Consolidating India's Indian Ocean Strategy
By Vivek Mishra
Altered national interests in the Indian Ocean are rapidly transforming the region into an arena of reoriented strategic disposition for traditional powers like the United States, France, Russia, and the U.K., as well as an area of emerging interests for China, Australia, and Japan. Since the Cold War, India has remained a peninsular witness to this pivotal shift in the region's importance, but its recent policy reformulations vis-à-vis the Indian Ocean region and the larger Indo-Pacific are signs of growing awareness to the changes underway. However, despite the gains made, challenges remain in this important maritime domain of remerging Asian geopolitics.
The new government in India starts on the back of quite a few gains, which seem to have consolidated its regional maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean region (IOR). Early in his last term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi significantly visited three important Indian Ocean countries, the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, in 2015. In the following year, he visited Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya, four littoral countries of the Indian Ocean. Besides these, in the last five years India has partly undone the damage to relations with its critical IOR neighbor, the Maldives; ties had suffered under the previous pro-China government in Male under Abdulla Yameen. As for strategic steps in the IOR, securing port access in Duqm, Oman for military use; India's decision to develop its maiden deep-sea port in Indonesia's Sabang; furthering talks for a possible military base at Assumption Island in the Seychelles; and securing logistics agreements with the U.S., France, and Singapore have been critical decisions for consolidating India's regional naval presence as well as deterring external power dominance.
Posted by Maj Gen P K Mallick, VSM(Retd) at 00:40 No comments:
The Secret Profits Behind China's Rare Earth Metals Threat
by Peter Krauth, Money Morning
China's latest ploy in the trade war could be to limit its supply of rare earth metals to the United States. But that's an opportunity for investors too.
China has found its tariffs are having limited effects on the United States. The U.S. had $539 billion worth of imports from China in 2018, compared to $120.3 billion in exports to China. That means China can't match American tariffs.
But China has a few more weapons in its arsenal, and it might be desperate enough to use them. That's why we're taking the China rare earths threat so seriously.
Rare earth metals is one sector where the United States is acutely dependent on China. These are 17 elements crucial to the "green economy" including technology, energy, healthcare, transportation, and even national security.
U.S. President Donald Trump's blacklisting of Chinese telecom giant Huawei may have been the final straw. And in an effort to retaliate, China's recent moves read like an obvious warning that the trade of rare earths could become weaponized.
Posted by Maj Gen P K Mallick, VSM(Retd) at 00:25 1 comment:
J. BRADFORD DELONG
By attempting to "get tough" with China, US President Donald Trump's administration is highlighting the extent to which America's star has fallen this century. If the US ever wants to reclaim the standing it once had in the world, it must become the country it would have been if Al Gore had won the 2000 presidential election.
BERKELEY – In a recent issue of The New York Review of Books, the historian Adam Tooze notes that, "across the American political spectrum, if there is agreement on anything, it is on the need for a firmer line against China." He's right: On this singular issue, the war hawks, liberal internationalists, and blame-somebody-else crowd all tend to agree. They have concluded that because the United States needs to protect its relative position on the world stage, China's standing must be diminished.
But that is the wrong way to approach the challenge. In the near term (1-4 years), the US certainly could inflict a lot of damage on China through tariffs, bans on technology purchases, and other trade-war policies. But it would also inflict a lot of damage on itself; and in the end, the Chinese would suffer less. Whereas the Chinese government can buy up Chinese-made products that previously would have been sold to the US, thereby preventing mass unemployment and social turmoil, the US government could scarcely do the same for American workers displaced by the loss of the Chinese market.1
US Blacklist On Huawei: Leverage For The US-China Trade Talks? – Analysis
By Lyu Mengting and Chia-yi Lee*
The United States added Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. to the US Entity List of threats to the US telecommunications industry. Google and other US companies suspended some businesses with Huawei after the blacklisting. Trump seems to use the blacklisting as leverage in the US-China trade negotiations, which does not bode well for a successful deal.
President DonaldTrump on 15 May 2019 issued an executive order on "securing the information and communications technology and services supply chain", which declared a "national emergency" regarding "critical national security threat" to information and telecommunications of the US. Following the order, the US Commerce Department listed Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant, and its 68 affiliates on the Entity List, which prohibits the company from buying components and services from US companies without approval by the US government. Google, Intel, Qualcomm, ARM and other companies were reported to follow the order.
The move of the Trump administration is believed to be a direct blow at Huawei. In an apparent tit-for-tat, Beijing asserted its support for the legal rights of Chinese companies and urged Washington to avoid miscalculations that further strain US-China trade relations. China also reportedly drafted a new cybersecurity law that will result in blocking US telecom companies from entering its market—the largest in the world.
Sierra Leone, 2000: A Case History in Successful Interventionism
There is one place in the world where Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, is not vilified for his part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq: a West African country where, less than three years earlier, his government's intervention helped to end one of the most vicious conflicts in recent history. In Sierra Leone, where he is a hero, the "Blair Doctrine" was a rare case of an overseas military operation not for strategic or commercial interest, but for humanitarian purposes and in the name of an ethical foreign policy. Blair would later write in his autobiography that the episode was one of his proudest moments in office.
A paradox of this claim is that the scope and success of the intervention depended less on deliberate policy and careful planning in Downing Street or Whitehall than on a daring degree of improvisation by the commanding officer on the ground. "Operation Palliser," which began in May 2000, was led by General Sir David Richards, then a brigadier, later appointed chief of the British general staff and NATO commander in Afghanistan. Without official sanction from London, Richards protected the capital Freetown from rebel attacks and prevented it from falling. In so doing, he made a remarkable unilateral decision to go beyond his mandate in order to save a civilian population from the overwhelming likelihood of an all-out slaughter. The military historian David Ucko, writing in the Journal of Strategic Studies in 2015, calls Richards's action "A rare success story, but… a poorly understood and little studied case."
Is Russia Having Second Thoughts About Integration With China?
By Bruno Maçães
The last few years made possible a significant rapprochement, but the potential for sudden shifts cannot be excluded.
Everything seems in flux at the moment. Will the two countries move even closer together — is an Eastern Alliance possible? — or will China's rise face new resistance in this area as well — problems it is now facing almost everywhere?
Beijing has been extraordinarily successful in managing Russia, perhaps the most brilliant success of Chinese foreign policy in recent years. But in the recent Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, president Putin poured some cold water on the Eastern Alliance.
He did not do so explicitly, but the main message was that China's Maritime Silk Road — one of its routes goes through the Arctic, connecting Europe and Asia — would have to link with Russia's Northern Sea Route.
Now, on paper the Maritime Silk Road would need no such extension as it is already designed to reach Europe in Norway or Greenland or even Finland. So Putin was essentially saying: not so fast.
Erdogan Pushes to Cement His Hold on Turkey
By Sinan Ciddi
The annulment of the March 31 mayoral election in Istanbul and the ordering of a do-over on June 23 raises questions about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government's willingness to recognize election results that do not produce favorable outcomes.
If the opposition candidate again wins the Istanbul mayoral election, there is a chance that Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party will not recognize the outcome and will appoint a caretaker appointee.
Erdogan and the ruling party seem determined to maintain their hold on Istanbul, which has served as a base of power for the party and offers lucrative financial resources.
Turkey's Supreme Electoral Board (YSK) last month narrowly voted to annul the results of the March 31 mayoral race in Istanbul and schedule a new election. So, on June 23, voters in Turkey's largest city will once again go to the polls to elect their next mayor. Under strong pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's inner circle, the YSK cited unsubstantiated polling irregularities to justify the revote, thus underscoring a point that many Turkey watchers have long cautioned was coming: For the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), some electoral outcomes are only fair and valid if the AKP wins. Just as they did three months ago, the same candidates of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the AKP are running to be mayor of Istanbul in what is expected to be another highly contentious race.
As Challenges Mount, Can Europe Correct Its Course?
The liberal European order that emerged after World War II and spread after the collapse of the Soviet Union is now under attack from both within and without. The European Union—the ultimate expression of the European project—has become a convenient punching bag for opportunistic politicians in many of its member countries, as anti-EU sentiment has become part of the broader populist platform of protectionism and opposition to immigration. The EU still managed to withstand its latest challenge when the gains made by populist parties in recent European Parliamentary elections fell short of expectations.
Nevertheless, Britain's withdrawal from the union, known as Brexit, continues to loom over the grouping, and there is no way of knowing whether the populist wave has crested. Illiberal governments hold power in Hungary and Poland, and a far-right party was part of a coalition government in Austria until its recent collapse. Centrist leaders seem unable to come up with a response to immigration that doesn't alienate more voters than it unites.
Even as leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel try to fend off challenges from right-wing opposition parties at home, they are also seeking to salvage major international initiatives, including the Paris climate agreement, as the United States under President Donald Trump questions its global role.
RUSSIA/CHINA JOINT STATEMENT ON STRENGTHENING GLOBAL STRATEGIC STABILITY
The Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, based on the relations of a comprehensive equal trust partnership and strategic interaction between the two states, recognizing their responsibility for ensuring international security and on the basis of the importance of maintaining global and regional strategic stability, state the following.
The parties recognize that at the moment international security is facing serious challenges, in connection with which the Parties intend to deepen mutual trust and strengthen cooperation in the strategic sphere, to insistently protect global and regional strategic stability.
The parties intend to continue to act in the spirit of the Joint Statement of the President of the Russian Federation and the President of the People's Republic of China signed on June 25, 2016 in Beijing to strengthen global strategic stability and confirm the significance of the principles set forth in it.
Russia and China note with alarm the extremely dangerous actions of individual states, which, on the basis of their own geopolitical and even commercial gain, destroy or alter the existing architecture of arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). In the pursuit of a strategic advantage in the military sphere, in the intention to ensure "absolute security" and in order to gain unlimited opportunities for military-political pressure on opponents of such states, mechanisms working to maintain stability are unceremoniously destroyed.
World Economic Leaders Warn of Fallout From Trade War Between U.S. and China
By Alan Rappeport
FUKUOKA, Japan — Global finance leaders meeting in Japan this weekend said they were increasingly worried that the trade dispute between the United States and China, which shows no signs of abating, could propel the world economy into a crisis.
The sense of gloom at the gathering of the Group of 20 major economies came amid increasing evidence that global economic growth is slowing amid President Trump's renewed trade war with Beijing. In a closing statement, or communiqué, officials at the G-20 warned that trade tensions have "intensified" and agreed to address the risks.
But the Trump administration, intent on rewriting the rules of international commerce in America's favor, gave no sign that it was ready to back down. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin continued to blame China for prolonging the fight and insisted that the trade dispute was not hurting America's economy or hampering global growth.
"I don't think in any way that the slowdowns you're seeing in parts of the world are a result of trade tensions at the moment," Mr. Mnuchin told reporters on the sidelines of the G-20.
Will There Be Winners in the U.S.-China Trade War?
Andrew Chatzky
With tariffs slowing U.S. trade with China, several countries are hoping their exports will become more affordable and that their economies will reap the rewards.
With recent talks running aground, the trade dispute between the United States and China looks like it's here to stay. While most experts agree that both sides lose in a trade war, some note that resulting changes to supply chains and investment patterns could set some other countries up to be potential winners.
U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports—and China's retaliatory tariffs on American goods—have already cut bilateral trade. Economists think the spat could eventually reduce global gross domestic product (GDP) by hundreds of billions of dollars.
That's because the United States buys more goods from China than from any other country, importing $540 billion worth in 2018. American businesses and families benefit from low-priced goods, ranging from industrial machinery to consumer goods such as electronics, furniture, clothing, and toys.
Meanwhile, U.S. exporters send more than $120 billion worth of goods to China's enormous market each year. The U.S. automotive, aerospace, and agricultural industries in particular have benefited from China's economic expansion over the past few decades, and the U.S. government calculates that exports to China support more than nine hundred thousand jobs.
Is anyone benefiting from the dispute?
Resolving the US–China Trade Impasse
YUKON HUANG
Summary: The new round of tariffs has put U.S.-China trade negotiations on hold. Just a month ago, a deal to end the trade war was deemed likely. So why did this process unravel so quickly and what is the way going forward?
Just a month ago, an agreement to end the US–China trade war was deemed likely. Then came a flurry of accusations and another round of tariffs that have put negotiations on hold. Why did this process unravel so quickly and what might be the endgame?
Beijing ostensibly recoiled after senior leadership saw the entire package of demands as an infringement on national sovereignty. Meanwhile, Washington became more unified in its objectives and sensed that politically it was not the right time to strike a deal. Under such conditions, many saw an enduring solution as unlikely given the complexity of the issues. Any agreement would have been more of a negotiated truce, transforming the process from an unruly to a more regulated trade war.
Huawei Chairman Willing To Sign A 'No-Spy' Deal With The United States
PALLAVI GOGOI
Huawei Chairman Liang Hua, shown in 2018, said Tuesday that Huawei is willing to sign a "no-spy agreement" to reassure U.S. leaders who worry the company's technology could be used for surveillance.VCG via Getty Images
A top Huawei executive said Tuesday that the company is willing to sign a "no-spy agreement" with the United States to reassure U.S. leaders who say the company's technology could be used for surveillance.
The offer is similar to proposals the Chinese tech giant has made to the United Kingdom and Germany, and it comes after weeks of intense pressure from the Trump administration.
"We are willing to sign no-spy agreements with countries," said Huawei Chairman Liang Hua at the company's headquarters in Shenzhen, China, when asked specifically if Huawei would sign a "no-spy" agreement with the U.S. "But since the U.S. has not bought from us, is not buying from us, and might not buy from us in the future, I don't know if there is such an opportunity to sign such an agreement."
Liang made the comments while speaking with a small group of U.S. journalists who were visiting with the China-United States Exchange Foundation.
The Ever-Shifting 'Strategic Triangle' Between Russia, China and the U.S.
By Eugene Chausovsky
Russia and China are on a trajectory to increase ties across the economic, energy and security realms, but this path is by no means set.
The evolving relationship between Russia and China will inherently be shaped by each country's links to — and contention with — the United States as part of a "strategic triangle" of relations.
As China rises in terms of its relative economic and military power, Russia and the United States could eventually seek a strategic rapprochement to constrain Beijing's ascension.
However, any alignment between the United States and Russia would be limited to specific shared interests and could ultimately shift again with prevailing geopolitical conditions.
The U.S. trade war with China and Washington's prolonged standoff with Russia — over matters from Iran to Venezuela to arms control — are increasingly driving Moscow and Beijing toward each other. Chinese President Xi Jinping is attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum June 6-7, but not before meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier in the week. China and Russia have signed economic deals that span everything from 5G networks to hydropower plant construction to establishing a joint research and technology innovation fund. The deals come in the wake of Moscow's recently indicated desire to collaborate with China in the Arctic's Northern Sea Route as part of Beijing's Maritime Silk Road initiative, while the massive Power of Siberia pipeline is completing the final phase of construction and is set to begin pumping ever-larger volumes of Russian natural gas to China by the end of this year.
In Poland, a Fixed U.S. Presence Will Warrant a Russian Response
The United States will likely move forward with plans to expand its military presence in Poland in the coming quarter, which could include more than 1,000 new troops and the permanent stationing of forces in the country.
While Washington's presence may not come in the form of Warsaw's proposed "Fort Trump," it will nonetheless establish a more fixed measure of U.S. security support for Poland as an added layer of defense against Russia.
Moscow will likely respond to such an agreement with military buildups of its own near Poland's borders, most likely by boosting defense assets in Belarus.
Editor's Note: This assessment is part of a series of analyses supporting Stratfor's upcoming 2019 Third-Quarter Forecast. These assessments are designed to provide more context and in-depth analysis of key developments over the next quarter.
Poland has long courted the United States for a permanent military presence to serve as a barricade against Russian influence. Despite Poland's pleas, however, Washington has stuck with a more flexible defense approach in the country. But that may soon change now that U.S. President Donald Trump's at the helm. For more than a year, the United States and Poland have been in talks over such an agreement, which Polish officials have indicated could be finalized by as soon as Sept. 1. However, such a fixed U.S. presence near Russia will undoubtedly spur Moscow to ramp up its own military presence near Poland's borders — placing Warsaw squarely in the middle of Moscow and Washington's increasingly heated great power competition.
How the US government can counter China's growing media influence
The Chinese state media advertorial supplement "China Watch" runs regularly in major U.S. newspapers, and a 2018 supplement in the Des Moines Register took a particularly politicized tone on the U.S.-China trade war.
Chinese Americans have seen posts on Chinese firm Tencent's WeChat social media platform silenced in group conversations, including when the messages touched on local Asian American political issues.
And Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) dominates the Chinese-language cable landscape in the United States, relative to the Taiwanese station ETTV and the US-based NTDTV, despite the latter's online popularity and reports of behind-the-scenes Chinese pressure on U.S. cable companies to keep it off the air.
These are a few examples of the ways in which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is affecting news that Americans consume and share in the United States, noted a Freedom House report released this week on the implications for democracy of China's global media influence.
Rare Earth Elements: Global Reserves and Production
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With China's recent threat to ban exports of rare earth elements to the United States, it may be time to find an alternative.
Blacklisted Huawei Loses Facebook, Instagram And WhatsApp Preinstalled Apps
Zak Doffman
The impact of the U.S. blacklisting on Huawei's smartphone business continues to increase. Facebook is the latest major U.S. technology player to withdraw support for Huawei smartphones. Reuters was the first to report on June 7 that "Facebook is no longer allowing preinstallation of its apps on Huawei phones... Customers who already have Huawei phones will still be able to use its apps and receive updates, Facebook told Reuters. But new Huawei phones will no longer be able to have Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram apps preinstalled."
A week ago, there were reports that Huawei had shut down a number of Foxconn smartphone production lines as demand for the company's devices dropped. The company flatly denied that those reports were true. But then this week came a second report from Asia, this time claiming that Huawei had slashed its smartphone shipment forecast for the second half of 2019 by as much as 20-30%.
Huawei held onto its lead over Apple for smartphone sales in the first quarter of the year, but will likely struggle to maintain that lead for the rest of the year. SCMP's article quoted Zhao Ming, president of one of Huawei's brands, acknowledging that the company objective of catching Samsung by the end of next year was at risk. "As the new situation has emerged," he reportedly said, "it is too early to say whether we are able to achieve the goal."
Cyber Diplomacy: The Spirit Of D-Day Can Unite Us
Sam Curry
President Trump has been on tour in Europe this week for D-Day events on the 75th Anniversary of the allied invasion with visits in the UK, Ireland and France. Noticeably absent from the talk track as world leaders gather is the entire subject of cybersecurity. This is remarkable because of the emphasis and slow ramp of attention from the administration on cyber in recent months.
Perhaps the solemnity of the D-Day anniversary events made it hard to talk business, but the opportunity exists now to make a difference. But in the shadow of the 75th anniversary of the largest conflict in Human history, wouldn't it make sense to talk about the new cyber battlefield and how erstwhile allies and former enemies that have since maintained alignment or built new coalitions can continue to promote global prosperity?
Britain might have a reprieve until October on Brexit, but there's clearly a cyber dimension brewing and maybe staring down across the channel. Further, cyber relations between the US and Europe and amongst European nations shouldn't be a back burner discussion; it should be front and center if we're to avoid an escalation of tension and issues in the future.
Using Public-private Partnerships to Tackle Extreme Poverty
Nena Stoiljkovic, vice president for Asia and Pacific at the World Bank's IFC, and Djordjija Petkoski, senior fellow at the Zicklin Center and lecturer at the Wharton legal studies and business ethics department, discuss how solid business models that can attract private investment to blend with public funds are the best driver for spreading sustainable growth in underdeveloped regions.
Attracting private capital is a critical complement to government financing if the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development that the United Nations identified are to be met. For that to happen, it is important to redefine how corporations can work sustainable development into their strategies, say experts from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Wharton's Zicklin Center for Business Ethics. The IFC is an arm of the World Bank Group that helps leverage private capital for development efforts, such as in "ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity." The Zicklin Center and the World Bank Group are partners in Ideas for Action, a joint program to connect young leaders with sustainable development goals. Nena Stoiljkovic, IFC's vice president for Asia and Pacific, and Djordjija Petkoski, senior fellow at the Zicklin Center and a lecturer in Wharton's legal studies and business ethics department, spoke recently with Knowledge@Wharton about how public-private partnerships can help reduce poverty, especially in the Asia Pacific region. (Listen to the podcast at the top of this page.) Below is an edited version of their discussion.
Don't let cybersecurity be driven by fear, warns NCSC chief
By Danny Palmer
As cyberattacks and hacking incidents increase in frequency and scope, it's important that organisations and governments don't revert to a fear-based approach to cybersecurity: it won't help users and it doesn't help to prevent attacks.
Today's security threats have expanded in scope and seriousness. There can now be millions -- or even billions -- of dollars at risk when information security isn't handled properly.
Reflecting on how cybersecurity guidance has changed since the UK's National Cyber Security Centre started operating in 2016, NCSC chief executive Ciaran Martin said the cyber-arm of GCHQ began as if its job was scaring people into staying safe online. But now the approach is based around promoting a deeper understanding of threats, he said.
"Four years ago, as GCHQ and government, we were still reluctantly in the role of the 'Monsters Inc' Top Scarcer. We still had to convince people about the threat and that it was all very scary and so forth," said Martin, comparing the government's approach to cybersecurity to that of the Pixar movie during a keynote address at Infosecurity Europe 2019 in London.
States Must Explain When a Cyber Attack Might Draw a Violent Reprisal
BY JONATHAN REIBERHEAD OF CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY, ILLUMIO
Without clear explanations that affirm rules of the road, countries make it easier for conflicts to spiral out of control.
When conducting a kinetic military response to a cyberattack, it's better to explain why and how you are doing so.
A month ago, the Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF, responded to a Hamas cyberattack with an online counter-attack against the hackers followed by an airstrike that destroyed their building in Gaza. It remains unclear whether any Hamas cyberspace operators died in the operation.
This was the first time that a military has conducted a kinetic operation directly in response to a cyberattack in real time. It occurred in the context of decades-long hostilities between Israel and Hamas, and amid the worst fighting between the parties since 2014.
Pentagon Chief to Suspend Turkey's F-35 Pilot Training
BY LARA SELIGMAN
Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan is taking significant steps toward cutting Turkey out of the F-35 fighter jet program over concerns about Ankara's plans to purchase a Russian missile system, telling his Turkish counterpart that pilots currently training in the United States must leave the country by July 31 and halting training for new students.
Turkey can still change its mind on purchasing the S-400 missile system, which is expected to arrive on Turkish soil as soon as this month, and the steps regarding F-35 training will be reversed, a senior U.S. defense official told Foreign Policy.
The United States has already halted delivery of F-35 materials and related equipment to Turkey. Without the training provided by the U.S. military, future Turkish F-35 pilots will not be able to operate the jet, which will provide the bulk of tactical airpower for the United States and many of its allied militaries for decades to come.
Freedom and the Media: A Downward Spiral
By Sarah Repucci
Freedom of the media has been deteriorating around the world over the past decade.
In some of the most influential democracies in the world, populist leaders have overseen concerted attempts to throttle the independence of the media sector.
While the threats to global media freedom are real and concerning in their own right, their impact on the state of democracy is what makes them truly dangerous.
Experience has shown, however, that press freedom can rebound from even lengthy stints of repression when given the opportunity. The basic desire for democratic liberties, including access to honest and fact-based journalism, can never be extinguished.
Unconventional Warfare: Think Outside the G-Base
George Schwartz
The Green Berets are in danger of self-inflicted irrelevancy because of shortcomings in their training. Most current Unconventional Warfare (UW) training events take the Unconventional Warfare template from Robin Sage and simply impose it on other environments and threat situations. This trend has persisted despite the lack of modern UW examples that resemble Robin Sage. Green Berets should be considering other models of UW that may be more relevant today.
Special Forces doctrine depicts resistance partner forces as having three elements: a rural-based full-time paramilitary guerrilla force, an urban-based underground, and an auxiliary that serves as the link between the two. The ODA partners with the guerrilla force and teaches them US-style small unit tactics. That is what every Green Beret did in Robin Sage. It is the common understanding of UW shared by all SF Soldiers. Virtually every UW exercise I have taken part in (Cobra Gold, Foal Eagle, Jade Helm, home station UW mission profiles) mirrors this model. That is what I mean by the "Robin Sage" model.
▼ Jun 11 (25)
The Secret Profits Behind China's Rare Earth Metal...
US Blacklist On Huawei: Leverage For The US-China ...
Sierra Leone, 2000: A Case History in Successful I...
Is Russia Having Second Thoughts About Integration...
RUSSIA/CHINA JOINT STATEMENT ON STRENGTHENING GLOB...
World Economic Leaders Warn of Fallout From Trade ...
Huawei Chairman Willing To Sign A 'No-Spy' Deal Wi...
The Ever-Shifting 'Strategic Triangle' Between Rus...
In Poland, a Fixed U.S. Presence Will Warrant a Ru...
How the US government can counter China's growing ...
Blacklisted Huawei Loses Facebook, Instagram And W...
Using Public-private Partnerships to Tackle Extrem...
Don't let cybersecurity be driven by fear, warns N...
States Must Explain When a Cyber Attack Might Draw...
Pentagon Chief to Suspend Turkey's F-35 Pilot Trai...


Maneater Is Now Available For Xbox One
Jim Sterling May 22, 2020
Tripwire Interactive LLC
BECOME THE MANEATER!Experience the ultimate power fantasy as the apex predator of the seas – a terrifying SHARK! Maneater is a single player, open world action RPG (ShaRkPG) where YOU are the shark. Starting as a small shark pup you are tasked with surviving the harsh world while eating your way up the ecosystem. To do this you will explore a large and varied open world encountering diverse enemies – both human and wildlife. Find the right resources and you can grow and evolve far beyond what nature intended, allowing the player to tailor the shark to their play style. This is fortunate, because to get revenge on the cruel fisherman that dismembered you will take evolving into a massive shark, an apex predator of legends. Eat. Explore. Evolve.
Unique Story – Play through a full narrative, story-based campaign narrated by Chris Parnell (Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Rick and Morty) and set against the backdrop of a reality TV show.
Diverse, Compelling Combat – Battle fierce wildlife including other apex predators or fight against various types of human hunters ranging from town drunks all the way up to the Coast Guard.
Evolve Into a Legend – Feed on humans and wildlife to grow your shark, and find shark loot to evolve your shark down multiple possible paths.
Explore the Gulf – 7 large regions including bayous of the gulf coast, resort beaches, industrial docks, the open ocean and more. Experience a living world with a full day/night cycle.
Developer: Tripwire Interactive
Website: Maneater
Twitter: @TripwireInt / @maneatergame
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Interpol Hosts Latest Digital Currency Conference in Middle East
International law enforcement groups and government agencies are hosting a conference on money laundering and digital currencies this week.
Backers of the event, running between 16th and 18th January, include Interpol, Europol (the European Union's top police agency) and the Qatar National Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Committee, a unit of the emirate's central bank. The event is being held in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Local news sources report that during the event, deputy central bank governor Sheikh Fahad Faisal Al-Thani (who also chairs the AML committee) called for more collaboration among law enforcement agencies worldwide during investigations involving the tech.
He was quoted by The Peninsula as saying:
"We expect from this conference to contribute in enhancing the capacity of the relevant competent authorities in conducting investigations in any crimes related to virtual currencies; and in establishing a network of practitioners and experts of this field."
Interpol has held similar events in the past, and the organization has even created its own digital currency to assist in training exercises.
Last March, Interpol held a four-day war game involving law enforcement officials from more than sixty countries during which a fictional blackmailer demanded payment in bitcoin.
Image Credit: HUANG Zheng / Shutterstock, Inc
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Alta Asks Live: Rishi Reddi
Author Rishi Reddi joins Alta Asks Live to discuss Passage West, the complexities of the migrant experience in California and beyond, and much more.
Who is welcome in America? It's the abiding question explored by author Rishi Reddi in her critically-acclaimed novel, Passage West. Reddi joins Alta Asks Live and host Heather Scott Partington to discuss her new book, the complexities of the migrant experience in California and beyond, and much more.
Buy the book: Passage West
Read Talking with Rishi Reddi
About the book and the author
A sweeping saga set in rural California at the onset of World War I, Passage West relates the story of a Punjabi family, their Mexican in-laws, and their Japanese neighbors during an era of rising xenophobia.
Rishi Reddi is the author of the novel Passage West and the collection Karma and Other Stories, which received the 2008 L. L. Winship /PEN New England Award for fiction. Her work appears in Best American Short Stories, has been broadcast on National Public Radio, and was chosen for honorable mention in the Pushcart Prize. She was born in Hyderabad, India, and grew up in Great Britain and the United States. She lives in Cambridge, MA.
Heather Scott Partington is a writer, teacher, and book critic. She is the winner of an emerging critic fellowship from the National Book Critics Circle and the critic in residence for UC Riverside's Palm Desert MFA program. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, Washington Post, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and Los Angeles Review of Books among other publications. She lives in Elk Grove, California, with her husband and two kids.
Heather Scott Partington Heather Scott Partington is a writer, teacher, and book critic.
Alta Asks Live: Kimi Eisele
Alta Asks Live: Vanessa Hua


HomeSwertresPCSO Lotto Result December 21, 2022 6/55, 6/45, 4D, Swertres, EZ2
AdminWD Thursday, December 22, 2022 1
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) releases the official lotto result for Wednesday, December 21, 2022. View here the winning numbers for 6/45, 6/55, EZ2 (2D Lotto), Swertres (3D lotto) and 4D Lotto.
PCSO said jackpot prize for the evening major draws – Mega Lotto 6/45 and Grand Lotto 6/55 – now hitting Php 104.8 million and Php 89.5 million, respectively.
Tips: Bettors who missed yesterday's PCSO lotto and STL draw results may check the links below. You may also monitor announcement of results via our new website pcsolotto.ph - PCSO Lotto and STL.
PCSO Lotto Result December 20, 2022 6/58, 6/49, 6/42, 6D, Swertres, EZ2
PCSO Lotto Result Today, December 21, 2022 (Wednesday):
COMBINATIONS 13-43-04-31-25-35
WINNER/S 0
Ultra Lotto 6/58 32-34-19-06-27-35 12/20/2022 446,857,427.60 0
Grand Lotto 6/55 24-48-08-38-45-11 12/19/2022 83,661,736.80 0
Super Lotto 6/49 33-37-04-19-02-16 12/20/2022 16,025,912.20 0
Mega Lotto 6/45 09-04-11-19-14-08 12/19/2022 96,600,838.40 0
Lotto 6/42 42-13-09-15-24-32 12/20/2022 33,742,504.20 0
Mega Lotto 6/45 July 18, 2022 Las Piñas City, Metro Manila 53.9 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 December 29, 2021 Las Piñas City and Guiguinto, Bulacan 27.9 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 December 10, 2021 Sta. Rosa City, Laguna 83.8 million
Lotto 6/42 December 4, 2021 Urdaneta City, Pangasinan 6 million
Lotto 6/42 December 2, 2021 Dasmariñas City, Cavite 6 million
Grand Lotto 6/55 November 29, 2021 Parañaque City 162.3 million
Lotto 6/42 November 27, 2021 Tanauan, Batangas 5.9 million
Ultra Lotto 6/58 November 26, 2021 Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 378.8 million
Lotto 6/42 November 25, 2021 City of Manila 16 million
Lotto 6/42 November 13, 2021 Calamba City, Laguna 8.5 million
Super Lotto 6/49 November 9, 2021 Quezon City 15.8 million
Lotto 6/42 November 6, 2021 Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental 8.2 million
Super Lotto 6/49 November 4, 2021 San Carlos City, Pangasinan 125.7 million
Lotto 6/42 October 30, 2021 Valenzuela City 5.9 million
Lotto 6/42 October 28, 2021 Ormoc City, Leyte 5.9 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 October 27, 2021 Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo 35.2 million
Lotto 6/42 October 23, 2021 Parañaque City 33 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 October 1, 2021 Malvar, Batangas 8.9 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 September 29, 2021 Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental 55 million
Lotto 6/42 September 28, 2021 Samboan, Cebu 36.8 million
Lotto 6/55 August 30, 2021 Mandaue City, Cebu 120.1 million
Lotto 6/42 August 28, 2021 City of Manila 5.9 million
Lotto 6/42 August 26, 2021 Tarlac City, Tarlac 17.9 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 August 20, 2021 Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte 24.3 million
Super Lotto 6/49 August 15, 2021 San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan 48.6 million
Lotto 6/42 August 5, 2021 San Jose, Batangas 77.2 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 July 26, 2021 Batangas City and Muntinlupa City 36.1 million
Super Lotto 6/49 July 1, 2021 Nasugbu, Batangas 84 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 June 30, 2021 Calamba City, Laguna 54.4 million
Ultra Lotto 6/58 June 22, 2021 Calbayog City, Samar 49.5 million
Lotto 6/42 June 19, 2021 San Jose City, Nueva Ecija 15.4 million
Grand Lotto 6/55 June 7, 2021 Baguio City, Benguet 29.7 million
Lotto 6/42 June 5, 2021 San Mateo, Rizal 10 million
Ultra Lotto 6/58 May 28, 2021 Lipa City, Batangas 49.5 million
Lotto 6/42 May 27, 2021 Makati City 16.8 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 May 26, 2021 Davao City 181.7 million
Grand Lotto 6/55 May 15, 2021 Abucay, Bataan 29.7 million
Lotto 6/42 May 8, 2021 Iriga City, Camarines Sur and Davao City 101.3 million
Super Lotto 6/49 April 22, 2021 Lucban, Quezon 24.4 million
Grand Lotto 6/55 March 27, 2021 Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur 298.8 million
Ultra Lotto 6/58 March 23, 2021 BF Homes, Las Piñas City and North Fairview, Quezon City 55.98 million
Super Lotto 6/49 March 14, 2021 Himamaylan, Negros Occidental 24.1 million
Super Lotto 6/49 February 23, 2021 Cainta, Rizal 15.8 million
Super Lotto 6/49 February 18, 2021 Porac, Pampanga 69.3 million
Lotto 6/42 February 16, 2021 Las Piñas City 8.1 million
Ultra Lotto 6/58 February 12, 2021 Banga, Aklan 246.1 million
Lotto 6/42 February 9, 2021 Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City 10.3 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 February 5, 2021 Bacong, Negros Oriental 12.4 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 January 27, 2021 Polangui, Albay 36 million
Lotto 6/42 January 23, 2021 Dasmariñas, Cavite 20.1 million
Lotto 6/42 January 7, 2021 Tabaco City, Albay 21.3 million
Super Lotto 6/49 January 3, 2021 Gapan, Nueva Ecija 34.7 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 December 30, 2020 Baguio City 21 million
Lotto 6/42 December 19, 2020 Rodriguez, Rizal 23.9 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 December 14, 2020 Marilao, Bulacan 166.5 million
Super Lotto 6/49 December 6, 2020 City of Manila 265.4 million
Lotto 6/42 December 1, 2020 Angeles City, Pampanga 9.4 million
Lotto 6/42 November 21, 2020 Guiuan, Eastern Samar 20.4 million
Grand Lotto 6/55 October 31, 2020 Talisay City, Cebu 35.5 million
Lotto 6/42 October 31, 2020 Ormoc City, Leyte 48.7 million
Grand Lotto 6/55 September 23, 2020 Valenzuela City 128.4 million
Lotto 6/42 September 15, 2020 Lian, Batangas 8.6 million
Mega Lotto 6/45 September 7, 2020 Marikina City 24.0 million
Ultra Lotto 6/58 September 6, 2020 Quezon City 339.2 million
Lotto 6/42 September 3, 2020 San Fernando, La Union 49.7 million
DECEMBER 21, 2022 LOTTO UPDATES
2D Lotto 3D Lotto 4D Lotto EZ2 Grand Lotto 6/55 Lotto Result Today Mega Lotto 6/45 PCSO PCSO Lotto Result Swertres
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pahingi po ako ng update sa pcso lotto result today december 21 2022


/ Politics
Tax Reform Law Gets Mixed Reviews From Financial Planners
Financial planners say they've seen mixed effects from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, with many clients surprised by lower refunds.
Scott Van Voorhis
May 9, 2019 1:14 PM EDT
The much-touted overhaul of the nation's tax system has finally all but completed its debut performance, with the vast majority of country having settled up with Uncle Sam by April 15 under the new rules of the road.
And the verdict from financial planners on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which went into full effect this year? Well, it's a mixed one.
While some clients have wound up paying less, others, especially those with a vacation home or two, have had the opposite experience, planners say.
Others have saved money, but have been upset nonetheless because they wound up losing tax refunds they have come to depend on -- or getting reduced payments -- since less is being withheld in the first place from their paychecks.
"We saw surprises in both directions," said DeDe Jones, managing director of Innovative Financial in Lakewood, Col., who is both a CPA and a CFP. "Some clients paying quite a bit more and some paying quite a bit less. We did a projection for everyone last year to prepare them, but for many of them that were expected to see higher tax bills the prediction was ignored. Human nature is a strange thing."
For some, lower taxes
Clients who are business owners, with S-Corps, LPs and LLCs, have done particularly well under the new tax bill, said Scott Bishop, an executive vice president for financial planning and a partner at STA Wealth Management in Houston.
Under the law, you can deduct 20% of your "qualified business income," from your taxable income. Basically, QBI is what you earn through your business -- it excludes things like capital gains or losses, dividend income, interest income, among other things.
The process of claiming the deduction is relatively simple if your business income falls below two key thresholds -- for single filers, $157,500 and for joint filers $315,000.
"This can be very powerful for those that can utilize the benefits," Bishop said.
DeAnna D'Attilio, tax director at Acorn Financial Services in Reston, Va., noted that business owners who take the 20% deduction can lower their taxable income even more by claiming the many expenses that come with running any enterprise.
"The real winners with tax reform are taxpayers who receive the majority of their income through pass-through entities and small businesses and qualify for the 20% qualified business income (QBI) deduction," she said.
Retirees have also benefited from the lower tax rates as well, Bishop said. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act includes several rate reductions, from a cut the very top to 37.6% from 39%, to a drop to 12% from 15% near the bottom.
However, Bishop's older clients have had to become more creative in finding ways to get over the $24,000 standard deduction, after which they can itemize and save even more.
The new tax law's $10,000 cap on deductions for state and local taxes has made it more difficult to get over that $24,000 number.
Bishop has been advising his older clients to bunch their charitable contributions together, say giving $20,000 in one year, instead of spreading that out over two years.
"This "bunching" of deductions will allow them to have well over $24k of deductions every other year and take the standard deduction in the off (or lesser giving year)," Bishop said.
Meanwhile, some clients are paying less in taxes overall, but have been thrown off by the fact that their tax refunds are either smaller now, or have evaporate altogether. That's because they are paying less on the front end in payroll taxes, Luis Rosa, a CFP at Build a Better Financial Future in Las Vegas.
They just haven't noticed their slightly larger paychecks.
"Most people did not feel the positive impact of the slightly higher take home pay and were shocked when their refunds were less at tax time," Rosa said. "So although they're paying less in taxes, they felt as if they paid more because their refunds got lowered. That was a surprise."
But some pay more
But other clients have not made out so well under the 2017 tax code overhaul, financial planners say.
The $10,000 cap on deductions for state and local taxes, also known as SALT, has meant higher taxes for clients who own a vacation home or two and owe much more than that in property taxes to local town and city governments.
"Those that have larger homes that have large property taxes in Texas are getting hit with the $10k SALT limitation to deduct those taxes," Bishop said. "That is mitigated somewhat with the lower tax rates, but some with first and second homes had large property taxes."
Young professionals who rent, and so have no mortgage deduction, and who also live in states with high tax rates, such as New York, have also taken a hit under the new tax law.
"My high-state-tax clients from New York felt the pinch even more," Rosa said. "The SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction was capped at $10,000 and my clients in NY who normally have $35,000 in state and local tax or more, certainly felt the impact of not being able to take those deductions, some of which ended up not even itemizing as a result."
TaxesTax PlanningTax TipsPolitics
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The railroad has run into a snag amid what its CEO termed "the most puzzling" economic backdrop he has seen in his career.
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The COVID-19 Vaccine May Change Your Menstrual Cycle—Here's What to Know
A new study confirms anecdotal evidence from menstruating people.
Elizabeth Narins
Elizabeth Narins is a freelance writer and content strategist with more than a decade of experience. She's held staff positions at Women's Health and Cosmopolitan, and was previously the senior director of digital content and social media at WW (formerly Weight Watchers).
Soon after the COVID-19 vaccine became available to the general public, people who menstruate began reporting an unexpected side effect: changes to their cycle. Now, research based on those anecdotal claims confirms at least one post-vaccine change to menstruation.
According to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), individuals who received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine saw about a one-day increase in the length of their menstrual cycle—this showed up as a longer time between periods, with periods showing up about one day late, on average. For people who received two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in the same cycle, periods were delayed up to two days, study authors said.
The research, published January 5 in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, was the first to look at the potential reproductive side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, unrelated to pregnancy. While study authors say more research is needed to examine other potential period-related vaccine side effects—like changes in symptoms or bleeding patterns—the results are still able to provide guidance to menstruating people and reassurance that the slight changes are "within the range of normal variability."
Here, experts help to parse out this new research on COVID-19 vaccines and changes in menstruation, and what they mean for you and your reproductive health.
Alex Sandoval
Research About COVID-19 Vaccines and Menstrual Cycles
Initially, researchers chose to examine the link between abnormal menstrual cycles and the COVID-19 vaccine due to anecdotal reports on social media and on VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System). According to researchers, the reports could lead to vaccine hesitancy—which is why more evidence was needed to accurately address people who menstruate on the effects a COVID-19 vaccine may have on cycles.
For the study, researchers looked at de-identified data from the fertility tracking app Natural Cycles. The cycle information from 3,959 people—2,403 vaccinated and 1,556 unvaccinated—represented 23,574 menstrual cycles, or six cycles for each person, all of whom were between the age of 18 and 45. In vaccinated people, that meant three pre-vaccine cycles and three post-first vaccine dose cycles. (It should be noted, however, that data from Natural Cycles is not nationally representative, according to The New York Times—the app's users are more likely to be white, college-educated, and thinner than the average woman.)
Overall, the data showed that COVID-19 vaccination was associated with small (but still statistically significant) increase to a person's menstrual cycle by about one day. In some people who received two COVID-19 shots over the course of one menstrual cycle, a two-day increase in cycle length was observed. There were no significant effects on period length itself, and, on average, cycles returned to normal after one month of being abnormal.
According to the study authors, the vaccine's effect on something called hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which helps regulate menstrual cycle timing may be at the root of these changes. The HPO axis "can be affected by life, environment, and health stressors," according to the study—and while researchers said the menstruation changes could not be explained by generalized pandemic stress, they wrote that "mRNA vaccines create a robust immune response or stressor, which could temporarily affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis if timed correctly."
That HPO axis is "so finely tuned that it can shut down or produce a change in cycling any time we introduce something new to the body," Dr. Taraneh Shirazian, MD, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone Health, tells Health—so it's not all that surprising that a vaccine could initiate such a response.
But while the vaccine can have a short-term effect on periods, it's important to remember that contracting COVID-19 could have an even longer effect: "In the most extreme cases, where you're admitted to the ICU and intubated, you can go months without menses," says Dr. Shirazian. "Severe COVID-19 illness doesn't just change your periods, but can cause reproductive repercussions far worse than one irregular cycle, like miscarriage, preterm labor, and other bad fertility-specific outcomes."
The COVID-19 Vaccine's Effect on Fertility
One major concern regarding the COVID-19 vaccine has been among people looking to get pregnant—particularly that the vaccine would affect their fertility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have specifically stated that there's no evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine would cause issues with becoming pregnant at any point, and this new study adds more evidence to that claim.
For reference: A normal menstrual cycle lasts between 24 and 38 days, and study authors verify that as much as an eight-day change in cycle length is still considered normal. That means even a one- or two-day change in cycle related to the COVID-19 vaccine is still not of clinical concern, according to researchers.
"If your period is off by a day, that doesn't mean you can't get pregnant," says Dr. Shirazian. "There's no biological mechanism to suggest the vaccine would cause any problems for future fertility. It doesn't affect your eggs. It doesn't affect your ovaries. It doesn't affect your uterus. It's just a small stressor that the body recovers from like anything else."
What if Your Period Changed in a Different Way?
Unfortunately, those answers doesn't exist right now—researchers said questions still remain around other possible changes to menstrual cycles like changes in menstrual symptoms, unscheduled bleeding, or the quality or quantity of menstrual bleeding.
One thing the study did help point out, however, is that perfectly regular cycles—ones that come exactly every 28 days, without fail, for example—are very rare, says Dr. Shirazian. And now, partly because of the COVID-19 vaccine, people may be watching their menstrual cycles more carefully. "All of a sudden, everyone is paying a lot of attention to their periods, and noticing what we already know: There is always some irregularity to the cycle," she says, citing what she calls observer bias. "You just notice [changes] more when you're really watching."
That said, if you're experiencing pain, heavy bleeding, or a period that's otherwise super out of whack, don't just chalk it up to baseline irregularity or the vaccine. Call your doctor—especially if you're among the women who've reported postmenopausal bleeding, as reported by the NYT. That can be a sign of endometrial or uterine cancer, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, and needs to be evaluated right away.
As for the information we do know right now—regarding menstrual cycle length and delayed periods—researchers say that the changes are insignificant and temporary. "The new data points to no significant change in period patterns with vaccination," says Dr. Shirazian. "It helps us understand that minor cycle changes are possible and common in response to vaccination, so women shouldn't be surprised if their cycles change slightly."
The information in this story is accurate as of press time. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.
Even People Who No Longer Menstruate Saw COVID Vaccine-Related Period Symptoms, Research Shows
Can the COVID-19 Vaccine Affect Your Period?
Messed Up Pandemic Periods? Here's Why That's Not Unusual
This Is Why Your Period Might Get Screwed Up When You Travel
COVID-19 Vaccine Shedding—Why Vaccine Shedding Won't Happen
Here's How Your Breasts Can Change During Your Menstrual Cycle
Going Off Birth Control: 12 Ways Your Body Could Change
10 Things That Can Throw Off Your Period
Shingles—Herpes Zoster—Infection May Be Linked to the COVID-19 Vaccine
Two Periods in One Month: How Does This Happen?
Progesterone as a Supplement: What To Know
Why You're Not Getting Pregnant: 6 Lifestyle Reasons To Consider
Facts About the Uterus Every Person Needs to Know
The Truth About Your Menstrual Cycle and Your Appetite
Reasons, Risks, and Treatment for Premature or Early Menopause
Side Effects of Ovulation


Barack Obama vs. John McCain: 2008 US Presidential Election
August 6, 2008 August 6, 2008 2008, 2008 Presidential Campaign, Barack Obama, John McCain, Lead Story
With three months until the election, Democratic Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator John McCain have started to lay the groundwork for their respective strategies for the November presidential election and both have spoken of reshaping the electoral map. The first steps of their general election strategies have been implemented and based on where they are campaigning and advertising it becomes clear what states they believe will decide the election.
Barack Obama has outlined his electoral map strategy and identified 18 states that his campaign will target. Of the eighteen, four states were won by John Kerry in 2004 (Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin) and fourteen of these states were won by George W. Bush in 2004 (Iowa, New Mexico, Ohio, Colorado, Virginia, Florida, Missouri, Nevada, Indiana, North Dakota, North Carolina, Montana, Georgia, and Alaska).
image from FiveThirtyEight.com
John McCain has also outlined his electoral map strategy, which is to hold the states that George Bush won in 2004 and go after a Washington, Oregon, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota which John Kerry won in 2004. McCain also lists several states that seem to be solidly in his column, including Arizona, Kentucky and West Virginia, but neglects to mention Virginia, which is now widely considered to be a swing state this year.
image from John McCain's Strategy Briefing
More info on 2008 swing states:
New York Times: Interactive Swing State Map
Real Clear Politics: Interactive Electoral Map
Five Thirty Eight: Electoral Predictions
270 to Win: McCain v. Obama Electoral Map
Salon: Swing States of 2008
Map Mash Political Maps
The Changing Electoral Map


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About Town December 15, 2022
Online series focuses on preserving Alaska's natural foods
Learn to safely preserve foods at home in a five-week series of online classes available statewide from January 7 to February 4, 2023. Sarah Lewis,...
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Mantle ewers were a popular decor item in the Victorian years between 1837 and 1901. Not a vase,...
About Town December 8, 2022
Wild ice
Yesterday's News News from 25-50-75-100 years ago
December 8, 1922 – Official announcement has been made by E. Brokke, representative of the Norwegian Young People's Society of the United States,...
Sons of Norway Holiday Bazaar
Holiday season kicks off with parade and tree lighting ceremony
December 1, 1922 – "I love them all – their father saved my life," rejoiced Mrs. A. W. Thomas, widely known Alaska sportswoman, as she...
Winter wind
The northern end of Mitkof Island caught its share of strong winds Tuesday, with overnight gusts of...
The Mitkof Mummers Theater Co. presents Dorothy in Wonderland
By Lizzie Thompson About Town November 24, 2022
McMahon's first solo exhibition arrives after decades of working with glass
Local artist Debi McMahon's first solo art exhibit will open at 5:30 p.m. this Friday at the...
About Town November 24, 2022
November 24, 1922 – Forced to turn out to sea for six days, with the engines running every minute without a stop, and one member of the crew kept a...
Observing Veterans Day
November 17, 1922 – In what is said to be an attempt to influence election judges in Southeastern Alaska, a suit was filed in the District Court rec...
Big preparations
Kinder Skog squad cleaned up
November 10, 1922 – In a talk before the Juneau Commercial Association luncheon, Roy Jones, an aviator from Ketchikan currently in Juneau with his...
About Town November 3, 2022
Halloween Cute and Brute
November 3, 1922 – The famous "Lost Rocker" placer gold claim for which prospectors have been searching for the past thirty years has been...
Dressing up for a cause
Eide and Lyons to wed
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PHS Cheer Squad is tak...Lizzie Thompson
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Vikings wrangle Wolves...


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PRINT March 2017
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K. M. Madhusudhanan, Parade, 2016, fiberglass, iron, rubber, 55 1/2 × 12 × 37".
K. M. Madhusudhanan
Vadehra Art Gallery | D-40
Joseph Stalin, a rubber horn, and a pig might seem like an incongruous mix. Yet K. M. Madhusudhanan pulled them all together in his sculpture Parade, 2016. By placing the erstwhile Soviet leader's torso atop a creature whose name is a byword for greed and ignorance, the artist pulled down a onetime icon from his lofty pedestal. Parade is a three-dimensional rendition of an untitled 2016 charcoal drawing from Madhusudhanan's ongoing series "The Marx Archive: Logic of Disappearance," 2014–. In these works, five of which were on display, symbols of power from the Soviet era are depicted in a state


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Fact Corner
India's Axar Patel Ranked 10th in ICC ODI Rankings. But How?
September 5, 2017 November 16, 2017 - by admin - Leave a Comment
It seems that now ICC must need to revisit its ranking structure big time. Recent shocking inclusion of India's slow left arm spinner Axar Patel in ICC top 10 bowlers in one day international matches must have also caught the spinner by a big surprise.
For a bowler who is making his way back into the Indian side after being thrown into wilderness for about 9 months which was largely due to Axar Patel's ordinary returns on spin friendly Indian pitches. To be jumped to # 10 in ICC top bowlers is a thing which only international cricket council can explain.
In a 34 matches old one day international career during which Axar Patel only managed to capture 41 wickets at an average of almost 30 runs per wicket. Axar hasn't had a match winning performance to his name in one day international cricket as yet as he only managed to pick up three wickets in an innings thrice in his international bowling career.
During his last 10 one day international matches spanned in 10 months Axar Patel just had a mediocre of 11 wickets to his name at an average of more than 32 runs per wicket with a best of 3 wickets for 34 runs against Sri Lanka. If you look at Axar Patel's recent form which becomes the main reason for his upward jump in ICC ratings than it will also not understandable that what he has done to impress the statistician who are behind this ICC ranking system.
Axar Patel was not a first choice spinner for this tour as he only came in to replace injured Ravindra Jadeja. In 4 matches of the series Axar Patel had added 6 wickets in his One Day International career on pitches where Indian bowlers dominated the game in every format.
If ICC continues to put anyone in top 10 bowlers than may be in coming months we will see a debutant start his international cricket career with # 1 rank in ICC bowling charts.
Glamorgan Signs Pakistan Fakhar Zaman for Vitality Blast 2019
Pakistan Players in Vitality Blast 2019
Ambati Rayudu announced Retirement from all forms of Cricket
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Did You Know! Who is the Youngest Player to score century on test debut
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Brexit Statement from Allgood plc
Current indications are that the UK Government intends to conclude a trade deal with the EU ahead of the March 2019 deadline for the UK's departure from the EU. However, this is far from certain, and Allgood – along with all UK businesses – must consider the possible impacts of a 'no deal' scenario.
Supply chain resilience
• Availability of product
• Lead times for supply of product
• Cost implications for imported goods
Currency risk
Taxation risk
Certification & standards
Allgood maintains a policy of 'UK first' in its manufacturing and sourcing decisions, and has done for years.
We are unique in the industry because we source 90% of our products from UK-based suppliers, including our own factory in Birmingham which manufactures around 25% of what we sell. The factory supplies Allgood alone and does not sell into the open market.
If border delays arise for imports following a 'hard Brexit', we are therefore largely insulated from potential product shortages, although we recognise that some of our UK suppliers are importers of raw materials and finished product. We are in discussions with them to understand their own contingency plans – such as to increase stock holdings – in the event of an abrupt departure.
Breakdown of spend
Spend By Location
% Spend
Spend By Currency
* Of which 24.20% is from our own factory.
Additionally, we maintain stock holdings in our central warehouse, as below:
We stock 6-8 weeks of all our own 'UK stock' SKU's.
We forward-buy and maintain WIP with our UK/Euro suppliers, an additional 8-12 weeks.
We stock 4-6 months of all our own 'China stock' SKU's.
We forward-buy and maintain WIP with our Chinese suppliers, an additional 8-12 weeks.
We forward-buy currency at preferential rates based on our projected annual spend.
Should the UK be obliged to trade with Europe under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules – which would be presumed to apply in the event of 'no deal' – certain tariffs will be applied on imported products, thereby increasing costs on that small proportion of our supply chain which is from the EU. We are studying the potential implications of this, but the impact is likely to be minimal given our limited exposure.
For non-GBP denominated purchases, we forward-buy currency based on our projected annual spend, and also negotiate 12 month forward material purchase rates for material used by our own factory.
The taxation (e.g. VAT) impact on our trade to and from the EU countries in case of a no-deal Brexit would be re-aligned to the procedures and rules currently relating to trading with non-EU countries, which Allgood already have in place, so the transition risk would be minimal.
Our customers, suppliers or even ourselves would not be adversely affected by cash flow impact on import/export taxation as the UK government would be introducing postponed accounting for import VAT on goods brought in (allowing us to account for import VAT on our VAT returns rather than when the goods arrive in the UK) and allow us to continue to zero-rate goods sold to EU customers.
Certification and standards
In response to this question; "Can the Commission confirm which UK conformity assessment bodies will be able to continue certifying products for sale on the EU market during the transition period? "The following was the response from the European Commission:
"In all other procedures than those covered by Article 123(6), UK authorities and UK designated bodies will continue to be recognised as competent authorities and competent bodies under Union law during the transition period. This will be the case, for instance, as regards type-approval of motor vehicles or certificates issued by notified bodies.
In other words, subject to the transitional period being agreed between UK and EU the UK notified bodies will continue to be recognised for certification by the European Commission.
Given that there is a precedent in the EU's commercial policy (e.g. with Canada), there is the potential for the mutual recognition of notified bodies in the future relationship between the UK and EU. This will be subject to agreement between UK and EU and will form part of the final negotiations, should a 'no deal' scenario arise.
In conclusion, we believe – in the event of 'no deal' and the application of WTO rules – that Allgood plc is well positioned to maintain supply and continue to offer our 90 day price guarantee on quoted projects.
For us to advise on specific projects, these should be discussed on a project by project basis, given that the product mix within projects varies depending upon the ranges specified. For example, a project designed using our Modric range and associated items would contain between 95-99% of UK-sourced product.
Alistair Higgins
Chief Executive, Allgood plc
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9 Things You Didn't Know About Poison
Snow White totally could have happened
By Mac Irvine
A new exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History explores the weird and wonderful world of poisons. Curated by evolutionary biologist Mark Siddall, "The Power of Poison" recreates a Columbian forest filled with deadly natural toxins, delves into the history of criminal ;poisonings, and brings to life famous fictional characters to investigate the science behind mythical poisons. The exhibit, which opened Saturday and runs through August 20, 2014, ends by examining how otherwise-deadly toxins can be used in medicine.
Here are nine little-known facts about poison you can impress your relatives with over Thanksgiving dinner. Or not.
Poison Dart Frogs Aren't Inherently Toxic
That is, until you let them eat. The batrachotoxins found on the skin of the frogs are likely synthesized from the insects they eat in the wild; frogs raised in captivity often produce no detectible toxins. Similarly, three New Guinean birds produce the same batrachotoxins thanks to beetles in their diet.© AMNH/T. Grant
Venomous And Poisonous? Not The Same
While the terms are often used interchangeably, the delivery method—not the substance—determines if something is venomous or poisonous. A venomous creature actively delivers toxins, typically with a sting, scratch, or bite. Poisonous organisms have poisonous tissue or secretions that are harmful to but not actively injected into others.©AMNH/R. Mickens
Cyanide Is Probably In Your Food
Either that, or a cyanide-producing compound. Six of the world's 10 leading food crops, including paddy rice, wheat, sugar cane, soy beans, cassava, and maize, contain varying amounts of compounds that metabolize into cyanide. So do lima beans, almonds, barley, and many fruit seeds and pits. You might not sprout an apple tree from your gut, but watch out for cyanide poisoning.Mullookkaaran via Wikimedia Commons
Eating Nicotine Can Be Good For You
The tobacco plant isn't the only source of nicotine. In fact, the defensive poison is found many plants, including some vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and cauliflower. Eating foods that contain small amounts of nicotine has even been linked to a decreased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.Hedwig Storch via Wikimedia Commons
A Poison Apple Could Have Paralyzed Snow White
Some poisons and venoms can incapacitate humans for up to a week. After a bite of an apple poisoned with pufferfish toxins, Snow White would become paralyzed in 4 to 20 hours. It can take up to a week to fully recover from a non-lethal dose. As for true love's restorative qualities: the jury's still out.©AMNH/R. Mickens
You Can Build Immunity To Some Poisons
Protein toxins produced by venomous snakes and some poisonous plants can be incredibly lethal, but small and properly administered doses of these lethal toxins can activate an immune reaction. This process of inoculation produces antibodies that reduce the severity of subsequent reactions. Snake handler Bill Haast regularly injected himself with snake venoms to increase his immunity. Other poisons, such as mercury and arsenic, accumulate in tissue over time, and prolonged exposure can be lethal.Bjørn Christian Tørrissen via Wikimedia Commons
Macbeth's Witches' Brew Was Full Of Real Poisons
Shakespeare's recipe calls for some grotesque-sounding ingredients like newt eyes, dog tongues, and wolf teeth. But most of these were common nicknames for poisonous plants. "Tooth of wolf" is the highly toxic monkshood, and "tongue of dog" is the carcinogenic houndstongue. Brewed with well-known poisons, such as yew, nightshade, and hemlock, the potion is loaded with aphrodisiacs, neurotoxins, anesthetics, and psychoactives. The witches likely didn't drink it, but inhaling the concoction's vapor could induce a powerful reaction thought to be a magical trance. A life-size model of the witches with their glowing brew is on display at AMNH.©AMNH/R. Mickens
Chemical Weapons Are Older Than You Might Think
Humans have used poisons as weapons for more than 3,000 years. Greeks tipped arrows and spears with poisons and tainted waters with toxic plants. But Roman soldiers favored a more unconventional biological warhead. Roman forces were said to throw fragile clay pots filled with venomous snakes or scorpions at their enemies. Here, the story of Hercules defeating a ravenous centaur with a Hydra-poison-tipped arrow appears on Greek-style urns at the AMNH exhibit.©AMNH/D. Finnin
Poisons And Venoms Can Be Good For You
While some early attempts to use poisons and venoms medicinally were ill fated, and they often deserve their infamy, scientists now use many toxins for medical treatments. Gila monster saliva lowers blood sugar, some viper venoms reduce blood pressure, killer cone snail venom is a powerful pain reliever, and poison yew bark was developed into one of the first chemotherapy drugs. Many more examples of these medicinal qualities line the walls of the exhibit's "Science for Good" section.©AMNH/D. Finnin


About ee News Embedded
High-performance RISC-V processors boost wearable and consumer products
By Jean-Pierre Joosting
Vector Cryptography Advanced Interrupt Architecture Virtualization Wearables RISC-V
SiFive has announced two new RISC-V processors that address the need for high performance and efficiency in a small size in high volume applications like wearables, smart home, industrial automation, AR/VR, and other consumer devices. The SiFive Performance™ P670 and P470 RISC-V processors bring unparalleled compute performance and efficiency that is significantly raising the bar for innovative designs in these high-volume markets. The modern and innovative SiFive design methodologies bring raw compute density that is a substantial advantage for Performance products and also translates into significant cost savings for customers.
"The P670 and P470 processors are specifically designed for, and capable of handling the most demanding workloads for wearables and other advanced consumer applications. These new products offer powerful performance and compute density for companies looking to upgrade from legacy ISAs," said Chris Jones, SiFive VP of Product. "We have optimized these new RISC-V Vector enabled products to deliver the performance and efficiency improvements the industry has long been asking for, and we are in evaluations with a number of top-tier customers. Additionally, as the upstream enablement of RISC-V has started within the Android Open Source Project, (AOSP), designers will have unrivaled choice and flexibility as they consider the positive implications with that platform for future designs."
"SiFive continues to be a market leader in the growing and maturing RISC-V space and again shows its leadership with its new SiFive Performance P670 and P470 RISC-V processors," said Todd R. Weiss, an analyst with Futurum Research. "These latest and powerful new processors give SiFive feature and performance advantages that will gain plenty of attention from device makers and consumers who want more from their devices."
The SiFive Performance P470 and P670 products offer a finely-tuned combination of compute-density, power efficiency, and robust feature sets ideal for a wide range of applications and markets:
Support for virtualization, including a separate IOMMU for accelerating virtualized device IO;
Full, Out-of-Order, RISC-V Vector implementation, based on the ratified RISC-V Vector v1.0 Specification;
First to market with the RISC-V Vector Cryptography extensions;
SiFive WorldGuard system security;
Full RISC-V RVA22 profile compliance;
New, Advanced Interrupt Architecture (AIA) compliant interrupt controller, with better support for Message Signal Interrupts (MSI) and virtualization;
Enhanced scalability with fully coherent multi-core, multi-cluster, with support for up to 16 cores.
P670 processors are ideal for applications like premium wearables, networking, robotics, and mobile. The P650, which excludes the vector unit, is already shipping to lead customers and is being used in applications that do not require the additional capabilities that vector compute offers or are more area constrained.
The feature rich P670 achieves a maximum frequency exceeding 3.4 GHz in 5nm and has performance of greater than 12 SpecINT2k6/GHz, offering optimized performance in a constrained area and power envelope. The P670 provides higher single threaded performance and 2x compute density compared to legacy products, and includes a 2x 128-bit Vector ALUs compliant with the ratified RISC-V Vector v1.0 specification.
The P470 is SiFive's first efficiency-focused Out-of-Order, area optimized, vector processor, ideal for applications like wearables, consumer, and smart home devices. Expanding on the proven P500-Series, the P470 is significantly smaller than competing offerings and is optimized to have best-in-class performance efficiency and area density.
The P470 was designed to also serve as a companion to the P670 processor for demanding applications that require a sharing of compute resources while optimizing power consumption. It offers a significant upgrade to legacy efficiency cores, achieving a maximum frequency exceeding 3.4 GHz in 5nm, and greater than 8 SpecINT2k6/GHz, within a minimal area and power envelope.
Other P470 features include: 4x compute density in comparison to leading competitor and a 1x 128-bit RISC-V Vector ALU compliant with the ratified RISC-V Vector v1.0 specification.
SiFive will also release the P450 — an area-optimized version of the P470 that excludes the Vector Unit.
www.sifive.com