Features

When shopping around for a new laptop computer many are lost between getting a machine based on an Intel i7 or an i5 processor. Except for the minority who does not have a budget problem, the majority must weigh things seriously and decide if the extra money spent on a superfast i7 instead of a reasonably-fast i5 is worth the investment.

At entry-level we find the i3 that still does a decent job in most cases. At the very top sits the i9 that is the highest performance computer chip by Intel, provides about eight per cent more power than the i7, but is very expensive and is less commonly found.

In Jordan the average price difference between the i7 and the i5 is about JD300. Whereas this may not seem huge, it is still significant, especially when you take a global look at all your IT expenditures that also include software subscriptions, Internet bills, smartphones and others. Besides, and talking precisely about smartphones, the price of high-end models of these amazing small devices now rivals that of full-size laptop computers. A point to ponder.

Another point to take into consideration when deciding how much to spend is the useful lifetime of a laptop machine: about five years.

So what processor to choose?

In a nutshell, the i5 is a very good processor and is suitable for the majority of us, in the overwhelming number of situations. It is the way to go today, be it at home or in the office. Its latest generation is the 10th and it runs smoothly and efficiently all applications. The typical i5-based laptop sells for about JD550 in Amman. Count a little more if it is a Dell or a Lenovo, a little less if it is an Acer or an Asus.

The i5 is enough, especially if the computer is fitted with 8GB of memory or more. Indeed, having memory aplenty allows you to run several software applications at one time without “technical hiccups”, and in the end costs less than going up for a higher processor.

In a test with an i5-based laptop where MS Word, MS Excel, Google Chrome and JRiver Media Centre (music playing) were all running simultaneously, the machine worked perfectly well, without giving any sign of slowing down, or the impression that several applications were running at the same time. You rarely need more processing power.

The only precaution you would take with an i5 and when using heavyweight software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Magix Vegas video editing or advanced gaming, is to avoid running all these apps at the same time. Besides, it would be hard to focus on them all! Such software is processor-hungry, memory-hungry and even “human-mind-hungry”.

If you really need to have the above demanding software to run very fast and do not want to waste a second in your life, then an i7 or i9 would be the wise choice. If you are in this class, you probably are in the category of what is often referred to as power users, and that represents five to seven per cent of the population.

This being said, an i5 processor from the current 10th generation is as powerful as an i7 from 2015. You just have to weigh money against time. Which is nothing new under the sun.

WASHINGTON — She is quickly becoming the Internet’s favourite Donald Trump impersonator but Sarah Cooper does it without saying a word — preferring to let the president she calls her “head writer” do the talking for her. 

The former Google employee has shot to fame during the coronavirus pandemic with her trademark lip-synching of some of the US leader’s greatest hits.

Each of the Jamaican-born comedian’s homemade sketches riffs on a recent Trump soliloquy that has gained notoriety for being unintentionally amusing or perplexing. 

She parodies these unwieldy rhetorical symphonies in clips with titles that reflect Trump’s topic of choice, such as “How to Obamagate” and “How to strong death totals”.

As the United States negotiates a fraught civil rights reckoning, an election between two aging white men and a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, the videos have gone the right kind of “viral”.

And they have thrust the 40-something into the spotlight as one of the country’s most relevant and indispensable comics. 

Cooper says the clips appeal in part because they demonstrate that Trump’s more eccentric utterances are only seen as part of normal discourse because it is the president speaking.

Exhibit Number One, for Cooper: the White House coronavirus task force briefings, which resumed on Tuesday after being halted amid stinging criticism over Trump’s exaggerated claims on the public health response and his promotion of bogus treatments.

“Being a black woman, I could never get away with talking like that in a meeting, let alone as president of the United States,” she told Vanity Fair.

‘How to medical’

Cooper shot to fame on TikTok and Twitter, where her upstart impersonations garnered millions of likes just as the nation’s top comics retreated homeward to film their shows from basements and living rooms, putting her production values on par with theirs.

In “How to cognitive” Cooper lip-synchs the president in a recent Fox News interview professing to have “aced” an unspecified cognitive test, baiting Democratic rival Joe Biden whom, Trump alleges, “couldn’t pass one”.

With smug self-satisfaction, Cooper holds up proof of the completed assessment: the page of a colouring book which looks like it has been scrawled over by an ungainly toddler.

However it was a 49-second clip of Trump’s now-infamous suggestion that injecting disinfectant could help fight the coronavirus that cemented Cooper’s status.

That video instantly made her the high priestess of what has come to be known as front-facing camera comedy, a new-ish genre of lo-fi sketches using the front-facing camera of a cell phone.

The clip, “How to medical”, features Trump speaking during an April task force press briefing in which he also pondered whether bringing “light inside the body” might help combat the disease.

Cooper delivers the monologue with wild, darting eyes and the kind of power-posturing body language that simultaneously betrays an easy confidence and yet the sort of pompous swagger born of deep, unacknowledged insecurity.

“I’m envious of his abilities to sort of BS his way through life,” Cooper told MSNBC on Tuesday, adding that when imitating Trump “I feel like I’m getting just a little bit of that confidence that I wish more women had and I wish I had.”

The topics aren’t new terrain for Cooper, who had already written two books — “100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings” and “How to be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings”.

‘Close my eyes’

The videos have earned Cooper more than 1.9 million Twitter followers — a veritable who’s who of Hollywood types, politicians and influencers, from former president Barack Obama to comedians Steve Martin and Ellen DeGeneres, as well as “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” movies, recently confessed on Twitter that “I close my eyes when the real #POTUS is on TV speaking & just picture @sarahcpr. It’s really helped control my gag-reflex.”

Jerry Seinfeld has retweeted Cooper, as has actor and refugee rights activist Ben Stiller, who called her recent “How to immigration policy” clip his “favourite of all the ones that I really like that are also my favourite”.

And with November’s presidential election still more than 100 days away, there’s not likely to be a shortage of useable sound bites.

“I’ll keep on doing them as long as my head writer gives me material,” Cooper told The Los Angeles Times.

Until now, Trump impersonations have been famously dominated by actor Alec Baldwin, who portrays the president on “Saturday Night Live”.

The Hollywood celebrity “has always said he hates playing Trump... it’s hard to play someone you can’t empathise with”, Cooper told an online audience at a June Q&A.

“But I think coming at it from a lower-status, lower-power perspective it’s like ‘yeah [Trump’s] disgusting and I hate him, but I’m also like, I wish I had a little bit of the benefit of doubt that he got.’”

First introduced in 2006 as the fashion for crossover SUVs was starting to gather momentum as a chunky and assertive compact to mid-size family vehicle, the Ford Edge made significant strides forward upon the launch of the second generation model by 2015. An impressive all-rounder with plenty of convenience and comfort combined with punchy engines and good handling properties in one of the less sporty automotive segments, the Edge now receives the customary mid-life revision, with refreshed looks, improved mechanicals and updated and new tech and safety features. 

Winning the best Compact Crossover prize at the 2020 Middle East Car of the Year awards over its adventurously — and more controversially — styled Chevrolet Blazer rival, the Ford Edge’s tautly packaged and high waistline design receives four new colours and alloy wheel options, and more importantly, new bonnet and fascia designs, including a wider and classier looking new hexagonal grille. Launched in 2019, the face-lifted Edge is available in the Middle East in three trim lines sharing the same mechanicals, including the featured high spec Titanium model, plus a more powerful, sportier Edge ST variant.

Punchy and responsive

Tried and tested, the Edge’s powerful yet efficient turbocharged direct injection 2-litre four-cylinder Ecoboost engine has in different guises powered a broad range of different vehicles from the Ford Focus ST hot hatch to Jaguar luxury saloons and Land Rover SUVs. Developing 250BHP at 5,500rpm and 275lb/ft at 3,000rpm for service in the Ford Edge, the transversely-mounted 2-litre Ecoboost delivers perky and punchy performance. Carried over, the Edge’s engine is, however, mated to a new 8-speed automatic gearbox in lieu of an outgoing 6-speed dual clutch unit, for improved refinement, efficiency, flexibility and performance. 

With its prodigious engine and new gearbox — with a broader and more versatile range of gear ratios — the Edge’s 0-100km/h time has been improved from somewhere in the low 8-second range to an estimated 7.6-seconds, despite marginal weight gain to 1,870kg. Responsive from idling and quick spooling, the Edge delivers plenty of mid-range muscle for overtaking and on-the-move acceleration, while power accumulation is confidently punchy and urgent, if not too obvious under its layers of cabin refinement. Fuel consumption is meanwhile restrained given the Edge’s weight, height and performance, and is estimated at 7.5l/100km on the combined cycle.

Tidy and forgiving

Slick, smooth and quick through gears, the Edge’s gearbox channels power primarily to the front wheels in most circumstances, but power is allocated to the rear wheels for additional traction and grip when needed over loose surfaces, through corners or in moderate off-road driving. Turning tidily into corners with unexpected agility and powering out responsively and confidently, the Ford Edge’s eager character makes it feel not too different than an oversized but willing hatchback. Light but quick, the Edge’s electric-assisted steering is direct, eager and delivers comparatively good road feel for its segment.

With a good compromise between ride and handling, the Edge is happy to be driven briskly through corners, and delivers good body control despite its forgiving and smooth comfort over imperfections, partly owing to its MacPherson front and integral-link rear suspension, which allows for a rigid lateral set-up along with supple vertical movements. Eager and willing when chucked into a corner, the Edge also delivers reassuring road holding. Stable at speed and sure-footed over rough highway patches, the Edge feels settled, and is well insulated from noise, harshness and vibrations, even with low profile 245/50R20 tyres.

Comfort and convenience

A smooth ride with settled rebound control, the Edge is meanwhile comfortable inside, with good front views from its hunkered down driver’s seat. With its steering set somewhat low and its seating slightly high within its hunkered down cabin, it takes a few moment to adjust to the Edge’s driving position, but once done, it is supportive, alert and ergonomic. The Edge meanwhile scores well on comfort and convenience, with lots of storage compartments, reclining rear seats, big door apertures for easy access, and a low loading height for its 1,111-litre generous boot.

Control and dash layouts are user-friendly, and now include a rotary-style gear selector, while infotainment, convenience, driver-assistance and safety features are generous across the range, and especially in Titanium specification, as driven. Included are standard post-collision braking, evasive steering assistance and active parking assistance with parallel and perpendicular functions. The Edge also features a split view 180° front monitor, pedestrian detection brake assistance, blind spot assistance, rear cross-traffic alert and lane departure warning. Titanium specification also receives a wireless charging pad, 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system, remote start and leather seats with front heating and cooling.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged, transverse 4-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 87.5 x 83.1mm

Compression ratio: 10:1

Valve-train: 16-valve, DOHC, variable valve timing, direct injection

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Ratios: 1st 4.69; 2nd 3.31; 3rd 3.01; 4th 1.92; 5th 1.45; 6th 1.0; 7th 0.75; 8th 0.62; R 2.96

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 250 (253.5) [186.4] @5,500rpm

Specific power: 125BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 133.7BHP/ton (estimate)

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 275 (373) @3,000rpm

Specific torque: 186.6Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 199.5Nm/ton (estimate)

0-100km/h: 7.6-seconds (estimate)

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.5-litres/100km

Length: 4,795mm

Width: 1,928mm

Height: 1,735mm

Wheelbase: 2,850mm

Track, F/R: 1,646/1,643mm 

Headroom, F/R: 1,021/1,023mm

Legroom, F/R: 1,082/1,031mm

Shoulder room, F/R: 1,531/1,536mm

Hip room, F/R: 1,420/1,460mm

Lift-over height: 752mm

Luggage volume, behind 2nd/1st row, liquid, to roof: 1,111-/2,078-litres

Fuel capacity: 70-litres

Kerb weight: 1,870kg (estimate)

Steering: Electric-assisted rack and pinion

Turning circle: 12-metres (estimate)

Suspension, F/R: MacPherson strut/integral-link, coil springs, anti-roll bars

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated discs, 345 x 32mm/316 x 11mm

Tyres: 245/50R20

Brain on Fire: My month of madness

Susannah Cahalan

London: Penguin Books, 2014

Pp. 284

At first glance, one might think that the title of this memoir is rather sensationalist, but halfway through the book one learns that this is how Dr Souhel Najjar, a neurologist at New York University Hospital, described Susannah Cahalan’s illness to her and her parents. At that point, they had been desperately seeking a diagnosis for over two weeks; panic was setting in as Susannah’s very life was at risk.

Cahalan was a vivacious, promising, 24-year-old journalist at The New York Post, who began having odd visual, physical and emotional symptoms and exhibiting bizarre behaviour, culminating in a seizure that led to her hospitalisation. There, she totally lost her memory, strength and dexterity. She could hardly read, write, speak clearly or walk. Most devastating was that she felt she had lost her self: “I remember only very few bits and pieces, mostly hallucinatory, from the time in the hospital… the break between my consciousness and my physical body was now finally fully complete. In essence, I was gone.” (p. 72)

In “Brain on Fire”, she describes her experience of a month at the hospital and subsequent months of a slow, but fruitful recovery process. To reclaim the month when her memory was completely erased, she relied on interviewing her parents, boyfriend, medical personnel, friends who had visited her, and hospital video footage of herself. She also did extensive research on the rare disease she suffered from: NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis. Her memories and findings were first published in a long article in The New York Post when she was able to return to work, and then formed the basis for this book. Recording her memories, bolstered by medical information on the brain, how it functions and what can go wrong, was obviously part of her healing process. Yet, her book is equally a plea for more attention to autoimmune diseases that often go undiscovered and more empathy for those who have them; she dedicates it to “those without a diagnosis”. It is amazing that so soon after her recovery, she turned her attention to others. “If it took so long for one of the best hospitals in the world to get to this step, how many other people were going untreated, diagnosed with a mental illness or condemned to a life in a nursing home or a psychiatric ward?” (p. 151)

There is much to be learned from this memoir. Despite a highly competent medical team, getting a diagnosis was one, if not the most difficult part, as experts vacillated between mononucleosis, epilepsy, various forms of psychosis and other ailments. Enter Dr Najjar who gave her a simple pencil-and-paper task: to draw a clock and place the numbers on it, which enabled him to locate the source of her problem in the right hemisphere of her brain. Without underestimating the importance of technology, this shows we should not neglect simple, tried-and-true methods. 

The other crucial element in Najjar’s approach was that he reawakened Susannah’s nearly deleted sense of self and self-confidence. As she writes, “Then he did something none of the other doctors had done: Najjar redirected his attention and spoke directly to me, as if I was his friend instead of his patient… He had an intense sympathy for the weak and powerless, which, as he told me later, came from his own experience as a little boy growing up in Damascus,” when his intellectual abilities had been severely underestimated by his parents and teachers alike, until a perceptive teacher took a special interest in him. “His own story carried with it a moral that applied to all of his patients: he was determined never to give up on any of them.” (pp. 128-9)

Until then, only Susannah’s parents and boyfriend had shown that kind of personal devotion, spending unlimited time with her and constantly looking for her old self beyond the disconcerting symptoms she displayed. Their support looms large in the factors that facilitated her recovery. The fact that she was seamlessly welcomed back to her job at The New York Post was also important.

The overarching lesson in Susannah’s story is the need for breaking down the barriers between psychology and neurology, “urging for one uniform look at mental illnesses as the neurochemical diseases that they are… Dr Najjar, for one, is taking the link between autoimmune diseases and mental illness one step further: through his cutting-edge research, he posits that some forms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression are actually caused by inflammatory conditions in the brain”. (p. 225)

Connections are also being found between autism and autoimmune disorders, and with recent reports of the cognitive after-effects of COVID-19 on some patients, the issues raised in this book have added relevancy.

As one might expect from someone in her profession, Cahalan’s writing is impeccable. She skilfully intertwines valuable scientific information with her own perceptions and feelings. She also asks the relevant questions, approaching her own case with the sharp tools of investigative journalism. The same sparkling personality and love of life that she was able to rediscover in herself, make her book especially compelling. 

This is a must-read for anyone concerned with mental health. “Brain on Fire” is available at Legenda Bookstore.

By Ayah Murad

Clinical Dietician

Milk, yoghurt and eggs are an important source of protein, vitamins and minerals, as well as good fats. They are also particularly rich in calcium, which is essential for healthy bones. Here, we look at tips for shopping and consuming them.

Dairy options can help you meet your health goals. For example, milk and yoghurt are excellent sources of calcium and protein. We don’t need to be afraid of whole milk versions even if they are high in saturated fat; this type of fat is not stored in the body and does not lead to weight gain — dairy fat can also help us feel full.

Supermarkets now stock many different varieties of milk. The most common in Jordan is still cow’s milk, but others include sheep and goat’s milk, as well as several imported plant-based substitutes such as coconut, soy, rice, oat and almond milk, which are good choices for those with lactose intolerance. Choose the unsweetened organic option whenever possible.

Cow’s milk is categorised mainly by its fat content:

• Whole or full-fat milk contains about 3.5 per cent fat

• Semi-skimmed contains about 1.7 per cent fat

• Skimmed milk contains 0.1 to 0.3 per cent fat

Even whole milk is relatively low in fat and semi-skimmed milk can be labelled as a low-fat food. Contrary to popular belief, lowering the fat content in milk does not affect the calcium content, so an adequate calcium intake can still be obtained from lower-fat dairy products. However, low-fat milk contains less energy and lower amounts of fat-soluble vitamins and isn’t suitable for children under two years. 

Some supermarkets have now started selling milk with a 1 per cent fat content which has almost half the fat of semi-skimmed milk (low fat yet retaining a more creamy consistency). This is a good option for those who want to lower the amount of fat but still reduce the absorption of milk sugars.

Non-dairy milk

Coconut milk: A smart choice for the elderly, especially in managing and preventing Alzheimer’s disease. For a healthier heart, it helps raise the good cholesterol (HDL) and control elevated sugar level, especially when mixed in your food or hot beverages. Coconut milk also helps control body weight. Oat and rice milk: A smart choice for those with dairy or lactose intolerance. However, oat milk is not suitable for those with coeliac disease “gluten intolerance”. What makes oat or rice milk a better choice is its fibre content and most of the time its fortification with calcium and other vitamins, but that doesn’t mean it has fewer calories or is a healthier option for your heart, as it is still loaded with carbohydrates. Oat and rice milk are considered a good choice for those who want to gain weight.

Soy milk: Soy, in general, is rich in protein and female hormones, making it the best option for menopausal women. It is higher in protein than other plantbased milk. Sadly, most soy milk comes flavoured, so be aware of its sugar content and choose the organic brands.

Almond milk: A high protein option but still with less protein than regular milk. It is a smart choice for those with lactose intolerance, heart diseases, diabetes and coeliac disease. Almond milk is rich in Vitamin E which makes it a great choice for people with skin conditions, especially those with eczema and psoriasis. Also, it is a great option for people with heart disease as it is naturally low in fat.

Cheese contains the same beneficial nutrients as milk, but most cheese contains much more saturated fat and high levels of added salt, so it’s important to only eat full-fat cheese like cheddar cheese, occasionally and in small portions. Cheese, in general, is packed with casein protein. This type of protein is usually added to the supplements of bodybuilders to increase their body mass. Try to reduce your cheese consumption to once a week if you are trying to lose weight.

• Nabulsi cheese (the white square and salty cheese) is usually high in cholesterol and salt, so make sure to avoid it if you have heart disease and try to soak it in water overnight and boil it the next day to reduce its salt content. You may need to change the water several times to get rid of the saltiness

• Well-ripened sour cheese, like parmesan or blue cheese, is great for those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but not yellow cheese. Any high-fat content cheese can increase flatulence 

• The best cheese for weight loss and IBS or heart diseases is goat cheese, as it has lower amounts of lactose, sugar and fat.

Yoghurt is rich in protein and Vitamin B2. Some varieties contain living bacteria that are healthy for your digestive system (probiotics). Yoghurt can be made from whole or low-fat milk but be careful as fruit yoghurt often contains added sugar and sometimes added flavours and starch. Low-fat doesn’t necessarily mean low in calories. If you’re watching your weight, make your own yoghurt by mixing fruit with natural, low-fat, unsweetened yoghurt. Greek yoghurt is usually high in fat — always read the label.

Eggs are packed with a variety of nutrients, including protein, zinc, iron and Vitamins A, D, E and B12, but sadly lack Vitamin C. Three eggs can provide you with 20 grammes of pure protein. The old advice, to limit eggs to just a few each week, has been abandoned. There’s now no limit to the number of eggs you can eat in a week as part of a healthy balanced diet. In my opinion, to keep the variation of choice for body metabolism enhancement and a healthier body, try not to exceed three eggs a week. If you fancy starting the day with eggs, I suggest eating an egg omelette mixed with vegetables or a boiled egg topped with herbs alongside a glass of Vitamin C-rich unsweetened orange juice. This will help the body make the best use of the iron and help you digest eggs. Eggs are not suitable for those who have gallbladder stones or liver disease.

Want stronger bones?

Calcium helps build strong bones and teeth and is important for healthy blood pressure because it helps blood vessels tighten and relax when they need to. Milk and dairy products have long been considered important sources of calcium. Other sources of calcium include:

• Dried fruit

• Sesame seeds

• Almonds

• Soy 

• Dark green leafy vegetables

Calcium can continue strengthening your bones until the age of 20 to 25 — when peak bone mass is reached. After this point, your bones can only maintain or lose their density and grow weaker as a natural part of the ageing process. Inadequate dietary calcium intake before this age can increase the risk of brittle bone disease and osteoporosis, as calcium is drawn from the bones as a reserve.

But did you know that calcium is less important for developing healthy bones than Vitamin D? Also, exercise is another vital factor in maintaining healthy bone structure and density. Lack of exercise in growing children will have a detrimental effect on their bones.

Did you also know that extra calcium intake can affect your health negatively? It can weaken your bones, create kidney stones, and interfere with how your heart and brain work. Make sure to consume Vitamin K27, which is responsible for carrying calcium from the blood and tissue back to bones.

Dairy products are a rich source of calcium. The following are examples of individual servings:

• 200ml milk (whole or full-fat, semi-skimmed or skimmed) 

• 250ml calcium-fortified soy milk

• 40g hard cheese (cheddar, feta or mozzarella)

• 60g goat cheese

• 125g soft cheese (cottage cheese or labaneh

• 1 small bowl of low-fat plain or fruit yoghurt (150g)

• Fruit smoothie made with 200ml milk or 150g yoghurt

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine

NEW YORK — Celebrities, brands, leaders and ordinary people are all falling foul of “cancel culture”, a movement that seeks to call out offensive behaviour but that critics denounce as excessive and contributing to increased political polarisation.

Whether it’s a controversial tweet or video clip, social media users are quick to demand accountability — but detractors say it can amount to online shaming.

“Cancel culture” involves a concerted effort to withdraw support for the figure or business that has said or done something objectionable until they either apologise or disappear from view. 

Author JK Rowling, for comments deemed deeply insulting to transgender people; YouTuber Shane Dawson, for old videos of him in blackface; and singer Lana Del Rey, for a controversial Instagram post contrasting herself with black artists, have all been caught in the wave.

Brands are also being forced to react so as not to lose customers: for example, Uncle Ben’s and Aunt Jemima for their use of African-American mascots widely considered to be racist caricatures that have long been taboo. 

Richard Ford, a law professor at California’s Stanford University agrees that “some of the social media activism is constructive and legitimate” but also warns of “reflexive campaigns and crusades” online.

“Activism on Twitter is easy: it takes a couple of seconds to attack someone or circulate a petition to have the person fired or ostracised,” Ford told AFP.

The academic was one of roughly 150 personalities from the world of arts and sciences to sign a letter published on the Harper’s magazine website earlier this month that complained that cancel culture was restricting debate.

However, many view the movement as giving a voice to people who previously didn’t have one, allowing them to call out offensive behaviour for the first time.

Harper’s letter

“We’re no longer in a cultural moment where people who are treated unfairly can’t speak back to regressive and toxic opinions,” said University of Michigan Professor Lisa Nakamura.

“If a public figure wants to cancel transgender people, there is no reason in the world that they can’t be cancelled in return,” she added.

“Cancel culture” roared into the mainstream as part of the #MeToo movement in 2017, when many Hollywood A-listers were toppled by a wave of fury over accusations of sexual harassment and abuse with impunity.

Now, the culture is impacting discriminatory behaviour in everyday life, researchers say. 

Nakamura cites the example of Amy Cooper, a white woman filmed by a black man in Central Park in May when she told police he was threatening her and asked them to arrest him — for no legitimate reason.

The video, posted on Twitter, has been viewed some 45 million times amid widespread outrage, and Cooper was quickly fired as her company tried to distance itself from the anger.

“’Cancel culture’ is what happens when victims of racism and sexism stop keeping their perpetrators’ secrets,” Nakamura told AFP.

But Keith Hampton, professor of media and information at Michigan State University, says that if the movement is intentionally about trying to harm people, then it’s “less positive.”

The authors of the Harper’s letter warned that the radicalisation of “cancel culture” was constricting the “free exchange of information and ideas.”

Critics dismissed the letter as powerful people — several of whom had been cancelled themselves after using their platforms to express controversial or offensive opinions — complaining of backlash when people disagree with them.

Ford, at Stanford, says social media “encourages provocations and expressions of outrage and is almost completely incapable of conveying nuance.”

“Sometimes the goal is simply emotional satisfaction at taking someone down,” said Ford.

‘Us versus them’

Hampton, from Michigan State, says “guilt and social shaming don’t really change opinions very successfully”, adding that that part of the movement is likely to increase the polarisation of American society.

Ford says it is President Donald Trump who fuelled “cancel culture” by attacking individuals and groups he wanted to discredit — such as the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Trump’s intolerance and bigotry has inspired similar behaviour from his followers on the right, and that has in turn provoked a counter-reaction from progressives,” said Ford.

“There’s increasingly a sort of ‘us versus them’ attitude where it’s seen as justified and even necessary to be just as dogmatic and unyielding as one’s ideological enemies.”

Nakamura believes the phenomenon can be problematic when it divides a social movement or “targets people inaccurately” but says, ultimately, it’s “an important force for change”.

“The Black Lives Matter movement would have looked very different were it not for the documentation of everyday racism in Walmarts, on jogging and bike paths, and in other public spaces,” she concluded.

LOS ANGELES — Movie legend Clint Eastwood filed two lawsuits on Wednesday seeking millions of dollars in damages from several CBD manufacturers and marketers that claimed or made it look like he endorsed their products.

The multiple Oscar-winning actor-turned-director, 90, said in one of the lawsuits filed in Los Angeles federal court that three CBD companies used fake news articles featuring photos of Eastwood and attributing quotes to him to promote and sell cannabidiol (CBD) products.

"In truth, Mr Eastwood has no connection of any kind whatsoever to any CBD products and never gave such an interview," states the lawsuit, which claims defamation.

"By this action, Mr Eastwood seeks to hold accountable the persons and entities that wrongfully crafted this scheme, spread false and malicious statements of facts about him, and illegally profited off of his name and likeness," the lawsuit adds.

The three CBD companies accused of coming up with the phony articles that first surfaced last year were named as Sera Labs Inc, Greendios and For Our Vets LLC.

The lawsuit also says that the three companies sent spam emails with the subject line "Clint Eastwood Exposes Shocking Secret Today."

The body of the emails purported to show an interview — which never took place — with NBC's Today show.

The second lawsuit targets 10 companies and individuals in various US states that are accused of using programming code to insert the actor's name in hidden metatags in order to direct online searches to their webpage.

"By using Mr Eastwood's name in hidden metatags, defendants have figuratively posted a sign with Mr Eastwood's trademark in front of their online store to attract customers and caused the consuming public to believe that Mr Eastwood is associated with and/or endorsed... defendants' CBD products, when no such association actually exists," the court document states.

The "Dirty Harry" actor made clear in both lawsuits that he would not sit by and allow his name or image to be used to sell CBD products.

Like many of his most famous characters, Mr Eastwood is not afraid to confront wrongdoing and hold accountable those that try to illegally profit off his name or likeness," the documents say.

Eastwood is seeking millions of dollars in damages and has also asked the court to order the companies to give up all income, profits and benefits resulting from their conduct.

The companies and individuals named in the two lawsuits could not be immediately reached for comment.

Managing your time with the large number of digital devices and apps around you has become an issue per se. There is no one to teach you how, you have to figure it out for yourself. Technology claims that it is here to save you time. This is true to a great extent — provided you have the system under control and are not controlled by it.

We love it when online banking lets us cut transportation cost and avoid traffic jams, or when Google maps nicely and quickly takes us to a location we have never been to before. We hate it when the latest and major upgrade of Windows 10 takes four hours to complete and then forces us to reinstall some software applications that otherwise used to work smoothly and never asked for reinstallation in the first place.

Notifications that are sent from various apps or subscriptions to your smartphone or even to your computer, are now taking more than their share of our time. Netflix, your bank, your phone operator, your supermarket, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Messenger, Careem taxi, the list goes on and on… they all have something important to tell you, almost every day, when it is not several times a day.

They like to do it by sending you a notification, these short messages that come with a sound, pop up on your screen and reach you immediately, but are more invasive than emails.

Of course you can set the notification to come to your device without a sound, which somewhat alleviates the pain. Or you can programme a sound of your own, one you like and find less invasive, though this would take extra work, time and effort. You can also naturally turn off the notification completely, which probably is the best thing to do, but then you have to do it for each app, one by one. For annoyingly enough, apps come to you with their notification setting turned on by default.

Moreover, each time you have a major upgrade of your operating system, be it Windows, Android or iOS, and each time the app itself receives an update, the notification setting may turn itself on again, without asking for your kind approval. You have to restart all over again the process of disabling them one by one.

Unless you like receiving notifications from your beloved apps. There is no law against it, and it certainly is not the worst thing that digital technology can do to you.

Taming apps notifications and making them work to your liking is but one example of learning how to better live with technology in general, and with software and online applications in particular. Optimising time is the key issue here. Some of us have more time than others, and others do enjoy playing with their settings more than the common mortal. You just have to make things work the way you like in the end.

LA CIOTAT, France — When Europeans retreated into their homes to observe strict stay-at-home rules to contain the coronavirus, dolphins and whales on the Mediterranean coast basked and thrived in a hitherto unknown calm.

But the return of tourists, noisy boats and heavy sea transport with the end of lockdowns in France and other Mediterranean littoral countries has signalled the return of danger and harm caused by human activity for underwater creatures.

Nowhere is this more true then in the crystalline waters outside France’s second biggest city of Marseille, a nature reserve important for wildlife but also thronged with day-trippers in the summer season.

“As soon as the pleasure boaters came back, we saw footage that really annoyed us,” said Marion Leclerc from the conservationist organisation Souffleurs d’Ecume (Sea Foam Blowers).

In one video, three teenagers jump from a boat close to a finback whale while wearing snorkelling masks, which is dangerous for both animal and human, said Leclerc. 

“We’re speaking of an animal that weighs 70 tonnes,” she lamented.

“Many forget that the Mediterranean is also a home, where animals rest, feed and reproduce,” Leclerc said.

The Mediterranean Sea is home to more than 10,000 species, despite only amounting to 1 per cent of the Earth’s oceans.

But the sea which separates Africa from Europe draws 25 per cent of marine traffic.

Heavy traffic increases the risk of fatal collision with the sea mammals.

“It’s the first cause of non-natural mortality for big cetaceans,” said Leclerc.

Reduce speed

Out of the 87 marine mammals in the world registered by the UN, 21 have been spotted in the Mediterranean. Most of them are considered at risk of extinction.

On a bright summer’s morning, a group of fifty striped dolphins splash around an inflatable blue speedboat off La Ciotat bay a short boat ride from Marseille.

“We need to reduce our speed and place ourselves parallel to their trajectory to avoid cutting their path. They come and play if they want to,” said Laurene Trudelle, at the helm of the boat belonging to the scientific research group GIS3M.

The lockdown brought maritime traffic to an almost complete standstill, giving dolphins and whales the opportunity to explore areas from which they are normally kept at bay by tourists. 

All scientific studies were put on hold in the Mediterranean during lockdown, but marine drone manufacturer Sea Proven got the necessary authorisation and funds from Prince Albert II of Monaco to continue observations in the Pelagos Sanctuary, a marine area protected by Italy, Monaco and France.

‘Reversible pollution’

Bioacoustics researchers from a Toulon University team who analysed Sea Proven’s data, observed a 30 decibel decrease in noise on the coastal areas as a result of the total lack of pleasure boaters.

And the silence allowed the aquatic creatures to interact in areas between two and six times as large, said researcher Herve Glotin.

“The lockdown period showed that we really are responsible for the noise in the bays and that this pollution is completely reversible,” Glotin said.

“When you think that reducing boats’ speed by 10 per cent in areas highly populated with marine mammals would be enough to significantly decrease sound pollution and the risk of collision,” Glotin added.

The Quiet Sea research project also saw the amount of hydrocarbon — the principal component of petrol — halve during lockdown. 

“It’s really good for biodiversity, so indirectly for all of the food chain,” said Glotin.

No binding international law obliges ship-owners to preserve marine mammals’ natural habitat. 

But since 2017, France requires boats that are over 24 metres in the Pelagos Sanctuary to have onboard equipment which detects the animals.

That a automobile maker as hallowed as Rolls Royce would jump on the SUV bandwagon was as sure to raise some eyebrows as it was an irresistible potential cash cow for all high-end luxury manufacturers.

However, many naysayers had seemed to forget that the storied British brand’s cars were not always strangers to rough terrain, demanding usage and inhospitable conditions.

In fact Rolls Royce cars, have in the distant past, seen wartime action, most notably including nine lightly modified cars serving with T.E. Lawrence’s units during the Great Arab Revolt.

Launched late 2018 as a 2019 model, the high tech Rolls Royce Cullinan maybe a far cry from the stripped down, tough as nails and uncomplicatedly rugged warhorses of Lawrence’s campaigns, but is instead a capable off-road driver with the same ultra-luxurious appointment, ride, experience and cache expected of a contemporary Rolls Royce car. An even more luxurious, exclusive and expensive alternative to a Range Rover or Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the Cullinan effectively competes in a segment of two, alongside the Bentley Bentayga, from its erstwhile pre-1998-2003 era sister, and now arch-rival brand.

Upright aesthetic

Called a “high-bodied all-terrain car” by Rolls Royce rather than the ubiquitous term SUV, the Cullinan’s squared off, upright and high riding, high waistline design lends itself very well to the brand’s core design aesthetic, not to mention that even Rolls Royce’s regular cars are already higher, bigger and more upright than most cars, and some crossovers on the road. Certainly a car that needs to be taken in up close to be properly appreciated, the Cullinan is equally elegant and brutal in its demeanour and lines, and feature’s Rolls Royce’s large temple-like grille contrasting with more subtle body surfacing.

Rolls Royce’s first five-door wagon body and off-road oriented production car, the Cullinan combines elements of tough off-roader visual hints with conservatively elegant design themes, and while it isn’t quite as immensely sized as it looks in pictures, its proportions are still imposing. Powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 under its rising and descending ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ statuette, the Cullinan shares not just its velvety smooth yet abundantly forceful large displacement engine, but also architectural elements, gearbox, plenty of electronics, design theme and lightweight aluminium construction, with the brand’s flagship second generation Phantom model.

Silky smooth abundance

A near silent powerhouse with relatively low turbo boost, the Cullinan’s enormous V12 is virtually lag-free from idling speed and develops its full 

627lb/ft torque twisting force by just 1,600rpm to deliver effortlessly abundant versatility. Progressive and willing to rev hard, the Cullinan does its best work at a relatively low-revving range, with its 563BHP maximum unleashed at only 5,000rpm. Instantly responsive in hauling the Cullinan’s not insubstantial 2,660kg mass, its progressive power delivery is, however, underlayed with a richly forceful and aurally stealthy, yet ever-present and seemingly indefatigable tsunami of torque.

Whisper quiet as it goes about its business briskly, one can pick up on the Cullinan’s sweet soaring V12 song at full tilt high-rev runs. The first four-wheel-drive Rolls, the Cullinan transmits power to its permanent system through a slick and smooth shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox, and can vary power between front and rear to allow it to pounce from standstill to 1000km/h in just 5.2-seconds. Top speed is meanwhile electronically governed to 250km/h and combined fuel consumption is 15l/100km. Thirsty in absolute terms, this is, however, restrained for a vehicle this tall, heavy and powerful.

Supple and sophisticated

Gliding along with a trademark Rolls Royce “waft”, the Cullinan’s ride quality is akin to a magic carpet, despite enormous low profile 255/45R22 tyres. Supple in how its irons out imperfections with a distinctly soft edge, the Cullinan’s highly comfortable, yet reassuringly stable and planted, ride quality is largely down to its front double wishbone and rear multilink adaptive air suspension, which makes constant adjustments in response to inputs from a stereo camera that reads the road ahead. Featuring strengthened driveline components for off-roading, the Cullinan’s air suspension also raises ride height to allow 540mm water fording.

Highly accomplished in ride comfort, compliance and composure, the Cullinan is no one trick pony, and proved surprisingly adept in its agility and handling traits during test drive. Nimbler than its height and weight suggest, the Cullinan may lean somewhat through hard driven corners, but its adaptive air suspension and electrically actuated anti-roll bars automatically adjust for tauter body control and softer ride comfort on road, or longer wheel travel off-road. Meanwhile, variable four-wheel-steering effectively shortens the wheelbase by turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction at low speed for better agility and turn-in.

Opulent appointment

At speed, the Cullinan’s four-wheel-steering turns the rear wheels in the same direction as the front, to effectively lengthen its wheelbase for improved stability and lane change responses. With light yet accurate steering and plenty of road-holding, driving the Cullinan is just as reassuring as riding in its opulent, richly appointed and highly refined cabin. Providing plenty of space in front and rear, the Cullinan offers a commandingly high driving position behind its long and high bonnet, with good front visibility, while, numerous driver assistance and safety systems are at work in the background.

Swathed in finest leathers, wood, metals and thick padded soft textures crafted to create an elegantly rich, secluded and enveloped environment, the Cullinan’s spacious cabin features upright seating and Rolls Royce touches like rear-swinging rear “coach” doors, thin steering column-mounted gear selection stalk and power dial in lieu of a rev counter. Designed for practical family use, the Cullinan features either a folding three-seat rear bench or individual seats with a luggage compartment glass partition to protect passengers from external elements. Its horizontally split tailgate meanwhile opens to reveal optional electrically-operated pop-up al fresco viewing seats.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 6.75-litre, twin-turbo, in-line V12-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 92 x 84.6mm

Valve-train: 48-valve, DOHC, direct injection

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 563 (571) [420] @5,000rpm

Specific power: 83.4BHP/litre

Power -to-weight ratio: 211.6BHP/tonne (unladen)

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 627 (850) @1,600rpm

Specific torque: 125.9Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight ratio: 319.5Nm/tonne (unladen)

0-100km/h: 5.2-seconds

Top speed: 255km/h (electronically governed)

Fuel economy, combined: 15-litres/100km

CO2 emissions, combined: 341g/km

Length: 5,341mm

Width: 2,000mm

Height: 1,835mm

Wheelbase: 3,295mm

Water fording: 540mm

Boot capacity, min/max: 560-/1,930-litres

Unladen / kerb weight: 2,660kg / 2,753kg

Suspension, F/R: Double wishbones / five-link, adaptive air suspension, 48V active anti-roll bars

Steering: Electric-assisted variable ratio four-wheel-steering

Brakes: Ventilated discs

Tyres: 255/45R22