Happy Republic Day! Republic Day honors the date that the Constitution of India was ratified, replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as India's governing document.
To celebrate Republic Day in true SocialCops style, we combed through data sources and the Constitution itself to investigate what the data shows about the Indian constitution. Here's what we found.
Countries have been ratifying constitutions since 1215, when King John of England signed the Magna Charter. The next country to ratify a constitution was the United States in 1789, and the creation of constitutions has accelerated since then.
Excluding the United Kingdom, the data set on the constitutions created per year has a mean of 1980 and a median of 1991. This means that the data set is skewed toward later years — more constitutions have been ratified in recent years than in past years. Constitutions have even been ratified as late as 2014 (Tunisia, Thailand, and Egypt).
The Indian constitution was ratified on 26 November 1949. At the time, it was only the 23rd constitution to be ratified in the world. Another 168 countries would follow in the next 67 years.
India possesses the longest constitution in the world — nearly 150,000 words in 450 articles.
For the data set we used on constitutional word length (from the Comparative Constitutions Project), the length of each country's constitution was measured by copying the text from publicly available PDFs of the constitution into Microsoft Word and using Word's word count feature.
For India, this possibly resulted in an overestimate. Many of the PDFs of India's constitution include organizational and structural notes in the sidebar. These notes are not part of the main body of the Constitution, yet they are automatically included in the Constitution's total word count when these PDFs are copied into Word.
Regardless, India's constitution is still long. Stripping out these notes only brings the constitution down to around 120,000 words. The next longest constitutions — Nigeria with 66,263 words, Brazil with 64,448 words, and Malaysia with 64,080 words — do not come close to this word count. The average constitution in the world is 22,249 words long, between one-fifth and one-seventh the length of India's constitution.
Edit: Thanks to Hemant for clarifying the notes in the sidebar of the Constitution. They are called "marginal notes". Since they have been used in the past to help interpret the Constitution, it is fine to include marginal notes in the Constitution's word count.
Instead of staying static since 1949, India's constitution has undergone constant change. From 1950 to August 2015, there have been 100 amendments to the Indian constitution. The Indian constitution is one of the most amended constitutions in the world.
The procedure for passing most amendments is outlined in Article 368 of the Constitution. An amendment is initiated by the introduction of a bill in either House of Parliament. The bill must be passed in each House by a majority of total members and a two-thirds majority of present voting members. Once the bill is passed, it goes to the president for approval.
The Indian National Congress was responsible for most of these amendments. This makes sense, since the INC has been in power the most since 1950. However, the BJP and Janata Dal were more efficient than the Congress Party. The BJP and Janata Dal passed over 2 amendments per year in power, compared to the INC's 1.437 amendments per year in power.
This is just a selection of the data on the Constitution. If you find something else in the data, let us know on twitter (@Social_Cops) or in the comments!
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"Organizational and Structural notes" mentioned by you in the article are referred as "Marginal Notes" in the scheme of an Act or for that matter the Constitution. These notes are essentially a title to the Article. They are very much a part of the Constitution as they can be and have been used in interpreting the corresponding Article.
Excellent effort at breaking down the numbers!
You can also break numbers for various constitutional amendments, which have been held either unconstitutional or constitutional, wholly or partly, by the Supreme Court. This will help put in perspective the work of Supreme Court with respect to the Constitution. This inquiry would be unique to the Indian legal system as it is only in our system that the Supreme Court has the power (or given itself the power) to review even a Constitutional amendment.
I was expecting the Indian constitution to be larger than most. Thanks for the insightful data to prove it now.


Our soil is the foundation for everything we do out in the garden. And having an understanding of how it works is hugely important.
If we are better stewards of our soil, we will have healthier plants, fewer pest problems, and a happier earth.
In today's episode, host Theresa Loe brings on Mark Highland, who is also known as the Organic Mechanic. Mark knows a lot about soil and organic gardening because he runs the company with the same name: Organic Mechanics Soil.
Learn how our soil works and how we should care for it an organic way.
As always, you can get all the information mentioned in this episode at www.LivingHomegrown.com/123 including a full PDF transcript of the episode.
What it's like to jump into homesteading for the very first time?
When we're interested in learning a new skill, the first step is to research and read about it. But the real learning comes when we roll up our sleeves and start doing that thing that we're interested in.
Nothing beats the insights and knowledge that come from actually stepping out from behind the research and actually giving it a try.
My guest this week understands that well.
Bev Ross is a long-time listener of this podcast and for years she dreamed of living a homesteading life.
Well earlier this year, she and her family decided to stop dreaming about homesteading and dropped everything to start doing it.
They sold their home, moved across the country and dove head first into growing food, raising chickens and living closer to their food.
But they tried to be smart about it.
They didn't quit their full time jobs. They aren't trying to farm. They tried not to bite off too much at once.
In other words, they're easing into this lifestyle one step at a time and we chat about what ups and downs she's experienced so far.
As always, you can go to www.LivingHomegrown.com/122 to get a full transcript of the episode and all the links mentioned in the show.
Even if you don't live in the United States and are not celebrating Thanksgiving this month, you probably will have some holiday get togethers over the next few weeks. And these ideas can be used for ANY holiday party.
In this episode, I share some of my tips for meshing Thanksgiving traditions with that natural world outside.
Because to me, fall parties are about celebrating the season as well as food and family.
As always, you can go to www.LivingHomegrown.com/121 for links and the to download the recipes mentioned. We also have a full transcript for to download for free.
How to make natural household cleaners that ROCK!
The holidays are coming and chances are you're going to be cleaning your house a little bit more than usual.
Don't reach for the chemical laden products you find at the store!
Living a more organic lifestyle means eliminating chemicals whenever we can.
And a great place to do that is with the products we spray all over our house such as the things we use to scrub down the countertops, clean the bathrooms or even make our laundry smell fresh.
In today's episode, host Theresa Loe brought on the owner of the popular blog Brown Thumb Mama. Pam Farley believes in making things herself for less money than the store bought versions. From cleaners to air fresheners, she is always on the lookout for all natural alternatives to what we find in the stores.
Pam shares her insights and recipes for making cleaning products using simple ingredients we probably already have in our homes.
In the show notes for this episode, you can download a printable PDF of all of the recipes mentioned. Just go to www.LivingHomegrown.com/120 and you will also find a full transcript of the show and more links/resources to get you started.


published, Marin Independent Journal and American Journal of Bariatric Medicine.
Metro Magazine and Daily Pilot.
It has been almost one year since Wyeth-Ayerst voluntarily withdrew Pondimin and Redux from the US Marketplace. Although we now know that the "studies" which precipitated the FDA's action were unreliable, new and accurate studies, which were promised, have not been forthcoming.
Instead of substantial medical material written on this subject, most editorials and articles have focused on drug therapy abuse by patients and physicians, America's obsession with thinness, and class action lawsuits. In this rush to judgment, the real losers ultimately are the obese patients. Many taking prescribed medication, as an integral part of a medical weight loss program, felt in control, often for the first time, of their appetites, cravings and lives. One may ask are there any positive lessons to be learned from the chaos of the recent drug treatment of obesity? I believe the answer is yes.
For the first time ever in the history of obesity treatment, long term weight loss maintenance has been achieved through long term drug therapy. Nothing in the past, including diet, exercise, behavior modification or hypnosis has had long term results anywhere near comparable to drug therapy.
To skeptics who believe that obesity is due to a lack of "discipline," be advised: Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease with a significant genetic predisposition much like diabetes and hypertension. This means that obesity is not the individual's fault. Because this disease is chronic and progressive, treatment must also be continuous for long term control.
Losing and controlling weight may also delay or prevent other diseases such as diabetes and hypertension from occurring. In many cases, weight reduction will decrease or eliminate medications used for these other debilitating diseases.
Weight regain is the inevitable consequence when medication is discontinued. This is not unlike what happens when one stops their blood pressure medication or anti-diabetic medication; blood pressure returns to pre-treatment levels, blood glucose elevates. 95% of the people who try non-medical weight loss programs regain their weight, plus more, within 3 -5 years. This is proof positive of the genetic and progressive nature of this disease.
Diet, nutrition, and exercise regimens are vitally important for a multitude of reasons including improved glucose and insulin control, lowering of cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness. However, maintaining weight loss is rarely one of the prolonged benefits of these programs when used alone.
My belief that obesity is primarily the result of genetics and that sustained drug therapy is the key for long term success is highly controversial. Thirty years ago birth control pills were considered to be used "short term", as there was a fear that long term birth control might cause infertility. Today we know that this is not true.
Medicine is an evolving science. Fifteen years ago male impotence was thought to be 90% psychological. Today, we know that male impotence is 90% physical and current treatment is highly successful.
I encourage all to keep an open mind. I challenge those "normal" weight people who chide their overweight friends for a lack of discipline to try to gain 30 to 40 pounds and keep it on for three years. My guess is that 95% will fail! Why? Because I believe weight, whether it be too much, too little, or ideal, is based primarily on "them" genes.
The revolution in obesity treatment is well under way. Current drug therapy using appetite suppressants and serotonin modulators are highly effective and hope for winning the war against obesity for many has arrived.


The practice of law can be energizing, challenging and stressful. Each day in the office we are faced with deadlines, managing client emotions and interacting with opposing counsel. At the same time we are seeking balance for our family time, outside interests and attempting to maintain our own physical and mental health. We are tethered to our phones and laptops 24/7. That can increase our stress and lead to a feeling of never getting off the "hamster wheel" of the practice of law. We accept the high-stress atmosphere as a cost of doing business in the legal profession.
Attorneys need a reminder to stop and take care of ourselves. How can we perform our best on behalf of our clients if we are not at our personal best? A good example of the importance of prioritizing yourself in order to help others can be heard during the flight safety instructions before aircraft takeoff. The flight attendants share with us the very important life lesson – take care of yourself first so you are then able to help the people around you who depend on you.
The speech is recited each time before takeoff. "If the airplane loses pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from the ceiling. Always put your mask on first before helping others." The act of putting your mask on first can take many different forms for attorneys, such as turning off the electronic devices in the evening, exercising or reaching out for help in dealing with a mental health concern.
The OBA Lawyers Helping Lawyers Assistance Program (LHL) assists OBA members who are having difficulties that adversely affect their practice. Difficulties can be from a variety of sources – not just drugs and alcohol. LHL provides CONFIDENTIAL help to an impaired lawyer.
The OBA offers all bar members up to six hours of free short-term, problem-focused or crisis counseling. The service is strictly confidential. For help with stress, depression or addiction, call the 24/7 Lawyers Helping Lawyers hotline at 800-364-7886 to be referred to a counselor in your area.
If an attorney cannot afford the needed treatment, he or she may qualify for a grant from the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Foundation to help pay for treatment or medication.
An attorney can be referred to a peer mentor who can work with you on specific issues.
Information regarding a lawyer is often received from the lawyer personally or from family, friends, partners or even clients. If you fear another lawyer has become impaired and you want to get confidential help to determine whether a problem exists and/or to get help for that problem, call the LHL hotline or confidentially email onelife@plexusgroupe.com.
All calls to the LHL hotline are confidential and are handled by a counseling/mental health service, which reports numbers of those utilizing services but no names.
LHL hosts a monthly meeting led by a LHL Committee member. The small group discussions are intended to give group leaders and participants the opportunity to ask questions, provide support and share information with fellow bar members to improve their lives – professionally and personally.
To see more information about what LHL offers, visit www.okbar.org/LHL.
working attorney members of the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Assistance Program.
1. Dina Roth Port, "Lawyers weigh in: Why is there a depression epidemic in the profession?" ABA Journal, May 11, 2018.


text:
index to 5 explosives pages contact us
updated Fri. December 17, 2021
Govt Confirms 60 People Killed In Sunday's Explosion
TOLOnews
Sunday's suicide bombing targeted a population registration center in Dasht-e-Barchi in Kabul city, where dozens of people had gathered to apply for their ID documents in order to register to vote. The suicide bomber reportedly detonated his explosives among the crowd outside the offices. Daesh claimed ...
Explosion at Doetinchem flat, no one hurt
NL Times
An explosion woke the residents of an apartment on Beethovelaan in Doetinchem around 3:15 a.m. on Monday. The explosion damaged the home, but no one was hurt, the police said on Twitter. The apartment in ... on the fourth floor. The police suspect that someone threw or left an explosive at the home.
Yeti cut ties with NRA, so a SC man filled his cooler with explosives ...
The huge explosion was captured on video, which the Hartsville man shared on Facebook. ... The chemicals Atkinson used are not typically on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives List of Explosive Materials and do not meet the ATF's definition of "explosives," so they are not regulated, ...
Explosives destroyed in North Dunedin
Otago Daily Times
The explosives were "all legal and above board" and finding explosives lying around in old sheds was not uncommon, she said. Powergel was an explosive often used in mining. The blast could be heard in Opoho and the explosion prompted calls to the emergency services and speculation on social ...
If an explosive is found on your plane, cabin crew have a plan
The pilot told The Sun: "If an explosive device is found and can be carried, it will be moved to that spot and covered with materials or furnishings (like suitcases or ripped-up chairs) that would help mitigate any blast effects." The smothering of the bomb with luggage and other heavy materials would aim to ...
Man killed in apartment 'explosives laboratory'
The fire was set to destroy hazardous chemicals in a building where an explosion killed a man on March 5, 2018. ... also hoarded 13 medium-sized jars of traicetone triperoxide or "TATP explosive material" in in the fridge inside the kitchen, which the warrant claimed doubled as an "explosives laboratory," ...
Kennewick road blocked after explosive acid left at collection event
Tri-City Herald
Richland police's bomb squad was called, and it disposed of the acid in a hole at the shop because it was safer than attempting to move it. It's still not clear where the chemicals came from or whether the woman knew about the potential explosion she tempted. Benton County officials said the collection ...
Volcano Watch: Explosive eruptions at the summit of Mauna Loa ...
Hawaii Tribune Herald
He, too, concluded the eruptions were phreatic and the deposits were caused by a series of explosions from the summit caldera area. Observations of explosive eruption deposits on Mauna Loa led to this question: When did the explosions occur? Charcoal is normally used to date lava flows, but it is not ...
Hawai'i Volcano Watch: Explosive Eruptions at the Summit of Mauna ...
Big Island Now
Three deposits from explosive eruptions at the summit of Mauna Loa are located west, northwest, and east of Moku'āweoweo, the volcano's summit caldera. In map view, these ... caldera area. Observations of explosive eruption deposits on Mauna Loa led to this question: When did the explosions occur?
Man accused of setting off pipe bomb behind Tampa home said to ...
Tampabay.com
TAMPA — Joseph David Caltagirone has always loved playing with explosives, his brother said. ... The explosion likely wouldn't have happened had Joseph Caltagirone known the Tampa Police Department's bomb squad was training in a building about 100 feet from 1019 E. 17th Avenue, the V.M. Ybor ...
50-Year-Old Live Explosive Fished Out From Sea. Next, Controlled ...
50-Year-Old Live Explosive Fished Out From Sea. Next, Controlled Blast ... "If it was a remnant of the target ship (James W. Longstreet) bombing practice, which was halted in the late 60's(?) it will be over 50 years old," explained the police. ... The police later shared a video of the controlled explosion.
He exploded a pipe bomb in his back yard. 'That's a problem,' cops say
The blast shook nearby homes and terrified neighbors, who called 911. Responding officers went to the home and two men inside were detained, reported the Tampa Police Department. Officials from The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the bomb squad were also on the scene.
Blast on truck carrying explosives in northern China kills 7
Seven people were killed and 13 injured when a truck carrying more than 5 tons of explosives blew up in northern China, the local government reported Thursday. The blast struck just before midnight on Tuesday outside an explosives warehouse, according to a statement from the Zhen'an county ...
Ontario Sam's Club explosion: Suspect to appear in court
KABC-TV
The man suspected of setting off explosives in a Sam's Club in San Bernardino County is expected in court on Tuesday. (KABC). SHARE. share · tweet · share · email. KABC. By ABC7.com staff. Tuesday, April 10, 2018 01:07PM. ONTARIO, Calif. (KABC) --. The man suspected of setting off explosives in a Sam's Club in San ...
WATCH: Kentucky bridge demolished in explosion
(WKRN) - An 86-year-old bridge in Canton, Kentucky was destroyed Wednesday morning in an explosive demolition. Two main spans ... Highway traffic on the new U.S. 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge will be blocked for up to two hours to accommodate the use of explosives on the old bridge. There will be ...
Area 'SHUT DOWN' as Explosive devices DETONATE in Ontario ...
The devices went off at 2pm local time (10pm GMT) which prompted a response from police and firefighters. The Ontario Police department initially stated that a "small explosive device" had been detonated in the store. They said: "Responded to a possible fire structure at 951 N Milliken Ave. "It has been ...
Warrants: Bomb maker killed in apartment explosion had white ...
Atlanta Journal Constitution
... to later burn down the entire building -- had a homemade bomb lab, explosive chemicals, guns and ammunition on hand, according to unsealed search warrants in the case. ... The explosives found in Morrow's apartment were so volatile that even jostling them could have set off additional explosions.
Video from Ontario Sam's Club shows moment of explosive device ...
According to authorities, Gonzalez has not provided a motive. Police said Gonzalez is not a Sam's Club employee and is not connected to any known criminal organizations. The Sam's Club in Ontario remained closed Friday. Report a Typo. Related Topics: crimeexplosionexplosives foundOntarioSan ...
Man Detained After 2 Explosives Set Off in California Store
Man Detained After 2 Explosives Set Off in California Store ... Two explosions at a Sam's Club store in Ontario linked to a suspect who had been wanted by police. ... A man was taken into custody Thursday after two explosive devices detonated inside a Sam's Club store in Southern California, police said.
Man killed in Beaver Dam explosion had explosives lab in ...
Sauk Prairie Eagle
Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigations agent Kevin Heimerl reported finding 13 medium-sized jars of potentially "...finished TATP explosive material" in the apartment refrigerator. Experts say TATP often is used in homemade explosives. Heimerl said containers labeled TATP were found in Morrow's ...
Suspicious package found outside Mill Woods library, EPS conducts ...
Edmonton police closed the Mill Woods Transit Centre and evacuated the public library next door after a suspicious package was found outside on Tuesday evening. Library staff called police after seeing a man leaving a suitcase and running away around 6 p.m., police said. The EPS explosive unit ...
Islamic State members killed, wounded by explosives, planted by ...
Iraqi News
Diyala (IraqiNews.com) Several Islamic State members were killed and injured as result of explosion of bombs planted by the militant group on the borders of Salahuddin province, a local source from Diyala said. "Islamic State members fell into a trap made by the militant group, which planted explosives at ...
100 Years Ago - Area soldiers die in explosion at Georgia military ...
Scranton Times-Tribune
According to the report, all of the victims except for Finan were in one tent when an explosive discharged. Finan was in an adjoining tent. The engineers had been training with various kinds of explosive over the previous few days. It was believed one of those training bombs exploded in the tent.
THE GREAT BEND EXPLOSION
FireEngineering.com
Our crews were finding numerous unspent explosive devices lying in the streets and yards surrounding the Wire Tech building. Since Police Chief Akings had access to a fixed-wing aircraft, he suggested that we use aerial reconnaissance to get a better idea of how far the explosives and debris had actually ...
Soldier killed in Syria identified as 36-year-old from Texas
The explosion on Thursday was the first to hit members of the U.S.-led coalition who have deployed to Manbij months after the town was liberated from Islamic State militants in 2016. An improvised explosive device went off during an operation against a known member of the Islamic State group in this ...
Regina police charge 12-year-old boy in relation to 'explosive ...
The chemicals did not come from the school, said Lazarou, nor did the knowledge of how to create an explosion. ... The 12-year-old boy, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is charged with using explosives (throwing a corrosive substance), assault with a weapon, and mischief ...
12-year-old Regina girl injured by 'chemical explosion' in ...
CBC.ca
... an improvised explosive device by mixing chemicals in a closed container. The incident happened on the school's playground. The girl's injuries were consistent with chemical burns, the release said. Police said there is no evidence the incident was targeted. The boy is charged with using explosives, ...
Chemical explosion on school playground in Regina, child charged
According to Regina police, the school's principal contacted a school resource officer to report the "explosive chemical reaction that injured a student. ... A 12-year-old boy, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is charged with using explosives (throwing a corrosive substance), assault ...
One dead, 13 injured in Kerala as explosive materials in shed goes ...
... of rules, explosives had been stored in the shed for making fireworks and no permission had been sought by temple authorities and festival organisers, they said. According to police, a lighted cracker fell near the temporary shed housing the explosive materials following which the explosion took place.
Kepler solves star explosion mystery
After exploding into a brilliance so intense that, briefly, a supernova can outshine an entire galaxy, it fades again in a relatively brief time, a blink on a cosmic timescale, typically weeks. In the past decade, astronomers have puzzled over an explosive event that fades even faster than that. These events are ...
Prosecution identifies perpetrators of Alexandria explosion
Egypttoday
Checking the surveillance cameras of the hotel and then bank at the incident site, the prosecution found that the bomb didn't explode when the general's car passed, it did when the guards' car, which usually follows the police chief for security, passed, causing wide damage to the car, guards and to the ...
Bristol explosion: Reeco Fernandez jailed for stockpiling devices
A binman who stockpiled 250 explosive devices and supplies as he believed a "period of war and famine was coming" has been jailed for 40 months. ... The court was also shown mobile phone footage of Fernandez experimenting with explosives - including devices involving ball bearings - in a wood near ...
Bin man jailed for stockpiling explosives to prepare for world disaster
BT.com
Fernandez, who suffered 22% burns in the explosion and remained in hospital for 18 days, admitted five counts of possessing an explosive substance for an unlawful purpose at Bristol Crown Court on Friday. Mr Justice Dingemans, jailing Fernandez for three years and four months, said the defendant was ...
Survivalist obsessed with making bombs is jailed after explosion in ...
Bristol Post
Reeco Fernandez, 29, of Hastings Close, was charged with possessing explosive substances for an unlawful purpose after police found more than 100 ... She said the evidence demonstrates Fernandez had a committed interest in explosives, with explosives contained in a bedroom, under the stairs and in ...
Witnesses describe 'explosive' crash at Travis Air Force Base
KGO-TV
Witnesses describe 'explosive' crash at Travis Air Force Base ... what he witnessed Wednesday night from his family's restaurant just feet from the main gate at Travis Air Force Base -- a black SUV exploding seconds after breaching security gates. ... "He had something in there explosive," Lamar added.
In Austin, 19 days of terror end with bomber's final explosion
LocalNews8.com
It escalated this week when the bomber rigged a tripwire with an explosive, and two days later, sent a package bomb through FedEx. With every shift in tactics, fear spread as the attacks got increasingly unpredictable. After nearly three weeks of panic and mayhem, police cornered the man they described ...
Austin bombing suspect confesses to making explosives in 25 ...
WTSP.com
APD Interim Police Chief Brian Manley said in a Wednesday evening press conference that police located a 25-minute phone recording containing what he classified as a "confession to the construction of the explosive devices" from Conditt. On the recording, Conditt described six bombs he claimed to ...
In Austin, 19 days of terror end with a bomber's final explosion
Investigators suspected it's related to the Austin explosions, making it the first explosive device the bomber shipped. About six hours later, police received a ... "We literally had Austin police officers running toward a vehicle that had an explosives device in it that detonated. That is unbelievable courage," FBI ...
Austin bombing suspect identified, killed after explosive detonates in ...
KING5.com
The 23-year-old man accused of setting off a string of explosives in the Austin-area is dead after detonating a bomb and killing himself as the SWAT team closed in to take him into custody, authorities have confirmed. While the suspect is dead, Austin police are warning the public to remain vigilant because ...
TIMELINE: Austin bombing suspect dead, 'confessional' recording ...
KVUE
Here's what we know about the series of explosions that eventually led to the bomber killing himself with a explosive device. ... is video of officers responding in the suspect's final hours, calling police officers "heroes" after they are seen driving toward the suspect's vehicle known to be carrying explosives.
Police: Austin bomber left 25-minute confession video on phone
... and Explosives' Houston office, said one room in the house in Pflugerville where Conditt lived had components for making similar bombs to the ones that exploded in a string of incidents this month. There was also similar homemade explosive material in the room. No finished bombs were found, he said.
Police: Latest Austin blast not tied to others
The Austin Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said via Twitter that the blast Tuesday night at a Goodwill store in the ... Authorities have said a "serial bomber" is at large and warned that the explosive devices appear to be getting more sophisticated.
Austin bombing suspect dead after blowing himself up; fears of more ...
Madison.com
When members of the SWAT team approached, the suspect detonated an explosive device inside the vehicle, the police chief said. The blast ... Fred Milanowski, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said it was "hard to say" if the bombing suspect had acted alone.
Texas bombing suspect detonates explosive device, dies during ...
Cleveland 19 News
When he pulled over, he detonated an explosive device inside the car as officers approached. The explosion knocked one officer back. Another officer then opened fire on the suspect. Chief Manley did not say if the suspect died as a result of the explosion of officer's gunshots. Police are not yet naming the ...
Austin bomber blows self up; fears of more explosives remain
When members of the SWAT team approached, the suspect detonated an explosive device inside the vehicle, the police chief said. The blast ... Fred Milanowski, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said it was "hard to say" if the bombing suspect had acted alone.
Austin bomber identified as Mark Anthony Conditt, source says
But early Tuesday, in the last known explosion before the suspect killed himself, a package exploded on an automated conveyor at a FedEx sorting center ... Investigators believe the same person is behind all the explosive devices, the source said, adding that the devices are similar in design and use the ...
FedEx explosion in Schertz, Texas, is linked to Austin blasts
AUSTIN, Texas — A package that exploded at a FedEx distribution center near San Antonio early Tuesday is linked to four blasts in Austin this month, a source briefed on the investigation told NBC ... The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting with the investigation.
Parents of Virginia Teen Injured in Central Park Explosion Trying to ...
NBC4 Washington
Investigators are still looking for who is responsible for a 2016 explosion in Central Park that blew off the lower leg of a Virginia teen -- but newly found ... Connor Golden, a graduate of Oakton High School in Fairfax County, suffered a grievous injury to one of his legs after stepping on an explosive during ...
Bomb-making equipment seized from Fort Pierce man after ...
An anonymous caller Wednesday warned Wegener had detonated an improvised explosive device and was threatening it again, according to ... Sheriff's Office, Fort Pierce Police Department, FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, all responded to Wegener's home Wednesday.
BBC sci\tech
Google sci/tech
Janes
Netcraft
pentaerythritol
artificial reefs
byproducts
chronometry
restraint devices
cross-references for
explosives:
military explosives

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
nfl divisional round
It was an ugly 1-3 start for me in the playoffs. That happens to me almost every year for Wildcard Weekend. I always come back with a vengeance. Jump on these Divisional Round picks.
Seattle at Atlanta (-5) | over/under 51.5
The Score: Atlanta 29, Seattle 26
The Bets: Atlanta (+5) in a 3-way tease / Over (51.5) / Over (41.5) in a 3-way tease
This Atlanta offense put up 48 & 33 points on the 10th best defense in the league (Carolina), 30 points on the 8th best defense (San Diego) and 38 points on the 3rd best defense (Arizona).
They also put up 23 & 24 points on the road against Denver (#1 defense) and Seattle (#5), respectively. And one could argue they would have ended up with at least 27 in Seattle had it not been for a horrible non-call on an obvious pass interference.
They've faced plenty of tough defenses all year and almost always put up 30 or more points.
Even though I expect Seattle to be a particularly tough out, I don't think their offense can hang with Atlanta for 60 minutes. Seattle would need to force some turnovers, but the Falcons tied the Patriots for fewest turnovers in the league this year. And the Seahawks ranked a meh 22nd in takeaways in 2016.
Seattle's putrid run game (23rd in the league) won't be able to fully exploit Atlanta's horrible run defense (29th). And on the flip side the Seahawks' pass defense slipped to 13th in the league, which is bad news going against the #1 passing offense in football.
The recipe just isn't there for a Seattle upset. But a decent team with deep playoff experience should keep it pretty close.
Houston at New England (-16) | over/under 44.5
The Score: New England 31, Houston 13
The Bets: New England (-6) in a 3-way tease
How did the Patriots defense hold up against the very worst offenses in football this year?
Cleveland (29th in offense) – 13 points allowed
Jets (31st) – 17 points allowed on the road / 3 points allowed at home
Los Angeles (32nd) – 10 points allowed
Denver (28th) – 3 points allowed
Houston (30th) – 0 points allowed
Let's just table the argument on if the Patriots defense is legitimately good and would hold up against even a decent offense. We can save that for next week. We know they can 100% shut down awful offenses, especially at home.
Similar to last week when I guessed the Lions would put up 14 in Seattle, I think I'm being generous projecting the Texans for 13.
And since the Patriots always score 30+ against teams like this, I have to reluctantly lay the points and grab New England.
If you're not into 3-way teasers where you can adjust each line by 10 points, then this isn't that great of a game from a betting standpoint. The Patriots are too big of a favorite for a regular tease or to bet straight up. And you can't really have confidence in the game total (Do the Patriots win 40-10 or 30-0? Huge difference for the over/under.)
If you're trying to make the case for a Houston upset, or even just for them to keep it close, you can't use this argument: "The 2009 Ravens and the 2010 Jets stunned the Patriots in Foxboro so anything could happen."
The '09 Ravens were actually the best team in the NFL despite their 9-7 record, according to FootballOutsiders.com. And the 2010 Jets, not too shabby themselves. They were 6th in overall DVOA (team efficiency).
Your 2016 Houston Texans….29th in DVOA! In other words, they were the 4th worst team in football. The gap between this year's Patriots and Wilfork's Texans is possibly the biggest in playoff history.
Pittsburgh at Kansas City (-1) | over/under 44
The Pick: Pittsburgh
The Score: Pittsburgh 23, Kansas City 20 (in Overtime)
The Bets: Pittsburgh (+11) in a 3-way tease / Over (34) in a 3-way tease
During Kansas City's 10-2 finish to the season, they only put up 21 or more points in two of six home games.
The Steelers' last three road opponents of the season happen to be the three teams right above the Chiefs in offensive DVOA rankings (KC ranks 13th). And here's how those teams performed against Pittsburgh's D:
Colts (12th) – Steelers gave up 7 points
Bengals (11th) – Steelers gave up 20 points
Bills (10th) – Steelers gave up 20 points
Let's say things stay consistent in terms of the Chiefs' offensive production. What you gotta figure out is whether or not the Steelers can put up 24 or so points. That's the only way they win this.
I think we're looking at an overtime game, or at least a last-second win for one of these teams. I liked the Chiefs immediately after seeing last week's games play out, but the numbers don't lie. The combination of the way Pittsburgh's been able to play defense lately and the incredible potency of a healthy Steelers offense makes it impossible for me to go with the Chiefs.
Green Bay at Dallas (-4) | over/under 52
The Bets: Dallas (-4) / Dallas (+6) in a 3-way tease / Over (42) in a 3-way tease
Starting in 2011, which is when Jordy Nelson started putting up 1,000-yard receiving seasons, the Packers have been a top four offense each of the four seasons that Nelson and Aaron Rodgers have been healthy together. In the two seasons where they weren't, the Packers fell to 9th (2013) and 11th (2015) in offensive DVOA.
Not a catastrophic drop-off, but a noticeable one that will be in effect for this divisional round game.
After all my cutting edge research, I had the Packers coming up just short, maybe losing by 2 points. But I'm deducting an additional 3 points from their total due to the Jordy loss.
Remember that the Giants offense is most similar in production to the offenses of the Ravens, 49ers, Cardinals and Eagles. It makes perfect sense that Green Bay would demolish the Giants if Aaron Rodgers had a big game. But now the Packers face one of the best offenses in the league. Even if Rodgers steals the show again, they should have an answer.
My read on the spread and game total is that Vegas never adjusted either one when it became apparent that Nelson might not play. I think the game would be impossible to predict if he was healthy, but since he's not, I'll be betting as if they forgot to ding the Packers even slightly.
Who will record the most Passing Yards?
Matt Ryan (+350) – Because he had 335 passing yards in Seattle while facing a healthy Early Thomas earlier this season. Because at home in 2016, his lowest yardage output was 269. His worst case is even better than that because of the injured Seahawks defense.
Tom Brady (+350) – In the past 5 years, Brady has played in 12 playoff games. He's cracked 300 yards passing 7 times, 4 of which came in this divisional round. I think he's good for 290+, which could win the week.
Dak Prescott (+1000) – You're giving me 10/1 odds on a Pro Bowl QB who's rested, at home and facing a pretty bad pass defense? Sign me up.
Who will record the most Receiving Yards?
Dez Bryant (+850) – Call it a hunch. The Packers have a crappy pass defense as it is, and they'll put extra focus on stopping Dallas' 2nd ranked run game. I think Dak will find Dez early and often.
Posted in General BS, Sports	Tagged 3-team teaser, against the spread, football picks, NFL, nfl divisional round, nfl picks, nfl playoffs, sports betting, sports gambling, teaser	Leave a comment
NFL Divisional Round Recap: The Best Weekend of Football
So that's why we always point to the Divisional Round as the best weekend of the NFL season.
Four games. Two nail-biters. Two underdog covers. One major upset.
And three polarizing, buzzworthy storylines that emerged from this incredible weekend. (Sorry, Carolina and Seattle, but you were a little boring, and played out mostly how we expected. Carolina, you didn't deserve to be there and it never felt like you were really close to making it a game. Seattle, we get it. You're good.)
First we had the Patriots beating the Ravens on Saturday in an epic game that leaves you feeling like neither team really deserved to lose. The major headline that emerged was either Bill Belichick outsmarting the Ravens by knowing the rulebook better, or Belichick abusing the rules and using "deception" to get an edge on a team he can't beat straight-up, depending on what side you're taking.
Next we were treated to another tight battle on Sunday afternoon when the NFC's two most popular franchises traded blows for 60 minutes. Controversy struck in a major way when Dez Bryant caught, but didn't catch, a 31-yard pass at the 1-yard line from Tony Romo with 4:42 left and the Cowboys trailing by five points. Just like in the Cowboys' previous game, this one will be remembered mostly for the referee's game-changing decision and the confusing, can't-be-interpreted-by-even-the-most-intelligent-humans NFL rulebook.
And finally, the Colts supplanted the Broncos in their rightful spot in the AFC Championship game by making Peyton Manning look like he should be backing up Ryan Lindley. The most incredible part of this game was watching Twitter explode over the final five minutes with all corners of the earth sending Manning off to retirement even though he hadn't yet (and still hasn't) said he was done.
The Manning story takes the cake of these three headlines. Normally the Dallas/Green Bay ending would be the talk of Monday, but one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history looking that bad and seeming that unsure about his future wins the Watercooler Award.
And on that note, let's plow through each game, starting with the upset in Denver and working our way backwards through the weekend.
Luck Grabs the Torch
Indianapolis 24, Denver 13
(Manning most definitely did not passing the torch voluntarily.)
"I guess I just can't give that simple answer. I'm processing it. I can't say that. I could not say that."
-Peyton Manning on if he'll definitely return for the 2015 season
But if Manning is significantly hurt, or if he has some sort of arm fatigue that will stop him from getting back to something resembling full health, then he might be letting go of that torch involuntarily.
I'm still preaching patience to all the people who went crazy with comments about Manning's career being over, but to hear him in the postgame press conference sounding so unsure of his future was strange.
It's like people already forgot we were accusing Tom Brady of being done just 15 weeks ago. Let's pump the brakes for just a minute on the Peyton eulogies, OK?
Here's what else I noticed in this matchup:
The game wasn't even close, and neither was the play of the two quarterbacks. Andrew Luck was 20 times better than Manning.
Mr. "Pitch Anything & Everything" finished 26-of-46 for 211 passing yards and a 27.9 QBR. But even those numbers were propped up with nearly 100 yards of garbage time from the Broncos. With four minutes left, the competitive portion of the game was over, and Manning was 17-of-34 with 119 yards.
Tweet of the weekend (Michael David Smith, managing editor of Pro Football Talk): "Next year CBS will replace Mike Carey with a guy flipping a coin. Accuracy rate will increase significantly."
It's uncanny how often Carey, a former official, is wrong when they ask him for his take on a call that's being reviewed. I hope someone out there is keeping track. My guess would be that he's gotten ~17% of them right this season, and even that might be generous.
In six of their road games this year, Indianapolis gave up point totals of 42, 24, 24, 51, 28 and 31 points. And some of their opponents in those games include teams like Cleveland, the Giants, and Houston.
The Broncos scored exactly 10 on that same team before garbage time.
I apologize to Andrew Luck for writing that his time isn't yet here to be a mainstay in the AFC Championship Game. This could be the start of quite the run for him and his team.
"New York Bozos"
Green Bay 26, Dallas 21
Everyone heard Aaron Rodgers use that phrase at the line of scrimmage yesterday, either to make an adjustment or to confuse the Cowboys. But he might as well have yelled "Dallas Bozos" because that's what the Cowboys looked like at the end of the first half. That's when this game was truly decided.
The Cowboys were up 14-7 and driving at the end of the half. They had a chance to really make Green Bay and its fans panic throughout the 15-minute intermission. But then on 3rd & 1 with 40 seconds left (after the refs reversed a 1st down call for them), the Cowboys attempted a long pass instead of getting the 1st down with their reliable running game. It didn't work, so they lined up for a 45-yard field goal. Then they got flagged for a false start. Then Dan Bailey missed the ensuing 50-yard kick. And suddenly Green Bay was at midfield with 30 seconds left and quickly turned the opportunity into three points.
A six-point swing that determined the game. Dallas lost by five.
Here's what else I noticed:
I don't mind Aaron Rodgers at all, but I am worried about the hyperbole of his heroics that will dominate the media for the next six days. Some will talk about him as if he singlehandedly found all the airplanes at the bottom of the ocean.
My friends and I made jokes about Matt Flynn seeing meaningful action in this game because of how hobbled Rodgers looked at times, but what wasn't funny was when it seemed probable for a few minutes that Brandon Weeden would be prominently involved in a playoff game. That's how bad Romo was limping around in the 3rd quarter. Flynn vs. Weeden in a deciding fourth quarter would have been the highest of high comedy.
Of course the end of this game was the best/worst/most riveting part (depends on who you ask). Dez Bryant caught a 31-yard pass down to the 1-yard line with less than five minutes to play. Any logical human saw that it was a catch. But the NFL rulebook doesn't operate on logic, common sense, or simplicity. The popular line right now is that the referees got it right when they reversed the call and ruled the play an incomplete pass, but the NFL rules are the problem and it needs to change.
Mike Pereira, FOX's resident official-turned-analyst, said Bryant needed to "perform an act common to the game on his way to the ground." It's probably not good when you need a definition to explain part of the definition of a catch.
This is probably why the officiating seems bad across the board. At least three games this weekend had frustratingly inconsistent calls. And that's because of the impossible-to-figure-out rules.
Maybe I'm oversimplifying here, but shouldn't the rule be: If you catch the ball, have control, and take multiple steps, it's a completion regardless of what the ball does when you hit the ground. But if you're making the catch while diving/falling/being taken to the ground without first taking steps, then the receiver has to keep control through the entire process.
That seems too simple for the NFL, doesn't it?
Most disappointingly is that we were cheated out of an incredible ending. How epic would this game have been if the catch stands, the Cowboys score on their next play, and the Packers try to respond with a game-winning drive while down by either one or three points? (Dallas would have gone for the two-point conversion.)
At least Aaron Rodgers had a good sense of humor about the refereeing that totally went in his team's favor on Sunday:
Did the game really happen if nobody saw it?
Seattle 31, Carolina 17
In reality I'm sure plenty of people watched Seattle handle the Panthers on Saturday night, but millions of fans in Maryland and New England were probably in various stages of blackout, for different reasons, while that comparatively boring game was underway.
I won't say that Seattle's playoff schedule is on par with the Ravens' end-of-season schedule when they got to face Case Keenum and Connor Shaw in the final two weeks, but the Seahawks just beat probably the worst team in playoff history and now host a one-legged Aaron Rodgers to advance to the Super Bowl. Seems fair.
The NFC has won four of the last five Super Bowls, and a fair argument during those years has been that the AFC was watered down so that conference's Super Bowl representative never had to play the type of competition that the NFC representative was dealing with. Is that reversed this year? After all, FootballOutsiders.com has 10 of the league's top 16 teams coming from the AFC.
I'm sure even Seattle fans will agree that if Rodgers looks bad next Sunday, their team really didn't have any tests along the way to the big game in Arizona.
I have no other "what I noticed" notes from this game because after the Patriots' win, I was emotionally spent, extremely inebriated, and in a state of slight comatose.
The Art of…Deception?
New England 35, Baltimore 31
"It's not something that anybody has ever done before. The league will look at that type of thing, and I'm sure they'll make some adjustments and things like that."
-John "sour grapes" Harbaugh
Why, John? Why would you assume the league is going to change their rules? Because you lost and got owned by a better coach who happened to know the rulebook just a little more thoroughly than you did? Why would you assume that the league has to change that rule?
What's great is if they do ultimately change the rule about lining up only four offensive linemen, Harbaugh, his players and Ravens fans will talk about it as if that strategy was outlawed BEFORE their team choked away this playoff game. (Another instance of cheating by New England!)
And here's the thing, I'm an equal opportunity criticizer. I'm a Patriots fan, but you know what Harbaugh's immature whining sounded like? Belichick's claim that Wes Welker's hit on Aqib Talib in last year's conference title game was one of the dirtiest he's ever seen. No merit to the comments. Just emotional, angry coaches trying to put the blame elsewhere.
Here's what else I noticed in this game (though the 11 Lagunitas I consumed might have made me see things that didn't exist):
The best way I can describe the respect I have for the Ravens in the playoffs and the closeness of this matchup is to tell you how I was hyperventilating for 18 hours starting Friday night and not ending until the final whistle Saturday evening.
Very early on Saturday morning, like 1 a.m., I couldn't fall back asleep so I went to the couch and plowed through five episodes of The Wire. I don't get this way for postseason games against Indy, Pittsburgh, Houston and so on.
But despite my respect for the team, I still think Ravens fans are some of the worst. I kept my mouth shut for the most part leading up to this game, but they didn't. And it was especially hilarious to see a lot of them tweeting things like "Game over, suck it, New England" before the 1st quarter had come to an end. Loved every second of it.
I won't spend much time complaining about the officiating, but it was pretty horrific. The scary thing is that one of this past weekend's crews has to be assigned the Super Bowl. Can't wait to see which brilliant team of referees the NFL chooses for the biggest game of the year.
So the Patriots rushed for only 14 yards and also fell behind by multiple touchdowns on two occasions. Maybe don't try that strategy again. Or do try it again, but let us know in advance so we can have all the proper medical equipment available to us ahead of time.
If you're still curious about the Patriots rolling out only four offensive linemen for a few plays in the 4th quarter and the ensuing confusion, I found this espn.com article to be particularly helpful. It explains every detail of the situation and all the things Harbaugh could have been upset about.
Finally, here's how I imagine the game story looked in the Baltimore newspapers and blogs on Sunday morning: "The New England Cheatriots were at their cheating best again on Saturday night as they escaped with a 35-31 win* over the heroic Baltimore Ravens. Tom Brady, in typical me-first fashion, threw the ball 50 times while only allowing his running backs seven combined carries. But that wasn't the worst part. New England knew they couldn't beat the Ravens straight-up with a boring, unimaginative gameplan, so they had to bend the rules a bit, which we know is their favorite thing to do. (Side note: Remember 18-1???? HAAAA) Sources say a group of Baltimore senators are trying to put together a special Congressional Hearing at this moment to make sure Bill Belicheat can never confuse another coach again by having only four offensive linemen on the field. We're also not ruling out the possibility that the Cheatriots taped the Ravens' practices this week and that's the only reason they knew the play where Brady lateraled to Julian Edelman, who then threw a 51-yard touchdown to Danny Amendola, would work. How else could they confidently run such a play at that critical point in the game? Mr. Cool, Joe Flacco, once again outplayed the whining, crying, uncool Brady, and that's why they had to bring in a receiver to do Brady's job. HA!"
Since I've already rambled on long enough, I'll spare you the details of my very profitable gambling weekend until the Championship Weekend picks come out in a few days. But it was indeed a VERY profitable weekend and I hope you followed my advice for once.
Posted in General BS, Sports	Tagged aaron rodgers, against the spread, bill belichick, football betting, mike carey, mike pereira, new england patriots, nfl catch rules, nfl divisional round, nfl picks, nfl playoffs, nfl rulebook, Peyton Manning	Leave a comment
NFL Playoffs: Round Two Picks & What Each Team Is Playing For
Well now what the hell are we supposed to expect?
Can Round Two possibly top Round One? Would we need a triple overtime in one game and a team rallying from 75 points down in another game to restore proper order to the football world?
Typically the Divisional Round is the best weekend of football out of the entire season.
For whatever reason, this round always produces high-scoring games, unlikely overtimes and Mark Sanchez defying the odds (luckily we don't have a quarterback left who would fit that mold of "player who has no business leading his team to a conference championship game" since the Chargers knocked Jason Garrett's illegitimate son out of the playoffs last week).
In six of the past eight years, the eventual Super Bowl Champion went on the road and shocked a heavy favorite in this round (so, yeah, you might want to bet accordingly if San Diego, Indianapolis or New Orleans somehow live to see the next round).
What we get in this second round is the top four teams in the NFL, coming off a well-earned bye week, hosting teams that truly believe they can replicate all those past Champions who had to win four games to take home the Lombardi Trophy. And in many cases we get heavy favorites in this round because those top teams usually dominate at home (not to mention teams like this year's Chargers always sneak by the first round and the experts think they're due to get killed by the better seed).
But almost never do things work out for all the favorites. In fact, the last time all four home teams advanced from this round was 2004. No matter what your research and analysis tells you, I'd shy away from backing all four favorites this weekend.
Here's a random fact for you: There are four teams remaining who also appeared in last year's final eight, and each of them is the favorite in their respective game this weekend (Denver, New England, Seattle, San Francisco).
There are three other teams who at least have playoff experience. The Saints won a Super Bowl and have been a perennial playoff team under Sean Payton. While it's been a couple years since the Chargers made the playoffs, Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and others have plenty of experience in the postseason. And second year quarterback-coach combo Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano popped their playoff cherries last year.
That means the only true virgin remaining is Carolina (somewhere a vampire licks his lips and sets his GPS for Charlotte, North Carolina).
In the "cream of the crop" department, keep in mind that the top six teams in Football Outsider's DVOA rankings are still in the playoffs. Two of this weekend's matchups feature head-to-head battles between that cream: New Orleans @ Seattle and San Francisco @ Carolina. The only two teams that didn't rank in the top six are San Diego 12th) and Indianapolis (13th).
So before Saturday arrives and the bitching & moaning about your picks, your bets or your team begins, take a moment to appreciate what we have here: Eight incredibly sexy football teams. If you wanted to argue that we have six sexy teams and then San Diego and Carolina, I wouldn't fault you for it.
Let's take a quick look at the story lines and what's at stake for these remaining teams as they aim for a Championship:
Denver: Peyton Manning's quest for a second Super Bowl. Another record-setting offense looking to go all the way. Putting to rest any debate around who's season was better, 2013 Manning or 2007 Brady, by actually finishing the job. The Broncos overcoming a midseason temporary coaching change because of John Fox's emergency heart surgery. John Elway becoming even more of a legend after his handpicked coach and quarterback validate his choices with a Super Bowl win. Manning and the offense winning it all with that defense. The Broncos definitively being able to say they got the better end of the Champ Bailey for Clinton Portis deal (just joking, that was never in question). Wes Welker getting his hands on the Lombardi Trophy that twice eluded him in New England. The entire fan base forgetting to show up to the victory parade because pot is legal in Colorado and the amount of gravity bong rips they'd probably all be taking over the 36 hours immediately following Super Bowl Sunday would reach dangerous levels.
New England: The legacy-cementing 4th Super Bowl win for Brady and Belichick. Patriots fans finally having that 4th one to end the debate around who's the best QB and best coach of all time. Belichick's finest work as a coach paying off in the biggest way. Another argument forever ending if this particular team wins: How much does a coach really matter in the grand scheme of things? The "next man up" philosophy is more than just a company line, but the media would beat us over the head with it throughout the month of February. The look Belichick would give an over aggressive reporter who brings up Aaron Hernandez in the post-Super Bowl press conference. Gronk somehow parties even harder after they win the title. Stevan Ridley's vindication. Danny Amendola doing what Wes Welker couldn't do….Julian Edelman doing what Welker couldn't do. The awkward moment on the Championship DVD where the narrator talks about the Patriots' preseason "challenges" while they show a shot of the Bristol County Jail.
Indianapolis: Andrew Luck winning it all in year two. Luck equalling Manning in Lombardi Trophies. Luck solidifying his status as the person you would pick to build your team around over any other player. Trent Richardson getting his much-deserved Super Bowl win (another bad joke). Reggie Wayne missing out on the magical ride. T.Y. Hilton becoming a household name and being over-drafted in every 2014 fantasy league. Some of Manning's old teammates, like Robert Mathis, getting their second Super Bowl with the new Manning. Chuck Pagano's made-in-Hollywood ride from leaving the team to receive cancer treatment to hoisting the trophy just 17 months later. Jim Irsay taking too much credit for the successful season (though I still argue his "tribute to Manning" in the Colts' win over Denver was all part of his master plan to get Manning off his game).
San Diego: The 9-7 team that nobody wanted in the playoffs wins it all. Philip freaking Rivers finally goes all the way in the first year where no one gave him a chance. Mike McCoy easily escaping the shadow of Marty Schottenheimer and Norv Turner. Grizzled veteran Antonio Gates getting his moment of glory. LaDanian Tomlinson sheds a tear of self-pity somewhere in California. Seeing Rivers have no one to hate on for a brief moment, and yet, I bet his facial expression would still look like that of an infant throwing a tantrum.
Seattle: Bringing a championship to a long-suffering city that loves its sports. Proving that with a little bit of adderall, you can achieve anything. Russell Wilson solidifying his spot as "best young quarterback." Defense can win championships. Home field advantage is still something that matters. The first team to really be the "best regular season team" and finish it off with a Super Bowl win in many years. Pete Carroll wins the big one, but three years later is forced by the NFL to vacate all the playoff wins. Humblest guy on the planet Richard Sherman gets to the top of the mountain (and of course stays humble in victory). Beast Mode proves that running backs can matter. Carroll immediately retires to chase his true dream, acting in a movie called "Cheerleaders In Khakis."
Carolina: Cam Newton gets some real credibility among all the other sexy young quarterbacking names. He gets his name alongside Doug Williams as the only black starting QBs to win a Super Bowl. Ron Rivera, who came into the 2013 season presumably on the hot seat, gets Carolina its first Championship in franchise history. Steve Smith punches a reporter instead of saying "I'm going to Disney World." The general public finally figures out which Carolina the Panthers play in (it's the north one). Defense can win championships.
San Francisco: The 49ers' first Championship since Steve Young. Colin Kaepernick becoming that best young quarterback (seems like that title is really up for grabs in these playoffs). Frank Gore, maybe the player most deserving of a Super Bowl in these playoffs. San Francisco tying Pittsburgh for the most Super Bowl wins (6) in NFL history. A final tribute to Candlestick Park. Jim Harbaugh gets the thing his brother took out from under him last year. Anquan Boldin wins two consecutive Super Bowls on different teams (has that ever happened?).
New Orleans: Drew Brees gets #2, this time without the luxury of playing in the Superdome at any point in the playoffs. Sean Payton proves his ridiculous value. Vindication for the Saints from the Bountygate debacle. The team that couldn't win on the road wins four outdoor road games. Jimmy Graham, Marques Colston, Darren Sproles, et al become the envy of offensive coordinators everywhere. Rob Ryan twirls his hair around his finger in the post game press conference. Rob Ryan parlays the Super Bowl win into a failed head coaching job. Rex Ryan calls a press conference to congratulate his brother, but also to say he's looking forward to beating the Patriots next year.
Oh, you wanted some picks…
Here you go. Round Two picks:
New Orleans @ Seattle (-8) – Saturday, 1:35pm PST
What happened in their regular season matchup: Whether it was due to traveling to the Pacific Northwest and playing a road game in the toughest environment, or because it was Thanksgiving weekend and the Saints accidentally poisoned themselves with tryptophan right before kickoff, or because Seattle's just really that good…the Saints got crushed in week 13 against the Seahawks, 34-7. Offensively the Saints had their worst performance in the eight-years that Sean Payton's been head coach (188 total yards, 7 points). And New Orleans did nothing on defense to slow down the Seattle offense. The Seahawks gained 429 total yards while Russell Wilson walked away with 310 passing yards, three touchdowns and a 139.6 passer rating. You can absolutely point to one or two fluky things that went Seattle's way on that Monday night: On the Saints' second drive of the night, Brees was stripsacked and Seattle took it back for a defensive touchdown. Then in the 3rd quarter with the game already getting out of reach, Russell Wilson had one of the luckiest touchdown passes I've seen. It was this eight-yarder to Derrick Coleman. Unfortunately for the Saints, even if those two plays go their way, it's only a 10-15 point swing in the best case scenario, meaning they still would have lost by a couple touchdowns.
What I think will happen in this game: In my week 13 preview I was astounded that the Seahawks were giving six points against an "evenly matched Saints team." I thought it should have been a three-point line. Obviously I went big on New Orleans and got burned. This time the line seems more appropriate. I'm not buying into the Saints in this game just because they won a road game in Philly last week. In fact, getting that road monkey off their back or not has no bearing on how I pick this game because the Eagles and Seahawks are so far apart in talent and execution. The Saints are going up against the very best in the toughest stadium to visit in the NFL. By the time week 13 had rolled around, Seattle had already lost Brandon Browner for the season. So they've already shut down this Saints offense without a full arsenal. Oh, and there's another potential wrinkle in Seattle's favor this time…Percy Harvin is apparently practicing at full speed this week. Scary for the whole league.
While I expect New Orleans to play better overall and make it a closer game, it's not going to be nearly close enough. I've got Seattle covering with a 42-27 win. The more you hear people talking themselves into the Saints possibly winning four outdoor games to capture their second Super Bowl, the more confident you should feel that they're not going to advance past this round.
Indianapolis @ New England (-7.5) – Saturday, 5:15pm PST
What happened in their regular season matchup: There was no regular season game between these two teams. This is the only second round game not featuring a rematch of a regular season game. But the Patriots stomped the Colts 59-24 during the 2012 regular season if that means anything to anyone.
What I think will happen in this game: First, I'd like to pause and say WHAT THE FUCK DID THE PATRIOTS DO TO DESERVE THIS??? After all the in-season injuries, sure, why not add Brandon Spikes to the injured reserve during the bye week! At this point, might as well put the top 53 players on the IR and see what the second string, practice squad and street free agents can do against Indy. In case you're wondering why us Patriots fans would care about Spikes, you should know that ProFootballFocus.com graded Spikes out as the sixth-best inside linebacker in the NFL this year and the best against the run. The best linebacker in the NFL against the run. Boom. Done for the season.
In less important news for regular Patriots fans but something that provides an interesting dilemma for me…Deion Branch is now a member of the Colts. Why a dilemma for me? My one authentic Patriots jersey is a #83 Deion Branch jersey. His original number when the Patriots picked him in the 2nd round of the 2002 draft. I bought his jersey after the third game of the '02 season. So do I wear my 11-year-old jersey on Saturday because in my opinion it's been a good luck charm over the years? Or do I keep it in the drawer for the first time in my decade plus of owning it because Branch is now on the opposing team? What in god's name do I do? Someone help!
The analysis on this one is pretty easy. This current installment of the Patriots doesn't blow out good teams. They also struggle defensively because of the 25,000 injuries they've sustained on that unit this year. All they seem to do is pull close wins out of their collective ass. They went 8-0 at home this year. Andrew Luck and the Colts in a rainy, windy, outdoor January game is very different than Luck and the Colts in the comforts of the Oil Rig. I love that this is 7.5 points and not something tempting like 4 points. I'm taking the Patriots to win but not cover, 27-23.
San Francisco (-3) @ Carolina
What happened in their regular season matchup: One can only hope we see a repeat of the barnburner these teams put together in week 10. Cam Newton threw for 169 yards. Colin Kaepernick threw for 91 yards. Yep, didn't crack triple digits. They were a combined 27-of-54 passing. Newton ended up with a 52.7 passer rating; Kaepernick's was 42.0. The two teams combined for 401 yards. Good lord. Maybe I go for a hike on Sunday morning instead? Oh, the Panthers won at San Francisco, 10-9. I guess that detail's important.
What I think will happen in this game: No idea, really. If there's a stay away game in round two, this is it. Has any wildcard team ever been a back-to-back road favorite in the playoffs? Doubtful. Are the 49ers this year's "wildcard team that seems underwhelming during the regular season but makes a deep playoff run?" Possibly. Could they host one final surprise NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park? Doubtful, considering it would require the Saints to win in Seattle. And how about the Panthers? Are they our best guess for the team that gets a bye but totally lays an egg in their first playoff game? Maybe. As an inexperienced team that can't throw the ball, they're certainly a good candidate.
Early in the week I was leaning towards San Francisco. Middle of the week I was leaning towards Carolina. I flipped and flopped over and over. And then I remembered my 40/1 odds preseason bet on Carolina to win the Super Bowl. And I swung back to Carolina hard. But finally I thought…If the 9ers don't win this game, which road team is winning this weekend? Because mark my words, one of them always does…except, almost never is there a home underdog in this round of the playoffs. So we could have all four home teams win but still have an underdog win outright. And by the way, the 49ers beat a Green Bay team by three points last week that was without Clay Matthews for the entire game and Sam Shields (one of their best defensive backs) for most of the game. That Packers team was not playing at nearly full strength. People are riding high on San Francisco, but the Panthers will be a completely different experience. Give me my long shot Super Bowl ticket to keep moving on. Carolina wins 26-21.
San Diego @ Denver (-9)
What happened in their regular season matchups: In game one, the Broncos won 28-20 in San Diego. Manning put up 330 yards and four touchdowns; Rivers was a pedestrian 19-of-29 for 218 yards. Somehow the Chargers had the ball for 16 more minutes than Denver and still lost by eight. In the rematch, the score was similar (27-20), and the visiting team won again…this time it was the Chargers. Once again San Diego dominated time of possession (had the ball for nearly 18 minutes longer than Denver), and once again Rivers was pedestrian. But it was the Charger running game (177 yards on 44 carries) that won it for them.
What I think will happen in this game: C'mon, at this point would you dare bet against San Diego? They were left for dead after barely sneaking into the playoffs. Cincinnati was supposed to crush them. But they didn't. Now the Broncos are supposed to grab an even more-lopsided victory. But it's not just Manning vs Rivers in this game. It's an improved defense (San Diego) vs a declining defense (Denver). It's a divisional rivalry that often sparks close games. Just like the Patriots, I think Denver pulls out a win, but doesn't cover. The Broncos take it 41-34. And finally, we're set for a turn-back-the-clock Brady vs Manning showdown for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. It makes perfect sense.
If things play out exactly how I expect, we're going to see two great Championship Gaames: Carolina vs Seattle, New England vs Denver. Why am I picking chalk with the #1 & #2 seeds of each conference advancing? Because this has been an abnormally strange year in the NFL, and the strangest thing that could happen this weekend is all four top seeds winning.
My Girlfriend's Quick Picks for the week:
New Orleans over Seattle (-8): "Because Pete Carroll is the Drew Bledsoe of coaches."
Indianapolis over New England (-7.5): "Because I hate Indy but they love me."
Carolina over San Francisco (-3): "Because San Francisco is flying a little too close to the sun after last week, and no way they eke out back-to-back games. They've reached their eke limit."
San Diego over Denver (-9): "Because when's the last time Denver wasn't a double-digit favorite? They've gotta have a bad game at some point."
It's not lost on me that my girlfriend just picked all four underdogs to cover. Perhaps this is the week I've been waiting for to do a four-team underdog parlay?
By the way, I'm kind of a prop bet master at this point. If you want to know what I'm thinking with prop bets, you should follow me on Twitter because I'll let everyone know on Saturday morning which long shot props are definitely going to pay off.
Enjoy Round Two!
Posted in General BS, Sports	Tagged against the spread, divisional round, football betting, nfl divisional round, nfl picks, nfl playoffs, point spread, sports gambling	Leave a comment
This Weekend's Can't-Miss NFL Prop Bets (A Short Friday Read)
Yesterday I posted my Divisional Round picks, which you can review HERE. That blog post was just a tad longer than I expected so I needed to give you my favorite prop bets of the weekend in a separate post.
Just as a general warning, I should tell you it's always best to bet small amounts on these prop bets because they're mostly a crapshoot. The best thing to do is find some unlikely prop bet outcomes that have a lot of value based on the odds. An example of a prop bet that doesn't offer value on either side is this:
How many total passing yards will Peyton Manning have this week?
Over 290.5 (-115)
Under 290.5 (-115)
Sure, with enough research and a little bit of luck, you can probably land on the right side of Manning's passing yards against Baltimore. But there's no value on either side. Vegas isn't giving you good odds for all that hard work you have to do. And as you probably realize, it's basically a coin flip. A coin flip that you have to pay an extra 15% for. Not good.
The type of prop bet you're looking for is one with multiple answers where you can get big odds on an outcome that Vegas doesn't think is very likely (but an outcome you're smart enough to realize actually has a good shot). I'm not saying all of the following bets I'm making this weekend are like that, but the first couple are.
Here's what I'm looking at for Round 2 of the playoffs:
Who will record the most Passing Yards this weekend?
Russell Wilson (15/1): Obviously I'm not making this bet thinking that Wilson's typically more likely to have more passing yards than a Manning, Rodgers or Brady, but he's got much more enticing odds than the usual suspects. My thinking is that Atlanta's got the 23rd ranked pass defense, the game's in a dome, and I could definitely see a high-scoring game on both sides (By the way, Andrew Luck had the most pass yards in the wildcard round with 288. In the playoffs when the weather's colder and the defenses are better, it's not like you have to find a 350-yard passer to win this prop).
Knowshon Moreno (6/1): The rushing category doesn't have nearly as much to offer in the way of longshots. The reason I like Moreno is because Baltimore's run defense is pretty bad—they gave up 152 rushing yards at a 5.1 yards per attempt clip to Indy last week, even with the Ravens leading the entire game. It's worth noting that Moreno ran for 115 yards (5.5 yards per attempt) against the Ravens in the week 15 matchup in Baltimore. I also think Denver might be nursing a 10-to-14-point lead late in the game, and you know the plan will be to feed Moreno the ball as much as possible at that point.
Will there be a missed Field Goal in the San Francisco-Green Bay game?
No (+110): Those cheeky bastards that run my gambling website…No other game this weekend has a missed FG prop bet. But no other game features the two worst field goal-kicking teams in the NFL either. That's the draw of "yes" on this bet (at -150). Mason Crosby missed 12 of 33 field goal attempts for Green Bay this year (63.6% success rate), and David Akers missed 13 of 42 attempts for the 49ers (69%). San Francisco went so far as to sign Billy Cundiff on January 1st—although Jim Harbaugh just announced on Thursday that they're sticking with Akers for this game. Anyway, I'm going with "no" on this bet because I'm hoping both coaches are smart enough not to give their kickers a chance to miss mid-to-long range field goals. Hopefully they're only trotting these scrubs out for extra-point-lengthed field goal attempts. It also looks like the weather in San Francisco is going to be fine on Saturday. Call me an optimist, but I think the kickers actually do their jobs competently in this game!
Total TD Passes – Matt Ryan
Under 1.5 (+120): Two statistical reasons to make this bet: 1). Matt Ryan threw for either 0 or 1 touchdown passes in five of his eight home games this year. Astonishing, I agree. 2). Seattle has only allowed 15 total passing touchdowns this season, one of the best marks in football. If Seattle's as good as advertised and beats the Falcons on Sunday, couldn't you see Ryan being held to some pretty awful stats?
And finally, here are two prop bets that have nothing to do with the playoffs, but seemed interesting enough to bet:
Will RGIII start Week 1 of the 2013 Regular Season?
Yes (+150): Seems like a 50/50 proposition right now so if Vegas wants to pay me an extra 50% to be an optimist, I'll take it. Everything coming out of the Redskins organization says that Griffin will be ready by September. Again, this isn't the type of bet you put your life savings on, but it's worth a little wager.
Will Bruce Arians be a Head Coach of the NFL for the 2013 Season?
Yes (+110): No, jackass, you don't make this bet thinking that Chuck Pagano's gonna have a relapse that forces Arians to take over the Colts again. You bet this because there's a minimum of four teams interested in Arians right now. His stock will never be higher after stepping in and leading the Colts to one of the most improbable regular seasons in NFL history. He's gotta strike while the iron's hot, right? And the Colts VP of Player Personnel just took the job as GM in San Diego, and rumor has it Arians would love to work under him. You should bet this before they pull it off the board. Hurry. Free money.
That's it. Enjoy this weekend's games. And look for me involved in a one-man riot on the LA local news if the Patriots somehow lose on Sunday night.
Posted in General BS, Sports	Tagged bruce arians, david akers, football gambling, knowshon moreno, mason crosby, matt ryan, NFL, nfl divisional round, nfl playoffs, Peyton Manning, prop bets, rgiii, russell wilson, sports betting, sports gambling	Leave a comment


On May 15, 2018, Consul General Hong Lei attended the 2018 Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month celebration hosted by Secretary of State Jesse White at the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago. More than 100 guests including Consul Generals of India, Thailand, South Korea and other countries attended the event. Deputy Consul General Yu Peng also attended the event.
Secretary of State Jesse White presented heritage month awards to individuals and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities. Secretary White hoped that the awardees will continue to work hard to serve their communities and help others to contribute their own strength. He also emphasized the importance of instilling a sense of love and responsibility in the new generation to help further advance the prosperity and development of the Asian-Pacific American communities.
Consul General Hong Lei thanked Secretary White for hosting the Asia Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration which holds great significance. He said that the awardees are distinguished individuals from the Asia and Pacific American communities who have made important contributions to society. They are representatives of their communities and their speeches are very inspiring. Consul General Hong lei said that he believes the event will promote the unity, harmony and welfare of Asian-Pacific communities.
Since the 1990s, states across the United States have held Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month celebration in May each year. Governments at all levels take this opportunity to commend individuals of Asia-Pacific decent who have made significant contributions. This year's celebration in Illinois presents the "Humanitarian Service Award", the "Judge Laura C. Liu Trailblazer Award", the "Humanitarian Excellence Award", the "Volunteer Achievement Award" and the "Community Leadership Award". Three awardees are Chinese Americans.


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Lies about the single market
Sadie Robinson looks at the new pamphlet by the Labour Party right wingers claiming to bust "Lexit myths". It weakly accepts the limits of the bosses' system
Published Fri 2 Feb 2018
The pamplet accepts the limits of the bosses system (Pic: Descrier)
Myth-The single market doesn't block renationalisation
EU rules prevent states from wholly running services publicly. But a new pamphlet from the Labour Campaign for the Single Market (LCSM)—a group led by Blairites—muddies the water to try and hide this fact.
It says many governments in Europe have "ownership stakes" in industries including energy, rail and water. And it highlights German state-run rail operator Deutsche Bahn as an example.
But LCSM admits that EU rules "require public utility monopolies to open up to competition". As the European Commission (EC) says, "EU rail legislation has consistently encouraged market-opening."
These rules mean Deutsche Bahn faces increasing competition. There were 412 rail firms in Germany in 2015—and 421 in 2016.
As LCSM admits, the EU "does require that rival companies should be able to have access to utility networks". It says this is "beneficial".
The rich business - why competition makes 'ethical capitalism' an impossibility
What it actually means is that Labour could not renationalise the entire rail service without defying the EU.
Myth-The single market doesn't stop state aid
LCSM says it's possible to have state involvement in the economy within the single market. Technically this is true. But this is in spite of single market rules, not because of them.
Belonging to the single market means signing up to a series of EU rules which protect profits and entrench neoliberalism.
Giving state money to companies is seen as giving an unfair advantage to some over others and "distorting competition".
But state aid is allowed if it's deemed to benefit the economy—in other words, the bosses.
LCSM accepts this. It says "there is no escaping some form of state aid rules". Yet these rules are there to help bosses, not ordinary people.
Myth The single market protects workers' rights
Workers in EU countries have watched their living standards fall while the rich get richer.
Today the EU enforces austerity, most dramatically in Greece. In Greece some public sector workers had their pay slashed by a third and the minimum wage has fallen by 22 percent.
Workers in Britain suffered a bigger drop in real wages between 2007 and 2015 than any other advanced country except Greece. Average real wages fell by 10.4 percent.
LCSM hails EU legislation such as the Working Time Directive, which limits working hours. But an "opt-out" means workers in Britain can make "voluntary deals" with bosses to work longer.
Our rights have been won through struggle, not handed down by the EU. Equal pay legislation was introduced in Britain following a strike by women workers at Ford Dagenham in 1968.
And some rights, including paid holidays and maternity leave, are better in Britain than the minimum EU standards.
The EU is designed to help bosses, not workers. A founding treaty "prohibited" all restrictions on bosses' ability to make profits.
And the 2007 Lisbon treaty enshrined the privatisation of public services in the EU. It committed member states to have balanced budgets and near-zero structural deficits.
Many union leaders in Britain opposed the treaty. Ireland voted to reject it after a successful left wing campaign.
In 2007 the European Court of Justice ruled against Swedish workers who struck to stop Latvian firm Laval paying migrant workers lower wages.
It also ruled that a Polish subcontractor operating in Germany could pay workers less than half the agreed minimum wage for the sector.
And in the same year Finnish ferry company Viking tried to operate from Estonia to avoid a union agreement. The court backed the bosses' "right" to relocate.
Looking to the EU to protect workers comes from a pessimism that workers can't fight to protect themselves.
Myth-Brexit will wreck the NHS
LCSM says the cost of Brexit leaves less money for the NHS. This is false accounting. There's plenty of cash available—in the pockets and the offshore accounts of fat cat bosses.
LCSM says Brexit has encouraged nurses from the European Economic Area to leave the NHS and deterred others from coming. Any socialist should oppose changes that drive workers out of services or put them off coming to Britain.
But only 5.3 percent of nurses come from the EU. Brexit is not behind the NHS crisis. Tory attacks—pay cuts, cuts to health funding and slashing bursaries—are.
"Brexit has ripped us away from the European solidarity of protecting healthcare, health standards and workers' rights," says LCSM.
This rosy picture doesn't fit the reality. Health workers in France, Portugal and Italy struck late last year against cuts and other attacks.
Myth - Leaving the single market will mean more cuts
LCSM admits, "Austerity is a political choice and has nothing to do with the EU or single market rules."
Yet it still claims that leaving the single market will harm the economy and mean "fewer jobs and lower wages".
This accepts the logic of capitalism—and wrongly assumes that bosses and workers have the same interests.
The vast majority of Britain's bosses wanted to stay in the EU because it's good for business.
Some have since blamed cuts on Brexit.
Greek workers have suffered as a result of austerity enforced by EU (Pic: underclassrising.net/Flickr])
But attacks on jobs, pay, pensions and services are not inevitable. Bosses and governments choose to make them – and they can be resisted.
The woes of many firms, such as Carillion and Capita, have nothing to do with the EU.
Bosses are using fear over Brexit to threaten workers. Labour should stand up to their blackmail, not go along with it.
LCSM admits that public spending can be increased "inside or outside the single market".
The real problem is that Labour fears taking on the bosses.
Catherine West MP writes, "It is possible to leave the single market and not cut public services. But it is not possible without increased borrowing or higher taxes.
"Public spending choices would be much, much harder for any future Labour government."
In other words, cuts can be avoided if Labour taxed the bosses more.
Myth- It's anti-racist to back the single market
The campaign to stay in the EU was led by David Cameron— hardly an anti-racist. And, disgracefully, LCSM calls for more clampdowns on migrants.
It complains that Britain hasn't used "significant restrictions within EU law" that could limit freedom of movement.
It bemoans "Britain's failure to use such safeguards fully and, where appropriate, send back those with no right to remain".
Busting the Lexit myths by LCSM
It suggests that regulations blocking migrants from claiming benefits "could be better enforced, or even tightened".
The EU does not guarantee freedom of movement. After three months, EU citizens living in another EU country must meet certain criteria in order to stay. They must be in work, be seeking work with a genuine chance of getting it, be able to prove they aren't a "burden" on public funds and have health insurance.
And EU states retain the right to close their borders.
LCSM whines that leaving the single market won't address "concerns" about "non-EU migrants".
"New trade deals with countries like India are likely to involve Britain being required to grant a greater number of visas to citizens of those countries," it says.
For good measure it advocates "reversing the spending and staffing cuts to the Border Force".
The EU doesn't protect migrants or refugees. In 2008 the European Parliament adopted a new law that aimed to fast track mass deportations. It removed migrants' rights to legal representation and allowed states to deport unaccompanied children.
Fortress Europe means refugees fleeing war and poverty drown in the sea.
Myth-The EU protects the environment
LCSM says the EU has been "overwhelmingly positive" for the environment.
Yet its own pamphlet shows up the weakness of EU environmental laws.
"Our air has exceeded legal limits since 2010," it says. "Conservative-led governments have consistently weakened the machinery protecting our environment."
The EU is committed to the "progressive abolition of restrictions on international trade and other barriers". These include environmental standards.
LCSM says that the single market "encourages responsible environmental behaviour by business".
In reality businesses regularly flout environmental laws and EU states repeatedly miss targets for emissions cuts.
And the targets aren't high enough to stop catastrophic climate change.
The EU uses offsetting, where firms can buy more credits to emit more pollution, to meet targets.
Offsetting has been a disaster that has seen emissions rise.
As LCSM admits, "No one could argue that the EU is a model of green perfection."
Fri 2 Feb 2018, 21:38 GMT
For a Brexit from Ireland
Theresa May is in a bind over Brexit—struggle could bring her government down
Unions must resist Tory plan for longer working hours
Labour should not back single market
Doncaster protest defends woman who is fighting domestic violence service cuts
Theresa May will stumble on unless we topple her
After Claire Kober quits in Haringey - turn the tables on pro-cuts Labour councils
Property bosses and Labour right are scared of the revolt against redevelopments
Corbyn must not give in to the right over Brexit


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Q: If the series $\sum_0^\infty a_n$ converges, then so does $\sum_1^\infty \frac{\sqrt{a_n}}{n} $ Problem:

Suppose that for every $n\in\mathbb{N}$, $a_n\in\mathbb{R}$ and $a_n\ge 0$. Given that
  $$\sum_0^\infty a_n$$
  converges, show that
  $$\sum_1^\infty \frac{\sqrt{a_n}}{n} $$
  converges.

Source: Rudin, Principles of Mathematical Analysis, Chapter 3, Exercise 7.

A: The Cauchy-Schwarz inequality gives
$$\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{\sqrt{a_n}}{n}\leq \sqrt{\sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n}\,\sqrt{\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{1}{n^2}}<\infty.$$

A: We have for all real numbers $2ab\leq a^2+b^2$ hence
$$0\leq \frac{\sqrt{|a_n|}}n\leq \frac{|a_n|+\frac 1{n^2}}2.$$
Since the series $\sum_n|a_n|$ and $\sum_n\frac 1{n^2}$ are convergent, we get the convergence of $\sum_n\frac{\sqrt{|a_n|}}n$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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SPOTTED: Nadine's rumored BF joins her family during Siargao trip
Nadine's parents also stayed at the resort reportedly owned by her rumored boyfriend
Patricia Matalog
Nadine Lustre's rumored boyfriend Christophe Bariou has been spotted on numerous occasions with the actress' family during their recent trip to Siargao.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, November 7, Nadine's father Ulysses Lustre shared some photos from their recent vacation, and they were seen sharing a meal with the actress, her mother Myraquel, Christophe, and a few other friends.
Prior to the post, Ulysses also shared other snaps from their trip, and it looks like they have been in the island since late October. They stayed at Maison Bukana Resort, which was reportedly founded by Nadine's rumored boyfriend.
"Thank you❣https://www.maisonbukana.com/" Ulysses wrote in one of his posts.
Rumors about Nadine's new flame first circulated when she was spotted hanging out with Christophe in Siargao last August. The two were also seen holding hands while strolling around in the same month.
Nadine, however, has yet to confirm or deny if Christophe is her new boyfriend.
The actress' last public relationship was with her on-screen partner James Reid. The two broke up in 2019 and confirmed it to the public in 2020.
In an interview with Boy Abunda last August, James said he isn't "excited" to see Nadine with a new man but he wants what's best for her.
"I don't think anyone in that situation is really excited to see the ex with someone else. But you know, that's not my choice. If I had to decide, of course, I wish her the best. I want her to be happy," he enthused.
Read more stories here:
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CELEBRITY ZODIAC: 14 celebrities who are Scorpios
LOOK: Nadine Lustre bares morena skin in latest shoot
Nadine Lustre reacts to her viral photo while buying lechon sauce
Tags: celebrity nadine lustre christophe bariou family ulysses lustre james reid
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Do you have pieces in your wardrobe that are always in the hamper because as soon as they reach the "clean" pile, you're dying to wear them again? That's how I feel about this sweater and the reason why it's only making its blog debut now. For the past couple months, I've been pairing it with skinny jeans and boots or tucking it into skirts. Yesterday, I wore it with an army jacket (a pre-requisite for living in hipster-y Mt. Pleasant), oversize-with-an-octagonal-twist sunnies, and a few touches of red for what turned out to be a glorious spring day. Fingers crossed for more sunshine, warmer temperatures, and lots of spring blooms!
Cute! I love your bright red/orange bag ..
Glad I'm not the only one with that problem!
Haha, yes, my J Brand jeans are always in the hamper! Great look Lisa!


These Solar Powered LED Fairy lights are sick! The lights will charge under the sun and illuminate for up to 8 hours at night. Work both indoor and outdoor, they are Ideal for decorating your garden, patio, lawn, porch, gate, yard, etc. Get rid of the extension cords today with these beautiful lights!
pretty dim and gentle light, good for lighting a path or a staircase, but don't expect very strong light. has a blinking option, and if left in "on" mode, will automatically turn off in daylight, and back on in dark. pretty great! thank you seller!


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Introducing the Einsteinpuzzle range from Professor Puzzle!Can you match wits with this great, historic thinker? Each puzzle within the Einstein puzzle range is cleverly linked to Einstein through his famous theories and quotes. The Atom puzzle was inspired by Einstein's ability to prove the existence of Atoms. Split the Atom puzzle, then take apart the nucleus puzzle within before rebuilding the nucleus sphere and reconstructing the Atom around it! Visit the Professor puzzle website for hints and solutions!