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As you can see, we have a variety of images. They all are in different resolutions. Cats and dogs are in different shapes, positions, colors. They may be sitting, they may not. They may be happy or sad. Cats may be sleeping, dogs may be barking. Photographs can be taken from diffrent angles with a different zoom. An infinite number of configurations is possible. For a human, recognizing pets in a scene in a set of heterogeneous photographs comes naturally with no effort. This is however not a trivial task for a machine. In fact, automatic classification assumes to know how to robustly describe what makes a cat a cat and makes a dog a dog. This assumes to know the intrinsic features that describe each animal. What makes deep neural networks very effective at classifying images is their ability to automatically learn multiple levels of abstraction that simply characterize each class in a given classification task. They can recognize patterns with extreme variability, and with robustness to distortions and simple geometric transformations. Let's see how deep neural nets handle this.

National Persian Gulf Day is an annual observance in Iran that was first suggested in January 2004 and approved by the government in July 2005. It is celebrated on April 30 throughout the county, especially in the coastal cities of the gulf. The Persian Gulf is a mediterranean sea that lies between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Its name has been disputed for decades. Historically and internationally it is known as the Persian Gulf, but some Arab countries insist on using the name Arab Gulf. Iran only uses the historical name because it refers to the Persian Empire, the predecessor of present-day Iran. The name Persian Gulf is actively promoted by the Persian Gulf Online Organization (PGO). In 2004, it offered the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to establish a new observance dedicated to the Persian Gulf. A year and a half later, National Persian Gulf Day was officially created. The date April 30 was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the successful military campaign carried out by Abbas I of Persia. In April 1622, he took over the Portuguese garrison at Hormuz Island in the Persian Gulf and expelled Portuguese military from the gulf. Persian Gulf Day is marked with ceremonies held primarily in the coastal cities.

The fledgling Afghan National Army faces numerous obstacles in its efforts to become a force capable of maintaining security on its own. And, as the video below illustrates, the situation is made all the more difficult by the persistent use of hashish among troops. "I think if they introduced drug testing to the Afghan army we would lose probably three-quarters to maybe 80, 85 percent of the army," says one U.S. soldier. The U.S. marines training the Afghan army come across as consistently frustrated by how unfocused, and often high, many of the Afghans are. They complain repeatedly of soldiers coming to training without a lot of their gear, including their helmets. One U.S. Marine summed up the situation succinctly by saying: "Ultimately, it affects their ability to protect their nation and get Afghanistan on its feet."

" Until 1962, all streets in the medieval city centre were filled with cars and all the squares were used as car parks. As car traffic increased, conditions for pedestrians were rapidly deteriorating. On 17 November 1962, Copenhagen’s main street, Strøget was pedestrianised. This conversion was hotly debated at the time. People argued that a pedestrian street in Denmark would never work. However although scepticism was high, the new car free environment proved extremely popular with local residents from the first day. While pedestrian traffic levels have remained largely unchanged over past decades, activities connected with stopping and staying are almost four times greater than in 1968. During the summer months many of the pedestrian streets are full to capacity with people enjoying the many outdoor social and cultural activities. In the winter months attractions include festivals, and outdoor ice skating."

Despite legal bans and doctors’ warnings about trans fat, nearly one in 10 processed food products sold in the United States still contains it, according to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet most foods that contain trans fat don't list it on the label, so consumers are unwittingly eating it, according to the research. Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil to make it solid. (It's how food processors turn oils into margarine — once, of course, touted as a "health food.") It helps extend the shelf life of food, but has been linked to a variety of health problems, particularly higher “bad” cholesterol levels and lower “good” cholesterol levels. Even just a few grams a day can have this effect, studies have shown.

Salmon, thousands in number have managed to break the net and escape from a fish farm in Washington and are heading to the Pacific Ocean and probably even thriving. Native to the Atlantic, the 3, 05,000 fish are invasive to the Pacific and can cause damage to the marine life. The company is blaming the eclipse for the high tides that led to the fish escape making it easy for them to break away. The initial reports were that only 4,000 to 5,000 fish have escaped and now the company fears a much bigger loss. Environmentalists on the other hand are concerned about the damage the escaped salmon cause to the environment. They are fearful mostly about the Atlantic fish mating with the Pacific Chinook Salmon and also about stealing their food. The environmental damage range is between moderate and very serious as reported by the Guardian The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is trying to reduce the problem by asking people to volunteer and help catch the salmon. In fact people with a fishing license are allowed to catch them. A support from the fishing citizens can be a big help to evade the looming environmental damage.

This hub will tell you how to get a sugar daddy of your own. What could be better than getting tuition paid and being spoiled? We also give advice on how to navigate the world of sugar daddies and sugar babies. Men taking attractive women under their wing and financially supporting them is nothing new. Economic difficulties and rising college tuition prices have made this option even more popular for women. When you have a sugar daddy, he will take you out to nice restaurants, buy you clothes and jewelry, give you an allowance, pay your tuition, or even give you a car and a place to live -- all fully paid. How to Get a Sugar Daddy Present yourself with class. Be someone a man would be proud to carry on his arm. A man who is going to spend a lot of money on you wants you to be pleasant to be around and suitable to present to other people.

Spotting signs and getting help Radicalisation can be really difficult to spot. Signs that may indicate a child is being radicalised include: isolating themselves from family and friends talking as if from a scripted speech unwillingness or inability to discuss their views a sudden disrespectful attitude towards others increased levels of anger increased secretiveness, especially around internet use. Children who are at risk of radicalisation may have low self-esteem, or be victims of bullying or discrimination. Extremists might target them and tell them they can be part of something special, later brainwashing them into cutting themselves off from their friends and family. However, these signs don't necessarily mean a child is being radicalised – it may be normal teenage behaviour or a sign that something else is wrong. If you notice any change in a child's behaviour and you're worried, you can call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000

Britain has the shortest maternity stays and among the fewest doctors, hospital beds and cancer scanners in Europe, a damning report shows. The study by the Organisation for Co-operation and Development (OECD) comes as NHS managers draw up plans for sweeping cutbacks to hospital services. The new research suggests NHS services are already under worse strain than most countries across Europe, with the third lowest beds for its population. Midwives say pressure to send new mothers home early is leading to “conveyor belt care” with too many rushed out of hospital before they have recovered. British mothers spend the least time in hospital when they give birth, with an average stay of just 1.5 days - less than half the EU average of 3.2 days, the study shows.

Jamie Lee Curtis believes there is a "conspiracy" in Hollywood to make actresses have cosmetic surgery. The 51-year-old star thinks it's wrong that so many older actresses feel under pressure to change their appearance to try and keep working in the movie business. Resisting plastic surgery pressure ... Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver. Curtis said: "Everybody is saying that to get jobs you have to dye your hair and get injectables. It's a conspiracy, a complete catastrophe, a surgical industrial complex. Somehow we are being fed this belief that to continue on we have to do this. Yet people are being disfigured. It's shocking what people are doing to their faces." The actress is adamant she will never go under the knife and plans to quit acting in the next few years before she stops being considered for roles.

Banana peels are also rich sources of potassium and contain much more soluble and insoluble fiber than their flesh. Dietary fiber promotes digestion and bowel movements and can reduce blood cholesterol levels. Banana peels also contain tryptophan, which increases serotonin levels in the body and affects mood, much like the drug Prozac does. According to “Prescription for Nutritional Healing,” researchers in Taiwan discovered banana peel extract can ease depression because of its effect on serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for balancing mood and emotions. Others found that eating two banana skins a day for three days increased blood serotonin levels by 16 percent. Further, banana skin contains lutein, a powerful antioxidant that protects the eye from free radicals and harmful frequencies of UV radiation from the sun. Lutein has been proven to reduce the risks of cataracts and macular degeneration, as cited in “Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition.”

Blue whales are creatures that appeared in the Wii video game Endless Ocean. In the game they are the largest creatures that the player can interact with. Official description "It has a giant spindle-shaped body with a huge mouth and a pointed upper jaw. It is around 20m in length. Its pectoral fins are long and thin, its dorsal fin is positioned towards the rear of its raised backbone and its caudal fin is broad. Its body is grey tinged with blue and has a grey spotted pattern on it. The world's largest mammal with a body size of over thirty meters in length. The blowhole on top of their head can spray water up to ten metres high. There are approximately sixty ridges in their throats which expand while feeding. When swimming, the low frequency sounds they make suffer little decay under water and can reach other members from up to 150 km away. This species can swim incredibly quickly for their size and it is believed that around 300,000 once existed. However, with the advent of high speed vessels and explosive harpoons during the late nineteenth century, their numbers decreased rapidly due to over-fishing. though hunting no longer continues, they are endangered with numbers around 5,000."

There are no official statistics about the number of transgender people currently living in Iran or how many Iranians have had gender reassignment surgery. However, the BBC has reported that there are more sex change operations taking place in Iran than in Thailand, which is known to be one of the countries that has made the largest strides towards integrating its transgender population (a third sex is recognised on official documents and 2% of the Thai population is transgender).In 2014, an Iranian surgeon said he had carried about more than 1,800 gender reassignment surgeries. Moreover, more and more artists are using their work to talk about the experience of being transgender, especially within the cinema industry. One recent example is the film “ An Iranian Woman ”, which came out in 2011.

Restricted to heavy water (99.8%), rats drank it freely for the first day, then they drank progressively less and died within 14 days. When given a choice between distilled water and heavy water (99.8%) rats avoided heavy water partly by virtue of some deleterious effects of heavy water and partly by virtue of a faint smell of heavy water with which the untoward effects could be associated. Rats did not taste heavy water. Whether a higher viscosity of heavy water plays any part could not be determined. Apparently the low intensity of any untoward effects of heavy water and the faintness of its smell could explain the erratic variability of the reactions of rats to heavy water that put it in a different category from other substances tested so far.

Joe Skyward, the bassist who was a member of Sunny Day Real Estate and the Posies, has died. The Posies confirmed the news, saying he died surrounded by family and friends. Skyward, commonly referred to as Joe Bass, was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was 57. Skyward was born Joseph Howard in Cleveland. In the 1990s, he was a member of Sky Cries Mary. He later joined the Posies for two albums: 1996's Amazing Disgrace and 1998's Success. When he left the Posies, he became a touring member of Sunny Day Real Estate. He sang and played bass on their 1999 album Live. In the 2000s, he played with the Walkabouts, the Long Winters, and Sunny Day Real Estate's Jeremy Enigk. He also released some solo recordings under the name Skyward. He recently rejoined the Posies and toured with them until he was diagnosed with cancer. "Joe was larger than life, talented, possessed of a huge heart and an equally large appetite for living...he was one of a kind," wrote the Posies' Jon Auer. "I loved him very, very much. I'm thankful for the many great and crazy times spent with him."

This is where engineering student teams come in. These teams usually operate as extracurriculars, with only a handful of students participating. These teams tackle problems that range from building a race car to designing nano-robotics. They need support with everything from software development to business and fundraising. My experience with student teams has been the most valuable part of my undergraduate education. I joined the University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team in my first year. At the time, the team was working on developing a hydrogen-electric plug in hybrid vehicle. A real challenge to solve a real problem. I learned about embedded development, power electronics, powertrain modelling, automotive repair, and much more. I had access to costly hardware and software, including a prototype General Motors fuel cell stack. Not through a course that I was paying for, but through a small, dedicated group of students. Aside from the hands on experience, I have had the opportunity to travel, meet people, and work with a team. I found that employers value this experience, which leads to internships and job offers.

Howard became an ordained minister after his near death experience and has spoken to every type of Christian, and many other groups interested in spirituality. He has been interviewed on dozens of national television shows and radio programs. He has traveled around the world and supported missions globally. Thousands of people have found happiness and peace with themselves and their Creator because of his influence. You can have complete security in your importance to God and your eternal future in heaven. Perhaps you have been disillusioned with religion? There is a no perfect church because the church is made of flawed humans. This is about your relation to God and what God wants to give you so you can have amazing grace. Please allow Howard to share the love he experienced with you which was freely given to him.

I married my best friend write a story - written about 5 years ago A chance meeting, as rare as anything... he walked into my world a stranger but the connection was instantaneous and intense. Just one look our eyes met and he touched the deepest reaches of my soul. Never had anyone ever been able to touch me in that way with their eyes alone.... to where the world stopped spinning for an instant, everything vanished, it was just he and I. That was it, from that day forward we saw each other every single day.... 19 years later.... it is just the same, but even more intense. He is my best friend, we laugh together, cry together and even argue together, sometimes just for the fun of it. He is my soul mate...the one intricate piece that was missing from me, that I could not reach nor find... he is that and I am that for him and together we are connected mind, body and spirit for always.

Doris Roberts, best known as mama Marie Barone on "Everybody Loves Raymond," has passed away, according to TMZ. She was 90. The actress' career started back in the '50s and '60s, with appearances on television shows like "Studio One," "Ben Casey" and "Naked City," before playing Donna Pescow's mother on "Angie" from 1979-1980. She followed that up with an Emmy-winning appearance on "St. Elsewhere" in 1981 and a regular role as Mildred Krebs on "Remington Steele," which also nabbed her a Supporting Actress nomination. Everett Collection Doris would go on to pick up four more Emmy Awards for her work on "Everybody Loves Raymond," winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005. She was also nominated for the series in 1999, 2000 and 2004. Roberts also appeared in films like "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three," "Grandma's Boy," and "Madea's Witness Protection." She was married to Michael Cannata from 1956-1962, before marrying William Goyen in 1963. She remained married to Goyen until his death in 1983. Roberts is survived by Michael Cannata, Jr., her only son.

This Social Business top list of farm-influenced social innovations call on an increasingly normalized way of looking at urban life that does not necessarily work to "sacrifice" a life in the country, that is, a life with fresh air, trees, access to outdoor spaces that are safe, simple ingredients not treated with chemicals and the like. The question becomes, however, who gets access to these farm-influenced social innovations and who does not, despite the seeming rise in a "back to the earth" type of state of mind. From dairy farm e-businesses to closed loop plant systems, many of these ventures work in both rural and urban areas and some are more people-oriented and others, more strictly focused on direct impacts to the planet strictly speaking, its ecosystems and animals.

Citing "people familiar with the matter," The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Microsoft was in advanced talks to buy Finnish smartphone manufacturer Nokia. However, a sale is now unlikely. The newspaper reports that talks faltered and "aren't likely to be revived." The WSJ claims that the two parties were close to an oral agreement but that Microsoft walked away from the deal after disagreements over the asking price. Additionally, Nokia's market position—trailing both Apple and Samsung as it is—was a sticking point. Nokia is, nonetheless, the biggest manufacturer by far of Windows Phone handsets and appears to be slowly increasing its market share. The deal may have potentially been sweetened by the fact that Microsoft could have used offshore cash to make the purchase. This would have allowed the company to avoid the tax liability incurred by moving the money to the US. Microsoft did this for its 2011 Skype purchase.

Not only did PlayStation Experience open with a massive gameplay reveal of Uncharted 4 but they were quick and short to get to the numbers. During the keynote speech at PlayStation Experience Shawn Layden, President and CEO at SCEA quickly shouted out that the PlayStation 4 is the “Fastest selling console of all time.” It was quite a boast and sent the fans into an uproar. This event not only is for the fans of PlayStation but seems to be a way for PlayStation to assert their dominance as the leaders in the next-gen console wars. Fans have come from all around the world to show their PlayStation appreciation and it shows not only with fans coming out, but it also shows in the sales. Going into the major holiday season, this is a big step for PlayStation.

The Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter is a popular Microsoft tool, allowing customers that use VMware to convert virtual machines and disks Hyper-V hosts and Microsoft Azure. Version 3.0 has just been released and now adds the ability to convert physical machines to VMs running on Hyper-V hosts. It supports: Windows Server – 2008 or above Windows Client – Vista or above The updated version is here: Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter 3.0 Microsoft has been steadily improving MVMC, so much so, that in April of this year, when version 2.0 released, a Microsoft partner decided to drop their own solution. The partner, Xtreme, had developed its solution due to missing pieces in MVMC that customers were requesting. With version 3.0 released, Microsoft is intent on delivering a tool that can easily migrate on-premises workloads to the Cloud.

Introductory article exploring how the ubiquity of religion points us towards God's existence. Arguments for God's Existence A summary of four philosophical arguments for God's existence. The Ontological Argument The claim that God doesn't exist makes no more sense than the claim that four-sided triangles do. Objections to the Ontological Argument The First Cause Argument From nothing, comes nothing. The universe simply cannot have popped into existence uncaused. Objections to the First Cause Argument The Argument from Design The universe is exactly as it needs to be for human beings to flourish. Christianity can explain this; atheism cannot. Objections to the Argument from Design The Moral Argument Morality consists of a set of authoritative commands. Only God could issue such commands. Objections to the Moral Argument Lord, Liar, Or Lunatic? Jesus was either much less than, or much more than, a great human being.

WITH a breathtaking show of force, the world's most powerful dam has launched into full operation. Amazing images show the last of the 32 generators at the Three Gorges Dam in China being switched on, roaring into action just as the biggest flood peak since 1981 hit the area. Built on the Yangtze River in the Hubei Province, the dam is the world’s largest hydropower project and generates the same power as fifteen nuclear reactors. Water gushed into the dam’s reservoir at 71, 200 cubic metres per second as it battled to take the edge of a fierce flood. The project also set a record for the number of people displaced - more than 1.2 million, and the number of towns flooded - 13 cities, 140 towns, 1350 villages.

1. Practice good personal grooming habits. If you are going to have colored hair, keep your roots covered. If you are going to have fake nails, keep them filled. Take care of your skin, take care of your teeth. 2. Dress modestly. Gain attention through who you are rather than the parts of your body you choose to expose. It is worth far more in the long run. 3. Certain fashion staples will always remain timeless. A few conservative dresses, a string of pearls, a nice handbag and a good pair of pumps should always be in your wardrobe. 4. Write thank you notes. It is one of the best ways to make a good impression and literally takes five seconds. It is a dying art that so desperately needs to be revived. If someone is nice enough to give you a gift or recommend you to a position, the least you can do is give them a proper thank you. People remember thank you notes. 5. Get involved. Join societies and organizations that have a positive influence in your community. Create positive exposure for yourself.

Samsung has developed an antenna smaller than 1mm and a power amplifier that will make devices and radio stations smaller for 5G usage, the company has said. The South Korean tech giant said it developed the ultra-small antenna by separating functions that can be attached separately to the case of the device. It has also developed a power amplifier that amplifies wireless signals, which doubles the power output of previous high-frequency ones with significant less power consumption, the company said. Devices and radio stations used for 5G demonstrations have been previously too big for commercialisation and this new technology overcomes that, it added. 5G uses ultra-high spectrum with a short range to secure speed that requires more radio stations than 4G, which means making them smaller is a crucial task for vendors. The newly developed technology will be used for 5G radio stations for 28GHz spectrum designated by South Korea's Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning for testing. The company began the development of 5G technology in 2011 and showed off a data transmission speed of 1Gbps in 2013. In 2014, it showed a data transmission of 1.2Gbps in a moving car going at 110 km/h. Earlier this year, it demonstrated handover technology between ultra-high spectrum radio stations.

She is anti-Muslim, of course, with all the usual trappings, and has called for the end of dual citizenship; French citizens who also hold citizenship in other nations, like Israel, would be forced to relinquish one or the other (with the exception of other European Union nations and, conspicuously, Russia.) Her campaign, like Trump's, has received the backing of Russian state hackers; French intelligence agencies are bracing for further interventions. Like Trump, her campaign has responded by backing Putin, demanding the end of sanctions against Russia, and even defending the Russian invasion of Crimea. So those are the "shared values" Rep. Steve King is celebrating as he dodges constituents back home to meet with Marine Le Pen instead. The Republicans aren't making it subtle anymore. They seem to believe they no longer need to.

A person who thinks all the time has nothing to think about except faults, so he loses touch with reality and lives in a world of illusions. By thought I mean the chattering inside the skull; perpetual and compulsive repetition of words, of calculations, and symbols going on inside the head. For as a result of confusing the real world of nature with mere signs, such as money, stocks and bonds, title deeds, and so forth. This is a disaster. Time to wake up. Alan Watts (1915-1973) who held both a master's degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity, is best known as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism in particular, and Indian and Chinese philosophy in general. He authored more than 20 excellent books on the philosophy and psychology of religion, and lectured extensively, leaving behind a vast audio archive. With characteristic lucidity and humor Watts unravels the most obscure ontological and epistemological knots with the greatest of ease.

On 13 September 2016, at 1 a.m., although the cease-fire had just come into force, the Israëli aviation attempted to destroy a combat position in the South of Syria and certain military installations near Damascus. The Syrian Arab Army fired at and hit the planes with new generation missiles. One of the planes crashed in jihadist-held territory, the other managed to land in Israël. Tsahal at first denied the two incidents, then recognised having violated Syrian air space and admitted that Syria had fired on their planes. The available information does not enable us to know exactly what the Israêli planes were (F-15, F-16, or F-35), nor if the missiles were fired by Hezbollah or by the Syrian Arab Army, nor what type of missiles they were or who built them. Clearly, however, they were new equipment, much more efficient than the older models, and capable of altering the balance of power.

This cloud has nothing to do with the weather. It's a cloud of snot, and when propelled by a sneeze, it can carry droplets 200 times farther than experts previously thought, according to research published in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics. After filming people coughing and sneezing at high speed, mathematicians and engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ran mathematical models and simulations to investigate the cloud's role. Approaching the violent respiratory event from a fluid mechanics perspective, the researchers found that some previous assumptions about sneezes were wrong. The largest mucus and spittle particles, for example, do not travel the farthest, even though that is what momentum would predict. Unexpectedly, the tiniest droplets all interact with the gas instead of operating individually. Caught up in the cloud, they behave more like a whiff of smoke than the spray of a garden hose. As a result, whereas the large droplets travel up to four feet, the small droplets can reach eight feet. This finding may be fundamental to our ability to control the spread of disease. A gaseous cloud of hitchhiking microbes could travel far enough to reach ventilation units, meaning its dispersal potential is much greater than had been assumed. The work could help researchers estimate the disease-spreading potential of various air conditioners and map how pathogens may ultimately float around an office, airplane or home.

"Jewish Anarchists" traces the history of a Yiddish anarchist newspaper publishing its final issue. The story is mostly told by the newspaper's now elderly, but decidedly unbowed staff. This is the story of one of the largest radical movements among Jewish immigrant workers in the 19th and 20th centuries and the conditions... "Jewish Anarchists" traces the history of a Yiddish anarchist newspaper publishing its final issue. The story is mostly told by the newspaper's now elderly, but decidedly unbowed staff. This is the story of one of the largest radical movements among Jewish immigrant workers in the 19th and 20th centuries and the conditions that led them to band together. These elderly anarchists reflect on their lives spent fighting for a less centralized government, workers’ rights and above all, justice for all. In doing so, strong social bonds were formed while authorities, including managers, police and the government, put psychological and physical pressure on them.

Literature PrussiaXReader My Hero Part 4 Your eyes blinked open. They felt heavy and your vision was blurry for a second but quickly returned to normal. You didn't try to get up. Your back ached and your right eye was swollen shut. You turned to your right and you saw a small desk with a lamp on it that was beside a window placed on the wall. You looked to your left and saw a closet and a few other items on the floor but nothing was of much interest. The walls were a light cream color and the room was spotless and neat. This isn't my room... You didn't recognize the room and no one was in it with you. You started to get a little lonely. It was bright outside and looked like the middle of the day but the house was silent. All you could hear was a faint ringing noise caused by the silence that surrounded you. "Do you think she's awake yet?" You faintly hear a rough voice from outside the door. It seemed like forever since you'd last heard another human being. You wanted to yell that you were in here and awake but you wer

At the end of their stint in Vietnam, Col. John "Hannibal" Smith and his team were framed for robbing the Bank of Hanoi (which they had done, but under orders), and sent to a US military prison. They escaped and went on the run, pursued first by Col. Lynch and later by Col. Decker. While on the lam, they became heroes for hire, working as good-guy vigilantes around the US or the world. Hannibal was their leader and an expert at disguises. Face was the team's con artist and ladies man. BA (officially "Bad Attitude") was their mechanic, but also took care of mayhem and intimidation. The final member of the Team, "Howling Mad" Murdock, was an expert pilot, and a certified lunatic--they broke him out of a mental hospital whenever they needed him for a mission. Written by Marg Baskin <[email protected]>

Exotic pets are a hugely diverse group of animals that range from betta fish to Bengal tigers. Therefore, it is often erroneously assumed that all exotic (or non-domesticated) cats in captivity pose the same threat to the populace as would a lion or leopard. In reality, there are a few small cat species that most people don't even know exist that make reasonable pets for the right owners. Tigers, lions, and cheetahs often steal the spotlight in wildlife documentaries and zoos, which can become a problem for the unknown small cat species that are in desperate need of public attention due to their threatened statuses in the wild. However, nearly all of the smaller to medium-sized cats that are sometimes kept as pets in the United States are not endangered or threatened. Given their small size and natural history, they are not animals that would seek to prey on humans. For pet owners expecting the behavior of domesticated dogs and cats, exotic cats might seem like challenging animals. The differences between owning exotic cats and the typical domesticated cat is much like comparing a sky diver to a golf player. However, for more adventurous pet owners, with the right income, living situation, and permits (or laws not regulating the ownership of the animal), they can be exceptionally rewarding. Electing to care for animals like these is life changing and it is not a decision to be taken lightly.

The shots seem impossibly composed, consisting of light that arcs and twists like a tornado in the night skies, but the process of creating them is much simpler than you might first imagine. Martin Kimbell twirls, tosses and hurls LED sticks then uses long-exposure techniques to capture the twisting, turning and arcing patterns that result from each throw. Some of the loops look like natural phenomena, swirling dust, stormy cyclones or campfire smoke, for instance, except spun from bright and colorful lights instead of organic materials. Others trajectories are simpler and captured in black-and-white instead. Inspired by Stu Jenks and other light artists, Kimbell is a “freelance photographer based in Nottingham, England, specialising in light painting and action sports photography.” You can see more of his photography beyond this type on Flickr as well, and be sure to check out Diliz who crafts figures from sparklers in a much different style.

The Underwater Post Office is situated in Vanuatu, an island nation located in South Pacific Ocean that consists of 82 small, geologically newer islands. The post office is just three meters below the surface and only 50 meters offshore the Port Villa, on Highway Island. Since its opening in 2003, approximately 100,000 visitors have posted at least one of the special postcards available in Vanuatu which are “canceled” underwater with an embossing cachet. The postcards are collected regularly from the underwater mail box by a scuba diver from Vanuatu Post which often stays in the “office” and expects the customers. In this case, visitors from around the world pick up their masks and snorkels, buy a postcard and dive to meet with the postman. More information about the Vanuatu Underwater Post Office here.

The Problem By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth’s population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster? A potential solution: Indoor farming

Image caption The image was created by the test crew of an Airbus A380 An Airbus pilot in Germany has delivered an early festive present by tracing the outline of an enormous Christmas tree during a test flight. The crew, which was testing an Airbus A380, produced a colourful image clearly rendered on the flight tracking website Flightradar24. The tree, complete with baubles, stretched for hundreds of kilometres from Hamburg to Stuttgart in the south. The jet will eventually be flown by Dubai carrier Emirates. The tree was rendered in several colours, reflecting the plane's varying altitudes. No passengers were on board. Flightradar24 is a live flight-tracking website that shows air traffic in real time. Last month, a US Navy pilot was strongly reprimanded for using contrails to trace a penis over the state of Washington.

“Benjamin Bowles is truly an American success story. His love and interest in Classical Fencing directed him to study the criteria and proper construction of an authentic classical fencing weapon. While training as a fencer under the tutelage of both Maestro Jeannette Acosta-Martinez and myself he expressed his desire to learn about the construction of classical fencing weapons. Benjamin received his initial training on how to make grips and assemble classical fencing weapons from us as part of his education. He also carefully studied a large selection of 19th century antique foils from our personal collection, as well as others. His enthusiasm and drive lead him to seek out the knowledge and advice of other experts and learn various aspects of manufacturing. Ben is a person that says what he does and does what he says; a true go-getter and a solutions oriented individual. Always smiling and expressing a positive attitude everywhere he goes.”

Two hands raised in the air is a classic gesture of surrender to authority. But protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, have turned it into a defiant symbol and a rallying cry: "Hands up, don't shoot!" Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot to death by a police officer on Saturday, August 9, in the St. Louis suburb. Eyewitnesses say that when the last shots were fired, Brown had his hands up. Ever since, many of Ferguson's black residents have vented their frustration, anger, and sadness at a variety of protests, boldly facing a heavy, intimidating police presence with their hands in the air. And like that, the gesture of submission that police often demand of civilians has become a provocative challenge. These photographs offer a glimpse of the way "hands up, don't shoot" has come to define the Ferguson demonstrations.

to the amount of wealth they possess. Because of it's PoS feature, Nano is generally considered more energy efficient than Bitcoin. Nanocurrency (NANO) is the re-branded name of RaiBlocks (XRB) which was created by Colin LeMahieu to solve its scalability problem, high transfer time, and high fees. He moved to the project full time in 2017 to advance Nano's development. Nano is now backed by small team of developers. Nano is an independent cryptocurrency based on Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAG) which utilizes a block-lattice data structure. This is a main characteristic that sets it apart from other currencies like Bitcoin. Each account holder of Nano has a provision to maintain a private Blockchain where every block contains a single transaction. This features eliminates the need for mining and allows almost instant and zero fee transactions. Nano is PoS system where participants vote with a weight equivalent Show more [+]

The Bureau and Law Enforcement ATF recognizes the role that firearms play in violent crimes and pursues an integrated regulatory and enforcement strategy. Investigative priorities focus on armed violent offenders and career criminals, narcotics traffickers, narco-terrorists, violent gangs, and domestic and international arms traffickers. Sections 924(c) and (e) of Title 18 of the United States Code provide mandatory and enhanced sentencing guidelines for armed career criminals and narcotics traffickers as well as other dangerous armed criminals. ATF uses these statutes to target, investigate and recommend prosecution of these offenders to reduce the level of violent crime and to enhance public safety. ATF also strives to increase State and local awareness of available Federal prosecution under these statutes. To curb the illegal use of firearms and enforce the Federal firearms laws, ATF issues firearms licenses and conducts firearms licensee qualification and compliance inspections. In addition to aiding the enforcement of Federal requirements for gun purchases, compliance inspections of existing licensees focus on assisting law enforcement to identify and apprehend criminals who illegally purchase firearms. The inspections also help improve the likelihood that crime gun traces will be successful, since inspectors educate licensees in proper record keeping and business practices.

Black Panther, Episode 1 Black Panther is a cartoon series by Marvel Animation in partnership with BET, which was blocked from being aired in the US. The creators manipulated the establishment into producing it, but only after it was financed and previewed did the establishment realize what had happened and then yanked it from airing. It is a most political savy cartoon and DVD sales have been atop the charts of comic movies since its release, making it a favorite of many. If you understand the West and its relationship to Afrika this will be one of your favs too! Alfre Woodard, Kerry Washington, Jill Scott and Djimon Hounsou starring as Black Panther, round out an all star cast for this wonderful and valuable work of art. Watch, learn, enjoy and share.

My Secret Santa did a remarkable job. First off, the note included with his card was incredibly sweet, and I really appreciate his gesture. He nailed my likes spot on. I received two books by two of my favorite authors, both of which I do not own (until now!). He also included a really adorable set of magnetic bookmarks, and I will use all of them because I am always reading more than one book at once. He also provided me with a $25 gift card to Bath and Bodyworks! I am in love with their candles, and I have a whole shelf in my dresser dedicated to their candles. Now the collection can continue. Thank you so much, Secret Santa! You really made my first exchange special. I cannot wait to continue the tradition.

The aim of the research, led by scientist, Kathy Niakan, is to understand the first week of an embryo's development. This knowledge could ultimately be used to provide better treatments for infertility. "Niakan's proposed research is important for understanding how a healthy human embryo develops and will enhance our understanding of IVF success rates, by looking at the very earliest stage of human development ," Paul Nurse, director of the institute, said on its website. The research now needs to gain further ethical approval from the Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee in East England and subject to that will begin in the next few months. The HFEA said that to its knowledge, the U.K. researchers would be the first to use the technique outside of China. As with all embryos used in research in the U.K., it will be illegal to transfer them into a woman. The embryos will be donated by IVF patients who have given their "informed consent" to the donation of their surplus embryos, the Crick said on its website.

A teenage girl and her mom think Crestwick will be a great place for them to have a new beginning but little do they know, the house they are moving into has been plagued by an evil demon known as Nefas dating back into the 1800's. Nefas has fed on the souls of innocent young girls and now has a new target. In order to save this teenage girl and her mother, a skeptical, small town doctor is forced to confront his own demons before another girl suffers a gruesome fate in his family's old house. The film was inspired from real events from the 1870's and has been updated to give a fresh perspective on possession and the pure evil that Nefas has been known to bring.

With the American Civil War dragging on the USA and the CSA enter a ceasefire agreement in 1866. Slavery continues in the South. Following international pressure slavery is finally abolished in 1896 but instead a harsh regime of racial segregation is set in place. Economic inequality soars and not all whites are doing well either. With a small elite of large landowners growing more and more wealthy a large impoverished rural proletariat arises. The government of the CSA proves unwilling to remedy the economic inequalities. The underground Left Socialist Party of the CSA gains popularity among the rural poor and is one of the only places in the South were the races are not segregated. The government of the CSA becomes more and more repressive and violent which only serves to increase the unpopularity of the regime among the working class. The socialists grow more and more conscious and carries out clandestine attacks on police stations, military bases and other governmental institutions. Finally in 1919 these attacks turn into open revolt. The old regime is unpopular and looses the battles and in 1921 the president flees to Cuba along with most of the elite. This makes way for the proclamation of the Confederate Socialist States of America.

We face another budget crisis and possible government shutdown as early as January, unless Congress can come together on a bipartisan basis to cut spending. The Affordable Care Act is far from the only program that should be repealed. Both Democrats and Republicans must be willing to cut programs that are championed by special interests in their parties. There can be no more “sacred cows.” Policy experts at the Cato Institute have put together a plan that balances the budget and reduces our dangerously high debt burden by cutting more than $3 trillion over 10 years. It builds on good ideas from both liberals and conservatives to expand individual freedom and reduce the burden of government. You can read more about needed reforms at DownsizingGovernment.org, a project of the Cato Institute.

"[I]t was President Obama himself who suggested that seniors who don't have as long to live might want to consider just taking a pain pill instead of getting an expensive operation to cure them," said Huckabee. "Yet when Sen. Kennedy was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at 77, did he give up on life and go home to take pain pills and die? Of course not. He freely did what most of us would do. He choose an expensive operation and painful follow up treatments. He saw his work as vitally important and so he fought for every minute he could stay on this earth doing it. He would be a very fortunate man if his heroic last few months were what future generations remember him most for."

In the end, there is a reason that many of the people who I am concerned about aren’t aware of my situation. It is not like I speak to them on a daily or even monthly basis. What I do know is that it is good for everyone involved. I am sure some people will surprise me while others will disappoint. The fact that this may be the first time some of them realize they know someone who is transgender is a good thing. I am tired of being afraid. I am tired of avoiding difficult situations. Though this is not the time and place I would have chosen to be faced with having to deal with this, I will do so. I will do it while keeping my cool and holding my head up high. After all, this is not about me and I will do everything I can to make sure it stays that way without compromising who I am. It is how my grandmother would have wanted me to handle it. What I do know is that I loved my grandmother dearly and I am going to miss her. I will honor her life by being the best person I can, by passing on the lessons she taught me, and loving others without condition, just as she always did.

Early in the 20th Century, individuals who suffered from mental illness had little hope of recovery. Psychiatric medications had yet to be discovered, and the afflicted were often locked away in overcrowded asylums. In 1935 a radical new medical procedure, called a lobotomy, was being performed on the most severely mentally ill. Initially this form of brain surgery appeared to offer hope for patients by lessening the severity of psychotic symptoms. This is the gripping tale of Dr. Walter Freeman, who in 1936 began performing the operation, and championed it as a general cure for everything from psychosis to misbehavior in children. The ambitious neurologist devoted his life to perfecting and promoting the procedure. By the 1940’s, doctors from 50 state asylums were routinely utilizing his technique, and by 1956 over 40,000 people had been lobotomized in America. Once hailed by the Nobel Committee as a hero of modern medicine, Dr. Walter Freeman would ultimately be labeled a moral monster.

When and as I see that I am imagining pretend consequences of scenarios where I am late for work, I stop, and I breathe. I bring myself back to common sense by reminding myself that I am rarely late because I manage myself and my time in such a way to prepare myself to get to work on time, that this job is not the only way to support myself in this world, that I can live in such a way to avoid large debt, that I already have enough references for work and even if I didn’t, I could still get a job and make new references, and with the skills I am developing, namely discipline, perseverance and consistency, I know I ca be successful at most jobs I can get.

Tom Miller always thought of himself as being as average as they come. He had resigned himself to the job he hated and the little town he had grown up in. His stale life is turned on its head when his friend tells him of a strange stone box hidden in a nearby cave. In the process of attempting an amateur archaeological investigation, he finds a beautiful young woman in the sarcophagus. To his shock, she is very much alive. As she explains her story, Tom finds himself questioning everything he had ever dared to think about the universe. It isn’t long before he finds himself part of a painful choice between love and responsibility. Aizli: Between Worlds is a novella with a length of approximately 30,000 words.

Elude aims to raise awareness for depression and to inform about this dangerous illness. It is specifically intended to be used in a clinical context as part of a psycho-education package to enhance friends' and relatives' understanding of people suffering from depression about what their loved ones are going through. Modeling what depression feels like by contrasting it with other mood states (normal and happy), Elude portrays depression metaphorically. The various parts of the game-world represent emotional landscapes that correspond to different moods with the gameplay changing according to mood changes. The core gameplay (i.e. "normal mood") happens in a forest filled with "passion" objects that resonate and act as power ups when one calls out to them. Only when infused with passion is it possible to overcome the obstacles on the way to the tree tops, where one reaches "happiness".

As much as I want to say Exploration, as I'm the type to go down a dark alleyway just to see where it leads, I think that's not where I'll end up. Diplomacy is probably my strong suit. It's amazing how many friends you can win with dirty jokes. Plus, I really have this strong desire to want people to like me. But at the same time, I also really want to be useful. I'm having fun attempting to get better at dog fighting, and a good fighter might be really valuable. I also tend to take on roles like medic and healer in other games, again, so I can be as useful as possible (and people have an interest in keeping me alive). How's that for a succinct answer?

This stuff is so cool. I got it for my boyfriend because he really likes science and rocks and stuff like that. It comes in a nice hard little plastic tube with a pop off cap. If you hold the container in your hand for a while, the gallium will melt and you can pour it out into your hand. It is so cool and interesting to be able to hold a melted metal in your hand because it's liquid like water but still heavy feeling like metal. It's not too hard to pour back into the container but it can get a little messy so I would not recommend using it near carpet or with clothes that you don't want to possibly have stained. It's a really cool gift for someone who loves science or even just to get to teach your kids something. Everyone that we have showed this too loved it and thought it was super cool.

There is a very old tradition taught by indigenous elders from the Americas that trains us to use the voice of the mind to be free of the voice. The term these elders use for this process is called “stalking.” It is understood that the word stalking has some negative connotations in our society. However, stalking is an honored part of this Medicine Way. These societies were hunter-gatherers: Just as they stalked animals for their energy, we have been taught to stalk the voice in the mind for its energy.In stalking, we use three areas to assist us in finding energy. The first area is our thoughts: judgmental and critical, future or past, and self-pitying. The second place we look for energy is emotion: Am I having an emotional reaction to this person or event? The third area of awareness is physical: If I am unaware of my thinking or emotional responses I can almost always become aware of physical tension or upset in the body.Stalking is proactive in that I begin to look for judgmental/critical thoughts and when and where they occur. For example, if someone cuts me off in traffic, I can be aware of how q …

This is a very serious matter. Way back when, ponies used to keep their elbows close to their torsos because that's where their elbows are anatomically located. Flash symbols were drawn with a little bit extra lines to prevent the legs from blending in with the torso. These lines soon turned into upper arms, changing the ponies' front legs into human arms. Each style has its own use case. When the ponies are emoting like ponies, they should have pony anatomy and their elbows should be attached to their torsos. When the ponies are emoting like humans, they can have either pony anatomy or human anatomy. Trouble starts when the ponies are standing around like ponies and emoting like ponies, but they're given human anatomy. This leads to a dangling elbow or Z-shaped legs. Dangling elbows are especially prominent in fan art and there are even tutorials that teach this wrong anatomy. Thankfully there are tutorials that teach correct anatomy too. Won't somebody think of the elbows!

A new free mobile game, called “Everyday Racism” has been developed for iOS and Android that lets the user experience how it feels to be an Indian student living in Australia, or a Muslim woman, or an Aboriginal man. The alternate-reality game developed by “All Together Now” is based on microaggressions, which continue to perpetuate harmful attitudes that marginalize minorities, Cnet reports. “All Together Now” is a collaboration between the University of Western Sydney, Deakin University, and Melbourne University. “Microaggressions” is the process of accumulation of smaller, subtler interactions that can make one feel as if he is fighting a losing battle. When the user loads the app for the first time on his mobile, he is asked to choose one of three characters, each of whom was created based on real-life experiences. The user experiences four scenarios randomly spaced out every day for seven days based on the character he chose, including radio broadcasts, work e-mails, social-network interactions, text messages, and videos.

The documentary film of the life of Ayrton Senna has won the World Cinema Audience Award for Documentary Film at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. The film, which was released in Japan and Brazil last year, will be released across the rest of the world in 2011. In the UK the release is being timed to coincide with the British Grand Prix in July. The reaction in the USA has been favourable. "Technical and musical aspects are first-rate," said the Hollywood Reporter. "A fine documentary about one of auto racing's greats will please fans and make some new ones." The LA Times was even more enthusiastic. "Sometimes a documentary will unexpectedly reach out and grab you by the throat, not giving you a second to breathe. That's that way it was with Senna." © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

THE volume of Scotch whisky exports rose to a record 1.1 billion bottles last year, worth $4.9 billion. The value of exports has risen by over 40% since 2000 as more whiskies have gone upmarket and increased their prices. France, America and Spain are the largest markets, but the fastest growth is coming from South America. In Brazil whisky is a status symbol for the growing middle class (in the north-east of the country it is often drunk with coconut water over ice). In Venezuela bottles of whisky may be serving as both a store of value and as a diversion in an economy in deep trouble. Like other luxury-goods makers, the industry is eying India and China: spirits produced abroad account for less than 1% of the Chinese market. The challenge for Scotland's producers will be to ensure that China drinks Scotch instead of a local imitation, as has happened in whisky-mad Japan.

Every single time any major media outlet reports on something that the government is hiding, that political officials don't want people to know, such as the fact that they are collecting the phone records of all Americans, regardless of any suspicion of wrongdoing, the people in power do exactly the same thing. They attack the media as the messenger and they are trying to discredit the story. This has been going back decades, ever since the Pentagon papers were released by the New York Times, and political officials said you are endangering national security. The only thing we've endangered is the reputation of the people in power who are building this massive spying apparatus about any accountability who are trying to hide from the American people what it is that they are doing.

Fellow Breakfast Show alumnus Mike Read was among those to pay tribute to "affable, business-like" Smith today. The DJ and television personality said: "The news is just devastating. Sarah and Mike were a wonderful couple - it is truly horrible to hear. "I knew Mike as there were only five of us to have presented the Breakfast Show at that time. "He became a mainstay of Radio 1, was highly successful on television too, and started up his own business which he was very good at. "I worked with Sarah for a number of years, including around the time of the crash, so I was very fond of them both. "The helicopter crash was really bad but they just got on with it and married. "Mike was a very affable guy, fantastically business-like. It's a real loss and has come as quite a shock."

As the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life. Having friends that have a different background or opinions than your own means that you are regularly going to be exposed to different ideas, and experiences. That can only make your life more interesting and varied as a result. More importantly, it helps to keep you from getting too caught up in a single viewpoint. In other words, it helps us to see how our beliefs appear to other people and gives us a better understanding of the concerns of those that do not share our opinions. Basically, it reminds us that we’re all just people. And more importantly, that a simple disagreement doesn’t make other people evil. I honestly feel this is an important lesson that many forget. Especially in these angry and divisive times. Having friends that don’t agree with is not merely a thing you do for the sake of fairness. It’s also one of the best things you could possibly do to further yourself as a person.

Farina was settled in 1878, The town ofwas settled in 1878, 650 kilometres (400 miles) to the north of Adelaide rain follows the plow, meaning that human habitation and agriculture through on the edge of the desert and along the old route of the Ghan railway . Originally called The Gums or Government Gums, its first settlers were farmers who believed in the theory of, meaning that human habitation and agriculture through homesteading could permanently change the climate, thus making an inhospitable environment livable. The 1880's brought some wet weather for Farina and the settlers planned to grow wheat and barley and expand the town to 432 ¼-acre blocks. By the end of the century, Farina reached a peak population of approximately 600. Then, the town had two hotels (the Transcontinental and the Exchange), an underground bakery, a bank, two breweries, a general store, an Anglican church, five blacksmiths, a school and a brothel. Despite the optimistic hopes of Farina's settlers the town's climate didn't change dramatically and the 20th century brought a decline in population. The post office closed in the 1960's and the railway line closed in the 1980's. Today Farina has been turned into a ghost town, with only a few dozen residents living in a small settlement west of the town. During the last years there have been volunteer efforts to restore the town, including the repair of the bakery and the addition of informational signs. ~

Morgan Schneiderlin has revealed that when he first moved to England in 2008, joining Southampton from French side Strasbourg, he learnt English from watching television programmes. I was only 18 when I came over and for me it was a frightening thing leaving my family and all my friends. It has been nearly five years and when I first came, I said I only wanted to watch English TV and listen to English radio stations. I wanted to be in England so I wanted to embrace everything English to help me fit in. Some of the other players told me about Coronation Street and EastEnders and they made me watch Only Fools and Horses. They get me to translate what Del Boy was saying in French, which is very funny. I like to laugh and the humour in the show is not that different to French humour.

Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive premiere of the movie trailer for Miles Ahead, starring and directed by Don Cheadle, who spoke with the magazine about the film, which opens in U.S. theaters on April 1. “When you set out to make a biopic, the purpose, whether stated or not, is usually to hit the highlights or lowlights of someone’s life,” Cheadle said. … But I thought, especially with someone like Miles Davis, whose life seemed to very antithetical to that, and whose art was so mercurial and spontaneous and not dedicated to any sort of form that he had done before. He went on to the next thing and he kind of never looked back. I thought it would really be totally anathema to him to do something that felt standard.”

Plastics are used in a wide variety of products and have displaced other materials, such as wood , metal, and glass. It can be formed into polyesters for use in fabrics and textiles, polyvinylidene chloride for food packaging, and polycarbonates for eyeglasses and compact discs, among thousands of other uses. The production of plastic requires four basic steps: the acquirement of raw material, synthesizing a basic polymer, compounding the polymer into a usable fraction, and lastly, molding or shaping the plastic. The production of plastic is quite energy intensive, requiring 62 to 108 mega joules of energy per kilogram based on U.S. efficiency averages. Producing silicon can require up to 235 mega joules per kilogram of material.In 2017, the global production of plastics reached 348 million metric tons, with 64 million metric tons produced in Europe alone. China is one of the largest producers of plastics in the world, accounting for more than one quarter of the global production. Plastic imports from China into the United States are steadily increasing as China’s plastic industry grows. Production of plastics in China will continue to develop and include more efficient companies that produce higher quality plastics.

We all know that owning a pet can have a number of significant benefits for people. Pet ownership has critical mental health advantages, such as relieving stress, anxiety, and depression. Likewise, there are many proven physical advantages as well, including lowering blood pressure and even reducing the risk of having a heart attack. However, not all pets are created equal when it comes to helping their stressed-out owners. Some animals are naturally more affectionate than others. According to Blair Justice, the author of Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods, and Thoughts Affect Your Health , physical contact with our pets immediately releases a number of pain relievers in the body, such as serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, and prolactin. Considering all of the above, it comes as no great shock that humans typically prefer pets that love to be affectionate and cuddle. The question that instantly comes to mind then is: Which pets are the most affectionate? Read along and you will discover some answers that might come as a surprise!

Governor Nikki Haley has signed legislation that removes state limits barring concealed weapons permit holders from possessing guns in bars. "In an effort to preserve South Carolinians' 2nd Amendment rights, the bill allows for gun owners with a Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) to carry firearms in restaurants that serve alcohol, while also allowing an owner to ban individuals from carrying firearms in their establishment," a release stated. "South Carolina is the 46th state to allow some form of legal carrying rights in these types of establishments." While the legislation now allows for regulated carrying of weapons in bars by those not drinking, it is up to proprietors to decide if they will allow it in their establishments. You can check out the text of the Concealed Carry Reform Bill here.

A MAGISTRATE who described a former businessman's two-year physical, psychological and verbal bullying of his employees as "disgusting and appalling" has declared that such behaviour "must be stamped out". The magistrate Hugh Radford said the effects of Kevin Andrews' conduct against his workers at an industrial laundry near Mildura was "harrowing and profound". Mr Radford noted that Andrews told a woman she "should have been drowned at birth" and called another "porky", "wog" and a "big fat bush pig". He threatened to dissolve employees in acid, told a woman a rapist was "waiting for you" and said all women were "dogs" who were "only good for one thing". Andrews also grunted and yelled at staff, threatened to lock them up with a dog and struck employees' desks with sticks or threw items.

A dungeon without end. After days of searching through woods and ruins, through caverns and canyons, you've finally found it. You stand in front of the stone steps leading into the dungeon and pause. Glancing into the gloom, you notice the corridor ahead is lined with flickering torches. But it doesn't seem to turn. It just goes on and on and on. Do you dare enter? This is what you think when you stare into the Infinite Dungeon Corridor. Taking the classic infinity mirror to a new (but old-looking) place, the Infinite Dungeon Corridor is a great additional to your home, office, gaming room, or anywhere you need a little wonder. It looks like the opening to a dungeon, complete with little flickering torches (with 3 levels of brightness), but the hallway never ends due to mirrors, science, magic, and the recursive nature of blending all three. Place it on a table or mount it on a wall, and the Infinite Dungeon Corridor will always lead you into the depths of your imagination.

Chance The Rapper performing in London. Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP Chance the Rapper is the most talented rapper of his generation and a pioneer in the music industry. His latest album, "Coloring Book," released in May, is one of the the year's best-reviewed albums. It's the first streaming-only album to chart on Billboard's ranking. This year, the Grammys made streaming-only albums available for awards consideration for the first time. Chance, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, made history again as "Coloring Book" received several nominations, including one for best rap album. It's the first streaming-only album to be nominated in any category. Miraculously, Chance has done all of this without a label supporting him. He has turned down record deals from numerous labels, depending on word-of-mouth and his Soundcloud account for distribution. Meet the most successful fully independent musician of his era: