 1 radio.
The Apple TV has a new remote with motion-sensing capabilities. It's a slim controller decked out with a touchpad and buttons for menu, home, volume, and Siri. The dual mics for Siri are located at the top, while the black touchpad is cloaked in glass and clicks (much like the MacBook's trackpad).
You'll also notice a small IR port for issuing volume commands to your TV. And at the bottom, there's a Lightning port for charging the remote's battery (supposed to last three months on a single charge). Although you won't find a power button, it can turn new TVs on/off if they have HDMI CEC.
The remote also connects to Apple TV over Bluetooth 4.0, so there's no need to point it at the box.
So, the touchpad lets you navigate through the new interface by sliding your finger across its surface, but as if that wasn't enough, you can turn the remote sideways to turn it into a controller for gaming.
The remote has built-in accelerometer and gyroscope sensors, meaning it acts like a Wii controller.
The Apple TV comes with a new remote, and we noted below how you can use it to rewind or skip forward, but did you know it can also cue up information?
A downward swipe on the trackpad will bring up details on what you're watching.
We've already told you the Apple TV lets you play games using the new remote. But if your friends don't have a remote, don't worry. Up to four players can join a game with their iPhones or iPod touches. Apple told Pocket-lint after the event that the new Apple TV will support third-party gamepads as well.
During our hands-on, we had a look at the SteelSeries Nimbus controller, which can be used to control one player, while the remote, your iPhone, or iPad can be used to control other players.
Apple TV comes with support for Siri, bringing voice-controlled, smart search to the set-top box.
All results are sorted by popularity, and when you ask Siri to find a movie, TV show, or song, she'll search not only iTunes, but also Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, and HBO. You can also conduct searches by actors and genres. You can say, for instance, "Show me Bond movies" or "Just the ones with Sean Connery."
This is where things get clever. Apple has quietly included something Google previously described as conversational search. So, you can have a conversation with Siri in order to narrow your choices.
Siri won't just fetch stuff for you; she'll also scrub for you. She can move whatever you're watching forward or backward. All you have to say is: "Siri, skip back 15 seconds" or "What did he/she say again?" But if you don't want to use Siri for that, you can also click and slide on the new remote to scrub.
Let's not forget that Siri is a digital assistant first and foremost, and that's no different with the Apple TV. She can pull up weather reports or answer your questions, and she'll display all answers and results along the bottom of your display. If you want that in full-screen, swipe up on the remote.
The new iPhones are capable of recording 4K videos at 30fps, and you'll of course be able to play them on your television through Apple TV, but because the new box doesn't support 4K, all videos will be downgraded to 1080p.
It's been rumoured that the new Apple TV would launch with support for HomeKit - Apple's framework that is meant to simplify the current state of home automation. Apple was dodgy when asked directly if it included such integration, though it said HomeKit is in the tvOS SDK for developers.
So, theoretically, developers could one day make apps for HomeKit-enabled devices that deliver notification through Apple TV. You might also be able to control those devices using Siri. But that's all just speculation for now.
If you lose the new remote to your new Apple TV, you can program any third-party one to work with the set-top box. Just go to Settings > General > Remotes > Learn Remote. From there, choose a setting or button that doesn't control another device, and then select Start. You should see the six buttons of the Apple Remote, which you can map to your new remote. To do so, press and hold each button until the blue progress bar is done.
If you share your Apple TV with others, you can set up separate accounts using individual Apple IDs so you don't have to share your content with others. It's simple to do: from the Home screen, go to Settings > Accounts > iTunes and App Store. From there, select Add New Apple ID and enter an Apple ID.
Click Continue, then add the Apple ID password, and select Sign In. Sign out and repeat the process to add another account, them go to Settings whenever you want to switch between accounts. Simples.
The new Apple TV home screen lets you change the default icon order. All you have to do is use the new remote; select an icon by pressing down on the touch surface, and you'll then get vibrating icons (similar to what you see on iOS). Then, you can swipe left, right, up, or down to move the icon around.
When you're done, press the touch surface to set everything in place. |
[WM]Gov. Greg Abbott refused to pick sides Wednesday in a growing squabble over how best to cut state taxes, and moved away from an earlier promise to “insist” that Texas lawmakers cut property taxes before the session ends on June 1.
*Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Gov. Greg Abbott refused to pick sides Wednesday in a growing legislative squabble over how best to cut state taxes, and moved away from an earlier promise to “insist” that Texas lawmakers cut property taxes before the session ends on June 1.
At a press conference coinciding with the dreaded April 15 income tax filing deadline, Abbott hailed the Legislature’s heated debate over taxes as a sign of fiscal health when other states are struggling financially.
Abbott said he still feels property taxes are too high and noted that cutting them is “definitely on the table.” He was referring to the $2.15 billion property tax proposal being pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Tea Party Republican who presides over the Senate.
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Patrick repeated his support for the property tax cut.
"I agree with Governor Abbott that I too will not support any budget that does not have franchise tax relief," Patrick said. "I also will not support any budget that does not have property tax relief, as well."
But in his remarks to reporters, Abbott also suggested that sales tax cuts — being pursued by House leaders who have battled with Tea Party-backed lawmakers and activists — represent another legitimate alternative.
“There is the possibility of property tax reduction. There is the possibility of sales tax reduction on top of the margins tax reduction,” Abbott said.
House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, issued a statement saying he was "certain the House and Senate will work well together in the final weeks of the session."
Shortly before Abbott spoke, more than 100 conservative activists rallied outside the Capitol to mark Tax Day, the impetus for some of the original Tea Party protests several years ago. Michael Quinn Sullivan, leader of the conservative advocacy group Empower Texans, hailed the ongoing discord over tax relief as a sign of how much the Tea Party has come to influence the legislative process.
"Today this chamber and this chamber are in a fight over what taxes to cut and who can do the biggest tax cut," Sullivan told the activists. "You are winning." |
[WM]A memorial service is planned for Fort Bragg City Councilman Jere Melo at 2 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Timberwolf Stadium on Chestnut Street in Fort Bragg.
The high school football stadium has been called his greatest legacy to the community since its construction was one of many efforts he undertook during his 15 years as a councilman, which also included building firehouses and public parks. Melo also served as Fort Bragg”s mayor between 2000 and 2004.
Melo, 69, was shot to death Saturday morning when he and a companion stumbled on an opium poppy garden while looking for an illicit marijuana grow site on private timber land near the Noyo River and the Skunk Train rail lines, about four miles east of Fort Bragg.
Cal Fire announced Tuesday that it closed Camp One and the public firewood gathering areas of the Jackson Demonstration State Forest until further notice, and authorities are urging the public to stay out of the entire forest while the manhunt for the alleged gunman continues.
Details about the shooting and suspect Aaron Bassler, a Fort Bragg transient in his 30s, are emerging as the Mendocino County Sheriff”s Office continues to lead the multi-agency search. The search focuses on a six-mile area from the Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg east to Northspur, in and around the forest.
“We have no reason to believe he left the forest area,” MCSO spokesman Capt. Kurt Smallcomb said Tuesday.
Melo and a friend, whose identity hasn”t been released, went into the remote, rugged terrain looking for an illicit pot garden Saturday morning, intending to report the garden”s GPS coordinates to law enforcement — something Melo did frequently in his property management capacity with a local timber company, according to Smallcomb.
The men instead found a garden of more than 100 opium poppies Bassler was allegedly growing, according to Smallcomb. He said Bassler was on higher ground and began shooting down at the men from about 10 yards away, using a high-caliber, “high-powered” long rifle of an SKS type that some said was an automatic weapon.
Smallcomb could not confirm that the weapon Bassler allegedly used was automatic, or its caliber.
Melo was unarmed, but his companion exchanged gunfire with Bassler and was then able to escape, running “a long way” before hitting a lucky break, according to Smallcomb. He met a Skunk Train rail maintenance car and rode with it, calling law enforcement on a cell phone when he reached an area with better cell reception, Smallcomb said.
Melo died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the results of a Monday autopsy.
Authorities do not believe Bassler was hired to guard the garden, but was growing it himself, according to Smallcomb. He said authorities believe Bassler was also associated with illicit marijuana growing in and around the area where Melo and his companion were searching.
“Marijuana has historically been all through the area,” Smallcomb said.
Melo would frequently search the timber land for illicit pot gardens and report their GPS coordinates to law enforcement in his property management capacity to keep the properties clean, according to Smallcomb.
“We were in weekly contact with him,” Smallcomb said.
Dan Gjerde, a fellow Fort Bragg City Councilman, posted on Facebook Tuesday that he remembered last seeing Melo at an Aug. 16 meeting the Board of Supervisors held in Fort Bragg.
“It was just days after the murder of Matt Coleman,” Gjerde writes, referring to an Aug. 11 incident where Coleman was shot and killed while conducting property management on rural property near Cape Vizcaino, between Westport and Rockport, for the Save the Redwoods League.
Bassler has a history of misdemeanor convictions dating back to 2001 and prior, according to Smallcomb. They include charges of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol and firearm-related charges, he said, including an incident earlier this year where Bassler was arrested for driving under the influence after allegedly running a truck into a middle school tennis court in Fort Bragg.
Bassler was also brought up on federal charges after he allegedly threw packages containing drawings and writings over a fence at the Chinese consulate in San Francisco in four separate 2009 incidents that each brought the city police department”s bomb squad, according to the SF Gate.
The county of Mendocino lowered its flags to half-staff in memory and honor of Jesse Pittman, a Willits U.S. Navy SEAL who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. The flags will remain at half-staff in Melo”s memory and honor, the Mendocino County Executive Office announced Tuesday. County flags will remain at half-staff until Councilmember Melo”s interment. |
[WM]Clarithromycin belongs to the group of medications called macrolide antibiotics. It is used to treat infections caused by certain bacteria. It works by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria that can cause certain infections. Clarithromycin may be prescribed for people with bacterial throat infections, sinus infections, ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, and skin infections such as impetigo and cellulitis.
Clarithromycin may also be used to prevent and treat certain infections (mycobacterium avium complex or MAC), associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Clarithromycin can be used in combination with other medications to kill H. pylori, a bacteria known to cause ulcers in the digestive tract.
Each bright yellow, oval, biconvex, film-coated tablet engraved "CLA250" on one side and plain on the other side contains 250 mg of clarithromycin. Nonmedicinal ingredients: crospovidone, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, colloidal silicon dioxide, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, D&C Yellow No. 10, and sunset yellow.
Each light yellow, capsule-shaped, biconvex, film-coated tablet engraved "CLA500" on one side and plain on the other side contains 500 mg of clarithromycin. Nonmedicinal ingredients: crospovidone, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, colloidal silicon dioxide, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide, and D&C Yellow No. 10.
Adults: The recommended adult dosing of clarithromycin tablets is 250 mg to 500 mg twice daily (every 12 hours) for 7 to 14 days, depending on the condition being treated.
The recommended adult dosing of the extended release form of clarithromycin is 1,000 mg (2 tablets) once daily for 5 to 14 days, depending on the condition being treated.
For the treatment and prevention of MAC, the usual dose of clarithromycin is 500 mg twice daily. When used with other medications to kill H. pylori, the usual dose of clarithromycin is 500 mg twice daily for 10 days.
Children: The recommended total daily dose for children is 15 mg per kilogram of body weight (to a maximum of 1,000 mg per day). This total daily dose should be divided in 2 equal doses given 12 hours apart. Total treatment duration is usually 5 to 10 days, depending on the condition being treated. For the treatment and prevention of MAC, the usual dose of clarithromycin is 7.5 mg per kilogram of body weight twice daily (up to 500 mg twice daily).
If the child is receiving an oral suspension of clarithromycin, use an oral syringe to measure each dose of the liquid, as it gives a more accurate measurement than household teaspoons.
Clarithromycin tablets and clarithromycin suspension (given twice daily) may be taken with or without food. Taking this medication with food may cause less stomach upset.
The extended release tablets of clarithromycin must be taken with food. The tablets must be swallowed whole and not crushed or broken.
Finish all of this medication, even if you have started to feel better.
Store clarithromycin tablets at room temperature, protect them from light and moisture, and keep them out of the reach of children.
Store clarithromycin oral suspension at room temperature with the bottle tightly closed and protected from light. Do not refrigerate. Any unused oral suspension should be thrown away after 14 days. Rinse the dose measuring oral syringe between uses. Do not store the suspension in the syringe.
Abnormal heart rhythm: Clarithromycin may cause a heart rhythm problem called QT prolongation. If you have a history of QT prolongation, a medical condition associated with QT prolongation, or are taking certain medications (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol), discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Allergy: If you have had some form of allergy to erythromycin or azithromycin, you may be more likely to have an allergic reaction to this medication. If you develop symptoms of an allergic reaction such as a rash, contact your doctor. If you develop hives; difficulty breathing; or swelling of the face, mouth, throat, or tongue, stop taking this medication and get immediate medical attention.
Antibiotic resistance: Medications such as clarithromycin should only be used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Misuse of overuse of this medication may result in the growth of bacteria that are no longer killed by clarithromycin, particularly in people who are also infected with HIV. Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Diarrhea: As with other antibiotics, clarithromycin is associated with a serious infection called Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea, caused by the bacteria C. difficile. This can occur as late as 2 months after your last dose of this medication.
If you have loose, watery bowel movements especially if they are green, foul-smelling, or bloody and accompanied by fever, either during or after taking clarithromycin, get medical attention as soon as possible.
Dizziness, confusion, and disorientation: This medication can cause dizziness, confusion, or disorientation. Do not drive or operate machinery until you are certain that this medication does not affect your ability to perform these tasks safely.
Kidney function: Kidney disease or reduced kidney function may cause this medication to build up in the body, causing side effects. If you have reduced kidney function, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Liver problems: Liver disease or reduced liver function may cause this medication to build up in the body, causing side effects. If you have reduced liver function, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed. This medication should not be used by people with severe liver problems.
If you develop symptoms of liver problems (e.g., loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, itchy skin, abdominal pain), contact your doctor immediately.
Myasthenia gravis: This medication can worsen or cause symptoms of myasthenia gravis. If your symptoms worsen or you develop new symptoms such as double vision, drooping eyelids, muscle weakness, or difficulty chewing or swallowing, contact your doctor.
Pregnancy: Clarithromycin should not be used during pregnancy, especially the first 3 months of pregnancy, unless there is no appropriate alternative therapy. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, contact your doctor.
Breast-feeding: This medication passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking clarithromycin, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.
Children: The safety and effectiveness of using clarithromycin oral suspension have not been established for children younger than 6 months of age. For pneumonia, the use of clarithromycin oral suspension has not been studied for children younger than 3 years of age. The safety and effectiveness of using clarithromycin to prevent MAC infection has not been studied for children under the age of 20 months. The safety and effectiveness of using clarithromycin tablets have not been established for children less than 12 years of age. |
[WM]First they bought Skyera, erstwhile all flash array startup. Now WD's HGST unit is buying Amplidata, a scale-out object storage software vendor. Is the world's largest disk drive vendor moving into the storage systems business or not?
For those coming in late, HGST is the mashup of Hitachi's former disk business with IBM's former disk business. Western Digital bought HGST a couple of years ago, and is keeping the respected HGST brand alive.
Skyera was a late-entry into the all-flash array market that HGST bought last year. While it wasn't clear if Skyera had shipped a v1.0 product, the buy was surprising because, traditionally, drive vendors have not competed with their storage system customers.
But the reasons for that traditional non-compete stance are fading. All major drive buyers want a 2nd source, but with only 2.5 drive vendors - WD, Seagate and Toshiba - drive buyers can't threaten to walk away.
How does Amplidata, a Belgian object storage software company that I've done work for, fit with HGST's plans? Object storage is optimized for large data stores - 500TB and up - where disk drives will be the storage medium of choice.
HGST has publicly stated their intent to enter the active archive market where Amplidata is a great fit. But how far will they go?
The could package up an HGST-branded archive product. They could offer an unbranded version for resellers. Or they could simply offer the software.
Both WD and Seagate have enjoyed great success with their branded consumer storage products. It's looking like WD would like to extend their reach into the enterprise with the Skyera and Amplidata acquisitions.
The critical issue is how the products get sold to enterprises. HGST has no enterprise sales force and they are expensive to hire.
I'm betting that they will use resellers and service providers to reach the market. When they make a product announcement we'll see if WD has finally broken the long time taboo against competing with customers.
Comments welcome as always. The storage market keeps getting more interesting. |
[WM]An aerial view of the coast near University of Delaware's Hugh R Sharp campus in Lewes.
Newswise — As more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, the global ocean soaks up much of the excess, storing roughly 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions coming from human activities.
In this sense, the ocean has acted as a buffer to slow down the greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere and, thus, global warming. However, this process also increases the acidity of seawater and can affect the health of marine organisms and the ocean ecosystem.
New research by University of Delaware oceanographer Wei-Jun Cai and colleagues at Université Libre de Bruxelles, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, University of Hawaii at Manoa and ETH Zurich, now reveals that the water over the continental shelves is shouldering a larger portion of the load, taking up more and more of this atmospheric carbon dioxide.
The study findings, published in Nature Communications on Wednesday, Jan. 31, may have important implications for scientists focused on understanding the global carbon budget.
Understanding how carbon flows between land, air and water is key to predicting how much greenhouse gas emissions the earth, atmosphere and ocean can tolerate over a given time period to keep global warming and climate change at thresholds considered tolerable.
The study authors used recently available and historical data from the past 35 years to calculate global trends of carbon dioxide concentration increases in the coastal ocean. The analysis revealed that, while the amount of carbon dioxide in the open ocean is increasing at the same rate as in the atmosphere, these same carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing slower in the coastal ocean.
"This is because the coastal ocean is shallower than the open ocean and can quickly transfer sequestered carbon dioxide to the deep ocean; this process creates an additional and effective pathway for the ocean to take up and store anthropogenic carbon dioxide," said Cai, the Mary A.S. Lighthipe Professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment.
Though relatively small in comparison to the open ocean, the coastal zones are where an extremely large amount of the carbon dioxide is exchanged between air and water.
"If this conclusion is confirmed by future observations, it would mean that the coastal ocean will become more and more efficient at removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere," said Goulven Lurallue, the paper's lead author and a researcher with Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium.
Until recently, these trends were extremely difficult to calculate due to a lack of data about carbon dioxide in coastal waters. Complicating matters further, coastal zones behave differently depending of their location and topography. For example, in higher latitudes such as northern Canada and Greenland, coastal waters usually act as carbon sinks, absorbing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In in tropical areas such as the South China Sea, coastal waters are generally considered a source of carbon dioxide.
At the same time, human activities have increased the amount of nutrient pollution entering coastal waters from things like fertilizer on land. These nutrients stimulate the growth of algae within the continental shelves, which subsequently removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the researchers said.
According to the research team, this suggests that the continental shelves are becoming a crucial element in the global carbon cycle and for the climate system.
"It is important that scientists take into account the contribution of continental shelves to calculate global carbon budgets," said Pierre Regnier, professor at Université Libre de Bruxelles. "The possibility of shelves becoming a more important carbon dioxide sink in the future should be considered in global carbon cycle models and flux assessments." |
[WM]RANT: To the irresponsible young adults who park their vehicles at Winter Haven Christian Church on Sixth Street and then leave trash and empty beer bottles for others to clean up. Those involved should attend Sunday service and learn the meaning of respect.
NT: To the irresponsible young adults who park their vehicles at Winter Haven Christian Church on Sixth Street and then leave trash and empty beer bottles for others to clean up. Those involved should attend Sunday service and learn the meaning of respect.
RAVE: I grew up in Winter Haven, but I have lived elsewhere for many years. While here visiting recently, I discovered a terrific local place to eat, the Third Street Cafe. It's located downtown at the corner of Third Street and Avenue A, S.W., and offers breakfast and lunch. It's cozy and friendly, with good food and good service. Several members of my family went there day after day, sometimes for coffee, sometimes for breakfast and sometimes for lunch. The people running it (a husband and wife, I believe) were always pleasant and attentive, and it was very nice to enjoy more personalized service. I highly recommend that others try it.
RANT: One of the best and most caring doctors my husband and I have ever had, Dr. Raphael Lopez, is no longer with Gessler Clinic. Words cannot express my feelings of loss. The clinic has lost a gem of a doctor!
RANT: To the hoodlums who have vandalized the men's restroom at the new�city bus terminal. I hope they are proud of themselves. Nobody else is.
"Rants & Raves" is a Monday feature of the News Chief opinion page. Send yours - signed or unsigned - by fax to 863-294-2008 or by e-mail to [email protected]. |
[WM]EDINBURG — The Hidalgo County call center is activated and answering residents calls for assistance regarding weather related issues and sandbag distribution, according to a news release. Residents can call (956) 292-7750 for more information.
There is one shelter open is at the Donna Recreation Center located at 307 Miller Avenue in Donna.
No proof required. Limit 6 sandbags per household.
Five bags per household. ID or utility bill required.
No proof of residence required. Limit six sandbags per household.
ID required. Limit 5 sandbags per household.
This story has been updated to reflect the correct address for the Precinct 2 sandbag distribution location. |
[WM]SEYMOUR -- VFW Post 12084 will hold a special "Remember When¦" event Aug. 22, featuring displays of old military vehicles and equipment.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the grounds of the post's headquarters, 30 Great Hill Road. Post Commander Al Yagovane said anyone interested in displaying their military vehicles or related equipment should contact him as soon as possible at 888-1934 or 736-7981.
"We're losing about 1,000 World War II veterans each day," he said. "We're trying to remember the people who are currently serving in the military, as well as those who have served in the past."
There is no charge for admission or for those interested in displaying their equipment.
In addition to the displays, military recruiters will be on hand, as well as several veterans and military members who will talk about the equipment and their branch of the service.
The event is intended to raise awareness about the number of veterans the country is losing every day, Yagovane said. |
[WM]The United Kingdom could still remain a member of the European Union, but only if all other member states agree, said the leader of the second-largest political group in the European Parliament.
“Our door remains open, if the UK wants to change its mind,” said centre-left MEP, Gianni Pittella, on Tuesday evening (4 April).
Pittella spoke to journalists in Strasbourg at a dinner organised by his group, the centre-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D).
He said it was “difficult” to see how the UK could revert its decision to leave the EU, taken last year through an in/out referendum, with prime minister Theresa May at the helm.
“It's a theoretical possibility, it's an option. All can happen in life,” said the Italian MEP, who noted that the UK's change of heart should come “through a democratic process”.
“You don't forget. Our position was not for Brexit,” he said.
“For us it's not a victory that we now we have to start the negotiation. ... It's a reason of sadness, profound, deep sadness. I think this is a loss for Europe and a terrible mistake for the UK," commented Pittella.
“So, our hope is always that they change their mind. But we have to respect the democratic will,” he added.
However, Pittella argued that, in his opinion, there should be unanimity among the remaining 27 member states to take the UK back.
“It's not up only to the UK to decide if this reversibility can work. It's up also to the European counterpart,” he said.
Pittella's stance on EU-27 unanimity is a political message, there is no legal clarity on how this would work. The legal text that allows the UK to leave the EU, article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, does not explain how a country could decide to remain part of the EU after negotiations for its departure have started.
Pittella's comments came after one of his political allies in Germany, Sigmar Gabriel, said “the burden [of Brexit] for the Brits is higher than for the Europeans”.
Former leader of Germany's social-democratic party (SPD) and current German foreign minister, Gabriel rejected May's stance that “no deal is better than a bad deal”.
“Having no deal is not the best idea for Britain and the European Union,” Gabriel said on Tuesday, after speaking with his UK counterpart Boris Johnson.
“It would bring a burden on both sides, for the Brits as well as the Europeans,” the top German diplomat added.
“Of course we want to see negotiations about Brexit being fair. … Fair for Britain, but also from our point of view, fair for the remaining 27 members of the European Union,” he said.
Both Gabriel and Pittella stressed that a country outside the EU cannot have the same or more advantages than an EU member.
Pittella spoke to journalists to outline his group's position ahead of a debate in the European Parliament on Wednesday (5 April).
MEPs will discuss Brexit and adopt a non-binding resolution.
The draft text says that the EU-UK deal on the latter's departure should include reassurances of the legal status of EU citizens in the UK, and British citizens living in the EU.
It also states that there should be clarity on the settlement of the UK's outstanding financial liabilities and the EU's external border. |
[WM]A couple of weeks ago, I read that popular painkillers can cause irregular heart rhythms. I stopped taking Aleve for pain because I do experience A-fib and atrial flutters. Since going off Aleve, this heart problem has dropped to almost nothing.
The trouble is that I switched to aspirin instead. Now I am having big-time bruising with the slightest bump. That convinced me to stop the aspirin.
I am going to try Tylenol, but I hope my liver enzymes don’t act up. They have been elevated in the past. Is there anything else I can do except stop everything and endure joint pain?
You have reason to be cautious with pain relievers. A recent online article in the British journal BMJ (July 4, 2011) suggests that anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac are “associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter.” Such heart-rhythm abnormalities can trigger blood clots that may lead to strokes.
Although aspirin does not appear to trigger arrhythmias, it can thin the blood enough to cause easy bruising. If acetaminophen (Tylenol) raised your liver enzymes in the past, there is a potential risk if you start taking it daily.
You may wish to try a home remedy to ease your joint pain. You will find details about dozens of options in our new book from National Geographic (“The People’s Pharmacy Quick and Handy Home Remedies”), online at PeoplesPharmacy.com. Fish oil, turmeric, tart cherries, pineapple or pomegranate juice, gin-soaked golden raisins, plant pectin and purple grape juice as well as herbs like ginger and boswellia may ease your discomfort.
I read a question in your column about smelly gas, and I have a suggestion: Take a Pepto-Bismol tablet. It helps control that odorous gas.
Pepto-Bismol will turn your stool black, but there’s no harm in occasional use. I take the tablets with me on trips to prevent traveler’s diarrhea.
Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate) has been shown to control the odor in flatus. It reduces hydrogen sulfide (the smelly stuff) from the colon quite dramatically (Gastroenterology, May 1998).
Regular use of Pepto-Bismol could be problematic, though. Excessive bismuth can be toxic, leading to symptoms such as nausea, rash, diarrhea, stomach pain, mouth ulcers and kidney damage. Too much salicylate can interact with other medications such as warfarin (Coumadin).
I have suffered from excessive perspiration since I was a child. I have used countless deodorants, antiperspirants, crystals, baking soda — you name it. Nothing worked for very long, not even the prescription formulas.
I’ve been using MoM (milk of magnesia) for roughly four months, and I will never switch to anything else. I use it on my underarms as well as my groin area, and I swear by it. I use a regular generic formula and have never experienced any issues. On days that I shave my armpits, I skip it just in case I might absorb too much magnesium.
Milk of magnesia is usually thought of as a laxative to be taken orally, but many people report that it is an effective deodorant when used topically.
Although MoM seems to be gentle, some people develop a skin reaction and should avoid it. We doubt there is much absorption, but loose stools would be a sign of too much magnesium.
I am surprised and disappointed by your answer to the lady asking for help with her hot flashes. Her doctor took her off hormones because of serious side effects, and she was suffering.
Although the Women’s Health Initiative demonstrated the dangers of PremPro, no comparable studies exist for bioidentical hormones.
Researchers have long known that the estrogen a woman makes herself has a significant impact on her risk of breast cancer (International Journal of Cancer, Oct. 15, 2010). The longer a woman has active menstrual periods, the higher the risk (International Journal of Epidemiology online, Aug. 13).
Since bioidentical hormones mimic a woman’s own hormonal production, we cannot assume that this therapy would be entirely safe. Women who would like to learn more about other ways to manage hot flashes, such as yams, Pycnogenol or vitamin E, may find our Guide to Menopause helpful. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (64 cents), self-addressed envelope to Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. W-50, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website, www.peoplespharmacy.com.
I recently burned two of my fingers on a hot oven. They had already started to blister when I remembered reading about the soy sauce remedy. It was like magic: both the pain and the blisters went away quickly. The next day, I just had two small red marks.
I’ve been fascinated with this. When my son got his fourth huge mosquito bite of the week, I wondered if soy sauce might help reduce the swelling. His eye had swollen shut from a bite on his forehead, so when he was bitten on the cheek, I applied some soy sauce to it.
Within minutes, the swelling had receded, and it was completely invisible before he went to bed. Everyone should have soy sauce packets in his or her first-aid kit!
Thank you for the hint on mosquito bites. We’ve never heard that soy sauce might help.
My 92-year-old mom began having excruciating ankle pain about four months ago. She has seen five doctors, including three podiatrists, and a chiropractor, and had an emergency-room visit. They all said her pain was due to osteoarthritis or plantar fasciitis.
While researching ankle pain, I discovered that gout can sometimes affect other joints besides the big toe, and that celery seed extract may be helpful. I bought some for my mother, and after a week or two, she says her ankle pain is gone, although she still has occasional shooting pains into her big toe.
I feel better having her on celery seed extract rather than the ibuprofen she was taking. We were both worried about the possible side effects of that drug.
Gout can indeed affect other joints besides the big toe, and the pain can be excruciating. Many medications can raise uric-acid levels and increase the likelihood of developing gout.
Drugs to lower uric-acid levels can help manage gout. Celery seed extract and tart cherries are home remedies for gout, and celery seed has anti-inflammatory effects (Inflammopharmacology, December 2003). |
[WM]43, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.; died Nov. 25 in Baaj, Iraq, after being shot by an Iraqi Security Force soldier while he was conducting a dismounted humanitarian food drop.
Anthony Davis trained and mentored Iraqi army members and delivered food and relief supplies to poor villages. He was part of a team that assessed schools and then planned renovations and organized supplies.
His daughter Diana, 18, also collected soccer balls to ship to her father, who distributed them to children on his missions.
“Anthony volunteered for humanitarian assistance duty so he could devote himself to the soccer ball plan and really reach out to the surrounding Iraqi communities in need of assistance,” said Joe Albuquerque of the Kerril Woods Homeowner’s Association.
Davis, 43, reared in Baltimore and lately of Triangle, Va., died Nov. 24 in Baaj after being shot by an Iraqi soldier while on a relief mission. He was assigned to Fort Riley.
“We must remain vigilant and pray that we a getting through to the younger generation, who will one day inherit this nation, so that they remember us as peaceful and encouraging not intruders and invaders,” Davis wrote in an e-mail.
He is survived by his wife, Anna, and five children between the ages of 9 and 26 and a 4-year-old grandson. |
[WM]GREER, SC-- Dustin Dewayne Anders, 21, of 124 Skyland Circle, died August 24, 2007.
A native of Greenville County, son of Albert Anders of Greer and Curtis Anders and Teresa Redden of Greer, he was a member of Washington Baptist Church.
Also surviving are his wife, Kristen Thomas Anders of the home; a son, Justin Blake Anders of the home; two brothers, Steven Anders and Jamie Anders both of Greer; and two sisters, Tracey Anders and Casey Anders both of Greer.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday at Washington Baptist Church, conducted by Dr. Drew Hines. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 7:00-9:00 PM Monday at the Wood Mortuary.
The family is at the home of his brother, Steven Anders, 5 Fairview Road, Taylors.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dustin Anders Fund c/o Greer State Bank, P. O. Box 1029, Greer, SC 29652. |
[WM]PROFESSOR Peter Higgs of Edinburgh University may now stand as a scientific legend alongside the likes of Newton, Oppenheimer and Einstein.
But the Noble laureate-in-waiting is far from the only Scottish scientist behind one of the greatest achievements in physics in the last century: the discovery last week of the elusive Higgs boson – the God particle. Although Higgs proposed the theory of the particle nearly 50 years ago, behind the scenes, dozens of physicists from Scotland played a vital role in the experiments which led to the identification of the Higgs boson – a particle which holds the key to explaining how matter attains its mass, and how the universe works at its most fundamental level.
The discovery awaits full endorsement from the scientific community.
Around 50 academics, researchers, technicians and postgraduate students from both Glasgow and Edinburgh universities were part of the Atlas experiment team at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Cern, Switzerland, which announced the breakthrough on Wednesday.
Here we talk to some of those Scottish scientists about their work on the Atlas experiment and their thoughts on the significance of the likely discovery of the Higgs Boson particle.
Robson, 32, is a lecturer in physics at Glasgow University and first started working on the Atlas project when he was a student.
He analyses data from Atlas – an essential part of proving a discovery is bona fide.
Robson said finding the new particle was a "huge milestone". While the world is celebrating the achievement, scientists are a lot more reserved. The discovery is yet to be fully signed-off in scientific terms, and it is Robson's role to make sure it is.
He said: "We have discovered a new particle, but have really still to show that it is a Higgs boson. First of all the challenge is to collect a lot more of these particles, so we can make really precise measurements and see whether the particle does have the properties that the theory predicts – or whether it is actually something a bit more exotic."
Robson said the "scientific quest" had produced huge benefits along the way, including hopefully encouraging more young people into physics. He said: "Along the way to discovering [the Higgs boson] we have had to overcome all sorts of technological hurdles and that is what has the real effect on everyday life. Whether it is detectors with medical or security applications, or touch screens – which were first made at Cern to control the accelerators – all these 'by-products' do have a huge effect on everyday life.
"Students coming in to study physics at university say it's the big science, the particle physics and the astronomy that really excites them. I hope they will see that we are making huge advances in our knowledge in particle physics and it is an exciting time to be doing it."
Martin, 38, is a lecturer in particle physics, involved in experiments at Cern and a former student of Higgs.
She co-leads the team in Edinburgh University which has been involved in analysing the data collected in the Atlas experiment to search for signs of the Higgs boson.
She said: "This is a fantastic moment. So many people have worked on it for so long. There is a phrase – we have only seen further because we were standing on the shoulders of giants – and it really feels like that."
As an undergraduate student Martin was lectured by Higgs and remembers him as being a "tough, no-nonsense" but inspirational teacher.
She said that to her there were as yet no apparent practical consequences as a result the discovery of the Higgs boson particle but pointed out there had been huge benefits as a result of the building of the experiment.
She said: "For scientists it is really exciting to complete this picture in their head, but on the way to building the LHC and running it and operating it, there has been so many technological spin-offs which the public use nowadays.
"The most common one is the world wide web, which everybody uses, but was invented as a tool for physicists at Cern to communicate with each other."
Martin said another recent development was improved solar panels, based on new vacuum technology created to extract air particles in the LHC. She said: "These have been installed on the roof of Geneva airport and they are much more efficient than the solar panels that had been developed up until then."
Doyle, 49, Cern associate from Glasgow University, is in charge of the publications from the Atlas experiment.
He is currently working on submitting the results of the discovery of the Higgs boson to journal Physics Letter B, which will be published at the end of July.
Doyle said scientists from Glasgow University had been involved in the hunt for the Higgs boson particle for around 20 years, with the current team involving 35 people – a relatively large group.
He said: "Within the collaboration there are 3,000 [researchers] at 175 institutes worldwide, so it is an average number of 15 or so in a team.
"Our group is more than double the size of the average group. It is because we have been working on lots of elements and we have led the way in which all the data is analysed and distributed all over the world."
Doyle was at the seminar last Wednesday when the results were announced and said it was unlike any previous scientific event he had attended.
"It was like a rock concert, everyone was queuing up," he said. "Not everyone could fit into the auditorium, as there are thousands of people here. So there were different rooms which were being used around Cern to show it."
Doyle likened the process of searching for the Higgs boson to the space mission which was a test run for Apollo 11's successful moon landing.
He added: "My analogy is that last year was like Apollo 10, where we developed the technologies that we required. Now the eagle has landed."
Clark, 38, is reader in physics at Edinburgh University, another former student of Higgs and a key scientist on the Atlas project at Cern.
He also played a key role in the development of a computer system called Scotgrid, a joint enterprise along with the universities of Glasgow and Durham, which enables vast quantities of data from the experiments to be sent around the world to researchers.
He said: "All the computers around the world are hooked up to the experiment software. We run continually about 120,000 computer programmes across the world to simulate the particles that are produced at the LHC and also to analyse the data."
Clark said it was difficult to predict the future potential of the Higgs boson discovery, but pointed out the implications of great scientific breakthroughs in the past had been similarly unknown.
He said: "It just gives us so much more understanding of the fundamental particle interactions, and how they actually come about.
"To relate that to everyday life is really quite difficult and it could be very far into the future when we find there is something we haven't thought of.
"For example, when the electron was discovered, we didn't think about the whole internet revolution that is completely dependent upon the electron 100 years later.
Of the Higg's boson's significance he said: "I think I would liken [this discovery] to finally understanding the DNA mechanism, in that the scientific achievement is of similar scale."
St Denis, 52, senior lecturer in experimental particle physics at Glasgow University, has been involved in the project since 1991, when he helped to design what would eventually become the Atlas experiment.
He said it was difficult to envisage the application of such scientific theories, but pointed out they often had an impact on everyday life.
He said: "Einstein's theory of relativity is one you might have thought was a bit of an esoteric thing – what could that have to do with my life?
"The answer is in your cellphone and your satnav. Your position locator will not work without it as if you tried to do the calculations without general relativity it wouldn't find you."
St Denis said the discovery of the Higgs boson had triggered discussion and excitement equivalent to the first moon landing.
"The way to describe this is that it is like the Lord of the Rings – one particle shall rule them all," he said.
He said the importance of the Higgs boson discovery was comparable to the work of Sir Isaac Newton, who "made sense out of complete chaos and explained how planets move and at the same time explained how an apple fell. I think that is the level we are at with this."
Although the Higgs boson has been nicknamed the "God particle", because of its fundamental role in answering questions about the creation of the universe, St Denis said its discovery would not impact on anyone's religious beliefs, adding: "It strikes me as a term that was invented to be a little devilish."
Buttar, 49, is group leader of the Atlas project at Glasgow University and a reader in the university's school of physics and astronomy.
He started working on the Atlas project in around 1990, helping to build the experiment and develop a "tracker" at the centre of the Atlas detector to collect data and find the particle.
Buttar said the discovery of the particle which appears to be the Higgs boson could be the "last part of the jigsaw".
"One of the critical things is going to be to start looking at this and to check it is a Higgs," he said.
"The chances are it is a Higgs, but science has got to be more rigorous than that and we have got to go and do the measurements. That is going to take a while." Buttar pointed out that the search for the Higgs boson was not the only purpose of the LHC, which is going to be shut down next year to allow final repairs to be carried out following an accident four years ago.
A fault caused helium to leak into the tunnel that houses the collider, just nine days after it was switched on in September 2008.
Buttar said: "We have found the Higgs – that was definitely the main target – and in the next few years we have got to confirm it is the Higgs and what its properties are.
"The LHC will shut down next year and they are going to do the final repairs – when it comes back on its energy will have doubled.
"That will give us approximately double the reach in terms of looking for new phenomena."
He added: "It is a bit like a telescope – the Higgs is one of the big name items we are after, but there are many, many things going on at the same time."
Professor Peter Higgs, 83, came up with his theory while working as a researcher at Edinburgh University.
An honorary Scot, he was born in Newcastle and graduated with a first-class honours degree in physics from King's College London.
He moved to Edinburgh in 1960 to lecture in mathematical physics – a city which he had grown to love after once hitch-hiking to the Edinburgh Festival.
The scientist hit upon the concept of the Higgs boson while walking in the Cairngorms in 1964 and returned to his lab declaring he had had his "one big idea".
That moment has led to numerous accolades and he is now in line to win the Nobel prize.
But he has spoken of the toll his search to understand the building blocks of the universe has taken, with the stress of his work leading to the breakdown of his marriage to American wife, Jodie, in 1972.
He has previously said: "We split up because I had put my science career above the family. I backed out of a family holiday when we were meant to be going to America. Then I got on a plane and went to a conference."
The notoriously shy professor retired in 1996 and became emeritus professor of physics at Edinburgh University.
He lives in the capital's New Town and doesn't have a television or use a computer – someone else checks his email for him – and rarely answers the phone.
In typically unassuming manner, when asked about his reaction to the discovery which is likely to confirm his life's work, his answer was: "It's very nice to be right sometimes." |
[WM]Pulitzer Prize-winning author Philip Roth resorts to public channels to get a Wikipedia entry changed...and succeeds.
After writing an open (and, of course, extremely eloquent) letter that was published in the New Yorker, Philip Roth got his wish: Wikipedia has changed its entry on his novel The Human Stain to indicate the proper source for its protagonist Coleman Silk. Rather than listing the late New Yorker critic Anatole Broyard as the inspiration, the entry will now indicate that Princeton professor Melvin Tumin, also deceased, was the one who spoke the key sentences from which the novel grew.
Roth's original request to Wikipedia was denied, even though he was the author of the work, because the site administrator claimed it needed "secondary sources." Because Wikipedia is an open-source site that, theoretically, anyone can edit, all Roth needed to do was have an assistant (one presumes he has at least one) go in and make the change. However, with enough street cred, which the Pulitzer Prize winner obviously has, not only can you write a letter and get it published in a major magazine and expect results, you can have that same letter referenced in the Wikipedia entry itself. |
[WM]I spend most of the time at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo taking care of routine Surgical Pathology, and Frozen sections. We cover a broad spectrum of cases which are received not only from children but also from adult patients.
We have a very close relationship with Gastroenterology Group. All endoscopic biopsies are reviewed every week in a joint conference attended by Physicians, Fellows, Residents and Medical students.
Pathology Residents from SUNY program rotate through this hospital for Pediatric Pathology training. I serve as Site Director for this training.
Neonatal and Pediatric autopsies are performed here and they are later discussed with a group of pediatricians, surgeons, radiologists and OB/GYN, whoever is involved in that particular case.
I am and Assistant Director for the Clinical Laboratories of Women’s and Children’s Hospital and also Assistant Director of Blood Bank at Buffalo General Hospital. I am responsible for all hemoglobin electrophoresis performed at the specialty lab of Women’s and Children’s Hospital and, on rotation basis, cover Immunofluorescence at Kaleida Health Lab at Flint Road.
I represent Roswell Park Cancer Institute as Principal Investigator of Pathology at National Children Oncology Group (COG) and as an Investigator for NIH- Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program. We discuss all malignancies at Tumor Board. The Tumor Board is held every week at Women’s and Children’s Hospital with video link to Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
Lee JJ, Baker RD, Khan AR, Baker SS. Childhood esophagitis: then and now. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2009; 48(1).
Katz MS, Hess DJ, Caty MG, Khan AR, Glick PL. Of snakes and babies: intrathoracic stomach and vertebral rachischisis. A serpentine-like syndrome? J Pediatr Surg. 2008; 43(7).
Khan GM, Grillo IA, Abu-Eshy SA, Khan AR, Mubarak J, Jastaniah S. Pathology of the appendix. J Natl Med Assoc. 2000; 92(11).
Archibong EI, Sobande AA, Sadek AA, Ajao OG, Khan AR, Fawehinmi O. The changing pattern of malignant neoplasms among females in Asir region of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J. 2000; 21(9).
Khan AR. Comparison of H. pylori-gastritis among young and old patients by using "the modified Sydney system of classification and grading". Saudi J Gastroenterol. 1999; 5(2).
Khan AR. Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the stomach with heterologous elements. Ann Saudi Med. 1999; 19(2).
Khan AR, Al-Homrany M. IgA nephropathy accompanied by silica-deposited interstitial hephritis. Ann Saudi Med. 1999; 19(1).
Khan AR. S-100 protein in the diagnosis of tuberculoid/borderline tuberculoid leprosy. Ann Saudi Med. 1998; 18(4).
Bhattachan CL, Khan AR. Mixed osteoclastic and pleomorphic giant cell carcinoma of the pancreas. Ann Saudi Med. 1998; 18(2).
Khan AR, Abu-Eshy SA. Variants of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid: experience at Asir Central Hospital. J R Coll Surg Edinb. 1998; 43(1).
Khan AR. An age- and gender-specific analysis of H. Pylori infection. Ann Saudi Med. 1998; 18(1).
Shamim A, Kameswaran M, Thomas R, Khan AR. Primary laryngeal amyloidosis. Ann Saudi Med. 1996; 16(3).
Abu-Eshy SA, Khan AR, Khan GM, al-Humaidi MA, al-Shehri MY, Malatani TS. Thyroid malignancy in multinodular goitre and solitary nodule. J R Coll Surg Edinb. 1995; 40(5).
Abu-Eshy SA, Malik GM, Khan AR, Khan GM, Al-Shehri MY. Schistosomal appendicitis. Ann Saudi Med. 1995; 15(4).
Abu-Eshy SA, Al-Shehri MY, Khan AR, Khan GM, Al-Humaidi MA, Malatani TS. Causes of goiter in the Asir region: A histopathological analysis of 361 cases. Ann Saudi Med. 1995; 15(1).
Morad N, Khan AR, Al-Saigh A, Malatani T, Hussain N. Pattern of primary gastrointestinal tract cancer in the southern province. Ann Saudi Med. 1992; 12(3).
Khurana P, Morad N, Khan AR, Shetty S, Ibrahim A, Patil K. Impact of schistosomiasis on urinary bladder cancer in the southern province of Saudi Arabia: review of 60 cases. J Trop Med Hyg. 1992; 95(2).
Morad N, Malatani T, Khan AR, Hussain N. Peripheral lymphadenopathy as a primary presenting sign: A study of 324 cases from Asir region. Ann Saudi Med. 1992; 12(1).
Khan AR, Hussain NK, Al-Saigh A, Malatani T, Sheikha AA. Pattern of cancer at Asir Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med. 1991; 11(3).
Annobil SH, Benjamin B, Kameswaran M, Khan AR. Lipoid pneumonia in children following aspiration of animal fat (ghee). Ann Trop Paediatr. 1991; 11(1).
Seixas-Mikelus SA, Khan A, Williot PE, Greenfield SP, Khan AR. Three-month-old boy with juvenile granulosa cell tumor of testis and ossifying renal tumor of infancy. Urology. 2009; 74(2).
Broderick K, Thompson JH, Khan AR, Greenfield SP. Giant cell reaction with phagocytosis adjacent to dextranomer-hyaluronic acid (Deflux) implant: possible reason for Deflux failure. J Pediatr Urol. 2008; 4(4).
el-Shoura S, Sheikha A, al-Janadi M, Morad N, Khan AR, Westmuckett A. Visceral leishmaniasis: II. Histiocyte ultrastructure in bone marrow associated with low level of parasitaemia and mimicking malignant histiocytosis. Appl Parasitol. 1993; 34(4).
Fisher JE, Khan AR, Heitlinger L, Allen JE, Afshani E. Chronic granulomatous disease of childhood with acute ulcerative colitis: a unique association. Pediatr Pathol. 1987; 7(1).
Green DM, Marinello MJ, Fisher J, Mindell ER, Zak TA, Allen JE, Khan AR, Brecher ML. Ewing‘s sarcoma of the scapula with metastases to the lung and eye. Am J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 1986; 8(2).
Khan AR, Min B, Chai SW, Englander LS. Biphasic malignant mesothelioma (malignant adenomatoid tumor) of paratesticular tissue. Urology. 1984; 24(1). |
[WM]Mick Foley Talks Why Daughter Noelle Isn't Pursuing A WWE Career - Wrestling Inc.
Even during his various hiatuses from WWE, Mick Foley has never strayed far from the WWE Universe. From 2016-17 Foley's family was depicted on the WWE Network show, Holy Foley! The show was received favorably but hasn't had any new episodes in nearly two years. Foley joined Andy Malnoske of Wrestling Inc where he discussed the current status of Holy Foley!
"We really enjoyed doing it… But it was an expensive show for the [WWE] Network to make, and when you look at some of their other shows, it's a GoPro on a windshield," Foley said referring to Ride Along.
"I think if this was a show that was on USA or E!, there probably would have been a better home because you could have a big budget for it. It would have found fans who are not WWE loyalists. I think Total Bellas has probably half of their viewership who are not actively watching wrestling.
"I was glad they took a chance on it. We really enjoyed those 10 weeks together... and to get paid. But it just didn't work out. It was the highest-rated show [on WWE Network] of all-time for a little while, but there's only so many times people can watch 10 episodes over and over and over."
The breakout star of Holy Foley! was Mick's daughter, Noelle. There was even some thought that Noelle would join WWE after she expressed interest in becoming a women's Superstar. But she opted against doing that and Foley addressed why Noelle stopped pursuing an in-ring career.
"No, she got banged up quite a bit," Foley said of Noelle's training. "Injured, not just banged up but injured."
Noelle may not follow in her father's footsteps by joining WWE, but another Foley kid has already. Mick's oldest son, Dewey, joined WWE as a creative assistant in 2016 and was recently promoted to the writing staff. |
[WM]This past weekend the Fleming Lady Wildcats were on the road and came away with a 1-1 record. On Friday evening, they trounced the Weldon Valley Warriors 61-40 and Saturday fell short in a 43-45 contest to the Genoa-Hugo/Karval Pirates.
Friday's game found the Wildcats with three double figure scorers. Whitney Chintala and Kendyl Kirkwood with 22 points apiece. Jenna Lengfelder put up a solid 15. Jordan Alvarez rounded out the scoring with two points. Kirkwood was also a force on the boards, with 15 rebounds followed by Chintala with seven. Chintala added to her complete game with six steals and eight assists to lead her team in those catagories.
Saturday's trip to Hugo found the Lady 'Cats coming up just a bit short to the 13-1 Pirates. Chintala once again led her team in scoring, pouring in 21 points. No other Wildcat ended up in double figures in the contest, either in scoring or rebounding. Kirkwood led the team with eight rebounds. Lengfelder led the team in assists with three, and Chintala added seven steals.
The Lady Wildcats will take on the Prairie Mustangs at Northeastern Junior College on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. They close out the regular season on Tuesday, Feb. 12 in an away conference game against Peetz. |
[WM]A short service will be held at the Cross of Sacrifice and the Roll of Honour read out.
At approximately 11:00 am two minutes silence will followed marked by the firing of the saluting guns on Victory Green.
The elected government of the Falkland Islands has made the following arrangements for Sunday 9 November 2014, Remembrance Sunday, which will begin the annual service to be held at Christ Church Cathedral commencing at 09:30 am and led by Reverend Canon Paul Kerr and other local ministers.
His Excellency the Governor, Commander British Forces, Members of the Legislative Assembly, visiting and resident South Atlantic veterans, together with Senior Officers of the Armed Services will be attending this Service. The Armoured Corps & Prince of Wales Division Band will provide musical accompaniment. During the Service a collection will be made for the Poppy Appeal.
The congregation is requested to be seated in the Cathedral by 9.15 am. Seating will be on a first come first served basis.
The Guards procession, Associations and SAMA Veterans will march to the Cross of Sacrifice after the service with accompaniment provided by elements of the Band. The flow of traffic will be controlled on Ross Road, Crozier Place and Ross Road East to permit this march. Youth organisations will be present at the Cross of Sacrifice.
At 10.48 am HE the Governor, a Member of the Legislative Assembly and the Commander British Forces will arrive at the Cross of Sacrifice. A short service will then be held and the Roll of Honour read out. There will be two minutes silence at approximately 11.00 am marked by the firing of the saluting guns on Victory Green.
HE the Governor, an Elected Member of the Legislative Assembly, the Commander British Forces, will lay wreaths. Others wishing to lay wreaths will then do so.
Gilbert House points out that this is an important public occasion and it is earnestly hoped that as many members of the community as possible will attend this observance ceremony and play an equal part in honouring and remembering all those who have given their lives for the peace and freedom we enjoy today. It is appropriate for medals to be worn on this occasion.
All those arriving by vehicle at the Cross of Sacrifice should do so before 10:30 a.m. Drivers are requested to note that parking in the cordoned areas is not permitted and are asked to switch off their engines. The flow of traffic will be controlled, during the observance ceremony, at the junction of Snake Hill and James Street, the junction of Hebe Street with Ross Road and Ross Road East, east of the Cross of Sacrifice, in the vicinity of Lafone House. Drivers of vehicles are requested to await the departure of the parade before moving off.
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day or Armistice Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty.
Tags: Falkland Islands, Poppy Appeal, Remembrance Sunday, Victory Green.
Brazil and Argentina are to hold negotiations over the possible procurement of Brazilian-made, but Swedish-designed, jet fighters.
Brazil and Argentina are to begin negotiations over the purchase of Swedish-designed Gripen fighters to be manufactured in Brazil.The decision was announced in Brazil by visiting Argentine Defense Minister Agustín Rossi.
Brazil's Ministry of Defense said the talks over the possible purchase of 24 Brazil-produced Gripens would include not only the conditions of purchase but also Argentina's participation in the production of the Saab-designed aircraft.
Some may well be plotting the next offensive.
Where do they get the money ?
The Gripen has systems from the USA and Britain in it. You might be able to replace electronics, but ejection seats and engines are a bit tougher. |
[WM]The survival of cricket in a country where soccer is everything can be attributed to the likes of Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge and other cricketers at the Vatican. Source: The Weekend Australian.
The young Mark Coleridge was preparing to take the field in a cricket match in a park surrounding Rome’s picturesque Villa Doria Pamphili in the 1980s when a bemused local approached.
It was not an entirely surprising reaction. Cricket was virtually unknown in Italy at the time, having been outlawed by Benito Mussolini before World War II, as it was considered to be inextricably connected with England.
“There was always a bit of a crowd stopping to watch us playing,” Archbishop Coleridge said.
Nonetheless, there was one place in Rome where Mussolini could not entirely exert his power: the Vatican.
“Religious cricket” was still played there and in Catholic seminaries and monasteries by British, Australian and South African members of the Church, says Simone Gambino, president of the Italian Cricket Federation.
Arthur Hinsley, who became Archbishop of Westminster in 1935, is credited with keeping the flame of the game alive. After arriving at the Vatican in 1917 as Rector of the Venerable English College in Rome, he bought land that was adapted as a cricket pitch.
The game survived and slowly emerged in post-war Italy, with members of the Church joining local teams, alongside English-speaking expats, and, increasingly, the “new Italians” from Sri Lanka, India and other parts of the subcontinent.
And according to Mr Gambino, Archbishop Coleridge — an opening batsman who also bowled right-arm orthodox spin — was one of the best players in Italy in the 1980s. |
[WM]Researchers are zooming in on a handheld camera that can reveal the unseen, inner structures of everything from concrete bridges to body parts.
Remember those X-ray glasses advertised in the back of comic books? Imagine a handheld camera that can reveal the unseen, inner structures of everything from concrete bridges to body parts.
Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology under engineering professor Reza Zoughi have developed a patented device that can show the inner structures of objects in real time by using millimeter and microwave signals.
Potential applications include the detection of cancerous skin cells, termite damage to buildings, or concealed weapons at secure zones like airports.
The tech could also be used for finding "defects in thermal insulating materials that are found in spacecraft heat insulating foam and tiles, space habitat structures, aircraft radomes and composite-strengthened concrete bridge members," Zoughi was quoted as saying in a release.
The prototype camera has been in development for several years--check out the vid below, from 2009.
In its current form, objects have to be placed between a transmitter for the microwave radiation and a collector. It can run for several hours on a laptop-size battery.
The researchers are planning to upgrade it to a single unit that works more like a video camera, according to the university. It may eventually produce "real-time 3D or holographic images," Zoughi said.
That would be pretty nifty. Can X-ray glasses be far off? |
[WM]"Amid all the noise, we are getting on with the job," Prime Minister Theresa May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.
London: Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday she would not be derailed from leaving the European Union, laying the groundwork for difficult meetings this week in which she will try to unite a divided cabinet behind her vision for post-Brexit Britain.
May was applauded by European Union leaders in Brussels on Friday after securing an agreement to move previously-deadlocked talks forward onto the topic of interim and long-term trading arrangements.
The progress has gone some way to easing concerns of businesses and investors who fear Britain could crash out of the bloc without an exit deal, or that May's fragile government could collapse under the pressure of delivering Brexit.
"Amid all the noise, we are getting on with the job," May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph. "My message today is very clear: we will not be derailed from this fundamental duty to deliver the democratic will of the British people."
But May can expect some difficult exchanges this week when she and senior ministers discuss the so-called "end state" of the Brexit negotiations for the first time since Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June 2016.
The type of long-term relationship the country should have with the EU is a vexed question at every level in Britain, including within May's cabinet where some want to keep close ties with the EU and others want a more radical divorce from Brussels.
Mindful of the need to keep both sides happy, May has so far plotted a careful path.
May says she wants a wide-ranging free trade deal with the EU and a more outward-looking trade policy, but has largely steered clear of the more contentious issues such as whether Britain should stay aligned with EU trading rules and the future role of European courts.
Meetings expected to take place on Monday and Tuesday are likely to force those issues out into the open.
One of the key pro-Brexit voices in the cabinet, foreign minister Boris Johnson, has set out his own view ahead of the meetings, warning May that Britain must avoid becoming subordinate to the EU.
"What we need to do is something new and ambitious, which allows zero tariffs and frictionless trade but still gives us that important freedom to decide our own regulatory framework, our own laws and do things in a distinctive way in the future," he told the Sunday Times newspaper.
He said that mirroring EU laws would leave Britons asking "'What is the point of what you have achieved?' because we would have gone from a member state to a vassal state." |
[WM]WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- A family-run business in West Des Moines is celebrating a big anniversary Saturday.
Sisters in Valley Junction is celebrating 35 years in business. The boutique shop is run by two sisters, Sara Davis and Greta McCarty, who took it over from their mother.
“There's always been ups and downs, but we love the Junction and it's always been a great place to be. And right now it's really thriving with so many great businesses down here,” said co-owner Davis.
The shop is known for its unique clothing items and handmade jewelry you can't find anywhere else.
Sisters is located at 202 5th Street in West Des Moines. |
[WM]The Boy Scouts of America’s blanket ban on gay adult leaders could end Monday when a top policy-making board plans to vote. Church-sponsored Scout units, however, could be allowed to maintain the exclusion.
NEW YORK – The Boy Scouts of America’s blanket ban on gay adult leaders could end Monday when a top policy-making board plans to vote. Church-sponsored Scout units, however, could be allowed to maintain the exclusion.
The new policy, aimed at easing a controversy that has embroiled the Boy Scouts for decades, would take effect immediately if approved by the organization’s 80-member National Executive Board. Its members were convening for a closed-to-the-media meeting conducted by teleconference.
The stage was set for Monday’s vote back in May, when the BSA’s president, former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, told the Scouts’ annual national meeting that that the long-standing ban on participation by openly gay adults was no longer sustainable. He said the ban was likely to be targeted by lawsuits that the Scouts were apt to lose.
Two weeks ago, the new policy was approved unanimously by the BSA’s 17-member National Executive Committee. It would allow local Scout units to select adult leaders without regard to sexual orientation — a stance that several Scout councils have already adopted in defiance of the official national policy.
In 2013, after heated internal debate, the BSA decided to allow openly gay youth as scouts, but not gay adults as leaders. Several denominations that sponsor large numbers of Scout units — including the Roman Catholic church, the Mormon church and the Southern Baptist Convention — have been apprehensive about ending the ban on gay adults.
The BSA’s top leaders have pledged to defend the right of any church-sponsored units to continue excluding gays as adult volunteers.
The BSA faced potential lawsuits in New York and some other states if it continued to enforce its ban. And the exclusionary policy prompted numerous major corporations to suspend charitable donations to the Scouts in recent years.
Like several other major youth organizations, the Boy Scouts have experienced a membership decline in recent decades. |
[WM]Bryce Harper appears to wave goodbye to Nationals fans on Instagram, could Bronx hello be next? - New York Daily News Bryce Harper appears to wave goodbye to Nationals fans on Instagram, could Bronx hello be next?
Bryce Harper appears to wave goodbye to Nationals fans on Instagram, could Bronx hello be next?
Did Bryce Harper just kiss D.C. fans goodbye?
The soon-to-be free agent who played his final home game in the nation’s capital Wednesday, took to Instagram Thursday to show his appreciation to the fans for the support he’s received over his seven seasons as a National.
“To the fans and the city of DC thank you,” Harper posted with a series of nine photos that together revealed an image of him waving to fans at Nationals Park.
Harper and the Nats travel to Colorado for a three-game set against the Rockies that will end their season, and likely Harper’s time with the D.C. club.
Still just 25 years old, Harper, along with the Dodgers’ Manny Machado, will be one of the hotly pursued free-agent targets this offseason, with the Yankees one of the teams who could be in the market for the 2015 NL MVP’s services. Other teams that could be in the market for the outfielders services include the Dodgers, Phillies, Cubs and Angels. Of course the Nationals could also look to re-sign Harper.
The Yankees interest in Harper likely has cooled some after trading for Giancarlo Stanton and his $325 million mega contract last season.
The asking price for Harper could reach the $400 million dollar mark, though the star’s struggles over the first half of 2018 may bring that dollar amount back down to earth some.
Harper’s .214 first-half batting average was cause for some concern, but he has since bounced back to hit. .292 on the back nine of the season. |
[WM]Bill Maher delivered a scathing review of President Donald Trump's Rose Garden speech Friday, branding the appearance "crackers."
"Barack Obama knew about this from day one," diGenova maintained Wednesday on "Hannity." "He authorized it. Brennan and Clapper Informed him. Everybody.. |
[WM]Put it down to weird-word mind glut. I admit to confusion. And if you are like me, Toyota and Nissan have a problem with their blockbuster entries in the luxury-car sweepstakes.
I have immersed myself in the two cars and still have to think twice before I know that Nissan makes Lexus and Toyota makes Infiniti, or vice versa.
Vice versa wins (I stopped to think), but the befuddlement over names may be the only serious difficulty that Toyota has with its new Lexus.
Several weeks ago I was in love with Infiniti and now my fickle heart has been won by the only serious competition. When you get behind the wheel of a Lexus you can pretty much forget everything else in the luxury class.
You can certainly pay more, and you can maybe get a ''better'' car in the BMW 7-series. You can have more oohs and ahhs and fingerprints on the paint with a Rolls or a Bentley Turbo. But nobody else is offering a steal quite like the Toyota Lexus LS 400, which has a base sticker of $35,000 and will cost about $40,000 by the time you get it home.
Yes, that is a lot of money. But these are the days of $20,000 Hondas, $25,000 Fords and $28,000 Oldsmobiles, and the 40 big ones are well spent if you are in the market for an automotive bargain.
First off, there is the technology. The car has an all-aluminum V8 that is so quiet you will try to start it when it is already running. The transmission is a four-speed overdrive automatic that is among the smoothest ever. And then there is Traction Control, which means the rear wheels never spin, despite the engine's oomph.
Traction Control acts like a limited-slip differential, but better. It uses the car's standard antilock brake system, in tandem with an engine computer that closes a throttle valve to reduce power when wheel spin is imminent.
The engine itself is a masterpiece, with four cams and 32 valves. Its 4 liters develop 250 horsepower, a bit less than Nissan's Infiniti, but it moves the 3,759-pound sedan from zero to 60 in about eight seconds, and top speed is rated by the factory at 150 miles an hour.
Even with that kind of performance though, the sophisticated power plant delivers fuel economy on the order of 17 miles a gallon, city, and 23, highway. Because of the V8's high (10-to-1) compression ratio, you'll have to pull up to the premium pump, and a fill-up will take 22.5 gallons. Given the car's range, the good news is that you won't have to make the visit very often.
Two suspension systems are offered, with the option of coil springs or air bladders. The air springs are a version of Toyota's ''FXV-II'' concept-car suspension system, and a change in driving conditions creates an automatic adjustment to minimize roll, dive and squat. The system also compensates for rough roads, reducing bounce and pitch. And it lowers the car at high speeds for better aerodynamics.
Even without that, the aerodynamics are as good as any in the business. The Lexus has a conservatively beautiful body whose rounded contours produce a coefficent of drag of only .29. And the interior is the exterior's equal.
Toyota has taken bits and pieces from hither and yon, and the car has almost everything. What it doesn't have is the four-wheel steering offered by Infiniti, and if you need to turn on a dime then you ought to buy Nissan. Otherwise, Toyota has it all, from power headrests to a flat emergency key for your newly depleted wallet.
Leather costs $1,400, and Traction Control will be another $900. A 140-watt Pioneer sound system, which features a six-disk CD changer in the low-liftover trunk, is the basic audio equipment, but you can get a 220-watt Nakamichi system if you really want to one-up the world.
Another nice interior feature is the computer that memorizes preferred positions for the driver's seat, the sideview mirrors, the adjustable seat-belt anchor and the wheel, which courteously moves up and out of the way when you remove the ignition key.
The leather-wrapped wheel also has power controls to make it tilt and telescope. Maybe the best thing about the wheel, though, is the horn, which is proper and safe. Unlike all the other cars with airbags in the hub of the wheel, there are no tiny and hard-to-find buttons. Toyota has found a way to make the entire hub serve as the button.
And then there is the dashboard, as good looking as any I've seen. The instrument panel uses lighted white needles and white digits behind smoked glass. The analog gauges are complimented by warning lights as usual, but this time the lights are projected onto the smoked glass to catch the driver's attention, a nice piece of technology that imparts a three-dimensional feel.
Among the gauges is a 160-m.p.h. speedometer, and Toyota says each car is tested at something more than 100 m.p.h. before it goes into the showroom. The point, the company adds, is that capability at such speeds translates into superb performance in the low and mid-ranges.
Neither Lexus nor Infiniti has any trouble achieving speeds that will irritate the troopers, but there is a very different feel to the two sedans.
Infiniti is stiffer, more like Mercedes. Lexus is silkier. But both are super cars and the price is much the same. You just have to remember which is which. |
[WM]Virgin Voyages has released designs and images of its RockStar Suites. The new, adults-only cruise brand says it is striving to bring "Rebellious Luxe" to life at sea with its RockStar Suites, which are designed by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio.
Highlights of the Massive Suite, the top suite aboard the Scarlet Lady, include its very own guitar-clad music room, views of the ocean from every corner of the suite, and a terrace complete with its own Peek-a-View outdoor shower, hot tub, hammocks and a runway outdoor dining table.
Inspired by mega yachts and rock and roll style icons like Grace Jones, the RockStar Suites feature Tom Dixon’s retro-futurism designs with a palette of deep blues used with iridescent dichroic elements to echo the colors of the sky and sea when sailing. Touches of yacht materiality are sprinkled throughout the suites with real leather finishes, marble-clad bathrooms and Terrazzo flooring. The suite’s design also incorporates nautical nods with a brass glam station and accenting beauty counter and bedhead lighting. Each suite is equipped with a vinyl turntable.
All suites are configured to maximize the view of the ocean. Many of the ship’s suites have a Peek-a-Boo shower, an all-marble shower with a dichroic glass window carved in the center. Rockstars who opt for the ship’s top Mega RockStar Suites, can bathe under the sun or stars with their very own Peek-a-View outdoor shower.
The sea terrace for each suite will have a specially designed champagne table able to fit an ice bucket at the center next to loungers, as well as Yellow Leaf brand, sustainably sourced terrace hammocks.
In terms of perks, RockStar Suites guests will be able to enjoy early access to onboard entertainment, restaurants, Shore Things, a private transfer to and from the ship in Miami and an exclusive express VIP pathway to the ship during embarkation. RockStar Suites Sailors will have their own wardrobe team to help unpack and repack, complimentary pressing service and nightly express swimsuit drying service.
In "Rebellious Luxe" fashion, Virgin Voyages has reimagined the mini-bar for its rock stars; instead, suites will have a full bar and cocktail kit, with the first round on the house.
All RockStar Suite guests will have access to Richard's Rooftop, their very own private members' club.
All suites have mood lighting that automatically adjusts to match the time of day and in-room tablets that allow travelers to adjust the room’s lighting. Travelers will get premium linens and a European king bed in every suite, as well as upgraded bath amenities for pampering.
Sailors can opt for one of the Scarlet Lady’s Mega RockStar Suites on deck 15. Virgin Voyages says Mega RockStar Suites will receive a personalized bar filled with their favorites, and the RockStar Services Crew will tend to their "rockstar rider list," digging up whatever they desire -- all red gummy bears, an electric guitar and beyond. With only 78 RockStar Suites aboard the Scarlet Lady, among them are 15 Mega RockStar Suites, named the Massive Suites, Fab Suites, Posh Suites and Gorgeous Suites.
There are only two Massive Suites aboard the Scarlet Lady, each sitting atop the ship’s bridge. These 2,147-square-foot suites have their own music rooms, which double as an extra bedroom and are stocked with guitars and an amplifier. At the center of the Massive Suite is a circular couch set up for conversation and cocktails from the suite’s adjacent in-room bar. The suite’s bath and dressing room area are complete with a hot tub, vanity area, two full-sized wardrobes and a marble-clad bathroom with a Peek-a-Boo shower area that overlooks the bedroom and out to the ocean. The Massive Suite’s terrace will be where friends and family can experience a private hot tub, a Peek-a-View outdoor shower, a circular conversation pit, a lookout point with loungers and two full-length hammocks. Sailors in the Massive Suite can climb a staircase to the top of the runway outdoor table for dining and dancing. |
[WM]Asia-Pacific equities struggled for direction Friday, following a lack of movement in most U.S. stocks overnight, as investors seek new drivers after an October to remember.
Australian stocks stood out, hitting fresh 2017 highs on gains in commodity prices. The S&P/ASX 200 was recently up 0.5% at 5,964 -- hitting a 2017 high for the second day in a row -- and moving closer to 2015's peak of 5,996.90. Topping that would put the index at its best level in 10 years.
BHP Billiton (BHP.AU) rose 1.3%, putting the week's gain at 4.2%, while Rio Tinto (RIO) added 1% to hit a six-year high. Higher metals prices were helping Korean steel producers, with Posco (PKX) climbing 0.6%.
But Korea's Kospi was flat and most benchmarks in the region were within 0.2% of Thursday's closing levels. Japanese markets were closed Friday for a holiday.
"This is normal consolidation," said CMC market analyst Margaret Yang Yan. But she added that selling is pretty light "and we don't see a systematic risk. It's just the market needs some time to digest and consolidate a bit."
Some investors have paused ahead of today's U.S. jobs report. After the first monthly drop in seven years in September's -- skewed by hurricanes -- "expectations are quite high for the data," OM Financial client adviser Stuart Ive said. Weekly jobless claims are at 44-year lows.
Metals prices rebounded this week, with steel and iron ore among the leaders. Nickel has been a standout by rising 23% over the past month due to expectations that supply will tighten on demand from electric-vehicle producers.
Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings (0700.HK) rose 1.4%, hitting record highs again. That came after Alibaba Group Holding (BABA) reported positive quarterly results. That helped Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gain 0.5%.
Elsewhere, oil futures continued to rise, with the U.S. benchmark joining global standard Brent in reaching levels last seen in mid-2015. Both are up as much as 0.5% in Asian trading. |
[WM]Tara Reid was reportedly pulled off a flight before takeoff on Monday.
The "Last Sharknado" star, 42, was aboard a Delta flight from LAX to NYC when she complained about being given the wrong seat and not getting a pillow, TMZ reported.
Per the outlet, Reid got upset when she found out she was not given a seat next to the window, as she had expected. Flight attendants reportedly attempted to diffuse the situation, but the pilot announced he was turning the plane around – which had already pushed back from the gate – due to a customer service issue.
A spokesperson for Delta confirmed to Fox News that "Delta flight 613 from Los Angeles to New York JFK-International returned to the gate, prior to takeoff, due to a customer disturbance on board."
"Delta apologizes to the remaining customers for the inconvenience and appreciates their patience as the situation was resolved," the spokesperson continued, noting that "the flight redeparted for New York following a short delay."
In a video obtained by TMZ, a flight attendant was seen talking to a woman identified as Reid, telling her that he'd gather all of her belongings and meet her "right out here with the captain." |
[WM]It’s a 100,000-Pound Challenge, and no,it’s not a townwide weight-loss promotion, but an endeavor give our community’s neediest neighbors access to some healthy calories.
Organized by the borough-based nonprofit Lunch Break, the 2015 edition of Foodstock brings the community food drive back to Red Bank Middle School Saturday for a morning and afternoon of refreshments, live entertainment and children’s activities.
Scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the family-friendly event comes equipped this year with the stated collection goal of 100,000 pounds, an ambitious benchmark aimed at helping replenish the in-demand resources of Lunch Break— an organization that acts as the first line of defense for thousands of vulnerable Red Bank-area residents, and serves more and more people each year.
Click the graphic above to enlarge for details on the 2015 Food and Fund Drive, including a list of the most needed items and the 100,000 Pound Challenge matching donations campaign. Then visit the Lunch Break website or e-mail [email protected] for more info on Foodstock 2015.
Foodstock donations may be delivered any day from now through June 30, directly to Lunch Break’s donation area at the rear of 121 Drs. James Parker Boulevard in Red Bank. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. If you have more than 300 pounds of food, or too much for you to physically handle, call (732) 747-8577, extension 3102, in advance to arrange assistance.
Posted on May 15, 2015 at 6:39 am, filed under Charity, Featured, Fundraisers, red bank, schools, Volunteering and tagged foodbank of monmouth and ocean, foodstock 2015, gwen love, lunch break red bank, Red Bank Middle School, red bank nj. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Trackbacks are closed, but you can post a comment. Email this story. |
[WM]West Ham manager Slaven Bilic felt a sense of "relief" after Diafra Sakho's late goal secured victory over Swansea and eased the pressure on him.
The atmosphere at London Stadium had been tense with fans unhappy about the performance of Bilic's side for the majority of the game.
But Sakho eased some of the scrutiny on Bilic when he got on the end of fellow substitute Arthur Masuaku's cross in the 90th minute and stabbed the ball home from close range.
"It is a relief, a great three points for us," Bilic said. "I know it is shallow when the manager says there is pressure, but that makes a difference.
"To keep the support of the crowd we need to keep producing minute after minute and we did not do that in the first half. The guys on the bench lifted the team and crowd."
Swansea were positive with their approach but a long-range effort from Wilfried Bony, parried by Joe Hart, in the first half was the best they had to show for their endeavour.
Home fans chanted "sacked in the morning" at Bilic when his side trailed 3-0 in a 3-2 defeat by Tottenham last weekend.
For the most of this contest there was little respite for the Croat as his side laboured against a disciplined and organised Swansea side.
Indeed there were jeers and boos for Bilic's double substitution when Masuaku and Sakho were introduced for Javier Hernandez and Andre Ayew.
Ultimately, the 49-year-old's decision to throw on both players made the difference, though, as Masuaku's superb run and cross found Sakho's perfectly timed run.
With West Ham's next three matches against Burnley, Brighton and Crystal Palace, Bilic will hope the confidence from this victory can spur his side on to greater things.
Swansea managed just 10 shots on target before this encounter, which head coach Paul Clement blamed on a hectic end to the transfer window.
Their play was largely tidy and they used the ball intelligently, with Renato Sanches in particular catching the eye for the visitors.
However, there was a stark lack of cutting edge to Swansea's play. Despite the presence of Tammy Abraham, Jordan Ayew and Bony - for the first half at least - they managed just one shot on target in the entire contest.
"A combination of the delivery and the movement need to be better in the final third," Clement said. "We are closer to getting the balance right, but there is still work to be done."
Swansea's first away defeat sent them into the bottom three and, unless Clement gives them more bite in attack, another relegation battle beckons this season.
The powerful striker's partnership with Javier Hernandez never really clicked but he was a menace to the Swansea backline. Carroll seems to be getting sharper and his all-round workrate was unrelenting. He was unfortunate not to score when he struck the corner of the goal with an improvised shot.
This game produced a total of just 15 shots; only Burnley v Huddersfield on 23 September featured fewer in the top flight this season (13).
West Ham have registered three clean sheets in their last four Premier League games, after managing none in the five before that.
Swansea conceded their first away Premier League goal in 495 minutes of action and suffered their first away defeat of the season.
Four of the 10 Premier League games where winning goals have been scored in the 90th minute or later in 2017 so far have been against Swansea.
Diafra Sakho netted his first Premier League goal since November 2016, when he scored against Manchester United.
Six of West Ham's seven league goals this season have come in the second half, which equates to a league-high 86% proportion.
West Ham goalkeeper Joe Hart: "It was a difficult atmosphere in some ways. I'm never going to criticise the fans, they come here and pay their money and have a right to their opinion.
"We have to focus on the win. We have had seven points since the international break [at the beginning of September].
"It is on all of us to take the pressure off. We don't get sucked into the speculation, we just stick together and fight hard."
Swansea head coach Paul Clement: "I think the result was a little harsh in that I don't think that they weren't better than us as such.
"We just did not defend that last attack very well. They created a really good scoring chance, which is what we didn't do.
"We did not stop the cross coming in, did not defend it in the box and if you concede that late you do not give yourself much chance."
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: ""We did not play well in the first half after a good first 10 minutes, making basic mistakes and Swansea were much better on the ball. We have to play better and we can play better.
"The changes were crucial with Manuel Lanzini, Arthur Masuaku and Diafra Sakho coming on.
"We played a very offensive formation in the first half but lacked the link between the defence and attack and that was why Lanzini made a big impact."
West Ham face a tricky trip to Burnley on Saturday, 14 October (15:00 BST), while Swansea host newly promoted Huddersfield at the Liberty Stadium at the same time on the same day.
Match ends, West Ham United 1, Swansea City 0.
Second Half ends, West Ham United 1, Swansea City 0.
Attempt blocked. Andy Carroll (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Diafra Sakho with a cross.
Goal! West Ham United 1, Swansea City 0. Diafra Sakho (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Arthur Masuaku with a cross.
Attempt missed. Andy Carroll (West Ham United) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by José Fonte following a set piece situation.
Substitution, Swansea City. Sam Clucas replaces Martin Olsson.
Andy Carroll (West Ham United) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Arthur Masuaku with a cross.
Offside, West Ham United. Michail Antonio tries a through ball, but Diafra Sakho is caught offside.
Alfie Mawson (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, West Ham United. Arthur Masuaku replaces André Ayew.
Attempt missed. Martin Olsson (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Leroy Fer.
Renato Sanches (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Swansea City. Roque Mesa replaces Leon Britton because of an injury.
Delay in match Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City) because of an injury.
Substitution, West Ham United. Manuel Lanzini replaces Mark Noble.
Attempt missed. Renato Sanches (Swansea City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Andy Carroll (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Renato Sanches (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the right wing. |
[WM]Nuance Communications has announced that IP Australia will become the first organisation across the Asia Pacific region to add next generation automated machine learning and human-assisted artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to its widely successful Alex online virtual assistant.
Alex, based upon Nuance’s Nina Virtual Assistant platform, provides AI-powered customer service on the IP Australia web site, engaging with citizens in human-like virtual chats. Launched in August 2016, Alex is achieving 80 per cent first contact resolution through powerful conversational AI and question-answer capabilities.
The latest in machine learning enables the virtual assistant to learn from ingested organisational content and human agent’s responses, enabling Alex to independently handle increasingly complex enquiries over time. This is what Nuance calls the human assisted virtual agent, the latest in supervised AI technology.
Currently, IP Australia’s online virtual assistant powered by Nuance’s Nina technology delivers a dynamic and engaging customer experience that lets customers easily understand trademark, patent, designs and plant breeder’s rights processes. The human elements of dialogue and personalised interaction connect customers to the right information and tools, which translates into immediate, easy and effective self-servicing and increased customer satisfaction. At present, Alex is capable of answering IP rights questions in layman’s terms, minimising customer confusion and maximising successful first-time transactions.
Robert Schwarz, managing director, Nuance, Australia and New Zealand, added: “Successful virtual assistants need to be able to continually evolve to have meaningful conversations with customers. Supervised AI enables Nina to learn from the very best customer service experts, ensuring Nina is ready to serve customers effectively and efficiently,” said Robert Schwarz, managing director, Nuance, Australia and New Zealand. |
[WM]Haitian earthquake survivors take a break and play soccer at a park that is now a refugee camp in Haiti's capital.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Haiti's capital seemed to spring back to life Wednesday, more than a week after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake flattened many parts of the city and killed tens of thousands.
Electrical power was still out most places, but traffic lights were functioning and chaotic traffic clogged many streets. Aid trucks, some guarded by blue-helmeted United Nations peacekeepers, were seen leaving the airport. Water trucks also were spotted in parts of Port-au-Prince.
"There's energy in the air," said Haitian-born J.B. Diederich, who lives in Miami but returned to Haiti for a few days after the earthquake.
More U.N. convoys were seen moving through the city than in previous days, and so could vehicles for large nongovernmental organizations.
Haitian police seemed to take a more active role, directing traffic and getting out of their vehicles to deal with some problem or other. For several days after the earthquake, heavily armed police officers were often seen speeding by in their trucks but did not seem to stop or do much.
There also seemed to be more street vendors Wednesday.
Some banks and wire-transfer companies plan to open Thursday, as do some stores, Diederich said.
To be certain, Port-au-Prince still has a ways to go. But on Wednesday, the city seemed ready to leave the tragedy behind.
Any U.S. citizen who wants to leave Haiti on a U.S. military transport aircraft can do so simply by going to the airport and applying for voluntary departure at a State Department office placed on the tarmac.
About 5,000 people have left in the past week, an official said.
The service is available to U.S. citizens or anyone escorting a U.S. citizen who is a minor. Although the flights are initially free, the U.S. will try to recoup costs from individual passengers.
The cargo planes would return to the United States empty if they weren't transporting citizens.
A handful of Cuban citizens stood in a line next to the U.S. State Department tent at the airport while about 100 U.S. citizens were processed for a flight Wednesday afternoon.
The Cubans wanted out, too, but there were no waiting planes. There weren't even any indications that a Cuban plane would arrive at all.
"Here everyone resolves their problems, and we don't even have a way to get home," said a woman who did not want to give her name.
None of the three people interviewed by a CNN reporter would give their names. They laughed nervously when first asked and then said it would be too dangerous for them to comment openly. |
[WM]John Elworthy, editor of sister titles the Wisbech Standard and Cambs Times, takes over as editor of the Ely Standard.
Archant Herts & Cambs said commercial director Amanda Davison-Young said: ‘We thank Debbie for her loyalty and commitment over the past ten years and wish her well for the future.
‘John Elworthy will take editorial responsibility for the titles alongside his current role as editor of the Cambs Times. |
[WM]Somehow, somewhere, deep down, in the middle of the solar plexus, but maybe deeper, we all knew the famous, and then infamous, "25 Things List" that dominated Facebook a few months back would return, one day.
Like the swallows and the seasons, it was too powerful and eternal of a force to not return.
Even if you didn't participate in the monthlong-ish meme by compiling your own list of "25 Things," you probably delighted in/loathed reading the all-about-me rosters of your pals. Missing those halcyon days?
In recent weeks we've seen the flipside of the "25 Things List" gaining traction on the ol' FB: the "How Well Do You Know *Your Name Here*?" quiz.
In other words, now our friends aren't offering us tidbits of their lives; they are asking us to report back to them on our knowledge of their personal tidbits.
Are we up to the challenge, America? So far, we're seeing scores of 40 to 50 percent coming back as friends take other friends' tests. "Hmm" might sum it up best. Just hmm.
Maybe the questions are too difficult? Too focused on minutia? We'd be surprised if even our nearest and dearest can even exactly pinpoint our hair color or height. So, a recommendation: make the questions less hard. And if you do create a challenging quiz, and your pals who take it score on the low side, it might be time to schedule a few more lunches together.
A positive side effect, perhaps. Facebook creating more face time. |
[WM]A dramatic suicide bombing at a funeral in Baghdad took the lion’s share of casualties today. However, across the country, gunmen were able to kill several security personnel. At least 40 Iraqis were killed and 67 more were wounded overall.
In Baghdad, a suicide taxi bomber targeted a funeral procession traveling in the Zaafaraniya district. At least 32 people were killed and 65 more were wounded. The funeral was for three victims killed in a shooting yesterday, but many of today’s victims were policemen who had been guarding the mourners. The bombing itself took place near shops, a hospital, and a police station. Afterwards, gunmen killed two policemen at a nearby checkpoint.
Gunmen killed a man who operates a community power generator in Zinjili.
A judge’s assistant was killed in Akbusaif village.
The mutilated body of a Peshmerga guard was discovered in Khanaqin.
In Mosul, an off-duty soldier was gunned down.
A sticky bomb killed a Sahwa leader in Garma.
A bomb wounded a policeman in Mansouriya.
Gunmen shooting at a home in Dali Abbas wounded a Sahwa member there. |
[WM]What time VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER depart from VISAKHAPATNAM Railway Station?
VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER (18512) departs from VISAKHAPATNAM Railway Station at 13:50.
How much time VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER take to reach KORAPUT Railway Station?
VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER reach on day 1 to KORAPUT Railway Station. The arrival time of VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER at KORAPUT Railway Station is 21:10.
Distance covered by VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER?
VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER covers 358 km to reach KORAPUT Railway Station at average speed of 49 km/hr. VSKP-KRPU BI-WEEKLY INTER passes through 11 stations. |
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