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Fox News and its biggest stars currently enjoy an unprecedented influence over the federal governments actions because President Donald Trump is obsessed with the networks propagandistic programming and relies on its incendiary right-wing personalities for advice.

Fox has effectively merged with the Trump administration, an event with no analogue in modern American history. The networks sway over the political universe has become so great in recent years that whether you watch it or not, its coverage and commentators have had a tangible effect on your life. In 2020, that impact of the presidents fixation with Fox's coverage culminated inthe deaths of an untold number of Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump and Fox have a symbiotic relationship dating back nearly a decade. He used its platform and supportive coverage to propel himself to conservative political stardom, the Republican presidential nomination, and the presidency.

Since his election, Trump has filled the top ranks of his administration with friendly faces from the networks airwaves -- but those who remained at Fox rather than joining the administration may be even more powerful. Several network hosts have also become informal presidential advisers, dual roles that would not pass muster at any other news outlet. Sean Hannitys unsecured nightly phone calls with the president led White House aides to describe him as the shadow chief of staff. Laura Ingraham and Jeanine Pirro counseled Trump during West Wing visits, while Tucker Carlson traveled to his Mar-a-Lago resort to do the same. Jesse Watters and Pete Hegseth are close enough to the president to be invited to the White House for private dinners. Trump even reportedly had Lou Dobbs conferenced in to provide feedback during administration meetings.

It is dangerous that the president takes advice from the people he sees on his TV. The members of his Fox News Cabinet are bigoted extremists who lack anything resembling the qualifications you would want in senior advisers to the most powerful man on the planet. They have their jobs because they are willing and effective members of a corrupt propaganda machine -- they know how to wield disinformation and marshal the fear and hatred of the networks hard-right viewers to keep them coming back for more and supporting Republican politicians. And they have the presidents ear because they use their programs to praise him and denounce his foes. Those arent credentials for presidential advisers -- they are ingredients for disaster.

Meanwhile, the presidents most important source of information isnt the U.S. intelligence community -- its the dimwitted pro-Trump shills at the networks morning show, Fox & Friends. The president watches hours of Fox News and its sister network, Fox Business, each day and regularly tweets in response to segments that attract his attention -- at times dramatically shifting the news cycle and government policy. He sent 1,146 of these Fox live tweets from September 2018 through August 2020 -- 7.5% of his total tweets during that period --according to a new Media Matters report.

This Trump-Fox feedback loop impacts the presidents worldview -- and thus, the governments actions -- on a scope far beyond any other news outlet in the recent past. And the networks hold on both have only been strengthened over the course of his administration.

Here are 15 ways Fox drove federal policymaking and political events over the last two years.

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15 examples of Fox News' unrivaled federal influence over the last two years - Media Matters for America

Many have come forward opposing 20A totally

Recently Donald Trump while engaged in a public debate with his rival Joe Biden in the US Presidential race side-tracked a sensitive question put to him, stating, Stand back and standby. Matching the rhetoric Trump is famous for, his choice of words well suited to his disavowal of the blame game centred round White Supremacy, a penalty kick he would inevitably incur in the play ahead of him.

In Sri Lanka, the controversial 20A has many shafts from different groups aimed at it, however, with no fatal certainty. The standby dictum pronounced by President GR looks a similar side-tracking. The indication is no give and take come what may!

It appears that the Government is hell bound towards a goal best known to it with least regard to the concerns expressed not only by rival political groups but deflecting even their ardent supporters and promulgators. To the independent onlookers this confrontational approach has become a worrying factor as to why things could not have been dealt with more harmoniously, causing less friction.

In such a context the constitutional tangle has to be perceived and focused from a different intersection. Many have come forward opposing 20A totally. Elements politically hostile and inimical obviously have to take this approach because they all played a key frontline role to bring the 19A.

But the majority of those MPs now saddled with the responsibility of carrying the 20A through are the same who supported 19A to annul their own 18A passed soon after coming into power in 2010. This group is now reduced to a dilemma in extreme puzzle.

Constitutional amendments

The 18th Amendment was brought in on 8 September 2010, to remove the sentence that mentioned the limit of the re-election of the President and to propose the appointment of a parliamentary council that decides the appointment of independent posts like commissioners of election, human rights and Supreme Court Judges.

Ironically, it was a replacement to the 17th Amendment, brought in 2001 to make provisions for the Constitutional Council and Independent Commissions. Several who supported the 18A in 2010 happen to be the same people who stood up in favour of 17A in 2001.

The 17th Amendment to the Constitution was passed by Parliament during the office of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake and President Chandrika Kumaratunga on 3 October 2001. Several key figures in the current Government were in Parliament then.

The 18th Amendment was passed on 8 September 2010 during the Office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne. Most of the MPs who were in the Parliament when the 17th Amendment was passed subsequently supported its replacement with the 18th Amendment.

19A was passed in Parliament on 28 April 2015 when Maithripala Sirisena was the President and Ranil Wickremesinghe was the Prime Minister. Parliamentary majority however was with the MPs who were elected to the Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. It was passed by MPs present voting for, except one against, one abstention and 10 absentees. The political party composition of the Parliament when the 19th Amendment was passed was as follows:

UPFA headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa: 144 seats

UNF headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe: 60

Tamil National Alliance: 14

Democratic National Alliance (JVP): 07

Total: 225

The 19th Amendment could not have been passed without the support of the UPFA majority headed by Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Irony of history

The irony of history is, those who voted for 19A then are now clamouring to abolish it. The purpose of 19A was to annul the 18th Amendment which they brought, replacing the 17th. When we look at this hotchpotch situation, we see a total aberration of polarisations and compromising of policies under different leaderships.

It is relevant and important to recall a statement made by John Seneviratne MP, on the day of passing the 19th Amendment in Parliament. He said that all those who voted for 18A did not do so because they liked it. But when you are in a government you are compelled to stand by the party they represent.

He made a long speech and said that the Government surreptitiously included the removal of executive powers of the President bestowed on him by the Constitution in the bill undermining the peoples sovereignty knowing very well that the Supreme Court would not allow such an amendment without a referendum. He also made reference to the highly-unpalatable position regarding the representative capacity of a MP under the proportionate voting system that was in existence. He stressed that the system did not augur well to provide any meaningful representative right for the voters.

This clearly shows that the Ranil/Sirisena minority government had either wooed the Opposition majority to believe that the voting system would be changed in due course or subverted them to surrender under threat of being prosecuted under the pending legal action contemplated against many of them for various alleged wrongdoings during the previous regime. Why the MPs not sitting with the government should have believed and trusted such a promise is a matter beyond anybodys apprehension. But all MPs who supported the 19A are now trying to use this to rationalise and justify their stand.

Historical developments

It is interesting to recall the historical developments of the Countrys constitution. The country received autonomy within the British Commonwealth in 1948 as the Dominion of Ceylon. Ceylon had two constitutions, Donoughmore Constitution and the Solbury Constitution. It is the Solbury Constitution that provided a parliamentary form of government for the first time.

The Government of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike set up a joint select committee to consider a revision of the Constitution on 10 January 1958 but this committee could not conclude the matter due to the dissolution of Parliament in 1959. Even the Dudley Senanayake Government that came to power subsequently attempted to bring a new constitution but it was not successful. The only major change in the administration during this period was the abolition of the Upper House, the Senate, in October 1971.

Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaikes United Front Government brought the first major constitutional change by promulgating a Republican Constitution for Sri Lanka in 1972. The National State Assembly so created became the unicameral legislature for the country with a nominal president.

In July 1977, this Government was defeated under the leadership of J.R. Jayewardene who secured a five-sixth majority in the State Assembly. A new Constitution drafted by his Government was adopted replacing the 1972 Republican Constitution on 4 October 1977 transforming the nominal president to an executive president.

Prime Minister J.R. Jayewardene became the Executive President of Sri Lanka, automatically, on 4 February 1978. This Constitution provided for amendments by a majority of two-thirds in the Parliament barring certain fundamental provisions dealing with important aspects which required an approval at a national referendum in addition to the two-thirds majority in Parliament. This provision remains valid to date.

Between the period starting from 20 November 1978 to 17 December 1988, the Constitution of Sri Lanka has undergone 16 amendments, all during the Presidency of J.R. Jayewardene. The most significant amendment was the 13th for the establishment of Provincial Councils on 14 November 1987. Many of the amendments sought to provide strength to the ruler and facilitate his authoritarian rule.

We remember how J.R. resorted to obtain undated letters of resignations from his five-sixth MP force while holding the extremely forceful Executive powers denounced by many as highly dictatorial. JR realised that even such an autocratic constitution could not guarantee the uninterrupted continuation of the power base. That is why he resorted to secure the status by keeping the MPs well under his control. But he failed to realise the possibility of the emergence of a future leader who would attempt to hold onto the presidency as long as desired.

Bone of contention

Matters contended by those challenging the 20A are very much in the public domain now. The present Government was given a mandate by the people to establish a constitution which would address the elimination of all bad experiences of the past. Rushing to bring an amendment which while eliminating certain bad features already identified to exist, simultaneously resurrecting some provisions discarded with much public demand has become a bone of contention. This is where the new Government blundered in stirring up a hornets nest.

When the public sympathy and support committed to them remained so fresh, why did the Government act with such an undue haste paving the way for huge accusations such as attempting to exercise executive powers without the valve and conduit of the Cabinet?

On the part of the citizens of the country (voters) the most important right they wish to be assured to them is the affirmation of the provisions under Article 3 of the Constitution, viz. in the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the people and is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise.

In whatever form the Constitution did not intend the president to function as an unfettered repository of executive power unconstrained by the other organs of governance. Before the 19A, the Cabinet of Ministers was charged with the direction and control of the Government of the Republic, which shall be collectively responsible and answerable to Parliament while the President shall be a member of the Cabinet of Ministers and shall be its head.

The Constitution also provided that the President shall continue in office notwithstanding the dissolution of the Cabinet of Ministers under the provisions of the Constitution. There cannot be any dispute that until such time other provisions are made this state of affairs has to be restored for the operations of the Government to be conducted smoothly with a Cabinet charged with the exercise of Executive power.

It is interesting to note that as pointed out by John Seneviratne MP in the Parliament in 2015 before the passing of 19A, Supreme Court held inter-alia, that seven paragraphs in the bill submitted to the Supreme Court require the approval of the People at a Referendum in terms of Article 83 of the Constitution.

Nevertheless, we are faced with a situation understandably complicated arisen after the 19A with regard to the Prime Minister exercising powers which are reposed by the people to be exercised by the Executive, namely the President and not the Prime Minister. The Courts held that the President cannot relinquish his executive power and permit it to be exercised by another body or person without his express permission or delegated authority.

While these adversities and controversies were identified as requiring immediate correction, there are other issues that have stayed on over a period of time to be addressed in the long term. Independence of the Judiciary, economic development encompassing all sectors of the polity, inclusion of the minorities in the political process assuring equal opportunity, regional autonomy under decentralisation, while maintaining main national structure and unity, and guaranteeing peace and communal harmony are some of those.

The country was plagued with the problems devolving round these issues, trying to find solutions under many regimes. The current opportunity given by the people as a clear mandate to put an end to this state of affairs should not be wasted engaged in tinkering and patchwork exercises.

A meaningful approach towards finding permanent solutions would receive the public accolade without any hesitation to stand against anybody or any force acting with ulterior motives to sabotage such an approach. Unity of purpose should be the theme of the day to take the country forward from the mess it is now.

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Constitutional morass and the 'standby' enigma - ft.lk

If Torchlight means something to you, then I imagine you'll already have mixed feelings about Torchlight 3. Starting life as an MMO/action-RPG hybrid called Torchlight Frontiers from Echtra Games (a completely new developer after franchise creator Runic Games was shuttered), the project pivoted hard during development towards something more befitting of the series' original vision, as reflected by its name change earlier this year.

The result is, admittedly, an experience that plays like a somewhat watered down pastiche of the Torchlight you remember. But, with the game finally leaving Early Access next week, rejuvenated by all the improvements Echtra has made even over the last few months, Torchlight 3 is already on the right track to reaching its potential as a true sequel to the top-down, co-op focused, loot-centric RPG gauntlet that fans of the series know and love.

That potential for Torchlight 3 is best embodied in the creativity of its class roster, which is absolutely the biggest draw of the game so far. There are four to choose from, and none of them are quite like any class types I've seen from the genre before. My favourite (and current main) is the Railmaster, who - in hindsight - sounds absolutely ridiculous when trying to describe on paper.

Donning a giant hammer, these last remaining survivors of a collapsed locomotive kingdom (yes, really) are accompanied by a turreted train cart, which diligently follows its master along the tracks automatically laid behind them with every step. This train can be upgraded with new cars, such as one bearing mortar artillery, or even a ghost carriage that "calls forth the spirit of an ancient train" to deal massive AoE damage. A genuinely brilliant twist on the pet class stereotype, the visual novelty of its hair-brained conceit never really wears off.

Besides the Railmaster, you can also play through Torchlight 3's 25 odd hour campaign as a steam-powered robot buccaneer called Forge, a Dusk Mage characterised by a unique role-tension between light and dark magic, and a pistol-whipping Sharpshooter class who is basically the lovechild of Jack Sparrow and John Wick. Whoever you choose, there's a lot of fun to be had in both playing as, and levelling up, your character, all of which is buffeted by Torchlight 3's multi-pronged progression system of skill trees, relics, pets, and loot.

Torchlight 3's other more distinctive feature, Forts, hold less of a connection to its familiar point-and-click gameplay, but are nonetheless a welcome addition that elevates the overall package. This customisable homeworld replaces the generic town or city hubs that we're used to returning to after a hefty day in the dungeons, and allows players to create their own social spaces that offer respite beyond the mere pleasantries of digital feng shui.

Erect a Monument, for example, and it'll reward you with a status buff that you can then take into your next adventure. Or why not set up an Enchanting Station, on which to share and trade recipes with your friends and party mates? You can even set up kennels for your pets, units to store and display all your loot, and crafting stations to create both functional and cosmetic items. I enjoyed being able to come back to a space that evolved and improved alongside my own hero, and its visual and utilitarian feedback loops have been keeping me invested in its continued renovation right up until endgame.

It's worth stating that, despite its upcoming launch, Torchlight 3 is very much still a work in progress. A number of key features from Torchlight 2, such as optional areas and side quests, are sparse at best, and those aforementioned progression systems aren't quite as rich or varied as you'd hope from a game of its kind.

"That potential for Torchlight 3 is best embodied in its class roster, which is absolutely the biggest draw of the game so far."

That said, Echtra Games has already listened carefully to fan feedback, and its slate of patches in Early Access have gone a long way in addressing some of Torchlight 3's most glaring issues ahead of its upcoming release, which will also bring the game to PS4 and Xbox One.

It may have started off on the wrong foot, but for a game that has had to shift gears heavily in a last-minute bid to avoid certain disaster (the most unappealing aspects of Torchlight 3 are almost certainly the last vestiges of what would have been Torchlight Frontiers), it's encouraging to see just how far it's already come.

Torchlight 3 is a game worth supporting for the vision it's slowly driving towards, then, even if it doesn't quite live up to its namesake just yet. I'm slowly being won around to the idea that it's going to become something special within the months and years ahead, and enjoying the journey there is - in my mind - worth the price of admission alone. That, and my hammer-wielding train whisperer.

For more, check out all the PS5 launch games we know about so far, or watch the video below for our full review of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time.

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Have you tried... adopting a gun-toting train for a pet in Torchlight 3? - GamesRadar+

REVOLT.TV is home to exclusive interviews from rising stars to the biggest entertainers and public figures of today. Here is where you get the never-before-heard stories about whats really happening in the culture from the people who are pushing it forward.

The LOX will forever go down in history as one of the greatest rap groups to ever do it. Consisting of rappers Sheek Louch, Styles P, and Jadakiss, the trio returns with their highly anticipated new album titled Living Off Xperience. The new project hails 14 brand new records with standout features from DMX, T-Pain, Jeremih, Westside Gunn, and Benny The Butcher.

With nearly three decades worth of life tales from coming up in the streets to signing to Diddys Bad Boy Records to eventually joining Ruff Ryders Entertainment all three veterans embody the phrase, Hard work pays off.

REVOLT caught up with The LOX to discuss the early days with Puff, priceless studio sessions with DMX, their new project and more. Read below.

Twenty six years later, what inspires you to create music today?

Sheek: The love from the fans for me. Thats when I know Ima stop, when the fans dont want me to make it anymore. Right now, they still want us to make it, so Im enjoying it. Thats pure. I love the money, but its the love from the fans.

Styles: For me, working with my brothers. Being a group that stood together this long, being dope for this long. Looking at our draft class and seeing whos still relevant and popping, really be able to look over our body of work and what weve done together. What weve been able to achieve as a group is amazing. Super dope, it feels great.

Jadakiss: For me, its the bills (laughs). Its still coming.

Bring us back to when you were with Bad Boy. Howd it feel to have Mary J. Blige pass your demo to Puff?

Sheek: Thats big sis right there. Were always going to appreciate her doing that and having that interest, and love for us back then. Incredible. Most people want the contracts and to be tied to them, she didnt. Mary wanted nothing at all.

Fondest memories from those days?

Jadakiss: Some of the best parties you could ever go to. Partied like 1999, it was 1998. It was the same kind of parties The Beatles had.

Styles: Beautiful people, beautiful clothes, a lot of money, a lot of ambiance, a lot of feng shui, a lot of success, a lot of abundance. Bottles and glitz.

Sheek: With Diddy, it felt like he was always celebrating something. That was life, n*ggas was getting their money, but were celebrating.

What about the Ruff Ryders days?

Styles: The music and the camaraderie. Seeing blue collar hip hop and regular people on the streets get the hip hop they could relate to, thats pretty awesome. To be part of the people who did it was really awesome.

Sheek: Timing is everything with all that. Watching our big bros take it to a whole other level to where Puff was. Cash Money, all these guys, that was so dope to see.

Fast forward to 2020. Getting DMX on Bout Shit is so full circle.

Sheek: X is the GOAT, man. X is always a lot of energy. He came through to the studio the night we called him on time. He wasnt deep, just in good spirits. We had him in for a hook. I came out the room later, Styles had him doing a verse. They were chopping it up, we banged it out.

Styles: We had a ball. It was like riding a bike, doing what you do with an old friend. Old comrade. We got to it and it came out great. It was pretty fucking amazing to say the least. An amazing song, shout out to Scram on the beat.

Whats the energy now compared to back then?

Styles: We were laughing, having fun like the old days. Doing what we did in the old days in the new days really.

Sheek: That conversation could go anywhere from music to religion to politics, all that.

Jadakiss: Everything! All night, we talked about God, the devil, life, church, money, kids, music, rap, careers, Yonkers, crackheads, dopeheads, pitbulls, shooters, aunts, uncles, nephews. Everything you can imagine, we talked about.

Sheek, you say youre in the best shape of your lives. How so?

Sheek: Definitely mentally, physically, spiritually, all above. But, definitely physically. Im working out, hitting the juice bar on the regular. That juice bar got us looking like this (laughs)!

What inspires you to be healthy?

Jadakiss: Survival, life, the passion of living.

Styles: Surviving and taking care of all our people, our communities, our families. Noticing food deserts in the hood, trying to be informative.

Sheek: Its dope what my brother Styles and Kiss are doing for us, getting the young ones to start now. A lot of people start when they get older, Im one of them. Ive been working out, but its a little different now. Getting them so young, they specifically know their body and health. Its cool.

Where do you see the state of hip hop now compared to when you were coming up?

Sheek: Its two-faced.

Jadakiss: A lot of money. More money, less substance.

Sheek: Word up, but theyre eating. Theyre making a lot of bread. Its the whole Jordan thing and these new players now. Jordan wasnt seeing the money theyre getting. I know hes a zillionaire now, but these guys are supposed to.

Styles: Hopefully they keep the culture. One good thing is they never say the best rapper is a dude that isnt lyrical. They always refer to best rappers as the lyrical dudes. So, until that changes, Im comfortable.

Loved seeing Griselda on the project!

Sheek: We took them on their first tour actually. They killed it out there every night. It was dope.

Hows it feel to be one of the OGs to push hip hop into the mainstream realm?

Sheek: Its a pleasure.

Jadakiss: Hardcore and mainstream, thats what The LOX is.

Styles: Its good for hip hop to be mainstream [as] long as people know the difference between hip hop, rap, emceeing, a rapper, a craftsman.

Jadakiss: As long as people keep the culture, its all good. Hip hop run the world, so it has to be mainstream.

New album out now! Living Off Xperience is such a fitting title.

Sheek: Thats what we stand for.

Jadakiss: Dope body of work. Best shit on the shelf!

Sheek: Absolutely, man. Dope content, dope visuals. Were painting pictures on that joint. We give you a sick ass story on there. Its incredible stuff.

Styles: Its very authentic, very organic. You get what you get from The LOX with more maturity. Its a rounded out album. The young fans love us, they get something they could listen to. For our peers, they get something to listen to. For the older hip hop heads, they get something raw to listen to. We covered all the bases.

You have features from T-Pain, Jeremih, Westside Gunn... What was the creative process behind picking these?

Styles: Which they sounded the best on.

Sheek: Absolutely.

How does this compare to your platinum-selling debut album; Money, Power, Respect?

Jadakiss: Were grown.

Sheek: Its different times. As far [as] lyrically and content, we grown now. Were talking different shit than before like murder murder murder, money money money. Now, Ima tell you a little more going on in my life.

Styles: Were in a different place in our lives. We were young men, now were mature men. Were families, were businesses. Views of the world were sharing with you through our experiences of life, being in the music industry and outside period.

What does it mean to close out the project with Loyalty & Love?

Styles: That was the best song to finish with on the list. It made sense. Thats what we stand for hundred percent to these brothers right here.

Jadakiss: Loyalty and love, respect.

Styles, Jadakiss, and Sheek: Facts.

How did the podcast come about?

Jadakiss: That came out of marketing, a meeting of the minds.

Sheek: It came out of when people see us together, our chemistry and organic-ness, how we maintain through the years. They felt we need to share this with people.

Jadakiss: Shout out to Roc Nation for that, the whole team.

Sheek: We got mad questions to ask them, they got questions to ask us. We share those thoughts, man.

What are your thoughts with everything going on in the world from the pandemic to Black Lives Matter?

Jadakiss: Another dude just got shot in the back in Wisconsin.

Sheek: With the pandemic, its crazy and sad what is happening to all these businesses. I was riding around Manhattan the other day and all these places are closed. Not for fun closed even Dave & Busters is about to close.

Jadakiss: Its bad out here.

Sheek: Thats a big corporation. Imagine the little mom and pops that finally got their shit together, then boom just like that. The people who lost their lives or fighting that shit, its crazy.

Styles: That state of the world, everything from hip hop to the pandemic, its mixed feelings. A lot of this shit is very stagnant, but we can only go up from here. I try to keep an optimistic point of view, look on the bright side of things. This was a time for a lot of people to get reconnected with their families, get down to earth, get back into hobbies, get in tune with their own body. From the virus to the racism to the Me Too Movement to child shit to the presidential race, were in a very fucked up time, but a very exciting time to be alive because change has to come about. Something has to change. Were at a boiling point.

How do you guys, as a legendary rap group, plan to continue to push the narrative?

Jadakiss: By sticking to the script, giving them what they love us for. Dropping jewels inside the music. Besides rap, its our job. We still have families to take care, kids to raise. Were going to push the narrative at home and at work.

Styles, Jadakiss and Sheek: Absolutely.

What can we expect from The Lox documentary?

Sheek: Its going to be crazy.

Jadakiss: Real life issues and things you never knew about us.

Styles: Were trying to get the right home for it right now. Itll be here soon.

Anything else you want to let us know?

Sheek: Get the project!

Jadakiss: Get the album, Living on Xperience.

Styles: Its fire, spread the word.

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The LOX talks Living Off Xperience album, the current state of hip hop, being OGs and more - REVOLT TV

Andria Lo / Chronicle Books

Since 2014, photographer Andria Lo and writer Valerie Luu have been interviewing and photographing Chinatown's most fashionable seniors for their blog and Instagram. Now a book from Chronicle Books, Chinatown Pretty features beautiful portraits, life stories, and pieces of advice from fascinating subjects across six different Chinatowns. Below, 13 of those interviews.

We came across Mr. Wu on Accidental Chinese Hipster, a blog that posts readers submissions of Chinatown fashion. Someone had submitted a photo of Mr. Wu riding the Muni, which inspired the blogger to dub him The One someone you may tragically never unite with but are connected to by Fate.

Lucky for us, we got to meet him by chance. We went to a dim sum joint on Broadway after a long day of shooting and sat down next to him at a table. Our eyes grew wide when we realized he was The One, clad in his signature red suit and a bolo tie fashioned out of old Mardi Gras beads.

We talked to Mr. Wu, 82, about his fashion philosophy: When youre young you dont have to care about fashion. But when youre old, you have to.

Run Jin Ou Yang, 83, lives at the YWCA, an affordable housing building designed by the famous Californian architect Julia Morgan. She was out on a walk with her daughter wearing a freshly trimmed bob that shed cut herself, an oversize plaid blazer, emerald green elastic-waist pants, and a fun floral silk shirt.

We interviewed her in her apartment, where she told us about her 30-year teaching career in a rural village in Guangdong Province. As a teacher, you need to have a lot of love, she said. Treat them like your own kids. Dont treat them like students.

After she retired in her 60s, she moved to the United States. When we tried to get more details about her immigration, she told us she has Alzheimers. Its hard to remember the past, she said.

But she reassured us that shes living happily she spends her time going out for dim sum and keeps in touch with family and friends. I have no cares. I have nowhere I need to be, she said. The kids and grandkids are OK, so theres nothing to worry about.

She said she was a perfectionist when she was younger. Now Im carefree. If I remember, I remember. If I dont, I dont.

We couldnt believe we hadnt met this San Francisco Chinatown resident before, but there he was one afternoon, casually leaning up against a light pole on Grant Street, wearing a cap encrusted with enamel pins from his travels around the world.

Whats your name? we asked.

Angie, he said. Angie No Good.

His punk name matched his punk attitude. When we saw him again a year later, he was wearing the same outfit, except with a few more Cache Creek Casino pins and gold jewelry. This time we had more time to chat before he caught the 12 Folsom bus on Pacific Street.

As for the bling, he wore a watch, belt, bracelet, ring, pin, necklace, keychain, and a sphinx-topped walking cane all covered in gold and even a gold coin in his pocket. He says golds feng shui properties give him life (and perhaps fortune).

I like to play roulette, he said when we asked him about his casino game of choice. I won twenty thousand dollars once.

We met Betty Yee at the opening and closing parties for our first Chinatown Pretty photo exhibit at 41 Ross.

She was walking down the alleyway and stopped to peer inside the space, curious about what was going on. We waved her in and became fast friends she wanted to show us her house and requested that we save our beer cans from the opening party for her to recycle.

At the closing party, she showed up in this great outfit. She had just finished swimming laps at the Chinatown YMCA and appeared in an aquatic look consisting of yellow Crocs and a tropical ocean print dress with a striped shirt underneath.

She grabbed our arms and insisted that we Irish-exit our event. Come with me to the church theres free food! she said.

But, Betty, we cant leave! we cried.

Sure you can, she replied.

We didnt leave, but we exchanged mailing addresses instead, imagining it wouldnt be long till we ran into her again.

Dorothy G.C. Quock, better known as Polka Dot, got her nickname at Donaldina Cameron House, a Presbyterian family and youth organization in Chinatown. There was another person named Dorothy, so the executive director nicknamed her Polka Dot, and it stuck. At the time, she didnt wear polka dots much, but now its her signature look.

We met her one day at the Cameron House rooftop basketball court, where Polka Dot demonstrated her tai chi moves, which she practices daily. She wore an all-red outfit with a polka dot turtleneck underneath a ruffled shirt. Her accessories included a hair clip with Guatemalan worry dolls (a gift from her daughter) and cotton Mary Janes, to the tips of which she had affixed pom poms to patch up a hole.

I grew up here, she said of Cameron House. Polka Dot was in the first group of teens to join the youth program in 1947, when she was 13 years old. On Friday nights they held socials, where teens would learn about the birds and the bees. Polka Dot also learned about civic responsibility and politics through the youth program. Although shes no longer active in the religious aspect of Cameron House, it taught her the importance of social change and community work.

On Mondays, she receives a delivery from the food pantry. She keeps a list of her neighbors and what they can eat or what they like to eat on her fridgeand distributes her bounty to them accordingly. Because our city is susceptible to earthquakes and fires, Polka Dot has initiated an emergency response plan for her apartment building, which she created after receiving training through Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT), a San Francisco Fire Department program. Although Polka Dot hasnt experienced an emergency, thereve been plenty of false alarms. Theres old ladies that burn their rice every so often, Polka Dot said with a laugh.

Shui P. Wong, 90, has a knack for color. We met her when she was on her way to dim sum, wearing a mustard yellow blazer on top of a rose patterned cardigan and a watercolor print blouse. The knits looked cozy and coordinated; the pastel shirt offered a fun break. She paired it with thick brown sweatpants that revealed her USA socks.

Ms. Wong claims she just wears whatever, but her dozen or so grandkids beg to differ they said shes always been a pro at color coordinating her clothes, many of which theyve given to her as gifts.

Before immigrating to the States, Ms. Wong worked in a metal factory for 21 years in Guangdong Province. In the United States she worked at a textile factory and as a babysitter. Nowadays, shes retired and enjoys at least 12 rounds of mahjong every day.

A regal air preceded Estelle Kelley when she walked into a Senior Portrait Day we hosted at 41 Ross. Her outfit was a mix of Chinatown Pretty with contemporary fashion. She had on a white plaid coat from Kohls layered over a patterned zip-up and a color blocked outfit of green and blue that gave it a pleasurable mix of new and old.

I dont dress like an old lady, she said. Im 87, but I dont feel like it.

Mrs. Kelley was born at the San Francisco Chinese Hospital in 1929. When she was still a baby, her family moved back to China, but as the second Sino-Japanese war devastated China, she was sent back by boat at age 9, along with her sister, to live among her six aunts in San Francisco. One day, at age 11, she was taken to the Ming Quong Home, an orphanage for Chinese girls on Ninth and Fallon, where Lake Merritt BART station stands today. She remembered being driven over and dropped off at the home: No one told me, This is where you are going to stay.

She graduated from high school and got married, but her marriage was annulled once she found out that her husband already had a wife. Shortly after, she realized she was pregnant with her first child. She then got a job as a telephone operator and lived with her ex-husbands parents. At various points in time, she had to board out her daughter and have another family raise her child while she worked.

When she was 21, she met producers from Forbidden City, a Chinese nightclub and cabaret that operated from 1938 to 1970 on Sutter and Grant. It featured Asian singers, musicians, dancers even acrobats and magicians. They were looking for a dancer and she tried out, even though she didnt have any experience. You have rhythm, they told her, and she got the job.

Mrs. Kelley said that famous people would roll through Forbidden City whenever they were in town: Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Bob Hope, and other celebrities of that era. I dont remember anything from when I was 22 to 27, she says. I was a single mom, dancing in the 1950s. Everything was upside down.

We met the Jungs at the Alpine Recreation Center, where Mrs. Jung, 86, teaches Luk Tung Kuen at eight oclock every morning. Shes been practicing for 40 years and teaching for the last 20-plus years.

They both wore bright yellow sweatsuits, custom-made in Hong Kong, printed with Luk Tung Kuen, an exercise program consisting of 36 movements that promote blood circulation and muscle strength.

The Jungs have owned their sweatsuits for decades, but it looks like they just got them yesterday. The bright blue lettering and a small mock turtleneck collar gave them some flair (as if they didnt have enough!).

When its a happy day or party, Ill wear it, said Mrs. Jung.

Mrs. Jung told me that her husband suffered a stroke a few years ago, so while she teaches, hell sit and read or walk around the park very slowly, she added. Mr. Jung said he met his wife through his cousin. We asked how long they dated before they got married. There was no dating back then, he said. You just get married. He left Hong Kong to come to the United States first, and she joined him two years later in New York.

We asked him about his 69 years of marriage to Mrs. Jung. How often do you guys celebrate? we asked. He laughed: Every ten years.

We first noticed Charlies shoes: patterned high-tops he bought from Goodwill.

Charlie immigrated from Vietnam after the war. I wanted to find Charlie Chaplin, he said, an obsession that began after seeing him in a short movie. His face makes you laugh, so I remembered him.

Committing Chaplin to memory, he described the actor to his boss in the United States, who then told him Chaplins name, which Charlie adopted as his American name. To be more like Charlie, he joined a tap-dancing troupe.

He also found inspiration in another performer, Gene Kelly, which is why he has an umbrella strapped to his backpack so he can also dance in the rain on a moments whim. I imitate him, he said.

A few other fun facts: Charlies a card-carrying member of the Democratic Party. He keeps his membership card around his neck.

We commented on his youthfulness. Whats the secret? we asked.

I know how to live so I live long, he said. He imparted some wisdom: Dont smoke. Dont drink whiskey. And dont have too many wives.

We headed straight for Helen Lo, 80, when we saw her multipatterned outfit halfway down the street. When asked about how she assembled her outfit, she replied: I like beautiful things and I just put them together.

Sui Chen Shen, 86, was glowing in her neon cap after visiting her husband at Villa Cathay, a senior care home.

When she came to Vancouver at 55, Mrs. Shen got a job working at a clothing factory. For seven years, Mrs. Shen steamed clothes to support her four daughters, three of whom lived in the United States. I was really tired and sweat a lot, she said. It was really hot no air-conditioning. Eventually, the physically demanding job took its toll. I had to stand a lot, she said. Later my body wasnt feeling good, so I retired.

Mrs. Shens outfit taught us a lesson on how to balance boldness. We liked the way she mixed patterns, and how the apple green jacket and olive pants harmonized with the brighter elements. She claims there isnt much to it. I dont really have a thought process, she said. I wear whatever I feel like.

Young and old is the theme of Xing Jun Mas look. Ms. Ma, 86, wore a robins-egg-blue skirt suit she had custom made in China, after seeing a similar design that she liked. We liked how she accessorized her mature two-piece with a bright pink Dora the Explorer backpack inherited from her great-grandchildren. They grew out of it so they gave it to me, she said. Theyre 18 now.

Her bright pink orthopedic shoes from China (with Warrior written in neon) matched her youthful backpack. My feet arent the best, she said. These shoes soothe the pain.

Then, to our surprise, Ms. Ma demonstrated her tai chi skills for us. Shes been practicing Yang-style tai chi for seven years and has competed in Canada, China, and San Francisco. She leads a group of ten tai chi practitioners who meet at MacLean Park every day from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. I own a radio with the music, so if I dont go there wont be any music, she said.

We met Man Gei Yuen while she was grocery shopping on Pender Street, the awning casting a red glow on her extra-wide brim visor.

Everything is from Hong Kong ten years ago, she said.

Her outfit was feminine and refined the buckled penny loafers and blazer, with a pearl brooch delightfully placed on her lapel.

Its the details that provide additional satisfaction. Like how the royal blue in her tropical shirt is picked up by her metal shopping cart. The yellow lenses layered on top of her glasses and the black leather fanny pack give a captivating tweak to the outfits tone. Even the bright white stitches exposed by her extra-large pant cuffs add to the feeling. Its not just practical. Its edgy.

And lastly, the extra-wide visor, which she had customized. I cant really see so I cut up all the ends, she said.

She made this outfit work for her. And as a result, it works.

Excerpted from Chinatown Pretty: Fashion and Wisdom from Chinatowns Most Stylish Seniors, by Andria Lo and Valerie Luu, published by Chronicle Books 2020

Valerie Luu is a writer and one-half of the Vietnamese pop-up restaurant Rice Paper Scissors. She lives in San Francisco.

Andria Lo is a freelance photographer whose work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times, and Wired. She lives in Berkeley.

Read more:
These Photos Of Chinatown Fashion Prove Age Has Nothing To Do With Style - BuzzFeed News

CHARLOTTE Im constantly asked whether subway tiles will still be in style in the years to come. This is an understandable concern, as tile work is the most expensive, and difficult part of a bathroom to replace, so it makes sense to choose a material that will be attractive for decades.

Subway tile was first introduced in 1904, and has been popular choice in bathrooms for over 100 years. While subway tile is traditionally 3x6 and glossy white, there are now a myriad of color options, textures, and sizes available. A popular choice is to use a dark-colored grout to add some visual interest without overpowering the space. Subway tiles can be installed in many different patterns, from the timeless brick pattern to a more modern stack or herringbone pattern.

Subway tile can serve as the foundation for many styles, from farmhouse all the way to ultra-modern. If youre planning on selling your home in the future and you want to maximize the value of your home, a bathroom renovation using subway tile is a great choice as it has a broad appeal to nearly any buyer. Subway tiles are the blue jeans of the home design world. Good looking, timeless, versatile, easy to maintain, and comfortable. Its hard to imagine either of these going out of style any time soon.

concierge@remodelmate.com

Link:
Subway Tile: Here To Stay? - Mint Hill Times

A Tesla Solar Roof customer was left without a roof and tarps covering his house after new solar roof installation turned into a 2-month-long nightmare.

Tesla is still trying to ramp its solar roof tile deployment, which has been delayed several times already.

Its why we like to follow new solar roof projects and share the progress.

We were excited when Paul Stacey reached out to us back in July about sharing his experience with his solar roof installation on his home in Florida.

He had just signed a contract for what we believed would become Teslas biggest solar roof install yet: a 24.3 kW solar roof.

Over the following weeks, Stacey gave Electrek a breakdown of the progress.

At first, he was told by Tesla that it would take about 2 weeks, but they doubled the timeline closer to the start of removing the old roof.

The subcontractors in charge of removing the roof made some good progress during the first week (before/after week 1):

However, the first week already gave a glimpse of the problems to come.

The first day the crew showed up, but the equipment wasnt on site like they thought it would be.

Then on day 5, Stacey saw some water leaking from the tarp and he was unable to reach Tesla.

Roof removal was completed early the next week and Tesla started on the roofing underlayment, a water-resistant or waterproof barrier material that is installed directly onto theroofdeck.

Tesla was trying out a new product for the underlay and it didnt conduct proper testing first as Stacey would later find out.

Week 3 consisted of preparation work to receive the tiles and on week 4, Tesla finally started installing the solar tiles.

Tesla also installed the electrical hardware:

On week 5 (we are now in September already) Tesla started to realized that it made a mistake with its new underlay.

Stacey explained:

Monday did not start out well we had rain over the weekend and a few places inside the house felt the effect of it, two of the seven areas were back to the roofing removal company, as they found those areas and fixed them, it started raining and that stops all work. The other areas came down to a failure in Teslas new lining and thats when you find out your one of the first homes to get it. Apparently, its too thin and the clips that hold the boards together can come through and when it rains, water gets in.

They spent most of week 5 trying to fix those problems.

The next week (week 6) Tesla sent an expert to oversee the work and try to bring it back up to standard after the prior failures.

It looked like they were making some progress, but they experienced another leak in the garage by the end of the week.

During week 6 is when things went from bad to worse as work was halted and they just decided to put a tarp over the whole roof:

They started moving the situation up the chain of command and Stacey started to hear that the consensus was that they needed to start from scratch.

Keep in mind that they are now already almost 2 months into the project.

A source familiar with the project said that Tesla engineers agreed that it was a big mistake to switch from a double layer of self-sealing Firestone as to a single layer thinner and weaker product as roof underlayment without proper testing.

The next week they had Servpro, afire and water cleanup and restoration service company, over to make sure the leaks didnt leave lasting damages and Stacey reached a compensation agreement with Tesla over all the issues.

Now in early October, 9 weeks into the project, Staceys entire house is covered by tarps to try to protect it against the elements:

This week, Tesla is now restarting Staceys roof back from the deck after abandoning the new underlay.

He might be looking at another 4 weeks of construction on his house before he finally has a new roof.

We will keep you updated.

Stacey is still hopeful that the final product will be worth this 2-month-long nightmare, but he thinks prospective customers should know that Tesla hasnt figured out the whole installation process just yet.

I agree with him and this is why we are posting this now.

We will update when the project is over and hopefully, the result will be worth it.

I still think that Teslas solar roof tiles are an extremely important product that has the potential to accelerate residential solar power adoption.

But it looks like Tesla was premature with the product.

It probably should have gone through more testing before making its way to customers who are spending tens of thousands of dollars for it.

Stacey seems to be handling it well, but I have to imagine that having 2 months of construction work on your roof is extremely stressful.

For the product to become mainstream, they have to smooth out the installation process.

If you have interesting solar roof experiences, good or bad, please reach out to us as we try to get a better picture of the current state of the product.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

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The rest is here:
Tesla Solar Roof buyer left without roof and tarps over his house after 2-month-long nightmare - Electrek.co

Amazon latest products, including the new fourth-generation Amazon Echo smart speakers, include a new feature called Sidewalk. Announced a year ago, but explained in more detail at Amazon's hardware event this September, Sidewalk is a new type of wireless network that will span between Echo and Ring devices.

Read More:

Free to consumers, Sidewalk uses the 900 megahertz wireless spectrum to connect all sorts of devices together, including Echo smart speakers and displays, as well as security products by Amazon-owned Ring.

The devices will be linked together using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and because the network signals are passed from one device to another, they can be spread much further than a regular Wi-Fi network, while using far less power than a 4G or 5G cellular network.

Here is how Amazon describes Sidewalk: "A shared network...that helps devices like Amazon Echo devices, Ring Security Cams, outdoor lights, and motion sensors work better at home and beyond the front door. When enabled, Sidewalk can unlock unique benefits for your device, support other Sidewalk devices in your community, and even open the door to new innovations like locating items connected to Sidewalk."

There are two types of Amazon Sidewalk devices. Sidewalk Bridges take the network signal and broadcast it, extending the network; these devices include the latest Amazon Echo smart speakers and Show displays, plus outdoor cameras and security lights produced by Ring, which is owned by Amazon.

The second set of products are called Sidewalk-enabled devices. These automatically connect to the wireless network created by the bridges, using Bluetooth Low Energy.

This is not a password-protected network created by one person exclusively for their devices to connect to. Instead, every Sidewalk network is open to all. That way, anyone's Sidewalk enabled devices can connect to anyone else's Sidewalk bridges, but all of the connections have multiple levels of encryption to prevent data being captured by unauthorized parties. Amazon says Sidewalk will use no more than 500MB of a person's internet connection per month, which is equivalent to 10 minutes of HD video.

So far, the primary use for Amazon Sidewalk will be to help people locate lost items.

Amazon says Sidewalk can be used to help locate lost itemsAmazon

Tile, maker of Bluetooth tracking devices to help you find lost possessions, is also a partner of Sidewalk, leveraging the new network to help improve the odds of users relocating their lost Tiles.

Instead of relying only on a Tile user walking within Bluetooth distance of a lost Tile (upon which the owner of the lost Tile is told its location), the location will also be shared when the Tile is in range of a Sidewalk network created by the Amazon devices of nearby properties. So if the Tile, perhaps attached to a keychain, is dropped outside a home with a Sidewalk-compatible Ring security camera installed, the Tile will alert its owner through the Ring's internet connection.

Amazon has previously said how its own Fetch dog tracker could also work with the Sidewalk network, helping owners locate their dog if they leave the garden. However, Fetch is no longer sold by Amazon.

The company has explained how a Sidewalk connection can help make it easier to reconnect devices to your Wi-Fi network if something goes wrong. Amazon also says how some devices can continue to function in a limited capacity through the Sidewalk network, should they lose Wi-Fi signal. "For select Ring devices, you can continue to receive motion alerts from your Ring Security Cams and customer support can still troubleshoot problems even if your devices lose their Wi-Fi connection."

Although use cases are somewhat limited for now, Amazon is keen to point out how broad a network can be created using Sidewalk bridges. The company explains how Amazon employees and their friends and family installed 700 Ring products in their homes, which created a Sidewalk network that "covered much of the Los Angeles Basin, one of the largest metropolitan regions in the United States by land area."

Amazon says how this network could be used by "low-bandwidth, low-cost devices," but doesn't say specifically what these would be, beyond referring to "lights and sensors". The company describes the creation of Sidewalk networks blanketing entire cities in connectivity as "a long-term effort".

Which devices act as Sidewalk Bridges?

It isn't just the aforementioned new Echo and Ring products that work as Sidewalk Bridges. Here is a list of compatible products from Amazon:

For now, only Tile products and the new Ring Car Alarm are listed as devices capable of connecting to a Sidewalk network, but we expect to see this increase through 2021 and beyond. We also hope to see Amazon offer many more examples of what Sidewalk can be used for, as for now it feels like an experiment that has only just begun.

Read the original post:
What is Amazon Sidewalk and how does it work? New neighborhood network explained - Gearbrain

Scientists have finally recreated the initial steps of HIV infection in a test tube, offering an incredibly zoomed-in view of the virus in action.

The amazing images show a cone-shaped shell of geometric tiles, called the capsid, that sits at the virus's center and contains its genetic material, known as RNA. Before infiltrating a cell, the capsid is surrounded by an envelope of fatty molecules; this envelope fuses to the host cell to let the capsid inside, where it then carries the RNA to the cell's nucleus. On the way, the RNA replicates, and once inside the nucleus, it invades the host's DNA.

By granting a closer look at this replication process, the new study highlights that the capsid itself plays a critical role in infection and that specific criteria must be met for the virus to interweave its genome with the host cell's.

Knowing how to recreate the initial steps of HIV infection "means we have many more tools for dissecting the process of replication," said study author Wesley Sundquist, a distinguished professor of biochemistry at University of Utah Health. In particular, the study, published Oct. 8 in the journal Science, describes a cell-free system that can be used to study how HIV invades the host genome such a system could "revolutionize HIV experiments in many labs," Leo James, a group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, who was not involved in the study, told Live Science in an email.

"To have accomplished all this is a real tour de force," James said. Beyond basic research, the system could also help explain how experimental drugs that target the capsid work to limit HIV replication, Sundquist said in a statement.

Related: 12 amazing images in medicine

Although the test tube experiments capture aspects of HIV infection in superb detail, they cannot recreate every step in the process, Sundquist noted. Infection typically starts when the outer membrane of the virus fuses with the membrane of a host cell, allowing the capsid and its innards to sneak inside. But with a cell-free system, the authors had to bypass this initial step.

They instead used a compound found in bee venom, called melittin, to "permeabilize" the viral membrane and release the capsid held within.

The HIV capsid has tiny pores in it, and normally, as a virus particle floats through a human cell's cytoplasm, it picks up the cellular building blocks of DNA, called deoxynucleotide triphosphates, that are already there, according to a 2017 report in the journal Nature. As it travels to the nucleus, the virus particle uses those building blocks to make copies of full strands of DNA, thanks to a special enzyme housed inside the capsid. This is how the virus copies its genetic material to later insert into the host genome. How the virus "knows" when to start this so-called reverse transcription is still somewhat mysterious, but studies hint that biochemical properties of the host cell act as cues for the reaction to begin.

But a test tube doesn't automatically have DNA building blocks in solution, so to jumpstart reverse transcription, the authors added them. "This method has been around for a while, but it's tricky to get the reaction to go until completion," James noted. But the study authors managed to get reverse transcription running smoothly; to do so, they learned that the capsid must stay mostly intact throughout the process.

Related: Going viral: 6 new findings about viruses

"The capsid has to be largely intact, and it has to be of the proper stability or flexibility, to support reverse transcription," meaning the capsid must be bound tightly enough to not fall apart during reverse transcription, but able to open up when the capsid enters the nucleus, in order to unleash its copied DNA, Sundquist said. Fortunately, scientists recently discovered a way to keep the capsid just stable enough.

Study author Owen Pornillos, an associate professor of molecular physiology and biological physics at the University of Virginia, and his colleagues found that a compound called IP6 binds to the capsid's tiled surface, they reported in 2018 in the journal Nature. IP6 carries a negative charge, while each tile carries a positive charge on the side that points in toward the center of the capsid; since opposites attract, when IP6 binds to the capsid, it helps pull the tiles into a tighter, more stable arrangement.

"Before the discovery of IP6, someone would remove the [viral] envelope in vitro and everything would fall apart and they could not see anything," said Joo Mamede, an assistant professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity at Rush University, who was not involved in the study.

IP6 is "quite abundant" in cells, so in their test tube experiments, the authors added similar concentrations of the compound as would be found in cells, Sundquist said. "That was really the trick," he added. "Until we knew it, we were working with capsids that were far too unstable."

Using computer models of molecules and an electron microscope, the authors could literally see that the 240 tiles making up the capsid held their lattice-like structure stable throughout reverse transcription. As the DNA strands grew larger, their ends sometimes poked through tiny gaps in the lattice weave, the authors noted, and sometimes singular tiles could be seen dislodging while the rest of the capsid stayed intact.

The capsid may need to stay stable to keep the RNA and transcribing enzyme close to each other, said Christopher Aiken, a professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology at Vanderbilt University, who was not involved in the study. The enzyme tends to fall off the RNA during transcription, so "by keeping the enzyme contained, it can rebind the template and continue DNA synthesis," Aiken told Live Science in an email.

With reverse transcription complete, the authors then moved on to the next step in infection: integration, where the viral DNA infiltrates the host genome. They introduced DNA strands known as plasmids into their test tubes, to serve as proxies for the DNA in a human nucleus, but integration would not begin without an additional ingredient. Only "whole cell extracts," a mix of proteins and molecules drawn from cells, would allow the viral DNA to pervade the plasmids.

In the future, the team hopes to pinpoint precisely which ingredients in the cell extracts trigger integration, Sundquist said. "It's likely to be more than one thing," he noted. One challenge is that, in test tube experiments, "it's always difficult to know if you're missing something," he said.

Related: The 12 deadliest viruses on Earth

One limitation of the study is that it can't perfectly recreate cellular conditions, James said.

"Any in vitro system, however powerful, can only be used to test the components we know about and can add into the reaction," James said. For instance, in actual cells, the capsid must travel to the cell nucleus, where the DNA is held, and then slip through portals known as the nuclear pores. There may be unknown factors that alter the capsid during this journey, Sundquist noted.

That said, the new cell-free system could help reveal the identity of those unknown factors, Mamede added. Scientists can now make observations in a cell-free environment and then check to see if the same behavior appears in actual cells, he said.

In addition, the system could be useful in drug development. "You can test [new drugs] more readily with one of these simplified systems than with a cell," Mamede told Live Science. "This way, you can see mechanistically what it's really doing to the virus."

The pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences currently has a new drug in human trials that targets the HIV capsid specifically, according to ClinicalTrials.gov. Based on early data, the drug appears to alter the capsid at various points of infection, including during reverse transcription. Sundquist said that the cell-free study underscores that the capsid is a "critical component" of HIV infection, and that corrupting the capsid can limit the virus's ability to multiply.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Scientists zoom in on HIV inside a test tube, find critical steps in infection - Live Science

Fall is made for road trips and Pennsylvania is full of great destinations.

The Keystone State is home to countless adorable small towns, but time is limited and you can only see so many before all the leaves have fallen and winter has set in. To that end, weve crafted a list of 15 of the best small towns in the state, pulling largely from a list of the greatest small towns that we did back in 2017.

This list is entirely subjective, so feel free to disagree! Heres how we made it. We opted to only look at towns that had populations of less than 10,000 people. COVID also means that some small towns that are usually bustling with activity are a little quieter right now. We ranked higher those that still had most of their attractions open for socially distanced fun. Also, fall is all about the leaves. So each one on our list should offer some great fall views, whether its in the town itself or nearby.

With that in mind, heres our list of the 15 best small towns in Pennsylvania.

Named after its founders daughter, Zelienople came into being in 1802. Its your quintessential small town, it has a bustling downtown with stately red-brick buildings. Zelienoples slogan is a modern place with old fashioned grace. Come with a full wallet that youre okay with emptying, as there are plenty of coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants to patronize, including Herb Brittners Smokehouse, home to some of the best beef jerky around.

The porch of the Summerdale Cottage in Mt. Gretna. Sunday August 14, 2016.Daniel Zampogna, PennLiveHAR

Originally meant to be a summer retreat for Methodists in the late 1800s, Mt. Gretna today is a quaint small town. While Mt. Gretna is known as a summer destination, its just as beautiful in the fall. Plan on walking around for a few hours just marveling the unique architecture of the various cottage homes. Head down to the Mt. Gretna Roller Rink which plays live organ music as you skate on Saturday nights in the fall.

READ MORE: Highlights of the Mount Gretna Tour of Homes and Gardens

You dont have to be a Bucknell University student to enjoy all that Lewisburg has to offer. Head downtown for numerous small shops, restaurants and art galleries. Catch a film at the Campus Theatre, a restored Art Deco movie theater. Due to the pandemic, its open for rentals of groups of less than 22 people. Fans of the written word will want to walk down Poetry Path, which winds throughout historic downtown with poem markers throughout.

Punxsutawney Phil waves to cars on Mahoning Street on Groundhog's Day eve in Punxsutawney, Pa. 02/01/2013 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com THE PATRIOT-NEWSTHE PATRIOT-NEWS

Its always Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney.

Throughout the downtown area youll run across painted groundhog figures. Check out the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center (which has its own hall of fame) for a chance to learn about the science behind extreme weather. Then you can meet the weather prognosticator himself at his home in the town library.

READ MORE: The love story between a town and a groundhog and 9 underrated places to visit near Punxsutawney

Just 40 minutes outside of Pittsburgh lies this adorable town, which was once a summer retreat for Rudyard Kipling in 1889. Head to 3rd St. to check out all the small shops and many of the towns restaurants. Pop by on Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to explore the Beaver Farmers Market and enjoy fresh produce from the area. Fans of history will want to check out the Beaver Area Heritage Campus which includes a museum, 1802 log house and a restored 1897 Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad station.

This adorable town sits in the midst of the Allegheny Clarion River Valley and offers excellent fall foliage views. Its also a must-visit for golf fans: the American Golf Hall of Fame resides at the Foxburg Country Club, which is also the oldest continuously used golf course in the United States (it was established in 1887). While youre in town, treat yourself to a handmade confection at Divani Chocolatier or a glass at the Foxburg Wine Cellars, which has more than 30 different varieties of wine in stock including the high alcohol Wineshine. Then prepare to enjoy the great outdoors by hiking along the Allegheny River Trail.

The Old Sled Works is the cant-miss stop in Duncannon. This antique mall has penny arcade games, an operational soda fountain and a whole slew of oddities. It also hosts the occasional auto show. Taste some wine at the Buddy Boy Winery and Vineyard while youre in town, which is known for its sweeter varieties. Then prepare for a hike; the Appalachian Trail passes through here and youll want to see the great view of the Susquehanna River from the trails Hawk Rock (pictured) yourself.

READ MORE: 10 of the best hikes in Pennsylvania to enjoy this spring, from great views to beautiful waterfalls

If you arent a fan of artist Andrew Wyeth and his father N.C. Wyeth before you visit Chadds Ford, you will be after. They both called Chadds Ford home and their work is highlighted at the Brandywine River Museum of Art, where you can actually tour their studios. Their work is also on display at the Christian C. Sanderson Museum, which is also the home of numerous artifacts from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I and II. The Sanderson Museum is open by appointment only because of the pandemic, so be sure to request entry at least 48 hours before you want to visit. Grab your pumpkins and other produce from SIW Vegetables (pictured). Make sure you pencil in time to visit the Chaddsford Winery, and then a few hours (at least) at the nearby Longwood Gardens. Just note that youll need to grab a ticket in advance of a Longwood Gardens visit.

Lititz has won the title of America's Coolest Small Town in an online contest by Budget Travel. Shops along East Main Street in Lititz.02/20/2013Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.comPENNLIVE.COM

Voted Americas Coolest Small Town by Budget Travel in 2013, Lititz is a must-visit for small town fans. Stroll through Lititz Springs Park to feed the ducks and enjoy natures beauty. Head over to Bulls Head Public House and immediately feel like youve been transported to England. It was also named one of the best beer bars in the country by CraftBeer.com. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to wander along Main St. and see all the quirky and fun shops. And, before you leave, be sure to twist your own pretzel at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery.

Fonthill Castle, in Doylestown, was built between 1908 and 1912, by archaeologist and tilemaker Henry Chapman Mercer, who also designed it. Julia Hatmaker, jhatmaker@pennlive.comHAR

Love castles? Doylestown is the place for you (supposing youd rather forego crossing the Atlantic). There are two in the area: Fonthill Castle (which mixes Byzantine architecture with gothic and medieval) and the Mercer Museum (home to 50,000 historical artifacts). Both were built by archaeologist Henry Mercer and are a feast for the eyes. Both castles are open to the public, although there are admission fees. You can learn more about Mercer and his Moravian tile business at the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, a living history site. It is open by appointment only and limited to just six visitors because of the pandemic. Theres also the 1842 Pine Valley Covered Bridge to see, Doylestown Cemetery walking tours to go on and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa to visit.

READ MORE: A castle for the new world is a treasure in Doylestown, Pa and Pa.'s Mercer Museum of junk gives insight into American history

Named one of the best small towns in the country by Country Living, Ligonier was a natural fit for our own list. Its downtown area is filled with great shops and restaurants, including the Ligonier Creamery. In the middle of the historic downtown sits a gazebo, a perfect place for hanging out with friends or, in the summer, hearing live music. Back when it was just a fort, it was a key spot in the French and Indian War. Fort Ligonier today is a museum that boasts living history demonstrations and re-enactments.

Wellsboro, Pa. is less than ten miles from the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

This historic town is lit in the evening by old-fashioned street lamps. The downtown is filled with little shops and places to eat. Be sure to at least step inside the Penn-Wells Hotel, which was built in 1869. Bid the town farewell to explore the gorgeous Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, aka Pine Creek Gorge. It doesnt get better than this hilly landscape to see the changing leaves.

READ MORE: Wellsboro: Todays top fall foliage spot in Pennsylvania and 7 reasons to visit the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon

Come to New Hope prepared to shop. The town is great for antique lovers, with many stores offering up numerous vintage pieces. Theres also a thriving art community here too, so be sure to check out the various galleries. History lovers will want to go on one of the towns ghost tours or take a ride on the New Hope Railroad. Its also just a half hour drives away from the famous Ringing Rocks County Park, where you the rings sing when hit with a hammer.

READ MORE: Bucks Countys 10 must-visit spots: Ringing Rocks, Sesame Place, New Hope and more

Downtown Jim Thorpe, Pa., -- sometimes called "The Switzerland of America" - is a storybook pretty mix of turn-of-the-century charm with modern-day hipness. (Photo courtesy poconomountains.org) SJNSJN

Jim Thorpe is a treasure hidden snugly in the Lehigh Gorge. Originally founded as Mauch Chunk in 1818, it was renamed Jim Thorpe in 1954 after the famous athlete, whose remains are still there. The towns location makes it perfect for seeing the leaves change, and its plethora of little boutiques and restaurants makes it a perfect place to spend a day. No trip to Jim Thorpe, however, is complete without a trip on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway.

A statue of Abraham Lincoln stands in front of the Wills House in the square in Gettysburg. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

Take a stroll through history at Gettysburg. Theres the Gettysburg National Military Park, where you can walk on the battlefield and see monuments to the fallen soldiers. Or head towards the Gettysburg National Cemetery to see where Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address. The haunted Sachs Covered Bridge is decidedly worth seeing as well, even if just for a photo. In terms of non-Civil War things to do, head over the Land of Little Horses to pet adorable miniature horses or pop by Mr. Eds Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium to see the wide variety of elephant statues. You can also tour the Eisenhower Homestead to see where President Dwight Eisenhower would vacation. And of course be sure to check out one of the towns many ghost tours.

READ MORE: What to do in Gettysburg other than visit the battlefield: 12 non-Civil War attractions to check out

This story has been adapted from our 2017 list of the 35 best small towns in the state for a fall day trip.

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Pa.'s 15 best small towns, ranked, for the perfect fall day trip - pennlive.com