Lazio boss Inzaghi upset with Celtic comebackby Carlos Volcano12 hours agoSend to a friendShare the loveLazio boss Simone Inzaghi was left frustrated with their Europa League defeat to Celtic.The Biancocelesti had taken the lead and were in control only to lose 2-1 in the final stages.“That’s the ugly thing about football, you don’t get the results you deserve. It’s difficult to swallow a defeat like that,” Inzaghi told Sky Sport Italia.“We must realise that we won’t lose many if we maintain this spirit for 90 minutes. It’s already happened to us this season, but I couldn’t have asked much more from my lads.“The second goal was an individual error and you pay a heavy price when a player is allowed to lose his marker. It was a performance where we certainly deserved a different result, but we need to keep working, because evidently what we’re doing is not enough. We must keep believing in ourselves and I feel we’ll go far if we play like this.“It’s a pity, we deserved more in this wonderful arena.” About the authorCarlos VolcanoShare the loveHave your say
Tag: 上海龙凤419
Air strike kills 13 civilians, mostly children, in Afghanistan, says UN
Kabul: At least 13 civilians were killed, mostly children, in an air strike by “international forces” in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz late last week, the United Nations said Monday. The strike happened between late Friday and early Saturday in support of ground operations conducted by pro-government forces fighting against Taliban militants in the area. “Initial fact-finding indicates that 10 of those killed were children, part of the same extended family whom were displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country,” the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a statement. Also Read – Saudi Crown Prince ‘snubbed’ Pak PM, recalled jet from USThe US is the only member of the international coalition in Afghanistan that provides air support in the conflict. A NATO spokesperson told AFP the coalition was investigating the claims. The deaths come as ordinary Afghans continues to bear the brunt of the war in Afghanistan, with more civilians killed in the Afghan war in 2018 than during any other year on record, according to a UN report. The uptick in violence in 2018 coincides with a significant increase in the number of deaths caused by the “deliberate targeting of civilians”, according to the report, mostly stemming from suicide attacks by insurgents allied with the Taliban or Islamic State (IS). Also Read – Record number of 35 candidates in fray for SL Presidential pollsAn increase in air strikes by US and Afghan forces also led to more civilian deaths in 2018, with more than 500 civilians killed by “aerial operations for the first time on record”. Fighting continues to flare across Afghanistan even as the US and Taliban press forward in peace talks aimed at ending nearly 18 years of fighting. The ongoing peace talks with the Taliban follow years of escalating violence in Afghanistan.
The Last Time The Chiefs Were This Good They Won A Super
3D. Culpepper2004MIN4-172.21766183127.0 9T. Brady2015NWE5-070.61699141118.4✓ NE61NE66NE+0.1– DAL53GB57GB+6.7– OAK68%OAK58BAL+9.4– The Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 5 win over the the Houston Texans was significant for several reasons. It squashed any lingering doubts about who the NFL’s best team is, as the league’s only 4-0 team moved to 5-0. It also solidified KC’s place atop our NFL projections, as we now give them a 97 percent chance of making the playoffs and an 81 percent chance of earning a coveted first-round bye. But perhaps the team’s most impressive achievement so far is this: These are the best Chiefs since KC’s last (and only) championship team, 48 years ago.Using Elo, our pet metric for judging a team’s strength at any given moment, we can trace the various incarnations of the Chiefs week by week in NFL history. Their current Elo rating of 1701 is the highest it has been since the team hit its all-time peak rating of 1775 after defeating the Vikings in Super Bowl IV. Of the 899 weeks for which we have Elo data on this team, there are only eight in which Kansas City’s rating was higher than it is right now — and all of them came in that 1969 campaign, in the last year of the AFL. Move over, Len Dawson, make room for Alex Smith.But we have certainly seen hot starts from Andy Reid’s team before. They started the 2013-14 season 9-0 and then lost five of their next seven regular-season games before bowing out to the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Wild Card game. So will this year be any different?The defense has regressed since the 2013 season, surrendering 22.2 points per game through five games, compared with 19.1 for the whole of the 2013 season. But they’ve maintained respectability despite losing star safety Eric Berry, who went down for the season with a torn Achilles tendon in the team’s opening-night road win over the New England Patriots. And any step back here has been more than compensated for by improvements on offense. Led by Smith and rookie running back Kareem Hunt, the offense is off to a blistering pace, averaging an NFL-best 32.8 points per game, 5.9 points better than the 2013 team managed to produce.This may be hard to digest, but Smith is having one of the best starts to a season of any quarterback in NFL history. In almost every major offensive category — passing completion rate, passer rating, adjusted yards per attempt and interceptions — Smith ranks among the best. Here are the best season-opening five-game stretches ever, according to passer rating, among QBs who made more than 150 passing attempts in that span in any season since 1950. 4A. Smith2017KAN5-076.61391110125.8 BUF51BUF57CIN-9.3– MIN58MIN64MIN+2.0– 7M. Ryan2016ATL4-169.11740122121.6✓✓ In addition to having the fourth-best passer rating in this time frame, Smith has yet to throw an interception. And among these quarterbacks, Smith’s completion rate of 76.6 percent is the highest. The table above puts Smith in some nice company: Every QB joining him is either a Hall of Famer already or will likely be one soon — with the exception of Daunte Culpepper. (And unlike Culpepper, Smith doesn’t have the luxury of being able to heave jump balls to Randy Moss.) In this group, Culpepper and Smith also stand out as the only ones to not start at least one Super Bowl in their career to date. Culpepper may be alone in that regard after this season.In the PittsKansas City’s Week 6 opponent had a slightly less glorious Week 5. In fact, the Pittsburgh Steelers suffered one of the worst losses in their 85-year history. Ben Roethlisberger threw five interceptions in a brutal 30-9 loss at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars (yes, them). The Steelers’ loss was so bad that they dropped 55 Elo points, the 49th-worst single-game drop in more than 30,000 NFL games, and the franchise’s third-worst loss ever. Steelers fans may not want to remember the two worse losses, but we’ll remind them anyway: a 24-6 defeat at home to the newly formed Houston Texans in 2002 and a 34-10 thumping on the road against the previously winless Cincinnati Bengals in 1979 (ouch!).The latest loss means Roethlisberger is under intense pressure to retire, with even the two-time Super Bowl winner admitting that he might not have it anymore. That, along with the quarterback’s public spat with wide receiver Antonio Brown in Week 4, means the Steelers could be in a minor crisis. Pittsburgh finds itself 3-2 and atop the AFC North standings, with the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals lurking just behind. Looking at the underwhelming slate of opponents the Steelers have played so far — the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars — gives even more cause for concern. The Steelers travel to the Chiefs next week before a home game against their bitter rivals the Bengals and a visit to the surprisingly good Detroit Lions. The rest of October could alter Big Ben’s plans in 2018.FiveThirtyEight vs. the crowdWeek 5 in our NFL prediction game — in which we invite you to pick football games and try to outsmart our Elo algorithm — was much better for you readers than the previous two weeks had been — readers were just 21 points behind the Elo predictions in Week 5 compared with 146.2 points behind in Weeks 3 and 4 combined. The readers made gains mostly by being less wrong than our algorithm. Both Elo and the readers picked the Oakland Raiders to beat the Ravens and the New York Giants to beat the Los Angeles Chargers, and neither of those picks worked out. However, the average reader was less confident in either the Raiders or the Giants of winning than Elo was, so readers lost fewer points on those misplaced bets.The biggest net gain for Elo came in the Miami Dolphins’ win over the Tennessee Titans. Even without factoring in that the Titans’ Marcus Mariota was inactive for the game, Elo put its faith in Jay Cutler and the Dolphins and was rewarded. (Never doubt Jay Cutler! Haha, no, we’re kidding. Definitely doubt him.) That’s it for this week — be sure you make your picks for Week 6. NYG68NYG59LAC+9.0– 8D. Marino1984MIA5-065.21527153121.6✓✓ Source: Pro-football-reference.com QBYEARTEAMW-LCOMP %YDSTDINTPASSER RATINGWON DIV.?MADE SB? OUR PREDICTION (ELO)READERS’ PREDICTION 10D. Brees2009NOR5-069.21400132118.4✓✓ PICKWIN PROB.PICKWIN PROB.WINNERREADERS’ NET PTS NYJ65NYJ59NYJ-7.3– 6K. Warner2000RAM5-072.11947147122.0 1P. Manning2013DEN5-075.8%1884201136.4✓✓ 5A. Rodgers2011GNB5-071.71721142122.9✓ PIT80PIT79JAX+0.0 Alex Smith is in royal company … plus Daunte CulpepperTop passer ratings among quarterbacks who have thrown at least 150 attempts in a team’s first five games of a season, since 1950 DET63DET59CAR+2.6– SEA55SEA51SEA-6.3– KC67KC65KC-4.1– 2T. Brady2007NWE5-074.11383162128.7✓✓ PHI65PHI67PHI-0.6– Elo’s dumbest (and smartest) picks of Week 5Average difference between points won by readers and by Elo in Week 5 matchups in FiveThirtyEight’s NFL prediction game IND75IND62IND-11.3– MIA59TEN51MIA-11.9–
Twitter shuts down Bengaluru development centre to lay off over 60 employees
Twitter has decided to discontinue its engineering tasks in India, which would lead to layoffs of staff at its development centre in Bengaluru. Between 60 and 100 employees are expected to lose their jobs following the decision.The online social networking service sent an email statement to the media, saying: “As part of our normal business review, we have decided to stop the global engineering work at the Bengaluru development centre. We thank the impacted individuals for their valuable contributions and are doing as much as we can to provide them a respectful exit from our company. The company remains committed to India as a strategic market for users, partners and advertisers.”It added: “Today, India is one of our fastest growing markets worldwide and we continue to invest in key initiatives to further expand our audience, increase user engagement and drive revenue in this important market.”Twitter is said to have been struggling to match the pace of growth of its competitors such as Facebook. The San Francisco-based company has posted disappointing sales figures and mixed results over the last few quarters.Bengaluru-based mobile marketing and analytics company ZipDial Mobile Solutions was brought last year by Twitter, which paved the way for the American firm to set up an engineering centre in the IT hub of India. Although unconfirmed, the value of the deal was estimated to be between $30-40 million, PTI reported.The micro-blogging site on Monday announced that it had tied up with the Bombay Stock Exchange to provide live updates of stock process, stock prices and opening and closing figures of companies to millions of investors. The collaboration is touted to be the first-of-its-kind deal between a social media website and a stock exchange.
Bangladeshi immigrant Nina Ahmad to run for Congress
Bangladeshi immigrant Nina Ahmad has resigned as deputy mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to run for US Congress Cap: Nina Ahmad.Nina Ahmad is one of the strongest candidates among the Bangladeshi immigrants aspiring to join mainstream politics in the United States so far. Recently she resigned as deputy mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to run for Congress.Nina talked about her preparations for the Congress election during a conversation with Prothom Alo on Thursday. She resigned her post as deputy mayor on 30 September to contest in the election against Congressman Robert Brady, a current member of Democratic Party. She had to leave the post to be nominated in the Congress election. Nina Ahmad will contest as a Democrat member from congressional district-1, consisting Philadelphia City of Chester, a part of Central Philadelphia, and another part of south Philadelphia. If she wins in the primary stage, her chance of victory in the main election will be quite strong.Nina previously served on president’s ‘Advisory Commission of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders’ being appointed by former president Barack Obama. She resigned after Donald Trump has sworn as US president on 20 January this year. Congressman Robert Brady is the member of Democratic Party who has been under federal scrutiny in a case that snared his two top cohorts. So Brady’s candidacy in November election remains uncertain.On the other hand, Nina has been working in support of immigrants’ rights and respect for more than two decades. She is very popular among the black American, Asian, and Hispanic population. As 78 per cent of the residents of Philadelphia are Democrat supporters, Nina will certainly be at an advantage.Nina told Prothom Alo, “As an immigrant, a woman and a social activist, I am expecting support from people of all spheres.” She said she would start campaigning before Christmas. Earlier, Hashem Clark was the first Bangladeshi congressman in US from 2011 to 2013. Many other Bangladeshi immigrants have participated in the Congress election but never won. Nina Ahmad comparatively has the best chance to win so far.*This item, originally published in Prothom Alo online, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat
Moudud Sanaullah get anticipatory bail in 3 cases
BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed. Prothom Alo file photoThe High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed and its law affairs secretary Sanaullah Miah in three separate cases filed with Hatirjheel and Khilgaon police stations.An HC bench of justice Muhammad Abdul Hafiz and justice Kashefa Hossain passed the order after the BNP leaders surrendered before the court and prayed for bail in the cases.Of the cases, two was filed with Khilgaon police station against Sanaullah Miah on 20 September on charges of preventing police from discharging their duty and the other was filed against Moudud with Hatirjheel police station on 1 October for “instigating” subversive activities.AKM Ehsanur Rahman, who stood for the BNP leaders, said the HC granted them bail until the submission of the charge-sheets in the cases.
Kashmir journos frustrated by communications blockade
Indian security forces personnel patrol a deserted street during restrictions after the government scrapped special status for Kashmir, in Srinagar 9 August, 2019. Photo: ReutersKashmir has nearly 180 English and Urdu daily newspapers, but only five are publishing these days due to restrictions imposed by Indian authorities to prevent unrest after New Delhi revoked the state’s autonomy.That is frustrating for the region’s journalists, many of whom are veterans of covering a long insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and operating under prolonged curfews.”This is the biggest story of our generation and we haven’t been able to report it,” said Faisul Yaseen, associate editor of Rising Kashmir, one of the handful of newspaper groups that is still publishing.With phone lines and internet services suspended, six newspaper editors and journalists told Reuters they have no way to access wire reports or any outside online news sources, their district correspondents, and seek comment from government officials.Only five newspapers out of 174 dailies are now publishing, according to newspaper distributor Mansoor Ahmed, and they are being distributed within a 5-km radius of Lambert Lane, the main newspaper hub of the region, because of severe restrictions on movement, he said.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government imposed the blackout after it stripped Kashmir of its special status this week and broke up the state into two federal territories aiming to fully integrate the Muslim majority region.Officials said restrictions will slowly be lifted. The big concern is there could be large scale demonstrations against the decision to withdraw Kashmir’s special rights to frame its own laws and lifting of a ban on people from outside the region buying property.An Indian foreign ministry spokesman said there was no restriction on the press.”Nobody has been prohibited or stopped from publishing anything. Now, because of logistical constraints if they are not able to publish it is a different matter,” the spokesman said.Usually a 12-page edition, the Rising Kashmir English daily is now only bringing out four pages, much of it sourced from a few national TV news channels and four reporters who have living and working from Rising Kashmir’s office.The final layout of the paper is hand-delivered to the press on the outskirts of the city in the evening when movement restrictions in some parts are slightly relaxed.Two other Rising Kashmir newspapers – one in Urdu, another in Kashmiri – that the group publishes are suspended.Within Srinagar, reporters and photographers are finding it difficult to work without any passes to go through security checkpoints.Editors of two Urdu newspapers in Srinagar said they had ceased publication because of a lack of news sources, movement restrictions, and staff being unable to reach the newsroom.”Even in the worst of times, the press were given curfew passes,” said Morifat Qadri, executive editor of the Daily Afaaq, which usually prints 4,000 copies daily.”They don’t want that anybody covers the current situation,” he said.
A Durham NC church sees the arts as its North Star
Yonat Shimron YonatShimron Yonat Shimron Yonat Shimron is an RNS National Reporter and Senior Editor.,Load Comments,Christians lend an anthem, and a pacifist spirit, to protests in Hong Kong Share This! Share This! News • Photos of the Week Share This! By: Yonat Shimron YonatShimron Trailblazing sociologist of religion Wade Clark Roof dies at 80 Tagsmillennials National Museum of African American History and Culture Nipsey Hussle Nnenna Freelon North Star Church of the Arts Phil Freelon Pierce Freelon Top Story,You may also like By: Yonat Shimron YonatShimron Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn ReddIt Email,About the authorView All Posts Share This! Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn ReddIt Email Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn ReddIt Email News By: Yonat Shimron YonatShimron News Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn ReddIt Email,DURHAM, N.C. (RNS) — When the congregants took their seats at this small jewel-like church on recent Sunday morning, they saw neither a cross nor a Bible. Instead, a DJ occupied the altar, sitting in front of a controller and a laptop.As the service began, the emcee — not a clergyperson — prompted visitors to take three deep breaths and exhale. A hip-hop artist grabbed the mic to rap a song called “I Believe in You.” After him, a local poet and recording artist spent 20 minutes reading from his poems — each prefaced with a biblical quote.The monthly service at North Star Church of the Arts is the latest venture by one of Durham’s most acclaimed residents, architect Phil Freelon, before he died last month, and his wife, singer, jazz vocalist and composer Nnenna Freelon.The couple, internationally respected in their fields — he, perhaps most famously, as the architect for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and she as a six-time Grammy Award nominee — had long wanted to leave their adopted city of Durham a legacy its residents might enjoy after they were gone.After Phil’s diagnosis of ALS in 2016, they put the plans in overdrive.The couple bought a small Greek Revival-style church in a section near a downtown neighborhood once mostly African American but now fast transitioning into an entertainment hub and refashioned it as a venue for artistic and spiritual exploration.The church opened in January, drawing 100 to 120 people to monthly Sunday services plus a host of other events, including a drumming circle, a dance party, a book reading, a puppet show, a visual art exhibit — even a rummage sale.A tribute to North Star Church of the Arts founder Phil Freelon, who died in July, at the alternative Durham sanctuary. RNS photo by Yonat ShimronThe Freelons — she is 65; he died July 9 at age 66 — were intent on creating a space for healing. Though the couple belonged to St. Titus Episcopal Church when their three children were younger, they had not attended in years, and their beliefs at the time of his death seemed in flux: After Phil died, the family put out a statement saying he had “joined the ancestors.”But the former Ephphatha Church, with its elegant arched windows and doorways, charmed them. Built in the 1930s as one of only four in the country exclusively for deaf worshippers, it had gone through several incarnations, most recently as a Pentecostal congregation. The Freelons upgraded the building and removed all but four of the 40 pews to make the space more flexible for multiple events.They threw open the doors to people of all faiths and no faith — a place, Nnenna Freelon said, where “judgment is suspended.”“Phil always said, ‘If you want something, you have to give that very same thing,’” she said. “We looked at ‘What would it look like if we created a healing sanctuary, not just for us but for everybody?’”The Freelons’ services have kept some of the trappings of church. Guest artists are called “celebrants,” and straw baskets are passed around midservice for offerings.But the focus is on the arts and the ways in which artistic expression can be a vehicle for transcendence.In its first nine months, Sunday services have featured the state’s poet laureate, Jaki Shelton Green, as well as a dance performance called “The Gospel According to Baba Chuck Davis,” in which some of the late American dancer and choreographer’s partners explained and demonstrated his dedication to African dance traditions.The Freelons’ son, Pierce, a musician, social entrepreneur and candidate for the state Senate, is the church’s creative director and he has wanted to plan programs that allow people to experience spirituality through the arts.When rapper Nipsey Hussle died in March, Freelon was proud of his parents’ church for opening its doors to fans of Hussle’s music who just wanted to sit, listen to his recordings and grieve his passing without a lecture or a sermon.“It was so beautiful and so appropriate and so exactly what a church should be doing in a moment like that,” he said.People attend a service at North Star Church of the Arts in Durham, N.C., on Aug. 18, 2019. RNS photo by Yonat ShimronSo far, the church has drawn an eclectic mix of devotees both African American and white, but particularly young artists, social activists and city boosters of different faith — and no faith — traditions.Kamara Thomas, a singer-songwriter who has performed at the church and attended several of the Sunday services, said it was a welcome relief from the doctrine-bound Seventh-day Adventist church she grew up in.“It’s in line with what I’ve been craving, which is a focus on the spiritual side of life and the need to gather as a community to practice our spirituality with as few boundaries and edicts and structures and as few limitations as possible,” she said.The approach appears to speak to millennials who have found traditional Christian churches sexist, homophobic or patriarchal. One woman who showed her an art installation at North Star and has also attended other programs there said she grew up attending Methodist and Presbyterian churches but no longer does.“After coming out as queer I felt like I couldn’t bring my whole self to those spaces,” said Monet Marshall, 29.At North Star she said she felt she could be herself and has returned to attend other events after her installation, called “Insert Your Grandma’s Name,” had finished its run.North Star — the name refers to the point in the sky that enslaved African Americans looked up to for inspiration — depends on a dedicated group of donors. It also rents out its space for special events.Mark Anthony Neal, the James B. Duke Professor of African & African American Studies at Duke University, said it was the perfect spot for the class he is teaching this semester called “Dick Gregory and the History of Black Comedy.” The class meets twice a week; once on campus and a second time at North Star.“I wanted a community partner and the North Star Church, given the reputation of the Freelons and the city of Durham, and that these are the kind of relationships they were hoping to create, it was a no-brainer,” he said.Neal said the African American church has always been more than simply a religious institution. Most famously, of course, it was the locus of political and justice activism during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Today, some are reclaiming the church itself for other uses. He points to Temple University professor and CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill, who opened Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books in Philadelphia and recently expanded into an adjacent church.With so many millennials dropping out of church and finding meaning and community in other settings, new gathering spaces — some even in old churches — were bound to emerge.Nnenna Freelon, who sits on the North Star’s board of directors, said she doesn’t see herself as a pastor or religious leader. During Sunday services, she sits in the front pew, not on the altar.“I know about the arts,” she said. “I know how arts in general have transformed our lives in very meaningful ways. I believe the spirit of divine is in all that. The arts seemed to be a perfect place where we can meet and talk.” Share This! Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn ReddIt Email Anti-extremism program won’t stop hate, say Muslims who’ve seen its flaws August 30, 2019 Instagram apostasy stirs controversy over Christian ‘influencers’ August 30, 2019 Photos of the Week August 30, 2019
A Reflection on Veterans Day from a Beloved AFRO Veteran
By Edgar Brookins, AFRO General Manager, D.C.With over two decades of service to the country and to the AFRO, Army veteran, Edgar Brookins reflects on Veterans Day and why its celebrated in the United States.Sunday is Veterans Day and throughout the commemorative weekend there will be speeches, parades, specials and ceremonial services all across the United States and beyond. As a twenty-one year Army Vietnam Era veteran, I reflect back on when this special day got etched in the history of our Nation.Edgar Brookins as a young private when he first enlisted in the Army in 1969.A phrase that has become the definition of how Americans express their humble thanks to the members of the Armed Forces is, “thank you for your service.” Those words will be uttered numerous times.So with nearly 20 million veterans on the rolls, why a single holiday to honor our veterans?Historically, in November 1919, one year after the Armistice that ended World War I went into effect, President Woodrow Wilson declared November 11 as the commemoration of Armistice Day.In 1938, Congress approved a bill that made Nov. 11 an annual legal holiday known as “Armistice Day” that honored the cause of world peace however it was used primarily to pay gratitude and honor World War I Veterans. In 1954, after World War II, the law was amended; the word Armistice was changed to Veterans and Nov. 11 became a day to honor Veterans of all American wars.Veterans Day continues to be observed in all Federal Agencies and local communities and is overwhelmingly supported by all major veterans’ service organizations like the VFW, the American Legion and the National Association of Black Veterans.So Veterans Day serves as a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the our beloved nation.Veterans Day 2018-we honor all those who served…the defenders of freedom-HOOAH!
An example of plasmons directly impacting molecules
Citation: An example of plasmons directly impacting molecules (2018, May 10) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2018-05-plasmons-impacting-molecules.html Excitation mechanisms for plasmon-induced chemical reactions. (A) Indirect hot-electron transfer mechanism. Hot electrons (e−) generated via nonradiative decay of an LSP transferred to form the TNI states of the molecule. (B) Direct intramolecular excitation mechanism. The LSP induces direct excitation from the occupied state to the unoccupied state of the adsorbate. (C) Charge transfer mechanism. The electrons are resonantly transferred from the metal to the molecule. Credit: Science (2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aao0872 Plasmonics chips through better control of the directional excitation of plasmons in a gold grating Explore further Scientists continue to look for ways to make solar energy more efficient, such as photocatalytic devices based on plasmon resonance. Plasmons are, of course, oscillations of electrons near the surface of a material. They are relevant to solar energy applications because they can be triggered by photons. But how this process works is still under investigation. Prior research has suggested plasmon-excited reactions are due to high-energy electrons that are generated as plasmons decay. But in this new effort, the researchers found that it is possible to impact molecules directly using plasmons.The technique involved using a scanning tunneling microscope to observe a reaction caused by plasmon excitation. They pointed the tip of the microscope’s probe at a single molecule of dimethyl disulfide atop a metal base. The researchers noted that the molecule formed an elliptical protrusion as it sat in a plasmonic field. The team then shone light of different wavelengths on the molecule, which caused changes to the plasmons around it. Those changes, in turn, caused a change in the dimethyl disulfide molecule. It separated into two round protrusions. This, the researchers suggest, occurred because the plasmons had broken the bond holding the components together. They note that their technique is not consistent with the high-energy theory and suggest that the plasmons were actually absorbed by the molecule, which led to weakening the bonds that held it together.The team has plans to test their technique using other molecules to learn more about which sorts of reactions might occur. Their hope is that, unlike with their example, other reactions will not be constrained by special temperature and pressure requirements. Such conditions are assumed to be necessary for use in manufactured applications. A team of researchers from Japan, Korea and the U.S. has found a way to demonstrate an example of plasmons directly causing changes to a molecule. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their technique and what they learned from it.
Journal information: Science © 2018 Phys.org More information: Emiko Kazuma et al. Real-space and real-time observation of a plasmon-induced chemical reaction of a single molecule, Science (2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aao0872 This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Khap diktat No third child after 2 daughters Re 1 as dowry
No third child after the birth of two daughters and only Re 1 to be taken from the girl’s family by the groom were among a host of rulings given out by a Khap Panchayat in the town to discourage the practices of female foeticide and dowry.In an announcement that comes as a breath of fresh air as khaps are infamous for issuing orthodox diktats, Bura Khap’s head Rajbir Bura said that members in a meeting held on Sunday had decided to felicitate couples, who do not have a third child after the birth of two daughters and those who took no or only Re 1 as dowry from the bride’s family. Also Read – Punjab on alert after release of excess water from Bhakra damThe Khap has also put a limit on the number of members to be part of the bridegroom’s wedding procession at 21.“The decision was much needed as too many people constituting a ‘baraat’ puts unnecessary financial burden on the bride’s family,” the Khap head said.Bura said a decision to shorten the mourning period after a family member’s death from 13 to 7 days was also taken during the meeting. “It was also decided to end the old practice of not having wheat flour, pulses and ghee (clarified butter) during the mourning period.” Felicitating sportsmen, social activists and writers was also proposed during the meeting.
Take back damaged medicines Directorate of Drugs Control
Kolkata: The Directorate of Drugs Control (DDC) in the state on Wednesday issued a notification asking the manufacturers and wholesalers to take back the medicines stored in various shops at Bagree Market as they might have been damaged due to the excessive heat generated during the fire.The step has been taken as a precautionary measure to check the medicines from being sold in the markets. The DDC apprehends that the quality of these medicines might be reduced and compromised due to the raging blaze. Also Read – Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal lifeThe DDC has urged the medicine sellers, both retail and wholesale, to stop selling the affected drugs and also the biological products. It was stated that many of the drugs that were kept inside Bagree Market need to be refrigerated. As there had been power cuts in the building since the incident took place, the medicines might have been damaged. If these medicines are circulated in the market, it might adversely affect the people.A senior official of the DDC said the temperature in the building had gone up as a result of which the quality of the medicines would be hampered. Hence all the manufacturing houses have been asked to withdraw the stock or stop operations. Also Read – Speeding Jaguar crashes into Mercedes car in Kolkata, 2 pedestrians killedThese medicines cannot be sold until the authorities ensure that the quality of the medicines remain intact. The DDC also assured that stern action will be taken against those who will be found violating the instructions.An official of the DDC said that as they are short-staffed, it is not always possible for them to conduct raids at various places. Hence the body is trying to check the spread of the drugs which were recovered by some of the businessmen there. It may be mentioned that there was a wholesale market of medicines within Bagree Market that used to supply medicines in different places. It had the wholesale market of various important drugs including those of cancer and people used to obtain such medicines at much cheaper rates.It was learnt that around 25 wholesale shops were there in the market many of which have been damaged. The extent of the damage is yet to be ascertained as all the electronic gadgets that maintained the records have been gutted. Bengal Chemist and Druggist Association added that the devastating fire that took place at Bagree Market on Sunday will have no major impact on the supply of medicines in the state.
Eco Parks car painting festival sees stellar response from auto enthusiasts
Kolkata: The three-day car painting festival at Eco Park has evoked great response among young car owners.The motto behind painting cars, which has become a popular form of art, is to construct a bridge between automobile and art and also to ensure that the owners maintain their cars and do not drive recklessly. The theme of the festival is closely associated with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Safe Drive Save Life programme, where stress is laid on careful driving. Also Read – Bose & Gandhi: More similar than apart, says Sugata BoseA group of ‘cartists’ have arrived at the city from Jaipur and are painting modern cars. Many young vintage car owners have brought their vehicles to paint them in beautiful and vibrant colours. The art of car painting has become famous globally after gaining popularity in USA. The cartists said there was tremendous enthusiasm among car owners in Kolkata to paint their vehicles. The paintings are done free of cost. They said: “We want the owners to maintain their cars. They should not drive recklessly and damage the vehicles.” They take one day to complete a vehicle. One or more artists work on one vehicle at a time. The paintings include abstract art, scenery or scenes from a poem or a play. The cartists will also paint two walls near the medical clinic situated inside Eco Park.
Cutting the Cord How One Woman Tried to Hide Her Pregnancy From
Free Webinar | Sept 5: Tips and Tools for Making Progress Toward Important Goals 3 min read Most pregnant women wishing to conceal a baby bump simply don baggier tops or dresses falling loose at the waist, in slimming hues.But when Janet Vertesi, an assistant professor of sociology at Princeton University, decided to conceal her pregnancy from the ever-watchful glare of big data, the project became a vast and intricate mission.First, Vertesi warned family and friends not to make any note of the pregnancy on social media. (When friends sent congratulatory Facebook messages they believed were more private than wall posts, Vertesi had to explain that every interaction on the platform was being tracked.)Related: Get Comfortable With Big Data in 3 StepsNext, for baby shopping, Vertesi used cash whenever possible, and ordered the bulk of products via Tor — software that enables anonymous browsing and which is perhaps best known as a gateway to the Silk Road, a former black market for drugs, weapons and other illegal goods traded via Bitcoin.Vertesi made other purchases with Amazon gift cards (bought with cash) that were linked to a private account, delivered exclusively to local lockers.But why such an inconvenient undertaking? According to an interview with Think Progress, the pursuit was less about a fear of technology than a social experiment, Vertesi said. (She noted, however, that she has abstained from using all Google products since the company changed its privacy policy in 2012 to aggregate user data across all of its platforms.)“There is this rapid rise of a technologized industry to track, collect, analyze and identify,” she told Think Progress. “And I just wanted to see: what would it take to not be detected? Could I do it?”Related: Big Data Isn’t Just For Big Businesses AnymorePregnant women, especially, are low-hanging fruit for marketers, reports Mashable, because long-term purchasing patterns — such as what brand of diapers to buy — are generally established at this juncture.Though Vertesi soon discovered that existing in the shadows of a Google-tapped world came with expenses of its own. In addition to being “extremely impractical and very inconvenient,” Vertesi said, missing out on discounts was frustrating and social media interactions were fraught with paranoia of being outed.“Fortunately, we never had the FBI show up at our door,” Vertesi told Think Progress. “But you start noticing the lengths, the extremes you have to go to to try to not be tracked. They put you in a very, very discomfiting position. So I wouldn’t recommend it.”Related: How to Manage a Pregnancy and a Business Attend this free webinar and learn how you can maximize efficiency while getting the most critical things done right.
April 30, 2014 Register Now »
Facebook Is Trying to Get Mobile Users to Shop Directly Through Its
This story originally appeared on Reuters Enroll Now for Free October 12, 2015 2 min read Facebook Inc wants its users to shop for clothes and other products from their mobile phones without ever leaving its app.In an effort to move further into e-commerce and compete with Amazon Inc’s retail offerings, Facebook announced Monday it is testing several ad features that allow users to shop directly through its app.Few users make purchases on mobile phones because it is slow and cumbersome, but Facebook hopes to win over more ad dollars by smoothing the process. Mobile purchases make up less than 2 percent of all retail sales, according to research firm eMarketer.”We’re looking to give people an easier way to find products that will be interesting to them on mobile, make shopping easier and help businesses drive sales,” said Emma Rodgers, Facebook’s head of product marketing for commerce.Among the new features are ads that take a user through a specific brand’s products without redirecting them to another site. For example, a user who clicks on an ad from a boutique could see an expanded page that displays numerous clothing items.Businesses on Facebook will also be able to display products for purchase directly on their own pages. And users will be able to purchase products directly on Facebook through a “buy now” button that will be more widely available.The 1.5-billion-member social network has also added a new section on its app that takes users directly to a shopping page where they can browse among numerous brands from a select group of small businesses that will gradually expand.“From Facebook’s perspective, they’re addressing a pain point for retailers,” said Catherine Boyle, an analyst at eMarketer. “They will attract serious ad dollars with this offering.”(Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) This hands-on workshop will give you the tools to authentically connect with an increasingly skeptical online audience. Free Workshop | August 28: Get Better Engagement and Build Trust With Customers Now
Google launches scorebased reCAPTCHA v3 to filter abusive traffic on websites
Yesterday, Google launched reCAPTCHA v3, a revamped version of their Captcha API that helps filter abusive traffic to a website without user interaction. reCAPTCHA v3 returns a score for each request. The score is based on interactions with a site, so website owners can take the most appropriate action. “Over the last decade, reCAPTCHA has continuously evolved its technology,” Google product manager Wei Liu wrote in a blog post. ReCAPTCHA is usually used on sign in pages. You can rate limit login attempts, exponentially increasing rate limit or just lock out IPs that exceed allowed login attempts and analyze your logs to ban abusive IPs. She adds,“ reCAPTCHA v3 helps to protect your sites without user friction and gives you more power to decide what to do in risky situations.” reCAPTCHA v3 also runs adaptive risk analysis in the background to alert you of suspicious traffic. The scoring logic Website owners can use the reCAPTCHA score in 3 different ways. They can set a threshold that determines when a user is let through or when further verification needs to be done. They can combine the score with their own signals that reCAPTCHA can’t access such as user profiles or transaction histories. They can use the reCAPTCHA score as one of the signals to train machine learning models to fight abuse. reCAPTCHA v3, uses a new tag “Action” which can be used to define the key steps of a user journey and enable reCAPTCHA to run its risk analysis in context. On adding action to multiple pages, reCAPTCHA adaptive risk analysis engine can identify the pattern of attackers more accurately by looking at the activities across different pages on your website. The reCAPTCHA admin console provides an overview of reCAPTCHA score distribution and a breakdown for the stats of the top 10 actions on your site. It also provides multiple ways to customize actions that occur for different types of traffic, to protect against bots and improve user experience based on a website’s specific needs. Source: Google You can visit the reCAPTCHA developer site for more details. Read Next OK Google, why are you ok with mut(at)ing your ethos for Project DragonFly? 90% Google Play apps contain third-party trackers, share user data with Alphabet, Facebook, Twitter, etc: Oxford University Study. A multimillion-dollar ad fraud scheme that secretly tracked user affected millions of Android phones. This is how Google is tackling it.
Transat brings back popular Super Early Booking Promo on Sun packages
Transat brings back popular Super Early Booking Promo on Sun packages << Previous PostNext Post >> Monday, May 1, 2017 Posted by Tags: Transat
MONTREAL — Transat’s Super Early Booking Promotion is back, featuring exclusive advantages and value-added extras on fall and winter Sun vacations.Now in its second year, the promotion applies to bookings made by June 30, 2017 for travel between Nov.1, 2017 and April 30, 2018.Clients who book any South package with Transat’s Super Early Booking Promotion will pay a deposit of only $100 and benefit from:Transat’s Price Drop Guarantee on all-inclusive packages (if a package becomes available at a lower price than the one paid, the difference will be refunded up to $400 per adult)The option to modify their travel dates up to three hours before departureAn upgrade to Option Plus for Luxury or Distinction Collection packagesA $50 future travel vouchersAlso as part of the promotion, cruise enthusiasts and clients who book a South or Duo package will receive a $50 future travel voucher and only pay a deposit of $100.“Canadians often have the impression that it’s better to wait until the last minute to buy their South packages in order to take advantage of the best rates,” said Annick Guérard, President and General Manager of Transat Tours Canada. “But by booking now, they will be guaranteed to have the dates, hotel and destination they want, all while benefiting from our Price Drop Guarantee.”More news: Venice to ban cruise ships from city centre starting next monthAs for travel agents, they can earn at least 10x Bonbon rewards for every individual or group booking, and 12x Bonbon rewards for packages to Bahia Principe, AMResorts and Meliá Cuba hotels.Transat’s new Sun brochure is expected to drop in June, featuring all the details of its 2017-18 South program. Share Travelweek Group 
Air NZ has A Better Way to Fly – and win –
Tweet Air NZ has ‘A Better Way to Fly’ – and win – with new global campaign, agent contest Travelweek Group TORONTO — Air New Zealand has debuted its first global brand campaign with a first-phase launch here in Canada and the U.S. that includes a travel agent contest offering the chance to win a trip for two to New Zealand.To celebrate the launch of Air New Zealand’s newest campaign, A Better Way to Fly, and its newest frequent flier, they are giving travel agents a chance to win 2 tickets to New Zealand. Go to ca.airnztravelagent.com/better-way-fly-sweepstakes to find out more. Entries must be received by Sept. 22, 2017 to qualify for the prize draw.Year-to-date visitor numbers show 66,000 Canadian travellers arrived in New Zealand, a 19% increase year on year. Air New Zealand says it sees huge potential to further tap into this demand given the “notable increase” in the number of Canadian travellers visiting New Zealand each year.The new global brand campaign comes as Air New Zealand appoints a new Regional Manager Americas, Liz Fraser. “Earlier this month Air New Zealand announced a capacity increase for its Vancouver-Auckland and Honolulu-Auckland routes, illustrating the demand for travel,” said Fraser. “This year Air New Zealand, along with its JV partner United Airlines will operate over 40% more capacity into mainland USA than it operated five years ago. That’s an additional 300,000 seats in 2017 so it’s certainly an exciting time to join the region.”The airline says recent consumer research shows that despite the desire to visit New Zealand, one of the greatest barriers is the perception of distance, with some would-be visitors thinking that New Zealand is 20 or more hours away.More news: Consolidation in the cruise industry as PONANT set to acquire Paul Gauguin CruisesThe new campaign, dubbed ‘A Better Way to Fly’, aims to bust those myths and reinforce what Air New Zealand says is its key differentiator: an innovative inflight offering enabling travellers to sit back, relax and enjoy the direct service to New Zealand.The new campaign features ‘Pete’, a CGI character inspired by New Zealand’s national bird the kiwi and voiced by New Zealand actor and Jurassic Park star Sam Neill. Pete takes viewers on his in-flight journey to show a little bit of New Zealand in the sky.Pete enjoying Air New Zealand’s famous SkycouchAir New Zealand is known for its premium New Zealand wines served onboard, chef-curated menus (in Business Premier and Premium Economy, dishes are created by chefs Peter Gordon from London’s The Providores and Tapa Room The Sugar Club in Auckland, New Zealand, and Michael Meredith from Auckland’s Meredith’s).The airline’s Business Premier cabins feature Air New Zealand’s signature chalk colored luxurious leather lie-flat bed, complete with memory foam mattress, duvet and two full size pillows.Reacting to changing customer needs, in 2005 Air New Zealand was one of the first airlines to introduce the premium economy class.Air New Zealand also revolutionized the Economy cabin by introducing more space and flexible options for passengers in the Economy class – the first real improvement for this class by any airline in more than 20 years, according to the airline.More news: Onex paying big to get WestJet and that will send airfares soaring, says CWTThe Skycouch, originally dubbed the ‘cuddle couch’, is a row of three economy seats, that together create a flexible space to stretch out and relax, or can be used as a place for the kids to use as a play area.Other Air New Zealand innovations include its world famous safety videos to the use of advanced technologies including the Airband which allows parents to track the progress of children travelling unaccompanied, and Biometric Bag Drop.Australia-bound passengers can transit in Auckland to eight Australian destinations without having to change terminals. Their bags go straight through to their destination too.“With the help of Pete the kiwi, this new global brand campaign aims to convince North American travelers that Air New Zealand is A Better Way to Fly,” says Air New Zealand General Manager of Global Brand and Content Marketing Jodi Williams. “We hope travellers interested in visiting New Zealand or Australia will choose us once they learn about the award-winning product and service we offer.”Air New Zealand flies nonstop to Auckland from Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Houston. Services are operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft (Honolulu), Boeing 777-300ER aircraft (Los Angeles & San Francisco) and 777-200ER (Vancouver & Houston), all featuring the Economy Skycouch and lie-flat Business Premier beds. Thursday, August 24, 2017 
Posted by Tags: Air New Zealand, Australia, Contests, New Zealand, Video << Previous PostNext Post >>
In This Issue New Zealand 1st QTR Employment
In This Issue. * New Zealand 1st QTR Employment soars! * Aussie April Employment rises. * Is China ready to widen trading band? * All the heavy lifting is done.. NOT! And, Now, Today’s Pfennig For Your Thoughts! Renminbi Rises To Highest Level Since Peg Was Dropped. Good day. And a Tub Thumpin’ Thursday to you! Uh-Oh, our Blues are in deep dookie folks, as they lost on home ice last night! UGH! The Defending Stanley Cup Champion L.A. Kings are proving to be very difficult to beat, and now lead the Blues 3-2 in their best of 7 Series, that now heads back to L.A.. This is BIG news here in St. Louis, folks, so sorry if you couldn’t care less about hockey! Well, yesterday’s currency rally that we talked about in the early morning, remained in place throughout the day, and for the most part, has carried on in the overnight markets. The euro, which once again got within sniffing range of 1.32 yesterday before backing off, is flat this morning. It’s been a pretty exhausting week for the euro, given the strong economic reports out of Germany t, and all the euphoria going on in the U.S. with the stock market. It’s a case of: let’s buy euros, no let’s not buy euros. I mentioned the U.S. stock market above. Isn’t the stock market something? Never mind that it’s all about smoke and mirrors, stimulus and ZIRP. When the train leaves the station, and builds up steam, you certainly don’t want to be standing idle on the tracks in front of that train, and therein lies what’s going on with moms and pops that feel this is wrong, but don’t want to be standing idly on the tracks. And who can blame them? They can’t get any gas, groceries or giggles out of their deposits in the bank or credit union. And besides, the Gov’t, the Fed, and all the brokerage houses are all telling us that everything is hunky dory and not to worry about all the bond buying, stimulus, ZIRP, and deficit spending. I saw someone said it like this: “The thinking seems to be: things are okay for now, not great, but okay. We will worry about the other stuff later and cross that bridge when we get to it. But for now, it’s equity buying time.” I hope you read the sarcasm in that statement. For we don’t know where all this stuff I just mentioned is going to take us. I have a very educated idea as to where It takes us, but we just don’t know. And that’s uncertainty folks. Which is why, in my opinion, Gold should be soaring right now. But it’s not, because not only are there “outside forces” suppressing the price of Gold, but there are also the Goldman Sachs, and Soc. Gens. Telling their clients to sell Gold, that all’s right on the night in the world. HUH? Well, that’s what they said, folks. Speaking of Gold, it’s flat to down a bit this morning, but that can turn on a dime as we all know too well. You know, there are a lot of people out there making the forecasts for a soaring Gold price, and I try to filter them down to the people I respect and believe their track record is good. Like the other day, when I featured analysis, author, James Rickards. OK. The teeter totter that kiwi is riding shifted back to kiwi strength last night, after a night of seeing it get sold like funnel cakes at a state fair on the news that Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) Gov. Wheeler, was selling the currency. Last night, New Zealand saw the color of their latest employment report, and with the unemployment rate falling from 6.9% to 6.2% in the first Quarter, and Employment rose by 1.7% in the quarter VS the previous quarter. WOW! Now that’s a strong labor report! But don’t get too excited about the gains in kiwi overnight. I can see RBNZ Gov. Wheeler licking his chops that he gets to sell kiwi again, at profits! Remember, Wheeler made it perfectly clear on Tuesday night, that he had no problem going back to the selling window to sell more kiwi. I would simply steer clear here, for Wheeler and the markets are going to play this game of tug-o-war. and no reason to get caught in the middle of their game. The Aussie dollar (A$) also printed their employment data but for Australia it was just a monthly report covering April. Employment rose at a faster clip than forecast in April, with the consensus at 11,000 and the actual printing at 50,100, and the Unemployment rate ticking down to 5.5% from 5.6% in March. This data has also pushed the A$ higher this morning, and now the rate cut on Monday night seems to have gone out of the rear view mirror. And in China, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) raised the fixing level for the renminbi / yuan to the highest level since dropping the peg to the dollar in July of 2005. Remember, when I told you a couple of weeks ago, that China had mentioned that the trading band for the currency needed to be widened? Well, it looks like the currency is now bumping up against the top end of the band, so a widening should be coming soon. And with inflation rising again in China (latest print was +2.4% up from the previous print of +2.1%) a stronger currency is needed to combat that inflation. OK. Madness.. and not the 80’s rock group (sorry Rick!) Madness is what’s going on these days in my opinion. I’ve got a real doozy for you in the Then There Was This section of the letter today. And that has Madness written all over it, and so does this which I came across yesterday. It was a story in the Washington Post, and the headline reads: “As Red Ink Recedes, Pressure Fades For Budget Deal”. OK. if you’re like me, and I’m sorry for that, but you’re probably scratching your head right now, and saying, “What kind of stupidity does that sentence reek of?” The premise of the article is that after 4 years of trillion dollar deficits, Federal Revenue is up and spending is down, so now the lawmakers that held trump cards in a summer deal on the budget, have lost their bargaining chips. What? You’re telling me, that just because tax increases went into place, and the automatic budget cuts are beginning to hit, that now we don’t have to do the heavy lifting any longer with the budget? Madness I tell you, simply Madness! Why. and this is just little old me thinking out loud here, but why wouldn’t we take this as an opportunity to really make a difference for the future? Not just sit back and say, “hey, we’ve done enough, no need to keep working”. That’s the kind of stuff that drives me crazy, folks. And I appreciate the ability to vent right here in the Pfennig. Hopefully, the venting, brings things to you, that you don’t normally hear about, and should be thinking about. Let’s call our representatives and tell them that now is not the time to sit back and think they’ve done enough! Speaking of Madness. I haven’t talked about Japan lately. And there’s always madness of some kind going on there! And today is no different! The Elliott Wave people are thinking that the yen has gone as weak as it’s going to go, for now, and that a rally back to 91 (currently near 99) is in the charts. I found this on the Bloomie this morning, and thought. See, this is where I just don’t agree with chartists. Throw the fundamentals out the window, and even with the bond buying going on, and Kuroda demanding a weaker yen, the charts show that yen is going to rally. Oh well, I guess we’ll have to see, but if you’re an Elliott Wave person, this is your shot. I saw a great cartoon yesterday, that was titled: Currency Wars: Who’s Winning? And it has the U.S. on one side of the fence with piles of dollars, and China on the other side of the fence with piles of Gold. Well, I know who I would proclaim as the winner! And speaking of the “Big Paper Sale” last month. The more I think about that, the more I think that maybe, just maybe, the players that put on that Big Paper Sale, shot themselves in the foot with the size of the sale. They truly unleashed a flood of physical metal buying that has been something to behold. Remember, for the past couple of years, I’ve told you repeatedly, that the only way we can stop this price manipulation is to buy physical metals. For, we know all too well, that the Regulators and the people that are supposed to be OUR watchdog, is turning away from this. What? Was it 5 years ago now that the CFTC decided to “look into manipulation”? 5 years? OK. Let’s go to the Big Finish, for my blood pressure is rising to dangerous levels! Then There Was This. Here we come again, ooh, ooh, ooh, catch us if you can, ooh, ooh, ooh Time to get a move on ooh, ooh, we can run with all of our might. Catch us if you can.. Catch us if you can. I read the following story on CNBC’s website yesterday, and then I couldn’t get that great Dave Clark 5 song out of my head! I think you’ll see why, here: “Hard-pressed company bosses across much of the world are under so much pressure to deliver on growth that many have resorted to cooking the books, Ernst & Young said in a survey Tuesday. One in five of almost 3,500 staff quizzed in 36 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India said they had seen financial manipulation in their companies in the last 12 months, the accounting and consultancy firm said. In addition 42 percent of board directors and top managers questioned in the fraud survey said they were aware of “some type of irregular financial reporting. And despite scandals and regulatory failures in the wake of the credit crunch, almost a quarter of top financial services staff surveyed said they were aware of manipulation, and almost 10 percent of all staff said their companies had understated costs, overstated revenues or used unprincipled sales tactics.” Chuck again. Now do you see what I’m talking about? Oh, and you noticed that the story didn’t mention the U.S. and you think that stuff isn’t going on here? Think again, my friend. And Didn’t we experience all these Corporate Scandals at the turn of the century? Are we going there again? Sure looks that way to me! And add to this another story I found in the WSJ that plays well here. “Former Enron President Jeffrey Skilling and the Justice Department reached an agreement that would cut his federal prison sentence to as few as 14 years from 24 years.” For those of you that have forgotten about the Enron Corp Scandal, I suggest you Google it, and refresh your memory, cooking the books was the rate 13 years ago. And it’ll be coming to a company near you, soon! It’s not as if, these companies don’t have a mentor to learn from. The U.S. Gov’t has been cooking books since the mid 90’s. To recap. The currency rally from yesterday morning held throughout the day, and carried on in the overnight markets. The Aussie and kiwi dollars are the high flying currencies this morning, after both countries posted very strong Employment data, for April in Australia, and for the 1st QTR in New Zealand. The euro is flat to down a bit this morning, but did get good results from a Spanish bond auction this morning. China’s renminbi / yuan reached a high VS the dollar since the renminbi was removed from the peg to the dollar in July 2005. And we’ve done enough so there’s no reason to work any harder at reducing the budget deficit.. NOT! Currencies today 5/9/13. American Style: A$ $1.0230, kiwi .8460, C$ .9965, euro 1.3140, sterling 1.5560, Swiss $1.0685, . European Style: rand 8.9805, krone 5.7450, SEK 6.4980, forint 223.05, zloty 3.1390, koruna 19.6310, RUB 31.11, yen 98.80, sing 1.2285, HKD 7.76 INR 54.24, China 6.1925, pesos 11.98, BRL 2.0050, Dollar Index 81.95, Oil $96.27, 10-year 1.78%, Silver $24.06, and Gold. $1,469.56 That’s it for today. Do you have any friends that you keep in touch with that you went to kindergarten with? I do. and I’m going to meet up my oldest, in terms of years known, friend today. Robin and I were best friends during our high school years, he played quarterback, and I was the only receiver he trusted to throw the ball to. I’m looking forward to catching up with him, as it’s been about 3 or 4 years since we last saw each other. My beloved Cardinals come home from a successful road trip, hopefully the weather will turn warmer for this home stand. And I got to go see Delaney Grace’s pre-school spring program last night. Those little kids are so cute, waving to their parents and grandparents. Delaney was a duck, that got to shake her tail feather, so cute! Hey! Early notice to you. Sunday is Mother’s Day. Make sure you take care of your mother! Whew! I almost got emotional thinking about my mom, who I lost 15 years ago. OK. so, I’ll have more on that tomorrow. now, go out and have a Tub Thumpin’ Thursday! Chuck Butler President EverBank World Markets 1-800-926-4922 1-314-647-3837
If theres one thing were grateful for on Shots
If there’s one thing we’re grateful for on Shots, it’s our passionate, engaged audience. Our stories often prompt a lively response from readers and people who hear us on the radio. This was definitely the case with Monday’s look at the use of permethrin-treated clothing to prevent tick bites, which can cause a lot of nasty diseases.Permethrin is a synthetic pesticide that’s similar to natural compounds found in chrysanthemums. When you spray permethrin on your clothes, a study published in May found, it incapacitates ticks quickly, rendering them unable to bite.It didn’t take long for emails to come flooding in. Most were from concerned cat owners.”Permethrin is very toxic to cats,” wrote Charles Fischer, who lives in Chapel Hill, N.C. “Suggesting that people spray their garments with permethrin to prevent tick bites without a cat disclaimer is very dangerous.”Others agreed. “NPR has always been a wonderful source of great information,” wrote Colleen Scott-Jackson of Jacksonville, N.C. “I would hate to see any cats harmed because an important piece of information is left out of the story.”We certainly didn’t want any cat catastrophes, so we decided to look into this a little further. Here’s what we found.Cats are more sensitive to permethrin than other mammals, but cat lovers can still use the insecticide as long they’re careful about it, veterinarians say.”It’s the dose that makes the poison,” says Dr. Charlotte Means, director of toxicology at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.The biggest problem for cats is when they are exposed to highly concentrated permethrin products meant for use in dogs, she says. These products may be 45 percent permethrin or higher. “Some cats will be so sensitive that even just casual contact with a dog that’s been treated will be enough to cause clinical signs, including tremors, seizures and in the worst-case scenario — death,” she says.But the concentration of permethrin in household sprays is much, much lower – typically less than 1 percent. And with concentrations of 5 percent or less, Means says, there are rarely problems.”Of course you can always get an individual [cat] who is more sensitive, but for most animals there are going to be minimal clinical signs,” she says.There are some simple rules that can help minimize the risk.”Don’t put the dog product on the cat,” says Dr. Lisa Murphy, associate professor of toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She agrees that the most dangerous scenario for cats is an accidental exposure to a highly concentrated product meant for dogs. “Cats seem to be deficient in one of the primary mechanisms for metabolizing permethrin,” she says, which is why they are more susceptible to the chemical. If an animal “isn’t able to normally metabolize it, break it down and excrete it, it can build up and be more likely to cause problems.”If you’re concerned your cat may have been exposed to permethrin, the most common symptoms are skin irritations — redness, itching and other signs of discomfort. “The animal may be frantic if they have something uncomfortable on their skin,” Murphy says. “They may be scratching, digging and rolling because it’s uncomfortable.”These skin reactions are usually easily treated by washing the affected area with mild, liquid dishwashing detergent. If the cat fights back, you can take it to the vet for a bath.Other reactions to watch for are drooling or pawing at the mouth. “Cats seem particularly sensitive to bad tastes in their mouths,” Murphy says. This can be helped by gently rinsing out the mouth, or offering the cat some water or milk to take away the bad taste.But if you see signs of neurological problems — tremors, twitching or shaking — it’s time to take the cat to the vet right away.Even then, if there aren’t any complications, “the prognosis for a full recovery is excellent,” Murphy says.”The way I look at it, as a veterinarian, is it’s all about making choices,” Murphy says. Ticks, fleas, lice and mosquitoes do carry lots of diseases that permethrin and other insecticides can help prevent, she says: “All sorts of things that we wouldn’t wish on ourselves or our pets.”So the bottom line when it comes to permethrin and tick-bite prevention is: If you have a cat, be extra careful.If you’re spraying your clothes, do it somewhere the cat doesn’t have access to. And let the clothes dry thoroughly before you and your cat reunite.”If you are spraying a 1 percent concentration on clothing and it dries, it’s unlikely that you’ll see any problems with the cat,” Means says. To be extra cautious, don’t leave permethrin-treated clothing near where your cat sleeps. And make sure to change clothes after you wear them outside, so the cat can jump in your lap without you having to worry, she says.And it may seem obvious, but if you’re using a permethrin soak for your clothes, make sure the cat doesn’t drink from the bucket.Finally, read the label for the permethrin product you’re using. Check the concentration and use only as instructed. And before treating any animal directly with any insecticide, check with your vet first. Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.