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True Dough

True Dough's Journal
True Dough's Journal
January 30, 2017

49ers sign John Lynch as GM, 6-year deal

The San Francisco 49ers have hired Hall of Fame candidate and FOX analyst John Lynch to be their new general manager, the team announced Sunday night.

Sources tell ESPN the deal is for an almost unprecedented six years.

Less than a week before he is eligible to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the former Stanford standout is returning to the Bay Area.

As the 49ers are signing Lynch to a six-year contract, the plan is to offer Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan a six-year contract, according to league sources. The 49ers' idea always was to have the head coach and general manager jobs tied together in terms of length of contract.


http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18581720/san-francisco-49ers-name-john-lynch-general-manager
January 29, 2017

One idiot president's decision is another country's gain

Canadian tech industry execs are quickly making plans to scoop up skilled workers from the countries on the banned list:

“I think it’s really sad and horrible from a political landscape perspective, but very selfishly it’s an incredible opportunity” said Dennis Pilarinos, a former Microsoft executive whose 22-person software startup in Vancouver, Buddybuild, is in hiring mode. “It’s a chance to welcome incredibly talented engineers who might not have otherwise considered roles in Canada.”

Mr. Trump on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. The bans affect travelers with passports from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Some U.S. tech leaders voiced concerns or criticisms about the move. Google parent Alphabet Inc. told staff travelling overseas who may be impacted by the president’s executive order to return to the U.S. Bloomberg News reported that Google chief executive Sundar Pichai slammed Trump’s move in a note to employees Friday, telling them that more than 100 staff are affected by the order.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said on Facebook the president’s actions were “hurting Netflix employees around the world, and are so un-American it pains us all.”


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/trump-immigration-ban-a-boon-for-canadian-tech-industry-say-executives/article33818200/
January 28, 2017

Euthanasia dilemma: Dutch doctor forced patient to follow through with death wish

I am an advocate of euthanasia, but this case is a tough one. I mean, if someone of sound mind declares that they are most certainly prepared to die but then that person later, while possibly suffering from dementia, resists the act of euthanasia, what should be done?

This is what happened in Holland recently...

A Dutch woman doctor who asked an elderly patient's family to hold her down while she administered a fatal drug dose has been cleared under Holland's euthanasia laws.

Mailonline reported that the patient fought desperately in an attempt not to be killed.

Jacob Kohnstamm, chairman of the Regional Review Committee, which considered the case, said: "I am convinced that the doctor acted in good faith, and we would like to see more clarity on how such cases are handled in the future."

As a result, the case will be considered by Dutch courts to clarify the law over whether doctors who carry out euthanasia on patients with dementia should face prosecution if they acted in good faith. In this case, the woman, who was suffering from dementia, had earlier expressed a desire to have her life ended when she felt the "time was right".


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/28/panel-clears-dutch-doctor-asked-family-hold-patient-carried/
January 28, 2017

Madeleine Albright statement on refugee ban is uplifting!

Bless this woman for her compassion and sharing her own history. She is emblematic of how immigrants benefit their newly adopted countries.

From her Facebook page:

"Most of you have seen the draft executive order on immigration and refugees that the President is expected to sign. If signed as written, it would ban Syrian refugees from entering our country, suspend the entire refugee program for 120 days, cut in half the number of refugees we can admit, and halt all travel from certain Muslim countries.

Having looked at the draft, I felt I had no choice but to speak out against it in the strongest possible terms.
In doing so, I want to make three points.

First, it is a cruel measure that represents a stark departure from America's core values. We have a proud tradition of sheltering those fleeing violence and persecution, and have always been the world leader in refugee resettlement. As a refugee myself who fled the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia, I personally benefited from this country’s generosity and its tradition of openness. This order would end that tradition, and discriminate against those fleeing a brutal civil war in Syria. It does not represent who we are as a country.

Second, this measure would directly harm our security interests. As you all know, the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East poses an extraordinary threat to the stability of that region and to our allies in Europe. We need to be doing more, not less, to alleviate the problem – and one important way to do that is to accept a modest number of thoroughly vetted refugees. The signing of this executive order would send a terrible signal to our allies in Europe and in the Middle East, who will now have an excuse to do less. It will also be a gift to ISIS, which has been telling Muslims around the world that the west is their enemy. I have no doubt they will use this order as propaganda to support that claim.

Third, there is no data to support the idea that refugees pose a threat. This policy is based on fear, not facts. The refugee vetting process is robust and thorough. It already consists of over 20 steps, ensuring that refugees are vetted more intensively than any other category of traveler.

The process typically takes 18-24 months, and is conducted while they are still overseas. I am concerned that this order’s attempts at “extreme vetting” will effectively halt our ability to accept anyone at all. . When the administration makes wild claims about Syrian refugees pouring over our borders, they are relying on alternative facts – or as I like to call it, fiction.
The truth is that America can simultaneously protect the security of our borders and our citizens and maintain our country’s long tradition of welcoming those who have nowhere else to turn. These goals are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, they are the obligation of a country built by immigrants.

Refugees should not be viewed as a certain burden or potential terrorists. They have already made great contributions to our national life. Syrian refugees are learning English, getting good jobs, buying homes, and starting businesses. In other words, they are doing what other generations of refugees – including my own – did. And I have no doubt that, if given the opportunity, they will become an essential part of our American fabric.

Yesterday, I tweeted about my own background. I was raised a Catholic, married an Episcopalian and then found out I was Jewish. I said in my tweet that should a registry of Muslims be instituted by this administration, I would add my name to such a list.
Such a registry is not included in the language of this order, but by targeting Muslim-majority countries for immigration bans and by expressing a clear preference for refugees who are religious minorities, there’s no question this order is biased against Muslims. And when one faith is targeted, it puts us all at risk.

When I came here as a child, I will never forget sailing into New York Harbor for the first time and seeing the Statue of Liberty. It proclaims “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” There is no fine print on the Statue of Liberty, and today she is weeping because of the actions of President Trump.

#RefugeesWelcome"


https://www.facebook.com/MadeleineKAlbright/posts/1196791023775885

January 27, 2017

What are your wishes for the year of the cock?

It begins this Saturday. Don't be fooled by the prudish headlines referring to it as the year of the rooster.

Any particular position you hope to find yourself in this year?


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/chinese-new-year-2017-fire-rooster-when-is-it-how-is-it-celebrated-what-does-it-mean-a7540546.html

January 26, 2017

Should the Monday after the Super Bowl be a holiday? Heinz says yes!

Kraft Heinz will be giving all of its salaried employees the Monday after the Super Bowl off from work, and the company hopes it becomes a trend.

If there’s a better way to reach a vast Super Bowl audience outside of a multimillion-dollar ad, then Kraft Heinz is about to find out.

The iconic ketchup maker KHC, +0.36% announced that rather than fork out the dough for one of those coveted 30-second spots, it’s giving salaried employees the next day off — that is Feb. 6, the Monday after Sunday’s NFL championship is played between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. Kraft has named and hashtagged it #smunday, in the hopes that they’ll gain some publicity and create a trend.

“It’s really all about how the Monday after the big game is one of the worst days of the year,” Nicole Kulwicki, head of brand build for Heinz told AdvertisingAge. “Nobody wants to go back to work.”

The company even started a change.org petition to “Make the Monday after the ‘Big Game’ a National Holiday!” of which over 3,000 supporters to date have signed among the 5,000 name slots requested. The petition will be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate.


http://www.marketwatch.com/story/heinz-passes-on-pricy-super-bowl-ad-gives-some-employees-a-day-off-instead-2017-01-26
January 25, 2017

Most difficult position to play in pro team sports?

I would have to go with quarterback. Gotta think quick. Gotta be mobile (some are more than others, obviously). Gotta have a good arm. Gotta be prepared to take a big hit without fumbling.

Here's a top-10 list compiled by a correspondent for Bleacher Report.

10. Center (Basketball)

9. Running Back (Football)

8. Shortstop (Baseball)

7. Midfielder (Soccer)

6. Center (Football)

5. Pitcher (Baseball)

4. Quarterback (Football)

3. Catcher (Baseball)

2. Goalie (Hockey)

1. Keeper (Soccer)

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/41526-the-10-most-difficult-positions-in-sports


What's your #1?

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