Did The Vintage Collection Death Star Space Station Get Leaked By Entertainment Earth? – That Hashtag Show

Posted on by

If you are a fan of Hasbros The Vintage Collection line, you might want to take a look at this. In a post on Instagram a few days ago, Entertainment Earth showed some pictures of their finished LEGO Comic Con booth. Well, when you scroll through the two pictures in the post you get a little surprise. There behind some LEGOs, is a Death Star Space Station box. What makes this box interesting is that you can make out part of The Vintage Collection logo on it. You can see the picture from Entertainment Earth below.

While there is no official word on this set, it is enough to get the Vintage Collection fans excited. Do you think we will see the Death Star Space Station Vintage Collection play-set? Well That Hashtag Show wants to hear from you.

You can tell us your thoughts on the Death Star Space Station set by hitting us up on Twitter or myself @starwarsnerd574. You can also join me at the Midwest Star Wars Fanatics fan page to chat all things Star Wars. Also, make sure to stay up to date on all the Star Wars news by following us atThatHashtagShow.com and the Star Wars Fanatics on Facebook. I cant wait to see you all at Celebration 2022.

Retired Army Military Police and Star Wars Nerd. Also a huge collector of Star Wars and Marvel items.

Go here to read the rest:

Did The Vintage Collection Death Star Space Station Get Leaked By Entertainment Earth? - That Hashtag Show

What Does Space Smell Like? ‘Smell of Space’ Perfume Is Finally Here – WTVOX

Posted on by

What does space smell like? Or, better said, does the cosmic space have any smell?

Yes, the outer space does have a smell.

Moreover, you do not have to be a NASA astronaut to experience it!

Thanks to Smell of Space Eau de perfume, you can enjoy it from the comfort of your home.

Before I tell you more about this unique perfume, you have to hear the story behind.

The smell of space quest began when astronauts who have gone on spacewalks, started to speak, on their returns, about spaces unique odour.

Now, astronauts cant smell or taste the space while theyre out and about.

That is because the interior of their spacesuits is sealed.

Even worse, these suits have a profound plastic smell that masks anything else.

However, when the astronauts were removing their helmets once back into the space station they were reporting this strong, characteristic scent of the outer space.

Thomas Jones, former NASA astronaut retired from space flying in 2001, believed the odour was created by atomic oxygen clinging to the fabric of the spacesuit:

When we return to the capsule, the space suits carry a distinct odour. To me, it smells like the ozone odour created by electrical equipment, and somehow similar to burnt gunpowder.

Indeed, according to NASA experts, the space odour adheres to space suits, helmet, gloves, and even to the space tools.

The odour is strong and it can be felt for quite some time.

Back to the actual smell, most astronauts find it difficult to describe.

It is hard to describe the scent of space. It is not the olfactory equivalent to describing the palette sensations of some new food as tastes like chicken, said Don Pettit, a NASA Astronaut on his return from a space mission.

Some say that it smells like burnt steak, others like smoked metal.

It is like something I havent ever smelled before. Maybe a bit like burnt, seared steak, mixed with smoked metal. Hard to describe, however, it is a smell Ill never forget, said NASA Astronaut Kevin Ford.

Others describe the clinging smell as having an intense aroma of hot metal and welding fumes:

To me, the smell of space is metallic. It reminded me of my college summers, where I worked for many hours with an arc welding torch repairing heavy equipment. The smell of space brought back pleasant sweet smelling welding fumes, he added.

Reflecting on the scent felt on his past experiences, Tony Antonelli former NASA Astronaut and space shuttle pilot said:

The smell was strong and unique. Nothing like anything you had ever smelled on Earth before. Like a metallic mixture of other things that I dont know how to describe.

In 2012, NASA decided to find out what makes up the unique space smell, and see if the odour can be recreated on Earth.

For that, NASA hired Steven Pearce, an expert chemist, to isolate the odour and recreate it, here on earth.

One of the reasons was to use the fragrance to train astronauts preparing for further space missions.

Stevens research proved that indeed, the metallic smell of space was caused by high-energy ionic vibrations of oxygen atoms.

The discovery triggered a lot of medical coverage and public desire to experience the smell as well.

Unfortunately, despite having the smell of space isolated and recreated almost a decade ago, NASAs discovery was bureaucratically trapped behind a lot of red tape.

Luckily, after a lot of lobbying and lots of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, a team of experts got their hands on the smell of outer space recipe.

Next step? Create a fragrance that the general public can enjoy as well.

According to the founding team, the tester has a smokey and bitter smell, in a unique combination of seared steak, metal, raspberries, and rum.

The Eau de Space fragrance will be created by a team of award-winning perfumers, fashion, tech, and design professionals.

The fastest way to discover how the space smell is by supporting the Kickstarter project.

The official Kickstarter project page explains:

Decades ago, NASA contracted specialists to developed the smell of space to help train astronauts before launching into orbit, and eliminate surprises they might experience in Outer Space.

In homage to the year the first humans landed on the moon for the first time, the campaign pledged an original sum of $1,969 (1,577).

However, with 20 days still before it ends, the campaign has received almost a half a million GBP.

More precisely, 406,163 from 11,500 supporters from all over the world.

A simple pledge of $29 (about 23) gets you one bottle of Eau de Space.

There are slight discounts if you order in bulk.

For each bottle you order, Eau de Space will match you by donating oneto a K-12 STEM program.

The team behind this unique project has further goals, education-related:

One Eau de Space team does not have plans to mass-produce the scent at the end of this Kickstarter campaign.

Thus, if youre thinking about experiencing the smell of outer space, pledge now, before it is too late!

Celebrities, designers, and latest news in sustainable fashion.

WTVOX Voicing the Future of Fashion

For similar content and lightning-quick news delivered directly to your inbox subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

For daily updates in sustainable fashion, designer innovations, organic beauty, and conscious lifestyle follow us on social media: Instagram, Youtube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter.

Finally, if you want to interact with thousands like you, join your tribe on the Future of Fashion Group.

View original post here:

What Does Space Smell Like? 'Smell of Space' Perfume Is Finally Here - WTVOX

Fabien Cousteau and Yves Bhar Create Proteus, the World’s Largest and Most Advanced Underwater Station – ArchDaily

Posted on by

Fabien Cousteau and Yves Bhar Create Proteus, the World's Largest and Most Advanced Underwater Station

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Whatsapp

Mail

Or

Bringing together technical experts in different fields to address issues of global importance, Fabien Cousteau, first grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, and the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center (FCOLC) announced the inception of PROTEUS, the worlds most advanced underwater scientific research station and habitat to address humanitys most critical concerns. Conceived as the underwater version of the International Space Station, the project is designed by Yves Behar and fuseproject.

The largest and most technologically advanced underwater station ever built, will put in place state-of-the-art labs, and generate a livable space for scientists to work for long periods of time. Designed by Yves Behar and his team at fuseproject, the project is a permanent underwater station that will advance scientific and oceanic research. In fact, PROTEUS enables the discovery of new species of marine life, creating a better understanding of how climate change affects the Ocean and allowing for testing of advanced technologies for green power, aquaculture, and robotic exploration.

At 4,000 square feet, PROTEUS will be three or four times the size of any previously built submarine habitats. Open to hosting academics, private companies, scientists, and NGOs that are involved in ocean exploration and research and development, PROTEUS can hold up to 12 people at the same time, for a 30-day period, more than any underwater station ever built.

As our life support system, the Ocean is indispensable to solving the planets biggest problems. Challenges created by climate change, rising sea levels, extreme storms and viruses represent a multi-trillion-dollar risk to the global economy. PROTEUS, contemplated as the first in a network of underwater habitats, is essential to driving meaningful solutions to protect the future of our planet. The knowledge that will be uncovered underwater will forever change the way generations of humans live up above. -- Fabien Cousteau.

Envisioned as the first of a series, PROTEUS will be located off the coast of Curacao, in a biodiverse, Marine Protected Area, in the Caribbean, at a depth of approx. 60 feet. Built to last for a certain number of years engineers deem safe and feasible, the Marine Research Platform will enable the advancement of science and oceanic research, focusing also on creating a big impact in ocean conservation, using and promoting renewable clean energy, and food sustainability.

As we look for design solutions to protect ourselves and our world from increasingly harsh climates, it is imperative that we first design new ways to study the sea, states Yves Bhar. Based on the concept of a spiral, the structure is attached to the ocean floor by legs designed to adapt to the variable terrain. A series of modular pods are attached to the main body of PROTEUS and accommodate a variety of uses such as laboratories, sleeping quarters, bathrooms, medical bays, life support systems, and storage. The largest pod contains a moon pool allowing submersibles to dock.

Connected by a spiral ramp, the main spaces of PROTEUS, spread on two levels, include a living room, kitchen, dining, and work areas. Comprising the first underwater greenhouse, residents can grow fresh plant food in order to solve the challenge of not being able to cook with open flames. Addressing the biggest challenges of staying underwater for longer spans of time, PROTEUS puts in place central spaces that can provide physical comfort, social connection, and professional collaboration. Additionally, the station will be designed to gather as much light as possible from windows, on the top, and around the sides of the structure.

Read this article:

Fabien Cousteau and Yves Bhar Create Proteus, the World's Largest and Most Advanced Underwater Station - ArchDaily

Constitution doesn’t have a problem with mask mandates – Sumter Item

Posted on by

By John E. Finn Wesleyan University

Many public health professionals and politicians are urging or requiring citizens to wear face masks to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Some Americans have refused, wrongly claiming mask decrees violate the Constitution. An internet search turns up dozens of examples.

"Costco Karen," for instance, staged a sit-in in a Costco entrance in Hillsboro, Oregon, after she refused to wear a mask, yelling, "I am an American I have rights."

A group called Health Freedom Idaho organized a protest against a Boise, Idaho, mask mandate. One protester said, "I'm afraid where this country is headed if we just all roll over and abide by control that goes against our constitutional rights."

As one protester said, "The coronavirus doesn't override the Constitution."

Speaking as a constitutional law scholar, these objections are nonsense.

The objections

It is not always clear why anti-maskers think government orders requiring face coverings in public spaces or those put in place by private businesses violate their constitutional rights, much less what they think those rights are. But most of the mistaken objections fall into two categories:

Mandatory masks violate the First Amendment right to speech, assembly and especially association, and mandatory masks violate a person's constitutional right to liberty and to make decisions about his or her own health and bodily integrity.

They're not mutually exclusive claims: A lawsuit filed by four Florida residents against Palm Beach County, for example, argues that mask mandates "interfere with personal liberty and constitutional rights," such as freedom of speech, right to privacy, due process and the "constitutionally protected right to enjoy and defend life and liberty." The lawsuit asks the court to issue a permanent injunction against the county's mask mandate.

Responding to a reporter who asked why President Donald Trump appeared unconcerned about the absence of masks and social distancing at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Vice President Mike Pence said: "I want to remind you again freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble is in the Constitution of the U.S. Even in a health crisis, the American people don't forfeit our constitutional rights."

What the First Amendment

does - and doesn't - do

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, press, petition, assembly and religion.

There are two reasons why mask mandates don't violate the First Amendment.

First, a mask doesn't keep you from expressing yourself. At most, it limits where and how you can speak. Constitutional law scholars and judges call these "time, place and manner" restrictions. If they do not discriminate on the basis of the content of the speech, such restrictions do not violate the First Amendment. An example of a valid time, place and manner restriction would be a law that limits political campaigning within a certain distance of a voting booth.

Additionally, the First Amendment, like all liberties ensured by the Constitution, is not absolute.

All constitutional rights are subject to the goverment's authority to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community. This authority is called the "police power." The Supreme Court has long held that protecting public health is sufficient reason to institute measures that might otherwise violate the First Amendment or other provisions in the Bill of Rights. In 1944, in the case of Prince v. Massachusetts, for example, the Supreme Court upheld a law that prohibited parents from using their children to distribute religious pamphlets on public streets.

The right to liberty

Some anti-maskers object that masks violate the right to liberty.

The right to liberty, including the right to make choices about one's health and body, is essentially a constitutional principle of individual autonomy, neatly summarized as "My body, my choice."

The 1905 case of Jacobsen v. Massachusetts shows why mask mandates don't violate any constitutional right to privacy or health or bodily integrity. In that case, the Supreme Court upheld a smallpox vaccination requirement in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The court said that the vaccination requirement did not violate Jacobsen's right to liberty or "the inherent right of every freeman to care for his own body and health in such way as to him seems best."

As the court wrote, "There are manifold restraints to which every person is necessarily subject for the common good. On any other basis, organized society could not exist with safety to its members." In a 1995 New York case, a state court held that an individual with active tuberculosis could be forcibly detained in a hospital for appropriate medical treatment.

Even if you assume that mask mandates infringe upon what the Supreme Court calls "fundamental rights," or rights that the court has called the "very essence of a scheme of ordered liberty," it has consistently ruled states can act if the restrictions advance a compelling state interest and do so in the least restrictive manner.

Rights are conditional

As the Jacobsen ruling and the doctrine of time, place and manner make clear, the protection of all constitutional liberties rides upon certain necessary - but rarely examined - assumptions about communal and public life.

One is that constitutional rights - whether to liberty, speech, assembly, freedom of movement or autonomy - are held on several conditions. The most basic and important of these conditions is that our exercise of rights must not endanger others (and in so doing violate their rights) or the public welfare. This is simply another version of the police power doctrine.

Unfortunately, a global pandemic in which a serious and deadly communicable disease can be transmitted by asymptomatic carriers upsets that background and justifies a wide range of reasonable restrictions on our liberties. Believing otherwise makes the Constitution a suicide pact - and not just metaphorically.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

Excerpt from:

Constitution doesn't have a problem with mask mandates - Sumter Item

Heather Sundahl and Lisa Rampton Halverson: Lee used to stand against presidential ‘overreach’ – Salt Lake Tribune

Posted on by

Over the course of his career, Sen, Mike Lee, R-Utah, has consistently voiced a principled opposition to political overreach. A search of the senators website provides 61 results calling out executive or federal overreach. In 2013, Lee said, We now see how determined the president is to expand the power of the federal government and his willingness to use that power to harm the country to get what he wants. Congress cannot allow this to stand.

It is unsurprising that these concerns were voiced when the executive was on the other team. But Lee also spoke up when President Trump attempted an emergency declaration to siphon funding to his border wall. Lee repeated themes he had championed during the Obama administration, declaring, Executive overreach and abdication of Congresss constitutional powers is neither a Republican nor Democratic issue; neither a liberal nor a conservative one. Its an American one.

The leaders of Mormon Women for Ethical Government agree: Executive overreach is an American issue. We believe the years spent honing his expertise during the Obama administration should help the senator lead Congress in protecting Americans rights now. Under President Trump, the executive branch has regularly and repeatedly exercised overreach to the detriment of Americans national representation, constitutional protections, and First Amendment freedoms. Lees previous denunciations of such overreach are as critical today as they were previously.

In critique of Obamacare, Lee said, What power the government has, it will use and misuse to advance its own interests, even if that means punishing the American people along the way. However, Lee remains silent as Trump defies the law to advance his own agenda. Although the Constitution explicitly says congressional districts must be based on the whole number of persons, and multiple federal laws and the Supreme Court have upheld this interpretation, Trump recently signed a memorandum to prevent undocumented migrants from being counted in the decennial U.S. census. Ramifications go beyond red or blue redistricting: The census impacts planning and funding for schools, roads, and emergency services. This overreach advances partisan interests while punishing the American people along the way.

Even if Trump knew that his [decree] lacked legal authority, The National Review opined, he could get away with it for the length of his presidency. For the president to intentionally enact decrees known to be unconstitutional would be egregious executive overreach.

Particularly worrisome is the use of unidentified federal forces to disperse protesters. After Trump declared himself your president of law and order and demanded governors deploy National Guard units and dominate the streets, troops scattered peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square for a Trump photo-op at St. Johns Church. In Portland, federal forces have arrested and removed protesters. David Graham of The Atlantic noted, For decades, conservative activists and leaders have warned that jackbooted thugs from the federal government were going to come to take away Americans civil rights with no due process and no recourse. Now theyre here but theyre deployed by a staunchly right-wing president with strong conservative support.

Senator, as you have in the past, demand that the executive respect both the rule of law and the unalienable rights of every American. Your previous actions lead us to expect this of you. To abandon your duty violates multiple Principles of Ethical Government.

Again stand against executive overreach and for Americans well-being, our First Amendment freedoms and the Constitution that protects us all.

Lisa Rampton Halverson is the senior director of education for Mormon Women for Ethical Government.

Heather Sundahl is an op-ed writing lab advisor for the organization. Both women live in Utah.

More here:

Heather Sundahl and Lisa Rampton Halverson: Lee used to stand against presidential 'overreach' - Salt Lake Tribune

Litecoin, Stellar’s Lumen, and Tron’s TRX – Daily Analysis July 28th, 2020 – FX Empire

Posted on by

For the day ahead

Stellars Lumen would need to avoid a fall back through the $0.09449 pivot to support a run at the first major resistance level at $0.10061.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Stellars Lumen to break out from Mondays high $0.10044.

Barring a broad-based crypto rally, the first major resistance level and Mondays high would likely limit any upside.

A fall through the $0.09449 pivot would bring the first major support level at $0.08854 into play.

Barring another extended crypto sell-off, however, Stellars Lumen should steer well clear of the second major support level at $0.08242.

First Major Support Level: $0.08854

First Major Resistance Level: $0.10061

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $0.1051

38% FIB Retracement Level: $0.14336518

62% FIB Retracement Level: $0.2050

Trons TRX rose by 0.94% on Monday. Reversing a 0.99% fall from Sunday, Trons TRX ended the day at $0.01876.

It was a mixed start to the day. Trons TRX rose to an early morning high $0.018978 before hitting reverse.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $0.01921, Trons TRX slid to a mid-afternoon intraday low $0.017685.

Trons TRX fell through the first major support level at $0.01815 and the second major support level at $0.01772.

Finding late support, Trons TRX broke back through the support levels to strike a late intraday high $0.019177.

Trons TRX came within range of the first major resistance level at $0.01921 before tumbling back to $0.01820 levels.

Finding support at the first major support level at $0.01815, Trons TRX recovered to end the day in the green.

At the time of writing, Trons TRX was up by 0.56% to $0.018868. A bullish start to the day saw Trons TRX rise from an early morning low $0.018755 to a high $0.019031.

Trons TRX left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

Read the rest here:

Litecoin, Stellar's Lumen, and Tron's TRX - Daily Analysis July 28th, 2020 - FX Empire

Crypto Custodian Anchorage Adds Litecoin Support – CoinDesk – CoinDesk

Posted on by
  1. Crypto Custodian Anchorage Adds Litecoin Support - CoinDesk  CoinDesk
  2. FINRA Approves Names For Grayscales Bitcoin Cash And Litecoin Trusts  Forbes
  3. Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin to trade on public stock market for first time  Fortune
  4. Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin Cryptocurrencies To Trade At The Stock Market As Grayscale Wins FINRA Approval  Benzinga
  5. Grayscale Investments Announces Approval of Public Quotations for Eligible Shares of Grayscale Bitcoin Cash Trust and Grayscale Litecoin Trust  GlobeNewswire
  6. View Full Coverage on Google News

See more here:

Crypto Custodian Anchorage Adds Litecoin Support - CoinDesk - CoinDesk

Litecoin (LTC) Down $0.67 in Last 4 Hours, Makes Big Move Relative to Past Three Months; Breaks Above 200 Day Average – CFDTrading

Posted on by

Litecoin 4 Hour Price Update

Updated July 29, 2020 03:20 AM GMT (11:20 PM EST)

56.18 (USD) was the opening price of the four-hour candle for Litecoin, resulting in the last 4 hour candle being one in which price moved up 0.59% ($0.33) from the last 4 hour candle. Out of the 5 instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Litecoin ended up ranking 2nd for the four-hour candle in terms of price change relative to the last 4 hour candle.

Litecoin is up 4.69% ($2.5) since the day prior, marking the 2nd day in a row an increase has occurred. The change in price came along side change in volume that was down 10.69% from previous day, but up 416.23% from the Tuesday of last week. Out of the 5 instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Litecoin ended up ranking 2nd for the day in terms of price change relative to the day prior. The daily price chart of Litecoin below illustrates.

The clearest trend exists on the 14 day timeframe, which shows price moving up over that time. Price action traders in particular will want to note that the 90 day period appears to show price forming a base; this could indicate that a support/resistance level is developing. For another vantage point, consider that Litecoins price has gone down 15 of the previous 30 trading days.

Go here to see the original:

Litecoin (LTC) Down $0.67 in Last 4 Hours, Makes Big Move Relative to Past Three Months; Breaks Above 200 Day Average - CFDTrading

Creativity after coronavirus: is it time for the return of funny ha ha? – Campaign US

Posted on by

Conflict can spawn creativity. The Great War brought a golden age of music hall for the Home Front, alongside the trench humour that helped keep some of those on the frontline going; the Second World War inspired a boom in art, poetry, music, film, literature, the NHS (eventually) and thousands of business patents. It also sparked plenty of "funny" as people sought to "keep smiling through".

In 1939, Lieutenant Ricketts wrote that "Hitler has only got one ball"; the comedian Tommy Handley (pictured, top) kept radio audiences entertained throughout the war on the BBCs Its That Man Again, while popular slogans such as "Coughs and sneezes spread diseases", illustrated by HM Bateman with lighthearted cartoons, were also coined. This particular example from the Ministry of Health is as true today as it was back then, and can be seen as a precursor to the NHSs more recent "Catch it. Bin it. Kill it" mantra.

There hasnt been much funny to see during the war on Covid-19 socially, economically, in advertising or in popular culture, as the country comes to terms with the greatest natural loss of life since the Spanish Flu pandemic that followed the First World War.

But with lockdown easing and society beginning to come to terms with how life has changed, following an extended period when agencies proved that they were capable of working from home, the days of stripped-back, austere and functional ads that have tried to display practicality, humanity and utility might be coming to an end in favour of something else.

While these Covid-era ads were steps into the unknown, it was inevitable that the limitations on their creation and production, as well as matters of taste and propriety, meant that many would end up looking the same. Weve all become familiar with empathetic ads featuring scenes of empty streets, and self-isolators stood in their windows applauding key workers, accompanied by a bland but supportive corporate message. And while they may have ended up looking the same, tonally they may have got it right; according to System1 research, ads that used emotion and launched during the pandemic were more effective than those that launched before it.

Nonetheless many people wont miss them. Indeed, some have sniped at their formulaic look. Andy Nairn, a founder of Lucky Generals, points out: "For the first time in advertising history, weve all been working on the same brief. And, not surprisingly, weve then all been making the same ads. And then (with delicious irony), weve all been making the same catty remarks about how similar they all are.

"In the short term, the rather conventional response is, arguably, forgivable: just as we dont berate funeral orators (and apologies for a metaphor which has been all too real recently) for using familiar devices, I think we can cut brands a little slack right now, if theyve followed well-worn paths. But now that were slowly moving into a new normal phase, theres no excuse for vanilla. In fact, with recession looming, its more important than ever to speak and act distinctively."

Research from Lucky Generals (conducted in May 2020), suggested that 90% of Britons agreed that "at the moment, its important to find joy in the small things" and that the same amount feel that "keeping a sense of humour is important in times like these". In fact, 85% believed that "British people often use humour to get through a crisis".

Some have even tried to use this approach during lockdown. Nicky Bullard, chairwoman of MRM McCann, says: "Of course, there is absolutely nothing funny about Covid-19. But there is something funny about joggers whove never jogged before. Or kids wanting a poo while you are on a conference call. Or the fumbling to turn off your camera, two minutes after youve already said goodbye. There may be a bit of a lid on it for now. And quite rightly. But as soon as funny creatives see a crack in the curtains, they are going to pull them wide open and let the sunshine in."

During the height of the crisis, ad colleges responded to the understandable prevailing sense of gloom and anxiety among students by issuing briefs that focused on humour and entertainment to engender a feeling of positivity, rather than the real briefs that were actually doing the rounds.

Marc Lewis, dean of School of Communication Arts in Brixton, explains: "The past few months have been about two extremes: some people are thriving and some are struggling terribly. People whom I speak to can go through a spectrum of emotions in a day. In an hour."

"Now that were slowly moving into a new normal phase, theres no excuse for vanilla" Andy Nairn, Lucky Generals

And from such diametrically opposed emotions, he thinks new forms of creativity could be inspired. "At the risk of sounding predatory or opportunistic (fuck it, I think it is important to be both, if we are to do our jobs as creatives and as leaders), this is such an exciting time to be a creative leader. This is our moment to bring meaning to peoples lives, to help them find themselves, to create connections, to promise hope, to provide a sense of release and relief. I am so excited to be able to sit back and soak up all the creativity that came from coronavirus and commercial creativity is a huge part of that."

But will we see "funny" an emotion that has been largely absent (both in pre- and peri-Covid times)? After all System1 identifies humour as valid as an emotional prompt as empathy. Ben Middleton, founder and chief creative officer at Creature, says that after the brutality of Covid-19 begins to subside, the ad industrys attention is likely to revert to sentimental type but hopefully only briefly.

"Post-lockdown is inevitably going to be a feelings-tsunami of hyper-sentimental films, featuring nervously hugging neighbourhood choirs, banging on about community, so humour, laughter and the lolz are going to be potent tools for making our client partners brands stand out from the crowd," he argues.

However after taking stock and properly preparing for life returning to his own version of "normal", he adds: "Personally, Im looking for the light at the end of the tunnel thats smirk-shaped. It might sound counterintuitive, and even a bit heartless to be pining for the funnies whilst our death-rate outstrips most of the developed world but, as were now meant to be on the downslope, I cant be the only one feeling perversely positive. One of the joys of our job is interrogating a brand or product to find its truth, and then presenting that insight to customers in a fresh and compelling way, thats going to persuade them to do something different. And telling a joke is a bloody good way to start those conversations."

Others are not so sure. Laughter might be the best medicine ha ha but it comes with inherent risks, given that so much of British humour traditionally involves someone taking the role of the punchline. At this point its mandatory to mention Howell Henry Chaldecott Lurys early-1990s Tango ads.

Tony Cullingham, Watford course leader at West Herts College, agrees that we all could do with some humour but thinks that societal expectations of advertising have changed. "Boy, do we need a laugh right now. Something to cheer us up," he says. "Id love to see a comedy renaissance in advertising. I just cant see it happening post Covid-19. The idea of funny ads died years ago when the juggernaut of political correctness shunted comedy into the ditch.

"The idea of funny ads died when the juggernaut of political correctness shunted comedy into the ditch" Tony Cullingham, West Herts College

"Comedy is based on human frailty-ignorance, idiocy and clumsiness traits, which are perceived as being insensitive and unkind. The women pissing themselves over the Harvey Nichols sales was funny ["Wet with excitement", DDB UK, 2012]. It was one of the most-awarded campaigns of the year. It was also the most complained-about ad of the year. Apparently, it was offensive to incontinence sufferers. Personally, I pissed myself laughing."

Quite whether many marketers will be brave enough to sign off ads that make some people piss themselves with laughter and others work themselves up to a tizzy in outrage is up for question.

Cullingham thinks not many will risk it: "Once we get back to our plastic-bubble desks, agency and marketing staff will be fighting hard to keep their jobs. They wont want to rock the boat with crazy, funny, wacky ideas. It will all be earnest, soul-searching, bleeding-heart stuff, driven by data and fear."

Thats not to say that "funny" has completely disappeared from UK advertising. Cullingham identifies 4Creative, Mother, Wieden & Kennedy and Droga5 London as the potential humour flag-bearers.

But will advertising embrace comedy post-Covid-19? "No. But occasionally it might get a social distancing hug from time to time," he opines.

The occasional social-distanced humour of Cullingham or "funny", bathed in all its sunlight, as described by Bullard? The creative jury is out. But much like the early socially distanced brand logos, maudlin Covid-19 advertising has run its course, and its time for something new. Humour is as good a choice of emotion to replace it as any other.

Hamlet, sad and hesitant prince of Denmark, was never a chap to play things for laughs hardly surprising, given the context: his mum was shagging his uncle, who shafted his dad, who came back (tapping his wristwatch) demanding blue bloody murder. Thats not funny, it is just plain rotten. Against this dismal backdrop, Hamlet believed in playing things straight. His advice, given to the actors in Hamlets play within a play, seems to haunt our industry during lockdown. Hamlet wanted no flights of fancy in his drama and demanded his players "hold as twere the mirror up to nature", that they "oerstop not the modesty of nature" and show the world an accurate image of itself. Drama is a mirror in which we can see our lives.

Hamlet the (over)thinker has clearly written the brief for most current ads. Mirror marketing now dominates. Sitting in lockdown, watching telly, feeling a bit plinky-plonky melancholic, we are exposed to lots of ads about people sitting in lockdown, looking a bit plinky-plonky melancholic. The black mirror perfectly reflects us back to ourselves in grainy portrait mode. Each ad has the same strategy-gushing, corporate empathy; each has the same production limitations (shoot it on a phone); and so each looks and sounds the same.

But maybe there are creative and strategic aspirations higher than the mindlessly mimetic. Perhaps, now more than ever, people need a little bit more from their ad breaks, something else from their brands something bolder and much humbler. Brands are not "with us", they are for us. They provide our little treats, our everyday inessentials. They make up the quotidian stuff that matters far less than staying healthy and staying sane. Lockdown reminds us that the job of brands is pleasure not purpose, merriment not mission. So maybe it is time brands got back in their DHL-delivered box, made our mood lighter and dared to make us laugh.

I choose to side with Hamlet, the endlessly entertaining, mild cigar, rather than Hamlet the Dane, the endlessly earnest overthinker. We dont need a branded mirror; we know what our lives look like. We dont need your corporate empathy you are not an actor in our drama. We dont need plaintive pianos, heartfelt CEO letters or pseudo-inspiring hashtaggery. What we need from brands is entertainment, distraction and good humour. It wont be easy, given the lack of production tools right now, but if Ryan Reynolds can make ads on PowerPoint that make mobile tariffs funny and an unknown developer can give me "toco laser eyes" on Instagram, then our brightest and bravest should be able to raise a smirk in a UK ad break before the summers out. So, I say to Hamlet, give me a lamp, sweet prince, to light up the current darkness. And you can keep your mirror and its image of my knackered, strung-out face.

Read the original:

Creativity after coronavirus: is it time for the return of funny ha ha? - Campaign US

Dave Simpson: The NFL Taking A Walk, As They Take A Knee – Cowboy State Daily

Posted on by

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

By Dave Simpson, Columnist

Who cares what a pro football teams nickname is if we have to sit through millionaire players and coaches taking a knee during the national anthem to show their contempt for our country?

Why would I care what they call a team if its members have such a low opinion of the country I love?

I was a Broncos fan for decades. But this is it for me. Im finished. Done with football. All it is today is another heaping, steaming helping of political correctness, wokeness, and angry grievances. Brain injuries. Boring contract issues. And anger for the country that made it possible for so many to become so vastly wealthy, so successful.

And apparently way too big for their britches.

No thanks. Ill clean my garage on Sunday afternoons from now on. The library in our town is open on Sundays, so theres that, too. Or maybe while theyre taking a knee, Ill be taking a walk.

To Hell with all of them.

For the record, I dont care if as the woke people insist on saying the Washington football team (instead of what we used to call the Washington Redskins) changes its name to the Washington Walleyes. Although in todays ultra-sensitive environment, who knows if a reference to a fine-tasting freshwater fish might offend someone, somewhere, someday, and trigger some snowflake.

The late, great Washington columnist Charles Krauthammer once wrote that while many die-hard fans wanted to keep the nickname Redskins, words evolve. And since the choice of a nickname for a sports team does not rate high on issues of cosmic importance, the nickname should probably be changed in deference to the evolving nature of language. It was a reasonable opinion. It was the sport he enjoyed, not the nickname, so make the change. He preferred Skins.

The problem today, however, is the larger issue of disparaging our country at the beginning of games by taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem. According to news reports, a song considered the Black national anthem will be played at the start of the first two games of the season (if there is a season), then the Star Spangled Banner will be played, during which players and coaches may well take a knee, apparently to show their solidarity in not honoring our country.

Who would ever have thought that a hero like Drew Brees would have to apologize for saying he would never dishonor the flag and the country that his grandfathers fought to defend in World War II? How on earth could that be deemed so outrageous that Brees would be browbeaten and berated into issuing repeated apologies?

But, thats what happened.

And who would have expected Bret Favre to liken pioneer anthem kneeler Colin Kaepernick, known to wear socks depicting police officers as pigs, to Pat Tillman, who gave up a career in the NFL to enlist in the Army, and died fighting for his country? Really, Brett? He later backed off from that stupid opinion, after many were justifiably outraged.

The football coach of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys was pictured wearing a t-shirt showing the name of a conservative news site. A player expressed outrage. And the coach gave up over a million dollars in annual salary to try to make amends.

And how about the gutless NFL owners, who own teams in a country that is nuts about football, but cant summon up the spine to defend the economic system that made them all so fabulously wealthy. Or to speak up for the vast majority of the hard-working police officers who patrol our streets. Or for the working-class guy who just wants to watch football on a weekend afternoon without having his nose rubbed in ever more political correctness, smarmy insufferable wokeness, and contempt for the country he loves.

The problem is that pro football is confusing entertainment with just another truckload of seething, hateful controversy, in a world already chock full of hatred. And its just as bad in basketball, where theyre planning to wear protest slogans on the back of their jerseys.

This is entertainment?

No thanks.

Im done.

Ive been putting off cleaning the garage for years.

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

Read the original:

Dave Simpson: The NFL Taking A Walk, As They Take A Knee - Cowboy State Daily

We Owe Megan Thee Stallion a Gigantic Apology – CCN.com

Posted on by

Megan Thee Stallion has come clean. Weeks after she was shot during an incident in the Hollywood Hills, she took to her Instagram Live to address all the speculation about it once and for all.

Now that the whole story is finally out, its time we admit shes a victim who deserves our support and probably an apology too.

In a video we can only describe as harrowing, Megan Thee Stallion went into extensive detail about the shooting incident that took place on July 12.

She revealed the bullets missed bones and tendons and that she was lucky they did:

I was shot in both of my feet, and I had to get surgery to get the bullets taken out, and it was super scary. I know my mama and my daddy, my granny had to be looking out for me with that one cause where the bullets hit at, it missed everything.

Its still unclear who shot her. She declined to name her attacker during her Instagram Live stream.

Rapper Tory Lanez, who was with her in the car, was arrested on suspicion of illegally carrying a concealed weapon. Lanez hasnt been charged in connection with the shooting.

When one hears an otherwise decent person has been attacked, the first question they usually have is, Are they okay?

That didnt happen when Megan Thee Stallion got shot. Instead, both celebrities and regular people alike engaged in some of the most disgusting behavior Ive ever seen in my life.

Take a look at what Dipset rapper Camron, not known for his political correctness, had to say when word of Megs shooting broke.

Professional groupie Draya Michelle lost her Fenty endorsement when she made crude remarks about the tragic incident.

Even 50 Cent initially made a joke at Megan Thee Stallions expense. To his credit, he quickly apologized when he realized his comments were out of line.

Thats not the only apology she deserves.

To this day, hip hop journalists are writing think-pieces about how Taylor Swift was traumatized by Kanye West rushing the stage during the MTV Video Music Awards when all he did was pay tribute to Wu-Tang Clans lyrical giant Ol Dirty Bastard.

Taylor Swift didnt suffer physical harm when Kanye pulled that stunt. The way journalists carry on, you would think he committed a Manson family-style butchery.

These same journalists cant be bothered to pen one piece in support of Megan Thee Stallion. Its a news story, nothing more. It only deserves more than a passing mention when a celebrity cracks a joke at a Black womans expense.

Never mind the fact that research shows shooting victims are legitimately traumatized by the experience. Or the fact that she walked on her injured feet afterthe shooting and probably caused more damage to herself.

No none of those things are worthy of a defense. But Taylor Swift got her feelings hurt one time by a Black man more than ten years ago, and were stilltalking about it to this day.

Megan Thee Stallion and Black women in general deserve farbetter than this.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.

Continue reading here:

We Owe Megan Thee Stallion a Gigantic Apology - CCN.com

Dave Portnoy Rejects ‘The View’ Host’s Baseless Claims Of Rape Threats – The Federalist

Posted on by

Barstool Sports President Dave Portnoy rejected The View co-host Sunny Hostins baseless claims that multiple women from Barstool refused to grant an interview with HBO because the websites co-founder made rape threats against them.

Hostin made the charges Monday during a discussion on Portnoy landing a big interview with President Donald Trump last week on a wide range of topics including Twitter, the coronavirus and sports. While Portnoys followers were pleasantly surprised and the interview racked up millions of views, Hostin remained unamused staying true to form and calling Portnoy a racist, as has become a go-to attack for the ABC host.

It didnt strike me as odd, at all, that [Trump] chose to sit with Dave Portnoy, because Dave Portnoy is such a controversial figure. I mean, hes had many of his employees quit because of racism, he called [Colin] Kaepernick an ISIS guy, over a dozen women Barstool Sports reporters refused to sit down with HBO because they feared rape threats, hes been on video using the n-word and, so, its not surprising to me that Trump would sit down with someone with that kind of reputation, Hostin said.

Portnoy denied the charges on Twitter, clarifying that his taped use of the n-word came from a lyric to a Ja Rule song.

I made it to View! Portnoy wrote to kick off the online statement, going on to say Hostins rape claim was a flat lie.

Portnoy, who leads a successful sports comedy website that hasnt sacrificed its authenticity to exhaustively pursue political correctness, is no stranger to baseless allegations and dark elements of cancel culture. After several attempts from the most prominent of the woke left, Portnoy knows his status among the small group of uncancellables.

I hate to break it to you guys but whenever you try to cancel us and do these movements that pop up every few years, it only makes us stronger, Portnoy said in a video on Twitter after jokes came under fire for being politically insensitive.

View original post here:

Dave Portnoy Rejects 'The View' Host's Baseless Claims Of Rape Threats - The Federalist

Letters to the Editor July 29, 2020: Wily Wiley – The Jerusalem Post

Posted on by

Wily WileyUntil I read UK rappers antisemitic posts abhorrent (July 27), I was unaware of Richard Cowie (known as Wiley, a rapper), whose virulent antisemitic posts on Twitter were allowed to remain online for an inordinate amount of time before they were taken down. His outbursts were of such enormity that they constitute a hate crime and many are now calling for UK law authorities to investigate and take appropriate action. Wiley has nearly a million followers on his various social media platforms and when his racist anti-Jewish posts are re-tweeted, they reach even more people. Therefore it is incumbent of these sites to heighten their monitoring of such hateful posts, remove them more speedily and close such offending accounts. Many users have called to stop using Twitter for 48 hours to protest this.Finally, Wiley himself has previously had bestowed upon him the honor of an MBE and many have written to the Honors Forfeiture Committee requesting they seriously consider its removal for bringing the honor into disrepute, which constitutes very strong grounds for having the honor withdrawn.Jewish lives matter, too.STEPHEN VISHNICK Tel AvivWiley, you tweet and re-tweet things about Jews like You are the most vile people in the history of humanity; You people commit the worse (sic) acts of genocide; Jewish (sic) would do anything to ruin a black mans (sic) life and more.As an ordinary Jewish person who knows that none of that is true and has suffered more than my share of physical and verbal abuse throughout my life for the accident of being born into this faith if this letter reaches your eyes, Id be curious to know from you or others like you where such strong and hurtful baseless beliefs come from.Thank God for celebrities like Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Charles Barkley and now Ice Cube, who project a different message that I have always believed: that when it comes to being victims of racism, blacks and Jews (some of whom are black) are on the same team.MO IRVINGPhiladelphiaThere has been an awkward effort by some liberal Jews to excuse recent manifestations of antisemitism in the black community by athletes and celebrities as just ignorance. That excuse just got weaker now that it has been revealed that Rodney Muhammad, the president of the Philadelphia NAACP, posted on Facebook a caricature of Jewish people identical to what one finds in Der Sturmer. Further, with a straight face, he said he does not see why Jews should be offended. This sick bile from a man whose views are respected in the black community.Many of Muhammads constituents are evidently comfortable with his Julius Stretcher-like Facebook post. At this point there does not appear to be any significant difference between the antisemitism of Black Lives Matter and the antisemitism of the Philadelphia NAACP. The more important question for those members of the Jewish community who are not willfully blind is whether there is any difference between the antisemitism of the Philadelphia NAACP and the rest of the national organization?RICHARD SHERMANMargate, FloridaI know, I knowHerb Keinon discusses the growing credibility gap between the Israeli public and government concerning its dealing with the corona crisis. Some 71% of the public had confidence in the government on May 7 down to 47% today (Coronavirus credibility gap, July 28). But this statistic just reflects the fact that the public is slowly coming to the realization that nobody knows how to deal optimally with the coronavirus. The main failing of the government has been that they have forgotten how to say, We dont know. As have many others. For example, in the same article, Michael Levitt, an American-British-Israeli Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, was reported to have said in a KAN radio interview on March 18 that he would be surprised if the Corona deaths in Israel would surpass 10. Why would anybody ask or expect Levitt, even though he has a Nobel Prize under his belt, to be able to predict the number of deaths from Corona? And that in March when literally nothing was known about the virus, why didnt Levitt simply say, I dont know? In the media, experts are constantly being questioned: When will it be over? When will there be a vaccine? Will it be effective? Is it safe to visit Grandma and Grandpa? Who is more to blame, the interviewer asking the unanswerable questions or the experts who have lost the ability to say, I dont know? YIGAL HOROWITZBeershebaStop complaining; start actingRegarding Nation descends into coronavirus chaos (July 20), how about the residents of Israel taking matters into their own hands? Instead of demonstrators packing together without masks and fighting police and disrupting neighborhoods how about a mass movement to actually obey the very well-known rules to slow the spread of the coronavirus, i.e. social distancing and wearing a mask properly (covering both mouth and nose) whenever they are in the vicinity of others who are not part of their household. Yes, the political leadership here is chaotic, but the demonstrations that break all the rules will only intensify the epidemic and prolong the misery of the entire population.What if parents told their teenage children that they would not die if they did not have a big year-end party where all the rules are broken, but having the party might lead to a chain of infection that will cause death? What if they told their children to take the money that would have been spent on the party and donate it to someone who desperately needed funds? What if parents would tell their children that they should sacrifice their party for the greater good of the health of the society? What a teaching moment for good values that would be.Citizens of Israel, stop complaining and start doing your part in stopping the virus by obeying the universally acknowledged rules.BETTY KRUGER JerusalemThree ways Netanyahu tries to delegitimize protests against him (July 26) purports to explain the techniques supposedly used by the prime minister to delegitimize the protests. Channel 12 reports that 130 police officers contracted COVID-19 from demonstrators. While the country is in a desperate plight because of the virus, the demonstrators are doing their best to spread it far and wide. They dont care how many people get sick and how many die. What could possibly discredit them more than what they are doing? MICHAEL GREENGARDJerusalemIs buying Chinese goods good?Regarding China takes over US consulate premises in Chengdu as ties worsen (July 27), for years American presidents subscribed to a policy called the US-China Relations Act of 2000. This act encouraged American citizens to buy goods produced in China. This was considered to be good for American consumers, since China was able to produce these items at such low cost. Professors of economics throughout the US praised this policy, and claimed it was good for the American economy. As time progressed, America stopped manufacturing these items on US soil. Before long the rest of the world had their items produced in China. This, unfortunately, included Israel. Why not? After all, its so cheap. Everyone turned a blind eye to the fact that all this was produced by using slave labor. In addition, China runs correction facilities better described as concentration camps where many Chinese citizens are incarcerated and tortured until they fall in line with the governments expectations. Many victims ultimately die from these tortures.Now that the coronavirus which originated in China has afflicted the world and countless people suffered financial losses consisting of trillions of dollars (not to mention lives lost), we see what price the world paid for all the bargains that we got from China. Yet Western governments still have no qualms doing trade with the Chinese government, a rogue nation, regardless of its human rights abuses. Its time for the West to halt all trade with China.I. SIEGMANBeit ShemeshThe Iranian deal with China goes further than mentioned. Not only will China have access to some Iranian ports, but the Chinese are reported to be planning a new military base in the vicinity of the port of Chabahar this could monitor the US Fifth Fleet in the Gulf, just like them operating the new Haifa Terminal where they can monitor not only Israel Navy movements but also that of the US fleet in the Mediterranean. Further, the $400 billion deal also includes closer military cooperation, including weapons development, combined training and intelligence sharing. Our government must be completely crazy to allow Israeli businesses to trade with Chinese companies while they are to engage with our enemies in weapons development, let alone intelligence. How can they justify letting them control our major dairy industry company Tnuva through a state Chinese company?DR. COLIN L LECIJerusalemAs perceptive as a batRegarding Going batty in times of corona and politicking (July 24), I look forward to Liat Collinss column every Friday and I have never been disappointed. This weekends article was superb; the information regarding the bats was, well, eye-opening and Taiwans stringency about cleanliness and wearing masks, even pre-COVID-19, resulting in hardly any deaths (fewer than 10 in a population of over 23 million) and no economic ruin, should make the rest of the world wake up and take note. Her description of her navigation woes, even with WAZE and Google Maps, had me wondering if she were writing about me by mistake. I smiled throughout each description, shaking my head, saying, Been there, done that. Glad to know Im not alone. Shes a talented word acroBAT.LINDA KURAS MIZRAHIPetah TikvaBig budget battleI have to ask why Benny Gantz thinks he should have a say about the budget. This is not the function of the Minister of Defense. When (and if) he becomes prime minister, then it will be his purview. In the meantime, I believe the nation should remember that more than once Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought the country back from the brink of financial disaster and has established us as one of the most stable in the world. When all were floundering, Israel was prosperous, so let him try to use his magic wand. Because of what is happening around the world, it simply makes sense to pass the budget for only one year, as times are not normal, and we do not what is waiting for us.That said, once a budget is in place, Mr. Netanyahu, lets face it, you need to seriously consider stepping aside to allow someone hopefully from your political camp to take up the reins. But at this time you are creating too much pandemonium!ANNABELLE HOROWITZPetah TikvaTender gender topicRegarding Coalition stability in danger over conversion therapy bill (July 23), how appallingly hypocritical it is of our liberal Israeli Knesset to ban conversion therapy for individuals who wish to overcome their homosexual tendencies. If the claim is that this therapy is ineffective and a waste of the patients time and money, then in time the therapy would cease to exist and thered be no need to outlaw it. But the basis for the ban is the untenable suggestion that anyone might prefer to be straight. Yet when a person born with male organs decides he is really a woman, (or the reverse) the state spends large amounts to fund sex-change operations. No one is requesting the government pay for conversion therapy. And certainly any person undergoing the therapy necessarily must be a willing party to the process if it is to be at all effective. So why is the free choice of the individual wishing to undergo conversion therapy to be summarily dismissed while the transgender choice is respected as well as funded? Respect for individuals personal choices must not be limited to those whose choices find favor in the eyes of the relatively new liberal worldview. Our society is becoming more concerned with political correctness than consistency of principles.SHARON LINDENBAUMRehovotMy husband and I are child psychologists who too often meet children who have been bullied into gay sex. We often meet children who experiment in taking medicines that will cause them to change their sex.Our job as mental health professionals is to explore with the child and with the childs parents whether the choice of gay sex or sex change is a healthy step to take.For the Knesset to enact a law that would forbid mental health experts from doing their job seems to be most inappropriate.DR. ARIELA RUBINJerusalemCOVID calculusWhile I dont want to get into an argument about numbers, I think its important to have things in the right perspective. A letter writer (July 27) states that Israel is in number six for coronavirus in the number of cases. I believe that this was for the number of new daily cases in a particular week, and as reported by The New York Times, rarely a supporter of Israel. Using the total number of cases from the beginning of the scourge, Israel is actually #23 with 6,736 cases per million population (all data from worldometers.com); the US at #10 with double the number of cases; and #1 is Qatar with 38,929 cases per million. I prefer to think in terms of the number of deaths by population, since this is what is the most important. Here Israel is #67 (51 deaths per million), US # 11 (453 per million), Sweden #7 (564 per million), the UK #3 (674 per million) and San Marino #1 with 1,238 deaths per million.I believe that the above information gives a truer picture. There are plenty of actors in the world trying to put Israel in a bad light, and so we need to get the correct information out there.DAVID SMITH Raanana

Go here to see the original:

Letters to the Editor July 29, 2020: Wily Wiley - The Jerusalem Post

Kodak is branching out into pharmaceuticals with US investment – The Verge

Posted on by

Kodak, once a powerful force in photography, is branching out into pharmaceuticals and the US government plans to give the company a $765 million loan to support its efforts. Kodak will create a new business arm, Kodak Pharmaceuticals, to produce ingredients needed for drug manufacturing.

Kodak Pharmaceuticals will make ingredients that have lapsed into chronic national shortage, and once the unit is fully up and running, it will be able to make up to 25 percent of active pharmaceutical ingredients used in non-biologic, non-antibacterial, generic pharmaceuticals, Kodak estimates. Kodak CEO Jim Continenza expects pharmaceuticals to eventually comprise 30 to 40 percent of Kodaks business, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The $765 million loan is being made available under the Korean War-era Defense Production Act, which the Trump administration has previously used to speed up production of ventilators, masks, and other medical equipment to help fight COVID-19. As part of its pharmaceutical work, Kodak plans to produce ingredients for drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, according to The Wall Street Journal. President Trump has frequently promoted hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19, but the drug has been repeatedly proven ineffective as a treatment for the virus.

The overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not effective in coronavirus disease, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an interview on ABCs Good Morning America, according to CNBC.

This isnt the first time Kodak has dipped its toes into pharmaceuticals, though it only stayed in the business for a few years the last time around. Kodak bought drug-maker Sterling Drug for approximately $5.1 billion in 1988 before selling it in pieces in 1994.

Correction: We originally wrote that Kodak planned to produce hydroxychloroquine, but it only plans to produce ingredients for drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, according to The Wall Street Journal. We have changed the article text, sub-headline, and social description to reflect this. We regret the error.

More here:

Kodak is branching out into pharmaceuticals with US investment - The Verge

The Business of Drugs: How COVID-19 Has Helped The Drug Trade Thrive – Screen Rant

Posted on by

The Business of Drugs investigates narcotics trafficking, but doesn't address the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's an update on Myanmar's meth operation.

Now streaming on Netflix, The Business of Drugs investigates worldwide narcotics trafficking, but doesn't address how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the global illicit drug industry. According to a new report, Chinese crime syndicates are now thriving because of various sociopolitical factors in 2020. Incidentally,America's war on drugs will soon become even more difficult to manage.

The Business of Drugs doesn't ignore COVID-19, as the Netflix docuseries was produced in various countries before the Coronavirus become a major international problem. Hosted by Amaryllis Fox, the six-part investigation deconstructs the modern production/distribution of cocaine, synthetics, heroin, cannabis, and opioids, and features an episode that's primarily about the mass production of meth pills in Myanmar a country in Southeast Asia that bordersIndia, Bangladesh, China, Laos, and Thailand. Fox, a former CIA operative and the daughter of an economist, reveals that she spent part of her childhood in the region, statingSoutheast Asia made me who I am. She explores the mass distributionof "yaba" pills, and tries to make sense of the conflictthrough various interviews. After speaking withthe former Commander in Chief of the Shan State Army South, Yawd Serk, Fox calls him out in the Netflix docuseriesand senses blatant deception.

Related:The Business of Drugs: Why Amaryllis Fox Is The Perfect Host

A May 2020 report by The New York Times reveals thatthe COVID-19 pandemic has made business easier for the Shan State, an insurgent group in Myanmar.Police are now reportedly "busy with other things," according to Tin Maung Thein, the district president of the Myanmar Anti-Narcotics Association. Prices have also dropped, and so even more drugs are being produced and sold a troubling fact that links toThe Business of Drugs reveal that compares Myanmar "yaba"production to McDonald's yearly output of hamburgers. Counternarcotics officials are also concerned aboutthe mass distribution ofmethyl fentanyl, which suggests that Myanmar is becoming a major player in the worldwide business of drugs.

In The Business of Drugs, Foxsuspects the anti-drug campaign she witnesses in Myanmar is a"dog and pony show" that the influential figures are using to deflect public attention from the truth.Drug hauls looks good on camera for government agencies, but the fact remains that a single Myanmar meth lab can produce 10,000 pills per hour, according to Fox's Netflix docuseries. In Southeast Asia, drug production and distribution continue to thrive because of existing social conditions and the wider accessibility of meth and fentanyl, certainly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current problem was recently summed up by Jeremy Douglas,the regional representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Southeast Asia:

Organized crime and drug syndicates look for business environments where theres government dysfunction or limited government control, as well as easy access to the chemicals...Shan State hits every mark.

As for the bigger picture, Douglas believes that the mass production of meth and fentanyl in Myanmar will ultimately translate to the business of drugs in Mexico and America. In fact, it could make the inherent violence of the underworld drug trade even more chaotic and complex if Asian dealers "move in" on their Western counterparts. Douglas states that this new conflict could become "a direct threat to our public health," which will undoubtedly be addressed in the the nextinstallment of The Business of Drugs.

More:What To Expect From The Business of Drugs Season 2

For All Mankind Season 2 Trailer Teases A Gunfight On The Moon

Q.V. Hough is a Screen Rant staff writer. He's also the founding editor at Vague Visages, and has contributed to RogerEbert.com and Fandor.

Read the rest here:

The Business of Drugs: How COVID-19 Has Helped The Drug Trade Thrive - Screen Rant

A crisis he cannot brand The Manila Times – The Manila Times

Posted on by

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte made good use of his ability to brand the demons he will exorcise, from drugs to communism to the ABS-CBN Corp. and Maria Ressa. He carved his presidency by constructing and imaging them as bogeys in his political swamp, and crafted his narrative with the mission of draining the swamp of his monsters.

This has been the trademark of his presidency. He made a cottage industry out of Sandra Bullocks movie Our Brand is Crisis and turned it into a political machinery to gain legitimacy and to cement his grip on his loyal political base. He appeared to be in total control. He and his propagandists effectively painted the image of a country in the throes of becoming a narcostate. He unleashed the full force of the state to wage a war on drugs that focused more on the demand side instead of the supply side.

This is actually odd considering that if indeed a narcostate is what we are turning into, then the better strategy would have been to focus on its enablers who are deeply in bed with state agents and not on the petty peddlers and users.

But Duterte was obviously not interested in confronting elite structures of the drug trade. He was after the optics and the drama of a protracted bloody drug war to feed on the fear of his base. After all, images of petty drug criminals being felled in the act of escaping and fighting back, even with handcuffs, would be a better, not to mention easier, fodder for the sustained image of a hero out to clean the streets of grime and filth. It is also a more effective way of striking fear, without risking the wrath of those who can actually retaliate politically.

If one wants to be convinced about the way the President conjures and constructs his enemies, one just needs to look at how he has treated the leftists. It is no secret that he romanced the New Peoples Army (NPA) when he was mayor of Davao. He even raised his fist and was seen onstage with the top echelons of its regional command. He appointed leftists in his Cabinet and in high positions in the government bureaucracy. This was before his romance with them turned sour.

Now, he labels them as terrorists. If one closely analyzes his worldview on terrorism, it is very much slanted toward the leftist rebels and their allies in the political front and in social movements, and not toward agents of terror espousing radicalized political Islam. Contrary to the assurances given by supporters of the Anti-Terrorism Law that political dissent is protected, the Presidents demeanor, in his eagerness to declare the NPA as a terrorist organization, reveals the agenda of branding anti-terrorism as the new face of counter-insurgency. The ease by which cases of sedition were filed against legitimate political dissent drives the fear that even legitimate criticism could lead one to be branded as an enemy of the state.

It is easier for the President to construct a crisis and brand his political enemies because there is a constituency for it. His construction of the image of a creeping narcostate fed on the fears of people about drug-related criminality. His branding of the left and the consequent red-tagging of his critics exploited the fears of people about terrorism. He is now appropriating peoples pent-up anger towards the political and economic elites by imaging his moves against the Lopezes of ABS-CBN as his war against the oligarchs. He capitalized on peoples fears and irrational hatred to prop up his narrative as the slayer of drug criminals, leftist terrorists and corrupt oligarchs.

However, his fight with ABS-CBN, which he does by proxy through his super-majority in the House of Representatives, may reveal the limits of his ability to control the branding of a crisis to his advantage. One can easily stoke peoples fear of drug criminals raping ones daughter, or of NPAs turning our country into a totalitarian regime, or one can feed into their hatred towards the corrupt oligarchs. This is because these are manifestations of the feared or hated other.

However, what happened to ABS-CBN can no longer be easily branded and imaged as Duterte dismantling a hated oligarchic family. People have lost jobs. Many have been denied their comfort and leisure, which ABS-CBN programs have provided them for all these years. Duterte may have made us feel more secure when he went after drug criminals and leftists. But when he went after ABS-CBN, some of us lost our livelihoods, while many have been denied their only free access to sanity and leisure.

But if there is one crisis the President has lost total ability to brand, it is the coronavirus. This invisible enemy has thrown Duterte and his government in total disarray. He resorted to a militarized game plan by appointing retired generals to oversee his war against the virus, thinking that the logic would be the same as fighting petty drug criminals and leftist rebels. Sadly, this led to people being targeted, and even killed, instead of the virus.

Lockdowns were ordered without any consideration of science and common sense. Contact tracing is belatedly intensified and has even entertained the thought of turning ordinary citizens into spies snitching on their neighbors. And who can ignore the idiocy of these unsafe contraptions being required for motorcycle riders that have no consideration for the principles of aerodynamics and of safety?

And cases continue to climb while the economy is on a nosedive. This, as government officials appear confused like when the Health secretary boldly claimed that we have flattened the curve.

If there is one evidence that this virus has eroded the Presidents ability to brand his crisis, it is when his cursing is no longer amusing and people no longer buy his jokes, whether intended or as an excuse.

View original post here:

A crisis he cannot brand The Manila Times - The Manila Times

Marielle Franco Would Be Turning 41: Her Struggle Continues and Her Memory Celebrated – RioOnWatch

Posted on by

Clique aqui para Portugus

A show with singer Elza Soares and rapper Flvio Renegado marked the birthday celebrations for Marielle Franco, who would have turned 41 on Monday, July 27. The livestreamed concert Elza for Marielle, held on Sunday, July 26, was broadcast on the channel of the Marielle Franco Institute, an organization established by the lawmakers family to fight for justice, grow her legacy, and preserve her memory.

We are leading several campaigns with many black women, because the Institutes focus, beyond wielding Maris name, which is no easy task, is incorporating and inspiring other black women, explained Anielle Franco, the councilwomans sister and executive director of the Marielle Franco Institute. In addition to Anielle, Marielles parents Marinete Silva and Antnio Francisco, her daughter Luyara Franco, and two of her nieces participated in the event.

Who ordered Marielles murder? Today is a day for celebrating the life of this great woman, but this question needs an answer: who ordered the murders of Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes? asked Elza Soares, who turned 90 last month. Both on- and offstage, the singer is a powerful voice against racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression. Soares and Renegado sung against gender-based violence and the genocide of black people, themes deeply present in Marielle Francos fight.

It is very sad to see our peoples stories ending so early, so young. Like her, many, so many young people have their lives exterminated before they even begin. Its a very unfair course of events. Because of this, it is necessary for Brazilians to understand that it isnt enough to not be racist. It is extremely important and urgent that we be antiracist, Renegado emphasized.

The show, which had nearly 7,000 people watching at once, was also among the ten most-discussed topics on Brazilian Twitter. In addition to celebrating the councilwomans life, the show raised funds for the Marielle Franco Institutes projects.

If she were alive, Councilwoman Marielle Franco would finish her first term this year. Of the four years that democracy guarantees to elected officials, Marielle and the team that composed her collective mandate worked together for 15 months, a little over a year. With Marielle, black women, people from Rios peripheries, and the LGBTQI+ community made it to the Rio de Janeiro City Council, with the power to propose public policies that directly affected the existence of their bodies and their territories.

A little more than two years after the councilwomans assassination, the Marielle Franco Institute works to plant new seeds. With the launch of the Antiracist Electoral Platform (PANE) this month, the institution began a series of actions to support the candidacies of black women in the next municipal elections, which will be the first following Marielles death. In the 2016 elections, black or brown women made up only 5% of elected councilmembersnationwide. Marielles victory, with the fifth-most votes in the city, brought the only black woman to the current session of City Council.

The seeds planted by Marielle blossomed in the 2018 elections, when three of her former aides were elected to the state legislature, where they are now the only three black women. Throughout Brazil, the number of black candidates, especially women, grew, but it remains a long road to changing the typical profile of a legislator. According to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), in the last elections, black men and women made up only 4% of elected candidates across Brazil.

PANE arose with a mission to change the structure of Brazils political system, mobilizing society to pressure political parties and the TSE to adopt policies that guarantee greater equity in elections. The platform aims to promote more black women into positions of power, where they can change the structures that historically have kept away and violated black, peripheral, and LGBTQI+ communities. In doing so, they keep Marielle Francos struggle and memory alive.

Raised in Complexo da Mar in Rios North Zone, the councilwoman fought for the right to life, especially that of black and peripheral youth, as her primary political issue. Marielle began her activism in human rights after enrolling in a community-based college entrance exam preparatory course and losing a friend, victim to a stray bullet during a shootout in Mar. Publicly, she positioned herself against police operations in favelas.

On the day before she was assassinated, in response to the death of yet another young black person at the hands of the police, she asked on Twitter: How many more will need to die for this war to end?

In Brazil, the chances of being a homicide victim are directly related to the color of your skin. Data from the Institute of Public Security show that police killings in the state of Rio reached a new record in 2019. The Inequality Map produced by Casa Fluminense revealed that 81% of the people killed by the state were black. This number goes up to 100% in the cities of Petrpolis, Seropdica, Guapimirim, Cachoeiras de Macacu, and Rio Bonito.

The results of the war on drugs and of increasingly militarized security policies were part of Marielles daily life. During the time she worked as an aide to the State governments Human Rights Commission, alongside Marcelo Freixo, Marielle supported family members of victims of violence, including the relatives of police officers. She criticized the Pacifying Police Unit (UPP) program, which was the topic of her masters thesis.

Among the bills she proposed to Rios City Council were proposals to promote and guarantee rights for women, black people, favela residents, and the LGBTQI+ community. In a little over a year, 20 of her bills were presented, some after her assassination.

One of her bills that was approved by the City Council addresses the legalization of the profession of motorcycle taxi drivers, a very common means of transportation in Rios favelas. The text, signed by Marielle and others, became a law in June 2019. The creation of the Womens Dossier of Rio de Janeiro, which facilitates data collection about support given to women who are victims of violence, was also approved. The bill was presented to the Council and approved after Marielles death.

As president of the Commission for the Defense of Womens Rights, the councilwoman presented plans for the expansion of access to legal abortions, nighttime nurseries for working mothers, humanized birth and prevention of maternal mortality, and combatting harassment on public transit, with all of the aforementioned being signed into law. She also presented a bill that would include Lesbian Visibility Day in the citys calendar, a proposal that was rejected.

Marielle believed it was necessary to bring visibility to this topic so that actions could be carried out at the institutional level. In Brazil, between 2015 and 2017, at least 126 women were killed just for being lesbian. This statistic is part of an unprecedented study carried out by the Nucleus of Social Inclusion at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The actual numbers would of course be even higher, however, as there are no specific official records about hate crimes against lesbian or bisexual women in Brazil.

After over two years and four months, Marielle Francos family continues to tirelessly demand that the authorities respond to the crime. The attack against the councilwomans car on March 14, 2018, in the North Zone neighborhood of Estcio, also resulted in the death of driver Anderson Gomes. Since then, family members of the victims, Marielles party, the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), and a wide range of human rights organizations are fighting for the identification of the people who ordered the crime.

As investigations move forward, indications of a possible relation between state agents and organized crime have appeared. As of now, a retired sergeant and a former military police officer have been arrested under suspicion of having fired the shots at the car. In June 2020, a fire-fighter was also arrested, suspected of having participated. However, questions about the motivations of the crime and the identity of who ordered the assassination remain unsolved.

Read more here:

Marielle Franco Would Be Turning 41: Her Struggle Continues and Her Memory Celebrated - RioOnWatch

The world is fortunate that Iran is dominated by clear-headed thinkers, says American analyst – Tehran Times

Posted on by

Charles Dunaway, an American political commentator in Oregon, tells the Tehran Times that Americans have been lied by politicians and media for a long time, so most of them do not trust the media and do not trust their government.

On Iranian tolerance in response to US illegal move in Syria on Thursday night, he notes The world is indeed fortunate that the Iranian government is dominated by clear-headed thinkers who have the patience to wait for the right moment and the right method to punish the US for its belligerence.

Dunaway argues that ongoing protests in the US have this potential to drive serious systemic change in the country and he adds one of the underlying problems that may be giving more impetus to these demonstrations is the complete failure of our political system to respond to the needs of citizens. Elected officials of both political parties listen almost exclusively to their campaign contributors and corporate lobbyists. The issues and concerns of ordinary citizens usually dont get their attention.

The text of the interview with Dunaway is as follows:

Q: Firstly, please let me ask your opinion about the recent US illegal move in Syria. On Thursday night, US warplanes operating illegally in Syria conducted some dangerous maneuvering close to the Mahan Air flight. The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran called it a clear violation of the international law and the aviation standards and regulations. What is your thought?

A: The Trump Administration, its foreign policy led by dangerous neoconservative Christian Zionists like Secretary of State Pompeo and Vice President Pence, continues to take actions in West Asia that are designed to incite Iran to strike out in retaliation. The aerial harassment of the Mahan Air passenger jet is the latest example. One need only considers what action would be taken if an Iran Air Force fighter threatened a US airliner in the same way. We would not have US media describing it as a 'close call', we would have calls for the US to retaliate against this terrorist act, and probably within days, there would be a strike against Iran.

This act of terrorism is designed as a provocation and intended to draw a violent response from the Iranian government that can then be used as a pretext for the all-out war that the US and their Israeli partners in crime have been seeking for years. The world is indeed fortunate that the Iranian government is dominated by clear-headed thinkers who have the patience to wait for the right moment and the right method to punish the US for its belligerence. We can hope that this November will bring a change of leadership to the United States that will reduce tensions in the region rather than continually exacerbate them.

Q: Forgoing any permission from Damascus, the US has been operating in the Arab country since 2014 under the pretext of fighting the Daesh terrorist group. The US, however, continues its occupation even as Syria defeated the Takfiri terrorists in late 2017. Is US presence in Syria legitimate?

A: As with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, US justification for its illegal invasions shift as each rationale is proven false. The US and NATO did not invade Syria in order to defeat Daesh. It was the US and its allies in the region that funded, supplied, trained, and inserted the Takfiri terrorists into Syria, and on numerous occasions, the US has directly supported Daesh attacks with air power. The illegal intervention by the US in Syria has been and still is designed to overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad and replace it with the Takfiri-dominated chaos that it brought to Libya. Weak governments, puppet governments, and failed states all benefit the Zionist project in Palestine.

The continued US military presence in the region is not advancing US national interests and some voices in the US establishment are recognizing this fact. Whether they will be able to gain the political power to bring their ideas to fruition remains to be seen.

Q: Please lets back to our main topic. It seems that the United States is a contradiction. Its founding principles embrace the ideals of freedom and equality, but it is a nation built on the systematic exclusion and suppression of communities of color. From the start, so many of this countrys laws and public policies, which should serve as the scaffolding that guides progress, were instead designed explicitly to prevent people of color from fully participating. What are the reasons behind this?

A: The high sounding words of Thomas Jeffersons Declaration of Independence in 1776 were a valuable tool for enlisting popular support for the revolution. The American Revolution was initiated and carried out by the bourgeois merchant and planter class and they needed the support of ordinary colonists to win against the British. The Constitution of 1789 represented the first effort to establish a strong national government and it was riddled with compromises designed to satisfy the concerns of the slave states. Initially only white men with property could vote and even then there were provisions like the Electoral College and the Senate that made sure that any incipient abolitionist feelings among Northerners would not be able to threaten the chattel slavery of Africans brought to this continent in chains.

Throughout our history, women and people of color have struggled to obtain the same rights and privileges as their white male fellow citizens and with only partial success. A brutal civil war promised to make Black Americans free but within a very few years, the same compromises with the Southern planter aristocracy led to the withdrawal of Union troops from the South and a violent return to quasi-slave conditions in the Jim Crow South. Again in the 1960s, the civil rights movement brought about many improvements in the situation of African Americans, but as the retrograde political forces regained power, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and failure to enforce civil rights laws have left us where we are today.

It is also important to recognize that the United States is a settler-colonial enterprise. All the nations land was stolen from Native Americans and the most brutal genocidal methods were used by white settlers to take what they wanted. When the indigenous people were driven from all the land between the Atlantic and Pacific, the US began imperial wars using the same techniques to invade and occupy the Philippines and Cuba and to steal much of Mexico. It is encouraging that because of the current unrest, more Americans are beginning to understand that part of our history and to see the brutality of other settler-colonial projects such as that of the Zionists in Palestine.

Q: What is important to learn from history of the slavery in the US is the social construction of race, with the main objective of controlling the dominated groups and enforcing distance from them through multiple institutionalized laws and social norms. What is your take on it?

A: Race is a social construction since there are no significant biological differences between people based on their skin color or facial features. Before the rise of the plantation economy in the mid-1600s, Blacks enjoyed many of the same rights as whites and they worked and socialized together. Cheap labor and lots of it was required by the cotton farming that began to be prevalent in the South and when large numbers of African slaves were imported and set to work, it was necessary to justify their subservient position and the theory of racial superiority was developed. The race was also useful in creating an otherwise non-existent differentiation between poor whites and poor Blacks who otherwise might have made common cause against the white elite that oppressed them both.

Racism is still very prevalent, particularly among less affluent whites. It is still used to divide working people from one another. If working people of all races could unite, they might demand better wages, better social provisions from the government, a voice in the management of businesses and government, and an end to wasteful overseas military adventures. That makes racism extremely useful in maintaining corporate capitalism that rules the United States.

Q: The U.S. Constitution proclaims free and equal people, but everyone is aware this designation was not intended for enslaved Africans, but rather for the European settlers and their descendants. Many Blacks support the idea that individuals are not equal if there is a discrepancy in employment, food securitization, good schooling, housing, and healthcare. What do you think?

A: The elements of the Constitution that extend freedom and rights to African Americans are only contained in amendments adopted during and immediately after the Civil War when the Southern states were either not represented or were under federal occupation. The courts largely refused to enforce these amendments for a hundred years and what gains Blacks have made in employment, education, and housing largely came during the 1960s and 1970s. Once Ronald Reagan came to the presidency, those gains began to ebb away from lack of enforcement and lack of funding.

In the United States, there are dramatic inequalities in wealth and income that leave millions of Americans of all races facing food shortages, lack of housing, inadequate health care, poor educational opportunities, and employment, when available, at wages insufficient to support themselves and their families. The right-wing political forces have portrayed programs that would address these inequalities as entitlements primarily for Blacks. Once again, race is used to divide people who should work together. The dog-eat-dog neoliberal capitalism that drives this inequality is supported by both political parties so no matter who Americans vote for, the problem only gets worse.

Q: Protests over the death of George Floyd continue to rage across the US. What do you think about the protests? Do you see any hope for a change of behavior towards African Americans?

A: I am guardedly optimistic about these protests. They are beginning to help white Americans understand that racism is not an individual behavior that we have a personal responsibility to change. It is a systemic problem and unless the system is changed, racism will remain.

I am also encouraged by the fact that the protests have centered on police brutality toward people of color. Police have been heavily militarized in the US, largely as a consequence of our being perpetually at war somewhere in the world. Many police officers are veterans of those wars and bring the techniques they employed on the streets of Kabul or Mosul into their work in Minneapolis or Portland. Excess military equipment has been given to police forces and now routine incidents are handled by squads of heavily armed officers riding in Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles invented to fight IED attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. Is it any wonder they see citizens (particularly those of color) as the enemy?

It is possible that these protests will last long enough and gain enough momentum to actually drive serious systemic change in the country. Obviously the entire establishment is determined to prevent that and its likely the movement will be co-opted before it can reach that point.

Q: What is Black Lives Matter protesting for? Can the roots of this movement be traced in American history? Are there any similar movements in American history?

A: It is a mistake to see these protests as a unified movement. The primary thrust at this point seems to be ending racist policing and moving toward some kind of law enforcement model that does not require such a high level of violence. The official Black Lives Matter organization is primarily focused on encouraging people to vote for Democratic Party candidates for office. They have been effectively co-opted. The Democratic Party has not been a friend of Black Americans for a long time and few of the candidates they are running this year have a strong track record of support for the Black community.

There is another organization attempting to influence the demonstrations, the Movement for Black Lives. They are calling not only for an end to what they call the war on Black communities but an end to the war on drugs, the death penalty, money bail, and many other radical reforms.

Most of the people currently in the streets probably have no allegiance to either group but are simply showing solidarity with their Black neighbors and friends and supporting their calls for an end to systemic racism and racist policing in particular. One of the underlying problems that may be giving more impetus to these demonstrations is the complete failure of our political system to respond to the needs of citizens. Elected officials of both political parties listen almost exclusively to their campaign contributors and corporate lobbyists. The issues and concerns of ordinary citizens usually dont get their attention. If there is enough unrest and it lasts long enough, the politicians will have to respond in some way other than military repression.

Q: Some experts argue that Black Lives Matter is the largest movement in U.S. history. What do you think?

A: I dont think it is a movement. There are no leaders, no agenda, no goals, no structure. If these materialize then it might well become a movement.

Q: How do you assess the role of mainstream media in the protests? What about Facebook, Twitter, and other social media?

A: US mainstream media are interested in two things - making money and maintaining their access to power. They will continue to highlight violence and property damage in the protests because that gets them more readers and viewers. Only the largest newspapers will do any serious investigative journalism to determine what is going on inside the protests, who is involved and why.

Social media is important in reaching those sympathetic to the protests and helping them gather more people in the streets. Its also useful in conjunction with right-wing media such as Fox News, in marshaling opposition to the protests and using thinly disguised racist tropes to convince their white audience that the protesters are anarchists and criminals.

It must be noted that most Americans do not trust the media and do not trust their government. We have been lied to so often for so long about so many things that any credibility they may have once had is destroyed. That is a large part of the reaction to COVID-19 precautions such as mask-wearing and social distancing.

Original post:

The world is fortunate that Iran is dominated by clear-headed thinkers, says American analyst - Tehran Times

Celebrating the John Galt Line – Stock Investor

Posted on by

Its July 22, and for lovers of literature, and specifically those who love the work of novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand, todays date has a certain glorious significance.

In Rands magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, July 22 is the date that the John Galt Line is officially opened.

Now, if youre not familiar with the novel, just start reading it today. You can write and thank me in about a month when youve finished.

If you are familiar with this masterpiece, you know that the John Galt Line is the transcontinental railroad that is built by the protagonist, Dagny Taggart. The fact that this transcontinental railroad is made with a new kind of metal, Reardon Metal, which lasts three times longer than any other metal and which costs less to produce than other metals, allows its inventor, Hank Reardon, to capture huge profits.

Heres an excerpt from the novel. In this scene, Dagny announces the opening of the John Galt Line:

Now I must tell you about the opening of the John Galt Line, said Dagny. The first train will depart from the station of Taggart Transcontinental in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at four p.m. on July twenty-second. It will be a freight special, consisting of eighty cars. It will be driven by an eight-thousand-horsepower, four-unit Diesel locomotive which Im leasing from Taggart Transcontinental for the occasion.

(An extended, and quite beautiful, dramatic reading of this passage by voiceover artist and producer Heather Wagenhals can be found here).

So, aside from the coincidence of today also being July 22, whats so important about the launch of the John Galt Line?

The significance of the John Galt Line in Rands novel is that it represents mans victory and mastery over nature in the pursuit of a concrete physical goal. In this case, the goal was to traverse the continent in a train that is faster and more capable than any before it. To achieve this, the lead characters had to use their only tool for survival, and the only tool humans have to alter, to enhance and to celebrate their existence, the tool of reason.

The building of a transcontinental railroad is a perfect example of mans ability to achieve greatness, so its not surprising to me that Rand used it as a plot device to demonstrate mans mind at its best. Yet, we dont have to visit the pages of Atlas Shrugged to celebrate real-world railway achievements.

In fact, in May 2019, I wrote about the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad (which occurred on May 10, 1869).

The so-called Golden Spike event took place in Utah, and to help commemorate the occasion, the Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) sent its historic steam locomotive Big Boy No. 4041 to the event. Heres what I wrote about this anniversary last year:

Now, you may think this event is just a quaint little remembrance of things past or a nostalgic reminder of the countrys expansion into the West. But I dont think of it that way. I think of it as a chance to celebrate reason, reality and the victory over matter and molecules in the pursuit of a concrete physical goal a goal to explore and settle new territory and to enhance human existence.

The way that I see it, the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad is the quintessence of human achievement.

Now, when it comes to having reverence for reason and human achievement, Rand is unequaled. In another passage from the novel, we can see Rands worship for human values and human achievement, while also destroying those who regard achievement and the pursuit of values in the physical world as an ignoble concern or a surrender of mans spirit to his body.

She looked at the cab around her. The fine steel mesh of the ceiling, she thought, and the row of rivets in the corner holding sheets of steel sealed together who made them? The brute force of mens muscles? Who made it possible for four dials and three levers in front of Pat Logan to hold the incredible power of the sixteen motors behind them and deliver it to the effortless control of one mans hand?

These things and the capacity from which they came was this the pursuit man regarded as evil? Was this what they called an ignoble concern with the physical world? Was this the state of being enslaved by matter? Was this the surrender of mans spirit to his body?

She shook her head, as if she wished she could toss the subject out of the window and let it get shattered somewhere along the track.

In addition to the brilliant writing on display here, Rands not-so-subtle critique of those who scorn rational achievements in the real world as some sort of reprehensible aspect of human nature also is on display. As an advocate of laissez-faire capitalism being not only the most effective social system, but also the most moral social system, Rand always connected the purpose of human life with living a rational, achievement-oriented existence here on Earth.

In fact, Rand informally called her ideas, a philosophy for living on Earth, as those ideas venerate our existence and our nature, qua man.

So, today is July 22, the date of the maiden voyage of the John Galt Line. And on this day, I am going to celebrate by venerating mans distinguishing characteristic, and the one that makes all other values possible, the power of reason.

*********************************************************************

Dont Flatter Yourself

Dont flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become. Except in cases of necessity, which are rare, leave your friend to learn unpleasant things from his enemies; they are ready enough to tell them.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

While I would rather learn about my inequities and unpleasant things as soon as possible, instead of when they are presented by my enemies (so that I can fix them), I do love the idea of the growing importance of tact and courtesy the closer you become to someone. If we want to cultivate mutually satisfying relationships, we have to treat those in our lives with tact, courtesy and tenderness. Sure, we can provide tough love when appropriate, but tough love has a way of quickly morphing into resentment and anger.

So, the next time you feel the desire to be critical, or to say something disagreeable to someone you value, pause for a moment and try not to flatter yourself into thinking you have permission, because you probably dont.

Wisdom about money, investing and life can be found anywhere. If you have a good quote that youd like me to share with your fellow readers, send it to me, along with any comments, questions and suggestions you have about my newsletters, seminars or anything else. Click here to ask Jim.

In the name of the best within us,

Jim Woods

Here is the original post:

Celebrating the John Galt Line - Stock Investor

Popovich continues to be vocal about Black Lives Matter, says anyone offended by it is just ignorant – mySA

Posted on by

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continues to voice his opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement while at the NBA bubble in Orlando.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continues to voice his opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement while at the NBA bubble in Orlando.

Photo: Jeff Chiu /Associated Press

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continues to voice his opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement while at the NBA bubble in Orlando.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continues to voice his opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement while at the NBA bubble in Orlando.

Popovich continues to be vocal about Black Lives Matter, says anyone offended by it is just ignorant

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continues to voice his opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement while at the NBA bubble in Orlando.

In a virtual interview with reporters on Saturday, Popovich, who is preparing for the league's upcoming restart, was asked by KENS 5 reporter Tom Petrini what the social justice movement means to him.

"It's no different for me than it is to anybody else who cares about justice and who can be empathetic to the fact that justice has been denied to a group of people for far too long. And enough is enough," he said. "Everybody's tired of it, especially the group that has been degraded and savaged for so long. People who don't understand Black Lives Matter or are offended by it are just ignorant."

READ ALSO: I dont want to die: Gregg Popovich explains why he still wears a mask in the NBA bubble

Popovich has expressed many times that he and other coaches and players will continue to use the re-launch as a chance to shine a light on social injustices. Last week, he said on TNT's "The Arena" that everyone at the bubble has a responsibility to keep the conversation going.

"It's a necessity considering what's going on in our country and hopefully the realization by many people mostly white who begin to understand what it's been like for the black population," he said on TNT. "... It's an opportunity to make sure this momentum does not stop."

In June, Popovich also ripped President Donald Trump for what he says was his lack of national leadership in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died while in police custody. He was also among the more than 1,400 athletes, coaches and executives who signed a letter in June urging Congress to pass a bill to end qualified immunity, which shields police from lawsuits over their conduct.

RELATED: Former Spur reveals the day that Popovich said the team almost replaced him

The Spurs restart the regular season Friday in Orlando against the Sacramento Kings.

Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre

Continued here:

Popovich continues to be vocal about Black Lives Matter, says anyone offended by it is just ignorant - mySA