Category Archives: Evolution

Englands one-day captain, Eoin Morgan, at the Chance to Shine Street National Finals Day in Wolverhampton. Photograph: Courtesy of Chance to Shine

Eoin Morgan has given a few masterclasses this summer. There was his century against South Africa at Headingley, his 87 against Australia at Edgbaston and his 75 against Bangladesh at The Oval. Then there was the hour he spent at Aldersley leisure centre in Wolverhampton. You may have missed that one. It was during the finals of Chance to Shines street cricket competition, when the kids were taking a break from whacking tape balls around the indoor gym. One asked Morgan which was his favourite shot, another, a young Pakistan fan, what it felt like to be cleaned up by Hasan Ali and a third wanted to know how much Morgan enjoyed playing for his favourite team. Which wasnt England, or Middlesex, but the Kings XI Punjab. It was another little reminder of the ways in which the game is changing.

Chance to Shine cooked up street cricket to give city kids an easy way to get into the game. Its a six-a-side thrash, played with a tape ball and a plastic bat. Morgan gets it. I grew up on a council estate, he says. So I can relate to not having facilities. All he had was a barrel of kit his father kept by the front door. He learned to play on a concrete strip by the side of his house in Rush in North County Dublin. He used to make his own tape balls. But normally Id be bowling against my elder brothers and theyd just whack it out of the garden. Then wed have to get another ball with no tape on it.

Only, Morgan used to dream of playing Test cricket. Most of these kids are hooked on T20. Morgan wanted to be Brian Lara or Graham Thorpe because when he was young England always seemed to be playing West Indies. Which is mad because Thorpes our batting coach now. Not long ago, Thorpe was giving him a few pointers on his pull shot. I was playing it with one leg off the ground, which takes all the power out of your shot. He said that to me and I was like: Hold on, Im sure I had a picture of you on my bedroom wall playing a pull with one leg off the ground and a floppy hat on.

When Morgan was 13, he and his dad met the Ireland coach Adrian Birrell. He had ideas about Ireland moving forward and my dad turned to him and said: Well, he wants to play Test cricket. Adrian turned to him and said: Well, hes 13 years old, how do you know you know you want to play Test cricket? But I just did. I always thought my future was here. Odd how life works out. Morgan came to England because he wanted to play Tests but hes ended up specialising in limited-overs cricket. And now Ireland have Test status. But hes adamant he will never go back.

Morgan is 30, a year older than Dawid Malan, but hes reconciled himself to the idea that he wont play another Test. I came to terms with that when I took the captaincy, he says. Because in order to prove myself to play Test cricket I would need to play more county cricket, which would have meant giving up my one-day position. And Im not willing to do that at the moment. I think what we have with the one-day side is quite special, hopefully were putting a side in the position to compete in 2019. So Im very happy with the path my career has taken.

At the same time, he tells the kids that the three team-mates he admires most are Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali because they play all three formats. I suppose ideally Id like to play all forms but there are not many people that do that any more. Theres a bigger division now than there ever has been between Tests and white-ball cricket, he says. Its becoming a real challenge that. With T20, theres such a shift, to go straight from Tests to T20 is such a jump. So what does Morgan, a pioneer of modern cricket, make of the shibboleth that Test cricket is the pinnacle of the game?

The city T20 competition is going to have a huge impact on our game

Its hard for me to say, he admits. Ive changed my view in the last year or so. Before, we said Test cricket is the best form of the game. But everybody is gearing towards Twenty20 cricket. Morgan has been around. He knows better than most what some of the players in the IPL and the Big Bash think about Test cricket. How do you get people to engage with, say, Test matches between South Africa and the West Indies or Pakistan v New Zealand? How do you make those series relevant? I dont have the answer. I just know that something needs to be done. There has to be a shift or the divide will become bigger and one form will take over. And I dont see Tests taking over.

Morgan is surprised that the swing towards T20 has not started already in England. He says the players he is with at Middlesex have not made the switch yet. But were at a county which does prioritise red-ball cricket. And our young guys coming through, Stevie Eskinazi, Nick Gubbins, George Scott, their priority is still to play Test cricket. Which is interesting because I thought the shift would have been made by now. But Morgan has no doubt it is coming. The impact of T20 cricket, its influence around the world, thats already happened. Were a way behind it in England. But when it comes it shouldnt come as a shock.

Morgan thinks it will show in the next generation. Say youve got the next Ben Stokes at Middlesex. Hes coming through right now and he makes his debut in two years time. The question for him is: yes he wants to play Test cricket but there are only 11 players in the team and Ben Stokes is still around, and then this young kid gets offered a lot of money, life-changing money, to go and do something else. Thats serious pressure. Its not an easy decision. And the answer depends on what background he comes from and where his principles lie.

A lot of young players around the world are in that position already. Thats where the future problem lies. Its already happening in the West Indies and in other countries that dont prioritise Test cricket.

England still draw crowds for Test matches but that will not make them immune. We will get guys who come along and say they only want to play T20 cricket. We will lose international players because they feel they have a limited amount of time and they want to make the most of their careers or because their priorities lie elsewhere because its not about playing for England, its about making money. Thats already happening around the rest of the world. The England and Wales Cricket Board has three years before it launches its new city-based competition T20 and Morgan says it will need to spend a lot of that time preparing for the impact it will have on Test cricket.

The key question, he says, is how you grab the people who are being engaged by T20 and introduce them to Test cricket, filtering them through at a lower level. Which brings us back to Chance to Shines street cricket. Sunil Narine comes from tape ball. Thats where he learned all his tricks and now his fingers are so strong from squeezing the tennis ball to get spin on it, Morgan says. In the next five years you will see a Sunil Narine playing for England or a guy with a Lasith Malinga action because they played tape ball cricket. Thats the beauty of it. Its instant, its fast, theres no barriers, everyone can play it.

Morgan adds: The city T20 competition is going to have a huge impact on our game. That should allow us to prepare for whats going to happen with the players, to recognise that, yes, the formats are going to get further and further apart. So we should build them both hand in hand, alongside each other, to protect Test cricket. I think thats very important because if we dont do something about it in England, who is?

NatWest has partnered with Chance to Shine as part of its #NoBoundaries campaign, championing diversity and inclusion in cricket

This is an extract taken from The Spin, the Guardians weekly cricket email. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions.

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Eoin Morgan: T20 evolution must work in tandem with protection of Test cricket - The Guardian

Ferrari 125-S, 1947 The first ever Ferrari was fired up and left the Maranello factory gates 70 years ago. What followed would reshape motorsport history.

Ferrari 125-S side view, 1947 That car, the 125-S, boasted a 1.5-liter V12 capable of producing around 118bhp -- a far cry from the speed machines of today.

Enzo Ferrari, 1920 Born in 1898 on the outskirts of Modena -- known for "fast cars and slow food" -- the company's founder Enzo Ferrari devoted his entire life to the pursuit of speed. The Italian is pictured here as a young man sitting in an Alfa Romeo 40-60 HP Racing Type.

Ferrari factory, 1947 Much has changed at the Maranello factory since this day in 1947, but the iconic factory gates remain much the same.

Ferrari 125 F1, 1949 The 125 F1, driven here by Peter Whitehead, was Ferrari's first Formula One car. The Italian marque has since accumulated over 5,000 races victories across various classes.

Enzo Ferrari, 1961 By the '60s, Ferrari was a dominant force on the road and the track. In 1969, Enzo signed an agreement with Fiat Group giving it a 50% stake in the company.

Ferrari 275 GTB-4 Thanks to a host of celebrity owners, the Ferrari brand was also rapidly building a reputation for elegance and style. Here, Steve McQueen stands proudly beside his Ferrari 275 GTB 4 by Scaglietti.

Ferrari GTO, 1984 Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, pictured picking up his Ferrari GTO at the factory, was another that added to the magnetism of the brand.

Ferrari 312T, 1979 By the 1970s, Ferrari's F1 cars were capable of over 500bhp. South African driver Jody Scheckter, pictured, won the 1979 World Championship.

Wind Gallery for Aerodynamic Tests Ferrari tested new designs using 1/3 scale models -- on show at the exhibition.

Kyalami Circuit, 1997 As the turn of the millennium approached, what had started with Enzo Ferrari facilitating gentlemen racing their cars had evolved into a global phenomenon. Here, racing enthusiasts gather at South Africa's Kyalami Circuit to celebrate Ferrari 50th Anniversary.

Ferrari 250 GTO, The 1962 Ferrari 250-GTO is most expensive car ever sold at auction, having fetched over $38,000,000. Here a selection of the highly coveted vehicles gather on the model's 20th Anniversary at the Pierre Bardinon estate in France.

Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi, 2010 An expansive Ferrari-branded amusement park, home to the world's fastest roller coaster, opened its doors in 2010.

Ferrari J50, 2016 "Ferrari's story has been one of the great adventures of the industrial age," says, Andrew Nahum, curator of the exhibition.

Ferrari J50, 2016 "Ferrari uses the subtle and often unseen techniques of automobile design but with the utmost care and precision," adds Nahum. "The exhibition provides an insight into the history and practice of the whole private world of automotive design."

Ferrari pit stop, 2017 Chinese GP The Ferrari Under the Skin exhibition opens on 15 November 2017 and will run until April 2018.

It will feature insight into the life of Enzo Ferrari, unique cars and rarely seen documents -- all illustrating just how far the manufacturer has come.

Originally posted here:

The evolution of Ferrari 70 years of speed and style - CNN International

Australias second biggest gold miner Evolution Mining is mulling the underground potential of a second deposit at its Mungari operations near Kalgoorlie-Boulder as it aims to match its mine life with its portfolios star Eastern States assets.

Evolution executive chairman Jake Klein used his presentation to trumpet the companys $14 million exploration commitment to Mungari this financial year, the most of any mine in its portfolio.

It has six years to run, compared with an 8.3 year average life of mine across the groups seven-mine portfolio, while 27 miners were recently let go at its Frogs Leg underground mine, which has a life of 31/2 years.

Deeper drilling is understood to have revealed underground potential beneath the White Foil open pit, although Mr Klein said it was still early days.

Thats an area of real interest at the moment. I think its early days, what we know is weve got a 31/2 year mine life at Frogs Leg, were hoping to extend that, he said.

Weve started drilling some really interesting results at White Foil but its still early days, theres still a lot of life left in the pit.

But I think the message Id like to convey is weve owned Mungari for just over two years now, its a very important asset to Evolution and we believe strongly in the prospectivity of the region.

Mr Klein said he hoped to push the life of mine at Mungari, secured of Naguib Sawiris LaMancha Resources in 2015, out past the group average.

At Mungari we would love to get to an eight to 10 year mine life, he said.

Industry speculation has linked the miners weakest performing asset, the Edna May Gold Mine near Westonia, with a sale.

But Mr Klein said its poor performance in the March Quarter, when costs outstripped revenue, was an aberration.

Evolution closed down 3, or 1.36 per cent, at $2.18 yesterday.

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Diggers and Dealers: Evolution mulls Mungari potential for extra life - The West Australian

As far as Gene Munster is concerned, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) has no problem with appeal.

It isnt about demand, the managing partner of Loup Ventures told Benzinga Wednesday. They have plenty of demand. Theyve been underselling this vehicle, and as you know, they have about 500,000 pre-orders for it.

No, Teslas problem isnt demand. Its production. Its a relatively low economy of scale that Munster considers currently prohibitive to the companys success.

Tesla reports much lower yields than those of traditional automakers like General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F). In the last quarter, the company produced 30 Model 3s, and in the upcoming quarter, it plans to produce about 1,500. Ambitious CEO Elon Musk aims for 10,000 a week in 2018.

Tesla isnt there yet, but Munster sees potential in its processes.

If you want to just be blown away, look at how the manufacturing of a Model 3 is versus how even some of the automated manufacturing from some of the Big 3 is, he said. The level of efficiency and robotics used in building a Model 3 really changes the equation around the pace that they can manufacture.

But even with its futuristic mechanisms, its largest plant can only produce a million vehicles a year at full capacity compared to BMWs 2.5 million niche cars produced last year. Munster said Tesla needs to invest in a bigger plant to match pace with competitors.

Whether it takes the steps to scale is the critical question around the Tesla story, Munster said. But he has hope. I think that theyre going to get there.

If not, the firm risks vindicating skeptics concerned with high consumer costs.

The expense of a Model 3 is a potential deterrence for buyers.

With a $35,000 base price and an anticipated final cost closer to $50,000 after all features are added, the product is about 40 percent more than the average $32,000 Toyota Motor Corp (ADR) (NYSE: TM) Camry, according to Munsters calculations.

But over time, that price gap diminishes.

If you look at total cost of ownership, which factors in lower insurance, the energy-saving cost with fuel, and the maintenance theres almost no maintenance on these cars, then that cost of ownership gap shrinks to about 14 percent, Munster said. I think that cost gap isnt as big as youd think when you think about total cost of ownership over a five-year period.

Musk has given a two-year timeline before hes ready to flip the switch on autonomy for existing Tesla models, but Munster extended the goal to 2020.

In fact, he said it will be another eight years before Teslas self-driving cars become mainstream, largely due to fear-driven legislative roadblocks.

I think its going to take a few years after [technology updates] to start to advance and get the legislation to loosen up to allow these, he said. I think this is probably 2025 before this is mainstream and you see a self-driving car and dont think twice about it.

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Gene Munster: Traditional Car Manufacturers Face 'Innovator's Dilemma'

Tesla And The Auto Markets New Big Three

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The Path Toward Autonomy: Munster On Tesla's Critical Evolution - Benzinga

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Influencer marketing is a great way for companies to boost their reach and get their name out to the world. Tapping into the social followings of celebrities and social media icons is an effective way to get new fans and customers, and while it may feel like its at its height right now, influencer marketing actually has an old history. In fact, it dates all the way back to the 1700s.

Related:How to Create a SuccessfulInfluencer MarketingCampaign

The famous potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood tapped into royalty, getting kings, queens and other nobles to endorse his pottery line. Later, in 1905, Fatty Arbuckle, an American silent film actor, comedian, director and screenwriter, became the first recorded celebrity to endorse a product, which was Murad Cigarettes.

But today, when we think of celebrity or influencer, stars such as Selena Gomez, Cristiano Ronaldo and DJ Khaled come to mind. And thats because these celebrities have followings so massive, an endorsement or ad by them is sure to get customers swayed to buy a product or try a service.

Related:Coca-Cola, Dell and PayPal Share TheirInfluencerMarketing Secrets

While influencer marketing may have started long ago, with the help of social media, its reaching new heights today -- and it has created an entirely new genre of celebrity. There are a number of famous individuals today who found their fame only because of social media, such as YouTuber Lilly Singh and Vine star Andrew Bachelor. These influencers may be even more effective than celebrities when it comes to endorsing a product -- 70 percent of teenage YouTube subscribers say that these influencers are more relatable than celebrities.

To learn more about the evolution of influencers, check out NoGRE.coms infographic below.

Rose Leadem is an online editorial assistant at Entrepreneur Media Inc.

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The Evolution of Influencers, From the 1700s to Today (Infographic) - Entrepreneur

SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 24: Starter Lance McCullers Jr.

Houston Texans: Five Reasons why Deshaun Watson could be great or a bust by Kenneth Cline

The rainbow uniform design has continued to be one of my favorite Houston Astros uniform design pieces and its right up there with the Shooting Star design of the 1960s. The design of the uniform that I mention of lasted for 21 years from 1975-86 and it has truly stood the test of time.

Paul Lukas of ESPN.com wrote a spectacular piece in regard to the untold story of the uniforms and how one begotten design firm created something that was revolutionary in its own right. Although I wasnt alive when the unis debuted back in 1975, I do recall seeing them at games in the Astrodome before they were modified after the 1986 season, one of the best in team history.

Seeing greats like Nolan Ryan and guys like Mike Scott, Alan Ashby, Jim Deshaies and Billy Hatcher don those uniforms was nothing short of amazing.

I didnt get to go to many games in my early childhood as my family was growing at the time and all my parents resources were focused on keeping a roof over our head and plenty of food to eat. But there were many occasions where I got to go to games and Id just be in awe of the luminosity of the unis as well as the effervescence of our home field, fresh off multi-million dollar renovation where whole interior appeared to be a giant rainbow.

I want to let you read the piece itself but Gary Rollins, the director of Astros TV and radio network, was more in favor of the traditional design like the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers but was steered more in the direction of something more bold. The network was hemorrhaging money at the time and were on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. But it was the new look that staved off such a notion and were a big hit.

Heres a categorization of the evolution by uni expert Paul Lukas:

I do disagree with Lukas in regard to the notion of the 75 jerseys being the best. Im just not a fan of the number being encapsulated in a circle but Im more in favor of the final rehash that continued from 1977-86. Even former Astros president and general manager Tal Smith lobbied hard to get the circle removed.

There were also sorts of designs proposed from a white star on the front to a unique-looking A on the cap of the uniform as well as orange pants. Take a look of those pics None of those wouldve been a good idea because one needs the audacity of such a new concept but not the point of being too tacky. I think the Houston Astros found a perfect medium with the two, hence the design that many of us still wear to this day as a homage to a notable era in franchise history.

Want your voice heard? Join the House of Houston team!

It wouldve been an injustice had this story had not been told and Im glad that a fellow journalist went out to seek the truth and to report it as fully as possible. That is, of course, one of the guiding principles in this business. Lets hope this design continues to stand the test of time like it already has.

Go Astros.

Original post:

Houston Astros Report: The evolution of the rainbow uniform revealed - House of Houston

It took a quarter of a century. The Premier League had gone from an almost exclusively British affair to a cultural melting pot, a place where players and managers from across the footballing world congregated and combined. But it was not until its 25th year that anyone won the league playing with a back three.

It is an indication of what a revolutionary Antonio Conte has proved. When the season starts on Friday, the Premier League may look like Serie A: not in the pace of the game, but in the formations.

The back three, largely unfashionable apart from a spell in the 1990s when Roy Evans' Liverpool and Brian Little's Aston Villa championed it, was used by 18 clubs last season. Even Arsene Wenger, a devotee of the back four, has become a late convert. Even Jose Mourinho has experimented with it. And they had been more English than the English in their preference for a defensive quartet.

For the first half of its existence, the Premier League's dominant formation was the traditionally British 4-4-2. Arguably the division's greatest side, Manchester United's 1999 Treble winners, just played it better than everyone else, albeit with split strikers.

Wenger brought the first injection of Total Football principles to the system, players such as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg exchanging positions within the shape. Arsenal had a striker who did not always lead the line, a genuine No. 10 and inverted wide midfielders, rather than wingers.

Mourinho also brought a sea change in thinking when he first arrived in 2004. He removed a striker for an extra midfielder, helped by Frank Lampard's ability to outscore most forwards, prioritising the control a specialist anchorman gave him and preferring 4-3-3.

The cautious, counter-attacking approach he and Rafa Benitez introduced was copied. Alex Ferguson also started to field a third central midfielder, valuing possession, particularly in Europe.

Wenger abandoned 4-4-2 when Patrick Vieira left and Cesc Fabregas emerged. English football became less fast and furious. Its teams acquired more nous, which was reflected in its golden age in the Champions League in the 2000s.

Its lesser lights had a similarly pragmatic blueprint, courtesy of Sam Allardyce. He fielded a solitary striker, concentrated on clean sheets and set-pieces and kept teams up.

Players evolved to suit the new systems. The default ploy became 4-2-3-1. The specialist predator became an endangered species, along with the impotent target man; forwards needed to be a hybrid. Attacking midfielders, inverted wingers and No. 10s began to flourish.

The 2010s brought a drop in standards, an increase in goals and a clash of competing ideas. The emphasis on defence declined. Three teams scored a century of goals; a policy of all-out attack mixed with extreme tactical experimenting almost won Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool the title, even if it was a formula few could copy.

After two throwback champions, Mourinho's Chelsea resembling the side of a decade earlier and Leicester's 4-4-2 addicts caring little for possession and offering reminders of the 1980s, came a new era. Perhaps Conte has won the battle of ideas, but in one respect Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp have taken English football back to its roots, with gegenpressing a new term for high-tempo football.

In another, the degree of tactical flexibility is new and perhaps will be more prevalent in the future. Pep Guardiola, always liable to change shape, could be a pioneer while Klopp has something both familiar and alien, using a false nine and little width in attack. But history tends to be written by the winners, so for now, Conte seems the most influential innovative import.

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EPL at 25: An evolution to find the winning edge - The Straits Times

Eddie Jones says England will need to be the "best prepared team in the world" to return from Japan victorious.

TWICKENHAM -- Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. That is the adage driving England on as Eddie Jones attempts to mastermind 2019 Rugby World Cup glory.

The tournament in Japan does not kick off for another 25 months, but with their Pool C opponents confirmed, England have already begun to plan for their assault on the Webb Ellis Cup.

Eddie Jones believes Manu Tuilagi can "demolish" the All Blacks and branded Leicester's wrecking-ball centre worth every ounce of effort poured into rebuilding his injury-hit England career.

Manu Tuilagi has returned to the England squad for their three-day preseason training session this weekend.

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Jones is constantly looking to improve his side -- both on and off the field -- and with that in mind he and members of his backroom staff have looked to sports as diverse as football, formula one, cycling and bobsleigh for inspiration.

"We need to be the best prepared team in the world because to win the World Cup is going to take an extraordinary performance," Jones told reporters at a media briefing Friday.

"And to have an extraordinary performance, we have to have an extraordinary preparation."

They will also, more than likely, need to beat New Zealand. Jones hinted that he had spotted a weakness in the back-to-back champions over the summer, suggesting the All Blacks are "experiencing problems with their depth" as squad players head to Europe.

England are not scheduled to play the All Blacks prior to the World Cup, but signs from their own June tour were encouraging as a side shorn of 15 British & Irish Lions players sealed a 2-0 series win in Argentina.

Jones is not one to get carried away, though, and he knows there is plenty of work to do if England are to return from Japan victorious. On Friday, he admitted he did not have any players at his disposal who would strike fear in opponents.

"We're developing players who are going to be like that," he said.

Billy Vunipola, back in the training squad announced Thursday as he continues to recover from the shoulder injury that ended his Lions tour before it had begun, is one who Jones predicts has the potential to become world class.

Then there are the nine debutants from Argentina retained for the camp on the outskirts of London, with Tom Curry and Sam Underhill both receiving praise. "They've got a range of skills, a range of toughness to set them up to play Test rugby."

The inclusion of the opensides hints at an evolution in the back row. James Haskell's performances under Jones mean he has credit in the bank but the fight for the No. 7 jersey is on.

And that is, perhaps, the secret to England's success over the last 18 months. Everyone from captain Dylan Hartley to the coaching staff knows that if their level drops then their place in the group is under threat.

"No one's set in stone apart from myself for the next game," Jones said. "Everyone's got to keep improving. That's the challenge ahead."

On the pitch Jones is determined to see an improvement in how well his side uses the ball. He believes pragmatic rugby, building through phases to put the opposition under pressure, is a thing of the past.

"You've got to be able to crack the opposition in the first three phases," he said. "Find the space, use the ball, keep the ball alive, and be accurate in your skill work.

"So, that would be what we'd like to see. But that's not going to happen overnight. It takes time, it takes effort, it takes application."

It is the type of rugby that sets the All Blacks apart from every other rugby playing nation, and Jones' desire to depose New Zealand as the world's No. 1 side is behind his willingness to gamble on the talent of Manu Tuilagi.

The Leicester centre is still some way short of a return to the Test arena, as Jones himself admitted, but he possesses an irresistible ability to break the gain line and put into practice the type of game plan that the England coach craves.

"I know the kid himself is working as hard as he can to get back on the field," Jones said. "At the moment everything looks pretty positive so we've just got to pray that this positivity keeps going and he has a period where he can be injury-free and show what he's capable of."

The memory might be fading but England fans are well aware what Tuilagi is capable of. In 2012 the centre capped a wonderful performance with a try as the All Blacks were beaten 38-21 at Twickenham.

It was a game Jones alluded to Friday as he said: "No one's ripped them [New Zealand] apart, apart from Manu."

Jones added: "He loves rugby and he wants to play for England. He loves playing for England.

"He's doing everything he can to get ready and I'm impressed by his dedication because he's had a tough time. The amount of injuries he's had would be enough to knock people away."

Originally posted here:

Evolution key as Eddie Jones plots England's path to World Cup glory - ESPN.co.uk

Today Im going to do something unusual: write a direct and explicit response to a Christian. Instead of doing this to another Patheos blogger I am instead going to write to a Christian pastor who publishes videos on YouTube. The pastorI am responding to is Pastor Hines.I encourage any readers of mine to view the video by Pastor Hines. His channel is named Toward a Biblical and Christian Worldview.

Pastor Hines seems to truly believe that he can reduce gun violence but provides no evidence to support this idea.

He claims teaching evolutionand natural selection to children will cause them to lash out and act like animals. He claims that teaching the extraterrestrial origin of life (which no one teaches in the United States as far as I know, at least not as the definitive origin of life on this planet) is child abuse. Pastor Hines claims that abortion is murder and that we celebrate sexual filth. Pastor Hines claims its abusive to indoctrinate children into lies. He also claims that he and those in his camp can understand the world in a way that we as evolutionists cannot. Pastor Hines also tries to claim in a roundabout way that there are no Christian school shooters. Not true.

There is no connection between belief in evolution and school shootings in or out of the United States. Thats a blunt statement but its one that can easily be shown to be true. In order to examine this thoroughly and actually see why Ive arrived at this conclusion lets look at Ballotpedias map of school shootings from 1990 to the present. If you look at it carefully youll notice the most religious area, the south, has the most school shootings. That alone is enough to rip apart the claim that a belief in evolution inherently leads to a population of students more likely to engage in school shootings. But if thats not enough to convince you think about this: theres an article on Quartz which compares school shootings in the United States with multiple victims to school shootings in 36 other countries with multiple victims, whose combined total population is around 3.8 billion people.

I do not want people to leave here thinking I believe belief in Christianity leads to an increased likelihood of a student shooting up a school. I dont believe that. I believe that there are a multitude of factors which influence the possibility that a student or outsider might shoot up a school. But the idea that belief in evolution somehow positively correlates with an increase risk of school shootings is unsupported by evidence.

Victims of school shootings are not playthings you can use to make nonsensical points about the importance of your religion. These are both living and dead victims of a tragedy and I cannot fathom how vile a human being Pastor Hines must be to think that this is an acceptable thing to do. I cannot imagine how despicable someone must be to consider this an appropriate action.

Christianity alone will not reduce school shootings or other instances of violence in and out of school. It just wont and pretending that your religion is a universal remedy for very real violence and ignorance is dangerous. We need to find a way to reduce gun violence but I dont believe for a second that encouraging people to convert to any single religion will actually cause a detectable dip in violence. This pastor wants to make his listeners believe that violence can be reduced due to his religious beliefs. It hasnt been.

One of the biggest issues with the claims of Pastor Hines is that he provides no evidence for them. He doesnt even try. He just boldly asserts what he believes the world ought to be like but almost religiously refuses to back his claims. He doesnt deserve a venue with which to make these ignorant claims if he cant even be bothered to pretend to research them.

Another response to Pastor Hines has been created by the excellent YouTuber Essence Of Thought:

We need to have conversations about this backed by evidence. Pastor Hines is not interested in having such a conversation and this can be determined by examining his remarkable focus on a single school shooting, even if its one of the most violent in living memory. If we actually want to prevent more school shootings we need to carefully look at and analyze various school shootings to come across commonalities, and not make ignorant assertions about what we believe the causes are of a single shooting. Pastors like Pastor Hines do not help us move closer to a world with less school shootings.

Read more:

School Shootings And Evolution: A Response To Pastor Hines - Patheos (blog)

Over the past two decades, there have been a number of pivotal moments in which al-Qaedas ongoing war against the West has shifted the contours of global geopolitics. Most notably, the 9/11 attacks sent the war on terror into a whole new dimension first with the United States-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, and then with the subsequent invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

Despite intensive military counter-operations, western understanding of al-Qaeda has been severely limited, primarily because governments and intelligence agencies tend to control and simplify narratives. No longer. A new book discusses the history of al-Qaedas forces with an insiders perspective.

Written by British investigative journalists Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy, The Exile: The Stunning Inside Story of Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda in Flight recounts the groups evolution through unique access to Osama bin Ladens inner circle.

The book documents the gradual formation of the Islamic State by bin Ladens lieutenants and captures bin Ladens rising paranoia in his final years in the Abbottabad compound in Pakistan where he was finally killed by US special forces in May 2011.

Frustrated this story was not being relayed in its totality, both Clark and Levy traveled to a host of countries in search of more information to tell what they feel is the real story of al-Qaeda as it evolved into a leading global brand of international jihadism.

Authors of The Exile Cathy Scott-Clark (right) and Adrian Levy (Caroline Forbes/Courtesy)

To this end, Clark and Levy held meetings with al-Qaeda insiders, as well as with relatives and friends of those associated with the organization, in places like Yemen, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Kuwait, the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The Exile by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy (Courtesy)

Startling details emerge, such as how the Bush administration knew the whereabouts of bin Ladens family and al-Qaedas military and religious leaders, but rejected opportunities to capture them.

Details also surface relating to the development of the Central Intelligence Agencys (CIA) torture program in Cuba and Thailand, and the subsequent coining of the phrase forever prisoner, as does information relating to Irans secret shelter for bin Ladens family and al-Qaedas military council.

Its more than a fantasy the way the al-Qaeda narrative is constructed [in the west], says Levy, a senior correspondent at the Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom. Its seen through a western-European-Caucasian police procedural, in the form of analysts, the CIA, or from European intelligence agencies.

I cant think of any other conflict where there is such an extraordinary act of control by western governments, the journalist adds.

Levy cites films like Zero Dark Thirty a slick blockbuster narrative that depicts the decade-long hunt for bin Laden as a perfect example of sanitized western propaganda at work.

Osama bin Ladens Abbottabad main house with front door visible. (Shaukat Qadir/courtesy)

What we are seeing is a Hollywood betrayal of this story, says Levy, which shows agents using torture successfully in an attempt to imbue the story with one single narrative.

This torture was conducted far away from US soil, often in secret locations, and thus was not obligated to human rights conventions or other international laws.

The book recalls, for instance, how on July 24, 2002, Attorney General John Ashcroft, who then served in the George W. Bush administration, verbally approved to the CIA the use of 10 interrogation techniques on terror suspects who were arrested without trial. These techniques included walling, cramped confinement, and the use of diapers.

The Exile pays special attention to the prison diaries of Abu Zubaydah.

Born Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn in Saudi Arabia, Zubaydah moved to the west Bank as a teenager. Rejecting his middle class upbringing, he shunned his parents dream of him becoming a doctor and instead traveled to Afghanistan to train with al-Qaeda recruits. He was captured in Faisalabad, Pakistan, on March 28, 2002, suffering severe bullet wounds in the process. And, he famously lost an eye while under CIA interrogation.

The interrogation techniques used on him by the CIA have included stress positions, sleep deprivation, and waterboarding, among other forms of torture.

Abu Zubaydah in 2017 with eye patch around his neck. (Courtesy)

As Levy recalls, the CIA has accused Zubaydah of being al-Qaedas number three, Osama bin Ladens lieutenant, and one of the main planners of 9/11.

The US government now admits that most of those allegations against Zubaydah remain unverified. Still, Zubaydah remains at Guantnamo Bay, in Cuba, without trial, where he is classed as a forever prisoner.

Zubaydahs lawyers managed to get hold of his torture diaries, Levy says, and its the first primary source by someone who has been through the capture rendition in the Guantnamo process. This is yet another example how this [controlled] narrative has been imposed on this very complex situation.

Its deeply frustrating with the recent attacks in Manchester and [London], that we now have less material available [about jihadis] than we did post 9/11, Levy adds.

Levy believes the key to really understanding jihadi fundamentalists like bin Laden and other al-Qaeda figures is not just to study their eschatological-fundamental-Islamic-vision of the world but to analyze their day-to-day domestic lives too.

One would have to emphasize the bin Laden family, the journalist posits. Primarily because its the story of an abusive father and a family in decay.

Osama bin Ladens son Omar and wife Zaina bin Laden while they were still together. (Courtesy)

Levy cites how a number of bin Ladens children, for example, were born autistic and with numerous other diseases which were essentially untreatable since the jihadi leader was against any kind of investment in medicine or science.

The journalist also explains how the eldest bin Laden daughter, Khadija, was married off in puberty to make pacts with other mujahed fighters. She then subsequently died in childbirth in Waziristan in 2007, despite the fact that she had been advised by doctors three years earlier to undergo a dilation procedure to cleanse her womb.

There is a real sense of [huge] human failings within the bin Laden family, says Levy.

The west, led by the United States, has attempted to purposely construct and control how bin Laden and the al-Qaeda story is portrayed in the mainstream media, but the narrative from the jihadi side has been just as carefully constructed.

Bin Laden understood the nature of digital terror, and was always shaping his image, explains Levy, whether it was the way he held his gun, the way he dressed, the shape of his beard, or the image of him as the messianic figure in the cave returning.

Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora, November, 1996. (Abdel Bari Atwan/courtesy)

One of the more intriguing narratives to emerge from Levy and Clarks book, however, is the revelation that the 9/11 plot to bring down the twin towers wasnt handed down through conventional means, by way of the al-Qaeda military or religious council.

[They] objected to the plans for 9/11 on the grounds that there would be too many civilian casualties, that it was an unjustified target, and that it would lead to the immediate dismantling of the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan, says Levy.

Since 9/11 we in the west have seen this in the framework of an al-Qaeda plot. But that is not what happened, he adds.

The journalists also document in their book how the two George W. Bush administrations widely misunderstood various countries roles across the Middle East especially in relation to how certain states harbor terrorists.

Pakistan, for example a country that the Bush administration viewed as a strategic partner in combating terrorism is what Levy calls a jihad factory.

Al-Qaeda objected to the plans for 9/11 on the grounds that there would be too many civilian casualties

There are elements of the jihad factory [in Pakistan] which are controlled by the deep state and then elements that are well beyond its control, Levy adds.

The 2003 Iraq War, however, is absolutely pivotal and critical to understanding the wests conflict with jihadi terrorism over the last 15 years, Levy believes.

After all, it was Iran, not Iraq, Levy says, that was harboring al-Qaeda terrorists in its country before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The Iraq War set back the normalization of relations between the US and Iran massively, the journalist says.

General Qassem Suleimani (right) with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. (Courtesy)

Once Iran was named in George W. Bushs so called axis of evil speech, the country took a hardline approach to the west.

Iran was admitting that it had given finances, transit, and [support] to al-Qaeda, says Levy.

Its like a series of matryoshka dolls, and the echoes out from that are Syria and Libya

But because of the axis of evil speech, Iran went hardline. After this it chose not to hand over of the religious Shura, and the military and the religious council of al-Qaeda [to the west], Levy explains.

The Iraq War also upset the Shia-Sunni balance in Iraq, and subsequently led to the rise of IS.

Its like a series of matryoshka dolls, says Levy. And the echoes out from that are Syria and Libya. And that is how we have reached the point with the Manchester [and London attacks].

Throughout Clark and Levys book there are numerous quotes from al-Qaeda leaders about the need to constantly attack the Jewish state. Moreover, the United States and Israel are in many ways seen by fundamental jihadists almost as one single entity and viewed as the ultimate enemy together.

Still, while Israel is a target that al-Qaeda would gladly like to attack, there are subtle strands within this narrative that make sure its not that easy.

Illustrative: Salafi demonstrators in Gaza waving Islamic State flags during a demonstration that took place on January 19, 2015. (Courtesy MEMRI)

Levy argues, for instance, that much of the jihadi world that surrounds al-Qaeda is a hierarchy of nations.The Saudis and Egyptians are seen in this jihadi-worldview as the intellectuals. But the Palestinians, Levy explains, are not necessarily highly regarded in the jihadi world.

Levy recalls how Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, a Palestinian, who was known as the Godfather of Jihad in the Afghan conflict, ended up being up killed in a car bomb in 1989. Many suspect that he was killed by bin Laden.

Palestine and Palestinian politics arent given a lot of status within the mujahid and jihad world

Palestine and Palestinian politics arent given a lot of status within the mujahid and jihad world, Levy explains. And al-Qaeda have chosen different causes that were dictated by the ethnic makeup of the movement.

Levy also points out that al-Qaeda usually tend to carry out their operations in failed or failing states, such as Algeria, Libya, Syria, Iraq, as well as a host of other failed states across Africa, where fundamental Islam is growing all of the time.

So in that sense Israel could not be a worse location for al-Qaeda, says Levy. Its a small locked down country with a militarized zone with a hugely successful domestic and foreign intelligence force. And it would be spectacularly more difficult for al-Qaeda to set off something on the scale of 9/11 within Israel than it would be in, say, the United States.

Smoke rises in Egypts northern Sinai, as seen from the border of the Gaza Strip, amid fierce clashes between government forces and Islamic State-affiliated gunmen on July 1, 2015. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

Levy claims that a number of journalists within Israel have written about the so-called al-Qaeda-ization of the Palestinian cause. But he believes this is a misguided view.

There is not yet an al-Qaeda brand within the Palestinian national liberation struggle, Levy explains. If one is to talk about al-Qaeda in Israel, the key question to ask is who would the local partners be?

It is true, Levy concedes, that in Sinai al-Qaeda are relatively successful primarily because they have local partners in Egypt. And in Jordan the group has had some level of success, garnering some support.

If one is to talk about al-Qaeda in Israel, the key question to ask is who would the local partners be?

But having no partners, no history, the wrong rhetoric, and a fear of the military intelligence apparatus in Israel, makes it enormously difficult for al-Qaeda to carry out an attack in Israel, Levy says.

Its far more profitable for them to be in Manchester, Birmingham and London, Levy adds. They are sprawling cities with different rules. They have lots of local partners and huge diasporas. And it makes much more sense than Jerusalem does.

Clark and Levys book concludes just as bin Laden gets assassinated in 2011 by US special forces in Pakistan. However, the journalists are keen to point out that al-Qaedas narrative has not ended there.

While IS is certainly pervasive, the geographic reach of the organization has diminished, says Levy. Moreover, he adds, IS depends on the contagious nature of its idea. He says the main problem with IS is that it has no structure.

Armed police patrol near Manchester Arena following a deadly terror attack in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017. (AFP/Oli SCARFF)

With the politics of the Middle East in complete free fall, its hard to say what direction all of this is going in, Levy posits.

Still, Al Qaeda is blossoming and is massively resurgent, he says, pointing out that the jihadi world has moved on from bin Laden.

Al-Qaeda is far more ambitious, in complete resurgence and a massive force to be considered, Levy concludes.

Children of al-Qaeda members in Tora Bora, 1996. (Abdel Bari Atwan/Courtesy)

Read more:

As told by friends and family, an insider's dissection of the evolution of al-Qaeda - The Times of Israel