Monthly Archives: August 2017

Opinion: This technology shift opens up new possibilities for iPhones, Androids and virtual reality – MarketWatch

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New camera and image-processing technology promises to change how smartphones and virtual-reality headsets see the world.

Apples AAPL, -0.40% upcoming iPhone 8 is widely expected to have facial-recognition and iris-detection abilities, raising fears that Android phones would fall behind in a key technological area.

Now Qualcomm QCOM, -1.04% the dominant chipset, processor, and wireless connectivity provider for Android-based devices, has released information about an updated set of Spectra image processors that will enable similar capabilities in Android phones, tablets and VR headsets later this year.

How a smartphone senses the physical world impacts the ability to include security features in the device, add realism to gaming and augmented reality, and open up markets for new uses that dont yet exist. This capability comes from depth sensing, an ability for the device to passively or actively locate itself in the physical world while measuring the spaces and items around it.

Depth sensing isnt new to smartphones and tablets, first seeing significant use in Googles GOOG, +0.51% GOOGL, +0.66% Project Tango and Intels INTC, -0.53% RealSense technology. Tango uses a laser-based implementation but requires a bulky lens on the rear of the device. Intel RealSense used a pair of cameras and calculated depth based on parallax mapping between them, just as the human eye works.

Devices like the iPhone 7 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S8 offer faux depth perception for features like portrait photo modes. In reality, they only emulate the ability to sense depth by use different-range camera lenses and dont provide true depth-mapping capability.

The market for depth-sensing capability will grow significantly with the buzz Apple inevitably creates with its new iPhone, and Qualcomm can ride that wave of interest into Android devices from the numerous phone vendors eager to compete, including Samsung 005930, +2.67% HTC 2498, -0.79% and LG Electronics 066570, +0.41%

For consumers, this means more advanced security and advanced features on mobile devices. Face detection that combines the standard camera input along with infrared (IR) depth sensing will allow for incredibly accurate and secure authentication. Qualcomm claims the accuracy level is enough to prevent photos and even 3-D models of faces from unlocking a device thanks to interactions of human skin and eyes with IR light.

It also will be possible to have 3-D reconstruction of physical objects with active depth sensing, allowing gamers to bring real items into virtual worlds. Designers will be able to accurately measure physical spaces that they can look through in full 3-D. Virtual reality and augmented reality will benefit from the increased accuracy of its localization and mapping algorithms, giving systems like Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream a better sense of where the user is in physical space.

Entry-level phones that today dont have any depth-sensing capability will have integrations that open up new features. Low-cost phones will have the ability to integrate image quality enhancements like blurred bokeh (portrait mode) and basic mixed or augmented reality, previously only available on flagship devices at much higher prices.

The more advanced, and costly, integration for depth sensing uses infrared projects and cameras to more accurately measure spaces. This increased resolution opens up more areas for development and innovation.

Qualcomm is going to accelerate adoption of this higher performance depth sensing technology by offering pre-built and pre-optimized modules that phone vendors can simply chose from a menu of options. This decreases costs and time to market, and should lead to a greater level of adoption than previous next-generation technologies in the Android market.

Though Apple is letting developers build applications and integrations with current hardware, it will likely build its own co-processor to handle the compute workloads that come from active depth sensing to help offset power consumption concerns from using a general-purpose processor.

Early leaks indicate that Apple will focus its face-detection technology on a similar path as Qualcomm: security and convenience. By using depth-based facial recognition for both login and security (as a Touch ID replacement), users will have an alternative to fingerprints. That is good news for a device that is having problems moving to a fingerprint sensor design that uses the entire screen.

Now read: Apple might be a money maker, but its behind the curve on almost all of its products

Ryan Shrout is the founder and lead analyst at Shrout Research, and the owner of PC Perspective. Follow him on Twitter @ryanshrout.

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Opinion: This technology shift opens up new possibilities for iPhones, Androids and virtual reality - MarketWatch

The glow of technology has a dark side – Houston Chronicle

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Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff

The Night Shift feature in Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones and iPads filters out the display's blue light during hours the user specifies. The company says this can lead to better sleep.

The Night Shift feature in Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones and iPads filters out the display's blue light during hours the user specifies. The company says this can lead to better sleep.

The glow of technology has a dark side

The reason your smartphone, laptop, flat screen or any manner of electronic gadgetry keeps you up nights may not be what you think.

Obsessive surfing, scrolling and binge watching doesn't help. But the larger culprit is the bright blue glow cutting through the darkness and tricking the brain into thinking it is daytime, scientists have figured out in recent years.

Just how much all this personal technology messes with sleep was a question a team of University of Houston researchers set out two years ago to find out.

"We believed that blocking blue light would improve sleep quality and duration" said Lisa Ostrin, lead researcher and an assistant professor at the UH College of Optometry.

They weren't prepared for the magnitude of their finding.

Just by slapping on a pair of cheap orange sunglasses a few hours before bedtime while still using their regular devices, study participants' melatonin levels shot up by 58 percent. Melatonin is the hormone released by the pineal gland in the brain that signals it's time to sleep.

In addition, by simply shifting the visual hue from blue to orange (think sunset) the group reported drifting off earlier and more easily, plus staying asleep longer. Most added about a half-hour to their sleep total, one volunteer caught an extra hour and a half.

To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below.

For a nation where reportedly one in three are sleep deprived, that just might sound like heaven.

The UH project was completed in early 2016 and its findings were published in June in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics, the national medical journal of the college of optometrists.

Twenty-one volunteer participants, ages 18 to 40, pledged they would wear the tinted glasses - safety glasses bought at Walmart for about $10 - for two weeks during the hours leading up to bed. Most importantly they would continue usual routines of reading phones or tablets, watching television or working on computers while wearing the glasses.

They also wore specialized smart watches to bed to monitor sleep duration and patterns. While some similar studies have been conducted in sleep labs, Ostrin said she wanted hers to more closely replicate the way people live. Each night and again in the morning the participants underwent saliva swabs to measure melatonin levels.

"I've had poor sleep quality since I was a teenager," said Krista Beach, a 38-year-old post-doctoral student who signed up for the study. She said by wearing the glasses she was able to fall asleep earlier. Even now if she is worried about getting enough sleep before a big day she will grab the glasses.

"Yes, you look kind of funny," she admitted. The biggest cringe-worthy moment was when she showed up at a night performance at the Houston Shakespeare Festival sporting them. In the end she found herself getting sleepier earlier, which meant she slept more.

While it is now understood in scientific circles that there is a link between blue-wavelength light and sleep disruption, Ostrin said she wanted to objectively quantify it. She also wanted to explore the "how" behind this modern-day sleep-tech conundrum.

One of the answers lies in the recent discovery of a third sensory element in the eyes, beyond the more well-known rods and cones. Cones control the ability to distinguish colors, while rods are used for night vision, motion detection and peripheral vision.

The third sensor, called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, signals light changes. It is those sensors that send a message to the brain to start or stop the pineal gland. They have also been found to be the most sensitive to blue light.

"It is very unnatural to receive any blue light at night," explained Kaleb Abbott, one of the study co-authors.

So it stood to reason that exposure to blue light would disrupt the natural order of things.

The UH researchers pondered how they could reset the body's sleep clock.

"It's not like we're all going to turn off our computers and go to bed at 8 o'clock," Ostrin said.

One of the great ironies of unintended consequences is that just about the time one group of scientists was figuring out the third sensor in the retina that cued sleep, another group was paving the way for the tech explosion.

Although most personal device screens may appear white, they are usually illuminated with blue LED lights, which were found to be more energy efficient and easier to see.

A breakthrough to help people work better and longer also worsened their sleep, Ostrin said.

The tech world has jumped on the phenomenon lately, offering devices with night-time modes that switch to softer hues with longer wavelengths and a reddish tint. It is a shift the UH researchers predict is coming in the next tech wave.

One complaint, though, is some consumers say the nighttime modes make it harder to read so they give up.

That helps with sleep, too.

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The glow of technology has a dark side - Houston Chronicle

China’s making major progress with its aircraft carrier tech – Popular Science

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Though China launched its much-ballyhooed Type 001A aircraft carrier just a few months ago, the People's Liberation Army Navy is hardly resting on its laurels, instead making steady progress on technology for its second home-built carrier, the Type 002.

The Type 002 carrier, development for which is slated to wrap in 2020 or 2021, will be a 70,000-ton aircraft carrier with catapults designed to launch heavier aircraft.

And giant catapults aren't the only new tech in development. Pictured above, the CGT-60F is a heavy duty, F-class gas turbine (which typically have a power output of 170-230 megawatts) designed by Tsinghua University's Gas Turbine Research Center with the Dongfang Electric Group and Shanghai Electric Group.It's completely domestic design that exceeded expectations for cooling and temperature distributionvital factors for large turbines. As such, thestate-run China Daily suggested that the CGT-60F would be a suitable candidate to power a large warship, such as an aircraft carrier.

Additionally, the aircraft carrier mockup at Wuhan (which also hosted the electromagnetic test rig for the Type 055 destroyer)is modifying its island to include newelectronic systems.

Previously modeled after the Liaoning's older island, the changes include the installation of an additional bridge deck,and new, flat paneled Type 346x series AESA radarsjust like the Type 001A carrier, but with smaller AESA radars above the Type 346s.

The Type 002's island would likely have a similar multi-paneled radar system found on the Type 055 DDG's integrated mast. Those smaller AESA radars could be used for targeting and fire control, allowing the Type 002 to datalink with missiles launched from aircraft and other ships, extending their range.

China has alsocontinued catapult testing at the Huangdicun. Obsessives may recall that earlier this summer, China launched the catapult-capable J-15T from the land-based electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), as well as debuted new steam catapults.

By putting both the J-15T and catapultthrough extensive testing, the pilots and aircrew of the Type 002 carrier will be able tomove quickly toward complexoperations when launched.What's more, a J-15 (serial number "111") was spotted in early July 2017 with a inflight refueling pod, slung under the fuselage centerline, between the engine nacelles.This kind of refueling would expand the range and flight times of current fighters.

Additionally, the second prototype J-31 stealth fighter has made additional flights this summer, the most recent on July 25. This burst of activity gives credence to reports that Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the J-31's builders, is planning to create a third J-31 prototype with the capability to operate on catapult-equipped aircraft carriers.

The J-31, while smaller than the J-20 stealth fighter, has improved stealth and avionics capability on its second prototype. Plus, production versions are planned to be equipped with faster WS-17 engines, which could allow for supersonic flight without fuel-thirsty afterburners.Those putative J-31 fighters could prove to be stiff competitors in air combat with F-35C fighters of the U.S. Navy.

Looking beyond the Type 002, the Type 003 aircraft carrier could be a true supercarrier, with nuclear power and a 90,000-ton displacement. If official displays in China's military museum are any indication, the Type 003 would come with futuristic aircraft like stealthy drone bombers and sixth-generation fighters. It could also have enough electricity to power Chinese lasers and railguns currently under development.

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China's making major progress with its aircraft carrier tech - Popular Science

Progress, but no solution to Ireland’s Brexit problem – POLITICO.eu

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Demonstrators dressed as custom officials set up a mock customs checkpoint at the U.K.-Irish border crossing in Killeen to protest against the potential introduction of border checks after Brexit. The U.K. has issued a position paper saying it aims to avoid any border checks with Ireland | Paul Faith/AFP via Getty Images

The UK wants no checkpoints, no scanners, no cameras. But that means flexible and imaginative solutions will be needed.

By Charlie Cooper and Simon Marks

8/16/17, 8:00 PM CET

Updated 8/16/17, 8:02 PM CET

LONDON It was billed as the U.K.s solution to the intractable problem of the Northern Irish border.

To the Irish government, as well as businesses and traders on both sides of the Irish Sea, it looked like progress but far from a solution.

The position paper, the second of a series setting out more detail about the U.K.s Brexit stance, certainly told us things we did not already know.

The U.K. government has gone beyond its previous rhetoric of no hard border, and now says it wants to avoid any physical border infrastructure whatsoever. No checkpoints, no scanners, no cameras. The open border approach will apply to both people and goods moving across the 310-mile border.

In another positive sign for those farmers and manufacturers who want to maintain the current seamless, invisible frontier, the paper proposed harmonizing the U.K.s post-Brexit food standards with the EU. This could restrict the U.K.s room for maneuver in future free trade agreement talks with other countries who might demand a looser regime but the calculation appears to have been made in Westminster that it is worth it to keep a soft border in Ireland.

Irish businesses are not just worried about the land border, but about their east-west trade with the U.K.

There was also support, as anticipated, for residents of Northern Ireland, who can choose whether to be British citizens, Irish citizens, or both, keeping these rights and thus being able to claim EU citizenship even after Brexit. And the U.K. government signaled its intention to maintain the islands common energy market, which it said had helped reduce power prices as well as boosting renewables and security of supply.

The European Commission said Wednesday that it would carefully study the paper, though a spokesperson for the EUs executive cited an oft-repeated phrase from the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, that frictionless trade is not possible outside EU rules.

In Dublin, Simon Coveney, the Irish foreign minister, welcomed the principles of the position paper but said he was still lacking detailed answers on the border issues.

There is no straightforward solution to this. If there was we would have heard it by now. This is going to require a unique political solution, he told reporters at his departments office.

Precisely what the solution will be will depend on the future customs relationship the U.K. has with the EU. London offered two proposals on Tuesday, one of which could completely remove the need for a customs border in Ireland, but would require complex tracking of goods.

The other, to maintain a seamless border, would mean flexible and imaginative solutions. One of these, floated in the paper, would involve smaller regional traders, who make up more than 80 percent of the cross-border traffic, to be exempted from customs processes because they dont represent economically significant international trade. The paper also proposed a registration system for major traders so-called Authorized Economic Operators.

In either scenario, the Irish business lobby fears a major uptick in costly regulation unwanted extra red tape of the kind Brexiteers often denounce when it emanates from Brussels.

Irish businesses are not just worried about the land border, but about their east-west trade with the U.K. For the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec), the simplest and best solution would have been for the U.K. to remain in the EU customs union. London has ruled this out, and while Irish firms welcomed Tuesdays confirmation that the U.K. will seek a transition arrangement very similar to the customs union, there is still a sense of exasperation that the simplest solutions staying in the customs union and single market were never on the table.

U.K. Brexit policy continues to be dictated by domestic party political concerns, not rational economic considerations, said Danny McCoy, Ibecs CEO. We all stand to lose out as a result. A fundamental rethink of the U.K. position is needed if we are to avoid a significant economic hit to key sectors of the economy.

Labour MP Pat McFadden, a supporter of the cross-party, pro-EU, Open Britain campaign, agreed, saying the government was needlessly attempting to reinvent the wheel with its proposals to avoid a hard border.

In Northern Ireland, the position paper was warmly welcomed by the Conservatives Westminster allies, the Democratic Unionist Party, who said it contained many of their ideas.

We are pleased that the relationship between the DUP and the Conservative Party can be seen to bear fruit in many ways, including in the EU exit negotiations, said DUP MP Sammy Wilson, a member of the Brexit select committee in parliament.

Republican party Sinn Fin, with whom the DUP are yet to agree a deal on forming a new government in Belfast, were less enthusiastic.

The U.K. position demonstrated that Northern Ireland was a fleeting concern for the British government. We are collateral damage, said the partys northern leader, Michelle ONeill.

Kalina Oroschakoff contributed reporting.

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Progress, but no solution to Ireland's Brexit problem - POLITICO.eu

Mayor’s Lunch highlights county progress, future – Columbia Daily Herald

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By JAY POWELL jpowell@c-dh.net

Maury County experienced another year of growth, new milestones and a road ahead full of hope, tourism dollars and a community thats making an increasing mark on the nations map.

The annual Mayors Lunch sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance took place Tuesday with remarks from leaders of all Maury County factions, including County Mayor Charlie Norman, Columbia Mayor Dean Dickey, Mt. Pleasant Mayor Jim Bailey and Spring Hill Vice Mayor Bruce Hull.

Each speaker touched on the past years accomplishments, major investments and new businesses. Norman said Maury County has reached the attention of international investors, with companies like Italy-based Landmark Ceramics in Mt. Pleasant and Columbias Wiremasters, which last month announced plans to open two new facilities in Germany and Mexico.

Its an exciting time to be living in Maury County and my goal and hope is to make Maury County the best place in this state to live, to learn, to work and to raise a family, Norman said. Today the state of Maury County is strong and prosperous as we continue to transform into a competitive global economy. Who would have thought that 10 years ago?

Dickey covered several aspects of Columbias yearly progress, including new businesses, restaurants and residential developments. There has been a 70 percent building increase since last year, he said, totaling $54 million in value.

The city also has embarked on a new marketing plan for tourism and investors following a recent study by Franklin-based marketing firm Chandlerthinks. This included hiring a new city tourism director, Kellye Murphy, and launching a new Columbia tourism web site in the near future. Other plans include opening a visitors center on the lower level of the Jack-n-Jill building located on North Main Street next to Columbia Police Department.

Moving forward into the next year, Columbias priorities lie within growing the citys economy, provide excellent financial service and to make a more attractive and livable city with a vibrant downtown square.

Building renovations currently underway show a vibrant downtown in which private investment and redevelopment are ongoing. Real estate transfers over the last year set a record high for properties in the downtown historic district, Dickey said. The Columbia Arts District is anticipated to continue to experience arts-related residential and commercial growth and prosperity that will eventually be recognized as a destination for residents and visitors alike.

As Mt. Pleasant mayor, Bailey said the town of about 5,000 residents is spending its time reviewing its local policies, refinancing the citys debt, restoring downtown buildings and working to repair the citys sewer lines. He hopes the revitalization efforts will attract more residents and that the town can someday experience the growth as seen in Columbia and Spring Hill, which could be just around the corner.

A lot of good things are happening out in Mt. Pleasant right now. Were revamping a lot of policy, trying to go through everything we have and playing catch up, Bailey said. Mt. Pleasant has some wonderful employees that are doing a great job to hold an insolvent situation together and were really starting to come out of it.

Spring Hill is one of the states fastest growing cities in many aspects. Its many road projects include the widening of Duplex Road and a roadway extension of Saturn Parkway to Beechcroft Road. The city will also begin annexation of Rippavilla Plantation, of which ownership was acquired by the city earlier this year.

Other top projects in Spring Hill include a 24,000-square-foot expansion to the Spring Hill Public Library and designs for a new Spring Hill Police station.

Hull also touched on the citys recently-passed $44.35 million 2017-2018 budget, which he described as a grueling process to balance. He warned that, given the difficulty of this years budget, there will be tough decisions to face with next years, such as a possible property tax increase to help pay for projects the city needs to complete to combat the expected growth. A special census will also be conducted next year in an effort to acquire more state-shared dollars awarded to cities based on population.

With anything, such as our companies, governments, churches, whatever it is, the budget drives it all, Hull said. Were at a point where were going to have to address our property tax in Spring Hill. Weve already addressed impact fees by hitting up developers, and do it all the time, and make the developers pay for it. We all have to share in the process.

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Mayor's Lunch highlights county progress, future - Columbia Daily Herald

Wenger transfer update: ‘No progress’ on Alexis Sanchez; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere to stay – Eurosport.com

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Sanchez is into the final year of his contract and could leave Arsenal on a free at the end of the season, with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City reportedly keen to capitalise on the situation by signing the Chile international for a fee of around 50-60m before the window closes.

Wenger has stubbornly refused to consider selling his best player, even if it means the club taking a huge financial hit in June, and says he is more concerned with the sporting benefits Sanchez can provide as Arsenal target a return to the top four, and a title challenge.

We have not progressed on that front, he said of talks with Sanchez. At the moment he is player who goes into the final year of his contract and goes into the season. No progress on that.

On whether he was prepared to lose the forward on a free, Wenger replied:

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Arsenal is challenged by Riyad MahrezGetty Images

Midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with a move to Chelsea, who are reportedly considering a 35 million offer for a player who is also in the final year of his contract.

But Wenger says he has no intention of selling the England international and expects big things from him.

Jack Wilshere of AFC Bournemouth goes down injured during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Bournemouth at White Hart Lane on April 15, 2017Getty Images

Another player out of contract at the end of the season, Wilshere recently turned out for the Under-23s to signal his return to fitness following a broken leg sustained during a loan spell with Bournemouth last season.

The England international was recently linked with a surprise move to Championship club Aston Villa but Wenger says Wilshere will stay at Arsenal, for now at least. He said:

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Wenger transfer update: 'No progress' on Alexis Sanchez; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere to stay - Eurosport.com

UVa football team shares message of love and unity in the wake of violence in Charlottesville – The Daily Progress

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The image Bronco Mendenhall selected to show his Virginia football team involves a blue sky, green trees and white paint. HATE HAS NO PLACE HERE. WE CHOOSE LOVE, reads the iconic Beta Bridge on UVas Grounds.

Color has been tough to ignore recently in Charlottesville. White nationalists came here and caused unrest from the Rotunda to the Downtown Mall. Tuesday, a variety of Mendenhalls players both black and white spoke to the local media for the first time since the weekends tragic events.

From Micah Kiser to Quin Blanding to Kurt Benkert, they echoed Beta Bridges message.

We just want to show that football is very diverse, said Blanding, a senior safety from Virginia Beach. And once you step on a team and once you become a team and once you form a brotherhood, thats your brotherhood no matter color, no matter race, no matter religion.

Were all one no matter what. Theres no hate on a team. Were all together, we share the same goals and we share the same heart.

On Monday, the Cavaliers assembled on the Rotundas steps, locking arms with one another and smiling. No one was in a helmet or shoulder pads. Each wore a T-shirt, some of an orange shade, some blue, some gray, some black, some white.

Kiser, a two-year captain and senior linebacker from Baltimore, helped organize the team photo. He thought of the idea Friday night while seeing the shocking images of white nationalists marching with tiki torches on his schools campus.

Just us staying together, Kiser said. Us showing what we are, what we represent, how we want to represent this community, how we want to represent this city. I think it was important. Us gathering together.

We didnt take a team picture last year. So us together as a team, not even really wearing football gear because a lot of times people think African-Americans are just here to play football. We wanted to show that were not just here to play football. Were here to be great stewards of the community, get a great education and play football as well.

Us, together as one, locked in arms at the Rotunda. I think we saw a lot of the torch-carrying white nationalists, they were walking down the Lawn and on the Rotunda and kind of claiming that space as theirs. We wanted to say, No, thats not your space, thats our space.

The Wahoos scrimmaged Saturday morning at Scott Stadium. Near the practices end, Mendenhall was alerted by UVa athletics director Craig Littlepage that the city was in a state of emergency. Players were then instructed to board the bus back to the McCue Center.

As soon as we got back, said Benkert, a senior quarterback with roots in Florida and Maryland, all of our phones are blowing up and people are asking, Whats going on? Are you OK?

I think it was shock at first because we had really no idea. We knew that stuff had happened the night before, but we werent sure what was going on that day.

The Cavalier Inn, located at Emmet Street and Ivy Road, houses 70 percent of the team during training camp. Theyre checked into rooms on the third, fourth and fifth floors, Mendenhall said. It was soon learned that some white nationalists, in town to protest the planned removal of the Robert E. Lee statue at Emancipation Park, were staying on the first and second floors.

Benkert said a teammate remembered seeing the silver Dodge Charger that killed Heather Heyer and injured 19 others.

We always stick together, Blanding said. No matter what, were always brothers and we got each others back no matter where they [protestors] are. Unfortunately they were staying a couple floors under us, but were big, tough guys as well. Im not saying we were going to go out there and pick up violence, but we always got each others back no matter what.

Mendenhall said he instructed his team to channel its anger and to stay away from the chaos that ensued on the Downtown Mall.

When adversity hits and theres opposing forces and theres choices to be made, I go to my core beliefs and those are tied to faith, Mendenhall said of his message.

So I was giving them instruction as, when challenged and when you have decisions to make, those arent things to be done spur of the moment, they arent things to be done reactionary. Those things are done to be thoughtfully considered.

And you go deep as possible to assess what you do believe, what examples of that belief do you have in your life and then work to model that as best as possible. And contemplation before action was really what I was sharing with our team.

Many Cavaliers took to Twitter to express their feelings Saturday. Benkert referenced a Bible passage, Romans 12:19-21.

I think it started with the team meeting we had with Coach Mendenhall, Benkert said. How he views whats going on. For me, its just youre not going to make anything better, in my opinion, if you just show more hate than whats already out there.

Thats kind of the approach that I want to take, and its a hard one to take. People are hurt, people are killed and theres a lot of bad going on. But I feel like if you only bring hatred to that, its not going to make the situation any better.

Its love the Cavaliers are after.

Simple and powerful, Mendenhall said of the Beta Bridges updated look.

Virginia opens its season Sept. 2 when it hosts William & Mary.

Thats the cool thing about a team, there is no color, said Marques Hagans, UVas wide receivers coach and Charlottesville resident for the majority of his adult life. Everybodys one. We all wear the same uniforms and bleed the same thing. There is no color in a locker room.

So for us to be able to come together and rally behind the strength of Charlottesville, for what they represent, I think it would be huge for us to get out on the field and try to give something back to the community and show them that we appreciate what they did last weekend in the face of adversity and a lot of hate and ignorance.

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UVa football team shares message of love and unity in the wake of violence in Charlottesville - The Daily Progress

Honoring Honor: Jean-Ren Van der Plaetsen’s Moving Account of the Epic Figures of Free France – HuffPost

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You may have heard French novelist Thophile Gautiers phrase, The French lack the sense of the epic.

Unfortunately, the saying remains accurate nearly two centuries later.

Indeed, it applies beyond France, from one end to the other of a discouraged Europe overtaken by nihilism, where even the idea of envisioning or imagining something a little greater for mankind has become unintelligible and absurd.

Which is why I am always inclined to view with a favorable eye books that reveal an attachment to the old-fashioned virtues of heroism, greatness, and a will to go beyond what was thought possible, despite the generalized disenchantment and cynicism that are the hallmarks of our age.

One such book is La Nostalgie de lhonneur,to be released in France on September 6. In it, journalist and columnist Jean-Ren Van der Plaetsen looks back on his grandfather, General Jean Crpin, one of the brightest (but until now poorly documented) figures of the epic of Free France.

The story begins in Manoka, Cameroon, where, on the morning of August 20, 1940, an artillery captain in the French colonial army, gripped by one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions on which great destinies are sometimes built, decides to follow an unknown general, Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque.

It continues with the adventures of a handful of mystical bums who, like himself, bet their lives on the crazy dream of liberating Paris, of hoisting the French flag over Strasbourg cathedral, and of ridding Europe of Nazism.

That mission accomplished, the story follows the heroes into a complicated Indochina redolent of the novels of Graham Greene and French novelist Lucien Bodard.

And then into the quagmire of the Algerian war, where some of the band will lose their way, even while continuing to believe themselves faithful, literally, to the oath they took in the summer of 1940.

And finally into old age: Splendidly gray, proud of their military feats but strangely sad, recognizing one another, Van der Plaetsen tells us, by the fixed star they bear on their forehead like a seal visible only to those who have seen and done what they have seen and donethese are taciturn men with the overwhelming modesty that is the mark of the truly great; reticent men, hesitant to impart lessons of courage and nobility, which must be pulled out of them, as here, by stubborn grandchildren.

Some may find some aspects of this story overly martial.

Some may be startled to read that, in the eyes of the author, there is no calling more noble than that of the soldier.

And perhaps they may detect, here and there, an echo of the prodigious atmosphere of youthful friendship typical of nostalgic war writing in the mold of Philippe Barrss La Guerre vingt ans(War at Age 20) or Henry de Montherlants La Relve du matin(Morning Watch), both published at the beginning of the twentieth century.

But they would be wrong to leave their assessment there.

Because the essence of the book lies in its portrait of the generation of justly named Free French who make up the loftiest, most chivalrous, and most romantic of French orders of merit.

It lies in its description of that brotherhoods ties of suzerainty to General de Gaulle, who emerged suddenly from the ranks in an ascent that can be compared only to Napoleons rise over his own peers.

I admire the authors way of bringing alive the conversions of philosophy professor Andr Zirnheld, of mountain infantryman Tom Morel, and of an obscure Georgian prince, and othersall transformed, by the grace of their heroism, into the stuff of legends. Plaetsens feat reminds me of Roland Dorgelss observation in Wooden Crosses (1919) that, were it not for war, Joan of Arc would have died a shepherdess and 1789 hero Louis-Lazare Hoche a stable boy.

Because that is all true, and because it echoes a truly great novel of war from the 1920s, Jean Schlumbergers Camarade infidle(Unfaithful Comrade), I admire Van der Plaetsens conclusion that his characters tasted something so layered and so strong that everything against which they later had to measure themselves seemed either bland or bitter.

And I must say that these pages contain scenes of great beauty: the entrance of undaunted De Gaulle, accompanied by generals Koenig and Leclerc, into the nave of Notre Dame under fire from the last collaborationist militiamen; the funeral of Leclerc, two years later, with a tank carrying his coffin and with the hero of the book, by request of his peers, stock still at attention at the right of the tank, to offer last military honors to the departed hero; or, forty years later, the encounter between the junior general, now a very respectable bourgeois gentleman, with a column of union demonstrators who jostle and manhandle him until Crpin, pulling himself up to his former height, raising his voice slightly, and brandishing his cane as years ago he would have done a sword, holds his ground until the marchers back away and allow him to pass, dumbstruck by the unassailable, almost magical authority that he still exudes.

I, too, am a son of Free France.

Like the author, I was raised to respect the exceptional adventure that was early Gaullism.

And, like him, I have never been able to read without a shiver the commendation my father received on July 19, 1944, after the battle of Monte Cassino, from another of the books characters, General Diego Brosset: Andr Lvy, always willing day or night whatever the mission, performed evacuations under mortar fire with complete disregard for his personal safety, returning several times to the lines to recover the wounded under intense enemy fire ...

Which is to say that in paying tribute here to Van der Plaetsens Nostalgie de lhonneur,in saluting his noble act of devotion, reparation, and preservation of memory, I know what I am talking aboutand have weighed my words.

Translated from French by Steven B. Kennedy

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Honoring Honor: Jean-Ren Van der Plaetsen's Moving Account of the Epic Figures of Free France - HuffPost

Jimmy Fallon’s Condemnation Of Trump Is Too Little, Too Late – Forward

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I could never really explain my distaste for Jimmy Fallon until I visited Munich during Oktoberfest a few years back. I entered a beer tent to thousands of glassy-eyed revelers partaking in that most hedonistic of human activities drinking until you lose consciousness.

Jimmy Fallon would love this, I thought, and just like that, I understood where my feelings for him came from. Its not to say I have anything against Oktoberfest (on the contrary!) but I realized in that instant that hedonism is exactly what Jimmy Fallon represents. His comedy is the product not of suffering but of having grown up white, male, and economically secure. It has no substance because its not saying anything.

Theres nothing wrong with enjoying this kind of humor and Im also not saying that Fallon himself doesnt know pain, although a knowledge of pain is certainly not Fallons brand. That I dont personally appreciate comedy rooted in happiness is neither here nor there. But when a commitment to keeping it light means failing to stand up for the people who dont have that option those whose rights are in very real and present danger in this country it becomes a problem.

Jimmy Fallon is being lauded for his condemnation of Donald Trump Tuesday night. But what people are missing is this: after months of ignoring the terror the Trump administration has wrought upon this country particularly upon women, immigrants, Jews, people of color, the LGBTQ community it took actual Nazis marching in the streets for Fallon to finally speak up.

Even though The Tonight Show isnt a political show, its my responsibility to stand up for intolerance and extremism as a human being, Fallon said before launching into an admonishment of Trumps refusal to denounce the Charlottesville white supremacists. I was watching the news like everybody else and youre seeing Nazi flags and torches and white supremacists and I was sick to my stomach. My daughters were playing in the next room playing and I was thinking, how can I explain to them that there is so much hatred in this world. They are two and four. They dont know what hate is.

There is a reason we do not watch movies about 1930s Germany that do not in some significant way feature the Holocaust. It would be a bizarre, indefensible, and irresponsible artistic choice to make such a movie, as if the Holocaust didnt intimately affect the lives of every German, Jewish and otherwise, during that period. Though we cannot compare modern America to the horrors of Nazi Germany, we cannot pretend the ascendence of Donald Trump isnt a starkly present backdrop in the lives of all Americans right now. Progress is being undone, civil rights are being challenged, and the threat of white supremacy is more explicitly vocal than it has been in years.

In this world, silence is complicity. This goes for all people, especially those who have benefited and continue to benefit from the very white supremacy those marching in Charlottesville this past weekend are fighting to preserve. But it especially goes for someone like Jimmy Fallon, who has a platform and an audience whose apoliticism the reason, perhaps, many of them choose to tune in to Fallons show must be challenged for the sake of this countrys well-being.

Jimmy Fallons long-awaited condemnation of Donald Trump is appreciated but Im saddened by how long this man took to acknowledge the reality of whats going on in America. It doesnt matter if your show is political or not. It hasnt mattered for a long time.

Becky Scott is the editor of The Schmooze. Follow her on Twitter, @arr_scott

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Jimmy Fallon's Condemnation Of Trump Is Too Little, Too Late - Forward

Clockenflap 2017: Higher Brothers bring Chinese hip hop to Hong Kong and the world – South China Morning Post

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Hip hop has been experiencing a rebirth across China thanks to a new generation of rappers who focus more on hedonism than political messages.

One of the most popular Chinese hip hop crews are the Higher Brothers. The outfit from Chengdu in Sichuan province will be flying the flag for Chinese rap at Hong Kongs Clockenflap festival this November.

The crew have notched up more than four million views on YouTube for their Made in China video and have won critical praise for their debut album, Black Cab, which was released in May this year.

In the lead-up to the citys biggest annual music and arts festival, the Higher Brothers visited Hong Kong earlier this month to preform at Kitec in Kowloon Bay, where their lyrical prowess was on full display to the packed house.

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Clockenflap 2017: Higher Brothers bring Chinese hip hop to Hong Kong and the world - South China Morning Post

Cakes Da Killa’s ‘Gon Blow’ Video is an Ode to Dance Culture – Out Magazine

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Photography: Eric Johnson

The rapper'sHedonism highlight features longtime collaborator Rye Rye.

Wed, 2017-08-16 13:08

Cakes Da Killa pumps the beat on "Gon Blow," the Rye Rye-assisted standout off his debut studio album, Hedonism. Following music videos for "Talkin Greezy" and "Been Dat Did That,"the New Jersey rapper has dropped yet another, this time pairing the aggressive sounds of "Gon Blow" with colorful animations by Ben Marlowe. Spliced together with black-and-white scenes from a party Cakes hosted, the video is a celebration of dance culture.

"The visual is a collaboration with myself, photographer Eric Johnson and animator Ben Marlowe," Cakes told Vibe. "For me, the track is all about movement, so we included some B-roll from a party Eric and I threw. Bens animations helped add some dance sequences to the video, because dance culture influences my music a lot, and I feel there is a disconnect between that and rap culture lately."

Related |Queer Rapper Cakes Da Killa on Finding Self in Music: 'I Was Born Out of the Closet'

This isn't the first time Cakes has collaborated with Rye Rye, the M.I.A. affiliate whose debut rap album Go! Pop! Bang! was one of 2012's strongest, unsung releases. The pair also joined forces on "Get 2 Werk" off Cakes' Hunger Pangs mixtape, another high-energy cut that opens with New York's Contessa Stuto proclaiming her Cunt Mafia realness.

Watch Cakes Da Killa's "Gon Blow" video, below.

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Cakes Da Killa's 'Gon Blow' Video is an Ode to Dance Culture - Out Magazine

Empiricism as Foundational – Patheos (blog)

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I have talked before about the empiricism vs rationalism debate that has taken place historically and presently in philosophical circles. Today, I am going to explore this a little further.

As I said before

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophystatesthat rationalists adopt at least one of three statements:

The Intuition/Deduction Thesis: Some propositions in a particular subject area, S, are knowable by us by intuition alone; still others are knowable by being deduced from intuited propositions.

The Innate Knowledge Thesis: We have knowledge of some truths in a particular subject area, S, as part of our rational nature.

The Innate Concept Thesis: We have some of the concepts we employ in a particular subject area, S, as part of our rational nature.

We eitherknowthings to be true intuitively, or as part of being rational agents, or the empirical may trigger concepts already embedded within our nature. Of course, one weakness here is in establishing what intuitionactually is.

Whilst other ideas and theses are closely connected to rationalism, or are often associated with it, I will keep it simple by only involving the above three.

One question that is often touted about such rationalism is the epistemic warrant: if someone uses intuition about a certain proposition, then it can be seen as lacking reason, and is thus potentially less justifiable, lacking in being warranted. How does an intuitive claim become a warranted claim?

For the empiricist, the following must be true in some way:

The Empiricism Thesis: We have no source of knowledge in S or for the concepts we use in S other than sense experience.

The source of knowledge for us is claimed to bea posteriori(from the latter)in its entirety, at source. Things may become intuitive, and even lacking reason, but they are as a result of us using our senses over time to formulate our propositional knowledge, and our systems that we use to navigate through the world. As the SEP continues:

Empiricism about a particular subject rejects the corresponding version of the Intuition/Deduction thesis and Innate Knowledge thesis. Insofar as we have knowledge in the subject, our knowledge isa posteriori, dependent upon sense experience. Empiricists also deny the implication of the corresponding Innate Concept thesis that we have innate ideas in the subject area. Sense experience is our only source of ideas. They reject the corresponding version of the Superiority of Reason thesis. Since reason alone does not give us any knowledge, it certainly does not give us superior knowledge. Empiricists generally reject the Indispensability of Reason thesis, though they need not. The Empiricism thesis does not entail that we have empirical knowledge. It entails that knowledge can only be gained,if at all, by experience. Empiricists may assert, as some do for some subjects, that the rationalists are correct to claim that experience cannot give us knowledge. The conclusion they draw from this rationalist lesson is that we do not know at all.

The thing is, we can sit here and wax lyrical about how wonderful rationality is, and how great it is to use logic, but unless these things have a pragmatic use then they are kind of meaningless. The question that we really need to ask is, How doI measure how good or useful logic is? or How doI evaluate a rational argument?

The answer, it appears, alwaysdefers to some kind of empirical appeal.

Take this as an example.

Its me and you, reader, and were living together. I write something really nasty about you on a post-it note. We might say that this has some moral value. However, now imagine that I put that post-it in my pocket where it disappears. You never find out about it, and I instantly forget I wrote it, and no one else in the world is any the wiser. What this means is that that terribly nasty note has no impact, no empirical legacy, on the world. There are no consequences whatsoever to writing that. As a moral action, the writing of that note now becomes a-moral it has no moral value. It seems to me that something can only have moral value if it has some kind of effect on reality. The only way we can know the effect something has on reality is to experience it in some way, to empirically sense it.

The same can be said of logic. Why is it good that a proposition adheres to logical rules such that it is rational? Well, the goodness of logic s surely measured in how we can use it. If it has no application to reality then it is rather meaningless. Rationality is only reveredbecause of what it can achieve. If rationality had no effect on reality, then it could not be seen as good (in a sense that good means to work well or have use).

If things only have exist in abstraction without any ramification on the world in any way, then they become impotent or meaningless. At the very minimum, beliefs and propositions and rational arguments have n effect on the psychology of the thinker.

It appears to me that empiricism lies at the heart of the consideration and evaluation of all things.

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Empiricism as Foundational - Patheos (blog)

Pssst, wanna know a secret? MongoDB has confidentially filed for IPO, reports suggest – The Register

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NoSQL business MongoDB has filed confidentially for IPO, according to reports.

The document database company started life as 10gen in 2007 and has secured a total of $303.4m in equity funding to date.

According to Crunchbase, its last round, for an undisclosed amount, was in August 2015, having gained $80m in the January of that year.

MongoDB was last valued at $1.2bn in October 2016, when it pulled in $150m from investors that included Red Hat, Salesforce Ventures, EMC, Intel Capital and Sequoia Capital.

There have been rumours of a potential IPO from MongoDB, which has previously stated its aim to take on Oracle, for some time.

During an interview with The Reg last year, CEO Dev Ittycheria indicated the company was at a scale where the option could be acted upon quickly.

Ittycheria told The Reg that, with revenues between $100m and $200m annually, "there's companies who've gone public who are smaller and going slower than us."

The firm is now thought to have moved one step closer, with TechCrunch reporting that it has submitted an S-1 filing in recent weeks and plans to go public before the end of the year.

Under the US JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act, introduced in 2012, companies are now allowed to confidentially submit initial statements like this, which them weigh interest from investors before alerting the public to the filing. The idea is to encourage more companies to IPO.

The companies must reveal their financials at least 15 days before they embark on their investor roadshow.

TechCrunch reports that a number of companies that have filed confidentially for IPO will go public between September and the end of November.

Commenting on the reports, Greg Henry, CFO of Couchbase (a competitor of MongoDB's in the NoSQL space), said: "In confidentially filing its S-1, MongoDB is on track to become the first IPO in the non-Hadoop big data space, which stands as a pivotal milestone for the industry and provides more validation that there is life beyond analytical and relational databases."

MongoDB has gained some positive publicity last week, when CTO Eliot Horowitz emailed staff condemning the now infamous "Google memo".

"This manifesto, however, is not part of a healthy dialogue at all," Horowitz wrote.

"It advances a false equivalence between diversity efforts and discrimination built on a substrate of reasonable statements and context-free references to research. It is just another attempt to disguise prejudice in the clothing of rationalism."

Sponsored: The Joy and Pain of Buying IT - Have Your Say

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Pssst, wanna know a secret? MongoDB has confidentially filed for IPO, reports suggest - The Register

From Darwin to Damore – the ancient art of using "science" to mask prejudice – New Statesman

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In addition to the Lefts affinity for those it sees as weak, humans are generally biased towards protecting females, wrote James Damore, in his now infamous anti-diversity Google memo. As mentioned before, this likely evolved because males are biologically disposable and because women are generally more co-operative and agreeable than men. Since the memo was published, hordes of women have come forward to say that views like these where individuals justify bias on the basis of science are not uncommon in their traditionally male-dominated fields. Damores controversial screed set off discussions about the age old debate: do biological differences justify discrimination?

Modern science developed in a society which assumed that man was superior over women. Charles Darwin, the father of modern evolutionary biology, who died before women got the right to vote, argued that young children of both genders resembled adult women more than they did adult men; as a result, woman is a kind of adult child.

Racial inequality wasnt immune from this kind of theorising either. As fields such as psychology and genetics developed a greater understanding about the fundamental building blocks of humanity, many prominent researchers such as Francis Galton, Darwins cousin, argued that there were biological differences between races which explained the ability of the European race to prosper and gather wealth, while other races fell far behind. The same kind of reasoning fuelled the Nazi eugenics and continues to fuel the alt-right in their many guises today.

Once scorned as blasphemy, today "science" is approached by many non-practitioners with a cult-like reverence.Attributing the differences between races and gender to scientific research carries the allure of empiricism.Opponents of "diversity" would have you believe thatscientific research validates racism and sexism, even though one'sbleeding heart might wish otherwise.

The problemis that current scientific research just doesnt agree.Some branches of science, such as physics, are concerned with irrefutable laws of nature.But the reality, as evidenced by the growing convergence of social sciences like sociology, and life sciences, such as biology, is that science as a whole will, and should change. The research coming out of fields like genetics and psychology paint an increasingly complex picture of humanity.Saying (and proving) that gravity exists isn't factually equivalent to saying, and trying to prove, that women are somehow less capable at their jobs because of presumed inherent traits like submissiveness.

When it comes to matters of race, the argument against racial realism, as its often referred to, is unequivocal. A study in 2002, authored by Neil Risch and others, built on the work of the Human Genome Project to examine the long standing and popular myth of seven distinct races. Researchers found that 62 per cent of Ethiopians belong to the same cluster as Norwegians, together with 21 per cent of the Afro-Caribbeans, and the ethnic label Asian inaccurately describes Chinese and Papuans who were placed almost entirely in separate clusters. All that means is that white supremacists are wrong, and always have been.

Even the researcher Damore cites in his memo, Bradley Schmitt of Bradley University in Illinois, doesnt agree with Damores conclusions. Schmitt pointed out, in correspondence with Wired, that biological difference only accounts for about 10 per cent of the variance between men and women in what Damore characterises as female traits, such asneuroticism. In addition, nebulous traits such as being people-oriented are difficult to define and have led to wildly contradictory research from people who are experts in the fields. Suggestingthat women are bad engineers because theyre neurotic is not only mildly ridiculous, but even unsubstantiated by Damores own research. As many have done before him, Damore couched his own worldview - and what he was trying to convince others of - in the language of rationalism, but ultimately didn't pay attention to the facts.

And, even if you did buy into Damore's memo, a true scientist would retort- so what? It's a fallacy to argue that just because a certain state of affairs prevails, that that is the way that it ought to be. If that was the case, why does humanity march on in the direction of technological and industrial progress?

Humans werent meant to travel large distances, or we would possess the ability to do so intrinsically. Boats, cars, airplanes, trains, according to the Damore mindset, would be a perversion of nature. As a species, we consider overcoming biology to be a sign of success.

Of course, the damage done by these kinds of views is not only that theyre hard to counteract, but that they have real consequences. Throughout history, appeals to the supposed rationalism of scientific research have justified moral atrocities such as ethnic sterilisation, apartheid, the creation of the slave trade, and state-sanctioned genocide.

If those in positions of power genuinely think that black and Hispanic communities are genetically predisposed to crime and murder, theyre very unlikely to invest in education, housing and community centres for those groups. Cycles of poverty then continue, and the myth, dressed up in pseudo-science, is entrenched.

Damore and those like him will certainly maintain that the evidence for gender differences are on their side. Since he was fired from Google, Damore has become somewhat of an icon to some parts of society, giving interviews to right-wing Youtubers and posing in a dubious shirt parodying the Google logo (it now says Goolag). Never mind that Damores beloved science has already proved them wrong.

Continued here:

From Darwin to Damore - the ancient art of using "science" to mask prejudice - New Statesman

When Disease Is Bigger Than A Body – HuffPost

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I had a film crew from Good Morning America in my home yesterday morning to film an interview about the documentary, What the Health.Along with everyone else, I wait to see what sound bites survive from roughly an hour of detailed commentary.In case you are wondering, the gist of my impressions, of the films mission and methods, is that the former is admirable, the latter quite questionable.We can leave it there, both because the GMA producers will do the rest, and because at present I really have another matter on my mind.

I am routinely chastised in my various social media channels for posting political content or commentary, something I concede I am not overly inclined to do in the first place.I am, after all, a health expert, not a political scientist- and that is by choice.

On the other hand, I was an American before a doctor, a human before that.I have a perfectly robust riposte to those disapproving Facebook friends, admonishing connections on LinkedIN, and dissenting fellow tweeters: what, exactly, do you think health is FOR?

One of the great and common mistakes in medicine is to adopt the view that health is a virtue, implying that ill health is a vice.I have seen far too many bad medical things happen to the best of people to sanction any such nonsense.There is no place in genuine care for an admonishing wag of the finger. Everyone prefers good health to bad; failing to get there is an injury to which the insulting burden of victim blaming need not be appended.

A related mistake is to think or imply that health, per se, is the prize.Perhaps- goes this argument- health is not a virtue, per se, but the laurels claimed by those with the right combination of pluck and luck.This, too, is misguided.I know many people who have dodged innumerable slings and arrows of outrageous medical misfortune to live lives of deep meaning and happiness that have enriched all around them.I admire these people greatly.We all know people who put perfectly intact health to less replete purpose.

Health is neither virtue, nor prize; it is means to an end.Other things being equal, good health makes it far easier to do the things you like to do, whatever those may be.Other things being equal, healthy people have more fun.

Health is the means; quality of living is the ends.

And, so, personal health and the politics of our time are inextricably conjoined.Public health and public policy are ineluctably linked.Political poison that assaults our senses and sensibilities, policies that degrade our environments, positions that undermine civility, and proclamations that menace the essence of humanism itself- are one step worse than bad for health; they are directly injurious to what health isfor.

I not only refute the contention that abstinence from political commentary is the rightful place of health professionals; I repudiate it.Health and what its for are the inevitable consequence or casualty of politics and policy.The rightful place of health professionals is to renounce the complicity of silence when evil assaults the very thing we have pledged ourselves to protect.

I am not interested in a career change to political science.I prefer topics decisively in my native professional purview to those connected along troubling tangents.But I renounce the irrelevance of those tangents.They are the very lines conscience follows to find the connections between pernicious politics and maladies of bodies, and the body politic alike.Sometimes, disease is simply too big to fit within the skin of only one of us.

Where the deeply disturbing erosion of our civics commingles with rising reliance on antidepressants and rampant use of opioids- silence in defense of health and the higher aims it serves will invite every manner of illness to prevail.To the critics of every alternative to such silence, my answer is: what the health, indeed.

Senior Medical Advisor, Verywell.com

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When Disease Is Bigger Than A Body - HuffPost

The architecture of censorship – The Hindu

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Independence Day is an occasion to celebrate freedom from a colonial regime that not only cast chains of economic and political bondage upon Indians, but also fettered their freedom to think, dissent, and express themselves without fear. Demands for a right to free speech, and for an end to political, cultural and artistic censorship, were at the heart of our freedom struggle, and which culminated in the celebrated Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. Last week, however, two events revealed that 70 years after Independence, the freedom of speech still occupies a fragile and tenuous place in the Republic, especially when it is pitted against the authority of the State. The first was the Jharkhand governments decision to ban the Sahitya Akademi awardee Hansda Sowvendra Shekhars 2015 book, The Adivasi Will Not Dance, for portraying the Santhal community in bad light. And the second was an order of a civil judge at Delhis Karkardooma Court, restraining the sale of Priyanka Pathak-Narains new book on Baba Ramdev, titled Godman to Tycoon.

Neither the ban on The Adivasi Will Not Dance, nor the injunction on Godman to Tycoon, are the last words on the issue. They are, rather, familiar opening moves in what is typically a prolonged and often tortuous battle over free speech, with an uncertain outcome. Nevertheless, they reveal something important: censorship exists in India to the extent it does because it is both easy and efficient to accomplish. This is for two allied reasons. First, the Indian legal system is structured in a manner that achieving censorship through law is an almost costless enterprise for anyone inclined to try; and second, the only thing that could effectively counteract this a strong, judicial commitment to free speech, at all levels of the judiciary does not exist. Together, these two elements create an environment in which the freedom of speech is in almost constant peril, with writers, artists, and publishers perpetually occupied with firefighting fresh threats and defending slippery ground, rather than spending their time and energy to transgress, challenge and dissent from the dominant social and cultural norms of the day.

The Jharkhand governments ban on The Adivasi Will Not Dance followed public protests against the writer, with MLAs calling for a ban on the book on the ground that it insulted Santhal women. The legal authority of the government to ban books flows from Section 95 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (which, in turn, was based upon a similarly worded colonial provision). Section 95 authorises State governments to forfeit copies of any newspaper, book, or document that appears to violate certain provisions of the Indian Penal Code, such as Section 124A (sedition), Sections 153A or B (communal or class disharmony), Section 292 (obscenity), or Section 295A (insulting religious beliefs). Under Section 96 of the CrPC, any person aggrieved by the governments order has the right to challenge it before the high court of that State.

The key element of Section 95 is that it allows governments to ban publications without having to prove, before a court of law, that any law has been broken. All that Section 95 requires is that it appear to the government that some law has been violated. Once the publication has been banned, it is then up to the writer or publisher to rush to court and try and get the ban lifted.

The CrPC is therefore structured in a manner that is severely detrimental to the interests of free speech. By giving the government the power to ban publications with the stroke of a pen (through a simple notification), the law provides a recipe for overregulation and even abuse: faced with political pressure from influential constituencies, the easiest way out for any government is to accede and ban a book, and then let the law take its own course. Furthermore, litigation is both expensive and time-consuming. Section 95 ensures that the economic burden of a ban falls upon the writer or the publisher, who must approach the court. It also ensures that while the court deliberates and decides the matter, the default position remains that of the ban, ensuring that the publication cannot enter the marketplace of ideas during the course of the (often prolonged and protracted) legal proceedings.

The most noteworthy thing about the Karkardooma civil judges injunction on Godman to Tycoon is that it was granted without hearing the writer or the publisher (Juggernaut Books). In an 11-page order, the civil judge stated that he had given the book a cursory reading, and examined the specific portion produced by Baba Ramdevs lawyers in court which he found to be potentially defamatory. On this basis, he restrained the publication and sale of the book.

In this case, it is the judicial order of injunction that is performing the work of Section 95 of the CrPC. Effectively, a book is banned without a hearing. The book then stays banned until the case is completed (unless the writer or publisher manages to persuade the court to lift the injunction in the meantime). Once again, the presumption is against the rights of writers, and against the freedom of speech and expression.

In fact, the Karkardooma civil judges injunction order is contrary to well-established principles of free speech and defamation law. Under English common law which is the basis of the Indian law of defamation it is recognised that injunctions, which effectively amount to a judicial ban on books, have a serious impact upon the freedom of speech, and are almost never to be granted. The only situation in which a court ought to grant an injunction is if, after hearing both sides in a preliminary enquiry, it is virtually clear that there could be no possible defence advanced by the writer or publisher. The correct remedy, in a defamation case, is not to injunct the book from publication on the first hearing itself, but to have a full-blown, proper trial, and if it is finally proven that defamation has been committed, to award monetary damages to the plaintiff.

In 2011, the High Court of Delhi held that this basic common law rule acquired even greater force in the context of Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, and reiterated that injunctions did not serve the balance between freedom of speech and a persons right to reputation. The high court reaffirmed the basic principle of our Constitution: that the presumption always ought to be in favour of the freedom of speech and expression. In this context, the Karkardooma civil judges order granting an injunction before even hearing the writer and publisher is particularly unfortunate.

While the banning of The Adivasi Will Not Dance reflects the structural flaws in our criminal law that undermine the freedom of speech, the injunction on Godman to Tycoon reveals a different pathology: even where the law is relatively protective of free speech, it will not help if judges who are tasked with implementing the law have not themselves internalised the importance of free speech in a democracy.

The first problem is a problem of legal reform. The solution is obvious: to repeal Sections 95 and 96, take the power of banning books out of the hands of the government, and stipulate that if indeed the government wants to ban a book, it must approach a court and demonstrate, with clear and cogent evidence, what laws have been broken that warrant a ban. The second problem, however, is a problem of legal culture, and therefore, a problem of our public culture. It can only be addressed through continuing and unapologetic affirmation of free speech as a core, foundational, and non-negotiable value of our Republic and our Constitution.

Gautam Bhatia, a Delhi-based lawyer, is the author of Offend, Shock, or Disturb: Free Speech Under the Indian Constitution

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The architecture of censorship - The Hindu

[OPINION] Withdrawal of Mandela book nothing short of censorship – Eyewitness News

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This article first appeared on The Conversation.

Mandelas Last Years, written by retired military doctor Vejay Ramlakan, has become a sought-after commodity since the publisher, Penguin SA, withdrew it from the shelves in July. Ramlakan was the head of the medical team that looked after Nelson Mandela until his death in 2013.

The withdrawing and pulping of a book represents a huge expense for a publisher, as well as a source of some embarrassment. So why did the publisher do it?

Soon after the book was published, members of the Mandela family, led by his widow Graa Machel, threatened legal action. It must be admitted that the basis for any legal action wasnt clear, although it was probably linked to defamation. The book, Machel argued, constituted an assault on the trust and dignity of her late husband.

Soon afterward, the authors employer, the South African National Defence Force, distanced itself from the book, suggesting that it may have contravened doctor-patient confidentiality.

The publisher bowed to this pressure and withdrew the book, stating that no further copies would be issued out of respect for the family. This is almost unprecedented, anywhere, and needs to be teased out more fully. After reading the book, Ive considered how and why the publisher may have come to this decision.

REASONS FOR PULPING A BOOK

The decision-making process for a publisher in a case like the Mandela book revolves around balancing the potential costs against reputational damage. The costs can be extensive - in publishing, all costs relating to editing, design, production, printing and distribution are made up front. It is relatively easy to make a decision to withdraw a book after publication when it may have contravened the law, mostly due to defamation of character.

Books may also be withdrawn after allegations of plagiarism, or because the accuracy of the content has been called into question. Publishers sometimes cancel contracts with their authors based on the standard waivers dealing with defamation and inaccuracies.

Publishers try to avoid these kinds of situations by performing due diligence to see if manuscripts contain anything defamatory or that breaches privacy. They employ fact checkers to avoid inaccuracy. And they require authors to warrant that their work is original and accurate.

This doesnt mean that errors dont sometimes slip through. But it is very unusual for a book to be withdrawn simply because its controversial. In fact, publishers usually support controversial titles because they create publicity, and publicity generally leads to sales.

So, what happened in this particular case?

The first set of questions would relate to the credibility of the author, and the publishers relationship with him. Ramlakan was the head of Mandelas medical team and had unique access to the former president over a long period of time.

This means that he certainly had the access and authority to write the book, and as far as I know, nobody is questioning its accuracy.

This is important, because truthfulness is one of the main defences against defamation, as is the issue of public benefit or interest. It seems highly unlikely that a publisher would allow a nonfiction title to include material that is patently untrue or that would harm the reputation of a man like Mandela. Is there really still a need to protect the reputation of a man of such global stature?

FAMILY PERMISSION

Linked to the question of authority is whether the work was authorised. The author has repeatedly claimed he wrote the memoir at the request of family members, and with their permission. In such a large family, it would be difficult to obtain permission from every family member, and it is quite common for family members to protest their treatment in a biography of a famous public figure.

Family members often argue that there has been a breach of privacy or that embarrassing private details have been made public. But the truth is that their authorization is not actually necessary. Many authors write unauthorised biographies or memoirs, and while they may prove controversial, they certainly do not contravene the law. The broad variety of books already available on Mandela shows that there is ongoing public interest. It seems unlikely that each one of them was authorised by the family.

What complicates this scenario is that, as a medical doctor, Ramlakan is also expected to uphold ethical standards that an ordinary writer wouldnt be subject to. I am not an expert in medical ethics, but there are very few medical details in the book that are not already in the public domain.

In fact, one of the purposes of the book was to counter the rumours and speculation around Mandelas medical condition in the last years and months of his life. It does this by quietly countering inaccurate statements and setting out the bare facts. It appears that the author made a deliberate effort to avoid breaching confidentiality, and ended up writing a very respectful book.

Some have suggested that the publisher and author were simply attempting to cash in on the Mandela legacy. Whatever their motives, they shouldnt be the basis for withdrawing a book from public circulation. Taste and motivation are not legal issues.

CENSORSHIP

Given that there is no apparent material basis for a legal attack on the book, its withdrawal reveals self-censorship on the part of the publisher. South Africa no longer has censorship laws in place, but an influential family can bring pressure to bear that amounts to the same thing. But also given that the book was already on the market, it should be asked what the effect of the withdrawal will be.

While fewer copies will be sold in bookshops, and fewer people will have access to it, its not possible to entirely withdraw a book from the online market. The book reviews already mention all of the most controversial parts of the book, and the action of withdrawal only serves to highlight them. The best course of action would be to allow the book to circulate freely and to stand - or fall - on its own merits. Anything else is censorship.

Beth le Roux is an Associate Professor, Publishing, University of Pretoria

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[OPINION] Withdrawal of Mandela book nothing short of censorship - Eyewitness News

‘Free speech’ rally in Boston to get two-hour permit with stiff restrictions – The Boston Globe

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John Medlar, an organizer of Saturdays free speech rally on Boston Common.

No bats. No sticks. No backpacks.

Those are on the list of zero tolerance rules that Commissioner William B. Evans and Mayor Martin J. Walsh on Wednesday issued to organizers of a controversial free speech rally scheduled to be held on Boston Common on Saturday.

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The Boston Free Speech Coalition, which also goes by the name New Free Speech Movement, received permit, but it will have major restrictions.

No weapons, no backpacks, no sticks, Walsh explained. We are going to have a zero-tolerance policy. If anyone gets out of control at all it will be shut down.

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That goes for everyone, he stressed.

The group has become a source of outrage in Boston, a bane for City Hall, and an outlet for those who feel their voices are being shut out.

The approved permit, which was reviewed by the Globe, was issued to John Medlar, spokesman for the coalition, at 2:47 p.m. Wednesday. It is for a total five hours, including two from noon to 2 p.m. for the rally. Three hours are reserved for setting up and shutting down.

Police officials met with organizers from the free speech rally and a separate solidarity march and explained the high expectations for Saturday, Evans told reporters. He said members from both groups were cooperative.

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We asked like we do to any large-scale events that people dont bring backpacks, Evans said. They are going to be subject to search because we still worry about ... the threat of terrorism. Any large sticks [and] anything that can be used as a weapon are banned.

Medler confirmed the meeting with police, including Superintendent Kevin Buckley, at police headquarters around 10 a.m. Wednesday. He also had a separate meeting with city permitting director Paul McCaffrey to discuss logistics related to the rally.

Reached Wednesday afternoon, Medler said he was relieved the permit issue is resolved.

Its one thing to be told its going to happen, said Medler, a spokesman for the coalition. Its another thing when you actually have real confirmation.

The police commissioner and other law enforcement officials met separately with organizers of a racial justice solidarity march that is also planned for Saturday, said Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston branch of the NAACP.

Sullivan said the NAACP is not holding the march but hosted the meeting at its Roxbury offices to help ensure a clear understanding of the public safety measures that will be in place Saturday.

Monica Cannon, a Roxbury advocate who heads the Violence in Boston Movement, is leading the racial justice solidarity march organized in response to the free speech rally also attended the meeting.

The meeting was informative, and the NAACP will continue to monitor the impact of any new developments, Sullivan said. It is very likely that there will be large numbers of people converging on the Boston Common Saturday afternoon. Our hope is that the message of racial justice and equality rings loud, while at the same time everyone makes it home safe.

The free speech rally garnered major attention after the bloodshed that tarnished Charlottesville, Va. Virginia authorities said neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and white nationalists incited the violence. And many across social media feared some of the people involved in Charlottesville might also attend Saturdays rally.

Organizers of the Boston free speech rally who are mostly young white men in their 20s insist their event is all about the freedom of expression. They said they denounce violence.

But civil rights activists, noting the extreme, white nationalist views of some of the speakers who were initially invited, criticized the coalition for offering a platform to people who spew hate and racial violence.

As the rally day nears, a handful of faith leaders gathered under a glowing sun on City Hall Plaza around lunchtime Wednesday to lock hands and pray for healing and peace in Boston and the White House.

The prayers came a day after a vigil at the New England Holocaust Memorial, which was vandalized Monday for the second time this summer.

The mayor used the opportunity to again deliver a message to any group that wants to stir trouble Saturday.

You can have your free speech all day long, but lets not speak about hate, bigotry, and racism, Walsh said.

Evans, the police commissioner, said officers will monitor Saturdays events as they do any major gatherings. There will be barricades separating the free speech rally and the social justice march, he said, adding that he is not sure of how many people are expected to fill the Common.

Evans also said that although police met with organizers of the free speech rally, he said he has no way to know whether they support white supremacist views.

Obviously they are claiming they are all about free speech, but thats not my role to determine who and what they are, Evans said. I know we have a job to do and that is to keep people safe.

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'Free speech' rally in Boston to get two-hour permit with stiff restrictions - The Boston Globe

UC Berkeley chancellor unveils ‘Free Speech Year’ as right-wing speakers plan campus events – Los Angeles Times

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Carol T. Christ, UC Berkeleys 11th chancellor and the first woman to lead the nations top public research university, unveiled plans Tuesday for a Free Speech Year as right-wing speakers prepare to come to campus.

Christ said the campus would hold point-counterpoint panels to demonstrate how to exchange opposing views in a respectful manner. Other events will explore constitutional questions, the history of Berkeleys free speech movement and how that movement inspired acclaimed chef Alice Waters to create her Chez Panisse restaurant.

Now what public speech is about is shouting, screaming your point of view in a public space rather than really thoughtfully engaging someone with a different point of view, Christ said in an interview. We have to build a deeper and richer shared public understanding.

The free speech initiative comes after a rocky year of clashing opinions on campus. In February, violent protests shut down an appearance by right-wing firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos, prompting President Trump to question the campus federal funding. A few months later, conservative commentator Ann Coulter canceled a planned appearance after the campus groups hosting her pulled out.

Yiannopoulos has announced plans to return next month to spend days in a tent city in Berkeleys iconic Sproul Plaza. Conservative author and columnist Ben Shapiro is scheduled to visit Sept. 14.

The free speech issue drew the biggest spotlight in the new chancellors daylong media interviews and welcoming remarks to 9,500 new students. Christ, dressed in blue ceremonial robes, told the new arrivals that Berkeleys free speech movement was launched by liberals and conservatives working together to win the right to advocate political views on campus.

Particularly now, it is critical for the Berkeley community to protect this right; it is who we are, she said. That protection involves not just defending your right to speak, or the right of those you agree with, but also defending the right to speak by those you disagree with, even of those whose views you find abhorrent.

She drew loud applause when she asserted that the best response to hate speech is more speech rather than trying to shut down others, and when she said that shielding students from uncomfortable views would not serve them well.

You have the right to expect the university to keep you physically safe, but we would be providing you less of an education, preparing you less well for the world after you graduate, if we tried to protect you from ideas that you may find wrong, even noxious, she said.

Although everyone wants to feel comfort and support, Christ said, inner resilience is the the surest form of safe space.

But she also emphasized that public safety also is paramount. At a morning news conference dominated by free speech questions, Christ said the February violence triggered by the Yiannopoulos event had underscored the need for a larger police presence. Only 85 officers were on the scene, she said, when a paramilitary group 150 strong marched onto campus with sticks, baseball bats and Molotov cocktails.

Under an interim policy that took effect this week, campus police will provide a security assessment for certain large events that could endanger public safety, and the hosting organizations will be responsible for basic costs. Such organizations will have to give advance notice, preferably eight weeks or longer, and provide detailed timetables and contracts with speakers may not be finalized until the campus has confirmed the venue and given final approval. The rules will be applied to all events, regardless of viewpoint.

Most of the rules already exist but have not been laid out in a unified, consistent policy known to all, Christ said. She said the student group hoping to host Coulter, for instance, offered her a date and time without checking with campus administrators that a venue was available; none was. Berkeley did not cancel the event, as has been reported, Christ said.

Campus spokesman Dan Mogulof said, We want to eliminate all gray areas and make sure theres clarity about what people need to do so we can help support safe and secure events.

The campus is accepting public comments on the interim policy until Oct 31.

Christs focus on free speech heartened Alex Nguyen, a sophomore studying molecular cellular biology. She said she took the issue especially to heart because her parents were born in Vietnam, where criticizing the government could lead to imprisonment.

I want her to really protect free speech because theres really high political tensions here, Nguyen said of the chancellor. Were at the university to learn new things and disprove our ideas.

teresa.watanabe@latimes.com

Twitter: @teresawatanabe

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UC Berkeley chancellor unveils 'Free Speech Year' as right-wing speakers plan campus events - Los Angeles Times

Who is the Boston Free Speech Coalition behind Saturday’s rally? – The Boston Globe

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John Medlar, one of the organizers of Saturday's Boston Free Speech Coalition rally on Boston Common.

The Boston Free Speech Coalition evolved quietly online and out of the view of authorities in recent months, shaped in part by outrage over violent protests at political rallies and riots on a California campus, a spokesman for the group said Tuesday.

John Medlar, the 23-year-old spokesman, said he and other young men began communicating on the Internet to express alarm over what they viewed as support for protesters who set fires, damaged property, and started fights following the University of California Berkeleys decision to invite controversial conservative figures to speak.

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We were alarmed that people were OK with fringe anarchists burning down a campus and driving [out] speakers, Medlar said.

As the coalition which also goes by the name The New Free Speech Movement prepares to hold a controversial rally on Boston Common on Saturday, a picture of the sponsoring organization has emerged. The group, which until recently planned to include speakers with white nationalist ties at Saturdays event, has become a source of outrage in Boston, a bane for City Hall, and an outlet for those who feel their voices are being shut out.

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We are not professional activists, Medlar said. We are just a bunch of volunteers who set out to go do something.

Medlar said he has been in contact with police and the city and is working to ensure a permit for Saturdays event. The city had said the group did not apply for one. But records show an organizer started the process by filling out an online application on the citys special events portal in July. He did not apply for a permit with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, which issues permits for large-scale events in the citys parks.

Medlar said the organizer was confused by the process, but the group is working with parks and police officials to address the matter. City officials had said that if a permit is issued there would be conditions.

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Many Boston-area activists said the group is giving a platform to those who spew racial hate and incite violence.

Ivn Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, said the coalition is naive to think that the issue is about the right to free speech if the expression at their rally dissolves into bigotry and violence.

You have the right to speak. You dont have the right to threaten or intimidate people, he said. You dont have a right to promote racial violence.

The group describes itself on Facebook as a coalition of libertarians, progressives, conservatives, and independents that is willing to peaceably engage in open dialogue about the threats to, and importance of, free speech and civil liberties.

They are mostly young white men in their 20s from places like Newton, Cambridge, and Charlestown who like to think of themselves as free speech absolutionists, members of the group said.

But civil rights specialists say the group is alt-lite, and that Saturdays event is part of a broader effort among some right-wing groups to bring their ideological battles into the streets.

Medlar acknowledged that at least one white nationalist group has been trying to use the rally to insert itself. But he distanced the coalition from that group or any group that espouses violence.

We denounce the politics of supremacy and violence. We denounce the actions, activities, and tactics of the so-called Antifa (militant leftists) movement. We denounce the normalization of political violence, the groups Facebook posting said.

One of the Virginia rallys speakers and another alt-right member who attended it were also invited to speak at the Boston event months ago. Both are no longer speaking.

The group came on scene in May with a small rally on the Common that drew protests. Police Commissioner William Evans had said the free speech group that held the event was not affiliated with Saturdays rally. But Medlar said he helped to organize the May rally. Police officials said they are trying to determine who was involved in both rallies.

Coalition members did not anticipate the uproar they would cause when they began planning Saturdays event at the Parkman Bandstand in May, Medlar and others said.

Just last week, a rally led by neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and white racists led to bloodshed in Charlottesville, Va. Immediately after, there was worry on social media that the speakers who police said incite violent and hate would also speak on the Common.

Amid the uproar, Medlar said the Boston rally organizers were unsure how to respond and panicked. They wavered over whether to continue with their rally or cancel it.

In the confusion, he added, one of the groups six organizers notified headliner Augustus Invictus, an Orlando activist who took part in the Charlottesville rally, to not to come to Boston. Invictus attracted support from white supremacists when he ran for the US Senate as a Libertarian in Florida in 2016. He told the Globe this week that organizers said they were worried about statements he has made espousing support for a second American civil war.

Tensions between Invictus and the group soared.

We do not support him due to his willingness to support violence, as well as his Holocaust denial, said one member who would only identify himself as Louis. So he has been disinvited, and he has pulled out.

Six other participants also dropped out as of Tuesday afternoon, Medlar said, and the groups list of speakers remains in flux. Part of the speakers exodus stemmed from uncertainty over whether the event would be held, and the other part has to do with the disinvitation of Invictus. There was a breach of trust between the coalition and speakers, he added.

It was a mistake on our part we believe, Medlar said. It created the impression that we are not fully committed to free speech.

As of Tuesday afternoon, only three people are confirmed to speak, he said.

Hoping to get a handle on the situation, Medlar said the group decided it needed a public face to address reporters questions and work with the city and police.

Postponing the rally now is not an option. If organizers postpone or cancel it, they would be seen as caving to pressure, the coalition said. Plus, members added, people are going to come.

In many ways it has already [become] bigger than us, Medlar added. And we need to get our act together and take control of the reins to make sure we are on course.

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Who is the Boston Free Speech Coalition behind Saturday's rally? - The Boston Globe