Daily Archives: February 7, 2017

Teachers ruling a stark reminder – Coast Reporter – Coast Reporter

Posted: February 7, 2017 at 8:08 am

Editor:

The recent Supreme Court ruling to restore British Columbia teachers contract language (stripped since 2002) is, regretfully, long overdue. The severe financial cutbacks endured by B.C. teachers has inevitably led to larger class sizes, loss of library personnel and program choices and, more importantly, loss of morale among teachers who must meet the needs of students in increasingly complex classrooms on woefully inadequate budgets.

Even though the implementation of this court ruling is far from over, as a society, it is critical to reflect upon the kind of education we desire for our children and be willing to speak out when unreasonable government policies handicap our public institutions for personal and political gain.

Hopefully, this ruling will serve as a stark reminder that the health, educational opportunities, mental well-being and sense of personal empowerment that we expect schools to deliver is dependent on our willingness to engage in informed political, social and community discourse. Moreover, we must be willing to oppose policies that threaten the ability of our educational institutions to provide optimum environments for our future leaders and thinkers.

Braden Blackmon, S.C. Teachers Association, Social Justice Chair

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Freedom Boat Club | Private Membership Boating Club

Posted: at 8:07 am

Find Your Closest Club Location Select a Location AL-Orange Beach BC-Vancouver CA-CA Delta Pittsburg CA-CA Delta Stockton CA-Huntington Beach CA-San Diego Mission Bay Dan CA-San Diego Bay Cabrillo Is CT-Deep River CT-Mystic CT-Stamford CT-Westbrook DC-Washington FL-Bonita Springs Bonita Bea FL-Bonita Springs Hickory FL-Boynton Beach FL-Bradenton FL-Clearwater FL-Clearwater II FL-Daytona Beach FL-Destin FL-Englewood Ainger Creek Ma FL-Englewood Cape Haze FL-Fort Myers Beach FL-Fort Myers MarineMax FL-Fort Walton Beach FL-Ft. Pierce FL-Gulf Breeze FL-Hernando Beach FL-Islamorada FL-Jacksonville FL-Johns Pass FL-Lake Dora FL-Lake Tarpon FL-Marco Island FL-Melbourne Viera FL-Naples FL-New Smyrna Beach FL-Palm Coast FL-Panama City Beach FL-Perdido Key FL-Pine Island FL-Punta Gorda Burnt Store FL-Punta Gorda Laishley Park FL-Ruskin FL-Sarasota Hidden Harbor Ma FL-Sarasota Marina Jack FL-Sebastian Inlet FL-St. Augustine FL-St. Petersburg FL-Stuart Pirates Cove Resor FL-Tampa FL-Tampa II FL-Tarpon Springs FL-Tierra Verde FL-Treasure Island FL-Venice FL-Venice MarineMax FL-Vero Beach FL-West Palm Beach Lake Par GA-Lake Lanier GA-Lake Oconee GA-Savannah IL-Chicago IN-Michigan City LA-Madisonville MA-Beverly MA-Boston MA-Cape Cod Chatham MA-Cape Cod East Dennis MA-Cape Cod Falmouth MA-Cape Cod West Dennis MA-Charlestown MA-Hingham MA-Newburyport MA-Quincy MA-Scituate MD-Annapolis Horn Point Harb MD-Annapolis Fairwinds MD-Baltimore Harbor East MD-Baltimore Middle River MI-Lake Charlevoix MI-Lake St. Clair MI-St. Joseph MO-Lake of the Ozarks MS-Biloxi NC-Jordan Lake NC-Lake Norman NC-Southport NH-Portsmouth NY-Buffalo NY-Freeport NY-Lake George NY-Northport NY-Port Jefferson NY-Port Washington OH-Catawba Island OH-Cleveland Rocky River OH-Huron PA-Lake Wallenpaupack RI-Newport RI-Portsmouth RI-Portsmouth RI-Warwick SC-Hilton Head Island SC-Mt. Pleasant SC-Murrells Inlet SC-North Myrtle Beach SC-Pawleys Island SC-Seabrook Island SC-The Upstate Lake Hartwell TN-Chattanooga Harbor Lights TN-Knoxville TN-Nashville Cedar Creek Mar TN-Nashville Four Corners Ma TX-Clear Lake TX-Lake Austin TX-Lake Conroe TX-Lake Travis WA-Seattle

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Only a slave to God’s love understands true freedom, pope says – Crux: Covering all things Catholic

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ROME The freedom that comes from receiving the gift of a joyful Christian life can only come to those who are held captive by Gods love, Pope Francis said.

People who are afraid of Gods gift of love, however, seek only the rigid adherence to the law and can only pray a closed, sad prayer, the pope said February 6 in his homily during Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where he lives.

When you become a slave to love, you are free! That is a beautiful slavery, the pope said.

The days responsorial psalm (Psalm 104), he noted, is a song of praise to God who loved his creatures even before the creation of the universe.

God also showed his love in the act of re-creation, sending Jesus Christ into the world to turn ugliness into beauty, error into truth and evil into good, the pope said.

This gift of Gods love, he added, was difficult for the scribes and Pharisees to understand as they did not know how to receive the things from God as a gift and were concerned only with seeking refuge in the rigidity of the commandments.

They did not know how to receive the gift; and this gift is only received in freedom. These rigid people were afraid of the freedom given to us by God; they were afraid of love, the pope said.

Christians, he continued, must become like children who find their security in Gods love and tenderness rather than hiding behind the closed rigidity of the commandments.

May the Lord help us understand this great thing and help us understand what (God) did before creating the world: he loved! May the Lord help us understand his love for us and may we say as we said today You are great O Lord! Thank you, Thank you! Pope Francis said.

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Worker Freedom Extends to Missouri – Competitive Enterprise Institute (blog)

Posted: at 8:07 am

Today, Missouri became the 28th state to enact right-to-work legislation, which prohibits forced payment of union duesas a condition of employment. Right-to-work laws increase worker choice and research finds they have a positive economic impact.

Primarily, these laws are about increasing worker freedom. No individual should be forced to financially support an organization with which they disagree, or be penalized for refusing todoso. Without right-to-work laws on the books, that is exactly what happens.

Economic benefits also accompany the passage of right-to-work laws. For example, research produced here atthe Competitive Enterprise Institute shows:

Given their benefits to workers and the economy, the popularity of right-to-work laws is no surprise. Survey after survey show that a majority of the public supports giving workers the choice whether or not to pay union dues. Most recently, a May 2015 poll conducted by the Missouri Alliance for Freedomfound that 54 percent of Missourians support right to work, with 35 percent opposed and 11 percent undecided.

However, some free-market leaning organizations criticize right-to-work laws because they interfere with freedom of contract. They claim that employers and unions should be able to agree to union security agreements that require every worker pay union fees whether they want union representation or not. In a system based on freedom to contract, employers and unions should be able to force workers to pay dues. However, a vast majority of these criticisms of right-to-work laws fail to mention that true freedom of contract would also allow employers to completely reject unionization at their establishment, even if every single worker voted to form a union.

There is zero chance in the near to long term future that a system as described above will be implemented.

In the meantime, right-to-work laws that increase worker freedom are preferable to forced unionism laws that force workers to pay for union representation they do not want.

As I wrote previously, Missouri workers deserve the freedom to choose how to spend their hard-earned pay. Enacting right to work in Missouri would give workers that ability, and send a signal to citizens and taxpayers that worker freedom takes priority over the special interests of labor unions.

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Trump: America Will Stand With Those Who Stand for Freedom – Department of Defense

Posted: at 8:07 am

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2017 The United States will stand with those who stand in the defense of freedom, President Donald J. Trump told service members at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, today.

The president visited U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command personnel and received briefings from Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel and Army Gen. Raymond Thomas.

The two commands work hand-in-hand to protect America and its vital interests. Special Operations Command has a worldwide mission. U.S. Central Command is especially focused on the threats emanating from the Middle East and Central Asia.

Gratitude

Trump visited the base to express his and the nations gratitude to the men and women of the commands. He also wanted to recognize the military families and spouses who shoulder the burdens of war. I want every military family in this country to know that our administration is at your service, he said. We stand with you 100 percent. We will protect those who protect us, and we will never, ever let you down.

The president also thanked the representatives of the 52 nations in the coalition that work with personnel at Centcom. He said the nation is very proudly standing with you.

Protecting the United States and its vital interests was at the heart of Trumps remarks at the base. He said he has no higher responsibility than the protection of the American people.

Each and every one of you is central to that mission, the president said. The men and women serving in Centcom and Socom have poured out their hearts and souls for this country.

The sacrifices that service members and their civilian support make are real, the president said. Youve shed your blood across continents and oceans, he said. Youve engaged the enemy on distant battlefields, toiled in the burning heat and bitter cold and sacrificed everything so that we can remain safe and strong and free.

He promised to not forget those sacrifices.

Promises Tools, Equipment

He also promised to provide the tools, equipment, resources, training and supplies needed to accomplish the missions given to the commands. We are going to be making a really historic investment in the armed forces of the United States and show the entire world that America stands with those who stand in defense of freedom, Trump said.

The United States will support its allies, but the president said he also wants partner nations to pay their fair share.

Trump added, We strongly support NATO. We only ask that all the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing.

Centcom and Socom are central to the fight against radical Islamic terrorism, the president said.

We are up against an enemy that celebrates death, and totally worships destruction, Trump said. [The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] is on a campaign of genocide, committing atrocities across the world. Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino.

The presidents message to those forces of death and destruction is simple: America and its allies will defeat you, he said. We will not allow it to take root in our country.

(Follow Jim Garamone on Twitter: @GaramoneDoDNews)

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Murdered soldier’s family want apology over ‘freedom fighters’ tweet – BBC News

Posted: at 8:07 am


BBC News
Murdered soldier's family want apology over 'freedom fighters' tweet
BBC News
The family of a Scottish soldier murdered by the IRA has called for an apology from the SNP after a politician's "freedom fighters" tweet. John Mason, a Scottish parliament member, made the remarks when asked to support a justice campaign for three ...
Cousin of soldier murdered in Belfast brands IRA 'freedom fighter' comments an insult and calls for apologyBelfast Telegraph

all 4 news articles »

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Zac Efron’s ‘Freedom’ Speedo During the ‘Baywatch’ Super Bowl Spot Has Everyone Blushing — Watch! – Entertainment Tonight

Posted: at 8:07 am

Playing Zac Efron's 'Freedom' Speedo During the 'Baywatch' Super Bowl Spot Has Everyone Blushing -- Watch!

Modesty is not a word Zac Efron needs to have in his vocabulary.

The Baywatch actor and co-star Dwayne Johnson hit the beach in the Super Bowl trailer for their upcoming beach bods reboot, and one thing fans couldn't get over is Efron's "Freedom" Speedo, which left very little to the imagination.

WATCH: Zac Efron and Other Celebs Show Lady Gaga's Halftime Performance Love on Social Media

"That's desecration," Johnson's character says of the skimpy swimwear at the end of the 30-second spot.

Fans were obviously all about the super tight fashion choice, even going on Twitter to question whether it really was the Patriots who won the Super Bowl.

WATCH: Best 2017 Super Bowl Commercials, Ranked!

Watch the video below for other ads from the big game that showed a notably smaller amount of Efron's body.

Baywatch squeezes into theaters on May 26.

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Opinion: The Freedom to Be Fleeced – Investopedia

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Opinion: The Freedom to Be Fleeced
Investopedia
[David Cay Johnston is a Pulitzer Prize winner and recipient of an IRE medal and the George Polk Award. The author of five books, including "The Making of Donald Trump," he is a featured columnist for Investopedia. . The views expressed by columnists ...

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How Powerful AI Technology Can Lead to Unforeseen Disasters – Fortune

Posted: at 8:07 am

Photograph by Mehau Kulyk/SPL Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

Self-driving cars and robots that can zoom on their own around warehouses are just some of what's possible because of artificial intelligence. But expect unforeseen consequences if researchers ignore the inherent ethical dilemmas in the emerging technology.

Thats one of the takeaways from a panel about AI ethics and education in San Francisco that was hosted by the Future of Life Institute , a research group focused on preventing societal problems created by the technology.

Although humans typically program AI-powered robots to accomplish a particular goal, these robots will typically make decisions on their own to reach the goal, explained Benjamin Kuipers, a computer science professor and AI researcher at the University of Michigan.

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Its these smaller decisions that robots make on their own that can cause trouble because human programmers may fail to take all of a robot's possible choices into account, Kuipers said.

This is not the robot apocalypse, said Kuipers. What were seeing here are robots pursuing human-generated goals in unconstrained ways.

Kuipers did not cite a specific example of a robot making a harmful decision that its human programmers overlooked. Instead, he cited the Disney animated film Fantasia as an example of what technologists need to take into account when building their robots.

In Fantasia , Mickey Mouse, as a young wizard apprentice, magically commands a broom to fill a cauldron with water. When Mickey falls asleep, however, the broom ends up flooding the room because the untrained wizard failed to take in account that the broom would continue to fill the cauldron even after it was full.

Illah Nourbakhsh, a robotics professor at Carnegie Mellon University, said that educators need to teach computer science and robotics students a basic understanding of ethics, because the technologies they are creating are so powerful that they are actually changing society. He cited the examples of drones being used in warfare and AI technologies being used in advertising as ways cutting-edge technology is being used on a global scale and changing consumer behavior.

Having a basic understanding of ethics can help technologists better understand the potential ramifications of the AI-powered software and robotics they are creating, he explained. One ethical dilemma he cited is how robotics can increase factory productivity; while this may lead to a boost in a nation's GDP, it can also increase the wage gap between the poor and the rich.

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Nourbakhsh does not believe that technology is neutral, and that it is ultimately up to other people to determine how it should be used, for better or worse.

Technologists should think about how their creations will impact society and even the choice of words they use to describe them. For example, calling the technology that powers self-driving cars either a safety-enhancing system or a labor-saving system has big consequences for how society perceives the technology, he explained.

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What the Tech: Neuro-Bio Monitor Technology – KFDX

Posted: at 8:07 am

If you're too lazy to pick up a remote control someday your problem will be solved.

Dozens of companies are working on technology that will allow humans to control computers, prosthetic limbs and televisions using only their brain.

One such company is Freer Logic and Changhong Electric Company. I stumbled across their exhibit at CES this year and it kind of blew my mind.

"This is a neuro-bio monitor technology," developer Peter Freer told me. He had a man sitting on a couch in front of a television as I walked by. On screen was a driving simulator that the man was controlling. He didn't have a remote control in his hand, Freer said he was using his brain to move the car down the road.

"It's the first time in history we've been able to monitor brain activity from a distance without touching it," he said.

Brain and mind control technology is relatively new but almost all of that technology requires a person to strap on a headband. Freer Logic's sensors were built in a headrest and if you're head is close enough to it, around 1 foot or less, the sensors can tell whether you're paying attention to something or not.

"We can monitor his brain state without every touching him," Freer said.

As I watched the man use the simulator he merely focused on the screen to make the video play with the car driving down a road. When Peter and I talked, the man became distracted from the simulator. As he did the video stopped.

Freer said the company is developing the technology further and is working with automobile manufacturers and their OEMs to implement it in vehicles for safety.

"We can develop a drowsiness algorithm so we can detect when truck drivers or people driving their cars get drowsy before their eyes start to droop," Free said.

Seeing this technology in action is, well, mind-blowing but it's almost here for consumers.

Last week it was reported that Netflix has been talking with developers about brain controlled technology that would allow its customers to search for a movie by just thinking of it.

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