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Why Does Everyone Suddenly Have Fancy Fake Teeth? | Its almost hard to find an influencer without veneers now, Apa says. When he expanded his New York City practice to include an office in Dubai in 2014, inviting the regions Instagram stars in to get their teeth done was the primary way he built a new client base, he says: It just completely changed the landscape of how I thought of attracting business and patients. Apa notes that now up to 90 percent of his business in both offices comes from people who know about him from Instagram, and influencers and traditional celebrities alike seek him out. (The actress Chlo Sevigny and the reality-TV star Kyle Richards both recently appeared on his account.) On Instagram, anything beloved by celebrities quickly finds a huge audience of normal users, hungry to experience the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Its mind blowing how much influence social media has on people, says Anabella Oquendo Parilli, a dentist and the director of New York Universitys aesthetic-dentistry program for international students. While most people can afford a new lipstick or an occasional new pair of shoes, selling $10,000 worth of new teeth is something else. But social media is an environment where users expect to get a more intimate view of a persons life, which sets the stage for influencers to recommend more than just clothing or makeup to their followers. To meet that expectation, beauty and lifestyle influencers have created a class of Instagram-famous medical professionals such as the plastic surgeon Dr. Miami or the dermatologist Simon Ourian, who now have millions of followers in their own right. Being their patient has become a widely understood luxury good, like a designer handbag for your corporeal form, and its increasingly common to see cosmetic procedures advertised in the same ways as more traditional high-end status accessories on social media. A pair of Christian Louboutin shoes and a set of plumped-up lips cost about the same, and for a lot of young social-media users, they feel like similar consumer decisions. Taking a medical procedure and recasting it as a marketable consumer good isnt a simple process, but its one for which Instagrams structure and culture work almost perfectly. Its where you see what your friends had for brunch, one tap away from an internet celebrity showing off her new teeth. Peoples ability to process those things separately just hasnt caught up to the technology we now have at our disposal. We use the framework wed use for our friends and neighbors when evaluating posts from influencers, says Duffy. We have this expectation that social media gives us a glimpse into the real person behind the scenes. Read: When a sponsored Facebook post doesnt pay off Social-media users now also live in an environment where they have far more opportunities to judge their own appearance than previous generations did. You really get to see yourself age over however long youve had one of these phones, says Apa. That creates pressure on regular users to perform to the same standards as the famous and wealthy. Those standards are aesthetic, but theyre also socioeconomic: It costs a lot of money to be that pretty. Instagram rewards people who perform beyond their economic lot in life, which incentivizes a whole host of purchases and can push people to less experienced, less expensive practitioners. Oquendo Parilli and Apa believe comparison photos on social media paint a vivid picture of whats possible, but they warn that most depict work performed on someone who had good teeth to begin with. A lot of people can take okay teeth and make them look white, Apa says. When theres real complications, it becomes much more evolved and complicated, and requires much more experience. | https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/02/dental-veneers-instagram-teeth-teeth-teeth/582010/?utm_source=feed |
Will Trump Survive Mueller? | Washington is abuzz with rumors that the special counsel Robert Muellers report is coming soon. We know that Donald Trumps Presidency depends on its contents. But with all the headlines of the past two yearsthis one brought in for questioning, that one indicted, this one coperatingit can be hard to keep track of what this is really all about. We asked the staff writer Adam Davidson, who has been reporting on the Mueller investigation since the beginning, for a refresher on the basic factsthe broad strokes of what weve learned so far. Both parties are strategizing to position themselves for the unknown. But Jeffrey Toobin believes that, unless the report contains a major, unexpected discovery, its findings will have little impact on Trumps Presidency or on his future. Toobin debates with The New Yorkers Washington correspondent, Susan B. Glasser, about the lessons of Bill Clintons impeachment and Richard Nixons resignation. | https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/political-scene/will-trump-survive-mueller |
Is Cypress Semiconductor Finally Ready to Rally? | Shares of Cypress Semiconductor (NASDAQ: CY) rallied 7% on Feb. 1 after the chipmaker's fourth quarter numbers topped Wall Street's expectations. Its revenue rose 1% annually to $604.5 million, beating estimates by nearly $6 million. Its non-GAAP -- generally accepted accounting principals -- net income rose 25% to $131 million, or $0.35 per share, clearing expectations by two cents. For the first quarter Cypress expects its revenue to fall 6% annually to $550 million, and for its non-GAAP EPS to fall 11% at the midpoint to $0.24 per share. Those estimates missed the consensus forecast for $558.8 million in revenues and an EPS of $0.26. Bull and bear figurines on a stock chart. More Image source: Getty Images. Cypress' mixed numbers don't seem great, but investors seem to believe that it remains one of the better picks in the cyclically weak semiconductor market. Let's dig deeper into Cypress' fourth quarter numbers to see if they're right. The key numbers Cypress' MCD (Microcontroller and Connectivity Division) unit sells analog, wireless, and wired connectivity chips. Its MPD (Memory Products Division) unit sells NOR, NAND, SRAM, F-RAM, and other specialty memory chips. The MCD unit generated 59% of its revenue during the fourth quarter, while the MPD unit generated the remaining 41%. Here's how those two businesses fared in terms of sequential and annual growth. Sequential growth (decline) Annual growth (decline) MCD revenue (13.9%) (0.4%) MPD revenue (4.2%) 3.5% Total revenue (10.2%) 1.2% Source: Cypress Q4 earnings report. During the conference call, CFO Thad Trent attributed the weakness of the MCD unit to "broad declines across most business units" and a decline in wireless IoT (Internet of Things) revenues caused by lower orders from Nintendo. Cypress supplies Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo chips for the Nintendo Switch. Those declines were partly offset by the low single-digit growth of its auto MCU and USB-C revenue, the latter of which grew "despite headwinds at major handset customers." Trent also noted that Cypress non-Nintendo wireless IoT chip revenues rose 20% annually in the second half of the year. An illustration of a semiconductor. More Image source: Getty Images. Cypress' MPD business saw a 32% sequential drop in NAND revenue due to the cyclical downturn in traditional (NAND and DRAM) memory prices across the market. However, its pending joint venture with SK Hynix, which will spin off its NAND unit into a separate company, should significantly reduce the MPD unit's cyclical pressure (though also throttle its near-term revenue growth). | https://news.yahoo.com/cypress-semiconductor-finally-ready-rally-201500553.html |
Does Patriots' win mean Detroit Lions have a chance to win Super Bowl? | CLOSE SportsPulse: NFL insider Jarrett Bell puts into perspective Tom Brady winning his sixth ring and how this decades Patriots dynasty might be more impressive than the one in the 2000s. Ill cut right to the chase: No. New England coach Bill Belichick credited the Lions for providing a blueprint of sorts for slowing down the Rams, like Detroit did in a 30-16 loss in Week 13. But all that means is Belichick is great at turning over every stone. Belichick even credited Dallas sports writer Rick Gosselin with finding Julian Edelman. Id be willing to bet Belichick spoke with Lions coach Matt Patricia about his late-season game against the Rams. But the Pats grind-it-out victory isnt a sustainable recipe for NFL success. Dont forget they scored 78 points in their previous two playoff games. Low-scoring defensive struggles might work once in a while, but with rare exception do teams win without scoring a lot of points a lot of the time. No. And yes. First the no: By now, we know the Patriots success is attributable to one thing: Belichicks genius. Thats it. Tom Brady helps. So have Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman and Wes Welker and Vince Wilfork and on and on. But no coach prepares better, is smarter or adjusts better than Belichick. Its futile to replicate that. More: Lions feel far as ever from winning Super Bowl Now the yes: At some point the Lions will find a coach, and a general manager, who arent trying to be poor facsimiles of something unattainable. The coach and GM will have their own blueprint for finding a unique path that wont look like anything weve seen, because if theres one lesson Belichick has taught us, its that he has done it his own way. Oh, and theyll also need a lot of luck along the way, especially when it comes to the sixth round of the NFL draft. Yes, and it wasnt even in the Super Bowl. It was the GMC full-page ad for the Sierra truck that appeared on the back page of the Free Press sports section Sunday. In all-caps, bold letters it announced: THE RAMS ALREADY LOST, followed by smaller type underneath: So did the F-150s. And the Tundras. Gotta love clever smack talk that also proves prophetic. As for the TV commercials, I liked the NFLs spot that featured Barry Sanders and countless greats playing football in a banquet dining room. But my top pick went to the 1982 footage of pop artist Andy Warhol eating a Burger King Whopper. An icon doing something authentic with almost no sound is powerful and memorable. In five years, Ill still remember the Warhol spot, but I probably wont remember football players playing football. Also, I love burgers. Contact Carlos Monarrez at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez. | https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/02/04/new-england-patriots-super-bowl-detroit-lions/2770697002/ |
What are Durham Opportunity Zones? What does Opportunity Zone mean? | Developers have a new reason to build in already-booming Durham. A new federal incentive will encourage investors in certain parts of the city, including East Durham, west of Duke University and in Southwest Durham. But the opportunity zones could also lead to private investors tearing down existing houses to build big, new houses and getting tax breaks on their returns, Durham County Commissioner James Hill said Monday. This is why this has been called the Kushner bill, he said, referring to Jared Kushner, President Donald Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law. So you drive gentrification, is that your point? asked Commissioner Heidi Carter. Seems like it would drive up the cost of rent. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. Durhams growth, with about 20 people moving here every day, has led to a housing crisis. One way local leaders have responded to gentrification and housing pressure is to commit to building affordable housing on publicly owned property downtown. Being in an Opportunity Zone may help one of those projects get built. Durham has seven Opportunity Zones, which are in or next to low-income census tracts. Most are clustered in East Durham, and include the 500 block of East Main Street, where the county plans to turn a parking lot into a parking garage and affordable housing. Durhams Opportunity Zones, which gives a federal tax break to investors in low income or low income adjacent census tracts. Durham County Once you select a developer, they will go out courting OZ [Opportunity Zone] investors right away, Sarah Odio of the UNC School of Government Development Finance Initiative told the commissioners Monday. The initiative is helping the county plan for development on the 500 block. The 300 block of East Main Street, which the commissioners also voted to turn into affordable housing units and a parking garage, is not in an Opportunity Zone. The zones were created through the 2017 federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. They started in 2018 and are now in all 50 states. North Carolina has 252 zones. The N.C. Department of Commerce says the states Opportunity Zones program is designed to spur job growth, housing and other investments. The program reduces and defers federal capital gains tax liability on reinvestment of gains into Opportunity Zones, Odio explained. But projects have to be investment ready, Odio said. If Durham leaders have an idea for a project, they need to get moving on making it a reality. Projects have to make a substantial improvement on the property, she said. Odio cautioned that the Opportunity Zone program does not make a project cheaper, it just opens a door to capital. If a public-private partnership was needed before the OZ designation, it is still needed after the OZ designation, she said. This project is not a magic bullet in the way that its structured. The designation by itself is not a strategy. Theres no guarantee its not a vehicle to accelerating gentrification in an area already being gentrified, Odio said. SHARE COPY LINK Whats next County Manager Wendell Davis said the driver of the Opportunity Zones is more so the private sector than it is us. Still some commissioners want to talk with their City Council counterparts to see if they can jointly market Durham to the investors. They plan to talk with the city to go over exactly what properties are own by the government in all the zones at their Joint City-County Planning Committee meeting March 12. | https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article225504705.html |
Does Trump Need A State Of The Union To State His Case? | At 9 p.m. sharp on the East Coast Tuesday night, tens of millions of Americans will take part in an annual political ritual: the presidential State of the Union Address. It didnt happen last month, as originally intended (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited, then disinvited President Trump to address a joint session of Congress and then re-invited him when a truce in the government shutdown was declared). Not just the speech, mind you, but the half-baked speculation, partisan bloviating, rank gamesmanship (the guest game) and overplayed reaction/over-reaction that has robbed this tradition of much of its stateliness. A little background on the SOTU: Article 2, Section 3 of the Constitution says the president shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union. Note: time to time and information doesnt necessitate a big speech on an annual basis. Thats how Thomas Jefferson interpreted his responsibilities as the nations third president. He delivered his messages in writing (Washington and Adams, on the other hand, gave orations). And so the tradition continued for the next century, until Woodrow Wilson decided it was best to visit Capitol Hill and add sound to his words. After Wilson, different presidents handled the task differently. Herbert Hoover delivered his annual messages in written form, as did Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower at the end of their presidencies. Blame Lyndon Johnson. In 1965, Johnson moved the speech to an evening start (since 1947, the speech was televised in daylight hours), hoping a larger audience would tune in for his vision of a Great Society. Before Speaker Pelosi offered up Feb. 5 as a new date for the big speech, Trump had options. Indeed, parting ways with five decades of presidential business as usual would have been the Trumpian thing to do the twin allure of thumbing his nose at Beltway norms and the gavel-wielding lady from San Francisco. The President could have taken the show on the road, speaking in a red-state State Capitol well beyond the beltway. He could have mailed it in literally by limiting his thoughts to paper and shipping the document up to Capitol Hill. Trump could have tweeted the address. Good luck figuring how long it would take to do so for 80 minutes of remarks (2018s SOTU being the lengthiest such oration since Bill Clinton gave his final SOTU in 2000). In honor of another Manhattan institution, Trump couldve gotten behind the wheel and tried a presidential version of Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. And all would have terrible choices for one reason: audience share. Last years State of the Union, the first of the Trump presidency, drew 45.6 million viewers. The other times President Trump has spoken to that many Americans: his 2017 joint address to Congress soon after taking office (48 million viewers); last months Oval Office address on the government shutdown (40 million viewers); his inaugural address (30.6 million viewers and the second-highest Nielsen ratings in 36 years). Trumps two Supreme Court picks, both revealed in prime time, drew nearly 33 million and 26 million viewers respectively. Thus the political trap for Trump. He might rather stay in the White House residence than take the ride up to Capitol Hill, but he cant afford to pass on the massive viewership. Theres also the matter of civility. Much like the Super Bowl, the State of the Union is as much about prop bets as it is the main event. And much like yesterdays game (the worst television ratings in a decade), this speech is likely to disappoint. The President and his partisan foes likely will come across as intransigent. Barring the unexpected, were still on track for another partial shutdown of the government. Try waiting a week for the return of This Is Us. Theirs is the better show than the one live from the nations capital Tuesday night. I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @hooverwhalen | https://www.forbes.com/sites/billwhalen/2019/02/04/does-trump-need-a-state-of-the-union-to-state-his-case/ |
Is Tesla's Elon Musk Making Good On Prediction That Capacitors 'Supersede' Batteries? | At a 2011 Cleantech Forum in San Francisco, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was quoted saying that the future of electric vehicles wouldn't be powered by lithium-ion, If I were to make a prediction, I'd think there's a good chance that it is not batteries. But capacitors." Today he may be making good on his prediction. The electric vehicle manufacturer confirmed that it has acquired a small San Diego lab that owns ultracapacitor patents and technology. Maxwell Technologies provides dry electrode manufacturing technology that can be used to make to make batteries that power electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. The company announced that in an all-stock transaction it will merge and become a wholly owned by a subsidiary of Tesla. "We are very excited with today's announcement that Tesla has agreed to acquire Maxwell. Tesla is a well-respected and world-class innovator that shares a common goal of building a more sustainable future," said Dr. Franz Fink, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maxwell. "We believe this transaction is in the best interests of Maxwell stockholders and offers investors the opportunity to participate in Tesla's mission of accelerating the advent of sustainable transport and energy." The lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric vehicles are expensive and heavy, and putting enough battery cells on a the types of large, heavy vehicles that consumers prefer to give them a driving range that rivals conventional gasoline tanks often makes them cost-prohibitive (think: $130,000 Model X). But ultracapacitors could be the key that solves this problem. Capacitors store energy like a battery, but they can be near instantaneously charged, provide immediate bursts of energy, and have significantly greater longevity, which solves the battery degradation problem that many Tesla owners who frequent Supercharging stations run into. However, Maxwell's then-CEO Dave Schramm said in 2011 that the technology could improve but not 'supersede' batteries: Ultracaps in today's configuration can't replace batteries. They're very different -- the battery is an energy device, and the ultracap is a power device. Batteries have 10 times the power of an ultracap, and ultracaps have 10 times the power. I wouldn't say ultracaps can "supercede" batteries, I'd say "complement." Either way, the the technology could help eliminate range anxiety or provide the same range with smaller batteries. It could also be applied to its energy storage businesses. News of this acquisition is also significant because Tesla rarely purchases companies, preferring to innovate and implement its own technology solutions. However, a Tesla spokesperson responded in email, We are always looking for potential acquisitions that make sense for the business and support Teslas mission to accelerate the worlds transition to sustainable energy." | https://www.forbes.com/sites/lianeyvkoff/2019/02/04/is-teslas-elon-musk-making-good-on-prediction-that-capacitors-supersede-batteries/ |
Where are the weak links in the cannabis supply chain? | Theres been much debate about the extent and causes of cannabis shortages in Canada since last falls legalization. Consumers, retailers, and provincial agencies complain about major shortfalls. Producers admit to operational difficulties but also blame onerous federal rules. By contrast, federal officials point to increases in the number of licenced growers and inventories. Bill Blair, the minister responsible for administration of the Cannabis Act, weighed-in on the topic last week. He claimed theres sufficient supply to meet and exceed existing demand. But analysis of newly-released Health Canada data paints a different picture. Its true theres been rapid growth in cannabis production and stockpiles. In 2018, aggregate cannabis production increased almost 11 per cent a month, on average. Thats for dry cannabis (flowers and leaves) and cannabis oil products combined. The growth was strongest in mid-year, and moderated in the fourth quarter. Story continues below advertisement Consequently, producers unfinished (work-in-process) dry cannabis inventory grew to the end December at 109 tonnes (1 tonne = 1,000 kilograms). Unfinished cannabis oil holdings similarly rose to 26.0 kilolitres (1 kilolitre = 1,000 litres). Those inventory increases at producers indicate cannabis harvesting and oil extraction kept pace with later processing steps. But contrary to federal suggestions, they prove little about demand being met at retailers. For that, sales numbers are more relevant. Decembers dry sales totalled 7.2 tonnes: 5.4 to recreational customers and 1.8 to medical clients. Oil sales totalled 7.1 kilolitres: 2.1 recreational and 5.0 medical. If we simplistically combine oil and dry together, it puts total December sales around 14.3 tonnes. Thats almost 3 per cent higher than Novembers. Such growth is good. But sales only include demand thats met; they exclude potential customers who couldnt find products they wanted, i.e., lost sales. Health Canadas latest cannabis demand estimate equates to 77 tonnes monthly. Decembers legal product sales covered less than a fifth of that, far from sufficient to meet or exceed demand. Almost 63 tonnes monthly of unmet demand was left for black markets. Further analysis indicates both strengths and weaknesses in the cannabis supply chain as it pursues those lost sales. Oil products provided the strengths. Estimated finished goods production for oil hit 12.3 kilolitres in December, up slightly from November. This let producers inventories increase 15 per cent to 27.5 kilolitres. Thats almost four months worth of current recreational and medical sales. Producers also shipped around 6.2 kilolitres of oil products to distributors and retailers in December, nearly as much as in November. This boosted total distributor-retailer inventory 55 percent to 11.3 kilolitres. Thats enough for five months at current recreational sales rates. The increase suggests oil availability at retailers likely improved going into 2019. By comparison, dry cannabis operations were weaker. Decembers finished goods output apparently totalled just 6.4 tonnes, 46 per cent below Novembers total. That was insufficient to cover even one months recreational and medical sales, let alone purse unmet demand. Producers finished product inventory consequently fell 14 per cent to 8.9 tonnes. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement Similarly, estimated shipments to distributors fell to 6.0 tonnes. That was 27 per cent less than Novembers total and 45 per cent less than Octobers. Shipments did exceed recreational sales, so wholesale-retail inventory grew slightly to 10.2 tonnes. These declines in production and shipping suggest dry product shortages likely worsened in early January. Unfortunately, oils strength and drys weakness are misaligned with consumer preferences. Dry products made up 74 per cent of fourth quarter recreational sales nationwide. They hit 90 per cent in Quebec and New Brunswick. Thus, legal supplies seem weakest where demand is greatest. That imbalance could moderate later this year. Legalization of cannabis foods and beverages should trigger more oil demand. Meanwhile, producers are hopefully redoubling their efforts to improve dry cannabis supply. The above analysis aggregates sales and inventories across the entire industry. But producers not only need enough cannabis in total, they also need the specific products consumers prefer. So even once supply and demand are better balanced in aggregate, companies will still face challenges supplying individual products. Michael J. Armstrong is an associate professor in the Goodman School of Business at Brock University. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/robcannabispro/article-where-are-the-weak-links-in-the-cannabis-supply-chain/ |
Was it a 'snowbow' that formed over Mt. Tamalpais during 10-minute snow flurry Monday? | Was it a 'snowbow' that formed over Mt. A rainbow forms near Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County during a 10-minute snow flurry on Feb. 4, 2019. A rainbow forms near Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County during a 10-minute snow flurry on Feb. 4, 2019. Photo: Twitter: @codeuncommenter Photo: Twitter: @codeuncommenter Image 1 of / 29 Caption Close Was it a 'snowbow' that formed over Mt. 1 / 29 Back to Gallery It snowed for about 10-minutes straight atop Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County on Monday at noon, as a cold front dove down from the Northwest and temperatures swiftly dove down into the 20s at higher elevations around the Bay Area. A Twitter user who goes by @codeuncommenter and calls herself Vee was taking in the extraordinary sight when a rainbow appeared and a photo was snapped. Vee snapped a photo and shared it on Twitter with the message, "Is a rainbow during snow called a snowbow?" There is actually such as a thing as a snowbow it is unsurprisingly the same thing as a rainbow but with ice crystals. But in this case, it's unclear whether the band of color across the sky was a bonafide "snowbow" as it was snowing above and raining below. MORE: There's a small chance of snow in San Francisco Tuesday 'if timing is right' The National Weather Service commented on Vee's photo and proclaimed in a response: "It might be a hybrid 'rainsnowbow' if the snow is melting at lower elevations." Temperatures fell swiftly Monday diving toward the 30s in valleys and 20s at higher elevations as a low-pressure system moves in from the Northwest delivering a blast of cold air. Snow levels dropped down to 2,500 feet above sea level Monday afternoon and are expected to move down to as low as 1,500 feet overnight and into Tuesday morning. Snow that doesn't stick to the ground is also possible at 400 feet to 500 feet. | https://www.sfgate.com/weather/article/Was-it-a-snowbow-that-formed-over-Mt-Tamalpais-13588634.php |
How much did Texas, Georgia fans spend while in New Orleans for Sugar Bowl? | When Texas and Georgia came to play in the Sugar Bowl last month at the Superdome, so did tens of thousands of fans who hadnt seen either of those schools play in the annual college football bowl in longer than a decade. On Monday (Feb. 4), with the release of an economic impact survey conducted by longtime UNO economist Timothy Ryan, it became clear what that meant financially. According to survey figures released by the bowl organization, more than 80 percent of the 71,449 fans at the game came from outside the New Orleans area and stayed an average of 2.6 nights, and each visitor spent an average of $1,171 during the visit. All that helped contribute to an economic impact of $280.45 million that ranked as the largest for the organization in a year when it did not host a national championship or a College Football Playoff semifinal. For comparison, the per-visitor spending was $1,411 for the 2018 semifinal game between Alabama and Clemson and $1,252 for the 2017 Sugar Bowl between Auburn and Oklahoma. Next year, the Sugar Bowl will host the annual New Years Day bowl game sponsored by Allstate in addition to the College Football Playoff championship set for Jan. 13. The economic impact from the two games should rival that of the 2011-12 year when the Sugar Bowl organization last hosted two games in one year. That year, Alabama beat LSU to win the BCS championship in one of those games. The bowl organization reported a record economic impact of more than $493 million that year. The Sugar Bowl is five years into a 12-year agreement in which it will host a national semifinal once every three years. The bowl has been home to a semifinal twice, and the organization had an economic impact of more than $312 million both times. Included in annual economic impact figures are the more than 60 local sporting events the bowl organization sponsors every year. In 2018-19, more than 68,000 visitors came from outside the New Orleans area, the survey said. The economic impact of $280.45 million for 2018-19 includes $157.86 million in direct spending and $122.59 million in secondary spending. The organization also generated nearly $22 million in state and local tax revenue, including $8.39 million in tax revenue for local governments in the New Orleans area. In the last decade, the bowl organization had an economic impact of more than $2.6 billion, according to the bowl organization. Since Katrina in 2005, that figure sits at $3.3 billion. Sam Ehlinger and the Drew Brees high school jersey: The story of when, where the Texas QB got it | https://www.nola.com/sports/2019/02/how-much-did-texas-georgia-fans-spend-while-in-new-orleans-for-sugar-bowl.html |
Do money apps make us better or worse with our finances? | Kerry Hudson, 28, spent her childhood living in poverty in Scotland with her single mother, in "a succession of council estates, bed and breakfasts for the homeless, and caravan parks". She lived in seven different places before she was 15, and attended 14 schools. "I was always the new girl with the weird accent and the wrong, cheap clothes," she recalls. "I was bullied every single day of secondary school." She found solace in books and the peace of the library, eventually growing up to become a prizewinning writer. Her most recent book, Lowborn, is about people growing up without money. But although her childhood experiences gave her a constant, gnawing fear of slipping back into poverty, Kelly found managing her finances difficult. "I was crap with money," she says, "perpetually running out before payday because I wasn't keeping track, which is obviously OK when there is a payday but you can't do that when you're freelance." So she sought help in the form of a money app from Revolut, the financial technology start-up currently under fire for an insensitive marketing campaign. Image copyright REVOLUT Image caption Money apps like Revolut and others help people keep track of their spending "It gives me a breakdown of what I've spent and, if it is often far too much in coffee shops where I primarily work, I know I've got to be more careful the following week," she says. When budgeting, she says, "I put a certain amount on [the card] each week and stick to that." The app also has an automatic saving facility and free cash withdrawals abroad (up to 200 a month). Global downloads of finance apps hit 3.4 billion in 2018 - that's 75% more than three years ago, says Silicon Valley analytics company App Annie. Their popularity is growing fastest in emerging-market countries, such as Brazil, India and Indonesia. And making it easier to send money to other people seems to be a major reason for their popularity in these countries. The world's three most downloaded money apps in 2018 - India's Te and PhonePe, and China's Alipay - as well as China's WeChat, all focus on money sending as a core function. "I get instant notification, it informs whoever's receiving a payment that it's sent, and conversation is driving payment," says Rachna Ahlawat, co-founder of Ondot, an app that lets users switch credit and debit cards on and off. In the US, 92% of 18 to 37-year-olds use finance apps, says Dr Annamaria Lusardi at the George Washington University School of Business, mostly to track spending and pay bills. Comprehensive evidence is hard to come by, but Reykjavik-based Georg Ludviksson, chief executive of fintech firm Meniga, says people who start using finance apps spend 7% less on average in the following six to 12 months. But he admits that simply cutting up your credit cards can have a more dramatic effect on your spending. His company is developing personalised banking apps for banks such as Spain's Santander, Sweden's Skandiabanken, and the Netherlands' ING Direct. Regularly seeing where our money goes seems key to successful budgeting. "If you're constantly reminded how much you've already spent, it becomes more painful to pay for the next item," according to Rufina Gafeeva in Cologne, who researches how technology changes our spending behaviour. But if payment apps just make spending money easier, with less emphasis on budget management, we can end up spending more than we did before we started using the app, she warns. Just think of the speed and convenience of contactless payment. Nearly a third of 18 to 37-year-olds in the US who use mobile payment apps have at some point become overdrawn, says Dr Lusardi, compared with only a fifth of non-app users. "What's the point where convenience becomes dangerous?" asks Steve Tigar, chief executive of Money Dashboard, a popular financial management app. "I'm not sure, but either you completely reject it and don't take part in the digital economy, or you embrace it and have a safety net that allows you to monitor your money really, really well." Money Dashboard makes your past spending more apparent by letting you see all your bank and credit card accounts in one place, and categorising your transactions to show you what you spend the most on. An equivalent in the US and Canada is Mint.com. It helps you make a budget and track your spending against it. "The better [money apps] are trying to be like Facebook," says Meniga's Georg Ludviksson. "You read through your feed, your transactions might be there, but also some insight and nudges about what you're spending money on," he says. More Technology of Business If your Starbucks habit is getting out control, for example, the app will warn you. Behavioural economists from Harvard Business School and the University of Edinburgh found that people using Money Dashboard "were saving about 40% of discretionary spend, about 10 per log-in," says Mr Tigar. "[There's a] correlation between people regularly logging in and their ability to stick to a budget," he says. In Europe, the 2015 Payment Services Directive (or PSD2), was supposed to foster innovation by giving approved start-ups access to your banking data. But banks have been slow in providing interfaces for tech firms, claims Mr Tigar, and this has frustrated many start-ups. "There's really little variation in [banks'] core products, so very little incentive for consumers to switch, and then this doesn't breed innovation," he says. And as personal debt levels continue to rise around the world, it seems money apps can cut both ways. They can make us more aware of how much we're spending and what on, helping us to stick to a budget, but the convenience of contactless payment could also be encouraging us to spend even more. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47075429 |
Where Will Western Digital Stock Be in 5 Years? | Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) dramatically expanded over the past decade. It acquired Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST) to become the world's top hard drive maker, launched new video surveillance HDDs (hard disk drives), and acquired flash memory maker SanDisk, cloud storage firm Upthere, and flash memory storage array maker Tegile Systems. But over the past five years, WD's stock lost more than 40% of its value on concerns about slowing demand for HDDs, declining prices for flash-based SSDs (solid state drives), and slowdowns in the enterprise and consumer electronics sectors. This sell-off reduced WD's forward P/E to 8 and boosted its forward dividend yield to nearly 5%. Patient investors might find that low P/E valuation and high yield tempting. A platter-based HDD. More Image source: Getty Images. Looking back at Western Digital's past five years WD's revenue growth over the past five years was significantly inflated by its acquisition of SanDisk, which closed in 2016. WDC Revenue (TTM) Chart More WDC Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts That merger also significantly boosted its free cash flow (FCF). Its net income declined after the acquisition, but gradually recovered over the following two years. | https://news.yahoo.com/where-western-digital-stock-5-233000289.html |
Is Floyd Mayweather Jr. Retired For Good, Or Is A Manny Pacquiao Fight Still In the Cards For 2019? | Maybe the picture above says all we need to know. It certainly seems that Manny Pacquiao is doing everything he can to chase down a Floyd Mayweather rematch, but there's just one problem. Mayweather is retired. For real. He's retired. Every day, there's a new report about who Pacquiao might or might not fight if Mayweather doesn't grant him a rematch, but like the photo above, it's Pacquiao who's looking over Mayweather's shoulder. Even if he's mentioning other fighters using the old clever takeaway technique. Seriously though, the only person that's really dictating this entire narrative is the one who isn't commenting on it at all. That would be Mayweather. Let that marinate. Many took Mayweather's December 31 "exhibition" against Tenshin Nasukawa as a sign that maybe Mayweather was keeping the wheels oiled in the event Pacquiao were to defeat Adrien Broner on January 19, in Las Vegas, in which he did. Since the Broner fight, Pacquiao has been very vocal as to who he may or may not fight. But here's what's perplexing to me. The only carrot for Pacquiao worth signing for is Mayweather. That's like getting out of a bad relationship and immediately entering into a new one on the rebound without a little "me" time. Meaning, Pacquiao could have remained a promotional free agent or promoted himself and still operate on a fight by fight basis with PBC or Top Rank as needed to fight the likes of Spence, Crawford, Garcia, Porter etc. The only fighter on the planet for Pacquiao to enter into another "promotional" relationship, we know, we know, Al Haymon is not a promoter. OK. Excuse me, ahem, a management agreement would be for, you guessed it, Mayweather. Pacquiao could have made his own deal with Showtime. He could have made his own deal with anyone for that matter. So, I'm waiting. I know it hasn't even been a month yet since Pacquiao fought Broner, but Mayweather has been awfully quiet on the topic. Instead, he's living his life, promoting his events and posting pictures and video on social media. Oh, and he added some new cars to his fleet. So back to Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2. All the cards will be on the able after Errol Spence Jr. vs. Mike Garcia takes place on March 16 in Arlington, Texas. The outcome of that fight could dictate the direction and fate of what's left of Pacquiao's career. One thing is for certain. Time is not on anyone's side in this case, so we should know what the master plan is in just over a month. We might very well learn that what Mayweather has been telling us all along is true. He's retired. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterkahn/2019/02/04/floyd-mayweather-retired-manny-pacquiao-fight-2019/ |
Who are Arizona members of Congress taking to the State of the Union? | Sen. Martha McSally is bringing Isaiah Acosta to the State of the Union. He is a rapper from Phoenix who advocates for Phoenix Childrens Hospital and Childrens Miracle Networks Hospitals. He was born without a lower jaw. (Photo: Sean Logan/azcentral) Members of Congress are granted guest tickets for the presidents State of the Union address, which is happening Tuesday at 7 p.m. Arizona time. Some lawmakers bring spouses or family members, while others bring guests who reflect their political agenda. There was some drama surrounding this years State of the Union speech during a partial government shutdown in which President Donald Trump and Congress could not come to terms over funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., eventually agreed to hold the event Tuesday, a week after it was originally scheduled. Here are this year's guests of Arizona's senators and representatives. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema Sinema, a Democrat, is bringing Air Force veteran Bryan Bouchard as her guest. Bouchard served in the Air Force for more than 20 years and now serves on the senators Veterans Advisory Council where he gets to see her commitment to Arizonas veterans every day, he said in a statement. Sen. Martha McSally McSally, a Republican, is bringing Isaiah Acosta, a 19-year-old rapper from Phoenix who advocates for Phoenix Childrens Hospital and Childrens Miracle Networks Hospitals. Acosta was born without a lower jaw. The rapper, who is mute, writes rap lyrics and collaborates with other artists to voice them. McSally said she is inspired by Acosta and hopes his trip to D.C. will inspire him in return. His music and his story have inspired people around the world to embrace their differences, and those of others, and to see beyond their challenges and barriers in life, McSally said in a statement. Isaiahs vision and resilience are absolutely humbling. CLOSE Isaiah Acosta teamed up with rapper Tikey Patterson to write and perform his music. Now, he's graduating and looking forward to continuing his dream. Sean Logan, The Republic | azcentral.com Rep. Tom OHalleran OHalleran, a Democrat whose district includes much of the Navajo Nation, is bringing Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer as his guest on Tuesday. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick Kirkpatrick, a Democrat, has not announced a guest. Rep. Raul Grijalva Grijalva, a Democrat, is not planning on bringing a guest. Rep. Paul Gosar Gosar, a Republican, has not announced a guest. Rep. Andy Biggs Biggs, a Republican, is bringing Art Del Cueto, a Border Patrol agent and vice president of the National Border Patrol Council. Art Del Cueto is a great American patriot, and I am honored to attend the #SOTU with him. Since he joined the Border Patrol in 2003, Art has dedicated his life to enforcing our immigration laws and protecting Americans. I am grateful for his leadership within the Border Patrol. pic.twitter.com/QasEK57FaO Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) February 4, 2019 The Border Patrol plays a vital role in protecting national security, but Congress has allowed their staffing, pay, and resources to dwindle down to alarming numbers, Biggs said in a written statement. Art and his fellow agents deserve the resources they need to secure the border, he said. Del Cuerto said in a statement that he is honored to have been invited to the event, especially by Biggs. He has always been a great friend, not just to me, but to all the Border Patrol agents, he said. He is a true warrior in assisting us secure our borders and protecting the American public. Rep. David Schweikert Schweikert, a Republican, has not announced a guest. Last year, he brought his wife and daughter. Rep. Ruben Gallego Gallego, a Democrat, is bringing Beth Lewis, a fifth-grade teacher and executive director of Save Our Schools Arizona, as his guest on Tuesday. Rep. Debbie Lesko Lesko, a Republican, is bringing her husband, Joe Lesko. Rep. Greg Stanton Stanton, a Democrat, is bringing DACA recipient Ellie Perez as his guest. Perez was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was 4 years old. She graduated from Arizona State University and became the first "dreamer" employed by Phoenix, according to a statement from Stantons office. Stanton is a former Phoenix mayor. My friend and DACA recipient Ellie Perez will be my guest at Tuesday's State of the Union Address. Ellie is a reminder to all of us in Congressand to President Trumpthat our nation will be stronger when we pass immigration reform that fully embraces DREAMers as Americans. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) February 1, 2019 Stanton said in a written statement Monday he hopes Trump will use this speech to appeal to the better angels of our nature and make finding a solution for DREAMers a top priority. Perez worked as Stantons political and field director during his campaign, but is unable to work for the House of Representatives because of her DACA status. Ive known Ellie for several years and am constantly inspired by her passion for serving our community, Stanton said in the statement. 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. 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What's Manny Machado waiting for? More money? Or the Yankees? | originally appeared on nbcsportschicago.com Manny Machado's free-agent saga has dragged on seemingly forever, and certain White Sox fans who once desperately wanted him in black pinstripes now get agitated by every tweet that mentions his name. Such is life in the 2018-19 baseball offseason. Scroll to continue with content Ad Well, there's still no Machado decision, but there is another Machado update, this one a 1-2 punch from the New York Post's Joel Sherman and MLB Network's Jon Heyman. First, Sherman took a look at whether Machado - or the other mega free agent the baseball world is waiting on, Bryce Harper - would be willing to punt a massive-money contract to next offseason rather than accept one of the lower-than-expected bids this winter. The prospect of Machado or Harper taking a one-year deal would have seemed ludicrous mere months ago, when they were both expected to receive decade-long deals worth $300 million or more. Well, those apparently haven't materialized, at least in Machado's case, with the only reported offer being the one he got from the White Sox, reportedly worth $175 million over seven years. But Sherman laid out some interesting points in favor of Machado doing such a thing. It could allow Machado to test out a team before committing himself to one for the better part of the next decade, especially when the three teams going after him - the White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres - are focused on future success rather than simply being a contender in 2019. That doesn't apply quite as much to the Phillies, who probably feel Machado would make them a contender for the upcoming season. But the White Sox and Padres, even with Machado, wouldn't figure to be playoff teams in 2019. Story continues Sherman also mentions how a one-year deal could also better position Machado to land with his preferred team, the New York Yankees, on a long-term deal. While the Yankees' infield is crowded now, there are questions about Miguel Andujar's ability to be the third baseman of the future there, and the Rookie of the Year runner up has had his name mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason. Troy Tulowitzki is on a one-year deal for 2019. And Didi Gregorius, the team's starting shortstop on the mend from Tommy John surgery, is slated to hit free agency next offseason. In other words, the Yankees could have much bigger need for Machado after the 2019 season than they do ahead of it. Of course, a one-year deal for Machado would make no sense at all for the White Sox, who are entirely focused on competing in the long term. Acquiring Machado for one season, a season in which the team is not expected to contend for a championship, with no guarantee that he'd stick around once the contention window fully opens, is pointless and does nothing to accomplish any of the franchise's long-term goals. So even if it would be a potentially attractive move for Machado, it'd likely be a non-starter for Rick Hahn and his front office. Then there's the other part of this update, from Heyman, who tweeted that Machado might not be happy with the offers he's received so far this offseason. As mentioned, the only one of those we've heard supposed details about is the one from the White Sox, who reportedly offer a seven-year contract worth $175 million. It's worth noting that Machado's agent, Dan Lozano, issued a formal statement calling those reported details wrong. But a bunch of reports contradicted one that the White Sox offer was worth $250 million over eight years. So it's no surprise that Machado's camp might not have received the offers it was expected he would get when the offseason began. Heyman added that Machado might simply be waiting to see if the Yankees will come calling. They played host to Machado during his free-agent tour in December, but they've been considered out of the running for his services since signing infielders Tulowitzki and D.J. LeMahieu and spending big dollars on free-agent relief pitchers Zach Britton and Adam Ottavino. But if Machado's desire to play in The Bronx is as strong as has been reported, maybe he'd be willing to take a less-than-ideal offer from the Yankees before he would take one from other suitors such as the White Sox. Of course, the Yankees may not be feeling the union as much as Machado is: Just to be clear, while Machado may still be holding onto long-shot hopes for the Yankees, there's no evidence that still could happen. They could currently be the highest bidder. It's been reported that Machado will go to the highest bidder above all else. Of course, the White Sox believe themselves to be strong in the "all else" category, too, providing something that no other team can: the ability to team with Miami friends Yonder Alonso (also Machado's brother-in-law) and Jon Jay. But Machado's continued dragging out of this process might not be good news. As has been the case through this entire process, it seems we don't know what's really going on. What we do know: Still no decision from Machado. Or Harper, for that matter. We're just a week away from spring training, and the offseason keeps on dragging on. Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the White Sox easily on your device. | https://sports.yahoo.com/whats-manny-machado-waiting-more-201048492.html?src=rss |
Do children in two-parent families do better? | Researchers have been looking at how children from single-parent and two-parent families fare in life. Family life is more richly varied than ever before. A growing proportion of parents in the UK choose to live together, rather than getting married. And during the past 20 years about one in five children has been growing up in a lone-parent family. This reflects big social shifts in attitudes and opportunities, some of which started in the 1960s, when women began to gain more control over when to have children. Two large studies in the UK and the US have been following children growing up since about the year 2000. They are beginning to provide some evidence suggesting there is a measurable difference in how well children fare on average in single-parent families. It's a deeply sensitive area and the academics involved insist this is not about judging or blaming but rather capturing the challenges some families face when there is one parent. Sara Mclanahan was a single parent herself for 10 years, after her first marriage ended in divorce. Now, she is professor of sociology at Princeton University, in the US, where she has overseen the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Five thousand children and their parents were recruited into the study in large American cities, mostly in families where the parents were not married. Looking at types of family structure was explicitly part of the research from the outset. "The big finding from the first year was high hopes and low capabilities," Prof Mclanahan said. The mothers wanted the fathers to be involved and the fathers contributed a lot during pregnancy. Because the study had recruited in big cities, many of the parents had lower incomes or levels of education and a high proportion were black or Hispanic American. This was important because of the challenges these fathers face with the police and justice systems, with about 40% of the unmarried fathers spending some time in prison. Find out more: In this research, even allowing for economic disadvantage, Prof Mclanahan said, data began to show the impact of instability on a child's life. Those whose parents had divorced were more likely to fail to progress at school. Children who were in what the researchers characterised as a "fragile family", where parents were cohabiting or there was a lone parent, were twice as likely not to graduate from high school. Prof Mclanahan said the data showed that even a child in a stable single-parent household was likely to do worse on some measures than a child of a married couple. "Having two adults who co-operate to raise the child, who give time and money, means there are just more resources than one doing it," she said. She accepts the study isn't perfect - after all, it isn't an experiment but instead is following real lives. Even so, she said, the findings from this and other research were consistent enough to raise questions about whether lone-parent families needed more support. There are big differences between the fragile families study and similar work done in the UK. In the year 2000, 19,000 children were recruited with their parents into the Millennium Cohort Study. The idea was to track their lives through to adulthood, looking at many different aspects of how they were doing. Unlike the US study, the data here shows little difference between married and cohabiting parents, perhaps because this large study is more representative of the population as a whole. The most recent findings looked at how children's age altered the effect of parents separating. For the very youngest children, the impact was significantly less than if the split happened later in childhood, from about the age of seven upwards. The children in the Millennium Cohort Study are assessed every year for basic skills such as numeracy and literacy. On both the basic education skills and the outcomes, children in single parents appear to be worse. "We measure their wellbeing levels, of depressive symptoms, of how they're feeling, their levels of anxiety and so on. And we tend to see they're also doing worse - also on that dimension," said lead researcher Prof Emla Fitzsimons, from the Institute of Education. Prof Fitzsimons said: "There is still a difference between the outcomes of children born to single-parent households, versus married or cohabiting, even when you taken into account they tend to be from poorer homes." The academics say these are average findings across large populations, not a judgement on any individual parents. Neither Prof Mclanahan nor Prof Fitzsimons think their research should change the complex decisions individuals make about how to raise their children. But they are asking questions of wider society about what could be done to provide more support to parents taking on the difficult job of bringing up children on their own. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47057787 |
Why would Giants welcome Raiders to Oracle Park? | Those are just some of the questions bubbling after reports that the Raiders are close to signing a contract to play their final season in the Bay Area at the Giants ballpark. I was pondering those questions as I sat on the left-field grass at Oracle Park on Monday morning. I wasnt there to meditate on the strange state of Bay Area sports, but for Peter Magowans memorial, held in a large tent on the field of the ballpark Magowan got built. Throughout the private ceremony, the ballpark was referred to as a shrine, a temple, San Franciscos beautiful living room. Because of Magowans insistence, the grass was kept flawless, a pure expanse of green without gaudy swirls or patterns. It has always been a pristine lawn and in Peters memory, it always will be, Giants President Larry Baer said. Baer was in a somber mood at his dear friends memorial. He wasnt directly answering questions or promising any forthcoming announcements. But from this point of view, this one-season rental to the Raiders would be a bad development, unsettling to fans of each team and speaking to a desperation in both franchises. For the Raiders, it would be a move out of spite, bitterness over the Oakland lawsuit against the NFL and Davis insecurity over sharing a building with the 49ers. (Why on earth the NFL doesnt force the Raiders to play at Levis, a stadium built for football, is beyond me. The league already handed Davis a new market. He owes the NFL the easiest compromise.) One of Davis big complaints about both Levis and even a long-ago plan to build a stadium in the Coliseum parking lot while the team continued to play at the Coliseum was it would ruin the tailgating experience. Its just part of the Raider game-day experience and I just cant give that up, he once said. Thats another thing he once said that apparently is no longer important. Las Vegas is going to have virtually zero tailgating. There are only about 2,000 parking spaces in the Giants Lot A but with the parking lot being built by the Warriors at one end and the plans for Mission Rock under way, the lot is shrinking by the minute. There are way more tailgating opportunities at Levis. Yep, the Oakland Coliseum. So much for those East Bay fans who have been so loyal. It is so frustrating, my longtime Raiders fan friend said. All part of the freaking Mark Davis plan. For the Giants, the only upside is a payday, which carries the stench of desperation. Season-ticket numbers are rumored to be dwindling, the Giants have made no offseason moves to placate their frustrated fans, and those $15 beers arent going to be jumping off the concessions-stand counters. Still, the team just got between $300 million and $350 million for naming rights from Oracle. Desperate. If this deal goes through, the 49ers would have to waive their territorial rights, which speaks to the weirdness of our Bay Area sports landscape. Baer and the Giants have been holding tight to their territorial rights which include San Jose for a quarter-century, effectively keeping the As out of the South Bay. The 49ers have territorial rights to San Francisco, the city they abandoned in 2014 to move to Santa Clara. That move lost them a ton of San Francisco and North Bay fans. Playing in San Francisco, if it happens, could mean the Raiders a shell of a competitive team, with their bags already packed for Las Vegas would lose even more of their East Bay fans. There is speculation that the Raiders, who will have only seven regular-season home games because they will play one in London, wouldnt play any games in San Francisco until after the baseball season is finished. But by that time. the Warriors will be playing preseason games at nearby Chase and hoping to have the neighborhood to themselves. Theyve already found the Raiders to be bad neighbors as have the other Oakland teams. The most powerful sports team in the Bay Area would not be thrilled at the prospect of the Raiders moving next door, even temporarily. I thought about all those things as I sat on Magowans pristine lawn Monday morning. In a baseball temple. In San Francisco, not Oakland. Ann Killion is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @annkillion | https://www.sfchronicle.com/giants/annkillion/article/Why-would-Giants-welcome-Raiders-13589110.php |
Will Charlotte City Council push for longer, 4-year terms? | Charlotte City Council is poised to start the process for a referendum that would let voters decide if their terms should be extended to four years. While a few members think the council should take a vote to give themselves four-year terms, voters could later nullify that move with a referendum if they collected 5,000 signatures to put it on the ballot. A majority of council members believe they should go straight to voters for a November referendum on the issue, however. On Monday, council members decided to vote on whether to start the referendum process at their meeting next week. And several said theyre ready to move on one way or another, after months of discussion at council and committee meetings. City Council has the legal ability to make a decision on four-year terms, said council member LaWana Mayfield, who thinks council should vote on four-year terms themselves instead of leaving it to a voter referendum. Theres a conversation between political will and political ability. ... We have been having this conversation since 2013. Digital Access for only $0.99 For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today. Council member Tariq Bokhari, who opposes four-year terms, urged the council to stop discussing the issue, since a majority of members clearly support it. I dont think the taxpayers or voters are screaming for this, said Bokhari. Can we just figure out how to stop talking about this? Council member James Mitchell agreed. We need to move on, said Mitchell. This is not public service. Council voted 8-3 in favor of putting the referendum question on their agenda next week, with Bokhari, Mayfield and Ed Driggs voting no. If City Council decides to schedule a referendum for voters, they will have to hold a public hearing within 45 days. Its likely that such a move would pass if City Council voted on it themselves, as a majority of members have said they think its a good idea. With elections every two years, City Council members complain that they really only get about a year and a half each term to learn about complex issues and actually govern before the campaign season cranks back up. The terms would also be staggered, so that only a third or so of members would be up for reelection every cycle. That could prevent the large-scale turnover thats possible now, with every seat up for a vote every two years. But if council members decided to change the length of their terms unilaterally, the action would be subject to a recall referendum if opponents gathered 5,000 signatures. Council members acknowledge thats a threshold opponents of longer terms could likely clear, and that a referendum on four-year terms is likely to see voters weigh in with a no. In 2015, Mecklenburg County commissioners asked voters to extend their terms from two to four years, via a referendum. That measure lost by a 2-1 margin, with 66 percent of voters opposed to the change. Many of Charlottes peer cities have four-year terms for local elected officials, including Indianapolis, Nashville, Denver, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Columbus, Ohio, and Atlanta. Others, such as Fort Worth, Dallas, Raleigh and Durham, have two-year terms. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article225511080.html |
Is former President Bill Clinton secretly a superfan of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks? | Former U.S. President Bill Clinton was courtside Monday night in New York taking in the Milwaukee Bucks' game against the Brooklyn Nets. It's not the first time that Clinton has attended Bucks games, having appeared most prominently at Game 6 of last year's first-round series in Milwaukee. Clinton is close friends with Bucks co-owners Mark Lasry and Wes Edens who have been donors to the Democratic Party in the past and he joined them and fellow co-owner Jamie Dinan to take in their team's 113-94 victory over the Nets. But despite his close personal relationship to the owners he and Hillary Clinton attended the wedding of Lasry's daughter the 42nd president's interest and knowledge regarding the NBA team comes across as very real. When interviewed by NBATV Monday night, Clinton expressed his excitement about the play of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the moves the Bucks made to add to the roster in the past year. "He's unbelievable, and he's really come into his own this year," the 72-year-old Clinton said of the Greek Freak. "I love to watch him. But he's got a lot of good help now. You know it's a different team now ... They got George Hill. George Hill is reliable, he's a great team player, he adds value to every place he ever plays. They've done things that works, and (Brook) Lopez is doing great there." . @BillClinton was in Brooklyn tonight and spoke with @JaredSGreenberg about his love for the NBA!#GameNightpic.twitter.com/tKS6xpTFDy NBA TV (@NBATV) February 5, 2019 Later in speaking with writer Chris Sheridan, Clinton once again praised Antetokounmpo calling him a "once in a generation player, one of the great players in the league." Former President Bill Clinton poses for a photo with the Brooklyn Nets hype crew after a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. (Photo: Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports) "This is becoming a team. It's a different, strong team. The veterans they picked up are adding value. They can put three 7-footers on the floor if they want to and still move up and down the court. It's a great, fascinating thing. I can't wait to see what becomes of them," Clinton added. "They've got some work to do, but they have the personnel now that can really do something exceptional." Clinton certainly sounded like someone who frequently is tuning into Bucks games with his answers. And he's justified in his excitement for watching: Milwaukee is first in the Eastern Conference with a 39-13 record and league-best plus-10 scoring differential. Contributing: Jeff Zillgitt | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2019/02/04/bill-clinton-attends-milwaukee-bucks-brooklyn-nets-game/2774811002/ |
Where Is Entrepreneurship Headed? | Do a google search on the future of entrepreneurship and 129 million results show up. There seems to be a common theme to many of the articles, and the one by the Kauffman Foundation, seems to be a good summary. In essence, most are doing evolutionary forecasting and extending current trends, which seem to be pointing in three directions. The first is on the number of ventures started and the impact of demographics. Although many lament about declining interest in entrepreneurship as evidenced by an occasional fall in the number of new ventures, my previous observation was that entrepreneurs are not fools they launch ventures when there are more opportunities. And there are more opportunities when high-potential industries, such as the Internet, are emerging. The second direction is the geographic dispersion of high-potential venturing, including the availability of venture capital, which looks at how to increase the availability of venture capital outside the top three centers of California, New York, and Massachusetts. While discussing the "shortfall" in venture capital, these analyses mostly neglect the fact that high-potential opportunities are needed for VCs to succeed. And high-potential opportunities are created by high-performance entrepreneurs, not VCs. VCs add fuel to an existing fire. The Kauffman article also covers the new nature of entrepreneurship and one of the points made is that the number of jobs created per billion in sales has changed over the years. It points to the difference between Kodak (75,000 jobs when it reached $1 billion in sales) and Facebook (6,300) jobs) and adds that the dollars are not adjusted for inflation. When you do adjust the dollars for inflation, the difference is minimal. A dollar in 1962 when Kodak reached $1 billion is worth about $8.30 today. Divide 75,000 by 8.31 and you get about 9,000 not far from Facebook. And Kodak sold a product. Facebook does not sell a product. Only eyeballs. But these are small points when compared with the major point that most of these articles are missing and entrepreneurial educators who are concerned about the future of entrepreneurial education should consider. The current model of entrepreneurial education is the opportunity-based, innovation-focused, VC-funded method, which has infiltrated the world of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education to such an extent that winning a pitch contest and getting financing from investors, especially at a unicorn valuation, is considered a mark of success. To evaluate this issue, it would be useful to understand the previous four eras: Pre-VC : Pre-1946, ventures, like GE, had to fund their ventures with funds from savings, family, cash flow, angels, wealthy families, or investment bankers. : Pre-1946, ventures, like GE, had to fund their ventures with funds from savings, family, cash flow, angels, wealthy families, or investment bankers. 1946-1958 : The VC industry started with the founding of American Research & Development, the first VC fund. VCs could provide large amounts of funds to accelerate high-potential ventures. These funds laid the foundation of the present-day VC industry. : The VC industry started with the founding of American Research & Development, the first VC fund. VCs could provide large amounts of funds to accelerate high-potential ventures. These funds laid the foundation of the present-day VC industry. 1958-1979 : In 1958, the U.S. government funded the SBIC program to expand the VC program. The SBIC program had many successes, including Cray Research and Bank SBICs offered early stage VC and the others mainly offered late-stage funding. MESBICs offered VC to minority-controlled ventures, but this program was terminated due to a high level of failures. : In 1958, the U.S. government funded the SBIC program to expand the VC program. The SBIC program had many successes, including Cray Research and Bank SBICs offered early stage VC and the others mainly offered late-stage funding. MESBICs offered VC to minority-controlled ventures, but this program was terminated due to a high level of failures. 1979-Today: The current-day institutional VC industry, with VC limited partnerships, started in 1979 with the change in ERISA that allowed pension funds to invest a small part of their assets in VC funds. This fourth era of entrepreneurship, that focuses on the opportunity-based, VC-funded method, cannot last much longer because: VCs are very selective and only fund about 0.1% of ventures 99.9% do not get VC 97% of VC funding is provided after Aha entrepreneurs need to know how to get to Aha with skills Despite being so selective, 80% of VC-funded ventures fail VC helps 0.02% of ventures Only about 1% of VC-funded ventures are home runs, and early stage VC funds mainly fail if they dont fund home runs. Interestingly, one of the funds that was an early investor in Google ended up breaking even About 20 VC firms earn most of VC profits because they finance these home runs. These 20 are mainly located in Silicon Valley because thats where most home runs are Entrepreneurs who do get VC do better by delaying it and keeping control of both the venture and the wealth created. They do so by using skills to improve the opportunities, by developing the best strategies, and by executing to dominate. The VC industry has become a very selective Silicon Valley casino where a few ventures get VC, and even fewer ventures, most of which are in Silicon Valley, win the jackpot This suggests that VC success has concentrated to the point where very few VCs fund very few ventures, and even fewer VCs and ventures succeed. The 0.1% of ventures that get VC can do better by using skills to delay it. The 99.9% that do not get VC can do better by acquiring the skills to be capital efficient, grow with limited capital, and take off without VC. Thats what 94% of unicorn-entrepreneurs did. This suggests that the next era of entrepreneurship will be skills based. Although the VC-funded method has garnered a lot of attention, the skills-based method has a longer record of success and is more useful for all entrepreneurs. Unicorn-entrepreneurs, from Sam Walton to Thai Lee, built unicorns without VC. Unicorn-entrepreneurs, from Jeff Bezos to Jan Koum, built unicorns with delayed VC. All used finance-smart skills and capital-efficient strategies to take off without VC. Blending of finance-smart skills and alternate-financing strategies can allow more unicorns to grow outside Silicon Valley. Teaching the right skills and smart strategies can help more entrepreneurs develop more growth ventures. By teaching skills to grow more with less, to get controllable financing before Aha, and growth financing after, entrepreneurs can keep control of their venture and of the wealth created like Zuckerberg. MY TAKE: Having spent a lot of time in entrepreneurial education after financing ventures for 23 years, I have found that academics follow practitioners. Currently, academics use the innovation-focused, opportunity-based, VC-funded method. They will start following the skills-based, entrepreneur-focused method after the practitioners start to use it. Entrepreneurship will change first. Entrepreneurial education will follow. The hallmark of entrepreneurship seems to be that do-ers are leaders and teachers are followers. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/dileeprao/2019/02/05/where-is-entrepreneurship-headed/ |
Can Stacey Abrams break the curse when she delivers the Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union? | WASHINGTON Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams has a lot going for her: a national following, a profile as an up-and-coming face of the party, and a real shot at higher office. Abrams has been tapped to deliver the Democrats official response following President Donald Trumps State of the Union speech Tuesday night, a tradition afforded the party not occupying the White House. But the high-profile assignment that the former gubernatorial candidate is taking on has been known to damage political aspirations. "You're following a president, which oftentimes is not an easy act to follow," said John Hudak, a senior fellow of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institute in Washington. In 2009, then-Louisiana GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal and rising political star was skewered for his wooden delivery following Barack Obama's address. His 2016 run for president fizzled months before the first primaries. In 2013, Sen. Marco Rubio's case of severe cotton mouth prompted the Florida Republican to fumble for a nearby water bottle all while keeping his eyes oddly fixed on the camera during his response to Obama's speech. The "water bottle moment" lit up Twitter and prompted a Saturday Night Live sketch and became a source of ridicule during his presidential run in 2016. Nov 5, 2018; Savannah, GA, USA; Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks on the campaign trail at the Longshoremen Union Hall in Savannah, Georgia one day before the Nov. 6 elections. More In 2017, former Democratic Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, drew internet snickers by declaring in his speech following Trump's address that he was "a proud Democrat, but first and foremost, I am a proud Republican, and Democrat and mostly, American." Beshear, who had won plaudits for twice winning gubernatorial contests in a red state, has been rarely heard from since then. "The setting is also so much less impressive than the State of the Union" where the president addresses a joint session of Congress, Hudak said about the response. "And those optics can really add layers to the way in which a speech is perceived." Millions of Americans followed Abrams and her spirited campaign last year to become the nation's first black female governor. Her near-win in November (she lost to Republican Brian Kemp by 1.4 percentage points) was viewed as even more remarkable given that she ran in a deep red state. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who invited Abrams to make the response, cited her resonance among working-class families and priority on voting rights as reasons for selecting the former state legislator who is expected to challenge Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., in 2020. What history says President Trump should do in the State of the Union address Abrams said she plans "to deliver a vision for prosperity and equality, where everyone in our nation has a voice and where each of those voices is heard." The concern for Abrams is less an awkward stumble or verbal gaffe than being tagged as part of inside-the-Beltway Democrats and the problems in Washington following an unpopular government shutdown, said Capri Cafaro, a former Democratic member of the Ohio State Senate who now teaches at American University's school of public affairs. Trump won Georgia in the 2016 presidential election and is likely to win again in 2020. If Abrams is on the ballot, what she says Tuesday to a national audience could reverberate in the Peach State next year, Cafaro said. A little advice for @staceyabrams as she prepares our Democratic rebuttal: -Be yourself, youll crush it -Hell talk longer than you expect so keep snacks handy -Be the fighter we know you are -Misplace your chapstick -You have millions of Americans standing with you Good luck! Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) January 29, 2019 | https://news.yahoo.com/stacey-abrams-break-curse-she-080004182.html |
Where are health care and the economy headed in 2019? | With President Trump making his State of the Union address this week, this episode of the "Where Did You Get This Number?" podcast takes a "by the numbers" look at where America stands on two issues that are top concerns in the polls: health care and the economy. Host Anthony Salvanto takes you through the latest CBS News polling on where Americans think the state of the country is and why they think things are heading in the wrong direction despite saying the economy is so good. Salvanto interviews CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook to break down the big trends affecting Americans' health and the U.S. health care system. He notes that average U.S. life expectancy had been on the increase, but then saw a slight decline in 2015 and 2016. That was "really the first time in decades that it had dropped two years in a row," LaPook said. "Drug addiction, opioids and suicides are a major contributor." He also discusses the health care system's inefficiencies and notes that "whatever the solution is, it's got to work for everybody and hopefully there'll be better communication," LaPook said. "Then we can get to a next system of coverage." On the stock market front, investors have had a wild ride of late, with the market up in January coming off the worst decline in 10 years at the end of 2018. Hope King, an anchor at financial news network Cheddar TV, helps listeners break down the numbers that market-movers and top investors are looking at now. King notes that financial sentiments are mixed, with unemployment near 50-year lows and great labor participation rates, but also a lot of uncertainty around monetary policy and slowing global economic growth. "I think those are factors that no one can control for that companies have to figure out how to manage their companies through," King said. "If we know anything about the markets, volatility is the result of uncertainty, and that's certainly what we're seeing right now." King also explains how uncertainty in the domestic and global markets impacts the average consumer and could affect their confidence about the broader economy. To hear more of our discussions on U.S. health care and the economy, listen to the "Where Did You Get This Number?" podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify. New episodes are available every other Monday. Producers: Oscar Gonzalez, Allen Peng Host: Anthony Salvanto Twitter: @WDYGTN | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-healthy-is-the-u-s-whats-up-with-the-economy/ |
Will President Trump Finally Address Middle-Class Woes? | President Trump will give his State of the Union address in Congress on February 5, 2019. He will undoubtedly tout the continuing economic and labor market expansion as his record. Against this backdrop, the big questions are whether he will mention the ongoing financial struggles middle class families face, including retirement insecurity, and whether he will propose real ways to ease those struggles. His record so far raises serious doubts about his future efforts to help Americas middle class. After all, his first two years in office have been marked by policies that hurt not helped families finances. Many families face current and future economic insecurity. Wage growth has been flat for much of the past decade. This has made it difficult for many families to just get by. A lot of families also have a hard time to put money aside for an emergency, for their childrens education and for retirement. Wealth the difference between what people own such as emergency savings, retirement savings and the equity in their house and what they own in mortgages, credit cards and student loans, for example was still only 63.3% in 2016 of what it was in 2007 before the Great Recession. The median non-retiree family wealth was $69,400 (in 2016 dollars) in 2016, down from $109,664 in 2007. The problem of economic insecurity is even greater among communities of color and those who dont have a college degree. Many middle class families still live paycheck to paycheck, have little money set aside for an emergency, cant get ahead and face an uncertain retirement. President Trump tapped into this economic insecurity during his campaign. His policies so far have, if anything, made these problems worse , however. Most recently, he partially shut down the government over funding for a widely opposed border wall. The longest partial government shutdown in history affected 800,000 government employees and another estimated 1.2 million contractors, who may not get paid for their lost income. Many of the impacted families did not have the savings to withstand a month without a paycheck. People then borrowed on credit cards and from payday lenders. They delayed paying their bills, for instance, for their childrens college tuition. And they filed for unemployment insurance. The result was not only less income, but also less wealth. Yet members of President Trumps administration, including the president himself, showed a complete lack of awareness for the harm they had inflicted on middle-class families with the shutdown. The shutdown was only the latest example in President Trumps policies going against the interests of middle-class families. Most prominently, he touted a tax cuts in 2017 that favored the richest Americans and corporations over middle-class Americans. The tax cuts predictably did not deliver the goods on faster investment and thus cannot bring more productivity growth and higher wages for American workers. Instead, the tax cuts exacerbated income inequality by giving disproportionate amounts of money to the highest income earners and by rewarding shareholders. Worse, conservatives, including the Presidents economic advisor, suggested to cut key middle-class benefits such as Social Security and Medicare to pay for the deficits that followed the irresponsible and ineffective tax cuts. The tax cuts then could exacerbate rather than alleviate middle-class woes. The tax cuts were not the first time President Trump pursued policies that hurt middle-class families. In fact, in one of his first acts as president in 2017, he rescinded new overtime rules proposed by President Obama. These new rules would have boosted wages for 13.5 million workers. Lower wages make it much harder for many families to build up a nest egg and save for retirement, among other things. The State of the Union address is a possibility for President Trump to reset his policy agenda. He could lend his support to a higher minimum wage as he has done before becoming president. A higher minimum wage would boost incomes at the bottom, where wage growth has been especially slow, and make it easier for people to save. As conservatives call for cuts to Social Security and Medicare amid rising deficits, he could reassure people that there will be no program cuts, as he did during his campaign. He could even encourage Social Security expansion as a wide array of Democratic lawmakers have proposed. Strengthening key programs like Social Security and Medicare would go a long way to boost middle-class economic security amid weak wage growth and low wealth. President Trump could propose a well-designed, effective and much needed infrastructure initiative that would boost middle-class jobs and wages in key industries such as construction and manufacturing. These industries would be helped more with such necessary investments than trade wars and changes to trade agreements that leave out labor standards, for example. At a minimum, it would be welcome to see President Trump abandon policies that further harm middle-class economic security such as making the tax cuts permanent and threatening another government shutdown. All of these things would help, but if recent history is any guide, they wont be in President Trumps speech. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/christianweller/2019/02/05/will-president-trump-finally-address-middle-class-woes/ |
Is the Samsung Galaxy Watch ditching its rotating bezel to go bezel-less? | Beside the highly-anticipated Galaxy S10 series reveal at Unpacked later this month, Samsung is also expected to be showing off a refreshed wearable line including a new smart watch allegedly called the Galaxy Sport, according to 91Mobiles. On Monday 91Mobiles received from what it describes as "a reliable source" a likely rendering of a brand new Samsung smartwatch that's expected to debut at Galaxy Unpacked on February 20. This upcoming watch, purportedly called the Galaxy Watch Sport, has apparently been designed with the outdoor enthusiast in mind. While details are sparse, it will most likely be equipped with the same sensors and feature as previous models -- sleep monitor, step counter, activity tracker, GPS, etc. -- and then some extras like improved dust and water resistance. As for the rendering 91Mobiles revealed, it appears as though the rotating bezel surrounding the watch face characteristic of Samsung wearables has been completely omitted in favor of a completely bezel-less display. This form of control has been replaced with two circular, mechanical buttons on the right side; therefore, it's likely that an update to the Tizen OS will be announced at the event, as well. [Exclusive]: Samsung Galaxy Sport smartwatch's render reveals circular dial and premium designhttps://t.co/nrGwXxJvy7 91mobiles (@91mobiles) February 4, 2019 The standard Galaxy Watch and the more outdoor-oriented Gear lineup already feature over 40 activities that could be tracked in addition to a wide range of health and location tracking features, so it's difficult to imagine what more the new Galaxy sport-iteration could be equipped with. At any rate, the Galaxy Watch Sport will likely be revealed on February 20 at Samsung Unpacked. You can watch all the new wearables be unveiled and the S10 lineup be officially announced live February 20 on the company site. | https://news.yahoo.com/samsung-galaxy-watch-ditching-rotating-bezel-bezel-less-104832401.html |
Could April's Vasyl Lomachenko Vs. Richard Commey Lightweight Unification Fight Be In Jeopardy? | If just under nine weeks wasn't a quick enough turnaround for Richard Commey to defend his newly won IBF lightweight world title, add a potential hand injury into the mix and a WBO, WBA and IBF unification bout against top-five pound-for-pound Vasyl Lomachenko seems in jeopardy. Commey puts Chaniev on the mat in the first! #AlvarezKovalev2 pic.twitter.com/0QqphkJoPq Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 3, 2019 After Commey's less than two round destruction of Isa Chaniev by knockout on Saturday night in Texas, Mike Coppinger of The Ring, immediately reported from ringside that Commey might have suffered a hand injury. Commey says he felt something pop. I asked him if he can fight on April 12. Says he wont know until X-Ray https://t.co/GemcDaayz2 Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) February 3, 2019 I reached out to Commey's promoter Lou DiBella immediately after the fight regarding the injury. DiBellas said, "Going to get it checked out. Doesn't LOOK that bad, but quick turnaround." Meaning, if Commey has to nurse any hand injury, that could sideline him for at least two weeks, maybe even more, giving him ample time for training camp, improbable. In three minutes and 39 seconds of a blistering performance, @RichardCommey dropped Isa Chaniev three times over two rounds to make history as Ghana's 9th world champion, capturing the IBF lightweight title. Well, initially, Matchroom Boxing was lobbying for the purse bid scheduled on February 6 to move forward for mandatory WBA challenger, Anthony Crolla. The WBA was inclined to provide Lomachenko with a special exception to face Commey in April, for the purposes of unifying the WBA, WBO and IBF belts. Leaving only Mikey Garcia's WBC belt left from a true lightweight unification, in which Lomachenko seems to be after. The April 12 bout between Lomachenko and Commey was ambitious to say the least. Commey would have barely had enough time to enjoy his first world title victory in his second attempt having previously lost a highly contested and controversial split decision loss to Robert Easter in 2016. According to DiBella, Commey will have his hand looked at on Tuesday by his doctor and make a decision based on that prognosis. If the injury were to prevent the Lomanchenko fight from taking place, it could put a Lomachenko vs. Commey unification bout on ice until the summer, depending on what contingency plans are made by Top Rank. Conventional wisdom would suggest that Top Rank will keep Lomachenko's April 12 date and look to make a deal with Crolla's promoter, Matchroom to get Lomachenko's mandatory out of the way. After Commey's destruction of Chaniev, many of the TV analysts during the ESPN broadcast were suggesting that Commey's style and power could pose problems for Lomachenko. The hard-working lightweight from Ghana is heavy-handed and can end a fight in the split of a second as was on full display against Chaniev, to leave no questions this time around in his quest for the IBF world title. Whether or not Commey faces Lomachenko remains to be seen. It will all play out this week. Finally, the latest from Mike Coppinger at the time I published this post. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterkahn/2019/02/03/vasyl-lomachenko-richard-commey-fight-hand-injury/?src=rss |
Will TV Catch Up With Digital Channels? | The short answer: It's sure starting to look that way. There's always been a stark contrast between what advertisers come to expect from digital channels and what they've settled with from TV. Monitoring TV metrics continues to be one of the toughest nuts to crack for technologists and data engineers who have spent the past few decades looking for ways to unlock insights beyond basic viewership and demographics. For TV, the Holy Grail is insight into how TV investments influence high-value viewer behaviors, such as understanding whether a commercial drove traffic to a website, a product placement increased online or in-store conversions, or a whether sponsorship drove action locally or nationally. Digital channels, on the other hand, offer real-time visibility into basic views and traffic, as well as more complex scenarios such as a user's multistep journey to conversion after a single encounter with a brand. Because TV remains one of the most efficient ways to create widespread audience awareness and drive desired actions among specific audiences (though brands commonly lack the data to prove it), it has remained a fixed and important line item in advertisers budgets. As someone who has spent more than 20 years working to crack the TV analytics code, I can say with confidence that, thanks to some recent critical breakthroughs, TV will soon be in a position to catch up with, and possibly even surpass, the level of sophistication digital channels offer when it comes to measurement. Heres a look at five TV breakthroughs that have emerged over just the last couple of years or will emerge soon. 1. Nearly Real-Time Delivery Of Basic And Complex TV Data While advertisers and networks have always had access to basic viewership and demographic analytics, the average amount of time theyve had to wait for them has been well over 30 days from the air date, and sometimes close to 90 days. New technologies are not only getting basic data to us in near real-time, but theyre also allowing advertisers to essentially query live TV to determine where their name or other keywords have been mentioned, and where their logos or other images have appeared, on both earned and paid media. 2. Well Soon Be Able To Map TV Viewers Journeys Digital channels were built on the intention of tracing audiences journeys from initial exposure to a given endpoint. The same cannot be said about TV, but were getting close to knowing exactly what audiences see and hear on screen and how it influences their behaviors on other channels. Rather than simply tying viewers to a specific show or timeslot, were also able to understand what else theyre watching, what messaging and branding theyre hearing and seeing, and whether theyre influenced more by paid or earned content. 3. We Now Know Where TV Is Driving High-Value, In-Person Engagement The last couple of years have seen companies racing to release new metrics that will enable brands to compare their TV investments with very specific in-person engagement in local markets. These metrics get brands closer than ever to attributing TV campaigns to audience behaviors, such as sales transactions, in-store foot traffic, visits to car dealerships (say, for a test drive promotion) and into a QSR restaurant to take advantage of a localized promotional offer. Having this level of location-specific visibility not only helps brands understand which consumer behaviors they're able to influence with their TV advertising, but also in which markets they should continue investing (and which they shouldn't). 4. TV Will Introduce Brand And Ad Viewability Standards Before Digital Channels Unified viewability standards have been regarded as somewhat of the "Holy Grail" of digital metrics, not just in TV but across channels. One major obstacle to getting there is coming to an agreement on how the advertising industry as a whole defines whether a brand's logo or other promotion is visible and legible on screen. There are many variables at play here: time on screen, distance from viewer (which affects its size), resolution and so on. The second obstacle is nailing the metrics that will measure viewability. The good news is that we already have the technology, and TV (more than any other medium) is tackling this issue head-on since sponsorship dollars are an important revenue stream. Once these standards are put into action, TV's understanding of performance will swiftly move beyond the broad, viewership-based model, making it more and more competitive with digital channels. And for the first time ever, TV will be in a position to influence how digital channels are measured. 5. We're Finally Entering The Long-Rumored World Of Data Without Barriers Marketing is nearing the end of an era characterized by lots of data but little focus and control. One of the many things marketers have learned going from having too little data to too much is that in order for data to be flexible and actionable, it must transcend silos. This means that data must flow freely between social, digital and TV, rather than being used to describe activity happening only within each of these channels. I don't think there is a marketer or technologist out there that doesn't agree with this, but we have yet to widely realize a world where marketing data has no barriers. Once we get there, advertisers will understand the performance of their entire holistic ecosystems, not just of their individual marketing channels. I predict it will not be long before TV analytics finally go digital, allowing brands and advertisers to engage in the same types of real-time strategies across target audiences that they do on digital channels. Digital channels will welcome this open door, as it will allow them to better map audience journeys and vice versa. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/02/05/will-tv-catch-up-with-digital-channels/ |
How Does Advertising Affect Culture? | In Amusing Ourselves to Death (1985), Neil Postman examines how television has informed public discourse, labelling the medium of television as Americans vast descent into triviality. It is no surprise that the 1980s gave birth to the popular Canadian board game, Trivial Pursuit, where intelligence was measured on the ability to correctly answer questions pertaining to six different categories of general knowledge, much of which was media-based. But this game only evaluated ones familiarity within a range of topics and limited number of question cards such that trivial and highly mediatized knowledge became conflated with intelligence. Indeed, the way we speak to each other today is riddled with the language of media and televisionfrom advertising to television series, and most everyone pretty much stays in step. Even the way we acquire language is strongly influenced by television, hence the Canadian accent with which I grew up is hardly present today and the many elderly folks who use woke in sentences. Television is an amazingly powerful communications tool and it has allowed us to relay very complex or long-winded ideas in a phrase: to jump the shark, to take the red pill, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore, and wax on, wax off. Even the most resistant to media would have a hard time feigning unfamiliarity with most popularized media tropes down to the referentiality used between advertisements and film. Certainly, today nothing is sacred from how our media infiltrates the everyday. Anyone who remembers Mikey of the Life cereal advertisement knows how He likes it! and Mikey will eat anything became infamous catchphrases in the 1970s just as Wheres the beef? became popularized in Wendys commercials throughout the 1980s. From the high camp of advertising campaigns such as Riunite on ice to the slick pop cultural references of Nikes Just do it advertisements, television advertising has successfully carried over cultural messages from the highway billboards of a Virginia Slim woman off in the horizon telling us, Youve come a long way, baby and from magazine full-page adverts where the visual parts of the advertisement de-emphasize language. But online advertising tells a completely different story. With the advent of Internet technologies we simply havent seen the same knock-on effect where advertisements are becoming part of popular culture discussions. I remember many a dinner table discussion over magazine and television ads throughout my life, but thus far, I have had no such conversations about online adverts. It is not that targeted advertising doesnt workit does. Its that Google Remarketing Campaigns use IP addresses which means that adverts based on my precise location will end in my search results being different to another user in the same country, but on the opposite side of the country or with a different search history and browsing pattern. It also show ads to people who have previously visited a website or used a particular mobile app. Similarly, dynamic remarketing takes targeted advertising one step further and shows previous visitors ads that contain products and services they viewed on a specific site creating unique ads for each potential customer. This process involves machine learning technology which analyzes individual behaviors in order to uncover which creative elements will hook an individuals interest in the product or page in order to return and make a purchase. Dynamic remarketing is what is currently considered the most sophisticated, but not necessarily the best. While online advertising has been proven to be highly successful, it is still not used for many sectors such as for B2B (business to business) marketing and at that many users today use ad blockers, pop-up blockers and even flash blockers. Still, if you want to watch that video of how a group of friends built a submarine from two bathtubs, a toilet seat, washing machine door and other items, you have to sit through the advert. Its logical that when I get an advert or search results for Digimax Dental or shoes from Zappos, it is most certainly the case that I have been doing online searches related to shoes and dentists. These are not coincidences but the direct result of remarketing tools. However, the results of my searches will mean that friends of mine and I have nothing to share in terms of funny online adverts we might view. Everything today is so localized and subject-specific that in many respects remarketing tools, even though many experts claim they succeed, in my estimation, they fundamentally fail. Online advertising relies upon such strict parameters that there will be finitely small chances that friends and family have been exposed to the same advertisements that I have. In fact, it is more likely that fellow writers who focus on technology and culture have seen similar adverts to me, but we dont share a common social life wherein to exchange commentary over coffee. So the cultural sharing that lends itself to filmic representations that have immortalized some advertising campaigns will likely never translate from the web dinner table chatter. And nor will the more memorable advertisements make their way into cinema in the way that Waynes World immortalized in film the Grey Poupon advertisement of the 1980s. Even the extension of what advertisements mean and their extension into apps and online surveys has caused alarm in recent months. After the ProPublica discovered that a Facebook tool which tracks political advertising and its browser extension detects political ad campaigns gathering user details for these adverts target audiences, many privacy groups have protested the encroachment of big tech into the lives of private individuals. This in addition to Facebooks Project Atlas scandal which paid people (to include teenagers) to install VPN spyware on their phones. This follows Facebooks 2014 acquisition of Onavo, another data-collecting app which helped users track their mobile data usage but moreso, helped Facebook gain information as to how people were using their mobiles and other apps. Many of the same techniques used in remarketing prevail outside of the marketing sector and the greater fear is that democracy is being hijacked by these technological tools which were intended for profit-making but which are now easily redirected into political influencing. Between remarketing techniques in the for-profit sector and political arenas, our cultural access to a common visual media image where online campaigns are concerned. We will no longer have a common reference based on language or national origin of these advertising campaigns, hence the focussed nature of online marketing means that the semiotics of online advertising will no longer be a uniting cultural factor, but become more and more individualized such as to target individuals rather than communities. As a means of making money, its a win-win situation for advertisers. But for those of us who enjoy the artistry of well-made advertising, we will have to leave behind any hopes of an in-real-life community for discussing these works. If anything, remarketing atomizes us as consumers and further forces us to atomize ourselves as we are separated from our community as cultural referent. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/julianvigo/2019/02/05/how-does-advertising-affect-culture/ |
Is Fidelity OTC Portfolio (FOCPX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Well, one fund that you should consider investigating is Fidelity OTC Portfolio (FOCPX). FOCPX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective FOCPX is one of many funds to choose from. Because Mid Cap Blend mutual funds typically feature a portfolio filled with stocks of various sizes and styles, it allows for a diversification strategy focusing on companies with market caps between $2 billion and $10 billion. Mid-cap blends, while offering exciting growth potential, income opportunities, and value picks, offer some stability as well. History of Fund/Manager Fidelity is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of FOCPX. Fidelity OTC Portfolio debuted in December of 1984. Since then, FOCPX has accumulated assets of about $10.85 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Sonu Kalra who has been in charge of the fund since September of 2017. 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 12.32%, and is 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 11.43%, 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 three years, FOCPX's standard deviation comes in at 16.69%, compared to the category average of 11.06%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 15.67% compared to the category average of 10.83%. 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. In FOCPX's case, the fund lost 53.58% in the most recent bear market and underperformed its peer group by 4.74%. This means that the fund could possibly be a worse choice than its peers during a down market environment. Even still, the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.18, so investors should note that it is hypothetically more 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. Over the past 5 years, the fund has a positive alpha of 2.68. This means that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Holdings Examining 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 largely on equities that are traded in the United States. This fund is currently holding about 96.32% stock in stocks, with an average market capitalization of $355.89 billion. This fund's turnover is about 38%, so the fund managers are making fewer trades than its comparable peers. 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, FOCPX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.88% compared to the category average of 1.05%. From a cost perspective, FOCPX is actually cheaper than its peers. Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $0; each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line Overall, Fidelity OTC Portfolio ( FOCPX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Fidelity OTC Portfolio ( FOCPX ) looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now. | https://news.yahoo.com/fidelity-otc-portfolio-focpx-strong-120012737.html |
Is PRIMECAP Odyssey Aggressive Growth (POAGX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Well, PRIMECAP Odyssey Aggressive Growth (POAGX) would not be a good potential starting point right now. POAGX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We note that POAGX is a Mid Cap Growth fund, and this area is also loaded with many different options. Companies are usually considered growth stocks when they consistently report notable sales and/or earnings growth. Thus, Mid Cap Growth funds pick stocks--usually companies with a market cap between $2 billion and $10 billion--that demonstrate extensive growth opportunities for investors compared to their peers. History of Fund/Manager POAGX is a part of the Primecap Odyssey family of funds, a company based out of Pasadena, CA. PRIMECAP Odyssey Aggressive Growth debuted in November of 2004. Since then, POAGX has accumulated assets of about $9.20 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by a team of investment professionals. Performance Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. POAGX has a 5-year annualized total return of 11.11% and it sits in the top third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 11.58%, 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. Compared to the category average of 13.59%, the standard deviation of POAGX over the past three years is 18.67%. Looking at the past 5 years, the fund's standard deviation is 17.13% compared to the category average of 13.11%. 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. POAGX lost 49.33% in the most recent bear market and outperformed its peer group by 2.33%. These results could imply that the fund is a better choice than its peers during a sliding market environment. Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.26, which means it is hypothetically more volatile than the market at large. 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. With a positive alpha of 1.19, 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. This fund is currently holding about 76.21% stock in stocks, with an average market capitalization of $40.83 billion. The fund has the heaviest exposure to the following market sectors: Technology Health Other Industrial Cyclical Turnover is 14%, which means this fund makes fewer trades than the average comparable fund. 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, POAGX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.64% compared to the category average of 1.18%. POAGX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost. Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $2,000; each subsequent investment needs to be at least $100. Bottom Line Overall, PRIMECAP Odyssey Aggressive Growth ( POAGX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now. | https://news.yahoo.com/primecap-odyssey-aggressive-growth-poagx-120012013.html |
Is Berkshire Focus Fund (BFOCX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | You may want to consider Berkshire Focus Fund (BFOCX) as a possible option. BFOCX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective BFOCX 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 Berkshire is based in Mikwaukee, WI, and is the manager of BFOCX. Since Berkshire Focus Fund made its debut in July of 1997, BFOCX has garnered more than $156.39 million in assets. The fund's current manager, Malcolm R. Fobes III, has been in charge of the fund since July of 1997. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. BFOCX has a 5-year annualized total return of 12.05% 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 16.48%, 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. BFOCX's standard deviation over the past three years is 20.6% compared to the category average of 13.01%. Looking at the past 5 years, the fund's standard deviation is 20.93% compared to the category average of 12.62%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors One cannot ignore the volatility of this segment, however, as it is always important for investors to remember the downside to any potential investment. BFOCX lost 59.32% in the most recent bear market and underperformed comparable funds by 10.48%. This might suggest that the fund is a worse choice than its peers during a bear market. Investors should note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.28, so it is likely going to be more volatile than the market at large. 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. BFOCX has generated a positive alpha over the past five years of 2.59, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking 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, BFOCX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.96% compared to the category average of 1.05%. BFOCX is actually more expensive than its peers when you consider factors like cost. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $5,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $500. Bottom Line Overall, Berkshire Focus Fund ( BFOCX ) has a neutral Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, Berkshire Focus Fund ( BFOCX ) looks like a somewhat average choice for investors right now. Your research on the Large Cap Growth 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. 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. | https://news.yahoo.com/berkshire-focus-fund-bfocx-strong-120012479.html |
Is ProFunds Semicond UltraSector Service Class (SMPSX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Sector - Tech fund seekers should not consider taking a look at ProFunds Semicond UltraSector Service Class (SMPSX) at this time. SMPSX bears a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective We note that SMPSX is a Sector - Tech option, and this area is loaded with many options. Found in a wide number of industries such as semiconductors, software, internet, and networking, tech companies are everywhere. Thus, Sector - Tech mutual funds that invest in technology let investors own a stake in a notoriously volatile sector, but with a much more diversifies approach. History of Fund/Manager SMPSX is a part of the ProFunds family of funds, a company based out of Columbus, OH. The ProFunds Semicond UltraSector Service Class made its debut in June of 2000 and SMPSX has managed to accumulate roughly $4.69 million in assets, as of the most recently available information. The fund's current manager, Michael Neches, has been in charge of the fund since October of 2013. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 20.5%, and is 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 21.13%, 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 three years, SMPSX's standard deviation comes in at 28.78%, compared to the category average of -0.21%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 28.07% compared to the category average of 1.31%. 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. SMPSX lost 74.41% in the most recent bear market and underperformed its peer group by 7441%. This might suggest that the fund is a worse choice than its peers during a bear market. Even still, the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.8, so investors should note that it is hypothetically more volatile than the market at large. 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 positive alpha over the past 5 years of 7.64, which shows that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking 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, SMPSX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 2.44% compared to the category average of -53.31%. SMPSX is actually more expensive than its peers when you consider factors like cost. Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $15,000; each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line Overall, ProFunds Semicond UltraSector Service Class ( SMPSX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and higher fees, this fund looks like a poor potential choice for investors right now. Then go over to Zacks.com and check out our mutual fund comparison tool, and all of the other great features that we have to help you with your mutual fund analysis 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/profunds-semicond-ultrasector-class-smpsx-120012817.html |
Is Fidelity Select Technology (FSPTX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? | Well, Fidelity Select Technology (FSPTX) would not be a good potential starting point right now. FSPTX has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective FSPTX is part of the Sector - Tech category, which boasts an array of different possible selections. With a much more diversified approach, Sector - Tech mutual funds give investors a way to own a stake in a notoriously risky sector. Tech companies are in various industries like semiconductors, software, internet, and networking, among others. History of Fund/Manager Fidelity is based in Boston, MA, and is the manager of FSPTX. Fidelity Select Technology debuted in July of 1981. Since then, FSPTX has accumulated assets of about $4.56 billion, according to the most recently available information. The fund is currently managed by Charlie Chai who has been in charge of the fund since January of 2007. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 12.7%, and it sits in the top third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 15.22%, 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. Compared to the category average of 16.24%, the standard deviation of FSPTX over the past three years is 17.2%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 15.83% compared to the category average of 15.86%. This makes the fund less 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. In FSPTX's case, the fund lost 59.27% in the most recent bear market and underperformed comparable funds by 5.96%. This means that the fund could possibly be a worse choice than its peers during a down market environment. Nevertheless, with a 5-year beta of 1.17, the fund 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 3.16, 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. As of the last filing date, the mutual fund has 94.86% of its assets in stocks, which have an average market capitalization of $329.14 billion. Turnover is 71%, which means this fund makes fewer trades than its comparable peers. 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, FSPTX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.70% compared to the category average of 1.31%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, FSPTX is actually cheaper than its peers. Investors need to be aware that with this product, the minimum initial investment is $2,500; each subsequent investment has no minimum amount. Bottom Line Overall, Fidelity Select Technology ( FSPTX ) has a low Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a somewhat weak choice for investors right now. For additional information on the Sector - Tech 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 FSPTX too for additional information. And don't forget, Zacks has all of your needs covered on the equity side too! Make sure to check out Zacks.com for more information on our screening capabilities, Rank, and all our articles as well. 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/fidelity-select-technology-fsptx-strong-120012787.html |
Can anyone make HMV successful? | Image caption The HMV store on Oxford Street was the first to open in 1921 HMV has been snatched from the jaws of administration for the second time in less than a decade. New owner Doug Putman plans to shut 27 stores, and continue to trade out of 100. The very first HMV store on London's Oxford street will be one of those to go. Here's a round up of some experts' views. I think it's going to be very difficult to carve a viable business," says retail analyst Richard Hyman. "I think it's great that jobs have been reprieved, but I wouldn't be very confident about the length of time that may last. "When you want to buy a Charlotte Bronte novel, a Shostakovich piece, or Cinema Paradiso they are going to be the same wherever you buy them from." Image copyright HMV/PA Image caption The original logo for His Master's Voice, inspired by a painting of Nipper the Dog He reckons a key problem is that certain retailers simply don't have a unique product. Performers aren't going to record for just one retail outlet, but with fashion and furnishing and food retailers can have their own label. "If you're selling something which is unique you've got something to defend there". He added: "It's really, really difficult to make money - the economic model of retailing is under unprecedented challenge. I don't think so. There are some markets that are just so compatible with online retailing that it makes it very difficult to have economically viable retail stores. "The overwhelming problem is they're not generating enough sales revenue. It's not about onerous costs. Those are very common words to be bandied about by management teams. but onerous leases weren't onerous when they signed up to them - otherwise why did they sign?" Mark Mulligan, music industry analyst Midia Research "The entire marketplace for physical music is dying - the majority of people who buy physical media are getting old. The customer base is dying," says Mark Mulligan. He says younger people tend to stream music, and whilst some older people also get their music in a digital format, many still buy physical music. However, the rate of decline is accelerating. "CD sales in the UK declined by a fifth last year. And that is a market that has been declining in double digits for a decade or more," he observes. Mr Mulligan compares what has happened to HMV with what has happened to the newspaper industry. Older customers have tended to stick with print versions, while a new generation has turned to online news. But a huge factor for HMV in the challenge to make the big switch to digital streaming is that Amazon, Spotify and Apple have already got there before them. Image copyright Reuters Amazon has other advantages, for example it knows a lot about its customers who buy CDs and they can try to sell them other services, such as Amazon Prime. HMV don't have that knowledge about its shoppers, because the "relationship starts and ends at the cash till," he says. Mr Mulligan thinks HMV's traditional business could be part of a "sunsetting" strategy. Over the next few years there could still be enough people of a certain age to buy CDs and DVDs to squeeze revenue out of the business. But it means that every year the business would have to be scaled down because its revenues were falling. However, he says HMV has "still got a very strong brand", which could be used to build a new generation of entertainment store. For example, he says HMV in Canada is successful in TV merchandising and "fandom - items like Game of Thrones T-shirts, for example." Switching business focus is something Apple, formerly a computer company, and Nokia, formerly a wellington boot company, have done very successfully. Alice Enders, head of research at Enders Research HMV is "a well known brand, it's a beacon destination, but there's a reliance on physical format," says Alice Enders. "There's a rump demand for HMV's merchandise from some customers and Christmas demand, but this year's Christmas was very disappointing," Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Shoppers browsing and buying in HMV in 1976 She suggests one option for HMV in the future might be pop-up shops to hit the key demand points at the likes of Christmas, or for it to concentrate on niche markets in selling vinyl, for example. However, she adds: "There's no way that the direction is up, with all due respect. The real issue is that the bulk of music consumption is digital." She too points to the popularity of merchandising. Concert-goers are more likely to buy a T-shirt than music, she says. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47130188 |
What makes Viktor Arvidsson such an accurate shooter for Predators? | Dont ask Viktor Arvidsson what makes him a superior shooter with a hockey stick. Hes not sharing his secret. The Predators 25-year-old right winger from Sweden ranks sevenin the NHL in shooting percentage, making 20 percent of his shots. He has scored seven goals in his past seven games, and his 13 since Dec. 30 lead the league. Sometimes they go in a little bit more ... and its fun when they do, he said. It isnt happenstance. I think a lot of it is the release, Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. I think its getting to the right areas, doing the right things theres a lot of things that can factor into it. Arvidssons 21 goals lead the Predators in a season that has seen him miss two dozen games because of injury. His .7 goals per game is second in the NHL among players who have appeared in at least 20 games. Teammate Ryan Ellis said some of Arvidssons shooting success has to do with motivation. If youve ever seen him celebrate, he loves scoring, Ellis said. Theres also his skill-set. Hes a terrific talent, skates well, Ellis said. I think his speed is probably his biggest asset to open up that space for him, and when he gets his chances hes more than likely going to score. Predators right wing Viktor Arvidsson leads the team with 21 goals despite missing two dozen games because of injury. (Photo: George Walker IV / Tennessean.com ) That speed allows Ellis to get in position to take clean shots. His ability to guide the puck makes those shots more likely to get into the net. But theres also the fast break factor. He gets a lot of breakaways, Ellis said, a lot of two-on-ones, and his line is tremendous hes got some great line mates. CATFISH CORNER NEWSLETTER: Get the latest Preds news in your inbox every Friday morning. Arvidsson plays on the front line with Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg. Its considered one of the top lines in the league, and that helps create scoring opportunities for Arvidsson. Subscribe to Catfish Corner: A Predators Podcast Spreaker | iTunes | Google Play Music But that still doesnt explain his ability to shoot with such efficiency. Most top scorers are also high-volume shooters: Arvidsson leads the Predators in goals but is sixth in shots taken. Ellis says his teammate is always looking for offensive opportunities. Hes good at reading the play and more or less is cheating for offense, Ellis said, and hes great at doing that. When hes out there hes always a threat: not only his speed, but how he reads the game. Eventually, when he gets that space, he can put the puck in the net. As for Arvidsson, he cites work ethic. I work on it a lot in the summers, he said, just try to improve my shot. Laviolette calls it a knack. Usually guys like that have scored their whole careers, he said. Theres just a history to it. Reach Tommy Deas at 615-259-8328 and on Twitter @tommydeas. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get Predators news from The Tennessean on your mobile device PRIDE NIGHT: Predators to celebrate Pride Night as part of 'Hockey is for Everyone' month initiative | https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2019/02/05/nashville-predators-viktor-arvidsson-shooting-percentage-nhl/2733066002/ |
Will Valentine's Day be the same without conversation hearts? | We didn't know how much we loved the conversation Sweethearts until they were unjustly swiped from grocery store shelves. Lovers everywhere are at a loss, not knowing how they will express their true feelings to their beaus and belles without the help of the pastel, toothpaste-tasting candies. Others rejoice at the Sweethearts' disappearance, saying their loss makes room for many more delicious candies and chocolates to be devoured. PERSPECTIVES Sweetheart conversation hearts are produced by Necco, a candy company more than a century old. When a new parent company swooped in and purchased the ailing Necco, Sweetheart factories did not have enough time to set up production for its "yearly 8 million hearts" by the 2019 Valentine's Day season. Everywhere, customers are frantically searching for the small treats to no avail. As Vox's Kaitlyn Tiffany puts it: Yes, conversation hearts are a little bit of a joke, but they're our joke. They're a cultural shorthand for the pretty facade and ultimate disappointment of romantic conventions. They are not pleasant to eat, and yet we want them. They've been around for more than a century: The technology to slice wafer candy was invented by Oliver R. Chase in 1847, and his brother Daniel created a machine that could print words on candies in 1866. Why you can't buy Sweethearts candy conversation hearts this Valentine's Day But not to worry, there are other options available. Brach's knockoff conversation candies are still wildly available. It's true that the candies are not identical, but if you rely on these treats to give words to the love you have in your heart, Brach's has you covered. No need to worry! All of your favorite retailers' shelves are filled with Brach's Valentines Conversation Hearts for sharing with your loved ones this season. Find them here: https://t.co/ekTC6pTeb8 pic.twitter.com/klfh9hHXCy -- Brach's (@BrachsCandyUSA) January 24, 2019 Blasphemy! Necco and Brach's produce wildly different candies. If you're going to eat the hearts, you have to eat the right kind. The New York Times' Jacey Fortin points out: Brach's hearts come in many flavors and are generally a little thinner and softer than Sweethearts, and they are laser-printed rather than stamped. Try giving your sweetheart fake flowers with their Brach's conversation hearts. See how it goes. No. No. Krispy Kreme Saves Valentine's Day with Conversation Heart Donuts 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.nola.com/interact/2019/02/will_valentines_day_be_the_sam.html |
Can Cultural Influencers Save Harley Davidson? | Legacy American motorcycle brand Harley Davidson can use all the social media influence it can get, after once again missing earnings expectations. With the rise of influencers primarily attached to trendsetters in the hip hop community, plans to revive the company rely heavily on culture. The Breakdown You Need to Know Riding into millennials lives via the influencer route may prove challenging for Harley Davidson. Even with a strong roster of people leading the charge when they announced a new line of 2018 motorcycles via Facebook owned Instagram, like rapper Ludacris and actor Jason Momoa. They still need to overcome their aging demographic which is heavily skewed to married men in their 50s. Tapping into younger consumers image conscious side may be the companys best bet with its influencer push. Pew research found that 43% of black adults use Instagram, more than any other group in the country, and CultureBanx covered how getting this trendsetting subset interested in motorcycles could be very useful. UBS analyst Robin Farley wrote one hopeful sign for the industry is that younger potential buyers cited the second most common reason to buy a motorcycle is that it goes with their self-image. The UBS survey also noted a primary reason why people 21-34 years olds would buy a new motorcycle is 'ease of transportation'. On the companys earnings call CEO Matthew Levatich acknowledged the importance of its influencer strategy. We drove relevance and interest through our activations with celebrities and social media influencers, whose content and activity generated equivalent traditional media value that was up 80%, said Levatich. However, shares of the motorcycle maker have declined more than 30% in the last 12 months. Millennial Motorcycle Mindfulness: Even if younger people for some reason started to think Harley Davidson motorcycles were cool again, you have to factor in the high price for its Hogs which appeal to middle age men making around $90,000 a year. The average millennial makes far less than that and they would need a cheaper bike, which would bring in lower margins for manufacturers. Also, millennials are interested more light weight motorcycles and thats far from the high-end heavyweight motorcycles Harley specializes in. The decline of Harley Davidson could be viewed as millennials killing another industry, but its also plausible they hold the keys to the future of the motorcycle sector. A generational shift among younger riders is desperately needed to move beyond motorcycling as just a hobby and into a means of necessary transportation. Over the next decade the company plans to bring in two-million more riders, while also getting into the electric bike market with the two concept motorcycles they previewed in January. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/korihale/2019/02/05/can-cultural-influencers-save-harley-davidson/ |
Is The UN World Health Org Recommending To Globally Reschedule Cannabis Much Ado About Nothing? | In a public letter, dated January 24, from the Director-General of the United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) Mr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to the UN Secretary-General Antnio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, DG Ghebreyesus recommends reclassifying cannabis worldwide by removing it from Schedule IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs international treaty of 1961. This suggestion is being touted by cannabis enthusiasts and policy reformers as cause for celebration. However, the WHO's slow-moving suggestions may be obsolete by the time they are implemented, given that more progressive organizations are so far ahead. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs from 58 years ago "aims to combat drug abuse by coordinated international action. There are two forms of intervention and control that work together. First, it seeks to limit the possession, use, trade in, distribution, import, export, manufacture and production of drugs exclusively to medical and scientific purposes (research). Second, it combats drug trafficking through international cooperation to deter and discourage drug traffickers." "The UN is subject to numerous criticisms of irrelevancy by many because of its generally backward-looking perspective. The UNs evolving policies on cannabis are welcome but immaterial to progressives and deeply meaningful to conservatives and the old guard," said Chris Bunka, CEO of Lexaria BioScience, whose company develops cannabis-based therapies. Schedule IV vs Schedule I Unlike the US Controlled Substances Act, which labels the most-restricted drugs Schedule I, the UN treaty's classification system is different. In terms of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the combination of Schedule I and Schedule IV is the most restrictive level of control that is applied to psychoactive substances with no medical use such as heroin. Cannabis (plant) is currently in Schedule I and IV and is "subject to all measures of control applicable to drugs under this Convention." The WHO's Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) has recommended that cannabis be deleted from Schedule IV and maintained under control in Schedule I of the 1961 Convention, along with substances such as morphine which have medicinal use, as outlined by the WHO. If cannabis is deleted from Schedule IV and remains in Schedule I only, this will allow member states to implement less stringent national control regulations on cannabis and cannabis-based preparations. Additionally, it will abolish the regulatory barriers pertaining to Schedule IV and facilitate medical and scientific research of new cannabis related preparation and medicines. Schedule I less restrictive level of control than Schedule I and IV and is applied to harmful psychoactive substances which could have a medical use such as morphine. Schedule II (e.g. Codeine) is less restrictive than Schedule I. "This [rescheduling] is because there is evidence that some cannabis-based preparations have a medical use," said a spokesperson for the WHO, in an email. If the head of the WHO's suggestions are adopted, this action will require annotations to the 58-year-old treaty currently in place. The 53 participating member states of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), a division of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) still have to ratify these recommendations. A vote by the CND may take place in March. For recommendations related to the 1971 Convention, e.g. Delta 9 THC scheduling, a two-thirds majority (35/53 votes) is required. For recommendations related to the 1961 Convention, e.g. cannabis scheduling, a single majority (27/53 votes) is required, to grant their approval in order for the recommendations to pass. In response to DG Ghebreyesus' envelope-pushing letter, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General confirmed that the Secretary-General has received and reviewed it and his comments are forthcoming. Considering he was instrumental in implementing the pioneering decriminalization of all drugs during his tenure as Prime Minister of Portugal, predictably he will support the recommendations. The Bureaucracy and the Rogue Member States While the Secretary-General is in favor of progressive drug laws, getting various factions of the UN, such as the WHO, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the CND on the same page, is no easy feat. Neither is getting all of the UN's member states (participating nations) to agree on anything. Of the 13 members of the International Narcotics Review Board, the U.S. representative David T. Johnson, is Vice President of Janus Operations. The Russian representative, Galina A. Korchagina is Deputy Director of Research at the National Centre for Research on Drug Addiction. The (INCB) claims member states Uruguay and Canada are in flagrant violation of the 1961 Convention because cannabis is already entirely legal in both countries. (However, this criticism, drew a rebuke from the Secretary-General who consistently urges drug policy reform.) Other countries added disclaimers and contingencies to the Convention upon signing. Nepal, Bangladesh and India, for example, "reserve the right to permit temporarily in its territory, the quasi-medical use of opium; The use of cannabis, cannabis resin, extracts and tinctures of cannabis for non-medical purposes." Vietnam notes in the Convention it takes issue with extradition for drug-related offenses, while Austria supports extradition but will not step on Vietnam's toes or violate its sovereignty. Finland, however, calls out Vietnam for signing a treaty they will not adhere to as all of their exceptions are a contradiction in terms. As the aforementioned countries have set themselves apart in how they dealt with cannabis, any updates or revisions to the convention might not necessarily have an impact on them. Clearly, the UNs vision of purported unity related to drugs is a fiction not shared universally among its member states, some of whom object that cannabis use is an imprisonable or even capital offense. The announcement of the recommendations made at the 41st ECDD were meeting, were previously delayed in December, because they are "subject to standard WHO internal clearance processes," said a WHO spokesperson via email from Geneva. The recommendations seemingly suggest baby steps. Big Pharma The same letter recommends removing Dronabinol (Marinol) from Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and reclassifying it within the parameters of Schedule I of the 1961 Convention instead. Dronabinol is an isolated constituent of THC and does not even represent the entire THC molecule. In fact, it is a synthesized sub-component of THC. It is typically sold as an encapsulated oily resin, available by prescription in the US, Canada, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Therefore, adding it to the 1961 Convention if and when that is if approved by the CND can be interpreted as merely playing catch up to accommodate Big Pharma. The news and potentially subsequent implementation might cause a temporary uptick in AbbVie stock (NYSE:ABBV), manufacturers of Marinol, and incidentally, Depakote, if and when the CND decides to approve and announce its reclassification. AbbVie reports $8.236 billion in 2018 third-quarter revenue. CBD, Much Ado About Nothing As for cannabidiol, or CBD, the letter recommends "pure cannabidiol CBD should not be scheduled within the international drug control conventions." Prior research by the WHO found CBD to be a relatively safe drug. The letter also suggests adding a footnote to the entry for cannabis and cannabis resin in Schedule I of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961 to read, "Preparations containing predominantly cannabidiol and not more than 0.2% of the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol are not under international control." Meaning, other than allowing for low-level extracts, tinctures, and CBD which wasn't included in the Convention, to begin with the recommendation to reschedule rather than omit cannabis and hashish (cannabis resin), may be interpreted as typical, slow-moving, UN doublespeak. "Nevertheless, the Commission may decide by consensus not to vote on recommendations concerning changes to the scope of control of substances," according to CND's website, pertaining to rescheduling. "For example, the CND, at its 50th session in 2007, decided by consensus not to vote on a WHO recommendation to move dronabinol and its stereoisomers from Schedule II to Schedule III of the 1971 Convention and requested WHO to undertake a review of these substances when additional information became available. After discussion, the Expert Committee on Drug Dependence of the WHO decided at its thirty-fifth meeting in June 2012 that its previous recommendation on dronabinol still stood, and that members of the Committee were unaware of any new evidence that was likely to alter the previous scheduling recommendation," the CND website reads. The UN has an opportunity of aiding the lives of millions around the world by adopting progressive drug laws that punish organized crime for drug exploitation, while simultaneously assisting tens of millions of people who live with pain and ailments ameliorated with substances such as cannabis. Actions like this could help the UN become more relevant for todays society, in a world that has significantly evolved from the days of the 1961 Convention on drugs. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarabrittanysomerset/2019/02/05/is-the-un-world-health-orgs-recommending-to-globally-reschedule-cannabis-much-ado-about-nothing/ |
What's In A Name? | Lately, many well-known brands have changed their names. From Weight Watchers (now WW) to Dunkin Donuts (now Dunkin), it seemed like a year of change. Theres typically significant risk and cost involved with a name change, but also lots of opportunities. A few reasons include: To mark a major change in strategy To create unfettered growth opportunities (e.g., how Dunkin' changed its name so it's not limited to selling just donuts or how Starbucks Coffee became Starbucks so it isn't pegged to coffee alone) To signal a change or evolution of a brand To set aside negative imagery (e.g., BP) Changing the name of an established brand is not a decision to be made lightly. It takes time and money to build brand equity, and starting over is often a challenge. But it makes sense for some brands. If a brand is trying to foster an evolution, a name change may be easier to support if its former name is linked to the past. These transitions are often slower and evolutionary vs. revolutionary. If walking away from a checkered past, linking to a prior name may be less crucial or even harmful. One of my favorite name-change stories is that of LG. Formerly, this lower-end appliance/electronics company made products branded Lucky or Goldstar. Wanting to change its image as its actual quality improved, it moved to LG. Promoting the new brand, even with the same technology, helped to dramatically build the business, changed its growth trajectory and enabled a completely new positioning in the marketplace. Sometimes a name change helps appeal to a different or broader target audience or reinforces an important market trend. No longer just about fried chicken (and not wanting to be anchored to unhealthy food), Kentucky Fried Chicken moved to KFC. Similarly, the International House of Pancakes became IHOP. (They even temporarily "changed" their name to IHOB, which garnered much attention and social media coverage.) This marketing stunt reinforced their burger offering vs. breakfast menu. More recently, Weight Watchers wanted to retain its heritage of successful transformation without carrying the burden of weight loss. As Oprah Winfrey, representing Weight Watchers, stated, The role WW can play in people's lives goes far beyond a number on the scale." In other cases, new opportunities might emerge. Ive spent the past year evaluating a new name for our company, The Luminations Group, a leading marketing and strategy firm for 16 years. As weve grown, new verticals have emerged -- opportunities that require a bigger umbrella and essentially a different company. Over the years, weve worked on new products but have gone well beyond this type of innovation to finding ways to reinvent business models, breathe new life into stagnant brands, and tackle ever tougher business challenges like the threat of declining brick-and-mortar sales, drugs going off-patent, startups coming to the end of their funding, etc. In every case, we have worked to bring the most success possible within the parameters of reality. Our clients started commenting on how we always find a bright side even in the darkest, murkiest situations. We began to get calls to help innovate around big, scary challenges and not just to create new product pipelines. We also began to see beyond Luminations. For the new company, we wanted to link to past successes along with an increasing focus on our optimistic and positive solutions. The new companys name, BrightSide Group, which will launch into diverse services such as coaching/mentoring and organizational structure, fit with our brief and highlights light and optimism. Our process in naming brands and businesses involves three steps, which any brand considering a name change can apply: 1. Do your research. First, conduct background research into the competitive set and categorize key areas you'd like to avoid or highlight. How you define your competition is important. Think beyond your current categories to territories where youre working to establish the brand. In consulting, we compete with large established consulting firms like BCG and McKinsey in some areas and local creative agencies in others, so our exploratory was broad and deep. From it, we were able to reinforce where and how we were different. We were also able to avoid overlaps. 2. Know what you stand for. Second, carve out the positioning desired for your future product or business. A tightly defined positioning lays out, in one sentence, who the brand is. It frames the category and point of difference. For instance, Nikes mission or positioning is: to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. 3. Narrow your focus. Third, develop a formal "namestorm" creative brief. Our brief clearly lays out our target audience, desired communication points, tone and mandatories. Mandatories might mean that the name must tuck well into a corporate umbrella or leverage a past word. Not surprisingly, knowing theres a need for change and acting on it are very different things. Name changes can be daunting, so my advice is to move deliberately but carefully, develop and stick to a strategic and creative brief, trust your marketing instincts, and always look on the bright side. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/02/05/whats-in-a-name/ |
Can SkyWest Sustain Its Earnings Momentum? | Over the past five years, top regional airline SkyWest (NASDAQ: SKYW) has achieved a remarkable comeback. In 2014, the company was barely profitable, due to a combination of unfavorable weather, rising pilot costs, and the poor profitability of its ExpressJet subsidiary. SkyWest posted a full-year adjusted profit of less than $7 million -- on more than $3 billion of revenue -- for 2014. However, SkyWest has rapidly expanded its profit margin since then. And while it will be harder to wring out efficiency gains going forward, SkyWest has other options for keeping earnings per share moving higher in the next few years. A margin-fueled recovery Last week, SkyWest reported that EPS reached $5.30 in 2018, up from just $0.14 in the trough year of 2014. Yet the company's revenue has barely budged in recent years. SkyWest generated $3.22 billion of revenue in 2018, down fractionally from $3.24 billion in 2014. This remarkable margin recovery was driven by SkyWest shifting its fleet away from turboprops and cramped 50-seat jets in favor of spacious 70- to 76-seat regional jets, primarily the Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) E175. Embraer's E175 has become the regional jet of choice for the U.S. legacy carriers -- i.e., SkyWest's partners -- because unlike most regional aircraft, it provides a passenger experience comparable to mainline jets. SkyWest had 146 E175s in its fleet by the end of 2018, up from zero five years earlier. An Embraer E175 in the United Express livery. More An Embraer E175. Image source: United Airlines. As a result, SkyWest has been able to hold revenue flat even though it has shrunk its fleet from 755 aircraft at the beginning of 2014 to fewer than 600 planes in 2018. SkyWest's surging EPS can be traced directly to its dramatic increase in revenue per aircraft over the past several years. SkyWest will need new sources of earnings growth Last month, SkyWest sold its perennially unprofitable ExpressJet subsidiary, reaping a small cash windfall and removing a big source of risk. This will provide a small earnings lift in 2019. The deal also gives SkyWest priority for adding another 25 regional jets at United Continental -- which would most likely be E175s -- but only if United decides to increase its fleet of large regional jets. In the meantime, SkyWest has firm plans to add just 12 more Embraer E175s to its fleet over the next three years. Furthermore, most of those planes will replace CRJ900s, which are also relatively profitable to fly. Thus, SkyWest has pretty much reached the end of the fleet transition that has driven most of its earnings growth since 2014. The benefit of stability While the introduction of the Embraer E175s has been a huge profit driver for SkyWest in recent years, the fleet transition has been expensive. Capital expenditures have averaged nearly $1 billion annually since 2015. This has driven SkyWest's net debt up from less than $1 billion five years ago to around $2.5 billion today. | https://news.yahoo.com/skywest-sustain-earnings-momentum-135500439.html |
Will Hain Celestial (HAIN) Earnings Continue to Fall in Q2? | Hain Celestial Group, Inc. HAIN is slated to release second-quarter fiscal 2019 results on Feb 7, before the opening bell. In the last quarter, the company delivered a negative earnings surprise of 30.8%. In three of the trailing four quarters, this food conglomerate has underperformed the Zacks Consensus Estimate, recording average negative earnings surprise of 12.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in the fiscal second quarter stands at 26 cents, reflecting year-over-year decline of 36.6%. We also note that the Zacks Consensus Estimate has gone down by 2 cents in the past 60 days. The company posted first-quarter adjusted earnings of 9 cents a share that declined sharply from 20 cents recorded in the year-ago period. Lower net sales, higher interest and other expenses negatively impacted the bottom line in the previous quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is $612 million, down approximately 21.1% from $775.2 million in the year-ago quarter. We note that total revenues of this New York-based company decreased 5% in the last reported quarter. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. Quote Factors Influencing Performance Hain Celestial is concerned about dismal sales surprise history, stemming from softness in its U.S. segment along with weakness in U.K. and Rest of World sales. Also, higher trade and promotional investments in the United States along with escalated freight and commodity costs have been hurdles to profitability. Adding to the woes, rising SG&A expenses have been weighing on the companys profitability. In fact, SG&A costs increased 10 basis points (bps) to 14.7% as a percentage of sales in the first quarter. As a result, adjusted EBITDA plunged 36%, while adjusted EBITDA margin shrunk 300 bps to 6.1%. All said, we expect the company to get some respite from Project Terra, which generated cost savings of $60 million during the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Going ahead, the company expects savings of roughly $90-$115 million in fiscal 2019. Additionally, the company is divesting its Hain Pure Protein business to boost efficiency and simplify brand portfolio. Apart from these, the company is focusing on global expansion, with plans to expand distribution network in China and capture the India market. Additionally, Hain Celestial is focusing on making marketing investments in key brands to boost growth. Our proven model does not conclusively show that Hain Celestial is likely to beat estimates this quarter. A stock needs to have both a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) and a positive Earnings ESP for this to happen. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Hain Celestial has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and an Earnings ESP of -7.69%. We caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Strong Sell) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks With Favourable Combination Here are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat: Nomad Foods NOMD has an Earnings ESP of +1.45% and a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Monster Beverage Corporation MNST has an Earnings ESP of +0.31% and a Zacks Rank of 2. Post Holdings POST has an Earnings ESP of +0.56% and a Zacks Rank of 3. Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. 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/hain-celestial-hain-earnings-continue-133801144.html |
Is Gilead Sciences a Bad News Buy? | Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) can't seem to catch a break. With investors piling into the stock in the first few weeks of this year on renewed optimism about the company's near-term fortunes, Gilead appeared poised for a sharp rebound in 2019. Then the company released its disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and 2019 full-year guidance yesterday, causing its shares to drop by nearly 4% in after-hours trading on fairly heavy volume. What appears to be drawing the ire of most investors is the fact that Gilead's declining hepatitis C drug sales continue to weigh heavily on its top line. Despite a monstrous 60% drop in HCV drug sales over the course of 2018, for example, the biotech expects another billion-dollar decline in this former star franchise this year, according to Gilead's newly released 2019 financial guidance. A man staring at a document with a shocked expression while sitting on a sofa. More Image source: Getty Images. Worse still, Gilead's $11.9 billion acquisition of Kite Pharma simply isn't bridging the gap from a revenue-generation standpoint. Kite's Yescarta cell therapy, after all, only saw its sales rise by a meager 8% in the fourth quarter compared with the prior three-month period. That's not the kind of anemic growth trajectory you'd want to see from a novel cancer therapy early on its commercial launch as an investor -- especially for a product projected to reach nearly $2 billion in peak sales and that helped to drive one of the richest buyouts in the history of biotech. With these underwhelming financial results and the market's overtly negative reaction in mind, it's arguably a perfect time to consider if Gilead's stock is actually a worthwhile contrarian buy. So, let's dig in to find out. Green shoots Gilead is offering investors three clear reasons to stay the course right now. First up, the company noted that its pipeline is making strides toward several high-value milestones this year. The biotech's anti-inflammatory medicine filgotinib, for example, remains on track for two late-stage readouts in rheumatoid arthritis studies this quarter. While filgotinib would enter a crowded market if approved, the rheumatoid arthritis market is potentially large enough to support multiple drugs at comfortable levels. This key pipeline asset could thus turn out to be a major growth driver for the biotech. Keeping with this theme, Gilead also expects to report additional top-line data for its non-alcoholic steatohepatitis candidate selonsertib, as well as its HIV medicine Descovy, later on this year. Both of these readouts could positively impact Gilead's top line in a significant way in the years ahead. The second reason is Gilead's managerial turnover. Starting March 1, Gilead's new CEO will be Daniel O'Day -- a former top Roche executive with an extensive track record in the field of oncology. With O'Day at the helm, Gilead may be able to get Yescarta's less-than-stellar commercial launch on track, and the biotech will have an experienced hand at the helm during its ongoing pivot to oncology. Thirdly, Gilead exited the fourth quarter of 2018 with an eye-popping $31.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents. That amount should be more than sufficient to support Gilead's staged transition into oncology without triggering a reduction to either its dividend or share buyback program. | https://news.yahoo.com/gilead-sciences-bad-news-buy-132400349.html |
Should we judge people for their past moral failings? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Andrew Khoury, Arizona State University (THE CONVERSATION) Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is facing a controversy after a photograph surfaced from his medical school yearbook showing one person in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood. The media alleged the governor was the one in blackface. Northam, initially apologized, but later said that he did not believe that the photo was of him and called it disgusting, offensive, racist. The controversy came just months after Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh, faced allegations of sexual assault going back to his high school years. As a philosopher, I believe these cases raise two ethical questions. One is the question of moral responsibility for an action at the time it occurred. The second is moral responsibility in the present time for actions of the past. Most philosophers seem to think that the two cannot be separated. In other words, moral responsibility for an action, once committed, is set in stone. I argue that there are reasons to think that moral responsibility can actually change over time but only under certain conditions. Locke on personal identity Philosophers implicitly agree that moral responsibility cant change over time because they think it is a matter of ones personal identity. The 17th-century British philosopher John Locke was the first to explicitly raise this question. Not only is this, as philosopher Carsten Korfmacher notes, literally a question of life and death, but Locke also thought that personal identity was the key to moral responsibility over time. Personal identity is the basis for all the right and justice of reward and punishment, he wrote. Locke believed that individuals deserve blame for a crime committed in the past simply because they are the same person that committed the past crime. From this perspective, a person would still be responsible for any of the alleged actions of a younger self. Problems with Lockes view Locke argued that being the same person over time was not a matter of having the same soul or having the same body. It was instead a matter of having the same consciousness over time, which he analyzed in terms of memory. Thus, in Lockes view, individuals are responsible for a past wrong act so long as they can remember committing it. While there is clearly something appealing about the idea that memory ties us to the past, it is hard to believe that a person should get off the hook just by forgetting a criminal act. Indeed, some research suggests that violent crime actually induces memory loss. But, I believe, the problems with Lockes view run deeper than this. The chief one is that it doesnt take into consideration other changes in ones psychological makeup. For example, many of us are inclined to think that the remorseful dont deserve as much blame for their past wrongs as those who express no regret. But in Lockes view, the remorseful would still deserve just as much blame for their past crimes because they remain identical with their former selves. Responsibility and change Some philosophers are beginning to question the assumption that responsibility for actions in the past is just a question of personal identity. Philosopher David Shoemaker, for example, argues that responsibility doesnt require identity. In a recent paper in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association, my co-author Benjamin Matheson and I argue that the fact that one has committed a wrong action in the past isnt enough to guarantee responsibility in the present. Instead, that responsibility depends on whether the person has changed in morally important ways. Philosophers generally agree that people deserve blame for an action only if the action was performed with a certain state of mind: say, an intention to knowingly commit a crime. My co-author and I argue that deserving blame in the present for an action in the past depends on whether those same states of mind persist in that person. If so, then the person hasnt changed in relevant ways and will continue to deserve blame for the past action. But a person who has changed may not be deserving of blame over time. The reformed murderer Red, played by Morgan Freeman, in the 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, is one of my favorite examples. After decades in the Shawshank Penitentiary, Red the old man hardly resembles the teenager that committed murder. If this is right, then figuring out whether a person deserves blame for a past action is more complex than simply determining if that individual did, in fact, commit the past action. In the case of Northam, some see his denial, as well as his admission of donning blackface during a dance competition as more evidence of his persisting responsibility. Others, however, would like the public to look at Northams overall track record in fighting against racism and prejudice. In particular, one commentator noted that Northam was forceful in his denunciation of the 2017 Charlottesville white supremacist rally. What I would argue is that when confronted with the issue of moral responsibility for actions long since passed, we need to not only consider the nature of the past transgression but also how far and how deeply the individual has changed. This is an updated version of an article first published on Oct. 3, 2018. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/should-we-judge-people-for-their-past-moral-failings-111146. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Should-we-judge-people-for-their-past-moral-13589894.php |
Why do so many Americans now support legalizing marijuana? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Amy Adamczyk, City University of New York; Christopher Thomas, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Jacob Felson, William Paterson University (THE CONVERSATION) American views on marijuana have shifted incredibly rapidly. Thirty years ago, marijuana legalization seemed like a lost cause. In 1988, only 24 percent of Americans supported legalization. But steadily, the nation began to liberalize. By 2018, 66 percent of U.S. residents offered their approval, transforming marijuana legalization from a libertarian fantasy into a mainstream cause. Many state laws have changed as well. Over the last quarter-century, 10 states have legalized recreational marijuana, while 22 states have legalized medical marijuana. In a study published this February, we examined a range of possible reasons, finding that the media likely had the greatest influence. Its not about use, geography or demographics Our study ruled out a few obvious possibilities. For one, its not about marijuana use. Yes, marijuana use has increased. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that, in 2002, about 10 percent of adults reported using marijuana the previous year. By 2015, 13.5 percent reported using. But that increase is too small to have had much of an impact on attitudes. And its not about older, more conservative Americans being replaced by younger generations who are more familiar with marijuana. Both younger and older people developed more liberal views about the legalization of marijuana at a similar pace over the last 30 years. In this way, changes in attitudes about marijuana legalization mirror recent increases in support for LGBTQ individuals. We looked to see if people who lived in states where it was illegal, but resided next to ones where it became legal, were more likely to have changed their views. But the rate of change has been no different in states that legalized marijuana than in others. Likewise, the pace of change has been similar across political parties, religions, educational levels, racial and ethnic groups and gender. As politically polarized as the country may seem, when it comes to marijuana, Americans have been changing their attitudes together, as a nation. We did find that a small part of the increase in support was related to more people disaffiliating with religion. The proportion of people who do not identify with a religion has increased some, by about 7 percent between 2007 and 2014. People who do not have a religion tend to be more liberal than others. However, this factor accounts for only a small proportion of the change. What has likely made the biggest difference is how the media has portrayed marijuana. Support for legalization began to increase shortly after the news media began to frame marijuana as a medical issue. We took The New York Times as a case study, looking at the number of published articles from 1983 to 2015 about marijuana. Just before the number of Americans supporting legalization began to increase, we found a sharp increase in the proportion of articles about marijuana that discussed its medical uses. In the 1980s, the vast majority of New York Times stories about marijuana were about drug trafficking and abuse or other Schedule I drugs. At that time, The New York Times was more likely to lump marijuana together in a kind of unholy trinity with cocaine and heroin in discussions about drug smuggling, drug dealers and the like. During the 1990s, stories discussing marijuana in criminal terms became less prevalent. Meanwhile, the number of articles discussing the medical uses of marijuana slowly increased. By the late 1990s, marijuana was rarely discussed in the context of drug trafficking and drug abuse. And marijuana had lost its association with other Schedule I drugs like cocaine and heroin in the New York Times. Gradually, the stereotypical persona of the marijuana user shifted from the stoned slacker wanting to get high to the aging boomer seeking pain relief. Of course, many Americans do not read The New York Times. But analysis of newspapers of record, like this one, provide insight into how the news media has changed its framing of marijuana, especially during an era when newspapers were still a primary news source. Harsh criminal justice system As Americans became more supportive of marijuana legalization, they also increasingly told survey researchers that the criminal justice system was too harsh. In the late 1980s, the war on drugs and sentencing reform laws put a large number of young men, often black and Latino, behind bars for lengthy periods of time. As Americans started to feel the full social and economic effects of tough-on-crime initiatives, they reconsidered the problems with criminalizing marijuana. Because support for the legalization of marijuana and concerns about the harshness of the criminal justice system changed at about the same time, its difficult to know what came first. By contrast, the cause and effect is clearer with respect to the media framing of marijuana. The news medias portrayal of marijuana began to change shortly before the public did, suggesting that the media influenced support for the legalization of marijuana. Once attitudes begin to change, it is difficult to know what keeps the momentum moving. Whatever the initial impetus, attitudes today are drastically more supportive, and legalization is increasing fast. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/why-do-so-many-americans-now-support-legalizing-marijuana-110593. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Why-do-so-many-Americans-now-support-legalizing-13589898.php |
Will Skechers (SKX) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report? | It is worth considering Skechers (SKX), which belongs to the Zacks Shoes and Retail Apparel industry. This shoe company has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was -6.89%. For the last reported quarter, Skechers came out with earnings of $0.58 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.51 per share, representing a surprise of 13.73%. For the previous quarter, the company was expected to post earnings of $0.40 per share and it actually produced earnings of $0.29 per share, delivering a surprise of 27.50%. Price and EPS Surprise With this earnings history in mind, recent estimates have been moving higher for Skechers. In fact, the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) for the company is positive, which is a great sign of an earnings beat, especially when you combine this metric with its nice Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Skechers currently has an Earnings ESP of +9.09%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 7, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, but that may not be the sole basis for their stocks moving higher. On the other hand, some stocks may hold their ground even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (SKX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/skechers-skx-beat-estimates-again-151003572.html |
Can Sanofi (SNY) Keep the Earnings Surprise Streak Alive? | Sanofi (SNY), which belongs to the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This drugmaker has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 5.98%. For the most recent quarter, Sanofi was expected to post earnings of $0.98 per share, but it reported $1.07 per share instead, representing a surprise of 9.18%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.72 per share, while it actually produced $0.74 per share, a surprise of 2.78%. Price and EPS Surprise For Sanofi, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Sanofi currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.64%, which suggests that analysts have recently become bullish on the company's earnings prospects. This positive Earnings ESP when combined with the stock's Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) indicates that another beat is possibly around the corner. We expect the company's next earnings report to be released on February 7, 2019. Investors should note, however, that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss, but a negative value does reduce the predictive power of this metric. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Sanofi (SNY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research | https://news.yahoo.com/sanofi-sny-keep-earnings-surprise-151003125.html |
Will Lumber Liquidators (LL) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report? | Lumber Liquidators Holdings (LL), which belongs to the Zacks Building Products - Retail industry, could be a great candidate to consider. This hardwood floors retailer has seen a nice streak of beating earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The average surprise for the last two quarters was 1.09%. For the most recent quarter, Lumber Liquidators was expected to post earnings of $0.18 per share, but it reported $0.27 per share instead, representing a surprise of 50%. For the previous quarter, the consensus estimate was $0.23 per share, while it actually produced $0.12 per share, a surprise of 47.83%. Price and EPS Surprise For Lumber Liquidators, estimates have been trending higher, thanks in part to this earnings surprise history. And when you look at the stock's positive Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction), it's a great indicator of a future earnings beat, especially when combined with its solid Zacks Rank. Our research shows that stocks with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time. In other words, if you have 10 stocks with this combination, the number of stocks that beat the consensus estimate could be as high as seven. The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a version of the Zacks Consensus whose definition is related to change. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Lumber Liquidators has an Earnings ESP of +14.55% at the moment, suggesting that analysts have grown bullish on its near-term earnings potential. When you combine this positive Earnings ESP with the stock's Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), it shows that another beat is possibly around the corner. The company's next earnings report is expected to be released on February 26, 2019. With the Earnings ESP metric, it's important to note that a negative value reduces its predictive power; however, a negative Earnings ESP does not indicate an earnings miss. Many companies end up beating the consensus EPS estimate, though this is not the only reason why their shares gain. Additionally, some stocks may remain stable even if they end up missing the consensus estimate. Because of this, it's really important to check a company's Earnings ESP ahead of its quarterly release to increase the odds of success. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Lumber Liquidators Holdings, Inc (LL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. | https://news.yahoo.com/lumber-liquidators-ll-beat-estimates-151003842.html |
Will Willis Towers (WLTW) Deliver a Beat in Q4 Earnings? | We expect Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company WLTW to surpass expectations in fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 7, before the market opens. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered a positive surprise of 18.92%. Our proven model clearly shows that Willis Towers has the right combination of the following two key ingredients to beat estimates this earnings season. Earnings ESP: Willis Towers has an Earnings ESP of +0.63%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at $4.09 per share, higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.06. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company Price and EPS Surprise Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company Price and EPS Surprise | Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company Quote Zacks Rank: Willis Towers has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which increases the predictive power of ESP as stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 along with a positive Earnings ESP have significantly higher chances of an earnings beat. Conversely, the Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) should never be considered going into an earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Factors Driving the Better-Than-Expected Earnings Willis Towers is likely to report top-line growth in the to-be-reported quarter, primarily driven by a probable increase in new business as well as solid customer retention levels. Also, better-than-anticipated segmental revenues might have aided this upside. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the metric in fourth-quarter 2018 is pegged at $2.4 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 14.4%. Notably, Willis Towers projects constant currency revenue growth to be around 4% in 2018. Further, the insurance broker is likely to have witnessed a rise in commissions and fees in the soon-to-be-reported quarter on the back of anticipated organic growth across its business lines, expanded footprint and contributions from strategic acquisitions. Consistent share buybacks and a lower tax incidence might have cushioned the companys bottom line in the soon-to-be-reported quarter. In fact, the consensus mark for earnings in the fourth quarter stands at $4.06, representing a significant improvement of 83.7% from the prior-year quarter. With respect to Exchange business, the company is expected to display a sturdy performance while maintaining a strong sales pipeline in both the middle and large markets. In 2018, the company successfully enrolled 0.2 million lives with 35,000 retirees in the individual marketplace, thus remaining confident about long-term growth of this particular business line. However, the insurance broker is anticipated to incur higher operating expenses, which can limit the operating margin expansion. Notably, the company projects transaction integration costs of about $180 million in 2018, up from the earlier guided range of $140-$150 million. Additionally, the company might have experienced a rise in long-term debt that can induce higher interest expenses. Other Stocks to Consider Some other stocks worth considering from the finance sector with the perfect mix of elements to also outshine estimates this time around are as follows: Radian Group Inc. RDN is set to report fourth-quarter earnings on Feb 8. The company has an Earnings ESP of +3.03% and a Zacks Rank of 1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Ares Capital Corporation ARCC has an Earnings ESP of +1.10% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The company is slated to announce fourth-quarter earnings on Feb 12. AerCap Holdings N.V. AER has an Earnings ESP of +6.84% and a Zacks Rank #2. The company is scheduled to release fourth-quarter earnings on Feb 14. | https://news.yahoo.com/willis-towers-wltw-deliver-beat-150703828.html |
Could rising tax values force out some of Charlotte homes? | As a single mother, Leslie Williams thought shed never have a shot at owning a home. But in 2000, when Habitat for Humanity built her a house just west of uptown in Seversville, all of the hours she had worked at multiple jobs had finally paid off. Everything was perfect from the three, identical-sized bedrooms to the spacious kitchen. The American Dream is to own your own home, and I thought I needed a husband to do that, she said. But I did it myself. Almost 20 years later, Williams, a school bus driver for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, is close to paying off that house. Habitat for Humanity is covering her property taxes until she finishes making mortgage payments. But once she starts footing the bill, she has reason to worry the house is now valued at $237,500, a 188 percent increase from its 2011 value. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer I was so happy to pay my house off, I thought I was gonna have a breather, she said. I see thats not gonna happen. Like Williams, property owners across Mecklenburg County saw sharply higher values when the county sent out revaluation notices last month. But while most property values went up, the increases werent spread equally. An Observer analysis of new property values shows that the most dramatic jumps in residential property values were concentrated in close-in neighborhoods near uptown. That includes historically black neighborhoods such as Biddleville, Seversville, Druid Hills, Optimist Park, Villa Heights, Belmont, Cherry and Grier Heights, which have seen influxes of new residents and investors buying up properties to rent, demolish and rebuild or remodel and flip. Many of these neighborhoods saw residential property values shoot up by an average of more than 120 percent, with increases of 200 or even 300 percent in value not uncommon. That doesnt automatically mean tax bills will increase that much, since tax rates are set separately from property values, and local officials are likely to lower the rates to offset some of the increased home values. But the new values are still stirring fears about displacement in fast-changing neighborhoods. Tax breaks and deferrals for low-income, elderly and disabled residents are also available for people who meet certain thresholds, but not all homeowners are eligible. Leslie Williams, a school bus driver for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, lives in a Habitat house in Seversville in the Johnson C. Smith University area. Her tax value jumped a 188 percent increase from its 2011 value. Over time, this neighborhood has gotten better, and Im glad for that, she said. I just hate the fact that its gotten better but now I cant afford to live in it. Diedra Laird [email protected] We knew what was coming James Atkinsons light blue Habitat for Humanity-built house sits at the end of a cul-de-sac of single-family homes in Optimist Park, a neighborhood that stretches north along the Blue Line extension from uptown to NoDa. One day, he looked out his window at the newly opened Parkwood light rail stop, and was confronted with a new reality. A hair on my arm came up, he said, And I knew that things would change. And things rapidly did change. Now, hundreds of apartments are being built next to the station, just across the street from Atkinsons home. The sense of identity that Atkinson, the president of the Optimist Park Community Association, had been pushing for for years was finally being recognized, but it had an unintended consequence: gentrification. Atkinsons house, which his mother moved into in the 1980s, is now valued at over $200,000, a 158 percent increase from 2011. This is the countys first revaluation since 2011, and the big increases in assessed values reflect the red-hot real estate market. The median increase in value for residential properties was 43 percent, Mecklenburg officials said. And when commissioners and City Council set new tax rates in the summer, properties with increases above the median rate of 43 percent are more likely to see their tax bills jump. I am concerned about the areas that have seen the highest levels of gentrification and the potential impact to residents in those areas, said commissioner Mark Jerrell. SHARE COPY LINK James Atkinson talks about gentrification as new construction towers right behind his Optimist Park home. New construction is causing higher property values, displacing or burdening many longtime neighborhood residents. Community activist Colette Forrest paid $100,000 for her two-bedroom, two-bath home in Wesley Heights, just west of uptown, nearly 20 years ago. It appreciated gradually, and was valued at $133,000 in 2011. Now, the county says that same house is worth over $320,000, an increase of almost 250 percent. The single mother is worried about how high her new property tax bill will be in July. But shes not surprised. In what seemed like an overnight transformation, a vacant patch of grass down the block turned into condos selling for $425,000. My elderly neighbors began to worry when they saw whites moving in at such a quick pace, she said. When we saw all of that, we knew what was coming. A sample revaluation notice Mecklenburg County Close to uptown, these neighborhoods have drawn waves of new residents over the past five years. In many cases the influx has been marked by new businesses like breweries, large new apartment buildings where studios start at $1,000 or more, and small mill houses torn down to make way for large, Craftsman-style homes that fill a lot almost to the property lines. They make the little bungalows next to them look like toy houses, said Darryl Gaston, pastor of Smallwood Baptist Church and president of the Druid Hills Neighborhood Association. He said rising values can be a double-edged sword in his neighborhood north of uptown, between Statesville Avenue and Graham Street. I want my property value to increase because its my biggest investment, said Gaston. He has reason to celebrate, in that regard: His house value jumped about 260 percent from 2011, from $70,900 to $184,500. But hes quick to add: I know, too, my family struggled with property tax and keeping it current. Ive struggled in doing so too. A lifelong resident in Druid Hills, Gaston worries about the impact of higher tax values on longtime residents. Even if the ultimate tax bills wont come out for months, he said people are talking. I think theres a measure of distress among, especially, my seniors, he said. Theyre proud of the homes they own, but theyre not so interested in paying more in their property taxes. It can be a little frightening. In neighborhoods near uptown, properties on each block tell the same story in more granular detail: Three houses on Belmont Avenue near Seigle Avenue that were valued at $79,000, $86,200 and $82,100 in 2011 are now assessed at $256,900, $247,700 and $248,000. Thats an average increase of more than 300 percent. A row of houses in Biddleville facing Five Points Park went from $73,400, $74,100 and $76,900 in 2011 to $170,700, $271,200 and $190,000 this year, meaning they more than doubled or tripled. In the Cherry neighborhood, $800,000 new homes have replaced smaller, older bungalows and duplexes. But homes that havent been substantially renovated have also seen their values soar. For example, three Cherry houses that date to the 1900s and 1920s and havent been renovated or expanded all more than tripled in value, going from $98,700 to $307,300; $88,200 to $312,500; and from $107,400 to $367,500. Williams welcomes many of the changes that have come to her west Charlotte neighborhood. She remembers when she called the police every weekend to report prostitution. Over time, this neighborhood has gotten better, and Im glad for that, she said. I just hate the fact that its gotten better but now I cant afford to live in it. SHARE COPY LINK Brandon Miller, executive director of the Youth Education Society, speaks to Charlotte City Council on Monday, Sept. 26, about how Charlotte's changing neighborhoods feed into the root causes of unrest that's rocked the city since Keith Lamont Sco One reason it could be harder to find a new place for people who move: The average rent in Charlotte has risen by more than a third over the past five years, to $1,175 a month. Landlords who see higher tax bills could pass along the cost to renters. We already have a crisis, said Jerrell, the commissioner. If landlords have to push the additional costs onto renters, how does that help? Commissioner Pat Cotham said during the 2011 revaluation, when the county had to refund $100 million to residents who argued their properties had been overvalued, she spoke with people who lost their homes as a result of their tax bills. Shes pushing the county to lower the property tax rate to a level that brings in the same amount of money as before revaluation. The so-called revenue neutral rate would avoid hiking taxes on everyone, but the bills for individual properties could still go up or down. I remember hearing those tears on the phone, she said. These are the hard decisions commissioners have to make. Jerrell said the county needs to find ways to limit the impact of higher values on longtime residents, such as expanding the property tax deferral and reduction programs for low-income elderly or disabled residents. We will not fund our priorities on the backs of the poor and our most vulnerable, said Jerrell. Picture of a house at the sink window in Leslie Williams kitchen. Her house is now valued at $237,500, a 188 percent increase from its 2011 value. Diedra Laird [email protected] Investors eying properties Another factor in displacement: Investors are circling, offering to snap up properties for cash. Several people interviewed different neighborhoods Druid Hills, Graham Heights, Seversville, Wesley Heights described the constant drumbeat of offers they receive in the form of letters, fliers left on doors and phone calls. The cards come every week. I got a letter last week, said Barbara Queen, who has lived in the Graham Heights neighborhood since 1968. A retiree and a widow, she said she makes too much in Social Security and her pension from Allstate to qualify for the countys homestead tax breaks. Its really getting scary to have people pursuing your property like this, said Queen. Her home value went up about 40 percent. Queen appealed her tax value during the last property revaluation and succeeded in getting her property value reduced. This time, shes keeping a wary eye out for an increase. If you dont sell your property and the tax value keeps going up, you wont be able to pay your taxes, she said. Its like youre being squeezed out no matter what. Forrest has seen her neighbors take offers to purchase their properties for cash at below market value, a practice she believes is predatory. She even received a contract in the mail, with an offer to buy her home for $200,000. Courtesy of Colette Forrest Two hundred thousand seems like a lot of money to some people, she said. But, theres nowhere in Charlotte I can move to, especially with me being a parent. On Edison Street in Druid Hills, where Gaston lives, he estimates there are about 20 rental properties, including a second house that he owns that has tripled in value. Hes received offers to sell his property, which he isnt considering. But Gaston thinks investors who own other properties will be tempted to sell when they see the appreciation. I think it will certainly be a catalyst for some people to sell, Gaston said. This tax revaluation will play a role in gentrification, especially for renters. Williams, 52, doesnt know where she would go if she couldnt afford the taxes on her house. She makes $25,000 a year as a school bus driver, and took home only $7,000 from her second job at a transition house. I cant imagine starting over, she said. I dont feel like starting over. I feel like Im too old. Staff writer Gavin Off contributed. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article225295175.html |
Will Al Riveron quietly fix any bad calls in real time? | Two weeks ago, NFL senior V.P. of officiating Al Riveron opted not to tell referee Bill Vinovich to drop a flag after Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman wiped out Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis. Its a fair question, given periodic suspicions that Riveron has indeed nudged the on-field officials in the right direction, even when such nudging violates the limits of the real-time communication system that primarily was put in place to allow instantaneous consultation for replay review. Last year, many suspected that the league implemented the new catch rule prematurely, with a couple of Eagles touchdowns being upheld via replay review under circumstances that, based on the standard applied by Riveron during the regular season, would have triggered a reversal. For at least one of the two touchdowns, its still believed that an initial decision to overturn the catch was changed. If Riveron uses the pipeline to Parry today, Ive got no problem with it. Especially since that could be the thing that causes the NFL to finally embrace adding an eighth official to each crew, and allowing him or her to serve as a video official, bridging the gap between what the officials on the field see, and what the rest of us see on TV. | https://sports.yahoo.com/al-riveron-quietly-fix-bad-212332312.html?src=rss |
Why are Bryce Harper and Manny Machado still free agents? | Welcome to FTW Explains: a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. In this edition we'll be looking at Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, and why they aren't playing for any baseball teams yet. Extremely weird. Well, we're here to help you understand all that. Or understand as much as can be understood. The end of the Super Bowl marks the unofficial start of the major league baseball season, and pitchers and catchers report to spring training early next week. Something similar happened last year, when relatively big-name free agents like Eric Hosmer and J.D. Martinez didn't find new homes until late February. But when it happened last year, many believed teams were reluctant to spend because they were preparing to chase guys like Harper and Machado this year. Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper, right, greets Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) before an interleague baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015, in Washington. It's complicated. But a big part of the hold-up involves the sport's most recent collective-bargaining agreement, which went into effect in 2017. It established more punitive penalties for teams exceeding MLB's luxury-tax threshold, currently set at $206 million. As recently as the early part of this decade, teams like the Yankees, Dodgers and Red Sox would somewhat frequently field payrolls more than twice the league median, but no team has done that since 2015. The surcharge is properly called the Competitive Balance Tax, and in that it exists to mitigate the payroll disparity between big- and middle-market clubs, it has succeeded. But because the financial penalties compound with consecutive years above the threshold, and because teams that blow past the mark now see their draft picks pushed back, front offices have incentive to keep their payrolls near or below the luxury-tax limit. The existence of the threshold gives teams justification for limiting their investment in players, which allows teams to take in a larger portion of the sport's increasing revenues. The free-agent market just isn't what it was a few years ago, and so guys like Harper and Machado are left to dangle. No! In fact, both Harper and Machado are 26, or extremely young by the standards of MLB free agents. Baseball players don't typically start seeing big declines in performance until their early 30s, and just about everyone expected Harper and Machado would be choosing between decade-long megadeals. The Angels gave Albert Pujols a 10-year, $240 million contract a month before his 32nd birthday. And there's more money in the game now than there was six years ago: Baseball's revenue keeps growing. It's sort of a game of chicken. It must be extremely annoying to have no idea if you'll be going to Florida or Arizona next week, and maybe one or both of Harper and Machado will get sick of waiting, swallow pride and sign a deal for less than they hoped, or maybe a team that really wants them gets nervous that a competitor is moving in and finally ponies up the cash. My guess - and it's a total guess - is that Machado signs sometime in the middle of next week and reports to spring training more or less on time. Harper holds out a little longer, we hear a whole lot about Bryce Harper remaining unsigned as camps open, then he signs an opt-out loaded deal that's worth more but not much more than Giancarlo Stanton's record $315-million extension. I have no idea. More guessing: Machado winds up with the Phillies, the Yankees come out of the woodwork and sign Harper. They are not. Starter Dallas Keuchel and closer Craig Kimbrel are still out there, as is super-utility guy Marwin Gonzalez. | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2019/02/05/why-are-bryce-harper-and-manny-machado-still-free-agents/39008367/ |
Does Facebook get an unfair press? | Image copyright Getty Images There was a grumble of resentment coming from the firm's Menlo Park headquarters as it celebrated its 15th birthday. "We've given you the gift of a connected world - why are you so mean to us?" seemed to be the lament. In a birthday blog, Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg outlined how networks like his were bringing communities together while undermining traditional hierarchies in the media and elsewhere. Then he said this: "There is a tendency of some people to lament this change, to overly emphasise the negative, and in some cases to go so far as saying the shift to empowering people, in the ways the internet and these networks do, is mostly harmful to society and democracy." In a recent speech outlining the progress Facebook had made in dealing with the various harms caused by social media, chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg also worried about media negativity. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sheryl Sandberg has concerns about media negativity She pointed out that a London journalist had written about how new technology meant we were sharing too much information about ourselves, while an editorial had said this meant the immediate end of all privacy. She then revealed that these laments were written 100 years ago when the technology involved was the telephone. The clear implication of what Facebook's two leaders are saying is that the criticism of their company has gone too far, and is perhaps motivated by a mixture of envy and ignorance from old media types who've always distrusted anything new. Looking at British newspaper coverage of Facebook over recent years, you can see their point. It has been relentlessly negative, with the social media giant blamed for everything from the undermining of elections to encouraging bullying, causing divorces and discouraging people from adopting pets from Battersea Dogs' Home. Image copyright Getty Images There is also a somewhat naive belief that if Facebook's technology is so brilliant at targeting adverts then it should be simple enough to remove harmful material. It's rather akin to the 1960s lament that "they can put a man on the moon but they can't solve the common cold", or the more recent "they promised us flying cars and instead we got 140 characters". Social media firms are using artificial intelligence and other technology to identify and remove rule-breaking content. But that's no magic bullet - the wider challenge is determining exactly what we as a society consider harmful and want to see expunged from the internet. These are complex issues but often both journalists and politicians paint them in very simplistic terms. But while Facebook's leaders may feel bruised by the constant bad headlines, frankly they need to get over themselves. Their company has done plenty of objectively bad things over recent years - laughing off the idea that it could swing an election, allowing users' data to be scraped by a political consultancy, doing little to prevent the platform from being used to promote genocidal violence in Myanmar. Other tech giants, from IBM to Microsoft to Apple, have been cast as media bogeymen over the years but arguably none has had the power that Facebook wields to harm society and democracy. Running Facebook may now be as testing a task as governing a medium-sized country. But for Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg there is one comfort - the pay is a lot better. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-47130142 |
What did Tulane graduate transfer lineman Ben Knutson like about visit, new coaches? | Tulanes two new offensive coaches hired in the last two months have had limited access to the players theyll start coaching in the spring, but theres one expected newcomer who likes what hes seen from them. Ben Knutson, a 6-foot-7 offensive lineman from Virginia, visited the campus last weekend before giving his pledge to the school as a graduate transfer. While there, he spent considerable time with new offensive coordinator Will Hall and offensive line coach Cody Kennedy. You can tell from talking ball with them, theyre both on the same page, said Knutson, who will stay at Virginia to complete his undergraduate requirements. Not only are they smart coaches, theyre good men. Theyre friends with each other and its important on the coaching staff to have that cohesion. Knutson, who redshirted his first season at Virginia and then played primarily on special teams over the next two seasons, said Tulane will have a pro style offense he hoped could prepare him during his two remaining seasons of college eligibility. They have lots of good people coming back, Knutson said. Among returning players on offense are quarterback Justin McMillan and running backs Dontrell Hilliard and Corey Dauphine. Also back is wideout Darnell Mooney, who will be joined by incoming graduate transfer wideout Jalen McCleskey from Oklahoma State. Tulane last season reached a bowl game and won for the first time since 2002. Something to believe in: Tulane's bow win completes special season turnaround Knutson arrives with some familiarity to the school and region. He was born in Slidell and moved with his family at a young age to South Bend, Indiana, near where he attended high school. His older sister, Allyson, is a 2013 Tulane graduate with a biology degree. His decision to leave Virginia came with the support of the coaches there, as Knutson said they understood his desire to find a graduate business degree program that fit what he was looking for. The Virginia website listed Knutson at 6-foot-9 and 310 pounds. He said Monday (Feb. 3) that height listing was exaggerated, and that hes actually closer to 6-7. At Tulane, Knutson will play either guard or tackle, he said. Tulane center Christian Montano is another graduate transfer lineman due to make his Tulane debut in 2019. Montano is a former multi-year starter at Ivy League school Brown. After a foot injury in the opener last season, the NCAA granted him a sixth year of eligibility for 2019. Knutson did not visit other schools before deciding on Tulane. Being familiar with Tulane through his sister helped him know the quality of education. That definitely helped, Knutson said. (The coaches) didnt have to sell me on academics. I knew what Tulane was about. Having that knowledge, me and the coaches could talk ball. They didnt have to sell me on the quality of the school. I knew that was a coaching staff I would love to play for. New Tulane coordinator Will Hall says of offense: 'We'll build it with tempo' | https://www.nola.com/tulane/2019/02/what-did-tulane-graduate-transfer-lineman-ben-knutson-like-about-visit-new-coaches.html |
Can government fix Metro Vancouver's housing affordability crisis? | Housing Matters host Stuart McNish speaks with B.C. Minister of Housing Selina Robinson, opposition critic Sam Sullivan, and Vancouver Sun columnist Dan Fumano about how different levels of government can find solutions to Metro Vancouvers housing affordability crisis. Here are six things you need to know from the latest episode of the Housing Matters podcast hosted by Stuart McNish. 1. B.C. Housing Minister Selina Robinson is not a fan of condos in the sky, those 600-square-foot units in high rises that she says are no place to raise a family. 2. Robinson says her government brought in the housing needs assessment to require local government to examine every five years whether the type of development in their municipalities match local needs. 3. Robinson defends the paperwork involved so homeowners dont have to pay the speculation tax as not a really big deal. 4. Liberal housing critic Sam Sullivan says the NDP governments 30-point plan to address affordability is focused more on increasing taxes than increasing the housing supply. 5. Sullivan says anti-density forces took root in Vancouver in about 1973 and since then about 70 per cent of the citys residential land base has remained in single-house form. We basically sprinkled frozen pixie dust on the city and whatever was, is now. The only densification that happened was in the industrial areas. 6. Sullivan says a perverse consequence of devaluing high-priced homes is that their property taxes go down and the owners of more affordable homes end up paying more. | https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/can-government-fix-metro-vancouvers-housing-affordability-crisis |
Who Should Win at the 2019 Grammys? | The 60-year history of the Grammys is littered with lapses in judgment: Macklemore over Kendrick Lamar, Beck over Beyonc, Milli Vanilli over literally anyone. This years 61st Annual Grammy Awards, which air on Sunday, Feb. 10 after a year of turmoil for the Recording Academy, present another opportunity for fresh embarrassment. But many are hopeful that new rule changes, including the increased number of nominees in major categories, will improve the quality, relevance and diversity of the winners at the 2019 Grammys. As the show looms, TIME writers Raisa Bruner and Andrew R. Chow discuss the nominees and make their picks for who deserves to win in the major categoriesand who will probably end up taking home the hardware. Album of the Year Invasion of Privacy Cardi B By the Way, I Forgive You Brandi Carlile The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now Scorpion Drake H.E.R. H.E.R. Beerbongs & Bentleys Post Malone Dirty Computer Janelle Mone Golden Hour Kacey Musgraves Black Panther: The Album, Music From And Inspired By (Various Artists) Kendrick Lamar, featured artist Raisa Bruner: Janelle Mones Dirty Computer is a beautifully executed and cohesive project from a mature artist who knows exactly what she wants to say. She even put out an entire visual project with the album, la Beyoncs Lemonade. And Drakes Scorpion was another streaming blockbuster with multiple viral hits. But this was Cardi Bs year. Invasion of Privacy cemented the firebrand Bronx rapper as much more than a fleeting sensation. The album came stacked with unimpeachable production and showed her rangefrom the undeniable summer smash I Like It featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny to moments of surprising delicacy, like on Thru Your Phone. The album was both a commercial and critical success by any standard, establishing Cardi B as a force well beyond the confines of hip-hop or social media stardom. Andrew R. Chow: Cardi was a freight train that pummeled through music, social media, and politicsand a win for her would be emblematic of a sea-change year in which hip-hop ruled the pop world like never before. But since the Grammys voter base skews old and whiteonly two hip-hop records have ever won Album of the Yeartheres a real possibility that hip-hop-oriented academy members split the vote between her, Drake, Post Malone and Lamar, paving the way for a Brandi Carlile upset. Carlile has intergenerational appeal and is a wise and incisive storytellerand her Obama association could make voting for her a tacit act of resistance. But By the Way, I Forgive You is not her strongest work. Im hoping that Musgraves, who is in many ways an inheritor of Carliles stormy independence and shrewd songcraft, will take home the award. The hazily gorgeous songs of Golden Hour combine the mythos of the Wild West with the more mundane anxieties of the digital age; they are buoyed by both crushing heartbreak and the resilience that follows. Record of the Year I Like It Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin The Joke Brandi Carlile This Is America Childish Gambino Gods Plan Drake Shallow Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper All the Stars Kendrick Lamar and SZA Rockstar Post Malone featuring 21 Savage The Middle Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey Chow: Justice for SICKO MODE! Of course, thats not the bar that a Record of the Year traditionally has to passbut maybe it should be! As for The Middle, credit is due to Zedd and Grey, who patiently tried out nearly a dozen of pops top voices before deciding on Morris as the perfect fit, turning it into a country-EDM crossover success. Cross-genre collaborations are hit or miss, but this group showed that patience and musical chemistry are important. Chow: The Middle, is, well, middling. I heard it dozens of times throughout the year, and every time failed to recognize it until that strained chorus, which makes my own throat sore; Morriss normally charming voice is drenched in layers of production syrup. I Like It is a much more pleasant A&R genre Frankensteinand the Grammys would be infinitely better with a Cardi B acceptance speech. Song of the Year All the Stars Kendrick Duckworth, Solna Rowe, Al Shuckburgh, Mark Spears and Anthony Tiffith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar and SZA) Bood Up Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai and Dijon McFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai) Gods Plan Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels and Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake) In My Blood Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes and Geoffrey Warburton, songwriters (Shawn Mendes) The Joke Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile) The Middle Sarah Aarons, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Kyle Trewartha, Michael Trewartha and Anton Zaslavski, songwriters (Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey) Shallow Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper) Chow: This category tends to reward anthemic and anguished rock songs (Hello, Stay With Me, We Are Young, Need You Now), which makes Shallow a shoo-in winner. It doesnt hurt that A Star Is Born devoured the Internet and the rest of the pop culture landscape this summer, nor that Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are fresh on everyones minds in the midst of a very charming (if fatigued) awards campaign. Shallow also happens to be the best song of the lot, exquisitely paced and bursting with wide-eyed aspiration. It could have been a hit at any point since the 70s; for Stevie Nicks and Jackson Browne, maybe, or Shania Twain and Tim McGraw twenty years later. And while Bood Up and Gods Plan are catchier, they lack the gut punch of Gagas guttural howl. Bruner: I agree: this is Shallows trophy to lose. (And a lossgiven the songs success across other awards shows so far this seasonwould be a true surprise.) But Id also like to extend some recognition to In My Blood, which is a powerful and surprising anthem to acknowledging, managing and overcoming anxiety. It would be easy to write off Shawn Mendes as a teen heartthrob, but this single proved he had something more to say as an artist and individual. In a year marked by major growth in conversations about mental health, In My Blood felt exactly of its moment. Best New Artist Chloe x Halle Luke Combs Greta Van Fleet H.E.R. Dua Lipa Margo Price Bebe Rexha Jorja Smith Chow: What a mess. We have Margo Pricewho won an Emerging Artist of the Year award three years agoalongside Greta Van Fleet, who is Led Zeppelin but for Urban Outfitters. Meanwhile, revelatory newcomers like Ella Mai, Lil Baby and Juice WRLD are nowhere to be found. (And thats to say nothing of indie darlings like Snail Mail and the Beths.) I would bet on H.E.R., the reclusive R&B singer, to take home the cursed award, given that she also snagged an Album of the Year nomination. She is a worthy choicebut the Grammys will probably be kicking themselves in 10 years, when Dua Lipa is embarking on her fifth sold-out world tour. Bruner: The Recording Academys love for H.E.R. across the big categories definitely suggests shes the artist to beat here, especially since she will most likely not convert her other nominations into wins against established names. This is a deep field, though: Dua Lipa has already become one of the most important pop voices of her generation, Bebe Rexha has been a definitive pop act for the better part of a decade and Chloe x Halle are just getting started as Beyoncs seriously precocious protgs. But dont count out Jorja Smith, who was last years Critics Choice at the Brit Awardsan honor shared by Adele and Sam Smith in past yearsand has the kind of silky, soulful voice that feels timeless. Best Music Video Apes*** The Carters This Is America Childish Gambino Im Not Racist Joyner Lucas Pynk Janelle Mone Mumbo Jumbo Tierra Whack Bruner: This should be Glovers win. This Is America had so much to sayas a song, yes, but particularly as a video. It was a viral conversation starter the moment it premiered, and it powerfully reflected the complexity of blackness in America today. Of course, Beyonc and Jay-Z did get to film their joint video in The Louvre. But when it comes to story, Glovers willingness to be unsettling and triumphant in equal measure is miles ahead. Honorable mention, however, should go to Janelle Mones Pynk. Rarelyif everhave we seen a celebration of female sexuality filled with so much unabashed joy. Chow: This is America is miles ahead of all of these videos except one: Tierra Whacks Mumbo Jumbo, a dadaist horror experiment and a gripping social commentary. Still, Glover deserves the nod, for the way in which he and director Hiro Murai turned a relatively conventional trap song into a Trojan horse to force 478 million people (and counting!) to reckon with gun violence and performative black joy. Glover spastically danced in a barren warehouse for his Freaks and Geeks video in 2011; eight years later, he used the flexible and frightening space to comment on the central ways in which black bodies are broadcast, whether in mandated viral dance crazes or lying lifeless on street corners. And Murai, the mastermind behind many episodes of Glovers Atlanta, is long overdue for his first Grammy, after years of directing inventive music videos for Glover, Usher, the Shins and many more. Write to Raisa Bruner at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5519020/2019-grammys-predictions/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29 |
Will Chicago's New Mayor Solve Its Pension Funding Crisis? | Chicagoans will know already that the upcoming mayoral election is an odd one, to say the least. With 14 candidates, and support widely spread among them, a candidate could make it to the April run-off with a very small percentage of the vote. The latest poll, commissioned by the Sun-Times, has Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in first with 13%, brother-of-Richard Bill Daley second with 12%, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, former Chicago Public Schools president Gery Chico, and businessman Willie Wilson tied for third with 9% each, and various other hopefuls with between 1% and 4%, with 26% undecided. Several of the top candidates have ties to Alderman Ed Burke, who was charged with extortion -- Mendoza's wedding was at the Burke home, Preckwinkle hired Burke's son into a patronage job -- but despite the mounting reports in the news about other aldermen implicated in the corruption scandal, this appears to have no effect on the polling. Whether Chicagoans will finally reject the attitude that sees corruption as an inevitable part of politics by the time February 26th rolls around, who can say, though it doesn't look promising. One bright spot, such as it is, is that pensions, and pension funding, is actually getting some attention, at least in the debates. Because of the pension funding "ramp" now in place, Chicago's statutory pension contributions are scheduled to increase by $159 million next year, a further $121 million in 2020, and so forth until in 2023, the annual contribution is $1.1 billion greater than in 2018. Candidates are being directly asked how, specifically, they intend to find this extra money, whether they support pension obligation bonds, and whether they support any reform in pension benefits themselves. But as encouraging as it is that this topic is being raised, the responses themselves are less encouraging. Mary Pat Campbell has a rundown of the responses of the full set of candidates on her blog, but I'd like to highlight a few of these, based in particular on what I saw (via livestream), and how the Chicago Tribune reported, in its own series of candidates' forums in mid-January, where they pointedly asked each set of candidates how, exactly, they planned to find the cash for the additional pension contributions coming due as a result of the city's pension funding ramp, which, as a reminder, is needed not merely to reach an aspirational goal, but simply to avoid insolvency. They also asked the first group of candidates whether they would be willing to engage in any manner of pension reform. Gery Chico, when asked about a potential constitutional amendment to permit changes to pensions, said, "well, sure, if people want to have a petition drive, they can." (Illinois has two methods of putting constitutional amendments on the ballot: the first is by petition, but the Machine pretty effectively ensures that any amendment they don't like doesn't make it to the ballot; the second is approval by the legislature, which is the route that Gov. Pritzker plans to take for his graduated income tax amendment.) Asked about funding pensions, he proposed getting more money from currently underassessed Loop skyscrapers and a temporary casino at McCormick Place. He referenced his experience at the Chicago Public Schools cutting wasteful spending. Daley interjected that Chico used pension money to bridge a funding gap, and Chico responded that plans were fully funded at the time so this was acceptable. (Yes, readers, I'm sure you can guess my reaction to that one.) On his website, Chico does at least acknowledge that "tackling the citys pension problem will be one of our biggest challenges," and does provide a list of possible revenue sources, some as generic as "growing our tax base, cutting the cost of government, [and] seeking a greater share of revenue from the State of Illinois," and others more specific but not likely to make a big dent in the problem, such as selling city-owned vacant land or "optimizing collections for city fees for services." Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President, self-proclaimed Progressive Candidate, garnerer of union money, one of the expected frontrunners, gave a one-word answer on the question of pension reform: "no." As to funding the required contributions, her plan involved the state successfully implementing a progressive income tax (which cannot occur until after a constitutional amendment in 2020), and the city snagging a share of the revenues; in addition, she and other candidates promised to use the money being freed up by expiring/unwound TIF districts as well as workers' comp reform. In addition, she made the general assertion that because she had managed the Cook County budget, she would do the same here. Her website says nothing. Willie Wilson offered vague promises to cut spending and bring in more revenue by cutting taxes to lure businesses, and his website similarly lacks any comments. Susan Mendoza not only said that a Pension Bond was on the table, and reform off it, but defended her vote in favor of contribution holidays at the state level at the time of the last recession, claiming that was proof that she had the "political courage" to make hard choices rather than acknowledging that this contribution holiday was every bit as much a matter of taking on debt as it would be to issue bonds to make payroll. (I suppose it's too much to ask for, for her to have said, "I didn't realize how rapidly funding would drop if we did this.") Her website pairs pension-funding plans with sourcing additional revenues for schools, and these are by and large the same tired ideas of revenue from a casino, from pot legalization, and from Springfield. In line with her comments at the forum, she also promotes a pension obligation bond, which she claims would "refinance pension debt" (which readers of last week's article will know does nothing of the sort). Bill Daley is the only candidate to have actually said, along with outgoing mayor Emanuel, that he believes that one piece to the puzzle of getting pension costs under control must unavoidably be reducing benefits for existing workers and retirees, focusing in particular on the fixed annual benefit increases, rather than imagining the problems can be solved merely by increased contributions in the future. It's a $26 billion anchor, everyone is guilty, and it's not enough to raise revenue but reforms have to be on the table too, by "opening the constitution." However, he did not offer a set of revenue sources for the immediate problem of making contributions prior to any possible amendment in 2020. Finally, with respect to pension bonds, his website asserts that "Bill will only consider a temporary borrowing plan if its accompanied by an iron-clad commitment to reforms." And finally, Paul Vallas has the most comprehensive plan of any of the candidates, laid out in detail on his website, with further commentary at CapitolFax.com, which tracks with the comments he made in the candidates' forum, and which makes it clear he's thought about the issue far more deeply than needed merely to put together a few bullet points on a website or a few sentences in a debate. (His campaign also provided additional comments via e-mail.) To begin with, he considers a "grand compromise" to amend the Constitution unlikely without Pritzker's support, and worries shedding liabilities via bankruptcy (even if enabling legislation is passed) could create more problems than it solves. He acknowledges that there is no savings to be found in cutting benefits for future workers, because the "Tier 2" workers are already subsidizing the "Tier 1" group, and recognizes that the reported pension debt might well be understated, to the extent that fund return expectations are overly-optimistic. He touts the 104% funding level of the Chicago Teachers' pension plan when he left his role as CEO, and proposes a set of revenue increases and spending cuts, including, yes, casino and pot revenue but also other sources, mapped out with numbers attached, as well as a contingency proposal of a POB funded not through sales tax securitization but through the cash flow generated by expiring TIFs. I'll be honest: I'm a fan of Vallas, though he's the underdog in the polling at 4%, because he's taking this issue seriously enough to put together a concrete plan, even though Daley is the only one to tackle the issue, so near and dear to my heart, of benefit reform itself. And having said all this, I lack the level of insight into Chicago politics more broadly speaking to hazard a guess as to the eventual outcome. ecause if that future mayor and the future city council lose their collective nerve, there's a real risk that pension funds are depleted entirely, or that they succumb to the temptation to paper over the issue with bonds. Please visit JaneTheActuary.com, where you will also find links to related articles. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/ebauer/2019/02/05/will-chicagos-new-mayor-solve-its-pension-funding-crisis/ |
Why Is Our AI Revolution Built On Free Data Rather Than Good Data? | One of the greatest challenges confronting the modern AI revolution is the lack of sufficiently diverse training data. From driverless cars that struggle with the most basic scenarios to image recognition software that fails spectacularly on entire demographics, our AI systems today have been hamstrung by a critical lack of data representing the full extent of their operating domains. The reason is that for all of the investment being made in the people, computing hardware and algorithms powering AI, we refuse to make even the most rudimentary investments in the lifeblood of AI: data. In short, our AI revolution is being built on free data, rather than good data. AI and machine learning in all its forms has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past half-decade to become perhaps the single most influential (though not always useful) technology of the moment. Across nearly every industry and field of study, practitioners are exploring how AI can solve the grand challenges confronting them and either accelerate production or simply reduce costs by replacing armies of human workers much as their mechanical counterparts did in the Industrial Revolution a century and a half ago. AI is an expensive field. Experienced developers with strong AI backgrounds are an incredibly rare commodity, with top developers commanding multi-million-dollar salaries. The massive specialized computing power required for training and executing AIs data-hungry models require tremendously expensive investments in on premises or cloud hardware rental. Vast farms of the latest generation GPUs and purpose-built AI accelerators dont come cheap, nor do the armies of traditional processors, storage arrays and high-performance networks to manage and orchestrate the process. Building or renting a late generation AI data center at the largest scales is not for the faint of heart. Yet, for all this free-flowing investment in the people and hardware that make AI possible, when it comes to the data that is the lifeblood of those AI algorithms, companies refuse to spend a dime. Companies that will freely spend millions of dollars to build or rent an AI data center and millions more hiring top technical talent will balk at the idea of spending tens or hundreds of thousands to acquire high quality data to train those models. In turn, as the models they create necessarily reflect all of the biases, holes and other problems of the poor-quality data used to train them, companies protest there is simply nothing they can do: the data they can get for free is poor quality, so AI models will always be poor quality it is simply impossible to have good AI. Thus we have one of the great ironies of the AI revolution: the companies spending millions to build AI systems refuse to spend anything on quality data to train them, undermining all of that investment by yielding poor quality models that suffer from considerable bias and holes. In short, our AI revolution is being built on free data, rather than good data. In many ways the state of AI today is akin to building a state-of-the-art fighter jet and then pouring cheap gasoline in it instead of jet fuel and wondering why the engines dont seem to run right and it cant get off the ground. Many of the most pressing challenges facing AI today revolve around its poor-quality training data. Bias, brittleness, ease of fooling, lack of representational edge case examples to fall back upon: all of these key problems trace their roots at least in part to poor quality training data. While algorithmic improvements could help, so too could having proper training data. Instead, the AI community as a whole seems to have embraced the idea that training data should be free and that whatever results from poor quality free data is simply what we will have to accept as the cost of AI. In turn, as these highly biased and brittle AI systems are deployed into increasingly risky real world scenarios with the potential to cause physical harm and even death to humans, we say thats just the cost of using free data. When an AI algorithm malfunctions and kills someone, in part because its training data didnt cover sufficiently similar scenarios, we dont argue that we need to start paying for quality training data. We just once again argue thats the best we can do with free data and accept that paying for data is a non-starter. Much as Facebooks greatest success has been in changing global societal norms to teach us all that privacy is no longer important, the AI revolution has normalized the idea that the technology industry should use only free data, no matter how poor quality it is, rather than pay to create high quality data. In many ways the AI industry has simply continued the webs redefinition of the value of information from something worth paying for into something that should be given for free in return for the right to surveil us consuming and acting upon it. Strangely, this now-standard economic surveillance model does not actually apply to the AI revolution. AI models arent receiving free data in return for being surveilled to sell ads to. This means that our devaluation of information has now become so permanent that we see all forms of information across all contexts as being both economically valueless and economically priceless in terms of the monetization potential of its consumption. In short, information itself no longer holds value, it is the behavior of humans consuming and acting upon that information that is now valued. Since raw information is no longer valued, AI creators view this raw fuel of the AI revolution as something they should receive for free. Putting this all together, our AI revolution represents a fascinating reflection of how we value information today and a comical irony that for the millions we spend on the people and hardware to create AI algorithms, we refuse to spend a penny to create the high quality data needed to maximize their abilities. Instead, we create biased and brittle algorithms and argue we can do no better with the free data we have. While the steady drumbeat of algorithmic improvements will help slowly address our data issues, we could in reality fix so many of our current AI issues by simply paying for good data. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/02/05/why-is-our-ai-revolution-built-on-free-data-rather-than-good-data/ |
Can Stoicism Make the Modern Man Happy? | 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. A lot of people seem to think so. They identify as modern Stoics, a movement that has gained traction over the past two decades, with thousands of members now congregating online and off to practice a self-help version of the philosophical life. They include athletes, military officers, CEOs, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, and writers like The New Yorkers Elif Batuman, who described in a 2016 feature for the magazine how the Stoic philosopher Epictetus helped her cope with a long-distance relationship and sneaky taxi drivers in Turkey. Ad Policy Though modern Stoicism has its roots in the culture of self-improvement, it also has more serious philosophical champions. One of these is Massimo Pigliucci, whose recent How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life proposes to bring Stoicism from second-century Rome to twenty-first-century New York. A professor of philosophy at the City College of New York, Pigliucci is best known for his work in the philosophy of science. In his latest book, he discusses his Catholic upbringing in Rome and his rejection of religion as a teenager. To find meaning in his life and, as he grew older, to prepare for death, Pigliucci tried out different systems of belief. Buddhism was too mystical, secular humanism too dependent on science, but Stoicism hit the spot. It was a rational, science-friendly philosophy that offered him an answer to the most fundamental question: How ought we to live? In How to Be a Stoic, Pigliucci aims to demonstrate how we can use this philosophy to develop a moral character and attain peace of mind in three ways: by taking charge of our desires, by acting virtuously in the world, and by responding appropriately to events we cant fully control. To update Stoicism for our 21st-century needs, he replaces its theology and cosmology with contemporary scientific views and applies it to the challenges we are likely to encounter in the modern world. Yet I question whether the core tenets of Stoicism can survive this reinventionand even if they did, I remain doubtful that they provide the right ethical and moral framework for our time. Like all philosophical schools in antiquity, the Stoics sought to determine what happiness is and how we can best achieve it. The Greek term for happiness is eudaimonia, which refers to something broader than just being in a happy state; it refers, roughly, to living a good, flourishing life. For most ancient philosophers, living virtuously was a key ingredient of eudaimonia. But the Stoics went further: Virtue, they claimed, is all we need. On this point they disagreed with Aristotle, who argued that people talk nonsense if they say that a virtuous person is happy even when hes being tortured or experiencing great misfortune. The Stoics, however, stood their ground: A virtuous person, they held, is as happy on the rack as he is enjoying a fine dinner in his Roman villa surrounded by loved ones. So long as he (or she) is virtuous, the Stoic is happy under all circumstances. The reason the Stoics made this claim is that, for them, everything that happens is part of a providential order, designed by a divine mind they identified with Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. Virtue, for the Stoics, consisted in living in agreement with that order. Once we understand that Zeus has arranged all things for the best, we can embrace lifes blows and its blessings as necessary to bring about the greatest good. In a virtuous life, moreover, the conventional blessings dont matterthings like health, wealth, beauty, honor, or a wide circle of friends. These are things that we cant be certain to attain, since they depend on chance or on other peoples opinions and actions. In Ciceros words, they are all eclipsed, overwhelmed, and destroyed by the splendour and grandeur of virtue; thats why misfortunes cant upset the virtuous person. Of course, this doesnt mean the Stoic wont pursue such things like everyone else. But if Zeuss plan requires that he fails to attain them, the Stoic remains unfazed. Pigliuccis challenge, then, is not merely to explain ancient Stoicism, but to make it convincing for the modern reader who doesnt believe in Zeus and Providence. This is where he runs into trouble. To update Stoicism, he proposes replacing Zeus with what he calls Einsteins God, which is simply the system of natural causes and effects, understandable by reason, that determines all things. But while the Stoics, like Einstein, equate God with the universes rational order, they mean something completely different by that: The universe is rational, they contend, because it is purposefully arranged by its maker. Einsteins God, by contrast, isnt a divine craftsman, but instead represents deterministic natural laws, as opposed to the randomness posited by quantum mechanics. Einsteins God will no doubt appeal more to Pigliuccis readers than the divine craftsman of the Stoics. Pigliucci contends, moreover, that living well in the Stoic sense doesnt depend on whether there is a God or what Gods specific attributes are. I strongly disagree. The practical part of Stoicismthe part where it teaches us how to livedoesnt work without the outdated metaphysical underpinning. For the Stoics, Zeus made everything, including human beings, to maximize the universes perfection. What sets human beings apart is that they alone share in Zeuss rational nature and can help carry out his plan by embracing the fate he has allotted to them. We are the only part of the universe that doesnt just blindly function, but can grasp its task and perform it willingly. The key to happiness, therefore, is human reason, which enables us to understand Zeuss plan and then direct our lives in accordance with it. Current Issue View our current issue Pigliucci insists that from an evolutionary standpoint too, reason is a distinctive human trait. But even if we agree, it hardly follows that we should use our reason to live virtuously rather than, say, to outsmart our competitors in the pursuit of pleasure, power, or wealth. How Einsteins God might offer us guidance herehow living in agreement with the deterministic system of causes and effects can make us virtuous and happy, or how it can reconcile us with our misfortunes as necessary for the universal goodPigliucci doesnt explain. In the end, I fear, Einsteins God simply cant do the job that Zeus did for the Stoics. Theres another wrinkle: For the Stoics, living in agreement with Zeuss providential order came with specific requirements such as caring for the well-being of othersnot only our own near and dear, but all of humankind. Just as Zeuss concern for human beings extended to everyone, ours should, too. Einsteins God, by contrast, doesnt care about anyone or anything. Thus, Pigliuccis argument for embracing a similar humanitarian outlook appeals to an evolutionary understanding of social behavior: Care for others is produced by the prosocial instincts in human nature. As Adam Smith noted, perhaps with a hint of melancholy, we seem to help each other best when we act selfishly. The Stoics also call on us to become cosmopolitans. Dont say youre an Athenian or a Corinthian, but a citizen of the world, Epictetus advises. Its a fine quote for a cocktail party, but the reason the Stoics offer will not satisfy a devotee of Einsteins god: They are cosmopolitans because theres just one valid law throughout the universe, Zeuss rational law. Related Article Waiting for Steven Pinkers Enlightenment David A. Bell The concrete examples of virtuous behavior that Pigliucci offerssuch as eating at environmentally and socially conscious restaurants and investing via ethically responsible banksare appealing enough. Its just not clear what they have to do with Stoicism. Pigliuccis values may be widely shared among his intended readers, but unlike Stoic virtue, which consists in living in agreement with Zeuss plan, they have no firm philosophical foundation. The general problem with Pigliuccis approach should be clear by now. Many moderns may find a philosophy attractive that admonishes us to be rational, social, and cosmopolitan. But on closer inspection, the original Stoic arguments for these values have lost their bite, dependent as they are on a providential world order. Meanwhile, the updated Stoic arguments that Pigliucci proposes dont have enough bite to begin with. For Pigliucci, Stoicisms main benefit is that it teaches us how to face adversity with equanimity. The examples he offers include food poisoning, an obnoxious cell-phone user at the movies, a stolen wallet, a genetic disposition to obesity, and not getting a job promotion. These things wont upset us, he suggests, if we keep in mind the Stoic dichotomy of control. According to the Stoics, our happiness depends only on what is up to us, not on external circumstances that we cant fully control. We can strive to get a good job, stay healthy, raise a thriving family, or find interesting friends, but whether we succeed is only partly in our power. If you were born in a Mumbai slum, for example, the deck is stacked against you from the very start. By contrast, how we judge things is up to us, and judging them correctly is all we need to be happy. And judging things correctly, in turn, means affirming everything that Zeuss providential order has in store for us, because we recognize that whatever it is, is necessary in order to bring about the best possible world under his divine plan. Pigliucci turns this idea into something very different. We can endure misfortune with equanimity, he argues, if we realize that the outcome isnt under our control and that the universe doesnt care about our purposes. He also recommends various exercises to cope with misfortune: for example, what he calls praemeditatio malorummeditating on the worst things that can happen to us, so were prepared if they do and thankful if they dont. He also offers solid commonsense advice: Instead of letting anger consume you when misfortune strikes, Pigliucci counsels, remain cool and troubleshootfor example, quickly cancel your credit cards if your wallet gets stolen. But the connection to Stoicism is again unclear. For the ancient Stoics, the universe does care: It is arranged in the best possible way, especially for humankind, its most valuable part. For the Stoic sage, there are no malabad thingsto meditate upon, since all things are part of Zeuss flawless plan. To see that Pigliuccis proposal doesnt work, just scale up the degree of adversity: Instead of stomach pains and pickpockets, think of a Holocaust survivor who learns that the rest of his family has perished in the death camps, or a Syrian refugee who watches his sons dead body wash up on the shore. The Stoics thought their tools worked even in these extreme cases: Epictetus tells us in the same breath not to get upset about shattered china or the death of loved ones. But recognizing ones lack of control and the universes indifference, as Pigliucci proposes, wont yield equanimity in the face of such loss. And thats a good thing. The larger question here is whether the politics and ethics that modern Stoicism proposes are the right ones for our age. Many Stoics, Pigliucci claims, were bent on changing the world for the better. But they werent: They would have dismissed as incoherent the idea that one can improve what is already in the best possible state. They could, however, justify activism as an effort to help implement the divine plan. In a universe that doesnt care about our purposesa universe ruled by Einsteins God, not the divine craftsman of the Stoicscreating the conditions for human flourishing becomes our job. We cannot just come to terms with the way the world was ordered by some higher power; we have to order the world ourselves. Pigliucci says, for example, that it is not in our power to make thievery disappear. But were much more likely to get mugged in Rio de Janeiro than in Stockholmand thats the outcome not of Providence but of human-made social orders. Realizing that the Stoics tools to cope with adversity no longer work is a powerful incentive to minimize the need for them, whether by advancing medicine and technology or by championing social justice and human rights. On the whole, the Stoics were much more focused on coping with the world as it exists and as we suffer in it than on changing it. Thats not surprising, given their core beliefs: that we live in the best possible world and that happiness is available under all circumstances. But if you dont share these beliefs, then developing vaccines and fighting economic inequality is time better spent than searching for philosophical consolation. | https://www.thenation.com/article/massimo-pigliucci-modern-stoicism-book-review/ |
What weird object has been discovered in seal poo? | Getty Images It's everyone's worst nightmare - having your prized USB stick eaten by a cheeky seal! Scientists in New Zealand have found someone's USB stick literally 'sticking' out of some frozen seal poo. And, if that isn't enough, the memory stick still works and there's loads of photos and video footage on it. There's now a social media campaign to try and track the owner down! The 'sealiest' thing I've ever heard! To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. A USB stick has been found in a sample of seal poo and it still works! New Zealand scientist, Krista Hupman, discovered the memory stick when she was looking through a sample of frozen Leopard Seal poo. The poo is really useful to marine biologists who are monitoring the health of seals. It's often frozen and then de-frosted at a later date to be studied. The sample of poo was from back in 2017 so it was really surprising when the USB was loaded onto a computer and was found to be still working. The stick contained images of sea lions and a video of a mother playing with her baby. The owner hasn't been found yet but the scientists hope they might be able to track them down via social media. Getty Images | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47130890 |
Who is Stacey Abrams? | Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate who narrowly lost the race for Georgia governor in 2018, will deliver the Democrats' rebuttal to President Trump's State of the Union address on Feb. 5. The response is traditionally delivered by member of Congress or a sitting governor, making Abrams an intriguing choice given that she doesn't currently hold a political office. However, as a progressive black woman who was defeated by one of Mr. Trump's endorsed candidates, party leaders may be hoping that she can deliver a speech which demonstrates the stark differences between Republicans and Democrats. Biography Abrams, who is one of six siblings, was born in 1973 in Wisconsin, although her family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, during her childhood. Both of her parents later became Methodist ministers. Abrams graduated from Spelman College, a historically black liberal arts college for women in Atlanta, and studied public policy at the University of Texas at Austin as a Harry S. Truman Scholar. Abrams received her law degree from Yale Law School in 1999. While serving as a private tax attorney, Abrams was appointed the Deputy City Attorney for Atlanta at age 29. She was elected to the Georgia General Assembly in 2006, and became the first black woman to serve as minority leader in 2011. She became known for her ability to work across the aisle, and worked with GOP Gov. Nathan Deal on criminal justice reforms, public transportation packages and a scholarship for low-income Georgia students. Gubernatorial race In 2018, Abrams ran for governor of Georgia. She prevailed in a primary against Stacey Evans in part because she opted to focus on drawing out like-minded liberal voters instead of attempting to broaden her appeal to swing voters. The strategy was an outgrowth of her work with the New Georgia Project, an officially nonpartisan organization she helped establish that registered tens of thousands of mostly minority voters across the state beginning during the 2014 election cycle. Abrams was defeated by Republican Brian Kemp in November. She initially did not concede the race to Kemp, due to concerns over voting irregularities, but acknowledged that Kemp had won later in the month. If she had won, Abrams would have been the first black female governor in the country. She remains a popular politician among Democrats, and a leader on the grassroots left. In late November, the Abrams-backed group Fair Fight Action filed a federal lawsuit challenging the way Georgia's elections are run. Since losing her gubernatorial bid, Abrams has said she is open to running for political office again. In recent days, she was spotted in Washington lunching with California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, and met with other party leaders about a potential 2020 U.S. Senate bid against GOP Sen. David Perdue, of Georgia, one of Mr. Trump's closest allies on Capitol Hill. Romance novelist Abrams has also published several romance novels under the pen name Serena Montgomery. Controversy during gubernatorial campaign There were several voting irregularities during the campaign, and Abrams accused Kemp, who oversaw Georgia's election system as secretary of state, of dropping more than a million voters from the rolls since 2012 and closing polling places in African-American communities. "He is someone who is tilting the playing field in his direction and in the direction of his party," Abrams told CBS News' Nancy Cordes in October. "It is absolutely voter suppression." The biggest controversy surrounded the new "exact match" law that put the registrations of 53,000 voters, most of them African Americans, on hold because of discrepancies in the way their names are spelled in state databases. Kemp's office suspended processing the registrations under the auspices of a 2017 state law passed under his urging, which requires an "exact match" between a voter registration form and government documents. If a person's voter registration form differs from government documents -- even by a hyphen or a misspelling -- their registration form is considered suspect. However, the voters with pending applications could still vote on election day, if they presented photo identification at the polls. Kemp promoted several measures during his tenure as secretary of state which Democrats claim are intended to suppress minority votes. Abrams called on him to step down several times, given that Kemp oversees the state's electoral system. Kemp's office has canceled over 1.4 million voter registrations since 2012, including over 600,000 since 2017 alone, according to the Associated Press. Kemp was the only secretary of state in the country to refuse the Department of Homeland Security's aid against electoral hacking before the 2016 election, and he is being sued for failing to secure the state's voting system and allowing a massive breach into the records of 6 million voters. He and Gwinnett County are also being sued due to the Georgia county's rejection of 595 absentee ballots this year, over half of which belonged to African Americans and Asian Americans. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-stacey-abrams-state-of-the-union-2019-rebuttal-democratic-party-biography/ |
Will To Taxi find a saviour in Pierre Karl Pladeau? | Businessman and To Taxi founder Alexandre Taillefer says hes keeping his fingers crossed that an interest in the troubled firm reportedly exhibited by Qubecors Pierre Karl Pladeau will turn into something more tangible. In a brief statement sent to Presse Canadienne on Tuesday, Taillefer said he had nothing more to say other than I wish with all my heart that an experienced team can relaunch this important project, adding that Im keeping my fingers crossed that the rumour becomes a reality. According to reports in Pladeaus Qubecor outlets, the media mogul, acting on his own behalf, recently met with shareholders of the failed electric transport company. More than 400 drivers lost their jobs when To Taxi pulled the plug last month, saying it was unable to maintain financing for its operations. To Taxi was part of Taxelco, which also owns To Techno which developed the companys smartphone app as well as Diamond Taxi and Hochelaga Taxi, both of them conventional and profitable taxi companies. The majority shareholder in Taxelco is Fonds XPND Croissance, part of XPND Capital, where Taillefer is the principal partner. According to a document filed in Superior Court Friday by National Bank, one of the firms creditors, the debts held by Taxelco and To Taxi totalled close to $25 million. The bank holds $10.2 million of that debt, while Fondaction CSN held $3.6 million, Fin Taxi $1.8 million and Finalta Capital $1.5 million. About a year ago, the Caisse de dpt et placement du Qubec, the FTQ Solidarity Fund, Fondaction CSN as well as XPND Capital agreed to inject $17 million into Taxelco as part of a new round of financing to purchase new equipment and hire personnel. But when it became clear the firms financial outlook would not improve, the three institutional investors refused to provide any more capital, which left To Taxi on its last legs. According to the document filed by National Bank, anyone interested in Taxelco or its assets has until March 4 to make that interest known. Should any transaction be reached, it must be concluded by March 29. | https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/will-teo-taxi-find-a-saviour-in-pierre-karl-peladeau |
What Could The Knicks Offer New Orleans For Anthony Davis Before The Deadline? | On Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Anthony Davis representatives have informed the Pelicans that, should he be traded, AD would sign long-term with only four teams, the Lakers, Knicks, Bucks and Clippers. According to ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks did offer a package that included Kristaps Porzingis before they dealt KP to Dallas, along with Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews and two future first-round selections. Even though they no longer have Porzingis to incorporate into a deal, New York does have a number of attractive assets in the form of young players and picks that might be tempting to New Orleans. While its commonly assumed the Knicks pursuit of Davis died with the Porzimgis trade, it would certainly be understandable if they seriously considered going all in on AD after he made it know New York is on his shortlist. At just 25 years of age, Davis has yet to enter his prime but is already one of the five best players in the league. His upside is almost unparalleled. For instance, there only three players in NBA history with a Player Efficiency Rating north of 27.0: Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. With New York being one of only four destinations Davis is interested in, the Knicks have no choice but to weigh their options. This may be their last chance to get their hands on Davis. If the Pelicans hold onto AD past the trade deadline, it allows more teams (namely the Celtics) to get involved in the AD sweepstakes this summer. If the Knicks wanted to increase their odds of landing a top-tier free agent this offseason, having a superstar already on the roster would almost undoubtedly make them a more desirable destination to the Kevin Durants and Kyrie Irvings of the world. New Yorks offer would be centered around Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and multiple first-round selections, including their 2019 pick, which is a lottery ticket with a 14 percent chance of landing Zion Williamson. This hypothetical offer works under the salary cap: Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Frank Ntilikina, Damyean Dotson, along with the expiring contracts of Enes Kanter and Lance Thomas, and three future first-round selections, in exchange for Davis and Solomon Hill. New Orleans is reportedly telling teams that swallowing Solomon Hills awful contract ($12.8 million in 2019-20), is the part of the cost of acquiring AD. The Pels would almost certainly require that the 2019 Knicks pick is unprotected, as the ideal scenario would be landing Zion. The two sides could discuss the protections on the future selections. Its also important to note that because the Knicks now own two of the Mavericks future first-rounders, they dont have the same limitations under the Stepien Rule, and thus have more flexibility in trading away their own first-round picks. If the Knicks were actually willing to push their best remaining chips into the middle of the table, the Pelicans would have to decide if New Yorks proposal trumped the Lakers best offer. According to Wojnarowski, the Lakers are currently offering Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball and two first-round picks for Davis and Hill. However, the Pelicans are reportedly demanding four first-rounders and second-round picks. The Pelicans are posturing as though they are content to sit tight, hold onto AD, and wait until the summer, believing that the same package from the Lakers will be available in July. As Wojnarowski notes: The Pelicans want to be compensated -- perhaps even overcompensated -- for bypassing the chance to open up the process in the offseason. Not only would the Celtics be able to enter the fray after July 1st, but it will also be known whether or not the Knicks won the Zion lottery. With the clock ticking towards Thursday's 3:00 pm deadline, it should be an interesting 48 hours | https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2019/02/05/what-could-the-knicks-offer-new-orleans-for-anthony-davis-before-the-deadline/ |
Will the Year of Pig Shower Fortunes on China ETFs? | Over the years, Chinas economy has turned out extremely crucial in gauging global economic and investing health. Chinas $13 trillion economy, second in size just after the United States, makes up about a third of global growth each year. So, if Chinas debt-ridden economys growth slows down, which actually has been the case of late, the global economy will have reasons to worry. Against this backdrop, China is stepping into its Lunar New Year 2019 the Year of the Pig today. Lets find out whats in store for China ETFs this New Year. Recap of the Dog Year The year went all wrong for China investing due to year-long trade tensions with the United States. It started in March after Trump ordered duties on steel and aluminum imports followed by an announcement to levy up to $60 billion of import duties on Chinese goods. The whole year was spent on negotiations with no concrete solution in sight.To date, the United States has slapped tariffs of 10% on $250 billion worth of Chinese products, and has warned tariffs on US$267 billion more. Meanwhile, China has set tariffs on $110 billion worth of U.S. goods (read: China's Likely Retaliation to US Tariffs & Its Impact on ETFs). Chinas fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) grew at the weakest clip since the financial crisis of 2009, slipping to 6.4% from 6.5% in Q3. Overall, the economys 2018 growth rate of 6.6% was a 28-year low. Weak investment and wavering consumer confidence weighed on the economy. Chinas factory activity contracted last December, for the first time in more than two years(read: China's 2018 GDP Growth 28-Year Low: ETFs That Lost the Most). iShares China Large-Cap ETF FXI is down 14.3% past year (as of Feb 1, 2019) while Xtrackers Harvest CSI 500 China A-Shares Small Cap ETF ASHS is off more than 30%. Looks like the year of the pig, which symbolizes wealth and prosperity, will bring luck for China investing thanks to optimism surrounding trade with the United States. Per the sources, both sides are considering a meeting in Vietnam on Feb 27 and 28, and striving to reach a resolution on trade ties. Both parties may seek to protract trade war truce before the final deal. Chinas central bank cut its reserve requirement ratio (RRR) several times in the past year, to release about $116 billion for new lending and boost the economy. The latest cut in RRR has been in 2019 that has taken RRR to 14.5% for large institutions and 12.5% for smaller banks. The cuts will be put into effect on Jan 15 and Jan 25, respectively. To boost the economy, China recently launched tax breaks for small businesses run by recent graduates and low-income workers. The cuts take effect from Jan 1 and will continue till 2021-end. The Finance Ministry said this month that it will roll out larger tax and fee cuts, to boost small firms and manufacturers, per Reuters. Still, with the trade war and other internal issues in the economy, one analyst predicts Chinas economic growth at a tepid 5.3% in the pig year. However, IMF reiterated its 2019 forecast for Chinese GDP at 6.2% and sees robust consumption. In short, the year of the pig will continue to see China moving forward to more self-reliant policies, which will shift its dependence from exports to consumption. And the investing world has higher chances of outperformance in the New Year. After being beaten down in the dog year, Chinese stocks are now trading at cheaper valuation. ETFs in Focus Against this backdrop, we would like to highlight a few China ETFs that have been the steadiest at the start of the New Year. These ETFs are outperformers so far in 2019 (as of Feb 1, 2019). Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI): ETF Research Reports Invesco Golden Dragon China ETF (PGJ): ETF Research Reports GLB-XM CHN HC (CHIH): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report | https://news.yahoo.com/pig-shower-fortunes-china-etfs-180006813.html |
Could mysterious 'alien spacecraft' be nothing more than cosmic dust? | The debate about what exactly the mysterious interstellar object known as "Oumuamua" is, continues to rage on, as some researchers believe it could be a 'lightsail' sent from another civilization, while others believe it is a remnant from another solar system. NASA, which admitted it did not originally see the object, believes it is a "metallic or rocky object" approximately 400 meters (1,312 feet) in length. Now, a new paper suggests the space object may be nothing more than cosmic space dust. The research, written by Zdenek Sekanina and put online here, theorizes that Oumuamua could be nothing more than "a monstrous fluffy dust aggregate" made up of a broken up comet. Put simply, a massive cloud of dust grains. HARVARD PROF DOESN'T BACK DOWN FROM CLAIMS THAT ALIEN SPACECRAFT MAY BE ZIPPING PAST JUPITER ORBIT Sekanina, a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, notes that comets typically disintegrate starting with "an outburst and that the debris is typically a massive cloud of dust grains that survives over a limited period of time" as they get closer to the Sun. Going off this observation and given the exceptional brightness of Oumuamua, Sekanina adds in the paper "there are reasons to believe that it suffered the same fate as do the frail comets." On Tuesday, Harvard University professor Avi Loeb refused to back down from his claims that a piece of extraterrestrial spacecraft technology may be flying past the orbit of Jupiter at this moment. He told the Washington Post that the object is long yet no more than one millimeter thick, and that its so light that sunlight is moving the object out of the solar system. Many people expected once there would be this publicity, I would back down, Loeb said. If someone shows me evidence to the contrary, I will immediately back down. Along with researcher Shmuel Bialy, Loeb made wrote a research paper theorizing that Oumuamua is a lightsail, floating in interstellar space as a debris from an advanced technological equipment." MYSTERIOUS INTERSTELLAR OBJECT MIGHT NOT BE SO SPECIAL AFTER ALL Canadian physicist and astronomer Robert Weryk, who discovered Oumuamua (which is Hawaiian name for "pathfinder" or "scout"), said the idea was preposterous and "wild speculation." In November, NASA published a study in the Astronomical Journal, revealing that when it was looking at the interstellar object in November with its Spitzer Space Telescope, it came up with nothing. Oumuamua is traveling away from the Sun at a rate of approximately 70,000 mph, towards the outer part of the solar system. In approximately four years, it will whiz past Neptune's orbit, on its way to interstellar space. Fox News' Lukas Mikelionis contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/science/could-mysterious-alien-spacecraft-be-nothing-more-than-cosmic-dust |
Is Liam Neesons career in trouble after admitting he once wanted to 'kill' a black man? | Oscar-nominated actor Liam Neeson is under fire for revealing he wanted to "kill" a black man when he was younger after one of his friends said she was raped, and the backlash has raised questions as to whether or not his career is in jeopardy. During a now-infamous interview with The Independent, Neeson described waiting outside of pubs with a "cosh" hoping a "black bastard" would spark an altercation. So that I could kill him, Neeson said. Its awful. But I did learn a lesson from it. The comments sparked immediate outrage, with many critics calling Neeson racist. Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan called the comments Ku Klux Klan stuff on Tuesday and pondered aloud if the actor could recover from the hateful comments. 'The reaction on Twitter was very extreme last night," Morgan noted. "People were saying it's a career-ending interview." There seems to be no self-awareness in Neeson of just how offensive what he's saying is, Morgan said. If I was a black man, I would just find that unspeakable. Just the purest personification of racism, right there. The Independents Clemence Michallon, who conducted the interview, revealed to Morgan that Neeson even joked that he would kill the reporter if she wasnt careful telling his story by quoting one of his iconic movie lines. LIAM NEESON SAYS HE WALKED THE STREETS HOPING TO 'KILL' A BLACK MAN AFTER FAMILY MEMBER WAS RAPED It doesnt really seem that humorous, it feels like a threat. A veiled threat couched as a joke to put you on notice, Morgan told Michallon. Public Relations guru and 5W PR founder Ronn Torossian, who has over two decades of experience dealing with crisis management in the entertainment industry, was shocked upon hearing Neesons news-making story. For me, one of the real surprises is, this is a guy who is 60-something years old and hes been doing media for the better part of his adult life. When you talk about the legacy of Liam Neeson, I think these comments will certainly be a part of that legacy and I think he really said something very stupid, Torossian told Fox News. This is not the type of thing that you say publically. I mean, it isnt the type of thing you should do, but if you do it, you certainly dont go around and talk about it. Its just stupid, Torossian said. KIMMEL, FALLON AVOID RALPH NORTHAM CONTROVERSY IN LATE-NIGHT MONOLOGUES; BOTH HAVE HISTORIES USING BLACKFACE IN SKITS While Torossian thinks that Neeson said something terrible, he doesnt feel it will end his career because he didnt run and hide from the controversy. He explained that Neeson probably hasnt made any new fans but Tuesday morning appearances on morning shows, including "Good Morning America" and "Live with Kelly and Ryan, helped the Taken star avoid a scarlet letter on his career. In crisis 101 one of the cardinal things that exists is to own up to your mistakes, and to not wait. I thought his media blitz was done very well. The fact that he didnt wait was very smart." Ronn Torossian Neeson told GMA co-host Robin Roberts that he is not a racist, and explained that he was brought up in Northern Ireland during a tumultuous time. "I was trying to show honor and stand up for my dear friend in this horrible medieval fashion ... Thankfully no violence occurred ever, Neeson added. In crisis 101 one of the cardinal things that exists is to own up to your mistakes, and to not wait. I thought his media blitz was done very well. The fact that he didnt wait was very smart, Torossian said. Unfortunately for him, this interview came out on a Monday rather than Friday, so this story is going to keep rolling. Im looking for a black person to kill, now thats a great headline thats pretty bad. In addition to Neeson quickly hitting the apology tour, Torossian thinks that the veteran actor could skirt further controversy because hes been largely scandal-free for most of his career. I think this was Liam Neesons first offense and hes 60-something years old, I think the rules are different when youre 60-something years old and its your first offense, Torossian said. I think that Neeson walks away from this. Its not the end of his career. Not everyone agrees with Torossian and a quick search of Neeson on social media reveals that many are still furious despite the damage control tour. You are no hero for your admission. You are a representative of racial terror, New York Times columnist Charles Blow tweeted. Exactly. "The next time someone asks me why I have a chip on my shoulder, I can say, with all sincerity: Because there may well be an Oscar-nominated actor out there who wants to kill me, so I have to be alert at all times, author and journalist Gary Younge wrote. It is unclear if Neesons remarks will impact the release of Cold Pursuit, which hits theaters on Friday. Neeson has two other films scheduled to be released this year, including Men in Black: International. A rep for Neeson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Fox News Jessica Sager and Sasha Savitsky contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/is-liam-neesons-career-in-trouble-after-admitting-he-once-wanted-to-kill-a-black-man |
Should Mr Tickle get a Nobel peace prize? | I think Russell Brand is wrong about tickling (Is tickling children a consent issue?, G2, 4 February). If this form of communication were cultivated from childhood, it would mean that many contentious issues could be settled amicably. Fist fights and bombings would become a thing of the past. And indeed, whoever eventually brings out a guide to tickling would deserve to be honoured with a Nobel prize for a significant contribution to world peace and laughter. Meirion Bowen London I imagine Polly Toynbees assertion that We have lived 74 years of boring peace on our shores (Dunkirk spirit wont see us through no-deal deprivation, 5 February) will come as something of a surprise to the inhabitants of Northern Ireland. Joe Thornberry Lancaster I presume that if the rapist had been white, Liam Neeson would have applied the cosh to his own head (Neeson in race row following comments about rape of friend, 5 February). Vani Borooah Belfast Everybody knows that crows say caw, caw and rooks say kah, kah. But neither of them talks much in winter, so its easy to get confused (Letters, 5 February). Isabella Stone Sheffield I dont know much about crows and rooks, but the difference between a stoat and a weasel is that a weasel is weaselly distinguished and a stoat is stoatally different. Click here to upload it and well publish the best submissions in the letters spread of our print edition | https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2019/feb/05/should-mr-tickle-get-a-nobel-peace-prize |
What is MCT oil and why is it becoming popular with dieters? | MCT oil is made from coconut and palm plants. Most cooking oils come from plants and seeds, but we've never heard of an MCT plant before. Technically, MCT isn't a plant but it does come from them -- coconut and palm plants. If we're getting science-y, Mary Onwuka, a physician at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, N.J. says MCTs are saturated fatty acids known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). MCT oil is a commercially made oil derived from palm and coconut and is high in good saturated fat. You can cook with it or bake with it like you do most oils. It can be used in marinades, baked goods, salad dressings, smoothies, coffee and other foods. As with any oil, check the specifications of its smoking point, which will give you a better idea of how to best use the oil. Although there are MCTs in coconut oil, coconut oil isn't the same as MCT oil. MCT oil is easier to digest and more easily absorbed than coconut oil. According to a 2018 study published in the National Institutes of Health, MCT oil has beneficial effects on exercise performance and plays a role in weight loss and decreasing abdominal obesity. MCT oil has started to pop up in commercial products such as coffee and smoothies and has been touted as an energy booster and fat burner. Cara Harbstreet, a registered dietitian and blogger, said that MCTs are generally used to help critically ill patients absorb nutrition through their gut, by athletes to burn fat instead of carbs and for epilepsy management. "Its colorless and bland in flavor, and since its liquid at room temperature, its an easy ingredient to add to recipes," said Harbstreet. The possibilities are basically endless: You can put it in food or drinks or drop some directly on your tongue. Onwuka says that MCT oil is used by people on a ketogenic diet as a source of fatty acids. "MCT oil improves mood and cognitive function because it is easily absorbed and utilized by the brain, which can be helpful in Alzheimers dementia," said Onwuka. "MCT oil improves heart health by decreasing the occurrence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes through improved metabolism, weight control and decreased inflammation." Be careful though -- just because MCT oil is a wellness supplement doesn't mean there aren't any side effects. Onwuka says that taking MCT oil can have negative gastrointestinal effects and can increase headaches and worsen anxiety. The doctor warns pregnant and nursing women against taking the supplement as she says the effects are not fully clear yet. "Patients with uncontrolled diabetes should avoid taking MCT oil because of increased formation of ketones, which can worsen complications," said Onwuka. "Patients with liver disease like cirrhosis should also avoid taking it since MCTs are primarily metabolized in the liver." She suggests that anyone deciding to use MCT oil consult with their physician first. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/02/05/what-mct-oil-diet-cocounut-oil-medium-chain-triglycerides/2657374002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2019/02/05/what-mct-oil-diet-cocounut-oil-medium-chain-triglycerides/2657374002/ |
Which Indiana high school boys basketball player was this week's top performer? | CLOSE The Warren Central Warriors defeat the Center Grove Trojans 68-54. Clark Wade, [email protected] There were several standout performances last week statewide in boys basketball. Get your votes in by Thursday at noon for this weeks winner. Aaron Etherington, Hamilton Southeastern: The 6-6 senior was 7-for-10 from the 3-point line and scored 25 points as Hamilton Southeastern defeated Franklin Central 75-58 in its only game of the week. The Toledo recruit also had eight rebounds and five assists. James Franklin, Cathedral: The senior guard had 27 points in an 83-64 win over Cardinal Ritter in Cathedrals only game of the week. Franklin shot 5-for-10 from the 3-point line and also added six assists and five rebounds. Alex Hemenway, Castle: The 6-4 senior continued his torrid pace with a 42-point night in a 72-69 win over Evansville Bosse in Castles lone game of the week. The Clemson recruit hit 10 3-pointers in the win. IndyStar Sports Awards: Join us on the best night in Indiana high school sports Buy Photo Left to right: James Franklin, Alex Hemenway and Aaron Etherington. (Photo: IndyStar, Courier & Press photos) Noah Hupmann, Evansville Day: The 7-1 junior had 17 points, 16 rebounds in eight blocked shots in Evansville Days only game of the week, a 41-35 win over Tecumseh. Hupmaan is averaging 15.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 7.5 blocked shots per game. Kayden Key, Frankton: The 6-1 senior guard finished with 28 points and seven rebounds in a 77-71 win over Hamilton Heights in Franktons lone game last week. Key earned IBCA Player of the Week honors as Frankton improved to 16-3. Tyler Kramer, Southwestern (Hanover): The 5-11 senior had 24 points, seven rebounds and two steals as Southwestern defeated South Ripley 68-39 in its lone game of the week. Kramer is averaging 20.9 points per game for the Class 2A top-ranked Rebels (18-1). Brody Whitaker, Greencastle: The 6-2 sophomore had 25 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in a 59-38 win over Brown County on Saturday and added 12 points and seven assists in a 56-49 win over Monrovia on Thursday. Whitaker is averaging 19.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists on the season for the 14-3 Tiger Cubs. Stephan Wilkerson, Princeton: The 6-2 senior had 35 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists as Princeton defeated Mt. Vernon (Posey) 86-47 in its only game of the week. Wilkerson was 6-for-12 from the 3-point line as he earned IBCA Player of the Week honors. Warren Williams, Metropolitan: The junior had 19 points, eight rebounds and four steals in a 52-48 win over Shortridge in the Pumas only game of the week. Alex Yoder, Eastside: The 5-10 senior broke a school record with 41 points in a 97-52 win over Hamilton last week. Yoder was 6-for-11 from the 3-point line and added six rebounds, five assists and four steals. He broke the previous school record of 38 points set by Charlie Ross in 1970-71 to earn IBCA Player of the Week honors. Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. CAST YOUR VOTE (Hit refresh if poll does not appear) Mobile users can click here to vote. | https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/02/05/indiana-high-school-basketball-top-performers-jan-28-feb-2/2778283002/ |
Can new Oakland bar Redfield finally make cider happen in the Bay Area? | Redfield is a good-looking new bar and bottle shop in Rockridge, with lots of natural light and just the right amount of indoor plants. Its got exceedingly friendly service and a constantly rotating set of tap handles. Its even right across the street from the Ramen Shop, making it the perfect way station for those who have put their name in for an hour-long wait. Sounds perfect. Well, Redfield is a cider bar a category thats still, even for many Bay Area gourmands, terra incognita. And Redfields owners, Olivia Maki and Mike Reis, know theyve got their work cut out for them. I would argue that the Bay Areas cider scene is dramatically behind other cities when you consider the fact that this area really prides itself on food and beverage, Reis says. Thats not to say its nonexistent: We do have a cider bar in San Francisco, Upcider, and a handful of good local cider producers from Sonoma County to Santa Cruz. But, Reis says, when you compare us with Seattle or Chicago or Brooklyn, were not even batting in the same league. Perpetually in the shadow of its fermented-beverage counterparts, cider has yet to break free of the chains of wine and beer comparisons. For some beer drinkers, cider is too funky; for some wine lovers, it lacks structure; both categories of people tend to believe, mistakenly, that its always sweet. Its an afterthought on most restaurants drink lists, an obligatory entry for the would-be beer drinker who cant consume gluten. Maybe Redfield can start to change that. Maki and Reis came to cider, as they hope many of their customers will, from other corners of the food and beverage world. The couple met while collaborating on an event for the 18 Reasons cooking school, where Maki was working at the time; Reis, an advanced Cicerone (beer sommelier), was the beverage director for Monks Kettle and the now-closed Abbots Cellar. Together, their love for cider bloomed, as they visited cideries around the country and began pressing some apples themselves in their Berkeley backyard. The couple understood that opening a cider bar would be an uphill battle. Thats why they sought out a spot with good foot traffic: We cant ask people to go out of their way to experience cider, Reis says, because not a lot of people know that cider is something theyll like. College Avenue, just a few blocks away from the Rockridge BART station, fit the bill. Reis and Maki are doing everything right. They are deeply knowledgeable and infectiously passionate about their subject. They have a manner of speaking about cider that immediately puts you at ease. (Listen to their podcast, Redfield Radio, and youll know what I mean.) Recognizing that cider has gained momentum among the gluten-free set, for whom beer is off-limits, they offer a menu of mostly gluten-free snacks including Oyna Natural Foods very tasty kukus, an Iranian egg dish. The Redfield cider selection, which consists of 10 tap handles, five glass pours and 125 bottles, is remarkably diverse, encompassing everything from bacterial, bone-dry Asturian sidra (try the Fanjul Cidra Natural, $7.50/6 ounces) to jammy, slightly sweet ciders loaded with fruits (try the Cherry Seinfeld from San Leandros Hidden Star, $6.50/16 ounces) to boundary-pushing modern experiments (try Sin Eaters hopped cider, $7.50/10 ounces). In other words, theyre making it easy for you. By far, the most common misconception we encounter is that all cider is sweet, Reis says. And the cider industry isnt exactly helping to demystify that. Lots of sweet ciders are mislabeled as dry, while many actually dry ciders might be perceived as sweet, simply because theyre exuberantly fruity. Reis and Maki have to spend a lot of time reassuring customers that theyre not going to be pouring them something that tastes like Martinellis apple juice. (They do, however, offer Martinellis as a nonalcoholic option, as well as Bernies Best. This is a kid-friendly establishment.) For now, the message seems to be working. Theres no Ramen Shop-level line at Redfield, but the small bar has been drawing crowds in the late afternoons and evenings. And although a smart selection of craft beers and local wines are available, almost everyone has a glass or, more likely, a flight of cider in front of them, much to the owners delight. You dont have people going into City Beer Store or Bay Grape being like, Lemme get a Coors or theyre looking for a bottle of Barefoot, Reis laughs on the second episode of the podcast. But he and Maki recognize that many would-be cider aficionados are still in the Barefoot stage of their development, and theyre careful not to condescend. At the other end of the spectrum, some drinkers are looking for funkier ciders a profile in line with the increasingly popular cadre of sour beers and natural wines. Redfield can deliver there, too, with ciders like the Guzman Riestra Brut Nature ($11/6 ounces), a Champagne-method Spanish number thats crisp and fruity and lightly touched by barnyard a small leap for someone accustomed to drinking orange wines or saisons. And its hard to imagine anyone whether you drink off-dry Rieslings or hoppy IPAs or anything in between disliking something like the Eves Cidery Darling Creek, from New York ($11/6 ounces), a rich, honeyed, beautifully textured cider, also made in the Champagne method. Its as bracing as a great beer and as layered as a great wine. Or maybe thats the wrong way to describe a cider. Many of the considerations, like tannin, acidity and fermentation techniques, are parallel. Others are not. For example, many apple varieties arent suitable for creating a single-variety cider, the way Chardonnay or Merlot would be showcased alone in a varietal wine, or Simcoe or Mosaic hops in a single-hop beer. One apple that does lend itself to a single-variety cider, though, is the bars namesake the Redfield, a tannic, deeply flavored apple variety with dark red flesh. If its available by the glass, the Redfield from West County ($8/6 ounces) is a must-order. West County is a cidery in western Massachusetts thats been a leading U.S. producer since the 1980s; Reis calls it the Anchor Brewing of the cider world. There we go with the comparisons again. Ultimately, Maki and Reis recognize that the Bay Area probably isnt quite ready to move cider out of the wine and beer shadow. Long-term it would be great to see cider develop its own language and vocabulary, she says. Maybe well start to get there in, like, a year. For now our goal is just to make cider as approachable as possible. Hey, if talking wine and beer is what it takes to get someone in the Redfield door, so be it. Because Maki and Reis believe once people taste some really good cider, theyll be easily converted. The hardest part is getting it in their glasses. Esther Mobley is The Chronicles wine critic. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob More Information To order: Eves Darling Creek ($11/6 ounces), Eric Bordelet Poire Granit 2016 ($12/6 ounces), West County Redfield ($8/6 ounces), Hidden Star Cherry Seinfeld ($6.50/16 ounces), potato kuku ($15) Where: Redfield Cider Bar and Bottle Shop, 5815 College Ave., Oakland. 510-250-9058 www.redfieldcider.com When: Noon to 11 p.m. Sun-Thurs, until midnight Fri-Sat. | https://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/article/Can-new-Oakland-bar-Redfield-finally-make-cider-13591565.php |
Will Canada be a leader in electric vehicles? | Mitsubishi, electric cars and the Montreal Auto Show, Jan. 26 Its obvious that Jim Kenzie is opposed to bribes to Canadians to help them to purchase an EV (Electric Vehicle) to support sustainable transportation and cleaner air. Unsurprisingly, there was no mention in his article of the more than $3 billion in subsidies provided to the oil industry in 2014 and subsequent years by Canadian governments. As well, there wasnt a word about the billions in loans from our governments to the legacy auto industry (GM comes to mind) that will be written off. We can get by with a range of charging options: 120V/220V at home, 120V outlet at parking spots, Level 2/3 chargers at malls and office buildings, induction charging (in the future), etc. There are options to expand where/when/how we can charge. My experience with the Tesla Supercharger network was seamless and positive, so they do help to show the way. If we can avoid stagnant thinking, Im sure we can address the issues of increased availability/supply of electricity, as we have in the past for, say, air-conditioners. Mr. Kenzie seems enamoured with diesel fortunately, the courts dont seem to be, as VW was caught cheating (Dieselgate) on emissions test (and supporting unethical exhaust testing using primates) resulting in billions in fines, the Electrify America/Canada initiative, and VW executives sent to prison. EV transportation is here to stay. It may be currently at around 2 per cent of auto sales in Canada, but it will continue to grow as more Canadians learn of the benefits (cost and convenience) of EV ownership and as battery costs continue to come down. I believe that the real question is whether Canada will be a leader in this growing space or cling to old technologies and inflexible ways of thinking. | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2019/01/28/will-canada-be-a-leader-in-electric-vehicles.html |
Why Is Modern Family Ending? | "[Co-creators Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan ] have created one of the most seminal and iconic comedies in television history," Karey Burke , president, ABC Entertainment, said in a statement after announcing the final season renewal at the 2019 Television Critics Association winter press tour . "In its final season, there will be more milestone events that anyone who has been a fan of the series won't want to miss." The show has continued to be a strong ratings player for ABC, but aren't near the highs they once were. Ahead of the final season renewal, Modern Family contracts were only through season 10, leading many to believe that would the final outing. However, ahead of the season 10 premiere rumbles of a possible season 11 started. Deadline reported all cast members were keen to continue with the show, as were producers and ABC. It seems to be the case of, "it's just time." However, Lloyd previously told E! News working on season 10 and changing things up there was a death and a surprise pregnancy within weeks of each otherinvigorated the writers. "The way this season was developed, there's a little bit more in the way of kind of real-life events than what you've seen in the past," Lloyd told us after the series revealed Sarah Hyland 's character was pregnant. "But you know, in life, that happens where nothing at all particularly tumultuous happens, and then four things happen in the span of a couple of months." "We actually went into the planning of the season with the idea that if we got excited about certain changes in the characters' lives, we should do them, whether it was the final season or not," Lloyd said. "Because it was just going to be good for the show, and we kind of planned that it could go either way. It would make for a very lively last season, but if we end up doing another seasonand I think it's looking a little bit more likely that will happenwe'll just throw all these changes into people's lives, which is only good in terms of new stuff for us to explore." ABC Modern Family End date: 2019-2020 season Why: It's time. Many thought the series would be ending during its current 10th season, but after a reinvigorating writing process that included many twists in the beloved characters' lives, ABC renewed the show for an 11th and final season. Chris Large/FX Legion End date: 2019 Why: FX said the series, which stars Dan Stevens and is based on an X-Men comic character, was always intended to be a three-season show. Netflix Fuller House End date: Fall 2019 Why: There were rumors about the fourth season being the last, but Netflix announced plans for a fifth season...and its last. Netflix didn't give an official reason, and it's clear it's not because of the cast wanting to move on. Article continues below USA Suits End date: 2019-2020 season Why: No official reason was given, but the aging series has a spinoff in the wingsGina Torres will star in Pearson for the network. CBS Criminal Minds End date: 2019-2020 season Why: It was time. After 14 seasons the CBS series, which is produced by ABC Studios, has been on the cancellation bubble before (ratings decline and the complicated producing deals), but fans will get a proper end. "It's really bittersweet, but I'm so, so grateful to CBS for giving us this heads-up," Erica Messer, executive producer, told TVLine. But they respect this series and the cast and the crew and the fans enough to end this properly." USA Mr. Robot End date: 2019 Why: Creator Sam Esmail was ready to end the acclaimed series that put Rami Malek on the map. "When I first created the world of Mr. Robot, I thought it would be a niche television series with a small, cult following. Over the past three years, it has become so much more, and I am continually humbled by the show's recognition and by the amazing cast and crew that work tirelessly to help bring my vision to life," Esmail said in a statement. "Since day one, I've been building toward one conclusion and in breaking the next season of Mr. Robot, I have decided that conclusion is finally here. Everyone on the creative team, including the amazing people at USA and UCP, didn't want to say goodbye, but we ultimately have too much respect for Elliot's journey to extend past its inevitable ending. Therefore, season four will serve as the final chapter of the Mr. Robot story. To fans of the show: thank you for the past three years, and I can't wait to share this exciting final season with you." Article continues below Freeform Shadowhunters End date: 2019 Why: It all came down to money. "We are very proud of Shadowhunters, a series that broke new ground in the genre world and became a fan favorite," Freeform said in a statement. "However, along with our partners at Constantin, we reached the very difficult decision not to renew the show for a fourth season. But as big supporters and fans ourselves, Freeform insisted on and championed the filming of a special two-part finale that would give devoted fans a proper ending. The 12 episodes will air in spring 2019. We want to thank our talented creators, producers, cast and crew along with our colleagues at Constantin for their hard work and dedication and to Cassie Clare for her incredible book series. We look forward to the final chapter of this breakthrough drama." CBS Elementary End date: 2019 Why: It's just time for the Sherlock Holmes drama to end. The show, which stars Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, was a big hit for CBS, especially internationally. "[Series creator Rob Doherty] set out to tell a story, and it feels like he has accomplished what he had set out to do. The actors, the crew and the staff feel that way, and we feel that. So are grateful and celebrating what we had and looking forward to the future," executive producer Carl Beverly said. History Vikings End date: 2020 Why: No real reason was given, but the upcoming sixth season will be the show's last. However, the Vikings saga may not be over. History and series creator Michael Hirst are in talks for a follow-up series. Article continues below Comedy Central Broad City End date: Final season begins January 24, 2019 Why: Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer were ready. The duo detailed their experience writing season four after the 2016 election and their need to grow with The New York Times. Showtime The Affair End date: 2019 Why: The relationship drama, originally starring Maura Tierney, Dominic West, Ruth Wilson and Joshua Jackson, dipped a bit in popularity in recent years, but according to Showtime it was always planned to be five seasons. Anna Paquin joins the cast for the final season that jumps around in time. "We love the intimacy, the nuance and the emotional honesty of The Affair's subjective examination of both infidelity and fidelity," Gary Levine, president of programming at Showtime, said in a statement. "Sarah Treem has always envisioned this as a five-season series, and we will be fascinated to see where she takes her talented cast and all of us next year in its climactic season." Showtime Homeland End date: 2019 Why: Look, Claire Danes' Carrie Mathison has been through A LOT. Danes previously hinted that the eighth season would be the show's last and Showtime made it official at the 2018 Television Critics Association press tour. "Homeland has been the most joyful and rewarding experience of my career. Not many have been as lucky as me partnered with the miraculous Claire Danes, supported to the ends of the earth by Fox and Showtime, and working in the company of some of the most gifted writers, actors, and filmmakers in the business. I am sad to see the journey coming to an end, but it is time," executive producer Alex Gansa said in a statement. Why: After the dismissal of series star Jeffrey Tambor, the show's fate was up in the air. However, the show will go on...TBD when you'll see it. "Hopefully it sets the Pfeffermans up with some sort of beautiful reclaiming," series creator Jill Soloway said about the final season. "I think we're going to get there with some time." Fox Gotham End date: 2019 Why: Low ratings plagued the Batman prequel series, but thanks to fan support, the series got a final batch of episodes to say goodbyeand for young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) to transform into the caped crusader. FXX You're the Worst End date: 2019 Why: According to FX, the decision to wrap up the series about Gretchen (Aya Cash), Jimmy (Chris Geere), Lindsay (Kether Donohue) and Edgar (Desmin Borges) was mutual. "Making You're The Worst has been an incredible experience and FX Networks have been dream partners," creator Stephen Falk said in a statement when the ending was announced. "I am thankful to have the opportunity to be thoroughly judged whether or not we stick the landing'which is a thing people say now that stupid Breaking Bad had to end so damn perfectly." Article continues below HBO Game of Thrones End date: 2019 Why: Co-creators and executive producers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff said they always intended Game of Thrones to be a finite series. "We're trying to tell one cohesive story with a beginning, middle and end. As Dan said, we've known the end for quite some time and we're hurtling towards itThe thing that has excited us from the beginning, back to the way we pitched it to HBO is, it's not supposed to be an ongoing show, where every season it's trying to figure out new story lines. We wanted it to be one giant story, without padding it out to add an extra 10 hours, or because people are still watching it. We wanted to something where, if people watched it end to end, it would make sense as one continuous story. We're definitely heading into the end game now," Benioff told Deadline at the end of season six. HBO Veep End date: 2019 Why: Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) hasn't been the vice president for some time, it seemed like the series had run its course. "It became clear that this season should be the last season," Louis-Dreyfus told THR about the decision to end with the upcoming seventh season. "We don't want to repeat ourselves or wear out our welcome. The story has a finality to it that feels end-of-series." "It was just a very natural thing," executive producer David Mandel said. "We don't want to repeat ourselves or be boring. It's bittersweet but it's right." The CW iZombie End date: 2019 Why: The CW series has pretty much been a bubble show year after year, but a vocal fanbase and steady viewership kept it around for one last hurrah. "I have to admit, I have never been in this position before. It's kind of nice to know," series creator Rob Thomas told E! News about actually knowing a season of one of his shows would be the last. Article continues below CW Crazy Ex-Girlfriend End date: 2019 Why: Series creators Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna have maintained the show was always going to be four seasons, and they plotted out the arc that way when they began work on the show. "It's four at most. It's a series that lives in being finite," Bloom told E! News ahead of season two. "It's because Aline is a screenwriter. She was like, 'I just want to map out the whole series.' We spent months just marinating the characters and really mapping it out. Our ratings aren't amazing, so I don't think CW would be like, 'Please give us 10 seasons!' It works to our advantage in that sense." Jane the Virgin End date: 2019 Why: Executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman said she thought the Gina Rodriguez-fronted show had four seasons of story to tell, but that plan changed during season two. "I thought, We have enough to take us through five seasons.' We started to have those discussions in season three. The studio and the network were always really supportive. Mark Pedowitz told me early on, Tell me when it ends. Just give me enough notice.' I was really grateful to have that, because you don't often have that leeway and confidence, and the foresight to be able to plan your ending. Gina and I are creative partners, and we talk about everything, and we were on the same page," Snyder Urman told The New York Times. "It's the ending I pitched when I pitched the show. I couldn't have pitched them a million of the details that have happened along the way, and it doesn't have to do so much with the plot and with all the twists and turns. But the overall structure and what I wanted to say about certain things structurally, that's built into the ending." Netflix Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt End date: January 25 Why: Netflix split the final fourth season into two, releasing six episodes first with the second half of season, seven episode, being the for Kimmy, Titus, Lillian and Jacquelineunless the rumored movie comes together for Netflix. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator Robert Carlock said the team originally envisioned a five-season run and saw the split season four as shortened fourth and fifth seasons. "We were never quite sure what the life of the show wanted to be," he said. "When we split up this fourth season into kind of a fourth and a fifth just in the boring, most practical way, you could think of them as two short seasons one wouldn't be coming out until 2019, so it just felt like the right time to pull up stakes since we were kind of pushing ourselves into next year." Article continues below Netflix Orange Is the New Black End date: Summer 2019 Why: Netflix renewed Orange Is the New Black for seasons five, six and seven back in 2016. Many assumed the seventh season would be the last, but the streaming platform didn't confirm until October 2018. Series creator Jenji Kohan hasn't explicitly said why she wanted to end the show after seven seasons, the story does seem to be heading to a natural end. Piper (Taylor Schilling) was originally only sentenced to roughly a year in prison and season six ended with her finally getting released. "After seven seasons, it's time to be released from prison. I will miss all the badass ladies of Litchfield and the incredible crew we've worked with," Kohan said in a statement. "My heart is orange but fade to black." | https://www.eonline.com/ca/news/1011819/why-is-modern-family-ending?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories |
What Role Will VR And AR Play In Education In The Coming Years? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Geoff Stead, Chief Product Officer at Babbel, on Quora: I love AR & VR, and have had the pleasure of building a range of AR apps. But there is still a big gap between what edu-futurists imagine when they dream of the perfect virtual classroom and the reality of how VR & AR work. And sometimes that futuristic hype can generate some impossible expectations. So, YES, I certainly do think there is a strong role for AR & VR, but NO, I dont see it as the future of education. The places I see it working best are: AR: The super cool thing about AR is that it connects something real and physical with something digital and virtual. At the simplest, that could be scanning a QR-code, or a visual tag, and getting digital information about that item. This connection between the real and virtual worlds has unlimited potential for education, and the phone in your hand is all you need to use it. I can scan a tool and learn how to use it, or scan a foreign street sign and see a live translation. I can scan a static image of a machine to see a 3D working model of the same, or scan a photo in a newspaper to see the video it came from. These are all real use cases that already exist, and are fairly inexpensive to build and manage. VR: VR is more complex, both building VR worlds, and accessing them. Users typically wear a headset that hides the real world, exchanging it for a virtual one. This can be done via your phone but in most cases it is via a much more powerful gaming machine that you are connected to. The big challenge here is cost and time. Even VR manufacturers recommend taking "at least a 10 to 15 minute break every 30 minutes, even if you don't think you need it, so it wont be a full time classroom. My advice with VR would be: if you have access to the VR equipment and existing worlds, totally use them. But start with an existing virtual world and build your educational scenarios from those, instead of designing your own educational specific world. The exception to this would be situations where there is enough demand to build a complete simulation. Flight or surgical simulations are a great example of this, as VR can offer a safe environment for practicing delicate and potentially risky tasks. But if you are NOT using an existing world, and do NOT have access to the kit, think seriously about its forgotten cousin 360 Video 360 Video is awesome. The cameras are cheap to buy, videos can be published to youtube (which manages all the 360 stuff), and the final videos play back on your phones as well as VR headsets. The experience is different to VR. In VR you can walk around anywhere in the world, with 360 Video you are on the same tracks the camera was. But you have high fidelity visuals in all directions. It is a great format for helping your viewer get the feeling of a place. In language learning, 360 video can be particularly useful in helping you listen to the language you are learning in a realistic context. Get the feel of ordering a coffee in Madrid from your sofa in Seattle! So yes, AR, VR and also 360 video all have useful roles to play in learning. But none replace a classroom 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/2019/02/05/what-role-will-vr-and-ar-play-in-education-in-the-coming-years/ |
Are Bingo Industries Limiteds Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? | Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we are going to look at Bingo Industries Limited (ASX:BIN) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. Specifically, well consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. First up, well look at what ROCE is and how we calculate it. Second, well look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Finally, well look at how its current liabilities affect its ROCE. ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. In general, businesses with a higher ROCE are usually better quality. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. 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 Bingo Industries: 0.13 = AU$64m (AU$578m AU$94m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.) So, Bingo Industries has an ROCE of 13%. ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. We can see Bingo Industriess ROCE is around the 12% average reported by the Commercial Services industry. Separate from Bingo Industriess performance relative to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms looks satisfactory, and it may be worth researching in more depth. ASX:BIN Last Perf February 5th 19 More When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. ROCE can be misleading for companies in cyclical industries, with returns looking impressive during the boom times, but very weak during the 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 Bingo Industriess Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE Current liabilities include invoices, such as supplier payments, short-term debt, or a tax bill, that 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 check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets. Bingo Industries has total assets of AU$578m and current liabilities of AU$94m. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 16% of its total assets. Low current liabilities are not boosting the ROCE too much. The Bottom Line On Bingo Industriess ROCE Overall, Bingo Industries has a decent ROCE and could be worthy of further research. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. | https://news.yahoo.com/bingo-industries-limited-returns-capital-205821829.html |
Will Stringer scandal hurt efforts to reform Arizona's criminal-justice system? | Rep. David Stringer listens on the house floor on Jan. 28, 2019. The Arizona House of Representatives refused to vote on a motion to expel Stringer over revelations that he was charged with sex offenses in 1983. (Photo: Nick Oza/The Republic) The cloud of controversy hanging over Arizona state Rep. David Stringer could threaten more than his political career. Advocates for leniency in Arizona's strict criminal-justice system say they worry recent scandals surrounding the state representative could hinder this year's efforts to overhaul sentencing laws at the Legislature. Stringer, R-Prescott, has long been one of the most vocal Republicans pushing for changes, arguing the state's vast prison population shows the need to rehabilitate offenders, not penalize them. His support could be crucial because few GOP lawmakers have traditionally supported the effort, and their votes are needed to pass new laws. But Stringer's backing could now be a political liability. Stringer faces a House Ethics Committee investigation over two complaints triggered by revelations he was charged with sex crimes in 1983 and accepted a plea deal. Racist comments about immigrants and black people already had spurred two waves of calls for his resignation last year. Joe Watson, spokesman for American Friends Service Committee-Arizona, told The Arizona Republic reformers are "concerned that opponents of criminal-justice reform may attempt to sink common-sense legislation by simply invoking Rep. Stringer." He said the criminal- and social-justice group "hopes elected representatives won't fall for it" and will instead remember that revamping the justice system is about helping the thousands of families negatively affected by current laws. Reform is bigger than any one person," Watson said. Republican votes critical for passage Though Stringer is just one of 90 votes in the state Legislature, his support is significant. (Reformers are) concerned that opponents of criminal-justice reform may attempt to sink common-sense legislation by simply invoking Rep. Stringer. Joe Watson, spokesman for American Friends Service Committee-Arizona This session, Stringer has sponsored at least 11 criminal-justice bills, including measures he either introduced or has co-sponsored. The GOP establishment in Arizona traditionally has resisted efforts to repeal mandatory-minimum sentencing laws and other changes that would lessen how harsh the legal system is on offenders. Republican opposition has softened somewhat in recent months, with lawmakers such as House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, indicating their interest in changes. But much of the party still opposes adjustments to mandatory-minimum sentencing laws, for instance, as Republican prosecutors including Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk reject them. That makes every Republican vote crucial to getting something done. And it isn't hard to find examples of how Stringer's situation already has affected the debate. Concerns about racist comments have twice led speakers of the House, Bowers and his predecessor, former Speaker J.D. Mesnard, to dissolve criminal-justice committees Stringer was slated to chair. In December, Bowers announced he had disbanded the Sentencing and Recidivism Reform Committee and assigned its work to another committee. CLOSE azcentral reporters break down this week's big political news. Arizona Republic Stringer: Reform efforts motivated by own experience Scrutiny of Stringer intensified after the Phoenix New Times published an explosive report last month that revealed he was charged with several offenses, at least one of which related to child pornography, in 1983. He has defended himself by asserting the allegations were false, saying his own experiences with an unfair justice system explain "why I am a crusader for criminal- justice reform." "It is because I was a victim of false accusations, but escaped the worst of consequences, that I have chosen to spend the rest of my career helping others," Stringer told Prescott eNews, an outlet in which he is an investor, according to its website. He has said that he was never convicted of a crime, though court records obtained by the New Times show the court entered a judgment of guilt on some combination of charges. MORE: This bill could reduce prison sentences; advocates say that's important Stringer also said "any kind of porn allegations were completely dismissed," but the disposition of that charge or charges is unclear from records obtained by the New Times. He said he took a plea of "probation before judgment," a Maryland sentence that allows someone to have a charge cleared after completing probation. He was sentenced to 5 years of probation. "There is no guilty plea, no conviction," Stringer told Prescott eNews. "I have no record. I have done nothing wrong." Many details of his 1983 case are unknown given the matter was reportedly expunged, meaning records of the case were erased. It's also unclear whether Stringer disclosed his plea deal when he applied for admission to the State Bar of Arizona. He has been a licensed attorney in Arizona since 2004, according to online records. Applicants must disclose whether they have been arrested, taken into custody, indicted, charged or pleaded guilty to a crime, regardless of whether the matter was expunged. Rick DeBruhl, a spokesman for the State Bar, said the organization is investigating what Stringer disclosed when he applied to practice law. But that effort could be moot because the Arizona Supreme Court no longer has a copy of Stringer's 2003 application. Stringer told the Arizona Daily Independent, a conservative blog, that he's always complied with disclosure requirements with his applications to practice law. Reformers 'scared that good ideas will be lost' Stringer's influence isn't limited to his vote. He has sponsored key bills that advocates worry could now get shelved. The news of Stringer's sex-crime charges immediately cast a shadow over House Bill 2300, for instance. That proposal would allow registered sex offenders to return to the courts after five to 10 years, depending on how old they were when they were convicted, andask for removal fromthe registry. Mikel Steinfeld, a lawyer with Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, said advocates had pushed for the bill long before the scandal and are now "scared that good ideas will be lost just because of the controversy surrounding one person." READ: After a year of scandals, lawmakers still haven't created rules for conduct "As long as I can remember, there have been people in the criminal-defense community who have wanted to change this," he said. "People are being saddled with a lifetime burden for what sometimes is essentially a one-time mistake, and sometimes, its a one-time mistake thats not even rising to the level of a felony." Steinfeld said low-level offenders, such as those caught urinating or engaging in consensual sexual activity in public, served as the primary motivation for reformers. But he believes "even those who are convicted of an offense that rises to a higher level could turn their lives around and become the type of exception we want to recognize." The legislation would require an offender prove that he or she "has not committed a sex offense since being required to register, is not likely to re-offend and is not a danger to the safety of others" when petitioning for removal from the registry. It has other safeguards, such as allowing any victims to speak in response to the petition. Lawmakers: This isn't about Stringer But fellow lawmakers said the issue of making Arizona's justice system fairer was never about Stringer himself. House Minority Co-Whip Reginald Bolding, D-Phoenix, said major legislative efforts will move ahead without Stringer, because there are more Republicans working on them than before. I truly believe in this legislation, and I hope that we can get it done this year. I think that, generally speaking, criminal justice has broad support all the way around. Rep. Ben Toma, R-Peoria, on justice-reform bills in the state Legislature "I don't think Rep. Stringer convinced any of his colleagues ... to do that because how great of an orator he was," Bolding said. "They're doing it because they believe in the issue." Bolding called for a vote to expel Stringer on the House floor last week but was blocked by Republicans, who said the controversies should be vetted by the House Ethics Committee first. Bolding subsequently filed an ethics complaint against Stringer, citing his past sex charges and the series of racist comments he made last year. Among GOP lawmakers who've sponsored major justice-reform bills this year is Rep. Ben Toma, R-Peoria. He said he hopes committee chairs will decide which bills get heard based on their merits, not their affiliation with Stringer. Toma is sponsoring House Bill 2362, which would allow a court to expunge or erase a person's records of criminal conviction. Arizona currently has no expungement law, and reform advocates say the option can be a critical tool to help rehabilitated offenders move on from their mistakes. Stringer is one of a handful of GOP co-sponsors. I truly believe in this legislation, and I hope that we can get it done this year," Toma said. "I think that, generally speaking, criminal justice has broad support all the way around." Toma said he's disappointed with how Democrats have approached the Stringer controversy, as they've pushed for expulsion before an ethics investigation. To jump on something that has been expunged and to push to expel a member, and to, at the same time, push that we create an expungement statute in Arizona seems to be a bit hypocritical," he said. We shouldnt be rushing to judgment, no matter how bad something is." The House Ethics Committee has hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations against Stringer. Chairman T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, said Thursday that the investigation will be "timely, impartial and thorough." I would urge anyone who has information relevant to this investigation to contact the committee," he said. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/legislature/2019/02/05/arizona-rep-david-stringers-scandal-may-harm-criminal-justice-reform/2716578002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/legislature/2019/02/05/arizona-rep-david-stringers-scandal-may-harm-criminal-justice-reform/2716578002/ |
Whats weighing on Athabasca Oils stock? | The argument in favour of Athabasca Oil Corp. has played out reasonably well over the past month. The Canadian oil sands producer is widely viewed as one of the more leveraged plays on rising oil prices, attracting investors who can dream of a big upside here (full disclosure: I am one of these dreamers). Sure enough, the price of Canadian oil has rebounded from recent lows. But Athabascas share price remains in the dumps, raising questions. The company drew some attention last year when Western Canadian Select oil (WCS), a benchmark for the heavy crude produced in Canada, traded at an absurdly cheap price. It touched a multiyear low of just US$13.46 a barrel on Nov. 15, 2018 at a time when West Texas Intermediate (WTI), a U.S. benchmark, traded for US$56.46 a barrel. Story continues below advertisement According to the bullish argument, the wide discount between WCS and WTI would eventually narrow as governments and producers tackled the reason behind it: a Canadian export glut caused by delays in constructing additional pipelines. Albertas provincial government announced in December that it would address the oversupply of oil with a curtailment plan: Starting in January, oil production was cut by 325,000 barrels a day, easing the oversupply issue. As well, the government announced that it would boost exporting capacity through the purchase of additional rail cars, clearing the backlog. The efforts appear to be working wonders. The price of WCS has more than tripled from its low, rebounding above US$44 a barrel. And the discount between WCS and WTI slipped to below US$10 last month, the lowest in a decade, from more than US$50 late last year, setting the conditions for a rally in Athabasca shares. Though the share price has risen from a low of 84 cents on Dec. 24 to 97 cents on Tuesday, the stock is still deeply depressed. The price has mostly drifted beneath $1 since the start of 2019, and it remains more than 50 per cent below its recent high last May, giving investors little reason to feel pleased with their risky bet. One issue weighing on the rebound is the fact that some observers believe that the higher price of WCS and lower discount is temporary. Canada is facing an epic pipeline problem. And while the current Alberta production cuts are providing near-term reprieve, the pressure in the system will continue to build once the curtailments roll off, analysts at CIBC World Markets said in a note to clients last week. The analysts expect that the WCS-WTI discount will more than double to above US$20 a barrel by the end of 2019. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement Albertas production curtailment isnt permanent, after all. Big producers such as Imperial Oil Ltd., Suncor Energy Inc. and Husky Energy Inc. have expressed their dissatisfaction with the policy, arguing that it distorts incentives to expand and diversify. "We think this action is unfair, anti-competitive and not representative of a free economy in a modern democracy, Rich Kruger, Imperial Oils chief executive, said last week during a conference call with analysts. The other factor working against Athabasca, more specifically, is that the company was pushed to shore up its balance sheet by selling its Leismer pipelines and Cheecham storage terminal to Enbridge Inc. (full disclosure: I own Enbridge shares, too). While the $265-million deal, which closed on Jan. 16, reduces Athabascas debt load, it also means that it must now pay another company to transport its oil, making it a bittersweet move. A number of analysts, including Mr. Bouchard, believe that Athabasca still offers a lot of upside to improving oil prices. Investors with an appetite for high-risk, high-reward plays could stand to benefit once incremental pipeline capacity comes online in late 2019, Mr. Bouchard said in a December note that pegged a target price of $2.25 on the stock. Story continues below advertisement The rising price of Canadian oil in recent weeks, then, might be a head-fake. Persistent investors will have to hold on for a while longer. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/inside-the-market/article-whats-weighing-on-athabasca-oils-stock/ |
Can Zac Taylor take long-suffering Bengals the next step? | CINCINNATI The Cincinnati Bengals liked Zac Taylor the first time they talked to him, but there was one overriding concern when they discussed offering him their head coaching job. He's 35 with only a few games as a coordinator on his NFL resume. "Our big question was: Is he ready for this opportunity?" player personnel director Duke Tobin said. Taylor convinced them during their two meetings, and the Bengals introduced him as their 10th head coach on Tuesday. In Cincinnati, it's always bigger than the head coach. In a league set up to help struggling teams rise quickly, the Bengals have managed only seven winning seasons in the last 28 years, a reflection on ownership. Quarterback Carson Palmer sensed the built-in walls and asked to be traded after the 2010 season. During his 16 seasons in Cincinnati, coach Marvin Lewis raised the organization to a competitive level but couldn't get it any further. Quarterbacks and coaches have come and gone, but the futility has endured. Cincinnati's failure to win a playoff game in 28 years matches Washington for the fifth-longest in league history. Dave Shula, Bruce Coslet, Dick LeBeau and Lewis all came up short during the streak of futility. Lewis finished 0-7, the worst postseason coaching record in NFL history. Now, it's Taylor's turn. He's not only charged with trying to break through those barriers, but also winning back fans who abandoned the team because of its reluctance to make necessary changes. "I know this will not be easy," Taylor said. He has to hire a coaching staff, a job made more difficult by the timing. Under NFL rules, the Bengals couldn't hire him until his team was eliminated from the playoffs. They got to interview him during the Rams' bye weeks. Taylor hasn't committed to a particular style of defense. He's looking to overhaul an offense that will be on its third coordinator in the last three seasons. Taylor endorsed quarterback Andy Dalton, saying he fits what he's trying to do with the offense. Taylor intends to call the plays. He'll import features from the Rams' offense to Cincinnati: "I think it would be silly to scrap it, so that will be a big part of what we do." He spoke repeatedly about establishing a culture. "It's getting the right people and having high standards and holding people accountable," Taylor said. The Bengals have been through a lot of dysfunction lately. They fired their offensive coordinator only two games into the 2017 season. Last year, they fired their defensive coordinator midway through his first season. They fielded the youngest team in Lewis' 16 seasons last year, and the results weren't good. Brown finally decided to replace Lewis when attendance fell to the second-lowest level in the NFL. Fans' anger and indifference tipped his hand. "We had lost some of the faith in our fan base," Brown said Tuesday, his first public comment about the coaching change. "That was clear. That sent a loud message." So, they decided to go in a very different direction with a young coach who will bring new ideas to a button-down organization. Taylor wore a three-piece suit to the news conference Tuesday, the first time he's been so buttoned down. The session ended with Taylor posing for photos with Brown, who joked with photographers as they snapped away. "I keep looking for the flashbulbs," Brown said. | http://www.startribune.com/can-zac-taylor-take-long-suffering-bengals-the-next-step/505380432/ |
Should Ralph Northam resign? | Ralph Northam, the Democratic governor of Virginia, has refused to step down after The Virginian-Pilot obtained a copy of his medical school yearbook page picturing one man in blackface and the other in KKK garb. The governor initially admitted to being in the photo and apologized, only to recant the next day. He then said there had been another time he had donned blackface, but for a dance competition in which he dressed as Michael Jackson. PERSPECTIVES After initially admitting to being in the photo and apologizing, Northam recanted the next day, saying he had no memory of being in the picture and therefore it could not have been him. He claimed it must have been an error by the yearbook editors. "It has take time" for him to realize he is not in the photo of men dressed in blackface and a KKK outfit. But, he says upon some reflection, he is not in it. "I am convinced." -- Matt Viser (@mviser) February 2, 2019 After this denial, however, Northam volunteered he had, at another point in time, worn blackface--when he entered a dance contest dressed as Michael Jackson. Many, including the Washington Post's Matt Viser, noted Northam seemed to be arguing that he had done nothing wrong by admitting to doing the wrong thing... but at a different time. Reporters also asked Northam about the fact that his nickname was listed as "Coonman" on another page in the yearbook. Northam said the nickname had been given to him by other classmates and he was unaware of its racist connotations. I did not steal my neighbor's car. I stole his neighbor's car. And I'm ready to be forgiven. -- Matt Viser (@mviser) February 2, 2019 There are questions about whether Northam is really treating the situation with the appropriate amount of professionalism. During his long, strange press conference, Northam was asked by a reporter whether he still knew how to moonwalk. Rather than pivoting from the question to something more pertinent, Slate reports he looked around, possibly to see if there was enough space for him to showcase the dance. [H]e appeared to look around, as if he were weighing whether there was enough space to show off these supposed skills. His wife, Pamela Northam, seemed to have quick reflexes and appeared to realize what was going on and spoke up. "In appropriate circumstances," she said. Regardless, Northam listened to his wife and parroted her words back to the journalist. Northam Looked Ready to Show Off Moonwalking Skills Before His Wife Stopped Him Some have voiced concern over whether our society is too quick to condemn people for past mistakes. Rich Lowry, editor of the conservative National Review, said during a panel on "Meet the Press" that while he thought what Northam had done was wrong, he didn't want the governor's career to end over a past mistake. I do think, outside of Northam, and the specifics of this case, because now, there are all sorts of other things in play, maladroit he's been handling it. I'm hesitant about creating a political culture where lapses, 30 or 40 years ago, are used to entirely define someone's life and career, especially if there's no evidence that they're part of a pattern. Some are reluctant to have Northam leave office. The Washington Post reported earlier in January that he had been an effective and efficient leader in his first year in office. Northam, 59, oversaw the expansion of Medicaid after four years of failed attempts by Democrats. He reached bipartisan deals on lowering the felony threshold, overhauling state regulations and establishing dedicated funding for Metro. Amazon chose Virginia as one of its new headquarters, the unemployment rate is at a historic low and more than a billion dollars in new revenue is streaming into state coffers this year. Nice guy, sharp elbows: Virginia Gov. Northam scores big in first year Members of Northam's own party were almost unanimous in their calls for his resignation. The Washington Post reports Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring has called for Northam's resignation, not just because of the moral lapse shown by his actions, but because he will no longer be able to effectively lead the state. "It is no longer possible for Governor Northam to lead our Commonwealth and it is time for him to step down," Herring said. "I have spoken with Lieutenant Governor Fairfax and assured him that, should he ascend to the governorship, he will have my complete support and commitment to ensuring his success and the success of our Commonwealth." Gov. Northam refuses to step down, despite flood of calls for his resignation over racist photo 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.nola.com/interact/2019/02/should_ralph_northam_resign.html |
Why arent our federal politicians held to account for what they say in election ads? | Justin Trudeau dropped a couple of big hints about the coming budget in a video he released on social media this week. Its a transit-themed video. The prime minister appears at a variety of transit stops including the GO station he visited in Milton, Ont, just last week to boast that his federal Liberals have kept their word on building infrastructure across Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an ad released on social media this week. As we get closer to the federal vote the election ad war is underway but what has been left behind is any accountability from our politicians with regards to the promises they are making, Susan Delacourt writes. ( Twitter ) This month well be announcing everything weve done and announcing new projects to create good, middle-class jobs and build the infrastructure we need, Trudeau says. So we learn two things from that one-minute video: Trudeaus last budget before the election will likely land this month (bet on the last week of February) and it will include new announcements for infrastructure programs across the country. Trudeau isnt the only one doing videos either. Article Continued Below Both ads were withdrawn after a bit of a backlash, but one does wonder whether this is some kind of new publicity tactic on the part of the Conservatives. Retracting the ads, after all, may have yielded more attention to the attack ads than the Conservatives would have achieved without the outcry. If it happens a third time, assume that this is a new wrinkle in Canadian political-ad wars: advance, retreat, advance again. It wouldnt be the first time that Conservatives have blazed an advertising trail either in Canada. When they were in government from 2006 to 2015, they were the first to make extensive use of attack ads against opponents in between official campaign periods, with relentless waves of advertising against successive leaders Stphane Dion, Michael Ignatieff and Trudeau. Article Continued Below For the most part, Canadians have been spared that perpetual ad campaign over the past three and a half years. It would seem so, though Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has been out on the TV advertising circuit for a while now with mainly positive ads, introducing himself to Canadians as a guy whos far more in touch with middle-class suburbanites than the prime minister is. (Presumably theyll be upping their game on promised ad transparency before the election.) But the focus on infrastructure and transit is very much linked to Liberal advertising of the past. Back in the 2015 campaign, using data culled from the partys massive voter outreach efforts, Trudeau walked into a studio one day and recorded 40 different ads, promising to fix individual infrastructure issues identified as the largest concerns in 40 different communities. You may even remember hearing them Trudeau talking about water-quality issues in your town or gridlock you were encountering on your commute to work. It would be a worthwhile exercise to measure this months announcements from Trudeau against those promises in the 40 radio ads. (Unfortunately, no archive seems to exist.) Perhaps the Trudeau government has already taken stock of its long-ago promises, and the infrastructure-themed video this week is a bid to tie up some loose ends from the 2015 campaign. Ads are the most powerful tools the political parties have for communicating with the voters. More people will view ads than the relatively few who sift through the party platforms or who closely read the political news (sorry to have to acknowledge this.) On the question of ad accountability, however, we here in Canada are somewhat behind the times. We dont require politicians to personally endorse the ad claims at the end of the spot, as they do in the United States, and we in the media tend to keep track more on what the parties are spending than on what they say or promise in those 20- to 30-second spots. This election year is a good time to shift that approach; to hold the leaders and the parties accountable for the content of the advertising theyre now writing and filming to fill up the airwaves and our social-media feeds. If the ad war is about to begin, complete with transit-stop videos and retracted claims, then that accountability effort should start now too. Susan Delacourt is the Stars Ottawa bureau chief and a columnist covering national politics. Reach her via email: [email protected] or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2019/02/05/why-arent-our-federal-politicians-held-to-account-for-what-they-say-in-election-ads.html |
Can UW Huskies secure the best class of the Chris Petersen Era (and beyond) on national signing day? | Washington, which signed 20 prospects in December, already owns a 2019 recruiting class ranked 14th nationally by 247Sports. Lets start with some unrealistic expectations. After all, Wednesday is national signing day, a college football holiday marked by press conferences wherein every coach at every school raves about every one of their 20-something signees. Every program is on the rise. Every need was filled. Every team is undefeated and will be forever and ever. Its no different at the University of Washington, where 20 recruits signed with the program in December and several more are expected to officially join the class on Wednesday. Shoot, this might be the best class UW has ever had, defensive tackle signee Noa Ngalu told The Times on Tuesday, in a phone interview from the library at Menlo-Atherton High School. I cant wait to get it started. But first, lets all stop and take a breath. Its far too early to tell and possibly reckless to even suggest. But that doesnt mean UW fans shouldnt be plenty excited. I think no matter what this is going to be (head coach Chris Petersens) best class that hes signed, said Brandon Huffman, national recruiting editor for 247Sports. Theyve got a fantastic D-line group, both with defensive tackles and guys that are playing on the edge. Youve got a fantastic linebacker corps. Youve got a top-quality secondary class. Youve got a running back. Youve got a quarterback. Youve got at least one receiver and potentially two. Up front on the offensive line youve got guys that can come in and play right away. Youve got some guys that youre going to be able to develop. Then, to make it even more worthwhile, you get a top-tier kicker. Youre seeing not only an upgrade in talent, but more importantly, playable talent, and filling just about every need. Just about. If Washingtons current class which is ranked 14th nationally by 247Sports has a weakness, its that the Huskies snagged just one wide receiver and zero tight ends during the early signing period in December. UW may be able to patch those holes on Wednesday, when tentative USC commit and consensus four-star wide receiver Puka Nacua announces his college destination. Huffman said that Petersen and Co. very realistically do have a shot at flipping Nacua, who has taken official visits to UW and Oregon in the last few weeks and also has a brother who plays for Utah. Outside of Nacua, two four-star Husky linebacker targets Daniel Heimuli and Henry Tootoo will sign with someone on Wednesday. Huffman said hed be stunned if Heimuli doesnt ink with UW, while Alabama is still the favorite to land Tootoos services and signature. Though the Huskies might not be far behind. As far as Henry is concerned, everything Im hearing is still Bama. But Washington has made it compelling, Huffman said. Theyve certainly put themselves in the mix. I think Washington has been that one Pac-12 school that has just hovered there the entire recruitment, and I still think they have a realistic shot of getting him. But theyve just got to overcome the big lead Alabama had built up over the last six to eight months. In Petersens dream signing day, Tootoo, Heimuli and Nacua plus four-star safety Asa Turner, who reaffirmed his commitment to the Huskies last week would add to an already impressive haul. Of course, that might be just a dream. It would be tremendous (for UW), Huffman said. It would be up there among their biggest signing day closes probably since they signed Budda Baker and Kaleb McGary in the same class, or the year that they got Shaq Thompson and a few other guys that committed on signing day. You dont have that impact Shaq Thompson-type guy, but you close with three of your biggest targets for the better part of a year one at an extreme position of need at receiver and the other two at a (linebacker) position that youve really stocked up well. If, somehow, that all came to pass, UWs existing signees would deserve some credit for the accomplishment. After all, nine Husky signees participated in the Polynesian Bowl all-star game last month, more than any other program. They spent a week in Hawaii playing with, practicing with (and, yes, recruiting) some of the top uncommitted prospects in the country. Check. Check. Check. Check. They came. They saw. They recruited. I think last year is when you really saw the impact the Polynesian Bowl had on prospective recruits, Huffman said. (Washington defensive tackle) Tuli Letuligasenoa didnt sign in December, spent a week in Hawaii around all the Polynesian Bowl players going to Washington and ultimately turned. That week had a huge impact on him. A year later, Daniel Heimuli was coming off his official visit to Oregon. Henry (Tootoo) had already visited Washington in the fall but he was getting ready to visit Alabama. Then (Alabama defensive coordinator) Tosh Lupoi, who was recruiting both of them, leaves. Now youve got nine other guys that are already committed to Washington spending that entire week recruiting them, and a lot of guys had just come off their own official visits to Washington earlier in the month. When asked in January how often Washington signees recruited him during their week in Hawaii, Heimuli who took home defensive MVP honors in the game laughed and said, Every night. Every chance they got. That extra effort may pay off on Wednesday. Unlikely. But, unrealistic expectations aside, it could still be something special. We treat each other like family, Ngalu said. I feel like were going to have a really solid group this year. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/can-uw-huskies-secure-the-best-class-of-the-chris-petersen-era-and-beyond-on-national-signing-day/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Why are most of the top football recruits leaving Arizona? | Williams Fields Noa Pola-Gates looks toward the middle of the field in game against Gilbert on Friday night at Gilbert High School on Sept. 28, 2018. (Photo: Kynan Marlin) Gilbert Williams Field defensive back Noa Pola-Gates, who played in two high school All-American games in January, was ready to commit to Arizona State before Nebraska coach Scott Frost made an in-home visit. "I was headed to Arizona State after I decided not to go to Alabama," said Pola-Gates, one of The Arizona Republic's eight finalists for Football Player of the Year. "But then I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone by Coach Frost. "It really made me think deeper." That comfort zone was staying home and, as Pola-Gates put it, dealing with "my own personal distractions." Pola-Gates wanted to get out of Arizona and spread his wings. "But dont get me wrong," he said. "ASU is going to be a powerhouse and Im excited for the program. They're about to do big things." When he announced on CBS Sports Network on Jan. 19 during the Polynesian Bowl that he would sign with Nebraska on Wednesday, it broke the hearts of college football fans in Arizona. He was another big-time recruit who got away. With new coaches at the two in-state Pac-12 schools Herm Edwards at ASU and Kevin Sumlin at Arizona coming in last year, the struggle continues to keep the kids with the most stars from leaving the state. There's a history of them, dating well before the Edwards and Sumlin eras, even before the Todd Graham (ASU) and Rich Rodriguez (UA) eras, of big-time players getting away. Phoenix Desert Vista defensive end/outside linebacker Devon Kennard to USC, before starting his NFL career. Avondale Agua Fria defensive end Everson Griffen to USC, before the NFL. Glendale Apollo defensive back Prince Amukamara to Nebraska, before the NFL. Phoenix South Mountain wide receiver Kenny Cheatham to Nebraska. South Mountain defensive back Terry Fair to Tennessee, before the NFL. And more recently, when Graham and Rodriguez were in charge of the major programs in Arizona: Scottsdale Desert Mountain wide receiver/tight end Marks Andrews to Oklahoma, before the NFL. Scottsdale Saguaro wide receiver Christian Kirk to Texas A&M, before the NFL. Peoria Centennial safety Zach Hoffpauir to Stanford. Tempe Corona del Sol offensive lineman Andrus Peat to Stanford, before the NFL. Edwards and Sumlin have now had a year to recruit Arizona. Before Wednesday's National Signing Day, ASU and UA got many recruits on Dec. 19 during the early period. Now ASU will have four in-state recruits Tempe Corona del Sol wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr., Chandler Basha offensive lineman Roman DeWys, Tolleson wide receiver Andre Johnson, Scottsdale Saguaro linebacker Connor Soelle and UA will have two Marana offensive lineman Jordan Morgan and Desert Vista punter Kyle Ostendorp. Kyle Patterson of Gilbert Perry High School is being recruited for football and basketball. (Photo: Nick Oza/azcentral sports) The last of the state's top-tier 2019 recruits Chandler defensive tackle Matthew Pola-Mao and Gilbert Perry tight end Kyle Patterson will announce their college commitments during ceremonies at their schools on Wednesday morning. Neither are expected to announce either ASU or UA. Pac-12 California has already sewn up six Arizona players in its 2019 recruiting class They are: Desert Vista defensive lineman Brett Johnson, Gilbert Higley quarterback Spencer Brasch, Chandler running back DeCarlos Brooks, Peoria Liberty linebacker Ryan Puskas, Liberty defensive end Braxten Croteau and Gilbert Perry offensive lineman Brayden Rohme. "Both (Edwards and Sumlin) have had a full year to recruit kids," Higley coach Eddy Zubey said. "Both said they want to win the state. For having 50-plus Division I kids in the state of Arizona, and getting that few, that's not good. They all had a full year to be here and do that. Both schools need to get on people early." Zubey said that his stud defensive lineman, Ty Robinson, was offered by ASU in June heading into his senior year. That was his fourth offer. Nebraska, Zubey said, offered before that. Robinson, 6-foot-6, 285 pounds, who played in the High School All-American Bowl in San Antonio, signed on Dec. 19 with Nebraska, after he had Nebraska's entire coaching staff, led by Frost, take an in-home visit to him on the last day college coaches could do that before the earlier signing period. Higley defensive lineman Ty Robinson celebrates with his mom, Tresha, after he announces he will be attending University of Nebraska during signing day at Higley High in Gilbert on Dec. 19, 2018. (Photo: Cheryl Evans/The Republic) "I played at ASU and was a graduate assistant at ASU," Zubey said. "I was with them from 2001-04. I sent kids to ASU. Their starting tackle (Quinn Bailey) is from here (Higley). "When I'm telling people I got a guy, ASU is the first people I call. I'm not blowing smoke. I'm not trying to sell something that isn't legit." It's not all on the ASU and UA coaches not doing enough to secure those top players. ASU has struck gold in recent years with in-state talent, from running back/receiver D.J. Foster (Scottsdale Saguaro) and wide receiver N'Keal Harry (Chandler) to defensive back Chase Lucas (Chandler) and kicker Brandon Ruiz (Williams Field). But the state can't keep them all. Some players just want to get out of the state to see what the world is like away from family and friends. "They're tired of playing in 110 degrees," Zubey said. "It takes a toll." Phoenix Pinnacle coach Dana Zupke's last two quarterbacks (Brian Lewerke, Michigan State and Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma) signed with major colleges. He has another now, junior J.D. Johnson, who committed to Michigan, before ASU had even offered. Ohio State got a commitment from Scottsdale Chaparral quarterback Jack Miller before his junior season last summer. UA recently got a commitment from Gilbert junior QB Will Plummer. Gilberts Will Plummer looks up the field between plays against Notre Dame on Friday night at Notre Dame Preparatory High School on Nov. 2, 2018. (Photo: Kynan Marlin) "I think that there are a few reasons why recruits leave the state," Zupke said. "First of all, most everyone in Arizona is from somewhere else, or at least has ties to somewhere else. "I think this, along with the in-state programs not being iconic like a Notre Dame or Ohio State largely explains why. I also think there's a sentiment from many that there's not a big enough effort to recruit the state. I don't know if that's fair or not, but it is what it is." After committing the summer prior to his junior season in 2017, it was going to be hard to get Rattler away from Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, especially after having the last two Heisman Trophy winners play quarterback for the Sooners. Christian Kirk just wanted to be part of the SEC, the monster conference that is producing the national champion every year, it seems. After the early signing period ended in December, Edwards and Sumlin began to hit the state hard. Each school added a new running backs coach. Arizona brought in former Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray and ASU hired Shaun Aguano, who led Chandler to four state titles in the past five years, including the last three at the state's biggest level. They're both already hard after the state's top 2020 recruits. Before the Murray hire, Tucson Salpointe Catholic junior running back Bijan Robinson (the 2018 recipient of the Doherty Award) was lukewarm toward the school in his backyard. Salpointe's Bijan Robinson rushes against Saguaro during the first half of the 4A State Championship on Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. #azhsfb (Photo: Sean Logan/The Republic) After meeting with Murray, Robinson said, "Yes, I very much consider them now." Robinson has offers from iconic programs such as Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas and USC. Zubey believes ASU will have a bigger in-state recruiting impact with the hiring of Aguano. "I think both in-state schools have made a much more concerted effort recently," Saguaro coach Jason Mohns said. "But the results probably won't show up until a couple of years down the road. "It takes time to build the relationships that will pay dividends." To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert. READ MORE | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/02/05/why-most-top-football-recruits-leaving-arizona/2780530002/ |
Who's Looking Out for America's Kids? | You will not hear this in the presidential debates or the campaign this year, but American kids are under siege and society is not helping them. Recent rulings by the Supreme Court have pretty much said that anything goes on the Internet as far as sex and explicit violence is concerned. Even simulated sex with children is legal now. That's just one example, but think about it. When most of us were kids, we were exposed to sex, drugs, and violence much later than the children of today. Now some kids as young as 6 years old know what pot is, know what sex is, are using four-letter words. And even if you're a good parent, someone who protects your children from harmful influences, once your kids get into the school yard, they're bombarded with negative influences. Gangsta rap, crude television, radio shock jocks, Britney Spears (search), Paris Hilton (search), steroid ballplayers. The list goes on and on. American culture is hammering children into adulthood far too soon. It is flat-out wrong. So I have written a book called "The O'Reilly Factor for Kids: A Survival Guide for America's Families." This book, out today, is aimed at children ages 9 to 16 and to their parents. You may remember about a year ago, we asked kids to send us e-mails about their own problems. We received thousands. We took many of them and crafted the book, giving kids answers to their concerns and specific ways to deal with troubling situations. Both children and their parents need to read this book and talk about it. Studies show the best way to help your kid cope with this dangerous world is to talk with him or her. And children like that. They like it when you ask them their opinion on something. "Who's Looking out for You?" is a survival guide for adults. "The O'Reilly Factor for Kids" is its counterpart. Finally, I consider myself extremely lucky to be where I am in life. My column this week about my conversation with President Bush behind-the-scenes makes that point. So with all I've been given, I have a responsibility to help folks out if I can. When I was a child, I could have used a book that helped me deal with stuff, but that book did not exist. Now it does. I hope every American child gets to see it. And that's "The Memo." The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day Yet another example of why San Francisco is, well, let's say, a unique place. The city As we told you yesterday, most politicians will now speak with "The Factor." They realize the reach of this program. But some remain holdouts, like Howard Dean (search). So we went to him. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Dr. Dean, why won't you come on "The O'Reilly Factor?" HOWARD DEAN, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Bill's show is about Bill, not his guests. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: All the other candidates have come on. DEAN: I consider it to be a mark of pride. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: It will be a fair and balanced interview. DEAN: Yeah, right. UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Are you going to make this one out to Bill O'Reilly. DEAN: No. But thank you for asking. (END VIDEO CLIP) Hey, Doctor, you're afraid.You are afraid. You bet. You can watch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel. Send your comments to: [email protected] | https://www.foxnews.com/story/whos-looking-out-for-americas-kids |
Are We Safer Today Than We Were Before Sept. 11? | Wow! I cannot recall such an overwhelming e-mail reaction to one of our questions. Thank you, dear viewers, for taking the time to write. I promise I will read every comment, though because of the volume it is impossible to respond to everyone. Here are some samples of what was on your mind. Douglas of New York City: "I think the short term risk of some forms of terrorism may have actually increased since 9/11, but we're still far better off because we are now fighting the scourge of terrorism and the long term outlook looks bright. Before 9/11 we were just sitting ducks." Dale (who didn't tell us where he lives): "No. The enemy has declared war on our nation and no nation is safe under such circumstances. Americans need to stop attacking each other and attack the enemy!" From West Palm Beach, FL, we heard from Egon: "We are only in the early stages of assessing the extent of the Islamic threat to civilization, the question "whether we are safer now" doesn't really make much sense. What we see is the media's and the administration's simplistic view of this, still growing, problem. Political correctness can be our ultimate downfall if we don't face the facts." I would say we are no safer now than we ever where. However, I would say we are far more aware of the fact that there are people who would like to see all those they consider infidels, dead." Ed from DuBois, PA, used the opportunity to offer commentary on some of the stories we cover: "Maybe we are somewhat safer now. The terrorist and their actions have not been eliminated but their existence and purpose aimed at destroying us is now known. Prior to 9/11 hardly anyone in the U.S. knew or cared about bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Prior to 9/11 the major news outlets were reporting non-stop about shark attacks, missing young women and celebrity trials. Well, on second thought maybe we aren't any safer now since the news media are still reporting non-stop about shark attacks, missing young women and celebrity trials. Maybe we need to send reporters to the Afghan and Pakistani borders and start to interview non-stop the family and friends of bin Laden and his henchmen. "I know that its important to find out what happened to Natalee Holloway but isn't it really important that we find bin Laden and the terrorist so we can actually start to get our world put back together again. Just a thought." There were many who echoed the sentiments of Dan from Goodlettsville, TN: "I believe that overall the world is a safer place since 9/11, but here, in America, we are not safer. The open borders we allow have let an unknown number of people into this country that intend to do us harm. It is a fact we have ignored, a fact our government has ignored that terrorists are coming into our nation through the Mexican and Canadian borders. It is only a matter of time before some insidious act is perpetrated against us." Phyllis from Florida wrote: "My 'gut feeling' on being more safe now than before 9/11 is: Noooooooooooooo. Until we have our country borders as secure as our banks we will never be safe." John from Elgin, OR, took issue with the way we posed the question: "The question should be, 'Do you believe continuing the war on terrorism will make the world safer, specifically in regard to terrorism, 50 or 100 years from now?' "The sitcom generation has learned to expect immediate gratification for every desire. They have also learned to expect that short-term solutions will solve long-term problems. Have we forgotten the word, "perseverance?" Shame on us for our lack of it. Let's forget our selfish desires for our own immediate safety and think of our children and grandchildren for a change." And we'll wrap it up with this from Marilyn from Mound, MN: "Absolutely we are safer now than before 9/11. We are now AWARE! We used to walk around in ignorant bliss, and now that is a thing of the past. We are AWARE, thus we are safer!" Thank you all for caring enough to express your thoughts. It helps me to hear opinions from the real world from "beyond the Beltway." I think this will become a regular Monday morning feature on The Wilson Watch. See you next Sunday if not before. Brian Send your comments to: [email protected]. Brian Wilson is a congressional correspondent for FOX News and anchor of the Sunday edition of "Weekend Live." | https://www.foxnews.com/story/are-we-safer-today-than-we-were-before-sept-11 |
What Ever Happened to the War on Terror? | Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly. Thanks for watching us tonight. As you can see, I'm back [from vacation]. And that was in doubt for a few hours because I rode a mule to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Go ahead, supply the punch line. -- I expect it. Anyway, I'll tell you about the trip a bit later on. But first, the "Talking Points Memo." There is no question some politicians and media people are using the Iraqi prisoner abuse situation for political gain. The more you dwell on the story, the worse the Bush administration looks. In one sense, the story has to be followed closely because American soldiers can't be allowed. It could be human rights violations. People who say this was a simple hazing incident are dopey. This is a very serious situation. But it is being dealt with and the reporting should reflect the ongoing process, rather than assigning a bad country tag to America. The U.S.A. is now fighting a war unlike any other. All of us are in danger. Politicians who believe that terrorists are entitled to constitutional guarantees and Geneva Convention protections are heightening that danger. Uniformed combatants get the Geneva treatment, not cowardly bomb planters who kill civilians. And when a terrorist is caught, there's often a sense of urgency in getting information from that person. In Iraq, information can save lives. Allowing suspected terrorists to pretty much sit in prison without pressure is unbelievably foolish. American politicians who don't realize that hard measures must be used to protect American lives should be voted out of office as soon as possible. Torture can never be condoned, but methods such as sleep deprivation, harsh dwellings, and isolation are certainly necessary in bringing down terrorists so they will talk. If you don't believe that, there's little I can say. Theory and rhetoric are useless when somebody's trying to kill your family. Let's be honest. There are thousands of terrorists, mostly Islamic fascists, who would kill you and your children in a heartbeat. Our government is mandated to defeat these people and protect us. Thus, all the angst over the abuse scandal can certainly hurt the war on terror if policy changes are made that hinder law-abiding interrogators. The Bush administration has been tough on terrorism, but some say that's led to abuse. And it is true that abuse has happened, but it's not policy. And thanks to the U.S. media, the abuse is under scrutiny. But "Talking Points" would rather have pressure put upon terrorists than all this theoretical nonsense that every person should be treated with deference. That theory can get you killed. And after 9/11, every American should realize that. And that's "The Memo." The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day Time now for "The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day"... Time for the "Most Ridiculous Item of the Day." So there I was last week at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, one mile straight down, a 4 1/2-hour ride on a mule which didn't look real thrilled about carrying me down there. Believe me, after a ride like that you hear from muscles you've ignored for years. For my money the Grand Canyon is America's most spectacular attraction. We rode the Colorado River for more than 100 miles thanks to an outfit called Wilderness Adventures. Our guide, John Skolnick (ph) of the Grand Canyon Hikes organization, was absolutely the best. So I'm writing a big article on the trip for "Parade" magazine. You'll get all the gory details then. But it was quite an experience. Not at all ridiculous. And on a couple of other fronts, your humble correspondent, that's me, will be featured on the CBS program "Judging Amy" tomorrow night. I scold Amy and she deserves it. Also Father's Day is a month away, billoreilly.com has great stuff for dad including personalized signed copies of "Who is Looking Out for You?" and "Those Who Trespass", and remember, a ton of money from Factor gear goes to charity. Again, not at all ridiculous. --You can watch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel. Send your comments to: [email protected] | https://www.foxnews.com/story/what-ever-happened-to-the-war-on-terror |
Who wants to serve on the Dallas school board for two-ish months? | The remaining board members were worried about appointing someone too quickly and expecting them to vote at the board meeting on Feb. 28 without being properly briefed on issues. Some board members wanted the board to only consider appointing someone if that person is not running for the District 4 seat in May as they worried about influencing the election. Trustee Justin Henry said he was uncomfortable all around with board members from other parts of the city deciding who should represent the Pleasant Grove area. "We're in difficult circumstances that is not our fault," Henry said. "So for me, it should be temporary. We're appointing someone temporarily until the people choose who they want to sit in this seat." But others were concerned that setting such a requirement would unfairly limit those wanting to serve their community. Trustee Joyce Foreman said that's why the board needs feedback and why she had been thinking about candidates who have previously run that District 4 seat if unsuccessfully. "We have a responsibility as an elected body to make sure we got through a process and that the community has the opportunity to have a say in who they want in there," Foreman said. The board will consider applicants who are legally able to serve as a trustee, which generally means someone of voting age and who has established residency within the District 4 boundaries. Applications are to include a resume and a letter explaining why the interested person wants to serve. At the start of the meeting, Foreman was upset a proposed timeline was brought to the board meeting without input from all trustees. She has increasingly criticized staff and fellow trustees for springing information on board members at meetings or shortly before them. An attorney for the board said that after a January closed session discussion on the matter, he began researching how other districts have replaced trustees and -- considering DISD's nearing elections -- made a draft timeline for trustees to alter as needed. Resendez was not seeking reelection on the board as he's running for city council to represent an area that does include the neighborhood where he lives. So far only one candidate has filed for that seat. | https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2019/02/05/wants-serve-dallas-school-board-two-ish-months |
Who is the biggest sleeper in Washingtons impressive 2019 signing class? | Washington's 2019 class is stacked with four-star prospects. Let the debate begin. Welcome to Sleeper Season. Thirteen of Washingtons 21 2019 signees or verbal commits have earned four-star status in 247Sports composite rankings, which present an average of all the major recruiting services. Those arent the players were interested in. Read along as Seattle Times UW beat writer Mike Vorel and 247Sports national editor Brandon Huffman make their picks. Vorel: LB Miki Ah You 6-0, 207 Kahuku, HI Miki Ah You is officially listed as 6-foot, 207. When he signed with Washington in 2015, Ben Burr-Kirven was listed at 6-0, 200. No one is saying that Ah You will develop into a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Hes slightly undersized and he missed the majority of his senior season with an ACL injury. That three-star ranking is probably warranted. But he also has the speed to go sideline-to-sideline (and even return punts throughout his high school career) and a surprising degree of physicality for his size. Take away the physical traits and he has also been one of the more vocal leaders in UWs 2019 class. Josh Calvert, Daniel Heimuli and Henry Tootoo are all more enticing prospects (though the last two might not necessarily wind up as UW signees). But, like Burr-Kirven, Ah You is someone you want on your team. Huffman: LB Alphonzo Tuputala 6-2, 249 Federal Way, WA I would probably go with Alphonzo Tuputala, largely because I think a lot of times the local kids tend to get overlooked. Alphonzo was a middle linebacker at Federal Way. They havent been as good as theyd been in years past. A middle linebacker, a local kid, he didnt have a lot of offers. On paper it might not be a sexy pick. But watching him at the Polynesian Bowl, seeing how he played, I think hes a guy that its funny, in a lot of cases you build your class on your local kids. But hes probably the one that gets overlooked the most of anyone in that class. I think that hes got a chance, with the jump he made from his sophomore to his junior year to his senior year that was so remarkable. Lets start a conversation in the comments. | https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-huskies/who-is-the-biggest-sleeper-in-washingtons-impressive-2019-signing-class/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Will Foxconn Steal Wisconsins Intellectual Property? | 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. In 2017, the Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn promised the state of Wisconsin 13,000 jobs, many of them in manufacturing, in return for what now amounts to a $4 billion subsidy: the largest in US history. It now seems unlikely that Foxconn will make good on its pledge, especially for blue-collar jobs. Having already downsized the expected plant once, Foxconn told Reuters last week the factory project was off and then denied this days later in a statement. Ad Policy The statement also mentioned expand[ing] our investment in American talent in Wisconsin. On that front, the company has been active: Foxconn has been integrating itself into the revenue-desperate state-university system for years. Now, university students worry that the intellectual property that comes out of their hard work might end up in the pockets of the corporate behemoth. In August, the company announced a $100 million research institution at the University of WisconsinMadisons engineering graduate school, the largest private partnership in school history. The investment will refit a university building for the Foxconn Institute for Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), where research will span everything from biochips and supercomputing to robotics and artificial intelligence. Related Article Your Phone May Have Been Built by an Intern Michelle Chen The company has already built a substantial recruitment presence on campus, said Sonali Gupta, a biophysics graduate student, including career-fair days reserved for Foxconn. She and others fear the company will exploit research done at the public university for its own profit at the expense of academic freedom for professors and their graduate students. As is, the deal provides few clear-cut protections for the intellectual property or publishing rights of UW-Madison faculty, researchers, and students regarding discoveries or techniques that emerge from the new institute. Instead, the document, which is not binding, describes three categories of projected research at the institute. One type of research will produce intellectual property reserved for the university, and another type will produce it for the company. A third category of research, which concerns developed value from the institute, will produce intellectual property of uncertain status. Ownership will be negotiated between Foxconn and the university. Current Issue View our current issue The document omits both the process for determining how research is categorized and who will be doing the negotiating for the university. University spokesman John Lucas wrote in an e-mail that the agreement contains no restrictions on rights to publish. The concern, though, regards the absence of protections for the school. Without clear and detailed guardrails and governance, people might reasonably worry that this deal will turn parts of UW into a contract shop for a particular partner, said Jason Owen-Smith, a University of Michigan sociology professor. At stake is the core duty of any public university: to conduct free and open academic inquiry that serves society. Feeding research and resources to a trillion-dollar corporation flies in the face of this mandate. In a December resolution, UW-Madisons graduate-student union condemned the process as intentionally opaque. The agreement omits many details about the institute under the claim of confidentiality, and graduate students contend that they have no sense of ongoing negotiations between the university and Foxconn. There is a complete lack of transparency, Gupta said. She and other union members are organizing resistance to the deal; they fear the company will exploit the ambiguity to claim intellectual-property rights to research not strictly reserved for the university. Nothing in the agreement supersedes the universitys existing policies and protections for faculty or student research, Lucas wrote. But the deal already skirts standard practice at UW-Madison. Ordinarily, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), an intellectual-property-management organization, determines which aspects of a new discovery or technique belong to which party: whether the researcher, the university, or an outside entity. WARF-generated patents bring in more than $100 million annually to UW-Madison. WARF presumes that researchers own their intellectual property. When other obligations exist, the organization ensures its determinations are written into contractual agreements. A WARF spokesperson said the organization was consulted but not included in the agreementand thus will not oversee the intellectual property at FIRST. Whats more, WARF is known as a strong guard of IP rights in academia, according to Owen-Smith, who called its absence in these negotiations strange. The agreement also mentions cost sharing of new faculty and work-for-hire researchers partly funded by Foxconn. The institute directora company employeewould have a faculty position. If a faculty member is reliant for 50 percent of his or her income on corporate goodwill and on the continuing of the contractual relationship between the institution and the corporation, the faculty member is probably not going to be great at standing up for his or her rights, said Cary Nelson, a professor at University of Illinois, who has written extensively on academic-rights issues. Lucas said these contracts would be independent of Foxconn funding. Academic work supported by outside funding is not exploitative in every instance. Federal grants fund labs and projects across the country, and Owen-Smith pointed to MITs media lab as healthy corporate sponsorship. But these arrangements need to be done right, and the Wisconsin deal risks mixed loyalties and conflicts of interest, Nelson said. He noted other instances of inappropriate corporate academic influence, including BP PLCs attempt to censure research at Gulf Coast universities and a deal at the University of CaliforniaBerkley that allowed Novartis exclusive access to research and licensing. Theres been a trend of corporations trying to nail down IP and proprietary rights as aggressively as they can, Nelson said. Given the absence of WARF legal protections, faculty dependence on Foxconns goodwill, and the ambiguous process of negotiating intellectual property, the Foxconn institute needs stronger protections to avoid this trend. Without them, Nelson predicts, the slide towards corporate interests will accelerate. I would regard this as a highly aggressive contract, he said. Apoorv Saraogee is a PhD student in chemical and biological engineering. His adviserand sole funding sourceis in the engineering school. Saraogee fears a scenario where his adviser becomes answerable to Foxconn. Theres this power dynamic, he said, and because of this I may be forced [into] a project I may not want to get involved with. The concern is more than academic. Saraogee and some of his peers say Foxconns reputation drives their opposition to the institute. They mentioned the corporations inevitable association with Scott Walker, their poor environmental record, and especially the suicides. In 2010, at least 14 workers jumped to their deaths at Chinese Foxconn factories due to inhumane conditionsand the company responded by putting up nets. The international outcry was loud but brief, and these plants still produce many of the worlds iPhones. Chinese Foxconn factory workers have gone in strike several times since, as recently as December 2018. A recent report from China Labor Watch detailed ongoing exploitative practices. Hridindu Roychowdhury, a graduate student in biochemistry, doesnt like the idea of helping a company responsible for labor abuses. But you cant just quit a lab, he says. This is your life. Roychowdhury called engineering a more corporate field, where students may be less inclined to join political protests or labor movements. Indeed, Saraogee, the chemical and bioengineering student, said the intellectual-property concerns first grabbed his attention. Only then did he consider the political and ethical questions. Theres a lot of work to be done to engage engineering students, he said. Next up for the organizers are demonstrations at the February meeting of the universitys board of regentswhich Walker packed with conservative hard-liners after losing reelection. They plan to protest Foxconns presence at future career fairs, while recruiting other students and Madison residents to the cause. There is a grim necessity in UW-Madisons association with Foxconn. Walker gave the corporation billions in state tax money while gleefully slashing education funding. Absent the public dollars, the university system turned to the recipient of the state funds it was due. This shift is nothing new. Thats a pattern thats been going on for decades, Nelson said, hardly limited to Wisconsin. Faced with this reality, public-university administrators across the country hike tuitiondriving the student debt crisiswhile becoming increasingly reliant on outside funding. Public institutions become privatized as corporate logic undercuts academic obligations of serving society, maintaining expertise, and educating young people. Roychowdhury and other graduate students say the deal betrays whats known as the Wisconsin Idea :the universitys philosophy, established more than a century ago, that public education should benefit public good. The university maintains the agreement does not violate this principle. Or, as Owen-Smith asked, is UW-Madison being captured by a company with a somewhat nefarious reputation? He is not sure. But when you have to ask the question, its a problem. | https://www.thenation.com/article/foxconn-patent-university-jobs-wisconsin/ |
Who is Alice Marie Johnson, the great-grandmother Trump is granting clemency to? | Alice Marie Johnson walked out of prison on June 6 a free woman. The great-grandmother had been in jail for more than 20 years, serving a life sentence for non-violent drug charges. She was released after President Trump commuted her sentence. On Johnson's behalf, reality television star Kim Kardashian West had met with Trump at the White House a week earlier to discuss her case. "Good luck to Alice Johnson. Have a wonderful life!" Trump said in a tweet. After her release, Johnson thanked both Trump and Kardashian West, who she called an "angel" for being her advocate. Johnson, 63, was arrested in 1993 and convicted of drug conspiracy and money laundering in 1996, according to a Mic profile. She became involved with cocaine dealers after she lost her job, her son was killed, she and her husband divorced and her home was foreclosed on, Mic reported. Johnson has said she did not sell drugs or make deals, though she did admit to acting as an intermediary for those involved, passing along messages. She was given life in prison without parole. I did do something wrong, Johnson previously told HuffPost. Kardashian West later enlisted her lawyer, Shawn Holley, to work on getting clemency for Johnson and Cyntoia Brown, who is serving life in prison for a murder she committed when she was 16 and a victim of sex trafficking, supporters have said. [Johnson] has been a model prisoner and has the support of the warden, government officials and a host of others in her bid for release, Holley has said. The great-grandmother previously sent the reality television star a thank you note, TMZ reported last year. Ms. Kardashian you are literally helping to save my life and restore me to my family, Johnson wrote in the letter. I was drowning and you have thrown me a life jacket and given me hope that this Life jacket Im serving may one day be taken off. Johnson referenced Rosa Parks refusal to give up her seat on a bus as a defining moment in history. KIM KARDASHIAN WEST ADVOCATES FOR ALICE JOHNSON, OTHERS WHO ARE JAILED I believe that history will record that Kim Kardashian had the courage to take a stand against human warehousing and was a key figure in meaningful criminal justice reform becoming a reality," she added. A Change.org petition in support of clemency for Johnson had received more than 271,000 signatures before her release. Johnson had sought a pardon from former President Barack Obama but did not receive one. Kardashian West was the one who got to break the news to Johnson of her release, Holley told The Associated Press. "Telling her for the first time and hearing her screams while crying together is a moment I will never forget," Kardashian West said in a tweet. Unlike a pardon, the commutation will not erase Johnson's conviction, only end her sentence. "While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance," press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. The decision to commute Johnson's sentence was also advocated by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, the president's son-in-law and daughter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/who-is-alice-marie-johnson-the-great-grandmother-trump-is-granting-clemency-to |
Where Will Seagate Technology Be in 5 Years? | Seagate Technology (NASDAQ: STX), the world's second-largest HDD (hard disk drive) maker, has lost about 10% of its value over the past five years, even as the NASDAQ rallied over 80%. Seagate struggled with the rise of flash-based SSDs (solid state drives), which were smaller, faster, more power efficient, and less prone to damage than platter-based HDDs. Sluggish sales of traditional PCs and uneven demand from enterprise customers exacerbated that pain. Unlike its bigger rival Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC), which aggressively expanded its SSD and flash memory business by acquiring SanDisk in 2016, Seagate focused on selling higher-capacity HDDs to data center customers to meet the rising demands of cloud-based services. Many of these customers prefer HDDs to SSDs because they offer much more storage per dollar. Four HDDs. More Image source: Getty Images. A more conservative approach Seagate has also focused on smaller acquisitions that cost less than $1 billion over the past five years, including storage systems company Xyratex and software and hardware storage systems supplier Dot Hill Systems. Additionally, it acquired LSI's flash and SSD products from Avago (now known as Broadcom). As a result, Seagate has low exposure to the flash memory market (which made up less than 10% of its revenue last quarter), insulating it from the recent downturn in NAND prices that torpedoed WD's growth. To boost shareholder value, Seagate has prioritized buybacks and raised its dividend for seven straight years. Those conservative moves have helped Seagate shares outperform WD stock, which lost more than 40% of its value over the past five years. However, the bears argue that Seagate is merely treading water as the price gap between cheap SSDs and HDDs narrows, and that its revenue base will erode over time. Looking back at the past five years Seagate's revenue declined between fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2017 as HDD sales to enterprise customers and PC makers decelerated and SSDs gained ground in multiple markets. Metric 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Revenue $13.7 billion $13.7 billion $11.2 billion $10.8 billion $11.2 billion YOY growth (5%) 0% (18%) (4%) 4% Data source: Seagate annual reports. Chart by author. YOY = year over year. That multiyear losing streak finally ended in fiscal 2018, as PC sales stabilized. However, analysts expect Seagate's sales to decline 5% this fiscal year (which ends in June) and to drop another 1% next year as slower enterprise spending, weaker cloud demand, and macro challenges throttle its growth. The ongoing declines in NAND prices could also hurt Seagate by flooding the market with cheap SSDs. | https://news.yahoo.com/where-seagate-technology-5-years-013400749.html |
Who is Alice Marie Johnson, the great-grandmother Trump granted clemency to? | Alice Marie Johnson walked out of prison on June 6 a free woman. On Feb. 5, she walked into the House Chambers as President Trump's special State of the Union guest. The great-grandmother had been in jail for more than 20 years, serving a life sentence for non-violent drug charges. She was released after President Trump commuted her sentence. On Johnson's behalf, reality television star Kim Kardashian West had met with Trump at the White House a week earlier to discuss her case. "Good luck to Alice Johnson. Have a wonderful life!" Trump said in a tweet. After her release, Johnson thanked both Trump and Kardashian West, who she called an "angel" for being her advocate. Johnson, 63, was arrested in 1993 and convicted of drug conspiracy and money laundering in 1996, according to a Mic profile. She became involved with cocaine dealers after she lost her job, her son was killed, she and her husband divorced and her home was foreclosed on, Mic reported. Johnson has said she did not sell drugs or make deals, though she did admit to acting as an intermediary for those involved, passing along messages. She was given life in prison without parole. I did do something wrong, Johnson previously told HuffPost. Kardashian West later enlisted her lawyer, Shawn Holley, to work on getting clemency for Johnson and Cyntoia Brown, who is serving life in prison for a murder she committed when she was 16 and a victim of sex trafficking, supporters have said. [Johnson] has been a model prisoner and has the support of the warden, government officials and a host of others in her bid for release, Holley has said. The great-grandmother previously sent the reality television star a thank you note, TMZ reported last year. Ms. Kardashian you are literally helping to save my life and restore me to my family, Johnson wrote in the letter. I was drowning and you have thrown me a life jacket and given me hope that this Life jacket Im serving may one day be taken off. Johnson referenced Rosa Parks refusal to give up her seat on a bus as a defining moment in history. KIM KARDASHIAN WEST ADVOCATES FOR ALICE JOHNSON, OTHERS WHO ARE JAILED I believe that history will record that Kim Kardashian had the courage to take a stand against human warehousing and was a key figure in meaningful criminal justice reform becoming a reality," she added. A Change.org petition in support of clemency for Johnson had received more than 271,000 signatures before her release. Johnson had sought a pardon from former President Barack Obama but did not receive one. Kardashian West was the one who got to break the news to Johnson of her release, Holley told The Associated Press. "Telling her for the first time and hearing her screams while crying together is a moment I will never forget," Kardashian West said in a tweet. Unlike a pardon, the commutation will not erase Johnson's conviction, only end her sentence. "While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance," press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. The decision to commute Johnson's sentence was also advocated by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, the president's son-in-law and daughter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/who-is-alice-marie-johnson-the-great-grandmother-trump-granted-clemency-to?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fpolitics+%28Internal+-+Politics+-+Text%29 |
What was Nancy Pelosi reading during Trump's State of the Union? | Nancy Pelosi was reading something during Trump's State of the Union address, and Twitter users had questions. Nancy Pelosi was reading something during Trump's State of the Union address, and Twitter users had questions. 1 / 19 Back to Gallery During President Donald Trump's State of the Union Speech on Tuesday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could be seen reading something on multiple occasions while sitting behind the president. A number of Twitter users watching the speech were curious to know what the San Francisco Democrat was reading. The most common theory was that she was reading a transcript of the president's speech, and it was later confirmed that this was the case. FULL COVERAGE: President Trump to give State of the Union address "Pelosi's just...reading the speech?" Bloomberg News reporter Steven Dennis asked. "I... do not recall past Speakers holding up the printed text of the speech during the address," conservative commentator Jim Geraghty tweeted. AP FACT CHECK: Trump's claims in his State of the Union address Transcripts of the speech are often released just prior to the State of the Union address. Other people jokingly speculated that Pelosi could be reading the Robert Mueller report, or a menu for dinner. Click through the slideshow above to see reactions to Nancy Pelosi's reading material. Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. | https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Nancy-Pelosi-reading-State-of-the-Union-Trump-SOTU-13592720.php |
Why Vietnam for the second Trump-Kim summit? | Vietnam is one of just a handful of countries with good relations with North Korea (AFP Photo/HOANG DINH NAM) Hanoi (AFP) - Communist-run but with capitalist leanings, and a friend to both the United States and North Korea, Vietnam will host the next summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jung Un from February 27-28. Like North Korea, Vietnam was once locked in a bloody and bitter war with the US. But unlike Pyongyang, Hanoi now counts Washington among its closest allies, emerging from the ravages of war to become one of the fastest growing economies in Asia -- and one of the most diplomatically savvy. Vietnam ticks a lot of boxes. It is a short enough flight from Pyongyang for Kim, who otherwise travels by armoured train. It is also home to both US and North Korean embassies to help with pre-summit arrangements. Hanoi enjoys friendly ties with both countries and is considered "neutral" territory, unlike, say, the US state of Hawaii, which was also rumoured as an option. Security in the communist country is tight even during normal times. Authorities will carefully control media access and crowds for an event where the choreography between the leaders will be closely watched across the world. Vietnam is one of a handful of countries with which North Korea has good relations. Diplomatic ties between Hanoi and Pyongyang date back to 1950, and North Korea sent air force personnel to the communist North during the Vietnam War. The last top North Korean leader to visit Vietnam was Kim Jong Un's grandfather Kim Il Sung in 1958, though several senior officials have visited since then. While trade has dipped in the wake of UN sanctions against Pyongyang, it reached $7 million (6.1 million euros) in 2017. Kim's trip to Vietnam -- it will be his first -- could also be a chance for him to learn from Vietnam's post-war economic transformation. "(Kim) would be interested in seeing the Vietnam story for himself, that can be a good source of inspiration and reflection for him to think about the way he should take North Korea forward," Le Hong Hiep, a Vietnam expert at Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, told AFP. Vietnam might also be a strategically important location for the US, which is currently locked in a trade war with China -- one of North Korea's closest allies. Trump could use Vietnam to "signal to Beijing that North Korea is not in your hands, we have a counterbalance to Chinese influence in this area", said Cheon Seong Whun, a visiting research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. Washington is also keen to show off Vietnam's economic success story, touted by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a visit to the country last year. "Your country can replicate this path. It's yours if you'll seize the moment," Pompeo said in remarks aimed at Kim. "It can be your miracle in North Korea as well." Vietnam is eager to showcase its diplomatic gravitas on a global stage, following on from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2017 and a regional World Economic Forum meeting last year. The Trump-Kim meet could pay off in more ways than one. Hosting the box-office summit could boost "Vietnam's status in the international community, which helps the country attract tourism and foreign investment", said Vu Minh Khuong, a policy analyst at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. | https://news.yahoo.com/why-vietnam-second-trump-kim-summit-034800504.html |
Is digital identity the new currency for Canadians? | Think about the last time you accessed a government servicerenewing a drivers licence, submitting a prescription to be filled or applying for a student loan. Chances are this interaction took place in person. Even if you were able to complete a portion online, in all likelihood you had to show up in person at some point to present a piece of ID. This process of physically verifying identity has been the standard for generations, but to many Canadians it may seem out of step with the increasingly digital economy we find ourselves in. One of the key challenges when it comes to accessing government services online is identity verification. Being able to prove who we are in a convenient, secure fashion is a crucial step towards enabling a wider array of high stakes or high value transactions not currently possible online. One group working to develop such a solution is Interac Corp., the Canadian payment network that facilitates secure financial transactions through its debit network and Interac e-Transfer platform. The demand is there, from Canadians who would like to see a broader scope of transactions and higher value transactions carried out digitally, says Neil Butters, Director, Products & Platforms, Interac Corp. Federal and provincial governments have also adopted innovation agendas that include migrating more and more government services and transactions online. Interac is uniquely positioned to forge such a solution because weve already developed a high level of trust among Canadians over more than 30 years, based on a proven track record of security. The stakes for a digital identity and authentication (ID&A) platform are significant the Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada estimates the value of adopting a comprehensive and efficient identity process at $15 billion. Under the existing system, governments and financial institutions provide trusted identities based on physical evidence, with visual third-party validation indicating that a person is who they say they are. While the vast majority of transactions are completed successfully, they are still susceptible to identity theft and fraud. The Canadian Antifraud Centre notes that the incidence of identity theft has been increasing at an average of 33 per cent per year. A digital-first user experience shouldnt rely on physical documents, such as birth certificates, drivers licences, passports, health cards and social insurance numbers, says Butters. Its a judgement call as to whether someone should accept them or not, and the sensitive information these documents contain can be misused if it falls into the wrong hands. Interac is currently working with public and private identity partners to make a secure, reliable and privacy-enhancing digital ID&A ecosystem a reality. Government-provided credentials would still act as the foundation of the identity ecosystem Interac is proposing, says Butters. But instead of having Canadians share digital versions of those documents, which could be subject to identity theft, we would provide security through the abstraction of tokens. Tokens are virtual representations of information that consist of a unique, randomly generated sequence of numbers. Since tokens are meaningless to unauthorized parties and have no inherent value, they can reduce the incidence of fraud and identity theft while enabling digital transactions. In a secure ecosystem, your identity can be thought of as a type of protected currency, says Butters. Tokens are at the core of the digital identity solution Interac is proposing. We already use tokens to secure transactions made wirelessly on mobile devices. Expanding on that concept, we could produce tokenized and abstracted versions of birth certificates, drivers licences, health cards and passports that assert our identity. Similar to how we make payments today, these abstracted identities will allow us to complete activities like signing a document or registering for government services simply and securely online. Under a new and secure digital ID&A system someone could, for example, choose to update their drivers licence online using a convenient app. When the driver logs in, they would be asked to review existing information. The drivers identity could be authenticated using facial recognition matched against a registered facial signature on the persons device and a digital photo could be added to the card. Once complete, the driver could pay any fees with an in-app payment feature and then add the updated card to a mobile digital wallet. The goal is to increase the ability for Canadians to take part in an expanded digital economy. In a secure environment, this could mean making a real estate purchases online, obtaining a mortgage or even renewing a passport. For Interac, it is essential that the solution is not only convenient, but secure. The endgame is an ecosystem in which the security of every major transaction is protected end to end. We believe thats not only desirable, but achievable. This story was created by Content Works, Postmedias commercial content division, on behalf of Interac | https://vancouversun.com/sponsored/business-sponsored/is-digital-identity-the-new-currency-for-canadians |
Is Rob Gronkowski telling us something in Tom Brady's victory Instagram post? | Scroll to continue with content Ad If you're willing to squint between the lines, he may be back for more in 2019. As the confetti settled Sunday night on the New England Patriots' sixth Super Bowl title, Gronkowski joined Tom Brady for the quarterback's celebratory Instagram video. Let's go right to the tape: Good morning from Tom Brady & Rob Gronkowski. Sure. MORE SUPER BOWL COVERAGE But humor us for a second: Gronkowski seems to be making the "weighing my options" hand gesture early in the video. Then Brady starts nodding his head as if he knows what Gronk should do -- and Gronk seems to agree. Add in the soundtrack (Eminem's "Without Me," with the chorus "guess who's back?") and the ending text ("To be continued...") and you've got enough hints you could interpret as Brady "convincing" his all-world tight end to return for one more season. OK, back to reality: Gronkowski, who tallied 87 yards on six catches in the Patriots' 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams, insisted to anyone who listened he'll need a couple weeks to relax before deciding whether to retire or keep playing. We should take the 29-year-old at his word. But if he suits up in 2019, remember this brief clip as the first clue Gronk dropped. Story continues 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/rob-gronkowski-telling-us-something-131131501.html?src=rss |
How will Sacramento spend $16 million on the homeless? | The city of Sacramento will spend nearly $16 million in city money toward addressing the homeless crisis, the City Council decided Tuesday. The council plans to decide how to spend the money during a meeting Feb. 12. Mayor Darrell Steinberg has proposed spending the money to open multiple triage homeless shelters, he has said previously. Councilman Larry Carr questioned whether shelters are the best solution. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee I dont want us to get focused on one technical solution, Carr said. We should stay focused on the goal of getting people off the street. The $15.7 million in city funding would be combined with about $12 million in state funds and $8 million in private funds for a total of about $36 million toward homeless initiatives. The city funding would come from the citys Measure U reserve fund. City officials set that money aside in case voters rejected the increased Measure U sales tax in November, Steinberg said. This is a horrific public health, public safety and humanitarian crisis and it is incumbent upon us to bring to scale what we have already proven to be successful, Steinberg said Tuesday. In December, Steinberg asked all council members to find sites for homeless shelters in their districts so the city can open more shelters similar to its 100-bed triage shelter in north Sacramento on Railroad Drive. That shelter provides medical and mental health care for guests, as well as help removing the barriers they face in finding permanent housing, such as obtaining state identification cards. Councilman Jay Schenirer is proposing a portion of a parking lot at the Florin light rail station owned by Sacramento Regional Transit, while Councilman Jeff Harris is proposing a state-owned site at Cal Expo. Carr hopes the council receives data from city staff on how successful the Railroad Drive shelter has been at the Feb. 12 meeting, he said. Weve spent a lot of money. Was that well spent? Carr asked. The council also approved spending about $2.1 million in city money on the following initiatives to serve youths in disadvantaged neighborhoods this month: $350,000 for citywide pop-up events every Friday and Saturday nights for teens $350,000 to help renovate the South Sacramento Cal Skate Facility $350,000 to help nonprofit La Familia build an Economic Development Opportunity Center $350,000 to help fund the Del Paso Heights Sports Complex, which will include three baseball fields and soccer fields to host local youth leagues and regional tournaments $350,000 to build nonprofit capacity and help the city be better connected to our many diverse neighborhoods $350,000 to build business capacity and help the city be better connected to our diverse business community, focusing on minority and women-owned business and urban commercial corridors The city will also spend $11.2 million on a list of projects proposed by City Manager Howard Chan, including improving 311 response times, bolstering code enforcement staffing and expanding illegal dumping services. The approved list also includes $360,000 for a public restroom in Cesar Chavez Plaza; $1 million for nonprofits that serve homeless women and children; $500,000 on a program that provides legal aid for immigrants; $1.8 million to increase mowing at city parks and make improvements; and $326,078 to hire staff to release police videos and documents. The city will also transfer about $5.9 million to the upcoming fiscal year budget. Steinberg proposed that money be used for equity projects in the citys disadvantaged neighborhoods. | https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article225583800.html |
How can Co-op Energys own failures cost me 2,000? | It didnt debit or bill my account for years, so surely back-billing rules should apply Co-op Energy was my supplier for gas and electricity from 2014 to 2016. Although Im no longer a customer, Ive been paying 100 a month since last May to reduce arrears of more than 2,000 caused by its failure to debit or bill my account. I now wonder whether I do, in fact, have to pay this under the back-billing rule. When I signed up to Co-op in 2014 I paid 160.84 a month via direct debit. In April 2015 it stopped debiting my account. I pointed this out, but it did not start taking payments for another five months. In April 2016 it again stopped taking the direct debit and I was told the issue would soon be resolved, but nothing came of it. During this time I never had a bill or statement. I did receive a couple of emails headed Your statement is now available to view online, but because of its failed attempts to introduce a new system, I was unable to register for online access. I decided to change supplier, thinking this would force it to address the issue as any arrears would need to be cleared before it would allow a transfer. But it did let me go without issue in July 2016. In March last year I was notified that I was 4,352.47 in arrears for a period ending July 2016. A week later I received another letter now stating I was 2,165.45 in arrears for the period ending 6 July 2016. A third letter, bearing the same date, told me I was in arrears by 2,307.90 but for a period ending 27 July. Eventually, I agreed that the arrears should be set at 2,165.45. I now question whether I should be liable for these arrears since I was never billed for the period and it waited more than 17 months before contacting me. TW, St Dogmaels, Cardigan You are correct. Under rules enforced by the utilities regulator Ofgem, customers are not liable for unbilled energy used more than 12 months ago, and energy companies are obliged to make this clear in their terms and conditions. It is scandalous that Co-op Energy flouted this rule when its own incompetence caused the arrears. In 2016 it was obliged by Ofgem to pay 1.8m in compensation to about 260,000 customers after a new IT system caused a billing fiasco. Customers were, like you, unable to check their accounts online, bills werent sent and direct debits were erroneously stopped. Ofgem praised the company at the time for taking responsibility for the issue. Either Co-op has a short memory or it hopes its customers have if its now devolving that responsibility on to you. Its dispiriting that it only admitted the back-billing rule does apply in your case when I pointed it out. A week after I called the press office, it decided to write off the arrears, refund the 800 youve repaid and add 150 in goodwill. Having now been able to review the account fully, we agree some of the issues in the past should be covered by the back-billing code, it says. The fact is, all the issues were covered. The worry is how many other customers could be paying off debts theyre not liable for. If you need help email Anna Tims at [email protected] or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. Submission subject to our terms and conditions | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/feb/06/co-op-energy-bills-backbilling-direct-debit-bills |
Does Gordon Hayward deserve more patience? | originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com Fifteen months after his horrific ankle injury, Gordon Hayward is back at the scene of the crime on Tuesday night. Even with three months of game action under his belt now, Hayward is still searching for a consistency that has been fleeting since his return and left the former All-Star visibly frustrated at times this season. Scroll to continue with content Ad Given the amount of time that's passed, it's fair to wonder if the Celtics should be getting more out of Hayward. Maybe that's why it was so interesting to hear Paul George plead for continued patience with Hayward in the aftermath of Oklahoma City's visit to Boston on Sunday. George, a sympathetic ear during Hayward's recovery, needed just eight months to return from a gruesome leg injury. George got six games under his belt at the tail end of the 2014-15 season and then seemed to hit the ground running the following year, posting a career best in scoring while earning All-Star honors during the 2015-16 campaign. The natural instinct is to look at the timelines and suggest Hayward should be closer to the player he used to be in Utah and not the one that saw half of his six shot attempts blocked by Oklahoma City on Sunday. What that ignores is the follow-up procedure Hayward endured in late May. He didn't return to full basketball activities until right before the start of training camp and didn't get the sort of ramp-up that a typical NBA offseason might afford. George was staunch in his declaration that Hayward can't beat himself up over the lack of consistency to this point. Story continues "Honestly, just don't be so hard on yourself," said George. "I was fortunate when I got hurt. The following season I got to play six games and that kind of helped me into the transition. Fact of the matter is everyone is expecting Gordon to be Gordon from Utah and he's not. He has to take strides, take steps along the way." Complicating matters is that Hayward has shown glimpses of turning a corner. He's had a couple of loud performances - like a 30-point outing in Minnesota in early December - and strung together maybe his best stretch of games at the start of January. Each time, Hayward hasn't been able to harness the momentum. He's fought his shot at times - although it should be noted that George's shooting percentages dove in his first season back as well - and Hayward has shown obvious frustration, even as he's told himself not to get too high or too low about his performances. George encouraged Hayward to ignore those in a rush to point out how his play isn't commensurate with his team-high $31.2 million salary. "Fans can't be too hard on him and he can't be too hard on himself. The game is different," said George. "When you sit out a year and you try to come back, the game is totally different from where you left it. He's got to adapt, find his game, find his rhythm, block out the noise that people are expecting him to be himself right away. "It takes time. When I got hurt, the doctors told me it would be two to three years before I would feel the way I feel now. Despite them saying I would make a full recovery, it wouldn't be until two or three years. It's a long marathon for him. He'll be alright." Watching George play his way into some MVP chatter this season should be an example of how a player can not only find his form but even go to another level with enough time. Even though George has been excellent the past three seasons, his scoring average is up more than six points per game this year and he's shooting the ball as well as he has his entire career. It'd be fascinating to know where Hayward might be without that second surgery in May to remove nagging hardware. Even if he hadn't been able to get back on the court before Boston's playoff run ended, maybe having the summer to ramp up his basketball activities would have allowed him to enter the season with more confidence. It didn't happen. He's been forced to work through the bumps with everybody watching and questioning whether he'll get back to the player he used to be. The Celtics have preached patience to Hayward, hoping that he'll find more consistency as the year goes on. "Hopefully he'll continue to get more comfortable. And by game 60 and 80, he'll feel better than he does at 40 and 20," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said last month. A glimpse at the box score Sunday suggests a rough day for Hayward, who missed five of the six shots he took and got swatted three times (including once by George). But Hayward was also aggressive going at the basket, an encouraging sign that he's trying to be more assertive. He's had a propensity to avoid contact at times early in the season and settle for perimeter shots. To get back to the old Hayward, he has to be fearless going at the hoop. When the Celtics were in Cleveland in November, coach Brad Stevens made it a point to run an alley-oop lob almost identical to the one Hayward was injured on back in October 2017. Stevens has run similar actions a few times this year and it wouldn't be a surprise to see it come out again this trip (in part because these rebuilding Cavs don't put a heavy emphasis on defense). But anything that can get Hayward out of his own head and playing with more confidence would be a good thing for these Celtics. For all his individual woes, Hayward still owns a net rating of plus-5.2 this season. That's a solid number; it's simply diminished by how good the team has been when he's off the floor, the Celtics posting a plus-9.4 net rating without Hayward (though that might simply reflect on a bench unit that's struggled to find consistency as a group). At times this season it's felt like Hayward's emergence might be the key to just how far the Celtics might surge this season. If you think that's an overstatement, consider this: Basketball Reference tracks a metric called Game Score that attempts to quantify a player's game performance based on box score stats. It's noisy but, ultimately, a score south of the teens is average at best (while a score in the 40s is a dominant effort) This season, when Hayward has posted a Game Score of 14.5 or better, the Celtics are 9-1 and that includes two wins over Toronto and another over Milwaukee - the only two teams that currently sit ahead of Boston in the East standings. In the 35 other games, in which Hayward's Game Score was 11.9 or lower, Boston is 21-17. Boston's success doesn't hinge on Hayward, but it certainly could go a long way to making these Celtics look more like the East power that was expected. Even as Boston starts to play more consistent ball and surge up the standings, having a confident and consistent Hayward in April and May would go a long way in helping the Celtics make up any homecourt advantage they might lack. Maybe it's not fair to expect that sort of consistency from Hayward until next season, but it's clear from his frustration that he, more than anyone, wants to find it sooner. 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/does-gordon-hayward-deserve-more-034305426.html?src=rss |
Will the death of Malaysia Goodson finally lead to accessible city transport? | Im halfway down the footbridge, thunking my nine-month-old son from step to step like someone trying to hit ketchup out of a bottle. He starts to cry a wheedling, disgruntled moan so I take one hand off the buggy to stroke his face. In that moment he squirms, the buggy tilts and I get a flash, for a microsecond, of the drop, the concrete, the depth and the danger. For lack of a lift, a ramp or an assistant I could have lost the centre of my world. Last week, Malaysia Goodson, a mother from Stamford, Connecticut, is believed to have fallen to her death while trying to get down a flight of stairs at the Seventh Avenue station in New York City while carrying her one-year-old daughter in a buggy. Goodson was found lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs beside a tipped-up stroller. Her daughter, miraculously, was unharmed, but is now motherless. The authorities later said that it appeared her death was related to a pre-existing medical condition, however it has prompted demands to improve accessibility on the subway. The incident caused the mayor, Bill de Blasio, to state on Twitter: The subway system is not accessible for everyone, and thats an environment the [Metropolitan Transport Authority] should not allow. Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) This is a heartbreaking tragedy that never should have happened. The subway system is not accessible for everyone and thats an environment the MTA should not allow. https://t.co/X89fQep0LY To many parents, the incident is chilling, and call into question how we can address the accessibility needs of parents alongside wheelchair users and other disabled people. For many parents, accessibility in cities means more than just ramps, lifts and lowered kerbs. You must be able to keep a child safe but also within touching reach; you must carry luggage, sit to feed, avoid high levels of air pollution, regulate a healthy temperature, be able to change a nappy and go to the toilet yourself, and eventually guard against a mobile-but-unstable child who insists on walking. While slings and rucksack carriers may make navigating public transport easier, they are not always suitable for parents with disabilities, nor the solution to something as nuanced as finding a suitable place to feed your child. I cant be the only person who has sat on a concrete bollard, in the rain, beside two lanes of traffic, with my shirt open, my buggy wedged against a set of fragrant railings, wondering if there might be a better way. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Steep stairs, such as these at a subway station in Manhattan, are a nightmare for those with mobility issues or with a pram or pushchair. Photograph: Jeff Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images Nevertheless, it is easy, as a parent, to start to view any transport network whether its in London or So Paulo as simply impossible when travelling with children. Steps, footbridges, broken lifts, narrow trains, gaps between train and platform; all are a nightmare for those with mobility issues or in wheelchairs, and a significant obstacle for anyone with a pram, buggy or pushchair. A few cities are taking steps to make the urban landscape more accessible to parents, from the Universal Design principles innate to Singapores Building Construction Authority to TfLs Baby On Board badges. In Washington, DC all 91 Metro stations are fully accessible, with gap reducers between train and platform and priority seating in each carriage. While it could be argued that including these features at the time of construction (much of the subway in Washington, DC was built in the 1970s) is easier than retrofitting them into Victorian engineering, for parents it can often seem that the problem is not one of practicality, but of priority. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Washington DC Metro, built in the 1970s with greater accessibility in mind than many of its Victorian counterparts, such as the London underground. Photograph: National Geographic Image Collection/Alamy In particular, urban design often seems to set wheelchair users in competition for space against parents or other people with disabilities. Having a single space for both wheelchair and buggy users immediately sets up a necessary but unpleasant hierarchy of need. Too often, I see bus drivers simply fail to let wheelchair users on a crowded bus, despite the fact that, by law, they must take priority over those with buggies or pushchairs. In Berlin, most buses have a designated space for three buggies, or a wheelchair and two buggies. But the solution could, perhaps, be as simple as providing more pull-down seats, providing space for disabled, non-disabled and pushchair users alike. Luggage racks could help stop children having to vie for space with suitcases and shopping trolleys. In Tokyo, many trains have specific carriages with space for prams and wheelchairs, with their position marked on the platform so passengers can more easily wait in the right spot. I have been pleased to notice the overhead signs on many London underground stations indicating where the wheelchair and buggy sections will be. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pushchair and wheelchair boarding sign at UK railway station. Photograph: Colin Underhill/Alamy Better training could help for drivers and other transport staff, who often seem to feel as though the onus is on parents to take up less space. The NHS advice is for all babies to lie flat in a buggy or pram until they are able to sit up unaided (approximately around six months) with preference for a carry cot or bassinet on wheels for the first few months. It is therefore not quite so easy for parents to choose a fold-up or space-saving option. Because public attitudes to small children are almost universally positive, we can too easily slip into believing that parents can get by thanks to the assistance of strangers. Sadly, the bystander effect the psychological state that tells onlookers that someone else will help, so you dont need to is as visible at the top of station steps or by an unlowered kerb as anywhere else in the city environment. In order to break it, we can look to better signage and design. For instance, upholstering your priority seats in a different fabric to make them visually conspicuous, as they have done with bright yellow seat covers in the Bay Area Rapid Transport trains around San Francisco, or colour-coding lifts for disabled and buggy users. Once you introduce ramps, lifts, lowered buses, in the ways recognised by the European Commission Access City Award in cities like Lyon, Chester, Milan and Viborg, you no longer place the onus on the public to do the right thing. Moreover, we can do more to inform parents of the insurance and liability responsibility that often falls to staff: for instance, a Transport for London employee may ask you to take your child out of a buggy before carrying it up the stairs. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Highly visible priority seating on a Bay Area Rapid Transport train, San Francisco. Photograph: Felicia Kieselhorst/BART There are other child safety issues on public transport. A 2017 WHO report said that 570,000 children under the age of five died every year from illnesses that could be linked to pollution. Air pollution, while a problem for all city dwellers, is particularly dangerous at traffic highpoints like bus stops, road junctions, traffic lights: places where parents with buggies are impelled to wait. I had never asked so many idling cars to switch off their engines as I have since having a child in a buggy at exhaust-pipe height. Low emission zones, congestion charges, bicycle subsidies and disincentives for parents to drive to schools and offices could all improve air quality without great change to public infrastructure. A city accessible for parents, along with wheelchair users and disabled people, is simply a city that is better to live in for everyone. I was lucky, that day on the footbridge. I managed to grab my second handle in time. I managed to thunk my way down to the platform despite the sweat on my palms and the racing in my chest. I managed to get away with it that time. But it could very easily have gone the other way. Malaysia Goodson was not an exception, but must be a warning to us all. Best and worst city transport Berlin Wheelchairtravel.org describes Berlin as having one of the most wheelchair-friendly public transportation systems in the world including accessible trams, buses and trains. The two major metro rail systems, U-Bahn and S-Bahn, are accessible at the majority of stations, while the Berliner Verkehrsbetrieb (BVG) site allows users to plan a wheelchair friendly route through the city, including barrier-free routes. Although Berlins famous cobbled streets can prove a challenge for anyone navigating the city with a pushchair, the city is largely flat and covered by a network of accessible buses. The German government has also abolished kindergarten fees in Berlin making it one of Europes most attractive cities for young families. Breda, The Netherlands Despite being a medieval city, the winner of the 2019 European Commission Access City Award has wheelchair access in over 800 shops and businesses. Most of the sport centres, museums and theatres are also wheelchair accessible under the banner campaign of Breda For Everyone. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A cycle, pushchair and wheelchair carriage on Copenhagen S-Train. Photograph: Realimage/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Stock Photo Seattle In a bid to make the windy, hilly city more accessible for wheelchair and buggy users, Seattles AccessMap allows users to plot routes according to customised settings including avoiding steep inclines and raised kerbs. Copenhagen According to VisitCopenhagen all metro stations are equipped with lifts, while the S-train has an adjustable ramp that the driver can lower to allow wheelchairs or buggies to board. Most of the city parks have paved walkways and breastfeeding is common in public areas. New York Just 117 out of 472 New York subway stations are fully accessible, and only a quarter have lifts, making it almost impossible to navigate without a high degree of local knowledge. However, a law was passed on 1 January requiring all new and renovated buildings with public toilets to include changing tables, including in mens toilets. Read more Paris Although most of the Parisian bus network has wheelchair access, the Metro has just one accessible, barrier-free line (number 14) and at many stations parents will have to ask Metro staff to open ticket gates as there is no wider buggy or wheelchair gate and for assistance getting on and off of the trains. Like so many cities, Paris also suffers from narrow pavements, cobbled streets and steep inclines, some of which include steps. Find Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, catch up on our best stories or sign up for our weekly newsletter | https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/feb/06/will-the-death-of-malaysia-goodson-finally-lead-to-accessible-city-transport |
What's the ultimate way to travel to school? | To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. For 7-year-old Madog, it's a way of life. He and his family have decided to ditch 21st century living in favour or a more basic lifestyle with no mains electricity or even wifi! Madog lives with his mum, dad and baby brother in Cumbria. To enjoy the CBBC Newsround website at its best you will need to have JavaScript turned on. See kids in the Amazon travel by canoe... Many kids across the world travel to school in all sorts of ways and we want to hear from you. Let us know below. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47141168 |
Could A Super-Earth World Around Barnard's Star Be Home To Alien Life? | When it comes to the origin of life, we only have one example in the entire known Universe where we're certain it's successfully arisen: right here on Earth. Although we're aware of many steps in the story of how life evolved and gave rise to the diversity of organisms we observe today and in the fossil record, some big mysteries remain. In particular, we don't know how life first arose, and which ingredients and conditions from Earth's early history were essential in that key step of creating life from non-life. We assume that it's smart to look for life on Earth-sized planets with Earth-like orbits around Sun-like stars with heavy element presences similar to our Solar System. But those might not be the only conditions which support life. In fact, Super-Earth worlds, despite their extraordinary differences from Earth-like worlds, might support life finding a way, too. And if so, there's one right next door: around Barnard's Star. The nearest star system to our own is the Alpha Centauri system. Unlike our own star, however, Alpha Centauri is made up of three stars: Alpha Centauri A, which is a Sun-like (G-class) star, Alpha Centauri B, which is a little cooler and less massive (K-class), but orbits Alpha Centauri A at a distance of the gas giants in our Solar System, and Proxima Centauri, which is much cooler and less massive (M-class), and is known to have at least one Earth-sized planet. But the most common type of planet in the Universe, as far as we know, is neither an Earth-sized planet nor a gas giant-sized planet, but an in-between size. As revealed by the Kepler mission, the most common type of world in the Universe is a super-Earth, between about 2 and 10 times the mass of our own planet. So far, we don't know of any super-Earth-sized worlds around the nearest star system to us, but the second-closest system was newly-found to have one. At a distance of just six light years away, Barnard's star has had its proper motion known since 1916. Back in the 1960s, it gained some temporary fame as the first star conjectured to have planets around it. Working using a now-discredited technique, Peter van de Kamp (1960s-70s) claimed to have found two Jupiter-sized planets with orbital periods of 11 and 27 years, around it, which set off a firestorm of both excitement and criticism. Unfortunately, the data that gave rise to the suspected detection wasn't due to a planet, but rather to the fact that the telescope being used to record the data had its optics changed. Half a century later, we know those planets were mere phantasms. But Barnard's star truly is home to a planet around it. Barnard b, announced in 2018, is robust and real, and its discovery arose from more than 20 years of observations that carefully monitored the motion of Barnard's star itself. Over this very long baseline of time, we could detect the tiny wobbles of the star as it periodically moved towards and away from us, due to the minute tug of the planet on its parent star. As reported by the discovery paper, Barnard b has the following properties: An orbital period (i.e., year) of 233 Earth days, A mean surface temperature of -168 C (-270 F), And a mass that's at least 325% as large as Earth's mass. The biggest questions that we'll find ourselves poised to answer in the very near future is exactly what this planet is like. The most remarkable property of Barnard b is that, at its extremely close distance to Earth but its relatively large, Earth-like distance from its parent star, it will be well-separated from it in a telescope. Although an angular separation of 0.22" (where 3600", or arc-seconds, are in 1 degree) is extremely small under normal astronomical circumstances, it's a tremendously large separation by exoplanet standards. Most of the exoplanets found by Kepler have two things in common with one another: They're orbiting stars hundreds or even thousands of light-years away from us. They have short periods, meaning they're located very close to their parent stars. In terms of angular separations, we have no practical chance of observing these planets, directly, with any current or near-future telescopes. But Barnard b has a few things going for it that these other worlds don't from an observational perspective. With a period of nearly a year, it's one of the longer-period planets ever found. Since it's orbiting a red dwarf while being a physically large size, it should be visible with only a coronagraph blocking out the star's light. And, because it's around one of the closest star systems conceivable, our upcoming telescopes should be able to image it directly. This would be the first direct image of a possibly-inhabited world ever taken. If it's a rocky world only a little bit larger than Earth and with approximately 3.25 Earth masses, that may be possible the imaging capabilities of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope or the 30-meter class telescopes being built here on Earth like GMT or ELT should nab it. If it's more like a mini-Neptune, with 450% the size of Earth (or more), the existing VLT with the SPHERE instrument could get it today. Compared to Earth, it only receives 2% of the amount of energy from its star that we get, which explains the expected cold temperatures of Barnard b. But the whole reason we think life on an Earth-sized world in a more temperature-friendly zone around a red dwarf star is no good is because a world like Proxima b receives far too much X-ray and ultraviolet radiation to even maintain an atmosphere, much less remain life-friendly. Sure, Proxima b gets 65% of the energy from its star that we receive from ours on Earth, but it receives 650 times the irradiation we do from solar X-rays and 130 times the ultraviolet radiation. By comparison, though, Barnard b receives 50% of the X-ray energy and 35% of the ultraviolet energy. If it has a hot core and a significant enough enhancement of geothermal energy, particularly via plumes, vents, and a subsurface ocean, Barnard b may house life after all. Based on a study that was done a few years ago that classified exoplanets based on both mass and radius (where both were available), we were able to determine that there is a rough cutoff at around 2 Earth masses that defines the border between rocky planet and planets with a large gas envelope. At 3.25 (or more) Earth masses, coupled with low temperatures, Barnard b is almost certainly a mini-Neptune. Barnard's star, and any planets surrounding it, are old. Whereas our Sun is around 4.5 billion years old, this system has an estimated age of 8.6 billion years: nearly twice as old as our Solar System. There has only been one planet discovered whose signal has risen above the noise: Barnard b, which could potentially be directly imaged with the next generation of space-based and ground-based telescopes. Although there is little danger that it will have lost its atmosphere, its surface water, or be sterilized by its parent star's X-ray and ultraviolet radiation, it is likely to harbor too thick of an atmosphere to support life. Although it may be geothermally active and have large amounts of volatiles beneath that atmosphere, it would take quite a surprise for this world to be rocky in nature. Still, there are great things to be learned in the coming years by looking at it. We have never done spectroscopy on a world like this, nor have we directly imaged an exoplanet so close to our own Solar System before. With the discovery of Barnard b, we are well-positioned to look for signatures of life, Earth-like conditions, and to measure the chemical composition of its atmosphere. If we're looking for life, another intriguing possibility exists: there may be lower-mass planets interior to Barnard b, whose signals have not yet risen above the noise in the radial velocity data. When the James Webb Space Telescope launches, or when 30-meter class telescopes come online, we may get more than just images and information about Barnard b. We may yet uncover entirely new worlds in that star system. Each planet carries with it a new chance for life. As always, the only way we'll ever find out is to look, and see what nature is waiting for us to discover. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/02/06/could-a-super-earth-world-around-barnards-star-be-home-to-alien-life/ |
Will Trump Reach Out To All Americans During His State Of The Union? | Rachel Martin talks to former presidential speech writer David Frum, who is now senior editor at The Atlantic, for a preview of President Trump's speech to Congress and the nation Tuesday night. RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: President Trump will deliver his State of the Union address tonight, which almost didn't happen. At one point during the government shutdown, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took her invitation back, saying the speech shouldn't occur until the government was reopened. She did tell the president he could deliver his message in writing. He said no thanks because the State of the Union speech gives the president of the United States a unique platform. This isn't a tweet. This isn't a rally. It is a formal, televised address in front of Congress, a chance to lay out presidential priorities and reach out to all Americans. We are joined now by a man who has been involved with some State of the Union speeches in his time, David Frum. He was a speechwriter for President George W. Bush and is now a senior editor at The Atlantic. David, thanks for being here. DAVID FRUM: Good morning. MARTIN: I'm going to ask a general question, then specific. FRUM: What - these speeches are enormously powerful. They - as you said, they're the one time that the president speak directly to the public in prime time. Presidents have been speaking in prime time only since 1965. Before that, TV was not such a factor. It's a televised moment. Congress - not just Congress but the Supreme Court, the whole symbolism of the American government, is all there. And they have to clap (laughter) so the president... MARTIN: Sort of (laughter). FRUM: ...Can talk to the country. That's the potential. MARTIN: So let's talk about the specific moment. FRUM: Well, so many of the questions about Donald Trump invite the answer what the president needs to do is build a time machine, go back in time and be a completely different person who came into government in a completely different way. So what this president should do is so different from what this president will do that the should question - you know, we're just spitballing when we ask that question. MARTIN: So let's talk about what you anticipate him to do. I mean, this is a moment - we've established that there's a lot of gravitas here. There is an ongoing debate, though, happening right now. Lawmakers are in the middle of negotiations over border security to eliminate another potential shutdown. FRUM: Here's what this president will end up doing, I am quite confident. During the government shutdown, President Trump's numbers dropped with a series of groups that are crucial to his base - non-college white men, evangelicals. I think what he is going to do is come to this address and try to wage a certain amount of culture war in order to bring back his base. President Trump has never aspired to be president of all of the United States. He's aspired to be the president of his base. MARTIN: But we - I mean, he says this is going to be about unity. FRUM: When the president speaks about unity, what he means is victimhood. He never sees unity as something that he does for others. Unity is something that others do for him. And that's why he's bringing that poor, unfortunate, little boy who was mocked because of the similarity in the last name between the president's family and his own. MARTIN: This is a student whose surname is Trump, and he'll be sitting with the first lady to highlight her effort on cyberbullying. FRUM: You know what would've a nice - a nice thing to do would've been to telephone the family and bring them into the White House for a private tour and give them - if you were concerned with their feelings, you would reach out to them. But the president is bringing that boy because he wants to use that boy as a talisman for himself. It's not about the boy. It's about him. So what the president will do is he's going to talk, I suspect, a lot about abortion as a way of pulling back the parts of the base that drifted away during the government shutdown fight. He will talk about the wall in a way that is not guaranteed to get to yes but actually is guaranteed to get to no. A no on the border wall is better for the president than a yes because it inflames his supporters. His strategy for 2020 - there is really no way that Donald Trump can get himself re-elected. But what he can do is if he can keep his base - his base plus the weak Republican support, his 45, 48 percent of the country - more or less coalesced together around him and mobilized and angry, then if Democrats split, he's got a path to victory. But he can't do it on his own. And at this point, he has no ability and no interest in - and probably the audience is gone - for him to reach out to the majority of the country and say, I speak to you as the president of all of you. He's never been interested in that job. MARTIN: Let's talk about the speech as an opportunity for big moments. You were involved in the drafting of the 2002 State of the Union for President Bush in which he used the phrase axis of evil to describe Iran, Iraq, North Korea. It was a big moment. People still talk about it, clearly. And so when presidents have done big things - I mean, 1965, when President Johnson laid out what would become the Great Society, it didn't come as, like, a light bulb revelation to Congress. They knew that the president was working on these things, that the legislative majority had been built. This is the moment where the thing you've been testing in the lab and working with Congress you talk to the whole American public about it, to the people don't pay such close attention to politics, but it's ready to go. Donald Trump's emergency bill is not ready to go. There - it raises all kinds of problems. If he goes ahead with the state of emergency and seizes military funding from other projects, all those other projects have political sponsors. What happens when you take away - there's a 32-million-dollar vehicle rehabilitation project to be built in Kentucky, the state of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. There's work that has to be done. Very obviously, the Trump people have not done that work. FRUM: It can. When - Bill Clinton showed that it could. Bill Clinton gave a series of States of the Union that were utterly derided by speechwriters. They were big, baggy messes. And they had no theme that he would start with the most popular item and go all the way to the least. But they worked. They worked. And some of George Bush's speeches worked, too. MARTIN: David Frum, senior editor at The Atlantic, thank you so much. FRUM: Thank you. Copyright 2019 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. | https://www.npr.org/2019/02/05/691536323/will-trump-reach-out-to-all-americans-during-his-state-of-the-union?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=analysis |
What is FGM, where does it happen and why? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption This woman in Mombasa, Kenya shows the razorblade she has used on girls' genitals It's estimated that 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone some form of FGM, according to the United Nations (UN). Although primarily concentrated in 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East, it is also practised in some countries in Asia and Latin America. And amongst immigrant populations living in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, the UN says. It is calling for an end to FGM on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on 6 February. FGM can cause physical and mental health problems that go on to affect women in later life, as Bishara Sheikh Hamo, from the Borana Community in Kenya's Isiolo County explains. "I underwent FGM when I was 11 years old," says Bishara. "I was told by my grandmother FGM is a requirement for every girl, that it made us pure." But what Bishara did not know was that it would leave her with irregular periods, bladder problems, and recurrent infections. She was only able to give birth via Caesarean section. She is now an anti FGM campaigner. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Unicef estimates more than 200 million girls and women have suffered FGM in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, but also within migrant communities where FGM is common - in Spain, 18,000 girls are considered to be at risk Female genital mutilation, or FGM for short, is the deliberate cutting or removal of a female's external genitalia. It often involves the removal or cutting of the labia and clitoris, and the World Health Organization describes it as "any procedure that injures the female genital organs for non-medical reasons". Omnia Ibrahim, a blogger and film maker from Egypt, says FGM is distressing and damages women's relationships and how they feel about themselves. "You are an ice cube. You don't feel; you don't love; you don't have desire," she says. Omnia says she has struggled with the psychological impact of FGM all her adult life. She says her community taught her "that a body means sex and that sex is a sin. To my mind my body had become a curse". "I used to always ask myself: did I hate sex because I was taught to be afraid of it, or do I really not care for it?" Image caption Bishara became an anti FGM campaigner after struggling to cope with her mutilation In Kenya, Bishara told the BBC FGM was carried out on her, together with four other girls. "I was blindfolded. Then she [the cutter] tied my hands behind my back. My legs were spread open and then they pinned down my labia." "Then after a few minutes, I felt a sharp pain. I screamed, I yelled, but no-one could hear me. I tried to kick myself free, but a vice-like grip held my leg. She says it was "pathetic. It's one of the most severe types of medical procedures, and so unhygienic. They used the same cutting tool on all of us girls". The only pain relief available was a traditional remedy: "There was a hole in the ground, and they kept herbs in the hole. Then they tied my legs like a goat and rubbed the herbs on me. Then they said 'next girl, next girl,' and they took another girl..." Although FGM it is illegal in many countries, it is still routinely carried out in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East - and also among the diaspora of those countries where FGM is common. There are four types of FGM Type 1: Clitoridectomy. That's the total or partial removal of the sensitive clitoris and its surrounding skin. Type 2: Excision. The partial or total removal of the clitoris plus the removal of the labia minora, or inner skin folds surrounding the vagina. Type 3: Infibulation. The cutting and repositioning of the labia minora and the labia majora - the outer skin folds that surround the vagina. This often includes stitching to leave only a small gap. This practice is not only extremely painful and distressing, it's also an ongoing infection risk: the closing over of the vagina and the urethra leaves women with a very small opening through which to pass menstrual fluid and urine. In fact, sometimes the opening can be so small that it needs to be cut open to allow sexual intercourse or birth - often causing complications which harm both mother and baby. Type 4: This covers all other harmful procedures like pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterising the clitoris or genital area. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Some Kenyan Maasai women voiced opposition to a FGM ban because of fears that uncut girls would not be able to get married or become promiscuous The most frequently cited reasons for carrying out FGM are social acceptance, religion, misconceptions about hygiene, a means of preserving a girl or woman's virginity, making the woman "marriageable" and enhancing male sexual pleasure. In some cultures FGM is regarded as a rite of passage into adulthood, and considered a pre-requisite for marriage. Although there are no hygienic advantages or health benefits to FGM, practising communities believe that women's vaginas need to be cut - and women who have not undergone FGM are regarded as unhealthy, unclean or unworthy. Often it's performed against their will, and health professionals worldwide consider it a form of violence against women and a violation of their human rights. When FGM is inflicted on children, it is also seen as a form of child abuse. Because it's a taboo subject and many women might not want to say openly they've had FGM, figures are based on estimates. FGM expert and barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman said it is "almost impossible to detect," as many of the girls are not in school or old enough to report it. The above map was put together by The Woman Stats Project, who have collated research on the issue, including data from the UN and Unicef. According to a Unicef report carried out in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East, the practice is still being widely carried out, despite the fact that 24 of these countries have legislation or some form of decrees against FGM. FGM is illegal in the UK. A mother in London - originally from Uganda - has recently become the first person in the UK to be found guilty of carrying out FGM on her then three-year-old daughter. She will be sentenced on 8 March. Many of the women surveyed by Unicef and the WHO said it was taboo to even discuss FGM in their communities. They were fearful of attracting criticism from outsiders, or - in places where FGM is illegal - of saying anything that would lead to the prosecution of family or community members. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-47131052 |
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