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Did Sean Payton wear a Roger Goodell clown shirt to his end-of-season press conference? | During a press conference Wednesday (Jan. 30) Sean Payton declined to share the details of his conversation with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the day after the New Orleans Saints lost in the NFC Championship after a controversial missed call by game officials. Instead, the coach might have made a larger statement by what he wore under his long-sleeved collared pullover shirt. As noted by the @MySportsUpdate Twitter feed, what appears to be the top of t-shirt design that shows Goodell with a red clown nose is peeking above Paytons zipper collar. pic.twitter.com/nUfUPB4h2L NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) January 30, 2019 Goodell has been a target of criticism following the missed call by game officials that negatively impacted the Saints in their conference championship loss that put the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl. Payton said he spoke briefly with Goodell along with Troy Vincent, the league executive vice president of football operations, in the day after the title-game loss Jan. 20. He also spoke with head of league officials Al Riveron immediately after the game. Asked about the nature of his conversation with Goodell, Payton said that would remain between the two of them. Whatever question there was about the shirt selection, the @robrobgrapics Twitter feed appeared to confirm Paytons suspected wardrobe choice by overlaying an image of the shirt with the video image off television. Sean Payton's NFC Championship remedy: Netflix and ice cream | https://www.nola.com/saints/2019/01/did-sean-payton-wear-a-roger-goodell-clown-shirt-to-his-end-of-season-press-conference.html |
Did Sean Payton rwear a Roger Goodell clown shirt from Barstool? | Saints head coach Sean Payton continues express his discontent regarding the controversial no-call in his team's loss to the Rams in the NFC Championship Game. While Payton is rightfully hurt like most NFL fans, it appears the coach sent a discreet message to commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday. During his end-of-season press conference, it appears that Payton was wearing a Goodell clown shirt under his pullover. The teal t-shirt features Goodell wearing a red clown nose and became popular around the time of Deflategate thanks to Barstool Sports. Welp. pic.twitter.com/nvjB1A8dgi NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 30, 2019 It is no surprise that Payton would have strong feelings against Goodell, who has yet to publicly address the now-infamous no-call on Nickell Robey-Coleman. That night, Payton told reporters that he spoke to the league, who confirmed to him that referees did miss the pass interference call. Payton reportedly also talked with Goodell and executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent about the game but no details from their conversation have been revealed. During his press conference on Wednesday, Payton also said that he tried to recover from the devastating loss to the Rams by eating ice cream and watching Netflix for three days. The past week and a half clearly hasn't been easy for Payton, but his latest fashion choice seems to show that his sense of humor is still in tact. | https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/01/30/sean-payton-roger-goodell-clown-shirt-barstool-sports-saints |
Why Are The Wealthy Starting The Year Feeling Guilty? | The start of the new year is a guilt-filled occasion: People spend less after the glut of the festive season and sign-on to gyms and diets to shed the weight gained. The wealthy are also starting the year feeling guilty, but for very different reasons. After growing public resentment against the rich, many are starting to feel guilty for their excess. This 'wealth guilt' is not new, but it is stronger now than ever before. A Short History of Wealth Guilt The English taboo of not discussing money was punctured by the 'greed is good' mentality of the 1980s. It was an era when city brokers and Greek shipping magnates popularised 'super' yachts and technology became a status symbol. Then came the turn of the Russians and Arabs. With wealth earned from privatization and oil, respectively, they bought yachts, mansions and jets, images of which permeated European culture with fanciable ideas of wealth. 'Luxury' became a commodity that everybody aspired to. Wealth was flaunted during a time when rising incomes meant everybody was living well. The global recession of 2008 put an end to that. The crash in global markets hit the pockets of the wealthiest as well as the poorest. For a few years, being rich was not cool. But the ten years since the recession has seen the wealthiest grow their wealth faster than everyone else. According to a report by Credit Suisse last year, the top 1 percent of global wealth holders held 42.6 percent of all household wealth in 2008. This rose up to 47.2 percent in mid-2018. Last week the British charity Oxfam released figures showing that billionaires' wealth increased 12 percent in 2018 while the poorest half of the worlds population saw theirs fall by 11 percent. "Austerity in rich and poor countries alike following the global financial crisis of 2008 has overwhelmingly protected the interests of the rich while cutting back the public services and social protection upon which the poorest and most vulnerable people depend," says Oxfam's report. The post-recession era was also one of social media. Many of the newly minted flaunted their wealth via Facebook and then Instagram (the latter with the 'Rich Kids of Instagram' trend). Populism has now checked that ostentation. Left-wing political parties are growing more popular throughout Europe on an anti-austerity, anti-wealth ticket. The Global Wealth Clash Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the U.K.'s Labour Party, recently told his supporters, The very richest in our society have had tax breaks, giveaways, and tax havens. I tell you what, theyre on borrowed time. This has caused serious concern among wealthy Brits. In a poll of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) last year, 42 percent of respondents said a change of government was their biggest financial concern. British wealth manager Sanderson House, which conducted the survey of 200 wealthy residents, said, fears over a change of government largely relate to the prospect of a radically changed tax landscape under a Corbyn-led Labour government. This 'new landscape' would see taxes directed at the rich. In France, the yellow vest (gilet jaune) protesters shut down France last year over fuel tax hikes. However, their real gripe was with president Emmanuel Macron, who they labeled, "president of the rich". As protests thundered down the Champs-lyses, luxury boutiques shuttered their windows and expensive cars removed elsewhere. Even the wealthy in non-democratic countries are considering their spending. In Saudi Arabia, the rich are leaving their private jets at home (or at the airport) in order to avoid unwanted attention. Reuters has found dozens of planes stranded at airports across the Kingdom. Quoting unnamed sources the news agency said, "Saudis who either face travel bans or are reluctant to fly the planes because they are wary of displays of wealth that might be seen as taunting the government over the anti-corruption campaign." It is a similar situation in China where an anti-corruption clampdown implemented seven years ago still checks lavish spending. Wealthy Chinese leave their shopping sprees to trips abroad either in Hong Kong or Europe. Money Is No Longer Cool A recent survey of Americans with assets ranging from $1 million to $20 million found almost a third (30 percent) identified one of the main negatives of being wealthy as people judging their status. Another survey by Y Pulse, a market research firm, found that 81 percent of 13 to 34-year-olds agree that showing off expensive things on social media is not cool anymore. The Rich Kids of Instagram have had their day. Rich Lives In The Shadows While a few aged oligarchs and tarnished tycoons will stick to their super-yachts and cars, unable to drop their rich addictions, most wealthy Europeans will be living different lives in 2019. Brand agency, The Future Laboratory calls this movement 'uneasy affluence'. Writing in their Luxury & Hospitality Futures report, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, author of 2017 book The Sum of Small Things, said, "Its creating a cultural shift. Theres a disdain towards overt materialism and a shying away from showing off wealth. Its not attractive to show your social position in that way." Luxury firms have already cottoned onto this. Gone are brands and bling. Streetwear and athleisure (athletic wear) are now their fastest selling products. If shiny things must be bought most luxury stores provide customers with the option to do so behind closed doors in personal shopping suites. Major auction houses provide private rooms from where serious collectors can bid through one-way glass. Entertaining is now also done behind the closed doors of private clubs. A surge of membership clubs across European capitals allows wealthy attention seekers to show off only to their own. While sales in luxury cars have been rising, those driving them are starting to feel self-conscious. "I parked my Rolls [Royce] in Soho the other day. And when I came back someone had keyed 'rich twat' on the paintwork", moaned one Londoner who announced he was going to buy a "banger" to drive to less salubrious locations from now on. As wealth guilt permeates the 1 percent of the world's richest there will be fewer displays of ostentation. But there is an age-old solution for the guilt-ridden rich. Spend less money on the cars, yachts, and mansions that symbolize excess and more on solving the world's problems. Research shows that some of the wealthiest donate less than the average person. Now more than ever is the time to reverse that. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverwilliams1/2019/01/30/why-are-the-wealthy-starting-the-year-feeling-guilty/ |
Is It Too Late For a JCPenney Reboot? | And for good reason. The challenges ahead, after a less than stellar holiday season, seem borderline impossible. It also appears that no amount of tactical tweaking will get them back to relevance in the hearts and minds of todays consumers. I will admit that they are attending to small bleeds such as their high markdowns, that undermined gross margins in 2018, along with reducing inventory levels. However, these are small efforts compared to what needs to be done. Debt has also been a reoccurring discussion. But its also been reported that they have about $2 billion in liquidity, with about $160 M in debt coming due in in 2019 and 2020; so they aint broke yet. Macro & Micro Moves In recent years weve seen JCPenney go in two different directions, to help move them toward retails promise land. The first, with (the overly maligned) Ron Johnson who may have taken on too much, too fast. The next was at the hands of the steady, strategic, yet too timid Marvin Ellison. Mr. Ellison made great strides in improving the existing business model; but perhaps fixing that model wasnt enough to save the business. What they probably need now is a hybrid of the two, going forward. Good luck to CEO Jill Soltau. The reality of the matter is that the New Retail requires a completely different mindset than the one JCP was built around. No longer is it about what a retailer sells that matters, but what they stand for the eyes of their customer. Right now JCP is the poster child for the muddle in the middle and you cant build a sustainable future around that. Repositioning Toward Relevance The first thing they must do, at the C-suite level, is to bring in some outside thinkers to help them define what they need to stand for, in order to matter in the marketplace. Then and only then can they attempt a reboot; which I think is necessary. Once they find a new north star, they can begin to rebuild the brand around some meaningful, and sustainable brand attributes, and direction. Also, once that purpose is clearly defined and understood, it can then be interpreted into sound marketing and customer experience objectives. At that point the process of design and construction of a single retail prototype store can be undertaken and tested; as Target would do. Locationally Challenged Regrettably for JCP, their decision on who and what they want to become, cannot mitigate the fact that too many of their stores are in the most endangered malls and centers in the country. I believe a combination of shrinking footprints (as Kohl's has done) along with more store closures would be in the cards. Once they have a new prototype concept in place that addresses real market needs, they can plan on a measured roll-out. This is likely to combine clean-slate new stores, along with major and minor remodels to the downsized stores. I just dont see any other way. Target, Walmart, & Kohl's have such a substantial leg up on them, that I believe JCPenneys only way forward will be a clean-slate approach. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/sanfordstein/2019/01/30/is-it-too-late-for-a-jcpenney-reboot/ |
What Will The Perfect Hotel Room Look Like In 2019? | Hotels flip design of necessity every few years, and like the Pantone "Color of the Year," the palates change, the design direction changes and even the traveler's experience within the hotel changes. Last year's boutique hotels are next year's "experiential" pod palaces. George Wong of GEORGEWONGDESIGN has worked with some of the best and biggest hotel clients in the industry. He sat down to answer some questions at the turn of the new year on what trends travelers will see in hotel design in 2019. Guest experience is a trending phrase in hospitality design. In the coming year, guest experience should be the number one prime consideration for every design. Brand-consistency does not necessarily mean brand-monotony. Guest prefer fresh and different "experiences" with different hotels even when they are under the same brand. I see that designers will need to play a bigger role in the creation of guest experiences in the sense that we should be the driver in the pushing of the envelope with every given opportunity. Guests will appreciate the efforts of an interior environment that is elevating and/ or transformative. In return, the guest will feel even more appreciated when the hotel delivers the brand promise through services on a personal level. Technology in hotel design will play a much larger, yet paradoxically less visible role. Technology has always been used for hotels to gather data to improve their services and streamline their operations. However, at a guest level, technology is still at a budding phase. Imagine so many households are already using smart-home systems...there is no reason for hotel rooms not to become smarter rooms. Marriott has been testing the use of Alexa in hotel rooms and the results have yet to come out. While it is a good move, the benefit of technology is not for technology to be in plain sight as another piece of accessory in the already overcrowded real estate of the bedside table. Rather, it should disappear in to the background. Guests should have the option to program as they wish all the room amenities such as TV, lighting, coffee machine, music etc. If someone wants to wake up to a gradual brightening up of the room lights, with sounds of birds chirping, and the aroma of morning coffee, they can do that through their phone. Or if they wanted the chorus portion of Beethovens 9th symphony to be played at 6:00 AM, they can program that too. The idea is that having a hotel phone is like having another control panel (still remember those?). I see a day when technology will obliterate all standard-amenities such as alarm clock, music speaker, phone, and what have you, that are taking residence on the nightstand. It is always tricky to predict a certain Pantone number. Bidding adieu to years of blue couch fever, I think pale greens in less saturated tones will be quite soothing against natural materials such as wood and stones. Experiential is the key. In my opinion, Live like a local is more of a state of mind rather than a matter of design. One really has to question oneself as to the extent of how authentically one desires to live like a local, and if one is prepared to go into the daily chores of living like a local when one could better spend the day in leisure. There are other options out there for those who really, really, wanted to live like a local. But they risk not knowing the actual accommodation until they get there physically, and most of the times, without any recourse. Hotel guests, however, will have the best of both worlds. Hotels aim to create an experience that connects guests to the essence of local and regional cultures, and then some, in the comfort and safety of their known and trusted brands. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelalpiner/2019/01/30/what-will-the-perfect-hotel-room-look-like-in-2019/ |
What if time isn't actually on our side? | The time on the symbolic Doomsday Clock remains at two minutes to midnight, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced last Thursday. Though the clock has not moved in a year, Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the organization, says thats far from a good sign. We have in fact entered a period that we call the new abnormal, Bronson said. This new abnormal that the world now inhabits is unsustainable and unsettling. We appear to be normalizing a very dangerous world. The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by atomic scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project. It symbolizes how close we are to man-made global catastrophe. The original setting of the clock was seven minutes to midnight, with midnight signifying the end. With the vivid spectre of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the threat of nuclear annihilation worried us all. But we got used to it. Other, more palpable threats the environment, the economy overtook the fear of nuclear winter. By 1991, the clock was at 17 minutes to midnight, the farthest weve ever been from catastrophe. But that hope faded. A decade later we were back to seven. In 2007, the clock was amended to include climate change and technological threats as well as nuclear annihilation. Its current setting is two minutes to midnight, the closest its been to the tick of annihilation since the Soviets tested a thermonuclear device in 1953. As it inches toward midnight, it continues to measure the collective decline of hope. The dictionary definition is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. It is amorphous and difficult to quantify, but hope is seen as fundamental to human progress, so psychologists have come up with a way to measure it. The Adult State Hope Scale consists of six statements, with graduated responses that range from Definitely False to Definitely True. The lowest score is six and the highest (most hopeful) is 48. I scored a middling 26, a glass half-empty kind of guy. But the questions only addressed individual issues There are lots of ways around any problem that I am facing now. If they had been on a more macro level Will my children survive climate change? Will Toronto commute times ever get shorter? I might have scored in the single digits. On the other side of the psychological coin, there is the Beck Hopelessness Scale, which shows respondents pessimism for the future. It features true and false questions such as, I never get what I want, so its foolish to want anything. (Mostly true.) Both hope and hopelessness scales are somewhat subjective, and neither takes into account the evolution of our fears. A generation ago, people feared nuclear war. Prior to that, we were embroiled in the Second World War and fearful of a new world order. Before that, our collective fear was that the Depression would never end. In making their latest announcement about the Doomsday Clock, scientists said they took several issues into account, including nuclear weapons, climate change and cybersecurity. In a study titled, Baby Boomers: The Gloomiest Generation, the Pew Research Center outlined the current nature of boomer pessimism. We worry that our incomes wont keep up with inflation (despite having the highest incomes in any age group), we worry that our standard of living is lower than our parents, we worry about the environment, nuclear war and getting old. Generation X is even less hopeful. The middle child of generations, sandwiched between Boomers and Millennials, their biggest fear is climate change according to an Australian study, closely followed by not having enough money for retirement. In terms of hopelessness, however, Gen X has nothing on Millennials. Only 37 per cent of that generation have quite a lot of confidence in the future. Their two top fears are climate change and war. And while every generation has its own worries, each is convinced the next one is in even more trouble than they are. An Ekos poll of 2,443 Canadians showed that only 13 per cent said things would be better for the next generation, while 56 per cent thought things would be worse. Both the Greatest Generation (born 1910-24) and the Silent Generation (1925-1945) had the threat of nuclear holocaust to contend with. You would think the post First World War crowd would be candidates. They survived the war and Spanish flu, but that didnt necessarily bring hope. In Europe especially, the war left an indelible mark. Yale history professor Jay Winter argued that ever since 1918, Europe has felt an underlying pessimism. They werent called the Lost Generation for nothing. At any rate, anyone who was filled with hope in the Roaring Twenties had it dashed by the Depression. My grandmother lived through the Depression, but emerging out of those times didnt make her hopeful for the future. It just made her fearful that another Depression was coming. We never seem able to live in a Golden Age and were never headed toward one; it always happened in the past. In Woody Allens Midnight in Paris, Owen Wilson plays a writer who is transported back in time to 1920s Paris, his idea of a Golden Age. There he meets a character who feels the 1920s are empty and desperate; she longs for the Belle Epoque (1871-1914), which she sees as the Golden Age. Of course it was only named that in retrospect, after the horrors of the First World War. Its all a matter of perspective. As a child I was hopeful for the future. It was going to bring more leisure time, time travel and individual rocket packs. Back then, the future was doled out sparingly; a good year might see the introduction of cassettes and touch tone phones. But each new development made our lives better. Now the future arrives weekly in confusing clumps that often seem to threaten something: privacy, employment, health, coastal cities. It may be that hope is less generational than age-related. We start out hopeful but it dissipates as we grow older, replaced by experience, and finally, fear. We come to see the world as a daisy chain of unintended consequences and one big Ed Burtynsky photo waiting to happen. We are made wise not by the recollection of the past, George Bernard Shaw wrote, but by the responsibility for our future. By that metric, wisdom seems in short supply these days. | https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/what-if-time-isnt-actually-on-our-side |
Who is Stacey Abrams, the Democrat who will respond to Trump's State of the Union? | Last November, Stacey Abrams, a Democrat who ran for governor of Georgia, came close to becoming the first black woman to lead a state in U.S. history. And when Democrats announced she would take on the challenging task of rebutting President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Feb. 5., she once again came into the national spotlight. Add Democratic Party as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Democratic Party news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest At a moment when our nation needs to hear from leaders who can unite for a common purpose, I am honored to be delivering the Democratic State of the Union response. Abrams grew up in Mississippi, the daughter of a college librarian and a shipyard worker. They eventually decided to become United Methodist ministers, picking up and moving the family of eight to Georgia. Abrams's family wasn't well off but she went on to build an impressive resume, including degrees from Spellman University and Yale Law School. "My mom likes to call it the genteel poor. We had no money but we watched PBS and we read books," said Abrams in an interview with ABC News in January 2018. "They really believed that where we started out was not going to dictate where we ended up." John Bazemore/Reuters, FILE Abrams rose through the political ranks, eventually becoming minority leader in the Georgia House of Representatives. She was the first woman ever to lead a party in the Georgia statehouse -- but also the first woman to lead a party in the history of the state. "You dont have role models who show you how to do it, Abrams said in the same 2018 interview. And theres an internal dynamic that Ive seen among women that doesnt seem to exist among men, where we believe we have to be experts before we stand for office. Men wake up, some of them, and look in the mirror and think, Im attractive, I should be in charge of something.'" Along the way, she launched an effort called the New Georgia Project, with a goal of registering tens of thousands of new voters that Abrams said could make all the difference for Democrats in a state with six million voters -- fair voter registration has been a theme of her career and was a central tenet in the battle for the Georgia governor's race in 2018. How the inroads made in Georgia governor's race set her apart Abrams stepped down from her role in the statehouse to run for governor in the 2018 midterm cycle. Though she lost, she ran a race so close it was in limbo for days after the election as votes continued to come in. Her opponent, now Gov. Brian Kemp, R-Georgia, won with 50.22 percent of the vote. John Amis/AP, FILE Abrams, who has said she will run for office again but not specified for what role, will be the first in recent years to give a State of the Union rebuttal speech without holding elected office, with the exception of former Gov. Steve Beshear, a Kentucky Democrat, who did so in 2017. That Abrams ran such a tight race was more impressive given that Republicans have held the Georgia governor's mansion since 2003, a woman has never been elected governor there and never before in U.S. history has an African American woman been elected governor of any state. Democratic leaders credited her with leaving a playbook for the party in the Trump era. Abrams saw endorsements from top Democrats like former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont. Plus, Oprah Winfrey showed up to help her door knock. Earlier today, super-canvasser @Oprah knocked on super-voter Denise's door! Denise already has a plan to vote early & volunteer hard to push us to victory in 4 days. #gapol pic.twitter.com/G0HVSw8KLx Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) November 2, 2018 "As a daughter of the South, Im very proud of Stacey Abrams, the kind of campaign that shes run," said former interim chair of the Democratic National Committee Donna Brazile on "This Week" in November before the election. "Stacey Abrams understood that in order to win, you had to bring a new energy in the party, and shes done that." A runoff election was narrowly avoided in the days after the election but led to a broader conversation on voting rights. Kemp, who served as secretary of state for Georgia until two days after Election Day, was accused by Abrams and others of purging voter records and suppressing votes. "To watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in the state baldly pin his hopes for election on suppression of the people's democratic right to vote has been truly appalling," said Abrams in her eventual concession speech on Nov. 16. Abrams subsequently launched Fair Fight Georgia, a legal organization to "pursue accountability in Georgias elections and integrity in the process of maintaining our voting rolls," according to a release from her gubernatorial campaign. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who announced Abrams as candidate for the rebuttal on Tuesday, said "she has led the charge for voting rights which is at the root of just about everything else." Schumer also called Abrams a "great spokesperson" and an "incredible leader" who knows what "working people go through." | https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/stacey-abrams-democrat-respond-trumps-state-union/story?id=60725246 |
Is Aurinia Pharmaceuticals a Buy? | Investors expected Aurinia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AUPH) to announce positive results from an important phase 2 study in late January 2019, so much so they drove shares up 36% in the four weeks leading up to the data release. The results ended up being mixed, with the drug candidate failing to show statistical significance in the primary endpoint and Wall Street sent shares 20% lower over the next week. However, the mixed results for this particular trial and its primary endpoint may not be as important as the smart money thinks it is. Couple that bit of nuance with the fact the business has successfully managed its cash position and expects to announce phase 3 results for its lead clinical program in late 2019, and there may be an intriguing opportunity here. A woman in a lab More Image Source: Getty Images A look at the pipeline Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is developing a compound called voclosporin as a potential treatment for three different ailments. The lead indication is lupus nephritis, for which the drug candidate is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 trial that's expected to wrap up in the fourth quarter of 2019. Investors have high hopes. A phase 2 trial in lupus concluded with impressive remission rates for patients taking both low and high doses of voclosporin. In fact, the results were the best ever reported from a clinical trial for lupus, which has most analysts expecting peak sales in excess of $1 billion per year. A successful outcome in the ongoing late-stage trial would surely hand the company a larger market cap than its current $520 million valuation. Of course, most other late-stage trials for experimental lupus treatments have failed, serving as a reminder to investors that nothing is guaranteed. Voclosporin is also being evaluated in an ongoing phase 2 trial for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare disease affecting the kidneys, and in an ophthalmic formulation for treating dry eye syndrome. The latter is what had investors so excited heading into late January, with reported results somewhat mixed. The company tested voclosporin against Allergan's former blockbuster Restasis in various FDA-accepted endpoints for dry eye treatments. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals reported that the drug candidate failed to demonstrate statistical significance in the primary endpoint of drop discomfort, as both voclosporin and Restasis demonstrated low discomfort scores. It's important to note that this objective is not based on safety or efficacy, but rather tolerability. The secondary endpoints in the mid-stage trial were based on efficacy -- and voclosporin achieved statistical significance compared to Restasis. Nearly 43% of patients taking the drug candidate achieved a clinically meaningful improvement of tear production, compared to just 18% taking Restasis. Similarly, the drug candidate outperformed the control when it came to reducing damage to eye cells (measured by fluorescein corneal staining) -- this time by a factor of 10. Nonetheless, analysts appeared worried over the inability of voclosporin to beat Restasis at patient comfort. While it would have been better for eventual labeling claims to have nailed the primary endpoint, individuals suffering from dry eye syndrome might be more interested in the effectiveness of treatment rather than tolerability. Therefore, it's more important for the drug candidate's ultimate success for efficacy to hold up in the upcoming phase 3 trial. | https://news.yahoo.com/aurinia-pharmaceuticals-buy-193321889.html |
What is a 'frost quake'? | Cryoseisms, also known as "frost quakes" or "ice quakes," may have been the reason loud booms and banging sounds were reported in the Chicago area, where brutally cold, below-zero wind chills have taken over. Add Weather as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Weather news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest The "frost quake" weather phenomenon occurs when the ground is saturated with water or ice. Right now, that's the case in the Midwest, where many spots were recently covered with snow that then melted into the ground. When there is a rapid drop in temperature, that saturated ground will quickly freeze. Julio Cortez/AP As that water underground suddenly freezes into ice, it then expands, causing the surrounding soil and rock to crack. The cracking is what produces the loud noises -- or the "frost quake." All of the ingredients were certainly there for "frost quakes" to occur in the Midwest Wednesday morning as wind chills plummeted well below zero. The wind chill in Chicago clocked in at minus 52 degrees. The wind chill reached minus 55 degrees at the MinneapolisSaint Paul International Airport. Frost quakes were reported in Pennsylvania this week, according to WHP in Harrisburg, and in the Indianapolis area last week, according to WISH-TV. | https://abcnews.go.com/US/frost-quake-explaining-weather-phenomenon/story?id=60723810 |
Is pot the future of the tobacco industry? | LAS VEGAS -- Big tobacco continues to see a slump in sales as regular cigarettes have fallen out of favor. So tobacco giants are now looking at another industry to fire up revenue: marijuana. Tobacco companies are eagerly watching the increasing popularity of legal marijuana as a growing number of states continue to decriminalize its usage. The tobacco companies are probably better positioned than any other business to get into the cannabis business because they know how to make the product, they know how to design it to maximize the addictive potential and they know how to sell it -- they have a huge marketing network that they can plug into worldwide using this, Dr. Stanton Glantz, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco, told Fox News. He said it's perfectly natural for big tobacco to want to cash in on pot sales. The current trajectory that we're on is we're watching the birth of the new tobacco industry in cannabis, he added. Dr. Brian King, deputy director for research translation in the Center for Disease Control and Preventions office on smoking and health said cigarette smoking rates have been steadily declining in the United States for the past five decades. Better health awareness of the risks of smoking, tough local anti-smoking rules, steep tobacco taxes and e-cigarettes have made smoking regular cigarettes increasingly less popular. Big tobacco had been eyeing pot as far back as the 1960s and 1970s, according to a 2014 report co-authored by Dr. Glantz, which found secret industry documents discussing the future of marijuana during that era. It's not totally clear what they were moving toward doing whether they wanted to actually get into the business and take it over or whether they viewed marijuana as a competitor that they needed to crush, Dr. Glantz said. But, they were actively testing the products they were actively thinking about product development and marketing. TOBACCO GIANT STRIDES INTO VAPE MARKET WITH $13B JUUL STAKE Fast-forward to today, and Altria, the worlds largest cigarette manufacturer, has agreed to invest $1.8 billion with Canadian cannabis company, Cronos, for a 45 percent stake in the company and the option for full ownership. Through Cronos Group, Altria is better positioned should cannabis become federally permitted, Altria spokesman George Parman said in a statement to Fox News. Cronos is an excellent partner for Altria to pursue this new growth opportunity in the global cannabis sector, which this investment will position us to participate in and which we believe is poised for rapid growth over the next decade. The deal, which was announced in December and is expected to close in the first half of this year, is tobaccos first major venture into marijuana and could be a sign of broader consolidation of the industry further down the road. Other large tobacco companies, such as Britains Imperial Brand and Philip Morris International, have also made investments albeit much smaller -- in cannabis overseas. Constellation Brands, the parent company of Corona beer, invested in Canopy Growth, the worlds largest cannabis company in 2017. The marijuana industry has been plagued by a preconceived notion that associates marijuana with stoners, potheads and junkies instead of a legitimate business something that Teddy Sullivan, USA vice president of business development for 1933 Industries, a Canadian-based cannabis company, said is not the case. WHITE HOUSE TO UNVEIL FEDERAL CANNABIS REFORM 'VERY SOON,' SAYS GOP LAWMAKER These guys go home every day, they go home to their families. Were just like everybody else. Everyone wants to be someone we want to be successful, we want to be someone one day and this just happens to be a proponent of their life, Sullivan said. Its just good people who are in it. Sullivan sees the emergence of big tobacco into the cannabis sector as a chance to help legitimize the industry and break away from the stereotype. I think big tobacco will help our cause working toward legitimacy because it starts to show marijuana is now being taken seriously, he added. At first, we look at big tobacco as a competitor and now big tobacco is looking for a friendship We look at it as a positive impact because now other industries that are just as legitimized as big tobacco are coming into our space and theyre looking for partnership. Although big tobacco brings resources and the ability to scale at a much quicker pace, it also comes with a controversial past of misleading the public about the dangers of smoking. Ben Kolver, CEO and founder of Chicago-based cannabis company Green Thumb Industries, said while there is certainly baggage associated with it, cannabis has the opportunity to do this right. And to think about the consumer first and to think about offering a path towards wellness for consumers, he added. Thirty-three states have legalized marijuana in some form, including 10 which have legalized recreational use. However, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Dr. Glantz, who thinks marjuana should be legal, warns of a potential health crisis if its legalized without any oversight and said cannabis should "be like tobacco where its use is tolerated socially, but discouraged." In October, Canada became the first major economic country to legalize recreational marijuana, which will undoubtedly be a bellwether for the U.S. as it continues to debate policy issues surrounding pot. And although cigarette smoking might be on the decline, Dr. King notes the tobacco industry has heavily diversified its portfolio of products and still remains one of the most profitable industries globally. So while it might be awhile before convenient stores are selling packs of joints, similar to a pack of cigarettes it's clear tobacco is positioning itself for an impending shift towards cannabis. Kids started with tobacco and then graduated to marijuana," Glantz said. "Now it's the other way around. Kids start with marijuana and they graduate to tobacco." | https://www.foxnews.com/us/is-cannabis-the-future-of-the-tobacco-industry?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fnational+%28Internal+-+US+Latest+-+Text%29 |
Are Businesses Ready To Embrace People Who Are Self-Taught? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Elyse Burden, Co-founder + CEO of Real World Scholar, on Quora: As we know, Silicon Valley companies like Google and Apple are now more comfortable hiring people without degrees for highly skilled jobs; they announced last year theyd no longer be requiring four-year degrees from their hires. That shift felt huge as some of the most sought after jobs were more accessible to young professionals, presumably without having to spend the four years and hundreds of thousands of dollars on a four-year degree. But if were honest, this shift is not representative of the job market generally and its not exactly the wild, wild west out here; most hires still have some training or credentialling from coding schools or vocational classes (i.e. not self-taught) and companies are still looking for proof of potential (be it some training certificate or a portfolio of work) to determine the best candidate for the job. That wont change any time soon. But when it comes to what companies are prioritizing in new hires, some things are changing. While most companies are still looking at four-year degrees as signals of high-quality work experience and professional communication skills, theyre also noting that college grads often dont have the necessary process skills once theyve been hired. Turns out, sitting in classrooms, regurgitating information might make you a hell of a student, but not the best employee. In fact, employers commonly say that folks right out of college often lack the self-starting skills and entrepreneurial mindset to contribute to the team initially. This is why the World Economic Forum has said skills like critical thinking, complex problem solving, and people management are clutch for young people entering the workforce because those are the skills that make and break companies in 2019. (See the whole list here.) In 2010, IBM did a survey of 1500 CEOs, asking about the most important trait they were looking for most when it came to hiring new folks. Creativity was at the top of the list. Because organisms that fail to evolve die and the same is true for business. More than ever, companies and organizations are feeling the pressure to innovate and evolve to meet current market needs and that starts at home, right with the folks they hire. These organizational leaders arent looking at creativity as a feel-good soft skill, theyre thinking of it as a mission-critical skill- and mindset that their team will need to stay relevant and in business. Folks who know how to learn and have the initiative to teach themselves both prior to these jobs and during will go further, faster. Im not an economist and am not sure what the future holds when it comes to hiring criteria or even how employers are filtering for these skill sets. What I do know is that a four-year college degree (and what skills it signals) is no longer cutting it and employers are willing to look in other places to find candidates who can learn in real time, work on new and ambiguous projects, and help take the company into new spaces. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/01/30/are-businesses-ready-to-embrace-people-who-are-self-taught/ |
Why Does Windows Require A Restart After Installing Updates? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Mark Phaedrus, Software Engineer at Microsoft, on Quora: To put it mildly, this is relevant to my interests. Let me start by saying that, yes, updates can be painful, and yes, that sucks, and yes, I apologize both personally and on behalf of Microsoft, and yes, were working to make it better, and nothing Im about to say changes any of that. In order to explain why shadow copies dont really help us, let me first explain what a shadow copy is. A shadow copy essentially lets a process take a snapshot of a volume (C:, D:, etc.) at any given instant. While the shadow copy is active, writes to that hard drive dont overwrite the existing contents of the volume; instead, theyre redirected to a special part of the file system. So in other words, the volume is essentially split into two parts: one that holds the contents of the file system at the moment the shadow copy was requested, and one that holds all the changes that have been made since then. Typically, the program that created the shadow copy is the only one that sees its unchanging contents. All the other programs dont typically know that the shadow copy exists, and they see the changes made since the shadow copy was created. Thats because when one of these programs says Give me the data in file X, Windows starts by reading the shadow-copy version of file X, but then checks to see if any changes have been made; if so, those changes get applied before the data is returned to the copy. Shadow copies are typically used for backup products. A problem with Windows backups programs prior to the implementation of shadow copy was that the backup was sometimes inconsistent, because the backup contained the version of each file that happened to be present at the moment that the backup program got to it. If, say, you were installing a program while the backup was going on, the backup might contain only half of the programs files, with all sorts of bad results. By using a shadow copy, a backup program knows that its capturing a consistent view of the system at one moment in time (the moment when the backup started). So immediately theres a bit of a disconnect between how shadow copies work and what Windows Update needs to do. The shadow copy is unchanging, and normally only one program sees it. What Windows Update would presumably want to do is the reverse it would want to make changes to the Windows directory, while everyone else sees an unchanged version of it from the moment before the update started. We could certainly create a reverse shadow copy that works this way; but theres another problem. Remember that a shadow copy works on a whole volume, and divides it into the contents of the volume at that moment and the changes since then. In the case of Windows Update, Windows would be making changes that it wouldnt want the other programs to see, but those other programs would also be making changes (and potentially to the same directories, though hopefully not the same files). So wed actually need to create two shadow copies at the same moment one for Windows Update, one for everyone else. That would have some performance impacts, but we could potentially do it. Now lets say that Windows Update finishes its update, and tells Windows to close its shadow copy in other words, to write all its changes to the regular version of the system, and let the other programs see them. And now everything falls apart. Because those other programs already have some Windows DLLs loaded into memory, and those in-memory copies are the old versions. And if those programs open Windows components they werent previously using or potentially even if they use previously-unused functionality of the components they already were using then theres suddenly a mix of old new Windows components (or even old and new parts of the same Windows component) in memory at the same time. And they potentially have very different ideas of how things are laid out in memory or how different parts of the system communicate with each other (after all, making changes to that stuff is one of the main reason why updates are released in the first place). And programs start crashing and data gets lost and the user is Profoundly Unhappy. Could we say Okay, programs that were already running consistently use the old version of Windows, and newly-launched programs use the new version of Windows? Yes. That would be a bit of a bear to implement and would have more performance impacts, but Im sure that the smart folks who implemented shadow copies in the first place could make that happen. But in modern Windows, programs communicate with each other all the time. You would have this extremely elaborate mix of old-Windows programs talking to new-Windows programs talking to old-or-new-parts-of-Windows-that-arent-associated with-a-particular-program, and so on. Which brings me to my final point. Everything Ive mentioned so far is a technical barrier. And technical barriers can be knocked down if you throw enough resources at them. Im sure we could make this work. But stop and consider this: We at Microsoft have already gotten a whole lot of completely justified flak recently over quality issues.We need to improve. We need to test our stuff better. We need to roll out more carefully. But now, imagine if we say Before releasing a new update, its not enough to test that the new version of Windows works as expected under all conditions. You also have to test every possible combination of the new/updated Windows components with every possible combination of older Windows components that might be present on the box, including the case where different programs may be simultaneously running different versions of the same component. I dont think I can even adequately express how much more complicated that would be. And if were currently failing at sufficiently testing our stuff under the current model, theres no way on $INSERT-DEITY-HERE$s green Earth that we should be trying to test that amazingly-more-complicated mess. So now you see why Windows needs a restart to finish installing updates. No matter how cleverly we try to write the changes to the disk while were performing the update, the only way we can currently make sure that programs can work consistently and the only way to avoid the testing apocalypse I just described is to say Okay, once we have the updated files ready, we cleanly shut down the old version of Windows and cleanly start up the new one. I know this doesnt make the restart less painful, and I apologize for that again, but I hope now you least understand more about why it happens. EDIT: Several nice folks have asked variations of Why dont other OSes generally have this problem?, so let me address that: Many other OSes do have this problem. macOS, iOS, and Android tend to require reboots after any significant update. Linux is the big outlier; a Linux box can typically update anything except the kernel without a reboot, and some variants can even apply kernel updates without rebooting. Linux had its origins in Unix, and Unix was designed as a multi-user OS from the very start, unlike most other PC operating systems (which started as single-user OSes and may have had multiuser features grafted on later), and unlike phone OSes (which are almost always single-user). Largely because of that need for simultaneous multi-user support, Unix (and Linux) was designed with more layers of isolation, abstraction, and security that separate programs from each other, separate programs from the OS, and separate OS components from each other. This layered approach imposes some significant performance penalties; but since it was vital for the way the systems would be used, the designers of Unix (and Linux) were willing and able to pay those penalties in order to get the security and maintenance benefits. As a result of that design, just about any component of a Unix (or Linux) system can be updated without a reboot. And now that CPUs are so much more capable than they used to be, and most PCs dont use all the CPU power they have, this decision really shines the performance penalty no longer really matters, and Linux has a great advantage on this point. (And as an aside, this is also a very good illustration about how the capabilities of an OS reflect the developers priorities. macOS is at its core a Unix variant, so in theory it should have this same advantage. But the first version of what is now macOS was created almost twenty years ago. And the sort of isolation and abstraction layers that allow for rebootless updating arent a price that an OS developer only pays once; it requires continual, substantial development work, in coding and in testing, as the OS evolves. And while macOS still has multi-user capabilities, the vast majority of macOS systems only have one user at a time, and Apple knows that; they have pretty clearly directed their development towards enriching these single-user scenarios, rather than in maintaining strict isolation and testing all the possible combinations of components. Perhaps as a consequence of that, the great majority of macOS updates updates to the OS, rather than applications require a reboot to complete.) I would love to put that sort of isolation and abstraction into Windows. But for technical reasons, it would be extremely hard to do so without breaking compatibility with existing applications and compatibility with existing applications is probably the prime reason why people use Windows in the first place. Which is probably why a lot of our effort is focused on making reboots less painful, by making them faster and preserving the users application state better, rather than focusing purely on getting rid of the reboots. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/01/30/why-does-windows-require-a-restart-after-installing-updates/ |
Can Software Help People Build Better Arguments? | Theres a map for that. While just about everyone agrees that critical thinking should be learned in school, the actual teaching of better reasoning is not easy. But theres growing evidence that concept mapping can help students engage in improved thinking, and a forthcoming research review argues that helping students create online organizers leads to stronger reasoning skills. The authors declare that mapping tools are simply a very effective way to teach critical thinking. As an educational approach, concept mapping is far from new. The practice dates back to at least the 1970s, and it typically involves creating diagrams that visually represent a set of ideas. Argument mapping is a variation of concept mapping, and the approach encourages people to create diagrams of an arguments contentions. As an example, I included an image of an argument map below, which comes from an article by researcher Charles Twardy. He created a simple 2-D argument map for this statement: Socrates is mortal because Socrates is human. Even in this simple example, the benefits of creating an argument map are pretty clear. By visually representing the contentions of a statement, people gain a better understanding of the statements strengths and weaknesses, and in this example, we can see that Twardy does not provide a lot of evidence that Socrates is mortal beyond the fact that Socrates is human. A forthcoming paper pulls together a large body of research to support the idea that argument maps can boost critical thinking. Written by Martin Davies, an associate professor at the University of Melbourne and his colleagues, the article cites a wealth of studies showing that argument mapping has a large impactin some cases, double or even triple the impact of a traditional critical thinking course. One of the benefits of argument maps is that they focus students on inferences. According to the research paper by Davies and his colleagues, its easy to miss the leaps of reasoning that make up a contention. Argument maps address this problem by outlining the claims for a contention, and thus people gain a better understanding of how to construct an argument of greater quality. The paper also notes that online argument mapping provides benefits to teachers. In contrast to a lot of educational technology, the approach is fairly painless to roll out in a classroom, and argument mapping allows students to engage in self-directed exploratory learning as they try out different argument structures to see what works best. When it comes to teaching critical thinking, argument maps are more effective than many other interventions. In an earlier article, Davies noted that college age students using argument mapping over a ten week period improved their critical thinking skills as much as a student who had taken four years of more conventional, critical thinking training. Whats more, ten weeks of practice on argument maps may not even be necessary, and Davies notes that some students show gains in critical thinking even after an hour of practice on an argument mapping tool. A slew of mapping packages are now available. Some like Rationale come at a cost. Others like MindMup for free, as Davies notes. An old-school approach to mapping shouldnt be dismissed either, and a Carnegie Mellon University study once found that using pencil and paper to diagram an argument also shows strong outcomes. There are downsides to argument mapping, of course. For one, the practice may end up turning students off to reasoning, since the tools makes it easy to spin out argument after argument. When we reached out to Davies, he pointed out another potential flaw. Mind mapping is designed to help visualise associations, or loose connections between concepts and ideas, Davies noted in an email. It wont necessarily help you structure inferential connections in arguments. It wont help you reach a conclusion from stated nor unstated premises. But in the end, argument maps should be in the toolbox of any teacher who aims to teach sharper reasoning. The approach is inexpensive, easy-to use, and proven, and this makes them, as Davies notes, an obvious course of action for modern educational institutions. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/helenleebouygues/2019/01/30/can-software-help-people-build-better-arguments/ |
Could the holdup on J.T. Realmuto deal for the Cincinnati Reds be a contract extension? | Sep 7, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto (11) looks on from behind home plate against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports (Photo: Charles LeClaire, Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports) While the prospects are reportedly the holdup on the Reds getting a deal for J.T. Realmuto done, there may be another glitch. The Miami Herald reported that at least one team asked for permission to speak to Realmutos agent about a multiyear deal. The Marlins refused. Realmuto will make $5.9 million this season. Hes arbitration-eligible for the third time in 2020 (hell make north of $10 million) and becomes a free agent in 2021. The Reds have Tucker Barnhart signed for $2.9 million for this year, for $3.9 million for 2020 and $4.1 million for 2021. The club holds a $7.5 million option for 2022. The Reds are clearly in the go-for-it mode for this season. But cost certainty is important for teams with payrolls in the Reds range. Doc: Thanks to the Cincinnati Reds for providing optimism in 2019 Remember, the Reds would not have made the Sonny Gray trade with the New York Yankees if he had not agreed to a three-year extension. It is impossible to say if the Reds are insisting on the same thing with Realmuto. He is an upgrade, especially offensively over Barnhart. Realmuto hit .277 with 21 home runs and 77 RBI in 477at-bats. Barnhart hit .248 with 10 home runs and 48 RBI in 382 at-bats. Barnhart won a Gold Glove in 2017. He was not as good defensively in 18. He ranked 10th defensively, according to fangraphs.com. Realmuto ranked seventh. The Reds, of course, dont talk about trades, but I can only see them making the deal for Realmuto if they can get an extension, include Barnhart in the deal and not give up Nick Senzel or Taylor Trammell. Jon Heyman of Fancred tweeted that Jonathan India, last years No. 5 pick overall, has the Marlins interested. Heyman also reported that the Reds and Marlins were apart on prospects. If the Reds do trade Barnhart, it would be another departure from business as usual under the Castellini ownership. Theyve been reluctant to trade homegrown, popular, productive players until they are on the brink of free agency. But, as weve seen this offseason, the Reds are doing things differently. | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2019/01/30/could-holdup-realmuto-deal-reds-extension/2724031002/ |
How can we talk about Canadas new Food Guide without talking about access and inequality? | Canadas new Food Guide shows good progress, but progress without government action leaves a lot to be desired. Im enthused to see the movement to a plate diagram to display proportions of food groups in relation to each other. Its certainly much clearer and easier to understand than the previous rainbow image that was used. Unfortunately, that beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. The plate reminds me of how important things like a national school food program that is supported by the federal government would be in making that plate more of a reality. That beautiful plate of food doesnt reflect the reality for four million Canadians who are food insecure in this country, writes Paul M. Taylor. The plate doesnt reflect what is available in many schools and daycares across Canada. I want to live in a country where everyone has access to the food that we need. This is especially significant in a country like Canada that introduced the right to food for its citizens over four decades ago. Canadas Minister of Health claims the new food guide is based on the idea that eating should be a pleasure and that the guide is a major step in helping Canadians to eat well but that doesnt really apply to all Canadians. To me this is like telling people to wear a seat belt in a car that doesnt have any. Our food guide needs to be linked to our national food policy. The new Food Guide emphasizes drinking water, but yet communities across this country still dont have access to safe drinking water in their homes this just adds insult to injury. Article Continued Below Another example is the heavy emphasis on plant-based foods, well of course this is good for a multitude of reasons, but the recent Canadian Food Price Report indicates that in 2019 fruits are projected to increase in cost by 3 per cent and vegetables by 6 per cent. Access to fruits and vegetables will simply become more difficult for these folks. We know that access to fresh fruits and vegetables is what those that are materially poor struggle with the most in this country. As the executive director of FoodShare Toronto, I see this in the number of people that access the 46 affordable produce markets that we support in communities across Toronto. There is a huge demand for affordable, accessible and culturally diverse produce that our government should be doing more to address. The guide itself is good, but more action would be much better. Most people know what is healthy for them to eat, but access and affordability makes the picture of the plate in the new food guide unattainable for far too many in this country. It is no longer sufficient to come out with a guide when what we need are policies that will meaningfully address hunger, poverty, and inequitable access to food and water. Paul M. Taylor is the executive director of FoodShare Toronto. | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/01/30/how-can-we-talk-about-canadas-new-food-guide-without-talking-about-access-and-inequality.html |
What it's like to go to work in a 'polar vortex'? | Image copyright EPA Image caption The US is shivering in a cold snap as temperatures fall to as low as -53C (-64F) Temperatures have plummeted across swathes of the US as the so-called "polar vortex" brings arctic air south. Some schools and businesses have closed and a state of emergency has been declared in a number of US states. While many people are trying to keep warm at home, we spoke to some of those braving the extreme cold and venturing outside. 'Incomprehensible cold' Brett Thicke is the public works supervisor for the village of Richfield, Wisconsin. He has been keeping the roads in the rural area clear during the extreme cold weather. "There's nothing that I can even compare it to," Brett says. "I try to think about the coldest I've ever been, then multiply that by a factor of 10. It is an incomprehensible cold to explain. "We are near -50F in Richfield today. With the little bit of facial hair that I have, the second you walk outside it feels like each follicle stands straight at attention, even when its fully covered." Image copyright Village of Richfield "Your eyes start to water from the blistering wind and almost instantaneously it starts to freeze in the corners and on your eye lashes. "Even with multiple thermal layers, the cold pierces through the work boots. "Today we could only run the snowploughs for about three hours because the hydraulic fluid in the plough started seizing up due to the frigid temperatures," Brett said. "In all my years, I've never seen this happen before." Brett says he takes pride in keeping his community safe and providing for his young family, and that helps motivate him while working in the cold. 'Work hard to stay warm' Jim Garde has been fixing burst water pipes in Madison, Wisconsin, for 16 years. "The colder it gets, the busier we get," Jim says. "You just have to deal with it." "It's not the most fun thing to be out in this weather, especially if you're out after dark when it gets even colder. We can get called out at any time, and it won't be nice to be out tonight. "You have to keep moving or you just get so cold. You have to work hard to stay warm." Image copyright Jim Garde Image caption Jim Garde has been fixing burst water mains during the cold snap One of the main worries Jim has about working outside when the temperature drops is the icy road conditions. "You hope people keep your safety in mind when they are driving, but you worry about them losing control. The city gives us high visibility jackets." Jim says the thing that is helping him through this cold snap is the crew he works with. "You have to try and have a good time in the cold, you need people around you to make you laugh and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel." 'Appreciated' While a number of airports in the US have cancelled flights due to the freezing temperatures, some airport staff are braving the harsh conditions to keep people moving. Columbus International Airport, in Ohio, shared a video showing an employee de-icing a plane on the runway. The temperature in Columbus has fallen to -18C. An American Airlines spokesman told USA Today that they have set up "mobile warming vans" for their ground staff at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. While United Airlines are reducing the amount of time workers spend out on the runway. 'Innovative' Sarah McMullen works at a hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, where it is forecast to hit -23C (-10F). Sarah told the BBC: "Emergency personnel and other hospital staff, such as myself, are required to go out to work even when there's an advisory which restricts travel." She admits to feeling nervous about commuting in the cold. "I've got blankets in the car, an overnight bag packed, and several layers prepared to wear during the maybe 20 minutes I'll spend outside all together." Image copyright Sarah McMullen Image caption Sarah McMullen works at a hospital in Indianapolis Sarah is part of the team that receives patients from the ambulance outside the doors to the hospital. "It is sometimes not a short process, so we will have to be innovative about how we keep ourselves and the patients warm. "But medical emergencies happen whatever the weather, so we have to be here to make sure people can get treatment." While Sarah says the cold will be a "challenge", she admits that it is also a bit "exciting to see how cold its gets". 'The colder the better' Not everyone is worried about the cold. Dave Giacomin is thrilled the temperature has dropped. He is an ice climber who runs a business helping people prepare for high-altitude mountaineering. "I am currently preparing for a big climb up Mount Katahdin, in Baxter National Park, Maine," Dave says. "This cold weather is great for me. The colder the better!" Dave is used to extreme cold temperatures and says "comparatively this is pretty mild. It's all relative". Image copyright Dave Giacomin Image caption Dave Giacomin is an ice climber who welcomes the cold weather Dave knows that most people won't want to venture outside while it's so cold. "People see what I am doing and call me nuts. But I look at people sat inside on the couch and think they're nuts. I'm out living my life, even if it is cold!" | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47047468 |
How would Phoenix's next mayor respond to affordability and homelessness crisis? | Councilwoman Kate Gallego and Councilman Daniel Valenzuela. (Photo: City of Phoenix) The Phoenix metro area is facing a cataclysmic combination of issues surrounding housing. Last year, the state counted 10,000 Arizonans experiencing homelessness, 6,200 of whom were living in Maricopa County. The county's population of people experiencing street homelessness increased 149 percent between 2014-2018. The percentages of individuals experiencing homelessness who also have a serious mental illness or are over the age of 62 are also on the rise. At the same time, the region is seeing rapidly-increasing housing prices and fewer affordable options. "We have a trend we do not want to continue," Arizona Department of Economic Security Director Michael Trailor said. Phoenix, the anchor of Maricopa County, will elect a new mayor on March 12. Former council members Kate Gallego and Daniel Valenzuela are vying for the city's top spot. A collection of Valley health and housing organizations hosted a recent forum to quiz the candidates on their knowledge of the sweeping issues of mental health, housing affordability and homelessness, and hear their plans to address them. Before turning it over to the candidates, Trailor warned that communities across the country, including San Diego and Seattle, saw the same trends Phoenix is seeing now and failed to get ahead of the problem. "We have an opportunity to get ahead of it. The question is, do we have the will?" Trailor asked. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said the first step is creating a "real plan" with the organizations who work in these areas. "Government is not going to fix this problem, but we can be a partner. I think if everybody could get on the same page, we could tackle these issues," he said. Valenzuela said housing is part of the solution, but the region also needs to "lead with services" by focusing on the root causes of homelessness, like addiction or a lack of job training. "It's more than just a building issue. It's a people, and more specifically, a person issue," he said. Gallego: "Housing is the solution to homelessness," Gallego said. She said that in her conversations with people who have previously experienced homelessness, "the one factor that seems to be universal is a good stable housing situation needs to be part of that plan." She also stressed the importance of a regional solution. "Homelessness does not stop at Phoenix's borders and all of the mayors should be having a debate like this. You should be asking mayors of every city, 'What are you going to do to address homelessness?' " Gallego said. Gallego: Gallego said that with market rate apartments now going for close to $1,100 per month, the city needs to offer incentives for affordable housing. "Phoenix used to be nationally know for affordable housing. Unfortunately, that's not the reality here today," she said. She also said Phoenix owns a substantial amount of vacant lots throughout the city, and it could partner with local nonprofits to develop affordable housing on those lots. State law does not allow cities to mandate that market-rate developers pay into an affordable housing fund, like many big cities across the country do. So incentives are the city's only choice, she said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said an incentive isn't always the answer. "At the end of the day, it needs to be something that pencils out for the developer as well. Otherwise, it's not going to be developed," he said. He commended the current City Council for pursuing a new plan to require housing developers in the downtown area to set aside 10 percent of their units as workforce housing for middle-income individuals who make $38,000-$48,000 annually if they're asking for a tax-break or other incentive from the city. Evictions Question: In 2017, there were 25,009 evictions filed in Maricopa County. We have one of the highest eviction rates in the nation. Gallego: Gallego said that when she thinks about evictions, she thinks about job availability and making sure all people have access to opportunity. She said during her time on the City Council, she represented a portion of the city with high numbers of individuals who had been convicted of felonies and struggled to find employment because of that. Gallego said she worked with local employers to host job fairs for these individuals. She also said the state needs to review some of its laws, particularly laws that make it a felony offense to have a small amount of marijuana. Valenzuela: "2,509 evictions. There's probably 2,509 reasons for the eviction," Valenzuela said. He recalled his personal experience on the subject. He was predominantly raised by his mother as his father struggled with alcoholism. He said he attended 13 public schools during his youth and lived in an even greater number of homes, including a stint at a homeless shelter. "I will tell you when I was a kid, my family was one of those numbers multiple times, and it was a different story or reason every time," Valenzuela said. Sometimes it was a domestic violence situation. Other times his mother lost a job or experienced a pay cut, he said. "We have to get down to the root cause and we can't treat people like numbers or stats. We have to actually figure out what people are going through," he said. Gallego: Gallego said the two top concerns she's heard while on the human services campus are mental health care and dental health care. "It seems to me one of the happiest places on the campus is the dental health clinic, which is helping people get back their smile that makes them proud," she said. She said individuals on the campus have also told her that they need more than just crisis housing. They need stable, long-term housing. Gallego said she'd like to see more supportive housing throughout all of Maricopa County. "I'm a big believer that you shouldn't concentrate poverty, that people should have an opportunity to get treatment closer to where they last lived in a stable housing situation," she said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela said its important for the other cities in the region to step up and support the campus as Phoenix has. He commended the campus for all of the services it provides beyond just a shelter, including interview prep and criminal justice assistance. He said the campus estimates a 5-8 percent diversion rate,meaning those individuals have gotten services on the campus that have prevented them from becoming homeless. "As I see the campus evolving, I envision, with a strong advocate as your mayor of the city, that diversion rate growing," Valenzuela said. Valenzuela: Valenzuela commended the new Phoenix program, Phoenix CARES (Community Action Response Engagement Services), a coordinated effort to decrease blight and connect people who are homeless with services. The program combines the efforts of law enforcement and other city departments to "give people experiencing homelessness an option," he said. "It's not always jail. Some people just need help," Valenzuela said. He also noted that several nonprofits like Circle the City are providing care for individuals experiencing homelessness and medical issues. He said the city should work with these groups to expand the impact. "Government is not going to be able to solve this by itself," he said. Gallego: Gallego said the city should allocate some of its housing vouchers for people who have just exited a hospital situation because of trauma or a surgery. "We have many people in this community who are not able to go back on the streets," she said. She also commended Circle the City's efforts and said the city should do much more to "help out and step up." Valenzuela: "As a first responder myself who knows what it's like to be there on the front lines of reality, we see how prevalent these issues are in our community," Valenzuela said. Valenzuela is a Glendale firefighter. He said in the past, when firefighters would show up to a medical call and see someone experiencing a mental health crisis, they would take them to the emergency room. "That's not an efficient way to use our resources," he said. Now, every fire truck is equipped with a resource guide that can help firefighters navigate the nonprofits in the community and connect individuals with those resources. He said he'd like to see an app for first responders that allows them to not only find the right pathway for an individual,but also track the services an individual receives. Gallego: Gallego said that as Phoenix grows its police department, she'd like to see more resources put into the city's crisis intervention teams. These individuals are trained to understand the complexities of addiction and mental health and find solutions for people that fit their unique needs. She also said she'd like to see the police department receive advanced training on individuals with dementia, something Tempe has provided for its officers. Additionally, Gallego said Phoenix's prosecutors and court employees need training to work with people with mental health and addiction issues. She proposed a new court program for people with opioid addiction that can help them receive treatment as opposed to falling into the legal system. Click here to subscribe to azcentral.com. Go to connect.azcentral.com for a staff list, for more information about the newsroom and for details about upcoming events. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2019/01/30/next-phoenix-mayor-faces-affordability-and-homelessness-crisis-kate-gallego-daniel-valenzuela/2719271002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2019/01/30/next-phoenix-mayor-faces-affordability-and-homelessness-crisis-kate-gallego-daniel-valenzuela/2719271002/ |
What's The Difference Between Typhus And Typhoid? | If you find yourself sick with flu-like symptoms, fever and chills, abdominal pain, a rash, and severe confusion, you might have typhus. No wonder you're feeling confused. Until the mid-1800s, doctors didn't even realize these were two different diseases, because the symptoms -- and the conditions that spawned outbreaks -- looked so similar. (You probably don't have either one, if you live in the U.S. But for the sake of argument, here's a handy guide.) Typhus Typhus is the unpleasant work of bacteria called Rickettsia typhi (not to be confused with rickets, which is a lack of vitamin D). Much like the bacteria that causes bubonic plague, R. typhi spreads from rodents to humans through the bites of fleas -- so if you fall ill with typhus, you have the added pleasure of knowing that it's because a flea has vomited directly into your bloodstream. Knowing is half the battle! It's easy to see why crowded living, unsanitary conditions, and poor hygiene could lead to typhus outbreaks. Typhus was especially notorious in prisons and military camps through the 19th century, earning the nicknames "gaol fever" and "camp fever." The first symptoms of typhus usually show up within a week or two, although it might be easy to mistake them for the flu: coughing, headaches, fever and chills, aching joints and muscles, abdominal pain, and nausea. A rash starts on the torso and gradually spreads to the limbs. Eventually the infection spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain (called the meninges). The name typhus comes from a Greek word meaning "hazy," because of patients with inflamed meninges are severely confused and disoriented. Typhoid Fever Just to add to the haziness, typhoid fever got its name because it resembles typhus. If that's not confusing enough for you, even the bacteria responsible has a similar name: Salmonella typhi. But unlike typhus, typhoid spreads in contaminated food and water, through what epidemiologists call the "fecal-oral route." It's as gross as it sounds: S. typhi thrives in human intestines and blood, and if untreated sewage gets into the water supply or a cook doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break, bits of feces -- laced with bacteria -- end up in food and water. That's how the infamous Typhoid Mary made so many people sick before officials forced her into quarantine. If you ate in Typhoid Mary's kitchen, you'd get sick within one to three weeks, and the symptoms would look a lot like typhus: headaches, fever and chills, fatigue or weakness, and abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. But typhoid hits the digestive system especially hard, and patients end up suffering from constipation and bloody stool. Like typhus, typhoid comes with a spotty skin rash, and patients can be confused or even delirious -- although in this case, that's thanks to fever and dehydration. Clearing The Haze English physician Sir William Jenner (not to be confused with English physician Edward Jenner, who saved us all from smallpox by experimenting on his neighbor's son) had to examine a lot of patients, and unfortunately a lot of cadavers, to figure out the difference. Jenner was working at the London Fever Hospital in 1847 when he began to suspect that the catchall diagnosis of "continued fever" might actually be referring to different diseases, and that a more specific diagnosis could lead to better treatment. He examined 36 patients and published a book in 1850 outlining the difference between the two diseases. Of course, he passed up the opportunity to spare future students a lot of confusion by giving them clearer names! A few years later, Jenner had the opportunity to put his expertise to the test when he was called to Windsor Castle to tend to the desperately ill Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, in December 1861. Jenner diagnosed the prince consort with typhoid fever on December 9, but was unable to save him; Albert died on December 14. Two of the prince consort's cousins, King Pedro V of Portugal and his brother Prince Ferdinand, had both died of typhoid fever just a month earlier, within days of each other. (Knowing what we now know about how typhoid is spread, one must look a bit askance at the palace cooks.) There's still some debate about Jenner's diagnosis, though. Typhoid fever usually sets in within a few weeks of exposure, and if it's not treated, patients either die or get better within a few weeks or months. But Prince Albert had suffered chronic abdominal pain since 1859, although he remained very active. Modern historians speculate that the prince consort may actually have died of Crohn's disease or cancer, rather than typhoid fever. But Jenner had made a name for himself and earned the queen's trust; in 1862, Queen Victoria had appointed him her Physician in Ordinary, making him a card-carrying member of the royal household. He took on the job of Physician in Ordinary to her son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales -- the future King Edward VII -- the following year. And Prince Albert's fatal diagnosis must have been on his son's mind in the winter of 1871 when he, too, fell ill with a fever that Jenner identified as typhoid -- but the Prince of Wales survived the ordeal and eventually became King Edward VII in 1901. His physician, however, didn't live to see his coronation; Jenner died in December 1898. Today, incidentally, would have been his 204th birthday. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kionasmith/2019/01/30/whats-the-difference-between-typhus-and-typhoid/ |
How much offense will the Cleveland Indians need to replace in 2019? | Francisco Lindor celebrates a home run with Jose Ramirez at Comerica Park in July. CLEVELAND, Ohio Its no secret that the Cleveland Indians will enter spring training with several questions about where their offense is going to come from in 2019. Gone are free agent outfielder Michael Brantley and his team-best .309 batting average along with catcher Yan Gomes and his robust .449 slugging percentage. Edwin Encarnacion, who hit at least 30 home runs and drove in at least 100 runs in six of the last seven seasons, was traded to Seattle in December, and Yonder Alonso took his career-high 83 RBI to Chicago in a trade. Stepping in will be a collection of unproven youngsters including Jake Bauers and Jordan Luplow, who have each appeared in fewer than 100 MLB games, as well as veteran Carlos Santana, whose career averages dipped across the board in his age 32 season last year with Philadelphia. Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Friday the door will be open for newcomers such as Bauers and Luplow, as well as more familiar names like Greg Allen and Tyler Naquin to show that they belong on the big-league roster. Providing those opportunities is an important element as the club positions itself for success in 2019 and beyond. Were hopeful that there are places on our roster whether thats in the bullpen, the back part of our rotation or even our position players that some young players will take advantage of the opportunities in front of them, Antonetti said. | https://www.cleveland.com/expo/sports/g66l-2019/01/39a5dc86058617/how-much-offense-will-the-cleveland-indians-need-to-replace-in-2019.html |
Is it wrong to order food delivery during the polar vortex? | CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Youre stuck at home waiting out the polar vortex by the fireplace. Theres no food in the house. These days, getting a steaming hot bowl of pho or a burger and fries from Wendys delivered to your door is as easy as opening an app on your phone. A couple of taps and, boom, in a reasonable amount of time and for a small fee, dinner is served. But there is ethical dilemma at play in this scenario. At these temperatures, after all, frostbite can set in a matter of minutes. Of course, theres a flip side to the argument. Restaurants, local especially, also rely heavily on delivery orders when foot traffic is down due to weather. The safety of our community is our priority," a spokesperson from DoorDash, one of the leading delivery services, told us. DoorDash will continue to operate, but we ask that merchants, customers, and Dashers exercise care and discretion while following all safety guidelines. We also thank everyone for their patience as delivery times may be longer than usual. Please stay safe and warm. Postmates, which offers delivery from grocery and drug stores in addition to restaurants, echoed that sentiment. Nothing is more important to us than the trust and safety of anyone who interacts with the Postmates platform, a spokeperson said in a statement. Postmates will also remain in operation during the frigid conditions. On Facebook, Rick Buckley of Streetsboro wrote, For those planning on ordering delivered food today (pizza, Uber eats, ect) because you are afraid to go out into the polar vortex, please either invite your delivery driver in while you are paying them, or please have your money and well deserved tip ready for these men, women and kids that are out making sure you are fed! We are gonna order food later and Im planning on [tipping] at least 50%. Probably more like 70%, Ben Senter of Lakewood posted on Twitter. Ive read elsewhere that delivery people like delivering in bad weather because of the extra big tips, a cleveland.com reader wrote in the comments section. So, the consensus seems to be that, if you must, its perfectly OK to order in during an extreme cold snap like the one were in the middle of. Just remember to be patient and perhaps more generous than usual when it comes to the tip. Share your thoughts in the comments. | https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/01/is-it-wrong-to-order-food-delivery-during-the-polar-vortex.html |
Will Investors, Match Group Find Love When the Company Reports Earnings? | It was a market-beating year for Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) in 2018. The Tinder parent beat expectations and raised guidance in each of the past three quarters, driving shares up as much as 85%, before a late-year correction and weaker-than-expected forecast sent the stock plummeting. After regaining some of its lost ground, Match Group ended the year up more than 36%, far exceeding the 6% decline of the S&P 500. Match Group will have another opportunity to hit it off with investors when the company reports the financial results of its fourth quarter before the market open on Thursday, Feb. 7. Let's take a look at the company's third-quarter results and recent events to see if they provide any insight into what investors can expect when the company reports earnings. Fingers forming a heart shape with a sunset in the background. More Image source: Getty Images. For the third quarter, Match Group reported revenue that grew to $444 million, up 29% year over year, while operating income of $140 million increased 54% compared with the prior-year quarter, resulting in diluted earnings per share of $0.44. Match beat expectations by a wide margin on both the top and bottom line, as analysts' consensus estimates were calling for revenue of $437 million and earnings per share of $0.33. Results were positive all over with strong performances in North America and abroad. This was driven by average subscribers that grew 23% year over year, while the average revenue per user (ARPU) increased 6% compared with the prior-year quarter. Tinder was once again the belle of the ball, as subscribers grew 61% year over year, while ARPU jumped 24%. The company added 1.56 million new subscribers over the trailing-12-month period, bringing the total subscriber base to 4.1 million. Trouble in paradise Match Group recently settled an age discrimination class-action lawsuit that was brought against Tinder, for an estimated $23 million. The lawsuit alleged that Tinder charged users over the age of 30 twice the monthly subscription price it charged younger users. The settlement includes a combination of $25 cash, 25 additional Super Likes, or a one-month subscription to either Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold for each member of the affected class. The company also agreed to stop charging residents of California a different price based on their age. In other legal news, Match Group and its parent, IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IAC), filed a countersuit against Sean Rad, Tinder's co-founder, for $250 million, alleging that he secretly copied company files and made away with other proprietary company information. For perspective, Rad and the other co-founders of Tinder previously filed a lawsuit against Match and IAC alleging that the companies purposefully undervalued Tinder to avoid paying them what could potentially amount to billions of dollars. Match must have anticipated the ongoing acrimonious divorce proceedings, as the company reportedly included an additional $3 million in litigation expenses in its fourth-quarter outlook. Match forecast revenue of between $440 million and $450 million, which would represent growth of just over 17% at the midpoint of its guidance. The company is also anticipating adjusted EBITDA in a range of $165 million to $170 million. | https://news.yahoo.com/investors-match-group-love-company-223000017.html |
How Much Does Foxconn Announcement Really Change Things for Wisconsin? | Driving back and forth between Milwaukee and Chicago on Interstate 94, it is impossible not to think about the $4+ billion deal that Wisconsins former Governor Scott Walker offered Taiwans Hon Hai Precision Industry Company, better known as Foxconn. Dubbed the I-94 North-South Freeway Project, the reconstruction plan was approved in 2008, and was originally supposed to be completed by 2016. But the highways project didnt get funded until the Foxconn agreement was signed by Governor Walker in November, 2017. Today, after two years of regular lane-closings and re-routings for commuters that drive that route, Foxconn announced that they may not even build the $10 billion, 20-million square foot manufacturing facility. A statement made to Reuters by Louis Woo on behalf of Foxconn Chief Executive Terry Gou announced, In Wisconsin were not building a factory. You cant use a factory to view our Wisconsin investment. Instead, their plan is to create a research and development hub. Rather than employing 13,000 largely manufacturing and assembly-line workers, three-fourths of the future and likely much smaller workforce will instead be highly skilled engineers and R&D staff. This is contrary to Mr. Walkers pitch that Foxconn would be a big workforce and manufacturing win for Wisconsin, and President Donald Trumps claim that Foxconn would be the eighth wonder of the world and a prime example of his MAGA platform. Always Controversial From the beginning, the deal has been controversial. Wisconsin offered Foxconn nearly $3 billion in tax credits, which is the largest subsidy a U.S. state has ever given a foreign entity. In addition, the state took on responsibility for 40% of the public bonds that finance roads, utilities, and infrastructure improvements and other capital costs related to the build-out of the Foxconn plant. Foxconn also received significant, potentially costly, environmental concessions. The production of flat screens is known to involve the emission of many pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, volatile organic chemicals, carbon monoxide, and greenhouse gases. But Foxconn was granted an exemption from filing an environmental impact statement, leaving public safety and environmental advocates blind to the actual risks. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources granted Foxconns request to divert Lake Michigan water to its plant; 7 million gallons of water per day, 38.5% of which would be lost to evaporation. According to the Great Lakes Compact, the eight states that border the Great Lakes must approve water diversion plans. But the Foxconn plant lies outside the Great Lakes Basin, so Wisconsin evaded this requirement by having Foxconn apply for its water usage directly from the city of Racine, Wisconsin. Authorities from states surrounding the Great Lakes and environmental advocates all warned that this set a dangerous precedent, and the matter is currently being litigated. Public opinion on the project has never amounted to a ringing endorsement. A Marquette Poll in 2017 showed that 46% of Wisconsin residents thought the incentives offered were greater than the plant was worth, and 40% of respondents thought that the deal would be a break-even for the state. Questions regarding where the labor would come from have dogged the Foxconn bid from the beginning. Wisconsins unemployment rate is 2.9% (Jun 2018), compared to 4.0% for the U.S.. Its population growth rate is just 0.35%, ranking Wisconsin 39th in the nation. It has a median age in 2016 of 39.3, compared to 37.9 for the U.S., and ranks in the bottom 12 states for immigrant population. To staff the Foxconn plant, Wisconsin would have to attract workers to commute hours per day from Chicago and Madison, or become more appealing as a relocation destination. But its not just workers that the Foxconn plant would require its tech workers, and Wisconsin has a shortage of those. An article titled Foxconn forces Wisconsin to confront acute shortage of automation-age tech workers, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal in July of 2017 stated the region would need to move with Manhattan Project-like urgency to mount a come-from-behind retraining and recruitment campaign for automation-savvy workers to meet Foxconns employment requirements. Meanwhile, Wisconsins technical colleges are not prepared to fill the tech worker gap. Under Mr. Walker, the 2011-2012 budget for Wisconsin technical colleges was slashed by $71.6 million a 30% cut. Funding remained flat until 2015, when Mr. Walker restored $5 million to the budget. So the time required to build a tech workforce for Wisconsin exceeds the two years it would take most students to complete a technical training program. Wisconsin needs to hire teachers and build curricula before it can even begin to enroll the students. Employers of Wisconsins highly constrained tech workforce have repeatedly expressed concern that Foxconn would spirit away their workers. A counter-argument to that worry was that, based on analysis of Foxconns estimate of paying $53,000/year on average (including loaded compensation costs), it appeared that Foxconn workers would be paid slightly less than the state average. Once again, Foxconn was the only clear winner, as Wisconsin has promised to pay Foxconn $66,600 per employee (based on 3,000 workers) for each of the next 15 years, leaving Wisconsin taxpayers to pay their neighbors wages. At the same time, it is anticipated that wage inflation for technical workers will occur, as companies raise pay to hold on to talent. In addition to concerns regarding short-term implementation, opponents of the Foxconn deal have questioned if there will be a long-term benefit. There is always a risk that a company will move on to another greenfield opportunity as subsidies end and plant requirements change. This concern was heightened when Foxconn acknowledged that they had downgraded their plans for the technical capabilities of the plant. The original plan was to build a Generation 10.5 plant, which would produce large screens. But the plan was changed shortly after the deal was signed to build a Generation 6 plant, which builds the current generation of smaller screens. Since then, Foxconn has refused to give assurances that the Generation 10.5 plant will ever be built. With all the concerns about workforce preparedness, heightened competition and wage inflation related to demand versus supply, the risk of losing Foxconn after state subsidies end, environmental risk and costs, and the reasonable expectation that the market for small screens will dry up due to changing consumer demands and evolving technology, it is reasonable to question the ultimate payoff for Wisconsin. Todays announcement that Foxconn is reconsidering its commitment to manufacturing in Wisconsin should not come as a surprise. Plans have shifted repeatedly over the past two years, including changing technology and product plans and the drip drip drip reduction in the promised number and type of jobs. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, In July 2017, a report by Foxconn consultant Ernst & Young, using Foxconn data, projected that 9,817 of the 13,000 jobs about 75 percent would be held by hourly operators and techs. Some 2,363 employees, or 18 percent, would be engineers, the report said. But by late March 2018, Foxconn executive Louis Woo said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that plans had shifted and he expected that about a third of employees would be more like assembly line workers, but two-thirds would be the knowledge workers. Five months later, the workforce ratio shifted still further toward the high-skill end. Speaking to The Journal Times, of Racine, in late August, Woo said that now it looks like about 10 percent assembly line workers, 90 percent knowledge workers. That same day, Woo told the Milwaukee Business Journal that at least 80 percent would be engineers or R&D scientists. Most recently, Foxconn failed to meet its 2018 hiring commitment for 260 full time employees. Accusations by Wisconsins Republican lawmakers claiming that The company is reacting to the wave of economic uncertainty that the new (Democratic) governor has brought with his administration are completely unsupported by the facts. According to Foxconn in todays release, The global market environment that existed when the project was first announced has changed. As our plans are driven by those of our customers, this has necessitated the adjustment of plans for all projects, including Wisconsin. Newly elected Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers did promise on the campaign trail that his administration would hold Foxconn accountable for the terms in the contract, so the changing administration may have caused Foxconn to reevaluate its position in light of that higher degree of accountability. But the trend leading up to todays announcement began within months of the deal-signing in 2017 , and was foreshadowed by other cases in which Foxconn has reneged or failed to deliver on development projects in other localities (see this article for references to other failed Foxconn projects). The company claims that it remains committed to a presence in Wisconsin. In addition to the planned greenfield development site near Mount Pleasant, the company has purchased commercial buildings in Milwaukee and Green Bay. But one should bring skepticism to Wisconsin Assemblyman (and Democratic minority leader) Gordon Hintzs claim This news is devastating for the taxpayers of Wisconsin. It has never been clear that the Foxconn agreement was a good economic deal for the people of Wisconsin, nor that Wisconsin could deliver the skilled workers required to operate a high-tech manufacturing plant. Environmental advocates have struggled to quantify the environmental impact, but most agree that Foxconn was poised to become a major Wisconsin polluter. And even though some safeguards were put in place tying employment performance to tax benefits, a significant portion of the payments due to Foxconn are not dependent on job creation. According to Tamarine Cornelius, a Wisconsin Budget Project Analyst, taxpayers would still be on the hook for a lot of these expenses, even if the job targets are not met. Theres a portion of the payments that are not strongly linked to jobs, Cornelius says. So, even in flush economic times, there are very real opportunity costs here. (Shepherd Express, September 12, 2018). If Foxconn ultimately employs just a small number of knowledge workers, and its greenfield remains simply a field, Wisconsin will have paid (and will continue to pay) far too much for it. But Wisconsin taxpayers and manufacturing employers alike should strongly consider the possibility that today's announcement could ultimately be good news for the state. #Foxconn #ScottWalker | https://www.forbes.com/sites/andreahill/2019/01/30/how-much-does-foxconn-announcement-really-change-things-for-wisconsin/ |
Did comic Gad Elmaleh steal jokes from Quebec acts? | A video posted anonymously on YouTube this week accuses popular French-Moroccan comic Gad Elmaleh of plagiarizing jokes from other comics and the video is already spurring headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. The video, which had been viewed over 444,000 times by Wednesday afternoon, shows a slew of examples of comic routines by Elmaleh that show uncanny resemblance to jokes by other comics. The video, titled #CopyComic, splits the screen to show the original joke and then it shows the Elmaleh joke, and its often impossible not to see the similarities. It starts with the 1996 George Carlin routine built around the phrase Im more than happy and Carlins point is: How can anyone be more than happy! Then you see Elmaleh doing a bit in his 2018 Netflix special American Dream that revolves around precisely the same question. Thats followed by another Carlin routine, from 1992, about people who look at their watch and immediately forget what time it is. Then comes a clip of Elmaleh saying pretty well the same thing en franais in a 2014 TV special titled Sans Tambour. There is a 1995 Steven Wright routine about someone who invented powdered water and thats compared to a 2005 Elmaleh piece about a friend who invented powdered water. Another Wright joke is about him coming home drunk and trying to use his car key on the door of his house and the punchline is that the engine of the house starts and then he drives off in his house. Elmaleh is shown making a very similar joke in 2005. The Casablanca-born funnyman also delivers jokes very similar to jokes created by two popular Quebec stand-up comics. Martin Matte has a number from a 2000 show where he imitates a guy walking awkwardly in ski boots and Elmaleh has a similar piece, recorded in 2005. There is also a joke by Patrick Huard about people who sneeze in a tissue and then look closely at the tissue. That theme is also later picked up by Elmaleh. Elmalehs American public-relations agency, Personal Publicity, said neither the comic nor anyone on his team had any comment at this time. Both Matte and Huard also declined to comment on the allegations that their jokes had been plagiarized by Elmaleh. Elmaleh has performed many times in Montreal, often at the Just For Laughs festival, and he opened for Jerry Seinfeld at Place des Arts in 2016 and performed again with Seinfeld at the Bell Centre in 2017. [email protected] twitter.com/brendanshowbiz | https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/did-comic-gad-elmaleh-steal-jokes-from-quebec-acts |
Will a Hall of Fame election allow Seahawks fans to finally embrace Steve Hutchinson again? | The former Seahawks standout left guard is considered to have a good chance at election to the Hall Saturday in what is his second year on the ballot. The nine players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played for the Seahawks have always been pretty neatly divided. There are the four who spent their entire careers with the Seahawks Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, Walter Jones and Kenny Easley the Four Horsemen of Seattle football, if you will, four players who forever will define the pre-Pete Carroll era of the franchises existence. And then there are the five who played no more than three years with Seattle and some less than a season Jerry Rice, Franco Harris, Carl Eller, John Randle and Warren Moon. As a reminder, unlike in baseball where players can go in the Hall of Fame representing one specific team, players in the Pro Football Hall have busts on a stand that includes a plaque that lists every team with which they played. So players dont make a choice to represent one team over another, their legacies theoretically intertwined with every team with which they suited up. But in the case of the nine listed above, its obvious four are Seahawks, and the other five are, well, not really. Randle and Moon each had a few nice moments in Seattle, each making one Pro Bowl as a Seahawk. But they were each already Hall of Famers long before coming to Seattle. And the other three are barely remembered outside of Seattle as ever even having been Seahawks. Which brings us to the case of Steve Hutchinson, who could be the first Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee who didnt play his entire career in Seattle or even the majority of it but has let it be known that he considers himself a Seahawk first and hopes everyone else will, as well. Hutchinson, a first-round pick of Seattle in 2001 who then played in the NFL through 2012, is in his second year as one of the 15 modern-era finalists on the ballot and one of 18 total (a list that includes former Seahawks coach Tom Flores, who won two Super Bowls with the Raiders, and another offensive lineman drafted by Seattle, center Kevin Mawae, who played just four of his 16 NFL seasons with the Seahawks). Eight are expected to be elected when the 48 Hall voters meet on Saturday, and probably five of the modern-era finalists. Hutchinson is considered by most to have a good shot at making it in after having been one of the 10 finalists last season before missing out on the final cut. Safety Ed Reed and tight end Tony Gonzalez are considered basically locks to get in, leaving Hutchinson battling the rest for one of the final three spots. But a resume that includes seven Pro Bowl invites, five All-Pro nods and being named to the NFLs All-Decade team for the 2000s has Hutchinson seen as likely to get in sooner rather than later. And while he doesnt have to officially choose to represent any one team, Hutchinson said last year if he could, hed like to be remembered most as a Seahawk. If I had a choice, I would put the Seahawks logo on it, Hutchinson told Seattle Times columnist Larry Stone last year. If youre wondering how the team feels about that, the answer arrived this week in what has been a pretty-concerted campaign via Twitter by the Seahawks to pump up Hutchinsons candidacy. The Seahawks sent out seven tweets in the first three days of this week on its official PR account one theoretically seen by many who will vote Saturday with stats and quotes praising Hutchinson, including one from former Seattle coach Mike Holmgren calling him the best guard he ever saw. He was one of my favorite players ever, Holmgren was quoted as saying in a tweet sent by the Seahawks. He still is. Many Seahawks fans with long memories may think differently. Hutchinson was undoubtedly great in his five years with the Seahawks, teaming with Walter Jones to form a left side of the offensive line that was the best in the NFL for a few years, if not one of the best in league history. Together, the two helped lead Shaun Alexander to one of the greatest rushing seasons ever in 2005 his 27 rushing touchdowns that season remains the second-most in NFL history and powered the team to its first Super Bowl. The problem is that the good times ended there. The Seahawks infamously slapped only a transition tag on Hutchinson as he entered free agency in 2006, opening the door for another team to potentially swoop in. The Vikings did, handing him the equally infamous (in Seattle, anyway) contract for $49 million that included a poison pill provision requiring Hutchinson to be the highest-paid offensive lineman on his team, something that would not happen in Seattle with Jones around (such a tactic is no longer allowed). So that sent him off to Minnesota, where he spent six years, and was named All-Pro three more times, before ending his career in 2012 with one season in Tennessee. That Hutchinson initially named his Twitter account @poisonpill76 didnt help soothe the feelings of spurned Seahawks fans who will always wonder what might have been had he stayed in Seattle. Within three years of the initial Super Bowl the Seahawks were again a losing team and Holmgren done as coach after 2008. For the record, I did not want to leave Seattle, Hutchinson told the Times last year. But business was business he had averaged $1.5 million in his first five years in Seattle before suddenly being handed a contract by the Vikings that included a $16 million signing bonus. At the end of the day, I didnt have an option, he said. The Seahawks have made their peace with it, having invited Hutchinson back to raise the 12th Man flag in 2016 and promoting his Hall of Fame candidacy, each side deciding to focus on the fact hed have never been a potential Hall of Famer if not for his time in Seattle. Now to see if a possible Hall of Fame coronation will allow Seattle fans to welcome him back fully into the Seahawks family. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/will-a-hall-of-fame-election-allow-seahawks-fans-to-finally-embrace-steve-hutchinson-again/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_seahawks |
How has business been affected by Brexit so far? | The economy's "resilience through the turbulence of the Brexit process has been particularly noteworthy", according to chancellor Philip Hammond. But some businesses claim to have been put under unprecedented pressure. It's impossible to put absolute numbers on how jobs, output and investment have been impacted so far. No one knows how these will have fared had the outcome to the referendum in 2016 been different. Other factors have influenced the business environment - not least slower growth in the likes of China and Europe But there is a range of evidence that can give us an idea of how UK companies are faring. On the face of it: no. The number of people employed is at an all-time high. But there's a lot going on under the surface: Banks' contingency plans mean setting up alternative bases in the likes of Frankfurt, Paris or Dublin. Individual banks are coy about revealing too much. But reports about banks such as Morgan Stanley, Barclays and Bank of America moving, or creating, hundreds rather than thousands of jobs at those sites suggest the total affected in the City is much smaller than the 65,000 or so predicted by some immediately after the referendum. London's Lord Mayor has said that the total by 29 March is likely to be below 13,000. What we don't know is if jobs created in European cities such as Paris and Frankfurt are at the expense of potential ones here - or the final implications of the future trading relationship with the EU, whenever that is agreed. While some - including JLR and Ford - have cited Brexit when cutting jobs - it has been a contributing rather than a deciding factor. Car companies are facing a seismic shock in the face of slowing global demand, oversupply and the shift away from diesel. In advance of departure, it is rare for firms to blame Brexit alone for job cuts. Chef and restaurant-owner Jamie Oliver faced derision for doing so within a few months of the referendum, with critics instead blaming his business model As the uncertainty continues, companies may be putting hiring plans on hold - not least as they ramp up spending on no-deal contingency plans. How that impacts overall employment won't be known for a while. There has probably never been a better time to be a trade negotiator - or a business adviser. Overall employment has continued to rise to record levels since the referendum in June 2016. In total, 95m worth of contracts were awarded last year to consultancy firms to advise the public sector on Brexit. And 20,000 more civil servants have been employed since the referendum, in a reversal to earlier trends. They are concentrated in the departments most affected by Brexit. And that's just the public sector. Some companies continue to hire apace for other reasons. Telecoms giant Openreach, for example, has said that it will hire a further 16,000 engineers to support its rollout of full fibre broadband. Business investment is stagnant and more than 10% lower than official forecasts had predicted prior to the referendum. A lifting of the uncertainty could persuade firms to start spending again - a "deal dividend". But investment has been relatively sluggish since the financial crisis. Firms instead opted to hang on to workers, as they are relatively cheap. They may be continuing this strategy - which could help explain why job creation has remained so resilient. And as businesses enact contingency plans, money earmarked for investment may have been diverted. Drugmaker Astra Zeneca has spent 40m building extra testing facilities as it increases its drugs stockpile. Some are forging ahead with plans for a variety of reasons. Sony is moving its electronics HQ to the Netherlands, to pre-empt any customs problems. James Dyson claims he's moving his company's base to Singapore to be closer to its fastest growing markets. But luxury brand Chanel cited the same reason for moving its global business functions to London. Image copyright George Brooks Image caption Majestic Wine has said it will stockpile more than 1m extra bottles of wine from France, Spain and Italy Drugmakers aren't the only ones stockpiling. Associated British Foods, the company behind Twinings tea and Ryvita, has bought up extra machinery and packaging to prevent disruption to supply chains. Mondelez, the makers of Cadburys, is stocking up on ingredients and the finished article. With Majestic Wine buying an extra 8m in drinks, and Nestle investing in more coffee, there is a reduced risk of us having to forego some of life's luxuries. Of course, these extra stocks may not be needed - and so the effort and money that's gone on organising and storing them will have been wasted. But at this point, many companies feel they have no choice. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Fashion buyers are concerned about possible disruption The UK's exit from the EU may be two months away but for some, Brexit has in effect already happened. Orders are often put in months in advance. Those for British malting barley from the EU have dried up. Barley - which is the UK's second largest arable export - could attract tariffs of around 50% of the current market price. It's not just food. At September's London Fashion Week, buyers were voicing concerns about placing orders for the spring that might face disruption. Many of the impacts of the run up to Brexit, as far as business is concerned, are likely temporary - reflecting contingencies or uncertainty. The overall impact on the economy will become a bit clearer when GDP figures are released in about a week. And what follows next will depend on Westminster's actions. The impact of those, in whatever direction, may dwarf what we've seen so far. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47063405 |
Could An Alleged Collision On The Ski Slopes Cost Gwyneth Paltrow A Cool $3M? | Retired optometrist Terry Sanderson says he was skiing down a beginner's run at Deer Valley Resort in Summit County, Utah when he was plowed down from behind by actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Now he is asking a Utah state court to award him $3.1 million for the injuries he sustained. In his complaint, Sanderson alleges he suffered "a brain injury, four broken ribs and other serious injuries" after Paltrow hit him from behind, "knocking him down hard, knocking him out." He also claims to have suffered "pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and disfigurement." Sanderson claims Paltrow was negligent in her duty to ski safely as she was skiing "too fast for her ability on a beginner run" and was "distracted" and "out of control." Sanderson also claims that ski instructor Eric Christiansen falsified a report about the incident and, along with two other unnamed employees, failed to assist or send help for him. A spokesman for Paltrow told the Washington Post that the suit is "completely without merit" though her representatives do not deny that a collision occurred. In 1998, the Court of Appeals of Utah declined to find a skiier negligent in a skiing collision where the plaintiff had failed to offer some proof of negligent conduct by the defendant before the incident. The court relied on a California Court of Appeal case in which the defendant was found to be negligent because he was inebriated at the time of the skiing collision. Alcohol consumption before the accident, the California court had reasoned, breached his duty to the plaintiff "not to increase the risks to a participant over and above those inherent in the sport." Specifically, the Utah court held that although "a skier does have a duty to other skiers to ski reasonably and within control[,] . . . an inadvertent fall on a ski slope, alone, does not constitute a breach of this duty." In this case, then, Sanderson would have to produce evidence that Paltrow was exhibiting negligent conduct before the collision and that the fall was not merely inadvertent. That question would be for a jury to decide if it is doesn't get settled first, of course. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michellekaminsky/2019/01/30/could-an-alleged-collision-on-the-ski-slopes-cost-gwyneth-paltrow-a-cool-3m/ |
What Is Tinnitus? | Medicine actually has a name for this annoying phenomenon: tinnitus. Heres what you should know about this strange auditory experience. Tinnitus usually means youre hearing a noise that doesnt exist. Its the perception of a sound without an environmental cause, Rachel Georgopoulos, M.D., an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. About 10 percent of adults in the United States have experienced tinnitus for at least five minutes in the past year, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The exact nature of the sound can vary from person to person, though. Its common for tinnitus to present as high-pitched ringing, Dr. Georgopoulos says, but people can also hear buzzing, humming, roaring, clicking, hissing, swishing, or a heartbeat-like sound. Tinnitus can be so loud that its hard to hear yourself think, or it can be so soft its barely noticeable. It can be present in one or both ears; constant or intermittent; temporary or permanent. Tinnitus often happens due to age- or noise-related hearing loss. I see it in a lot of elderly patients, Dr. Georgopoulos says. As the Mayo Clinic explains, the number of working nerve fibers in your inner ear gets lower as you get older. Your inner ear contains the cochlea, or the organ that actually allows you to hear, so this kind of decline in function can contribute to hearing issues. Tinnitus can also be the result of noise-induced hearing loss, per the NIDCD, which occurs when people who are exposed to loud sounds without proper ear protection suffer damage to sensory hair cells in the inner ear that help carry noises to the brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, tinnitus due to short-term noise exposure, like after a music festival, will typically fade. But long-term exposure to loud noises can cause permanent ear damage that leads to tinnitus. This is why people who work in jobs like construction or air traffic control are vulnerable to this issue, Dr. Georgopoulos says. Tinnitus is also relatively common among service members and veterans, the NIDCD explains. When a bomb goes off, the shock wave of the blast can actually harm some of the tissue in the parts of the brain that process sound. According to the NIDCD, other possible tinnitus causes include sinus infections, earwax blockages, ear infections, hormone fluctuations (estrogen and progesterone can affect the auditory system), and a condition called Mnires disease that is linked with too much fluid pressure in the inner ear. Tinnitus is also a known side effect of going on or off of over 200 medications, per the NIDCD. These drugs can range from antibiotics to chemotherapy treatments, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although medication-induced tinnitus often goes away, it can stick around in some cases. Lastly, theres a handful of people who have tinnitus with no apparent root cause, according to the NIDCD. Luckily, no matter the cause, tinnitus is often a pretty minor annoyance that doesnt interfere with peoples daily functioning because theyve grown accustomed to it, Dr. Georgopoulos explains. Tinnitus appears to happen most often due to a malfunction along the pathway from your ear to your brain. Scientists arent exactly sure how to explain tinnitus. What they can say for sure is that tinnitus is a sign that something is up with your auditory system, which includes the ear itself, the auditory nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain, and the areas in the brain that process sound, per the NIDCD. Thats why its viewed as a symptom, not a condition all on its own. The most established theories try to explain tinnitus associated with loss of hearing. We believe that your brain tries to adapt to that hearing loss, and theres some abnormal reorganization somewhere in the auditory pathway, Dr. Georgopoulos explains. One popular theory, according to the NIDCD, is that neural circuits may be overcompensating for loss of hearing by increasing the ears sensitivity to sound. Other scientists think that unusual interactions between the neural circuits involved in hearing (as well as other activities in the brain) are to blame, per the NIDCD. Or, these circuits could be compromised when inner ear damage affects the signaling activity between the ear and the part of the brain that processes sound. | https://news.yahoo.com/tinnitus-220313780.html |
How Does the 2018-2019 Flu Season Compare to Last Year's Deadly Season? | The Centers for Disease Control are warning that this years flu season is just beginning to ramp up, but hospitalization and death rates still remain well below last years deadly averages. The CDC estimates that so far in this years flu season from Oct. 1 to Jan. 19 there have been 9.8 million to 11.4 million flu illnesses, 4.6 million to 5.4 million flu medical visits and 113,000 to 136,000 hospitalizations related to the flu. These estimates are preliminary and are based on the CDCs weekly influenza surveillance reports. The CDC added that the total number of deaths during this flu season so far cannot be calculated: Estimates of flu-related deaths will be provided at a later time, when there is sufficient data to support a more precise estimate for that outcome. However, the CDC did confirm that a total of 22 flu-related pediatric deaths have been reported this season. RELATED: Flu Season Is Picking Up Across the U.S. and Its Widespread in 24 States, Says CDC The 2017 2018 flu season was the deadliest in years, resulting in a record-breaking number of hospitalizations and at least 80,000 deaths, the Centers for Disease Control said in September. At the beginning of this season, CDC experts said they believed the 2018-2019 season would be milder nationwide. We dont know whats going to happen, but were seeing more encouraging signs than we were early last year, Dr. Daniel Jernigan, a CDC flu expert, said in September. RELATED: From Prevention to Treatment: Everything You Need to Know About this Years Flu Earlier this month, the CDC announced that the flu season was starting to ramp up and was widespread in 24 states. Hospitalization rates also went up, particularly for children aged 0 to 4, though they still remain comparatively low compared to last years season. The death rates were also low as of early January. RELATED VIDEO: Heres What You Need to Know If You Get the Flu To prevent the flu, Dr. Travis Stork, an ER physician, host of The Doctors and a member of PEOPLEs Health Squad, suggests getting the flu vaccine and focusing on preventative measures, like skipping handshakes and hugs. During cold and flu season, its not rude! he reassures. Getting the flu shot and staying home if youre sick are two of the most important ways to reduce transmission, according to the CDC, who also adds that its important to wash your hands frequently, stay hydrated, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and wipe down surfaces that may have come into contact with contagion, as flu germs can live on them for up to 24 hours. Stork also echoes the CDCs suggestions of washing your hands often with soap and water and regularly disinfecting phones, keyboards and door handles, also advising being extra focused on getting enough sleep, staying active and eating well. | https://news.yahoo.com/does-2018-2019-flu-season-202659099.html |
What would've been the better Super Bowl matchup? | Super Bowl LIII features a premiere quarterback duel, but many fans are still pining over what could have been. Some feel that watching Drew Brees and Tom Brady would've been a better matchup, especially since both are among the two greatest to ever play the game. Others wanted to see Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff in an epic showdown of the young guns--a duel that yielded over 100 points the last time they faced each other. PERSPECTIVES Super Bowl LIII has a pretty good quarterback battle, but it's nothing compared to what could've been: the Battle of the GOATs. Tom Brady and Drew Brees have combined for a total of 533 games, 362 wins, 144,951 yards, and 1037 touchdowns. Imagine what they could've done on the game's biggest stage. These two legends would've put on a show of veteran experience, pinpoint accuracy and clutch play. The people were robbed of a chance to see one of the greatest duels ever. But last time Goff and Mahomes quarterbacks faced off, they gave the league its game of the year and maybe the best regular season game ever. Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes combined to throw for nearly 900 yards and 10 passing touchdowns--IN ONE GAME. If they made a regular season game that exciting, playing in the Super Bowl would have been even more explosive. These are two of the best young quarterbacks in the league, with a chance to become the future face of the game. This would've been the better matchup! The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2019/01/what_wouldve_been_the_better_s.html |
Did Saints' Sean Payton take swipe at Roger Goodell with infamous clown T-shirt? | The New Orleans Saints versus the NFL commissioner may have waded into more personal waters. That is, if you believe a T-shirt conspiracy that seems to have convincing evidence. In what would unquestionably be a direct shot at Roger Goodell in the fallout of the non-call that may have cost New Orleans a Super Bowl berth, Saints head coach Sean Payton appeared to deliver his season-ending news conference on Wednesday wearing a concealed Barstool Sports T-shirt featuring the commissioner with a clown nose. At least, thats what a growing segment of internet sleuths believes, many of whom spotted the shirt under a partially zipped pullover that Payton wore during the presser. Scroll to continue with content Ad Saints head coach Sean Payton has been clear about what a raw deal his team got in the NFC title game. (AP) Paytons zipper was pulled down just enough to reveal the top portion of an image on his T-shirt, which bore a striking resemblance to Barstools infamous Goodell clown image. The same shirt that was previously donned by former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in 2015 following a four-game suspension of Tom Brady for his role in deflate-gate. Welp. pic.twitter.com/nvjB1A8dgi NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 30, 2019 Story continues While its unclear if Payton was wearing the same T-shirt, multiple graphics showing overlays of the image appear to show the crest of Goodells hair from the Barstool shirt. And the underlying message would seem to fit the moment, as Payton once again lamented the failure of officials to call an interference penalty against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman in the NFC championship game. That no-call, which the NFL admitted was an officiating error, would have delivered the Saints a key first down late in the fourth quarter, allowing the possibility of either scoring a decisive touchdown or kicking a field goal as time expired. Instead, the Saints were denied the call, settling for a field goal that would be matched less than two minutes later by the Rams, sending the game into overtime and an eventual 26-23 loss for New Orleans. Goodell acknowledged the Saints gripes during a news conference at the Super Bowl on Wednesday, but stopped short of announcing a league-wide overhaul of officiating and instant replay rules. More from Yahoo Sports: NFL cancels Maroon 5s Super Bowl news conference Pats Brady labeled known cheater on broadcast Ex-NFL star says he drank Hennessy before NFL games Martin: Rams RB never strayed far from West Coast roots | https://sports.yahoo.com/saints-sean-payton-take-swipe-roger-goodell-infamous-clown-t-shirt-200516926.html?src=rss |
Is Bryce Harper close to signing with the Phillies? | People dont do it as much anymore, but there is a fun, weird history of fans tracking private jets allegedly containing free agents during the hot stove season. The big free agent lets call him Rice Larper lives in, say, Las Cruces, and is rumored to be negotiating with, lets say, the Pottsdown Phanatics. Someone will get on one of those air traffic trackers, see a private plane en route from Las Cruces to Pottsdown, and frantically claim its Larper, deal done, on his way to be introduced by the Phanatics at a surprise press conference. It was great fun! That sort of reporting/rumor-mongering got the imagination going and stoked excitement. It was also always 100% wrong. I cant remember a single free agent whose signing was actually reported via this sort of tea leaf reading. Which is sad, because that would totally own if it had panned out, but it just never pans out. Reporters, teams, players or, sometimes, customers in Honeybaked Ham stores break the news of these big signings, not internet gumshoes. Scroll to continue with content Ad I offer that because there is some similar tea leaf reading going on regarding Bryce Harper and the Phillies, a team which is reportedly interested in him and which has met with him and his agent multiple times. Story continues A Philadelphia radio station, 94WIP, is passing along a report and I use those quotation marks with maximal dubiousness-signifying tone implied that Las Vegas sports books have taken Harper landing spot prop bets off the board because he has a deal in place with the Phillies pending a physical. That report passed along by the radio station came from a Vegas-affiliated Twitter account I have never heard of. No one in the more mainstream parts of the media has run with it either, so take it for what it is. In the meantime, since theres nothing else going on, Im combing Twitter for confirmation or refutation of that prop bet stuff, but just know that its out there. The Philly radio station likewise shows some tweets from the Twitter account behind the video game MLB The Show, which is officially-licensed by MLB and the Players union. Yesterday it put out these two tweets: You'll want to keep an eye on this account tomorrow just saying. Get hyped: https://t.co/MeSPqa1pm2 pic.twitter.com/TIBlOBgif0 MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) January 28, 2019 Just don't say that in front of the @Phillies fans https://t.co/3vzIm8MvPj MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) January 28, 2019 In the year 2019 it would not surprise me in the least to see a corporate sponsor/brand partner break the news of a big signing before a reporter did, but again, I wouldnt take this as any more reliable than people tracking Gulfstream jets online. When a consumer product says it has big news its almost always about something its selling, not legitimate news. Sure. Oh for sure. Nah, because its been a boring offseason and we can use all of the breathless hype we can get. Theres a polar vortex coming to much of the Midwest tonight, so I have to do something to keep warm. But still, take it all with a grain of salt. If you need me, Ill be tracking tail numbers of private jets. | https://sports.yahoo.com/bryce-harper-close-signing-phillies-161205684.html?src=rss |
What are Muslim prayer rugs? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Rose S. Aslan, California Lutheran University (THE CONVERSATION) In a recent tweet, President Trump stated that ranchers have been finding prayer rugs scattered along the U.S.-Mexico border. Late last year, he tweeted that criminals and unknown Middle Easterners were mixed in with the caravan heading to the U.S. My research indicates that Islamophobia often targets visible signs of Muslimness, such as modest clothing like headscarves, as well as prayer rituals and mosques. This time it is the prayer rug. These fearmongering tweets bear an uncanny resemblance to a 2018 action film, Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Its trailer shows a scene of a Muslim man praying and a row of prayer rugs at the border. In the movie, U.S. officials who find the rugs use them as evidence that Muslims are entering the U.S. illegally in order to expand the jurisdiction of the war on terror. Other than these recent mentions, carpets found fame through Disneys Aladdin, where they were imagined to have the power to fly. However, prayer carpets actually have a much more mundane daily use among Muslims. Much more than a plain carpet Ritual purity is extremely important for Muslim prayers practices. As Islamic studies scholar Marion Katz explains, prayer carpets provide a protective layer between the worshiper and the ground, protecting the clothing from anything on ground that is polluting. Muslim carpets have been traditionally produced for centuries in Muslim majority regions, sometimes known as the rug belt, spanning from Morocco to Central Asia and northern India. There is a wide variety of designs and materials. Islamic art historian Walter B. Denny, in How to Read Islamic Carpets, explains the different materials and symbolism in weaves used in these carpets. For example, it is common to find symbols such as the prayer niche, a recess in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca; also a lamp, which is a reference to God; as well as flowers and trees that symbolize the abundance of nature in Gods paradise. Prayer carpets that are used in homes are generally sized for one individual. Those used in mosques are much bigger, often with a motif showing a row of arches to indicate where each worshiper should stand in prayer. Islamic carpets have been popular for centuries in Europe and beyond, often picking up symbolism, social meaning and ways of being used. Islamic carpets were popular among the wealthy of Europe, displayed proudly on the floor of their living rooms and on the walls. Carpets designs have come down through generations. Some depict simple geometric patterns in rough wool, while other are produced by professional artisans for the elite and show hunting scenes and elaborate scenes of paradise. Different costs and forms of practice Practices vary according to personal and sectarian preference among Muslims. For everyday use, Muslims purchase simple prayer carpets, mass-produced in Turkey, throughout the Middle East and even China. For use outside, they often carry a thinner travel rug. There are also high-priced versions. An antique carpet was auctioned for US$4.3 million in 2009 and an Ottoman-era prayer rug sold for $30,000 in 2015. Not all sects of Muslims use the prayer carpet. Shiite Muslims usually pray on a clay disk called a turba in Arabic and mohr in Persian. This disk is often made from soil from Karbala, the place of martyrdom of Hussein, Prophet Muhammads grandson in todays Iraq, or another sacred site. They often place the disk on top of a prayer carpet. When Shiites prostrate their foreheads on the floor during prayer, they want their forehead to be in contact with an organic material rather than the synthetic fibers of a carpet. So, depending on circumstance, they might also place any natural material such as a small straw mat where they pray. It is highly unlikely for Muslims to leave behind their prayer rugs or to even carry one on a perilous journey through the harsh desert. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/what-are-muslim-prayer-rugs-110406. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/What-are-Muslim-prayer-rugs-13569555.php |
Is Brexit Good Or Bad News For Workplace Diversity And Inclusion? | Brexit is on the minds of business leaders, including Human Resources directors. It already has real implications on how companies recruit, and may affect workplace diversity and inclusion. A LinkedIn survey from April 2018 found that 96% of respondents cite that Brexit has impacted their hiring strategies. At the same time, sourcing and hiring candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds is a major or big priority for 56% of recruiters. Some political commentators on Brexit have noted that the anti-immigration rhetoric was instrumental in tipping the U.K. towards a Leave vote. Accompanying with the rise in racist crimes after the referendum, it does appear that there is heightened xenophobia in the wider society, which naturally spills into everyday workplaces. Surveys of employers have shown that Brexit has made it harder to find staff, which may further limit employers ability to widen the pool of prospective candidates. Last year, EU net migration slumped to a six-year low, a sign of Brexodus, a new word meaning departure of people or companies from the U.K. due to Brexit. Brexodus will only accelerate as the immigration regime tightens for EU nationals after Brexit. Just this week the U.K. Home Office released strict immigration plans for EU nationals in the case of a no-Deal Brexit, which may come into effect in less than 2 months. This does not bode well for diversity and inclusion, considering that EU nationals represent so many different cultures. Cordelia Osewa-Ediae, Senior Consultant at Green Park Executive Search, discusses the impact of Brexit thus far: One real casualty of the way Brexit has been managed so far is that a significant number of people from various backgrounds have been left feeling unsettled about their jobs and settlement status. Experience gained from working with employers from all sectors to boost workplace diversity and inclusion, has shown that inclusivity the extent to which each employee feels included in the workplace is even more important than merely employing diverse talent. There are reasons to believe otherwise or at least, to ensure that it does not become doom and gloom. First, more than two years since the referendum, anti-immigration stance has actually subsidized in the U.K.. A Washington Post article from three months ago reports that public mood on immigration has shifted dramatically since the vote. The percentage of people who named immigration and asylum as the top issue facing the U.K. has halved it dropped from 56% in June 2016, to 27% in October 2018. While the reasons for this are not entirely clear, Brexit may not have damaged the business case for diversity and inclusion as much as one might have feared. Second, some Brexit advocates are pushing for the U.K. to reimagine itself as an outward-looking Global Britain post-Brexit, working more closely with its Commonwealth partners and others further beyond. It is a controversial stance, as some suspect Global Britain to be a mere smokescreen for an agenda of cutting down regulations and standards. Nonetheless, Global Britain is still a possibility and other non-EU migrants may still be attracted to the U.K. We shall wait and see. Finally, diversity is not only about lingo-cultural aspects, though it is an extremely important dimension. Diversity and inclusion is fundamentally about embracing differences whether it be a protected or unprotected characteristic. At least Brexit is making business leaders think more about workforce composition, and that can only be a good thing. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniechiu/2019/01/30/is-brexit-good-or-bad-news-for-workplace-diversity-and-inclusion/ |
Would Celtics part with Jayson Tatum in an Anthony Davis trade? | originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com If you believe the Los Angeles Lakers have gained the upper hand in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, Danny Ainge would like a word. Scroll to continue with content Ad Davis officially requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. On its face, that's bad news for the Boston Celtics, who can't trade for Davis until the offseason unless they deal Kyrie Irving and have to hope the Lakers or another team doesn't snatch him from New Orleans before the Feb. 7 NBA trade deadline. But the Celtics still have leverage, as many believe they can offer the Pelicans the strongest trade package for Davis if New Orleans waits until the summer. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the C's plan on using all of that leverage. Here's what Woj told ESPN's Kevin Negandhi during Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET "SportsCenter:" Boston wants to play the longer game here. They'll talk with New Orleans soon if they haven't talked here in the last hour or two and let them know, 'We want to be in this when the season is over.' They can't do the trade now. ... But Boston will let New Orleans know that, 'We are going to be aggressive. We're going to be able to give you everything you want for Anthony Davis. Hold off before the trade deadline.' Boston's stockpile of draft picks (four potential first-rounders in 2019) all would be on the table in a Davis trade, as would talented players like Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart. That said, the Celtics' crown jewel is Jayson Tatum, a 20-year-old future All-Star with franchise cornerstone potential. Story continues Davis and Irving on the same roster would make the Celtics an immediate title contender, even without Tatum. But Davis can enter free agency following the 2019-20 season and reportedly prefers signing a long-term deal in L.A., which means there's a scenario where Boston loses one of the best young players in the league for one season of Davis. At the very least, however, Wojnarowski suggests Ainge will hint to the Pelicans that Tatum is a possibility. And whether you think Boston should do that deal or not, it's smart business for Ainge to leave that door open as a way to prevent New Orleans from dealing with the Lakers (or any other team) prior to the deadline. The Pelicans' statement Monday -- they will trade Davis "on our terms and our timeline" -- suggests they'll make the deal that's best for them. If that's truly the case, Ainge has a powerful card to play if he so chooses. Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device. | https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-part-jayson-tatum-anthony-163334828.html?src=rss |
How do I recover an email address I lost when my phone was stolen? | Tays mobile was taken and his password changed. Somebody stole my phone and changed my email password. Ive tried to recover it, but I dont have the phone number linked to my account because my phone was stolen. Tay First, recover your phone number, which is much more important than the phone. When a phone is either lost or stolen, you should immediately contact your mobile network provider to tell them whats happened. They should then suspend the current sim and send you a replacement sim with the same phone number. This service should be free but sometimes incurs a nominal charge. It wont get your phone back, but it will make it harder for the thief to log on to your accounts and change your passwords. Some network providers can also block your handsets IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. This makes it harder for the thief to use your phone with a different sim. Of course, you will need to be able to show that you own your phone number, and different companies may have different systems for different types of account. My advice is to be prepared. I wasnt, and it wasnt fun. Phone number recovery Facebook Twitter Pinterest Proving to O2 that you own an account can be tricky. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images When I lost my phone in November I left it on a plane in Kuala Lumpur I phoned O2 but couldnt pass the recovery tests, which included providing some numbers Id dialled in the past three months. Being 6,500 miles from home, I couldnt look up the phone number of my window cleaner, whose surname I couldnt remember. Back in the UK three weeks later, an O2 store refused to accept any other evidence that I owned this pay-as-you-go number, which was originally supplied by BT Cellnet before O2 was launched in 2002. It was on my business cards, in ancient emails, in online media databases and so on. I could also prove I owned the bank account that paid for its minutes. O2 wouldnt budge. Only after digging out my window cleaners phone number did I eventually get a replacement sim. Not carrying around a written list of the numbers Id dialled was clearly a bad mistake on my part, but full marks to O2 for using the Data Protection Act to put my personal data at risk. If you have not yet lost your phone, or had it stolen, I strongly suggest that you find out what will happen if you do. You could easily lose a number youve used for 20-odd years. Mitigating steps While trying to recover my number, I took steps to limit the damage someone could do if they were able to use my lost phone. You should likewise log on to any other accounts that hold your phone number, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and so on, including any mobile banking or payment systems. Set up and confirm an alternative email address as a way of recovering your accounts, delete the compromised phone number, and change your passwords before the thief can do the same thing. You can also try to disable or erase your phone remotely, via the web. If its an iPhone, log on with your Apple ID and use Lost Mode, which is part of Find My Phone. If its an Android phone, log on to your Google account and go to Find My Device. This does depend on certain conditions, one of which is that the lost or stolen phone must have a mobile or wifi network connection. I did try to erase my lost phone, because it was backed up to Google Drive. I failed because, as far as I could tell, it was never switched on. It may still be flying between London and KL Email recovery You didnt mention which email service you were using, but most of them take the same approach. That is to say, you go to a web page and fill in a form to recover your email address. Forms typically ask for your email address, any passwords you remember, the answers to various security questions (the name of your first pet, or whatever), and the subject lines and email addresses of people youve emailed. In Microsofts case, you can also provide the names of three Skype contacts. You can also create unique security codes to use if you lose or forget your email password. Microsoft lets you generate a single code from its Additional security options page, while Google lets you create 10. If you are trying to recover an email address, you will usually need to provide a second email address so the company can contact you. It helps if you fill in the form with a device that you have used previously with the account youre trying to recover, and from the same place, such as your home network. Mail services now keep records of the devices and IP addresses you use (Google, Microsoft). Indeed, they may well challenge you if you log on with a different device, or from a different country. If you normally download and answer your emails on a PC, you should not have a problem: you will have hundreds or even thousands of contact names and subject lines. If you only use email in a web browser, it may challenge your memory. One solution would be to screen-grab your inbox once a month, but it would be better to backup your emails, as explained below. Unfortunately, there are no technical tricks to recovering an email address. All you can do is provide as much information as possible, and as many different kinds of information as possible, even if some of it is slightly wrong. The real problem is that password resets and email recovery systems are usually the easiest way to hack someones mailbox. You have to do better than a would-be hacker to get past the automated mailbox recovery software, and hackers who have studied your social media accounts can be very convincing. Taking steps Facebook Twitter Pinterest Two-step verification can help keep your account safe, but relying on one-time codes sent via SMS can be a problem if your phone is stolen. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian If you really want to be able to recover a mailbox, you need at least three ways to verify your account, on top of any security questions. For a start, you must have an alternative email address, and two is better. You should also have a mobile phone number, and possibly a landline number. All of these have to work, and you have to keep them all updated. Its extra work, but its better than losing access to your main mailbox. If you use a school, university or work address as a recovery account, you may no longer have access to it a few years later, when you need it. When it comes to security questions, people have been hacked because their answers could be found from web searches or their social media accounts. Your mothers maiden name, past schools or the names of your pets may already be known, or easy to guess. This is an argument for providing nonsensical answers: nobody will guess that your favourite teacher was called 23o;Aif99#. But you will have to keep records of fake answers because you wont be able to guess them either. People often recommend two-step or two-factor authentication (2FA), but if this involves your email provider sending a one-time code to your mobile phone, then youre in trouble if you lose the phone. Also, 2FA users can still fall victim to phishing attacks. It would be better to use a YubiKey, like Facebook and Google employees. Just make sure you have a backup YubiKey in case you break or lose the first one. Mail backups The risk of losing access to all your emails means you should have them backed up. For example, you could download all your emails to a PC program such as Microsoft Office Outlook, eM Client or Mozillas Thunderbird. You could use MailStore Home 11 for Windows, which is free for home users, or Mail Archiver X, which is $39.95 for Mac users. You could back up your Gmail with Gmvault, and restore it to a different Gmail account. For an extra backup, Ive set my main mailbox to forward all incoming emails to my backup mailbox. The key trick is to remember, when you reply to emails, to bcc a copy to the backup account. I wouldnt like to lose access to my main email account, but at least I wouldnt lose any emails. Email it to [email protected] | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2019/jan/31/how-do-i-recover-an-email-address-i-lost-when-my-phone-was-stolen |
Will Ivory Coast's Gbagbo, acquitted at ICC, return home? | ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast The acquittal at the International Criminal Court of Ivory Coast's former President Laurent Gbagbo on crimes against humanity is making waves in the West African nation where some celebrate his pending release but others fear a repeat of the deadly 2010-2011 post-election violence that led him to The Hague. "For the moment, we are savoring the ICC's decision to acquit President Gbagbo. We are waiting for his return for a true reconciliation in Ivory Coast. It was the missing link," said Assoa Adou, secretary general of the Ivorian Popular Front, the party founded by Gbagbo. Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude were ordered released earlier this month after being acquitted of involvement in violence that left more than 3,000 people dead following Ivory Coast's disputed 2010 presidential election. Prosecutors said they plan to appeal the acquittals and that the men should only be freed under strict conditions designed to ensure they return to court for hearings. A hearing on Friday will discuss the appeal against their release. Since the ICC handed down its decision, Gbagbo supporters have hailed him as "the messiah" and some mention a possible presidential run in 2020. But observers say Ivory Coast has not managed to find true peace, and many of the political players from 2010 remain active. The country has been relatively stable since 2017, which saw mutinies by soldiers over pay. The economy is expected to be one of Africa's fastest-growing this year. Despite supporters' wishes for him to return, Gbagbo may be thwarted by an international arrest warrant issued against him by Ivory Coast's government after a conviction in absentia last year for misappropriating funds from the West African Central Bank. He faces a possible 20-year prison sentence and likely would have to negotiate with the government before any attempt at returning home. In August, President Alassane Ouattara, who defeated Gbagbo in the disputed vote in 2010, granted a general amnesty to 800 people, including Gbagbo's wife, Simone, in a gesture of reconciliation. The amnesty did not specify whether it applied to the former president. "When the time comes if (Laurent Gbagbo) returns to Ivory Coast, justice will advise," Justice Minister Sansan Kambile said this month. Political analyst Honore Kablan said Gbagbo likely will press to return home. "Laurent Gbagbo is a political beast. It is not this pursuit of national justice that will make him back down," Kablan said. "On the contrary, he will negotiate his return to the country with the current power and once entering Ivory Coast, he will animate the political debate once again." Gbagbo and Ouattara once were allies but had a falling-out after a 1999 coup that eventually deposed leader Henri Konan Bedie. Later when he was president, Gbagbo accused Ouattara of leading a rebellion that divided the country between 2002 and 2011. Ouattara's supporters and party are encouraging him to stand for a third mandate. He has indicated that he will decide early next year. Victims of the post-election violence have opposed Gbagbo's return to Ivory Coast. Many have demonstrated against his release. "If the ICC releases Gbagbo, let it know that it will be responsible for the events that will follow," said Amidou Kante, the relative of one victim. "We are not getting justice. Today we cannot accept Gbagbo's return, which could cause new troubles." As for former youth minister Ble Goude, he has transformed his movement, the Coordination of Young Patriots, into a political party. His party has said he will be a presidential candidate, while he has said he first wants to be free from The Hague before making a decision on a 2020 run. | http://www.startribune.com/will-ivory-coast-s-gbagbo-acquitted-at-icc-return-home/505125782/ |
Will Ivory Coasts Gbagbo, acquitted at ICC, return home? | ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) The acquittal at the International Criminal Court of Ivory Coasts former President Laurent Gbagbo on crimes against humanity is making waves in the West African nation where some celebrate his pending release but others fear a repeat of the deadly 2010-2011 post-election violence that led him to The Hague. For the moment, we are savoring the ICCs decision to acquit President Gbagbo. We are waiting for his return for a true reconciliation in Ivory Coast. It was the missing link, said Assoa Adou, secretary general of the Ivorian Popular Front, the party founded by Gbagbo. Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude were ordered released earlier this month after being acquitted of involvement in violence that left more than 3,000 people dead following Ivory Coasts disputed 2010 presidential election. Prosecutors said they plan to appeal the acquittals and that the men should only be freed under strict conditions designed to ensure they return to court for hearings. A hearing on Friday will discuss the appeal against their release. Since the ICC handed down its decision, Gbagbo supporters have hailed him as the messiah and some mention a possible presidential run in 2020. But observers say Ivory Coast has not managed to find true peace, and many of the political players from 2010 remain active. The country has been relatively stable since 2017, which saw mutinies by soldiers over pay. The economy is expected to be one of Africas fastest-growing this year. Despite supporters wishes for him to return, Gbagbo may be thwarted by an international arrest warrant issued against him by Ivory Coasts government after a conviction in absentia last year for misappropriating funds from the West African Central Bank. He faces a possible 20-year prison sentence and likely would have to negotiate with the government before any attempt at returning home. In August, President Alassane Ouattara, who defeated Gbagbo in the disputed vote in 2010, granted a general amnesty to 800 people, including Gbagbos wife, Simone, in a gesture of reconciliation. The amnesty did not specify whether it applied to the former president. When the time comes if (Laurent Gbagbo) returns to Ivory Coast, justice will advise, Justice Minister Sansan Kambile said this month. Political analyst Honore Kablan said Gbagbo likely will press to return home. Laurent Gbagbo is a political beast. It is not this pursuit of national justice that will make him back down, Kablan said. On the contrary, he will negotiate his return to the country with the current power and once entering Ivory Coast, he will animate the political debate once again. Gbagbo and Ouattara once were allies but had a falling-out after a 1999 coup that eventually deposed leader Henri Konan Bedie. Later when he was president, Gbagbo accused Ouattara of leading a rebellion that divided the country between 2002 and 2011. Ouattaras supporters and party are encouraging him to stand for a third mandate. He has indicated that he will decide early next year. Victims of the post-election violence have opposed Gbagbos return to Ivory Coast. Many have demonstrated against his release. If the ICC releases Gbagbo, let it know that it will be responsible for the events that will follow, said Amidou Kante, the relative of one victim. We are not getting justice. Today we cannot accept Gbagbos return, which could cause new troubles. As for Ble Goude, he has transformed his movement, the Coordination of Young Patriots, into a political party. His party has said he will be a presidential candidate, while he has said he first wants to be free from The Hague before making a decision on a 2020 run. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/will-ivory-coasts-gbagbo-acquitted-at-icc-return-home/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
How Can Governments Help Us Plan for the Future of Work in the AI Age? | The future of work was a big theme at Davos. Although perhaps lost among stories about the lack of political big hitters (Trump, Putin) and the scramble for those blue bobble hats, there was an important report released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on the future of work. Theres lots of food for thought in what the ILO commission has produced. It was also a reminder of how our anxieties about the future of work are nothing new. The ILO report was published to celebrate the organisations centenary and how back in 1919 the organisation was formed to provide a positive vision of how employees and employers could work together in rebuilding society after the First World War. Another relevant anniversary is looming. Perhaps not as illustrious as the ILOs birth, February will be five years since the UK government published its own future of work study. Its worth a read as it tries to anticipate how work will be organised by 2030. You can check it out here. There are four scenarios set out for what the world of work might look like. Theres forced flexibility thats generated modest growth but with poor job security for low skilled. The Great Divide is properly dystopian with robust growth driven by high tech but a sharper divergence between the haves and have-nots. Both could be possible outcomes but, thankfully, I see us moving in a direction somewhere between the other two scenarios spelt out in the report. One is skills activism that sees technological innovation driving automation of more white-collar work, triggering an extensive government-led skills programme. The other is innovation adaptation that sees vastly improved productivity through rigorous implementation of ICT solutions. Technological innovation is already having a huge impact on major job categories. Look at how retail jobs are being lost as e-commerce takes over, or how bankings business model relies on having much fewer physical branches because of how customer migration to online banking has been accelerated by mobile. Thats impetus enough for the government to push on skills and education. Even though its estimated 10 billion is spent in this area and there are many initiatives, movement is slow because no one has perhaps cracked how to aggressively drive the closing of skills gaps especially for digital. The submission of the Local Government Association to a parliamentary review of skills training said, despite the billions being spent, the skills gap will widen with over four million too few high-skilled people to take up available jobs, two million too many with intermediate skills and more than six million too many low-skilled by 2024. So, relying on government alone to close the skills gaps remains challenging, though it remains a goal that must be focused on. Moreover, governments need to address outdated schooling that is increasingly not fit for purpose in the 21st Century. I was particularly moved by Seth Godins education manifesto Stop stealing dreams, a powerful argument against school systems designed for the last industrial revolution and not todays fourth industrial revolution. We need to take to heart Godins stark observation that annually our schools churn out millions of workers who are trained to do 1925-style labour and to be compliant consumers rather than creative problem solvers. Where I feel more optimistic is how far we have gone to embrace innovation to adapt to the changing world of work. Some may contend that the ICT solutions that underpin gig economy firms might not be creating quality jobs. But I do feel those innovators are looking to correct their earlier missteps around how they engage with their workers. Perhaps whats more significant is how the changing nature of business to be more digital depends on humans with digital skills rather than the march of the robots. As I have argued before, organisations have realised that their harnessing of technology to drive business improvement will depend on how much they empower their workers to use digital tools to solve problems and improve processes. In fact, you can see this called out in the 2014 report where it recommends that individuals, focus on development of key skills and attributes that will be at a premium in future, including resilience, adaptability, resourcefulness, enterprise, cognitive skills (such as problem-solving). A week is a long time in politics. So perhaps four years is a millennium. But I am struck by how governments and agencies like ILO havent shied away from how the nature of work will be transformed and, regardless of how important technology is, the answers and outcomes are very human centred. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/johneverhard/2019/01/31/how-can-governments-help-us-plan-for-the-future-of-work-in-the-ai-age/ |
Is H&M Losing Its Shine? | The worlds second largest retailer has this morning reported an unexpected reduction in profits for the 6th straight quarter. Pretax profit for the quarter to end November 2018 dropped to $482m down from $543m a year ago, despite many analysts expecting a small increase. The company has been investing heavily in digitalizing their offering during this time and have also reviewing their store mix with an increased focus on their non-core H&M brands such as Monki, &Other Stories, COS and Weekday. This 11% drop is linked heavily to this effort and a focus on investing in logistics to support the move of consumers increasingly shopping online. Despite this drop in profitability, the company will keep its dividend level steady for 2018 and avoid having to implement its first drop since its 1974 listing. The first half of 2018 was filled with stories about high levels of discounting at the retailer due to poor product decisions but this seems to be starting to be reversed with a 0.6% increase in the quarter. The company also announced that they expected to see a further 1% decrease in the first quarter compared to a year earlier. It has been a challenging year for H&M group and the industry but after a difficult first half, there are signs the companys transformation efforts are beginning to take effect, H&M said in a statement. This transformation is expected to showcase a new H&M store format in 2019 to offer consumers a new take on the brand's core trend and price-conscious offering. The shift to online hit H&M hard, they were slow to allow consumers to buy the core H&M offering online enabling other brands a head start, the retailer only started to allow online orders in the US in 2013. Whilst there is no doubt that H&M is a fast fashion retailer at its core there are now speedier competitors in some of its core markets, like boohoo and Missguided in the UK, who have taken market share away with their ability to bring products to market even quicker through their online focus and are able to adopt trends much quicker without the large logistical issues caused by a large store portfolio. The impact of discounting stock has also been sorely felt in recent years with the company announcing in March that they had an increasing level of hard to shift inventory - over $4.3bn in total. This has led to an increased focus on the use of data and AI for the retailer to predict future performance, something more companies are now adopting to try and improve performance. As part of this theme this week they hired Christopher Wylie, the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower and data expert, to work on these areas for them with a specific focus on sustainability. Rumors have also been circulating that they will launch a discount website at some point in the near future to help tackle this problem. From the outside looking in its clear H&M are taking the right steps to adapt to today's retail environment but its not a quick change to become a digital-first business. The markets will be paying an even keener interest to the next set of results and will be expecting the investment in digital and logistics to start to show a return. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/callyrussell/2019/01/31/is-hm-losing-its-shine/ |
Are the Stock Exchanges Really Gouging Traders? | (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Brad Katsuyama, the hero of Michael Lewiss high-frequency trading book Flash Boys, understands the stock market as well as anyone on Wall Street. Hes tossing around numbers, though, that arent helping his cause. On Tuesday, Katsuyamas IEX Group Inc. released data showing that Nasdaq Inc. and the New York Stock Exchange charge as much as 1,800 percent more for stock market information than it costs IEX to provide what it says would be a similar product. IEX also said its rival exchanges inflate connectivity fees by as much as 4,200 percent. IEX released the study with as much fanfare as it could muster. Katsuyama wroted an open letter on LinkedIn and submitted a 39-page research report to the Securities and Exchange Commission. He also appeared on Bloomberg TV. The study plays into a growing debate about whether the two main exchanges, IEXs rivals, are abusing their position in what is essentially a regulatory-assisted oligopoly. It will curry favor with the large banks and IEXs potential customers, which have been arguing for a while that the exchanges price-gouge when it comes to data fees. They say that raises the costs of trading for everyone, from hedge funds all the way down to mom-and-pop investors. The fact that IEX, too, has to pay those data fees is notable. The cost of data is among a number of market issues that the SEC seems to be, for the first time in a while, genuinely investigating, which I have argued is exactly what it should be doing. IEXs study as an exercise in public relations and trolling of the big exchanges is excellent. As a well-reasoned argument that should move the market structure debate forward, though, its a failure. The essence of IEXs argument is that Nasdaq and NYSE are abusing their power as market leaders because they charge way more for market data and connectivity than it costs them to provide that service. Even IEX doesnt charge its customers what it costs it to provide market data. It charges nothing, because as an exchange with minuscule market share, as NYSE never forgets to gleefully point out, thats about what IEXs trading data is worth. If the SEC is going to require that Nasdaq and NYSE lower their data prices based on cost, then they are also going to have force the IEX to raise its prices. The actual cost of providing data for Nasdaq and NYSE may be small. Lots of other things the NYSE does, like price IPOs and regulate its market, do cost a lot of money. Thats what people who trade on the main exchanges are paying for. And while IEX doesnt charge specifically for data, it charges an overall bundled fee for trading on its market. And NYSE argues, correctly, that what regulators should be looking at is not individual services but the overall cost of trading, which NYSE says is about a third lower per trade on its exchange than on IEX. Katsuyama is correct that the price that Nasdaq and NYSE charge for data and connectivity is not being controlled by the normal market forces of supply and demand. Instead, its being set by their duopoly and perhaps faulty regulation. Brokers are required to complete trades at the best price, and the only way to know that is to find out from the exchanges. That requires every broker to buy the large exchanges data and creates an artificially high demand in a market that essentially has two suppliers. Its disingenuous for Nasdaq and NYSE to argue, as they do, that they should be able to charge whatever they can, just like any other company. IEXs outrage that the price is so much more than the cost is equally disingenuous. The SEC should determine what the fair price for data is or come up with a system that injects fairness into the market. Waving around cost data, though, is just a distraction. To contact the author of this story: Stephen Gandel at [email protected] To contact the editor responsible for this story: Daniel Niemi at [email protected] This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Stephen Gandel is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering banking and equity markets. He was previously a deputy digital editor for Fortune and an economics blogger at Time. He has also covered finance and the housing market. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion 2019 Bloomberg L.P. | https://news.yahoo.com/stock-exchanges-really-gouging-traders-100023615.html |
Can We Drill A Hole Deep Enough For Our Nuclear Waste? | Yes we can! And it was just demonstrated. And it seems to have some bipartisan support. The technology used was actually developed to frack natural gas and oil wells, but Elizabeth Muller understands that it could dispose of nuclear waste as well. The Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Deep Isolation knows this is a great way to dispose of this small, but bizarre, waste stream. Deep Isolation is a recent start-up company from Berkeley by Muller and her father, Richard, that seeks to dispose of nuclear waste safely at a much lower cost than existing strategies. The idea of Deep Borehole Disposal for nuclear waste is not new, but Deep Isolation is the first to consider horizontal wells and is the first to actually demonstrate the concept. The technology takes advantage of recently developed fracking technologies to place nuclear waste in a series of two-mile-long tunnels, a mile below the Earths surface, where theyll be surrounded by a very tight rock known as shale. This type of shale is so tight that it takes fracking technology to get any oil or gas out of it at all. As geologists, we know how many millions of years it takes for anything to get up from that depth in the Earths crust. So what better way to use this technology than to put something back in that you want to stay there for geologic time. The demonstration occurred on January 16th, when Deep Isolation placed and retrieved a waste canister from thousands of feet underground. This first-of-its kind demonstration was witnessed by Department of Energy officials, nuclear scientists and industry professionals, investors, environmentalists, local citizens, and even oil & gas professionals since this uses their new drilling technologies. No radioactive material was used in the test, and the location was not one where actual waste would be disposed. Over 40 observers from multiple countries looked on as a prototype nuclear waste canister, designed to hold highly radioactive nuclear waste but filled with steel to simulate the weight of actual waste, was lowered over 2000 feet deep in an existing drillhole using a wireline cable, and then pushed using an underground tractor into a long horizontal storage section. The canister was released and the tractor and cable withdrawn. Several hours later, the tractor was placed back in the hole, where it latched and retrieved the canister, bringing it back to the surface. This is not just an exercise for the student. The cost of our nuclear and radioactive waste programs keeps rising astronomically. The Department of Energy recently projected the cost for their cleanup to be almost $500 billion, up over $100 billion from its estimate just a year earlier. Most of that cost is for the Hanford Site in Washington State where weapons waste that used to be high-level is no longer high-level. The Government Accountability Office considers even that amount to be low-balled, as do I. Just look at the highly-fractured, variably saturated, dual-porosity volcanic tuff at Yucca Mountain with highly oxidizing groundwater which sits on the edge of the Las Vegas Shear Zone. Yucca Mountain was supposed to hold all of our high-level weapons waste and our commercial spent fuel. The original estimate for that project was only $30 billion, but ever since we found out that we picked the wrong rock in 1987, the cost has skyrocketed beyond $200 billion. This is twice as high as could ever be covered by the money being set aside for this purpose, in the Nuclear Waste Fund, and it is unlikely Congress will ever appropriate the extra money to complete it. The primary reason for the increasing costs are outdated plans that use technologies that are overly complicated and untested, and strategies that are overkill for the actual risks. Especially since the waste itself has changed its radioactivity dramatically through radioactive decay from the time when they began filling these waste tanks 70 years ago. The hottest components of radioactive waste have half-lives of 30 years or less. Most of this stuff is only a fraction as hot as it was when it was formed. Were using a technique thats been made cheap over the last 20 years, says the elder Muller, who is also a physicist and climate change expert at UC Berkeley. We could begin putting this waste underground right away. Like all leading climate scientists, the Mullers now argue that the world must increase its use of nuclear energy to slow climate change and realize that solving the nuclear waste problem would help a lot. When it comes to finding a permanent home for nuclear waste, the two biggest hurdles Deep Isolation, and everyone else, has observed is public consent and bipartisan agreement. The bipartisan nature of this particular effort is reflected in the companys advisory board and public support from experts on both sides of the aisle. Deep Isolations Advisory Board has a variety of industry leaders in nuclear and other fields, including Robert Bunditz and David Lochbaum, generally considered anti-nuclear watchdogs of the industry. Furthermore, two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Steven Chu and Arno Penzias, an Emmy award winner, David Hoffman, and professionals from both sides of the aisle like Ed Fuelner of the Heritage Foundation and Daniel Metlay from the Carter Administration, sit on their Board. Public consent just takes time and lots of meetings with state and local officials and the public wherever you think the project would work. And we have lots and lots of deep tight shales in America way below any drinking water aquifers. Elizabeth Muller emphasized that Stakeholder engagement is where our solution began. To prepare for this public demonstration, we met with national environmental groups, as well as local leaders, to listen to concerns, incorporate suggestions, and build our solution around their needs and our customers. In 2019, Deep Isolation is focused on both the U.S. and the international markets for nuclear waste disposal. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are about 400 thousand tons of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel waste temporarily stored in pools and dry casks at hundreds of sites around the world. No country has an operational geological repository for spent fuel disposal, although France, Sweden and Finland are well along on their plan to open one. The United States does have an operating deep geological repository for transuranic weapons waste at the WIPP Site near Carlsbad, New Mexico, which was actually designed and built to hold all of our nuclear waste of any type. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2019/01/31/can-we-drill-a-hole-deep-enough-for-our-nuclear-waste/ |
Are Data Hacks Pushing People Towards Secure Blockchain Identity Systems? | When news broke of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal in 2018, where personal data of millions of people's Facebook profiles had been harvested without their consent, there was fear and outrage, but most importantly, shock. Since Facebook, as well as other major interest companies, started taking off on the back of important and valuable data, people have been mostly oblivious as to the reach these companies have when it comes to collecting personal information. However, what is even more concerning is that many people who do enter into these social contracts with internet companies, where their data is stored and collected, are far too trusting. The expectation is that a company on the scale of Facebook, Google, or other similarly large corporations will have an arsenal of data protection fallbacks. However, more and more data hacks and scandals are hitting the news, and it is often the internet giants that are implicated, spilling millions of peoples information across the web. Thus, it is understandable that people are starting to wise up and look for alternative ways to protect their data in an internet age that prizes it so heavily. The fact that data has always been so freely taken without much consent is what irks people, and that is why they are starting to look elsewhere. Secure identity systems are one use of blockchain technology that has made quite a bit of headway in the recent past. Civic was probably one of the first blockchain companies that looked at handing power back to the individual when it came to controlling their data, but now, with this added demand for data security other companies are popping up, and even overtaking the likes of Civic. The fact remains though that there is now an even more significant demand for data security. And because of what the blockchain can offer people, and what they are looking for in this internet age, where data give and take is necessary, means that many more people are exploring this option. Data at risk Cambridge Analytica was the very highly publicised tip of the iceberg in regards to data hacks and breaches. The first half of 2018 saw 2,308 publicly disclosed data breaches that resulted in the exposure of approximately 2.6 billion user records, a report from cyber threat intelligence company Risk Based Security showed. A lot of these breaches would have occurred through poorly protected websites and data collecting portals which were easily compromised. Protecting one's data from these types of sites is more common sense than anything. However, it is the tech giants that made news in their data breaches that seemingly caused a change in mindset. Social media devours data and information, but for the most part, people have been happy to part with it knowing that it will be secure. That is not the case. Every week we are seeing news of breaches from major corporations, explains Ryan Faber, cofounder of Bloom, a company creating cryptographically secure identity, powered by the blockchain. "The public is starting to learn about the murky world of data collection. Many are shocked to learn that every moment, servers are logging, cataloguing, and selling your personal, private information. The importance, and value, of data, has grown in magnitude over the past decade or so. For the individuals who are producing it, there has been no form of compensation, and certainly not enough security. Because of this, people have started to place more importance on their data and are thus looking for a secure global identity system. Blockchain security A basic look over the function of a blockchain immediately lends itself to data protection. It is immutable and un-hackable, eliminating breeches from unwanted actors, but it is can also be transactional, meaning that people can choose what level of data they want to reveal, and said data is reachable on the distributed ledger. Civic was one of the first companies that looked at putting identities on the blockchain, but as demand has increased for control and security of data, so have other alternative started gaining traction. The demand for secure identity and better data management practices has been huge, adds Faber. More than ever, people want to take back control of their data. Weve seen this reflected in our rapid user growth for example, with more than 120,000 BloomIDs created last year alone. The power of blockchain identity systems is not only that the data is on the blockchain and thus un-hackable, but it is also that the user becomes in charge of what data can and cannot be accessed. It differs significantly than the current way things are done. Data is syphoned from individuals for little to no compensation, and this data is then sold off for vast sums of money leaving individuals pillaged, often without even knowing it. Faber goes on to explain just how different blockchain data security is from traditional methods. The access to your data is stored locally on your device, meaning you have ultimate and complete control over your data. The data doesnt touch a traditional central server, reducing the risk of a data breach. For instance, we use public-key cryptography to securely store and share your data with parties of your choice. More than individual demand There is no denying the fact that data is becoming a form of currency in the modern digital world, and because of this heading, there will no doubt be more of a focus on the protection of data going forward. Individuals are starting waking up to the value of their data and the desire to keep it secure and safe, and so, corporations are also beginning to see the value of companies offering these blockchain solutions. Bloom, for example, has collaborated with American Express Middle East to help drive fintech innovation as part of the companys ACCELERATE ME program. Furthermore, they were also one of six startups selected for the Financial Services Collaboration Lab. Civic has also started utilising its secure identity system in a real-world use case, integrating their app with Johnson Controls Smart Buildings. Still searching for the killer app. Blockchain technology continues to be pointed and stretched across a multitude of different sectors in the search for its killer app. There is real evidence that the technology can serve in the protection and control of individual data, and as demand continues to surge, this facet of blockchain technology will continue to expand. The days of data being freely and openly pillaged from individuals and sold off to fuel major internet corporation are quickly coming to an end. Users demand more security than can be offered by these giants, and they are also claiming back their right to have control over their data. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynpollock/2019/01/31/are-data-hacks-pushing-people-towards-secure-blockchain-identity-systems/ |
Could Black English Mean a Prison Sentence? | Black people are overrepresented within the criminal-justice system, and race relations in America will never truly budge until equality under the law is more than a quaint phrase. But equality is, of course, impossible if the black people grappling with courts and imprisonment are routinely misunderstood. Transcription mistakes can happen quite innocently. As far back as the 1930s, white men and women tasked with transcribing recordings of ex-slaves produced error-ridden manuscripts. It turned out that the man was saying that ex-slaves sure been poor, a straightforward statement. I thought of this recently when I was staying at a hotel and asked a black woman working at the front desk where I could get a cup of coffee. When she pointed toward the restaurant, I said it was closed. and the final -d of closed. Even some native speakers may have misheard her without a certain amount of familiarity with the dialect. When someone in a position of authority draws attention to the differences between standard and Black English, the response is often perplexity and derision. That was true in 2010 when the Drug Enforcement Administration put out a call for Black English translators so the agency could better understand conversations on wiretaps. Some in the media, poking fun at the whole project, suggested that Black English is simply a collection of slang words or even just a sloppy way of enunciating. The pervasive assumption was that black speech differs from mainstream speech only in some spicy lingo plus various instances of broken grammar. In fact, Black English is not deficient but alternate. There is no scientific basis for judging Black English grammatical structures as faulty or unclear, and a Martian assigned to learn English who happened to land on the South Side of Chicago rather than in Scarsdale, New York, would have the same challenge in mastering the rules and nuances of the local speech. For example, the come in He come tell bout Im gonna take the TV is used to convey indignation, and has inspired a whole linguistics article itself. Miss this and the mans whole meaning is lostand to his possible detriment. Even those who accept that Black English is more than slang may feel that a translation approach is unwarranted, condescending, or both. Sometimes it may be. In 1996, the Oakland, California, school district proposed to use Black English in the classroom as a sort of training wheel. The idea was that kids raised with Black English as a home language had trouble learning to read because standard English was so unfamiliar. But many (including me) thought that was a misdiagnosis: Black people, including kids, use Black English alongside standard English rather than exclusively. | https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/01/stenographers-need-understand-black-english/581671/?utm_source=feed |
What is a snow squall, the weather phenomenon that caused a whiteout in New York and Pennsylvania? | CLOSE Time lapse video of Blue skies lead to whiteout conditions in Brewster Jan. 30, 2019. Frank Becerra Jr. , [email protected] As if the polar vortex isn't enough, sudden whiteouts called snow squalls are causing problems for the Northeast. A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty wind, according to the National Weather Service. Squalls can happen when there is no winter storm. The phenomenon can create deadly highway conditions, as it suddenly reduces visibility and creates slick roads. It can make roads a sheet of ice in minutes, AccuWeather chief meteorologist, Bernie Rayno, says. Snow squalls typically last less than an hour and might only leave behind a moderate amount of snow. Wednesday, more than two dozen vehicles in central Pennsylvania were involved in a chain-reaction crash during a snow squall. About nine drivers were injured, according to Wyomissing Police Chief Jeffrey Biehl. Emergency responders help victims from their cars after a multi-car pile up after a snow squall in Wyomissing, Pa., on Wednesday. (Photo: Lauren A. Little, Reading Eagle via AP) More: 'Ive never experienced anything like it': For some in Chicago's deep freeze, no choice but to brave the cold More: Here's what to do if your car won't start in cold weather Some cars were simply stuck on the road, unable to move, Biehl said. The crashes occurred just after 1 p.m. local time on Route 222, about 60 miles west of Philadelphia. SNOW SQUALLED! Time-lapse video shows a snow squall suddenly slam Philadelphia before it blows away: https://t.co/dvifUu7z4Ipic.twitter.com/ia8CE4p1pD Action News on 6abc (@6abc) January 30, 2019 About an hour later, a second pileup was reported about 30 miles northeast on Interstate 78 near Hamburg. In New York, there was a 20-car pileup on the state's thruway between Buffalo and Rochester. Parts of New Jersey also saw blinding white-out conditions. The National Weather Service advises delaying travel until after a snow squall passes. For those who find themselves in the middle of a squall while driving, reduce speed, turn on headlights and avoid suddenly braking. More: 'I have never seen such a thing: Stories across the US from the coldest weather in a generation More: How to keep your furnace running and your pipes from freezing during the dangerous cold Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2019/01/31/snow-squall-cold-weather-car-crashes-pa-ny/2729812002/ |
Is iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF (EMGF) a Strong ETF Right Now? | Making its debut on 12/08/2015, smart beta exchange traded fund iShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF (EMGF) provides investors broad exposure to the Broad Emerging Market ETFs category of the market. The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market. Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way. On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta. Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance. While this space offers a number of choices to investors, including simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies, not all these strategies have been able to deliver superior results. Fund Sponsor & Index Because the fund has amassed over $268.82 M, this makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Broad Emerging Market ETFs. EMGF is managed by Blackrock. This particular fund seeks to match the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Diversified Multiple-Factor Index before fees and expenses. The MSCI Emerging Markets Diversified Multiple Factor Index is composed of stocks of large and mid-capitalization companies in emerging markets that have favourable exposure to target style factors subject to constraints. Cost & Other Expenses Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.45% for this ETF, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space. The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.47%. Sector Exposure and Top Holdings Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis. Taking into account individual holdings, China Mobile Ltd accounts for about 3.34% of the fund's total assets, followed by Sk Hynix Inc and Tencent Holdings Ltd. Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 24.15% of EMGF's total assets under management. Performance and Risk The ETF has added roughly 10.25% and is down about -16.67% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 01/31/2019), respectively. EMGF has traded between $37.92 and $52.86 during this last 52-week period. The ETF has a beta of 0.89 and standard deviation of 18.36% for the trailing three-year period. With about 213 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk. Alternatives IShares Edge MSCI Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Broad Emerging Market ETFs segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider. IShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) tracks MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index and the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) tracks FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China An Inclusion Index. IShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF has $57.28 B in assets, Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has $59.83 B. IEMG has an expense ratio of 0.14% and VWO charges 0.14%. Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Broad Emerging Market ETFs. Bottom Line To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO): ETF Research Reports iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/ishares-edge-msci-multifactor-emerging-121012842.html |
Is Fidelity International Discovery (FIGRX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Well, one fund that you should consider investigating is Fidelity International Discovery (FIGRX). FIGRX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective FIGRX is classified in the Non US - Equity area by Zacks, and this segment is full of potential. Non US - Equity funds focus their investments on companies outside of the United States, which is an important distinction since global mutual funds tend to keep a sizable portion of their portfolio based in the United States. Most of these funds will allocate across emerging and developed markets, and can often extend across cap levels too. History of Fund/Manager Fidelity is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of FIGRX. Fidelity International Discovery debuted in December of 1986. Since then, FIGRX has accumulated assets of about $5.97 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by William Kennedy who has been in charge of the fund since October of 2004. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 0.35%, and is in the middle third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 0.94%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. FIGRX's standard deviation over the past three years is 12.25% compared to the category average of 9.67%. Looking at the past 5 years, the fund's standard deviation is 11.71% compared to the category average of 9.6%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. FIGRX lost 57.01% in the most recent bear market and outperformed its peer group by 1.44%. This could mean that the fund is a better choice than comparable funds during a bear market. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. FIGRX has a 5-year beta of 0.85, which means it is likely to be less volatile than the market average. Alpha is an additional metric to take into consideration, since it represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which in this case, is the S&P 500. The fund has produced a negative alpha over the past 5 years of -6.31, which shows that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses Costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing, and particularly as competition heats up in this market. And all things being equal, a lower cost product will outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, so taking a closer look at these metrics is key for investors. In terms of fees, FIGRX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.89% compared to the category average of 1.21%. So, FIGRX is actually cheaper than its peers from a cost perspective. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $0 and that each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line Overall, Fidelity International Discovery ( FIGRX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively similar performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now. Your research on the Non US - Equity segment doesn't have to stop here. You can check out all the great mutual fund tools we have to offer by going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds to see the additional features we offer as well for additional information. If you are more of a stock investor, make sure to also check out our Zacks Rank, and our full suite of tools we have available for novice and professional investors alike. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/fidelity-international-discovery-figrx-strong-120012816.html |
Is Janus Henderson Forty T (JACTX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Janus Henderson Forty T (JACTX) is a possible starting point. JACTX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective JACTX is part of the Large Cap Growth section, and this segment boasts an array of other possible options. Large Cap Growth mutual funds purchase stakes in numerous large U.S. companies that are expected to develop and grow at a faster rate than other large-cap stocks. Companies are usually considered to be large-cap if their market capitalization is over $10 billion. History of Fund/Manager Janus Fund is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of JACTX. The Janus Henderson Forty T made its debut in July of 2009 and JACTX has managed to accumulate roughly $2.41 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by A. Douglas Rao who has been in charge of the fund since June of 2013. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 10.3%, and it sits in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 10.23%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 12.96% compared to the category average of 1.05%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors cannot discount the risks to this segment though, as it is always important to remember the downside for any potential investment. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. JACTX has a 5-year beta of 1.06, which means it is likely to be more volatile than the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. The fund has produced a positive alpha over the past 5 years of 1.46, which shows that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Holdings Investigating the equity holdings of a mutual fund is also a valuable exercise. This can show us how the manager is applying their stated methodology, as well as if there are any inherent biases in their approach. For this particular fund, the focus is primarily on equities that are traded in the United States. Right now, 92.22% of this mutual fund's holdings are stocks, with an average market capitalization of $314.74 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors: Technology Finance Health Industrial Cyclical Turnover is 37%, which means, on average, the fund makes fewer trades than comparable funds. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, JACTX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 0.83%. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,500 and that each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line With a rank of 'hold' we aren't getting a good signal one way or another on JACTX. That is why it might be a good idea to consider other items, such as the fund's expense ratio of 0.83%, and how this compares to other potential options being considered for investment. If cheaper, it might make a decent choice, but a more expensive fund might be worth avoiding. Just make sure to pay attention to its rank in case it shifts in the near future. For additional information on this product, or to compare it to other mutual funds in the Large Cap Growth, make sure to go to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information. For analysis of the rest of your portfolio, make sure to visit Zacks.com for our full suite of tools which will help you investigate all of your stocks and funds in one place. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/janus-henderson-forty-t-jactx-120012738.html |
Is BlackRock Global Allocation A (MDLOX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Starting with BlackRock Global Allocation A (MDLOX) should not be a possibility at this time. MDLOX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective MDLOX is classified in the Allocation Balanced segment by Zacks, which is an area full of possibilities. Here, investors are able to get a good head start with diversified mutual funds, and play around with core holding options for a portfolio of funds. Allocation Balanced funds look to invest across a balance of asset types, like stocks, bonds, and cash, though including precious metals or commodities is not unusual; these funds are mostly categorized by their respective asset allocation. History of Fund/Manager BlackRock is based in New York, NY, and is the manager of MDLOX. The BlackRock Global Allocation A made its debut in October of 1994 and MDLOX has managed to accumulate roughly $10.40 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund's current manager is a team of investment professionals. Performance Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund carries a 5-year annualized total return of 1.82%, and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 2.79%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. MDLOX's standard deviation over the past three years is 6.66% compared to the category average of 8.72%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 6.67% compared to the category average of 8.69%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. In the most recent bear market, MDLOX lost 29.24% and outperformed its peer group by 7.16%. This might suggest that the fund is a better choice than its peers during a bear market. Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.55, which means it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. MDLOX's 5-year performance has produced a negative alpha of -3.06, which means managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, MDLOX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.07% compared to the category average of 0.88%. From a cost perspective, MDLOX is actually more expensive than its peers. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $1,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $50. Bottom Line Overall, BlackRock Global Allocation A ( MDLOX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively weak performance, average downside risk, and higher fees, this fund looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now. For additional information on the Allocation Balanced area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into MDLOX too for additional information. If you are more of a stock investor, make sure to also check out our Zacks Rank, and our full suite of tools we have available for novice and professional investors alike. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (MDLOX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/blackrock-global-allocation-mdlox-strong-120012124.html |
Is Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Dolby Laboratories (DLB) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of 7.25% and 2.56%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2018. Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr (VMNVX) is a potential starting point. VMNVX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective Zacks categorizes VMNVX as Global - Equity, which is a segment packed with options. Global - Equity mutual funds invest in large markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and operate with very few geographical limitations. They also provide an investment technique that leverages the diverse nature of the global economy in the hopes of providing a stable return. History of Fund/Manager Vanguard Group is based in Malvern, PA, and is the manager of VMNVX. Vanguard Global Mineral Volatility Admiralr debuted in December of 2013. Since then, VMNVX has accumulated assets of about $2.61 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Antonio Picca who has been in charge of the fund since November of 2018. Performance Investors naturally seek funds with strong performance. VMNVX has a 5-year annualized total return of 8.32% and it sits in the top third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 7.34%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Over the past 5 years, the standard deviation of the fund is 7.19% compared to the category average of 1.16%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors Investors should always remember the downsides to a potential investment, and this segment carries some risks one should be aware of. Nevertheless, with a 5-year beta of 0.58, the fund is likely to be less volatile than the market average. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. Over the past 5 years, the fund has a positive alpha of 2.98. This means that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, VMNVX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 0.17%. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $50,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $1. Bottom Line This puts this fund from Vanguard Group in the top 20% of all mutual funds we have a rank on right now. As a result, this is likely an excellent choice for investors seeking an option in the Global - Equity category. For additional information on the Global - Equity area of the mutual fund world, make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds. There, you can see more about the ranking process, and dive even deeper into VMNVX too for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/vanguard-global-mineral-volatility-admiralr-120012799.html |
Is Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | If you have been looking for Large Cap Growth funds, it would not be wise to start your search with Artisan Global Opportunities Investor (ARTRX). ARTRX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We classify ARTRX in the Large Cap Growth category, an area rife with potential choices. Large Cap Growth funds invest in many large U.S. companies that are expected to grow much faster compared to other large-cap stocks. To be considered large-cap, companies must have a market cap over $10 billion. History of Fund/Manager ARTRX finds itself in the Artisan Funds family, based out of Boston, MA. The Artisan Global Opportunities Investor made its debut in September of 2008 and ARTRX has managed to accumulate roughly $1.18 billion in assets, as of the most recently available information. A team of investment professionals is the fund's current manager. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. ARTRX has a 5-year annualized total return of 6.62% and it sits in the bottom third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 7.71%, which places it in the bottom third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 12.73% compared to the category average of 1.05%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. ARTRX has a 5-year beta of 0.97, which means it is likely to be as volatile as the market average. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. ARTRX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -1.3, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, ARTRX is a no load fund and it has an expense ratio of 1.15%. This fund requires a minimum initial investment of $1,000, while there is no minimum for each subsequent investment. Bottom Line With a 'strong sell' rank, Artisan Global Opportunities Investor is in the bottom 20% of all the mutual funds we cover. This means that our models suggest it is one of the worst options for investors in Large Cap Growth right now, though this could change if the performance of the fund and the Zacks Ranks of the equities in ARTRX turnaround in the next data release. This could just be the start of your research on ARTRXin the Large Cap Growth category. Consider going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information about this fund, and all the others that we rank as well for additional information. Zacks provides a full suite of tools to help you analyze your portfolio - both funds and stocks - in the most efficient way possible. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/artisan-global-opportunities-investor-artrx-120012648.html |
Should Doctors Google Their Patients? | According to Dr. Liliya Gershengoren, Anecdotally, I know we do it all the time. Dr. Gershengoren is a professor of psychiatry at Cornell University. In a recent survey she presented in 2017, Gershengoren found that 93 percent of staff and 94 percent of residents reported Googling a patient at least once, [and] that 17 percent of staff and 40 percent of residents Googled their patients on a frequent or semi-regular basis in the ER. Practitioners can give plausible reasons for Googling their patients, especially in the mental health fields. Dr. Paul Appelbaum, a psychiatry professor at Columbia University explains that sometimes, patients may be psychotic, intoxicated, or suicidal. After all, this information is publicly available. But there are reasons that physicians may wish to be cautious about Googling their patients. First, the information on Google may be inaccurate or unreliable. Second, if physicians act on sensitive information that they learned online that the patient themselves didnt tell them, patients could feel their privacy was violated. This could seriously undermine the trust necessary for a doctor-patient relationship. Finally, routine use of Googling could establish a new standard of care that essentially forces all physicians to Google their patients, lest they be found liable for malpractice. For example: As more and more providers Google to guide their decisions, they may be shifting the clinical standards to which all practitioners are held. The standard of care is developed by the clinical community itself, says Appelbaum. What most people do, or at least what a substantial number of people do, becomes a standard of care. If practitioners neglect that standard, and something preventable goes wrong, they risk accusations of malpractice. In other words, if patient-targeted online searches become the new standard of care, then clinicians could become liable for information patients post online. If a patient leaves a suicidal message on Facebook, and the clinician misses it, theres a future seemingly more plausible by the day in which that clinician could be sued for malpractice if the patient then attempts suicide. Another twist occurs when third parties make a business of collecting patient data to sell to physicians, claiming that information about their social determinants of health will help physicians better care for their patients: A small but fast-growing number of technology companies, including data brokers LexisNexis and Acxiom, sell health care providers detailed analyses of their patients, incorporating criminal records, online purchasing histories, retail loyalty programs and voter registration data... Liens, evictions and felonies indicate that individual health may not be a priority, according to a marketing pitch on the [LexisNexis] website. Voter registration might be relevant as well because [i]ndividuals showing engagement in their community may be more likely to engage in their own health. As Politico writer Mohinda Ravindranath notes, this is not the kind of information that normally populates a patients medical record. Whether Im registered to vote or where I buy my groceries should not be part of my medical record without my consent. To the extent that patients feel that their physicians are collating this information without their knowledge or consent, this could again cause them to view their physicians with mistrust. Nor does a human have to collate patients data. Facebook now uses AI (artificial intelligence) to monitor user posts for suicide risk, including contacting the local police if they feel someone is at imminent risk. According to Facebook Global Head of Safety Antigone Davis, they fielded 3,500 reports in the past year. In other words, That means AI monitoring is causing Facebook to contact emergency responders an average of about 10 times a day to check on someone. Mason Marks of Yale University has expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in this process. He notes that a proprietary black box algorithm can trigger police responses that override ordinary Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless government searches. And this is true, even if a human moderator has to agree to call the police: Facebook has over two billion users, and it continuously monitors user-generated content for a growing list of threats including terrorism, hate speech, political manipulation, and child abuse. In the face of these ongoing challenges, the temptation to automate suicide prediction will grow. Even if human moderators remain in the system, AI-generated predictions may nudge them toward contacting police even when they have reservations about doing so. Applebaum similarly warns: We are creating a new kind of medical record with all this information... It creates a permanent record that once would not have been accessible, but now can be accessed by insurers or in legal procedures. Fortunately, there are concrete steps that physicians and patients can take to protect the integrity of their medical records in the age of big data. For example, physicians and hospital system can make it standing policy to not Google patients unless they have a medically compelling reason to do so. Patients can ask their doctor or local hospitals to state such a policy in writing. And all citizens can request that social media companies provide greater transparency about any automated algorithms that expose users to forcible interactions by law enforcement. Overall, I am a big fan of technology as a tool of improving medical care. But physicians must be careful to use these tools responsibly. A patients medical record should be the vehicle that enhances the doctor-patient relationship, not the vehicle that destroys it. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2019/01/31/should-doctors-google-their-patients/ |
Should former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz actually run for president? | Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, has announced his intention to explore a run for president. Schultz, who says he has been a Democrat for his entire life, plans to run as a "centrist independent." Schultz has claimed the two-party system is so broken that the only candidate who can cut through the noise is a moderate independent. Politicians and pundits, however, believe Schultz would effectively split the liberal vote, all but guaranteeing President Trump a second term. PERSPECTIVES Schultz announced his intentions on Twitter, before giving an extensive interview to "60 Minutes." I love our country, and I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent. -- Howard Schultz (@HowardSchultz) January 28, 2019 During the "60 Minutes" interview, The Atlantic reports, Schultz hammered down on the fact that Americans are fed up with politics and are seeking a candidate who can cut through the gridlock. "Not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics," he says, according to CBS promotional material, which did not include the part of the interview in which Pelley asks Schultz about running himself. Howard Schultz's Independent Run Could Help Trump Schultz emphasized his centrism with the New York Times and stated the country is looking for a moderate candidate. "We have a broken political system with both parties basically in business to preserve their own ideology without a recognition and responsibility to represent the interests of the American people," Mr. Schultz said in the interview. "Republicans and Democrats alike -- who no longer see themselves as part of the far extreme of the far right and the far left -- are looking for a home," he added. "The word 'independent,' for me, is simply a designation on the ballot." Howard Schultz draws fire from Trump and Bloomberg over 2020 plans Most pundits were not pleased with Schultz's intention to run, claiming he would split the moderate voting block, peeling off voters desperately needed by Democrats to retake the White House. Per Vox: "The only good news [Trump] received in an otherwise dismal week: The prospect of a well-funded independent candidate to dilute the opposition in 2020," former Obama adviser David Axelrod tweeted. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's lurking presidential bid, explained Some wondered who Schultz's voters would be, as most of the country is moving rapidly toward the poles of political opinion, not towards consensus. Per GQ: It's not entirely clear what Schultz's base would be, despite his insistence that there's a hunger for non-partisan candidates with no real ideology to speak of. The rising stars in the Democratic Party are left-wing or socialist politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and recent polls by the Pew Research Center found that the majority of Republican voters want the GOP to become even more conservative in the future. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Wants to Be the Centrist Billionaire President No One Asked For After everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Oprah have been suggested as presidential candidates, some people are wondering whether this is just a rich people hobby. -- Orli Matlow (@HireMeImFunny) January 28, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/should_former_starbucks_ceo_ho_1.html |
How does a person freeze to death? | This week's polar vortex has brought bitter cold even Arctic-like temperatures to parts of the Upper Midwest and Eastern U.S., and this frigid air may have you feeling like you could "freeze to death." Indeed, when temperatures dip this low, frostbite and hypothermia are real health concerns. Weather officials have warned of dangerous and even life-threatening wind chills through Thursday (Jan. 31). [7 Crazy Things That Happen Only When It's Really Cold] UNIVERSITY OF IOWA STUDENT DIES DURING POLAR VORTEX; 7 OTHER DEATHS LINKED TO WINTRY BLAST However, death from the cold can happen even if the body isn't literally frozen. Core temperature drop A person's core body temperature usually hovers around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). Hypothermia occurs when core body temperature dips to around 95 F (35 C) or lower. Surprisingly, people can experience hypothermia in relatively cool, but not freezing, air temperatures around 30 to 50 F (minus 1 to 10 C) particularly if they are wet, such as from rain, sweat or submersion in cold water, according to the National Weather Service. The body loses heat about 25 times faster in water than in air, Michael Sawka, chief of the Thermal & Mountain Medicine Division at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), told Live Science in a 2010 interview. But hypothermia at these relatively cool temperatures is unusual. Temperatures that are subzero, however, are "a whole different animal," said Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. STRANGERS SURPRISE MISSOURI FAMILY LIVING WITHOUT HEAT IN POLAR VORTEX AFTER HEARING 'HEARTBREAKING' STORY At minus 30 F (minus 34 C), an otherwise healthy person who isn't properly dressed for the cold could experience hypothermia in as little as 10 minutes, Glatter said. At minus 40 to minus 50 F (minus 40 to minus 45 C), hypothermia can set in in just 5 to 7 minutes, he said. A drop in body temperature prevents critical organs from working properly including the brain and heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. Improper functioning of the heart results in reduced blood flow to many organs, putting the body in a state of shock and increasing the risk of conditions like liver failure and kidney failure, Glatter told Live Science. The very young and the very old are at greater risk for hypothermia because they generally have weaker heart muscles, he said. In addition, older people are more likely to take medications such as beta blockers that can slow heart rate, which further increases their risk of developing hypothermia in the cold. Symptoms of mild hypothermia, such as shivering, weakness and confusion, set in when core body temperature reaches about 95 F. After that, "as you start dropping [in core body temperature], bad things happen," Sawka said. At 91 F (33 C), you can experience amnesia. At 82 F (28 C) you can lose consciousness. Below 70 F (21 C), you are said to have profound hypothermia and death can occur, Sawka said. The record for the lowest body temperature at which an adult has been known to survive is 56.7 F (13.7 C), which occurred after the person was submerged in cold, icy water for quite some time, according to John Castellani, of the USARIEM, who also spoke with Live Science in 2010. SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW Left untreated, hypothermia can lead to complete failure of the heart, and eventually death, according to the Mayo Clinic. Built-in cold protection Yet people's bodies are pretty hardy in the cold, as we have two built-in mechanisms to protect us from frigid conditions. As soon as that bitter air hits your face, your body will try to insulate itself by moving blood away from the skin and outer extremities, such as fingers and toes, and toward its core. This process is called vasoconstriction, and it helps limit the amount of heat you lose to the environment, Castellani said. The second response from your body is shivering, which produces heat and helps raise body temperature. Frostbite danger Although extreme conditions are often needed to induce hypothermia in a healthy person, frostbite is more common in less severe weather. "It takes a lot to drop the core body temperature down, but it doesn't take as much to drive the peripheral temperatures down," Castellani said. Your fingers and toes are more prone to frostbite, because those areas will have reduced blood flow in cold temperatures, as your body tries to keep its core warm. Even though your feet are usually protected by shoes, toe temperatures can get very low, and if you sweat, the wetness will draw even more heat out of the area. Since frostbite is brought on by freezing, you can't get frostbite if the air temperature is above 32 F (0 C). CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP How long it takes you to develop frostbite will depend on the conditions. For example, if it's 0 F (minus 18 C) with a wind chill of minus 19 F (minus 28 C), you could be frostbitten in 30 minutes; but if it's minus 15 F (minus 26 C) with a wind chill of minus 55 (minus 48 C), you could get frostbite in as few as 5 minutes, according to the National Weather Service. Despite these risks, "human beings can go out in very extreme cold environments and do very well," Castellani said. People climb mountains, trek in the Arctic and swim the English Channel, which has very low water temperatures. Still, you need to be properly dressed to weather the cold conditions. Glatter recommended that people wear at least three layers a wicking layer that wicks moisture away from the skin, an insulating layer and a protective outer layer to protect against the wind and other elements. In addition, Glatter recommended that people wear thick, insulated boots, since the feet and toes are at high risker risk for frostbite. The CDC also recommends that people wear a hat, scarf or face mask that covers the face and mouth, a water-resistant coat, mittens or gloves, and water-resistant boots. Editor's note: A version of this article was published on Jan. 7, 2010. It was updated with new information and an interview with Dr. Glatter on Jan. 30, 2019. Photos: The 8 Coldest Places on Earth 9 Tips for Exercising in Winter Weather 10 Surprising Ways Weather Has Changed History Originally published on Live Science. | https://www.foxnews.com/health/how-does-a-person-freeze-to-death |
Could Sprint Be a Millionaire-Maker Stock? | Sprint (NYSE: S) operates in a strange place where it has to act as an independent company while working to make sure it's ready to merge with T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS). That merger still requires federal approval, and while the OK is expected, it's not a sure thing. That leaves Sprint in a state of limbo. It has to operate in its own long-term interests, but it can't make investments that won't make sense if the deal gets approved. It's a tough place to be, because should the deal be denied, Sprint will find itself needing a partner but lacking an obvious choice. Yes, one of the cable companies may be willing to buy the company at a discount, but that's not something management or shareholders want to see happen. With a successful T-Mobile merger, Sprint becomes part of a growing company that will have the resources to take on AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ). That would make Sprint shareholders owners of the new T-Mobile -- a decidedly better place to be than where they are now. TMUS Chart More TMUS data by YCharts. If the deal is approved The merger values Sprint at roughly the $6.50 per share it was trading at when the deal was announced. That number was likely a disappointment to shareholders, but there is an upside: T-Mobile stock has generally been climbing upward since 2015. In fact, you can argue that the share price would be higher now if the uncertainty over the merger wasn't holding it back. T-Mobile has added more than 1 million customers for 22 straight quarters. If it adds Sprint, it will have a customer base that's similar to the ones served by AT&T and Verizon. That should allow the combined company to roll out 5G faster without taxing its resources as much. It would also give the company a larger base to market T-Mobile's upcoming television service to. CEO John Legere, who will run the combined company, has proven that he can take on AT&T and Verizon. Giving him more assets to use in that battle should increase value for T-Mobile (and former Sprint) shareholders. That makes the successfully merged company a potential millionaire-maker stock. Legere won't knock out either of his big rivals overnight, but he has shown he can chip away at their customer bases, making meaningful progress every quarter. John Legere and Marcello Claure. More Legere (left) and Sprint chairman Marcello Claure had a joint media event when the merger was announced. Image source: T-Mobile. | https://news.yahoo.com/could-sprint-millionaire-maker-stock-141600490.html |
Where Will iQiyi Be in 5 Years? | When it comes to iQiyi (NASDAQ: IQ), its volatile rookie year may seem as if it's been a roundtrip to nowhere. China's leading video streaming service went public 10 months ago at $18. It was initially a broken IPO, closing just above $15 on its first day of trading. The stock would go on to triple off its low by June, only to give it all back -- and then some -- when it bottomed out at $14.35 earlier this month. The stock has rallied in recent weeks, and now it's just back above its original $18 IPO price. iQiyi may be back to where it was nearly a year ago, but it's not fair to say that it's been marching in place. Though the price tag may be where it was in the springtime of last year, iQiyi is a far larger and more successful company. Revenue has soared 48% over the past year. Its premium subscriber count is growing even faster than that. The market's starting to like the looks of iQiyi now, but it may like it even more in a few years. A chain of personal theaters streaming iQiyi content. More Image source: iQiyi. Party like it's 2024 Streaming video is here to stay, and there's a reason why Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) has become one of the market's biggest winners since it pushed to lead this booming niche. Netflix has been a force in most of the countries that it has entered, but it has been hesitant to break into the world's most populous nation on its own. Sure, Netflix is barred from entering mainland China on its own as a platform operator, but that isn't stopping it from investing in Chinese-language original content. It also helped Netflix realize that it's easier to partner with iQiyi -- the two companies entered into a licensing deal nearly two years ago -- than to watch from the outside and miss the Chinese online revolution play out. Where iQiyi rests in five years may seem to depend on whether Netflix is still a partner or doing more than just being stuck on the outside looking in. iQiyi's audience is growing at a heady clip. The vast majority of iQiyi users may be freeloaders, but its premium subscriber count has soared 89% over the past year to hit 80.7 million. The same economies of scale that are making it impossible for a rival to catch up to Netflix is also playing out for iQiyi in China. From brand awareness to the ability to divide its content costs across more paying users than anyone else, the future belongs to iQiyi because it has the market cornered in the present. One can also argue that iQiyi is a relative bargain. It trades at 3.8 times its trailing revenue, far less than Netflix's multiple of 9.8, and that's with iQiyi growing its business faster. Pitting one potentially overvalued stock against another investment that may be even more expensive isn't necessarily a winning argument, but one can also say that if Netflix wins, iQiyi will be an even bigger winner. iQiyi isn't presently profitable, and analysts don't see it turning the corner on that front until 2022. However, iQiyi is well entrenched in a booming business opportunity in a country that just happens to be out of favor with investors. You have to like iQiyi's odds. More From The Motley Fool Rick Munarriz owns shares of Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix. The Motley Fool recommends iQiyi. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. | https://news.yahoo.com/where-iqiyi-5-years-141500071.html |
Do Options Traders Know Something About UPS Stock We Don't? | Investors in United Parcel Service, Inc. UPS need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Feb 1, 2019 $90.00 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. Currently, UPS is a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) in the Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo that ranks in the Bottom 31% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while two have dropped their estimates. The net effect has narrowed our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from $1.93 per share to $1.91 in that period. Given the way analysts feel about UPS right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Often times, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected. Each week, our very own Dave Bartosiak gives his top options trades. Check out his recent live analysis and options trade for NFLX earnings report completely free. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/options-traders-know-something-ups-134601013.html |
Does Sen. Ugenti-Rita know how her early ballot ban would hurt her own district? | Opinion: Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita wants to ban Arizona voters from dropping off early ballots at the polls. State Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita. (Photo: Special for The Republic) Democrats suspect state Sen. Michele Ugenti-Ritas proposal to ban voters from dropping off their early ballots on Election Day is yet another voter suppression act. Of course, her bill is yet another voter suppression act. But Im guessing even Ugenti-Rita might be surprised at whose votes shes proposing to suppress. It seems four of the five legislative districts that would be most impacted by Ugenti-Ritas plan are Republican strongholds. One of those is Ugenti-Ritas own district. Well, Republicans have been smarting since November when election night results had their candidates winning most statewide offices only to see several of those jobs go to Democrats a week later, once all the early ballots were counted. Thus comes Senate Bill 1046, barring voters from dropping off their early ballots at the polls. Voters who didnt mail in their ballots in time still could go to the polls and cast a provisional ballot. Or, just as likely, not bother. Ugenti-Rita recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the mail-in requirement will speed up the vote counting process and provide election results more quickly. Officials say it won't speed vote counting CLOSE Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes talks about counting midterm election ballots Nov. 7, 2018, at the Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix. Mark Henle, The Republic Never mind that county elections officials say thats just not true. They recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee that it didnt take any longer to finish tallying votes in November than it did in most other recent elections. But in this case, we noticed because so many of the races were close. There is, however, one way in which Ugenti-Ritas bill might speed vote counts. It might save time by reducing turnout, Yavapai County Recorder Leslie Hoffman told the panel during a Jan. 24 hearing on the bill. Sen. Eddie Farnsworth called that an unfounded accusation and the committee approved the bill on a 4-3 partyline vote. It now awaits a vote of the full Senate. Generally, when our leaders set out to reform election laws, those reforms have mostly involved making it more difficult for minority voters. GOP districts would be hit hardest I wonder if any of our leaders have checked to see who will most be impacted by Ugenti-Ritas bill. Arizona Mirrors Jeremy Duda did. Turns out the five districts most affected include four Republican-dominated districts and one more competitive district that in recent years has been represented by Democrats. District 12 Farnsworth's home turf would be hit hardest. In all, 17,318 Gilbert voters dropped off their early ballots on Election Day in November. In District 18, a Chandler-Ahwatukee district now represented by Democrats, 13,622 voters brought their early ballots to the polls. In Mesas District 25, it was 12,409 voters. And in northeast Phoenixs District 15, 12,310 voters. Then, there are those 12,093 voters in Ugenti-Ritas Scottsdale district who in the future no longer would be able to drop off their early ballots if her bill becomes law. No longer could they hold onto those ballots, waiting to see if last-minute developments change their minds. No longer could they drop off those ballots at an early voting center or at the polls. And to be realistic, no longer would some of them bother to vote. Reach Roberts at [email protected]. MORE FROM ROBERTS: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/01/31/sen-ugenti-ritas-early-ballot-ban-would-hit-hard-scottsdale-oops/2727869002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2019/01/31/sen-ugenti-ritas-early-ballot-ban-would-hit-hard-scottsdale-oops/2727869002/ |
Will Gov. Doug Ducey and lawmakers yield, again, to Arizonas anti-equality lobby? | Opinion: Instead of protecting vulnerable citizens against discrimination the governor and lawmakers cower before the Center for Arizona Policy. Gov. Doug Ducey (Photo: The Republic) There are two bills in the Arizona Legislature that would guarantee equality to some currently excluded citizens, but I doubt that either proposal will make it to Gov. Doug Duceys desk since theyve already been vetoed by unelected co-governor Cathi Herrod of the Center for Arizona Policy. The two anti-discrimination measures Senate Bill 1249 and House Bill 2546 mirror one another and would outlaw discrimination against a person based on sexual orientation or gender identity. We already have a number of additions to the law that protect individuals from discrimination. Its been necessary to create such laws because our idea of equality has expanded and evolved over time. Weve come to recognize that many of our brothers and sisters were left out, so weve tried to periodically fix that. The crux of the changes that would happen under SB 1249 and HB 2546 (with additions to current law in CAPITAL letters) reads like this: Uncomplicated wording Discrimination in places of public accommodation against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, national origin or ancestry is contrary to the policy of this state and shall be deemed unlawful. Pretty straightforward. Cathi Herrod and the Center for Arizona Policy issued a press release condemning the measures. That simple public pronouncement might be enough to kill the bills. Lawmakers (particularly Republicans) cower before Herrod and her deep-pocket pals. And over the years weve learned that when Herrod calls the tune Gov. Doug Ducey dances the dance. Hopefully, that wont happen this time. 'Foundational values?' When you scrape away the gobbledygook were talking about outdated beliefs that have marginalized and led to prejudicial treatment of many American citizens. The two bills in the legislature, which have both Republican and Democratic sponsors, aim to provide another necessary fix. In a fear-mongering press release Herrods group claims in part, Small businesses that serve all customers but do not communicate all messages would be forced to choose between their livelihood and their beliefs, thereby denying free speech rights guaranteed under both federal and state constitutions. Just don't discriminate Actually, no. Small businesses that serve all customers would have to do nothing more than serve all customers. In other words, not discriminate. Herrods group says, Nondiscrimination laws are supposed to shield people from unjust discrimination, but these types of bills are being used throughout the country as a sword against individuals and organizations that have a historic understanding of sexuality and gender. Theres another dark and loaded phrase: A historic understanding of sexuality and gender. Weve heard variations of that all through our history, always as a way of excluding or discriminating against people. Well-worn form of prejudice There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of race prevented African Americans from enjoying anything close to their full civil rights. There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of gender prevented women from exercising those same rights. There was a time when individuals and organizations with a historic understanding of religion and ethnicity and national origin allowed American citizens of all sorts to be discriminated against by fellow citizens. What history tells us is that many of our historic understandings were wrong. They still are. Reach Montini at [email protected]. MORE BY MONTINI: Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/01/31/gov-doug-ducey-center-for-arizona-policy-discrimination/2729460002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/ej-montini/2019/01/31/gov-doug-ducey-center-for-arizona-policy-discrimination/2729460002/ |
Are AT&T's Acquisitions Weighing On Its Wireless Business? | Telecom and media behemoth AT&T published its Q4 2018 results on Wednesday, reporting earnings that largely met expectations although revenues came in slightly below Street estimates. In this note we examine the performance and outlook for the companys wireless business and the recently acquired WarnerMedia operations. Our interactive dashboard on What To Expect From AT&T In 2019 details our key forecasts for the company. You can modify any of our estimates to gauge the impact changes would have on the company's valuation. WarnerMedia Business Updates Revenues from the WarnerMedia business stood at $9.2 billion, marking an increase of about 6% year-over-year, driven by higher revenues from Warner Bros which benefited from strong theatrical performances over the holidays and also due to higher affiliate subscription revenues at Turner. Overall operating margins for the business expanded to 28.4%, driven by lower programming expenses at Turner and HBO, while operating income for the segment came in at $2.6 billion, up from $2.0 billion in the same period last year. The acquisition could add more value to AT&T going forward, as it could allow the company to keep content costs in check for its distribution operations (pay TV, wireless and streaming businesses) while potentially giving it some bargaining leverage in acquiring content from other companies for distribution. Wireless Business Continues To Grow But Lags Rivals Over the quarter, AT&T added a total of 134k postpaid phones. While this marks a sequential improvement, it represents a decline of about 55% compared to last year. Moreover, the metric is well below AT&Ts key rivals Verizon and T-Mobile, which both posted stronger-than-expected postpaid phone net additions over the holiday quarter (650k and 1 million respectively). The could stoke concerns that the companys recent deal-making activity and integration process could be distracting it from its core wireless operations, giving its rivals who have focused on network improvements and customer acquisitions room to gain market share. The companys postpaid phone churn also inched higher by 11 bps year-over-year to 1.00%, driven by higher competition and limited promotional activity. While reported postpaid phone ARPU saw a 4% decline on a year-over-year basis to about $55, due to an accounting change, the metric rose by about 3% on a comparable basis, likely driven by the higher priced unlimited plans. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/are-atts-acquisitions-weighing-on-its-wireless-business/ |
Will Edgerrin James (finally) get in the hall of fame? | CLOSE Insiders Zak Keefer and Joel Erickson look back at the Colts' playoff loss and look ahead to the offseason. Clark Wade, [email protected] Indianapolis Colts legendary running back Edgerrin James is a hall of famer. We've written why here, here, here, here and here. There'd be more heres except I'm not sure how else we can write it. James is 13th all-time in rushing yards (12,246) and No. 1 among Hall of Fame-eligible running backs; had 80 rushing touchdowns (more than hall of famers Thurman Thomas, Tony Dorsett and O.J. Simpson), averaged 4.0 yards per carry (better than hall of famers Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis and John Riggins) and 82.7 rushing yards per game. And none of this takes into account his reportedly excellent pass blocking. But it's really difficult to predict what will happen with the hall of fame voting after the first-ballot players. Some really good players wait years (remember Marvin Harrison?). This is simply because of how difficult a chore it is when you can only select a maximum of five players from 15 highly qualified candidates. (Candidates need 80 percent of the vote to be elected.) Remember the task facing the voters when your favorite player gets left out. SUBSCRIBE:Get three months of IndyStar for $3 More: Reggie Wayne open to returning to coach Colts, thinks team nearly has 'everybody in place' More: NFL author: Peyton Manning uncooperative, control freak; Tom Brady genuine Edgerrin James, shown here vs. the Texans, will find out if he made the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. (Photo: Sam Riche/IndyStar) The odds aren't good. Champ Bailey (12-time Pro Bowler), Ed Reed (nine) and Tony Gonzalez (14!) are all expected (and deserve) to be elected in their first year of eligibility. That leaves two spots. Let's cross off Richard Seymour, who is in his first year and unlikely to make it immediately. Steve Atwater and Steve Hutchinson are worthy entrants but each has only been a finalist twice, while James is making his third effort. It'd be a surprise for two coaches to get in so don't expect Tom Flores (two Super Bowl titles) and Don Coryall (one of the most influential coaches on the passing game in NFL history), but it would not be a surprise if one were selected. Another baffling aspect of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's selection process.) Alan Faneca is a four-time finalist and nine-time Pro Bowler, which makes him a more likely selection than fellow offensive linemen Tony Boselli (three and five, respectively, in an injury-shortened career), Kevin Mawae (three and eight) or Hutchinson (seven Pro Bowls). This could also eliminate Ty Law, a three-time finalist and five-time Pro Bowler, and Atwater (eight Pro Bowls) as well. James' case is arguably stronger than the only other offensive skill position player being considered, Isaac Bruce (another three-time finalist; four Pro Bowls, only led the NFL in receiving once but he's fifth all-time in yards). So James' competition for the final two spots is Flores or Coryell and Faneca and Lynch. What could also work against James is the lack of a backlog of running backs. Between 2011 and 2017, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, LeDainian Tomlinson and Terrell Davis were inducted. (James' credentials are arguably better than those of Bettis and Davis.) No other running back made the cut to 25 semifinalists and there isn't another on the immediate horizon. The guess here is no. Again, he deserves it and he'll almost certainly get in eventually. But expect a coach and an offensive lineman to join Bailey, Gonzalez and Reed. | https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2019/01/31/indianapolis-colts-edgerrin-james-finally-get-pro-football-hall-fame/2617849002/ |
What Is A Registered Agent And Does My Business Need One? | You might have heard or seen the term registered agent and wondered, What is that exactly? A registered agent (sometimes called a resident agent or statutory agent) is an individual or a company with the authority to accept service of process on behalf of a business. In most states within the United States, a business must designate a registered agent when establishing a company as an LLC or a corporation in that jurisdiction. Maintaining a registered agent becomes an ongoing corporate compliance responsibility for those companies. A business that is required to have a registered agent, but fails to appoint and maintain one, can face some serious ramifications. For a new business, its formation or qualification documents to incorporate will probably be rejected by the state. Also, a company that doesnt maintain a registered agent runs the risks of fines, penalties, and possible default judgments in favor of the other party (in the case of a lawsuit). A business might even be suspended or terminated (administratively dissolved), and not be allowed to conduct business in other states. An individual or entity must meet a states qualification requirements to act as a registered agent for businesses that are forming an LLC or incorporating in that state. Typically, a registered agent must have a physical address in the state, maintain office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and meet whatever other conditions the state requires. While many states will allow a company to designate its owner or an employee as its registered agent, this arrangement has its downsides. First and foremost, a registered agents name and address become publicly available. So if the owner or a staff member acts as a registered agent, that persons privacy becomes jeopardized. Also, maintaining the required office hours to accept service of process every workday can present a challenge. For these reasons and others, its usually more beneficial to find an experienced third-party registered agent. Other Articles From AllBusiness.com: If you have or are starting an LLC or a corporation, you may want to check your states website for a list of authorized registered agents, or ask your attorney for recommendations. Businesses that aspire to expand their companies into more than one state can benefit from finding a registered agent that is authorized in all 50 states. Maintaining a registered agent is not cost prohibitive. Generally, you might expect to pay between $100 to $200 for registered agent services in a state. As when you choose any vendor, youll want to have confidence in your registered agents integrity and reliability. Can they help you maintain copies of your important corporate compliance documents (such as Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, Bylaws, annual reports, etc.) It pays to be selective because a registered agent is responsible for making sure your company gets notified of time-sensitive materials without delay. Its critical to have a registered agent that is trustworthy, organized, and responsive because you will rely on that resource to help you keep your business informed and in good legal standing in the state(s) where you operate. RELATED: 10 Key Issues in Setting Up an LLC This article was originally published on AllBusiness.com. Read all of Nellie Akalps articles. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2019/01/31/registered-agent-does-my-business-need-one/ |
What happens when the business of news expands beyond the fight for facts? | In 1989, I signed a contract to write a book that would use The Globe and Mail as a vehicle to explore changes to journalism and the media landscape in Canada since the introduction of TV. My model was Gay Taleses 1969 book, The Kingdom and the Power, about The New York Times, but my most important reference was the late David Halberstams 700-page The Powers That Be, published six years later. Halberstam focused on four media properties The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Time magazine and the CBS network at a time when there was no need for an entry in its index for computer. Halberstams reach was sweeping because he focused on the rising power of media, both owners and journalists, and the significance of changes that were rocking society at that time. He documented how reporting became more aggressive for example, the Posts dogged pursuit of a break-in at Washingtons Watergate Hotel brought down a president, while the print and broadcast medias gritty coverage of the Vietnam War undermined the federal governments optimistic claims and eventually ended the war. He showed how social and cultural change baby boomers who still read newspapers but also worshipped TV and were keen to challenge authority worked in the medias favour. For her new book, Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and The Fight for Facts, Jill Abramson has openly copied Halberstams model. But times have changed, and now the traditional (often called legacy) print media fights for survival while new media outlets struggle with success. To this end, Abramson, a career journalist and former executive editor of The New York Times, has chosen her subjects wisely. She focuses on two print newspapers The New York Times and The Washington Post (now owned by an internet pioneer, Amazons Jeff Bezos) and two disrupters BuzzFeed and Vice Media, both generating huge web traffic and appealing to a young generation grafted to their screens. When Jonah Peretti founded BuzzFeed in 2006, he created a sticky tech company one that attracts readers with its content, tends to keep them on the site and entices them to return. But make no mistake, Abramson notes, in the beginning, BuzzFeed was committed to repurposing existing online content, not to news-gathering. Peretti could see that online users loved emotional experiences, so he figured out that news stories like the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin, a key moment in the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement, were emotional gold. Make no mistake, in the beginning, BuzzFeed was committed to repurposing existing online content, not to news-gathering. BuzzFeed continued to repackage stories published elsewhere until half a dozen years ago when it began creating its own news coverage. While not considered as reliable as old-school outlets like the Times and the Post, it was a runner-up last year for the Pulitzer Prize in international reporting. A couple of weeks ago, it broke a sensational story alleging that U.S. President Donald Trump instructed his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress about the presidents involvement with a real estate project in Moscow. (Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election, later said the report was partly inaccurate but provided no further details. So far, BuzzFeed is standing by its story.) Vice is another digital darling, the raucous fratboy of the internet, thumbing its nose at political correctness, flirting with the alt-right, what Abramson calls a shameless assertion of the masculine id. Among the first online sites to embrace the power of video, Vice, unlike BuzzFeed, diversified it operates the Viceland cable channel and owns magazines; produces news shows, documentaries and feature films, and has an in-house ad agency. Digital properties arent immune to challenges. The behemoths, Google and Facebook, attract so much advertising that theyve been crushing all competitors. BuzzFeeds lustre among investors has been tarnished; in fact, last week the company began reducing staff by 15 per cent, a move that has eliminated its new National News desk and affected several other journalistic positions. Vice, too, has been struggling. Between expansion and the ad crunch, it lost $100-million-plus last year. Meanwhile the Times and the Post are arguably the strongest print outlets in North America, both finding their footing online (measured both by the quality of news coverage and growing digital subscriptions), and still regularly producing the kind of enterprising and expensive journalism that makes veterans like me, who were adults in the mid-70s when Halberstams The Powers That Be was published, feel theres hope. Abramson, like most media pundits, attributes their success in large part to the so-called Trump Bump the boost journalism has been given by the Trump presidencys mendacity, divisiveness and war on journalism. Trumps enmity has led to reporters being threatened by angry mobs of supporters at rallies in Tampa last August and in Iowa in October. But its also led to record subscription sign-ups for multiple news organizations following his election in 2016. As digital enterprises, both BuzzFeed and Vice understood that the more outrageous, odd, or sentimental the content, the more they attracted traffic to their sites. The print and broadcast media has always liked this type of stuff, too, but as an amuse-bouche to the serious news and current affairs in which they specialized. So, when digital outlets decided to venture into the world of journalism, they often stumbled. Digital properties arent immune to challenges. The behemoths, Google and Facebook, attract so much advertising that theyve been crushing all competitors. In the pre-internet world, journalism and advertising were strictly separated. (The term church and state was often invoked). Digital sites, however, grew rich through the use of native advertising paid ads that were indistinguishable from the rest of the content. Abramson does a fine job of detailing how messy things became for both BuzzFeed and Vice as they tried to claim journalistic integrity while, behind the scenes, they killed legitimate stories that might offend advertisers. Not that Abramson ignores her legacy media examples. The Times, she writes, ended up with an internal ad agency, just like Buzzfeed and Vice, and allowed companies to sponsor specific kinds of content. In one case, the papers online site failed to clearly label sponsored content by a division of a multinational. The Post, she notes, also crossed the church-state line. It was harder and harder to tell. In the 19th century, there were a lot of small, scrappy Canadian newspapers, mostly published by political parties. Referred to as the Partisan Period, whatever your political persuasion, there was a paper for you that reinforced your worldview. As the population grew, though, publishers were aware of economies of scale; they became more and more dependent on advertising that could reach a large audience, so it made business sense to adopt a more objective approach to news that would offend the fewest number of readers. Since the 1960s, the idea of objectivity seemed increasingly unrealistic but the goal was still to provide fair and balanced coverage. The internet upended that model. Today, with social media and web sites catering to every imaginable interest, were back in a kind of echo chamber where many of us mainly receive information that supports our perspective. Abramsons point is that the Times and the Post come closest to providing the crusading journalism of yore while embracing at first too slowly, sometimes clumsily the speed and multimedia potential of the online world. Without the historical culture of a news organization and beholden to venture capital, BuzzFeed and Vice are feeling their way into the world of serious journalism. But the weakness of the journalism model is that enterprising reporting is labour-intensive, time-consuming and costly, while readers are accustomed to everything being free. Without the historical culture of a news organization and beholden to venture capital, BuzzFeed and Vice are feeling their way into the world of serious journalism. The depth and breadth of Abramsons reporting is impressive and rich in revealing this aspect. She follows the trail of one editor dedicated to investigative journalism, Marilyn Thompson, as she hops from job to job trying to find a home for her passion. She documents how local news sources continue to disappear a crisis for which no one has found a solution and portrays BuzzFeed Canadas Craig Silverman as contending with so many last-minute fake news stories he felt like he was playing Whack-a-Mole. And lest anyone think Vice shed its bro culture as it grew in value and reputation, Abramson also recounts the story of a a Vice intern returning from lunch to find the companys three founders sitting in diapers sucking on baby bottles. The woman told Abramson: This was just the culture of the place and since they were the bosses, there was no one to complain to. In some ways, Merchants of Truth didnt just use Halberstams 44-year-old The Powers That Be for structural inspiration. The message is more or less the same: rigorous, in-depth, non-partisan investigative reporting, incorporating the best tools of both old-school and digital journalism, is the winning strategy for news organizations and, by extension, democracy. Although she makes this point, sometimes Abramson is her own worst enemy. A non-fiction book, like Merchants of Truth, is normally thought to represent the kind of thorough journalism she advocates; yet her thoroughness is sometimes her weakness. And the pre-publication buzz around her book has been overshadowed by controversy. Early media coverage has focused on the book being a tell-all expos of her being fired from her job at the Times to call her a loyal careerist is an understatement; she has a T in the Times font tattooed on her back and for referring to the Times unmistakably anti-Trump news coverage. (Leading to Trumps tweet: Ms. Abramson is 100 per cent correct. Horrible and totally dishonest reporting on almost everything they write. Hence the term Fake News, Enemy of the People and Opposition Party!) The section on her firing is only a few pages out of more than 400, and the reference to the Times being anti-Trump occurs within a couple of paragraphs. Far more space is devoted to a critical analysis of the Times treatment of Hillary Clintonconcluding it had made bad judgement calls and blew its Clinton coverage out of proportionand praise for many scoops, both online and in print, of the Times and the Post, as well as some of the coverage being done by BuzzFeed and Vice. There was also a late-breaking scandal about fact-checking. Some journalists who obtained advance copies of the book publicly complained that Abramson had made many errors, notably involving young digital journalists, a species she seems to regard with both grudging admiration and condescension. What Merchants of Truth doesnt address is the truly revolutionary direction the world is heading. Smartphones replaced by smart wearables and various devices people will command using voice and touch. Artificial intelligence as a new era of computing. Blockchain technology making information both permanent and visible and its algorithms used for fact-checking. Pop-up newsrooms (a cheaper and more efficient way to use resources to cover specific events, like elections or hurricanes or a terrorist attack). Digital frailty (the vulnerability of a news organizations online database to disappear if its not maintained). These and more are covered in the Future Today Institutes 2019 Trend Report for Journalism, Media, and Technology. Reading it is a reminder of how the technological world as depicted in Abramsons book will soon seem very old indeed. | https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/books/what-happens-when-the-business-of-news-expands-beyond-the-fight-for-facts |
How do I survive freezing temperatures and snow? | Image caption Schoolchildren near Bala made the most of their day off school With freezing temperatures and weather warnings in place throughout parts of Wales, we want to keep everyone in the know about snow. The Met Office has amber and yellow warnings for snow and ice in place until 21:00 GMT on Friday and says rural communities could be cut off. Mobile phone coverage could also be affected in snow-hit areas, the UK weather forecaster warned. Here's our top tips for staying snow savvy and safe in sub-temperatures. Layers, layers and more layers. Multiple layers of clothing are better than one thick garment because the layers trap air and warm you up. A lot of your body heat can escape from your head - so always wear a hat! Also to avoid wet hands from snow, wear latex gloves under your thermal ones. Sadly it's time to ditch the denim too. Denim sticks to the skin when wet - and takes a long time to dry out. Image copyright Nikki Wallis Image caption Parts of north Wales, including the Crimea Pass at Bwlch y Gorddinam in Snowdonia National Park, were blanketed in snow Help! My car is stuck in the snow The AA is advising motorists to carry a "winter survival kit" containing items such as an ice scraper, de-icer and a blanket. Next, dig away the snow and ice on and around the vehicle and under the tyres. You must be able to see out of every glass panel in your vehicle before you are safe to drive, according to the Highway Code. Straighten the wheels and drive off slowly in a low gear, if you can. The RAC said if you're wheels are spinning, braking gently may help. Image caption Skirrid mountain near Abergavenny looked very wintry I'm stuck inside with a power cut First things first: tell people. This could be a neighbour and your electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) that covers your area. Switch off all appliances, like kettles. These could cause a hazard if power suddenly comes back on. The Met Office also recommends that people keep fridges and freezers closed with a blanket on them, as this will keep them colder for longer. Keep a torch and extra batteries to hand, and a phone to make emergency calls. Good news, it's time to pile on the calories! It's an excuse to keep snacks in the car... Cold weather can make us dehydrate faster, so make sure you drink lots of water. More information on how to stay winter ready and safe can be found with The Met Office. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-47072403 |
When do people buy their first home? | Image copyright Getty Images Home ownership rates in England rose slightly in the last financial year - but first-time buyers are having to wait until they are older to buy. The annual English Housing Survey, published by the government, shows that 64% of the population owned their own home in 2017-18. That was a one percentage point rise on the previous year, but far below the peak of 71% in 2003. There were still far fewer young buyers than a decade earlier. Some 38% of 25 to 34-year-olds are homeowners, down from 55% a decade earlier, in part owing to rising house prices. The average age of first-time buyers has risen from 31 to 33 over the same 10 years. The over 65s are more likely to be homeowners than they were a decade earlier, with 79% of this group owner-occupiers in 2017-18, most having paid off the mortgage. More young people are renting and fewer expect to be able to buy. Rent eats up more household income that a mortgage would do. So many of these young tenants, who want to buy, will be grateful that house prices had hardly changed in the last year, according to the latest survey from the Nationwide Building Society. Lindsay Judge, senior research and policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank representing those on low and middle incomes, said the Bank of Mum and Dad was becoming a bigger influence on homeownership levels. "However, the underlying drivers of lower homeownership rates, including high prices, are here to stay. As a result politicians should continue to focus on widespread dissatisfaction with renting and worrying increases in overcrowding," she said. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47070020 |
Has Fox News finally soured on Donald Trump? | There has been increasing acrimony between the president and his once-beloved news network, but at least one show has remained loyal It hardly makes headlines when Donald Trump lashes out at the media his repeated refrains of fake news and enemy of the people have become so familiar its almost possible to tune them out. In the weeks before the partial government shutdown it certainly seemed as if the network was more keen on goading Trump than pleasing him. With the exception of his favorite show. While other Fox shows and personalities were disappointed with Trump ending the shutdown without wall funding, Fox & Friends broadly remained loyal to the president they helped elect. The shutdown fight exposed a split between Foxs flagship morning show and much of the rest of the network, which reflects Trumps longstanding special relationship with Fox & Friends. Fox & Friends did warn that he would look like a loser by funding government without wall money, part of a week of pro-shutdown rhetoric that included co-host Steve Doocey saying the Democrats will win everything they want and the swamp wins if Trump refused to shut down the government, attacking him when he appeared to be softening his stance. Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) Fox & Friends insists Trump is failing his base by not shutting down the government: Many people are saying "hold on a second, you told us that you weren't afraid to shut down the government, that's why we like you. You just gave in right away?" pic.twitter.com/AFfilzminx The change in tone from Trumps favourite show might have received more media attention if it hadnt come the same week Ann Coulter called him gutless, which dominated headlines. Spurned by his friends and prodded by Fox & Friends, Trump shut down the government. Once the shutdown began, Fox & Friends initially supported Trump, blaming Democrats and supplying him with images to paint a propagandistic picture of a dangerous threat from migrants. Correspondent Griff Jenkins reported on another caravan. Host Ainsley Earhardt paraphrased Trumps argument: You deserve to be able to go to sleep at night and not have to worry about being killed by an illegal immigrant. Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) Ainsley Earhardt: The government shutdown is an inconvenience, but you deserve to be able to go to sleep at night and not have to worry about being killed by an illegal immigrant. pic.twitter.com/BiYK6tCiw8 The hosts cherry-picked outlier polls to reassure Trump he had public support in the shutdown fight; host Brian Kilmeade cited one poll to claim that nothings changed since the shutdown began, even though two other polls showed record-high disapprovals. Fox & Friends also suggested that it was Democrats who would suffer politically for their opposition to wall negotiations during the shutdown. Doocy speculated that even if moderate Democrats couldnt vote on wall funding, perhaps voters would start to blame the Democrats for the shutdown. Overall, despite Kilmeades occasional frustrations that everyone, Trump included, proved incapable of getting something done, Fox & Friends stuck by Trumps side. However, once the shutdown ended, many Fox News commentators outside of Fox & Friends started to criticise Trump. Tomi Lahren, who hosts a show on Foxs on-demand platform Fox Nation, tweeted that Trump allowed Nancy [Pelosi] to walk all over him. Tucker Carlson suggested that Trumps weakness on the shutdown had eroded his popularity while Lou Dobbs declared the shutdown fight a victory for Pelosi. Other rightwing media personalities joined the fray: Ann Coulter tweeted: Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States. The Daily Caller and Breitbart also attacked Trump for caving to Pelosi. Yet stuck between backing their number one fan and supporting their colleagues, the Fox & Friends crew ignored the brewing feuds and focused on inflating Trumps ego. Kilmeade reassured Trump through the TV that his defeat was not a defeat: I dont know if you lose this round at all. And if you do, I think people should understand, thats whats called politics. Kilmeade encouraged Trump to almost ignore people in media and just do what he knows is best to get wall funding. Doocy similarly said that it was early to say that Trump surrendered. Fox & Friends groomed and coddled Trump for years in a way that no other Fox programming ever did; their symbiosis simultaneously stroked Trumps ego while filling Fox airtime with entertainment. That best friendship, it seems, is powerful enough to endure the longest government shutdown in history. Only the coming weeks will tell. Bobby Lewis monitors Fox News for Media Matters in America, a progressive not-for-profit | https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/jan/31/fox-news-trump-fox-and-friends-border-wall |
Is breakfast always a good idea? | Image copyright Getty Images Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but eating it won't help you lose weight, research suggests. Those who ate breakfast consumed 260 more calories per day and gained 1lb more than those who skipped it, a review of previous studies found. But experts say a healthy breakfast can be a good source of calcium and fibre. It has also been shown to improve concentration and attention levels, particularly in children. Breakfast gives you energy, stops you snacking later in the day and supplies essential nutrients - so we are told. Its reputation as the nutritional backstop to our day stems from observational studies showing a positive link between people eating breakfast and having a healthy weight. But this new Australian research in the BMJ, which reviewed the results of 13 separate trials on breakfast eating, weight change and energy intake, found little evidence for those views. The findings of the Monash University research team suggest that skipping breakfast might in fact be a good way to reduce total daily calorie intake. They found that breakfast eaters consumed more calories overall and breakfast skippers did not have a greater appetite in the afternoon. And they say caution is needed when recommending breakfast for weight loss in adults - because it could have the opposite effect. However, the researchers added that there were limitations to their study. For an energy boost - try an "apple pie" porridge, with cinnamon, or baked beans on wholemeal toast For protein - try scrambled eggs with spinach on toast or low-fat Greek yoghurt with fruit and nuts For a light bite - make a smoothie from tinned fruit, banana and spinach or mash avocado on toast Source: NHS UK The participants in the studies were only followed for short periods - from between two and 16 weeks - and the difference in calorie intake between breakfast eaters and skippers was small. The researchers concluded that working out the long-term effect of skipping or adding breakfast to diets still needed more research. Calcium and fibre boost Prof Kevin Whelan, dietetics expert and head of King's College London's nutritional sciences department, says we should not get too hung up on calorie intake first thing in the morning. "This study does not say breakfast is bad for the health," he said. "Breakfast is important for nutrient intake, such as cereals and milk which are good for calcium and fibre." But the BMJ research did not look at this aspect of breakfast. "We are not talking about breakfast being the cause of obesity," he said. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47070173 |
Why are Dutch Bros. coffee baristas so friendly? Is it real? | Coffee addicts, you know where you stand. If you drink caffeinated beverages and live in the West, youve probably pulled through a Dutch Bros. Coffee stand. And you probably have an opinion on the famously friendly baristas (or, in Dutch Bros. parlance, broistas). The coffee company, founded in 1992 in Oregon, has a loyal fan base. Its been dubbed the Dutch Mafia, and you can easily spot an espresso mafioso just look for a car covered in Dutch Bros. stickers. The company now has coffee stands in seven states, boasting about 10,000 employees. There are 15 locations in the Sacramento area, though none inside the grid. Fresno is home to a corporate office for the company as well as six locations while Modesto residents have to drive to Stockton to check out the drive-through chain. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. The public sentiment toward Dutch Bros. personalities seems to fall into three camps, based on social media reviews from all over the West: 1. The Dutch Mafia fans These Dutch Bros. customers love the smiles and the chit-chat oh, and the coffee and colorful drinks. They probably have a Dutch Bros. mug and a wallet full of punch cards. I went to Dutch Bros feeling really horrible and tired, really not feeling today, but I pulled up to get a Rebel and the barista was so nice and got my drink to me super quickly and gave it to me free, wrote a fan on Twitter. Just the friendly good morning made my day. 2. The never again-ers This customer tried Dutch Bros. once or twice. Never went back. Also in this camp: the curmudgeon who goes for the coffee but suffers through the interaction; and the customer who is so not comfortable with that barista calling them babe with a wink. I literally cant with Dutch Bros. sometimes, a non-fan wrote on Twitter. I get youre friendly, but lets move it along; 99 percent of the time someone is getting coffee in the morning is because they have to be somewhere. The customer capped off their commentary with an eye-rolling emoji. 3. The introverts/pre-coffee sleepyheads This customer will brave the small talk, but theyre more interested in reconnecting with their old friend, caffeine. I really appreciate Dutch Bros. employees for being upbeat, outgoing and friendly as they attempt to spark a conversation with you, one Twitter user commented. But sometimes Im like DAMN! I dont feel like talking, Oliver! Im tired. 100 percent real. Dutch Bros. knows its style isnt for everyone. But Boise franchise owner Brian Wight said training for Dutch employees includes learning to read a customer and turn the charm dial up or down accordingly. One hundred percent real, he says. When we hire people, were looking for personalities, he told the Statesman. I want to make sure our employees are authentic, whether you see them at Dutch Bros. or at Costco or Target we want you to see the same person. ... Theres not one right way to do it. Some employees are the life of the party and dancing around, and then we have other employees who want to engage with customers in a deeper way. Changing peoples lives through ... giving them coffee Most people who come through Dutch Bros. enjoy the interaction, Wight said. Were looking for people who love their community [and are] interested in changing peoples lives through the simple act of giving them coffee, he said of Dutch Bros. baristas. Well, the Boise office keeps a book of anecdotes from baristas. Here are a few, recounted by Dutch Bros. Coffee of Boise human resources director Niki Helsel: There was a customer who divulged to a barista that shed just had the worst day ever. The baristas reached into his wallet, gave her some cash and urged her to buy a pinata and bring it back, then take out her days frustrations. The customer later wrote a note about how meaningful and impactful that was ... how much they actually care, Helsel said. There was the Dutch Bros. regular who had a beloved pet cat. The cat was sick and needed surgery, so the baristas pooled their tips for the week to help pay for it. And finally, a story about life and hope. A barista was working the graveyard shift at the drive-through coffee stand on Milwaukee Street in Boise, about a year and a half ago. A customer came up to order, and the barista struck up a conversation. They sat talking for a long time maybe 45 minutes. Later, the customer sent a note. They had come through that night for their last coffee, ever, Helsel said. It was through the conversation with one of our baristas that they decided not to end their life. The barista had no idea thats what was on the customers mind that night. They just made the person their coffee and got in some genuine conversation, Helsel said. | https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/article225340475.html |
Will Archer Daniels (ADM) Retain Earnings Beat Trend in Q4? | Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 5. Notably, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 26.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings is pegged at 92 cents, which reflects a 12.2% improvement year over year. Estimates have been stable over the past 30 days. Meanwhile, the consensus mark for quarterly revenues stands at $17.1 billion, up 6.4% from the year-ago period. Archer Daniels Midland Company Price and EPS Surprise Archer Daniels Midland Company Price and EPS Surprise | Archer Daniels Midland Company Quote What You Should Know Prior to 4Q18 Earnings Archer Daniels has been progressing well with portfolio management initiatives, cost-savings plan and the Readiness program. Moreover, the company has long been enhancing the operational efficiency at its production and supply chain networks to minimize costs. The company is on track with business transformation under its 1ADM program, which is an integral part of Project Readiness. Notably, the company has progressed well through the first two phases of Readiness and is currently in the implementation phase. This program is expected to help management have a more coordinated approach toward driving business improvement, standardizing functions and enriching consumers experience. Further, Archer Daniels plans to allocate resources efficiently on more mature businesses and make prudent investments. Additionally, the company remains focused on strengthening its business through increased cost savings, which have been aiding Archer Daniels results. Backed by improving market conditions, higher global demand, gains from U.S. tax reform, product innovations and Project Readiness, management continues to be optimistic about delivering solid results in the fourth quarter. Going by segments, management expects impressive results at Origination, Oilseeds and Nutrition in 2018. All the aforementioned factors are likely to provide a boost to the companys top and bottom line in the to-be-reported quarter. However, softness in the Carbohydrate Solutions segment due to weaker ethanol business and bio-products results is concerning. For the fourth quarter, management expects the segments results to decline year over year. Also, the Decatur plant downtime and soft ethanol margins are expected to hurt the Carbohydrate Solutions results in 2018. A Glance at the Zacks Model Our proven model clearly shows that Archer Daniels is likely to beat earnings estimates in the fourth quarter. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Archer Daniels has a Zacks Rank #1 and an Earnings ESP of +2.45%, which makes us pretty confident about an earnings beat. Other Stocks With Favorable Combination Here are some other companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to beat estimates: Monster Beverage Corporation MNST has an Earnings ESP of +0.31% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Church & Dwight Co., Inc. CHD has an Earnings ESP of +2.80% and a Zacks Rank #2. Newell Brands Inc. NWL has an Earnings ESP of +7.41% and a Zacks Rank #3. Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Newell Brands Inc. (NWL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/archer-daniels-adm-retain-earnings-165004914.html |
Why Did Tesla's Profits Trend Lower In Q4? | Tesla published its Q4 2018 results on Wednesday, January 30, reporting its second straight quarter of profitability. However, the companys net income trended sequentially lower, missing market expectations on account of lower sales of renewable energy credits and some cost pressure due to higher import duties for some parts from China. Below we take a look at some of the factors that impacted Teslas earnings. Our interactive dashboard on what to expect from Tesla in 2019 provides an overview of our key drivers and forecasts for the company. Some Margin Pressures Tesla indicated that adjusted gross margins for its automotive business decreased to 24.7% in Q4 from 25.5%, partly due to a negative impact of higher import duties for some auto parts from China, due to the ongoing trade war. However, margins for the Model 3 remained flat compared to Q3, coming in above 20% despite the aforementioned headwinds. While the company said that labor hours per Model 3 declined by about 20% compared to Q3 and by about 65% in the second half of 2018, its possible that these gains were offset by the introduction of the mid-range Model 3 over the quarter. While the scale-up of the Model 3 should help the company bolster margins, there could be some near-term headwinds. For one, with the winding down of the federal tax credit for Tesla vehicles, the company will have to increasingly emphasize producing the mid-range and potentially lower-end Model 3 in order to keep prices low, after exclusively selling the high-end model over much of 2018. Tesla Is Still Dependent On Renewable Energy Credits Teslas Zero Emission Vehicle credits sales declined from $52 million in Q3 2018 to under $1 million in Q4, and it appears that this was another key reason for the companys profit decline, considering that these credits are almost pure profit for the company. Tesla also indicated that non-ZEV credit sales declined by $43 million in Q4. California and nine other U.S. states have a ZEV regime that requires automakers that sell internal combustion engine-based vehicles to earn a certain number of ZEV credits every year by selling zero-emission vehicles, or by purchasing the credits from companies such as Tesla which produce only EVs. We believe that sales of such credits could decline in the long run, as there is a possibility that the number of credits available in the market will start to outstrip the number of credits required by manufacturers as electric vehicle sales gain traction, causing prices to decline. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/why-did-teslas-profits-trend-lower-in-q4/ |
Why don't we have obituaries for dogs? | Ozzie Gordon, 13, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loved ones on Jan. 22, 2019. They held his paws and stroked his fur. The newspaper should say this. The world should know. But we don't have obituaries for dogs. I asked these questions here at the Houston Chronicle, and I was told that hopefully there will be such a space and very soon. "We've had some people request this in Houston," said Ruth Fernandez, who works in the paper's advertising department, which handles paid death notices. "We never had placement for them. We didn't want to put them on the pages with the people, because it would kind of compromise the integrity of the section overall." But then the folks at the Chronicle's sister paper, the San Antonio Express News, came up with a solution last March: They created a space for paid pet death notices in the paper's features section once a week, and named it "The Rainbow Bridge." Fernandez hopes to follow suit here in Houston in just a couple months. "Once or twice a year, we'd get a call from someone who wanted a pet obituary to run with the people obituaries, and of course we just couldn't do that," said Mickey Urias, the classified advertising manager at the Express News. Then she came up with this idea, which allows readers a space to remember their "fur babies," while also generating a small revenue stream for the newspaper. This past week, it included three loving and irreverent entries. "Texas-native Arroz Garcia-Dzanski, was a Great Pyrenees, mixed with God-only-knows-what," the first one begins, before going on to announce details of a service, and a website where readers can sign a guestbook. Obituaries have existed for centuries. In early American history, they lived as tiny blips on handset pages, that simply acknowledge the name and age of a local person who passed away. And as newspaper size expanded in the 20th century, so too did the obituary section, with the occasional long entry that waxed romantic about a life well lived. In journalism school, my professors taught me that obituaries are often the last time a person will be mentioned in the newspaper. And it's important to honor them truthfully and with dignity. It's a universal truth, I was told then, that some of the stories I'd work hardest on might end up as gerbil-cage liner within a day. But a well-written obituary will be lovingly remembered and preserved in scrapbooks. And while at first I struggled to become comfortable writing about people who had died, both in school and as an intern at my hometown's small weekly newspaper, The Altamont Enterprise, which ran long, staff-written obituaries free of charge as a service to the community, I came to love the dignity in the art form. The way you learn what people remember about someone. Tinkling laughs, button collections, funny nicknames from childhood. Sometimes I'd cry on the phone with the family members I interviewed. But more often than not, I'd laugh. And a phone call that began with me apologizing for bothering a neighbor at such a deeply personal time would evolve into an intimate conversation that served its own purpose as one step along the pathway through grief. We need that for our pets, too. A 2017 study from researchers at the University of Hawaii found that 12 percent of people who've lost a pet endured the kind of intense grief that results in major life disruption, and 5.7 percent suffered so severely that their symptoms fell into the diagnostic territory for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A previous study showed that 86 percent of owners experienced at least one of the clinical symptoms of grief following the loss of a pet, and 35 percent still showed such symptoms six months afterward. Maybe obituaries could help people start to toddle through the terrible process of grieving. And surely, there are ways in which many Americans are already doing this, through their Facebook feeds. I know that after my father called me with news of Ozzie, I posted an old video of that silly old dog tackling me to the ground in a fit of grunts and kisses, writing my own epitaph for him through tear-glazed eyes. "Ozzie was a rescue dog. The answer my mother posed to all our questions of 'What will we do without you?' in her final weeks. 'Get your father a dog,' she made us promise. So Dad adopted this guy. To those who weren't part of his pack, Ozzie could seem stinky, and rude. He bit people mailmen included and he had a skull like a hammerhead shark, which meant he could take you out at the legs before you noticed he was even lurking behind you," I wrote. "But to me, Ozzie will always be the angel my family needed when light was so, so hard to find. He couldn't go an hour without trying to jump on my lap. He nuzzled and licked. He snorted when you found just the right spot. He could snap his alligator jaws around a dog treat with 100 percent accuracy, no matter how far or fast you threw it. He took a victory lap around the yard every time he felt particularly proud of a midair Frisbee catch." I hit post. And I dried my eyes, though that didn't keep my pillowcase from catching teardrops that evening. Then I printed out a copy, and tucked it away with my edition of The Altamont Enterprise from the week my mother died. Maybe that sounds silly to you. Maybe to you, dogs are dogs, and people are people, and we shouldn't confuse the two. But one of the deepest truths I've learned in a decade or so of talking to strangers for this job is that one of the key motivations for so many human thoughts and actions is love. If there's one thing Ozzie taught me, it's to remember all the universal truths a human should know: To love the ones who look different, love different, think different, smell different and grew up different. And to know that even a life lived within one backyard can illuminate the greatness of unconditional love and second chances, and show us that we all have meaning and purpose. That should be in the newspaper. Email Allyn West. Get the Gray Matters newsletter. It snorts when you find just the right spot. | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/Why-don-t-we-have-obituaries-for-dogs-13574188.php |
Is polar vortex linked to climate change? | Image copyright Getty Images As a third of the US grapples with brutally cold weather, scientists are assessing how much this might be down to long-term changes to our climate. That's certainly what President Donald Trump wanted to know when he tweeted this a couple of days ago: "In the beautiful Midwest, wind chill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded. In coming days, expected to get even colder. People can't last outside even for minutes. Please come back fast, we need you!" There is no question the Midwest is cold - very cold. Just check the advice from the US National Weather Service. It has warned that the current low temperatures could easily "freeze the flesh off your bones". Don't leave home if you can avoid it, the NWS in Iowa urged, and if you do have to go out, "avoid taking deep breaths; minimise talking". Meanwhile the internet is heaving under images of snow and ice. My favourites include the icy steam pouring off lake Lake Michigan and the thousands of people who have been doing the "hot water challenge". But this wonderfully surreal image of a fork frozen in a cascade of noodles wins for me. Sadly, the answer is no, as one of the president's own agencies quickly pointed out in an apparent response to his tweet. "Winter storms don't prove that global warming isn't happening" tweeted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NOAA included a link to an article which suggests that severe snowstorms may even become more likely as the world warms. You have probably already heard that the current brutal weather is thanks to something called the "polar vortex". Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A man walks along the Chicago lakefront in frigid conditions The polar vortex is a great gyre of air that forms each winter and circulates above the North Pole, way up in the stratosphere. It is like a whirlpool which holds icy polar air within a wall of powerful circular winds. There's a great graphic illustrating how it works at the New York Times. More on climate change Sometimes the vortex breaks down, splitting up and spilling cold air out from the polar regions. That is reckoned to have happened on the 3 January this year. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The lakefront in Wisconsin looks more like Antarctica The frigid air from the polar vortex warps the jet stream - another powerful air current, but much lower in the atmosphere - making it bulge down southwards. It is this bulging of the jet stream that brought the merciless cold to the US this week, and the so-called Beast from the East to Europe last year. There is much debate within the world of meteorology about whether or not this breakdown of the polar vortex is becoming more common. Some studies suggest that it is, and some researchers say they suspect that this is down to climate change. Jennifer Francis is a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Research Centre, which studies climate change impacts and solutions. She argues that melting sea ice in the Arctic may be linked to changes in the polar vortex. The dark, open ocean absorbs more heat than reflective ice, causing a hot spot, she told the New York Times. She argues this hot spot, along with changes in the jet stream driven by climate change, could cause the polar vortex to break down. But this is controversial stuff. Tim Woolings, a climate physicist at Oxford University, is not persuaded we are seeing a significant change. The atmosphere is, he says, "a very noisy system" and "there is no convincing evidence that these events are happening more often". Weather versus climate The important thing is to look at long-term average temperatures. The current bone-cracking cold in Chicago is "weather" not "climate". The rule of thumb is that weather is what is happening outside your house now; climate is what happens over many years. So, it can be very cold where you live but the world as a whole could still be getting warmer. And be in no doubt, says Tim Woolings, the world is continuing to warm. As Chicago freezes, wildfires are raging in Australia which is in the grip of yet another blistering summer. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Fires burning dangerously close can be seen from a lodge in Miena, Australia The 20 warmest years on record have all been in the past 22 years, with 2015 to 2018 making up the top four, according to the World Meteorological Organization. And that does not persuade you, check out these seven charts. This will be cold comfort for those of you shivering in the Midwest but, says Tim Woolings, the icy air that engulfed you this week would have been at least a degree colder had it not been for the warming that has already raised average winter temperatures in the arctic. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47078054 |
Why do patients get ill with hospital-acquired infections? | In recent weeks the deaths of four patients at Glasgow hospitals - three of them babies or children - have been linked with infections picked up during their stay. Image copyright Getty Images By their very nature, hospitals are places with high concentrations of people who are unwell. Many of them have already picked up infections in the wider community. Bacteria, viruses and fungi are constantly being brought into hospitals by patients, visitors and staff. The challenge for healthcare workers is how to stop these multiplying and spreading. A complicating factor is that hospital patients often have weakened immune systems and are less well able to fight off disease. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Cryptococcus infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is linked to pigeon droppings Two patients who died recently at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital - a 10-year-old boy and a 73-year-old woman - were infected with Cryptococcus -a yeast-like fungal infection. The most common form in humans is linked to pigeon or other bird droppings. It is thought it entered the hospital's ventilation system after birds got into a machine room near the roof. Another patient became seriously ill in a separate Mucor infection. It's a type of mould, commonly found in soil or rotting organic material such as food. Infection is usually caused by breathing in spores. In this instance, a water leak in the patient's room is thought to have been the source. Two premature babies died and a third became seriously ill at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital. They were infected with the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It's a common bacteria - about a third of us have it on our skin and it's usually harmless. But these "staph" infections as they're known can become serious if the immune system is weakened. The bacteria are usually transmitted by touch - but can become airborne through shedding skin cells, coughing or sneezing. Image copyright Reuters Image caption About a third of healthy people carry Staphylococcus aureus bacteria Infections linked to Cryptococcus or Mucor are relatively rare - but "Staph" infections are much more common. Staphylococcus aureus accounts for about 110 infections every month at Scottish hospitals. Bacteria, viruses or other micro-organisms that cause disease are collectively known as pathogens - and there are a lot of them. Other common varieties found in hospitals are: Escherichia coli - better known as E. coli. It's a bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals. It can be spread through contaminated food, touching animals or poor hygiene. Some strains such as E. coli O157 produce toxins that can make people very ill but most people get better without medical treatment. There are nearly 400 cases a month reported at Scottish hospitals. Clostridioides difficile - previously known as Clostridium difficile and abbreviated to C. diff. A very common type of bacteria, particularly prevalent in the soil which can cause a bowel infection and diarrhoea. It can particularly affect people who have been treated with antibiotics or who have been in hospital for a long time. Nearly 350 cases are reported a month on average at Scottish hospitals. Image copyright Reuters It's a variant of Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to several widely-used antibiotics - MRSA actually stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The media sometimes refers to it as a "hospital superbug" as it mainly affects people staying in hospitals. This is because such patients often have wounds or catheters that allow it to get into their body. A weakened immune system makes it more dangerous - and the concentration of unwell people inevitable in a hospital increases the chance of it spreading. MRSA has become a serious problem in recent years, with many experts blaming a misuse of antibiotics - overprescribing or failing to complete the full course - which has allowed these resistant strains of Staph bacteria to multiply. Some progress has been made. A decade ago about 200 Staphylococcus aureus infections were recorded a month in Scottish hospitals. That's fallen to about 110 a month, according to the most recent figures, although most of that improvement came in the years to 2012. Since then infection rates have been stubbornly static. A major outbreak of C. diff was a contributory factor in 34 deaths at Vale of Leven Hospital in West Dunbartonshire between 2007 and 2008. An inquiry blamed "serious personal and systemic" failures" at the hospital. But over the decade since then, the rate of C. diff infection has steadily fallen. For E. coli, a lack of historic data makes it harder to identify a trend. Image copyright Getty Images In Scotland there's a national infection control strategy including a 10-point list of standard precautions: Assess patients as soon as they arrive and identify the risks Hand hygiene - a detailed set of procedures Respiratory and cough hygiene rules Protective equipment - gloves, double gloving, aprons, eye visors etc Equipment - single-use items, decontamination procedures Safe environment - areas should be visibly clean, with cleaning procedures in place Linen - safe storage and transport for cleaning, with contamination dealt with appropriately Safe management of blood and body fluid spillages Safe disposal of waste, including sharps Safe work practices, training and reporting of incidents When an infection outbreak is identified a plan for tackling it is put in place including a "deep clean" of the area. The National Clinical Director for NHS Scotland Jason Leitch says rates of hospital-acquired infections are low but remain a "fact of life in our healthcare system". "The fact they are rare events gives us all the more opportunity to learn from them, and aim for zero," he added. "That would be our hope that Scotland, although leading the world in infection control, would get better still." | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47071813 |
Will experience _ and lack of it _ be Super Bowl difference? | ATLANTA (AP) The idea that experience pays off in the most-pressurized situations sports offer is nothing new. Recent history will tell us not really. The Super Bowl thing was something novel for virtually all of the Eagles last year, and they knocked off the perennial contender and frequent AFC champion Patriots. Same thing in the 2014 game when Seattle routed a Peyton Manning-led Broncos team. The Saints with Drew Brees against the Colts, led by you guessed it Manning in the 2011 contest, too. Then you can argue that the Patriots benefited greatly from the Falcons' lack of familiarity with putting away a championship two years ago. And that Denver yep, that QB named Peyton again used the experience edge perfectly against Carolina in 2016. There's no question which team has the pelts in Super Bowl 53. "I think you get to focus more on football (because of the know-how)," says Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who will match up at times with the Rams' formidable cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. "Fortunately, I've played in a couple of these and you get to refine your routine and it allows you to think about football. It allows you to think about the Los Angeles Rams and what they're doing and how they are on defense and special teams and (Johnny) Hekker being a quarterback back there as a punter, that's what it allows you to do because you have a little experience with that. But that's it." Maybe. Or maybe the Rams, who are 2-point underdogs in their first Super Bowl since the 2001 season a loss to New England won't ever find that comfort zone so necessary at this point. The key just might be if coach Sean McVay, who turned all of 33 last week, keeps pushing the envelope. The only way to beat the Patriots is to remain aggressive for 60 minutes, and possibly beyond. Maybe McVay needs to be a bit outlandish as well. Look up what Doug Pederson did last year in a masterful coaching performance. "So, it's never too soon to be able to make a big impact in a big-time game," McVay says. "We certainly have a respect for that experience that the Patriots specifically have. We've got some guys on our team that do have that experience, but we've also got some really good football players that you feel like no moment is too big for them. "We know that it's a big-time game, but I think our guys whether they have played in this game before, whether they haven't we expect them to play good football. When that ball is kicked off, it's just like any other game. Certainly, you don't shy away from the magnitude, but you're still playing football." Playing football in February is unique for most of the Rams, old hat for Tom Brady and many of the Patriots. Pro Picks thinks so. PATRIOTS, 31-22 ___ Last Week: Against Spread (1-1). Straight up (1-1) Season Totals: Against spread (135-114-9). Straight up: (175-89-2) Best Bet: 8-12 against spread, 13-7 straight up Upset special: 11-9 against spread, 10-9-1 straight up ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/tag/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/01/31/will-experience-and-lack-of-it-be-super-bowl-difference/38983835/ |
How Can Businesses Measure Success When It Comes To Diversity? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Rita Aguilar, Vice President of People Success + Inclusion at the SF Fed, on Quora: Having a comprehensive view of employee data and input helps to assess the effectiveness of your inclusion and diversity efforts. Here's how we do it. Fundamentally we look to understand the make-up of the organization and whether its representative of the communities we engage with. We measure the percentage of total employees, management, and leadership against various demographic categories (i.e. gender, ethnicity, tenure). Once we have this view, we want to create an environment where all employees feel like they have access to opportunities and can contribute to their full potential. So we look beyond the basic demographic numbers to understand employee movement, such as at hiring, development, promotions, span of control and separations. However that will only speak to the diversity of your employees. For inclusion, which is the employee experience, there isnt one metric per se. Capturing the employee voice is most important. One way we do that at the SF Fed is through a listening strategy that includes surveying employees. When we get that feedback we dive deeper to better understand employee challenges and work to remove barriers to an inclusive work environment. This includes sitting down with our business line leaders annually to review their workforce diversity and survey results so we can be intentional in our action planning. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/01/31/how-can-businesses-measure-success-when-it-comes-to-diversity/ |
What Is The Real Reason For The Fed's Sudden Decision To Stop Raising Interest Rates? | The Fed has put the brakes on. At its latest monetary policy meeting, the FOMC left interest rates unchanged and said it would be patient about further interest rate rises. Furthermore, the FOMCs forward guidance about the pace of balance sheet reduction says that it is prepared to adjust any of the details for completing balance sheet normalization in light of economic and financial developments, including reversing course and doing more QE if necessary. Yet only a month ago, the Fed was signaling two interest rate rises in 2019 and no change in the pace of balance sheet reduction. It doesnt seem to have anything to do with domestic economic conditions. The economic report is distinctly upbeat: job gains are strong, unemployment is low, and inflation is near the Feds target of 2%. In fact, it all looks much the same as it did in December. Nevertheless, the FOMC is clearly seeing some change in the economic outlook that justifies a considerable softening of its stance. At the press conference, the Feds chair, Jay Powell, identified several concerns that influenced the FOMCs decision. Slowing global growth, especially in China and the Eurozone; tightening market financial conditions, which tends to amplify the Feds own monetary tightening; and the U.S. government shutdown, were all factors. They all create headwinds for the U.S. economy that could in due course mean slower growth, lower inflation and rising unemployment. Thus, on the face of it, pausing interest rate rises appears a prudent move until more is known about the persistence of these headwinds and their effect on the U.S. economy. So too is forward guidance that if economic conditions were to deteriorate considerably, the Fed would abandon normalization and revert to ZIRP and QE. People need to know that hawks can become doves. However, Greg Ip of the Wall Street Journal thinks the Fed is signaling not a pause, but a complete halt in interest rate rises. And he has a theory about why the Fed has suddenly decided to end monetary tightening: In the last six weeks Mr. Powell does seem to have shifted his views on inflation risk. He seems to have concluded that the lowest unemployment in 50 years isnt going to push inflation back above 2% anytime soon, and that would be a prerequisite to tightening again. If real rates above 0.5% are a threat to both economic growth and 2% inflation, then that suggests the economy is fundamentally more fragile than in the past. And he goes on to argue that the economic fragility that renders higher interest rates unsustainable is not confined to the U.S., but is a global phenomenon. Something has fundamentally changed since the 2008 financial crisis. It is evident that the relationship between unemployment and inflation has broken down. unemployment is now at historic lows, yet there is no sign of any resurgence in inflation. But as I have noted before, in todays world of low barriers to trade and extended supply chains, competition for lower-skilled jobs is often global, rather than domestic. As long as there is cheaper labor somewhere in the world, companies have no incentive to raise wages in response to tighter domestic labor markets. Anyway, it is questionable how tight the U.S. labor market really is. Underemployment, in the form of short hours and unstable work, is still prevalent, which suggests that there is still considerable slack in the labor market. And the prime age participation rate is still well below historical norms. So, it may be that inflation remains low because there simply isnt much upwards pressure on wages. The right question to ask, therefore, is not why inflation is low, but why the U.S. economy and indeed most other developed economies appears to be incapable of generating sufficient good quality jobs to occupy its prime working-age population productively. In my view, this is a function of labor market changes going back decades, such as offshoring of manufacturing jobs and the rise of service jobs, systematic dismantling of unions and weakening of labor bargaining power, and the mass entry of women to the workforce in a culture which - even now tends to value the work of women less than that of men. A less than entirely productive working-age population might depress growth, and hence real interest rates. This might indeed justify a halt to interest rate rises. Indeed, the Fed probably should not have been raising rates at that pace at all. The strong growth induced by the Trump administrations tax cuts was merely a sugar high and bound to fizzle out. It did not justify monetary tightening. And the administration has done little to increase productive employment and generate strong sustainable growth. It has instead wasted a great deal of time on fruitless and damaging trade wars, not to mention an economically lunatic government shutdown. For some time now, there have been clear indications that the Fed was raising rates too far and too fast. For example, the yield curve came dangerously close to inverting in December, which is a sign that monetary conditions are too tight for the economy. So the halt to rate rises is welcome. However, I dont think the Feds decision has anything to do with the labor market. I think it is about the stock market. Since 2016, there has been a considerable stock market boom. But in the last few months, as the Feds balance sheet reduction has accelerated, this has somewhat chaotically reversed. The S&P 500 took a nosedive: Although it recovered somewhat in January, there are nonetheless dire warnings that this could be the start of a bear market. Because the American economy is intimately linked with the stock market, a downwards trend for stock prices can mean a poorer economic outlook. So, even before the FOMCs announcement, markets had already concluded that the Fed would probably stop raising rates. Although stocks rose and the dollar fell, the announcement elicited less response from markets than might have been expected, given the suddenness of the policy reversal. But the Feds mandate is to target unemployment and inflation, not stock market performance. Joe Wiesenthal at Bloomberg has an explanation. The more dovish stance that the Fed took yesterday has renewed claims that there is a Fed put or a Powell put out there in the market, he writes in today's Markets newsletter. In other words, for as much as they talk about focusing on the real economy, theres a deep-seated suspicion that they want to avoid a sustained drop in the stock market, thus subsidizing risk-taking investors. So the FOMCs decision, and its forward guidance, could simply be intended to prop up the stock market. Wiesenthal thinks that Powell admitted as much at the press conference: Powell said a sustained tightening of financial conditions (as seen through stocks, currency, interest rates and credit spreads) had to be watched because it could have important macroeconomic implications. And then he said: In fact our policy works through changing financial conditions, so its sort of the essence of what we do. If the FOMC's decision was indeed driven by the stock market's recent tantrum, then the future path of interest rates will depend on whether bulls or bears are dominant. I suppose this could be reasonable, if you believe that propping up Wall Street generates productive jobs and economic growth. But it seems a long way removed from what we usually think of as the purpose of interest rate policy, which is to influence business investment and household spending. The Fed has not given an adequate explanation for the pace of interest rate rises last year, which appeared unjustified in terms either of the Feds mandate or key economic indicators. And now it hasn't given an adequate explanation of this sudden softening, either. I think we should be told. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2019/01/31/what-is-the-real-reason-for-the-feds-sudden-decision-to-stop-raising-interest-rates/ |
How many people does tourism actually employ in New Orleans? | Carnival crowds party on Bourbon Street on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017. (Photo by Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) Most New Orleans residents recognize the tourism and hospitality industry as the citys largest employer. The Data Center sought to help answer the question in a recent report, which takes a look at the total number of tourism jobs in New Orleans as well as who is doing tourism work in our city. Tourism leaders are quick to point out that their industry creates economic opportunities for thousands of residents, and say that economic impact deserves public support. However, that position faces growing skepticism. Increasingly, politicians, community leaders and workers themselves are voicing a shared concern that low-wage hospitality work that doesn't offer a long-term career path may actually be holding the city and its most vulnerable residents back. | https://www.nola.com/expo/news/g66l-2019/01/d2daf89b0e2171/how-many-people-does-tourism-actually-employ-in-new-orleans.html |
What To Expect From Johnson Controls' Quarter 1 results? | Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) will release its Quarter 1 (ended December 2018) for Fiscal Year 2019 on February 1, 2019 and do an earnings conference call. The market expects the company to post revenue in the range of $5.43 billion and earnings are expected to be around $0.24 for the Quarter 1. On November 13, 2018 the company announced a sale of its power solutions business for Net cash proceeds of $11.4 billion (after taxes and expenses). The company has announced that $3-3.5 billion of the said proceeds will be used towards Debt payment. We have created an interactive dashboard on Our Outlook For Johnson Controls In 2019, which details our forecasts for the company in the near term. You can modify our assumptions to see the impact any changes would have on the companys revenue. Factors That May Impact Performance: Addition of New Salespeople: During FY 2018, the company added 950 sales people net of attrition representing roughly an 11% increase on the existing salesforce, which came in much higher than the 400 originally intended. Based on the strong order momentum, the companys backlog was up 8% at $8.4 billion heading into FY 2019, ensuring continued growth in field revenues next year. Synergies and Productivity: JCI committed to a significant restructuring plan in FY 2017 related to cost reduction initiatives. The company currently estimates that upon completion of the restructuring action, there will be a significant reduction in annual operating costs from continuing operations, which is primarily the result of lower cost of sales and selling, general, and administrative expenses due to reduced employee-related costs, depreciation, and amortization expense. Such measures will result in an improvement in the margins. JCI achieved synergy and productivity savings of $257 million in the year, coming in higher than the $250 million that was originally planned. This benefit is set to continue in FY 2019, with the management guiding for an additional $250 million or $0.23 per share. Favorable Macroeconomic Environment: Rising GDPs across its key geographic region has resulted in a conducive macroeconomic environment, despite FX volatility, inflationary pressures, and trade policy concerns. This has aided the growth in the North American non-residential construction markets. Moreover, the rebound in global oil prices has helped to ease budget constraints in the Middle East, supporting the release of some large infrastructure projects in the region. These trends are expected to continue in the near term. Impact of Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: JCI is a direct buyer of steel and aluminum totaling approximately $225 million on an annual basis. The company does all of its steel needs and 70% of its aluminum needs from within the country and thus the direct impact of the tariffs will be minor. Though, the impact of the tariffs on Chinese original goods is roughly $130 to $140 million, with about half of that coming in the previous Fiscal Year. Consequently, JCI is actively managing pricing in the supply chain, as well as externally, to mitigate any impact, and seems to be in a strong position to offset any potential headwind. Share Repurchases:During the fourth quarter, JCI repurchased 1.2 million shares for $45 million, while for the year, the figures were 7.7 million shares and $300 million, in line with its original plans. Recently, its Board of Directors approved an additional $1 billion share repurchase authorization, which is in addition to the $900 million that is remaining. Consequently, for FY 2019 JCI expects to complete approximately $1 billion of share repurchases, which should provide a boost to its EPS. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/01/31/what-to-expect-from-johnson-controls-quarter-1-results/ |
Will Brandy Become The 'It' Spirit of 2019? | Its probably too soon to call it, but there are plenty of signs revealing that brandy is going to be a big thing this year in the world of spirits. Im always nervous about the word trend so much in our profession, things cycle through, and what was old is new again but brandy is something Ive been anticipating for quite a while, says Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologistinternational mixology consultant and author. Theres a better understanding and appreciation of the brandy as a whole, not just cognac, but the entire category. Abou-Ganim says that the trend isnt about people sipping cognac in snifters. At the Libertine Social (bar in Las Vegas), we do very little cognac in the glass, but we do very well when we do brandy-based cocktails, Abou-Ganim says. Joe Heron, who founded Copper & Kings American brandy in 2014, says brandy sales continue to grow. I think brandys already here, Heron says. Brandy just really works so well with other flavors. Its the predisposition of the spirit. And if youre looking for less of the spiciness of whiskey, but more of a velvety mouth-feel, then brandy is your spirit. And the brandies that are coming back into vogue arent typically sweet theyre barrel-aged spirits, with out any backsweetening. Weve kind of paved the way, and were noticing that brandy is coming back in a big way, says Nikki Borys, regional manager for Copper & Kings. Bertoux, an aged California brandy, is a new brandy on the block, and it made its debut in limited markets of New York and San Francisco last fall. Brandy swung away, and now theres a good chance it could come back into vogue, says Jeff Bell, consulting master distiller for Bertoux. Abou-Ganim points out that a lot of the original classic cocktails when they were first made in the 19thCentury were brandy-based cocktails, not whiskey-based cocktails. The Sazerac originated as a French brandy drink, and the earliest records of the mint julep were that it was made with brandy, not bourbon, Abou-Ganim says. Brandy was a more integral part of the formation of our country than whiskey was, Bell adds. Even 50 years ago, it was more of a part of our drinking culture. Bell says that one of the things that he and his marketing team have to do is educate people that a good brandy isnt sweet, and it isnt a blackberry-fruity-type of spirit. Theres a lot of misunderstanding about what it is, he says. Im starting to notice separate spirits listings just for American brandies on cocktail menus, Borys says. Abou-Ganim says that when you use brandy in place of whiskey, bourbon or rye, you sometimes have to change the proportions of your cocktail. I just did a 15-year-old Spanish brandy in a classic Sazerac recipe, and I couldnt follow my rye whiskey recipe because of the richness of the brandy, Abou-Ganim says. I had to cut the sugar in half to balance the drink out, and I added an extra dash of bitters. When Bell sees bartenders using brandy, the cocktails they mix are varied. No ones doing the exact same thing with it, Bell says. Heron says he personally loves the versatility of brandy in cocktails. I really enjoy a brandy old fashioned, and I love a brandy Manhattan, but what I really love is a brandy Boulevardier, Heron says. Bell says hes seen a lot of bars mixing brandy with citrus in sidecar variants (and Bertoux actually takes its name from the inventor of the sidecar), Collinses and champagne cocktails. Its a good time for brandy, Bell says. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanettehurt/2019/01/31/will-brandy-become-the-it-spirit-of-2019/ |
How many former Ohio State football players will participate in Super Bowl LIII? | COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There have been 80 occasions in which an Ohio State player has played in a Super Bowl. When Super Bowl LIII kicks off on Sunday that number will be increased to 88, covering 57 Buckeyes. OSU is tied for the third-most players in this years Super Bowl with three. The Big Ten as a conference is second to the SEC with 20 players. Each of the former Buckeyes is from the Jim Tressel era and are three of 14 active NFL players who played for Tressel. Despite several more recent Buckeyes reaching the conference championship, no players from the Urban Meyer era are on either roster. Jake McQuaide, Los Angeles Rams Rams long snapper Jake McQuaide began his career as a walk-on and is playing in his first Super Bowl. Sean M. Haffey McQuaide is a Cincinnati, Ohio native in his eighth NFL season, all with the Rams in St. Louis and Los Angeles as a long snapper. Undrafted in 2011, hes twice been selected to the Pro Bowl. He began his career at Ohio State in 2006 as a walk-on. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. John Simon, New England Patriots Former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year John Simon will play in his first Super Bowl. David J. Phillip Simon is playing in his sixth NFL season and first for the Patriots, amassing 175 total tackles and 15 sacks at defensive end. The Youngstown, Ohio native came to Columbus in 2009 as a four-star recruit. As a Buckeye, Simon had 154 tackles and 20.5 sacks and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2012. He was a fourth-round draft pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2013. This is his first Super Bowl appearance. Nate Ebner, New England Patriots Nate Ebner went from walk-on at Ohio State to two-time Super Bowl champion. Elsa The Dublin, Ohio native has spent his entire career playing for the Patriots, where he has totaled 33 tackles. After coming to Ohio State in 2009 as a walk-on, Ebner had 30 tackles as a special teams player before the Patriots drafted him in the sixth round in 2012. In 2016, he was selected second-team All-Pro. Ebner has won two championships in his career and will be making his third straight Super Bowl appearance. This is his fourth appearance overall. | https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2019/01/how-many-former-ohio-state-players-will-play-in-super-bowl-liii.html |
Where did Buffalo wings come from? And why are they so popular for Super Bowl Sunday? | CLOSE Nothing puts the kick in kick-off like a plate of Buffalo Wings. But not all wings are created equal! Here's how to tell the difference... 10Best Editors, USA TODAY 10Best There are many defining factors when it comes to the identity of a place. Topography, history and sports teams are some ways locals feel connected to their hometowns, but nothing taps into the spirit of a place quite like food does. Wherever there is a legendary local dish, there is history and lore surrounding it. And for Buffalo, N.Y., one of those cornerstones of local culture is the story of the Buffalo wing. Not every piece of fried chicken covered in sauce is a Buffalo wing. The secret is in the sauce -- the defining ingredient that sets this wing apart from the rest. Buffalo wing sauce is butter mixed with Frank's RedHot sauce -- a simple two-part recipe that results in a complex flavor that's simultaneously spicy and creamy and has a buttery texture that evenly coats the wings. Its composition may be basic, but Buffalo wing sauce has come to represent the city of Buffalo in the way that anthems and flags represent nations. Related: Air fryers let you make chicken wings crispier with less fat: Here's how The Buffalo wing story is as sticky as the dish itself and not as straightforward as many romanticized tales you'll find across the Internet. In Arthur Bovino's book, "Buffalo Everything: A Guide to Eating in "The Nickel City'," there are almost 100 pages dedicated to its origin story. Get the recipe: Old-school Buffalo Wings The history of the Buffalo wing Most Buffalo-wing experts that Bovino included agree that a pivotal moment in the wing's history was one night in 1964 when Teressa Bellissimo of Anchor Bar whipped up a plate of Buffalo wings for her son and his friends after they went out for an evening of drinking. But how we arrived to that fateful night is a long and windy journey peppered with a century's worth of culinary influences. Buffalo wings have a complex history (Photo: rez-art, Getty Images/iStockphoto) "Buffalo's history with wings goes as far back as the mid-1800s," explains Bovino. While researching his book, Bovino came across a menu dated July 1, 1857, from the Clarendon Hotel that made a reference to "chicken wings, fried." And though there was no Frank's RedHot sauce until 1920, Buffalonians were saucing up their wings. You'd find dressings like mashed peas and butter, as well as shellfish veloute thickened with egg yolks and heavy cream and accented with a bit of lemon juice. Another important figure who influenced the Buffalo wing is an African-American chef named John Young who was frying up wings at his restaurant Wings'n Things before Anchor Bar. Fried chicken wings is a standard dish in the African-American community, especially in the South where Young had lived before moving to Buffalo. Young's fried wings are also saucy, coated in a sweet, barbecue-like sauce called "mambo sauce." The main difference, and where traditionalists would argue it's not a true Buffalo wing, is that Young's wings are breaded with sweet sauce as opposed to deep fried and coated in a spicy sauce. The farther you fall down the rabbit hole, the more variations in styles you'll find with similar wings, and even "mambo sauce" popping up in Washington D.C., Chicago and throughout the American South. "So the full story wasn't as much of a eureka moment as we were led to believe," says Bovino. It's more likely that the modern Buffalo wing wasn't a dish made out of the necessity of feeding a group of drunks who stumbled into a bar, nor was it a spur-of-the-moment invention. Instead, it was a dish inspired by a variety of other chicken wings that came before it, and Bellissimo, who wanted to put her own spin on the dish, thought carefully and intentionally about how her rendition of the wing could stand out from the rest. Frank's RedHot sauce was a fluke Her own individuality can be seen in how Bellissimo chose Frank's RedHot sauce as the official Buffalo wing sauce. In an interview with Anchor Bar's hot sauce supplier, Bovino says that Bellissimo only picked the sauce based off of its name. "Her husband's name was Frank," explains Bovino, "she walked into the grocery store and picked Frank's RedHot Sauce for no other reason except it had her husband's name on it." Buffalo wings are as unique as snowflakes, and if you explore the world of wings deep enough, how a wing is prepared and flavored could lead you back to its bar of origin. "Buffalonians order their wings with the specificity that some people order their steaks," explains Bovino. "They'll order them extra crispy, extra saucy, extra hot, and they're very passionate about where the best places are for their particular style of wing." Wings spread beyond Buffalo Over 50 years later, Buffalo wings can be found everywhere; not just in Buffalo, but in bars and restaurants across the country. The flavor has also found its way into other foods like Buffalo chips, Buffalo poutine (thanks to the city's proximity to Canada) and even Buffalo ramen (yes, it exists, and you can get it at Sato Ramen). But around upstate New York, the rivalries and arguments that ensue over whose Buffalo wings reign supreme are friendly and in good nature. "The only real controversy is when places use a butter substitute instead of real butter in the Buffalo wing sauce," says Bovino, who recommends that when you visit Buffalo and order wings, you can't go wrong with the real deal served in some of Buffalo's mainstay institutions. Anchor Bar, Duff's and the Nine Eleven Tavern are all excellent places to experience Buffalo Wings. Even now with the popularity of the Buffalo wing, there are still chefs experimenting with different methods of preparation and flavors. The Red Sox wing at Wiechec's is a Buffalo wing with garlic and parmesan mixed into the sauce. There's also a double-dipped wing that's fried and then grilled, leveraging a sort of French preparation, at Elmo's Bar and Restaurant. Regardless of the fact that Buffalo wings can be found almost anywhere in America, Bovino believes it's important for fans of the saucy wings to get them at the source. "There are things that most people don't know about wing-wise in terms of flavoring and preparation," explains Bovino. "Some people believe that every Buffalo wing is made the same way, so you can get great wings outside of Buffalo the same way you can get them there I would argue that's not true. If you really love Buffalo wings, then you need to experience them in Buffalo." 10Best is a part of the USA TODAY Network providing an authentically local point of view on destinations around the world in addition to travel and lifestyle advice. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/10best/food-drink/2019/01/31/where-did-buffalo-wings-come-from-super-bowl-party/38976801/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/10best/food-drink/2019/01/31/where-did-buffalo-wings-come-from-super-bowl-party/38976801/ |
How will bankrupt utility deal with wildfires from now on? | LOS ANGELES Big corporations forced into bankruptcy by liability lawsuits often take the offending product off the market and try to move on. That's what happened with the Dalkon Shield birth control device, asbestos and silicone breast implants. But when the nation's biggest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, comes out of bankruptcy, it will face the same danger that put it in financial peril in the first place: wildfires. As the case makes it through the courts, the industry and the public will be watching closely to see what steps PG&E takes to control its legal exposure to future blazes in an era in which climate change is likely to make such disasters more common. "Where other companies have been able to say, 'We're going to deal with hazards we caused in the past through bankruptcy,' PG&E somehow has to find a solution to the fact that California is going to have drought conditions for a very long time," said Jared Ellias, a law professor at the University of California Hastings School of Law in San Francisco. "How do you solve the liability crisis that they face?" PG&E is the nation's first utility forced into bankruptcy by potentially massive legal bills from wildfires. It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization this week to deal with roughly 1,000 lawsuits and potentially tens of billions of dollars in claims over several of California's devastating blazes in 2017-18. One was the nation's deadliest, most destructive wildfire in a century: the blaze in November that leveled the Northern California town of Paradise, killed at least 86 people and destroyed nearly 15,000 homes. The cause is still under investigation, though PG&E had reported problems with equipment near where the fire started. PG&E was found responsible for 17 other fires that tore through Northern California since 2017. The bankruptcy filing could lead to smaller payouts for fire victims, whose claims will most likely be heard by a judge, a step that could reduce the risk of excessive and vengeful jury verdicts. Bankruptcy could also lead to higher bills for customers of PG&E, which supplies natural gas and electricity to 16 million people in Northern and central California. The case could be an early glimpse of the financial pressures utilities could face as a result of climate change. In the past, utilities have sought protection in bankruptcy court because of such things as nuclear reactors that didn't pay off or costly fluctuations in the electricity market. "This time around you have a whole different problem," said David Wiggs, who was chairman and CEO at the Texas-based El Paso Electric Co. in 1992 when it became the second utility since the Depression to declare bankruptcy. "Claims of fire damage are not normal. That is a lot of liability that is not your normal utility expense." Under the law in California, a public utility is liable if its equipment caused a fire, even if the company wasn't shown to be negligent. Some of the lawsuits, however, have accused PG&E of inadequate maintenance and other failings. PG&E will have to develop a business plan that shows it is not likely to end up in bankruptcy court again. How it does that is not clear at this point, but it may have to address how to minimize liability from future fires in a warming world. Some possible solutions have been proposed in a separate criminal case where the company is on probation over a 2010 gas line explosion in the San Francisco Bay Area that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. The federal judge overseeing that case criticized the company's wildfire safety record and proposed earlier this year that it remove or trim all trees that could fall onto its power lines in high winds and shut off the electricity when fire is a risk, regardless of the inconvenience to customers or loss of profit. PG&E has said that that is unrealistic, that it could cost $150 billion and that lives could be endangered if it cut power. As PG&E spends the next two to three years reorganizing, other utilities are likely to be watching. "They're on notice," said Robert Rasmussen, a law professor at the University of Southern California. "I think a lot of these fires are caused by extreme conditions that are brought on by climate change. I'm sure they're struggling with what to do." | http://www.startribune.com/how-will-bankrupt-utility-deal-with-wildfires-from-now-on/505154092/ |
What does PG&Es bankruptcy cost CalPERS, CalSTRS? | Nobody is happy about PG&Es bankruptcy filing, but Californias two biggest public pension systems are positioned to absorb losses on the utilitys stock without major repercussions. Thats because the pension funds multi-million dollar investments in PG&E are tiny fractions of the portfolios that CalPERS and CalSTRS control. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and parent company PG&E Corp. filed for bankruptcy Tuesday, citing more than $30 billion in potential exposure from northern California wildfires in 2017 and 2018. Earlier this month, S&P downgraded PG&E Corp.s credit rating to junk status. The California Public Employees Retirement System, which manages about $350 billion in investments, owned about 1.8 million shares of PG&E Corp. at the end of November, according to the latest figures available from the fund. At the time, the shares were worth about $47 million. CalPERS also owned Pacific Gas and Electric Co. securities worth about $35 million, according to the fund. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. The value of CalPERS stock shows that PG&E has already taken a serious hit. In June 2016, CalPERS estimated that its PG&E stock was worth $122.7 million. CalPERS is aware of PG&Es bankruptcy filing and will continue to monitor the situation as it progresses, spokeswoman Megan White said in a statement. The California State Teachers Retirement System, with a market value of about $215 billion, owned about 960,000 shares of PG&E stock as of the end of December, the funds latest available figures. At the time, the stocks total worth was about $23 million. Thats a drop in the bucket in that portfolio, said Nari Rhee, director of UC Berkeleys retirement security program. CalSTRS owned PG&E securities worth about $9.7 million. Both funds take a passive, long-term approach to investing, holding stocks in indexes of companies in the U.S. and around the world. CalSTRS spokesman Michael Sicilia said the fund is a passive index made up of stock from the 3,000 largest U.S. companies, so a PG&E bankruptcy wouldnt necessarily prompt it to take action. We dont buy and sell based on whether a stock is going up or down, but rather rebalance our entire portfolio periodically, Sicilia said in an email. | https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article225349940.html |
Can the Knicks Sign Kevin Durant? | The Knicks made a significant move toward clearing salary cap space for July's free agency on Thursday by trading Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee to Dallas for second-year guard Dennis Smith Jr. and expiring contracts. New York can have up to $74.6 million in salary cap entering this year's free agency, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. Two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant is the biggest headliner to hit free-agency in July. While his tenure in Golden State has been relatively smooth sailing and immensely successful rumors have persisted throughout the season that New York is a potential landing spot after 2018-19. Tossing aside the basketball implications of Durant's move, check out the economics of Durant's potential decision below. Max contract with Golden State: The Warriors can offer Durant the most money of any team this offseason. He will be able to sign a five-year, $221 million deal with Golden State, earning an average annual value of $44.2 million. The Warriors are the only team who can offer Durant a fifth year on his contract. Max contract with New York (or other team): Any non-Warrior team can offer Durant a four-year deal worth $164 million. Durant's salary in 2019-20 would check in at just over $38 million. No team can offer a fifth year on any potential contract. New York's clearing of salaries on Thursday sets the franchise up for adding another max contract (one over $35 million) in addition to Durant. Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson are among the available free agents expected to collect max salaries on the open market. | https://www.si.com/nba/2019/01/31/kevin-durant-free-agency-new-york-knicks-kristaps-porzingis-tade |
Could Alita be Hollywoods breakthrough manga movie? | WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALANDThe manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making, and producer Jon Landau thinks it will finally represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. I think this is definitely the breakthrough one because of the story that Kishiro wrote, said Landau, referring to Japanese author Yukito Kishiro, who wrote the graphic novels, or manga, upon which the movie is based. The manga movie Alita: Battle Angel has been 20 years in the making, and producer Jon Landau thinks it will finally represent the breakthrough success in Hollywood for a genre which has proved problematic. ( Chung Sung-Jun / GETTY IMAGES ) You know, other mangas that have not worked have been very Asian-centric in their world, and in their stories, Landau said. And Kishiro wrote a melting-pot world. He didnt write a central character that was Asian. He wrote universal themes of discovery, of self-awareness, for these characters. And thats whats relatable to people across the globe. The film has an estimated budget of $200 million (U.S.) and when it opens in February, Twentieth Century Fox will be hoping for a much better reception than Paramounts 2017 flop Ghost in the Shell. That manga movie didnt seem to connect with audiences, grossing just $41 million in the U.S. and $170 million worldwide, with some critics accusing it of whitewashing after Scarlett Johansson was cast in the lead role. Article Continued Below Alita tells the story of cyborg Alita (Rosa Salazar) who awakens without memory in a dystopic world where shes taken in by a compassionate father figure Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz). As she learns to navigate her new world, she begins to discover her latent fighting powers and develops feelings for street-smart Hugo (Keean Johnson). Landau said director James Cameron first fell in love with the Alita novels in 1999, and spent five years working on a script that ballooned to nearly 200 pages with 600 pages of notes. He says Cameron got waylaid working on Avatar (2009) and its sequels before one day having a social lunch with director Robert Rodriguez. He said if you can crack this down to a shooting length, you can direct it, Landau recalls. And Robert did. During principal filming in Austin, Texas, Salazar wore a motion-capture suit so her character could later be animated to reflect its look in the novels. When the first trailers came out last year, some viewers said Alitas eyes appeared huge to the point of being creepy. Senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri, from the Weta Digital studio in New Zealands capital Wellington, said they discussed the eyes with Cameron, and he had the opposite reaction, telling them they had held back and should go bigger. And it wasnt the size of the eyes, it was the size of the pupils, Letteri said. Because that was a quality in the book, that sort of doll-like quality, and he thought we should bring that out more. And it worked. Salazar, who previously appeared in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), said she completed many months of martial arts training in disciplines like Muay Thai to prepare for the fight sequences. Article Continued Below It was a lot of working through soreness, working through pain, getting my endurance up, she said. She broke some ribs during her training, she said. I fell on my ribs doing a whip kick, she said. My other foot just kind of gave out, my other leg kind of swept from under me, and I fell directly on my ribs. I couldnt breathe for a little while. She said she always trusted her character would look good on the screen after Rodriguez showed her some concept art before she got the role. They had a vision, she said. They stuck to that vision. I trust their vision. And then that is what we ended up with. She said she can empathize with the way Alita transforms from a girl to a woman in the movie, after shedding one body for another. I could relate to that when I was 14 and I felt like a mutant, she said. Waltz, who played Col. Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, said he had no experience with graphic novels before reading up on Alita. The manga, comic, graphic novel thing is not my world at all, he said. I know nothing about it. And I realize that there is a vast field to be discovered. Other roles in the movie are played by Mahershala Ali (Vector), Eiza Gonzalez (Nyssiana) and Jennifer Connelly (Chiren). Alita: Battle Angel will be released in theatres in the U.S. on Feb. 14. It is rated PG-13 for sequences of science-fiction violence and action, and for some language. | https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2019/01/31/could-alita-be-hollywoods-breakthrough-manga-movie.html |
How Significant Are The Fed's Recent Moves? | The Fed has apparently come to the rescue of the stock market. The final quarter of 2018 was a mess for many global markets. For example, the S&P 500 and peak-to-trough declines of around 20%. That's a relatively large move over a short period. One of the reasons the markets have rebounded into January is because the Fed has apparently changed course. Then and now Looking back to materials from the Fed's September 2018 meeting before the markets started to unravel. Policy makers expected rates to end this year, 2019, at between 2% and just over 3.5%. That's a pretty broad range, suggesting differing views among policy makers. Most policy makers saw rates ending 2019 around 3% to 3.25%. Certainly meaningfully up from current levels. More recently, the same numbers from the December 2018 meeting were shared. Now the range of outcomes was tighter between 2.25% and 3.25% and most policy makers had rates under 3% by the end of this year. So clearly expectations for rate hikes have reduced quite a bit. The net of all that is the Fed has shifted from the potential for around 4 hikes, as we saw in 2018 down to 2 in 2019 at most. Rates are still likely to go up, but at a slower pace in the Fed's view. In their own words, the Fed will "be patient". The markets like that. Rising rates can slow growth as the cost of new projects rises, causing less of them to be started. It also raises the cost of consumers borrowing to fund a new car or other major purchase. In addition, higher rates create more competition for money that would go into the stock market. With rates at, say, 1% stocks may offer a much better return, but if rates are at, say, 5% then maybe edging more money into bonds with their virtually guaranteed return makes sense. What the market thinks - cuts not hikes The bond markets are perhaps now more pessimistic than the Fed's policy makers. They see no change coming for rates in 2019. This too is quite a shift from the second half of last year. The markets view rate increases in 2019 as unlikely, which isn't inconsistent with the Fed depending on how the data plays out. Yet, unlike the Fed, the markets are starting to forecast rate cuts as a real possibility. The markets see a 1 in 5 chance of rates getting cut before the end of the year. So there's a disconnect between policy makers and the markets currently. While the Fed is talking about patience in raising rates and still has a broad sense of optimism for the economy, the bond market appears to a decent chance that rates get cut. No Fed policy-makers viewed a cut in rates as likely in their recent forecasts. Their focus is mostly on the path for higher rates. Inflation tamed for now Another key sentence in the Fed's January statement, is that they view inflation as "muted". With the oil price having fallen sharply in the second half of 2018, inflation has reduced, with prices actually declining in December. Interestingly, core inflation hasn't changed all that much and remains a touch over 2%. Still, the Fed has signaled that it's less anxious about prices than previously. That helps keeps rates subdued as the two things the Fed is accountable for are jobs and prices. They aim to keep jobs plentiful and the prices under control. Given that the job market is currently robust, the Fed was keeping a keen eye on inflation, to make sure prices didn't get out of control. They were starting to get worried about prices rising too sharply, based on recent data, they are less concerned. Rather than the pronouncements of President Trump, or potentially more dovish policy-makers such as Esther George joining the committee in 2019, it seems reduced fear of inflation has perhaps driven the shift in Fed policy making. What hasn't changed Despite all this movement, the yield curve remains very flat, currently between 1 and 5 years out the yield curve is inverted, which can really matter and perhaps has more importance for investors than the Fed's complex pronouncements. However, the major inversion signal when the 10-year bond yield falls below shorter term rates, has not happened yet. Also, the shift in policy isn't too dramatic, the Fed's talk of patience suggests they may be slower in rising rates, but not necessarily that rises will stop. It appears that we'll see fewer hikes on the cards in 2019, but higher rates still seem likely in the Fed's view. Currently, the futures markets are taking a more pessimistic view. Whether or not the yield curve fully inverts in the coming months may signal who wins the argument. If we do see falling rates, then investors may be please to see the return of the Fed bump. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmoore/2019/01/31/how-significant-are-the-feds-recent-moves/ |
What Happens When Gentrification Comes to a Postindustrial City? | Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. Fight Back! Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. Worcester, Massachusetts Ad Policy Theres an intersection in Worcester, Massachusetts, where seven roads converge. Its governed by five stop signs and two traffic islands, yet it still feels like an unregulated sea of asphalt. For new drivers in central Massachusetts, its a rite of passage. To truly deserve your license, you must not only master the RMV test; you must also cruise unscathed through Kelley Square. (My strategy: Make eye contact with the person youre cutting off, and their conscience will probably outweigh their desire to hit you.) Kelley Square is a contentious topic, and not just because traversing it can be a near-death experience. In August 2018, the city of Worcester announced a $240 million project, the centerpiece of which will be a roughly $90 million baseball stadium for the farm team to New Englands beloved Boston Red Sox. The development will transform the area around Kelley Square, adding two hotels and at least 250 units of market-rate housing. Many critics fear this will price out some of the citys most vulnerable residents. Commuters are accustomed to seeing down-on-their-luck residents standing in Kelley Square traffic islands, holding cardboard signs and asking for helpbut many forget that this place is a hub for at-risk populations. In 2018, Worcester, a city of about 185,000, saw its median monthly rent increase by 16 percent among currently available apartments, with the average one-bedroom apartment going from $1,150 per month to $1,330. (Nationally, the rent for a one-bedroom apartment fell by 1.9 percent in 2018.) Advocates for the homeless argue that the city must reinvest its growing tax revenue in affordable housing and supportive services or rent increases will displace not only low-income residents but also small businesses and nonprofits. Related Article All of a Sudden, Politicians Are Ready to Tackle Americas Housing Crisis Bryce Covert Worcester is not the only city dealing with the consequences of rapid development. In October 2018, NPR told its listeners to Forget Oakland or Hoboken. Worcester, Mass., is the new it town, pointing out that just as San Francisco and New York City did for their smaller neighbors, Boston could drag Worcester up to wealthy-city status. The NPR story highlighted a millennial Morgan Stanley employee who lives in one of Worcesters swanky new downtown buildings and Worcesters transformation into a destination for foodies, with plenty of former factories and mill buildings just waiting to be rehabbed. It closed with a sober nod to the citys accelerating cost of housing, which, like anywhere, is hitting the poor the hardest. By feeding the states bottomless appetite for Boston sports, Worcester officials are only speeding up this process. The Paw Sox, as theyre currently called, have been based out of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, since 1970. But when their contract came up for renewal in 2018, the team wanted a new stadium, and Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo wanted them to pay their fair share for it. Under the bill that Raimondo signed, Rhode Island taxpayers would have ponied up $38 million and the team would ultimately have paid $45 million for the stadium. Charlie Baker, the business-friendly Massachusetts governor and former insurance-company CEO, saw an opportunity to take the team from their smaller neighbor, and extended an offer for a stadium worth about $90 million, up to $34 million of which the team would pay back over 30 years. Unsurprisingly, the minor-league team went with Bakers plan, and it will soon become the Woo Sox in honor of its new Worcester home. Out-of-towners will need to bypass the infamous intersection to get to the games, and, conveniently, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation will redesign Kelley Square. Current Issue View our current issue While many locals are rightfully concerned about the coming development, they only add to the problems faced by impoverished Worcester residents. In November 2018, Wahya Wolfpaw returned home to what she described as a slumlord-operated illegal boarding house to find her mattress slashed up and her door ripped from its hinges. Im like, do I take that as a hate crime against a grandma, an indigenous Cherokee, a gay person? Wolfpaw asked, half-jokingly. Wolfpaw is also part Muskogee Creek, an ex-prisoner, an activist, a breast-cancer survivor, and now, a homeless person for the third time in her life. Wolfpaw spent three weeks in jail until her charges were dismissed, at which point she was released into a city where she could no longer afford anywhere suitable to live. It destroyed my whole career, Wolfpaw said. I started working on floors in hospitals and made it up to facilities manager. Its all gone now. Wolfpaw is a volunteer with Ex-Prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement (EPOCA), an activist group thats especially necessary in Worcester. When the recently incarcerated have nowhere else to go, the regions prisons release them in Worcester, giving the city a significant ex-prisoner population. [The prisons] drop off at the corner here, EPOCA Executive Director Kevin Lynch told me when we met at Stone Soup, an artist and activist collective in Worcester where EPOCA has its office. Handwritten white letters on the buildings green exterior read: No we are not a shelter, but if you are in need try followed by two shelter suggestions with guidelines, and ending with, Stay safe. Stay warm. Worcester boasts that it exceeds statewide requirements for affordable housing, noting in July 2018 that 13.4 percent of its housing qualifies as affordable, a greater proportion than the state minimum of 10 percent. (In this regard, only Boston and Springfield have Worcester beat.) In 1983, Massachusetts became the only state with a right to shelter law, a mandate that every homeless family be offered a place to stay. (New York City and the District of Columbia also have right-to-shelter rules.) The commonwealth is required to administer a program of emergency housing assistance to needy families with children and pregnant woman [sic]at locations that are geographically convenient to families who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. But neither of these requirements do much for the population that EPOCA serves: The right-to-shelter law doesnt apply to homeless individuals without kids nor to any person with an outstanding arrest warrant, and people with criminal records are routinely denied rentals and leases, affordable or not. To Wolfpaw, Lynch, and other EPOCA advocates, what Worcester needs is clear: more supportive housing and shelters and cultural and policy shifts to ease reentry for the homeless and formerly incarcerated populations. Wolfpaw did a long stint at Worcesters main homeless sheltera stay of eight months at an establishment where technically the limit is three weeks. The shelter is operated by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council, based out of Framingham, a smaller city in the next county over. The posted occupancy is 40, but, as Wolfpaw tells it, at any given moment the population could be as high as 110. Its a wet shelter, meaning the residents dont have to be sober to stay, and Wolfpaw estimates the gender distribution at nine men to every woman. People suffering from drug and alcohol addiction deserve secure housing like everyone else, but for those like Wolfpaw, whos sober, its important to have an environment safe and free of substances. Its very dangerous in there because a lot of the menare in blackouts, Wolfpaw said. Ive had to protect a lot of women [who] had no idea what they were walking into. While the city desperately needs more shelters and supportive housing, officials have largely set their sights on homes that cater to higher-paying renters. A development known as 145 Front opened in February 2018, eventually putting 365 new apartments next to Worcesters train stationjust down the street from Kelley Square. Since the apartments went in, the city has stepped up its policing. It was a [private] security force [in Union Station], before, Lynch said. Sophie Kasakove and Tracie Williams Edward Augustus, Worcesters city manager, confirmed that the city replaced the Union Station security force with a police substation, which opened in March 2018. Shortly after the first renters moved into 145 Front, he explained, We lost almost all of the tenants due to safety and security issues. We really had to do something about it. In the last six months, according to publicly accessible data, Worcester police made over 2,000 arrests or citations for quality-of-life infractions in a less-than-two-square-mile plot that includes Union Station and Kelley Square. The people that they just built the houses fordont want to see undesirables when theyre going to Union Station, so thats why the push is out, Lynch said. Thats gentrification! Nicknamed Worst-er by residents of the quieter surrounding towns, the city has for years carried a reputation as the crime capital of central Massachusetts. It doesnt take a sociologist to know that some of that fear is rooted racism. The area around Worcester is overwhelmingly white and known for farms, forests, and churches, with those wealthier communities isolated from the struggles and offerings of a diverse city. Allen Fletcher, a local developer whos lived in Worcesters Canal District for the past 18 years, told me he wants to civilize the city: People were sitting in the bus shelters and shooting up drugs and partying, and it was disgraceful. But Fletcher said he doesnt think the solution is to restrict access to public spaces. Ive always felt that, generally speaking, the best answer is to populate the district with people you want, and then everyone can, presumably, co-mingle. Fletcher is in charge of a project called Harding Green, a four-story structure going up right on Kelley Square. The ground level, according to the plan, will host a food and shopping marketplace in the style of Bostons Faneuil Hall, and the three floors above it will contain 80 units of market-rate housing. The Harding Green project, whose permitting preceded the ballpark deal, is already under construction and scheduled to open its doors in July. We have a genuine opportunity tofit into the pattern called transit-oriented development, Fletcher explained. Because [Harding Green is] so close to Union Station, it would be very easy to imagine somebody living in my development and walking or taking their bike up to Union Station and commuting to Boston, not even having a car. And I hope that happens. Asked if he was worried about displacing low-income Worcester residents who cant afford market-rate housing, Fletcher stated simply: Ive always taken comfort in the fact that we werent displacing anybody here in the main part of the district, because nobody lived here anyway. (Members of the homeless population, who live in and around Kelley Square, are unlikely to agree.) I find them sleeping in doorways, and pissing in doorways, and defecating on loading docks, Fletcher said. I watched a homeless person take a shitpardon my Frenchin my lower garden just yesterday. And thats not pleasing to me. Wolfpaw agrees that theres a public-health and sanitation crisis in Worcester, but she sees the problem from a different angle: Right now theres a Hep A outbreak [in Worcester]. Theyre blaming it on the homeless, theyre blaming on the drug users, and theyre blaming it on the prisoners. Wolfpaw and Lynch arent against building up the city; they say it just needs to be done with all of the citys residents in mind. I think [development] has a chance of succeeding, but only if youre totally inclusive, and I mean inclusive of the community, Lynch said. Its just a wounded community, Wolfpaw added, it needs some TLC. EPOCA has been organizing to ensure that some of that care becomes a reality, holding panel discussions, participating in a homelessness task force, and demonstrating at the Massachusetts State House with other activists. Along with approximately 35 other groups that make up the Worcester Community Labor Coalition, EPOCA helped write an open letter to the baseball team and develop a community-benefits agreement (CBA) to present to the city. So far, the city and the team have declined to sign the document. While activists have questioned why Worcester did not develop a CBA before agreeing to the ballpark deal, Augustus said the city will sign some sort of CBA, eventually. Its clear that Kelley Squareand the city that contains itis changing, and the Woo Sox will hasten that along. At a promotional photo-op for the deal in September, EPOCA confronted popular Dominican-American retired Red Sox player Pedro Martinez. We said, Pedro, theres a lot of Dominican folks in Worcester that are getting pushed out to the street, Lynch recalled. And, Please, when you sign this, look at the community-benefits agreement. While EPOCAs fight is far from over, the group seems to have gotten the citys ear. When I spoke with Wolfpaw, she was gearing up for a meeting with Augustus, and she had her first piece of evidence ready: a cardboard sign reading Worcester P.D. Please Stop Arresting People For Being Homeless, which she said she found on land where the stadium will soon sit. These are what the Cherokee call talking leaves, Wolfpaw said of the sign, adding that she planned to tell Augustus: The wind brought this to me, and its a message from your community. If you dont think theres a homeless situation, your police department seems to think there is. | https://www.thenation.com/article/gentrification-worcester-urban-development-homelessness/ |
What will it take to restore Canadas potential growth? | Heading into the 2019 federal budget, Canadas economy is arguably in the best cyclical shape since the financial crisis oil sector excepted with the national unemployment rate hovering near multidecade lows. But growth is slowing, concerns about future prosperity are rising and, unless more attention is focused on the fundamentals, these concerns are likely to be realized. Potential growth measures the capacity of an economy to grow when its resources labour and capital are fully employed, and provides the best available gauge of a societys longer-term economic prospects and future prosperity. Based on the projections contained in the Fall Economic Statement, these prospects do not appear terribly promising: Potential growth over the next five years is estimated at 1.8 per cent annually, dramatically less than the more than 3-per-cent average growth Canadians enjoyed over the past 50 years. And even this may be optimistic. It all comes down to fundamentals: Labour force and productivity growth have diminished as our population ages and our output per worker sags. To put some numbers on this, Canadian labour force growth is presently about 0.5 per cent and productivity growth is hovering around 1 per cent. Thus, achieving even the 1.8-per-cent potential growth projections of the Government of Canada will require increases in both productivity and labour force growth, something we have not seen for some time. The answer is relatively simple in concept more workers and more output per worker and exceedingly complex in reality. With the large baby-boom generation moving into retirement, achieving sizable and sustained increases in labour force growth will require real change: a combination of significant and sustained increases in economic class immigration; marked improvements in skills training to better align workers and jobs in an economy going through massive technological disruption; and shifting retirement incentives and pension benefits to encourage longer participation in the work force. None are easy, either economically or politically, but all are essential for our long-term prosperity. Raising productivity growth is equally challenging but no less important. Nationally, the level of business productivity in Canada is about 30 per cent below that of the United States, despite having highly integrated economies. Even more alarming is the fact that in knowledge-intensive industries (defined as those conducting significant research and development and having an above average share of STEM workers) the gap is 50 per cent and widening. This is particularly worrisome because these industries contribute disproportionately to innovation, productivity and growth. The causes of Canadas productivity under-performance are reasonably clear: low capital stock (machinery, equipment and intellectual property) for each worker in the business sector, lagging innovation investment by Canadian business and nascent innovation ecosystems, under investment in strategic infrastructure, and impediments to scale and competition such as internal trade barriers and lack of trade diversification. These shortfalls are certainly not the sole responsibility of government, nor does the remedy lie exclusively in government hands, but government has a unique role to convene and lead. Negative economic trends such as slowing productivity growth and weakening labour force growth are stealthy they drag us slowly but surely into relative economic decline without the visibility or the sense of urgency generated by cyclical shocks to the economy. Complacency is clearly a danger; so, too is short-termism. Canadas long-term growth challenge cannot be solved by stimulus, either monetary or fiscal. Decisive, focused and structural actions, with an emphasis on appropriate scale, effective execution and expanded public-private partnerships, fit this bill. Strategic infrastructure is a case in point. Ottawa has allocated substantial funds for infrastructure spending and created the new Canada Infrastructure Bank to enable co-investing with private sector partners. All good, but focus is unclear and execution is slow. Strategic infrastructure projects, such as transportation corridors to move people, goods and data, expanded ports for trade diversification and natural resource pipelines to global markets, should be of the scale, scope and impact to raise Canadian productivity levels. Their design should look to the future, embracing next generation technology for cleaner, more sustainable growth and include the possibility of direct revenue generation to attract private investors. Asset recycling, in which the sale of government assets would provide additional funding to increase Canadas capital stock, should also be part of a long-term strategic infrastructure plan that provides direction and clarity to business and investors. Beyond this, policy changes such as corporate tax incentives to encourage greater capital investments by firms, red-tape and regulatory burden reductions including balancing prudential and economic growth objectives formally in regulatory policy, and measures to tackle innovation scale-up and diffusion gaps are all productivity enablers. The recent Fall Economic Statement signalled positive movement in each of these areas, which is to be welcomed. But, they are the beginning, not the end, of tackling the very real structural growth challenges Canadians face in a risky and uncertain global environment. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement It may seem counterintuitive that slowing growth is more a sign of supply constraints than demand deficiencies, but fundamentals do matter and nothing is more fundamental to an economys long-term prosperity than growth in productivity and an expanding, skilled labour force. Kevin Lynch is vice-chairman, BMO Financial group Tiff Macklem is Dean, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-what-will-it-take-to-restore-canadas-potential-growth/ |
How much is the economy really slowing? | Its easy to excuse the occasional weak blip in the monthly economic data, especially when wishful thinking leads you to go looking for transitory distortions and rational explanations. But even with its asterisks, Canadas November downturn in gross domestic product bears the mark of an economy in a legitimate funk. Statistics Canada reported Thursday that real GDP fell 0.1 per cent month-over-month the second time in three months that the economy has outright contracted. Sandwiched in between was Octobers strong 0.3-per-cent gain which raises the question of just how seriously we should take the soft readings on either side of it. Its not unusual for the economy to take an occasional short breather especially after the strong run that the Canadian economy had in the second and third quarters. Story continues below advertisement And indeed, there were temporary and industry-specific factors to explain a good part of the November weakness. The slumping Canadian oil market weighed on both resource extraction and manufacturing (through a drop in refinery output), but oil is just one sector of the economy. The Canada Post strike bogged down transportations contribution to growth, as well as weighing on commerce more generally, but that dispute ended in late November. Over all, 13 of 20 industry segments posted gains in the month. But when you find yourself sifting through the rubble of mediocre economic reports looking for something more solid beneath the surface as has become the norm lately for Canadian economy watchers its time to start checking the foundation for cracks. And there are several. The mining and oil-and-gas segment has declined for three straight months, largely reflecting the oil slump, but thats hardly the only source of weakness. The construction component is on a six-month losing streak. Retail trade is down in five of the past six months. Manufacturing has fallen in three of the past four months. When you look at the monthly GDP figures going back to August, its clear that the strength in October was the anomaly; the broader trend has been somewhere between sluggish and stagnant. The November weakness means a marked fourth-quarter slowdown is now a given; economists have pencilled in growth at about 1 per cent annualized, half of the third-quarter pace, and the slowest quarter in two and a half years. With the horizon not looking any brighter, economists have already pretty much given up on the first quarter, too. They note that the slump in the oil sector by far the biggest cloud hanging over the Canadian economy had barely even surfaced in the November data; the big hit will come starting in January, when Albertas government-imposed production cuts came into effect. Well be lucky if first-quarter growth even matches the fourth quarters tepid pace; the Bank of Canadas most recent projection was for 0.8 per cent annualized. Still, some economists are holding out hope that the economy will shake off its slow start to find a respectable, if unspectacular, pace in 2019. One cause for optimism is the Alberta governments announcement Wednesday that it would scale back its mandated oil production cuts starting in February, at least two months earlier than previously expected. That has immediately raised hopes that the slowdown in the energy sector could be less severe and shorter-lived than feared, and that the path is already clearing for the economy to bounce back. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement The Bank of Canada certainly appears to be in this camp. In a speech in Toronto just hours after the GDP report, senior deputy governor Carolyn Wilkins the central banks second-in-command characterized the recent slowdown as a detour, and expressed confidence that the economic expansion would pick up again in the second quarter. Despite this optimism, it would be foolhardy to take it as a given that well emerge from the current slowdown unscathed. The underlying weakness in retail and construction are evidence of an economy in transition away from the consumer as its long-reliable growth driver, and such transitions are rarely smooth. And even assuming Alberta continues to unwind its oil production limits in the coming months, the underlying problems that brought on the enforced slowdown rising production, inadequate pipeline capacity, softening global demand, unpredictable prices will continue to hang over the economy for much longer. Given the Bank of Canadas loud and frequent insistence that its monetary policy is data dependent, we can trust that it will wait for economic numbers confirming its optimistic view before declaring the all-clear for further interest rate increases. This slowdown may prove as transitory as the central bank hopes; but there are also good reasons to caution that it may not be. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-how-much-is-the-economy-really-slowing/ |
Has Doug Ford been secretly studying political philosophy? | Ontario premier Doug Ford may seem like a typical provincial thug, drunk with his power. But Im starting to think theres more to it. Take the case of naming longtime pal and retainer, Ron Taverner, to head Ontarios police. Doug at first denied any role, though hed changed the criteria two days before, so Taverner, a mid-level cop, would qualify. Then, with the nomination stalled over its brazenness, he shifted ground somewhat, saying its political hes the boss and can do as he wills. Ontario Premier Doug Ford waves as he departs after speaking at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in Toronto on Monday. ( Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS ) If I wanted to, he told a CP24 reporter, I could appoint you OPP commissioner. (Actually, a CP24 hack would be far less ominous in the job.) This jibed with Fords slashing Toronto city council during last falls election. When challenged, he bellowed that hed cancel the Constitution if necessary, by (in that deeply Canadian phrase) invoking the notwithstanding clause. He was elected and announced beforehand what hed do. Save money. Shred city council, obviously. He said it, and he gets to say what it means. Belt up, everybody. Doug never sounds like hes thought about anything before he says it, so you tend to think its impulsive. But if youve seen the film, Vice, on Dick Cheneys eight years as U.S. president (fronted by George W. Bush), theres much talk about a theory called Unitary Executive Power. Its propounded in the flick by a young, pre-Supreme Court Antonin Scalia. Article Continued Below We know the Dougites pay close, nay slavish attention, to what happens on the U.S. right. Or maybe they got a preopening screener. But you can dive even deeper here, to an academic theory called the state of exception, formulated by German political philosopher Carl Schmitt (1888-1985). He became a Nazi and justified Nazism, yet remained highly influential, postwar. (I did an MA thesis with German-Jewish scholar Jacob Taubes, who had a respectful correspondence with Schmitt, though they disagreed politically. Schmitt also corresponded with the sublime German-Jewish author, Walter Benjamin, who was a Marxist!) Article Continued Below Schmitt says the normal rules arent whats crucial politically. Its who gets to declare states of exception which isnt quite the same as emergencies, its broader. Its the sovereign who has that right, meaning the boss or leader. The theory was discussed in the early aughts by Giorgio Agamben, in relation to the war on terror, when new categories like unlawful combatant were simply invented. Agamben noted that neither Mussolini nor Hitler cancelled the constitutions under which they came to power; they just suspended them, since that was a sovereigns prerogative. Its political Doug would say. Taubes felt this went back to the divine right of kings and was basically religious. Its as if Doug has a secret stash of Schmitts books in his Etobicoke rumpus room. Doug Ford, sovereign does have a ring. The problem with the theory, IMHO, is that states of exception, where those in power get to make the rules (or cancel them) are only exceptional for elites accustomed to possessing enforceable rights. If youre a Black kid or member of Black Lives Matter, that arbitrary state of exception is simply the norm. You dont have dependable rights, even when told you do. This is also the norm in foreign affairs, for the weaker side as were seeing in the U.S. (and Canadian) intervention in Venezuela. The state of exception has always been the norm for most folks. Its true rule by law that would be a state of exception for the vast majority since the dawn of time a distant ideal to aim at. In fact, Walter Benjamin made this point: The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the state of exception in which we live is the rule it is our task to bring about the real state of exception which would be the genuine rule of law based on equality for all under it, and an end to arbitrary impositions of will and power by Ford, Trump and other sovereigns. Rick Salutin is a freelance columnist and commentator for the Star about all things current affairs and politics. He is based in Toronto. Reach him on email: [email protected] Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/01/31/has-doug-ford-been-secretly-studying-political-philosophy.html |
Who Is Bob Swan, Intel's Surprise CEO Pick? | Intel spent seven months searching for a new chief executive only to end the process right where it had started. The chipmaking giant said on Thursday that its next CEOonly the seventh in the companys 50-year historywould be Bob Swan, who had been leading Intel on an interim basis after the sudden departure of his predecessor, Brian Krzanich, in June. The decision by Intels board marks a change from the previous six bosses, all of whom had long careers at the company and deep roots with its semiconductor business. Swan, 58, is an outsider who only joined in 2016 as chief financial officer after a lengthy career in finance at many well-known companies. Intel said on Thursday that Swan was unavailable for an interview. The hire was likely the safest choice in what has apparently been a challenging search, Bernstein Research analyst Stacy Rasgon noted. While hardly blown away by the hire, Rasgon complimented Swan as a capable executive who does his best to drive the bottom line. A child of upstate New York, Swan was born in Syracuse and graduated from the University at Buffalo in 1983 with a business degree; he was also an avid rugby player there. He added an MBA from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1985 and then joined one of that regions corporate gems at that time, General Electric. During his 15-year tenure, he quickly rose through the companys finance ranks to serve as chief financial officer for GE Transportation Systems, GE Medical Systems, and GE Lighting. The expectation drilled into me early in my career at GE was that the role of finance is not about counting the beans its about helping the beans grow, Swan explained years later, citing one of his favorite metaphors while receiving an award at his undergraduate alma mater in 2017. In 1999, excitement over a new thing called the Internet drew Swan out of the comfortable confines of GE (ge) to become chief operating officer at ill-fated online grocery delivery service Webvan. He even briefly took over as CEO in 2001, shortly before the entire company went under. Then it was back to some of the classic names in corporate America, serving as CFO at the auto parts and aerospace company TRW and at tech consulting giant EDS until 2006. Thats when eBays (ebay) then-CEO Meg Whitman hired Swan as her CFO. A few years later, she resigned to run for political office and Swan spent most of his tenure helping the next CEO, John Donahoe, through an intense period of growth fueled by acquisitions. The team bought dozens of companies, including Bill Me Later for over $1 billion and GSI Commerce for $2.4 billion. The most far-sighted may have been spending $800 million in 2013 for payments startup Braintree, which developed the now-popular Venmo app and later became part of PayPal. From 2006, the year Swan joined, through 2014, the year before he left, eBays revenue more than tripled to nearly $18 billion. Ultimately, eBays executive team ended their expansion plans after billionaire corporate raider Carl Icahn started agitating for a reorganization. After initially resisting, Donahoe and Swan gave in to Icahns demands to split the companys faster-growing payments unit, PayPal, into a separate company. The two leaders and much of their executive team left around the time of the 2015 spin off. Swans next move took him to General Atlantic, a private equity and investing firm known for backing major startups like Uber and Airbnb. There, he reunited with former GE chief information officer Gary Reiner, with whom he had reaped tremendous cost savings at GE in the 1990s through outsourcing. At General Atlantic, they advised companies the firm invested in on similar matters including finance, mergers and acquisitions, and use of technology. The stint also gave Swan an opportunity to work with smaller startups again. He served on the board of software developer AppDynamics after helping lead a $158 million financing for the company. A year after Swan had departed, AppDynamics was readying an initial public offering when Cisco Systems (csco) swooped in with a $4 billion buyout offer. Former Intel (intc) CEO Krzanich wooed Swan back to a CFO role in 2016 when then-CFO Stacy Smith wanted to move into an operational role. Swans compensation package was valued at $23 million, lofty by CFO standards but $2 million less than Krzanich spent the year before luring Qualcomm co-president Venkata Murthy Renduchintala to Intel. While Swan kept the chipmakers finances in order, Krzanich struggled to keep its manufacturing operation running smoothly. Intel was trying to upgrade to making smaller, more efficient microprocessors, but delays pushed off the more advanced products for yearstheyre still unavailable in large volumes. And Intel still isnt much of a player in mobile chip, while its strong position in server chips is under attack. Now it will fall to Swan to fix Intels problems, even as rivals Advanced Micro Devices (amd) and Nvidia (nvda) march ahead. They rely on outside manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor that have outpaced Intel and its manufacturing woes. During a boom time for chipmakers over the past three years, Intels shares have risen 65%. But that seemingly healthy amount is anemic compared to Nvidias 400% rise and AMDs shares rising 10 times their price from three years ago. In an email to all staff on Thursday, Swan alluded to the problems without directly addressing what hed do to correct them. Our execution must improve, he wrote. And it will. Our customers are counting on us. | http://fortune.com/2019/01/31/bob-swan-intel-ceo/ |
Are the New York Knicks cursed? | After the expressing concern over the New York Knicks' future, Kristaps Porzingis and two other players were shipped to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews. This is just latest in a long line of questionable moves by a beloved franchise and many are starting to feel like the Knicks are cursed. Still, the trade cleared enough cap space for the team to get two max players in the summer. PERSPECTIVES The Knicks traded away their best player for a player they should have drafted in the first place (Dennis Smith Jr.), Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan. Also included in the trade was a player they grossly overpaid for who they traded away. There is a special kind of incompetence that isn't normal. The Knicks have dealt with bad signings, terrible leadership and under-performing teams for decades now. This team is cursed. Rooting for the @nyknicks is like going to Fyre Fest 82 days a year [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] -- Eddie Huang (@MrEddieHuang) January 31, 2019 Knicks make huge trade and social media goes wild People are focusing too much on the players being exchanged to see that is actually a great move for the team. They get rid of an injured player who has yet to prove he's truly a franchise player and, more importantly, clear enough cap space for two max free agents this summer. The team also keeps future star Kevin Knox and keep their first-round draft pick, who could be Zion Williamson. Knicks fans are an over-dramatic bunch. This team isn't cursed. Best day for @nyknicks in over a decade and the fan base is complaining. You now have a future star (Knox), room for two FA stars, and a shot at potential mega star (Zion). Pass. -- Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) January 31, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/01/are_the_new_york_knicks_cursed.html |
Where is the best corned beef hash in Portland? | When its done right, the potatoes are both crunchy and soft, the egg is easy and the corned beef is salty without sending you to the hospital. Its the kind of meal that can last you a whole day. Portland, a super brunch city, is full of creative hashes. Theres crab, theres salmon, theres vegan versions. We have some ideas, as well as some places we deeply miss (R.I.P. Kerns Kitchen), but we want your help! Nominate your favorite using the form below and we just might try it out! Loading... -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052 [email protected], @lizzzyacker Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. | https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2019/01/where-is-the-best-corned-beef-hash-in-portland.html |
Is Mindfulness A Promising Option For Treating Chronic Pain? | For the 1 in 5 adults who suffer with chronic pain--defined as lasting longer than 3 months--finding a solution is often elusive. Based on the type of pain, various medications may provide some relief, but achieving a more lasting approach--in which you are personally empowered to make a difference--would certainly be more rewarding. Mindfulness represents a type of meditation that places a focus on the here and now how you perceive your environment moment to moment. This empowermentby virtue of capturing your thoughts and feelings, can be an important element in reducing and coping with stress, which effects perception of pain. Meditation also offers the unique ability to regulate your heart rate and blood pressure, integral aspects of the autonomic nervous system, which have an important effect on the perception of pain. Based on a new study published in the journal, Evidence Based Mental Health, mindfulness meditation represents a promising option and a powerful tool for alleviating the grips of chronic pain. Not only can it reduce the degree or perception of pain, but mindfulness--practiced via meditation--may also ease its effects which trigger anxiety or emotional distress, which can intensify the pain itself. This finding is relevant because many people who rely on CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, may not achieve meaningful reductions in chronic pain using this approach alone. CBT is a psychosocial intervention used by therapists to help develop coping strategies to allow people to better regulate their emotions, and therefore reduce levels of anxiety and depression. Adding mindfulness to a daily regimen may help to supplement the effects of CBT to allow patients to more effectively manage and modulate their chronic pain. For their study, the researchers conducted a pooled analysis of data, selecting 21 out of 184 trials, encompassing 2000 patients. They searched databases for trials examining the effectiveness of CBT or mindfulness-based methods for stress reduction for treating chronic pain. The majority of the study participants were women between the ages of 3565 years of age. Musculoskeletal pain was the primary cause of the pain, with some enduring such pain for greater than 10 years. The researchers pooled both direct and indirect evidence for possible effects of CBT compared with standard or no treatment, mindfulness compared with standard or no treatment, and mindfulness compared with CBT. Interestingly, the study overall revealed no significant differences in CBT or mindfulness, with both approaches leading to improvements in physical functioning, reducing severity of pain and depression, compared with standard treatment or no intervention at all. But the researchers qualified their findings by explaining that only 1 of the 21 trials examined made a head-to-head comparison of CBT with mindfulness, and only 12 of 21 trials were felt to be of reasonable or good quality for inclusion in the study. Interestingly, in the head-to head comparison of CBT with mindfulness, the CBT group did experience more improvement regarding depression symptoms compared to mindfulness techniques. The results of this study would need to be replicated on a larger scale to place the results of this single study into better context. And while the analysis overall revealed similar results for both approaches, the margin of error revealed wide confidence intervals, meaning that the data may not differentiate between which approach is better for patients with various types of pain and psychological symptoms. They suggest further research to better understand this gap in understanding, sparked by this study. That said, the researchers believe that adding an additional approach to CBT--and integrating mindfulness--may be the most effective way to treat chronic pain, while also helping to reduce anxiety and depression. While CBT is considered to be the preferred psychological intervention of [chronic pain], not all patients with [it] experience a clinically significant treatment response, the authors write. Although a number of recommendations have been proposed to improve CBT for patients with chronic pain, an additional solution may be to offer patients mindfulness based stress reduction since it shows promise in improving pain severity and reducing pain interference and psychological distress." | https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2019/01/31/is-mindfulness-a-promising-option-for-treating-chronic-pain/ |
Are Brexit Supporters Ignorant? | One of the common tropes of opposition to Brexit Britains exit from the European Union (EU) as the result of the national referendum held in June 2016 is that voters who supported remaining in the EU are better informed than those who voted to leave. This claim has a distinct feeling of sour grapes: no one would have much cared why anyone voted for Brexit if Remain had won. Arguments that Remain is the smart take are primarily about discrediting Brexit. Nonetheless, the question is interesting and a new poll published as part of Brexit and Public Opinion 2019 offers useful insight into it. The study was produced by The UK in a Changing Europe, with contributions from many of the most serious academic experts on public opinion in the UK, including Tim Bale, John Curtice, and Rob Ford, among many others. The entire study is worth reading, but the chapter by Noah Carl touches directly on the question of the ignorance (or lack thereof) of Brexit voters by asking Are Leave voters less knowledgeable about the EU than Remain voters? The answer, in short, is that both sides are about equally knowledgeable (or ignorant) but they are ignorant about different things. The Leave voters scored an average of 60.4 percent correct answers over fifteen questions all clear and factual while the Remain voters scored 60.3 percent correct. Such small differences are meaningless. Moreover, on the questions where the correct answer did not favor either side, the differences between Leave and Remain was usually a few points. Again, margin of error stuff. But when the questions where the correct answer favored one side or the other, gaps emerged. The Remain voters did much better than Leave voters (50 percent correct to 28 percent) when asked if the EU was responsible for more than 10 percent of British government spending. It is not. Remain voters also did somewhat better (29 percent to 24 percent correct) when asked if the EU employs more civil servants than the British government. It does not. The percentage of voters of any flavor who knew the correct answers here was not impressive but anyone who has followed the British debate over the EU knows that it tends to focus on economic issues in general, and the costs of EU spending in particular. On the other hand, Brexit supporters did vastly better on other kinds of questions. 78 percent of Leave voters knew that Britain cannot sign free trade deals as long as it is inside the EU, as compared to 70 percent of Remain supporters. Much more remarkably, only 61 percent of Remain supporters know that Britain pays more into the EU than it gets back, as compared to 88 percent of Leave supporters. The UK has been a net payer into the EU (in its various forms) since it joined over 40 years ago, and the net costs of EU membership were intensively, if not exhaustively, debated during the 2016 referendum. Nevertheless, only 61 percent of Remain supporters knew the answer. But to me, the most remarkable item was the one which asked voters to assess the statement The EU makes up a larger proportion of the world economy today than it did twenty years ago. This is false. Given the economic rise of China never mind how the EU has performed it would be a statistical miracle if the EU had managed to increase its share of the world economy over the past 20 years. Nevertheless, while a not-impressive 37 percent of Leave votes got this right, only a miserable 23 of Remain voters were correct. This is probably the most significant question of the lot. If the case for remaining in the EU hinges on the economic benefits of being inside the bloc, but that bloc has relentlessly shrunk in relative economic weight over the past two decades, then those advantages have also shrunk and are very likely to keep on shrinking. After all, no one not even the European Commission expects the EU to grow faster than 2 percent annually over the next several years, and at that rate, the EU is going to keep on shrinking in relative terms. Remaining in the EU means accepting the EUs rules, the EUs tariff barriers, and the EUs costs for the sake of preferential access to a shrinking market. In closing, Carl points out that both Leave and Remain voters were more likely to answer correctly on items that were ideologically convenient for them. This may have been because, if they didnt know the answer to a question, they guessed the ideologically preferable answer. Or it might have been because they were better informed about questions that played to their beliefs. In any case, while characteristics like education level were highly correlated with correct answers on the factual questions that did not lean either way, education level mattered much less on questions where the answer was ideologically convenient to one side or the other. My take-away from all of this is three-fold. First, it is entirely possible that Remain voters, as a group, are better educated than Leave voters but that they are nonetheless no more likely to be correct when answering difficult questions about the EU than Leave voters. After all, if education is not well correlated with correct but inconvenient answers, then more educated voters may merely be biased in different ways than less educated ones. Second, this study shows no consistent differences in overall levels of knowledge between Leave and Remain voters which suggests that support for Brexit is correlated not with being ignorant, but with other attitudes, preferencesand beliefs. And that is no surprise. Decisions in every part of life are taken not just on a basis of facts, but also on a basis of values. And that leads to my third take-away. The argument that Brexit was or is supported by the ignorant and therefore was the wrong choice is itself highly ideological. It is just one small branch of the wider progressive argument that (purported) expertise, not democratic consent, is what matters, and that people who know less should count for less. This kind of argument is understandably more popular among the kind of people who tend to be disproportionally progressive the highly-educated, including academics and journalists. It is therefore also intensely self-serving. In fact, there is no reason to believe that expertise on facts translates easily into expertise on questions where the correct answer depends on your political or moral preferences. And ironically, dismissing Brexit as the choice of the ignorant turns out to be well, ignorant. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedbromund/2019/01/31/are-brexit-supporters-ignorant/ |
Could any of these five Wisconsin-connected athletes win Super Bowl LIII MVP? | The Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots are inching closer to Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, and there are a handful of Wisconsin sports connections in the annual bonanza. We're glad you asked. Here they are, ranked in order from least likely to most. Tony Romo Tony Romo has become one of the biggest names in football broadcasting in just two seasons. (Photo: The Associated Press) Odds: No chance, except in our hearts. The announcer isn't technically eligible, but he may win the MVP in the court of popular opinion. He certainly won it during the AFC Championship Game. With an uncommon prescience and trademarked enthusiasm, Romo was basically the second-biggest story of championship game weekend, behind the officiating. The Burlington native will be part of the broadcast team when CBS airs Sunday's game. RELATED: Jim Nantz on Tony Romo's predictions: Not getting a message from the gods Rob Havenstein Dec 16, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) meets with Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (79) after the Eagles beat the Rams 30-23 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Offensive linemen have about as good a chance to win the Super Bowl MVP as you or me, but maybe there's a crazy fumble recovery in the end zone or something. Or maybe he throws a pancake block so good, it just has to merit attention. The former University of Wisconsin lineman was taken by the Rams in the second round of the 2015 draft, and he signed a four-year contract extension before this season through 2022. Hes cemented as the starting right tackle for one of the leagues most electric offenses one that finished second in yards and points per game. Lawrence Guy Lawrence Guy has made a bunch of stops in his NFL career, but he seems to have found a home in New England. (Photo: The Associated Press) Odds: Not a great chance, but impressive that he's here. Patriots defensive lineman Lawrence Guy is in his eighth NFL season and enjoyed a strong 2018, with a career-best 59 tackles and a forced fumble. He's played with the Colts, Chargers, Ravens and Patriots -- never actually the Packers, who drafted Guy in the seventh round in 2011. He spent his first season on injured reserve and was then part of the Green Bay practice squad in 2012. The Colts signed him away in October of that season, and he gradually worked his way into becoming an NFL regular. Guy had three tackles, including a partial sack, in the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs. Sam Shields Los Angeles Rams cornerback Sam Shields right, and Los Angeles Rams Cory Littleton (58) celebrate after overtime of the NFL football NFC championship game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, in New Orleans. The Rams won 26-23. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (Photo: The Associated Press) Odds: Would need a big defensive play, but it's possible. The former Packers cornerback did not play for most of 2016 and all of 2017 as he recovered from a head injury, but he has made it back and has contributed this year for the Rams, with 22 tackles and an interception in the regular season. Shields became an undrafted diamond in the rough when he saw action in 14 games for the Super Bowl-winning Packers of 2010, and he spent a total of seven seasons with Green Bay. One of L.A.'s secondary coaches is Aubrey Pleasant, a three-year letter-winner at Wisconsin from 2005-'08. James White New England Patriots running back James White (28) runs against Los Angeles Chargers defensive back Adrian Phillips (31) during the first quarter in an AFC Divisional playoff football game at Gillette Stadium. (Photo: Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports) Odds: Very good, and he should already have one from two years ago. And you know it, Tom Brady. We probably re-litigate the Super Bowl MVP trophy from two years ago more than we need to, but let's do it again, anyway. The University of Wisconsin product should already have one of these awards. His 20 points scored were a single-game Super Bowl record after the 2016 season, when the Patriots won Super Bowl LI, and he also scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime (with a Super Bowl-record 14 receptions that helped his team rally from 25 points down, as well as 110 yards receiving and 29 yards rushing). The dynamic pass-catching running back had 425 rushing yards and five touchdowns this season, along with 87 catches (easily a career best) for 751 yards and seven scores. He ran for 23 yards and caught four passes in the AFC Championship Game. But let's be honest, it'll probably be Brady who wins MVP if the Patriots win. | https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/01/31/five-wisconsin-connected-names-know-super-bowl-lii/2702976002/ |
Is Trump Trying to Bully Americas Intelligence Agencies Into Silence? | On Tuesday morning, the countrys spy chiefs filed into an ornate meeting room on Capitol Hill to testify at the Senate Intelligence Committees annual hearing on the threats currently facing the United States. Dan Coats, an affable former Republican senator from Indiana, who is the director of National Intelligence; Gina Haspel, a career C.I.A. covert operative who now leads that agency; and Christopher Wray, a former federal prosecutor, who is now the head of the F.B.I., shook hands with the senators and became the focus of attention. In the course of two hours, the three officials delivered carefully measured testimony that included pronouncements that would seemingly please the President. While we were sleeping in the last decade and a half, Coats said, China had a remarkable rise in capabilities. Wray concurred, noting that China has blurred if not erased the line between lawful behavior and fair competition and lying and hacking and cheating and stealing. And Haspel said that the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was the victim of premeditated murder but declined to state whether Saudi Arabias crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was personally responsible. But the three chiefs also quietly but clearly disagreed with the President. Coats stated that North Korea was unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capabilities, contradicting Trump, who has claimed that it might. Wray said that the Russians had used social media to try to interfere in the 2018 midterm elections, and were continuing to adapt their model, contradicting skeptical comments that Trump has made about Russias involvement. And Haspel said that Iran was technically in compliance with the nuclear deal that it had struck with the Obama Administration, contradicting claims by Trump that it is violating the terms of that agreement. Midway through the hearings, news alerts that the intelligence chiefs were openly contradicting Trumps assertions started hitting mobile phones and television screens. On Wednesday morning, Trump was furious after seeing cable-television news headlines saying that the intelligence chiefs had contradicted him, according to CNN, and he attacked them in two tweets, without having seen their full testimony. The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong! Trump tweeted. Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school! (On Thursday afternoon, Trump tweeted a photo of himself meeting with Coats and Haspel in the Oval Office. He suggested that people read the COMPLETE testimony from the hearing, and blamed the media for putting out a false narrative.) That twenty-four-hour cyclefrom a two-hour hearing to two angry tweetswas the latest charged interaction in the fraught relationship between Trump and the intelligence agencies. In an unprecedented act for a sitting President, Trump has repeatedly accused members of the F.B.I. and other agencies of being part of a deep state that is trying to oust him from power. His critics say that he is blatantly pressuring the intelligence community to politicize intelligence by producing findings that match his political goalsmirroring a process that was blamed, in part, for the faulty intelligence assessments that helped lead to the invasion of Iraq during the George W. Bush Administration. But the President may also be trying to achieve something simpler: bullying the intelligence agencies into silence. On Tuesday, James Clapper, who served as the director of National Intelligence during the Obama Administration, told me that the agency heads had spoken truth to power, which, he said, is the primary duty of intelligence officers. He also praised them for presenting their findings without flaunting their disagreements with the President. I think that what happened today is proof positive that the intelligence community, two years into Trumps term, is still doing its job, he said. Current and former intelligence officials warned that, within the community, Trumps rancor is having an impact. Over all, one current senior official said, the community has hunkered down to stay focussed on the mission, and senior members try to avoid getting in the Presidents cross hairs. The senior official told me that the leaders of these agencies are exhorting their troops to ignore the political swirl, telling them to just get on with your job. But there is a growing sense that the President and his inner circle are rejecting intelligence assessments that disagree with their views. A former senior intelligence official told me that Mike Pompeo, Trumps former C.I.A. director and now the Secretary of State, gave analysts a lot of real pushback when they told him, in briefings, that Iran was complying with the nuclear agreement. Trump has reportedly taken issue with intelligence briefers on this topic as well. In 2017, after transcripts of Trumps conversations with several foreign leaders leaked to the press, intelligence-agency employees were required to attend seminars in which they were instructed on the damage caused by leaks. With this President, the political pressure to go after leakers was incredible, the former official said. More broadly, current and former officials say that a sense of caution has taken hold. Officials often take painstaking efforts to insure that none of their actions can be interpreted as being politicalby Trumps supporters or by his opponentsand that they will not somehow be penalized for their actions in the future. The current senior official said that this caution has not yet resulted in self-censorship within the agencies. People are extra careful to be nonpolitical, the official said. People are doing what theyre doing, theyre just dotting every I and crossing every T. Yet the former official believes that the feeling that the President and his advisers may dismiss the communitys findings is resulting in a rote production of intelligence. There is a certain sense of people going through the motions and doing things for the record, that official told me, because if the President isnt interested in the intelligence there is little incentive to go above and beyond and think outside of the box. The implicit risk is that the community could fail to anticipate the emergence of new threats, as it has been accused of doing before 9/11 and during the 2016 election. Clapper, however, disagreed with this assessment, saying that, for now, he doesnt think that the analysts have succumbed to political pressure. I imagine now they are going to be very careful when theyre writing about Russia, or North Koreas nuclear program, he said. Im sure theyre still writing that stuff. Institutionally, there are too many checks and balances. Trumps efforts to pressure the agencies are particularly unusual, though, because they are public. C.I.A. analysts said that Bush Administration officials accused them of trying to sabotage the Presidents policies when they questioned intelligence reports that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, but the Administration did so in private. Clapper said that Obama never commented, publicly or privately, about testimony that Clapper gave before Congress. He never said, Id like you to soft-pedal this, or not that say that. Not once. The current and former officials, as well Clapper, told me that they are most concerned about the long-term impact of the Presidents claims that the F.B.I. and C.I.A. are part of the deep state. They worry that such statements will fuel a decline in the willingness of Americans to work for intelligence agencies. The whole gutting of the institution is possible, the former official said. That is a huge concern. Clapper said that he isnt sure the community can withstand the political pressure in the long term. But, he said, for now, it is performing as it should. Intelligence people are mindful of history. Did I continue to tell the truth? The intelligence community will continue to speak truth to power even when the power ignores the truth. | https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/is-trump-trying-to-bully-americas-intelligence-agencies-into-silence |
Why are so many women dying from drug overdoses? | No community is immune from Americas drug crisis. And new statistics show that its severely affected a group you might not expect: middle-aged women. In the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Jan. 11, researchers found that the drug overdose death rate among women between 30- and 64-years old climbed a staggering 260 percent from 1999 to 2017. Women aged 55 to 64 were hit the hardest, with drug overdose death rates increasing by nearly 500 percent during the 18-year period. HOW FLESH-EATING BACTERIA FEAST ON FLESH The average age of overdose death for women was 46.3 years old in 2017, up 2.8 years from 1999. The average age of death increased in all drug categories except synthetic opioids, which stayed the same. In an effort to address the drug epidemic, the CDC analyzed womens mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System. There was an increase in fatal overdoses related to different categories of drugs, including antidepressants, benzodiazepine, cocaine, heroin, prescription opioids, and synthetic opioids. The latest report highlights the increased vulnerability of women dying from an overdose as they get older. Comparatively, a November 2018 report from the CDC that looked at overdose deaths of both men and women found that the rates climbed the highest for people of all genders aged 24 to 54. But when you look at the data for just women, those 55- to 64-years old fared worse. Everyone wants a simple answer about why this is happening, but it just doesnt exist, said Dr. Michael Genovese, a clinical psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Acadia Healthcare, a multinational provider of substance use disorder services. He added that the trend may be related to womens changing roles in society. DRUG-RESISTANT INFECTIONS FOUND IN US WEIGHT-LOSS PATIENTS AFTER SURGERY IN MEXICO There is much more expected of women in the workplace and at home, Genovese said. They feel like they need to be all things to all people. Its not surprising that mental health issues like addiction are on the rise among women given the additional stressors they face and the current societal norms. Drug overdose deaths tend to happen in more men than women and to younger individuals. As such, the medical community may have missed warning signs in women aged 55 to 64, leaving them more vulnerable to overdoses over the last 18 years, said Dr. Katherine Michael, a psychiatrist and medical director of community health at Western Connecticut Health Network. This is a group that might be overlooked because its not the usual demographic doctors would expect to have a problem with substances, said Michael, who is on a team that recently received a $4.7 million federal grant to expand substance abuse screenings and interventions for families in Connecticut. Other doctors blame the skyrocketing overdose deaths on the over-prescribing of drugs, especially opioids, and the possibility that women are mixing medications theyve been prescribed over the years. Someone who dies from a drug overdose didnt necessarily suffer from an addiction, said Dr. Kevin Zacharoff, a chronic pain and opioid abuse expert and clinical professor at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. Zacharoff pointed out that people may end up accidentally overdosing on prescription medications. Its the human condition to try to take control of a painful situation if they feel like theyre not being treated, and perhaps they end up taking a melting pot of medications that lead to a drug interaction with negative consequences, he said. Additionally, suicide rates also increased for women in an overlapping age group (45 to 64)from 1999 to 2017, climbing from 6 to 9.7 per 100,000 people. Theres a link between this trend and the increase in rates of death from drug overdose among women, said Dr. Jonathan Avery, director of addiction psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, who also runs NewYork-Presbyterians community naloxone trainings. When youre suffering from a substance use disorder, it exacerbates everything else in your life, including your physical health and social issues, Avery said. Its one of the biggest risk factors for suicide. How to stop fatal overdoses While experts may have different theories about the cause of the rising rates of drug overdose deaths in middle-aged women, they agree that prevention and treatment programs need to start targeting this particular demographic. Curbing the increase in fatal overdoses starts by asking all patients not just those in certain demographics about their substance-use habits when they go to the doctor, Michael said. We cant make assumptions that someones not going to have an issue with substances just because of age or gender, she said. The authors of the CDC report also emphasize the importance of providing access to substance use disorder treatment services that focus on the particular needs of women. We need evidence-based treatment to be available in settings that feel comfortable to women, Avery said. It can be hard to find treatment centers that are focused on womens mental and physical health issues. He added that increasing the availability of medications that can reverse a narcotics overdose is essential to saving lives. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Naloxone kits are being given across the country to people who are at risk, but at times we might have overlooked giving them to other groups, like middle-aged women, he said. Taking another look at their prescriptions The report recommends that providers consider following the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. Michael said that in an effort to curb drug-related health problems, her healthcare network already follows opioid prescription guidelines based on those from the CDC, and its working on implementing similar measures for prescribing benzodiazepine. Were having doctors look at the dosages theyre prescribing, the duration the drugs are prescribed for, and the potency of the drugs, and to spell out all of the risks to their patients, she said. But despite some of the preventive measures now in place to help rein in the drug crisis, some experts say we may still be years away from seeing major improvements in overdose death rates. Theres been an ocean liner of devastation over the last 20 years, and it will take a while to turn the ship, Michael said. It will require a lot of different modalities, from prevention and screening to treatment programs, and it will take time. For now, Avery hopes the findings from the latest report will bring increased awareness and understanding of the drug epidemic and who it impacts. We often feel like its happening to other people, not to me. The real message is that its happening to all of us, he said. We need to rally around people who are suffering and help them get better. This article first appeared on HealthLine.com | https://www.foxnews.com/health/why-are-so-many-women-dying-from-drug-overdoses |
How will Michigan football's TEs fit in Josh Gattis' offense? | CLOSE Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh recaps Peach Bowl after the 41-15 loss to Florida on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Atlanta. Nick Baumgardner, Freep Michigan's Nick Eubanks, right, celebrates a first-half touchdown with Tarik Black against Indiana at Michigan Stadium on Nov. 17, 2018 in Ann Arbor. (Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images) (Note: This is Part 4 of a series reviewing Michigans 2018 position groups and looking ahead to 2019). We don't know what Michigan football's offense is going to look like in 2019. But we do know, based on everything Jim Harbaugh and Josh Gattis have said since they joined forces two weeks ago, that things are changing. Michigan fans want a new offense, they want a fast offense, they want a modern offense. Just ask them via social media. More: Michigan football's wide receivers hold key to 2019 season Every offense Gattis has worked in during his eight-year coaching career has been fast and modern and has pushed the football into all areas of the field. The offense he's about to inherit has, traditionally, not, instead relying on a bevy of personnel groups with a high reliance on multiple backs and multiple tight ends. Yes. Whether that means being in 11 personnel, 10 personnel, 12 personnel, you name it. Multiple by formation," Gattis said earlier this month. "It'll be personnel-driven, we'll get our playmakers the ball, we'll get our speed out in space and let (them) be active. ... This isn't about Josh Gattis or a new Michigan offense, this will be player-driven." More: Michigan football loses RB production but welcomes talented youth For those scoring at home: The first number in a personnel grouping refers to the number of running backs on the field. The second is the number of tight ends. If Michigan had a home personnel set last season, it was probably 12 one back, two tight ends. Michigan disguised a lot of 11 personnel plays with two tight ends on the field and would, at times, run offense with three receivers on the field. Not really, no. The bulk of Harbaugh's tenure has featured a constant stockpiling of tight end talent. Michigan still has plenty on the roster right now. Tight ends Whos eligible to return: Nick Eubanks (6-5, 252), r-junior. ; Sean McKeon (6-5, 251), senior; Mustapha Muhammad (6-4, 245), r-freshman; Luke Schoonmaker (6-6, 231), r-freshman. Who's gone: Zach Gentry (NFL draft). Who's coming in: Erick All (Fairfield, Ohio; 6-4, 216). 2018 recap Michigan's offense threw the ball to the tight end less last season than it ever has during the Harbaugh era. Gentry, McKeon and Eubanks combined for 54 receptions in 2018, tied with 2017 for the fewest number of Harbaugh's four years. Michigan tight end Sean McKeon runs by Michigan State defensive lineman Raequan Williams during the first half in Spartan Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press) Keep in mind, though, that the 2017 season was one of the worst passing campaigns by a Michigan football team in modern history. In 2017, tight ends caught roughly 30 percent of Michigan's completions. In 2018, that dipped to 24 percent. Gentry turned into Michigan's go-to flex tight end, spending plenty of time split off the line of scrimmage. McKeon, meanwhile, continued his role as more of a blocker(or "Y" tight end) in the run game. He drew plenty of criticism for missed blocks at times, but for everything Michigan asked him to do in its zone-read game and at the line of scrimmage, McKeon was more than capable. Eubanks was a bit of a wild card; his usage wasn't very high (just eight catches), but his athleticism allowed for the big play far more often as he averaged better than 19 yards per catch. The extra tight end has always been a critical piece of Michigan's run game disguise. It was that way during the Harbaugh-Tim Drevno years when Michigan lived off powers and counters. It was that way again last season when Ed Warinner brought more of a zone approach. Moving forward, Eubanks appears ready to step into Gentry's role as a flex tight end. He's athletic enough to run against linebackers and safeties and be a legit downfield threat. That'll be interesting. 2019 outlook The last two offenses Gattis worked in featured no-doubt NFL tight ends. Alabama had Irv Smith Jr. last season, who is one of this year's top-ranked NFL prospects at his position. At Penn State in 2017, it was Mike Gesicki, a star in college and an eventual second-round pick. Michigan's Nick Eubanks makes a catch during the first half against Wisconsin, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press) Still, in terms of catch rate, Alabama went to tight ends 16 percent of the time last season. Penn State, even with Gesicki, went to the tight end 21 percent of the time. The whole "speed in space" thing works with tight ends if you've got tight ends like Smith and Gesicki who can split out and create matchup problems with their athleticism on the outside. And based on the assumption that this offense will actually start featuring more than two wide receivers on the field at the same time, it would stand to reason that tight end usage is going to dip further. If it doesn't, this offense really won't be any different than it's been. Michigan has a load of talent at wide receiver right now, beyond the big three of Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins and Tarik Black. If all these proclamations become reality, then Michigan's home personnel group won't be 12 any longer. There will be even less 13. And, perhaps, more 10 or 11 situations. Bottom line Michigan has what it needs here to be flexible. Eubanks is ready to be a player on the outside if Michigan wants him to be. McKeon's skill set is still valuable, even if his reps are lost to wide receivers. The most interesting part here might show up in future recruiting. Harbaugh has tried to pile up as many tight ends as he could. Tight ends are still valuable in every offense. But, perhaps, they're not as necessary these days in a modern offense. Michigan might be entering that territory now. Contact Nick Baumgardner: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickbaumgardner. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices! | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2019/01/25/michigan-football-how-tes-fit-josh-gattis-offense/2670443002/ |
What are the economic and security implications of Trump's Venezuela policy? | Ccuta, Colombia The U.S. State Department is ordering all non-essential U.S. personnel out of Venezuela amid the country's growing political crisis. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro severed ties with the U.S. after President Trump endorsed an opposition leader as interim president. Maduro claims the U.S. wants to install its own unconstitutional government to Venezuela. The military has pledged its allegiance to Maduro, who also has the support of Russia and China. To put on pressure, the U.S. is now considering sanctions on Venezuela's oil exports. Venezuela is the fourth largest supplier of crude oil to the U.S., and sanctions could lead to a rise in gas prices for Americans. Venezuela is in the midst of an economic and humanitarian crisis. More than two million Venezuelans have fled since 2015, some crossing into Colombia. Now, opposition leader Juan Guaid is promising to change that, but he wants Maduro out, reports CBS News' Manuel Bojorquez. One day after swearing in himself as president, Guaid said he would consider granting amnesty to Maduro if the president helps return the country to democracy, but he also called him a dictator, responsible for the recent deaths of protesters. This week, an estimated 14 people have died in mostly anti-Maduro protests. Oil accounts for 98 percent of Venezuela's exports, and it once made it Latin America's richest nation. When the price of oil plummeted the economy took a nosedive, sending the country into crisis. Under Maduro's policies, inflation has skyrocketed to nearly 10 million percent. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the U.S. supports the opposition and pledged $20 million in humanitarian aid. "The time for debate is done. The regime of former President Nicolas Maduro is illegitimate," Pompeo said. But at the Venezuelan supreme court, Maduro accused President Trump of staging a coup. "Let there be no doubt that Donald Trump in all his madness believes himself to be the world's police," Maduro told the court. When asked by a reporter if he was considering a military option for Venezuela, President Trump said, "We're not considering anything, but all options are on the table." Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda is a UCLA professor of Latin American studies who observed the elections in Venezuela that gave Maduro a second term last year. The U.S. and most democratic nations across the globe deemed that vote illegitimate as Maduro barred all major opposition candidates from running. Hinojosa-Ojeda tells CBS News that any U.S. military intervention could escalate the violence. "I think it's a huge mistake," he said. "When the United States gets involved in these types of conflicts within countries it really polarizes the situation making the risk of bloodshed even stronger." There are an estimated 70 to 80 Americans working for the U.S. in Venezuela. Senator Marco Rubio has warned that if any harm comes to them, the consequences will be swift and decisive. Maduro said Venezuela will close its embassy and all consulates in the U.S., but Guaid is encouraging Venezuelan embassy workers to stay put. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-are-the-economic-implications-of-trumps-venezuela-policy/ |
Are Albemarle Corporations Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Today we are going to look at Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. In particular, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), as that can give us insight into how profitably the company is able to employ capital in its business. Firstly, well go over how we calculate ROCE. Then well compare its ROCE to similar companies. Finally, well look at how its current liabilities affect its ROCE. ROCE measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Generally speaking a higher ROCE is better. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar. The formula for calculating the return on capital employed is: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets Current Liabilities) Or for Albemarle: 0.12 = US$678m (US$7.5b US$1.1b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2018.) So, Albemarle has an ROCE of 12%. One way to assess ROCE is to compare similar companies. We can see Albemarles ROCE is around the 12% average reported by the Chemicals industry. Separate from Albemarles performance relative to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms looks satisfactory, and it may be worth researching in more depth. In our analysis, Albemarles ROCE appears to be 12%, compared to 3 years ago, when its ROCE was 4.3%. This makes us wonder if the company is improving. NYSE:ALB Last Perf January 25th 19 More It is important to remember that ROCE shows past performance, and is not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. How Albemarles Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE Liabilities, such as supplier bills and bank overdrafts, are referred to as current liabilities if they need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To counter this, investors can check if a company has high current liabilities relative to total assets. Albemarle has total assets of US$7.5b and current liabilities of US$1.1b. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 15% of its total assets. Current liabilities are minimal, limiting the impact on ROCE. The Bottom Line On Albemarles ROCE With that in mind, Albemarles ROCE appears pretty good. But note: Albemarle may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20). If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at [email protected]. | https://news.yahoo.com/albemarle-corporation-returns-capital-worth-113525189.html |
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