Sneaking Alcohol on a Cruise

Sneaking Alcohol on a Cruise: 5 Reasons You Should Never Try It

By Gina Kramer, Associate Editor



Sneaking alcohol on a cruise has always been a popular pastime for those who are willing to break the rules to avoid paying for drinks onboard. Mainstream cruise lines prohibit passengers from bringing their own liquor, beer and other alcohol (with the exception of wine or Champagne) on ships. Why spend more money than you have to, when you can try to pull a fast one on security staff?

Many "rum runner" passengers have sneaking alcohol on a cruise down to a science, stuffing refilled mouthwash bottles and purpose-made plastic bags in their checked luggage. Some even go as far as appointing the least guilty-looking family member to do the dirty work. Grandma doesn't deserve this.

As stealthy as these rule-breakers think they are, cruise lines know all about alcohol-packing hacks. They know all the common hiding places, as well as which containers are most suspicious.

While the worst that likely will happen is a trip to the naughty room and having your prized bottle of Caribbean rum confiscated, we can think of five reasons why you shouldn't sneak alcohol on a cruise. Don't worry, rule-breakers: You can still enjoy a carefree vacation by cutting in line at the buffet and hogging as many deck chairs as your heart desires.

1. It's embarrassing.

Remember how it felt to be called down to the principal's office in grade school? Getting caught sneaking alcohol on a cruise is twice as embarrassing. Cruise lines will usually slip a note in your suitcase before it's delivered to your cabin on embarkation day, letting you know if something was confiscated. If your bag is locked, and they suspect you might have some inside, you'll be summoned to the naughty room to open it. Talk about feeling like a misbehaved child.

2. You'll get the stink eye from other passengers.

Cruisers bold enough to try sneaking alcohol in their carry-on bag will not only have to suffer through public humiliation, but also reproach from passengers who are stuck in line behind them. Waiting in line is bad enough; the last thing anyone wants is to put their vacation on hold because someone else didn't follow the rules. Even though you might be sailing with thousands of other passengers, somehow the people you annoyed at security will be the ones you run into over and over onboard.



3. You could end up losing money.

If you dropped $10 to $30 on purpose-made containers to sneak alcohol on a cruise, you'll lose all that money -- plus whatever you spent on the booze inside -- when you get caught. If you opt to hide bottles in your suitcase instead, whether or not you'll see those bottles again depends on the cruise line. Some might confiscate it indefinitely, while others will hold on to it until the end of the cruise. As you're likely going to pay for drinks once your stash is gone, you'll end up spending more money after a failed smuggling attempt.

4. You're under 21.

Generally speaking, 21 is the minimum drinking age on any cruise that begins in a U.S. home port. (An exception is Norwegian Sky, sailing out of Miami, which allows young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 to consume alcohol with a legal parent or guardian.) Underage passengers who try to sneak alcohol onboard face the same repercussions as anyone else; the booze will get confiscated. The only difference is they won't get it back at the end of the cruise. If you do make it through, you put yourself at a high risk for hurting yourself or others (for example, with alcohol poisoning, falls and sexual assault). Cruise lines reserve the right to disembark passengers who violate their alcohol policies, so obey the rules and avoid sticky situations. Age limits are in place for a reason.



5. You can bring wine or Champagne instead.

Most cruise lines let you to bring at least one bottle (typically 750ml) of wine or Champagne onboard. (Some even allow bottled water, cans of soda and juice, no questions asked.) Although corkage fees might apply if you decide to drink your own bottle in the main dining room or a specialty restaurant, you can save money by enjoying the wine in your cabin. If you do bring your wine to dinner, the corkage fee is often around $15, cheaper than purchasing a bottle or several wines by the glass. You also get to enjoy whatever red, white or rose you please.

Todays HaHa

Bug Out Bag

13 Things You Need in Your Bug Out Bag

This handy checklist will help you make a bug out bag for any emergency.

Backdoor Survival - Flickr CC

By Timothy Dahl

The first step in preparing for an emergency situation that may require you to quickly leave your home, is setting up a disaster kit, or what's often know as a "bug out bag." In the case of a flood or fire, you may only have minutes to grab what you need and go—which is why having a bug out bag that is packed and stored in an easy-to-reach and known location can be vital to your safety.

Choose a sturdy bag that is easy to carry either as a backpack or slung over your shoulder. You may need to walk long distances with it. It's also helpful to keep items stored in their own containers so when you need something immediately you won't have to dig into a black hole of gear.

Here's a list of things to pack if you want to be prepared for a few hours or days aways from help or your home.

1. Important documents like copies of insurance policies, identification, bank records, medical records, copies of deeds
2. Prescriptions medication and extra eyeglasses
3. Mini first-aid kit containing bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin
4. Cash, several hundred dollars in small denominations
5. A prepaid phone card
6. Matches in waterproof container
7. Flashlight and extra batteries
8. Chargers and cables for phone and personal electronics
9. Whistle to signal for help
10. Portable NOAA weather radio (battery or hand-crank powered)
11. Food (e.g., granola, nuts) and bottled water
12. Extra set of keys for your home and car
13. Infant/child necessities

Entertainment News

Ben Affleck steps away from directing solo Batman movie

Actor, director, writer and producer Ben Affleck. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

By Josh Rottenberg
Contact Reporter

Ben Affleck, who was set to star in and direct a planned solo Batman movie for Warner Bros., has decided not to helm the project after all, though he remains committed to reprise his role as the Dark Knight.

“There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions,” the actor-turned-filmmaker said in a statement on Monday. “Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require. Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film. I am still in this, and we are making it, but we are currently looking for a director. I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.”

Warner Bros. has positioned Affleck — who first played the Caped Crusader in last year’s “Batman v Superman” and recently finished work on the upcoming “Justice League” — as a key creative figure in both onscreen and behind the scenes as it builds out its DC Comics movie universe.

Still, his decision was not entirely unexpected. In recent months, Affleck had expressed hesitation about taking on such a high-stakes project as a director, noting the difficulty of living up to the standards set by Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster “Dark Knight” trilogy.

“I think those are still the best superhero movies that have ever been made, so you’re following in big footsteps,” Affleck told The Times in an interview last month. “And there’s a huge amount of attention and a huge amount of risk, so there’s no real reason to do that unless you have a story you’re dying to tell.

“If it’s not good enough, I’m not going to direct it,” he continued. “If we don’t get it there, I’m not just going to go, ‘Well, it’s kind of crummy but I should do it anyway just because I’m here.’ It’s not a movie to make just to make it. Because you’ll just get destroyed if it’s not great. The bar is so high.”

Affleck, whose 2012 historical drama “Argo” won the Oscar for best picture, may be feeling particularly gun-shy after his most recent directorial effort, the period gangster drama “Live by Night,” failed to connect with audiences. (The movie has grossed just $10 million.) The critical lashing received by “Batman v Superman” has ramped up the pressure that much higher.

Warner Bros., which also released “Live by Night” as well as last year’s Affleck-starring action thriller “The Accountant,” maintains a close relationship with the star. In a statement, the studio said that “Warner Bros. fully supports Ben Affleck’s decision and remains committed to working with him to bring a standalone Batman picture to life.”

Tentatively titled “The Batman,” the solo Batman film does not yet have a release date.

While Warner Bros. searches for a new director for the film, it remains to be seen what Affleck will decide to direct himself next. But speaking to The Times last month, he said he feels a strong tug these days toward smaller, more intimate fare, referencing films like the Oscar-nominated drama “Manchester by the Sea,” which was developed under the banner of Pearl Street Films, the production company he co-founded with Matt Damon.

“There’s an appeal to getting to do that real storytelling where it doesn’t have to be bound by, ‘You can’t do this, you can’t say that, conventional wisdom dictates…’ ” Affleck said. “The idea of totally being unfettered by any of the stuff that comes with money and IPs, doing something completely new and fresh — that’s the other appeal to me.”

Tues Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with Pastor Merritt

The second purpose of miracles is revelation. One of the greatest miracles Jesus performed was exorcism, which is casting demons out of people. On one occasion He said to the Pharisees,

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28)

The miracles of Jesus proved not only that the Kingdom of God has now come, but that the God of the Kingdom has now come.

The one thing that Jesus did that drove the Pharisees nuts and eventually got Him crucified was His claiming to be God. In fact, it almost got Him killed before the cross. Listen to this story in John 10.

“The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.’” (John 10:31-33)

Jesus had just said, “I and the Father are One.” To any Jew that was blasphemy to claim that you were one with, or equal to God! These Pharisees pick up a bunch of stones and said to Jesus, “We are going to rock your world.” Listen to what Jesus says,

“If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” (John 10:37-38)

Jesus said, “Look, if you don’t want to believe what I say fine, but at least believe what I do. If you don’t want to believe My words at least believe My works.” That is exactly what the miracles of Jesus were for – to reveal He was exactly who He said He was.

Obedience Is Uncomfortable

Obedience Is Uncomfortable, But That’s a Good Thing
By Tom Holladay

“When [the wise men] had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod” (Matthew 2:13-15a NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback Church.

Joseph and Mary had to let a lot of things go because of their faith journey. They left everything they knew when they headed to Egypt. And in one sense, what they were sacrificing was their comfort at the deepest level.

It is often uncomfortable to trust God and follow his plan because we get comfortable with the wrong things. We get comfortable with our little habits and rituals, the things that get us stuck where we are instead of getting us to where God wants to grow us.

If you commit your health to God, it will probably mean giving up some of your favorite foods. If you commit your finances to God, it will probably mean cutting back on your spending.

It’s uncomfortable to break a habit. It’s uncomfortable to face a fear. It’s uncomfortable to go somewhere you’ve never been before or forgive someone who has hurt you. But growth and change always come through doing those uncomfortable things, and that’s good.

But if we don’t make those choices, we will continue to hold on to something that makes us feel comfortable and end up turning our back on God, who is the source of comfort.

The Bible says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3 NIV).

I invite you, like never before, to recognize that God is the God of all comfort. And in those moments when you want to turn back to that old habit, that old way of thinking that pulls you off track, turn to God and say, “God, give me your comfort.”

Controlled By Darkness

Controlled By Darkness

By Touching Lives

“Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” John 8:34

Numbers 32:23 says, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” This statement is not only true because it’s in the Bible; it’s in the Bible because it’s true. You cannot win the game of sin. It will beat you every time. The skeletons never stay in the closet.

According to John 8:34, the danger of entering the dark side of sin is becoming a slave of the dark side…being controlled by sin. If you don’t believe that, ask the alcoholic for whom alcohol has become handcuffs from which he cannot be freed. Ask the adulterer whose marriage has been destroyed and whose life has been ruined because he sacrificed his family on the altar of lust. Ask the purveyor of pornography whose mind and eyes are now trapped in a sea of sexual images from which he cannot escape. Ask the bitter person whose anger and hatred pulls a dark shade over every sunny day.

Sin will always find you out. It could be in your body through a sexually transmitted disease, which are caught every 45 seconds in this country. Sin could find you out in your conscience through the ghost of guilt that follows you everywhere you go. Many women face a problem known as P.A.S., Post Abortion Stress Syndrome. It is a mental health problem being discovered 5-9 years after a woman has had an abortion. Symptoms vary; but studies have shown that more than 60% of women experience frequent crying, the inability to communicate, sexual inhibitions, suicidal tendencies, and increased alcohol and drug use. Between 80-100% suffer from feelings of grief, sadness, loss, depression, anger, guilt, and low self-worth. Sin is not in a hurry. Sooner or later, though, it will become the star witness against you.

The point is this: Sin is like kudzu. If you leave it unchecked and unconfessed it will spread its nasty tentacles of darkness until it grips your heart, soul, and mind. It will choke all of the joy and hope out of your life. The longer it is given to grow, the deeper the roots will get until you are suffocating in its darkness.

As you are reading these words, you may be suffering from the consequences of your sin. You may be living in a personal hell of darkness where your sin holds you captive. The Good News is there is forgiveness and freedom for you at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. God is not here to put you on a guilt trip. He is here to lavish you with His grace in Jesus Christ.

Riddle of the Week

Riddle of the Week: Crossing a Sketchy Rope Bridge in the Middle of the Night

Difficulty level: Moderate

By Jay Bennett

Here is the second in a series of weekly riddles from your puzzle-loving nerds at Popular Mechanics. This week's riddle is a little trickier than last week's, The Farmer's Dilemma, but the two are similar in concept and the solutions have some things in common. So check out last week's riddle if you haven't already—especially if you are struggling with this one, because solving last week's will get you on the right track.

PROBLEM

You've taken a job as a researcher in a remote and mysterious laboratory high in the Swiss Alps. Late one night, while you're working in the lab, you hear a loud crash just before the lab assistant bursts through the door, fleeing from the outstretched arms of a reanimated corpse. You and the lab assistant manage to get out into the hallway and bar the door shut behind you. Rounding a corner, you bump into the janitor and the old professor who oversees the lab work. They tell you that you must escape through an emergency exit at the back of the building that hasn't been used in years, as the front entrance has been overrun with zombies.

You grab a flashlight and flee with your three companions out the rear emergency exit, into the darkness and down a hill before you arrive at a dilapidated rope bridge with fraying ropes and missing footboards. The bridge spans a wide gorge, and a fall means certain death, but it's your only method of escape. You hear the zombies crash through the emergency exit of the lab, and the professor quickly estimates that they will arrive at the foot of the bridge, where you are standing, in 17 minutes.

Because the bridge is so worn and weathered, only two people can cross at once. Because it is pitch dark out with no moon to light your way, one person must come back across the bridge with the flashlight after they have crossed to allow anyone else to cross. And because the bridge is so rickety, you need to get everyone all the way across before the zombies arrive. (They'll run out onto the bridge and collapse it, so even if you're most of the way across when they reach the foot of the bridge, you'll die.)

You are a spry young researcher, and it only takes you 1 minute to dash across the bridge. The lab assistant is a bit slower, and it takes her 2 minutes to cross the bridge. The janitor managed to twist his ankle coming down the hill, so it will take him 5 minutes to cross. And the professor is an hunched old man with arthritis—it takes him a full 10 minutes to cross the bridge.

How do you get everyone across the bridge to safety in 17 minutes or less?

The Short Version: Four people are trying to cross a sketchy rope bridge in the middle of the night. Only two can cross at a time. They only have one flashlight, and so one person must bring it back across the bridge to the starting side before anyone else can cross. One person takes 1 minute to cross, another takes 2 minutes to cross, another takes 5 minutes to cross, and the last person takes 10 minutes to cross. Hypothetically, if the 2-minute person and the 5-minute person crossed together, that would take a total of 5 minutes (but someone needs to bring the flashlight back, resulting in 7 minutes spent if the 2-minute person returns with the light). Everyone needs to get across in 17 minutes or less, otherwise they will be ripped apart and consumed by zombies.

HINT

Are you sure you want a hint? Here it is:

The first assumption that many people make when attempting to solve this riddle is that the 1-minute person shuttles everybody across, returning with the flashlight every time. This is incorrect. There is a faster way.

Avoid Jet Lag

How to Avoid Jet Lag, According to an Airline Pilot

Travelers rely on airline pilots to be alert while they are flying, for obvious reasons. But because pilots spend their days (and nights) flying across all kinds of time zones, managing jet lagis practically a job requirement. You have to train for it, R.J. DutchDeutschendorf, System Chief Pilot at Southwest Airlines, shared with T+L.

Pilots simply dont have the luxury of sleeping off jet lag-induced exhaustion, so learning to handle it is much more than just a 9-to-5 obligationits a lifestyle. Pilots have to know how to deal with fatigue, which is why at Southwest we incorporate in our training things that pilots can do about jet lag, said Deutschendorf.
Deutschendorf was willing to pass along some of the tips hes learned in his years as a pilot and offer tips to civilians who are making their way across the friendly skies.

Stay hydrated.

Being hydrated is one of the best things you can do for anyone who travels, Deutschendorf says. The number one beverage is water. Soft drinks, sugary juices, or diet sodas will not do nearly as well of a job, so we recommend crews drink as much water as possible, first and foremost.

Limit caffeine intake.

Many travelers rely on coffee as a bridge to cope with jet lag, but Southwest recommends that pilots keep their coffee fixes to a minimum. We try to limit the amount of caffeineor recommended caffeinethat a crew member takes in, said Deutschendorf. When youre a pilot and you do get fatigued, that half a cup of coffee will affect you more. It will keep you more alert, as opposed to somebody who drinks coffee all day long and becomes immune to it.
In short, they recommend that pilots save the caffeine boost for when they really need it. Dont overuse caffeine, but use it as necessary to stay alert, explained Deutschendorf.

Watch your diet.

The benefits of eating wholesome foods have been well documented, but Deutschendorf believes that a healthy diet can also help alleviate jet lag and exhaustion. We recommend eating a well-balanced diet, he said. Keep the sugar to a minimum so you dont experience highs and the crashes afterwards. Eat protein, fruit, vegetables, and some carbsbut not too many because you dont want that crash.

Get consistent rest.

Deutschendorf admits that getting to bed at the same time each night can be hard for crew members who fly into a new time zone each night. Despite the constantly changing clock, he thinks its important to try and get a good nights rest, regardless of jet lag. You have to make adjustments and allowances, said Deutschendorf. It depends on your body clock.

On U.S. domestic flights, flight crews are not allowed to nap on the flight deck, according to Deutschendorf, which is why its so important that pilots get a good nights sleep before getting on the plane.

Go easy on alcohol.

Pilots arent drinking in the cockpit, but Deutschendorf recommends passengers go easy on the in-flight cocktails, tooespecially on long haul flights. The effects of the alcohol are about double what they would be at sea level, said Deutschendorf. Passengers should be aware of that. Its going to make you more fatigued and disrupt your rest cycles.

Sleep on the plane.

Dont be surprised if you feel fatigued on a plane ride, because the air has less oxygen in it than you might be used to, according to Deutschendorf. When youre flying at 35 or 39 thousand feet, the amount of oxygen in the cabin is far less than it is down at sea level, he says. Youre naturally going to get fatigued. While pilots need to stay awake and alert, Deutschendorf says, travelers can just close their eyes and rest. Plus, sleeping on the plane means arriving at your destination with fresh eyes, which is always a plus.

Is Edge Safer Than Chrome or Firefox?

Is Microsoft Edge Really Safer than Chrome or Firefox?

Microsoft is heavily pushing their Windows 10-exclusive browser, Edge. Ads built into Windows 10 are now claiming that Edge is “safer” than Chrome and Firefox. How did Microsoft determine that, and is it really true?

Microsoft’s claim is based on a report by NSS Labs, a business that sells threat intelligence and risk mitigation guidance to companies. The report tested 304 examples of Socially Engineered Malware (SEM) and phishing pages. They found that SmartScreen, a security feature in Edge, blocked 99% of the SEM samples. Chrome blocked 85.8%, and Firefox blocked 78.3%.

SmartScreen Is Just Part of the Picture

To understand what this means, you need to understand how SmartScreen works. Microsoft SmartScreen was first introduced in Internet Explorer 7 as “Phishing Filter,” and has been improved upon in each release since. Chrome and Firefox have similar warnings, but nothing quite like the bright red pages in Edge. These features check web pages and applications against lists of known good and bad items. So NSS Labs’ test essentially found that when it comes to malware and phishing pages, Microsoft has better lists.



But SmartScreen is only one part of a browser’s security. While tools like SmartScreen are helpful, they should hardly be your only line of defense. You should still be using a good antivirus program in conjunction with something like MalwareBytes to protect yourself if something slips through, or if something comes from another attack vector. Those programs often come with their own blockers, too, as shown below.



So yes, Edge may “block 21% more Socially Engineered Malware,” but that doesn’t mean it’s 21% more secure, or that security is even quantifiable. There’s a lot more going on in modern web browsers to keep you safe.

The Other Security Features That Matter

With that in mind, let’s talk about some of the other security features you’ll find in modern browsers, and how Edge stacks up to Chrome and Firefox.

Sandboxing

Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome have both fully implemented sandboxing tech. Sandboxes break up each component of the browser—tabs, windows, and plugins, for example—into individual processes. These processes are prohibited from interacting with each other or with outside processes, making it much more difficult for malicious code to spread across your computer.

Splitting a browser into several processes can also improve performance with modern multi-core processors, though it comes at the expense of higher RAM usage.

Firefox, on the other hand, launched in 2004, when the concept of sandboxing was very new. Right now, it only sandboxes media plugins, but Mozilla is working on Electrolysis, a project to make Firefox multi-process and sandbox the browser. Unlike Internet Explorer, though, which was able to introduce sandboxing in version 10, Firefox had to worry about maintaining compatibility with almost 13 years of extensions, which is why this transition has been so slow.

So when it comes to sandboxing, Edge definitely has an edge (pun intended) over Firefox, but it’s on pretty level ground with Chrome.

Automatic Updates

Ever wonder why your browser updates so often? Developers are constantly patching to fix security flaws. Of course, only users who install the updates are protected. Automatic updates help ensure that most people run current, protected versions of the web browser.

Google Chrome is the poster child for automatic software updates. They are installed quickly and quietly when users close the web browser. Firefox introduced a similar silent updates feature in 2012.

Microsoft Edge updates automatically as well, although those patches are delivered through Windows Update. (This is one of the big reasons you shouldn’t turn off automatic Windows updates.) There’s one downside to Edge’s approach, though: Windows updates generally come at a slower rate than Chrome or Firefox’s browser-only updates, and you must restart your computer for Edge’s updates to take effect. Microsoft has said that in the future, they will start delivering some Edge updates through the Windows Store, which will help ensure Edge users stay up to date.

Privacy Protection

All three major web browsers feature some sort of privacy mode (InPrivate on Edge, Incognito on Chrome, and Private Browsing on Firefox). When the privacy window is closed, all history, cookies, and cached data is removed, leaving nothing behind on your computer. However, this doesn’t prevent websites or advertisers from tracking you.

Firefox has a clearer advantage in this area. In 2015, Firefox introduced Tracking Protection, which removes known tracking elements from pages visited in Private Browsing.

In addition, the Tor Browser is based on Firefox’s source code, and adds new privacy and security features to help protect the anonymity of its users. Because it uses the same code base, it’s possible to port changes back from TOR to Firefox. Called the “uplift” program, the two teams started working closely together in 2016. First Party Isolation is the first anti-tracking feature brought from Tor to Firefox, with more in the pipeline.

It’s also worth noting that unlike Google and Microsoft, Firefox does not make money from tracking users or selling targeted ads. The larger companies are incentivized not to improve your privacy.

The Bottom Line

Right now, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have very similar security features. The claim that Edge is “safer” than Chrome merely comes from the fact that Microsoft keeps a better list of bad websites than Chrome does, though if you’re protecting yourself well with antivirus and anti-malware software, you should be pretty safe.

Mozilla Firefox is behind the other two large browsers, but is on track to catch up in 2017. It is, however, currently better at protecting your privacy, so at least it has its own advantages.

Trivia

The Giant’s Causeway Is One Of The Best Known Examples Of This Geological Phenomenon?

Lava Delta	Basalt Columns
Karst Topography	Rift Lake

Answer: Basalt Columns

Located along the coast of Northern Ireland in County Antrim, you’ll find one of the largest, and likely the best known, examples of basalt columns in the world. There, stretching along the coast near the town of Bushmills, is an exposed geological formation comprised of approximately 40,000 interlocking columns. The area is known as The Giant’s Causeway due to the local legend that claims the columns are the remains of an enormous causeway crafted by one giant to go battle another giant.

In reality, the columns were formed around 50-60 million years ago when intense volcanic activity in the region forced huge volumes of highly fluid molten basalt up through the region’s chalk beds, creating a vast lava plateau. The molten basalt cooled and contracted (much like mud in a desert cracking apart) into the columnar structures seen in the photo here.

The location is a designated World Heritage Site and considered one of the greatest natural wonders found in the United Kingdom.

Did You Know/Todays Term

Did You Know?

Babies seem to have such large eyes because humans are born with eyes approximately 75 percent of their adult size; the remaining 25 percent of growth occurs slowly between birth and the end of adolescence.

Today's Term 

Google Blips

Google Blips is a phrase used to describe flawed search engine results from Google.

Digital Footprint

What’s Your Digital Footprint?

Have you ever googled yourself? That is, have you ever gone to google.com or another search engine like bing.com and typed in your own name? No, it’s not just a habit for narcissists—it’s one way to discover at least some of what cyber criminals, potential employers, advertisers, and others can find out about you online.

This online information is also called your digital footprint, and it can include photos, social media posts and comments, videos, and much more. Some of your footprint is likely to be active, meaning that you have purposely shared the information at sites such as LinkedIn or Facebook. But other data is passive, meaning it was posted without your knowledge.

The really scary thing is that your digital footprint includes more than just information from this year. In fact, the content may go back a decade and more, including data from your high school, early jobs, college, previous jobs, and more. And it lasts after death, with obituaries and death notices available online for cyber criminals to peruse, potentially stealing names, birth dates, hometowns, and other information to support identity theft.

There are several steps you can take to reduce your digital footprint and protect your privacy. One is to spend less time and share less data online—the fewer online services you sign up for and the less you use social media, the less data is likely to end up online.

If you choose to continue using social media, be sure to look closely at the privacy controls. It’s a good idea to remove personal information such as your birthday, address, employment information, and even the names of family members, which could be used to guess answers to security questions.

When you conduct an online search of your name, you may turn up other surprises—old articles in which you were mentioned, sites that reveal your address or phone number, and much more. It can be difficult to delete this information, but you can approach each company individually and make the request, or hire a privacy consultant to help.

The critical first step is to know that you almost certainly have a digital footprint. Find out what it looks like today, so you can take steps to avoid identity theft and retain at least some degree of privacy, even in the digital era.

Weekend Box Office Results

'Split' Dominates Newcomers in Second Weekend, Topping 'Dog's Purpose' and 'Resident Evil'

by Brad Brevet

M. Night Shyamalan's Split dominated in its second weekend at the box office, dropping only 34% to take the #1 spot for a second weekend in a row. As a result, Universal held the #1 and #2 spots this weekend with Split and their release of Amblin and Walden Media's A Dog's Purpose, which topped the list of newcomers for a second place finish. Meanwhile, Screen Gems's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter didn't blow the doors off domestically, delivering the lowest domestic opening for any film in the franchise, but the combined worldwide gross for this latest installment pushed the global cume for the six-film franchise over the $1 billion mark worldwide*. Additionally, Oscar frontrunner La La Land jumped 43% after nominations earlier this weekend as its global total now tops $220 million and Hidden Figures climbs over $100 million domestically.

With an estimated $26.26 million, Universal's Split delivered an impressive sophomore session, dropping a mere 34% and outperforming our weekend forecast by a wide margin for a second week in a row. Heading into the weekend we drew comparison to a selection of films that enjoyed similar opening weekends, three of which dropped over 63% in their second weekends and the other, The Grudge, dropped only 42%. Split bested them all as its domestic cume now climbs to just shy of $78 million after just ten days in release.

In terms of a comparison, looking at last year's horror films, Don't Breathe had the best second weekend performance, dropping 40%, but that was over the extended Labor Day weekend and second to that was The Shallows, which dropped 48%. The short of it is this is an outstanding performance for a film audiences are clearly enjoying and getting the word out and will deliver M. Night Shyamalan his fifth film to cross $100 million domestically, and his first since 2010's The Last Airbender.

Internationally, Split brought in an estimated $14.8 million from 31 territories for an early international total of $23.7 million. This weekend included #1 openings in Germany and Spain with $2.6m and $2.1m debuts respectively. The film's global cume currently stands at $101.7 million.

In second is Universal's A Dog's Purpose, which had to overcome some controversy in its opening weekend and ultimately delivered on expectation. The film premiered in 3,059 theaters and opened with an estimated $18.38 million. Opening day audiences liked what they saw and gave the film an "A" CinemaScore, which could help it push toward a $61 million domestic run.

A Dog's Purpose played to an audience that was 56% female vs. 44% male, of which 53% of the audience were general moviegoers ages 13 and older. Additionally, 47% of the audience consisted of families with children under age 13 (32% of attendees) and their parents (15% of attendees). The opening weekend audience was 59% Caucasian, 22% Hispanic, 11% African American and 6% Asian.

Screen Gems's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter wasn't able to secure a spot in the top three in its opening weekend as Fox's Hidden Figures narrowly edged it out with an estimated $14 million as it has now topped $100 million domestically on a $25 million budget. As for Resident Evil, the film delivered an estimated $13.85 million from 3,104 theaters, the smallest opening for any film in the franchise, a distinction previously held by the original 2002 film which opened with $17.7 million.

Final Chapter is the sixth film in the long-running franchise adapted from the video game of the same name and along with this latest film's $64.5 million from 42 international markets its global cume stands at $78.35 million propelling the six film franchise above the $1 billion mark worldwide in collective box office receipts*. Looking ahead, the film received a "B" CinemaScore from opening day audiences, which is a slight improvement over recent installments, and it played to an audience that was 56% male vs 44% female, of which 45% were under the age of 25. All that said, it will likely finish its run somewhere around $35 million or so.

Rounding out the top five is this year's front-runner at the Oscars, La La Land, which scored a record-tying 14 nominations on Tuesday and expanded its nationwide reach to 3,136 theaters (+1,271). The film brought in an estimated $12 million this weekend as its domestic cume now climbs to $106.5 million. Internationally, La La Land added an estimated $23.4 million in 73 markets for an international cume of $117 million through Sunday, pushing its global cume over $223 million.

Finishing in tenth position is the last of the weekend's new wide releases, the Weinstein's Gold starring Matthew McConaughey. The film debuted in 2,166 theaters and heading into the weekend wasn't looking to make much of an impact and it ultimately delivered on that promise, opening with an estimated $3.47 million. The film scored a "B-" CinemaScore from opening day audiences and a domestic run at or just below $10 million seems likely.

Outside the top ten several Oscar-nominated features saw a bump this weekend as several expanded their nationwide reach, some for a second time. The release that saw the largest bump was Hacksaw Ridge, which was playing in 502 theaters (+377) and saw a 431% increase for a $415k weekend as its cume now stands at $65.9 million. Outside of La La Land, Paramount's Arrival saw the largest expansion of the weekend as it played in 1,221 theaters (+1,041) and brought in an estimated $1.47 million as it continues to scratch and claw along, hoping to reach the century mark with a domestic cume that now stands at $97.3 million.

Tied with Arrival for the second largest number of Oscar nominations (8), A24's Moonlight expanded to its widest screen count to date in its 15th week of release and grossed an estimated $1.5 million from 1,104 theaters as its cume now stands at $17.7 million.

Of the weekend's new limited releases, Zee TV's debut of Raees began on Wednesday and this weekend it brought in an estimated $1.85 million from 265 theaters as its cume stands at $2.4 million after five days in release. Lionsgate's release of Pantelion's Un Padre No Tan Padre brought in an estimated $1 million from 312 theaters; China Lion's Buddies in India debuted with $190k from 55 theaters; Well Go's Kung Fu Yoga opened with $112,300 from 14 theaters; and Cohen Media's release of Asghar Farhadi's The Salesman into three theaters topped the weekend's theater averages with an estimated $71,071, $23,690 per theater.

Next weekend sees the release of the third film in the The Ring franchise with Paramount releasing Rings in ~2,800 theaters and STX will debut The Space Between Us, also in ~2,800 theaters.

For a look at this weekend's estimated results click here and we'll be updating the charts with weekend actuals on Monday afternoon.

* It should be noted that while Sony is reporting the Resident Evil franchise has topped $1 billion globally BoxOfficeMojo currently only shows a $994.3 million worldwide total for the franchise. We have reached out to Sony for further clarification and have yet to hear back.

January 27-29, 2017 Weekend

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 1 Split Uni. $26,268,685 -34.3% 3,199 +161 $8,212 $77,998,775 $9 2 2 N A Dog's Purpose Uni. $18,386,020 - 3,059 - $6,010 $18,386,020 $22 1 3 3 Hidden Figures Fox $14,000,000 -11.0% 3,351 -65 $4,178 $104,021,694 $25 6 4 N Resident Evil: The Final Chapter SGem $13,850,000 - 3,104 - $4,462 $13,850,000 $40 1 5 5 La La Land LG/S $12,050,000 +43.0% 3,136 +1,271 $3,842 $106,509,372 $30 8 6 2 xXx: The Return of Xander Cage Par. $8,250,000 -59.0% 3,651 - $2,260 $33,487,750 $85 2 7 4 Sing Uni. $6,213,710 -31.0% 2,702 -491 $2,300 $257,405,085 $75 6 8 6 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story BV $5,124,000 -28.9% 2,049 -554 $2,501 $520,049,573 $200 7 9 7 Monster Trucks Par. $4,100,000 -42.0% 2,496 -623 $1,643 $28,135,147 - 3 10 N Gold Wein. $3,470,000 - 2,166 - $1,602 $3,470,000 - 1

Corrupted By Darkness

Corrupted By Darkness

By Touching Lives 

“Why has the wicked despised God? He says to himself, ‘You will not demand an account.’” Psalm 10:13

I want to make a concession. Although Numbers 32:23 says, “Be sure your sin will find you out,” I cannot prove this empirically to every person. I realize that not every sexually promiscuous person gets an STD. I realize that many terrorists feel no remorse or guilt when they enter into the dark side of sin. But there is a greater truth behind this verse than empirical truth; it is a spiritual truth. Even if there are no evident earthly consequences, no one ever gets away with sin. How do I know this is true? I know this because there is a holy God in heaven.

There are two main reasons that people choose to sin. First, they think they can hide what they do. Second, they think they can escape what they do. They truly believe they can get away with it. Once you deny in your heart that there is any consequence to sin, every reason not to enter that darkness is taken away.

The problem is you can fool a policeman, a judge, or a jury…but you cannot fool God. There is not a lawyer in the world that can plea bargain your sin away with God. Technicalities don’t work in His courtroom. Notorious criminals like Jack the Ripper may have gotten away with their crimes, but they did not get away with their sin. The God of heaven knows exactly who they are and what they have done, and they will be judged for their dark side.

We all have the tendency to hide our sin. And the more we trick ourselves into believing we are hiding sin, the more tempted we are to continue sinning. God always knows, and sooner or later our sin will come out. Some day, somehow, the moment of truth will arrive. God watches. God sees. God knows.