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Exploring Mindful Living Through Public Art
An Evening with Sophia Bush, Candy Chang, and James A. Reeves
PAST EVENT: Sat, Dec 14, 2019
Across the world today, nearly 450 million people are afflicted by issues of anxiety, depression, and co-occurring disorders, yet two thirds of those individuals challenged with these mental illnesses never seek treatment. Why do we as individuals and as a collective society judge, resent, and doubt? How do our desires for approval, success, and belonging create certain emotional habits that affect the way we understand ourselves and the people around us?
A companion to W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine, the public art installation Light the Barricades – imagined and realized by Candy Chang and James A. Reeves – asks, What will it take you to forgive? Who do you judge unfairly and why? What are you afraid of? Together with actress, activist, director, and producer, Sophia Bush, Chang and Reeves will explore the ways that public art can encourage a mindful life, become a public site to think about the future of rituals, and create an opportunity to pause and reflect amidst the chaos of our digital lives.
To open the evening, House of Intuition and Days LA will co-host a 20-minute mindful meditation session led by a L.A.-based spiritual teacher. This ritual of reflection will help foster discussion about the challenges that we as a society face when confronting stigmas around mental health, and the necessity for building frameworks for self-care so that we can lead more balanced lives and contribute to a more just community.
*This event is currently sold out. As there is limited space, be sure to register early for our programs! If you haven't already, sign up for our email updates, and check out our full list of upcoming programming.
Sophia Bush:
Sophia Bush is an American actress, activist, entrepreneur, and global education access advocate. She starred in various independent projects, shows, and movies such as the hit comedy John Tucker Must Die, Incredibles 2, the CW's hit drama One Tree Hill, and as Detective Erin Lindsay for four seasons on Dick Wolf's Chicago PD. Bush has earned multiple Teen Choice Awards in the categories of "Choice Movie Actress: Comedy," "Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller," and "Choice Movie: Breakout Female."
Named one of the most charitable celebrities by CNN, Bush devotes her free time to bettering girls' education and the environment, raising nearly half-a-million dollars for charity, building three primary schools in Guatemala and Laos, and now serving as a global ambassador for Glamour's The Girl Project. Working in 96 countries around the world, The Girl Projectbreaks down the barriers that girls face when gaining a secondary school education.
Most recently, Bush launched her podcast, Work in Progress. It features frank, funny, personal, professional, and sometimes political conversations with people who inspire Bush about how they've gotten to where they are, and where they think they're still going. These discussions stem from her "aha" moment of realizing you are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.
Candy Chang + James A Reeves:
Candy Chang and James A. Reeves collaborate on participatory installations that envision the future of ritual in public life. A TED Fellow and Urban Innovation Fellow, Chang creates participatory artworks that examine the threshold between isolation and community, and the role of ritual in contemporary wellbeing. Reeves is a writer, educator, and designer whose work addresses ritual and faith in the digital age. His first book, The Road to Somewhere: An American Memoir (W. W. Norton), documents 150,000 miles through America, and he currently teaches at Parsons School of Design. Together, their work A Monument for the Anxious and Hopefulserved as a living catalogue of the ways we relate to uncertainty and collected over 50,000 reflections from visitors to the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. Their latest work, Light the Barricades, reimagines the wall as a site for contemplating our inner obstructions was commissioned by the Annenberg Space for Photography for the W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine exhibition.
House of Intuition
The House of Intuition is a metaphysical shop dedicated to helping people achieve healing, transformation, empowerment, and personal growth. They offer readings, healings, and classes. Ryan Trinh will lead the guided meditation.
Days LA
Days LA is an experimental retail project by Nora Beckman centered in Los Angeles, CA. Drawing from a dual-focused conceptual art and retail background, with Days, Beckman curates independent projects around a conceptual theme, hosts thoughtful events, and provides support and feedback to participating makers. Since opening its first space in 2016, Days has collaborated with hundreds of artists and makers and hosted over 200 events, presenting a flexible, forward-thinking model of retail untethered from a specific location or idea.
Graduating with an art degree from Smith College, Beckman worked at contemporary art gallery SKNY before pivoting to fashion, where she held a few different roles: Buying for Bird Brooklyn, running wholesale for Rachel Comey, and being part of the team that helped establish Opening Ceremony at the Ace Hotel. In addition to Days, she is also the creative director for the jewelry line Formina and co-founder of Hiking Club LA.
W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine examines the historical use and artistic treatment of walls over centuries. Across diverse civilizations, walls have been central to human history, from Hadrian's Wall to our current debate over the U.S./Mexico border.
W|ALLS: Defend, Divide, and the Divine


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Q: GSON from JSON error when not finding correct object I have a JSON-string and use GSON to create objects of it.
However, there appears to be an error because gson does not know List is supposed to be a list of Passengers. But I can not seem to make it work.
I must tell GSON that it should retrieve Walkin containing Passengers.
 public static void main(String[] args) {
    String json = "{'price':278,'id':1459465,'passengers':[{'type':'student','price':99},{'type':'student','price':179}]}";
    Gson gson = new Gson();
    WalkIn walkinRequest = gson.fromJson(json, WalkIn.class);
    //I have also tried WalkIn walkinRequest = gson.fromJson(json, new TypeToken<WalkIn>(){}.getType());

    System.out.println("price: " + walkinRequest.price);
    System.out.println("id: " + walkinRequest.id);
    Passenger p = (Passenger) walkinRequest.passengers.get(0); //Error
    PassengerOne p1 = (PassengerOne) p;
    System.out.println("Passenger - Type: " + p1.type + " price: " + p1.price);
 }

static class WalkIn {
    int price;
    int id;
    List passengers;
}

static interface Passenger {
    public List getContent();
}

static class PassengerOne implements Passenger{
    String type;
    int price;

    public List getContent() {
        List list = new ArrayList();
        list.add(type);
        list.add(price);
        return list;
    }
}

static class PassengerTwo implements Passenger{
    String name;
    int age;

    public List getContent() {
        List list = new ArrayList();
        list.add(name);
        list.add(age);
        return list;
    }
}

The output is:
 price: 278
 id: 1459465
 Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ClassCastException: com.google.gson.internal.LinkedTreeMap cannot be cast to testpack.GsonJson$Passenger
      at testpack.GsonJson.main(GsonJson.java:35)

I can not put
 List<Passenger>

inside Walkin instead of List, because I use different types of Passenger objects in Walkin. Depends on what I want to use.

A: Just use 'Passenger' class as Gson array instead of List, refer below
import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;

static class WalkIn {
    @SerializedName("price")
    int price;
    @SerializedName("id")
    int id;
    @SerializedName("passengers")
    Passenger[] passenger_list ;
}

static class Passenger {
    @SerializedName("type")
    String type;
    @SerializedName("price")
    int price;

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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News curated from other sources
African Commission launches report providing framework for an African human rights-based response to HIV
Advocacy Impact Human rights Resources
Source: https://southernafricalitigationcentre.org/2017/12/11/news-release-human-rights-organisations-applaud-african-commissions-launch-of-hiv-report/
News release: Human Rights organisations applaud African Commission's launch of HIV report
SALC : STAFF WRITER
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire – On this International Human Rights Day, regional human rights organisations commend the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) on the adoption and launch of the summary version of the Report on the Law and Human Rights in the African Human Rights System: Key Challenges and Opportunities during ICASA 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
The Report was developed by the Commission's Committee on the Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV and Those at Risk, Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV (HIV Committee) through a process of extensive consultation and engagement with experts and civil society over a period of two years. This report is the first of its kind. It provides a framework for an African human rights-based response to HIV. It illustrates what human rights law demands of States in the context of HIV, and describes both barriers and good practices for effective rights-based responses. As a body vested with the broad mandate for the protection and promotion of human rights in Africa, it is significant that the Commission is recognising HIV as an urgent and significant human rights concern.
In trying to push for an end to the HIV epidemic, some States in the region continue to propose and implement coercive and punitive solutions that violate human rights. While there have been great strides in new biomedical interventions in the HIV response, the Commission's Report is a reminder that the end of HIV will not be achieved without human rights at the heart of the response.
"The Commission is a critical instrument for enforcing human rights in Africa. We commend the Commission for its leadership in ensuring that human rights are at the centre of the HIV response. The advancements in medicines for HIV and models of care cannot be of any use unless people's human rights are respected and structural barriers to accessing HIV care and treatment are removed," said Michaela Clayton, Director of the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA).
"Through the Report, the Commission affirms the obligation of States to promote non-discrimination particularly, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and to address the systemic violations of the rights of key populations and marginalised groups in particular, the right to health which exacerbates vulnerability to HIV ," says Humphrey Ndondo, Executive Director of the African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR).
"We hope that the Report will guide the Commission, States, and other stakeholders, in their decision making," said Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh, Executive Director of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre. "We call on States to engage with this important Report, and take note of both the barriers and good practices described."
International Human Rights Day, marked on 10 December, must serve as a reminder of the importance of human rights when addressing HIV. It is a day where society should not only celebrate human rights, but keep in mind the long road ahead and the continuing human rights challenges that must be addressed if we are to end AIDS as a public health threat.
Lesley Odendal, Communications Lead, AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA): communications@arasa.info, +27 72 960 8991
Annabel Raw, Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC): annabelr@salc.org.za, +27 10 596 8538
See www.achpr.org for more about the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) and the report.
US: New bill would repeal Minnesota's criminal statute on HIV exposure and transmission
Ukraine: New protective HIV law adopted, but criminal liability for HIV exposure or transmission remains
US: New bill in North Dakota aims to modernise outdated HIV-criminalisation law
Letter: North Dakota has a chance to destigmatize HIV and AIDS
US: Bill to modernise Indiana HIV laws advances to the full House
Legislation to modernize Indiana's HIV laws clears House committee
Kenya: Petitioners intend to appeal High Court decision to dismiss challenge to the criminalisation of HIV transmission
KELIN disappointed by High Court judgment in HIV criminalisation case
News by the HIV Justice Network
Thought-provoking new report from Canada on alternatives to HIV criminalisation
Russia: Most HIV clinicians support HIV criminalisation
2022 in review: A turning point for HIV justice?
Discussion Guide for Mwayi's Story now available
HIV Justice Academy now available in French
HIV Justice Academy est désormais disponible en français

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This article was published in The Straits Times on 24 September, 2017.
A journalist once asked me what my proudest moment was. Without hesitation, I said: "When my daughter, Maya, was born."
I remember her in my arms, looking at me with glazed determination to live a life where dreams come true.
As her father, it would be my privilege to have her dream big and grow with her. She would embody my gratitude for a past that "with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams" gave me a blessed life in a beautiful world. Maya is my future; a future where dreams must continue to come true.
Seventeen years on, she continues to delight me. The highlight of the day is our animated conversation in the car as I drive her to school - a daily celebration of the oral tradition. Life, in vignettes, finds added strength when it is allowed to reflect everyday moments of the past that, without pretence, have lifted the human spirit.
Here is a conversation with Maya that is etched in my heart. It is about the gangster who became my accidental teacher.
MAYA: Acha (which means "dad" in my native language, Malayalam), you keep talking about "regardless of race, language or religion". Why?
ME: Because I grew up with friends who belonged to different races and religions. We knew we were different. Yet we were the same, at the core. After some time, the differences didn't matter. I believe it was the same with amma ("mum"), darling.
MAYA: You mean the fact that you looked different and ate different foods and prayed to different Gods didn't matter at all?
It's because we don't spend enough time with each other to truly get to know each other. You see, those days, even though there were racial or even racist labels, the effect was neutralised simply because of the amount of time we spent with each other.
ME: Of course, we were aware of the differences and there were stereotypes. For example, as Indians, we were called "smelly" because quite a few Indians used coconut oil to groom their hair and it did have a smell.
ME: You mean the smell?
MAYA: No, that they would be so racist.
ME: Yes, it may sound racist, but I do believe it wasn't intended to offend.
MAYA: How can you say that?
ME: You see, we all used to call each other names that, today, would be termed racist. The Chinese would call us "Mama" or "kilenkiah", or shake their heads and imitate our language by saying "annonae". Hey, we were no angels - we would call the Chinese "chinks". But you know what, we really didn't take offence - at least then - because we were close as friends. In fact, these became terms of endearment.
ME: Yes, I find that sad, Maya. It's because we don't spend enough time with each other to truly get to know each other. You see, those days, even though there were racial or even racist labels, the effect was neutralised simply because of the amount of time we spent with each other. As kids, we used to play outdoors with each other every single day and fight and make up, and this got us even closer together.
MAYA: Acha, was there a particular incident or event that had a big impact on you?
ME: Yes. I was in Primary 6. Every day, on my way home, I would be waylaid by an Indian youth gang called the Mutalib gang. They would try and extort money from me. The funny thing is that because I was poor, I had no money. And because I had no money, Mutalib - the gang leader - would slap me. It was terrible, and it happened every single day.
MAYA: Aiyoh! But how did it end?
ME: That's the best part, Maya. I shared my problem with my best friend, Pulendran.
MAYA: Was he a gangster also?
ME: No, but he knew serious gangsters! So, one day, as I was about to be slapped by Mutalib - he suddenly stopped and had this look of absolute fear on his face. I turned around to see what Mutalib was looking at. There was this gang of about seven or eight Chinese gangsters. Each one of them was holding a cleaver in his hand. Right in the middle was the gangster chief, Ho Toon Hai - a repeat student in my school!
ME: The funny thing was that right next to Toon Hai was my friend Pulendran. Anyway, I was ordered by Toon Hai to slap Mutalib to humiliate him.
ME: Of course! Sweet revenge. I loved it! I was never hassled again. What happened the next day is what is important, Maya. Toon Hai summoned me. I was terrified, of course. You won't believe why he summoned me.
ME: To give me a pencil case with fresh pencils inside. He told me that I should study hard and not become like him. He said: "You must go to RI (Raffles Institution - which was widely accepted to be the top secondary school)." He said if I didn't, he would "chop" me with his cleaver.
ME: I obeyed. The PSLE results were out. My principal, Mr Moey, announced that I got into RI. When school ended, Toon Hai walked up to me and gave me a gift. It was a Hero brand fountain pen, which he gift-wrapped with newspaper. He then walked away.
MAYA: That's amazing, acha - a gangster.
ME: Yes, Maya, this small gangster taught me a lesson about life, for life - that human relationships are truly regardless of race, language, or religion, and regardless of social class or education.
MAYA: Never judge a book by its cover. What an amazing story, acha. Where is Toon Hai now?
ME: His body was found in a pool of blood in a monsoon drain a few months after.
ME: Maya, Toon Hai had little education, and was a gangster - but he taught me one of the most important lessons in life. Don't judge a book by its cover, and resist the temptation to stereotype… to see the good that resides in each one of us.


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All built to O.E. specification.
Checked throughout the entire build cycle, to guarantee the quality of the end result. Supplied with 12 months parts and labour warranty.
Including fully equipped fitting bays for top quality gearbox fitting, if required.


"Effyzzie Music Group presents the music video for "Temperature" which serves as the fifth single off Yemi Alade's critical and commercial successful debut album "King Of Queens".
The love preaching number features the track's producer, R&B singer DiL. The visuals was shot in London and was directed by Ovie Etseyatse and co-directed by Taiye Aliyu.


Sanders did throw down the gauntlet for his Democratic rival on another issue: trade. Clinton has been conspicuously silent on Congress' imminent vote on a trade promotion authority bill that would allow President Obama to move forward with a big Pacific Rim trade agreement. Sanders and many other progressive Democrats—along with tea party Republicans—oppose both the so-called "fast track" legislation and the trade deal waiting around the corner. The candidate said Thursday he is working with progressive House Democrats to defeat the legislation.
"My own very strong view is that when you try to understand why the middle class in this country is disappearing, trade has got to be one of the issues you look at for an explanation," he said.


Hard drive maker Seagate is now just a little bit bigger today. The company announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of the hard drive division that was previously owned by Samsung. Seagate paid Samsung $1.4 billion for its hard drive division which includes both cash as well as Seagate stock.
This move means that Seagate will continue to produce hard drives previously under Samsung's leadership. That includes Samsung's M8 line of 2.5-inch hard drives. As part of the agreement, Seagate will be providing hard drives for a number of Samsung's products including PCs, notebooks and other devices. A number of Samsung's Korean-based hard drive executives, managers and team members have now become Seagate team members under the acquisition and will work to develop hard drives for the mobile computing business.
Another hard drive maker, Western Digital, announced plans in March 2011 to acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies for $4.3 billion. Western Digital has yet to announce that the deal has officially closed. When and if that acquisition is final, there will only be three hard drive manufacturers in the entire world: Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba.


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On December 7, 1993, and March 5, 1994, members of the combined United States Senate Committees on Governmental Affairs and the Judiciary held congressional hearings with several spokespersons for companies in the video game industry including Nintendo and Sega, involving violence in video games and the perceived impacts on children. The hearing was a result of concerns raised by members of the public on the 1993 releases of Night Trap, Mortal Kombat and later Doom which was released after the first hearing. Besides general concerns related to violence in video games, the situation had been inflamed by a moral panic over gun violence, as well as the state of the industry and an intense rivalry between Sega and Nintendo.

The hearings, led by Senators Joe Lieberman and Herb Kohl, put the video game companies to task for the realistic depiction of violence in video games, and threatened that Congress would take action to regulate the industry if they did not take steps themselves. As a result, the American video game industry created the Interactive Digital Software Association (now known as the Entertainment Software Association) in July 1994 to serve as an advocacy group for the industry, and subsequently formed the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) to provide content ratings on video games sold at retail in North America.

Background
Since as early as the 1970s, video games have been criticized for having violent content that psychologically influence players. In 1982, the Surgeon General C. Everett Koop asserted that video games may be affecting the health and well-being of young people and were potentially addictive. However, until the 1990s, the perceived target market for video games was generally for children, and manufacturers of video games typically did not include high levels of graphic violence in their games. Most computer game software would be sold through toy stores like Toys 'R' Us or general retail outlets like Sears and Wal-Mart, rather than computer stores.

State of the industry
By 1993, the video game industry had recovered from the 1983 crash, and was estimated to be worth . Video game consoles had reached the 16-bit era with the ability to support higher resolution graphics. Alongside this, video games had started to draw older players, creating a market for games with more mature content, both on home consoles and in arcades.

During this period, two key players were Nintendo and Sega. Nintendo had been instrumental in helping to recover the North American market after the crash with the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES); in 1990, Nintendo sales accounted for 90% of the  US market. Its successor system, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), was released in 1991. However, to avoid repeating one of the issues that caused the crash, Nintendo took care to limit and review what third-party games could be made for its platforms to avoid a glut of poor games. Sega, which had already released its Sega Genesis in the US in 1989, found their sales to be lagging behind Nintendo. In an aggressive campaign aimed at the United States market, Sega heavily pushed the game Sonic the Hedgehog, with its titular character aimed to become Sega's mascot and rival that of Nintendo's Mario. Sega was also less selective about which games it allowed on the platform, allowing many more third-party games onto the system to increase its library in contrast to Nintendo's. Further, Sega used marketing language purposely aimed at Nintendo, such as "Sega does what Nintendon't". By 1992, Sega had obtained 65% of the US gaming market, overtaking Nintendo's dominant position. Subsequently, a strong rivalry between Nintendo and Sega was formed, referred as the "Console Wars", which continued through the next decade and into the fifth generation of consoles, after which Sega dropped out of the hardware market and became principally a game developer and publisher, and at times working collaboratively with Nintendo.

Existing content ratings system
Prior to 1994, the video game industry did not have a unified content rating system. Entering 1993, the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Better Business Bureau had heard rumblings from politicians that the content of video games was under scrutiny, and sent word to its board members, Sega and Nintendo. Sega agreed that they should have a ratings system, and had developed its Videogame Rating Council in June 1993 in association with independent educators, psychologists, child development experts and sociologists. The Videogames Rating Council had three principal ratings for games released on the Genesis platform: GA for General Audiences, MA-13 for games intended for those thirteen years and older, and MA-17 for those 17 years and older. Sega debuted their system in June 1993 just prior to the release of Mortal Kombat for the Genesis, knowing the ratings system would help mitigate concerns over the violent content in the game. Nintendo did not have a ratings system, but as it had control over the cartridge manufacturing process, it would only publish games they felt appropriate for a family console. Nintendo also refused to use Sega's ratings solution due to their continued corporate rivalry.

A further difficulty for the industry was that there was no established trade group for the video game industry. While many of the game publishers belonged to the Software Publishers Association, this group represented more practical software interests, such as word processors and spreadsheets, and the Association did not hold the entertainment software membership in high regard.

Mortal Kombat

Fighting games had become a lucrative property after the release of Capcom's arcade Street Fighter II: The World Warrior in 1991, which established many conventions of the genre. While Sega lured many of Nintendo's third-party developers to break their exclusivity agreements to publish games only for the Nintendo consoles, Capcom remained loyal to Nintendo, licensing only a few titles to Sega to publish, and only the SNES received the home console port of Street Fighter II in 1992, which was said to help keep the SNES sales ahead of the Genesis in the United States for that year.

Numerous other fighting games followed to try to capture on Street Fighter II success, but most notably was Midway's Mortal Kombat, first released as an arcade game in 1992. Mortal Kombat was highly controversial at its release: as a fighter game, the game has photo-realistic sprites of the game's characters, graphic spurting of blood on several hits, and a number of "fatalities" such as decapitation or impaling a body on spikes. Despite the game's advertising indicating the game was meant for mature audiences, the perception that video games were still aimed at children caused parents and other concerned groups to criticize the violence within the game. However, at this point, Mortal Kombat was only an arcade game, making it relatively easy to segregate it from other arcade games if necessary. Greg Fischbach, the co-founder and CEO of Acclaim Entertainment, the company that had secured the license for home console versions of the game, said that while the negative press attention helped to boost the game's popularity, "[w]e didn't want that press or publicity", and recognized that the industry might need to take steps to quell similar problems in the future.

Because of its success in the arcade, Acclaim Entertainment started to bring Mortal Kombat to various home consoles. Both Sega and Nintendo sought the game for their consoles, the Genesis and the SNES, respectively. Both companies recognized the issue with the level of gore in the game, but took very different approaches. Sega, staying with their attempt to capture as much of the market, went with trying to keep as much of the visual gore from the arcade game in place. While the Genesis version of Mortal Kombat as shipped eliminated the blood and fatalities, they could be activated via the use of a well-published cheat code. As the game, as shipped, did not include the blood and gore, Sega labelled it with their MA-13 VRC label. On the other hand, Nintendo wanted to keep games on their system appropriate for families and children, and required Acclaim to change the red blood to grey sweat, edit the fatalities, and change other parts of the game's artwork to remove elements like severed heads on spikes. Sega's version of Mortal Kombat outsold Nintendo's by a factor of five. This furthered the existing rivalry between the two companies.

Night Trap

Night Trap is a 1992 game developed by Digital Pictures and released on the Sega CD, a CD-ROM attachment for the Sega Genesis. Night Trap is presented as an interactive movie, using full-motion video to show scenes and allowing players to choose their next option, creating divergence in the story.  The game's narration centered on the disappearance of teenage girls (starring Dana Plato) at a winery estate, tied in with the appearance of vampire-like beings that feed on young females. Subsequently, the video scenes often veered into some sexually-alluring context as well as violence with various encounters.

Night Trap drew criticism worldwide, but which helped to publicize it. Similar issues were brought up in the United Kingdom, with former Sega of Europe development director Mike Brogan noting that "Night Trap got Sega an awful lot of publicity... Questions were even raised in the UK Parliament about its suitability. This came at a time when Sega was capitalizing on its image as an edgy company with attitude, and this only served to reinforce that image." However, in retrospective, much of this criticism was deemed misguided.  Steven L. Kent writes that "Reading the transcripts of the 1993 hearings, it is hard to believe that anybody had ever actually played Night Trap. Few people bothered to acknowledge that the goal of Night Trap was not to kill women but to save them from vampires. Players did not even kill the vampires—they simply trapped them in Rube Goldberg–like booby traps. Nearly everyone who referred to Night Trap mentioned a scene in which a girl in a rather modest teddy is caught by the vampires and killed. The scene was meant to show players that they had lost and allowed too many vampires into the house."  Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com noted that "its game objectives were mischaracterized either through ignorance or deliberate obfuscation, transforming it from bland and barely titillating FMV adventure to child-corrupting sexual boogeyman."

Lethal Enforcers

Lethal Enforcers was a 1992 arcade game released in 1992 by Konami which used light guns; the player takes the role of a police officer to lethally take down criminals while avoiding killing civilians and fellow police officers or being shot by criminals. The game was rendered using photo-realistic imagery which drew some concern. It was ported to home consoles the next year (on Sega systems in late 1993, and on the SNES by early 1994). These games shipped with the Konami Justifier, a plastic light gun modeled after a revolver.

Moral panic around gun violence
In the months prior to the hearings, there had been a small moral panic in America on gun-related crimes, which fueled the concerns related to violent video games. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,  gun-related homicides had reached record highs in 1993 since the 1970s. Both Congress and the Justice Department were looking to reduce the amount of violence on television.

Congressional concern

The violence in video games became a concern after Mortal Kombats home console release in September 1992. One of Senator Joe Lieberman's former chief of staff, Bill Andresen, had been asked by his son to purchase the Sega version of Mortal Kombat for him. Andresen was appalled by the amount of violence in the game, and approached Lieberman on the matter. Lieberman was also shocked by the content of the game and began gathering more information. Lieberman had stated he had heard about Night Trap, evaluated the game himself, and also recognized its content as problematic.

By December 1, 1993, Lieberman held a press conference alongside other children's advocates including Bob Keeshan, the actor of "Captain Kangaroo". Lieberman stated his intention to open a congressional hearing the following week to address the issue of violent video games and the lack of content ratings, and his plans to introduce a ratings body through legislation to regulate the video game industry. During the conference, he showed footage from Mortal Kombat, Night Trap, and other games. Lieberman's research concluded that the average video game player at the time was between seven and twelve years old, and that video game publishers were marketing violence to children. Lieberman commented on the sales of Mortal Kombat to date, having sold 3 million copies by that point and was estimated to bring in over  by the end of the year, demonstrating the greed of the industry to use violence to cater to children. Of Night Trap, Lieberman said "I looked at that game, too, and there was a classic. It ends with this attack scene on this woman in lingerie, in her bathroom. I know that the creator of the game said it was all meant to be a satire of Dracula; but nonetheless, I thought it sent out the wrong message." Lieberman stated "Few parents would buy these games for their kids if they knew what was in them" and "We're talking about video games that glorify violence and teach children to enjoy inflicting the most gruesome forms of cruelty imaginable." Lieberman subsequently stated that while he'd "like to ban all the violent video games", he knew this would conflict with the First Amendment, and instead wanted to seek a solution involving a content ratings system, which he felt would not impede First Amendment rights.

Hearings

First hearing

The first hearing was held on December 9, 1993, in front of the combined Governmental Affairs and Judiciary Senate committees. At the time, Senate was on recess, so the only senators present were Lieberman, Kohl and Byron Dorgan.

Hours before the hearing, representatives of the video game industry announced that they have agreed to endorse and develop an industry-standard video game content ratings system, as an attempt to defuse the bad publicity of the hearings. This announcement was referred to several times throughout the first hearing.

Speaking witnesses to the panel included:
 Dr. Parker Page of the Children's Television Resource and Education Center
 Professor Eugene F. Provenzo of the University of Miami and author of the recently published Video Kids: Making Sense of Nintendo (1991)
 Robert Chase of National Education Association
 Marilyn Droz of the National Coalition on Television Violence
 Howard Lincoln, vice president of Nintendo of America
 Bill White, vice president of Sega of America
 Ilene Rosenthal, General Counsel, Software Publishers Association
 Dawn Weiner, Video Software Dealers Association
 Craig Johnson, Past-President, Amusement and Music Operators Association

The first half of the hearing was devoted to the experts on education and child psychology. These four discussed their concerns and findings on the impact of violence in video games on children. Chase stated "Electronic games, because they are active rather than passive, can do more than desensitize impressionable children to violence. They actually encourage violence as the resolution of first resort by rewarding participants for killing one's opponents in the most grisly ways imaginable." Provenzo iterated his findings in writing Video Kids, stated that recent games had become "overwhelmingly violent, sexist, and racist", and affirmed that he felt that with games like Night Trap, the industry was "endorsing violence" and further called for a ratings system. Droz stated that children "need action, but they do not need to find murder as a form of entertainment".

The second half of the hearing focused on the industry representatives. During the hearing, both Sega and Nintendo continued their ongoing rivalry, accusing the other of the reason behind the hearings. Nintendo's Lincoln had led off his part of the testimony by acknowledging Nintendo's action to remove some of the violence of Mortal Kombat, which observers found gave Lincoln more respect from Lieberman than Sega's White received. One of White's key points was the transformation of the video game industry from primarily having a younger audience to an adult, and that Night Trap was meant only for adults. Lincoln retorted these claims, telling White, "I can't just sit here and allow you to be told that the video game industry has been transformed from children [as primary consumers] to adults." White referred to statistics collected from warranty cards on hardware and game sales that Sega kept and Nintendo would have also kept to justify the older demographics of current video games. Further, Lincoln asserted that Sega only developed its rating system after the release of Night Trap and only started to label its games after the game was criticized by consumers. White responded by showing a videotape of violent video games on the SNES and stressed the importance of rating video games, which at this point, Nintendo lacked.

Of Lethal Enforcers, Lieberman criticized the design of the Konami Enforcer to resemble a revolver; an infamous still of C-SPAN's coverage of the hearings was Lieberman holding up the Enforcer to talk about its realistic nature. Sega's White countered that Nintendo had a similar light gun product on the market, the Super Scope, that was shaped after a bazooka. Lieberman asserted that both the Enforcer and Super Scope looked too much like real weapons and should not be in the hands of children.

Lieberman was also critical of how the video game industry company approached advertising. During the hearing it showcased a Sega television advertisement where a school-aged child wins several video games over others, and then makes the other students obey his commands. Lieberman also expressed concern on Sega's Videogame Ratings Council, that while the ratings were reasonable, there was no standardization of how they were displayed, sometimes only printed on the game cartridge itself, and thus preventing parents from being able to review these before purchase.

Kohl warned the video game publishers that "If you don't do something about [content ratings], we will." speaking to the start of a bill Lieberman had been drafting that would have the government become involved in a ratings system. By the end of the hearing, Sega and Nintendo said they would commit themselves towards working with retail outlets including Sears and Toys 'R' Us to create a voluntary content ratings system to denote any violence or sexual content in their games, to be modeled after the film rating system created by the Motion Picture Association of America. At the conclusion of the first hearing, Lieberman decided they would have a second session in a few months to see on the progress of the industry on this effort.

Video Game Rating Act of 1994
Following the December 1993 hearing, Senator Lieberman, co-sponsored by Kohl and Dorgan, introduced the Video Games Rating Act of 1994 (S.1823) on February 3, 1994 to the Senate;
the equivalent bill (H.R.3785) was introduced to the House of Representatives by Tom Lantos. The Act, if passed, would have established an Interactive Entertainment Rating Commission, a five-member panel appointed by the President. This commission would then have coordinated with the video game industry to develop a ratings system and method of disseminating information related to violence and sexually explicit content to potential buyers. Lieberman asserted that the bill had been presented as to coerce the video game industry to take voluntary action themselves to come up with a ratings system, but that he had no plans to follow through on the bill should the industry come to an agreement.

Interim events
As a result of the Congressional hearings, Night Trap started to generate more sales. According to Digital Pictures founder Tom Zito, "You know, I sold 50,000 units of Night Trap a week after those hearings." Two weeks before Christmas 1993, Night Trap was removed from store shelves in the US's two largest toy store chains, Toys "R" Us and Kay-Bee Toys, after receiving numerous complaints. Michael Goldstein, the vice president of Toys 'R' Us, stated in mid-December that this was "a decision we made several weeks ago with the concurrence of Sega, which agrees with our decision". Sega withdrew Night Trap from all retail markets in January 1994, but not after selling over 250,000 copies. Bill White, Sega Vice President of Marketing, stated that Night Trap was pulled because the continued controversy surrounding it prevented constructive dialogue about an industry-wide rating system. Sega also stated at the time they would later release a censored version pending the establishment of an industry-wide ratings system.

Second hearing

The second hearing was held on March 5, 1994, which included as speakers:
 Congressman Tom Lantos
 Jack Heistand, Senior Vice President for Electronic Arts
 Mary Evan, Vice President of Store Operations, Babbages
 Chuck Kerby, Divisional Merchandise Manager, Wal-Mart
 Steve Loenigsberg, President, American Amusement Machine Association
 R.A. Green, III, Amusements & Music Operator Association

Heistand presented himself as part of the newly formed Interactive Entertainment Industry Rating Commission, the industry group working to establish the desired ratings systems. He reported to the joint committee that seven companies, including Electronic Arts, Sega, Nintendo, Atari, Acclaim, Philips and 3DO, representing about 60% of video game software in the United States, had committed to developing an industry software ratings board. Heistand said they anticipated to have come to agreements on the ratings standards by June 1994, such that by November of that year (in time for the holiday shopping season), they will be able to rate all new games coming to the market going forward, an estimated 2,500 games per year. However, Heistand also reported that the industry said there would too much effort to review all previously released games. Heistand also cautioned that the system may not take off if they could not get other software developers outside the group to also sign on to support the ratings system.

Lieberman acknowledged the proposed system as a critical step towards helping parents make informed decisions, but cautioned that until the rating system was in place, they would not be removing the proposed bill from their agenda. Retailers such as Wal-Mart, Toys "R" Us, and Babbages agreed that they would only stock games that have received these ratings, though had not yet decided on how to handle selling games rating for adults to children. The Senators still expressed concern at the type of content the industry was willing to produce. Kohl stated "Let me give you my honest perspective on this issue: Violent video games that degrade women are harmful to our children and are garbage...But we live by and cherish a Constitution that prevents government from censoring material. So we will try to live with a rating system". Lieberman stated "'the video game industry had practiced self-restraint before now, we wouldn't be here today".

Reactions

By April 1994, the coalition of companies represented by Heistand established the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA), with Acclaim's Fischbach serving as its initial CEO. One of the first tasks taken by the IDSA was to establish the promised rating system. While Sega offered their existing VRC as a basis, Nintendo, among others, steadfastly refused as they did not want to have to deal with anything created by their main competitor. Instead, a vendor-independent solution was developed, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), with a new set of rating standards developed in conjunction with parents and educators. The ESRB ratings system was modeled after the Motion Picture Association of America, defining five age-related categories, but also adding a set of descriptive terms that would appear next to the rating to describe the specific content that would be found in the game.

The ESRB was formally introduced to Congress in July 1994 to show that they had met Lieberman's goal, and the Board became officially active on September 13, 1994. Lieberman stated in a 2017 interview that the video game industry "actually came up with a rating system that I think at the time — I honestly haven't been back to this in a long time — was the best. Much better than the movies." The IDSA also served to become the industry trade association to help advocate for the industry to the government and other groups. Eventually, IDSA was renamed to the Entertainment Software Association and launched the industry's principal trade show, the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

While The 3DO Company had stated they would help back an industry-wide solution to content ratings, they concurrently developed their own 3DO Rating System for games released on the 3DO platform. The 3DO system was voluntary and unlike the ESRB, allowed the publisher to select the rating. Publishers of 3DO games were split whether to use the ESRB or 3DO system. Ultimately, 3DO exited the hardware business around 1996, nullifying the need of the 3DO Rating System.

Separately, the Software Publishers Association (now the Software and Information Industry Association), the Association of Shareware Professionals, and other groups that represented developers of video game software on personal computers felt that the proposed ESRB system, which was based principally on age ratings, was not sufficient and wanted to inform parents to the specific types of content that would be in their games. These groups developed the Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) in 1994 which rated games in three areas: violence, sexual content, and language, with each being rated among five levels. The following year, the RSAC system was also developed for Internet cites under the "RSACi" system. By 1999, RSAC and RSACi were transitioned to the Internet Content Rating Association dedicated specifically for rating Internet content, while software developers adopted the ESRB system for their games.

Legacy
Senator Lieberman continued to monitor the video game industry following the hearings, a general part of his own position related to violent content from entertainment industries. In 1997, he stated that one of his intentions of the 1993 hearings was to have the industry regulate how much violence that the video game industry was putting into its games by having them implement the ratings system, but felt that "[t]he rating system has not stopped game producers from putting out some very violent games."

Mortal Kombat II was released to arcades in its final form by January 1994, and to home consoles later that year. Among other changes, the game added a variation on "Fatalities" called "Friendships", which would occur if the player performed a separate move mechanically similar to a fatality; in such a case, the winning fighter would do a non-hostile action, such as giving the defeated fighter a virtual present. According to John Tobias, co-creator of Mortal Kombat, these friendships were added due to response from the Congressional hearings. When the home console versions were released, after the establishment for the ESRB, Nintendo did not take issue with the amount of violence in the game, and allowed it to release without any changes on the SNES. The SNES version of Mortal Kombat II outsold the Sega Genesis version that year.

id Software's Doom, a first-person shooter where the player fought hellish creatures and included graphic violence, was released on December 10, 1993, the day following the first hearing. Outside of the hearings, there was concern by parents and other organizations on the violence in this game as well. While Doom was not mentioned in either Senate hearing, it would come up again in 1999 following the Columbine High School massacre, where the perpetrators had described their planned attack as something straight out of Doom. As a result, Doom is frequently classified along with Mortal Kombat, Night Trap, and Lethal Enforcers as early examples of violent video games highlighted by the media.

At the time of the hearings, video games were not established as a protected form of speech covered under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, though Lieberman and others had stated their concerns about First Amendment rights through censoring violent games and sought the ratings approach. Since the formation of the ESRB, attempts have been made by lawmakers at federal and state levels to restrict video game sales by their ESRB rating, principally in regards to their level of violence. In a landmark case in 2011, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association that video games are an art form, protected by the First Amendment. The ruling found that while states can pass laws to block the sale of "obscene" video games to minors, violence would not fall within the Miller test of what is considered obscene.

One of Howard Lincoln's statements during the first hearing was "Let me say for the record, I want to state that Night Trap will never appear on a Nintendo System." The statement was jokingly referred to in 2018 when a remake of Night Trap for its 25th anniversary was announced for release on the Nintendo Switch among other systems.

References

External links
ESRB official FAQ

1993 controversies in the United States
Censorship in the United States
Entertainment Software Association
Investigations and hearings of the United States Congress
Video game controversies
Violence in video games

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


If you have a relative who has a disability, and is unable to handle their own financial and legal affairs, making sure that they are provided for in the future is likely to be a key concern.
Leaving them money or assets directly in your will could affect their entitlement to means tested benefits and, if they have mental capacity issues, they may be unable to manage money for themselves or be at risk of being exploited financially.
Putting in place a trust – either during your lifetime or, via your will, on your death – is likely to be a useful way to provide financial stability for a relative with a disability during their lifetime.
In a vulnerable beneficiary trust, assets are held solely for the benefit of the disabled beneficiary (someone who is mentally or physically disabled) during their lifetime, i.e. they either receive all the income or, if not, it cannot go to anyone else. Provided certain conditions are met, the trust can qualify for income tax and capital gains tax advantages.
If you have been responsible for making decisions for someone who lacks the mental capacity to make their own decisions, for example as their parent, you may wish to make arrangements for someone to become their deputy when you are no longer around.
The deputy will need to be authorised by the Court of Protection to make financial decisions on the mentally incapable person's behalf. An application can also be made to determine matters relating to their care and medical treatment, although the Court is usually reluctant to appoint a deputy to make such decisions on an ongoing basis.
There are some significant responsibilities in acting as a deputy, which normally include reporting annually on decisions made and accounting for how the person's money has been managed. The deputy must make decisions in the other person's best interests, take steps to help the other person to make their own decisions where possible and consult with others interested in the person's care, including family and medical professionals.
In planning for the future of people with disabilities, seeking expert legal advice on issues such as trusts and appointing deputies is essential, to ensure their interests are protected in the most constructive way.


text:
WELCOME TO THE MR PENTLAND CLUB WEBSITE!
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LONDON CALLING ALL ATHLETIC FANS!
Mr Frederick Pentland, the legendary coach who made Athletic Club Bilbao a magnificent champion in the 1930's is the figure that inspires Athletic fans to organise its first "peña" in the UK – Mr Pentland Club. Mr Pentland left a memorable footprint in Bilbao that is still remembered today, if you want to learn more about the great "Mister", you can read his biography here.
Based in London and with multi-cultural members, the Club serves as a hub that allows all the people who compose the organisation to express their joy for supporting Athletic Club Bilbao!
Currently we are over 120 members, mostly based in the UK but with strong support from fans in Bilbao and Madrid as well as fans in countries like Ireland, Mexico, Singapore, and the USA. Proud Pentlanders indeed!
Formed in 2010, since 2012 Mr Pentland Club has the honor of being officially recognised by Athletic as an OFFICIAL supporters club and enjoys all the privileges of such status. More details on the benefits of becoming a Mr Pentland Club member can be found in the membership section. Also we take donations to raise funds so we can have a greater impact in our activities, please send us a contribution if you would like to help.
Our hard work promoting Athletic has earned us the privilege of being recognised with the 2018 Bizkaia Award. This award has been granted to congratulate us for the efforts we conduct as ambassadors promoting the values, traditions, and culture of Athletic and Bizkaia. You can read the press release from the Governor of Bizkaia on the ceremony here.
Member or not of the club, everybody is welcome to watch football matches with us. We get together to watch every match in central London. Come along with friends and family to have a great time supporting Athletic!
Have a look into our events section and follow us on social media to know about the Pentlanders latest news.
Feel free to contact us by email or just leave us a message!
KAIXO MR PENTLAND CLUB
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ALL IRON
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text:
Artsakh Soldier Critically Wounded by Azerbaijani Fire
Artsakh Defense Army soldier near the border (Source: Armenpress)
STEPANAKERT—Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Republic serviceman Tatul Harutyunyan, born in 1997, was critically wounded by Azerbaijani fire around 6:20pm in the northern direction of the Artsakh-Azerbaijani border (Line of Contact), the Artsakh Defense Ministry reported. The incident occurred at a protection area of a military unit located in the northern direction of the Defense Army.
According to the press statement, Harutyunyan was immediately transferred to the military hospital in Yerevan.
Investigation into details of the incident has been launched by the Ministry.
On night of April 17-18, Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire 55 times along the Line of Contact, firing 640 shots with weaponry of various calibers.
The ministry reported that the adversary also fired 93 shots using sniper rifles in the southern, eastern, and northeastern directions of the border.
"Artsakh Defense Army Forces took the necessary measures to quell the Azerbaijani offensive, according to the Ministry statement.
"The Artsakh Defense Army responded through necessary measures to quell the Azerbaijani offensive and continues to protect their positions," concluded the Ministry's statement.


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Tag Archives: ICU
In Victoria, whether you get an ICU bed could depend on the hospital
Posted on August 21, 2020 by particularkev
Lisa Mitchell, Deakin University; Emma Tumilty, Deakin University, and Giuliana Fuscaldo, Monash University
Although most hospitals are coping right now, COVID-19 has brought up many questions about how health-care resources should be rationed during a pandemic.
Ideally, every unwell person should get anything they need to get better. But important resources like medications and hospital beds, including intensive care unit (ICU) beds, can become limited if demand outstrips supply.
We've had access to confidential documents outlining how various health services are to make decisions on who gets ICU resources in the event they become overwhelmed.
We found there's significant variation between hospitals' procedures on this front. And worryingly, the public doesn't have access to this information.
Resource allocation in hospitals
Resource allocation procedures or triage plans help to work out who gets that bed, ventilator, or vaccine if and when the system comes under significant strain.
Ideally, these procedures should be created well ahead of when they might be needed, and be underpinned by three factors:
local context — what's available/possible
medical evidence — what works, and for whom
ethical values — what we consider fair and the right thing to do.
Yes, it looks like Victoria has passed the peak of its second wave. It probably did earlier than we think
The Victorian Pandemic Plan suggests health services should "adopt a systematic and transparent prioritisation of services as demand for treatment grows".
It also says:
Triage will be enacted at the same level across the state, to promote equity of access of patients to intensive care.
Safer Care Victoria, the peak state body for quality and safety improvement in health care, had been preparing a document to guide hospitals on ethical resource allocation. But it only released this to the health services a few days ago, and the contents are considered sensitive and not for wider distribution within or outside the health services.
In contrast, Queensland Health released an ethical framework to guide clinical decision-making during COVID-19 in April, that's available to the public.
If resources are stretched, the hospital you go to could determine whether or not you get an ICU bed.
Different hospitals, different procedures
In the absence of a statewide approach in Victoria, most health services have developed their own resource allocation documents and triage plans.
To our knowledge, none of these documents are publicly available. But we've been able to informally review COVID-19 resource allocation procedures from a number of Victorian hospitals.
We've found these procedures vary in how ICU resources would be allocated to sick people (with or without COVID-19) in the event resources were scarce.
Some health services would use a standardised scoring system that predicts short-term survival (that is, the person deemed most likely to live would get the bed). But when they use the scoring system, and what additional criteria they take into account, varies between hospitals.
Some hospitals would use exclusion criteria based on certain health conditions. The types of conditions vary between hospitals. For example, one hospital would use a body mass index (BMI) above 40 to exclude people who are obese, while another would exclude people with alcohol dependency.
Coronavirus and triage: a medical ethicist on how hospitals make difficult decisions
In "tie-breaker" situations, when it's not possible to make a decision based on the scoring system, health conditions, or the severity of illness alone, hospitals may use tie-breaker criteria.
Tie-breaker criteria were also different across different hospitals. Some hospitals would prioritise pregnant people, sole parents, health-care workers, and so on. Others would not.
Several of the hospitals plan to use a team of experienced clinicians not involved in the patient's care as a triage team. Some hospitals have indicated a lottery is the fairest thing to do in tie-breaker situations.
Hospital x, y or z?
Most hospital patients won't need ICU-level support. Some people, even if they're very unwell, may choose not to receive treatment in the ICU. And some people will not benefit from ICU care. But for anyone who might benefit, the different plans could mean different access depending on which hospital they go to.
For example, if you're pregnant, it would be better to go to hospital x. If you're a widowed parent with young children, you should go to hospital y. If you're obese, you should try your luck somewhere other than hospital z.
Again, these resource allocation procedures are not publicly available, so we can't provide information here to guide you.
Medical staff would need to make resource allocation decisions using their hospital's procedures.
Variation in procedures across different hospitals is understandable in the face of uncertain medical evidence, or when available resources differ in local contexts, or because local communities have specific health needs. For example, you could reasonably expect variation between a smaller regional hospital and a bigger city hospital.
But where resources are similar — for example in two Melbourne hospitals only a few kilometres from each other, with overlapping catchment areas — plans should essentially be the same. If they're not the same they should at least be publicly available.
It appears they vary, and the current lack of transparency around these resource allocation procedures means patients have no way of knowing whether they would be better to present at one emergency department over another.
Social housing, aged care and Black Americans: how coronavirus affects already disadvantaged groups
Transparency and equity
The pandemic has highlighted various health inequities. In Victoria, the highest case numbers have occurred in areas with the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage.
Resource allocation is considered fair when processes are accountable, transparent, justifiable, and revisable. Where they're not, they can further disadvantage people and communities.
If Safer Care Victoria and the individual health services were to make their ethical framework document and resource allocation procedures available to the public, this would allow for discussion and engagement, and where possible, enable people to choose which health service will serve them best.
Lisa Mitchell, Conjoint Clinical Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University; Emma Tumilty, Lecturer, Deakin University, and Giuliana Fuscaldo, Associate professor, Monash University
Posted in Australia, Health and Fitness, news, Victoria	| Tagged article, Australia, bed, coronavirus, depends, health, hospitals, ICU, news, Victoria | Leave a comment
Islamic Extremists in Somalia Kill Church Leader, Torch Home
Posted on April 3, 2010 by particularkev
Al Shabaab militants execute pastor; government-aligned Islamists burn house containing Bible.
NAIROBI, Kenya, March 24 (CDN) — Islamic militants in Somalia tracked down an underground church leader who had previously escaped a kidnapping attempt and killed him last week, Christian sources said.
Islamic extremist al Shabaab rebels shot Madobe Abdi to death on March 15 at 9:30 a.m. in Mahaday village, 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Johwar. He had escaped an al Shabaab attempt to kidnap him on March 2.
Abdi's death adds to a growing number of Christians murdered by Islamic militants, but his was distinctive in that he was not a convert from Islam. An orphan, Abdi was raised as a Christian.
Sources said the militants prohibited his body from being buried, ordering that it be left to dogs as an example to other Christians. Al shabaab, which is fighting the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of President Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed, has embarked on a campaign to rid the country of all non-Muslims.
"The al Shabaab say, 'Leaving Abdi's body outside is a warning to all that a murtid [infidel] is a disgrace to Muslims,' hence creating fear to whoever would like to choose Christianity," said a source.
In 2009 Islamic militants in Somalia sought out and killed at least 15 Christians, including women and children. This year, on Jan. 1 Islamic extremists shot an underground church leader to death. Having learned that he had left Islam to become a Christian, al Shabaab members murdered 41-year-old Mohammed Ahmed Ali after he had left his home in Hodan, on the outskirts of Mogadishu.
House Burning
The transitional government in Mogadishu fighting to retain control of the country treats Christians little better than the al Shabaab extremists do. While proclaiming himself a moderate, President Ahmed has embraced a version of sharia (Islamic law) that mandates the death penalty for those who leave Islam.
Ahmed was formerly the leader of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), an Islamist array of sharia judges and militants that vied for power after losing control of much of southern Somalia at the end of 2006. A contingent of the ICU reached a power-sharing agreement with the TFG in January 2009 that resulted in the election of Ahmed as president.
The ICU still exists under the auspices of Ahmed's TFG, and alleged members of the ICU last month set fire to the house of an underground church member they suspected of having left Islam. The gutted house is located on the outskirts of Mogadishu.
Having learned that there was a Bible and Christian pamphlets inside, the angry militants stormed the house in Hamarwien district of Mogadishu on Feb. 17 at 1:15 p.m. as a warning to those who dare possess any Christian literature, sources said.
"Since there is no law and order in this country, there is no one we can turn to for protection," said the owner of the house, who requested anonymity and has relocated to another city. "But we know that we're covered with the blood of Jesus Christ."
The assailants looted the home before setting it afire. Area residents tried to extinguish the blaze, which left the house uninhabitable.
"I saw smoke coming out of the house, then I ran outside and I saw two men coming out of the house with a bucket of gasoline," said a neighbor who sought anonymity. "One of the men was shouting, 'Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar [God is Greater],' then they entered a waiting car and drove off."
An eyewitness told Compass that after the looting, the ICU extremists belonging to the TFG locked the doors before setting it on fire. At the time of the attack, there was one New King James Version of the Bible, along with some copies of Christian pamphlets that had been printed off of the Internet, according to sources.
They said they did not know who leaked information about the existence of Christian literature in the house.
"There were Christian books in the house at the time of the looting and arson attack," said one church leader.
Islamic militants have displayed an unusual brutality in hunting down suspected converts to Christianity, with leaders of the underground church movement being executed as a means of discouraging others from joining the growing church.
Posted in Al Qaeda, al Shabaab, Christianity, Islam, Somalia	| Tagged 2006, 2009, agreement, Akbar, al Shabaab, aligned, Allah, alleged, angry, anonymity, array, arson, assailants, attack, attempt, auspices, become, belonging, better, Bible, blaze, blood, body, Books, brutality, bucket, buried, burn, burning, campaign, car, children, choose, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, city, coming, containing, contingent, control, convert, copies, country, covered, dare, death, death penalty, discouraging, disgrace, displayed, distinctive, district, dogs, doors, down, drove, election, embarked, entered, escaped, example, execute, existence, exists, extinguish, extremists, eyewitness, fear, fighting, formerly, gasoline, God, government, greater, growing, gutted, Hamarwien, Hodan, home, house, hunting, ICU, including, infidel, information, Internet, Islam, Islamic, Islamic Courts Union, Islamists, Jesus, Johwar, joining, judges, kidnap, kidnapping, kill, killed, law, law and order, leader, leaked, learned, leaving, left, literature, little, located, locked, looted, losing, Madobe Abdi, Mahaday, mandates, means, members, men, militants, moderate, Mogadishu, Mohammed Ahmed Ali, murdered, murtid, Muslim, muslims, neighbor, New King James Version, NKJV, non-Muslims, north, numbers, ordering, orphan, outside, outskirts, owner, pamphlets, Pastor, Persecution, possess, power, power-sharing, President, previously, printed, proclaiming, prohibited, protection, raised, rebels, relocated, requested, residents, resulted, retain, rid, Sharia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, shot, shouting, smoke, Somalia, sought, southern, stormed, suspected, TFG, torch, tracked, Transitional Federal Government, treats, tried, underground, uninhabitable, unusual, version, vied, village, waiting, warning, women | Leave a comment


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Hyundai Tucson to offer mild-hybrid diesel tech at launch
Author: Neil Thomason | Updated: 05 Jun 2018 11:50
Having initially revealed its facelifted Tucson crossover at the New York International Auto Show, Hyundai has revealed more details ahead of its European debut in the summer.
The new Hyundai Tucson will be the first model in the company's line-up to be equipped with a fuel-efficient 48V mild hybrid diesel powertrain.
More Tucson deals
The 48V mild hybrid powertrain system, available in combination with the 2.0 litre diesel engine, is designed for electrification and comprises a 0.44 kW/h 48-volt lithium-ion battery, a Mild Hybrid Starter Generator (MHSG), a LDC converter (Low Voltage DC/DC) and an inverter.
Under acceleration the MHSG supports the engine with up to 12 kW and thereby reducing fuel consumption. The system switches automatically between mechanical use of the engine and energy recuperation and during in-gear deceleration and braking, energy is recuperated to recharge the battery to improve fuel economy and CO2 emissions.
The 2018 Tucson also offers a major design update and wider range of advanced technology and convenience features to continue the model's success.
Although its silhouette remains unchanged, the exterior benefits from several tweaks. Up front, there's a fresh 'cascading' grille design, a new LED lighting signature, and a redesigned bumper.
The rear bumper has also been updated as have the tail lights, while new alloy wheels are available too.
Read more: Hyundai Tucson vs Nissan Qashqai
Inside, you'll find an updated 7in touchscreen infotainment system that's standard across the range, while a larger 8in screen is available on higher trim levels. The overall design of the interior is unchanged, but a premium Krell sound system and a wireless phone charge point is now available.
There's now a Surround View Camera on offer too, and safety updates usher in Automatic Emergency Braking, Driver Attention Warning and Lane Keep Assist.
In addition to the mild hybrid diesel, it is expected that two diesels and two petrols will be offered, although it's not yet clear whether all of these will be available in the UK.
Entry-level cars are likely to get a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 113bhp. This unit is not available with four-wheel drive and comes with a six-speed manual gearbox.
A more powerful 174bhp petrol is also available however, and this will be offered with a four-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
The diesels include a 1.6-litre unit available with either 113bhp or 131bhp This replaces the ageing 1.7-litre unit available in the current car and is set to offer improved mpg and emission levels. The more potent version is available with the seven-speed DCT too.
A more powerful 183bhp 2.0-litre diesel is also set to feature, which gets four-wheel drive as standard and is offered as a six-speed manual or eight-speed auto. Exact economy and performance stats are to be confirmed.
By spring 2019, the 48V mild hybrid technology will be available with the new Smart Stream 1.6-litre diesel engine.
No list prices or lease rates are available yet, but we'll bring you the details as soon as they're available.
If you can't wait for the new model, the current Tucson remains as attractive as ever – you can find lease deals here.
Manufacturer Spotlight
1.6 CRDi 48V MHD SE Nav 5dr 2WD
6+47 5k Miles p/a
p/m inc. VAT
Deal by: Perrys Leasing
1.6 TGDi Hybrid 230 Ultimate 5dr 2WD Auto
1.6 TGDi Hybrid 230 SE Connect 5dr 2WD Auto
1.6 TGDi Hybrid 230 Premium 5dr 2WD Auto
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Hyundai i20: Price and specs confirmed


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Shorthanded Bruins handcuff Hurricanes, take 2-1 series lead with Game 3 win
Boston without Tuukka Rask and David Pastrnak, while Carolina lost Andrei Svechnikov to injury
August 15, 2020 Cory Lavalette Article, NHL, Sports
Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov is taken down and injured by Bruins captain Zdeno Chara during the third period of Boston's 3-1 win Saturday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series. (Chris Young / The Canadian Press via AP)
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said he "loved" his team's effort Thursday. On Saturday following a 3-1 loss in Game 3 of Carolina's series with the Boston Bruins, his opinion was decidedly different.
"We needed everyone on board, and we had some guys that were weren't very good today," Brind'Amour said.
The Hurricanes were unable to mount any sustained attack on the Bruins. and Charlie Coyle had a goal and an assist to lead Boston to the win and a 2-1 lead in the series.
Adding injury to insult was the loss of Andrei Svechnikov, who fell awkwardly while jockeying with Bruins captain Zdeno Chara in front of the Boston net in the third period and seemed to suffer a serious right leg injury.
"Right now, it's tough because you see a kid go down and that injury looks really bad," said Brind'Amour, who did not have an update on Svechnikov's status. "So that's all it's going through my head, and I hate it for him."
The Bruins were without two key players of their own. David Pastrnak missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury, while goalie Tuukka Rask — the starter in the first two games — opted out of the rest of the playoffs on the heels of his comments following Game 2.
It didn't matter, as Boston grabbed the lead in the second period and never relinquished it.
The first period didn't produce any goals, but late in the period Carolina defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk was given a four-minute double minor for high sticking.
The Bruins took advantage in the second half of the infraction in the opening seconds of the middle frame. Brad Marchand fired a shot up high off Mrazek, and Coyle batted the rebound out of the air and in just 14 seconds into the second for a power play goal and a 1-0 Boston lead.
Both sides of the special teams battle went the Bruins way, with Carolina's power play failing in the third period.
With no sustained attack with the man advantage, Carolina gave up a rush to the Bruins. Coyle sent the puck to the front of the net and Sean Kuraly redirected it past Petr Mrazek (36 saves) for a 2-0 Boston lead just 76 seconds into the third period.
"Specialty teams is a huge part of playoffs, and we didn't win that battle today," Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. "So that's going to be something that, going forward, we have to win that battle and we have to win individual battles throughout the game."
The Bruins' shorthanded goal seemed to demoralize the Hurricanes even further, but they got a boost from an unlikely source.
Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak — pressed into the starting role following Rask's decision to leave the NHL bubble — played the puck behind his own net during a Hurricanes power play and passed it right at Nino Niederreiter. Niederreiter knocked it down with his glove and put in in the empty net to make it 2-1 at 6:30 of the final period.
"I would say the power play today kind of epitomized our game," Brind'Amour said. "We were just sluggish, not first to anything and not quite doing everything right. So you add all those things up, it was lucky that we were hanging around at the end of the game."
But Carolina couldn't muster a significant push at tying the game in the final minutes, and with 31 seconds left Marchand scored an empty-net goal to seal Boston's win and give the Bruins a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series. Halak, with 29 saves, earned his first playoff win in two seasons with Boston.
Game 4 will be Monday at 8 p.m. with Carolina the designated home team.
"It's always about the next game," Brind'Amour said. "It's always about tomorrow, if you have one.
"We definitely still have time."
Andrei Svechnikov
Charlite Coyle
Jaccob Slavin
Jaroslav Halak
Nino Niederreiter
Petr Mrazek
Rod Brind'Amour
Sean Kuraly
Tuukka Rask
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Hurricanes Francis says team headed in right direction
March 3, 2017 Cory Lavalette Sports
RALEIGH — Temperatures hovered near 80 degrees and 20-mph gusts came through Raleigh on Wednesday, but the blasts of air that rippled and snapped the flags in front of PNC Arena did not bring with […]
NSJ 2020 Player of the Year: David Ayres parlays miracle on ice into fight against kidney disease
December 23, 2020 Cory Lavalette Article, NHL, Sports
Sports, like life, is often about opportunity. If Drew Bledsoe had never been injured, Tom Brady may have not taken over as Patriots quarterback and led New England to six Super Bowls. And if Carolina […]
Hurricanes' youth infusion too little, too late
March 28, 2018 Cory Lavalette Article
RALEIGH — "Well, there's guys coming." After Bill Peters saw Warren Foegele, in his first NHL game on Monday, score and later assist on fellow call-up Valentin Zykov's eventual game-winning goal, the Carolina Hurricanes coach […]


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Thoughts, finds and inspiration.
Our monthly journal of things that crossed our minds, desks and screens.
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The stereotypical architect has a reputation for dictating the vision for the project, often disregarding the opinions of others. It's not like that at Raise, we work as a team.
At a recent catch-up meeting, we asked everyone what 'one thing' they would bring to a project if they were given the opportunity to leave their mark. Here's what we said.
The truth behind the adventure
In his latest video, Alastair Humphreys reveals the truth behind what it takes to sell the adventure lifestyle.
Still, sitting here, in the office, it's hard to feel too sorry for him!
Diary of a young architect
It's a big step from the world of education to the world of work. Jennifer, one of our architects-in-waiting joined us straight from university last October.
She's keeping a diary of her transition from student to architect, and has shared some excerpts with us.
A letter to anyone who has been rejected
Rejection is tough. It can destroy your confidence and when it happens, it can be hard to keep going and think rationally.
But the world needs your unique contribution, and if it ever happens to you, this letter might help.
RIBA regional awards
Every year the Royal Institute of British Architects celebrates design excellence through it's regional awards.
Although it tends to be dominated by flashy, multi-million pound projects, this year a couple of smaller scale, more sensitive projects caught our eye.
Do you have a nice house? Would you like to stay in someone else's nice house?
Behomm is a home exchange community for creatives and design lovers, enabling you to stay in beautiful houses all over the world.
Models of photos
Two Swiss photographers have recreated some of history's most iconic photos with incredibly intricate models.
We love a good model, but these guys have taken it to an extreme level.
The future of Civil Society
How can we take control of the places and spaces that matter to us?
Civil Society Futures is the independent enquiry looking to put power back in to the hands of citizens.
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This entry was posted on October 24, 2014 by Andie Pantazi.
For most people, the autumn season is known for Halloween. But for Hindus, a fantastic festival happens during the fall that makes it look like New Year's has arrived early. This event is known as Diwali, and is known as the Festival of Lights. This luminous celebration is because it purports the triumph of light against the dark; where the spiritual forces of good reigns supreme over evil and highlights positive aspects like hope and knowledge over despair and ignorance.
While there is no fixed date for the annual event of Diwali, it usually falls between mid-October and mid-November as per the Hindu Lunisolar calendar. Hindu practitioners in the United States celebrate Diwali, and the festival is an official holiday for many Asian countries including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Malaysia. During Diwali, homes are cleaned and decorated while people dress up in their very best clothing. Prayers are offered to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, and family members exchange gifts and partake in a large feast. Of course, Diwali isn't complete without the requisite lights to brighten up the nocturnal soiree. Lit lamps and candles adorn houses from the inside out, as well as showcasing a display of fireworks to illuminate the night sky.
And because this is an event that venerates the importance of light in Hindu culture, we have compiled an upbeat party playlist with a suitably radiant theme that is inspired by the Festival of Lights. From twinkly electropop and incandescent hip-hop to fast-burning techno and glowing indie rock, as well as some modern takes on Hindi pop music, these songs would fit right in with the bright spirit of Diwali.
Who knew that would sound so gorgeous and ethereal? British indie songstress Ellie Goulding triumphs with this electropop gem that shimmers from start to finish.
What happens when you mash-up traditional with elements of hip-hop and electronica? Why, you get this rather slinky dance track produced by Panjabi MC with super cool verses supplied by Jay Z.
Controversy may often surround Kanye West, but there's no denying his exceptional talents as a musician—particularly when he for this brilliant hip-hop anthem.
One of is the elaborately staged and choreographed dance numbers, and this song from the Indian action movie is a good example.
While Diwali traditionally uses lamps and candles to light up the festival, it probably wouldn't hurt to use modern ways of illumination, as suggested by Demi Lovato in her energetic dance track.
We simply couldn't resist including this classic Indian pop track by Alisha Chinai. Even though this song was , this would still be a great staple to play in future Diwali parties.
Don't be fooled by the ominous sounding title by this incredible British indie rock band. Fueled by commanding percussive beats and Florence Welch's soaring vocals, this song burns bright like a wild flame.
The breakout song from the Academy-Award winning fllm, , brought A.R. Rahman into international mainstream consciousness, and this rousing number is definitely Diwali-ready!
This high-energy techno number from the Queen of Pop herself is perhaps definitive of what Diwali stands for: joyful, spiritual, celestial, and full of freedom and positivity. You can't get any better than that!
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Premier League Highlights – Saturday 18 January 2020
There was another round of Premier League action on Saturday 18 January 2020, as eight fixtures took place in a pretty full afternoon.
Official highlights provider, Sky Sport, put the following out on their YouTube channel. I've collected them together into one fast loading page, for fans like me to enjoy.
Man City v Crystal Palace (2-2)
Watford v Spurs (0-0)
Norwich v Bournemouth (1-0)
Arsenal v Sheffield United (1-1)
Brighton v Aston Villa (1-1)
West Ham v Everton (1-1)
Southampton v Wolves (2-3)
Newcastle v Chelsea
City dropped more points in their forlorn-looking title challenge, thanks to a last minute Fernandinho own goal. Ouch. Palace are still picking up points from losing positions – Roy Hodgson has instilled some belief in his side, and they maintain their push for a top half finish.
I keep saying Watford are showing too good form to go down, and they nearly bagged three points against out-of-sorts Spurs, but Troy Deeney had a penalty saved in the day's early kick-off match. A point shared is a point away from the bottom three, though. Tottenham need to find an odd goal now Kane is out of action.
Another side who have been playing okay, but failing to pick up points, has been Norwich – in stark contrast to today's opponents, Bournemouth, who have been enduring awful form recently. This one went to recent form, as Norwich got a 1-0 win thanks to a penalty from their top scoring player, Timo Pukki. Cook was sent off for the visitors for an inexplicible instinctive hand-ball. Clear red. Game over, really. Bournemouth need a change in form, and fast.
Arsenal are still stuttering this season, while Sheffield United continue to show why their top-half position is more than just a honeymoon. Today Blades came from behind as the Gunners failed to put away a match winning position, and not for the first time.
Both of these sides are struggling in the bottom half of the table, so this was well and truly a relegation battle. As so often this season, Villa needed Grealish to get anything from this match. A point a piece doesn't really help either team, but it could have been much worse for Villa, who stay in the bottom three, but remain in touch. It's tight down there.
Another match where both sides will have targetted three points, but had to share one each was this West Ham v Everton clash. This was a tight match, which West Ham, having opened the scoring, perhaps had the best of in terms of shots, but honours were very much otherwise even. With their experienced managers at the helm, both look good enough to ease away from trouble, and towards the top half of the table… at present.
Match of the day for sure was at St Mary's, where Saints' impressive run of recent form came to an end as Wolves' season-long run of solid performances continued.
Newcastle scored a remarkable late winner deep in stoppage time to pinch three points from a visiting Chelsea who looked nailed on to win this one at the time. Pressing hard, and with most of the possession, the Geordies got a smash and grab winner which is what football is all about, really. You've got to take your chances when they come, and the Magpies did exactly that. Excitement, on Tyneside, late on Saturday evening.
Categorised as Sport Tagged AFC Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Norwich City, Premier League 2019/20, Premier League Highlights, Tottenham, Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers
South Africa v England Cricket – 3rd Test Highlights
Premier League Highlights – Sunday 19 January 2020


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How Biogen Idec Overhauled R&D Under Doug Williams
Luke Timmerman
Xconomy Boston —
Biogen Idec took heat for years from shareholders who accused it of bumbling in the R&D department. But a little over a year ago, the Weston, MA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: BIIB) brought in a new guy to run research and development, and—presto!—a few months later the new product engine was perceived as world-class once again.
It would be a gross oversimplification to say that Doug Williams walked in, waved a magic wand, and cured all that ailed Biogen's research and development operation. But in a little more than a year as executive vice president of R&D, Williams—alongside CEO George Scangos—has performed major surgery on the company's pipeline, cutting 17 R&D programs and increasing the company's bets on programs it believes have a chance to be market leaders. Some drug candidates were ditched because competitors appeared to beat Biogen to the punch, some didn't appear differentiated enough from rivals, or their patent life appeared to be fast running out, Williams says.
Many years will have to go by before a verdict can be reached on whether this strategy will pan out, but investors are more bullish now about Biogen's pipeline than at any time in recent memory. Biogen's market value has shot up from $15.9 billion in January 2011, when Williams joined the company, to about $28 billion at yesterday's close of trading. Much of the rise is based on the prospects of BG-12, an oral pill for multiple sclerosis, which many analysts expect will strengthen the company's position as the world's leading maker of MS drugs for years to come. That drug was in-licensed to Biogen long before Williams arrived, but now it's his job to lead the development teams that push it across the finish line of FDA approval. If that drug gets the regulatory green light, it will be Biogen's first new FDA approved drug since natalizumab (Tysabri) in 2004, and it could add $1.4 billion in sales in 2015, according to Robert W. Baird analyst Chris Raymond.
Williams is quick to admit that he's fortunate that his predecessors in-licensed BG-12 and did a good job of designing clinical trials. He says he's excited to be part of the team looking to make the most of that important new drug and what he hopes will be several others in the works.
"I feel like I've got the best job in biotech," Williams says. "It's exciting to see what's happening here, with all the changes that have been implemented, and the success that the company is realizing. It's great for people who have been in the trenches, working hard, under situations where the view of the company wasn't justified. It's nice to see it pay off."
Williams, who will be one of the featured speakers at an Xconomy life sciences event in Boston April 4, offered an inside look at what he's been working on to revamp Biogen's R&D processes and culture since he arrived.
The story of Biogen's overhaul really started when Scangos took the helm as CEO back in July 2010. One of his first major acts, in November 2010, was to cut 650 jobs, and get rid of Biogen's R&D in cancer and cardiovascular diseases, while concentrating on core strengths in neurology, autoimmunity, and hemophilia.
Williams arrived a couple months later to continue what Scangos had started, by doing a deep review of Biogen's R&D portfolio, program by program. He saw a number of drug candidates in the … Next Page »
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