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Minnesota House of Representatives Chief Clerk's Office
The following House Files were introduced:
Osskopp introduced:
H. F. No. 2541, A bill for an act relating to highways; modifying provisions relating to telecommunications access to interstate highway rights-of-way; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 161.45, subdivision 1.
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Transportation Policy
Kelliher, Kahn, Rhodes, Skoglund and Mullery introduced:
H. F. No. 2542, A bill for an act relating to capital improvements; authorizing the issuance of state bonds; appropriating money for the Minnesota planetarium.
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Jobs and Economic Development Finance
Clark, J., introduced:
H. F. No. 2543, A bill for an act relating to natural resources; providing funding to construct a recreational trail; authorizing bonds; appropriating money.
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Finance
Paymar, Entenza, Dawkins, Mariani and Hausman introduced:
H. F. No. 2544, A bill for an act relating to local government; directing the commissioner of agriculture to suspend ethanol payments to Gopher State Ethanol upon adoption of a resolution by the St. Paul city council.
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Agriculture Policy
Leppik, Evans, Solberg, Cassell and Rhodes introduced:
H. F. No. 2545, A bill for an act relating to education; establishing a committee to study bargaining unit issues of instructional employees in residential facilities; appropriating money.
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Higher Education Finance
Swenson introduced:
H. F. No. 2546, A bill for an act relating to environment; appropriating money for a regional sludge management demonstration project.
Bakk introduced:
H. F. No. 2547, A bill for an act relating to game and fish; adding a separate selection category for issuing moose licenses; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 97A.431, subdivisions 2, 4.
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Policy
Hausman; Clark, K.; Dawkins; Johnson, S.; Paymar; Koskinen; Wagenius; Dibble; Hilty; Kahn; Mariani; Folliard; Kelliher; Entenza; McGuire and Greiling introduced:
H. F. No. 2548, A bill for an act relating to energy; establishing a nuclear waste council; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 216C; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 116C.711.
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Regulated Industries
Hausman; Clark, K.; Dawkins; Johnson, S.; Paymar; Koskinen; Wagenius; Dibble; Hilty; Kahn; Folliard; Mariani; Johnson, R.; Davnie; Kelliher; McGuire and Greiling introduced:
H. F. No. 2549, A bill for an act relating to the environment; reactivating and reorganizing the nuclear waste council; modifying provisions relating to dry cask storage of nuclear waste; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 116C.711, subdivisions 1, 2; 116C.712, subdivisions 1, 2, 5; 116C.771; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 116C.80.
H. F. No. 2550, A bill for an act relating to public safety; modifying emergency 911 telephone system provisions to establish emergency 911 telecommunications system; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 403.01; 403.02, subdivisions 3, 6, 7, by adding subdivisions; 403.05; 403.06; 403.07; 403.08; 403.09; 403.10, subdivision 1; 403.11, subdivisions 1, 3, 4, by adding a subdivision; 403.113, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 403.04; 403.11, subdivision 2; 403.113, subdivision 5; 403.12, subdivision 1; 403.13; 403.14; Minnesota Rules, parts 1215.0400; 1215.0600; 1215.0700; 1215.1200, subpart 3; 1215.1500.
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Chief Clerk's Office · 211 State Capitol St. Paul, MN 55155 55155 · Webmaster@house.mn


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Mrs. Robinson, the Mother of all Cougars, Bares Onstage
It's true, Mrs. Robinson, bares it all for the young, more than half her age, neighbor's son, Benjamin. You didn't hear it from me, but this classic scandal is still going on at Repertory Philippines with their version of "The Graduate". Now you can see it with your very own eyes at Onstage Greenbelt on April 26, 27 and 28.
This mature play is worthy of attention because of the dedication of these fine actors to their roles, going the difficult step of being vulnerable just to achieve the play's objective and present a believable story. The acapela background music, simplified stage, 60s make up and wardrobe takes you to that era of our parents and grandparents college days as you notice the similarity of conflicts and issues they had with the present day college students. The universality and relevancy of the theme will cross over to future generations as well. Perhaps what will distinguish this play from the movie version is the inclusion of a scene that presented Elaine's reaction to the whole situation which was originally overlooked or ignored. Her character was given more importance and thus the quiet voice was allowed to be heard and that hanging question was addressed.
Pinky Marquez played the pivotal character valiantly, while Reb Atadero played the confused, lost boy with as much fervor. Sweet Cara Barredo was a shoe-in for the role of Elaine, while Jeremy Domingo portrayed a powerful, distraught father and husband. Joel Trinidad's characters served as comic relief to an otherwise very serious play. Angela Padilla and Natalie Everett were true to their roles even if it meant baring all. Aside from an entertaining performance, expect a lot of skins exposed as an added treat.
The Graduate, a hilarious, satirical look at middle-class disillusionment and social mores, was first presented to the public in 1963 as a novel by Charles Webb. Four years later, it was adapted as a screenplay by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham. Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, and Katharine Ross starred in the movie version of the Graduate (17th on the list of the American Film Institute's Greatest Movies of All Time) which tells the story of Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate who, after being seduced by an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, finds himself falling hopelessly in love with her daughter Elaine. Selected in 1996 by the US National Film Institute as being "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant," the movie went on to become the 21st highest-grossing film in the US and Canada. It also featured the American Film Institute's 6th most popular movie theme song in the history of American Cinema ("Mrs. Robinson" by Simon and Garfunkel), forever cementing the film in American popular culture.
In 2002, new life was breathed into the story when Terry Johnson adapted The Graduate for the stage. The theatrical production, which starred Kathleen Turner, Jason Biggs, and Alicia Silverstone, ran in London's West End, on Broadway, and on tour all over the United States.
Now, Repertory Philippines finally brings The Graduate to Manila. Veteran director, playwright, and actor Jaime del Mundo (Shakespeare In Hollywood; The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe; Little Mermaid) directs the play, adding his own unique touch of wit, charm, and edge to this well-loved comedy. Heading the cast is multi-talented theater icon Pinky Marquez (No Way To Treat A Lady; Katy: The Musical) as the iconic "cougar" Mrs. Robinson. Sharing the stage with her are versatile up-and-comers Reb Atadero (Altar Boyz; They're Playing Our Song) as the hapless Benjamin Braddock and Cara Barredo (Little Women; Rivalry: The Musical) as the charming and innocent Elaine Robinson. Rounding out the cast are theater veterans Jeremy Domingo, Angela Padilla, Natalie Everett, Joel Trinidad, and show director Jaime del Mundo.
With a hilarious script, masterful direction, and brilliant performances led by Ms. Marquez, The Graduate is sure to seduce audiences all over again.
Catch the Repertory Philippines presentation of The Graduate on April 27(Sat) at 8pm and on April 28 (Sun) 3:30pm at Onstage Greenbelt 1. Tickets at Php1,200.00; Php1000.00, Php800.00 and Php500.00. Call 2150788 or 09175378313 or email cteshows@gmail.com for reservations. Show is for adults only.
with the lovely Mrs. Robinson played by Ms. Pinky Marquez
Posted by JR Bustamante at 5:20 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Mrs. Robinson, Onstage Greenbelt Theater, Repertory Philippines, The Graduate
An April Evening with a String Quartet . . . Finale to MCOF Music Series 2013
What a perfect way to spend a romantic summer evening enjoying the pure sound of four string instruments playing music in unison. This April 17, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the Ayala Museum, join Manila Chamber Orchestra Foundation (MCOF) and Ayala Museum for an evening with the Philippine premiere of a string quartet, "Quartetto Espressivo" as the ensemble performs for you two of the most romantic works for string quartet ever written - Tchaikovsky's nostalgic first string quartet, and Verdi's heartwarming and the only String Quartet. This concert ends MCOF's "Chamber Music Festival", which opened last February 2013.
Quartetto Espressivo won the first prize in the National Competition for Young Artists Chamber Music Category. Each of the four members of the quartet are winners of the same music competition, and are regular members of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. The quartet is composed by violinist Christian Tan, second violinist Sara Maria Gonzales, Violist Ray Casey Concepcion, and cellist Gerry Graham Gonzales. The ensemble's mains advocacy is perform Filipino classical compositions in string quartet arrangements to bring further awareness on, and appreciation for Filipino Art Music.
Tchaikovsky's first string quartet work is considered the first major great Russian string quartet. Its second movement, famous in its own right, was based on a folk song heard by the composer whistled by a house painter. When the quartet was performed at a Tribute concert for Leo Tolstoy, it was said to have brought Tolstoy to tears. As a tribute to Giuseppe Verdi on his birth bi-centennial this year, we present his dramatic and only String Quartet. Written before the world premiere of his famous opera Aida, the work demands impeccable technique from its performers, but filled with beautiful melodies only the King of Opera can imagine.
The MCO Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit organization established in 1985 and is dedicated to the promotion of the classical arts.
For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999, MCOF at 750-0768 or 0920-9540053, and Allan 782-7164 or 0918-3473027.
Posted by JR Bustamante at 12:23 PM 4 comments:
Labels: ayala museum, Manila chamber orchestra foundation, mcof, string quartet
After countless feeble attempts to describe what the country is all about, we have finally hit the nail on the head with a campaign that captures the essence of Philippine life which is simply "fun". The upbeat music and fast moving visuals with short text messages capture the spirit indeed.
I mean what else can we hold on to . . . we are not an ancient city, nor do we have castles or royalties to boast of, we have no snow for skiing or ice skating, our recreation centers or movie studios are not as state-of-the-art as those of developed countries. But "Fun in the Beach", we will take any country on. First, show us your finest beaches, only then we can advance to the "Fun" aspect.
So we also have some negative elements around like some corrupt official here or there, bad traffic enforcement and behavior, some unmaintained toilets, a roach crawling about, cheating on taxi rates, and if you are careless with your things, a cunning snatcher will be around. Which country doesn't have these pests? . . . But one thing is certain, we can live up to the "fun" image because it is a synergy of people and places. Call Filipinos shallow and corny because it may be true, but in our standards, that which matter to us, we are having fun and if you don't want to join us then that is totally up to you.
Beaches, Fiestas, and Smiles , I believe, are the key words to describe the Philippines. If you want to beach and you want to party, then you have come to the right place. We have them all over the place, and all the time. Boracay is known with the International community but that place is just the tip of the iceberg. We have lots more, some even unknown to the Filipinos themselves as these places may still be underdeveloped. But let me take you to another growing popular beach spot that can boast of powdery white sand as well. Welcome to Panglao, an island in Bohol province of tarsiers and chocolate hills that is gaining popularity with the European crowd.
After landing at Tagbilaran City airport, an hour and 15 minutes flight from Manila, I was picked up by a service that took only 15 minutes to cross over the bridge to Panglao where I stayed at The Glasshouse at Dauis Highland. This two-bedroom fully-serviced villa was my home for the next few days as I explored the city as well as the beaches.
After getting comfy and settling in during my first day, I was taken for lunch to a nice, popular, reasonably-priced beach-front restaurant called Linaw, managed by its Belgian owners. They grow their own organic vegetables and their meals range from P100 to P280.
We passed by the town's classy delicatessen called C.U. Bakery for some cheese and bread on our way back. The ambiance was not something you would expect from a province establishment but more of an international level type. I ravished the brie cheese with Tanduay Ice after dinner while savoring the romantic view of the citylights from The Glasshouse veranda that overlooks the bridge and Tagbilaran city.
The next day, I had the chance to explore what the city had to offer. We had lunch, movie, and a gelato at one of their biggest malls, BQ Mall. The buko pandan gelato over crepes drizzled with chocolate sauce worth only P100 was something to keep coming back for at the 3rd floor nook of the mall called, Gelateria. It was clearly a favorite hang-out place for the students and foreigners.
Come happy hour, we drove 15 minutes to a tapas bar near Alona beach called Le Rendez-Vous. A healthy dinner of Ceasar's salad with iced tea was their specialty for me. This place became a hang-out for me in the next few days because of its strong wifi signal, nice friendly staff, as well as its proximity to Alona beach. I also had the pleasure of meeting the nice French owner who also happens to be the owner of L'Elephant Blue Cottages and Cougar boat services for beach activities such as snorkeling, sightseeing, or island-hopping.
The next few days were precious as I woke up to a daily dose of gorgeous sunrises by the main veranda or the upper veranda near the room. Late morning activities included swimming by the pool or doing some computer work by the settee beside an inspiring glass wall.
This glass wall framed a live picture of the neighboring island surrounded with water that flickered by the strong sun rays, my constant uplifting view during my stay. Afternoons were either spent in the beach or sunset strolling or jogging around The Glasshouse vicinity of rustic, rolling hills landscape.
Lunch out included a humble turo-turo, called Andreas, patronized by divers and some foreign tourists which is walking distance to Alona Beach. Another nearby beach called Dumaloan, located beside Bohol Beach Club, is a cleaner and whiter alternative to Alona but charged an entrance fee of P50 per head as well as parking fee. They also rented out shaded tables which ranges from P250-P350 for whole day family or barkada picnics (They charge for excess hours as well).
On my last night, we picked up a hot and crispy Sicilian pizza for dinner at Alfredo's Pizzaria along the bridge from Tagbilaran City to Panglao island. Their pizza prices ranged from P120 to P370 for gourmet type of regular pizza, you just have to drop by this little pizza shop by the bridge.
Since this was my first trip to Panglao, this is all the experience I can share for now. If you don't have any airport pick up service, there are nearby trikes or shuttles that can provide special trips for you straight to the beach that will cost you from P150 to P300.
Airport pick up and drop off as well as beach trip car service is included in the package when you book at The Glasshouse. For more information and reservation, visit their Facebook page at The Glasshouse in Bohol.
Labels: Alona beach, Bohol, dumaloan beach, le rendez vous, Panglao, tagbilaran airport, the glasshouse

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Android News / All News / Google Play Music's Desktop Media Manager Looks to be Uploading Lossless Files
Google Play Music's Desktop Media Manager Looks to be Uploading Lossless Files
By Nick Sutrich
Google Play Music has been a staple of the Android streaming music scene for a couple of years now, but it's not just good for streaming music off of Google's licensed section. Google Play Music originally made its big debut by letting users upload 20,000 of their own songs to Google's cloud and add them to the library of tracks found within the app. This integrated seamlessly with Google's own streaming licensed music, meaning if you subscribed to All Access you'd not only be getting the 22 million songs that Google currently offers as part of the service, but any of those more obscure albums you might have had in your music collection can easily and freely be added to that library as well.
One of the biggest downsides for music aficionados, however, was that Google used to use a compressed MP3 format for all the songs you uploaded. Now it looks like some users on Reddit have found that when they make their newly uploaded albums available offline on their devices, the file size has significantly increased in the last day or two. Within Google Play Music you are allowed to make any album available offline so that it doesn't have to stream through the network, saving any possible data overages and even helping when you know you're going in an area with less coverage than is desirable.
According to user Tesseract91, many of his albums uploaded before this assumed change were about 1/4 of the size of their lossless versions, bringing the quality of the music down and possibly creating a less than idea user experience. Now when an album is uploaded to Google's servers it looks like it's nearly the same size as its lossless version, giving the possibility that Google is in fact using a lossless format to encode the albums that have been newly uploaded. While the file that's been downloaded is still in an MP3 file format, the actual format doesn't inherently mean that the music is compressed, however to take advantage of this new presumably higher quality format you'll need to delete your uploaded albums and re-upload them to Google's servers.
Google recently updated Google Play Music with some new widgets for mobile, as well as bringing back the device de-authorization limit that was once enforced in regards to how many devices you can use the music streaming service on and how many you can de-authorize.
Nick Sutrich
Nick has written for Android Headlines since 2013 and has traveled to many tech events across the world. He's got a background in IT and loves all things tech-related. Nick is the VR and Home Automation Editor for the site and manages the Android Headlines YouTube channel. He is passionate about VR and the way it can truly immerse players in different worlds. In addition, he also covers the gamut of smart home technology and home automation. Contact him at [email protected]


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Kevin Harvick-Carl Edwards duel ranks among closest finishes in NASCAR
By Dustin LongMar 13, 2016, 8:08 PM EDT
For the second time this season, the winning margin of victory was one-hundredth of a second.
Less than a month after Denny Hamlin nipped Martin Truex Jr. by that margin in the Daytona 500, Kevin Harvick edged Carl Edwards in a side-by-side duel Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway.
The finish ranks as the closest at Phoenix and seventh closest since the advent of electronic timing and scoring more than 20 years ago.
Two other races had the same winning margin: Matt Kenseth over Kasey Kahne in Feb. 2004 at North Carolina Speedway, and Dale Earnhardt over Bobby Labonte in March 2000 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Harvick now has three victories among the 10 closest finishes with his March 2001 win at Atlanta over Jeff Gordon by .006 seconds and his April 2005 win at Talladega Superspeedway over Jamie McMurray by .011 seconds.
"I've got a few in that category,'' Harvick said after his 32nd career Sprint Cup victory. "I don't know why we have to make it so close.''
Sunday's finish was set up when the race went to overtime after Kasey Kahne had tire issues and brought out the caution.
Harvick restarted in the lead after not pitting. Edwards pitted for two tires and restarted fourth — behind Harvick on the outside lane.
Edwards, seeking his first Cup win since last year's Southern 500, made his run in Turn 3 on the last lap and got underneath Harvick. They ran side-by-side bouncing off each other toward the finish.
"I ran into him about as hard as I thought I could without wrecking him, and it ended up being a drag race,'' Edwards said. "It was kind of fun coming to the line because I thought, 'Man, I got him,' and then he doored me real hard. Then he got a little run and then I tried to door him and slow him down, but it just didn't work.''
Said Harvick: "I knew I was going to have to be on defense because he beat me through the center of (Turns) 3 and 4 all day. I was fully expecting everything that I got, but I just needed to be able to get knocked up the track far enough to be able to put the throttle back down.
"I was kind of a couple feet behind and was able to kind of scrub against his door a little bit to slow him back down. By the time he'd realized that he was going to be behind, we had carried the momentum by him and we were at the start‑finish line.''
Harvick said he had no issues with the contact from Edwards.
"I would have done the same thing,'' Harvick said. "After the race, that's what we said to each other.
"You're coming to the checkered flag and he wants to win for his team and I want to win for my team, and there's a lot on the line.''
Follow @dustinlong


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Boulevard Creative
Breakaway RVA
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New High Tech Fitness Equipment At The Shady Grove YMCA
By Trevor Dickerson Uncategorized
So I've been working out every day lately at the Shady Grove YMCA, but just this morning noticed a lot of new technology in place. There is a set of new Life Fitness treadmills (I don't know how long they've been there, but not too long) that have interactive color touch screens complete with a view of how far you've run that can be shown as a track, mountain hike, or nature trail, a virtual personal trainer, and an interface for your iPod (you can plug your iPod into the docking cable and you can scroll through your playlists on the treadmill screen!). I keep my USB flash drive on my keyring, so I was also able to insert that into the provided slot at the end of my workout and it saved my workout information. Nifty!
Next, I went up front to discover three new interactive stationary bikes by a new start up company called Expresso Fitness. These bikes allow you to sign in to track your progress and then select a myriad of different road courses of various levels, change gears on screen, and you're given a pacer to keep up with, all on a big 17 inch color screen. I was much more motivated to go faster and farther by being on a virtual course and having other bikers to keep up with on screen than I would have been if it was just me on a traditional stationary bike. This is a very cool concept and I think this company will do very, very well in the fitness industry as they grow and expand.
These are some great new fitness technologies and it's really cool that the YMCA has invested in them to bring a new dimension to working out.
AT&T To Bring Free Wi-Fi To Starbucks And Beyond!
This is awesome news in so many ways. AT&T plans to start implementing wi-fi networks at more than 7,000 company-run Starbucks locations nationwide (that's pretty much all of them except in certain locations, such as Barnes & Noble, for example). The best part? It's going to be free! If you have a Starbucks card, you will be allowed two hours of free, unrestricted access per day to the network. For anything beyond that, there's a very nominal fee. If you're an AT&T Broadband customer, you'll have unlimited free access. The networks will be installed in the Spring in many markets, and all locations should have networks by the end of the year.
This is somewhat of a different topic, but it has been reported that AT&T has snapped up part of the 700 MHz wireless spectrum put on the auction block by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and plans to offer nationwide long-range wi-fi that will most likely be free for iPhone users (personal note: this would be incredible) and only ten to twenty dollars per month for iPod Touch users and computer users who do not have any kind of AT&T service plan. This makes complete sense and leads me and many other people to believe that we will never see the 3G-equipped iPhone that has long been rumored to come out this year. The chips used in 3G phones use too much power to be useful in a device such as the iPhone. Plus, this way there will be no update to the iPhone necessary and last year's purchases, myself included, won't be left out in the cold with an incompatible device. The profits for both AT&T and Apple would be enormous if iPod Touch owners embraced the service, and really, why wouldn't they? The device becomes twice as useful in more places with constant connectivity to a wi-fi network, as opposed to just at home.
I'm really excited about the prospect of these plans being implemented!
Here are the links to articles on both planned AT&T services:
AT&T's Starbucks Wi-Fi Networks
AT&T's Nationwide Wi-Fi Network
© 2021 Trevor Dickerson's Complex Simplicity.


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Game of the Year 2016 #1: Doom
For its combination of breathless gameplay, goofy gore, and respect for its roots, Doom is Shacknews' Game of the Year 2016.
Shack Staff
This year was a great year for video games. We saw a sequel to Arcane's spectacular revenge story, Dishonored, and even got to return to the world of Final Fantasy in an entirely new way. Blizzard also released their own take on the hero shooter, and Overwatch has been an absolute joy to play. In 2016, though, one game has stood taller than the rest. Developed by id Software, and published by Bethesda Games, Doom breathed new life into the stagnation of the first-person shooter genre and helped revive the industry's love for fast-paced, hard-hitting action and gore. Last week, before our break, the staff all sat down together to talk about why Shacknews loves Doom, and what the game means to us as a site.
David Craddock: I don't know about the rest of you, but I went into Doom circa 2016 with... well, not low expectations, but zero expectations. Some fans pinned their hopes and dreams on the poorly received multiplayer beta that preceded the game's launch. I ignored that. Although the original Doom pioneered deathmatch, I didn't play multiplayer; I stuck to the three (later four) single-player episodes and the game's surfeit of mods.
For those reasons, I pinned my hopes and dreams on the Doom reboot's campaign, and I was not disappointed. id Software took a "little from Column A, some from Column B" approach: the game melded new and old mechanics and tropes so seamlessly that Doom deserves recognition as one of the most original titles of the year--somewhat ironically, I'll grant you, since it's both a reboot and a sequel of a beloved franchise.
What about the rest of you? What did you like about the campaign, and where did you land on Doom's multiplayer and Snapmap modes?
Josh Hawkins: You know, I was the same way, David. Especially after playing the multiplayer in the beta that they had just a bit before release. I was disgusted, completely turned off from the game at all. But, that didn't stop me from giving it a try.
To be fair, though, I don't have the background with the Doom series that many of you do. Being one of the younger members of the team, I was only four when the original Quake released, so Doom was nowhere on my radar of games that I was 'allowed' to play at the time. I instantly fell in love. The music, the enemies, the giddy feeling when I performed a glory kill... It is by far one of the best FPS games I've ever played in my life.
As I said before, I hated the multiplayer, but since the game's release I've dabbled in it a little bit with friends, and have actually grown quite fond of it. Sure, it isn't the best multiplayer around, but it isn't the worst either.
Steve Watts: Yeah, from the press end, we had every reason to believe Doom was going to turn out pretty bad. I'm sure we all remember the slow dawning realization while playing that it was in fact not bad and was in fact, oh wait a minute, actually really good.
But merely being a pleasant surprise isn't what drove it toward the top of so many of our lists. Doom was really the first salvo in a larger trend this year of reimagining a genre that, let's face it, had started to grow a little stale. Call of Duty made a template for shooters that was enjoyable enough, and there have certainly been some great shooters made in that mold. Still, the language of the FPS had become familiar, and when every example of a genre is running an almost identical control scheme, it's a pretty sure sign of stagnation.
Doom broke the mold by getting in touch with its fast-paced roots and ripping out anything that didn't belong. It also ingeniously tied the flow of combat to the risk-reward Glory Kill system, which made for a constantly shifting, unpredictable gameplay loop. Doom showed there's more than one way to make a first-person shooter, and that finding a unique hook is a stronger play than trying to out-polish Call of Duty.
David Craddock: You're absolutely right, Steve. And to be clear, I never meant to imply that Doom was (and is) great because, hey, it didn't end up being a garbage fire. All of its moving parts gel together into a cohesive whole. But one of those parts, freshness, was critical to its success.
During the 1990s, I played very little outside of platformers and fighting games on consoles, and first-person shooters on PC. Consider these titles: Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, Unreal, UT, Dark Forces, Half-Life, Kingpin, GoldenEye 007, System Shock, Descent, Starsiege: Tribes, Heretic, Hexen.
I could go on, but I'll get to my point: while some crossover existed between each of those games (namely, they all revolve around moving and shooting from a first-person perspective), most were dramatically different in tone, arsenal, look, and feel. What's more, they were considered AAA games.
Since Call of Duty 4, AAA games have been baked in its military-shooter mold. Before Doom, I turned to indie shooters to get my feel of old-school, run-and-gun, frenetic action. There's nothing wrong with that, but the AAA space is becoming increasingly marginalized. I mentioned in my review that I hoped Doom would serve as a beacon of creativity that other AAA devs could dare to follow. It's not just that Doom was fresh; it's one of the biggest names in gaming, and with it, id Software dared to break away from Call of Duty's proven model when Bethesda could very well have pushed them further in that direction.
Brittany Vincent: I didn't go into Doom with any pre-conceived notions. Reviews don't really concern me, nor does a lack of code, but moreover I simply knew it would be more of what I always tend to search for within my first-person shooters: gore, and lots of it. I could list all of the shooters I played in my youth that inspired that kind of bloodlust, but they're all the same. Countless nights spent with the original game and spinoffs of its ilk inspired a lifelong love of entrails and blood splattered across pixelated walls, and I knew that's what I would get with this reboot.
I don't care at all to play multiplayer since the thrill of the deathmatch has long since subsided and I just don't have the patience or desire to play online with others anymore. But the single-player is more than suitable for satisfying my thirst for destruction, and the Glory Kills are great for that, too.
David Craddock: I'm glad you brought up glory kills, Brittany. What I loved about them is that they so seamlessly combined form and function: breaking off an Imp's jaw was viscerally satisfying, and so was the uptick in health or ammo that it yielded like a broken pinata.
That ties into Steve's point. The first time I saw a glory kill in one of id's previews, I didn't think it showed very well. They struck me as fatalities from Mortal Kombat: all style, no substance. The fact that they are not only functional but an integral link in the chain of gameplay had me looking to kill enemies specifically to set them up for glory kills so I could get a shot of health without having to break off from the fight and comb corridors for health packs.
Josh Hawkins: I agree completely, David. Glory Kills didn't look very good in the videos that id showed off, but in practice... there's no other way to take down all those demons standing in your way.
I think part of what made Doom so special to me, was that it is a connecting piece to the history of FPS games. I mean, Doom is an old name in the FPS genre, and to see something so great come out of the reboot is reassuring, and leaves me hoping that we'll continue to see expertly crafted reboots of some of our favorite old school games.
Asif Khan: Doom awoke a sleeping beast from within my soul. I, much like Brittany, like to go into games with no prejudice, but I had played the multiplayer alpha and betas before I got to sink my teeth into the consumer version of Doom. I recall being slightly unimpressed by multiplayer but I saw some things in the game even then that had perked my interests. Quad Damage in Doom? Very cool. Being able to play as the Revenant in the multiplayer beta also gave me a glimpse into how goofy and fun the game could be. I mentioned last year on a Chattycast episode that we should not sleep on Doom as it had the potential to be dark horse candidate for game of the year.
Doom doesn't take itself too seriously. It frequently winks at the player from the beginning of the game when you throw away the tutorial tablet, to the flashing "DEMONIC INVASION IN PROGRESS" signs, all the way to posters asking for people to sign up for the Mancubus program. The game wants you to have fun. I had fallen out of love with first person shooters in the last 5 years or so, but Doom merged new gameplay mechanics with the trademark heavy metal style of the good old id Software in a way that captured my attention unlike any FPS in years.
I love the music in Doom. Mick Gordon reimagined a 21st-century soundtrack that is actually a slower tempo than the original games. It gives the player a type of swagger. To paraphrase Mick, he viewed the Doom Marine as the enemy of the demons and he wanted the player to feel that sense of bad ass power every time they went into battle. The implementation of the soundtrack is right up there with classics like Banjo-Kazooie. Mick successfully set a tone for the development team to bring home with furiously fast gameplay.
No reload button? No problem. Need some ammo? Rip an Imp's head off with a delightfully fun Glory Kill. When all else fails, pull out the Chainsaw or BFG for maximum carnage. The game encourages the player to push forward in combat and take risks. It is a mashup of calculated moves with the fun of an arena-style multiplayer game. There were countless times during my playthrough that I was down to 10 health but the game pushed me to keep fighting instead of running away to find a health pack or regenerate your health like so many modern shooters. It is that sense of constant urgency that creates a deep engagement which made me fall in love with first person shooters again. Doom wants you to have fun the entire time you play the game and it succeeds in that goal between an ideal balance of gameplay, spectacular music, amazing graphics and a story that pokes fun at itself while not disrespecting the player or the franchise's rich history.
Doom's reintroduction of greatness to the first person shooter genre has earned it the most glorious title of our Game of the Year 2016.
Looking to see what other games made our Game of the Year list? Here's our full lineup.
2016 Game of the Year Countdown:
#8 (Tie): Dark Souls 3
#8 (Tie): Forza Horizon 3
#8 (Tie): Titanfall 2
#7: The Last Guardian
#6: Battlefield 1
#5: Pokemon Sun and Moon
#4: Final Fantasy 15
#3: Dishonored 2
#2: Overwatch
#1: Doom
Doom series
Weekend Discussion - January 16, 2022
Evening Reading - January 14, 2022
Astroneer on Nintendo Switch gives us good galactic pioneering on the go
Shack Staff posted a new article, Game of the Year 2016 #1: Doom
winterface
Shocked!
rtrson
lol shack gonna shack
Brittany Vincent
Hail the conquering hero!
Crimsonbeak
Rigged!
Why are you guys surprised?
It was the best game this year.
[deleted] 2145831294
MatthewPhillips
dkrulz
Trump was right all along.
skankcore
Obligatory http://chattypics.com/files/iPhoneUpload_5viqe0vhqq.jpg
Witcher 3 should have won again.
CrustaR
Blood and Wine should have been #2 instead of that MOBA.
RikiTiki2
Overwatch isn't a MOBA
Don't bother crustar is too chickenshit to try it.
I'm gonna leave this right here next to the crop dusting I just placed next to your face.
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/WilliamCollis/20160719/277399/This_Years_Hottest_New_MOBA_is_Overwatch.php
EvilDolemite
going by his definition, that would make TF2 and other class-based objective-changing team FPS all MOBAs.
Battlefield is the biggest MOBA of all time
Herman Toothrot
The game lacks almost all of the defining features of MOBAs the only feature it has at all is heroes. William Collis is simply wrong.
maulla
Don't question his shtick
Him and dozir should stream together sometime.
I don't do dm or MOBA games
It sure as feek is. Look at my post above.
Why are you offended?
But I'm right.
Ride-My-Rocket
No, it's not. From the Wiki:
"Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), also known as action real-time strategy (ARTS), is a genre of strategy video games that originated as a subgenre of real-time strategy, in which a player controls a single character in one of two teams. The objective is to destroy the opposing team's main structure with the assistance of periodically spawned computer-controlled units that march forward along set paths. Player characters typically have various abilities and advantages that improve over the course of a game and that contribute to a team's overall strategy. MOBA games are a fusion of action games, role-playing games and real-time strategy games, in which players usually do not construct either buildings or units."
Overwatch does not fit this description. It absolutely has gameplay elements inspired by MOBAs, but it is not a MOBA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiplayer_online_battle_arena
I wonder, are there current MOBAs where there is an additional player on each team who actually plays the RTS side of it? Like, for him, there are 5 allied super units he can't control, but he can control the little units and maybe even build the base, etc? Kind of like what Savage was.
Look @ my link above. I consider Overwatch a MOBA, also known as a first person action real time strategy (FARTS).
Overwatch is totally a FARTS.
It's like arguing with a 12 year old.
DozIR_
To be fair "Multiplayer Online Battle Arena" sums up every online multiplayer experience.
InfoBiter
I think you mean, Overwatch should have been #1 with Blood and Wine at #2.
RevRaven
"I tell ya, I can't use a keyboard for shit. Most people play 'DOOM' and rip and tear. I play 'DOOM' and hunt and peck!" #PCDangerfield
[deleted] 638871538
Crabs Jarrard
Can we talk about the games that were snubbed due to arbitrary rules or just overlooked?
Hitman - I haven't played it myself, but everyone I know who has played it raves.
MLB: The Show 2016 - Best baseball game since ever?
Dying Light: The Following - Came out in January and was criminally overlooked. A huge step forward from the base game and possibly one of the best expansions in a long time.
Witcher 3: Blood n Wine - Just when I thought Dying Light had the best expansion in 2016, those polish fucks release a DLC that is honestly better than most games and offers as much or more top-shelf content as any full game you can buy. This expansion is better than all time classic stuff like Brood War or Lord of Destruction.
Street Fighter 5 - Capcom really fucked the dog with the launch and then decided to rootkit my PC. That being said, there is no argument that the actual fighting is amazing and probably the best in fighting game history.
The Division - Another less than stellar launch, but Massive did a wonderful job fixing it. They fixed this game in the same way Blizzard fixed Diablo 3 with the pre-Reaper of Souls patch. Anyone buying into this package today is gonna get an excellent game. The amount of detail in the NYC portrayed in the Division is staggering and it's all so good that many can miss it without stopping to suck it all in.
Milleh
Stardew Valley!
moonfist80
This man has the right idea. Where is the love for one of the biggest surprise hits of the year?
megarust32
That one is a little surprising, not that I've played it yet
I don't even like games like this (harvest moon) but I bought it given the praise, played 2 hours so far and I'm hooked
I covered The Following and Blood and Wine in my best DLC piece if you didn't see it. So they weren't completely overlooked. :D
gokart.
i actually can't believe how much the division is improved. i played the beta, heard all the bad launch press and avoided it like the plague.
man that game is a lot fucking better. i played the free weekend and grabbed one of the deals on the gold edition and have 33hrs in it since. survivor is basically my favourite survival/crafty/rogue-lite i've ever played.
skinlab133
Survival DLC sounds awfully tempting.
it's awesome. it's like the veneer of every one of those shitty "punch tree to make sticks" survival games with all the tools of the base game - awesome map, beautiful graphics, excellent physics and netcode.
basically if you're interested in the idea of a rogue-lite single instance play, but have been frustrated with the jank of every one of those survival/craft/build games, i'd say it's a ringer. that alone was worth what i paid for the gold edition and i'm still leveling the regular single player because all the gear unlocked from survival is end game heh.
Yeah, I loved the hell out of The Division until I hit the level cap and then there was nothing to do. The season pass is $20 at Amazon right now. Think I'll give it a go.
If you like the mechanics and the environment already I practically guarantee you'll enjoy survival. It feels like the best application of that engine.
Schnapple
I got a copy of that with my Xbone and I didn't like it. Maybe I should give it another shot.
atom519
I'm balls deep in MLB The Show 2016 right now and loving it.
Jason Faulkner
Hitman - Alright, but took a year to be a full game.
Dying Light: The Following - DLC not a full game.
Blood and Wine - DLC not a full game.
Street Fighter 5 - Just didn't make the cut.
The Division - Got much better, but had enough issues since launch to not make the cut.
I loved dying light but thought the following was pretty bad. Driving across that map was extremely tedious and it removed the best part of the game.
NexusOne
Factorio - It's an early access release, but it's also got more gameplay than most full AAA releases. Whenever the 1.0 release hits, it's my GOTY.
Blood and Wine was not eligible or else I'm pretty sure it would have gotten some serious love.
I would agree about The Division, I recently bought in and have been pleasantly surprised after the negative hype launch.
SporkyReeve
Almost my entire Overlooked Gems list is 3DS games that didn't make the cut, mostly because I'm the only one on staff who played them. The 3DS had a weirdly fantastic year!
capt tripps
Be careful. It's dark souls with ponies and cards.
I'd like to get a Nintendo handheld. I had the first gameboy and loved it but never ended up owning any of the others. Did they ever make a game better than the pack in Tetris from 1989?
DoctorGames
Loved The Show. Consistently one of the best games every year - this year was no exception.
FEEK YES!!!!
Do you enjoy that song House of the Rising Sun?
Everyone does. Right?
Awesome! Unf Unf!
watcherxp
Full Point
this makes us smart, and we can now get on with our lives
mopic42
I upgraded my main HDD a month ago, and I took the opportunity to nuke my system and restart. I backed up documents and saves... but Doom doesn't have Steam Cloud saves and it doesn't store in a usual location. So, my late-game save was lost. I was almost done with Normal.
I usually play games the first time on Normal as I figure that's the primary intended experience of the developer. Yeah, hard modes are hard, and we're all /33+ gamers here, but I want to get the designer's intention.
After discovering this, I decided to start a new game on Ultra-Violence. This is the way the game should be played, no doubt. Normal mode was a fun experience, but it's nowhere near as rewarding as UV.
Mecha Tofu Pirate
SHACKNEWS WON'T BE SHUT DOWN BY ASIF! YAY!
swimteampie
Is he selling?
I demand no recount!
mobab
And no one was surprised.
the new pokemon games are so mindlessly easy that they are complete poo
ughhhhhhh
Rip and tear huge guts
Turd Ferguson
http://m.imgur.com/w8i6ho2?r
thetangent
Dishonored was robbed I say, robbed!
mad-d00d
I haven't played most of the years "big" games, but doom brought that thing back, quick game play choices, level design, pacing, visceral fun, awesome sound design and even a story well drawn into. I've recommended doom to all my gamer friends. Can't wait to get a better pc and run through it again and again.
johnhead
and 2016 ends on the best note possible. AMEN.
WELCOME TO HELL
Skoal^Fyfan
WELCOME TO OLDMAN SHACK!
shakybonez31
Like we didn't see it coming a mile away ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0r0n0I0hwc
fleabug
DooM!
pgharavi
I believe this sets the record for the lowest-scoring game on Metacritic to win Shack GOTY.
the man with the briefcase
Shacknews didn't give games review scores until 2013.
Sorry if I wasn't clear. I'm referring to a game's score on Metacritic vis a vis winning Shack's GOTY. I know about our ("our" bcs we're a family!) scoring system, but I'm not certain how many years Shack staff has annointed a GOTY.
Blah blah blah, I am a fancy lawyer...
i'm literally typing this on my floor in . basketball shorts and a beater with 0 intention of leaving the house today :D
Probably drinking red wine.
scotch.
senor135
MY SCOTCH
What brand? Oban? Glenfiddich? That good japanese Yamakazi stuff?
Vincent Grayson
Sounds like a flaw in Metacritic to me.
Doomguy didn't wipe out hell on earth for this disrespect!
The reviews for Doom were historically off. I normally rely heavily on reviews but Doom was complete bullshit.
You know, I was thinking/wondering if Doom shipped as a SP-only game, whether that would have lifted its scores.
I completely wrote it off after the MP only demo. Before I opened Doom on that fateful night I already had Brutal Doom all setup and was planning on only playing Doom(2016) an hour or so then washing my eyes out with Brutal Doom.
But Brutal Doom was not played that night.
hanged_man
This is a glorious day in the history of the shack and gaming
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/611654103031259136/ln6x12rY.jpg
In case ppl here didn't realize how goddamn dope Forza Ho-Ryzen 3 is on PC, here are some of m'shots from medium high settings @1080p.
http://chatty.pics/files/1_n6162tgpfr.jpg
http://chatty.pics/files/ass_2vitwdmm8r.png
http://chatty.pics/files/forzasuba_bn52orf0gw.png
http://chatty.pics/files/pasted_image_at_2016_12_17_02__9otft75dtz.png
http://chatty.pics/files/pasted_image_at_2016_12_20_06__3pb7wztwn2.png
http://chatty.pics/files/pasted_image_at_2016_12_22_11__mqy1xj4cd2.png
http://chatty.pics/files/pasted_image_at_2016_12_17_02__6kkn3yqwrg.png
http://chatty.pics/files/pasted_image_at_2016_12_22_11__77qo97masd.png
such an impressive game
such an impressive man
If someone had showed me that shot of the GT-R against the beach with the incoming rain when I was 8 years old and told me that, one day, I would be playing a racing game that looked that good, I would have shit a quart of blood right there on the carpet.
code-e255
F1 2016 is the racing game of the year for me.
Something you didn't mention: The Marine is one of the best, possibly the best, silent protagonist character in video games. I realize that is not a high bar, but the animations, despite only having arms and legs to work with, convey a surprising amount of personality and intent.
rob_o_cop
nuDOOM was so good I gave away 2 copies to Shackers this year
I think I gave away 4... so far!
DooM GIVEAWAY
I'll give away ONE copy of DooM today at 6pm Central. To enter, reply to this sub-thread with the following:
1) Your favorite soda (or drink)
2) Whether you prefer single or multiplayer games
3) Your favorite Twitch.tv stream (if you have one)
Example: Coke, single player, senenity17
See, easy!
Winning account needs to have at least 2000 posts OR be at least 1yr old. If you already own DooM you can opt for the Season Pass. And you must have a Steam account to deliver the gift.
I think this deserves its own thread, by the way I already have the game, thank you for being awesome
Not entering, already have it! Good on you though, bump!
Dr Knee
This is awesome, mang!
1) Schwipp-Schwapp, which is essentially Orange Soda and Coke mixed together.
2) Multiplayer
3) DozIR_. I don't usually watch Twitch, but I'll log on to his to listen to his beautiful singing voice.
azuvatar
green tea, single player, none
thanks for the chance, you're awesome!
Irn Bru, single player, shacknews
Did you do this yet? I'd like a shot at it, and I even promise I'll play it!
1) Russian Earl Grey Tea
2) I swing either way, but I've been doing tons of multiplayer gaming with my buddies.
3) I really enjoy Critical Role. Voice actors playing D&D is cool!
I fucked up and didn't get out of the office until just now. But moonfist80 is the big winner!
Send me a ShackMessage with either your Steam ID or your email address. And do you want the game or the Season Pass?
\m/ YAAAAAAAAS \m/
fuell
1. Whiskey Sour
2. Single
3. I like SjoW as a Hearthstone streamer, but I'll always watch SF5 on CapcomFighters and GamesDoneQuick when they do their marathons.
Disarray
Root beer, multi, cella
someWayne
Pepsi, single player, I don't really watch twitch, but I do like looking at speedruns from previous twitch streams from Awesome Games Done Quick.
Johnny Law
Good pick well done.
http://tinyurl.com/k3azp9l
Also, I'm curious how the chatty GOTY votes came out.
Oops never mind I see that article now!
PenicillinX57
Great list this year, guys. Very well done!
Rice-Rocketeer
AWWW YEAH. TOTALLY DESERVED.
I haven't played it but this makes me happy, I loved this game since I was a kid so it's nice to see it back on top.
Still, Hitman was REALLY fuckin good this year.
greenbergMD
And for a brief shining moment, all was right with the world.
Balance has been restored.
Dr Proton
Not my personal pick but definitely in my top 3. Such a great game!
EnderWigginDA
My goty!
But then I only played 5? 2016 games.
stgdz
I want to play nudoom but I doubt my i870 and 4870 256mb can even handle it.
I have other hobbies now + kids
Sludgehead
So say we all.
johnny rotten
I mean, even the credits are fucking awesome! How could it not be GoTY!?
You're god damned right DOOM is GOTY.


text:
The Untold Truth Of Twizzlers
Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock
By Clara Zervigon/Updated: Jan. 25, 2022 9:16 pm EST
Twizzlers are an iconic American snack and a movie theater favorite. In fact, these twisty ropes are the second-best-selling food at the movies, beaten only by popcorn. Twizzlers are also bestsellers outside of the theater: they're the most sold licorice-type candy and fourth-best-selling candy in general! Despite what Red Vines fans may argue, Twizzlers are the superior red licorice, and they have the stats to prove it. But that's an argument for another time...
Although they are extremely popular today, Twizzlers have a surprisingly long history, dating all the way back to 1845! In fact, the company that created them is one of the oldest candy producers in the US. In the nearly two centuries that followed, Twizzlers have gotten a ton of new flavors, upgraded their tech, had a part in political history, and even made fans out of some surprising contingents. Read on to find out some interesting facts about America's favorite licorice.
Twizzlers weren't created by Hershey
Bloomberg/Getty Images
Although they are currently associated with the food giant, Twizzlers were not created by The Hershey Company. In fact, they weren't even acquired by Hershey until 1977. Young & Smylie is actually the company to thank for these classic favorites, although they did not have their iconic twist during their initial manufacture in 1845.
Young & Smiley were so well-known for their licorice that they incorporated, along with two other small companies, into the National Licorice Company in 1902. They continued producing several varieties of licorice under this umbrella, until one day in 1929, when the Twizzlers brand was born. These spiraled licorice sticks were an innovation, but they did not become popular until the 1960s, when the National Licorice Company changed its name to Y&S Candies Inc. in an attempt to appeal to more consumers.
Apparently, this change worked, and the Twizzlers brand's popularity soon caught the attention of The Hershey Company. In 1977, Hershey acquired Y&S Candies Inc., and by January of 1982 the companies had merged. Though much has changed for Twizzlers since their inception, the original Y&S factory in Lancaster, PA still produces licorice for the Twizzlers brand.
They haven't always looked like they do today
Donald R. Swartz/Shutterstock
Twizzlers have always been spiraled licorice "whips," but they have undergone a series of changes over the years. For one, additional flavors were added to modernize the candy, such as chocolate, mint, and, of course, strawberry. New shapes were also added, like in 1994, when the Pull 'n' Peel came to stores. This shape allowed consumers to actually pull the Twizzler apart by its twists, adding a fun tactile element to the experience of eating the candy. They also launched Twerpz, the bite-sized twists with tangy fillings, and Strawz, which can actually function in drinks, in 2004. The most recent shape-innovation was 2020's Izzler, which is essentially a Twizzler without the twist.
The formula of the candy itself has also changed quite a bit. Historian Katharine Weber calls the modern Twizzler a "nearly plastic" version of the original, highlighting the textural changes that came with its new recipe. Although classic licorice is usually made of "licorice extract, sugar, a binder, starch or flour, gum arabic, flavoring, ammonium chloride, molasses, and gelatin," Twizzlers today are mainly composed of corn syrup, wheat flour, sugar, and cornstarch. The switch to corn-based products as opposed to sugar is what gives them a chewier, plasticky feel, as opposed to the bite and hardness of cooked-down granulated sugar.
Twizzlers aren't even really licorice
Scisetti Alfio/Shutterstock
You may have noticed an absence of licorice extract in the Twizzlers ingredients list. Well, that's because most Twizzlers today don't actually contain any licorice — the only flavor with any licorice in it is the Black Licorice. Take a look at the Twizzlers packaging next time you get them. According to food expert Kelila Jaffe, Hershey purposefully does not include the word licorice on Twizzlers packets at all. "Instead," she tells HuffPost, "they are labeled as 'twists.'"
So, why do we even call red licorice "licorice" if it contains no licorice extract? Well, it hasn't always been this way. Many red licorice candies do actually contain licorice extract. So, why don't Twizzlers contain any? Maybe they were trying to market to a wider audience, or perhaps they were just trying to cut costs. Whatever the case, just don't expect to find any real licorice extract in those red Twizzlers you find in the candy aisle.
Eating too many Twizzlers might be dangerous
MyAdagio/Shutterstock
If you were starting to get disappointed by the lack of actual licorice in Twizzlers, consider it a blessing in disguise. Eating too much licorice can actually be detrimental to your health, and with the amount of red Twizzlers America eats, we could have an epidemic on our hands.
In 2019, a 54-year-old man died after consuming "one to two large bags of black licorice a day for three weeks." It turns out that one of the main components of licorice root, glycyrrhizic acid, can cause dangerously low potassium levels if ingested in high amounts. Symptoms of low potassium include "abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, edema, lethargy, and congestive heart failure," which the man ultimately succumbed to. Although licorice has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times, intake must be monitored to avoid potentially catastrophic effects.
In the wake of the man's death, four unrelated plaintiffs sued Hershey in 2021 over their licorice's dangerous effects. The plaintiffs claim that Hershey's products containing licorice should come with a health warning and that not including one is an act of negligence. The plaintiffs, all over 50, are suing for damages.
They're surprisingly high-tech
The Twizzler brand may be old, but the machines used to make them are ultra-modern. Firstly, the patented nozzles that extrude the Twizzlers are highly engineered and use a secret mechanism to twirl the candy without ripping it. These nozzles produce on average 15 twists per Twizzler or two and a half full curves per inch. They also do it in seconds, whereas traditional licorice twists have to be hand-twirled in a much lengthier process.
Recently, Hershey has even incorporated artificial intelligence into its Twizzlers manufacturing. The AI helps standardize weights of individual Twizzler boxes, which were previously only estimates. The problem with estimates, no matter how close, is that they end up creating waste in the supply chain: filling a box with a smaller amount of food than the packaging lists is unlawful, so all estimates have to be made on the higher side. This means Hershey often stuffs more Twizzlers into boxes than are actually necessary. While this is pretty great for consumers (woohoo! An extra Twizzler!), it lowers profits for corporations. By using AI to monitor the weight of each licorice stick, Hershey reduces overfilled boxes and saves money.
They don't melt
If you're looking for a snack to keep in your pocket, look no further. Twizzlers apparently don't melt — or so the company claims. While Hershey has used this fact to market the candy during the summer months, curious consumers took it as an excuse to go to town on wacky experiments.
The team at Snack History includes a series of trials in their description of Twizzlers, including setting them on fire and sauteeing them on the stovetop. The fire, which came from a lighter, supposedly charred the Twizzlers rather than melting them. This created a "black and burned" whip that was "somewhat hard to the touch and crispy." The stovetop method achieved a similar outcome, resulting in a "dark and burned" Twizzler, albeit with some "bubbling" along the edges.
Other Twizzler fans have put their licorice in the microwave and even a hot glue gun. While the microwave yielded similar results to the stovetop and the lighter (the Twizzler became blackened and charred), the hot glue gun came as close to melting a Twizzler as you can get. As seen in their video, YouTuber The Gripsion is able to push slightly melted Twizzler out of a hot glue gun and make designs with it. However, the texture is nowhere near a liquid and is almost more softened than it is melted. The more you know!
There have been over 25 flavors
Hong Vo/Shutterstock
While the strawberry Twizzler flavor might be the most common, Hershey's has made over two dozen other Twizzlers flavors. From Hershey's chocolate to orange cream pop and sweet and sour, numerous flavors span the wide shape and size range of the Twizzlers lineup. The filled Twizzlers made for some great flavor combos, like caramel apple, key lime pie, and strawberry smoothie.
Their limited-edition holiday candies are usually Pull 'N' Peel varieties, which feature individually flavored and colored strands. The popular Fourth of July Pull 'N' Peel has red, white, and blue strands, which are lemonade, wildberry, and raspberry flavored. Another hit, the Holiday Pull 'N' Peel, has cherry, lemonade, and green apple flavors that swirl to look like a candy cane. They even released a mystery flavor in the classic twist shape in 2021, which was later revealed to be raspberry. If you'd like to do more digging, Snack History has compiled a pretty comprehensive list.
Twizzlers had a Guinness world record
Ken Wolter/Shutterstock
Twizzlers entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 1998, and not even for their many, many twists. The record for the largest piece of licorice ever made was broken with a single giant Twizzler, which was 1,200 feet long and weighed 100 pounds! Although this sounds like a whole lot of licorice, it was nothing compared to the amount of candy Twizzlers produces in a single day: a whopping 200 tons (400,000 pounds). Still, the feat was certainly impressive, as it's way harder to make one big Twizzler than a bunch of little ones. The giant Twizzler was manufactured at the original Y&S Candies factory in Lancaster, PA, which was a lovely nod to the candy's inventors.
Unfortunately for The Hershey Company, this record has since been broken, and a Swedish town now holds the title. Their licorice string was 1,702 feet and nine inches long, far surpassing Hershey's record, but we'll let them have this one. Europeans eat more licorice, anyway.
They played an important role in a nuclear agreement with Iran
Joseph Skompski/Shutterstock & Handout/Getty Images
Thanks to a series of negotiations in 2015, Twizzlers now have a place in the American political canon. According to ABC News, the 15-person delegation responsible for negotiating with Iran over nuclear missiles sought out a comforting diet. While they were missing home, the delegates once ate "10 pounds of strawberry Twizzlers" in a single month, or two-thirds of a pound per person! In addition to Twizzlers, they consumed other classic treats in extreme amounts, including "30 pounds of mixed nuts and dried fruit, 20 pounds of string cheese, and more than 200 Rice Krispies treats."
And this wasn't the first time licorice featured prominently in a politician's diet. President Millard Fillmore supposedly kept a secret stash in the White House. Although he wasn't alive to see the invention of Twizzlers, he would certainly be proud of these munching delegates and their snack of choice.
Twizzlers have some surprising fans
Twizzlers have attracted some surprising fans beyond the normal candy-eating populations. For one, all sorts of athletes love them. Runner's World once featured Twizzlers in an article about marathons, saying their high sugar content is great for keeping up your carbs on long runs. Floyd Mayweather is also a big fan, and his personal chef revealed the twisted candy is an important part of his pre-match meals. Although they aren't athletes in the traditional sense, astronauts have to be in tip-top shape to go on expeditions, a fact which apparently makes them part of this Twizzler-prone contingent. In fact, Neil Armstrong is reported to have said "I could go for some Twizzlers right now" after landing on the moon (after he delivered his "one small step" line, of course).
Lastly, in 2015, a nationwide study by Hershey revealed that Utah eats nearly twice as much candy as any other state in the nation. Among their favorites were — you guessed it — Twizzlers, which were "especially popular in the Salt Lake City Area." Who knew?


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Franklin County area police log
SHIPPENSBURG - A Shippensburg middle school student became ill and was eventually sent to the hospital after taking unprescribed pills at school, according to Shippensburg Police.
On March 28, the 14-year-old boy came to Shippensburg Area Middle School with 48 pills he took from an abandoned house, according to the report. The student took seven pills at school, got sick and told another student what he had done.
The student then told a teacher, who in turn contacted the principal and sent the student to the nurse.
The pills were confiscated and the student was sent to the hospital.
Police note the student did not try to give or sell any of the pills to other students.
The student was not charged.
(Incident SP-2016-1847)
Greene Township
CRASH: A Newville man suffered minor injuries when he was ejected during a crash the early morning of April 4, according to Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg. At about 4:31 a.m., Joshua L. Diehl, 40, was driving a 2010 Chevrolet Impala south on Interstate 81 near mile marker 19, when he lost control of the vehicle, drove into a median and struck a guard rail. According to the report, the vehicle then spun around, causing Diehl, who was not wearing a seatbelt, to be ejected through the driver's door that opened and into the guard rail. Diehl was cited with traffic violations. The vehicle was towed from the scene.
(Incident PA2016-70736)
Guilford Township
CRASH: A Huntingdon man was taken to Chambersburg Hospital during a two-vehicle crash the afternoon of April 5, according to Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg. At about 3 p.m., Jerry Mulka, 18, Greencastle, turned left onto Falling Spring Road in a 2012 Nissan Rogue, when he was struck by a 2014 Ford Mustang, according to the report. The passenger of the Nissan suffered injuries and was taken to Chambersburg Hospital. Mulka was cited with traffic violations. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.
Saint Thomas Township
CRASH: Two people were injured and had to be extricated from a vehicle following a crash at about 3:36 a.m. April 4, according to Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg. Mark M. Reilly, 29, Fannettsburg, is accused of driving a Chevrolet Malibu at a high rate of speed west in the wrong lane on Lincoln Way West in order to pass a Dodge Ram 1500, driven by Albert P. Lewis, 26, Waynesboro, police said. Another vehicle was driving east in the eastbound lane, and Reilly attempted to re-enter the westbound lane but his vehicle collided with Lewis' Dodge before then crossing into the eastbound lane and hitting a utility pole. Reilly and a passenger in the Chevrolet were extricated from the vehicle and were transported to Hershey Medical Center via Life Flight, Reilly with serious injuries and the passenger with minor injuries. Reilly was cited with traffic violations. The Chevrolet was towed from the scene.
FRAUD: Authorities investigated an Internet scam which occurred between March 26 and March 28, according to Shippensburg Police. An unidentified woman who was trying to find a place to rent found someone online who said he owned a property in Chambersburg. That person told the woman to send $600 via Western Union to an address in Brookings, South Dakota. Two days later, the supposed property owner contacted the woman and said he needed an additional $300. The woman sent the additional money, and was told the keys to the property she was paying to rent would be at her present address by noon that day, March 28. By 2 p.m., the woman realized she had been scammed and contacted police.
HARASSMENT: Dylan Craig is charged with harassment after being accused of threatening another man the afternoon of March 26, according to Shippensburg Police. At about 2:12 p.m, authorities responded to a disturbance in front of a home, which involved several people arguing while trying to retrieve a diaper bag. Craig is accused of displaying a weapon on his side, but did not remove the weapon from the holster, causing another man to feel threatened, the report said. Craig was found at another location, but no weapon was found.
ANIMAL COMPLAINT: The owner of dogs at home on East Burd Street were cited for violating the borough's ordinance of dogs barking longer than 10 minutes at about 11:40 p.m. on March 23, after an unidentified man notified authorities the dogs were barking at another home for several hours, according to Shippensburg Police. The man said every time he goes outside and the dogs are out, the dogs bark, the report said. He also said he and the other neighbors talked to the owners of the dogs, but the barking continued.
STALKING/MISUSE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES: Aaron Z. Criswell is charged with stalking, harassment, terroristic threats and misuse of emergency services after he repeatedly called and texted a family member who had refused to give him money.
According to the police report, Criswell has displayed the same pattern before, and was previously warned and charged in relation to it. Police said Criswell called and texted the family member with cursing and threats 39 times on March 27.
Police went to a home on Farmington Drive on March 29 to tell Criswell to stop contacting the family member, and at that time Criswell became upset after finding he was going to be charged. He threatened to call 911 and to put the police on YouTube. Just before noon, he began calling 911 in Cumberland County despite being told not to call unless it was an emergency. He continued to call several more times.
(Incidents SP-2016-1857 & SP-2016-1864)
HIT-AND-RUN: At about 3:19 p.m. on April 4, someone in a silver or grey Volkswagen did not stop for a stop sign, crossed the intersection of South Queen Street and Walnut Street and collided with another vehicle, according to Shippensburg Police. The Volkswagen then fled the scene south on Baltimore Road. The driver of the Volkswagen is described as being a young white man with a dark, trimmed beard, according to the report. The Volkswagen possibly sustained heavy front end damage. The vehicle hit was towed from the scene.
RAPE: Thomas S. King, 52, Harrisonville, was arrested on April 5 on charges of rape and related offenses that occurred between June 1, 2004 and June 13, 2010, according to Pennsylvania State Police, McConnellsburg. A Burnt Cabins woman is listed as the victim. King was arraigned and sent to the Franklin County Jail with bail set at $100,000, the report said.
(Incident G05-1436770)
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UCC officers remember 'global champion of justice' Desmond Tutu
by UCC Leadership |	published on Dec 26, 2021
"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." Desmond Tutu
(Photo from Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository)
The national setting of the United Church of Christ acknowledges the death of Nobel Peace Prize winner and Elder Statesman of the Church, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, this morning. Archbishop Tutu is an anti-apartheid leader in his beloved South Africa and a global champion of justice. His unrelenting call to care for all who are downtrodden is an example of embodied discipleship. May his family and all who love him be comforted during this time and may we who remain embody discipleship in ways that continue to advance the call to justice and love.
Faithfully, the Officers of the United Church of Christ
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GOING FORWARD
Simple Majority for School Construction Bonds
Every year since joining the legislature, Monica has championed the effort to garner support for returning the threshold for school bond approval to the original simple majority. This coming session will be no different if voters return her to Olympia. Every newspaper in the state has written an editorial in support of this effort that will overwhelming assist rural school districts where voters have already spoken to approve.
Pupil Transportation and Special Education
Even before the pandemic, schools were struggling with unpredictable and complicated state funding formulas. Monica has been working on better serving students with special learning needs and reforming some of these funding formulas to be more equitable and predictable so schools can better serve students. Monica regularly meets with large and small school districts in urban and rural areas to best serve every student in the state. Her experience in schools and working in Special Services in Evergreen Schools provides unique and crucial perspective.
Future Funds
In the last session, Rep. Stonier partnered with WA State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti and Sen. Yasmin Trudeau to introduce a new initiative to break the cycle of generational poverty. Local community leader and member of the State Investment Board, David Neirenberg worked to explore and develop the concept and build support. The Treasurer's office is leading a work group to prepare the next version of this bill to be introduced this coming session.
More about Future Funds:
Tabor 100
Washington is a great state to start a family. When the time comes for families to grow, people with infertility challenges lack the insurance coverage for diagnosis and treatment. Potential parents with lots of money can pay for the care they need to diagnose the medical problem and pursue options. Others go without realizing the dream of having a baby or resort to second mortgages and draining savings to make it happen. I believe there should be medical insurance coverage for medical challenges. That's why I introduced HB1730 and why I will work on this if returned to Olympia by the voters.
Portable Benefits
For several years, Monica has been working on building what would be the first-in-the-nation portable benefits program, where gig workers and independent contractors can access an employee/employer-paid benefit. Platform workers, like those whom you find on your phone to give you a ride, deliver you dinner, or bring you groceries, do not have health benefits, workers' compensation, or unemployment. Monica Stonier is working with businesses and workers on a plan for a benefits program that stays with the worker, no matter where they work, so even part-time workers can have access to these crucial benefits.
More about Portable Benefits:
Seattle Business Magazine
Aspen Institute
PAID FOR BY ELECT MONICA STONIER (D), PO BOX 61762, Vancouver 98666 EMAIL: INFO@VOTEMONICA STONIER.COM, PHONE: (360) 901-2859


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Ivan Navarro, the Installation artist holds solo exhibition at Sindoh Cultural Space
BRAND/Global Sindoh | 2020. 4. 17. 11:02
Ivan Navarro Solo Exhibition (April 17~June 12, 2020)
Sindoh Cultural Space will host a solo exhibition by Ivan Navarro, a Chilean installation artist who delivers messages of freedom, truth, and hope as well as socio-political criticism by using neon and florescent light and mirror in his works. The exhibition will present works that feature reflection, sound, and text, creating magically visual illusions as well as a window of time for contemplation.
▲Drums (2009)
Neon light, mirror, one-way mirror, plywood, metal and electric energy 121.9 x 121.9 x 121.9 cm
© Ivan Navarro Courtesy the artist Photo by Jorge Martinez Munoz
Delivering socio-political messages through enchanting artworks
Ivan Navarro is internationally known for his socio-politically charged, fascinating works of art designed to create visual illusions by using mirror and neon and florescent light. Influenced by minimalism and modern designs, his works contain pinpointed socio-political criticism.
Born in Santiago, Chile in 1972, he grew up under the brutal military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet who initiated a coup and ruled Chile for 17 years, during which he ruthlessly suppressed anti-government protests. His childhood memories of the military dictatorship caused Navarro to turn to light -- a tool for controlling the people during the dictatorship -- as the subject matter for his artworks. Pinochet imposed curfews and cut off power to keep people in their homes and limit their outside activities. These childhood memories drew Navarro to mirror, neon, and florescence that glow in the dark and reflect light.
He crafted a variety of works using neon and florescent light including an electric chair in florescent light and the lives of immigrants expressed in text in an effort to shed light on the dark history of humanity and cruel reality of life as well as to present the desire for freedom, truth, and hope. His works - characterized by the symbolic glow of hope that is gentle yet powerful - have earned raves for the fascinating visual effects and sincere and insightful messages.
▲ Spectrum (Vanity) (2018)
Light Bulbs, LED, Wood, Mirror and Electric Energy, 152.5(Diameter) x 13 cm
The exhibition will feature six works of installation art that use light, reflection from the mirror, sounds, and text. It will give viewers a special opportunity to experience magical visual illusions and to contemplate on life. Among these works are , a giant installation work that visually depicts the blurry borderlines of senses and perception that lie between sounds and human languages, and series that show transparent letters in three different mirrors in three different shapes such as circle, triangle, and square.
▲Revolution IV (2017)
Neon, drums, mirrors, one-way mirrors and electric energy
(From above) 34.5 (diameter) x 30.5cm, 42 (diameter)x37cm,
60 (diameter)x42cm, 74 (diameter)x46cm, 95.5 (diameter)x51.5cm
"To me, art is not about creating something great. It is about delivering messages." -Ivan Navarro
Ivan Navarro is an active New York-based artist whose works have been exhibited in major art museums and art galleries including Guggenheim Bilbao (2017), Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2014), Haywards Gallery, London (2013) and Hirshhorn Museum, Washington D.C. (2007). His works were displayed at the Chilean national pavilion during the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009. Navarro's works are also owned by major museums and galleries including Guggenheim Bilbao, New Work, Saatchi Collection, London, LVMH Collection, Paris, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, and Amore Pacific Museum of Art.
Due to COVID19, the exhibition will be held at Sindoh Cultural Space without any audience attended.
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TAG artist, Artworks, Exhibition, Ivan Navarro, SINDOH, 신도리코, 신도리코블로그, 아티스트, 전시, 전시회, 전시회추천


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Tag: Shane Black
Cinema Review: Iron Man 3
DIR: Shane Black • WRI: Shane Black, Drew Pearce • PRO: Kevin Feige • DOP: John Toll • ED: Peter S Elliot, Jeffrey Ford • DES: Bill Brzeski • Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley, Jon Favreau, William Sadler, Rebecca Hall
After making his name with his ground breaking screenplay for 1987's Lethal Weapon, Shane Black went on to achieve writing credits on films such as The Last Boy Scout, The Last Action Hero and The Long Kiss Goodnight. He then disappeared off the Hollywood radar for close to a decade, before returning in some style with his 2005 directorial debut, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Despite not being a major player at the box-office, this film re-established Black's standing in the industry, and gave its stars Robert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer roles to die for. While Kilmer has only occasionally threatened to build on his performance under the stewardship of Black, the previously troublesome Downey Jr has seen his career going from strength to strength, to the point that he is now the face of two major franchises, Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes.
Along with last year's Marvel Avengers Assemble, and his brief cameo in The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 3 marks Downey Jr's fifth appearance as Tony Stark and his alter-ego, and with Black returning to the director's chair instead of Jon Favreau, it is clear that the careers of both men have come full circle.
Having helped his fellow Avengers to defeat Loki and the Chitauri in New York City, Stark is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) when a mysterious terrorist leader known as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) announces himself to the world by committing a number of atrocities across the globe. His relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) becomes strained as a result, and with figures from his past re-surfacing in the shape of Guy Pearce's Aldrich Killian and Rebecca Hall's botanist, Dr Maya Hansen, matters quickly become complicated for Stark and those close to him.
Taking its cue from the 'Extremis' (a highly advanced virus created by Killian) story arc developed by Warren Ellis, Iron Man 3 has a tough act to follow after the overwhelming success of Marvel Avengers Assemble. In addition, the last stand alone adventure for the wisecracking superhero (Iron Man 2) was somewhat disjointed, despite being enjoyable in the most part, meaning that there were some necessary adjustments to be made this time around.
With all that in mind, it is pleasing to report that the latest chapter in the big-screen adventure of Tony Stark is consistently entertaining and gripping, making it arguably the finest film of the Iron Man series thus far. As ever, the chemistry between Downey Jr and Paltrow is right on the money, and Don Cheadle now looks fully comfortable in the combine roles of Colonel James 'Rhodey' Rhodes and War Machine.
Upon taking control of the film, Black talked about taking a step away from the premise of Iron Man facing off against another giant robot, and certainly the threat this time is an altogether more human and real-world based kind of threat.
It is also significant that Stark is taken out of comfort zone for a large section of the film, as circumstances mean that he is stranded in Tennessee (when he is presumed dead), where he has to rely on all his ingenuity to repair damage of his own making.
With one $15 million dollar film to his name before taking on this task, there were some question marks about how Black would handle the pressure of a film with such a major budget. His handling of the major set-pieces is extremely efficient, though, and in unison with co-writer Drew Pearce, he has maintained the sharp wit that has been synonymous with his work over the past couple of decades.
This framework was established by Favreau (who reprises his role as former bodyguard turned head of security Happy Hogan) in the earlier films, and blossomed under Joss Whedon in last year's superhero team up, which makes the decision to hire Black for this film all the more obvious.
If there was a criticism to be labelled at the film, it does become slightly overblown in the extended finale, but considering all that gone before it, the filmmakers had more than earned the right to turn outlandish during the final act.
Stepping up to the plate alongside reliable regulars Downey Jr, Paltrow and Cheadle, Pearce and Kingsley offer plenty of menace, while the often under-appreciated Hall also makes the best of the screen time she is afforded.
With a sequel to Marvel Avengers Assemble (those who are intrigued by that prospect should wait around the end credits) very much in the pipeline, this will not be the last we see of Tony Stark in his iron suit, and on the basis of this film, that can only be a good thing.
12A (see IFCO website for details)
Iron Man 3 is released on 25th April 2013
Iron Man 3 – Official Website


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Exporter confidence continues rebound
Jewellery is the most promising sector and Japan the most promising market as the sentiment among Hong Kong exporters climbs.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Export Index increased a further 1.9 points to 32.8 in the third quarter this year, indicating a sustained improvement in confidence in the short-term export performance. However, exporters face downward pressure on prices, with the Trade Value Index falling 11.5 points to 40.2.
HKTDC Director of Research Irina Fan told a press conference on Monday (19 September) that a deteriorating external environment was keeping the recovery slower than hoped. "Weakening demand in major markets dampened by high inflation and aggressive monetary tightening, coupled with rising Sino-United States trade tensions and other fallouts from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, also cloud the export outlook," she said.
The HKTDC conducts the Export Index survey every quarter, interviewing about 500 Hong Kong exporters from six major industries – machinery, electronics, jewellery, watches and clocks, toys and clothing – to gauge business confidence in near-term export prospects. The Index indicates an optimistic or pessimistic outlook, with 50 as the dividing line.
Shift in focus
Ms Fan said more than half the respondents (52.0%) in the latest exporters' survey viewed the shortened quarantine requirement in the Mainland China – a seven-day centralised stay plus three days of home confinement – as positive for business. She said enabling more flexible business travel arrangements (53.8%), the gradual resumption of cross-border commerce and trade (33.0%), and smoother production flow (31.8%) were cited as the top benefits.
Impacts of the pandemic continue to decline but COVID-19-related issues remain among the top concerns for Hong Kong exporters over the next three months. Most respondents said COVID-19 persistence (40.2%) and border closure (22.6%) are the major impediments to export performance.
"To help them deal with this changing environment, Hong Kong businesses are tending to shift from being market-focused to more money-focused," Ms Fan said. Developing other product categories (36.9%) and stabilising finances to ensure sufficient cash flow (35.6%) are the most popular business strategies adopted by the survey respondents. Additionally, more of them said they intend to increase unit prices (35.2%, up 18 percentage points).
Jewellery, Japan outperform
HKTDC Economist Corey To
HKTDC Economist Corey To said jewellery was the most promising sector with the highest sub-index at 44.2, followed by toys at 37.0. The jewellery sector also showed the largest improvement, with a 9.9-point increase from the previous quarter, while the electronics sector gained 2.3 points to 32.7.
Mr To said Asia continues to provide a relatively promising outlook, adding that Japan remains the best performer at 48.4 (up 0.8 points), followed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc (46.9, up 3.6 points) and Mainland China (45.8, up 2.7 points).
Recovering supply chains
He said the pandemic impact on businesses tended to be less severe in the third quarter as compared with April to June. "Fewer respondents experienced negative impacts on their business resulting from the pandemic (77.9%, down 1.2 percentage points). Among them, those whose business had been very negatively affected fell 11.8 percentage points to 23.4%."
Mr To said rising transport costs (64.1%) and logistics disruptions (51.8%) remained the key challenges for Hong Kong exporters, though both fell significantly – by 8.5 and 13.4 percentage points respectively – from the previous quarter, reflecting the gradual easing of supply chain issues. "But it is worth noting that more respondents reported communications issues with overseas buyers/suppliers (48.2%, up 26.6 percentage points) and order cancellations (21.2%, up 4.5 percentage points)."
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Home Legal News Suicide Committed 2 Months after Writing Suicide Note,Court Quashes FIR u/S. 306...
Legal Views
Suicide Committed 2 Months after Writing Suicide Note,Court Quashes FIR u/S. 306 IPC
Case name: Pramod Shriram Telgote v. State of Maharashtra & Anr.
In the case, the Appellant approached Bombay High Court to quash FIR lodged against him by the deceased's wife under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code i.e. for the offence of abetment of suicide.
IT was contended that the deceased was working as a Group Secretary in KherdaMozari Co- operative and committed suicide on 04.04.2013. The cause of action in the case arose on the basis of fact that the deceased left a suicide note dated 21.02.2013, wherein he made allegation against the applicant and many other persons including MPs and MLAs.
The Applicant in his petition stated that he was nowhere concerned to abet the deceased for commission of suicide.
The High Court of Bombay on perusal of the suicide note quashed the FIR against the Applicant and made the following observations in the case:
From the perusal of suicide note, the Court was of the view that the deceased was mentally disturbed as he had written in the suicide note that his son had committed suicide.
That the suicide note is dated 21.02.2013 and the deceased has committed suicide on 04.04.2013 i.e. after two months from the date of alleged suicide note.
The Court also noted that the reasons stated in the suicide note were not sufficient to constitute the offence punishable under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code. It was further opined that from the face value of the report itself, offence punishable under Section 306 of the IPC was not made out.
The entire case can be accessed here.
Important Judgments on Abetment of Suicide
Abetment of Suicide: Mere Name of Person in Suicide Note doesn't Establish the Offence
Employee Forced to do Extra Work- Employer can't be Prosecuted for Abetment of Suicide
SC: Stopping Salary by Employer doesn't Attract Offence of Abetment of Suicide
Abetment of Suicide
Bombay High Court cases
Commission of Suicide
mens rea for establishing offence of abetment of suicide
Pramod Shriram Telgote v. State of Maharashtra & Anr.
Section 306 of Indian Penal Code
suicide note
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