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New York Train Collision: Dozens Injured at New Hyde Park

Nancy Clayson
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New York Train Collision: Dozens Injured at New Hyde Park

Dozens of people have been injured after a Long Island Rail Road train has derailed near New York, officials say.

The incident occurred at New Hyde Park in Nassau County. The injuries are not said to be life-threatening.

Image source longisland.news
Image source longisland.news

The 12-carriage train carrying some 600 passengers derailed at about 21:00 local time on October 8.

Reports say the passenger train hit a work train about 20 miles east of New York’s Manhattan borough.

Twenty-nine people were taken to hospital with injuries such as broken bones and concussion, officials said, with scores more treated at the scene for more minor injuries.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said: “Thankfully, early reports indicate that injuries are minimal.”

Passengers told local media they saw sparks at the windows after the train began shaking before striking something and coming to a halt.

The Long Island Rail Road – one of the busiest in the New York area – was closed after the crash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDdKEBE8nWs

Donald Trump Tape: John McCain and Condoleezza Rice Withdraw Support After Women Remarks

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Tape: John McCain and Condoleezza Rice Withdraw Support After Women Remarks

Former Republican presidential candidate John McCain and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have withdrawn support for Donald Trump after his inappropriate remarks about women became public.

At least a dozen Republicans have said they will not be voting for the New York billionaire, since the comments emerged on October 7.

Donald Trump says he will never drop out of the race to be president and will never let his supporters down.

He has been under pressure after a tape from 2005 of him bragging about groping and kissing women was broadcast.

John McCain said Donald Trump’s comments “make it impossible to continue to offer even conditional support for his candidacy”, while Condoleeza Rice said: “Enough! Donald Trump should not be President. He should withdraw.”

Image source U.S. Marine Corps
Image source U.S. Marine Corps

Another senior Republican, New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte said in a statement: “I cannot and will not support a candidate for president who brags about degrading and assaulting women.”

Kelly Ayotte – who faces a competitive race for re-election – said she would not vote for Hillary Clinton but instead would “write in” Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, on her ballot paper.

Several other Republicans also said they would vote for Mike Pence.

Donald Trump himself stressed that there was “zero chance I’ll quit”, adding that he was getting “unbelievable” support.

In a tweet, the Republican candidate said: “The media and establishment want me out of the race so badly.”

Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, issued a statement on October 8 saying: “The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me.”

Melania Trump said her husband had “the heart and mind of a leader”.

Mike Pence said he was “offended” by Donald Trump’s video, but grateful he had expressed remorse and apologized to the American people.

“We pray for his family,” he said in a statement.

House Speaker Paul Ryan had originally invited Donald Trump to attend a campaign event in Wisconsin this weekend but rescinded his invitation, saying he was “sickened” by what he had heard. Mike Pence was due to go in his running mate’s place, but declined to attend.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump’s comments in the tape “horrific”.

In the recorded comments, which date back to 2005 when Donald Trump was appearing as a guest on a soap, he says “you can do anything” to women “when you’re a star”.

Donald Trump released a video statement apologizing for the comments.

His 2005 comments, posted by the Washington Post, overshadowed the release of transcripts of Hillary Clinton’s speeches to private events, by the WikiLeaks.

Donald Trump had married his third wife Melania a few months before the recording. She said on October 8: “I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world.”

The second TV debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will take place on Sunday evening, October 9, in St Louis.

Donald Trump recently said he would not bring up stories about Bill Clinton’s infidelities in the debate, after previously threatening to do so.

However, in his video apology, he attacked the former president directly: “Bill Clinton has actually abused women, and Hillary has bullied, attacked and shamed his victims.”

“We’ll discuss this in the coming days,” he said.

“See you at the debate on Sunday.”

First Date Rules: How to Impress Her

Lisa.Felice
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First Date Rules: How to Impress Her

Your first date with a woman is your chance to get to know her better and establish a connection between you. If you’ve been out of the dating scene for a while or have little experience in courting women, you’d better do your homework and prepare for a date reading the following tips. Most of the recommendations given in this article by Ukrainian Dating Site UABrides.com apply not only to the first dates but also to all dates in general.

Initiative

Women like reliable men who can make their own decisions. Don’t ask a woman where she would like to go. It is you who choose the venue for your date. It’s obvious: you ask her out, you choose the place.

Confidence

Women have a well-developed sixth sense and they are very observant. It will not be an exaggeration to say that sometimes they can see through men. This is their natural tool that helps them pick the best partner. One of the qualities that women value most in men is confidence. If a man is unconfident, a woman will feel it. She will either get disappointed or, if she really likes him, try to focus on his other virtues. You should know that women find confident men sexy and appealing, so it can be an incentive for you to develop your confidence. Fake it till you make it.

Positive emotions

Women are very emotional creatures and you task is to evoke as many positive feelings in your date as possible. This is one of the secrets of a successful first date. Think outside the box. Instead of going to a café, take your date to the art gallery. Learn more about the current exhibition to impress her with your knowledge. Combine different activities to trigger more emotions. For example, take a walk in the park, then take a ride on a Ferris wheel, and after that relax at a cozy restaurant. The more diverse your date, the more impressions your girl will get.

Awkward silence

Actually, there is not such a thing as an awkward silence – there are silence and awkwardness separately. And if silence necessarily leads to an awkward feeling, you need to deal with it. If you’re having a conversation and suddenly a moment of silence sets in, your date will look at you trying to figure out what’s going on and if she notices your nervousness and desperate attempts to continue your dialog, that’s bad. But if she sees that you’re silent because you’re enjoying the moment, be it a walk or a cup of coffee, she’ll realize everything is under your control. Even if she was worried about the situation, your confident look will make her feel comfortable.

Conversation

Don’t ask primitive questions (her favorite music, movies, etc). After several general questions, you’ll know what she does and what she’s interested in. Using that information, ask questions and keep the ball rolling. Your genuine interest in her personality will make you even more attractive in her eyes.

Kissing

Your first date should not necessarily end with a kiss. If a woman isn’t ready for it, you may appear as too pushing. Remember that if a girl wants to kiss you, you’ll notice it. Her body language, her eyes, and the distance between you will signal her readiness for a kiss.

Nobody’s Perfect: How to Protect Yourself from User Error

Ricky Robinson
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Nobody’s Perfect: How to Protect Yourself from User Error

As the old adage says, ‘no one is perfect.’ This often applies to people who lock their keys in the car or turn their laundry pink, but it’s a little more problematic when human slip-ups put your small business at risk.

In fact, 95 percent of all cybersecurity incidents involve human error. While that figure may frighten you, there are steps you can take to safeguard your organization against employee-linked data breaches.

Boost Your Cyber Smarts

Employee education is absolutely vital to protecting your small business. This can be done in a number of ways. While some companies choose to walk new hires through cybersecurity training during their first week, other companies may host quarterly or yearly cybersecurity training meetings to refresh everyone’s memories about best practices.

Impress upon your employees the importance of avoiding opening emails from unknown or suspicious sources. Cybercriminals are avid spammers, and their emails frequently contain links and attachments meant to infect your computer with dangerous malware. Phishing scams are included in URLs in an attempt to deceive employees into sharing their passwords and login information.

Some hackers, who are trickier than others, will use spoofing to pose as a friend or coworkers in emails or text messages. The lie is made even more convincing by redirecting the user to fraudulent phishing pages made to look identical to the real thing. The goal, of course, is to fool your team members into divulging valuable information.

While digital threats continue to evolve as do the methods to combat them. Continued cybersecurity training will ready your team to be aware of any risk.

Cut the Phishing Line

But even with the best cybersecurity protocols, accidents happen. Sometimes it’s a careless click, or maybe your employee fell prey to an extra crafty ploy. No matter the case, your business information has been compromised by a phishing attack. What do you do? To remove yourself from a phishing scam:

Begin with changing your passwords immediately: Don’t allow the hacker to gain further access to your other accounts.

Be sure to repot the incident right away: The faster you act, the better your chances of limiting the damage.

Next, check your ‘sent’ email folder: Make sure your contacts haven’t been spammed using your good name.

Finally, do a security sweep: This will uncover any malware programs that may have been downloaded without your knowledge.

Purging Malware & Trojans

Oh no! Your sweep revealed malware infections on your device. It may have even been living inside your computer, undetected for months. Symptoms include slow performance, advertising pop-ups when browsers are closed and bogus security warning from programs you didn’t install.

Removing malware can be incredibly time consuming. So let’s get started.

The first step is to update your antivirus software: The most recent update will better combat whatever is infecting your computer.

Restart your computer in safe mode: This will stop malware from spreading while you hunt down its roots. Start by deleting temporary files. Be sure to investigate any files or programs unfamiliar to you.

While this may be enough to detect and exterminate your computer bug, it is likely that you may need to download additional security software to relieve your system. A computer professional will be able to help you if necessary.

Explore Cybersecurity Insurance Quotes

As you can tell, cyberattacks consume your time and resources, costing your small business thousands in damages and downtime. Shield yourself by investigating cyber security insurance quotes. Providers even offer protection against extortion and reputational damage.

Cyber security quotes may vary, but are very affordable compared to risk posed by cybercriminals. Besides, investing pennies a day is infinitely preferable to dropping tens of thousands of dollars on data breach.

3 Awesome Tips to Help You Pay Off Your Payday Loan

Clyde K. Valle
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3 Awesome Tips to Help You Pay Off Your Payday Loan

Are you slowly sinking under the burden of your payday loans? Are you feeling encumbered and completely clueless as to how to reduce your debt? This article aims to discuss some methods or ways that can help you to find a lasting solution or at least cope with the situation better.

 

Why are personal loans better?

 

Personal loans like term loans or installment loans whether you are considering them for a long term or a moderately long term or short term are the best option if you are thinking about managing a big investment or you need to money to meet your recurring shortfalls. A payday loan can get you through a very short-term crisis but if you fail to pay the principal along with the interest, the debt will mount and you may have to pay an APR (annual percentage rate) in excess of 400%. It is one of the costliest financing options.

money

On the other hand, a short-term personal loan or a term loan has a fixed repayment schedule, a fixed rate of interest, is much more transparent, provides more legal protection to the borrower and is easier to pay off as they give more time and the interest rate is manageable.

 

For example, flex loans from Cashco Financial are consumer-friendly short to moderately long term loans which provide security to the customer. It takes care of long-term needs of the customer and helps him to improve his credit score. Every time, you pay off your monthly bill, a report is filed with a credit reporting agency in Canada and this helps to significantly improve it, if you don’t default on payments.

 

You can also use flex loans for consolidating and paying off other loans that you have accrued. You can borrow a flex loan online or visit one of the stores in 62 locations across four provinces in Canada to apply for one. A soft credit check is conducted and the loan is sanctioned in most cases. It is completely hassle-free and you will be protected by Cashco’s client-first policy throughout the journey. You will also receive counseling and any legal help that you may require.

 

The company aims to provide financial service to the unbanked section of Canada by providing pawn loans. In addition to long-term flex loans, the company also provides single payment payday loans, auto loans and also pre-settlement funding to the needy.

 

Personal loans also provide a higher borrowing limit than payday loans because they are designed to take care of such financial needs that require bigger investment. The interest rate is usually lower than credit card rates as well.

 

How to pay off payday loans on time?

 

  1. Supplement your day income with additional incomes: If you think that you may fall short of meeting your financial obligation to pay off your payday loan or if you have been steadily building up a debt, you can explore the possibility of considering some income generating sources that pay you decent money quickly. Internet allows you to make quick money. You could work as a freelance writer, take online surveys, do product and app reviews, choose and use a search engine which pays you for using it, if you have a knack for art, you could sell your items on Etsy, sell your used items on Craiglist or in flea markets, work as a dog-walker, do baby-sitting, bartending or anything that suites you.
  2. Work out a settlement plan: Most scrupulous lenders have a hardship program for such clients who find themselves in troubled waters through no fault of their own. For example, if you get laid off without any prior notice after you have taken a payday loan, the lender may be willing to let your off by just collecting the principal or a smaller amount of interest. Sometimes, they will give you more time. But, it’s best not to rollover your debt again and again if you are not in a position to pay because it just adds up.
  3. Repay using your RRSP fund or your life insurance policy: It is just better to pay off your payday loan, however insignificant, rather than letting it build up. If needed, borrow money against your life insurance or registered retirement savings plan funds to pay off the loan first. If you pay before the payday loan builds up, you won’t have to lose too much on the maturity amount of your savings plans.

Seeing the Sights – Exploring Asia’s Best Tourist Destinations

Dana R
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Seeing the Sights – Exploring Asia’s Best Tourist Destinations

I didn’t start life with the travel bug.

Quite the opposite, I was a bit of a homebody, and the thought of travelling abroad actually frightened me a surprising amount. I was far more comfortable in familiar surroundings, with people who spoke my language, with food and culture that I was used to. It took a crisis to shake me out of my slumber. A few years out of university, my then girlfriend of 3 years upped and left me for my now very-much-ex-best-friend.

Devastated, I did what anyone else would do in that situation – I cut off my long, flowing hair, dyed what was left of it blonde, grew a really annoyingly pretentious goatee, quit my job and took every penny that I had earned and flew off to Asia. I’m not sure if I was running away from reality or trying to find myself. What I do know is that my eyes were opened to the enormous diversity that the world has to offer. The incredible, exotic wonders of Asia gave me my first travel high and I’ve never really come down since. Here is a brief rundown of how my trip panned out.

 Image result for Bali

First Stop: Bali

Given that this was my first time outside of the UK, I played it safe to start with and booked myself on some remarkable tours through https://www.travezl.com.au/bali-tours/t2-d148415. They had a huge number of options available, but the one that struck me the most was the Everyday Living Tour. Through it, I received my first ever look at how people from a culture so vastly different to mine survive and thrive. Needless to say, I was blown away.

Second Stop: Malaysian Borneo

A landed in Kuala Lumpur and, to be honest, found the city to be a little bit dull.

Half a day of walking around was enough for me pretty much see everything there was to see. So, I hopped on a ferry and a few hours later found myself in the most jaw-droppingly beautiful tropical paradise I could ever have imagined.

Whether it was spotting orangutans under the rainforest canopy, or cruising the pristine beaches, very little could have prepared me for the grand, peaceful beauty of this exquisite island.

Third Stop: Phuket

I didn’t think there was much that could impress me after Borneo. However, on the other side of the Andaman sea I discovered the Phi Phi Islands, and fell in love immediately. The sheer limestone cliffs seem to explode vertically out of the warm, pure blue ocean waters. Back in Phuket itself, aside from eating the spiciest curry I have ever encountered, I was incredibly impressed with the stunning architecture, which was a real, intricate blend of local Thai, Chinese and Portuguese influences.
Image result for Singapore

Fourth Stop: Singapore

This was a real change of pace from the more natural settings thus far. The hustle and bustle of one of the world’s great business centres was a real eye-opener and quite exhilarating. I’m not much of a shopper, but the energy of the commercial districts was quite seductive.

Fifth Stop: Kyoto

I actually spent a significant amount of time in Japan, and visited a few different cities, but Kyoto certainly left the deepest impression on me. Japan’s ancient capital really does represent every ideal of Japanese culture. From the majestic beauty of the temples, shrines and castles, to the sophisticated elegance of the entertainment district, Kyoto really seemed to me to be the place where the two Japans, traditional and ultra-modern, co-exist in a perfect harmony.

Image result for Bhutan

Last Stop: Bhutan

This one was a bit of a whim. I’d never even heard of Bhutan previously, but a fellow traveller regaled me with tales of the imperial beauty of the Himalayan country. He wasn’t wrong, as I was simply blown away by the scale of nature in this hidden gem.

The local people are some of the nicest and most welcoming I have ever met, and the culture is a unique mix of Chinese, Sub-Continental and indigenous local elements. The highlight was an overnight trekking tour through the mountains. I wouldn’t recommend it for people who are not fit or are prone to altitude sickness, but it really was almost indescribably special.

It took me until I arrived back in the UK to realise that I hadn’t thought of my ex for months. What started off as an escape from my perceived reality, ended up opening my eyes to a wonderful truth: There is a big, wonderful world out there, just waiting for us to discover it.

2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded for World’s Smallest Machines

James J. Williams
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2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded for World’s Smallest Machines

This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa for the development of the world’s smallest machines.

They will share the 8 million kronor prize for the design and synthesis of machines on a molecular scale.

Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa were named at a press conference in Sweden.

They have developed molecules with controllable movements, which can perform a task when energy is added.

The machines conceived by today’s laureates are a thousand times thinner than a strand of hair.nobel-prize-in-chemistry-2016

They could slip inside the human body to deliver drugs from within – for instance, applying pharmaceuticals directly to cancer cells.

This field of nanotechnology could also yield applications in the design of smart materials.

The prize recognizes their success in linking molecules together to design everything from motors to a car and muscles on a tiny scale.

“They have mastered motion control at the molecular scale,” said Olof Ramström, from the Nobel Committee.

Jean-Pierre Sauvage was born in 1944 in Paris, France. He is currently emeritus professor at the University of Strasbourg and director of research emeritus at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).

His work provided early breakthroughs in the area of molecular machines. He had been researching the use of sunlight to drive chemical reactions but this work helped him work out that he could link different molecules together in a chain.

This was the first step towards building molecular machines. In 1994, Jean-Pierre Sauvage’s research group succeeded in making one molecule rotate around the other in a controlled manner when energy was applied.

Sir Fraser Stoddart was born in 1942 in Edinburgh, the UK. He is currently affiliated to the Northwestern University, in the US.

He made a key advance by threading a molecular ring on to a rod-like structure that acted as an axle.

He then made use of the ring’s freedom to move along the axle. When he added heat, the ring jumped forwards and backwards – like a tiny shuttle.

Fraser Stoddart’s group later built on this discovery to build numerous molecular machines, including a lift, a muscle and – in partnership with other researchers – a computer chip.

Bernard Feringa was born in 1951 in Barger-Compascuum, in the Netherlands. He is a professor in organic chemistry at the University of Gröningen, the Netherlands.

Smooth Sailing In The Manufacturing Industry

Dana R
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Smooth Sailing In The Manufacturing Industry

If you are thinking of starting a business in manufacturing, it is a good idea to bear in mind a few things. First of all, you need to make sure that you know exactly what it is that you intend to produce. This might sound basic, but so many people start businesses without a clear understanding of what it is they really want to achieve. Once you know the product that you will make, you can get started on planning out the business. Above all, a strong manufacturing business is dependent upon the owner knowing exactly what is intended in the long term. To help you with that, it might be beneficial to know some of the essential things that such a business needs. Let’s take a look at what those might be.

concept, development, launching

Image Credit

A Clear Plan

This is something which every business in the world needs in order to function properly. However, it is particularly important for this type of business. Knowing how to plan a business out is an art which is learned gradually over time. Yet, you need to be able to do it in the best way possible at the very beginning of the process. If you are struggling with this, you might find it helpful to seek the advice of someone who has been in this position before. There are plenty of guides out there on this entire process. You can also find a lot of business plans and templates for plans which you can use for this part of it. Ultimately, a good plan needs to be as detailed as you can possibly make it. That way, you can be much more certain of the business’ ongoing success.

Gray Iron Steel Rods

Image Credit

Sourcing Materials

It goes without saying that raw materials are a hugely important part of any manufacturing business. No matter what it is that you are going to produce, you need to know what materials you need. You also need to be sure of the quality of those materials. With that in mind, make sure that you learn where to source those materials from. Getting this right is an essential part of the entire process, so it is really important. You need to think about material traceability as well as the reliability of the product. It is worth spending some time shopping around for the best suppliers, as it does make a huge difference.

Tight Focus

One of the most common mistakes that people make in this type of business is trying to do too much at once. It is often tempting to attempt making many different things in one go. However, the truth is that this rarely works out so well. If you want to expand your business at a later time, then that is a great idea. But you need to first ensure that you have a solid foundation on which to do that. In the beginning at least, make sure you keep a tight focus. That way, you can build a much stronger business over time.

binocular, country lane, filter

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The Magical 10%: What Links The New Businesses That Actually Succeed?

Dana R
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The Magical 10%: What Links The New Businesses That Actually Succeed?

The world of modern business can be a very unforgiving environment. In fact, you’ve probably seen the statistics that up to 90% of all new businesses fail to achieve their goals.

But the current landscape isn’t as bad as it may seem. When a startup performs well, it can grow at a faster rate than ever before. Modern facilities form far greater opportunities for modest entrepreneurs. The best ones know how to maximize those possibilities.

Smart entrepreneurs share an array of skills and ideas. Here are some of the most salient.

start-up

Credit:

A Starting Platform

For most failed startups, establishing the company proved too hard. Let’s face it; creating something from nothing isn’t easy. So perhaps it should come as no surprise to learn that the vast majority of new companies struggle to make it past the one-year anniversary.

However, there are ways to build a platform before even taking those first steps. Senior home care franchise opportunities allow for entrepreneurs to build upon the success of an existing brand. Meanwhile, crowdfunding offers the opportunity to establish a fanbase and financial support in advance.

Either way, a stronger starting point can only give a business increased hopes of success. That’s something that any good entrepreneur embraces with open arms.

Long-Term Ideas

Virtually all businesses will deviate from their predicted pathway along the road to success. However, it’s important to have long-term goals as well as immediate aspirations. After all, it’s impossible to reach a destination if you aren’t targeted towards it.

As a new business, the biggest mistake is trying to focus on something that has a very short lifespan. This immediately piles on the pressure for quick success. Instead, the best startups are built for sustained success. Most successful entrepreneurs find that working on five-year plans is the ideal way to maintain balance.

Teamwork

Image result for teamwork

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When you read an interview with any successful startup, there will almost always be special thanks reserved for the team. Quality employees are the biggest asset of any successful company. Smart entrepreneurs know that it doesn’t make sense to complete simple tasks. Not when they could be focused on more important elements. Besides, two heads are always better than one.

Direct employees aren’t the only crucial form of support. Outsourcing certain jobs can make the daily running of a company far smoother. Even if it’s embracing influencer marketing, an open mind can make a world of difference to a startup’s future. It doesn’t matter how results are achieved. The important factor is that they are accomplished.

Customer Focus

Arguably the biggest mistake that any new business owner can commit is forgetting to put the customer first. Sadly, it’s also one that far too many fall for.

Consumers deserve and expect positive interactions with the business. A smarter entrepreneur will ensure that the payment methods are designed to generate trust from the customer. They’ll also provide the necessary support before, during, and after a transaction. This is a crucial aspect of building loyal clients.

And once a business has built a strong following, it cannot go wrong.

Election 2016 – Tax Plans & the Economy

Dana R
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Election 2016 – Tax Plans & the Economy

In the opening presidential debate of 2016, the candidate’s economic discussions skewed towards taxation issues. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had their own versions of what they would do to improve the economy by optimizing the tax system. Although their representation of the tax issues in this country differ, both state that their policy proposals will assure prosperity in America. Here are how some of the taxation issues were explored during the debate.

What’s a VAT?

VAT, which is the acronym of Value Added Tax, was Trump’s focal point as a reason for the trade imbalance with Mexico. In an allegation that America is being “ripped off,” he stated that the VAT tax is 16 percent to Mexico and zero percent to the United States. While the VAT tax is 16 percent in Mexico, that applies to the purchase of both imports and domestic goods. The United States is not paying 16 percent to export goods into Mexico. Forbes as well as other news outlets noted Trump’s inaccuracy.

Many Happy Returns?

Despite the tradition in modern times for candidates to release their tax returns, Trump has not as of yet. Clinton made this an issue at the debate, wondering, “you’ve got to ask yourself, why won’t he release his tax returns? … maybe he’s not as rich as he says he is… maybe he’s not as charitable as he claims to be.”

Clinton then continued on to the point of her pondering, the fact that existing reports from several tax seasons ago show that Trump paid no federal tax for those time periods. ”Or maybe he doesn’t want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he’s paid nothing in federal taxes,” she concluded. Trump’s reply “That makes me smart” may become a campaign phrase that he will regret.

Image source Wikimedia
Image source Wikimedia

She Said, He Said

One of the chief debating points when talking about economics is about how much to tax the wealthy. During the debate Clinton stated, “Slashing taxes on the wealthy hasn’t worked and a lot of really smart, wealthy people know that… I think building the middle-class, investing in the middle class, making college debt-free so more young people can get their education, helping people refinance their debt from college at a lower rate, those are the kinds of things that will really boost the economy.” She aims to do this by taxing corporations and the ultra-wealthy.

In reply Trump answered. “Typical politician. All talk no action. Sounds good. Doesn’t work. Never going to happen. Our country is suffering because people like Secretary Clinton have made such bad decisions in terms of our jobs and in terms of what is going on. Now look, we have the worst revival of an economy since the Great Depression.” Trump’s tax plan will reduce the income tax brackets from seven to three, which are twelve, twenty-five, and thirty-three percent.

Each candidate has promoted tax deductions in their economic platforms. Clinton looks more favorably upon small businesses than large corporations and has proposed a new standard tax deduction for them. She also wants to give start-ups additional tax breaks. Trump wants to give a childcare tax deduction to help families out.

A Financial Response

So how does this affect the stock market and investments? According to Fisher Investments on the Presidential Debate, what each candidate says may not actually be what happens. It is best not to drastically change your investment plans for fear of what a political candidate says they will do. Remember George H. W. Bush’s “no new taxes” statement? While the president is the leader of the country, there are checks and balances in our governmental system and the winning candidate will have to work with Congress in order to pass legislation. There may be short-term market fluctuations, but long term, the stock market doesn’t care who’s in office.

State of the Estates

Clinton’s most recent tax policy creates three new tax brackets for large estates. The tax rates would be 50 percent for estates above $10 million dollars per person, 55 percent for estates over $50 million dollars per person, and 65 percent for estates over $500 million dollars per person.

In contrast, Trump wants to do away with the estate tax completely.

Both candidates have sectors of America that they want to increase taxation of, and demographic groups that they want to help out with tax cuts. The aspect of who to tax more or less comes up every election year. Will the economy be affected? Probably in the short term. But in this turbulent election cycle, it’s wise to remember when planning your long-term financial future to not lose sight of your individual financial goals.

Common Misconceptions about Influencer Marketing

Dana R
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Common Misconceptions about Influencer Marketing

With the advance of social media and new forms of communication, it has become increasingly easy to expose other people to a wide variety of products and services. There are billions of users on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and more, and these users are all interconnected with one another in some way. This vast expanse in communication has allowed for new forms of marketing. Social media influencer marketing is one of the most popular new ways to market and advertise. Businesses and enterprises partner with social media celebrities (people well-known on social media for their social commentary, jokes, singing, dancing, or other talents) to promote their product or service. This partnership is mutually beneficial, as both sides are given the chance to build relationships and trust with each other and their fan base.

marketing-platforms

Despite the success that influencer marketing has had—notable examples being LeBron James for Nike, Kim Kardashian for T-Mobile, and more—there are still some misconceptions about it. People have their doubts, and, in this article, we hope to lay some of those to rest. Here are some of the biggest myths about influencer marketing, debunked:

A high ROI is all that matters.

ROI stands for “return on investment,” and ROI is what businesses may only think of when they consider whether or not to use influencer marketing. However, ROI is not the only thing that businesses should focus on. While it is certainly critical at the end of the day, and this type of marketing will get you a high ROI, it is not the only factor to succeeding with influencers. It is also about providing a quality product and building a relationship with the influencers you choose (and their audiences, by extension) that consists of mutual trust.

These influencers don’t really care about the product; they’re just in it for the money.

This misconception is held by some members of the public, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Social media influencers don’t want to become known for advertising a product or service that is subpar. Their fans trust them, and they want to keep it that way. Influencers won’t advertise a product that would jeopardize that trust; i.e. a product that is terrible or would not do well with their fans. Their fan base is a major reason they are able to enjoy the celebrity they have, and no amount of money can make them sacrifice that.

Also, businesses and influencers build up a relationship. Forming relationships is one of the most important things to do in influencer marketing, and creating one between influencer and business is vital to the success of the campaign. This relationship goes deeper than money—it is based on mutual respect and trust.

It’s impossible to get in touch with celebs.

Influencer marketing platforms like NeoReach provide businesses with the ability to get in touch with social media influencers. It may seem, with influencers’ level of celebrity, as though they are difficult to contact, but that’s not true. These influencers rose to popularity because of their ability to communicate and their relatability. And they’re looking for you, too. Influencer marketing platforms like NeoReach have been developed to further assist with helping brands and relevant influencers find each other.

Influencer marketing is too risky because influencers can go rogue.

People are unpredictable. Influencers, like any other celebrity spokesperson, may say things that cause your company to cringe. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that your company will be harmed. You can always distance yourself from the influencer if need be, and, while the two of you work in tandem, there are safeguards against unpredictability and offensive commentary that can be agreed upon before the contract is signed and the representation begins. Also, if you pick an influencer you trust to remain in communication with you, you can ensure that they are reliable and consistent in helping your business — another reason why treating these partnerships as a mutual relationship is so important.

Any influencer will work; all they have to do is memorize some lines.

Different influencers promote different products. Building relationships and credibility is the fastest way to ensure that a business is successful in their ad campaign with the marketer. In order to build these relationships, the influencer has to take a genuine interest in the company itself, becoming invested in its success and seeing the product as personally important to them. While it’s true that anyone can “memorize some lines,” conveying enthusiasm and real interest in the product is something that only an authentically-dedicated influencer can do. And also, this authenticity (or lack thereof) is easily identifiable by fans.

People who don’t like the influencer will hurt the business that is partnering with him or her.

Every social media celebrity is going to have detractors and people who, for whatever reason, credible or not, dislike them. This dislike shouldn’t affect your business. Dealing with negative reviews to your business is separate from negative reviews of the social media influencer themselves. If you choose your influencer based on their reputation and relatability, you will be able to gauge whether or not they are likable. This likability will factor into your decision, and if you choose wisely and get to know them well, you can exercise a lot of control over how much of a concern this can really be for your business.

The relationship between business and celebrity is one-sided (or lopsided).

This is one of the most common misconceptions about influencer marketing. There is a stereotype that these relationships are one-sided, whether people believe that the business is taking advantage of the influencer or that the influencer is seeing more of an ROI than the company they are supposed to be advertising for. This is not true, and, once again, it comes down to the relationships that you build with one another. These relationships are critical, and without them, any ad campaign is doomed. By understanding what is expected of each party and what the ROI will be, the relationship is mutually beneficial.

These misconceptions about influencer marketing are harmful to businesses and enterprises. Hopefully, this article has helped debunk these myths to show that this type of marketing is beneficial not only for the influencer and the business, but for the public as well. Harnessing the power of social media in this day and age is vital to being successful.

Donald Trump Praised as “Genius” If He Paid No Federal Income Taxes

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Praised as “Genius” If He Paid No Federal Income Taxes

Donald Trump’s allies have said he is a “genius” if a New York Times report is true that he paid no federal income taxes for 18 years.

The New York Times said it had received some of Donald Trump’s 1995 tax documents revealing $915m losses that allowed him to legally avoid paying taxes.

Donald Trump’s camp refused to confirm or deny the report, but said the filing was “illegally obtained”.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton’s campaign called the report a “bombshell”.

Donald Trump’s surrogates took to the airwaves on October 2 to defend him.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said the New York Times article was a “very good story” because it showcased the “genius” of Donald Trump.

Image source Wikipedia
Image source Wikipedia

Chris Christie told Fox News Sunday the report would only underline that Donald Trump is best qualified to ease tax policy on working people.

Former New York Rudy Giuliani, a close adviser to Donald Trump, also said the Republican candidate was an “absolute genius” if he avoided federal income taxes.

“A lot of the people that are poor take advantage of loopholes and pay no taxes,” Rudy Giuliani told NBC’s Meet the Press on October 2.

“Those are loopholes also.”

Donald Trump himself played down the report tweeting: “I know our complex tax laws better than anyone who has ever run for president and am the only one who can fix them. #failing@nytimes.”

During the first presidential debate on September 26, Hillary Clinton attacked Donald Trump for not releasing his tax returns, as all previous White House candidates have done since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Hillary Clinton suggested he was hiding “something terrible” and that he had perhaps not paid any federal income tax. Donald Trump replied: “That makes me smart.”

In its article, the New York Times said three pages of documents were anonymously sent last month to one of its reporters who had written about Donald Trump’s finances.

A former accountant for Donald Trump, Jack Mitnick, whose name appears as Trump’s tax preparer of the filings, said the documents appeared to be authentic copies of portions of the 1995 returns, according to the New York Times.

Donald Trump’s campaign did not directly address the authenticity of the excerpts, but the New York Times said a Trump lawyer had emailed the newspaper arguing that publication of the records was illegal.

His camp accused the publication, which has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, of being “an extension of the Clinton campaign”.

Donald Trump, the campaign added, was a “highly skilled businessman who has a fiduciary responsibility to his business, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required.

“That being said, Mr. Trump has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes, sales and excise taxes, real estate taxes, city taxes, state taxes, employee taxes and federal taxes, along with very substantial charitable contributions.”

Hillary Clinton’s camp said Donald Trump embodied the “rigged system” of an unfair US tax code.

Her campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement: “This bombshell report reveals the colossal nature of Donald Trump’s past business failures and just how long he may have avoided paying any federal income taxes whatsoever.”

Hillary Clinton has already disclosed nearly 40 years of federal income tax returns, while Donald Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, has made publicly available 10 years of his tax returns.

At an October 1rally, Donald Trump appeared to accuse Hillary Clinton of marital infidelity.

“Hillary Clinton’s only loyalty is to her financial contributors and to herself,” the Republican told thousands gathered in Manheim, Pennsylvania.

“I don’t think she’s even loyal to Bill if you want to know the truth. Why should she be, right?”

Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin has debuted his impression of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, parodying the candidate’s pronunciation of China, among other things.

Sporting a blonde wig and a lip-puckering scowl, Alec Baldwin appeared on the comedy show alongside SNL regular Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton, using a walking cane.

Garlic Breath: Scientists Reveal Effective Remedies

Kathryn R. Bown
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Garlic Breath: Scientists Reveal Effective Remedies

Scientists at Ohio State University have found a cure for the stinky garlic breath.

Unsurprisingly, researchers found that chewing on mint leaves was a top garlic breath deodorizer, but the results also showed that raw apple and raw lettuce were just as effective.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Food Science last week, studied the effect of different foods on the volatile compounds responsible for garlic breath (diallyl disulfide, allyl mercaptan, allyl methyl disulfide, and allyl methyl sulfide).

Image source Wikipedia
Image source Wikipedia

Participants were given three grams of garlic cloves to chew on for 25 seconds before drinking water as a control. Scientists then measured the effects of raw, juiced, or heated apple; raw or heated lettuce; raw or juiced mint leaves; and green tea. The results were measured up to an hour after consumption using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, a piece of equipment which analyses trace gases and compounds in exhaled breath. Slightly more accurate than the sniff-and-see test, then.

While green tea didn’t help with smelly breath situations, researchers found that “raw apple and raw lettuce decreased the concentration of volatiles in breath by 50% or more compared to the control for the first 30 minutes”.

Mint leaves had an even higher deodorizing effect on all the compounds measured, but across the foods tested, juiced and heated versions were not as potent.

The researchers suggest that raw foods are better at breaking down garlic’s volatile compounds because they contain both odor-eliminating enzymes and phenolic compounds, which destroy the volatiles.

Ethiopia: Oromo Festival Stampede Kills Several in Bishoftu

Diane A. Wade
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Ethiopia: Oromo Festival Stampede Kills Several in Bishoftu

Several people have been killed in a stampede in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, after police fired tear gas and shots to disperse a protest.

Thousands had gathered for a religious festival in Bishoftu, Oromia region, 25 miles from Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.

Police responded after anti-government protesters threw stones and bottles, reports said. There was panic and some people fell into a ditch.bishoftu-festival

There have been months of deadly clashes in Ethiopia recently.

People in the Oromia and Amhara regions have complained about political and economic marginalization.

Crowds at October 2 Oromo festival chanted “We need freedom” and “We need justice”, witnesses said.

Some participants crossed their wrists above their heads, a gesture that has become a symbol of Oromo protests.

The government said in a statement that “lives were lost”, adding: “Those responsible will face justice.”

The unrest was sparked in November 2015 by a plan to expand the capital into Oromia. This led to fears that farmers from the Oromo ethnic group, the largest in Ethiopia, would be displaced.

The plan was later dropped but protests continued, highlighting issues such as marginalization and human rights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZPrtXnRyd0

Hurricane Matthew Sparks Mass Evacuation in Haiti

Nancy Clayson
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Hurricane Matthew Sparks Mass Evacuation in Haiti

Hurricane Matthew has strengthened into a Category 4 on October 1, with winds reaching up to 145mph, making its way towards Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, forecasters say.

Matthew is the strongest Hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean since Felix back in 2007.

According to the US National Hurricane Center, the storm is expected to hit Haiti and Jamaica on October 3.

Image source Wikipedia
Image source Wikipedia

Haiti has begun evacuating residents from high-risk areas.

Residents have been frantically stocking up on emergency supplies.

Jamaica’s PM Andrew Holness has urged citizens to make all preparations before it is too late.

However, he told Reuters that Jamaica was prepared for the category 4 hurricane.

In Jamaica, the powerful storm is expected to bring up to 25 inches of rain, which could trigger life-threatening landslides and floods, according to forecasters.

In the capital Kingston, supermarkets were crowded with people looking for canned foods, water and flashlights.

Officials have warned the high winds could batter the country’s main tourist areas including Montego Bay in the north.

In Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, residents from outlying islands have been evacuated, and officials have banned boating.

The hurricane is expected to cause up to 40 inches of rain in Haiti.

Hurricane Matthew is expected to hit Cuba on October 4, potentially hitting the colonial city of Santiago de Cuba and the US Navy base of Guantanamo Bay.

A mandatory evacuation of non-essential personnel, including about 700 family members of military personnel, was underway at the base and everyone remaining there was being told to take shelter, the Navy said in a statement.

There are about 5,500 people living on the base, including 61 men held at the detention centre.

Cuban President Raul Castro traveled to Santiago to supervise preparations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10jb3rpBHyc

Donald Trump Tax Returns Leaked: Billionaire Declared $916M Loss in 1995

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Tax Returns Leaked: Billionaire Declared $916M Loss in 1995

The New York Times says it has obtained documents showing Donald Trump declared a loss of 916 million on his 1995 federal income tax return.

According to the publication, the loss was so large it may have enabled Donald Trump to avoid paying tax for up to 18 years legally.

The Republican candidate’s campaign has refused to publish his tax returns and neither confirmed nor denied the scale of his losses.

Hillary Clinton has made much of his tax record.

Image source Wikimedia
Image source Wikimedia

During an acrimonious first presidential debate on September 26, Hillary Clinton forced Donald Trump on to the defensive for not releasing his tax returns, suggesting that he was hiding “something terrible”.

When the Democratic candidate accused Donald Trump of not paying federal income tax, he replied: “That makes me smart.”

Hillary Clinton has publicly released nearly 40 years’ worth while Donald Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, has released 10 years of his tax returns.

In its story, the New York Times says the three pages of documents were sent last month to one of its reporters who had written about Donald Trump’s finances.

A former accountant for Donald Trump, Jack Mitnick, whose name appears as Trump’s tax preparer of the filings, said the documents appeared to be authentic copies of portions of the 1995 returns, according to the newspaper.

On October 1, the Trump campaign accused the New York Times of being “an extension of the Clinton campaign”.

Donald Trump, the campaign added, was a “highly skilled businessman who has a fiduciary responsibility to his business, his family and his employees to pay no more tax than legally required.

“That being said, Mr. Trump has paid hundreds of millions of dollars in property taxes, sales and excise taxes, real estate taxes, city taxes, state taxes, employee taxes and federal taxes, along with very substantial charitable contributions.”

Since 1976, every major party presidential nominee has released tax returns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW-m6bR1GMo

Hungary Votes on EU Refugee Quota

Diane A. Wade
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Hungary Votes on EU Refugee Quota

Hungary is voting in a referendum on accepting mandatory EU quotas for relocating refugees.

PM Viktor Orban opposes plans to relocate a total of 160,000 refugees across the bloc.

Under the EU scheme, announced after 2015 refugee crisis, Hungary would receive 1,294 asylum seekers.

Image source Wikipedia
Image source Wikipedia

According to opinion polls, strong support for a rejection among those who say they will vote. To be valid, turnout needs to be over 50% of voters.

During the refugee crisis, Hungary became a transit state on the Western Balkan route to Germany and other EU destinations.

In an effort to curb the influx, Hungary sealed its border with Serbia and Croatia. The measure was popular at home but criticized by human rights groups.

Voters are being asked: “Do you want the European Union to be able to mandate the obligatory resettlement of non-Hungarian citizens into Hungary even without the approval of the National Assembly?”

In December 2015, Hungary filed a court challenge against the EU plan, which would see relocations over two years.

In a TV interview on September 29, Viktor Orban said: “If there are more <<no>> votes than <<yes>> votes, that means Hungarians do not accept the rule which the bureaucrats of the European Commission want to forcefully impose on us.”

“The more refugees there are, the greater the risk of terror,” the right-wing prime minister added, according to excerpts published by Reuters.

The EU proposal was meant to ease pressure on Greece and Italy, the main entry points for refugees into the bloc.

Ricardo Medina Pleads Not Guilty to Murdering Joshua Sutter

Roy Siemens
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Ricardo Medina Pleads Not Guilty to Murdering Joshua Sutter

Ricardo Medina has pleaded not guilty to murdering roommate Joshua Sutter with a sword.

Prosecutors say the ex-Power Rangers star stabbed Joshua Sutter several times in the stomach in 2015 at their house in Green Valley, a mountain town north of Los Angeles.ricardo-medina-murder-charge

It is claimed Ricardo Medina and Joshua Sutter were arguing over Medina’s girlfriend.

The 37-year-old actor could face 26 years to life in prison if convicted.

Authorities say after the attack, Ricardo Medina called emergency services and waited for police to arrive.

Speaking three days after the attack on January 31, 2015, Ricardo Medina said he was “very sorry”.

Ricardo Medina, who played the Red Ranger on Power Rangers Wild Force in 2002, said he and a female friend locked themselves in his bedroom after a row with Joshua Sutter.

He claimed Joshua Sutter kicked the door open, at which point he grabbed the sword to protect himself.

Ricardo Medina, who was initially arrested after calling 911, denies murder.

Ricardo Medina was also the voice of Deker on Power Rangers Samurai in 2011 and 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo3NhYQAwfo

Kashmir Dispute: Pakistani Cinemas Stop Screening of Bollywood Movies

Roy Siemens
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Kashmir Dispute: Pakistani Cinemas Stop Screening of Bollywood Movies

Major Pakistani cinemas and film distributors have banned the screening of Indian movies across the country in what they call an act of solidarity with Pakistan’s armed forces.

The movie boycotts have been announced in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.

The decision follows a rise in military tensions between Pakistan and India over the divided territory of Kashmir.

It also follows September 29 move by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA) to prohibit Pakistani actors and technicians from working on Bollywood sets.

Image source Flickr
Image source Flickr

At least one right-wing nationalist politician has ordered Pakistani actors to get out of India.

Bollywood movies are immensely popular in Pakistan, whose own movie industry is much slimmer.

Big Pakistani cinema chains and screens say they have taken a spontaneous decision not to show Indian movies for at least a couple of weeks, or until what they call normality returns in relations between the two countries.

They admit their cinemas may suffer financially because of the popularity of Bollywood movies in Pakistan.

Disputed Kashmir has been a flashpoint for decades and has sparked two wars.

On September 30, Indian villagers living close to the border with Pakistan fled their homes, the day after India said it had launched strikes targeting militants in Kashmir.

India said it conducted “surgical strikes” along the de facto border. Pakistan denied that, saying two of its soldiers died in cross-border shelling.

People from a number of villages in Punjab state were leaving amid fears the confrontation might escalate.

The current bout of violence was triggered by a September 18 attack on the army base in Uri in Indian-administered Kashmir where 18 soldiers died. It was the deadliest of its kind for years.

Narendra Modi’s BJP government, which came to power promising a tough line on Pakistan, has been under tremendous pressure to retaliate for what many in India believe is state-backed terrorism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7WOFiEVnU

Rosetta Probe Ends Its Mission by Crash-Landing on Comet 67P

James J. Williams
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Rosetta Probe Ends Its Mission by Crash-Landing on Comet 67P

Rosetta probe has ended its mission to Comet 67P by crash-landing on to the icy object’s surface on September 30.

The impact had occurred when radio contact to Rosetta was lost abruptly, mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, has confirmed.

The assumption is that the probe would have been damaged beyond use.

In the hours before the planned collision, the ageing probe sent back a host of high-resolution pictures and other measurements of the icy dirt-ball.

ESA mission manager Patrick Martin said: “I can announce full success of this historic descent of Rosetta towards Comet 67P.”

“Farewell Rosetta; you’ve done the job. That was space science at its best.”

Rosetta probe has arrived at comet 67P after a 10-year chase
Rosetta probe has arrived at comet 67P after a 10-year chase

Researchers expect all the data gathered at Comet 67P in the past two years to keep them busy for decades to come.

The loss of signal, which happened at 11:19 GMT (13:19 CEST), was greeted by muted cheers and handshakes – not so surprising given the bittersweet nature of the occasion.

Some of the scientists watching on here in Darmstadt have spent the better part of 30 years on this project.

The researchers had wanted the descending probe to get a look inside one of the many pits that pockmark the surface.

Some of the images that came back were acquired just seconds before the collision.

Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko is currently heading away from the Sun, limiting the solar energy available to Rosetta to operate its systems.

Rather than put the probe into hibernation or simply let it slowly fade into inactivity, the mission team determined that the venture should try to go out with a bang.

ESA project scientist Matt Taylor said that even if Rosetta was sent to sleep with the intention of waking it up again when 67P next visited the brighter environs of the inner Solar System – there was no guarantee the technology would still be working properly.

Because Rosetta was not designed to land, some of its structures very likely broke on contact with the comet. Controllers left no room for doubt in any case by pre-loading a software sequence that would jump the computers into a shutdown when the probe felt a big jolt.

Rosetta arrived at 67P in August 2014, after a 10-year journey from Earth.

El Chapo Guzman’s Sons Suspected of Launching Sinaloa Attack

Diane A. Wade
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0
El Chapo Guzman’s Sons Suspected of Launching Sinaloa Attack

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s sons are suspected of launching an ambush on a military convoy in Mexico that left five soldiers dead, Mexican officials say.

The assault in the northern state of Sinaloa involved grenades and assault rifles.

According to officials, the attackers succeeded in freeing a wounded drugs suspect who had been captured earlier and was being taken to hospital.

At least ten people were injured.

Sinaloa is the stronghold of the drugs gang formerly headed by Joaquin Guzman.

El Chapo Guzman was recaptured in January.El Chapo Guzman extradition to US

Officials believe the ambush may have been organized by his sons, who are believed to have taken over the running of the cartel.

“Up this point we are not certain about this group, but it is very probable that it was the sons of Chapo,” said local military commander Gen. Alfonso Duarte.

Up to 60 gunmen set upon the vehicles, beating the soldiers and freeing a drugs suspect who was being taken to hospital.

According to officials, the suspect freed by the gunman has been identified as Julio Oscar Ortiz Vega, also known as “El Kevin”.

The gunmen stole the ambulance and a military truck burst into flames during the assault.

Mexican authorities believe the sons of Guzman have been involved in other violent episodes in recent weeks.

In August, one of them was kidnapped by a rival group. Another son, Ivan, is also said to be involved in cartel activities.

El Chapo Guzman’s brother, Aureliano Guzman Loera, also known as “El Guano”, is struggling for control of drug production against the Beltran Leyva drug cartel in the remote area, officials say.

Joaquin El Chapo Guzman was arrested in January after six months on the run following his escape through a tunnel in his jail cell.

He had already escaped a maximum security facility once before, spending 13 years at large.

A Mexican judge is considering the case to have El Chapo Guzman extradited to the US.

El Chapo Guzman is expected to appeal against any decision to extradite him and his lawyers say the process could take years to come to a conclusion.

Alfred Olango Death: Videos of El Cajon Police Shooting Released

Nancy Clayson
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Alfred Olango Death: Videos of El Cajon Police Shooting Released

San Diego police have released two videos of the fatal shooting of Alfred Olango, an unarmed black man, outside a shopping center on September 27.

The videos show two officers confronting Alfred Olango before one of them shoots him dead him in a car park the suburb of El Cajon.

According to police, Alfred Olango had been behaving erratically at the time.

However, his mother said he was having a mental breakdown and needed help.

Image source Facebook
Image source Facebook

The shooting of 38-year-old Alfred Olango, a Ugandan refugee, led to violent protests in El Cajon.

Police said they shot the man when he pulled an object that turned out to be an e-cigarette from his pocket and pointed it at a police officer.

One of the videos of the incident was recorded by a surveillance camera mounted at the window of a drive-thru restaurant, while another came from the mobile phone of a bystander.

In the second video, which lasts less than 20 seconds, a woman can be heard shouting: “Officer don’t shoot him!” before at least four shots ring out and she screams.

El Cajon police chief Jeff Davis said Alfred Olango died after one officer fired an electronic stun gun and another officer simultaneously fired his firearm several times.

Donald Trump Attacks Alicia Machado on Twitter

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Attacks Alicia Machado on Twitter

Republican candidate Donald Trump has attacked former beauty pageant winner Alicia Machado who criticized him for alleged sexist and misogynistic remarks as “disgusting”.

In a stream of tweets, Donald Trump urged Americans to examine Alicia Machado’s personal history and her “tape”.

Donald Trump implied rival candidate Hillary Clinton had secured US citizenship for Venezuelan-born Alicia Machado.

In response, Hillary Clinton tweeted: “This is unhinged, even for Trump.”

Image source Wikipedia
Image source Wikipedia

Alicia Machado says she was called “Miss Piggy” by Donald Trump when he owned the Miss Universe beauty pageant, after she put on weight after winning the title in 1996.

She also says Donald Trump called her “Miss Housekeeping” because of her Latina heritage.

Alicia Machado’s case was raised by Hillary Clinton in the first presidential debate earlier this week as an example of Donald Trump’s attitude to women.

In his early-morning Twitter outburst, Donald Trump said Alicia Machado had a “terrible” past that a “duped” Hillary Clinton had overlooked before holding her up “as an ‘angel'”.

The Republican added: “Did Crooked Hillary help disgusting (check out s** tape and past) Alicia M become a US citizen so she could use her in the debate?”

In her Twitter response, Hillary Clinton asked: “What kind of man stays up all night to smear a woman with lies and conspiracy theories?”

She added: “When something gets under Donald’s thin skin, he lashes out and can’t let go. This is dangerous for a president.”

According to the Associated Press, Donald Trump’s “s** tape” taunt appears to refer to footage from a Spanish reality show in 2005 in which Alicia Machado appeared on camera in bed with a male contestant. The grainy images were posted this week to a newspaper’s website.

In a statement on Instagram, Alicia Machado said: “The Republican candidate and his team are again generating attacks, insults and trying to resurrect false allegations on my life. Their purpose is to intimidate me, humiliate me and tip me off balance. The attacks are slanders and lies full of bad intentions, with no basis.

“With his hate campaign, the Republican candidate insists in discrediting and demoralizing a woman – one of his worse characteristics.”

Rodrigo Duterte Compares His Anti-Drug Campaign to Holocaust

Diane A. Wade
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0
Rodrigo Duterte Compares His Anti-Drug Campaign to Holocaust

President Rodrigo Duterte has compared the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign to the Holocaust, saying he would kill as many addicts as Hitler did Jews.

The Filipino president said: “Hitler massacred three million Jews… there’s three million drug addicts. I’d be happy to slaughter them.”

At least six million Jews as well as other minorities are known to have been killed by the Nazis.

Rodrigo Duterte has overseen a bloody crackdown on drug users and dealers since taking office in June.

According to official figures, more than 3,000 people have been killed in police operations or by vigilantes.

The bodies of those killed are often left out in public, with signs listing the crimes they were accused of.

Rodrigo Duterte has openly said he would “kill 100,000 criminals” to reduce crime in the Philippines.Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte

He was speaking in Davao, the city where as mayor he implemented a tough anti-crime policy and was accused of sanctioning death squads to kill criminals.

Rodrigo Duterte told reporters he had been “portrayed to be some cousin of Hitler” as he lashed out critics who he said were accusing him of genocide.

“Hitler massacred three million Jews, now, there is three million drug addicts. I’d be happy to slaughter them,” he said.

According to local news website Rappler, the most recent figures in the Philippines – released earlier in the week – suggests the number of drug users in the country is closer to 1.8 million, just 1.8% of the overall population.

Rodrigo Duterte’s rambling speech continued: “At least if Germany had Hitler, the Philippines would have…” – at which point he is reported to have pointed to himself.

His comments were criticized as “outrageous” by Jewish groups, Reuters reports.

“Duterte owes the [Holocaust] victims an apology for his disgusting rhetoric,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the US-based Simon Wiesenthal Center.

The US-based Jewish group the Anti-Defamation League said the comments were “inappropriate and deeply offensive”.

“It is baffling why any leader would want to model himself after such a monster,” said communications director Todd Gutnick.

Rodrigo Duterte also used the speech to once again accuse the West of hypocrisy over their criticism of his brutal crackdown.

“You US, EU. You can call me anything. But I was never into… hypocrisy like you,” he said.

“There are migrants escaping from the Middle East. You allow them to rot and then you’re worried about the death of about 1,000, 2,000, 3,000?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBSCWQipQRQ

A Trusted Global Brand in the Making

Dana R
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A Trusted Global Brand in the Making

Le-Vel Brands is generating so much buzz and excitement through its innovative dietary supplements that it is expanding exponentially. Indeed it is the ultimate goal of the Le-Vel Brands to soon have its logo everywhere as its reputation and fame increases in both the dietary supplement and direct sales industries. The rapid rise of Le-Vel Brands owes its success to the innovative weight and health management products that also generate extra income flows for its retailers and affiliates.

What Le-Vel Brands Supporters Say About the Company

Supporters and promoters of the Le-Vel Brands are quite vocal about their belief that this company is its way to becoming a trusted global brand. They are not only excited about the products and commissions rate plan the company offers today, but are also looking forward to having more great and innovative products in the future. Indeed, Le-Vel Brands’ true goal is to be known worldwide for its brand, not just products. The company, which was founded in 2012 by three veterans of the direct sales industry, aims to continue communicating its message of quality and passion to the world. The three founders of Le-Vel Brands, Paul Gravette, Justin Rouleau and Jason Camper never lose sight of the company’s ultimate goal: everything boils down to the quest of becoming a global premium lifestyle brand.

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Why Everybody Else is Talking About the Le-Vel Brands

Much of the excitement surrounding the Le-Vel Brands is focused on its four core products that are marketed for people who wish to stay healthy and have more energy. The first two products in the lineup are Thrive M (weight management pills for men) and Thrive W (identical to Thrive M but is marketed to women). Both products contain natural ingredients such as green coffee bean and grape seed extracts as well as amino acid, vitamins and minerals. The third product is called the Thrive Premium Lifestyle Mix, which is also a weight management product that comes in whey protein form that can be added to smoothies and other drinks. The fourth product is the one that is generating the biggest excitement: the Thrive Premium Lifestyle DFT (Derma Fusion Technology), a skin patch that is meant to be worn on the skin for 24 hours to deliver its natural components straight to the bloodstream. The Thrive Premium Lifestyle DFT also supports weight and health management thanks to its blend of Cosmoperine (derived from black pepper to increase skin absorption), Garcinia Cambogia (also called the Malabar tamarind, it is a popular fruit that is often used to support weight loss), white willow bark, and green coffee bean extract.

Weight Management Made Even Easier with the Thrive Experience

Everybody knows that staying healthy requires commitment and effort. The Le-Vel Brands is making health and weight management even easier with its “Thrive Experience”, an eight-week plan that provides even more support to achieve fitness and health goal. When users of the Thrive products join the “Thrive Experience”, they will find it easier to stay healthy and have more energy.

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