********** MUSIC **********
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The Best Albums of 2024
Mon, 02 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000
It’s possible that I listened to more music this year than any other. I lost interest in podcasts. I lost interest in silence. There was too much extraordinary work out there.
Match ID: 0 Score: 15.00 source: www.newyorker.com age: 1 day
qualifiers: 15.00 (best|great) album(|s)
Filter efficiency 99.903 (1 matches/1033 results)
********** XKCD **********
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Second Stage
Match ID: 0 Score: 1000.00 source: xkcd.com
qualifiers: 1000.00 xkcd
Neutrino Modem
Match ID: 1 Score: 1000.00 source: xkcd.com
qualifiers: 1000.00 xkcd
Cold Air
Match ID: 2 Score: 1000.00 source: xkcd.com
qualifiers: 1000.00 xkcd
Advent Calendar Advent Calendar
Match ID: 3 Score: 1000.00 source: xkcd.com
qualifiers: 1000.00 xkcd
Filter efficiency 99.613 (4 matches/1033 results)
********** FOOD **********
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Manhattan Seafood Stew
Tue, 03 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000
Turn the classic tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder into a hearty seafood-packed stew that’s a meal in and of itself.
Match ID: 0 Score: 50.00 source: www.washingtonpost.com age: 1 day
qualifiers: 30.00 food, 20.00 recipes
Are chicken sandwiches a) a tasty lunch? Or b) the ultimate symbol of gen Z wokeness? | Arwa Mahdawi
Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:59:05 GMT
Those waging a war on woke have turned their attentions to twentysomethings’ supposed rejection of ham and mustard sarnies. Clearly this is what people mean by bread and butter issues ...
You are what you eat. And if you eat sandwiches? Then you’re probably woke, I’m afraid. While the convenience food may have been invented by a degenerate earl who, legend has it, didn’t want a proper meal to interrupt his gambling, some sarnies have now been deemed politically correct by the MailOnline – who are, of course, leading experts in wokeness. The MailOnline is getting flak for a recent headline that states gen Z “are ditching English classics like ham and mustard in favour of fancy woke fillings”.
What sort of PC fillings are we talking about? Quinoa, vegan camembert and kale on artisanal sourdough with a non-binary condiment (they-onnaise)? Nope. It seems what has ruffled the MailOnline’s feathers is … chicken. According to The Great British Sandwich Study, a wholesome survey conducted by the bread maker Allinson’s, older generations are partial to a ham sandwich while gen Z prefer chicken. Most boomers also like cheddar while younger consumers are fond of fancier fillings. Pretty inoffensive stuff, right? Yet somehow this has been packaged up into a culture wars piece. It’s funny how conservatives love to accuse the left of being snowflakes, yet they’re the ones getting upset by a sandwich.
Continue reading...Tommy Banks had appealed for the pies bearing his name to be given to people in need
A van that was stolen containing 2,500 pies has been found abandoned and its cargo too damaged to eat.
The Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks had appealed to thieves to “do the right thing” and give the van’s contents, which also included custard and gravy, to people in need.
Continue reading...Audience member who was at BBC live show claims MasterChef presenter was ‘disrespectful’ to interpreter
Gregg Wallace asked a British Sign Language interpreter to sign “big boobs” and “sexy bum” in front of a live audience at the BBC Good Food show, an attender has told the Guardian.
A MasterChef fan who was at the BBC Good Food Show at the NEC Arena in Birmingham in 2012 said Wallace had asked the interpreter if she had to sign everything he said before making the comments. The woman who was in the audience said she had been “appalled and aghast” at “sexist” behaviour by Wallace during the live event in front of about 400 people.
Continue reading...A caramelised cauliflower encased in pastry and served with a silky, cheesy sauce
A wellington makes a great centrepiece for a celebration. This one, in which the more traditional beef is swapped for a whole cauliflower, is the stuff of golden, buttery, flaky pastry fantasies. Roasting the cauliflower first, until it’s browned and a little caramelised, only adds to its delicious flavour. Serve with ladlefuls of the silky cheese sauce, and the carnivores are bound to have food envy.
Continue reading...A boldly flavoured traditional Christmas side that’s always a winner when paired with richer meats
Braised red cabbage is a relatively recent addition to my Christmas dinner, a contribution from the Scottish branch of the family, though I can’t find evidence it’s any more common in Scotland. Sweet and sour and festively spiced, it’s a long-standing favourite with richer meats such as goose, duck or pork, but, truth be told, its bold flavour makes it a hit on most winter menus.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Campaigners say company’s apparent abandoning of 2030 pledge is a ‘masterclass in greenwashing’
Coca-Cola has been accused of quietly abandoning a pledge to achieve a 25% reusable packaging target by 2030 in what campaigners call a “masterclass in greenwashing”.
The company has been previously found by researchers to be among the world’s most polluting brands when it comes to plastic waste.
Continue reading...This classic supper is full of sophisticated flavours but is actually really easy to make
A quick fish and potato supper that tastes like it required more effort.
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Bring a pan of water to the boil and salt it generously. Wash 350g of small potatoes, then cut them in half. Cook them in the boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain.
Continue reading...Need a generic but thoughtful gift? Here’s our inspiring list of affordable, and often useful, failsafe presents we buy time and again
We’ve all been there: royally stumped for a present for someone, be it a newly acquired father-in-law whose taste you don’t yet know, or a birthday you’d forgotten about. That’s when you reach for your fail-safes – the gifts you’ve bought time and again because, well, they’re a winner every time.
From a kids’ game and a box of iced biscuits to rejuvenating bath foam and a box of charity teabags, these presents have all been gratefully received by their recipients, over and over.
Continue reading...Actor and comedian Diane Morgan joins Grace for another helping of Comfort Eating. Diane is best known for playing mockumentary historian Philomena Cunk, droll antihero Liz in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom Motherland, and Mandy in … Mandy. Diane reveals how she keeps a straight face when asking world experts very silly questions, why she was sacked from her waitressing job, and what happened when she tried to introduce hugging to the Morgan family.
If you liked this episode then have a listen to Grace’s conversations with Aisling Bea, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, and Jamie Demetriou
New episodes of Comfort Eating with Grace Dent will be released every Tuesday
Continue reading...Draconian new laws allow mass incarceration of women and children forced to beg because of work ban
Destitute Afghan women arrested for begging under draconian new Taliban laws have spoken of “brutal” rapes and beatings in detention.
Over the past few months, many women said they had been targeted by Taliban officials and detained under anti-begging laws passed this year. While in prison, they claim they were subjected to sexual abuse, torture and forced labour, and witnessed children being beaten and abused.
Continue reading...Australia’s children account for a tiny portion of users but tech companies worry about the law setting a precedent
Hello, and welcome to TechScape. Happy belated Thanksgiving to my American readers, and I hope everyone enjoys a good holiday party this weekend. I’m excited to bake Grittibänz for the Feast of St Nicholas. This week in tech: Australia incites a panic, Bluesky poses the question of custom feeds, and the online things that brought me joy on holiday.
If every country in the world boots its young people from social media, social media companies would face an uncertain future
Continue reading...Biden said that the truce could be a prelude to a ceasefire in Gaza. Netanyahu’s actions seem to indicate otherwise.
The post Israel Agrees to Stop Bombing Lebanon — So It Can Keep Bombing Gaza appeared first on The Intercept.
A weekly email from Yotam Ottolenghi, Meera Sodha, Felicity Cloake and Rachel Roddy, featuring the latest recipes and seasonal eating ideas
Each week we’ll send you an exclusive newsletter from our star food writers. We’ll also send you the latest recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi, Nigel Slater, Meera Sodha and all our star cooks, stand-out food features and seasonal eating inspiration, plus restaurant reviews from Grace Dent and Jay Rayner.
Sign up below to start receiving the best of our culinary journalism in one mouth-watering weekly email.
Continue reading...From spices to seeds, coffee to candles, we opened the doors of some of this year’s more inventive countdown-to-Christmas offerings – with varying results
Advent calendars filled with everything from beauty products to chocolate, Lego to tea, are as much a staple in the run-up to Christmas as drinking too much and listening to Last Christmas for the 1,237th time.
So, we’ve sniffed, tasted and drunk our way through 12 of them, rating them by their contents, value for money, sustainability and festive factor. And for those who want to swerve products altogether, we’ve rounded up the most beautiful, feelgood paper Advent calendars we could find.
Continue reading...Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, direct to your inbox every Thursday
Style, with substance: what’s really trending this week, a roundup of the best fashion journalism and your wardrobe dilemmas solved, delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday
Explore all our newsletters: whether you love film, football, fashion or food, we’ve got something for you
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Imagine a world in which you can do transactions and many other things without having to give your personal information. A world in which you don’t need to rely on banks or governments anymore. Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what blockchain technology allows us to do.
It’s like your computer’s hard drive. blockchain is a technology that lets you store data in digital blocks, which are connected together like links in a chain.
Blockchain technology was originally invented in 1991 by two mathematicians, Stuart Haber and W. Scot Stornetta. They first proposed the system to ensure that timestamps could not be tampered with.
A few years later, in 1998, software developer Nick Szabo proposed using a similar kind of technology to secure a digital payments system he called “Bit Gold.” However, this innovation was not adopted until Satoshi Nakamoto claimed to have invented the first Blockchain and Bitcoin.
A blockchain is a distributed database shared between the nodes of a computer network. It saves information in digital format. Many people first heard of blockchain technology when they started to look up information about bitcoin.
Blockchain is used in cryptocurrency systems to ensure secure, decentralized records of transactions.
Blockchain allowed people to guarantee the fidelity and security of a record of data without the need for a third party to ensure accuracy.
To understand how a blockchain works, Consider these basic steps:
Let’s get to know more about the blockchain.
Blockchain records digital information and distributes it across the network without changing it. The information is distributed among many users and stored in an immutable, permanent ledger that can't be changed or destroyed. That's why blockchain is also called "Distributed Ledger Technology" or DLT.
Here’s how it works:
And that’s the beauty of it! The process may seem complicated, but it’s done in minutes with modern technology. And because technology is advancing rapidly, I expect things to move even more quickly than ever.
Even though blockchain is integral to cryptocurrency, it has other applications. For example, blockchain can be used for storing reliable data about transactions. Many people confuse blockchain with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum.
Blockchain already being adopted by some big-name companies, such as Walmart, AIG, Siemens, Pfizer, and Unilever. For example, IBM's Food Trust uses blockchain to track food's journey before reaching its final destination.
Although some of you may consider this practice excessive, food suppliers and manufacturers adhere to the policy of tracing their products because bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella have been found in packaged foods. In addition, there have been isolated cases where dangerous allergens such as peanuts have accidentally been introduced into certain products.
Tracing and identifying the sources of an outbreak is a challenging task that can take months or years. Thanks to the Blockchain, however, companies now know exactly where their food has been—so they can trace its location and prevent future outbreaks.
Blockchain technology allows systems to react much faster in the event of a hazard. It also has many other uses in the modern world.
Blockchain technology is safe, even if it’s public. People can access the technology using an internet connection.
Have you ever been in a situation where you had all your data stored at one place and that one secure place got compromised? Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to prevent your data from leaking out even when the security of your storage systems is compromised?
Blockchain technology provides a way of avoiding this situation by using multiple computers at different locations to store information about transactions. If one computer experiences problems with a transaction, it will not affect the other nodes.
Instead, other nodes will use the correct information to cross-reference your incorrect node. This is called “Decentralization,” meaning all the information is stored in multiple places.
Blockchain guarantees your data's authenticity—not just its accuracy, but also its irreversibility. It can also be used to store data that are difficult to register, like legal contracts, state identifications, or a company's product inventory.
Blockchain has many advantages and disadvantages.
I’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about blockchain in this section.
Blockchain is not a cryptocurrency but a technology that makes cryptocurrencies possible. It's a digital ledger that records every transaction seamlessly.
Yes, blockchain can be theoretically hacked, but it is a complicated task to be achieved. A network of users constantly reviews it, which makes hacking the blockchain difficult.
Coinbase Global is currently the biggest blockchain company in the world. The company runs a commendable infrastructure, services, and technology for the digital currency economy.
Blockchain is a decentralized technology. It’s a chain of distributed ledgers connected with nodes. Each node can be any electronic device. Thus, one owns blockhain.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency, which is powered by Blockchain technology while Blockchain is a distributed ledger of cryptocurrency
Generally a database is a collection of data which can be stored and organized using a database management system. The people who have access to the database can view or edit the information stored there. The client-server network architecture is used to implement databases. whereas a blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, stored in a distributed system. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, timestamp and transaction information. Modification of data is not allowed due to the design of the blockchain. The technology allows decentralized control and eliminates risks of data modification by other parties.
Blockchain has a wide spectrum of applications and, over the next 5-10 years, we will likely see it being integrated into all sorts of industries. From finance to healthcare, blockchain could revolutionize the way we store and share data. Although there is some hesitation to adopt blockchain systems right now, that won't be the case in 2022-2023 (and even less so in 2026). Once people become more comfortable with the technology and understand how it can work for them, owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs alike will be quick to leverage blockchain technology for their own gain. Hope you like this article if you have any question let me know in the comments section
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The Intercept asked companies that store personal data if they will help Trump conduct mass deportations. Few had anything to say.
The post These Tech Firms Won’t Tell Us If They Will Help Trump Deport Immigrants appeared first on The Intercept.
In 2025, AI is poised to change every aspect of democratic politics—but it won’t necessarily be for the worse.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has used AI to translate his speeches for his multilingual electorate in real time, demonstrating how AI can help diverse democracies to be more inclusive. AI avatars were used by presidential candidates in South Korea in electioneering, enabling them to provide answers to thousands of voters’ questions simultaneously. We are also starting to see AI tools aid fundraising and get-out-the-vote efforts. AI techniques are starting to augment more traditional polling methods, helping campaigns get cheaper and faster data. And congressional candidates have started using AI robocallers to engage voters on issues. In 2025, these trends will continue. AI doesn’t need to be superior to human experts to augment the labor of an overworked canvasser, or to write ad copy similar to that of a junior campaign staffer or volunteer. Politics is competitive, and any technology that can bestow an advantage, or even just garner attention, will be used...
This blog has now closed. You can read our Trump hush-money story here
Notre Dame Cathedral will reopen in Paris on Saturday with incoming US president Donald Trump set to attend the ceremony marking the resurrection of the Gothic masterpiece five years after a devastating fire.
The Republican confirmed Monday he had accepted an invitation from French president Emmanuel Macron to attend the grand re-opening of the 850-year-old edifice which was nearly lost to flames in April 2019.
Continue reading...Follow today’s news live
More on the new Malaysia-based maritime institute:
The government is contributing $1.78m over four years to support the institute, which will train regional government officials on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, broader maritime law and ocean governance, awareness of maritime domains and environmental protection.
We don’t want to see any unilateral changes to the status quo across the Taiwan straits, and our focus is on doing everything we can in terms of exercising our international voice around promoting stability and peace in and around the Taiwan straits, in and around Taiwan.
Rules and norms are vital for our shared maritime region and the countries of our region make an ongoing contribution to maintaining and promoting them.
The institute will deliver training to officials from across the region on complex maritime legal and policy topics. It will nurture leaders and help further our collective contribution to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Continue reading...Vote marks a change to the nation’s official stance held for more than two decades
Australia has split with the US and voted with 156 other countries at the UN to demand the end of Israel’s “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible”.
The vote marks Australia’s return to the position for the first time in more than two decades.
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Continue reading...Judge rejects One Nation leader’s application to halve amount she was ordered to pay Greens deputy leader
Pauline Hanson has lost a bid to reduce the costs she is liable to pay Mehreen Faruqi over the Greens deputy leader’s successful racial discrimination case.
In November the federal court ruled in favour of Faruqi finding that Hanson’s tweet telling her to “pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan” was racially discriminatory, and ordering Hanson to pay costs.
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Continue reading...Climate Justice Alliance was the only program grantee to speak out on Palestine — and the only one whose funding is delayed.
The post Biden Makes His Own Attack on Nonprofit Over Palestine appeared first on The Intercept.
Florida sheriff cites ‘gravity’ of responsibility days after Trump taps him to lead Drug Enforcement Administration
Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Chad Chronister, said on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from consideration.
“Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister, a Florida sheriff, said in a social media post.
Continue reading...Questions have also been raised over reports the embattled former Fox News host mismanaged two veterans groups
Questions continued to dog Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, on Monday following reports he was twice ousted from previous organisations he led over financial mismanagement and improper behavior, with reporters asking him directly if he had an alcohol problem.
Hegseth, 44, who was visiting Capitol Hill to drum up support for his troubled nomination, did not respond when a journalist asked: “Do you have an alcohol problem?” as he arrived for a meeting with Republican senators.
Continue reading...After 250 years of armed attacks, forced relocations, ethnic cleansing, and genocide of Native Americans, the U.S. military wants to celebrate.
The post Happy Native American Heritage Month From the Army That Brought You the Trail of Tears appeared first on The Intercept.
Gas-industry sponsored series of stories presented as news on front page of News Corp newspapers
The Australian Greens plan to call News Corp executives to answer questions from a Senate committee investigation into greenwashing about a gas-industry sponsored series of stories that was presented as news on the front page of its newspapers.
News Corp tabloids the Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail and Adelaide Advertiser on Monday began an identical week-long series promoting the fossil fuel, with page one headlines warning Australia risked descending into the “dark ages” and that it must “step on the gas” as the “only way to avoid higher bills, blackouts”. In some cases the stories were marked as “exclusive” and a “special report”.
Continue reading...The prime minister won’t learn charisma, but he has a record of going places by doggedly clearing the obstacles in his way
If Rishi Sunak had clung to power until the very end of the five-year term that Boris Johnson won in 2019, he would still be prime minister today. He had until 28 January next year to hold the election. The equivalent deadline for Keir Starmer is 21 August 2029. That is a horizon beyond the reach of reliable political forecasting, even if the second half of this decade turns out less volatile than the first. More turbulence seems likelier.
But Labour’s majority is much bigger than the one Sunak lost and Starmer’s character contains none of the traits that made Johnson such a wellspring of chaos. With just 121 Tory MPs, Kemi Badenoch will struggle to have much impact in parliament. She must also compete for relevance and attention with Nigel Farage, puffed up on proximity to Donald Trump.
Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist
Continue reading...Local police across New York state regularly work with ICE. Before Trump can start rounding up immigrants, advocates are pushing for change.
The post The Fight to Stop New York Cops From Conspiring With ICE appeared first on The Intercept.
Canadian government scrambles to ward off tariffs as prime minister briefs politicians on meeting with Trump
Canada’s federal government has redoubled its efforts to ward off potentially disastrous tariffs from its closest ally, but provincial leaders have hinted at divergent strategies in response to the protectionist threat from president-elect Donald Trump.
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, convened a rare, in-person meeting with his political rivals on Tuesday to brief them on a surprise meeting with Trump at his Florida resort over the weekend.
Continue reading...Opposition Democratic party lawmakers call on Yoon Suk Yeol to resign immediately or they would seek his impeachment
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office has said that his declaration of martial law late on Tuesday was justified and within the bounds of the constitution, Reuters reports.
It denied that martial law forces had interfered with lawmakers’ access to parliament.
Continue reading...Yoon’s shock bid to impose South Korea’s first martial law in over four decades has sparked calls for his impeachment unless he steps down immediately
South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, is facing calls to quit immediately or face impeachment after a short-lived attempt to bring in martial law triggered protests and political condemnation.
The liberal opposition Democratic party, which holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament, said on Wednesday that its lawmakers had decided to call on Yoon to stand down straight away or they would take steps to impeach him.
“President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration was a clear violation of the constitution. It didn’t abide by any requirements to declare it,” the Democratic party said in a statement. “His martial law declaration was originally invalid and a grave violation of the constitution. It was a grave act of rebellion and provides perfect grounds for his impeachment.”
NAO blames failures in Boris Johnson plan on successive governments’ policies and ‘unrealistic timelines’
Boris Johnson’s plan to provide 20,000 new prison places by 2026 is due to be completed five years late and billions over budget, a “scathing” assessment by Whitehall’s spending watchdog has found.
The National Audit Office said current plans for prison capacity were “insufficient to meet future demand” amid a projected shortage of 12,400 places by the end of 2027, with costs expected to be at least £4bn higher than initially estimated.
Continue reading...Westminster is so notorious for bad workplace behaviour it’s known as ‘Pestminster’, but politicians seem more worried about a TV cooking show
Why has the prime minister weighed in on the content of a Gregg Wallace Instagram video? News that Keir Starmer’s spokesperson has taken the trouble to denounce the outer monologue of the beleaguered MasterChef host means – somewhat amazingly – that Gregg has no longer said the stupidest thing this week. This is, after all, supposed to be the week of Starmer’s big reset. Pivoting to rent-a-quote somehow does not feel like the solution that a malfunctioning UK requires.
Perhaps Starmer thought it would make him more popular? He is polling at a minus 33% approval rating with the British public, which I would have thought was actually rather lower than Gregg Wallace. Perhaps this is why the No 10 spokesperson felt – wrongly – that it might be the business of a prime minister to have a view on reporters’ questions about what he felt about someone blowing up their career on Insta at 7am on a Sunday. Reporters will always ask these questions, especially on slow news days, but experience shows that there is absolutely no expectation to answer them, let alone a requirement. Wallace has since declared he “wasn’t in a good head space” when he posted the video. One can’t help feeling the PM’s spokesperson should do the same.
Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Big public universities, historically at the forefront of catalyzing activist movements, are now using legal action, disciplinary efforts, and rule changes to chill speech and dissent.
The post How Universities Are Trying to Stop Another Year of Anti-War Activism appeared first on The Intercept.
Perry Kouroumblis was extradited from Italy and charged over the 1977 deaths of Suzanne Armstrong and Susan Bartlett
An accused double murderer has faced a Melbourne court close to five decades after police allege he stabbed two women to death in a frenzied attack.
Perry Kouroumblis, 65, appeared bleary-eyed as he sat in the dock of the Melbourne magistrates court on Wednesday after arriving on Australian soil on Tuesday night.
Continue reading...Hakeem Jeffries calls for ‘high level of compassion’ towards people in prison after president pardoned son Hunter
The top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, has called on Joe Biden to pardon some “working-class Americans” after the president faced criticism for pardoning his son Hunter.
“During his final weeks in office, President Biden should exercise the high level of compassion he has consistently demonstrated throughout his life, including toward his son, and pardon on a case-by-case basis the working-class Americans in the federal prison system whose lives have been ruined by unjustly aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses,” Jeffries said in a statement.
Continue reading...Vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah avoids runoff vote, as win extends Swapo party’s 34-year hold on power
Namibia has elected its first female leader, with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah declared the winner of last week’s presidential election in a result that will extend the ruling Swapo party’s 34-year hold on power.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, the current vice-president, won with 57% of the vote, according to official results, defying predictions that she might be forced into a runoff. Swapo has ruled the country since its independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
Continue reading...The Georgian Dream government’s suspension of EU talks has sparked an existential struggle for democracy
In recent years, Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has brazenly pursued a policy of gaslighting an overwhelmingly pro-European population. Rhetorically, it has paid enthusiastic lip service to the national goal of eventual accession to the European Union, an aim that is enshrined in the constitution. In practice, a party founded by the billionaire oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili – whose wealth was accumulated in Russia – has been pulling Georgia ever further into the authoritarian orbit of Vladimir Putin.
“Foreign agent” legislation passed earlier this year – provoking large protests in Tbilisi – copied and pasted Russian laws designed to curtail the influence of independent civil society organisations. Subsequent restrictions placed on LGBTQ+ rights came from the same playbook. Having awarded EU candidate status to Georgia in 2023, these illiberal moves led Brussels to belatedly conclude that it was being taken for a ride by Mr Ivanishvili’s political placemen. Membership talks were accordingly paused in June. Nevertheless, in the lead-up to an election this October, GD politicians were still pledging their commitment to EU membership.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Data comes as education minister remains stalled in negotiations with states and territories over contributions to Schooling Resource Standard
The 20 private schools with the wealthiest parent cohorts in the country received a combined total of $130m in government funding last year, new data reveals.
On Wednesday the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (Acara) will release a swathe of new data on the My School website about Australian schools, including annual funding, attendance and Naplan results.
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Continue reading...The White House is trying to disburse last $7bn in aid approved by Congress before Trump begins second term
The Biden administration is rushing military equipment to Ukraine in a last-ditch effort to shore up the country’s defenses against the Russian invasion before Donald Trump assumes the US presidency in January.
The newly announced $725m in assistance will include Stinger anti-air missiles, anti-drone weapons, artillery shells and long-range Himars rocket munitions, and anti-armour missiles, as well as spare parts and other assistance to repair damaged equipment from US stocks, the state department said.
Continue reading...Nana Kwame Bediako is challenging the status quo with an unorthodox run for presidency appealing to younger voters
It was a bombastic statement from the man who wants to disrupt Ghana’s two-party political scene. “I’m here to represent Africa’s greatest hope,” Nana Kwame Bediako told an audience in a Palace of Westminster committee room in central London in October, referring to younger people on the continent.
After the event, a social media post by Bediako suggested the trip had involved a presentation in parliament itself, rather than an address to a committee room.
Continue reading...With Trump returning to the White House, only mass commutations will stop another federal execution spree.
The post Biden Has “Pardoned” Eight Turkeys. Will He Spare the Lives of 40 Human Beings? appeared first on The Intercept.
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George Mason University suspended its Students for Justice in Palestine chapter and effectively kicked out the group’s co-president.
The post Police Raid Pro-Palestine Students’ Home in FBI-Led Graffiti Investigation appeared first on The Intercept.
As part of a comprehensive programme of renationalisation, the service will come under public ownership in May
South Western Railway will be the first train operator nationalised under the Labour government, ministers have announced.
One of the UK’s biggest commuter services, which operates out of London Waterloo, it will be taken into public hands in May.
Continue reading...People will be allowed to use expired identity documents amid ‘real fear’ of another Windrush-style scandal
Passengers will be allowed to use expired identity documents to travel to the UK because of flaws in the eVisa system, a minister has told the Guardian.
Seema Malhotra, the migration and citizenship minister, said the government had postponed a planned full shift to the new digital immigration system amid “real fear” of another Windrush-style scandal among minority communities.
Continue reading...It seems Michel Barnier’s experience of negotiating Brexit with the British was no match for the bitter rivalry of French politics
When Emmanuel Macron welcomes world leaders to the reopening of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral this weekend, after fire damaged it five years ago, he might have hoped it would serve as a metaphor for people from all backgrounds coming together to prevent a hallowed edifice collapsing.
Instead, it is likely the French government itself will have fallen by Wednesday evening, with voters’ trust of politicians and the political process in charred ruins.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Move would be last-ditch attempt to save thousands of UK jobs amid standoff with company’s Chinese owners
Ministers are considering renationalising British Steel in a last-ditch attempt to save thousands of jobs, amid a standoff between the government and the company’s Chinese owners over a £1bn investment.
Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, is locked in talks with British Steel and its owner, Jingye, to agree how much each party should put into a rescue plan for its main Scunthorpe site.
Continue reading...As Labour plans milestones, Boris Johnson proves he’s the Gregg Wallace of the political sphere and Jacob Rees-Mogg reveals true face of hard right
There must be something in the water. It’s normally in early January that people start to think of giving themselves a makeover. New year! New you! That kind of nonsense. But this year, everyone appears to be getting ahead of the game and relaunching themselves in December. Even Gregg Wallace, who is going out of his way to portray himself as a creepy misogynist. Just to eliminate any room for doubt.
Maybe it’s just that everyone has already had enough of 2024. It’s gone on far too long and has all been a bit underwhelming. Few things have quite worked out as anyone had hoped. Westminster itself is limping on to Christmas. While Jess Phillips was introducing a stalking bill, all the Tories really wanted to talk about was Labour giving back the Parthenon sculptures. Which they haven’t even said they are going to do.
Taking the Lead by John Crace is published by Little, Brown (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
Continue reading...Labour pledged ‘deep reform’ of this flawed and complex system. A royal commission could shape a consensus
The sooner the government brings forward social care proposals the better. The lack of further detail about a manifesto commitment to “deep reform” has been a disappointment of Labour’s first months in office. Assisted dying and palliative care are a largely separate issue, relating to the last six months of life rather than the long-term (and sometimes lifelong) needs that social care addresses. But following last week’s vote on Kim Leadbeater’s bill, social care reformers need to reclaim the initiative.
The rising need for social care in an ageing population is widely recognised to be among the UK’s biggest public policy challenges (while it is devolved, the four administrations confront many of the same difficulties). But that hasn’t stopped repeated delays to policies to address it. A royal commission would be one route out of the impasse. Unless he has identified another one, Wes Streeting should take it.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...Sheila Duncan says Labour has to address the problems facing Britain with passion if it wants public support. Plus letters from David Diprose and Maureen Tilford
John Harris raises some important issues in his article (Labour’s big relaunch won’t solve its biggest problem: this government doesn’t speak human, 1 December), but it’s crucial to dig deeper into the relationship between politics and emotion. Politicians like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage are not more “human” than those in the centre or on the left. They just know how to manipulate dark human emotions – fear, anger and resentment – in societies where there is profound inequality, very little taxation of the rich and barely regulated privatisation of all that makes civilised life possible – health services, education, water, energy and transport.
They particularly know how to manipulate resentment – the emotion that underlies fascism – when so many people struggle for survival as they watch the smug satisfaction of those who don’t.
Continue reading...Infected people described as having flu-like symptoms including high fever and severe headaches
An unknown disease killed 143 people in a south-west province of Democratic Republic of the Congo in November, local authorities told Reuters.
Infected people had flu-like symptoms including high fever and severe headaches, Remy Saki, the deputy governor of Kwango province, and Apollinaire Yumba, the provincial minister of health, said on Monday.
Continue reading...Conflicts around the globe and domestic policies on immigration and vaccinations are likely to face upheaval
The second Donald Trump administration is expected to have a vast impact both domestically and around the world, potentially reshaping everything from the very private – such as abortion access in the US – right through to something as public as the health of the planet itself.
While Trump’s policies and their effects will take time to emerge, we can tell a lot about where things are heading by comparing the status quo to current data trends in six key areas, from migration and war through to climate and vaccine uptake.
Continue reading...Some rivals will be unhappy the 21-year-old appears to have skipped the queue but the leap to Test level is higher than ever
Nearly six years ago the 15-year-old Jacob Bethell was given the Gray Nicolls Young Cricketer of the Year award and I sat next to him at lunch after the presentation. I have been aware of his background and looked out for his name since then, though I did not have a good look at him in action until he exploded on to the scene over the past 18 months, culminating in his Test debut last week.
I really like the way he sets up: he looks pretty side-on, seems to have good orthodox basics, presents the full face of the bat, moves forward and back. He scored 10 in his first Test innings but his mentality was right: there was no panic, he gave himself the chance to have a look, and did not seem flustered when he was faced with a string of balls he could not score off.
Continue reading...Election is being contested between vice-president Mahamudu Bawumia and former president John Mahama, under whom corruption ballooned
When the Ghanaian opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo won the presidential election on his third attempt in 2016, many saw it as a turning point.
The first person to unseat an incumbent, his historic win captured his compatriots’ frustration. Alleged corruption had ballooned under his predecessor, John Mahama: in one instance, Mahama accepted a $100,000 (£79,000) car from a foreign contractor that his spokesperson said was put into a pool of presidential vehicles; in another, judges were captured on video collecting bribes to dispense justice.
Continue reading...People waiting in Tapachula by Guatemala border fear Trump’s election could worsen crisis and spur northward flight
Outside the migration office, Tito subtly pointed out the watchful human smugglers leaning against a wall.
They had already tried to sell their services to Tito, who was on his way to the US but, like everyone else there, found himself stuck in Tapachula, a town in southern Mexico that has become a global way station.
Continue reading...MPs have taken a historic step toward legalising assisted dying in England and Wales after backing a bill that would give some terminally ill people the right to end their lives. The Commons backed the bill by 330 votes in favour to 275 against. Labour MPs told the Guardian the prime minister, Keir Starmer, and chancellor, Rachel Reeves, had voted in favour
Continue reading...After losses like Pamela Price’s, criminal justice reformers are grappling with how to address voters’ perceptions about public safety.
The post Oakland Homicides Dropped 30 Percent. The County Still Recalled Its Prosecutor. appeared first on The Intercept.
Pam Bondi has replaced Matt Gaetz in Trump’s attorney general slot. Her lobbying clients include the GEO Group, among many others.
The post Pam Bondi, Trump’s New AG Pick, Lobbied for Private Prisons and Amazon appeared first on The Intercept.
The OSHA heat regulation was one of the few to have broad public support, but Democrats can’t ever seem to get their act together.
The post Biden Made “Record Time” on Worker Protections for Heat. Trump Could Quickly Stamp Them Out. appeared first on The Intercept.
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The White House has said it is “closely” monitoring the situation in South Korea.
“The administration is in contact with the ROK government and is monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson for the national security council said, using the official acronym for the Republic of Korea, where thousands of US troops are based as parts of efforts to deter nuclear-armed North Korea.
All political activities are banned in South Korea following the imposition of martial law on Tuesday and all media will be subject to government monitoring.
All political activities, including those of the national assembly, local councils, political parties, and political associations, as well as assemblies and demonstrations, are strictly prohibited.
Continue reading...Those waging a war on woke have turned their attentions to twentysomethings’ supposed rejection of ham and mustard sarnies. Clearly this is what people mean by bread and butter issues ...
You are what you eat. And if you eat sandwiches? Then you’re probably woke, I’m afraid. While the convenience food may have been invented by a degenerate earl who, legend has it, didn’t want a proper meal to interrupt his gambling, some sarnies have now been deemed politically correct by the MailOnline – who are, of course, leading experts in wokeness. The MailOnline is getting flak for a recent headline that states gen Z “are ditching English classics like ham and mustard in favour of fancy woke fillings”.
What sort of PC fillings are we talking about? Quinoa, vegan camembert and kale on artisanal sourdough with a non-binary condiment (they-onnaise)? Nope. It seems what has ruffled the MailOnline’s feathers is … chicken. According to The Great British Sandwich Study, a wholesome survey conducted by the bread maker Allinson’s, older generations are partial to a ham sandwich while gen Z prefer chicken. Most boomers also like cheddar while younger consumers are fond of fancier fillings. Pretty inoffensive stuff, right? Yet somehow this has been packaged up into a culture wars piece. It’s funny how conservatives love to accuse the left of being snowflakes, yet they’re the ones getting upset by a sandwich.
Continue reading...The craven stance of Tesla’s board should not be lost in the legal back-and-forth
The first time around, judge Kathaleen McCormick of the Delaware court of chancery got it right. The $56bn pay package awarded by Tesla to Elon Musk in 2018 was indeed a governance abomination, a stitch-up in which ordinary shareholders weren’t told about the “deeply flawed” process whereby a “superstar ceo” secured wildly over-the-top terms from pliant directors.
Her closely argued ruling in January spelt it out in persuasive detail. The company had “inaccurately described key directors as independent and misleadingly omitted details about the process”. Ira Ehrenpreis, the lead director negotiating for Tesla, had a 15-year business relationship with Musk. Another member of the working group regularly went on holiday with Musk’s family. A third was the company’s general counsel and Musk’s former divorce lawyer.
Continue reading...Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzy Wrack, Emma Duffy, and Tom Garry to round up the latest international fixtures and more
On today’s podcast: the panel reviews the goalless draw between England and the USA at Wembley. Was Emma Hayes right to feel disappointed? Are the Lionesses lacking firepower in their forward line, and why did it take so long to notice that it didn’t hit Alex Greenwood’s arm?
Also, we look ahead to the Euro 2025 playoff second legs, along with the Lionesses' final game of 2024, as they take on Switzerland.
Continue reading...“Contributing to land theft and unlawful evictions of Palestinians in the West Bank would be a direct violation of the Supply Chain Act.”
The post Palestinians File German Complaint on Media Giant Axel Springer’s Business in Israeli Settlements appeared first on The Intercept.
What if you could take a pill or a shot that could reduce your blood alcohol level and make you feel better in the morning? That’s the promise of a range of wellness products aiming to be the next big hangover antidote. But what exactly are hangovers, and which methods of preventing them are backed by science? Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Sally Adams, an alcohol researcher and associate professor of psychology at the University of Birmingham
Clips: @drinklikecut, @visitourmedia, @thegutgirlie, @settingthebrowlow
Continue reading...Actor and comedian Diane Morgan joins Grace for another helping of Comfort Eating. Diane is best known for playing mockumentary historian Philomena Cunk, droll antihero Liz in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom Motherland, and Mandy in … Mandy. Diane reveals how she keeps a straight face when asking world experts very silly questions, why she was sacked from her waitressing job, and what happened when she tried to introduce hugging to the Morgan family.
If you liked this episode then have a listen to Grace’s conversations with Aisling Bea, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, and Jamie Demetriou
New episodes of Comfort Eating with Grace Dent will be released every Tuesday
Continue reading...Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Sanny Rudravajhala and George Elek as the Sky Blues get their man and Chris Wilder’s Blades continue their great form
Rate, review, share on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.
On the podcast today; Frank Lampard’s Coventry (as we are duty bound to call them) begin with a draw against Cardiff City. The panel debate whether this is a good appointment.
Continue reading...A previously undisclosed email and new documents show the Project Nimbus deal isn’t covered by Google’s general terms of service.
The post Documents Contradict Google’s Claims About Its Project Nimbus Contract With Israel appeared first on The Intercept.
The U.S. has a long tradition of shielding Israel (and itself) from war crime allegations — and threatening The Hague.
The post War Crimes Have Never Stopped the U.S. Before appeared first on The Intercept.
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., discusses Biden’s lame-duck session and erecting barriers to Trump’s agenda on The Intercept Briefing podcast.
The post Rep. Summer Lee on the Fight of Our Lives appeared first on The Intercept.
On The Intercept Briefing, we discuss college crackdowns on Palestine solidarity protests and the chilling effect on free speech.
The post The “Palestine Exception” appeared first on The Intercept.
Interesting analysis: An Internet Voting System Fatally Flawed in Creative New Ways.
Abstract: The recently published “MERGE” protocol is designed to be used in the prototype CAC-vote system. The voting kiosk and protocol transmit votes over the internet and then transmit voter-verifiable paper ballots through the mail. In the MERGE protocol, the votes transmitted over the internet are used to tabulate the results and determine the winners, but audits and recounts use the paper ballots that arrive in time. The enunciated motivation for the protocol is to allow (electronic) votes from overseas military voters to be included in preliminary results before a (paper) ballot is received from the voter. MERGE contains interesting ideas that are not inherently unsound; but to make the system trustworthy—to apply the MERGE protocol—would require major changes to the laws, practices, and technical and logistical abilities of U.S. election jurisdictions. The gap between theory and practice is large and unbridgeable for the foreseeable future. Promoters of this research project at DARPA, the agency that sponsored the research, should acknowledge that MERGE is internet voting (election results rely on votes transmitted over the internet except in the event of a full hand count) and refrain from claiming that it could be a component of trustworthy elections without sweeping changes to election law and election administration throughout the U.S...
John Prescott, who has died at 86, served as deputy prime minister for more than a decade under Tony Blair, and was seen as a custodian of the Labour party’s traditional values in the face of a modernising leadership. Blair and Gordon Brown led tributes, with Blair telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was 'one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics'
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In the rapidly advancing landscape of AI technology and innovation, LimeWire emerges as a unique platform in the realm of generative AI tools. This platform not only stands out from the multitude of existing AI tools but also brings a fresh approach to content generation. LimeWire not only empowers users to create AI content but also provides creators with creative ways to share and monetize their creations.
As we explore LimeWire, our aim is to uncover its features, benefits for creators, and the exciting possibilities it offers for AI content generation. This platform presents an opportunity for users to harness the power of AI in image creation, all while enjoying the advantages of a free and accessible service.
Let's unravel the distinctive features that set LimeWire apart in the dynamic landscape of AI-powered tools, understanding how creators can leverage its capabilities to craft unique and engaging AI-generated images.
This revamped LimeWire invites users to register and unleash their creativity by crafting original AI content, which can then be shared and showcased on the LimeWire Studio. Notably, even acclaimed artists and musicians, such as Deadmau5, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston, have embraced this platform to publish their content in the form of NFT music, videos, and images.
Beyond providing a space for content creation and sharing, LimeWire introduces monetization models to empower users to earn revenue from their creations. This includes avenues such as earning ad revenue and participating in the burgeoning market of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). As we delve further, we'll explore these monetization strategies in more detail to provide a comprehensive understanding of LimeWire's innovative approach to content creation and distribution.
LimeWire Studio welcomes content creators into its fold, providing a space to craft personalized AI-focused content for sharing with fans and followers. Within this creative hub, every piece of content generated becomes not just a creation but a unique asset—ownable and tradable. Fans have the opportunity to subscribe to creators' pages, immersing themselves in the creative journey and gaining ownership of digital collectibles that hold tradeable value within the LimeWire community. Notably, creators earn a 2.5% royalty each time their content is traded, adding a rewarding element to the creative process.
The platform's flexibility is evident in its content publication options. Creators can choose to share their work freely with the public or opt for a premium subscription model, granting exclusive access to specialized content for subscribers.
As of the present moment, LimeWire focuses on AI Image Generation, offering a spectrum of creative possibilities to its user base. The platform, however, has ambitious plans on the horizon, aiming to broaden its offerings by introducing AI music and video generation tools in the near future. This strategic expansion promises creators even more avenues for expression and engagement with their audience, positioning LimeWire Studio as a dynamic and evolving platform within the realm of AI-powered content creation.
The LimeWire AI image generation tool presents a versatile platform for both the creation and editing of images. Supporting advanced models such as Stable Diffusion 2.1, Stable Diffusion XL, and DALL-E 2, LimeWire offers a sophisticated toolkit for users to delve into the realm of generative AI art.
Much like other tools in the generative AI landscape, LimeWire provides a range of options catering to various levels of complexity in image creation. Users can initiate the creative process with prompts as simple as a few words or opt for more intricate instructions, tailoring the output to their artistic vision.
What sets LimeWire apart is its seamless integration of different AI models and design styles. Users have the flexibility to effortlessly switch between various AI models, exploring diverse design styles such as cinematic, digital art, pixel art, anime, analog film, and more. Each style imparts a distinctive visual identity to the generated AI art, enabling users to explore a broad spectrum of creative possibilities.
The platform also offers additional features, including samplers, allowing users to fine-tune the quality and detail levels of their creations. Customization options and prompt guidance further enhance the user experience, providing a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced creators.
Excitingly, LimeWire is actively developing its proprietary AI model, signaling ongoing innovation and enhancements to its image generation capabilities. This upcoming addition holds the promise of further expanding the creative horizons for LimeWire users, making it an evolving and dynamic platform within the landscape of AI-driven art and image creation.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
Upon completing your creative endeavor on LimeWire, the platform allows you the option to publish your content. An intriguing feature follows this step: LimeWire automates the process of minting your creation as a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), utilizing either the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. This transformative step imbues your artwork with a unique digital signature, securing its authenticity and ownership in the decentralized realm.
Creators on LimeWire hold the power to decide the accessibility of their NFT creations. By opting for a public release, the content becomes discoverable by anyone, fostering a space for engagement and interaction. Furthermore, this choice opens the avenue for enthusiasts to trade the NFTs, adding a layer of community involvement to the artistic journey.
Alternatively, LimeWire acknowledges the importance of exclusivity. Creators can choose to share their posts exclusively with their premium subscribers. In doing so, the content remains a special offering solely for dedicated fans, creating an intimate and personalized experience within the LimeWire community. This flexibility in sharing options emphasizes LimeWire's commitment to empowering creators with choices in how they connect with their audience and distribute their digital creations.
After creating your content, you can choose to publish the content. It will automatically mint your creation as an NFT on the Polygon or Algorand blockchain. You can also choose whether to make it public or subscriber-only.
If you make it public, anyone can discover your content and even trade the NFTs. If you choose to share the post only with your premium subscribers, it will be exclusive only to your fans.
Additionally, you can earn ad revenue from your content creations as well.
When you publish content on LimeWire, you will receive 70% of all ad revenue from other users who view your images, music, and videos on the platform.
This revenue model will be much more beneficial to designers. You can experiment with the AI image and content generation tools and share your creations while earning a small income on the side.
The revenue you earn from your creations will come in the form of LMWR tokens, LimeWire’s own cryptocurrency.
Your earnings will be paid every month in LMWR, which you can then trade on many popular crypto exchange platforms like Kraken, ByBit, and UniSwap.
You can also use your LMWR tokens to pay for prompts when using LimeWire generative AI tools.
You can sign up to LimeWire to use its AI tools for free. You will receive 10 credits to use and generate up to 20 AI images per day. You will also receive 50% of the ad revenue share. However, you will get more benefits with premium plans.
For $9.99 per month, you will get 1,000 credits per month, up to 2 ,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 50% ad revenue share
For $29 per month, you will get 3750 credits per month, up to 7500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 60% ad revenue share
For $49 per month, you will get 5,000 credits per month, up to 10,000 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
For $99 per month, you will get 11,250 credits per month, up to 2 2,500 image generations, early access to new AI models, and 70% ad revenue share
With all premium plans, you will receive a Pro profile badge, full creation history, faster image generation, and no ads.
Sign Up Now To Get Free Credits
In conclusion, LimeWire emerges as a democratizing force in the creative landscape, providing an inclusive platform where anyone can unleash their artistic potential and effortlessly share their work. With the integration of AI, LimeWire eliminates traditional barriers, empowering designers, musicians, and artists to publish their creations and earn revenue with just a few clicks.
The ongoing commitment of LimeWire to innovation is evident in its plans to enhance generative AI tools with new features and models. The upcoming expansion to include music and video generation tools holds the promise of unlocking even more possibilities for creators. It sparks anticipation about the diverse and innovative ways in which artists will leverage these tools to produce and publish their own unique creations.
For those eager to explore, LimeWire's AI tools are readily accessible for free, providing an opportunity to experiment and delve into the world of generative art. As LimeWire continues to evolve, creators are encouraged to stay tuned for the launch of its forthcoming AI music and video generation tools, promising a future brimming with creative potential and endless artistic exploration
The marketing of a new military tech tool powered by Meta’s artificial intelligence is “irresponsible” and “clumsy,” experts said.
The post Meta-Powered Military Chatbot Advertised Giving “Worthless” Advice on Airstrikes appeared first on The Intercept.
Tell us about your standout stage production of the year – we’ll feature a selection of your favourites
We would like to hear about your favourite theatre shows of 2024. Which play captured your heart? Maybe a dance company moved you? Please briefly explain why (100 words max) by filling in the form below and we will feature a selection of them.
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Are you looking for a new graphic design tool? Would you like to read a detailed review of Canva? As it's one of the tools I love using. I am also writing my first ebook using canva and publish it soon on my site you can download it is free. Let's start the review.
Canva has a web version and also a mobile app
Canva is a free graphic design web application that allows you to create invitations, business cards, flyers, lesson plans, banners, and more using professionally designed templates. You can upload your own photos from your computer or from Google Drive, and add them to Canva's templates using a simple drag-and-drop interface. It's like having a basic version of Photoshop that doesn't require Graphic designing knowledge to use. It’s best for nongraphic designers.
Canva is a great tool for small business owners, online entrepreneurs, and marketers who don’t have the time and want to edit quickly.
To create sophisticated graphics, a tool such as Photoshop can is ideal. To use it, you’ll need to learn its hundreds of features, get familiar with the software, and it’s best to have a good background in design, too.
Also running the latest version of Photoshop you need a high-end computer.
So here Canva takes place, with Canva you can do all that with drag-and-drop feature. It’s also easier to use and free. Also an even-more-affordable paid version is available for $12.95 per month.
The product is available in three plans: Free, Pro ($12.99/month per user or $119.99/year for up to 5 people), and Enterprise ($30 per user per month, minimum 25 people).
To get started on Canva, you will need to create an account by providing your email address, Google, Facebook or Apple credentials. You will then choose your account type between student, teacher, small business, large company, non-profit, or personal. Based on your choice of account type, templates will be recommended to you.
You can sign up for a free trial of Canva Pro, or you can start with the free version to get a sense of whether it’s the right graphic design tool for your needs.
When you sign up for an account, Canva will suggest different post types to choose from. Based on the type of account you set up you'll be able to see templates categorized by the following categories: social media posts, documents, presentations, marketing, events, ads, launch your business, build your online brand, etc.
Start by choosing a template for your post or searching for something more specific. Search by social network name to see a list of post types on each network.
Next, you can choose a template. Choose from hundreds of templates that are ready to go, with customizable photos, text, and other elements.
You can start your design by choosing from a variety of ready-made templates, searching for a template matching your needs, or working with a blank template.
Inside the Canva designer, the Elements tab gives you access to lines and shapes, graphics, photos, videos, audio, charts, photo frames, and photo grids.The search box on the Elements tab lets you search everything on Canva.
To begin with, Canva has a large library of elements to choose from. To find them, be specific in your search query. You may also want to search in the following tabs to see various elements separately:
The Photos tab lets you search for and choose from millions of professional stock photos for your templates.
You can replace the photos in our templates to create a new look. This can also make the template more suited to your industry.
You can find photos on other stock photography sites like pexel, pixabay and many more or simply upload your own photos.
When you choose an image, Canva’s photo editing features let you adjust the photo’s settings (brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.), crop, or animate it.
When you subscribe to Canva Pro, you get access to a number of premium features, including the Background Remover. This feature allows you to remove the background from any stock photo in library or any image you upload.
The Text tab lets you add headings, normal text, and graphical text to your design.
When you click on text, you'll see options to adjust the font, font size, color, format, spacing, and text effects (like shadows).
Canva Pro subscribers can choose from a large library of fonts on the Brand Kit or the Styles tab. Enterprise-level controls ensure that visual content remains on-brand, no matter how many people are working on it.
Create an animated image or video by adding audio to capture user’s attention in social news feeds.
If you want to use audio from another stock site or your own audio tracks, you can upload them in the Uploads tab or from the more option.
Want to create your own videos? Choose from thousands of stock video clips. You’ll find videos that range upto 2 minutes
You can upload your own videos as well as videos from other stock sites in the Uploads tab.
Once you have chosen a video, you can use the editing features in Canva to trim the video, flip it, and adjust its transparency.
On the Background tab, you’ll find free stock photos to serve as backgrounds on your designs. Change out the background on a template to give it a more personal touch.
The Styles tab lets you quickly change the look and feel of your template with just a click. And if you have a Canva Pro subscription, you can upload your brand’s custom colors and fonts to ensure designs stay on brand.
If you have a Canva Pro subscription, you’ll have a Logos tab. Here, you can upload variations of your brand logo to use throughout your designs.
With Canva, you can also create your own logos. Note that you cannot trademark a logo with stock content in it.
With Canva, free users can download and share designs to multiple platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack and Tumblr.
Canva Pro subscribers can create multiple post formats from one design. For example, you can start by designing an Instagram post, and Canva's Magic Resizer can resize it for other networks, Stories, Reels, and other formats.
Canva Pro subscribers can also use Canva’s Content Planner to post content on eight different accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Slack, and Tumblr.
Canva Pro allows you to work with your team on visual content. Designs can be created inside Canva, and then sent to your team members for approval. Everyone can make comments, edits, revisions, and keep track via the version history.
When it comes to printing your designs, Canva has you covered. With an extensive selection of printing options, they can turn your designs into anything from banners and wall art to mugs and t-shirts.
Canva Print is perfect for any business seeking to make a lasting impression. Create inspiring designs people will want to wear, keep, and share. Hand out custom business cards that leave a lasting impression on customers' minds.
The Canva app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The Canva app has earned a 4.9 out of five star rating from over 946.3K Apple users and a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 6,996,708 Google users.
In addition to mobile apps, you can use Canva’s integration with other Internet services to add images and text from sources like Google Maps, Emojis, photos from Google Drive and Dropbox, YouTube videos, Flickr photos, Bitmojis, and other popular visual content elements.
In general, Canva is an excellent tool for those who need simple images for projects. If you are a graphic designer with experience, you will find Canva’s platform lacking in customization and advanced features – particularly vectors. But if you have little design experience, you will find Canva easier to use than advanced graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator for most projects. If you have any queries let me know in the comments section.
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Continue reading...The pronatalist movement in the US is gathering pace once again, rekindled by Silicon Valley personalities and hard-right conservatives who are becoming increasingly vocal about whether or not women are having enough babies. But it's not just in the US, some governments in other countries have launched marketing campaigns encouraging people to have more children, while others have offered financial incentives. But while many of these policies claim to be about halting population decline, there are other factors at play. Josh Toussaint-Strauss interrogates efforts around the world to boost birth rates, as well as the underlying political motivations, from bodily autonomy to immigration
Birthrates are plummeting worldwide. Can governments turn the tide?
When desperate measures to persuade women to have children fail, it’s time for fresh thinking
ESA and Thales Alenia Space have signed a contract amendment today at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan to extend the Lunar View refuelling module for the lunar Gateway.
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