Liberty Hill woman accused of beating that sent son to hospital – Austin American-Statesman

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Claire Osborn @cosbo4

MondayDec30,2019at1:20PM

ROUND ROCK A Liberty Hill woman is accused of causing a head injury to her 6-year-old son and also of beating him over an extended period of time.

Tanya Lopez, 45, was charged with injury to a child, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Police were notified Dec. 17 that the boy was at McLane Childrens Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple undergoing surgery for an ear injury, according to an affidavit released Monday.

The boy told medical staff and police he had injured his ear falling out of the shower, the affidavit said. It said the staff thought the injury was not accidental but was caused by the boy being hit in the head.

The staff also saw many other injuries on the childs body that were in various states of healing, the affidavit said. Doctors said it appeared as if the child had been struck by a cord, police said.

The boys 8-year-old stepbrother later told police he had seen Lopez make the 6-year-old boy take his clothes off and then beat him with a cell phone cord all over his body on multiple occasions, the affidavit said.

The 6-year-old boy could not tell police how he got the injuries on the rest of his body, according to the affidavit. When police tried to interview Lopez to discuss the injuries to her 6-year-old son, it said, she declined to comment, saying she had contacted her attorney who had advised her not to speak.

Lopez was released from the Williamson County Jail on Friday after posting bail set at $15,000.

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Liberty Vittert: Got a resolution for the New Year? Here’s a statistician’s advice on how to keep it – Fox Business

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Higher Minds co-founder Noah Berman shares tips he has for people to stay on track in 2020.

New Years resolutions have served as the bane of my existence for some time now. Thankfully, I am getting old enough to mostly forget the ones I made the previous year and not feel quite as bad about myself.

I inevitably never accomplish them and fortunately or unfortunately, I am not alone. Over 80 percent of New Years resolutionsfailby February, and almost 95 percent will bite the dust by March 1.

STEPHEN MOORE: 20 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS TO MAKE AMERICA GREATER IN 2020

So does this mean that I should just give up and not make resolutions at all?

Well, considering that one of my resolutions this year is to be more positive, I wouldnt be doing a very good job of it if I decided to skip those resolutions this year.And neither should you.

If your resolution is to read more books, which given our information above, should be to read one book in January, then try getting a buddy to do it with you.

Heres the problem, our resolutions are way too broad. With thetop resolutionsbeing Save money (50 percent), Lose weight (45 percent), have more sex (25 percent), Travel more (24 percent), andread more books(23 percent), it is almost impossible to succeed for one reason: these resolutions are too broad. What does save money really mean? Is that $100, or $1,000 or $10,000? And how do you save it? By eating out less, by shopping less or working more?

Research shows that making broad sweeping resolutions, simply doesnt work, but dont despair. What the researchdoes showis that by making very specific resolutions, or rather, goals, people have a significantly increased chance of succeeding.

FOX BUSINESS ANCHORS AND REPORTERS GO TO THE MOVIES FOR NEW YEAR'S

So, how does that work? Well, instead of saying you are going to lose weight, you would say you want to lose 50 lbs. Or instead of saying you want to have more sex, you would say you want to have sex at least 3 times per week. This greatly increases your chance at a successful resolution.

Further to that, those chances of success increase even more if the goals are small. That doesnt mean you cant move the goal post once you achieve that goal, and keep going, but you move that goalpost by small increments.

So instead of saying you want to lose 50 pounds, you would say you want to lose 5 pounds. Then when you lose 5 pounds, you would say you want to lose 5 pounds more and shift the goal post each time you lose those 5 pesky pounds.And losing 5 pounds doesnt sound all that hard right? I mean, come on, if you work out and intermittent fast for two days you can do that. Resolution achieved!(P.S. Believe me, I know the first 5 pounds are the easy ones and the rest are like climbing Mount Everest, but in the vein of my thinking positive resolution, Im saying go for it).

Now, the only other big tip that I could find serious and significant statistical research on that will help you succeed in your New Years resolution is the buddy system.

Now, when it comes to a resolution like having more sex, that is pretty much a given, but some of the others have a bit more leeway.

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If your resolution is to read more books, which given our information above, should be to read one book in January, then try getting a buddy to do it with you. You dont even need to read the same book, but when you are held accountable by someone it greatly increases the chances of success.

But, on a personal note, make sure it isnt too good of a friend, or youll end up calling each other on January 30th and just getting together for a few drinks to laugh over the fact that you never got around to reading that thing.

The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make New Years resolutions some 4,000 years ago. Who are we to say we should stop this long-held tradition?

Bottom line: Resolutions are a chance to move forward with some positive change in your life but if youre going to do it be one of the people that succeeds. Make a specific resolution, make it a small resolution and if possible, get a buddy (but not too good of a buddy!) to do it with you.

Liberty Vittert is a professor of the Practice of Data Science at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis and an ambassador for the Royal Statistical Society. Follow her on Twitter @libertyvittert.

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Josh Richardson and others are right to call out Sixers’ effort – Liberty Ballers

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The Philadelphia 76ers ended 2019 in true Sixers fashion. Following an impressive Christmas Day win over the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBAs best team, the Sixers went on an uninspiring three-game losing streak. While issues on offense and late game execution have produced some problems, a lack of consistent engagement has hurt the Sixers as well.

Following the Sixers latest defeat, a rough 115-97 loss to the Indiana Pacers on New Years Eve, Josh Richardson expressed his thoughts on whats wrong.

I dont think there theres enough accountability in our locker room right now, honestly, Richardson said after the game, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. I think that we got some new guys, who dont want to step on toes, including myself. I feel like we kind of go play and dont compete as much.

Theres been games that we have [competed], and its been great, Richardson added. But when its not going good, we got to hold each other accountable. I think thats where a lot of our problems start... Going forward, we got to talk to some people about it, and we got to do it. We talk about playing hard every day. We talk about, you know we break the huddle down with chip every day, and we got a long way to go before we actually start competing for that. I think our locker room has some growing to do.

Richardson isnt the only one to address the Sixers lack of engagement. Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons also talked about the team needing to rally and find consistency after the Pacers game, with Simmons mentioning effort as an issue after the last loss to Miami as well.

We were right there, said Simmons, per Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. It starts in the first quarter. Weve got to carry the same energy all the way through. We cant wait for the last minute to pick it up.

Meanwhile, head coach Brett Brown sounded about as frustrated as hes ever been with his team following the latest loss to Orlando on December 27.

I dont even care about it, Brown said when asked about his thoughts on the Sixers late comeback to nearly steal a win, per NBC Sports Philadelphias Serena Winters. I really dont even care about it. I dont believe that we should have been in that position. And I think its hollow praise to go there. Im not going there. Its a physicality issue that we lost. And in fact, itll probably end up serving us well. Like it was a playoff-type of movement as far as the physical side of it. And I thought that we responded with a D-minus.

When questioned on the subject, Brown also admitted that its concerning that the Sixers play to the level of their opponent.

These comments are all fair. The Sixers have slipped to 8th in defensive rating largely due to spells of poor effort. And as simple as it may sound, theyve let some leads slip late in games due to taking their foot off the gas. With a dead average offense (currently ranked 15th), the Sixers need quality defense to carry them. Any lackadaisical play at that end of the floor is too costly when they dont have the offensive firepower or late-game execution to make up for slipping defensively.

The top of the Eastern Conference is close, as teams like the Celtics, Raptors and Heat have surpassed expectations to start the season. Games against weaker opposition cant be taken for granted. Home court advantage is important for everyone, especially a Sixers team that has played so differently at Wells Fargo Center. At home, the Sixers have a league-best 16-2 record (tied with Milwaukee) and rank 15th in offensive rating, 2nd in defensive rating, and 4th in net rating with an impressive mark of +9.7. On the road, their record is only 7-11 thanks to ranking 16th in offense and only 12th in defense. The result is a measly -1.8 net rating, which ranks just 12th.

That said, its important not to lose sight of the grand scheme of things. Of course, the Sixers still have offensive issues to correct and will always be limited there with the current roster. And yes, the short slump after Christmas is discouraging and highlights some of the teams season-long weaknesses. But it hasnt suddenly lowered their ceiling.

Theyre still an extremely talented team, they have a great defense whenever theyre locked in, and theyve performed well against the top teams in the East. The Sixers are 2-0 against Boston, 1-1 against Toronto, and just rolled past Milwaukee. Some of Philly's best basketball has come against elite opposition. Combined with their size, the difficult physical matchups they create for opponents, and defensive potential, this bodes well for the playoffs.

The sky isnt falling. Theres still a long way to go this regular season. Increased intensity on a more consistent basis and improved chemistry alone can help address the issues that Brett Brown and several of his players have talked about.

Next, the Sixers have to act accordingly. They just need these changes to start coming together sooner rather than later to maximize their chance of getting a top seed in the East. This team isnt good enough or proven enough to establish bad habits in the regular season and rely on flipping a switch when the time comes.

All statistics courtesy of NBA.com.

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Liberty, Equality, and Identity – The Bulwark

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Hand-in-hand with my grandchildren11-year-old Lucia and 9-year-old WilliamI recently walked out of the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., filled with gratitude and a deeper understanding of what it means to be an American. Museums hold our personal and collective histories. The photographs and artifacts, the paintings and panoramas, the documents and maps, the uniforms and tattered textiles from lives long gone not only show us where we came from, but they help us understand who we are. Although I am white, I left the African American Museum with a deepened appreciation of the fact that my understanding of myself as an Americanindeed, my very identity, the sum of all the things that make me who I amowes a great deal to the African American experience.

We began our visit in the museum basement, in the bowels of the slave ships with the shackles and sickness, recoiling at the cruelty but also bearing witness to the indomitable human spirit. My granddaughter, Lucia, was visibly moved by both the suffering and the resilience. She lingered by an exhibit of one of the oldest and most influential books written by a slaveThe Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1789). She asked her mother to take a picture of a line from the book quoted on the wall: We are torn from our country and friends, to toil for your luxury and lust of gain.

Equianos book recounts his perilous journey from a Nigerian village to the Caribbean to Virginia to England; from being sold by one slaveholder to another, to eventually buying his freedom from a Quaker; from becoming that same Quakers business partner to joining an abolitionist group in England. So gripping that it went through nine English-language editions in his lifetime, Equianos bestseller helped spur the British to pass the 1807 law abolishing the African slave trade. More than two centuries later, Equianos words still carry a strong punch. Lucia summarized her visit to the museum simply, I thought the exhibits and this quote were powerful and moving.

We ambled our way through four centuries of not only toil and trouble, but also of extraordinary achievement by African Americans in every field of human endeavor, from science, medicine, and technology to the creation of much of the most important literature, art, and music that informs our culture. The music and sports sections of the museum captured the imagination of my grandson, William. He stood mesmerized below a giant screen that streams videos of famous African American athletes. It was impressive, he said, that even though African Americans suffered so much, they were determined to play sports and play music and become heroes.

Podcast January 03 2020

On today's Bulwark Podcast, Tom Nichols joins host Charlie Sykes discuss the killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qas...

Like my grandchildren, I was awed by the triumphs of individual African Americansbut what inspired me most was the persistent, unwavering faith of an oppressed people in the American ideal of equality, an ideal best and most famously expressed by a slave holder: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. Year after year, decade after decade, century after centurydespite very grim objective realitiesAfrican Americans held tight to the American founding rhetoric of equality and liberty. They have believed in the promise of America and, in their fights for liberty and rights and respect and dignity and equality, struggled relentlessly to realize that promise.

African Americans are not alone in treasuring the promise of America. Immigrants and refugees, representing every faith and ethnicity on earth, have fled famine, violence, political repression, religious discrimination, and economic hardship to build new lives here. Tearing themselves from families and friends, they headed for an alien shore that offered the hope of equality and opportunity. These immigrant communities, many of which have fully assimilated, have contributed enormously to our economy, politics, and culture.

As we wandered from gallery to gallery in the African American Museum, I thought about the alchemy that gives a nation its identity. The notion, popularized a century ago, of America as a melting pot in which various metals combine to form a durable alloy has lost credence. More recently, the metaphor of a salad bowlin which different cultures retain their distinctiveness, like ingredients tossed together and splashed with oil and vinegarhas been in vogue. Pollsters and pundits crudely pigeonhole us into groups, magnifying our differences and minimizing our commonalities.

Standing in the museums hall highlighting African American achievements in science, medicine, and technology, it occurred to me that we are not asking ourselves the essential question: Subtract from the grand total of America the contributions of our racial, religious, and economic minorities and what would we have left? Take just one statistic: Of the 919 individuals who have been awarded Nobel Prizes, more than 40 percent have been Americans. These men and women, recognized for their consequential advances in science and their profound impact on our culture, represent every major ethnic group in the United States. Their discoveries have led to better health care, spawned new businesses, reduced poverty, and ended wars. Where would we be without them?

And behind the famous few, awarded prizes and immortalized in biographies, are the nameless legions who came to America from all over the world and put down new roots here. Their labor went into just about every farm, every road, every bridge, every mine, and every factory in this country. And they contributed to every corner of our high culture and popular culture. Who would any of us be without the richness of our music and dance, our literature and art?

I walked out of the museum thinking about the enormous debt I owe to African Americans, not only for their forced labor that fueled our economy for centuries or their incredible forbearance in the face of ongoing discrimination, but also for all the ways they have enriched our common culture. And, I thought about the debt I owe to my fellow Americans of every race, religion, and national origin who have individually and collectively created our unique American civilization. Let us not forget our national motto: E pluribus unum, out of many, one. We would not be who we are without each other.

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YEAR END: Liberty County baseball coach and wife electrocuted, son injured at baseball field – The News Herald

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The accident happened around 12:45 p.m. and in full view of the students, team members and parents at the field. When EMS arrived, both adults were pronounced dead at the scene and their son was taken for treatment.

BRISTOL In a tragic accident that shook the community in March, a coach and his wife were electrocuted while their son was injured during a volunteer workday to clean the Liberty County High School Baseball Field.

Head Baseball Coach Corey Crum, 39, and his wife Shana Crum, 41, were killed and their son Chase Crum, 14, was injured in the accident.

The story was among The News Heralds top most-viewed in 2019.

According to Liberty County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy John Summers, the team, along with other students and parents, were having a workday at the field to repair damage from Hurricane Michael. Corey Crum was operating a boom lift and unloading items from a trailer when the lift touched the overhead power lines, electrocuting him.

His wife Shana Crum then ran to his aid and in her attempts to help him, was electrocuted as well. Their son then attempted to help them both and was injured.

The accident happened around 12:45 p.m. and in full view of the students, team members and parents at the field. When EMS arrived, both adults were pronounced dead at the scene and their son was taken for treatment. No other injuries were reported.

After the accident, students who were at the field were taken to the Liberty County High School gym to wait for their parents. Summers said many of the students and the community were in shock at what theyd witnessed. Grief counselors were made available, according to Summers.

"Its terrible," Summers said. "Its just terrible."

Liberty County School Board member Kyle Peddle posted on his Facebook page the night of the accident about the communitys loss.

"Coaches have special places in the hearts of each one they coach," he wrote. "Coach Crum invested in our boys daily. They are better men because of it. We will recover we trust the Lord, and we are Bulldogs!"

Numerous school districts and baseball programs expressed sympathy and support for Liberty County following the tragedy.

"We join educators everywhere in expressing our deep sorrow for the loss of their coach and his wife," Bay District Schools posted on their Facebook page. "We hope for a speedy recovery for their son and for peace for all of the friends and family members who have suffered such a great loss. #WeAreAllLiberty."

This was Corey Crums first year as the head baseball coach after coaching junior varsity. According to the Democrat, Shana Crum was a health aid with the school district.

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YEAR END: Liberty County baseball coach and wife electrocuted, son injured at baseball field - The News Herald

This Week in Mid-Major: Liberty takes a page from UVa’s playbook, Bryant’s shot-swatter, the top 10 and more – The Athletic

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Tony Bennett built Virginia from a mediocre program into a dominant team in the ACC before finally breaking all the way through with a national title last season. The Cavaliers have done it, of course, mostly on the strength of their pack-line defense. So what would it look like if a mid-major program followed the Virginia model?

The answer to that question can be found about an hour south of Charlottesville in Lynchburg, Va., home of the Liberty Flames. They lost, 74-57, at LSU on Sunday but had gotten off to a school-record 14-0 start. They also beat Mississippi State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last March and boast a 33-4 record since beating UCLA last Dec. 29. They do it by playing what coach Ritchie McKay calls a shadow version of Virginia basketball.

Sure, lots of teams now use the pack-line defense or at least some elements of it. McKay himself was a longtime admirer of Bennetts father, Dick, and incorporated that style of play during...

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This Week in Mid-Major: Liberty takes a page from UVa's playbook, Bryant's shot-swatter, the top 10 and more - The Athletic

How futurists from the past predicted life in 2020 – 9News

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Futurists, academics and technologists have always wondered what life will be like in the years ahead.

Making bold predictions can be a risky move, leaving one looking more fool than oracle especially when the crystal ball gazing is done from several decades away.

We've put together seven predictions for life in 2020, from as far back as the 1960s and as recent as 2017.

In 1984 it turned out Apple founder Steve Jobs was already envisioning how a Siri-like AI companion would be assisting us in our day-to-day lives, in 2020. "The next stage is going to be computers as 'agents,'" he said in a 1984 interview with Newsweek's Access Magazine. "In other words, it will be as if there's a little person inside that box who starts to anticipate what you want. Rather than help you, it will start to guide you through large amounts of information. It will almost be like you have a little friend inside that box." Jobs was bang on the money, as underlined by the advancing digital butler-type tech rolled out by Google, Apple and Amazon.

In 2017 John McAfee, the controversial computer antivirus mogul, predicted that by the end of 2020 the price of a single Bitcoin would reach $1 million. The current Bitcoin price is hovering just over AUD $10,000, so the world's most popular cyptocurrency has a lot of work to do over the next 365 days. McAfee has promised to eat a body part if his bold prediction does not happen.

The average human living 100 years

Thirty years ago, futurist Ray Kurzweil predicted the average life expectancy for humans would be 100. While Kurzweil may have missed the mark with that call, turns out he foresaw the rise of wearable tech and how that kind of data could potentially help us live healthier lives. "Computerised health monitors built into watches, jewellery, and clothing which diagnose both acute and chronic health conditions are widely used. In addition to diagnosis, these monitors provide a range of remedial recommendations and interventions," he wrote in The Age of Spiritual Machines.

In 1968, with the world under the foreboding shadow of a perilous Cold War, a Stamford professor predicted nuclear power would rise to become the dominant force in US energy by the year 2020. Professor Charles Scarlott also believed any advances in renewable energy would be negligible and not figure large in the US energy mix. Turns out his estimations were wildly off-target. According to US government figures, nuclear electric power makes up about 9 per cent of total US energy production. Fossil fuels still dominate, with 79 per cent, and renewables coming in on 12 per cent.

In 2009 Microsoft released a promotional video, laying out its vision for life in 2020 (watch above). Microsoft doesn't proposes anything too radical. A lot of the featured technology hinted at was already in early stage development when the film was made. There is a lot of glass screen computing, touch screen tech and augmented reality too. A man slides apart his mobile phone into a series of cards, which isn't something we can do yet, but Samsung did give us with a foldable phone last year.

In a 1968 paper, a political science professor at world-renowned MIT predicted humans would become a cohesive band of happy and loving people, thanks to better communication, translation of language and a deeper understanding of what makes us tick emotionally and psychologically. "By the year 2018 nationalism should be a waning force in the world," Ithiel de Sola Pool wrote. While we are more connected than ever before, and supposedly know more about ourselves and the human condition than at any other time in history, global nationalism has never been more fierce since the end of WWII.

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How futurists from the past predicted life in 2020 - 9News

Elon Musk Hints That a Cybertruck Is Headed to Mars – Futurism

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Enigmatic Elon

When SpaceXs Starship heads to Mars in 2022, its payload could include a Tesla Cybertruck. Maybe.

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been hinting that his companies might once again team up to send a car into space and depending on how you interpret one of his latest tweets, its starting to look even more likely that a Cybertruck could be headed to the Red Planet.

In November 2019, Musk declared via Twitter that a pressurized version of Teslas Cybertruck would be the official truck of Mars. The following month, he noted in another tweet that Starship would have the payload capacity for a Cybertruck.

Then, on December 29, a Twitter user straight up asked Musk if a Cybertruck will be on board the 2022 Starship mission. His response? A single emoji:

None of this is exactly a definitive confirmation, but right now, it seems one of the following is certain: either SpaceX is seriously considering sending a Cybertruck into space, or Musk really enjoys trolling people with the idea.

READ MORE: Pressurized Tesla Cybertruck To Be Official Pickup Truck Of Mars [Inside EVs]

More on the Cybertruck: Elon Musk Might Send a Tesla Cybertruck to Space

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Elon Musk Hints That a Cybertruck Is Headed to Mars - Futurism

NASA Proposed Sending Japanese Astronauts to the Moon – Futurism

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Japan on the Moon

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine secretly proposed using US rockets to send Japanese astronauts to the Moon, Japanese newspaper The Mainichi reports, citing multiple sources familiar with the talks.

According to the paper, Bridenstine made the proposal during an unofficial September 2019 visit in which he met with space industry leaders, including the head of the Japanese governments Space Policy Committee. Bridenstine reportedly encouraged attendees to consider a future in which Japanese astronauts joined Americans on the lunar surface.

NASA has some very ambitious plans to return US astronauts to the Moon as part of the agencys Artemis program by 2024, using a research space station in the Moons orbit called the Lunar Gateway as a stepping stone.

In May, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe met with president Donald Trump, in part to discuss a cooperation in space exploration. Less than four months later, NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency officially announced they will work together under the Artemis program, with Japan assisting the US in building the Gateway.

According to The Mainichi, the move could also represent a way to keep Chinas space ambitions in check.

The globes most powerful nations are racing to make the Moon a strategic outpost and China is well on its way to make its first crewed mission to the Moon a reality.

READ MORE: US and Japan in talks to boost space ties, send Japanese astronauts to moon in 2020s [The Mainichi]

More on Japans space efforts: Japanese Rockets Launch Pad Inexplicably Bursts Into Flames

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The Australian Wildfires Are So Bad You Can See Them From Space – Futurism

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Big Picture

Australia is in the midst of an environmental catastrophe, with raging wildfires making parts of the nation look like a blood-red apocalyptic hellscape.

As dramatic as the scene on the ground might be, though, the view from above may be even more disturbing as images of the wildfires taken from space show the full extent of the devastation.

On Friday, Business Insider published a series of images and videos of the wildfires taken from space.

One particularly striking visual is courtesy of the Japan Meteorological Agencys Himawari-8 satellite, which photographs the Earth every 10 minutes. The agency produced an animation of the scene in Australia from space by stringing together a days worth of the images, providing agrim off-world view of both the brushfires and their smoke plumes.

Another powerful image shared by Business Insider shows what the situation looks like during the day from the perspective of the European Space Agencys Sentinel-2 satellite. It was taken on December 31 over the bushfire in Bateman Bay, Australia, and its impossible to even see the ground in some parts of the photo through all of the heavy smoke.

As of Friday, the wildfires have killed at least 19 people and destroyed more than 1,400 homes. Theyre now so big, theyre even generating their own self-perpetuating weather phenomena and according to experts, Australias situation will likely get worse before it gets better.

We dont usually see fires like this until January or February, but these have been going on since spring, Australia-based climate scientist Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick told NBC News.Its already the worst fire season on record, and were really just in our first month of summer.

READ MORE: Stunning images from space reveal the shocking extent of Australias bushfire crisis [Business Insider]

More on wildfires: Devastating Fires in Amazon Rainforest Can Be Seen From Space

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The Australian Wildfires Are So Bad You Can See Them From Space - Futurism

Jetpacks, surveillance, and a 26-hour workweek. Here’s what past generations expected for 2020 – WUSA9.com

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WASHINGTON D.C., DC Jetpacks, surveillance, and a life expectancy of 100 years old. Those were just some of the predictions for 2020, made by past generations.

So which were on the right path, and which were way off the mark? WUSA9 looked into it.

Anti-Gravity Belts:

This prediction was made in 1968 by a mathematician and scientist named DG Brennan. In that year, he predicted that anti-gravity belts would "revolutionize the tactics of land warfare."

In particular, Brennan believed Jetpacks and anti-gravity vehicles would become a normal tool in warfare. Clearly this hasn't been developed on a widespread basis.

Although a quick search of Youtube will show various videos of Jetpacks being tested. So perhaps, this technology isn't far from being used in war.

Life-Expectancy:

Here's one we all wish were true. Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicted in 1999 that life expectancy would rise to 100 years old by 2019.

Unfortunately, this has not come true. Globally the rate hovers just below 75-year-old, and in the United States, that number sits just below 80-years-old.

Widespread Tracking:

Kurzweil made another ominous prediction, writing that privacy would become a huge political and social issue in 2020. He predicted that every move we make would be tracked and "stored in a database somewhere."

This prediction has indeed come true in a lot of ways. Smartphones can track our exact location at any given moment. Every Google search and Facebook post is collected and analyzed, creating a digital footprint.

And this new technology has become even more apparent when looking at countries like China, where widespread surveillance programs have been initiated.

China - A Global Power:

Another prediction came from futurists Peter Schwartz and Peter Leyden, who wrote their prediction in a 1997 article, titled 'The Long Boom.'

"By 2020," they wrote. "The Chinese economy [will have] grown to be the largest in the world."

They proved correct that China would see massive economic growth. However, they were wrong that China would surpass the United States. Currently, China has the second-largest nominal GDP at $9 trillion. By comparison, the United States has a nominal GDP of over $21 trillion.

Boris' Rise To Power (Scary Accurate):

What's startling about this prediction is that Boris Johnson was just a journalist at the time, who had never held public office.

World Population:

In 1994, The International Food Policy Research Institute made a prediction for 2020 as well, estimating the world population would reach 2020. That would mean a massive jump of 2.5 billion people in a quarter-century.

This prediction proved to be very close, as the most recent estimate by the United Nations puts the world population at 7.7 billion people.

That same U.N. report estimates that the population will continue rising, jumping by another 2 billion people by 2050.

Nationalism:

Most experts would probably argue that this one has not panned out. In 1968, a political science professor at MIT named Ithiel de Sola Pool, made the following optimistic prediction:

"By the Year of 2018," he wrote. "Nationalism should be a waning force in the world.

Many would argue that the global attitude has in fact gone in the other direction. Whether it's the 'Brexit' fight in England, the 'America First' mentality in the United States, or the rise of populist strongmen in countries like China, the Philippines, and India, this Nationalist sentiment is on full display.

Work-Week:

Here's one we all wish was true. In 1968, physicist Herman Kahn and futurist Anthony J. Weiner said that Americans would have 26-hour work-weeks by 2020.

In reality, Americans work on average 35 hours per week, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Maybe there's a good chance for 2021?

RELATED: These are 7 of the most popular New Year's resolutions

RELATED: A look at the DMV's most-read crime stories of 2019

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Mysterious Swarms of Giant Drones Have Officials Baffled – Futurism

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Giant Drones

On December 24, The Denver Post reported that fleets of up to 17 drones, each with an estimated wingspan of six feet, had been spotted flying over Colorados Phillips and Yuma counties at night for more than a week.

Since then, the sightings have expanded to six counties in Colorado and Nebraska, with as many as 30 drones spotted in the sky at once and,ominously, no one seems to know who they belong to.

Phillips County Sheriff Thomas Elliott told the Postthat the giant drones appeared each night around 7 p.m. and disappeared by 10 p.m. They maintained an altitude between 61 and 91 meters (200 and 300 feet), flying in square patterns of about 40 kilometers (25 miles).

Theyve been doing a grid search, a grid pattern, Elliott said. They fly one square and then they fly another square.

So far, the list of organizations that deny knowing anything about the giant drones includes the Federal Aviation Administration, the Air Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Army Forces Command.

Elliot told the Post that the Sheriffs office is hoping someone will spot one of the drones on the ground but Colorado-based drone pilot Vic Moss warns that residents shouldnt try to shoot one down as their batteries can cause fires.

If you shoot a drone down over your house and it lands on your house, he told the Post, you might not have a house in 45 minutes.

READ MORE: Mysterious swarms of giant drones have started to appear in the Colorado and Nebraska night sky, and nobody knows where theyre coming from [Business Insider]

More on drones: Man Uses His Heat-Seeking Drone to Find Missing Child

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Mysterious Swarms of Giant Drones Have Officials Baffled - Futurism

China Quietly Confirms Birth of Third Gene-Edited Baby – Futurism

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On Monday, Chinese state-run news agencyXinhuareported that He Jiankui, the researcher responsible for creating the worlds first gene-edited babies, had been sentenced to three years in prison on the charge of illegally practicing medicine.

Given that China condemned Hes research almost immediately after he announced the births of the twin babies, its not particularly surprising to hear that the researcher is being punished for his controversial experiment.

But included in Xinhuas latest report was a bit of news we thought we might never hear: a third gene-edited baby has officially been born.

Back in November 2018, when He first announced the existence of the gene-edited twins, he also let slip that another woman was pregnant with an additional edited embryo.

In January, Stanford bioethicist William Hurlbut told news agency Agence France-Presse that hed talked extensively to He about that third gene-edited baby. He said believed the woman was likely 12 to 14 weeks pregnant at the time, which would make her due to give birth around June or July 2019.

July came and went without any news about the third gene-edited baby, though but now, China has quietly confirmed its birth, with Xinhua reporting that He was sentenced for his experiments in which three genetically edited babies were born.

The report doesnt include any additional information on the baby. We dont know its sex, its health status, whether the birth involved any complications or if the baby is even still alive.

But we do know this baby was born, meaning that at some point this year, there were not two, but three genetically engineered humans walking or, more likely, crawling the Earth.

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China Quietly Confirms Birth of Third Gene-Edited Baby - Futurism

Hypersonic planes and robots: Futurist predicts what we can expect by end of decade – Daily Star

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We will wake up to a new decade tomorrow. And while the 2010s brought us innovations in areas such as technology, transport and music, what could the 2020s offer?

The Daily Star spoke to leading futurist Dr Ian Pearson - who correctly predicted the invention of the text message - about what we can expect by the end of this decade.

I think we will see more spectacular improvements in things such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

I think drones will become smarter. For example, I think theyll be able to fly themselves and hold a position.

I expect to see lots of insect-sized drones that can be used for monitoring and surveillance.

Also, at the moment people use selfie sticks, but instead people could have a drone a couple of metres in front of them and a couple more at the side taking a bunch of shots from different angles.

I think we will also see augmented reality devices making an appearance on the market, where people will wear a headset or something the same size as your glasses, that will do the job of your phone but project virtual images for example, of items or celebrities straight on to your retina, removing the need for a mobile.

By 2030 augmented reality contact lenses may even be available.

Lab-grown meat is coming, although I dont think it will come in vast quantities during the 2020s.

Its a technology that is developing quite slowly.

Even though veganism became a big trend in the 2010s, I dont think stem cell meat will replace regular meat fully at the end of this new decade, but it could be something that happens by 2050.

Some people have become vegan for health reasons, but weve already seen some studies that showed red meat being unhealthy have been debunked, so theres a possibility they could switch back and veganism could be a passing fad.

Its been a bit of an overhyped technology, but 3D printing may have a role in food as you could have 3D printed kitchen items or cake decorations, for example.

Weve seen a lot of development in this area, especially in terms of fibres. Already, companies are using clever manufacturing techniques to turn objects such as coconut and sweetcorn husks into fabrics.

These are also more sustainable items, as people become increasingly concerned about the environment.

We may see people wearing clothes that are resistant to stains or stop you sweating much.

What is most exciting for me is the tech that is built into it.

By 2030 you could have people wearing clothes that change colour, have patterns on that move like a video or Christmas jumpers that have a mini light show built in.

You may see hypersonic jets, which are currently in development with the aim of being used by the military, brought in that could get people from London to Sydney in just four-and-a-half hours, and London to New York in two hours.

If people carry on being very concerned about the environment, they may take fewer foreign holidays by plane.

However, virtual reality wouldnt replace holidays like in the film Total Recall, people wont go into a VR landscape for two weeks.

"But what itll be used for will be a way of exploring the rooms of a resort or hotel youre considering booking, or taking a quick look at the area, so itll be a tool for decision-making.

People can also use VR virtual reality to try out activities such as skiing or snowboarding.

We are likely to see more people using voice-activated technology to do things such as switching off all the lights or switching on the security.

There could also be smart heating, that will heat the person rather than heat the room using either smart fabrics or specially-directed infrared beams.

Hi-res or virtual displays could also replace paintings, and ovens and microwaves could be programmed to talk to food packaging to get cooking instructions.

By 2050, Id imagine that androids would do most of the cooking and cleaning in peoples homes.

However, there is a chance that people could hack into smart objects like your fridge or microwave to steal information about you that could be a major concern by 2030.

Weve all been reading about the self-driving cars for the last few years, and they are making a lot of progress. I imagine there will be some on the roads by 2030.

They are currently very expensive, at least 30,000, but people will build driverless pods for 300-400.

Some city centres will be designed to have driverless pod systems. People could get in and be dropped off exactly where they want.

It also increases social inclusivity. If people can be driven where they need to be, they may leave home more often and get involved in their community. Ten years is a long time in tech, so it is feasible.

See http://www.futurizon.com

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Hypersonic planes and robots: Futurist predicts what we can expect by end of decade - Daily Star

We live so fast I can’t even finish this sent… – The Register

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Something for the Weekend, Sir? Call me an idiot* but I have no idea what you are talking about, why you're saying it or indeed what's going on any more.

Oh, and welcome to the Year 51-85-139.

Do you know what I'm talking about? No? Then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Worried that my weekly outbursts of cynicism here might simply betray a weakening grip on the fast pace of tech disruption, last summer I began reading futurist Tom Cheesewright's High Frequency Change. The book tries to explain why idiots (ie, anyone who isn't a futurist) perceive modern tech business as being founded on the cult of fleeting unsustainability, and how to go about convincing oneself that it isn't.

Unfortunately, I never got past chapter three as I had other pressing things to do. By the time these were half-done, I'd moved on to other things. Sorry, Tom, but that's how it is these days. Always looking to the future, me.

What I did learn from the book is that things are not really intended to make specific sense as they whizz by across a rapidly morphing cultural landscape so there's no point worrying my idiotic but pretty little head about questions such as "why?"

For example, did you guess what the aforementioned "Year 51-85-139" business was about? Well, colour experts Pantone have declared its Classic Blue ref. 19-4052 TPG (that's 51 Red, 85 Green, 139 Blue) to be the theme colour for 2020.

Here it is. Now you know what 2020 is going to look like.

My (clearly foolish) reaction to this news is to wonder why a year should be assigned a colour from a Pantone reference library. Is it like the 12-year cycle of Chinese animals? Or is it a plot by rogue freemasons to design a coat of arms replete with colour symbolism to revive the Knights Templar with the support of Vatican 2 agents, Agnes Nutter and Bigfoot? Are we being led annually towards an ultimate Pantone reference that lies beyond the spectrum of human visibility and whose first implementation in a CSS tag will trigger the awakening of the Old Ones?

Nope. The idea is to buy a Pantone 19-4052 TPG espresso mug and keychain, then turn our goldfish-like attention to the next thing. Trying to make sense of it is an idiot's game. Don't stand still, move along please.

Youtube Video

I found that if you spend long enough wondering "why?", your brain tricks itself into deducing a ludicrously unlikely purpose behind this stuff and then convinces you that it makes sense. For example, take this advertising poster I found just inches from my face when I nipped to the gents during a journalists' Christmas bash in the typically drunken and debauched surroundings of a central London church.

You've heard of town-twinning, right? Well, the latrine into which I was artlessly jimmy-riddling at that very moment had been twinned with the one pictured in the photograph, in Uganda. For those of you working in spy agencies seeking something to stave off the workplace boredom other than secrete "always-on" code into other people's Alexa skills, have a peek at the Ugandan convenience at your convenience via live satellite: the map references are given on the poster.

Nice logo at the, er, bottom. Shitting infographics, it's all the rage, didn't you know?

Give yourself five minutes and I'm sure you can come up with a valid and worthy reason for toilet-twinning to exist. However, I think you might be missing the point, which is that there isn't one. It's a thing, that's all. Move along please, zip it up, let the next customer have a go. By the time you've Googled toilet-twinning, the fad will be over and replaced by fridge-twinning or eraser-at-the-end-of-a-pencil-twinning.

It's not that earnest charitable endeavours are mere objects of smug amusement so much that everything has become slave to the prevailing culture of short-termism. We exist in an era where are unproven, unworkable ideas change ownership for billions of dollars and failed businesspeople are hailed as heroes that we should try to emulate.

At this point, your brain's reasoning function stumbles into cynicism. My smartphone, my car, my trousers: I'll get around to changing them all soon enough, so why bother giving it any serious thought?

And so here we are, welcome to my world. This is how I handle high-frequency change, Tom: I ignore it or take the piss out of it.

Talking of public signs, here's one I saw in a local park on New Year's Day. It warns visitors that a steep hill lies ahead. It is particularly heart-warming that the infographic-inspired icons target three very specific types of park user: someone in a wheelchair; oldsters sharing a stick; and my Dad.

Hang on isn't that Pantone Classic Blue?

Youtube Video

* content experience user interactivity prompt

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We live so fast I can't even finish this sent... - The Register

This Tiny Particle Accelerator Fits on a Microchip – Futurism

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For Ants

Particle accelerators are usually large. The Large Hadron Collider, for instance, is 17 miles in circumference.

But now a team of scientists at Stanford have created a silicon chip that can act as a particle accelerator and its only 30 micrometers long, about the width of a human hair.

On the most basic level, particle accelerators are machines that speed up beams of charged particles using electromagnetic fields.

The new Stanford accelerator is essentially a nanoscale channel made out of silicon, sealed inside a vacuum, which accelerates electrons using an infrared laser pulse.

While the device is still a prototype, the team is hoping that similar designs could allow the construction of much smaller particle beam accelerators for use in scientific experiments, foregoing the needfor massive facilities like the Large Hadron Collider.

The largest accelerators are like powerful telescopes, team lead Jelena Vuckovic said in a statement. There are only a few in the world and scientists must come to places like [Stanford facility] SLAC to use them. We want to miniaturize accelerator technology in a way that makes it a more accessible research tool.

READ MORE: Researchers build a particle accelerator that fits on a chip [Stanford University]

More on accelerators: Vast New Particle Accelerator Would Dwarf Large Hadron Collider

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This Tiny Particle Accelerator Fits on a Microchip - Futurism

NFL rumors: Why Eric Bieniemy might be the ideal coach for Giants mentality, according to Adrian Peterson – NJ.com

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Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has a painfully simple philosophy when it comes to how Super Bowls are won.

I really believe that as much as the style of play evolves, there are basic truths, Gettleman said Tuesday. You have to run the ball, you have to stop the run, you have to rush the passer. If you are seriously deficient in any one of those three areas, it makes it tough.

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While the Giants offensive line remains a work in progress, building an offense around running back Saquon Barkley -- fresh off his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season to open his career -- seems to be Gettlemans vision for what the teams next head coach will install.

If that is the case, if running the football is paramount, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy -- who will interview for the Giants coaching job Saturday -- might be the ideal man for the job, according to Washington running back Adrian Peterson.

He had everything we need for that week written on the whiteboard, Peterson said, via The Athletic. "On both sides, and we used to go over it, and you were able to see it in intensive detail. Its like, man; he is really like making sure that we are dialed in, and we know exactly whats going on. So the running back group, and the fullback group we are in sync. We have no excuse to eff up.

Peterson rushed for 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons under Bieniemys tutelage from 2007-'10 and became one of the NFLs most prolific backs. Might Barkley similarly benefit from working with Bieniemy, a standout running back at the University of Colorado and nine-year pro?

Even though he rushed for 1,589 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, Bieniemy understands the need for balance in a successful offense, as evident in the playbook hes had input in under Andy Reid built around quarterback Patrick Mahomes generational skillset.

People look at me sideways because Im a running back, and they think I always want to run the ball," Bieniemy told Yahoo! Sports. "No. I understand the importance of the passing game and I understand the importance of making sure were pushing the ball down the field.

The Chiefs only rushed for 98 rushing yards per game, but finished sixth in total offense and fifth in scoring offense en route to a 12-4 finish.

Widely viewed as one of the NFLs brightest offensive minds, a strong leader and a rising head coaching candidate, Bienemy could be the latest branch of Reids coaching tree to see success as a head coach.

John Harbaugh won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens and has a team capable of making it to Miami next month. Matt Nagy led the Chicago Bears to an NFC North championship last season. Ron Rivera guided the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl and multiple NFC Championship Games. Brad Childress took the Vikings to the championship round, as well.

Earlier this week, Reid offered Bieniemy a ringing endorsement as he embarked on the interview circuit.

I think he would be tremendous," Reid told reporters this week in Kansas City. "I dont know the team, but there is a team out there that could really use him. Being the leader of men that he is, youre not going to find people better than that in that category. Hes a sharp offensive mind on top of that.

Get Giants text messages from reporters: Cut through the clutter of social media and text directly with the Giants beat writers. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Sign up now for a free trial.

Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoNFL

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NFL rumors: Why Eric Bieniemy might be the ideal coach for Giants mentality, according to Adrian Peterson - NJ.com

Peterson: Change on the way | News, Sports, Jobs – Daily Mining Gazette

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Ive never claimed to a be a seer of the future. Or even a modern day Nostradamus.

But I do believe that there are changes coming on the sports scene in 2020.

High school football figures to be the most obvious area for changes.

Shrinking enrollment at many Michigan schools has led to the increasing number of programs adopting 8-man football.

Munising, for one, has already opted to go that route this coming season.

And it seems almost certain that Lake Linden-Hubbell will have to take a very close look at doing the same. The Lakes were the smallest school in the state to sponsor 11-man football last season.

Both schools in question have proud traditions on the gridiron. The Lakes, in particular, traditionally operated a competitive program without a great number of players.

Former coach Ron Warner molded a Hall of Fame career with usually under 20 players on his roster.

Current LLHS skipper Andy Crouch has had to get by with even fewer numbers in keeping the program in the upper echelon of small schools.

This past season saw the Lakes reach the second round of the playoffs with a senior-dominated squad. I cant see a freshmen-sophomore team and I could be wrong be able to play varsity ball.

A lack of opponents is an obvious problem, for one.

The rest of our local schools with 11-man football appear to be healthy, although Houghton is going to need stability in the coaching ranks.

I believe Finlandia University also faces decisions in keeping its 16-sport program alive and kicking

With an enrollment of barely 700 students, the Lions are facing teams in every sport with enrollment numbers five or six times larger.

Thats especially true in football, where the numbers are overwhelmingly in favor of the opponents.

Becoming affiliated with the MIAA two years ago will likely help in the near future. But FU is facing league teams with traditions going back at least 70 or 80 years. Thats a large factor to overcome.

The basketball situation at Michigan Tech could also change, but in a positive way.

Its possible that former Tech player Jake Witt may return to school in the near future.

MTU fans can envision a scenario with Witt joining Houghton High star Brad Simonsen in the lineup. Simonsen, who has already committed to Tech, is a top shelf talent.

Personally, I can see a lineup with those two joining Dawson Bilski, the sharp-shooting guard from North Central Highs great program.

But as I said, predicting the future has never been my forte.

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Peterson: Change on the way | News, Sports, Jobs - Daily Mining Gazette

"He’s A Heck Of A Coach": Players Give Their Thoughts On Redskins Head Coach Ron Rivera – Redskins.com

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Head coach Ron Rivera stood in front of a packed conference room with everyones attention focused solely on him.

Rivera spoke for about 25 minutes, and much of what he said was directed at the Redskins organization as a whole. He talked about creating a player-centered culture based on discipline and using a collaborative effort to move toward what is best for the Redskins future. He made it clear that no one will work for the organization if they dont have the discipline to give everything they have.

But the majority of his opening statement was not directed at the Washington media, the staff or even the executives in attendance. He looked directly at the three players sitting in the front row -- Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice and Jonathan Allen -- and said, Do it the way we teach you, do it the way we ask. You do it that way, the success will be yours.

Judging by what the players have said about their new head coach, theyre ready to follow Rivera's lead.

It felt good. That what you want from a head coach, expressing that its on the players, Peterson said after Riveras press conference. Coaches put you in the right situation, but at the end of the day, players have to execute and have the mindset.

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"He's A Heck Of A Coach": Players Give Their Thoughts On Redskins Head Coach Ron Rivera - Redskins.com

Legends built here – News from southeastern Connecticut – theday.com

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The Indian and Colonial Research Center in Old Mystic holds more than 150 scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings that date back decades and cover a wide range of topics, many of which are relevant to todays headlines. For example, an item published by The Day in 1959 announced the sale of the Post Shipyard on Washington Street in Mystic to Seaport Marine, Inc., predecessor of the current shipyard of the same name.

The article was a timely find because of the recent proposal to develop a complex called Smilers Wharf on that property. Intrigued by the clipping, I turned to William Petersons remarkable book, Mystic Built, to gain a better appreciation of the sites distinguished and colorful past. (Any errors in this narrative are mine, not Mr. Petersons.)

The story begins in 1841 when Dexter Irons and his partner, Amos Grinnell, established a shipyard in Mystic at Pistol Point (the Washington and Cottrell Streets area). The men had worked at Leeds shipyard in Old Mystic, and now they were poised to achieve remarkable success on their own. In the17 years between the formation of the company and Irons death in 1858, the prolific firm built 38 vessels including sloops, schooners, brigs, barks and clipper ships. Irons and Grinnell ships were used in coastal and South American trading, and for transporting goods to the California Gold Rush. Their most famous ship was the clipper Andrew Jackson, advertised with justifiable pride as the fastest ship in the world.

Launched in 1855, the Andrew Jackson was a "medium" clipper, built for both cargo capacity and speed, in contrast to "extreme" clippers that were designed primarily for speed. Despite her "medium" design, on her fifth run to San Francisco from New York, the Andrew Jackson set a world record by making the voyage, harbor entrance to harbor entrance, in 89 days, 4 hours. That round-the-horn record was never broken.

Some of the credit belonged to her captain, John Kicking Jack Williams. Williams lived in Mystic in a mansion that still stands on Gravel Street. He was a hard-driving captain who knew how to get the best out of the ships and men under his command. He must have had a formidable personality because people were advised not to mess with him. Hes immortalized in the sea-shanty Blow the Man Down, which cautions, Tis larboard and starboard on the deck you will sprawl, for Kicking Jack Williams commands the Black Ball. (The Black Ball packet line was one of his employers.)

After Irons died, Grinnell partnered with Mason Crary Hill, a ship designer and former superintendent at the Mallory shipyard. (Hill had drawn the plans for the Andrew Jackson.) When Grinnell retired, Hill operated the enterprise alone until it was destroyed by fire in 1883. After that disaster, the yard passed through several hands before Franklin Post established his shipyard there.

Post had been a machinist at Lathrop Engine Company before striking out on his own in 1914 with a boatyard at Fort Rachel in West Mystic. During World War I, he converted yachts for use by the Coast Guard. During World War II, he built aircraft rescue and harbor patrol boats for the Navy. In 1923, Post moved his operation to the old Irons and Grinnell site, where he built fishing boats and yachts. During Prohibition, some of Posts boats were used by rum runners. In fact, the proposed name "Smilers Wharf" was a nod to one of the rum runners who was famous for always smiling.

Perhaps the most famous craft built at the Post facility was the Onkahya, which in 1948 won the annual Chicago Yacht Club Race between Chicago and Mackinac Island, a 333-mile course with several hundred competitors. The New York Times carried the exciting headline.

The Mystic River is just 3.4 miles long, but between the years 1784 and 1919, it was lined with at least 25 shipyards. (Petersons book has an excellent graphicshowing the names and locations.) Understandably, all that experience led to excellence. At one time, it was said that the distinctive craftsmanship and beauty of Mystic ships made them easy to recognize in ports around the world. They were legendary and put a tiny New England village on the map.

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Legends built here - News from southeastern Connecticut - theday.com