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"The union and the states have taken no action regarding SC's orders to give migrant workers a dry ration," says a plea in SC
By Hilda A. Pool on January 20, 2022 Supreme Being
New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by three prominent civil rights activists regarding Union and state governments' failure to comply with Supreme Court instructions to ensure food and social security for migrant workers.
This petition was filed by activists Harsh Mander, Anjali Bhardwaj and Jagdeep Chhokar who were intervenors in the suo motu Written Petition (Civil) No. 6 of 2020 regarding the "Problems and Miseries of Migrant Workers" in which the Supreme Court had, on June 29, 2021, issued specific directions to Union and State governments.
"Suo motu knowledge" refers to an authority (in this case, the Supreme Court) taking up a case on its own initiative, without being invited to do so by a third party.
The Union was ordered to redetermine the beneficiaries; States to provide dry rations to migrant workers
The High Court had ordered the Union Government to undertake an exercise to "redetermine" the total number of people in rural and urban areas of the states covered by the Public Delivery System (PDS) of the National Health Act. Food Security (NFSA), 2013. This exercise had to be done under section 9 of the NFSA (which deals with coverage) since the current coverage is still based on the 2011 census.
In turn, the tribunal ordered all state governments to set up an appropriate system for the distribution of dry rations to migrant workers, without insisting that they provide proof of identity, and to operate community kitchens. in important places where large numbers of migrant workers would congregate in order to provide them with healthy, cooked food. States were also to maintain these two measures for as long as the COVID pandemic continued.
However, the petition, championed by lead attorney Prashant Bhushan, claimed that the Union government and most state governments have failed to implement and operationalize these guidelines.
"Non-Compliance Regarding Increase in COVID Cases"
"The non-compliance is even more concerning as the country is again faced with a growing number of COVID cases and almost all states have implemented lockdowns, restrictions and curfews, thus exacerbating the economic distress and the plight of migrant workers, most of whom are in the unorganized sector and, therefore, have no social or financial safety net to fall back on," the petitioners said.
Lamenting the lack of attention given to the difficulties faced by these migrant workers, the petitioners added that "they are again faced with the loss of their livelihoods, uncertainty and hunger".
The petition said it relied on information accessible under the RTI Act and the governments' responses to legal opinions sent regarding the implementation of the Supreme Court's instructions to highlight the violation of the judgment.
"The Union has not yet started the exercise to increase the coverage of the PDS"
On the issue of increasing coverage under the PDS, the petitioners pointed out that the Union Government has not, to date, launched any exercise to redefine the coverage. In a response to an RTI inquiry inquiring about action taken in the wake of the SC ruling, the petitioners said the Union Government has stated that "any review of coverage by State/UT will be possible after the publication of the data of the next census. The judgment rendered by the Honorable Supreme Court is under review at this time (sic). "
With the 2021 census delayed due to COVID and the data unlikely to be released for the next two to three years, petitioners said the government's failure to launch the redetermination exercise was in clear breach of guidelines of the Supreme Court, which were issued in the context of the pandemic and therefore required urgent and time-limited action.
Only five states responded to legal opinions on compliance with SC guidelines on rationing regime
The petitioners said that following the June 29 judgment, legal notices were sent to all states to ensure timely compliance with SC instructions, including instructions to state governments to put in place a program providing dry rations to migrant workers. who do not have ration cards. However, only five states responded to the disclaimers of which only Odisha, Delhi and Assam provided details of the schemes formulated by them.
In addition, an RTI request was filed seeking details from the Union government of which states had requested additional food grains to be given to migrant workers and whether these had been provided. The response revealed that as of September 2021, only two state governments – Telangana and Meghalaya – are seeking additional food grains to provide rations to migrant workers and even this is not being provided by the government of India. Union.
The petition further noted that the Union government was well aware of the plight and had therefore extended the operation of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) until March 2022, through which 80 million people with ration would be entitled to five kg of additional rations, in addition to the five kg to which each person is entitled. However, no provision has been made for poor and vulnerable families who do not have a ration card.
The petition, which calls for the immediate implementation of the June 29 guidelines, was presented by Bhushan before a bench of the Chief Justice of India on Thursday, asking for the case to be listed. CJI Ramana has indicated that he will look into the matter, the petitioners said.
civil rights high court supreme court


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5 Can't-Miss Racetracks in Kansas
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 9:00 AM by Chris Killen
It's almost summer and that means racing season is upon us. Thank goodness you've planned on road tripping through Kansas during that time. Those rolling plains of the Sunflower State are home to some of the wildest races and coolest tracks in the Midwest.
When it comes to knowing where to go and how to get there, there's no one better than CarRentals.com. That's why we've partnered with them to present the best racetracks in Kansas. Whether you're a fan of straight-lining drag races or a classic 400-mile NASCAR race, your hair will be blown back either way.
Thunder Hill Speedway – Mayetta, Kansas
Normally, dust clouds and gas fumes would send most people clambering for the nearest exit, but not at Thunder Hill. Those two things go together as naturally as peanut butter and jelly. And you're going to love it. The season begins at the end of April and runs every Saturday until the leaves change color in early September. Bring the kids—if they're under the age of 12 they get in free—and spend a summer's evening watching cars zip around a dirt track at top speeds.
Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, Kansas
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series comes to the Kansas Speedway on May 12th and you need to be there. This tri-oval piece of asphalt will play host to some of the fastest automobiles on the planet. But that's not all there is to do at this monument to auto racing. The new Ignition Garage offers fans like yourself a chance to tour the garage area. Oh, and one more thing; if you want to go for the ride of your life, book a race day NASCAR ride along with the Richard Petty Driving Experience. You'll have adrenaline dripping out of your ears.
Kansas International Dragway – Maize, Kansas
If you only bring one thing to this racetrack make sure it's a solid set of earplugs because this place can get loud. Not only because of the raging crowds, but the dragsters that fly down the asphalt like a SpaceX rocket. The race schedule starts in early March and doesn't come up for a breather until the first weekend of November. Everything from motorcycle and funny car to hot rod drag races are in the cards.
Heartland Motorsports Park – Topeka, Kansas
The Heartland Motorsports Park is like a beautiful buffet for race fans: NHRA Drag Strip, dirt track oval, road course, autocross, and a motocross track. All you have to do is point your finger at the schedule and you can see the NHRA Nationals on the weekend of May 18th. Or you could join the raucous crowds on Thursday, June 28th for epic road racing on the road course. Take your pick and enjoy.
Dodge City Raceway Park – Dodge City, Kansas
This classic cow town has come a long way since the days when quick draw duels were used to settle bar tabs. Now, it's a bustling tourist destination with an awesome racetrack. After spending the day taking in all the racing you can handle, head back to town and take in some of the sights like the Boot Hill Museum. Finish everything up with a steak at Casey's Cowtown Club and you'll be set.
Well, we've said all there is to say. The rest—the actual journey—is up to you. Pack that car full of all your road trip essentials and hit the road this summer like you're behind the wheel of a funny car. And be sure to stop at one or two, or all five of these can't-miss racetracks in Kansas.
Categories: Road Tripper
Tags: Mayetta, Kansas City, Maize, Topeka, Dodge City
Author: Chris Killen
Chris Killen is a writer based in San Diego who enjoys traveling, fine wine, and anything to do with the ocean.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hummus crusted chicken makes a great effortless weeknight meal!
It's Sunday! And freezing! What on earth is going on with this weather??
I was going to start this post with a bit of detailing all the 54839570 things going on in my life. Then I remembered that 95% of people have that many balls in the air, so let's just skip that part. Let's assume we're all busy.
So the short version is: when life is too full for much thinking ahead on meals, hummus crusted chicken is a winner. One dish, simple ingredients, and it can feed two people or ten.
Easy beginning: quarter a zucchini and cut into chunks.
Put the zucchini in a plastic bag along with olive oil, salt & pepper, and onion powder. Layer evenly in a greased baking dish.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then place the chicken breasts on top of the zucchini.
Spread with a thick layer of hummus. YUMMMMM.
Squeeze lemon juice over the entire pan, then sprinkle generously with paprika. I always make sure my paprika gets over the veggies as well as the chicken!
Bake for 25 minutes (or until chicken is done) at 450, and enjoy!
Comes out rich and comforting and tasting much fancier than it actually is!
The whole process takes about 35 minutes, with 25 of it just cooking in the oven? Yes please. You can also sub out whatever veggies you want – whatever you have in your fridge!
I got this recipe from Ali at Gimme Some Oven, which is one of my favorite cooking blogs. Check it out!
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Grease a 9×9 baking dish.
Cut the squash into quarters and then chunks. Put in a plastic bag with olive oil, salt and pepper, and onion powder. Shake well to coat, then dump into the baking dish.
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Lay on top of the squash, then cover with a thick coat of hummus. Squeeze lemon juice over everything, then add a layer of paprika over the hummus. Sprinkle some extra paprika over the squash.
Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
Reasons it matters to lay the chicken as flat as possible: the hummus will slide off, as seen here. Kitchen fails.
What are your favorite ways to cook chicken? Tell me what to try next!


This year's Fluxus was a ginger-spiced witbier. It was rather tasty.
Another wit – but this one is flavored hibiscus. This is possibly the only 'girly' beer I've ever enjoyed.
A saison from Garrett Oliver's arsenal – lots of flavor.
All beer-geek archivists read Shut Up About Barclay Perkins, yes? If you do not already, you should begin, since the blog and, hence, the beer are the fruits of researcher/author/blogger Ronald Pattinson's hard work in various European beer archives. And it's great.
Like the beer above, this is a fantastic recreation of a historic recipe – one I'd be happy to drink every day.
Also something of a historic recreation (this time of a Finnish sahti), but as this is Dogfish Head, it had a modern twist – actual tea in the brew, and a weizen yeast. More refreshing than it is possible to convey.
It sometimes seemed that every new beer I tried this year featured chocolate in some way, but nothing could compare to the latest archaeological beer from Dogfish Head. Unique, and a very different brew in tap and in the bottle.
A winner from the much-anticipated brewpub (see below, and try the flatbreads – they are amazing) with a very unusual style – it was a black gruit (and was on tap just in time for the election).
I seemed to have enjoyed many alts this year – this was one of the best, despite the terrible pun.
After much wrangling over a liquor license, Earth Bread + Brewery finally opened; this mild was in their starting lineup. Really a nice beer, especially for someone who is stuck driving later.
It was too smoky for me, but I could appreciate the work that had gone into it – the juniper was a nice touch, and I look forward to their other offerings.
I am generally not a fan of anything wood-aged, but perhaps there's something about whisky casks that makes it OK. Harviestoun took their reliable Old Engine Oil and deposited it in some Highland Park casks for a while (I also tried the 12 and 30 varieties), with a very tasty (and, for completists, individually-numbered) result. This one was just right.
I am often suspicious of a beer that has made a long journey in a bottle, but this dark lager from New Zealand was great – more, please!
A märzen from Sweden, and a good one, too – not to mention an excuse to use two umlauts in rapid succession.
My favorite from the Otter Creek World Tour series – a Baltic porter with a ton of flavor.
Possibly the oddest beer I've had this year, and one I thought I would dislike since I am not the world's biggest fan of Brettanomyces. This works perfectly for me, though.
A dark, bitter stout, but in a very good way.
As per usual, Rogue can get away with front-loading the hops – there's still plenty of malt to make this a perfect Halloween brew.
This was something of a departure for Rogue – the malt finally got a chance to shine.
West coast brewers truly understand how to do the über-hoppy thing while maintaining great flavor.
Rather like its sibling below – I wish these came in airline-sized bottles.
Definitely a 'dessert only' beer – very, very sweet and lives up to its namesake.
It's an imperial oatmeal stout. It's very tasty. It needs to come in a smaller bottle.
Another chocolate beer, this one a bitter chocolate oatmeal stout. Really nice, but it was hard to match the memory of the XI Anniversary, which remains my current favorite beer. Can it please become a year-round offering? Pretty please?
Update: Thank you, Stone Gods!
I know every other beer geek loves it. I see how it's well-crafted, really I do – but it's too wine-y for me; the grape flavor and I are not friends. Nice maltiness, though.
Belgium and Denmark came together to make a strong golden ale (or something along those lines). It was tremendous.
The Troegs Scratch series has been great fun; I am not normally a huge fan of the Dortmunder Export style, but this won me over.
Who doesn't like a weizenbock?
It's something like a dark double IPA (not quite a Stone XI Anniversary, but perhaps a distant relation) and quite hoppy for Victory, whose stable of lagers made me realize lagers could be Good Things. I hope to have more.
So, there you have it – a partial sampling of Things I've Really Liked this year; if I had to pick a favorite, it's going to be a narrow victory for the 1914 London Porter, just edging out the SSS 1914 Triple Stout. I wish you good luck in obtaining a bottle in time for New Year's Eve.


Bear Metal is slowly but surely making steps towards getting on schedule. Fabrication continued to work on axles and post processing as well as more parts coming out from the mills. Assembly worked on lifts for both robots. Programming coded for the lift. Designers continued to work on design of robot and to fix any flaws that have been found. A strategy test was held, with most members taking over two hours to finish it, showing how important and complex strategy is this year. Snow is supposed to come tomorrow towards the end of school, so we'll see how many people can come to help us towards our goal of finishing the robot.


This Tour Covers Parts Of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana As Well As Zimbabwe.
The Scenery And Activities Are Spectacular And This Tour Is Highly Recommended.
Our lodges are all 3 and 4 star typical African lodges, handpicked to further enhance your african adventure of a lifetime.
When selecting campsites we prefer those off the beaten track and as natural as possible, to allow you to experience nature at its best.
Day 1: Depart Cape Town And Travel Through The Cederberg.
Day 2: Arrive At The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Day 3: Game Viewing In The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Day 4: Enter Namibia And Travel To Mariental.
Day 5: Visit The Big Dunes At Soussusvlei.
Day 6: Have A Relaxing Day At Swakopmund.
Day 7: Visit A Himba Village And Explore The Twyfelfontein Area Of Namibia.
Day 8: Travel To Etosha.
Day 10: Travel To Mahangu Nature Reserve.
Day 11: Enter Botswana And Travel To Etsha 13.
Day 12: Enjoy A Mokoro Outing And Boat Cruise On The Okavango River.
Day 13 & 14: Enjoy A Short Drive To Maun And Spend The Next 2 Nights At Thamalakane Lodge. You Can Participate In Some Of The Extra Activities While Here Eg. A Fly Over Over The Okavango Delta.
Day 15 & 16: Spend The Next 2 Nights In The Moremi And Explore The Park.
Day 17 & 18: The Next 2 Evenings You Can Enjoy All The Chobe Nature Reserve Has To Offer.
Day 19 & 20: We Explore The Victoria Falls. Here Too You Can Participate In Some Of The Many Extra Activities Eg. Helicopter Flight Over The Falls. Final Dinner At The Boma.
Day 21: After Breakfast You Are Transferred To The Airport.
*All Photos taken by guide, Altis Kriel, whilst on Safari.


This book is a good primer for anyone learning about urban life in Australia. The book is a quick read that uses considerable facts to back up fairly interesting comments on the urban condition. It offers a very broad and general look at the social, economic, cultural and environmental issues as well as the government policies that have affected cities. It is enjoyable to read when so many other text books on these issues can be very boring. The only draw back I had with the book is the that it often focuses on presenting facts without giving enough commentary as to why they might be important, especially in chapters 2 and 3. However the remaining chapters did provide me with what I think are some valuable starting points for further study and interest with further reading as well. I would also say that the book is not limited to the Australian experience (although it is strictly about Australia) and could provide others from other countries valuable insight into the urban condition due to similarities among the developed countries of the world.
Overall, a very intelligent book that is enjoyable to read, that introduces a vast topic to the inexperienced and with only a few minor flaws.
This digital document is an article from Arena Magazine, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1451 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Title: The red river Yarra: a genuine socialist politics to the left of the Greens is the only way that poor inner-city communities will be properly represented.
This digital document is an article from Australian Journal of Early Childhood, published by Early Childhood Australia Inc. (ECA) on September 1, 2008. The length of the article is 5514 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
From the author: MAKIN AND JONES DIAZ (2002) suggest that young children's early literacy is most strongly supported when early childhood educators, children's families and the wider community develop shared understandings about literacy--what counts, what is valued and validated, and whose voices are heard and whose voices are silent. Researchers such as Haas Dyson (1993), Kress (1997), and Stein (2003) argue that young children's literacy experiences comprise much more than developing the conventional processes of written language, but also include their use of a range of multiple semiotic symbol systems. This article will explore young children's constructions of literacy, and reveal the important role family members (e.g. parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents) and school staff (e.g. teachers, Elders, speech and language pathologists) play in mediating young children's literacy learning and development.
A substantial backyard has long been considered an iconic feature of the Australian suburb. Nevertheless, since the mid 1990s, substantial backyards have largely disappeared from new suburban houses in Australia. Whatever the size of lot, the dwelling now covers most of its area. The minimal backyard is not just a matter of higher densities in existing urban areas; it is at its most extreme in the new outer suburbs.
The loss of the backyard has serious ecological implications, notably for biodiversity, microclimate and drainage, a trend rendered permanent by the changes to the housing stock. It appears to be the physical expression of the way that Australian lifestyles are changing for the worse, in particular longer working hours. This in turn raises issues about health and wellbeing, especially for children.
This book discusses the nature, uses and meaning of the traditional backyard, presents an understanding of the changes that have been happening and suggests possible remedies.
This digital document is an article from Journal of Australian Studies, published by University of Queensland Press on March 1, 2004. The length of the article is 8575 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Title: Develop the north: aborigines, environment and Australian nationhood in the 1930s.


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Tag: Social Sciences
Dee Dee Mozeleski: Propelling a Vision for the Colin Powell School
As the Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service is integrated more fully and formally into the fabric of the Division of Social Sciences, and as the division is elevated to the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, my immediate goal is to help build the narrative for supporting Colin Powell School. I want to convey why it is so important to do this, not just for the current generation of students and faculty, but for the generations to come. —Dee Dee Mozeleski, Director of Development, Colin Powell Center
When Dee Dee Mozeleski joined the Colin Powell Center in October as its first director of development, she hit the ground running. Mozeleski, a native of San Diego, has made New York her home for the past 20 years, building her career in development here and raising a daughter who is now at Penn State. Mozeleski brings extensive experience, professionalism, and dedication to the Center. Here, in a Q&A, she reflects on her experience and the goals ahead.
What drew you to the Colin Powell Center?
I first heard about the Center in 1997 when City College announced its opening. Over the years, I have stayed current with happenings on the CCNY campus because many of my friends have graduated from here. When I learned of the newly created director of development position, I thought that the person lucky enough to work in this position would have a chance to help shape what it means to fundraise for a program that takes the best and brightest minds from our campus and helps them to grow into leaders in their selected profession. Little did I know that I would end up becoming that lucky person.
Continue reading "Dee Dee Mozeleski: Propelling a Vision for the Colin Powell School"
Author Colin Powell SchoolPosted on January 24, 2013 January 31, 2013 Categories All, News & EventsTags CCNY, Colin Powell, Colin Powell Center, Colin Powell School, development, Social Sciences1 Comment on Dee Dee Mozeleski: Propelling a Vision for the Colin Powell School


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Home » Moyes on injuries, selection troubles, Mata and Manchester United's recent performances
Moyes on injuries, selection troubles, Mata and Manchester United's recent performances
On the support of fans…
"I've said many times how well they have reacted to what has been a difficult season. They've been great and the atmosphere has been great inside Old Trafford. They've played their part in helping the team. We've not always done our side of it but recently we have."
On players' recent performances and derby expectations…
"In the last couple of games, a lot of players have stepped up and performed. We want to perfom better in the bigger games than we have done though. We go out to win every game – not just the derby. Obviously it means a lot more to the supporters and the city to win a derby game, but we go into every game with the same intention to win."
On Carrick at centre-back…
"Michael did great at centre-half. He's played there before so it wasn't a problem. We even considered putting Marouane Fellaini back there as well, so I think we've got people who can do that if we have to.
"We gave Pat a rest but, if we have to, I think we can put him there as well and he would cope manfully. It was great that the squad mucked in and that's the way it should be, when you are short in areas and it's all hands to the pumps. We were short on Saturday and Michael certainly played really well."
On Van Persie injury and Mata…
"There is no club in Europe who wouldn't want van Persie at centre-forward," insisted the boss. "And he is a massive miss. He changed the game against Olympiacos with the goals he scored.
"Mata came here to play two or three positions. We knew that. You won't always have Wayne Rooney or van Persie fit for every game. You need a squad of players. Juan was close to scoring on Saturday and maybe should have done."
David Moyes
Simone Inzaghi: Manchester United make initial contact with...
Manchester United squad unhappy with 'outdated and unliked'...
Facundo Pellistri: Deportivo Alaves looking to terminate Manchester...
Aurelien Tchouaméni : Manchester United enter transfer race...
Laurie Whitwell confirms Manchester United's midfield transfer plans...


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"Massage" Tag
Michael Benavidez
Body Energy Medicine Exercise Massage Medical Massage Mind Soul Spirit Sports Massage
Owner and Lead Bodyworker @ FIT Therapy ATX
Medical/Sports/Energy Rebalancing Bodywork and Integrative Therapies
Michael Benavidez was born and raised in El Campo, TX and received his high school diploma from El Campo High School. He continued his education at Texas A&M University as both part of the Class of 1998 and the Corp of Cadets Company K-2. He received his B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and pursued career as a fitness trainer and group exercise instructor.
Michael Benavidez was born and raised in El Campo, TX and received his high school diploma from El Campo High School. He continued his education at Texas A&M University as both part of the Class of 1998 and the Corp of Cadets Company K-2. He received his B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and pursued career as a fitness trainer and group exercise instructor. From 2000 to 2010 he expanded he expertise in the science of exercise and biomechanics receiving certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine and The Parker Institute. He decided to look deeper in to the anatomy of healing and chose to become a Licensed Massage Therapist in 2009. As his therapeutic touch grew, and still continues, so did his understanding of energy medicine and how to bring body, mind, spirit, and soul together to guide and boost the healing properties of….you.
Laura Sanders, LMT, LE
Bodywork Deep Massage Massage Massage Therapy Skincare Spa Therapeutic Massage
Laura is the Owner and Primary Practitioner for Elevate Holistics, a holistic spa in South Austin specializing in bodywork and skincare. Her intuitive healing and natural desire to care for others keeps her client-focused and striving to be a leader in women's wellness. In addition to practicing massage since 2008, she graduated from the Aveda Institute and interned at a holistic spa to learn about a more natural approach to skincare.
Taking a "whole client" approach to bodywork, she addresses physical and emotional factors to facilitate the most positive results. She strives to make her studio a safe space for healing on all levels and especially loves caring for pregnant and postpartum women. A mother, musician, and a writer, she works to live her best life and help others do the same.


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Congress should allow Pentagon to work with start-ups on needed innovation
Members of the U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy and Army ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020, in New York. (Courtney Crow/New York Stock Exchange via AP)
To maximize access to the latest technology to help fight and win wars, the U.S. Department of Defense should partner with venture-backed startups — not just small businesses more broadly.
But first, Congress must act.
Many of the recommendations in the February DoD Report, "State of Competition within the Defense Industrial Base," are clear, thoughtful and urgently needed. However, there are two misguided ideas throughout the report that are worth interrogating — a focus on small businesses instead of startups and a lack of understanding of the role of institutional venture capital in America's innovation ecosystem.
These two themes reflect commonly held misunderstandings in the defense innovation community.
The first misstep is that the Pentagon report repeatedly emphasizes working with "small businesses" when instead they should be focused on working with "startups." Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. American entrepreneur Steve Blank has a video on the pivotal differences between a small business and a startup.
In short, "small business" describes the universe of commercial entities that have fewer than 500 employees, including restaurants, barber shops, small consulting firms, auto repair workshops or any other type of business. "Startups" are the tiny subset of all small businesses that have the aspiration and have been recognized for their potential to take innovative groundbreaking ideas and become massive companies.
Professional venture capital investors evaluate, recruit and select promising startups, and then fund only the ones they believe have the greatest potential. Top firms often evaluate hundreds or even thousands of companies before selecting one to invest in. As a result, the statistics VC funding are remarkably similar to highly selective National Football League rosters — according to analysis by Stanford University, only two in every thousand new businesses end up securing VC funding.
In business, venture backing is a predictive signal of future potential. Over the past 50 years, only 0.19% of new businesses have been backed by VC firms. However, that tiny sliver have accounted for a whopping 28% of the total number of U.S. initial public offerings.
Said differently, a VC backed startup is roughly 200 times more likely to eventually become a public company than those that are not backed. Similar disparities are true for R&D spend, as that tiny percentage of new companies that are VC backed have gone on to account for an incredible 42% of the R&D spending by U.S. public companies. There are of course notable exceptions to these general trends, but the data demonstrate a stark truth: VC-backed companies are exponentially more likely to be drivers of economic growth and R&D innovation than their non-VC backed peers.
Given this data, you would expect the Pentagon to be rushing to recruit VC-backed startups to join the fight. Sadly, the Small Business Innovation Research program expressly prohibits the government from using VC investment as a criterion for contract awards. 15 U.S. Code § 638 - Research and Development, (7) Evaluation criteria states that "a Federal agency may not use investment of venture capital or investment from hedge funds or private equity firms as a criterion for the award of contracts under the SBIR [Small Business Innovation Research] program." Despite calling itself "America's Seed Fund", the SBIR program expressly ignores the opinions of professional seed investors.
As we look to compile the best team we can to win the future fight, the Pentagon and Silicon Valley need to team up. Ignoring the role of institutional venture capital in identifying, supporting, and scaling the most promising commercial technology firms is at best inefficient and at worst it is grossly irresponsible.
Congress should remove this unhelpful provision of SBIR law and clear the way for the Pentagon to begin aggressively recruiting venture backed startups to join the national security fight.
Andrew Powell is the CEO and co-founder of Learn to Win, a software training company headquartered in Silicon Valley.
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9 Things Shigeru Miyamoto Told Us About the New Star Fox
By Matt Peckham
Rumblings of further delays were bogus. After a launch bump last fall, Nintendo's epic dogfighter Star Fox Zero for Wii U is finally coming out Apr. 22.
Nintendo previewed the finished version for me a few weeks ago. It definitely looks like a Star Fox game, the signature "Arwing" fighters built of stylish jutting triangles are there as are towering robot enemies lumbering along on tetrahedral legs. Critics of the art style of this new iteration miss the point: This is Nintendo reveling in fast-moving geometric clarity, not a referendum on what the Wii U can or can't do graphically. There's even a special "Super Nintendo" retro mode in Star Fox Zero you can unlock with an amiibo figurine. Place the Fox amiibo (Fox is the series' lead protagonist) on the Wii U Gamepad while playing and it's suddenly 1993 again, the days of FX chips and sprites, lovingly low-res memories rekindled.
But Star Fox Zero is also angling to be a smorgasbord of new gameplay ideas. You have the traditional fighter levels, of course, where players pilot their Arwing through obstacle courses and sometimes breakout into freer combat arenas. But the Arwing is now a transformer that can change into something reminiscent of a robot chicken, dropping to the ground and sprinting on two legs to explore areas in levels out of a fighter's reach.
The tank-like Landmaster returns for ground-oriented combat, but it's now able to transform into the aerial Gravmaster, a slower but brawnier alternative to the Arwing. There's a helicopter called the Gyrowing that lets you drop a small tethered robot down to explore hidden nooks and solve puzzles. And the Arwing can now be operated in cooperative mode: one player flies while another fires—call it "Millennium Falcon mode."
Here's a lightly edited transcript of what Star Fox Zero producer Shigeru Miyamoto told me about the story, two-screen control scheme, and how the Star Fox team worked to make the game appealing to all players without offending enthusiasts:
It's neither a sequel nor prequel, but a reimagining of Star Fox 64
"Because the game is split between two screens, we feel the gameplay this time is going to feel very fresh," says Miyamoto in response to a question about the game's name. "And thus we thought it would be a good opportunity to go back to the roots of Star Fox. The game itself is not a Star Fox '4' or '5', and it's not a new spinoff. It really is going back to the roots, and that's where the 'Zero' comes from."
"For the Star Fox story, what's really important are the relationships between General Pepper and Andross and Fox and his father. I didn't want to try to tell a new story, so by keeping those relationships at the core, then going back to the Star Fox 64 story framework, we've added quite a bit of story to that and introduced the idea of these teleporters. The teleporters have an important role both from a story as well as a gameplay standpoint, and that's allowed us to strengthen the original story that existed in Star Fox 64."
"And so the characters that appear will have the same names, but of course the boss battles are all new, and also the way that you attack each of the routes and approach the levels is very different. It will feel like you're playing that original style of Star Fox 64 gameplay, but in an all-new version."
There's a dimension-hopping, narrative-bending plot involving teleporters
"We designed the game in a way that you play through the map the first time and you get to the end and you defeat Venom," says Miyamoto, referring to the final enemy planet. "At that point, the teleporters become very important from a gameplay perspective. You'll have perfected your own skill and then you'll use those teleporters to find new routes through the map. Even if you're not paying particular attention to the story, finding those different routes and playing through the map will help you understand the character relationships and the role that the teleporters play."
"In the original Star Fox 64, from a story perspective, there wasn't a lot of depth beyond the character relationships. But this time we wanted to try to tell more of the story of the Star Fox universe, and in particular the relationships between Fox's dad and Andross [the chief antagonist] and General Pepper [your boss]. That's a focus of this game. And in particular the relationship between Pepper and Andross, and the questions "Why did Pepper kick Andross out?" and "Why can't Andross accept the reasons he was kicked off the team?" That's where the teleporters come into play from a story standpoint."
"Project Guard" is now a separate game called Star Fox Guard
"'Project Giant Robot' [control giant robots using the Wii U GamePad's motion controls] was something we started as a second project, and unfortunately we haven't yet decided to turn that into a full game," says Miyamoto. "But 'Project Guard' [a tower defense style game involving security cameras and nefarious encroaching robots] was something that even at E3 2014 was loosely set in the Star Fox universe. "Project Guard" we've been working on simultaneously, and we've actually completed the game, and it's now titled Star Fox Guard."
"Our plan is to release it simultaneously with Star Fox Zero as a companion product. So when you purchase Star Fox Zero at launch, it will come with two discs, one with Star Fox Zero and the other with Star Fox Guard. And people who just want to purchase Star Fox Guard will be able to buy that on the e-shop for Wii U as well."
It's no longer like a TV series
In June 2014, Miyamoto said of the game that were he to describe earlier installments as "sort of a movie series," the new Star Fox would be "something that's more like a TV series." But when I asked him during this interview how that's translated to Star Fox Zero, he told me this:
"At the time of E3 2014, that was the direction," says Miyamoto. "Afterward, going back to work on the game in Kyoto, we got a lot of feedback from Star Fox fans and fans on the staff. And what we decided to do at that point was take the game more in the direction of Star Fox 64. So it will feel more like a longer form movie, and we did that because we wanted to try to complete the game in a way that will satisfy those longtime fans."
"But I still have a desire to create Star Fox in a form that's maybe better suited to the current age, where people have different competing demands for their time, where you'd be able to play maybe in shorter bursts in a more compact form. So I'll continue to look at those ideas and see what we can do with them in the future."
There's now a significant replay angle
"I look at the essence of Star Fox as being an action game, and I feel like we don't see much of this type of action game in the marketplace anymore. To me what really defines an action game is that you learn a new skill, you perfect that new skill, and then you really use that skill to find the best possible path through the game."
"So in this case you'll play the game and get all the way to Venom and defeat Venom, then based on the skills and the techniques you've learned along the way, you'll use those to find different pathways to get to Venom. And along those pathways you'll find that the skills you've learned will be challenged more by the new missions you'll unlock. That to me is the essence of what makes an action game great, and I think we've done a really good job of perfecting that with Star Fox Zero."
But it's also been designed to welcome younger, less experienced players
"We recognize that there are probably going to be younger kids who are playing a Star Fox game for the first time with Star Fox Zero, and maybe this will be their first action game," says Miyamoto. "So we feel we've designed the game in a way that it will be welcoming to those new users and help introduce them to this style of action genre."
"At the same time, we also feel the game is going to be a lot of fun for people to play in the living room with other people in the household. In particular with the cooperative mode, and also with the very simple shooting style of gameplay that's in Star Fox Guard, we think it'll be a great way to introduce people who maybe aren't as good at this action style of gameplay to the fun of the Star Fox universe."
A bit of handholding in a game isn't necessarily a bad thing
Star Fox Zero was delayed from last year, according to a note written by Miyamoto, "to polish the game a bit more so that players will be able to more smoothly grasp the new style of play that we are proposing." Creators like Jonathan Blow (Braid, The Witness) have on the other hand been openly critical of Nintendo for filling games with transparent, protracted tutorials. I asked Miyamoto what he thought of the criticism.
"I think that's a very good question," says Miyamoto. "One thing that I think is a misunderstanding, is that I'm not very supportive of simply making a game easy so that people who don't play games can play the game themselves. Obviously part of the fun of taking on a challenge is that the challenge has to be a hurdle that you overcome. Simply lowering the hurdle doesn't necessarily mean that the challenge will be fun. What's fun is you mastering the skill and having that sense of accomplishment—of achieving something that's difficult."
"So I think that action games like this have to have a certain level of difficulty to achieve that satisfaction. And particularly with Star Fox Zero, if you try to complete this game, I think you're going to find it to be quite challenging. But it's because of that, that we have things like Star Fox Guard and the cooperative mode in this game. What those do, is allow people who maybe can't deal with that level of challenge or difficulty to easily be a part of the gameplay and enjoy this universe."
"And then beyond those modes, we have additional ones for people who like the game but find it too hard to get past certain levels. So for instance there'll be a way for them to get an invincible Arwing, so that they can fly through and see the levels. But at the same time, we're also preparing modes for Star Fox fans looking for an even harder challenge, such as a ship that does more damage, but which also takes more damage."
The new two-screen controls have been significantly play-tested and finessed
"We realized that for players who were seeing it for the first time, we needed to come up with additional ways to make it easier for them to understand," says Miyamoto of the unusual ways Star Fox Zero makes use of both your TV and the Wii U GamePad's 6-inch screen when you're operating the game's vehicles. "So that was an area where we put in a lot of effort. For instance, since you have many different vehicles, and because the gameplay differs where each of those vehicles appear, people may have different control expectations. So we worked very hard to try to find the right balance on each of the vehicles. Those are some of the things that have changed."
"Additionally we looked at how we were sharing information with the player in the form of things like icons on the screen. And we also worked on the response of each of the vehicles, because certainly you have expert players and they need the right kind of response. But then you have newer players, and if the controls are too responsive, it becomes difficult for them to play. So we spent a lot of time identifying the right balance in control responsiveness for each of the vehicles."
"Another thing that's really important in the game is something that we're calling target mode. You'll see target mode in the All Range battle stages. Typically in All Range, you're able to fly with the camera behind the ship and you can fly wherever you want. And with target mode, the camera will pull out and lock onto a viewpoint that's the main objective within the All Range mode. And then what you're able to do is fly the ship in this style where you've got these really cool visuals up on the big screen TV, and you're flying in target mode focused in on your objective, but you're doing all of your aiming and shooting through the cockpit mode on the gamepad."
"You'll also use the target mode in the dogfights against Star Wolf's team, where you're able to put the camera on a particular enemy in the dogfight, then use a combination of the camera following that enemy as you're flying at each other, or the camera focused on that enemy as it's following behind you. And you're able to use things like u-turns and somersaults to create some really cool visuals on the TV while doing all of the fighting through the gamepad screen. I think this is going to make for some really fun battle scenes in the game."
"The other thing we've done, is if you press the minus button, you can flip the view from the TV to gamepad and vice versa. So after you've played through the game and mastered the techniques, you can play in that cockpit view locked to the big screen TV. And that gives you an even deeper sense of realism."
But Miyamoto's broader goal with Star Fox Zero is to build interest in dogfighting games
"I do think that we've come up with a control scheme that I think works very well for the Star Fox series, and I think we've perfected it," he says, responding to a question about the two-screen approach appearing in future Star Fox games. "I do think that we can take this control style and still find ways to apply it to, for example, a single screen experience by switching back and forth between different view styles. But I hope what will happen is that people will play with this new control scheme and we'll be able to introduce new players to the Star Fox universe and get them interested in playing more of this dogfighting style of combat and action games in the future. That's my real hope."
Write to Matt Peckham at matt.peckham@time.com.
An Official Rocket League Championship Series Is Coming


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New Viral Video Demands The Release Of The Avengers 4 Trailer
David Pountain Oct 24, 2018 8:45 pm 2018-10-24T20:48:08-05:00
While the internet has seen a generous supply of leaks and theories around the upcoming Avengers 4, Marvel Studios remain stingy on the official details, and apparently this continuing silence has yielded a strange new display of fan impatience.
Though you may be unfamiliar with the name Kirk Deveyck, the YouTuber got some noteworthy viewing figures last year with a video demanding that Marvel release the first trailer for Avengers: Infinity War, and once more a few months ago with a similarly high-energy upload calling for the Captain Marvel teaser.
Now, Deveyck is staying decidedly on brand with another eccentric viral release titled: "WE WANT THE TRAILER FOR AVENGERS 4"
For what it's worth, the speculation lately is that the Avengers 4 trailer could be only a few weeks away, which would line up pretty closely with the the promotion for Infinity War. Earlier this year, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige also offered a vague idea of when we can expect this promo when he told Collider:
"That'll be after the Captain Marvel teaser probably, announcing that title. It'll be towards the end of the year with however we launch that film."
When it finally does arrive, not only will we presumably get a much better idea of what the Russo Brothers have planned for the MCU's Phase 3 finale, but the many dubious trailer description "leaks" that have been flooding online forums can finally stop, too.
The other major reveal that may arrive at the same time is the long-awaited title of next year's flick. Marvel's questionable choice to sit on the name for so long has led to a whole load of suggestions making the rounds online, the most persistent of the rumored candidates perhaps being Avengers: Annihilation.
In any case, Avengers 4 won't be hitting cinemas until May 3rd, 2019, and you can bet that the fans won't be getting any calmer in the meantime.


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HIP-LIFE Artise Reggie Rockstone says he finds it more comforting that as part of the revolution to ensure fairness, transparency and equity in the distribution of royalties, an interim board of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) has taken over.
Reginald Rockstone Ossei was among the several music right owners who took up the crusade to kick out the old GHAMRO board.
"Just the mere fact that they are there and something is happening is more comforting.
The old system was terrible and it has been a long road of so much discrepancies. But the beautiful thing about the whole thing is, here we are today talking about it and doing something about it.
Nothing goes on forever; and so this is a good day that we can actually acknowledge that there was some effort," he toldNEWS-ONE.
facing the organisation will be solved.
"It will go back to my original slogan, which is accountability, transparency and equality in the distribution of royalties. These three are very important to this revolution, and once we set off on that note, everything else will fall in place like a domino effect. These things pretty much cover everything.
I don't want it to sound like it is a witch hunt, but those three things mentioned above will definitely bring us the answers to the issue of recommendation," he stated.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that Carlos Sakyi, the ousted Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), was invited by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for what is suspected to be financial fraud and secret buying of a car without going through the legitimate procedure.
But Reggie Rockstone disclosed that the issues arising from the offices of the old GHAMRO are really dicey and scary.
"With the issue about the car and the others before the CID, if we have to look at it for what it really is, then yes, it is criminal; and this is where it gets really dicey and scary," he added.