text:
Apr 25, 2016 • Press Releases
Asia Economic Slowdown and Cyber Risk Top List of Financial Industry Concerns in New DTCC Survey
Cyber risk still the No. 1 concern, but macroeconomic threats on the rise
New York/London/Hong Kong/Singapore, 25 April, 2016 – An economic slowdown in Asia was listed by 22% of respondents of a recent survey conducted by The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) as the biggest systemic risk to the broader economy – a dramatic change from just one year ago when only 1% of respondents ranked an economic downturn outside of the E.U./U.S. as the biggest risk.
The increasing focus on macroeconomic risks is further supported by rising concerns over the U.S. and European economy. A U.S. slowdown was ranked as a top five concern for 37% of respondents, up from 28% just six months ago. Similarly, an economic slump in Europe was cited by 24% as a top five concern, compared to 17% six months earlier. Commented one respondent, "The large macroeconomic items will drive the risks to the global economy."
While cyber risk remained the number one overall concern, with 25% citing it as the single biggest threat and 56% ranking it in their top five, these numbers are down significantly from 46% and 80%, respectively, just one year ago. Added one respondent, "Cyber is never going to go away, but it seems the major players are investing heavily in prevention."
"We're not surprised to see an increase in concerns about the global economy, especially in Asia where we have seen the economy slow down in China sharply in recent years compared to three decades of mostly double digit growth," said Michael Leibrock, Managing Director and Chief Systemic Risk Officer at DTCC. "Interestingly, while cyber risk remains very much top of mind, concerns have decreased over the last year, raising a red flag that firms need to remain vigilant in the face of this persistent threat."
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
The survey also revealed differences regionally in the level of concern towards the various risks. For example, 62% of North American respondents cite cyber risk as a top five concern vs. 38% of survey participants elsewhere. They also include the impact of new regulations and liquidity as a top five concern about twice as often as their counterparts in other parts of the world.
Conversely, North American respondents are significantly less concerned about the possibility of Britain leaving the E.U. and the threat of deflation, which are listed as top five risks by 41% and 27% respectively of respondents outside of North America, including EMEA and APAC.
ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RISK
"We've seen some dramatic shifts in systemic risk concerns over the last 12 months as new threats take on greater prominence in the industry. The systemic risk landscape remains dynamic as the industry wrestles with a growing number of challenges that could impact market stability. The Barometer provides insight into current thinking and is an important tool to drive discussion and dialogue on global risk issues," said Leibrock.
Identifying and addressing systemic risks remains a work in progress for many. About 63% of those surveyed said they have increased the amount of resources dedicated to identifying, monitoring, and mitigating systemic risk over the past year. Additionally, 66% indicated their firm's ability to identify, assess and manage both current and emerging systemic risks is still developing, which is consistent with previous surveys.
DTCC has been conducting Systemic Risk Barometer Surveys since 2013. They are completed by DTCC clients and a broad range of domestic and international participants across the global financial services industry every six months.
About DTCC
With over 40 years of experience, DTCC is the premier post-trade market infrastructure for the global financial services industry. From operating facilities, data centers and offices in 16 countries, DTCC, through its subsidiaries, automates, centralizes, and standardizes the post-trade processing of financial transactions, mitigating risk, increasing transparency and driving efficiency for thousands of broker/dealers, custodian banks and asset managers worldwide. User owned and industry governed, the firm simplifies the complexities of clearing, settlement, asset servicing, data management and information services across asset classes, bringing increased security and soundness to the financial markets. In 2015, DTCC's subsidiaries processed securities transactions valued at more than US$1.5 quadrillion. Its depository provides custody and asset servicing for securities issues from over 130 countries and territories valued at US$45.4 trillion. DTCC's global trade repository maintains approximately 40 million open OTC positions and processes roughly 280 million messages a week. To learn more, visit us at www.dtcc.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
Amanda Richter, DTCC
arichter@dtcc.com
Sherman Ko, Ryan Comm
sherman@ryancommunication.com
Melissa Rowling, Greentarget
melissa.rowling@greentarget.co.uk
Audra Tiner, Articulate Comms
atiner@articulatecomms.com


text:
/*
 *  msgbox.c -- implements the message box and info box
 *
 *  ORIGINAL AUTHOR: Savio Lam (lam836@cs.cuhk.hk)
 *  MODIFIED FOR LINUX KERNEL CONFIG BY: William Roadcap (roadcapw@cfw.com)
 *
 *  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 *  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
 *  as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
 *  of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
 *
 *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
 *  GNU General Public License for more details.
 *
 *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 *  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 *  Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
 */

#include "dialog.h"

/*
 * Display a message box. Program will pause and display an "OK" button
 * if the parameter 'pause' is non-zero.
 */
int
dialog_msgbox (const char *title, const char *prompt, int height, int width,
		int pause)
{
    int i, x, y, key = 0;
    WINDOW *dialog;

    /* center dialog box on screen */
    x = (COLS - width) / 2;
    y = (LINES - height) / 2;

    draw_shadow (stdscr, y, x, height, width);

    dialog = newwin (height, width, y, x);
    keypad (dialog, TRUE);

    draw_box (dialog, 0, 0, height, width, dialog_attr, border_attr);

    if (title != NULL && strlen(title) >= width-2 ) {
	/* truncate long title -- mec */
	char * title2 = malloc(width-2+1);
	memcpy( title2, title, width-2 );
	title2[width-2] = '\0';
	title = title2;
    }

    if (title != NULL) {
	wattrset (dialog, title_attr);
	mvwaddch (dialog, 0, (width - strlen(title))/2 - 1, ' ');
	waddstr (dialog, (char *)title);
	waddch (dialog, ' ');
    }
    wattrset (dialog, dialog_attr);
    print_autowrap (dialog, prompt, width - 2, 1, 2);

    if (pause) {
	wattrset (dialog, border_attr);
	mvwaddch (dialog, height - 3, 0, ACS_LTEE);
	for (i = 0; i < width - 2; i++)
	    waddch (dialog, ACS_HLINE);
	wattrset (dialog, dialog_attr);
	waddch (dialog, ACS_RTEE);

	print_button (dialog, "  Ok  ",
		      height - 2, width / 2 - 4, TRUE);

	wrefresh (dialog);
	while (key != ESC && key != '\n' && key != ' ' &&
               key != 'O' && key != 'o' && key != 'X' && key != 'x')
	    key = wgetch (dialog);
    } else {
	key = '\n';
	wrefresh (dialog);
    }

    delwin (dialog);
    return key == ESC ? -1 : 0;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


From such a child as you?
That little twist of green.
And really meant to bloom.
Until her best was shown.
And not at all like you.
The smilax threads have twined.
Have long been standing there.
And darling of them all.


text:
(587) 414-0812 josh@mortgagesforless.ca
3 Pillars of a Mortgage Approval
Pre-Payment Privileges
The TIPPS Program
Why Use a Broker
Mortgage Qualifier
Mortgage Refinance Interest Savings
Fixed vs Variable Rates
Mortgage Pre-Approvals
Purchase Plus Improvements (Renovation Mortgages)
Red Deer Self Employed Loans
by josh | Jul 12, 2019 | Uncategorized | 0 comments
After the Bank of Canada announced in May that they had not made any changes to the overnight rate economists estimated that we wouldn't see a hike in the rate again until late in 2020. A few even predicted that we'd see at least one rate cut before then.
This month the Bank once again announced that there has been no change made to the overnight rate and the general consensus among economists this time is that we won't see a hike until the start of 2021. Most speculators are expecting to see a cut to the overnight rate in January 2020.
"[The Bank of Canada] retained a neutral bias," Derek Holt of Scotiabank said, "but [was] incrementally more dovish in terms of the whole package."
"We still see Bank of Canada on hold for the next couple of years," Sal Guatieri of BMO said.
"We continue to look for the Bank of Canada to cut interest rates in January 2020," Andrew Kelvin of TD Securities said.
Canada isn't the only one taking an increasingly gentle approach to monetary policy. "Policy is responding to slowdown," explained the Bank, "central banks in the US and Europe have signalled their readiness to provide more accommodative monetary policy and further policy stimulus has been implemented in China."
Guatieri also said, "We are anticipating a couple of rate cuts from the Fed[eral Reserve]. That could put upward pressure on the Canadian dollar the Bank of Canada might need to address by cutting rates."
What's tying all these countries together and causing the central banks to react? Answer: global trade tensions. Since the US placed tariffs on China in 2017 this issue has grown more and more troublesome. Each side has exchanged tit-for-tat comments, threats and tariffs and only periodically pauses to take a breath and actually try to work out a solution.
In the meantime, Canada, a country of commodities, has been sitting on the sidelines waiting for our biggest trade partner, the US, to end the fight and get back to business. The central bank stated, "trade conflicts between the United States and China, in particular, are curbing manufacturing activity and business investment and pushing down commodity prices."
Despite the mounting tension in global trade, the global and Canadian GDPs are projected to grow throughout 2019-2021. It's expected that the US GDP will slow and to a more sustainable pace. "Exports rebounded in the second quarter," announced the bank, "and will grow moderately as foreign demand continues to expand. However, ongoing trade conflicts and competitiveness challenges are dampening the outlook for trade and investment… [The council] will pay particular attention to developments in the energy sector and the impact of trade conflicts on the prospects for Canadian growth and inflation."
Trump! Xi! Don't make me turn this car around!
Before the G-20 summit in Osaka, Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister for Singapore and guest at the summit, was asked how he thought China and the US might begin to restore strategic trust after so much turmoil. PM Lee was of the opinion that both countries would need to work together at the top and start by making small maneuvers before moving on to bigger issues. He hoped the upcoming summit would be a good place to start. "After all," PM Lee said, "the beginning of rapproachment between US and China was ping pong diplomacy from 1971, at the World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya."
Sadly, there was no ping pong to be seen at the summit, as entertaining as that would have been. The topic of global trade tensions was brought up immediately, however. Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe mentioned it directly in his opening address. "The tension surrounding trade and geopolitics is rising. The responsibility of G-20 is to counter such downside risks and take necessary actions." This warning was echoed by leaders from India, Europe and Russia who each shared their concern and asked China and the US to reach a solution rather than risk disaster through additional tariffs.
Xi and Trump did have a sit down meeting at the summit which, according to on site press, lasted over an hour. Chinese state-run press agency, Xinhua, reported that both presidents "to restart trade consultations between their countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect." Additionally, another news outlet reported Trump saying he would forego additional tariffs for now.
So what do the grudges of world leaders have to do with your mortgage back in Alberta? To put it simply: interest rates are low and they're going to get lower. If you're coming up on renewal, if you're looking to buy a home, or if you're thinking of remortgaging, now is the time! Contact us today to get the lowest rates!
Homeownership: This Is a Test
Managing Credit Card Debt
Help Passing the Mortgage Stress Test
No Surprise, Overnight Rate Remains Unchanged
Designed by mortgagesforless.ca

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Most efficient way to keep collection of string references What is the most efficient way to keep a collection of references to strings in Rust?
Specifically, I have the following as the beginning of some code to parse command line arguments (option parsing to be added):
let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
let mut files: Vec<&String> = Vec::new();
let mut i = 1;
while i < args.len() {
    let arg = &args[i];
    i += 1;
    if arg.as_bytes()[0] != b'-' {
        files.push(arg);
        continue;
    }
}

args is as recommended in https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/ch12-01-accepting-command-line-arguments.html declared as Vec<String>. As I understand it, that means new strings are constructed, which is mildly surprising; I would've expected that the command line arguments already exist in memory, and it would only be necessary to make a vector of references to the existing strings. But the compiler seems to concur that it needs to be Vec<String>.
It would seem inefficient to do the same for files; there is surely no need for further copying. Instead, I have declared it as Vec<&String>, which as I understand it, means only creating a vector of references to the existing strings, which is optimal. (Not that it makes a measurable performance difference for command line arguments, but I want to figure this out now, so I can get it right later when dealing with much larger data.)
Where I am slightly confused is that Rust seems to frequently recommend  str over String, and indeed the compiler is happy to have files hold either str or &str.
My best guess right now is that str, being an object that refers to a slice of a string, is most efficient when you want to keep a reference to just part of the string, but when you know you want the whole string, it is better to skip the overhead of creating a slice object, and just keep &String.
Is the above correct, or am I missing something?

A:
args is as recommended in https://doc.rust-lang.org/book/ch12-01-accepting-command-line-arguments.html declared as Vec<String>. As I understand it, that means new strings are constructed, which is mildly surprising; I would've expected that the command line arguments already exist in memory

The command-line arguments do exist in memory but

*

*they are not String, they are not even guaranteed to be UTF8

*they are not in a Vec layout

Fundamentally there isn't even any prescription as to their storage, all you know is they're C strings (nul-terminated) and you get an array of pointers to those, whose last element is a null pointer.
Which is why args is an iterator of String: it will lazily decode and validate each argument as you request it, in fact you can check its source code:
pub fn args() -> Args {
    Args { inner: args_os() }
}
#[stable(feature = "env", since = "1.0.0")]
impl Iterator for Args {
    type Item = String;
    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<String> {
        self.inner.next().map(|s| s.into_string().unwrap())
    }
    fn size_hint(&self) -> (usize, Option<usize>) {
        self.inner.size_hint()
    }
}

Now I couldn't tell you why args_os yields OsString rather than OsStr, I would assume portability of some sort (e.g. some platforms might not guarantee the args data lives for the entirety of the program).

My best guess right now is that str, being an object that refers to a slice of a string, is most efficient when you want to keep a reference to just part of the string, but when you know you want the whole string, it is better to skip the overhead of creating a slice object, and just keep &String.

Is the above correct, or am I missing something?

&String exists only for regularity (in the sense that it's a natural outgrowth of shared references and String existing concurrently), it's not actually useful: an &String only lets you access readonly / immutable methods of String, all of which are really provided by str aside from capacity() (which is rarely useful) and a handful of methods duplicated from str to String (I assume for efficiency) like len or is_empty.
&str is also generally more efficient than &String: while its size is 2 words (pointer, length) rather than one (pointer), it points directly to the relevant data rather than pointing to a pointer to the relevant data (and requiring a dereference to access the length property). As such, &String is rarely considered useful and clippy will warn against it by default (also &Vec as &[] is usually better for the same reason).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Tulsa Tough to Stream on Peloton and Velonews Friday through Sunday
The first criterium of the national 10-race series kicks off this weekend.
June 10, 2021 Peloton Magazine
American criterium racing is back.
The three-day criterium festival that is Tulsa Tough kicks off tomorrow in Oklahoma, and Peloton and VeloNews will be live streaming all three days of the fast and furious action.
Race coverage runs 5:10 to 9:40 p.m. (CDT) Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. (CDT) Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. (CDT) Sunday. Velonews.com and pelotonmagazine.com will have full streaming coverage for free every day.
Five competitions will be running through the series for the pro races: overall leader, lap leader, best young rider, team competition, and the winner of each race.
Participating teams include L39ion of Los Angeles, Team Clif Bar, Automatic Racing, Colavita-Hello Fresh, DNA Pro Cycling, and Primal-Audi Denver, among others.
In 2019, Justin Williams (L39ion) won the men's race ahead of Sam Bassetti and José Alfredo Rodríguez (both Elevate-KHS). Samantha Schneider (CWA-Trek) won the women's race with her sister Skylar Schneider (Boels Dolmans) and Harriet Owen (Hagens Berman Supermint) rounding out the podium.
The Schneider sisters went 1-2 in Tulsa in 2019.
The pro race schedule is as follows:
7:40 p.m. (CDT) pro women
8:40 p.m. (CDT) pro men
Team Clif Bar was on the team podium at Tulsa Tough in 2019.
Check out the first day's action here, and tune in to pelotonmagazine.com for the rest of the weekend's racing!
Tulsa Tough


Victoria's house also boasts a garden with a panoramic vista across the city. The garden scenes were filmed on the lawn at the base of Coit Tower, part of Pioneer Park and seamlessly edited to appear as if the garden were attached to the Julius Castle site, the house location, some 150 feet down the Greenwich Street steps.
Victoria watches from her balcony as her son Chris plays in the garden.
Then ... Her view beyond the garden is essentially the same as in the movie's opening scene, seen there from the top of Coit Tower.
... and Now, the view today from the Coit Tower lawn is partially blocked by trees and plants around the perimeter but the Ferry Building tower and the Bay Bridge can be seen in the photo below. The distant Financial District buildings are all new but some of the close-in residential buildings are unchanged.
... and Now, the camera that filmed the footage for the movie view above must have been set up on the roof of the mural rotunda on the ground floor of the tower (below).
Then ... here's another shot of Chris playing in the garden.
... and Now, note the Ferry Building in the center of each picture.
... and Now, here's the same skyline today from the top of Coit Tower.
... a recent aerial photo ... In this photo taken over Coit Tower looking south towards the Financial District the rather bare lawn is clearly visible at the base of the tower.
... a vintage photo ... in 1936 William Powell and Myrna Loy were on the same lawn shooting scenes for their movie 'After The Thin Man'.


text:
2021 World Junior Hockey Championship: Who to Watch
Clancy Golden | 08:00 25/12/20
The 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship is fast approaching. Starting on December 25, 2020, ten countries from across the globe will battle it out to decide who is the best under-20 team in the world. In this article, we will look at a player from each to who should be very impactful in hos teams success for the tournament.
The Minnesota Wild prospect Marco Rossi is an amazing talent. The ninth overall pick is a force on the offensive side of the game. Rossi will be the star player on the Austrian roster at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Rossi posted two incredible seasons with the Ottawa 67's. During 2018-19, Rossi scored 29 goals and added 36 assists for 65 total points in 53 regular-season games for the 67's. He only got better in the playoffs as he scored 6 goals in 17 games and he had 16 assists during the same playoffs.
After getting some attention from NHL scouts, Rossi continued to impress. In his second season with Ottawa, he scored an absolutely ridiculous 120 points with 39 of those being goals. This generational Austrian prospect will look to continue his impressive production into the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Marco Rossi's hands are ridiculous. Call it 34 goals and 105 points in game #50. #2020NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/nfYMYFVKLu
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) February 25, 2020
The 2021 tournament will be Rossi's second appearance for team Austria. Rossi played five games for Austria in 2020 and was very productive. He scored three goals and added two assists in Austria's brief appearance in the tournament. This year, Rossi will look to lead his country to contention for the ultimate prize of a gold medal.
Quinton Byfield, the second overall pick in the 2020 draft will also be playing for Team Canada during the World Junior Hockey Championship. The Los Angeles Kings prospect is a generational talent who will play an important part in Canada's success. Making his second appearance in the under-20 World Junior Hockey Championship, Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves will try to use last year's experience and his experience with the Sudbury Wolves to help team Canada win the gold medal.
Quinton Byfield (@byfield55) was something special in the @OHLHockey. 😲
Catch the 2020 #NHLDraft Lottery at 8p ET on @NHLonNBCSports, @NHLNetwork and @Sportsnet. pic.twitter.com/Xe91BCuHeo
— NHL (@NHL) June 26, 2020
During the 2020 tournament, he only managed to get a single assist in seven games. Although he had a disappointing appearance for team Canada his production for the Wolves was not disappointing. In 45 games for Sudbury, Byfield had a ridiculous 82 points including 32 goals. If he can bring production similar to what he had with the Wolves then Canada will have a good shot at the gold medal.
The Montreal Canadiens have one of their best prospects participating in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Jan Mysak was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He is on a relatively weak Czech Republic team so he should be the focal point of their gameplan.
Mysak will make his second appearance for the Czech Republic in this year's World Junior Hockey Championship. Last year, he played in only five games. During those five games, he had one goal and one assist. With more experience and a confidence boost after being drafted, Mysak should have a better tournament and try to make the Czech Republic team more competitive than last year.
Another top NHL prospect will make an appearance in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Anton Lundell was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. Lundell is making his third appearance for Finland's under-20 teams. Last year team Finland did not have much success as they only played six games. In those six games, Lundell was only able to get one assist.
First game back from injury and @FlaPanthers prospect Anton Lundell notched FOUR GOALS for @HIFKHockey!
(🎥: @CMoreSportFi) pic.twitter.com/sjCKoK3HkO
— NHL (@NHL) October 27, 2020
This season, Lundell has been playing in the Liiga for HIFK. He was named assistant captain of the team and has scored 12 goals and added 8 assists in 17 games. Now he has assumed the position of Team Finland's captain and will try to lead Finland to the gold medal.
The third overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft well represents his home country of Germany in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Tim Stützle was the first player drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the draft. Ottawa fans hope Stützle is the key to finding success in the league again. Team Germany fans share the same hope as they are relying on him to provide their country with success in the upcoming tournament. He has battled an injury during the 2020 season so he has played no hockey so far but he will return for the tournament.
The last time Stützle played competitive hockey was last season for Adler Mannheim of the DEL. In 41 games, he had 7 goals and 27 assists. An impressive total for most but Stützle could have been even better had he not missed time because he was playing in the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championship. In five games during last year's tournament, Stutzle had five assists for Germany. After recovery from his injury, Stützle will hopefully lead his German teammates to success.
The Russian netminder Yaroslav Askarov was one of the talking points at the NHL Draft. Some said Askarov was the best goaltending prospect to enter the NHL Draft since Carey Price. The Nashville Predators drafted the highly regarded goalie with the 11th pick in the 2020 Draft.
Askarov will make his second appearance in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Last year, Askarov played in five games for Team Russia. His performance was not ideal as he had a 2.71 goals-against average and a .877 save percentage.
https://twitter.com/Dylan_Griffing/status/1341901421109719040
Askarov's poor play in last year's tournament did not stop him from doing incredible things this season. As an 18-year-old Askarov was able to crack into the KHL and play for SKA St. Petersburg. Since being introduced to the line-up, he has been nothing but incredible. He has played seven games with St. Petersburg and has a 0.96 goals-against average and a .962 save percentage.
These are fantastic numbers for anybody, but especially for somebody as young as Askarov. The Predators definitely have their goalie of the future. With another year of competitive hockey under his belt, Askarov will look to improve his individual numbers and help lead his team to the gold medal this season.
The Kings have yet another player participating in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Martin Chromiak was selected by the Kings in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Chromiak will be making his second appearance in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Last year at the tournament, Chromiak played 14 games for Slovakia and had 5 goals and 10 assists in a strong showing on the international stage.
Normally, Chromiak plays in the Ontario Hockey League for the Kingston Frontenacs. This season, however, he is playing for HK Dukla Trencin of the Slovak Extraliga. In eight games for Trencin, Chromiak has two goals and three assists. Slovakia will lean on Chromiak to try and lead the team to a successful tournament.
Sweden has two fantastic players who will both be must-watch in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Lucas Raymond is a Detriot Red Wings prospect after being draft with the fourth overall pick in the NHL Draft. Alexander Holtz was also drafted in the top ten in the 2020 NHL Draft as he was taken by the New Jersey Devils with the eighth overall pick. These guys will matchup nightmares for the other countries in the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Raymond is currently for the Frolunda Hockey Club of the Swedish Hockey League. He has played twenty-two games for the team and has five goals and seven assists. He is a fantastic two-player that is always ready to score or set up a teammate for a scoring chance. Red Wings and Team Sweden fans should get their popcorn ready to enjoy the show that Raymond will hopefully put on during the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Lucas Raymond 🇸🇪 completes his hat trick performance with the OT winner to win gold at the #U18Worlds! pic.twitter.com/ItCfTpRjlS
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 28, 2019
The other very skilled Swedish forward is Holtz. Holtz is also playing in the Swedish Hockey League. Holtz plays for Djurgardens IF and in 19 games this season, has registered 6 goals and 7 assists. Holtz has one of if not the best shot in the entire tournament and will put it to good use. Fans tuning into Sweden games for the World Junior Hockey Championship should be prepared for Holtz to score some goals on very impressive shots.
Switzerland is the only country in the World Junior Hockey Championship without a player affiliated with an NHL franchise. This does not mean they will not be competitive. Switzerland is one of the youngest teams in the tournament and will be dangerous in the future. For this upcoming tournament, Switzerland will lean on 19-year-old Gaétan Jobin. Jobin will make his second appearance for the Switzerland under-20 team.
In his first campaign for the Switzerland under-20 team, Jobin played 5 games and had 3 total points. He had two goals and one assist. In this tournament as one of the older players on the roster, Jobin will be expected to step up his production and help lead the team to a better record in the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Cole Caulfield from the University of Wisconsin was drafted in 2019. Since being drafted, Caufield has played one full year of college hockey and competed in one World Junior Hockey Championship for Team USA. This season, Caufield is in the middle of his sophomore year at Wisconsin.
During the 2019-20 season, Caufield was an important part of the Badgers hockey team. He showed off his impressive scoring ability by netting 19 goals and 17 assists in 36 games. Freshman succeeding at the level Caufield did is rare but it just shows how talented this kid is. During the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championship, Caufield played in five games for the United States. He had one goal and one assist in his brief time.
BREAKING: Cole Caufield has a nice shot
pic.twitter.com/qIeP1Lw6dx
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) December 4, 2020
In his sophomore year for Wisconsin, Caufield has only improved his production. He has only played in ten games for the Badgers but he has six goals and six assists. Scoring over a point per game is very impressive and Caufield will look to take his success in the NCAA and translate it onto the global stage. This year's team from the United States is loaded with talent and will be entertaining and competitive this tournament.
2021 World Junior Hockey Championship Final Thoughts
This year's World Junior Hockey Championship is loaded with lots of talent. Fans will be treated to a fantastic tournament. Players not listed in this article hopefully step and be a hero for their country. Make sure to tune into the World Junior Hockey Championship as they start on December 25th, 2020.
Follow me on Twitter at @Clancy871 for more of my content!
Come discuss this and much more at the Overtime Heroics forums!
Clancy Golden
Clancy Golden is one of the biggest hockey fans in the world. He loves writing and watching the beautiful sport of hockey.
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42 Comments on "Promises, Promises"
The left- and that includes Our Little Red Star- wants high unemployment because this creates more wards of the state, an ever-growing and important component of the Socialist-Democrat's voting base. BO and his quislings care as much about the economy as they do about your health. Destroy the economy, destroy the healthcare system, create a constituency. Simple, and straight out of Marx and Engels.
Really? What planet do you live on? That makes as much sense as saying the right wants toilet paper with holes in it so their fingers can slip through. Both are made up pronouncements; both have no basis in fact.
The people over at DP would agree with the views expressed by Rick and that stupid cartoon.
I hope that gives you pause.
Really? What planet do you live on?
The parasite class, particularly inter-generational "entitlement" addicts, always vote for the Socialist-Democrats. This is why, on Election Day in our major cities, buses are lined-up to take these "victims" of capitalism to the polls. Of course, since many of these people are illiterate, sample ballots are provided with the appropriate "suggestions" as to whom to vote for. This is how Reid won in NV- by carrying the "undocumented" hotel worker vote in Vegas.
Care to dispute Foseti's analysis?
Tuxamus Maximus F & W remember that the preceding President made a bunch of promises that never came true.
I recommend you stop watching TV for one month and see how you feel.
Delacrat…aren't these the ones we're supposed to be concerned about? When we hear that they walk among us and we read that kind of stuff it's really scary. It's not a matter of if he makes the news one day but when he will make the news. What a rant to copy/paste. Paranoia is setting in on this one. A real true believer of something less than 'normal'.
One cannot dispute the analysis of a paranoid individual. Not stupid, just paranoid.
That said…….what miserable , small lives they just lead, when all they read is this paranoid crap.
I bet they would cross the street simply if another person of color was walking towards them. Make is 5 young men of color and they would be in full flight panic mode.
Of course the GOOD news is here, is that when I wish to visit DC, or Philly or any large urban area, the do not have to compete for parking space, tickets or entrance into a venue I choose to visit – as many of our cultural treasure are in these city centers. And the Paranoai keeps them away.
Which is good, coz it leaves all the more for me to enjoy. So thanks Paranoid RWNJS – I appreciate your staying out of town.
Yeah, Foseti's on TV a lot.
The problem with Democrats and liberals is not that they can't predict the future, they can't predict the past.
If unemployment benefits were a boom to the economy with all of the Obama jobless we should have 5% growth.
As the social welfare state implodes some want to expand it.
Stop looking at the government for all you need and instead look in the mirror, the reason you fail or succeed is in the mirror not a government program.
Mr. Protack around here we don't don't know how to predict the past because we find it much easier to remember it, or at least go back and read about what has happened. It is funny, maybe sad is a better word, to see how the same 'event' is remembered in so many varying ways. History seems to spin out of context, become distorted and used to portray 'events' that benefit the mind of those who want to use those 'events' for their benefit.
We've read your 'predictions' for some time now and yet to see one come to fruition although they are rather vague at times so you could spin them into the 'truth' for your world.
Rick turn off fox noise and stop listening to that Drug Abusing Junkie Rush think for yourself.
I don't listen to Rush very often…boring. I do however listen to Mark Levin, and I've read two of his books. Brilliant man.
I notice that none of my detractors addressed Foseti's short article. Instead, they attacked me. This is the typical modus operendi of those who can't formulate a cogent argument against the position. It is the technique used by oppressive states and petty dictators alike.
I realize you're flummoxed, but see if you can summon-up enough initiative to explain exactly what is erroneous about Foseti's position.
Tuxamus Maximus reads that Rick wants a Foseti comment. OK… YEECH. TM is 'Ralphing' at the porcelain throne (relieving that flummoxed feeling).
Judge Judy says this occasionally: If you don't like where you're living MOVE.
Obviously Foseti lives in a place (or planet) that he should move from rather quickly. Maybe he should follow the 'sheriff' (using the title loosely) to wherever he moves to after the next election?
Foseti should move to the places that are NOT "places where civilization has fundamentally collapsed". Hit the trail running and don't look back! We can suggest a few places he would fit in well starting with that group that's putting together people that want to live on MARS using a one way ticket.
That make your day for a comment Rick?
TM knows Laffter is ROFLOL!
As a public service , I googled. " Foseti".
Foseti can be contacted directly at foseti.wordpress.com.
Foseti is, ahem, "the Friscian god of Justice, Peace and Truth".
Well, Rick, do think anyone is going to take seriously a claimant to divinity, whose faith went defunct centuries ago, and actually address what s/he or it says ?
C'mon Rick. this is 21st century USA, not 1st century Friscia !
You don't need Foseti. You need Jesus.
Delacrat is now on tonight's toast list!
Ohhhhhhhh, i can hear the burn of the sizzle from here.
I don't live in El Paso, but I know we need a fence.
Is your name really 'Delacrat?' Good God, man…use your head.
Since you're all unable to contest Foseti's (correct) analysis, I'll assume you agree with it.
Apparently Rick didn't feel that the comment we posted earlier as well as that of Delacrat didn't count as contesting Foseti's interplanetary analysis. Selective reading can result in missing important information just as selective hearing causes failure to hear all that is spoken.
Rick, while building your spaceship you must follow the directions to the word. Don't miss a step or you won't make it home and we're sure they miss you on planet Foseti.
We hope this works in contesting Foseti's 'analysis'. Otherwise please put your glasses on the front part of your head.
Back to the game being played in Denver, Colorado USA of planet Earth now!
This Article sums up Obama's ineptness.
How do comments like this 'contest' Foseti's analysis?
Rick…I recommend you stop watching TV for one month and see how you feel.
Rick, turn off fox noise and stop listening to that Drug Abusing Junkie Rush think for yourself?
… Foseti lives in a place (or planet) that he should move from rather quickly. Maybe he should follow the 'sheriff' (using the title loosely) to wherever he moves to after the next election?
None of these lame responses address Foseti' s analysis.
Now, I suppose many of you come from rural areas or a small burg like Wilmidelphia. I was born in Washington D.C., and lived in the area for years. Believe me, Foseti's piece is spot-on. I could take you to places in Washington on a Saturday night (say Anacostia), drop you off on a corner, and they'd be a strong possibility that you would die that night.
Many of our major cities have third-world enclaves. It's like another country. As Foseti wrote, there is no real economy, the streets (especially at night) are dangerous, schools are a joke, and those normal people stuck in such neighborhoods do attempt to turn their homes into fortresses and would never venture into a public park after nightfall.
Otherwise please put your glasses on the front part of your head.
If you goal is self-parody, you've succeeded in an exemplary manner.
The left knows this all too well, which is why they are so dedicated to social engineering and the guaranteed mediocrity of equal outcomes.
If you want an explanation for why Anacostia is the way it is, then consult someone from Anacostia, not the Friscian god of Justice, Peace and Truth.
Rick…DC wants you back in those very corners. Some of us have lived in the DC area and don't have those worries at all.
Take a moment and try to imagine how little we care about your view of things in places we don't plan to be.
Been like that for decades…not going to change.
Foseti didn't really try to 'explain' anything. His piece was a description of the conditions in the inner city. And, as anyone who has ventured into the crappy areas of any large city in America knows, his description is accurate.
Or course, you could try to refute his analysis, if you can manage to focus on what he wrote rather than why he wrote it, the mythological origins of his handle, his motivations or Rush Limbaugh.
No matter. The Dark Enlightenment grows daily, on the internet, out if the glare of big media. The Truth is out there- remove your blinders and see the obvious.
Rick, we'll get right on that if you promise to take a deep breathe and hold it for about 10 days. Maybe the Enterprise will beam you up in that time?
No, I'll be looking for Capt. Applewhite and the Heaven's Gate spacecraft.
OK Rick, you want analysis, I'll give you analysis.
"People are not equal…." – Foseti, Adolf, Benito, etc….
This is America. We are all equal. Get with the program.
All men are created equal in rights… even your average eighth-grader knows that.
Did you read the essay? If so, how can you possibly dispute what he said? Are people equal in ambition? Are people equal in intelligence? Are people equal in empathy? Judgement? Courage? Get real.
That works for us Hale-Bopp. Explains a lot.
History shows those are ugly questions, eliciting ugly answers from very ugly and dangerous people.
When differences in ability, etc., become the focus of politics, I agree. However, I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that you are referring to right wing regimes, such as Hitler's Germany.
We need to remember that the hero of the 'women's' right to choose' movement and founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, was an inveterate proponent of eugenics as a solution to what she euphemistically referred to as 'social problems.' And among the leftist elite, she was hardly alone. Hence, the right has no monopoly on socioeconomic elitism.
Let's look at it from another perspective; isn't the attempt to equalize socioeconomic outcomes just as dangerous and pernicious? After all, it has been tried in the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and so on, and it never works. And it never works because there are differences in ability among any population, and in an attempt to 'equalize' outcomes you only suppress the innovation and creativity that is invariably the product of a rather small fraction of the population. In a system where equal outcomes becomes the primary political goal, there can be no Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Egalitarianism is not a motivator for creation- self-interest is.
The best solution for true equality is freedom. The freedom to produce, to buy and to sell, without government interference. In other words, a society envisioned by the Founders.
Note; I'm not here to persuade, but rather, to offer perspectives from modern political philosophers that some of you may have never heard of. You have your own eyes and your own brains. Just bear in mind that the objective of most modern governments is to manipulate, intimidate, lie, propagandize and steal.
Hale Bopp you had us for a moment or two but we lost interest quickly. Part of the job description here is to, when time allows, go back and read past posts and have gone back years now. Having read many of your comments we wonder what our country would be like if your kind ruled. Would it be a combination of the 3rd riech, Stalinism, Genghis Kahn or just our way or leave/be jailed to hard labor for not thinking like us? No reply needed as we know the answer would be absurd. Thankfully you, and your ilk, are heavily outnumbered.
HTM gracefully retires from this thread now.
One thing is clear, Rick thinks he is far more " EQUAL" than anybody else.
Leave society to it's own devices and the vices of Man without morals will quickly destroy itself.
That far right wing and the theocrats NEED it's religious intolerance and rules because they are unable or unwilling to live and accept others as they are.
Yes, all men are CREATED equal, however my ambition is not equal to the ambition of another, my ambition is to see all people secure in peace and justice.
This is the utopia of Rick and his ilk, the utopia of those who for centuries felt it their devine right to exploit the resources of the world that we are the stewards of, the resources of our human capital and to put it to use for the benefit of only themselves.
While not meant to be a religious treatise, take is as you will, secular or spiritual.
Be choose your side carefully.
Why? Because you say so? Who are you, Nostradamus? Or just a common egomaniac?
The postmodern left exemplifies the intolerance of the seeds of their ideology- the Putitans of New England. The only difference is that the church has been supplanted by the State. Do you think that it is a coincidence that the Clinton's, Bush, Omaba and Romney all went to Yale or Harvard?
This is why the Dark Enlightenment calls modern society The Cathedral. Rand, CS Lewis, Bradbury and many others saw it coming. And now, on the internet, the curtain is being drawn, and reality is being revealed.
Insurgent conservatives seeking to pull the Republican Party to the right raised more money last year than the groups controlled by the party establishment, whose bulging bank accounts and ties to major donors have been their most potent advantage in the running struggle over the party's future, according to new campaign filings and interviews with officials.
The shift in fortunes among the largest and most influential outside political groups could have an enormous impact in the 2014 election cycle, as the warring Republican factions prepare to square off in a series of Senate and House primaries around the country and as Republican leaders seek to rein in activists who they believe have fractured and endangered the party with policies that alienate independent-leaning voters.
Groups representing the party establishment, like Karl Rove's Crossroads, are struggling to bring in the level of cash they raised in 2012, when Crossroads spent more than $300 million in a failed effort to defeat President Obama and retake the Senate, leaving donors grumbling that their dollars had been wasted.
Carry the base, articulate a clear contrast to the Socialist-Democrat left, and you'll carry the 'independent' moderates, too.
The McConnell/Boehner 'establishment' is a failure.
Ok…so Hale Bopp can copy/paste even more drivel. All we want to know is…AND? Care to expand with your own thinking Hale Bopp?
Numbers are numbers…and the so-called TEA Party organizations (anti-establishment) are bringing in more cash than the country-club 'experts' like Rove. At the presidential level, conservative candidates win, malleable, finger-in-the-wind 'moderates' lose. Big donors are tired of backing losers.
As an aside, I notice that the latest poll shows Scott Brown even with Shaheen in NH, and he hasn't even announced his candidacy yet. That's likely to be another GOP pickup.
This is really the whole of HTM and everyone is here! Full house and more to enjoy the 70in Sharp for the game. I'm just the one at the keyboard sharing house comments.
Hale Bopp has poll numbers! Even aside poll numbers!! When this news flash was read aloud to the house it took a while for the laughter (that's the light in the sky for a polar swimming Laffter) to subside. When it did TM4 stated they had to be "Heritage numbers" and the riot started all over again! If Hale Bopp would kindly supply the source of these polls so we could all have even more of what Laffter provides so often.
We would consider naming Hale Bopp 'Laughter" but our appreciation of Laffter won't allow us to do that as he might consider it an insult from us and that's not going to happen here.
Please comment with more silliness Hale Bopp! TMJ had to change clothes with that comment. Give it a shot and GO FOR TWO.
Hey HTM, I love to laugh, and provide the same to others, and the RWNJS give me so much material to do so…..that I am often wiping tears out of my eyes.
My prediction is having their diapers changed, and their prescriptions filled courtesy of…………….OBAMACARE.
Wonder how that sits with them, knowing that…..
Laffter the RWNJ's will in the years to come be very appreciative of Obama just as they are now of Mr. Clinton. Notice how they don't bother to mention or praise the bush 43 as the was something swept under the rug.
We're glad you like the "Hale Bopp" and that he responds to it just as Richard Cranium does his but that Hale Bopp gave it to us on a silver platter, as did Richard Cranium is simply priceless.
Will have something soon for the 'Integrity' thread we hope you and others enjoy.


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Hexactinellid sponges are sponges with a skeleton made of four- and/or six-pointed silaceous spicules, often referred to as glass sponges. They are usually classified along with other sponges, but some researchers consider them sufficiently distinct to deserve their own phylum, Symplasma.
This page was last changed on 4 February 2014, at 14:36.


All advertisers want to achieve the highest click-through rate possible from their Adwords campaigns. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box to get the best results, but there are many tips we can give for improving the situation. When you have a low click-through rate, you always end up spending more cash for traffic you receive.
So, it's critical for business owners and marketers to work hard when it comes to improving their outcomes. We're going to explain everything in layman's terms on this page to make your lives easier. Just don't forget that you can always employ the services of a specialist if you want a high rate as fast as possible.
Take some time to check your Adwords campaigns now and work out where you stand at the moment. You can then assess your rates again after making changes to see how they have improved or deteriorated.
The short answer is yes. As we have already mentioned, that figure can have a direct impact on the cost of your campaign. It also affects your Quality Score, and Google uses that to select the best ads for their audience. The Quality Score is a way for the company to work out which advertisers are offering the most relevant promotions. They take a look at the keywords you're targeting and the landing pages to which your ads link. You need the highest Quality Score possible to beat the competition and feature within lots of different results.
For the advertiser, a reasonable click-through rate means they are attracting a large number of users to their website.
WHAT IS A REASONABLE CLICK-THROUGH RATE?
Lots of people ask this question, and it's one of the hardest to answer. There are so many different factors at play that it's difficult to offer accurate information. It all comes down to the type of campaign and keywords. Various click-through rates are achievable, but it depends on what you're trying to sell. For instance, some keywords are much more competitive than others. So, you'll never get the same rates as you would with others. There are just too many other advertisers out there fighting for the same space. It isn't an exact science, and so marketers simply need to focus on making improvements.
In an attempt to give you some idea of the rates it's possible to achieve, left this section, you will find a list of averages that might come in handy.
While different companies will reach varying levels, those averages should help you to obtain a better insight. If your click-through rate ever runs higher than 3%, you're doing well. Of course, you still need to leave the ads for long enough to make an educated assessment. We recommend that you wait until they have appeared at least one-thousand times before checking the rate. That should give you an accurate perception of the situation.
IS A HIGH CLICK-THROUGH RATE EVER A BAD THING?
Although most people work hard to encourage lots of clicks, it's not always the best thing for your business. In some instances, it could mean you spend a lot of money and get less than appealing results. That happens if you're targeting non-pertinent keywords that aren't going to generate sales. For example, let's presume you run a company that sells writing materials. Your ideal keywords are things like "stationary" and "pens." However, you might push your ads to search queries like "back to school" or something similar. You might get thousands of clicks, but many of those people aren't looking to buy your products.
Essentially, that means you're not driving the best traffic to your domain. However, you still have to pay every time someone clicks your advertisement. It all comes down to maintaining a healthy conversion rate. That's the number of people who buy from your site after clicking the ad. If you have low conversions, it probably means your keywords are too broad. In that instance, you should try to refine them without lowering your click-through rate too much.
With that in mind, you don't always need high click-through rates for all keywords. Even so, you should try to boost your rates for words that are relevant and affordable.
WHAT ARE THE BEST TIPS FOR ACHIEVING HIGH CLICK-THROUGH RATES?
There are many methods and techniques marketers use to improve click-through rates. For that reason, it's important that advertisers try to use many different ideas when Optimising their results.
Grouping the most similar keywords together should mean you target a tighter audience. You put ads in front of the people most likely to click, and so your results improve. When you attempt to reach a broader spectrum, the people viewing your ads will become further away from your target market.
When you make changes to your approach, it's crucial that you assess the results. So, check back in a couple of days and see how your rates have changed. When it finds a technique that works, you should continue to use it. You can then get rid of any changes that resulted in lower rates.
You should always look for the best and most popular keywords for all your ads. Sometimes the most efficient way of doing that involves watching your competitors. Take a look online and work out which companies are competing with you for ad space at the moment. Assess their strategy, and see if you can find anything you've overlooked.
If you run any ads that get a poor click-through rate after performing alterations, you should go back to the drawing board. It's vital that all advertisers get used to trying out new ideas, but they still have to know when it's time to call it a day. Don't throw your money away when you're not getting enough conversions to cover the cost of the ad campaign. People who struggle most should probably outsource the task to experts. Professionals can make all the improvements and get much better results than those without experience. It all comes down to how much time you can spare, and how much cash you can afford to invest.


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text:
salt-box (n.)
also saltbox, 1610s, "receptacle for keeping salt for domestic use," from salt (n.) + box (n.). As a type of frame house with two stories in front, one in back, 1876, so called from resemblance of shape.
Entries linking to salt-box
salt (n.)
Old English sealt "salt, sodium chloride, abundant substance essential to life, used as a condiment and meat preservative," from Proto-Germanic *saltom (source also of Old Saxon, Old Norse, Old Frisian, Gothic salt, Dutch zout, German Salz), from PIE root *sal- "salt."
Applied from early 14c. to various substances resembling common salt. Modern chemistry sense "compound of an acid radical with a base radical" is from 1790; as an ultimate element in alchemy from 1580s. Meaning "experienced sailor" is attested by 1840 (Dana), probably a reference to the salinity of the sea. By 1570s as "that which gives piquancy to discourse or writing or liveliness to a person's character."
Salt long was regarded as having power to repel spiritual and magical evil. Many metaphoric uses reflect that this was once a rare and important resource, such as worth one's salt "efficient, capable" (1830), salt of the earth "persons of worthiness" (Old English, after Matthew v.13). Belief that spilling salt brings bad luck is attested from 16c. To be above (or below) the salt (1590s) refers to customs of seating at a long table according to rank or honor, and placing a large salt-cellar in the middle of the dining table.
Salt-shaker is from 1882. Salt-and-pepper (adj.) "of dark and light color" is by 1915 (pepper-and-salt, 1774, was an old name for a kind of cloth made from dark and light colored wools woven together). To take something with a grain of salt "accept with a certain amount of reserve" is from 1640s, from Modern Latin cum grano salis. The notion is perhaps "modification," hence "allowance, abatement, reserve."
box (n.1)
"rectangular wooden container," usually with a lid, Old English box, also the name of a type of shrub, from Late Latin buxis, from Greek pyxis "boxwood," pyxion "writing table, box," made of boxwood, from pyxos "box tree," which is of uncertain origin. Beekes suggests a loan-word from Italy, as that is where the tree is native. Dutch bus, German Büchse "box; barrel of a gun," also are Latin loan-words.
The meaning "compartment at a theater" is from c. 1600 (box seat in the theatrical sense is by 1850). The meaning "pigeon-hole at a post office" is from 1832. The meaning "television" is from 1950 (earlier "gramophone player," 1924). The meaning "station of a player in baseball" is from 1881. The graphics sense of "space enclosed within borders and rules" is from 1929. The slang meaning "vulva" is attested 17c., according to "Dictionary of American Slang;" modern use seems to date from c. World War II, perhaps originally Australian, on the notion of box of tricks. Box lunch (n.) is attested from 1899. The box set "multiple-album, CD or cassette issue of the work of an artist" is attested by 1955. To think or act outside the box "contrary to convention" is attested by 1994.
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Etymology of salt-box by etymonline
Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of salt-box. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/salt-box
Harper Douglas, "Etymology of salt-box," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/salt-box.
Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of salt-box." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/salt-box. Accessed $(datetimeMla).
D. Harper. "Etymology of salt-box." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/salt-box (accessed $(datetime)).
Dictionary entries near salt-box
salt river
saltatorial
salt-box
salt-cellar
saltiness
saltire


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Music Review: Bring Me The Horizon: "Sempiternal"
I was pretty excited to hear this album, after really only being introduced to them last year in my quest to broaden my music listening horizon. What I loved about this band is that they were fearless in combining brutal metalcore with some really progressive electronics, really setting them apart from other bands. Their album, "There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It a Secret" was brilliant, bordering on insane. With that being said, I've listened to "Sempiternal" about three times in a row, uninterrupted, and I can't tell if I like it. I can't tell if its a step back, or a huge step forward. The composition is brilliant as per usual, the music as well, however if the brutal edge was what drew you to this band, this album lacks that element. Some of the songs almost mirror 30 seconds to Mars….I'm not joking. Not that it's a bad thing, its just not what you would expect. You can hear what I mean in "Sleepwalkers". There are even songs where they sound just like Linkin Park. If you were to play me "Go To Hell For Heaven's Sake" without me knowing who it was, I'd probably guess it was a new Linkin Park song. I won't say the album is terrible because its far from that. It's just not something I'd probably seek out. Definitely worth a listen to.
I'm interested in hearing peoples thoughts/comments on this album. Feel free!
Bring me the horizon, epitaph, music, sempiternal, Super Sweet Shirts, supersweetshirts.com
New Mad Max Shirt!
New Steve Martin Shirt


Natalie Hayes from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service explained to us the benefits people get from attending the fire fighting workshop. These include increased confidence, team building and communication skills.
Good communication is one of the main requirements a Fire Fighter needs, so the training starts and then builds from there.
It was obvious everyone really got a lot out of the day - It looked like great fun and it brought everyone together. Natalie thought our group had done really well. They'd motivated and supported each other and worked well as a team. Infact, she thought some of them were naturals and could potentially be Fire Fighters of the future - she'd be very happy to provide a reference.


Our faith is not to be in something Jesus has done, but in Jesus himself, the Savior of the world.
But what does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ?
Apparently, Jesus—the one in whom we are to have faith—thinks that having faith in him is listening to and obeying what he has to say.
Now I know we shouldn't have to corroborate the words of Jesus. He is, after all, the Lord and Creator of everything and everyone.
But since Christians today seem to prefer other voices than that of the great Shepherd of the Sheep himself—Jesus doesn't always seem to grasp or agree with our ideas about faith alone—let me point out that the writer of Hebrews entirely concurs with Jesus.
So Jesus is concerned about obedience. To Jesus, faith is obedience.
But what does he want us to obey?
Both passages from Matthew (above) are part of the Sermon on the Mount. Chapters five, six, and seven of the Gospel of Matthew are about the most concise description of how God wants you to live that you could ever hope for.
You could spend the rest of your life living out those three chapters and learning what they mean by obedience to them.
And according to Jesus, you'd be wise if you did.
This entry was posted in Gospel, Holiness, Modern Doctrines and tagged faith, Jesus Christ, obedience, salvation, sermon on the mount. Bookmark the permalink.
Thanks, Shammah. I can amen your response. More specifically, I agree with your number 1, need to go back to your article on "apostolic teaching" from number 2, and I really, REALLY agree with your number 3! In fact, I struggle myself with how to live out His teaching on the kingdom of God, and, even more, how to communicate it to my children…especially in light of what seems to me to be the central teaching of Jesus. I'd like to talk more with you about this.
Hi Shammah! Just yesterday I was trying to come up with a statement of faith of sorts, when I felt like I just wanted to park my statement at those very three chapters. Not that there aren't other very important teachings by and/or about Jesus, but these seem to be the ones that can cause just about any believer to stop short and see our desperate need for Jesus abiding strength.
I'd like to hear more about how these chapters have shaped you and the rest of the believers at Rose Creek Village.
Hey, Java. Really good to hear from you!
It would be hard to describe the influence of the Sermon on the Mount on us. Most of the teachings there are really well known, so even without purposely going after those commands, we have to deal with them. For example, the "golden rule" is there. The commands not even to look at a woman with lust and not to be angry with your brother without cause are there. The command to turn the other cheek is there, and to give your shirt in addition if someone sues you for your coat.
How well we've been shaped by such commands will have to be for God to decide. We know those commands, and we don't excuse ourselves from them. I would hope than anyone who visits us would find us honest ("Let your yes by yes"), seeking first the kingdom of God, and willing to put others first ("Do to others …"). I hope that we would be found merciful, poor in spirit, pure, and peacemakers, and we have definitely had opportunity to leap for joy when we've been slandered for righteousness' sake.
Such commands and teachings are everything for us. That doesn't make us unique. Those passages I referenced are famous because Christians in general talk about them. I've definitely met people, both here and elsewhere, who live those teachings well. May God grant me grace to be found an imitator of such.
1. The city set on a hill: We don't combine our little lights into one big light on a hill.
2. The fullness of the Law: We've completely forgotten apostolic teaching on that matter, both Sabbatarians and non-Sabbatarians alike.
I would add that the command not to resist an evil man is not very popular in most churches, and it is usually explained away. Mind you, I would stop a violent crime–to someone else–if I could because I believe not doing so is not love, but we're supposed to give to thieves, I believe, not karate chop them or kick them in the groin.


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'Cheap fakes': Viral videos keep clipping Biden's words out of context
Pundits
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President Joe Biden speaks about prescription drug costs at the Daniel Technology Center of Germanna Community College on Feb. 10, 2022, in Culpeper, Virginia. (AP)
By Bill McCarthy February 14, 2022
Opponents of President Joe Biden have repeatedly circulated videos that cut his comments short or take his words out of context to leave a misleading impression.
PolitiFact has fact-checked several viral clips in that mold since Biden took office, including videos that have been snipped down to as little as 3 seconds of content.
The tactic, which the Trump campaign employed ahead of the 2020 election, fuels the narrative that Biden is senile and incompetent, experts said.
Experts who study misinformation recommend that people who come across potentially out-of-context videos should check on the source, seek out the full context, and consider whether the clips seem designed to provoke a strong emotional reaction.
In an October 2020 campaign speech in Georgia, just days before the election that sent him to the White House, candidate Joe Biden used a quote from Pope Francis.
The quote came from a letter the pope had sent to Roman Catholic bishops, in which he urged world leaders to "ask ourselves, 'Why I am doing this? What is my real aim?'"
On social media, former President Donald Trump's campaign seized on the moment to turn it against Biden and cast him as confused and senile — a narrative Trump and his allies had been pushing for months. With a tweet clipping Biden's speech down to just 7 seconds of video, the campaign made it look like Biden was speaking for himself, rather than quoting the letter.
"Joe Biden: 'Why am I doing this? Why? What is my real aim?" the Trump War Room account said in the Oct. 27 tweet. PolitiFact rated the tweet False.
A misleading Trump campaign tweet clipped Biden's comments quoting Pope Francis short to portray him as confused in October 2020.
Such strategic video cuts were a favorite tactic of Trump's campaign and supporters. Another time, the campaign shared a chopped-down clip that appeared to show Biden saying he was running for Senate; in context, he was actually talking about running for office as a Democrat throughout his career, including as a U.S. senator.
The deceptive video editing turned out to be just a preview of what was to come as Biden took over the White House. The attacks continued during the transition and throughout Biden's first year.
Social media users, conservative influencers and outlets, and groups like the Republican National Committee have repeatedly targeted the 79-year-old president by spreading truncated, out-of-context clips that distorted the meaning of his words.
"These clips draw on a common trope about President Biden that's popular among his detractors: He's old, bumbling and senile, meaning he's incompetent and incapable of doing this job," said Rebekah Tromble, the director of the Institute for Data, Democracy, and Politics at George Washington University.
Opponents of Biden have shared videos that take his words out of context.
The tactic is what experts who study misinformation and media manipulation call a "cheap fake," said Claire Wardle, co-founder and executive director of First Draft, a nonprofit organization that works to protect against harmful disinformation and misinformation.
"It's the weaponization of context," Wardle said. "It's genuine content, but the context changes via minor edits. Anyone can be vulnerable with the right edit."
Anyone can be vulnerable to falling for those edits, too. Experts cautioned that Americans surfing social media or watching cable news should be wary of clips that are cut really short, presented with no clear context, and aimed at triggering an emotional reaction.
An affordable form of misinformation
Combining false information with kernels of truth has been a powerful form of propaganda for decades, said Inga Kristina Trauthig, the research manager and a senior research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin's Center for Media Engagement.
And it has only expanded in the digital age.
But unlike more sophisticated "deep fakes" that use complex technology to swap someone's face, clone their voice or synchronize their lips to a different audio track, the cheap fakes are easy to produce. Amateurs with basic software can make edits that slow a video down, speed it up, cut it into snippets, insert or remove details, or present it in a false context.
"It's essentially free," Wardle told PolitiFact. "And if someone says 'that's fake,' they can say, 'No, this is from an actual event.'"
One such trend in recent years saw social media users slow down footage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to leave the false impression that she was drunkenly slurring her words.
Biden detractors use tactic to reinforce narratives
As Trump's team criticized Biden during the campaign as too old, bumbling and out of touch — a man who wouldn't leave his basement, had grown senile, and didn't know what he was talking about — Biden became a main target of deceptive edits that sought to reinforce that narrative.
Those efforts continued even after the campaign ended. Days before Biden was sworn in, Donald Trump Jr. shared an altered video on Twitter that purported to show Biden looking confused about where to go after an event ended. The video received millions of views, but it showed only 19 seconds of footage from the event, and it zoomed in on Biden. The result: Viewers did not see that Biden was actually waiting for others to leave the stage before him.
Many other videos have been similarly edited, shortened to present his words out of context:
Right-wing influencers including Steven Crowder shared an abbreviated, out-of-context clip they claimed showed Biden saying the N-word. In context, Biden was stumbling over his words as he said he was "eager to hear" from other world leaders at a conference.
Newsmax host Grant Stinchfield aired a shortened clip that appeared to show Biden saying the U.S. is "doomed" because of African Americans. In context, Biden was saying that "if we cannot make significant progress on racial equity, this country is doomed."
A TikTok video supposedly showed Biden telling people that getting vaccinated would protect them against hurricanes. In context, Biden was saying that people living in hurricane-prone states should get vaccinated so that they wouldn't have to worry about contracting COVID-19 if they had to evacuate and stay in a shelter with other people.
A conservative super PAC and other right-leaning websites shared an 8-second video to suggest that Biden accidentally read the words "end of quote" off of his teleprompter. In context, Biden was quoting a statement from Walmart's CEO celebrating partnerships between private corporations and the government. Biden started with, "And I quote."
A video shared by conservative websites like Townhall cut Biden off mid-sentence to make it look like he said high gas prices were a matter of Americans "paying their fair share." In context, Biden was talking about lowering prices. The shortened video cut out what he said next — that "paying their fair share" meant "not being gouged for gas."
An ad from Trump's Save America PAC blasted Biden's coronavirus response by airing a clip of him saying, "Look, there's no federal solution." In context, Biden was talking about working together with the states. He was responding over a conference call to Arkansas' Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who encouraged Biden during a discussion about COVID-19 rapid tests to "make sure that we do not let federal solutions stand in the way of state solutions."
The RNC tweeted a video that cut off Biden mid-sentence to give the impression that he said taking questions from reporters is "inappropriate." In context, Biden was saying he did not want to field questions about his pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer after an event honoring Breyer, because Breyer was in the room and is "still sitting on the bench." Biden said he would take questions later that day and week.
"It is hard to objectively assess if a person, especially someone as high profile as the president, is aloof or not," Trauthig said of the misleading clips. "It is easy, however, to manipulate media content which delivers a clear picture in one direction."
The White House declined to comment for this story.
It's not just Biden who has been targeted during this period. Other members of the Biden White House have had the meaning of their words distorted in videos that went viral. They include Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser, and Jen Psaki, the press secretary.
But the videos that take Biden out of context are especially effective, Tromble said, because they build on Biden's reputation, dating back to his days as a senator, for being gaffe-prone.
Biden made a number of verbal blunders on the campaign trail. That has continued since, such as when he stumbled in his description of Satchel Paige as a great baseball pitcher in the Negro leagues, prompting critics to say he called Paige a "negro."
Biden grew up stuttering. That his stutter remains unknown to many Americans "makes it easy for his opponents to create fake but convincing clips of President Biden," Tromble said.
The clips also resonate with the perception among some voters that Washington politicians are detached, and they also fit in with the image some Trump voters have carved out for Biden as the weak, fragile counterpart to Trump's combativeness, experts said.
Experts who study misinformation recommend that when people come across clips of public figures from either political party that have been trimmed — and especially when the clips going viral are only a few seconds long — they should consider the source of the information and look for the full context. Biden's remarks are typically televised and transcribed on the White House's website.
"I always caution people to pause for a second whenever they encounter media that evokes strong emotional reactions," Tromble added. "We need to take a breath and ask ourselves, 'Is there a reason this makes me feel so upset? Is this designed to rile me up?'"
Harvard Kennedy School Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, "The Media Manipulation Casebook: Cheap Fake," accessed Feb. 11, 2022
USA Today, "Fact check: Biden was quoting Walmart US CEO when he said 'end of quote' during speech," Dec. 6, 2021
Slate, "Beware the Cheapfakes," June 12, 2019
PolitiFact, "In context: What Jen Psaki said about 'soft-on-crime consequences,'" Feb. 1, 2022
PolitiFact, "Deceptive RNC edit takes Biden's words on taking Supreme Court questions out of context," Jan. 28, 2022
PolitiFact, "Biden's 'no federal solution' clip doesn't save Trump PAC's attack on Biden and COVID-19 plan," Jan. 5, 2022
PolitiFact, "Video of child giving Biden vial of blood to drink is doctored," Dec. 17, 2021
PolitiFact, "In context: Joe Biden's 'fair share' comments on gas prices," Dec. 9, 2021
PolitiFact, "In Context: Joe Biden's 'Negro' reference to baseball player Satchel Paige," Nov. 12, 2021
PolitiFact, "Video takes Biden out of context on the role vaccines play in hurricane preparedness," Sept. 17, 2021
PolitiFact, "No, Biden didn't say this country is doomed because of African Americans," April 23, 2021
PolitiFact, "Joe Biden stumbled over his words in a recent speech," Feb. 26, 2021
PolitiFact, "Donald Trump Jr. tweets altered video of Joe Biden event," Jan. 18, 2021
PolitiFact, "Newsmax host recycles out-of-context clip in call for Joe Biden's impeachment," Jan. 12, 2021
PolitiFact, "Biden was quoting Pope Francis, not expressing confusion about his campaign," Oct. 27, 2020
PolitiFact, "Trump campaign ad takes Biden out of context three times on taxes," Oct. 21, 2020
PolitiFact, "Facebook video edits Joe Biden's comments on running for Senate, president," Oct. 14, 2020
PolitiFact, "Biden's verbal blunders: Separating the real from the fake," Oct. 5, 2020
PolitiFact, "Biden isn't in the basement, but the Trump campaign keeps saying so," Oct. 4, 2020
PolitiFact, "Geriatrics experts say Brit Hume's claim that Joe Biden is 'senile' is wrong," Oct. 1, 2020
PolitiFact, "Why false claims about Nancy Pelosi being drunk keep going viral — even though she doesn't drink," Aug. 3, 2020
PolitiFact, "Viral video of Nancy Pelosi slowed down her speech," May 24, 2019
PolitiFact, "Fact-checking distorted video Sarah Sanders used to bar a CNN White House reporter," Nov. 8, 2018
Email interview with Claire Wardle, co-founder and executive director of First Draft, Feb. 9, 2022
Email interview with Rebekah Tromble, associate professor of media and public affairs and the director of the Institute for Data, Democracy, and Politics at George Washington University, Feb. 9, 2022
Email interview with Inga Kristina Trauthig, research manager and senior research fellow at the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, Feb. 9, 2022.
stated on January 26, 2023 in a video:
The amount the U.S. has spent in Ukraine is "double the U.S. expenditure for its own war in Afghanistan."
A photo shows "Barack Obama dressed up as Baphomet (Lucifer)."
stated on January 9, 2023 in a Facebook post:
President Joe Biden signed an executive order "making health insurance free for qualifying Americans."
"Scientists warn eggs are causing thousands of people to 'suddenly' form blood clots."
Hospital photo of Damar Hamlin proves "he's a corpse."
stated on January 25, 2023 in a tweet:
"Two years ago this week, 18 million people were out of work needing unemployment benefits. Today, that number is under 1.6 million, the lowest in decades."
By Louis Jacobson • January 27, 2023
"The average American has anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds" of stool stuck in their gut.
By Madison Czopek • January 27, 2023
stated on January 9, 2023 in a video shared on Instagram:
"The World Health Organization has been working since 1974 on vaccines to create permanent sterility."
The Transportation Security Administration spent "a couple hundred million dollars" on gender-neutral screening technology.
By Gabrielle Settles • January 27, 2023
Video shows hecklers shouting profanities at President Joe Biden.


Vast amounts of sensitive financial data pass through the World Wide Web every second. This data is secured by an intrinsic set of encryption methods, many of which have been developed by pioneer cryptographer Peter Landrock from Denmark.
Today, more than 103 million bank clients in Europe use internet banking to manage their finances without having to leave the comfort of their own homes.
Securing this sensitive financial information is a priority, especially with the rising threat from computer hackers.
Many of today's most trusted data encryption methods bear the mark of renowned cryptographer Peter Landrock from Aarhus, Denmark. A recognised pioneer in the field of cryptography, Landrock also founded one of the first companies - Cryptomathic - to make a commercial success of selling encryption codes in 1986.
The 61-year-old has dedicated a lifetime of research to encryption methods and codes. Before graduating with a PhD in mathematics from the University of Chicago in 1974, he had become fascinated with codes and code-breaking.
At the University of Aarhus, Landrock witnessed the unfolding of the computer revolution. Realising the commercial potential of computer codes in a digitally connected world, Landrock founded Cryptomathic in 1986 with fellow cryptographers Ivan Damgård and Jørgen Brandt.
Cryptomathic's first customers were financial institutions in need of digital methods to ensure authenticity of financial documents and to protect bank information. Landrock developed mathematical algorithms that became fundamental to modern digital cryptography, including the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC).
In 1993, Cryptomathic released the world's first nationwide office and home banking system, TeleSeC, for the Danish Savings Bank. Cryptomathic now supplies encryption solutions to Europe's leading bank institutions, as well as major credit-card vendors Visa and MasterCard. Cryptomathic employs 70 people; revenues are a company secret.
Peter Landrock has lectured at more than 150 universities and served as President of the International Association for Cryptologic Research from 1992 to 1995. His inventions have helped secure electronic voting systems and electronic passport solutions. He is the President of Cryptomathic and teaches cryptographic theory at the Department of Mathematics at Aarhus University.


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This article was published on April 3, 2014
Gracenote brings Deezer's arsenal of music into the metadata mix
Paul Sawers
Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014. Follow Paul on Twitter: @psawers or check h (show all) Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014. Follow Paul on Twitter: @psawers or check him out on Google+.
Media metadata company Gracenote has announced that it's adding Deezer song IDs to its database, so third-party developers can build Deezer-based apps using data from Gracenote's Rhythm and MusicID APIs.
Back in January, we reported on the company's new Rhythm API, a platform for developers to access a new set of music suggestion algorithms, which can then be weaved into apps and services that offer radio stations, or infinite playlists based on a specific artist, album, track or genre. MusicID, on the other hand, is a Shazam-esque tool for recognizing music that's playing in the background.
Gracenote says it will preview the Deezer integration during Music Hack Day Paris later this week, which is hosted at Deezer's headquarters. Developers will be able to tap Gracenote's data to create applications that help Deezer subscribers dive into genres and find new artists and songs. The integration basically ties together Gracenote's vast streams of data with Deezer's arsenal of tunes, leaving the rest up to the creativity of the coders.
Mark your calendar for June 16 & 17!
Tickets to TNW 2022 are available now!
Related read: Ads tailored for each viewer? Gracenote prepares to transform TV advertising
Published April 3, 2014 - 8:00 pm UTC


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My latest Viewpoint, "Corporate funding of food and nutrition research: science or marketing," was published yesterday in JAMA Internal Medicine 2016;176 (1):13-14. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.6667.
The longstanding influence of food industry funding on nutrition research, researchers, and professional societies1 threatens the credibility of nutrition science. So much research is sponsored by industry that health professionals and the public may lose confidence in basic dietary advice. Although most journals now require authors to disclose who pays for their work, disclosure—even done diligently—is not sufficient to alert readers to the extent to which industry funding influences research results and professional opinion. As is well established from experimental and observational research, drug company gifts and grants can have substantial effects. To recipients, however, these effects are almost always unconscious, unintentional, and unrecognized, making them especially difficult to prevent.
Medical schools and medical journals have increased efforts to minimize and manage conflicts of interest with industry. But from my observations, nutrition researchers, journals, and professional societies, like medical researchers, often fail to realize that food-industry funding may affect their work and its credibility.
Two recent investigative articles in the New York Times illustrate the concerns about biases introduced by industry funding. The first3 described the support by Coca-Cola of academic researchers who founded a new organization, the Global Energy Balance Network, to promote physical activity as a more effective method than calorie control (eg, from avoiding sugary sodas) for preventing obesity. The second4 analyzed emails obtained through open-records requests to document how Monsanto, the multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation, on the one hand, and the organic food industry, on the other, recruited professors to lobby, write, and testify to Congress on their behalf.
Between March and October 2015, I identified 76 industry-funded studies. Of these, 70 reported results favorable to the sponsor's interest. Despite ongoing requests to readers of my blog to help me identify funded studies reporting results contrary to a funder's interest, I have found only 6. [Note: Since writing this, the score has gone to 90:9.] This discrepancy is consistent with the results of systematic investigations of industry sponsorship, such as one on the role of sugar-sweetened beverages in obesity.8 In general, independently funded studies find correlations between sugary drinks and poor health, whereas those supported by the soda industry do not.9 In the studies I collected, companies or trade associations promoting soft drinks, dairy foods, eggs, breakfast cereals, pork, beef, soy products, dietary supplements, juices, cranberries, nuts, and chocolates supported the study itself, the investigators, or both. These studies all found significant health benefits or lack of harm from consuming the foods investigated, results that can be useful for deflecting criticism of a company or promoting its products.
Mars Inc, for example, the maker of chocolate candies such as M&Ms, funds studies on the effects of cocoa flavanols on arterial function and blood pressure. One such study, published in September 2015,10(p1246)concluded that these compounds "improved accredited cardiovascular surrogates of cardiovascular risk, demonstrating that dietary flavanols have the potential to maintain cardiovascular health even in low-risk subjects." The study investigators,10 one of whom is employed by Mars, followed well-established scientific protocols in conducting the research. Science is not the issue here. Marketing is the issue. The question is why Mars would fund a study like this and assign one of its employees to help design and write it. In this instance, the answer is obvious. Mars issued a press release "Cocoa flavanols lower blood pressure and increase blood vessel function in healthy people," and noted these results in a full-page advertisement in the New York Times on September 27, 2015, Neither the press release nor advertisement explained that cocoa flavanols are largely destroyed during all but the most careful processing of chocolate, nor did they mention chocolate at all. They didn't have to. Uncritical readers are likely to interpret the statements as evidence that chocolate is good for them and that its sugar and calories can be ignored.
The second New York Times article4 raised more insidious concerns about industry involvement with scientists, using Monsanto and organic food companies as cases in point. Although both industries recruit scientists to speak on their behalf, Monsanto has far greater resources. In 1994, I was a member of the Food Advisory Committee to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when that agency approved genetically modified (GM) foods. I observed how Monsanto-funded scientists convinced the FDA that labeling GM foods would be misleading.
Confronted with increasing public support for labeling foods that are produced with GM ingredients, the biotechnology industry supported—and the House of Representatives passed—H.R. 1599 in July 2015. This bill, expected to be considered by the Senate before the end of 2015, has the Orwellian title, "The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act," but some critics call it the "Denying Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act." Proposed by Representative Mike Pompeo (Kansas) on the basis that GM foods are safe and, therefore, acceptable, the act would block states from enacting labeling laws (as Vermont has already done) and permit GM foods to be labeled as "natural." Opponents question the safety of GM foods. But they also raise additional reasons for full transparency in labeling—patents, control of seed stocks, the widespread application of chemical herbicides to GM crops, and the increasingly widespread resistance of weeds to those herbicides. When evaluating conflicting scientific and policy arguments about GM foods, it is useful to know who funds the researchers and their studies.
Should nutrition researchers and professional societies accept funding from food companies? Not without careful thinking. It's time that food and nutrition researchers and societies recognize the influence of food-industry sponsorship, take steps to control its effects, and ensure that sponsored studies promote public health, not the marketing of food products. Journal editors should ensure that editors and members of editorial boards are free of industry conflicts, require peer reviewers to note food-industry funding in manuscript evaluations, and be wary of accepting industry-funded publications with evident commercial implications. If food companies and trade associations want to fund research, they should consider pooling resources and setting up an independent foundation to administer the grants. Everyone involved in this system should be doing everything possible to advocate for more research funds from federal granting agencies. Nothing less than the credibility of nutrition research and advice is at stake.
1 Nestle M. Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health.3rd ed. Berkeley: University of California Press; 2013.
2 Lo B, Field MJ, eds. Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education, and Practice. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2009.
3 O'Connor A. Coca-Cola funds scientists who shift blame for obesity away from bad diets. New York Times. August 9, 2015. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/coca-cola-funds-scientists-who-shift-blame-for-obesity-away-from-bad-diets/?_r=0. Accessed October 22, 2015.
4 Lipton E. Food industry enlisted academics in G.M.O. lobbying war, emails show. New York Times. September 5, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/us/food-industry-enlisted-academics-in-gmo-lobbying-war-emails-show.html. Accessed October 22, 2015.
5 Simon M. Nutrition scientists on the take from Big Food: has the American Society for Nutrition lost all credibility? June 2015. http://www.eatdrinkpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/ASNReportFinal.pdf. Accessed October 22, 2015.
6 Toole AA, Kuchler F. Improving health through nutrition research: an overview of the U.S. nutrition research system. Econ Res Rep No. 182. January 2015.http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1760111/err-182.pdf. Accessed October 27, 2015.
7 Nestle M. Food Politics blog. https://foodpolitics.com. Accessed October 27, 2015.
Corresponding Author: Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, New York University, 411 Lafayette, Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10003-7035 (marion.nestle@nyu.edu).
Published Online: November 23, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.6667.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Nestle's salary from New York University supports her research, manuscript preparation, website, and blog at https://foodpolitics.com. She also earns royalties from books and honoraria from lectures to university and health professional groups about matters relevant to this Viewpoint.