B
- Thread starter dirtyman
- Start date
The new ruins of Athens: Rusting and decaying 10 years on, how Greece's Olympics turned into a 7 BILLION white elephant
Built as part of a 7billion project, they played host to millions of spectators, athletes and officials during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece.
But now, ten years on, the state-of-the-art sports venues in the Olympics' spiritual home of Athenslie empty, completely unused and decaying.
The Games, which cost almost twice their projected budget and used permanent instead of collapsible venues, were deemed a success at the time.
However, Greece was shortly hit by the global financial crisis and, with no real post-games plan, the prestigious venues were abandoned.
- Greek government built state-of-art sports venues as part of 7billion project in Olympics' spiritual home of Athens
- They played host to millions of spectators, athletes and officials from across world during 2004 Summer Olympics
- But now, ten years on, buildings lie empty, completely unused and decaying, while swimming pools have dried up
- Greece was unable to invest in the upkeep of the Games venues after it was hit hard by the global financial crisis
Built as part of a 7billion project, they played host to millions of spectators, athletes and officials during the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece.
But now, ten years on, the state-of-the-art sports venues in the Olympics' spiritual home of Athenslie empty, completely unused and decaying.
The Games, which cost almost twice their projected budget and used permanent instead of collapsible venues, were deemed a success at the time.
However, Greece was shortly hit by the global financial crisis and, with no real post-games plan, the prestigious venues were abandoned.
[h=1]Pictured: London law student, 19, killed in Bangkok bombing as chilling CCTV shows terrorist calmly dropping rucksack next to shrine moments before blast that killed 20 people[/h]
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-leaving-without-moments-blast-killed-22.html
- Manhunt launched after terrorist wearing yellow T-shirt and glasses spotted at the scene minutes before the blast
- Bomb ripped through crowd of worshippers at Hindu shrine, killing at least 20 in 'worst ever attack' on the kingdom
- Thailand's junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha said suspect is believed to be from the anti-coup Red Shirt movement
- Police have not ruled out any group, but said the attack did not match the tactics of Muslim insurgents in the south
- Tensions raised even further after device was thrown from bridge and exploded near train station this afternoon
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-leaving-without-moments-blast-killed-22.html
U
User-E
Guest
Doggie said:
The world was so innocent back then.
Two services that tracked deleted tweets by politicians and other diplomats in an effort to maintain a transparent, public record of statements made on social media, Politwoops and its sister site Diplotwoops, have now been cut off from accessing Twitter. According to a post published Sunday by the Open State Foundation, Twitter revoked access to its API for Diplotwoops on Friday, as well as for all the remaining Politwoops sites in 30 countries around the world.
The suspension follows that of Twitter’s takedown of the U.S. version of Politwoops in May, citing terms of service violations.
It’s actually somewhat odd that it took this long for the remaining accounts to be suspended.
The code which allowed the U.S. version of Politwoops to operate was first developed by the Dutch organization, the Open State Foundation, over three years ago. That group then shared the code with the Sunlight Foundation in the U.S., a group similarly focused on making government more transparent.
The tracking services allowed organizations and individuals, including journalists, to keep track of what politicians and diplomats were saying on Twitter by monitoring their accounts for deleted tweets.
As TechCrunch explained back in 2012 when Politwoops was first getting off the ground, the service did more than highlight what exactly was being deleted, but also indicated how long it took the politicians and their staff members to make the deletion.
In some cases, the tweets taken down were only those that had typos or were off-topic, but at other times, they served to bring to light the sorts of public comments politicians wanted to disassociate themselves from.
For example, at the time of the U.S. shutdown of Politwoops, Ars Technica noted in its coverage of the event that the service had uncovered for Bowe Bergdahl, a soldier held hostage in Afghanistan, who was later charged with desertion.
At the time of the original shutdown, Twitter offered a statement explaining its decision in the matter, which pointed to how the service was in violation of its developer policies:
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]“We strongly support Sunlight’s mission of increasing transparency in politics and using civic tech and open data to hold government accountable to constituents, but preserving deleted Tweets violates our developer agreement. Honoring the expectation of user privacy for all accounts is a priority for us, whether the user is anonymous or a member of Congress.”
However, despite the suspension of the U.S. version of Politwoops earlier this year, which focused on the deleted tweets of U.S. lawmakers, the Open State Foundation continued to run Politwoops in 30 countries, including the European parliament.
In addition, the list of countries also supported by the service until the API revocation were as follows: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Portugal, Egypt, Estonia, France, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Macedonia, Norway, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany,
The Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey and the Vatican.
According to the Open State Foundation’s post, Twitter said its decision to suspend access to Politwoops was due to the fact that it doesn’t distinguish between users. Or, in other words, everyone on Twitter – even if they’re a public figure like a politician – has a right to express themselves without fear that their tweets are to become permanent record.
That viewpoint, of course, is somewhat in conflict with how many – including those at organizations like the Open State Foundation or Sunlight Foundation – view the statements made by public figures in the political arena.
As Sunlight Foundation president Christopher Gates stated earlier this year, “A member of Congress does not and should not have the same expectation of privacy as a private citizen. Power can only be accountable with a generous application of transparency.”
That same sentiment is mirrored now by Open State Foundation director Arjan El Fassed.
“What elected politicians publicly say is a matter of public record. Even when tweets are deleted, it’s part of parliamentary history,” he says. “These tweets were once posted and later deleted. What politicians say in public should be available to anyone. This is not about typos but it is a unique insight on how messages from elected politicians can change without notice.”
The organization says it will continue to explore other ways to keep the public messages from elected politicians visible following this event, but doesn’t go into further detail.
We’ve requested comment from Twitter on the matter, and will update if they provide a statement.
El Fassed also provided us with the full message sent to his organization by Twitter on Friday. It reads in full:
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]As you may be aware, on June 3, 2015, Twitter suspended API access for the main US Politwoops app for displaying deleted Tweets in violation of our Developer Agreement and Policy.
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]This decision followed thoughtful internal deliberation and close consideration of a number of factors.
Ultimately, Twitter’s decision was guided by the company’s core value to “Defend and respect the user’s voice.” The ability to delete one’s Tweets – for whatever reason – has been a long-standing feature of the Twitter service. Imagine how nerve-racking – terrifying, even – Tweeting would be if it was immutable and irrevocable? No one user is more deserving of that ability than another. Indeed, deleting a Tweet is an expression of the user’s voice.
Upon review your application has been found to be acting in violation of Twitter’s Developer Agreement and Policy, specifically:
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]3.B.i. Take all reasonable efforts to do the following, provided that when requested by Twitter, you must promptly take such actions: Delete Content that Twitter reports as deleted or expired.”
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]Twitter strives to maintain a consistent enforcement of policy for all partners on our platform, and as such we are suspending API access to keys associated withhttps://politwoops.co.uk/countries
Some believe Twitter’s decision in the matter extends beyond a simple desire to upload its developer policies, but is also about the company – which is struggling to grow its user base – wanting to make sure that high-profile individuals don’t feel alienated from using its service. After all, if politicians worry that everything they said on Twitter could be archived in this way, they may be less likely to use the site in the future.
https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/24/t...d-politicians-deleted-tweets-in-30-countries/
The suspension follows that of Twitter’s takedown of the U.S. version of Politwoops in May, citing terms of service violations.
It’s actually somewhat odd that it took this long for the remaining accounts to be suspended.
The code which allowed the U.S. version of Politwoops to operate was first developed by the Dutch organization, the Open State Foundation, over three years ago. That group then shared the code with the Sunlight Foundation in the U.S., a group similarly focused on making government more transparent.
The tracking services allowed organizations and individuals, including journalists, to keep track of what politicians and diplomats were saying on Twitter by monitoring their accounts for deleted tweets.
As TechCrunch explained back in 2012 when Politwoops was first getting off the ground, the service did more than highlight what exactly was being deleted, but also indicated how long it took the politicians and their staff members to make the deletion.
In some cases, the tweets taken down were only those that had typos or were off-topic, but at other times, they served to bring to light the sorts of public comments politicians wanted to disassociate themselves from.
For example, at the time of the U.S. shutdown of Politwoops, Ars Technica noted in its coverage of the event that the service had uncovered for Bowe Bergdahl, a soldier held hostage in Afghanistan, who was later charged with desertion.
At the time of the original shutdown, Twitter offered a statement explaining its decision in the matter, which pointed to how the service was in violation of its developer policies:
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]“We strongly support Sunlight’s mission of increasing transparency in politics and using civic tech and open data to hold government accountable to constituents, but preserving deleted Tweets violates our developer agreement. Honoring the expectation of user privacy for all accounts is a priority for us, whether the user is anonymous or a member of Congress.”
However, despite the suspension of the U.S. version of Politwoops earlier this year, which focused on the deleted tweets of U.S. lawmakers, the Open State Foundation continued to run Politwoops in 30 countries, including the European parliament.
In addition, the list of countries also supported by the service until the API revocation were as follows: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Portugal, Egypt, Estonia, France, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Macedonia, Norway, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany,
The Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey and the Vatican.
According to the Open State Foundation’s post, Twitter said its decision to suspend access to Politwoops was due to the fact that it doesn’t distinguish between users. Or, in other words, everyone on Twitter – even if they’re a public figure like a politician – has a right to express themselves without fear that their tweets are to become permanent record.
That viewpoint, of course, is somewhat in conflict with how many – including those at organizations like the Open State Foundation or Sunlight Foundation – view the statements made by public figures in the political arena.
As Sunlight Foundation president Christopher Gates stated earlier this year, “A member of Congress does not and should not have the same expectation of privacy as a private citizen. Power can only be accountable with a generous application of transparency.”
That same sentiment is mirrored now by Open State Foundation director Arjan El Fassed.
“What elected politicians publicly say is a matter of public record. Even when tweets are deleted, it’s part of parliamentary history,” he says. “These tweets were once posted and later deleted. What politicians say in public should be available to anyone. This is not about typos but it is a unique insight on how messages from elected politicians can change without notice.”
The organization says it will continue to explore other ways to keep the public messages from elected politicians visible following this event, but doesn’t go into further detail.
We’ve requested comment from Twitter on the matter, and will update if they provide a statement.
El Fassed also provided us with the full message sent to his organization by Twitter on Friday. It reads in full:
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]As you may be aware, on June 3, 2015, Twitter suspended API access for the main US Politwoops app for displaying deleted Tweets in violation of our Developer Agreement and Policy.
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]This decision followed thoughtful internal deliberation and close consideration of a number of factors.
Ultimately, Twitter’s decision was guided by the company’s core value to “Defend and respect the user’s voice.” The ability to delete one’s Tweets – for whatever reason – has been a long-standing feature of the Twitter service. Imagine how nerve-racking – terrifying, even – Tweeting would be if it was immutable and irrevocable? No one user is more deserving of that ability than another. Indeed, deleting a Tweet is an expression of the user’s voice.
Upon review your application has been found to be acting in violation of Twitter’s Developer Agreement and Policy, specifically:
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]3.B.i. Take all reasonable efforts to do the following, provided that when requested by Twitter, you must promptly take such actions: Delete Content that Twitter reports as deleted or expired.”
[FONT=alright_sansmediumitalic]Twitter strives to maintain a consistent enforcement of policy for all partners on our platform, and as such we are suspending API access to keys associated withhttps://politwoops.co.uk/countries
Some believe Twitter’s decision in the matter extends beyond a simple desire to upload its developer policies, but is also about the company – which is struggling to grow its user base – wanting to make sure that high-profile individuals don’t feel alienated from using its service. After all, if politicians worry that everything they said on Twitter could be archived in this way, they may be less likely to use the site in the future.
https://techcrunch.com/2015/08/24/t...d-politicians-deleted-tweets-in-30-countries/
W
Wanker
Guest
She could be our next Chief of police.
oldguyzer
Reviewer
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2011
- Messages
- 15,067
She could be our next Chief of police.
I'd get caught speeding all the time...
U
User-E
Guest
This animation of the Pluto system is made with real images taken during @NASANewHorizons July 2015 #PlutoFlyby.
U
User-E
Guest
NASA creating Terminator-like polymer material that can “heal” itself after gunfire
The amazing polymer material comprises of two layers of solid polymer with a liquid material that is sandwiched in between these two layers. It is this liquid which helps in the “self healing” and recovery process.
Whenever, there is any damage in the polymer, it will lead to breaching of the integrity of the solid layers and the liquid would come in direct contact with oxygen that is present in the surrounding atmosphere and solidify in less than a second.
https://www.techworm.net/2015/09/na...erial-that-can-heal-itself-after-gunfire.html
The amazing polymer material comprises of two layers of solid polymer with a liquid material that is sandwiched in between these two layers. It is this liquid which helps in the “self healing” and recovery process.
Whenever, there is any damage in the polymer, it will lead to breaching of the integrity of the solid layers and the liquid would come in direct contact with oxygen that is present in the surrounding atmosphere and solidify in less than a second.
https://www.techworm.net/2015/09/na...erial-that-can-heal-itself-after-gunfire.html
NASA creating Terminator-like polymer material that can “heal” itself after gunfire
The amazing polymer material comprises of two layers of solid polymer with a liquid material that is sandwiched in between these two layers. It is this liquid which helps in the “self healing” and recovery process.
Whenever, there is any damage in the polymer, it will lead to breaching of the integrity of the solid layers and the liquid would come in direct contact with oxygen that is present in the surrounding atmosphere and solidify in less than a second.
https://www.techworm.net/2015/09/na...erial-that-can-heal-itself-after-gunfire.html
Very cool to link this one.
D
DannyDeVito
Guest
This girl is going places.
U
User-E
Guest
Stephen Hawking's Computer 'Voice' Gets Released Online
Aug. 30, 2015 by Elizabeth Howell
Stephen Hawking is a physicist who is fascinated with how the universe came to be, a field of study known as cosmology. The 63-year-old is perhaps best known for contributing to studies of the Big Bang (how the universe began) and those frightening singularities more popularly known as black holes.
A long-time Star Trek and space program fan, he says on his official biography that he is hoping to make it into space someday. And if he does make it there, he will likely be the first human to communicate exclusively with the help of a computer. This is a necessity for Hawking given that he has a neurological condition known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ("Lou Gehrig's Disease") that affects his speech.
"Since 1997, my computer-based communication system has been sponsored and provided by Intel Corporation," Hawking writes on his website, which explains how the computer efficiently predicts what words he needs. "A cursor automatically scans across this keyboard by row or by column. I can select a character by moving my cheek to stop the cursor."
As his main interface with the world, Hawking's computer is his tool for talking to the public, conveying scientific findings and otherwise doing his work. Intel is proud of its work, saying that the computer could be even more powerful if Hawking wanted a completely new system. (He doesn't.)
"It would probably look very different," wrote Ken Kaplan, Intel iQ Managing Editor, in December. "It might use cutting-edge eye tracking technology or an electroencephalogram (EEG) approach, which translates brain activity into simple commands."
And now anyone can use the system Hawking uses, as Intel just released it on software site GitHub. The hope is that the so-called Assistive Context-Aware Toolkit (ACAT) can help other people with similar conditions, according to the BBC.
https://herox.com/news/445-stephen-hawkings-computer-voice-gets-released-onli
Aug. 30, 2015 by Elizabeth Howell
Stephen Hawking is a physicist who is fascinated with how the universe came to be, a field of study known as cosmology. The 63-year-old is perhaps best known for contributing to studies of the Big Bang (how the universe began) and those frightening singularities more popularly known as black holes.
A long-time Star Trek and space program fan, he says on his official biography that he is hoping to make it into space someday. And if he does make it there, he will likely be the first human to communicate exclusively with the help of a computer. This is a necessity for Hawking given that he has a neurological condition known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ("Lou Gehrig's Disease") that affects his speech.
"Since 1997, my computer-based communication system has been sponsored and provided by Intel Corporation," Hawking writes on his website, which explains how the computer efficiently predicts what words he needs. "A cursor automatically scans across this keyboard by row or by column. I can select a character by moving my cheek to stop the cursor."
As his main interface with the world, Hawking's computer is his tool for talking to the public, conveying scientific findings and otherwise doing his work. Intel is proud of its work, saying that the computer could be even more powerful if Hawking wanted a completely new system. (He doesn't.)
"It would probably look very different," wrote Ken Kaplan, Intel iQ Managing Editor, in December. "It might use cutting-edge eye tracking technology or an electroencephalogram (EEG) approach, which translates brain activity into simple commands."
And now anyone can use the system Hawking uses, as Intel just released it on software site GitHub. The hope is that the so-called Assistive Context-Aware Toolkit (ACAT) can help other people with similar conditions, according to the BBC.
https://herox.com/news/445-stephen-hawkings-computer-voice-gets-released-onli
W
Wanker
Guest
[h=1]Houston model has America’s longest legs at a staggering 49 INCHES[/h]
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...9-INCHES-beating-holder-title-two-inches.html
- Sports-loving Lauren Williams has the longest-known legs in the US
- The 26-year-old model from Texas says her family are all well over 6ft
- Models everything from sports and fitness to high fashion and swimwear
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...9-INCHES-beating-holder-title-two-inches.html
[h=1]National Geographic abandons nonprofit status after Murdoch deal[/h]
After 127 years as a nonprofit publication, the National Geographic magazine has joined Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox as a part of a newly expanded joint venture.
21st Century Fox, which has owned and operated the properties in National Geographic Channels for 18 years, will pay $725m to the National Geographic Society for its stake in the expanded partnership, increasing the society’s endowment to nearly $1bn.
Called National Geographic Partners, the new entity will combine the television channels with the magazine and other media, including National Geographic studios, related digital and social media platforms, books and maps, among other assets.
National Geographic Partners will be owned 73% by 21st Century Fox and 27% by the National Geographic Society. Both organizations will split operations equally, with a shared governance structure and equal representation on the board of directors. The National Geographic Society president and CEO, Gary Knell, will serve as the board’s first chairman.
[h=1]Archaeologists condemn National Geographic over claims of Honduran 'lost cities'[/h]
Read more
The new joint venture will give the National Geographic Society the “scale and reach to continue to fulfill our mission long into the future”, Knell said in a. The transaction is expected to close later this year.
“As media organizations work to meet the increasing demand for high-quality storytelling across multiple platforms, it’s clear that the opportunity to grow by more closely aligning our branded content and licensing assets is the right path,” he said.
Declan Moore, current chief media officer and a 20-year veteran of the National Geographic Society, has been appointed CEO of National Geographic Partners.
After 127 years as a nonprofit publication, the National Geographic magazine has joined Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox as a part of a newly expanded joint venture.
21st Century Fox, which has owned and operated the properties in National Geographic Channels for 18 years, will pay $725m to the National Geographic Society for its stake in the expanded partnership, increasing the society’s endowment to nearly $1bn.
Called National Geographic Partners, the new entity will combine the television channels with the magazine and other media, including National Geographic studios, related digital and social media platforms, books and maps, among other assets.
National Geographic Partners will be owned 73% by 21st Century Fox and 27% by the National Geographic Society. Both organizations will split operations equally, with a shared governance structure and equal representation on the board of directors. The National Geographic Society president and CEO, Gary Knell, will serve as the board’s first chairman.
[h=1]Archaeologists condemn National Geographic over claims of Honduran 'lost cities'[/h]
Read more
The new joint venture will give the National Geographic Society the “scale and reach to continue to fulfill our mission long into the future”, Knell said in a. The transaction is expected to close later this year.
“As media organizations work to meet the increasing demand for high-quality storytelling across multiple platforms, it’s clear that the opportunity to grow by more closely aligning our branded content and licensing assets is the right path,” he said.
Declan Moore, current chief media officer and a 20-year veteran of the National Geographic Society, has been appointed CEO of National Geographic Partners.
Similar threads
Niagara Falls
2018 reviews - part 2
