text:
The secrets behind the legend of Rocky Marciano
Rolando Vitale makes some interesting discoveries as he investigates the enduring popularity of Rocky Marciano
AT first glance there's nothing immediately conspicuous about the date April 27, 1956. President Dwight Eisenhower sat in the White House. A four hundred foot rampaging reptile monster called Godzilla was unleashed and played to packed movie theatres. Elvis Presley topped the music charts with Heartbreak Hotel, his first million selling record as the Rock and Roll dance craze swept the nation. Sex symbol Brigitte Bardot took centre stage at the Cannes film festival as the paparazzi shot pictures of her frolicking on a beach with a parrot. Meanwhile, at a press conference held at the Hotel Shelton in New York City Rocky Marciano, world heavyweight boxing champion announced that at 32, he was hanging up his gloves to spend more time with his family.
Sixty-one years on is Marciano an enduring legend or a faded hero who belongs to a misty-eyed bygone age? His retirement brought the curtain down on the last great heavyweight from the Golden Age of Boxing. With his fighting reputation intact Marciano's 49 victories in 49 contests and 43 knockouts is still the yardstick by which future heavyweight champions are judged. We look back at how Marciano became the undisputed heavyweight king.
Rocco Francesco Marchegiano was born in Brockton, Massachusetts on September 1, 1923, the eldest of six children. For Marciano, the son of a shoe factory worker, life was a continuous fight. Afflicted by pneumonia as a child he was given little chance of survival. He waged a tireless battle against excruciating back pains. He quit school at sixteen to work in a succession of dead-end jobs; firstly as a truckloader followed by stints in a sweet factory and shoe-shining parlour and then as a gas company pick-and-shovel labourer. Life looked bleak. In 1943 he was drafted into the United States Army, and on his return his dream of becoming a baseball player vanished following an unsuccessful trial with the Chicago Cubs.
Boxing threw him a lifeline. A twelve-fight amateur career culminated in him winning the New England title. In March 1947 Marciano scored a third-round knockout on his professional debut. His early appearances in the provincial obscurity of Rhode Island got him noticed. Marciano signed forms with New York fight manager Al Weill who astutely placed him under the stewardship of top trainer Charley Goldman. Marciano made his debut in New York in his 23rd fight. He signalled his arrival in 1950 when he outpointed unbeaten contender Roland La Starza. In the following year he knocked out prospect Rex Layne, contender Freddie Beshore and then disposed of his childhood hero Joe Louis in eight rounds. In 1952 he first dispatched Lee Savold and then Harry "Kid" Matthews, in a world title eliminator. On September 23, 1952 Marciano challenged Jersey Joe Walcott for the heavyweight title in Philadelphia. Marciano overcame a first-round knockdown and in the 13th round produced the most spectacular one punch knockout in boxing history later described by Bernard Fernandez as being delivered "with the force of a meteor slamming into earth" [pictured below]. Eight months later Walcott was blasted out in one round.
Marciano fought regularly averaging six appearances per year, and between 1952-55 he contested seven world title fights stopping La Starza, Walcott and Ezzard Charles in rematches. He brought to his fights a ferocious intensity and non-stop action and the gift of a knockout punch placing him at the very top of the league of heavyweight hitters. Marciano knocked out 88 percent of opponents compared to 76 percent by Joe Louis. Boxing historian Bert Sugar described Marciano's right hand punch as "the most devastating weapon ever brought into the ring." Marciano knew he possessed the tools to get the job done privately admitting to his closed circle "Why waltz with a guy for ten rounds if you can knock him out in one." His devastating power was felt by Carmine Vingo, who ended up in a coma, Walcott remained unconscious for two minutes after their first battle and Savold was hospitalised after suffering the worst beating of his seventeen year career. He destroyed his opponent's desire to stay in the profession and accounted for thirteen permanent retirements. Budd Schulberg, award-winning screenwriter and boxing aficionado, likened Marciano's capability of grinding down an opponent to a "hydraulic drill attacking a boulder." Arthur Daley exalted him as a "perpetual motion punching machine". He was a diligent and dedicated trainer. Marciano's boundless reserves of stamina explained his overpoweringly aggressive style and his remarkable recuperative powers meant he was seldom troubled. Younger brother Peter Marciano revealed, "Rocky lived like a monk. He was always in incredible condition. He was devoted to training and he could always throw more punches than he ever faced. He's never been given full credit for his condition."
Yet boxing scribes harped on about Marciano's flaws as a boxer describing him as crude, wild swinging and awkward and unfair comparisons were drawn with Louis. When Charley Goldman was assigned to work with Marciano he just laughed at the challenge facing him. But after a number of years of working with his eager student he remarked, "I got a guy who is short, stoop-shouldered and balding with two left feet, (Rocky's victims) all look better than he does as far as moves are concerned, but they don't look so good (laying) on the canvas."
Some have questioned Marciano's achievements arguing his main challengers were past their prime and the heavyweight division was in a slump. But the quality and quantity of contenders during this era is arguably superior to anything seen in the past 35 years. They were hungry and tough resourceful fighters who learnt their craft by fighting regularly. Joe Louis was 37, diminished yes, but still quite formidable and entered the contest on the back of eight straight wins. Yet nobody had battered Louis into submission the way Marciano did. Ezzard Charles was pure class and a threat. Walcott and Archie Moore were skilful big punching champions who could look after themselves. The late Curtis "The Hatchet" Sheppard, one of the sport's biggest punchers, fought Walcott and Moore twice apiece. He remarked: "I was surprised when Marciano beat him (Walcott) like that. That gives you an idea of how tough Marciano was and how hard he hit. Marciano's secret was his ability to avoid women and night life. He could keep coming and with that chin and power, he couldn't be denied." A day after his knockout loss to Marciano, Archie Moore told the New York Times, "Marciano is far and away the strongest man I've ever encountered in almost 20 years of fighting. And believe me I've met some tough ones."
His critics ask how would Marciano have handled modern era super-sized heavyweights? After all he possessed the shortest reach in heavyweight boxing history at just 68 inches and stood only 5 foot 10 ½ inches in height and never weighed more than 192 ½ pounds. Peter Marciano refutes this argument. "Rocky fought a number of guys who were 30-40 pounds heavier than he was, and those were his easiest fights. It was guys who were a little smaller, a little quicker, who threw punches in combinations that gave Rocky a more difficult time. Forget size, Rocky was tremendously strong. His strength was, and I hate to say the word, but it was almost superhuman. Big guys were made for him. The bigger they were, the easier it was for Rocky to tire them out and then to knock them out."
Mike Silver, eminent boxing historian concurred: "The key to Marciano's success is that he never gave up. Rocky never threw in the towel. He had the physical and mental attributes of a great fighter: Tremendous heart; tremendous durability; knockout power and the belief that he could not be defeated. [Charley] Goldman taught him the tricks of the trade. He was not as easy to hit as he appeared. His style was deceptive. He did not throw one punch at a time. His volume of punches per round is among the highest of any heavyweight champion. They were thrown in a continuous pattern. No heavyweight could keep up with this incessant pressure and was either knocked down or worn out by his almost superhuman physical specimen. A fighter who has the one punch knockout power to end a fight at any time is very very dangerous. [Muhammad] Ali and [Gene] Tunney could outpoint you but they did not have that quality. Don't let anyone tell you different – Rocky faced and defeated some very formidable heavyweights. Walcott and Charles were not washed up when they fought him. They both fought the first fight brilliantly. These and the fight with [Archie] Moore showed why Rocky was great by defeating much better boxers."
Dan Cuoco of the International Boxing Research Organisation explained, "What Rocky Marciano gave up in height and reach he more than made up with one punch knockout power, extraordinary strength and stamina, an insatiable will to win, mental toughness and plenty of guts… Although he missed a lot his savage body attack would wear his opponents down. What he lacked in speed, he more than made up for by the volume of punches he threw. When he was caught with a good punch, his world class chin held up admirably."
Steve Corbo, boxing announcer added: "Watching old films it seems he (Marciano) didn't care how rough things got. He just seemed to know he was going to win. Knock down, cut-off his nose, split open his eye. It didn't matter because he'd get up and keep coming like a freight train until he rolled over his opponent."
Marciano was voted three times the Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year (1952, 1954, and 1955) and from 1952 the same journal awarded his involvement in the Fight of the Year for three consecutive years. Most boxing experts place Marciano in their top ten some even higher. In the Ring Magazine 2000 poll, Marciano was voted as the ninth greatest fighter of the twentieth century among all weight classes. Bert Sugar rated Marciano as the sixth best ever heavyweight and the fourteenth best fighter of all time.
Whether you are an admirer or a detractor, perennially extensive coverage of his much fabled unbeaten 49-0 record has preserved Marciano's legacy from beyond the grave. Since his death in a plane crash in Iowa on August 31, 1969, he has made a great impression on the public mind Marciano's brutal slugfests are replayed to a savvy social media generation. Sports stadia and commemorative statues across the United States and in Italy are named after him. Annual boxing shows and sporting festivals are held in tribute to Marciano. Let's not forget his toughness, persistence and never-say-die combative spirit and triumph over adversity inspired Sylvester Stallone to pay homage to him in the iconic Rocky films. His legend continues.
Rolando Vitale is the author of The Real Rockys: A History of the Golden Age of Italian Americans in Boxing 1900-1955


Corentin Tolisso is upset by whistles aimed at Paul Pogba in the win over Italy.
Samuel Umtiti, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele powered France to a 3-1 victory over Italy in Nice.
France manager Didier Deschamps praises Ousmane Dembele for his goal against Italy and highlights his 'interesting' link-up play with Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe.
France coach Didier Deschamps has said Paul Pogba "has to raise his level of play" after the Manchester United midfielder was jeered by fans during Friday's friendly win over Italy.
Pogba was targeted after misplaced passes and barracked when he was taken off to be replaced by Steven N'Zonzi towards the end of the match.
But Deschamps backed Pogba, describing him as "indispensable" after the 3-1 victory in Nice.
"Not everything was successful, but he helped the team to be well organised," he told Telefoot.
"I don't question Paul's potential. If I called him up, it's because he's indispensable for me.
Deschamps' comments came after France midfielder Corentin Tolisso hit out at the fans who jeered Pogba.
Tolisso told reporters his fellow midfielder "had a good game" and urged supporters to stick with the team, whose win was secured by goals from Samuel Umtiti, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele.
"Personally, when you witness this kind of whistling — and I also noticed some for Florian Thauvin — it's exasperating, it annoys me," the Bayern Munich player said.
"We're France, we are all France players, we're all fighting for our country and the fans there and we produced a very good performance.


Greeting cards are personal acknowledgements to the people that matter most. Make your greeting special for yourself or your business by working with me to design custom greeting cards. Cards come in a variety of sizes and paper types, perfect for any occasion. Personalize your message and envelopes to make it a message they will remember.


Despite the run-up in share price Conduril remains very cheap. It's still trading at a PE ratio of just 3.1x, a 0.6x PB ratio and an EV/EBITDA ratio of just 1.5x. Pretty remarkable for a company that has almost tripled in value since I first bought it.
This entry was posted in Portfolio and tagged CDU.LS on April 8, 2014 by Alpha Vulture.


text:
Chelsea 6-0 Barnsley: Kai Havertz hits hat-trick as Blues romp into round four of Carabao Cup
Tammy Abraham opened the scoring for a much-changed Chelsea side, and Havertz doubled their lead before the break. Ross Barkley then notched a third early in the second half at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, before Havertz added two more.
It was a night of good news for Chelsea's new signings and Frank Lampard as Thiago Silva made his debut for the club, and Ben Chilwell also enjoyed his first appearance, stepping off the bench to assist a late sixth for fellow substitute Olivier Giroud.
Chelsea: Caballero (7), Azpilicueta (6), Tomori (7), Silva (6), Emerson (6), Barkley (7), Kovacic (7), Mount (7), Havertz (8), Abraham (8), Hudson-Odoi (7)
Subs: Zouma (6), Chilwell (7), Giroud (7)
Barnsley: Collins (4), Ludewig (4), Sollbauer (4), Halme (4), J Williams (4), Styles (6), Ritzmaier (5), Mowatt (4), Woodrow (5), Frieser (5), Schmidt (5)
Subs: Oduor (5), Chaplin (5), Thomas (5)
Man of the match: Kai Havertz
Havertz stars as Chelsea thrash Barnsley
Barnsley had a somewhat shaky start but grew in confidence and really took the game to Chelsea, testing their defence once or twice and forcing Silva and Fikayo Tomori into some errors early on.
But a mistake at the back cost Barnsley the opener on 19 minutes as a loose pass while trying to play out handed the ball to Abraham, and he took a touch before firing past Brad Collins.
Nine minutes later and Chelsea had doubled their advantage. It was good work from Mason Mount as he cut in from the left and fed it through to Abraham, and his smart dummy allowed it to slip through to Havertz in the box, who finished calmly to notch his first goal for the club.
Frank Lampard made eight Chelsea changes as Thiago Silva made his debut. Kai Havertz also started, while Ben Chilwell was on the bench. Willy Caballero began in goal with Kepa Arrizabalaga left out of the squad.
Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber made five changes from the side that lost to Reading at the weekend, with Callum Styles, Aapo Halme and Patrick Schmidt among those coming in.
Any hopes of a Barnsley comeback were soon quelled in the second half. After 49 minutes they were responsible for their own downfall again as Alex Mowatt made it too easy for Havertz to nick it off his toe and find Barkley, who charged into the box and fired home.
Six minutes later it was four as Chelsea won the ball high up again and Mateo Kovacic played in Abraham, who found Havertz in the middle to slot in. And after 65 minutes it was hat-trick completed as Havertz linked up with Abraham again, latching onto his ball in behind before beating the goalkeeper and sliding the ball into an empty net.
A fine night for Chelsea was then capped off on 83 minutes as Chilwell crossed for Giroud to nod home a sixth from close range.
Analysis: How did Thiago Silva perform on his debut?
It was mostly a calm start to life in England for Thiago Silva. The first few minutes of his debut saw plenty of good touches and silky passes out of defence, but he may have got a little too relaxed on 14 minutes as a sloppy moment saw him give the ball away and allow Barnsley a chance to score.
Despite turning 36 this week he also proved he's no slouch as he raced out of position on more than one occasion to make some key interventions and sliding challenges.
There will be bigger challenges to come but overall it was a very useful hour-long workout for the former Paris Saint-Germain star. It remains to be seen, however, if Lampard will thrust him straight into his Premier League side now on Saturday at West Brom, a game you can watch live on Sky Sports.
What the managers said...
Chelsea's Frank Lampard: "I'm delighted with Kai, it was everything I wanted the night to be for him. Because Kai has had no pre-season, and signing for the club took a few days out for him as well.
"Tonight was a great exercise for him to see how we want to work off the ball, for him to be a part of that. He made a great recovery tackle for Ross' goal. And then to also just have some freedom on the ball and roam in more central areas.
"I thought it was a great combination with Tammy, and I was pleased with the way he grew into the game in terms of confidence. It was a great night for Kai, and the first of many for him."
Barnsley's Gerhard Struber: "We found good moments in the first half, we had very good pressing and especially we had 20 minutes completely in our hands but we couldn't convert any chances. This is the biggest issue for us at the moment. We're not taking our chances, but when we can do that the games will go in a different direction.
"We helped Chelsea with three goals through mistakes, and after that it was difficult. We didn't have the right intensity and aggression in the second half, so Chelsea were able to play without pressure."
Man of the Match - Kai Havertz
It seems unthinkable that a 21-year-old with just two Premier League appearances under his belt could be under any kind of immediate and significant pressure to perform, but the price tag and the nature of the modern game meant this was a huge night for Havertz.
He looked far more comfortable in a more central role, took his goals well and linked up brilliantly with Abraham, who deserves an honourable mention for his performance, too. You would expect Lampard to keep Havertz at No 10 now going forward if he wants to get the best out of him.
Chelsea head to West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday, at 5.30pm. Barnsley are back in Championship action at home to Coventry at 3pm on Saturday.
Source: Sky Sports
Footy Legend SL

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Learn how to spot tiny leaks and flush debris out of pipes after finishing up a plumbing job with this expert advice from the job site.
A small leak at the toilet flange leads to a puddle. But if that puddle is dammed up by caulk around the toilet base, it may not show up for months. So before you caulk, flush a couple times and probe for leaks with a strip of paper.
Paper towels or newspaper are great leak locators. You'll immediately see—or even hear—leaks as soon as a drip hits the paper.
A wet spot on a tissue is a lot easier to see than a small droplet on a pipe. So wipe with a tissue and look at it after each swipe.
Dribble water around a sink rim to check the seal. Rim leaks rarely show up right away, so wait a few minutes before inspecting from below.
Water supply pipes contain sediment: corrosion, mineral deposits, pipe dope or solder. Plumbing work shakes that stuff loose. Water flow will carry that loose grit to fixtures—and possibly plug them. To prevent that, run water through the lines to flush out the sediment. Sediment trapped in a fill valve can make a toilet fill slowly or run constantly. To flush out this sediment, run water into a bucket before you connect the supply line.
There's no need to take every flushing step on every job. It depends on the age and type of plumbing. In a newer home with PEX plumbing, for example, you might only have to remove the aerators before flushing. Old galvanized steel pipes, on the other hand, usually contain a lot of debris and call for every trick in the book.
To flush out debris, you need a high-volume flow of water. That makes outdoor hose bibs and washing machine supply lines great for this purpose. These faucets have another advantage too: Unlike kitchen or bath fixtures, they have big, simple ports that are less likely to get plugged or damaged by sediment. Just keep in mind that any faucet you choose for flushing should be downstream from the work area. Watch out! Washing machine hoses often have screens that can become plugged. Luckily, they're easy to remove and clean.
When flushing lines, you'll be tempted to shut off the water after 10 seconds. That's not long enough. One minute is the minimum. In a large house with long runs of supply pipe, let it flow for several minutes. Better to waste some water than to repair plugged faucets.
Low-flow showerheads have tiny openings that can be plugged by a single particle. So run the tub faucet before the shower. In a dedicated shower (no tub spout), remove the showerhead and flush the line. Then, flush hot and cold separately. To get maximum flow through a single-handle kitchen or bath faucet, swing the handle to one side and run the water full blast. Then switch to the other side and do the same.
Small particles that flow through a faucet often get caught in the aerator. So always unscrew the aerator and run the water after a plumbing job. Want more? Check out these top 10 plumbing fixes.


I found this really, really old drawing on my computer. I estimate I drew this in 2001. Probably with a mouse because I didn't have a tablet yet.
I figured this was a good time to do the improvement meme that's so popular over at deviantart.


text:
Tag: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
Notes on Duterte's Alleged Health Decline
With around 600 days left before his term ends, is President Duterte still fit to lead the country?
No, Mr. President, I Do Not Feel Safe
I live in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City, adjacent to the Camanava district in Northern Metro Manila. Early morning, Friday, August 18, the Northern Police District was wrapping up their overnight drug sweep of Camanava that yielded 24 deaths, and 36 arrests. That same Friday, at around 1:30 am, I went home later than usual…
License to Kill: The Support of Filipinos for Duterte's Bloody War on Drugs
It was around 3 a.m. on November 25, 2016 when 38-year old Gener Rondina woke because of a loud banging on his door. A group of policemen surrounded their small house in Cebu City. Gener, a known drug addict and a pusher, knew what would happen next. He quickly rushed to remove the wall air-conditioning…
To the Boy Who Lost His Father to the Drug War
It was eight o' clock in the evening along Taft Avenue in Manila when a street child was going around each store to ask for food, if not for some coins. He was thin, muddled, and soaked in the rain. He approached me with the usual demand, "Kuya, pahingi naman ng pambiling pagkain." (Older brother,…
Duterte's Balancing Act of Two Superpowers: US and China
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is treading a dangerous path trying to balance two superpowers in his hands: China and the United States. In a recent turn of events, Duterte has decided to retain the military alliance between the US and the Philippines after rashly announcing a "separation from the US" on independent foreign policy during…
Oral Origins 2: Gago and Leche
After discussing Putang Ina and Yawa in the first edition of our special report Oral Origins, our sequel presents two more familiar utterances.
Nanlaban
Ang dali. Ang daling sabihin: "Eh kung 'di naman kasi sila tamad, kung nagpursige ba sila sa pag-aaral. Kung 'di sila nag-anak ng apat, anim, siyam. Kung 'di na lang sila umalis sa probinsya para maghanap ng trabaho sa Maynila. Kung tumanggi sila. Kung 'di sila adik. Kung 'di sila tulak." Ang daling sabihin kasi…
Their Last Moments on Earth
After dusk, when darkness sprawls over the metro — thieves, murderers and drug personalities find their most opportune time to do business. And where these hooligans leave a bloody mess, that's where my duty as a graveyard reporter begins. The dirty job takes some getting used to. But I've never thought that my graveyard shift will…
Chexit: The West Philippine Sea Is Ours but Now What?
China calls it a "farce." The Philippine government filed the case before an international arbitral tribunal back in January 2013, seeking to quash the validity of China's historic claims — an imaginary nine-dash line that impedes on our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and effectively declares most of our seas as theirs. Their reason? Because they…
SubSelfie.com attempts to trace the history of curses that are usually uttered by our new President. Among these are putang ina mo, putang ina, 'tang ina and its other derivatives.


13/11/18, Copperhead is now on the Ramtops map, shop contents to follow.
29/05/17, I have finally added the souvenir shop at the Least gate in AM and the Arcane Transport departure locations. Fingers crossed the next update will not be so delayed.
26/11/16, Thanks to Quow for sharing his map of Slippery Hollow. Shops, NPC's and their items are being added to the database as and when I get time.
Found an error or something not on the map? Please contact Avicenna with the details.


text:
import { isArray, isString, isUndefined } from './is';

export function addToArray(array, value) {
  const index = array.indexOf(value);

  if (index === -1) {
    array.push(value);
  }
}

export function arrayContains(array, value) {
  for (let i = 0, c = array.length; i < c; i++) {
    if (array[i] == value) {
      return true;
    }
  }

  return false;
}

export function arrayContentsMatch(a, b) {
  let i;

  if (!isArray(a) || !isArray(b)) {
    return false;
  }

  if (a.length !== b.length) {
    return false;
  }

  i = a.length;
  while (i--) {
    if (a[i] !== b[i]) {
      return false;
    }
  }

  return true;
}

export function ensureArray(x) {
  if (isString(x)) {
    return [x];
  }

  if (isUndefined(x)) {
    return [];
  }

  return x;
}

export function lastItem(array) {
  return array[array.length - 1];
}

export function removeFromArray(array, member) {
  if (!array) {
    return;
  }

  const index = array.indexOf(member);

  if (index !== -1) {
    array.splice(index, 1);
  }
}

export function combine(...arrays) {
  const res = arrays.concat.apply([], arrays);
  let i = res.length;
  while (i--) {
    const idx = res.indexOf(res[i]);
    if (~idx && idx < i) res.splice(i, 1);
  }

  return res;
}

export function toArray(arrayLike) {
  const array = [];
  let i = arrayLike.length;
  while (i--) {
    array[i] = arrayLike[i];
  }

  return array;
}

export function findMap(array, fn) {
  const len = array.length;
  for (let i = 0; i < len; i++) {
    const result = fn(array[i]);
    if (result) return result;
  }
}

export function buildNewIndices(one, two, comparator) {
  let oldArray = one;
  let newArray = two;
  if (comparator) {
    oldArray = oldArray.map(comparator);
    newArray = newArray.map(comparator);
  }

  const oldLength = oldArray.length;

  const usedIndices = {};
  let firstUnusedIndex = 0;

  const result = oldArray.map(item => {
    let index;
    let start = firstUnusedIndex;

    do {
      index = newArray.indexOf(item, start);

      if (index === -1) {
        return -1;
      }

      start = index + 1;
    } while (usedIndices[index] === true && start < oldLength);

    // keep track of the first unused index, so we don't search
    // the whole of newArray for each item in oldArray unnecessarily
    if (index === firstUnusedIndex) {
      firstUnusedIndex += 1;
    }
    // allow next instance of next "equal" to be found item
    usedIndices[index] = true;
    return index;
  });

  const len = (result.oldLen = oldArray.length);
  result.newLen = newArray.length;

  if (len === result.newLen) {
    let i = 0;
    for (i; i < len; i++) {
      if (result[i] !== i) break;
    }

    if (i === len) result.same = true;
  }

  return result;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Tag: Saw (Page 1 of 3)
SXSW 2011: Insidious
March 14, 2011 / Jason Zingale
James Wan and Leigh Whannell may be responsible for jumpstarting the most successful horror franchise of the last decade, but the duo has failed to recreate that level of success in anything they've made since then. But with the release of "Insidious," it looks like they've finally cracked that nut, because the film is a creepy and atmospheric supernatural horror film that plays a lot like a modern day "Poltergeist" with a decidedly retro aesthetic. Though the film relies a little too often on cheap scares and loud musical cues to terrorize the audience, "Insidious" is a legitimately scary movie that will not only reinvigorate Wan and Whannell's careers, but the kind of traditional horror films that "Saw" made redundant as well.
Josh and Renai (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne) have just moved their family into a new house when oldest son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) bumps his head while exploring the attic and slips into a coma. The doctors can't explain what's wrong with him, so they move Dalton back home to be cared for by his mother. When Renai stars hearing strange noises and seeing frightening visions of ghosts lurking around the house, however, she becomes convinced that the place is haunted. But after they move again only for the angry spirits to remerge, she begs Josh to call in a specialist to investigate – a trio of ghost hunters that informs the couple it isn't their house that's haunted, but their son.
As someone that tries to avoid horror movies whenever possible, it's difficult to gauge how "Insidious" will play to diehard fans. Though it doesn't really revolutionize the genre like "Saw" did, it has so many genuine moments of terror that cowards like myself will be on the verge of a panic attack throughout. It's been a while since a movie has scared me as much as this, and it will likely cause nightmares for others. The film does lose some of its bite in the final act when one of the characters enters an otherworld called the Further that looks like a twisted version of Disney's Haunted Mansion ride, but by that point, Wan practically has you eating out of his hand; the scares are that effective.
He also makes some very daring stylistic choices – from the grainy film texture to the intrusive score – that evokes the horror films of the 70s and 80s. But while the movie looks great (especially considering it was made on a shoestring budget), it's lacking in a strong central performance from Byrne or Wilson. In fact, they both seem to sleep walking through their roles compared to the lively performances of the film's supporting cast, including character actor Lin Shaye as the paranormal medium and Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson as her clumsy assistants. Their introduction midway through injects a "Ghostbusters"-like playfulness that allows Wan to include some comic beats without lessening the weight of the situation, and it really adds a layer of enjoyment to the experience. After all, horror films are supposed to be fun to watch, and though "Insidious" trips up a bit in the end with a lame and predictable coda, it's still a highly enjoyable piece of scare-you-shitless cinema that even a non-fan can appreciate.
External Entertainment, External Movies, Horror Movies, Movies, Reviews
Haunted MansionInsidiousInsidious reviewJames WanLeigh WhannellPatrick WilsonPoltergeistRose ByrneSawSXSWSXSW 2011SXSW blog 2011SXSW film
Monday night trailer: It's "Insidious"
January 25, 2011 / Bob Westal
About six or seven years back, James Wan and his writing collaborator, Leigh Whannell, cooked up the "Saw" franchise and, I suppose, bear some responsibility for the whole trend of horror films that were more about trauma and less about fun — or at least my idea of fun. I can't talk too much because my infamous squeamishness has prevented me from actually seeing "Saw," but Wan and Whannell appear to be headed back toward the kinder, gentler and, I understand, even a bit funnier spook flicks that were once the standard.
Kevin Jagernauth may be a skeptic, but as of now I'm looking forward to "Insidious," which really does look like my kind of horror flick. This trailer indulges in some trendy trickery to pump up the scare-factor, but I can see it's beating B-movie heart. Oren Peli is one of the producers, hence the "Paranormal Activity" connection.
External Entertainment, External Movies, Horror Movies, Movies, Trailers
InsidiousInsidious trailerJames WanLeigh WhannellOren PeliParanormal ActivitySaw
Weekend box office: "Saw 3D" tortures its way to the top
October 31, 2010 / Bob Westal
Even given my low information preview Thursday night, there really weren't any big surprises this Halloween weekend as the seventh installment in the "Saw" series, but the first in 3D and therefore logically entitled "Saw 3D," extracted a healthy but far from huge sum from audiences. The amount was an estimated $22.5 million for Lionsgate if you believe Box Office Mojo and the Playlist, or $24.2 million if you believe Nikki Finke and Anthony D'Alessandro. D'Allesandro, as usual guest/co-blogging with Anne Thompson, also tells us that it really does appear that 3D drove this film to its modest success, with 92% of tickets being sold for "digital hubs," which I assume translates into 3D screens.
I wonder if that means the film will pay a commensurate price in home video for at least as long as home 3D remains rare. It's also worth noting that the $20 million budget — modest by Hollywood standards but large by horror film standards — is double that of the prior films and the take is about $10 million below the opening weekends of the series at its peak. Still, making back your budget on opening weekend is never bad.
"Saw 3D" merited a B- on Cinemascore and apparently gave series fans what they want (misery, and lots of it, I gather), though their numbers be diminishing. Now that some of them have finally seen it, what critics want, however, is for the series to end with the film currently getting drubbed by all but one scribe on Rotten Tomatoes. EW's Owen Gleiberman's more positive review is less a good review and more a bit of a confession — even the gore hardened critic had to turn away from the screen at one point or risk becoming physically ill — and a rumination on whether it's even appropriate to enjoy a movie that sounds so invested in human pain that it should never have been allowed anything remotely short of an NC-17. (Which should not be seen as punitive or a a box office kiss of death, but let's not open that can of worms right now, except that I just did.)
Moving right along in a relatively slow weekend with competition for people's time heavy from the holiday, the election, and maybe even Jon Stewart's rally, last week's much less physically aggressive horror hit, "Paranormal Activity 2," endured a very usual second-week horror drop of just under 60% that still left enough for an estimated $16.5 million in the #2 spot. The leggy action-comedy "RED" was #3 with an estimate of $10.8 million and change. And "#4 "Jackass 3D" is predictably sinking like a stone at $8.425 million. However, it started at such a profitable point it actually crossed the $100 million mark in its third week. There are no tears at Paramount.
In limited release, the week's two highest per-theater takes was as art-house as art-house gets. The single theater showing "Waste Land," a documentary about Brazilian trash-gatherer/artists, earned a hefty $11,600 estimate over it's weekend. Meanwhile, the two venues final thriller directed by the late Claude Chabrol "Inspector Bellamy" starring Gérard Depardieu, raked in a very healthy estimated $11,200. This one is on my list.
Documentaries, External Entertainment, External Movies, Horror Movies, Movie Comedies, Movie Dramas, Movies, News
Bruce WillisClaude ChabrolGerard DepardieuHalloween weekendHeadlinesHelen MirrenJackass 3DLionsgateMorgan FreemanNC-17Owen GleibermanParamountRedSawSaw 3DWaste Land
Box office preview: Will "Saw 3D" bloody "Paranormal Activity 2"?
I have no bloody idea, actually, because the entire box office prognostication community — all two members of it that I rely on, anyhow — seem to be taking a break. I know for a fact that both the L.A. Times' Ben Fritz and THR's ever jolly Carl Diorio are writing stuff, they're just not venturing any guesses or passing along the usual tracking rumors about this coming weekend. I guess with only major new release, it just didn't seem worth it. Mr. DiOrio did, however, write a piece yesterday, which is not visible on THR but is via Reuters, explaining why, beyond the fact of Halloween, there actually are a number of reasons why horror pictures tend to come out when the leaves turn orange and the breezes turn chilly. Interesting, but not what I need to get me out of this predicament.
Indeed, I don't even have any reviews of "Saw 3D" to mention, because we all know that critics can't really help, and just might hurt, a picture like this. For you "Saw" fans, however, I can pass along some roundtable interviews our own Will Harris posted a bit earlier today as well as David Medsker's Bullz-Eye compilation of the most beloved "Saw" series deaths and near-misses. Honestly, though, I'm at a loss, especially I'm too squeamish to have ever seen a single entry in the series.
Regardless, the gory horror tale will be facing some serious competition from the second week of the so-far over-performing ($40 million worth) non-gore driven scare follow-up, "Paranormal Activity 2." On the other hand, there's no particular reason to think it won't suffer something like the typical horror-flick second week drop of 50% or over. That shouldn't be too hard for the 3D sado-splatter film to beat, but you never know. We'll see whether the ticket-price raising format can ameliorate the fatigue the "Saw" series has shown on past sequel go-rounds.
In terms of limited releases, we have the final film in the "Millennium Trilogy," Swedish edition. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest," which isn't overly exciting critics opening in 123 theaters according Box Office Mojo's theater counts. Though an internationally huge franchise like this should, in theory, be critic-proof, this is the art-house trade we're talking about and some might decide to wait for home video or, like me, who enjoyed the first film but haven't read any of the books yet and skipped the last film, might decide to simply catch up with the books at some point instead. On the other hand, the even-growing fame of the "girl" herself, Noomi Rapace, might help things out a bit.
Also suffering the slings and arrows of often unimpressed critics is "Welcome to the Rileys" a festival drama starring James Gandolfini, Melissa Leo, and Kristen Stewart. Directed by Jake Scott, son of Ridley, the film has generated a little attention but I fear that may be over now given its decidedly "meh" critical reception.
Doing a little better with critics, including my esteemed colleague Jason Zingale, is Gareth Edwards' "Monsters," a very unusual monster flick arriving just in time for the holiday. It's generated a lot of online attention and you absolutely have to give it props for its visual power — accomplished on a truly miniscule budget by is special effects trained director — and for its good intentions in attempting a character driven romantic tale with, yes, actual monsters and some genuinely clever chilling moments. Still, like 37% of Rotten Tomatoes critics, I was kind of let down by it and I blame the fact that the film was made with only a story outline and no formal screenplay. On the other hand, it's easily the most visually striking monster flick that I can think of not directed by Guillermo del Toro.
Actors, Actresses, External Entertainment, External Movies, Horror Movies, Movie Dramas, Movies, News, Sci-Fi Movies
Ben FritzCarl DiOrioGareth EdwardsGuillermo del ToroHeadlinesJake ScottJames GandolfiniKristen StewartMelissa LeoMonstersNoomi RapaceSawSaw 3DThe Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's NestWelcome to the Rileys
A Roundtable Chat with the Cast and Director of "Saw 3D"
October 28, 2010 / Will Harris
In 2003, director James Wan and screenwriter Lee Whannell put together a short film featuring a man with a rusty metal "reverse beartrap" on his head and a creepy-looking puppet in hopes that someone would take a chance on this film script they'd written.
Someone did.
Eight years later, the "Saw" franchise is reportedly coming to a close, and although the history of the horror genre – specifically, the fourth "Friday the 13th" film – has taught us that no chapter is ever truly final, they're at least trying to make us think they're going out with a bang, eschewing a straightforward "Saw VII" and instead offering fans an additional dimension of gory fun with "Saw 3D."
Although the studio is predictably taking a pass on providing press screenings for the film (since everyone knows it's going to be critic-proof, anyway), director Kevin Greutert and a trio of actors from the cast – Cary Elwes, Costas Mandylor, and Betsy Russell – turned up at the New York Comic Con to do a series of roundtable interviews for members of the media.
The demand to chat with these folks were significant, as you might imagine, so in order to maximize our time while working with minimal space, both the interviewers and the interviewees were split into two groups, with the interviewees switching groups after 15 minutes.
First up, Costas Mandylor and Kevin Greutert…
Journalist: So there's, like, a volcano eruption of 3D films out there now, with the whole "take that and run with it" Hollywood attitude. What sets this one apart from other 3D horror films?
Kevin Greutert: Well, for one thing, this film was actually shot in 3D. We didn't do a post-conversion like a lot of the other movies that have come out lately. I think that shooting it in 3D makes all the difference in the world, so it just looks that much better. This was shot with state-of-the-art cameras that are a lot more lightweight than any previous 3D films, so we were able to preserve the "Saw" style of doing a lot of stuff handheld and keeping the camera moving around a lot and very dynamic. Because technology is advancing so quickly, we were able to just take advantage on all aspects.
Journalist: Has 3D changed the blocking of the set and what you're actually doing in the film?
KG: Yeah, it affects the way we block the scene, because we want to maximize the feeling of depth in the image, even if it's not an in-your-face moment where stuff's flying into the camera. We still wanted it to look as rich and full of space as possible.
Journalist: At what point in the production process was the decision made that the film was going to be in 3D? Was that from the outset, or did that happen…
KG: It was decided…that was probably the very first decision made on the film, and I had actually hoped even before we made "Saw V" to direct "Saw VI" in 3D but wasn't able to make that work. So by the time "Saw VII" came along, now there's enough infrastructure in terms of theaters that are equipped with 3D equipment to go forward, and…yeah, no one ever thought twice about doing it in 3D.
Journalist: How does 3D enhance the storyline?
KG: Well, I don't know how much it actually plays into the story. There's a bit of self-reference in the opening scene of the movie, which is the first "Saw" scene that takes place in broad daylight, with a big crowd watching one of Jigsaw's big contraptions at play. There's, I think, a little bit of an implicit message about horror audiences watching voyeuristically. 3D, I think, just kind of takes that to another level.
Journalist: Costas, what keeps bringing you back to this franchise?
Costas Mandylor: You know what? In a way, luck. And the character seems to have worked. And, you know, when you collaborate with people like Kevin and a couple of the other guys before him, and you know what you're doing together, it's a comfortable situation where you don't have to get really… (Hesitates) I mean, some guys in life are a pain in the ass, and they die. "Saw" does that really easy. I committed to it as best as I could, and spending time with Tobin (Bell) and seeing how committed he was to keeping a certain standard, not letting the fans down was really important to him, so it wasn't just going to a gig, doing my thing, and leaving. I actually paid attention. There's a great example of…when I first started, I think it was in "IV," he had a great idea for a scene and he called me at, like, 11:30 at night. He goes… (Does a Tobin Bell growl) "Hey, Costas, are you awake?" Jigsaw's calling me at midnight on the phone. I'm in trouble here. (Laughs) I went to see him…reluctantly…but we spent some time together, and the scene…that was a really long scene that we did, with the gun to the…? It just worked beautifully, because he put the effort in and forced me to be okay with putting in my ideas as well. So I'm still here 'til the end of this one, and…we don't even know the endings. But for now, I'm in.
KG: We have more control over Costas by not letting his character die. (Laughs) We hold that over his head every year.
Journalist: But that doesn't keep Tobin from coming back!
KG: (Laughs) He has more screen time dead than he did alive!
External Entertainment, External Movies, Horror Movies, Interviews, Movies, News
3DBetsy RussellCary ElwesCostas MandylorDario ArgentoDr. GordonFriday the 13thGabby WestGuillermo del ToroHammer horrorHeadlinesJames WanJigsawJill TuckKevin GreunertLee WhannellMarcus DunstanMario BavaMark HoffmanMartyrsNightmare on Elm StreetNosferatuPatrick MeltonSawSaw 2Saw 3Saw 3DSaw 4Saw 5Saw 6Saw 7Saw IISaw IIISaw IVSaw VSaw VIScream QueensSuspiriaTanedra HowardThe CrushThe ExorcistThe Princess BrideThe ShiningTobin BellWerner HerzogYellow Submarine


The purpose is to serve as a technical resource and its objective is to provide quality financial management and bookkeeping services for the RS.
1. To oversee the operations of Finance and Accounting Unit of the RS for the purpose of having in place a sound financial and accounting system.
2. To promote the efficiency and effectiveness of the Unit by ensuring its operations conform to provisions of government financial regulations and accounting procedures.
3. To ensure all revenues are banked as per government financial regulations and accounting procedures.
4. To be responsible for and approve all payments to be effected in the RS and ensure that they are done in accordance with the approved budget, government regulations and accounting procedures.
5. To regularly advise the RAS on the ways to enforce compliance with government financial regulations, accounting and procurement procedures in case of observed violation.
6. To carry out any other duty as per Financial Orders Part I & III or as directed by RAS.
7. To participate in the process of identifying capacity gaps and training needs for LGAs staff basing on O & OD findings, capacity needs assessment and training needs assessment.
8. To participate in identifying capacity building training and development opportunities for staff found with capacity gaps and training needs.
9. Any other relevant duty assigned.


New Born to Trick - t-shirt with a new design!
Description: T-shirt is suitable for training or for daily wear. Born to Trick Logo is embroidered on the front chest pocket. The back of the t-shirt has a split tail cut. T-shirt is loose and it feels like it is cooling your skin.


Project-based learning is one of the most promising and scalable strategies for enabling deeper learning available to most schools across the nation. Particularly when centered around extended challenges, PBL helps students develop skills and mindsets that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
When supporting and sequenced within a competency-based progression model, PBL holds further promise for engaging students in relevant, authentic experiences that help them progress meaningfully and reach higher level outcomes. Students are successful when they take an active role in their learning, and CBE and PBL are able to provide the authenticity that gives students more meaningful learning experiences and a more personalized education.
Workspace Education, a non-profit learning community in Bethel, CT, which focuses on project based learning for students of all ages, is practicing a great example of competency-based PBL in their science pathway programming.
Since coming on board, Bozeman has developed the Scientist Pathway, which she describes as "designed for learners of any age who want to work toward becoming a scientist," and for which she developed badge criteria that are entirely competency-based. Bozeman's pathway puts a personalized emphasis on guiding learners in deciding what success looks like for their personal goals.
Using open badging platform Badgr (see our feature), Workspace's science badges are divided into five sections (see image below). The pathway begins with applying basic concepts, which includes lab safety, observations, and other basics. Learners earn the first five badges before they move up to the next level, which is acquiring skills. The learners are then required to acquire five individual skills such as pipetting, titrating, and many more they can choose from. The next level, executing projects, combines skills, and requires completing a more complex project. The fourth section involves designing and creating independent studies, and then the pathway concludes with the students sharing their work via a poster, science fair, or other alternative.
With much intention, Bozeman developed the program so that early in the pathway, a badge represents a basic or single skill. With each subsequent category, a badge requires greater skill integration, decision making, and independent work.
For example, starting in the 'Apply Basic Concepts' category, the Standard Solutions badge requires a calculation of the mass of a chemical needed for a particular standard concentration and the physical preparation of the standard using good lab technique.
Another example is Calibration Curve badge in the 'Execute Projects' category. This badge requires making a series of standard solutions, measuring a parameter, such as density, plotting the data, and then using the linear regression of the data to calculate the concentration of unknown samples. This technique is the crux of analytical chemistry and opens up research opportunities in many fields, such as environmental chemistry and bioengineering.
It is helpful to understand the context of how Workspace came to be in the position it's in today, including how the idea for the space was originally born, the unique learning model they developed, and their vision for the future.
Inspiration & Development of the Program. Workspace is a learning environment for all kinds of learning experiences, but lends itself to PBL because it is essentially 32,000 square feet of experiential learning labs and a co-creation space. Because all learners are free-roaming and the space is designed for creativity and self-expression, the 4 C's (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity) naturally integrate into interdisciplinary projects. Fraise developed a pedagogy for the space called 21CI (21st Century Integrated) with a family who pulled their children out of school after some troubling experiences.
Both parents were thinking that in order for their children to be successful, they needed to become competent, contributing members of working teams and their community, as well as skilled problem solvers. Workspace collected a group of tech-oriented parents and brainstormed the skills needed to be successful in working teams in the tech industry today. "We looked at KnowledgeWorks and their forecasts for tech. Then we went to NuVu in Boston for training, and I contributed my ideas about Montessori Adolescent work," says Fraise.
Each full-year class is two to three hours per week. An example of a current 8th grader's course load is the following: Children's Book Making, Robotics, Marine Science, Building Math, Mythology, and Coding. This child also spends a full day outdoors in a Wilderness program every week and may be supplementing that with other educational programming. The classes are scheduled "college style" and scheduled by the parents organizing the classes. Other families choose to sign their children up for the classes, and parents are invited to participate in the class and are part of the process in identifying specific SEL goals, skills, and academics that their learner is focusing on at the time.
Looking Ahead. Because of the success of this program, Fraise is working to create a microschool version/"drop off" of the program in order to expand access to the Workspace PBL experience. After a six month exploration of the landscape, she is looking at competency-based assessment tools such as MyWays and partnerships with networks like Building 21 (see our feature). She aims to develop a strategy for "journey tracking" with an e-portfolio.
Most "Workspacians" are doing only a couple of the 21CI or science courses, and they are supplementing them with a variety of online, tutoring, community college, or interest-led classes. Workspace is both collaborative and individualized in its approach. Workspace families are encouraged to share and learn from one another, and the structure of the courses is meant to give parents freedom to help create an education they want for their learners.
As Workspace generates more attention and growth, Fraise keeps her focus on creating a primarily project-based environment where progress pathways are built on demonstrated competencies, and bringing the right people on the team and programs to the community. "For me it all comes down to creating an authentic, interdependent community where our learners can dig in and create their best lives," she says.


text:
Get a First Look at Holliday Grainger and Emile Hirsch as 'Bonnie & Clyde' in A&E's Upcoming Miniseries
Get a First Look at Holliday Grainger and Emile Hirsch as 'Bonnie & Clyde' in A&E's Upcoming Miniseries
Alison Willmore
@alisonwillmore
Hoping to replicate the success of History's 2012 Emmy-winning, ratings record-breaking miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys," the channel is pairing up with sister networks A&E and Lifetime on a new period piece this year, "Bonnie & Clyde." The two-part series will be simulcast on all three networks later this year, with Bruce Beresford ("Tender Mercies," "Driving Miss Daisy") directing from a screenplay by Joe Batteer and John Rice. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are the executive producers.
Holliday Grainger ("The Borgias") and Emile Hirsch ("Into the Wild") will play the infamous Depression-era outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, going up against the iconic performances of Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty in Arthur Penn's 1967 film. Will they past muster? A&E Networks has released three first look photos from the miniseries suggesting the pair at least know how to strike a pose in vintage costumes. Holly Hunter, William Hurt, Sarah Hyland, Elizabeth Reaser, Lane Garrison, Austin Hebert and Dale Dickey are also part of the cast. The photos below were taken by Joseph Viles.
This Article is related to: Television and tagged A&E, Bonnie & Clyde, Bruce Beresford, Emile Hirsch, History Channel, Holliday Grainger, Lifetime, Television, TV News


text:
LSA members
Disability Network
Blogs ›
Today's Front Line Hero: Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota
Blog Date:
By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager
Today's Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota for providing support and relief to some of the millions of Americans who assume the overwhelming responsibilities of providing care for others.
LSS North Dakota has served communities statewide for more than a century. Following its mission to bring healing, hope and help to those in need, the organization offers support services focused on family, mental health, and youth, including adoption, family coaching, counseling, domestic violence interventions, and juvenile court diversion.
The Lutheran Services in America network proudly recognizes November as National Family Caregivers Month. LSS North Dakota is helping to provide caregivers with the critical support they need, especially in this challenging era of COVID-19, with its Aging Life Care programs, such as HCBS Respite, and home- and community-based services (HCBS), such as ALC Connect (Remote Technology). HCBS Respite assists family members of those receiving care by providing short-term service in order to deliver temporary relief to the primary caregiver from the stress and demands associated with care. ALC Connect offers support, resources and assistance through the use of SMART technology to reduce isolation and loneliness experienced by older adults and caregivers — a huge benefit for individuals in rural communities.
This month is the time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the United States. Thank you to all caregivers for your commitment to others, and to LSS North Dakota for helping to lift the countless spouses, parents, adult children, friends, and others who take on this meaningful role.
Blog Tag:
Lutheran Community
ChrisLSA's blog
Today's Front Line Hero: Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois
Today's Front Line Hero is Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois for their efforts to...
Today's Front Line Hero: Columbia Memorial Hospital
Today's Front Line Hero is Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria, Oregon, for leading a task force...
Today's Front Line Hero: Lutheran Social Ministries of Maryland
Today's Front Line Hero is Lutheran Social Ministries of Maryland for their leadership and...
Today's Front Line Hero: Columbia Lutheran Home
Today's Front Line Hero is Columbia Lutheran Home in Seattle for its aggressive actions and...
Lutheran Community Our Shared Values Advocacy Events Communities of Practice Member Updates LSA News Leadership Pursuing Permanency Annual Conference
If you've already subscribed, sign up again to manage your subscription preferences.
© 2008–2019 Lutheran Services in America, Inc. | 100 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002 | 202-499-5836 | Privacy Policy


text:
package com.ericsson.ei.subscription;

import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;

import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;

import javax.annotation.PostConstruct;

import org.apache.commons.io.FileUtils;
import org.json.JSONArray;
import org.json.JSONException;
import org.junit.AfterClass;
import org.junit.BeforeClass;
import org.junit.Test;
import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
import org.mockito.Mockito;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
import org.springframework.boot.test.context.SpringBootTest;
import org.springframework.boot.test.mock.mockito.MockBean;
import org.springframework.security.core.Authentication;
import org.springframework.security.core.context.SecurityContext;
import org.springframework.security.core.context.SecurityContextHolder;
import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;

import com.ericsson.ei.App;
import com.ericsson.ei.controller.model.Subscription;
import com.ericsson.ei.exception.SubscriptionNotFoundException;
import com.ericsson.ei.mongodbhandler.MongoDBHandler;
import com.ericsson.ei.services.ISubscriptionService;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
import com.mongodb.BasicDBObject;
import com.mongodb.MongoClient;

import de.flapdoodle.embed.mongo.distribution.Version;
import de.flapdoodle.embed.mongo.tests.MongodForTestsFactory;

@RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
@SpringBootTest(classes = { App.class })
public class SubscriptionServiceTest {

    private final static Logger LOGGER = (Logger) LoggerFactory.getLogger(SubscriptionServiceTest.class);

    private static final String subscriptionJsonPath = "src/test/resources/subscription_CLME.json";
    private static final String subscriptionJsonPath_du = "src/test/resources/subscription_single_differentUser.json";

    @Value("${spring.data.mongodb.database}")
    private String dataBaseName;

    @Value("${subscription.collection.repeatFlagHandlerName}")
    private String repeatFlagHandlerCollection;

    private String subscriptionName;

    @Autowired
    private ISubscriptionService subscriptionService;

    @Autowired
    private MongoDBHandler mongoDBHandler;

    @MockBean
    private Authentication authentication;
    @MockBean
    private SecurityContext securityContext;

    private static MongodForTestsFactory testsFactory;

    private ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();

    static JSONArray jsonArray = null;
    static JSONArray jsonArray_du = null;
    static MongoClient mongoClient = null;

    @BeforeClass
    public static void setMongoDB() throws IOException, JSONException {
        try {
            testsFactory = MongodForTestsFactory.with(Version.V3_4_1);
            mongoClient = testsFactory.newMongo();
            String port = "" + mongoClient.getAddress().getPort();
            System.setProperty("spring.data.mongodb.port", port);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        String readFileToString = FileUtils.readFileToString(new File(subscriptionJsonPath), "UTF-8");
        jsonArray = new JSONArray(readFileToString);
        String readFileToString_du = FileUtils.readFileToString(new File(subscriptionJsonPath_du), "UTF-8");
        jsonArray_du = new JSONArray(readFileToString_du);

        ArrayList<String> list = new ArrayList<String>();
        for (int i = 0; i < jsonArray.length(); i++) {
            list.add(jsonArray.getJSONObject(i).toString());
        }
    }

    @PostConstruct
    public void init() {
        mongoDBHandler.setMongoClient(mongoClient);
    }

    @AfterClass
    public static void tearDownMongoDB() throws Exception {
        if (mongoClient != null)
            mongoClient.close();
        if (testsFactory != null)
            testsFactory.shutdown();
    }

    @Test
    public void testInsertSubscription() {
        Subscription subscription;
        try {
            subscription = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);
            boolean addSubscription = subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription);
            assertEquals(addSubscription, true);
            // deleting the test data
            deleteSubscriptionsByName(subscription.getSubscriptionName());
        } catch (Exception e) {
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testUpdateSubscription() {
        Subscription subscription;
        try {
            // Insert Subscription
            Subscription subscription2 = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);
            String expectedSubscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();
            String expectedUserName = subscription2.getUserName();
            subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription2);
            // Fetch the inserted subscription
            subscription2 = null;
            subscription2 = subscriptionService.getSubscription(expectedSubscriptionName);
            subscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();

            SecurityContextHolder.setContext(securityContext);
            Mockito.when(securityContext.getAuthentication()).thenReturn(authentication);
            Mockito.when(authentication.getName()).thenReturn("ABC");

            assertEquals(subscriptionName, expectedSubscriptionName);
            assertEquals(authentication.getName(), expectedUserName);

            // Updating subscription2(subscriptionName=Subscription_Test) with
            // the subscription(subscriptionName=Subscription_Test_Modify)
            subscription = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(1).toString(), Subscription.class);
            String expectedModifiedSubscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();

            boolean addSubscription = subscriptionService.modifySubscription(subscription, subscriptionName);

            // test update done successfully
            assertEquals(addSubscription, true);
            subscription = null;
            subscription = subscriptionService.getSubscription(expectedModifiedSubscriptionName);
            subscriptionName = subscription.getSubscriptionName();
            assertEquals(subscriptionName, expectedModifiedSubscriptionName);

            assertEquals(authentication.getName(), expectedModifiedSubscriptionName);

            // deleting the test data
            deleteSubscriptionsByName(subscriptionName);
        } catch (Exception e) {
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testGetAllSubscriptions() {
        List<Subscription> subscriptions;
        try {
            // Insert Subscription
            Subscription subscription2 = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);
            subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription2);

            subscriptions = subscriptionService.getSubscriptions();
            assertTrue(subscriptions.size() > 0);

            // deleting the test data
            deleteSubscriptionsByName(subscription2.getSubscriptionName());
        } catch (SubscriptionNotFoundException | IOException | JSONException e) {
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testGetSubscriptionsByName() {
        Subscription subscription;
        try {
            // Insert Subscription
            Subscription subscription2 = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);
            subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription2);
            String expectedSubscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();
            subscription = subscriptionService.getSubscription(expectedSubscriptionName);
            subscriptionName = subscription.getSubscriptionName();
            assertEquals(subscriptionName, expectedSubscriptionName);
            // deleting the test data
            deleteSubscriptionsByName(subscriptionName);
        } catch (SubscriptionNotFoundException | IOException | JSONException e) {
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testDoSubscriptionExist() {
        boolean doSubscriptionExist;
        try {
            // Insert Subscription
            Subscription subscription2 = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);
            subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription2);

            subscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();
            doSubscriptionExist = subscriptionService.doSubscriptionExist(subscriptionName);
            assertEquals(doSubscriptionExist, true);
            // deleting the test data
            deleteSubscriptionsByName(subscriptionName);
        } catch (IOException | JSONException e) {
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testDeleteSubscriptionsByName() {
        // Insert Subscription
        Subscription subscription2;
        try {
            subscription2 = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);

            subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription2);
            String expectedSubscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();
            SecurityContextHolder.setContext(securityContext);
            Mockito.when(securityContext.getAuthentication()).thenReturn(authentication);
            Mockito.when(authentication.getName()).thenReturn("ABC");

            boolean deleteSubscription = subscriptionService.deleteSubscription(expectedSubscriptionName);
            assertEquals(deleteSubscription, true);
        } catch (IOException | JSONException e) {
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testDeleteSubscriptionsByNameAndCleanUpOfRepeatHandlerDb() {
        // Insert Subscription
        Subscription subscription2;
        try {
            subscription2 = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);
            subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription2);
            String expectedSubscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();

            // Inserting a matched subscription AggrObjIds document to
            // RepeatHandlerDb database collection.
            BasicDBObject docInput = new BasicDBObject();
            docInput.put("subscriptionId", expectedSubscriptionName);
            mongoDBHandler.insertDocument(dataBaseName, repeatFlagHandlerCollection, docInput.toString());

            SecurityContextHolder.setContext(securityContext);
            Mockito.when(securityContext.getAuthentication()).thenReturn(authentication);
            Mockito.when(authentication.getName()).thenReturn("ABC");

            boolean deleteSubscription = subscriptionService.deleteSubscription(expectedSubscriptionName);
            assertEquals(deleteSubscription, true);

            // Checking if it removes the Subscription Matched AggrObjIds
            // document from RepeatHandlerDb database collection.
            String subscriptionIdMatchedAggrIdObjQuery = "{ \"subscriptionId\" : \"" + expectedSubscriptionName + "\"}";
            ArrayList<String> result = mongoDBHandler.find(dataBaseName, repeatFlagHandlerCollection,
                    subscriptionIdMatchedAggrIdObjQuery);

            assertEquals("[]", result.toString());
        } catch (IOException | JSONException e) {
            LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testUpdateSubscriptionAndCleanUpOfRepeatHandlerDb() {
        Subscription subscription;
        try {
            // Insert Subscription
            Subscription subscription2 = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(0).toString(), Subscription.class);
            String expectedSubscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();
            subscriptionService.addSubscription(subscription2);
            // Fetch the inserted subscription
            subscription2 = null;
            subscription2 = subscriptionService.getSubscription(expectedSubscriptionName);
            subscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();
            String subscriptionUserName = subscription2.getUserName();

            assertEquals(subscriptionName, expectedSubscriptionName);

            // Inserting a matched subscription AggrObjIds document to
            // RepeatHandlerDb database collection.
            BasicDBObject docInput = new BasicDBObject();
            docInput.put("subscriptionId", subscriptionName);
            mongoDBHandler.insertDocument(dataBaseName, repeatFlagHandlerCollection, docInput.toString());

            // Updating subscription2(subscriptionName=Subscription_Test) with
            // the subscription(subscriptionName=Subscription_Test_Modify)
            subscription = mapper.readValue(jsonArray.getJSONObject(1).toString(), Subscription.class);
            String expectedModifiedSubscriptionName = subscription2.getSubscriptionName();
            boolean addSubscription = subscriptionService.modifySubscription(subscription, subscriptionName);

            // test update done successfully
            assertEquals(addSubscription, true);
            subscription = null;
            subscription = subscriptionService.getSubscription(expectedModifiedSubscriptionName);
            subscriptionName = subscription.getSubscriptionName();
            assertEquals(subscriptionName, expectedModifiedSubscriptionName);

            // Checking if it removes the Subscription Matched AggrObjIds
            // document from RepeatHandlerDb database collection.
            String subscriptionIdMatchedAggrIdObjQuery = "{ \"subscriptionId\" : \"" + subscriptionName + "\"}";
            List<String> result = mongoDBHandler.find(dataBaseName, repeatFlagHandlerCollection,
                    subscriptionIdMatchedAggrIdObjQuery);

            assertEquals("[]", result.toString());

            // deleting the test data
            deleteSubscriptionsByName(subscriptionName);
        } catch (Exception e) {
        }
    }

    @Test(expected = SubscriptionNotFoundException.class)
    public void testExceptionGetSubscriptionsByName() throws SubscriptionNotFoundException {
        subscriptionService.getSubscription("Subscription_Test1238586455");
    }

    private void deleteSubscriptionsByName(String subscriptionName) {
        SecurityContextHolder.setContext(securityContext);
        Mockito.when(securityContext.getAuthentication()).thenReturn(authentication);
        Mockito.when(authentication.getName()).thenReturn("ABC");
        subscriptionService.deleteSubscription(subscriptionName);
    }
}


Pakkirappa Hunagundi is a 30 year old extra ordinary man from a small village in Karnataka has a very peculiar and rare eating disorder which can make any one feel pain in stomach. He is addicted to eating Bricks, Mud and Gravel. He said "I started at the age of 10. I have suffered no side effects and my teeth are absolutely fine" Since last 20 years he has has consumed up to three kilos of debris a day. Now he is planning to travel all across the country to earn some money for his family showcasing his talent.
His father died four years ago and his family doesn't have any source of income therefore he wanted to travel all across the country and showcase his what he can do to earn some money.


text:
Deal struck in lottery-ticket case
dwalker@muncie.gannett.com
WINCHESTER -- A Winchester man accused of violating state law by buying a lottery ticket at his workplace has struck a deal with prosecutors.
Mickey L. Stone, now 38, was charged in October 2014 with unlawful purchase of a lottery ticket by an employee, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum one-year jail term.
Stone is accused of buying a Diamond Mine scratch-off ticket at Hughes Pic-A-Pac, 226 W. Washington St., in June 2014. At the time, Stone had worked at the liquor store for about a year, an investigator for the Hoosier Lottery said.
The ticket won Stone $900. Later confronted by the Lottery official, the Winchester man at first maintained he had bought the winning ticket in Huntington.
Randolph Superior Court records reflect Stone is scheduled to enter a guilty plea in the case on Feb. 29.
A plea agreement in the case – the terms of which have not been released –was filed last April. Since that time, the change-of-plea hearing has been postponed four times.


Cute and happy go lucky piano tune.
An inspiring, positive background track.
Happy carefree background track for positive videos.
Very inspiring magical track for your media projects.
An uplifting cool & happy acoustic background music for positive vibe.
Positive and cheerful royalty free background music.
Positive and uplifting summer acoustic track.
Happy and inspiring track. Perfect for general advertising.
Uplifting track perfect for your media projects.
Cool and upbeat ukulele background track.
Gentle acoustic tune with a natural warm sound.
Refreshing upbeat track perfect for your media projects.
A modern happy track perfect for your media projects.
Inspiring and Upbeat track perfect for your media projects.


text:
A view from Claire Beale
Editor's Perspective: Saying 'no' is a lesson ad chiefs have to learn
I give you two quotes. Feel free to dismiss the first on legacy grounds. The evidence supporting the second approach, though, is harder to dispute.
Claire Beale
The subject is leadership. First up, Tony Blair. "The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It's very easy to say yes." And Steve Jobs: "It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don't get on the wrong track or try to do too much."
It is no exaggeration to say that every conversation I'm having lately with agencies touches on the immense frustrations they are feeling towards clients who just keep asking for more for less.
The chief executive of one of the very best agencies in London has had enough and is on a mission (he says) to tell every client he meets how they're bringing the industry to its knees.
Another big important agency boss told me of a stand-up row he's recently had with one of his biggest clients over fee negotiations. It almost came to blows and dialogue has broken down. The agency boss is, as yet, unrepentant. We wait to see whether the client - faced now with either finding a compromise or sacking a great agency - feels the same.
And there's the big, big media agency chief who's at breaking point with his big, big client and tells me not to be surprised if he simply walks away from the account.
It all makes me feel like punching the air. It's time to say no. No more. Because less money coming in from clients will mean poorer work and so a further eradication of the status of the industry. If agencies value what they do (and if they don't, why should anyone else?) then they should fully be prepared to say no and walk away.
The more agencies allow what they do to be devalued, the further the industry gets from ever being able to claw its way back to centre stage and a respectable income. And not only will agencies find it impossible to drive fees back up (at least without finding entirely new things to charge for) but the downward spiral will be perpetuated as the best people become demoralised and frustrated and quit the industry altogether.
Of course, all this fighting talk from agencies may be no more than posturing, letting off steam and finding my shoulder a convenient resting place before they gather strength to keep carrying on taking the kicks, just as before. I hope not. I particularly hope not because one of the UK's biggest advertisers told me recently that they were about to unleash a brutal remuneration scheme that will no doubt screw agencies even harder ... and other clients will be preparing to follow suit.
I know many agencies have little flexibility when it comes to firing clients, particularly if they are network or group clients. And I know that the industry is predicated on growth, not principle. But it's time the industry's best leaders learnt the art of saying "no".
claire.beale@haymarket.com


Paralysis can be either partial, periodic, complete, or incomplete. Paralysis of both the arms and legs has been traditionally been called quadriplegia. Quad comes from the Latin for four and plegia comes from the Greek for inability to move. Currently the term tetraplegia is becoming more popular, but it means the same thing. Tetra is from the Greek for inability to move.
What Are The Causes of Quadriplegia?
The primary cause of quadriplegia is a spinal cord injury, but other conditions such as cerebral palsy and strokes can cause a similar appearing paralysis. The amount of impairment resulting from a spinal cord injury depends on the part of the spinal cord injured and the amount of damage done. Injury to the spinal cord can be devastating because the spinal cord and the brain are the main parts of the central nervous system, which sends messages throughout your body.
When the spinal cord is injured the brain cannot properly communicate with it and so sensation and movement are impaired. The spinal cord is not the spine itself; it is the nerve system encased in the vertebrae and discs which make up the spine.
Quadriplegia occurs when the neck area of the spinal cord is injured. The severity of the injury and the place it occurred at determine the amount of function a person will maintain. A major spinal cord injury may interfere with breathing as well as with moving the limbs. A patient with complete quadriplegia has no ability to move any part of the body below the neck; some people do not even have ability to move the neck.
Sometimes people with quadriplegia can move their arms, but have no control over their hand movements. They cannot grasp things or make other motions which would allow them a little independence. New treatment options have been able to help some of these patients regain hand function.
Loss of bladder and bowel control. Because the spinal cord nerves control the function of the bladder and bowels, people with quadriplegia have various degrees of loss of control in this area. Without proper management these problems can lead to urinary tract infections and to constipation. Urinary tract infections can be fatal if not treated in time, particularly if the patient is in a weakened condition. Your health care team will help you deal with bladder and bowel control so that you will not develop an infection.
Pressure sores. When you are immobile for long periods of time, pressure from the weight of the body can cause your skin to develop sores. If you have quadriplegia you are at great risk of developing pressure sores, because you cannot shift your body weight on your own. Pressure sores can become infected and lead to serious complications, even death. For this reason, once your injuries are stable, nurses and nurse's aides will turn you at regular intervals in the hospital and your caregivers at home will need to do the same thing. Special mattresses and cushions also help to prevent pressure sores.
Blood clots. When you have quadriplegia, your blood circulation slows down since you are immobile. This can cause clots to develop. Clots are not always obvious; deep within the muscles are veins which can develop clots (a condition called deep vein thrombosis). An artery in the lungs can also be blocked by a clot (pulmonary embolism). Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism can be fatal. Your medical team will work to prevent clots. You may be given blood thinners to improve your circulation. Support hose and special inflatable pumps placed on the legs may also be used to increase circulation.
Respiratory problems. The nerve signals to you chest and diaphragm may be weakened or distorted by a spinal cord injury, making breathing on your own difficult or impossible. If your diaphragm is wholly paralyzed, you will be intubated and placed on a ventilator. A special pacemaker is sometimes used to simulate the diaphragm's nerves and allow the patient to breath without a ventilator. Some people are able to wean away from the ventilator by learning how to consciously control their breathing. People with quadriplegia are at increased risk for pneumonia and other respiratory infections even if they have not trouble breathing on their own. Medications and respiratory exercises are used to help prevent respiratory problems when mobility is a problem.
Autonomic dysreflexia. A dangerous, occasionally fatal problem called autonomic dysreflexia can afflict people with spinal cord injuries located above the middle of the chest. This means that an irritation or pain below the site of your injury may send a signal which will not reach the brain, but will cause a nerve signal that disrupts your body's functions. As your heart rate drops, your blood pressure may rise, putting you at risk for a stroke. Ironically, simple problems such as irritating clothes or a full bladder may trigger this reflex; fortunately, removing the cause of the irritation or changing position may relieve the negative effects.
Spastic muscles. Some people with quadriplegia experience muscle spasms which cause the legs and arms to jerk. Although you may be tempted to think that this is a sign of regaining movement or sensation, it is simply a symptom of the damaged spinal cords inability to properly relay remaining nerve signals to the brain. Most people with quadriplegia will not develop spastic muscles.
Related injuries. People with quadriplegia may experience an injury, such as a burn, without realizing it, since they have no sensation in their limbs. For this reason it is important that your caregivers do not place a heating pad or electric blanket on you.
Pain. Although people with quadriplegia may not feel external sensations, it is possible to feel pain within your arms, legs, back, and other areas which do not respond to external stimuli. Pain medications prescribed by your doctor can relieve the pain.
Immediate treatment of quadriplegia consists of treating the spinal cord injury or other condition causing the problem. In the case of a spinal cord injury, you will immobilized with special equipment to prevent further injury, while medical personnel work to stabilize your heart rate, blood pressure, and over all condition. You may be intubated to assist your breathing. This means that flexible tube carrying oxygen will be inserted down your throat. Imaging tests will be used to determine the extent of your injury.
Surgery may be needed to relieve pressure on the spine from bone fragments or foreign objects. Surgery may also be used to stabilize the spine, but no form of surgery can repair the damaged nerves of the spinal cord. Unfortunately, the nerve damage caused by the initial spinal cord injury has a tendency to spread. The reasons for this tendency are not completely understood by researchers, but it is related to spreading inflammation as blood circulation decreases and blood pressure drops.
The inflammation causes nerve cells not directly in the injured area to die. A powerful corticosteroid, methylprednisolone (Medrol) can sometimes help prevent the spread of this damage if it is given within eight hours of the original injury; however, methylprednisolone can cause serious side effects and not all doctors are convinced that it is beneficial.
Rehabilitation for quadriplegia once consisted primarily of training to learn how to deal with your new limitations. Passive physical therapy was given to help prevent the muscles from atrophying. Today, many new options are offering quadriplegia patients new hope. These new options combine older methods with new technology with encouraging results.
While passive physical therapy once consisted solely of the therapists manipulating the patient's arms and legs in an effort to increase circulation and retain muscle tone, today therapists can use electrodes to stimulate the patient's muscles and give them an optimal workout. This technology is called functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS). FNS stimulates the intact peripheral nerves so that the paralyzed muscles will contract.
The contractions are stimulated using either electrodes that have been placed on the skin or that have been implanted. With FNS, the patient may ride a stationary bicycle to improve muscle and cardiac function and prevent the muscles from atrophying. An implantable FNS system has been used to help people with some types of spinal injury regain use of their hands.
This is an option for people with quadriplegia, who have some voluntary use of their arms. The shoulder's position controls the stimulation to the hand's nerves, allowing the individual to pick up objects at will. Tendon transfer is another option which allows some people with quadriplegia more use of the arms and hands. This complicated surgery transfers a nonessential muscle with nerve function to the shoulder or arm to help restore function. FNS may be used in conjunction with tendon transfer.
Other forms of treatments for quadriplegia are still in the experimental stage. Many clinical trials of new treatment options are run every year. If you or a loved one suffers from quadriplegia, you may want to consider one of these trials. Ask your doctor to help you find a suitable trial.


text:
Hd-wallpapers9
Trump Administration Adds China's Biggest Chip Maker To Trade Blacklist For Alleged Military Ties
Posted on December 4, 2020 by [email protected]_84
The U.S. Department of Defense added China's biggest chipmaker, SMIC and major oil firm CNOOC to a trade blacklist due to their alleged ties to the country's military, continuing the outgoing Trump administration's crackdown on Chinese firms.
China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) has been added to a U.S. trade … [+] blacklist, effectively cutting it off from U.S. suppliers.
VCG via Getty Images
Late on Thursday, the Department of Defense announced a total of four additions to its blacklist also including China Construction Technology Co Ltd and China International Engineering Consulting Corp.
SMIC, which is China's biggest semiconductor maker, relies heavily on equipment and software from U.S. suppliers to design and manufacture its chips.
In a stock exchange filing on Friday the Chinese chipmaker said that it was aware of the action and was still evaluating the potential fallout.
Crucial Quote
In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published on Thursday, outgoing Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe claimed that China poses "the greatest threat to America today, and the greatest threat to democracy and freedom world-wide since World War II." He alleged that many of China's major companies and initiatives are only a "layer of camouflage to the activities of the Chinese Communist Party." He added, "China robs U.S. companies of their intellectual property, replicates the technology and then replaces the U.S. firms in the global marketplace."
The blacklistings drew strong condemnation from Beijing and China's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, who warned that the move will severely harm the U.S.' interest and image, according to Reuters.
In September, the Commerce Department informed some of SMIC's U.S. suppliers that they needed to obtain a license before supplying goods and services to the chipmaker after coming to the conclusion that there was an "unacceptable risk" any such supplies could be used for military purposes.
Key Background
Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that prohibits any U.S. person from holding securities, directly or through funds, in companies deemed to have links to China's military. Investors who already hold such assets will have until November 2021 to divest them. In his executive order, Trump accused China of increasingly exploiting U.S. capital to fund the development and modernization of its military, which in turn allows it to threaten the United States. Reuters notes that the growing set of measures against China is being seen as an attempt by the Trump administration to cement its tough-on-China policies and box President-elect Joe Biden "into hardline positions on Beijing amid bipartisan anti-China sentiment in Congress." Meanwhile, Biden told the New York Times this week that he would not immediately roll back tariffs imposed on China by the Trump administration.
Big Number
4%. That's the total percentage of SMIC's outstanding shares owned by top U.S. asset managers Vanguard Group and BlackRock, according to Reuters. Other U.S. funds such as Invesco and Fidelity also hold sizable shares in the company, Nikkei reported.
United States adds China's SMIC and CNOOC to Defense blacklist (Reuters)
US blacklists top China chipmaker SMIC and oil giant CNOOC (Nikkei Asia)
Posted in Technology Tagged Adds, administration, Alleged, biggest, blacklist, Chinas, chip, maker, military, ties, Trade, Trump
Software-Defined Networking Market Share Analysis, Key Growth Drivers, Size, Leading Key Players, Demand, Upcoming Trend and Forecast to 2027
Google AI Researcher Says She Was Fired for Critical Views
I-Mab Accelerates Clinical Development of Anti-CD47 Monoclonal Antibody Lemzoparlimab in the US and China
Sadly, Atelier Ryza 2 Won't Get A PlayStation 5 Upgrade In South Korea
Advanced Amazon Analysis app Apple Billion black Business Cloud Computer COVID19 Data deals Design Development Facebook Forecast Friday Global Google Growth Industry Internet Launches Market Media million model Networking news Picks Report Sales Service Services Share Size Social Software tech Technology Top Trends Web Week
All rights reserved © Hd-wallpapers9 Powered by WordPress Theme by SEOS


text:
MPWequal pay
Women get penalized for being assertive at work—unless they do this one thing
This article is published in partnership with Money.com. The original version can be found here.
By Susie Poppick, Money
Being overly aggressive or negative at work is never a good idea. But a new study finds that certain displays of assertiveness are perceived as especially unacceptable for women.
If a woman comes across as angry or critical, she is rated as 35% less competent and worthy of $15,088 less in pay than a woman who doesn't rock the boat. Similar behavior by men costs them only about half as much in perceived fair compensation.
Corporate training company VitalSmarts surveyed more than 11,000 people in June to reach its results, which included this silver lining: Sometimes acknowledging sexism can reduce its effects.
When a woman prefaces a harsh comment with a "framing" phrase, like "I know it's a risk for a woman to speak this assertively, but I'm going to express my opinion very directly," backlash can be reduced by as much as 27%.
While discussing gender bias so openly might not feel comfortable in every workplace, more neutral statements also help reduce the negative effects on perception. One example: "I see this as a matter of honesty and integrity, so it's important for me to be clear about where I stand."
The study involved participants watching male and female actors reading the same scripts, pretending to be managers delivering criticism and suggesting there might be consequences for poor performance. After watching the actors, participants rated the "managers" in terms of competency and deserved pay.
Subscribe to The Broadsheet, Fortune's daily newsletter on the world's most powerful women.