Datasets:

sc2qa
/

sc2q_commoncrawl

Dataset card Data Studio Files Files and versions Community

Split (3)

train · 44.5k rows

question stringlengths 11 179	article stringlengths 522 97.6k	url stringlengths 35 310
Whats quintessentially Korean?	Gangwon-do is rural. While public transport is doable, you will have the most flexibility with a car. As I found out too late, though, you will need an International Drivers Permit to rent one. Get your IPL from AAA before you leave. Renting a portable Wi-Fi hot spot at the airport was a genius suggestion from Jean and gave me four times as much data as a prepaid SIM card. Next, download Kakao Talk, the data messaging service that is the South Korean equivalent of Chinas WeChat. It will help when talking to people with Korean phone numbers, and is necessary for downloading Kakao T, the crucial app for hailing cabs, and Kakao Maps, which is far more accurate than Google Maps. Rising out of the mist and pine trees on South Koreas mountainous eastern coast was a serpent. Or at least it looked that way as I awoke, groggy, and peered out of my hotel window at a colossal undulation of orange, purple and teal stripes snaking through the forest canopy. Two blinks later, the shapes and colours morphed into what they actually were: the twisty, tubular slides of a water park. I loved stopping at Museum San, or Mountain Museum, a world-class sculpture park designed to highlight the beauty of the mountain scenery near the city of Wonju. Time your visit to see the James Turrell exhibition. If I go back, I want to spend a week in Sokcho just going on hikes at Seoraksan and then soaking the day away in that crazy amazing jjimjilbang. Foreign credit cards work everywhere, even for small transactions except at train kiosks, which require cash. International internet purchases have some strong security measures that make them difficult even for Koreans. I had to call a friend in the States to help me book a plane ticket. The Games brought a new high-speed KTX train and gleaming white hotel towers with infinity pools overlooking the ocean (see: Goldon Tulip Skybar and the Richard Meier-designed Seamarq). Those mountains, though, loom largest, keeping the new Gangwon in harmony with the old. Quintessential Korean experience, my friend Jean H. Lee had written next to a note about water parks in a tailored guide to Gangwon province she had sent to me from Washington, D.C., where she runs the Korea program at the Wilson Center. Jean still keeps an apartment in Seoul and was snowboarding on the slopes of Pyeongchang long before they had been home to the Winter Olympics. Temperatures were already in an overcoat zone when I arrived, but the region was still packing in Seoul residents leaf peeping away from smog and tourists from all over Asia taking selfies in the locations where their favourite Korean TV dramas, like Winter Sonata, were shot. I had been touring the province, from the Buddhist temples of Pyeongchang to the endless coastline of Gangneung, with the help of a Seoul-based travel writer, Hahna Yoon, whom I had met indirectly through Jean. But on my last stop, in the city of Sokcho, just south of the Demilitarized Zone, I was on my own and possessed with the Korean language skills of a mime. Hahna had told me that my $90 (U.S.) hotel, Hanwha Resort Seorak Sorano, had a famous bathhouse, or jjimjilbang, that people came from all over the country to visit. Earlier in this 52 Places trip, I had stayed at (and loved) the Holiday Inn WaterPark in Orlando, Florida. I had never imagined, though, that I would see that kind of family-fun excess in a Korean forest. Go straight, walk five minutes, the hotel clerk told me when I asked how to find the jjimjilbang entrance. I did as told and got lost on a dirt path next to a stream lined with trees whose vivid yellow and red leaves were still clinging to their branches, just barely. There were tasteful bronze sculptures of naked women here and there, and a path around a placid lake built for contemplative strolls. I passed young families pushing strollers and old men meditating on stone steps built into a hillside. And then there was the child on a bicycle playing a video game at full volume, just as nature intended. When I finally got inside, those twisty slides were closed for the season but there was still a wave pool and rivers of warm water and tiers of Hot Springs. Inside, men and women filed into separate facilities, which involved stripping naked, soaking in a really hot bath, jumping into a cold one, and repeating. It is a sensation everyone should try at least once. Later, I walked onto a pavilion over the lake and had to laugh. I was standing under a mock temple roof, looking across a body of water to the mountains, with a grove of red Korean pine trees to the right and that glorious gaudy water park on the left. It was a scene so perfectly Gangwon it could have been a scroll painting. Of mountains and a monk I had not taken a two-hour night bus to Sokcho from Gangneung to see a hotel water park, though. My personal must-do of the trip was to hike in Seoraksan National Park, home to the regions highest mountain and legendary fall foliage. I had missed peak leaf peeping by a week or two, but there were still a few trees that looked like they had been dipped in red and yellow Kool-Aid. At the top of the parks cable car was a 20-minute climb to a rock face known as Gwongeumseong Fortress, the highest peak in the park and bare, with the exception of an occasional pine, bent over from the wind. I saw a woman hiking in heels, and a couple in matching red, black and white Mickey-Mouse-themed outfits. The only safety barriers between selfie-takers and precipitous cliffs were little 4-inch signs featuring a tumbling purple cartoon bear and the words drop or fall. There were also Jenga-like towers of stacked stones, left behind by previous visitors engaged in a Buddhist meditative tradition I had seen practiced all over the province. The day before, at Woljeongsa temple on another mountain near Pyeongchang, Hahna and I had watched a little boy stack his stones, then clasp his hands in prayer and wish for grandpa to be happy in heaven. Back at the cable car, I spotted a sign reading Aallack Temple with an arrow pointing down a steep set of stairs no one else seemed to be taking. Metal gave way to slabs of stone laid flat between tree roots. Instead of a railing there were thick ropes attached to poles, and with so much slack and weight from recent rain I had to bend down to grab them. The sensation was less like walking on stairs than rappelling, sliding the rope through my hands and hoping that it would catch me if I fell the rest of the way, which seemed possible. After many more stairs than I had anticipated, I reached the temple, a single structure overlooking a valley. The steps continued to a dead end. Just as I was taking my final photos and heading back, a bald man in grey robes with a big smile poked his head out of the door. Where are you from? the monk asked, in hesitant English. USA I told him. He nodded vigorously and invited me inside. There, in front of a gold Buddha, under a ceiling alight with lanterns shaped like lotus flowers, I told him my name and he told me his, Jee-Woon, and we had pretty much exhausted our language skills. He offered me tea he had been warming on a wooden stove and this time I pulled out my phone to try Google Translate, which seemed to be a new thing for him. He spoke into the microphone and told me that he had made the tea, which was delicious and earthy, out of five medicinal ingredients that were supposed to be good for health, like jujube and licorice. I asked. He was. I was honja, too. We smiled and sipped our tea. I told him I was grateful he had shown me his beautiful temple. As I walked out the door, he crouched down to make sure I got my shoes on. See you tomorrow, he said, again and again; I think it was the last English phrase he knew. See you tomorrow! I said back. And really wished I could. Jal Meogeosseumnida, or I Ate Well Jeans last, most stringent directive had been to eat. Eat well, eat often, and when out in the country, get to restaurants well before 8 p.m. if you want to eat at all. Both she and Hahna told me that Koreans in Seoul consider the food so much better in Gangwon they make special trips for it while foreigners make trips around the world to eat in Seoul. Craft beer and pour-over coffee are both big trends in Gangneung (try Budnamu Brewery, Terarosa Coffee and Bohemian Roasters), but I was more amazed by the lush gardens of kimchi cabbage growing next to ordinary roads. One morning, Hahna took me to the citys tofu village an entire district of restaurants focusing on fresh tofu. We had tofu in a spicy stew (soondubu), in soft bean curd broth and in big fluffy squares with a limitless supply of pickled perilla leaves, which I now want as a side dish for every meal. By the time we left the restaurant, Chodang Halmoni Sundubu, the line to get in was 20-people deep. Another night, at Kundori Izakaya, we ordered the small portion of a raw fish dinner for two people ($92) and got around 10 appetizers, enough sashimi to feed a small army, then fried chicken, pasta Bolognese, fried shrimp and vegetable tempura. We were saying we could not eat a thing more when they brought out a seafood stew. Between meals, we snacked on dakgangjeong, or sweet crispy chicken, plus a dessert of hotteok, or fried dough filled with brown sugar and ground sesame seeds, at Gangneungs Jungang Market. A food court led me to my new favourite cold noodle dish, bibim makguksu, a variation on a Gangwon specialty. But the meal I will remember forever was at Buil Sikdang, a fluorescent-lit mountain vegetables restaurant in Pyeongchang with tables on the floor that you reach by walking through the kitchen. We had tried four other mountain vegetables spots, but they had all closed to go to a wedding before Hahna remembered talking to Jung Sik Yim, a meat-loving Michelin-starred chef in New York City, about this one vegetarian place he liked. We ordered the standard meal for two, which began with 22 small plates of vegetables I had never tried like naengi (shepherds purse shoots); even with add-ons like rice wine and a pricey, delicious root, deodeok, it came to $38. Hahna taught me to tell the chef, Jal meogeosseumnida, or I ate well.	https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2019/01/24/whats-quintessentially-korean.html
What Was the Lowest Scoring NCAA Tournament Game in History?	The two defense-first teams combined for 40 points in the first half, but even after a slow start, they won't come close to the record. The fewest points scored in any NCAA tournament game is 46, a record set in 1941 when Pittsburgh beat North Carolina 2620. The fewest scored in March Madness in the shot-clock era (since 1986) is 75, set when Missouri State beat Wisconsin 4332 in 1999. The lowest-scoring first half in tournament history in the shot-clock era finished with a combined 33 points, when Indiana scored 13 and UCLA scored 20 in the first half of their 2007 tournament meeting; Missouri State (21) and Wisconsin (12) who also finished with 33 points in 1999. The fewest combined points in a first half of a tournament game is 20, set by Pittsburgh and North Carolina on March 21, 1941 in the game that finished as the lowest scoring overall tournament game in history as well.	https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2019/03/28/lowest-scoring-ncaa-tournament-game-march-madness-history
Why Talk About Women In Math?	The conversations are happening because there is still much work to be done to make mathematics a field that wholeheartedly welcomes women and awards them for their contributions. According to a report from from the National Science Foundation, less than 30% of all U.S. doctoral degrees in mathematics and statistics are awarded to women. From 2006 to 2016, the percentage of mathematics and statistics doctorates obtained by women actually fell from 29.6% to 28.5%. (2016 is the most recent year for which those statistics are available.) A common approach to try to increase the number of women in math is to focus on creating or enhancing programs that get girls excited about math. For instance, that National Science Foundation report compares median annual salary statistics for women and men working in science and engineering fields. "Among scientists and engineers working full time in 2017, women generally made less than men in each broad occupational group. Overall, womens median annual salary was $66,000, whereas the median salary for men was $90,000," the report notes. In other words, for every dollar paid to men, women were paid about 73 cents. For what the report terms "mathematical scientists," the situation was somewhat better. But women were still paid unequally. The median salary for a woman mathematical scientist was $70,000, while the median salary for a male mathematical scientist was $81,000. In other words, for every dollar paid to men, women were paid about 86 cents. Don't even get me started about the recent news that almost half of all women scientists leave full-time positions after the birth of their first child. In some regards, things are looking up. Earlier this month, Karen Uhlenbeck was named as the winner of the 2019 Abel Prize, a top prize in mathematics. There's even an initiative to make May 12 a day for celebrating women in mathematics. Maryam Mirzakhani, who was the first (and, to date, the only) women mathematician to win the prestigious Fields Medal, was born on May 12, 1977. Yet there is still so much work to be done. Equality for women in mathematics isn't a topic or priority to confine to Women's History Month. It's a topic to discuss and fight for until we see parity in the number of degrees awarded to women compared to men. Until all women mathematicians are protected from sexism and sexual harassment in academic and industry jobs. Until women mathematicians receive equal pay. Between now and next March, let's not forget this.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelcrowell/2019/03/28/why-talk-about-women-in-math/
Can the world quench Chinas bottomless thirst for milk?	Beijing-based film-maker Jian Yi, now 43, clearly remembers the arrival of fresh milk in his life. It was an image of it, not the real thing. It was the 1990s, and I first saw it in an advert on TV. The ad said explicitly that drinking milk would save the nation. It would make China stronger and better able to survive competition from other nations. Like most ethnic Han, who make up about 95% of the population, Jian was congenitally lactose-intolerant, meaning milk was hard to digest. His parents did not consume dairy at all when they were growing up; Chinas economy was closed to the global market and its own production very limited. Throughout the Mao era, milk was in short supply and rationed to those deemed to have a special need: infants and the elderly, athletes and party cadres above a certain grade. Through most of the imperial dynasties until the 20th century, milk was generally shunned as the slightly disgusting food of the barbarian invaders. Foreigners brought cows to the port cities that had been ceded to them by the Chinese in the opium wars of the 19th century, and a few groups such as Mongolian pastoralists used milk that was fermented, but it was not part of the typical Chinese diet. As China opened up to the market in the 1980s, after Maos death, dried milk powder began appearing in small shops where you could buy it with state-issued coupons. Jians parents bought it for him because they thought it would make him stronger. It was expensive, I didnt like it, I was intolerant, but we persuaded ourselves it was the food of the future, he said. You have to understand the psychology here there is a sense in China that we have been humiliated ever since the opium wars, but that now we are no longer going to be humiliated by foreign powers. When the Peoples Republic of China was born in 1949, its national dairy herd was said to consist of a mere 120,000 cows. Yet today, China is the third-largest milk producer in the world, estimated to have around 13m dairy cows, and the average person has gone from barely drinking milk at all to consuming about 30kg of dairy produce a year. In a little over 30 years, milk has become the emblem of a modern, affluent society and a country able to feed its people. The transition has been driven by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), for which milk is not just food, but a key strategic tool. The partys claim to a monopoly on power is based on the principles of socialism. As it has tempered that socialist ideology with elements of a market economy, the legitimacy of the one-party state has instead depended on delivering the capitalist promise of increasing material wealth. The fact that people can afford animal produce is a visible symbol of the partys success. Making animal produce, particularly milk, available to everyone across the country is a way of tackling potentially destabilising inequalities that have arisen as China has developed between the big cities and some of the poorest rural areas. In the poorest regions, nearly one in five children are still stunted, or short for their age, from lack of adequate nutrition. White gold: the unstoppable rise of alternative milks Read more The partys current, 13th five-year plan identifies one of its top priorities as shifting from small-scale herds to larger industrial factory farms to keep its population of 1.4 billion in milk. Official guidelines on diet recommend people eat triple the amount of dairy foods that they typically consume currently. President Xi Jinping has talked in speeches about making a new China man. In 2014, he visited a factory owned by Chinas largest dairy processor, Yili, and exhorted its workers to produce good, safe, dairy products. That new China man is expected to be a milk-drinker. The reinvention of milk as a staple of modern China has required a series of remarkable feats, not least of which was to overcome the peoples lactose-intolerance and create a market for milk where there had been none. It has involved privatising farming, allowing processing companies to become corporations, and even converting desert areas into giant factory farms. Now the global impact of Chinas ever-expanding dairy sector is causing concern in other countries. Dairy farming requires access to vast quantities of fresh water: it takes an estimated 1,020 litres of water to make one litre of milk. But China suffers from water scarcity, and has been buying land and water rights abroad, as well as establishing large-scale processing factories in other countries. Farmed animals are also one of the most significant causes of man-made climate change. Livestock currently account for about 14.5% of the worlds total greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transportation sector. Cattle account for more than two-thirds of those livestock emissions. Ruminants have a disproportionate impact because their digestion releases vast quantities of methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas, and their excreta produces nitrous oxide. On top of that, large areas of forest are being cleared to make more land available for crops to feed farm animals, releasing carbon dioxide. China already imports 60% of the total volume of soyabeans traded worldwide, to make the high-protein feed it needs. Its demand for soya is a major driver of deforestation of the Amazon and Brazilian savanna. Delivering milk across long distances to urban supermarkets produces yet more emissions. According to a study by academics in China and the Netherlands, if Chinese milk consumption grows as forecast, using its current farming methods, the global emissions from dairy production alone will increase by 35% and the land needed to feed cows for China would have to increase by 32% in the next 30 years. Chinas ambitions to triple its milk consumption will have major global consequences, according to the studys lead Dutch researcher, Gerard Velthof. Chinas own capacity to produce more is limited by its lack of resources. So, if the additional milk to meet demand in China were mostly imported, we would have to find two new countries the size of Ireland and give them over completely to producing feed just for cows milked either in or for China. Jian believes Chinas new obsession with milk took hold with the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. When he made a documentary about food in China a decade ago, he interviewed people of his parents generation, who repeatedly mentioned watching the games. New mass ownership of television sets had allowed Chinese people to see real foreigners, as opposed to actors, live on TV for the first time. It made a huge impression on people, Jian recalled. They were amazed to see how strong and tall foreigners were. They could jump twice as far, run twice as fast. They concluded that Americans ate a lot of beef and drank a lot of milk and Chinese people needed to catch up. Chinese state planners were also impressed by the way the Japanese had developed. When the US defeated and occupied Japan after the second world war, they had introduced feeding programmes in Japanese schools to give children milk and eggs. Average heights increased within one generation. By 1984, Deng Xiaopings market reforms, which had begun just a few years earlier in December 1978, were ushering in a period of unprecedented economic growth. GDP increased an average of about 10% a year until 2010. The first phase of reforms ended collective farming in agriculture, opened industries up to foreign investment, and allowed individuals to start businesses. A new household responsibility programme allowed families to farm individual plots of land and sell surplus for profit once again. These smallholders were encouraged to keep a few cattle for milk to increase their income while boosting domestic supplies. The effect was dramatic. The amount of food produced rose rapidly and, over the next two decades, would grow by an average of 4.5% a year. As populations urbanise, they have always moved up the food chain, making the transition from diets largely based on grains and vegetable staples to ones in which meat, dairy, fats and sugars feature more prominently. China has followed the same trajectory. Dairy consumption grew rapidly through the 1980s and early 90s. The western model of retailing based on supermarkets with longer supply chains arrived in cities, too, making it possible for producers to distribute milk further and easy for shoppers to buy it. As incomes increased, people could afford refrigerators in their homes and wanted milk to put in them. For factory employees working long hours, dairy foods represented a convenient way to get nutrients without having to cook. Technology to produce UHT milk with longer sell-by dates, imported in the late 90s, gave consumption a further boost. Since fermenting milk helps break down lactose, new yoghurt products were also marketed to overcome lactose-intolerance. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Cartons of imported milk for sale in a supermarket in Beijing. Photograph: Sean Gallagher/The Guardian From the mid-80s on, a number of leading dairy transnationals such as Fonterra, Nestl, Danone and Arla made major investments in China to grow their brands there. Chinese dairy processors, supported by the state and with access to new foreign capital, also spent millions creating demand through advertising first, and then looking to meet supply second. The arrival of western-style fast foods such as McDonalds in the early 90s brought cheese into the everyday Chinese diet. The end of the decade saw Starbucks opening in Beijing and western-style coffee-shop culture take off, making milk fashionable. Milk represented modernity, progress and the rise of China. By the end of the 90s, the eastern cities of China were booming, and people were consuming more dairy foods, but a gap was growing between there and the interior, where people were much poorer and still drank little milk. The state began new campaigns to make farming more efficient and to speed up overall development in the less prosperous western regions. Promoting the industrial-scale farming of intensively fed cows in new hi-tech facilities in Inner Mongolia was part of that push for modernisation. The partys five-year plans, from the late 90s on, introduced a raft of supports for dairy businesses. The state facilitated loans to farm companies to buy cows, gave processing companies tax breaks and issued tens of millions in national debt funds to improve breeding stock and milking and packaging facilities. Chinas accession to the World Trade Organisation in 2001 gave the dairy trade a further boost. The drive for dairy was highly effective. In 1990, urban Chinese were consuming about 4kg of dairy produce on average a year. By 2005, that had skyrocketed to 18kg per person per year. In the countryside, consumption lagged, but in that same period it nevertheless rose from 1kg per person per year to nearly 3kg. Inner Mongolia became the leading source of milk and now accounts for a quarter of the countrys total dairy production. To spread the milk habit further, the state set about creating new generations of dairy consumers. Babies are born with the capacity to make lactase, the enzyme needed to digest the lactose in milk, but generally lose it when they are weaned in infancy. East Asian people are also genetically predisposed to lactase-deficiency. Older generations of Chinese, whose diet has not featured dairy produce, are mostly intolerant of lactose, but if infants never stopped drinking milk, they could maintain some capacity to produce lactase and avoid suffering the bloating that put people off it. So health professionals in vaccination clinics were trained to tell parents to feed their children milk. The state initiated a school milk programme in 2000 to give a daily cup of free milk to urban children, and later extended it to rural areas. Premier Wen Jiabao visited a dairy farm in 2006 and wrote that he had a dream that everyone in China, and especially children, should have one jin (or 500g) of milk a day. New official nutrition guidelines were issued recommending more milk and dairy foods in the diet. Drinking milk was deliberately associated with athletic prowess and national pride. Yili, which has its headquarters in Hohhot, where the local Inner Mongolian state is a shareholder with significant control, was designated official partner and supplier of milk to the Olympics in 2008. Its slogan was: With me, China is strong. Mengniu, Chinas second-largest dairy producer, is also a state-controlled private enterprise based in Inner Mongolia. It has spent millions sponsoring televised sport, as well as Chinas version of Pop Idol and the Chinese space programme. It was an official sponsor of the 2018 football World Cup, and its advertisements were ubiquitous during matches, with the unforgettable slogan: Power of nature, born for greatness. Jians parents now drink milk regularly, although he has himself become vegan. Concerned about climate change and animal welfare, he runs the China Good Food Fund, a project to promote sustainable food. My mother has diabetes and has been told to diet, but the doctors say she must still have milk to make her strong, he said. The Chinese have learned to drink milk in the same way that they learned to drink Coca-Cola. Cola seemed weird at first, it tasted odd, it was brown, it had horrible bubbles milk was the same, but we were drinking something in our imagination; we were drinking the western lifestyle, what was modern, he told me. It seemed as though nothing could stop the inexorable rise of milk in China, but then scandal struck. In 2008, after a decade of explosive growth, it emerged that raw milk from 22 dairy companies, including Yili, Mengniu and many other leading processors, had been adulterated with melamine, an industrial chemical used in plastics. It had been added to watered-down milk to cheat the protein tests on which the price paid to farmers was based. The melamine combined with uric acid to make kidney stones, which cause acute damage to the urinary tract, and excruciating pain, particularly in babies and young children. Nearly 300,000 children across mainland China suffered serious illness. Six babies died. Tens of millions of infants had to be checked by doctors as their parents panicked about their safety. Sales of Chinese milk collapsed overnight. Top executives from one large processing company, Sanlu, turned out to have known about the adulteration for months but had covered it up, paying for internet search engines to censor negative reports about its products. While the 2008 Beijing Olympics was projecting a positive image of modern China, local officials delayed reporting the crime to higher authorities. It was the New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra, which had a 43% shareholding in Sanlu, that blew the whistle to its own government, eventually forcing the Chinese authorities to act. Sanlu became the focus of enforcement: its managers were prosecuted and jailed, a farmer and middleman were tried and executed. Fonterra had to write off NZ$139m (71m) of investment. Most of the blame, however, was put on small farmers and largely unregulated middlemen who collected milk from communal milking stations. The state has since made sweeping changes to safety regulation and tightened inspection. There have, however, been repeated food scares linked to contaminated milk and other products in recent years. Consumers remain deeply suspicious about the safety of local food, fearing adulteration, residues from the overuse of agrochemicals, toxins from the pollution of ground water and air by industrial waste and excessive use of antibiotics. Many affluent parents still only buy foreign brands of milk for their young children. When it was imposing its one-child policy, the CCP made a social compact with the people: while family size might be limited, the state would make sure that each couples treasured offspring would be as strong as it could make them. In the 2000s, feeding children milk took on great importance in maintaining the policy. In the hutong the narrow alleys of old Beijing, with their traditional single-storey courtyard houses and communal public toilets one often sees clusters of three or four ageing grandparents playing with a single small child whose parents are out at work. A grandmother in her 60s shopping in Jinkelong supermarket chain told us she bought milk everyday for her grandchild. The childs parents did not drink cows milk, but soya milk instead, while she herself did not drink it at all because she was lactose-intolerant, but she thought it was good for the child to build his strength and physical development. She laughed and said: No, but I choose the bigger brands and I switch between them a lot; so if were being poisoned at least we are not storing up one kind. Since the melamine scandal, imports of foreign milk powder have soared. To stop agents buying too much milk powder for resale in China, shops in Australia imposed bans on bulk purchases of infant formula. New Zealand has also had periods of rationing formula. BHG, an upmarket Beijing supermarket in a shopping mall near an affluent residential area, had prominent displays of UHT and milk powder brands from Germany and New Zealand, along with gift packs of small cartons in luxury packaging. The fresh milk on display made much of being pure, sourced from Inner Mongolia with its bright green pastures. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The China Shengmu Organic Dairy in Inner Mongolia. Photograph: Jeff Zhou/CIWF To rebuild confidence in Chinese produce, the state has accelerated the industrialisation of production and investment in large-scale farms. Before the scandal, 70% of dairy farmers in China had herds of 20 or fewer cows. Six years after, the number of small herds had dropped to 43% and industrial units with more than 1,000 head of cattle accounted for nearly 20% of the dairy farms. Smallholders were encouraged to move their cattle into special designated zones known as cow hotels with expert technicians on hand. At the same time, the state imposed tough licensing on farmers, forcing many with smaller herds out of dairy production altogether. Last October, I was taken to one model operation in Inner Mongolia that shows the trend towards hi-tech, more intensive farming. The China Shengmu Organic Dairy was first conceived in 2009 as a response to the melamine poisoning scandal, and as a pioneering experiment in tackling environmental problems. The company is an example of the close relationship between private enterprise and state that characterises the socialist countrys engagement with capitalism. Farmland was nationalised under Mao and remains in state control. The local Mongolian state allowed Shengmu to rent land and was involved in negotiating rights with nomads and local farmers, some of whom now work with its livestock, its manager Yan Shengmao told me. Its founding directors were executives from Mengniu. They were given the go-ahead by state regulators for a public offering on the Hong Kong stock exchange in 2014, and fresh capital flowed in from foreign and Chinese state banks and private equity investors. The idea was to test the market for a higher-quality, more expensive sort of home-grown production. Despite Inner Mongolias pastoral image, which is a big selling point in milk advertising, the traditional nomad herder way of life has been decimated over decades by overgrazing, by policies of compulsory settlement, enclosure and relocation, and by industrial development. The regions grasslands are now severely degraded, grazing is restricted, and the Gobi desert is encroaching. But in part of the regions Ulan Buher desert, thanks to irrigation from the Yellow River and 90m recently planted trees, what was a landscape of giant sand dunes less than a decade ago has been turned by Shengmu into a farm for up to 100,000 Holstein cows, kept in 23 industrial units housing 5,000-10,000 each. Most of Shengmus cows have been bred from US stock, whose advanced genetic selection makes them very high-yielding. It is a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO), meaning the cows do not graze outdoors on pasture even if it were available, such breeds are at the limit of their physiology and could not keep up with their energy needs by eating grass alone. I was invited up to the office control centre where several giant screens filled one wall, some split into 36 CCTV images monitoring every corner of the unit. With no smell and no noise, the view felt more Truman show than real farming, but biosecurity rules prevented Yan from taking me around on the ground in person, he explained, so we zoomed in remotely instead. In the centre image, a steady stream of cattle were filing on to a continuously rotating milking machine, slotting themselves into each of its bays without human intervention. A handful of workers in a pit below then checked their udders and briskly attached automatic suction teats. The computer-controlled milking machines record output per cow and release the suction when they detect that an udder is empty, at which point the cows back themselves out of the still-revolving platform and follow the bovine traffic back to their hanger-like barns. From a multi-storey watchtower outside we then surveyed the area around. Each Shengmu barn adjoins an open-air pen, and the cows were queuing up in the dry, cold air to relieve their itches on a whirring electric scrubbing brush. Manure from the farm is collected, and then used to build soil in the desert, fertilising the surrounding new fields where fodder is grown in summer, instead of becoming the polluting slurry that is a serious problem in many CAFOs. The feed is supplemented by commodity imports from the US. When Shengmus founders first considered siting their project in the area, experts told them it could not be done, Yan said. They thought it was too barren. But now they thought they had kept the herd largely free of the disease that often affects such intensive production while changing the climate, and offering Chinese consumers premium milk they could trust. Shengmus milk is processed in its own factory, where lines of gleaming imported stainless steel pipes and vats turn it into Tetra Paks of premium yoghurt and UHT milk. Its worker dormitory, amid bright green lawns, was quiet when I visited, as the factory was working at a fraction of its capacity. We overestimated current demand for organic milk and have adjusted production, Yan said. In fact, Yili tried to take over the company in 2016, but failed to gain approval from the state. Then at the beginning of 2019, Mengniu made its bid for the Shengmu milk operation. Despite profit warnings, the factory serves another function. It advertises itself as a tourist centre like several other large-scale farm businesses, it is not just a producer but also a marketing tool, and the Chinese public are encouraged to visit and see how reliably hi-tech and hygienic its dairy processes are. Years of famine and constant food shortages are a living memory for older Chinese people, and are the spectre that still drives much of party policy today. Under Maos Great Leap Forward programme, which began in 1958, farmers had been forced on to collective farms and rural workers diverted away from fields into new industries and the building of infrastructure. The collectives were paid a fixed price for what they produced, but were not allowed to make a profit from any surplus. When mismanagement coincided with flood and severe drought in 1959, agricultural production collapsed. In the Great Famine that followed, at least 36 million people died. Then Maos subsequent decade of Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976 saw the relocation of millions of people. By the end of it, people in rural areas barely had enough to eat. Maintaining the growth in prosperity from 40 years of market reform is of existential importance to the leadership, said Charles Parton, adviser on China to the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee and associate fellow of the Royal United Services Institute thinktank. The legitimacy of the party is based on several pillars, but the first is economic. Its the promise that the party will make you better off than you were before, Parton told me. Meat used to be an occasional luxury; dairy was mostly not available, so if you can now afford both meat and milk regularly, you feel wealthier. Food shortages and food prices that rise faster than wages are historic causes of civil unrest. The CCP is obsessed with feeding this enormous population it will go on growing until at least 2030. The reason it bangs on about food security and food safety is that its a potential source of instability. People come out on the streets about it. It really hits them if the milk they want to feed their babies is not safe. Preparing for the growth in its own demand, China has been buying up land and water resources along with dairies and processing factories across the world. The Belt and Road Initiative, Xis plan to build road, rail, cable, pipe and port infrastructure on an unprecedented scale to link China to resources and markets across the world, is at least in part about food security. Launched in 2013, it is expected to cost more than $1tn, and to cross more than 60 countries. It will enable China to access food resources more widely and, thanks to new digital networks, faster than ever before. The Yili group has already acquired huge dairy processing capacity in New Zealand and talks enthusiastically of being part of a Belt and Road dairy alliance, a new China-led milk road across the continents. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Video screens inside the the China Shengmu Organic Dairy in Inner Mongolia. Photograph: Jeff Zhou/CIWF As the economy has slowed down, it is critical for the state to keep delivering on the promise that people will be better off than before. As Parton explained: The message is that only the party can make China great again, putting it back in its rightful place at the centre of the world; only China has the right form of governance to deal with huge global challenges. The party promotes socialism with Chinese characteristics on the basis that we face systemic crises such as climate breakdown that can only be fixed with the sort of long-term structural reform that is impossible within short electoral cycles or in unfettered markets where the profit motive trumps all else. State ownership of the means of production and distribution has shrunk considerably; it now accounts for about 25-30% of business overall, and the party recognises that the private sector is the most dynamic. But as good Leninists, you dont let go of the main economic levers, Parton said. The Chinese dairy sector is an example of the approach: leading companies such as Yili and Mengniu, and new ones such as Shengmu, are well capitalised with private shareholders and foreign investors, but the state retains control in various ways, by being a significant shareholder, giving preferential access to state-bank loans or state assets such as land or to listings on stock exchanges, and through internal party committees. That has created tension with the west, which questions how open to the free market China really is. The leading Dutch cooperative bank, Rabobank, provides financial services to 17 of the top 20 global dairy companies, so its senior dairy analyst, Peter Paul Coppes, has an inside view of the sector. He has tracked the Chinese dairy market since the 1990s. Its a very big and growing market, and the increase in dairy consumption is driven by the Chinese state. It is making sure that the essential parts of peoples expenditure, whether its food or fuel, are affordable, Coppes said. We did it in Europe. Now they want to take care of their food security, too. He is sanguine about what this means for foreign investors. There is a long-term interest for the Chinese state in foreign collaboration. They just wont let you get control of production. Youll have to settle for a minority shareholding. The Chinese diet has been transformed with extraordinary speed. The percentage of the population that was undernourished fell from 24% in 1990 to 9% in 2015, as per capita income soared by more than 2,000%, according to the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Now, however, like other emerging and developed economies that have adopted western eating habits, the country faces a new dilemma. Inadequate diets are still causing stunting in the poorest country areas, but now about a third of the adult population is overweight, while 6% is obese. China is having to deal with undernutrition and overnutrition at the same time. The sort of growth weve seen in just 40 years, and for a population of 1.4 billion, its never been seen in history. Its tremendous, said Shenggen Fan, director general of the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute. The Chinese think that part of the reason why they are shorter than other nationalities is a lack of access to milk. If you drink a cup of milk a day, or have an egg a day, you will get taller. There is good evidence that animal-source foods reduce stunting. For Fan, the transformation has been personal. His parents and grandparents were farmers. I was born in a poor village in Jiangsu province and we were hungry all the time. We really struggled. We lacked basic things electricity, roads. When I grew up I never, ever had dairy products. I only saw fresh milk when I went to college. His grandmother saved the family from the Great Famine, he said, and he was born right after it in 1962. During the collectivisation period you were not to supposed to cook for yourself, but eat in the communal canteens. My grandmother was smart she saw it would not work, so she saved food for the whole family hidden around for a rainy day. His father, a village leader when Dengs reforms were introduced, was able to increase his income with livestock and cash crops. We saw the market beginning to work. That enabled him and his brothers to be educated and, when state restrictions on where you could live were relaxed, they were free to move to the cities and earn more, climbing the socio-economic ladder. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A carton of German milk imported to China. Photograph: Sean Gallagher/The Guardian After 33 years in the west, Fan is soon to return to a university post in Beijing, to promote sustainable development. The government has a very ambitious programme, Healthy China 2030, to make sure children have access to healthy food including dairy produce in all provinces. They are scaling up in China. Im not against it, but industrialisation must be sustainable. China needs to make sure smallholders dont lose out in the process. Concerns around finite resources, the climate and the overuse of antibiotics, drugs and pesticides have now moved up the states agenda. Last October, in the grandiose, state-run Beijing Conference Center, the Chinese ministry of agriculture laid out what the CCPs current priorities for farming are. Its chief director of animal husbandry, Ma Youxiang, addressed the second world conference on animal welfare, hosted by the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (a Chinese NGO) and the FAO, and co-organised with UK-based NGO Compassion in World Farming. Taking to the stage to the triumphal Star Wars theme, Ma described new challenges ahead. An ageing population with greater life expectancy, and the recent relaxation of the one-child policy to allow all couples to have a second child, would increase Chinas nutritional requirements. In the tit-for-tat trade war with the US, retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on US soya had dramatically affected the price of animal feed, creating inflationary pressures in food. We shall promote the milk industry continuously, he said. But going all out for growth whatever the environmental costs was no longer possible. The priority for livestock used to be just producing more. Thats not an approach we can take any longer. We have over 80m farm units, and many scattered family households. How do we make them more modern? While I was in Inner Mongolia, we were taken to tour one of the earliest hydroelectricity dams on the Yellow River, built in 1961 to control what had been frequent flooding, and to channel irrigation. In these upper reaches, the rivers water had powered heavy industry and made the desert bloom. The officials said there was plenty of water, but over-extraction has left other regions critically short. A decade ago, the Yellow River was failing to reach the sea for significant parts of the year. Since then, a digital monitoring and rationing plan has helped reduce contamination and keep it flowing once more but some experts question the sustainability of siting water-intensive industries such as livestock farming in areas of water scarcity and warn that China is heading for an acute water crisis. Human impulses run riot: Chinas shocking pace of change Read more Eight of Chinas northern provinces suffer from acute water scarcity, four from scarcity, and a further two, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, are largely desert. Ground water is falling fast. These 12 provinces account for 38% of Chinas agriculture, 46% of its industry, 50% of its power generation, and 41% of its population, so China is going to have to make some very difficult decisions about who and what gets the water, said Parton. It will also continue to outsource its needs abroad. Despite Xis Made in China 2025 campaign to increase domestic production for many commodities, milk is not included in that homegrown policy. In the plans from the party, dairy is always very high on the agenda, but they dont say it has to come from China, said Coppes from Rabobank. If Chinas demand for dairy triples again by 2050, as projected by state targets and some financial analysts, the typical Chinese person would still consume less than half of what the average European gets through. Follow The long read on Twitter at @gdnlongread, or sign up to the long read weekly email here.	https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/29/can-the-world-quench-chinas-bottomless-thirst-for-milk
Why did I get parking fines for entering a digit wrongly?	Mixing up the O for a zero on my car registration plate landed me with a string of charges We had a leak at home and our insurer booked us into the Bromsgrove Hotel. There is a fee to park and we were asked to input our car registration number. We mistook the zero for the letter O and have received four fines of 60. KM, Bromsgrove This seems to be a recurring problem among guests at the hotel, according to review forums. It is part of the Britannia Hotels group, and explains it recruited SmartParking to patrol its car park to deter misuse, and that guests have to liaise direct with the firm, although it says it did refer your complaint. SmartParking failed to comment but your tickets were cancelled after I contacted its press office. However, there is the odd sentient human lurking, as GH of Swansea writes: I paid 2 to park in a Swansea car park. To my astonishment, on my return, I had received a fine of 85 reducing to 50 if paid within the fortnight. It was because one of my front wheels was about two inches over the white demarcation line. I sent a 50 cheque and a letter of complaint to the management company, Local Parking Security Ltd. Amazingly, my cheque was returned with a mild suggestion that I should park better next time. Sometimes it pays to complain! 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/mar/29/bromsgrove-hotel-parking-fee-fine-smart-parking
How are Republican leaders faring with Nevadas Democratic power shift?	Ryan Tarinelli / AP CARSON CITYIts hard to cut it any other way2018 was a bad year for Nevada Republicans. As a result of the midterm elections, the party holds little influence in either chamber of the state Legislature, has only one member in Nevadas Washington delegation and can boast holding only one statewide elective position. Assembly Republicans find themselves in a superminority for the first time since 1993. Senate Republicans narrowly avoided superminority statusemphasis on narrowly. Keith Pickard, R-Henderson, won the race for Senate District 20 by 24 votes, effectively stopping Democrats from being able to ignore the other party entirely until the next legislative elections. To be blunt: In Nevada, Republicans are at a major disadvantage at the statehouse. Its not stopping them from legislating, though. Theyve raised protests at some Democratic-backed bills and utilized an important tool in their arsenalpublic opinion. Thats all I hear from my constituents is complaints about the way the Legislature is going, said Assembly Minority Leader Jim Wheeler, R-Minden. Theyre also smart enough to know that we can fight and fight and fight, but were in the minority. The party outlined its priorities for the session in late February. Wheeler said the goals of the two parties werent always in conflict, but the GOP caucus was prepared for any pushback on Republican priorities. I never expect trouble on bills, but I always plan for it, Wheeler said. Republicans minority status also hasnt stopped them from filing bills or taking public positions on typically right-leaning issues such as school choice or gun rights. Wheeler is open about the struggles Republicans face in getting their issues through the legislative process but stresses that Republican lawmakers still represent about a million Nevadans. Assemblyman Chris Edwards, R-Las Vegas and deputy minority whip-south, said increasing opportunity scholarship grantsessentially funding available for children to attend private schoolswas a priority, and he expressed frustration with what he sees as a lack of Democratic interest in the issue. He touted the importance of the program in helping low-income families. On the one hand, they say we dont want a cookie-cutter approach, and then on the [other] hand, they dont want to give you noncookie-cutter approaches, Edwards said. Nevada is one of 14 states where Democrats control the legislature, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures. Twenty-two states are in Republican hands, and the remainder are split. Heres how the majority/minority system works. Bills can be passed on a simple majority, but overriding vetoes, raising taxes or scheduling a referendum on a constitutional amendment require a supermajority. If one party controls two-thirds of a chamber, it has a supermajority and does not require input from the other party for the actions above. Both chambers, though, must have supermajorities if the above actions are going to be approved without any help from the other party. And, of course, this is moot if there are internal party disagreements. The Pickard race was not the only close racethere were narrow wins on the Democratic side as well. Connie Munk, D-Las Vegas, and Shea Backus, D-Las Vegas, both won their Assembly races by less than 150 votes. This isnt the first time the state has had a Legislature dominated by one partyboth chambers have been held by both parties at varying times in the past 30 years. In the 2015 session, Republicans controlled both chambers and the governors mansion, as Democrats now do. Wheeler, whose district is more vast and rural than those represented by Washoe or Clark County legislators, casts himself as close to his constituents. He cant go through Walmart, he said, without being stopped by multiple people with concerns about whats going on in Carson City. Rural communities, he said, are plugged in more than people thinkhe touts Douglas Countys massive voter turnout rate: 94 percent in 2016. There are more people in Clark County than all the 16 other Nevada counties combined, meaning Clark has an incredibly large influence on the makeup of the Legislature. It makes for interesting politics, Wheeler said. In the past, Wheeler said, lawmakers have been able to work with the different sides so bills that work for Las Vegas dont hurt the rural counties. He said he hadnt experienced that yet this session, but he remained hopeful. I think historically theres always beennot a divide, divides not the right word buta little bit of a tug-of-war between the North and the South, but weve always, always been able to talk about it, Wheeler said. This physical connection to constituents concerns mirrors one of Republicans most powerful weapons this session: public input. Lets step back a bit to the passage of Senate Bill 143which mandates background checks on those purchasing guns in the state. Pushed through in one week in February after voters approved an initiative calling for checks in 2016, the bill received pushback from Republican lawmakers. And the public. More than 1,200 people logged comments against the bill online. Four hundred wrote in favor of the bills passage. It was a comprehensive effort to drum up public comment against the billthe National Rifle Association called for Nevadans to contact committee members and other legislators to oppose the bill, and Republican lawmakers raised the cry once the bill had been formally filed. Passage of the bill came after a nearly daylong committee hearing. The call had been heard. Wheeler and his office stressed that residents of rural communities left their responsibilities that day to come speak. [Nevada] is a good testing ground for some of these national agendas like the background check bill, like the abortion bill thats coming out, the cap-and-trade bill we heard, he said. Edwards said the method by which the background check bill was introduced and sped through the Legislature made him wary of future attempts at bipartisanship, but that Republican bills have been making it to committee hearings, which is a good sign. Its kind of a see-sawtheres a lot of talk of bipartisanship, but it kind of is like trust but verify, Edwards said. Wheeler said the way Democrats handled the background check bill, essentially keeping its language secret from Republicans before its introduction, was damaging to any sense of bipartisanship. He said its early, though, and not many bills have been brought to a vote. Were hearing a lot about bipartisanship, and how they would like to include us and a whole lot of different things, but we havent seen any action on that yet, Wheeler said. Majority Floor Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson, D-Reno, said she felt that all members of the Democratic caucus were open to good ideas, regardless of where they originated. From my perspective, weve had a good deal of action, she said, noting that bills had been filed this session with bipartisan sponsorship. Edwards called for increased bipartisanshipand spoke similarly to Benitez-Thompson, saying that parties dont have a monopoly on good ideas. If the Democrats are interested in having good policy, which should be their focus, then they need to realize that they dont have all the good ideas, Edwards said. And they should look to the Republicans to see what good ideas we come up with, and for the sake of the state, pass them and get them signed by the governor. Of course. But Im not going to give it to you, Wheeler said. Yeah, we dont like the superminority. This story originally appeared in the Las Vegas Weekly.	https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/mar/29/how-are-republican-leaders-faring-with-nevadas-dem/
Does the media owe Trump an apology?	Nothing about the Mueller report or at least what we know of it to this point surprised me very much. As Ive written before, I never thought it very likely that President Trump had entered into some kind of explicit agreement with the Russian government in 2016, only because the Russians, who are pretty sophisticated about this, wouldnt have needed any quid pro quo to understand that having Trump in the White House would be like celebrating Defender of the Fatherland Day every day of the year. (Im not making that up its an actual Russian holiday.) As for the obstruction-of-justice angle Robert Mueller was pursuing, I guess the lesson here is that Richard Nixon would have been fine had he been able to orchestrate payoffs to the Watergate burglars by tweeting at them, instead of being caught on tape in the Oval Office. Apparently it cant be obstructing justice if youre blabbering to the whole world about how youre doing it. Good to know. So now the president would like an apology from all of us in the media who prejudged him. Thats not going to happen, but it does seem to me that this might be a good moment to step back and ask some hard questions about who weve become, as journalists, in the Trump era. We might even learn something critical from Mueller that has nothing to do with the details of his report. This question of Trumps treatment during the Russia investigation, what he sees as a witch hunt perpetrated by the elite media, is a complicated one for me. My first instinct, and I dont think its a purely defensive one, is that if Trump hasnt been afforded the same presumption of innocence that other presidents have enjoyed, its because he lies routinely in a way other presidents have not. Not only does Trump mislead, habitually, about knowable facts, but he does so with a very specific intent to make it his word against ours, to persuade some sizable plurality of the electorate that reality is a squishy thing. So I dont agree with my former New York Times colleague David Brooks, who says we all made fools of ourselves with this Russia business. Im sure there were plenty of vain people who made fools of themselves on cable TV because thats just what they do all day long (I dont watch, so I couldnt tell you), but as an industry, I dont think we had much reason to take Trump at his word. That said, I think we have to admit an inescapable and uncomfortable truth about the Trump presidency more generally, which is that the media that covers him is almost unrecognizable from the media that covered every previous president. Hes just right about that. Im not talking about the weirdness on cable channels. Im talking about the best newspapers and websites in the country, which present almost every mundane act by this administration in dramatic tones beyond all proportion, as if the mere act of Trump trying to govern constituted an existential threat. There are days now a lot of them when I open the up the homepages of the New York Times and the Washington Post in the morning, scroll down a bit, and have the odd sensation that Im reading the organ of an opposition party, with one headline after another trumpeting the moral depravity of the administration. Even last weekend, as news broke that Mueller wouldnt be recommending any further charges against the president or his aides, the front pages pivoted instantly to other, ongoing investigations and breathlessly assured us the scandal would not go away. After two years of innuendo, Trump couldnt be allowed his due for a day. And thats all before you get to the opinion section. From the very first days of the Trump administration, there were columnists who talked about how they wouldnt normalize the president and who cast themselves among the resistance terms I never liked, because we dont get to decide whats normal in a president (voters do), and because this isnt Poland in 1939.	https://news.yahoo.com/media-owe-trump-apology-090009712.html
Will Zero's New $20K SR/F Ebike Raise The Performance Bar Too Far Above Harley's $30K Livewire?	Zero Motorcycles It's springtime and new electric motorcycles seem to be popping up like dandelions in search of sunlight, and veteran ebike maker Zero is no exception. CEO Sam Paschel says he thinks the timing for their new SR/F is critical when it comes to still-nascent electric motorcycle market, and with the reveal of the new machine late last month, he hopes to have Zero riding a growing wave of electric motorcycle debuts that includes (surprise!) Harley-Davidson, a new machine from Lightning, and an urban-focused bike from new entry Fuell, which is overseen by moto engineering icon Erik Buell. Zero has been making the rounds with the SR/F during a promotional tour, giving rides aboard the new streetfighter-styled bike, which boasts significantly more power, more range, a more modern aesthetic and more tech features than their previous top-tier machines. "We've created the most transformational motorcycle experience in the world," Paschel told Forbes. Zero Motorcycles The SR/F debuts, of course, in the afterglow of the Livewire bike, the hotly anticipated electric motorcycle from a most unexpected manufacturer: Harley-Davidson, which is best known for bikes that evoke waves of nostalgia rather than cutting-edge moto tech (although to be fair, there is a considerable amount of cutting-edge technology at work in a modern Harley). The Livewire ebike is due to hit showrooms this August, with more (and likely less costly) models to follow. The price will be just a few hundred dollars shy of $30,000. The move is an unusual one for typically conservative Harley-Davidson, but slumping sales are forcing the company to take a hard look at their offerings, their demographics, and the inevitable EV future. The Livewire project has been in development for over five years. Zero has been making electric motorcycles since 2006. Paschel said that while riding the new SR/F during the testing phase, he and his marketing team were searching for a description that would best describe their new machine, which utilizes a simple, belt-driven single speed powertrain that requires no shifting and no clutch work like gas-powered bikes. "What we all came back with," Paschel said, "was that this was an effortlessly powerful motorcycle. Unreal acceleration." Zero Motorcycles And while the Livewire's final performance numbers have yet to be disclosed, it's going to be tough for H-D to top the figures put up by the Zero SR/F, which boasts 110 horsepower and perhaps, more importantly, 140 foot-pounds of instant-on torque - considerably more than any current mass-market gas-powered motorcycle, Harley-Davidson included. Engines that make a lot of torque have been a hallmark of Harley-Davidson for decades. The standard 14.4kWh battery slotted between the SR/F's frame rails stretches the city range of the SR/F to a tick over 160 miles or over 80 miles out on the highway at 70mph. The addition of a second battery, called a Power Tank, puts urban range over the 200-mile mark and adds a few more miles to the highway range. For urban riders, that can mean going days without having to recharge. As expected, braking activates the bike's regenerative capabilities to put juice back in the battery. Zero Motorcycles If you're new to electric motorcycles (and EVs in general), highway range is usually lower than city range, the opposite of gas-powered vehicles. That's because electric vehicles - SR/F included - utilize the "generator" capability of its electric motor (or motors) to put power back into the battery while braking, greatly extending the urban range. Out on the highway, while moving at a constant speed, the battery is drained continually. The Zero SR/F is available in two spec levels, a Standard configuration for $18,995 and the $20,995 Premium, which adds a Level II 6 kWh quick-charge feature (and 13 pounds) that Zero claims will juice the SR/F to 95 percent capacity in an hour. The Standard model includes a 3 kWh charging capability. Or you can just plug it into a wall outlet like a toaster and let it slowly charge up overnight. Fully juicing the battery literally costs a buck and half in electricity. Performance specs for both models are identical. Zero Motorcycles Speaking of performance, with a top "burst" speed of 124mph at full go and a sustained top speed of 110, the SR/F is a proper motorcycle by any standard. This writer rode Zero's less-powerful (74hp) DSR dual-sport last year and it was triple-digit fast, comfortable, highly useful, fun and impressive - every inch a modern motorcycle, sans the gas-burning engine. The SR/F now improves upon the DSR in several areas, including range, speed, charging time and the tech suite. Like just about everything these days, there's an app for the SR/F, allowing you to track performance, rides, and even set up a user-definable Custom performance ride mode that joins the other ride modes (Eco, Street, Rain, and Sport), all of which can be toggled from the handlebar while riding. Also on board is a new stability control system from Bosch and a new customizable display panel. Zero Motorcycles Peshal said they've overhauled the bike's operating system (yep, that's where we are now) and app to form a new tech suite called Cypher III. The new system allows for a wider data stream to the app and keeps tabs on multiple aspects of the bike including charge level, charging status, range, and numerous performance variables. Riders can also change up the effectiveness or even defeat some of the rider assistance features on the bike by using the app. The SR/F is now in production and riders can sign up for a test ride on the Zero website. Forbes talked at length with Zero CEO Sam Paschel about the development of the new SR/F and the current state of affairs in the electric bike industry. The interview has been edited for brevity. Zero CEO Sam Paschel: About two and a half years from early concept sketches to the motorcycles rolling off the production line. The intent from the very beginning was to build a bike with these capabilities. As with any project, you can run into a little bit of "scope creep," where we were really ambitious, and as we learned more and more, we added the new lessons to the process and ended up with a bike that even exceeded our expectations. For the first time in a number of years, Zero took a blank piece of paper and looked not at the motorcycle we were trying to create, but what was the fundamental experience for the rider. And the motorcycle is an extension of that. We built a bike that is a pretty amazing experience. Zero Motorcycles Forbes: Electric motorcycles can really be pretty much any shape you want them to be, since you're free from the conventions of both "fuel" or battery placement and even engine placement. But the SRF looks very similar to a normal motorcycle. To the casual onlooker or non-rider, it's tough to tell the difference. Paschel: That's an interesting question. You see a lot of electric concept bikes out there that have a big resemblance to what we would consider the "iconic" motorcycle today. So I think about it this way: When we first made the transition from horse and buggy to cars, the first cars were horseless carriages - they looked a lot like the thing that was getting pulled by a horse. Over time, the form of that object itself really evolved into what we see today. I think this is how evolution happens in transportation in general. The motorcycling community is surprisingly traditional and conventional. The exhaust piping, ductwork and other elements of a gas-powered motorcycle... none of that is there [on the SR/F]. The bike is a really simple, stripped down powertrain, that to the eye, is a battery and a motor. We chose a streetfighter, sort of a naked sportbike, so that we could, with a trellis frame, lay that bare and show you just how simple it is. We're not making a concept bike. We're making a bike and have made bikes for the last 13 years that are meant to be in the world and ridden. As part of that, we push the design a little bit forward, but we also need to make sure that it is recognized as the archetype of "motorcycle." That aesthetic will evolve, and you'll see us push further and further. Forbes: Unlike past batteries, which were just plain boxes, the battery in the SR/F is more of a centerpiece, even though it's basically... a simple box. Paschel: I think that "center" of the bike is a really compelling thing and paying more attention to what we do aesthetically and upping our game in terms of a design and aesthetic point was key. That design specifically was inspired by the sort of supercharger on the front of the car in Mad Max. That car and the blower on the front, it's almost a character in the film. There were a lot of sketches and drawing of things that looked powerful. But we have a lot of thermal conduction from the battery itself to that outside casing, which is a conductive material. There's a lot of vertical fins there. Beyond being aesthetic, there's a lot of heat there, that's a conductive case that helps pull a lot of thermal load off the battery. It has a real impact on our ability to shed heat and keep the entire electrical power train working in an optimal way. It's a real sort of KISS principle. We are clutchless, gearless, and air-cooled so it's a simple, very reliable power train. Zero Motorcycles Forbes: Other bike makers use or have used liquid cooled motors. Paschel: Our bikes historically have had fantastic performance. Liquid cooling means more complexity, more parts, more things to go wrong. We're getting all the performance we need and a really nice high-end thermal limit. It's really hard to hit the thermal limit outside of a track day. We really embrace the philosophy of sophisticated simplicity. Forbes: You've got some wheelie action happening in your press photos. Zero Motorcycles Paschel: We have an advanced motorcycle stability control on the bike. It's a combination of our operating system, called Cypher III, and Bosch's Advanced Motorcycle Stability Control System, and that gives you ABS, cornering ABS, traction control, drag torque control (similar to engine braking), and there are 10 custom ride modes, five of which can be loaded at one time. As you shift those modes, the entire dynamic of the motorcycle changes. But to have premium performance, to really get the most out of that power train, you need to couple it with a mature control system and operating system like Cypher III. [Editor's note: Zero later confirmed that ABS and traction controls can be turned off]. Forbes: We're sure you've all been tracking the Livewire from Harley-Davidson. Paschel: I can't tell you what's in their heads. Our philosophy may be different from how these other brands look at it. What you're dealing with is the largest disruption and transition in transportation that we are likely to see in our lifetimes. The move to electrification is going to create a market that is very fixed in its market dynamics and who owns market share. And it's going to make that fluid in a way that is unprecedented. And on the other end of that, you're going to have an $8 billion market that's more or less up for grabs. In a situation like that that has unpreceded fluidity, you're going to have two different paradigms. On this side of electrification, you're going to have certain brands that command certain market share, and have a business of a certain size, and on the other side, those players are likely to be fundamentally different. Especially considering that we're bad at predicting S-curves (of market and development growth) and we think everything is linear. To work here and be an investor in Zero, you have to believe it's better to be a handful of years early than a handful of years late. There are going to be winners and losers on one side of electrification and the other, and we'd rather be a couple of years early. And right now, the great news is that electrification has gone from a sort of niche thing to having this sense of inevitability. And right at this moment in time, we've had 13 years and millions of miles to perfect the control systems of a seamless and reliable electric power train that performs in all the corner cases: High state of charge, low state of charge, wet, hot, and those problems are really challenging problems to solve. We're at this fantastic place in history where we put the time and energy in to have the world's leading two-wheel electric power train - and now redefining the premium electric motorcycle on the market at an affordable price. Right at this electrification tipping point, it's happening. They may have misread when this tipping point was going to happen, or they may be underestimating how challenging it is to solve these problems. These are not simple problems to solve. Paschel: We sell between 2,000 and 10,000 motorcycles per year. We're cranking our SR/Fs on two shifts and have the capacity to build 10,000 of those on their own in a given year. We've been following a curve that has us in the 40% to 60% compound annual growth rate, so we're growing rapidly. The market is essentially defined for us by two dynamics: There's the motorcycle market, which you know has been essentially flat to single-digit growth and still hasn't recovered to the levels it was at before the sub-prime collapse in 2007 and 2008. And then you have the EV (electric vehicle) market, which has seen explosive growth similar to our growth. We've been very lucky in that we've been following the EV curve and not the motorcycle curve. Last year, there was only one month where we didn't set wholesale and retail records for the business. The response to the SR/F has been overwhelming. Our challenge is how we can ramp in the face of an exponential growth curve.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/billroberson/2019/03/29/will-zeros-hot-new-20k-srf-ebike-raise-the-performance-bar-too-far-above-harleys-30k-livewire/
Are astronauts worth tens of billions of dollars in extra costs to go to Mars?	(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Steve Swanson, Boise State University (THE CONVERSATION) As we contemplate going to the Moon or Mars theres a rising debate as to whether it worth spending billions to send humans to other planets if a robot or rover can perform the necessary science and get the answers we need. I think we need to send both. Let me explain why. I started off my 28-year career at NASA as an engineer on the shuttle training aircraft an airborne simulator of the space shuttle. During my 17 years as an astronaut, I flew on three space missions. Two of those were shuttle missions, STS-117 and STS-119, to the International Space Station. The main goal of both of these missions was to build the ISS, leaving little time for actual experiments. However, our mission was fulfilling because we were building the ISS to create a science laboratory in space. My third mission, ISS Expedition 39and 40 I spent five and a half months on the ISS. While we were on board, more than 300 different experiments were performed. However, my crew mates and I did not interact with all of these. Some we did not touch, like the alpha magnetic spectrometer, which is scanning the universe for antimatter. Others we set up and the mission controls then took over. For other experiments we set them up and performed the experiment. And in some, my crew mates and I were the test subjects. Hence, we used our time to squeeze the most science out of our ISS visit by collaborating with the scientists on the ground. Through this approach, NASA could increase the amount of science being conducted on the ISS. Apollo 17 vs Curiosity To try to compare scientific output between a crewed and a robotic mission, let me contrast the Apollo 17 the last moon mission, launched in December 1972, and in which Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent 75 hours on the lunar surface with the Mars Curiosity rover with respect to three variables: distance traveled, cost and soil samples taken. While these two missions are distinctly different the former being lunar and the latter on Mars there are similarities that help us compare their productivity. When it comes to distance the humans won. The two Apollo 17 astronauts drove a distance of 35 kilometers on the moon in the span of three days thats approximately 11.6 kilometers per day. As of February 2019, Curiosity had traveled 20.16 kilometers on Mars - an average of nine meters per day since it began its journey on Mars in August 2012. Now Im not knocking Curiosity or its team. But executing a task is extremely difficult when dealing with a rover 55 to 400 million kilometers, depending upon Earth and Mars relative positions in their orbits. The team on Earth cannot make a mistake because it could jeopardize or even end the mission. Hence, they have to make ever move slowly and verify every step. That means that something a human could accomplish in a couple of hours - like taking multiple rock samples - make take a robot weeks. During Apollo 17 the astronauts collected 741 rock and soil samples including a deep-drill core sample three meters long. This amounts to 247 samples each day. I had some difficulty finding the equivalent information for Curiosity. What I did discover was that as of Jan. 15, 2019, Curiosity had drilled 19 sites. And taken two samples without drilling. So Curiosity has taken approximately 30 more like 20 soil samples while on Mars. That is, on average, 0.013 soil samples per day - which shows how difficult it is to operate a piece of machinery remotely. When equipment such as a drill malfunctions, there is nobody there to repair it. Cost of Apollo vs Curiosity In 2015 dollars each of the seven lunar Apollo missions cost about $20 billion. The cost of Curiosity was about $2.5 billion in 2015. Yes, I am comparing a lunar mission to a Mars mission, which isnt exactly fair. So, lets use an estimate of what a human mission to Mars is expected to cost - the number ranges from around $100 billion to $500 billion a mission. I imagine it is going to be closer to the $500 billion or more given that the ISS cost more than $100 billion ref. If we assume $500 billion per mission a figure that would hopefully decrease with multiple missions then a manned mission would produce a better return on the investment. From the ballpark estimates above, we can say a crew of four would be at least 500 times more productive in performing science than a rover, although the cost would be about 200 times greater. Space exploration needs both Now I admit there is a large margin of error in these quick calculations. However, Im trying to underscore that science benefits from human involvement. Consequently, I think the most cost-effective solution is to combine both together. This is how we boosted science output on the ISS. Hence, for Mars, we could have teams at mission controls around the world running the experiments using rovers as they do now but the teams could do the science much more quickly. Thats because there would always be a human nearby to help out if the rover got stuck or malfunctioned. The astronauts could also handle the work that is easier to do with humans. Yes, it is more expensive to send humans to space than probes and rovers, but the scientific return on investment can be much greater when humans are involved. We cant disregard the fact that the human ability to adapt to different situations and to repair and modify equipment increases the probability of mission success. A human perspective There is also so much we can learn about a new world that sensors just cant tell us. This is how most people on Earth will relate to space exploration. So having this human perspective is vital for generating enthusiasm. I agree the rovers on Mars have done wonders to get people excited about planetary exploration, but Im sure the excitement of humans going to Mars would be much greater. For example, one of the first questions I get from people when we talk about space is simply, What was it like? And they wanted to know about all the details, from brushing your teeth to doing a spacewalk. I would always add that we never knew how our day was going, because most of our tasks, be it science or maintenance, ran into problems that needed resolving. Our human presence gave the scientists and our mission control teams the ability to adapt the procedures to make each task successful on the ISS. It would have taken the ground teams much longer and cost a lot more to guarantee that everything would work without human intervention. But they knew we were there to help them. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/are-astronauts-worth-tens-of-billions-of-dollars-in-extra-costs-to-go-to-mars-111348.	https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Are-astronauts-worth-tens-of-billions-of-dollars-13725882.php
What happens to rural and small-town Trump voters after Trump is gone?	(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) J. Edwin Benton, University of South Florida (THE CONVERSATION) If one word can capture the sentiment of rural and small-town dwellers in recent years, it is resentment. I am a scholar who studies politics at the state and local level. Residents of rural and small-town communities believe they are not getting their fair share of government attention and vital resources compared to urban dwellers. They believe that America is moving away from them. As the 2020 presidential campaign gears up, these resentful Americans will play a key role. How strong supporters of Donald Trump in the 2016 election vote in 2020 will depend on whether the president has delivered on the promises he made to help them out. Left behind Political scientist Katherine Cramer has spent over a decade doing field work in 27 small Wisconsin towns to understand how people use social class identity to interpret politics. Cramer found that people in these rural areas feel as though they are being ignored by urban elites and urban institutions like government and the media at a time when they are struggling to make ends meet. They believe their communities are dying, the economy is leaving them behind, and that young people, money and their livelihoods are going somewhere else. They think that major decisions affecting their lives are being made far away in big cities. And perhaps most importantly, they feel that no one is listening to them or their ideas about things that are important to them. Most distressing to those living in this situation is the belief that no one, and especially no one in government, really cares. From resentment to division and deadlock To date, the phenomenon of resentment has been responsible for adding another layer of heightened division among Americans, including an increase in political polarization. That makes it much more difficult for federal government officials, as well as those at the state and local level, to reach consensus on important issues of the day. University of California, Berkeley sociologist Arlie Hochschilds book, Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right helps in explaining how this frustration and anger of small-town and rural area dwellers has resulted in increasing political support for Republican candidates, generally, and for Trump, specifically. Hochschild contends that the changing and turbulent politics of Wisconsin, a so-called purple state with a stark urban-rural divide, mirror the national rage that swept Trump into the White House. Given their intensifying feelings of resentment for being ignored and left behind, rural and small-town dwellers were particularly receptive to the slogan touted by Trump in his campaign Make America Great Again! Trump won the countrys small town and non-metropolitan areas by 63.2 percent to 31.3 percent, with his largest vote shares coming from the most rural areas. Like other Republican presidential candidates over the last 10 years, Trump garnered a large majority of the vote in traditional rural areas like Appalachia, the Great Plains and parts of the South. Surprisingly, however, Trump also won a substantial proportion of the traditionally Democratic small town and rural vote in several key Midwestern industrial areas. He won 57 percent of that vote in Michigan, 63 percent in Wisconsin and 71 percent in Pennsylvania. Why Trump triumphed Trump implied or clearly promised to repeal Obamacare, build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and deport around 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S. Other appealing policies were tax cuts for both businesses and individuals; significant reductions in the regulation of business and industry; and import tariffs on foreign goods that compete unfairly with American-made products. Data collected by the Cooperative Congressional Election Study (from a national survey of more than 54,000 respondents) clearly show that people living in small towns and rural areas who supported these kinds of policies were decisively more likely to vote for Trump rather than Clinton in 2016. Above all, Trump promised a shift in the focus of the national government so that much more attention would be directed to rural areas and small towns and the challenges they faced. This evidently buoyed the hope of Trump supporters in these areas that they would be getting something closer to their fair share of government attention and resources. Voting implications There is ample evidence of voting patterns in recent years even before the 2016 election that suggest that voters in rural areas and small towns were increasingly voting for Republican candidates in national and state elections. This trend was quite visible from Republican and Democratic vote proportions in the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 elections. In 2008, 53 percent of rural voters cast ballots for the Republican presidential candidate; 59 percent did in 2012; and 62 percent did in 2016. This was most clear in the 2016 election in the 2,332 counties that make up small-town and rural America, where Trump swamped Hillary Clinton by winning 60 percent as opposed to 34 percent of the vote. Trumps 26-point advantage over Clinton in rural America was much greater than had been the case for Republican presidential nominees in the four previous elections. The Trump appeal and the growing urban-rural division in the country is also evident from the fact that Trumps vote percentage in rural America was 29 points higher than he received in the nations urban counties and far larger than for Republican presidential nominees between 2000 and 2012. Moreover, responses to a 2017 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation survey of rural and small-town voters in the 2016 election indicate that they were more likely to vote for Trump and also agree with him on a variety of issues. Those included immigration, tax cuts, eliminating regulations on businesses, making better trade deals, targeting more infrastructure projects and federal government services to rural areas and small towns, and appointing more conservative judges to the federal courts. About half of Trumps ideas and policy proposals have been accomplished, with the others yet to gain traction in Congress, two years after his election. So his record of delivering for these rural voters is mixed. Nevertheless, they stuck with Trump in the 2018 election. Rural voters stormed to the polls in virtually unprecedented numbers in 2018 and once again delivered for the president they voted for in 2016, The Hill reported. They delivered Trump a handful of critical Senate and gubernatorial elections in ruby red states. While not totally surprising, the Trump camp did not know what to expect going into the midterm election, given the numerous investigations of the president and his low public approval rating. Somewhat more surprising is what has been happening in a purple state like Florida, where Republicans have improved on both their turnout and overall performance in rural areas for several elections in a row. Newly elected Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ran ahead of Trumps 2016 performance and former Republican Gov. Rick Scotts 2014 vote share in 13 of 16 counties in the Florida Panhandle. Rick Scott unseated longtime Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson by piling up large margins in the small towns and rural areas of the state. Similar scenarios in U.S. Senate races took place in key states like Missouri, Indiana, Texas and Tennessee, where Republicans won huge victories in rural counties. Beyond Trump Survey data collected from over 90,000 people by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago in November 2018 paint a vivid picture of the continuing urban-rural/small-town divide. Results show that residents of small towns and rural areas are much more supportive of the Republican Party and its candidates than people in urban and suburban areas. In addition, the most ardent supporters of Republicans are among those small-town and rural dwellers who are white and male, have less than a college education and vote on a regular basis. I believe that the urban-rural/small-town divide will continue to act as a major force in politics for the remainder of the Trump era and probably longer. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/what-happens-to-rural-and-small-town-trump-voters-after-trump-is-gone-114415.	https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/What-happens-to-rural-and-small-town-Trump-voters-13725880.php
Should styrofoam containers be banned?	by Jessie Blaeser You probably dont think twice when you ask if you can get a to-go box for your restaurant leftovers. Styrofoam has long been utilized by the food industry to package food. Its cheap, light, and provides good insulationthe triple threat. But according to environmentalists, styrofoam is doing much more harm to the environment than taking home a half-uneaten burger is worth. The material can take up to one million years to break down. We are so accustomed to seeing styrofoam in everyday life that it might be hard to imagine a world without it. These are the very hesitations that have led to a total of 28,500 tons of styrofoam produced in New York during 2014 alone, 90 percent of which was used for single-use products like cups and trays. Home & Gardens Green Living section reports: Cleveland State University states that [styrofoam] requires more than a million years to decompose. Although styrofoam can be recycled, Home & Gardens Vijayalaxmi Kinhal points out that the market for recycling styrofoam is diminishing due to a difficult production process: The amounts of Styrofoam waste that accumulates is colossal, as only 1% of Styrofoam is recycled in California according to a 2016 Los Angeles Times news report. Nevertheless, styrofoam remains a go-to for businesses and everyday consumers. Beyond cups and plates, styrofoam can also be used for roofs, walls, and floors in buildings. The Independent Institute argues that banning styrofoam does not have the intended positive effects on the environment: On average, 2.3 million tons of Styrofoam end up in landfills every year in the United States. That is less than 7 percent of the nearly 33.54 million tons of plastic Americans discard annually. Additionally, replacing Styrofoam products with paper alternatives often creates more waste (in volume and energy use) and generates more air and water pollution. Authors William F. Shughart II and Katie Colton also assert that paper manufacturing can be more detrimental to the environment than styrofoam manufacturing. Therefore, banning styrofoam will not have as much of a positive impact as some city and state governments may hope. According to ABC News, styrofoam is a covert killer within a catalog of carcinogens. Lila Battis believes styrofoam should be banned, if not from your city, at least from your own daily habits: Ban it from your body because of what it's made from: styrene, which may generate a chemical that can damage your DNA. Ifs [sic] "reasonably anticipated" to be a human carcinogen, a National Toxicology Program report notes. Home & Gardens Kinhal adds: The EPA report says chronic exposure to styrene leads to further complications, including adverse effects on the nervous and respiratory systems, and possibly the kidney and liver, as well as other issues. TFW people don't care that Styrofoam causes cancer and is terrible for the environment because it keeps their drink colder longer pic.twitter.com/g84QHn3Qzr Christine (@mizangel84) February 1, 2018 The L.A. Times echoes the position that banning styrofoam would do more harm than good. Gary Toebben, the president and chief executive of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, explains: Single-use polystyrene (hard plastic) or expanded polystyrene (mistakenly referred to as Styrofoam) are used for drinks, take-out food, roasted chicken, straws and much more. Contrary to widespread belief, popular replacements often have a bigger environmental impact than the foam we already use, resulting in more air and water pollution during their life cycle, more waste by weight and volume and even more energy use. Furthermore, some alternatives to styrofoam, such as compostable containers, are incredibly expensive to produce, making them out-of-reach for many small business owners. Banning styrofoam will have unintended negative consequences on both the environment and the economy. 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, wed love to hear what you have to say.	https://www.nola.com/tylt/2019/03/should-styrofoam-containers-be-banned.html
Is All Debt Bad Debt?	Getty Debt is something that is generally regarded as a bad thing. On the surface, it makes sense. Personal finance teachers are very against debt. They offer advice like freezing your credit cards in a block of ice, paying down your mortgage as quickly as possible and never splurging on a $5 latte as ways to avoid or eliminate debt. But debt is a tool, just like a hammer is a tool. A hammer can do a lot of damage, especially if you hit yourself over the head with one. The same principle applies to debt. That's why you'll observe smart real estate investors, those people growing legacy wealth, excited about accumulating more debt to acquire properties. There is a difference between "good" debt and "bad" debt. "Bad" debt is used to purchase things that do not produce more money. "Good" debt makes money by being invested in assets that produce income and capital gains. I have been asked a lot about whether certain assets or liabilities are good debt or bad debt. There is no rule that a certain interest rate is the split between good debt or bad debt. Although most consumer debt (credit cards, personal loans, etc.) falls into the latter category, it's not particularly because they generally come with interest rates over 20% but because they create little to no income. For example, a 4% student loan that allows Junior to get a college degree that doesn't help advance his career would be one instance of bad debt. In contrast, good debt could be a 12% interest rate on a bridge loan to acquire an apartment building that produces 15-25% a year profit. As a bonus, when the funds required for the interest payments plus principal payments come from the investment itself (i.e., the tenant pays the mortgage for you) the loan is essentially free and creates cash flow. There is a large misconception out there that all debt is bad and there is no difference between good debt and bad debt. The misinformed investor looks only at debt amount and interest rate. But the sophisticated investor looks at cash flow and the impact on net worth. Cash flow is the figurative oxygen that keeps you financially alive, and the impact on net worth is monitored by the percentage of return of equity. Think of it this way: If you had to wait till you had all the money to purchase a rental property or home in hand, you might never acquire any asset that had the potential to create cash flow above the interest rate payments. Semi-sophisticated investors may try to not leverage themselves to the max by taking a loan-to-value ratio of less than 80%, considering this to be "safer." However, putting up a larger down payment may drain your cash reserves. The savviest investors know that security lies in the monthly cash flow, which builds up a large cash reserve account. On the flip side, taking out a smaller loan for a smaller asset will yield less cash flow. Investing without debt is like cooking without gasoline: Of course, gasoline can be dangerous, but if we learn to use it properly, we can see better results. Investors who utilize debt can transcend the current money paradigm that most people live by. Numbers people see it as a simple argument of interest/return rate arbitrage where they pair a lower interest rate with a higher rate of return. Its a game of arbitrage and it is at the core of the banking industry. To evaluate your investments and create an action plan, write all your debts and assets out in a list. Write down the description, balance amount, interest rate per year and what income it is producing as a percentage per year from the initial cost it took to acquire that asset. Identify which assets are producing the least amount of money after paying off the debt service (interest). Some of these may be negative. Consider selling or liquidating some of those in order to acquire assets that produce positive income. Real estate is a time-tested asset that produces income and is a commodity where the demand is not going away. However, it's advised to also consider other assets that produce income. It will take some time but if you prudently leverage your holdings with more and more good debt, you will be able to reap the rewards of a guilt-free, bad-debt splurge such as your dream car, vacation home or private-school education for Junior, because it will be paid off by the cash flow from the other good debt investments. In those situations, you will find a new level of ownership of that purchase because you truly earned it.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2019/03/29/is-all-debt-bad-debt/
Is 2019 The Year To Create An SaaS Platform?	Getty If youre a business technology user, you may have noticed a recent trend in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products: Many of them are becoming integrated platforms to interact with other business needs. For as long as theres been business technology, buyers have been forced to take a best of breed approach, selecting a number of specialized products to address different needs. SaaS products have been no different. They have traditionally offered specific solutions for specific use cases. But today, youre seeing these types of products expand their value by offering integrations, cooperative development, and new areas of application. The idea is to help the customer by consolidating multiple buying decisions and oversight of these business tools down to one choice: the SaaS platform. As the VP of sales and services at a company that offers a SaaS platform, I believe the days of siloed services are dwindling. Customers want to get things done with fewer clicks, routes, swipes or taps. They expect their vendors to make that experience a reality. In order for SaaS vendors to compete in an ever-growing industry, it will be important for them to adapt to the changes. Examples Of SaaS Platforms Of course, the best SaaS platforms still generally begin with one valuable service. But the key to building a platform is to start incorporating that service (or the data from that service) into other business needs by creating streamlined integrations. Companies like Salesforce (a Samanage partner), Workday, Marketo and more are representative of SaaS platforms. I've found their products are gold standards when it comes to expanding into a platform of valuable services. Instead of trying to build several applications on their own, they concentrate on building an infrastructure to allow applications to connect with their service. Giving customers the ability to integrate your platform with other tools they use on a daily basis, like these companies have, streamlines the user experience and lets your customers engage with data from multiple tools or services from a single user interface. Another example is my company's platform, which begins with IT service management and IT asset management. Thats what we know. Although our customers need these services, we discovered its not enough to offer them only that. Thats why we have integrations with other products. For instance, customers can use a remote access tool to connect to an employee laptop and fix a problem. Without that option, theyd have to exit the platform and log into their remote access tool separately, launch the application and then come back to the platform to finish their task. When time is money (and productivity), your customers shouldnt have to settle for that experience. Using A Platform To Build Product Stickiness A couple of months ago, I wrote about the importance of customer success and product stickiness for SaaS companies. The goal is the same with a platform strategy. In order to promote customer success and keep a steady stream of revenue, you should cater to the pain points of your customers. Treating your customers as vital parts of your team creates an impactful environment that helps deliver mutual success. Your customers want the best you can give them and, in return, they can provide you with loyalty to your product. Make the platform the central piece of the infrastructure while also selling the vendor-customer relationship. If you can create the platform that everyone can use to solve more than one issue, then your customers are reassured that theyre getting everything they need from you and dont have to go anywhere else for their problem-solving. For example, some of our customers need to create tasks that require actions in their DevOps tools, so we automate that through our platform. Others want to streamline their employee onboarding processes through integrations with their HR and provisioning tools. When you talk with your customers about their needs, and you maintain a flexible platform to meet them, you can build true partnerships and make customers feel like part of your team. How To Create A Successful Platform Customers tend to be invested in products that give them everything they need. If you can offer an organization the ability to solve problems in a single application, theyre more likely to stick with your product in the future. As you build your product into a platform that customers can use in new ways, focus on the following criteria for success: Simplify the experience. Dont make your customers find answers in different places. If you build a network of strong integrations, you can meet them where they work. They can get everything they need done in one spot. An example of this could be providing your customers with a user-friendly portal where they can quickly access any of the available resources, support requests, or other information in just a few clicks. Leverage smart technology like artificial intelligence (AI). The more data that is available in one platform, the more ways there are to use that data to drive your business. Artificial intelligence can use that data to create a more intuitive experience with your product. Data can include anything from the types of resources or functionality your customers are using within the platform (information you can use to identify behavioral trends) to customer sentiments that can be analyzed and escalated automatically. Focus on saving them time and money. These are still some of the greatest benefits you can provide by offering an SaaS platform. By consolidating many tools into a single platform, you save your customers the trouble of managing a different vendor for each service they need to do their jobs. This also enables leadership to better streamline the organizations technology stack and identify tools that are either not necessary or not being used efficiently. Ultimately, SaaS vendors want to give customers a reason to keep using their products, and customers want as much uninterrupted service as possible. Avoid the possibility of churn by empowering customers to meet the needs of their business from within your platform. Once you do this, you could see a positive impact on your customers and their employees, as well as your internal sales team.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2019/03/29/is-2019-the-year-to-create-an-saas-platform/
Will Talented Jon Gray Become A Consistent Starter For The Rockies This Season?	Getty Its impossible to understate the importance of Jon Gray to the Rockies. They have two top-flight starters at the head of their rotation in left-hander Kyle Freeland and German Marquez. And they would have a third if Gray can become more consistent this season and finally realize his vast potential. Thats not to dismiss left-hander Tyler Anderson and Chad Bettis, the remaining members of the rotation. Theyre the elder statesmen at 29 of a young rotation, very capable and its not like the Rockies know the bullpen will shoulder a large load on the days they pitch. Not at all. But their ceilings arent as high as Grays, and they havent shown the complete dominance Gray has _ in spurts. The Rockies won 91 games last season and played a 163rd game and lost to the Dodgers to decide the National League West. And the strength of the 2018 Rockies was their rotation, which led the NL in innings pitched (930). The five starters mentioned above took the mound 149 times and compiled a 55-38 record. Gray is a power pitcher with command. He threw a four-hit shutout in his 38th career start Sept. 17, 2016, with no walks and 16 strikeouts. Even with all those strikeouts that night against the Padres at Coors Field, Gray only threw 113 pitches. And 78 of them were strikes. A steady, dependable Gray could give the rotation and the rest of his teammates an immense lift this season. Spring training statistics count for nothing, particularly now that the regular season is underway. But in six starts this spring, Gray, 27, had a 3.48 ERA with 16 hits and three walks allowed in 20 2/3 innings and 26 strikeouts. Three of the eight runs he allowed came in his final start. Its not the numbers so much as how Gray attained them and what he was able to implement in spring training. First and foremost, the slider that was his signature pitch, an offering that could befuddle batters as it broke sharply and more or less disappeared, returned and did so with a vengeance. But just as important was the mind set that Gray took out of spring training and will carry to the mound Sunday at Miami when he makes his 2019 debut in the finale of a four-game series with the Marlins. Gray spent a lot of time in the offseason getting stronger after steadily dropping weight in 2018 that diminished his stamina and actually made him look undernourished. He visited Driveline Baseball near Seattle where he gathered plenty of data on his pitches, his delivery and developed a better sense of the right feel on his pitches and, crucially, how to quickly get it back when its not there. What has hindered Gray has been an inability at times to put down an inning before it implodes into something ruinous. At some point in just about every game, a starting pitcher will need to confront the hard truth that, Hey, Im in trouble. And Ive got to make a pitch here to get out of this. Gray often was unable to do so. But he seems better equipped mentally to do this now, because hes able to think more clearly on the mound and, specifically, avoid giving into the anger of the moment. When something bad would happen _ baseballs full of unfortunate events that are going to happen to each side, Gray said late in spring training. But the more you let those bother you, the more it affects what youre going to do the next pitch. So I think Ive let a lot go. Im not holding onto as much things that are going to make me angry. I know Im going to miss pitches. I know Im going to miss spots every now and then, make the wrong call. But its all about how you respond to that, and my minds in the right spot right now with that. Gray went 12-9 with a 5.12 ERA last year in 31 starts with 52 walks and 183 strikeouts in 172 1/3 innings. He was sent back to Triple-A Albuquerque at the end of June when he was 7-7 with a 5.77 ERA. He made two starts there and would have stayed longer but on July 14, the Rockies summoned Gray to replace Antonio Senzatela, who missed a turn due to a blister. The Rockies went 18-13 in Grays 31 starts. In those 18 games he started and the Rockies won, his ERA was 3.05. In the 13 losses, the onslaught overwhelmed Gray, and his ERA was 9.05. In those 13 games he started that resulted in a Rockies loss, Gray allowed three or more runs in 13 innings and a total of 46 runs. In the other 44 2/3 innings of those games, he allowed only 17 runs. And in the 18 games Gray started and the Rockies won, he allowed three runs only once in 114 2/3 innings. Gray was the Opening Day starter for the Rockies the past two seasons. That honor was given Thursday to Freeland, coming off his 17-7 record and 2.85 ERA last season that resulted in a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting. And Freeland continued on his merry way, holding the Marlins to two hits and one run in seven innings in Colorados 6-3 win. Freeland is 11-1 with a 2.53 in his past 18 regular season starts, 16 of which the Rockies have won. Marquez will start at Miami tonight, followed by Anderson and then Gray, allowing manager Bud Black to go left-right-left-right with his first four starters. Gray pitched four innings in both of his Opening Day assignments, giving up a total of 12 hits and eight runs. He came up short in a wild-card game at Arizona in 2017 and in his final 2018 start in game No. 161, a two-inning clunker that enabled the Dodgers to tie the Rockies in the standings. All that is now old history to Gray, not worth dwelling on. He will make his 90th major league start Sunday and is pivotal to the Rockies success this season. Gray seems to be in a good place physically and mentally. Hes confident in his pitches and just as confident when trouble arises, he won't let smoldering anger be his undoing. When Gray was asked how he got to the latter place, he gave an interesting answer, one that suggested the past misery of being unable to finish innings that unraveled with frightening quickness. Becoming aware when youre not in control and you dont have a plan to take it to the next space, I guess., Gray said. Id say a lot of it has to do with awareness and knowing when its going to happen, knowing what it is that makes you mad or whatever and just be ready to fight back against it.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacketkin/2019/03/29/a-consistent-jon-gray-could-make-a-huge-difference-for-the-rockies-this-season/
What Is The Difference Between Data Analysis And Data Visualization?	Pixabay The two terms data analysis and data visualization seem to have become synonymous in everyday language in the wider data community. Numerous job adverts focus on data visualization skills while not necessarily specifying the importance of analytical skills. Job titles reflect this trend with the emergence of new roles such as data artist, data visualization expert and data storyteller, but organizations are still looking for people who can extract value from their data, so these roles must include analytical skills. Data Analysis versus Data Visualization Data analysis is an exploratory process that often starts with specific questions. It requires curiosity, the desire to find answers and a good level of tenacity, because those answers arent always easy to come by. Data visualization involves the visual representation of data, ranging from single charts to comprehensive dashboards. Effective visualizations significantly reduce the amount of time it takes for your audience to process information and access valuable insights. Visual analytics in the process of analysis However, thats not to say that the two never work in harmony far from it. In working with data, analysis should come before the visual output, but visual analytics can be an excellent method for running more effective analyses. Visual analytics involves the process of building different charts with your data to give you various perspectives. This helps you identify outliers, gaps, trends and interesting data points that warrant further investigation. The process of analysis is similar to the design process depicted through the design squiggle by Damian Newman . Damian Newman On the left you have the process of analysis, research and visual exploration which turns into more clarity, an understanding of the data and the finding of insights as you move to the right. Only at the conclusion of the process comes the dashboard, the output that brings everything together in a neatly packaged output. In your job as a data analyst or visualization expert you will likely be creating dashboards for your stakeholders. Many people see it as the ultimate deliverable that will answer all their questions. I suggest, however, that the dashboard is just a starting point for further discussion and analysis. A dashboard, infographic or data story can be an excellent and very effective method for communicating insights. It shouldnt stop there, though. At the point when your stakeholders work with their interactive dashboard, printed PDF report or the screenshot they have received by email, that is when further discussions should come about. It shouldnt be the end point. Look at the below Sales & Profitability dashboard created by Ann Jackson . It is a visually compelling, cleanly designed summary of the data that shows the changes over time, the geographical differences, losses for certain product categories and summarizes key performance indicators as numbers. No, because now the real discussions start. Ann can sit with her audience and drill into further details to explore why certain results have come about and identify opportunities for improving business performance. Further investigation of the data, exploring it with your audience, that is the value you add as an analyst, beyond producing dashboards. They give you an excellent basis for these discussions but shouldnt be the end point. Dont stop at the visual One piece of advice I have shared with many analysts in the wider community is to not simply visualize data, but to show insights and to demonstrate your analytical skills. Many tools make it very easy to build visualizations quickly. Your role as an analyst is to ensure that the information they present is accessible, easy to understand and clear. I strongly encourage you to put your findings into actual sentences, annotations, titles and subtitles to guide your audience through your report or dashboard and make information accessible, regardless of their level of data literacy. Look at this visualization by Justin Davis . Justin created two charts and supported them by stating his findings in text. He could have stopped at using titles for each chart, but the inclusion of three sentences ensure that his audience doesnt have to do their own analysis first and can instead understand quickly what the data shows. And then, they can ask further questions. Justin Davis Another great example comes from Jenna DeVries who created a simple visualization of Major League Baseball beer prices . Adding annotations throughout the visual to help her audience understand key findings makes the information accessible and also shows that Jenna didnt just create a chart but rather went through a process of analysis which resulted in a visualization that best presents her conclusions. Jenna DeVries Show your analysis Data analysis and data visualization may be different activities, but theyre intrinsically linked, and one can usually support the other. When you work with data and build your next dashboard, I encourage you to give additional thought to how you can more effectively incorporate your findings. An effective, well-designed visualization is great but you risk losing your audience if the information is hidden in data art and cannot be acted upon by your stakeholders.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/evamurray/2019/03/29/what-is-the-difference-between-data-analysis-and-data-visualization/
Where is K-pop going in 2019?	LOS ANGELESTheres no doubt that K-pop broke through in the United States in 2018. After years of slow advancement in coastal capitals like Los Angeles and New York, the sleek yet busy sound from South Korea finally reached a mainstream American audience last year thanks to BTS, the seven-member boy band that became the first K-pop group to land an album at No.1 on the Billboard 200 then did it again with another record just a few months later. Blackpink performs during Sir Lucian Grainges 2019 Artist Showcase Presented by Citi at The Row on February 9, in Los Angeles. Thats the question K-pop is poised to answer in 2019, as some of its biggest stars take up positions in this countrys musical institutions and others face a troubling sex scandal at home that could threaten the styles global momentum. On April 13, BTS will notch another first for K-pop when it performs on Saturday Night Live after the release the day before of its highly anticipated album Map of the Soul: Persona. Article Continued Below That same weekend, Blackpink a female foursome from Seoul heard last year in a collaborative single with Dua Lipa will become the first K-pop girl group to play the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California. What these bookings indicate is the beginning of the second phase of K-pops American adventure, in which the music answers its embrace by opening itself up to influences from its new surroundings. K-pop was shaped from the start by Western sounds. When I sat down with BTS last spring in a hotel meeting room in downtown L.A., the groups leader, RM, was quick to acknowledge the importance of acts like the Backstreet Boys. The way he sees it, BTS is re-exporting the classic boy-band style to the rest of the world where we had initially drawn much of our inspiration, RM said. But much of K-pops appeal lies in the way it diverges from that blueprint in the bold collision of rhythms and textures that defines a song like BTS Fake Love, for instance, which has a chaotic energy nobody ever got from N Sync. The musics thrillingly fluid ideas about gender also have distinguished many K-pop acts from their American counterparts. In September at Staples Center, where BTS played four sold-out concerts, the groups frilly costumes and sensual moves reflected pretty evolved thinking about pop-star masculinity certainly beyond what were accustomed to seeing in our homegrown teen idols. Counterintuitively, perhaps, that welcome sense of freedom is the product of a K-pop industry far more rigorously controlled than the American music business. Article Continued Below In response to a question I asked about the meaning of its Coachella appearance, the members of Blackpink said in an email, To perform at Coachella has been one of our biggest dreams ever since we were trainees striking language that pointed to the system by which K-pop artists are carefully groomed for stardom. Obviously, differences remain between here and there. Yet American pop has a way of streamlining what it absorbs. You can hear that in Tomorrow x Together, a young quintet assembled by Big Hit Entertainment, the successful Korean company behind BTS. On its debut EP, which came out this month ahead of an expected trip to the U.S. in the spring, the boy band echoes Justin Bieber and Boyz II Men; its cleverly produced (and as sonically detailed as the most ambitious K-pop) but also feels newly geared to American tastes one reason that Republic Records, home to Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, has signed on to promote the group in the States. Its unclear to what extent BTS, which will support its upcoming album with a stadium tour, has allowed its music to creep our way; Big Hit is keeping Map of the Soul tightly under wraps. In our conversation last year, RM seemed wary of the idea, describing BTS Korean lyrics as a core feature of its music. But anyone tracking K-pops crossover knows that, for all its success on social media and on streaming platforms like Spotify, the style has yet to gain a foothold on Top 40 radio, at least in part because of that language barrier. (Yes, Despacito demonstrated that American programmers are willing to spin a song not sung in English. But they havent jumped on one like that since.) In its email, Blackpink said airplay in this country is definitely important because it allows us to introduce our music to new fans. And those new fans are increasingly crucial, given the uproar in Korea over recent allegations that two older K-pop stars had engaged in sexual misconduct including sharing videos of women without their consent. For some, the disturbing charges have punctured the false promise of K-pops squeaky-clean presentation. But fresh eyes, like those in America, often see what they want. Read more about:	https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2019/03/29/where-is-k-pop-going-in-2019.html
When will the art world recognise the real artist behind Duchamp's Fountain?	I dont believe the people involved in these attributions were all monsters out to destroy the reputation of the artist or thinker. The evidence was there. They couldnt see it. Paintings, novels and philosophy made by men feel more elevated somehow, more serious, while works by women feel flimsier and more emotional. Masculinity has a purifying effect, femininity a polluting one. The chain of associations that infect our thought dates back to the Greeks in the west: male, mind-intellect, high, hard, spirit, culture as opposed to female, body, emotion, soft, low, flesh, nature. The chains are hierarchical, man on top and woman on bottom. They are often subliminal, and they are emotionally charged. Ironically, these enduring associations become all the more important when the artwork in question is a urinal a pee pot for men. The story goes like this: Marcel Duchamp, brilliant inventor of the ready-made and anti-retinal art, submitted Fountain, a urinal signed R Mutt, to the American Society of Independent Artists in 1917. The piece was rejected. Duchamp, a member of the board, resigned. Alfred Stieglitz photographed it. The thing vanished, but conceptual art was born. In 2004 it was voted the most influential modern artwork of all time. She appears in my most recent novel, Memories of the Future, as an insurrectionist inspiration for my narrator. One reviewer of the novel described the baroness as a marginal figure in art history who was a raucous proto-punk poet from whom Duchamp allegedly stole the concept for his urinal. It is true that she was part of the Dada movement, published in the Little Review with Ezra Pound, Djuna Barnes, TS Eliot, Mina Loy and James Joyce and has been marginalised in art history, but the case made in my book, derived from scholarly sources enumerated in the acknowledgements, is not that Duchamp allegedly stole the concept for his urinal from Von Freytag-Loringhoven, but rather that she was the one who found the object, inscribed it with the name R Mutt, and that this seminal artwork rightly belongs to her. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Fountain, the famous porcelain urinal. Photograph: AP In the novel, I quote a 1917 letter Duchamp wrote to his sister, Susanne. I took the translation directly from Irene Gammels excellent biography of Von Freytag-Loringhoven, Baroness Elsa: One of my female friends who had adopted the masculine pseudonym Richard Mutt sent me a porcelain urinal as a sculpture. I got it wrong. Glyn Thompson, an art scholar and indefatigable champion of the baroness as the brain behind the urinal, pointed out to me that Duchamp wrote avait envoy not ma envoy sent in, not sent me. R Mutt was identified as an artist living in Philadelphia, which is where she was living at the time. In 1935 Andr Breton attributed the urinal to Duchamp, but it wasnt until 1950, long after the baroness had died and four years after Stieglitzs death, that Duchamp began to take credit for the piece and authorise replicas. Duchamp said he had purchased the urinal from JL Mott Ironworks Company, adapting Mutt from Mott, but the company did not manufacture the model in the photograph, so his story cannot be true. Von Freytag-Loringhoven loved dogs. She paraded her mutts on the sidewalks of Greenwich Village. She collected pipes and spouts and drains. She relished scatological jokes and made frequent references to plumbing in her poems: Iron my soul cast iron! Marcel Dushit. She poked fun at William Carlos Williams by calling him WC. She created God, a plumbing trap as artwork, once attributed to Morton Schamberg, now to both of them. Gammel notes in her book that R Mutt sounds like Armut, the word for poverty in German, and when the name is reversed it reads Mutter mother. The baronesss devout mother died of uterine cancer. She was convinced her mother died because her tyrannical father failed to treat his venereal disease. (The uterine character of the upside-down urinal has long been noted.) And the handwriting on the urinal matches the handwriting Von Freytag-Loringhoven used for her poems. All this and more appears in Gammels biography. All this and more reappears in my novel. All the evidence has been painstakingly reiterated in numerous articles and, as part of the Edinburgh festival fringe, Glyn Thompson and Julian Spalding, a former director of Glasgow Museums, mounted the 2015 exhibition A Ladys Not a Gents, which presented the factual and circumstantial evidence for reattribution of the urinal to Von Freytag-Loringhoven. The museums, including the Tate, have not budged. The standard Fountain narrative with Duchamp as hero goes on. I am convinced that if the urinal had been attributed to the baroness from the beginning, it would never have soared into the stratosphere as a work of consummate genius. Women are rarely granted such status, but the present reputation of Fountain, one that was hardly instantaneous but grew slowly over the course of many decades, has made the truth embarrassing, not to speak of the money involved and the urgent need to rewrite history. The evidence is there. They cant or wont see it. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Lee Krasner in New York, c 1940. Photograph: The Jewish Museum Expectation is the better part of perception, most of it unconscious. Past experience determines how we confront the world in the present. Prejudgment and stereotyping are part of cognition, but those preordained ideas authority is masculine, for example are cultural. Most people know about implicit bias. The media are full of it. Take the implicit association test to see if you are a racist or sexist. But as Perry Hinton put it: The implicit stereotypical associations picked up by an individual do not reflect a cognitive bias but the associations prevalent in their culture evidence of culture in mind. We need gut feelings, but we also devise post hoc explanations for them: Certainly, Freytag-Loringhoven had created broadly similar scatological works but nothing that held the thinking expressed in Duchamps piece. I lifted this sentence from an online article at Phaidon.com called The Fascinating Tale of Marcel Duchamps Fountain. I quote it in the novel. The writer does not explain what he means by thinking or why works by the baroness lack thought. Siri Hustvedt: Im writing for my life Read more To open oneself to any work a sculpture, a book of literature or philosophy is to acknowledge the authority behind it. When the spectator or reader is a man and the artist or thinker is a woman, this simple act of recognition can give rise to bad feelings of emasculation, what I call the yuck factor the unpleasant sensation of being dragged down into fleshy feminine muck. But because the feelings are automatic, they may never be identified and can easily be explained away: she couldnt think. She was a wild woman who wore tin cans for a bra. She turned her body into Dada. In 1913, she picked a rusted ring off the street, a found object, and named it Enduring Ornament, a year before Duchamps first readymade, Bottle Rack, but she wasnt thinking. She couldnt have influenced him. She was emotional, out of control crazy. Duchamp, on the other hand, was dry, witty, a chess-playing genius of pure conceptual mind, a hero of high culture. The baroness called herself art aggressive. She celebrated and elevated bodily machinery, rejoiced in verbal hijinks, and pitied Duchamp for devolving into cheap, bluff, giggle frivolity. She played with the outrage, contempt and disgust she incited. She wrote: You forget, madame that we are the masters go by our rules. She broke the rules. The evidence is there. She sent in the urinal. Its time to rewrite the story. Memories of the Future by Siri Hustvedt is published by Hodder & Stoughton at 18.99. Buy it for 16.71 at guardianbookshop.com	https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/mar/29/marcel-duchamp-fountain-women-art-history
Is Pete Buttigieg a Political Genius?	This is not to say that Buttigiegs politics are revolutionary in any way. More often than not, he splits the difference between the partys extremes. In a recent Vox interview about the ongoing Democratic debate over capitalism and socialism, he said, You have one generation that grew up associating socialism with communism like theyre the same thing, and therefore also assuming that capitalism and democracy were inseparable. Ive grown up in a time when you can pretty much tell that theres tension between capitalism and democracy, and negotiating that tension is probably the biggest challenge for America right now. This answer reflects a sort of third way that Buttigieg is attempting to carve out in the Democratic primarybetween Bernie Sanderss democratic socialism and Clintonian neoliberalism. At the same time, Buttigieg is trying to turn a quality that should be a liabilityhis ageas an asset. Hes suggesting that he doesnt have the baggage of the past; as someone born in the liminal space between Generation X and Millennials, Buttigieg can see the present with clear eyes. Its not, in some ways, much different than the approach of ORourke, to whom he is frequently compared. Buttigieg has tried to turn his other apparent weaknessthat his political experience is limited to less than two terms as South Bends mayorinto a strength, too. Look, you could be a senior senator and have never managed more than a hundred people in your life, he told voters in New Hampshire last month. I not only have more years of government experience than the president of the United States, but I have more years of executive experience than the vice president of the United States, and more wartime experience than anybody who arrived in the office since George H.W. Bush. In his memoir, Buttigieg exhaustively walks the reader through what its like to be mayorthe ins and outs of dealing with potholes, sewers, and abandoned houses. At 352 pages, Shortest Way Home is anything but short and one gets the sense that Buttigieg wants to put the criticism that hes not prepared to lead to bed by listing every single reason why hes ready for a higher office. Like ORourke, Buttigiegs appeal rests on his authenticity. In Shortest Way Home, he casts himself as a regular guy who just happens to be mayor. He writes about what its like to attend festivities that often involve heavy drinking as a politician (retail politics is never fun among the intoxicated), an angry and bigoted constituent who happens to be a neighbor, and trying to figure out how a gay mayoror any mayor navigates the dating scene. His willingness to peel back the curtain has found him a number of admirers already. Perhaps his success to date tells us the secret to unifying the country does not rest with fighting Trumpian fire with fire nor in being a celebrity candidate of the left, wrote Jennifer Rubin, of all people, in The Washington Post. The secret to unifying the country, to underscoring Trumps total unfitness to hold office and to breaking through the media noise is to eschew cynicism and artifice. Refusing to sound like a politician running for president or to buy into the media narrative makes him unique in a pack of sameness. Of course, Buttigieg is very much running for president; hes just really good at not sounding like he is. This has been true for years. In December of 2016, he published an essay on Medium, A Letter from Flyover Country, arguing that Democrats have lost touch with voters in red and purple states and are overly focused on national politics. When it comes to my part of the country, we will recover our ability to reach people only when we take them seriously, connecting our plans to their actual, personal lived experience rather than focusing on The Show, Buttigieg wrote. We need to invite individual people to assess how their individual lives changedhow their safety, their income, their access to health care, their gun rights, their marriageshave actually been affected, if at all, by what goes on in Washington.	https://newrepublic.com/article/153424/pete-buttigieg-political-genius
Is the robot barista at the Metreon having a midlife crisis?	Customers try out the new robotic cafe, Cafe X, located within the Metreon in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, January 30, 2017. Customers try out the new robotic cafe, Cafe X, located within the Metreon in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, January 30, 2017. 1 / 42 Back to Gallery When a robot coffee kiosk opened at the Metreon in SoMa in 2017, just a block from the SFGATE offices, we were intrigued by the machine. The pros of the Cafe X robot quickly revealed themselves to us: Although it didn't allow us to vary the size of the drinks we ordered, or order cold drinks, it was a remarkably consistent product. The oat milk matcha lattes were the same ready-to-drink temperature every time, as were the coffee drinks. It was cheaper than a human-made coffee or tea beverage, and there was no option to tip, making it pleasantly exempt from SF tipping etiquette and its attendant anxieties. The Metreon Cafe X machine was the prototype, founder Henry Hu told Curbed last year; two more have since opened in the Financial District, one at 578 Market St. and the other at 1 Bush St. But lately, it seems to be showing some cracks as the company adds new features and functionalities. A few months ago, we noticed the robot had begun dancing. This, in and of itself, wasn't a problem, but it did seem like it was only after the dancing feature had been added that other problems started surfacing. Like the dancing was an omen. From time to time, we've arrived to find the robot out of service during its stated business hours. On another occasion a busy day, the robot swarmed by lanyard-wearing attendees at a nearby gaming conference the app allowed us to place our orders, only to have a friendly but panicked employee with an iPad let us know that the parts of the robot needed for the two beverages we'd ordered were not actually functioning. We glanced over at the robot. It was dancing as the world burned. A third difficulty was revealed on a recent visit in which the robot failed to pick up a cup, instead dispensing the latte contents into the void of the drip tray and then making a gesture of handing over a cup, but instead just delivering thin air. On a fourth occasion, there seemed to be a malfunction with the app, which delivered an error message when we tried to order. We should note that every time there's been a problem with the robot barista, we've promptly received refunds or replacement drinks. Cafe X COO Cynthia Yeung admits the Metreon location isn't the best the company has to offer. "Please don't judge us solely on the basis of our Metreon machine. It's really more of a 'refurb' or retrofit than a true upgrade," said Yeung. Since it was the prototype, the robot barista at the Metreon's food court is the company's oldest machine. It was recently retrofitted to add new menu items (around the same time the dancing started), but not fully upgraded to what you'd find at the Financial District location. Those new menu items include iced drinks, larger drinks (12 ounces instead of just an 8-ounce option), and "revamping the chai menu." Testing and listening to customer feedback has always been central to Cafe X's growth strategy, Yeung explains. "We're always going to be testing new software and hardware and not all of those changes are going to stick," she said. One thing they recently changed at the Metreon: no more phone numbers. Previously, customers had to enter their phone number when they ordered. When the drink was ready, they'd get a text with a code. But they heard from customers who didn't like the idea of entering their phone number, so Cafe X ditched the requirement and redesigned the ordering workflow. Yeung adds the company will continue to listen to customer feedback as they work through the kinks and plan a new location, set to open at San Francisco International Airport, in the fall.	https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/cafe-x-locations-robot-coffee-san-francisco-sf-13723835.php
How Many Credit Cards Should A Small Business Owner Utilize?	Getty As any entrepreneur will tell you, owning a business comes with a lot of demands, pressure and hard work, but it can also be extremely rewarding. Thanks to an impactful conversation with an old friend and fellow business owner several years ago, I realized that I was wasting a lot of money by just having one credit card to pay business expenses. Multiple credit cards can provide big bonuses. Credit card companies are fighting a turf war, and they all have enticing offers to get us to sign up with them. And thats what I do today. I have strategically selected multiple credit cards to maximize benefits in my favor, not the bank's favor. The irony is, banks love me. Im one of their best customers. The short answer is, its only worth it to have multiple cards on two conditions: First, your business must be able to spend more than $5,000 per month on credit cards the more, the better. Second, you have to be willing to travel on vacation. Im pretty fortunate; thanks to what I spend on our business cards, my family and I get to vacation for free multiple times per year. Last year, we used our cards strategically, allowing us to spend four days in Cabo, five days in Cancun and seven days in Fiji. The goal is to pay for your business travel and let it provide you enough points to vacation for free. Let me explain how we did that. Here is the plan I believe business owners should have and why. The key to maximizing credit card rewards is to have three strategic credit cards. Stay loyal to them and keep your rewards with that one group. Here are the three card types and how to use them. Hotel Rewards Card As a business owner who either travels or has people in your company who travel, here is my simple three-step process for getting free hotel stays when you travel on vacation. 1. Select which hotel group works best for you based on where you travel and the price point you are comfortable with. 2. Select the correct hotel credit card to get both a great sign-up bonus and ongoing points for booking in that hotel chain. 3. Book all your hotels through this hotel group and on this credit card. They will give you bonus points when you use their card at their hotel. Airline Rewards Card Here is my simple four-step process for getting free flights when you travel on vacation. 1. Select which airline group works best for you based on where you travel and the price point you are comfortable with. 2. Apply for a corporate travel account with the airline. Many people are surprised to learn these are available to both large and small businesses. 3. Select the correct airline credit card to get both a great sign-up bonus and ongoing points for booking in that airline group. 4. Book all your flights through this airline group and on this credit card. They will give you bonus points when you use their card for their airline. Even more gratifying, if you pay for someone elses travel (e.g., staff, vendors, customers, etc.) you receive the rewards for their travel. Premium Rewards Card As a business owner, you want to have one premium card that accrues generic points that can be used across multiple airlines or hotels. This is what will provide you extreme flexibility to book your dream vacation. Look for big sign-up bonuses and category bonuses that work for your business spending habits. For example, one company's gold card gives you three times the points on advertising. I love this feature for our Google Adwords spend. Bonus Booking Tips: Join the hotel and airline rewards programs and start to build the points on that front as well. Most credit cards will give you higher status just because you have the credit card, providing additional perks and bonus points. If you pay for anything at the hotel with the hotel card, you will get additional bonus points. For example, when we were in Fiji, we booked our boat trip through the hotel concierge and paid for it when we checked out. For every dollar we paid, we received 14 points. Always look for bonus points opportunities. For instance, one hotel chain offers two times the points on each booking for a small amount: maybe $10-20 per night. Oh, and this fee is tax deductible! Avoid booking the cheapest airline fair. The cheapest fares typically wont give you many points, a good seat or a chance for upgrades. It's simple. Take a few minutes to read the details about each rewards program online so you understand where the bonus opportunities are. Next, keep it simple: airlines on the airline card, hotels on the hotel card and maximize bonus categories. The last step is to plan ahead. Decide what vacations you want to go on and put together a plan to earn the points to make them happen. Even if its just one vacation a year, it's an amazing feeling for your hard work all year to completely pay for your vacation. Vacations are great, but when they are free, they take on a new level of joy.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2019/03/29/how-many-credit-cards-should-a-small-business-owner-utilize/
Is 'Professional Presence' A Euphemism Meant To Discourage Diversity?	Getty As a career professional in human resources, I have been exposed for years to hiring and promotional conversations where managers rejected candidates because they lacked a secret sauce called presence. This concept comes in different packages, often under the guise of professional presence, executive presence, personal brand and more. What it really means is how you look, how you talk and how well you adhere to the companys self-image and fit in with the prevailing company culture. First, Define Presence Presence is defined very differently from one company to the next. But it boils down to trying to emulate the company leadership, the majority of which are white males. This might mean dressing like everyone else whether it be a blue suit at a bank, jeans and a hoodie at a high-tech company, a conservative haircut at a big corporate office, or green hair and a nose ring at an edgy nonprofit. It can also mean aggressively pounding the table to get your opinion across, or quietly building consensus behind the scenes. The idea of the appropriateness of your presence, however, is how I believe companies can tacitly discourage diversity. A fashion-forward employee might not want to wear a tech-company hoodie every day to fit in, any more than a recent college grad may want to cover up a tattoo and get a short haircut to look professional in order to get ahead. By normalizing certain behaviors and choices about appearance as being part of a company culture and others as not, a condition of your employment is effectively about becoming who the company wants you to be, rather than continuing to be who you already are. Recently, at a conference, I was speaking with another HR leader who wanted to coach one of her up-and-coming managers to have better executive presence. This individual was smart, was educated, had performed well on big projects and had essentially earned the trust of the leadership team. However, his presence was considered a problem from a promotional perspective because of his unruly hair and non-standard American business attire as a European, he wore sweaters and jeans as opposed to the usual company uniform of Dockers and a blue button-down shirt. Additionally, he had a strong accent. The HR leader was wondering how to coach this manager to succeed. My response was that it didnt sound like the employee needed coaching; it sounded as if the leadership team did. Next, Challenge Yourself We all have biases. To say we dont would show a lack of awareness. Its a part of being human. The key is to be aware of your biases and challenge yourself and your assumptions, as well as the assumptions of others. This is not about lowering your standards or those of the company; its about broadening your horizons with regard to acceptance and realizing that different perspectives and styles add value. Its about focusing on the things that really matter. And guess what, its not your hair or your flip-flops or your ability to play foosball. Then, Challenge Others Hiring decisions and promotions are largely made by groups of people who are focused on fit and presence. Alas, this tends to be based on preconceived notions of what success should look like, rather than facts. Of course, people joining my team will be a better fit for me personally if they all went to the same school I did, are roughly the same demographic and so forth. But those are qualities to look for in friends. Colleagues can and should come from all different walks of life, because to be successful in business, diverse perspectives add value and promote innovation. Become more fact-based in your hiring practices, take risks, challenge yourself, be uncomfortable, allow yourself to be challenged and make room at the table for different voices. Finally, Improve Your Business Equality and diversity are powerful contributors to innovation and growth as well as to retention. According to 2019 research from our partner Accenture, workplaces with a robust culture of equality have an employee mindset for innovation six times higher than in the least-equal companies surveyed. A Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study in 2018 found that companies reporting above-average diversity on their management teams also reported innovation revenue 19 percentage points higher than that of companies with below-average leadership diversity. And more than 60% of women in a 2017 PwC survey said they looked at the diversity of a prospective employers leadership team before accepting their most recent job offer. Make room for different voices. Let other people be heard. Take a risk. Take a chance. And dont buy into the faulty concept of presence. Focusing on increasingly dated concepts of what success looks like is a trap that will prevent your company from hiring and promoting the best people for each team.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2019/03/29/is-professional-presence-a-euphemism-meant-to-discourage-diversity/
Why Will It Be So Hard to Pull the Plug on Amtrak?	Getty My recent article arguing that we should cut federal subsidies to Amtrak got some very interesting and useful feedback on social media with at least one reader making the point that the highways and the airways are also very heavily subsidized by governments at all levels. I plan to expand on this in a future column and will note that if were subsidizing it, we should stop is a good rule of thumb, but here Id like to go into some of the reasons why subsidies remain even when it is pretty clear that the costs exceed the benefits. Perhaps most obviously, subsidies create constituencies with a powerful financial interest in making sure the subsidies stick around. The people who work for Amtrak, obviously, have incentives to keep the subsidies flowing. So do regular Amtrak riders who enjoy cheaper rides. Its a relatively small constituency, but it enjoys substantial benefits. Importantly, these benefits are concentrated while the costs are dispersed across a much larger population. Amtrak employees, suppliers, and regular riders would notice a considerable disruption if the government money stopped flowing. The rest of us would barely notice. A $2 billion annual subsidy to Amtrak spread out over a population of almost 330 million is less than seven dollars per person. Its about the same as the cost of a trip to Subway or Chick-fil-A, and for most taxpayers, its simply not worth their time to go to the political barricades to save the cost of a sandwich. The beneficiaries who enjoy concentrated benefits have powerful incentives to keep those benefits coming. The rest of us have very weak incentives to fight back. Concentrated benefits and dispersed costs arent the only factors at play, though. In his 2007 book The Myth of the Rational Voter, Bryan Caplan introduced the concept of rational irrationality (heres a very short version published by the Cato Institute). Caplan points out an important empirical oddity: a lot of programs are as popular among those who dont benefit from them as they are among those who do. A lot of people who dont have a stake in Amtrak, for example, still support Amtrak subsidies. Farm subsidies are very popular even among non-farmers and people who dont live in farm states. Simply put, subsidies sound good and the beneficiaries are easy to see and often very sympathetic. Just as people have very weak incentives to fight back against subsidy beneficiaries, people have very weak incentives to think beyond what is most immediate and obvious. Eliminating subsidies for Amtrak would create real and visible harm for real and visible people. The benefits of eliminating the subsidies, however, are a lot harder to see. Helping people with a subsidy feels good, the claim that we are all better off because we subsidize things like Amtrak is at least superficially intuitive and appealing, and working to understand the long-term and hard-to-see effects of subsidies is difficult. Hence, subsidies and the like remain popular even among people with no obvious stake in them. Governments at all levels waste resources by subsidizing activities for which the costs exceed the benefits. The subsidies persist, however, because there are a lot of people with a serious financial stake in them and because they are superficially (but incorrectly) appealing even to those who dont.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/artcarden/2019/03/29/why-will-it-be-so-hard-to-pull-the-plug-on-amtrak/
Where does April Fools' Day come from?	On 1st April, many of you may be planning to be mischievous and play pranks on your friends and family. That's because it's April Fools' Day, when we all get to play the joker! "It has been celebrated in the UK since at least the 19th century," explains Andrea Livesey, a historian from the University of Bristol. "Children were commonly the victims of these pranks!" So we wanted to find out more about why we celebrate April Fools' Day. No it's Superman crasing into a wall The first of April some do say, Is set apart for All Fools' Day; But why the people call it so Nor I, nor they themselves, do know 18th century folk rhyme Andrea told us that not everybody agrees where the festival come from. She says: "There is surprisingly little known about the origins of April Fools' Day and there are a large number of completely different - and quite entertaining - theories of its origin." So let's have a look at some of them. "Some have argued that a story told by early English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century - where a fox plays a prank on a rooster (who is almost eaten because of it) - is the first reference to pranks taking place on the first of April." The poet doesn't actually directly refer to April 1st though. In the poem, he says 32 days "syn March began", which people have said is "32 days since March began" which would be April 1st. But those who don't believe this theory say he was just using confusing words to make fun of people in the poem. Theory 2 - Calendars Some believe the tradition started because of events in the calendar. Something called renewal festivals date back to Roman times. These were a celebration at the start of a new year or season, when things went a bit topsy turvy. "Servants could control masters or children could control their parents!" says Andrea. March is the time of the Spring Equinox, so people think the joker tradition could come from this, as the beginning of spring and planting flowers was considered the start of the new year. There is another calendar theory about when people started celebrating new year at the beginning of January, instead of the end of March. Those who continued to celebrate it at the end of March, rather than on 1st January like we do today, were considered to be fools and had jokes played on them. Theory 3 - Fishing in Europe istock/Getty Images In some parts of Europe, an April Fools' prank is to stuck a fish to someone's back "The earliest concrete records we have about 1st April are from France and Holland in the 1500s and, because of this, people believe that it must have been a northern European tradition that spread to Britain," Andrea explains. It is actually known as April Fish Day in some areas of Europe. People think this is because there are a lot of fish in French streams and rivers around 1st April, and they are easy to catch - foolish fish! So it soon became a tradition to play tricks on people on April 1st too. "It is still a common trick in France, and elsewhere in Europe, to attach a paper fish to somebody's back on April Fools' Day, and also to give chocolate fish as gifts," Andrea says. NYMR/Gough Bailey Wright Last year the North Yorkshire Moors Railway said it had created a train carriage dedicated just to dogs, but it was just a joke. So it appears we don't actually know for sure where April Fools' Day officially started. But one thing's for sure - people have been playing jokes on April 1st for a very long time! So watch out that you don't get pranked!	https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47750667
How did each MP vote on the withdrawal agreement?	May's deal Approve the withdrawal agreement Against 344 For 286 Conservative Conservative Labour Labour Scottish National Party Scottish National Party Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrat The Independent Group The Independent Group Democratic Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru Green Party Green Party Independent Independent Tellers are not included in totals, but are included in the graphics and searchable table People who voted against the deal at Meaningful Vote 2 but for it this time include: Lucy Allan, Richard Bacon, Crispin Blunt, Conor Burns, Rehman Chishti, Simon Clarke, Damian Collins, Rosie Cooper, Robert Courts, Richard Drax, Iain Duncan Smith, Charlie Elphicke, Michael Fabricant, Sir Michael Fallon, Jim Fitzpatrick, James Gray, Chris Green, Mark Harper, Gordon Henderson, Eddie Hughes, Boris Johnson, Gareth Johnson, Daniel Kawczynski, Pauline Latham, Andrew Lewer, Ian Liddell-Grainger, Jonathan Lord, Esther McVey, Anne Main, Sheryll Murray, Tom Pursglove, Dominic Raab, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Grant Shapps, Henry Smith, Royston Smith, Bob Stewart, Ross Thomson, Michael Tomlinson, Craig Tracey, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Shailesh Vara, John Whittingdale	https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2019/mar/29/how-did-your-mp-vote-on-the-withdrawal-agreement
Are We Ready For An Implant That Can Change Our Moods?	Enlarge this image Christina Chung for NPR/NPR Christina Chung for NPR/NPR Our thoughts and fears, movements and sensations all arise from the electrical blips of billions of neurons in our brain. Streams of electricity flow through neural circuits to govern these actions of the brain and body, and some scientists think that many neurological and psychiatric disorders may result from dysfunctional circuits. As this understanding has grown, some scientists have asked whether we could locate these faulty circuits, reach deep into the brain and nudge the flow to a more functional state, treating the underlying neurobiological cause of the ailments like tremors or depression. The idea of changing the brain for the better with electricity is not new, but deep brain stimulation takes a more targeted approach than the electroconvulsive therapy introduced in the 1930s. DBS seeks to correct a specific dysfunction in the brain by introducing precisely timed electric pulses to specific regions. It works by the action of a very precise electrode, that is surgically inserted deep in the brain and typically controlled by a device implanted under the collarbone. Once in place, doctors can externally tailor the pulses to a frequency that they hope will fix the faulty circuit. Listen: The Remote Control Brain This week's Invisibilia podcast features the story of a woman with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression who signed up for a deep brain stimulation trial. The story describes what it's like to be able to adjust her mood by adjusting the settings on her device. Listen to that story here. The FDA has only approved deep brain stimulation for a handful of conditions, including movement disorders dystonia, essential tremor, and symptoms of Parkinson's disease and a type of treatment-resistant epilepsy. Now, many scientists in the U.S. and around the globe are experimenting with the technology for psychiatric conditions like depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder. The results of clinical studies so far are very mixed: Some patients say they have been totally transformed while others feel no effect at all, or get worse. Yet research continues and the technology's potential to instantly and powerfully change mood raises ethical, social and cultural questions. NPR spoke to neuroethicist, James Giordano, Chief of the Neuroethics Studies Program at Georgetown University Medical Center about this new technology and its potential benefits and harms when used for psychiatric treatment. In addition to his work at Georgetown, Giordano has consulted with the U.S. military about these technologies and their possible use. This interview includes answers from two separate conversations with Giordano, one conducted by Alix Spiegel and one by Jonathan Lambert. It has been edited for clarity and length. Scientists have been stimulating brains for a while now, but it has historically been quite crude. A neurosurgeon [would] touch a brain area with an electrode, and see what happened, what types of functions were affected. But we didn't have a detailed picture of what we wanted to target in the brain, and the electrodes themselves were not very precise. Now we have a much more detailed map of the networks and nodes of neurons involved in different pathologies [like Parkinson's, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.] or different thought patterns or emotions. Deep brain stimulation provides a fairly specific and very precise way to utilize electrodes to deliver electrical current in and around a small set of brain cells to turn them on or modulate their activity. Modify the circuit, and you can modify the behavior. The goal is to use DBS to modify the circuits in such a way as to improve symptoms in a very specific and precise way. There's an old adage in brain science: "When you've seen one brain, you've seen one brain." This is certainly true, but all brains have a lot of similarity on which individual variation is built, because brain structures are changed and developed as a consequence of experience. So, when implanting a device, we know generally where we're going, but because the patient is awake while we're implanting the device, we can further tailor it to know where precisely to put it for the desired effect. More fine-tuning, in terms of the kind of stimulation to provide, can be done after surgery, because the device can be tuned externally. Many studies are certainly finding evidence that DBS can be effective for treating disorders like Tourettes syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even depression. Patients are reporting a reduction in the symptoms, but we certainly still have many questions that need answering. These are questions that still need answering. A drug like Prozac or antidepressant drugs, is basically like throwing water on your face to get a drink of water. Using something like deep brain stimulation is like putting a drop of water on your tongue. We can increase the specificity and precision ... and in many ways the precision and specificity of deep brain stimulation makes it a more effective tool. It can be turned on and turned off. It can be adjusted in the very short term so it can be a more flexible tool that allows a much more precise control of mood. Specificity is power. And the moral obligation that comes with great power is overwhelming. The responsibility to understand as best as conceivably possible what you're doing not only on a neurobiological level, but also on an existential and even social level. In some cases I think the answer is yes, but I think in other cases what you're going to begin to see is that new ethical principles may need to be developed because of the potential and reality of the way these things are being used. For example, expressive creativity. Now we're not quite to that point, but I could certainly go to a physician and say I want to be more outgoing, I want to be less inhibited. I'd like to be happier on a daily basis. I'd like to feel more enlightened in my daily experiences ... Perhaps, but then we also have to balance that. ...This gets back to a question of fairness. Well, it is neurosurgery, and there are certainly risks that go along with that, infection, problems with the procedure. Targets could be missed or misidentified. Those are risks that come with the territory. But there are some more cases more specific to DBS. By stimulating area X, it's possible that we could get a spillover effect that modulates other things ancillary to that, like personality, temperament, character, personal preferences. There have been case reports and anecdotal reports of things like that happening, but they're rare. One of the better known cases, for example, was a person whose musical taste had nothing to do with country music. And after a deep brain implant for a movement disorder, [the person] developed a real pathos for Johnny Cash music, and was just totally into the aesthetic of Johnny Cash. Of course it is. The brain works as a coordinated set of nodes and networks that are inter-communicative and reciprocal. So changing the local field electrical activity in one area isn't necessarily going to be completely discrete from the wiring, if you will, of the kind of activities and the functions of other brain areas. These things occurring up and down stream represent real effects. Yes, although we have to ask ourselves whether those changes are due to the positive consequences of DBS. DBS also raises questions of personal autonomy. Are we going to get cases of people saying "my deep brain stimulator made me do it?" Perhaps. But very often patients report that the condition they had which DBS is treating impaired their autonomy more than they feel the deep brain stimulation is. To the point of clinically relevant therapeutic improvement. Just as one would set for example the levels that one could use through any other therapy, [like] cognitive behavioral therapy. Are they saying, 'yes I feel better, my mood is better.' The same would be true of a drug, however this is more powerful because you're directly affecting those nodes and networks that appear to be some substrate of the thing that causes this person's mood. So you want to be cautious. The general tenor in the field is start low and go slow. There is a do-it-yourself market if you will, for not deep brain stimulation but transcranial electrical stimulation. What that's showing is that there is an increased interest in neuro technologies that are not just oriented towards alleviating a medical condition but that change key aspects of cognition, emotions and behavior. This is sometimes referred to as the cosmetic use or designer use of neuro technology. Those things are coming and it's not in the near future there's interest now. Mistakes will get made. Hopefully we'll be bright enough to correct them and recognize them when they occur not only in terms of the technological and scientific mistakes but ethical, moral, legal mistakes. In many ways this represents something of a brave new world of capability. And I think that we have to be very very sentinel to what the potential of this could yield. I can guarantee you that things that are at very, very problematic, and in some cases devastating, will occur. Yeah that's my hope. I don't know.	https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/29/707883163/are-we-ready-for-an-implant-that-can-change-our-moods?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr
How Many Streaming Video Services Does The Average Person Subscribe To?	Getty Its hard to believe that its been only six years since House of Cards premiered on Netflix and suddenly video streaming companies became the big new players in content. A new study details why people subscribe to these channels as well as what prompts them to stick with or cancel the services. It paints an interesting picture at a time when pay television is struggling to keep subscribers, with many cord cutters replacing those services with over the top services. The study, commissioned by business-to-consumer digital services monetization company Vindicia from nScreenMedia, examines consumer relationships with streaming video services. One of the most telling findings is just how widespread subscription video services are. Seventy percent of U.S. households have at least one subscription, compared with 40 percent of U.K. homes. And the average American subscriber watches 3.4 services. For each one, they pay an average $8.53 per month. That would total a monthly bill of $29. Thats less than a third of the average monthly cable bill of $107. The study found a number of reasons for people leaving streaming services. More than a quarter of U.S. subscribers said they had a subscription video on demand (SVOD) channel canceled because of a credit card program, and about a third of them didnt return to the service after that. This is particularly an issue among younger adults. Involuntary cancellations are a huge problem for the SVOD industry, particularly among young subscribers, said study author Colin Dixon, founder and chief analyst at nScreenMedia. The study found Netflix users are less likely than average to have canceled service over the past year, while Hulu users are slightly more likely. Amazon Prime Video subscribers are no more or less likely. The top two reasons for terminating service are that people didnt find the service a good value for their money and they didnt find enough content they likedwhich explains why Netflix is spending so darn much on content. Content is the most important part of consumers decision-making on whether to keep subscribing to an SVOD. The study found the top reason people stick with a service is the interesting content. The ease of finding something they liked to watch was the third reason given, with interesting original content fourth and lots of new shows fifth.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonifitzgerald/2019/03/29/how-many-streaming-video-services-does-the-average-person-subscribe-to/
Why can't Minnesotans figure out how to zipper merge?	Kate Thoma recently came upon a construction zone in Bloomington, and with traffic backed up in the left lane, she zoomed along in the unoccupied right lane until signs told her to move over. She was zipper merging, but her efforts were thwarted by a left lane vigilante who would not let her in line. Im certain he thought of me as rude and entitled, but I was just doing what my 9th grade drivers ed teacher taught me, Thoma said. Indeed zipper merging is the law, but Thomas experience prompted her to ask why Minnesotans cant zipper merge and why some motorists get all worked up when people do it. Two other Star Tribune readers sent in similar questions to Curious Minnesota, the newspapers community-driven reporting project that invites readers to join the newsroom and ask the questions they want answered. How to zipper merge (it's not budging): The Minnesota Department of Transportation says zipper merging reduces the overall length of a traffic backup by as much as 40 percent. Video 01:09 The Minnesota Department of Transportation says zipper merging reduces the overall length of a traffic backup by as much as 40 percent. The Minnesota Department of Transportation in the early 2000s was the first in the nation to employ the zipper merge as a way to better manage traffic when a lane is closed in work zones. The concept is simple: Drivers remain in their respective lanes until they reach the designated merge point. Then, like we learned in kindergarten, drivers are supposed to take turns falling orderly in line. Its a great idea in theory, but theory is not how people always drive, said Dwight Hennessy, a traffic psychologist who teaches at Buffalo State College in New York. Zipper works when everyone follows the rules the system can handle the odd rule breaker but typically when one person breaks those rules others often follow. When people speed by in the open lane, that ticks people off as those waiting in line for a long time perceive those passing by as being impatient rule breakers sneaking to the front, Hennessey said. Its perceived unfairness, said MnDOT work zone engineer Ken Johnson. If more people would use lanes to the merge point, fairness is taken care of. Thats been a big roadblock, and a major reason why MnDOT is still struggling to get motorists to adopt the maneuver even though its included in the Minnesota Drivers Manual, Johnson said. Research has shown that zipper merging reduces the queue of vehicles in the closed lane by 40 to 50 percent, Johnson said. Its also safer. When motorists use both lanes and merge late, traffic in both lanes generally moves at the same speed. That, Johnson says, curbs risky behaviors such as queue jumping in which drivers move from the slow lane into the fast lane and then cut back into the slow lane. It also reduces the risk of rear-end crashes, the most common mishap in construction zones, he said. But that doesnt mean people do it. Many, Hennessy said, may be trying to be polite. Others have probably had bad experiences before. And thats when the merging battle begins. Sometimes frustrated drivers take things into their own hands. Thoma has seen drivers intentionally blocking the open lane so nobody can pass. Thats a no-no, said Lt. Gordon Shank of the State Patrol, and a ticketable offense. People view it as cutting in line, and cutting in line is not Minnesota Nice, Thomas said. Its not cutting in line. Its efficient. Zipper merging in Minnesota is exclusively reserved for work zone bottlenecks, and not in situations such as when drivers use an Exit Only lane and then cut in at the last second instead of exiting. That is cheating. They are forcing themselves in, Johnson said. Different rules for different situations. No wonder drivers are confused and angry. Minnesota drivers are not the only ones that struggle with how and when to zipper merge. In Kansas, where the take-your-turn-at-the-merge point technique has been employed occasionally over the past three years, the department of Transportation is shying away from using the zipper merge term and has resorted to telling drivers that merging early is incorrect. Drivers who are unaware or aggressive make it too difficult to use this process smoothly, said Laurie Arellano, a spokeswoman for KDOT. The California Department of Transportation no longer uses zipper merging. It recommends drivers merge well before reaching a lane closure because waiting can create opportunities for unsafe merging, said Alsia Becerra, a Caltrans spokeswoman. Drivers who cut in at the last minute cause sudden stopping and lane changes which cause direct collisions. Minnesota remains committed to using the zipper merge, and is continuing to teach drivers the proper and polite way to merge. Through YouTube videos and an entire resource guide on its website, Johnson said the agency continues to educate drivers. Thoma thinks a massive marketing campaign might help, but then again, she said signs tell drivers to use both lanes and take turns at merge and motorists just ignore them. I love the zipper merge, Thoma said. Its the law, and if everyone did it, wed all be better off. --- If you'd like to submit a Curious Minnesota question, fill out the form below:	http://www.startribune.com/why-can-t-people-zipper-merge-curious-minnesota/506763211/
What's In Store For The Markets In 2019?	Photo Credit: Shutterstock With the first quarter of 2019 almost behind us, its a good time to evaluate whats in store for the markets for the rest of the year. To do so, lets take a look at what the available data reveals about the big picture. Stock market says things are back to normal After a terrible fourth quarter, it looks like markets are going to have a strong first quarter. U.S. indices are up more than 10 percent, and international indices arent far behind. The gains have been fairly steady all quarter, although there has been some weakness in March. This rebound came despite economic and financial uncertainty, as well as significant declines in estimates of corporate earnings (which means one thingvaluations rose). The first quarter started with forward price-to-earnings ratios at close to the lowest levels since 2013, and it ended with them close to average levels since then. The stock market, in this sense, is saying things are back to normala positive sign. Economy still growing Although growth was reasonably strong in the last quarter of 2018 and for the entire year, expectations are for a significant slowdown in the first quarter. Based on what we know right now, those expectations seem reasonable. Growth is expected to drop from 3 percent for 2018 as a whole and 2.2 percent for the fourth quarter to 1.5 percent for the first quarter. Of course, that drop might be concerning. But looking back, we have seen weak first quarters in several past years, only to then see growth rebound. This year, there are good reasons to believe that might be the case again, as the aftershocks of the government shutdown fade. The fact that growth continues, even at a slower rate, is therefore a positive sign for the rest of the year. Positive corporate fundamentals The story around corporate fundamentals is similar. While expected growth has dropped significantly, it is still positive. In a normal quarter, roughly three-quarters of companies beat expectations, so the actual numbers are very likely to be even better. With valuations normalized, rising earnings would result in higher stock prices, which again could accelerate in subsequent quarters. Headwinds may subside Coming into the year, one of the big drags on growth was the hit to confidence that the government shutdown caused. We have seen that same effect in spending and business investment. With the shutdown over and other political risksthe Mueller report, Brexit, and even the trade warmoderating or at least becoming old news, the headwinds here should subside. This shift would also be positive. The big picture For all the real concerns and risks, the fundamentals remain reasonably solid, and companies are on track to make more money. With a fairly valued market, based on recent data, that is a recipe for continued growth. As noted, there are reasons to believe we might end up even better than that. Thats not to say there are not risks out there. There are, with the politics around the debt ceiling being the biggest. It is to say, however, that the message from the first quarter is overall much more positive, for both the economy and the markets, than the headlines would suggest.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradmcmillan/2019/03/29/whats-in-store-for-the-markets-in-2019/
When parents play favourites, what happens to the kids?	This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Authors: Sheri Madigan, Assistant Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Childrens Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary and Jennifer Jenkins, Atkinson Chair of Early Child Development and Education and Director of the Atkinson Centre, University of Toronto Many siblings, when they get together as adults, joke about which child was loved the most. In one study, researchers asked adults whether their mom played favourites when they were kids. Close to 85 per cent of respondents perceived that she did. No so. Upset from perceived favouritism appears to be long-lasting. It is likely that we will fret long into adulthood over why a particular sibling got a better deal than we did. It turns out parents do behave differently with their children and, of course, children have their different thresholds for noticing these differences. Researchers have studied favouritism both by observing children as they interact with their parents and by asking children and their parents to report on their interactions. These ratings are then compared across the different siblings to determine if one child receives more positive or negative attention than the other. One of the reassuring findings from these studies is that when the differences in how siblings are treated by parents are small, it has little to no consequence. It is only when the differences are large that we see links to childrens health and relationships. Parental stress plays a role Research on all different kinds of relationships shows us that a big part of how we get along with others is about the fit of personalities. We find one person easier or more interesting than another. The same holds for parents and children. Although most parents love and nurture all their children, they will inevitably find that they are more in tune with one child than another. One child is perhaps a bit more social; another is more ready to anger, a third finds learning easier. These differences in how parents treat siblings have a basis in childrens genes. Parents treat identical twins, who share 100 per cent of their DNA, more similarly than they treat non-identical twins, who share about 50 per cent of their genes. The more the personalities of siblings differ, the more their parents treat them differently. Another driver of parenting is, of course, a childs age. Parents interact with and discipline their children based on changes in developmental capabilities as they grow. Age and personality explain some of the differences in the parental treatment that children perceive. But while age and personality play a role in why one child gets more from a parent than another, over and above this are issues of parental stress. When parents experience financial strain, mental health problems or partner conflict, differential parenting or sibling favouritism becomes more marked. Impacts on physical and mental well-being Unfortunately, perceived favouritism can create a divide between siblings. It is associated with siblings feeling less close to one another, both in childhood and adulthood. This finding has been established for both perceived, as well as observed favouritism. Popular wisdom suggests that the favoured child receives benefits from their special treatment. While this may be the case when favouritism is slight, research suggests that none of the siblings benefit when it is more marked. That is, when favouritism is considerable, it is associated with all siblings showing less physical and mental well-being. Reasons for this are not currently clear. It is possible that children are activated by injustice. Or perhaps even when they are favoured they fear falling into the realm of being disfavoured. But most reassuring for parents are the findings that parental explanations for why they are treating siblings differently really change the experience for children. Explanations that focus on their different personalities, ages or needs are associated with lower levels of distress for children. Five tips for fairer parenting 1. Be aware. The first step is to be aware that it happens, and to seek out help or support from partners, family members, friends or health professionals to try to understand why it happens. As a reminder, playing favourites is more likely to occur when your stress levels are high. 2. Listen. When your child complains or you see fights between siblings in which they mention one getting more than another, try not to discount it. Be receptive to the childs feelings and think about why they might be feeling this way. 3. Provide an explanation. Sometimes, children do need to be treated differently, like when one child is sick, hurt or has special needs. When this happens, explain it to avoid any misunderstanding. 4. Avoid comparing children. While it may be a natural tendency to say why cant you be more like your sister? this sets up an unfair comparison. Try to focus on what each child does well, without pitting them against one another. 5. Carve out individual time for each child. As much as possible, try to find 10 minutes each day to spend one-on-one with each child so that each has your full attention. Do any activity that they love to do with you. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/when-parents-play-favourites-what-happen https://theconversat	https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/when-parents-play-favourites-what-happens-to-the-kids
Are Biden and Bernie for real?	U.S. News: Three months into the 2020 presidential race, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have maintained their positions as dual Democratic front-runners, one without even being a declared candidate. And yet there's an abiding sense among some Democrats and Republicans that the predominant positions of the two septuagenarians are eminently fragile, largely based on name recognition and prone to crumble as more voters dial in and sort through the bountiful options before them. The burgeoning candidacies of Sen. Kamala Harris of California and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke look like the strongest initial threats to the polling leaders' supremacy, both decades younger, fresher and offering that intangible ingredient of organic excitement. Kamala had the best rollout. Bernie probably surprised people that he still had such a strong following in terms of fundraising. I think he showed a lot of muscle, says the Rev. Al Sharpton I think it's between Bernie and Kamala: They had the best first three months. Harris big dollar donors are raising some questions - RCP: Harris will leave the campaign trail to headline the April 1 fundraiser hosted by [multimillionaire Angelo] Tsakopoulos in Sacramento. The lieutenant governor and daughter of the real estate developer, Eleni Kounalakis, will also attend. The dinner runs between $1,000 and $2,800 a plate, according to the Sacramento Bee. The public certainly thinks money in politics is a problem. Harris has skipped that primary posturing. She is digging for donor gold in the Golden State right now. Of course, even if she finds some, a single donor wont be enough. The influencers that will surround the senator in Sacramento can only give a maximum of $5,600 half for the primary, the other half held in reserve for the general. Booker hometown rally to kickoff national campaign swing - Fox News: Presidential candidate Sen. Cory Bookers heading home to kickoff what hes calling a Justice for All Tour. The Democrat from New Jersey announced on Friday that hell hold a hometown kickoff in downtown Newark on Saturday, April 13. Booker served as the mayor of the Garden States largest city for two terms before winning his Senate seat in 2013. Booker declared his candidacy for the White House in February, but as is often the practice, an official presidential campaign announcement is followed by formal kickoff event at a later date. The practice allows a candidate to grab extra media attention and hopefully build more excitement among supporters. The event in Newark is the first in a two-week cross-country tour that Bookers campaign said will be used to highlight his message of reigniting our sense of common purpose to build a more just country for the American people. Hickenloopers different drummer - Politico: [John] Hickenlooper is certainly different. Nothing about his appearance, from his rumpled shirts to the crooked row of bottom teeth to the untamed wisps of gray flopping over his forehead, seems especially presidential. He speaks in frenetic bursts, beginning one word before concluding its predecessor, his rhetorical pacing off-key like a garaged piano. Every question asked of him invites a story, often with no guarantee of a thematic circling back to the subject at hand. He says things like, Im not the smartest guy out there, not exactly standard fare for an aspiring leader of the Free World. The candidates friends call him odd, quirky, eccentric. For anyone who watched Hickenloopers recent CNN town halla prime-time event capable of jump-starting a longshot candidacythese descriptors seem generous. Miami gets first Dem debates - Miami Herald: Miami wont be the home of the 2020 Democratic convention, but the city will get to host the first debates among the top 20 candidates hoping to win the partys nomination. The Democratic National Committee announced Thursday that it has selected Miami to host the partys first debates, on June 26 and 27. The debates are scheduled over two nights as the DNC expects to make room for as many as 20 candidates. Participants in a given debate will be selected randomly, so headliners like Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris could be on stage with fringe candidates like Andrew Yang or even Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam. THE RULEBOOK: NATURALLY When men exercise their reason coolly and freely on a variety of distinct questions, they inevitably fall into different opinions on some of them. When they are governed by a common passion, their opinions, if they are so to be called, will be the same. Alexander Hamilton or James Madison, Federalist No. 50 TIME OUT: ALOHA 'OE Smithsonian: Born in 1838, [Queen] Liliuokalani [the last monarch of the Hawaiian Islands] began her musical training at around age seven as part of her schooling. In 1893, the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown by a group led by U.S. Government Minister John L. Stevens, and Queen Liliuokalani was put under house arrest at the Iolani Palace as a result. During her time there, she composed many pieces mourning the treatment of her homeland and people. One such song was Mai Wakinekona a Iolani Hale. Liliuokalani anonymously wrote the songs lyrics and published them in a weekly Hawaiian language newspaper, subversively messaging how she came to be imprisoned. The following week, someone published a response in song lyrics, We have heard you, oh heavenly one, our ruler, and we support you. This piece was only recently discovered. - Email us at [email protected] with your tips, comments or questions. SCOREBOARD Trump job performance Average approval: 42.6 percent Average disapproval: 52.4 percent Net Score: -9.8 points Change from one week ago: up 0.6 points [Average includes: Pew Research Center: 41% approve - 55% disapprove; NPR/PBS/Marist: 44% approve - 50% disapprove; Quinnipiac University: 39% approve - 55% disapprove; Fox News: 46% approve - 51% disapprove; CNN: 43% approve - 51% disapprove.] TRUMP SEEKS TO MAKE THE MOST MUELLER FOR 2020 Atlantic: [Special Counsel Robert] Mueller might be done with his investigation, but [President] Trump and company are loath to let it drop. They want to capitalize on the president escaping criminal charges and make Muellers findings a core piece of 2020 campaign messaging. Yet many Republican lawmakers and strategists fear that Trump would be fixating on the wrong message at the wrong time. They worry that Trump risks repeating the same strategic blunder he made in the midterm elections, which culminated in Republicans losing control of the House. Rather than spotlight economic gains rung up on his watch, the president might wind up dwelling on collateral issues of scant interest to voters. Trump allies see Barrs letter as a kind of Swiss Army knifea tool useful in all kinds of situations. Not only is it exculpatory, they say, but it also implicitly rebukes the press for its coverage of the Russia investigation, inoculating Trump from any future scandal that reporters might unearth. Trump campaigns in Michigan, attacks opponents - Fox News: In his first major rally since Special Counsel Robert Mueller cleared him of any collusion with Russia, President Trump took the stage before a boisterous full house at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday night -- and proceeded to tear into Democrats and the FBI as unintelligent frauds who tried desperately to undermine the results of the 2016 election. The Democrats have to now decide whether they will continue defrauding the public with ridiculous bullsh--, Trump said to thunderous applause, -- partisan investigations, or whether they will apologize to the American people. Trump continued to unload on his opponents Addressing counterprotesters outside the arena and progressives in general, Trump asked: What do you think of their signs, 'Resist?' Let's get something done. Mueller or no Mueller, Trump approval stays steady - Pew Research Center: The publics views of Donald Trump have changed little over the course of his presidency The survey by Pew Research Center, conducted March 20-25 among 1,503 adults, finds that 40% approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president, little changed since January (37%). Trumps job rating was not significantly different in the days following the release of Barrs report Trumps job rating continues to be more stable and more polarized along partisan lines than those of past presidents. Currently, 81% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents approve of Trumps job performance, while 88% of Democrats and Democratic leaners disapprove. POLL: HUGE MAJORITY WANTS FULL MUELLER REPORT NPR: Days after Attorney General William Barr released his four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation report, overwhelming majorities of Americans want the full report made public and believe Barr and Mueller should testify before Congress, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Only about a third of Americans believe, from what theyve seen or heard about the Mueller investigation so far, that President Trump is clear of any wrongdoing. At the same time, 56 percent said Mueller conducted a fair investigation, and 51 percent said they were satisfied with it. That included 52 percent of independents who said they were satisfied with the investigation. It's one of the rare questions in the first two years of the Trump presidency in which a majority of independents sided with Republicans instead of Democrats on a subject. Overall, three-quarters said the full Mueller report should be made public. That included a majority of Republicans (54 percent). - WaPo: In the end, the decision not to subpoena the president is one of the lingering mysteries of Muellers 22-month investigation An interview with the president would have been pivotal to helping assess whether the president had corrupt intent, a key element of such a charge, legal experts said. It is an open question whether a subpoena would have survived the court challenge that Trumps lawyers say they would have mounted. The Supreme Court has never issued definitive guidance on issuing a subpoena to a president, but had Mueller pursued one, the courts could have established a precedent for future presidents. In assessing whether to pursue such a high-stakes move, the special counsel was not operating with complete autonomy. That was a contrast with predecessors such as Kenneth Starr, who investigated President Bill Clinton and had broad leeway under the now-expired independent counsel statute. MCCONNELL SIDESTEPS HEALTH INSURANCE IMBROGLIO Politico: Mitch McConnell has no intention of leading President Donald Trumps campaign to transform the GOP into the party of health care. I look forward to seeing what the president is proposing and what he can work out with the speaker, McConnell said in a brief interview Thursday Now in divided government, with the Senate majority up for grabs next year and McConnell himself running for reelection, another divisive debate over health care is the last thing McConnell needs. So the Kentucky Republican and his members are putting the onus on the president to figure out the next steps. McConnells clear reluctance toward trying to draft a sweeping health care bill in the Senate reflects his political instincts: that its better to focus on perceived Democratic weaknesses the lefts push on Medicare for All than to struggle to unify his own party on a plan almost certain to be rebuffed by Senate Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Trumps ask: A spectacular plan - Bloomberg: President Donald Trump said he asked a group of U.S. senators to create a health-care plan to replace Obamacare, as his administration seeks to have the law signed by his predecessor invalidated in court. Republicans John Barrasso of Wyoming, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rick Scott of Florida are developing the plan, Trump told reporters Thursday as he departed the White House for a political rally in Michigan. They are going to work together, come up with something thats really spectacular, Trump said. Maybe well even get support in the House from Democrats. But its going to be far better than Obamacare, the president added, calling the law a disaster. Judge blocks Trump plan to let employers work around ObamaCare rules - AP: A federal judge has struck down a small-business health insurance plan widely touted by President Donald Trump, the second setback in a week for the administration's health care initiatives. U.S. District Judge John D. Bates wrote in his opinion late Thursday that so-called association health plans were clearly an end-run around consumer protections required by the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. On Wednesday, another federal judge blocked the Trump administration's Medicaid work requirements for low-income people. The plans at issue in Bates' ruling Thursday allow groups of small businesses and sole proprietors to band together to offer lower-cost coverage that doesn't have to include all the benefits required by the ACA, often called Obamacare. They also can be offered across state lines, an attempt to deliver on a major Trump campaign promise. PELOSI POPULARITY STRONG AMONG DEMS Pew Research Center: As the new Congress approaches the 100-day mark, the public generally has negative views of both Democratic and Republican leaders. Just a third approve of the job performance of Democratic congressional leaders, while 59% disapprove. Job ratings for GOP leaders are similar (31% approve, 63% disapprove). House Speaker Nancy Pelosis job rating is somewhat more negative than positive: 40% approve of her job performance while 46% disapprove. Still, Pelosis job rating is more positive than then-Speaker Paul Ryans was two years ago. At similar points during their tenures as speaker, John Boehner and Newt Gingrich had evenly divided job ratings. The partisan gap in views of Pelosis job rating is generally wider than those of her predecessors. Democrats are about four times as likely as Republicans to approve of Pelosis job performance than are Republicans (62% vs. 15%). Early in her tenure as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosis job rating is deeply divided along partisan lines. About six-in-ten Democrats (62%) approve of Pelosis job performance. Pelosi backs new DCCC hiring policy against progressives pleas - National Journal: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leaders expressed support Thursday for a new Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee hiring policy that progressives claim will blackball vendors who work for primary challengers against incumbent Democrats. That comes after a tense meeting Wednesday afternoon between DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos and leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who want Democrats to rescind the rule. The policy states they will neither hire nor recommend to House offices any political vendors who work to oust sitting Democrats. I support the chair of the DCCC, Pelosi said, when asked whether she backs the policy. In the private meeting, progressives invoked Pelosi as an example of a leader who understands their concerns as members from left-leaning districts, as opposed to Bustos, who represents a district that supported President Trump, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. PLAY-BY-PLAY Senate approves GOP budget - AP McConnell sets up debate next week to make confirmation of Trump nominees easier - Roll Call Brexit is beaten for third time Friday, no sign if Britain will leave the EU - WaPo Rep. Dan Crenshaw could be the GOPs answer to progressive House Dems - National Review AUDIBLE: NAME DROPPING As a former seven-year Reagan administration Justice Department official, I kind of think that the president's early steps in this administration have gone well beyond anything President Richard Nixon ever did. Former Republican Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld talking about President Trump with Shannon Bream on Fox News @ Night. Weld plans to make a decision on running for president in April. ANY GIVEN SUNDAY This weekend Mr. Sunday will sit down with Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway. Watch Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. Check local listings for broadcast times in your area. #mediabuzz - Host Howard Kurtz has the latest take on the weeks media coverage. Watch #mediabuzz Sundays at 11 a.m. ET. FROM THE BLEACHERS Sometimes I just dont get [The Rulebook]. The first sentence is easy enough. I dont follow the meaning of the second sentence. The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men. A guaranty by the national authority would be as much levelled against the usurpations of rulers as against the ferments and outrages of faction and sedition in the community. Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 21. Mike Tardif, Santa Ana, Calif. [Ed. note: When we look at the Federalist Papers we are reading impassioned arguments from the proponents of the Constitution for the creation of a federal republic to replace the confederacy that was in place from 1781 to 1789. When Hamilton wrote those words in December of 1787 he was attacking the then-governing charter, the Articles of Confederacy, as insufficient. A chief problem, he argued, was that the national government lacked the authority or practical ability to enforce the laws that it passed or to guarantee the rights of its citizens. Some 4,000 armed rebels led by Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays had staged a nearly year-long insurrection in western Massachusetts that ended just six months before Hamilton was writing. Shays & Co. were protesting what they said were heavy-handed taxation and tax collection by the government of the state of Massachusetts. Their goal was the violent overthrow of the government of the commonwealth before they were eventually crushed by a private army raised by the anxious citizens of Boston led by Revolutionary Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. Rage mobs fighting private armies is not exactly conducive to good order and predictable governance. Hamilton argued that the loose affiliation of the confederacy and weak central government was an invitation to further problems of this kind and that the national government needed the power to enforce the basic rules and keep order. What hes saying in the passage we quoted is that in a republic the remedy for bad state government remains the same an election but that the federal government would serve as a counterweight against bad state leaders or usurpations of rulers as much as it will provide protection from rage mobs attacking the rule of law itself, the ferments and outrages of faction and sedition.] I get as much enjoyment from your response to the Bleachers as I do from the Report. You would be a great diplomat. Two more for your creel. I was born in Parcoal and spent my early youth in No. 4 (a town on 1947 WV maps, and not even a wide place in the road now), both in Webster County. Rod Steorts, Sutton, W. Va. [Ed. note: Sweet fancy Moses! I of course knew of Parcoal, which I have passed through several times on my way to Kumbrabow State Forest and Helvetia (near another favorite of mine: Czar, W.Va.). But I knew nothing of No. 4, W.Va. Thats a fine catch indeed.] Chris, Read with interest your list of West Virginia datelines in the response to the gentleman from Rhodelia. Having been raised at Mud, W.Va. (post office no longer exists), which is just over the hill from Big Ugly, I was pleased to see it made your list. One of my favorite headlines from the Hamlin Lincoln Journal has always been: Big Ugly Woman Injured in Auto Accident. Billy Atkins, Morgantown, W. Va. [Ed. note: But was she?] We are in first place at the moment. Love the Halftime Report and I make sure I read it every day no matter how long it is. Anne Purcell, Chicago [Ed. note: Ms. Purcell, I am a devout supporter of the National League franchise in St. Louis. For there to be true harmony in my baseball universe its not just necessary for the Cardinals to win but for the Cubs to lose. You could say that its small of me, but the crackle of that rivalry has warmed my heart even late in seasons like last year after hope was gone for the pennant to return to where it belongs, 700 Clark Ave. And something tells me that this years battle between our two warring tribes may indeed be one for the history books. See you in September!] Chris Thanks for the humanity and I would add, Christianity except that the idea of love for the aliens resident among us springs from the Hebrew Bible in your response to a writer insisting on the illegals label. Blessings! Rev. John Johnson, Tucson, Ariz. [Ed. note: I will only quote theologian and Pastor Tim Keller back to you, Rev. Johnson: Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Been wondering. Steve Adams, Bellefonte, Pa. [Ed. note: You caught me, Mr. Adams! The horseshoe is not there for luck, as I am not the superstitious type. It is there to remind me to be worthy of my heritage. It was made by my great-grandfather, James. He was by all evident results a pretty poor farmer and lacked the instincts for business. But he was, by the accounts I have heard, a very good farrier, a man on whom his neighbors relied to keep their horses afoot. Old Jim Stirewalt was a poor man and perhaps not a particularly gifted one, but he found a way to keep himself and his family going. When I dont know what to write or what to say, I am reminded to stoke the fire, grab the tongs and hammer away.] Share your color commentary: Email us at [email protected] and please make sure to include your name and hometown. AN ODIE-OUS MYSTERY SOLVED AFP: For more than 30 years bright orange Garfield phones have been washing up on the French coast to the bemusement of local beach cleaners the novelty landline phones, modelled on the prickly feline cartoon character, that have plagued the northern Finistere beaches for decades. Our association has existed for 18 years and in that time we have found pieces of Garfield telephones almost each time we clean, said Claire Simonin, the head of local beach cleaning group Ar Viltansou in Brittany. But it wasn't until a local resident revealed that he had discovered the container after a storm in the 1980s that they were finally able to locate it -- wedged in a partially submerged cave only accessible at low tide. Under the boulders in front of the entrance, we found 23 complete handsets with electronics and wires. They were everywhere, she added. AND NOW, A WORD FROM CHARLES If youve got a business you didnt build that. Somebody else made that happen [Barack Obama said.] To say all individuals are embedded in and the product of society is banal. Charles Krauthammer (1950-2018) writing for the National Review on July 20, 2012. Chris Stirewalt is the politics editor for Fox News. Brianna McClelland contributed to this report. Sign up here.	https://www.foxnews.com/politics/are-biden-and-bernie-for-real
Who is Adam Schiff and why does Donald Trump want him to resign?	Donald Trump called on Rep. Adam Schiff to resign from his position as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Twitter, alleging the California Democrat knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking information regarding special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. On Thursday morning, Mr Trump tweeted: Congressman Adam Schiff, who spent two years knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking, should be forced to resign from Congress! Mr Schiff has come under fire for continuing to launch investigations into the president and the Trump campaign to determine whether there was any possible collusion with the Kremlin and if Mr Mueller had any limitations during his investigation. Since Mr Muller did not find the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia, according to a letter sent to Congress by Attorney General William Barr, many Republicans believe the California Democrats continue investigation of the president to be an act of congressional overreach and an abuse of power to knowingly promote false information. In addition to the president, nine other Republicans sitting on the House Intelligence Committee signed a letter calling on Mr Schiff to resign. Congressman Adam Schiff, who spent two years knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking, should be forced to resign from Congress! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2019 The letter read: Your willingness to continue to promote a demonstrably false narrative is alarming. The findings of the Special Counsel conclusively refute your past and present assertions and have exposed you as having abused your position to knowingly promote false information, having damaged the integrity of this Committee, and undermined faith in U.S. government institutions. Rep. Mike Conaway, the Republican leading the House Intelligence Committees Russia investigation, echoed calls for Mr Schiffs resignation at the beginning of the public committee hearing on money laundering. Your actions both past and present are incompatible with your duty as chairman, Mr Conway said. Mr Schiff is a Democrat representative of Californias 28th congressional district. He first assumed congressional office in January 2001 representing the Golden States 27th District and then the 29th District. He was tapped to serve on the House Intelligence Committee in 2008 until earlier this year when he became chairman of the committee. Mr Schiff graduated from Stanford University in 1982 with a degree in political science before earning his law degree from Harvard University in 1985. In Los Angeles, Mr Schiff made headlines as an assistant US attorney for his successful prosecution of Richard Miller. Mr Miller was an FBI agent who leaked confidential US documents to the former Soviet Union. Until recently, among Democrats, Mr Schiff was often seen as a heroic figure as a ranking member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, using his political prowess to bring forward concerns about the president and his campaigns possible collusion with the Kremlin. Mr Schiff was also credited for standing up against former House Intelligence Chairman Republican Rep. David Nunes. Despite working alongside him in the committee, Mr Schiff called on California Republican to step aside as the head of the Russia investigation after Mr Nunes appeared to safeguard the Trump administration. Question: "What do you make of the President calling you a disgrace, calling for you to resign?" Rep. Adam Schiff: "It's nothing new from this president." EARLIER: Trump: Schiff should be forced out of office https://t.co/alSzyiTtby pic.twitter.com/Y1usBMKONr The Hill (@thehill) March 28, 2019 The California Democrat brushed it off. He said: "It's nothing new from this president. :	https://news.yahoo.com/adam-schiff-why-does-donald-194428488.html
Where does Thursday's opener rank in Brewers opening-day history?	Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Christian Yelich (22) hits a three run homer in the third inning and celebrates with Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) during the Milwaukee Brewers vs. St. Louis Cardinals in the MLB game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Thursday, March 28, 2019. RELATED: It was Brewers Opening Day. Check out how fans around town celebrated. RELATED: Brewers 5, Cardinals 4: Jhoulys Chacn was solid, and Lorenzo Cain saved the day Milwaukee hasn't won its home opener since 2014, but there have been some fascinating games over the years. Here's our ranking of the best Brewers opening-day games (win or lose). 11. Cincinnati 3, Milwaukee 3 (2000) Ken Griffey Jr. tips his hat to the crowd in Cincinnati as he is introduced before the Red's opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, April 3, 2000. Suppose it doesn't get more evenly matched than that. The game didn't count in the standings, but all the stats were registered when the game was stopped in the sixth inning because of rain. It somewhat dampened the debut of Ken Griffey Jr. as a hometown Red, and the game was made up in its entirety the next night (the Brewers won, 5-1). 10. Milwaukee 10, St. Louis 8 (1999) St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Placido Polanco is all smiles as he makes the tag on the Milwaukee Brewers' Fernando Vina (1) during the first inning of the Cardinals' season opener at Busch Stadium in St. Louis Monday, April 5, 1999. Vina was caught attempting to steal second base. (Photo: Tom Gtannam) The Cardinals scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to pull within two runs, and then Sean Berry hit a 3-run homer in the top of the ninth to give Milwaukee a five-run cushion yet again. But the Cardinals rallied for three more in the ninth to make things cozy. But with a runner on first, Bob Wickman retired Willie McGee to end the madness. 9. Milwaukee 5, Colorado 4 (2013) Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy is swarmed by teammates after hitting the game-winning run during the 10th inning against the Colorado Rockies in the regular-season opener Monday, April 1, 2013 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wis. (Photo: Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) It was a walk-off winner when Jonathan Lucroy's sacrifice fly in the 10th inning lifted the Brewers, which had scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead, only to lose it in the ninth when Dexter Fowler homered with two outs and nobody on (Lo Cain wouldn't have caught this one if he had been there; it was well over the right field fence). The Brewers rallied against Adam Ottavino, the second most interesting walk-off win against Ottavino in Brewers history (with the first being Moose's Game 1 winner in last year's NLDS). 8. California 3, Milwaukee 2 (1983) Cecil Cooper (15) was greeted by teammates in the eighth inning of a game in 1983. (Photo: Benny Sieu, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) It was a rematch of the previous year's ALCS and came down to the wire. Paul Molitor's sacrifice fly made it a one-run game in the ninth against Luis Sanchez, but it was also the second out. A Robin Yount infield single and wild pitch, however, put runners at second and third for 1982's hero, Cecil Cooper. But, this time he grounded out, and the Angels prevailed. 7. Milwaukee 15, California 9 (1996) Chuck Carr (right) flies to the wall for a catch in 1997. The teams combined for 37 hits, with Milwaukee scoring eight in the third and California getting a five-spot in the fifth. Chuck Carr had four hits and three RBIs, one of five players in Milwaukee's lineup to finish with multiple runs driven in. Carr also hit one of the game's seven home runs. The next night, California won in an 11-inning battle, 3-2 -- a game that was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh. 6. Milwaukee 2, San Diego 1 (2018) Ji-Man Choi chugs home with the winning run for the Brewers in the top of the 12th inning on Thursday. (Photo: Denis Poroy, Getty Images) The Brewers were one out away from locking up a 1-0 win to start the year, but Freddy Galvis singled off Corey Knebel to score pinch runner Matt Szczur -- who had just stolen second base to get into scoring position with two outs. But in the 12th, Orlando Arcia also delivered a two-out single to score folk hero Ji-Man Choi -- who doubled with two outs -- and Jacob Barnes shut the door by striking out the side in the bottom of the inning. 5. Oakland 6, Milwaukee 5 (1984) Rollie Fingers throws a pitch in 1984 after returning from injury. (Photo: Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) This was pretty crushing. Rollie Fingers, after missing the entire 1983 season with injury, was back on the mound for Milwaukee -- facing the Athletics team with which he had won three championships, no less. The Brewers scored twice in the top of the ninth to take a 5-2 lead, and Fingers checked in after Chuck Porter surrendered a leadoff homer to Davey Lopes in the bottom of the ninth. Fingers faced three batters and retired none of them -- all singles, and Bob McClure couldn't get out of the jam. Oakland finished with four runs in the inning, scoring the last on Jim Gantner's throwing error when he tried to end the game with a double play. Fingers took the loss but he finished the year with a 1.96 ERA, so it wasn't all bad. 4. Cincinnati 7, Milwaukee 6 (2011) Milwaukee Brewers third base coach Ed Sedar (6) congratulates Rickie Weeks (23) after hitting a home run during the first inning of their opening day MLB National League baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Ohio March 31, 2011. (Photo: MATT SULLIVAN, REUTERS) We can laugh about it now because the Brewers won the division that year and made the NLCS, but the opener was a crushing disaster of a kickoff to 2011. Milwaukee opened the season with back-to-back home runs by leadoff man Carlos Gomez and second baseman Rickie Weeks, then took a 3-0 lead after another run in the first. The lead was 6-3 going to the ninth when John Axford entered and allowed the first two men to reach, but there were two outs and a run in when Ramon Hernandez stepped to the plate and hit a three-run blast that sent the Brewers to a jaw-dropping defeat. Milwaukee lost the first four games of the season that year. The Brewers still finished 96-66. 3. Milwaukee 5, St. Louis 4 (2019) Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) is congratulated by team mates after he makes a leaping catch for the final out in the 9th inning as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 in the MLB game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Thursday, March 28, 2019. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Photo: Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) The game had a little of everything that represented what made the Brewers great the preceding year, when they reached the seventh game of the NLCS. Reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich hit a big homer, a pitcher (Jhoulys Chacin) homered and center fielder Lorenzo Cain made two great catches, including a game-saving snare that took away a tying home run and ended the game. Josh Hader got the save after striking out the side on 11 pitches in the eighth and working through the ninth. 2. Milwaukee 4, Chicago 3 (2008) Milwaukee Brewer pitcher Ben Sheets throws against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field as rain threatens Opening Day against the Chicago Cubs Monday, March 31, 2008. (Photo: BENNY SIEU, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) An unforgettable opener to a season that finished in the playoffs for the first time in 26 years, although it was an arduous experience for Brewers fans. Milwaukee broke through a scoreless game with three runs in the ninth, picking up a Ryan Braun RBI single and a two-run double from Corey Hart, but Eric Gagne allowed each of the first three batters he saw in the ninth to reach -- with Kosuke Fukudome homering to tie the game. Gagne rebounded to get the three outs he needed, Tony Gwynn delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 10th, and David Riske worked a 1-2-3 bottom half at Wrigley Field to save the Brewers from a disastrous loss. Milwaukee, of course, needed all 90 of its wins to claim the wild card that year on a dramatic final day of baseball. 1. Milwaukee 9, Boston 5 (1980) Sixto Lezcano raises his arms in triumph after hitting his game-winning grand slam on opening day in 1980. (Photo: William Meyer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Sixto Lezcano! Boston scored twice in the top of the ninth on home runs by Carl Yastrzemski and Butch Hobson to tie the game against Jim Slaton, but the Brewers went to work with two outs in the bottom half. With two outs, Ben Ogilvie was intentionally walked, and Gorman Thomas drew an old-fashioned walk to load the bases for Sixto, whose grand slam down the right field line sent the Milwaukee fans home with a thrill. JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.	https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2019/03/29/ranking-11-best-season-opneers-brewers-history/3310301002/
What now for Brexit after May's deal is rejected for third time?	Not yet, remarkably. Downing Street was clear after the vote that the prime minister was prepared to bring her deal back to parliament next week. But in a new context. May will allow the indicative votes process to continue on Monday, which will aim to focus on the most popular options, and this time could produce something that commands majority support the realistic contenders are a customs union and, or possibly combined with, a second referendum. The initial indication was that two options might then be put to parliament later next week: Mays deal and a customs union/second referendum variant, or whatever emerges from MPs on Monday. It would amount to a final runoff, a last-ditch attempt to scare or bring rightwing Tory holdouts onboard. The Commons arithmetic is still formidable. There are three groups who remain opposed to her deal, despite Boris Johnson and others backing it. There are 28 hard-Brexit MPs who have dubbed themselves the Spartans and who voted against May on Friday but there are also 10 DUP MPs and a further six Conservative MPs who support a second referendum. If she somehow got all of them onside May would have 323 MPs a bare majority, when 320 are needed to win. But they are groups with disparate interests and it would take only a handful of holdouts to kill off Mays chances. The alternative would be for more opposition MPs to switch sides, but only five Labour MPs and two former Labour MPs have done so (plus a former LibDem). But May has failed to offer would-be defectors anything credible so far. The rejection of the deal means that as it stands the UK will crash out of the European Union without a deal on 12 April unless something emerges. Downing Street insiders were saying after the vote that while there had been a lot of talk of crunch weeks before, next week really was decision time. That suggests that any fourth meaningful vote next week would be the last. As May herself admitted: We are reaching the limits of this process. Probably not, because if parliament has made one thing clear, it is that it is not prepared to leave the EU without a deal. And MPs are prepared to seize control of the Commons agenda to ensure that doesnt happen. So if May cant get a her deal through next week, the UK will have to seek a long extension from the European Union, of nine or 12 months, at the emergency Brexit summit on 10 April. The EU is likely to allow this, and will set conditions. There are EU elections due in May in which the UK would have to take part. Also, the UK would have to indicate that something would change significantly to justify the EU allowing a long extension. Very possibly. A lot can happen in British politics in a year. May might resign if she gets a long extension, allowing for a new prime minister to emerge who may in turn want to call an election. But while Jeremy Corbyn, in his remarks immediately after the vote result, said Labour wanted an election, the opposition might not want to fight against a new leader. Meanwhile, the Conservatives are very, very unlikely to allow May to fight an election as their leader. That could point instead to a second referendum, although that was voted down last week by 295 to 268 votes. But if it were to pass on Monday, it could be a viable, last-resort option. If it didnt, the Brexit standoff would become more acute.	https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/29/what-now-for-brexit-after-theresa-may-deal-turned-down-for-third-time
Could Prize-Based Competitions Help Pacific Northwest Shellfish Cope With Acidic Seawater?	ASSOCIATED PRESS As human activities continue to add greenhouse gases to the planet's atmosphere, the oceans absorb nearly one-third of all CO 2 emissions. Through a series of chemical reactions, increasing CO 2 levels in the ocean have caused seawater to become 30% more acidic over the past century. This process, termed "ocean acidification", can disrupt animals' abilities to smell, regulate their metabolism, and build their shells. The Pacific Northwest region of the United States, where many economically and culturally valuable fisheries and shellfish farms exist, is especially vulnerable to ocean acidification. The shoreline that stretches from northern California to Alaska is the final destination for globally circulating seawater that accumulates nearly 1,000 years worth of CO 2 from the respiration and decomposition of flora and fauna. Seasonal "upwelling" of these millennium-aged deep sea waters and additional CO 2 from human activities makes them particularly acidic. Thus, understanding how these acidic waters affect the $220 million Dungeness crab fishery and the $9.4 billion mussel, clam and oyster farming industries in Washington (among many other potentially susceptible operations) is becoming increasingly urgent. Earlier this week, four United States Congressmembers from Washington, Oregon and Alaska reintroduced a bill called the "Ocean Acidification Innovation Act". Just like its predecessor from 2017, this bill would allow federal agencies to run prize-based competitions that would increase capacity for studying ocean acidification and mitigating its impacts. Our coastal communities depend on a healthy shellfish and fishing industry, says one of the bill's co-sponsors Rep. Herrera Beutler (WA-3), Ocean acidification threatens those jobs and the health of the oceans ecosystem, which is why were offering this bipartisan bill that will help us better understand the problem and find solutions. ASSOCIATED PRESS This bill was developed in partnership with the XPRIZE Foundation, which uses multi-million dollar incentivized competitions to foster innovative solutions for global problems. These include improving literacy initiative, human-artificial intelligence collaborations, the conversion of carbon emissions into usable products, and developing technologies for exploring the deep sea. The Ocean Acidification Innovation Acts prize competition will encourage collaboration and spur innovative strategies to mitigate and adapt to ocean acidification, " says Rep. Bonamici (OR-1), another co-sponsor of this bill, "This will help the communities, environments, and industries that rely on healthy oceans and are facing the harsh realities of rising carbon emissions.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/priyashukla/2019/03/29/could-prize-based-competitions-help-pacific-northwest-shellfish-cope-with-acidic-seawater/
Could tossing video footage from sex spa case clear Robert Kraft?	CLOSE USA TODAY Sports Lorenzo Reyes says that based on precedent, the NFL could come down hard on Robert Kraft. USA TODAY Robert Kraft's game plan for getting solicitation charges against him dismissed was revealed in a court filing this week: suppress the video footage that Kraft's lawyers claim was illegally secured. If the court agrees the warrant was obtained illegally or that police misled the judge the New England Patriots owner could be spared. USA TODAY Sports obtained the sneak-and-peek search warrant application a judge approved to surveil the Jupiter, Florida, massage parlor that Kraft visited. The application listed evidence of prostitution as the primary need to place cameras inside the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. The detective did note conditions inside the spa were "consistent with individuals living inside" something Kraft's legal team wrote in a filing "seemed to suggest" human trafficking was taking place in order to bolster the chance such a warrant would be approved. "Those facts were false, and any suggestion of human trafficking being suspected was unfounded and irresponsible," Jack Goldberger, Krafts Florida-based attorney, wrote in Thursday's filing. Goldbergers eight-page motion to suppress two vital pieces of evidence the video footage and the car stop during which Kraft initially was identified by police provided a look into Krafts defense strategy. Kraft pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor solicitation charges and asked for a jury trial. He also issued an apology Saturday that read in part: I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard. The sneak-and-peek warrant, officially known as a delayed notice warrant, was approved by Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Howard Coates on Jan. 15 and spanned five days from the installation of the recording equipment. According to the charging documents, Kraft visited the spa twice during that span and footage captured two women on Jan. 19 and one woman on Jan. 20 performing sexual acts on Kraft. The second visit came hours before the kickoff of the AFC Championship game between the Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. NEWSLETTERS Get the Sports newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Sports news, no matter the season. Stop by for the scores, stay for the stories. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-872-0001. Delivery: Daily Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Sports Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Coates approved video surveillance and recording, but not audio. He also mandated there will be no cameras installed in areas expected to be non-criminal in nature. SEX VIDEOS:Defense team files motion to keep sex spa videos private BELL: Kraft 'awkward' presence at NFL owners' meetings Thursdays filing by Kraft's legal team again chipped away at the human trafficking narrative law enforcement officials and prosecutors vociferously conveyed when the first of more than 300 people including Kraft were charged. Martin County Sheriff Will Snyder told USA TODAY Sports this week that the spas had all trappings of human trafficking, even though no such charges have been brought in either Martin or neighboring Palm Beach County, where Jupiter is located. And the mention in the Jupiter affidavit for the search warrant of human trafficking was related to information received from Detectives with the Martin County Sheriffs Office. Messages left Friday with the Palm Beach County State Attorney's office by USA TODAY Sports were not returned. The affidavit for the search warrant for the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter included information that was provided to police by Florida Department of Health specialist Karen Herzog. Herzog inspected several of the spas implicated and visited the Orchids of Asia Day Spa at the request of Jupiter police. Herzog advised it appeared as though the female employees were living there as there were two rooms with beds, including sheets and pillows, a Jupiter police detective wrote in the application for the search warrant. Next to the beds she located dressers which housed several personal items including medicines and clothing for the females. Inside the kitchen of the business, Herzog located a refrigerator filled with food and condiments, consistent with individuals living inside. Goldberger argued the warrant that allowed police to surreptitiously place video cameras inside the massage parlor violated the Fourth Amendment and Floridas privacy laws. Robert Kraft attends the AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium. (Photo: Mark Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports) 'This isn't some top-secret NSA stuff' The Patriots owner, however, could run up against one issue when it comes to sneak-and-peek warrants: the Patriot Act. Theres a huge difference between a search warrant and these delayed-notice searches, Paul Petruzzi, an attorney who represents one of the Orchids of Asia Day Spa workers charged, told USA TODAY Sports. This isnt some top-secret NSA stuff going on here. The Patriot Act was supposed to be about stopping terrorism, not rub and tugs. Even if this was a prostitution case, such warrants still are allowed under the Patriot Act that became federal law after 9/11, Pertuzzi said. Law enforcement, however, needs to show such an invasive tactic is necessary, meaning other techniques failed to expose a criminal enterprise. At the time officers secured this warrant, they already had ample evidence that solicitation might be occurring at the spa and an array of routine, reliable means for collecting more, Goldberger wrote in the filing. By no stretch of the imagination did law enforcement need to resort to secret, indiscriminate, continuous videotaping of private massage parlors in order to build a solicitation case around low-level, consensual sex acts. Even if the judge overseeing Krafts case agrees errors were made in obtaining or carrying out the warrant that allowed police to surreptitiously place video cameras inside the massage parlor, that doesnt necessarily mean Krafts two charges will be tossed or a jury won't convict if it gets to that stage. Detectives could testify in court as to what they observed, said former U.S. Attorney David S. Weinstein The case could still go forward against Kraft and the others. However, by filing this motion and litigating the issues, it might result in the state attorney softening the terms of the pretrial diversion offer and removing the admission of guilt. Kraft rejected the first pretrial diversion program offer by prosecutors earlier this month.The deal would have spared Kraft jail time, but he would have had to admit guilt something that is atypical in diversion cases. A hearing in the case is scheduled for April 9. Defense: Video surveillance not necessary Richard Kibbey, whose firm is defending 24 clients between Martin and Palm Beach counties linked to the alleged prostitution ring, told USA TODAY Sports that its exactly that kind of policing that could have been done without the use of recording people including those who actually got massages with no sexual contact in the parlors. In Martin County, they stopped customers leaving the spa and asked them what went on in the massage parlor and if any sex acts occurred, Kibbey said. They confirmed they paid extra for (the sex acts) to happen. There was no mention of people who may have told police no sex acts happened. They are not giving the court a full picture of what happened. The Jupiter police warrant affidavit listed four unidentified men who told detectives they had sex acts performed on them at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa. The affidavit also stated a presumptive test of the napkins recovered for the presence of seminal fluid after a search of the spas garbage. Pertuzzi said that should have been enough to conclude a prostitution operation was in progress at the spa, negating the need for video surveillance. He also said police installed a GPS tracker on his clients car with the courts approval. They didnt fail in other techniques they tried, Pertuzzi said. They didnt fail to obtain evidence from the trash they pulled. They stopped people on the side of the road and got evidence. They got everything they needed. Follow A.J. Perez on Twitter @byajperez	https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/03/29/robert-kraft-sex-spa-case-video-patriot-act/3308145002/
Is the Future Of Artificial Intelligence Tied To The Future Of Blockchain?	Deposit Photos Since the beginning of modern times, each industrial revolution was driven by different automation. While factory machines and fossil fuels drove the previous industrial revolutions, the on-going automation revolution is based on data-driven artificial intelligence (AI). Understanding its impact and what will be required to support the AI-driven automation revolution is a fundamental necessity. So, as we evaluate the impact and the support needed to harness this automation revolution, it seems that at the center of this revolution is the growing need for computing power. There are indicators that raw computing power is on its way to replacing fossil fuels and will be the most valued fuel in the rapidly emerging intelligence age. From where we are to where we want to reach in our intelligence automation journey, further advances in artificial intelligence require enormous amounts of computational power. Just as computing power is essential to AI, so too is the data that is fed and how the results are used. This is mainly because, ultimately, the input of AI is the data through which complex algorithms provide connections, patterns, and useful insight that provide valuable output for individuals and entities across nations: its government, industries, organizations, and academia (NGIOA). As seen across nations, many initiatives of blockchain currently provide computing power for the needs of AI. In addition to providing computing power, blockchain technologies also hold the promise of adding structure and accountability to AI algorithms and may help in much-needed areas like security, quality, and integrity of the intelligence AI produces. Now since big data fuels, artificial intelligence and blockchain generates big data, individually and collectively the future of AI is tied to the future of blockchain. Acknowledging this emerging paradigm, Risk Group initiated a much-needed discussion on the future of blockchain with Prof. Irving Wladawsky-Berger, a Research Affiliate at MIT Sloan School of Management, Fellow of the Initiative on the Digital Economy and of the MIT Connection Science initiative, and a Guest Columnist at WSJ CIO Journal on Risk Roundup. Disclosure: Risk Group LLC is my company Risk Group discusses The Future of Blockchain with Prof. Irving Wladawsky-Berger, a Research Affiliate at MIT Sloan School of Management, Fellow of the Initiative on the Digital Economy and of the MIT Connection Science initiative, a Guest Columnist at WSJ CIO Journal, and Chairman of the Advisory Board at r4 Technologies based in the United States. Blockchain There is no doubt that blockchain is a disruptive technology and will give nations and all its components the foundation to the decentralized future. While blockchain is a disruptive technology, the way it is being used and applied has enormous energy and environmental impacts. The reason behind this is the process that is at the core of blockchain systems. The security of blockchain technology comes from its encryption, and the consensus mechanism of blockchain necessitates that all users require permission to write on the chain. Each of these requirements individually and collectively involves the intricate use of algorithms and enormous amounts of computing power. As the computing power needed to keep the current applications of blockchain running is not sustainable, it is one of the critical challenges facing the future of blockchain. Need for Increased Computing Power It is not only blockchain and artificial intelligence, but all existing and emerging technologies, that are accelerating global computing power consumption. As a result, there is a visible need for increased computing power. Now, as technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning blockchain, and the internet of things begin to require significant computing power, there is a need to not only process computation more efficiently but also to evolve both hardware and software to meet the demand for increased computing power. That brings us to an important point: there is a clear need to move away from traditional blockchain chips to low energy, scalable, and sustainable chips. Centralized Processing Infrastructure It seems that the current approach to centralized processing infrastructure (e.g., data centers) is not enough to meet the rapidly growing compiling, rendering, and predictive analytics needs of artificial intelligence in a cost-effective and energy-efficient manner. It is believed that evolution in hardware has become a necessity. Neuromorphic Computing Chips Neuromorphic computing may solve this ongoing problem of computing power by doing all the processing and functioning in the chips themselves rather than sending messages back and forth with a more massive server/cloud and by being event-driven and only operating when needed, thereby imitating the brain. As a result, the rise of neuromorphic chips and computing will likely bring much-needed energy efficiency and increases in computing power. Neuromorphic computing chips will likely be the future of not only artificial intelligence but also of the blockchain, as they give us an ability to develop low energy consuming cryptocurrency as well as distributed systems. As seen over the years, there have been formidable advances in computing and software. However, the developments have so far only been dedicated to software, and not on hardware. Neuromorphic computing and chips bring the much-needed evolution in computer hardware, allowing us not only to enhance machine intelligence for the complex problems that need to be solved for the future of humanity but also to give us a scalable and sustainable model for the future of blockchain and decentralized systems. With this evolving computing power, the future of blockchain and artificial intelligence seems to be tied together and perhaps secured and sustainable. Evolving Computational Capacity The demand for AI computation is multiplying rapidly with costs increasing proportionally as well. From the current alternative of centralized processing farms to a future filled with the democratization of neuromorphic computing chips, we are witnessing a disruptive effort towards not only reducing the cost of computing through neuromorphic computing chips but also changing the very fundamentals of machine learning and distributed systems. New power for blockchain and AI is emerging from neuromorphic computing chips. This emerging approach will not only be efficient at collecting and distributing computing power for the needs of artificial intelligence but will also allow scalability and sustainability of blockchain itself. Neuromorphic computing and chips (hardware) are the keys to the scalability, security, and sustainability of blockchainand the very future of artificial intelligence. Decentralized intelligence will influence and impact each one of us. As we see, the questions for tomorrow are being solved today, and nothing can distract from the stellar progress coming from the potential of neuromorphic computing chips to boost the scalability, sustainability, and security of blockchain and AI. The time is now to think about the future of humanity. NEVER MISS ANY OF JAYSHREES POST Just join here for a weekly update from Jayshree	https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2019/03/29/is-the-future-of-artificial-intelligence-tied-to-the-future-of-blockchain/
Can BUKU Stay True To Its Urban Roots?	aLive Coverage The BUKU Music + Arts Project reflects the raw, chaotic splendor of its New Orleans surroundings with an industrial riverfront venue, impromptu performances by street musicians and graffiti by local artists. Its a unique vibe that brings a bigger crowd of youthful music fans to the Big Easy each year. BUKUs daily attendance reached 20,000 in 2019, maxing out the capacity of Mardi Gras World on March 22-23. Now that this years festival is in the books, its owners and organizers are pondering the best way to manage BUKUs growth without compromising its beloved underground aesthetic. Sure, says BUKU co-founder Dante DiPasquale. But this weekend was so special and, honestly, whats on our minds now is perfecting it. New Orleans is home to many festivals and entities that preserve its rich musical heritage. When BUKU launched in 2012, it filled a niche for the hip-hop and dance music that has defined the city for younger generations. BUKU 2019 featured performances by some of the worlds best-known rappers, including A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Kevin Gates and Gunna. Louis the Child, Excision, RL Grime and Skrillexs Dog Blood side-project were among the most famous EDM acts this year. Women are severely underrepresented at the highest levels of EDM and hip-hop, and this certainly has been visible in BUKU's lineups over the years. But the festival has made a point of booking and celebrating female artists its Bukweens like 2019 headliners Ella Mai and Lana Del Rey. aLive Coverage. Some of Del Reys die-hard fans traveled thousands of miles to catch the only U.S. performance the pop star has announced for the year thus far. "[Del Rey] is a special artist, and the hip-hop elements in her latest albums thread a needle between our core demographics, DiPasquale says. It has been awesome to see her occasionally play some weird and different festivals. Ive been trying for years to get her on the lineup, and this was the year." In 2015, AEG Presents acquired DiPasquales company, Winter Circle Productions, and added BUKU to its portfolio of live events. The Los Angeles-based entertainment giant also owns the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and the Hangout Music Festival in nearby Gulf Shores, Alabama. Hangout Fest takes place in May, is much larger than BUKU and typically brings in more mainstream artists. But the two festivals sometimes find themselves in pursuit of the same talent, DiPasquale says. We talk often and try to handle those situations strategically, he says. The fact that we all share the same partner [in AEG] means that communication lines are always open. Andrew Klein, a managing director for the Global Partnerships division of AEG, doesnt see potential for serious conflict between BUKU and Hangout Fest. There are enough fans, bands and brands for both, Klein says. Klein oversees corporate partnerships for BUKU and many other AEG-backed festivals and tours. This year, most of BUKUs sponsors were in the beverage and fashion industries. With each sellout of the festival, the demand for more partnerships will continue to grow, Klein says. Klein says AEG is interested in partnering with a major tech company to create an immersive art installation at BUKU, like the ones that HP has brought to Coachella in recent years. It also might try to secure a deal with a dockless scooter company, such as Bird or Lime. Of course, another way AEG could get more money out of BUKU is to make room for more fans. Klein says the company hasnt ruled out moving the festival to a new venue to accommodate further expansion, but isn't set on that option. BUKU has found its groove, and is killing it, Klein says. It doesn't have to be gigantic to be awesome.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshmandell/2019/03/29/can-buku-stay-true-to-its-urban-roots/
Will Accenture's Q2 Momentum Continue In The Second Half?	BLOOMBERG NEWS Accenture reported its Q2 results on Thursday, March 28. The company beat consensus and Trefis expectations across revenue and EPS. Furthermore, the momentum in the business appears to have given management the confidence to revise its annual revenue guidance upwards. We currently have a price estimate of $170 per share for Accenture, which is about in line with the current market price. Our interactive dashboard on Accentures Price Estimate outlines our forecasts and estimates for the company. You can modify any of the key drivers to visualize the impact of changes, and see all Trefis technology company data here. Trefis Some Q2 highlights are detailed below: Communications, Media & Technology revenues grew to $2.15 billion (+8% y-o-y). Financial Services revenues declined to $2.05 billion (-2% y-o-y). The companys management maintains that financial services is likely to see further investment in the second half of the year. Health & Public Service revenues grew to $1.71 billion (+1% y-o-y). Management noted that the government shutdown led to a 2% impact for the segment. Going forward, a pickup in Accentures federal business in the second half of the year should make the impact of the shutdown immaterial. Products revenues grew to $2.91 billion (+10% y-o-y). Resources revenues grew to $1.64 billion (+17% y-o-y). In terms of the actual segments, Consulting revenues grew to $5.79 billion (+6% y-o-y). Segment new bookings were $6.7 billion. Outsourcing revenues grew to $4.67 billion (+5% y-o-y), and segment new bookings were $5.1 billion. Total revenue grew to $10.45 billion (+5% y-o-y), which was ahead of the $10.1-10.4 billion range guided by the company for Q2. In addition to raising the annual revenue growth guidance to 6.5% to 8.5% (from the earlier 6% to 8%), management also upped its annual EPS expectation to $7.18 to $7.32 (from the earlier $7.01 to $7.25). The erstwhile CFO, David Rowland, has taken over the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer. KC McClure, previously head of finance operations, has been promoted to the post of CFO. A notable observation in managements commentary was the companys focus on custom applications. This is a marked change from the processes-oriented approach that has been traditionally undertaken by the service industry to enhance its operating leverage. Accenture appears to have reached a stage wherein its core offerings can now be sliced and diced and tailored to specific customer needs.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/29/will-accentures-q2-momentum-continue-in-the-second-half/
Can Wells Fargo fix itself with an outsider CEO?	Wells Fargo turned heads this week when it abruptly announced the retirement of CEO Tim Sloan in the face of ongoing scrutiny of the fourth-largest banks many problems. The banks board on Thursday also said it will look outside the company for its next chief executive after Sloan, an insider, struggled for more than two years to move Wells past a series of high-profile scandals. But its not clear whether naming an outsider as CEO will be enough to quiet the banks biggest critics or improve its standing with regulators, who have expressed dissatisfaction with Wells since a 2016 scandal over unauthorized customer accounts. No sooner had the bank announced Sloans departure than consumer advocacy groups and U.S. lawmakers pounced, saying more measures must be taken to fix the San Francisco-based bank. In the Charlotte region, Wells employs about 25,700, making the area its biggest employment hub. FLASH SALE! Unlimited digital access for $3.99 per month Don't miss this great deal. Offer ends on March 31st! Wells Fargos mismanagement is about more than one CEO, Sherrod Brown, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, tweeted on Thursday. This bank needs a complete culture shift. Tim Sloan needed to go, and he should not take a huge payout with him. But Wells Fargos mismanagement is about more than one CEO this bank needs a complete culture shift. https://t.co/7uuowJWKef Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) March 28, 2019 U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., said in a press release that mismanagement at Wells runs deeper than Mr. Sloan. The bank has a lot of work to do to fix its problems, and Congress and our bank watchdogs need to continue pressing for change. Wells Fargo declined to comment on the criticism, referring a reporter to a news release the bank issued Thursday. In the release, Wells Fargo Chair Betsy Duke said the board concluded that hiring an outsider is the most effective way to complete the transformation at Wells Fargo. And Sloan on Thursday said that the focus on him had become a distraction that was impacting the ability to successfully move Wells Fargo forward. Bart Naylor, financial policy advocate for Washington, D.C.,-based consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, said he still has concerns about the banks size in the wake of its scandals. Sloans departure doesnt end the fact that Wells Fargo is too big to manage, too big to fail, he said. Calls for board changes Wells has been under intense scrutiny since the 2016 revelations that employees opened millions of bank and credit card accounts without customer permission in order to meet high-pressure sales goals. For its part, the Committee for Better Banks, a New York-based group pushing to unionize Wells Fargo employees, said more must be done to turn Wells Fargo around and eliminate sales pressure that persists after the 2016 scandal. The departure of one man wont fix the banks broken and morally bankrupt culture, the group said in a statement. Wells Fargo employees still attest to the same toxic mix of high-pressure metrics and an atmosphere of fear and intimidation that fueled the fraudulent account scandal. Since the 2016 scandal, it has disclosed problems in other areas of the company, including foreign exchange, wealth management, auto lending and add-on products such as identity theft protection. Last year, the Federal Reserve, responding to recent and widespread consumer abuses at Wells, imposed a cap on its growth. That restriction remains in place, a concern for investors. When a bank has problems as serious and long-running as Wells Fargos, it must take three steps, said Ken Thomas, a Miami-based banking consultant. The first is to change senior management, which the bank is effectively doing by replacing Sloan, he said. But Wells also still needs to replace board members who have been in place since before the 2016 scandal was revealed, Thomas said. Those members failed to provide adequate oversight of the bank during the years of the scandal, he said. The bank has shaken up some of its board membership since the accounts scandal broke. Of the boards 12 directors, though, five have served since before the 2016 scandal erupted. The third step, reserved for the most serious situations, is to change the banks name and rebrand itself so that the public realizes its a totally new bank, Thomas said. Wells Fargo also needs to take that step, he said. So, being generous to the bank, they are about two-thirds of the way there, he said. Not an easy task Sloan is the second CEO to depart Wells Fargo in the past two and a half years. Sloans predecessor, John Stumpf, retired a month after the 2016 scandal was revealed. The bank elevated Sloan, then president and chief operating officer, to replace Stumpf, who presided over the bank during the years the accounts scandal went on. Almost immediately after his appointment, Sloan, 58, faced questions about whether someone with a decades-long career at Wells Fargo was the right person to fix its problems. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat and presidential candidate, has been among the critics who repeatedly called for Sloans resignation. Wells Fargo has not given a timeline for hiring Sloans permanent replacement. In the interim, Allen Parker, who most recently served as the banks general counsel, will fill the role during the search. The bank said it was immediately starting the search process. Its not unheard of for a troubled company to hire a CEO from outside the firm. In 2012, for example, Yahoo announced Google executive Marissa Mayer as its new chief executive of the beleaguered company. Bank of America, on the other hand, hired insider Brian Moynihan to take over the Charlotte-based company after Ken Lewis announced plans in 2009 to step down as he came under fire for Bank of Americas Merrill Lynch purchase. Even a CEO with Washington, D.C., experience wont immediately fix Wells Fargos troubles with lawmakers, Jaret Seiberg, a Washington bank analyst with Cowen and Company, wrote in a report on Friday. The challenge for Wells next CEO will be to change the perception from being a bank that has to be forced to take the right move to a bank that gets ahead of the pressure by taking the right step before Washington demands it, Seiberg wrote. That is not an easy task, which is why the challenge for the new CEO is so great. Retirement payouts Stumpf received no severance as he retired, and he agreed to forfeit all of his unvested stock awards, worth about $41 million, the bank has said. After Stumpf left the bank, it clawed back an additional approximately $28 million in stock from him. Wells Fargo has not announced any similar action against Sloan, who received $18.4 million in total compensation for his work last year, an increase of more than 5 percent from the year before. Sloans payouts for retiring from the company include more than $16.6 million in restricted stock rights and more than $35.3 million in performance shares, according to the banks proxy that was filed this month. Sloan also has an accumulated pension of about $1.3 million. His retirement payouts also include more than $13 million in deferred compensation, which includes 401(k) funds. All told, Sloan is scheduled to get more than $66 million from the various retirement payouts. Hard to do Many also are wondering what experience Wells Fargo will seek in its next CEO and who could possibly be interested in the tough job of fixing a major bank. Speaking to industry analysts during a conference call on Thursday, Duke, the board chair, said the board will likely hire someone whose qualifications match with the business of Wells Fargo, where we are in our transformation and just the leadership needs that we have. Charles Elson, director of the Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, said the bank will need someone who can calm the waters, change the culture and yet provide dynamic growth. Thats going to be hard to do. Bank analyst Nancy Bush told the Observer she was unsure whether Sloans departure will be enough to take pressure off the bank. I think the lessening of pressure will depend upon the identity of the new CEO, she said. They will have a select someone with a strong operational background and massive credibility.	https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/banking/article228577839.html
Should Zion Williamson be paid for the all the attention CBS is paying him?	Spanky brings up an excellent point: the optics. If an NCAA broadcasting partner dedicated resources to the coverage of one athlete, it would appear as if the parties involved would want said athlete to be in competition for as long as possible. Obviously the dramatic ending to the matchup between Duke and Central Florida completely undermines this conspiracy theory. Nevertheless, if Duke goes on to win the remainder of the games by comfortable margins, it would look funky. Again, not saying something fishy is at play but fans are quick to point out conflicts of interest. Its the reason why some believe the NBA stretches out playoff series to cash in on more advertising, or that the Rams made it to the Super Bowl because Los Angeles is a bigger market. As a radio host, I can say such theories are excellent fodder for slow content days. I can also tell you that people believe this stuff. So yeah, if CBS has a Zion cam, there is incentive to want him to stick around. Even though such nefarious antics are ridiculous, its the optics.	https://www.latimes.com/sports/more/la-sp-zion-williamson-ncaa-20190329-story.html
What does Jordan Bells recent suspension mean for his Warriors future?	MINNEAPOLIS This July could be a franchise-altering month for the Warriors, and one of the more intriguing decisions they must make is what to do with center Jordan Bell. Bell has shown flashes of his immense potential, but concerns about his consistency on the court and off have made it tough for him to carve out a regular rotation spot. Two days after Bell was suspended for Golden States win over Memphis for charging a candle to assistant coach Mike Browns hotel bill without Browns permission, guard Stephen Curry voiced support Friday that Bell can turn things around and have a long NBA career. Hes shown bright spots, Curry said. Its obviously tough with the night-to-night of when hes going to play, and if hell play or how much youre going to play. That challenge is tough. Different kind of situation. I went through it my rookie year, it being the year I didnt know what to expect on a night-to-night basis. You put the work in and come in with the right intentions and right mindset every day. Toward the end of his second NBA season, Bell still is inconsistent, following up dazzling sequences with puzzling ones. His averages of 3.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 11.4 minutes per game are down in each category. Bells recent suspension only amplified concerns about his maturity. With little more than three months until free agency, he is running out of time to show the Warriors that he warrants a $1.8 million qualifying offer. If Golden State opts not to extend one, Bell would head to unrestricted free agency, potentially starting fresh elsewhere. Damian Jones is the only Warriors center currently under contract for next season. Because it figures to be capped out, Golden State will probably have to replace DeMarcus Cousins, who signed last July with the expectation that hed be a one-year rental, on the cheap. Im not really that concerned about being in a contract year, Bell told NBC Sports Bay Area. We have a championship to win. Thats where my focus is now. I havent had to deal with contract stuff yet, so Im going to try to enjoy that as much as possible until that time comes. I dont think this off-the-court incident should affect on the court, as far as my play. I think Ive been figuring things out. People have been helping me get through this hump. Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @Con_Chron	https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/What-does-Jordan-Bell-s-recent-suspension-mean-13727050.php
Who could succeed Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika?	Image copyright AFP Image caption Protesters took to the streets after Algeria's president said he intended to run for a fifth term After weeks of protests against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the Algerian army's chief of staff has called for the presidency to be declared vacant. BBC Monitoring profiles the country's main centres of power and possible successors to Mr Bouteflika. The Military Image copyright AFP Image caption A rare photo of Gen Toufik from when his dismissal as the spy chief was announced in 2015 Algeria's military has always had a pivotal role in politics, which was strengthened during the 1990s - the "Black Decade". This is when the army annulled elections and fought a fierce civil war with Islamists. However, President Bouteflika has managed to push some of the generals aside. In 2015, he sidelined the once powerful head of intelligence, Mohamed Mediene (known by his alias General Toufik). He was the last of the "Janviristes", who steered Algerian politics for over 20 years after cancelling the January 1991 polls. However, pro-government media and politicians hailed the move as a step towards democracy and demilitarisation of the state. Ahmed Gaid Salah Image copyright EPA Image caption Gen Gaid Salah called for the president to be declared unfit to be president Lt Gen Ahmed Gaid Salah called for Mr Bouteflika to be declared unfit to rule on 26 March, adding to commentators' suspicions that he has presidential ambitions. A French parliamentary report published in January 2017 said Lt Gen Gaid Salah "sees himself as a likely successor". This is despite regular affirmations that he would not betray his "liberation war brother-in-arms". The army chief of staff has managed to weather shifting fortunes and has often helped Mr Bouteflika undermine the position of other generals. He was rewarded for his loyalty with the title of "deputy defence minister" ahead of Mr Bouteflika's last re-election. The president remains the country's official minister of defence. He has repeatedly taken credit for successful counter-terrorism efforts and his ministry's budget has climbed steeply in the last few years, despite a budgetary clampdown due to low oil prices. He also obtained legislation passed to prevent ousted generals from speaking out against him. However, some Algerian media outlets suggest there are tensions between Lt Gen Gaid Salah and the presidential clan. Presidential clan The president's trust is notoriously hard to earn. He is mostly surrounded by family members and childhood acquaintances. A notable member of this close-knit circle is Chakib Khelil, who grew up with Mr Bouteflika in their native Oujda in Morocco. He went on to become Mr Bouteflika's minister of energy, president of state oil giant Sonatrach and chairman of Opec. After six years on the run over corruption scandals, Mr Khelil made a flamboyant comeback to Algeria in 2016, touring the highly-regarded Soufi lodges and drawing ample coverage from the press. Many reports speculate that he lobbied for his presidential bid during his exile in the US, where he studied. He denies being a US passport holder, which could disqualify him from running in presidential polls. Said Bouteflika Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Some believe that Mr Bouteflika's brother makes decisions for the president The leadership intentions of the president's younger brother have long been the subject of speculation, and many Algerians believe he is already the de facto ruler of the country. The former physics lecturer and trade unionist joined his brother at the presidency as a special adviser as soon as he assumed office in April 1999. When Abdelaziz Bouteflika suffered a stroke in 2013, his brother Said travelled with him to France and oversaw his treatment. He is often described as being the president's gatekeeper, leading the presidential clan and protecting its interests from behind the scenes. The collapse of potential rivals, including his once-untouchable protg Amar Saadani, suggested he will want a bigger role than just being one of a number of kingmakers. However, the protest movement in Algeria may have moderated his ambitions. Public servants Image copyright AFP Image caption Mouloud Hamrouche is one former prime minister who could be called up to lead In the 1990s, after nearly a decade of a bloody civil conflict, Algeria's generals chose Mr Bouteflika as a consensus veteran diplomat, seen as an intellectual, to rehabilitate the country without encroaching on their considerable powers. Little did they know that Mr Bouteflika would be able to play them off against each other for four terms, mastering the game of shifting alliances to displace his rivals one by one. Similar candidates today would include Mouloud Hamrouche and Ali Benflis, two former prime ministers who have also previously run for the highest office. One of these two insider reformists could be called upon if the ruling elites come under pressure to modernise the state. Recently dismissed Ahmed Ouyahia was prime minister three times and now leads the ruling coalition's Democratic National Rally (RND). He is reputed to be close to the president, but is seen as an enforcer, not a leader. Amar Saadani, once thought to be the frontrunner to succeed, was forced to resign from his office as the head of the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) party and to run instead for a seat in the upcoming parliamentary elections. His political demise was brought about by the many powerful enemies he made in aggressively critical statements to the press. Both men were among the first to support Lt Gen Gaid Salah in his call for enacting Article 102 of the constitution to declare the presidential post vacant. Lakhdar Brahimi Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Lakhdar Brahimi has been described as one of the world's most brilliant diplomats Lakhdar Brahimi is one of Algeria's most respected veteran diplomats. He held key posts in the foreign ministry, culminating in his two-year term as minister of foreign affairs at the beginning of Algeria's civil war. Mr Brahimi went on to have a successful career at the highest level in the UN General Secretariat. His mission as a joint UN-Arab League envoy to Syria brought him back to the fore in 2012, and his resignation after the failure of the Geneva talks in 2014 earned him respect from Algerian pundits. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described him as "one of the world's most brilliant diplomats". Mr Brahimi has since voiced his opinions on several regional issues. In contrast to his country's longstanding stance, he as called for Algeria to intervene in Libya, for the International Criminal Court to prosecute war crimes committed in Syria, and for Morocco and Algeria to reopen their shared border. In June 2015, the US geopolitical analysis firm Stratfor intimated that he was viewed positively by international partners. Several North African media outlets interpreted this as Western backing for his eventual candidacy. This would normally have sparked a backlash in Algeria's perpetual war of clans, but Mr Brahimi was welcomed back in Algiers's inner circles, meeting Mr Bouteflika several times and receiving an award from the country's state-sponsored human rights body. However, Mr Brahimi's chances of wielding real power might be dented somewhat by his age. He was born in 1934 and is older than the ailing president. Opposition Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Islamist leader Abderrazak Makri tried to get a role for his party in a transitional government Algeria's opposition is fragmented and has failed in its attempts to present a single candidate for the presidential elections, which were cancelled after protests broke out across the country. The historic opposition parties are the secular Socialist Forces Front (FFS) and Rally for Culture and Democracy (RND). They can regularly mobilise voters in the Kabylie region and the capital Algiers and had been calling for a boycott of the presidential election before the protest movement started. They were also the first to denounce Lt Gen Gaid Salah's call for declaring the presidency vacant, saying it amounted to "a coup d'etat" and that it sought to "revive the regime". Other opposition parties were intending to compete in the elections and were meeting over electoral alliances when the protests took them by surprise. Former Prime Minister Ali Benflis, who ran against Mr Bouteflika in 2014, had a more measured response and asked for more guarantees for the transition of power. The Islamist leaders Abdalla Jaballah and Abderrazak Makri made similar comments, with Mr Makri seeking to guarantee a role for his Muslim Brotherhood-linked party in a transitional administration before elections. Ali Benflis Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Ali Benflis lost two elections against Mr Bouteflika Mr Benflis has more in common with insiders who fell out of grace such as Mr Ouyahia and Mr Saadani than with opposition activists. A popular lawyer in his native Batna and a founder of the state-run Algerian League for Human Rights, he climbed the ranks in the bar association and was appointed minister of justice in 1988. The following year, he was on the central committee of the ruling FLN. He resigned as justice minister in the early days of the crisis leading to Algeria's decade-long civil war. As Mr Bouteflika returned in 1999 to end the unrest, Mr Benflis ran his successful presidential bid and became his chief aid. Mr Bouteflika named him as prime minister the following year. He also became secretary-general of the FLN. However, he was dismissed in 2003 as his popularity grew and his presidential ambition became apparent. He then attempted two failed presidential bids, running against Mr Bouteflika in 2004 and 2014. In recent years, he has been received in Western capitals as a potential successor to Mr Bouteflika. He had high hopes for the 2019 election, publishing a biography - Ali Benflis: An Algerian Destiny - in France months prior to the race, which depicted him as "the man to lead a transition". Business interests Image copyright AFP Image caption The authorities stopped Issad Rebrab from building a media empire One of the most remarkable transformations in Algerian society under Mr Bouteflika's rule has been the rise of the business tycoons, a class of oligarchs who came to counterbalance the once-all-powerful generals. Often closely linked to political backers, they amassed wealth, power and media clout. Issad Rebrab, one of the richest men in Algeria, has clearly expressed his political opinions, and opposed Mr Bouteflika's 2014 re-election. In 2016, the authorities stopped him from achieving his dream of building his own media empire when they prevented him from purchasing one of the country's largest media groups, El Khabar. Mr Rebrab already owns the pro-opposition French-language daily Libert. Ali Haddad Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Ali Haddad went from managing his family's small hotel to excelling in winning public contracts Media mogul Ali Haddad has given positive coverage of the army chief's call to declare Mr Bouteflika unfit to be president. He also appears to rub shoulders with those in power. In February 2017, He stood side-by-side with French presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron at a news conference when he visited Algiers. In an interview with Algerian news website TSA in 2017, Mr Haddad did not hide his proximity to the powerful, including Said Bouteflika and other military and civilian officials whom he described as "Algerian patriots". Mr Haddad was identified by the Algerian and French press as being one of the main financiers of Mr Bouteflika's 2014 re-election campaign. Mr Haddad went from managing his family's small hotel in Kabylie to owning a construction empire, a football club, a partnership with a US healthcare provider and several media outlets. But his real speciality is obtaining public contracts, some of which have sparked controversy, like the costly and long-running East-West national highway project. On 27 March, his Le Temps d'Algerie newspaper gave positive coverage to the chief of staff's call to enact Article 102. Hours later, he resigned from his post at Algeria's business forum.	https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-47754155
Has the Mueller Report Changed Anything?	David Remnick sits down with the staff writers Masha Gessen and Susan B. Glasser to tease out the implications of the Mueller report. Any other political figure, of course, would be glad that an investigation like this is over, Glasser notes, and would want to move on as quickly as possible. Not this President, who, as Glasser says, is already planning to weaponize what he sees as his vindication. Plus, Patrick Radden Keefe talks with a Purdue Pharma whistle-blower who saw the marketing of OxyContin up close; and the cartoonist Liana Finck visits with one of her heroes, Roz Chast. The Long Shadow of the Mueller Report After a lengthy and thorough investigation, the special counsels report is finally in. Masha Gessen and Susan B. Glasser weigh in. How OxyContin Was Sold to the Masses A pharmaceutical-sales rep explains how the aggressive marketing of OxyContin destigmatized opioidsand created an epidemic. Roz Chast, Liana Finck, and Birds When she was a teen-ager, Liana Finck sent Roz Chast a fan letter. Now they talk shop as fellow-cartoonists.	https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/has-the-mueller-report-changed-anything
How much financial education is enough?	Julie Heath Region's Economy Julie Heath is the director of the Economics Center at the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services at the University of Cincinnati. She also holds the Alpaugh Family Chair in Economics. (Photo: JP Leong) April is Financial Literacy Month, when those of us who share a passion for economic and financial education shine a light on its importance. Nobel laureate Milton Friedman once remarked that just as a pool player does not need to be an expert in physics to play well, individuals do not need to be financial experts to exhibit effective behavior and can learn through trial and error. Indeed, comparative advantage suggests we operate most efficiently when we leave many specific tasks to those who have expertise in those areas. We go to the doctor, we hire a plumber. We are not experts in everything, and financial decisions could be thought of in the same veinperhaps we do not need large amounts of financial literacy because we can leave the big stuff to the pros or learn on an as-needed basis. But the big stuffsaving for retirement, deciding if and how to buy a house, investing in an educationhappens infrequently, so the learning-by-doing approach is inefficient and incomplete. In Ohio, 64 percent of undergraduates receive their degree with an average student loan debt of almost $30,000. Less than half of Ohio households with incomes between $100,000 and $200,000 participate in the stock market. Nationally, a fourth of employees fail to contribute to the full extent of their employers match in their retirement plans. Add to this list decisions such as whether to pay down a mortgage early, whether a rebate or low-interest rate is better when buying a car, the knee-jerk tendency to hold onto assets even when they have declined in value and to sell assets when they have appreciated. While learning-by-doing can be appropriate in some situations, other important decisions require some financial knowledge, and perhaps more importantly, knowing what you dont know. Unfortunately, research indicates that we overestimate our own financial knowledge and routinely fall victim to various behavioral biases, such as loss aversion (focusing more on avoiding losses than achieving gains). Financial matters come with their own set of deeply emotional triggers, and appropriately responding to these triggers is unlikely with no formal economic and financial education. Given the primacy financial stability has in our lives, trusting that the muddle-through approach will be in our best interests is foolish. We dont go to the doctor for a cold, and we can sometimes do rudimentary home maintenance ourselves. Likewise, we need to be able to handle the financial issues that permeate our everyday lives. NEWSLETTERS Get the Business Report newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Get top business headlines at the start of each day and be alerted of important business news as it happens. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-876-4500. Delivery: Daily Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Business Report Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Teaching financial education to children beginning at the youngest grades makes it more likely that it will become a natural part of their store of knowledge. It also makes it more likely that they will know what they dont know and when to seek expert advice. Enough financial education is that which is begun early, built upon routinely, and which enables individuals to be confident in their decisions. Happy Financial Literacy Month. Julie Heath is the director of the Economics Center at the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services at the University of Cincinnati. She also holds the Alpaugh Family Chair in Economics. Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2019/03/29/how-much-financial-education-enough/3310339002/	https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2019/03/29/how-much-financial-education-enough/3310339002/
Are these 'best neighborhoods' of SF actual neighborhoods?	The 2019 Niche rankings of the 50 best neighborhoods to live in San Francisco are out. Good luck finding some of them even with a map. To be sure, many of the usual suspects are back. There are Telegraph and Russian hills at Nos. 6 and 37 respectively. Perennial stroller set favorite Noe Valley is still going strong at 22. The well-heeled will be reassured that Pacific Heights and Buena Vista Heights made the grade, but perplexed by swanky Sea Cliff's absence. According to Niche the analysis and ranking site for schools, cities and suburbs the fifth best neighborhood in San Francisco is some place called "Showplace Square." Showplace Square is a light industrial space wedged between I-280 and Potrero Avenue at the foot of Potrero Hill. It's really not square-shaped more like a triangle missing one of its corners. "Living in Showplace Square offers residents an urban feel and most residents rent their homes," Niche says. Actually, almost every neighborhood in San Francisco "offers an urban feel," according to Niche, even St. Francis Wood with its staid estates and manicured lawns. "In St. Francis Wood there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops and parks," says Niche. We haven't been to St. Francis Wood lately. Must have changed. Even if you cut Niche some slack for relying too heavily on boilerplate descriptions, it can be difficult to identify some of the neighborhoods included in the top 50. MORE: Bay Area housing market cools, but it's still nuts The more obscure ones are included in the above gallery. As for the No. 1 neighborhood in San Francisco according to Niche, it's the former U.S. military post, the Presidio. Great views, beaches, trees, historic landmarks abound, and there's virtually no crime.	https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/San-Francisco-best-neighborhoods-Niche-real-estate-13727320.php
How do I determine my priorities before I search for a home?	A: Finding the perfect home in the perfect location at just the right price can be difficult and you may have to settle for something less then perfection. Our best advice is to make a list of three to five top priorities and not waste time looking at homes that dont meet your specifications. The first, and most basic, item would be budget once youre pre-approved, youll have a good idea of what you can afford. Second is location and that can mean different things to different people. One can always remodel, or add on, but one thing that can absolutely never be changed is the location of the property. Typically, we find commute and schools among buyers top priorities. Another factor to consider is reviewing your list of wants versus needs. Needs should include things like square footage, number of bedrooms and other qualities of the home that cannot be easily changed. Wants could include those items such as a pool or a view. Once you have your list of top priorities in place, you can use these to set clear parameters with your Realtor, narrow your search and avoid wasting time touring those listings that would come up short. Kathleen Daly, Coldwell Banker, 415-519-6074, [email protected]; Lisa Lange, Colwell Banker, 415-847-7770, [email protected]. A: Home buyers can easily get wrapped up and turned around in questioning what their priorities really are from the esoteric, What am I actually buying? (especially for tenancy in commons and condominiums); the overwhelming, How am I really going to pay for this? to the existential, How can a space really be 0 square feet? But must-haves and deal-breakers really come into focus when we ask our buyers to take a look at their calendars, weekend plans and daily routines. (Read: location/starter home). (Read: kitchen quality). (Read: in-unit laundry and closet space). (Read: budget/room count). By taking a look at the humdrum of daily life, disoriented buyers may well see that the answers were right in front of them all along. Kevin K. Ho, Vanguard Properties, 415-297-7462, [email protected]; Jonathan B. McNarry, Vanguard Properties,415-215-4393, [email protected]. A: An internet search for answers to this question yields the usual suspects like number of bedrooms your family needs or the nature of your work commute. But I believe its best to take a wider view. Begin by finding an agent (ask your friends) wholl be a gentle guide and ally. (Emphasis on gentle and ally.) You want someone who listens to you and focuses on your needs and especially your dreams before recommending specific houses. Its good to have a notion of budget and location, yet do some casual shopping prior to commencing an intensive search. Visit some homes, but take a deep breath before entering each door and attempt to detach from evaluation. Let the feeling of the place wash over you. Discover what qualities please or repel you. Then, with your agents counsel, translate those qualities into tangible parameters. Cynthia Cummins, Kindred SF Homes, 415-713-8008, [email protected].	https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/How-do-I-determine-my-priorities-before-I-search-13727208.php
Why is Turkey fighting the markets?	Financial markets in Turkey have been volatile in the run-up to local elections on Monday. The currency, the lira, dropped 5% in the course of a single day, while the stock market lost 10% of its value in just over a week. The economy is going through a very difficult patch, with a recession accompanied by high inflation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested the West is behind the financial turbulence. It has certainly taken a marked turn for the worse, after a long period of mostly strong growth under President Erdogan. He took office in 2003 (as prime minister in the first instance, then later as president) in the aftermath of a major financial crisis that led to a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. The economy subsequently saw healthy growth, apart from 2009, when there was a global recession. In the 15 years from when he took power, the economy more than doubled in size, at an average annual rate of 5.6%. Now, however, the economy has shrunk in both the third and fourth quarters of last year. That is a recession as the term is most often defined. Economic activity in the final three months of 2018 was 3% lower than a year earlier. Unemployment is also a persistent and worsening problem. By December last year, 4.3 million people wanted a job and didn't have one, giving an unemployment rate of 13.5%. There may well be a recovery of sorts, but it would be quite a surprise if it's as strong as the country's recent performance. For the next four years, the International Monetary Fund is predicting a return to growth. But it's not expecting much more than 2.5%, and less in some years. For an emerging economy where the potential for growth should be relatively good, that's not particularly impressive. Turkey also has a serious inflation problem. Consumer prices in February were very nearly 20% higher than a year earlier. The figure was more than 25% in October. Image copyright Getty Images Central banks generally deal with an inflation problem by raising interest rates, which makes it more expensive for firms and households to borrow, so they spend less, reducing the pressures that tend to push prices up. The Turkish central bank did raise rates very sharply last year, with its main rate ending up at an eye-watering 24%. But Mr Erdogan did not approve. Mr Erdogan's views could hardly be more unorthodox - and that is seen as a problem in the financial markets. He has called repeatedly for lower interest rates and has restated that view in the last few days. He noted that inflation had come down from its highs (which is true). But he said the main problem was the level of interest rates. He said: "Inflation will further decrease with the lowering of interest rates." That is exactly the opposite of the view held in central banks, financial markets and among academic economists. It leaves doubts in the minds of investors about whether the central bank is really independent, although so far, it has not responded to the president's calls for lower rates. Turkey has a related problem of bouts of sharp currency decline, an issue that has resurfaced in the last few week. It aggravates an inflation problem by making imported goods more expensive. Higher interest rates can help stabilise a currency. Such a move means that investors can earn better returns in the country's currency, so they are more inclined to buy it, thus pushing its value up - or least dissipating some of the pressure for the currency to drop. For one thing, he has blamed outsiders: "All these are attempts by the West, particularly America, to corner Turkey." The banking regulator has launched an investigation into the US firm JP Morgan over a report which was seen as undermining the currency. "We should discipline all market speculators," Mr Erdogan was quoted as saying. Image copyright Reuters There was also a surge in the cost of borrowing lira in the financial markets. Some reports said that Turkish banks had been told to withhold lira funds, which could have been used to speculate against the currency. The government has also been operating markets that offer a limited range of foods at lower prices. The food markets may help some hard-pressed families, but it is not going to yield a durable solution to Turkey's inflation problem. As for the steps to stabilise the currency, there is a great deal of scepticism. Dennis Shen of the credit rating group Scope said: "Such tactics to force lira stability and restrict selling of the lira may reduce speculative pressures to an extent in the short run, but will make lira less attractive longer-term, cutting foreign direct investment and external portfolio and debt flows into Turkey."	https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47746141
What are the chances could SF Sheriff Hennessys retirement mean a Mirkarimi comeback?	San Francisco Sheriff Vicki Hennessys decision not to run for re-election in November has city officials buzzing over theories on who will replace her. So far, two department staffers have filed papers signaling an interest in the job, but candidates have until August to get their names on the ballot. Mirkarimi didnt return messages from The Chronicle about whether he was planning a comeback. But while insiders at the Hall of Justice and City Hall couldnt help but throw around the former sheriffs name, no one seems to be taking the idea too seriously. Mirkarimi, after all, lost in a landslide to Hennessy, now 66, in 2015 after a tenure marked by blunders and scandals. Unless he said he plans to run, I think that would be humorous at best, said San Francisco political consultant Jon Golinger, who last year managed Jane Kims campaign for mayor. A more plausible scenario would be Sheriff Michael Hennessey coming out of retirement and running. Still, the 57-year-old former member of the Board of Supervisors was a favorite among some city progressive politicians. They even voted to reinstate Mirkarimi after the late Mayor Ed Lee booted him from his job as sheriff over a domestic violence incident with his wife just days before he took office in 2012. His unusual transition from the hyper-political Board of Supervisors to running the city jails was seen by many as a failed experiment. Its rare that sheriff becomes an ideological race, because its much more of a practical job, Golinger said. After pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of false imprisonment, patching things up with his wife, and winning his job back, Mirkarimi faced a string of other messy incidents. Among the greatest hits: The 2013 death of a woman in a San Francisco General stairwell, the escape of a federally indicted drug trafficker and the case of Jose Garcia Zarate, who fired the fatal shot killed Kate Steinle on Pier 14. And accusations of misconduct by deputies came to light after Mirkarimi left office. Since losing his re-election race, Mirkarimi has been working as a private consultant on marijuana issues. Last year, his family dog attacked a womans small Chihuahua-mix at a Potrero Hill dog park. The Sheriffs Departments rank-and-file is waiting to see how the field ultimately shapes up in the next four months before taking a position on any candidate. As of Friday, Chief Deputy Paul Miyamoto and Lt. Ronald Terry are the only candidates. Ken Lomba, president of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs Association, said he wouldnt shun a possible Mirkarimi candidacy. Whoever wins the candidacy for sheriff, we will work with them and it will be business as usual for us, he said. Were going to continue pushing for the members and better working conditions. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky	https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/What-are-the-chances-could-SF-Sheriff-13727347.php
Who is Pete Buttigieg, 2020 Democrat presidential candidate?	Youre listening to a Candidate Conversation from the California Nation podcast. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to learn whats happening in the worlds fifth-largest economy and how its shaping the national dialogue. Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is a young mayor making his way onto the national stage. The self-described millennial midwestern mayor is 37, openly gay and a military veteran. He insists the nations top priority must be restoring the countrys democratic foundations. Here are five things you need to know about Pete Buttigieg as he campaigns in the Golden State: FLASH SALE! Unlimited digital access for $3.99 per month Don't miss this great deal. Offer ends on March 31st! 1. He wants to expand the Supreme Court It might not be the top priority for Californians, but its certainly something on Pete Buttigiegs mind. As president, he said hed work to revamp the U.S. Supreme Court to make it less political. His solution is increasing the number of justices from nine to 15. Ten of the 15 justices would be appointed under the existing structure, receiving a nomination from the president and confirmation from the Senate. Under his plan, the remaining five judges would need unanimous approval from the 10 Supreme Court justices. 2. Buttigieg sees a unique opportunity in California Many Democratic presidential candidates have largely ignored the middle of California, instead choosing to camp out in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Buttigieg is guilty of this, saying he has visited these areas because they are where his strongest base of supporters are. But given he comes from a conservative state, he thinks he can resonate well with voters in the Central Valley. In addition to the cities where we currently have the strongest base, Im looking forward to getting to different communities, he said. Frankly, its the more inland and redder parts of the state that I might have an easier time relating to coming out of Indiana. With Californias primary bumping up from June to March, the state will have an outsized role early in the election. Buttigieg acknowledged the change, saying its important to campaign in California because early voting will begin as the Iowa caucuses get underway. 3. Buttigieg insists hes qualified On the surface, a 37-year-old mayor from South Bend, Indiana, would be a longshot to win the Democratic presidential nomination, especially in an increasingly crowded field. But early into his candidacy, he received the 65,000 individual donations necessary to qualify for a spot on the Democratic debate stage in June. He said in a March conversation with The Sacramento Bee that hes resonating with voters because they want the federal congress to follow cities lead. Historically, it was viewed that federal office is higher than local office, Buttigieg said. Today, if you take a look at Washington, a lot of folks would argue that we would be well served if Washington started looking more like our best run cities and towns rather than the other way around. He added that President Donald Trump represents a low bar and said he has more executive experience than the president and Vice President Mike President. He noted hed be the first president with military experience since George H.W. Bush. To my own surprise, were living in a moment perhaps the only moment in American history when somebody like me would even be taken seriously, Buttigieg said during the interview. Theres a reason for that. We need something completely different. 4. He says hes not holding out for another elected office Buttigieg is adamant that he actually wants to be president. While he acknowledges hes serving his eighth and final year as mayor, he said he doesnt have his eye on another office. I dont believe in running for an office so that you could run for some other office, he said. If that were the plan, Id be doing something easier than what Im doing. 5. His husbands Twitter game is on point While speaking to reporters before a March 28 event in San Francisco, Buttigieg was asked if his husband, Chasten, will have a role on the campaign trail. He immediately pointed behind the cameras, saying, Yeah, I think hes standing over there. Buttigieg added that Chasten is passionate about education and family. His story is a part of my story, Buttigieg said. Some of the time, hes holding down the fort back in South Bend. But hell be on the road with us quite a bit, both because I love to be around him and because hes a real asset in introducing ourselves around the country. Chasten also has quite Twitter personality. From his response to Chrissy Teigens follow to adorable dog picture to aimlessly staring outside the window while waiting for UberEats, hes gained some notoriety. Peter: Crushing townhalls in SC Chasten: staring out the window waiting for UberEats Chasten Buttigieg (@Chas10Buttigieg) March 23, 2019 He even received praise from Douglas Emhoff the husband of California Sen. Kamala Harris. Ok, I thought I had pretty good 2020 Spouse Twitter game....good job @Chas10Buttigieg! https://t.co/YbL3AM2iIY Douglas Emhoff (@douglasemhoff) March 18, 2019 Chasten Buttigieg is taking his newfound online popularity in stride, though he acknowledges, This new exposure can be very weird, adding, Im not sure if Ill ever get used to teenagers taking pictures of me and then running away giggling when I look up and see them pointing their phones at me. But with great notoriety comes great responsibility. This is why he has vowed to no longer smell deodorants at Target. Theyre always watching.	https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article228438359.html
Why did the U.S. order a Chinese company to sell Grindr?	The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has ordered a Chinese gaming company to sell gay dating app Grindr U.S. officials are concerned that personal data collected from the app could be used to blackmail government officials with security clearances A U.S. government panel focused on national security raised eyebrows when it ordered a Chinese company to sell gay dating app Grindr. The concern: That the Chinese government could use personal data on the app to blackmail American officials, the Wall Street Journal reported. Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. bought a majority stake in Grindr in 2016 and took full control of the company last year. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which reviews acquisitions of U.S. companies by non-U.S. players for their potential impact on national security, only this week moved to block the deal. Experts point to growing concerns around data privacy, along with tense U.S. trade relations, as the reasons for CFIUS' intervention. "You have to treat this as a U.S. reaction to Chinese businesses having access to personal communications more than anything else," said Bart Lazar, a lawyer with Seyfarth Shaw who specializes in data privacy. Another China deal dinged Last year, CFIUS also blocked Chinese Ant Financial's $1.2 billion acquisition of U.S. money transfer company MoneyGram, a high-profile merger that dealt a blow to Alibaba chairman Jack Ma, who owns Ant Financial. CFIUS cited data privacy risks for U.S. citizens in halting the deal. Still, many Chinese companies have bought or invested in American business in recent years. Such deall aren't necessarily nefarious, Klint Finley, a Wired contributor, told CBSN. "There isn't an established link between Chinese companies and spying. These are concerns, not proven instances." Grindr said it had no comment on the U.S. order. Covington and Burling, a law firm based in Washington, D.C., also declined comment, saying it is involved in the case. A spokesperson with the Treasury Department, which heads CFIUS, said in a statement that the committee is barred by law from publicly disclosing information filed with the panel. "Blackmailer's goldmine" Grindr doesn't collect different user data than other social networking apps, like Tinder, but it has drawn fire for its privacy practices. The company, which had 27 million users on its platform as of 2017, last year was discovered to have shared users' HIV status and sexual preferences with third parties. Grindr also tracks email addresses, passwords, billing information, geolocations, and device IDs and IP addresses, as well as messages exchanged with other users and photographs. "I don't think we'll have an Anthony Weiner-type situation," Lazar said. "But people do, when they believe that they're in a private means of communication, they do open up and provide more information to an app than you might think is rational." Grindr could also be used to identify, for example, government and military personnel who could be pressured to reveal state secrets if they shared sensitive information on the app. "It could be a blackmailer's goldmine, essentially, if this information were to fall into the hands of an adversarial government," Finley said.	https://www.cbsnews.com/news/national-security-officials-ordered-chinese-company-to-sell-grindr/
Should injury replays be banned from media?	by Daniel Tran Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic suffered a gruesome injury (viewer discretion is advised), with footage of the injury spreading faster than the actual news. Users on social media were shocked to see one of the most disturbing injuries in the NBA. Some think replays of these injuries should be actively banned from all media because they are so horrific. Others think being informed of every detail is important and people can look away if they want. You're rewatching what might be the most devastating moment in that person's life, permanently seared in your mind forever. Having that floating in space doesn't enrich anyone's life other than the sad people who enjoy watching others suffer. Media already has a bad reputation for exploiting people when they are at their worst. People still watch the injuries that happened to Kevin Ware, Paul George and Gordon Hayward like they are drawn to catastrophe. There is no need to exploit this kind of disgusting event anymore. This content needs to be banned immediately. I honestly wish they would stop showing replays of the bad ones. Everybody showed Haywards injury last year 100 times. Not because they're gross, but because there's no value in it. I feel like it's capitalizing on an athletes worst moment instead of celebrating their greatness. Hell's Customer Service Dept. (@GabeYonts) March 28, 2019 It's not that people like to see these kinds of injuries occur. No one wants to see a Nurkic-type injury happen to anyone, but there is something to be said about being informed. If the media is here to share every aspect of life, horrific injuries are unfortunately part of that. Banning this kind of content robs people of knowing the harsh realities of life. Athletes put their bodies on the line and while these injuries are a grim reminder, they are a warning nonetheless that pro sports come with risks. People are acting like theyre being forced to watch these replays when they can just turn away or click out of a page.This kind of content should not be banned. Me, everytime theres a gruesome injury in professional sports: Im not saying I ~want~to watch slow motion replays in high definition.... its just that I dont want to not see it. cam wilson (@cameronwilson) March 26, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say.	https://www.cleveland.com/tylt/2019/03/should-injury-replays-be-banned-from-media.html
Whats the best role for Nathan Fillion?	THE ROOKIE - "Flesh and Blood" - On Captain Andersen's orders, Officer Nolan and Sergeant Grey are paired up for the day on patrol. Additionally, Nolan's son and Grey's daughter visit their dads on the job and see them in action. Meanwhile, Officer Chen is paired up with Captain Andersen, and Officer Bradford tells Chen to protect her at all costs, on "The Rookie," airing TUESDAY, JAN. 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Eric McCandless) NATHAN FILLION, RICHARD T. JONES Question: I havent seen any talk about Nathan Fillions talent for comedy. Anyway, I cringe to watch him as The Rookie when he was so perfect in the role of Castle. I know that actors dont want to be typecast, but I feel hes not showing his potential in this Rookie role. Granny Matt Roush: I get where youre coming from, and theres no question that the lighter touch required on Castle suited his considerable comedy chops better than this more earnest procedural. But I also feel that theres an innate likability and vulnerability to the way Nathan Fillion plays Rookies John Nolan, as he tries to start over at middle age with the cards stacked against him. Shows end and an actors career goes on, and its understandable that youd prefer one role to another, especially if the aspects of his talent you enjoy most arent fully on display here. When the time comes for him to put his badge away, maybe hell go back to comedy and youll be more satisfied. William Matt Roush: Yes, good catch. That was Roger E. Mosley playing John Booky, a Vietnam vet who offers advice along with his cuts. Dont know if well see him again, but that was a nice callback to the shows origins. To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to tvinsider.com.	https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/tv/whats-the-best-role-for-nathan-fillion-1629443/
Could Driverless Cars Pick Up Passengers In Wheelchairs?	Getty Last week, the Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) filed a lawsuit against Lyft in California for not having any wheelchair-accessible vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area. By not having the adequately equipped vehicles to accommodate passengers in wheelchairs, Lyft is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, this is far from being the only case that transportation has been made inaccessible to people with disabilities, nor is California the only state with this problem. For example, in New York City, only 112 of MTAs 472 subway stations are accessible, and out of those, 100 are currently working in both directions. Additionally, less than 1,800 of the citys 13,000+ yellow cabs are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps, which means less than 15% of the taxis are accessible to New Yorkers with mobility difficulties. However, as we approach a new era of transportation, notably driverless cars, it is crucial to keep the issue of accessibility at the forefront of our minds. During this years SXSW conference earlier this month, a group of panelists tackled this exact issue at a talk sponsored by the US Department of Transportation (DOT), titled Accessible Transportation for All. Moderated DOTs Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration and Innovation Vincent Valdes, the panel was about the various initiatives that have to take place to make sure the future of transportation will accommodate people with disabilities and the elderly. Valdes described a scenario that is very likely to take place in 2020 and asked the panelist the accessibility aspects of said scenario: a young professional woman who uses a wheelchair uses an automatic trolley vehicle to drive her to the train station. All systems are operating in real-time, so theres no way she can miss her train. The trolley can pick up additional passengers, but its up to the woman since shes the one who requested first. Everything is operated on a mobile app, and all payment is being processed through the app. Maria Town, the director of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities in Houston, Texas, was the first one to push back on the feasibility of the scenario to be universal throughout the country. Currently, in 2019, rural places like southern Louisiana dont even have services like Uber or Lyft readily available, so its doubtful that theyll be able to catch up in the technological front in just 20 years. A lot of this technological delay stems from societal standpoints often regarding people with disabilities. Town explained, The Americans with Disabilities Act is approaching 30 years. At this point, people with disabilities should be able to expect the same kinds of service as other folks. Yet consistently companies like Uber and Lyft deny service to people with service dogs, deny service to individuals who look visibly disabled and they're afraid of them. As I was thinking through that scenario, I kept thinking of all of the little things that would have had to have been addressed to make that moment possible. So, the platform itself would have to be accessible. She may use a wheelchair, she might also have low vision. She might also have limited dexterity. So, the app itself needs to be accessible. A question that I always have whenever an app upgrades, is will my blind friends be able to use it? On a micro level, the automatic trolley needs to have the capability to provide all the services a human driver does, and its service truly equitable. There's, I know there's a lot of liability involved with that, with wheelchair accessible vehicle providers. Can someone without a smartphone or credit card be able to use the same sort of system. However, John Zimmerman, a professor of artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University, had the most optimistic view out of the other two panelists. He believes that the medical field of technology will exponentially advance by 2040. He said, There are other emerging technologies that could make this future scenario actually happen. There's a bunch of new technologies. I'm curious., like would she be in a wheelchair or would she have a set of augmented legs. A wheelchair is sort of a fixed view, and there's a bunch of new technologies coming out that are much more on the body. Zimmerman strongly believes that there would be a tremendous improvement in the realm of adaptive and medical technology that will improve the lives of people with disabilities, so equipment like wheelchairs would be a thing in the past. Although all these innovated technologies are emerging, many people with disabilities would not be able to afford them. According to the National Disability Institute, more than 25% of Americans with disabilities live in poverty, and half have an annual household income of $35,000 or less. Even prevalent today, technology is growing exponentially at a pace that policies and laws cannot fathom to keep up. Matters are worse when it comes to adaptive technologypeople who need them cannot pay out of pocket, especially at their astonishingly high prices, and public healthcare insurance like Medicare and Medicaid do not cover much of the needed technology. Before the future utopian world of transportation and technology can come to fruition, the US needs to restructure and reevaluate the way its laws and policies are created and updated. Its time that people with disabilities stop being treated as second class citizens, especially during todays age and time.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahkim/2019/03/29/future-accessible-transportation/
Will Brett Bielema succeed Greg Schiano in New England?	In late January, Patriots defensive consultant Brett Bielema reportedly was telling people that hed become the teams next defensive coordinator. Two months later, maybe hell be right. With Greg Schiano gone, the Pats need a new defensive coordinator. Scroll to continue with content Ad Several defensive position coaches exited after Super Bowl LIII, with linebackers coach (and de facto defensive coordinator) Brian Flores becoming the new coach of the Dolphins, cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer joining Flores, and defensive line coach Brendan Daly jumping to the Chiefs. The only defensive coach currently listed on the teams official website is safeties coach Steve Belichick. Former Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo recently announced that hell serve as the teams linebackers coach. Theres a chance that Belichick wont name a new defensive coordinator, either retaining the duties or unofficially delegating them to Bielema or maybe even to Belichicks son, Steve. Regardless, an offseason that was expected to be tranquil for the Pats has been anything but, and the sudden departure of Schiano has become the latest twist for a team that will surely continue to turn out wins in 2019.	https://sports.yahoo.com/brett-bielema-succeed-greg-schiano-160121930.html?src=rss
Should Texas have to get federal approval in next round of redistricting?	The long legal fight over state political maps drawn in 2011 and 2013 is entering its final phase, and the outcome could have long-term implications for the way Texas runs its statewide elections. Arguing that the maps prove that state lawmakers cannot be trusted to create political districts that don't discriminate, civil rights groups and others have asked a panel of three federal judges to require Texas to get federal permission before redrawn districts can be used after the 2020 census. One plaintiffs group, which includes Latino voters and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, asked the judges to require Texas to get federal "preclearance" for statewide redistricting plans until 2030. The largest group of plaintiffs, including the NAACP and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, asked Texas to be placed under federal oversight for at least five years. "Without (preclearance), the Legislature will be free to yet again start the decade with discriminatory maps and very likely end the 2020 decade with discriminatory maps, given the complex, plodding pace of piecemeal redistricting litigation," they argued in court briefs. Thursday, the three-judge panel set a May 2 hearing on the question, which is opposed by lawyers for Texas and, in a change of position from the Obama administration, by the U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump. Each side will have 30 minutes to make their final arguments to the San Antonio-based panel, with a decision expected in the following weeks or months. 'Already remedied' Lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have argued that the state's victory before the U.S. Supreme Court last summer a 5-4 ruling in which the majority found no evidence that Republican lawmakers drew political districts with the intent to discriminate against minority voters should absolve the state from having to preclear maps in future redistricting efforts. Preclearance under the Voting Rights Act, state lawyers say, is a drastic step reserved for the type of flagrant and rampant discrimination that Congress identified when the law was passed in 1965 to address Southern segregationists who would erect new voting barriers as soon as old ones were struck down. "The plaintiffs cannot make that showing here," lawyers for Texas told the court, adding that states should not be punished "based on vague speculation that their legislatures might conceivably run afoul of the Constitution in the future." Under President Barack Obama, the Justice Department argued that Texas needed federal oversight because of its "history of intentional racial discrimination in redistricting." In late January, however, the agency informed the three-judge panel that it had abandoned that line of thinking because past instances of discrimination "already have been remedied, and many date from decades ago," precluding the need for federal intervention into state policymaking. A troubled history Lawyers for the civil rights groups, Democratic politicians and minority voters who challenged the Republican-drawn political districts as discriminatory argue that there is plenty of evidence to require the three-judge panel to approve future redistricting maps, or at least require Texas to get Justice Department approval of any new districts. For five consecutive decades, the lawyers noted, at least one post-census redistricting plan adopted by the Legislature was declared unconstitutional or blocked as a violation of the Voting Rights Act. In addition, Texas and its political subdivisions, including cities and counties, have faced more than 200 voting-rights legal challenges since 1982, they said. The lawyers also pointed to the three-judge panel's 2017 rulings that said two congressional districts, and nine Texas House districts, were intentionally drawn in 2011 to discriminate against minority voters, either by reducing their voting strength or by improperly using race to determine where to set district boundaries. Those 2011 districts were never used in an election because of court action, however, and the Supreme Court found no intentional discrimination in maps adopted by the Legislature in 2013. But lawyers challenging the districts as discriminatory noted that the 2013 maps made no changes, or only slight alterations, to the districts identified as problems in the 2011 maps. Federal intervention is justified, they argued, based on the finding of intentional discrimination earlier this decade and "the persistent pattern of discriminatory governmental action in Texas directed at minority voters for generations." During the May 2 hearing, the three-judge panel also will consider recommendations for fixing the only problem district identified by the Supreme Court a Fort Worth-area state House district that was found to have been improperly gerrymandered by race to help a white Democrat stay in office. Recommended maps and supporting data are due at the court by April 25.	https://www.statesman.com/news/20190329/should-texas-have-to-get-federal-approval-in-next-round-of-redistricting
Are Scottish school league tables demoralising for pupils?	Unofficial school league tables are a staple of Scottish newspapers, many of which last week compiled a list of the "best-performing" based on Higher results. The Scottish government publishes raw data on exams but deliberately avoids league tables because they don't offer a wider picture of a school's performance. Image caption Dawnmarie said the league tables put children down Dawnmarie is an S6 pupil at St Paul's High in the Pollok area of Glasgow. It was ranked 316th out of the 339 state high schools in Scotland in a league table compiled by The Times. At St Paul's, 17% of pupils achieve five or more Highers compared to 83% at the number one school, Jordanhill. Dawnmarie told BBC Scotland's The Nine: "As children we are always told not to judge other people because it is a form of bullying. "I feel that is exactly what these league tables are doing to us. "It is judging all of us against other schools and it is really putting children down." St Paul's draws 89% of its pupils from areas which are among the country's most-deprived, the bottom fifth of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Dawnmarie said: "I've seen on Twitter a teacher having to explain to her pupils about how they are not the worst school and how they all felt so demoralised. "I think that's how we all feel. It is demoralising. We are put down, it's not right. As children we should not have that pressure on us." Image caption Peter says teachers at St Paul's go "above and beyond" Another St Paul's pupil Peter said the teachers at the school went "above and beyond" to help everyone achieve what they could. He said this extended to extra lessons on a Saturday, which were not as well attended as they should be. S6 pupil Brian also praised the dedication of the teachers, saying: "This school encourages you to go further and they will always offer you different alternatives." In the Times Educational Supplement this week, teacher Gordon Cairns said teachers were unfairly given an "annual kicking" by the league tables Mr Cairns said Lewis Capaldi might be number one in the charts with Someone You Loved but no-one above the age of eight would consider it to be the "best" song, based on that measure. 'A school is about much more than churning out exam results' Kirkcaldy High School in Fife was ranked 245th in the unofficial league table. Image caption Jack says there is more to a school than league tables S6 pupil Jack told The Nine: "We know it is a good school and there is a lot that the league table doesn't show." "A school is about much more than churning out exam results," said S4 pupil Cara. "It is important we leave here actually being decent people with skills for life." Image caption Jake says five Highers would not have helped him to become a chef S5 pupil Jake said that many students did not take five Highers but instead passed courses that were equivalent but weren't counted in the league tables. Jake did a course called Hospitality Skills for Work. "I learned more in about six weeks down there at the college, working with the chefs, doing what I love, than I have in five years doing any course in school," he said. "Five Highers would not help me much to be a professional chef." Image caption Kelice says if she had done five Highers she would not have got the experience in childcare S6 pupil Kelice agreed. She has done a two-year foundation apprenticeship in childcare. "If I had taken five Highers I would not have the experience to leave school and work with kids," she said. "But now I'm leaving school in S6 having had a year of experience working with children and I can just walk into a job as a pupil support assistant." Image caption Cara said schools should not be defined by league tables Jack said: "A lot of workplaces say exams are important but it is also about experience." "It varies from person to person. For some, five Highers would suit them but for others it won't. "I think this school does a really good job of promoting the other options." Cara said: "I'm proud to be a pupil at Kirkcaldy High school and I don't think our school should be defined by where it sits in the league table." Analysis by Jamie McIvor, BBC Scotland education correspondent It is broadly accepted - by teachers, councils and the Scottish government - that there is much more to a school's performance than the raw exam results. In particular, there is a broad co-relation between exam results and a school's catchment area. That is why there are no official school league tables in Scotland, only unofficial ones produced by newspapers and based on passes at Higher. Broadly speaking, the schools which feature near the top of these tables are likely to be in prosperous suburbs. The reasons for this would seem superficially obvious. A greater number of children may come from comfortable family backgrounds where parents who are themselves highly-educated may be in a better position to help their children with their studies or even buy in extra tuition. Similarly fewer children will face disadvantages linked to poverty and deprivation. The argument is that to suggest these "top-performing" schools or the teachers who work in them are somehow "better" than others is simply misleading. Naturally though, some parents may feel more comfortable with the thought of sending their child to a school where a relatively large proportion of children get good exam results. They might make placing requests to these schools or even consciously buy a house in the catchment area. It is hard to conclusively prove that some property prices are higher simply because of a school's catchment area rather than because the area itself is desirable for a number of reasons. However an intelligent and thoughtful reading of exam results data or comparisons between schools facing similar challenges may provide food for thought. Perhaps the numbers getting at least one Higher or the numbers getting five Highers or going to university has gone up significantly. Parents and students may wish to consult inspectors' reports published by Education Scotland to get a sense of a school's strengths and weaknesses.	https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47749595
Why are so many migrants suddenly arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border?	Dozens of Central American migrants are dropped off at a Phoenix Greyhound bus station by ICE federal officials while a group of volunteers tries to help them on March 8, 2019. Many churches and organizations are running out of resources to help the mingrants. (Photo: Nick Oza, Nick Oza) The recent surge in migrant families arriving at the border is being driven by several factors including extreme poverty, violence, and political instability pushing migrants in Central America to flee. The strong U.S. economy also is drawing migrants looking for jobs. But the development of transportation networks by smuggling organizations that quickly shuttle migrants through Mexico and the Trump administrations own deterrence policies, including threats to shut down the southern border, are also fueling the influx, analysts say. On Friday, Trump again threatened to close the U.S.-Mexico border as soon as next week, unless Mexico takes steps to stop the flow of U.S.-bound migrants traveling through its country. But that threat, which Trump has made in the past, along with other recent policies aimed at deterring migrants from coming, are having the reverse effect, analysts say. It signals to migrants thinking of making the trip that now is the time to come before the door closes. Smuggling organizations have developed transportation networks capable of busing migrants from southern Mexico to the U.S. border in a matter of days.The development of the rapid transportation networks first was reported by The Washington Post, citing information from U.S. officials. The smuggling transportation network is "really having a snowball effect," where migrants can make it through Mexico within three days, and then notify family members and friends back home, triggering more to follow, said David Bier, an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. Subscribe to azcentral.com. At the same time, smugglers are also capitalizing on the Trump administration's policies, including the so-called Remain in Mexico policy, that sends migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. back to Mexico to to wait until their case is decided. "You had the administration announce a policy, Remain in Mexico, which is basically an advertisement for the smuggling organizations," Bier said. The smuggling organizations are "notifying migrants that 'It's now or never. The whole process is going to shut down,'" Bier said. "That's really the kind of messaging that causes this kind of a rush." Strong signals to migrants, smugglers Asylum seekers from Central America and Mexico in line, February 2019, in Tijuana, Mexico, as they wait for their numbers to be called to meet with U.S. immigration officials. (Photo: Nick Oza, Nick Oza/The Republic) The number of migrant families and unaccompanied minors arriving the border from Central America has been growing steadily for years. The number began to surge last summer after the Trump administration, amid an international outcry, was forced to abandon a zero-tolerance policy at the border that resulted in several thousand children being separated from their parents. The Trump administration also has been unable to follow through on vows to ramp up deportation of migrant families who don't qualify for asylum. Trump has also been unable to convince Congress to change immigration laws and court orders he says have created "loopholes" in the asylum system. Those "loopholes," Trump argues, encourage migrants to come illegally and then to fraudulently ask for asylum, knowing those with children will be quickly released and then allowed to remain in the U.S. for years while their asylum cases are pending in swamped immigration courts. The failure to follow through on policies aimed at deterring migrants is helping fuel the current wave, said Randy Capps, director of research and U.S. programs at the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. NEWSLETTERS Get the AZ Memo newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Get the pulse of Arizona -- Local news, in-depth state coverage and what it all means for you Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for AZ Memo Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters "That sends two strong signals to would-be migrants and their smugglers," Capps said. "Right now the Trump administration, the U.S. government, can't stop you from entering the country. The second message is, 'We are working really hard to find a way to stop you, and we may be able do that soon, so you better come now.'" Smuggling organizations exploiting migrants was also behind a similar surge in unaccompanied minors in the spring and summer of 2014, said Maureen Meyer, director for Mexico and migrant rights at the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights advocacy group. "They were telling individuals, 'You have a permission to come to the U.S. and you need to come now or it's going to expire," Meyer said. "They are always finding clever ways to take advantage of people's desperation, vulnerability, and insecurity to tell them that the best option for them is to come to the United States without giving many of them any real idea of what that might actually look like at the border." Now smugglers are telling migrant families that "if you are coming with your children, you will not be detained" if you ask for asylum, she said. "A lot of the people coming are unaccompanied children and families who are coming to the U.S. and are seeking protection and are wanting asylum," Meyer said. "They are very different from the traditional, single-male, economic migrant." Keep up on the latest news Sign up for our newsletters to stay informed on the border and other issues. Asylum seekers from Central America wait in line in Tijuana, Mexico, in February 2019 to meet with U.S. immigration officials. (Photo: Nick Oza/The Republic) Overall, Border Patrol apprehensions in recent years have remained far below levels seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when in 2000 they peaked at 1.6 million apprehensions. But the current wave of migrant families and to a lesser extent, minors arriving unaccompanied by parents is unprecedented. During the first four months of the current fiscal year, the Border Patrol apprehended 136,150 migrants made up of adults and children who crossed illegally. That was more than the 107,212 migrants apprehended as families during the entire previous year, which set a record. In October, ICE, overwhelmed by the surge, began releasing large groups of families at local churches, shelters, and bus stations in communities near the border, including Phoenix, just days after they had been apprehended and processed by the Border Patrol. Since Dec. 21, the agency has released 108,500 migrant family members. Of that, 18,500 were released in the Phoenix area or other communities in Arizona; 47,500 in communities in south Texas; 31,500 in El Paso; and 1,000 in San Diego, the data shows. "We face a cascading crisis at our southern border. The system is in free fall," Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, said in a statement. Exodus from Guatemala, Honduras About 80 percent of the families arriving at the border are from Guatemala and Honduras. Those two countries have high levels of poverty and violence, and also have experienced recent political instability, which is prompting migrant families to flee, Capps said. Bier said the strong U.S. economy and low unemployment rate is also drawing migrants. "I think that is a huge part of it," said Bier, noting that illegal immigration to the U.S. increased when the economy was booming in the 2000s but fell dramatically during the Great Recession. "So yeah, another recession would be a great way to stop the flow of migrants," Bier said. "At the end of the day, people need jobs, and if they hear that people coming north are getting jobs, they are going to keep coming." Central American migrants wait for food in El Paso, Texas on March 27, 2019, in a pen erected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to process a surge of migrant families and unaccompanied minors. (Photo: Cedar Attanasio, AP) It will be difficult to reverse the current wave of migrant families arriving at the border now that the transportation networks are set up, Bier said. He advocates that the U.S. increase the number of humanitarian visas to allow families escaping poverty and violence in Central America to come to the U.S. legally, rather than turning to smuggling organizations. Capps at the Migration Policy Institute said that many of migrant families arriving at the border most likely don't qualify for asylum, which is only granted to migrants fleeing political and other forms of persecution, not poverty or violence in general. One short-term solution within the president's authority would be to allow asylum officers to decide asylum cases instead of judges in immigration courts.That could speed up the process to months. Those granted asylum would be allowed to stay, while those who did not qualify would have to quickly leave rather than being allowed to remain in the U.S. for years until their cases were decided in overwhelmed immigration courts, he said Long term, however, the U.S. will have to work with Central American countries to address the root causes that are driving migrants to leave, such as promoting economic development, combating corruption, and reducing violence, Meyer said. "It's not about deterrence as much as addressing why people are coming," Meyer said. "This is the one area where Trump has not focused any effort and in fact, he is working to actively reduce assistance to Central America." Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 602-444-8312. Follow him on Twitter @azdangonzalez. Support local journalism.Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Support journalism To support groundbreaking journalism like "The Wall," find one of the more than 100 USA TODAY NETWORK newsrooms closest to you and subscribe today. Get started Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/immigration/2019/03/29/why-so-many-migrants-suddenly-arriving-u-s-mexico-border/3314514002/	https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/immigration/2019/03/29/why-so-many-migrants-suddenly-arriving-u-s-mexico-border/3314514002/
What would happen in Arizona if Trump closed the border?	CLOSE Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort, President Donald Trump said there's "a very good likelihood" that he'll be closing the U.S. southern border next week if Mexico does not immediately stop illegal immigration. (March 29) AP, AP If President Trump goes though with his threat to close the border with Mexico, Arizona would feel the effects almost immediately. As a border state, Arizona has a closer tie with Mexico than many other states do and in terms of the economy, trade, and tourism, it would feel the impact more than many other states. Many policy details aren't yet known and thus are difficult to predict. But here are some of the possible ripple effects of closing the border. It's big. Mexico is Arizona's largest trading partner. The state sends 30 percent of all its exports to one country, Mexico. That amounts to $682 million in exports over a recent three-month period, according to research by the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona. Subscribe to azcentral.com. Mexico exports more to the U.S. border states than it does to the rest of the world combined, excluding the United States, according to a report by the Wilson Center, a think tank on global issues. The Nogales-Mariposa port of entry brings in an enormous amount of winter fruit and vegetables to the United States. Arizona faced the potential loss of $5 billion in exports and 236,000 jobs if the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, unraveled. Those studies, by BMO Capital Markets and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, also incorporated the value of Arizona's trade ties with Canada, another big trading partner. Negotiators representing the U.S. Mexico and Canada subsequently agreed to replace NAFTA with a new trade agreement, though the new deal hasn't been ratified. Farmworkers pick tomatoes from the vines at Chaparral Agricola tomato farm in Villa Juarez, Sinaloa, Mexico. (Photo: Nick Oza/USA TODAY NETWORK) Presumably, they would. For example, consider the large amounts of fruits and vegetables that Mexico sends north. If those produce items couldn't get through, supermarket prices would jump as supplies would get scarce. However, manufactured goods account for a bigger part of the trade picture than produce. Arizona's leading exports to Mexico and other nations include aircraft engines and parts, copper ore, and electrical parts and machinery. Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, said although the winter produce season is winding down, a big harvest of table grapes from Mexico is expected through June. Martha Isabel Velasquez looks at a pair of boots while shopping in downtown Nogales, Ariz. Velasquez says she waited two hours in line to cross by foot over from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, to go shopping. (AP Photo/Astrid Galvan) (Photo: Astrid Galvan, AP) Yes. Mexicans regularly cross the border to go shopping, especially in the southern part of Arizona, before returning home. Border communities such as Nogales, Arizona, depend on sales taxes paid by Mexican shoppers as a key source of revenue. They often are the first to feel the impact of a decline in retail trade, and also feel it more heavily that other areas of the state. "Retailers in the U.S. border cities know how critical Mexican residents who cross the border and shop for food, clothing, auto parts, and other retail items on the American side are for their business revenues," wrote Vera Pavlakovich-Kochi, an associate professor of geography at the University of Arizona, in a February update. "City and county governments on the border are also cognizant of the contribution of Mexican shoppers to their sales tax revenues," she added. JJ's Cantina, located in Cholla Bay serves up tacos, burgers and beer in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. (Photo: Cheryl Evans/The Republic) A true shutdown would imply nobody could traverse the border by car, bus, or on foot, heading either north or south. Arizona businesses such as hotels, restaurants and various stores could feel the pinch from a drop-off of foreign tourists. Americans seeking to hit the beach in Rocky Point or other Mexican vacation destinations also might need to adjust their itineraries. Holy Week is probably the biggest annual travel holiday for Mexican visitors and shoppers. This year's Holy Week falls April 14-21, so the timing of a border closure or any change that creates lengthy delays could have big consequences for businesses all the way north to Tucson, including hotels, shops and restaurants who see a noticeable boon during this period, especially on Easter weekend. Even if Trump allowed airline flights to continue, the directive could push up the price of airline tickets, as flying would be the only realistic way to move from one country to the other. NEWSLETTERS Get the AZ Memo newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Get the pulse of Arizona -- Local news, in-depth state coverage and what it all means for you Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for AZ Memo Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. The Mexican peso might drop relative to the dollar, given the much larger importance the U.S. exerts on Mexico's economy rather than the other way around. Ironically, a shift in currency values could worsen America's trade deficit with Mexico by making items made in Mexico cheaper to American buyers assuming importers could find a way to get them across a closed border. A border shutdown also could push down U.S. stock prices and otherwise rattle financial markets, which have been skittish when trade disputes percolate to the surface. That could affect 401(k) retirement accounts and other investments held by millions of Americans. Above all, investors, businesses, and consumers dislike uncertainty. A shutdown might unnerve a lot of people on both sides of the border and prod them to put commercial and personal plans on hold. The business community thought North American trade had been ironed out when negotiations representing the U.S., Mexico and Canada agreed to replace NAFTA with a new trade pact. Now, it could be back on the front burner. Reach the reporters at [email protected] or 602-444-8616, or [email protected]. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/border-issues/2019/03/29/what-happens-in-arizona-if-trump-closes-border/3315848002/	https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/border-issues/2019/03/29/what-happens-in-arizona-if-trump-closes-border/3315848002/
What caused the deadliest air disaster of all-time?	On a small holiday island, a chain of events unfolded that culminated in the worst plane crash of all time, forever changing how we fly. It was an unfortunate series of very unfortunate events that led to the deadliest aviation disaster of all time. On a Wednesday 42 years ago, the world reeled with shock when two packed passenger jets collided at the airport on Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. Two Boeing 747s one operated by Dutch carrier KLM, the other by now-defunct Pan American collided on the runway, causing a catastrophic fire that killed 583 people on both aircraft: an aviation death toll not seen before, or since. Advertisement Unlike the recent tragedies of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, which have been blamed so far on the aircraft itself, the Tenerife disaster was the culmination of bad luck and human error, which would change what happened in cockpits forever. Neither of the doomed planes should have been on Tenerife island on March 27, 1977 but as fate had it, they were. The Pan Am plane had come from Los Angeles via New York City and the KLM plane from Amsterdam, and both were heading to Gran Canaria, another of the Canary Islands. But a bombing at Gran Canaria airport by a local separatist group forced air traffic to divert to the usually quiet regional airport on Tenerife the first unfortunate event that would set the runway calamity in motion. KLM (light blue) had taxiied down the runway, turned at the end, and taken off. But Pan Am (dark blue) was still taxiing down the runway, in its path. Photo / Wikimedia Commons A PRELUDE TO DISASTER A few hours after both planes were diverted to overwhelmed Tenerife airport, Gran Canaria was finally back in business. A Pan Am Boeing 747-121, similar to the aircraft involved in the accident. Photo / Wikimedia Commons The Pan Am plane was ready to take off but its path was obstructed by the KLM plane, which was ahead and needed refuelling. By the time it had refuelled, a heavy fog settled over the airport at Tenerife. As pilot and author Patrick Smith wrote in his analysis of the disaster, had Pan Am been able to take off when it was ready, it would have beaten the fog. The bad weather meant neither aircraft could see the other, and air traffic control tower couldn't see either of them. At this regional airport, there was no ground tracking radar. Another complication was congestion at the airport, which had cut off the usual access to runway 30, which the planes were using to depart. To take off, each plane had to taxi down runway 30, get to the end, make a 180 degree turn, and take off in the direction it had taxied from similar to how models walk and turn on a catwalk. As both aircraft taxied down runway 30, preparing for departure, KLM was in front, with Pan Am trailing behind. KLM reached the end of the runway and turned, awaiting clearance to take off. Pan Am was to move into a left-hand taxiway, so the runway was clear for KLM's takeoff. At least, that was the plan. 'THAT SON OF A B*TCH IS COMING' As the KLM plane sat at the end of runway 30, in position and holding for takeoff, the Pan Am pilots missed the taxiway they were meant to turn into. They could use the next turn, but it meant they were on the runway for longer. Meanwhile, the pilots in KLM got a route clearance from air traffic control. The route clearance had come unusually late, due to the unusual circumstances of the day. The KLM pilots mistook it for takeoff clearance. Poor communication between both cockpits and air traffic sealed the terrible fate of both aircraft and everyone on board. As Smith explained, communication was via two-way VHF radios, and on these radios, if two transmissions were sent simultaneously, they cancelled each other out leading to words being missed and messages misunderstood. The Pan Am crew and air traffic control knew Pan Am was still on the runway, and despite efforts to tell KLM, the KLM crew thinking they were cleared for takeoff, and unable to see due to fog didn't realise. It was only as the KLM jet started thundering down runway 30 towards Pan Am as it tried to take off that the horrible reality of the situation set in. "There he is!" Pan Am captain Victor Grubbs yelled, in a cockpit voice recording. "Look at him! Goddamn, that son of a bitch is coming!" The moment of impact. Photo / Wikimedia Commons With that, the two mighty jets collided in a catastrophic crash. The briefly airborne KLM's undercarriage and engines hit the top of the Pan Am jet, ripping off the top of the fuselage down the centre. The KLM plane stalled, rolled, hit the ground and slid. And with its full fuel load, it erupted into a fireball that blazed for hours. "When he hit us, it was a very soft boom," Pan Am co-pilot Robert Bragg, who survived the crash and died in 2017, told the BBC. "I then looked up for the fire control handles and that's when I noticed the top of the aeroplane was gone." Both planes were destroyed. All 248 KLM passengers and crew died, along with 335 passengers and crew on Pan Am. There were 61 survivors, all on Pan Am, including captain Victor Grubbs and Robert Bragg. Survivors managed to escape the Pan Am plane. Photo / YouTube THE CRASH THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING After an international investigation, the fundamental cause of the crash was deemed to be KLM captain Veldhuyzen van Zanten's attempt to take off without clearance. But there were a raft of contributing causes the fog, the interference of the radio transmissions and use ambiguous phrases, the fact Pan Am had not left the runway, and that the airport was overwhelmed with large aircraft. The refuelling of KLM, which made the plane heavier and less capable of clearing Pan Am as they were heading for collision and the fact it fuelled the fire has also been noted. But the issue that had lasting consequences for the aviation industry was the misunderstandings between the cockpits and air traffic control. Part of this was the two-way radio. At one point before KLM took off, air traffic control told the flight deck, "OK, stand by for takeoff, I will call you". The KLM pilots only heard the word "OK". "We believe that nothing after the word 'OK' passed the filters of the Dutch crew, thus they believed the controller's transmission approved their announced action in taking off," a report into the crash said. Another factor was use of ambiguous phrases by the pilots. When KLM thought it was ready to take off, the first officer said, "We are now at takeoff". That phrase wasn't standard pilot-speak. Neither was "OK". In the cockpit recordings, the Pan Am pilots spoke English and the KLM pilots spoke Dutch. The accident led to the development of so-called Aviation English, which is the language used by pilots and air traffic controllers worldwide. Cockpit rules also changed so words like "OK" and "Roger" were no longer sufficient when accepting messages key parts of the message now have to be read back in the reply. These were some of the lessons learnt from the worst aviation accident the world had seen so it would forever remain the deadliest the world would see.	https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=12217746&ref=rss
Is it worth installing an electric shower?	Our showers are expensive and often run out of hot water, so were thinking of replacing them Every week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and its up to you to help him or her out a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturdays paper. We have two showers running off a hot water tank. Were spending a fortune, and often run out of hot water. Im told they no longer look ugly, or just dribble out tepid water. Email your suggestions to [email protected] or write to us at Money, the Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU.	https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/mar/30/is-it-worth-installing-an-electric-shower
What now for Britain's troubled Brexit?	LONDON (AP) Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal is all but dead, after lawmakers voted to reject it for a third time Friday the day Britain had long been scheduled to leave the European Union. The U.K. now faces a deadline of April 12 to present the EU with a new plan, or crash out of the bloc without an agreement. 3 1 of 3 Photo: Frank Augstein, AP 2 of 3 Photo: Frank Augstein, AP 3 of 3 Photo: Frank Augstein, AP The EU has given Britain until April 12 two weeks away to decide whether it wants to ask for another postponement to Brexit. The bloc has called an emergency Brexit summit for April 10 to deal with a British request, or prepare for a no-deal Brexit. Without a delay, Britain will leave the bloc at 11 p.m. U.K. time (6 p.m. EDT) on April 12 without a divorce agreement to smooth the way. Most politicians, economists and business groups think such a no-deal scenario would be disastrous, erecting customs checks, tariffs and other barriers between Britain and its biggest trading partner. Parliament has voted repeatedly to rule out a no-deal Brexit but it remains the default position unless a deal is approved, Brexit is canceled or the EU grants Britain another extension. ___ DELAY AND SOFTEN The alternative to "no-deal" is to delay Brexit for at least several months while Britain tries to sort out the mess. The bloc is reluctant to have a departing Britain participate in European Parliament elections in late May, as it would have to do if Brexit is delayed. But EU Council President Donald Tusk has urged the bloc to give Britain the extension if it plans to change course and seek a softer Brexit that keeps close economic ties between Britain and the bloc. This week lawmakers held a series of "indicative votes" on alternatives to May's deal. The exercise did not provide clarity all eight options on offer were defeated. But it did hint at a potential compromise. The measure that came closest to a majority called for Britain to remain in a customs union with the EU after it leaves. May has always ruled that out, because sticking to EU trade rules would limit Britain's ability to forge new trade deals around the world. But a customs union would ensure U.K. businesses can continue to trade with the EU, and would solve many of the problems that bedevil May's deal. In particular it would remove the need for customs posts and border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland. There's a good chance a withdrawal agreement that included a customs union pledge would be approved by Parliament, and welcomed by the EU. ___ ELECTION GAMBLE Britain is not scheduled to hold a national election until 2022, but the gridlock in Parliament makes a snap vote more likely. Opposition politicians think the only way forward is an early election that could rearrange Parliament and break the political deadlock. They could try to bring down the government in a no-confidence vote, triggering a general election. Or the government could pull the trigger itself if it thinks it has nothing to lose. May promised to quit if her Brexit deal was approved and Britain left the EU in May. Even though it was defeated she will still face huge pressure to resign, paving the way for a Conservative Party leadership contest. ___ NEW REFERENDUM Another option considered by lawmakers this week called for any deal to be put to public vote in a "confirmatory referendum." The idea has significant support from opposition parties, plus some members of the Conservatives. The government has ruled out holding another referendum on Britain's EU membership, but could change its mind if there appeared no other way to pass a Brexit deal. Britain voted by 52 percent to 48 percent to leave the EU in 2016. Since then, polls suggest the "remain" side has gained in strength, but it's far from clear who would win a new referendum. It could leave Britain just as divided over Europe as it is now. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit	https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Where-now-for-Britain-s-troubled-Brexit-13728467.php
What now for Britains troubled Brexit?	LONDON (AP) Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal is all but dead, after lawmakers voted to reject it for a third time Friday the day Britain had long been scheduled to leave the European Union. The U.K. now faces a deadline of April 12 to present the EU with a new plan, or crash out of the bloc without an agreement. Heres a look at what could happen next: ___ NO DEAL The EU has given Britain until April 12 two weeks away to decide whether it wants to ask for another postponement to Brexit. The bloc has called an emergency Brexit summit for April 10 to deal with a British request, or prepare for a no-deal Brexit. Without a delay, Britain will leave the bloc at 11 p.m. U.K. time (6 p.m. EDT) on April 12 without a divorce agreement to smooth the way. Most politicians, economists and business groups think such a no-deal scenario would be disastrous, erecting customs checks, tariffs and other barriers between Britain and its biggest trading partner. Parliament has voted repeatedly to rule out a no-deal Brexit but it remains the default position unless a deal is approved, Brexit is canceled or the EU grants Britain another extension. ___ DELAY AND SOFTEN The alternative to no-deal is to delay Brexit for at least several months while Britain tries to sort out the mess. Advertising The bloc is reluctant to have a departing Britain participate in European Parliament elections in late May, as it would have to do if Brexit is delayed. But EU Council President Donald Tusk has urged the bloc to give Britain the extension if it plans to change course and seek a softer Brexit that keeps close economic ties between Britain and the bloc. This week lawmakers held a series of indicative votes on alternatives to Mays deal. The exercise did not provide clarity all eight options on offer were defeated. But it did hint at a potential compromise. The measure that came closest to a majority called for Britain to remain in a customs union with the EU after it leaves. May has always ruled that out, because sticking to EU trade rules would limit Britains ability to forge new trade deals around the world. But a customs union would ensure U.K. businesses can continue to trade with the EU, and would solve many of the problems that bedevil Mays deal. In particular it would remove the need for customs posts and border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Theres a good chance a withdrawal agreement that included a customs union pledge would be approved by Parliament, and welcomed by the EU. ___ ELECTION GAMBLE Britain is not scheduled to hold a national election until 2022, but the gridlock in Parliament makes a snap vote more likely. Advertising Opposition politicians think the only way forward is an early election that could rearrange Parliament and break the political deadlock. They could try to bring down the government in a no-confidence vote, triggering a general election. Or the government could pull the trigger itself if it thinks it has nothing to lose. May promised to quit if her Brexit deal was approved and Britain left the EU in May. Even though it was defeated she will still face huge pressure to resign, paving the way for a Conservative Party leadership contest. ___ NEW REFERENDUM Another option considered by lawmakers this week called for any deal to be put to public vote in a confirmatory referendum. The idea has significant support from opposition parties, plus some members of the Conservatives. The government has ruled out holding another referendum on Britains EU membership, but could change its mind if there appeared no other way to pass a Brexit deal. Britain voted by 52 percent to 48 percent to leave the EU in 2016. Since then, polls suggest the remain side has gained in strength, but its far from clear who would win a new referendum. It could leave Britain just as divided over Europe as it is now. ___ Follow APs full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit	https://www.seattletimes.com/business/where-now-for-britains-troubled-brexit/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all
Can E-Sports Support Mainstream Adoption Of Blockchain This Year?	Getty Most of my life, I was a gamer. I spent many years participating in tournaments (with games such as Counter Strike over a decade ago), and current franchise such as BattleField, Anthem, GTA and Red Dead. Being an early adopter of blockchain technology as well, I was always curious about the connection between the two worlds. Like many other trendy technologies, blockchain has gone from being a real tool to simply being a buzzword startups include in their pitches to attract funding. Part of that problem lies in a misunderstanding of what blockchain does. More profoundly, only a few clear-cut use cases for the technology have emerged. This is not for a lack of trying, though. Even though blockchain can deliver an improvement in terms of information transmission and data record-keeping, what many enterprises fail to realize is that in most cases, blockchain is simply superfluous. Nevertheless, blockchain does exhibit some potential when matched with the right industry. Two areas where blockchain could have value for consumers and developers alike are gaming and esports. In an official post published in January 2019, financial consulting corporate McKinsey & Company noted that despite all the noise surrounding blockchain, the stuttering blockchain development path is not entirely surprising. It is an infant technology that is relatively unstable, expensive, and complex. This is not to say blockchain is entirely useless, but rather that it can make the most impact when it is focused on sectors where it can be used effectively. The gaming sector is often, by default, on the cutting edge of technology. From faster processing to better graphics and parallel CPU cores, video games provide an excellent testing environment for new solutions. The industry, which was valued at nearly $135 billion at the end of 2018, is in a state of flux as it transitions from the business of selling games as a product to that of selling games-as-a-service. Games like EVE Online or World of Warcraft which have real, vibrant in-game economies are plagued by reports of developers manipulating the system, removing assets arbitrarily, and instances of hacks and other frauds. Building online marketplaces for these major communities that eschew the intermediary model and provide more transparent infrastructure is one of the biggest advantages of blockchain in the sector. On the developer side, several projects have emerged that provide entire blockchain dev kits for video game makers looking to break into the industry. These platforms offer independent game devs and smaller studios the ability to make the games they like, keep the profits, and avoid meddling by publishers and bigger studios. Even so, major studios like Ubisoft, Epic Games, Microsoft, and even Sony are exploring blockchain both for games and infrastructure. Ripple, one of the biggest names in crypto, recently announced the establishment of a $100 million fund to assist developers in making mainstream blockchain games. While blockchain has a foot firmly planted in the gaming industry, its elsewhere in the sector where it could have its greatest impact. The Esports market has expanded at an explosive pace in the past few years, growing by 26.7% in 2018 to reach $897.2 million in revenue. With clear expectations that revenue figures will expand well beyond the $1 billion mark this year, there is an opportunity for blockchain to get in on the ground floor. Instead of focusing on developers, however, esports blockchain platforms have prioritized building an ecosystem that supports every stakeholder in the market. Applications like VC-backed DreamTeam, launched by esports figure Alexander Kokhanovskyy, is trying to remove friction from several touchpoints in the esports chain, as a teambuilding and skill-growing platform. There has yet to be a use-case that has taken blockchain from obscurity, and pushed it to be used by millions, says David Waroquier, a partner at leading VC firm Mangrove Capital and a DreamTeam investor, "and the massive growth in esports popularity, mixed with the fact gamers eagerly accept the newest technology, creates a blockchain storm. Indeed, esports seems ripe for disruption by blockchain. When put in the context of Ripples recently announced $100 million investment in gaming, the sector seems to be making a concerted push for legitimacy and usability. By embracing video games, the technology might actually start living up to its full potential. That said, much like other industries that have put their hopes into the blockchain revolution, we will need to wait and see if the expectations meet the reality of mainstream adoption, as some claim cryptocurrencies and blockchain may not be that crucial for the gaming to evolve.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/yoavvilner/2019/03/30/can-e-sports-support-mainstream-adoption-of-blockchain-this-year/
What's next for Houston coach Kelvin Sampson after Sweet 16 loss to Kentucky?	KANSAS CITY, Mo. He was standing in an empty alcove of a very quiet locker room, considering how things could have gone and almost went differently. We were right there, Kelvin Sampson said, and he listed three sequences in the final minute of a 62-58 loss Friday night to Kentucky. If any of those had gone Houstons way but the coach didnt go further. Sampson knew the next question was coming, of course. It had nothing to do with the game and everything to do with where he might go next. Reports have Sampson as potentially the top target in Arkansas coaching search. I dont want to talk about that, Sampson told USA TODAY Sports. But he added: Its gonna get resolved quick. Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson. (Photo: Brett Rojo, USA TODAY Sports) When Arkansas fired Mike Anderson earlier this week after eight seasons, speculation immediately turned to Sampson, for several reasons. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek was a senior associate athletic director at Houston when Sampson was hired in 2014. He had a prime seat to watch Sampson rebuild the long-struggling program into a success. And Houston, which reached the Sweet 16 this season for the first time in 35 years, was only Sampsons latest project. Although one Houston media outlet reported this week that Sampson and Arkansas were already headed toward a deal, it appeared premature. Echoing what hed earlier told the Houston Chronicle, Sampson told USA TODAY Sports he would meet with Houston before talking with any other suitors. Thats still the plan, he said Friday night. Opinion:Duke has been perfect combination of lucky and good Elite Eight: Gonzaga hopes to 'out-ugly' Texas Tech More: How the NBA rebuilt Houston coach Kelvin Sampson's career during his show-cause penalty Sampson has two years remaining on a contract that pays $1.6 million annually. There are indications he was frustrated when negotiations were not completed before the season started. But although Houston athletic director Chris Pezman declined to address the topic Friday night, the school appears set now to offer a dramatic increase in years and dollars. Its about these kids tonight, and coach (Sampson) and the job they just did, Pezman said. Its been an incredible season. Lets get back home and when coach is ready to talk, were ready to go. NEWSLETTERS Get the Sports newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Sports news, no matter the season. Stop by for the scores, stay for the stories. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-872-0001. Delivery: Daily Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Sports Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Tilman Fertitta, the billionaire businessman who is chair of Houstons board of regents as well as the schools biggest athletics booster, attended the game and confirmed to Houston TV station KRIV that the school is prepared to offer Sampson a six-year, $18 million deal. The $3 million annual average would rank 21st among college basketball coaches, according to the USA TODAY Sports salary database, and second in the American Athletic Conference (Wichita States Gregg Marshall makes $3.57 million a year). We love Kelvin, Fertitta told KRIV. Kelvins done an unbelievable job. Were all happy with Kelvin. But if Kelvin doesnt want to be here, theres nothing we can do about it. We put $18 million on the table over six years. Fertitta added: Im sure Kelvin is thinking about it and looking at his options, and I sure hope he doesnt want to go to Arkansas. Theres nothing better than the city of Houston. Fayetteville is a great place but its not Houston, Texas. . @UHouston chairman of the Board of Regents @TilmanJFertitta on Kelvin Sampson: "Kelvin's done an unbelievable job..but if Kelvin doesn't want to be here there's nothing we can do about it. We put $18 million on the table over 6 years.I love Kelvin, would love for him to be here" pic.twitter.com/Z5OaV7Jk8s Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) March 30, 2019 Andersons annual salary at Arkansas was $2.55 million. Its uncertain what Arkansas might pay to lure a new coach, though indications are the Razorbacks would have no issue surpassing $3 million a year four SEC coaches made more than that during the 2018-19 season. But theres potentially more involved than money. Sampson might like one more shot at building a winner at a Power Five program; in 12 seasons at Oklahoma, he coached in 11 NCAA tournaments, reaching the Final Four in 2002. A two-season tenure at Indiana ended in turmoil in 2008, with resulting NCAA sanctions against the school and a show-cause order against Sampson, which effectively banned him from college coaching for five years. Houston is prime recruiting territory, and the school now has facilities to rival any other program, including the $60 million Fertitta Center, which opened earlier this season and includes a sparkling new arena and team operations facilities. But Arkansas has similarly splendid facilities and can offer the brighter lights of the SEC. Another potential factor: Sampson, 63, has indicated he would like his son Kellen, Houstons lead assistant coach, to be formally named coach-in-waiting as part of any new deal. Its unclear whether Houston or Arkansas, for that matter would be willing to do that. But Fertitta told KRIV, Im very appreciative of everything Kelvin and his son have done. Also of note: Arkansas chancellor Joseph Steinmetz spent 19 years at Indiana, though he left two years before Sampson became the Hoosiers coach. After leaving Indiana, Sampson spent six years in the NBA in assistant coaching roles before returning to college coaching with Houston, where the Cougars are 116-52 in five seasons, with consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. This season, Houston won a school-record 33 games. I know Hunter would like to hire him, Fertitta told KRIV, referring to Yurachek, Arkansas athletic director. I hope Kelvin stays with us for many years, but I cannot make him stay. The chancellor cant make him stay. His players cant make him stay. Kelvins gonna do what he wants to do.	https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/tourney/2019/03/30/march-madness-whats-next-kelvin-sampson-after-sweet-16-loss/3318843002/
Do Amtrak and Airport Subsidies Make America Richer?	Getty Over the last two days, I've written a couple of articles about Amtrak that have elicited strong responses from readers (here's the first, and here's the second). I'd like to take a moment to consider the claim that subsidies for Amtrak, airports, and highways create economic development. This might be true at the very local level, but it isn't likely to be true at the national level. At the local level, there might be good arguments for subsidizing planes, trains, and automobiles, but if this is the case then the beneficiaries should be the ones who pay the taxes to support the infrastructure. In other words, people in Birmingham, not people in Boston, should be the ones who pay for Shuttlesworth International Airport. One could argue that as a matter of justice relatively wealthy Bostonians should be taxed to pay for airports, harbors, and train stations in Birmingham and beyond, but as a matter of economics, the incentives here are poorly aligned. As Milton Friedman has put it, people rarely spend others' money as carefully as they spend their own, and incentives making it possible to get nice things and have others foot the bill create substantial pressure to over-invest in all these "nice things." The government spending per se does not create net new economic activity. It just redistributes it, but in a way that is easy to see. Suppose we take a few million dollars from taxpayers in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas and then use those dollars to subsidize passenger rail service into and out of Birmingham or to pay for upgrades to Shuttlesworth International Airport. That's clearly good for me as a Birmingham resident because it means I have more transportation options. It might be good for the Birmingham hospitality industry because it would bring more people to and through town. It would be easy to see the new activity. Bars, hotels, restaurants, and other service-sector establishments would make money off the new traffic. It would be tempting, therefore, to conclude that the subsidies are good for the US writ large. Here I turn yet again to the wise words of nineteenth century economist Frederic Bastiat. If we are going to use the economic way of thinking and make wise choices about how to use our resources, we have to consider the unseen alternatives. Here's one of many places where people turn their noses up at the economic way of thinking. Unfortunately, we can't be specific and say what will replace this or that very visible Shiny Thing. But a bit of imagination helps. Ask yourself what you would do if we got rid of some of these subsidies and you found yourself with a few extra dollars. Maybe you wouldn't travel as much, and maybe travel would be more expensive (a bad thing). You would, however, have more money in your pocket (a good thing) with which to buy food, clothing, and shelter or which you might simply save. When you save, your money isn't simply lying dormant. Banks pay you interest because they can put your money to work by renting it out to people who want it now. If you have an account with Wells Fargo, for example, you helped my family replace our air conditioners last summer. Getting rid of subsidies doesn't make economic activity disappear. It moves it elsewhere--and in fact, it very likely moves it to areas that give us more bang for our buck or more bread for the sweat of our brows. Similarly, unless they capture spillover benefits that wouldn't emerge in a free market, subsidies just redistribute economic activity. Government spending on airports (like the FAA's Airport Improvement Grants) make some places a little richer but at the expense of other places that are taxed to pay for the subsidies. My home airport recently received an FAA Improvement Grant. Subsidies tend to be very popular--and understandably so--among their beneficiaries. Before we look at the easy-to-see benefits and conclude that subsidies are good for economic development, we need to make sure we're counting all the costs.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/artcarden/2019/03/30/do-amtrak-and-airport-subsidies-make-america-richer/
Was Billboard wrong to pull Old Town Road from the country chart?	by Keydra Manns Fans were upset when they learned Billboard removed country bop Old Town Road by Lil Nas X from the country music chart. The song simultaneously made the Hot Country Songs chart, Hot 100 chart, and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but then Billboard quietly pulled the track. According to Billboard, the song was added by error and doesnt fit the country category. Fans are calling this action suspicious and say Billboard pulled the track just because Lil Nas X happens to be black in a very white genre. Take a look at the video and decide for yourself if you think Old Town Road belongs on the country chart. Billboard spoke with Rolling Stone on why the song suddenly disappeared from the country chart. ... upon further review, it was determined that Old Town Road by Lil Nas X does not currently merit inclusion on Billboards country charts. When determining genres, a few factors are examined, but first and foremost is musical composition. While Old Town Road incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of todays country music to chart in its current version. Fans of the song are not taking its removal from the country charts lightly. They say Billboards move to remove the song was racist and a clear indicator that black artists arent welcome in the country music space. The country music industry is infamous for being very white and uninviting. Billboard highkey racist for taking Old Town Road off the country charts but are we surprised ernest baker (@ernestbaker) March 27, 2019 Old Town Road (cleary a country song) was removed from the Country charts, and the genre on iTunes was switched to Hip-Hop/Rap. even though the song is clearly country with some modern production. lil sab (@1SabSad) March 24, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say.	https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/03/was-billboard-wrong-to-pull-old-town-road-from-the-country-chart.html
Will Googles agreement improve internet in Cuba?	Google and Cubas ETECSA telecommunications company have signed a memorandum of understanding to start negotiations toward a service agreement for the exchange of internet traffic, known as peering. Many people on the island have been asking what the agreement means for Cubans who connect to the internet near parks, and more recently on their cell phones. In the short run, the announcement last week did not change much. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is not a legal contract but a letter of intent in which the parties involved express their interest in negotiating certain accords. And the official announcement on the MOU as well as ETECSA comments on Twitter suggest it will take time to get there. This intention to work contained in the Memorandum of Understanding will be implemented when the technical conditions allow it, the government-owned ETECSA posted on Twitter. At the same time, the signing of the MOU is significant because it shows for the first time the Cuban governments readiness to discuss, under a commercial framework, a connection to a submarine cable, a source familiar with the matter told the Miami Herald. FLASH SALE! Unlimited digital access for $3.99 per month Don't miss this great deal. Offer ends on March 31st! Googles Web pages describe peering as the direct interconnection between Googles network and another network to support the exchange of traffic. A direct connection between Google and ETECSA would allow Cuban users faster navigation of Google content at lower prices. To do that, ETECSA must be connected to an internet exchange point, private or public, where Google is also present. During the signing of the MOU, Brett Perlmutter, director of Google Cuba, said that a team made up of engineers from both companies would investigate ways to implement the direct connection. Larry Press, emeritus professor at California State University and author of a blog on Cubas internet facilities, said ETECSA would not necessarily have to make the connection through a Google submarine cable, but I believe it would have to be over a cable that reached an exchange point where Google had a presence. The interconnection points closest to Cuba are in South Florida, Mexico and Colombia. The island is surrounded by submarine cables but its only connection is ALBA1 to Venezuela. It also has two satellite connections, making for slow and expensive access. Having a second cable would improve connection speeds and provide backups, and would be would be a bigger deal, Press added. Google has long been trying to reach an agreement with the Cuban government to improve the islands access and connectivity to the internet. El Nuevo Herald reported in 2015 that Cuban officials had rejected an initial Google proposal to expand access. In December 2016, the company reached a more limited agreement to store Google content in their own servers in Cuba. After the selection of Miguel Daz-Canel as president of Cuba in April 2018, the company stepped up its efforts to negotiate an agreement. Two months later, he met in Havana with Eric Schmidt, former executive director of Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Former Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Az, who attended the meeting, told el Nuevo Herald that the company was closer to an agreement on connecting the island through a second submarine cable. Schmidt and Perlmutter also arranged a meeting between Miguel Daz-Canel and several technology company executives when he was in New York in September for his first United Nations General Assembly. Some observers have noted that the MOU was agreed despite the tensions between the U.S. and Cuban governments, but Google has tried to sidestep political issues and its message has focused on the benefits of expanding Internet access on the island one of the commercial activities not barred by the U.S. embargo. Although Google seems closer to its objectives with the MOU, during its signing ETECSAs vice president for investments, Luis Adolfo Iglesias Reyes, avoided referring to the agreement as allowing an expansion of the Internet. Instead, in brief statements to the news media, he said the accord would allow more efficient use of our international internet capacities. In a joint statement, ETECSA also avoided showing excessive interest in dealing with the American tech company, saying that the MOU was evidence that U.S. companies remain interested in developing businesses with ETECSA. More than 10 U.S. Companies currently have agreements in place, to the benefit of both sides. So far, the Cuban government has preferred telecommunications agreements with political allies such as Russia and China. In the same week that the MOU with Google was announced, the Cuban Communications Ministry signed another MOU with its Russian counterpart. The memo indeed covers a wide range of issues related to ICT cooperation which includes [the] sphere of cybersecurity but of course is not limited to it, Russias Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Mikhail Mamonov wrote in a statement sent to the Miami Herald. Mamonov added that the two governments, aside from discussing cybersecurity training, software and infrastructure, are also considering future cooperation on smart infrastructure, social engagement applications or digital TV. In the meantime, however, the expectations raised by the MOU with Google and the absence of concrete steps to improve connectivity in the short run have increased frustrations for Cubans who regularly criticize state-owned ETCSA for its high prices and bad service. YucaByte, an independent organization focused on information and communication technologies in Cuba, recently used Twitter for an opinion poll on the MOU with Google. We have the results of the poll about the agreement between Google and ETECSA, it reported later. Sixty-four percent of the respondents answered Nothing really important. Follow Nora Gmez Torres on Twitter: @ngameztorres	https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article228636089.html
Will Trumps deregulation agenda survive?	With the 2020 presidential campaign already underway, one of President Donald Trumps best opportunities to seal a solid first-term legacy lies in his deregulation agenda a goal broadly embraced by most Republicans. His administration already has 514 deregulatory measures in process, addressing issues as diverse as federal student loans and climate change. There is, however, one complication: the federal courts. You can expect that virtually every one of Trumps deregulatory actions will be challenged in court. These suits, which are relatively inexpensive to file, will likely allege that the Trump administration has in some way exceeded or abused presidential power. The answer will be determined case by case, but there are several reasons to believe that many of the actions will be reversed or delayed by federal judges. Heres why. Over the past few months, we pored through judicial records and tallied up how many lawsuits challenging deregulation filed after Trump became president have been successful and whether the deciding judges were appointed by Democratic or Republican presidents. What we found is that Democrat-appointed judges still dominate the federal court system, which means that federal judges appointed by Democratic presidents will continue to have a big influence over the fate of Trumps deregulation agenda. But this isnt all bad news for Trump. We also identified several strategies to make it more likely that deregulatory moves can survive court challenges, even under Democratic-appointed judges. OUR RESEARCH FOUND that although Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have been working hard to increase the number of Republican-appointed judges in the federal court system, the balance still tips in favor of Democrats, and that is unlikely to change before the end of the presidents first term. Less than 10 percent of active federal judges have been appointed by Trump. By comparison, over 40 percent were appointed by President Barack Obama, and in total 56 percent were appointed by Democratic presidents. The situation in the federal appellate courts is a little more favorable to Republicans: The overall breakdown between Democratic- and Republican-appointed judges is about 50-50. But that doesnt hold true for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the appellate court that hears a disproportionate number of cases against federal regulatory agencies. The D.C. Circuit has 11 judges, seven appointed by Democratic presidents and four appointed by Republican presidents, including the recent confirmation of Neomi Rao, Trumps former deregulation czar. This ideological tilt can be seen in the outcome of recent rulings. According to our research, so far there have been 30 lawsuits filed against Trumps deregulatory actions. Only two were successfully defended by the Trump administration. In the other 28 cases, the administration lost 18 judicial verdicts and settled 10 times to avoid an adverse judicial verdict. While this appears to be a disturbing rate of failure for the administrations deregulatory agenda, a majority of the cases involved the same question (whether the effective date of an Obama rule can be delayed in order to allow time for a Trump replacement rule to be issued). The more important point is that pro-regulation plaintiffs have been able to get their challenges heard by judges who were appointed by Democratic presidents (often Obama). While its not predetermined that Democrat-appointed judges are always favorable to regulation, our research suggests such a pattern developing against the Trump administration. Of the 18 adverse verdicts, 13 were at the District Court level, where 10 of the judges were appointed by Democratic presidents. Of the five appeals court cases (where three-judge panels ruled), all five panels had at least two judges appointed by Democratic presidents. Two of those five cases were split decisions, with the dissent written by a judge appointed by a Republican president. A worrisome sign for the administration is that they are not winning anywhere close to 100 percent of the judges appointed by GOP presidents. While the GOP may find some solace in the composition of the U.S. Supreme Court, where five of nine justices were appointed by Republican presidents, only a small fraction of regulatory-law cases reach the high court. For Trump, the reality is that federal judges, primarily Obama appointees, are likely to determine the fate of much, if not all, of his deregulatory agenda. Weve identified five strategies administration officials can employ to maximize the chance that their deregulatory actions will survive a court challenge. First, the administration needs to fill the vacant posts at regulatory agencies with qualified people who will work with career staff on the case for deregulation. Without the analytic support of the career staff who know the relevant science and economics, the program history and previous litigation the Trump administration is likely to produce deregulatory packages that are indefensible in court. Second, agency leaders need to build an administrative record with factual findings that support deregulation. Without an appropriate administrative record of facts, no amount of creative lawyering can save a deregulatory action. Judges, regardless of who appointed them, will focus on the administrative record; the clearer this record can be, the more likely it is that the regulatory action will be affirmed. Third, the general counsels at federal agencies need to work hard to ensure that each procedural requirement for deregulation has been honored; the easiest way for a federal judge to block deregulation is to point to a procedural box that has not been checked. Reviewing how and why prior legal challenges succeeded or failed will be helpful for administration officials to chart legal strategy. Fourth, Trumps regulatory czar in the White House Office of Regulatory Affairs needs to work with federal agencies to make sure that regulatory impact analysis considers both the benefits of regulation as well as the cost savings from deregulation. If the analysis ignores or downplays forgone benefits, it will be easier for a federal judge to determine that the administration has been arbitrary and capricious and to overturn the regulatory action. The administrations climate-related rulemakings are especially vulnerable in this regard, since the official 2009 Environmental Protection Agency finding that climate change endangers public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act is still in effect. The stronger the analysis and administrative record, the more difficult it becomes for a judge to find the action to be arbitrary and capricious. Finally, the administration needs to consider carefully how federal deregulation will affect state and local regulation. In some situations, it might be preferable for the Trump administration to keep more federal regulations than it thinks is appropriate in order to avoid a backlash of state and local regulation, which might be more restrictive. While predicting how states will react to federal regulatory action might be difficult, working with state regulators, where possible, could result in a more consistent regulatory process overall. If Trump wants his deregulatory agenda to succeed, his administration will need to convince Democratic-appointed federal judges that they have engaged in smart deregulation. It will not be easy, and if their current success rate is any indication, the Trump administration will need to be smarter in its approach over the next two years. John D. Graham is the former administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs under President George W. Bush and current dean of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. Keith B. Belton is director of the Manufacturing Policy Initiative at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.	https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2019/03/26/trump-deregulation-agenda-000885
Does Instagram Have A Problem With Hate Speech And Extremism?	Enlarge this image toggle caption Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Facebook announced on Wednesday that starting next week, it will begin banning white nationalism and white separatism content on its platforms. That includes its popular photo-sharing app, Instagram. While Facebook and Twitter have come under heavy criticism for the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories, Instagram has flown relatively under the radar. That's allowed the platform to increasingly serve as a home for hate speech and extremist content, according to Taylor Lorenz, a reporter for The Atlantic. In an article titled "Instagram Is the Internet's New Home for Hate," Lorenz writes that Instagram is "likely where the next great battle against misinformation will be fought, and yet it has largely escaped scrutiny." Instagram is huge, with over one billion users. But policing the platform has its challenges, says Lorenz. For example, users can set their accounts to "private" mode, meaning that only approved followers can see the content that is posted on that user's page this makes it harder to regulate the content posted on private accounts. Lorenz said that Instagram relies on its users to report problematic content. So, problematic content, especially on private accounts, can easily slip by unnoticed and go unreported by users. NPR spoke with Lorenz about how extremist content spreads on Instagram and what she thinks should be done to stop it. Interview Highlights On what Instagram's extremist content looks like Extremist content on Instagram is essentially just a more visual way of presenting classic misinformation that we've seen on other platforms. So, a lot of racist memes, white nationalist content, sometimes screenshots of fake news articles. On who extremists target on Instagram A lot of these accounts are actually targeted towards younger people. Some of the heaviest engagers on Instagram are teenagers and sort of young millennials. A lot of these big right-wing extremist meme pages consider those people their audience and those are the users that they're targeting. It's not all young people that are following these pages, but primarily it's a lot of teenagers, maybe college students, kids right out of school who are kind of looking to form their identity and learn about the world learn about news events and they're increasingly turning to social media to do that. Instagram and YouTube are the two most used platforms for Generation Z. So they're following these accounts and just becoming susceptible to their ideas. On how memes are used to introduce people to extremist ideas Memes and humor in general disarms people and it makes them almost more susceptible to extremist beliefs. Humor is a really good way to introduce people to ideas, especially extremist ideas, and conspiracy theories. You kind of start by laughing at it. Then, you start by questioning things a little bit, and you can end up believing and getting sort of sucked up in a lot of this stuff through humor. On how Instagram makes it easier to find extremist accounts Instagram is built on a bunch of different algorithms and one big algorithm that stimulates growth in the site is the page recommendation algorithm. So that's when you follow one Instagram page [and then] you're immediately prompted to follow a slew of more pages. So you can follow even a semi what's considered a mainstream conservative meme page, and you're immediately recommended very extremist content from people like Alex Jones and other notorious conspiracy theorists. On why extremist content can go unnoticed on private accounts Instagram relies on users to report problematic content, and while they are developing algorithms that they say can catch some of this stuff a lot of extremists memes, for instance you might have a meme page with 10,000 followers all of those people are very susceptible to white nationalist beliefs and the account is set to private. So, it's kind of what we're seeing with Facebook groups too, where there's no outside person policing it. This type of stuff is not appearing on a lot of normal users feeds. On how popular Instagram is for Russian misinformation groups A Senate report last year found that the IRA, which is the Internet Research Agency a notorious Russian troll farm that promotes a lot of this nefarious misinformation actually found Instagram to be their most valuable platform. They ran tons of Instagram accounts aimed at stoking sort of divisive political opinions and promoting extremism to to Americans. On how to combat extremism on social media platforms The media has covered a lot of this misinformation stuff and done a great job of it. You know, there can always be more coverage, but it's also up to people to hold people like Mark Zuckerberg, or the head of YouTube, head of Instagram, accountable for this type of stuff. Because when they see public outcry or they see #DeleteFacebook type of movements, it really does move the needle. So, people can just be aware. This story was produced and edited for radio by Nell Clark and Natalie Winston. NPR's Amanda Morris produced this story for digital.	https://www.npr.org/2019/03/30/708386364/does-instagram-have-a-problem-with-hate-speech-and-extremism?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr
How have the Patriots fared with Bill Belichick calling defensive plays?	originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com With the news that Greg Schiano is stepping away from the Patriots, the job of defensive coordinator is once again vacant. With the 2019 season inching closer by the day, it's possible that Bill Belichick will once again call the team's defense. Belichick has been the Patriots head coach since 2000. During that time, Romeo Crennel was the Patriots defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2004, as well as Eric Mangini in 2005, Dean Pees from 2006 to 2009, Matt Patricia from 2012 to 2017, and Brian Flores (not named, but de facto) in 2018. This means that Belichick called the shots on New England's defense in three seasons-2000, 2010, and 2011. The Patriots in those three seasons had a record of 5-11, 14-2, and 13-3 respectively. It must be noted that the 2000 season, while Tom Brady was on the roster, was still part of the Drew Bledsoe era, and was Belichick's inaugural season, before the dynasty began in 2001. In 2000, the Patriots defense was ranked 20th in the league in yards per game, and 17th in the league in points allowed. In 2010, the Patriots defense was ranked 25th in the league in yards per game, but 8th in the league in points allowed. In 2011, the Patriots defense was ranked 2nd in the league in yards per game, and 15th in the league in points allowed. The Patriots were upset by the New York Jets in the divisional round of the playoffs in 2010, which is also the last time the Pats did not make it to the AFC Championship Game, as they have in every season since. Story continues In 2011, perhaps one of Belichick's best coaching jobs given the apparent lack of talent on his defense (Julian Edelman played defensive back at one point), made it to Super Bowl XLVI, where the team lost a close game (once again) to the New York Giants. In all, there does not seem to be a strong correlation between the performance of the Patriots' defense and Belichick calling plays. Some of the Patriots best defenses (early 2000s, 2018) came with different defensive coordinators, and one (Flores in 2018) who did not actually have the title. 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/patriots-fared-bill-belichick-calling-154800062.html?src=rss
Is there an Austrian link to New Zealand mosque attacks?	Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Austrian far-right activist Martin Sellner is under scrutiny The Austrian authorities are investigating possible connections after it emerged that the main suspect in the Christchurch mosque attacks made a donation of 1,500 (1,293) to the far-right Identitarian Movement in Austria (IB). The suspect visited Austria from 27 November to 4 December last year, according to Austria's Interior Minister Herbert Kickl, who said that potential links to Austrian extremists were being looked into. Police have searched the house of the charismatic, social media-savvy IB leader, Martin Sellner, who has done much to raise the profile of the Identitarians throughout Europe. The group is hostile to multiculturalism, and claims to defend Europe against migrants, especially Muslims. Mr Sellner has firmly denied any involvement with the 15 March attacks, which killed 50 people, but admits he received the donation and wrote an email of thanks. In a video posted online, he said: "I am not a member of a terrorist organisation. I have nothing to do with this man, other than that I passively received a donation from him." Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said the group will be dissolved if it is deemed to be a terrorist organisation. "There must be no tolerance for dangerous ideologies in our country - no matter if it's radical Islam or right-wing fanaticism," he said. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch after New Zealand's worst mass shooting The main suspect in the Christchurch mosque attacks, Australian Brenton Tarrant, also seems to have had a preoccupation with Austrian history - something the interior minister said was being investigated. Austrian landmark The suspect's clothes and weapons were covered with writing and symbols. One of the words daubed in white on a gun magazine was "Vienna". There was also a string of names of historical figures, including that of Count Ernst Rdiger von Starhemberg, the military commander of Vienna during the Ottoman siege of 1683. Starhemberg and his company of 20,000 men defended the city against the 120,000-strong Ottoman army, which was eventually defeated by the combined forces of Poles, Habsburgs and the Holy Roman Empire. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption September 2017: Austrian Identitarians celebrate the 1683 victory over the Ottoman Turks The Battle of Vienna in 1683 is often cited by historians as the point where the Ottoman advance on Western Europe was stopped; the turning of the tide in the Muslim/Christian struggle for the control of Europe. As such, it is a date celebrated by the far right, including, it seems, the Christchurch suspect, who is a self-confessed anti-Muslim white supremacist. 'The Great Replacement' The Documentation Archive of the Austrian Resistance (DOEW), which researches extreme-right activity, says there are "many rhetorical and ideological overlaps" between groups like the Identitarians and the suspected Christchurch attacker. "The title of the attacker's manifesto, The Great Replacement (which sees immigrants as a threat to "white" Western culture) was a slogan popularised by the Identitarians," DOEW said on its website. "Regardless of the outcome of the investigation," DOEW says, the Identitarians seem to be sticking to their narrative "for the time being". It points to an IB statement from last week, which speaks of the "Great Replacement" and calls for "De-Islamification". The whole affair is uncomfortable not just for the Identitarians, but for Austria's government as well. Mr Kurz's own conservative Austrian People's Party is in coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FP), making Austria the only country in Western Europe with a far-right presence in government. Image copyright AFP Image caption Mr Strache (L) got some key ministerial posts in his deal with Chancellor Kurz (R) FP leader and Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache said on Wednesday that his party had "nothing to do with the Identitarians". However, Austrian media published photos of FP politicians with members of the group, and Bernhard Weidinger from DOEW told the BBC that there were many links between FP politicians and members of the IB, who often attended each other's events. In 2016, before he became interior minister, Herbert Kickl gave a speech to a far-right conference in Linz, called Defenders of Europe. The FP politician addressed his audience, which included Identitarians, as "like-minded people", according to Austrian media reports. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Battle of Vienna (1837 painting by Leander Russ): Now part of far-right mythology The FP has also long celebrated the Battle of Vienna victory of 1683. In 2010 it even published a comic, set during the siege, featuring Mr Strache as a knight saving Vienna's cathedral from an Ottoman minaret. And when Mr Strache and Mr Kurz presented their government programme back in 2017, shortly before the coalition was sworn in, they broke with tradition, and held the event on Vienna's Kahlenberg mountain, where the Battle of Vienna took place. Asked if there was any historical significance to the choice of venue, Mr Kurz said no. But in a video blog, Mr Sellner hailed it as "a good omen".	https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47735412
Why are university students catching mumps?	Image copyright Reuters Image caption Uptake of the measles, mumps, and rubella virus (MMR) vaccine has gone down in recent years Mumps - a contagious viral infection that causes swelling of the glands - has been in the news this week following a confirmed outbreak at two universities. A total of 223 suspected cases were reported, with 40 confirmed, across Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham. That has now risen to 241 suspected cases with 51 confirmed by Public Health England (PHE). BBC News has taken a look at why this is and whether university students are still at risk. The numbers seem particularly high in Nottingham. PHE said latest figures showed cases of mumps in England had decreased in 2018, with 1,024 confirmed cases compared with 1,796 in 2017. There have also been a handful of reported cases at the universities of Bath, Hull and Liverpool and in the US - specifically Temple University, in Philadelphia, which has recorded about 100 people with signs of the infection. There does not appear to be any reason as to why the Nottingham numbers are much higher, though experts have said it could be that there are more in the city who are not immune. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Students outside an emergency clinic at Temple University, in Philadelphia Professor Jonathan Ball, from the University of Nottingham - an expert in viruses and viral vaccines and treatments - said it was affecting students because they gathered in "close proximity for fairly large periods of time". This would include in halls of residence, lecture theatres or even at nightclubs, which hold specific nights aimed at students. "The virus [could] spread fairly easy, especially if there are relatively large numbers of people who have not been vaccinated," he said. A marine biology student at the University of Hull, who did not want to give his name, said he started feeling ill while on a field trip to the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland. He said a local doctor diagnosed mumps but also sent away a swab for it to be confirmed, as mumps is a notifiable disease in England and Wales. The 19-year-old, who said he knew at least two others who had the symptoms, had to be isolated and driven home, avoiding public transport because of the risk of others being infected. Yes. Dr Vanessa MacGregor, from PHE, said it had seen a rise in figures recently, with teenagers and young adults who have not had two doses of the MMR vaccine "particularly vulnerable". The NHS says the vaccine is part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule, in which a child is given one dose when they are 12 to 13 months old, and a second at three years and four months. Dr MacGregor urged those who have not had the MMR vaccine - or only received one dose - to ensure they took up the offer of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Students in Philadelphia have been taking the MMR jab The University of Hull student also said it was "strange" he had contracted the infection because he had received both doses and this had been confirmed by his father. According to Prof Ball, the mumps part of the vaccine is the "least effective". He said: "For the mumps vaccine, we expect about 88% of people vaccinated to be protected, whereas for the measles vaccine this is as high as 98%. "If you then add unvaccinated people into the mix, it is easy to see how a relatively contagious virus as mumps can spread so easily." Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mumps was once common in children before vaccinations began in the 1980s He said this was further complicated, because some people who are infected show little or no symptoms at all. However, if the majority were vaccinated, those susceptible to the infection would benefit from "herd immunity", the level considered by experts to protect a population from a disease. But, as Prof Ball states: "If you start to reduce the numbers of people being vaccinated, then that herd protection just isn't there." According to BBC Health Editor Hugh Pym, the reason for uptake declining in many countries was not clear. The "damaging" work of discredited scientist and struck-off medic Andrew Wakefield in the 1990s "helped fuel the fire of the anti-vaccine movement," according to Prof Ball. In 1998, the doctor led a study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism, impacting on the coverage of the vaccine, with rates dropping to about 80% in the late 1990s and a low of 79% in 2003. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The GMC ruled that Andrew Wakefield acted "irresponsibly" in carrying out his research Rates partially recovered after the research was disproved but the volume of anti-vaccine sentiment on social media has increased in recent years. This led Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock to call for new laws to force social media companies to remove content that promoted false information about vaccines. Prof Ball said there were rarely "side effects" with vaccines and even if there was, the benefits outweighed these. "Because we have lived through a golden age of vaccination, we have forgotten just how harmful, and sometimes even fatal, these virus infections can be," he said. Dr Natalie Riddell, a lecturer in immunology and ageing at the University of Surrey, said a reduced amount of people being vaccinated against any contagious disease was dangerous. "Babies and immuno-compromised people [such as the elderly or those receiving chemotherapy] rely on the rest of us to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of disease," she said. "It is totally unnecessary for people to risk their friends and family becoming ill, or even dying, from measles or mumps, as there is a safe and effective vaccine to protect against both." Prof Ball said poor vaccine uptake worldwide had led to an increase in outbreaks of mumps and measles and we should "expect things to get worse" before they get better. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The University of Nottingham has been hit by the mumps virus Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].	https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-47736643
Can Oregon womens basketball make Final Four aspirations reality?	Before the season began, Oregon had one goal in mind: Reach the Final Four. With the core of a group returning from back-to-back appearances in the Elite Eight, the Ducks were expected to get back here. They had a picture of the skyline of Tampa, the site of this years Womens Final Four, in their home locker room. The No. 2 seed in the Portland Region, Oregon once again has the opportunity to make it to the biggest stage in the sport but will have to get through top-seeded Mississippi State in the Elite Eight on Sunday (11 a.m. PT, ESPN) to get there. The Ducks (32-4) are trying to treat the rematch with the Bulldogs, who they defeated in Eugene in December, like any other game but the stakes are not lost on them. Ultimately we are trying to win this game, and we are trying to get further than we have these last couple years, at least with this core group, guard Sabrina Ionescu said. I think thats whats going to separate us as a more mature and veteran group. I think we want to get better, we want to do more than we have in the past. I think coming into this year we had Tampa written all over our locker room, that was our ultimate goal because that is ultimately what is going to set us apart. Sabrina Ionescu has no idea on whether shell enter WNBA Draft, but is registered for spring classes at Oregon Ionescu said she is registered for classes in the spring quarter, which begins next week at UO, a positive sign for those hoping shell return for her senior season. Oregon was one of the most potent offenses in the country all season, with Ionescu, an All-American and national player of the year candidate, leading the way along with Ruthy Hebard, Satou Sabally, Maite Cazorla and Erin Boley. Right or wrong, most observers of the sport will judge Oregons season based on whether or not the Ducks can go further than theyve ever been before, particularly when the West Regional is in Portland with 11,000-plus green and yellow-clad fans in attendance. Oregon never shied away from expectations this season, but is also not trying to bill Sundays game as the only barometer of the teams success. Weve never said Tampa or bust or anything like that, Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. "What people want to say, theyre going to say. We have talked most of the year really in terms of just the next game, the next game, the next game. I think weve compartmentalized that pretty well. I think maybe some are starting to say a little bit more. Thats always been our focus. "If things dont go well (Sunday), then Im not going to look upon that as a failure of a season. Weve won another Pac-12 championship. We put ourselves into a position to do it. Were going to go out, give it our best (Sunday). I hope we win. Were going to play hard enough to win. If we do, were going to be really happy. Well be humble but well be happy. If we dont, were going to be sad. Were not going to look back and say, This was a failure. We only really care about what we think of ourselves. I dont really worry about what others say, how they want to judge us. Thats up to them. But Im proud of this group. I hope we can go further because I think theyve worked hard for it. This is something that theyve wanted. Nothing about Sundays game will be easy for the Ducks though. Mississippi State (33-2) challenged Oregon in Eugene earlier this season before the Ducks pulled away late. Though MSU lost guard Chloe Bibby since, it still has one of the best bigs in the country in Teaira McCowan to matchup against Ruthy Hebard. There should be little doubt that the Bulldogs will attempt to replicate what Stanford did in beating Oregon by having McCowan sprint up court and force Hebard to expend more energy. Im excited, Hebard said. Hopefully we make it to Tampa. We have one more task beforehand, and hopefully were all up to the task. Oregon backup guard Taylor Chavez: Ill be ready to return against Mississippi State Oregon could have its top backup guard back on the floor in the Elite Eight. MSU has also been to the last two Final Fours and has made its season about unfinished business of wanting to win a national championship. Nothing about the stage, even what will essentially be a Ducks home game, will intimidate the Bulldogs. We know were going to get a very experienced team, but a determined team," Graves said. "Theyve had their eye to this. Theyve been here before. Theyve won twice in this game. We have yet to do that. We want to break through that ceiling. We dont want to be just an Elite Eight program, we want to be a Final Four and perhaps a national championship program. "Yeah, until you do it for the first time, you dont really have that blueprint. Theyve done it, so... Now we want to make sure thats us this time.	https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/can-oregon-womens-basketball-make-final-four-aspirations-reality.html
What else is boyfriend hiding?	Ive been dating someone whom I met on an online dating site for about three months. He lives about 100 miles away, and he seems to be only available every other weekend. When I asked him why, he told me he shares custody with his ex, and he has his kids every Wednesday to Friday and every other weekend. I was shocked because he never mentioned it until I asked, which seems weird to me. It made me wonder what else hes hiding. It would make me wonder as well. Good ex-etiquette suggests that you dont introduce the kids until you know where your new relationship is going but thats to protect the kids. He didnt tell you about the kids for three months and then it was because you asked. Makes you wonder what his motivation was and what else he has kept secret. Kids are not an afterthought. They are something that should be mentioned right away. That would give you the option right from the start to go forward or walk away if you dont want to date someone with children. That would be good ex-etiquette. Keeping secrets is not. (Good ex-etiquette for parents rule No. 8, Be honest and straightforward.) When there are children involved, there simply cant be any dating games. Plus, the parenting plan you described is an equal custody share something called a 2-2-5 parenting plan. This dad is very active in his childrens lives. These kids are going back and forth every couple of days, so to co-parent properly, he probably talks to his ex on a regular basis. So, not only do you now have children in the mix, theres an ex who could live right around the corner. Theres more you live 100 miles apart. If you were entertaining the fantasy that this relationship would blossom, and he would eventually move to be with you, its not going to happen. To maintain this particular parenting plan, the exchanges are usually done to school and from school. He cant exchange the kids daily from 100 miles away. Time to initiate further conversation. You will come in contact with her on a regular basis. This will not be like a first-time relationship. His allegiance will be to his children. He has some splaining to do. Listen carefully. Thats good ex-etiquette.	https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/03/31/ex-17/
Can Collaboration Fuel Asia's Philanthropic Power?	More than half of the worlds economic growth in recent years came from Asia. This eastward shift of the worlds economic center of gravity is fueling the expansion of individual wealth, with the number of high-net-worth individuals in Asia nearly doubling since 2012. According to the Forbes World's Billionaires list for 2019, one out of five newly minted billionaires from last year came from China, making up the largest number of new billionaires in the world. With growing wealth comes the potential for a new era of charitable giving laser-focused on solving the worlds most intractable problemslike climate change, inequality and scarce food supplies. That this can be Asian-led is unprecedented. In fact, according to the Doing Good Index 2018, Asian philanthropists have the capacity to contribute $500 billion in charitable giving, surpassing that of the U.S. China, for example, has already begun to unleash this potential by harnessing the highest number of millionaires engaged in environmental, social and governance-related investing. Across the region, a new generation of globally minded and mission-driven ultra-rich are now taking the helm of the exponential growth in capital. This convergence uniquely positions Asia to fuel a new model of philanthropy that can make the biggest bets in bridging the $2.5 trillion funding gap needed to solve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. Yet despite a strong heritage of collective action among Asian cultures, philanthropy in the region has also traditionally been a lonely mission. This is beginning to change, with a number of consortiums and alliances taking root. But as development challenges become increasingly globalized and complex, the time has come to accelerate collaboration and the pooling of resources to create outsized impact. Getty Bolder momentum, bigger bets As one of the worlds oldest family established philanthropies, we at The Rockefeller Foundation believe we have a clear answer: a partnership among Asias diverse and inspired philanthropists who share a like-minded mission to improve the well-being of humanity. Issues such as climate change and halting the spread of HIV go beyond national borders and require information, capital and know-how to be shared, and activities to be coordinated to effect lasting change. Asias ultra-rich, old and new, are already well-known for being pillars of their communities, shepherding and contributing to economic and social transformation. This sense of community can and should be elevated to a global level with Asias next generation of givers. Collaborative philanthropy helps to amplify and structure developmental programs for outsized impact. Consider Project ECHO, which re-imagines the way healthcare delivery is made by connecting frontline providers, specialists, public institutions and private sector entities to provide more accessible healthcare around the world. By catalyzing collaboration between several philanthropic organizations, the project seeks to transform Indias healthcare delivery system over the next five years and make healthcare accessible to between 3 and 6 million people. This was made possible by a grant from Co-Impacta collaborative initiative among various philanthropic organizations including The Rockefeller Foundationwhich deployed $80 million in its first round of grant-making to reach 9 million people across Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Project ECHO demonstrates that strong partnership between philanthropiststhose best positioned to contribute risk capital and pool resourcesprogram partners and anchor organizations with local credibility, can make a difference for millions. Imagine the possibilities of a strategic, collective effort by Asian philanthropists. Imagine a new paradigm, where the sense of communityingrained in family values and powered by modern capitalcan create the building blocks for a new, sustained model of economic growth and opportunity. Take the Asia Philanthropy Circle, where more than 30 philanthropists have pooled their resources under a community impact fund to make greater impact in Indonesia and Myanmar, or the Paradise International Foundation, led by Jack Ma and Pony Ma, who are bringing together the efforts of a range of philanthropic actors to better protect the environment in China. Collaboration not only pools resources, but creates disciplined mechanisms for learning, measurement and accountability. Big problems require big partnerships. Globally, most grants award less than $10 million and have short horizons of approximately 1 to 2 years, with many uncoordinated funders each with their own requirements. This encourages social changemakers to think and act small. By banding together around common themes and a commitment to results, philanthropists have the power to dare social innovators to build bigger and bolder, empowering them to create the breakthrough solutions that will help billions of people rise out of poverty and vulnerability. The regions growing number of philanthropists care deeply about addressing the greatest social and environmental challenges of our time and want to be a part of a lasting, transformational change. Ultimately, large, widespread challenges are impossible to solve with a single intervention, or one philanthropic actor, no matter how big the investment. Lasting, transformative change takes time, some dimension of partnership across sectors, and a considered, strategic marshaling of resources. From this vantage point, by bringing their resources, social values, networks and deep-rooted culture of collectivism to bear, Asias philanthropists are in an enviable position to shape a new era of giving and a legacy of the impact that can transform the world.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/deepalikhanna/2019/03/31/can-collaboration-fuel-asias-philanthropic-power/
Could Texas lawmakers finally fix our broken school funding system?	The not-so-good news: The House and the Senate have different routes to get there. For example, the Senate version of the bill still calls for a $5,000 across-the-board raise for teachers. This newspaper believes thats a bad idea. We support the House version on teacher pay that gives districts the flexibility to reward their best teachers. We realize these are not insignificant hurdles and it will take a lot more of the usual horse trading to finalize the details. Still, this is the farthest in recent memory that lawmakers have gone toward funding an education system that makes more sense for students, teachers and taxpayers. Lawmakers cant let their differences prevent them from getting this deal done. We understand why educators and advocates are cautiously optimistic that meaningful reform will happen this session. Texas has a long history of inadequately funding public education, leaving districts to fend for themselves and taxpayers with soaring tax bills. And the current funding formula leaves both property-rich and property-poor districts struggling financially to meet the needs of their students. Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa called the process nerve-racking. Progress thats positive for school districts has been good so far, but hes right that what counts is what gets approved. Hes headed to Austin next week to continue to make the case for funding that gives districts maximum flexibility. Lawmakers are making giant steps forward. Our state leaders rarely are on the same page on any issue. Were glad theyre taking action on the importance of education rather than just offering lip service. Now they must follow through. This editorial was written by the editorial board and serves as the voice and opinion of The Dallas Morning News.	https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2019/03/31/after-years-failed-attempts-could-state-lawmakers-close-finally-fixing-texas-broken-school-funding-system
How can an emotionally abusive partner break the cycle?	Dear Carolyn Dear Carolyn: Im a mess. Ive been with my partner for over four years and Ive been emotionally abusive in the way that I keep breaking up with her and then getting back together just to break up again. I think Ive done it at least 10 times, starting around 8 months in. Usually she talks me into staying with her, but on at least two occasions Ive changed my mind and asked to be taken back. Its terrible for her self-esteem. Also, I am resentful toward her. Small things really irk me, like her obsession with childish things, and her at-times-poor English. She is a beautiful, loving, caring, supportive person and we share many interests. But I have to stop myself occasionally from treating her like a child. I am in my early 30s and she is mid/late 20s. I become cold at times and embarrassed by her in public, which I feel awful about. We often both make progress in our communication and understanding, but I feel trapped in this cycle of losing control and running away from the relationship, making up, suffering through healing together and then leaving again when things seem to be going well. I cant think of any way to break the cycle other than to leave for good, but I know she would rather I stay and try to work on my issues, even though I will likely hurt her again. I love her and would miss her like crazy but at the same time she drives me up the wall. Help. Abusive Mess Dear Abusive Mess: When you feel and therefore are, for all practical purposes unable to stop yourself from hurting someone, then you need to get good therapeutic care. I dont consider this open to debate. Look up reputable therapists, pick some, call. Today. To help the process along, I would like to challenge a couple of assumptions youve made: She loves me so much. She has a strong attachment to you for sure, but what you describe is dependency. Hers on you, yours on her. Mistaking that for love is one of the reasons youre on your fourth year of misery together and staring hopelessly at more. Why cant I just love her back? The why doesnt matter after the what of your not loving her. Its the end of any inquiry, not the beginning. Even if she is telling you that explicitly, it is a conditional (and therefore ill-advised) preference, that youll stay and transform into the partner she wants you to be. Since you have abundant proof that wont happen and zero proof it will, you can honestly project that you wont meet her conditions and so reasonably conclude she doesnt want you to stay. Not on the terms youre able to offer her. Implied throughout is that her enjoying, loving and wanting you are reasons for you to stay. No. Those would be reasons for her to stay. Her reasons govern her, and your reasons govern you, and any overlap is a boundary issue. Good issues for therapy all, by no coincidence especially the last. Dear Carolyn: My husband had two kids by his first wife, one with me. Our child, early 30s, is engaged to be married. She has had no contact with his older child; none of us has. His second child also only contacts Dad when drama occurs, maybe one or two times a year, causing uproar. Our daughter doesnt want to invite either half sibling to the wedding. Dad is pushing for her to invite the second one. I side with my daughter because nothing good ever comes from this contact. She hasnt had any contact with this sibling in probably two to three years. For what its worth, this sibling is 15 years older. Stuck Mom Dear Stuck Mom: Your daughter is an adult who can invite, or not invite, anyone she wants to her wedding. Not just a new adult, either, but a seasoned one not that it changes my point. Her decisions may come with consequences, but those are for her (and her intended) to anticipate, accept and absorb. Therefore, you are not stuck. You are in an excellent position, though, to remind your daughter and husband both that she is an adult who can invite, or not invite, anyone she wants to her wedding, and take responsibility for any consequences. Any further discussion of this siblings inclusion is for your daughter and husband to have between them. If you have his attention, though, then I also recommend recommending to him that he drop it. He has stated his position clearly on a decision thats not his to make. It would likely serve all of you best if he recognized that by saying his piece, hes done his part appropriately and in full.	https://www.seattletimes.com/life/how-can-an-emotionally-abusive-partner-break-the-cycle/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all
Should Rep. Adam Schiff resign as Chair of the House Intelligence Committee?	By Cait Bladt Republicans in Congress and the White House are calling for Rep. Adam Schiff to resign his position as the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee. The president and his supporters say Schiff perpetuated a false narrative about Trump and his potential illegal activities. Schiff, for his part, says that while he supports Robert Mueller and his investigation, he does not believe the conclusion of that investigation should be the end of all investigations into the president. As soon as Barrs summary of the Mueller report was released, the president began calling for retribution against those he felt lead a wrongful investigation into him and his administration. Schiff was first on that list. Per The Hill: Congressman Adam Schiff, who spent two years knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking, should be forced to resign from Congress! the president said in an early morning tweet. Nine Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee, which Schiff chairs, called for him to step down. Per NBC News: Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, introduced the scathing letter during a public committee hearing Thursday and then read it aloud. "Your willingness to continue to promote a demonstrably false narrative is alarming," Conaway said. "The findings of the special counsel conclusively refute your past and present exertions, and have exposed you of having abused your position to knowingly promote false information." "Your actions both past and present are incompatible with your duty as chairman of this committee," Conaway added. "As such, we have no faith in your ability to discharge your duties in a manner consistent with your constitutional responsibility, and urge your immediate resignation as chairman of the committee." Schiff, however, says he still sees value in continuing the multiple investigations into the president he has been overseeing. Rep. Adam Schiff: "Until we're satisfied, I think, that we have pursued credible allegations of conflict of interest or compromise, we are not done." pic.twitter.com/ESt1NAEB0B The Hill (@thehill) March 28, 2019 Schiff delivered a passionate speech defending both Robert Muellers investigation and his decision to maintain his seat and continue the investigations. Rep. Adam Schiff: "I do not think that conduct, criminal or not, is okay -- and the day we do think that's okay is the day we will look back and say that is the day America lost its way." https://t.co/5W1w80eKqZ pic.twitter.com/lP5Dkddyvu The Hill (@thehill) March 28, 2019 Mueller report over 300 pages; Democrats demand full release Trump has said he's fine with releasing the findings. 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, wed love to hear what you have to say.	https://www.nola.com/tylt/2019/03/should-rep-adam-schiff-resign-as-chair-of-the-house-intelligence-committee.html
How will a 2.7 mile Outer Banks bridge be destroyed?	A big, dramatic explosion would definitely be a memorable way to say goodbye to the 55-year-old bridge, but engineers say their plan is just the opposite. Thats partly because flying debris could damage the replacement bridge that just opened a few weeks ago. Instead, the 2.7-mile bridge on N.C. 12 is going to be painstakingly sawed apart, piece by piece, and carted off on barges. The work has already begun and should take about 10 months, officials told the Charlotte Observer. The whole thing will be dangerous, because we are compromising the structure of the bridge as we go, said the projects resident, Pablo Hernandez. Were doing it in a controlled fashion, but when you cut things loose, they can swing away from you in directions you didnt predict. FLASH SALE! Unlimited digital access for $3.99 per month Don't miss this great deal. Offer ends on March 31st! Here are some of the lesser-known details of the demolition project, according to Hernandez: There are oddities lost under the bridge: Over the past 50 years, the state has dropped countless oddities under the bridge to stabilize the sand around the pilings. Boulders, baskets and metal mattresses filled with rock, and gigantic jacks (like the childrens toy), are just a few of the things 30 feet below the surfaces. Some must be removed, but the projects engineers arent exactly sure where they are located. 1,000 feet of the old bridge is being kept intact for a surprising reason: The N.C. Department of Transportation is keeping 1,000 feet of the Bonner Bridge intact at the south end, as a pedestrian and fishing pier. But that is only part of the reason it was saved. Turns out a strong current of water called the Davis Slough flows under that section of the bridge, and removing it would change the flow pattern in Oregon Inlet in ways that could not be predicted. Beach erosion and rough currents could result. The bridges end posts have been saved: The 4-foot-long end posts (with metal plaques) at the north end of the bridge were sawed off last week and are being saved as historic artifacts. They will eventually go on display. The bridges bits and pieces will be used to create reefs: The 140,000 pounds of concrete and metal will be hauled out to sea on barges and dumped into the ocean to make four artificial reefs. The sites are 5 to 12 miles off of Oregon Inlet. (No asphalt will be included for environmental reasons.) Disturbing marine mammals is forbidden during the work: If a dolphin, sea turtle, manatee or any other marine mammal swims up to the bridge or under it during work, everything must stop until the animal has moved away. Not all of the pilings that held up the bridge will be removed: Environmentalist have determined that removing the pilings in marshes at the north end of the bridge will cause harm to marine life, so pilings in those areas will be cut off at water level.	https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article228273989.html
Is civil rights icon Cesar Chvez's legacy ignored in his hometown of Yuma?	Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. Chvez He was born on March 31, 1927, in Arizona, where the desert is made soft and fertile alongside water that flows through the Colorado and Gila rivers near Yuma. He was named after his grandfather Cesario, an escaped slave who traveled from his home in Chihuahua, Mexico to work the railroads and fields of Arizona. He died in 1993 near the Arizona-Mexico border his grandfather had crossed more than 100 years earlier. Cesar Estrada Chvez was baptized Catholic in the faith of his parents, his grandparents and the many ancestors who came before them. He grew up on the homestead his grandfather established in North Gila Valley in Yuma County about 10 miles from the big city. His parents ran a grocery store, an auto repair shop and a pool hall, near his grandfathers farm until the Great Depression forced the young family back to the family homestead, according to a National Park Service report. At home, he learned from parents who taught him to work with his hands, farming the Chvez familys 100 acres. At school, he learned from books and children who didnt look like him. He experienced racism and discrimination as a young child," branded as a dirty Mexican at the public school in Yuma, states an NPS study to assess the historical significance of sites and resources associated with Chvez and the farm-labor movement. "Such experiences taught Chvez how discrimination made its targets feel excluded and inferior." Subscribe to azcentral.com. In the 1930s, as the Depression deepened, the Chvez family lost their land. They left Yuma County. They left the adobe home with sturdy mudbrick walls that his grandfather built with his hands. In California, they joined migrant farmworkers. Decades later, after founding a farmworkers movement that drew international support for a boycott of inhumane working conditions. After winning the admiration of fieldworkers and presidents and fueling the ire of powerful growers. After inspiring music, art and people with fights for social justice, Chvez would return to Yuma to battle a lawsuit against the United Farm Workers Union. The answer is just as relevant today On April 22, 1993, after a long day in the courtroom, Chvez drove through Latino neighborhoods in Yuma and San Luis, according to UFW archives. Places he recognized from his childhood. Places where farmworkers who picked lettuce, lemons, wheat and other crops lived. NEWSLETTERS Get the AZ Memo newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Get the pulse of Arizona -- Local news, in-depth state coverage and what it all means for you Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for AZ Memo Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters He settled at the San Luis home of Dofla Maria Hau, a friend and former farmworker. That night, his loved ones said they saw the weight of the trial on Chvezs face. He told them to take care of themselves, went to his room and fell asleep reading. In the morning, he was found dead, holding a book about Native American crafts in his hands, according to UFW archives. Six days later, mourners came from across the nation to the UFWs field office in Delano. More than 50,000 people farmworkers, families and dignitaries walked Chvez to his final resting place. CLOSE Civil rights icon Csar Chvez formed the National Association of Farm Workers to protect the rights and increase the wages of unionized workers. Diana Payan, The Republic \| azcentral.com When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit that our lives are all that really belong to us. So, it's how we use our lives that determines what kind of men we are. It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life. Chvez Henry Valenzuela was born and raised in Yuma. He lets loose a long sigh and says it was only about a year ago that he learned Chvez was born, went to school and died in the Yuma area. How do I not know this? he said. Were hoping we can change that. Let people in Yuma know how he changed the lives of so many. Valenzuela, 40, is the treasurer and spokesman for the Cesar Chavez Legacy political action committee. The group came together after sharing a common concern: Yuma, a place rich with the history of an American and Latino civil rights icon, has no major recognition for Chvez. Valenzuela said the group has emailed the Yuma City Council asking for a main street to be named after Chvez, for the Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex to be named after him and for the city to establish a holiday in Chvezs name. No one has responded to their request, he said. The Yuma mayor and council members did not immediately respond to an Arizona Republic email for comment. He struggles to understand. It would be as if Martin Luther King Jr. was born here and died here and wed done nothing, he said. All over the country people know who Cesar Chvez is. He is one of our most well known civil-rights leaders in our country. And weve done nothing. Nothing. Cesar Chavez (Photo: The Republic) He worries about why. There are some powerful business owners, land owners, farmers in the community that have opposed any honoring or any promotion of the legacy of Cesar Chvez, and its because they lived through the era when the United Farmworkers were trying to come to Yuma and they resisted that, he said. One proposal would change 16th Street to Cesar Chvez Street. The group has talked with leaders who are considering a proposal to change Highway 95, which stretches across Arizona, cuts through Yuma along 16th Street and extends south to the border in San Luis where Chvez died. They like to imagine that by this time next year, people in Yuma will be gathering to honor Chvez with renaming ceremonies and a day of service on an official holiday in his name. But theyll compromise. Really, any main street would do, Valenzuela said. Theyre fine with sharing. Marking a street sign with its original name and Chvez's would do. Theyll take an unpaid holiday, as long as it's dedicated to Chvez. In this region along the border, where cultures, traditions and languages mix, sometimes things take time. But its past time, Valenzuela said. In San Luis, 22 miles south of Yuma, they have the Cesar Chvez Cultural Center, where families learn art, music and dance. There's a statue of Chvez in the town square. They have Cesar Chvez Street that runs parallel to Main Street and stops just short of the U.S.-Mexico border. And this year, the city approved a resolution adding Cesar Chvez Day as an official holiday. Cesar Chavez is a hero to many and an inspiration to all, who made history by speaking up for the voiceless and advocating for the rights and dignity of farmworkers, Mayor Gerardo Sanchez said in a statement on the recognition. CLOSE Phoenix residents gathered to celebrate the history of the Santa Rita Center during a community open-mic night. Wochit Valenzuela believes any recognition of Chvez is not just for fieldworkers, but for the dignity of work and of labor for all jobs." But there's another reason to remember. One Valenzuela keeps coming back to, maybe, because hes a police officer in a border state in a divided country. Chvez faced inhumanity and injustice with nonviolent marches, hunger strikes and boycotts. What we need in our country right now if you think about the last several years, the violent protests that have happened throughout our country we need to give an example to people who want change, that change can happen and violence is not necessary, he said. For now, when people ask Valenzuela if there's anything official for Chvez in Yuma, he points them to a mural. The one near a high school that bears the Latino icon's face. But not his name. History will judge societies and governments and their institutions not by how big they are or how well they serve the rich and the powerful, but by how effectively they respond to the needs of the poor and the helpless. Chvez Alejandro Chvez isnt surprised Yuma doesnt recognize his grandfather. If you think about it, we were among the last states to get Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a holiday, he said. President Ronald Reagan approved the first national King holiday, celebrated in 1986. The late Sen. John McCain famously voted against establishing the federal holiday in Kings honor. Decades later, McCain said he was wrong to oppose the recognition. Arizonans voted down establishing a state holiday for the civil-rights leader, but after losing the 1993 Super Bowl because of the snub, voters returned to the polls and approved the MLK holiday. READ MORE: Gosar wants Chavez's birthday to be 'National Border Control Day' Upon McCains death, Arizonans and people across the U.S. have sought recognition for the late senator who was born in the Panama Canal Zone. Chvez likes to think that the sentiment for McCain will ease the way for similar recognition for his grandfather, an Arizona native. But like his grandfather, he knows justice moves slowly. Chvez served in the U.S. Navy for two years, from 1944-46. At the time Mexican-Americans were only allowed to serve as deckhands and painters. Chvez's family has said he entered the Navy for opportunity and left it because of discrimination. In 2015, 22 years after his death, a sailor named Marco Valdovinos organized a ceremony to render final military honors to Chvez. Something he didn't receive upon his death, according to Navy Times. Maybe, one day, Arizona will recognize Cesar Chvez Day as an official state holiday, like California does, Chvez said. For now, he celebrates his grandfathers legacy at Arizona schools, churches and community celebrations in cities that choose to recognize Chvez with a local holiday. RELATED: Glendale dedicates street in honor of Cesar Chavez On Thursday, Chvez read the Prayer of the Farm Workers Struggle/Oracin del Campesino en la Lucha at his childs Phoenix school. Show me the suffering of the most miserable; So I will know my peoples plight. Chvez likes knowing his own son was born in the same state as his grandfather. Lately, he's been thinking about his grandfather's past and what opportunities his son's generation will have in a country with growing economic disparity. Its a prime time to recognize my grandfathers work not just for farmworkers, but in bridging the gap between the most powerful industry in California and the workers, he said. "With everything happening now, what better way to honor the dignity of work and the value of bridging the gaps we have now?" Csar Chvez The Republic Cesar Chavez, head of the United Farm Workers of America, is shown in his office in Keene, Calif. He announced the end of a seven and one-half years boycott against the California lettuce and and grape industries on January 1978. (AP Photo) (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) One thing many people dont know about his grandfather, is that he kept working with his hands, long after he stopped working in the fields, he said. He had his own little garden, he said. He took great pride in that you worked and you took care of your family, whether you were a CEO or a farmworker, you both put the food on the table." We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our communityOur ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own. Chvez Nancy Godoy worries about people forgetting, or worse, never learning. She spends most days making sure that doesnt happen. Godoy is the archivist of the Chicano/a Research Collection at Arizona State University. She sifts through papers and photos and hunts for memories, ones people keep in their mind and ones they store in a drawer or box, to record. She's not surprised Valenzuela, the officer working to honor Chvez in Yuma, didn't know the civil and labor rights icon was born and died in Yuma County. She sees too many students who don't know their own stories, their own past. "In Arizona, we dont know that history (of Latino communities) existed, I would say because of racism and lack of resources in archiving, so figures like Cesar Chvez havent been documented in our history, she said. Not knowing paves the way for inequality, she said. When communities lack a history, they get dehumanized, she said. In Arizona, you see that with the Latino community, even though they have been here before Arizona was a territory, theyve been marginalized and once you marginalize and dehumanize a community, its easier to attack them with legislation. You see that through SB 1070 and the ban on Ethnic Studies. Arizona leaders signed SB 1070 into law despite a national outcry against the anti-immigration measure. (Photo: The Arizona Republic) Godoy is managing a Mellon Foundation grant awarded to ASU that helps historically marginalized communities preserve their past. Stories are her work. She will tell you about Arizonas Mexican mining families and about Gustavo Gutierrez, the labor organizer from Chandler who helped found Chicanos Por La Causa and who like Chvez was born to a family of farmworkers. And in the next breath, she's reminding you that it's been nearly 17 years since ASU awarded Chvez an honorary doctorate. Arizonans who marched with Chvez and stood by his side during hunger strikes and boycotts keep their stories close. They remember when Chvez came to Arizona in 1972. He took shelter at Santa Rita Center, an old building in Phoenix on loan from the Catholic Church. The labor organizer and civil-rights leader, surrounded by supporters, many of them children of Mexican farmworkers, kept his 24-day "fast for love." READ: New generation refuses to forget the place that sheltered Cesar Chvez and where 'S, se puede' was born Many consider Santa Rita the place where Arizonas Chicano movement started. Chvez launched his hunger strike to bring attention to the plight of Arizona farm workers after then-Gov. Jack Williams signed a bill outlawing boycotts and strikes during harvest time, making it virtually impossible for workers to organize a union. Families, migrants and activists went to Santa Rita to be by Chavezs side, as did national leaders, including Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King Jr. Caesar Chavez with Coretta Scott King in 1972. (Photo: Arizona Republic) Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers of America union with Chvez, stood by him in Arizona. At Santa Rita, after a day of losses, Huerta, surrounded by Latino youth and leaders, said three words: "S, se puede." (Yes, you can.) The famous phrase is synonymous with Chvez and the farmworkers movement. It became a political cry for millions who cast their vote for the nations first black president. Today, it is a mantra for migrant-rights groups and others fighting what seems impossible. But it started in Arizona, with Huerta, Chvez and the farmworkers movement. Huerta was meeting with the states Latino leaders. They told her Chavez picked the wrong state for a fight. Arizonas growers lobby was too strong. "They kept saying, 'In Arizona, no. No se puede. No se puede,'" she recalled in a 2014 interview with The Republic. "My spontaneous response was, 'S, se puede. S, se puede.' Later that night, during her organizing report, Huerta said the words again. "All the people started shouting, 'S, se puede! S, se puede!' " she said. "It became the heart of our campaign." You should know that the education of the heart is very important. This will distinguish you from others. Educating oneself is easy, but educating ourselves to help other human beings to help the community is much more difficult. ASU Library will pay for workshop supplies and provide free services for community-driven collections. Info: https://lib.asu.edu/communityarchives, 480-965-2594. Archives and Preservation Workshops: Individuals will learn how to be archivists for under-represented communities. Each person will receive a free archive starter kit that contains preservation information and archival supplies. Scanning and oral history events: Individuals will learn how to scan archival material and conduct an oral history interview. ASU Library will offer free consultation services and scan material. People will also have the opportunity to record their story using StoryCenter listening stations. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2019/03/31/farmworker-civil-rights-icon-cesar-chavez-legacy-ignored-his-hometown/3314942002/	https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2019/03/31/farmworker-civil-rights-icon-cesar-chavez-legacy-ignored-his-hometown/3314942002/
What If Bungie Abandons PvP And Crucible Altogether For Destiny 3?	Destiny 2 Bungie This weekend I was listening to IGNs Fireteam Chat podcast, when I was surprised for two reasons. First, I heard my own name, as they referenced my musings on the awfulness of enhancement cores (whats up guys), but secondly they discussed a rumor that I hadnt heard before. Its from redditor AnontheNine, who has been on-point with leaks in the past, and claims that Bungie has actually justasked him nicely to shut up, which is why hes been leaking less recently. I am not here to talk about the validity of his most recent claims as I have zero idea if this stuff will come to pass, and its possible even Bungie itself doesnt know. But I do think its worth discussing in theory, given what it could be mean for Destiny going forward as a series. The rumor is this: Destiny 3 is considering dropping PvP and traditional Crucible They are instead looking at something that works potentially like The Divisions Dark Zone blending PvP and PvE These rumblings have been bolstered by the fact that Bungie has recently seen the departure of two high-profile team members Jon Weisnewski and Josh Hamrick, both senior gameplay designers who spent a lot of time in the sandbox balancing Crucible. Again, I dont know if this rumor is related to these events. Short answer: it depends. Destiny 2 Bungie On the one hand, there are still hundreds of thousands of people who play Destiny Crucible daily, and a good many who love it. Crucible, whether it be standard modes, Iron Banner or Trials has been a key part of Destinys DNA from the start, and even if it usually takes a backseat to the amount of PvE content there is, imagining Destiny without it feels strange. However, its been pretty clear that Bungie has been struggling with the Crucible for a while now. Players just have never seemed to like Destiny 2s Crucible as much as D1s, even with lots of changes. Trials was killed off last year and seems unlikely to ever return. Crucible Labs was an experiment that fizzled quickly. Even the Crucible team seems MIA, offering no updates about the future of the mode (and now major members of it have left). So far, none of the Annual Pass content has anything really to do with Crucible, outside of a few exotic quest steps and some Iron Banner tweaks. The idea of how it would work if Destiny abandoned PvP is that they would have to offer something substantive in return. As in, all the resources devoted to Crucible should now be devoted to making more, significantly more, PvE content. And the removal of PvP would theoretically open up worlds of possibility for gearing as you could go truly nuts with things like exotic perks or potential full gearsets without trying to puzzle out how it would affect balance in PvP. This is something Destiny has always struggled with, and often it feels like PvE has been nerfed in favor of some stab at PvP balance, which often makes both modes suffer. But theres sort of a tricky middleground here. Its a complicated topic. Destiny 2 Bungie For me personally, I dont think Id miss Destiny PvP if it mean more PvE content and the ability to create wilder gear. When I think about how I play The Division, I rarely step foot in its PvP modes, but Im having a great time in PvE. And never once playing Anthem have I felt the urge to say this is fun, but if only I could fight other javelins! And yet there is something inescapably sad about Bungie, the studio that gave us Halo multiplayer, abandoning PvP. I suppose the world has changed. The amount of competition in the space is massive, and not just from perennials like Call of Duty and Battlefront/field, but Overwatchs hero shooting, and the entire battle royale craze of PUBG, Fortnite and now Apex Legends. It feels like itkind of doesnt. When Destiny PvP is good, its something that can keep players engaged when there isnt much else to do. But Destiny PvP has not exactly been in a great state for ages now, and all indicators from Bungie recently are showing less interesting in fixing/expanding Crucible rather than more. So I would not be shocked to learn that these potential drastic changes turn into actual drastic changes. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Read my new sci-fi thriller novel Herokiller, available now in print and online. I also wrote The Earthborn Trilogy.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2019/03/31/what-if-bungie-abandons-pvp-and-crucible-altogether-for-destiny-3/
Are Steven Gerrard's Rangers Finally Closing The Gap On Celtic?	ASSOCIATED PRESS Glasgow was the center of attention for the soccer world this Sunday, as Steven Gerrards Rangers team made the trip across the city to take on their eternal rivals Celtic. Lose, and they would essentially hand an eighth consecutive Scottish title to their greatest enemies. Winning might have only prolonged the moment of agony, but it would have sent a message over the city that next season might not be so simple. Lose they did, in heartbreaking fashion, going down 2-1 after fighting back from a man and a goal down to enter the final five minutes level. James Forrests late goal crushed the Gers and sent Celtic Park into ecstasy. As ever with these games, it was only half the story. The overarching narrative of Glasgow Derbies over the last eight years - in which Celtic have won every title - has been the mythical gap between the teams. Rangers went bust in 2012 and were forced to reconstitute themselves in the bottom division of Scottish football, the apogee of the gap. Since returning to the top flight in 2016/17, Rangers have copped some almighty beatings off Celtic: a 5-0, two 5-1s and a 4-0, as well as plenty of games where the scoreline did not reflect the domination of the men in Green and White. In this context, losing just 2-1 doesnt look so bad. Rangers actually beat Celtic in December, the first time since their liquidation. There is another context, however, that looms large over Scottish football. Celtic are now all but assured their eighth title in a row, and next year will go for 9, a number that would equal the best ever by either side. After that comes ten, which would represent the greatest domination in Scottish football history. For Celtic, the 10 is everything and for Rangers, so is stopping it. Thus the gap is talked about not just in terms of the matchups between the two, but also the points gap in the league. Close it, and Rangers might yet stop the ten. It was into this narrative that Steven Gerrard entered last summer when he took the job at Rangers. The blether from their supporters spoke of Going for 55, the mythical 55th title (assuming that one counts this Rangers, post-liquidation, as the same one that won 54 before 2012). More realistic fans would have looked at consolidating second place behind Celtic and moving forwards towards stopping the 10 next year or the year after, as well as potentially winning a cup - stopping a Celtic team that have won consecutive trebles - and putting up a fight in Europe. On the face of it, no. The team look better to the naked eye than those of his predecessors, but there are plenty of caveats. The Rangers vintage of 2017/18 and 2016/7 were historically poor and it would have been difficult to have done any worse than them. This seasons Rangers are just two points better than this time last year under last seasons manager, the widely-derided Graeme Murty. On top of that, Celtic have regressed, sold their best player, lost their manager and suffered a raft of injuries - yet are 13 points clear at this stage, one more than they were at this time last season. In the cups, Celtic have won the League Cup and are in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup. Rangers were knocked out of both by Aberdeen in games in which they were heavily favored. Gerrard might have brought a victory over Celtic, but he has categorically failed to improve in general. As Samuel Johnson put it: A fly may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but, one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still. One win can give the impression of a gap closing, but a 38 game league is a much better way of looking at it. Hearts, Hibs and Kilmarnock have all also beaten Celtic this season, but nobody is suggesting that they are closing any kind of gap. The eye-test view of football would suggest that Rangers have gotten better on the field, even if the long-term results do not necessarily bear this out. After all, Rangers problems have not necessarily come against Celtic, but rather against teams that they should beat easily. While Celtics budget is much larger than that of the Ibrox club, so their budget dwarfs the rest of Scottish football. When Rangers beat Celtic in late December, the clubs were level on points, but since then they have ceded 13 points to their rivals. Celtic consistently steamroller lesser teams, Rangers do not. The past is one thing, and many Gerrard backers would say that, as a rookie manager, he needs time to grow into the job. Putting to one side the question of whether Rangers have that time - two seasons max - to grow enough to stop Celtic, the greater question would be whether they are actually moving in the right direction to start with. It would be reasonable to suggest that this Rangers team, already 13 points worse than Celtic, is about to lose its best two players and potentially more, while also lacking funds to replace them. Their standout player, striker Alfredo Morelos, was sent off for the fifth time this year after lashing out at Celtic captain Scott Brown. Brown, in the autumn of his career, remains a master of the windup and got Morelos to bite early on. He later goaded Ryan Kent, who should have been sent off, and Andy Halliday, who was. Morelos has scored 29 goals this season but surely must leave the club after so catastrophically letting his teammates down. The Scottish press has been filled with lurid stories of the multimillions that Morelos might garner on the transfer market, but that number will have been slashed by his actions today. Hes tarnished goods, and no serious manager will countenance paying upwards of $10m on a striker with so little control of his temper. Gerrard - sent off four times for Liverpool in derbies against Everton and Manchester United - probably isnt the person to tell him to calm down. Their next best player, Ryan Kent, scored against Celtic today and set up Ryan Jack for his goal in the win in December. He is on loan from Liverpool and, if tabloid rumor is to be believed, will cost in the region of $10m if Rangers wish to sign him permanently. That would represent an unprecedented outlay for Gerrard and, realistically, the only way they could afford it would be if someone paid big money for Morelos, which looks very unlikely after today. His replacement, Kilmarnocks Jordan Jones, is not in the same class. Beyond Kent and Morelos, the captain, James Tavernier, is a useful player, but limited. He gifted the ball to Celtic for the winning goal and has regularly struggled against better attackers. Goalkeeper Allan McGregor has bailed them out on many occasions this season - especially in Europe - but is now 37 years old. Kyle Lafferty, Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe are all also in their last days at the top level. Gerrard has a huge task on his hands over the summer if he is to improve on this season. Many Rangers fans will be willing to forgive him one season of stagnation because of one victory over Celtic and a few good results in Europe. It represents some sign of progress that they have been within touching distance in derbies this year, rather than being handed down beatings. Their supporters, however, will not accept losing 2-1 rather than 5-1 for long. More relevantly, it has not been in the games against Celtic that they have failed: it has been against everyone else. Rangers have lost just one more game than Celtic, but have drawn five more, providing the bulk of the 13 point deficit. It might not suit Rangers supporters self-image to think of the rest of Scotland as their rivals rather than Celtic, but that is the case. In that regard, the gap is as large as ever.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemeehallwood/2019/03/31/are-steven-gerrards-rangers-finally-closing-the-gap-on-celtic/
Will crunch week finally reveal what kind of Brexit will happen?	Out of all the difficult weeks faced by Theresa May, this one looks to be the trickiest yet. She will most likely have another go at getting her meaningful vote through parliament on Tuesday, if the speaker allows it. If it fails, MPs will most likely attempt to force a softer Brexit with a customs union potentially trying to make it enforceable through legislation as soon as Wednesday. It is almost dead but not quite. The prime minister is still hopeful that more Conservatives and even the DUP could be induced to back it for fear of the alternative a general election at a time when polls show Jeremy Corbyn is within grasp of Downing Street. There will be a huge effort by No 10 to pitch the vote as one between Mays deal and a softer Brexit or potentially a general election. However, she needs at least 30 Conservative, DUP or Labour MPs to come on board to avoid plunging the government into an unprecedented paralysis. MPs failed to find a consensus for a form of Brexit they could tolerate last week but that was when there were many different options on the table and the cabinet abstained. On Monday, they will try again to find a majority for a Brexit with a customs union, possibly with second confirmatory referendum tacked on to it, once the choices are narrowed down. The vote could be swung if the SNP decide to get behind a soft Brexit rather than sticking to their preference for another referendum. If Mays deal fails and MPs reach a verdict, they could seek to start passing legislation to make it legally binding on Wednesday, meaning there is a chance the government would have to go back to Brussels to renegotiate. This would trigger a crisis in the Conservative party, with a majority of its MPs preferring no deal to a softer Brexit. It depends if MPs can legislate for another option. If not, May could simply run down the clock until April 12, which would please the 170-plus Conservative MPs more than half the party who urged her in a letter to take this course. However, David Gauke, her justice secretary, said on Sunday that was not an option she was prepared to take and it would spark cabinet walkouts from soft Brexit ministers, potentially causing her government to fall. No 10 is threatening this as an option if Mays deal fails and there is no consensus among MPs. However, parliament would have to vote for it first by a two thirds majority and this is little appetite for this among Conservatives given their plunge in the polls this week. It could also happen if there was a successful no-confidence motion in the government, but there would first be a 14 day period during which MPs would scrabble to see if they can put together an alternative government. It seems unlikely as Labour has ruled this out. The party would rather opt for a general election. Maybe. If Mays deal fails for a fourth time and MPs cannot find a solution, she may simply announce that she is heading back to Brussels to try to negotiate a longer extension to article 50 that would involve participating in European elections. She has said she would not want to preside over a long delay to leaving the EU as prime minister and it is almost certain that another Conservative leader would have to take over to reset Brexit policy and take the government down a different path in this scenario. The hitch is that the EU would have to see that the UK has a purpose such as a second referendum or election planned in order to grant an extension. It is certainly possible that she might not survive the week in No 10 either because of a mass rebellion within her party or she finally feels like she has come to the end of the road as leader. On the other hand, some in No 10 are still convinced that she has the fight in her to attempt to call another general election, so she might once again demonstrate her staying power.	https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/31/will-crunch-week-finally-reveal-what-kind-of-brexit-will-happen
Can Venezuela's Oil Industry Pull the Nation Back From The Abyss?	PDVSA It appears that early 2019 has brought the end game in Venezuela into sharp focus and the daily news. Nicola Madura and Juan Gualdo continue to lay claim to the presidency while the United States and Russia increasingly attempt to exert their influence. This scenario is all played out against a backdrop that is described as the Western Hemisphere's worst humanitarian crisis in recent memory. Power cuts are a regular occurrence, the nation is suffering from hyperinflation, and there is a severe shortage of even the most basic of items. Falling star of South America This from a nation touted as one of the brightest stars of America, buoyed by strong revenue from its extensive oil reserves. The nations fall from grace is mirrored by the plight of its energy sector. One man perfectly positioned to through some light on the disarray that is sweeping across the nation is Luis Giusti, the architect of Venezuelas Apertura Petrolera and last Chairman and CEO of PDVSA before the emergence of Hugo Chavez and Bolivarian Socialism. Giusti is now senior adviser (Nonresident), energy and national security, Center for Strategic and International Studies. He explains that the arrival of Chavez as president in March 1999, immediately triggered the beginning of the deterioration of the oil industry in Venezuela, because of massive gifts of oil to Cuba (150.000 BPD), Argentina, Bolivia, Nicaragua and 14 Caribbean Islands. Chavez's dreams of being a continental leader were the force behind those gifts. This situation is exacerbated by the firing of thousands of experienced employees along with lack of maintenance of oil fields and equipment, including refineries. Brought down by corruption Along their 20 years in power Maduro having followed Chavez' after his demise became deeply corrupt and from Chavez's time comes massive corruption in the administration of PDVSA, he says. Numbers of stolen money have been thrown around in the order of $500,000 million. When Chavez took over, PDVSA was producing 3,600,000 BPD. Also, two cokers were being built, on by Conoco for $4 Billion and one by Total at $7 billion, for an additional 600,000 BPD. In addition, 37 operational agreement which also contributed with 600,000 BPD. Currently, total production is barely 1 million BPD and declining. Refineries are mostly inactive or operating at low loads without cat-crackers and alkylation plants. Even distillation plants are affected. Of the six large refineries, not even one is running at full charge. Two vast fields in the East of the country, Furrial and Muzipan, have declined significantly, because of the damaged capacity of gas compression for secondary recovery. Relying on extra heavy crude Extra heavy crude from the Orinoco Belt varies between 10-14 API degrees in the northern fringes of the East, 10-12 degrees API through the central part and 6-10 degrees API in the westernmost part of the Belt. A new development of additional fields would imply large investments in infrastructure Although producing the oil in the wells can be done effectively, moving it to the terminal up north in the coast 150 miles away, will very likely require either dilution or heating, which implies important investments, Giusti adds. Extra heavy oil is also present in the Western shores of Lake Maracaibo, which is exploited by steam injection and has much better economics. However, a past production of 350,000 BPD is now down to 180,000 BPD, Not the fault of sanctions The sanctions, according to Giusti, are categorically not the root of all problems. The sanctions are connected with a prohibition of refineries in the Gulf of Mexico (Citgo, Chevron, Valero and others) to buy oil from PDVSA, Giusti adds. The sanction impacts the income of PDVSA for 2019 of $11,000 million, plus some $7,000 million of CITGO. However, these sanctions had taken effect only one month ago. They have nothing to do with the core of the problem, which is the massive decline of all the oilfields in the country. Likewise, Giusti does not believe that the removal of oil and gas expertise with the Exxon Mobil and Conoco-Phillips expulsions a decade ago is at the core of the problem. I don't think that had a significant impact because the plants were already operating continuously and after ten years the native operators have the experience and necessary expertise, he continues. Looking for investment PDVSA has a debt with China of $60 Billion, plus an obligation with Rosneft of $11.7 billion. Those two debts alone are strong indications of the fact that new investments will require a massive amount of money that will be necessary to recover oil fields and refineries, plus all the infrastructure such as pipelines, tank farms, and ports. The substantial reserves basis of Venezuela gives the country a head start in an eventual recovery, Giusti says. But that is certainly not enough. Massive investments will have to go together with a team of highly qualified and competent people, who will lead a team that can reorganize the new efforts. It must be understood that PDVSA, as it is today, is in no capacity to lead those efforts. An internal reform will be necessary. Seeking a change of fortunes Finally, a macro-economic adjustment will be necessary to restore the economy of the country, under which businesses can operate, including PDVSA (or whatever structure evolves), that will have the responsibility of advancing the recovery efforts of the oil, gas and energy sectors. If the fate of the Venezuelan oil industry is of interest Giusti will be joined by Francisco Monaldi and Mark Walker to explore how the nation can resuscitate its core oil sector after almost two decades of shocking mismanagement and decline at the AIPN's International Petroleum Summit due to take place in Houston, TX on May 21-23, 2019.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/markvenables/2019/03/31/can-venezuelas-oil-industry-pull-the-nation-back-from-the-abyss/
Why didnt Obama do more to counter Russias interference in our election?	There are a lot of unanswered questions arising from Robert Muellers investigation, and some of the most compelling ones involve President Obamas seemingly inept handling of Russias efforts to interfere with the 2016 election. According to numerous reports, the Obama administration was well aware of the Kremlins operation, but refused to take strong steps to address it until it was too late. JOHN BRENNAN, EMBATTLED EX-CIA CHIEF, MEETS WITH REP. HOYER, DEMOCRATS TO DISCUSS 'NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES' We are told to believe that the White House didnt push back against Russia out of fairness to Donald Trump and because it feared that doing so would spark public outrage. It was a politically perilous issue for the White House, argued Yahoo News Chief Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff. Not so fast. Months before the 2016 election, the FBI opened its Crossfire Hurricane investigation seeking evidence of possible collusion between Russia and a low-level staffer for the Trump campaign. Disgraced former FBI Director James Comey has since informed Congress that the probe initially targeted four Americans, but confirmed that neither Donald Trump nor his campaign organization itself were among the targets. That investigation eventually led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who finally concluded that no such collusion took place more than two years after President Trump took office. In the meantime, President Trump endured almost daily attacks from left-leaning journalists and Democrat officials based entirely on the now-discredited allegation. Shockingly, according to other reports, President Obama was aware in more general terms of Russias planned effort to undermine American democracy for years. If President Obama really had concerns that Russia might be working with members of the Trump campaign to influence the outcome of the 2016 election, then it is curious that his administration failed to coordinate with candidate Trump to investigate the FBIs suspicions and take any steps that might be necessary to rid his campaign of Russian saboteurs. They certainly had ample opportunity to do so during the regular, high-level intelligence briefings that presidential nominees receive during the campaign as part of the presidential transition process. Instead, Obama administration officials merely issued a vague warning to both Trump and Clinton to be on the lookout for Russian infiltrators, and Obama himself maintained public silence on the matter. The White House finally condemned Russia in October -- just a month before the election -- despite having been aware of Putins operation for months. The American people only learned of this significant delay a year later, when the Washington Post revealed that a courier from the CIA had delivered an intelligence bombshell to the White House in August 2016, containing a report drawn from sourcing deep inside the Russian government that detailed Russian President Vladimir Putins direct involvement in a cyber campaign to disrupt and discredit the U.S. presidential race. Shockingly, according to other reports, President Obama was aware in more general terms of Russias planned effort to undermine American democracy for years. The Obama administration received multiple warnings from national security officials between 2014 and 2016 that the Kremlin was ramping up its intelligence operations and building disinformation networks it could use to disrupt the U.S. political system, Politico reported in 2017. The first real retaliation against Moscow, however, did not come until right after Donald Trump won the presidency, at which point the White House announced mild sanctions against several Russians. When Obama told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more flexibility with Moscow after the 2012 election, few expected the U.S. president would be this flexible with one of Americas greatest geopolitical foes. America deserves answers. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM BRETT VELICOVICH	https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/why-didnt-obama-do-more-to-counter-russias-interference-in-our-election
Is The New NAFTA Any Good?	Getty President Donald Trump has lauded his own North American trade pact as the largest and most significant such deal ever struck. But since he tends toward hyperbole and that characterization is demonstrably false, we need to use some other measure to determine how good the USMCA really is. It took a surprisingly long time from when the text emerged at the very end of September, 2018 to get political grades on the new deal. These are the verdicts rendered by key interest groups and politicians, in which they declare whether the agreement offers enough to win their support. Those results have been mixed. The new NAFTA deal eventually won the support of key commercial groups such as the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and commodity producers. It also won important political endorsements from Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) of the Senate Finance Committee and from 25 Republican Lieutenant Governors. The negative political reviews from organized labor and Democratic leaders have been more problematic for the USMCA. This matters, particularly when Democrats control the House of Representatives. And some key support on both sides of the aisle is conditioned on removing steel and aluminum tariffs from North American trade, which President Trump seems disinclined to do. Until now, weve largely had a tepid back-of-the-envelope verdict: since tariffs were mostly removed in the 1990s with the original NAFTA, and since the new deal introduces some costly distortions, its net effect was likely to be very small and potentially negative. Now, though, we are entering the season of more careful economic analyses. The most important of these will be the official verdict rendered by the U.S. International Trade Commission, due by April 19. This past week, though, we got a previewin a careful study from several International Monetary Fund economists. Drumroll, please. Study says Real GDP growth in the United States with the USMCA would be 0.00 percent higher than without the USMCA. If one assumes that USMCA adoption is accompanied by removal of steel and aluminum tariffs and the retaliation imposed by Canada and Mexico, then that number is 0.00 percent (Table 5). In an economic model, analysts are forced to be precise about what clauses and provisions would mean for business costs. There were some measures, such as the politically controversial agreement on intellectual property protection for biologics, that were not modeled at all. In another case, new rules on financial services were interpreted as simply codifying existing practices and therefore having no effect (p. 5). To see how the negligible result comes about, though, its most instructive to look at automobiles and auto parts. This is a very important, highly-integrated trading sector in North America and was the most prominent sector in the year-long negotiations. The Trump administration tried to coax more auto production back into the United States by tightening rules of origin and imposing new requirements targeted at Mexico on wages paid to workers in the sector. Yet, when translated into a model, these celebrated measures largely turn out to be a dud. In the model, car and parts producers opt to work outside the USMCA and pay the standard (MFN) tariff, which is cheaper than trying to satisfy the new rules. Thus, the change equates to a small tariff increase. I noted this problem for the administration early last October, arguing that it made USMCA effects contingent on new national security auto tariffs. Without considering any new national security tariffs, when the auto sector effects are combined with changes in textiles and apparel, agriculture, and customs procedure effects, this results in a net lossof well-being to the United States from USMCA of $794 million (Canada gains $734 million and Mexico gains $597 million). When steel and aluminum tariff removal is included, the United States loss flips to a net gain of $1,297 million (Table 4). The key point there was that the losses were in the millions. U.S. GDP in 2018 was just reported as $20,494.1 billion. So, mathematically, thats why the USMCA changes end up as rounding error when looking at GDP. Intuitively, as the back-of-the-envelope analyses suggested, the United States was already a pretty open economy before it signed the first NAFTA in the 1990s. NAFTA then tackled most of the remaining barriers. The USMCA, almost 25 years later, adds a couple minor barriers and takes a couple away. That does not make the USMCA meaningless, however. The unflattering IMF analysis compares the new USMCA to the old NAFTA. Some USMCA backers are clearly more concerned about President Trumps oft-repeated threats to kill NAFTA if he doesnt get his new deal passed by the Congress. As we enter the USMCA analytical season, expect ensuing analyses to look a lot like the one from the IMF economists. Theyll say theres nothing great about the new NAFTA. What they wont say is that, under President Trump, it could be a lot worse.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/phillevy/2019/03/31/is-the-new-nafta-any-good/
Is our growing obsession with true crime a problem?	Image caption Shows like Making a Murderer have given criminal cases worldwide attention From series like Making a Murderer to podcasts like Serial - true crime seems to be everywhere these last few years. I put my hands up and admit it - I'm an addict. For reasons even I don't understand, crime documentaries have become my default way to unwind. If I have friends over, I might make an embarrassed joke about my streaming suggestions - but the evidence suggests I'm not alone. The genre's growth is inescapable. Almost every week there seems to be a new documentary released and not without controversy. Some warn we risk glamorising notorious killers and erasing their victims with the coverage. Others have accused programme makers of being selective with evidence. I spoke to victims and the communities directly affected to try and find out. The survivor Kathy Kleiner was only 20 years old when she was attacked by Ted Bundy. He beat her in bed with a piece of wood in the Chi Omega house at Florida State University in 1978. Before entering her room, Bundy had murdered two of her sorority sisters as they slept. Image copyright Kathy Kleiner Image caption Kathy with her son Michael (left) and husband (right) Kathy was left with a shattered jaw and severe facial injuries. Her mouth had to be wired shut, forcing her to leave college. Now 61, Kathy says she hadn't spoken about the experience much until US media recently tracked her down. This year marks 30 years since Ted Bundy's execution. You can probably tell because the serial killer seems to be everywhere in 2019. In February it was reported that Netflix had paid millions to secure US rights to a new movie starring heartthrob actor Zac Efron as Bundy. The announcement came as the trailer caused uproar online, with some accusing it of sexualising the killer. Netflix, who had also just released a series focusing on interviews with Bundy, even weighed in on social media. I ask Kathy, as one of a handful of survivors, what it was like to be continually reminded of Bundy in popular culture. "I did not ask to be put on the journey with him in his life - with his killing and his abuse," she says in a phone interview from New Orleans, where she now lives. Image copyright Sky Cinema Image caption Efron's portrayal of Bundy won praise when it debuted at Sundance Festival But for her, knowledge has meant power. "I read every book and saw everything I could read and see about him," she says, while acknowledging others may have coped differently. Efron has adopted Bundy's curls and signature smile for the role - and bears an uncanny resemblance to the killer. "When Hollywood makes a movie they want it to sell, they want people to see it," Kathy says about his slick portrayal. "Bundy showed them what he wanted them to see - he was always in control Zac Efron - he's playing a part - he's an actor. He's doing this the way he was, the way they perceived Bundy." You can hear more on this story on the Beyond Today podcast on the BBC Sounds app or online on the podcast's website from 16:00 GMT on 1 April. Kathy says she attempted to contact the studio when she heard about the production, but assumes the email was lost among general enquiries. She admits that she can't imagine watching as a relative of one of the 30 women and girls he is known to have killed. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Kathy went on to testify against Bundy at trial "To me they're the heroes during this, having to endure this publicity," she says. She hopes the movie reflects the victims more than the trailer alludes. "I don't know how far they dive into the victims," Kathy says. "So without seeing it and if they don't do the victims right - then maybe I'll be pissed." The community Wisconsin has the unenviable reputation of being home to some of America's most notorious ever crimes. Manitowoc County sits on the state's eastern shore. It houses 80,000 residents but is famous around the world for just one - Steven Avery. Image caption A mural welcomes visitors and celebrates the city's heritage Image caption Manitowoc borders Lake Michigan and is a hub for manufacturing A Netflix series charting Avery's wrongful conviction on sexual assault charges and re-incarceration for murder became a sensation on its December 2015 debut. Hundreds of thousands of people have since signed petitions demanding his and his nephew's acquittal. A second series has already been released and legal appeals are ongoing. I travel to Manitowoc at the start of March, when a hangover from an unusually cold winter means snow is still deep on the ground. Before travelling I try to reach out to local officials - but there seems to be an understandable reluctance to speak to yet another journalist coming to town. The international spotlight has brought uncomfortable attention to the county and its city namesake. Now, tourists drive over to the Avery family's Salvage Yard to take selfies. A firefighter tells me the local police have been forced to moderate Facebook comments because of abuse. I'm told threats have forced other officials off social media altogether. Image copyright CALUMET COUNTY/SUPPLIED Image caption The entrance to Steven Avery's property has become an attraction for visitors One Manitowoc resident determined not to stay silent is Jason Prigge. As a businessman working around the country, he says the final straw came when a client introduced himself and asked: "Well, did he do it?" in reference to Avery. Since then, he and his wife Tina have made it their mission to change the outside world's perspective of Manitowoc. They set up an online web series, The Coolest Coast, to showcase positive aspects of the community like local businesses. Tina describes the Avery case as a "freak anomaly" and like others I spoke to, points out the Avery property is actually miles outside the city of Manitowoc. "Reporters come in or somebody from Hollywood comes in to make a show and they get to leave without delving in and really learning who this community is or what it has to offer," Tina says. "To them it's just a name, it's just a story." "Imagine if you have a bunch of TV crews park outside of your house and they look at your house and they judge you because of one cracked window," Jason says about the negative attention. "They never talk to people that live in the house, but they just look at the house from the outside." Image caption Tina and Jason come from a background in civil service and marketing Image caption The city has seen reporters come from around the world The couple show me around the area, keen to show it off. In the cold weather, much of the river is still frozen and has a sparkly glaze. The city's skyline is dominated by industry and a historic courthouse I recognise from the show, but is otherwise full of quaint local businesses like coffee shops and boutiques. It's a postcard image I didn't expect. They urge people like me not to judge the county and all of its residents from the documentary. "The cameras and reporters leave but what they've left here is a stain which we're trying to scrub," Jason says of the lasting damage. The business Eighty miles south of Manitowoc is Milwaukee - a city known best for its beer and baseball. But it is also a destination high on the list for America's biggest true crime fanatics. The Cream City Cannibal tour takes visitors around Walker's Point - the area where serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer lured some of his victims from gay bars. Its website boasts the tour is "so gruesome that it was banned from Groupon twice". Image caption The tour's owner insists nothing could change his mind about his business When it launched, local media covered a protest by victim's families. Critics said it was too soon because the crimes were still in living memory for many. The tour leaves from Shakers - a bar in the centre of the old gay district. Once owned by the Capone family as a speakeasy and brothel, the location has a dark history of its own. Current boss Robert Weiss bought it in the 1980s and runs a number of ghost tours from the venue. He says he got the idea for a Dahmer tour when people he met travelling made reference to the killer after he introduced himself as a Milwaukee-native. Bob also knew the crime well because local police frequented the bar and Dahmer even visited himself. "I served him drinks for five or six months as he periodically came in," Bob tells me. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Dahmer was arrested in 1991 and was murdered in prison three years later About 12 people take the tour on the Saturday night I attend. The weather is freezing cold and it rains and snows throughout. Those attending are mostly true crime super-fans, but also include a family and a couple celebrating their anniversary. Our guide talks us through the serial killer's upbringing, alcoholism and journey towards violence. Dahmer, who admitted killing 17 boys and men, is considered one of the most heinous criminals in US history. His murders and cannibalism are described in grisly detail by our guide, who points out infamous locations along our walk. Image caption Organisers says some family members of victims have been on the tour The information is disturbing, but not worse than what you may hear on any Dahmer documentary. Bob insists the tour has historical and educational value, but I notice his bar also sells T-shirts, which feels at odds with that. We have not," Bob says. He rejects the assertion they are incendiary, and insists they only started making them because of unprecedented customer demand. "I think if you are talking about things that are in poor taste, there's any number of other things that would go above and behind what the shirt is," he says, pointing to people who buy morbid artefacts like Charles Manson's artwork. He also says that he rejected other bad-taste merchandise options, like cannibal-themed food. Image caption Their "Milwaukee Cannibal" shirt also has "Dahmer 17" on the back Those attending the tour reject the assertion that it's in bad taste or comes too soon. "I've always grown up knowing about it," says one tour-goer named Alex who is in his 20s. "I think it's just part of our history and rather than hide it and keep it in the background, I think it's important for people to know about it so they can try and avoid it in the future." Another, Melissa from Illinois, had already been on the tour before. "I don't think it's disrespectful to the families," she says. "I think it's more of a way of remembering the victims instead of them being forgotten." She, like me, admits watching a lot of true crime. She believes the addictive nature of streaming services is behind the boom in their popularity. The experts Deborah Allen has seen a "huge jump" in audience interest over the last few years. She is vice-president of programming at Jupiter Entertainment - one of the biggest producers of true crime television in the US. The company started making murder shows back in 1998, despite initial hesitancy from TV channels. "It used to be that the networks saw true crime shows as their dirty little secret," she says. Image copyright Jupiter Entertainment Image caption Jupiter Entertainment's shows include titles like Snapped - which has had 24 series In the last decade a number of dedicated 24-hour crime channels have sprung up in the UK and US. High-budget series may have gone mainstream but there is still a mass of other content made to fill these network schedules too. The demand means Jupiter now makes about 200 hours of crime shows a year - fuelled by researchers who comb through news stories from around the country. Deborah says they only cover cases that have been resolved in court, and thinks many viewers take comfort in seeing justice served. She also says their company listens to victims' families if they object to a case being covered. But the recent public distress from the mother of James Bulger about a film made about her son's murder shows the family's view does not always prevail. It's a similar story behind other popular shows too. The McCann family did not contribute to a new series about their daughter's disappearance and Theresa Halbach's family have never taken part in Making a Murderer. The loved ones of 1999 murder victim Hae Min Lee said the attention from Serial "reopened old wounds" for their family. Despite this, HBO have adapted that case into a new documentary series - The Case Against Adnan Syed - which follows on from where the record-breaking podcast took off. Serial, like many other popular true crime series, focuses on casting doubt on a conviction. This format has an obvious draw for any audience - allowing them to play detective for themselves. Some programme makers, including from HBO's The Jinx, have even uncovered new evidence that prosecutors say have helped with cases. Image copyright Reuters Image caption The Case Against Adnan Syed started in March on HBO True crime's growing popularity means big business in other areas too. There's now young YouTube influencers covering stories and in the UK, a new glossy monthly crime magazine was recently announced. In the US, thousands attend CrimeCon every year - an event where fans pay hundreds to see experts and presenters from their favourite series. A reporter from the New York Post pointed out most of last year's attendees were female - and Bob in Milwaukee has found the same with his Dahmer tour. He describes his average customer as college-educated women aged 25-37. British psychologist Emma Kenny, who regularly features agrees that we have a natural tendency to be voyeurs and be attracted to darker things. This, of course, is nothing new and can be seen throughout human history. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Historical cases, like Jack the Ripper, have long-captured public fascination She points to crime's prevalence in other forms of entertainment too - including the dramas we watch and the books we read. Emma says that watching crime shows can trigger chemical reactions in our bodies while we watch, while also affirming our moral views about right and wrong. She says an interest in the genre is nothing bad but warns people, including myself, about watching too much. "I think that for anybody who's watching this kind of stuff you really need to know why you're watching it, I think. Because you don't want to desensitize yourself too much," she tells me. "Life is best spent around good people doing good things, exposing yourself to the best things in the world that you can expose yourself to we should never be desensitized to the horror." All photographs copyright	https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47474996
Can Northampton's 'dying' High Street be saved?	Image copyright Leon Neal/Getty Image caption About a third of units of Northampton's main thoroughfare are vacant The number of boarded up shop fronts in towns the length and breadth of England is symbolic of the country's growing High Street crisis. Perhaps nowhere quite encapsulates this as much as Northampton, which in the past five years has lost three major department stores with the future of a fourth uncertain. In recent years countless big name chains like Woolworths, BHS, Toys R Us and Comet have faced the administrators and folded. Others have clung on, saved by rescue deals or by swapping their bricks and mortar businesses for the digital marketplace. That in itself appears to be a Catch-22. Only last month, MPs warned that British High Streets were "in danger of becoming ghost towns" as consumers flock to internet retailers. In towns like Northampton, there has been a slow drip of shop closures. And conspicuous by their absence are the shoppers that once used to crowd into its market square. "The place used to be packed," says fruit and veg market trader, Anne Andreoli. "It used to be rammed with customers and you'd be serving non-stop, all day. "At one stage there was a 100-year waiting list to get a stall. Now you can take your pick. The change has been humongous." Image copyright Photofusion/Getty Image caption There was once a 100-year wait for a market stall in the town The square is one of Britain's largest and dates back to 1235. For centuries it was the centre of the town's bustling market trade. "This used to be a good living but I struggle to cover the stall rent now," says Lesley McDonald, who has run an underwear stall for 28 years. She and her husband used to work on it together, but he is now a window cleaner - an income they rely on. "There's just no trade. The youngsters shop online and since we lost M&S we've seen a big decline in older customers," she says. "I get here at six in the morning and often I've not had a single customer by 10 but I can't just walk away. I keep hoping it will go back to how it was but I don't think it will." Image caption Lesley McDonald fears the town will never go back to its heyday Image caption The old M&S store has been boarded-up since August while the BHS, two doors down, closed in 2016 Marks and Spencer, like many others, was lured away to the 140m Rushden Lakes retail park, which opened 15 miles east of Northampton in 2017. The retailer's move prompted local celebrity and broadcaster the Reverend Richard Coles to describe the town centre as "decaying". On Abington Street - Northampton's main thoroughfare - about a third of units are vacant and many of the entrances now occupied by homeless people in tents. The M&S shop has been empty since August and is now boarded up. BHS, which closed in 2016, has only recently been occupied by a factory outlet store, while House of Fraser closed in 2014. Now, the future of the nearby Debenhams branch is uncertain. It has agreed a 200m refinancing lifeline with lenders but said it would continue with plans to cut the number of its stores. Each year, more shops close than open in the UK and the gap is getting wider. According to figures from PWC and the Local Data Company, 2,692 shops shut in the first half of 2018 - about 14 per day - while 1,569 opened, a net loss of 1,123. That compared with a net loss of 222 in the same six months of 2017. Clothes shops and pubs were the biggest casualties. In January 2008 the internet accounted for 5p in every 1 of retail sales. By August 2018, it was 18p in every pound. In 2018, 43 retailers with multiple stores either closed or went into administration, affecting 2,594 shops and 46,000 jobs according to the Centre for Retail Research. A further 15, with 266 stores and 2,706 employees, did so by the end of February 2019. Life-long resident Jacqueline, 69, says the town's heyday was between the 1960s and 1990s, when the atmosphere was "tremendous". Now she comes into the town centre not to shop, but to drop some paperwork off at the council. "The town centre is a mess. Ask anyone born and bred in Northampton and they'll tell you the same. "I don't come in very often. Mostly just to catch a bus to the shops in Milton Keynes." Image caption Halymah Agboola says she rarely ventures into Northampton Image caption Jacqueline misses Northampton's "tremendous" atmosphere and shops elsewhere these days Northampton is not only competing with online retailers and Rushden Lakes, but larger towns nearby with a greater selection of shops. Milton Keynes, for example, is a 15-minute train journey away and has a Marks and Spencer, House of Fraser and a John Lewis. You might also be interested in The city with no homeless on its streets The last man standing on the Calf of Man Things Bradford gave the world "Big towns and cities can attract the crowds and be a destination for a day out, while smaller centres [offer] convenience," says Kardi Somerfield, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Northampton. "So mid-range towns are particularly and disproportionally affected by store closures." Image copyright Leon Neal/Getty Image caption Northampton is home to about 210,000 people and is an hour north of central London by train Student Halymah Agboola rarely ventures into Northampton's centre. "It's probably about once a fortnight to look for clothes. There are much better deals and discounts for students online and it's just less hassle," says the 22-year-old. "A lot of students I know are going into the centre regularly to pubs and clubs. But I'm not sure what else would attract young people into town and city centres." Perhaps the answer lies in St Giles Street, which runs adjacent to Abington Street. It features a range of small, independent businesses from barbers to restaurants and - despite a handful of empty units - feels altogether more prosperous. Lisa Witham, 29, runs the Dreams Coffee Lounge with her sister, Nina Neophitou, 25. She says the key to the street's success is simple. "There's a lot of lovely independent shops all offering different experiences for customers, rather than the generic High Street shops. "The experience for the customer is important. Offer something a bit different that online and out-of-town retailers can't." Image copyright Lisa Witham Image caption Cafe owner Lisa Witham, right, and sister Nina Neophitou, say it is important to focus on customer experience Steve Ward and his wife Caroline run St Giles Cheese, which also sells locally produced gin. You're losing all these big names, one after another," says Steve. Northampton Borough Council has made efforts to revitalise the town centre. According to some, progress has been slow, but a new board has been created to tackle some of the the town's long-standing issues of shop closures and poor footfall. "We know the town has some problems, particularly the centre which is suffering through a combination of factors," says council leader Jonathan Nunn. "The primary aim of this new board is to ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction to address those issues and allow the town to live up to its promise." Image caption Efforts have been made to highlight Northampton's arts and heritage offerings A slew of new cafes and restaurants have breathed life into the town centre area and there has been a flurry of regeneration work around the newly designated Cultural Quarter. It is home to the Royal and Derngate Theatre which recently kicked off the UK tour of Kinky Boots - a nod to the town's shoemaking heritage, based on the story of a struggling Northampton shoe factory. Nearby, the town's museum, which is currently closed for a major refurbishment, is due to reopen next year. And the University of Northampton's new 330m campus, which opened in September, brought some 12,000 students and 2,000 staff to the area. Signs of progress mean many businesses are cautiously optimistic about the future, with caveats. "There needs to be more support from the council and landlords, making sure we get the right businesses in," says Lisa. "There needs to be variety with the retail, with leisure options such as bowling or maybe an arcade. We have students nearby but they need an incentive to come into town. "But the more empty units there are, the more difficult it is to attract new businesses. It's easy to get into a downward spiral."	https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-47394740
What do the latest Russia revelations mean for Democrats?	This is a rush transcript from "Journal Editorial Report," October 28, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. DAVID ASMAN, GUEST HOST: Welcome to the "Journal Editorial Report." I am David Asman in this week with Paul Gigot. Well, Fox News confirmed this week that Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee helped pay for the infamous dossier alleging Russian ties to Donald Trump. The Washington Post first reported Tuesday that the payments were filtered through a U.S. law firm, which then hired the opposition research company, Fusion GPS. Fusion, in turn, tapped former-British spy Christopher Steele to compile the allegations which are based largely on anonymous Russian sources. What if that money flowed from a political entity on the left to a private law firm, to Fusion, to a British spook, and then to Russian sources?" Kim joins us now along with Wall Street columnist and deputy editor Dan Henninger and columnist Bill McGurn. KIM STRASSEL, WALL STREET JOURNAL COLUMNIST: Good sources. The Wall Street Journal always has good sources. ASMAN: I'll say. But you spelled it out exactly. STRASSEL: No. But I -- it didn't surprise me other than the fact that now we have a lot of people in the Democratic Party claiming that they didn't know any of this. Somebody had to have arranged this. But I think the import of this is that we've had the story, or the press has had the story completely backward for the last year. All the allegations have been that it was Donald Trump's campaign playing footsie with Russians. We still have no evidence of that but, rather, we do have very concrete evidence that it was democrats playing footsies with the Russians and enabling them to embroil our election and upset our democracy. BILL MCGURN, WALL STREET JOURNAL COLUMNIST: Yes, I'm not sure that all of them knew about it. They are all denying it now. The most qualified candidate in history, of course, had no idea this was going on under her own roof. To me, the bigger question is we've laid out the part where the DNC and the campaign are basically funding an opposition project with help from the Russians. The other part that's even more damning, I think, is what was the FBI's role because. ASMAN: Right. MCGURN: .the FBI, the question is did they use this to get FISA warrants to start spying on Trump. ASMAN: That's a terrific question. MCGURN: It's a big question. And they apparently were going to pay Christopher Steele until his name surfaced and they backed out of that. So, I think there's a lot of questions. At some point, Jim Comey's going to have to go back there. The FBI has been stonewalling just like the Hillary people and Fusion on this and this week, they sort of announced a breakthrough. ASMAN: Well, Dan, first of all, this is more than just shenanigans, by the way. I mean, laws may have been broken here based on who paid what for -- who paid whom for what. But also, to Bill's point about the FBI, I mean, if the FBI actually used this kind of phony dossier -- God knows how much of it, if anything, is true in there -- but if they used that as a basis for FISA warrants, for wiretapping for lack of a better word, on the Trump campaign, that's a scary scenario. DAN HENNINGER, WALL STREET JOURNAL COLUMNIST & DEPUTY EDITOR: It is a scary scenario. I mean, it would suggest that the FBI was manipulated by the Russians, by Putin, and. ASMAN: And by the DNC. HENNINGER: .and well, by the DNC, which itself was being manipulated. So, I think this has to be opened up in open congressional hearings. For Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was the head of the DNC at that point, to say she had no idea what was going on, let's understand something. That law figure, Perkins Coie, which contracted with Fusion and paid Fusion would not have made those payments without the permission of their clients, A, the Democratic National Committee and, B, Hillary Clinton's campaign. And these were big payments. So I think it's really implausible for them to deny that this was going on. STRASSEL: I think everyone, obviously, at least had the suspicion that this was the case, that it might have been the party and it might have been the campaign because that's the only way also to explain the efforts that congressional Democrats have been making to protect Fusion from having to give up this name. And, look, I think that that's another really important unanswered question here, is that the only reason this came out this week is because Fusion was trying to appease House investigators that want to get a hold of its banking records. ASMAN: Right. STRASSEL: And House Republicans are still trying to get those. And that could be another big bombshell in here. ASMAN: Right. STRASSEL: .to see who else was paying Fusion at the same time. There could be a lot more to unwrap here as we dig into this. ASMAN: Well, Dan, there is a lot more to unwrap not only in this story, but in the other big scandal story that's kind of related to it, which is the uranium story, Uranium One. We now know that the Kremlin, while they were trying to get -- while the Russians were trying to get 20 percent of our uranium reserves, they were involved in tremendous racketeering schemes, kickbacks, bribes in order to do that, and the FBI knew about this before the deal was signed. HENNINGER: Yes. The FBI had an informant who had penetrated the Russian operation for about five years, and the Justice Department this week has given permission for this informant to speak confidentially to at least three congressional committees that are trying to get to the bottom of how the United States confirmed or allowed Rosatom, the Russian company, to gain control of 20 percent of United States' uranium. ASMAN: And, Bill, the FBI comes in play here again because it was Robert Mueller who was head of the FBI when, apparently, they let this deal happen that probably shouldn't have, because it was involved in a racketeering. Should -- Sessions recused himself from Russia. Should Mueller do the same because he is. MCGURN: I don't think it's necessarily a stain on his integrity, what he did, but he clearly is not in the position to be looking at the FBI given his. MCGURN: I think he should (inaudible). I also think further to Kim's point about why this came out, I think we have to give some credit to Devin Nunes and the House Intelligence Committee who has taken all sorts of incoming, kind of a phony ethics charge lodged against him and this stuff came out because he pursued it, and there's still a subpoena in court looking for the other things. And he gets almost no credit. He's been much maligned. And now I think we learn why, because they're a little afraid of what he's going to find out. ASMAN: Right. Lot more to come on both of these stories. When we come back, the House passes a budget blueprint clearing the way for the GOP's final push on tax reform. We'll ask economist Art Laffer, coming next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We are really unified on what we want to do. We want tax cuts for the middle class. We want tax cuts for businesses to produce jobs. There is great unity. (END VIDEO CLIP) ASMAN: President Trump, this week, declaring great unity in the Republican Party when it comes to tax cuts. The House narrowly adopting the Senate's budget blueprint on Thursday, clearing the way for Congress to fast track a tax reform package and deliver it to the President's desk before the end of the year. Let's ask economist Art Laffer. He served as an adviser to President Ronald Reagan. Art, good to see you. ART LAFFER, ECONOMIST: Good to see you, David. LAFFER: That's what they should do, but Congress -- it's all these different views and everything, and everyone wants to get their little piece in, and so it really becomes a complicated mess. But you're right, we should have one simple tax, corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent, get rid of everything else, pass that. Then go to these other items. A lot of these other items are really good as well, by the way, David, they really are. Inheritance tax should be gotten rid of, expensing of capital purchases should be done. There are a bunch of other items that are great. But I think you should pass the big engine of growth here, is the corporate tax cut, and that should be just by itself. ASMAN: And, you know, there were a couple of new taxes mentioned. That's what scares me a little bit. LAFFER: I know. ASMAN: There was a higher tax bracket that may or may not happen on the wealthy, there's something called a foreign minimum tax, details about which are still not exactly known. LAFFER: I don't think so. I don't think that's going to happen. There's no taste, I don't think, no appetite for raising the highest rate. It makes no sense either. I mean, you can't hate job creators and love jobs. And if you want middle-class prosperity, you've got to make the employers happy to hire these people, to give them jobs that they otherwise wouldn't have had, to raise the wages that we all want for the middle class, that also requires the cooperation of the upper class and lower. I mean, you know, we're all in this stuff together. As Kennedy said, a rising tide raises all boats, and this is a Kennedy-esque tax bill that is really wonderful. ASMAN: But I'm wondering if all Republicans know that because when they first came out with their tax plan a couple of weeks ago, they had a line in there saying, it won't be any less progressive than our current tax. And it's progressivity that has led to slow growth, it's progressivity that has widened that divide between the richest and the poorest, whereas across- the-board tax cuts lift all boats, as you say. LAFFER: Of course they do, and I don't know why they pandered to some sort of political ideology, but they do. If they want Bernie Sanders' votes, that's what they should say. But I don't think they are going to get Bernie Sanders -- if I noticed the vote there, you say it was really close, and it was four votes difference. That's true. But I'm willing to bet there were a bunch of Republicans who voted against that who would have switched being in favor if the vote had gotten closer. But, 100 percent of the Democrats voted against it which is just shocking. That's unconscionable. ASMAN: Well, since, Art, since that - now, there's going to be no Democrat voting in favor of the tax cut. LAFFER: None. LAFFER: I don't know. I mean, it just doesn't make any sense. If a Republican thinks the Democrats are going to vote for him because of one little addition to this bill, that's pandering. I think they're very mistaken. This is an all-out political war and the winner in 2018 and 2020 will get the bacon and will carry the issues home. And I personally think the Democrats are putting themselves at great risk in 2018. They've got a lot of exposure in the Senate, and I think they could well lose a lot of seats in the houses as well. So, they are at risk doing this type of obstructionist type of policy. So I don't know why they're doing it. I mean, being a - I've spent half of my life as a Democrat and as a Republican, and your (ph) Clinton, I voted for him twice. I'm a Kennedy Democrat. I don't know why the Democrats don't go back to their roots and vote for this bill and get America growing and going again. It's what they should be doing, and I don't know why they just oppose it. And I think they're going to pay a very heavy price for that. ASMAN: All right. Well, let's be optimistic, which is at the core of who our Laffer is. LAFFER: Oh, I am, it'll pass. ASMAN: I know that very well. And assume that it's done before the end of the year and that it is retroactive to January 1, 2017. LAFFER: Yes, I think it will. I already think there's a lot of signs of positivity in the economy. I mean, if you look at the stock market, it has risen quite substantially. If you look at the growth rate in GDP, I mean, it's not good by any means, but it's a lot better than it has been over the last 16 years. It's just a lot better. So, you're seeing a lot of signs of improvement. And I think Trump's doing a great job with the executive orders and on dismantling ACA, and I think if this bill passes, we could have a very sound 2018 and a very nice stock market. And that will inure very much to the benefit of the Republicans in the elections in 2018. ASMAN: By the way, stock market hasn't been doing too badly in the past year, so -- LAFFER: That's what I mean, yes. ASMAN: It has been up to record levels. Art Laffer, great to see you. We needed your optimism. We needed a shot of optimism here, and we got it. LAFFER: Well, you got it, and I think it's going to be great, and I'm really looking forward to a very long, big boom in America. ASMAN: Art Laffer, thank you very much. LAFFER: Thank you, David. ASMAN: When we come back, watch out changes to our 401(k)s could be another sticking point to the tax bill. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) ASMAN: A battle over 401(k) is another issue that could derail Republicans as they push forward on tax reform. Though GOP leaders were reportedly considering limiting the amount of tax-free dollars you could put into your own accounts, the President appeared to take that off the table this week tweeting, "There will be no change to your 401(k). This has always been a great and popular middle-class tax break that works, and it stays." We're back with Dan Henninger, Kim Strassel and Wall Street Journal editorial page writer, Kate Bachelder Odell. Good to you see you all. HENNINGER: I don't think we're going to see too many changes in 401(k)s, that's sort of horse trading before this begins. But I would say this is what people should focus on -- what they should focus on when this bill is released next week is, essentially, what President Trump himself has been emphasizing over and over, speeches out in the country, he just did it earlier on our program, and that is two things; A tax cut for the middle class and, secondly, reducing the corporate tax rate to 20 percent. Art Laffer said 15 percent, but I think it's going to be 20 percent. The point on the corporate side is so that businesses reinvest money back into the economy, capital investment to create jobs and raise wages. That's your real benefit for the middle class. Those are the two things they're going to try to do. Now, they're operating within certain Senate rules on how much money they can afford to lose over a 10-year period. And a lot of this horse trading, like the millionaires' tax and so forth. ASMAN: Right. HENNINGER: .is intended to try to get them under that cap. KATE BACHELDER ODELL, WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL PAGE WRITER: Here I think the 401(k) story has gotten a lot more attention than it deserves. Because Trump is right; it's politically untouchable. But, as for the millionaires' tax, I think that's something we should watch very closely because Democrats always say it will hit millionaires, but then when the details come out, it eventually turns into something that hits way. ASMAN: Like the AMT tax. ODELL: Exactly. So they will (ph) just hate it. So I definitely think that a 44 percent top rate could have a practical effect of moving the top rate back to 50 percent, where it was when Reagan brought it down to 28 percent. And I would also note, with what Art was saying, is that high marginal rates are enjoying a renaissance on the right. One thing that's going to be part of this plan is an expanded Child Tax Credit which is expensive, does nothing for growth, and Republicans will have to find money to pay for it. STRASSEL: Well, yes. And this is a terrible idea that Republicans are contemplating, especially because they're doing it largely to give themselves cover from Democratic complaints that this bill is somehow tailored to the rich. The thing is that no matter what they do with this bill, they could put an 80 percent tax rate on the highest earners, and Democrats would still make that claim. ASMAN: Yes. STRASSEL: So, what they ought to be doing and letting guide their decisions is what is best for the economy. And, I mean, they're also dealing within the complicated parameters that, as Dan said, they do need to find some way to paying for the other bad policy in this, like the child care tax credit. They'd be wiser off getting rid of some of those giveaways, lowering rates for everybody, and then as Dan said, making sure that that's how people in the middle class benefit from a growing economy. ASMAN: But, Dan, is it possible that if they put in the wealth tax -- and I call it a wealth tax because it starts out as a millionaires' tax, but as Kate said, eventually it hits a lot more people, people making $250,000 or whatever. HENNINGER: It could get in there. I don't know whether it could stall economic growth, and here's why, David. For one thing, by putting in a millionaires' tax like this, they're expanding the slab (ph) -- I'll explain. Back in the 1986 tax reform, as you remember, one of the biggest problems was something known as Gucci Gulch. Gucci Gulch refers to tax lawyers and Gucci Loopers (ph) who create loopholes for rich people. ASMAN: That's true. HENNINGER: And if you raise the tax 44 percent, the super-rich are going to hire lawyers to figure out ways to create loopholes, and then you're back where you were when you started. ASMAN: Exactly. And Kate, that's the problem with these so-called millionaires tax - the millionaires find ways to get out of them. ODELL: Right, but here is who doesn't, somebody who earns $1 million for one year because they sold a family business or cashed in on a lifetime of thrift, they get hit but that's because they can't afford what Warren Buffett and everyone else can afford. ASMAN: Kim, that's a great political point and one would think that somebody like Donald Trump could make that point. STRASSEL: Well, maybe we'll see him do it. I'd like to give the President a little bit of credit here on tax reform. He got hit a lot because of his comments on 401(k)s with various people like Bob Corker saying, you know, "Just let us do our job; you do yours." I mean, I think he does have some say, by the way, in a bill that Republicans are asking him to sign. But, he has been out there unlike on healthcare, which he botched. But, he has been out there trying to connect this to the average American family saying, you know, "Corporate rates, we lower them, that's going to come out better for you in terms of higher wages." ASMAN: Right. STRASSEL: "You know, lower these rates and it's going to be good for the economy, more jobs." So, he can do that, and he should be making that case as well, that you just mentioned about the importance of maintaining a good tax code here and how that helps Americans. ASMAN: Well, I've got both fingers crossed. Let's hope it happens. Coming up next, President Trump calling his meeting with Republicans on Capitol Hill this week a 'love fest', but that's probably not the term at least two GOP Senators would use to describe the relationship. Our panel's take on the intraparty brawl, coming next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) TRUMP: We have great unity. If you look at what happened yesterday at the meeting, we had -- I guess, virtually every Senator, including John McCain, we had a great conversation yesterday, John McCain and myself, about the military. I think we had a -- I called it a love fest. It was almost a love fest, maybe it was a love fest. ASMAN: Great unity, a love fest, that was President Trump this week, describing Tuesday's lunch with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill. But just hours before that lunch, Tennessee Senator Bob Corker fired up his war of words with the President calling Trump "utterly untruthful." And just hours after the lunch, Arizona Senator Jeff Flake announced he will not seek re-election, took to the Senate floor to denounce the president's behavior. Take a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. JEFF FLAKE, R-ARIZ.: Reckless, outrageous and undignified behavior has become excused and countenanced as telling that like it is, when it is actually just reckless, outrageous and undignified. And when such behavior emanates from the top of our government, it is something else, it is dangerous to a democracy. (END VIDEO CLIP) ASMAN: And we are back with Dan Henninger, Kim Strassel and Bill McGurn. Well, Bill, some would say this is the essence of a true democracy, is that you have dust-ups like this every generation or so. MCGURN: Well, I think, I would say if Paris is well worth the math, tax reform is well worth, maybe President Trump is not responding to every insult, you know, in a tweet or something at least until after the vote. Look, the good news, I think, in all this for someone like me that cares about the output is that I don't think either Corker or Flake are John McCains. In other words, I don't think that their personal pique with the President is going to translate into a no vote on tax reform. I think Corker said so explicitly, and I can't imagine Jeff Flake voting against tax reform either. ASMAN: All right. Well, Kim, the GOP establishment has never liked outsiders. Donald Trump is many things, he is clearly an outsider, he prides himself on that. But they attacked Ronald Reagan, they viewed him as an outsider, even though he was a politician. Even abroad, I mean, Maggie Thatcher was attacked by the establishment of the Tory Party, the conservative party in England. STRASSEL: Well, there's no question that Donald Trump's arrival in the party has put a lot of strain on that party. You know, in terms of policies, by the way, and policy differences not to mention his style, President Trump's style. Jeff Flake, when he was on the floor, mentioned two issues in particular, immigration and trade, on which he vastly differs with the President, and where Trump's positions are a lot more populist than traditional Republicans like Flake. Now, Jeff Flake had to make it his own decision. He's decided that he's done with the Senate. But there are other Republicans that are pushing back, and that is why you see this ongoing tension and these feuds. ASMAN: Well, Dan, to Kim's point, clearly I mean Jeff Flake is a very likable guy, everybody is -- when you're called likable, when that's the first thing people say about you, you don't have a lot of weight, and he didn't have a lot of political weight inside, and frankly, in Arizona either. HENNINGER: No, I think it was a lot of both, and I think people like Senator Flake, Senator Corker get blown over by these Trump tweets. Others like Tom Tillis said, look I buy a box of popcorn, and go up in the stands and watch. But there is an issue I think here that the President himself should be aware of. I was very struck in the Fox poll that came out this week, Trump's approval had dropped from 42 percent in September to 38 percent this month. That's a four-point drop. ASMAN: Although I should mention that that poll ended before these revelations came out about Hillary and the Democratic party, uranium one. HENNINGER: But his disapproval - his approval should not be falling like that. You've got a strong economy, you've got a strong stock market. ASMAN: True. HENNINGER: He's right that the Republicans now are determined to pass a tax reform. He's done a lot on the deregulatory front. He's right that he has accomplished a fair number of things. His approval rating should not be down, and I think it is almost entirely attributed to these tweet storm fights with people like Senator Corker. It is a complete distraction, David. Because, clearly, he's trying to shake things up inside the beltway. HENNINGER: Right. HENNINGER: Well, I think the big question is on policy. I think Dan's right. He has a lot of achievements. The federal -- I was - I supported Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton mostly because of just the Supreme Court pick. He's been pleasantly surprising in a lot of other ways. I think he has an excellent cabinet. I think the regulatory effort is very good. They missed the ball on ObamaCare, but if he gets tax reform through, I think he gets to a lot of place. I think for a lot of people watching Donald Trump, it's kind of like watching a drunk staggering home, and he might fall in the swimming pool here or get hit by a car. But he's actually kind of getting where he wants to. ASMAN: Oh, he sure is. HENNINGER: And if he gets tax reform, I think the whole debate changes because it's not just a political achievement, it's a way to reverse the economic decline under Obama. But, I mean, look, I think one thing that's important here is that these tweet fests aside and the fights, for the most part, most Senators and most House members on the Republican side now are, in fact, taking the Thom Tillis approach. It's like, you can't stop him from doing it, we've tried, we're going to put our noses to the grindstone and instead try to get some things done, watch the show. And that's, I think, the way that they're going to have to approach this. ASMAN: All right, gang, thank you very much. Still ahead, President Trump takes on the opioid crisis, but critics are saying it's not enough. Our panel weighing in next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) TRUMP: This epidemic is a national health emergency. As Americans, we cannot allow this to continue. It's time to liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction. We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic. We can do it. ASMAN: President Trump taking action on the opioid crisis this week, declaring a public health emergency, opening the spigot for more tax dollars to treat addiction and overdoses. We are back with Dan Henninger, Kate Bachelder Odell, and Bill McGurn. ODELL: Well, let's start with what he did on Thursday, which is basically to declare it a public health emergency which is distinct from a national emergency, which opens up FEMA funding. But. ASMAN: And, by the way, Democrats say that's why it's not enough, what he did. ODELL: Right, exactly. So, this order does not accompany -- is not accompanied by new funding, though Congress could decide to appropriate it. But I think we need to think seriously before throwing more money at this problem about what works and what doesn't. Basically, this is a multi- faceted social crisis that includes overprescribing. Doctors need to get more educated on how to prescribe opioids for appropriate durations of time, but it's also moved on to heroin and fentanyl. And we don't have much information about what kind of treatment works best; there are a number of layers to this issue. ASMAN: Dan, about 250 million prescriptions, opioid prescriptions, are made every year by doctors. I'm told by Dr. Siegel and other doctors who have looked into this, that's way too much, it's so easy for doctors just to write an opioid prescription, very often for more pills than are needed for any particular injury or illness. HENNINGER: Yes, and then President Trump's directive is going to start with better education for prescribers instead of prescribing 30 days' worth of oxycontin. If you have a dental, you might only need three or four pills, and that's one of the problems, for sure. People with intense pain or chronic pain do want relief. That's the addiction. You get addicted. FDA, the National Institute of Mental Health are working hard to create significant pain relievers that don't also give people this high to which they've become addicted. It's simply kind of in a neutral way relieves the pain, that's the medical side. The social side is people who are just using this stuff like heroin and fentanyl for fun, and they don't want a lot of them to be helped. ASMAN: Bill, there's another side to all of this, and you look at a state like Colorado which has an increase in opioid deaths of over 900 percent over the past couple of years, a huge increase in opioid deaths. And it's also a state that has done more than most states in liberalizing drug laws. HENNINGER: Yes, I don't think it is a coincidence. I think it points to two broader issues. One - the first one I think, we should say Donald Trump gave a great speech on this. It was very humane and compassionate. ASMAN: Talked about his own brother's alcohol addiction. HENNINGER: And I think all of us know someone in our lives who has either been lost to addiction or reclaimed his or her life from addiction. So I think that - there was a measure of hope in that. And that the answer is just to find the right treatment. But Sally Satel, one of our friends. ASMAN: A psychiatrist. HENNINGER: Psychiatrist from Harvard, she's pointed out that the rubber really meets the road in treating people because some people reject treatment. A lot of addicts reject treatment, or they go in for a little period of time, and then they drop out. Now, there's a way to do things, there's a way some of the drug courts, for example, will expunge your record if you complete rehabilitation and they have different steps. But as she points out, if this is going to be successful, we're going to have to address the issue of like sort of benign paternalism and coercive treatment for people that refuse it. ASMAN: Yes. Kate, everything gets embroiled in politics these days, and this issue's no different. They are political eggs -- the media spin is that the problem is really because of a conspiracy between politicians and drug companies, and there was an appointee who got embroiled in the middle of all of this, the man who was going to be Trump's drug czar, Tom Marino, was accused by "60 Minutes" and Washington Post of being in collusion with drug companies. STRASSEL: Right. This story was really long on innuendo and short on facts. And what basically happened here is that a bill that passed last year, long after the opioid crisis started, basically put some safeguards on drug enforcement processes that were basically cutting off all shipments. So, basically, if you were shipping to a pharmacy that was obviously involved in suspicious behavior, DEA was also cutting off all of your shipments even if many of them were legitimate. So, this was hitting wholesalers, and Congress was trying to find a better balance. But, I would just note how disingenuous it is to suggest that Republicans are conspiring to deepen this social problem. ASMAN: Everything is political these days. Thank you very much. As President Trump prepares for his first Asia trip, a look at the Chinese leader's latest power grab and what that means for U.S./China relations, coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) ASMAN: Well, just as President Trump gets set to kick off his first trip to Asia, Chinese Communist Party this week affirmed President Xi Jinping's status as the most powerful ruler since Mao Tse-Tung, handing him even greater control over the world's second largest economy and setting the stage for him to dominate politics in that country for decades to come. In a tweet late Wednesday, President Trump said he called Xi to congratulate him on his, "extraordinary elevation." The two men also discussing North Korea and trade on that call. Let's bring in author and Asia analyst Gordon Chang. Gordon, I'm old enough to remember Mao Tse-Tung, I was a kid when he was in power, but he was an absolute dictator. He killed millions of people. GORDON GUTHRIE CHANG, COLUMNIST: Well, in some ways, it is. Xi Jinping believes in a state-dominated economy. That's inconsistent with the notions of reform and opening up, which was Deng Xiaoping's policy, Deng being Mao's successor, who really put China on a much better course. You know, Xi Jinping, obviously, believes in Mao, he talks about him, he makes pilgrimages to Mao places in China. This is not a good thing. And the important issue here is that he's made himself powerful because there is no obvious successor that was chosen at the 19th Communist Party Congress, and that means we could go back to the terrible in-fighting of the first years of the People's Republic. ASMAN: Well, you know, a lot of people, including myself, by the way, Gordon, thought that if you liberalized the economy in China, the way that it happened after Mao, that the political system would become liberalized as well, and this seems to contradict that. CHANG: Well, it certainly does. And what we have seen over the five years in Xi Jinping's first term is really the revival of the state sector. You have state monopolies being created, being recreated, and you have. ASMAN: .but he going back on the free market changes, he's renationalizing, getting the government back into things that it had gotten out of. CHANG: Yes, there is much more state control in the markets, there are fewer opportunities for foreign companies, they're trying to restrict that in China right now. And then, that really is a reversal of all the progress that we saw in those three decades. So for us, this is going to be a very interesting period. You have President Trump going there, and I think that what he's doing is essentially going to say to Xi Jinping, now that you're in control, you have no excuse not to do certain things that we want, especially North Korea. CHANG: I wouldn't do that. This was not a Democratic selection of a leader. This really was a coronation on the part of a one-party Leninist state. I just would have stayed away from that entirely. ASMAN: But at the same time, you know, he's always negotiating, President Trump. And you remember that moment when - right before he hit Syria with the tomahawk missiles, he actually had the President of China with him at dinner, and he kind of told him over a chocolate cake what he was planning to do that night. I think he wants to get the message to the President of China, you can't get away with everything. CHANG: Yes, and that was a very effective display of American diplomacy, because you had Trump saying to Xi Jinping, look I just attacked your ally and you can't do anything about it. And I think that unnerved not only Xi Jinping, but the Chinese political establishment. And that was really a good thing, because we saw China move in a better direction for a few months after that. Because I think they had thought they were able to corral Trump, and after that demonstration of American power, I think that they lost their confidence on that. ASMAN: There's another demonstration of American power going on right now, off the coast of Korea. We have three carrier groups - this is unprecedented. I was talking to a general about this who said two is extraordinary, but when you have three there, it really shows you mean business. CHANG: Well, there certainly is because our diplomacy with regard to North Korea has rightly been focused on China, because China has overwhelming leverage over the North Koreans. And you know, we saw. ASMAN: But the message -- forgive me, but the message is also kind of, you know, we are the biggest presence in the Pacific. You may be there, you may be right there, but they only have, as I believe, two carriers themselves. CHANG: They got one, which is really a training carrier. You know, three American carriers permits three - you know, 24/7 operations, 365 days a year. And that certainly is a message not only to the North Koreans, but as you say, to the Chinese that the United States is willing to use force to solve this. CHANG: Eventually it will, and now you have a systemic debt crisis on the horizon, because in 2016, there was an unprecedented increase in debt and an unprecedented pace of increase. So, you know, this is something that everyone is starting to talk about. Even the Governor of the Chinese Central Bank talked about a Minsky moment. That's the moment when asset values collapse. We had one in, you know, just before the crisis, right before what we call the Lehman moment. China is heading to the Lehman moment when everything falls apart. ASMAN: Gordon Chang, good to see you, thank you very much. We have to take one more break. When we come back, hits and misses of the week. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) ASMAN: Time now for our hits and misses of the week. Kim, first to you. STRASSEL: David, this is a hit to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his Department of Justice for finally bringing some accountability on the IRS targeting scandal. Everyone has known for years that conservative groups were singled out because of their views, silenced during election cycles, and yet the Obama IRS refused to take responsibility. The IRS has now been made to settle in court and also to offer its sincere apology to those it abused. This is good news, exactly the kind of accountability and responsibility people expect out of Washington. MCGURN: David, a hit to Vice President Pence who announced this week that the State Department will stop funding humanitarian aid efforts for vulnerable religious minorities exclusively through the U.N. From this day forward, he said, the President and the White House are going to work with USAID and religious groups in the Middle East in places like that. These groups have been denied funding often from the U.N. and so forth. They're very effective. Vice President says those days are over. So, a big hit to the Vice President for ending this and for America to deliver aid in a way that's going to matter to these communities. ODELL: This is a hit for Senate Republican leadership, which is picking up the pace on judicial confirmations. The Democrats have done everything possible to obstruct these confirmations, and Republicans are finally able to get moving. So I think we can expect several confirmations next week, including my home state of Michigan's Joan Larsen who is slated to head to the Sixth Circuit. ASMAN: Well, Dan, it's time for a miss. HENNINGER: I've got a miss for you. I'm giving a miss to Michael Moore who apparently is not a household word. Michael Moore is, in fact, the loud- mouthed anti-conservative activist, did a documentary back in 2004 attacking George W. Bush. Well, he has created his own one-man show for Broadway bashing Donald Trump and telling his own life story. It's what we call in the business a vanity project. Well, it flopped. It just closed on Broadway. Bye-bye, Michael. ASMAN: I heard he got no more than 50 percent of an audience. HENNINGER: Box office. Yes, it was terrible. ASMAN: All right, well that's it for this week's show. Thanks to my panel and to all of you for watching. I'm David Asman, you can catch me weekdays at 4 p.m. on "After the Bell" on the Fox Business Network. Paul is back next week. We hope to see you then. Content and Programming Copyright 2017 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2017 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.	https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/what-do-the-latest-russia-revelations-mean-for-democrats
Can the Rams continue their first half success?	THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) -- The Los Angeles Rams think they can pair their fast start with a strong finish. All they have to do is keep doing what they have been doing all season. Los Angeles had six plays of at least 35 yards in Sunday's 51-17 win at the New York Giants. The defense had three takeaways and special teams chipped in with a blocked punt. The commitment to selfless play was evident on wide receiver Robert Woods' 52-yard touchdown on a third-and-33 screen pass in the second quarter. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth and guard Rodger Saffold had key blocks to spring Woods, and McVay pointed out how wide receiver Sammy Watkins boxed out cornerback Eli Apple at the end of the play. "We've got a connected team right now, and we want to continue to stay connected," coach Sean McVay said Monday. "Guys are pulling for each other. It certainly isn't a separate offense, defense, special teams. "We're committed to each other and we want to continue with that theme moving forward. I think that's going to serve us well because inevitably at some point you do face some adversity." That adversity might come from a closing stretch that includes five of the Rams' final eight games against teams with winning records, including fellow NFC division leaders Minnesota, New Orleans and Philadelphia. The Rams are 3-2 against teams currently at .500 or better, with home losses against Washington and Seattle. Next up is a home game against the reeling Houston Texans on Sunday. "We know that it's a week to week business, and if you're not ready to go next Sunday at 1 o'clock when we play the Texans you get humbled very quickly in this league, and I think our players respect and acknowledge that," McVay said. "It's how you finish games. It's how you finish seasons, and for us right now it's about finding a way to play a really good ninth game of the season for us because that's what it is. If we do good things there and come away with the result that we want, then we'll worry about what's next after that. And that's the approach that our team has taken. Really, whether we come away with a win or a loss, the guys have responded the same." McVay wants to make sure ball security continues to be a top priority. The Rams have a minus-five turnover margin in their two losses, compared to a plus-eight advantage in their six wins. There are the breakdowns in assignment and technique that happen in every game, and McVay wants to get better in his clock management. Other than that, the first-year head coach is largely pleased with where the Rams are at the moment. Watkins' play against the Giants was an example of a fast-developing culture stressing accountability and togetherness. After expressing frustration on social media with the way he was used after failing to catch a pass against the Seahawks last month, Watkins made his presence known with and without the ball. Watkins' only catch went 67 yards for a touchdown, and McVay loved his feistiness in helping Woods score. "He's really done an excellent job of being a big contributor even though sometimes you only see the one catch for the touchdown yesterday. But he's making a lot of things happen without the ball in his hands, and it sounds cliche but it's true," McVay said. The atmosphere of unity even extends to what happens after a big play. Alec Ogletree loved when fellow linebacker Cory Littleton blocked his second punt in the last three games. Jared Goff was one of the last to get down the field to celebrate Woods' touchdown, and McVay couldn't help but point out how his quarterback tripped because of his enthusiasm. "You watch the way those guys got so excited for each other, the celebration," McVay said. "But those guys were having fun and that's what you like to see as a coach."	https://www.foxnews.com/sports/can-the-rams-continue-their-first-half-success
Who is Lucy Flores, the woman accusing Joe Biden of kissing her?	Lucy Flores, a former Nevada state assemblywoman, published an essay Friday in which she described Joe Biden touching her inappropriately and kissing her on the head during a Democratic campaign rally in 2014, when he was vice president. With Biden expected to announce whether he will enter the race for president in April, Flores story attracted scrutiny on his interactions with women over his long career in national politics. On Sunday, Biden released a statement defending himself, saying he did not believe he had ever acted inappropriately on the campaign trail. Former Nevada state assemblywoman Lucy Flores ran as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, which was when she met then-Vice President Joe Biden. Flores on Friday published an essay in which she details Biden touching her inappropriately and kissing her on the head during a Democratic campaign. ( Ethan Miller / TNS ) Several candidates for the Democratic nomination were asked over the weekend to weigh in on the accusations, and Flores herself discussed her essay, and the response to it, in an interview with The New York Times on Saturday and on CNN Sunday morning. Heres a look at Flores, her career in politics, and her more recent efforts to speak out on social justice issues, sexism and harassment. Early political success Article Continued Below In 2009 her last year in law school Flores, a Democrat, won an election to represent Nevadas Assembly District 28, in the same part of Las Vegas where she had grown up, becoming one of the first Latinas elected to the state Legislature. She served two terms in the Assembly, during which she said she focused on issues like education, consumer protection and aid for victims of domestic violence. At one point in 2013, she gave testimony at a committee meeting on sexual education about having had an abortion when she was 16, and subsequently received threats, according to local news reports. Felicia Ortiz, a friend of Flores who is on the state Board of Education in Nevada, said she let Flores stay with her after someone shot a bullet into Flores house. Her strength is phenomenal, Ortiz said. Failed runs for higher office Flores ran as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, which was when she met Biden. The vice president, she wrote in the essay, had agreed to come to a rally to help her fledgling campaign. Article Continued Below At first, she wrote, she felt grateful and flattered. But as she was preparing to take the stage, she felt two hands on my shoulders and froze. Then, she said, Biden leaned in and inhaled my hair, and proceeded to plant a big slow kiss on the back of my head. Read more: Nevada lawmaker Lucy Flores says Joe Biden kissed her in 2014 Biden faces new scrutiny from Dems over behaviour with women Biden responds to Nevada lawmakers allegation of unwanted touching, kissing Flores lost the election in a landslide. Prominent Nevada political analyst Jon Ralston tweeted Saturday that her loss caused her to fall out of favour with the states Democratic establishment and with Harry Reid, the powerful former senator. She ran for Congress in 2016 in a bid to represent Nevadas 4th District, but lost in a tight primary to Ruben Kihuen Reids choice in what she called a high-profile, full-of-controversy race. I think there have been issues because she has challenged the norm, said Chris Miller, former chairman of the Clark County Democratic Party in Nevada. In a Facebook post in early 2016, Flores endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders for president and became a campaign surrogate. She also served on the board of Our Revolution, the Sanders-aligned advocacy group. I believe that Bernie Sanders will lead the charge, with many millions of Americans behind him, against the unfettered Wall Street greed that has threatened the very existence of the middle class and shackled so many more to permanent poverty, she wrote in the Facebook post. I believe that now, more than ever, America needs a political revolution. Life after politics After her primary loss in 2016, Flores moved to California, where she worked at Mit, a digital media company, and then helped found a company, Luz Collective, focused on empowering Latinas. Flores has also embraced the role of social justice advocate, speaking out about sexism and harassment in politics in recent years. She gave support to Masha Mendieta, a woman on Sanders 2016 presidential campaign who said she was mistreated. And in a 2017 interview with Nevada Public Radio, she said it was wonderful that we are having this conversation about what is the difference between sexism, what is the difference between sexual harassment, whats the difference between sexual assault. Read more about:	https://www.thestar.com/news/world/us/2019/03/31/who-is-lucy-flores-the-woman-accusing-joe-biden-of-kissing-her.html
Can The Socialism Label Hurt The Green New Deal?	Nives Dolsak Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) has brought a new zing to the stalling climate conversations by introducing the Green New Deal (GND). Although still aspirational and lacking a legislative road map, the GND has presented new ideas (and repackaged old ones) on how to address the most critical issue facing humanity. Yet the GND is also facing a backlash. Some question its practicality. But its policy viability is threatened by a deeper problem: the ideological baggage of socialism. Typically, socialism pertains to the public ownership of the means of production. At the extreme, it suggests Soviet-style collectivization, with central planning replacing the market as the resource allocation mechanism. AOC claims to be a democratic socialist. This should be good news; look at the rise of Bernie Sanders and the support for socialism among Democrats. However, the GNDs policy challenge is to attract support among independents and moderate Republicans. The socialism talk will probably fail in this regard. We see three problems with socialism framing. First, socialist countries have poorer human rights and environmental records than capitalist countries. Second, FDR's New Deal sought to reform capitalism, not replace it with socialism. Third, socialist framing is bad politics, at least in America. Labels are important. If you want a Scandinavia style social democracy, say so. Do not call it socialism. Let us start with historical evidence. Socialism, as it was practiced in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, seems to have had terrible consequences for society. Venezuela is a tragedy in the making. In Hungry Ghosts, Jasper Becker suggests that 30 million died during Maos Great Leap Forward. In Red Famine, Anne Applebaum estimates that more than 5 million perished in the Ukrainian famine of 1931-34. It did not: the environmental performance of Eastern Bloc economies was horrible. Think of the destruction of the Aral Sea by diverting waters for cotton farming. With the end of the Cold War, experts called for an ecological Marshall Plan in Eastern Europe. The bottom line is that Western capitalist societies outperformed the socialist bloc on environmental protection. It does not. Capitalism is a beast with lots of energy and potential to innovate. But the beast needs to be controlled; otherwise, it becomes destructive. This is the lesson from the Great Depression and the 2007-2009 economic recession. The regulatory retreat evidenced in the gutting of the Glass-Steagall Act and the rolling-back of environmental regulations shows the terrible consequences of laissez-faire capitalism. The GND seeks to ride on the legacy of the New Deal. But FDR did not bring socialism to America. He did not opt for large scale nationalization of private property. Instead, he proclaimed he was saving capitalism from itself by creating a regulatory state and introducing measures of social and labor protection. While FDR may be termed as a traitor to his class, he saved capitalism from its excesses. GND wants to encourage government funding for R&D in new technologies. However, this does not require socialism; capitalist governments have actively supported R&D and in the process even fostered new industries. Neil Sheehans book, The Fiery Peace of the Cold War, documents how the massive governmental R&D spending to develop a long-range bomber and inter-continental missile facilitated the major breakthroughs in the U.S. aerospace industry. Similarly, the Internet, now the backbone of the information economy, was initially a Department of Defense project. AOC has cast the GND boat in a very turbulent sea of partisan polarization. For GND to succeed, climate change will need to become a bipartisan issue. If AOC overloads the boat with excess baggage, such as her talk about socialism, the boat will probably sink. If one follows this argument, the GND will not be judged only from the 14 page House and Senate Resolutions, but in light of AOCs political and economic views. Just as global warming and climate change labels frame the issue differently, socialism and regulated capitalism labels will shape the climate debate in different ways. The road to a low carbon economy does not go through socialism, with or without prefixes. It goes through FDR-styled regulated capitalism.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/prakashdolsak/2019/03/23/can-the-socialism-label-hurt-the-green-new-deal/
Is it the end of the pier for Hastings?	It all looked so promising. Hastings pier, fire-wrecked seemingly doomed, like fellow structures around the seaside towns of Britain, to perpetual failure was gloriously rescued. Public money joined forces with community enterprise in a pioneering and exemplary case of what David Cameron used to call the Big Society. The Heritage Lottery Fund put up 13m, and more than 3,000 individuals bought shares totalling 590,000. A handsome new deck and superstructure were installed, clear where it had previously been cluttered, described by its architects de Rijke Marsh Morgan as a canvas where people bring the colour. The 2017 Stirling prize, awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects for the best building project of the year, went to the renovation. It was a great open space, pregnant with possibility, on which temporary constructions could be built to serve whatever events music, markets, parties might be desired. At the same time it was uncrowded, a place to wander, breathe the sea air and take in the sweeping views of a town which, tatty at the edges, doesnt know how beautiful it is. It was to be sociable the town square that Hastings doesnt have, as dRMMs Alex de Rijke put it. The style of the architecture was plain, relying on the beauty of the decks bare boards, with a few playful twists. It aimed not to obstruct the experience of air, view and sea. Then it went wrong. In the autumn of 2017 the Hastings Pier Charity that ran it were advised that, their financial losses being unsustainable, they should go into administration. The accountants Smith and Williamson were appointed administrators, with the task of finding the best buyer for the pier. A crowdfunded community-led bid raised 475,000, plus pledges of further investment, but to no avail. Then on the evening of Friday 15 June last year, it was announced that the pier, in which so much public money had been invested, had been sold for 60,000 to Abid Gulzar, a businessman who also owns the pier in nearby Eastbourne. For a community asset to pass into private hands was, says Steve Wilkins, who worked first as a volunteer and then as a paid supervisor on the pier, like a bereavement. Doubts whether a private owner would safeguard the public interest were confirmed in late December, when Gulzar locked the piers gates, giving as a reason essential maintenance following some thefts and a small fire. At the time of writing the gates remain locked (Valentines Day, March, Easter and now Mayday weekend have variously been given as dates for their opening). Facebook Twitter Pinterest The view last week of Hastings pier, closed for repairs by the owner Sheikh Abid Gulzar. Photograph: Antonio Olmos/The Observer So dRMMs open spaces currently look barren and deserted, with flags announcing 1066 Country flying forlornly above the closed gates. There is a scattering of recent additions, such as an off-the-peg shed painted with pictures of ice-creams. Golden sculptures of animals a lion, a hippopotamus have appeared behind the gates. There is no rapport between the latest interventions and dRMMs work. Gold is a something of a signature for Gulzar. His Mercedes, the domes of Eastbourne pier, the pineapples and signs of his hotels in the same town and the hotels Ford MPV, are all painted gold. He wears plenty of gold on his fingers. He likes lions too, with multiple images of the beast appearing outside his Mansion (Lions) Hotel and Albany (Lions) Hotel, their eyes, claws and tail-tips picked out in gold. The golden hippo has tended to grab the headlines, as the stamp of a man variously described as flamboyant, brash, a character. He has bridled at these descriptions and at exaggerations of his wealth. The colour of his car is just wallpaper, for Gods sake, he has said. But he definitely has, to quote a judge before whom he appeared, braggadocio: the judge was not amused at his offer, whether in jest or not, to give the HMRC officers a free stay in his hotels. He calls himself Sheikh Gulzar, although he is not a sheikh (he says its a family name), just as his associate and PR consultant Lord Brett McLean is not a peer. But the funny animals distract from the more serious question, which is Gulzars capability to own and run the pier. Part of his responsibility is stewardship and maintenance of a structure that, apart from all that public investment, is also a listed building and a major part of the towns identity. Looking after piers is a demanding and expensive business. Yet, as the Hastings-based journalist Emma Harwood points out, two of Gulzars businesses went into liquidation in 2017, owing hundreds of thousands, including to the HMRC. There have been county court judgments against his companies for non-payment of debts. Much of this was knowable at the time of the sale. The mystery is why the pier should have been entrusted to a man with this record. First, though, its worth asking why piers in general are so troublesome and troubled for tales of burning, failing, closing piers, or of piers falling into questionable hands, or any news item enabling the headline The End of the Pier Show, have become part of the national story. There is the decades-long struggle to rescue the rusting remnants of the West Pier at Brighton, the dismantling of Colwyn Bays pier in 2018, the addition of Blackpools three piers to the World Monuments Watch list of buildings at risk, also in 2018. Its also worth asking why Hastings in particular went wrong. Peter Wheeler, chief engineer to Hastings pier until late last year, gives the short answer to the first question: Nobody in their right mind would build a pier out of metal, he says. Wind and waves continuously buffet them. Salt and water corrode their iron and steel. Sand and shingle, dragged back and forth by the sea, scour. From time to time exceptional storms wreak exceptional damage. It is like an earthquake environment 24 hours a day, says Wheeler. All of which makes maintenance expensive: Its like taking a wheelbarrow, filling it with cash and tipping it over the end. Without stop. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The pier in its heyday. Photograph: Hastings Council On the other hand, as he also says, their very improbability is what makes them so brilliant. That piers are there at all is a triumph of fantasy over fact, one that Victorian entrepreneurs, in the heyday of British seaside resorts, were happy to exploit. They were sustained on the pennies of day-trippers and tourists; when the resorts declined so did the revenues necessary to withstand the assaults of the sea. They kept their romance. In Hastings Im told stories of couples who met on the pier, or who conceived their first child underneath it. They are part of the physiognomy of the towns that grew up alongside them, which no more want to lose their piers than you or I would want to lose our noses. So there is always a desire to save them, even in the direst circumstances, which comes with a tendency to underestimate the complexity, cost and scale of the technical challenges beneath the deck. Hastings pier has a history that is both similar to others and particular to itself. It was opened in 1872, designed by the architect, engineer and pier-specialist Eugenius Birch. It caught fire (as the wooden superstructures of piers so often do) in 1917 but was restored and revived. In the 60s and 70s it was a memorable music venue, with Pink Floyd, the Who, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones giving concerts there. Like most seaside piers, however, its fabric entered a long postwar decline, its accretions of candyfloss stalls and gaming machines looking ever more weary and its structure suffering for lack of maintenance. In 2006 it was closed for being unsafe. In 2010 it caught fire again. If that seemed like its darkest moment, the piers supporters didnt give up. The Hastings Pier & White Rock Trust, set up before the fire to save it from what was already a parlous state, campaigned for a compulsory purchase from the structures offshore owners, Ravenclaw, which Hastings borough council enacted in 2013. Money was raised from the Heritage Lottery Fund, dRMM was selected through a process of competitive interviews, and in 2016 the reconstructed pier opened to the public. A new organisation, the Hastings Pier Charity, was to be responsible for running it. The architects idea was to leave much of the deck open, rather than reinstate the shanty town of commercialism that the fire had swept away. We were not proposing a definitive single use, says dRMMs Alex de Rijke now, but welcoming any imaginative use that doesnt do permanent damage to the structure. It was a creative response to the practical fact that most of the money had to be spent on the structure and the deck, rather than buildings on top. Some locals questioned how so much could have been spent on something so plain, calling it the plank, but the dominant reaction as the comments made by donors suggest was positive. My great delight, says Wheeler, is to see people at the end of the pier, reading a book or looking out to sea. The best thing is children running to look through the gaps in the planks, then lying on the deck to see the waves crashing on the structure underneath. There was, though, a crucial missing element, a canopy that would have sheltered events and attractions, part of a second phase that was never implemented. A storm during the construction works, which caused 1m of damage, made it less likely that the funds would be found to build it. In its absence the piers programme would be hostage to the weather a 90s festival held in September 2017, for example, lost two of its three days to storms. Its possible that the Hastings Pier Charitys business plan was optimistic in other ways. In any case the process of administration, which would end in the sale to Gulzar, started. It was announced barely three weeks after the pier had won the Stirling prize. Youre not selling a corner shop. Its Hastings pier, a Stirling winner, yet they seemed hell-bent on pushing one buyer Roger Wade, Boxpark The Heritage Lottery Fund, as the main creditor, had a charge on the pier, which would be released by its sale. It meant that where possible the process of administration should serve their interests. The HLF provided funds to keep the pier going for it was hoped at the time the whole of 2018, until a good solution could be found. Their top priority from the sale, as they now put it, has always been to see the pier protected and continuing to make a significant contribution to the towns prosperity and culture. Smith and Williamson later announced that bids had to be received by April 2018. A new community group, Friends of Hastings Pier, scrambled to put together a bid, raising most of its 500,000 target in a few weeks. With the creative input of Adam Wide, a tourism and entertainments consultant who had worked on the revitalisation of Cromer and Bournemouth piers, they proposed an array of activities running from climbing walls and a driftwood carousel to a money-earning entertainment hub. There was a further potential bidder, Boxpark, creator of pop-up centres for shopping and events in London, which was ready to invest 10m. Boxpark told the administrators that it required six weeks to carry out due diligence to find out if there were any horrors in the structure that might wreck its scheme. We dont know a serious property company that would not do this, says Boxparks CEO Roger Wade. It reduced by half the three months it usually takes to do such work, knowing there was pressure to make a decision, but it was still too long for the administrators, so Boxpark made no bid. On Friday 15 June last year a story was going round that a sale had been made. The Friends of Hastings Pier had submitted a 1 offer, on the understanding that the objective was the long-term viability of the structure. During the day Jess Steele, one of the piers principal champions over the last decade, heard rumours that Gulzar had submitted an offer of 30,000, so the Friends raised theirs to 55,000, but received no response. We only found out for certain the amount of Gulzars bid, she tells me, months later from the Land Registry. Facebook Twitter Pinterest After the 2010 fire. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA At 9.30pm the sale was announced. The piers staff, who had been anxiously awaiting the outcome all day, were still gathered there when the new owner arrived. They received no words of encouragement or support, says the former supervisor Steve Wilkins. Gulzar apparently asked them why they werent smiling and why they looked so scruffy. Many resigned soon after. Wilkins lasted three days before resigning. On his first day, he says, Gulzar completely ignored him. The Friends of Hastings Pier and other residents say that they were prepared to work with Gulzar on making it a success and are indeed still encouraging him to be open and collaborative with the local community. They say that they are trying to make their point calmly. In January, 250 people attended a peaceful march. Then the local MP Amber Rudd, who has described how passionately we feel about needing it reopened, held a summit with Gulzar, representatives of the Friends, and the leader of the council, Peter Chowney. Gulzar made promises at this summit about reopening in March and keeping the public informed, but he was less conciliatory on other occasions. He has accused pier campaigners of wanting something for free. BBC TVs The One Show staged a discussion between Gulzar and James Chang, one of the Friends, which had to be edited for the pre-watershed audience. Those were the bits we could show, said the presenter. It got really, really heated. Mr Gulzar was not happy. Meanwhile, he applied retrospectively for planning permission for the ice-cream shed. Debbie Grant, who ran the piers former restaurant, has won a court order against him for money he owes her. Wheeler and the assistant engineers who oversaw the wellbeing of the piers structure resigned, saying that their jobs had been made impossible. They are suing for constructive dismissal. There is continuing bad news about Gulzars business affairs. As Emma Harwood reported recently in the Hastings Independent, he has been fined thousands of pounds for trading illegally, as the HMRCs Fraud Investigation Service put it. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The architects idea was to leave much of the deck open. Photograph: Alex de Rijke At stake is, in part, a divergence of views about ownership. Gulzar hasnt responded to several requests to interview him for this article, but he has made it clear to previous questioners that the pier is his personal property and its his business what he does with it. He put such thinking into practice on Eastbourne pier, where he ejected anglers from their long-established perch there. Objectors say that, given the public investment in the pier, and its long history of public use, it should not be closed unless absolutely necessary. Rudd now says that it is unacceptable if the pier remains closed indefinitely and I cannot support any scenario where this is the case. There are also different ideas as to what a pier should be. If it was fundamental to the dRMM concept that the pier should be free of the usual seaside honky-tonk, of amusement arcades and slot-machines, Gulzar appears to abhor the void so created. The ice-cream shed and gold animals look like steps backwards towards the cluttered environment that the new Hastings pier was meant not to be. Amber Rudd MP (@AmberRuddHR) Following the news that Hastings Pier will remain closed past March, I update residents in my open letter below pic.twitter.com/WXM7C1nzwJ The main question, though, is whether he can meet his responsibility to take good care of the historic and public asset in his charge. According to Adam Wide, the administrators made it clear that the single most important thing is [to have] an operator with deep pockets able to sustain two years losses, which we estimate to be 600-800k per year. Gulzars erratic business history is not, in that respect, encouraging. Nor is a visit to his Eastbourne hotels, which look tatty beneath their layers of lions and gold, nor one to their user reviews on TripAdvisor. They rank 35th and 36th out of 41 listed for the town, even though their average score is pushed up by a number of five-star ratings. Some of the one- and two-star reviews are specific: regretfully all is let down by naff maintenance eg the wire hanging round the door frame, held in place or actually not held in place by a nail a staple would be good Walk along the corridor to see cupboards held closed by the cheapest black iron hasps and padlocks. FINESSE is not a word that appears in the vocabulary.. The most consistent complaints relate to the upkeep of the building which, given that good maintenance is the piers single greatest need, does not bode well for the future. We do not know whether Gulzar carried out the due diligence that Boxpark proposed. There is no publicly available plan of what he intends to do and how he will fund it. His financial mishaps raise some doubt as to whether he has the means to sustain and invest in the pier. In March 2018, during the bidding process, the credit rating of his Eastbourne pier company was 9, which means very high risk. Yet Smith and Williamson stated that he had demonstrated the best immediate financial capability as well as the operational capacity and experience, including from running Eastbourne pier. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Abid Gulzar, photographed in 2016 on Eastbourne pier, which he bought in 2015. Photograph: Brighton Pictures/Rex/Shutterstock Hastings borough council, as they didnt own the pier, were largely bystanders in the process, although Roger Wade says they were very supportive of Boxparks efforts to make a bid. A spokeswoman says that we want it to be a successful operation which is attractive to residents and visitors, and provides jobs, ideally full time permanent ones. Their position on the choice of owner is neutral and they knew nothing about the likely outcome until very late in the process. It was 100% the administrators decision, she says. As for the Heritage Lottery Fund, they now tell me that it was a matter of following the legal administration process. The final decision on the transfer of the pier lies with the administrator. It became clear, they also say, that the costs and losses were more than projected and a decision had to be taken earlier than the full 12 months that they had originally intended. They say that is was not possible to fund the administration indefinitely. Its understandable, given the failure of the initial community-led initiative, that the administrators and the fund might look askance at another, even though that would have been in the spirit of the original investment. But there is nothing in the public record to suggest that Gulzar is a safer pair of hands, or that he has the greater resources and expertise. His tenure of Eastbourne pier, for less than three years at the time of the sale, hardly seems conclusive in this respect. There was a highly credible contender in the form of Boxpark, whose resources and track record appear to greatly outmatch Gulzars. The company was disqualified by its professional desire for due diligence. For the sake of six weeks, in a project that has taken many years, whose benefits could last for decades, the most convincing bid was ruled out. The administrators, says Boxparks Roger Wade, were extremely unhelpful. Youre not selling a corner shop. Its Hastings pier, a Stirling prize winner, yet they seemed hell-bent on pushing one buyer. The people of Hastings have been let down. Adam Wide says: Im not in the biggest paddy that we [Friends of Hastings Pier] didnt get the gig. What Im really angry about is the lack of transparency. We didnt feel it was a level playing field. And this was an asset put back together by the blood, sweat, tears and love of the community. Thats the tragedy. Even Gulzar called the process a shambles. Smith and Williamson, who are being paid a minimum of 260,000 for their services, now say that the administrators were required to select the bidder which offered the highest price for the pier. This statement, although they also mention the importance of a proven track record, least risk and future sustainability, implies that the relatively trivial sum of 60,000 plus extras was a more important consideration than long-term viability. The process ensured a level playing field for all bidders and all interested parties had over six months to work on their proposals. They add that we were unable to delay the closing of the sale process any further than 15 June 2018 as this would have made the business less attractive to purchasers by reducing the beneficial amount of the core trading summer season Any further delay in the sale would also have increased the significant costs of the administration, and potentially frustrated and jeopardised the existing bids. In this account the current state of Hastings pier is the outcome of inexorable financial forces. Certainly the HLF and the administrators were put in a difficult position by the rapid failure of the previous set-up. But it is hard to believe that the piers current plight is the best possible outcome for the goodwill and public money invested in this exceptional structure. Beyond the particularities of Hastings, the tale of its pier has wider lessons. For all the warm words and wishful thinking about community initiatives, it is extraordinarily tough to make them work at this scale. They need and deserve help. The sale of Hastings pier is at best a case of the sudden imposition of commercial imperatives on a project that until then had been based on an idea of the common good. The Heritage Lottery Fund could not, of course, have made a bottomless commitment to the pier, but, for the want of a million or two in ongoing support, the aims of their much larger investment have been put in peril.	https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/mar/24/end-of-pier-hastings-drmm-abid-gulzar-bust-closed
Who Is Attorney General William Barr?	Enlarge this image toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP Jose Luis Magana/AP With the completion of special counsel Robert Muller's investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election, attention now shifts to Attorney General William Barr, the man who will determine how much of that report to make public along with what information will be provided to Congress. Here are a few things to know about the 68-year-old Barr. (1) He is a Justice Department veteran This is Barr's second stint as attorney general. He previously led the Justice Department during the administration of President George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993, during which time he was Mueller's boss, when Muller was in charge of the Criminal Division at DOJ. Barr and Mueller are said to be friends, and Mueller attended the weddings of Barr's children. Still, before his nomination by President Trump, Barr criticized some members of Mueller's team for their political contributions to Democrats, and wrote a memo critical of the legal basis upon which Mueller might have been looking into whether Trump allegedly obstructed justice. Barr said in his confirmation hearing in January, however, that the memo was based on what he saw in media reports. He also pledged to allow Muller to complete investigation. (2) He's pledged transparency and consistency with the law Regarding releasing Muller's report, Barr said during his confirmation hearing that his goal "will be to provide as much transparency as I can consistent with the law," but he stopped short of promising to release it in full. In his letter to leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees Friday, Barr wrote that he intends to consult with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Mueller "to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public consistent with the law." Barr added that he remains "committed to as much transparency as possible." (3) Barr has a sweeping view of executive power During his earlier turn at the Justice Department, Barr wrote that President George H.W. Bush didn't need approval from Congress to invade Iraq during the first Gulf War, (although Bush did, in fact, seek and get congressional approval.) In his memo to top lawyers at the Justice Department before his recent nomination and confirmation, Barr wrote in June 2018 that the president "alone is the Executive branch. As such, he is the sole repository of all Executive powers conferred by the Constitution." (4) He has supported presidential pardon power In his prior tenure atop of the Justice Department, Barr backed President Bush's pardon of six figures in the Iran-Contra scandal, including former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, who had been set to go on trial for charges about lying to Congress. Barr said later that he believed Bush had made the right decision and that people in the case had been treated unfairly. "The big ones obviously, the Iran-Contra ones I certainly did not oppose any of them," Barr said as part of the Presidential Oral History Program of the Miller Center at the University of Virginia. His views on the president's pardon powers are relevant once again, should Trump exercise his pardon authority in favor of any of his former aides and campaign officials who have been convicted or pleaded guilty as a result of Mueller's investigation. Trump has refused to rule out such a possibility. (5) He is a hard-liner on issues of crime and immigration In 1992, Barr wrote a report "The Case For More Incarceration," in which he argued that "there is no better way to reduce crime than to identify, target, and incapacitate those hardened criminals who commit staggering numbers of violent crimes whenever they are on the streets." At his confirmation hearing, Barr said "I understand that things have changed since 1992," but also said he believes law enforcement must "keep up the pressure on chronic, violent criminals. He did, however, commit to enforcing the First Step Act, a criminal justice overhaul passed by Congress and signed by the president last year. And mirroring the views of the Trump administration, in his first term as attorney general back in the early 1990s, Barr tried to limit the ability of people to claim asylum.	https://www.npr.org/2019/03/24/706206090/who-is-attorney-general-william-barr?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr
Do The Celtics Even Want The Fourth Seed?	Maybe the Boston Celtics should just stop putting up double-digit leads on opponents. With 8:21 left in the fourth quarter of Sundays road game against the Charlotte Hornets, the Celtics had an 18 point lead, which meant that the Hornets had them just where they wanted them. Charlotte proceeded to outscore them 30-5 and win 124-117. Maybe at a different point of time, this would be a shocking result, but this was the third straight game where the Celtics had a double-digit lead only to ultimately lose. Thats been one of the things thats, probably more than any of the last few years, this team has lost leads on several different occasions, head coach Brad Stevens said after the game, in what has to be one of the biggest understatements of the season. We did everything that the book is written to lose a game that youre up 18. Maybe, just maybe, the Celtics have finally found that all-elusive identity, and its coming at the worst possible time. They had a chance to tie the Indiana Pacers for the fourth seed with a win last night and they completely choked. As a result, the Celtics are 43-30, while the Pacers are 44-29. At this point, its as if they aren't even attempting to fight for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Not that having a potential Game Seven at home will mean anything if they keep playing at this level. The Celtics team weve seen over the last week has no chance of winning four out of seven games against any playoff team. Now, as always, the Celtics have a few built-in excuses for this loss. The Celtics were shorthanded and playing on the road last night. They were without Gordon Hayward, who is out in the concussion protocol, Aron Baynes, who is still nursing a sprained ankle) and Al Horford, who continues to deal with lingering knee issues. Thats still no excuse when you surrender an 18-point fourth quarter lead, even when the other team has a Kemba Walker. Its not like the injuries are going to get any better. Rookie Robert Williams came out of the game after suffering a back injury in a bad fall and will likely be missing the next few weeks of games. Jayson Tatum stayed in the game after suffering a similar lower back contusion but, as weve seen, we often dont know how athletes will bounce back from injuries until adrenaline runs out the next day. Unfortunately for the increasingly banged-up Celtics, their next game comes against the San Antonio Spurs later this evening. Some advice for the team: keep any leads you may have to nine points or less. Kyrie Irving had another great individual game in the loss, scoring 31 points while racking up seven rebounds and six assists. It was his fifth straight 30-point game, something that hadnt been accomplished by a Celtic since Paul Pierce did it in 2006. He also disappeared in the game's final minutes, took away possessions from a red hot Jaylen Brown down the stretch and unleashed his trademark pointed criticism after the game. We should have probably trapped him more like every team does in the league but we didnt, Irving said about Walker, who scored 39 points in the contest, he torches us every time we play them so its no surprise. As always, Irving wasnt exactly wrong in what he was saying, but its not super-great that hes once again falling into the habit of following up a dispiriting loss by complaining about his team. Just to complete the Kyrie Irving hat trick, he then posted an incredibly strange message on one of his social media accounts. As always, it's difficult to read the tea leaves with Irving, but he certainly doesn't sound like someone who is fully onboard with re-signing with the Celtics in the offseason and a short playoff run won't help in the matters. At this point, however, it's worth asking whether or not this experiment is working out for either party. So, last night we had another inexplicable loss combined with broken record commentary from the head coach, more pot-stirring comments from their best player and, worse yet, more injuries. In some respects, maybe the Celtics are actually the most consistent team in the league, its just not the good kind of consistency. At this point, the team desperately hopes it can flip the switch during the postseason, but right now theyre stumbling in the dark and possibly not even in the same room as it.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/hunterfelt/2019/03/24/do-the-celtics-even-want-the-fourth-seed/
What if President Trump had picked all the referees for the Saints-Rams game?	This just in: In a blockbuster investigative series The Times-Picayune reported the officiating crew at the Saints-Rams playoff game were former Rams players. OK, I want you to hold the outrage that mythical news incited and transfer it to this real news: The heads of the federal agencies created to protect you from financial, medical, educational, pharmaceutical and environmental harm are former members of the industries they are supposed to be policing. This isnt the script for a movie about some dystopian future. Its a fact. Donald Trump, the president who told you he was going to drain the swamp of political and lobbying influence in Washington, has done just the opposite. He has staffed his Cabinet with former lobbyists and executives from the industries who have been the largest, meanest, biggest-spending gators in that swamp for years. For the past two years Trump and your GOP delegation have been rolling back regulations protecting you from, among other things, industrial pollution that can kill your children, confusing financial practices that can drain your savings, educational schemes that can steal your childrens futures not to mention the emissions controls that are essential to saving the bottom third of Louisiana from being drowned by the rising Gulf of Mexico. Their game plan has included installing agency heads who have worked to protect those industry profits over your health. By now some of you are yelling just more screaming from a liberal Democrat. (Full disclosure: I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of the Democratic Party. But, yes, I am screaming.) So here are the very shocking facts about some of the heads of your agencies: Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: Andrew Wheeler, former top lobbyist for the coal industry, the same business sector fighting regulations to stop its carbon pollution that is driving sea level rise and causing serious illness and death for tens of thousands of Americans each year. Secretary of the Department of the Interior: David Bernhardt, a career Washington lobbyist whose clients included the oil, gas and agriculture industries the same ones he is supposed to help regulate in their quests for operating on public (your) lands. Much of his work for those industries has been fighting to put his clients desires to mine, drill and graze (often at below market prices) on your lands for their profits. Now this is a column dedicated to coastal and environmental issues, but its worth taking a quick look at some of the other agencies put in the hands of people from the industries they are supposed to be regulating on your behalf. Secretary of Health and Human Services: Alex Azar, former top lobbyist for the drug giant Eli Lilly a member of the industry he is supposed to be regulating to protect you from harmful meds. He is the first member of Big Phrama to ever hold that job and has filled his staff with former employee of the health insurance, drug and healthcare industries all of which he is supposed to inspect to protect your interests. Commerce Secretary: Wilbur Ross, a man who made billions in the financial services industries on Wall Street, who is now supposed to make sure the financial services sector doesnt confuse and swindle you. It was no surprise that he supported Trumps successful move to kill the recently passed fiduciary standard. That item (horror of horrors!) required financial advisors to work for your best interests first and reveal any inside deals they might get from the investments they were recommending to you. Secretary of Education: Betsy Devos A Michigan billionaire with no previous government or teaching experience who spent a lot of her family fortune advocating on behalf of for-profit charter schools and universities. Since taking office she has been rolling back federal regulations designed to end abuses of fraud in the for-profit education sector, schemes like the now defunct Trump University, for which the president had to pay a $25 million settlement for defrauding students. Sadly, I know that upon learning the football news at the top of this column was fake some readers quickly turned the page; real life is so much less boring than playtime. Others will just shrug and say, Same as always; what can I do about it? Well, you can start by looking in the mirror especially if you live in south Louisiana. Many of these rollbacks by the Trumps industry-first friends specifically those dealing with climate change could well mean the effective death of our Coastal Master Plan. Not in some distant future, but within the next few decades. And this is all being made possible with the active support or silent acquiescence of your GOP congressional delegation. That person youre seeing in the mirror should send an angry email or make a phone call and voice your indignation at this outrageous subversion of the system that is supposed to be fair and impartial. Just think about how you would feel after finding out all those officials at the Saints-Rams games were former Rams players. You should be just as angry about this which is much more important. Bob Marshall, former Outdoors editor for The Times-Picayune and former environmental reporter for The Lens, writes a regular column. He can be reached at [email protected].	https://www.nola.com/opinions/2019/03/what-if-president-trump-had-picked-all-the-referees-for-the-saints-rams-game.html
Will Oregon Ducks derail Max Hazzard, UC Irvine or be the 18th straight team the Anteaters hammer home?	SAN JOSE, Calif. There is a block of wood UC Irvine has been pummeling this season. For each of the Anteaters wins a top contributor is bestowed the honor of hammering a nail into the piece of timber. You want to be the hammer or the nail? UC Irvine guard Max Hazzard said in explaining the philosophy behind the ceremonial act devised by the teams strength coach. Weve had the luxury to hammer in 17 nails as of late on that winning streak. Hopefully well be able to hammer another one (Sunday). No. 12 seed Oregon (24-12) will be the next team listed on UCIs plank of lumber. If the Ducks can contain Hazzard theyll move on to the Sweet 16 and leave the Anteaters with a sixth loss to mark the end of their historic season. If not, UC Irvine will be smacking another piece of steel to mark an 18th consecutive victory. To reach the Sweet 16 Oregon must beat veteran-laden, 31-win UC Irvine UCI has 12 players that are juniors, senior or graduates We cant let Hazzard get going, Oregon coach Dana Altman said. We cant let their shooters get going. Theyve got five guys that shoot the three on a decent basis so were going to have to be really connected and really aware of where those guys are. ... You definitely got to make those shots difficult. He can score. Hes quick, gets his shot off quick, his feet get set quick. Well have to do a good job recognizing where he is at. Hazzard is by far UC Irvines most prolific three-point shooter and his 39.7 percent shooting beyond the arc ranks 55th nationally. Suffice to say, hell have Oregons attention, but hes one of five Anteaters shooting over 30 percent from three-point range. Their guards can really, really shoot it and stretch the floor, Oregon guard Ehab Amin said. Theyre a really deep team, one of the deepest if not the deepest in the tournament. No. 4 seed Kansas State, albeit without star Dean Wade, was unable to stop UCI, which is also a top 20 defensive team, led by three-time Big West defensive player of the year Jonathan Galloway (7.8 rebounds). He is a really tremendous player, Ducks forward Kenny Wooten said. He does a lot of things that the team needs, he rebounds, scores, he gives the team energy, he blocks shots. I think hes a really good player. Well have to do our best and try to keep him off the boards, make him take shots hes not used to taking and see if we can piece together a win. UC Irvine hasnt faced a team playing as well defensively as Oregon though and certainly not an opponent as hot as UO. The Anteaters cruised in the Big West and had more Quadrant 3 and 4 games than any team in the top 100 NET rankings. How Oregon compares to UC Irvine statistically The Ducks could be in for another defensive battle During their nine-game win streak, the Ducks are playing better defense than any team in the country and holding opponents to 34.5 percent from the field including 22.6 percent from three-point range in that span. Hazzard recognizes Oregon is going to try to alter his game. I cant get too caught up in field goal attempts, misses or makes," he said. "I got to come out there and play really good 40 minutes or longer (Sunday) if Im a defender or distributor or shooter or maybe Im just a decoy, Im not sure.	https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2019/03/will-oregon-ducks-derail-max-hazzard-uc-irvine-or-be-the-18th-straight-team-the-anteaters-hammer-home.html
Would universal basic income help or hurt Americans?	The 360 is a feature designed to show you diverse perspectives on the days top stories. Speed read What: Universal basic income is an income model that proposes a specific amount of government funding be provided to citizens regardless of their income or employment status and would not impose restrictions on how the money is spent. Supporters see it as a solution to poverty. Critics say the program amounts to socialism and would create a welfare state. Why its in the news: The concept is gaining momentum as a way to address wealth inequality. The rise of automation (i.e. humans losing their jobs to robots) and wages that dont keep up with inflation rates have spurred a slate of proposals to navigate the changing workforce and workplace landscape. A handful of Democratic presidential candidates have made mention of universal basic income or something like it (notably tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang) and more concretely, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka announced plans for a pilot program to test whether a universal basic income plan is feasible for New Jerseys largest city. Newark has 285,000 residents, and Baraka said one-third live in poverty. Stockton, Calif., a city hard-hit by the financial crisis, is experimenting by sending monthly $500 debit cards to a select group for 18 months, and researchers will study how the funds affect the habits and quality of life of these 130 residents. Whats next: Barakas plan for Newark is still in early stages and details have not yet been revealed. The experiment in Stockton will be done in August 2020. Universal basic income could emerge as a progressive litmus test for Democratic candidates in the 2020 presidential campaign. Yang, who has made universal basic income part of his platform, says his Freedom Dividend plan would give every American $1,000 a month starting at age 18. California Sen. Kamala Harris has proposed giving cash payments to lower-income families. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker wants to give kids, especially in low-income families, money that could be used for future purchases like college tuition or toward a home. Perspectives Handing out money is government interference that promotes a welfare state. It is all too easy to imagine, even now, how public policy experts would talk themselves and us into accepting such an invasive kind of governance in exchange for free money. Hello socialism. This is not a new idea. UBI has been tested in other countries and has always failed. Because struggles and poverty or not, the nature of human beings is they need motivation and goals to be successful in life. And a paycheck for doing nothing saps you of that motivation. Give em a paycheck for doing nothing. Judi Franco, New Jersey 101.5 Financing universal basic income is a huge economic burden. The most quoted schemes today would, according to calculations from Commerce Department data, cost the federal government between $2 and 4 trillion a year, amounting to a 50% increase in current federal outlays or more than 10% of last years gross domestic product (GDP). Such a draw on the economy would markedly burden taxpayers and increase government debt with all the associated economic ills. Since the late 18th century, UBI hasnt been seen as a form of welfare so much as a way to get rid of welfare entirely. That may explain why it has attracted such an eclectic group of supporters over the centuries and may account for its renaissance today. Perhaps theres room for a grand compromise of the kind envisioned by Mill, Friedman, Galbraith and others: a universal basic income that brings the end of traditional welfare programs. But if UBI becomes yet another hybrid of welfare and workfare, history suggests its doomed to fail. Stephen Mihm, Bloomberg	https://news.yahoo.com/will-universal-basic-income-help-hurt-americans-171039795.html
Could 'Us' Lead To An Episode Of Jordan Peele's 'Twilight Zone' Reboot?	Universal Pictures WARNING! The following contains major, MAJOR plot spoilers for the film. If you havent seen it yet, we suggest turning around now and coming back later, lest you be spoiled forever. Seriously, you have been warned, dear reader! With the theatrical release of Jordan Peeles Us this weekend, the Internet is all abuzz with debates, theories, and dissections based on the films plot. In particular, most fans are talking about that skin-crawling twist ending (and rightly so), which, like many great cinematic twists over the years, allows you to see the entire story in a whole new light, prompting a rewatch, so you can try and spot all the hints leading up to it. Even with the big reveals that the doppelgngers were the result of an experiment to control the population and that Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyongo) was a clone all along, the movie keeps its secrets pretty close to the vest. Of course, this is something that any good horror movie should do, because leaving certain details up to the imagination is infinitely more frightening for a member of the audience than bludgeoning them over the head with exposition and definitive explanations. That being said, Peele has opened up a cloned can of worms with his second directorial effort, scratching the surface of a secret and terrifying world in which some shady entity (most likely the government) copied every person in the United Statesand maybe the entire worldonly to abandon them underground with a ton of rabbits and not even the slightest bit of remorse. All of these questions and more are begging to be answered. Of course, Peele doesnt need to answer a thing if he feels that it benefits the viewer experience, but he already teased to The Hollywood Reporter that theres an established backstory for the Tethered, a name that refers to the clones sharing a soul with their aboveground counterparts. "I have a pretty elaborate mythology and history of what's going on in this film. And of course, the dilemma that comes up is how much of that do you tell? Said the writer/director. "When there are questions left, and you know there is more to the story, your imagination is left to run wild." Based on that statement, the question is not if Peele will elaborate on this universe, but when he will do it. The obvious vehicle for providing answers is either a sequel or prequel to Us because unlike Get Out, the ending to this movie is a lot more open-ended. Were left wanting more as Minnie Ripertons Les Fleur comes on the soundtrack and the camera zooms over the hills and mountains to reveal the twisted version of Hands Across America. The less obvious route would be to explore the backstory of the Tethered in an eventual episode of Peeles revival of The Twilight Zone on CBS All Access. Ignoring the fact that Us is a Universal release for a second (inter-studio cooperation is always very limited in such a competitive entertainment landscape), it could be just the thing for what the IP needs since the movie was clearly inspired by Mirror Image, a 1960 episode of the original Twilight Zone run that deals with evil copies. CBS Obviously, this wouldnt arrive in the upcoming first season of the reboot, but if the series does get renewed for future seasons, Peele could always revisit Us within the context of the anthology. And just because viewers are familiar with this universe, doesnt mean there cant be a twist. In fact, the twist could be that the episode is tied to the world of the film. Well, lets use Third from the Sun as an example. The entire episode is about two families trying to escape a planet about to destroy itself with all-out war. When they do get away in the end, the audience learns that the families, while human-looking, are actually aliens fleeing to Earth. The title is misleading in the best way possible, giving us the twist from the get-go. CBS Now, lets apply that misdirection to a possible Twilight Zone episode related to Us: We spend the mast majority of the story (possibly titled Them) in an underground bunker where a group of scientists are trying to made some kind of breakthrough on a project that we assume will be for the benefit of humanity. They spend plenty of time experimenting on (you guessed it) rabbits and finally decide to try their research on a human, which results in a member of the Tethered. By the closing moments, its revealed that this is not a noble scientific installation and that the government is attempting to control the people aboveground with puppet-like clones. Its all just head canon at this point, but if Universal and CBS agree to actually tie these two worlds together, it could be one of the greatest studio team-ups of our time; on par with Sony allowing Spider-Man to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: Civil War. Us made $70.25 million at this weekends box office. In doing so, the movie will be come the highest-grossing original horror movie (aka not a franchise continuation or adaptation) of all time. Even so, it is the third highest-grossing horror feature behind It: Chapter One and Halloween 2018. Peeles reimagined version of The Twilight Zone premieres on CBS All Access April 1.	https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshweiss/2019/03/24/could-us-lead-to-an-episode-of-jordan-peeles-twilight-zone-reboot/
How could Theresa May be deposed?	A number of Conservative MPs have argued that Theresa May should be replaced as prime minister amid the Brexit chaos, and although denials were issued on Sunday, cabinet ministers are widely reported to be unhappy with her leadership. Not until 12 December there isnt. It was on this date last year that May won a confidence vote, triggered by Tory MPs writing letters to express their wish for her to go, by 200 votes to 117. Under party rules she has a years grace before a similar challenge can be launched. Absolutely not and almost no one expects her to stay as PM for another nine months. The extent of disquiet, especially the public calls for her to go by even senior backbenchers, for example her former policy chief George Freeman, makes her position extremely difficult. Mr Europe David Lidington: the man who could replace May Read more Seemingly no or at least not yet. The Sunday papers carried lurid reports of supposed cabinet plots to replace May with a caretaker PM, and both her de facto deputy and the environment secretary were mentioned as being in the frame. But on Sunday both insisted they did not want this to happen. The main tool would be political pressure. For example, if May alienated even more of her colleagues, for example by pushing openly for a no-deal Brexit, then hypothetically a series of more remain-minded cabinet ministers could resign en masse, fatally damaging the government. It has also been mooted that Conservative MPs could hold an informal indicative vote which, if it made clear she had barely any support, would make Mays position untenable. Labour has already tried a formal motion of no-confidence in Mays government after the first, crushing defeat for her Brexit plan in January. This was lost by 325 votes to 306, but it is possible some Conservative MPs could switch sides in a new vote if they were desperate to remove the PM. The risk of this would be that if the no-confidence vote was passed, and if no new government can be formed in a fixed 14-day period afterwards, then this triggers a general election, which many MPs would not want, and would necessitate a new and longer delay to Brexit.	https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/24/how-can-theresa-may-be-deposed-qa

Subsets and Splits

No saved queries yet

Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.