Martes, Marso 31, 2015
The Fix: Band-ghazi: The (not) real reason Harry Reid injured his face and retired
Meet the campaign consultants that convinced Harry Reid to retire pic.twitter.com/RVko8VzO2MThe Tweet of the Day goes to David Burge, who tweeted this photo of Al Pacino De Niro and Joe Pesci from 1995's "Casino" about mobsters in Las Vegas, calling them the "campaign consultants that convinced Harry Reid to retire."Read full article >>
Arkansas Legislature Copies Indiana, Passes Controversial Religious Freedom Bill
WASHINGTON -- Arkansas passed a religious freedom bill on Tuesday that is similar to an Indiana law that has faced national backlash for legalizing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The bill cleared the Arkansas Legislature and now heads to the governor's desk, where it is expected to be signed. Like the Indiana law, the Arkansas legislation allows a person who feels his or her exercise of religion has been “substantially burdened” to cite that argument as a claim or defense in a private lawsuit. The legislation also grants corporations the right to religious freedom. This language is not in the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), and critics say it could be used to override existing anti-discrimination protections.
"The Arkansas and Indiana bills are virtually identical in terms of language and intent,” said Sarah Warbelow, legal director at the Human Rights Campaign. “They place LGBT people, people of color, religious minorities, women and many more people at risk of discrimination.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) defended his state’s law on Tuesday, calling for a legislative fix that would clarify that the law does not allow businesses to discriminate. Earlier in the week, Arkansas lawmakers also tried to head off concerns about that state's bill, approving language that says “the General Assembly finds that it is a compelling governmental interest to comply with federal civil rights laws.”
However, according to Eunice Rho, advocacy and policy counsel at the ACLU, federal civil rights laws have no explicit protections for LGBT people, and this legislative finding -- while helpful -- is not part of the law. “If the Arkansas Legislature is serious about preventing discrimination, they need to write it into the actual code,” she said.
“We would like to see both Indiana and Arkansas adopt language clarifying that the state RFRA cannot be used to undermine federal, state or local non-discrimination laws," Warbelow said.
During Monday's committee hearing, some lawmakers raised concerns about the bill being inconsistent with federal and state RFRA laws when it comes to protecting civil rights. Some proposed a simple solution: adding a non-discrimination disclaimer to the legislation.
"It's not a philosophical debate with me at this point. I think we're going well beyond the other states," said state Rep. Camille Bennett (D), who ultimately voted against the bill.
But the bill's author, state Rep. Bob Ballinger (R), said its language was staying put, and that it would be too confusing to try to define what constitutes discrimination.
"If that means that you can force somebody who has deeply held religious beliefs to engage in some activity that violates their deeply held religious beliefs, and that the state has the right to force them into doing it, I can't say that I do agree with that," he said.
Arkansas is about to enter the same minefield that Indiana has been trapped in since Pence signed his religious freedom bill last week. In Indiana, major companies like Twitter and the NCAA, as well as celebrities like Apple CEO Tim Cook and Miley Cyrus, have spoken out against the law.
In Arkansas, both Walmart and Acxiom, a big data company, have spoken out against the legislation. The Democratic mayor of Little Rock also warned Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on Tuesday that “any piece of legislation that is so divisive cannot possibly be good for the state of Arkansas and its people.”
But Hutchinson appears unfazed by these concerns. Last week, he vowed that he would sign the legislation: “Arkansas is open for business, and we recognize and respect the diversity of our culture and economy,” he said in a statement.
The bill cleared the Arkansas Legislature and now heads to the governor's desk, where it is expected to be signed. Like the Indiana law, the Arkansas legislation allows a person who feels his or her exercise of religion has been “substantially burdened” to cite that argument as a claim or defense in a private lawsuit. The legislation also grants corporations the right to religious freedom. This language is not in the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), and critics say it could be used to override existing anti-discrimination protections.
"The Arkansas and Indiana bills are virtually identical in terms of language and intent,” said Sarah Warbelow, legal director at the Human Rights Campaign. “They place LGBT people, people of color, religious minorities, women and many more people at risk of discrimination.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) defended his state’s law on Tuesday, calling for a legislative fix that would clarify that the law does not allow businesses to discriminate. Earlier in the week, Arkansas lawmakers also tried to head off concerns about that state's bill, approving language that says “the General Assembly finds that it is a compelling governmental interest to comply with federal civil rights laws.”
However, according to Eunice Rho, advocacy and policy counsel at the ACLU, federal civil rights laws have no explicit protections for LGBT people, and this legislative finding -- while helpful -- is not part of the law. “If the Arkansas Legislature is serious about preventing discrimination, they need to write it into the actual code,” she said.
“We would like to see both Indiana and Arkansas adopt language clarifying that the state RFRA cannot be used to undermine federal, state or local non-discrimination laws," Warbelow said.
During Monday's committee hearing, some lawmakers raised concerns about the bill being inconsistent with federal and state RFRA laws when it comes to protecting civil rights. Some proposed a simple solution: adding a non-discrimination disclaimer to the legislation.
"It's not a philosophical debate with me at this point. I think we're going well beyond the other states," said state Rep. Camille Bennett (D), who ultimately voted against the bill.
But the bill's author, state Rep. Bob Ballinger (R), said its language was staying put, and that it would be too confusing to try to define what constitutes discrimination.
"If that means that you can force somebody who has deeply held religious beliefs to engage in some activity that violates their deeply held religious beliefs, and that the state has the right to force them into doing it, I can't say that I do agree with that," he said.
Arkansas is about to enter the same minefield that Indiana has been trapped in since Pence signed his religious freedom bill last week. In Indiana, major companies like Twitter and the NCAA, as well as celebrities like Apple CEO Tim Cook and Miley Cyrus, have spoken out against the law.
In Arkansas, both Walmart and Acxiom, a big data company, have spoken out against the legislation. The Democratic mayor of Little Rock also warned Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on Tuesday that “any piece of legislation that is so divisive cannot possibly be good for the state of Arkansas and its people.”
But Hutchinson appears unfazed by these concerns. Last week, he vowed that he would sign the legislation: “Arkansas is open for business, and we recognize and respect the diversity of our culture and economy,” he said in a statement.
Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock Says AOL’s Connected Delivers On The Promise Of Reality TV
“Reality TV” is one of those phrases that inevitably begs for scare quotes — with its staged scenes and melodramatic confessions, a reality TV show’s relationship with reality can be … complicated. But Morgan Spurlock, director of documentaries like Super Size Me, suggested that the new online video series Connected might live up to “the promise of… Read MoreIntroducing PowerToFly Connect: An App For The World's Fastest-Growing Women's Placement Platform
Today we're introducing PowerToFly Connect, a free app on iOS and Android devices. It's clear that as we continue to match women with work that values productivity and not time spent at a desk, we need a space to share stories and ideas so we can build a better future together.
We're launching this app in response to the overwhelming feedback we received after I published my personal story, "I'm Sorry To All The Mothers I Used To Work With," almost a month ago. Much to my surprise, a piece that I first wrote as a private exercise to understand my motivations around co-founding PowerToFly, was read by millions around the world when I agreed to publish it in Fortune. My co-founder Milena and I, along with an amazing team working around the world, received tens of thousands of stories from women (and men) who wanted to share what they go through each day to fit into workplaces that consider personal lives a distraction. Many people who reached out weren't parents themselves or even looking for work. They just wanted to talk about adapting work to create a better and balanced future for themselves, their children, and others.
"Thank you for giving me and every other struggling mother out there a voice," said a woman from Germany. An American executive added: "I had similar feelings of guilt about my approach to working mothers in the business and finance world when I became a mother for the first time in 2013." From a new father: "My wife and I have a daughter about three months old, I too believe that working remotely would be better for our family." And just yesterday a new mother told me that she waited six months to reveal she was pregnant while working at a Fortune 500 company. Six months!
We want these stories to be out in the open because we need each other as role models, catalysts and supporters to transform the offices where we spend most of our waking hours. So many of you have reached out asking how to help make that happen.
So go ahead, and please download the app. Post stories about topics like career reinvention, work/life balance, news that affects us and more. Share tips about working from home, collaborate with each other on resume writing, and discover new job leads and like minded women looking for a third way to work. And if you just want to read and learn from others, that's fine. We have a number of curated sections on iOS today, and Android very soon, around topics that matter to us.
PowerToFly Connect is mobile-first because we're about unhinging from our desks to work smarter and play better. In the coming weeks we will be taking feedback from you on how you use the platform. We already have new features and updates planned, such as discussion groups around career fields and particular topics that speak to our goals outside of work.
We built PowerToFly Connect very quickly with RebelMouse. We're very proud of what we're showing you today, yet we know it has a long way to go. So don't hesitate to send feedback to hi@powertofly.com. And if you want to read more on how to use PowerToFly Connect then check out this link. We're looking forward to hearing from you.
Google Says 5% Of Web Browsers Have Ad Injectors Installed
According to a study Google conducted with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, 5 percent of people visiting Google’s sites and services now have at least one ad injector installed. When it comes to malware, ad injectors may seem relatively benevolent at first. They put an ad on your Google Search page that didn’t belong there, for example. That’s annoying,… Read MoreThe last 50 years of Lego in true Lego form
Though the classic brick has not changed since it was patented in 1958, the Lego brand has evolved greatly in the past half-century
The simple building toy has grown into an empire boasting enormous playsets, board games, video games and even an awesome movie (with a sequel on the way)
With sets related to Star Wars, Harry Potter, Batman, The Avengers and more, Lego has basically had your childhood locked down for decades
So what are the most popular playsets from the past 50 years? What gargantuan sets have the most pieces? We could have just given you the answers to these questions in a simple list, but where's the fun in that? Instead, we built an explanation, IRL, using Lego bricks. Read more...
More about Lego, History, Trivia, Infographic, and FactsPoetry Coast to Coast: American Poets Paul Fericano and George Wallace
...the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.
-- Jack Kerouac, On The Road
In his newest collection, Hollywood Catechism, San-Francisco-born poet Paul Fericano sweeps up humor, irony and deep feeling in a winning trifecta. He takes the materials of popular culture -- from Elizabeth Taylor to The Three Stooges -- and makes of them something transcendent. Fericano rewrites Catholic liturgy, as in "The Director's Prayer", which begins, "Our Fellini / who Art in Carney, / Clooney be thy name," and ends not with "Amen" but, "Cut."
Yet, it is not all fun and games. For Fericano, founder of a support group for survivors of clergy abuse, male sexuality is inherently tied up with violence. A form of re-empowerment comes through satire. Master of the one-liner, Fericano sometimes delivers punch lines as titles, such as, "A Direct Correlation Between the War On Terror and the Proliferation Of Penis Enlargement Spam," and the chillingly prescient (a la Ferguson), "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man."
The poet also simultaneously admires and appropriates both Hollywood stars and famous poets, cutting everyone -- affectionately -- down to size. Obsessed since boyhood with the Three Stooges, poetic slapstick inhabits these poems in line after line that both hurts and makes us laugh. Indeed, Fericano may be said to be pulling off his own aesthetic -- "stoogery" -- delivered with same affection and dismay as the fool in King Lear's court.
These are poems that read like the messages in a bottle that might be written by the last sane man on Earth, when everyone else has gone mad.
In Poppin' Johnny, Long Islander George Wallace's poems explode on the page. Like the cartoon call-outs when Batman hits a bad guy in a punch-up scene, these poems are loaded with "pow," "bam," "biff." But, for all their muscular gestures, these poems also convey sensitivity and irony -- sometimes at once.
As much as Wallace has been called an inheritor of Kerouac, his heady and ecstatic proclamations can also be traced back to Whitman. Consider these lines from "Starlight! So Much Starlight":
[...] i saw starlight in
the coffins of the mad. i saw
starlight in the eyes of a dog.
i saw a man with a tin badge
he wore starlight on his chest.
handcuffs have it electric lights
have it window shades drawn
at night. [...]
These are poems obsessed with cars and dames, liquor and baseball. But beneath the brass-band bravado lie the horrors of "My First Dance" -- shaking a grown man's enormous sweaty hand, being pinned and kissed by a fat girl, drinking punch from a paper cup and sympathizing with the "four-legged madness of a dog / who was trying to do nothing more / complicated than just get away."
Yet even the most intimate moments are told in a vernacular slant, like when the speaker realizes in "How it Worked" that his lover is kissing him goodbye for the last time, and says:
i laid there like a pizza delivery guy with too / many pizzas to deliver who has fallen off his bicycle and / onto some wet pavement. i laid there like bambi on ice, / like flipper on a plate, and i looked back at her like roy / rogers trying to figure out what is wrong with his faithful / horse trigger.
These are poems as rough and vulnerable as manhood, as full of hope and heartbreak as the New World.
You could drive Route 66 from coast to coast to get a feel for the poetry of America. Or you could pick up copies of Fericano and Wallace, and read these poems out loud.
Portions of this article first appeared on robertpeake.com
Indy Star Blasts Gov. Mike Pence Over 'Religious Freedom' Law: 'Fix This Now'
The Indianapolis Star is holding Gov. Mike Pence (R) accountable for the state's controversial "religious freedom" law.
On Thursday, Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which allows businesses to discriminate against people by citing religious beliefs if they get sued. The LGBT community is often targeted by this type of discrimination.
Tuesday's bold front page features an editorial blasting Pence for signing the law, and urging him to fix the damage it has already done to the Hoosier State.
Major companies, such as Apple, Walmart and Salesforce, have since announced they will boycott doing business in Indiana. Two states, Washington and Connecticut, said they will ban state-funded travel to Indiana.
The newspaper's editorial board is calling for the passage of a statewide human rights law that would protect the LGBT community and take a clear stand against discrimination. Indianapolis' Republican mayor Greg Ballard took similar measures on Monday by signing an executive order that forces businesses to abide by the city's human rights ordinance, which prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation.
So far, the state's Republican leaders have defended the law and remained steadfast in saying it does not discriminate. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Pence said the law is "not a license to discriminate" and "simply reflects" federal legislation. Other state GOP leaders said they were "shocked" that their religious freedom law was seen as anti-gay, and that they simply didn't anticipate the backlash.
But Indy Star has a strong message for these political leaders:
Read the full editorial at Indy Star.
It's this important. Tuesday's front page. #rfra pic.twitter.com/jem4Cf5BWg”
— Karen Ferguson (@karenferguson33) March 31, 2015On Thursday, Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which allows businesses to discriminate against people by citing religious beliefs if they get sued. The LGBT community is often targeted by this type of discrimination.
Tuesday's bold front page features an editorial blasting Pence for signing the law, and urging him to fix the damage it has already done to the Hoosier State.
We are at a critical moment in Indiana's history.
And much is at stake.
Our image. Our reputation as a state that embraces people of diverse backgrounds and makes them feel welcome. And our efforts over many years to retool our economy, to attract talented workers and thriving businesses, and to improve the quality of life for millions of Hoosiers.
Major companies, such as Apple, Walmart and Salesforce, have since announced they will boycott doing business in Indiana. Two states, Washington and Connecticut, said they will ban state-funded travel to Indiana.
The newspaper's editorial board is calling for the passage of a statewide human rights law that would protect the LGBT community and take a clear stand against discrimination. Indianapolis' Republican mayor Greg Ballard took similar measures on Monday by signing an executive order that forces businesses to abide by the city's human rights ordinance, which prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation.
So far, the state's Republican leaders have defended the law and remained steadfast in saying it does not discriminate. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Pence said the law is "not a license to discriminate" and "simply reflects" federal legislation. Other state GOP leaders said they were "shocked" that their religious freedom law was seen as anti-gay, and that they simply didn't anticipate the backlash.
But Indy Star has a strong message for these political leaders:
We urge Gov. Pence and lawmakers to stop clinging to arguments about whether RFRA really does what critics fear; to stop clinging to ideology or personal preferences; to focus instead on fixing this.
Governor, Indiana is in a state of crisis. It is worse than you seem to understand.
Read the full editorial at Indy Star.
Lunes, Marso 30, 2015
13 mind-bending thoughts about photography
You can put a filter on your selfie, but you can't put a filter on your mind.
Video director Matthew Rycroft compiled some of the weirdest and most mind-blowing revelations about photography from r/showerthoughts for his stunning video.
Next time you're scrolling through Instagram, think before you snap.
Andreessen-Backed Teleport Launches A Mobile Search Engine For Globally Nomadic Tech Workers
It’s a big hairy vision — knowledge-workers freely migrate around the globe and city and federal governments compete to lure them. Teleport, a startup founded by early Skype employees around the idea of supporting an increasingly global mobile workforce, is taking another step toward that reality today. They are launching a set of iOS and Android apps that help tech workers find… Read MoreGovBeat: Alabama state senator trying to end law enacted after death of one of his patients
Alabama state Sen. Larry Stutts (R) wants to repeal a woman’s legal right to remain in a hospital for at least two days after giving birth — a law legislators passed almost two decades ago after one of Stutts’s patients died of complications of a pregnancy.Read full article >>
How to Choose the Perfect Cookware
By Architectural Digest.
Being a good cook is about more than the recipes--you need the right equipment, too. Use our cookware guide to decide which pots and pans will work best for you.
(photo: courtesy of Williams Sonoma)
COPPER
Copper is handsome and heats quickly and evenly. But it's like a top-of-the-line sports car: luxurious, costly, sometimes hard to handle, and high maintenance. Frequent polishing is required to keep it looking good, and regular use will eventually cause the tin lining (which protects against acidic foods) to wear through, leaving you susceptible to copper poisoning. To avoid that, the worn pan will have to be re-tinned by a craftsman.
Ruffoni Artichoke-Handled stockpots, hand-hammered copper lined in durable and nonreactive tin, with riveted brass handles. Available exclusively through Williams-Sonoma in sizes of 4.75 qt., 7.5 qt., and 12.75 qt., $325-$425. williams-sonoma.com, 877-812-6235.
(photo: courtesy of All-Clad)
CLAD STAINLESS STEEL
Clad stainless steel is a metal sandwich of sorts: a layer of heat-conducting copper or aluminum coated with stainless steel. It's one of the easiest kinds of cookware to care for--many manufacturers now make dishwasher-safe pieces.
All-Clad stainless-steel ten-piece cookware set, $700. all-clad.com, 800-255-2523.
(photo: courtesy of Williams Sonoma)
CAST IRON
Cast iron warms slowly but distributes heat evenly, whether the cookware is enameled or not. Plus, cast iron lasts forever. But keep in mind that it's quite heavy and that nonenamaled pieces need to be regularly "seasoned" with cooking oil to keep rust at bay and provide a nonstick cooking surface.
Lodge Cast Iron 12"-dia. preseasoned skillet, available through Williams-Sonoma, $36. williams-sonoma.com, 877-812-6235.
See more: 12 Unbelievably Gorgeous Rustic Kitchens
(photo: courtesy of Calphalon)
ALUMINUM
Aluminum heats well and resists corrosion; it's also lightweight. But make sure you buy pots and pans with a protective anodized coating. Uncoated aluminum reacts with acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes and peppers, which can pit the metal and leach aluminum into your food.
Calphalon Contemporary hard-anodized nonstick-aluminum 11-piece cookware set, dishwasher safe and comes with a lifetime warranty, $400. calphalon.com, 888-626-9112.
(photo: courtesy of Kitchenaid)
NONSTICK
Nonstick pans are easy to clean (that's why they were invented) but can be damaged when used over too-high heat or when cleaned with abrasives. Overheating also releases toxins. And avoid cooking with metal utensils, which can scratch.
Kitchenaid nonstick-aluminum ten-piece set, offered in red (shown) and black, $230. kitchenaid.com, 800-541-6390.
(photo: Imusa)
CARBON STEEL
Carbon steel--often used for woks--heats very quickly, but, like cast iron, it needs to be seasoned to reduce sticking.
Imusa 14" nonstick-carbon-steel wok, available through Macy's, $40. macys.com, 800-289-6229.
(photo: Le Creuset)
ENAMELED STEEL
Though not ovenproof, enameled steel is lighter than enameled cast iron, easy to clean, resistant to sticking, and it heats quickly and evenly.
Le Creuset 20-qt. enameled-steel stockpot, available in flame (shown), cherry, Marseille, and soleil, $160. lecreuset.com, 877-418-5547
More from Architectural Digest:
16 Extra-Large Kitchens to Drool Over
Sarah Jessica Parker's Epic East Village Townhouse
25 Stunning Showers from the Pages of AD
Matthew McConaughey's Customized Airstream House on Wheels
Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady's Gorgeous L.A. Home
Being a good cook is about more than the recipes--you need the right equipment, too. Use our cookware guide to decide which pots and pans will work best for you.
COPPER
Copper is handsome and heats quickly and evenly. But it's like a top-of-the-line sports car: luxurious, costly, sometimes hard to handle, and high maintenance. Frequent polishing is required to keep it looking good, and regular use will eventually cause the tin lining (which protects against acidic foods) to wear through, leaving you susceptible to copper poisoning. To avoid that, the worn pan will have to be re-tinned by a craftsman.
Ruffoni Artichoke-Handled stockpots, hand-hammered copper lined in durable and nonreactive tin, with riveted brass handles. Available exclusively through Williams-Sonoma in sizes of 4.75 qt., 7.5 qt., and 12.75 qt., $325-$425. williams-sonoma.com, 877-812-6235.
CLAD STAINLESS STEEL
Clad stainless steel is a metal sandwich of sorts: a layer of heat-conducting copper or aluminum coated with stainless steel. It's one of the easiest kinds of cookware to care for--many manufacturers now make dishwasher-safe pieces.
All-Clad stainless-steel ten-piece cookware set, $700. all-clad.com, 800-255-2523.
CAST IRON
Cast iron warms slowly but distributes heat evenly, whether the cookware is enameled or not. Plus, cast iron lasts forever. But keep in mind that it's quite heavy and that nonenamaled pieces need to be regularly "seasoned" with cooking oil to keep rust at bay and provide a nonstick cooking surface.
Lodge Cast Iron 12"-dia. preseasoned skillet, available through Williams-Sonoma, $36. williams-sonoma.com, 877-812-6235.
See more: 12 Unbelievably Gorgeous Rustic Kitchens
ALUMINUM
Aluminum heats well and resists corrosion; it's also lightweight. But make sure you buy pots and pans with a protective anodized coating. Uncoated aluminum reacts with acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes and peppers, which can pit the metal and leach aluminum into your food.
Calphalon Contemporary hard-anodized nonstick-aluminum 11-piece cookware set, dishwasher safe and comes with a lifetime warranty, $400. calphalon.com, 888-626-9112.
NONSTICK
Nonstick pans are easy to clean (that's why they were invented) but can be damaged when used over too-high heat or when cleaned with abrasives. Overheating also releases toxins. And avoid cooking with metal utensils, which can scratch.
Kitchenaid nonstick-aluminum ten-piece set, offered in red (shown) and black, $230. kitchenaid.com, 800-541-6390.
CARBON STEEL
Carbon steel--often used for woks--heats very quickly, but, like cast iron, it needs to be seasoned to reduce sticking.
Imusa 14" nonstick-carbon-steel wok, available through Macy's, $40. macys.com, 800-289-6229.
ENAMELED STEEL
Though not ovenproof, enameled steel is lighter than enameled cast iron, easy to clean, resistant to sticking, and it heats quickly and evenly.
Le Creuset 20-qt. enameled-steel stockpot, available in flame (shown), cherry, Marseille, and soleil, $160. lecreuset.com, 877-418-5547
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