Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
steve2470
steve2470's Journal
steve2470's Journal
October 10, 2017
United Nation's World Health Organization: World Mental Health Day 2017
THIS IS THE MENTAL HEALTH GROUP. Nasty comments are not welcome here.
https://twitter.com/norm/status/917749729626292224/photo/1
http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2017/en/
World Mental Health Day 2017
Mental health in the workplace
During our adult lives, a large proportion of our time is spent at work. Our experience in the workplace is one of the factors determining our overall wellbeing. Employers and managers who put in place workplace initiatives to promote mental health and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity.
Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders that have an impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.
Mental health in the workplace is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts in support of better mental health.
October 10, 2017
http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2017/en/
World Mental Health Day 2017
Mental health in the workplace
During our adult lives, a large proportion of our time is spent at work. Our experience in the workplace is one of the factors determining our overall wellbeing. Employers and managers who put in place workplace initiatives to promote mental health and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity.
Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders that have an impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.
Mental health in the workplace is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts in support of better mental health.
United Nation's World Health Organization: World Mental Health Day 2017
https://twitter.com/norm/status/917749729626292224http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2017/en/
World Mental Health Day 2017
Mental health in the workplace
During our adult lives, a large proportion of our time is spent at work. Our experience in the workplace is one of the factors determining our overall wellbeing. Employers and managers who put in place workplace initiatives to promote mental health and to support employees who have mental disorders see gains not only in the health of their employees but also in their productivity at work. A negative working environment, on the other hand, may lead to physical and mental health problems, harmful use of substances or alcohol, absenteeism and lost productivity.
Depression and anxiety disorders are common mental disorders that have an impact on our ability to work, and to work productively. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression, the leading cause of disability. More than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. Many of these people live with both. A recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.
Mental health in the workplace is the theme of World Mental Health Day 2017. World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues and mobilizing efforts in support of better mental health.
October 10, 2017
Windows Phone development is now officially dead, per Joe Belfiore of Microsoft
Windows Phone is now officially dead: A sad tale of what might have been
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/10/windows-phone-is-now-officially-dead-a-sad-tale-of-what-might-have-been/?comments=1&start=280
and
https://twitter.com/joebelfiore/status/917071399541391360
I'm glad they finally admitted the truth. Only bug fixes and security updates from now on. I'm really disappointed because I have a Lumia 950, but hey, life goes on. At least my Android phone does the job well.
October 8, 2017
PIKA HECK NO
CHANGE THE PUMPKIN
ALWAYS SPELLCHECK
ILL FITTING COSTUMES
LATEX DARTH VADER
LOST DOG
more at first link above
Outrageous Halloween Fails That Trick The Treaters
http://lifebru.com/outrageous-halloween-fails-that-trick-the-treatersPIKA HECK NO
CHANGE THE PUMPKIN
ALWAYS SPELLCHECK
ILL FITTING COSTUMES
LATEX DARTH VADER
LOST DOG
more at first link above
October 8, 2017
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Program
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/1708-ps.asp
"Fake media": well looky here!
23. We demand legal opposition to known lies and their promulgation through the press. In order to enable the provision of a German press, we demand, that:
a. All writers and employees of the newspapers appearing in the German language be members of the race;
b. Non-German newspapers be required to have the express permission of the state to be published. They may not be printed in the German language;
c. Non-Germans are forbidden by law any financial interest in German publications or any influence on them and as punishment for violations the closing of such a publication as well as the immediate expulsion from the Reich of the non-German concerned. Publications which are counter to the general good are to be forbidden. We demand legal prosecution of artistic and literary forms which exert a destructive influence on our national life and the closure of organizations opposing the above made demands.
a. All writers and employees of the newspapers appearing in the German language be members of the race;
b. Non-German newspapers be required to have the express permission of the state to be published. They may not be printed in the German language;
c. Non-Germans are forbidden by law any financial interest in German publications or any influence on them and as punishment for violations the closing of such a publication as well as the immediate expulsion from the Reich of the non-German concerned. Publications which are counter to the general good are to be forbidden. We demand legal prosecution of artistic and literary forms which exert a destructive influence on our national life and the closure of organizations opposing the above made demands.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Socialist_Program
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/1708-ps.asp
October 7, 2017
My father would have been 100 in 10 days
What brought him to mind this time is the fact that his ancient nemesis, the Nazis, is now deemed a legitimate topic of mainstream discussion. Growing up, it was unquestioned that the Nazis were bad and not worthy of discussion unless you wanted to discuss WW2 history or something else related. Now, a freaking video game has been attacked by trolls and Nazis.
My father, I think, would have been completely horrified to see this. Then again, I think Trump would have horrified my father also.
RIP Dad. I loved you and would have been delighted to know you better. 
October 7, 2017
Bethesda, publisher of the upcoming shooting game Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, has issued a formal response to decidedly informal (and largely anonymous) criticisms surrounding the anti-Nazi game. In doing so, however, the company has made the curious decision to try to absolve itself of particularly political overtones.
The game's latest advertising campaign, which launched this week, appropriates President Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan by using the tagline "Make America Nazi-Free Again." This message could be read one of two ways: as an isolated reference to the game's conceit, which makes players battle through an alternate-universe United States overrun by Nazis; or as a pointed comment about high-profile neo-Nazi demonstrations in the USA over the past few months.
The campaign, unsurprisingly, was followed by vitriolic comments from unconfirmed social media accounts. It's a tactic that shouldn't shock anybody who has followed recent, fascinating studies about Russian campaigns of disinformation and political-bubble exploitation that rely on similar social media actions. One of the most visible anonymous complaints directed at Bethesda, carried by "WTF really" retweets, described the ad campaign as an attempt to "tap into hysterical leftist power fantasy." (To clarify: these anti-Wolfenstein posts do not appear to have a clear connection to Russian disinformation campaigns.)
Games Industry reached out to Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines to discuss the matter, and he had nothing in the way of apology or concession to any of the ad campaign's dissenters. "Wolfenstein has been a decidedly anti-Nazi series since the first release more than 20 years ago," Hines told GI. "We aren't going to shy away from what the game is about. We don't feel it's a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we're not worried about being on the right side of history here."
My response to that story: "Pretty GODDAMNED sad that this is even a topic worthy of discussion"
Wolfenstein "controversy": The Nazis have come out of the woodwork
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/10/bethesda-anti-nazi-game-wasnt-meant-to-incite-political-discussions/Bethesda, publisher of the upcoming shooting game Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, has issued a formal response to decidedly informal (and largely anonymous) criticisms surrounding the anti-Nazi game. In doing so, however, the company has made the curious decision to try to absolve itself of particularly political overtones.
The game's latest advertising campaign, which launched this week, appropriates President Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan by using the tagline "Make America Nazi-Free Again." This message could be read one of two ways: as an isolated reference to the game's conceit, which makes players battle through an alternate-universe United States overrun by Nazis; or as a pointed comment about high-profile neo-Nazi demonstrations in the USA over the past few months.
The campaign, unsurprisingly, was followed by vitriolic comments from unconfirmed social media accounts. It's a tactic that shouldn't shock anybody who has followed recent, fascinating studies about Russian campaigns of disinformation and political-bubble exploitation that rely on similar social media actions. One of the most visible anonymous complaints directed at Bethesda, carried by "WTF really" retweets, described the ad campaign as an attempt to "tap into hysterical leftist power fantasy." (To clarify: these anti-Wolfenstein posts do not appear to have a clear connection to Russian disinformation campaigns.)
Games Industry reached out to Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines to discuss the matter, and he had nothing in the way of apology or concession to any of the ad campaign's dissenters. "Wolfenstein has been a decidedly anti-Nazi series since the first release more than 20 years ago," Hines told GI. "We aren't going to shy away from what the game is about. We don't feel it's a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we're not worried about being on the right side of history here."
My response to that story: "Pretty GODDAMNED sad that this is even a topic worthy of discussion"
October 7, 2017
Bethesda, publisher of the upcoming shooting game Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, has issued a formal response to decidedly informal (and largely anonymous) criticisms surrounding the anti-Nazi game. In doing so, however, the company has made the curious decision to try to absolve itself of particularly political overtones.
The game's latest advertising campaign, which launched this week, appropriates President Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan by using the tagline "Make America Nazi-Free Again." This message could be read one of two ways: as an isolated reference to the game's conceit, which makes players battle through an alternate-universe United States overrun by Nazis; or as a pointed comment about high-profile neo-Nazi demonstrations in the USA over the past few months.
The campaign, unsurprisingly, was followed by vitriolic comments from unconfirmed social media accounts. It's a tactic that shouldn't shock anybody who has followed recent, fascinating studies about Russian campaigns of disinformation and political-bubble exploitation that rely on similar social media actions. One of the most visible anonymous complaints directed at Bethesda, carried by "WTF really" retweets, described the ad campaign as an attempt to "tap into hysterical leftist power fantasy." (To clarify: these anti-Wolfenstein posts do not appear to have a clear connection to Russian disinformation campaigns.)
Games Industry reached out to Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines to discuss the matter, and he had nothing in the way of apology or concession to any of the ad campaign's dissenters. "Wolfenstein has been a decidedly anti-Nazi series since the first release more than 20 years ago," Hines told GI. "We aren't going to shy away from what the game is about. We don't feel it's a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we're not worried about being on the right side of history here."
My response to that story: "Pretty GODDAMNED sad that this is even a topic worthy of discussion"
Wolfenstein "controversy": The Nazis have come out of the woodwork
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/10/bethesda-anti-nazi-game-wasnt-meant-to-incite-political-discussions/Bethesda, publisher of the upcoming shooting game Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, has issued a formal response to decidedly informal (and largely anonymous) criticisms surrounding the anti-Nazi game. In doing so, however, the company has made the curious decision to try to absolve itself of particularly political overtones.
The game's latest advertising campaign, which launched this week, appropriates President Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan by using the tagline "Make America Nazi-Free Again." This message could be read one of two ways: as an isolated reference to the game's conceit, which makes players battle through an alternate-universe United States overrun by Nazis; or as a pointed comment about high-profile neo-Nazi demonstrations in the USA over the past few months.
The campaign, unsurprisingly, was followed by vitriolic comments from unconfirmed social media accounts. It's a tactic that shouldn't shock anybody who has followed recent, fascinating studies about Russian campaigns of disinformation and political-bubble exploitation that rely on similar social media actions. One of the most visible anonymous complaints directed at Bethesda, carried by "WTF really" retweets, described the ad campaign as an attempt to "tap into hysterical leftist power fantasy." (To clarify: these anti-Wolfenstein posts do not appear to have a clear connection to Russian disinformation campaigns.)
Games Industry reached out to Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines to discuss the matter, and he had nothing in the way of apology or concession to any of the ad campaign's dissenters. "Wolfenstein has been a decidedly anti-Nazi series since the first release more than 20 years ago," Hines told GI. "We aren't going to shy away from what the game is about. We don't feel it's a reach for us to say Nazis are bad and un-American, and we're not worried about being on the right side of history here."
My response to that story: "Pretty GODDAMNED sad that this is even a topic worthy of discussion"
October 7, 2017
António Horta-Osório describes for the first time how restoring Lloyds Bank’s fortunes almost shattered his mental health. The top City boss reveals what happened – and why he’s on a mission to end the stigma of workplace stress. Interview by Louise Carpenter
?crop=6359%2C3577%2C172%2C609&resize=2400
In May this year, António Horta-Osório, chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, summoned his top executives to a meeting room on the ninth floor of its City HQ, with its panoramic views of London and St Paul’s. A video link was ready to go live. “I want you to know,” he told his staff, “that I got a call from UK Financial Investments and the last government shares have now been sold. We are now a fully private bank. We have given back all the taxpayers’ money, and some more, so you should all be very proud.”
And therein brought an end to a catastrophic financial period for the bank, once saddled with toxic debts and payment protection insurance mis-selling claims (its total bill was £17.4 billion, the largest of any British bank), struggling to cope in a disastrous global economy and bailed out by the government – the taxpayer, which is to say, you and me – in 2008 to the tune of £20.3 billion.
The Lisbon-born Horta-Osório’s perfectly white, movie-star smile had never been wider. Composed, suave, charming, fantastically rich (his 2016 pay package was worth around £5.5 million) – disarmingly so, in all four respects – he really was, at that moment in May, master of all he surveyed: the only chief executive of a bailed-out UK bank to have paid back every penny to the government in the six years since he was encouraged to take on the task by George Osborne, the chancellor at the time.
For all his rhetoric about the importance of great teamwork and continuing to “do things better day by day” and “focusing on our customers”, the moment, for Horta-Osório, 53, was not just a professional triumph, but a personal one, too. In bringing Lloyds back from the brink and refunding the taxpayer – which he had pledged to do publicly within 100 days of taking on the task – Horta-Osório almost broke himself.
(sorry, the rest is behind a registration wall, they are very strict about this)
Registration here: https://join.thetimes.co.uk/?pc=regacc&gotoUrl=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-ceo-of-lloyds-bank-turned-its-fortunes-around-but-the-anxiety-almost-broke-him-fg970cpjr
eta: I know some hate bankers here, but he is still a human being. When people like him are open about their struggles, it helps us all.
The CEO of Lloyds Bank turned its fortunes around but the anxiety almost broke him
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-ceo-of-lloyds-bank-turned-its-fortunes-around-but-the-anxiety-almost-broke-him-fg970cpjrAntónio Horta-Osório describes for the first time how restoring Lloyds Bank’s fortunes almost shattered his mental health. The top City boss reveals what happened – and why he’s on a mission to end the stigma of workplace stress. Interview by Louise Carpenter
?crop=6359%2C3577%2C172%2C609&resize=2400
In May this year, António Horta-Osório, chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, summoned his top executives to a meeting room on the ninth floor of its City HQ, with its panoramic views of London and St Paul’s. A video link was ready to go live. “I want you to know,” he told his staff, “that I got a call from UK Financial Investments and the last government shares have now been sold. We are now a fully private bank. We have given back all the taxpayers’ money, and some more, so you should all be very proud.”
And therein brought an end to a catastrophic financial period for the bank, once saddled with toxic debts and payment protection insurance mis-selling claims (its total bill was £17.4 billion, the largest of any British bank), struggling to cope in a disastrous global economy and bailed out by the government – the taxpayer, which is to say, you and me – in 2008 to the tune of £20.3 billion.
The Lisbon-born Horta-Osório’s perfectly white, movie-star smile had never been wider. Composed, suave, charming, fantastically rich (his 2016 pay package was worth around £5.5 million) – disarmingly so, in all four respects – he really was, at that moment in May, master of all he surveyed: the only chief executive of a bailed-out UK bank to have paid back every penny to the government in the six years since he was encouraged to take on the task by George Osborne, the chancellor at the time.
For all his rhetoric about the importance of great teamwork and continuing to “do things better day by day” and “focusing on our customers”, the moment, for Horta-Osório, 53, was not just a professional triumph, but a personal one, too. In bringing Lloyds back from the brink and refunding the taxpayer – which he had pledged to do publicly within 100 days of taking on the task – Horta-Osório almost broke himself.
(sorry, the rest is behind a registration wall, they are very strict about this)
Registration here: https://join.thetimes.co.uk/?pc=regacc&gotoUrl=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-ceo-of-lloyds-bank-turned-its-fortunes-around-but-the-anxiety-almost-broke-him-fg970cpjr
eta: I know some hate bankers here, but he is still a human being. When people like him are open about their struggles, it helps us all.
October 6, 2017
I have not seen below zero temps in the high arctic for 4 months or so.
getting nippy in the high Arctic: -4 F at Eureka, Nunavut, Canada (79.98 N)
https://www.wunderground.com/weather/ca/eureka/CWEUI have not seen below zero temps in the high arctic for 4 months or so.
Profile Information
Gender: Do not displayMember since: Sat Oct 16, 2004, 01:04 PM
Number of posts: 37,457
