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Vol. 83/No. 40 ● November 4, 2019 The-Militant-Logo A SOCIALIST NEWSWEEKLY PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF WORKING PEOPLE
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Fidel: UN support for US attack on Iraq is 'shameful day'
Vol. 83/No. 40
Militant/Dave Wulp Protest against coming U.S. war on Iraq Dec. 8, 1990, in Salt Lake City, Utah. U.N. Security Council unanimously backed Washington, except for revolutionary Cuba, which voted "No."
The Spanish edition of U.S. Hands off the Mideast! Cuba Speaks Out at the United Nations by Fidel Castro and Ricardo Alarcón, is one of Pathfinder's Books of the Month for November. This excerpt is from a 1990 speech by Fidel Castro to a ceremony celebrating the 30th anniversary of Cuba's Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. It's titled, "We Had the Honor to Vote 'No.'" In 1990, as U.S. imperialism was preparing for a massive invasion of Iraq, the permanent members of United Nations Security Council — Britain, China, France, the USSR and the U.S. — voted to back the bloody slaughter. Cuba, serving a two-year term on the Security Council, was the only country to vote against. "End the philosophy of plunder and the philosophy of war will be ended as well," Castro had told the U.N. General Assembly 30 years earlier. Copyright ©1990 by Pathfinder Press. Reprinted by permission.
BY FIDEL CASTRO
In recent days we have been more than a little concerned about the fate of dozens and dozens of Third World countries. You will have noted the conduct of our representative on the United Nations Security Council around the crisis in the Arab-Persian Gulf. We have the privilege of being able to act there in a completely selfless manner, in a completely dignified manner, and with a spirit of complete fairness. We have made extraordinary efforts to achieve peace. We have sought to find a solution to the problem without war, a solution that is just.
We did not hesitate to reject and condemn the occupation and annexation of Kuwait. We did so as a matter of principle and on the basis of norms of international law that we believe should hold sway in our world. We therefore did not hesitate to support resolutions condemning those actions that, in our judgment, violated international law.
But at the same time, we have energetically opposed everything we consider unjust. And one of the most unjust things is the attempt to force an entire people to surrender through hunger. This is what the embargo amounts to.
We first of all energetically fought to exclude food and medicine from the embargo. For if one can condemn the practice of taking hostages and turning innocent persons into hostages — a practice we oppose and will always oppose — it is even more cruel to try to starve to death millions of women, elderly people, and children to attain a given objective. And this embargo does not affect the military forces primarily. Rather it causes suffering to the civilian population, and among them to millions of women, elderly people, and children.
This is a detestable practice. Yet this is what the United States has sought to do and has done, in opposition to Cuba's efforts to clearly define the embargo and to exclude from it food and medicine. …
But then something occurred that was truly shameful: the Security Council passed a resolution giving its blessing to the unilateral blockade by the United States, a resolution we opposed. I believe that was a shameful day, a dishonorable day for the Security Council — the day that body gave its blessing to unilateral military action by the United States. At that moment it became clear that the United States was running the show in the Security Council.
Now they have approved an air embargo. Cuba voted against it, the only country to do so! We had the honor and glory of being the only country to vote "No"! [Prolonged applause] History will record the honor, the dignity, and the courage with which Cuba acted during that moment of such importance to the life of humanity. It was necessary to take a firm position and we did not abstain — we voted "No"! And we will vote against everything we do not agree with, even if we are the only ones. [Applause] …
We believe there should be guarantees for all the countries of the region. And we believe that if the United Nations is able to achieve a political solution, it could also work out formulas to provide guarantees to all the countries of the region. This would include both the withdrawal of Iraqi troops to their border and their territory, and the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from the Arab-Persian Gulf.
Failure to attain a political solution would be a defeat for humanity, and we have concentrated our efforts on achieving such a political solution. We have worked for this and continue to do so, although we are aware that less and less time remains.
We do this not only because it flows from the political principles of our people and our revolution, and not only to fulfill international obligations. We do this because it genuinely pains us very much to see a world catastrophe approaching, and not able to be halted. And here we are not dealing with a catastrophe of nuclear weapons, no — although no one knows what will happen there. No one can say for sure whether or not chemical weapons and nuclear weapons will be used.
But such a war will not only cost many lives on the battlefield there. Such a war would also be a catastrophe for the world economy, especially for the economies of the developing countries, of the non-oil-producing Third World countries, which are the vast majority. Just as some countries will be swimming in money, others will be swimming in misery, sacrifice, and suffering of every type. For every life lost on the battlefields of the Arab-Persian Gulf, a thousand persons will die of hunger in the Third World. Such a fate would be unavoidable.
The outbreak of a conflict in the Arab-Persian Gulf — the military solution — would entail the risk of becoming a chemical war, and perhaps a war involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons. In addition, there would be incalculable destruction not only of lives but of energy resources, which are becoming more and more each day the Achilles' heel of the world economy and the economies of Third World countries. …
We will continue waging this honorable and at times solitary battle. We will not give up our principles, we will not vacillate, and we will not retreat!
US rulers step up economic war against Cuban Revolution
The U.S. government announced new measures Oct. 18 that step up its nearly 60-year-long economic war on the Cuban Revolution. Elliot Abrams, U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, told Reuters Oct. 9, "We're always looking to ways to squeeze [Cuba] because…
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The Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, only set up the Beef Forum as a hollow political gesture, according to Fianna Fail's Agriculture Spokesperson Eamon O Cuiv.
O Cuiv made the comment as the IFA is set to stage a rally of livestock farmers at Slaney Meats in Bunclody, Co. Wexford this Sunday, February 7 at 2pm to highlight price and competition issues.
O Cuiv said that the Minister has failed to address the issues in the Irish beef sector and that the forum has clearly failed farmers.
The Agriculture Spokesperson has accused the Government of failing to take any tangible action to ensure a fair price for beef farmers as processors continue to drive the Government's agenda.
Irish beef farmers are being left behind by Fine Gael, as the price deferential between Irish beef and British beef in UK supermarkets continues to grow, according to O Cuiv.
"The move by ABP Food Group to take a 50% stake in Slaney Foods raises legitimate competition questions about the beef and lamb processing sector.


Realms of Myst - A detailed medieval fantasy game with D&D type combat and roleplay encouraged. It is a smaug MUD much like the original, with lots of areas. New opportunities without old attitudes. omen.genesismuds.com 4422 or rom.genesismuds.com 4422 Currently I am just starting and need new players; you can have the opportunity to be the first people in a new world! I want both regular players and low-level Immortals to help with authorization and advising new players.


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Galleries • 16 May 2013
12 classic gadgets that will leave you feeling nostalgic
By Pippa Tshabalala
Read nextWorld's first fully-automated flight takes off
With additional reporting by Steven Norris
For those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s, it's sometimes difficult to look back at the gadgets that were hailed as so cutting edge when we were children without thinking, "Holy crap did I really carry that around in my pocket?"
Our smartphones, our consoles, our televisions, everything we use today is so much sleeker, slimmer, smarter, that it's difficult to believe that once upon a time, we used to get by without them.
And so here is a list. Of awesome, clunky, old-fashioned gadgets that I loved. Once upon a time.
12 Classic gadgets we once loved
Sony Walkman (1989)
One of my favourite gadgets as a child was my Sony Walkman. In fact it might not have even been a Walkman, I don't remember now, but like so many products, the name stuck. This portable audio cassette player was used with earphones, and although the standard models only played back music, later models actually gave you the option to record audio (badly) as well through an in-built microphone. At the time of its release, the Walkman, or portable audio cassette player was groundbreaking, as it was low cost, came with stereo playback and two headphone jacks, allowing you and a friend to listen together.
Betamax (1975)
The Betamax videotape and machine are, to be quite frank, a little before my time. Or rather, I remember them when they were on their way out, as we owned one. The Betamax was the rival format to VHS, developed by Sony and eventually phased out due to loss in market share, going from 100% in 1975, to a mere seven percent by 1986. One of the limitations was the shorter tape time, limited to only an hour, as opposed to the VHS' 2-hour playtime, better suited to Hollywood movies. The Betamax video machine was also more expensive than rival VHS and so consumers flocked to the product that best served them, despite debates as to whether Betamax was the superior format.
Tamagotchi (1996)
Next is the Tamagotchi. This somewhat pointless yet addictive little game is a digital pet, which entered the market circa 1996. The egg shaped toy was small enough to carry around with you as you fed, played with and generally nurtured it into its adult form. The better you look after your pet, the healthier and happier it will be, however as is the case in real life, if you're slack and don't look after it, it will eventually die. A variety of Tamagotchis were released in later years and proved very popular but I can't say this was a fad that I ever particularly subscribed to. I found it worth mentioning even if just to point out how stupid I thought it was.
Nintendo Gameboy (1989)
Staying with gaming, and indeed even the same manufacturer, the Nintendo Gameboy was another machine I coveted as a child. I say coveted because I did not in fact, own one. I used to borrow a friend's machine to get my fix every couple of weeks. The original Gameboy (as opposed to the Color or the Advance) was released in 1989 and eventually discontinued in 2003. Small cartridges were inserted into the top of the machine, which was an eerily green-lit screen with monochrome graphics. Although the Gameboy seemed to have some tough competition from Sega, the cheaper price and better battery consumption meant that it was able to sell more units despite the fact that the display was monochrome.
Nes (1983)
Commodore 64 (1982)
The Commodore 64 (C64) will always be one of the best home consoles of all time. And for most of us, it was our first. There were no digital downloads, DVDs or cartridges. Games were loaded minute by painful minute from a tape. From 1982 until the the advent of the Nintendo, the US$549 C64 ruled the roost. It gets its name from its astonishing 64KB RAM, but the C64 grabbed its true power from the fans, and rampant piracy. Copying a game meant popping the tape into any dual tape deck and hitting "record". In reality, the C64 became the first social console, as game sharing was hassle-free and popular games like The Last Ninja II, Maniac Mansion, Elite and Bubble Bobble spread like wildfire among the Commodore enthusiasts. The machine was cloned and eventually retrofitted with modern PC components. By the end of its run in 1994, the C64 had sold well over 17-million machines and playing C64 games today is as easy as pie thanks to robust emulation. C64, never forget.
Motorola Dynatac (1983)
(Dynamic Adaptive Total Area Coverage) from Motorola was the first ever commercially available mobile phone, for the respectful price of US$3995. The year was 1983, Hulk Hogan won the first WWF title and the "A-Team" made its debut on TV. Now's the time for a mobile phone, thought Motorola. The DynaTAC 8000X weight close to a kilo (790g) was 25cm tall, had 21 keys and a massive antenna. The "phone","end call" and "volume" buttons we take for granted now were just glowing rubber keys to the 800x. And the talk time was horrendous - one hour of chatting, followed by a nutty ten hours to charge. It didn't even run on todays GSM network, but instead trucked with AMPS, a long-obsolete analog network. It now sells for well under it's original asking price and according to the seller "it turns on and works".
Personal Digital Assistants (pda's - 1992)
Personal Data Assistants (PDA) were the forerunners to smartphones. Bulky and expensive, the PDA was not a tool for the average user. The first PDA, built by Psion, had a single-row monochrome screen and resembled a big, ugly calculator. It had an astonishing 2KB RAM and a mammoth 0.9Mhz CPU. It had a calculator, clock and electronic diary. As it does with technology, things quickly progressed: we went from Palm OS to iOS in under a decade, dropped the stylus input and manufacturers kept adding in extras such as Bluetooth, memory card slots and wireless synching. Mostly everything we take for granted in our iPhone 5 or Galaxy S IV began on a PDA.
Sega Genesis (1998)
Poor Sega. It produced an endless number of consoles and outside of the Dreamcast, which is not as great as everyone remembers it to be, the Genesis is tops the list as one of the most successful and influential consoles of all time. It had no hope in hell of beating the original Nintendo and Super Nintendo, but that's down to a matter of taste. The Genesis pushed boundaries, both emotional and technological ones. It had "blast processing", an 8-16Mhz CPU (depending on when you brought the console), the first ever video game with blood and a fantastic 6-button controller. This was an arcade machine in your home and the list of games is nothing short of legendary. Sonic, Streets of Rage, Toejam and Earl, Phantasy Star, Gunstar Hero's, these were the games that defined us and helped to usher in a generation of faster, more intelligent titles. Sega shot itself in the foot when it started with the add-0n for the Genesis. The Mega CD and Sega 32X were in a word, terrible ideas and crashed faster than a tween after a Bieber concert. Remember the Sega Genesis for what it was: a solid console that gave once upon a time, gave the mighty Nintendo a run for its money.
Nintendo Game & Watch
From 1980 till 1991, Nintendo brought us the future of handheld gaming: Game and Watch were very simple LCD games with a clock and timer function built into them. There were close to 60 titles and Nintendo sold a very healthy 43.4-million of the suckers. Practically every Nintendo game from the 80s and 90s was turned into a G&W equivalent. Donkey Kong was the most popular, but Zelda, Metroid, Megaman, Summer Games and hundreds more made the cut. The G&W series can still be snapped up online (for some pretty hefty fees) or you can hedge your bets on flash or Nintendo DS version. I remember pushing my finger into the LED screens and watching the liquid crystal dance as it turned the screen into a prism of colors, that's a fond memory most of us shared.
Simon (1978)
Remember this insanely addictive memory game? Simon ("Simon says") launched in 1978 and consisted of four buttons that had to be pushed in a certain sequence. A sequence that was determined by Simon and as all good games should, the pattern of lights and sounds ramps up until there's nothing but a crescendo of rainbow-coloured merriment. Simon is now distributed by toy company Hasbro, but the new version removes the charm of the 80's toy, turning it into a series of four cubes that have to be shuffled in the correct order. An innovative take on a three-decade old toy, but the wonder of smashing your fist into a four-coloured disc is sadly gone.
I felt compelled to mention, as this was my first cellphone. Released in 1998, the Nokia 5110 was one of the first phones to feature the game Snake. Yes, this is my fondest memory of this phone, along with the fact that it had customised clip-off covers. In the history of mobile phones, this is one of the most popular models of all time, and with good reason. It had an excellent battery life, could perform all basic functions well, and most importantly in my mind, didn't break when you dropped it!
Classic Gadgets Lead
Pippa Tshabalala
Posted in GalleriesTagged 12, 80's, 90's, classic, Gadgets
World's first fully-automated flight takes off
News • 17 May 2013

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Despite bloody face, Jake Paul knocks out Deji in YouTube boxing match
Barstool Sports deletes anti-union tweets, blog post in settlement 1 Year Ago
The 'can have … as a treat' meme has come full circle 1 Year Ago
Deji's corner had to throw in the towel.
KSIvsLogan/YouTube
Josh Katzowitz— 2018-08-25 03:28 pm | Last updated 2018-08-25 03:35 pm
After months of trash-talking between two YouTube stars, Jake Paul pummeled Deji until his corner threw in the towel in the fifth round, handing Paul the TKO victory on Saturday.
Paul entered the ring wearing a "Fuck Jake Paul" necklace, but clearly, he was filled with confidence. Deji managed to perform better than many observers could have expected, but by the middle of the fifth round, Paul was pounding him in the corner and Deji's corner ended the fight.
"I feel amazing, man," Paul said afterward. "I worked so hard for this. Deji fought an amazing fight. I respect him. I hoope he learned a lesson about the things he said, because he said some shit about my family that wasn't cool. But much respect to Deji. No hard feelings."
As many as 820,000 YouTube viewers paid $10 to watch the fight, and a loud Manchester Arena shouted for Deji during the pregfight ringwalks. But Paul's first punch, a left hook, staggered Deji. Deji responded by bloodying Paul's nose in the first round.
In the second and third rounds, Paul simply outboxed Deji, landing solid jabs and hitting Deji with body punches. Paul also showed good enough defense, keeping Deji, who threw many less punches than Paul, from landing any significant shots. In the fourth round, Paul punished Deji, landing all kinds of punches as Deji got trapped in the corner and on the ropes.
By the fifth round, Paul was landing shots at will, and Deji clearly had enough.
"He hit hard, but I stayed in there," Deji said. "He said he was going to knock me out in the first round, and that never happened."
After KSI beat Joe Weller in Feburary, he called out Logan Paul and Jake Paul in the aftermath. Although there were brief discussions that Jake Paul would fight KSI, it was eventually determined that the two younger brothers, Jake Paul and Deji, would fight instead.
That started a feud between Jake Paul and Deji that included plenty of trash-talking, diss tracks, and a meeting at a Los Angeles park that led to Deji originally begging off from matching up with Paul. Ultimately, though, Deji agreed to a fight, and the feud culminated on Saturday.
But as Paul mentioned, he's had a tough year with the breakup of his Team 10 squad and various lawstuis.
"It wasn't so much just boxing match," said Paul, who unexpectedly called out hip-hop artist Chris Brown to fight. "It was putting my heart on the line to overcome a lot of things, that I could overcome adversity."
Josh Katzowitz
Josh Katzowitz is a staff writer at the Daily Dot specializing in YouTube and boxing. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. A longtime sports writer, he's covered the NFL for CBSSports.com and boxing for Forbes. His work has been noted twice in the Best American Sports Writing book series.
Boxing Celebrities Entertainment Jake Paul Streaming Youtube


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Protesters Take to the Streets in Multiple Cities After Rittenhouse Not Guilty Verdict
Protests erupted in several U.S. cities on Nov. 19 after a jury acquitted Kyle Rittenhouse of all charges in connection with the shooting of three individuals during last year's unrest in Kenosha. People took to the streets in Chicago, New York City, Oakland, Portland, and other cities, to voice their dissatisfaction with the verdict. Video posted on social media showed a large crowd marching in Brooklyn, chanting "Say his name: George Floyd," in reference to the police-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year. Police declared a riot in Portland after a group of protesters damaged property and threw objects at police. Several dozen protesters assembled at Federal Plaza in Chicago, holding signs reading "Reject Racist Vigilante Terror" and "Kyle Will Kill Again!" Footage shared on social media showed the group marching along a Chicago street, chanting, "What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now! And …https://www.theepochtimes.com/c-us-politics
Business Lobby Files Court Notice Over Biden's Vaccine Mandate: Stop 'Bullying Businesses to Comply'
Biden Administration Urges Court Not to Appoint Special Master in Project Veritas Case


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What You Can Learn From The Top Sales Leaders
Modicum Contributor
Photo by the Propoint team
Propoint
We probably all know an incredible sales leader. You know the type, the ones who always seem to exceed their quota and somehow manage to make it look easy.
Have you ever wondered about what actually sets sales leaders apart from everyone else? Well, now you don't have to. Here are the traits and habits that set the top salespeople apart from the rest; and how you can incorporate them into your own workday:
Actually Be Helpful
We've all dealt with a pushy salesperson that tried to sell us a product without really listening to what we wanted or why we wanted it. The best sales leaders are never that pushy because they would much rather spend the time selling to people they can help.
Even Rand Fishkin, founder and former CEO of Moz has this quote pinned to his Twitter profile for over a year.
"Best way to sell something- don't sell anything. Earn the awareness, respect, & trust of those who might buy."
No high-profile founder would have something pinned for this long if it wasn't still relevant. Focusing on helping people and understanding their needs will build better relationships with your clients, and will make you a better salesperson.
Act Like A Consultant
The best salespeople make an effort to understand their prospect's business and industry before making any suggestions. Once you prove that you understand a prospect's challenges and goals, you can use your expertise to reframe the way they look at their pain points and even challenge them to think critically. Mark Roberge, former CRO at Hubspot said:
"Once the salesperson truly understands the day-to-day job of the buyer, the salesperson can connect with the buyer, earn the buyer's trust, and appreciate the buyer's unique perspectives...The salesperson can understand where the buyer wants to go because the salesperson has been at both the starting gate and the finish line."
Sales leaders know that they're more successful when they can tailor the conversation to the prospect's specific situation and can genuinely help. It's all about relating and building trust.
Understand Your Impact
Good sales reps don't just understand their industry and its context. They'll take the time to understand a prospect's industry as well. Because of this, they ask great follow up questions to close any gaps in information. Reps should be experts who know all about the applications of their product so they understand how it fits into their prospect's world.
Image created by Propoint team
Propoint team
Be Deliberate With Your Time
Sales people live by their calendars, and the ability to prioritize between high-reward and low-reward projects is a great skill to make the most out of your precious time. According to Hubspot, the average salesperson only spends two hours per day on revenue-generating activities, while the highest performing sales people spend six hours per day on these tasks. That's an insane difference. Sales leaders are deliberate with their time and are likely to automate repetitive tasks.
Be Just Pessimistic Enough
Sales leaders aren't going to waste time on a prospect who doesn't seem like a good fit, and they're just pessimistic enough to figure out who those prospects are. Research published by the Harvard Business Review found that nearly all of the salespeople participating considered themselves optimists, but after a personality test, nearly ⅔ of the high performing reps were revealed to have pessimistic personalities. Salespeople who are a little more pessimistic tend to question the credibility of buyers, which means they're a lot less likely to waste time on unqualified leads.
And Last, But Not Least:
Know When To Back Off
44% of sales reps give up after one follow-up, despite the fact that most sales require multiple. So, knowing how and when to follow up is an obvious sign of a great salesperson. With that being said, it's still important to strike a fine balance when keeping in touch with leads and clients. Persistence is great, but no one likes being pestered. The best sales reps know when it's time to let things rest.
Learn more on our Deep Thoughts blog.
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Milton Keynes Dons made it through the first round of the league cup against a league 2 rival on Tuesday; we'll need to cause a major upset to get into round three though.
The reward for the three-one win at the stadium:mk against AFC Wimbledon in the first round is a second round meeting with premier league giants Manchester United.
Arguably the best draw we could have wished for we got, perhaps the only thing is that it wasn't at Old Trafford? This will definitely be shown live of sky sports no two ways about it as it's United's first second round tie since 1995, they lost over two-legs to York City that season.
We'll be at home again this time; United will come to the stadium:mk the week commencing August 25th as Karl Robinson sends out the boys looking to pull off what would be considered his biggest scalp yet and a real cup upset.
Can we do it? At home, in front of the sky sports cameras, it will be incredibly difficult but by no means impossible!


Can Weight Gain Cause Foot Problems?
Yes, weight gain can effect your feet and lead to foot pain. In addition to foot pain, weight gain can also lead to leg, knee and back pain. The pressure put on feet from excess weight will put a lot of pressure on your feet and heels, as well as cause your arch to collapse. If you are aving any foot pain it is highly recommended you see a podiatrist.


Acknowledgements | Eat Sleep Cook!
Before I became a cook I was a journalist and writer, in which career I had the great and humbling help and advice of my agents Caroline and Doreen from Rupert Crew. Thanks again to you for helping set me on the writerly path.
Anthony Bourdain inspired many people to become cooks for the right wrong reasons, if you see what I mean. I was nudged further in the correct wrong direction by his book Kitchen Confidential which apparently stopped many would-be cooks in their tracks. Not me. I have also often used, referred to and stolen as if they were my own his recipes in the Les Halles Cookbook. Cheers!
La Cuisine de Référence by Michel MAINCET-MOREL was the set text cook book for my cooking classes. This is how to cook, properly, officially and in the approved Escoffier-heritage fashion. Without the benefit of an index too – indexes are for wimps – so you're largely on your own rooting around in its 1040 pages. Many of the recipes in this book are stolen from based on recipes in La Cuisine de Référence which guided me through my year at cookery school. It's still my go-to reference when I want to find out how to really cook something properly.


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- Non-Sensitive, Low Risk Positions (LR): Positions which involve duties and responsibilities of limited relation to an agency or program mission, so the potential for impact on the integrity and efficiency of the service is limited. Employees whose positions have this designation are required to complete the SF-85, Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions. (Positions with this designation are annotated with a "1" on the AD-332, Position Description Cover Sheet.)
- Public Trust Positions: Positions at the moderate or high risk levels are normally referred to as "Public Trust" positions. Such positions may involve policy making, major program responsibility, public safety and health, law enforcement duties, fiduciary responsibilities, or other duties demanding a significant degree of public trust; and positions involving access to or operation or control of financial records, with a significant risk for causing damage or realizing personal gain.
Employees whose positions have either a moderate or high risk designation are required to complete the SF-85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions, on-line through OPM's e-QIP System.
Moderate Risk (MR): Positions with the potential for moderate to serious impact on the integrity and efficiency of the service. Duties involved are considerably important to the agency or program mission with significant program responsibility, or delivery of service. (Positions with this designation are annotated with a "5" on the AD-332, Position Description Cover Sheet.)
High Risk (HR): Positions with the potential for exceptionally serious impact on the integrity and efficiency of the service. The duties involved are especially critical to the agency or program mission with a broad scope of responsibility and authority. (Positions with this designation are annotated with a "6" on the AD-332, Position Description Cover Sheet.)
- National Security Positions: Positions whose activities, duties, and responsibilities involve the nation's war and defense plans, foreign policy, or access to classified information. All positions with National Security duties and responsibilities must have a sensitivity level designation to assure the appropriate level of investigative screening is done to comply with E.O.10450 and E.O.12968. Consequently, a sensitivity level designation is based on an assessment of the degree of damage that an individual could cause to National Security.
There are three sensitivity levels:
Noncritical-Sensitive: Potential for significant or serious damage to national security. Positions that involve access to SECRET or CONFIDENTIAL classified information, or duties that may directly or indirectly adversely affect the National Security operations of the Agency. (Positions with this designation are annotated with a "2" on the AD-332, Position Description Cover Sheet.)
Critical Sensitive: Potential for exceptional or grave damage to national security. Positions that involve any of the following: access to TOP SECRET classified information; development or approval of war plans, or plans or particulars of future, major, or special operations of war, or critical and extremely important items of war; national security policy-making or policy-determining positions; investigative duties; issuance of personnel security clearances; duty on personnel security boards; and any other positions related to national security requiring the same degree of trust. (Positions with this designation are annotated with a "3" on the AD-332, Position Description Cover Sheet.)
Special-Sensitive: Any position an Agency head determines to be at a higher level than Critical-Sensitive due to special requirements that complement E.O.10450 and E.O.12968 (such as DCID 6/4 that sets investigative requirements and access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and other intelligence related Special Sensitive information.) (Positions with this designation are annotated with a "4" on the AD-332, Position Description Cover Sheet.)
Employees who occupy National Security positions are required to complete the SF-86, Questionnaire for National Security Positions, on-line through OPM's e-QIP System.
Special Note: National Security positions typically require periodic reinvestigations or renewal of clearance level. More information can be found at: "Periodic Reinvestigations"
Position Designation, Form Type and Investigation
Type Although the Position Designation System will show the required investigation and form type by determining the sensitivity and risk level, table 2 depicts the correlation between position designation, investigation types, reinvestigation types and form types.
Final Sensitivity Designation from the Position Designation System/Tool
Final RiskDesignation from the Position Designation System/Tool
Type of Investigation
Reinvestigation for Designated Position
Special-Sensative or Critical-Sensitive
"High Risk"
T5R (71)
Non-critical Sensitive
"Moderate Risk"
Non-Sensitive Public Trust
SF 85P
T2S (57)
T2RS (58)
Non-sensitive
"Low Risk"
No Reinvestigation Requirement
* The Tier 2 investigative product no longer includes the Optional Enhanced Security Interview (ESI) unless there are Expandable Focused Interview (EFI) flags within the submitted investigative paperwork, to include the Additional Questions for Moderate Risk Positions. See section 5.2.3 for details on this process.
Form and Document Submission Requirements
Investigation Type and Form Type
-SF 85
-SF 85P
T2RS
ONLY required when discrepant information exists between OF 306 and SF 86
-An SF 87 is only required if no prior classifiable results exist
1Until further notice, fingerprints may be submitted on the SF 87or FD-258. Agencies are strongly encouraged to submit electronic fingerprints instead of submission of hard card charts.
2Requires Additional Questions for Moderate Risk Positions form. For further guidance, please see below.
3If one of the following position titles are used on the submission, the OF 306 is not required: Summer Hire, Student, Intern, Volunteer, Humanitarian, Extern, or Military
Document Requirements for CONTRACTORS or MILITARY
Questions 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, and 17a must be answered
Where/How Do I Get These Forms?
When you enter a Federal position your program administrative office will tell you which documents/forms are required. You will complete the following steps:
Step 1: Get your required forms from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Website, or MRP-BS Personnel Office.
Step 2: If possible use one of the electronic versions of the forms. If not, complete the hard copy of the appropriate form using a black ballpoint pen or a typewriter.The SF-86, Questionnaire for National Security Positions, is now available through the on-line OPM e-QIP system. You must contact the MRP-BS Personnel Office for access rights to this secure Internet connection. Further information, including frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be found at e-QIP.
Step 3: If required, complete the Fair Credit Release Form and USDA Justification Form.
Step 4: Complete your SF-87 fingerprint cards (primarily for new employees unless otherwise instructed). Contact your program administrative office Servicing Personnel Office for information on where to get fingerprinted. Fingerprint Charts for Contractor (Non-Federal) employees only (FD-258) can be obtained through GSA.
Step 5: Complete an Optional Form 306 and a resume, OF-612 or SF-171.
Step 6: Some program administrative offices facilitate the mailing of the completed forms on your behalf. If yours does not, submit all forms to the Personnel Security Staff of MRP-BS. (See helpful hints to make sure you complete the forms correctly.)
All required forms noted below must be submitted to the following address and marked:
Do NOT Open in Mail Room - To be Opened
by ADDRESSEE ONLY:
Completing the SF-85, Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions
Completing the SF-85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions
Completing the SF-86, Questionnaire for National Security Positions
Completing the SF-87, Fingerprint Card
Completing the Fair Credit Reporting Act Form
Interim Security Clearance
If deemed necessary and appropriate, the Department's Personnel Security Branch may be able to grant an interim (temporary) security clearance to an employee while his/her investigation is being processed at OPM. Interim clearances are granted in exceptional circumstances where official functions must be performed before completion of the investigative and adjudicative processes associated with the security clearance procedure.
There is no difference between an interim and a full security clearance as it relates to access to classified information. However, when such access is granted, the background investigation must be expedited (35-day) service. If potentially disqualifying information is developed at anytime, the interim security clearance may be withdrawn.
An interim security clearance will be granted by the Department under the following conditions:
1) a demonstrated, clearly identified need stated on the Justification for Requested Security Clearance form;
2) a favorable review of the SF-86;
3) the submission of an appropriate 35-day investigation request to OPM; and
4) the completion of a security indoctrination and signed SF-312, Nondisclosure Agreement.
A request for interim SCI (Sensitive Compartmented Information) should be submitted only when there is an emergency or urgent operational requirement that necessitates indoctrination prior to the completion of the required investigation.
Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (e-QIP) is an automated system which allows applicants to electronically enter, update, and transmit their personal data over a secure Internet connection. Currently only employees/applicants required to complete the SF-86 Questionnaire are able to complete their form on-line.
Please note that you must be given access to the e-QIP Applicant Site by the MRP-BS Personnel Security Section prior to using the automated system.
A periodic reinvestigation is an update to a background investigation. Employees holding TOP SECRET, SECRET, and CONFIDENTIAL security clearances are subject to reinvestigation as follows:
Sensitivity/Clearance Level
Date Completed Reinvestigation Required
Non-Critical Sensitive w/Confidential Clearance
15 Years From the Closing Date of the Last Investigation
Non-Critical Sensitive w/Secret Clearance
Critical Sensitive w/either Secret or Top Clearance
5 Years From the Closing Date of the Last Investigation
Special Sensitive w/Top Secret Clearance
Reinvestigations on:
Coded on AD-332 as:
Require the following forms:
National Security Positions
Updated SF-86 and the Fair Credit Form
Program Offices are also responsible for monitoring the expiration dates of their employees' investigations/security clearances and are tasked with making certain employees are notified in a timely manner to submit the required forms for reinvestigations. All forms must be submitted to the Minneapolis HR Classification and Personnel Security Section.
The Minneapolis Personnel Security Staff reviews all security clearance forms for accuracy prior to initiating any background investigations for MRP employees through the Department and/or the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Upon completion of the investigations the Minneapolis HR Personnel Security Staff will then notify, in writing, the employee and their supervisor of the determination. Depending upon the level of clearance required, investigations can take anywhere from 2 to 3 months on up to a full year to complete.
For confidential, secret, or top secret security determinations, the employee must receive a security indoctrination (briefing) prior to being granted access to classified information.
There may be occasions when employees are required to attend classified meetings and briefings at other federal agencies or departments. Such employees will require certification of their security clearance to the agency or department visited. A Request for Passing Clearance Form must be completed and faxed to Department's Personnel Security Branch at 202-720-7708 at least 2 working days prior to the scheduled meeting or briefing.
Federal agencies will normally accept another agency's investigation as the basis for granting a security clearance. Also considered is whether there have been any significant changes in your situation since your last investigation. There may be additional investigative or adjudicative requirements that must be met prior to accepting a clearance granted by another agency. For further guidance you are encouraged to check with the Personnel Security Staff of MRP-BS.
Directives, Guides & Issuances
Department of Agriculture, Personnel and Document Security Division
Code of Federal Regulations:
5 CFR Part 5, Regulations, Investigation, and Enforcement (Rule V)
5 CFR Part 731, Suitability
5 CFR Part 732, National Security Positions
5 CFR Part 736, Personnel Investigations
Executive Orders:
10450 - Security Requirements for Government Employment
10577 - (Authority to Request Information) Amending the Civil Service Rules and Authorizing a New Appointment System for the Competitive Service
12958 - Access to National Security Information
12968 - Access to Classified Information
USDA-OHSEC Personnel and Document Security Division (PDSD)
Links to Forms
OPM Forms


By Air: The nearest airport is Geneva. It is served by a number of airlines in the UK, including BA, EasyJet, Flybe and ThompsonFly. Flying from locations including Doncaster, Southampton, Birmingham and Gatwick.


text:
Sacha Baron Cohen set to play Freddie Mercury in upcoming film
September 17th, 2010 - 6:16 pm ICT by ANI Tweet
Melbourne, Sept 17 (ANI): "Borat" actor Sacha Baron Cohen has been cast to play Freddie Mercury in an upcoming movie about the iconic British rock band 'Queen'.
The movie will be the first time the surviving members of 'Queen' - Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon - have agreed to license songs and music publishing rights for a movie about the band, reports Deadline.
The three formed Queen Films to take part in the production of the movie.
The untitled film will feature hits global such as 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are the Champions'.
However, it has not been revealed if Baron Cohen would sing in the film or if Mercury's original vocals would be used.
"Freddie Mercury was an awe-inspiring performer, so with Sacha in the starring role coupled with Peter (Morgan's) screenplay and the support of Queen, we have the perfect combination to tell the real story behind their success," the Courier Mail quoted the project's financier GK Films as saying.
Before his death, at age 45 from complications from AIDS, Mercury was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals as lead singer for the classic rock group - one of the best selling music artists of all time. (ANI)
Sacha Baron Cohen to play Freddie Mercury - Sep 20, 2010
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Sasha Baron Cohen to star as Freddie Mercury - Sep 19, 2010
Google doodles on Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday - Sep 05, 2011
Sacha Baron Cohen not welcome to attend Oscars dressed as 'The Dictator' - Feb 23, 2012
Sacha Baron Cohen wedding - Mar 23, 2010
Sacha Baron Cohen to play Saddam Hussein - Jan 21, 2011
Bruno scoops Best Film nomination at British Comedy Awards - Nov 19, 2009
Sacha Baron Cohen to star in film 'inspired by Saddam Hussein book' - Jan 21, 2011
Kazakhstan lodges complaint over gaffe - Mar 27, 2012
'Bohemian Rhapsody' voted greatest lighter in air song - Sep 08, 2010
Perry to don Mercury look for charity - Sep 01, 2011
Isla Fisher doesn't like to discuss her hubby's film ideas with him - Mar 08, 2011
Tags: best selling music, bohemian rhapsody, borat, brian may, classic rock group, courier mail, freddie mercury, john deacon, music artists, music publishing, perfect combination, peter morgan, publishing rights, queen brian, rock band queen, roger taylor, sacha baron cohen, stage persona, untitled film, upcoming film


'Tis the day after the day after Christmas, when retailers sit back and congratulate themselves on all their hard work. Like Amazon, which says it was so good at selling last-minute gifts, its fastest Prime Now delivery on Christmas Eve took only 13 minutes.
As part of a post-Christmas information dump, in which Amazon claimed it shipped more than one billion items this holiday season, the e-commerce giant says that super speedy delivery was dropped off at 9:05 p.m. to a Prime member in Redondo Beach, CA. The customer ordered a Tile Slim Item Finder and a Tile Mate Key Finder, in case you were wondering.
As for other notable deliveries, Amazon says the last Prime Now item delivered in time for Christmas was handed over at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 24 to a customer in Irvine, CA, who sounded like they were in for a rough holiday: that shipment included a heated mattress pad, NyQuil, and Afrin Nasal Spray.
Not all customers were happy with their last-minute Amazon shopping experiences, however, including a shopper who accused the company of guaranteeing a delivery on Dec. 24, but then hiring a shipping company that was closed from Dec. 24 through Dec. 26.


« How Do the Ravens Look at the Key Positions in Fantasy Football in 2018?
The Ravens will be without their top cornerback for the first quarter of the season, according to NFL.com, as Tuesday cornerback Jimmy Smith was suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
"One of our players, Jimmy Smith, has been suspended without pay for violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy. The Ravens fully support the NFL's decision.
"The NFL found evidence of threatening and emotionally abusive behaviors by Jimmy toward his former girlfriend that showed a pattern of improper conduct. Our player's behavior was inappropriate and wrong.
"As an organization, we have carefully reviewed the matter to determine the appropriate course of action for our team to take as Jimmy's employer.
"We consulted with relationship and domestic violence experts for their perspectives. We convened a group of Ravens women and men executives, not directly involved with our football operations, to review the matter. We also engaged in conversations with Jimmy about his past behavior and his intention to change.
"Additionally, it is our understanding that following a long-running and difficult custody dispute with his former girlfriend and mother of his son, Jimmy has resolved his custody and support issues.
"I would like to sincerely apologize to my former girlfriend, the NFL, the Ravens organization, my coaches, my teammates, my fiancée and all our fans. I'm very disappointed that my past actions have led to this suspension. I promise that I have already learned much and will continue to learn more from this experience. I believe I am, and will continue to try to be, a better person and a better father because of this. I am committed to being the best I can be, both on and off the field.


text:
phenomanon said:
Really? I don't think I agree with that statement.
I've thought about it.
Homophobia.
It's called mid-life crisis. It's usually not as extreme as Bruce/Caitlin Jenner, an even bigger FLAKE. As long as there attention-seekers with no ability to introspect, it will go on.
The Argentinian news website Infobae has a story about Michelle LeClair and her book:
El calvario de Michelle LeClair, la mayor contribuyente de la cienciología, cuando debió confesar un secreto sexual
https://www.infobae.com/america/eeu...ogia-cuando-debio-confesar-un-secreto-sexual/
Google translation:
https://translate.google.com/transl...-debio-confesar-un-secreto-sexual/&edit-text=
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https://www.infobae.com/america/eeuu/2018/09/05/el-calvario-de-michelle-leclair-la-mayor-contribuyente-de-la-cienciologia-cuando-debio-confesar-un-secreto-sexual/&edit-text=
Que?
Looks like she scammed a lot of old people and is now using her LGBT status to sell a book to a calculated niche market. Gee, I wonder how many churches out there would encourage a married woman to explore her sexuality through adultery? What a scandal! There are much more interesting books out there by ACTUAL whistleblowers.
As to my certainty, let's just say I'm old enough to know the type. I suppose it takes all kinds to make the world go round, and maybe we need slippery, big-thinking promoter/scammer types like LRH, but it doesn't mean I have to approve of them just because they left the Cof$.
Even animals have a percentage rate of homosexuality..it's a very very very normal and boring phenomanon happening in the real life.
I don't get why people are so concerned about what sexual activities other adults are doing or the gender of the meat body they play with, neither I understant how they believe they have to agree or disagree, support or not support it..I mean it's none of our business...
80% of people have ever thought of doing gay activities or did it at least once.
Actually, I am presently doing it with a female (actually 2 females)..while I am typing this post,
(I have lot of meat body energy these days)
So I though let's make an unprecedented FLAKE experience.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
OUhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
What a scandal
Oh La La....
But what a confusing picture it makes...
Leland said:
To be honnest, I am peacefully drinking a hot tea, reading ESMB like an old girl
and too old to go into such experiments
To be honest, I am peacefully [bcolor=#ffff00]drinking hot tea[/bcolor], reading ESMB like an old girl
Without sugar I hope lotus!
VIDEO: Michelle LeClair speaks with the Director of the GLAAD Media Institute, Ross Murray, about leaving Scientology.
PODCAST - Escaping Scientology: Michelle LeClair of Perfectly Clear: A Personal and Legal Journey.
Law Talk with BJ - Escaping Scientology: Michelle LeClair of Perfectly Clear: A Personal and Legal Journey
https://lawtalkwithbj.com/podcast/e...perfectly-clear-a-personal-and-legal-journey/
In this episode, BJ talks with Michelle LeClair, former Scientologist and author of Perfectly Clear about her personal and legal journey.
CommunicatorIC, we get it. She hired you to promote the book. Mission accomplished.
Reactions: ThetanExterior
This Lesbian Escaped Scientology. She's Now Ringing the Alarm.
The Advocate: This Lesbian Escaped Scientology. She's Now Ringing the Alarm
https://www.advocate.com/religion/2018/10/04/lesbian-escaped-scientology-shes-now-ringing-alarm
BY NEAL BROVERMAN
For decades, Michelle LeClair was a faithful disciple of the Church of Scientology. Giving her time, money, and relationships over to the secretive organization, LeClair was a convert of the highest order. But when LeClair met a gay woman named Charlie, her life was upended and her eyes began to open to the church's many questionable practices. In her new memoir with Robin Gaby Fisher, Perfectly Clear, LeClair describes her escape from the church's clutches and her enduring love for Charlie. LeClair spoke to The Advocate about the memoir and why she calls the Church of Scientology a "cult" that's complicit in "conversion therapy."
* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * * *
What does your spirituality look like now?
I was baptized Episcopal. Obviously, All Saints in Pasadena [Calif.] is one of the most amazing churches out there and at the forefront of gay rights. That's kind of our home now. Tina, who is Charlie in the book, is Episcopal. Ed Bacon, who was one of the priests that was there, really helped walk me back down my spiritual path. I tell you that I will never be dogmatic about a religion again. I do not believe anyone has the secret to the universe or knows all. I cannot tell you that I believe that the Bible is 100 percent true. It is a beautiful, accepting place for me now, and I want to have something spiritual.
I believe in God. I believe that there is a much greater, powerful something out there in the world, but I cannot say that the Episcopal Church is better than a synagogue. I have some amazing Jewish friends that I think are just some of the most compassionate, wonderful people. I read a lot of Buddhism and Tao and Hinduism. Mark Nepo, who is a writer, who is one of my very favorites, combines all religions in his writings. I would say that I am not a seeker so much as I am a sponge. I pray, I meditate, I try to follow what I believe is the truth. I believe that loving everyone for who they are and not being judgmental is truth. I believe that silence will help you find the voice that you're looking for. I think being a compassionate person is one of the greatest gifts that we can have. That's what I'm trying to teach the children. As long as they see love wrapped around them, I think they'll be able to find their way and we'll find our way. I think love is my greatest religion.
With LGBTQ people, it's sort of just assumed that they're not religious, for good reason, because churches and other institutions have been so resistant to us. It's a shame because there is a desire for so many of us to be spiritual but we don't feel welcome.
So true! I have found a beautiful home at All Saints. It is the most accepting and loving place that I have ever been inside of church walls. I have met many, many gay couples; they do gay weddings. It's been a beautiful place. I know that there are many other churches that are just as accepting. I think that it is important, especially for the gay community to realize that spirituality is something that touches us all. Whether you only believe that there is this universe that we all have connection in, or if you believe that there is a higher power, if you believe in Jesus or if you don't, I do think spirituality is something that is important in our lives. Sometimes we have to make sense of why are we going through. I believe in karma, and I hope that anybody who is hurting or has been wronged by a religion will not give up on this wonderful universe of love and that comes from somewhere.
Being gay in Scientology: How Michelle LeClair got out.
While this article certainly addresses Scientology and its teachings regarding gay people, it also places MIchelle LeClair's story in a much larger contemporary non-Scientology context.
Big Think: Being gay in Scientology: How Michelle LeClair got out
https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/is-homosexuality-wrong-in-scientology
DEREK BERES 05 October, 2018
* Michelle LeClair survived rape, violence, and surveillance, and is now speaking out against the Church of Scientology.
* In her new memoir, Perfectly Clear, she details her harrowing story.
* The church promotes a culture of submission and fear, she says, and is seeking new avenues to retain member
Although it is not about Scientology, I believe it may be worthy of note the book by Tena Clark, Michelle LeClair's life partner, was published on October 2, 2018.
Southern Discomfort: A Memoir
https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Discomfort-Memoir-Tena-Clark-ebook/dp/B07CMNZTMD/
* * * * * BEGIN INTRODUCTION * * * * *
For readers of beloved memoirs like Educated and The Glass Castle, a riveting and profoundly moving memoir set in rural Mississippi during the Civil Rights era about a white girl coming of age in a repressive society and the woman who gave her the strength to forge her own path—the black nanny who cared for her.
Tena Clark was born in 1953 in a tiny Mississippi town close to the Alabama border, where the legacy of slavery and racial injustice still permeated every aspect of life. On the outside, Tena's childhood looked like a fairytale. Her father was one of the richest men in the state; her mother was a regal beauty. The family lived on a sprawling farm and had the only swimming pool in town; Tena was given her first car—a royal blue Camaro—at twelve.
But behind closed doors, Tena's life was deeply lonely, and chaotic. By the time she was three, her parents' marriage had dissolved into a swamp of alcohol, rampant infidelity, and guns. Adding to the turmoil, Tena understood from a very young age that she was different from her three older sisters, all of whom had been beauty queens and majorettes. Tena knew she didn't want to be a majorette—she wanted to marry one.
On Tena's tenth birthday, her mother, emboldened by alcoholism and enraged by her husband's incessant cheating, walked out for good, instantly becoming an outcast in society. Tena was left in the care of her black nanny, Virgie, who became Tena's surrogate mother and confidante—even though she was raising nine of her own children and was not allowed to eat from the family's plates or use their bathroom. It was Virgie's acceptance and unconditional love that gave Tena the courage to stand up to her domineering father, the faith to believe in her mother's love, and the strength to be her true self.
Combining the spirit of poignant coming-of-age memoirs such as The Glass Castle and vivid, evocative Southern fiction like Fried Green Tomatoes, Southern Discomfort is about the people and places that shape who we are—and is destined to become a new classic.
* * * * * END INTRODUCTION * * * * *
The Michelle LeClair story has reached Croatia.
Express.hr: "U crkvi su tražili detalje moje gay veze sa ženom"
https://www.express.hr/life/u-crkvi-su-trazili-detalje-moje-gay-veze-sa-zenom-17880
"In the church they asked details of my gay ties with the woman"
https://translate.google.com/transl...talje-moje-gay-veze-sa-zenom-17880&edit-text=
Fox News Video: Former Scientologist claims she was persecuted for being gay
https://video.foxnews.com/v/5846026057001/?#sp=show-clips
PODCAST: Ross Files with David Ross - Michelle LeClair, "Perfectly Clear: Escaping Scientology & Fighting for the Woman I Love"
https://omny.fm/shows/ross-files-with-dave-ross/michelle-leclair-perfectly-clear-escaping-scientol
Former Scientologist Michelle LeClair claims she was targeted for being gay, but church denies allegations.
Fox News: Former Scientologist Michelle LeClair claims she was targeted for being gay, but church denies allegations
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainme...d-for-being-gay-but-church-denies-allegations
A rep for the Church of Scientology told Fox News in a lengthy statement that . . .
"Contrary to myths spread by Ms. LeClair and her publishers as they try to sell her book, the Church has no position on sexual orientation and told that to Ms. LeClair at the time she came out. The Church is on record as being opposed to discrimination of any sort, including on the basis of sexuality."
'Poster girl for Scientology' claims she was harassed into leaving sect because she came out as a lesbian
Mail Online: 'Poster girl for Scientology' claims she was harassed into leaving sect because she came out as a lesbian
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ogy-claims-harassed-leaving-came-lesbian.html
The Church of Scientology has adamantly denied LeClair's claims, and says they had nothing to do with her legal troubles.
'Contrary to myths spread by Ms. LeClair and her publishers as they try to sell her book, the Church has no position on sexual orientation and told that to Ms. LeClair at the time she came out.
The Church is on record as being opposed to discrimination of any sort, including on the basis of sexuality.'
When I checked Fox News this morning....there were 4 stories about Scientology, on their main web page.
I thought that rather remarkable.
Reactions: Type4_PTS
VIDEO: Out-FM Scientology Special Promo.
Tune to Out-FM on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 on WBAI/NY 99.5FM or wbai.org for a special on Scientology. The special will feature Michelle LeClair, author of "Perfectly Clear: Escaping Scientology And Fighting For The Woman I Love."


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The history of Stroud is founded on wool and water. Both were essential to the textile industry on which the town developed. The streams of the Painswick, Slad, Toadsmoor and Nailswoth valleys and the River Frome into which they all flowed. These provided power for the earliest mills. They are still flowing and now vital corridors for wildlife.
With the industrial age, the mills benefited from the building of the canal, which brought raw materials to them and took away finished goods for distribution around the globe. Lying in an abandoned state for over a century, the canal was reclaimed by nature. A walk along its towpath revealed how important it had become as a habitat and route for wildlife.
Its restoration is underway. Phase 1 complete, Phase 2 imminent! and we are beginning to appreciate even more its importance as a wildlife corridor. On their journeys east and west, the canal and the River Frome are often very close companions. Add several mill ponds, a park lake and the other streams to the mix and together they are vital for wildlife in the area. Not just resident species, but those moving from area to area as they follow the watercourses and hill contours.
The Stroud Nature offices are located in Fromehall Mill, a stone's throw from the canal and much to our own delight, right beside the mills historic mill pond and the River Frome, separated from each other by a tree lined bank.
Much to our delight, because we are able to enjoy the sights and sounds of running water, the wall of green foliage that lines the river and is visible through our office windows and the wildlife that lives and moves along this stretch of river and between the river, pond and canal.
Some species are more visible than others and easily missed. Being here five days a week however, increases our opportunities of seeing a greater number. Keep your eyes peeled anywhere along our rivers for Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Dipper. The one in the film below was filmed from our office window. Little Egret, Little Grebe, Goosander, and Mandarin Duck and Common Sandpiper are among the species seen during 2017 and 18 in and on our local waters. In summer the Emperor Dragonfly can be seen hovering over the canal in Wallbridge, two minutes from the town centre.
It is vital therefore that we look after these water resources, so that wildlife can continue to navigate them all the way into the centre of our town for us to enjoy.


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text:
Nielson tells tales of financial hardship and time travel
Development Commissioner Poul Nielson would like it to be known that Eurocrats are not as well off as the rest of the world seems to think.
The poor man has revealed that he has had to buy a coffee machine for members of his private office as well as side-plates for biscuits. This is because under EU staff rules, his cabinet is only entitled to 24 cups and saucers. The coffee and filters are free too, but Neilson has had to dip into his own pocket for the coffee maker and the plates.
His complaints about the European Commission are contained in the latest issue of DJÿF-Bladet, a bimonthly Danish magazine for lawyers, economists and political scientists.
But they are unlikely to endear him to his staff – Nielson says he is not impressed by EU officials and finds the Commission narcissistic, partly because the system of recruitment by competition creates a sense of elitism. He adds that officials tend to be blinkered and afraid of conflict in case it blights their career.
Nor is he too happy with Brussels life outside his office: after a frustrating struggle to get a fax machine installed in his house, he told a Danish journalist that he feels he has travelled back in time 15 years since he moved from Copenhagen to Brussels.


← Are The Robots Taking Our Jobs?
Can We Run Economic Experiments in Video Games?
Just as video game designers are in dire need of economic advice, many academic economists are keen on studying video games. A virtual world, after all, allows economists to study concepts that rarely occur in real life, such as full-reserve banking, a popular libertarian alternative to the current banking system that cropped up in Eve Online. The data is richer. And it's easier to run economy-wide experiments in a video game — experiments that, for obvious reasons, can't be run on countries.
Besides bank runs and full-reserve banking as mentioned in the article, we could test risk aversion between game modes when players suffer a small loss and when they suffer a large one, plus look at the changes in price of introductory/upper-level goods as the median population level shifts.
Those are just two examples I can think of. No doubt there are countless more.


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India on Friday informed Pakistan that it will appeal against the death sentence handed down to former navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav by a military court of that country on charges of spying.
This was conveyed by the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Gautam Bambawale, to Pakistan foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua. As a first step, the Indian envoy demanded copies of the charge sheet and the judgement.
The Indian envoy also raised the issue of consular access to Jadhav. "They have denied our request for consular access 13 times (in the last one year). I have again requested the Pakistan foreign secretary to give access to Jadhav so that we can appeal," he said.
Tehmina, however, claimed that consular access need not be provided because this was a case of espionage. Bambawale said Pakistan could not reject India's request as international law and convention did not provide for such an exception.
In a sign that Islamabad will harden its position, Pakistan prime minister's advisor on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, issued a statement listing out some specific charges against Jadhav.Aziz, who had told the senate in December that evidence against Jadhav was not conclusive, said the conviction was based on "credible and specific evidence".
So far, Islamabad has offered few details of the charges levelled against Jadhav. The charges, read out by Aziz, include: "He sponsored and directed IEDs and grenade attacks in Gwadar and Trubat in Balochistan province.
Aziz claimed that "Jadhav sponsored explosions of gas pipelines and electric pylons in Sibi and Sui areas in Balochistan.
However, Indian officials said the statement read out by Aziz at a news briefing in Islamabad did not contain any evidence whatsoever to back up the charges against Jadhav.
Bambawale said he has no information about former Pakistani army officer Mohammad Habib who reportedly went missing from Nepal. Pakistani officials suspect that Indian spy agencies were behind his disappearance.


This driver is completely thread safe. With some very minor exceptions, all these functions can be called from multiple threads at the same time and the driver will keep everything straight. Because of this Add, Go, and Get must be called from the same thread for a particular set of requests/results. Internally the list of requests and results are split by thread. This allows multiple threads to be used to make requests without accidentally getting data from one thread into another. If requests are added, and then results return LJE_NO_DATA_AVAILABLE or a similar error, chances are the requests and results are in different threads.
As mentioned, the list of requests and results is kept on a thread-by-thread basis. Since the driver cannot tell when a thread has ended, the results are kept in memory for that thread regardless. This is not a problem in general as the driver will clean it all up when unloaded. When it can be a problem is in situations where threads are created and destroyed continuously. This will result in the slow consumption of memory as requests on old threads are left behind. Since each request only uses at most 64 bytes, and as mentioned, the ID's will eventually get recycled, it will not be a huge memory loss. In general, even without this issue, it is strongly recommended to not create and destroy a lot of threads. It is terribly slow and inefficient. Use thread pools and other techniques to keep new thread creation to a minimum. That is what is done internally.


text:
Carlson 🏖 vacation
Home / News / Tragically Hip frontman and Canadian musician Gord Downie passes away from terminal brain cancer
Tragically Hip frontman and Canadian musician Gord Downie passes away from terminal brain cancer
By Cara Bahniuk
October 18, 2017	12:55 pm
After being diagnosed with glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer in December 2015, Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie passed away Tuesday.
Downie announced in the spring of 2016 that he had undergone surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. The Hip already had a tour planned, and Downie planned to go through with it. Downie's final performance was in August 2016 in the band's hometown of Kingston, Ontario.
While the Hip was important to Canada being labeled as "Canada's band," they also held a very special place in Braden Holtby's heart.
"Everyone knows the story in Canada," Braden Holtby told Sportsnet in 2016 about Downie's diagnosis. "It's one of those things that has turned a positive from a negative. It's pretty amazing kind of what Canadians do. I grew up and I can have vivid memories of listening to my first Hip songs. We even had a class in school, a little part of it that was based on (the song) 'Wheat Kings' – I mean you just remember it. It's Canadian, it's the Hip, and with me being a huge music lover (it made sense).
Holtby dedicated his World Cup of Hockey goalie mask to Downie and the Tragically Hip.
"This being the biggest stage for hockey and a lot of Gord's songs have hockey in them," Holtby continued. "I mean it ties the two in and I think it'll be very good."
After the tournament, Holtby auctioned off his mask to raise money for the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research and the Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation. Holtby raised $21,650 (or $28,380.88 if you convert the US money into Canadian dollars).
"Like so many others, I have been truly inspired by the courage Gord Downie has shown, and I was very appreciative that he embraced the design of my Team Canada goalie mask," Holtby said. "I am very proud to have been a part of supporting these two important funds in Mr. Downie's honor, and I appreciate everyone's help in making this auction a success."
Holtby was able to meet Downie during the World Cup tournament.
RMNB reached out to the Capitals Wednesday asking for comment from Holtby. The goaltender will address Downie's passing Thursday after practice.
The Tragically Hip mean more to Canada then any American could begin to understand. The Hip formed in the time that Canadian rock n' roll emerged in the 1970s-80s, often rebelling against former musical standards. The Hip mapped the country throughout their lyrics, mentioned hockey, Tim Horton's, famous places, anything that would make a Canadian feel connected without being too obvious about it.
As Twitter user Gráinne pointed out, the lyrics to 'Fireworks' mention hockey and a pivotal moment in Canadian hockey history without being nationalistic about it.
If there's a goal that everyone remembers
It was back in old seventy two
We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger
And all I remember is sitting beside you
The goal being referenced was Paul Henderson's game-winning goal for Team Canada at the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.
As a country remembers Downie today, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his condolences. Downie has a history with Trudeau, calling on him to address problems in Canada's aboriginal communities during his last live concert.
There will never be another one like you, Gord. Rest in peace my friend.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 18, 2017
As the Hip released their official statement this morning, they wrote that Downie spent his remaining days as he always had: making music and memories.
Statement – https://t.co/vOTvlJ2jqA pic.twitter.com/Z6dHmr1xpM
— The Tragically Hip (@thehipdotcom) October 18, 2017
Rest in peace, Gord.
Braden Holtby, Gord Downie, Obituary, Tragically Hip


text:
//global variables
	var paragraph, chapter, gameover;
	var chapters = [];
	var lang = '';

	//chapter 0 variables
	//public
	var variables = [];

	function init() {

		//global variables
		chapter = 0;
		paragraph = 0;
		gameover = false;

		name = '';
		time = 0;
		minskills = 4;
		maxskills = 12;
		rolls = 3;
		rollgap = 6;
		jumpchapter = false;
		privacy = false;

		// public stats

		variables['int'] = [minskills, 'public', maxskills, minskills];
		variables['luck'] = [maxskills-minskills, 'public', maxskills, maxskills-minskills];
		variables['reputation'] = [minskills, 'public', maxskills, minskills];
		variables['money'] = [minskills, 'public', maxskills, minskills];

		// private stats

/*		variables['corruption'] = [0, 'private', 'unlimited'];
		variables['skills'] = [0, 'private', 'unlimited'];
		variables['family'] = [0, 'private', 'unlimited'];
		variables['stress'] = [minskills, 'private', 'unlimited'];
		variables['age'] = [16, 'private', 'unlimited'];

		// calc family

		if (Math.random() > 0.65) {
			inc('family');
			inc('money');
			if (Math.random() > 0.75) {
				inc('family');
				inc('money', 2);
				inc('reputation');
				if (Math.random() > 0.75) {
					inc('family');
					inc('money', 2);
					inc('reputation', 2);
				}
			}
		}*/

		dont_display_stats_once = false;
		//pass = '';
		//pass2 = '';
		//passcode1 = 'undefined';
		//passcode2 = 'undefined';

		var outputtext = '';
		outputtext += '
';
		//outputtext += '<select name="select1" id="select1"><option value="en" selected>English</option><option value="es">Spanish</option></select>

';
		//outputtext += '<select name="select2" id="select2"><option value="covers" selected>Covers Soundtrack</option><option value="euskal">Euskal Soundtrack</option></select>

';
		outputtext += '<input type="button" value="Start!" onclick="launch()">
';
		document.getElementById('board').innerHTML = outputtext;

	}

	function launch() {

		var dropdown = document.getElementById('select1');
		if (dropdown) {
			var index  = dropdown.selectedIndex;
    		var value = dropdown.options[index].value;
    		lang = value;
		} else {
			lang = 'en';
		}

		loadAudio();

		submit(paragraph);

	}

	rand = function(n){
		return 0|(Math.random()*n);
	};

	function displayStats() {
		var textout = '
';

		for (var i in variables) {
			if (variables[i][1] == 'public') {
				textout += '
'+t[lang][i]+': 	 	';
				var blinkingmin = variables[i][0];
				if (variables[i][3] < blinkingmin) blinkingmin = variables[i][3];
				var blinkingmax = variables[i][0];
				if (variables[i][3] > blinkingmax) blinkingmax = variables[i][3];
				var j = 0;
				for(j = 0; j < blinkingmin; j++) textout+='◉';
				for(j = blinkingmin; j < blinkingmax; j++) textout+='◉';

				//var j = 0;
				//for(j = 0; j < variables[i][0]; j++) textout+='◉';

				for(; j<maxskills; j++) textout+='◉';
				textout+='
';
				variables[i][3] = variables[i][0];
			}
		}

		textout += '
';
		document.getElementById('top').innerHTML = textout;
	}

	// roll a dice roll on a given variable
	function roll(variable) {
		variables[variable][0] += rand(rollgap)+1;
		if (variables[variable][2] != 'unlimited')
			if (variables[variable][0] > maxskills)
				variables[variable][0] = maxskills;
		rolls--;
		return variables[variable][0];
	}

	// increase a given variable by value, with max clamp
	function inc(variable, value) {
		if (typeof value === 'undefined') {
			value = 1;
		}
		variables[variable][3] = variables[variable][0];
		variables[variable][0] += value;
		if (variables[variable][2] != 'unlimited')
			if (variables[variable][0] > maxskills)
				variables[variable][0] = maxskills;
		return variables[variable][0];
	}

	// decrease a given variable by value
	function dec(variable, value) {
		if (typeof value === 'undefined') {
			value = 1;
		}
		//if (variables[variable][3] != variables[variable][0])
		//variables[variable][3] = variables[variable][0];
		variables[variable][0] -= value;
		if (variables[variable][0] < 0)
			variables[variable][0] = 0;
		return variables[variable][0];
	}

	// compare a given variable to value, if its higher
	function cmpH(variable, value) {
		return (variables[variable][0] > value);
	}

	// compare a given variable to value, if its lower
	function cmpL(variable, value) {
		return (variables[variable][0] < value);
	}

	function displayImageOnTop(img) {
		dont_display_stats_once = true;
		document.getElementById('top').innerHTML = "";
	}

	function decTest(testfunction, value1, value2) {
		if (cmpH(testfunction, rand(12))) {
			dec(testfunction, value1);
		} else {
			dec(testfunction, value2);
		}
		if (variables[testfunction][0] == 0) decAll(1);
		return true;
	}

	function decAll(value) {
		for (var i in variables) {
			if (variables[i][1] == 'public') dec(i, value);
		}
		return true;
	}

	function addUp() {
		var thisvalue = 0;
		for (var i in variables) {
			if (variables[i][1] == 'public') thisvalue += variables[i][0];
		}
		return thisvalue;
	}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Ladies and Gentlemen, Spirit of St. Louis Rome is proud to present the fourth edition of 'Swingala', a Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz Festival that will light up Roman nights. 'Swingala' will take place in Rome on September 20-21-22, 2019. In these days, our feet won't stand still, thanks to classes, live music and social dance! Band: SHIRT TAIL STOMPERS STAY TUNED ^_^ More information COMING SOON!


text:
Q: How to check if a file exists in C++ with fstream::open() I'm using fstream library to work with files. Basically, I need to know if a certain file exists or not. In c++ documentation online, about open(), it reads:

Return Value
none
If the function fails to open a file, the failbit state flag is set
  for the stream (which may throw ios_base::failure if that state flag
  was registered using member exceptions).

It says not return value is specified. But in case of failure, a flag is set. My question is that, I should I then access that flag, or to better ask, how should I see if open() is successful or not.
I have this code so far:
int Log::add()
{
    fstream fileStream;

    fileStream.open("logs.txt");
}

A: Note that there are difference between "File exist" and "File can be opened".
To check if file exist (and you indeed do not need to open/read/write the file), use fstat or its c++ counterpart - you don't need any permission to query the info.
Note that if you want to check file exist before open it, you are doing it wrong. Condition may have changed between your checking and the actual attempt to open the file. In general, you just directly open the file with the open/creation options without previously checking.

A: There are two methods is_open, fail, for example:
string path = "not_exists.txt";
ifstream fin(path);

if(fin.is_open()){
    cout<<"file is open"<<endl;
} else{
    cout<<"file isn't open"<<endl;
}

if(fin.fail()){
    cout<<"file open fail"<<endl;
} else{
    cout<<"file open success"<<endl;
}

output as below:

See:
http://www.cplusplus.com/reference/fstream/ifstream/  for reference.

A: It says it sets the failbit if the file couldn't be opened. So you can check for that bit:
fileStream.open("logs.txt");
if (fileStream.fail()) {
    // file could not be opened
}

Actually, just if (fileStream) would work here as well, since ios (a base class of ifstream, ofstream, and fstream) has a conversion operator to bool.
Don't worry about the failure exception. You can request exceptions to be thrown on failure by calling ios::exceptions but by default exceptions are not thrown on failure.
Note that this doesn't tell you why the file couldn't be opened. It could be that the file didn't exist, that a directory in the path didn't exist, you don't have permission to open the file, your program has reached the limit on the number of files it can open, and so on. There is no portable way to determine the reason.

A: Your method doesn't check for existence, but rather accessibility. It is possible to check existence like this:
#include <sys/stat.h>

inline bool exists (const std::string& filename) {
  struct stat buffer;
  return (stat (filename.c_str(), &buffer) == 0);
}

In C++14 it is possible to use this:
#include <experimental/filesystem>

bool exist = std::experimental::filesystem::exists(filename);

& in C++17: (reference)
#include <filesystem>

bool exist = std::filesystem::exists(filename);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
A closeted young man goes home for the holidays and struggles to reveal his dire circumstances to his conservative family.A closeted young man goes home for the holidays and struggles to reveal his dire circumstances to his conservative family.A closeted young man goes home for the holidays and struggles to reveal his dire circumstances to his conservative family.
Yen Tan
Hutch(story by)
Yen Tan(screenplay)
Michael Chiklis
Watch 1985
Watch 1985 // Official Theatrical Trailer [HD]
Adrian Lester
Dale Lester
Aidan Langford
Ryan Piers Williams
Michael Darby
Tina Parker
Bryan Massey
Pastor Jon
Bill Heck
Slow Dancer 1
Marcus DeAnda
(as Michael Deanda)
Chris Gardner
Gidget Taylor
Talir
Nicole Babin
Kendahl Cooper
Caden Cox
Antonio Drake
Yen Tan(screenplay) (story by)
Food of Love
Monster Pies
White Frog
I am Syd Stone
Keep the Lights On
When Adrian takes Andrew to the movies, they eventually see A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985). This "Nightmare" became infamous after its initial release due to the homoerotic subtext of the film - protagonist Jesse (played by now openly gay actor Mark Patton) struggles the whole movie with being overwhelmed and manipulated by Freddy Krueger, which has been seen by many scholars and horror fans as how gay people struggle with accepting themselves in less than hospitable places, i.e. how Adrian is struggling with telling his family he's gay or has AIDS or how its suggested Andrew may be gay/bisexual as well. Also, when they're inside the theater watching the movie, the entire audience is made up of men, most of whom look to be discreet couples.
Adrian Lester: You're gonna have some tough days; days where you feel like everything sucks, and you don't wanna get out of bed; days when you gonna feel like you just don't belong. I've had a lot of those days. And I want you to know; you are not the only one that feels the way you do. There's a whole world out there for someone like you. I promise you are not as different as you think you are. And mom and dad that might not get it; all of your friends might not get it either, and some of them might say some pretty mean and awful things, because they just don't get it. But I get it, and I know that you're gonna learn to be happy... with who you are. And you may need to be at another place to be happy, and you know what? That's okay; that's why I left home. It might seem like the hardest thing to do at first , but it might be the right thing for you to do. And in another time, at another place, you're gonna meet the right people; people that are just like you. People that are just like me. So hang in there, Andrew. Things tend to get a little darker before they get brighter.
References Back to the Future (1985)
I love Cory Michael Smith acting..
The cinematography is simple, yet gorgeous. The story is simple, yet affecting. The performances are simple, yet moving.
A little goes a long way.
Edit : the historyline isn't something new. I had trough the entire movie the feeling that I've seen it all before, somehow I felt more connected to the trailer than to the movie itself, but it was beautiful and sensitive
yusufpiskin
December 14, 2018 (Ireland)
Film's Website
O Ano de 1985
Floren Shieh Productions
MuseLessMime Productions
RainMaker Films
By what name was 1985 (2018) officially released in India in English?


text:
Report: Spencer Dinwiddie's Wizards Contract Has $1 Bonus If Team Wins NBA Title
Copy Link Icon
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTTwitter LogoFeatured Columnist IVAugust 9, 2021
CommentsComment Bubble Icon
Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images
Spencer Dinwiddie's three-year, $62 million contract with the Washington Wizards includes some fascinating bonuses.
Chief among them is a $1 bonus for winning the NBA title, per Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype and Bobby Marks of ESPN (10:20 mark). Yes, $1.
Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Sources: Spencer Dinwiddie's three-year, $62 million contract with the Wizards has several bonuses each season, @hoopshype has learned.

$1.5 million if he plays 50+ games
$571K if team makes ECF
$400K if team makes NBA Finals
$100K if team makes 2nd round
$1 if team wins title
Marks added that the third year of the deal in the 2023-24 campaign—which is only partially guaranteed for $10 million—will guarantee for the full $18.8 million if Dinwiddie plays at least 50 games in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
It seems more likely that Dinwiddie will hit those thresholds than claim the extra dollar he has in his incentives for winning a title.
However, if he does earn that $1 bonus, he has let it be known he is looking to get paid in pennies:
Dime @DimeUPROXX
Spencer Dinwiddie's new contract with the Wizards includes a $1 bonus if they win the championship.

He wants it in pennies 🤣 pic.twitter.com/wIm8spBLgv
While the Wizards made major changes this offseason—in are Dinwiddie, Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Aaron Holiday and rookie Corey Kispert, and most notably out is Russell Westbrook—they are far from a title contender. Frankly, making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference will be no small feat.
The Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks remain major title contenders. The Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics will be good yet again this year. The Miami Heat had a big offseason and will be a threat. The New York Knicks added Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier while retaining their core. The Chicago Bulls improved. The Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors still have talent. The Charlotte Hornets will be an exciting watch with LaMelo Ball running the show.
The Wizards, who reached the postseason through the play-in tournament last year before being eliminated in five games by the Sixers in the first round, are hardly guaranteed to replicate that path. They've given Beal a better overall supporting cast than he had a year ago, but the Eastern Conference also improved around them. There will be a real battle for the play-in berths this year.
Regardless, Dinwiddie—who averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists in the 2019-20 season before missing all but three games last season with a torn ACL—was a nice addition for the Wizards. Even if he isn't getting that extra dollar.


text:
Ten days to go before GUKPT Manchester
Saturday 23rd February, 2019
By Mad Harper
Live Events News
There's just 10 days to go before GUKPT Manchester kicks off, the second event of the GUKPT 2019 season. Highlights are set to include the £200,000 guarantee Main Event and £20,000 guarantee Mini Main. The festival starts March 3, with the £200,000 guarantee GUKPT Manchester Main Event getting underway on Thursday, March 7. Grosvenor Ambassadors Andy Hills, Richard Trigg and Jeff Kimber will all be in attendance.
Hills will be seeking a second victory in Manchester after winning the £1,100 buy-in GUKPT Main Event there in 2017. The affable Lancastrian is on a mission to travel and enjoy poker in as many different countries as possible. He was joint second in the 2018 Hendon Mob's flag rankings for the number of countries cashed in and is already off to a great start in 2019 with trips to the cashier in San Marino, Germany and the Ukraine along with Romania where he took down the Unibet Open Sinaia High Roller just a week ago for €27,040.
He said: "Winning GUKPT Manchester in 2017 - off the back of the 'Passport' promotion where I freerolled every GUKPT 2017 Main Event - was an absolute game changer for me after following the tour for years. I've since gone on to grind live poker and had by far the best two years of my poker career. I've secured a full sponsorship with Grosvenor and gone on to cash for just over $500,000 in live tourneys since my Manchester win! I also finished in the money in more live tourneys than any other player from the UK/Ireland on 2 consecutive years so very happy with what I've achieved so far!"
Manchester follows a smash hit season opener in London which took place in January. The event was an outstanding start to the tour's 13th season with a record 467 entries for the Main Event – creating a staggering £467,000 prize pool – and a huge Mini Main which attracted 395 entries. The winner opted to remain anonymous after beating Greek pro Alexios Zervo to a £100,000 first prize at the Poker Room above the Victoria Casino. Poker superstars Martin Jacobson, Ludovioc Geilich and Patrick Leonard all enjoyed deep runs in the stellar event.
Players can qualify for the Manchester Main Event online at Grosvenor Poker with direct satellites taking place every Tuesday and Sunday. There are 11 events on the GUKPT Manchester schedule including the 75/75 Bounty, Omaha 4/5/6 and numerous satellites.
Following GUKPT Manchester, the GUKPT heads to Edinburgh with a week-long festival at the end of March and GUKPT Luton - Leg 4 in June. The GUKPT is Grosvenor Poker's flagship tour and the longest-running poker tour in the UK. The 2019 GUKPT will comprise nine legs each hosting a flagship Main Event with buy-ins ranging from £500+60 to £2,500+150 and guarantees of between £100,000 and £500,000.
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