Gray seals are one of the rarest species of seal, and were once close to extinction.
BROOKFIELD, Ill. - A baby seal has moved from Chicago to the suburbs.
His name is "Fisher" and he was born in January at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Fisher's mother "Jersey" didn't show appropriate maternal instincts, according to the zoo, and animal care staff had to give him around-the-clock support.
Ever since its emergence, the crypto industry has seen tremendous growth. Today, investing in cryptocurrency has the potential to generate more returns than any other investment. But as an investor, one has to be careful of the numerous frauds and scams associated with this industry. Recently, a new scam has surfaced in the crypto world, causing significant consequences for investors. This scam is called “Rug Pull.”
What is a Rug Pull?
A new scam in the crypto industry has been named “rug pull.” This name is given in association with “pulling the rug out.” It involves a developer luring investors to a new cryptocurrency project, then abandoning investors with a worthless currency before the project is completed.
Rug pulls are prevalent in decentralized finance projects that attempt to disrupt industries like banking and insurance. They have recently entered the NFT projects too.
The recent rug pulls were the SQUID game token rug pull (2021), where the token price increased 23 million percent within a week, and the thodex scam (2021), where its CEO flew with the 2 billion dollars in user fund, denying the users from accessing it.
To avoid such scams, it is important to invest or trade in cryptocurrencies at trustworthy and regulated crypto marketplaces such as LCX. LCX provides you withLCX Exchange,LCX DeFi Terminal, andLCX Terminal, and that too within a secured environment. This is because LCX has gained regulatory approval for 8 major registrations in accordance with the blockchain laws by the Financial Market Authority Liechtenstein. Thus, one can enjoy their secured and successful crypto journey with LCX exchange.
Types of Rug Pulls
Liquidity Stealing: When token creators extract all of the coins from the liquidity pool, this is known as liquidity stealing. This effectively destroys all of the value that investors have invested in the currency, driving its price to zero.
Limiting sell orders: In this case, the tokens are coded by the developers so that they are the only ones who may sell them. The developers then wait for retail investors to use paired currencies to buy into their new crypto. They dump their positions once there is enough favorable price action, leaving a worthless token behind.
Dumping: When developers immediately sell off their enormous number of tokens, this is known as dumping. As a result, the price is reduced, and investors remain with worthless tokens.
How to Identify Rug Pull?
Researching the project’s team: An asset’s founder, individual, or organization should always be investigated. Aside from spotting potential rug pulls, analyzing the team behind a cryptocurrency’s project can help establish its intrinsic value and provide all the necessary information. Anonymous project developers are a potential red flag. Furthermore, the white paper of the crypto project aids in establishing its legitimacy, as a valid and lawful cryptocurrency project’s white paper will contain all detailed information.
No Liquidity locked: Checking if a cryptocurrency is liquidity locked is one of the easiest ways to distinguish between a scam and a legitimate cryptocurrency. Nothing prevents the project founders from increasing the token supply if there is no liquidity lock-in effect.
Limits on sale orders: A malicious project codes a token in such a way to prevent confident investors from selling while allowing others to do so. These selling limits are typical of a scam project.
Price explosion with a small number of token holders: Sudden substantial price swings in a new coin should be approached with caution. If the token has no liquidity, chances of a scam are prevalent.
No external audit: New cryptocurrencies are expected to be subjected to a formal code audit by a credible third party. A third party should be able to verify the audit.
Analyzing transaction and on-chain data: A crypto asset’s on-chain activity is available in the blockchain network. This covers recent trading volume, liquidity, and the number of DEXs registered as legitimate crypto assets. It is likely a rug pull if the project appears only in a few DEXs and has little trading activity.
Stay calm and avoid FOMO: One of the ways that fraudulent investors set up a project to be rug-pulled is through fear of missing out. One must match the data they have with the latest asset news. Be aware that excessive advertising content can indicate rug pull as most new coins will start slowly and small.
How to Avoid Rug Pulls?
Read and review the smart contract audit of the token. SeeLCX auditspublished by Certik.
Check if the company does actually exist and has a registered address. E.g. LCX published animprintwhich shows address, name of company and all registrations.
Check if the management and people involved are real and do really exist. E.g. you can check if the team is on LinkedIn (LCX on LinkedIn) as well as on twitter and if names match.
If the profits on a new coin are suspiciously high and it doesn’t turn out to be a rug pull, it’s most likely a Ponzi scam.
Conclusion
The DeFi is an exciting initiative that aspires to democratize finance and make the most lucrative opportunities available to everyone, anywhere, without any limitations. This, however, makes it vulnerable to fraudulent schemes. Maintaining vigilance and keeping your eyes open can help you have a safe and rewarding encounter. Investors can prevent these scams by conducting thorough research and looking for apparent signs. Before investing, you should always conduct your research and only invest what you can afford to lose.
More than one million Coloradans with non-violent criminal records will soon have their records automatically sealed – thanks to a bill signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday.
Scheduled to go into effect in August, Senate Bill 99 implements an automatic sealing process for non-violent criminal records. The new law applies to those who are eligible to request record sealing under the current system – meaning they have finished their sentence, completed a required waiting period and have not committed another criminal offense.
Colorado lawmakers passed the bill — dubbed the Clean Slate Act — nearly unanimously in a 61-4 vote in the House and a 33-1 vote in the Senate. None of the five opponents, all of whom are Republicans, commented on their “no” votes.
“It's not often you get to pass a policy that has the potential to help millions of people overnight, and Clean Slate Colorado did just that,” said Healthier Colorado CEO Jake Williams. “We've now removed many of these barriers for deserving people and their families and we know our communities will be stronger, safer and healthier for it.”
Around 1.125 million Coloradans with criminal records are eligible to apply for sealing but have not, according to state estimates. Bill supporters said many don’t pursue record sealing because the current process is difficult and expensive, involving filing a petition with the court and paying a fee. Under the bill, those Coloradans can have their records sealed without taking any action.
Supporters championed the bipartisan-sponsored bill as a way to increase Colorado’s workforce by removing a barrier to employment, education and housing for residents with criminal records. Colorado and the rest of the nation are experiencing a pandemic-induced labor shortage. In July 2021, 7.7% of jobs in Colorado were unfilled — an all-time high for the state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The bill will also prohibit employment and housing discrimination based on the contents of a sealed criminal record.
“Business leaders across Colorado recognize that the Clean Slate Act is an essential step towards economic recovery and getting people back on their feet," said Nan Gibson with JP Morgan Chase. "This is demonstrated by the massive groundswell of support within the business community.”
Nearly three dozen Colorado businesses backed the bill, including JPMorgan Chase, Goodwill, Home Depot and the fair-chance employment platform Honest Jobs.
Supporters of the bill also argue that automatic record sealing would lower crime. They cited a 2020 Harvard Law Review study, which concluded that people who have gotten their criminal records sealed or expunged are less likely to reoffend and pose a lower crime risk than the general population.
Under the bill, district attorneys can object to automatic record sealing for non-drug felonies by filing notice to a court. The court can deny record sealing based on a victim’s concern or a media outlet’s need to access records.
Cape Cod shark researchers have reported the first confirmed great white shark sighting of the season, as more eyeballs were on the water for the unofficial start of summer.
A group on Nantucket got a front-row seat to a white shark attacking and devouring a seal off Great Point, where there’s a large seal colony that attracts the apex predators.
The white shark chomping on the seal on Sunday was the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s first confirmed sighting of the season, according to Massachusetts-based shark expert John Chisholm, who is with the New England Aquarium and who has been tracking shark sightings for many years.
“We’ve had a couple of other unconfirmed sightings, but this is the first one where we actually got to see the shark,” said Chisholm, who is now a local citizen science coordinator responsible for verifying shark sighting reports made by the public through the Sharktivity app.
“We know definitively that it’s a white shark,” added Chisholm, who runs the “MA Sharks” Twitter account.
Great whites coming to the Cape ahead of the official start of summer is not early, he noted.
“Everything is unfolding right on schedule,” Chisholm said. “This first sighting is probably more dramatic than in past years because it was witnessed by so many people and captured on video, but it’s right on schedule.”
The video of the shark predation event shows just how close the apex predators get to the shore, he added.
“They’re after the seals, so they’ll get really close to shore,” Chisholm said. “The more people who know that, the better. We want to make sure everyone is aware of that.”
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and the New England Aquarium are partnering on an initiative that encourages residents and visitors to report shark sightings off Cape Cod through the Conservancy’s Sharktivity app. The Conservancy is contracting the Aquarium to employ Chisholm as the local citizen science coordinator.
Sharktivity provides information and push notifications for alerts about white shark sightings, detections and movements. The app sightings are input by researchers, safety officials and users who upload photos for confirmation.
By enabling app users to report shark sightings and upload photos, the Conservancy is gathering information on where sharks are spotted to minimize encounters and promote safety.
Both Chisholm through his MA Sharks Twitter account and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy over the weekend reminded people to use the Sharktivity app to report white shark sightings.
“We want people to get familiar with using the app, and to get as quick a response as possible after these sightings,” Chisholm said.
“The hope is if we get sightings quickly, especially near beaches, then we can notify the communities that are impacted, the beach patrol, the lifeguards,” he added. “And the faster we get the information, the faster we get it out there, providing some public safety information and awareness.”
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy also urged people heading to the beach to be “Shark Smart” and follow safety guidelines. Those precautions include: Be aware that sharks hunt for seals in shallow water; stay close to shore where rescuers can reach you; don’t isolate yourself; avoid areas where seals are present; stay away from spots where schools of fish are visible; avoid murky water; and limit splashing.
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Great white shark attacks seal off Nantucket, the first Atlantic White Shark Conservancy confirmed shark sighting of the season - Boston Herald
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DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A Palm Beach County gym is once again participating in a special workout this Memorial Day to honor service members who gave their lives serving our country.
The fitness challenge is named after Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, a Medal of Honor and Purple Heart recipient who was killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2005.
Murphy's heroism was portrayed in the 2013 film "Lone Survivor."
The "Murph Challenge" has become a staple of the Crossfit community and involves:
1-mile run
100 pullups
200 pushups
300 squats
1-mile run
The workout is all done while wearing a 20-pound vest or body armor.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Bush, right, presents the Medal of Honor, posthumously honoring Navy Seal Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue, N.Y., for combat in Afghanistan, in a ceremony to his parents Daniel, left, and Maureen Murphy, center, Monday, Oct. 22, 2007, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington.
CrossFit Delray Beach is holding classes Monday for participants to take part in the challenge.
"People forget that Memorial Day isn't just one day," Murph Challenge participant Kate Bell said. "For the families who have lost somebody in a war, Memorial Day is every day. You spend every day missing that person and honoring their sacrifice."
Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by then-President George W. Bush on Oct. 22, 2007, during a White House ceremony.
He became the first American awarded the Medal of Honor during the Afghanistan War.
The Navy later named a guided-missile destroyer the USS Michael Murphy, which was dedicated on Oct. 6, 2012, in his honor.
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Delray Beach gym honors Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan through 'Murph Challenge' - WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm
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WEMBLEY, LONDON — Nottingham Forest ended their 23-year absence from the Premier League by securing a 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the Championship playoff final at Wembley.
An own goal from defender Levi Colwill ensured Steve Cooper's Forest — who were bottom of the table after eight games — booked their spot in next season's Premier League, joining champions Fulham and runners-up Bournemouth in the top flight.
This was the fourth meeting between Huddersfield and Forest in all competitions this season and ahead of Sunday's final the Terriers had won once with Forest claiming two victories (once in the league and once in the FA Cup), but today's result was the most important of them all.
Forest's outing on Sunday was the club's first visit to the new Wembley Stadium and fans in attendance won't care one bit that, rather than a hero in red, an own goal from Chelsea loanee Colwill sent them on their way back to the promised land.
Cooper's side had dominated for large parts of the first half with Ryan Yates missing a glancing header early on and Djed Spence causing problems down the right flank, and the former played a huge part in the opener just before the stroke of half-time.
James Garner whipped in a dangerous ball from the edge of the box and Yates looked to be the quickest to react but in his tussle with Colwill, it was the defender who accidentally steered the ball home from close range past Lee Nicholls with his knee.
Huddersfield looked the more nervy of the two sides on the big occasion in the opening 45 with Lewis O'Brien their most lively player in midfield while Danny Ward and Sorba Thomas both had opportunities to score.
The Terriers saw more action in the second half but still failed to register a single shot on target throughout. However, they'll feel angered by two penalty appeals waved way by referee Jon Moss.
On 73 minutes, Harry Toffolo was brought down in the Forest box by Colback. Toffolo was then booked for simulation and even though VAR replays appeared to suggest there was slight contact, the initial decision remained.
Moments later another challenge in the box saw Max Lowe bundle into O'Brien but this one wasn't even looked at by VAR despite coach Carlos Corberan's pleas from the touchline.
Forest held their nerve and composure in the final moments to spark wild scenes come the final whistle knowing next season they'll be back again mixing it with England's biggest sides in the top flight.
FULL-TIME: Nottingham Forest are promoted to the Premier League!
The final whistle goes to spark wild scenes as the players run towards their jubilant fans. Heartbreak for Huddersfield who will feel hard done by with the two penalty decisions... but what an effort from Cooper's side.
90th min +4: Desperate whistles from Forest fans, they're so close but Huddersfield are continuing to put pressure on,
90th min +2: Huddersfield have the ball but can't get it up to their attackers. But suddenly they're presented with a glorious chance as a first time ball into the box from O'Brien evades everyone and goes out of play. Close.
90th min: Six minutes added on.
89th min: Corberan is even more animated on the touchline, desperately trying to urge his team forward. Samba collects a routine cross and goes down hurt. He tries to walk to the half-way line to be substituted but is forced to take the quick exit to the touchline as the Huddersfield fans make the views clear. Ethan Horvath is on... talk about not ideal timing to change your goalkeeper.
84th min: Samba is down receiving treatment but is now back up on his feet.
83rd min: Huddersfield fans scream again for a penalty. This time another challenge in the box sees Lowe bundle into O'Brien but it's not even reviewed by VAR. Another big, big call that Huddersfield fans won't forgive if this costs them.
78th min: That hugely controversial call has sucked the life out of Huddersfield a little with Forest hoping to take advantage and we're almost in run-the-clock-down territory for Cooper's side.
73rd min: Huge calls for a penalty as Harry Toffolo is brought down in the Forest box by Colback. Toffolo is booked for simulation and even though VAR replays appear to suggest there is slight contact, the initial decision remains. No penalty. Philip Zinckernagel is taken off and Max Lowe is on.
70th min: Forest burst forward and after Huddersfield initially clear their lines the ball falls to Brennan, but his shot is dragged wide. 20 minutes to go and Huddersfield still haven't registered a shot on target.
66th min: Davis is off, a tireless effort from him this afternoon, and Sam Surridge comes on to huge cheers. For Huddersfield, Daniel Sinani is replaced by striker Jordan Rhodes.
63rd min: Huddersfield are getting balls into the box from both sides but they're either over hit or cut out at the near post. Few frustrations from their fans but they're team are playing with more confidence now.
60th min: Garner curls a spectacular effort from 25 yards out but it's an easy save for Nicholls.
58th min: Plenty more attacking intent from Huddersfield. Skipper Jonathan Hogg has a free header from a corner at the near post but he can't keep his effort on target.
55th min: Zinckernagel picks up the first caution of the match for a fierce challenge on O'Brien. Jon Russell is on for Sarr for the Terriers.
53rd min: Davis does excellent to wriggle away from Lees down the left but his cross is cut out with Johnson lurking at the far post.
48th min: Huddersfield have started better than they did in the previous half with some good possession. Cooper has his Forest team pressing high though and the Terriers aren't having as much time on the ball as they'd like.
We're back underway! Right then, Forest are 45 minutes from the promised land but don't expect Huddersfield to roll over for them. You feel Corberan's side need an early goal to build some momentum though.
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) May 29, 2022
43rd min: GOAL!
Forest take the lead right before the break courtesy of an own goal from defender Levi Colwill. Garner whips in a dangerous ball from the edge of the box and Yates looks to be the quickest to react but in his tussle with the defender it's Colwill who accidentally steers the ball home from close range past Lee Nicholls. Forest fans have gone mad!
37th min: Danny Ward tries his luck down the left flank this time and gets close to the box to win a corner after no-nonsense tackle from James Garner. A well worked set-piece routine sees Ward played in at the near post but his goal-bound effort is deflected over. Forest clear the second corner but Huddersfield are putting them under big pressure.
33rd min: Huddersfield's biggest chance yet. Thomas pulls off a neat bit of skill to beat his man on the left wing and races through on goal. He has options in the middle but looks to go for goal himself once inside the box and goalkeeper Brice Samba punches the ball clear.
29th min: Spence again finds space on the right but his ball into the box just sails over the head of Brennan Johnson.
26th min: Huddersfield fans are unhappy with referee Moss as Jack Colback clatters late into O'Brien but fails to get his cards out. He's given a talking to.
23rd min: At the other end, Huddersfield go on the attack as Lewis O'Brien and Sorba Thomas lead the large but Forest's midfield get back in time and the move breaks down in the box.
20th min: Yates finds some space and runs at the Huddersfield backline but lets one fly from the edge of the box and it goes well wide.
16th min: Huddersfield can't string a pass together at present and can barely get it out their own half. Corberan is barking orders from the touchline but the Terriers seem content just soaking up pressure right now.
12th min: Naby Sarr gives away a clumsy foul to break up a Forest attack. The resulting free-kick is whipped into the back post and Ryan Yates connects well but his header goes just wide of the post. A big chance goes begging.
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) May 29, 2022
8th min: Every attack for both sides is being cheered but nothing is working in the final third just yet. Forest are looking the more dangerous team in the early stages but there are plenty of nervous touches out there.
4th min: First sign of danger from Forest's right-back Spence as he bursts down the wing but his cross is easily cleared.
2nd min: Jon Moss is the referee today and straight away he awards Huddersfield two free-kicks in the middle of the pitch but both attempts come to nothing and Forest build from the back.
We're underway! Forest kick us off and Cooper's side are attacking towards the Huddersfield end.
5 mins from kickoff: A wonderful rendition of the national anthem is belted out by everyone inside the stadium and we're just moments away from kickoff now. It is LOUD in here. Sadly, the huge replica giant trophy has been wheeled off the pitch too.
8 mins from kickoff: A banner from the Forest end is unfurled that reads 'Far have we travelled, much have we seen'. Forest fans are in attendance at the new Wembley Stadium for the first time and are hoping it's a first trip to remember.
15 min from kickoff: The players have left the pitch for their final pre-match team-talk of the season as Cooper and Corberan deliver one final motivational talk. The Forest fans have packed out their end but there's still a few empty seats in the Huddersfield section. Oh, and a beach ball has just landed in the press box. A party atmosphere for sure awaits the players.
30 mins from kickoff: So who will be lifting this trophy come full-time? (The one on the left, by the way...)
40 mins from kickoff: The atmosphere is building at Wembley with fans starting to take their seats. Considering this is the last EFL playoff of the season the pitch still looks immaculate. Huddersfield players are the first to take to the field for their warmup and a few minutes later Forest join them to a huge roar from the red half of the stadium.
60mins from kickoff: Team news is in...
đš TEAM NEWS đš
Carlos CorberĂĄn makes 2️⃣ changes for this afternoon’s @SkyBetChamp Play-Off Final at Wembley!
Previous estimates broadly place the figure at £100 million ($125m) as an 'immediate' cash win, but figures vary year-on-year and continue to rise despite concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic causing it to reduce during 2022/23.
TV revenue alone is estimated at £3.1 billion ($3.9 billion) a season in the Premier League, with a minimum payment of £100m ($125m) for the lowest-ranked team in the division, in comparison to £7m ($8m) per club in the Championship.
Figures from Deloitte in 2020 estimated an increase in overall club revenue from £135m ($170m) to £265m ($333m), depending on non-TV agreements, with 2022 calculations placing it closer to £200m ($225m) as a base line.
đŹ 2020/21: #HTAFC finish 20th, six points above the bottom three.
đ 2021/22: #HTAFC finish 3rd, six points off the top two.
90 mins from kickoff: So how did both teams reach Wembley?
Huddersfield finished third in the Championship and booked their spot at Wembley courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate win over Luton Town in the playoff semi-finals.
In the other semi-finals, fourth-placed Sheffield United headed to the Forest's City Ground 1-0 down but a 2-1 win for the visitors forced extra-time and then penalties.
Forest held their nerve in the shoot-out to win 3-2 on penalties courtesy of three saves from goalkeeper Brice Samba.
2 hours from kickoff: Hello and welcome to today's live coverage of the Championship playoff final at Wembley. Only one team can join already promoted Fulham and Bournemouth and we're at Wembley to see if Huddersfield Town or Nottingham Forest will be the final team confirmed to play in the 2022/23 Premier League season.
How to watch Huddersfield Town vs. Nottingham Forest
UK
USA
Canada
Australia
Date
Sun, May 29
Sun, May 29
Sun, May 29
Mon, May 30
Time
16:30 BST
11:30 ET
11:30 ET
01:30 AEST
TV channel
Sky Sports Football
—
DAZN
beIn Sports
Streaming
Now/Sky Go
ESPN+
DAZN
—
UK: Viewers in the UK can watch the Championship playoffs on Sky Sports Football or streamed through SkyGo. Now TV subscribers can also watch or stream the action if they have Sky Sports included.
USA: In the United States, you can stream the playoffs via ESPN+.
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That’s the recommendation of the commission charged with reviewing the content of its current iteration.
“It’s a reflection of centuries of intentional exclusion on the part of the commonwealth from the land, laws and historical records of indigenous residents,” committee co-chair Brian Boyles said when explaining where the seal came from.
Members of the state’s Special Commission Relative to the Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth voted unanimously to recommend revising the seal and motto.
The seal, officially adopted in 1898, features a Native American stylized character in a blue coat of arms bearing a bow and arrow. A disembodied arm and sword appear some distance above his head.
The position of the sword could be perceived as threatening the Native American, a fact the new seal supporters say is reinforced by the state’s official motto that surrounds that native figure on the flag, “ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem.”
Which translates from Latin to loosely mean, “by the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty.”
The man pictured, Boyle told the commission, wasn’t even a native of the commonwealth, and no native communities were consulted during this selection, Boyle said.
The decision on how to proceed hasn’t been made, though commission members did seem to consider the idea of allowing public input into the selection of a new seal and motto.
That decision will ultimately be made by the Legislature, based on the committee’s endorsement.
“You have to find something that more or less represents the entirety of what we’re tasked with and not individual pieces,” said Jim Wallace, a board member appointed by Gov. Charlie Baker. “We have to do something that is all inclusive.”
We’re not sure how deeply the commission delved into the genesis of the state seal and motto, but it predates its official acceptance by more than a century, which we believe explains what these depictions on the state seal represent, and their relationship to the unique time in which they were adopted.
Given the supporters’ zeal to change the seal, we doubt that examination would have changed any minds, but it should have been part of the conversation.
It was John Hancock — a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts — who adopted this version of the state seal, created by Paul Revere, in 1780, while the Revolutionary War with England still raged.
The image of an Algonquin Native American holding a bow and arrow pointed downward is meant to show the Native American’s peaceful nature.
Those pressing for a new state seal insist the current version’s most controversial depiction — of an arm wielding a sword above that Native American — represents the European subjugation of Native Americans.
However, it’s far more likely meaning, given the context of the times, depicts a not-so-subtle message to the English Redcoats of King George III.
That accompanying Latin phrase, “by the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty,” was exactly what the Continental Army under George Washington was fighting for – those 13 colonies’ freedom from the yoke of the British Empire.
The Massachusetts General Court — or Legislature — actually adopted that motto in 1775, as that war for independence loomed on the horizon. Inclusion on the flag’s seal eventually followed.
That would put that arm and menacing sword in the proper perspective.
We do agree with those offended by the seal’s Native American symbol. It should depict an indigenous tribe, not an Algonquin. A Nipmuc, Wampanoag, Pennacook, or Massachusett would be more appropriate.
Let’s at least understand what we’re changing before we undertake the process of changing it.
Settling your Fantasy league disputes can be hard. One recurring segment on the Fantasy Football Today podcast features the crew trying to regulate our listener's league arguments. But, if there's one way not to settle your Fantasy league disputes, it's how Tommy Pham approached it this week.
If you haven't heard by now, Pham slapped Joc Pederson prior to Friday's game between the Reds and Giants, in a dispute stemming from their Fantasy football league. From what we've been able to piece together from the past few days of in-depth reporting, Pham was ultimately sent over the edge by a GIF from Pederson – who started his career with the Dodgers – to the league's group text, showing … you know what, I feel so silly typing it out, I'll let the reporter who got the goods from Pederson tell it:
Pham apparently left the league over that GIF, which would be funny if not for his subsequent overreaction. You should not, in fact, slap people because they sent silly GIFs to your Fantasy league group text. This goes without saying, I hope.
But that's not what I'm concerned about. I'm here to talk about the silly part of this: The Fantasy Football rules disagreement. Apparently, there was some disagreement about the way IR spots were used, and it comes down to a limitation in how IR spots work in many leagues.
Pederson put a player who was injured but not on injured reserve officially into his team's IR spot, which Pham supposedly called out. Pederson then called out Pham putting 49ers back Jeff Wilson in his IR spot when Wilson wasn't officially on IR. So, Pham was a hypocrite, right?
Not even close. OK, Wilson wasn't technically on IR for the 49ers last season, sure, but he was on the Physically Unable to Perform list after suffering a knee injury during the offseason. Wilson, who led the 49ers in rushing in 2020, didn't play until Week 10 last season while on the PUP list, but he started four games for them down the stretch and was clearly worth stashing if you could afford it.
Pederson, on the other hand, was apparently using the IR spot to stash players who were dealing with week-to-week injuries and had been ruled out for the upcoming week – which was, he points out, allowed by the league rules. Which is fair enough, though I think it's also more than fair to say that usage goes against the spirit of the rule, if not the letter of it. The issue is an ill-defined rule that doesn't operate the way it should.
The way most Fantasy football leagues work is, you can set your IR policy to only allow players who are on the real-life IR to be on a team's IR, which won't allow players on the PUP list to be eligible, despite it also being a long-term injury exemption for NFL teams. So, to get around it with guys like Wilson and Michael Thomas last season, leagues where I am commissioner adjusted our rules to allow any player who was injured to be on IR – with the express stipulation that it could only be used for PUP list players in addition to IR.
Some providers have that as the default option, and the league in question was apparently played on one of these sites (this is all a good example of why you should use CBSSports.com's highly customizable Commissioner product đ.) So, if the league never explicitly stipulated that your IR spot can only be used for players with long-term absences, technically Pederson was in the right here.
But that shouldn't be the rule. This feels like it goes against the spirit of the rule -- if a player is on his team's active roster, you shouldn't get a roster exemption for them in Fantasy. In this case, the IR in your Fantasy league should serve the same function it does in the real NFL. It should be to give teams additional flexibility when dealing with players who have suffered a long-term absence due to injury, not guys with short-term issues.
So, let's get ahead of this for 2022 and beyond. If your league allows for this kind of loophole, go ahead and close it – either by changing your settings or by stipulating before the season that the IR should only be used for players on the real life IR or PUP list. That way, we can avoid these kinds of awkward arguments. At least until the next loophole opens.
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May 29, 2022 at 09:04AM
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Joc Pederson vs. Tommy Pham Fantasy football rules dispute: What happened, and how to avoid it in your leagues - CBS Sports
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As one of the basic checkmates that can emerge from the early play in chess, the scholar’s mate is a common beginners’ trap and a great source of embarrassment.
Here’s how to spot it before disaster strikes and the principles you need to pay attention to so that you never fall into it again.
What is the scholar’s mate?
Also known as the four-move checkmate, the scholar’s mate is one of the fastest ways to win (or lose) a chess game. It was first recorded as far back as 1956 and it’s been the bane of amateur players ever since.
The position can emerge from a few different move orders, but the basic idea is the same: White’s bishop on c4 and the queen on h5 target the f7 pawn to devastating effect, and the careless Black player lets the queen capture it, leading to checkmate. Here’s a simple example:
1. e4 e5
2. Qh5 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6
4. Qxf7#
This is what the end result looks like (tears from the losing player not included):
Image via lichess.org
Though the scholar’s mate is easy to avoid once you know that it’s coming, it may take a few losses to internalize the lesson. Here are a few tips to speed up this process and to save you some rating points.
How to avoid the scholar’s mate
Keep an eye on f7 at all times
The pawn on f7 is always the weakest in your position early on because it is only protected by the king. It is therefore often a target of tactical tricks in the opening. Always calculate whether it can be captured and protect it efficiently if there’s any threat.
Learn the basic opening principles
White violates multiple rules to set up this dodgy checkmate attack. If the queen comes out on the second move, Nf6 develops with tempo, forcing White to move away. If Bc4 is played first, then the threat of Qh5 can again be met with g6, then Bg7 for natural piece development.
If White keeps pressing the issue by moving back to f3, Nf6 is a natural response, with castling to follow. When the scholar’s mate fails, White is left with a misplaced queen and an underdeveloped knight, which is why it is never seen even at intermediate levels of play.
Play a different opening
You can choose a response other than e5 to throw your opponent off their game. Nf6, d5, e6, and c5 are prime candidates and are each strong openings in their own right.
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Local students receive Arkansas Seal of Biliteracy | News | jonesborosun.com - Jonesboro Sun
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A Virginia judge has granted Amber Heard’s request to seal the identities of the jurors in her and Johnny Depp’s bombshell defamation trial for one year, The Post has learned.
Judge Penney Azcarate signed off on the motion made by the 36-year-old “Aquaman” actress, ruling that “the names of all jurors shall remain sealed for one year following the conclusion of the trial,” according to the order, dated May 18.
Nine jurors — six men and three women — are overseeing the Fairfax trial, two of whom will be chosen as alternates when deliberations begin.
The judge did not explain her ruling further and Heard’s May 16 motion was not publicly available.
A handwritten note on the judge’s order by one of Depp’s lawyers vaguely suggested that the possible reason behind Heard’s request had to do with the actor’s fervent fans.
“Agreed as to the proposed relief but objecting to and not agreeing to [the] characterizations as to Mr. Depp’s interactions with his fans, etc.,” Depp’s lawyers scrawled on the bottom of the Azcarate’s order.
Judge Penney Azcarate speaks with attorneys on Thursday.REUTERS
The trial — which is being livestreamed online — has drawn endless commentary on social media, especially from Depp supporters, and has drawn hundreds of his fans each day outside court.
On one occasion, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star was caught on video speaking in his iconic Captain Jack Sparrow accent to tell fans that his character in the franchise “is still around somewhere.”
Last month, two of Depp’s diehard fans — who’ve called Heard a “c–t” and “liar” — were kicked out of the courtroom. One of the women, Isabelle Orsini, allegedly wrote online, “I Can’t Wait For The Day I Kill Amber Heard.”
Johnny Depp arrives at court for the beginning of the day’s arguments on May 26.EPA
The estranged couple are in their sixth week of trial, in which the actor, 58, is suing ex-wife Heard for $50 million, accusing her of defaming him in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed when she wrote, “I became a public figure representing domestic abuse.”
Heard, 36, countersued for $100 million, claiming Depp defamed her when he said she was lying about the abuse allegations.
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Judge grants Amber Heard's request to seal juror identities for one year - New York Post
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Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images
When I was pregnant last year, people constantly asked me, “Are you excited?!” Which, with all due respect, is a dumb question in almost any context. I waffled between giving the answer people wanted (“Yep, can’t wait!”) or the truth: I was delighted to be having a baby, but no, I was not excited. In fact, I was dreading the aftermath of birth — the part when everything hurts, your body is unrecognizable, and you have a tiny fragile infant attached to your bleeding nipples around the clock while you cling to sanity. I wished I could just fast-forward through those early months of motherhood.
Whenever I did mention this, most people said something like, “Oh, it passes quickly,” or, “At least you didn’t gain 80 pounds like I did,” or, “But you’ll have an adorable BABY, so it’ll be worth it!” The only person who didn’t was Michelle, my best friend from high school, who — conveniently for me — is also a gifted therapist. Instead, she paused and said, “Yeah, that sounds terrible.”
As soon as she said it, I felt calmer. Not better, exactly — I knew the postpartum bleeding and exhaustion would still come for me (and they did). But there was comfort in having her validate my apprehensions instead of glossing over them or telling me how lucky I was. I’ve since learned that there’s a name for the latter: toxic positivity, or the act of brushing off a person’s negative emotions with “look on the bright side” platitudes.
The term was popularized by Whitney Goodman, a psychotherapist with a large Instagram following and, as of February, a whole book on the topic: Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed With Being Happy. “The core of toxic positivity is that it’s dismissive and it shuts down the conversation,” she writes. “It effectively says, ‘Nope, that feeling you’re experiencing, it’s wrong — and here’s why you should be happy instead.’” It also implies that you need a “good enough” reason to be sad, worried, or distressed — and shames you for not meeting that criteria.
When I talked to Michelle about this, she pointed out that toxic positivity has been around forever — we just didn’t always have a buzzword for it. “Intuitively, I think I always knew that there was something cruel about responding to someone that way,” she says. “It’s great to have a label for it, but the downside is that it can also be a callout.”
It does feel a little finger-pointy to deem a well-meaning comment as “toxic.” Most people don’t intend to be hurtful when they say stuff like, “Hang in there. You’ve got this!” Or, “I promise it will get better. And your hair looks fantastic!” I would know because I’ve texted both of those lines to friends in the past week (one was dealing with a shake-up at work; the other was having a rough reentry after maternity leave — and had gotten new bangs that really did look awesome). In each case, I genuinely meant what I said and was trying to lift their spirits. Thinking back, though, I wonder if I was actually helpful. Maybe I was annoying. Or even worse, perhaps I was minimizing their concerns.
Why do we react like this — swatting away each other’s worries almost by instinct? Part of it is conditioning: Society teaches us that putting positive vibes out in the world attracts them back, like a happy boomerang. Plus, sometimes people really are looking for reassurance and good energy. I have days when all I want is for someone I love to give me a pep talk or distract me with a cat video and then send me on my way.
A more problematic reason why we dismiss other people’s concerns is that many of us are uncomfortable with difficult feelings. “Most responses that we would label as toxic positivity are actually based on the responder’s anxiety about certain emotions,” Michelle says. “They’re a defense mechanism.” In other words, we attempt to say the “right” thing so that we can all move onto easier topics. But if you really want to empathize with someone, you need to meet them where they are, she adds. “If we focus on increasing our own tolerance for these more unpleasant emotions, we can connect with people who are experiencing them and help them feel less isolated.”
Goodman argues that emotions shouldn’t even be classified as positive or negative. Instead, she writes, “There are only emotions that are harder to experience or that cause more distress for certain people, and the more you suppress those emotions, the harder they are to manage.” These feelings include sadness, anger, and fear — which are not inherently bad. They are part of a biological mechanism that helps you identify things that are threatening, upsetting, or need attention, like a blinking “check engine” light. And when someone else disregards those feelings, it’s harmful (or toxic) to your relationship as well as your mental and physical health, says Goodman.
So, what to do when that happens? You can’t confront every instance of toxic positivity — it’s too pervasive. And it’s probably not worth your energy to lecture your overly perky co-worker or platitude-spouting aunt on the merits of tolerating hard emotions. “But I think when it comes to a spouse or a close friend or a parent, you might think, It’s going to be really hard for me to get support from this person if I don’t talk to them about this,” says Goodman.
Instead of telling people that their behavior is toxic, try to redirect them. “You can acknowledge their wish to be helpful, and then say something like, ‘What I would really like is this.’ Don’t be afraid to spoon-feed people what you need,” says Michelle. “Thinking that My friends should know me isn’t a great rule. You should always assume that asking directly for what you need is the best thing to do.” (Goodman has some more examples of how to do this here.)
It’s also tricky to be on the other side, trying to figure out what a friend needs in a tough moment. I’d like to think that I know better than to shower someone with platitudes when they’re in a crisis, but sometimes I’m just not sure how to react. Do I offer to listen? Send a Seamless gift card? Text them cute videos of my 9-month-old baby trying to eat a chickpea?
“Everyone wants a black-and-white chart that tells them when positivity is toxic and when it’s not, but it’s so nuanced, and it depends on the timing and the person,” says Goodman. If you’re not sure, you can experiment. “Sometimes with clients, I’ll say, ‘I’m going to try something and if it’s not what you need, tell me.’”
Ultimately, your goal is to communicate honestly and with empathy. “You’re not always going to give your friend the right thing, and they might be angry,” says Michelle. “That’s why having a tolerance for challenging emotions is so important.” Like that time she told me that being postpartum sounded awful? “That was actually a risk — it could have pissed you off or made you feel worse,” she says. “But it was authentic, and I’m glad it landed.”
“On board flight SG2345 to Dharmshala, it’s been already 80 mins since we boarded the plane we have not taken off yet, the only communication is of some server down and issues with paper work for fuel, is this for real,” he tweeted, tagging SpiceJet, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Airport Authority of India and the Delhi airport authority. Also Read - Delhi Rains: Flights Delayed For Second Day at IGI Airport, Airlines Issue Passenger Advisory | Tweets Inside
Later, SpiceJet issued a statement and held ransomware attack responsible for the flight disruptions, “Certain SpiceJet systems faced an attempted ransomware attack last night that impacted and slowed down morning flight departures today. Our IT team has contained and rectified the situation and flights are operating normally now”, the airline tweeted.
#Update: Certain SpiceJet systems faced an attempted ransomware attack last night that has impacted our flight operations. While our IT team has to a large extent contained and rectified the situation, this has had a cascading effect on our flights leading to delays. >>
A type of malware attack in which the attacker locks and encrypts the victim’s data, important files and then demands a payment to unlock and decrypt the data is known as Ransomware.
While the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in ransomware attacks, the inaction, or the delay in the implementation of technical and infrastructure changes in the new normal has made organisations more vulnerable.
Notably, there has been an alarming rise in ransomware breaches globally, including in India. A recent report showed that ransomware attacks witnessed a surge of 13 per cent in the past year— a jump greater than the past 5 years combined.
The report analysed 23,896 security incident, of which 5212 were confirmed breaches. Human element was involved in 82 per cent of all breaches analysed over the past year.
About 25 per cent of total breaches in the report were the result of social engineering attacks. As India Inc across industries adopt a hybrid work model, new security challenges and complexities continue to emerge.
7 in 10 Indians Hit With Ransomware Attacks
As per a news report, more than 7 in 10 of Indian organisations were hit with ransomware attacks last year, up from 68% in 2020. The average ransom paid by the Indian organisations that had date encrypted in their most significant ransomware attack was USD 1,198,475 with 10 per cent of victims paying ransoms of USD 1 million or more, cybersecurity firm Sophos showed.
How to Avoid Ransomware Attacks
To avoid becoming a victim of such attacks, people need to be aware of some tips like:-
Never open attachments from unknown sources
Keep your software up-to date
Make sure you have a robust anti-virus protection strategy.
They say couples that laugh together stay together.
And British singer-songwriter Seal and his girlfriend Laura Strayer looked happy in love as they were seen giggling on their hotel balcony in Cannes on Thursday.
Putting on a cosy display with his other half, the four-time Grammy winner, 59, collapsed into his partner's arms as he was left in hysterics as they shared a private joke.
The record producer couldn't keep the smile off his face as he looked longingly at Laura.
Opting for a casual look on the day, the songwriter dressed appropriately for the soaring French temperatures wearing a navy T-shirt.
Showing off his love for bling, he wore a god tag necklace around his neck and showed off a statement piece watch as enjoyed some quality time with his significant other.
Meanwhile, Laura also went for a dressed down look wearing a black tank top as she looked smitten with her beau on the balcony.
The blonde, who wore her hair back in a relaxed bun, was beaming as she larked around with her boyfriend.
Laura is alleged to have begun living and working at Seal and ex-wife Heidi Klum's mansion in 2006, the year after the onetime couple got married.
She reportedly no longer works for the English star or supermodel, 48, and has since secured a job elsewhere in the music business.
After Heidi and Seal separated in 2012 she began running around with her South African bodyguard Martin Kirsten and remained with him for over a year.
Seal then publicly accused Heidi of having cheated on him with Martin, telling TMZ that 'whilst I didn’t expect any better from him I would’ve thought Heidi would’ve shown a little bit more class and at least waited until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help, as it were.'
Last August, after Seal and Strayer were seen on a trip to France, a source in Heidi's camp told Page Six: 'Of course, we all want him to be happy - but it’s definitely ironic that he’s dating the help when he had such strong feelings about Heidi seeing Martin.'
Heidi and her ex-husband have three children - Henry, 15, Johann, 14, and Lou, 11 - and he also adopted her daughter Leni, 17, from a previous relationship.
Last year, Seal told Us Weekly that co-parenting after a breakup 'can be challenging. It requires teamwork. If you are a team, if both parents are a team, then it's really easy and that's not a real challenge at all… But you have to be a team. And if you're not a team, then it can all fall to pieces.'
Seal then explosively claimed that he and Heidi 'never had that teamwork' with one another when it came to bringing up their children.
Their differences hit the headlines in 2020 when she wanted to take the children to her native country so she could film Germany's Next Top Model there.
Seal objected on the grounds that the children might be exposed to coronavirus but an emergency court hearing was held and Heidi prevailed.
Although she was permitted to take them to Germany he was given 'expanded time' with them before and after the trip.
Since 2019, Heidi has been married to her fellow German Tom Kaulitz, who rose to fame as the guitarist for the band Tokio Hotel.
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Seal collapses with laughter into his girlfriend Laura Strayer arms in Cannes - Daily Mail
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