Security experts have long worried that advances in quantum computing could eventually make it easier to break encryption that protects the privacy of peoples data. Thats because these sophisticated machines can perform calculations at speeds impossible for conventional computers, potentially enabling them to crack codes previously thought indecipherable.

Now, a Swiss technology company says it has made a breakthrough by using quantum computers to uncover vulnerabilities in commonly used encryption. The company believes its found a security weakness that could jeopardize the confidentiality of the worlds internet data, banking transactions and emails.

Terra Quantum AG said its discovery upends the current understanding of what constitutes unbreakable encryption and could have major implications for the worlds leading technology companies, such as Alphabet Inc.s Google, Microsoft Corp., and International Business Machines Corp.

Don't miss: ProtonMail, Threema, Tresorit and Tutanota warn EU of risks of weakening encryption

But some other security experts said they arent nearly ready to declare a major breakthrough, at least not until the company publishes the full details of its research. If true, this would be a huge result, said Brent Waters, a computer science professor who specialises in cryptography at the University of Texas at Austin. It seems somewhat unlikely on the face of it. However, it is pretty hard for experts to weigh in on something without it being published.

IBM spokesman Christopher Sciacca said his company has known the risks for 20 years and is working on its own solutions to address the issue of post-quantum security. This is why the National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST) has been hosting a challenge to develop a new quantum safe crypto standard, he said in an email. IBM has several proposals for this new standard in the final round, which is expected in a few years.

Brian LaMacchia, distinguished engineer at Microsoft, said company cryptographers are collaborating with the global cryptographic community to prepare customers and data centers for a quantum future. Preparing for security in a post-quantum world is important not only to protect and secure data in the future but also to ensure that future quantum computers are not a threat to the long-term security of todays information.

Google didnt reply to a message seeking comment.

Terra Quantum AG has a team of about 80 quantum physicists, cryptographers and mathematicians, who are based in Switzerland, Russia, Finland and the US What currently is viewed as being post-quantum secure is not post-quantum secure, said Markus Pflitsch, chief executive officer and founder of Terra Quantum, in an interview. We can show and have proven that it isnt secure and is hackable.

Also read: Heres how an encrypted, locked Android and Apple phone gets bypassed

Pflitsch founded the company in 2019. Hes a former finance executive who began his career as a research scientist at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Terra Quantums research is led by two chief technology officers Gordey Lesovik, head of the Laboratory of Quantum Information Technology at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and Valerii Vinokur, a Chicago-based physicist who in 2020 won the Fritz London Memorial Prize for his work in condensed matter and theoretical physics.

The company said that its research found vulnerabilities that affect symmetric encryption ciphers, including the Advanced Encryption Standard, or AES, which is widely used to secure data transmitted over the internet and to encrypt files. Using a method known as quantum annealing, the company said its research found that even the strongest versions of AES encryption may be decipherable by quantum computers that could be available in a few years from now.

Vinokur said in an interview that Terra Quantums team made the discovery after figuring out how to invert whats called a hash function, a mathematical algorithm that converts a message or portion of data into a numerical value. The research will show that what was once believed unbreakable doesnt exist anymore, Vinokur said, adding that the finding means a thousand other ways can be found soon.

Read more: Chinese scientists make world's first light-based quantum computer: Report

The company, which is backed by the Zurich-based venture capital firm Lakestar LP, has developed a new encryption protocol that it says cant be broken by quantum computers. Vinokur said the new protocol utilizes a method known as quantum key distribution.

Terra Quantum is currently pursuing a patent for the new protocol. But the company will make it available for free, according to Pflitsch. We will open up access to our protocol to make sure we have a safe and secure environment, said Pflitsch. We feel obliged to share it with the world and the quantum community.

The US government, like China, has made research in quantum computing research an economic and national security priority, saying that the world is on the cusp of what it calls a new quantum revolution. In addition, technology companies including Google, Microsoft, and IBM have made large investments in quantum computing in recent years.

More:

A Swiss company claims it used quantum computers to find weakness in encryption - HT Tech

Scientists and engineers at the University of Sydney and Microsoft Corporation have developed a device that can handle thousands of qubits. To put things in perspective, the current state-of-the-art quantum computer can control only 50 qubits at a time.

Scaled-up quantum computers require control interfaces to manipulate or readout a large number of qubits, which usually operate at temperatures close to absolute zero (1 Kelvin or -273 degrees celsius).

The complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology has its limitations due to high thermodynamic dissipation, leading to heating of the fragile quantum bits. Overheating of quantum bits compromises its quantumness, the property of being in two states at the same time (also called superposition).

The current architecture uses multiple connections as every qubit is controlled by external circuitry with a separate electrical connection, generating a lot of heat.

The scientists from the University of Sydney built a CMOS interface between the qubits and the external circuitry, in such a way that the CMOS chip can generate control pulses for multiple qubits, with just four low-bandwidth wires, at 0.1 Kelvin, a temperature 30 times colder than deep space, with ultralow power dissipation.

The interface consists of four low-bandwidth wires at room temperature to provide input signals to the chip, which then configures 32 analogue circuit blocks to control the qubits that use dynamic voltage signals.

Analogue circuit boards use the low leakage of the transistors to generate dynamic voltage signals for manipulating qubits, consuming significantly less power.

Quantum computers are at a similar stage that classical computers were in their 40s when machines needed control rooms to function.

However, this chip, according to the scientists, is the most advanced integrated circuit ever built to operate at deep cryogenic temperatures.

The quantum computers that we have now are still lab prototypes and are not commercially relevant yet. Hence, this is definitely a big step towards building practical and commercially relevant quantum computers, said Mr Viraj Kulkarni, But I think that we are still far away from it.

This is because of the Error Correction. Any computing device always has errors in it and no electronic device can be completely perfect. There are various techniques that computers use to correct those errors.

Now the problem with quantum computing is that qubits are very fragile. Even a slight increase in temperature, vibrations, or even cosmic rays can make qubits lose their quantumness, and this introduces errors. So the key question of whether we can really control these errors is still relevant.

Nivedita Dey, research coordinator at Quantum Research and Development Labs, said the qubit noise is still a roadblock in developing quantum computers.

One of the biggest challenges in implementing a quantum circuit in this Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) era is qubit noise, which causes hindrance in commercial availability of fault-tolerant full-scale quantum computers, said Ms Dey.

This approach can be well suited for practical quantum applications and might reduce the number of error-correcting qubits to be associated with noisy qubits, she added.

If quantum computing does prove to be commercially viable, it will open up completely new avenues.

A plane is not just faster than a car, it can also fly, said Mr Kulkarni, drawing an analogy between quantum computers and conventional computers. The idea is that quantum computers are not just faster, but at the same time will provide us with solutions that are better, especially in AI.

Hence, many applications in AI including complex mathematical equations, drug discovery by enabling chemical simulations, or building financial applications to come up with a better strategy will be solved in a faster and efficient way.

In the end its a tool, so any function a conventional computer can achieve, quantum computers will be able to do it faster and better.

Original post:

Microsoft Scientists Build Chip That Can Handle Thousands Of Qubits - Analytics India Magazine

In the past, investment control law has been continuously tightened (see the Amendments to the Foreign Trade an Payments Act (AWG-Novelle) as well as the 15th and 16th Amendment Ordinance of the AWV. The draft of the 17th Amendment Ordinance to the AWV has been eagerly awaited, as publication has been repeatedly postponed due to the intensive and lengthy process of interdepartmental coordination.

The 17th Amendment Ordinance to the AWV, which is now available in draft form, completes the adaptation to the amendment made to the AWG (Foreign Trade and Payments Act) and the EU Screening Regulation 2019/452 (EU Screening Regulation), which was adopted in March 2019. The amendment particularly massively expands the catalogue of critical sectors and technologies. Further amendments are derived from the inspection practice of the authorities and serve to strengthen the effectiveness of the investment inspection. In the following, the amendments are presented in more detail, as well as where ambiguities exist and what further effects on practice are to be expected.

Highlights of the changes:

The new Section 55a AWV-E

For the sake of clarity, the sectors and technologies previously listed in Section 55 (1) sentence 2 AWV and the newly added sectors and technologies relevant to the audit are now presented in a new Section 55a AWV-E (Section 55a (1) nos. 1-27 AWV-E). If the activity of a target company is listed there, an impairment of public order or security is particularly obvious. In such cases, the draft bill speaks of an indication of special security relevance of the target company. For the listed areas, restrictive orders (conclusion of a contract under public law up to a prohibition) can be considered.

Expansion of audit-relevant companies Section 55a (1) No. 13 27 AWV-E

The new areas introduced by the German legislator, which are largely based on the list in Art. 4(1) of the EU Screening Regulation, can be divided into different categories.

Artificial intelligence, robotics, semiconductors (Section 55a (1) nos. 13, 15, 16 lit. a AWV-E)

As a new category of companies with special relevance for public security or order, the areas of artificial intelligence, robotics and semiconductors find their way into the new catalogue. Thus, goods are to be subject to the investment protection regime that solve concrete application problems by means of artificial intelligence processes and are capable of independently optimising their algorithms and can be used for certain abusive purposes. The abusive purposes are:

It should be emphasised that the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has restricted the scope of application of the use of AI to the extent that it must be possible to use AI for misuse purposes. Against the background that a large number of companies use AI in their software programmes, the restriction makes sense. Nevertheless, the possibility of misuse for the purposes mentioned above is sufficient. According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, an obligation to report already applies if the overall circumstances make misuse as a result of the acquisition appear possible (draft bill, p. 27).

Nos. 15 and 16 lit. a) serve to particularly protect industrial robots and integrated circuits. Not only since the purchase of the industrial robot manufacturer Kuka has this field been one of the key technologies worth protecting. In addition to the developers and manufacturers of such robots, there is a particular audit relevance with regard to the companies that provide specific IT services for the aforementioned companies.

The legislator understands the generic term semiconductor to mean integrated circuits on a substrate as well as discrete semiconductors, i.e. circuit elements located in their own housing with their own external connections. The circuit element is a single active or passive functional unit of an electronic circuit, e.g. a diode, a transistor, a resistor or a capacitor (draft bill, p. 27). Practice will show whether the companies that are particularly relevant to the audit can be sufficiently delimited on the basis of the definition given.

Cyber security, aerospace, quantum and nuclear technology (Section 55a (1) Nos. 17-20 AWV-E)

Explicit protection is also afforded to the IT security and forensics sector if companies manufacture or develop IT security products. This serves to concretise the cyber security mentioned in the EU Screening Regulation. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy points out that products for the physical protection of IT systems (such as server room doors or on-board protection foils) are not covered. Applications that have IT security functions in addition to their main purpose are also not covered. However, virus protection programmes or firewalls, for example, are covered.

Furthermore, Nos. 18 to 20 protect dual-use goods from aerospace and nuclear and quantum technology. With regard to aerospace, in addition to aviation companies, companies whose product portfolio includes dual-use goods from the field of aviation electronics and navigation (subcategory 7A, 7B, 7D or 7E of Annex I to the Dual-Use Regulation) or aviation, space and propulsion (subcategory 9A, 9B, 9D or 9E of the Dual-Use Regulation) are also covered. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy defines nanotechnology as goods of category 0 or of list items 1B225, 1B226, 1B228, 1B231, 1B232, 1B233 or 1B235 of Annex I to the Dual-Use Regulation. Quantum technology includes quantum computing, quantum computer, quantum sensing, quantum metrology, quantum cryptography, quantum communication and quantum simulation.

Autmated driving or fyling, optoelectronics and additive manufacturing (Section 55a (1) No. 14, 16 lit. b), 21 AWV)

The areas of automated driving and flying are not explicitly mentioned in the EU screening regulations catalogue of examples. However, in view of the highly dynamic technical progress, the German legislator sees a considerable risk to public safety in these areas. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has already focused on products that can be used for autonomous driving in the past. The protection of additive manufacturing must also be understood in the context of technological progress.

Colloquially, this area is known as 3D printing. The possibilities offered by the 3D printing process can also be used for military product development or for the production of spare parts for sensitive goods. In this respect, the legislator has deemed this area worthy of protection.

Supply-relevant key infrastructures (Section 55a (1) Nos. 22-24 AWV-E)

The new case group number 22 is intended to protect network technologies to strengthen the security and defence industry. The case group serves to implement the German governments strategy paper on strengthening the security and defence industry from February 2020 as well as the EU Commissions 5G Toolbox, which has explicitly pointed out that investment control is one of the means to ensure a safer 5G roll-out in Europe. Network technologies are security-relevant IT and communication technologies that are to be used, for example, in the expansion of 5G technology. Intelligent metering systems (smart meters) are also protected in number 23. In the wrong hands, control over smart meters could endanger data security and the energy supply as a whole.

In No. 24, the legislator also provides special protection for companies that provide services in the field of information and communication technology for the Federal Republic of Germany. The inclusion of the regulation is to be seen against the background of the establishment and operation of digital radio.

Critical raw materials, secret patents or utility models and agriculture and food industry (Section 55a (1) Nos. 25-27 AWV-E)

In addition, the catalogue also covers companies that extract or produce goods or substances of particular relevance. Therefore, companies that extract critical raw materials or ores as well as companies that are of fundamental importance for food security and cultivate an agricultural area of more than 10,000 hectares were included in the catalogue. Critical resources and strategic assets are thus to receive special protection and the food supply is to be ensured. Also, the protection of goods to which the scope of protection of a secret patent or utility model extends is to be included in order to protect sensitive information.

Legal consequences for the acquisition of shareholdings in target companies

The legal consequences remain essentially unchanged if the target company is named in the catalogue of Section 55a (1) AWV-E. The obligation to report the conclusion of a contract under the law of obligations for the acquisition of a domestic enterprise specified in the catalogue is now found in Section 55a (4) AWV-E. The report must be made immediately. Until the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy issues the release, enforcement is prohibited (section 15 (4) sentence 1 AWG). A violation constitutes a criminal offence or, in the case of negligence, a administrative offence.

Clarifications from the practice of the authorities

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is using the amendment to include clarifications for partial questions that have arisen in the practice of the authorities in recent years.

h2. Circumvention transactions and additional purchases of shares

The circumvention transactions regulated in Section 55 (2) AWV are expanded in the new Section 55 (2) AWV-E. Such transactions now also explicitly include acquisitions of shareholdings in the same domestic company that are coordinated in such a way that, when considered separately, none of the acquisitions constitute a reportable shareholding.

Notifiable voting rights are specified in the new paragraphs 2 and 3 of section 56 AWV-E. Any further acquisition of shareholdings above the limit of 10 per cent of the voting rights in an enterprise within the meaning of Section 55a (1) AWV-E or 25 per cent of the voting rights of another enterprise are also subject to the notification requirement. This was already the practice of the authorities and has now been clarified by the inclusion in the AWV.

The acquisition of an effective participation in any other way in the management or control of the domestic company also triggers the reporting obligation under the new Section 56 (3) AWV-E. Since the filling of strategic positions in companies can go hand in hand with rights to information with regard to knowledge worthy of protection, such constellations are equated with an acquisition of voting rights. With this adjustment, the legislator is rounding off the reporting obligation and wants to exclude circumvention constellations as far as possible.

The addition of the voting rights of third parties can now be found in section 56 (4) AWV-E. The obligation to report is already triggered if it can be assumed that voting rights are exercised jointly due to the other circumstances of the acquisition. This also applies if the agreement on the joint exercise of voting rights is only concluded after the acquisition of the shareholding. Other circumstances are presumed if the acquirer and at least one third party from the same third country directly or indirectly hold an interest in the domestic company.

h2. Release of acquisition

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has clarified that in the case of the existence of a notification obligation pursuant to Section 55a (1), an application for clearance is excluded (Section 58 (3) AWV-E). In cases of doubt regarding the obligation to report, the acquirer may combine the report with an alternative application for a clearance certificate.

Extension of the sector-specific examination to all military equipment within the meaning of Part I Section A of the Export List

For the sector-specific assessment, the previous notion of risk is replaced by the assessment criterion of probable impairment in accordance with the new legal situation for the cross-sectoral investment assessment. However, the essential security interests remain the criterion for assessment. According to the newly formulated case group number 1, such interests are already probably impaired if the enterprise develops, manufactures or modifies goods within the meaning of Part I Section A of the Export List or has actual control over such goods. A company that at least also has contact points with goods from Part I Section A of the Export List is therefore to be covered by the new Section 60 (1) No. 1 AWV-E. Previously, only certain sub-sectors of the Export List were covered by the sector-specific examination. Its scope of application is thus considerably expanded.

Control of orders and the obligations regulated in a public law contract

Within the framework of the amendment to the AWG, the possibility has been introduced to commission third parties to monitor the obligations assumed by a public law contract or imposed by orders (Section 23 (6b) AWG). This procedure allows the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy to use personnel resources for inspection activities and to outsource monitoring. The ordinance regulates who may perform this monitoring activity as a third party. These are persons who are competent, reliable and independent of the obligated parties and the other parties involved in the acquisition (Section 59 (4) AWV-E).

Change of procedure in the examination procedure pursuant to Section 62a AWV-E

Section 62a AWV-E is to be inserted in a new subsection. If it becomes apparent in a cross-sectoral review procedure or a sector-specific review procedure that the requirements for a prohibition or the issuing of orders via the respective other procedure are met, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy may continue the respective review procedure on the basis of the requirements of the provisions of the other procedure. Consequently, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy can react flexibly to new findings in the ongoing procedure.

Conclusion

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energys attempt to concretise the scope of application of companies relevant to public order or security is to be welcomed in principle. However, the new Section 55a AWV-E leaves many questions of detail open. It must therefore be assumed that in practice, in case of doubt, a report must be made in order to avoid committing an administrative offence or even a criminal offence. The amendment of the AWV will therefore lead to a considerable expansion of the number of cases subject to reporting and auditing. This will be accompanied by a significant increase in the workload for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The expanded sector-specific audit will also contribute to an increase in audit cases. Furthermore, the additional workload caused by the EU cooperation mechanism is hardly foreseeable. According to the explanatory memorandum, Germanys previous practice of only reporting cases for which an in-depth examination was carried out is no longer valid. Within the framework of the cooperation mechanism, cases that are to be decided within the two-month period must therefore also be reported. Due to the new extension of the scope of application of investment control, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy assumes at least 180 new reportable acquisitions per year. These would be in addition to the 159 cases examined by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in 2020. Furthermore, the EU cooperation mechanism will conservatively estimate that a further 140 cases will have to be examined. Overall, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy therefore expects about 500 cases next year. Consequently, 30 additional civil servants are to be recruited across departments.

On the whole, however, the new AWV shows a distrust of foreign direct investment. It is therefore likely to be of considerable importance that the application of the new AWV does not lead to an excessive restriction of free trade in order to keep Germany attractive as an investment location. Restrictions or prohibitions should therefore remain the exception and not degenerate into a political instrument.

More here:

The draft bill of the 17th Amendment Ordinance of the AWV (Foreign Trade and Payments Ordinance) - a first analysis - Lexology

The Cape Ann Museum will be hosting three outdoor walking tours throughout the month of February.

"During a time of continued concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the one-and-half hour tours offer participants a safe and engaging way to learn about the rich history of Cape Ann" Ashley Elias, for the Museum, said.

The tours will explore the life and careers of artists Edward Hopper and Fitz Henry Lane in Gloucester and the evolution of religious and spiritual life on Cape Ann.

Saturday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m.: A guided tour through the Lane Gallery to the Lane House

Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m.:The evolution of spiritual communities walking tour

Saturday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m.:"Hopper's Houses" Walking Tour

Each tour is led by a knowledgeable Museum docent who will guide participants along a route through the city focusing on the chosen topic.

Tours are held rain or shine and participants are required to wear face masks. Cost, which includes museum admission, is $10 for CAM members and $20 for non-member.

Register at capeannmuseum.org/events.

A leafy welcome

Backyard Growers haswelcomed Jessica (Jess) Reid to take on the role of program coordinator as they seek to connect peopleand communities through access to healthy food.

"We are elated to welcome Jess to the team at Backyard Growers," said Program Director Corrine Lippie. "She is a dynamic new addition with deep food systems and farming experience. As we grow the Backyard Growers team, we will also be able to deepen our work and impact in the community."

Reid is a Massachusetts native who has worked on agricultural projects everywhere from Vermont to Madagascar. She graduated from Saint Michaels College after studying anthropology with a focus on farming and food systems. Looking to pursue work that combined these interests, she joined the Peace Corps as an Agriculture Extension Agent in Madagascar in 2018.

After two years working abroad, Reid will manage Backyard Growers' garden sites, which includes nine community and partner gardens and nine school garden sites from preschool through high school. She will develop and deliver trainings, workshops and outreach to support a diverse service population of children, seniors, and families as they grow their own food through the organizations community and backyard garden programs.

Working with Lippie, she will also build upon a strong foundation of existing programs and expand the organization's capacity to connect low- to moderate-income individuals and families through new initiatives.

Backyard Growers was founded by Executive Director Lara Lepionka in 2010. Now based at 3 Duncan St. in downtown Gloucester, the organization manages vegetable gardens in all Gloucester Public Schools and connects students from pre-K through high school to experiences that help them shape healthy behaviors. Backyard Growers has also built 400 raised garden beds across Gloucester, providing the resources and training for low- to moderate-income children, families, and seniors to grow their own food.

See the rest here:
Talk of the Times: Touring the rich history of Cape Ann - Gloucester Daily Times

There are all kinds of different Fighting-type Pokemon out there. See which one of these are you based on your zodiac sign.

Since Generation I, Fighting-type Pokmon have been some of the best offensive team members in any Trainer's arsenal. With theirpowerfulmoves and strong personalities, their energy and vigor lifts the team's spirits as well as aiding in battle.

RELATED: 10 Underrated Psychic Pokemon (That Are Actually Very Strong)

While Fighting-types may seem bold, energetic, and feisty across the board, the category actually encompasses a widerange of Pokmon personalities. Though they all tend to focus on striking down opponents with physical strength, their styles andtemperaments vary widely.To explore that variety, here'sa guide to which Fighting-type Pokmon best exemplifies each of the twelve signs on the Zodiac.

Fierce and aggressive, Mankey shares several traits with the sign of the ram. Prone to ragesfor no reason, its quick temper is reminiscent of Aries' powerfulenergy. Nobody wants to get on an Aries' bad side, just like no Pokmon wants to be on the receiving end of a Mankey's rage.

Yet for all their vigor, Aries often flames out quickly. Similarly, Mankey returns to a sweet, docile nature once their anger dies down. However, when it's time to fight, neither Aries nor Mankey will ever hold back.

Like the sign of the bull, this Generation III Pokmon is something of a gentle giant. Despite their immense fighting power, this Pokmon is kind-natured and practices etiquette and respect towards its opponents.

Similar to Tauruses, theyare patient and persistent, never giving up no matter how many times they lose in battle. Family-oriented nature is another Taurus quality that Hariyama shares. They love to help others, and often dedicate their later years to training their prior evolution, Makuhita.

Kind and helpful on construction sites, yet fearsome in battle, Machoke exemplifies the dual nature of a Gemini. Its two sides are equally valuable to its trainers, as itsphysical prowesscomes in handy in every scenario.

Like this sign, Machoke is a jack of all trades,using its strength wherever and however it is needed most. With its adaptability, endless energy, and friendly nature, Machoke's Gemini qualities display themselves at every turn. Similarly, its power can lead it to be unpredictable, like the sign of the twin.

Passimian live in troops about 20-30 members strong, whose mutual survival depends on each other. Because of this, they are loyal and protective towards their troop members, similar to the family-oriented nature of Cancers.

RELATED: The 15 Best Shiny Pokemon In Sword and Shield, Ranked

The sign of the crab thrives onunity and teamwork. Sincethey are known asthe Teamwork Pokmon, Passimian is an excellent fit. Cancers are also a creative sign, and Passimian is creative in its fighting tactics. Troops confuse and blind opponents before damaging them, working inharmony to take down foes.

As the sign of the lion, Leos are fierce and protective. Scrafty's personality is built on these traits:They have no patience for those who challenge their territory or hurtmembers of their group. They don't allow themselves to be ignored, just like any Leo.

Justas Leos thrive in groups, Scrafty live in large packs, the leader of which protects the rest from threats. Both Scrafty and those under the Leo sign can come across as rude or arrogant. However, they are protective of their loved ones.

This legendary Pokmon from the Isle of Armor expansiondisplays the same diligent nature as a Virgo. It trains tirelessly to hone its body and mind, persistent even after defeat. Similarly, Virgos set high standards for themselves and do not rest in their quest to achieve them.

Kubfu is said to act as a guide to those traveling through the mountains, displaying a Virgo's desire to help others. Additionally, Virgos love to expand their mindsjust like Kubfu, who evolvesby reading scrolls and gaining the knowledge within.

When Tyrogue's attack and defense are equal at level 20, it evolves into Hitmontop. Thus, balancea key aspect of the Libra signis central to Hitmontop's existence. This doesn't just apply to its philosophy, but on a literal level as well. Hitmontop isusuallydepicted balancing on its pointed head, spinning like a top.

Additionally, Libras value beauty and style. Hitmontop's Pokdex entries describe its twirling kicks aselegant and graceful. Its battle style is a perfect balance of offense and defense, which embodies the Libra spirit.

This sign is especially perceptive and observant; it noticesthings others do not. As the Aura Pokmon, Lucario shares this quality, able to read the energy of people and Pokmon in a way no one else can. Like Scorpios, it is deep and complex, due to its keen awareness of others' emotions.

RELATED:10 Pokmon Fan Theories That Will Creep You Out

Scorpiosoften close themselves off, opening up to a few people.Lucario is similarly reserved, and Trainers must work hard to gain its trust. However, once they do, this Pokmon will form an incredible bond with them.

Sagittarians areinquisitiveand like to expand their minds. Clobbopus' Pokdex entries describe it as curious, with a love of exploration. It also displays this sign's enthusiasm: Clobbopus' favorite way to investigate is to punch things with its tentacles.

This signcan occasionally be reckless and rebellious. Clobbopussharethis knack for getting into trouble, but like Sagittarius, they can easily wriggle their way out of it. Detaching a waving tentacle as a decoy, Clobbopus gleefully escapes predators and lives to explore another day.

The sign of the goat tends towards an air of class and traditional refinement.They are honest and loyal, often with a serious disposition. A master of swordsmanship and chivalric courtesy, Gallade embodies these characteristicsand ideals.

Gallade further displaysCapricorntraits through its intensely protective attitude towards its trainer. True to its honorable warrior image, this Pokmon is keenly aware whenever others need help, and does not hesitate to rush to their aid. This is another trait of Capricorn nature,since they value honor above all else.

Aquarians are original and inventive, and like to think outside the box. True to this idea, Mienshao is an innovative fighter, using the hair on its arms as whips. Its attacks are unique, fast, unstoppable, and disorientingnot to mention its bizarre battle cry. Taken together, Mienshao often lives up to the unpredictable nature of Aquarius.

Also like this sign, Mienshaocherishes the company of its closest friends. Just as Aquarians value teamwork, this Pokmon is happiest when training alongside its Trainer.

Intuitive, sensitive Pisces is the most spiritual sign of the Zodiac. Because of this, it has a lot in common with Medicham, whoboastsgreat spiritual power and energy. Like Lucario, it can sense auras, which calls to mind the sign of the fish's incredible intuition.

Itincreasesits physical prowess through rigorous spiritual training, demonstrating a connection to the metaphysicalthat is equally important to Pisces. Furthermore,this signis often artistic, which Medicham echoes with its graceful and dance-like movements in battle.

NEXT: Pokmon: All The Gimmick Mechanics, Ranked

Next Bloodborne: 10 Best Skill Weapons, Ranked

Demaris Oxman is a reader, writer, and gamer from Juneau, Alaska. While studying linguistics at McGill University, she wrote for student publications covering music, theater, film, and various pop culture. She now puts her love of games to good use as a list writer for Game Rant. Always a fantasy nerd, Demaris has a particular love for games in that genre, and spends her free time writing epic and grimdark fantasy.

More here:
What Fighting-Type Pokemon Are You, Based On Your Zodiac? - GameRant

PC players have a lot to look forward to in 2021. Whether that's sequels to beloved games, or new entries into long-running franchises, there's plenty to keep you busy throughout the year. Given that many of last year's games were delayed into 2021, this year will be slightly different than usual. We're likely to see many games announced and released this year, so don't worry that the upcoming slate looks a little bare right now. Plenty of big releases like Halo Infinite and Far Cry 6 don't have specific dates yet, so we'll give you an idea as to when they're likely to come out.

As the year goes on, and as games are announced, we'll be sure to keep this page updated. Because of this, we recommend checking back in to see what PC games are coming out in 2021, so you can plan out what you're going to play this year. Look forward to open-world shooting with Halo Infinite, medieval multiplayer in Chivalry 2, as well as plenty of indie goodness in Back 4 Blood and It Takes Two.

Jump to:

If you're a PC player, there's a great selection of games to enjoy in 2021. For a quick overview, we've listed the biggest upcoming PC games this year, with a little info on each one. Let's take a look:

The World of Assassination trilogy concludes with Hitman 3, taking Agent 47 to new locations like Dartmoor, Dubai and Berlin. Given that you can import their levels and progression from the last two games, Hitman 3 should have plenty to do, even after you've blasted through the main story.

The devs behind Blair Witch and Layers of Fear return with The Medium. It's a supernatural thriller which looks to raise the bar in terms of graphics and loading times. We don't know much about it, which is probably best for a horror game such as this.

Nioh 2 finally makes its way to PC on February 5, 2021. Expect tough-as-nails boss fights, gorgeous visuals and plenty of screaming into a pillow.

Mass Effect fans rejoice! We're finally getting updated versions of the original Mass Effect Trilogy. We don't have much to go on yet, but expect updated visuals for all three games. Here's hoping Andromeda gets some love eventually too.

Prince of Persia The Sands of Time is back, baby! There's a full remake on the way, great news for fans of the original game. What we've seen so far has been a little disheartening, so let's hope Ubisoft pull it out of the bag in the end.

Outriders is an upcoming co-op looter shooter. It's being developed by People Can Fly, a studio that encompasses talent from ex-Ubisoft projects. Expect big guns and plenty of shiny loot.

PC players finally get the chance to play Nier Replicant this year, with the snappily titled NieR: Replicant ver.1.22474487139. It's a sprucing up of the 2010 RPG, with re-recorded voice acting and new content. We don't know exactly what to expect yet, but given the original was locked to PS3, Steam players will no doubt be into this new version.

Deathloop is the latest action RPG from Arkane Studios. It looks to add a time loop mechanic to assassination attempts, all with a splash of 70s style over the top. It looks like a lot of fun, and we reckon it's fine to trust Arkane studios by now.

Wow, have there really been 5 mainline Far Cry games already? Far Cry 6 looks set to feature everything we've come to expect from the series including unstable political settings, plenty of fire, and a really scary dictator villain. This time, The Mandalorian's Giancarlo Esposito is the big baddie, so expect long, hard stares and maybe even a lightsaber or two, I don't know.

We haven't had a LEGO Star Wars game for a while, and even though it seems like it's arriving a little late, the upcoming Skywalker Saga looks like a lot of fun. It spans the sequel trilogy, from The Force Awakens to The Rise of Skywalker, so you'll bet to play through awesome scenes like Rey's training, porgs and that bit where Snoke is wearing a tiny golden silk robe.

Rider's Republic was announced late last year and looks to be an evolution of the freeroam alpine sports game Steep. The difference here is that the snow and skis have been replaced with rocky hills and mountain bikes.

The devs behind The Evil Within are kicking off a new IP called Ghostwire Tokyo this year. Ghosts have invaded Tokyo and it's up to you to take them down. It looks a bit like Ghostbusters, but horrifically spooky and if Bill Murray had used his hands, fists and telekinetic abilities to rid the city of ghouls and ghosts.

Halo Infinite was supposed to come out late last year, alongside the new consoles. Unfortunately, the brief demo that was shown off seriously underwhelmed, to the point where microsoft ended up kicking the game back into 2021. We have no idea when it'll launch, only that there's some serious retooling being done. Let's hope the game ends up being all the better for it.

Bloodlines 2 has surely got to be the most anticipated PC game this year, so hopefully it finally releases. What we've seen so far has been promising, looking to expand the rich world and RPG systems of the original, while keeping some of that rough and ready jank that fans of the series love.

After a long time without a Batman game, we're finally getting a new one in the form of co-op brawler Gotham Knights. Basically, Batman is dead and the city is falling to the array of crime families hiding in Gotham. It's up to Nightwing, Robin, Red Hood and Bat Girl to keep things from getting out of control.

I for one don't really care if the name is different, Back 4 Blood is a new Left4Dead game and I'm all here for it. You'll team up with friends and beat zombies to death, all while hoping there's not some kind of super zombie waiting around the corner for you. You know the drill.

I'd imagine you've seen footage of Resident Evil Village by now, or at the very least seen everyone swooning over the tall vampire lady antagonist, Lady Dimitrescu. Resident Evil 8 has some serious Resi 4 vibes, and serves as a sequel to 7. There's werewolves and strange troll creatures, as well as a new and somehow even more beefy version of Chris Redfield. What's not to love!

Now that we've taken a look at the biggest releases for 2021, it's time to list the full release schedule for the year ahead. We'll break things down month by month, and keep this page updated as new info is released. Be sure to bookmark this page!

The final piece in IO Interactives Hitman trilogy arrived this year. Hitman 3 ended up being pretty darn great. You can read our review here.

A brand new season of Apex Legends launches in Feb, adding a new character and map. Then there's Little Nightmares 2, and the Persona spinoff Persona 5: Strikers.

March has plenty to keep you busy. There's the upcoming remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a new Puyo Puyo Tetris, and Evil Genius 2, which looks excellent.

April is another stacked month, with Outriders and a brand new Guilty Gear. There's also the remake of Nier: Replicant, as well as a lot of awesome indies.

Biomutant and Resident Evil Village arrive in May. There's also the matter of the Mass Effect Remaster, which is sure to please a ton of gamers, including Imogen and Alice B on our team.

June brings a major update to The Elder Scrolls Online, as well as a spiritual successor to Left4Dead. Plenty to sink your teeth into then.

As we move further into the year and towards July, things start to get a little more sparse. There's still plenty of great looking indies to check out however. You can find them listed below:

There are plenty of games coming in 2021 that have yet to have their release dates nailed down. These include Halo Infinite, Ghostwire Tokyo, and many more.

So there you have it, the games to look forward to playing in 2021. With video games being what they are, some of these games are likely to move in release schedules, so we'll be sure to keep this page updated with the latest info.

Here is the original post:
Upcoming PC games for 2021: the biggest PC games coming this year - Rock Paper Shotgun

Jalandhar: Innocent Hearts College of Education initiated the new BEd session with Saraswati Vandana and online orientation session imparting the message that spirituality and excellence go hand in hand. Saraswati Vandana was organised to seek blessings of the Almighty and to welcome newcomers with serene positive vibrations. Puja was performed devotedly by the executive director (colleges) Bowry Memorial Educational and Medical Trust Aradhana Bowry, Principal Dr Arjinder Singh and other faculty members with religious zeal and devoutness. This was followed by an online orientation programme in which the new entrants were acquainted with the rules, regulations and curriculum of the programme. Principal Dr Arjinder Singh hosted the virtual meet and addressed the newcomers. Assistant professor Tarunjyoti Kaur discussed the scheme of study, co-curricular and NSS activities organised in the college during the whole BEd session.

Fashion show winners

Lyallpur Khalsa College students won the first position in the fashion show event in the Colours 2021 organised at CT Institute Maqsudan. This information was shared by the college Principal Dr Gurpinder Singh Samra on Monday who informed that the winning team had students Ashmeen Bains, Mandeep Maan, Japjee and Pallavi Bhardwaj. Dr Samra congratulated the winning team and its in-charges Dr Ajitpal Singh and Prof Shefali Taneja and deputy dean Dr Palwinder Singh on this achievement.

Disaster management session held

To help the students respond to the disaster situations, a demonstration on firefighting techniques was held by Department of Fire Brigade at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya. Principal Dr Ajay Sareen accorded a warm welcome and presented a planter to Rajender, the facilitator for the demo. In her address Principal Dr Ajay Sareen focussed on the need to be prepared for the worst situations. She told that such sessions help to put theory into practice and make the students aware of the techniques to protect themselves as well as others around, thus ensuring safety for all. Rajender informed the students and faculty members about different types of fires and fire extinguishers. He showed the students how to use the extinguishing cylinders and demonstrated the use of water pipes of fire brigade vehicles. The students learnt went through a practical discourse. Rajender also talked about the responsibility of citizens to help the department and inform them at 101 in case of any fire. The students learnt the use of extinguishing fire and were equipped to use this knowledge whenever required. Dr Anjana Bhatia hosted the event and thanked the department for the demonstration.

Webinar on tree talk

Kanya Maha Vidyalaya organised a two-day webinar series. The series was organised by the PG Department of Botany. More than 250 students participated with full zeal and enthusiasm. The speaker for the first day was Dr Rajiv Angrish from Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. He delivered his lecture on the topic Tree talk in the Wood Wide Web. He explained about the various plant communications involving metabolites, molecules, volatile organic compounds and electrical impulses between plants and a host of other organisms. On the second day, he delivered a lecture on the topic Plants, Agriculture and Humans: Past, Present and Future. He divided his talk into five major parts to discuss the evolution of humans along with the domestication of crops and animals. He narrated the story behind the development and evolution of modern day grains by citing examples of wheat and maize. He also made students aware about the future prospects in the fields of biology, botany, biotechnology and use of modern day technologies in the agriculture like drones, sensors etc. The queries of students were also entertained in the queries session.

FDP on apparel design

Professor Lalit Kumar Awasthi, director NIT, Jalandhar, inaugurated the online Faculty Development Programme on apparel design sponsored by ATAL (AICTE Training and Learning Academy) from February 1 to 9 organised by the Department of Textile Technology. Dr Vinay Midha and Dr AK Choudhary, the coordinators for the course said that there will be 14 sessions on different aspects of apparel design, including design softwares, sewing machines and sewing threads, fabric defects, pattern making, marking spreading, laying and cutting and the latest in the industry ie RFID technology. The eminent experts from different institutions of the country like IIT Delhi, NIFT Kangra, FDDCI Mohali and NIT Jalandhar will be deliberating on the different technological developments in the field. The FDP has received an overwhelming response from the participants across different institutions of the country working in different areas of textile technology, fashion and apparel industry and 140 participants, including faculty and research scholars of different institutions of textile technology, fashion, apparel and home science, have registered for the programme on Monday. Professor LK Awasthi appreciated the efforts of the department and AICTE ATAL Scheme in supporting the role of NITs to provide training to faculty and students of the other institutions of the country. TNS

See the original post here:
New B Ed Session starts - The Tribune India

Former first lady Michelle Obamas winter CSA came courtesy of current first lady Jill Biden and the White House garden,which Obama originally planted. Obama posted a picture of the basket on Instagram, writing, So thankful for this beautiful care package from our amazing @FLOTUS! These fresh veggies from the White House Kitchen Garden were such a wonderfuland delicioussurprise. Love you, Jill! To which, Jill, who shares her husbands gentle corniness, responded, Food is love.

One can read this as a clear statement on Bidens part, just as Obamas choice to build the garden was a clearstatement. The former first lady broke ground on the garden in 2009, and at the time the symbolism wasnt subtle: She believed buying local and organically grown food, with less of a reliance on industrialfarming, would make for healthier Americans. To that end, the first lady chose to grow vegetables, which hadnt been done at scale at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt tended her victory garden.

It was a deeply intentional project, and Obama published a book in 2012,American Grown,in which she explained every choice made. She said she wanted it to be a learning garden, where children could plant seeds and come back and see the literal fruits of their labor, as well as a statement on childhood nutrition.

As both a mother and a first lady, I was alarmed about reports of skyrocketing childhood obesity rates and the dire consequences for our childrens health, she wrote. And I hoped this garden would begin a conversation about this issuea conversation about the food we eat, the lives we lead, and how all of that affects our children.

It certainly started a conversation, though not the one she intended. The gardenand what it represented (namely, the2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act)became a conservative talking point, able to fill minutes of airtime with gleeful bad faith arguments that, looking back, seem as quaint as a tan suit. The argument at the time? Vegetables are elitist (really, it was that Obamas efforts to improve school lunches threatened industrial agricultures bottom line).

So when Trump won the election, all eyes, or at least some eyes, were on the garden. Ann Coulter even tweeted in 2016: I respectfully suggest a new name for Michelles White House vegetable garden: Putting green.

Melania Trump instead chose to quietly-ish maintain the garden that Michelle built. That equivocating mirrors the equivocating on the part of the first lady at the time, which we grew used to over the past four years. She could have easily taken steamroll to it and put upI dont knowa cold, modern sculpture garden. Would have been cool! But a lot less nutritious.

Instead Melania chose to publicly harvest the vegetables that the Obamas planted, and also add cement reinforcements to help make the garden permanent.It was one of the first things she did once at the White House in 2017. Im a big believer in healthy eatingit encourages a healthy mind and body, the first lady told the children gathered around her at the event, all from a local Boys and Girls Club.Was the event in and of itself a sign that she would try to continue Obamas school lunch efforts or otherwise promote some food policy at all? No, there was never any legislation support or lobbying or even another day in which she hosted children at the garden after that. Where there was explicit intentionality before, here therewere just some simple platitudes and a lot of guesswork. Most people focused on the$1,380 Balmain top she chose to garden in, anyway. No conservative pundits managed to rail against elitism on that one.

So now the garden is back front and center, via a care package from one first lady to another, posted for all to see on Instagram. Its a signal that Obamas efforts are at least approved of in Jills East Wing, and bodes well for the support of small farms or school lunch effortsthough what, exactly, support of the garden materially means will have to be seen.

Its something of a lovely image of continuity beyond that too: The vegetables were planted during the Trump administration. Even though Melania chose not to advertiseit, beyond that 2017 photo-call, someone kept planting.At least we have the peaceful transfer of vegetables.

More Great Stories From Vanity Fair

Cover Story: The Charming Billie Eilish Kobe Bryants Tragic Flight, One Year Later How the PGA Polished Off Donald Trump Could the Monarchy Go Over a Cliff After Queen Elizabeth Dies? 36 Essential Items for Recreating Iconic Billie Eilish Nail Moments Inside 2021s Celebrity-Gossip Renaissance What Will Melania Trumps Legacy Be? From the Archive: The Brant Brothers Quest to Conquer Manhattan Not a subscriber? Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now.

Originally posted here:

From Michelle to Melania to Jill: At Least the White House Garden Experienced a Peaceful Transfer of Power - Vanity Fair

Like many Chattanoogans, I am following the upcoming Chattanooga mayors race with interest. Do I know whom I am voting for, or have I gone through and read every one of the candidates profiles or watched any Zoom campaign forums? The answer to both of those is no, but I hope to do some homework between now and the March 2 election. The same is true for the City Council race. I live on the north end of District 2, and my wife, Laura, and I actually had two candidates stop by our house on successive cold Saturdays in January pitching their qualifications. One person came by when we were both here, and we decided we would vote for that person primarily on campaigning effort amid the cold alone. And then the next Saturday, while I was home alone, another candidate came by in a winter coat and seemed like a good candidate as well, so I am actually still debating on that race. It is always healthy when there are seemingly a lot of good candidates for a local office and who represent a variety of views, as seems to be the case in the mayors race. Part of my interest in the race this year is that this is the first mayor/City Council election I have been able to vote in since Bob Corker was elected in 2001. I moved to Cleveland in 2003 due to my wifes career as a United Methodist minister and then spent 12 years in Knoxville before moving back here in 2017 just after the last mayoral/City Council election. So, I am ready to cast my vote. And the race has seemed refreshing so far in that there are a lot of upbeat TV ads by those who have enough campaign funds to run them. And there is genuine interest in serving the community by the vast majority of the candidates. I like Tim Kellys ad about fixing a few potholes as well as mentioning his other qualifications, and I find myself trying to guess all the places where Kim White is filming her ads. I have picked out Heritage Park in East Brainerd, Coolidge Park, and the retail alley area between Market and Cherry streets. And I want to guess and say the football stadium is at Hixson High School. And who cannot like Chris Longs four-sign storyboard found along busy highway intersections about his candidacy. Or at least you can admire the creativity that went into it. All the campaigning has been upbeat so far for the mayors race, which is nice after last falls ridiculously dirty presidential and federal elections. Lets hope that continues, although who knows if the race appears tight late or goes into a runoff, and what a candidate did in 1993 suddenly comes to the forefront. Politics can obviously be dirty and brutal, and I admire anyone who sticks their neck out to run for office, although I know running is part ego buildup for many and not just all serving my community or giving back, as candidates like to always say. One time when I was living in Knoxville, I saw that former mayor candidate Ann Coulter was to be there in connection with her private consulting/planning work on the Cumberland Avenue Strip area of Knoxville by the UT campus. I contacted her about interviewing her while she was there regarding her 2005 mayor campaign against Ron Littlefield that had concluded a year or so earlier. I did end up having a nice interview with her about the Knoxville work, but she was reluctant to go back and revisit that bitter race due to the personal toll, which I understood. Like Kim White, she had also been involved with the RiverCity non-profit downtown redevelopment company. And some initially thought Ms. Coulter might become the first woman mayor, a feat Ms. White and Dr. Elenora Woods are trying to accomplish. Knoxvilles last two mayors have been women. I occasionally covered the first one, Madeline Rogero. One time she spoke at our church and gave a nice talk about some of the citys accomplishments, many of which had already been well documented in TV and newspaper reports. I was tempted to ask her, While all of these accomplishments are nice and have been documented in the media, I was wondering what a typical day as mayor is like, or do you ever pinch yourself that you are the mayor, or the first woman mayor? The current Knoxville mayor is Indya Kincannon, whose father had been a top U.S education official. Besides electing Chattanoogas first woman mayor, some would also like to see Chattanooga elect its first Black mayor. Chattanoogas city electorate is diverse enough that both conservative-leaning and liberal-leaning candidates have been elected mayor in the recent past, even though the candidates dont represent a political party in theory. Among some of the candidates, Ms. White graduated from Hixson High not too long after I graduated from Baylor School in 1978. As someone who lived less than a mile from Hixson High growing up, I know a lot of Hixson graduates from that era have done well in their professional lives. Fellow candidate Monty Bruell was a year behind me at Baylor and was the first Black graduate of the independent school. I had an opportunity to interview him in the 1990s about the experiences. Tim Kelly graduated from Baylor in 1985, just one year ahead of current mayor Andy Berke. (And while I am on my Go Big Red kick, Jon Kinsey, the mayor from 1997-2001, graduated from Baylor in 1972.) A few years ago, I had a delightful interview with Tim Kellys mother, Betty Sue, about her memories of Girls Preparatory School classmate and 1958 May queen Grace Moore, who had been tragically killed in an automobile accident in 1960 in North Carolina. Betty Sues father had headed the Ayers auto dealership. I am sure a lot of the other candidates have interesting stories of their various school experiences and other life lessons, and I look forward to learning about them. Other mayoral candidates not yet mentioned are Monty Bell, Lon Cartwright, Christopher Dahl, DAngelo Davis, Russell Gilbert, Wade Hinton, George Ryan Love, Andrew McLaren, Erskine Oglesby, and Robert C. Wilson. Over the years, I have had opportunities to interview several Chattanooga mayors. One time I briefly talked with Rudy Olgiati, the mayor from 1951-63, over the phone. He was older by that time, but I was trying to talk to him about some piece of history and reached him down at a great-nephews house in South Carolina. He did not offer me much information, but I cherished just being able to talk with him, even though I knew he was in declining health. And in the 1990s while at the Chattanooga Free Press, I decided to do a series on former Chattanooga mayors and had nice interviews with Ralph Kelley (1963-69), Robert Kirk Walker (1971-75), and Pat Rose (1975-83). I remember Mr. Kelley proudly told me from his federal bankruptcy judge chambers how he, a white man, had tried hard to connect with the Black community and had no major racial conflicts of note while mayor in the turbulent 1960s. He had graduated from the University of Chattanooga. Mr. Walker, meanwhile, talked about his term from his law office and how he was going to finally take a day off for his birthday after a hard first month or so, and then the major race riots broke out after the cancellation of the Wilson Pickett concert. As a result, the Central High grad and father of former McCallie headmaster Kirk Walker had to work even harder trying to bring peace back to the community over several very tense days. Former Mayor Rose came over to the papers office and very amicably and in a goodwill ambassador style talked about his days in office. The former Atlantan could not have been nicer and more patient with me. Both he and Mayor Kelley had natural charisma that no doubt helped them as politicians. I also later interviewed lower-key Mayor Gene Roberts (1983-97), who was probably as responsible as any mayor for all the downtown redevelopment projects, like the Tennessee Aquarium. Of course, a lot of citizens and other civic leaders were also involved, including philanthropist Jack Lupton and future mayor Ron Littlefield (2005-13), who was head of the Chattanooga Venture non-profit planning group at the time. I have corresponded occasionally via email with former Mayor Littlefield over the years. I also talked with Jon Kinsey briefly, but about a development project after he left office. He seemed easily approachable. In 2001 when I was doing some freelance writing as a Chattanooga correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, they asked me to interview Bob Corker right after he had been elected mayor. He kindly agreed, and I went over to his office in the Volunteer Building a day or two after the election and had a nice talk with him before he left on a brief vacation. I remember he kept pacing back and forth while talking to me. As someone who gets a little fidgety as well sitting for too long, I could certainly relate to that. I remember he also indirectly asked me if I was interested in applying to be his press spokesman, as I guess he had not filled that position. Being back in school and enjoying my freelance writing, I did not pursue it. I wrote my story and was surprised when I saw it after it was published. The editors had about doubled it in length with information about his past business dealings or some issues like that. I guess the editors were just trying to give a broader view of him, but I kind of felt like it was no longer my story or in the mostly upbeat tone in which I had written it. I hope Mr. Corker, a City High graduate, did not think any less of me, as I still think fondly of my visit with him, and I enjoyed following his career to the U.S. Senate afterward. And I always wondered if he ever had any meetings on Capitol Hill where he paced back and forth, too!

* * * Jcshearer2@comcast.net

Here is the original post:

John Shearer: Random Thoughts About Mayoral Candidates And Past Mayors - The Chattanoogan

In 2020, one of the people on the right who drew attention to Marjorie Taylor Greene's extremism was Dr. John Cowan, the Georgia-based neurosurgeon she defeated in a GOP congressional primary. CNN's Michael Smerconish interviewed Cowan on January 30 and posed the question: is Greene's extremism a symptom of a larger problem in the Republican Party?

Greene has drawn a great deal of criticism from Democrats recently for everything from advocating the murder of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to attacking survivors of school shootings. The Philadelphia-based Smerconish opened his segment by explaining, "By now, everyone in America knows the name Marjorie Taylor Greene, the QAnon-supporting member of Congress. Her behavior before and after getting elected is a greatest-hits reel of truly deplorable conduct. Among them, before she was a candidate: agreeing that the Sandy Hook and Parkland mass shootings were staged, harassing one of the Parkland mass shooting survivors, labeling the House speaker as treasonous for which she said the punishment is death."

Smerconish noted that although Cowan is quite conservative and has described himself as "pro-Trump, pro-life, pro-gun," Greene defeated him by 15% in a GOP congressional primary in 2020 and wanted to know why Georgia Republicans found her more appealing. During that primary, Smerconish recalled, Cowan said of Greene, "My opponent is absolutely crazy."

Cowan recalled, "She presented herself as a very strong fighter outspoken, and people said, 'Maybe that's the kind of grenade we need up in Washington, D.C.'" Smerconish, however, stressed that Cowan was offering Georgia Republicans a conservative agenda "without the crazy quotient."

"The easiest part of this is to look at some of her conduct and to find it truly deplorable," Smerconish told Cowan. "But it makes me wonder: is she the problem, or is she just a symptom of something more deep-seated a kind of mindset that exists among a lot of people?"

Over the years, Smerconish has not been shy about calling out far-right extremism he was especially critical of wingnut author Ann Coulter during the 2000s and 2010s. And in 2008, the conservative/libertarian pundit sent shock waves through right-wing talk radio when he announced that he was voting for Barack Obama rather than Sen. John McCain in that year's presidential election.

Watch the video below:

Smerconish: Who elected Marjorie Taylor Greene? http://www.youtube.com

More:

CNN host: Is Marjorie Taylor Greene's conduct a 'symptom' of a 'deep-seated mindset' in the GOP? - Raw Story