Select Page ::

Techrules is bringing an ‘aerospace-inspired’ supercar to Geneva … – Top Gear

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Danzig

At least years Geneva Motor Show, Chinese automotive R&D company Techrules promised us it would be ready to start production of an all-electric supercar within a couple of years. Cue many raisedeyebrows.

Now its back, and will bring to Geneva a car. Techrules says only that it will reveal the dramatic design details of its production supercar (whether its revealing the actual, production car isnt clear), which has an aerospace-inspired design crafted by world-renowned automotive designers, Fabrizio and GiorgettoGiugiaro.

The car will also harbor Techruless Turbine-Recharging Electric Vehicle (TREV, for short) powertrain, which in essence uses a micro-turbine to charge an advanced battery pack. The company promises the system requires very little hardware, saving weight and space, that it may redefine how the next generation of electric vehicles ispowered and deliver a unique blend of ultimate performance, brutal power and unparalleledefficiency.

We know that this years car will have a central driving position and a fighter-jet style canopy. The interior itself will also be aircraft-inspired, and finished with premium qualitymaterials.

Well bring you more from the show floor. For now, we remain decidedlyskeptical.

Aerospace company to bring 170 new jobs, $50 million investment to Northwest Florida – The Pulse

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Danzig

A British aerospace company announced this month the creation of 170 new jobs and a $50 million investment in a new manufacturing facility adjacent to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Bay County.

The facility will be the first for GKN Aerospace in Florida and will be located at the 195-acre Venture Crossings commerce and industrial park near Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.

This investment emphasizes our commitment to manufacturing in North America, as this new world-class facility will create jobs and strengthen our competitive position in the US aerospace market for the future, said Mike Grunza, CEO of GKN Aerospaces Aerostructures North America.

GKN Aerospace uses advanced manufacturing technologies to supply integrated assemblies in both metallic and composite materials to the aviation industry. The company employs approximately 17,000 people in more than 60 locations across three continents.

The company will receive a $2 million grant from the Industry Recruitment, Retention & Expansion Fund (IRREF) Grant Program, which is administered by the University of West Florida. The IRREF program was designed to spur research and development, commercialization of research, economic diversification and job creation in Northwest Florida.

The University is proud to provide key support for GKN Aerospaces expansion, which will help strengthen, grow and diversify the regions economy, said Brice Harris, assistant vice president for research and economic opportunity at UWF. This project and others supported by the Industry Recruitment, Retention and Expansion Fund demonstrate our commitment to attracting high-paying jobs to Northwest Florida.

To be operated on lease, the new 126,000 square-foot facility will be developed and owned by a subsidiary of St. Joe Company, and designed to meet GKN Aerospaces specific requirements. When completed, components for the Boeing 737 MAX and future 777X jetliners will be manufactured at the facility.

Bay CountyFeaturedNorthwest Florida Beaches International Airport

Read this article:

Aerospace company to bring 170 new jobs, $50 million investment to Northwest Florida - The Pulse

Technical colloquium on Aerospace Fasteners – Times of India – Times of India

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Danzig

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 () The need for domestic startups in the area of science and technology was today stressed at a technical colloquium on 'Aerospace Fastening Systems', organised by the Society of Aerospace Manufacturing Engineers (SAME) here. A number of experts including ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director K Sivan and Liquid Propulsion System Centre Director S Somanath attended the event, a release said. The colloquium was inaugurated by Dr Kuncheria P Isaac, Vice Chancellor, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. During his inaugural address, Isaac said that majority of the 104 satellites launched recently, onboard PSLV-C37, by the Indian Space Research Organisation were from foreign startups with less than eight years experience. Lauding the efforts of Indian Space technologists for their remarkable achievements, he stressed the need for domestic startups in the area of science and technology. He urged space technologists to be part of academics to improve the quality of education in the state. Isaac also wished to look forward for a student satellite from a Kerala-based University. Sivan, who presided over the function, highlighted the role played by manufacturing engineers in the success of rocketry. He wanted aerospace manufacturing engineers to keep abreast with the latest developments taking place in the field. Highlighting the importance of fastening systems in ISRO launch vehicles from fundamentals to the most addressed system in cryo and semi-cryo engines, Somanath stressed the challenges found in the design of fasteners and explained how they were overcome during the development of Launch Vehicle Systems. An exhibition of fasteners was arranged with the participation of seven leading fastener manufacturers as part of the event. Over 200 aerospace technologists participated in the colloquium, the release added. LGK VS

See the original post:

Technical colloquium on Aerospace Fasteners - Times of India - Times of India

Can Trump resist the power of behavioral science's dark side? – The Conversation US

Posted on February 21, 2017 by ev1

Data Science Meets Behavioral Science – Datanami

Posted on February 21, 2017 by ev1

In the United States alone, 38 million people start their day by eagerly fastening a device to their wrist that is not worn for the purpose of fashion or keeping time. It is a fitness tracker and these little gadgets have swept the nation. Why? Because people love having instant access to their performance, activities and goals. They enjoy tracking their progress throughout the day. They are addicted to the gratifying notifications of success, and the social aspects of competing with friends, family members, and coworkers.

The fitness tracker market has achieved tremendous success by providing its consumers with relevant data and motivating incentives. They are successfully inspiring the world to be more active by leveraging principles from both data science and behavioral science.

For centuries, traditional economic theory dictated that humans make logical, self-interested decisions, always choosing the most favorable conditions. However, reality often demonstrates otherwise.

Every January, how many people do you know say that they want to resolve to save more, spend less, eat better, or exercise more? These admirable goals are often proclaimed with the best of intentions, but are rarely achieved. If people were purely logical, we would all be the healthiest versions of ourselves.

However, the truth is that humans are not 100% rational; we are emotional creatures that are not always predictable. Behavioral economics evolved from this recognition of human irrationality. Behavioral economics is a method of economic analysis that applies psychological insights into human behavior to explain economic decision-making.

Essentially, it is the intersection between economics and behavioral psychology. Behavioral economics helps us understand why only one-third of Americans floss daily, why most peoples expensive home treadmills turn into overpriced coat racks, and why motivating humans is more complicated than ever before.

Traditional economic theory does not address human irrationality

Human behavior can be seen as the byproduct of millions of years of evolution. With a nature forged from hunger, anxiety and fear, it is no wonder the behaviors of modern man can often be irrational driven by forces like peer pressure, availability bias and emotional exhaustion. To change human behavior, we must embrace our human nature, instead of fight it. And one of the most powerful tools to help enable change is data.

Data science is the discipline that allows us to analyze the unseen and with machine learning, it allows us to look at large sets of data and surface patterns, identifying when past performance is indicative of future results. For instance, it lets us forecast what products are most likely to be sold and which customers are most likely to buy. But what if you not only want to understand potential outcomes, what if you want to completely change outcomes, and more specifically, what if you want to change the way in which people behave? Behavioral economics tells us that to make a fundamental change in behavior that will affect the long-term outcome of a process, we must insert an inflection point. What is the best method to create an inflection point or get someone to do something they would not ordinarily do? Incentives.

As an example, you are a sales rep and two years ago your revenue was $1million. Last year it was $1.1 million, and this year you expect $1.2 million in sales. The trend is clear, and your growth has been linear and predictable. However, there is a change in company leadership and your management has increased your quota to $2 million for next year. What is going to motivate you to almost double your revenues? The difference between expectations ($2 million) and reality ($1.2 million) is often referred to as the behavioral gap (see chart below).

When the behavioral gap is significant, an inflection point is needed to close that gap. The right incentive can initiate an inflection point and influence a change in behavior. Perhaps that incentive is an added bonus, Presidents Club eligibility, a promotion, etc.

The behavior gap depicted above represents the difference between raised expectations (management increasing quota) and the trajectory of current sales performance.

In the US, studies from Harvard Business Review and other industry publications posit that companies spend over one trillion dollars annually on incentives. That number is four times the money spent on advertising in the US annually. What that means is that, as a nation, we are deeply invested in incenting people to act in ways that are somewhat contrary to how they would normally act, if left to their own devices. Incentives appear in many forms such as commissions and bonuses for sales personnel and channel sellers, rebate payments and marketing incentives for partners and customers, and promotions, discounts and coupons for end consumers.

Incentives are most effective when they are intelligent, or data driven. Deloitte University Press published a report stating that when it comes to the relationship between data science and behavioral science, it is reasonable to anticipate better results when the two approaches are treated as complementary and applied in tandem. Behavioral science principles should be part of the data scientists toolkit, and vice versa.

Data scientists work with product and sales teams, employing data and patterns to manage incentive programs. Using forecast modeling and behavior mechanics, teams can plot out the path from one goal to the next and analyze and implement proper incentives.

As an example, lets say your company is a furniture manufacturer that uses a CPQ tool to manage its complex quoting and pricing processes. One of the major reasons your company invested in the CPQ solution was to curb chronic, costly discounting by the sales team.

You are a new sales rep using CPQ to build a quote. What if, mid-quote, your system alerts you that the discount you entered, while within the approved range, may not be ideal. Machine learning ran in the background and identified a different discount used by the top 10% of reps that has had more success. Additionally, you learn that if you choose the prescribed discount, you will earn 40% more commission! Talk about a relevant incentive, based on powerful data.

In a real-world implementation, one Quote-to-Cash customer lets call them Company X who links websites with advertisers, needed to be able to better forecast the potential revenue for each deal. The nature of the business does not allow Company X to recognize revenue until a user clicks on an ad. They harnessed machine learning to understand past behavior, used behavioral science to influence future behavior, and implemented A/B testing (comparing two versions of a web page to see which performs better) on incentive effectiveness programs. The A/B testing data allowed Company X to understand the effectiveness of certain incentives to guide customer behavior.

When applied together, data science and behavioral economics provide powerful business results by collecting relevant, timely insight and defining incentives that align human behaviors with organizational goals.

About the author: Sarah Van Caster is a Data Analyst at Apttus and Lead Strategist for Incentives. She has decade of experience in high-tech, communications and logistics industries and she enjoys designing innovative, customer-focused content and solutions. Sarah has degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Drake University.

Go here to see the original:
Data Science Meets Behavioral Science - Datanami

A simple combination of data and language tweaks is helping recruit more diverse police officers – Quartz

Posted on February 21, 2017 by ev1

A simple combination of data and language tweaks is helping recruit more diverse police officers
Quartz
In partnership with What Works Cities, a Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative to increase the use of data in public service delivery, BIT decided to test whether behavioral science could help with recruiting a more diverse staff pool. Elizabeth Linos ...

Read the original post:
A simple combination of data and language tweaks is helping recruit more diverse police officers - Quartz

Saitama clinic ordered to halt unauthorized stem cell 'anti-aging' therapy using umbilical cord blood – The Japan Times

Posted on February 21, 2017 by ev1

SAITAMA The health ministry on Monday ordered a Saitama clinic to stop injecting stem cells of human umbilical cord blood into patients as an anti-aging treatment.

Saitama Medical Clinic in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, was found to have been engaged in such therapy without getting permission from the ministry. The regenerative medicine safety law mandates that all hospitals and clinics submit plans for stem cell therapy and get permission from the ministry beforehand.

The ministry conducted an on-site inspection of the clinic on Friday, based on tips from an outsider, and confirmed the clinic offered the unauthorized therapy, boasting that umbilical cord cell shots would boost health and help with anti-aging.

Several men and women are believed to have undergone treatment there. The ministry has asked the clinic to report the number of cases, any health damage and the kind of stem cells used and how they were obtained.

For clinics to receive approval for medical procedures using cells of others, they need to submit a detailed plan and have it screened by a panel of experts under the health ministry. The clinic had not submitted such a plan.

More:
Saitama clinic ordered to halt unauthorized stem cell 'anti-aging' therapy using umbilical cord blood - The Japan Times

Elders share experiences with oppression from their youth – B.C. Catholic Newspaper

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

Deacon Rennie Nahanee and minister Mary Fontaine talk about the legacy of colonization

By Josh Tng

Photo Caption: Presbyterian minister Mary Fontaine (third from left) speaks to the 50 participants at an educational workshop on colonization in Canada at the John Paul II Pastoral Centre Feb. 11. She and Deacon Rennie Nahanee (second from left) shared their experiences as children growing up in aboriginal families and explained how they felt colonization affected them.

Deacon Rennie Nahanee was only 14, but he still remembers the day his family was confronted by a fisheries officer as they cooked salmon over a fire.

His Squamish First Nation father, mother, and aunt had been barbecuing fish they had caught. My dad had caught all this fish, said Deacon Nahanee, a Squamish First Nation elder and coordinator of First Nations ministry for the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

The fisheries officer approached the family and in not a kind way told Deacon Nahanees father to open up the trunk of his car for inspection. Seeing the salmon stored in the trunk, he ordered the family to throw the dead salmon back into the water.

The rules were you had to cut off the nose and dorsal fin of the fish you caught, Deacon Nahanee told a group of participants during a workshop on colonization in Canada. The reason for that is so you couldnt sell it to the supermarket.

But before the fisheries officer left, he walked over to the salmon cooking on the fire and kicked it into the flames.

Watching his treatment of my mother and my aunt and my dad, it hurt, he said. I wished I hadnt witnessed that, because I have no respect for fishery officials today. I dont respect them or their laws.

Deacon Nahanee was speaking at a workshop on the effects of colonization in Canada. First Nations speakers shared their stories with about 50 people at the John Paul II Pastoral Centre Feb. 11.

My experience with the laws of Canada and with fishery officers was very negative, he told the group.

Similarly, Reverend Mary Fontaine, a Presbyterian minister and Cree elder, saw her tribe suffer from government abuse and colonization efforts. Thats what they did to us on the prairies too, she said. The government took away our economy first.

Fontaine had grown up in Saskatchewan, and her family was very familiar with government mistreatment. They starved us out by killing all the buffalo. Its how colonization works. They disable you, then make you dependant.

Fontaine and several children in her tribe were taken to day schools in nearby towns. We were lucky to not have residential school because the Presbyterians brought a missionary to the reserve to teach, but eventually we had to attend at the town schools.

She remembered the treatment she received from the children at the public schools. The kids at the school called me a dirty little Indian squaw. I was very, very, hurt.I came home and cried to my mom. As her mother comforted her, she told Fontaine, God always has the final say, no matter what we go through in life.

Her mothers calm demeanor and trust in God strengthened her and helped her through the experience. We are sent to earth to learn to how to love. That is the most important thing in life.

Deacon Nahanees experience with the fisheries officer left him with a negative attitude toward government representatives. He showed an abuse of power, thats what it is. He didnt have to kick our dinner into the fire. He didnt have to have that kind of treatment of my parents and my aunt.

He told the audience he has worked on getting through his pain. I have learned a lot of things. I have learned resistance, I dont blame anyone, and I dont carry my anger (anymore). I try to smile more often. Then, laughing, he said, Its a work in progress.

Ive forgiven a lot of people in my life, but Im still working on that fishery officer.

Read the rest here:

Elders share experiences with oppression from their youth - B.C. Catholic Newspaper

In Trump’s America, Christian proselytizing is another form of oppression – LGBTQ Nation

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

First Lady Melania Trump read from a script that includedThe [Christian] Lords Prayer as part of her introduction of her husband at a rally in Florida, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. She did this at a time when Donald has consistently marginalized Muslims, and when reported hate crimes against Muslims and Jews (in addition to Blacks, Latinx, and LGBTQs) has continually increased since Trumps election.

Where is thesupposed separation of church and state? Trump has, though, fortified the already solid and impenetrable wall between mosque and state and synagogue and state.

During Trump and Pences inauguration ceremonies, six religious clergy offered prayers and Biblical readings atop the balcony of the U.S. Capitol, interspersed by Trump and Pence placing their left hands on a stack of Bibles during their swearing-in ceremonies. Ending the festivities, sounds emanated from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Clergy invited to read and offer prayer at the inauguration included five Christians and one Jew. As I watched the proceedings on TV, I questioned whether I was viewing a presidential swearing-in or, rather, attending an evangelical tent revival as clergy invoked the name of Jesus at least eight times.

Not wanting to exclude Muslims, he said during his inaugural address, in usual Trump fashion, We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.

Trumps continual marginalization of Muslims in his rhetoric and in his attempts to impose travel bans against people from the seven majority-Muslim countries where he has no direct business ties are testaments (pun intended) to his feelings about the followers and precepts of Islam.

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day (27 January 2017), throughout his ceremonial speech commemorating the Holocaust, Trump denounced the horror inflicted on innocent people by Nazi terror while never once mentioning Jews and anti-Semitism.

While the Nazis targeted several groups for interrogation, incarceration, and death, the regime singled out the Jewish people for mass genocide as their final solution. Though Trump has only a limited grasp on world history, we should at least assume that even he would know this basic fact.

During a campaign rally speech, in West Palm Beach, Florida, October 14, 2016, Trump said, in part:

The Washington establishment and the financial and media corporations that fund it exist for only one reason: to protect and enrich itself.For those who control the levers of power in Washington, and for the global special interests.This is a conspiracy against you, the American people, and we cannot let this happen or continue. This is our moment of reckoning as a society and as a civilization itself.

Donald Trump may not have a general grasp of politics and history, but he certainly understands how to use of the propaganda of fascism to sway public opinion. Donald will never admit to lifting the sentiments and words almost verbatim from the notorious Protocols of a Meeting of the Learned Elders of Zion.

The Protocols area fabricated anti-Semitic text dating from 1903 that was widely distributed by Russian Czarist forces to turn public opinion against a so-called Jewish Revolution for the purpose of convincing the populace that Jews were plotting to impose a conspiratorial international Jewish government.

The white nationalist website, The Right Stuff, celebrated Trumps Florida speech. Lawrence Murray wrote an article affirming that somehow Trump manages to channel Goebbels (Nazi Minister of Propaganda) and Detroit Republicanism all at the same time.

During his recent marathon and rambling White House press conference, Trump was asked by Jake Turx, an orthodox Jewish reporter, about the recent spike in reported anti-Semitic incidents across the country. Turx made it clear, using an agreeable tone, that he was not charging the President of anti-Semitism:

Despite what some of my colleagues may have been reporting, I havent seen anybody in my community accuse either yourself or anyone on your staff of being anti-Semitic. We understand that you have Jewish grandchildren. You are their zayde, (an affectionate Yiddish word for grandfather).

At this point, Trump said, Thank you.Turx then asked his question:

Go here to read the rest:

In Trump's America, Christian proselytizing is another form of oppression - LGBTQ Nation

Commentary | We must all stand with Tibet – The McGill Daily (blog)

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

Chinese colonialism cannot continue to be ignored

The present North American political context is defined by the perpetuation of deep fear, factual inaccuracy, and the subordination of Otherness. It is one characterized by the struggles of neoliberalism and the politics of greed and fracture which accompany it. In the wake of the recent American election, radical right-wing political projects to limit migrant and refugee rights, and complete destructive pipeline projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline have made this social reality unquestionably explicit. Even if todays situation may seem unique in recent Canadian and American memories, the projects of the present are mere contributions to a much broader global trend towards unrestrained growth and private ownership. Tibet seems perhaps an unlikely place from which to understand the challenges afflicting todays North American context, though the sustained struggle of its traditional inhabitants offers a model for resilience in the face of powerful oppressive institutions.

In 1950, The Peoples Republic of China invaded Tibet and by the end of 1951 had annexed the entire Tibetan Plateau. The young Dalai Lama, who serves as the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan nation, sought common ground with the occupying power to no avail. On March 10, 1959, tensions culminated in Lhasa, Tibets capital, leading to massive uprisings, during which more than 10,000 people are believed to have been killed. Following these uprisings, the Dalai Lama fled his ancestral homeland to exile in India, followed by around 80,000 Tibetans. The Indian city of Dharamsala is now home to both the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration: the governing authority which Tibetans consider legitimate. Due to its significance in the collective Tibetan memory, March 10 now serves as an international day of resistance against Chinas abusive colonialism.

Lhasa, the historical religious and political capital of Tibet, lies in an area designated by the Chinese as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Despite what the name suggests, the regions government largely advances Chinese Communist Party (CPC) directives through a local peoples congress designed by and answering to the CPC. In order to have any real influence in local politics, Tibetans must join their local Communist Party branch, where the atheism required for membership effectively prohibits representation for the Buddhist majority. International labor and human rights organizations are categorically banned from working in the region, while access for foreign journalists and diplomats is extremely limited and restricted only to government-approved areas.

Despite the faade of modernization propagated by the Chinese government, Tibet is one of the most severely repressed places in the world. The region ranks at the bottom of Freedom Houses 2016 Freedom in the World index, second only to Syria. Acts as harmless as possessing a photo of the Dalai Lama are met with arrest and beatings, while political dissidents are routinely silenced with lengthy prison sentences and torture. This has led to a frustrating tension within Tibetan society: while the Dalai Lamas pacifist message emphasizes nonviolent resistance, avenues for such resistance have been blocked off by the Chinese regime.

Both culturally and naturally, Tibet is under profound threat. At three miles above sea level, Tibet is the source of several of Asias major rivers, which leads to its popular characterization as the roof of the world. The detrimental effects of climate change are often first and most intensely experienced within the region through droughts, which devastate local agricultural practices, melting of permafrost grounds which form the foundations for countless communities, and the loss of a myriad of keystone species which provide a crucial source of food in the harsh environment. More directly, Chinese presence within the region has radically disrupted environmental autonomy through the development of invasive damming projects and by way of pollution via mining industries and nuclear waste disposal sites throughout remote portions of Tibet.

Such kinds of ecological domination must necessarily be conceived of as inseparable from social forms of oppression, wherein Tibetans are limited in their freedom to practice indigenous spirituality and Tibetan Buddhism. Since the Chinese Cultural Revolution from the mid-1960s to 70s, 99 per cent of Buddhist monasteries have been closed at the hands of the state. Most recently, China has begun the destruction of Larung Gar, one of the largest religious communities in the world populated by over 10,000 practicing Buddhists. Due to the nonviolent teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, a radical act of political protest has been popularized: self-immolation. In response to the desecration of their way of life, 146 Tibetans aged 16 to 64 have self-immolated since 2009.

Because of their lack of political rights and meaningful representation in formal governing structures. Tibetans have had to look to alternative forms of mobilization. Direct action such as disruptive protesting has become the norm, as the only practical way to seek change. Within Tibet, significant actions have been undertaken, not by political elites but rather by everyday Tibetans. Outside of Tibet, a transnational social movement has transpired thanks to the advances of social media. Tibetans in exile, despite being scattered across the globe, have set up various issue-oriented interest groups such as the Canada Tibet Committee and Students for a Free Tibet. Unfortunately, countries consistently disregard the situation within Tibet and continue to treat China with deference. In fact, due to Chinese pressure, South Africa has consistently refused the Dalai Lama entry, notably for fellow nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutus 80th Birthday celebrations in 2011 as well as for the 14th World Summit of World Peace Laureates of 2014. Other countries to act as such include Mongolia and Norway.

Ultimately, globalization has acted as an empowering force for the Chinese state and has granted it considerable commercial, economic and diplomatic power on the international stage. Canada has contributed to Tibets contemporary challenges in the form of extractive mining developments. Companies previously financed by Canada, such as China Gold, aid the project of colonialism and environmental devastation through mining techniques involving the pollution of local water sources, resource extraction, and exploitive labor practices. Tibetans hired to work at these mines frequently face dire health consequences and become cyclically impoverished as they come to depend on the menial wages they receive from the industry.

In the early 1970s, Canada was one of only two Western nations (the other being Switzerland) to offer resettlement to Tibetan refugees. However, Canada has had a mixed record, choosing to adopt a foreign policy of principled pragmatism with respect to China. This has translated into a careful diplomatic balancing act aimed at appeasing the Chinese government on the one hand, while maintaining the carefully cultivated image of a country that recognizes human rights as a cornerstone of is international relations. In fact, having de-linked human rights and trade to the point of withdrawing support for a United Nations Commission on Human Rights resolution on China in 1997, Canada has effectively excused itself from putting meaningful pressure on China. The likely-impending free trade deal between our two nations will likely increase Canadas involvement in the economic colonization of Tibet.

Chinas far-reaching economic and political influence does not mean there is nothing we, as Canadian individuals, can do to sustain the resistance movement. The Chinese government is extremely sensitive about its reputation and sustained pro-Tibet movements here and elsewhere in the world have had a tremendous impact, leading to the release of numerous jailed dissidents. Showing solidarity with the struggle of Tibetans on March 10 sends an important signal to the government of China that the oppression with which they meet Tibets nonviolent resistance movement is not ignored by the world. Standing with Tibet means standing against injustice and colonialism everywhere. Bhod Gyalo!

All are welcome to attend this years March 10 rally on Parliament Hill. For more information or to find out how you can show solidarity in other ways, please contact the Canada Tibet Committee at ctcoffice@tibet.ca.

See more here:

Commentary | We must all stand with Tibet - The McGill Daily (blog)

UC San Diego Students Protest Visit by ‘Oppressive and Offensive’ Dalai Lama – Heat Street

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

Students at the University of California, San Diego are protesting an upcoming visit by the Dalai Lama claiming the Tibetan leader is oppressive.

Chinese students are leading objections to the event, which will see the Dalai Lama give a commencement speech on graduation day.

They have claimed that his presence is offensive because of his campaign to make Tibet more independent contrary to the Communist governments position that Tibet is a region of China under their control.

Arguments over Tibetan independence have raged for decades but this dispute is remarkable because activists are conducting it through the language of social justice.

As noted byQuartz, the Chinese student association framed their complaints as an example of cultural oppression and a problem of equality.

A statement accused university leaders of having contravened the spirit of respect, tolerance, equality, and earnestnessthe ethos upon which the university is built.

One student posting on Facebook said: So you guys protest against Trump because he disrespects Muslims, blacks, Hispanics, LGBT.., but invites this oppresser [sic] to make a public speech?? The hypocrisy is appalling!

Likewise, an alumni group based in Shanghai said UCSD will be breaching its ethos of diversity and will leave them extremely offended and disrespected if the Dalai Lamas speech dips into the political.

Chinese officials are known to be extraordinarily hostile to any groups who get close to the Dalai Lama, and do their best to punish governments who engage with the exiled Tibetan regime.

They consider the Dalai Lama a threat to stability in China, akin to a terrorist who wants to split the country.

This is despite his stated aim being increased autonomy rather than outright independence for Tibet, which he fled in 1959.

His insistence on peaceful protest and non-violent resistance won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. It is hard to see who he is oppressing by touring the world, giving speeches and promoting peaceful opposition to China.

Questions have been raised about whether the Chinese government is directly involved in lobbying against the address.

A statement by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association originally said it was seeking support from the Chinese Consulate General in Los Angeles, but later denied that claim.

Government officials are certainly not above getting involved in campus politics.

At the University of Durham in northern England, the Chinese Embassy in London tried to stop a Chinese-born activist and beauty queen speaking in a debate.

Anastasia Lin, a Miss World Canada winner, was asked to speak at the Durham Union Society on whether China was a threat to the West

But the students organizing the debate received angry calls from embassy officials, claiming that if Lin spoke it could damage UK-China relations, according to aBuzzFeed report.

The students ignored them and went ahead with the debate anyway (Lins side lost).

But the incident underlines that China is prepared to take advantage of a newly censorious atmosphere on campus and its supporters are happy to use the posture of SJWs to get their way.

Read the rest here:

UC San Diego Students Protest Visit by 'Oppressive and Offensive' Dalai Lama - Heat Street

HRW on war on drugs: PH needs ‘international intervention’ – Rappler

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

Describing the Philippine situation as a human rights calamity, Human Rights Watch Deputy Director Phelim Kine says the Philippines needs an 'urgent international intervention' to address human rights violations

Published 8:45 PM, February 20, 2017

Updated 10:25 PM, February 20, 2017

HUMAN RIGHTS. Human Rights Watch Deputy Director Philem Kine says that the human rights problem in the country require international intervention. Photo by Marvin Tandayu

BOSTON, USA The Philippines needs global intervention to address the human rights violations involving the countrys war against drugs.

This was according to Human Rights Watch Deputy Director Phelim Kine on Saturday, February 18, at the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) conference held at Harvard University.

"What we are advocating is that there is no way, in its current form, that the Philippine government can fix this. It needs to be an urgent international intervention or an international body investigation," Kine explained.

Speaking before Asian youth delegates for the Humanitarian Affairs panel at the conference, Kine said that human rights violations in the Philippines is both unique and distressing because the president is giving his full support.

The president is an active cheerleader. He promised in a rally right before the election that he will fill Manila bay with the bodies of thousands of suspected drug users. He is one of the rare politicians who deliver on their promise. Unfortunately, they are extremely abusive, Kine said.

Since June 2017, 2,555 drug suspects have been killed at police drug operations while 3,930 others have been murdered by unidentified gunmen or vigilantes.

Following the scandal related to the murder of a South Korean businessman inside Camp Crame, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to stop all anti-drug operations nationwide in late January.

Despite this, drug-related killings continued.

The latest police tally given to the Agence France-Presse showed there were 4,076 "murder cases under investigation" on February 13. This was 146 more since Duterte ordered the PNP to withdraw from the war on drugs, which rights groups said only proved that the extrajudicial killings had slowed but not discontinued.

Describing the Philippine situation as a human rights calamity, Kine also said that what has been happening in the country is surprising and unfortunate considering the countrys history from a Ferdinand Marcos multi-decade authoritarian dictatorship which resulted to a strong civil society and free media.

The tragedy of the Philippines right now is that a sizeable part of the Philippine population have decided or accepted that a segment of the population is disposable, the human rights advocate added.

Where are the watchdogs?

Kine also criticized some leftist human rights groups in the Philippines specifically the Karapatan, an alliance of individuals, groups and organizations working for the promotion and protection of human rights for supposedly staying silent against the extrajudicial killings because President Duterte has identified itself as a leftist.

We have had a complete abrogation of betrayal of the civil society role in this...I think there really needs to be a radical self-examination by these self-proclaimed watchdogs of the public good as to how they fail 7000 plus people because they decided these people are not worth protecting, Kine suggested.

One of the campaign promises of Duterte includes ending the 40-year insurgency of the communist rebels that has killed around 40,000 people. The CPP claims it has 150,000 cadres but the military puts their number at around 4,000.

However, the Philippine president has recently scrapped the talks and the immunities of the NDF consultants days after the communist armed wing New People's Army (NPA) terminated its 5-month-old unilateral ceasefire because of supposed ceasefire abuses by the military.

Kine ended his talk by emphasizing the role of human rights defenders in the country's war on drugs, adding that they serve to "watch over the minority from the depredation of the majority. There are a very few places where the minority can turn that dynamic around." Rappler.com

Read the original here:

HRW on war on drugs: PH needs 'international intervention' - Rappler

Napolcom: Police need to regroup, rethink role in war on drugs – Inquirer.net

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

Napolcom regional director Homer Cabaral called on police not to be demoralized and instead reassess their role in the campaign against illegal drugs.

THE countrys police force should not be discouraged by their withdrawal from the governments anti-drug operations, the regional chief of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) said yesterday.

Rather, Napolcom regional director Homer Cabaral told the police during yesterdays 26th Philippine National Police Foundation Day observance, that they should step back, analyze their performance and regroup to win back public trust.

Just like in any other organization, there will always be problems and turbulence encountered by the PNP organization as we cruise towards the path of public service. Let not these bad issues and challenges dishearten and demoralize you, he said.

Chief Supt. Noli Talio, Police Regional Office chief, said the PRO-7 performed well in the governments war on drugs before they were sidelined by the murder of a Korean businessman by rogue policemen in Camp Crame.

Talio vowed to help clean the PNP by going after errant policemen in the region.

Chief Supt. Noli Talio, PRO-7 director, (right) says they are committed to weeding out the corrupt police officers within their ranks. CDN Photos/Lito Tecson

We will strengthen our counter-intelligence efforts in monitoring cops involved in illegal activities or irregularities, he said.

Since the PNP was created in 1991, Cabaral said the organization has its share of birth pains ranging from corruption, budget allocations, logistics, lack of personnel, human rights violations and adverse public opinion.

The (Korean businessmans murder) was indicative of the diminishing public trust and confidence in the police and the criminal justice system. These were realities that reduce the PNPs effectiveness to work with the community, he said.

Cabaral said police scalawags continue to tarnish the image of the PNP.

In fact, President Duterte pronounced that 40 percent of the 165,000 PNP officers and personnel are used to corruption or involved in illegal activities, he said.

Cabaral said lifestyle checks and redeployment of police personnel should be done to purge out corrupt cops.

Link:

Napolcom: Police need to regroup, rethink role in war on drugs - Inquirer.net

Gambling | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

Pegasus World Cup wont survive without changes

The inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup, won by Arrogate on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park, will need tweaking to become a sustainable model.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Wednesday that the league is re-examining its stance on gambling.

A game that featured the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history by the greatest quarterback of all time also produced a record wagering handle in Nevada.

Super Bowl LI will be remembered as one of the worst bad beats ever by Falcons bettors.

Overall, most books reported winning days but William Hill suffered a six-figure loss, most of it on in-game wagering.

Tom Brady and Matt Ryan generated a lot of individual action around town in proposition bets with Brady rewarding his backers handsomely after leading New Englands comeback in the Patriots 34-28 overtime win Sunday in Super Bowl LI.

The Patriots trail the Falcons 21-3 at halftime and bettors are backing them in the second half as favorites of between 4 points and 6 points at Las Vegas sports books. The total is 30.

The total has dropped to 56 at several Las Vegas sports books after staying at a record-high Super Bowl total of 59 for most of the two weeks leading up to the game.

A bettor using his phone app made a $1.1 million wager on the Falcons plus 3 points Friday at CG Technology.

A survey of opinions from Review-Journal staff members, other media, oddsmakers, professional handicappers and one former Las Vegas mayor.

Three Las Vegas sports book directors dont have to think back too far for a vivid Super Bowl betting memory. It happened at the end of Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, 2015.

The new sports betting and analysis multi-platform network was an idea that took a long time to come to fruition.

Wynn sports book director John Avello watched his beloved Giants escape with a 20-19 upset of the Bills to win Super Bowl XXV on Jan. 27, 1991.

Two years after the movie Black Sunday hit theaters in 1977, another Super Bowl disaster played out in Las Vegas, where sports books were buried by bettors who middled Super Bowl XIII.

Jay Kornegay had no line to Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, and he did not dial up a pair of kneel-downs from backup QB Bubby Brister.

As usual, stakes are high for those placing bets on the Super Bowl. This year, for those who cant handle the pressure, a local Las Vegas startup is offering a way out.

Will either Brady or Ryan break Kurt Warners Super Bowl record of 414 passing yards? Station Casinos bettors say Yes, which is at plus-350 after opening at plus-400.

Another unique prop offered at Caesars is Will the ball hit the uprights on an extra point or field goal? Yes is plus-450. No is minus-550.

None of the eight highest-scoring teams in NFL history won the Super Bowl, with only the 2013 Broncos, 2007 Patriots and 1983 Redskins even reaching the title game.

Its 13 weeks until the Kentucky Derby, so we will be seeing many more days like Saturday, when three Derby preps will be run from coast to coast.

View post:

Gambling | Las Vegas Review-Journal

Top 5 Online Gambling Sites in 2017 – Best Casinos & Betting

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

GamblingSites.com is a trusted guide to help ensure safe online gambling and betting. Our website features regularly updated rankings of the best online gambling sites in a number of categories, making it easy for you to find a quality option for your betting and gaming interests. Our rankings are based on thorough testing and extensive research, where we assess a wide range of important factors.

In addition to compiling our rankings, weve also written detailed and unbiased reviews of everything these sites have to offer. We provide an abundance of gambling related advice and information, written by experienced and knowledgeable experts. We cover sports betting, casino gaming, poker, bingo, daily fantasy sports and more. Our goal is quite simply to make sure that you have the best online gambling experience possible, whether youre a complete beginner or a seasoned gambler.

Since the early days of real money gambling online, the industry has evolved at a fast pace but it is still relatively young and the online gambling landscape is constantly shifting. Legislation around the world changes all the time, technology advances, new sites open, and some sites make improvements while others get left behind.

All of this makes it hard for the average gambler to stay up to date with which sites are best and which should be avoided. A leading gambling site one year could easily be overtaken by several others and no longer be one of the best options the following year. This is exactly why we make sure that our rankings and recommendations are ACCURATE and UP TO DATE.

We dont just tell you which sites are the best and safest to use either. We also explain WHY we recommend them, and our detailed reviews tell you everything you need to know about each and every one.

Wed like to address this question before we go any further, as its the one were asked more than any other. Many people understandably have concerns about depositing their money online, and want some reassurance that its safe to do so.

The simple fact is that online gambling IS safe, providing you use the right sites. Thats why we take such great care when compiling our rankings. We only want to recommend websites that we KNOW are safe, trustworthy and reliable. They have to meet these criteria in order to receive our seal of approval and be listed on our website.

The bottom line is that we WILL help you to find an online casino thats right for you, and we WILL help you to maximize your online gambling experience. Please read on to find out all about this website and the information it contains.

New To Online Gambling?

Check out our Beginners Guide

Our team is made up entirely of passionate and experienced gamblers and between us we have a diverse and detailed knowledge of pretty much every conceivable aspect of gambling. We have been developing and building this resource since the early 2000s, and work hard to ensure that we supply you with accurate and up to date information on a wide range of topics.

Who Are We?

Found out more About Us

We are committed to helping you find the most suitable options for your own personal gaming needs. To do this we have ranked the very best places to gamble online in a variety of categories, making sure that we only recommend those that are proven to be safe and secure. We offer much more too, including the following.

Weve tried to make GamblingSites.com as easy as possible to navigate, so its split into a number of different sections. Weve detailed all of these throughout this page.

To get the best possible online gambling experience its important that you choose a site thats completely trustworthy and offers everything youre looking for. By carrying out extensive research into a large number of options and thoroughly testing them we are able to help you do precisely that. Here are some of the most popular categories we rank the best sites in.

With a quick search on the internet you can find plenty of websites that provide reviews and rankings of online gambling sites and casinos. Many of these are very useful, but unfortunately many of them are out of date or contain incorrect information. Even those that are accurate are not always particularly helpful, as simply providing a list of recommendations is not really enough to enable you to make an informed decision about where to join.

We do things a little differently. While we do make recommendations in a range of gambling types such as the best online casinos and sports betting sites, we also rank the leading sites in a number of more specific categories. This is much more helpful when youre trying to make the right choice. We even explain exactly how we go about assessing and ranking each.

Basically we try to make it as easy as possible to pick a site based on the factors that are the most important to you, as we recognize that everyone has their own considerations when choosing where to join. The best sports betting sites for live betting, the best mobile casinos and the best Mac compatible poker rooms are just a few examples of what we cover.

Whatever it is youre looking for, were confident we can help you find it. You can also be sure that each and every one of our recommendations is reputable and safe to use. Please visit the following section to find your ideal gambling site.

Before you do decide which gambling site to join youll almost certainly want to know as much as possible about all your options. You can find out more about all of our recommendations by reading our comprehensive reviews. These contain plenty of detail about exactly what these sites are all about and any possible concerns to be aware of.

Its well worth taking the time to read a few reviews before making a decision about where to sign up. We cover useful information such as what bonuses are available, how easy a site is to use, the quality of the software, the variety of the games available and the range of betting markets.

We provide a number of gambling guides, written by knowledgeable experts, which contain a variety of strategies, advice and tips. They are useful resources for beginners, experienced gamblers and everyone in between. These guides will help you get the most out of your gambling endeavors and should improve your chances of winning money.

We cover topics such as the bonuses and rewards available online, and tell you how you can use these to your advantage. Youll find information on all the different types of wagers you can place on sports and horse races, and plenty of advice on betting strategy. Details on all the popular casino, poker and bingo games are included too, including subjects such as how these games originated and their different variations. We provide tips on how to play the games, with rules and strategy advice.

Here are the links to our gambling guides. Please take some time to read through any that are relevant to the activities you enjoy.

Our general gambling section contains a ton of additional information. We cover a range of important subjects such as gambling laws and legislation, addiction help and prevention, and even some fun topics such as the best gambling books and movies.

Weve also compiled a history of online gambling which includes detailed accounts of many of the well-known operators and brands in the industry. You can find out more about the people behind these brands too, as weve written biographies of some of the most influential people in the gambling industry. There are even topics on famous gamblers, careers in the gambling industry and much more.

Heres a selection of the most popular topics in this section.

Weve already answered the question we are asked the most by people wanting to know more about gambling online. Heres a small selection of some other questions that are frequently asked.

Please note that youll find detailed answers to all of these questions (and more) throughout this site in the informative articles that weve written. For now, though, here are some quick answers.

This website has been around for many years, and the owners and contributors are committed to ensuring that its a useful and accurate resource. Were all experienced gamblers in one form or another, with a shared passion for the subject. We enjoy sharing the benefit of our experience and knowledge with others, and we take great pride in helping our readers get the most out of their betting and gaming experiences.

Although this is a comprehensive resource covering many topics, the rankings and recommendations we provide are the cornerstone of what we do. You can be absolutely certain that they genuinely reflect the best places to gamble online at any given time.

There isnt really a straightforward answer to this question. Theres no global legislation that governs online gambling, so it depends on your local laws. And these vary significantly from one region to another. They can also be confusing, and are often open to interpretation.

However, its very rare for a government to make it explicitly illegal for an individual to gamble online. Most of the laws are aimed at the companies that operate the actual online casinos. Weve never heard of an individual being arrested just for betting or gaming online.

You might want to check out your local gambling laws if youre concerned. But, realistically, its very unlikely that youll be breaking any laws simply by placing a wager online.

Short answer is yes, however there is a caveat. Not all gambling sites are regulated, so you should avoid those as you cant be certain of a safe and fair experience.

There are plenty of sites that are regulated though. Stick with them, and you have nothing to worry about. They have to adhere to very strict rules regarding how they operate. Theyre subject to regular audits and software testing too. So they have to be safe and fair, or theyll get shut down.

Remember, at GamblingSites.com we ONLY recommend sites that we know are safe, fair and fully regulated.

No one form of gambling is definitively better than the others, as it ultimately comes down to personal preferences. The best advice we can offer to complete beginners is to simply experiment with all the different forms and see what you enjoy the most. Whether thats playing casino games, betting on sports, poker or some other form. Just remember to keep your stakes small, as theres a good chance that youll lose money when starting out.

There is no definitive answer for this because it will be different for each individual. Bitcoin is fully open-sourced and decentralized, which is what has made it very popular recently. For those that dont know very much about Bitcoin, you can take a look at our page that discusses Bitcoin gambling in-depth. For others that do know what it is, you already know that it can be an excellent way to fund your account and a lot of US sites have started to move over to using Bitcoin as their preferred banking method.

This will vary from one site to the next, and can depend on factors such as where you live and which payout method youre using. In some circumstances youll receive your winnings within a matter of hours, while in others you may have to wait 7-10 days. The best sites, such as those that we recommend, will always endeavor to get your money to you as soon as possible.

We cant guarantee that well turn you into a winner, as theres no magic system that can do that. We can definitely provide you with all the information and advice you need to improve your chances of success though.

Please note that the odds are always against you with some forms of gambling, such as casino games for example, but its possible to make regular and consistent profits from others. Sports betting and poker are the best examples of this.

Bankroll management is essentially about proper budgeting when gambling. This is vitally important for a number of reasons, especially the fact that it will help you to control how much you spend. You should only ever gamble with money that you can afford to lose.

Its perfectly normal for online gambling sites to request identification documents. In fact, they are often obliged to under the terms of their betting or gaming license. Its simply to ensure that you are who you say you are, and that theres no fraudulent activity taking place.

Our blog complements our main website perfectly. It features articles on a diverse range of supplementary topics that we want our readers to know about. We add new articles often, which include our regular market updates where we keep you informed about whats happening at gambling sites and in the gambling industry as a whole.

We also post all kinds of tips and strategies for various aspects of gambling in general. This is where our sports betting previews go as well.

Our authors do a great job of providing interesting and engaging content, so please check out our blog to see for yourself.

Theres one more thing we should mention before we let you discover everything that GamblingSites.com has to offer. Online gambling is a great form of entertainment, but its really important that it stays as a form of entertainment. Although the vast majority of people enjoy betting and gaming without any problems at all, there is a small minority of people who lose control.

If you suspect that you or anyone you know is becoming addicted or having difficulties staying in control, please read our guide to responsible gambling for advice on what to do.

Finally, we would like to simply wish you good luck. Enjoy yourself, have some fun, and make sure you stick to the most reputable and safest online gambling sites.

Original post:

Top 5 Online Gambling Sites in 2017 - Best Casinos & Betting

City Council to look at removing zoning restrictions on gambling entities – Watertown Public Opinion

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

A section of a Watertown city zoning ordinance pertaining to gambling establishments could go by the wayside.

The Watertown City Council is set to conduct a first reading amending Title 21 of Ordinance 17-02 removing zoning restrictions on those entities on March 6. The potential revision would put the city in compliance with a 2011 South Dakota Supreme Court ruling that municipalities could not regulate gambling institutions, including casinos and video lottery establishments.

The proposed amended ordinance was put forth by City Attorney Justin Goetz, who has been busy in working with the Plan Commission and City Council in updating the ordinance book since assuming his position last summer.

Under the current ordinance, gambling establishments are confined to commercial zoning areas under a conditional use permit, similar to restaurants, motels, and other businesses.

However, in 2011, the Supreme Court sided with the South Dakota Department of Revenue over the City of Sioux Falls as the Department of Revenue argued that the City of Sioux Falls ordinance on gambling establishments was invalid because it infringed on the sovereign prerogative of the state.

While the proposed ordinance wouldnt be able to explicitly restrict gambling establishments in commercial districts, that doesnt mean that those establishments are going to be able to pop up anywhere in the city.

Goetz noted to the Plan Commission last week that in issuing the ruling, the Supreme Court said municipalities such as Watertown could effectively enact restrictions on the placement of gambling establishments.

There is still the ability of the city to determine locations of alcohol licensees. The gambling license is effectively attached to the alcohol license it is a certification attached to the alcohol license. That allows the city to be able to regulate placement, Goetz said.

According to Goetz, the proposed amended ordinance would allow Watertown to get out ahead of any potential legal challenge against the current ordinance brought forward by either the state or another party.

No lawsuits against the City of Watertown on the issue are pending or currently underway, which left Plan Commission member Dennis Arnold questioning the timing of the proposed ordinance.

(At any given time) there are a lot of court cases and things around the county where organizations are challenging something and it gets changed, Arnold said. I think the residents of Watertown have liked our (gambling locations) ordinance the way it is, or at least thats what I assume. Nobody has challenged it. Why do we have to change it if nobody has challenged it?

While Goetz said he empathized with Arnolds point of view, he also said that the proposed ordinance reflecting the court ruling is an extension of the state establishing its authority back in the 1980s when the original law cited by the court was written, thereby not leaving it up to different interpretations by municipalities.

In interpreting the courts ruling, Goetz said, If localities were allowed to determine where gambling establishments could be in South Dakota, there would be a lot of dry communities, if you will, for these kind of establishments These forebears at the state level saw that writing on the wall and saw that municipalities would have issues certain municipalities more than others. In order to ensure that this was provided statewide, municipalities couldnt butt in and occupy the field of state regulation that they had set for themselves.

After the first reading of the ordinance amendment occurs on March 6, a second reading, and possible approval, may occur at the following City Council meeting scheduled for March 20.

See the article here:

City Council to look at removing zoning restrictions on gambling entities - Watertown Public Opinion

Bill to lower gambling age appears to be DOA in Nevada Legislature – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

If youre old enough to fight and die for your country, you should be old enough to play blackjack and drop a few dollars into a slot machine at the local casino.

At least, thats the logic of Assemblyman Jim Wheeler, R-Gardnerville, who brings to the table Assembly Bill 86, which, with any luck at all, will be 86d right out of the Legislature.

The bill would reduce the legal age to gamble in Nevada from 21 to 18.

Credit to Wheeler for introducing a philosophical debate among lawmakers. But with just four months to complete the business of the state and the introduction of a solution to a problem that doesnt seem to exist, it makes no sense to spend any time on a proposal that isnt going anywhere.

Dead on arrival, one gaming regulator said at a recent meeting.

Colleague Colton Lochhead reached out to Nevada Gaming Commission Chairman Tony Alamo about the proposal, and he was as puzzled as everybody else about it.

The industry has not come to us with any wants for dropping this, Alamo said. Everyones happy with 21 years of age.

Indeed, Virginia Valentine, president of the Nevada Resorts Association, said her membership isnt bucking to change the law.

Weve never supported it in the past, she said. Theres really no compelling reason to change that position.

In fact, the change could create a problem.

With a legal gambling age of 18 and a legal drinking age of 21, drink servers at casinos would be compelled to card patrons to see if they could be served a drink.

Of course, the argument could be made that carding a customer might be a good thing because casinos could guard against underage drinking as well as underage gambling.

Some observers say that adding players who are 18, 19 and 20 could increase play and thus generate additional tax revenue for the state.

But really, just how much money would the average 18-to-20-year-old spend gambling? For the state, it looks like a big investment with little return.

Nevada is no longer the only state with casinos. Whats the legal gambling age everywhere else?

For most, its 21.

According to the casino.org website, the legal age to gamble at tribal casinos in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota and Wyoming is 18.

In some states, the legal age is 18 or 21, depending on the game. For example, the age to legally place pari-mutuel bets the type most commonly associated with horse racing is 18 in Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington.

If youre 18, you can play bingo at casinos in Connecticut, Florida, New Mexico, Oregon, Wisconsin and at tribal casinos in South Dakota (but not the commercial sites in Deadwood).

For real confusion, the legal gambling age is 18 or 21, depending on the casino, in California, New York and Oklahoma.

Its easy to sympathize with 18-year-olds who wonder why they can drive, vote and go to war but cant consume alcohol or gamble. It doesnt make sense.

But its a debate from which legislators should keep away.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.

Continue reading here:

Bill to lower gambling age appears to be DOA in Nevada Legislature - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Gambling expert calls on provinces to step into daily fantasy sports … – CBC.ca

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

A gambling researcher is calling on Canada's provincial lottery corporations to enter the controversial business of daily fantasy sports, citing their ability to best regulate the activity that has been characterized as illegal gambling by some U.S. states.

Daily fantasy sports differs from the more familiar season-long game where fans act as managers for a roster of selected real-life players over the course of a season.

In DFS, fans select a roster of players who are competing on the same day. Those selections are then entered into contests against other fans' fantasy rosters with the players' real in-game stats determining the winners.

In this March 18, 2016 file photo, daily fantasy sports player Scott Burlingame poses with the Syde site on his smartphone at his home in Aldie, Va. (The Associated Press/Harry Hamburg)

While some competitions are free to enter, DFS becomes controversial due to the entry fees providers collect and the payouts they provide to winners.

"When you're putting money down to win money and there's a probability that you're not going to win money, then that's gambling," said Prof. Jeffrey Derevensky of McGill University.

Derevensky is encouraging provincial governments to consider adopting DFS into their stables of online games, saying they're best equipped to label the activity as gambling, and lend their expertise enforcing identity and age verification, self-exclusion programs and voluntary daily limits.

"Any form of fantasy should have those same kind of responsible gambling features built into their site," said Derevensky.

He is one of many experts who assert that DFS is a form of gambling, but legal opinions aren't as clear and vary widely between jurisdictions.

In Canada, the federal government has shown little interest in exploring the legality of DFS. And, even if it considered daily fantasy to be gambling, Ottawa has historically only prosecuted sites with servers in Canada, which most DFS providers do not have.

But in the U.S., industry leadersDraftKingsandFanDuel havefaced a more hostile legal environment and spent much of 2015 and 2016 fighting legal battlesfor their survival, as a number of states moved to shut them down as a form of illegal gambling.

This despite DFS branding being increasingly hard to miss with providers securing sponsorship deals with pro teams across all major sports and even entire leagues.

Logos of daily fantasy sports companies like FanDuel are easily found at many sporting events, including this NCAA college basketball game in New York state. (The Associated Press/Kathy Willens, File)

Currently, DFS is restricted in 10states while seven more have partial restrictions.

Somestates, including New York,Massachusetts and Virginia, have regulated DFS and require providers to pay registration fees and implement age-verification policies.

While the game may be labelled as fantasy, there is serious money at stake with an estimated 57.4million fantasy players in North America,according to theFantasy Sports Trade Association.

Those who play daily fantasy sports compile a roster of real-life players with pre-assigned values. (Yahoo Sports)

Derevensky says DFS represents an opportunity for Canada's provincial lottery operators to add a new and growing product.

He's scheduled to speak in Vancouver on Tuesday at the New Horizons in Responsible Gaming Conference, an event hosted by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation where experts share new research.

BCLC says its aware of DFS' popularity, adding thatit's seen double-digit growth in the amount wagered on sports compared to last year. But, spokeswoman Angela Koulyras says there are no immediate plans for BCLC to offerDFS on its site just yet.

"We recognize that DFS is growing in popularity and interest and we're just keeping a close eye on it at this time."

Those already in the businesssaythey'renot afraid of newcomers and stand by their product.

"We have competition everywhere. That's what drives us," said James Chisholm, DraftKings's director of public affairs.

"No one has a greater incentive to ensure people who are playing our game are who they say they are than we do."

Continue reading here:

Gambling expert calls on provinces to step into daily fantasy sports ... - CBC.ca

Dr. Rosenberg’s 7 Dark Insights Into Gambling Addiction – Casino.Org News (blog)

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

What do insurance fraud, meditation and a tendency to show off have in common? The answer is they all form part of the messy web that is gambling addiction. To get the full story on what real-life gambling problems can actually do to a persons life, we spoke with Dr. Steven Rosenberg.

Dr. Rosenberg is a psychotherapist and behavioral specialist working in Philadelphia. Hes helped tens of thousands of clients to manage issues that are having a negative impact on their lives, like drug and gambling addiction.

We started off by asking Dr. Rosenberg what leads to someone developing a gambling problem. His answer was simple:

Gambling addiction starts with the need to feel better about oneself. Then, the person will start slowly with a friendly wager. This will grow into finding a lottery to play, then a football pool, then an organized crime pool.

People become addicted to gambling because they have a multitude of problems. The first is low self-esteem. To feel better, they pick up on gambling.

Peer pressure and group dynamics also come into the mix. They see other people win money and think that somebody has to win.

What about personality? Does your natural disposition mean youre more at risk from becoming a gambling addict? Dr. Rosenberg says, yes:

The personality of a gambler is someone who wants to show off after a win. The person has a tendency to be more extroverted. Even if the gambler is somewhat introverted, the extrovert inside will come out.

For example, the celebrity who likes to be out there is a prime candidate to gamble. It would not be surprising if the whole Kardashian clan would gamble. This goes with all of those on reality TV programs. They like being in trouble. Most gamblers end up being in trouble!

Dr. Rosenberg also says that the culture youre from can affect your chances of becoming a gambling addict too:

Gambling is more accepted in some cultures. The Asian population is more accepting of gambling. The same with those of Eastern European heritage. The reason is that their ancestors were into gambling. It became a part of their culture. It all started with games that were played in those cultures, then betting became a part of the games.

When we asked Dr. Rosenberg what the worst gambling story hed ever heard was, He took a long deep breath and shared this:

So when does something go from being a fun thing you love to do, to an addiction?

The drive to win more money fuels the addiction. The person may win enough jackpots to keep this drive going. Next comes stealing and hocking jewelry to finance this need to hit that big jackpot.

This is the addiction cycle. The addict uses gambling to feel better. This is self-medicating. Thats the definition of an addict. To self-medicate.

Once youre addicted to gambling, Dr. Rosenberg says your need to gamble could lead you down a dangerous path:

Being addicted to anything opens you up to doing risky things. The addict can commit forgery, armed robbery or prostitution to help finance the addiction.

There is a great deal of insurance fraud with the gambling addiction. Its easy and they think they can get away with it because they feel that they paid premiums to be able to collect.

When it comes to curing gambling addiction, Dr. Rosenberg has some advice that many other doctors dont even consider:

The best way to treat gambling addiction is to have the person in talk therapy as well as a twelve-step program. The gambler must learn to improve self-esteem and self-confidence. Meditation is a great tool to help with the neediness of the gambler.

Dr. Rosenberg also says that if meditation isnt effective, good old medication might be:

Many people who are addicted to gambling are depressed and have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) tendencies.

There are medications that a person can take for this disorder. The problem with medication is trial and error. What can work with one person may not work with another.

Talking therapy is more effective than going the medication route, unless there is severe depression or bi-polarism.

Dr. Steven Rosenberg is a psychotherapist and behavioral specialist practicing in Elkins Park, Pa(suburban Philadelphia).He has worked with tens of thousands of clients over the past 30 years to help them manage/conquer a wide range of emotional and mental health issues as well as smoking cessation, weight loss, sports performance, stress reduction, work/life balance and more. To learn more about him, visit his website athttp://quititnow.com.

If you think you or someone you know has a gambling problem, here are some useful resources:

Our Gambling Addiction page https://www.casino.org/gambling-addiction/

National Council On Problem Gambling http://www.ncpgambling.org/

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders definition of gambling addiction http://www.ncpgambling.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/DSM-5-Diagnostic-Criteria-Gambling-Disorder.pdf

Gamblers Anonymous http://www.gamblersanonymous.org

See more here:

Dr. Rosenberg's 7 Dark Insights Into Gambling Addiction - Casino.Org News (blog)

New German film addresses Nazi child ‘euthanasia’ – euronews

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Danzig

Fog In August (Nebel im August) is the first feature film to address the Nazis euthanasia programme.

Based on Robert Domes 2008 novel of the same name, the film tells the story of 13-year-old Ernst Lossa, who was committed to a mental hospital in 1942 because of his Roma origins.

The hospitals staunch Nazi chief physician Werner Veithausen is played by German actor Sebastian Koch, who shot to fame after starring in the 2007 Oscar-winning The Lives of Others.

He explains how he got into character: For me as an actor, the challenge was to play a character whose alienated logic makes sense. Thats why there are no devilish smiles. Veithausen gets up in the morning and sees himself in the mirror and thinks he is doing a really important job for the German people and he believes in his mission, he is convinced of what he is doing. And thats whats fascinating with this role: the man whom we see today as a murderer was doing no harm as far as he was concerned.

The film marks a return for director Kai Wessel to dark periods in German history, after his award-winning TV series Klemperer based on the diaries of a Jewish literature professor during the Third Reich, and the TV drama Die Flucht, set in the winter of 1945, which was shown in more than 50 countries.

For him, casting the main character was key to the films success. We saw a lot of actors it was a huge casting process, he says. But very early, there was no question that Ivo [Pietzcker] was a hot candidate. We did a lot of improvisation because we wanted to be 100 percent sure he was the right choice and, in the end, we knew he was.

Young Ernst soon discovers the truth behind the hospitals facade and tries to sabotage its euthanasia programme to help his new friends. Ernst is played by young Berliner Ivo Pietzcker, who was the lead character in Edward Bergers 2014 award-winning movie Jack.

I am very interested in history and I read a lot of books, history books, so, yes, I knew about euthanasia, I wasnt clueless about that, says the young actor.

One way to kill the patients was to lace raspberry juice with poison. Another, invented by Dr Faltlhauser, whose real name was changed to Veithausen in the movie, was to feed the patients with vegetable soup that had cooked so long it no longer had any nutritional value.

I am convinced that Dr Veithausen never considered himself as a criminal, rather he saw himself as part of a scientific avant-garde on a mission that he believed in, says Koch.

To invent food without any nutritional substance, where the patient believes he is eating but hes actually dying of malnutrition, is a relatively humane way to die, I mean, of course, seen from the perspective of Dr Veithausen. He was proud of his invention and he was praised by the Nazis. He had the power to decide, when the euthanasia programme ended, who would die and who would live, and he could solve that issue in a very way humane way with typical German efficiency. Such perfidy is unbelievable.

The real-life Dr Faltlhlauser was sentenced to three years in jail after the war and was pardoned by the Bavarian secretary of justice in 1954. He died in 1961.

Conservative estimates suggest that at least 5,000 German children perished as a result of the Nazis child euthanasia programme.

Fog In August was released in Germany in October.

See original here:

New German film addresses Nazi child 'euthanasia' - euronews

Select Page ::