The Los Angeles Lakers dropped their fourth straight game with a 115-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, but the outcome was a sidenote to LeBron James passing Michael Jordan for fourth on the NBA‘s all-time scoring list.

NBA TV shared James’ comments about the achievement:

James said “this ranks right up there at the top” of his accomplishments, which include four regular-season MVP awards and three championships.

“For a kid from Akron, Ohio, that needed inspiration … MJ was that guy for me,” he added.

James went on to say he wanted to emulate Jordan in a number of ways, from shooting fadeaways to sticking his tongue out as he dunks.

While his idol scored 32,292 career regular-season points, James is now 17 points ahead of him on the all-time list after tallying 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the loss against Denver.

The gravity of the moment was not lost on James, who expressed his excitement before he even took the court. He then appeared to be overcome by emotion on the bench after he passed Jordan:

The King even had a message for His Airness on his shoes:

While the debate over whether James or Jordan should be considered the greatest player of all time has becomes tedious, passing Jordan was a special moment for James nevertheless.

He went from someone who said it “was like meeting God for the first time” when he met Jordan as a teenager, per Anthony Olivieri of ESPN.com, to someone who is now alongside the six-time champion when discussing basketball royalty.

Wednesday’s accomplishment was another notch on James’ Hall of Fame resume. He can now turn his attention to Kobe Bryant (33,643 points), Karl Malone (36,928 points) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) atop the scoring list.

Surpassing Abdul-Jabbar may be difficult for the 34-year-old, but the same could be said about his chances of topping Jordan when he started his career.

On Wednesday, he did just that.

With the global sustainability movement in full swing, there’s no denying we’re all searching for ways we can change our daily habits to help create a more sustainable future. 

From keep-cups to cloth shopping bags and investing our super in more ethical and sustainable companies, we’re doing what we can to ensure our small changes have a big impact. 

Here are just a few more ways how you and those around you can lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle at home and at work.

It might seem like a no-brainer but ensuring your office has adequate recycling capabilities and your co-workers are aware of what can actually be recycled is an absolute must. Let’s start with plastic. 

Despite the considerable efforts made by eco-warriors, we’re still consuming more plastic than ever before. While plastic and packaging recycling in Australia, for example, is relatively established, it’s still estimated that only 14 percent of plastic is actually retrieved for recycling or energy recovery. 

So, what can you do about it? Beyond encouraging your office to avoid single-use plastic bags and plastic packaging, you can ensure the soft plastics you do use are recycled correctly. 

“It’s still estimated that only 14 percent of plastic is actually retrieved for recycling or energy recovery.”

Organisations like Australia’s REDcycle are here to help you keep plastic bags and packaging out of landfill. Their program allows offices to collect their soft plastics and drop them off at a nearby REDcycle collection bin. These bins are located throughout the country and can also be found at a number of participating supermarkets. 

Soft plastics include everything from bread bags to pasta and rice bags, plastic bags, frozen food and veggie bags as well as biscuit packets (wrappers only). This plastic is then delivered to Replas, where it is used to create a range of recycled-plastic products including furniture, signage and fitness equipment. 

If you’re in another country, hunt around for your best soft plastic recycling option and recommend it to your boss or team. If your office wants to do even more to fight the war on single-use plastic, they can also support companies that are working toward designing more recyclable, compostable or reusable packaging.

Even in most digital working environments, we’re still relying on the humble printer to provide us with hard copies of our most valuable documents. Luckily, some companies are aware of this paper-heavy reality, like Epson, which has created an advanced printer that does the job without actually destroying the environment in the process. 

The new WorkForce Enterprise business printers are great for everyday use because they’re smarter and therefore produce less heat thanks to fewer moving parts. This means they have less need for intervention, new parts and repairs, and use a whopping 87 percent less energy than most laser printers. 

“Why not look into smart printing? It’s good for the wallet AND the environment.” 

Think about it — if you’re switching to smart lights, why not look into smart printing? It’s good for the wallet AND the environment thanks to some seriously reduced CO2 emissions, less landfill, and a decent saving on those pesky electricity costs. While you’re at it, don’t forget to purchase chlorine-free, recycled paper. 

No one likes cleaning the office kitchen, but hey, it’s a burden we all have to bear. To make it easier on the environment (and yourself), do your best to encourage your office coordinator to purchase environmentally friendly cleaning products for the bathrooms and kitchens. 

While it might not seem like a big change, in theory, consider how many times the toilet rolls get replaced, the dishwasher gets turned on, or the cups in the sink get washed each and every day. Both the kitchen and the bathrooms get more consistent use than any other area at work, so make the most of this by going green and choosing eco-friendly products. Oh, and while you’re at it, ditch the paper towels or use them sparingly as possible — these all go to landfill.  

While you probably don’t have much sway over the lighting situation in your office, it doesn’t mean you can’t make simple money and enviro-saving suggestions from time to time. 

While it seems like common sense to turn off all lights in any room you’re not actually using (you can literally post reminder notes next to the light switch in case no one gets the idea), it’s also worth considering replacing all standard bulbs with LEDs. Not only do they provide the same amount of light, but they also use up to 80 percent less energy than standard globes. They also contain no toxic elements, have a longer life span than traditional lights and don’t require as many bulbs to get the same effect. 

“LEDs not only provide the same amount of light, but they also use up to 80 percent less energy than standard globes.”

For offices that are being refurbished, moved or renovated, why not also suggest painting the walls a lighter colour that reflects the natural daylight? Not only will the area need less powered lighting throughout the day, the natural light will help everyone feel they’ve actually been outside for longer than an hour, which also aids better sleep.  

Does your office have a big reception or waiting area that’s just dying for an eco-friendly makeover? Start by donating any office furniture that’s no longer needed to a new home instead of just throwing the items away or dumping them. Even if you advertise each piece for free online and have someone pick them up, it’s better than taking them to the tip.  

Once the space is more open, add an indoor plant or two to liven up the area (quite literally). Indoor plants aren’t just nice to look at, they clean the air by filtering out all kinds of pollutants and can improve our mental health. Some of the best plants to survive and thrive in an indoor environment include the snake plant, the peace lily and the beloved cactus. You can even use an AR app to try before you buy.

This article is brought to you by Mashable Brand X and Epson for their new WorkForce Enterprise business range. 

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that revoked an Obama-era policy requiring US intelligence officials to report civilian deaths in drone strikes outside of active war zones.

President Barack Obama, Trump’s predecessor, put the policy in place in 2016 as part of an effort to be more transparent about drone strikes after he had dramatically increased their use against armed groups in mostly Muslim countries. 

Pakistani sues CIA over drone strikes

Trump’s rescinding of the policy was done with little fanfare on Wednesday. The White House released the text of his executive order.

“This action eliminates superfluous reporting requirements, requirements that do not improve government transparency, but rather distract our intelligence professionals from their primary mission,” an administration official said.

According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, the US has carried out 6,786 drone strikes since 2004, killing up to 12,105 people, including as many as 1,725 civilians, of which between 253 and 397 were children.

The Obama policy had required the US director of national intelligence to release by May 1 each year an unclassified summary of the number of strikes undertaken by the US against targets outside areas of active hostilities.

“The United States government is fully committed to complying with its obligations under the law of armed conflict, minimising, to the greatest extent possible, civilian casualties, and acknowledging responsibility when they unfortunately occur during military operations,” the administration official said.

US Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat who chairs the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, in a statement called the requirement issued by Obama “an important measure of transparency,” and said “there is simply no justification” for canceling it.

“Today’s decision underscores the need for Congress to make this reporting mandatory, something I intend to pursue through the Intelligence Authorization Act this year,” he said.

SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies

LeBron James is officially fourth in NBA history in career points scored, a position he now holds after passing Michael Jordan on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets.

What makes this milestone unique is not that LeBron reached it. Third place on this list has felt like an inevitability for James for years, and leapfrogging Kobe Bryant will almost certainly happen next season. It’s who LeBron passed for fourth that’s most interesting.

Jordan, in the minds of many, is still the greatest of all time. He’ll never be caught. And there is no number of accomplishments, milestones or records that will change their minds. He went 6-for-6 in the NBA Finals, and there was an unquantifiable air of competitiveness and dominance from Jordan that lends itself to his mythical status today.

James, meanwhile, is in the throes of perhaps his most trying season to date. He’s on track to miss the postseason for the first time since 2005. Barring a miraculous turnaround, we’ll have an NBA Finals without LeBron for the first time since 2010. Think about that. For nearly a decade, he was a fixture in basketball’s biggest series.

Now, he’s the subject of social media lowlight reels that rack up loads (in some cases, thousands) of retweets. A season this disappointing, under the bright lights of Hollywood and in 2019’s hyperactive internet culture, has not done James any favors in the GOAT debate.

Heck, as recently as last month, I deemed Jordan the GOAT (greatest of all time) and James the BOAT (best of all time). It’s that close. If ever there was a 1A/1B situation, this is it.

But Wednesday’s milestone calls for a deeper, more objective dive into the debate. However you feel about numbers, they’re our only source of unbiased evidence. Sure, any player comparison should entertain the eye test, but it should always be backed up by the data.

So let’s dive into it.

The Points Leaderboard

Jordan got his 32,292 career points in 1,072 games. It took James 1,190 games to pass him. MJ averaged more points per game, per minute and per team possession, according to Basketball Reference.

But LeBron’s game was never totally about scoring (though he’s fifth all-time in career scoring average). Slow and steady wins this race because he spent so many possessions throughout his career finding teammates.

Over the course of his career, James has averaged 25.3 points per 36 minutes (before Wednesday’s game). If you add that to his points generated by assists per game, though, you get 41.0.

Unfortunately, we don’t have access to the play-by-play data that gives us points generated by assists in Jordan’s era, but we can estimate.

Over his career, he averaged 4.9 assists per 36 minutes. His teams had a combined three-point-attempt rate of .098. Factoring in the lower conversion rate from downtown (34.4 percent during Jordan’s career, compared to 35.7 percent during LeBron’s), that means a little less than 0.5 of those assists were for threes.

We can add an estimate of 10.3 points generated by assists to 28.3 points per 36 minutes. Of course, those 38.6 points fall short of James’ 41.0.

What’s more, the points LeBron did score came on a better True Shooting Percentage (TS%). Here again, though, we face some era-related difficulties.

Over the course of Jordan’s career, the league-average TS% was 53.2. Jordan’s was 56.9, giving him a 3.7-point buffer between himself and the competition. During LeBron’s career, the average TS% is 54.0, 4.7 shy of his 58.7.

So, yes, Jordan scored individually at a higher rate than James. But that doesn’t account for LeBron’s edge in efficiency or what he does as a playmaker.

Of course, a late-career drop-off could hurt those rate numbers, as MJ’s days with the Washington Wizards did to his, but every game LeBron plays adds to his strongest argument: longevity.

LeBron’s Marathon of a Career

James missed 17 games this season with an injury, plus one more for rest. Prior to this campaign, he’d missed an average of 4.7 games per regular season.

Add in the playoffs, and the only players who’ve logged more total minutes than James’ 55,988 are Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan and Jason Kidd. If you limit that search to include only players’ first 16 seasons, LeBron is first.

Oh, and he’s logged another 1,000-plus minutes with Team USA for international play, according to RealGM.

The workload LeBron has carried, and the length for which he’s carried it, is unreal. Another sports legend, Tiger Woods, almost seemed awestruck while explaining it in 2018:

“What LeBron has done for what, 15 seasons now, is just remarkable,” Woods said.

And it’s not just the minutes he’s played. It’s what he’s done with them. He’s first all-time in career Wins Over Replacement Player with 348.0 (WORP is Value Over Replacement Player multiplied by 2.7, according to Basketball Reference). The gap between his WORP and second-place MJ’s 281.9 is roughly equivalent to the gap between Jordan and ninth-place Larry Bird at 215.2.

The gap is about as wide in playoff Wins Over Replacement Player as well. And it’s there where many of LeBron’s detractors cry loudest.

Jordan is 6-0 in NBA Finals. James is 3-6. I’m sure that isn’t news to you.

But James’ streak of eight straight Finals appearances blows Jordan’s three away. His playoff game record of 156-83 (.653) isn’t far off the pace of Jordan’s 119-60 (.665). And, perhaps most compelling, LeBron did what he did in the playoffs with significantly less help:

In the years James went to the Finals, his teams’ No. 2 players produced a total of 93.1 Wins Over Replacement Player, compared to his 259.6, a staggering difference of 166.5. In the years Jordan went to the Finals, he produced 165.5 Wins Over Replacement Player. Scottie Pippen put up 120.8 in those years. The distance between LeBron and his help was greater than Jordan’s total.

And, finally, the teams LeBron played in the Finals were better. Simple Rating System (SRS), tracked by Basketball Reference, combines a team’s point differential and strength of schedule into one number. The average SRS of Jordan’s Finals opponents was 6.84. The average SRS of LeBron’s Finals opponents was 7.93. The Golden State Warriors alone were at 9.38 over the last four years.

LeBron’s All-Around Game

Like Woods said, it’s a combination of longevity and greatness that makes LeBron so different from anyone else in NBA history.

Wins Over Replacement Player endeavors to put all a player’s contributions into one number, but there’s another stat that demonstrates just how well-rounded LeBron’s game is.

Over his career, both regular season and playoffs, LeBron has had 668 total games in which he scored at least 25 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out five assists. Oscar Robertson is in second place on that list with 489 25-5-5 games. Jordan’s 392 is third. The 668 from LeBron is 46.8 percent of the total games he’s played, while Jordan’s 392 25-5-5 games make up 31.3 percent of his total.

As Bleacher Report’s Adam Fromal wrote:

“James’ versatility has just won me over. I’ve seen him thrive in too many areas for too long now, refusing to concede defeat and ensuring total domination over an entire half of the NBA regardless of who suits up alongside him. And as he continues to win the unwinnable battle against Father Time, even setting a career high in assists per game during his age-33 season, he’s swaying a larger and larger swath of the basketball-watching population.”

That was written during the 2017-18 season. We have nearly another year of accumulated stats to pile on.

Although he’s finally starting to show some signs of age, especially on defense, LeBron is still averaging 27 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists. He’s 34. Can you imagine nitpicking those numbers at that age from anyone else?

James is held to what may be an unreachable standard. Statistically, though, he’s already passed Jordan.

Andy Bailey covers the NBA for Bleacher Report and SLC Dunk. You can follow him on Twitter (@AndrewDBailey) or listen to the podcast he co-hosts with Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, Hardwood Knocks.

Turkey will never turn back from a deal to purchase S-400 missile defence systems from Russia, President Tayyip Recep Erdogan said, adding that Ankara may subsequently look into buying S-500 systems.

In an interview with broadcaster Kanal 24, Erdogan also said on Wednesday the US should not try to discipline Turkey though trade measures, adding Ankara had its own penalties prepared.

“We concluded the S-400 issue, signed a deal with the Russians, and will start co-production,” said Erdogan. “Later, we may work with S-500s,” the next generation system, he added.

The United States has warned that procuring the S-400 systems from Russia could jeopardise defence industry deals between the NATO allies, and this week decided to end preferential trade with Turkey.

A State Department spokesman said on Tuesday that Ankara was told “acquisition of the S-400 will result in a reassessment of Turkey’s participation in the F-35 programme, and risk other potential future arms transfers to Turkey”.

The US agreed to sell 100 of its latest fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighters to Turkey and has so far delivered two of the aircraft. But Congress last year ordered a delay in future deliveries.

NATO nations – particularly the US – view Turkey’s purchase of the Russian-made equipment with suspicion. Ankara says it needs alternative missile defences to counter regional threats.

Russia’s advanced S-500 anti-ballistic missile system will enter service with the Russian armed forces soon, Russian media reported last week.

The first group of military officers will complete a training course this year to use S-500, a long-range system that will form the backbone of Russia’s air and missile defence systems, TASS news agency said.

SOURCE:
Al Jazeera News