Forbes | Artificial Intelligence, IoT Will Fuel Technology Deal-Making In Year Ahead Forbes The relentless drive to digital transformation among tech and non-tech companies pushed mergers and acquisitions to record levels over the past year, the latest analysis finds. Now, artificial intelligence and machine learning loom as the next wave of ... |
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Artificial Intelligence, IoT Will Fuel Technology Deal-Making In Year Ahead - Forbes
The Hindu | Artificial intelligence tool combats trolls The Hindu Google has said it will begin offering media groups an artificial intelligence tool designed to stamp out incendiary comments on their websites. The programming tool, called Perspective, aims to assist editors trying to moderate discussions by ... Google gargle: New artificial intelligence aimed at making internet a troll-free environment How Robots Can Help: Google Uses Artificial Intelligence To Track Abusive Comments On New York Times, Other Sites Check Out Alphabet's New Tool to Weed Out the 'Toxic' Abuse of Online Comments |
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Over the past 10 years, the aerospace industry has been marked by a lot of design innovation and technology introduction, starting with the Airbus (Toulouse, France) A380, and followed by the Boeing Co.s (Chicago, IL, US) 787 and the Airbus A350. But there are important changes coming. Were entering a new period, one not so focused on the above but instead on a theme of better, cheaper, faster. The past decade was about innovation; the next will be about productivity, and this change will require different success factors from aerospace suppliers.
Worldwide aircraft production today, across all market segments, is valued at US$180 billion, and should peak at nearly US$210 billion in the year 2021. A slowdown is likely after that. The good news is that aerospace is and will remain a growth market it was the only major capital goods industry that grew through the Great Recession. Large jetliners account for more than half of this market value, and the military segment looks to be on a growth trajectory. But Ive focused on the commercial air transport market, because this is where the clear majority of aerocomposites are used.
Weve been in a very unusual period: An incredibly large number of aircraft orders have been placed over the past few years, and these orders have been driven largely by a combination of high jet fuel prices and the current ultralow cost of capital. Simply put, airlines wanted more efficient aircraft to off set fuel prices, and could afford them. Although jet fuel cost has ebbed since 2012, continuing low interestrates are supporting fleet recapitalization and current aircraft orders. That said, reduced oil prices do impact twin-aisle aircraft, making it less expensive to keep older aircraft flying, which has reduced backlogs for larger twin-aisle planes, such as the 787. The bottom line is that there is currently a record number of orders booked for single aisles, including the newer re-engined versions of the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737. Both Boeing and Airbus want to get to a production rate of 60 single-aisle units per month, because this is where they make their money, given the current weakness in the twin-aisle area.
The Boeing/Airbus duopoly is, in fact, dependent on single-aisle aircraft sales for the vast majority of their profits, which is the motivator for increasing production rates. Yet, the two companies have for years been engaged in a market share competition. As a result, both have offered single-aisle products below list prices, so the realized prices (what air carrier customers have actually paid) for A320s and 737s have remained virtually unchanged since 2002. Some argue that single aisles have become commodities. The two OEMs are now shifting focus to increasing their profits, to as high as 15-20% margins.
Boeing and Airbus are undertaking initiatives that include growth in higher margin services (aftermarket) revenue, which will include new value propositions and, potentially, acquisitions of service companies. Others include aggressive supplier cost reduction through initiatives like Boeings Partnering for Success, plus better labor agreements, more automation and lean programs. In aerostructures, OEM tactics will include part redesigns, a move to lower-cost processes, material substitution, tougher commercial contracts and recapturing more scrap. The bottom line is that were in for a period of extreme focus on cost, that is, reducing costs to pursue profits. Expect more automotive-style operations and practices.
So, what are the implications for suppliers? Typically, the aerospace supply chain includes 30-60 Tier 1 suppliers that are responsible for systems integration; hundreds of Tier 2 suppliers that make principal components; thousands of Tier 3 suppliers responsible for subcomponents, and perhaps 20 to 50 Tier 4 companies that supply materials and processes (metals and composite prepregs). The OEMs prefer to deal only with Tier 1s, so those firms are the primary targets of OEM supply chain initiatives, and theyll face enormous pressure in terms of pricing and selective customer vertical integration. This will lead to continued consolidation of Tier 1s in the coming year. Tier 2s, in turn, will face a downward squeeze from consolidating Tier 1s and upward pressure from Tier 4s, and it will be very important for them to develop what I call a winning business model and a capacity for competitive differentiation. And, there are far too many Tier 3 firms; attrition is a certainty, and consolidation will take place at this level as well. However, in my opinion, consolidation of Tier 4 suppliers is nearly complete (see the Aerospace Supply Chain chart above).
If we look at aerospace raw material demand, which totaled 1.56 billion lb (707 million kg) in 2015, composites demand accounted for 71 million lb (32.2 million kg), or roughly 5% of the total. I expect that composite materials 5% share of demand will grow by 6% per annum through 2020, with titanium close behind at a 4% annual growth rate. The aggregate buy-to-fly ratio is approximately 6:1, for all materials combined. Thanks to design and processing improvements, the composites buy-to-fly ratio is far less, ranging from 1.2:1 to 1.4:1, which helps favor its growth.
Of the aerospace-related events that occurred in 2016, two stand out that appear to validate the contention that changes are coming to this market. Foremost is that Boeing opened its composite wing center in Everett, WA, US. That Boeing brought wing manufacturing back in-house and will keep wing manufacture close to the design process is one big indication that Tier 1s will not have the opportunity to build wings in the future, and will settle for fewer and less profitable projects. Another was the first delivery of the Bombardier (Montreal, QC, Canada) CSeries single-aisle jet, to Swiss Airlines.
It features the industrys first aluminum-lithium alloy fuselage, with composite wings made via infusion. Aluminum-lithium is significantly less dense than aluminum alone, yet is more damage tolerant at lower cost than composites. This might signal some significant material changes in single-aisle jets. The composites industry must gird itself for tougher conditions in supplying aerospace components in the coming years.
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Aerospace composites in the more for less era : CompositesWorld - CompositesWorld
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc., a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (AJRD), announced that Coleman Aerospace today unveiled its new Space Coast Integration & Test Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e4afeb53-7cc8-4abb-8381-c478d1f03bdd.
Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace, Inc. consummated its previously announced acquisition of Coleman Aerospace from L3 Technologies, Inc. earlier today.
With the opening of this innovative facility, we are building on our expertise as a premier launch vehicle provider for missile defense testing, said Dan Kelly, who will serve as interim general manager of Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace.
We are excited to officially establish our Space Coast presence today, marking the culmination of years of collaboration that brought this facility and its needed capabilities to fruition, said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake. We look forward to working with Space Florida and the Air Force Space Commands 45th Space Wing in this new facility.
The new facilitys Cape Canaveral Air Force Station location was previously used by the U.S. Air Force for rocket processing. The Air Force Space Commands 45th Space Wing made the facility available to Space Florida to sublease to a company that would bring new work onto Cape Canaveral and create jobs. Coleman Aerospace worked with Space Florida to refurbish the facility so it could be used once again for production.
Key attendees at todays ribbon cutting ceremony included Mr.Stan Thomas (Missile Defense Agency); Colonel Matthew Wallace (U.S. Air Force Space Commands 45th Space Wing); Mr.Jim Kuzma (Space Florida); representatives from the offices of Senator Bill Nelson; Congressman Bill Posey; Congressman Ted Yoho and Senator Dorothy Hukill, and other dignitaries.
Coleman Aerospace, based in Orlando, Florida, provides ballistic missile rockets and launch services for the Missile Defense Agency, as well as engineering and analytical services for other government agencies. Coleman Aerospace has been launching rockets since 1995 with 29 successful flights in 22 years. The first successful air launch of a missile target was accomplished in 1999 using a C-130, but has since adapted the capability to the newer and larger C-17.
Aerojet Rocketdyne is an innovative company delivering solutions that create value for its customers in the aerospace and defense markets. The company is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, tactical systems and armaments areas, in support of domestic and international markets. Additional information about Aerojet Rocketdyne can be obtained by visiting our websites at http://www.Rocket.com and http://www.AerojetRocketdyne.com.
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Aerojet Rocketdyne Coleman Aerospace Opens New Facility on Cape Canaveral - Yahoo Finance
Aviation International News | Safran Bullish On Zodiac Deal, Silvercrest and Leap Engines Aviation International News French aerospace group Safran anticipates a busy 2017 with further growth driven by its new generation Leap airliner engines, as well as the long-awaited certification of the Silvercrest business jet powerplant and the prospect of bidding another new ... Safran profit rises 21.7% amid Zodiac row A Hedge Fund's French Showdown Safran rejects TCI Fund Management's criticism of Zodiac Aero bid |
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Safran Bullish On Zodiac Deal, Silvercrest and Leap Engines - Aviation International News
Orangeburg Consolidated School District Four is moving ahead with plans to offer students training for a career in aerospace engineering.
Superintendent Dr. Tim Newman reported at the February board of trustees meeting that the district is in the initial planning stages for an aerospace engineering and manufacturing magnet school at Edisto High School.
There are two aerospace suppliers in Orangeburg County, Newman said following the meeting. A lot of jobs in the aerospace industry start workers off at salaries ranging from $30,000 to $60,000, he said.
What were trying to do is to address the needs of our county and community, Newman said. The district is holding discussions with local manufacturers so it can provide students with the training they need to get good jobs when they leave school, he said.
We are trying to find a way to build those skills for the students, embed the terminology for the aerospace manufacturing sector, embed soft skills and try to react to the needs that theyre asking for, Newman said.
The district has gotten a commitment from the S.C. Department of Education to help fund a new aerospace content teacher, the superintendent said.
The magnet school will not only prepare students to go on to work in the aerospace field after high school, but it will also lay a foundation for students who want to go on to four-year colleges for a degree in areas like engineering.
The district will be working on budgets and the application process as well as going to other magnet schools across the state to see how they do things, Newman said.
Edisto High was selected to house the magnet school because of its proximity to the Cope Area Career Center, he said.
Newman said he hopes to bring the new curriculum back to the board for approval in time to get the magnet school off the ground by this fall.
In other business, trustees approved an out-of-state trip for the Lockett Elementary School Junior Beta Club. The students will be competing at the National Junior Beta Club Convention in Orlando in June. They qualified to participate in the event by winning the following awards at the state convention in January: first place in Advertising Design Division I, first place in Quiz Bowl Division I, second place in Science Division I and second place in Book Battle Division II.
Trustees also unanimously approved second and final reading of the 2017-18 school calendar. Classes will begin for students on Aug. 22, 2017. The final day of the school year will be June 9. Three makeup days for inclement weather were built into the calendar: Jan. 2, March 30 and June 11.
Newman recognized Bethany Jameson, an Edisto High School student, who won the districts annual Christmas card contest.
He also recognized members of the Branchville High School Lady Jackets volleyball team who were recently named the S.C. High School League Class A champions.
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District 4 may offer aerospace engineering this fall - The Times and Democrat
CHEHALIS (Washington) At this small factory south of Seattle city in the US, employees make one of the most specialised products in the aerospace industry: the rubber mats that Boeing workers stand on while assembling jets.
As long as there are jets and Boeing, business would seem to be steady. But even here, workers are bracing for bumps and economic uncertainty over the gritty details of where aviation parts get made and who makes them.
President Donald Trump has talked about border tariffs and new trade deals that many people in the aerospace industry fear could raise the cost of US jets bought by foreign airlines or governments. And if Boeing's sales or profits suffer, its nerve-system supply chain - more than 13,000 companies across the US and more than 1.5 million jobs - would most likely feel the pain too.
At SmartCells, 50 full-time employees and a few dozen temporary workers stamp out cushion pads on heavy machines. Washington feels far away, but it is on just about everybody's radar.
"Let's hit it with a two-by-four and see how it reacts, then get a plan," said Mr Bob Bishop, the chief operations officer at SmartCells, describing Mr Trump's hard-charging style as being akin to hitting something with a plank of wood. "That doesn't always work."
The anxiety, said Mr Bishop, 46, who voted for Mr Trump, centres on economics, specifically the intense competition with French airplane maker Airbus, which competes with Boeing for jet orders in a delicate game of narrow cost differences and giant contracts.
Mr Trump has said he would seek a 45 per cent tariff on imports from China, for example, to protect US jobs, and a 20 per cent tariff on goods from Mexico. If business costs for Boeing go up as a result, the firm - the nation's largest exporter by dollar volume - probably would not be able to raise prices on its planes to make up the difference as it would lose customers to Airbus.
"It means they may cut jobs," said Mr Kevin Michaels, managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a specialised market analysis company in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Boeing's commercial airplane division last year cut 8 per cent of its US workforce, or more than 6,000 jobs. Some companies in the supply chain, partly because of cost-cutting pressure by Boeing, have shrunk or merged.
Since his election, Mr Trump has harshly criticised Boeing's high price tag for a new Air Force One presidential plane. Boeing, founded in Seattle in 1916, employs about 140,000 people in the US, about half of them in Washington state.
"We've got such a huge network here - anything that curtails exports hurts the entire supply chain," said Mr John Thornquist, director of the aerospace office at the Washington State Department of Commerce.
Firms that sell to Boeing, or sell to other companies that build Boeing components, said that even predicting a trade war was risky, with so many variables - politics, economics, multiple countries - all in play. A modern jetliner can have up to six million components that must be engineered and tested to safety standards, even before assembly starts.
"We're trying to do our best due diligence to put together an assessment, but at this time, the best we can do is just monitor day by day," said Mr Maurizio Miozza, vice- president for development and strategic planning at Umbra Cuscinetti, an Italian firm that makes precision parts for Boeing and has about 100 employees north of Seattle. But, he added, "the picture is not rosy".
Boeing declined an interview request but said in an e-mail statement: "The administration has made it clear that they are pro-economic growth, including in exports and manufacturing jobs. We are engaged with the administration in direct and productive discussion."
NYTIMES
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Trump talk rattles US aerospace industry - The Straits Times
Oxytocin the "love hormone" perhaps best known for stimulating bonding between mothers and newborns, or between romantic partners may also play a role in dads' empathy toward their toddlers, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that fathers who were given a boost of oxytocin via a nasal spray, and then were shown a picture of their 1- or 2-year-old sons or daughters, showed higher levels of activity in regions of the brain linked with empathy and reward, compared with fathers who did not receive a dose of oxytocin.
This increased activity in the men's brains may elicit greater feelings of empathy and reward processing, and may motivate fathers to become more involved in caring for their children, said study author James Rilling, a professor of anthropology and psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University in Atlanta.
"It may also help fathers to interact with their children in a sensitive and emotionally responsive way," Rilling told Live Science. [11 Interesting Effects ofOxytocin]
The new findings were published Feb. 17 in the journal Hormones and Behavior.
Previous research has shown that oxytocin is released when people snuggle up or bond socially. The hormone is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain, in people of both sexes.
"Most people still think of oxytocin as a female hormone," Rilling said. Although the role of oxytocin has been better studied in women, in recent years researchers have started to investigate its potential effects in men.
It's well known that pregnant women experience a big release of oxytocin during labor, which promotes uterine contractions, as well as during breast-feeding, which stimulates the flow of breast milk, Rilling said. These dramatic hormone changes in pregnant and nursing women are believed to help prepare them for becoming mothers and caregivers, he said.
The new research represents one of the first forays into understanding what the hormone does in human males, and the findings provide evidence of oxytocin having a definite effect on fathers, too, Rilling told Live Science. [5 Ways Fatherhood Changes a Man's Brain]
There have been only a couple of human studies to date that have explored the role of oxytocin in the brains of fathers, Rilling said. In one study, done in 2014, oxytocin levels were shown to be higher in men who were married and had children, compared with men who were neither married nor fathers. In another study, done in 2010, oxytocin levels were found to increase in men over their first six months of fatherhood.
In the new study, researchers looked at 30 fathers of 1- or 2-year-old children. Half of the dads were given either a dose of oxytocin as a nasal spray or a placebo before undergoing a brain scan. The other 15 men, meanwhile, were given a dose of another pituitary hormone, called vasopressin, which is also involved in social bonding, or a placebo before the brain scan. The amount of oxytocin given to the men was thought to be within the range usually present in fathers.
The researchers then measured the men's brain activity with an MRI, to compare their responses to seeing a photo of their own child, a photo of an unknown child of a similar age, or a photo of an unknown adult. They also measured the men's reaction to hearing an infant's cry (but the sound was not the cry of their own child).
The results showed that fathers who were given oxytocin but not vasopressin had increased activity in brain regions involved in reward, empathy and attention, but only when shown a photo of their own child and not in any of the other scenarios of the experiment. [7 Baby Myths Debunked]
The findings show that there are dramatic hormonal changes in men that prepare them for becoming fathers, Rilling said, and oxytocin is one of the hormones involved in this process.
However, Rilling cautioned that not all fathers may experience these hormonal changes. For example, he said, other studies have found that testosterone levels in men can decrease when they become parents, but only if they are actively involved in caregiving.
Hormonal changes, such as a boost in oxytocin and a decrease in testosterone, in fathers can have big benefits: They can prepare men to be more interactive with their infants, and care for them in a sensitive and compassionate way, Rilling said.
The exact mechanism of how these changes in hormone levels occurs is not yet known, Rilling said. He speculated that there could be some cues coming from the baby, such as the infant's appearance, smell or touch, that stimulate oxytocin production in fathers. These hormone changes may tweak the brain function of fathers and motivate them to get more involved in caregiving, which could possibly perpetuate a positive cycle of the father's involvement, he said.
Although more research needs to be done to understand the brain mechanisms involved in this process, the study results may someday be helpful to men who suffer from deficits in paternal motivation due to drug dependence or postpartum depression, Rilling said.
Studies can explore whether giving these men oxytocin could potentially increase their ability to engage with their children, he said.
Originally published on Live Science.
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'Love Hormone' May Help Dads Bond with Toddlers - Live Science
Testosterone treatment did not improve older mens memory or mental function in the latest results from landmark government research that challenges the anti-aging claims of popular supplements.
While testosterone use for one year appeared to strengthen bones and reduce anemia, it also showed signs of worsening artery disease. Questions also remain about other potential risks. The researchers said more studies are needed to determine long-term effects the kind of research the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already asked supplement makers to conduct.
I dont think anybody would interpret these results as saying, Wow, this is a fountain of youth, this is a magical anti-aging potion,' said study co-author Susan Ellenberg, a University of Pennsylvania researcher.
The results are from the final four studies in a seven-part project mostly funded by the National Institute on Aging, involving nearly 800 U.S. men aged 65 and older with low testosterone levels. The goal was to see if rubbing testosterone gel on the skin daily for a year could treat problems linked with low levels of the male hormone, which declines with age. Half the men in each group used the real thing and half used fake gel.
Results published a year ago from the same research linked testosterone with mostly modest improvement in sexual performance, walking strength and mood.
The key new findings:
The overall health benefits, however, remain to be determined, the researchers said.
The studies were published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association and JAMA Internal Medicine. AbbVie Pharmaceuticals provided its gel for the study and helped pay for the research but had no other role in the study.
The research was not designed to look at risks and does not apply to younger men or those with normal levels of testosterone, said study leader Dr. Peter Snyder, a University of Pennsylvania hormone specialist. Its also not known if other forms of testosterone supplements would have similar effects in older men with low levels.
Prescription testosterone products, including gel, are approved only for men with low levels of the hormones caused by various medical conditions. Benefits and risks are unknown in men whose levels are low due only to aging, the FDA says. The agency requires testosterone labels to include possible risks for heart attacks and strokes, based on some previous studies.
A separate study published Tuesday in JAMA Internal Medicine found that men using prescription testosterone gel, patches or injections had fewer heart attacks and strokes than non-users during about three years of follow-up. But this was only observational data in men aged 40 and up, not rigorous research testing the hormone against a placebo.
Clarifying testosterones effects on heart problems, fractures and age-related disability will require larger, longer studies, said Dr. Evan Hadley of the National Institute on Aging. He said decisions about whether to use testosterone should take into account mens individual risks for conditions the hormone could affect.
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Testosterone Anti-Aging Studies: Some Benefits, But None to Mental ... - KQED
Forbes | This Company With Anti-Aging Drug Is Secretly Preparing For Trump's New FDA Forbes Rather, their goal is to protect us from the medical and financial effects of aging. They want to extend the healthy portion of our lives (our health spans) for as long as possible. This is known as morbidity compression. A few decades ago, this goal ... |
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This Company With Anti-Aging Drug Is Secretly Preparing For Trump's New FDA - Forbes
Recent research proves that vitamin D guards against colds, the flu and other respiratory illnesses. A daily dose of vitamin D supplements is especially helpful in the quest to fend off sickness. However, even a weekly dose of vitamin D will help in the prevention of colds and the flu. Those who are deficient in vitamin D will especially benefit from a regular dose of this incredibly helpful vitamin. Vitamin D is currently prescribed by physicians for an array of ailments.
Details of the Global Collaborative Study
A team of researchers from around the world determined vitamin D supplements combat the onset of numerous respiratory diseases. Carlos Camargo from Massachusetts General Hospital's Department of Emergency Medicine served as the study's senior author. The research was funded through a grant provided by the United Kingdom's National Institute of Health Research. The worldwide collaborative study confirms that vitamin D supplements help ward off acute respiratory infections.
The study consisted of a meta-analysis of 25 randomized trials with over 11,000 participants. The study's details and results were recently published on the web in The BMJ. It is widely known that vitamin D is vital for muscle and bone health. However, it was unclear as to whether vitamin D played a critically important role in combating acute respiratory infections. Such infections result in millions of hospital visits and deaths across the world each year. Clearing up Conflicting Data
A handful of observational studies that monitored patients across time without implementing a specific treatment had linked low levels of vitamin D to a higher susceptibility of acute respiratory infections. Several clinical trials have also been conducted to study vitamin D supplements' protective ability. Some of these studies determined the vitamin really does provide a protective quality. However, some studies showed that it does not have any protective effect. Meta-analyses performed of these clinical trials aggregated information from numerous studies that have differing designs and/or participant qualifications produced conflicting results.
The global research team referenced above cleared up these conflicting results. Queen Mary University of London's Adrian Martineau led the team. He performed a data meta-analysis of individual participants from over a dozen nations. Participants hailed from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and beyond. Prior meta-analyses pit average data from subjects in each study. Alternatively, individualized data meta-analysis distinguishes data from each participant, generating what is considered as a higher-resolution analysis of information across all studies.
The Results
It was determined that weekly and daily vitamin D supplements provided the optimal benefit for those who suffered from a severe vitamin D deficiency. This deficiency is defined as a blood level with 10 mg/dl or less. Vitamin D supplementation reduced the odds of a respiratory infection by one-half for such individuals suffering from a vitamin D deficiency. The study also found that every single participant enjoyed at least a minor benefit from consuming vitamin D supplements on a regular basis. It is worth noting that consuming occasionally high doses of the vitamin did not generate extensive benefits.
The hope is that people will ramp up their consumption of vitamin D supplements to reduce the risk of colds, the flu, and other respiratory maladies. This course of preventative action would prove especially helpful for those who are vitamin D deficient. Such supplementation would reduce the number of emergency department visits, which currently number in the millions. As a result, the health system would be less burdened. Furthermore, the study's findings might inspire food manufacturers to fortify foods with vitamin D. Such a measure would prove especially beneficial to those who are deficient in vitamin D.
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Confirmed: Vitamin D Protects Against Colds and Flu - Worldhealth.net - Anti Aging News
As I get older, Im more and more inclined to see life as a collection of cycles. What goes around, comes around; to everything there is a season, from glorious Spring to blazing Summer, from brilliant Autumn to frozen Winter, to glorious Spring again.
Like the moon, everything waxes and wanes our economies, our schools, our families, our governments large and small even our diets. Sometimes things are going well, sometimes badly. Sometimes things are going marvelously well. Sometimes unbelievably badly. Sometimes a brilliant sunset, sometimes a rainbow, sometimes a snowstorm.
Cultural norms swing from liberal to conservative, from conservative to liberal, and back and forth again; hemlines rise and fall, neckties and lapels grow wider and narrower, beards grow, and are shaved away, and grow again. As a people we seem to move from comfortable to excess, to contraction, to comfortable; from comfortable to belt-tightening, to recovery, to comfortable.
Good government waxes and wanes, too, like the moon.
Powerful people take charge, creating new departments, expanding little empires, taking on bigger and bigger projects until eventually the departments are bloated, the projects are full of hot air, and the bubble bursts, putting good people out of work at the same time as getting rid of deadwood.
Perhaps you see some of this the same way, or perhaps not; you are your own Spiritual Authority.
Someone asked me today how I would respond, as a Wiccan, to our present national situation. Here is my reply:
I call to the powers of Air; I ask that you lend clarity of thought, release of oppressions, a cleansing breeze to blow through the corridors of power and sweep away what does not serve our nation and all its people.
I call to the powers of Fire; I ask that you lend passion to the ideas of liberty and justice, and that you transform the ideas of power-over, of greed, of privilege, of unfair taking; bringing in their place the warmth of shared community and shared resources throughout our nation.
I call to the powers of Water; I ask that you lend gentleness to the deliberations of our legislators, that they enter the flow of caring for the highest good of this land and its many peoples; I ask that you dissolve the barriers that set us to seeing each other as red states and blue states and let us see our common interests and feel our common devotion.
I call to the powers of Earth; I ask that you lend stability and support to our judges and our executives at all levels of government; that you remind them often of this holy ground on which they stand, and lead, and rule our peoples.
Later I realized I had asked for guidance and support from the Elements, but had not made corresponding pledges of my own. So here are some now:
I pledge to be mindful, as I read the news, that not everything published is true, and not everything true is right or fair.
I pledge to be mindful, as I cast my ballots, that not every candidate is honorable and not every candidate will be able to resist the work of lobbyists and horse-traders.
I pledge to use my voice, and the privileges I have been granted, to lift up and amplify the voices of those who bear greater oppressions than my own. I pledge to acknowledge and work to reduce my sense of entitlement and my unearned privilege.
But this post would not be complete without mention of a grave confusion I feel, a grave error I see around me, some important questions whose answers escape me: What is it in our humanness that leads so many of us to act as if we need to oppress some group in order to be sure of our own value? How is it that so many of the people I would naturally love have somehow concluded that they deserve more consideration than people who dont look like them, or who dont believe like them, or even who are a different gender than they are?
And a corollary, whether I can ever answer those questions or not: What can I do to reduce the oppression in which I participate, and to prevent new oppressions from arising?
All around me is reason for despair, but also reason for hope. More of my companions are deeply engaged than Ive seen in decades. More actual work is being done to reduce racism, ageism, sexism, ableism, and what I have to call religionism.
I know, as I said at the beginning, that everything goes in cycles. The pendulum swings, sometimes farther and sometimes more briefly. May the present cycle of oppression and doublespeak be brief, may the hard work continue and may it be effective; may the pendulum swing back toward center, and may we dwell in a fair-minded place longer than before.
So mote it be.
Maggie Beaumont, Halfway to Ostara at the Dark of the Moon
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Is it ever acceptable to break the law? This question has gained new urgency under the oppression of the Trump presidency. For example, is it morally acceptable to hide our neighbors and friends from violent deportation raids? Can we destroy government property to slow the progress of unconstitutional proposals like Trumps border wall? How can we stand up against an incompetent administration that refuses to recognize our most basic human rights?
These questions are not new. In fact, this country was founded through lawbreaking when the 13 colonies decided to reject an oppressive government that did not fairly represent their interests. Countless other examples of disobedience from Rosa Parks to the Stonewall Riots that sparked the modern movement for LGBTQ equality have been defining moments in U.S. history.
The key point is this: There is sometimes a difference between what is legal and what is right, and understanding that distinction is a critical part of what it means to be a patriot in the United States. Standing up for ones country does not mean blind obedience. As the famed Civil War General Carl Schurz said, [The U.S. is] my country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right. In some cases, setting the country right may involve working within the system and following the rules, but other times it may not. Perhaps in a perfect world the need for disobedience would not exist, but sadly, this world is far from perfect, and an unjust law is no law at all. Our actions, therefore, must be dictated not by legality but by our conscience.
When the law is found to be lacking in morality, crime can be a powerful force of good. For example, in 2014, a 90-year-old Floridian was repeatedly arrested for feeding the homeless an illegal act punishable with a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail. This goes to show that the law is not always representative of justice or the will of the people it is simply a tool for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the status quo. However, the act of breaking the law can reject a corrupt status quo, inviting a new status quo to take its place. As a result, disobedience becomes an unofficial last resort in a system of checks and balances.
Now, Im not advocating for anything malicious. Disobeying the law does not necessarily require one to harm another person in any way. In fact, one should be disobedient only when there are no alternatives that may be taken in good conscience, such as in cases of defending oneself or others from police brutality or unjust deportation raids.
Some argue that breaking the law can be detrimental to ones own cause. The alt-right movement has used crimes against white supremacist leaders as propaganda, disguising themselves as victims rather than oppressors. A prominent example of such propaganda is the alt-rights use of the viral video of neo-Nazi Richard Spencer being punched by a protester. Ultimately, it is important to remember that lawbreaking is an inherently risky activity especially for anyone who lacks the protection of social privilege and should not be taken lightly.
So if you choose to break the law in any way, choose an issue that matters one that is worth the consequences, whatever they might be. Productive crime is only necessary because legislation is fallible. Laws are only as fair as the people who write them sometimes less so and if they are not constantly questioned, then our democracy is already lost.
In the end, well-behaved, law-abiding citizens seldom make history. Bystanders are well-behaved. These were the people who shrugged as the slave trade thrived, who allowed the Nazis to commit their atrocities, and who now turn a blind eye to police brutality, immigration raids and the cruelty of the rising alt-right movement, simply because these injustices were or are considered legal. A petition and a nice speech are rarely enough to change the world. Sometimes, when the rules are rigged, the best thing to do is break them.
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MANILA A Philippine senator and staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs was in police custody on Friday following her high-profile arrest for drugs offences that she described as a vendetta that would fail to silence her.
Leila de Lima, who last year led a Senate probe into alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte's anti-drugs campaign, said the arrest was payback for taking on a president who had acted like a dictator.
On Tuesday she called Duterte a "sociopathic serial killer" who had a "criminal mind".
"The truth will come out at the right time," de Lima told reporters outside the Senate office where she spent the night, moments before law enforcers marshaled her into a waiting van.
De Lima, her former driver and bodyguard and a former prison official were ordered arrested after a judge found merit in criminal charges filed by the justice ministry last week.
She faces two more drug-related charges in the same court and described the cases as "all lies".
Bail is not permitted under the charges and if found guilty, de Lima faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, a close ally of Duterte, described her arrest as a victory of the war against drugs, adding "no one is above the law, not even a senator".
But de Lima's supporters quickly came to her defense, with Vice President Leni Robredo describing the arrest as "political harassment".
Senator Paulo Benigno Aquino, a cousin of former president Benigno Aquino, called it "a concern for anyone who will dissent on any of the policies of this administration".
The criminal complaint alleged de Lima received 5 million pesos ($99,850) from a former prison official when she was justice minister between 2010 and 2016.
The allegations she was in cahoots with drugs gangs surfaced when she led a Senate investigation, which probed alleged summary executions during Duterte's bloody drugs war and a pattern of similar killings over the 22 years in which he was mayor of Davao City.
That investigation found no proof of wrongdoing by Duterte, who disparaged de Lima almost daily in televised speeches in which he made lurid allegations about her private life and even suggested she hang herself.
She filed a complaint with Supreme Court to try to muzzle the president.
At the heart of de Lima's campaign has been the 7,700 deaths since Duterte took office eight months ago, more than 2,500 in police operations. The cause of many of the other deaths remain in dispute and human rights groups believe many of them were extrajudicial killings.
De Lima was removed as head of her Senate probe by Duterte's allies and days later came under investigation herself in a congressional inquiry in which witnesses, several of them convicts, identified her as a key player in the narcotics trade.
Phelim Kine of the New York-based Human Rights Watch said Duterte had "effectively expanded his 'drug war' from the urban poor to the legislative branch" by arresting de Lima.
(Additional reporting by Manuel Mogato and Martin Petty; Editing by Nick Macfie)
WASHINGTON A proposal the Trump administration is considering to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization has stalled over warnings from defense and intelligence officials that the move could backfire, according to officials familiar with the matter.
BEIRUT/ISTANBUL An Islamic State car bomb killed more than 50 people on Friday in a Syrian village held by rebels, a war monitor said, a day after the jihadist group was driven from its last stronghold in the area.
BERLIN Europe should impose punitive tariffs on imports from the United States if President Donald Trump acts to shield U.S. industries from foreign competitors, a senior ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a newspaper interview.
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Opponent of Duterte's drugs war arrested in Philippines on drug charges - Reuters
Pharaoh's Secret Temple is one of the first video game gambling offerings in North America - so far the games only can be played in Atlantic City at four casinos, including Tropicana.(Photo: Noah K. Murray/Special for the Record)
It started with Danger Arena a first-person action game in the realm of Call of Duty.
Next came Pharaohs Secret Treasure a Match 3 game a la Candy Crush.
Next month, the latest in video game gambling offerings at Atlantic City casinos will be Nothing But Net a basketball shooting game. (For all the details on this new industry, and why Atlantic City's casinos are the first in North America to have the games, click my story here.)
I think this might be our first really big hit, said Blaine Graboyes, CEO of GameCo., the company behind these games. Its so easy to play just one big button. Anyone can do it. With Danger Arena, if you dont play Xbox or PlayStation, youre probably not going to be very good.
Graboyes told me that a customer gets 12 shots, with each valued at a different amount. Thats the variable that intersects with the skill get a bunch of high value chances, and you are more likely to get enough points to break even or perhaps win money. The animation lets you know what each shot is worth.
Net will be in Tropicana and the three Caesars properties in Atlantic City, and Graboyes said all seven AC casinos likely will be offering video game gambling in the next 30 days. Atlantic Citys months-long monopoly on these games wont last, however, as Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut also will launch these games in March.
Graboyes said he just finished the application process to Nevada regulators, setting up the possibility of Las Vegas casinos joining the party sometime this summer.
While the couple of dozen video game gambling machines are dwarfed by the slot machine inventory, more and more such games are on the way. Look for hidden object games, fighting, racing, space combat, and bubble shooter, Graboyes said.
We are working to appeal to all gamers the average age is 35, and its 50-50 male and female, he added.
Look for big name brands on new games, too think Terminator, Mission Impossible, Ferris Bueller, Paranormal, and so forth.
Finally, Graboyes enthusiastically confirmed that he has the same experience people-watching around these games as I do. He even mentioned a spot where I visited last week the 10 North Lounge at Tropicana in Atlantic City.
Isnt it interesting? asked Graboyes. Its like they just dont know what to do when they approach the games. Theyll almost be afraid to touch it, like the game might bite them. Ive seen people stand by them for 10 minutes, just looking.
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Here's what's next in video game gambling in AC - NorthJersey.com
JEFFERSON CITY Missouri and Illinois residents soon could have thousands of new slot machines clanging and blinking in their midst.
In Missouri, two lawmakers are pushing plans to legalize video gambling in bars and fraternal organizations as a way to generate money for education.
In Illinois, Sen. James Clayborne, D-Belleville, has introduced a proposal to allow slot machines at the Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, a car racing track located just minutes from downtown St. Louis.
In both states, the proposals would allow video gambling in establishments where it has previously been prohibited.
In Missouri, the legislation would allow up to five video gambling machines in taverns and restaurants and up to 10 machines in benevolent organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The state would then collect a split of the money generated by the machines.
Missouri Rep. Bart Korman, R-Warrenton, is sponsoring one of the measures. He said the revenue could help pad the states checkbook.
When you look at the budget situation we have, I think its something we need to have a conversation about, Korman said.
In particular, hed like to see revenue generated by the slot machines to go toward schools.
The cost of busing is an important issue in rural areas, Korman said. Student transportation has been cut year after year.
A similar proposal sponsored by Missouri Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, would earmark 35 percent of the receipts generated by video gambling to higher education.
The legislation is similar to a measure approved in Illinois in 2009; it didnt get underway until 2012.
Since then, Illinois has seen an explosion in the number of establishments offering video gambling.
After four years, the number of businesses with at least one terminal tops 5,700. The total number of machines is nearing 25,000, according to statistics compiled by the Illinois Gaming Commission.
Video gambling generated $277 million for Illinois in 2016. Local governments received $55.4 million.
Bringing a mini-casino to the Gateway race track would add to that total.
Claybornes proposal amends Illinois video gaming act to allow up to 200 terminals at a licensed motorsports park. Gateways facilities already include a drag strip, a 1.25-mile superspeedway, a 1.6-mile road course and tracks for go-karts and off-road vehicles.
Gateway spokeswoman Susan Ryan said the proposal would help diversify the facilitys income stream.
The long-term success of this business requires a diverse revenue base including non-racing entertainment options such as festivals, charity events, private parties, concerts and gaming, Ryan said in a statement.
Clayborne, whose proposal has not been scheduled for a debate, could not immediately be reached for comment. His proposal is separate from a larger gambling proposal that was floated as part of a package designed to end Illinois long-running budget stalemate.
Under that proposal, Illinois would get new casinos in Chicago and its south suburbs, Waukegan, Carterville, Rockford and Danville.
The casino industry in both states is primed to fight the expansion of slots.
The Illinois Casino Gaming Association is opposing Claybornes idea, primarily because it could lure gamblers away from the Casino Queen, located less than five miles away in East St. Louis.
Its just such a big proposal and the Casino Queen is so close by, said association executive director Tom Swoik.
The Missouri Gaming Association, which represents 13 casinos, opposes the expansion of video gambling in Missouri because it also would cut into the casino market, executive director Mike Winter told the Post-Dispatch.
Illinois experience offers evidence that casinos have been affected by the explosion of video gambling.
In December 2007, for example, Illinois fleet of riverboats was drawing 1.3 million visitors. A decade later, that number had dropped to under 950,000 visitors. Receipts also have dropped in the past decade.
Illinois law also has led to a new breed of gambling parlors.
Business owners have launched chains of so-called gambling cafes hoping to draw customers who wouldnt otherwise go to bars. A chain called Lucys Place, for example, was originally designed to attract women over 40. Other similar operations are named Nikkis, Dottys and Pennys.
In Missouri, it remains unclear if Gov. Eric Greitens supports an expansion of gambling. His office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin, said he opposes gambling revenue as a way to fix the state budget. But he wont block the proposal from coming to the Senate floor for a debate.
Im not a fan of legalizing gambling to plug any hole for anything, Richard said. The Senate is supposed to be for open and fair discussion, so thats what I try to do, regardless of my support or not.
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Push to expand gambling underway in Missouri and Illinois - STLtoday.com
Sutton goalkeeper Wayne Shaw is at the centre of a betting probe after eating a pie on the substitutes' bench during an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal.
The 46-year-old has admitted he knew Sun Bets were offering 8-1 odds against him doing so.
Both the Gambling Commission and the Football Association are now investigating whether the incident broke any rules.
:: Pie-eating goalkeeper Wayne Shaw resigns from Sutton Utd
Nicknamed the 'Roly Poly Goalie' because of his 20st weight, 46-year-old Wayne Shaw is employed by Sutton as a reserve goalkeeper and as part of the coaching team.
He said: "A few of the lads said to me earlier on, 'What is going on with the 8-1 about eating a pie later on?'
"As I say, Sun Bets had me at 8-1 to eat a pie. I thought I would give them a bit of banter and let's do it. All the subs were on and we were 2-0 down.
"I went and got it at half-time from the kitchen, I had it all prepared and ready to go. It was meat and potato.
"I think there were a few people (who backed it). Obviously we are not allowed to bet. I think a few of the mates and a few of the fans. It was just a bit of banter for them.
"It is something to make the occasion as well and you can look back and say it was part of it and we got our ticket money back."
Gambling Commission enforcement and intelligence director Richard Watson said: "Integrity in sport is not a joke and we have opened an investigation to establish exactly what happened.
"As part of that we'll be looking into any irregularity in the betting market and establishing whether the operator has met its licence requirement to conduct its business with integrity."
The FA is also looking into the incident, saying in a statement that they are "investigating whether there has been a breach of FA regulations in relation to betting".
The FA rulebook says: "A participant shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on (i) the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in, a football match or competition."
Speaking on BBC 5 Live, Sutton chairman Bruce Elliott said: "Wayne is a top man. I didn't know anything about it. He has got himself in the papers again and the fame obviously has gone to his head a little bit, but we will soon bring him back down to earth, don't worry about that."
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FA and Gambling Commission probe Sutton goalkeeper Wayne Shaw's pie-eating - Sky News
William Hill announced a 1% rise in pre-tax profit. The government is reviewing the harm TV gambling advertising may cause. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters
The man tipped to lead the UKs second-biggest bookmaker has broken ranks with the industry by offering support for a curb on TV gambling adverts.
Betting companies have largely rejected suggestions that their ads are seen by too many vulnerable people and children, but William Hills finance director said he understood peoples concerns.
I have teenage children and we are sympathetic to some sort of curb or some sort of review around the level of advertising, said Philip Bowcock.
Asked if companies were glamourising gambling, he claimed William Hill was more cautious than some high street rivals.
You could say that we are a little bit more corporate, but we try and be responsible about what we promote, he said.
Bowcock, the interim CEO after the departure of James Henderson last July following successive profit warnings, is among the favourites to be named chief executive, with a decision due within weeks.
His comments on advertising, as the company announced a 1% increase in pre-tax profit to 226m, come as the government reviews the potential harm caused by fixed-odds betting terminals and TV advertising.
The gambling industry has largely been defensive about the impact on children of TV advertising, which is banned before the 9pm watershed, except during sports events. The Remote Gambling Association, which counts William Hill among its members, rejected the need for curbs on the industry last year. And the Association of British Bookmakers has pointed to voluntary measures such as scrapping adverts for free bets before the watershed.
But one industry source said backing restrictions on daytime TV ads may benefit William Hill.
If youve got hundreds of shops with your name in the window, youve got much greater exposure than someone like Sun Bets, who have to do stunts with pies to get their name into the market, said the source, referring to the controversial incident involving the Sutton United reserve goalkeeper Wayne Shaw.
GambleAware recently launched adverts highlighting the risks of addiction. The ads, one addressing fruit machines and one highlighting online gaming, appear on YouTube for internet users in the north-east and north-west of England, but could be rolled out nationally.
The charity wants gambling companies to agree to one of its adverts being broadcast for every 20 of their own.
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William Hill's potential next CEO backs curbs on TV gambling adverts - The Guardian
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A slots parlor at the Mohegan Sun Pocono casino. State lawmakers and the Wolf administration are poised to extract even more revenue from gambling. (Times-Tribune File)
State government leaders long have gambled with the states financial health. They rolled snake eyes, for example, when they vastly increased public pension benefits in 2001 without a mechanism to pay for it. So there is symmetry in their current efforts to make more gambling the answer to the financial problems that their own wayward bets have produced.
The state government has a systemic deficit of about $3 billion. That is the accumulated effect of lawmakers refusing to modernize state tax policy and pretending at meaningful pension reform all for fear of the political risk.
But for politicians, there is no risk to expanding gambling, taxes on which are collected by third parties casinos, racetracks and lottery agents rather than directly by the state.
Its no wonder, then, that lawmakers already are pondering casino-operated internet gambling and fantasy sports gambling. And, during budget hearings this week, state lottery Director Drew Svitko told legislators that the administration wants to put lottery games online.
What were not talking about is just selling our existing product online ... as much as were talking about selling a new type of product, an interactive, engaging, more relevant product to a different audience, he said.
Unlike many past gambling proposals, this one at least is honest. At the beginning, advocates pressed casino gambling as a means to capture dollars that Pennsylvanians already were losing in Atlantic City. The objective was not to create new gamblers, they said, but to capture existing gamblers.
That, of course, was baloney. The reason for the interest in internet gambling is that even existing gamblers get old. Some even die. To capture new generations of gamblers, the enterprise must venture into cyberspace, where younger people live on their multiple devices. The administration admits, at least, that the new initiative is aimed at a different audience.
Pennsylvania casinos already produce more state revenue than in any state other than Nevada. Gamblers lost $3.21 billion to Pennsylvania casinos in the 2016 calendar year, $1.39 billion of which went to Harrisburg in taxes.
In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the state lottery sold a record $4.13 billion worth of tickets, paid out a record $2.63 billion in prizes and turned over $1.12 billion to the treasury.
Yet that is not enough for gambling-happy legislators who embrace indirect taxes while ignoring the social dysfunction that it fosters (note the frequent reports of arrests of people who steal from employers and civic groups to cover their legally accrued gambling debts).
Pennsylvania has enough gambling to satisfy old and new gamblers alike. Lawmakers and the administration should stop being croupiers and start working to reform state tax policy, fix the pension systems and foster the economic growth needed to resolve the states crisis.
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This is post 1 of 3 in the series Who Are Philippines Largest Casino Tycoons and How They Will Benefit from Dutertes Online Gambling Crackdown
Alongside his deadly war on drugs, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte recently started his anti-gambling campaign. Online gambling must stop, were Dutertes words during his very first cabinet meeting on June 30, 2016. The Philippine President has vowed to destroy online gambling and electronic gaming parlors that have been loosely regulated.
Accordingly, on February 2, 2017, he passed an executive order (EO 13), directing law enforcement agencies to step up the fight against illegal gambling and clarifying the authority of online gambling operators. The license to operate online gambling granted to qualified operators shall not be assigned, shared, leased, transferred, sold or encumbered to any other party. Any gambling operator desiring to operate outside the jurisdiction of the government authority which issued its existing license shall apply for a separate license with the appropriate authority, the EO read.
While this does cast dark clouds over online gambling operators in thePhilippines (EPHE) (PIE), it raises hopes for casinos owners and operators. Casinos in thePhilippines should gain more prominence with online gambling being curbed, as casino operators in Asia attempt to cash-in on the entertainment needs of the rising middle class of the region.
Within Asia, casinos operators (BJK) (PEJ) have long focused on Macau as their revenue earner. Companies such as Las Vegas Sands(LVS),Wynn Resorts(WYNN), andMGM Resorts(MGM)already operate properties there. Being the only Chinese territory where casino gambling is legal, Macau has long held the reputation of being one of the most popular and profitable gambling destinations.
However, the last three years havent bagged much windfall for gaming and casino operators in Macau. Reasons for this slowdown include:
With sliding revenues from their Macau-based casinos, we may see operators shifting their focus toward the Philippines, which stands to swing to prominence as an alternate entertainment hub. The country is already contending with Macau and Singapore to become a major gambling hub.
The next article in this series looks more closely at the owners of these gaming companies and their revenue growth prospects.
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