Not all individuals contribute equally or in the same way to the human condition. It was necessary for a substantial number of people with exceptional knowledge, problem-solving ability, and skills to work as a team to transform Manhattan from a forest to a metropolis. Until now, we have been focusing on differences between Stone-Age and technologically-enhanced cultures in order to appreciate extreme variations of the human condition. We have not discussed differences between the individual members of a culture. Not every member of the Nukak is the same height and weight. Not all members of the Nukak are equally skilled in blowing darts or fashioning necklaces. Not all college students are the same height and weight. Not all college students are equally proficient at shooting free throws or playing a musical instrument.
Psychology can be described as the science of individual differences. In the prior examples, psychologists would look to hereditary and experiential variables as potential causes of behavioral variation. Before we consider some controversial issues, it should prove helpful to place these issues within the larger context of how to formulate useful questions regarding individual differences. Frequently, by being specific and clear when defining terms, it is possible to shed light and avoid heat, even with the most contentious of topics. The scientific method is our best strategy for obtaining useful information to address difficult theoretical and practical questions.
I will use the game of basketball as an example since it is an internationally popular sport among adult males and females. The objective of the game is to shoot a 9-1/2–inch diameter sphere through an 18-inch circular rim located ten feet off the ground. The easiest, and most certain way to accomplish this, is to hold the basketball in your hands and "dunk" (or "stuff") it through the rim ("hoop"). Basketball is a game where "size matters" (especially height). It is an advantage to be as close to the rim as possible.
One has to be over seven feet tall to be able to dunk a basketball while still standing on the ground. How likely is it that a person grows to be over seven feet tall? To answer this question, it would be necessary to measure everyone's height and divide the number of people who are seven feet or more by the total. A more analytic approach would be to create a frequency distribution of the number of people of different heights.
Figure 7.18 Normal curves for height.
Figure 7.18 is an example of frequency distributions for the heights of samples of American husbands and wives. The normal curve is a symmetrical bell-shaped curve characteristic of many variables in nature, including human characteristics and performance (e.g., height, reaction time, etc.). It is defined by a formula resulting in specific percentages of the area under the curve being related to distance along the X-axis. The distance is measured in standard deviation units, a statistical index of variability (i.e., consistency). The size of the standard deviation is based on the extent to which scores cluster around the mean. If scores tend to be close to the mean (i.e., are consistent), the standard deviation is low. If the scores vary widely from the mean, the standard deviation is high. The normal curve includes approximately two-thirds of the scores between plus and minus one standard deviation, and 95 percent of the scores between plus and minus two standard deviations.
One characteristic of any symmetrical curve is that the peak indicates the mean (i.e., average) score. Another characteristic of a symmetrical curve is how "spread out" it is. The male curve above seems more spread out than the "narrower" female curve. The narrowness of a curve indicates the extent to which the scores pile up close to the mean, that is, the consistency (or variability). The female scores are more consistent (i.e., less variable) in the figure. The average height for women in the figure is 65 inches with a standard deviation of 4, and the average for men is 71 inches with a standard deviation of 5. Assuming the distributions are normal, this would mean that approximately two-thirds of women are between 61 and 69 inches, and two-thirds of men are between 66 and 76 inches. A height of seven feet (84 inches) would be almost three standard deviations above the mean height for men. This would mean that only about one in five hundred men attain that height. No wonder extremely tall individuals tend to be favored draft picks in professional basketball. They are hard to find.
Sometimes a basketball scout remarks that a particular player "has what you can't teach." The implication is that height is entirely genetically determined. In fact, it has been reported that hundreds of genes influence human height (Lango, Estrada, and Lettre et al., 2010). Clearly, whether one does or does not possess the Y-chromosome matters. It needs to be emphasized, however, that even a physical characteristic such as height can be significantly affected by environmental factors. The Centers for Disease Control statistics (2012) indicate that overall, the average heights for American women and men have been stable for many years. However, the heights of recent immigrants show an increase. The apparent explanation is that those recently arriving react to the American diet. Those who have been exposed to this diet for extended periods have apparently approached their genetic potential.
If you cannot reach the basket while standing on the ground, it may still be possible to dunk the ball by jumping. An amusing basketball movie from several years ago was entitled "White Men Can't Jump." The implication of the title was that if one created frequency distributions for men of different races, one would see diverging curves similar to those for the height of women and men. Collecting such data and plotting the curves would determine the accuracy of the title. That is, it is an empirical question. Another empirical question would address the extent to which jumping is like height. Do you think nutrition might influence jumping ability? What about exercises designed to strengthen your leg muscles or improve flexibility? Is jumping something you can teach? Do you think there is such a thing as jumping technique? As you move further from the hoop, one's height becomes less of an advantage and skill level increases in importance. Shooting ability is clearly a characteristic related to basketball performance which can be taught and practiced.
Intelligence Testing
We will now try to apply the approach used to address questions regarding basketball to issues related to human intelligence. Perhaps no term is more misunderstood or, as we shall see, more misused, than intelligence. It is common to describe ourselves or others as being "smart" (i.e., intelligent) or "not so smart." A repeated lesson of this book is the need to be careful when labeling people. Labels can be used as pseudo-explanations, diverting us from searching for true explanations. Also, there is always the potential for self-fulfilling prophecies. When one attributes exceptionally good or poor performance to levels of "intelligence", the search for another explanation ceases. Once one is labeled as intelligent or dull, this can have significant effects upon how they are treated by those with the best intentions.
Do you think people vary in intelligence the way they do with height, jumping ability, and shooting from a distance? If so, is intelligence more like height, jumping ability, or shooting from a distance? The first step in addressing this question requires defining what we mean by intelligence. Recall, an operational definition defines terms by the procedures used to measure them. For example, the definition of height would be the number of standardized units (e.g., inches) from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head when you are in an erect standing position. A person's height is observable to someone else. We cannot directly observe intelligence as we do height. Intelligence is like learning, which is also not directly observable. Rather, it is operationally defined based on behavioral observations. Technically, we do not observe learning; we observe learned behavior. Applying this same approach to intelligence, we need to observe intelligent behavior.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, many of the countries experiencing the Industrial Revolution implemented compulsory education to increase the knowledge and skills of future workers. The French government asked Alfred Binet, a psychologist, to develop an easily administered test to identify children requiring special assistance to succeed in the public schools. Binet (1903) formulated an ordered list of 30 questions addressing basic skills such as memory, problem-solving, and vocabulary. Examples of simple items include asking a child to point to his/her nose and to name a food. Examples of difficult items would be to use three different words in a sentence and to provide the definition of an abstract word. Scoring was based on the concept of mental age as determined by the average number of items children of different ages got correct. It must be emphasized that Binet formulated his test to address a practical problem, school readiness, not to assess native ability. The test was designed to serve a supportive function; to diagnose the type of assistance a child needed to succeed. Binet anticipated the possibility of interpreting his test as measuring intelligence, but believed intelligence was multifaceted and fluid, rather than unitary and stable. He also believed intelligence was influenced by experience and that comparisons could only be made for people sharing similar environmental conditions (White, 2000).
Despite Binet's (1903) stated reservations, the Stanford psychologist, Lewis Terman (1916), standardized his test on American children, calculated an IQ (intelligence quotient) score as proposed by William Stern (1912), and considered it to measure intelligence. The IQ score was obtained by dividing a child's mental age by the child's chronological age and multiplying by 100. For example, if a 4-year old tested at the level of an average 5-year old, the IQ score would equal 125 (5/4 X 100).
Unlike Binet, Terman believed his test items measured an inherited, unitary, and stable trait of intelligence. Based on this assumption, his standardization process produced IQ test results adhering to the normal curve with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15 (see Figure 7.19). This meant that a little more than 68 per cent of the scores were between 85 and 115 (i.e., from minus one to plus one standard deviation) and a little more than 95 per cent were between 70 and 130 (minus two to plus two standard deviations).
Figure 7.19 Normal curve for IQ.
The Stanford-Binet became the most popular intelligence test for decades. It is ironic that a test developed to address a practical concern and considered by its founder to be inappropriate as an index of intelligence, became the basis for the first operational definition of intelligence (i.e., IQ test score). Having an operational definition for intelligence, it becomes possible to ask if the questions on the test appear to be measuring something clearly biological such as height, something probably having a strong biological component such as jumping ability, or something clearly requiring skill development such as shooting from a distance. Terman believed and acted as though IQ score, despite being inferred from behavioral observations, measured something akin to height. Arguably, a memory test such as digit span seems akin to height or jumping ability. The amount of items one is able to repeat back is limited by the capacity of short-term memory. However, the great majority of IQ test questions are obviously influenced by experience. Children are taught to label and point to different body parts. Vocabulary and grammatical rules are learned. As described in Chapter 1, children must be taught to follow instructions and work to the best of their ability in order for the test to provide meaningful results.
Would it make sense to visit the rainforest and administer the Stanford-Binet to a Nukak child in English? Based on the test results, would it make sense to make important life decisions for the child? It is unfortunate that so much controversy and harm was introduced by redefining a procedure designed to assess school readiness as a test of intelligence. Terman believed "There is nothing about an individual as important as his IQ" (Terman, 1922). It is true that, IQ score is a better predictor of school performance at all levels and of job performance than any other test result (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998). This should not be surprising. Binet and his colleagues spent 15 years developing items to determine which children would require special assistance to succeed in school. Many jobs in a technologically advanced culture are dependent on the skills and knowledge acquired in schools.
Unlike Binet, whose goal was to identify school children requiring special assistance, Terman proposed using IQ tests to classify children and place them on separate educational and career paths. This was frequently recommended despite the fact that the children were unschooled or English was not their native language. Terman became an advocate of eugenics, proposing that IQ test results should be used as a basis for controlling reproductive and educational practices. According to him, "High-grade or border-line deficiency… is very, very common among Spanish-Indian and Mexican families of the Southwest and also among Negroes. Their dullness seems to be racial, or at least inherent in the family stocks from which they come. Children of this group should be segregated into separate classes… They cannot master abstractions but they can often be made into efficient workers… from a eugenic point of view they constitute a grave problem because of their unusually prolific breeding" (Terman, 1916, pp. 91-92). Tragically, thousands of poor African-American women were involuntarily sterilized as the result of such positions (Larson, 1995, p. 74).
In 1974, Leon Kamin published The Science and Politics of IQ questioning the motivations behind the use of IQ test results as the basis for social policy recommendations. Other similar articles and books soon followed (c.f., Block & Dworkin, 1976; Cronback, 1975; Scarr, & Carter-Saltzman, 1982). In 1994, Herrnstein & Murray published The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life, sparking further controversy regarding the interpretation of research findings and their social implications. In reaction to the increasingly heated public and professional debates regarding intelligence testing, the American Psychological Association appointed a Task Force chaired by the respected cognitive scientist, Ulrich Neisser. The Task Force was charged with reviewing the findings of the voluminous research literature, reaching conclusions, and making recommendations. The authors of the report concluded:
In a field where so many issues are unresolved and so many questions unanswered, the confident tone that has characterized most of the debate on these topics is clearly out of place. The study of intelligence does not need politicized assertions and recriminations; it needs self-restraint, reflection, and a great deal more research. The questions that remain are socially as well as scientifically important. There is no reason to think them unanswerable, but finding the answers will require a shared and sustained effort as well as the commitment of substantial scientific resources. Just such a commitment is what we strongly recommend (Neisser et al., 1996).
In Chapter 1, we discussed the requirements of psychological explanations and the implications regarding nature/nurture controversies. Intelligence is frequently used in a circular manner as a pseudo-explanation for behavior. Why does someone obtain a high score on an IQ test? – Because she/he is intelligent. How do you know someone is intelligent? – Because she/he scores high on the IQ test. IQ cannot serve as both an independent and dependent variable. An IQ test consists of behavioral tasks presumed to require intelligence. As such, IQ test performance is something to be explained (i.e., a dependent variable), not in and of itself an explanation (i.e., an independent variable). As always, psychology looks to nature and nurture for its explanations. No single gene has consistently been reported to have a strong effect on IQ (Deary, Whalley, & Starr, 2009). Hundreds of genes have been found to impact upon human height (Lanktree et al., 2011). It is likely that thousands of the 17,000 or so human genes influence IQ test scores.
We described how pseudo-explanations can result in self-fulfilling prophecies. It might surprise you to know that such effects have been experimentally demonstrated to occur with regard to intelligence both in the laboratory and in the field. In one study, college students were told that they were given either "maze bright" or "maze dull" rats to run through a maze (Rosenthal & Fode, 1963). Even though the rats were randomly assigned to the categories, the "maze-bright" rats performed better than the "maze dull" rats. Presumably, the students' expectancies influenced how they treated the rats and affected the results.
In an important book entitled Pygmalion in the Classroom, Rosenthal & Jacobson (1968) demonstrated the external validity of this finding with children in schools. After tests were administered to first- through sixth-grade students, teachers were told that the results indicated that some of their students would "bloom" that year. Randomly, 20 per cent of the students in each of the classes were designated as "bloomers." Sure enough, upon re-testing at the end of the year, first- and second grade students designated as "bloomers" improved more than the control students. The same effect was not demonstrated in the students in the later grades. It was suggested that young children are especially sensitive to the types of behaviors related to teacher expectancies.
Rather than acting as though intelligence exists as a human characteristic akin to height, it is more accurate, as well as prescriptive, to consider intelligence akin to jumping or shooting a basketball from a distance. Research must be designed to analyze the specific genetic and experiential components of behaviors considered to be intelligent. For example, what genes and learning experiences are necessary for a child to respond to an instruction to touch his/her nose, or include three words in a sentence? This approach avoids unnecessary controversy concerning racial or ethnic differences in intelligence. Rather, research is conducted to determine the potential causal variables in the acquisition of culturally-defined intelligent behaviors. Such a strategy is grounded in the reality that both nature and nurture contribute to an individual's responding to any item on an IQ test.
Analyzing Intelligence
Do you think there is a trait of athleticism that applies to all sports? Or, do you think that there are separate abilities and skills that apply to different sports? One of Alfred Binet's initial suggestions was that intelligence is complicated and can be analyzed into separate abilities and skills. This differed from Terman's belief that intelligence was a unitary aptitude applicable under all conditions. More than a century has passed since Binet implemented his test in the Paris school system. Since then, other more comprehensive tests permitting more analytic scoring and prescriptive applications, have been developed.
David Wechsler gained experience developing adult intelligence tests for the military during World War 1. While serving as Chief Psychologist at Bellevue Medical Center in New York City, he developed the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale (1939). This was later published in 1955 as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and revised in 1981, 1997, and 2008. Wechsler agreed with Binet that intelligence was multi-faceted and included several diverse types of questions on his test. Wechsler also believed that the verbal abilities assessed on the Stanford-Binet were highly dependent on education and therefore culturally biased. He developed a combination of tasks which did not rely on verbal knowledge and that could produce a separate performance IQ score. Subsequent revisions of the WAIS included additional types of questions and more analytical scores.
Figure 7.20 Subscales of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.
Figure 7.20 provides an overview of the different categories and types of test items and the different scores (indexes in the Figure) one can obtain with recent versions of the WAIS. The WAIS and WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) are presently the most frequently administered intelligence tests (Kaplan & Saccuzzo, 2009, pp 250-251). One of the reasons for this popularity is the prescriptive capability resulting from the subscale indexes and the scores for different item types comprising each subscale. For example, a low score on the vocabulary items of the Verbal Comprehension index could suggest the benefit of working with flashcards whereas a low score on the information items might suggest assignment of reading material. A similar analytic and prescriptive approach would apply to the other indexes and item types.
It is possible to use the statistical technique of factor analysis to analyze intelligent behavior based upon the results of empirical research studies. Citing more than six decades of research evaluating human cognition, John Carrol (1993) obtained results supporting a three-stratum model of cognitive ability (see Figure 7.21). The first stratum consisted of a General Intelligence factor, consistent with Terman's unitary approach. However, the results also suggested the eight "Broad Ability" factors listed above as well as 69 narrow abilities. Analyzing intelligence test performance into different components in this way reduces the controversy resulting from a single global score. Rather than generating questions regarding differences in "intelligence", questions regarding differences in performance on different types of tasks are generated. This requires examination of the specific broad and narrow abilities involved in answering test items. Ultimately, the genetic (nature – e.g., parts of the brain) and experiential (nurture – e.g., learning experiences)) variables influencing the abilities impacting upon specific test items need to be specified.
Figure 7.21 Carroll's three-stratum model of cognitive ability. Key: fluid intelligence (Gf), crystallized intelligence (Gc), general memory and learning (Gy), broad visual perception (Gv), broad auditory perception (Gu), broad retrieval ability (Gr), broad cognitive speediness (Gs), and processing speed (Gt). Carroll regarded the broad abilities as different "flavors" of g.
Different Types of Intelligence
Do you think the same type of athleticism applies to all sports? Or, do you think there are different forms of athleticism applying to basketball players, baseball players, soccer players, etc.? Relating this to intelligence, it is common for people to distinguish between "school smarts" and "street smarts." Does that distinction make sense to you? It does to Howard Gardner. Wechsler disagreed with Terman's belief that intelligence was unitary as opposed to multi-faceted. Gardner (1983) disagreed with Terman's belief that the Stanford-Binet test measured the only important form of intelligence and proposed a multiple intelligence model (see Figure 7.22).
Figure 7.22 Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Model.
Verbal/linguistic intelligence, logical/mathematical intelligence, and to a lesser extent, visual spatial intelligence, are the domains emphasized on the majority of standardized tests. Again, this should not be surprising since Binet developed the original test to assess school readiness. Gardner believed it was necessary to also consider bodily/kinesthetic intelligence, musical/rhythmic intelligence, intra- and inter-personal intelligence, and naturalistic intelligence, in order to appreciate the full range of human intellectual ability and accomplishment.
Intelligence and Human Potential
I previously quipped that based on our DNA and the amount of brain space dedicated to our hands and speech-related body parts, the title of this book could be "Thumbs, Tongues, and Cortex." Human potential and accomplishment is built upon this three-legged stool. Without the conceptual knowledge, problem-solving ability, imagination, and creativity permitted by our brains (i.e., what we usually consider "intelligence"), our speaking and tool-making capabilities would be very limited. Wechsler defined intelligence as "the global capacity of a person to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment" (1939). Eat, survive, reproduce. When we examine the aptitudes and abilities required to obtain and prepare food, build and maintain shelters, establish and maintain cooperative relationships with relatives, friends, and significant others, and raise children, we can appreciate Gardner's consideration of other, non-school related forms of intelligence. We had to be intelligent in order to survive on this planet for a very long time before we created schools. It is only in the past century that for many, adapting to the human condition became so related to the three "R"s and performing well on standardized and non-standardized tests. One can debate the appropriateness or inappropriateness of considering any of Garner's eight "intelligences" as aptitudes, talents, skills, or traits. What cannot be debated is the essential role each has played in the totality of human achievement and the importance of each when considering our potential as individuals and a species. Much human achievement requires cooperation and teamwork. This is true in order to survive in the rainforest or to transform Manhattan Island. Our combined potential is greater than the sum of our individual potentials. The transformation of Manhattan required cooperation among diverse individuals possessing the different talents and skills required to plan, design, and create the impressive skyline. The best strategy for realizing our potential as a species is to act upon John Adam's and Albert Binet's desires to educate each and every individual.
Consideration of intelligence in this chapter is out of place with regard to the organization of the book. As described in Chapter 1 and in the material above, nature and nurture are involved in intelligent human behavior. This implies the Nature/Nurture section as being the appropriate location to include intelligence. Instead, I chose to discuss intelligence as a way of concluding the Mostly Nurture section.
The bottom line of Wechsler's definition of intelligence is its adaptive nature. What is considered intelligent depends upon one's physical and social environmental demands. Surviving in the rainforest requires very different behaviors than performing well in school. Performing well in school requires different behaviors than performing well on the job or in social contexts. It took millions of years of natural selection for the human being to evolve. The result was an animal capable of adapting to a wide range of environmental conditions. As social and communicating animals, humans profit from the experiences of others. Shared knowledge and skills have resulted in the accelerating development of life-transforming tools and technologies. There is no way to predict the environmental conditions humans will create in the future. We can predict the continued modification of and adaptation to a new world; perhaps even new worlds!
Intelligence and Self-Control
God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.
Reinhold Neibuhr
Do you think you can be more intelligent? Your answer to the question may depend on whether you agree with Terman's or Binet's assumptions. If, like Terman, you believe intelligence is unitary, inherited, and fixed, a passive serenity is called for. If you agree with Binet, that intelligence is multi-faceted and affected by experience, a more active, courageous approach becomes possible. We have seen that the science of psychology has resulted in knowledge regarding procedures effecting behavior change. This makes it possible for you to apply the self-control process described in previous chapters to change the behaviors you consider to reflect intelligence and develop your potential.
At the beginning of this chapter we saw how much of our knowledge consists of concepts and that adaptation may often be described as problem-solving. A college education is designed to expand your knowledge base as well as improve and add to your problem-solving skills. Review of the types of items tested on Wechsler's IQ test (see Figure 7.10) reveals how attending college could improve your performance on each of the sub-scale indexes. Succeeding in college will require a significant amount of reading in diverse content areas. Along the way you will acquire many new concepts and expand your vocabulary. You will take math courses requiring quantitative reasoning and humanities courses requiring comprehension and critical thinking. You can maximize the benefit of your formal education by being an active student. Constantly test yourself for mastery of the material. Try to integrate the information acquired in different courses and consider how to apply the knowledge and skills beyond the classroom. Time permitting, read for pleasure. Whether you enjoy fiction or non-fiction, reading will expose you to new information and ideas. The more you learn, the more informed and thoughtful you will become and the more likely to fulfill your potential.
Figure 7.18 "Normal curve for height" by Philip Cohen is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Figure 7.19 "Normal curve for IQ" by Dmcq is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Figure 7.20 "WAIS subscales" by Alecmconroy is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Figure 7.21 "Carrol's three-stratum model" by Tim Bates is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Figure 7.22 "Multiple intelligence model" by Jgreene34 is in the Public Domain
Previous: Tools, Technology and the Human Condition


Pharnext Announces PXT3003 was Granted Priority Review by the China Food and Drug Administration
June 14, 2018 01:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Pharnext SA (Paris:ALPHA) (FR0011191287 - ALPHA), a biopharmaceutical company pioneering a new approach to the development of innovative drug combinations based on big genomic data and artificial intelligence, today announced that PXT3003 was granted priority review for Charcot-Marie-Tooth Type 1A disease (CMT1A) by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA).
Pharnext's first-in-class PLEODRUG™ PXT3003 is currently in a Phase 3 clinical trial in Europe and the United States, with results expected before the end of 2018. PXT3003, developed using Pharnext's R&D platform PLEOTHERAPY™, is a novel oral fixed-low dose combination of baclofen, naltrexone and sorbitol, with EMA and U.S. FDA Orphan Drug Designation.
GeneNet Co, Ltd, a joint venture between Tasly and Pharnext, owns the commercialization rights for PXT3003 for CMT1A in Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau), as well as exclusive license rights to all PXT3003 patents applied for and authorized in Greater China.
In December 2017, GeneNet applied for clinical approval for PXT3003 to be registered as an imported pharmaceutical in China. PXT3003's inclusion in the priority review process will greatly shorten the waiting time for clinical approval and also expedite registration as an imported pharmaceutical.
"We are pleased that PXT3003 has been identified as a priority by the CFDA, and that its fast-track status will decrease the waiting time for the drug's approval," said Prof. Daniel Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., Pharnext's Co-Founder and CEO.
About Pharnext
Pharnext is an advanced clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for orphan and common neurodegenerative diseases that currently lack curative and/or disease-modifying treatments. Pharnext has two lead products in clinical development. PXT3003 is currently in an international Phase 3 trial for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Type 1A disease and benefits from orphan drug status in Europe and the United States. The results of this trial are expected in the second half of 2018. PXT864 has generated positive Phase 2 results in Alzheimer's disease. Pharnext has developed a new drug discovery paradigm based on big data genomics and artificial intelligence: PLEOTHERAPY™. The Company identifies and develops synergic combinations of drugs called PLEODRUG™ offering several key advantages: efficacy, safety and robust intellectual property. The Company was founded by renowned scientists and entrepreneurs including Professor Daniel Cohen, a pioneer in modern genomics, and is supported by a world-class scientific team.
Pharnext is listed on Euronext Growth Stock Exchange in Paris (ISIN code: FR0011191287).
For more information, visit www.pharnext.com.
About Tasly
Tasly Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd. was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in August 2002 (Stock Code 600535). The company concept is "To share the joy of health with all" and the company mission "To improve human life and quality of life." Tasly is committed to promoting the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with modern medical and pharmaceutical technologies. It is also committed to building the first international brand of modernized TCM. "To become the global innovation leader of modern TCM and the scientific standard maker of modern TCM" is our target. To achieve this goal, Tasly will strive to bring modernized TCM to international pharmaceutical standards. To support its development strategy of "Comprehensive Internationalization," Tasly has set up a complete manufacturing chain which respects international guidelines and exploits intelligent manufacturing systems. Based on its "Two Wheels of Innovation and Capitalization" strategy, Tasly has developed several core competitive advantages, such as its R&D model, a multi-level product system, a multi-dimensional patent protection system and a commercial and marketing network.
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Court rules accused Russian credit card 'megahacker' can be extradited to the US
Dutch court approves extradition of Russian man for his alleged involvement in one of the largest US corporate hacks of more than 160m credit card details
Agence France-Presse in The Hague, Netherlands
Tue 27 Jan 2015 11.40 EST Last modified on Fri 14 Jul 2017 17.30 EDT
Russian defendant Vladimir Drinkman, left, is escorted by police officers at the courthouse in The Hague. Drinkman is accused of helping to lead a prolific computer hacking ring. Photograph: Jerry Lampen/AFP/Getty Images
A Russian man accused of one of the largest US corporate hacks of more than 160m credit card details can be extradited to the US, a Dutch court has ruled.
"The Dutch state may extradite Russian hacker Vladimir Drinkman to the United States," The Hague district court said in a statement on Tuesday.
The ruling comes after Drinkman's lawyer earlier this month made a last-ditch effort to avoid him being sent to New Jersey, arguing that he might be prosecuted for other crimes in other states, which would breach the Netherlands-US extradition agreement.
Drinkman, who is wanted along with four others for allegedly hacking computer networks belonging to some of the world's largest payment companies, would prefer to be extradited to Russia, where his young daughter and ex-wife live.
The five suspects, four Russians and a Ukrainian, are accused of stealing credit and debit card numbers and other personal information from companies such as Nasdaq, Carrefour and JetBlue and selling them online.
Just three of the corporate victims have reported combined losses in excess of $300m.
The defendants are Russians Drinkman, Alexandr Kalinin, Roman Kotov and Dmitriy Smilianets, and Ukrainian Mikhail Rytikov.
Smilianets was arrested along with Drinkman in the Netherlands and extradited. The other three suspects are still at large.
US investigators have been on the trail of the hackers for at least four years with Kalinin and Drinkman having been identified as Hacker 1 and Hacker 2 in a 2009 indictment of Albert Gonzalez, who was subsequently convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for accessing the confidential data of Heartland Payment Systems and other corporations in what was, until then, the biggest case of its kind.
The pair were described as specialists in penetrating network security and gaining access to the systems of major corporations. Moscow-based Kotov was said to be the expert in mining the networks his accomplices had opened up.
This involved installing malicious code, or malware, on compromised systems, enabling the harvesting of user names and passwords, means of identification and bank card numbers.
The US investigators regard the estimate of 160m numbers obtained by the group as conservative.
A stolen American credit card number and the details needed to use it were said to be worth $10, a Canadian one $15 and a European one $50 to the identity-theft wholesalers who bought the data.
They would then sell them on to individuals who could encode the data onto blank plastic cards and use them to buy goods or make cash withdrawals.


https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Greenwich-man-accused-of-phony-veteran-scam-11867508.php
Greenwich man accused of phony veteran scam
Published 12:00 am EDT, Monday, June 20, 2011
NEW HAVEN(AP) -- A Greenwich man is facing charges that he falsely claimed to be an Army Ranger wounded during four tours of duty in Afghanistan.
Police said Monday that 20-year-old Jesus Garcia was arrested last week on charges of larceny, fraudulent representation of Armed Force uniform, four counts of fraudulent use of military insignia and interfering with an officer. He was released on $2,500 bond and is due back in Stamford Superior Court Friday.
A telephone message was left for Garcia with his mother, who said her son told her he was in the military.
Police said Garcia had an Army Ranger tattoo, posed in a military uniform and planned to speak at a Memorial Day event. Police said he ripped off two people of nearly $1,000 in connection with the scam.


Fiscal Responsibility versus Austerity in Groton
The North Stonington Road Bridge... at least what used to be.
You go to a nice restaurant and you order a fancy meal that costs $24.17. The food comes out, but it's a little slow to get to your table. Your silverware isn't quite clean. The vegetables are okay, but clearly not fresh, probably frozen. Your experience is not terrible, but it's mediocre.
The vegetables were frozen because that cost a little less than fresh. They laid off the more experienced dishwasher and hired a less expensive one to save money. They are also short one guy in the kitchen, again to save money, and that's why your food was slow.
They made the cuts so they could reduce their prices. Had they not done so, the price would have been $24.74.
I suspect that if you were given the choice of the $24.17 mediocre experience or the $24.74 excellent experience, you'd pick the excellent one.
One Town's Fiscal Choice
That is the choice that the town of Groton, Connecticut faces in this year's budget cycle. The current intention is to hold the mill rate the same as last year's at 24.17. (The mill rate is the rate per thousand that a property owner pays in taxes.)
But there is a cost to this conservation:
$1.5 million will be drawn from the general fund
The North Stonington Road Bridge will not be repaired
The Bill Memorial Library and Mystic & Noank Library will be cut, and, in later year, be completely unsupported by the town
The new community center will continue to have unusable water and a leaky roof.
A Town In Decline
A sign of decline.
When a movie director is trying to show that the world the story takes place in is in decline, they will show broken things. They will show the once nice things that the society could not longer afford to maintain. "We have to take the stairs. This building used to have an elevator, but it broke years ago and no one can fix it." OR "We'll have to go the long way around. There used to be a bridge, but it was washed out in a storm years ago and we can't afford to fix it."
Every "Bridge Out" sign, every closed library, every "park closed" sign is a monument to the decline of a community. It is a celebration of past greatness and present failure.
For Groton to fail to repair it's bridge, to underfund the libraries, to not have a properly maintained community center, it is saying "we used to have nice things, but we can no longer afford them."
That is a town in decline. Perhaps the town really is so poor that austerity is the only option, and visible decline the necessary cost of this, but I'm not sure everyone would agree.
Austerity Versus Investment
The cost to fund the libraries is 0.1% of the total town budget, so let's focus more on the larger maintenance issues.
The argument for holding the mill rate level is that a half mill increase this year could lead to one the next year and the year after that. After 20 years, the mill rate goes from 24 to 34, and that's not a good thing.
This sidewalk on 184 has been closed for some time.
On the other hand, Groton has a bridge out, an unusable sidewalk, etc. If the mill rate is held level at the cost of failing to fix our infrastructure as it wears out, then there is another danger. What if the mill rate stays the same but the number of highly visible infrastructure failures increases by one every year. Twenty years from now, you'd have a low tax rate and 20 unusable bridges and sidewalks and parks throughout the town.
When you have 20 "bridge out" and "park closed" signs around town, people notice. Home buyers notice. Property values fall. Tax revenues fall. Mill rates must be increased to compensate.
Under austerity, you still have to raise the mill rate and you end up with a town full of signs of neglect and decay.
What's the Cost
One mill point converts to $3,686,117 of revenue. The proposed cut to the library is about $38,000. Other cuts to agencies which provide services to Groton residents come to about $30,000. Groton's share of repairing the North Stonington Road Bridge would be $300,000. Substantial improvements could be made to the community center for $250,000.
The total cost to fully staff the kitchen, to use our example above, would be $618,000 or 0.17 mills. If we want to do it without taking money from the general fund balance, it would be 0.57 mills.
$550,000 of this would be one time capital costs. $1,500,000 would remain in the general fund to use in future years when we have harder times. Only $68,000 of this is recurring budget items.
For an owner of an average $200,000 house, the property tax based on these rates would be:
Austerity: $4,834
Fully Funded: $4,868
Fully Funded without using town savings: $4,948
Under the proposed austerity, defunding the libraries, the supporting agencies, failing to repair a failed bridge, and leaving the community center in need to improvements, the average homeowner would save $114 per year.
One hundred and fourteen dollars. To the average family.
There is a line between fiscal responsibility and dangerous austerity. I think we can see where that line is.
The Town Council of Groton is a group of tremendously hard working and dedicated volunteers. They work with the best interests of the town in mind and want to be accountable to the taxpayers. They are pushing down this path of austerity because that is what they believe that the residents want. The loudest cries they hear are from those who want taxes cut no matter what the cost, and if that is what you want then you are being heard.
On the other hand, if you would like to see the bridges fixed, the community center improved to the level a town like Groton deserves, the libraries and agencies funded to provide great services to you and your neighbors and you understand it may cost a few dollars more in taxes to get these benefits, please contact you Town Councilors and let them know that you believe that 0.57 mills is a small price to keep all the nice things in Groton.
Their contact information can be found here.
Closing Thought on Outside Agencies
The Mystic & Noank Library, the Bill Memorial Library, and other organizations called "outside agencies" are being cut by 25%. The argument is that the money should stay in the town. This is misguided argument.
The two association libraries cost the town a mere $125,000 combined and offer tremendous services funded by donors, other towns, and a variety of other sources. Groton receives millions of dollars of value for tens of thousands of dollars of expense.
These so called outside agencies are simply agencies that are not operated by the town but provide town services. The town gives them money because the services they provide would be profoundly more expensive for the town to provide internally.
When a cut of $100,000 of expense runs the risk of losing $1,000,000 of value, it should be very closely considered. This money does not leave the town. It stays in the town and it brings friends.
Michael Whitehouse is member of the Representative Town Meeting representing the 4th District of Groton, Connecticut.


Model Case: Oyster, 40 mm, Everose gold
Bezel: Fluted
Calibre: 3255, Manufacture Rolex
Dial: Olive green
The Fluted Bezel
The Rolex fluted bezel is a mark of distinction. Originally, the fluting of the Oyster bezel had a functional purpose: it served to screw the bezel onto the case helping to ensure the waterproofness of the watch.
Olive Green Dial
The sunray finish on Rolex dials is a predominant method in watchmaking of achieving pure metallic color dials such as shades of silver grey, rhodium or ruthenium. Silver-plating is mostly used as a base layer for the sunray finish, where further color is added to the prepared dial. Sometimes colors such as champagne are achieved through electroplating with more than half a dozen different metals.
18 ct Everose gold
To preserve the beauty of its pink gold watches, Rolex created and patented an exclusive 18 ct pink gold alloy cast in its own foundry: Everose gold. Introduced in 2005, 18 ct Everose is used on all Rolex Oyster models in pink gold.
HOW TO SET YOUR DAY-DATE 40
Synonymous with excellence and reliability, Rolex watches are designed for everyday wear, and depending on the model, perfectly suited for a wide range of sports and other activities. Built to last, these timepieces are characterized by their distinctive and timeless aesthetics. The Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 is the ultimate watch of prestige. Learn more about this model and how to set the time, date and day by watching the video.
The Oyster Perpetual Day-Date made its debut in 1956. Available only in 18 ct gold or platinum, it was the first calendar wristwatch to display the day – spelled out in full in a window on the dial – in addition to the date. With the President bracelet, created specially for it, the Day-Date embodies the essence of Rolex prestige and excellence.
THE ULTIMATE WATCH OF PRESTIGE
Oyster, 36 mm, Everose gold
Oyster, 36 mm, yellow gold
Oyster, 36 mm, white gold


Hamas' Unremitting Terror,Yet, "Bibi" Netanyahu Lies Impotent-Once Again. What's Going On? Commentary By Adina Kutnicki
Posted on October 29, 2018 by Adina Kutnicki
SCOWLS, clenched fists, and promises aside, when "Bibi" Netanyahu or his lackeys are queried: What will it take, once and for all, to unleash the IDF to bury Hamas, it is as if they are reading from the same demented script: "What we see from here, you don't see from there!"
BE that as it may, as is said, the proof is in the pudding. To wit, how many times does this grave situation, a/k/a "matzav", have to be tackled and highlighted to demonstrate that Israel's leadership are wildly derelict in their most sacred duty of all? Ad infinitum.
BUT for the uninitiated, or the still unconvinced, here we go again. As per the actual facts on the ground….the case….the indictment….
Back in August 2011, six years after the late PM Sharon, "the bulldozer", ordered the IDF to destroy twenty five plus thriving Jewish communities in Gush Katif, a/k/a Gaza, and the northern Shomron (to satiate the very same barbarians who rocketed southern Israel for 17 years – only to up the ante and terrorize the entire nation, after the insane "gifting/rewarding" of developed Jewish communities, as evidenced during the last defensive war with Hamas in 2014), this investigative journalist was asked to memorialize the devastating destruction via its knock-on effects (for HONENU – Israel's National Legal Defense Organization) through a no-holds-barred analytical assessment. Resultant,"The Bitter Fruits of 'Disengagement' " was written. Shortly, others followed. Painstaking. Searing.
Even so, those with eyes and ears and a modicum of historical acumen should have known that one cannot feed rabid beasts and, in return, expect civilized behavior! In fact, as far back as 2007, "No Crime Without Punishment" laid out (at Israel National News) the absolute legal and moral onus upon Israel's leaders, that is, their sworn duty to mete out punishment commensurate with the acts of terrorism against their citizens. Nullem Crimen Sine Poena. How many understand this sworn obligation?
In this regard, under the Orwellian circumstances cited above, it is hardly shocking that a follow-on (again, at Israel National News) report was necessary in January 2008, and with no let up in sight. Ask yourselves: Is it rational, let alone acceptable, that the most fearsome army in the Middle East (indeed, the IDF is ranked Number 8 in the world!) has yet to bring Hamas (and assorted Jihadi offshoots) to its knees?
IN light of the above truth-telling and disinfectant, and as night follows day alike, no one should be shocked that this past weekend Hamas is still "calling the shots", as to when to fire, and when to "pause" – even though, reportedly, the IDF/IAF targeted this and that Hamas building for destruction, all of which, "coincidentally", were (always are) empty. Why is this?? And, once again, Hamas' terror masters are left standing to terrorize at will.
Wave upon wave of Palestinian missiles were aimed at Israeli communities from Gaza on Friday night and Saturday morning, Oct. 26-27, gaining impetus from IDF air strikes at some 87 Hamas targets. The IDF spokesman spoke of 30 Palestinian missiles during the night, although the number was more than 50, of which Iron Dome intercepted 13 that directly threatened residential areas. This Palestinian assault focused on the town of Sderot and the Shear Hanegev Council communities rather than widely-spaced targets.
The IDF reported Saturday that IAF fighters hit the new Hamas General Security headquarters in the Derej district of Gaza City although they admitted the building was empty at the time of the attack. In the streets of Sderot meanwhile householders and their children huddled in shelters and fortified rooms after a day of listening to howling mobs of some 16,000 Palestinians close by, trying to force their way through the Gaza fence at three points, while hurling small bombs, grenades and rocks at the soldiers. Five rioters were killed and dozens injured by IDF gunfire before they were pushed back.
But Palestinian missile fire continued unabated into Saturday morning. The latest IDF bulletin held Syria and the Iranian al-Qods responsible for the Palestinian barrage of Friday night and Saturday morning. This onslaught powerfully debunked the reports of an Israeli-Hamas deal, brokered by Egypt, for the Palestinian terrorists to gradually de-escalate the border outbreaks, provided Israel held back and gave Hamas time for the process.
It also served as a greeting card from Hamas and Islamic Jihad to Israel's next military chief of staff, whom Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman named on Friday as Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, 54. Kochavi is currently deputy chief of staff to Lt. Gen. Gady Eisenkot, after spending three years as OC Northern Command. He served in many key combat and staff capacities during his military career, although evaluations of his capabilities are mixed.
As commander of the Paratroop Brigade (in 2001), he led successful operations against terrorist concentrations (in 2002-2003) in major Palestinian towns for breaking the back of the Second Intifada (Palestinian uprising) that terrorized Israeli civilian centers for two years. Kochavi designed an effective counter-terror raid technique for saving Israeli troops raiding houses for suspects from being exposed to attack in the street. They were given a tool, which was named after him, for smashing through interior walls between rooms.
As head of AMAN (Military Intelligence), while faulted for certain missed strategic evaluations, he had the foresight to develop the unit's technological capabilities for its leap into cyber warfare.
Kochavi is still remembered as commander of the Gaza Division 13 years ago, when Israel withdrew finally from the Palestinian enclave under the late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. On Sept. 12, 2005, Kochavi shut the door on the last evacuated Israeli community in the Gaza Strip with the pledge: "If a single shot, or bullet is ever fired from here against Israel, the IDF's response will be crushing!"
During the subsequent 13 years, that vow stayed in the history books. Only this week, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu noted that, whereas in 2005, Hamas had only 3,000 armed men, the number has since soared to 65,000! However, in 2009, a year after he assumed the premiership, the Hamas militia numbered no more than 12,000 men.
Policy-making and military thinking in Israel for dealing with unending Hamas terror has remained frozen in place for 13 years. In 2005, Egypt promised to deploy troops on the strategic "Philadelphi Corridor" to prevent the newly-independent and demilitarized Palestinian enclave in Gaza from smuggling in weapons for rearming. That undertaking was not honored, any more than today, Cairo is capable of forcing Hamas to accept a truce.
As for the incoming chief of staff, Kochavi's critics evaluate his performance as OC Northern command in charge of the Syrian and Lebanese border areas as falling short of his earlier operational and innovative promise. The question now is: Will Kochavi rise above Israel's long conceptual paralysis with regard to Gaza and resort to action for stopping the increasingly unbridled Palestinian violence? This weekend, the terrorists of Gaza threw down another gauntlet for the IDF, clearly a challenge for Gen. Kochavi to see if he will finally make good on his 13-year oath of a "crushing response"
ALAS, no one can unmask the insane, counter-intuitive so-called "strategic" policies of Israel's political echelon akin to Dr. Martin Sherman; inarguably, Israel's foremost strategic policy analyst. As such, listen raptly, for school's in session.
TRENCHANTLY, a rational leadership – let alone, one which obsessively touts an abiding adherence to democratic principles – wouldn't allow their citizens to be subjected to a continuous barrage of missiles and kites (in tandem with stepped-up terror tactics) for years on end. In the meanwhile, said abnormal leadership continues to send in fuel and assorted supplies into Hamas-run Gaza (and Iran supported), knowing full well that Jihadis appropriate the largess! Mind you, while "Bibi" gives the go-ahead, ostensibly, to "relieve" the general population from rolling electrical outages, the urgent question is: What about taking care of Israel's terrorized citizens? In other words, if Hamas was forced to operate in the dark, in tandem, bereft of fuel to run their terror workshops, wouldn't said strategy go a long way towards bringing them to their knees? Agreed?
KNOW this; The very fact that citizens living within Israel's southern belt (after months of incendiary-packed kite/balloon terror and years of missile/rocket barrages) have yet to storm the Knesset, thereby, demanding an end to the onslaught, well, it attests to a form of mental besiegement. Yes, it does.
EFFECTIVELY, once a people believe that normalcy (and safety} is never going to be a part of their lives; that a daily life of terror and more terror (despite knowing that their armed forces can bury their tormentors) is tolerated by their leaders, said mindset becomes a "normative" way of thinking.
BUT most significantly, since past is prologue, it will take untold casualties for "Bibi" to unleash the powerful IDF – still, only long enough to "mow the grass", so to speak.
AS always, their "strategic" calculus is not to bury Hamas – mirroring a rational leadership – but to allow them to lick their wounds, and, once again, regroup. Stronger. As to why this is the case, for starters, let's just agree that "Bibi" (and his so-called right-wing crew) is more scared of angering an ever hostile Euro leadership, rather, than being frightened of the wrath of the majority Zionist public – and that's the damnable, shameful truth.
INEXORABLY and most especially, if only "Bibi" was a statesman (his oratorical prowess and flourishes beside the point), Hamas (and assorted Jihadi hydras) would be too scared to rear its head.
CONCLUSIVELY, may the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob save us (myself included, as an American-Israeli living in Israel) from our derelict leaders!
{re-blogged at TheHomelandSecurityNetwork} click "Archives" to read, dated Oct. 29, 2018
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged 'No Crime Without Punishment', defensive war with Hamas in 2014, Dr Martin Sherman, school's in session, The Bitter Fruits of 'Disengagement', Wave upon wave of Palestinian missiles, wildly derelict leadership by Adina Kutnicki. Bookmark the permalink.
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Hello Batavia
Batavia Ohio
Ulysses S. Grant was born in Batavia and was only a few hours' drive from where he was born, according to the National Park Service. The route features a number of historic sites, including the US House of Representatives and the Sit - in a related abolition movement - as well as a museum.
Also within Batavia is East Fork State Park, which has 85 km of hiking trails, 1,000 hectares of parkland and a number of historic sites.
Visitors can spend a whole weekend browsing the museum's extensive collection of more than 100,000 artifacts and artefacts. Other museums nearby include the National Museum of Natural History, Ohio State Museum and Ohio State Library.
If you want to satisfy your food delivery in Batavia, go to Domino's, call them for pizza delivery, carryout or delivery to Batavia. Chicken wings have not been on the menu since 2011, but you can enjoy a variety of other options such as chicken wings, chicken nachos, burgers and more. Enjoy a day at the Great American Ballpark, dine at one of the many restaurants in the Banks or attend a concert in Fountain Square. Next time you dream of a cheese platter - covered slices of handmade pizza all day - it's time for a quick trip to the local pizza shop to buy a good old-fashioned pizza.
Domino's has worked hard to provide the food you want and love, and you can place your order right here in Batavia with a simple call at 1 - 888 - 743 - 5555.
Prepare your sauce of choice and suffocate it, throw it in your hands and try one of the many toppings available at Domino's, such as chicken wings, pizza, pasta or pizza rolls.
Download the PDF version of the Batavia, OH map so you can easily reach it when you travel over the Internet. You can also use the search box to find other places you want to search. Use the satellite view or save this PDF to receive a free printable "Batavia" plan.
George Ely bought the first survey from Captain Francis Minnis and took over the leadership, perhaps naming the church "Batavia" after New York City. George Ely acquired the rights to land in Batavia, Ohio, and other parts of Clermont County after his first interrogation. According to the agency, court employees in Clerkenwell County began accepting passport applications as a public service in 1995. The Secretary of State has identified various categories of persons entitled to accept passports under the authority of this President and the United States, as well as the State of Ohio and all other state and local government agencies under his jurisdiction. Passport applications should be paid or paid in whole or in part to the U.S. Department of State or the office of the district official in accordance with Section 2 (a) (3) (B) of Title 18, United State Code, Section 1.
Batavia was surveyed on May 28, 1788 and received the inhabitants, with Virginia and Ezekiel Dimmitt moving to the city in 1797. In 1807, George Ely bought Minnis' home and had a town named after Batavia, New York, designated. The first survey of Clermont County in Clerkenwell County, Ohio and other parts of the county was conducted in 1788.
The race of the village was 94% black, 50% white, 10% African American and 5% Indian. In the 18th century, the race of villages in the Clerkenwell County, Ohio census was 94-50, with the majority of African Americans and Native Americans of color.
Median income per household in the village was $40,804 and median income per family was $50,238. 34.4% had children under 18, 52.2% were married couples living together, 30.3% were non-resident and 13.8% had a housekeeper without a husband. The poverty line is the poverty line for all households in Clerkenwell County, Ohio, including those with incomes of less than $25,000 a year for a family of four and $20,500 for families of five or more.
Batavia has a population of just over 1,600, which corresponds to a population of just under 3,000 people per square mile (1.5 square kilometres). At Census # 6, 2010, a total of 2,743 people (2.1% of the total population) lived in the village.
At the 2010 census, there were 713 residential units in Batavia, which corresponds to a population of almost 3,000 people per square mile (1.5 square kilometers). At the census 7 in 2011, there were 696 residential units in the village, with a total of 2,743 inhabitants (2.1% of the total population).
Starting at the Newtown Road Trailhead in Turpin Hills, the first 70 miles north will take you to Batavia, a small town of just over 1,000 people. From there, it goes up the north-west side of the village and from there to the south and east, north, through the city and into the hills and mountains of New Brunswick County, Ohio.
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Keeping The University of New Mexico-Taos campus safe during the COVID-19 crisis is paramount. Information, guidelines, and recommendations are ever-changing.
The following changes are being enacted for the purpose of supporting our students, staff, and faculty, while at the same time allowing us to do our part to exercise an abundance of caution and contribute to social distancing (when possible).
Reduced Hours of Operation
To support social distancing and to minimize the spread of the virus, UNM-Taos will be open with reduced hours and limited operations. Effective today (Monday, March 16), and until further notice, campus will be open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Campus will not physically be open on Fridays, but operations will continue remotely.
On March 13, UNM President Garnett Stokes announced an extended student spring break until Sunday, April 5. On Saturday, March 14, Provost James Holloway's subsequent email clarified that UNM will have no in-person/face-to-face classes until Monday, April 6, however, online classes for the remainder of the spring semester and second 8-week courses will begin on Monday, March 23, as originally scheduled.
For the time being, in alignment with UNM guidelines, the NM Department of Health, Center for Disease Control, and World Health Organization, campus events are cancelled through the end of April.
The health of our students, staff, and faculty are of the upmost importance and any future/revised prevention plans will be designed to minimize disruption to classes. We believe that the limited campus hours will contribute to the social distancing objective, provide balance between effective operations, keep our campus open, and help "flatten the curve."
UNM-Taos
March 16, 2020 Statement PDF
March 19, 2020 Statement
March 16, 2020 | Uncategorized |
Centinel Bank and UNM-Taos Launch Internship and Scholarship Program
Library Newsletter for March


DugSawThatMovie
Sci Fi, Fantasy, Superheroes. Movie & Television reviews and discussions , Movie/TV news.
Movie and TV News
Glass – PG-13 – 2019 Drama/Fantasy – 2h 9m Movie Review
Doug Montgomery II	Movie review, Movie Reviews	 January 21, 2019 January 21, 2019 2 Minutes
by Douglas Montgomery II
In 2016, M. Night Shyamalan gave us Split, a mystery/thriller starring James McAvoy as a man with 23 different personalities. It was excitingly suspenseful, McAvoy gave a noteworthy split personality performance, and it was a nice return to form for Shyamalan. Then, adding some connectivity flavor, surprisingly links the narrative to Shyamalan's 2000 Unbreakable. For those who saw Split, it was a nice shock, generating eager anticipation, and setting up the inevitable sequel, that is the just released Glass, starring James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, and Samuel Jackson.
Now Unbreakable would be categorized as a mystery drama, and Split a thriller mystery, but Glass, turns out is fantasy drama, and felt a little out of place amongst the previous two movies that preceded it, and I'll explain why later. I was really looking forward to seeing where Glass took the story from Split's ending, but where with Split I was intrigued, and at times on the edge of my seat at what McAvoy's character, Kevin Wendell, was going to do next, with Glass there's no more underlying mystery to him, we already know about that "one" personality. And the buildup to Kevin and David Dunn's (Bruce Willis) confrontation happened too quick, and proved ultimately unsatisfying. Linking Split to Unbreakable now just feels like a clever attempt to link a story, in order to spark fan excitement and generate some box office love.
Glass, tied to Unbreakable, reminded me why I had some issues with the later. It was kind of boring. The tone of Glass, like Unbreakable, set to a grainy, grey, after it's been raining atmosphere, but lacking the mysteriousness and intensity of Split, just didn't keep me engaged. The abduction plot line in Split, a little akin to Silence of the Lambs, helped propel that story forward, but that's, unfortunately absent in Glass. Instead we have a psychiatrist(with a hidden agenda) trying to convince all of the main characters that their powers are really just curable manifestations of the mind. And the film's reveal towards the end, lending to an overarching, fantasy-like sub-plot, just didn't work. Out of the three, Split is by far the better movie. I still believe Shyamalan's got skills, but he should've let Split end as a standalone movie, without the Unbreakable lineage.
The return of Samuel Jackson and Bruce Willis is definitely the highlight of this movie, but the charm of their return didn't last very long, and it didn't save the movie either. I had high expectations for Glass, but couldn't get past some of the above mentioned flaws. I thought and hoped, that like Split, Glass would be Shyamalan's return to recreating the success of his earlier work, but it's not. It's an effort to break that glass wall of disappointment, but for this movie goer, the glass is cracked, but not yet broken. Glass is now playing in theaters! Go check it out!
Published by Doug Montgomery II
I have been collecting comic books for over 40 years. I have been a fan of science fiction/fantasy, etc., which includes everything from Star Wars, Star Trek, Godzilla, Marvel/DC/Image comics, cartoons, anime, and much more.	View all posts by Doug Montgomery II
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I'm with the band: On cusp of 95, Bert Cooper still rockin'
By Jon Pompia The Pueblo Chieftain
As a young boy growing up in Oklahoma, Bert Cooper found great joy in his humble acoustic guitar.
Until he traded it for a pig.
In the hardscrabble times of the Great Depression, Cooper realized his family needed food more than he wanted that guitar.
Although he lost the six-string, Cooper has carried a deep love of music throughout his life: a passion he eagerly passed on to his twin sons Jim and John.
Now, a few months shy of 95, Bert Cooper has come full circle, adding "rock star" to a musical resume that already includes "inspiration," "biggest supporter," "promoter," sound advisor" and "roadie/tech."
As part of his sons' act The CooperSonics, the lanky and spry Cooper is a hoot and a highlight, regularly joining the duo for such numbers as Mac Davis' "It's Hard to Be Humble" — which has evolved into his signature song — and staples such as "Ring of Fire," "King of the Road" and "Blueberry Hill."
All of which are embellished with theatrical moves and the occasional life lesson story.
"Our dad has always been our biggest supporter," said Jim Cooper. "So about six years ago, we convinced him to come up and do a song with us, and that's how it got started."
With a microphone in his hand, Bert Cooper is no stick in the mud. He routinely wanders through his audience, stopping to serenade all his female fans along the way.
"He gets more attention from women than us," joked John Cooper, who like his brother plays guitar and sings. "And that's because he isn't shy about personally singing to them: which leads to them wanting to dance with him.
"Really, people are just amazed he's still doing it as a performer."
And just as everybody seems to have a favorite Beatle, so it is with the CooperSonics.
"As for the most popular, I'd have to say me," Bert Cooper said, illustrating his trademark sense of humor. "You know, it's hard to be humble when you're a 94-year-old rock star."
Born in Celestine, OK to school teacher parents, Cooper spent time in the cotton fields, singing to himself as he picked. His interest in playing music was spurred by family gatherings around the radio, where the Grand 'Ol Opry captivated the fledgling performer.
"Our grandparents also had an old piano, and he used to tinker with it," Jim Cooper noted.
After scraping up enough funds, Cooper purchased a no-frills record player from Montgomery Ward, which served to advance his love of melodies and instrumentation.
"Some of the performers that he enjoyed listening to were Roy Acuff, Hank Snow, Minnie Pearl, Tex Ritter, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Bing Crosby, Bobby Vinton and Nat King Cole," John Cooper said.
After graduating high school, Cooper worked for a time as a welder in the shipyards before enlisting in the Navy. He served from 1943-46, mainly in the Pacific.
It was through a Navy friend that Cooper learned about Pueblo and, charmed with the Southern Colorado city, made it his permanent home after World War II.
After short stints at Baker's Shoe Store and a local dairy, Cooper eventually settled into a near 40-year career at the Colorado Fuel and Iron Corporation.
"Though he had a full-time job and family to raise, Dad still enjoyed playing music," Jim Cooper said. "He used to sing in a barbershop quartet, as well as the church choir. Eventually, he bought a Stella Spanish guitar at a pawn shop and when we were very young, he would play that guitar and sing to us after dinner."
Intrigued by the noises coming out of that wooden treasure, the twins were allowed to clumsily strum the guitar, which is still around today.
"No need to trade that one for a pig," Jim Cooper said with a laugh.
After giving them a few basic lessons, Cooper pledged to buy his sons an electric guitar from Gibson's Discount Center.
"Actually, he put it on layaway, with the condition it would become ours if we got good grades," John Cooper explained.
As it turned out, the brothers' musical future was nearly derailed not by poor marks but misplaced fruit.
"During the layaway period, we and some friends 'accidentally' got into a plum fight inside the house," Jim Cooper admitted. "He threatened to not buy the guitar unless we did a thorough job of cleaning up the plum-stained walls, floor and furniture.
"Needless to say, we wanted that guitar so badly that we cleaned the whole house from top to bottom, spic and span, in short order."
And a promising musical career was salvaged.
Although Cooper's musical aspirations gave way to the responsibilities of a family man, he reveled in his sons' ascent up the industry ladder, which started in a basement rehearsal area and progressed to local small gigs.
"While in college, when we decided to take our music to a more professional level in California, Dad wholeheartedly supported us morally and financially, buying us brand new guitars and our first PA system," John Cooper said. "But he also cautioned us about the possible pitfalls and rigors of becoming professional entertainers."
As it turned out, Bert Cooper's foresight was as keen as his musical chops.
As his sons slugged it out on the ultra-competitive Los Angeles-area club circuit, Cooper never hesitated to send a check for rent "and other starving artist expenses," in Jim Cooper's words. "He also would make a couple trips a year to L.A. to support us: listening to us practice, attending live performances and offering moral and emotional support."
When their West Coast show business dreams didn't quite materialize, the Cooper brothers returned to Pueblo and developed a popular act based around covers of classic pop and rock numbers.
It took some convincing, but eventually, the patriarch of this musical family made his debut at a farmers market on the Riverwalk.
"And the rest is history," the brothers said in unison.
A legacy whose highlights include a homecoming assembly at South High School, the Cooper brothers' alma mater, where a rendition of "Ring of Fire" before a crowd of 1,000-plus was rewarded with a standing ovation.
No wonder Bert Cooper is finding it hard to be humble.
jpompia@chieftain.com
Twitter: @jpompia


My Mother-in-Law's Birthplace
This is not a new topic, but I have not seen a definitive answer.
My mother-in-law was born in what was, at the time, the city of Czernowitz, province of Bukovina, Austro-Hungarian Empire. After WWI, it became Chernauti, Romania and after WWII it became Chernivsti, Ukraine, which it remains today.
In her profile, and those of her family members, I have put Chernivsti, Ukraine as her birthplace. I have tried to explain the history of the city in the biographical text. My reasoning has been that using the current city and country makes it easy to locate on a map search. I can also understand the logic for using the city name that was in use at the time of her birth. That is, after all, the name that she remebered and that was on her birth certificate.
I am perfectly willing to go either way, but I would like to know if there is an official policy one way or the other.
WikiTree profile: Pearl Brass
asked Feb 25, 2015 in Policy and Style by Henry Chadwick G2G6 Mach 4 (48.1k points)
Can you put then and now?
Czernowits now called Chernivsti?
commented Feb 26, 2015 by Betty Fox G2G6 Pilot (153k points)
It seems that reasearch databases, e.g. Jewishgen.org, use the modern name for searches, so I guess I will stick with that and explain the historical name in the biographical text.
commented Feb 28, 2015 by Henry Chadwick G2G6 Mach 4 (48.1k points)
The policy is here
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Location_Fields
We should be using the names they would have used, in the language they would have used.
answered Mar 1, 2015 by Maureen Rosenfeld G2G6 Pilot (181k points)
selected Mar 1, 2015 by Anne B
Thank you for identifying the Wikitree policy. As a good soldier, I will modify my profiles to follow this policy. The question remains, however, that research sites seem to follow a different policy and that the old names will not show up on Google maps.
In the language in use at the time (German) the city would be called Czernowitz, Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie.
commented Mar 1, 2015 by Henry Chadwick G2G6 Mach 4 (48.1k points)
edited Mar 1, 2015 by Henry Chadwick
I cut and pasted Czernowicz, etc from your answer above into my mother-in-law's father's profile. Google maps is pointing to Chernivitsi University. So it works. Now I think I will double check if this is the right in-law who came from there.
commented Mar 1, 2015 by Maureen Rosenfeld G2G6 Pilot (181k points)
EU copyright laws
asked Jun 19, 2018 in Policy and Style by Jerry Dolman G2G6 Pilot (166k points)
Researching my mother-in-law's side of the family. Would like to start a Tetreault, Tatro, Tetrault one name study.
asked Jan 29, 2019 in Requests for Project Volunteers by Catherine Olmstead G2G2 (2.6k points)
tetreault
one_nam
Can you help me find out more about my mother-in-law's family (Robidoux-235)?
asked Jun 23, 2018 in Genealogy Help by Julie Tremblay G2G2 (2.2k points)
robidoux
Remember I Created My Mother-In Laws Cox Family Profiles?
asked Feb 1, 2018 in The Tree House by Taylor Worthington Gilchrist G2G6 Mach 8 (83.8k points)
My Mother-in Laws DNA was UP Loaded to Wiki!!!
asked Sep 3, 2017 in The Tree House by Taylor Worthington Gilchrist G2G6 Mach 8 (83.8k points)
mother in law's brother married son in law's sister
asked Dec 20, 2015 in Genealogy Help by Dee Horn G2G Crew (960 points)
wanting to know mother in laws family tree
asked Jan 29, 2015 in Genealogy Help by anonymous
my mother in laws dad was lawerance frances gleason, he left when she was 3. washington state
asked Jun 4, 2014 in Genealogy Help by anonymous
Mary Jane Phillips, sister of "Bad Frank Phillips is my mother-in-laws g-grandmothe. ARE THERE ANY LIVING RELATIVES?
asked Sep 2, 2012 in Genealogy Help by anonymous
thornsbury


EUMM Observes Two Minutes Silence for the Victims of the Brussels Atrocity
At 15:00 hours on Wednesday 23rd March, Deputy Head of Mission (DHoM) Erik Hoeeg led EUMM staff members in Mission headquarters in Tbilisi in a two-minute observation of silence to express our condolences with the victims of the bombings in Brussels Airport and Maelbeek Metro Station. Staff members in the Field Offices also...
International Women's Day: EUMM Interview with NGO "For a Better Future"
For the upcoming International Women's Day tomorrow, Field Office Mtshketa (FOM) has made a 'women's profile' interview with Ms. Nana Chkareuli - Executive Director for the NGO "For Better Future". The NGO works to empower women and youth and is active in Tserovani IDP Settlement. FOM has over the years visited to NGO on a regular basis, not least when we conduct VIP patrols to the Settlement. Read more...
EUMM Georgia Head of Mission Kęstutis Jankauskas addresses the Subcommittee on Security and Defence in the European Parliament
On 17 February, EUMM Georgia Head of Mission, Kęstutis Jankauskas, addressed the Subcommittee on Security and Defence in the European Parliament on the subject of "EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia: state of play and future perspectives."
The EUMM's Work in Georgia - Article by Head of Mission in Politorbis magazine
The EUMM (European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia) is an unarmed civilian monitoring mission. The Mission was deployed following the EU-mediated Six Point Agreement, which ended the 2008 August war and represents the EU's commitment to security in Georgia. The Mission monitors and provides information on the security situation with a special focus on the situation along...
EUMM Field Office Mtshketa (FOM) celebrates its 14,000th patrol!
On 3 February, Field Office Mtskheta conducted its 14,000th patrol since FOM commenced operations in autumn 2008. Patrol no. 14,000 went to the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) and observed the general security situation and the freedom of movement in the area - an important task that Field Office Mtskheta has been doing for many years now, and...


Azeem Rafiq: English Cricket is 'Institutionally' Racist says Former...
All Nine Squads Confirmed as Crucial Women's World Cup...
17th November 2021 Comments Off on CWI and USA Cricket To Host ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Views: 545 News
CWI and USA Cricket To Host ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024
West Indies and USA partnership is a vision for growth of the game
ST JOHN'S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) and USA Cricket have confirmed their partnership to host the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Men's T20 World Cup 2024. The world governing body announced the joint bid was successful on Tuesday.
The strategic partnership and vision of CWI and USA Cricket for the 2024 T20 World Cup is geared towards growing the game in the Americas by re-energising the sport with a new generation of fans in the West Indies and unlocking cricket's potential in the USA.
The partnership and bid planning, which started close to two years ago, aims to deliver ground-breaking fan and matchday experiences that combine Caribbean carnival with the best of American "sportainment" and breaking new ground on digital innovation and integration. The longer term goal is to accelerate cricket's growth as the world's Number 2 sport driving towards mainstream status in the United States and enhancing cricket's prospect of inclusion in the Olympic Games, to be hosted in Los Angeles in 2028.
This will be the fourth occasion that the West Indies will be hosting a global ICC cricket event, and the first time for the United States. The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup will be the ninth edition and the first to feature 20 teams, competing in four groups. The third edition was hosted in the Caribbean in 2010.
Ricky Skerritt, CWI President and ICC Board member, said:
"CWI welcomes this announcement by the ICC. It means simply that the Caribbean has been handed another opportunity, in 2024, to host a premier world cricket event. And this time it will be in partnership with our neighbours to the north, USA Cricket, led by my colleague Paraag Marathe. We know that our strategic partnership has helped ICC to accept our bid, and we must soon get to work to make this exciting ICC decision a truly successful one for all concerned."
Please see details on the ICC announcement HERE
-CWI


Homepage / Community / Choosing Your First Thru-Hike
Choosing Your First Thru-Hike
Heather Anderson is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, three-time Triple Crown thru-hiker, and professional speaker whose mission is to inspire others to "Dream Big, Be Courageous." She is also the author of two hiking memoirs Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home and Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail and a preparatory guide to long-distance hiking Adventure Ready. Find her on Instagram @_WordsFromTheWild_ or her website wordsfromthewild.net
More From Heather Anderson
By: Heather Anderson
When I set out on my first thru-hike in 2003, I picked the trail because it was the only one I knew about. I might have chosen something else if I'd had the access to the wide array of knowledge now at our fingertips on the internet! However, there's also the possibility I would have still chosen the Appalachian Trail for a variety of reasons. Ultimately, choosing your first thru-hike is a personal decision and rests on a lot of individual preferences. There are those who will tell you "X should not be your first thru-hike." And, while there are definitely options that are objectively more difficult than others, your personal experience will dictate the answer for you.
A classic example is the 800-mile-long Arizona Trail. The AZT is frequently chosen and recommended as a first thru-hike because of its length. However, I would say that for someone with no desert experience, it's a very challenging choice! If you're used to trekking through the woods of the East, the AT might actually be a better first thru-hike because it's more similar to what you're used to.
In addition to length, which—although not the most important factor—should definitely be considered, other factors that should be used to choose your first thru-hike are: complexity of logistics, terrain and climate, navigational challenges, physical difficulty, and popularity. Your individual combination of skills and references in these areas will help you select the trail that's right for you.
Complexity of Logistics: For any thru-hike you will need to acquire food and other supplies along the way. Exceptions to this would be if you choose a very short (100 mile or less) route that you can complete carrying everything you need from the start. Popular choices that fall into this uber-short category are the Wonderland Trail, Bartram Trail, and Uinta Highline Trail. How frequently you reach towns or businesses that can hold packages for you or sell food/supplies greatly impacts the logistical difficulty of a route, as well as your pack weight. Trails with infrequent resupply points can mean a very heavy pack, which is often a less than optimal choice for most first thru-hikes. Other logistics that should be considered are how you get to the start and end. Some trails have very remote finishes that require expensive shuttles, or additional hiking out (Continental Divide Trail, Great Divide Trail, Pinhoti Trail). Some, like the Pacific Crest Trail northbound require an application to cross into another country or, in lieu of that, a 30-mile hike back to the nearest road.
Terrain and Climate: As mentioned in the AZT example above, the type of terrain and climate you'll be hiking through can play a big role in what is harder or easier for you on your first trip. The more similar the terrain and climate are to what you're already used to hiking in, the easier that trail will be for you. Adapting to very different climates can be a humongous challenge for many people. Those used to arid weather will struggle and have less skills to treat the issues that come along with hiking in extreme humidity and vice versa.
Navigational Challenges: Some of the most popular long-distance trails in the United States right now are not trails at all. Routes such as the Hayduke Trail, Sierra High Route, Wind River High Route, and Grand Enchantment Trail are not true trails at all, but rather proposed trails or routes through unmarked terrain. Other trails such as the CDT and North Country Trail are true trails, but are infrequently marked and often have multiple route options. Others, like the AT with its iconic white blazes, are marked frequently and very easy to navigate even without a lot of backcountry experience. Your personal comfort with navigation and the availability of solid navigational information (such as GPS based apps for the specific trail) should be one of the biggest selection factors in choosing your first long-distance hike.
Physical Difficulty: Some trails are more physically demanding than other. Sometimes this correlates to length, but it often has to do with other aspects of terrain such as steepness, elevation change, altitude, and tread. For instance, the Pacific Crest Trail is 2600 miles long, however it's many climbs and descents are graded for pack animals and horses meaning the overall gradient is quite mellow. Compared to the more physically demanding AT, which is graded only for bipeds and packs more elevation change than the PCT into 400 less miles. Trails such as the Colorado Trail and John Muir Trail traverse landscapes well above 9,000 feet for almost their entire lengths. For hikers coming from sea level, this could make them incredibly difficult, while those living at altitude may not find them to be as challenging. The type of trail tread can also make a difference, the Long Trail is incredibly rocky and steep. In some areas you must use hands as well as feet to "walk" the trail. Whereas a route like the Florida Trail that is pancake flat might give you shin splints, but isn't as "hard" physically. Your conditioning and comfort will dictate what types of physical challenge are better suited to you.
Popularity is becoming a deciding factor for many people. Some new thru-hikers want to know that they will be in the midst of other people doing what they are doing. Some will want solitude. Understanding the number of trail users you're likely to encounter should play into your selection. Bear in mind that by hiking a trail in a non-traditional way (a flip-flop, or southbound) or at a less popular time (although take into consideration how that impacts other issues such as climate and logistics) even popular trails like the AT and PCT can be much more solitary.
In the end, thru-hiking is always hard. The trail that captures your imagination the most is the one you are most likely to see through because you have a strong emotional desire to hike it. When it comes to something as all-encompassing as a thru-hike, the mental and physical components are equally important to success. In my upcoming book, Adventure Ready, co-author Katie Gerber and I go into depth on how to prepare yourself on every level for the challenges of long-distance hiking. Pre-order your copy here.


Why "Proof of Doping" Is a Strawman Argument
When we think about doping in sports, people tend to fall in 1-of-3 buckets
the 10% who believe sport is now clean and that dopers account for as little as 1% of elite athletes;
the 10% who believe sport is every bit as dirty today as it has ever been; that the sophistication of drug programs remains a couple steps ahead of the corrupt AD powers that be; and
the 80% in the middle who are either ignorant on the topic or are ambivalent -- they just don't care
Everyone has an opinion and everyone has a right to his or her opinion. But, for those who take the stance of defending sport as clean and who contend that athletes must be considered clean unless there is absolute proof to the contrary, the argument breaks down fairly quickly and definitively. Yes, they demand incontrovertible proof of cheating to declare any given athlete in any given sport a cheater. This is a strawman stance at best and, at the least, defies logic.
They shout,
"Trust in the science!"
"Trust in the AD process because it's the best we've got!"
"Trust in the athletes because they are nice people!"; and to those who disbelieve in what they see
"Go back into your cave you trolls because all you do is spout innuendo of guilt! You have zero proof!"
If those who disbelieve what they're seeing try to turn that around by saying, "Show us proof that we should believe in these top-level athletes," they are met with:
personal verbal attacks
emphatic statements about burden of proof being on the accusers, not on the teams and athletes
All of this only diminishes the stance of those who say we need to believe. The internet and the ability to share so much information today has vaulted us into an era where the accessibility to that information has tilted the discussion firmly in the favor of those who choose to take off the rose-tinted glasses and apply heavy skepticism to the feats of strength, speed, power and endurance we all witness:
In track & field, the women's 3,000 steeplechase WR was recently obliterated by 8 seconds -- more than 50 meters. The previous record holder was then officially investigated for EPO use. This WR performance was also a 15-second PR -- so, an improvement of 100 meters;
Mo Farah's transformation is not suspect because of how late in his career it occurred, though this is certainly questionable. Nor, is it head scratching because of how fast his times became. The BIG reason his performances became and still are highly suspect is because of his finishing speed. He's running a sub-13:00 5k with a finishing lap of 51-52 seconds. And crossing the line looking fresh as a daisy. This is absolutely ludicrous;
In swimming, the cases of a single athlete winning a handful or more of world championship races, and when the cumulative fatigue should be bringing that swimmer to their knees yet they somehow beat all single race swimmers who are much fresher. And we're to believe training more, wanting it more and cupping for recovery are the reasons;
In a team sport like cycling, we are asked to believe in team leaders for the Grand Tours as clean, whether their career progression is inconceivable or, to a degree, at least not plausible:
but whether you've won the atomic jockstrap race; or
used to win a multi-minute race on the velodrome; or
even have won a flat one-day semi-Classic
None of this equates or even correlates to Grand Tour podium pedigree. To think any of it does is an insult not only to intelligence but also to those riders who showed stage race promise and pedigree from the beginning of their pro careers. Winning a GT is something few cyclists achieve and it is a career-long pursuit -- not something you fall into or a transformation that can occur in a few short years -- forget about several weeks;
In a team sport like basketball, we see athletes who look like taller, leaner versions of NFL linebackers. We compare NBA player physiques from the 80s and previously to those of the 90s and beyond, and it's like we're looking at humans vs aliens;
Soccer, rugby, you name it -- no different.
Insane! All of it. Insane.
In the case of cycling, where it becomes nonsensical is when we are supposed to believe in a rider who has won or can win one of the 3 GTs. He's clean for myriad reasons -- I know him; he's a good guy; he's outspoken against PEDs; he's never tested positive; and so on. But, in order to believe a rider is clean, you MUST also believe the following:
in a rigorous, 3-week race, clean can win -- not just beat, but emerge victorious -- against cheating riders;
that the team surrounding and supporting that athlete is also entirely clean -- otherwise, how could he be the team leader if the other riders are cheating?;
that the team surrounding and supporting that athlete are also stronger than any of the cheaters that are certainly in the peloton;
that ALL the other contenders and teams are likewise clean; and
that only those not talented enough to be World Tour riders and winners cheat, in order to make up for their physiological inadequacies
There are more points to support this, I'm sure. But, if you question any of these points, then your sycophancy around clean riding caves in immediately.
We are also fed so much deflection, and I'm both disappointed and dismayed by how easy the general public and the apologists lap it up. We see narcissistic videos of LeBron doing deadlifts during the NBA playoffs and hear about how dedicated he is and how he works so much harder than anyone else. While no one can dispute his talent, it would be ridiculous to believe he's not hoped up on some PED cocktail. Look here, not there.
The examples are endless and can be discussed about any sport on the planet.
And don't get me started on the grey area horseshit. Talking about the grey area is the apologist way to excuse cheating. Cheating is about intent. There is no grey area with motive.
Lastly, as I've said many times, patterns are proof. We know unequivocally what a doping athlete looks like because there have been enough of the elites who have been popped -- not by AD organizations but rather by whistleblowers, so there's that endemic failure to the AD system to remember as well -- that we can fairly easily size-up other athletes and do a side-by-side comparison -- athlete in question vs known doper. If they look eerily similar, then, sorry, the athlete in question is a doper.
Because remember ... elite sport is rife with doping. And, make no mistake, dopers are not lazy athletes. If anything, they work harder because the PED cocktail they are on allows for faster recovery between sessions as well as the ability to work harder during those sessions. A clean athlete simply cannot compete with that -- unless you believe any given sport is entirely clean. That the history of cheating and doping and match fixing has been completely eradicated.
But, we are told to take heart. That AD is working. Sacrificial lambs are led to the slaughter and offered up as examples of the AD system working. What is curious is that nearly every single one of them is a second- or third-tier athlete. When is the last time that you read about a top-level elite being caught by an AD organization rather than a whistleblower or investigation? Even the more recent and bizarre cases with Russian athletes and Kenyan runners are in now way glowing examples of the AD system working. So, the myth of "only those not good enough are the ones who cheat" gets perpetuated -- because the narrative that elites are clean HAS to be protected.
Otherwise, the entire world of sport gets exposed for the complete and utter sham it is.
Look here, not there.
Coach Nate