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What is going on with Republicans? | On Jan. 6, a huge, violent mob stormed the United State Capitol. They fought with police, killing one cop and seriously injuring scores of others. The rabble ransacked congressional offices, sent senators, representatives and their staff members into hiding, and threatened the vice president and Speaker of the House with serious harm. It was an insurrection that aimed to undo a presidential election. One would assume that the elected officials of a political party that claims to stand for patriotism, law and order, and respect for police officers would be eager to get to the bottom of what happened on that infamous day and find out who was responsible for such a heinous attack on American Democracy. But, no, to assume that would be very wrong. When a proposal to form a bipartisan commission to investigate the insurrection came before the House of Representatives this week, only 35 Republicans voted for it while 175 were opposed. In this state, we should once again praise GOP House members Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse for being on the right side of the issue, just as they were when they voted to impeach former President Donald Trump for his incitement of the rioters on Jan. 6. As usual, the third House Republican from Washington, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, put partisanship ahead of patriotism by voting against the commission. The measure passed, thanks to unanimous support from the Democratic majority, but approval in the Senate seems unlikely because it will take 60 votes to break a Republican filibuster and Mitch McConnell, the GOP leader, is not about to let that happen. For whatever reason, most Republican members of Congress are choosing to protect their narrow political interests rather than protecting the country and the Constitution. See more of David Horseys cartoons at: st.news/davidhorsey View other syndicated cartoonists at: st.news/cartoons | https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/what-is-going-on-with-republicans/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
Could Higher Ed Learn Something from Scuba Instruction? | In a typical college course, the student is graded (and almost always passes, usually with an A) and then forgets most of the material. Much expense of time and money for little lasting gain. Now consider the training that people who want to do scuba diving have to go through. Its repetitive, with a single focus on mastering the things you need to know if youre going to do something thats dangerous. It works. There are very few diving injuries. Advertisement In todays Martin Center article, Preston Cooper of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity compares the two learning experiences. Hes been through both college and scuba certification and writes, The certification process couldnt be more different from traditional higher ed. When a life is on the line, the material must be accessible and memorable. Not so for a college class. If scuba were taught like college, Cooper says, many divers wouldnt come back. The big difference is that scuba training, and many other kinds of learning-by-doing, ensures that the student really knows something, whereas college classes dont. True, there is signaling value in getting through college courses that youre able to manage yourself in a learning environment. But its a very inefficient way of doing that. Internships and apprenticeships are better. Cooper concludes, Professors are understandably wary of rote repetition, but its often the best way to learn, as high employer demand for apprentices and former interns demonstrates. Colleges and universities could learn something from trade schools, whether they teach advanced manufacturing or scuba diving. My view is that we would have much more in the way of scuba-type learning and less college if the federal government had not started to subsidize the latter. | https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/could-higher-ed-learn-something-from-scuba-instruction/ |
Will legal action shed light on questions swirling around the Arizona election audit? | A lawsuit filed Wednesdaycould shake loose many of those details. Maricopa County also is threatening separate legal action that could make answers to those questions public, too. A nonprofit group called American Oversight, which formed in 2017 to investigate potential fraud in the Trump administration, filed the suit after the Senate declined to turn over records when they were requested through the state public records law. A hearing is set for Thursday. The lawsuit names Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, and the Senate at large as defendants. The Arizona Republic has sought many of the same records from the Senate but similarly has not received them. If a judge requires the documents be released, they could answer a host of questions. The documents that were requested include communications and financial records from Cyber Ninjas and its various subcontractors, and Ken Bennett, a former secretary of state serving as a liaison for the audit, "or any other individual or entity engaged in work on the audit." The complaint states that some documents, but not all those requested, were turned over. It notes that the documents could shed light on issues such as why the people behind the audit have decided to selectively release some information before the work has concluded. As an example, the lawsuit cites the audit Twitter account accusing Maricopa County of deleting a directory from an election database before turning the election equipment over to the auditors. The state Senate's subpoenas issued in January were sweeping, demanding the county turn over all 2.1 million ballots cast in the county's November election, digital images of the ballots, all voting machines, the voter log, and other election information. County officials contend that nothing was deleted and that they provided everything required under the Senate's subpoenas. The audit workers couldn't find the information because they are incompetent, county officials said. The audit contractors addressed the claim Tuesday during a meeting with Fann and Petersen, saying they were able to recover the files from the copy of the hard drive they had created. The American Oversight lawsuit argues that releasing audit documents would add clarity to this dispute and other issues with the audit. "Because the audit is ongoing, and the Senate, Mr. Bennett, Cyber Ninjas and other subcontractors are making interim public statements about its progress that cannot be checked for accuracy by the public, it is imperative that this public records dispute be resolved promptly," the complaint states. Bennett said he was aware of the lawsuit. "The only thing I can say is I am in communication with Senate attorneys and we are preparing what we think is an appropriate response to their request," Bennett said Friday. Suit says all records should be public While American Oversight argues in its suit that releasing the documents is required by law, the Senate's lawyer told the group the documents were not in their possession. American Oversight contends that documents related to the audit that Cyber Ninjas and Bennett control are subject to the public records law because they are working for the Senate. The Senate can't have it both ways, said attorney Roopali Desai, a partner at Coppersmith Brockelman working with American Oversight, and who was involved with other litigation opposing the audit. The lawmakers can't subpoena the ballots for an official government action and then keep the records from the public by claiming they are controlled by Cyber Ninjas and other non-government entities. This attempt to shield the Senates illegitimate investigation from public scrutiny poses a serious threat to voter privacy, civil liberties, and confidence in future elections, Desai said in a written statement when the lawsuit was filed. The suit cites Arizona public records law, which states that government officials must maintain records "necessary or appropriate to maintain an accurate knowledge of their official activities, and of any of their activities which are supported by monies from this state." Maricopa County preparing lawsuit Even if the Senate, Cyber Ninjas, Bennett and the other contractors aren't forced to turn over their communications via this lawsuit, additional litigation in the future could force them into the public sphere. Maricopa County on Friday sent a "hold letter" to the Senate, telling Fann to preserve all documents related to the audit, including communications with the contractors, to preserve them for a lawsuit. "You must give this litigation hold letter to all of your agents, contractors, volunteers, or anyone else who is designated, retained, employed, or otherwise utilized by you or the Arizona Senate to participate in the 'audit' being conducted of Maricopa Countys election equipment and ballots," said the letter from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. "This includes whoever operates the 'audits' Twitter account. All those persons are likewise subject to this litigation hold letter." Bennett said he had just seen the hold letter from the county Friday. "They are not asking me to do anything I would not have done anyway," Bennett said. "There is nothing to hide. There is nothing to not hold." The question of who is funding the effort is among the most concerning for those opposed to the audit. The Senate agreed to pay just $150,000 of the audit expenses, though that amount is unlikely to cover a fraction of the costs of renting out Veteran's Memorial Coliseum for weeks on end, paying dozens of people counting ballots, providing security and purchasing the various equipment used in the effort. Private groups are raising money for the effort. These include an organization called The America Project established by former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne, which says it aims to raise $2.8 million for the audit and reports already taking in $1.7 million in donations. Also soliciting funds for the audit is Christina Bobb, a personality on the One America News cable channel. Petersen and Fann did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit Friday. Petersen continued to post on social media about the audit, however, challenging whether the county deleted files and whether the Cyber Ninjas' handling of the county's voting machines will cost millions to replace because the equipment is no longer usable. "Audits make the machines more legitimate not less legitimate," he posted on Twitter Friday. For Subscribers:Maricopa County's $6M voting systems could be unusable after election audit Why the lawsuit was filed Austin Evers, executive director of American Oversight and a former attorney in the State Department during the Obama administration, said the public is entitled to know more about how the effort is conducted. "What we are looking for specifically is what is going on behind the scenes with this clearly fraudulent audit," Evers said Friday. "The planning of the audit. The justifications of the audit. How it is being funded and what kind of protections are in place to make sure Arizona voters are not violated." In addition to shedding light on how much control the Senate actually has over the audit, he said the records can show how important fundraising is to the effort. "It was always clear the funding was going to have to come from somewhere else," Evers said. "This is not your traditional public-private partnership. This seems to be the state Senate creating a vehicle for some of the most antidemocratic partisan fundraising that we've ever seen." Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at [email protected] or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/05/21/american-oversight-files-lawsuit-seeking-records-arizona-election-audit/5205992001/ |
Where does Mel Kiper rank Rasheed Walker among 2022 NFL draft prospects? | The 2021 NFL draft is already a distant memory as we shift to full-blown preseason mode for the upcoming college football season. But for some, the focus is already on the 2022 NFL draft. That includes Mel Kiper. Kiper hasnt released a mock draft just yet, but he has ranked the top prospects on his radar. Penn State offensive tackle Rasheed Walker has already received some way-too-early first-round draft expectations for 2022 by some, but Kiper is a tad less sold according to his rankings. Walker did not appear in the top 25 overall of Kipers top prospects. Kiper included Walker in his list of the top 10 offensive tackles, ranking the Nittany Lion eighth among his fellow position mates around the country. Kipers ranking certainly plays a different tune from some other early looks at the NFL draft, and thats perfectly normal. Kiper doesnt always find himself in sync with some others this far out. But including Walker among his top 10 offensive tackles does still show some respect toward Walker as a draft prospect. Being the eighth offensive tackle probably still nets Walker in the second round. Its also worth a reminder that this is simply a ranking of prospects overall and not necessarily how the draft will play out. As Kiper would admit freely, there is a stark difference between ranking players and figuring out what team needs are in need of addressing, followed by figuring out the exact order of the draft. Of course, Walker will get the benefit of a full college football season to show whether or not Kiper should give him another hard look and consider bumping him up his rankings between now and the start of the 2022 NFL draft. Follow Nittany Lion Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. List 2021 NFL draft tracker: Tracking every Penn State player in the draft [lawrence-related id=2990,2728,2725,2715 | https://sports.yahoo.com/where-does-mel-kiper-rank-011541218.html?src=rss |
Is Southern Nevadas booming housing market a bubble? | Real estate pros point out that there are key differences between todays hot streak and the doomed housing market frenzy of a decade-and-a-half ago. For sale sign is displayed outside of 1856 Spangle Drive, on Friday, May 21, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @bizutesfaye About 15 years ago, Las Vegas housing market was going nuts. Builders blanketed the valley with subdivisions, buyers flipped houses with ease, property values soared, and developers wanted to plant a forest of a high-rises. There was talk the market was in a bubble, but not everyone bought it. Frankly, the vaunted housing bubble is just like Y2K a scary proposition put forth by people who do not understand the real estate fundamentals of this market, an analyst said in fall 2005. As we know now, Las Vegas market was in a bubble arguably the most bloated in America and when it burst, the economy crashed with it. Southern Nevadas housing market is accelerating today with rapid sales and record prices, and industry sources say the market is moving at the fastest pace in a long time. Booming for different reasons As real estate pros point out, there are key differences between todays hot streak and the doomed frenzy of a decade and a half ago. Back then, the market was soaring thanks to easy money, as practically anyone could get a loan to buy a house, if not several of them, with lenders frequently opening the vaults without verifying borrowers income. Today, the market is soaring thanks to cheap money, as rock-bottom mortgage rates have let people lock in lower monthly payments and stretch their budgets. Houses are being flooded with offers, often within days of hitting the market, and routinely selling for over the asking price. Builders have been putting buyers on wait lists, median resale prices hit new all-time highs practically every month, and out-of-state buyers, especially Californians, seem to be snapping up more homes than usual in more-affordable Las Vegas as people work from home without the need for a commute. Lending standards also are stricter now than they were in the mid-2000s, there isnt nearly as much home construction, and house-flipping isnt as common. Also, the economy was strong during the last big housing boom, but this time, the market started accelerating despite huge job losses sparked by the coronavirus outbreak economic ruin that largely hit lower-paying service industries in casino-heavy Las Vegas and spared many white-collar staffers who could work from home and still afford to buy a new place. The median sales price of previously owned single-family homes was a record $375,000 in April, up 21 percent from the same month last year, as buyers snapped up nearly 3,530 houses, up 79 percent from April 2020, when sales dropped sharply amid the early chaos of the pandemic, trade association Las Vegas Realtors reported. Crazy stuff Vivek Sah, director of UNLVs Lied Center for Real Estate, said he doesnt think the market is overinflated, citing, in part, the much-tighter lending standards. Frank Nothaft, chief economist with housing tracker CoreLogic, told me that Las Vegas price growth pales in comparison to some of the crazy stuff in the mid-2000s, when prices soared more than 40 percent from the year before at one point. He also said the market was overbuilt back then, whereas today, a shortage of available houses is helping drive the frenzy as demand far outpaces supply. Its a very different dynamic at work, Nothaft said. Still, just because the market is in hyperdrive for different reasons doesnt mean home values arent rising too fast, and locals have often said they dont want housing to boom again, given how badly it all ended last time. After the bubble burst, Las Vegas was ground zero for Americas real estate crash, a misery of foreclosures, plunging property values, underwater borrowers and abandoned, unfinished real estate projects a deep hole the region spent years crawling out of. As Sah indicated to me, its always easier to say in hindsight. Contact Eli Segall at [email protected] or 702-383-0342. Follow @eli_segall on Twitter. | https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/housing/is-southern-nevadas-booming-housing-market-a-bubble-2360550/ |
How do I install a front-facing car seat? | Last week we took a look at how to properly install a rear-facing car seat, and, in this column, we will look at front-facing car seats and booster seats. According to the Ministry of Transportation, front-facing seats are designed for children that weigh nine kilograms (20 lbs.) or more. However, Sgt. Jason Kraft, of the Toronto Police Services traffic services unit, said you shouldnt be in rush to switch from rear-facing. Parents sometimes will take a look at the minimum requirements to be front-facing and are too quick to change their child, he said. You can have a rear-facing (car seat) for up to 80 lbs. Being rear-facing is safer in the event of a collision. These seats should be installed in the back seat or the second or third row of larger vehicles and away from the airbags. They should be installed only in spots where the seatbelt has a shoulder and lap strap. You should also refer to the manual for your car and the seat. To install a front-facing seats you route the vehicles seat belt or Universal Anchorage System strap through the seats proper attachment points and use your body weight to fasten it into place, making sure it cant move more than 2.5 cm in any direction. Your manuals will tell you if you also need to use a locking clip, which secures the child car seat to your vehicle, and where to install it. For a front facing seat, you also need to attach its top tether strap to the anchor point that is built into your vehicle. These are mandatory in Canada and prevent the seat from moving forward in an accident. If your car does not have one, your vehicle dealership can advise on how to have one installed. When you place your child in the seat, make sure the harnesses are positioned at or above their shoulders, and that it is snug enough that you cant pinch it at the collarbone. | https://www.thestar.com/autos/advice/2021/05/22/how-do-i-install-a-front-facing-car-seat.html |
Which party gains if Roe goes down? | Across the political spectrum, therefore, the case Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization is being seen as a watershed in the nations long conflict over abortion. For the first time since 1973, the Supreme Court will decide whether a broad abortion ban not just a regulation restricting its availability, funding, or method is legal. If a majority of the court upholds a Mississippi law banning non-emergency abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a key pillar of US abortion policy for the past half century will fall. From the right, meanwhile, have come cheers at the prospect of Roes demise. Republican stalwart Henry Olsen wrote in the Washington Post that the court should . . . do its constitutional duty: Uphold the law and overturn Roe. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, deploying the hashtag #ProLife, hailed the justices decision to hear the Mississippi case as a huge step forward. National Review, the prominent conservative journal, editorialized: A majority of the Court knows that Roe is nonsense. It is past time for the justices to say so. Advertisement So the partisan battle lines couldnt be clearer. Republicans want an end to Roe and the abortion regime it instituted; Democrats want them upheld. For many people, of course, the issue of abortion is not about politics but about right and wrong. Millions of Americans regard the protection of life in the womb as a moral imperative; millions of others feel the same way about protecting a womans right to end an unwanted pregnancy. As Gallup has documented for years, the public splits down the middle when respondents are asked whether they consider themselves pro-choice or pro-life. Advertisement Still, there is no denying that abortion has become intensely politicized, in a way it never was before Roe was decided nearly 50 years ago. And not only politicized, but polarized. In the Roe era, the GOP became explicitly antiabortion: Its platform proclaims that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed and advocates amending the Constitution to ban nearly all abortions. Democrats, meanwhile, became adamant defenders of unrestricted abortion rights, which their platform supports unequivocally. Unlike the two parties, most Americans are not nearly so absolutist. Survey data is remarkably consistent: Broadly speaking, voters want abortion to be legal early in pregnancy or when there is a medical emergency, but they are against banning abortion outright or permitting it without limit. Thats probably what abortion policy in the United States would look like today if the Supreme Court hadnt snatched the whole issue out of the political arena and carved a sweeping right to choose into constitutional granite. In most developed nations, abortion is permitted along lines roughly comparable to the Mississippi law. And because their laws were shaped through democratic debate and politics, they enjoy broad acceptance, rarely if ever generating the intense fury and turmoil we experience in this country. Advertisement Paradoxically, Roe has proved a boon to the Republican Party that so fervently condemns it. As long as the high court has declined to overturn or substantially curtail its 1973 landmark, GOP politicians have been able to talk the talk of antiabortion extremism without facing the repercussions of walking the walk. With Roe in force, Republicans have been able to clamor for laws that would ban most abortions, secure in the knowledge that they wont be allowed to stand. They have also been able to promote the kind of reasonable regulations most voters do support, such as requiring parental consent for minors or barring abortion for sex selection, knowing that Democrats will take the unpopular stand of opposing them. But if Roe is overthrown, Republicans will lose the ability to call, cost-free, for sweeping prohibitions on abortion. For Democrats, by contrast, an end to Roe would mean liberation from always having to defend the most inflexible pro-choice positions. No longer locked into defending Roe at all costs, Democrats would be free to support the moderate abortion regulations that most Americans are comfortable with. And they could stop excommunicating the pro-life Democrats who were once such a significant component of the party. Advertisement Those who wish for an end to Roe and those who wish to see it affirmed may well be deeply sincere. All the same, a post-Roe world is apt to be less congenial to the GOP that craves it, and not nearly as challenging to the Democratic Party that doesnt. Jeff Jacoby can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @jeff_jacoby. To subscribe to Arguable, his weekly newsletter, visit bitly.com/Arguable. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/22/opinion/which-party-gains-if-roe-goes-down/ |
Can Joe Biden still lift sanctions on Iran after the bloodshed in Israel? | Supporters of Israel protest in New York City's Times Square - Spencer Platt /Getty Images North America Joe Biden's hopes of reviving the Iran nuclear deal face mounting opposition in the wake of violence in Gaza as Republicans demanded no relaxation of sanctions on Tehran due to its support for Hamas. Indirect negotiations between the US and Iran have been going on in Vienna since early April with European diplomats acting as intermediaries. One US official said the latest round of talks were "positive and we saw meaningful progress" although "important differences remain which still need to be addressed." A senior European diplomat added: "We have made tangible progress. Both on the nuclear side and on the sanctions side, we are now beginning to see the contours of what the final deal could look like. However, success is not guaranteed." Vienna - Anadolu Sanctions on Iran Republicans in Washington turned up the heat on Mr Biden, particularly pressuring him not to ease sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) and the National Iranian Oil Company. Tom Cotton, a Republican senator, said: "Will Joe Biden pressure Iran to stop funding the terrorists attacking Israel?" Amid the growing calls from Republicans in the last week senator Ted Cruz said: "Irans tyrannical and evil regime continues to finance and export terror, endangering our national security and the security of our allies. "The United States and our allies cannot afford another catastrophic Obama-Biden Iran nuclear deal." In a recent letter to Mr Biden more than 40 Republican senators, led by Marco Rubio, called on him to immediately end the negotiations in Vienna and make clear that sanctions would not be lifted. They wrote it was "troubling" that a US delegation was in Vienna for the talks involving the "world's leading state sponsor of terrorism." Rubio - Reuters New Iranian drone Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) unveiled a new combat drone dubbed "Gaza" capable of carrying 13 bombs while flying at over 35,000ft for 20 hours. Story continues The force's official website reported the move hours after a ceasefire took effect. Tehran said Palestinians had won a "historic victory" and Israel could expect "deadly blows" after the 11-day Gaza conflict. Drone - Shutterstock Republican pressure The 2015 Iran nuclear deal - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA] and intended to keep Tehran from developing an atomic bomb - imploded after Donald Trump pulled the US out. Under Mr Trump's subsequent "maximum pressure" campaign sanctions were imposed on hundreds of entities and people, crippling Iran's economy. Dropping sanctions would leave Mr Biden open to accusations of being soft on terrorism. Mike Pompeo, Mr Trump's former secretary of state, has called dropping sanctions "immoral". Elliott Abrams, who served as Mr Trump' special representative for Iran, said: "What I would find particularly objectionable is any move that would change the sanctioning of the IRGC for terrorist activities. Because the IRGC engages in terrorist activities. It is a clear case. "Those were legally and morally sufficient and justifiable designations. They were not pulled out of thin air." Trump - AP National security A senior official in the Biden administration said it does not plan to suggest that those sanctioned by his predecessor were not supporting terrorism. Instead, a case will be made that restarting the nuclear deal is a national security priority which overrides the sanctions. Henry Rome, an analyst at Eurasia Group, said that would be a "tough needle to thread". He said: "The political heat [on Mr Biden] is going to be quite intense." | https://news.yahoo.com/joe-biden-still-lift-sanctions-185657145.html |
How Significant Is The Electric Ford F-150 Lightning? | Tesla may be the company that took electric cars into the mainstream as desirable objects. But it has not won the heart of America over to electrification just yet. That is because your average American does not drive an $80,000 luxury sedan or SUV like the Model S or X, nor do they drive a mid-sized sedan or SUV like the Model 3 or Y. They drive a truck. That is why Fords announcement of an all-electric F-150 could be the most significant EV news in the USA yet. DEARBORN, MI - MAY 19: The new all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning performance pickup truck is ... [+] revealed at a livestream event at Ford World Headquarters on May 19, 2021 in Dearborn, Michigan. The truck will be built at the all-new Ford Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn starting in the Spring of 2022. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) Getty Images To put this in context, and for non-American readers, the Ford F-150 is a legend. In early 2020, it celebrated a straight 43 years as the number-one-selling truck in America. In 2019, Ford sold 896,526 F-150s. It is not just the best-selling truck; its the best-selling car of all types. Even during Covid-hit 2020, Ford still managed to sell 787,422 F-series vehicles, 34% more than its nearest competitor, the Chevrolet Silverado, which sold 586,675 units. That is a big pickup truck, too, and so is the third best-selling car in America, the Ram pickup, which sold 563,676 units in 2020. You have to move down to the fourth best-selling car in America to get to a vehicle that isnt a pickup truck the Toyota RAV4, which sold 430,387 units in 2020. If you scan through the top 25 list for 2020 a bit further, there are also two other pickups on the list the Toyota Tacoma and GMC Sierra, which together sold nearly half a million units. From this it is clear that if you want to win over car-driving America, it has to be via a truck. But truck drivers are also the most intransigent lovers of oil and gas. In fact, an employee of an oil-related company called B&W Smith recently appeared to have blocked an entire bank of Tesla superchargers in Pennsylvania with their pickup and trailer, which may not have been deliberate but certainly wasnt very considerate. The phenomenon of coal rolling Teslas almost always involves pickup trucks. The standard pickup driver is going to be the hardest car owner to convince that an EV is worth having, and not just liberal snowflake eco-nonsense. The Ford F-150 has been America's best-selling truck for 44 straight years. Getty Images In order to win over Pickup America, an electric truck doesnt just have to offer green credentials. In fact, those are almost irrelevant. It needs to do what all trucks do only better. MSNBCs Rachel Maddow put it extremely well, as a Ford F-150 owner herself, by recalling how the F-150 electric prototype had managed to pull over a million pounds back in 2019. This is something no fossil fuel-powered pickup could do. The Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup has other leading features, such as 563hp and 775lb-ft of torque, which is allegedly more torque than any F-150 ever before. The production version cannot actually tow over a million pounds, but it can carry 2,000lb (909kg) and tow 10,000lb (4,500kg). It can also accelerate to 60mph in around 4.5 seconds. To put that in perspective, the insane Ford F-150 Raptor takes 5.5 seconds to reach 60mph. The Ford F-150 Lightning is actually faster and more powerful than the insane Raptor version. MediaNews Group via Getty Images Yet the Ford F-150 Lightning will start off cheaper than the Raptor at under $40,000, and even the mid-series XLT version will be less, at just under $53,000. It is also packed with features, such as power outlets able to deliver up to 2.4kW as standard and with the option for more. This could be an extremely useful capability for working people, who may well need to use electrical power tools on a site with no existing mains power. The one area where the F-150 Lightning might still fall short is with range on a single charge. The standard model will offer 230 miles of EPA range and the larger battery version 300 EPA miles. That is decent by EV standards, but even the F-150 Raptor, with 16mpg combined and a 26-gallon tank, should be able to achieve over 400 miles. So this could be an area where EV hating pickup owners will still criticize the Lightning. With a 150kW DC fast charger, the F-150 is specified to be able to recharge 54 miles every 10 minutes and 15% to 80% in 41 minutes, so not as fast as a quick fossil fuel stop. The Tesla Cybertruck probably looks too weird for mainstream pickup-owning Americans. AFP via Getty Images Nevertheless, the F-150 Lightning is a proper truck. It is fast, it is powerful, it can pull huge loads and it can power your work tools. It also looks like a standard F-150, minus the front air intake. Yes, Tesla has the Cybertruck waiting in the wings, and in terms of raw capabilities it is likely to blow away the competition, including the F-150 Lightning, like everything else Tesla has ever produced. But its bizarrely angled looks are likely to alienate conservative pickup drivers in a way that the F-150 Lightning wont. The arrival of the Ford F-150 Lightning is not being reported much in Europe, because over here (where I am writing from) pickups arent the best-selling vehicles. Subcompacts like the Toyota Yaris and compacts like the Volkswagen Golf are, although SUVs as a genre are overall the biggest sellers. But America is a huge car-buying market, and in order to dominate the world, EVs have to win in the USA. To win in the USA, EVs need to be great pickups. The Ford F-150 Lightning might just be the vehicle to make that happen. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmorris/2021/05/22/how-significant-is-the-electric-ford-f-150-lightning/ |
Which receiver will have the most fantasy upside in Miami? | The Telegraph USPGA Championship 2021 full leaderboard Phil Mickelson takes a share of the lead into the third round of the USPGA Championship today (Saturday) as he looks to become the oldest major winner in history at Kiawah Island. A week after needing a special exemption into next month's US Open, the 50 year-old rolled back the years with a second round of 69 to set a halfway target only matched by former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen. On a high-quality leaderboard, two-time winner Brooks Koepka is ominously poised just a shot off the lead, with Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama another stroke adrift alongside Branden Grace and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Tee-times for Saturday's third round can be found below (all times BST; all players USA unless stated). 1240 Denny McCarthy 1250 Emiliano Grillo (Arg), Chan Kim 1300 Alex Noren (Swe), Harris English 1310 Tom Hoge, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 1320 Harold Varner III, Garrick Higgo (Rsa) 1330 Talor Gooch, Brendan Steele 1340 Webb Simpson, Ben Cook (CP) 1350 Patrick Reed, Billy Horschel 1400 Sam Horsfield (Eng), Jason Day (Aus) 1410 Robert Streb, Wyndham Clark 1420 Brian Gay, Aaron Wise 1430 Danny Willett (Eng), Jason Scrivener (Aus) 1440 Byeong Hun An (Kor), Robert MacIntyre (Sco) 1450 Dean Burmester (Rsa), Matt Jones (Aus) 1500 Jordan Spieth, Lucas Herbert (Aus) 1520 Russell Henley, Daniel Berger 1530 Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Adam Hadwin (Can) 1540 Jimmy Walker, Stewart Cink 1550 Joel Dahmen, Rickie Fowler 1600 Steve Stricker, Cameron Davis (Aus) 1610 Carlos Ortiz (Mex), Justin Rose (Eng) 1620 Rasmus Hojgaard (Den), Jon Rahm (Esp) 1630 Matt Wallace (Eng), Brad Marek (CP) 1640 Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Scottie Scheffler 1650 Tony Finau, Patrick Cantlay 1700 Collin Morikawa, Abraham Ancer (Mex) 1710 Lee Westwood (Eng), Tom Lewis (Eng) 1720 Will Zalatoris, Bubba Watson 1730 Daniel van Tonder (Rsa), Cameron Smith (Aus) 1740 Keegan Bradley, Viktor Hovland (Nor) 1750 Ian Poulter (Eng), Shane Lowry (Irl) 1800 Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Padraig Harrington (Irl) 1810 Bryson DeChambeau, Charley Hoffman 1820 Martin Laird (Sco), Jason Kokrak 1830 Joaquin Niemann (Chl), Harry Higgs 1850 Paul Casey (Eng), Richy Werenski 1900 Kevin Streelman, Sungjae Im (Kor) 1910 Corey Conners (Can), Gary Woodland 1920 Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 1930 Brooks Koepka, Branden Grace (Rsa) 1940 Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) | https://sports.yahoo.com/receiver-most-fantasy-upside-miami-224126678.html?src=rss |
Can Montreal's Chinatown survive? | WEEKEND READ | Real estate development threatens to erase 200 years of history and buildings that are decades older than city records show. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette Article content As he showed a reporter around the Chinese Association of Montreal at 110-112 de la Gauchetire St. W., Bryant Chang made one thing perfectly clear: Our building is not for sale. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Back to video The talk in Chinatown these days is all about the sale of much of the neighbourhoods most historic block to a developer. As the Montreal Gazette reported last month, Brandon Shiller and Jeremy Kornbluth acquired several properties on the northern part of the block bounded by de la Gauchetire, St-Urbain and Ct Sts. and Viger Ave. between January and March. The acquisitions, totalling $13.13 million, have been a wakeup call on the need to protect the heritage neighbourhood, which lost one-third of its territory to the Guy Favreau Complex, built in 1984. Reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent rise in anti-Asian racism, scarred by decades of expropriation, Chinatown is facing what could be its greatest threat yet. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Already, condo projects hem in the historic neighbourhood to the south, jostling the carved lions guarding the gate at St-Laurent Blvd. and Viger Ave. Now, the steamroller of progress has reached the very heart of Chinatown. Stories circulate of owners being pressured to sell, and of sky-high offers being made to Chinese-Canadian owners. Dotted by three-storey heritage buildings, the site acquired by Shiller and Kornbluth is zoned for 20-storey towers. But at the Chinese Association, which has owned its stone headquarters since 1920, theres a firm resolve to stay. Were smack in the middle of the proposed project. Whatever future project has to go up, it has to include our location as is, Chang said. They can build around it, they can renovate, but our building is not for sale, he said. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette Chang, 69, the third generation of his family to take a leadership role in the association, said that to sell would betray the principles on which it was founded in 1889. Our ancestors set up the Chinese Association to help the Chinese people that came to Canada in the early years, he said. We still have a role in the Chinese community and were not giving up our building, he added. Two weeks ago, Mayor Valrie Plante asked Culture Minister Nathalie Roy to designate Chinatown as a heritage site, like Old Montreal, citing an urgent need to protect its culture and architecture from real estate pressures. Heritage Montreal and the Chinatown Working Group are also pressing for heritage designation. Jean-Philippe Riopel, a tour guide and tenant in one of the buildings acquired by the developers, and his colleague lyse Lvesque recently launched a petition at the Quebec National Assembly that has collected 2,679 signatures as of mid-day Friday. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Shiller and Kornbluth have not yet announced their plans for the site. In a statement via a public relations firm on May 10, they said there is no official project yet and any future projects would be sensitive to the sites heritage architecture. The crisis illustrates that Montrealers have taken Chinatown for granted, said Donny Seto, a lecturer in urban planning and member of the Chinatown Working Group. In our minds it was a place that would be protected in perpetuity. But as we see right now with the development pressures, thats not the case, he said. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette Chinatown is important not only to the Asian community, but to all Montrealers, said Jonathan Cha, a member of the Working Group and authority on the history of Chinatown. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content What were trying to say is that this is of national importance. This is one of the oldest districts in Montreal. We need to communicate the long and rich story of the place, he said. Yet unlike Old Montreal, whose buildings are well documented and protected from demolition and alteration, Chinatowns architectural heritage has received scant attention. For example, municipal records vastly underestimate the age of the buildings targeted by the developer, the Montreal Gazette found by comparing them with 19th-century maps, directories, newspaper articles and property rolls. Those sources paint a vivid saga of a neighbourhood that has set a unique example of vivre-ensemble over more than two centuries. They tell of fur-traders and Patriotes; business magnates and sweatshop workers; dour Scottish Presbyterians and Yiddish-speaking Jews; lonesome laundrymen and successful restaurateurs. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content So lets hop aboard the time machine to rediscover a piece of forgotten Montreal history. -1- Prs-de-Ville Military officer, negotiator and interpreter Paul Le Moyne de Maricourt was one of 12 brothers whose perilous exploits rank among the most heroic in New France. In 1704, barely a month after marrying a 17-year-old bride, the 40-year-old died at his bucolic country estate, Prs-de-Ville. The name evokes its location bordering the northern limits of Montreal, then surrounded by a wooden stockade. A creek, the St-Martin River, flowed outside the city walls, where St-Antoine St. runs today. From 1717 to 1738, stone ramparts were erected around the town. Outside the walls, investors like Jean-Baptiste Barsalou, a tanner from Cote Sainte-Catherine (now Outremont) began subdividing farms in the St-Laurent suburb, which included Prs-de-Ville. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content In 1784, fur trader Gabriel Cott, a founding member of the Beaver Club, bought part of the Prs-de-Ville estate, including Le Moynes manor house, the Chteau de Maricourt. The ancient fieldstone house remained standing on the south side of de la Gauchetire St. between Ct (named after Cott) and Chenneville Sts. until 1913. The site is now the rear entrance to the Palais des Congrs. Another merchant, Samuel Judah, also bought part of the Prs-de-Ville property. A founding member of Montreals Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, he supplied George Washingtons army during the American Revolution. The demolition of Montreals fortifications from 1803 to 1817 hastened development of the suburb. By 1805, twice as many people were living outside the former walls as within. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette -2- Educational hub After Cotts death in 1795, management of the estate fell to his widow, Angelique Blondeau, and her three daughters. Blondeaus sons-in-law, the fur traders and businessmen Franois-Antoine Larocque, Jules-Maurice Quesnel and Alexis Laframboise, oversaw the areas transition into an urban neighbourhood. In 1822, a diverse coalition of leading citizens, including Patriote leader Louis-Joseph Papineau and merchant Horatio Gates, founded a school to educate working-class children from all backgrounds, regardless of language or religion. The British and Canadian School was based on the monitorial system, in which older students instructed younger ones. For the time, it was really considered to be a very progressive and liberal system of instruction, with very liberal and progressive educational and social goals, said Inge Dornan, a senior lecturer in Race and Gender History at Brunel University in London, U.K., which holds the archives of the British and Foreign School Society. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Larocque, who sat on the schools governing board, was chief warden of Notre-Dame Church (now Basilica). He recommended architect James ODonnell, then working on the plans for Notre-Dame, to design the new school. ODonnell did the plans gratis. The school opened in 1826 at the corner of de la Gauchetire and Ct Sts. Now Wings Noodles, the building, owned by Shiller and Kornbluth, is Montreals oldest purpose-built school. The basilica and school comprise ODonnells entire architectural legacy in Montreal. This beautiful building in the heart of Montreal has a global reach as well as a local story, and its part of a really important global story, Dornan said. And that global story touches on so many important elements which still resonate today, not just most obviously educational reform, social reform, interfaith conversation and dialogue and unity, but also female emancipation through education, she added. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content In 1840, the Brothers of the Christian Schools opened a school on the site of the Chteau de Maricourt, confirming the neighbourhoods 100-year vocation as an educational centre. -3- Sacred spaces In the 1830s, the construction of a breakaway Presbyterian church and a Jewish synagogue attested to the neighbourhoods growing diversity. The Wee Kirk, or Scottish Secession Church, on de la Gauchetire at Chenneville St., was built in 1834-35. In 1977, the Quebec government classified it as a provincial heritage site to prevent its demolition. It is now the St-Esprit Chinese Catholic Mission. The area near the Scottish church had been known as Little Dublin. A cluster of manual workers lived on a nearby side street called Little Dublin Lane. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content In 1838, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, founded in 1768, built a new sanctuary on Chenneville St., designed by John Wells, the architect of the Bank of Montreal on Place dArmes. The Guy Favreau Complex occupies its former site. Wells also designed Prs-de-Ville Place, a row of stone houses on the north side of de la Gauchetire where famous rabbi Abraham de Sola and members of the prominent Joseph family lived. In 1851, Rebecca Gratz of Philadelphia stayed there with her niece, Sara Gratz Moses, the wife of Jacob Henry Joseph, Quebecs leading tobacco importer and a railway and telegraph pioneer. The house was very pleasantly situated in a retired part of the city, with good neighbours on the street, Gratz wrote. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content From her bedroom window, she gazed out at a large garden opposite belonging to the Friars, where fruit and vegetables are abundant and the black robed inhabitants are seen daily from my chamber window book in hand strolling for hours together. It was the Chteau de Maricourt, then occupied by the Brothers of the Christian Schools. In her youth, Gratz was the model for Rebecca, a heroine in Sir Walter Scotts novel Ivanhoe. Jacobs brother Jesse was the president of the Montreal Street Railway Company and owner of the Theatre Royal, both on Cte St. Wells also designed the 1852 theatre. Robert Armour, the publisher of the Montreal Gazette, and David Kinnear, editor-in-chief of the Gazette and later of the Montreal Herald were longtime neighbours. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content In 1848, a second breakaway church, the Free Presbyterian, also designed by Wells, opened on Ct St. In 1861, the congregations of the Secession and Free Presbyterian poured out of their churches to meet on de la Gauchetire St. in a symbolic procession marking a merger that created the Canada Presbyterian Church. -4- Heritage homes Archival research by the Montreal Gazette shows that virtually all of the heritage buildings on the block where Shiller and Kornbluth have acquired properties are decades older than city records indicate. For example, Montreals evaluation roll claims the Chinese Association of Montreal building at 110-112 de la Gauchetire St. was built in 1870, while its neighbour at 116-118 de la Gauchetire St. (acquired by Shiller and Kornbluth) was built in 1880. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content In fact, the twin buildings were already standing in 1847, according to the property roll for that year the earliest one available. Owned by Cott heirs Laframboise and Larocque, the two stone houses originally had pitched roofs with dormer windows, an 1872 Notman photo shows. Property rolls and city directories reveal that some of the eras most distinguished figures lived in the two houses. Augustin-Norbert Morin, speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Canada from 1848 to 1851, lived there in 1851. A leader of the Patriote movement, he drafted the 92 Resolutions that led to the 1837-38 Rebellions. The famous judge Charles Mondelet, a defence lawyer for some of the Patriotes, lived there in 1848 and 1849. Mondelets 1870 ruling in the Joseph Guibord case was a legal landmark on the relationship between church and state. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Other residents included parliamentary clerk George Muir, later the first clerk of the Quebec National Assembly, and politician and militia commander Melchior-Alphonse de Salaberry. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette Auctioneer and industrialist Joseph Barsalou built the substantial stone house next door at 106-108 de la Gauchetire in 1857. He was the great-great-grandson of Jean-Baptiste Barsalou, the first investor to dabble in the areas real estate. In 1875, Barsalou founded a soap factory that produced a million pounds of soap in its first year of operation. In 1884, he became the first mayor of the industrial town of Maisonneuve (now part of the MercierHochelaga-Maisonneuve borough). The former Barsalou soap factory, still standing on De Lorimier Ave., is the reason theres a curve in the Montreal-bound lanes of the Jacques Cartier Bridge earning it the nickname the crooked bridge. It stood in the path of the future bridge, but the family refused to let it be expropriated. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The landmark pink house at 1002-1006 St-Urbain was also already standing in 1847, records show. The municipal evaluation says incorrectly that it was built in 1880. It is one of the properties on the block not owned by Shiller and Kornbluth. However, they do own a narrow parking lot at 1000 St-Urbain, which is the name of their development company. David Schmidt, co-owner of the Fleurs et Cadeaux Japanese restaurant, which rents the building, said he was disappointed to learn the developer had acquired much of the block. I dont think Chinatown should be doomed to become just another neighbourhood in downtown Montreal like all the others. I think there is a lot of history that deserves to be nurtured, he said. -5- A changing neighbourhood By 1875, the neighbourhood was changing. Wealthier residents migrated to leafier neighbourhoods uptown as industries moved in. In 1884, the Free Presbyterian church at 987-991 Ct St. was converted into a six-storey cigar factory (now owned by Shiller and Kornbluth). It integrated the churchs side and rear walls, still visible from the street. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Its owner was Samuel Davis, the father of Sir Mortimer B. Davis, the first president of Imperial Tobacco. In 1978, fifty years after Daviss death, $10 million from his estate was donated to the Jewish General Hospital, which was then renamed the Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital. Barsalou was among the last of the neighbourhoods bourgeois residents to leave. In 1887, he moved full time to his vacation villa in Maisonneuve, called View Bank. His former home was transformed into the citys best French restaurant, where you could get lunch cooked by a chef direct from Paris for 50 cents in 1893, the Montreal Gazette reported. In the 1880s, Jewish immigrants fleeing pogroms in the Russian pale started pouring into the neighbourhood, now known as the Dufferin district, after Dufferin Square on Chenneville St. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content It was a Jewish park where Jewish immigrants went to breathe the fresh air, meet their landslayt (Yiddish for compatriots), hear the latest news, look for work and read the newspapers, wrote Yiddish journalist Israel Medresh in his 1947 book Montreal Foun Nekhtn, translated into English by his granddaughter, Vivian Felsen, as Montreal of Yesterday. The workers in the sweatshops and in the factories were speaking Yiddish and even some of the factory owners spoke Yiddish, Felsen said in an interview from Toronto. As the newcomers arrived, the long-established Jewish community left, building a new synagogue on Stanley St. A Romanian congregation, Beth David, took over the old shul. Another synagogue took up residence in the former Larocque-Laframboise house at 110-112 de la Gauchetire. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content -6- The Gold Mountain Chinese migrants, fleeing poverty and war, began arriving on Canadas West Coast during the 1858 Fraser River Gold Rush. In the 1880s, they endured horrendous conditions to build the Canadian Pacific Railway. Some trickled east to Montreal, where they opened hand laundries. In 1877, Jos Song Long opened what is believed to be Montreals first Chinese laundry on Craig St. W. (now St-Antoine). In 1885, Canada imposed a $50 head tax on Chinese migrants. It was raised to $100 in 1900 and $500 in 1903. In 1923, the government banned Chinese immigration. The racist rules prevented Chinese men from bringing their wives and families to Canada. They were forced to live as bachelors, across the globe from their loved ones. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Changs grandfather, Thomas Hum, a grocer who arrived in Montreal in 1906, used his horse and buggy to take Chinatowns bachelors to the Montreal General Hospital when they became ill or infirm. In 1976, the hospital honoured him for more than 50 years of volunteer service. In 1912, the city of Montreal added another discriminatory tax of $50 per year on laundries, plus a $50 service charge the equivalent of four months of revenue. Despite the racist measures, the citys Chinese population grew to 1,000 by 1900. On de la Gauchetire, Asian groceries, laundries and cigar stores rubbed shoulders with Jewish pedlars, butchers and tailors. By 1920, the vast majority of small businesses on the street were Chinese-owned. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Among the first references to Chinatown in the Montreal Gazette was an article on Aug. 27, 1898, loaded with racist stereotypes. Chinatown is simply in a whirl of excitement over a bicycle race opposing two almond-eyed competitors, it reported. One was backed by the boarding-house crowd at Lagauchetire St. and the other by the laundrymen of the east end. In 1920, the Montreal Chinese Hospital replaced the synagogue at 110-112 de la Gauchetire. Seven years later, the former Barsalou house became the Chinese Catholic Mission, while the Chinese Freemasons moved into 116-118 de la Gauchetire. Victor Hum, 72, arrived in Montreal from China with his mother and three siblings in 1958, a month before his ninth birthday. His grandfather, who had arrived in Montreal in 1908, had a laundry near the Montreal Forum. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Montreal Gazette Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Montreal Gazette, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of Montreal Gazette Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending | https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/can-chinatown-survive |
Whats next for J.C. Meja after his brilliant debut for the Cleveland Indians on Friday? | Meja, 24, pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in a 10-0 loss to Minnesota, entering in the fourth inning after Triston McKenzie and Phil Maton had allowed a combined nine runs on five hits and five walks in the frame. Meja struck out Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach and went on to limit Minnesota to just an Andrelton Simmons base hit over the next two innings. He became the fifth Indians reliever to strike out five or more batters in his major league debut, and the first since Carl Mathias totaled five punchouts in 1960. Meja averaged 95.1 mph with his four-seam fastball, but mostly went with a two-seamer that averaged 93.2 mph and generated six swings and misses out of the 11 times he threw it according to Statcast. Indians manager Terry Francona liked what he saw from the right-hander despite the circumstances surrounding the outing. He came in and threw strikes and hes got really good two-seam movement and he can spin a breaking ball off of it, Francona said. Again, in a kids first outing youre never quite sure what the nerves will be. But he came in and threw strikes and with that movement, it gives him a chance. After the game, the Dominican native collected the seven baseballs from all seven outs he recorded, along with the cap he was wearing as keepsakes of his debut. Meja said hes confident that his stuff can play at the major league level. It was looking sharp, acting sharp, and most importantly, I was able to be aggressive and be on top of the hitters, making sure I could stop the rally that the Twins were on, Meja said via interpreter Agustin Rivero. Meja joined the club Tuesday in Anaheim when shortstop Andrs Gimnez was optioned to Triple-A Columbus. Francona has carried nine relievers and a short bench of position players since then, rolling the dice in order to provide depth for the bullpen in case one of his starters exited early once again, as McKenzie did Friday. McKenzie failed to get deeper than the fourth inning for the sixth time in eight starts. He allowed a career-high five walks and now leads the American League with 30 free passes. McKenzie has held opposing batters to a .159 average in innings 1-3 of his eight starts, but has a 16.88 ERA in the fourth inning this season. Meja now becomes the latest option to take one of the last two rotation spots should the Indians decide to add a position player such as Owen Miller some time this weekend or before opening a four-game series against the Tigers on Monday. For now, Meja says his role is in the bullpen, and he is happy to pitch wherever the Indians need him. It was all the hard work that I had to go through for the last 13 years, Meja said. All that came condensed into happiness as well. - New Indians face masks for sale: Heres where you can buy Cleveland Indians-themed face coverings for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($14.99) and a 3-pack ($24.99). All MLB proceeds donated to charity. Dont forget Jose! Podcast Indians make Shohei Ohtani non-factor in 3-2 win over Angels | https://www.cleveland.com/tribe/2021/05/whats-next-for-jc-meja-after-brilliant-debut-for-cleveland-indians-on-friday.html |
Will the Yankees Promote Estevan Florial After Aaron Hicks' Wrist Surgery? | NEW YORK With Aaron Hicks out for the next several months, needing to undergo wrist surgery, New York has a void to fill in center field. For now, Brett Gardner appears to be the solution. Gardner has started eight of the last nine games since Hicks was first sidelined with a torn sheath in his left wrist. One long-term option, however, could be prospect Estevan Florial. Florial was recently promoted to Triple-A after tearing it up in Double-A to start the season. Already on the 40-man roster, and a familiar face for this coaching staff, the organization's No. 10 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) is a logical choice. That said, don't expect to see Florial in the Bronx just yet. Moments after breaking the news that Hicks was undergoing surgery, Boone was asked about Florial and how the organization is weighing the prospect's readiness against a need for bodies at the big-league level. "That's a balance you've got to strike, right?" Boone said. "You never want to bring anyone up here that you don't feel like is at least somewhat ready to take on that challenge, especially when you're talking about a player with Flo's potential and some of the lost seasons he's had the last couple of years." He added that "nothing is imminent" with Florial when it comes to any possible promotion to the big-league level. With no minor league season last year due to the pandemic, and injuries impacting his ability to stay on the field before that, Florial hasn't played in 100-plus games in a single season since 2017. Florial has a chance with Triple-A to play everyday, developing into the player that this organization believes he can become. A few weeks ago, Boone called the outfielder "an All-Star-caliber talent" with all five tools. "We're very comfortable with him as far as from a coaching staff standpoint. We've been with them a lot. We know him well," Boone said. "So, we'll cross that bridge if we have to at some point, but it's a balance that you have to strike and those are conversations you always have." New York is reportedly in talks about a possible trade to acquire veteran outfielder Delino DeShields from the Rangers and could have a few other tricks up its sleeve with plenty of time before the Trade Deadline. Yankees to 'Prioritize' Left-Handed Bats at Trade Deadline If the price is right, an external option would give Florial more time to develop in the minors without the pressure at the big-league level. After all, he's only 23. Then again, with this team's propensity to have a slew of injuries, it's clear that Boone and all parties involved wouldn't hesitate to make the call if the situation presented itself. MORE: Follow Max Goodman on Twitter (@MaxTGoodman), on Facebook (also @MaxTGoodman), be sure to bookmark Inside The Pinstripes and check back daily for news, analysis and more. | https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/news/will-new-york-yankees-call-up-prospect-estevan-florial-to-replace-aaron-hicks-wrist-surgery |
Why Would Anyone Want To Live In Malibu? | Multimillion-dollar homes line the shores of Malibu. Berlyn Photography for Hilton & Hyland The question might seem so ridiculous that it borders on idioticafter all, Malibu is known around the world for its epic coastal hills that slope dramatically into soft-sanded beaches lining the Pacific, as well as its Mediterranean climate and famous residents that include the likes of Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio and Pierce Brosnan. But if high-profile residents, nice weather and a beautiful shoreline are the main reasons people move to Malibu, then there are in fact alternatives for example, La Jolla, California, or Kahala, Hawaii. Being a Malibu resident means not just living by the sea but living with the sea. The local ... [+] community shares a strong tie to the Pacific. getty While other luxury seaside communities have grand homes by picturesque beaches, nothing quite compares the relationship Malibu has with its landscapeto be a resident of Malibu means not just living by the sea but living with the sea. This not only means an abundance of opportunities for surfing, hiking or boating but also a serenity that is usually found deep in nature. With a stretch of coast that runs for 27 miles and a population of approximately 16,000, Malibu provides ample space to feel a sense of seclusion without having to be isolatedthe city is home to renowned bars and restaurants and Los Angeles is less than 25 miles away. The gated Malibu Colony community is among the most desirable areas in the coastal community, but ... [+] prepare to get out the checkbook: This beachfront home in the enclave is listed for $25 million. Berlyn Photography for Hilton & Hyland "People sometimes think of Malibu only as this removed beach communitybut it's so close to LA," says Malibu native and star real estate agent Chad Rogers of Hilton & Hyland. "You get to live in two worlds at once." So while there may be other options for seaside living, the vibe of "the Bu" is truly one-of-a-kind. The homes in Malibu A large portion of the properties that sell in Malibu are undeveloped lots, and many homes in the area are custom built, making for a highly diverse array of architectural designs and styles. It is not uncommon to see a contemporary eco-friendly house next to a Tuscan design, with a modern ranch-style home across the street. A large portion of the properties that sell in Malibu are undeveloped lots. This 3.57-acre estate ... [+] site with straight-on ocean views is listed for $5.95 million. Hilton & Hyland These large plots also provided developers with sufficient room for both a spacious home and a sprawling yard, many with views of the endless ocean horizon. "Malibu is a dream home destination," Rogers says. "It's a place where people spend as much money as necessary to build the beach house they've always wanted." The real estate prices in Malibu According to realtor.com, the median price of sale in April 2021 was $3,115,000. Buyers can expect to find a well-sized four- to five-bedroom home located about a block or so away from the water for this price. This Malibu Colony compound with 55 of frontage was recently updated and enhanced. Asking price: $29 ... [+] million. Hilton & Hyland Like many other seaside communities, proximity to the ocean is a significant factor in price pointbut properties directly on the beachfront are not always more expensive. In some cases, homes located in the hills just off the shore can be more desirable as they offer extra privacy and vista views of the Pacific. That being said, properties located directly on the coast or with private access to the beach make up some of the most expensive real estate in the entire state of California, with prices reaching above $100,000,000. Lower price points hover around one million and are predominately large condos or smaller single-family homes, many of which are located near or in the Santa Monica Mountains. In some portions of Malibu, roomy oceanfront properties can fetch upwards of $100 million. This ... [+] compound at 23334 Malibu Colony Road is listed for $29 million. Hilton & Hyland The Malibu vibe "I grew up in Malibu," says Rogers, "and what I always loved was how it has this small-town feel. You go to the local store and you know everybody's name." A small-town feel, however, does not mean an absence of elegance and vibrance. The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is teeming with luxury shopping and high-end restaurants, like world-renowned Japanese fare found at Nobu, where a celebrity siting is not rare. Malibu schools Students living in Malibu are served by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, which three schools located within city limitsMalibu Elementary School, Webster Elementary and Malibu High School. Homes located in the hills are coveted for their extra privacy and vista views of the Pacific. This ... [+] 1.25-acre estate on Mariposa De Oro Street sold in early Mary for $11.69 million. Hilton & Hyland In 2019, students at Webster Elementary tested well above state averages on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress76% scored proficient in English compared to the state average of 55% and 69% scored proficient in math compared to the state average of 41%. Established in 1992, Malibu High School, which serves approximately 1,000 students, has outperformed state averages and was ranked No.184 in Newsweek's top 1200 Schools in America. Aerial of the historic Malibu Pier, beaches and the Santa Monica Mountains on the Southern ... [+] California Pacific Coast. getty Private school options include MUSE School, an environmentalism-focused school founded in 2006 by Suzy Amis Cameron, wife of film director James Cameron. Our Lady of Malibu, a co-ed Catholic school located next to Pepperdine University, and New Roads, a prep school serving students K-12, are among other options. Out and about in Malibu Most routes going to and from Malibu are accessed via the PCH, though farther west, routes may utilize the 101 via Route 23. Once on the 101, destinations like Hollywood or Burbank are less than 40 minutes away. A look at Pepperdine and residential homes nested on the Santa Monica Mountains with Pacific Ocean ... [+] views. getty LAX is less than an hour drive away due south on the 405. Sitting 50 miles to the north is Ojai, a popular getaway known for its scenic hiking trails and charming downtown. Less than 100 miles away is the Santa Ynez Valley, where small towns like Solvang and Los Olivos offer renowned wine tastings. Hilton & Hyland is a founding member of Forbes Global Properties, a consumer marketplace and membership network of elite brokerages selling the worlds most luxurious homes. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties/2021/05/22/why-would-anyone-want-to-live-in-malibu/ |
Will 2021 Be Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn's 'Breakout Year'? | Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians is adamant in his belief that 2021 can serve as a breakout year for running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Vaughn certainly has the talent and the rsum to emerge at some point as a pro-caliber running back. Tampa Bay's third-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft a year ago, the Vanderbilt product averaged 4.2 yards per carry and scored a receiving touchdown during his rookie season. While he was at Vanderbilt, Vaughn was productive and extremely well-rounded. Across four seasons with the Commodores and Illinois, Vaughn averaged 5.8 yards per attempt while scoring 30 rushing touchdowns, and added 66 catches for 648 yards and three scores as a receiver as well. Vaughn was also an above-average pass protector, allowing just one sack on 229 pass-blocking reps during his college career. As seen in Week 16 against Detroit last season when he put together 69 yards from scrimmage, there are flashes that suggest Vaughn can produce at the NFL level. However, it's hard to envision any sort of breakout for Vaughn in 2021 unless someone above him on the depth chart gets injured. Even though the odds are high for Vaughn to make Tampa Bay's 53-man roster, he's cemented into the RB No. 4 role behind proven veterans at this point. Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette are unquestionably ahead of Vaughn when it comes to early-down work. Jones started 13 games a season ago and posted career-bests in yards (978), touchdowns (seven) and yards per attempt (5.1). Fournette, who signed with Tampa Bay days before the 2020 season began, filled in before and during the playoffs as Jones nursed injury, scoring seven total touchdowns over the Buccaneers' final seven games of the year. When it comes to late and passing downs, Giovani Bernard is expected to take the reigns. Bernard caught 342 passes for 2867 yards and 11 touchdowns while making a living in pass protection as well during his eight seasons with the Bengals before Cincinnati released him this offseason. As a passing-down running back was one of Tampa Bay's biggest needs this offseason, his signing was obviously to take on that role. Arians' expectations for Vaughn as a Buccaneer are high and rightfully so, but in a year where Tampa Bay aims to repeat as Super Bowl champions, it's tough to envision an inexperienced running back taking a hefty share of snaps from proven veterans playing in the same backfield as Tom Brady. Perhaps in 2022, after Jones, Fournette, and Bernard are set to become free agents, Vaughn will find himself in a significant position within Tampa Bay's offense. | https://www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/news/tampa-bay-buccaneers-keshawn-vaughn-sophomore-surge |
Will Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire Take a Jump in Year 2? | Another rookie class has endured their first season as professional football players. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this past season was unlike any other in NFL history and took a more difficult road than previous rookie classes had to deal with in their debut seasons. Just like last year, Im going to dig into the Kansas City Chiefs' rookie class and see how they can make that second-year jump. First up is Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the running back from LSU. Heading into his rookie season, there were a lot of expectations placed on CEH. For starters, he was the only first-round selection that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach had ever made. Secondly, a lot of folks, fairly or unfairly, didnt want to see the Chiefs take a running back in the first round. Thirdly, returning starter Damien Williams opted out for the 2020 season due to COVID-19. There wasn't a lot of time to work out the kinks with a severely tweaked offseason program, so there was a lot of learning on the fly. Good news for the Chiefs: it seemed like Edwards-Helaire caught on fairly quickly. Edwards-Helaire jumped out of the gates with a solid Week 1 effort against the Houston Texans. He turned 25 carries into 138 yards and a touchdown. The hype train was chugging along from the start. In Week 2, he fell back down to earth after a 10-carry, 38-yard performance. He did have another monster game in Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills with 26 carries for 161 yards. After that game, he had limited touches the rest of the year, mostly because the Chiefs decided to lean heavily on the passing game vs. running game. He also got hurt against the New Orleans Saints in Week 14 which sidelined him for the final two weeks of the regular season. He finished the regular season with 1,100 total yards, with 803 rushing and 297 receiving. He also had four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. A very solid but not overly spectacular rookie stat line. There are a few things that make him a candidate to make a big jump in year two. For starters, he has a year of experience under his belt, and that cant be overstated. Starting as a rookie for the defending Super Bowl champions is huge. He will be able to learn from his experience and put that into motion as he starts his second season. The Chiefs overhauled the offensive line in the offseason which should be another huge boost for CEH and his ability to hit the hole and bring up his average yards per carry. This should also give him more opportunities to score touchdowns when the team gets inside the red zone. It would be advantageous to the offense if Andy Reid were to get CEH more involved in the passing game. Having the edge as a solid receiving back was one of Edwards-Helaire's points of emphasis coming out of college. It was a bit surprising that he was utilized so little in that aspect of the offense last season. Look for him to break out as part of the passing game in year two. With all of these scenarios taken into consideration, it wouldnt be surprising to see Edwards-Helaire take a big step forward in production in 2022. Hitting 2,000 total yards of offense is a possibility. For fun, lets say 1,400 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards. His touchdown total could very well jump into double-digits as well. Taking a guess, 11 rushing and five receiving touchdowns sounds about right. If you dont believe me, then consider the NFLPAs opinion of Edwards-Helaire. He joined nine other veterans in the "Rising Stars 2021" column that was just released this week. I'm also giving him the "sleeper" tag in fantasy football this year, as there are currently about 20 running backs ranked ahead of him. That will be excellent value for the second-year rising star. Despite the so-so results of the 2021 season in the box score, CEH is primed for a big jump in year two. He can turn his knowledge of the system, power of the offensive line in front of him, and ability to showcase his receiving skills into an impressive second-year jump. | https://www.si.com/nfl/chiefs/gm-report/will-kansas-city-chiefs-rb-clyde-edwards-helaire-take-a-jump-in-year-2 |
Should baseballs unwritten rules be made history? | When it comes to shooting itself in the foot, baseball never misses. But the hottest topic in baseball was a 76-year-old manager fuming about a 28-year-old rookie having the temerity to hit a home run. There were two more no-hitters this past week. Every division race is tight. Shohei Ohtani is doing what seems impossible and Albert Pujols joined the Dodgers. Imagine an NBA coach admonishing a player for entertaining the crowd with a creative dunk in the final minutes of a lopsided game. You cant. That would be ridiculous. But when Rookie of the Year candidate Yermin Mercedes of the White Sox swung at a 3-and-0 pitch and homered off the Twins Willians Astudillo on Monday night, it set off days of controversy. Advertisement Because the White Sox were leading, 15-4, at the time and had a position player on the mound, Chicago manager Tony La Russa wanted Mercedes to take a pitch. I took several steps from the dugout onto the field, yelling, Take, take, take, La Russa said. The way he was set up, it looked to me like he was going to swing. I was upset because thats not a time to swing 3-0. He missed a 3-0 take sign. With that kind of lead, thats just sportsmanship and respect for your opponent. He made a mistake. There will be a consequence he has to endure here within our family. Consequences to endure for hitting a home run. According to the vaunted unwritten rules of baseball, Mercedes could have swung at a 3-and-1 pitch without disrespecting the Twins. But 3 and 0 was forbidden. Astudillo is a stout utility player whose nickname is La Tortuga The Turtle. He threw a looping 47-mile-per-hour pitch that Mercedes crushed. Advertisement Big mistake, La Russa said. The fact that hes a rookie, and excited, helps explain why he just was clueless. But now hes got a clue. La Russas age isnt the issue here. Old-school sensibilities are. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who is 39, said he was surprised by Mercedes swinging. Those things still happen in this game, and we have to deal with it, Baldelli said. They did. On Tuesday, Twins reliever Tyler Duffey threw behind Mercedes in the seventh inning. He was ejected, as was Baldelli. Duffey was later suspended for three games and Baldelli for one. La Russa was fine with Minnesota throwing behind Mercedes. I didnt have a problem with how the Twins handled that, he said. White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn came to the defense of Mercedes that night. The way I see it, for position players on the mound, there are no rules, he said. Lets get the damn game over with. And if you have a problem with whatever happens, then put a pitcher out there. Cant get mad when theres a position player on the field and a guy takes a swing. La Russa shut down that talk quickly. Lance has a locker; I have an office, he said. Via Instagram, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson threw his support to Mercedes. The game wasnt over! he wrote. Keep doing you big daddy. La Russa is not the best messenger about rules, unwritten or otherwise. He left a pitcher as the runner on second base to start the 10th inning of a game earlier this month because he didnt know it was permissible to use the player preceding the pitcher in the batting order. Advertisement Mercedes may have been a little overeager. Hes a career minor leaguer who unexpectedly made the team out of spring training and hit .358 with a .960 OPS through his first 38 games this season. Hes realizing his dream. Now this happens. Im going to play like that. Im Yermin. I cant be another person because if I change it, everything is going to change, Mercedes told reporters. Were just having fun. Its baseball. The White Sox went into the weekend with the best record in the American League. Theyre too talented to let this get in the way. But this underscores the potential pitfalls of bringing La Russa out of retirement to manage a team with some players more than 50 years younger. La Russa is a Hall of Fame manager. But he was out of uniform for nine years and whats accepted around the game has changed. Players are more expressive and less inclined to accept groupthink. A 10-run mercy rule would extinguish such situations in the first place. Advertisement Im still not saying Im for it. Im just saying its worth discussing, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. Is this going to make this guy mad? No, were just playing to get to that point. Red Sox manager Alex Cora stayed clear of the subject when asked if he would tell one of his hitters to take a pitch in a similar situation. Good question, he said. Ill leave it at that. Weve had some games like that, we decided what we decided to do. One thing for sure, we keep it in the clubhouse. Thats the most important thing and I dont think its about respecting the game or disrespecting the game. I think the game is in a different stage right now. We see so many position players pitching compared to a few years ago. I mean, were seeing position players pitch in the seventh inning. So, its just unfortunate that its a topic. La Russa was a special adviser with the Red Sox from 2017-19. Cora considers him a friend and mentor and certainly wasnt going to take sides. Thats understandable. I got to know La Russa a little when he was with the Red Sox and learned a lot about the game from him. Hes a charitable, caring person. But at some point, everybody around baseball will have to make a choice. As MLB works to maintain its position in the modern entertainment marketplace, rookies being chastised for breaking an antiquated code of conduct doesnt help. Advertisement Let the kids play, was the slogan MLB came up with a few years ago. Its more like let the game breathe. Mercedes was just having a little fun. PRESSURE IS ON Vazquez has faith in Rodriguez Eduardo Rodriguez has caught all of Christian Vazquez's eight starts this season. Jim Davis/Globe Staff Eduardo Rodriguez is scheduled to face the Phillies on Sunday. He was 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA in his first four starts before going 1-2, 6.00 in the next four. Christian Vzquez, who has caught all eight starts, doesnt see anything amiss with Rodriguezs mechanics. He believes its more of a mental issue. He wants to be perfect. He wants to throw a no-hitter in one inning, Vazquez said. For me, hes not locating his pitches well. Hes working at it, and hell get better. Hes trying too hard. He knows hell be a free agent. But hell get better. He needs to be the Eddie he was before. Rodriguez is 28 with a wife and two kids. A good season would set him up for a major contract that would take him into his 30s and provide lifetime security. Hes 37-13 with a 3.92 ERA since the start of the 2018 season. With MLB bouncing back financially from the pandemic, Rodriguez could be in a strong position. Trevor Bauer, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Kluber, Max Scherzer, Noah Syndergaard, and Justin Verlander will be free agents after the season or have the ability to opt out of their deals. Rodriguez doesnt have the accolades they do. But hes a reliable lefthander who has performed well in a big market and has playoff experience. Whether its with the Red Sox (which he would prefer) or another team, he should have good options. Its tough when you miss a whole season, but he looks strong to me and his velocity will get there, Vazquez said. I keep telling him to relax and be himself. A few other observations about the Red Sox: The Cubs, like the Sox, havent reached 85 percent of their Tier 1 players and staff being vaccinated. Thats the threshold for MLB to relax protocols. But beyond that, it also lessens the chances of an outbreak that could ruin the season. General manager Jed Hoyer doesnt believe the Cubs will get there and said it was a real competitive advantage were going to miss. Red Sox officials have the same fears. The more players are vaccinated, and therefore you eliminate the contact-tracing element of [protocols]. It eliminates risk. So eliminating risk is a competitive advantage, Hoyer said. Injuries can be avoidable, but sometimes theyre not. Your season can get derailed when you have injuries, and thats part of this job. But I feel this is one that can be avoided, and were not able to avoid it. As with any group of 100 people, baseball teams have cultural and political differences when it comes to vaccines. Fifteen teams have hit 85 percent, but others are dealing with more holdouts than expected. The Sox have the fourth overall pick of the draft and are making sure to get as many eyes as possible on the top players available. GM Brian OHalloran was in Mississippi last weekend to see Vanderbilt play Mississippi and get a look at righthanders Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter. Rocker, Leiter, Texas high school shortstop Jordan Lawler, and California high school shortstop Marcelo Mayer are generally considered the top four prospects, although some scouts would put Louisville catcher Henry Davis in that mix. Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom hasnt been on the road scouting amateurs yet but plans to be soon. Bobby Dalbec hit .174 with one home run and a .507 OPS in his first 26 games. But the Sox stayed with him and its paying off. Dalbec hit .316 with a 1.103 OPS and four runs in his next 11 games. As was the case in his journey through the minors, hes figuring out how pitchers attack him. If Dalbec hits 25 homers, drives in 75 runs, and plays above-average defense at first base, the strikeouts wont matter. ETC. Angels manager Joe Maddon has spoken about how he wants the club to be a playoff contender. Sean M. Haffey/Getty The Angels were 18-22 before Mike Trout was lost for 6-8 weeks with a Grade 2 strain in his right calf. Baseball has had a rash of hip, quadriceps, and calf injuries this season and Trout is the latest to land on the injured list. With Trout out for an extended period, whatever slim chance the Angels had of making the postseason is down to nearly zero. That would make seven years outside of the playoffs for the greatest player of his generation. As incredible as Shohei Ohtani has been, opposing pitchers can work around him now. Over the course of his career, the Angels are 34 games over .500 with Trout and 25 games under without him. The Angels have two choices: Persevere and try to stay in the mix until Trout returns or make as many trades as possible to reload for next season and beyond. Manager Joe Maddon spoke positively about getting back in the race. But his pitching is not close to playoff caliber. The Angels have the worst ERA in baseball. Trout turns 30 in August. Theres time to build a team around him that can make the World Series. At some point the Angels have to commit to that. First-year GM Perry Minasian bolstered the roster over the winter with free agents signed to short-term deals. Extra bases The Dodgers, who have a $266.9 million luxury-tax payroll, went bargain hunting. They signed 41-year-old Albert Pujols after he was released by the Angels and Yoshi Tsutsugo after he was released by the Rays. The Dodgers are responsible for only the prorated minimum salary on both players, about $430,000. Its surreal and I dont use that word very often, said manager Dave Roberts about having Pujols on his roster. But it fit, and it looked normal. Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times asked Roberts if he could beat Pujols in a footrace. I would say yes, the 48-year-old Roberts said. Pujols drove in four runs in his first four games with the Dodgers, who needed help against lefties The Dodgers now have four former MVPs on their roster: Pujols, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, and Clayton Kershaw. Theyre the first team with four MVPs since the 1996 Red Sox had Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, Kevin Mitchell, and Mo Vaughn. They finished 85-77 Chris Davis will miss the entire season for the Orioles after undergoing surgery on his left hip. Hell be 36 next season and in the final year of his contract. You have to wonder if Baltimore will release him and move on. Davis has hit .185 since 2017 Corey Klubers no-hitter on Wednesday was the sixth of the season, one short of the record. That was last done in 2012. Kluber threw the 14th complete game of the season. Six were no-hitters. At this rate it will take a perfect game to impress anybody As pitchers chase strikeouts, theyre losing control. There have been an average of 0.47 hit batters per game, well above the record rate of 0.32 in 2012. Wild pitches (0.40 per game) also are at record levels. To use the Red Sox as an example, they went into the weekend with 24 wild pitches in 45 games, four fewer than in 60 games last season Happy birthday to Reggie Cleveland, who is 73. The righthander pitched for the Red Sox from 1974-78, appearing in 150 games. Cleveland was acquired from the Cardinals as part of a five-player deal. He was a starter with St. Louis but pitched in a variety of roles for the Sox and averaged 188 innings in his first four seasons. Cleveland was the first Canadian pitcher to start a World Series game (Game 5 in 1975) and his 105 victories rank fourth among Canadians. Only Ferguson Jenkins (284), Ryan Dempster (132), and Kirk McCaskill (106) have more. Kevin Romine is 60. He had 158 hits for the Sox from 1985-91. His sons Andrew (283) and Austin (279) surpassed that in their careers. Both are in the Cubs organization this season. Peter Abraham can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/22/sports/should-baseballs-unwritten-rules-be-made-history/ |
How Does Cryptocurrency Work and Is It Safe? | gopixa / iStock.com If youve been following the news, you undoubtedly know a few things about Bitcoin right now. Find: Why Some Money Experts Believe In Bitcoin and Others Dont One: Its a cryptocurrency. Two: One Bitcoin is worth more than $40,000 in U.S. dollars, although the price fluctuates wildly day to day. Three: Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla recently invested in Bitcoin and announced it would soon allow people to purchase its cars using the cryptocurrency. But, if youre like many people, youre still fuzzy on a few things, including exactly what cryptocurrency is, how it works and if its a safe way to invest your money. Find: Bitcoin Is Pricey and Headed for a Crash Consider These Smart Crypto Alternatives History of Bitcoin Bitcoin was invented in 2009 as a form of digital currency. Unlike paper money or debit cards, which represent paper money the buyer holds in a bank, Bitcoin has no physical form. Its all stored digitally, providing increased security over checks, paper money transactions and even other digital transactions, which, again, represent the exchange of paper money held in accounts. As of Monday morning, Bitcoins value sits at $47,794, up approximately 20% since last week, according to Reuters. For perspective, in 2010, a single Bitcoin was worth only 8 cents in USD, Investopedia writes. Other Cryptocurrencies Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, but today there are more than 6,700 cryptocurrencies traded on public markets, according to the website CoinMarketCap. Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are used for the exchange of goods and services on the private market, they are not considered legal tender like U.S. dollars and coins. Some of the most common cryptos right now include Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin, which you can purchase through Paypal. Other, less common cryptos are termed altcoins. The most popular altcoin is Dogecoin, popularized by billionaire Elon Musks tweets. Cryptocurrency is a fully decentralized peer-to-peer electronic money implemented by cryptography, says Rob Zel, founder of crypto exchange bitni.com. Due to their nature, cryptocurrencies are not regulated, which carries risk of market volatility and loss for investors. However, the security risks and risk of fraud when using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are vastly reduced. Also, due to the highly secure nature of transactions, purchases cannot be traced. That means individuals can use crypto to purchase illegal or highly regulated merchandise, including certain classes of drugs or firearms. Cryptocurrencies use cryptography technology to keep transactions and coins secure. Cryptography, or cryptology, is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties called adversaries. The most common form of cryptography is using codes to send messages securely between two individuals, says Dr. Alexander Shipilov, CEO of iModX, a blockchain-based marketplace. Cryptocurrencies are traded by means of a blockchain, which Shipilov describes as a way for multiple computers to come to a consensus about a set of information. He says, The most common use of a blockchain is to create a ledger of financial transactions between multiple individuals. Blockchains operate via cryptography, with each block in the chain cryptographically connected to the previous one. The blockchain is stored and shared across a network of peer-to-peer nodes, similar to file-sharing torrents. The blocks are cryptographically secured against tampering. This makes it very difficult for nefarious parties to modify or shut down, Zel says. See: How to Invest in Cryptocurrency Find: The Most Googled Money Questions Answered Understand That a Secure Investment May Not Be a Safe Investment So, thanks to blockchain technology, Bitcoin and other crypto transactions may be inherently more secure than other types of digital transactions, such as online banking, money transfers through digital wallets or peer-to-peer payment services. But its important to emphasize that these services all use state-of-the-art encryption technology to protect your funds digitally. Also, most banks offer fraud protection so that if your account is hacked, the bank will return your missing funds up to a certain amount, which varies by institution. The technology used to keep crypto investments secure is also effective. In fact, its so secure that some people who invested in Bitcoin years ago have lost their password with no way to reset it. That wouldnt happen with a regular bank account or peer-to-peer payment service, which offer ways to reset your online banking password so you can access your money. See: Steal These Money Secrets from 25 Millionaires Under 25 Find: How to Invest Your Money in 2021 Understand Why Crypto Is So Risky Although your crypto investment is likely secure, that doesnt mean its safe by any means. There are two elements that make cryptocurrency riskier than holding cash in a bank account: market volatility and lack of federal insurance and regulation. When you hold your money in a bank account, it is FDIC-insured for up to $250,000 per depositor, per account class, per bank. That means if you have your own checking account with $100,000 in it, a savings account with $50,000 in it and a CD with a $100,000 investment, all within a single FDIC-insured bank, your funds are all protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. If your bank goes out of business, you will not lose your money. On the other hand, if something happens to the company holding your crypto, you could lose your entire investment. See: Banks Might Treat Bitcoin Like Real Money These Experts Weigh the Pros and Cons Find: Mark Cuban Bitcoin is Exactly like the Dot Com Bubble Crypto, like stocks and other investments, also tend to fluctuate wildly. When you hold cash in a bank, the value of your money will fluctuate marginally based on inflation or deflation. That represents the value of the dollar. But its highly unlikely you would lose or gain large amounts of money overnight. Cryptocurrencies tend to be highly volatile, Zel says. In one day, a coin can move 20% or more. Some newly invented coins can jump 40x in their first few months. Theres another concern for those seeking a safe haven for their money. Occasionally, a newly invented coin will be a complete scam and the founders will take the money from investors and disappear, leaving them holding a worthless token, Zel says. Right now, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are considered both an asset, traded like stocks, and a currency, used in the exchange of goods and services. However, high transaction fees and the volatility of the coins prevent its widespread adoption as a currency, Zel says. You can use Bitcoin and other cryptos to make purchases, but its not always ideal. See: PayPal Finally Welcomes Bitcoin, More Cryptocurrencies Shipilov adds that the vast majority of cryptos right now are being treated as assets rather than currency. They are being speculated on by investors who assume the asset will increase in value over a long-time horizon, he says. However, although people have gained millions through their Bitcoin investments in the past year, crypto may not be the best choice for beginning investors or those with low risk tolerance. Crypto are non-regulated assets with a high degree of volatility, limited government oversight, and the majority of cryptocurrency lose most or all their value extremely quickly, with over half failing in the first four months, Shipilov warns. | https://news.yahoo.com/does-cryptocurrency-safe-120059200.html |
Do the Los Angeles Clippers have what it takes to win the NBA championship? | The Clippers didnt enjoy a scintillating regular season. They enter the Western Conference playoffs as the fourth seed, taking on the Mavericks in the first round. They enjoyed a solid campaign under new coach Tyronn Lue . But again, the assumption was the Clippers would be so angry about losing a 3-1 series lead to the Nuggets in the bubble that they would exact vengeance on opponents this season. Whatever changes the organization made after last seasons debacle, including the removal of coach Doc Rivers , were largely ignored because only playoff success would prove whether those adjustments were effective. Advertisement Instead, they finished five games behind the top-seeded Jazz in the West, and they are the most mysterious team entering this tournament because its uncertain whether they will be tough and determined enough to erase last years embarrassment. The Clippers say they are different, that last years issues have been addressed, but only playoff success will determine that. The regular season really proved nothing. The Clippers have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA but were 4-6 in their last 10 games, and also had a stretch of eight losses in 13 games. And the Clippers were accused of ducking the rival Lakers in the first round by losing twice to the Thunder and dropping to the fourth seed. The biggest thing is last year was last year, Lue said. We have a different team. We have a different formula. Our team is healthy. We made some changes. Were a totally different team. That doesnt necessarily mean were going to win a championship because of that, but were in a different place. We have a different mentality. I dont see pressure for the players. Advertisement Kawhi Leonard is a top-five player in the NBA when healthy. Paul George enjoyed a sparkling regular season after struggling mightily in the bubble. The Clippers also acquired Rajon Rondo, re-signed Marcus Morris, and added Serge Ibaka and Nicolas Batum to returnees Reggie Jackson, Ivica Zubac, and Patrick Beverly. Thats a good enough roster for a deep playoff run, but the question for the Clippers remains their mental fortitude. It cracked in the bubble. Rivers was complaining players were out of shape and unfocused. Every year it comes down to being disciplined and things you cant control, like being healthy or shots not falling, Leonard said. I feel confident like any other year. I feel like weve got a good team. Weve got some depth on us. Its about between the ears now. Im confident in this unit. The Clippers are capable of easily beating the Mavericks and then giving the Jazz quite a series. Leonard is healthy after missing 20 games because of a foot injury and rest. The biggest thing is they are pretty much healthy, and I think Kawhi playing back-to-backs like he did late in the season was big for us, Lue said. Just showing he wants to win, he wants to be there for his teammates, that was big for us. George said the seclusion of the bubble bothered him. He shot 40 percent from the field and 33 percent from the 3-point line during the 13-game postseason. He said his mind is clearer now, realizing that he has to prove himself worthy of being a franchise cornerstone. Advertisement Thats what you sign up for. Thats the nature of the game, George said. Ultimately, thats what were playing for. Were playing to be the last team standing. Thats a burden that every team has to go against. Its a journey and one were willing to go through. This year has been easier because I have outlets. Im able to live a normal life. I can go home. I can see my family. I can interact with other people outside of this team, and that alone has been a big difference. Morris said this team is not the same as the bubble Clippers. They are more cohesive and share the same vision. Its NBA Finals or bust. Whole different team, coaching staff, the energy is a lot better, the camaraderie is a lot better, he said. Everybody wants to be here and everybody is playing their role the right way. Rose, Perkins break it down The Celtics don't need to fire Danny Ainge, according to Kendrick Perkins and Jalen Rose. Elise Amendola/Associated Press The Celtics will no doubt head into this summer needing to make changes in order to become an elite team in the Eastern Conference. Advertisement ESPN analysts Jalen Rose and Kendrick Perkins, a former Celtic, this past week offered their thoughts on the state of the franchise. Major changes, no, Rose said. You cant fire Danny Ainge. I understand that they probably theyve had more first-round draft picks, I think, since 2014 than any team, and a lot of those picks came from the Nets deal. And when youre the youngest team to make the conference finals in 2018 and youre not able to cash in on those picks, it hurts building out your roster. In particular, they havent been able to solve whos going to play the 5 or their bigs. I like [Robert Williams], hes going to give them quality minutes. It just seems like I wish all of their bigs were one player. Rose said the departure of Kyrie Irving set the franchise back considerably. And then the thing that truly hurt them is when you parlay Isaiah Thomas, a 30-point scorer, into Kyrie Irving, you won that deal, Rose said. You trade Isaiah, he was actually injured, the Celtics medical staff got reprimanded for it. You won that deal and you got Kyrie, and when you get Kyrie, he said hes going to stay. When Kyrie leaves and you get nothing, that sets you back. Same thing with Scary Terry [Rozier], same with Gordon Hayward. And so now youre rushing to try to replace him. The Celtics signed Kemba Walker to replace Irving, but he hasnt lived up to expectations, mostly because of injuries. Advertisement You get Kemba from the Hornets, but when you got him, he was third-team All-NBA, Rose said. This team, he wasnt an All-Star. Now youve got to reach further to go for [Evan] Fournier because youre like, at least hes going to get me 18 points, at least I know Im going to get me some scoring, and so now [Ainge is] scrambling to fix moves, but he still has a core intact, to me, thats going to be there, which is why I dont think changes are going to happen. Danny will be there. Brad will be there. I believe [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown will be there. And probably if youre going to try to make a move, it will probably be Marcus Smart. Hes a beloved player and a terrific defender, but I dont see like those top four people, Danny, Brad, Tatum or Brown going anywhere. Perkins has said publicly in the past that the Celtics need to trade Smart. He did not back away from those comments. When you think about Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, what else are you going to go out there and get? Perkins said. Youre talking about two young studs that just keep getting better, two young stars that could coexist alongside with one another. They could play alongside one another for years to come. But I think when you go into reevaluating the Celtics, I think Danny Ainge has to take phone calls on every single player except those two to upgrade their roster. Now, I will say this, I do think hes in great position to sign Evan Fournier back. I love that addition, because Evan Fournier is a guy that can play off the ball. He cuts well. Hes finally hitting his stride after COVID, knocking down shots. So, I like Evan Fournier. I actually like the trade for him. Perkins believes the Celtics need more of a distributor to match with Brown and Tatum. Walker is more of a scorer. Walker has averaged fewer than five assists per game in his two seasons with the Celtics. When all three of those guys play together, it just doesnt fit well because Kemba is a guy that needs the ball in his hands to be effective, and when I say effective, that just means to do what he does best, and thats score, Perkins said. So, hes not a guy thats dropping dimes or facilitating for others, and it takes away from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum when theyre on the court. I know a lot of Celtics fans always get on me about this, and I believe that Marcus Smart, heart and soul of the team because of what he brings to the table, but his contract situation is coming up, and if you could trade him and get something back valuable for him, you have to do that. Sometimes you have to trade fan favorites for the betterment of your team. Perkins agreed with Rose, saying Ainge and Stevens are not going anywhere. Theyll be all right in the long haul once they see the finished product, Perkins said. I think [Ainge is] going to retire on his own terms. Brad is not going anywhere. His record and rsum is pretty solid, more than solid. Im looking at it after this season ends, Im taking all phone calls that involved anybody except Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. ETC. Fab memories from these two Chris Webber, center, and Jalen Rose, second from right, were teammates on the famous Fab Five Michigan team. Anonymous/Associated Press The announcement of the 2021 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame class opened with a touching moment when ESPNs Jalen Rose interviewed new inductee Chris Webber. The two were part of the Michigan Fab Five, one of the most popular college teams of all time. They have had their differences over the years, part of the fallout from the Wolverines program being placed on probation and the banners won by those teams being taken down. The school disassociated itself from Webber for several years. Rose told the Globe last year that he and Webber were beginning to mend their relationship, and that was fostered when former teammate Juwan Howard was named the coach at Michigan in 2019. ESPN conducted interviews with most of the new Hall of Famers, except Paul Pierce (who had just parted ways with the network), and Rose interviewed Webber from Springfield. The two discussed old times, called each other by their full names, and at one point Webber had to fight off tears. Im enthusiastic for C-Webb, Rose said. It was great to get a chance to interview him and watching somebody that you played 13 and under with, and as he mentioned, played in so many different gyms and made so many sacrifices, to finally get the call to be in the Hall of Fame after watching all of the work that he put in on every level, its well deserved. It took Webber eight years to be inducted, so the enormity of the moment wasnt lost on him. Rose celebrated his friends achievement. In 15 NBA seasons, Webber scored 17,182 points averaging 20.7 points per game and helped revolutionize the power forward position with his athleticism. Knee and shoulder injuries took a toll on Webber late in his career, and he never won a championship. But his Hall of Fame omission was considered unfair by most basketball observers. The one thing that I always knew about his game that I obviously couldnt take for granted is we were in middle school, and he was going coast to coast and going behind the back and doing behind dunks, Rose said. This is before I was even dunking. He was already doing that. And so as his body started to fill out, if you look at his body type, built as strong as he is, normally youre not as nimble as he was. He would spin out and catch lobs, hes a great passer. He had great hands. He could shoot the three. And so I think he, [Kevin Garnett], Tim Duncan, [Chris] Bosh in a lot of ways, watching those guys go in the Hall of Fame, it just validates the new-era version of the big guy that can do more, that is required to do more than play with their back to the basket. Layups The Knicks announced Thursday they had sold 15,000 tickets to each of their first two playoff games against the Hawks. The Knicks had limited attendance for last Sundays regular-season game against the Celtics (1,981), but have sold most of their playoff seats to vaccinated fans, which is a sign that games are returning to normal. Every playoff team will have fans for home games. Another sign of normalcy will be the return of the Las Vegas Summer League, which will take place in August, a few weeks after the July 29 draft. Players such as Celtics Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith were not able to polish their games in summer league last year because of the pandemic. Its uncertain how many fans will be allowed into the two venues that will host summer league games, but its an encouraging sign that rookies and free agents will have an opportunity to show their skills The Hall of Fame announced that its 2021 induction ceremony will return to Springfield on Sept. 11, where Pierce will be enshrined along with Webber, Bosh, Toni Kukoc, and Ben Wallace. Bill Russell will also be inducted as a coach, the second Celtics great in recent years to go into the Hall as a coach after being elected as a player. Tommy Heinsohn was inducted as a coach in 2015 The Kings announced that Luke Walton will return for a third season as coach even though Sacramento fell short of the playoffs despite a relatively healthy season. The Kings have missed the postseason each of the past 15 years but have stockpiled respectable talent over the past few years. The pressure will be on Walton to turn the Kings into a winner, and they have a promising backcourt of Tyrese Haliburton and DeAaron Fox, along with Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield, and Marvin Bagley. The Kings will have to decide if they want to bring back underrated center Richaun Holmes, who may be looking for a big payday on the open market The Pistons agreed to an extension with coach Dwane Casey, who will be responsible for harnessing the teams young talent into a winner. The Pistons have struggled but have talented prospects such as Saddiq Bey, Killian Hayes, and workhorse big man Isaiah Stewart. Gary Washburn can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/22/sports/do-los-angeles-clippers-have-what-it-takes-win-nba-championship/ |
How Long Will Covid-19 Coronavirus Vaccine Protection Last? | Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla recently said that the data [supports] the notion that likely there will ... [+] be a need for a booster somewhere between 8 and 12 months. (Photo by JOHN THYS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) POOL/AFP via Getty Images When Nelly Furtado sang All Good Things (Come to an End) in 2006, she probably wasnt referring to the protection offered by the Covid-19 vaccines. Nevertheless, few believe that the immune response to the Covid-19 vaccines will last forever. Even if you are fully vaccinated now, you will likely have to get another booster shot sometime in the future. The question is when. And the answer is wait for it, wait for it. Right now the guess is sometime between six months and two years after you were fully vaccinated the first time around. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla did address this question during a recent Axios interview seen here: As you can see, Bourla said that the data supports the notion that likely there will be a need for a booster somewhere between 8 and 12 months. So perhaps the Covid-19 vaccine will be a bit like the seasonal flu vaccine, a yearly thing. However, as Carlie Porterfield has reported for Forbes, not everyone agrees yet with this possibility. There are two reasons why booster shots will probably be needed at some point. First of all, your immune system can be like your significant other when it comes to remembering things like birthdays, anniversaries, doing the dishes, wiping down your One Direction shrine, taking out the trash, and spike proteins. Both can forget things over time. The Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines expose your immune system to the spike proteins that stud the surface of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). They dont belong in your body. Lets respond out of spike by setting up defenses against anything that wears these spike proteins. Once you are fully vaccinated, your immune system is ready, raring to take on anything that has the spike protein. But this may not be a permanent state of preparedness. Its like when someone first warns you not to wear that velour leopard-print track suit. This dont wear the leopard track suit, dont wear the leopard track suit warning may stick in your head for a little while, but eventually the day comes when you start to think, maybe I am a leopard? Similarly, your immune response to the Covid-19 vaccines may eventually wane over time. After all, your immune system is busy with so many other things. Thats a periodic reminder about the spike protein in the form of a booster shot may be helpful, just like a periodic what the bleep are you wearing may keep you from a fashion faux pas or a a fashion four paws. So far, the Phase 3 clinical trials for the Covid-19 vaccines have not shown evidence of waning immunity. But the clinical trials have not gone on long enough yet to say much about what happens past a half year. For example, both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Phase 3 clinical trials began enrolling in late July 2020. So the earliest that any of the trial participants became fully vaccinated was last September. That means unless you have a time machine made from either a hot tub or a DeLorean, the longest follow-up available right now for any of the trial participants is about eight months. At some point, those already fully vaccinated will need to return to vaccination locations to get ... [+] booster shots of the Covid-19 vaccine. The question is when. (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Last month, coincidentally on April Fools Day, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that among their Phase 3 clinical trial participants the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, affectionately known as BNT162b2, was 91.3% effective against Covid-19 and 100% effective against severe Covid-19. Since this announcement covered trial results through March 13, 2021, some of the trial participants had gotten their second dose of the vaccine six months prior. These effectiveness numbers came from the following numbers: 647 cases of Covid-19 among those who had received placebo versus 50 among those who has received the Covid-19 vaccine and 32 cases of severe Covid-19 among the placebo group versus zero in the BNT162b2 vaccinated group. Now a company announcement is not the same as a scientific study published in a respectable peer-reviewed journal. Comparing the two can be like comparing you signing the song Promiscuous in the shower to your loofah with Furtado singing the song in the studio. So anything in the announcement is about as definitive as a trailer for a movie. Regardless, as of now, it seems like the Covid-19 vaccines should protect you for at least six months. A second reason why booster shots may be needed is variants. The SARS-CoV2 is somewhat like the television franchise The Real Housewives. New versions keep emerging. Its not clear when The Real Housewives of Slickpoo, Idaho, may appear. Similarly, its not clear if and when there will be a SARS-CoV2 variant that has a spike protein different enough to merit a new type of booster. The likelihood of this eventually occurring is fairly high since the Covid-19 coronavirus has a high underlying mutation rate. In other words, every time the viruses make copies of themselves, mistakes and thus slightly different genetic codes frequently result. Mutations probably allowed the virus to gain the ability to jump from other animals to humans. They may some day generate a variant that can better avoid the current vaccines protection. Of course, the degree and duration of protection offered by the vaccine may vary from person to person. Therefore, dont treat the vaccine like you would a gigantic concrete full body condom. It wont provide perfect protection, and cracks in the protection can form over time. And while cracks may be obvious when wearing low-riding pants, they may not be that obvious with vaccine protection. Trial participants may not realize that their immunity is waning until their measured antibody levels start dropping or more breakthrough infection occur. So until more is known, take additional precautions while the Covid-19 coronavirus is still actively spreading around you. Dont rely solely on the vaccine. Continue to wash your hands, disinfect surfaces, and social distance within reason when you can. This isnt the best time to return to those Twister with strangers games. You dont want to find out that youve lost protection the hard way. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2021/05/22/how-long-will-covid-19-coronavirus-vaccine-protection-last/ |
Are Senate Republicans trying to 'drive a wedge' between Biden and his staff during infrastructure negotiations? | The Conversation Rep. Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming, speaks to the press at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 2021. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty ImagesLiz Cheney reveres order. Donald Trump detests it. Simple, yes, but that sums up the difference between the elected but exiled U.S. congresswoman and the exiled but elected-in-his-own-mind former president. Countless critics have detailed Trumps disruptive effects on national life, but Cheneys call for order deserves attention. She offers a coherent, conservative alternative to Trumpist populism. As a scholar of American political speeches, I think it important to assess her persuasive force as well as her deep roots in the conservative tradition. Liz Cheney is the daughter of two prominent conservative GOP members, former Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney, the former chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Shes seen here with them the morning after the Nov. 7, 2000 election. David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images Point of no return Like many of her conservative ancestors, Rep. Cheney believes that people have a fundamental need for order. Absent a clear set of inviolable rules, society will collapse. The value of order is most evident to those who have seen it disappear or who live in a world without rules. She began her May 11, 2021 speech on the House floor with examples of just such people, times when she witnessed freedoms fragility. Kenyan soldiers chasing voters away from the polls. A Russian mayor telling her of his democratic dreams, only to be poisoned years later by Vladimir Putins thugs. A young Polish woman revealing her fear that people would forget the price of freedom. Examples have strong psychological power on people because they are concrete and specific. Think of those advertisements that feature the faces of very real suffering animals, who might even look like your own beagle. In her speech, Cheney sets up the audience to see the world through the eyes of the characters in these stories, to feel what it means to lose democracys rules. Each is only one instance, but together, they form a pattern. When there is no order, shes saying, the powerful trample the ordinary and the rule of law protects no one. We all become prey. If the audience identifies with these people, that lends Cheneys next argument more force. Americans, she says, now face the same threat. In a Washington Post essay from early May, she notes that former President Trump has repeated his claims that the 2020 election was a fraud and stolen. He does so, she argues, in the full knowledge that such words provoked violence on Jan. 6. He does so in the full knowledge that the Electoral College has spoken. He does so in the full knowledge that more than 60 judges have rejected his claims, including many that he appointed. Here, Cheney expresses her commitment to order through her reliance on institutions. Institutions like the Electoral College and the courts uphold order. That, she writes, is the rule of law; that is our constitutional system for resolving claims of election fraud. The alternative is the anarchy of Jan. 6. The consequences of Trumps incitement to chaos on Jan. 6, she believes, are clear. In the essay and speech, she turns to metaphors of national fabric or constitutional structure. Mixing the two, she says Trump seeks to unravel that structure. If he wins, America will come undone. Whatever one thought of him earlier, he has here crossed a line. She says were at a turning point. Scholars generally call this strategy a locus of the irreparable. It is the point of no return, the place that makes America like all of those other countries she cited. If we slip here, we can never go back. And that, she asserts, would be a disaster because this is not simply about America. It is about the fate of democracy in the world. Attacking Trump from the right In their reverence for order, conservatives traditionally recognize that myths matter. Stories of greatness sanctify the nation and its people, making something more of both than the ordinary business of life. On the House floor, Cheney invoked Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, men who helped the West win the Cold War because they grasped what she described as the miracle of America. Miracle, she writes in the Post, is the word President Reagan used in his first inaugural address to describe the peaceful transfer of power. Her claim that America is exceptional due to its peaceful transfer of power may seem to liberals an inexact account of history, but to many Americans, it is a powerful expression of patriotism, an assurance that riotous thugs have no monopoly on love of country. Cheney was ousted from House GOP leadership because of her insistence that President Trump was responsible for the Capitol insurrection; here, Trump supporters at the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol. AP Photo/John Minchillo At a time when the nation faces a new Cold War with China, she argues, not to mention the ridiculous wokeness of our political rivals, the irrational policies at the border and runaway spending that threatens a return to the catastrophic inflation of the 1970s, America cannot falter. In this account of the conservative tradition, the Constitution works because presidents and people put aside their individual desires for the good of the community. Disciplined individuals create ordered families who build strong nations. When necessary, true patriots give up power and seek election on another day. Social order and political peace can then continue unbroken to the next generation due to a self-control that Donald Trump conspicuously lacks. Liz Cheney makes the kind of argument that Trumps previous rivals have lacked. She attacks him from the right. She portrays him as a threat to the rule of law. She shows he embraces, rather than rejects, American carnage. With her authority as a scion of the former Vice President Richard Cheney and, more generally, the conservative tradition, she exiles Trump from its ranks. Yet many Trump voters have no stake in order. The present order and its institutions have not benefited them, they believe, and they elected Trump precisely because they wanted to shatter the establishment. If they define the Republican future as they have the past, Cheney will fail. Times change, however, and, as the pandemic fades, the economy grows and normalcy returns, people may grow tired of Trumps act. If Republicans wish to return to their traditional principles, Liz Cheney has given them the chance to do so. [The Conversations Politics + Society editors pick need-to-know stories. Sign up for Politics Weekly. ]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: John M. Murphy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Read more:Can Joe Biden win the transition?A field guide to Trumps dangerous rhetoric John M. Murphy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. | https://news.yahoo.com/senate-republicans-trying-drive-wedge-165200668.html |
Who Could Be Next After Sione Hala's Commitment? | Subscribe to BC Bulletin, with in-depth and exclusive information brought to you by AJ Black, a name you can trust and his staff. Subscribe today and get the first month of an annual membership for just $1, or a full annual membership at an almost 20% discount! Boston College struck again on Friday with the commitment of four star safety Sione Hala out of St. John's Bosco in California. Here are our top five choices. 1. Alex Broome - Running Back, Lipscomb Academy, Tennessee. Boston College has a visit from the running back coming up on June 18th, and he could be a prime candidate to pull the trigger. BC is pushing hard for the back, to pair him up with CJ Clinkscales in this group. With not a ton of big offers on his plate, Broome could pull the trigger after his visit. (Three star according to 247sports.com) 2. Donovan Spellman - Defensive Lineman, Clayton (NC) Boston College's offer was a big deal for the three star lineman out of North Carolina who confessed to being emotional after talking to the coaches. Like Broome, he has a visit around the corner, and of any players who are visiting, I'd put him near the top of the list of players who could pull the trigger quickly. 3. Noble Thomas, Defensive Back, Orange City (FL) BC struck early with the defensive back out of Florida. Since then, he has received other offers but recently put BC in his top grouping. Have to think that getting in and forming a relationship early was a good move. Like everyone else he is visiting soon, and could pull the trigger by the end of June. It's free and works as a chat room/messageboard for even more BC talk and analysis, Click here to find out how to sign up. It's easy! 4. Jimmy Scott, Defensive End, Buffalo (NY) Boston College has played it slow so far at the defensive end position, but Scott has been a name that has been consistently on their list. Since he decommitted from Tennessee he reports that he has been in contact with the Eagles staff frequently and will be visiting soon as well. Might take a little bit more time as he has other visits scheduled as well, but like where BC is with the defensive end. 5. VJ Payne, Linebacker/Safety, Buford (GA) This is an interest one to watch, because it sounds like Hala could play the linebacker/safety hybrid. Worth keeping an eye on. Still has not had an official visit set up, but has been to Boston College. | https://www.si.com/college/bostoncollege/maroon-gold-plus/boston-college-recruiting-news-commitment-watch |
Who's behind the global surge in single-use plastic? | The throwaway plastic that holds our takeout food and wraps our dry cleaning is widely seen as one of the world's biggest environmental hazards. It pollutes as it is produced, through the extraction of fossil fuels, and, no sooner than it is used, it pollutes again. It is thrown away and can end up clogging waterways and choking animals or sometimes is burned, sending hazardous fumes into the air. A detailed report published Tuesday sheds new light on who makes all this single-use plastic, 130 million tons a year at last count, and who makes money from it. A surprisingly small group of giant manufacturers and investors are at the heart of the global industry. The report comes from researchers led by Minderoo, a nonprofit in Australia that advocates for cleaner oceans, along with academics at the University of Oxford and the Stockholm Environment Institute. It was reviewed by KPMG, the accounting firm. For years, environmentalists have pressured consumers to reduce plastic use and shamed consumer companies to use less plastic in packaging. But this report peels back another layer by showing who produces polymers, the petrochemicals, the building blocks of single-use plastic. According to the report, half of the world's single-use plastic is made by 20 big firms. Two U.S. companies, Exxon Mobil and Dow, lead the pack, followed by Sinopec, a Chinese-owned petrochemicals giant, and Indorama Ventures, in Bangkok. Single-use plastic has been a good business, and that's projected to continue. In the next five years alone, production is forecast to grow by 30%. The American Chemistry Council, which represents the plastics industry, called the report "misleading," saying it failed to acknowledge industry research showing that replacing plastic packaging with other materials could increase greenhouse gas emissions. The group also noted that the Minderoo Foundation is funded by its founder's stake in a company that mines iron ore. The Plastics Industry Association said the Minderoo report failed to acknowledge the positive aspects of plastic, such as its role in allowing food to last longer, and the industry's investments in improving plastic waste collection around the world. Some of the most familiar names in finance, including companies that control mutual funds and retirement savings accounts, including Vanguard and BlackRock, according to the analysis. And the production is financed by the world's biggest banks, including Barclays and JPMorgan Chase. Governments are also big stakeholders. About 40% of the largest single-use plastic makers are partly owned by governments, including China and Saudi Arabia. There's a huge disparity between richer and poorer nations. The average American uses and throws away 110 pounds of single-use plastic every year. Only Australians match U.S. scales of waste. The average Chinese person uses only about a third as much as an American. The average Indian uses less than one-twelfth, according to the Minderoo report. Exxon Mobil said it "shares society's concern about plastic waste and agrees it must be addressed," adding that the company is increasing the efficacy of recycling and supporting improvements in plastic waste recovery. Many longstanding proposed solutions to the plastic problem are not working. Only about 8% of plastic gets recycled in the U.S., and advocacy efforts to persuade consumers to use less plastic have failed to gain traction. State and municipal governments have had success in banning certain items like plastic grocery bags, foam cups and drinking straws. But the efforts focused on curtailing the production of single-use plastic have been limited so far. A big challenge is that the economics favor more plastic production. It is far cheaper to make a soda bottle out of newly produced plastic than from recycled plastic. That has led the European Union to call for consumer brands to use at least 30% recycled content in plastic bottles by 2025. | https://www.startribune.com/who-s-behind-the-global-surge-in-single-use-plastic/600060205/ |
Could the Aces have the WNBAs Most Improved Player? | Former No. 1 pick Jackie Young is off to a torrid start in her third WNBA season, averaging 16.7 points in 32.3 minutes per game. Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) gets inside for a basket versus the Washington Mystics during the second half of their WNBA playoff game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Left_Eye_Images The unofficial campaign began Friday night moments after the Aces 97-69 home victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. The instigator was Las Vegas forward Aja Wilson, who knows a thing or two about winning awards. Im pushing for Jackie Young to be most improved player, Wilson declared. Its literally night and day. Shes opening up. Shes coming out of her shell. Shes just dominating her defender pretty much every single game. I knew it was going to come around. It was just a matter of time. A resounding endorsement from the reigning WNBA MVP. Young is off to a torrid start in her third WNBA season, averaging 16.7 points in 32.3 minutes per game trailing only Wilson in both statistical categories among Aces players. The third-year guard from Notre Dame hardly resembles the tentative rookie who debuted for the Aces in 2019 as the No. 1 overall pick in that years draft. Shes confident, aggressive and decisive, producing like the player the Aces drafted her to be. She knows what shes doing. She knows what shes about and shes going and doing it, Las Vegas coach Bill Laimbeer said. Its a matter of fact. She doesnt get emotional about it. She just goes and plays. Says this is what Im gonna do. This is how Im gonna do it. And shes been very successful. Young hasnt always played with the confidence she displaying this season. She admitted as much Friday night after scoring 17 against the Sparks. She often floated as a rookie 2019, averaging 6.6 points, 4.5 assists and shooting 32.2 percent from the field as the Aces starting point guard. But she was better last season as a reserve, averaging 11 points on 49.2 percent shooting as what Laimbeer termed an energy player. Laimbeer believes it was in the WNBAs bubble in Bradenton, Florida, that Young began to build her confidence calling her time a great learning experience. Young built on her experience in the bubble by building her body, adding lean muscle mass through strength training while playing abroad in Israel. She said she was a little bit bigger last season, but still plays with power and grace on the perimeter. Without injured star Angel McCoughtry in the lineup, the Aces have relied on Young to absorb minutes on the wing and score more than she ever has before. Her explosive first step helps her beat defenders off the bounce. Shell either drive to the basket and finish, pull up to shoot whats become a formidable mid-range jumper or lurch into overzealous opponents to draw fouls and earn free-throw opportunities. Young leads the Aces in free-throw attempts through three games with 19, a figure that ranks sixth in the WNBA and a tangible sign of her newfound aggression. Shes also morphed into a menacing perimeter defender, capable of containing her opponent on the ball and plugging gaps in help situations. A lot of it is having a different mindset, said Young, 23. Its just having an aggressive mentality and coming into every game with confidence. I know my teammates trust in me. Like Wilson, for instance, the Aces leader and the captain of Youngs most improved player campaign. Jackie for MIP, Wilson reaffirmed. Lets start the hashtag. Contact reporter Sam Gordon at [email protected]. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter. | https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/aces/could-the-aces-have-the-wnbas-most-improved-player-2360956/ |
What could an MLB stadium in Las Vegas look like? | With a 65,000-seat stadium for the Raiders and a 18,000-seat arena for the Golden Knights, 30,000 to 40,000 seats for an MLB stadium would fit nicely in Las Vegas. Fans make their way into Truist Park for the baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, May 8, 2021, in Atlanta. The Braves have opened the park to full attendance on the weekend for the first time in a year. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Fans make their way into Truist Park for the baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, May 8, 2021, in Atlanta. The Braves have opened the park to full attendance this weekend for the first time in a year. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) The Chicago Cubs play the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in a baseball game Thursday, April 29, 2021, in Atlanta. The Braves announced they plan to expand attendance limits to full capacity beginning May 7. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2018, file photo, ground crews prepare the field at Sun Trust Park, now known as Truist Park, ahead of Game 3 of MLB baseball's National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta. Truist Park lost the 2021 All-Star Game on Friday, April 2, 2021, when Major League Baseball decided to move the game elsewhere over the leagues objection to Georgias sweeping new election law that critics say restricts voting rights. (AP Photo/John Amis, File) Fans fill the stands at Globe Life Field during the second inning of a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays, Monday, April 5, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are set to have the closest thing to a full stadium in pro sports since the coronavirus shutdown more than a year ago. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter) The facade of Globe Life Field stands in front of the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium before a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays Monday, April 5, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter) Fans fill the stands at Globe Life Field during the first inning of a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays, Monday, April 5, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are set to have the closest thing to a full stadium in pro sports since the coronavirus shutdown more than a year ago. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter) A rendering shows the proposed location for a ballpark in Henderson. (City of Henderson) Tag With the Oakland Athletics set to visit the Las Vegas Valley this coming week to discuss a possible relocation with area officials, many wonder what a Major League Baseball stadium in the valley would look like. The first consideration is size. In recent years, baseball stadiums have been built with slightly smaller capacities, which would likely be the case here. An MLB ballpark with 30,000 to 40,000 seats would fit nicely into the citys professional sports landscape as it would fall in between the Las Vegas Raiders 65,000-seat stadium and the Golden Knights 18,000-seat arena. To get a taste of just what an As stadium in the Las Vegas Valley could include, look no further than the two newest ballparks in the majors. A new example in Texas The Texas Rangers Globe Life Field, which opened last year, sits on 13 acres of land in Arlington, Texas, that used to be a parking lot for their former field. The ballpark sits across the street from the Dallas Cowboys massive AT&T Stadium. The 40,000-seat facility features a key element that would also likely be needed in Las Vegas a retractable roof. The hot summer days would make it a virtual must to be able to enclose the field during games. It takes about 12 minutes to open the 24-million pound, 5.5-acre roof, which is composed of panels similar to what was used for Allegiant Stadiums fixed roof. There are 12 field suites located behind home plate and club seating on the lower levels of the stands on both the first- and third-base lines. There also are 71 suites for long-term founders of the park and 16 party suites. Additionally, the ballpark features themed clubs, lounges and even a speakeasy, all of which would make sense to include in a stadium anywhere, but especially in Las Vegas. Theres a nightclub adjacent to one end zone of Allegiant Stadium. A complex in Atlanta Another new ballpark that includes elements that could work in Southern Nevada is the Atlanta Braves 41,500-seat Truist Stadium. Its located about 10 miles from downtown Atlanta, which would be the equivalent to constructing the As stadium in west Henderson in relation to the Las Vegas Strip. The 1.1 million-square-foot stadium features a three-level restaurant, a rooftop lounge and an on-site brewery. Also included in the project is an entertainment complex named the Battery Atlanta, which includes dozens of bars and restaurants, office space and a hotel. Having a stadium built with an entertainment complex alongside could play into the planning of west Henderson, as a number of mixed-use developments are planned for the area. That area is quickly expanding and already houses the Raiders headquarters and practice facility. The Las Vegas Aces headquarters also is being constructed next door on Raiders Way. The Strip vs the suburbs Las Vegas Strip and the ease of access for tourists is an intriguing aspect for the As, sources told the Review-Journal. That would be similar to what the Golden Knights have with T-Mobile Arena and the Raiders with Allegiant Stadium. But constructing a stadium in one of the suburbs could work, as well, with the valley ever expanding. Knights owner Bill Foley said earlier this month he believes the valley could support another major professional sports team. The Rangers and Braves stadiums are very similar to the plan Henderson officials presented to the Arizona Diamondbacks when they courted that MLB team in 2018. Those plans called for a 32,000-seat retractable roof stadium, with room for 4,000 standing-room-only ticket holders, with adjoining office, retail and residential buildings. Henderson Mayor Debra March said she would be interested in revisiting those plans with As officials if the opportunity presented itself. We certainly had a proposal that we had put together for the Diamondbacks, March said. We could definitely resurrect that and have a conversation. We would be interested in having a conversation, certainly. Henderson officials initially said they didnt have plans to meet with the As next week. When asked about that Friday, Henderson spokesperson Kathleen Richards said an update wouldnt be available until Monday because city hall is closed on Fridays. The bottom line The way Globe Life Field and Truist Park were funded are also blueprints for what the As may be looking for, as sources indicated they are interested in a public-private collaboration. Globe Life Field was built in such a partnership, with the city of Arlington and the Rangers splitting the $1.2 billion cost. Arlingtons share is coming by way of a cent sales tax increase, a 2 percent hotel tax and a 5 percent rental tax. Truist Park, completed in 2017, was also built with a public-private partnership, with the Braves contributing $372 million and the remaining $300 million coming from Cobb County and the Cumberland Community Improvement District. The funds were generated by a combination of bonds and a transportation tax. The Braves are also tabbed with paying for the Battery Atlanta complex, which carries a $400 million price tag. A similar public-private partnership paid for the Raiders home, Allegiant Stadium, which was built with $750 million in public money. That money is being generated by a 0.88 percent tax on hotel rooms in Clark County. With the pandemic impacting travel for much of the last year, the room tax has been raising less than budgeted, leading the county to dip into a debt reserve fund to make required bond payments. In December, the county pulled $11.6 million from the reserve account and its expected to pull another $12 million next week to make Junes scheduled payment, said Jeremy Aguero, a principal with Applied Analyst, who serves as staff for the Las Vegas Stadium Authority. Contact Mick Akers at [email protected] or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on Twitter. | https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/baseball/what-could-an-mlb-stadium-in-las-vegas-look-like-2360938/ |
Will bully Chrissy Teigen recover from cyberbullying scandal? | Following reports of cyberbullying, Cravings mogul Chrissy Teigen faced heavy criticism. The 35-year-old cookbook author was recently called out by Courtney Stodden for years of unwarranted social media bullying. Since then others, including Farrah Abraham and Dina Lohan, Lindsay Lohans mom, have followed suit. Then, Teigen was dealt a huge blow after reports circulated that retail giant Bloomingdale's had reportedly pulled out of a deal it had in place with the model. Macys, which shares a parent company with Bloomingdales, also said its "not actively selling Cravings by Chrissy Teigen on our site." Though, it's unclear if they will bring back her products in the future. According to The Post, the "raw and vulnerable" TV personality is now holed up in her Los Angeles home. "I dont know if she can come back to social media," an insider told the outlet. THE RETAILERS THAT ARE AND ARENT STICKING BY CANCEL CULTURE QUEEN CHRISSY TEIGEN "As you can imagine, last week was wild," the source added. "When people start going after brands, whether warranted or not, it creates a mess for the brands to deal with." 6 CELEBRITIES CHRISSY TEIGEN HAS TARGETED ONLINE BEFORE GETTING CANCELED HERSELF However, a source who is in the loop on the Vrbo-Teigen partnership, confirmed to The Post that its "moving forward as planned" and there are "no issues." Still, branding expert Mark Borkowski isnt as confident that Teigen will be forgiven in the eyes of the public or those in charge of hiring the star. FARRAH ABRAHAM REACTS TO CHRISSY TEIGEN'S 'HIGHLY DISTURBING' TWEET ABOUT HER: 'I HOPE SHE GETS MENTAL HELP' "No one tolerates the idea of a bully. Within the business values of many of these brands it causes problems," Borkowski explained to The Post. "Its all about authenticity. If youre found out not to be what you [claim] to be, that always leads to an Icarus moment and everything comes crashing down. One day youre hot and the next day youre canceled due to stupidity, arrogance or ego." He stated: "America is the worst place to be shamed and the first people to jump ship are agents [who arrange deals], if they dont see money in you." Outside of her own personal businesses, Teigen has also built a brand with her husband, "The Voice" coach and EGOT-winner John Legend. LINDSAY LOHANS MOTHER DINA TELLS CHRISSY TEIGEN TO OWN HERSELF AFTER TWEET ABOUT HER DAUGHTER RESURFACES A senior producer within NBC Universal entertainment insisted to The Post that any issues Teigen has wont affect her partner. "NBC loves and supports John. It is a separate relationship. I feel bad for Chrissy what a mess," the insider said. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Meanwhile, Borkowski stated that the controversy surrounding Teigen "can create huge issues, even beyond shared deals, as it sucks in the family." Still, "anyone has the ability to have a second chance if they handle it right," he noted. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP As for Teigen, a source, who is familiar with the former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, acknowledges that "its not Chrissys finest moment." "All she can do is try and make amends now," the insider said. Teigen has since publicly apologized to Stodden, but neither Stodden nor Stodden's mother has bought it. Fox News' Nate Day contributed to this report | https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/chrissy-teigen-recover-cyberbullying-scandal |
Would Princess Diana still be alive if she hadn't done that infamous BBC interview? | Prince William has responded to report that found that a BBC journalist used 'deceitful behavior' to secure an explosive interview with Princess Diana in 1995. Video / @KensingtonRoyal Prince William has responded to report that found that a BBC journalist used 'deceitful behavior' to secure an explosive interview with Princess Diana in 1995. Video / @KensingtonRoyal OPINION: Prince Harry and Earl Spencer could hardly have been clearer. Princess Diana's landmark appearance on Panorama in 1995 led to her death. Martin Bashir's "interview of the century" as it was boastfully billed by the BBC at the time attracted an audience of 23 million viewers, and had profound and far-reaching consequences for the royal family. And, according to her younger brother and her youngest son, it also proved to be Diana's fatal mistake. Their clear inference was that, had she not been persuaded to invite Bashir into her sitting room at Kensington Palace, she would not have met her death two years later in a car accident in Paris. But a doe-eyed Diana, Princess of Wales, did pour her heart out to the then 32-year-old reporter from the BBC's flagship current affairs programme, in a 54-minute interview in which she discussed everything from her failed marriage to the Prince of Wales, from whom she had separated in 1992, to her battle with "rampant bulimia" and self-harming behaviour. Almost 40 per cent of the British population tuned in as the princess uttered the immortal line about there being "three of us in this marriage", a reference to her husband's extra-marital affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. Prince William and Prince Harry have publicly condemned the BBC for looking the other way while their mother was manipulated into giving the Panorama interview. Photo / AP But an excoriating report published last week by Supreme Court judge John Dyson, into the monstrous journalistic methods that enabled the Panorama team to set up the interview in the first place, accused Bashir of using a battery of "deceitful behaviour" to get her on side, including commissioning fake bank statements and other documents to falsely suggest individuals were being paid to keep the princess under surveillance. There is little doubt that the incendiary interview proved to be a catalyst for a catastrophic chain of events that culminated in Diana's untimely death. But while it won her a great deal of short-term public sympathy, it also alienated her from senior figures in the Royal household and played into the hands of critics who claimed she was "unhinged". Certainly, the Queen was so horrified by her daughter-in-law's actions, shortly after the interview was broadcast she told Sir Richard Eyre, former director of the National Theatre, that Diana had done a "frightful thing". Exactly a month later, the monarch ordered both Charles and Diana and the Duke and Duchess of York who had also separated in the so-called 'annus horribilis' of 1992 to finally get a "double" divorce in 1996. Now effectively frozen out of royal circles, Diana began briefing even harder against the royal family, with ever more outlandish false claims that the Queen, suffering from cardiac problems, was to abdicate; that Prince Edward was receiving treatment for Aids; and that she herself would be murdered, in a plot masterminded by her estranged husband, probably carried out by sabotaging the brakes of her personal car. An investigation into Martin Bashir found he used a battery of "deceitful behaviour" to get Diana on side. Photo / AP Bashir has always denied being the source of Diana's defamatory statements, insisting that she spoke to "mystics and clairvoyants" who could have fed the made-up stories to her. But it was Diana's false allegation that her husband had got their children's nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, pregnant and then paid for an abortion that proved to be the final straw for the princess's long-standing private secretary, Patrick Jephson. Still smarting from being kept in the dark over her Panorama interview, he resigned in January 1996 after eight years in the post. Jephson later revealed that Diana only told him about having spoken to Bashir a week before the broadcast, and was "not at all confident about what she had done". He said: "It triggered that part of her which was not rebellious or given to dangerous stunts, which was actually conventional and dutiful, and responsible and awake to her broader royal responsibilities." As her family and friends have testified on numerous occasions, there was a side of Diana that was extremely loyal. She sent out charming thank-you letters for the tiniest of presents and the briefest of lunches. Her upbringing had trained her not just in etiquette but in the selfless, thoughtful behaviour that springs from genuine, deeply rooted manners. Again and again, hard-bitten journalists, who had been happy to bash her in the papers, melted on meeting her and encountering her shy charm. She forged friendships with some seemingly unlikely allies, including the late Prince Philip. As Gyles Brandreth writes in his new book, Philip: The Final Portrait: "Her friends Rosa Monckton and Lucia Flecha de Lima are quite clear on this: she had great respect and affection for her father-in-law; she trusted him and knew he wanted only to help." Her inner circle of friends was, in turn, incredibly loyal to Diana. Diana, Princess of Wales with Prince Harry on holiday in Majorca, Spain on August 10, 1987. Photo / Getty Images Following her divorce, an increasingly detached Diana then embarked on a series of ill-advised relationships with men. Her decision to date Dodi Fayed, son of Harrods boss Mohamed Al-Fayed, had led to a flaming row with her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, whom her former butler Paul Burrell revealed had accused her daughter of behaving like a "whore". The Princess had also fallen out with her brother, Earl Spencer, her sister-in-law Sarah Ferguson, and other close confidantes including Sir Elton John. She only made it up with the singer at the funeral of the fashion designer Gianni Versace a month later in July 1997. Much has been made of Diana's disastrous decision to get rid of her Scotland Yard bodyguards against the advice of her long-time royal protection officer, Ken Wharfe. Many have suggested that her Metropolitan Police detail would not have allowed her to be driven without wearing a seatbelt, let alone to be chauffeured by Henri Paul, the acting security manager of the Hotel Ritz Paris (owned by Fayed), who, it later emerged, was under the influence of alcohol. Her personal bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was the only person to survive the crash in the early hours of that Sunday morning. According to veteran royal reporter Phil Dampier: "Because Diana died as this iconic young woman, people tend to put her on a pedestal. But, actually, in the run-up to the Paris car crash she was an unguided missile." By then, she was living at Kensington Palace, aged 36. She was young enough to have a fresh start at life. Yes, there would have been huge media attention, but that would have mellowed with time as the focus turned on to the next generation. In a sign that she was putting her past behind her, in June 1997, she held a sale of her dresses at Christie's in New York, raising US$3.25 million for charity. She could have lived the admirable life of a philanthropic grande dame, punctuating her charity work with jolly holidays, chatty Mayfair lunches and shopping expeditions with her friends and perhaps a return to the sort of outdoorsy life in the country she had enjoyed as a child. But it was not to be. As Dampier says: "She had become increasingly isolated and was convinced she was being spied on. Burrell described how she made him rip up the floorboards at Kensington Palace, looking for bugs." Diana in December 1995. Photo / AP Diana's biographer Tina Brown suggests that, towards the end of her life, there were hints of the Diana that she could have been, had she not been caught up in the storm of that tell-all interview. While Diana herself described 1996 as "the worst year of my life", actually she was beginning to get back on track. According to Brown in her 2007 book, The Diana Chronicles, in the weeks leading up to her death, the Princess had not only reconciled with Charles, but even "accepted" Camilla Parker Bowles. "She still wished that her marriage could have survived," Brown told The Telegraph last November. "She didn't say: 'I'm so happy to be divorced' She said: 'We would have made a great team.'" Whether that was the case, we'll never know. * Additional reporting by Harry Mount | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/would-princess-diana-still-be-alive-if-she-hadnt-done-that-infamous-bbc-interview/ITXXBLXUOWJZA2PDRXFBY4S5EI/ |
Why does the CDC always tell people to stop kissing chickens? | Its that time of the year again the weathers getting warmer, baby animals are being born, and the government is out here telling you to stop smooching your chicken. This is kind of the cold and flu thing of the chicken world, poultry expert Emily Shoop told the Herald about the CDCs annual springtime announcement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a break from its sometimes-meandering coronavirus guidelines to blast out a bulletin that backyard chickens are giving people salmonella poisoning. Dont kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and dont eat or drink around them, the CDC wrote. This can spread salmonella germs to your mouth and make you sick. The kissing-and-snuggling line is actually just one small part of a larger investigation notice headlined Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Backyard Poultry, which notes that 163 people have been sickened and 34 hospitalized recently in cases that can be traced back to chickens. Every year, the CDC puts out this type of guidance, and invariably it causes a bit of a flap. National news outlets pull that kissing line out and snicker at the chicken-peckers, while some poultry owners cry fowl and tell the government to stay out of their coop. Shoop, of the Penn State Extension in central Pennsylvania one of the most chicken-heavy parts of the whole country said its about this time every year when farm stands across America are selling baby chicks, and suddenly a bunch of people who dont have much experience being up close and personal with chickens end up accidentally getting salmonella poisoning. Theyre great cuddly little animals, Shoop said, saying people end up just wanting to snuggle with them. Its very tempting theyre very cute. Heres the problem, she said: Chickens digestive systems can contain salmonella, a bacteria that can make people very sick especially if the people are very young, old, or have autoimmune issues. So chicken poop is hazardous to interact with and so are unwashed eggs, because they come out of the same orifice a fact thats compounded by the fact that the poop is often dusty and therefore can, in small amounts, aerosolize get all over the chicken and everything else nearby. Therefore, Shoop said, keep the birds away from your face, unless youre going to wash it every time you put it close to the chicken. Its not that chickens are inherently dirty animals theyre actually very clean, she said. Its just that that bacteria makes people sick so dont kiss them. Khrysti Smyth of Yardbirds Backyard Chickens, which helps people in the Boston area get into backyard poultry-owning, told the Herald shes not a big chicken-kisser herself, but it is a thing people do. She compares it to people who let their dogs lick around inside their mouths, which she doesnt like, either. But Smyth, who goes by The Chickeness, is a chicken cuddler and doesnt plan to stop, though she tells people not to be bird brains about it. I definitely cuddle my chickens, she said, noting that a study of Boston-area chickens found lower salmonella in them, as backyard chickens are often healthier when raised right. Theyre really soft and cuddleable. But its definitely a common-sense thing. She said backyard chickenry has boomed in the area lately. She said of dealing with pet chickens, My ultimate guideline is: Dont lick the eggs, wash your hands and otherwise use common sense. | https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/05/22/why-does-the-cdc-always-tell-people-to-stop-kissing-chickens/ |
What is Oregon Getting in Syracuse Transfer Quincy Guerrier? | Oregon landed another huge transfer Thursday when Syracuse forward Quincy Guerrier announced his commitment to Oregon. After losing Chris Duarte, Eugene Omoruyi, and LJ Figueroa this offseason, Dana Altman has rebuilt his roster through the transfer portal and the recruiting trail. Since the Ducks Sweet 16 loss to USC, Altman has brought in Guerrier, Oklahoma transfer DeVion Harmon, top JUCO prospect Rivaldo Soares and incoming 5-star Nathan Bittle. 4-star prospect Isaac Johnson is also expected to enroll in the summer following his LDS mission. Guerrier (67, 220 pounds) comes to Eugene after placing the Ducks in his final three before committing to Syracuse as a high school senior in 2018. After entering the transfer portal and testing the NBA draft waters, he chose Oregon over finalists Illinois, Arizona State, and Memphis. The Montreal native is the perfect fit for Oregon. He is a versatile wing who can score and rebound, and he can start for Altman immediately. A lineup of Will Richardson, De'Vion Harmon, Guerrier, Eric Williams Jr. and NFaly Dante/Franck Kepnang should be one of the best starting fives in the Pac-12. Guerrier enjoyed a breakout season for Syracuse in 2020-21, averaging 13.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and shooting 49.3% from the field and 31.1% from three en route to a third-team All-ACC selection. He earns a lot of his points from attacking the basket, as well as running the floor and scoring in transition. He can also score in a myriad of other ways, including in the low-post, off-the-dribble jumpers from the mid-range, and he will occasionally knock down a three-pointer. He scored at least 20 pointers four times last season, including a career-high 27 points in an overtime win over Buffalo. Guerrier will excel in Altmans high-post offensive scheme, especially with a backcourt of Harmon and Richardson who are both excellent passers and a lineup of good shooters. He has underrated low-post moves and footwork, and he can score through contact or float a jump hook over a defender. Guerrier was one of the best rebounders in the ACC last season, finishing second in the conference with 8.8 boards per game, including 3.0 offensive boards per game. He attacks the offensive glass and will provide many second-chance opportunities for the Ducks. With Guerrier, Kepnang, Dante and Bittle in the front court, the Ducks are primed to be one of the best rebounding teams in the country. On the defensive side, Guerrier played mostly zone defense under head coach Jim Boeheim, who utilizes the zone scheme as much as any coach in Division one. The adjustment from Boeheims zone-heavy scheme to Altmans 2-3 zone defense that uses more of a man-to-man approach will be tough for Guerrier, but he has the size and athleticism to defend at a high level. The addition of Guerrier will keep Oregon in the upper echelon of college basketball next season, and the Ducks are likely to be ranked in the top-15 in preseason polls. A third straight Pac-12 title is well within reach, but Altman and the Ducks will be aiming for much more with the talent they have brought in this offseason. More from Ducks Digest Former Duck Joe Walker Signs with Washington Football Team Oregon makes top 5 for Utah OL George Maile Hebard shines in win over Atlanta Dream Stay connected with Ducks Digest on Social Media Follow Dylan on Twitter: @drksportsnews Like and follow Ducks Digest on Facebook: @DucksDigest Follow Ducks Digest on Twitter: @Ducksdigest Subscribe to Ducks Digest on YouTube: @DucksDigest Find more Oregon Ducks content at Ducksdigest.com | https://www.si.com/college/oregon/basketball/what-is-oregon-getting-in-syracuse-transfer-quincy-guerrier |
Does a $75m settlement make up for three decades in prison? | By Sam Cabral BBC News, Washington Published 1 hour ago image copyright Emily Baxter image caption Henry McCollum (pictured) and his half-brother Leon Brown spent 31 years in prison A historic $75m (53m) settlement awarded to two North Carolina brothers incarcerated for more than three decades over a crime they did not commit has brought the issue of wrongful convictions back into the limelight. Henry McCollum and his half-brother Leon Brown were twice convicted for the 1983 rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl. In 2014, the emergence of new DNA evidence led to their exoneration and full pardons the following year. On Friday, they received $31m in damages each - $1m for every year spent in prison - and $13m in punitive damages. The payout represents the largest combined settlement in a wrongful conviction case in US history, according to the brothers' lawyers. "I thank God," said Mr McCollum, in tears, as he left the courtroom with his brother, nearly seven years after a judge ordered the state to free them. "There's still a lot of innocent people in prison today," Mr McCollum said. "And they don't deserve to be there." On 24 September 1983, police in the small North Carolina town of Red Springs found the body of an 11-year-old white girl in a soybean field. The next day, acting on rumours from a classmate, they arrested Mr McCollum and Mr Brown, two African-American teenagers aged 19 and 15 respectively. After several hours of interrogation with no lawyer present, officers reportedly coerced the duo into signing pre-written confessions implicating each other in the crime. Court documents stated the two brothers had cognitive difficulties and could barely read, write or understand what they were signing. Both were sentenced to death. Mr Brown became North Carolina's youngest death row inmate, but was later resentenced to life in prison. Mr McCollum went on to become the state's longest serving inmate on death row. No physical or forensic evidence ever connected either brother to the crime. In 2014, DNA test results revealed the true perpetrator: Roscoe Artis, a convicted murderer serving life in prison on separate, yet similar, charges. The National Registry of Exonerations has recorded 2,784 people exonerated since it began collecting data in 1989. More than half of all these cases have involved some form of prosecutorial or law enforcement misconduct. Nearly 50% of convicted defendants later found to be innocent have been African American. The database also found that black people are seven times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of murder than white people. Wrongfully convicted Americans can file civil suits alleging their rights have been violated - but in some cases, plaintiffs end up with nothing. It is particularly difficult to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct, as their actions are largely protected under current US law. But pressure to make police and other officials liable for their misdeeds is growing with recent racial justice movements. George Floyd's 2020 death in Minnesota led to a $27m settlement, and Breonna Taylor's in Kentucky saw a $12m payout. Friday's judgment in North Carolina came after the two other law enforcement entities involved in the matter already settled with the brothers, for smaller amounts. Jamie Lau, a Duke University law professor and expert on wrongful convictions in the state, says it is "significant" that a jury awarded the brothers $1m in compensatory damages, as it has expanded the likelihood of larger sums being awarded in the future. But he warns that the massive dollar amount could also have the effect of pushing defendants to settle out of court rather than run the risk of a trial with major financial consequences. Thirty-six states and Washington DC currently have laws that call for providing compensation to the wrongfully convicted. In North Carolina, exonerated people who are pardoned by the governor are eligible to receive $50,000 for each year they spent in prison. But total compensations cannot exceed $750,000. That was how much Ronnie Long, a black man wrongfully incarcerated over a 1976 rape and burglary, received in restitution. His lawyer has argued that, by this calculation, Mr Long has only been compensated "for what amounts to 15 years" of his 44-year incarceration. A civil court will decide if Mr Long will receive any further compensation for what is the third longest wrongful incarceration in the country. Monetary compensation can be a financial lifeline that allows those exonerated to secure basic necessities, affordable housing, legal services and whatever else helps get them back on their feet. Prof Lau told the BBC of another client - Charles Finch - who served nearly 43 years on death row before being released in 2019, at the age of 81. "He hasn't [yet] received a dime, either from the state statutory scheme or through civil litigation," says Prof Lau, who pointed out that Mr Finch is now too old to work and must rely on family and friends. "Where we fail people who are wrongly convicted is in not providing them the resources they need as early as possible to help them get back on their feet," he adds. "All of the harms of the wrongful convictions persist in a way that's different but ongoing." While the combined $62m in compensatory damages to the brothers is "an attempt to make them whole again after they lost so much", says Prof Lau, the additional $13m in punitive damages also "sends a message" that deceptive policing practices will no longer be accepted. You may also be interested in: | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57152860 |
Can 49ers 2021 undrafted rookie class make immediate impact? | The San Francisco 49ers under general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have had a ton of success with their undrafted rookies. This years class was only four players deep though thanks in part to a good-sized draft class and a number of key free agents returning. Heres a quick look at the 49ers 2021 undrafted rookie class and the potential roles they could take on in their first seasons: LB Justin Hilliard, Ohio State Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch Hilliard is all over the place when watching Ohio State, but he's undersized (6-foot, 229 pounds) and not very athletic. He did manage 84 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and two interceptions across a six-year, 36-game college career that was marred by injury. If he finds his way onto the 49ers' roster, it's hard to believe he'll be more than a special teams contributor with other more experienced LBs ahead of him on the depth chart. LB Elijah Sullivan, Kansas State Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Sullivan is a lot like Hilliard, only smaller (6-foot, 214 pounds) and a little more athletic. He also spent six years in school and managed to play in 39 games. Sullivan was a more productive player with 144 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and a pair of interceptions. The team may try him at safety given his size, but he's in a similar spot to his fellow undrafted LB in that his role is likely limited to special teams if he does land on the 53-man. TE Josh Pederson, Louisiana-Monroe Nicolas Galindo/The News-Star Pederson has a legitimate chance to stick around given the lack of depth on the 49ers' roster. If he proves to be a threat as a pass catcher, his likelihood of making the team as a rookie increases exponentially. Pederson in his final two college seasons racked up 75 catches for 934 yards and nine touchdowns. All nine of his scores came in the 2019 season. He has NFL size at 6-5, 230 pounds. The 49ers could use another pass-catching TE, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if Pederson lands that role over incumbents Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner. Story continues WR Austin Watkins Jr., UAB Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports Watkins is a big, physical, strong receiver who looks the part of a player who might replace Kendrick Bourne as the No. 3 receiver. He was a junior college transfer who put up huge numbers in his second season at UAB with 1,092 yards and six touchdowns on 57 receptions in 14 games. There's a significant issue with his speed and explosiveness though that may make it difficult for him to gain separation in the NFL. His ceiling is a Bourne replacement, but it's more realistic that he's a back end of the roster player in Year 1, and maybe even a practice squad addition depending on how he performs in camp. 1 1 | https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-2021-undrafted-rookie-class-011524495.html?src=rss |
Does violent rhetoric make law enforcement better or worse? | Earlier this month, two more Texas peace officers were slain. These two Concho County sheriffs deputies were murdered in the little town of Eden while responding to a call about a dog. A short time back, a Texas state trooper was shot to death near Mexia. Many more of our states law enforcement officers have been injured, shot at, or assaulted this year. A few months ago an offender fired repeatedly at two of my officers in an attempt to kill them. They wanted to talk to the man about a reckless driving complaint. According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, 306 American law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2020. Not every one of these officers died at the hands of a criminal. But too many did. As of May 17, 76 officers have already died this year. Much of the bloody toll results from the same sources it always has: the murderous acts of desperate criminals. Other peace officers are killed by profoundly mentally ill souls. Peacekeepers have long recognized these dangers as part of the job they have sworn to do. But there may be a new and troubling factor entering the equation. When a cop kills a member of the community, people protest. The communitys feelings of hurt and anger need to be heard, and too often the criticism is justified. As a profession, we clearly must do better. Most of us have pledged to work on that improvement. Change can be seen in policies that ban chokeholds, warning shots, no-knock warrants, and wild vehicle pursuits. Change can be seen in policies that require officers to intervene and report any act of excessive force or other police misconduct. But there are some activists, politicians, and celebrities who appear to condone or even encourage physical attacks on law enforcement officers, whether that is their actual intention or not. For example, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York was placed on leave after posting on social media: I think its a privilege to teach future dead cops. There are more instances, of course, athletes and celebrities who perhaps intended to let off steam about policing problems, but used threatening, violent language to do so. The question merits serious consideration. But there are some activists, politicians and pundits who seem to condone violent attacks on law enforcement. The question merits serious consideration. There is another potential consequence of this anti-police rhetoric. Violent crime is up in many of Americas largest cities. And many of these cities are the same places where law enforcement is under the harshest criticism. We know from anecdotal evidence that some cops in these places are disengaging from self-initiated police work. Concerned about their jobs and emotional well-being, these officers have resolved to answer their calls and do nothing more. Further, most law enforcement agencies report difficulty filling their growing number of vacancies with qualified people. The very people we want to recruit for todays law enforcement challenges compassionate guardians, not full-time warriors are finding the profession less desirable. Many good candidates tell us they simply do not want to experience the hostility that they sense today, not for themselves nor for their families. We should all worry about what sort of applicants will fill future police ranks when these good folks turn away. On the brighter side, those of us in law enforcement are fortunate to have terrific support from our citizen-customers here in North Texas. It means a lot to your guardians, particularly right now. We love to hear your words of encouragement. We also want to hear from you when you have questions or think we have done it wrong. That helps us get better. But we additionally would ask that you speak up for us when you hear unfair attacks or verbal assaults on law enforcement based on patently false information. Falsehoods that go unchallenged can end up being believed. Most of us in the business are strong advocates for community-oriented policing. That means we are a part of the community, not apart from it. In many cases we are your neighbors as well as your guardians. Good neighbors do not harm one another. Jerry Garner, a 51-year veteran of law enforcement, is chief of police in Corinth and an author and public speaker. He wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News. Send a letter to the editor and you just might get published. | https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2021/05/23/does-anti-police-rhetoric-make-law-enforcement-better-or-worse/ |
Should the Cleveland Museum of Art bring back the May Show? | CLEVELAND, Ohio The Cleveland Museum of Arts once annual May Show remains the sine qua non of local art exhibitions, at least for Northeast Ohio art lovers of a certain age. Inaugurated in 1919 to nurture the citys fledgling art scene, the exhibition provided a regular burst of attention for local artists within the august confines of the museum. Artists submitted large numbers of artworks for consideration. Museum curators or guest jurors selected works from those submissions for the exhibition. Prizes were awarded, and the museum occasionally bought work from the show. Collectors were also allowed to buy, enabling them to build May Show collections of their own. A remarkable 1985 news photo in The Plain Dealers archive shows a virtual stampede of enthusiasts led by radio interviewer Rena Blumberg rushing forward at a May Show opening, just as a museum employee retracted a crowd control ribbon holding them back. The museum discontinued the exhibition in 1993, perhaps in recognition that it had become tired and stale, despite the impression created by the 1985 photo. Yet May Show nostalgia persists. A number of enthusiasts perhaps a significant number fervently wish the museum would bring it back. The museum has no plans to do so, but representatives said in an email that it looks forward to continuing its work with local and emerging artists through its exhibition program, not just in University Circle, but also at Transformer Station [in Ohio City] and our new Community Arts Center [in Tremont near Clark-Fulton].' To address the May Show question directly, the non-profit Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, which is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting works by artists of the region, held an online panel discussion on the topic May 12. A Zoom recording of the event can be streamed for free at artistsarchives.org. I participated, along with Case Western Reserve University professor Henry Adams and Key Jo Lee, the Cleveland museums director of academic affairs and curator of special projects. Michael Gill, executive director, editor, and publisher of the Collective Arts Network, which publishes CAN Journal, the essential, go-to guide to the Northeast Ohio art scene, moderated. Our viewpoints differed but all of us agreed that in some way, the museum should do more to engage the regions artists and that now is a good time to raise the question. Adams vigorously advocated for a return of the May Show. But he called for a more democratic and celebratory format modeled on Parade the Circle, the annual festival in which community groups create floats and circulate around Wade Oval in University Circle along with dancers, giant puppets, bands and stilt walkers. The museum inaugurated the parade 30 years ago, right around the time it dropped the May Show. The event was not be held last year and will be held this year in a different Parade the City format because of the coronavirus pandemic. In a time of sharp political divisions, Adams said that Parade the Circle has shown how the museum can bring people together to marvel at each others creativity. The display of theatrical flair and artistic talent at Parade the Circle has been quite up to the level of most of the traveling exhibitions on view at the museum, many of which have been distinctly lackluster, he said. If the May Show was criticized for compromising on the museums usual standards of quality, Adams said he considered that viewpoint snobbish, arguing theres a danger in being concerned too much with quality rather than too little. The very goal of the May Show should be to upend things, to turn things upside down,' he said, Adams also said the museum should display works by high school students, in order to encourage emerging talents and broaden the institutions audience which is something it says it very much wants to do. You can bet that if kids had their work on view the museum, their parents friends and relatives would come and see it, Adams said. As my readers know, Im against bringing back the May Show. It took up space on the exhibition calendar that crowded out exhibitions of modern and contemporary art from outside Cleveland. The museum has improved in this area in recent decades and has stepped up the frequency of exhibitions on Black American artists, in particular. But theres still room for improvement. When Robert P. Bergman directed the museum from 1993 to 1999, the museum tried seriously to devote more time and space to new art from around the world and to do the same for Northeast Ohio art. It held a big, curated invitational exhibit on selected Cleveland artists in 1994, and staged a second major regional show, called Urban Evidence,' in 1996, the citys bicentennial year. Also in 1996, it organized Transformations in Cleveland Art, 1796-1946,' a major historical survey on the art of the region, accompanied by a catalog that remains an excellent reference on the topic. Other locally focused shows followed, including the big 2000 retrospective on industrial designer Viktor Schreckengost, curated by Adams when he was a curator at the museum. But the museums attention to locally produced art has wavered over the past 20 years. One reason is that high turnover among directors diminished its ability to follow through on the direction Bergman initiated. Also, the museum focused primarily from 2005 to 2013 on completing its $320 million expansion and renovation. That project includes two rooms in the museums East Wing devoted to modern and Contemporary Cleveland art. At times, the museum has also sprinkled works by local artists in the rest of the contemporary galleries. My view is that the museum needs to organize a sequel to the 1996 Transformations exhibition that would bring local art history up to the present. The museum could also organize a carefully curated local survey show, say, once every five or six years, so as not to pull attention from the new FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art, which is also making a point of including local work. Lee, for her part, was skeptical about resuming the May Show as it was, in part because it was largely run by white males. No matter what the year, whether there were 33 categories or six, whether the artist could enter 20 pieces or two, all agreed that those with the education, talent, and drive to determine quality, were largely male and overwhelmingly white,' she said. It was, culturally a closed-circuit conversation. She wasnt arguing that an all-Black jury today would be any less subject to limitations of class or racial perspective. Judgment is subjective, she said. But as a Black woman, she said, I cannot see in the mediated record that anyone who looks like me has been given the platform to address this show. What she wanted, was somehow to recapture the feeling that the show once created. Im seeing the passion exhibited in the [Zoom] chat and in the question and the individual examples of the benefits gained from either showing or going to that show,' she said. She suggested having a regular program in which artists could display their works inside the institution, within a gallery of their choice, in order to spark conversations. In such a context, shed want to ask an artist why did you select to have your work contextualized here? Such dialogues, she said, could show how contemporary art produced within the region expresses the present moment, but also has the power to change how works in the permanent collection are perceived. Its about how they [would] help us see that past completely differently.' Id like to see that happen on a regular basis rather than something trapped in the mire of imperial authority that museums have,' she said. Lee is certainly right that judgment is subjective and expresses the values of the person doing the judging. But in a world where time and space and attention are limited, even within one of Americas wealthiest art museums, choices have to be made. In part, thats why we go to museums. We want to see those choices, and to know who made them, and why. | https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/05/should-the-cleveland-museum-of-art-bring-back-the-may-show.html |
Will COVID-19 spell the end of cubicle farms and worker bees? | Open this photo in gallery Radhika Panjwani is a former journalist turned blogger in Toronto Handout This is the weekly Careers newsletter. If youre reading this on the web or someone forwarded this e-mail newsletter to you, you can sign up for Globe Careers and all Globe newsletters here. Radhika Panjwani is a former journalist from Toronto and a blogger. Voices urging business leaders to orchestrate bold and transformative changes in the post-pandemic workplace appear to have reached a crescendo just as vaccination efforts start picking up steam. Story continues below advertisement However, in the mostly harmonious chorus, an out-of-tune note from Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon recently caused some agitation among workers and management experts. Mr. Solomon ruffled more than few feathers when he rejected the idea of work-from-home as the new normal. Its [remote working] an aberration that that were going to correct as soon as possible, Mr. Solomon declared at a conference recently. Admittedly, the investment bankers statement was uttered in relation to some 3,000 new recruits who, he said, wouldnt get the direct mentorship they needed. He promptly ordered staff to return to work in-person in June. Companies presently hammering out a return-to-the-workplace policy would do well to learn from the fallout from Mr. Solomons remarks. For instance, Internal surveys show stress and burnout among Goldman Sachs employees is rampant. Employees said they are expected to work 100-hour-plus-weeks. Industry insiders, management experts and other business leaders remain critical of Goldman Sachs less-than-humane policies. Unfortunately, hes not alone. Last September, JP Morgans chief executive officer Jamie Dimon said working from home had a negative effect on productivity. Nothing could be further from the truth. Study after study has revealed productivity has soared during the pandemic. Case in point: JP Morgan reported some US$18-billion in revenue and US$7-billion in profits in the first quarter of 2021. The companys revenue exceeded analysts expectations. The attitude demonstrated by Change-resistant CEOs means they will ultimately lose out on attracting and retaining talent. The trauma and uncertainty of battling a pandemic forced many employees to recalibrate their priorities. Post-COVID, these workers, may be reluctant to undertake gruelling commutes or shoulder unreasonable workloads for an inflexible employer. Rebecca Paluch, an assistant professor at the Sauder School of Businesss Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Division at University of British Columbia, has studied the relationship between organizations and employees during changing employment trends. Contrary to popular belief, she says telecommuting has not eroded company culture or productivity. She does admit, however, that telecommuting for more than a few days will get in the way of fostering connections among employees. Ms. Paluch said remote workers may experience loneliness and isolation from a lack of personal interactions. Post-COVID, organizations will have to re-evaluate some of their human resources policies to set clear expectations for employees transitioning permanently into remote work, should they decide to go that route, she said. Story continues below advertisement I believe successful organizations will navigate these challenges by carefully incorporating employee feedback and considering the links between HR strategy and the overall business strategy, Ms. Paluch said. Remote working aside, planning for the eventual return of workers to the office must also include rearranging or redesigning of office space for physical distancing. Thankfully, this may mean the end of cubicle farms. Cramming people into tight spaces after beseeching them to respect physical distancing guidelines may not go down well with all those that witnessed the devastation caused by COVID-19. Best practices must also include the continuation of stringent cleaning protocols, upgrading air filters and filtration systems, and allocating and following occupancy maximums for inside the office as well as on elevators and common areas. Some companies are mulling split shifts or rotating in-office work weeks. Most will likely introduce a hybrid model, one that will allow employees to work one or two days from home. The Gensler Workplace Survey 2020 found that post-pandemic, most workers would prefer a hybrid model that allowed them to work from home and at the office. Theres no doubt COVID has disrupted the workplace. What remains to be seen is whether companies are willing to relinquish power and trust their employees or will they undo months of digital innovation to slip into old ways. Story continues below advertisement What Im reading around the web Your digital footprint might just be one of the reasons youre unemployed. Landing a job during a pandemic may require you to do a bit of work. And while youre at it, its probably time for you to not give in to your impulse to weigh in on every bit of chatter on social media accounts. More like the domino effect. Whether its an innocuous tweet or a monologue delivered during SNL , Elon Musk can singlehandedly throw the stock market into a frenzy. Hes at it again with bitcoin. As reported in CNN, days after Musk tweeted Tesla would not accept cryptocurrency, the price of bitcoin and other crypto have been in free-fall. , Elon Musk can singlehandedly throw the stock market into a frenzy. Hes at it again with bitcoin. As reported in CNN, days after Musk tweeted Tesla would not accept cryptocurrency, the price of bitcoin and other crypto have been in free-fall. Just ask Googles LaMDA. According to its makers at Google, LaMDA short for Language Model for Dialogue Applications can engage in an endless number of topics, smoothly. Expensify, a company in the expense report management business, is disrupting work culture by tossing out the book on old and tired practices of employee retention and engagement, Techcrunch reports. Not surprising, considering the companys CEO and Founder David Barrett was a former P2P (peer-to-peer) network hacker. More opinion from Globe Careers Forced COVID-19 lockdown measures made me face the fact that I was overworking myself Writer and recent graduate Karen K. Tran offers three tips for those looking to take a step back in the Globes Leadership Lab. Whether employers like it or not, employees will be returning to a different culture than the one they left pre-pandemic, Eileen Dooley writes. More from the section Effects of pandemic on mental health may mean big changes to the workplace, experts say Supporters argue that employers should create a workplace environment that destigmatizes mental health, demonstrates empathy and understanding, and offers a high degree of psychological safety. Ive been picking up the slack from my struggling parent co-worker, but Im burnt out. In this weeks NinetoFive advice column, a reader asks how she can support her colleague without having to sacrifice her mental health. The former managing director of a medical cannabis company is looking for his next role Clifford, 63, has been working in business management for more than 35 years. Despite applying to 25 jobs so far, hes had no luck, he tells Rsum Review. Avoid these decision-making myths Good decision-making is circular, requiring a feedback loop in which you gather information and analyze it as well as your own thinking. Story continues below advertisement Introverts, time to add some extrovert skills into your repetoire Adding a touch of extrovertism can make leaders appear more humane and thoughtful, some argue. Leadership Lab is a series where executives, experts and writers share their views and advice about the world of work. You can find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here. You can send us a note here. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/careers/article-will-covid-19-spell-the-end-of-cubicle-farms-and-worker-bees/ |
Why are we so uncharitable to those doing good deeds? | In 2014, the word humblebrag was added to the Oxford online dictionary, along with the following definition: An ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud. In the wild, humblebrags often present as false complaints (Ive lost so much weight I have nothing to wear! or So stressed: I applied for six jobs and got all of them!) or as a boast cloaked in humility (I cant believe my book became a bestseller!). Another kind of humblebrag is the one where we tell people what a wonderful person we are, without coming right out and saying it. For example, take a look at the following (genuine) tweet: I just did something very selfless. But more importantly it was genuine and I know it means a lot to the person in the long run. #SoWorthIt. If such a statement prompts a wry smirk, youre not alone. Brazenly announcing ones virtue typically invites scepticism rather than adulation. Even children as young as eight years old take such self-serving claims with a pinch of salt, attaching a higher moral value to individuals who perform good deeds in private rather than bragging about them in public. Experiments with adults find that the perception of someones generosity is downgraded when they broadcast their good deeds on websites such as Facebook. Oscar Wilde put it best with his assertion that the nicest feeling in the world is to do a good deed anonymously and have somebody find out. Quirks of our psychology can prompt a form of moral hypocrisy. We say we like people who do good things, but then we make fun of them or try to exclude them from the group There is an unscientific explanation for all of this, but which nevertheless makes it easy to understand: humans are intuitive bullshit detectors. We dont take actions at face value. Instead, we attempt to look under the bonnet to ascribe thoughts, emotions, beliefs and desires to the person performing the behaviour. The ability to manage our own reputation is built upon our unique potential to see the world from another persons perspective and to ask how they might update their beliefs about you in light of the behaviour they observe (or hear about from others). And we use these same cognitive skills to try to understand why other people behave as they do. Evidence that this relies on fairly sophisticated socio-cognitive abilities comes from studies of infants and toddlers. Children are not born with the ability to make inferences about the mental states of other individuals or to feel embarrassment or shame about their actions. Instead, the ability to take the perspective of another individual is something that emerges during development. Before the age of five (or thereabouts), children dont really know or care what other people think of them and dont attempt to curate their own reputation at all. It is only when they are around eight years old that children start to understand fully how their actions make them look and to interpret other peoples prosocial behaviour in terms of self-serving motives. Because we understand that good deeds can heap benefits on to the beneficent individual, we try to infer whether these acts were performed in pursuit of these benefits to their reputation or prestige (in which case we frequently withhold them). Because co-operators can take the moral high ground, they are sometimes treated with antipathy, even when the motives underlying their actions are not in question. For instance, consider the relentless ridicule, derogation and even sarcastic death threats that vegans get from meat-eaters. Answer: dont worry: theyll tell you it is highly unlikely that vegans opt for this diet on the basis of reputation concerns. Reducing meat consumption is morally worthy not just because it reduces animal suffering but also because cutting meat out of the diet is thought to be the single biggest lifestyle change that can help to reduce personal carbon emissions. Vegans might take heart in the knowledge that do-gooder derogation can also be elicited in highly abstract laboratory scenarios, regardless of what people do or dont eat. For instance, in a public goods game, where people could cooperate by contributing their money to a collective pot or defect by keeping their money for themselves, group members frequently reported disliking the person who contributed the most to the collective pot, adding that they would like to kick them out of the group if possible. When asked to explain this resentment, people said things such as No one else is doing what he does. He makes us all look bad and This would be OK if someone else in the group was being like this, but no one is so its wrong. When given the chance, some people take things one step further by paying to punish the most cooperative members of their group. This antisocial punishment was originally dismissed as an experimental anomaly, but is routinely observed (to varying degrees) in these kinds of experimental settings all around the world and is thought to be a tool that punishers use to elevate their own rank in the game, relative to others. With this in mind, things such as anonymous giving start to make more sense: a donation that far outshines that of everybody else on a fundraising page might draw the wrong kind of attention. In 2014, I ran a study using donations to online fundraising pages, where I found that the tendency to give anonymously was not distributed evenly among all of the donors. Instead, as you might expect, people were more likely to donate anonymously when they were making very small donations but also when they were making excessively large donations, relative to what others had already given on that page. The desire to avoid being perceived as a braggart can also deter people from telling others that theyve donated to charity, even though posting these donations to social media is known to generate an influx of donations from that donors social network. Back in 2010, the fundraising platform JustGiving had worked out that every Facebook like on a fundraising page shared to the platform was worth about 5 in additional donations. Inspired by these stats, the team tried to nudge donors into sharing their friends fundraising page on Facebook immediately after they had donated. But people seemed to find sharing their beneficence cringeworthy and were reluctant to pat themselves on the back in such a public forum. Fundraising organisations found the most effective message to get people to publicise donations on social media is: Help your friend raise even more money by sharing their page! Photograph: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images To try to encourage donors to share their donations on social media, the JustGiving team ran an experiment where they manipulated the message they showed to the donors. One of the least effective prompts was one inviting the donor to publicly congratulate themselves: Youre an amazing person. Share your donation! Think your friends might care about this too? was similarly fruitless. Help your friend raise even more money by sharing their page! This message works because it gives people the permission to advertise their good deed, while maintaining their own sense that they are doing it for the right reasons: to help a friend rather than to show off. This simple change in wording increased the tendency to share to Facebook by 28%, leading to an estimated 3m increase in charitable donations over a single year. So, virtuous behaviour is not a magic bullet to gaining prestige and status benefits. People frequently try to infer the motives underpinning good deeds and excessively generous acts can be perceived as competitive rather than altruistic. This tainted altruism effect can produce some highly suboptimal outcomes, particularly for people or companies that work in the for-profit, for-good sector. Take Pallotta TeamWorks, a fundraising company that described itself as being motivated by asking people to do the most they can do instead of the least. Established in 1982 by Dan Pallotta, the company pioneered an innovative approach to raising money for charitable causes. Rather than allowing fundraisers to raise any amount they could, Pallotta challenged people to complete multi-day events, such as the Breast Cancer three-day walk, and to commit to raising four-figure sums in doing so. Over the course of nine years, the approach netted a staggering $305m for the charities involved. However, there was a major PR problem: Pallotta TeamWorks was a for-profit company, not a charitable organisation itself. In 2002, as news of Pallottas six-figure salary and the sums of money the company was making started to emerge, the public outcry forced the charities to sever links with Pallotta TeamWorks and the company folded. Ironically, the charities also suffered vastly reduced revenues as a consequence. JustGiving has encountered similar ire from the public for being for-profit, despite helping charities to raise hundreds of millions of pounds for good causes. This is not intended to be a defence of companies such as Pallotta TeamWorks or JustGiving. I use these examples to illustrate how quirks of our psychology can prompt a form of moral hypocrisy. We say we like people who do good things, but then we make fun of them or try to exclude them from the group. We say we think it is good to raise money for charity or protect the environment, but we rail against companies that try to achieve these aims if they also derive a profit in doing so. Our difficulty in reconciling the fact that something can be both for profit and for good at the same time frequently prompts us to choose outcomes or people or companies that deliver no benefit whatsoever to good causes, rather than those that take a slice of the benefits they generate. The knowledge that our gut reactions to these kinds of scenarios can sometimes lead to objectively worse outcomes might prompt us to pause and evaluate our reactions to good deeds, before reflexively damning the morally superior individuals and organisations that benefit from investing in prosocial ventures. Bill and Melinda Gates have pledged to give away most of their wealth in their lifetimes. Photograph: Reuters Our ambivalence towards largesse is especially pronounced when it comes to the very wealthiest members of society the Richard Bransons, Warren Buffetts and Bill and Melinda Gateses of the world. There is no denying that these individuals are generous: all have signed up to the Giving Pledge, promising to give most of their wealth away during their lifetimes (indeed, Buffett and the Gates co-founded the initiative) and they are often admired for their altruism. But the motives underlying billionaire philanthropy are increasingly subject to scrutiny. For instance, multimillion-dollar donations are tinged with mistrust when individuals lobby against policies that would force them to redistribute their wealth through taxes instead. The Sackler family, which has funded some of the worlds most famous arts institutions and museums, has struggled to burnish its reputation through these lavish gestures because the wealth used to do so is seen as having been purchased at great societal cost. What it often seems to boil down to is authenticity. Part of the reason we pay attention to prosocial gestures is because they tell us something about the person or organisation that is performing them. Good deeds act as signals of an underlying prosocial disposition and a commitment to helping others, rather than exploiting them for your own gain. Those who send these signals without exhibiting these traits that talk the talk without walking the walk are the most likely to be judged negatively for their actions. In fact, one recent study found that individuals who loudly and visibly profess their morality are often held to higher standards and judged more negatively for any personal failings than those who simply keep their heads down. Folk wisdom has long held that no good deed goes unpunished. Our scientific understanding is now finally beginning to explain why. | https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/may/23/why-are-we-so-uncharitable-to-those-doing-good-deeds |
Will the current crop of COVID vaccines provide lifetime immunity? | In this episode, we discuss whether these current vaccines can provide lifetime immunity as emerging variants surface around the globe. Our guests are Dr. Otto O. Yang, associate chief in the Division of Infectious Diseases at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and Dr. Marc Hellerstein, a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at UC Berkeley and at the Department of Medicine at UC San Francisco. Second Opinion is produced by L.A. Times Studios in conjunction with the L.A. Times newsroom. This episode is hosted by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the executive chairman of the Los Angeles Times. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is a surgeon and scientist who has spent his career studying the human immune system in fighting cancer and infectious disease. Last year, Soon-Shiongs company, ImmunityBio, received permission from the Food and Drug Administration to begin Phase 1 trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. His company is also in Phase 1 trials in South Africa, where it will explore the potential of its T-cell vaccine to prevent infection from mutated strains of the coronavirus. | https://www.latimes.com/about/studios/f-av0v1bqws-123 |
When it comes to Black or white, is Canadas census even asking the right questions? | OTTAWAWhen Ashley Pleasant filled out the long-form version of Canadas census earlier this month, one question gave her pause. It asked respondents to select the population groups to which they belong, all of which, aside from white, are designated as visible minorities. People are free to tick off multiple boxes, or input another answer of their choosing. Pleasants mother is Black and her father is white. But checking off both the Black and white boxes didnt feel quite right. I am not a Black person plus a white person, the Hamilton resident told the Star. Im this new, emergent thing that I think should have ... language to identify it. Pleasants experience with the census comes as Canada is rethinking what types of race-based data it collects, and for what purposes. And it highlights the fact that this years census the governments most powerful tool for collecting that data might not be asking the questions that need to be answered as Canadas economy emerges from its pandemic shutdown, experts say. COVID-19 exposed the economic and health inequities facing racialized and Indigenous communities, prompting the federal government to invest in collecting better data on these issues. This years federal budget proposed $172 million over five years to implement a disaggregated data action plan to improve the countrys understanding of diverse populations. Millions more in funding is earmarked to bolster data collection efforts that would better inform Canadas justice system and the RCMP. But the preoccupation with diversity data in this country came as the 2021 census was already well underway. The questions that appeared on Canadians computer screens were crafted through an extensive consultation and testing process that began in 2017 and ended last summer. The short-form version of the census that 75 per cent of Canadians received excluded questions about visible minority or ethnic backgrounds. The remaining 25 per cent of respondents completed the long-form census, which posed questions about population groups, Indigenous identity and ethnic and cultural origin. We feel that 25 per cent should be sufficient to generalize the result to the total population, said Tina Chiu, Statistics Canadas director for diversity and socio-cultural statistics. Discussions did take place, Chiu told the Star, over whether to move some questions from the long version to the short version. In the end, ensuring Canadians were not overwhelmed by the response burden of a lengthy questionnaire won out. Dr. Kwame McKenzie, CEO of the Wellesley Institute and director of health equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, says including such questions in the version the majority of Canadians received would provide a clearer sense of the countrys diversity. If we collect that data on the short-form census, what we can also do is not only get a full and proper picture of the country, but it allows us to use that data for the whole country to try and understand other things that are going on, McKenzie said. The question that initially stumped Ashley Pleasant became part of the census in 1996. The purpose of asking people to identify with one or more of the 11 listed population groups is closely tied to the Employment Equity Act, which necessitated collecting information about visible minorities. Visible minorities are assigned to a mix of groups: some broad South Asian and Latin American, for example and others more precise, such as Filipino and Japanese. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Behind the scenes, Statistics Canadas advisory committee on immigration and ethnocultural statistics discussed the merits of the groupings, but never reached consensus on the issue. We have committee members who think that yes, its not perfect, but it is the best right now to collect that information. Some would debate about the term visible minority, Chiu said. But we have to respect the Employment Equity Act. Neither version of the census uses the word race because the term is complex and didnt test well, Chiu said. The decision to use imprecise wording is part of the problem, McKenzie said. The problem with the long-form census is its not clear what it wants to know. Its not clear that it wants to know about race, or whether it wants to know about culture or heritage. It wants to know a bit about everything and so people get confused. In one question, respondents are asked about the ethnic or cultural origins of their ancestors. The wording briefly puzzled Pleasant: ancestors was not defined, so she had to Google how many generations back she should be looking. Asking about peoples ancestors, that becomes fairly difficult fairly quickly, McKenzie said. If you go far back enough ... people say that Africa is the centre of civilization, so what do they mean? Chiu says the language that winds up in every census is carefully considered, adding that the ancestry question was left up to the respondents interpretation to give them more freedom in their answer. But that doesnt mean the agency isnt open to future changes. Our consultation continues, and leading to the 2026 census, well be testing more versions of the questions, Chiu said. For McKenzie, getting it right is critical. In the world at the moment, data is a particular currency, he said. If youre not seen in the data, you are invisible. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/2021/05/23/when-it-comes-to-black-or-white-is-canadas-census-even-asking-the-right-questions.html |
What can CU do to create a less divisive presidential search process? | From the University of Colorados rushed introduction of Mark Kennedy onward, controversy swirled around his selection as CUs president in 2019 and subsequent leadership of the four-campus, multibillion-dollar state university system. A presidential search process cloaked in secrecy led to the unveiling of Kennedy as the sole finalist, with the former Republican congressmans introduction clouded by opposition to his voting record and claims by one regent that he hadnt been sufficiently vetted. Infighting among members of the politically elected Board of Regents presaged nearly half of them rejecting the schools new leader in a party-line vote. Then, in the wake of Kennedys hiring, came a leaked list of candidates who hadnt made the cut, furor over a verbal gaffe and, ultimately, a first-of-its-kind censure vote by the Boulder campus faculty, citing the CU presidents lack of leadership around diversity issues. Now, Kennedys presidency during which he led the CU system through a pandemic and a revamp of its strategic plan will come to a premature end next month with a $1.3 million payout. The regents are expected to name an interim president soon and outline their search process for Kennedys successor. Higher education experts with experience in presidential searches say this transition presents an opportunity for CUs leaders to take their time, get it right and inspire unity with their selection. Where these things have gone best is when theres really as much consensus as you possibly can get, and thats a real challenge, said Aims McGuinness, a consultant with the Boulder-based National Center for Higher Education Management Systems who has worked with CUs regents for decades. What youre seeing happen around the country with university searches is rushed decisions that then lead to failed searches. Yet heading into that next presidential search, the partisan divide on the Board of Regents a nine-member body whose members are elected in staggered years rages on. Republican regents, who lost their board majority in January for the first time in nearly four decades, decried Kennedys negotiated departure as a Democratic power grab stemming from intolerance for conservatives on CUs campuses. Coloradans should take notice of what the Democrats do here today, Regent Chance Hill, R-Colorado Springs, said during Wednesdays vote to approve Kennedys parting agreement. We will lose our state and our country if voters continue to elect Democrats more interested in appeasing the woke mob than in doing what is right. As CU gears up for its second presidential search in the last three years, higher education management experts, constituents and people involved in past searches shared their thoughts on what the university can do to create a less divisive selection process that the CU community can get behind. Picking the right search firm Katherine Haley, a higher education search consultant and twice former university president, has executed 50 presidential searches. Its the search firms job to try to assure that all candidates are considered equally and not to allow one candidate or another to be pressed forward by a certain contingent of the board, Haley said. Former Regent Irene Griego, a Democrat who co-chaired with Republican Regent Heidi Ganahl the search committee that selected Kennedy, said the search process she was a part of should have worked in theory. However, when individuals manipulate a process or when consultants fail to do a thorough review of all the candidates, it creates a weak process, Griego said, without offering further elaboration on the Kennedy search process. Regent Nolbert Chavez, D-Lakewood, was the only regent to respond to an interview request from The Denver Post for this story. He said much remains up in the air about the upcoming search process. I dont even know what direction were headed, Chavez said. Ideally, we would be able to come up with either an interim or a permanent president that is bipartisan. An ideal candidate starts with an ideal search firm, McGuinness said. You need to select a search firm that has a reputation of pursuing searches consistent with the goals that are consistent with CU, McGuinness said, noting that in 2019 the University of California selected a woman- and minority-owned firm as that was consistent with the stated values of the schools presidential search. Thats different than just getting a search firm and having the search firm define the goals for you and the candidates that happen to appear suddenly youre picking among different agendas. Role of the search committee Former Republican Regent Steve Bosley, who chaired the committees that led to the selection of CU presidents Hank Brown and Bruce Benson, said casting a broad net for search committee participants, candidates and public input made those two searches successful. We broadcast the heck out of it, said Bosley, who personally recruited Benson for the job. According to the university, at the time Kennedy was touted as the sole finalist, search firm Wheless Partners had considered more than 100 candidates before presenting around 30 names to a search committee made up of the regent co-chairs, one faculty representative from each campus, a dean, a staff representative, a student, two alumni and four community representatives. That committee narrowed the list to 10 candidates, who were each interviewed, and forwarded six of them to the full Board of Regents, which interviewed all six before voting unanimously to make Kennedy the sole finalist. A comprehensive review of the process needs to be conducted to identify what went right and what went wrong before a new chair of the committee or a search committee is selected, Griego said. Reviewing the process takes time and should have been done after Mark Kennedy was selected president. Before Benson secured the vote in 2008, Bosley toured the state holding listening sessions with Coloradans about what theyd like to see in a university president. If we ask you, you know were interested in what you have to say, Bosley said. We took the time to listen. Shubhashika Singh, a 20-year-old CU Boulder sophomore, hopes to see a student of color on the search committee. We talk about prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion, but we need to ensure we have students who come from diverse backgrounds on that committee, Singh said. By engaging the university community, Haley said a search committee makes constituents feel buy-in for a new leader. The search needs to galvanize and bring everyone together behind a candidate rather than just announce, Heres your candidate, and this is the way its going to be,' Haley said. There is a danger to naming a sole finalist before the final decisions have been made because it makes some people feel the decision is pre-ordained But it is hard to involve everyone in a presidential search because, usually, the way you keep your candidates is to keep them confidential. If they think theyre going to be exposed, theyll drop out. They dont want to be one of three and lose it and be humiliated. Joanne Addison, CU Faculty Council chair and an English professor on the Denver campus served on the search committee that produced Kennedy. She wants the university to name more than a sole finalist for transparencys sake this time around. Theres a lot of talk that good people wont apply if they know more than one will be named, but thats not true, Addison said. Weve seen this happen at major universities all over where they name multiple finalists. Even the makeup of the search committee last time around ended up being very partisan. I hope that wont be the case this time around. It was clear a number of people were on there more because of their politics than any expertise they had in higher education. Bosley countered that confidentiality for the candidates tossing their hats into the ring was vital to collecting the best options during the searches he led. Allow a handful of university priorities to be the guide, McGuinness said. Search committee members have got to sustain attention on four or five major university priorities they all agree upon and know that those are the things that matter and focus on those, McGuinness said. McGuinness said the strategic plan Kennedy helped guide could present beneficial goalposts. As far as qualities to be watchful of, Haley said political candidates for university presidencies can be tricky. Ive seen political candidates be successful, but theres a high risk, Haley said. Ive seen a number of them be unsuccessful, as well. Theyre really public people. Everybody knows a lot about them. Frankly, a politician has been working in an entirely different world from higher education and a lot of the time political candidates dont understand how different that world is from the one theyre used to dealing in. Though Kennedy had a prior career in politics, he came to CU from the University of North Dakota, where he also served as president. Chavez said hes interested in someone who brings something to CU rather than CU bringing something to the candidate. Hank Brown, Bruce Benson, John Buechner they brought an air of respect and accomplishment and a reputation and they were easily able to succeed in the higher education environment, Chavez said. As opposed to a career academic, largely forgotten. I would like to see someone in the same category, along the same lines as those folks who have brought something to the table that allowed them to be skilled, that allowed them to be successful in the position beyond academics. McGuinness said it would be worthwhile for CUs regents to ask themselves some introspective questions. How can we frame this search in a way that is going to be consistent with the kinds of goals and priorities weve already set so we can move the university ahead? McGuinness said. Thats going to take time, but I think it will benefit them benefit the whole university. | https://www.denverpost.com/2021/05/23/university-of-colorado-presidential-search-process/ |
How Much Do Navy SEALs and Other Special Ops Make? | Shutterstock.com / Shutterstock.com Were all familiar with the commercials encouraging Americans to enlist in the military. Action-packed and provocative, these ads (even those that call out individual career types) tend to keep it simple, glossing over details about one very important factor: money. Support Small: Dont Miss Out on Nominating Your Favorite Small Business To Be Featured on GOBankingRates Ends May 31 When youre talking about base salary, the answer is not a whole lot at least, not when compared with many civilian careers. Even those in high-ranking special forces divisions arent sweeping in hundreds of thousands of bucks a year; in fact, theyre often earning much less. Money worries often plague military families, with nearly 9 in 10 active service members and 84% of military spouses worried about money, a National Foundation for Credit Counseling report found. To get a better idea of how military pay works, heres a look at special forces military careers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, respectively, considering the average salary and from there, breaking down how payment in the military generally works. Youll want to read on to see some of the perks and benefits that might make the lower pay worth it for you. Military Money: A Financial Checklist for Big Life Events The Army: Special Forces Engineer In the army, a special forces engineer sergeant specializes in construction and demolition. Theyre tasked with building infrastructure such as bridges and field barricades and executing demolition raids against enemy targets. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for this role is between $65,302 and $70,252. This is around what a boilermaker or a first-line supervisor of construction trades and extraction worker would make in the civilian world. This is on the high end for the special forces field. According to ZipRecruiter, the overall average salary for a professional in the armys special forces is $52,611. Story continues Read: How the Military Incentivizes Getting Married With Pay The Navy: Petty Officer Third Class (SEAL) Like the U.S. Army, the Navy SEALs are made up of a large number of military personnel. Pay is greatly dependent on years of service and the nature of ones contract. In 2018, an active and enlisted Petty Officer Third Class with under two years of service started at $2,089 a month. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a Navy SEAL is $53,450. This doesnt seem like much considering that these officers are the core of the United States Navy. The Air Force: Pararescueman Dating back to WWII, pararescuemen perform search-and-rescue operations, where they recover essentials (and possibly people) from downed aircraft. Sort of like flying EMTs, pararescuemen have paramedic certification. Given the demanding physical nature of the job, they also need to be incredibly fit. According to Simply Hired, pararescue salaries average $57,726 a year. Be Prepared: 5 Unique Financial Challenges Faced by Military Families The Marine Corps: Special Operations Capability Specialist (SOCS) An SOCS is one of the higher-ranking jobs in the Marine Corps, whose mission is to recruit, train and deploy marine forces as delegated by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). These professionals use complex strategies and implement sound-free tactics in unpredictable environments. These specialists are among a higher-earning class, but on average, a Marine Corps member makes $51,000 a year. There are a number of reasons. First, most people join the military for patriotic reasons, just as teachers teach because they enjoy helping others, said Dr. Monroe Mann, Ph.D., Esq., MBA, LLM, ME, director and coding projects manager at Break Diving and a Bronze Star nominated Iraq war vet. People join the military because of what it stands for, and it brings pride to oneself. Second, it comes down to supply and demand. There will always be someone else ready to take his/her place, so the salary does not need to be incredibly high. Find Out: Amazing Perks These 10 Companies Offer Employees Additionally and what cannot be overstated is the slew of expenses paid that come with a military job. Morgan Lerette, a former Blackwater worker and U.S. Army intelligence officer, gave GOBankingRates the following breakdown of military benefits and extra pay. Benefits Medical, dental, housing, food and vacation benefits are given on day one for both the service member and their families, Lerette said. 1. Vacation 30 days and all holidays, plus four-day weekends nearly every month 2. Housing costs depends on location or furnished by the military, increases when married and again with children 3. Medical zero cost, zero copay, zero deductible 4. Food is furnished or the service member is given a stipend. More: 20 Companies With the Happiest Employees Additional Pay Deployment, hazard, flight, jump, etc., Lerette said, These pay incentives are for special-trained service members. 1. Tax-free pay while deployed 2. Hardship duty pay $200/month 3. Hostile fire pay $225/month 4. Dive pay $300/month It all adds up, Lerette said. | https://news.yahoo.com/much-navy-seals-other-special-120040232.html |
Which Dolphins players could best fill Jakeem Grants returner role? | If the Miami Dolphins make the decision to part ways with one of their most accomplished returners in team history, the team will have a challenging decision ahead regarding which player is the right one to step into the void that Grant would leave behind. The Dolphins saw Grants role as a punt returner shine yet again this past season as Grant returned a punt for a touchdown against the Rams to mark his third consecutive season and the fourth time in five seasons that Grant ran at least one kick for a score throughout his NFL career. But Grant was tasked with taking on his biggest role as a receiver yet he took 370 offensive snaps last season (35%), a career high. And those snaps brought 54 targets on the season, also a career high. But those targets brought more opportunities for Grant to prove he could be a staple of the passing game and drops and misplayed targets were a continuous trend. And with over $4M in new cash due for the upcoming season, Grants cost may not be worth the production. If the Dolphins make that decision, theyll have plenty of options on who to step into the void. Here are three candidates to return kicks for Miami in 2021 if the team moves on from Grant: Oct 3, 2020; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) runs for a touchdown after catching a long pass from Alabama quarterback Mac Jones (10) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated A&M 52-24. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr/The Tuscaloosa News via USA TODAY Sports WR Jaylen Waddle Waddles punt return skills are undeniable he fielded 38 punts at Alabama over three seasons and averaged 19.3 yards per return with two touchdowns. His kickoff duties are lower in volume but still impressive: he returned 9 kickoffs and averaged 23.8 yards per return there with an additional score from the 2019 season. But would the Dolphins subject their No. Story continues The early signs point to yes. When asked what separated Jaylen Waddle from DeVonta Smith in Miamis decision to draft the former with the No. 6 overall pick, general manager Chris Grier pointed to two traits: Explosiveness Return ability At the end of the day, theyre both really good players and really good kids and very competitive. Just as we went through it, its the explosiveness that Waddle gives you as well as the return game, as Brian mentioned; and for us, just that dynamic trait and you can only imagine the texts Brian and I got from people talking about what a great pick and explosive and how this guy is you guys saw all the comparisons but for us, it was getting to know the kid and we were really, really happy and knowing how competitive and tough he is, said Grier. Theyre both really good players. Devonta is going to be a really good player in this league. For us, it was the explosive playmaking ability and the return ability for us that we really liked. But this wasnt just a Chris Grier vision. Brian Flores was asked about Waddles role with the team during that same Thursday night press conference and the role of returner once again came up. His role is going to be what he makes it. Based off of all the film weve seen, we think hell fit inside or outside. We think hell add a speed element. Obviously he has some value in the return game, said Flores. I think his versatility is a big part of this. His ability to play inside, play in the slot, play on the perimeter, play in the return game. Again, were very, very excited to have him. Navys Malcolm Perry runs the ball against Kansas State during the AutoZone Liberty Bowl at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2019. Navy went on to win 20-17 on a last second field goal. W 28798 RB/WR Malcolm Perry Perry returned 40 kickoffs in his college career at Navy, averaging 24.6 yards per return over the 2017 and 2018 seasons. As a late-round selection by the team in 2020, Perry would seemingly have a long-term role with the team but it isnt apparent whether or not hell get a big role as a receiver after the Dolphins infused a number of new talents into the position group this past offseason, including Waddle, Will Fuller and Robert Foster. It was reported this weekend that Perry is working on his punt return skills by the Miami Herald as well: Though he will focus primarily on playing slot receiver this offseason, Perry has the ability to line up at running back or as a Wildcat quarterback. He also is working on his punt return skills. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald Jevon-Holland-Oregon Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports SAF Jevon Holland The No. 36 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft returned 16 punts during his final season with the Ducks in 2019, logging an average of 15.3 yards per return. Hollands presumed role on defense may disqualify him from commanding this role at the NFL level but at the very least you know hes capable of fielding kicks if youre in a pinch. | https://sports.yahoo.com/dolphins-players-could-best-fill-124026999.html?src=rss |
What COVID-era travel changes are likely here to stay? | The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way the world works, eats, communicates and, yes, how it travels. Over the course of the last year, weve seen a myriad of changes in the travel industry, from in-flight meal service adjustments to the outright banning of travel to certain regions, and everything in between. Even as the vaccine rollout continues in the U.S. and around the world, the travel experience you knew in 2019 wont be the travel experience you encounter in 2021. As our travel writers survey the landscape of the travel world, heres what they think will stick and not go back to pre-pandemic normal. Sally: Workcations Workcations caught on during the pandemic due to the boom in remote work, and they likely wont go away. The premise is simple: Book accommodations for longer than usual, but still work eight hours in your (virtual) office. Instead of a long-weekend tropical beach trip, you spend two weeks there. You get to wake up to a sunny coastline. Rather than taking your dog on a mundane morning walk around the neighborhood, youre now strolling in a warm sun and ocean breeze. Plus, you have two full weekends of enjoying the beach and general out-of-the-house relaxing not to mention free evenings once you close your laptop for the day. And you wont even have to burn any vacation days. The rental house has Wi-Fi, so youll be able to videoconference and submit your digital assignments as usual. In many ways, it is: new scenery, the opportunity to try dozens of new restaurants, going through a larger percentage of your trip without jet lag. But its not necessarily all good. Too many vacation days already go unused. According to 2019 research from the U.S. Travel Association, Oxford Economics and Ipsos, though employees earned an average of 23.9 days of paid time off in 2018, more than a quarter (27.2%) of them went unused up from 25.9% in 2017. A year of remote work showed us how feasible a workcation can be, but as that trend likely sticks, potentially even more vacation days will go unused. While more days away from home could certainly be good, workcations can rob you of the benefits of fully unplugging, engaging and relaxing. It might be harder to enjoy the local delicacy on your breakfast plate if youre also thinking about the tasks on your work plate. Sam: Business travel decline Business travel has always been a kind of weird idea. The pandemic helped answer this question: Nope. Granted, some professions require in-person interaction, but the vast majority does not. And as organizations reassess their budgets in 2022 and beyond, they might very well ask themselves, Why were we spending so much on travel? Business travel will certainly bounce back somewhat from its midpandemic nadir, but it will never be the same. A lot, actually. Fewer business travelers mean less demand for popular air routes and downtown hotels. Hotels built to house a steady stream of business travelers may remain below capacity for years. Fewer business travelers also mean less competition for elite status and premium cabin upgrades. This shift could make it easier to snag these seats for leisure travelers with status or who book with points or miles. Of course, institutional inertia is strong, and business travel could come roaring back once vaccines are widely distributed. But I wouldnt bet on it. Elina: Airplane cleanliness standards Before the pandemic, disparaging comments about airplane hygiene were commonplace. Dont drink the tea or coffee on airplanes. Tray tables are the dirtiest part of the plane. And more. However, as a result of COVID-19, airlines have implemented stringent cleanliness standards on aircrafts to assuage passenger worries about flying during the pandemic. For example, United is providing hand sanitizer wipes to customers, along with requiring all crew and passengers over age 2 to wear a mask. The airline is disinfecting high-touch areas (like tray tables and armrests) more frequently to ensure cleaning standards meet or exceed guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its also using HEPA filters during the flight, among other efforts in cleanliness. Delta is using antimicrobial lighting, electrostatic spraying and setting up hand sanitizer stations, in addition to many of the same processes as United. Although masks may become voluntary once the pandemic is more under control, the stringent hygiene standards that airlines have adopted are likely here to stay. It seems like now more than ever, these companies need to be known for maintaining the highest level of sanitation and safety on board. The bottom line A lot has changed, and well likely see more changes to the travel industry as 2021 progresses. Vaccine passports, the need for booster shots or other alterations remain a distinct possibility. If you want to be a savvy traveler during the COVID-19 era, be flexible, patient and most importantly safe. More From NerdWallet Elina Geller writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @elina_geller. Sally French writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @SAFmedia. Sam Kemmis writes for NerdWallet. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @samsambutdif. originally appeared on NerdWallet. | https://www.cleveland.com/news/2021/05/what-covid-era-travel-changes-are-likely-here-to-stay.html |
What Are the Florida Gators Getting in Transfer CB Jadarrius Perkins? | The Florida Gators landed an intriguing defensive back from Missouri via the transfer portal. Jadarrius Perkins out of Hattiesburgh (Ms.) Photo Credit: University of Florida Athletics Association Entering the offseason, the Florida Gators set out to rebuild its entire secondary, not only the personnel side with its players but the coaching staff too. On Saturday, the team made another effort to add to its arsenal of players by way of landing Missouri transfer cornerback Jadarrius Perkins, who is part of the 2021 recruiting class. Coming out of high school, Perkins originally committed to the Southen Miss Golden Eagles before decommitting from the program just prior to Early Signing Day in 2018. He would instead take his talents to junior college, enrolling at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, the same junior college that Florida linebacker Diwun Black attended. Perkins had no shortlist of offers following his two seasons at the junior college level, and his size at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds and athleticism with a 4.42 40-yard dash time, which shows off his speed that matches plenty at the top level of the sport. With Perkins, the Gators get yet another long cornerback to go with its roster full of them. Currently slated to start this season at Florida are cornerbacks Kaiir Elam and Jaydon Hill who are 6-foot-2 and 6-foot, respectively. The Gators also recruited one of the top cornerbacks in the nation this year out of Miami Palmetto, Jason Marshall Jr., who stands at 6-foot, 191 pounds. Hes just a bigger body, bigger shoulders, bigger legs, MGCCC coach Jack Wright told The Dispatch in May of last year. Hes the type of corner now that all the big time programs want, because at some point theyre going to try a big athlete out there and try to get you one-on-one, man (coverage) and hes the type with his body type that really can match up with that. Having the ability to match up with any receiver on the gridiron is not a trait many cornerbacks possess. Typically, they'll be tasked with choosing a side, and if the matchup is too much to handle, there will be some help. Perkins has the ability to match up against a bigger receiver, or a quick receiver without the need for much assistance. Perkins' ability to play in the slot will assist him due to the versatility that the position requires. The Gators play with the STAR position on defense, essentially a hybrid safety/nickel defensive back position. In two years at MGCC, Perkins totaled 21 solo tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, an interception and five pass breakups. Perkins would first be offered by Florida on May 30 of last season, he since received plenty of more offers, including from Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, LSU, Florida State, Oregon and others. After mulling those offers, Perkins opted to attend Missouri and eventually entered the transfer portal shortly following spring on April 29. Earlier this year the NCAA officially ratified the use of a one-time immediate transfer for all athletes. That means, Perkins ought to be able to play this season for Florida, able to participate in all activities during the fall season. In all, the Gators are getting a fast and physical corner who already has plenty of experience at least at some level of the collegiate game. While he shouldn't be expected to enter the season as the team's primary cornerback, don't be surprised to see Perkins play some sort of credible role with the Gators in the near future. | https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/florida-gators-transfer-jadarrius-perkins-scouting-report |
Will DT Shy Tuttle Become a Major Contributor in the New Orleans Saints Defense in 2021? | Undrafted defensive tackle Shy Tuttle has been a key contributor for the New Orleans defense over the last two seasons. The New Orleans Saints had the NFL's deepest crew of defensive tackles in 2020. Their interior depth allowed the defensive line to stay fresh late in games and gave them a decided advantage up front. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) is tackled by New Orleans defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (99). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY In the offseason, New Orleans' defensive front took a hit when they lost defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to the Jets in free agency. Later, the team traded run-stuffer Malcom Brown because of salary cap issues. New Orleans has star defensive tackle David Onyemata returning but didn't add another interior defender in free agency or the draft outside of promising undrafted rookie DT Lorenzo Neal, Jr. The New Orleans Saints have been extremely fortunate the last three seasons by finding undrafted rookie contributors at the defensive tackle position. Without Rankins and Brown, the Saints will count on one of those finds for significant production in 2021. SHY TUTTLE, DEFENSIVE TACKLE New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (99) tackles Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook -USA TODAY Shy Tuttle, 25, joined New Orleans as an undrafted rookie from Tennessee in 2019. He was superstar running back Alvin Kamara's college teammate for two seasons in Knoxville. He quickly carved out a spot in the rotation as a rookie and made an immediate impact. Don't miss out on any Saints news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our FREE newsletter and get breaking Saints news delivered to your inbox! In his first season with the Saints, Tuttle appeared in every game and recorded two sacks, six pressures, and four tackles for loss among his 21 total stops while playing in 32% of the defensive snaps. Tuttle also supplied one of the biggest highlights of the 2019 season when he made an acrobatic interception of a Matt Ryan pass during a 26-18 Thanksgiving victory. Better yet was how the big man stiff-armed and plowed over the Falcons signal-caller during his interception return. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) throws an interception to New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (99). Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports Tuttle had a quieter sophomore campaign in 2020 but was still a key part of a menacing interior rotation. Despite being inactive for three games, he still played in 31% of the defensive snaps. He didn't register a sack on the season but recorded three pressures while gathering a career-high 31 tackles, including 3 for loss. Tuttle's run defense has improved in each of his first two years. New Orleans will rely on his maturation with the absence of elite run-stopper Brown in the middle. Tuttle has a robust build at 6-3 and 300 pounds. He is a handful for any interior lineman at the point of attack. He has a quick first step at the snap, effective hand movement as a pass rusher, and exhibits good mobility in pursuit. David Onyemata is one of the Saints' best defensive players and a potential Pro Bowler. He will be even more effective with a continuous rotation of solid depth around him. Shy Tuttle has the inside track to get the starting nod alongside Onyemata inside. San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) is pressured by Saints defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (99). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports Tuttle will have plenty of one-on-one opportunities with Onyemata, DE Cameron Jordan, and the other defensive line talents garnering attention. How Tuttle performs in those assignments will go a long way in determining how successful the New Orleans defense is in 2021. Follow Bob Rose on Facebook or on Twitter @bobbyr2613. Subscribe to our Saints News Newsletter: https://news.snts.us/saintsnewletter Subscribe to the New Orleans Saints YT Channel: https://news.snts.us/saintsnewsyoutube For more Saints News: https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/ or https://www.saints.media Like us on Facebook: https://news.snts.us/saintsnews-fb Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/saintsnews | https://www.si.com/nfl/saints/editorial-opinion/shy-tuttle-saints-breakout-player-2021 |
How Many Texans Trade Offers For QB Deshaun Watson? Zero? | Watson still wants out, but cannot get out - and may not be able to even get on the field in 2021, ultimately, pending the NFL's views on his legal entanglements. Deshaun Watson has had his trade talks with the Houston Texans. But the Houston Texans have technically not had their trade talks with any NFL teams. That's the word from NFL reporter John McClain, speaking on 94 WIP this week, saying, They have not had conversations with anybody.'' Something about this hints as a bit of a semantics. TexansDaily.com is aware of the Philadelphia Eagles, for one, being in frequent contact with Texans officials regarding the availability of the star QB, who requested a trade early this offseason. Of course, that request/demand occurred before the assortment of sexual assault charges against Watson were made public. (But not before he was aware of them, it seems.) It is also clear, as McClain notes, that "at least eight or nine teams said they were interested and they told (the Texans) they would get back to them after free agency. The plan was to start the negotiations around April 1 and see who was serious. There were going to be a lot of teams who would be serious. Then, they would make the best possible deal before the draft. And then, of course ... came the allegations. It is a matter of debate as to whether the Texans were victims of the timing or whether they victimized themselves, again because the allegations against Watson were already (privately) in play when they were insisting they refused to entertain offers and were rejecting any inquiries regarding the superstar quarterback. As time went on - time including the NFL Draft at the end of April - many of the eight-or-so potential bidders filled their desires for new QBs with trades or the draft ... while the Texans were forced to wait out the process, as remains the case. The timing, and the decision, both of which kept the Texans from being able to engineer a "treasure-chest'' trade that would've delivered to Houston an assortment of premium picks, represents a major setback for the organization now led by new GM Nick Caserio and new head coach David Culley. Watson still wants out, but cannot get out - and may not be able to even get on the field in 2021, ultimately, pending the NFL's views on his legal entanglements. Houston is now willing to part with him, but cannot do so at even a fraction of the price other teams would've once paid. All of this is why we think it is worth reiterating that it is important to note that while Watson believes the Texans did not deal honestly with him in their front-office search, the lack of honesty regarding the coming accusations was and is just as problematic. | https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/houston-texans-nfl-trade-qb-deshaun-watson-zero |
Will the NFL place Deshaun Watson on paid leave? | Many league insiders and observers have assumed that, given the sheer volume of civil cases pending against Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, the NFL eventually will place him on paid leave pending the resolution of 22 lawsuits. Given that the litigation schedule ensures that Watson wont be questioned under oath until after the next Super Bowl, Watson and his legal team have kept the door open on Watson playing this season, even if the cases arent settled. Although Commissioner Roger Goodell has broad discretion in matters of this nature (a tactful way of saying that the league can do whatever it wants in any given case), the language of the Paid Leave section of the Personal Conduct Policy becomes relevant. Here it is: A player may be placed on paid administrative leave pursuant to the Commissioner Exempt List under either of the following circumstances: First, when a player is formally charged with: (1) a felony offense; or (2) a crime of violence, meaning that he is accused of having used physical force or a weapon to injure or threaten a person or animal, of having engaged in a sexual assault by force or against a person who was incapable of giving consent, or having engaged in other conduct that poses a genuine danger to the safety or well-being of another person. The formal charges may be in the form of an indictment by a grand jury, the filing of charges by a prosecutor, or an arraignment in a criminal court. Second, when an investigation leads the Commissioner to believe that a player may have violated this Policy by committing any of the conduct identified above, he may act where the circumstances and evidence warrant doing so. This decision will not reflect a finding of guilt or innocence and will not be guided by the same legal standards and considerations that would apply in a criminal trial. Third, in cases in which a violation relating to a crime of violence is alleged but further investigation is required, the Commissioner may place a player on the Commissioner Exempt List on a limited and temporary basis to permit the league to conduct a preliminary investigation. Based on the results of this investigation, the player may be returned to duty, be placed on the Commissioner Exempt List for a longer period or be subject to discipline. Story continues The first paragraph wont become relevant unless and until criminal charges are filed against Watson. A criminal investigation has been launched, but no decision has been made. If he isnt charged or indicted before the regular season starts, Goodell will need another basis for placing Watson on paid leave. The third paragraph applies where accusations arise at a time when theres no realistic opportunity to investigate the situation before the player once again takes the field. In this case, the league will have had months for conducting a preliminary investigation aimed at deciding whether Watson should be allowed to play or placed on paid leave. For Watson, the second paragraph becomes the most important. It allows placement on paid leave if an investigation causes Goodell to believe that Watson may have violated the Personal Conduct Policy by engaging in a felony offense, a crime of violence, or a sexual assault by force. May have violated is broad, malleable, expansive. The allegations alone would justify a conclusion that Watson may have committed the things hes accused of doing. Even with only two of the 22 lawsuits accusing Watson of sexual misconduct by force, if Goodell concludes that Watson may have engaged in that behavior, thats enough to put him on paid leave. So, yes, the policy gives Goodell broad discretion. A tactful way of saying the league can do whatever it wants. What it ultimately decides to do inevitably will be influenced by P.R. considerations. The entire Personal Conduct Policy flows from P.R. considerations. The NFL remains one of the only employers in the nation that would take any type of action against employees accused of misconduct that has not yet been proven. Innocent until proven guilty. It applies in a court of law. It doesnt apply in the Court of the Commissioner, in part because the NFL continues to insist that paid leave doesnt constitute punishment. Of course it does. Football players want to play football. Even if they get their game checks, preventing them from playing punishes them. Unless Watson settles the 22 cases and the criminal investigation closes with no charges being filed, the possibility of non-punishment punishment in the form of paid leave continues to hover over Watson. Ultimately, Goodells broad discretion will be applied to these facts. In other words, at some point before the regular season begins, the league will do whatever it wants. And one of the biggest factors will be the leagues assessment of how fans, media, and Twitter will react to whatever the NFL does or doesnt do. So heres how it likely will go. Barring a dramatic change in the pending civil cases or criminal investigation, Watson wont be traded. Hell show up for training camp with the Texans. Then, the league either will or wont direct him to go home at full pay until further notice, and possibly until each of the 22 lawsuits are resolved. originally appeared on Pro Football Talk | https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-place-deshaun-watson-paid-145243906.html?src=rss |
What's actually the best material for baseball and cricket bats? | This is an Inside Science story. The crack of a bat as it strikes a ball is the sound of summer in both the United States and the United Kingdom, albeit from a different sport in each -- baseball in one, cricket in the other. The sound itself is also subtly different in each country because the two sports use different woods in their differently shaped bats. The reasons for this are mostly to do with history and tradition (you'd be hard-pressed to find two sports more wrapped up in their traditions than these ones), but there are solid performance-related reasons as well. Baseball bats have gone through a few changes over the years. In the early days of the sport, the bats tended to be much heavier than they are today and were made out of dense woods like hickory. Over the course of the 20th century, however, ash became the dominant wood for bats, because it offers a good balance of weight, swing speed and durability, said Lloyd Smith, a mechanical engineer at Washington State University. The most important variable in a batter's swing, particularly when it comes to hitting home runs, is the speed of the swing, which players can improve by either getting stronger or using a lighter bat. A heavier bat is better for hitting the ball a long distance because it generates more kinetic energy than a lighter one does, but that comes at the expense of control -- it may be easier to make contact with a lighter bat since the player can swing it more easily. In a game where even the best hitters still miss two-thirds of the time, the ability to hit the ball at all is just as important as the ability to hit it far. The density of ash wood makes for bats that are heavy enough to have some power, but light enough to swing with good speed and control. Over the past couple of decades many players have rushed to embrace maple, after Barry Bonds used bats made of maple to set his single season home run record of 73 in 2001 (Smith suggests that the performance-enhancing drugs probably had a bigger influence than the bat material, but professional athletes tend to be a superstitious bunch when it comes to equipment). Now, around half of all players use maple bats, up from a tiny fraction in the 1990s. Although maple wood is denser than ash on average, and that would seem to make maple bats slightly stiffer and stronger, most bats made from maple still tend to end up about the same density as their ash counterparts. "I tend to say pick whatever species of tree you want, just get the right density," said Smith. Although players have been rushing to embrace maple bats because they believe they perform better than ash, Smith's tests have actually found that ash actually has slighter higher performance metrics. "It could be that their psychology is more important than the small differences between woods," he said. "It's always interesting to see the intersection of superstition and science." Although baseball bats have undergone a slow evolution over the past century, cricket bats have remained largely unchanged for 200 years. The flat, paddle-shaped blade is made of a single piece of willow -- preferably from trees grown in the English counites of Essex or Suffolk -- while the handle is made of cane. Willow is stiff and shock-resistant and also lightweight, which is important for the much wider bats used in cricket. Equally important, said Ben Tinkler-Davies, a materials scientist at Cambridge University, is that the bat needs to look aesthetically good, and make a satisfying sound when it strikes the leather ball. Because willow is a fairly soft wood, bats made out of willow must be "knocked in" before they are used. This means tapping its surface with a ball or special mallet for several hours to crush down the top layer of the wood, to make it harder and more durable. Tinkler-Davies and his colleagues, however, believe that cricket bats are due for a rethink. They have designed a prototype bat made out of laminated bamboo, which they say is more environmentally friendly and cheaper and offers better performance, and described the results in the Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. Willow trees take about 15 years to mature to the point where they can be harvested for bats, and around 20% of the wood ends up being unsuitable and thrown away. Bamboo, in contrast, only takes about five years to grow and is more consistent so less is discarded. It also grows well in places like India, where many bats are manufactured. Currently, lots of willow harvested in England is shipped to India to be turned into bats that are then shipped back to England. Bamboo is also stiffer, denser and heavier than willow -- the prototype bat was about 40% heavier than a willow one of the same dimensions -- so bamboo bats could be thinner, making them easier and faster to swing. The "sweet spot" on the blade was also larger than on a traditional willow bat. But knowing how much cricket fans and players love the meaty thwack of leather on willow, Tinkler-Davies also tested the sound the bamboo bat made and found it was the same frequency as a willow one. "Bamboo bats would be more eco-friendly, perform better and you don't lose the satisfying sound," said Tinkler-Davies. "The only difference is the aesthetics." So far, the bamboo bat idea has received mixed reactions from the cricket community. The Marylebone Cricket Club in London, which is guardian of the game's laws, says for now the bats are illegal -- the laws state that bats must be made out of wood, and bamboo is technically a grass. The potentially greater power of the bamboo bats is also a concern, as it could unbalance the game in favor of the batters. But the club also says the sustainability angle is important and plans to discuss the topic at its next Laws sub-committee meeting. After 200 years, one of the most traditional of sports could be ripe for a revolution, just like its American cousin. Inside Science is an editorially independent nonprofit print, electronic and video journalism news service owned and operated by the American Institute of Physics. | https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/best-material-baseball-cricket-bats/story?id=77847430 |
Who Is The Killer In HBOs Mare Of Easttown? | Mare of Easttown HBO Like many others, I have been keeping up with HBOs Mare of Easttown on Sunday nights, which has its penultimate episode tonight, not the series finale, which is what I was originally assuming. There are actually seven episodes in this season, not six. So we may not find out who the killer is tonight, but we can at least narrow it down. And we have already apprehended one criminal and found the answer to one of the shows core mysteries, who abducted those other girls. Mare of Easttown has set up a lot of potential suspects, and I thought Id go through them all before we learn anything else tonight. Crossed off the list is Evan Peters Detective Collin Zabel, who was shockingly killed at the end of last weeks episode. The Abductor This guy is justsome guy. He has abducted at least three girls and kept them imprisoned, abusing them, and now hes in custody. Two of the girls we know were on the same escort site as the third girl, Erin, though the way she was killed and dumped does not fit his MO at all. The Pedophile Priest We heard his explanation last week that he had Erins bike because she came to see him the night she died, and he dumped it because he knew how guilty he looked because of his past accusation. This was kind of a traditional murder show red herring and I dont think theyre going to go for this angle at all. Mares Ex-Husband Speaking of red herrings, the show set up this one early, implying he was Erins babys father when he had literally just bought her baby supplies because she needed help. Also this was literally the answer to the murder mystery in Broadchurch, the detectives husband, so I dont think they would pull that. Mare of Easttown HBO Erins Ex-Boyfriend He was the chief suspect from day one with clear motive, ie. he was tired of Erins demands and asks for money, but we learned this week that he was missing the night she died (which I think gives his girlfriend an alibi, as of that scene), so hes still under suspicion. But given that he didnt know he was the babys father until after she died, I dont think so. The Weird Quiet Guy Whos Always Hanging Around I dont actually know who this guy is, but you know who Im talking about, the guy with the beard and hat who is not the husband cheating on his wife. But its the one who said that Erin stayed with him for a few months previously, and Mare is trying to connect the dots that maybe he is the babys true father if they had a relationship. Id say theres a 90% chance he may indeed be the father, but that wouldnt necessarily make him the murderer. But hes a prime suspect at the moment. ), and I am placing him high on the suspect list despite a current lack of motive or connection to Erin. I am still trying to figure out why Erins friend, boyfriend and his friend wanted to raid her house and destroy what was written in diaries. Im not sure if thats directly related to her murder, and not something else they didnt want to get out, but it seems important all the same. And of course, we could get a totally out of nowhere answer to the question of who the murderer is, the missing girls mom, that one 10 year old boy, who knows. The show has two episodes to draw more connections between characters that we may not know exist yet, which it has already done many times with others. And no, theres no original book you can look up to cheat, this time. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to my free weekly content round-up newsletter, God Rolls. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series, and The Earthborn Trilogy, which is also on audiobook. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2021/05/23/who-is-the-killer-in-hbos-mare-of-easttown/ |
Will Tim Tebow make the 53-man roster in Jacksonville? | Now that tight end Tim Tebow has gained a spot on Jacksonvilles 90-man roster a week before Memorial Day, the next question becomes whether, as of Labor Day, hell land on the 53-man roster. As one team source recently characterized it, theres less than a 50-percent chance of that happening. Those odds are still a lot better than theyd be for the usual last man in. The Jaguars currently have five other tight ends on the team. The more likely scenario (unless Tebow decides on his own to step away) would be that the Jaguars release Tebow and then re-sign him to the practice squad. Given that every team can call up two practice-squad players every week to the game-day roster, Tebow could still end up in uniform and, potentially, on the field. That likely would consist of playing special teams, with something more substantial than personal protector for the punter. Kickoff team, kick return unit, punt return, etc. However it plays out, the same man who ultimately deemed Tebow worthy of a roster spot will be the one who ultimately decides Tebows fate come September. At some point, Tebow will have to demonstrate some degree of objective football competence. If every pass route he runs ends with the ball ricocheting off his helmet, even the most ardent Tebowmaniacs eventually will cease their suspension of disbelief. Thats when Tebow would be given a chance to retire from football, and then possibly to join the team in some non-playing capacity. If Tebow can do just enough to pass the eyeball test, thats when the bobbleheads and other baubles bearing Tebows name will be for sale and when Tebow will become an official member of the team, even if its just on the practice squad from Monday through Saturday. And in uniform on Sunday. originally appeared on Pro Football Talk | https://sports.yahoo.com/tim-tebow-53-man-roster-155930462.html?src=rss |
Will changes to how law in England and Wales treats rape bring justice to survivors? | The failure of the criminal justice system in England and Wales to survivors of rape is nothing new for at least five years womens groups, lawyers, charities and victims have said with increasing urgency that the system is broken. Prosecutions have plummeted 71% from 5,190 in 2016-17 to 1,490 in the year to December 2020. Convictions have more than halved and 1,917 fewer rapists were convicted in the year to December 2020 than in 2016-17. Over the past several years, the Guardian has spoken to dozens of rape complainants who described their cases being suddenly dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), of digital strip searches by police, of not being able to access counselling because of long delays in getting a charge or to trial. The number of rape victims dropping out of investigations has increased over the past five years from 25% to 43% in 2020. In 2018, the Guardian revealed that the CPS held training roadshows where prosecutors were advised to take the weak cases out of the system in order to boost the conviction rate. The Guardian exposed the extent to which complainants were required to give access to highly personal records and data, and revealed that young men were less likely to be convicted of rape. With outrage growing, the government announced it would carry out a root and branch review of the treatment of rape and sexual violence in the criminal justice system. Originally planned to be completed in spring 2020, the review lengthened as it gathered more evidence, coronavirus swept the world and a legal case brought by the Centre for Womens Justice and End Violence Against Women (Evaw) accusing the CPS of changing its charging policy played out. Crowdfunded with donations from victims who did not see their case reach court, after an appeal, the case was dismissed in March 2020. In the face of criticism during the last two years, the CPS revamped its training, while also pointing the finger at police for poor investigations and low referrals. However, police officers complained that the bar for getting a charge had been raised. Leaks suggest that the reviews recommendations will include measures to better support survivors and stem the attrition rate; campaigners will also be looking for real measures or targets to maintain focus and drive change. However, groups such as Rape Crisis and others have voiced concerns that the review will not be radical enough, accusing it of not meaningfully engaging with survivors. No little individual measures are going to affect the change that is needed here, said Katie Russell, of Rape Crisis England and Wales. Its a radical overhaul thats needed. Evaws director, Andrea Simon, said the public mood and awareness of failings had shifted. It has been an incredibly long journey, but its time to see real improvement and real political will to see this through, she said. It is not going to be enough to say there is an ambition to do better. Rape has always been an underreported crime and the vast majority of rape complainants never see their cases brought to court. For the hundreds of thousands of victims who will survive rape in years to come, it is imperative that it does. | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/23/will-changes-to-how-law-in-england-and-wales-treats-rape-bring-justice-to-survivors |
Is Brian Burns Considering a Number Change? | The stud defensive end could be sporting a new look in 2021. Earlier this week, Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore made it official by switching from No. 12 to No. 2. Since Moore made it official, a couple of other Panthers have hinted at a new jersey number including running back Christian McCaffrey and now, Brian Burns. Defensive end Brian Burns posted a photoshopped picture on his Instagram story of him in a No. 9 Panthers jersey. Could this mean he is considering a switch out of his current No. Burns wore No. 99 during his college days at Florida State. Photo via Brian Burns' Instagram: @brianburns99 The NFL eased up on jersey number restrictions this offseason by allowing players to choose from a wider range of numbers. The expanded jerseys will allow running backs, tight ends, fullbacks, H-backs, and wide receivers to wear numbers 1-49 and 80-89; defensive backs can choose from 1-49; linebackers 1-59 and 90-99; offensive linemen 50-79; and defensive linemen 50-79 and 90-99. QBs, kickers, and punters will remain in 1-19 You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter: Facebook - @PanthersOnSI Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_. | https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/gm-report/is-brian-burns-considering-a-number-change |
Are religious people more moral? | A study we conducted, led by psychologist Will Gervais, found widespread and extreme moral prejudice against atheists around the world. Across all continents, people assumed that those who committed immoral acts, even extreme ones such as serial murder, were more likely to be atheists. Although this was the first demonstration of such bias at a global scale, its existence is hardly surprising. Survey data show that Americans are less trusting of atheists than of any other social group. For most politicians, going to church is often the best way to garner votes, and coming out as an unbeliever could well be political suicide. After all, there are no open atheists in the U.S. Congress. The only known religiously unaffiliated representative describes herself as none, but still denies being an atheist. It is true that the worlds major religions are concerned with moral behavior. Many, therefore, might assume that religious commitment is a sign of virtue, or even that morality cannot exist without religion. Both of these assumptions, however, are problematic. For one thing, the ethical ideals of one religion might seem immoral to members of another. For instance, in the 19th century, Mormons considered polygamy a moral imperative, while Catholics saw it as a mortal sin. Moreover, religious ideals of moral behavior are often limited to group members and might even be accompanied by outright hatred against other groups. In 1543, for example, Martin Luther, one of the fathers of Protestantism, published a treatise titled On the Jews and their Lies, echoing anti-Semitic sentiments that have been common among various religious groups for centuries. These examples also reveal that religious morality can and does change with the ebb and flow of the surrounding culture. In recent years, several Anglican churches have revised their moral views to allow contraception, the ordination of women and the blessing of same-sex unions. Story continues Discrepancy between beliefs and behavior In any case, religiosity is only loosely related to theology. That is, the beliefs and behaviors of religious people are not always in accordance with official religious doctrines. Instead, popular religiosity tends to be much more practical and intuitive. This is what religious studies scholars call theological incorrectness. Dimitris Xygalatas , CC BY Buddhism, for example, may officially be a religion without gods, but most Buddhists still treat Buddha as a deity. Similarly, the Catholic Church vehemently opposes birth control, but the vast majority of Catholics practice it anyway. In fact, theological incorrectness is the norm rather than the exception among believers. For this reason, sociologist Mark Chaves called the idea that people behave in accordance with religious beliefs and commandments the religious congruence fallacy. This discrepancy among beliefs, attitudes and behaviors is a much broader phenomenon. After all, communism is an egalitarian ideology, but communists do not behave any less selfishly. Social scientific research on the topic offers some intriguing results. When researchers ask people to report on their own behaviors and attitudes, religious individuals claim to be more altruistic, compassionate, honest, civic and charitable than nonreligious ones. Even among twins, more religious siblings describe themselves are being more generous. But when we look at actual behavior, these differences are nowhere to be found. Researchers have now looked at multiple aspects of moral conduct, from charitable giving and cheating in exams to helping strangers in need and cooperating with anonymous others. In a classical experiment known as the Good Samaritan Study, researchers monitored who would stop to help an injured person lying in an alley. They found that religiosity played no role in helping behavior, even when participants were on their way to deliver a talk on the parable of the good Samaritan. This finding has now been confirmed in numerous laboratory and field studies. Overall, the results are clear: No matter how we define morality, religious people do not behave more morally than atheists, although they often say (and likely believe) that they do. When and where religion has an impact On the other hand, religious reminders do have a documented effect on moral behavior. Studies conducted among American Christians, for example, have found that participants donated more money to charity and even watched less porn on Sundays. However, they compensated on both accounts during the rest of the week. As a result, there were no differences between religious and nonreligious participants on average. Dimitris Xygalatas , CC BY Likewise, a study conducted in Morocco found that whenever the Islamic call to prayer was publicly audible, locals contributed more money to charity. However, these effects were short-lived: Donations increased only within a few minutes of each call, and then dropped again. Numerous other studies have yielded similar results. In my own work, I found that people became more generous and cooperative when they found themselves in a place of worship. Interestingly, ones degree of religiosity does not seem to have a major effect in these experiments. In other words, the positive effects of religion depend on the situation, not the disposition. Religion and rule of law Not all beliefs are created equal, though. A recent cross-cultural study showed that those who see their gods as moralizing and punishing are more impartial and cheat less in economic transactions. In other words, if people believe that their gods always know what they are up to and are willing to punish transgressors, they will tend to behave better, and expect that others will too. Such a belief in an external source of justice, however, is not unique to religion. Trust in the rule of law, in the form of an efficient state, a fair judicial system or a reliable police force, is also a predictor of moral behavior. And indeed, when the rule of law is strong, religious belief declines, and so does distrust against atheists. The co-evolution of God and society Scientific evidence suggests that humans and even our primate cousins have innate moral predispositions, which are often expressed in religious philosophies. That is, religion is a reflection rather than the cause of these predispositions. But the reason religion has been so successful in the course of human history is precisely its ability to capitalize on those moral intuitions. The historical record shows that supernatural beings have not always been associated with morality. Ancient Greek gods were not interested in peoples ethical conduct. Much like the various local deities worshiped among many modern hunter-gatherers, they cared about receiving rites and offerings but not about whether people lied to one another or cheated on their spouses. According to psychologist Ara Norenzayan, belief in morally invested gods developed as a solution to the problem of large-scale cooperation. Early societies were small enough that their members could rely on peoples reputations to decide whom to associate with. But once our ancestors turned to permanent settlements and group size increased, everyday interactions were increasingly taking place between strangers. Religion provided an answer by introducing beliefs about all-knowing, all-powerful gods who punish moral transgressions. As human societies grew larger, so did the occurrence of such beliefs. And in the absence of efficient secular institutions, the fear of God was crucial for establishing and maintaining social order. In those societies, a sincere belief in a punishing supernatural watcher was the best guarantee of moral behavior, providing a public signal of compliance with social norms. Today we have other ways of policing morality, but this evolutionary heritage is still with us. Although statistics show that atheists commit fewer crimes than average, the widespread prejudice against them, as highlighted by our study, reflects intuitions that have been forged through centuries and might be hard to overcome. [ Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversations newsletter and get a digest of academic takes on todays news, every day. ] This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Read more: Dimitris Xygalatas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. | https://news.yahoo.com/religious-people-more-moral-170716231.html |
Is It Possible To Have A Nuanced Discussion About The Energy Transition? | Climate change is no longer a fiery apocalypse that we expect to happen in the far-off future. Rising sea levels, wild-fires, heatwaves, and extreme weather events are already wreaking havoc everywhere even as we speak and could cost the global economy a staggering $1 trillion dollars over the next five years in crumbling infrastructure, reduced crop yields, health problems, and lost labor as per the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Climate change is real, and its effects are clearly devastating: Since January 2019, we have recorded no less than three dozen extreme weather events across the globe, exacerbated by climate change. Each event caused more than $1 billion in damage, with nearly 10 causing more than $10 billion in damages. According to NASA, the earth's average surface temperature in 2020 tied with 2016 for the hottest years on record, making the last seven years the seven hottest on record. There's little doubt that large-scale use of fossil fuels tops the list of factors contributing to climate change. Why is the concentrated energy provided by fossil fuels proving so hard to replace?" Unfortunately, any discussion about the energy transition usually pits oil vs. renewables and quickly degenerates into another predictable polarization story. On one side of the discussion are Republicans like Texas Governor Greg Abbot and former President Trump who more often than not tend to blame environmentalists and renewable energy for the constant barrage of blackouts and extreme weather events. In the midst of the infamous Texas freeze that left tens of millions of residents without power or heat, Abbott appeared on Fox News on Tuesday to bash the Green New Deal. "This shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal for the United States of America," Abbott told host Sean Hannity. "Our wind and our solar got shut down--and they were collectively more than 10 percent of our power grid." Story continues Last year, former President Trump blasted California's forest management, telling the state government, "You gotta clean your floors", and blaming the state's rolling blackouts on too much wind and solar. Related Video: Iraq Eyes Exxon Stake and New OPEC Status Then, of course, there are climate deniers like Michael Shellenberger, author of the controversial book Apocalypse Never, who recently apologized on behalf of environmentalists for the "climate scare we created over the last 30 years." On the opposite side of the spectrum are Democrats who have been calling out fossil fuel emissions, including some like VP Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders, who have called for an immediate ban on fracking. It's an old story, and one that will probably continue for many years to come. The renewables conundrum Source: Brooking.edu Yet, environmentalists who call for an abrupt end to fossil fuels and a sudden adoption of renewable energy fail to recognize the obvious illogic of this. It is not possible in this particular reality to simply ditch fossil fuels for renewable energy. That's why it's called an energy "transition"--a word that seems to elude the masses and the mass media despite its glaring simplicity. Alas, "transitions" don't sell headlines. Absolutes do. In sum, the story of energy transitions through history has been a constant move toward fuels that are more energy-dense and convenient to use than the fuels they replaced. Fossil fuels are simply more energy dense than other energy sources. At 53.1 MJ/kg, natural gas boasts the highest energy density of any fossil fuel, followed by gasoline at 45.8MJ/kg and coal at 30.2MJ/kg. Lithium-ion batteries--one of the most effective ways to store renewable energy--can only afford an energy density of 0.504MJ/kg. Greater energy density means that a smaller weight or volume of fuel is needed to do the job. Liquid fuels made from oil combine energy density with the ability to flow or be moved by pumps, an advantage that opened up new technologies, especially in transportation. And electricity is, of course, a very flexible way of consuming energy and useful for many diverse applications. As Brookings, a nonprofit public policy organization, contributor Samantha Gross notes: "The energy density of fossil fuels is particularly important in the transportation sector. A vehicle needs to carry its fuel around as it travels, so the weight and volume of that fuel are key. Electric vehicles are a much-touted solution for replacing oil, but they are not perfect for all uses. Pound for pound, gasoline or diesel fuel contain about 40 times as much energy as a state-of-the-art battery. On the other hand, electric motors are much more efficient than internal combustion engines and electric vehicles are simpler mechanically, with many fewer moving parts. These advantages make up for some of the battery's weight penalty, but an electric vehicle will still be heavier than a similar vehicle running on fossil fuel. For vehicles that carry light loads and can refuel often, like passenger cars, this penalty isn't a big deal. But for aviation, maritime shipping, or long-haul trucking, where the vehicle must carry heavy loads for long distances without refueling, the difference in energy density between fossil fuels and batteries is a huge challenge, and electric vehicles just don't meet the need." Heavy industrial processes that need very high heat, such as the production of steel, cement, and glass, pose another challenge. Biofuels can help overcome this, but they, too, come with their own set of challenges. They use arable land needed for food production, needing large areas to generate just a small amount of fuel, and won't typically cut greenhouse gas emissions without technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS). Another pathway can be converting renewable energy into combustible fuels such as hydrogen or ammonia. Unfortunately, it could be a decade or more before green hydrogen can compete with gasoline or natural gas on a cost basis. As S&P notes, the green hydrogen production costs need to fall by over 50% to $2.0-$2.5/kg by 2030 to make hydrogen competitive with conventional fuels. S&P, however, says blue hydrogen (steam reforming of fossil fuels plus CCS) could help achieve this goal sooner. In other words, some major sectors of our economy could take decades to fully electrify. Weak Power Grids Our old and decrepit energy grids might be the weakest link in the energy transition. Modern renewable energy systems are mostly designed with current weather patterns in mind, meaning they could be totally ill-equipped to meet our ever-growing power demands as our climate continues to evolve. Scientists at Lausanne, Switzerland-based EPFL have built up a stochastic-robust optimization simulation method that tries to replicate both standard varieties and extreme weather events and published their findings in Nature.com. The scientists have examined the effect of weather extremes and variations on both the energy demand and the resilience of our energy supply systems--and it's not good news. "We observed that current energy systems are designed in a way that makes them highly susceptible to extreme weather events such as storms and heatwaves. We also found that climate variability will result in significant fluctuations in renewable power being fed into grids as well as energy demand. This will make it difficult to match energy demand and renewable power generation. Dealing with the effects of climate change is going to prove harder than we previously thought." According to Dasun Perera, a scientist at EPFL's Solar Energy and Building Physics Laboratory (LESO-PB), everybody appears to be focusing on how our existing energy systems are negatively affecting our climate while paying little or no attention to the reverse: How changing weather systems are impacting our energy systems and grids. The researchers subjected 30 cities throughout Swedenincluding at northerly and more southerly latitudesto the stress tests and applied 13 climate change scenarios. They discovered that future climate variations and uncertainties in renewable energy potential and demand could lead to significant performance gaps that would manifest as deteriorating power supply reliability. Indeed, the scientists say that under extreme weather conditions, hourly demand for heating and cooling across Sweden's current residential housing stock could be 50% to 400% higher than the historical 20-year average. In other words, our energy systems could fall woefully short as far as meeting our energy demands goes if we continue designing them according to our historical weather and climate data. Biden's $2 trillion, 10-year infrastructure plan is a good start, but it would take at least $7 trillion to upgrade the national grid. Biden has set a goal of making the U.S. carbon neutral by 2050, which will require steeper emissions cuts than the country has ever achieved. Durable climate policy requires securing buy-in from a range of actors, including politicians from both parties, business leaders, and civil society. But as the New York Times posed last year, that depends on "whether any climate policy is both big enough to matter and popular enough to happen." By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Read this article on OilPrice.com | https://news.yahoo.com/possible-nuanced-discussion-energy-transition-190000620.html |
Will Dominic Cummings herd immunity evidence produce a smoking gun? | Dominic Cummings tweeted that herd immunity wasnt a secret strategy - Tolga Akmen/AFP On March 13 last year, 10 days before the first Covid lockdown, Sir Patrick Vallance went on the Radio 4 Today programme to explain the government strategy. It was, he said, "to try and reduce the peak, broaden the peak, not to suppress it completely. Also because most people, the vast majority of people, get a mild illness, to build up some degree of herd immunity as well so that more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission. "At the same time we protect those who are most vulnerable from it those are the key things we need to do." The day before, Boris Johnson had used another turn of phrase. Referring to a graph showing how cases would quickly peak and overwhelm the NHS without action, he said: "We've got to squash that sombrero." Until that point, officials had held out the faintest of hopes that Britain could "contain" the pandemic. Now they were saying all that could be done was to "delay" the peak of the crisis, with hopes that it could be pushed into the summer with the curve flattened so the number of cases could be reduced. Within all that, one phrase keeps returning to haunt ministers and health officials "herd immunity", and whether policies were deliberately aiming to achieve it or merely to avoid the risks inherent in a strategy of total suppression. In furious tweets over the weekend, Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister's former senior adviser, accused Number 10 of lying in saying herd immunity had never been part of its Covid strategy. The "shocking truth" was that herd immunity was the Government's plan until less than a fortnight before the first lockdown, he tweeted on Saturday. "V foolish, & appalling ethics, to lie about it. The right line wd have been what PM knows is true: our original plan was wrong & we changed when we realised," he wrote. On Sunday, he accused those who reported his outbursts of "losing their minds". Story continues "Herd immunity wasn't 'a secret strategy', it was THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC EXPLAINED ON TV/RADIO STRATEGY!" he tweeted. The tweets, ahead of Mr Cummings' appearance at the science and technology committee on Wednesday, say "herd immunity by September" was "literally the official plan in all documents/graphs/meetings until it was ditched". Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings, his former chief adviser, who appears before MPs this week - Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP Mr Cummings was certainly heavily involved in these meetings as chief adviser Mr Johnson. If the messages being communicated were confused, what he does not acknowledge is his own responsibility for government communications at the time. He has already promised to hand over "the only copy of a crucial historical document from Covid decision-making" to MPs for their inquiry on Wednesday. Mr Cummings has been scathing about a number of disastrous decisions taken by the Government he advised and any future public inquiry may be at least as unforgiving. Given his recent role within that Government, and the tendency of his outbursts to produce more heat than light, those waiting for more Westminster drama on Wednesday may wonder whether his evidence amounts to a smoking gun. | https://news.yahoo.com/dominic-cummings-herd-immunity-evidence-152701677.html |
Which States Have the Lowest Gas Prices Right Now? | The Daily Beast REUTERSMOSCOWAlexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian president of Belarus, has ordered arrests of key opponents for decades. But even after a brutal and bloody crackdown on opposition protests last year, his decision on Sunday to force an airliner to land so a prominent activist and reporter could be arrested appalled his domestic critics and European leaders alike.A Belarusian MIG-29 military jet forced a Ryanair passenger plane heading from Athens to Vilnius to land in Minsk airport, where police arrested one of the passengers, a skinny young man. A bomb alert was the official reason for diverting the plane, but nobody in Belarusian opposition had doubts about the real reason behind the special operation: the arrest passenger of 26-year old activist and journalist, Roman Protasevich, the founder of a popular NEXTA Telegram channel read by more than four million people.Months of extreme pressure on Belarusian journalists intensified last week with raids on the office of a well-known news website Tut.by, violent interrogations, and the arrests of eight other editors and journalists in Minsk. Authorities are accusing Protasevich of organizing the opposition rallies in 2020, as well as of inciting social enmity. Protasevich is facing up to 12 years in prison but his colleagues are worried about his life.Abduction of the Woman Leading the Belarus Revolution Is Classic KGB Terror PloyThe journalists close friend, human rights defender Ayona Maslyukova, broke into tears when she heard the news of the arrest in the airport. They are going to torture him, beat him I have seen many victims with bruised legs and lower backs, some were raped in jail, Maslyukova told The Daily Beast, sobbing.Maslyukova and her colleagues at the Minsk based human right center Vesna have been monitoring thousands of arrests and human rights violations since the opposition riots erupted in Belarus last August. But the arrest of Protasevich broke her heart. I have known him as the most professional, honest and devoted reporter since 2014. Now he might face many years in prison or even a death penalty, which is just terror. The world should pay attention to this horror, Maslyukova added.Before his flight, Protasevich had noticed a strange passenger with a leather case next to him in line at the passport control in the airport in Athens on Sunday morning. The stranger tried to photograph Protasevichs passport then turned around and left. The journalist described what happened in his Belarus Golovnogo Mozga blog, the second largest Telegram channel in the country.The fact that the military dictator Lukashenko ordered to land a Ryanair passenger plane with the help of Belarusian air forces is one more evidence of Belarus is violating international law, putting lives of passengers at risk, a Belarusian diplomat Pavel Latushko told Protasevichs colleagues at the blog.Belarus Riots After Dictator Clings to Power in ElectionDmitry Solovyev, a human rights defender at Vesna, says that currently there are 405 political prisoners in Belarus. Solovyev has tried to leave the country, after police severely beat him in his apartment, damaging his spine in March. Several officers of special services turned me back in the airport, I was not able to catch my flight to Poland, where I was planning to have a medical treatment, Solovyev told The Daily Beast. I hope they will not torture Roman.Leaders of Greece, France, Poland and Baltic countries expressed anger at Lukashenkos actions on Sunday. British politician Tom Tugendhat said that forcing an aircraft to land to silence opposition voices is an attack on democracy. The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda, demanded on Twitter that Protasevich be freed: Unprecedented event! Regime is behind the abhorrent action.In a statement, Ryanair said the flight landed after being "notified of a potential security threat" and that "(n)othing untoward was found and authorities cleared the aircraft to depart with passengers and crew." The statement made no mention of Protasevich, the passenger who remained behind when the aircraft departed.Belarus opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhonovskaya, demanded the immediate release of the journalist: He faces the death penalty in Belarus. Lukashenkos regime endangered the lives of passengers onboard the plane. From now on, no one flying over Belarus can be secure.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. | https://news.yahoo.com/states-lowest-gas-prices-now-210038830.html |
Who is Chargers best-kept secret in 2021? | The Telegraph Proposals for a golf Super League are seemingly unravelling with some of the top targets primed to announce they will not be signing up to the breakaway circuit. Telegraph Sport revealed earlier this month that players such as world No 1 Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Rose were being offered up to $50m up front to agree to a multi-year deal with Super Golf League, the Saudi-backed enterprise. The PGA Tour reacted to what it perceived as an existential threat by declaring that any rebels would face a lifetime ban. The European Tour quickly backed their US counterparts and here at the US PGA Championship earlier this week, Seth Waugh, the chief executive of the body that jointly runs the Ryder Cup, confirmed that they would be ineligible from the Ryder Cup, as well as this major. It is understood that the Masters would also bang the gates shut on any exiles. In light of all this, it was obviously a tense meeting when the player agents met with the Saudi negotiators in the vicinity here on Tuesday. Sources say they could not deliver the assurances that many in the room were seeking and it became clear that with the Tours willing to play hardball to protect their products it would end up in a legal fight. That could take years to go through the courts and the pros and their teams realised it would be a big gamble that could result in them being cast into the wilderness until a definitive verdict came through, an insider said. Especially with the public kickback, it could be PR suicide. With the issue dominating the conversation in the golf world, the PGA Tour is understandably keen for the named superstars to come out and state their intentions to remain with the status quo. Johnsons agent, David Winkle, would not comment when asked by Telegraph Sport on Saturday to confirm or deny that the world No 1 would soon be expressing his decision to stick with the Tour, while Roses agent, Mark Steinberg, had not replied to a similar query at time of publication. Phil Mickelson has also been in the sights - with the joint halfway leader here apparently primed as the front man. Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson and Rickie Fowler were the others who showed an interest in the advances of the Saudis, who signalled that they meant business by buying a multi-million dollar house in Jupiter, Florida where so many of the games elite reside. Yet even if, as expected, the players issue their scripted withdrawals next week, the Saudis will not walk away. They will simply try another route to the top table. They have been in talks with the Asian Tour for the past month and with a huge sponsorship deal of up to $65 million per annum they could effectively take control of the male games third biggest circuit. They could do the same with the Sunshine Tour in Africa, the Australasian Tour, the Korean Tour and the Japan Tour. This would give the Saudis credibility and from there they could challenge the establishment from a less radical standpoint. This might be the end of the chapter, but perhaps not the whole story. | https://sports.yahoo.com/chargers-best-kept-secret-2021-205531222.html?src=rss |
Can Najee Harris duplicate ball security with the Steelers? | The Guardian The pairs split has been the subject of fevered press scrutiny and claims of Bills links to Jeffrey Epstein has fed the frenzy Bill and Melinda Gates in 2018. The couple were not able to avoid the fate of many of the mega-rich who divorce. Photograph: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Robin Hood The announcement that Bill and Melinda Gates were to divorce was amicable enough, suggesting a smooth split between the famous couple who turned a billion-dollar software fortune into a driving force for global philanthropy. After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates tweeted on 3 May. We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. While French Gates divorce petition, filed in King county, Washington superior court, said this marriage is irretrievably broken , it also indicated that potential points of contention had already been worked out. The document revealed they had inked a separation contract. French Gates asked the court to divide their assets according to this agreement and said that spousal support is not needed. French Gates did not request a name change. But the couple were not able to avoid the fate of many of the mega-rich who divorce and their marriage became the subject of feverish press scrutiny. Within a few days rival news publications swapped scoops about Gatess allegedly boorish behavior, including stories on his purported ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Wall Street Journal reported Microsoft executives determined that Gates needed to step down from its board in 2020 while they conducted an investigation into an affair that he had with a female employee. This romantic relationship was deemed inappropriate. Gates stepped down from his position as a director on the board before its investigation concluded and before other members could issue a formal decision on this relationship, reported the newspaper. There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably, a spokesperson for Gates commented, saying his decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter. There were at least several occasions when Gates pursued women who worked for him at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the New York Times claimed, citing people with direct knowledge of his overtures. French Gates had also voiced discomfort that Gates was spending time with Epstein whom he reportedly met in early 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor, reports claimed. A month after Epstein killed himself in jail in August 2019, the Wall Street Journal published an interview with Gates where he said: I didnt have any business relationship or friendship with him. But the Times reported in October 2019 that Gates met with Epstein on numerous occasions. His lifestyle is very different and kind of intriguing, although it would not work for me, Gates allegedly said in an email to colleagues after he first met Epstein. French Gates was unhappy when Gates and Epsteins relationship hit the news cycle, the newspaper said. The Journal reported that French Gates held a number of calls when the Times article ran. The Times explained that French Gates began consulting with matrimonial attorneys and advisers who would aid the couple in splitting their assets. The Daily Beast reported on 16 May that Epstein provided Gates advice on ending his marriage after the tech titan complained about Melinda during a series of meetings. Gates allegedly said that his marriage was toxic in conversation with Epstein, a topic both men found humorous, per the Daily Beast report. Less sensational details on the couples travails also emerged. The New York Post, quoting a source, reported Bill did talk to his close friends on the golf course. He told them a while back that the marriage was loveless, that it had been over for some time and they were living separate lives. A source told the New York Times that anyone observing French Gates body language at some public events, such as philanthropic functions, could tell that she was unhappy. A media representative for Gates said in an email: Claims that Gates had any personal conversations with Epstein in these meetings, which were about philanthropy, is simply not true. It is false to say Gates sought or received marital advice or advice of any kind from Epstein, the email stated. It is false to say he complained about his marriage or Melinda to Epstein, let alone to anyone else. They also said, It is false to say that going to Epsteins was a respite from his marriage. They said that its false to say there was ever any discussion of Epstein getting involved with the Gates Foundation. A foundation spokesperson commented the foundation never had any financial dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. Neither French Gates attorneys, nor the press contact provided for her, responded to requests for comment. Although sensational claims have emerged, observers shouldnt assume that this will impact their separation contract for their split, divorce experts say. No matter what the drama is thats now evolving or erupting in the media or anywhere else, and even by rumor mill, the agreement is basically going to be the agreement, said Bonnie Rabin, a veteran divorce attorney in New York City. They did what most uber-wealthy people do. Theyve been dealing with this for a number of months, theyve made their agreement, theyve submitted it to the court. Its basically a done deal. Nancy Chemtob, a longtime matrimonial attorney in New York City, said that given the amount of money involved and the length of their marriage, it stands to reason that its likely a 50-50 case in terms of splitting up assets. But its unclear how, exactly, the divorce will affect their foundation. Nor is that a small issue. The Gates Foundation has become a global force in philanthropy, especially in the areas of fighting disease. But it also tackles poverty and inequality with many projects all around the globe. The foundation has provided financial support for some of the Guardians global development coverage. A media representative said in an email that the pair will remain co-chairs and trustees at the foundation. No changes to their roles or the organization are planned, the statement said. They will continue to work together to shape and approve foundation strategies, advocate for the foundations issues, and set the organizations overall direction. Fundamentally, its a separate entity from their personal money or their wealth, so its not as if the foundation is going to be divided up in the divorce, said Thad Calabrese, an associate professor of financial management at NYU Wagner. The entity of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will continue to exist the money thats there is there, and they cant remove it. However, it is possible that the divorce might affect their future contributions to the foundation, or start to focus on different areas of interest, Calabrese said. Even though Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing with Epstein, its always possible that reports of alleged ties could impact the foundation. Theres alway a concern, and not just for foundations but in the larger non-profit sector, that the appearance of impropriety can sometimes be just as bad as actual impropriety itself, Calabrese said. So the concern that this could scare away future donors from the foundation, or the foundation having a diminished role because of that, is a real possibility. | https://sports.yahoo.com/najee-harris-duplicate-ball-security-220307432.html?src=rss |
How Special Can Rookie QB Davis Mills be for Texans? | Davis Mills could be the biggest surprise in Houston Texans history. That, or a complete bust HOUSTON -- He's yet to take a snap during a practice that matters, but Davis Mills will be the most talked about Houston Texans player this offseason. That's what happens when selected with a team's first pick despite having a top-five quarterback on the roster. And while he's not a first-round gunslinger, Mills will be treated under the microscope in similar fashion. Did Nick Caserio make a mistake when on the clock. Expect all that and more until the season's end. Heck, some skeptics will say that well past the 2021 campaign even if Mills shows promise during his rookie season. Deshaun Watson was expected to be the first franchise quarterback since the team's arrival in Houston back in 2002. Despite signing a four-year extension in September worth $156 million, he demanded a trade this offseason. It was expected that Watson would be elsewhere following the NFL Draft last April before lawsuits came pouring in. He now is facing 22 civil cases of sexual misconduct and sexual assault that could keep him out of the NFL for this year. Enter Mills, the quarterback from Stanford with plenty of upside, but much unknown overall. Houston added Tyrod Taylor and Jeff Driskel in free agency and traded for Ryan Finley. Taylor, who has starting experience working with Culley, likely is viewed as the bridge option. Mills was drafted not to hold a clipboard, but rather be the name that could be the starter for years to come. Culley is sold that all the intangibles are there in Mills' game. It now comes down to deliver when the lights are on and the cameras are rolling. Hes a prototype NFL quarterback, Culley said following Texans' rookie camp. Hes smart. He can make all the throws, and we feel fortunate that we were able to get him when we got him. The lack of film on Mills only is partially on his own merit. A knee injury from high school cost him a chance to start during his freshman season. An abbreviated Pac-12 season due to COVID-19 knocked out several starts that could have solidified him as the consensus QB6 for 2021. Mills only started 11 games in the past two seasons. When the Pac-12 season did begin, he went 4-1 as a starter, winning his final four games in Palo Alto. During that span, the Georgia native also threw for 1,181 yards and six touchdowns against three interceptions all of which came in the season finale against UCLA. As for "prototypical passing" Mills averaged a rating of 151.8 during the four-game winning streak. He also averaged a completion rating of 70.7 percent in the same span. Obviously, he didnt play as much football as some of the other guys because of the COVID situation in the Pac-12, but we really love what hes all about, Culley said. History won't play in Mills' favor due to draft selection. Since 2000, only three quarterbacks selected in the third round have earned a Pro Bowl nod. Matt Schaub needed to be sign with the Texans to become a standout while Nick Foles flourished in doses with the Philadelphia Eagles. For full-fledged careers, Russell Wilson is the only superstar drafted in Round 3. Mills' final season of college leads to doubts from the outside, but not from those close to him. Stanford coach David Shaw knows the upside the 6-foot-4 gunslinger can bring to an offense. According to the Cardinal coach, Mills would be in the running for the No. 1 pick of 2022 should he have stayed another season. The job of Mills becoming a franchise star relies on the shoulders of pass-game coordinator Pep Hamilton. As Shaw's former offensive coordinator, he already knows what style of player Mills can be at the next level. READ MORE: DeAndre Hopkins Among Former Texans Visiting Houston He also knows how to get the best out of a young quarterback. Hamilton helped Andrew Luck prepare for the NFL before joining forces with him in Indianapolis. Last season, he was instrumental in the success of Justin Herbert with the Chargers. Herbert reset the rookie record in passing touchdowns on his way to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He had weapons such as Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Hunter Henry. The hope is that rookie wide receiver Nico Collins and tight end Brevin Jordan can be similar role players. If you go back and look at all the guys hes coached through his career, you can see the one thing we love about having Pep here all of those guys he coached, whether they were young or had been in the league, all got better, Culley said of Hamilton. Houston cannot rush to get Mills in the starting lineup. It's why adding a name like Driskel as a secondary option might be essential for camp. The confidence of a young quarterback could dictate the career early. It also could destroy any progress in a matter of moments. Mills has the backing support of his new team. He also has the seal of approval from one of the more respected coaches in NFL circles from the collegiate game. Time now will tell if anything will come of the No. 67 pick. Fundamentals can keep a starter under center for quite some time. If all goes as plans, Mills' decision-making and accuracy will not just win him the starting job, but also win over the fanbase for years to come. CONTINUE READING: New Texans LB Pierre-Louis Readies For Next 'Blessing' | https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/special-rookie-qb-davis-mills-houston-texans |
Should the Celtics bank on Robert Williams in 2021 NBA offseason? | originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Look, we know there will soon be plenty of time to debate all of the tough offseason decisions ahead for the Boston Celtics, so forgive us for jumping on the accelerator a bit here. But after Robert Williams nearly swatted his way to a Game 1 triple-double while playing on maybe nine healthy toes, all we can think about is the future. Even at something far less than 100 percent, Williams hobbled his way to 11 points, 9 rebounds, and a Celtics playoff-record 9 blocks in a mere 22 minutes, 40 seconds of floor time in Saturdays loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Its not a coincidence that Bostons best defensive effort maybe of the entire season came with Williams swatting anything he could get his fingertips near. Kyrie Irving praised Timelords timing, this after an emphatic first-quarter block on an Irving layup attempt in transition ignited the block party. Bruce Brown is going to have nightmares about Williams appearing out of thin air to swat his shots around the basket. Williams blocked Nic Claxton twice on a single shot attempt at one point. But it was the sight of Williams stonewalling a James Harden drive attempt in isolation then swatting the Beards step-back 3-pointer that really drove home how impactful Williams can be, defensively. Nets players in Game 1 finished 1-of-13 shooting (7.7%) with the nine rejections and two turnovers, per the NBAs player-tracking data. Bostons defensive rating was a stellar 93.2 with Williams on the court and he swatted 64 percent of the team-high 14 shots he contested overall. Weve been screaming it all season (well, three seasons, really, but well save that victory lap for another day): The Celtics are simply a different team with Robert Williams on the floor. And Boston must decide soon if they want to ensure his presence in green deep into the future. Story continues Williams, the 27th pick in the 2018 draft, will be extension eligible this summer. Hes set to earn $3.7 million in the 2021-22 season and the Celtics can tender a $5.4 million qualifying offer in the summer of 2022 to make him a restricted free agent. There will be obvious reasons for hesitation from the Celtics: Williams has played in only 113 of a possible 236 regular-season games during his pro career. Hes been injury prone, including missing extended time with hip ailments the past two seasons. But even as Bostons payroll starts to bloat with Jayson Tatums rookie extension set to kick in next season, the Celtics should ponder the obvious benefits of locking up a 23-year-old big man who might only be scratching the surface of his potential. Tipping in favor of an extension, Williams brings out the best in Bostons core including Tatum, who said earlier this year that Williams might be his favorite guy to play alongside. Williams agent should consider bringing Tatum to his first offseason chat with Ainge as leverage. Williams' injury history is absolutely concerning and he could have made a big-money extension a slam dunk if he didnt have a variety of maladies. But give Williams credit for toughing it out here late in the season as the Celtics pump his turf toe full of cortisone while recognizing that the team has no other big man that can impact the game the way he does. Heck, it sorta feels like the Celtics need to find a way to keep Williams on the court for upwards of 30+ minutes per game this series if theyre going to have any chance at success. The Nets played with far more hesitation with Williams around the rim and his ability to swat perimeter jumpers only added to their general reluctance when No. 44 was on the court. It used to be that the Celtics shied away from rookie extensions but that has changed a bit in recent years with Jaylen Brown and Tatum inking pacts. As Brown blossoms into an All-Star talent, his four-year, $103 million extension (with incentives up to $115 million) looks better every day. So maybe theres a sweet spot that Boston can find that gives Williams a healthy pay bump that banks on his future despite the caution flags with his health. The natural comp would be the 5-year, $90 million extension signed by Clint Capela in Houston in 2018. But remember that Capela had already established himself as the full-time starter averaging a double-double in the season before that deal. Williams emerged as Bostons starter at the end of this season but the smaller sample might keep his price tag a bit lower. The Celtics have to be careful with a bloating cap sheet, at least while they figure out the long-term futures of players like Marcus Smart, Evan Fournier, and Kemba Walker. But Williams should be a priority this offseason. Locking him up secures three key pieces of this core and Boston can then figure out the pieces that fit best around them. Its too bad we couldnt see this Nets series with a healthy Brown and a fully healthy Williams. That might level the playing field a bit more for Boston. But a Tatum/Brown/Williams core for the long-term future is anything but a daydream, especially if the Celtics lock up Williams before his price tag spikes one of his volleyball blocks. | https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-bank-robert-williams-2021-202113729.html?src=rss |
Should Alexa read our moods? | Joseph Turow says absolutely no way. Turow, a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, researched technologies like Alexa for his new book, The Voice Catchers. He came away convinced that companies should be barred from analyzing what we say and how we sound to recommend products or personalize advertising messages. Turows suggestion is notable partly because the profiling of people based on their voices isnt widespread. Or, it isnt yet. But he is encouraging policymakers and the public to do something I wish we did more often: Be careful and considerate about how we use a powerful technology before it might be used for consequential decisions. After years of researching Americans evolving attitudes about our digital jet streams of personal data, Turow said that some uses of technology had so much risk for so little upside that they should be stopped before they got big. In this case, Turow is worried that voice technologies including Alexa and Siri from Apple will morph from digital butlers into diviners that use the sound of our voices to work out intimate details like our moods, desires and medical conditions. In theory they could one day be used by the police to determine who should be arrested or by banks to say whos worthy of a mortgage. Using the human body for discriminating among people is something that we should not do, he said. Advertising Some business settings like call centers are already doing this. If computers assess that you sound angry on the phone, you might be routed to operators who specialize in calming people down. Spotify has also disclosed a patent on technology to recommend songs based on voice cues about the speakers emotions, age or gender. Amazon has said that its Halo health tracking bracelet and service will analyze energy and positivity in a customers voice to nudge people into better communications and relationships. Turow said that he didnt want to stop potentially helpful uses of voice profiling for example, to screen people for serious health conditions, including COVID-19. But there is very little benefit to us, he said, if computers use inferences from our speech to sell us dish detergent. We have to outlaw voice profiling for the purpose of marketing, Turow told me. There is no utility for the public. Were creating another set of data that people have no clue how its being used. Turow is tapping into a debate about how to treat technology that could have enormous benefits, but also downsides that we might not see coming. The tricky thing is that once technologies like facial recognition software or car rides at the press of a smartphone button become prevalent, its more difficult to pull back features that turn out to be harmful. I dont know if Turow is right to raise the alarm about our voice data being used for marketing. A few years ago, there was a lot of hype that voice would become a major way that we would shop and learn about new products. But no one has proved that the words we say to our gizmos are effective predictors of which new truck well buy. I asked Turow whether people and government regulators should get worked up about hypothetical risks that may never come. Reading our minds from our voices might not work in most cases, and we dont really need more things to feel freaked out about. Turow acknowledged that possibility. But I got on board with his point that its worthwhile to start a public conversation about what could go wrong with voice technology and decide together where our collective red lines are before they are crossed. | https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/should-alexa-read-our-moods-commentary/ |
Who Is Roman Protasevich, the Captive Journalist in Belarus? | It has all of the elements of a Jason Bourne plot: A commercial flight carrying a dissident journalist is intercepted by a MiG-29 fighter jet under orders from the strongman president of Belarus. This protagonist is very much real. His name is Roman Protasevich, and on Sunday, he drew worldwide attention because the Belarusian government and its authoritarian leader went to extraordinary lengths to stop him. Protasevich, 26, was traveling by commercial airline from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania, when the Belarusian air force scrambled a fighter jet. The flight, on Irish airline Ryanair, was diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where the millennial opposition figure was taken into custody. The widely condemned tactic was the latest attempt by Alexander Lukashenko, the countrys authoritarian leader, to suppress the influential voice of Protasevich. There are few remaining sources of independent news in Belarus, where most media outlets were forced to shut down after widespread protests over a disputed presidential election in 2020. Protasevich is a co-founder and a former editor of the NEXTA channel on the social media platform Telegram, which has become a popular conduit for Lukashenkos foes to share information and organize demonstrations against the government. Advertising He fled the country in 2019, fearing arrest. But he has continued to roil Lukashenkos regime while living in exile in Lithuania, so much so that he was charged in November with inciting public disorder and social hatred. As a teenager, Protasevich became a dissident, first drawing scrutiny from law enforcement. He was expelled from a prestigious school for participating in a protest rally in 2011 and later was expelled from the journalism program of the Minsk State University. Protasevich was returning to Vilnius from an economic conference in Greece with Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Greek officials said. The flight, which had been carrying some 170 passengers, should have taken about three hours. As it approached the border between Belarus and Lithuania, a MiG-29 fighter jet was scrambled to intercept it. Lukashenko, who is often referred to as Europes last dictator, personally ordered the fighter jet to escort the Ryanair plane to the Minsk airport after a bomb threat, his press service said. According to the statement, Lukashenko, an ally of President Vladimir Putin of Russia, gave an unequivocal order to make the plane do a U-turn and land. No bomb was found on board, the countrys law enforcement authorities said. Advertising Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, sharply criticized the government of Belarus on Twitter on Sunday for its detention of Protasevich. He called it a brazen and shocking act to divert a commercial flight and arrest a journalist. We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps, Blinken said. The governments main security agency in Belarus, called the KGB, placed Protasevichs name on a list of terrorists. If he is accused and convicted of terrorism, he could face the death penalty. The charges of inciting public disorder and social hatred carry a punishment of more than 12 years in prison. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/who-is-roman-protasevich-the-captive-journalist-in-belarus/ |
Who won American Idol season 19? | Beckham was easily the most commercial of the three finalists, a Southern rock style that could translate most easily onto the radio, possibly going the route of country, which has been friendliest to Idol alums over the years. A blue-collar worker in the Springsteen vein, he also had a moving story of alcoholism and becoming sober. I came in a broken man, he told mentor Bobby Bones during the episode. I came out just a little more healed. He also fits very much in the vein of past winners like David Cook and Phillip Phillips. His winning song 23 is an autobiographical tune he penned himself. Both Spence and third-place finisher Grace Kinstler, 20, from the Chicago area, possess much bigger voices than Beckham. Kinstler was more of a torch singer along the lines of Celine Dion. Spence was a more spiritual version of Ruben Studdard. During his hometown visit to Douglas last Tuesday, Spence got plenty of fan support. He visited South Georgia College, where he recorded the viral video of Diamonds from 2017 that went crazy popular. He stopped by his home and hugged his mom, Sharon, who cried as they held each other a long time. He hadnt been to Douglas in many months. Im so glad Willie is back, she said. Spence told his family that hes glad he was able to make everyone proud and they sang together. His dad, Willie Sr., said: Im so glad hes fulfilling his dream. He held a concert at Jardine Stadium with what appeared to be several hundred people. Spence said he almost died last year after having chest pains and fluid in his lungs. The doctors told him to lose weight and he has shed more than 200 pounds since then. One moment to show that the vaccines really have made a difference, Idol broke the no touch rule midway through the finale as Ryan Seacrest, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan had a group hug. Katy looked stupefied like shes never been touched before. Another nice moment was the producers bringing back nearly blind street performer Murphy to perform a solo. He should have made it further. Judge picks Grace Kinstler (All By Myself, Celine Dion version) - She felt off at first but by the time she hit the chorus, she found her rhythm. She can hit big notes easily and with emotion. Its a great display of her vocal prowess. Judges: Katy Perry: You have this vulnerability and power to connect. I felt you. Luke Bryan said she took it to a new level even beyond Celine. Grade: A-minus/A Willie Spence (Georgia On My Mind, Ray Charles) - He puts a lot of Spence-like vibrato into this ode to his state of residence. He has such a strong voice and makes it look easy. He is definitely over his confidence issues. Judges: Luke said he could smell magnolias and peaches. You have delivered since the audition every single time. I can see you doing it the rest of your life. Lionel Richie said hes a religious experience. Katy: Hallelujah! I needed my hanky! Grade: A-minus Chayce Beckham (Blackbird, The Beatles) - Good use of his rasp. His engaging personality shined through. Judges: Lionel liked the way he ended the classic song with more drama than originally intended. Katy likes how this song is small but mighty, like Chayces style. Luke wants to go bass fishing with him. Grade: A/A-minus Hometown songs Grace (I Have Nothing, Whitney Houston) - This song has been sung 10 previous times on the show and should be on the no fly list. But Grace is so good, she manages to transcend the triteness of the tune and give it an extra oomph that blows away any previous version to date. (Sorry, Jennifer Hudson!) Judges praise is over the top, which is par for the course at this stage of the game. Grade: A Willie (A Change is Gonna Come, Sam Cooke) - Willie is super old school in his style so why not go back 57 years with this civil rights-era gem, which has also been sung many times on the show, including Adam Lambert in 2009. And Willie hits it out of the park. Judges note how inspirational his hometown visit was. Grade: A Chayce (Fire Away, Chris Stapleton) - He is clearly inspired by Stapleton stylistically and this is a big anthemic tune for him to generate some votes. Judges: Lionel said it was a great song pick. Katy said his life is about to change. Luke said he has opened up so much since the audition. Grade: A-minus | https://www.ajc.com/life/radiotvtalk-blog/who-won-american-idol-season-19/RWFRC6BZFVBA3JR55S55Z3NRIY/ |
How Big Is The Universes Largest Galaxy, Really? | This optical (blue) and NASA's Chandra X-ray (red-orange) composite image shows Abell 2029, a ... [+] cluster of galaxies where the galaxy at the center, IC 1101, is the largest known galaxy in the Universe. Optical: NOAO/Kitt Peak/J.Uson, D.Dale; X-ray: NASA/CXC/IoA/S.Allen et al. Compared to what we find in our Solar System, galaxies are truly enormous. The Sun may be 109 times the diameter of Earth, but the Earth-Sun distance is over 100 times larger ... [+] than the Sun's diameter; the distance to Voyager 1 or 2 is ~100 times larger than the Earth-Sun distance; the Oort Cloud's density peaks ~100 times farther away than Voyager 2, and the distance to the nearest stars are ~100 times farther away than even that. NASA / JPL-Caltech The smallest known galaxy is Segue 2, with only about ~1000 stars inside. Only approximately 1000 stars are present in the entirety of the smallest dwarf galaxies such as ... [+] Segue 1, 2, and 3. Gravitationally, the masses of these galaxies can be estimated at around 550,000-600,000 Suns. The stars making up the dwarf satellite Segue 1 are circled here. These galaxies have the largest dark matter-to-normal matter ratios known. MARLA GEHA AND KECK OBSERVATORIES These stars are spread out over ~500 light-years: billions of times the physical size of any individual star. Globular clusters, like Omega Centauri, have some of the highest stellar densities ever observed. ... [+] Through a modest telescope, they appear like dense fuzzy balls of light. But if we take a very sharp, high-resolution photo, such as with Hubble, we can find that even in these densest regions, there are still only a few hundred stars, at most, within each cubic light year. NASA, ESA, and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team Galaxies can get much larger, but many relative size depictions are inaccurate. A common image showing relative sizes (incorrectly) for a number of galaxies. Andromeda is too large ... [+] for the Milky Way; M87 is too small for Andromeda; IC 1101 is way too small compared to M87. When it comes to comprehending distance scales, it's vital to not share misleading images. Astro Bob / Bob King / Duluth News Tribute Our own Milky Way, typical of modern spirals, is slightly over 100,000 light-years across. From inside our Milky Way, we cannot get a good picture. Here, the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, M83, ... [+] shares many features with our own galaxy. It has spiral arms, new star formation, a central bulge and bar, and arms and spurs shooting off of the central structure. Unlike our Milky Way, however, the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy is only about ~27,000 light-years in radius: about half that of the Milky Way. Gbor Tth / CC BY-NC-ND / astro.i-net.hu Andromedas diameter is roughly double ours: 220,000 light-years. The Andromeda galaxy (M31), as imaged from a ground-based telescope with multiple filters and ... [+] reconstructed to show a colorized portrait. Compared to the Milky Way, Andromeda is significantly larger in extent, with a diameter that's approximately 220,000 light-years: comparable to double the Milky Way's size. If the Milky Way were shown superimposed atop Andromeda, its stellar disk would end roughly where Andromeda's dust lanes appear darkest. Adam Evans / cc-by-2.0 But interacting galaxies can become tidally disrupted, vastly increasing their extent. The Tadpole Galaxy, shown here, has an enormous tail to it: evidence of tidal interactions. The gas ... [+] that's stripped out of one galaxy gets stretched into a long, thin strand, which contracts under its own gravity to form stars. The mail galactic element itself is comparable to the scale of the Milky Way, but the tidal stream alone is some ~280,000 light-years long: more than twice as large as our Milky Way's estimated size. NASA, H. Ford (JHU), G. Illingworth (USCS/LO), M. Clampin (STScI), G. Hartig (STScI), the ACS Science Team, and ESA The Tadpole galaxys tail alone is 280,000 light-years long. This galaxy, UGC 2885, also known as Rubin's galaxy, is the largest spiral galaxy ever discovered at ... [+] approximately 800,000 light-years in diameter. It has approximately 10 times as many stars as the Milky Way inside of it. It is truly a G.O.U.S. : a galaxy of unusual size. NASA, ESA, AND B. HOLWERDA (UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE) Meanwhile, UGC 2885 is our largest spiral: 832,000 light-years in extent. The low-surface-brightness galaxy UGC 2885 is severely gravitationally disrupted. At an estimated ... [+] 832,000 light-years across, it is arguably the largest known spiral galaxy, although its tidal arms and distorted shape are likely temporary on cosmic timescales. Kitt Peak / Zagursky & McGaugh, 2008 Elliptical galaxies, however, are the largest galaxies of all. A selection of approximately 2% of the galaxies in the Virgo cluster. There are approximately 1,000 ... [+] large galaxies in the Virgo cluster, a large fraction of which were discovered way back in the 18th century. The Virgo cluster is located some 50-60 million light-years away from our Milky Way, and is the largest concentration of galaxies in the extremely nearby Universe, containing many giant ellipticals. John Bowles of flickr Messier 87, the Virgo superclusters largest galaxy, is 980,000 light-years across. Located approximately 55 million light-years from Earth, the galaxy M87 contains an enormous ... [+] relativistic jet, as well as outflows that show up in both the radio and X-ray. This optical image showcases a jet; we now know, from the Event Horizon Telescope, that the rotation axis of the black hole points away from Earth, tilted at about 17 degrees. ESO The Coma Clusters biggest, NGC 4889, spans 1,300,000 light-years in diameter. The two bright, large galaxies at the center of the Coma Cluster, NGC 4889 (left) and the slightly ... [+] smaller NGC 4874 (right), each exceed a million light years in size. But the galaxies on the outskirts, zipping around so rapidly, point to the existence of a large halo of dark matter throughout the entire cluster. The mass of the normal matter alone is insufficient to explain this bound structure. Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona Meanwhile, the Phoenix Clusters brightest central galaxy measures 2.2 million light-years across. The brightest cluster galaxy of the Phoenix cluster, shown at left from the South Pole Telescope and ... [+] at right from Blanco/MOSAIC-II optical/infrared imagery, is one of the largest galaxies of all, still rapidly forming stars at hundreds of times the rate of our own Milky Way. Thats IC 1101. The giant galaxy cluster, Abell 2029, houses galaxy IC 1101 at its core. At 5.5 million light years ... [+] across, over 100 trillion stars and the mass of nearly a quadrillion suns, it's the largest known galaxy of all. As massive and impressive as this galaxy cluster is, it's unfortunately difficult for the Universe to make something significantly larger owing to its finite age and the presence of dark energy. Digitized Sky Survey 2, NASA Half the light is contained within a 2 million light-year central radius. This image shows a gravitational lensing map overlaid atop cluster Abell 2029. At the center of ... [+] Abell 2029, the largest known galaxy in the Universe, IC 1101, can be seen. Although its half-light radius, or the radius within which half of the arriving light comes from, is ~2 million light-years, the full visible diameter of the galaxy ranges from 5.5 to 6 million light-years. J. McCleary et al., ApJ, 893, 1, 8 (2020) Its full span is 5.5 million light-years across: nearly double the Local Groups full extent. Our Local Group of galaxies is dominated by Andromeda and the Milky Way, there is debate over which ... [+] one dominates in terms of gravitation. While Andromeda appears to be larger in physical extent and have more stars, it may yet be less massive than we are. If the galaxy IC 1101 were shown next to our Local Group, it would be comparable to the size of this image in its full extent. Andrew Z. Colvin The true relative size differences highlight galactic diversity. Composite of galaxies from the smallest to the largest, shown (approximately) actual size. The giant ... [+] elliptical galaxy at the heart of cluster Abell 2029, IC 1101, is the largest known galaxy in the Universe. It is much, much larger than the Milky Way or Andromeda (or any spiral galaxy), but also dwarfs even other typical giant ellipticals. E. Siegel Mostly Mute Monday tells an astronomical story in images, visuals, and no more than 200 words. Talk less; smile more. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2021/05/24/how-big-is-the-universes-largest-galaxy-really/ |
Can Kilmarnock repeat play-off comeback and escape against Dundee? | Scottish Premiership play-off final second leg: Kilmarnock v Dundee Venue: Rugby Park, Kilmarnock Date: Monday, 24 May Kick-off: 19:45 BST Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland DAB/810MW, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app, highlights on BBC One Scotland at 22:45 Kilmarnock's 28-year stay in the Scottish top flight could be over within 90 minutes on Monday evening when they face Dundee in the second leg of the Premiership play-off. They trail 2-1 from a first leg where they were second best for much of the contest. But manager Tommy Wright declared "We're back in the game" after Brandon Haunstrup's 77th minute goal ensured a one-goal deficit to chase at Rugby Park. They have also been here before. Five years ago, after losing the first-leg of the play-off to Falkirk, they were on their way down before they turned it around in emphatic fashion in the second leg. In 2015-16, Kilmarnock lost 20 of their 38 league games and celebrated victory on just nine occasions. They went through three managers that season. Gary Locke resigned in January and Lee McCulloch was in caretaker charge for almost a month until former Newcastle United midfielder Lee Clark took permanent charge. They finished eight points clear of bottom side Dundee United but were seven behind 10th-placed Hamilton Academical and had to go through a play-off to preserve their Premiership status. The Ayrshire side met Falkirk, who had lost just twice in the league since the turn of the year and finished second in the Championship ahead of Hibernian. The Bairns had beaten champions Rangers 3-2 towards the end of the season and then were 5-4 aggregate winners over Hibs in the play-off semi-final. The momentum was very much with Falkirk ahead of the play-off showdown. Greg Kiltie scored twice against Falkirk and remains with Kilmarnock The first leg looked destined for a goalless draw before Luke Leahy took a quick free-kick to Craig Sibbald, who teed up Will Vaulks for the winning goal in stoppage time. But Falkirk manager Peter Houston warned his side to expect a much stiffer challenge from Kilmarnock in the return. Clark, annoyed that his side had not been awarded a penalty when Tope Obadeyi appeared to be impeded in the box but did not go down, believed his side could turn it around. Both managers turned out to be right as Clark's team was reborn in the second leg. At a sun-kissed Rugby Park, two goals inside the first eight minutes from Greg Kiltie and Miles Addison wiped out the deficit. Kiltie added his second and Killie's third just after the hour. Amid joyous scenes, Kris Boyd rolled in the fourth to make it 4-0 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate. Afterwards, Clark warned the club needed to change personnel and mentality to avoid further brushes with relegation from the top flight. They did and, when Clark left for Bury the following February, Kilmarnock sat sixth before finishing eighth under Lee McCulloch. Then followed the heady heights of fifth then third under Steve Clarke, but a downward spiral followed the former West Bromwich Albion and Reading boss's appointment as Scotland head coach. Under Angelo Alessio then Alex Dyer, they finished eighth as the 2019-20 season was cut short by the pandemic, with the latter departing in January with his side in ninth this term. Ashcroft aiming to haunt Kilmarnock That comeback win over Falkirk was bittersweet for centre-half Lee Ashcroft, who found himself being released by Kilmarnock before joining Dunfermline Athletic then Dundee in the Championship. The 27-year-old is now looking to end his five seasons in the second tier by ensuring there is no repeat. "I loved my time at the club, but it never worked out," he said. "I was glad to finish on a high and keep the club in the division. "I hadn't played many games that season, but I got in for the play-offs and managed to do well and keep the club up. I look back and it was a great experience to go through." There will be no tears if he consigns his former club to relegation while taking Dundee where he believes "they belong". "I'm a Dundee player now and I want to get Dundee back in the Premiership, that's I was brought in here for," he said. "Hopefully I can be a part of that and do my job on Monday - it would be amazing in my first year at the club." Lee Ashcroft helped Kilmarnock stay up in 2016 but now aims to send them down Ashcroft thinks the pressure will be mainly on the Premiership side. "I have been in Kilmarnock's position before with Killie and it feels as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders," he said. "I know it's a game of football, but it means so much to so many people. "It depends on the person as well. I was still youngish and it was tough, but I am feeling different this time. It feels much better. It's good pressure, we are looking to achieve something good." Ashcroft needs no warning about the danger of a one-goal first-leg lead. "It was the same when I was there," he said. "We were a goal down and Falkirk came to Rugby Park and we managed to put on a performance. They have experienced players in their team that have been about and know what it takes, so we know it's going to be a battle and we need to be 100% at it to give ourselves a chance." McKenzie out to repeat comeback Rory McKenzie is one of Ashcroft's former Kilmarnock team-mates - the others being fellow forward Greg Kiltie and midfielder Gary Dicker - who are survivors of that comeback win over Falkirk. "Me, Graz and Kiltie, we've been in this position before and managed to get out it," the 27-year-old, who like Kiltie is a product of the Rugby Park youth system, said. "It is a pride thing as well - you don't want to be a part of a team that got Kilmarnock relegated. I believe we have enough experienced heads in there to get us through it. "It's about not letting the occasion get too big for you and just trying to grind it out." McKenzie thinks it is different from the Falkirk game because, unlike then, Kilmarnock this time headed into the first leg in good form and believes there is much pressure on the second-tier side to succeed. "Being in the Premiership, you could say we've got more to lose, but Dundee are a big club as well and have a lot to play for and have a lot of big-name players in their squad," he said. "If you start thinking about what relegation could mean, it could get a bit overwhelming, but we need to focus on the football side of things. That's all we can control." | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57216402 |
How many games will the Browns win in 2021? | Mary Kay Cabot and Dan Labbe set some Browns over/unders for the 2021 season and then tried to decide where the players in question would end up. Its all in Mondays Orange and Brown Talk Podcast. You can listen using the player below or, if you cant see the player, by clicking here. You can also listen and subscribe to the podcast using the links below. You can listen to previous podcasts and subscribe on Apple podcasts or on Spotify. Get more info and get signed up here. - Browns playoffs shirts, hats for sale: Heres where Cleveland Browns fans can order shirts and hats celebrating the team qualifying for the 2020 NFL playoffs. Hey, Mary Kay! Orange and Brown Talk Podcast | https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2021/05/how-many-games-will-the-browns-win-in-2021.html |
Can Former PGA Championship Site Belmont Become A Muni Model As A Reimagined 12-Hole Course? | Aerial view of Belmont Golf Course, a municipal course outside of Richmond, Virginia, that was a ... [+] former site for the PGA Championship. The venue is now being leased by the First Tee of Greater Richmond and has a 12-hole course along with a six-hole par-3 course and a putting course. Belmont Golf Course Golf facilities like Sweetens Cove, Goat Hill Park and Bobby Jones in Atlanta havent just drawn a passionate following with their outside-the-box approaches. Their success has also served as inspiration for others to try something a bit unconventional. Belmont Golf Club in Richmond, Virginia, is one of those. The home of the 1949 PGA Championship won by Sam Snead, Belmont is one of only two courses in the entire nation designed by Hall of Fame architect A.W Tillinghast thats still open to public play (the other being Bethpage Black in New York). The historic course looks considerably different today, and while some may term it downsizing going from 18 holes to 12 community leaders are excited about what they see as a significant upgrade. Belmont has officially unveiled the restoration of its new 12-hole course as well as the creation of a 6-hole short course called The Little Bell and an 18-hole putting course called The Ringer that spans 34,000 square feet. The facility, redone and reimagined by Davis Love IIIs design firm, is also the new home of the First Tee of Greater Richmond and CEO Brent Schneider views the venue as a modernized community asset thats welcoming to all. We have taken inspiration from other unique facilities, Schneider said, specifically mentioning places like the nine-hole Sweetens Cove in Tennessee, the nine-hole reversible Bobby Jones course (and six-hole short course) in Atlanta and quirky Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, California, thats under 4,500 yards and also has a three-hole kids course. All of these facilities offer something different. Sweetens has a fun, cool alternative vibe with great golf that is attractive to many golf enthusiasts. Bobby Jones and Goat Hill Park, though they center around golf, have built incredible cultures that have served their respective communities well. The new bunkering at the third hole at Belmont Golf Course, which was redesigned by Love Golf ... [+] Design. Belmont Golf Course The First Tee was awarded a 20-year lease to operate Belmont after the course became available and its $5 million renovation plan was backed by Henrico Countys Department of Parks and Recreation. More than 75% of the money for the project was donated to support the First Tees mission of teaching life skills and character education to youth in the community. We are committed to running Belmont as an inclusive, welcoming and affordable community asset, Schneider said. There will be an entry point to the game of golf for all at Belmont. The layout of the property was conducive to dividing the facility into the new 12-hole loop, which uses the original finishing hole as its finisher, and the additional amenities. While some elements of the original Tillinghast design had been changed in the early 1920s by Donald Ross, Mark Love (the younger brother of Davis) said they tried to restore many of the original characteristics as part of their restoration effort. We did work very hard to use the images and history we did have along with the details we felt were original to the Tillinghast design to be as faithful to the original as possible, Love said. And, where we had to create some elements where the original version had been lost, we tried our best to channel what we thought would reflect Tillinghast style work. The First Tee of Greater Richmond has a 20-year lease at Belmont. Belmont Golf Course All six holes at the par-3 course reflect Tillinghast templates and range from 65 to 175 yards in length. Rates are $40 on weekends for the 12-hole course and $10 for Little Bell. Theres a $5 fee to play the putting course. Juniors can play either course for half price, including the more than 23,000 students in Henrico County that are part of the First Tee School Program. When asked whether hes hopeful Belmont might become a model for similar municipal golf facilities that are reimagining what they could or should be, Schneider said he hasnt given it a lot of thought. For now, hes focused on the vision to strengthen the character of the local community. If others take notice or look to replicate it, well humbly take it as a compliment and support their efforts, he said. Golf is such a great game and is unique in the fact that it can connect people of all ages, ethnicities and economic situations to an outdoor game that is both challenging and fun. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikmatuszewski/2021/05/24/can-former-pga-championship-site-belmont-become-a-muni-model-as-a-reimagined-12-hole-course/ |
Can Doug Emhoff have it all? | Amundson appeared a mix of thrilled and nervous. Its not every day that Vice President Kamala Harris husband, the second gentleman of the United States, requests a special order. Her bookstore has a modest collection. But Emhoff wasnt looking for a book about some wonkish domestic policy agenda or a foreign entanglement. He asked, instead, if Amundson had Seth Rogens memoir. (Yes, that Seth Rogen.) Amundson laughed internally, she recalled later, because it was well all so unexpected. She definitely did not have it. Denied his preferred literary adventure, Emhoff laughed, pulled out his credit card and told her to pick out a book for him, wrap it up, and not tell him what it was. Amundson wrapped up Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff speaks with Jinny Amundson, owner of Old Fox Books in Annapolis, Md. | Courtesy of The White House Fun Doug had lost out to serious Douglas once again. The tale, recounted by Amundson and the owner of the coffee shop, was a distillation of life being the first second gentleman in history. Emhoff is an historic figure in his own right, a smart and accomplished entertainment lawyer who is using his perch to get more vaccines in arms, bring more attention to food insecurity and local businesses decimated by the pandemic. But, hes still just kind of a dude. Aides say he didnt want a life in the public eye. But hes also amenable to doing the political work that comes with the post. Each vice presidential spouse has tackled the job a bit differently. But theres a fairly common blueprint. You support the veep, host parties (usually in gowns made in America), choose a non-controversial platform helping disadvantaged kids or veterans or children victimized by bullying team up with the first lady on another non-controversial policy area, and repeat for four more years if theres a second term. Still, if Emhoff sometimes seems like hes making things up as he goes along, its because he (and every second spouse before him) is. There is nothing in the Constitution about the first lady and theres certainly nothing about the second lady or second gentleman. So they have a lot of leeway to do as much or as little as they want, said Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies. Emhoffs staff isnt trying to reinvent the wheel. When he began envisioning what his role might look like, he met and talked with the sorority of women that came before him especially the current first lady, Jill Biden. He is not the first second spouse, so many of the things he will be doing are things that have been done before, Emhoffs chief of staff Julie Mason told POLITICO. Some of them might be new to him. But Emhoff also isnt just another spouse to a sitting VP. Hes the first with XY chromosomes. And how he adds his own Douggie flair to the gig will set the template not just for future second gentlemen, but also for male spouses of powerful women across the country. Aides say Emhoff is cognizant of how important it is for kids (and adults) to see a man fully embrace the concept of being a supportive husband to a powerful woman while shaking up outdated gender stereotypes. Its given an additional weight to his role. I hope it normalizes that we as a country have gotten to a point where we're comfortable seeing a man in that position supporting his wife, Andersen Brower said. And at the same time, we have to kind of calibrate how excited we are about it, because it is so absurd that it's taken us this long. Douglas Emhoff takes a selfie prior to then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris delivering a campaign speech at the Iowa State Fair in 2019. | Alex Wong/Getty Images The role-modeling began after the election. Emhoff quit his own high-powered job (which accounted for most of the more than $1.6 million the couple raked in last year) for a one-class-a-semester teaching job at Georgetown University; his first in-person class begins in August. And then, as he built his team a small group of nine the focus was first on playing cheerleader. We came in here and the first thing he did was raise his hand to see how he could be helpful with the pandemic response and recovery, Mason said. He was not elected to office. His No. 1 job is to support the vice president, to support the administration. As soon as the administration began, Emhoff was dispatched to dozens of events many in-person, including visits to small businesses and vaccination clinics. Often, he promised to take back the conversations he had there to the Naval Observatory, where he and the vice president now live. As hes done these events, Emhoff has also worked with his team to figure out what his own platform might be. Aides say they arent in a rush and its typical for there not to be an announced initiative this early in the administration. But outside of vaccinations, theres one policy area Emhoff seems more interested in than others: food security. Almost every roundtable or stop has something to do with food and nutrition, something that even during the campaign was a focus. As he visited food banks, aides say he was struck by the lack of equity and access. Back in February, when now-Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was being virtually sworn in by Harris, he said he talked to Emhoff, who had called to congratulate him on his confirmation. Vilsack told Harris, We want to get him involved in nutrition, to which Harris replied that her husband cares a great deal about that. Senior Emhoff aides say its almost a sure thing that food security will end up being an initiative as he charts out his role in more detail. But his involvement on the topic is still in the planning stages. But being a supportive spouse with a passion for food security hasnt been without its challenges. Emhoff is the only one of the four principals as aides refer to the Biden and Harris couples with limited experience in public life. And that has required some adjustments. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, who shared a coffee with Emhoff near the water in Annapolis last week, said Emhoff mentioned to him how weird he found the bubble that now surrounds him. He noted the need to make appointments to see your children. Even the things that look spontaneous to the outside like a quick stop at a precious independent book store now take extensive planning and scheduling. There's definitely a period of adjustment in learning how the systems operate here, Mason said. You can't always do things as much on a whim as maybe you would have before. But, she said, Emhoff has never complained to the staff about it. Doug Emhoff with his children, Ella Emhoff and Cole Emhoff. | Tony Avelar/AP Photo To maintain a semblance of normalcy in his life, Emhoff holds scheduled Zoom calls on a regular basis with his family, and has gone out to see D.C. on the weekends with friends, an Emhoff aide says. One of those friends is Chasten Buttigieg, husband of now-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who became close with Emhoff during the 2020 campaign. Buttigieg said the two still trade texts quite often. They sometimes talk about the platform Emhoff plans to build (of which food security has come up) or what theyre watching on Netflix. But typically they talk about the adjustments that come with their new lives. There's still got to be that holy shit cloud, hovering over them. Like, wow, we're really doing this. And he has to figure out how to build a platform, an office, a team and then also, like, make sure he's being really supportive, Chasten Buttigieg said in a phone interview. But he seems very peppy, like he really wants to like go, go, go, go, go and that comes with a lot of concern for getting the moment right. As he plays the role of supportive husband of a powerful woman and adjusts to the responsibilities and attention that come with it Emhoff has garnered a group of loyal fans of his own. #DougHive may not match the size, stature or aggressively defensive tone that Harris #KHive possesses. But thats what comes when youre proudly second fiddle. He lets her lead. That's quite remarkable to see. And the fact that he's a white male married to this strong Black woman, I think he knows what that means, said Danielle Garrett, a musician and teacher in Pennsylvania and active member of the Facebook group titled Doug Emhoff, Esquire: Our Second Gentleman. The group, of more than 800 and counting, posts links about nearly every move Emhoff makes: from a picture of him with his daughter Ella at her graduation or moments like Emhoff sitting by himself before the joint session to Congress last month blowing kisses to Harris. (Grant posted that one with the comment What a true gent! ! with three heart emojis.) Emmoffs clearly just being himself, Garrett said, which makes him the type of relatable figure that seems rare in politics. It has not only served his wife well its helped him, too. For proof: After he left her store, Amundson, the bookshop owner, said she went looking for a way to get the Seth Rogen memoir to Emhoff as soon as she could. | https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/24/doug-emhoff-490487 |
Will Ohio State footballs next quarterback continue the Buckeyes streak of Heisman Trophy contenders? | COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State coach Ryan Day likened playing quarterback at Ohio State to playing shortstop for the New York Yankees. A marriage of marquee position and marquee program means sky-high expectations and, when everything goes well, accolades. On Mondays episode of Buckeye Talk we made our predictions on who will be OSUs next Heisman Trophy finalist. While OSU shares the record for winners with seven, candidates have become more frequent in recent years. There have been nine top 10 finishes in the last nine years after OSU had only 11 in the 36 years after Archie Griffins repeat wins in 1974-75. Each of the Buckeyes last four full-season starting quarterbacks so not counting Cardale Jones has at some point in his career finished at least fifth in the Heisman voting. Braxton Miller (2011-13): He may have ended his career as a receiver, but Millers dual-threat prowess nearly earned him an invitation to New York. As a sophomore in 2012 he finished fifth, then remained in fringe competition with a ninth-place finish in 2013. J.T. Barrett (2014-17): Millers preseason injury in 2014 opened the door for Barretts brilliant debut. His fifth-place finish that season makes him the last freshman at any position to place that high in the voting. Jones, though, opened the 2015 season as the starter before Barrett reclaimed the job. Despite that promising debut, Barrett never again made the voting top 10. Dwayne Haskins (2018): No one on this list better capitalized on a single season. As a redshirt sophomore, Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns and finished third behind Oklahomas Kyler Murray and Alabamas Tua Tagovailoa. Justin Fields (2019-20): With Haskins off to the NFL somewhat unexpectedly, OSU needed a high-ceiling quarterback to match the talent spread across the rest of the roster. Fields came in from Georgia and finished third in the voting one spot ahead of Chase Young and three ahead of J.K. Dobbins. Fields also finished seventh last season, a one-time favorite undone by a couple of bad performances on a condensed schedule. Whether or not the winner of the 2021 quarterback competition can continue the streak could get complicated next spring. Regardless of who wins the job and how well he plays, top prospect Quinn Ewers arrives in January to begin a new battle. One of the three current competitors was our Buckeye Talk text subscribers pick for the next Buckeye to go to New York. The vote was close, though, and many said they think the next finalist will come from outside the quarterback room. If youve never listened to Buckeye Talk, try it now. And subscribe to Buckeye Talk on any of these podcast platforms or wherever you listen to podcasts. Buckeye Talk on iTunes Buckeye Talk on Spotify Buckeye Talk on Google Play Fields Bears jersey: Ohio State football fans can purchase Justin Fields new Chicago Bears jersey here. Its available in white, blue and orange and in mens, womens and youth sizes. Theres also a cheaper T-shirt option. Hey, Stephen Gene Smith set to receive contract extension through 2026 2023 DE Lebbeus Overton could join short list of multi-sport Buckeyes How Troy Smith influenced U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalezs NIL stance | https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2021/05/will-ohio-state-footballs-next-quarterback-continue-the-buckeyes-streak-of-heisman-trophy-contenders.html |
Have Democrats Reached a Turning Point on Israel? | On Thursday, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire, putting a tentative end to 11 days of fighting that began with protests over the eviction of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem and a subsequent Israeli raid at the al-Aqsa mosque on the last Friday of Ramadan. In a statement praising the agreement Thursday night, President Joe Biden described talks between the United States and Israel over the past week. In my conversation with [Prime Minister] Netanyahu, I commended him for the decision to bring the current hostilities to a close within less than 11 days, he said. I also emphasized what I have said throughout this conflict: The United States fully supports Israels right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups that have taken the lives of innocent civilians in Israel. Statements like this have been pro forma for American presidents for years. But this one came after days of protest and criticism that underscored how dramatically the discourse on Israel and Palestine has changed since Biden was last in the White House. Six days after hostilities began, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called Israel an apartheid state, capping off a week of bold statements from progressives including Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush, and Betty McCollum, who reintroduced a bill restricting Israels use of military aid in April. House progressives and Senator Bernie Sanders also offered resolutions opposing the sale of $735 million in American weapons to Israel. All of this amounted to the most significant rift yet between the Biden administration and the Democratic left, and an indication of how broader changes within the party and the American political scene might shake up the relative stasis of Israel policy further in the years ahead. I think what were seeing now is a few things combining to create the situation were in, says Beth Miller, Senior Government Affairs Manager at Jewish Voice for Peace. One is all of the hard work that the Palestinian-led Palestinian rights movement in this country has been doing for decades. The other is the broader political moment in the United States right now. We are in a post-Trump era. Were living in a global pandemic. Were in a time where Black Lives Matter is a rallying cry for progressives across this entire country where weve seen incredible black led organizing has made real, tangible change. And were at a time where more broadly speaking the progressive left in America is starting to understand in new ways that all of our struggles are interconnected and that everything we work on has to be in solidarity with one another. | https://newrepublic.com/article/162498/democrats-push-biden-left-israel-palestine |
Can Black Lives Matter LA dismantle the powerful police unions? | On 22 April 2020, a Los Angeles police officer showed up to the scene of a car accident and fatally shot one of the drivers. The officer rapidly fired six shots from a distance at Daniel Hernandez, 38, who was holding a box cutter and appeared disoriented and in distress. The Hernandez family believed there might be consequences for such an unwarranted killing until they learned the officers identity: Toni McBride, a 23-year-old whose father is a director of the powerful LA police union, which defends officers accused of misconduct. My brother was in a collision and he needed help, said Marina Vergara, Hernandezs sister. Instead, he was executed by an officer who knew she would have the protection of her father and his associates. Daniel Hernandez. Photograph: Courtesy of Marina Vergara One year after the George Floyd uprisings, Vergara is part of a coalition of activists in LA that has begun targeting the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), the union that represents officers after theyve killed civilians. Organizing with Black Lives Matter LA, the advocates are fighting to eject law enforcement associations from public sector labor groups in hopes of eventually dismantling police unions altogether. Tensions over police union membership have been simmering for years within the US labor movement, but boiled over last May after Floyds murder, which prompted the Minneapolis police union leader to launch an attack on Floyds character and call BLM protesters terrorists. LA is now home to one of the most organized campaigns against police unions, led by local union members who have lost loved ones to police killings and who are now directly standing up to a sister union within the same labor federation. LAPPL is not a union. They dont belong with unions. They take the lives of other union members, said Vergara, who is part of the LA teachers union. I am a union member and I advocate for my community. They dont. They advocate for their rights and how they can avoid being held accountable. They advocate for more weapons, more funds, and more jobs for them to control the community. How unions have escalated violence Police unions grew in the US in the 1960s as the civil rights movement was increasing scrutiny of officer misconduct. In the decades since, law enforcement associations have dramatically expanded their powers through their contracts. Its hard for me to think of police as traditional workers, said Veena Dubal, a University of California, Hastings law professor and labor expert, and former Berkeley police review commissioner. They are the only people in our country who have the right to take away life and to do so with immunity. They are unequivocally forces that seek to insulate police from any kind of accountability, and thats very different than what a union does. Everything that police associations push for the hardest are the things that allow the police to be harmful Nana Gyamfi The unions have negotiated a wide range of exceptional rights for officers, including requiring departments to erase misconduct records from officers files, giving them a clean slate. Union contracts have also mandated that abuse investigations remain secret; allowed officers found to be intoxicated at work to go home without discipline; created huge obstacles to firing police; and ensured that when police officers kill civilians, they can wait several days before they have to give a statement. The impact of those contracts, experts say, is deadly. Research has repeatedly shown that after police departments have won special bargaining rights, those agencies experienced sharp increases in killings by officers and violent misconduct. One study found that the stronger the contracts and protections, the more police abuse people. The unions in LA also wield significant power through political donations and lobbying, giving them tremendous influence in elections and policymaking. Everything that police associations push for the hardest are the things that allow the police to be harmful, said Nana Gyamfi, an LA civil rights lawyer and the president of the National Conference of Black Lawyers, which recently co-produced a report on US police killings in which human rights experts from 11 countries documented potential US police violations of international law. The inquiry found that unions were integral to obstruction and manipulation in misconduct cases. Police chiefs and mayors have also spoken out against unions, lamenting how difficult it is to fire bad officers and how their contracts block reform efforts. A former Minneapolis police chief called the union leader a disgrace to the badge last year, saying the union controlled the police culture, blocked transparency efforts and fought me at every turn. While labor groups have long resisted efforts to publicly oppose police unions, the dynamics shifted during last summers uprisings. The LA union members fighting back When LA sheriffs killed 18-year-old Andres Guardado, shooting him five times in the back on 18 June last year, one of the first groups that began organizing to support his family was Unite Here, the hotel and food service workers union. Thats because Andress father is a cook and 14-year member of the union, which called on the sheriff to resign. DeAnna Sianez Sullivan, the mother of David Sullivan. Photograph: Stephanie Mei-Ling/The Guardian Other LA labor activists began speaking out, energized by the national protests. Our unions are for blue-collar workers and the working class, helping families and lifting up the community, said DeAnna Sianez Sullivan, an LA member of the electrical workers union. The police unions are there to defend officers at all costs. Her son, David Sullivan, was 19 years old when police in Buena Park, south of LA, killed him during a traffic stop in 2019; he was unarmed and had been pulled over for expired tags, and eventually tried to flee during the stop. Bruce Praet, the lawyer representing the police department in the Sullivan familys civil lawsuit, is a former LA police union attorney and co-founder of Lexipol, a private corporation that helps craft law enforcement policies for cities. The company works to protect departments from litigation and has been accused of thwarting accountability. He founded a for-profit company that writes policies for the police and then a police officer kills somebody, and he gets another job defending the police, said Sam Sullivan, Davids sister. The family said Praets involvement in their case was a reminder of how police unions and their associates have influenced higher-level policies while also fighting against accountability in individual cases. If you say, I feared for my life, that justifies everything, said Sam, 23, noting how unions rely on policies that give officers wide latitude to kill when they claim that a civilian posed a deadly threat. Why are you afraid of a boy who was running away and had no weapon? Praet did not respond to an inquiry. When LAPD officer McBride killed Hernandez last year, his family was distraught to learn that not only was she the daughter of an LAPPL union leader (who called BLM a hate group), she was also a popular Instagram influencer, who posted videos of herself firing assault rifles at targets and hanging out with celebrities. The conflict of interest posed by McBrides father was so problematic that the local prosecutor, who has accepted significant donations from LAPPL, had to recuse herself from reviewing the killing. Vergara, Hernandezs sister, said it was enraging to watch McBrides Instagram videos: It made me realize what kind of person she was. In a rare rebuke of an officer shooting, the LA police commission ruled in December that McBride violated policy when she fired the final two shots at Hernandez while he was on the ground. But because of the secrecy around the process, Hernandezs family does not know what discipline McBride faced as a result if any. We miss Danny every day, and well never really get justice, said Vergara. But we want accountability. We want to know what happens to a police officer when they kill out of policy. Lawyers for McBride did not respond to multiple inquiries, and the LAPD did not answer questions about her status. Family of Daniel Hernandez, who was killed by Los Angeles law enforcement, speak at a protest organized by Black Lives Matter. Photograph: Chelsea Lauren/REX/Shutterstock We will win BLMLA is now hosting weekly protests outside the LAPPL union building and is advocating for the LA County Federation of Labor (LA Fed), an umbrella union group, to eject LAPPL and other police unions. If we stop thinking of police associations as labor unions, and we have them removed, it would really lift the veil on who they are a special interest group, said Dr Melina Abdullah, a BLMLA co-founder, who is also a Cal State LA professor and member of the California Faculty Association union. The police unions have significant influence within LA Fed, and ejecting them would likely have far-reaching consequences. Last year, LA Fed declined to endorse a criminal justice reform ballot measure that police groups had opposed, and refused to support a progressive district attorney candidate who was supported by other non-police members. Chiquita Twyman, whose brother was killed by LA sheriffs in 2019, is a board member with SEIU Local 2015 (which represents long-term care workers), and she showed up to an LA Fed meeting in 2019 to urge members not to endorse incumbent district attorney Jackie Lacey, who almost never prosecuted officers for killings. But the police union members showed up in full force to support Lacey, and Twymans pleas were ultimately ignored: It was upsetting. The Labor Federation has to stand with us union members. DeAnna Sianez Sullivan said it was frustrating that more union leaders werent speaking out: While they support their union members, they dont want to denounce the police associations out of fear of possible repercussions. Chiquita Twyman at a recent protest. Photograph: Photo by Sam Levin While the LA Fed has so far resisted calls to eject police, some labor groups across the country have started to take a stand, said Andrea J Ritchie, a researcher with Interrupting Criminalization, an initiative at the Barnard Center for Research on Women. Seattle officers were expelled from the regions largest labor council last year; the teachers union successfully campaigned to remove Minneapolis police from schools; and the Writers Guild of America formally urged AFL-CIO (Americas largest union association) to kick out police. Its in labors interest to organize as broadly and deeply as possible, said Ritchie, noting that police membership has become untenable in many unions. If the majority of the folks that you want to organize dont want to be in a room with the people youre allied with, then youre going to have to make a choice. LA Fed and LAPPL spokespeople did not respond to inquiries. LAPPL leaders have dismissed the movement to oust the union as laughable and undemocratic. But organizers with BLMLA, which did similar weekly protests outside DA Laceys office until she was voted out in November, said they were confident the campaign would be successful. We intend to be there every week, because it reminds people that we have the power, said Abdullah. Were committed to it. It might be a long struggle, but we will keep going until we win. | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/24/los-angeles-black-lives-matter-police-unions |
Why Did So Many Victorians Try to Speak with the Dead? | Its a good time to be deadat least, if you want to keep in touch with the living. Almost a third of Americans say they have communicated with someone who has died, and they collectively spend more than two billion dollars a year for psychic services on platforms old and new. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, television: whatever the medium, theres a medium. Like clairvoyants in centuries past, those of today also fill auditoriums, lecture halls, and retreats. Historic camps such as Lily Dale, in New York, and Cassadaga, in Florida, are booming, with tens of thousands of people visiting every year to attend sances, worship, healing services, and readings. And many people turn up not every year but every week: there are more than a hundred Spiritualist churches in the United States, more than three hundred in the United Kingdom, and hundreds of others in more than thirty countries around the world. Such institutions hardly represent the full extent of Spiritualisms popularity, since the movement does not emphasize doctrines, dogmas, or creeds, and plenty of people hold spiritualist beliefs within other faith traditions or stand entirely outside organized religion. The surging numbers are reminiscent of the late nineteenth century, when somewhere between four million and eleven million people identified as Spiritualists in the United States alone. Some of the leaders back then were hucksters, and some of the believers were easy marks, but the movement cannot be dismissed merely as a collision of the cunning and the credulous. Early Spiritualism attracted some of the great scientists of the day, including the physicists Marie and Pierre Curie, the evolutionary biologist Alfred Russel Wallace, and the psychologist William James, all of whom believed that modern scientific methods, far from standing in opposition to the spiritual realm, could finally prove its existence. So culturally prevalent was Spiritualism at the time that even skeptics and dabblers felt compelled to explore it. Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, and Queen Victoria all attended sances, and although plenty of people declined to attend so much as a single table-turning, the movement was hard to avoid; in the span of four decades, according to one estimate, a new book about Spiritualism was published roughly once a week. These included scientific-seeming tomes purporting to offer evidence of the afterlife, as well as wildly popular memoirs such as Evenings at Home in Spiritual Sance and Shadow Land; or, Light from the Other Side. Meanwhile, more than a hundred American Spiritualist periodicals were in regular circulation, advertising public lectures and private sances in nearly eight hundred cities and towns across the country. A recent spate of histories of the Spiritualist craze and biographies of some of its central characters have attempted to locate the movements origins in various cultural, political, and technological aspects of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These accounts vary in both plausibility and persuasiveness, yet all of them are interestingpartly because of what they tell us about the Victorian era, but also because of what they suggest about the resurgence of Spiritualism today. Because Spiritualism so strongly rejected hierarchy and orthodoxy, it is difficult to say exactly when or how it started. Plenty of scholars regard it as part of the larger religious efflorescence that began in the early nineteenth century in the area of New York State that became known as the Burned-Over District, which gave rise to the Second Great Awakening. Others, including Robert S. Cox, in his magisterial Body and Soul: A Sympathetic History of American Spiritualism, have looked far beyond that century and that countryside. This long view was also taken by one of Spiritualisms first major historians, the novelist Arthur Conan Doyle, who became so zealous a believer that he set aside Sherlock Holmes in order to focus on his research, ultimately writing more than a dozen books on the subject. His two-volume History of Spiritualism starts by situating the movement as the most important in the history of the world since the Christ episode, then proposes the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, born in the sixteen-eighties, and the Scottish reformer Edward Irving, born in 1792, as forerunners of the Victorians. But most accounts of Spiritualism dont begin with great men or distant precedents. They start with little women on an exact date: March 31, 1848. On that night, as Emily Midorikawa details in her new book, Out of the Shadows: Six Visionary Victorian Women in Search of a Public Voice (Counterpoint), two sisters, fourteen-year-old Margaretta Fox and eleven-year-old Catherine, finally convinced some of their neighbors that an unsettling series of knockings and tappings in their home, near the south shore of Lake Ontario, was coming from the spirit world. Soon the whole town of Hydesville, New York, was gripped by the mysterious noises that haunted the Fox family. Maggie and Kate, as the Fox sisters were known, claimed that they were able to communicate with the maker of those noises, which they said was a spirit called Mr. Splitfoot. From beyond the grave, the spirit answered their questions, first rapping back to respond with a simple yes or no, then using a more complicated series of raps to indicate letters of the alphabet. In this manner, the spirit allegedly revealed that he had been murdered for money some five years previously and been buried in the cellar of the Fox house. That revelation only further excited the residents of Wayne Countyno strangers to new religious claims, since they had already welcomed the Shakers at Sodus Bay, witnessed the founding of Mormonism at Palmyra, and lately outlived the doomsday prophecies of the nearby Millerites. The Foxes fled their haunted home, but the rapping followed the girls into other houses during the next few months, and their sensational story continued to spread. In the fall of 1849, four hundred people gathered at Corinthian Hall, in nearby Rochester, where the Foxes demonstrated what they had advertised as WONDERFUL PHENOMENA for a paying audiencethe first of many during the next forty years. William Lloyd Garrison and James Fenimore Cooper came for sances with the girls, and Horace Greeley and his wife, Mary, not only visited with the sisters but boosted their celebrity in Greeleys newspapers, including the New-York Daily Tribune, which would go on to cover the Spiritualist craze as dozens and then hundreds of others claimed that they, too, were capable of hearing spirit rapping. According to Midorikawa, the Greeleys were representative of some of the earliest and most enthusiastic adherents of Spiritualism: affluent and progressive mothers and fathers who were desperate to communicate with sons and daughters who had died too young. In the mid-nineteenth century, an estimated twenty to forty per cent of children died before the age of five, and scholars often point to this fact to help account for the appeal of Spiritualism. But it was worse in the preceding centuries; for some time, the child mortality rate had been falling. What mattered more was that the average family size was shrinking, too, at the same time that modern ideas of childhood were taking holdtrends that combined to make the loss of any child seem that much more anguishing. But it wasnt only the death of children that brought people to Spiritualism, or kept them in the fold. Mary Todd Lincoln, who lost three of her four children, visited with mediums in Georgetown before hosting her own sances in the Red Room of the White House. She also hired the countrys most famous spirit photographer to take a picture of her with her husband after he was assassinated. Peter Manseaus The Apparitionists: A Tale of Phantoms, Fraud, Photography, and the Man Who Captured Lincolns Ghost (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) offers a fascinating account of that photographer, William H. Mumler, who worked as a jewelry engraver in Boston before taking a self-portrait that, when developed, revealed what became known as an extra: in his case, a young girl sitting in a chair to his right, whom he recognized as a cousin who had died a dozen years before. Mourning portraitspaintings of the recently deadhad long been popular, but spirit photographs offered something more: not just the memorialization of lost loved ones but confirmation of life after death. In the years following the Civil War, when around three-quarters of a million dead soldiers haunted the country, spirit photographs were in high demand. After Spiritualism migrated to Europe, its prominence there tracked loosely to war, too, with a spike following the First World War. Mumler alone took dozens of spirit photographs, in which deceased friends or relatives appeared behind or beside their living loved ones. Other photographers focussed on capturing active sances, table-turnings, acts of levitation, and even ectoplasmspiritual substances that mediums exteriorized from their own bodies, often their mouths, noses, or ears, but sometimes their stomachs or vaginas. Such substances could be clear or dark, pasty or gauzy, shapeless or in the form of appendages or faces. Technological explanations for the rise of Spiritualism often cite the development of photography, which at the time was an inherently spooky medium, in that it could show things that were not actually there. Although it can be hard to remember in the age of deep fakes, photography was initially thought of not as a manipulable art but as a mirrorlike representation of reality, which made its role in Spiritualism seem probative. Other technologies similarly seemed to bridge such unfathomable gaps that the one between this world and the next appeared certain to collapse as well. The telegraph, for instance, offered access to voices from the beyond; how far beyond was anyones guess. The very word for those who could talk with spirits reflected all the new mediums through which information could be transmitted; spirit photographs were marketed alongside spirit telegraphs, spirit fingerprints, and spirit typewriters. Inventors such as Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison even tinkered with uncanny radios and spirit telephones, inspired by some of the disembodied voices of their own experiments and curious about the supernatural implications of electromagnetism and other universal energies. Still, like the appeal to mortality rates, this account of the rise of Spiritualism goes only so far. For one thing, no notable uptick in spiritualist beliefs accompanied earlier technological upheavals, including the entire Industrial Revolution, even though it altered our sense of time and set all kinds of things spinning and moving in previously unimaginable ways. For another, some of the most popular Spiritualist technologies were some of the oldest: the Ouija board was simply a branded, pencil-less version of the planchette, and forms of planchette writing had been around for centuries. The use of technology to document spiritual phenomena was of interest not only to believers but also to skeptics, who pored over images looking for cheesecloth passing as ectoplasm, overexposures masquerading as ghostly apparitions, and wires or pulleys that could account for rappings and table-turnings. In one of the most publicized attempts to test the claims of Spiritualists, Scientific American offered five thousand dollars in prize money to anyone who could produce psychic phenomena sufficient to convince a committee that consisted of academics from Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, psychic experts, and also Harry Houdini, who knew something about illusions and developed a sideline in exposing those which hucksters were trying to pass off as real. Armed with electroscopes and galvanometers, the committee tested all mediums who presented themselves for scrutiny, sometimes attending multiple sances before rendering a verdict. Houdinis debunking of one famous medium, Mina Crandon, is thoroughly recounted in David Jahers The Witch of Lime Street: Sance, Seduction, and Houdini in the Spirit World (Crown). Crandon was married to a prominent surgeon and attracted Bostons lite to her performances, channelling her dead brothers voice and even revealing his fingerprints from beyond the grave, while also levitating tables and producing ectoplasm from her mouth and from between her legs, often while naked. (The backlash against Spiritualism, which came partly from the clergy, stemmed not only from its challenge to orthodox ideas about Heaven and Hell but also from its scandalous exhibitionism.) Crandons case divided the Scientific American committee, with some members accusing others of having been sexually coerced into validating her fraud and even conspiring with her. Houdini had already exposed the deceptions of other mediums in his book A Magician Among the Spirits, and he never relented in his effort to discredit Crandon, publishing an entire pamphlet detailing her tricks, and going so far as to incorporate some of them into his own stage act in order to demonstrate their fraudulence. I forgot how much I missed seeing a movie with an audience I hate. Facebook Twitter Email Shopping Cartoon by Christopher Weyant Houdini prevented Crandon from winning the Scientific American prize, but her fame only grew, and her case later splintered another group of researchers. The American Society for Psychical Research, founded in 1885, a few years after its British equivalent, was devoted to the investigation of spiritual phenomena, which the society considered as worthy of careful study as fossils or electricity. In Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death (Penguin), Deborah Blum records the societys investigations into everything from haunted houses to hypnotism. For the most part, those investigations only ever succeeded in disproving the phenomena they studied, but it was James, a founding member, who best articulated why they nonetheless continued their work. If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, he said, you mustnt seek to show that no crows are; it is enough if you prove one single crow to be white. My own white crow, James announced in that same address to the Society for Psychical Research, is Mrs. Piper. He was referring to Leonora Piper, a Boston housewife turned trance medium who withstood years of testing and observation, her fees rising twenty-fold in the meantime and her fame extending all the way to England, where she went on tour. On one occasion, Piper impressed the James family by making contact with an aunt of theirs. Asked about the elderly womans health, the medium informed them that the woman had died earlier that day. Why Aunt Kates here, Piper said. All around me I hear voices saying, Aunt Kate has come. The Jameses received a telegram a few hours later confirming Aunt Kates death the night before. Unlike Crandon, Piper was not fully discredited, though many people doubted her abilities, noting her failed readings and prophecies and offering convincing psychological explanations of those predictions and telepathic readings which seemed accurate. Her feats as a medium were not particular to the James family; in the course of her career, she claimed to channel, among others, Martin Luther and George Washington. As such efforts suggest, the allure of Spiritualism was not limited to consolation for the bereft: plenty of mediums worked as much in the tradition of the carnival barker as in that of the cleric, and Spiritualism was popular in part because it was entertaining. Its practitioners, some of them true connoisseurs of spectacle, promised not only reassurances about the well-being of the dearly departed but also new lines from Shakespeare and fresh wisdom from Plato. Even more strikingly, from the perspective of the present day, early mediums offered encounters with the culturally dispossessed as well as with the culturally heralded. Piper, for instance, claimed to channel not only Washington and Luther but also a young Native American girl named Chlorine. And she was not alone in allegedly relaying the posthumous testimony of marginalized people. Enslaved African-Americans and displaced Native Americans were routinely channelled by mediums in New England and around the country. Whether race persisted in the afterlife was a matter of some dispute, but racially stereotyped and ethnically caricatured spirit guides were common, conjured with exaggerated dialects for audiences at sances and captured in sensational costumes by spirit photography. Flora Wellman, the mother of the novelist Jack London, claimed to channel a Native American chief called Plume; the Boston medium Mrs. J. H.Conant became associated with a young Piegan Blackfoot girl she called Vashti. Mediums with abolitionist sympathies passed on the stories of tortured slaves, while pro-slavery Spiritualists delivered messages of forgiveness from the same population and relayed visions of an afterlife where racial hierarchies were preserved. | https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/31/why-did-so-many-victorians-try-to-speak-with-the-dead |
Why Is Brand Affinity So Important For Affiliate Programs? | Affiliate Marketing Strategist. Owner of Affiliate Insider (An Affiliate Marketing Agency, Media Hub + Training Business). Affinity marketing relates to how customers identify with and share a set of common values with the brands they engage with. And right now, brands need to think about and develop affinity around their affiliate program with their partners. Market for emotion-based action, and apply the psychology of selling to your affiliate program. Let's be very clear: Affinity is not the same as loyalty. One reason brand affinities are so strong is that they are rooted in core emotions. Emotion-based selling will always work well in comparison to other types of sales. A good affiliate manager uses emotive-based sales to improve their outreach and partner onboarding. Let's explore this in real life. Ill use myself as an example. I like using Apple products. I have a Mac and an iPhone. As an affiliate program marketer, I use digital media devices all day in my job. Apple creates products that make my life simple. They identify with being a company that services a digital generation (which I totally identify as), and they value quality, sustainability and service in business. These are things that I identify with in my own business and with my own clients. So, you see, I have an affinity with this brand based on the values that they represent and, therefore, Ive chosen to invest my money in their product. Their product is not cheap. It is also not the best when you compare computer specs and prices to that of Apple merchandise. The price is not the issue. The brand affinity drives my emotive input to partner with this brand for my business, staff and personal needs. As affiliate program managers, we need to do the same in relation to our affiliate programs. We need to develop marketing content that supports our program growth and engagement to build affinity with our affiliate partners and other publishers too. Dont market your offers; build affinity around your affiliate program brand. Affinity runs deeper than simply a like for the product itself. Think carefully about one value your affiliate program delivers to your partners right now. It could be that you always pay on time. It could be that your program offers clear and transparent marketing offers with no hidden costs or marketing jargon. Being able to contextualize these values into your affiliate program promotion and partner outreach can help you to build rapport faster and get affiliates to promote your offers over competitors. Affinity marketing costs nothing but an investment of time. Affinity marketing is based around the notion that your brand will have a clear personality that your partners and affiliate audience will want to interact with. You might already have most of this in place within your company. Factors like tone of voice in your copy and knowing your ideal target affiliate or partner demographic should already be part of your marketing strategy to grow your affiliate program reach. But, in essence, these types of components can also help to develop your programs brand affinity. You need to make sure that you fully understand what your affiliates want from your program, and you need to ensure your team, agency or network is singing from that same hymn sheet. The messages that you send out should always be clear and consistent regardless of their subject matter. In turn, you can improve key business points such as sales, outreach, lead generation, and long-term partner loyalty. Its about building values. You need to be pushing for positive perceptions around your affiliate program. Your tech stack should support scale and provide in-depth data to allow your partners to grow your business efficiently. Your team should be kept abreast of the latest digital marketing trends and be engaged to have meaningful conversations with partners about how you can help them develop and, in turn, grow your business. Affiliates (just like customers) want authenticity from the brands that they invest in working with. Get more personal about managing your partners and their expectations. Ensure that you are including some of the real-life experiences and testimonials of what has helped to make your affiliate program brand what it is today. Dont throw this information out all at once you need to make sure that you have a program story that you can continue to pass to your affiliates long after they have signed up to your program. When I talk about the program story, I mean showing your program beyond facts and figures and using storytelling, personalization and testimonials. Affinity marketing is all about looking into the psychology of what can be used to build a program and deep connection that really works for you and your partnerships. You can then continuously reinforce the value and traits that you have established with your program brand. No matter the marketing channel or outreach point that you choose to use, your team, company culture and affiliate programs values must shine through, creating an easier point of emotional association. Affinity is not the same as loyalty. Brand loyalty can easily be swayed. Affinity will not be. It runs much deeper because its based on emotional decision-making. It is about building a genuine connection between you, your team and the partner you are working with, and this is much more difficult to break compared to incentivized loyalty. While investing time to build affinity marketing around your brand is a longer-term strategy, it can only pay dividends. With many brands now focusing on their presence online and how they connect with their affiliates without events, affinity marketing is going to be a game plan that savvy brand marketers who operate affiliate programs invest in to build long-lasting rapport. Its a powerful tool that can really help your affiliate program stand out and start winning long-term partnerships too. Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/05/24/why-is-brand-affinity-so-important-for-affiliate-programs/ |
Whats next for Providence schools? | Happy Monday and welcome to Rhode Map, your daily guide to everything happening in the Ocean State. Im Dan McGowan and if Phil Mickelson can win the PGA Championship at age 50, surely I can avoid beer-league softball injuries for a few more years. Follow me on Twitter @DanMcGowan or send tips to [email protected] . If you have friends or relatives who would like their own free copy of this daily briefing about Rhode Island, tell them they can sign up here . ICYMI: Rhode Island was up to 151,258 confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, after adding 85 new cases. The most-recent overall daily test-positive rate was 1 percent. The state announced one more death, bringing the total to 2,704. There were 67 people in the hospital, and 527,445 residents were fully vaccinated. Advertisement By now youve probably heard that Providence Schools Superintendent Harrison Peters agreed to resign in exchange for a $169,118 settlement that must be paid out on or before June 10. The payment is a tough pill to swallow for many who believed Peters should have received nothing after hiring an administrator who was accused in Florida of touching the toes of high school boys. The administrator, Olayinka Alege, was charged this month with simple assault for allegedly forcibly massaging a teenage boys foot at a Warwick gym in April. Superintendents of large school districts dont grow on trees, so top staff at the Rhode Island Department of Education including Education Commissioner Anglica Infante-Green are going to run the district temporarily. Infante-Green is likely to name an interim superintendent in the coming weeks, but its not yet clear who is the frontrunner is for that job. There are several staffers at both the city and state levels who could provide continuity, but theres always the chance that Infante-Green will bring in someone with previous experience in Providence (like when she hired Fran Gallo to be interim superintendent in 2019). Advertisement The search for a permanent superintendent is going to need to begin quickly because Infante-Green and Governor Dan McKee want to have a new leader in place by the beginning of the school year, which starts Sept. 9. This will likely renew the debate over whether to conduct another national search or hire locally. THE GLOBE IN RHODE ISLAND Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea has made it official. Shes running for governor next year. Read more. The fourth-graders at the International Charter School in Pawtucket are easily the best lobbyists in Rhode Island. Read more. Budget airline Breeze Airways will begin nonstop flights on July 22 from T. F. Green to Charlestown, South Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Read more. Rhode Islanders looking to save money by shopping at Costco may have to wait even longer for a local warehouse. Read more. This weeks Ocean State Innovators Q&A is with Timothy Aurelio, an emergency room nurse at Roger Williams Medical who developed the N95 Mask Preserver. E-mail Alexa Gagosz with suggestions for this weekly interview. Read more. Subscribe to BostonGlobe.com MORE ON BOSTONGLOBE.COM Investigation: The inside story of the Holyoke Soldiers Home COVID-19 outbreak. Read more. Economy: Larry Edelman makes the case that unemployment insurance should be a fully federal program, like Social Security. Read more. Read more. Sports: Columnist Tara Sullivan writes that Patrice Bergerons leadership was on full display as the Bruins dispatched the Capitals in the first round of the playoffs. Read more. Advertisement WHATS ON TAP TODAY Each day, Rhode Map offers a cheat sheet breaking down whats happening in Rhode Island. E-mail us at [email protected]. Governor McKee is scheduled to appear at a ribbon cutting for the Pier 2 upgrades at Quonsets Port of Davisville at 9:15 a.m. The Senate Oversight Committee is holding a hearing on the Rhode Island Airport Corporation at 5:30 p.m. The Globe is hosting a Boston mayoral candidate virtual forum at noon that will focus on energy and the environment. Your subscription is what makes it possible. Weve got a great offer here. Dan McGowan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @danmcgowan. | https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/05/24/metro/whats-next-providence-schools/ |
Are U.S. Officials Under Silent Attack? | During the final weeks of the Trump Administration, a senior official on the National Security Council sat at his desk in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, across from the West Wing, on the White House grounds. It was mid-November, and he had recently returned from a work trip abroad. At the end of the day, he left the building and headed toward his car, which was parked a few hundred yards away, along the Ellipse, between the White House and the Washington Monument. As he walked, he began to hear a ringing in his ears. His body went numb, and he had trouble controlling the movement of his legs and his fingers. Trying to speak to a passerby, he had difficulty forming words. It came on very suddenly, the official recalled later, while describing the experience to a colleague. In a matter of about seven minutes, I went from feeling completely fine to thinking, Oh, somethings not right, to being very, very worried and actually thinking I was going to die. He fell to the ground before he reached his car, and realized that he was in no condition to drive. Instead, he made his way to Constitution Avenue, where he hoped to hail a taxi. He managed to open the Lyft app on his phone, and ordered a driver, who took him to the hospital. When he arrived at the emergency room, the official thought, Im probably not walking out of here. He approached the reception desk. Are you on drugs? a doctor asked him. The official shook his head. He was led to an examination room. Hospital staff found his White House identification card in his pocket, and three cell phones, one of which they used to call his wife. They thought he might be having a stroke, but an MRI ruled it out. Blood tests also turned up nothing unusual. The official, who was in his mid-thirties, had no prexisting conditions. The doctors were at a loss, but told him they suspected that he had suffered a massive migraine with aura. It took about two hours for his speech to begin to return. When he checked out of the hospital, the next day, he still had a pounding headache, but was soon able to go back to work. Several days later, a colleague called him to discuss suspected cases of the Havana Syndrome, a mysterious ailment that had first affected dozens of U.S. officials in Cuba, and which now appeared to be spreading. The N.S.C. official didnt think that he was suffering from the Havana Syndrome; it seemed outlandish that someone would be struck while on the grounds of the White House. But, as his colleague described some of the more severe cases that had been reported, it occurred to the official that this might be his problem. Look, this is probably nothing, he told his colleague, but what you described sounds kind of like what happened to me. Three years ago, my colleague Jon Lee Anderson and I published a piece in The New Yorker about the first Havana Syndrome incidents among C.I.A. and State Department employees. Beginning in December, 2016, officials described being bombarded by waves of pressure in their heads. Some said they heard sounds resembling an immense swarm of cicadas, following them from room to roombut when they opened a door to the outside the sounds abruptly stopped. A few reported feeling as if they were standing in an invisible beam of energy. The aftereffects ranged: debilitating headaches; tinnitus; loss of vision and hearing; vertigo; brain fog; loss of balance and muscle control. For some, the symptoms went away quickly; for others, they have persisted. The experiences have varied to such an extent that government doctors have struggled to form a coherent diagnosis, and many of the patients have been met with skepticism both inside and outside the government. One of the most convincing early cases involved a senior C.I.A. officer who had flown to Cuba, in secret, to meet with colleagues there. In her room at the Hotel Nacional, in August, 2017, the officer awoke with a start to a low humming noise and a feeling of intense pressure in her head. She asked a colleague who came to her room if he heard anything, but he did not. A few days later, after she returned to C.I.A. headquarters, she began to have trouble with her eyesight and her balance, making it impossible to read or to drive. At the time, the officer was the highest-ranking member of the C.I.A. to become ill with the syndrome. The incident persuaded Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director, to shut down the agencys station in Havana, and Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State, followed suit, pulling U.S. diplomats out of the country. Some government employees, who were uninjured and invested in their assignments, considered the withdrawal an overreaction. The result was confusion, division, and anger. After the events in Cuba, there were a few potentially related incidents that the C.I.A. tried to handle internally; one of these involved an intelligence officer who, in late 2017, woke up in a hotel room in Moscow with severe vertigo. (A C.I.A. doctor told him, This isnt it, referring to the Havana Syndrome.) It wasnt until the summer of 2020, more than a year after two White House staff members reported Havana Syndrome-like episodes, that their bosses decided to conduct a government-wide analysis, essentially reopening a cold case. They have discovered that what began with several dozen spies and diplomats in Havana now encompasses more than a hundred and thirty possible cases, from Colombia to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to Austria, in addition to the United States and other countries. At least four of the cases involve Trump White House officials, two of whom say they had episodes on the Ellipse. The C.I.A. accounts for some fifty cases. The rest are mostly U.S. military and State Department personnel and their family members. Top officials in both the Trump and the Biden Administrations privately suspect that Russia is responsible for the Havana Syndrome. Their working hypothesis is that agents of the G.R.U., the Russian militarys intelligence service, have been aiming microwave-radiation devices at U.S. officials to collect intelligence from their computers and cell phones, and that these devices can cause serious harm to the people they target. Yet during the past four years U.S. intelligence agencies have been unable to find any evidence to back up this theory, let alone sufficient proof to publicly accuse Russia. Intelligence is an imperfect science, a U.S. intelligence official told me. Its what you know, and it can change in a blink of an eye. There is still disagreement about how to refer to the incidents. Privately, officials characterize them as attacks. Publicly, they refer to them as anomalous health incidents. In late May, 2019, a large group of White House officials checked into an InterContinental Hotel in London, where they prepared for President Donald Trumps state visit. Before dawn on the day of Trumps arrival, Sandra Adams, a mid-level White House staffer, collected a sheaf of documents that had arrived overnight for her team, and had a quick breakfast in the hotel dining room. When she returned to her room, overlooking Green Park, she pulled open the curtains and settled into a chair to read. Suddenly, a ringing sound, annoying at first, then distinctly painful, seemed to envelop her. When she left the room, her ears continued ringing. Later in the trip, she invited a more junior White House staff member, Adrian Banks, to hang out with her in her hotel room before the two went to dinner. (The names Sandra Adams and Adrian Banks are pseudonyms.) As they chatted on the couch, Adams again heard the sound, and felt an acute pressure in her head, as did Banks. They rushed out of the room and into the hallway, where the sound and the pressure subsided. But for the rest of the trip both officials suffered migraines. When the delegation returned to Washington, Adams described the incident to a special White House office responsible for tracking security threats. She was told that what had happened to Banks and her was classified, which meant that they were not supposed to tell anyone, including their doctors, about their experience in London. They visited doctors at the White House Medical Unit, who thought that Adams and Banks were suffering from ordinary headaches and sinus infections that had potentially been brought on by stress. The doctors suggested that they take ibuprofen and decongestants and get some rest. As the weeks passed, Adamss ears and lymph nodes became more swollen, her migraines grew worse, and she felt as if she had strep throat. Banks continued to have headaches, too. Their symptoms persisted despite repeated visits to private physicians and urgent-care clinics. Adams told a colleague, No one seemed to take it seriously. In the cramped warrens of the West Wing, Adams and Banks would often cross paths with Charles Kupperman, the deputy national-security adviser and a veteran of the Reagan White House. In 1978, Kupperman, a hard-liner in Russian affairs, wrote an article cautioning Americans that the ability of the U.S. to defend itself is in doubt because of the size, sophistication and rate of growth of Soviet military power. When the Soviet Union collapsed, in 1991, he was the president of Xsirius Superconductivity, a company working on the use of microwave technology to allow helicopters to detect radiation from air-defense radar systems. Kupperman joined the N.S.C. staff in April, 2018, as a top policy aide to John Bolton, Trumps national-security adviser. Early in his tenure, Kupperman told Bolton that he wanted to take on the Havana Syndrome and drive it into the ground. He had no proof, but he was convinced that the Russians were behind the attacks, and that they were using technology that the K.G.B. had devised during the Cold War. The Russians have a very good capability in microwave weaponry, Kupperman told me. The victims in Cuba had been spies and diplomats, so the Havana Syndrome investigation was being led by the C.I.A. and the State Department. In the spring of 2018, both agencies were in a period of transition; Trump fired Tillerson and nominated Pompeo to replace him as Secretary of State, and Gina Haspel succeeded Pompeo as the director of the C.I.A. She and her deputy, Vaughn Bishop, visited the White House for meetings, and Kupperman would pull them aside to discuss the Havana Syndrome, with which he had become obsessed. He pressed them for information, but they repeatedly told him that they didnt have anything new. The intelligence agencies, Kupperman said, didnt really make it a priority to use all of their resources and accesses to figure this out as quickly as they could. He added, of Haspel, She was skeptical that it was real, and, once she was, the rest of that organization took its cue. Haspel wasnt the only one who seemed unconvinced. After the initial incidents in Havana, the F.B.I. sent a team of agents to the city to try to figure out what might be causing the illnesses. They found no dispositive evidence of any attacks, although by the time they arrived the theoretical perpetrators would have had ample opportunity to conceal any evidence of wrongdoing. In addition, profilers with the F.B.I.s Behavioral Analysis Unit conducted assessments of the victims. The unit presented its findings to State Department officials, including John Sullivan, a Deputy Secretary and the head of a task force that the department had set up to look into the syndrome. The profilers assessment was that the victims were suffering from a mass psychogenic illness, a condition in which a group of people, often thinking that they have been exposed to something dangerous, begin to feel sick at the same time. But, when a State Department official asked how many victims the profilers had interviewed, the unit explained that it hadnt spoken to any of them directly. The units conclusions were based on transcripts of previous interviews that the F.B.I. had done with the patients, and on patient histories compiled by the victims doctors, including neuropsychologists and other specialists, who had already ruled out the idea of a mass psychogenic illness: many of the victims didnt know about the other people who were sick, and their bodies couldnt have feigned some of the symptoms they were exhibiting. Bolton, like Kupperman, believed that the Havana Syndrome was real, and he initially thought that either Russia or China was responsible. By the summer of 2018, hed landed on Russia; more possible cases were reported by U.S. diplomats at the consulate in Guangzhou, and Bolton didnt think that the Chinese would take such action on their home turf. Bolton told me that Pompeo said, Ive looked at this since the Administration started. Nobody can figure out whats going on. Bolton then met with officials from the C.I.A. They couldnt reach agreement on who did it, Bolton told me. In fact, they couldnt reach agreement on whether it was real. He went on, I told them, Look, as far as I am concerned, the fact that we had this happen not just in Cubathough that was the biggest collection of casesbut in China, it seems to me this ought to be a high priority. And they said, Were still working on it. Kupperman was promoted to deputy national-security adviser in January, 2019, at which point he received access to the governments most sensitive intelligence programs. He told his C.I.A. briefer to show him any new intelligence regarding the Havana Syndrome, but he was given few updates. As far as he could tell, the C.I.A. had found very little since he joined the Administration. Then, in June, Sandra Adams and Adrian Banks told Kupperman about what had happened to them in London. He had no doubt they were telling the truth. Kupperman told Bolton and officials at the C.I.A., hoping that they would reassess the threat now that there appeared to be two White House victims. William Happer, a former N.S.C. official and an expert on radiation propagation, who was involved in the discussions, said that his C.I.A. colleagues didnt know what to make of the new cases. There was only anecdotal, fuzzy information, Happer told me. The problem was the lack of really good data. We didnt have very much. Hear ye, hear ye! His Majesty is about to acknowledge his privilege! Facebook Twitter Email Shopping Cartoon by Liana Finck There was one tangible result. When Bolton and his delegation returned to London, they stayed at a Marriott. Often, when a person suffers a concussion or another form of head trauma, biomarkers indicating damaged brain tissue are detectable in the blood soon after the initial injury. When the first set of C.I.A. victims cropped up in Cuba, medical personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Havana drew their blood and placed the samples in a refrigerator. Researchers planned to check the samples for blood biomarkers. But in September, 2017, when Hurricane Irma hit Cuba, the Embassy lost power, and the refrigerated samples were spoiled. The opportunity to do blood tests was lost, but specialists at the University of Pennsylvanias Center for Brain Injury and Repair have been able to use MRIs to study the brains of forty Havana Syndrome patients. They found no signs of physical impact to the victims skullsit was as if the victims had a concussion without a concussion, one specialist told mebut the team found signs consistent with damage to the patients brains: the volume of white matter was smaller than in a similar group of healthy adults, which indicated that something structural in the brain had been affected. At the White House, Adams and Banks continued to experience symptoms. Kupperman lobbied to have them evaluated by State Department doctors who had examined other suspected victims of the Havana Syndrome in Cuba and in China. A few months after the incident in London, the doctors checked Bankss and Adamss vision, balance, hearing, and cognitive skills, in a series of tests known as the Havana Protocol. Adams listed the symptoms that had persisted: migraines, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat. A doctor told her, referring to the Havana victims, Whatever you heard, those are not the same symptoms as the rest of the cohort. Adams left with the distinct impression that the doctor wanted her to believe that she had imagined the experience in London. Banks saw a different doctor at the State Department. After the tests for balance and cognition, the doctor said, You passed. Banks tried to explain that some days were better than others, and that on bad days the pain was more severe. I was having a good day, Banks told a colleague. But the doctor was skeptical. Adams and Banks reported back to Kupperman. They said, We know our bodies and we know these symptoms and its not normal, he recalled. Nobody did any serious medical diagnostics, which is just appalling. Bolton was frustrated, too. But, after a while, there really wasnt much more I could do, he told me. You can say to somebody only so many times, Whats the cause?, and then have them reply, I dont know. His takeaway was that C.I.A. officials believed the Havana Syndrome was an incoherent collection of psychosomatic reports, groupthink, and disparate mental conditions. He told me, They just werent going to pursue it. | https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/31/are-us-officials-under-silent-attack |
Are We Entering a New Political Era? | Last June, when most Americans could agree that their country was in crisis but few could agree on what to do about it, staffers from a small organization called Justice Democratspart of a burgeoning faction of young activists whose goal is to push the Democratic Party, and thus the entire political spectrum, to the leftjoined a gathering on the patio of a restaurant in Yonkers, overlooking the Hudson. It was a breezy Tuesday night, and polls in the congressional primary had just closed. Most of the staffers hadnt seen one another in person since COVID lockdowns began, and their hesitant enthusiasmdistant air hugs, cocktails sipped hastily between remaskingsseemed appropriate to the event, which could, at any moment, turn into either a victory party or a defeat vigil. A lectern, framed by string lights and uplit pine trees, stood empty, apart from a sign bearing their candidates name: Jamaal Bowman. Bowman was still out campaigning, urging voters at crowded polls to stay in line. At least, thats what everyone assumed. He had no staff with him, and his phone was dead. Bowman was running to replace Eliot Engel, who represented southern Westchester and the North Bronx in Congress. Since being elected, in 1988, Engel had breezed through fifteen relection campaigns, usually without serious competition. But he was a seventy-three-year-old white man whose constituents were relatively young and racially diverse. He was also a moderate Democratmilitarily and monetarily hawkish, and a recipient of numerous corporate donationsin an increasingly progressive district. Seeing an opportunity, Justice Democrats had encouraged Bowman, a middle-school principal in his forties and an avid supporter of the Black Lives Matter and environmental-justice movements, to run a long-shot primary campaign against Engel. I identify as an educator and as a Black man in America, he said in a video interview with the Intercept. But my policies align with those of a socialistgrin, shrugso I guess that makes me a socialist. The mission of Justice Democrats is to push for as much left-populist legislation as Washington will accommodate, with the understanding that what Washington will accommodate is a function, in part, of who gets elected. The group recruits progressives, many of them extraordinary ordinary people with no political experience, to run primary campaigns against some of the most powerful people in Congress. In its first effort, in 2018, it ran dozens of candidates on shoestring budgets. All of them lost, except oneAlexandria Ocasio-Cortezbut she turned out to be a potent validation of the groups model. Today, the Justice Democrats-aligned faction in Congress includes about ten members, depending on how you count. In most House elections, more than ninety per cent of incumbents are relected. Justice Democrats is betting that the most efficient way to reshape the Democratic Party is to disrupt this pattern, giving moderates an unignorable reason to guard their left flank. Its one thing for the progressive movement to tell a politician, It sure would be nice if you did this, Alexandra Rojas, the groups executive director, told me. Its another to be able to say, Look, you should probably do this if you want to keep your job. This insurgent approach has caused establishment figures from both parties to refer to Justice Democrats and its ilk as the Tea Party of the left. Max Berger, an early employee, said, If thats supposed to mean that were equivalent to white-supremacist dipshits who want to blow up the government or move toward authoritarianism, then I would consider that both an insult and a really dumb misreading of what were trying to do. But if it means that we come out of nowhere and, within a few years, we have one of the two major parties implementing our agendaand if our agenda is to promote multiracial democracy and give people union jobs and help avert a climate crisisthen, yeah, Im down to be the Tea Party of the left. Justice Democrats is one of a handful of like-minded organizationsothers include a climate-action group called the Sunrise Movement, a polling outfit called Data for Progress, a think tank called New Consensus, an immigrants-rights group called United We Dream, and an organizer-training institute called Momentumthat make up an ascendant left cohort. Their signature proposal is the Green New Deal, a gargantuan legislative agenda that would decarbonize the American economy in the course of a decade, rebuild the countrys infrastructure, and, almost as an afterthought, provide a national jobs guarantee and universal health care. Rhiana Gunn-Wright, one of the main authors of the Green New Deal, said, You can put together the perfect policy plan, but if it doesnt fit within the dominant ideological frame then youre getting laughed out of the room. So, while we argue for our ideas, we also keep trying to push out the frame. In 2016, nobody was talking about a Green New Deal. The idea was languishing in the most inauspicious of legislative limbos: not unpopular, not divisive, just invisible. By the 2020 Presidential primaries, twenty out of twenty-six Democratic candidates supported it. For anyone, and especially for groups this new, you almost never see your ideas get that much traction that quickly, Brian Fallon, who was Hillary Clintons national press secretary in 2016, told me recently. Lots of very high-up people, including people close to the President, have gone from underestimating them to sitting up and taking notice. For the 2020 congressional election, along with Bowman, Justice Democrats supported Cori Bush, a nurse and a Black Lives Matter organizer in St. Louis; Jessica Cisneros, a twenty-six-year-old lawyer in Laredo, Texas; and Alex Morse, a young, openly gay mayor in western Massachusetts. They all ran in deep-blue districts, where the only truly competitive election is the Democratic primary. For months, in New Yorks Sixteenth District, Engel had a sizable lead. As primary day approached, though, Bowman appeared to pull ahead, and Engel got last-minute endorsements from Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi. By the time Bowman showed up at the gathering in Yonkers, the returns looked promising. The speech he gave was essentially a victory speech, and not a diffident one. I cannot wait to get to Congress and cause problems for the people in there who have been maintaining a status quo that is literally killing our children, he said. He ended up winning by fifteen points. Recently, I asked Bowman how much of his improbable victory could be attributed to the help hed receivedin the form of campaign consulting, volunteer phone-banking, debate prep, and other in-kind assistancefrom Justice Democrats and Sunrise. Out of ten? he responded. Twenty-five. Youre lucky youre insanely far away or Id kick your ass. Facebook Twitter Email Shopping Cartoon by Jason Adam Katzenstein As the night went on, the gathering turned into a party. Sean McElwee, the executive director of Data for Progress, cornered Rojas and Waleed Shahid, the communications director of Justice Democrats. McElwee had been poring over demographic data, and he was convinced that Cori Bush, the candidate in St. Louis, could also pull off an upset. Its a two-foot putt, he said, again and again, his ardor enhanced by gin-and-tonics. A two-foot putt! Rojas agreed to pay him a few thousand dollars to run a poll. It had Bush trailing by less than expected, encouraging Justice Democrats to invest heavily in the race; a few weeks later, McElwee ran another poll, which showed a tie. That August, Bush won a come-from-behind victory, insuring her place as the sixth member of the mini caucus popularly known as the Squad. In any other countrya parliamentary system in Europe or Asia or South Americawed be called either social democrats or democratic socialists, Shahid told me. Our party would win twenty-five per cent of the seats, and wed have real power. But, in a two-party system, the way to get there is to run from within one of the two parties and, ultimately, try to take it over. There are many ways to predict the political weather. Some, such as prelection polling, focus on the near-presentthe equivalent of hiring a meteorologist to determine which way the wind is blowing. Other methods, the kind that pass for long-term thinking in D.C., try to project a bit further into the future. This kind of prognostication can take on an eerily fatalistic quality, as if politics were nothing but an eternal regression to the mean. Scranton soccer moms drift left, Tejano dads drift right; the seasons wax and wane, but nothing really changes. Alternatively, you could think in terms of ideological eras. On this time scale, the metaphors become geological. The weather patterns seem familiar, but, underfoot, tectonic plates are shifting. You wake up one day and whole continents have cleaved apart. New trade routes have opened up. What once seemed impossible now seems inevitable. Such seismic shifts appear to happen, on average, once a generation. If this pattern holds, then were just about due for another one. Gary Gerstle, an American historian at the University of Cambridge, has argued, in the journal of the Royal Historical Society, that the last eighty years of American politics can be understood in terms of the rise and fall of two political orders. The first was the New Deal order, which began in the thirties, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt established a social safety net that Americans eventually took for granted. Next came the neoliberal order, during which large parts of that safety net were unravelled. The axioms of neoliberalismfor instance, that deficit spending is reckless, free markets are sacrosanct, and the governments main job is to get out of the wayfelt radical when they were proposed, in the forties and fifties, by hard-line libertarian intellectuals like Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman. In the sixties and seventies, these axioms became central to the New Right. By the late eighties, the ideas that had been thought of as Reaganism were starting to be understood as realism. A new order had taken hold. A political order is bigger than any party, coalition, or social movement. In one essay, Gerstle and two co-authors describe it as a combination of ideas, policies, institutions, and electoral dynamics . . . a hegemonic governing regime. Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican President during the New Deal order, wouldnt have dreamed of repealing Social Security, because he believed that Americans had come to expect a vigorous welfare state. Bill Clinton slashed welfare, in large part, because he thought that the era of big government was over. Richard Nixon, a conservative by the standards of his time, pushed for a universal basic income; Barack Obama, a liberal by the standards of his time, did not. A truly dominant order doesnt have to justify itself, Gerstle has argued; its assumptions form the contours of common sense, making alternative ideologies seem marginal and unworkable. Obama recently admitted as much in an interview with New York, in a passive, mistakes-were-made sort of way. Through Clinton and even through how I thought about these issues when I first came into office, I think there was a residual willingness to accept the political constraints that wed inherited from the post-Reagan era, he said. Probably there was an embrace of market solutions to a whole host of problems that wasnt entirely justified. As President, Obama could have proposed, say, tuition-free public college or a universal-jobs programDemocrats had large majorities in both the House and the Senatebut he and his advisers considered such ideas marginal and unworkable, because they were negotiating, in a sense, not only with Mitch McConnell but also with the ghost of Milton Friedman. | https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/31/are-we-entering-a-new-political-era |
How Many Times Is Disney Going To Introduce Their First Gay Character? | People from the Walt Disney Company participate in the annual LA Pride Parade in West Hollywood, ... [+] California, on June 9, 2019. - LA Pride began on June 28, 1970, exactly one year after the historic Stonewall Rebellion in New York City, 50 years ago. (Photo by DAVID MCNEW / AFP) (Photo credit should read DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Disneys upcoming Cruella, a live-action origin story for the iconic antagonist of 101 Dalmatians, is being praised for featuring Disneys first gay character. Its a familiar milestone for the company, as Disney has pioneered their first gay character at least 7 times, give or take; Onward, Beauty and the Beast, Jungle Cruise, The Rise of Skywalker, Zootopia, Toy Story 4, and Avengers: Endgame all feature minor characters who make exceedingly subtle references hinting at same-sex attraction. Conveniently, these minuscule slivers of LGBTQ representation are so brief, so utterly irrelevant to the plot of these films, that they can be easily edited out for socially conservative audiences, as was the case with the quick lesbian kiss from The Rise Of Skywalker. Pro-LGBTQ press outlets, starved for representation, will either cheer Disneys cautious baby steps towards inclusion, or criticize the companys cynicism. None of these queer background characters really stick around in collective memory long enough to make an impression, hence, each time Disney pulls the same trick, it is heralded as the first. Arguably, Disney has never made enough commitment to representation to even justify the word; even Cruellas alleged LGBTQ representation appears to be more of a tease, rather than a commitment. Actor John McCrea, who plays Cruella's fashion-obsessed friend Artie, stated: "It depends on who you're asking I suppose - but for me, yes, it's official: he's queer. But we don't see him falling in love; there's no social aspect to the character. It's not beating you on the head with a stick." It seems odd that, in 2021, Disney is still attempting to have their cake and eat it when it comes to LGBTQ representation, especially when other animated childrens media, such as Steven Universe, Adventure Time, The Owl House and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, feature openly queer characters. However, even Disneys tepid attempts at representation have managed to spark fury in the heart of the intolerant, attracting boycotts and aggressive censorship. And Disney, like every other media institution, seeks to avoid controversy that threatens profit. The LGBT community cant celebrate Disneys firsts forever, and the half-hearted representation shown thus far is only fueling frustration. Surely, another culture war is on the horizon, and Disney, the hulking behemoth of the entertainment world, is going to be viewed as an important battleground. On the plus side, Kevin Feige has promised that The Eternals and Thor 4 will feature LGBTQ representation, so there are at least two more firsts to look forward to. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2021/05/24/how-many-times-is-disney-going-to-introduce-their-first-gay-character/ |
What Is Public Relations? | Founder & CEO of SlicedBrand, a global PR agency with an award winning team, she's successfully led PR for thousands of technology companies Getty The role of public relations is crucial to building and maintaining a good reputation for a company, yet theres often confusion surrounding what exactly it does. If you ask 100 random people this question, youll likely get 100 different answers. The Public Relations Society of America defines public relations as "a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics. I think this definition is too academic for many companies that are struggling to figure out how to do PR. Even though most businesses know that PR is important, theres a lot of confusion about what it entails. Thats why its important to differentiate PR from other marketing techniques. Crucially, the relationships that PR strives to build through its communication methods are two-way streets. What PR Does In the PESO marketing model, four pillars paid, earned, shared and owned media work hand in hand. Public relations focuses on earned media, which is the purest form of media and the hardest to attain because you cant pay for it you have to earn it. Thats why its also the most powerful marketing tool. To earn placements in the media, a company must offer something of value. Journalists and publications want to provide value to their readers. Therefore, good PR outreach starts with the question, Why is this important for people to know? PR activities are centered on reputation building, positioning and helping a company establish itself as a trusted authority in its industry. To accomplish this, its crucial for companies to build credibility through organic coverage from top-tier, respected journalists. Once a company builds up its name, that makes it a lot easier for it to get its news and announcements covered by journalists. PR also helps a business respond to crisis situations so the company can maintain the good reputation it has worked so hard to build. Many people mistakenly think of PR as being reactive springing into action only when a company has news to announce or in response to a crisis. While those are important aspects, PR is also very proactive. The former are proactive and always try to see how they can make their brands part of the broader conversation about timely news topics by actually monitoring what people are talking about on the web and riding the news agenda. Commentary is a great way for company leaders to gain visibility. Executives quoted in industry-related articles are often seen as thought leaders. This requires establishing strong connections with reporters and becoming a resource they can rely on to help them craft more informative and accurate articles. Providing commentary does not mean talking about a companys products or services. It means providing important industry context to a journalist about an event or situation such as how new legislation might affect an industry or offering insights to enrich a reporters educational article. One of the best ways PR works proactively to establish a good reputation and credibility is through guest posts and articles in relevant publications that demonstrate the knowledge of the team behind the brand. These establish a companys team members as authorities in their industry and create brand recognition ahead of any outreach about company news or announcements. Good PR creates a virtuous cycle in which having credibility as an industry authority helps a company gain more visibility in the press, and increased visibility in the press leads to greater credibility as an industry authority. When there is news to share, PR handles outreach to the media through press releases or by arranging speaking engagements for the companys spokesperson. These speaking opportunities can include interviews with key journalists and presentations at industry events, as well as guest appearances on podcasts. What PR Doesnt Do First and foremost, PR is not about traffic or sales in the short term. Over the long term, it can lead to that through brand building. Having a great product or service will only get you so far if no one has ever heard of you. While public relations tends to fall within companies marketing verticals, it is distinctly different from marketing in that the point is not to drum up leads. Its not like advertising, where you pay Y and get X number of clicks. Guest posts meant for reputation building ideally should not promote a companys technology, and a companys name should not be mentioned anywhere except in the byline and the authors biography. PR also does not slam the competition. Many companies mistakenly think that highlighting their own unique selling points means bad-mouthing other companies within their industry. However, if youre spending your time bashing the competition, youre not spending your time promoting what you do better than them. Finally, PR doesnt (or shouldnt) mislead either the client or the public to get attention. Because PR is all about building up a good reputation and establishing credibility, one instance of misleading can mar the image a company has worked hard to craft. There Are No Quick Fixes Warren Buffett said, It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently. Public relations is a long game. It takes time to establish a good reputation and to become known as an authority in an industry. PR focuses on building up your company and your team in the media. If you have a good PR team, youll see them getting quoted or mentioned on a regular basis in the press, or youll hear them speaking at events or on podcasts. When PR is bad, youll notice it. When it flops, it can flop spectacularly and get a company into the news for the wrong reasons. Good PR doesnt draw attention to itself. In fact, when its good, you often dont even notice it you only see the positive buzz it generates for the company. Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/05/24/what-is-public-relations/ |
Why do I need anything other than Google to answer a question? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Cody Behles, University of Memphis (THE CONVERSATION) Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question youd like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. Harrison F., age 13, Brookline, Massachusetts Imagine youre researching something. Whether youre a fourth grader who needs to find out how volcanoes erupt or youre an adult looking for more information regarding a news article, you might want to quickly look something up on the internet. Googles search engine may seem to have all the answers to your questions. I think about these questions a lot because of what I do for a living: helping University of Memphis scholars communicate about their work with academic peers and the public. These scholars are experts who have worked and studied for a long time to learn all they can about a topic. They answer questions by combining their knowledge with the scientific method to discover new things. Page, Brin and PageRank When Larry Page and Sergey Brin created Googles search engine in 1996 as Stanford University computer science students, they were trying to establish a fast way to easily find things on the internet. At the time, searching through the web was slow and difficult, making it hard to find the best information. They invented an algorithm, a detailed step-by-step instruction set or formula, called PageRank. It works by estimating the quality of a webpage by measuring the number and quality of other pages that link to it. When you search on Google, its search engine returns the highest ranked pages related to what youre looking for. Some drawbacks Googling became so fast it can seem instantaneous. But the results you see when you do a Google search can be influenced by other things besides PageRank, including whether advertisers are paying Google to make their websites show up higher than they otherwise might. Googles algorithms factor in hundreds of other variables, including what sites youve clicked on in the past and how recently a page was updated. Unlike scholars, Googles search engine cant automatically decide which sources are the most important, most accurate or most significant. That is, Google searches dont necessarily identify objective and reliable information. You may consider switching to another search engine like Microsofts Bing or one that specifically promotes the privacy of your information like DuckDuckGo. But many of these alternatives have the same shortcomings. How scholars communicate Scholars often communicate by publishing research papers. Each paper emphasizes a single idea that adds something to a discussion. It may be the new result from an experiment or a new observation. Other scholars then read that paper and discuss it. Knowledgeable people can take stock of the same set of facts and still have different perspectives, which means there isnt necessarily one right answer to a question. Over time this back and forth leads to some generally accepted principles and concepts. This cycle of research, review and discussion has been around since the firstacademic journals were published in 1665. As new discoveries are made, ideas can change. One way researchers show what other ideas they consider in their work is through scholarly citations. Youve surely seen them before they are in the reference section at the back of nonfiction books or at the bottom of Wikipedia articles. Each points to another work. These citations tell you what other books and sources the author of what youre reading considered and how they came to form the ideas. If multiple scholars use the same ideas as building blocks for their own concepts, and then their ideas, in turn, are used as building blocks for other ideas, it continually leads to a cycle of innovation. This discovery process isnt influenced by advertisers even if it can be partially shaped by whether or not scholars can get funding to pursue a particular kind of research. Many of the ideas you find on the internet originate from scholarship but are vulnerable to bias and advertising pressure in a way most scholars are not. We need scholars because they provide a complete picture, the most up-to-date information, derived from their wisdom and deeply considered perspective. The internet makes locating information easier than at any other point in human history. But as Albert Einstein said, Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience. Hello, curious kids! Ask an adult to send your question to [email protected]. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit adults, let us know what youre wondering, too. We wont be able to answer every question, but we will do our best. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-need-anything-other-than-google-to-answer-a-question-160492. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Why-do-I-need-anything-other-than-Google-to-16198657.php |
Why Is Innovation So Hard To Repeat? | Akshay Bhargava serves as the Chief Product Officer and GM at 1Password. Former Malwarebytes CPO, McKinsey consultant, Oracle Cloud Exec. getty Theres a phenomenon in popular music called the one-hit wonder, when a musician skyrockets to the top of the charts with a hit song but fails to repeat the achievement. The one-hit wonder can bask in the fame and (maybe) fortune from that one hit. After that, its game over. One-hit wonders happen in business, too. A startup can hit it big with an innovative product or service that launches a business into the stratosphere yet never repeat the performance. This isnt necessarily for lack of talent but may stem from a host of other circumstances or factors over which the startup has no control or cannot fathom. The business that has a hit product and cant sustain the innovation could be in big trouble. Innovation isnt just the key to a startup's breakthrough; its the secret to its survival. Sustainable innovation is crucial to stay competitive. One example of a one-hit-wonder is BlackBerry, the original smartphone created by the company called Research in Motion. It was the hottest thing and phenomenal innovation. Companies insisted that their employees used it. Flush with cash, Research in Motion wanted to keep innovating, breaking into new categories, figuring out the next new thing. But they didnt know how. At the height of their success, they changed the company name to BlackBerry. The CEO called it a defining moment in [their] companys history. In retrospect, it truly was, because adopting their breakthrough products name as the name of the company symbolized their retreat from continued innovation. Within two years, that innovative product was dead, and the company was going nowhere. Some companies are able to continue innovating, creating new products, adapting existing ones to changing markets or breaking into new markets. Obvious examples include Apple and Tesla. Apple has had sustained innovation for over four decades. This goes beyond the arena of personal computers. Apple revolutionized the music industry with the iPod and the mobile industry with the iPhone. Theyve done this repeatedly. Now, its undeniable that Steve Jobs was the X factor for Apple. He was an incredible innovator and a passionate leader who had a knack for understanding customer pain points, often better than the customers themselves. So thats one way to innovate as a company: get a Steve Jobs. Luckily, there are other ways. Jobs wasn't a magician; what he did was observable and can be repeated. Primarily, he was applying elements of a framework for innovation that any successful company must, but he was doing so intuitively. A key element is customer empathy: understanding the problem. Steve Jobs had it. He didnt call it that, but thats what he was doing. He understood the customers problem even when the customer didnt. A superior technology will lose to a product that solves the customers pain points. Take Microsofts Zune. One could argue that Microsofts portable media was superior to the iPod. Unlike Apple, however, Microsoft appears to have not sufficiently empathized with the customer. And so they failed. Another key element of such a framework is prioritization. Instinctively, Jobs could prioritize among five or six different ideas and say, For the customer, this is the thing that matters most, and this is what were going to pursue. Now, many things go into prioritizing projects, and its impossible always to get the priorities right. What matters is making the call deciding what to fund and what to drop. Consider Google. Google talked for years about wanting to expand beyond search. They wanted to diversify their revenue outside search. They allotted their employees 20% of their time to work on innovative projects. Some of those innovative projects turned out to be successful, but none were anywhere near as successful as search. Other elements are needed in the framework. Amazon is certainly one of the worlds most successful companies. But the key isn't that Amazon has the best ideas or is the first to have those ideas its that Bezos and Amazon iterate, refine and repeat until the ideas are perfected. Look at their successes in different areas: Amazon.com, which expanded from books to music and videos to groceries and more; AWS, which continuously expands its cloud services; consumer devices like Kindle and Alexa; and Amazon Prime, a highly popular subscription service. Amazons success rate of getting ideas through the pipeline is remarkable. The answer is that startup innovation and repeatable innovation are different. For one thing, you'll never know how big a role luck played in your startup success. Many brilliant ideas die in infancy because one of the 100 things needed to go right for the startup to succeed didnt. Your startup success was due to your brilliant idea, smart choices, entrepreneurial courage, and dumb luck. Be grateful for luck, but dont build it into your business plan. If you mistake luck for skill, youre likely to fail because you havent developed the skill. And thats the second point. Sustained innovation takes an infrastructure, a framework that maximizes chances for innovations to occur, get developed and succeed a framework that favors discipline over fortune. Its not enough to come up with brilliant ideas. You have to follow through, prioritize the ideas and refine the most promising in an iterative process. Theres more that goes into a framework for sustainable innovation that I'll cover in the next article, but I'll leave you with this thought to ponder: If you build a culture of innovation, you'll significantly improve your odds of becoming more than a one-hit wonder. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/05/24/why-is-innovation-so-hard-to-repeat/ |
How Could Jadarrius Perkins Shakeup the Florida Gators Secondary? | After welcoming four transfers before spring football camp, the Florida Gators welcomed another experienced college prospect who has a chance to take the field immediately. Cornerback Jadarrius Perkins, formerly with Missouri for three months after two years at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, pledged to become a member of UF's secondary on Saturday evening. A long, athletic defensive back with positional versatility, the hope is that Perkins can come in and make an immediate impact on the backend of the Gators' defense. Perkins took first team reps during Missouri's spring camp this offseason, quickly adapting to the Tigers defense after enrolling in January. With two new defensive backs coaches on staff and following numerous veteran departures, it isn't out of the question to suggest Perkins will similarly surge up the depth chart in Gainesville. UF has yet to confirm his transfer, but Perkins is expected to be immediately eligible after the NCAA Division I Board of Directors shifted toward a one-time transfer rule in April. So long as that is the case, Perkins should be expected to find playing time rather quickly with the Gators. Capable of playing both outside and nickel cornerback, Perkins could factor into both spots on the depth chart as he offers playing experience in an otherwise young secondary. Florida really only has one starter set in stone among its three cornerback positions: Kaiir Elam, who primarily mans the outside, boundary corner spot. With three All-SEC honors (two Coaches, one Associated Press) in two seasons at Florida, Elam is locked into a starting role and won't leave the field often. Snaps could open up outside if Elam shadows an offense's best receiver into the slot or in some sub-packages, but in base defense he'll mainly play outside. That leaves Perkins with snaps to take between the field and STAR nickel cornerback positions, where no player has put together a rsum quite like Elam's. Given Perkins' length and speed, he's an ideal fit to play outside opposite of Elam and man up on receivers in press coverage. Perkins also has the speed to play off-man and various outside zone schemes. In that case, Perkins would chiefly compete with junior cornerback Jaydon Hill for playing time. Hill made five starts last season and broke up seven passes, ranking second-best on the team behind Elam, and has been expected to take over the starting role that Marco Wilson vacated by entering the NFL Draft. If anything, Hill and Perkins are likely to rotate significantly at the field cornerback spot as UF's defensive backs have regularly rotated in the past. Should Florida elect to play Perkins in the nickel as well, he'll battle sophomore Tre'Vez Johnson for playing time at STAR. Johnson didn't start as a true freshman but appeared in 11 games defensively, making 15 tackles and defending two passes while playing in the slot almost exclusively. Although his skill-set may fit best outside, Perkins could also thrive in the STAR role in redzone packages where Florida wants bigger defensive backs in coverage. Such packages could pave a way for UF to get freshman cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. onto the field as well, creating a trio of physical, press-man corners in Marshall, Perkins and Elam that can lock down receivers in a confined area of the playing field. Otherwise, Marshall, a consensus five-star in Florida's 2021 signing class, won't need to be rushed onto the field. That could prove pivotal in his development as Marshall's senior season of high school ball was altered and shorted amid the coronavirus pandemic. With Perkins now in the fold, Marshall can instead play in a limited fashion and take on snaps as he gains comfort within the defense. Perkins will have to prove himself in Florida's fall camp to earn immediate playing time as he makes the leap from junior college football to the SEC, but the arrow appears to be pointing up. Perkins' versatility and college experience could prove instrumental as coaches Wesley McGriff and Jules Montinar reconstruct Florida's secondary, offering the team a stop-gap and a proven commodity of sorts as it attempts to stabilize its passing defense. | https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/florida-gators-jadarrius-perkins-analysis-shakeup-secondary |
How did the Suns become contenders so quickly? | Within two years, James Jones took Phoenix from the cellar to the spotlight. Suns general manager James Jones learned many lessons as a second-round pick who lasted 14 seasons in the NBA as a sharpshooting wing. From a 15th man in Indiana as a rookie, to a valued contributor for the Big Threeera Heat, to a sage veteran in Cleveland during LeBron Jamess second stint there, Jones learned patience, how to stay ready to strike and how to be a crucial part of a collective even when not playing regularly. Second-round picks are NBA players, too. Undrafted guys are NBA players, too, Jones says. It honestly reaffirmed to me that if you just work, if you try to do everything in an effort to help the team be better, and to help the team win, youll be in a good spot. You just have to be open to doing whatever it takes. Though Jones is confident he could still step on an NBA court and hit a few threes, he wont be suiting up for the Suns against his former teammate LeBron and the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. (I know I can shoot. I dont know that Father Time would let me do it again the next day.) Instead, hes assumed his latest role in the league, this time as the architect of a 51-win team for a franchise starved for any kind of relevance. While Jones cant hit the floor himself, he can simply watch the team he helped build into the second seed in the West continue to do what theyve done since a spirited run in last years Orlando bubble: compete. Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated Before Jones took over as GM in a non-interim capacity in April 2019, the Suns had become something of a laughingstock around the league. The franchise hadnt made the playoffs since 2010, and from 15 to 19, never won more than 25 games in a season. The team hit rock bottom in March 19, when Phoenix was the subject of an ESPN feature that described its front office as messy and dysfunctional and featured a scene in which goats pooped inside then GM Ryan McDonoughs office. It was against that backdrop that Jones, who retired from playing in only 2017, took over the front office. So it wasnt so surprising that, in his first summer on the job, Jones quickly took a wrecking ball to much of the previous infrastructure. He fired coach Igor Kokokov after one season at the helm, bringing in the widely respected Monty Williams to replace him. Jones traded for Dario ari and Cameron Johnson on draft night. (He also, in a less-ideal maneuver, traded away T.J. Warren.) After years of Devin Bookers being forced to run with substandard point guards, Jones signed Ricky Rubio. He traded for center Aron Baynes, who was coming off a successful stint with the Celtics. And he signed up-and-coming swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. to a contract extension. But Jones wasnt going for broke. He knew that before the team could be great, it had to be competent. You know, we talk about ceilings a lot, but the first goal was to raise the floor, Jones says. I wanted us to stay grounded. It was important not to get far ahead of ourselves and have our guys thinking so far in advance. You take one step at a time, and every time you take a step you raise the floor. The Suns werent a rousing success in 2020, but they certainly became a respectable team earlier than expected. Phoenix finished 3439 after an 80 showing in Orlando, their first 30-win season in a half-decade. Williams was coaxing the best play Booker and 18 No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton had shown in their young careers. Johnson was flashing the potential to become a valued role player. And the veteransguys like Rubio, ari and Bayneshelped fill in the gaps and provided a level of professionalism the team had been missing for years. In a little over a year, the Suns went from a laughingstock to a team on the rise. And their improvement was legitimate enough to catch the eye of a superstar nearly 1,000 miles east. The Suns wouldn't have been able to rise so quickly without Chris Paul's leadership. Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated Building a championship contender requires a bit of luck. To find success, a player on a cheap contract will need to turn into a core starter. Or maybe another team will have to back out of a trade that, in retrospect, would have been a disaster. Or perhaps the stars will need to align for one of the greatest point guards in history to fall into your lap. And, well, thats what happened last fall when Jones traded for Chris Paul. Paul was coming off a resurgent season for the Thunder when he was moved to Phoenix. CP3 was unceremoniously dumped in OKC by the Rockets in 2019 after a two-season partnership with James Harden failed to bring Houston a title. When Paul was traded to the Thunder, he seemed to be stuck in purgatory; a massive contract on a team openly undergoing a massive rebuild. Then, something strange happened: The Thunder started winning. Paul, after switching his training regimen and adopting a largely plant-based diet, looked five years younger as he led OKC to the playoffs, where they just barely lost to his old teammate Harden in a seven-game, first-round series. All of a sudden Paul had become desirable again, and Phoenix was on his list of preferred destinations, thanks to both their recent success and CPs relationship with Williams. He respected Monty, and he was excited about the prospect of playing with our players, Jones says. Thats the ultimate recognition you want for your teamfor Hall of Fame players to want to invest their time. It says that we have great people. Jones had wheeled and dealed to get the Suns respectability, but his ambition was to build a great team, so he pounced on the opportunity to acquire a player of Pauls caliber. He traded Rubio, Oubre, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a future first for Paul, who made an immediate difference in his first season with the team. Its hard to overstate how integral Paul has been to Phoenixs success. The Suns had a 6.5 net rating with CP on the floor in 2021, which is a higher mark than any team besides the Jazz set during the regular season. And Paul has played well with or without Booker on the floor, which has allowed Williams to stagger time with his stars and help out bench units. Pauls counting stats arent eye-popping (16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists a night) but its impossible to try to measure his control of a game with any number. To this day, few players in the league can dictate the flow of a game as well as Paul. And like any superstar, he can take over when he needs to, like when he buried the Knicks and ended their nine-game winning streak in late April by scoring seven points in the final 1:23 of the fourth. "I don't have enough time to talk about everything he's done," Williams told ESPN earlier this season. "Hes improved the winning mentality. All of our guys want to win. But when you see a guy that has done it from afar and then you look at how he does it, from his diet to the exercise routine he has every day, and then in game when he's able to be in those situations and really lift the level of our team, it's pretty cool to watch." Paul, of course, hasnt been the sole reason for the teams success. Booker is one of the most explosive scorers in the league, and Ayton has improved his efficiency, shooting a career high from the field while ranking in the 92nd percentile of roll-man scorers. Meanwhile, the floor-raising players Jones likes to keep on hand have also proved valuable. ari is a versatile cog off the bench. Johnson is blossoming into the type of rangy wing contenders love to stack their teams with. Jae Crowder, who signed last winter, and Torrey Craig, who was acquired midseason, both provide playoff experience to amplify the strengths of the young core. Jones, however, is reticent to take any credit during the boom times, particularly after experiencing the criticism that came earlier in his tenure. I know how the pendulum swings, Jones says. You make a decision, youre the best ever. You make a decision, youre the worst ever. But the people outside dont determine how successful we are. Im big on our people, they determine our future. As long as they trust and believe what were doing, Im good. As for how he gets the right peoplelike the veterans whove enhanced Phoenixs core stars this seasonin the door, Jones says he doesnt have to put on his salesman hat. When people looked at us, we werent trying to sell them on anything. Not saying we will compete at some point or if you give us time. No, rather than sell you, were telling you that were competing. Devin Booker, alongside a masterful facilitator, has thrived this season. John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated The Lakers found out firsthand Sunday how hard the Suns compete, as Phoenix took a 10 lead in their first-round series by virtue of a 9990 win that wasnt nearly as close as the score would suggest. From the 5:23 mark of the first quarter, Phoenix would never surrender its lead. The Suns brought an energy and focus that stymied the defending champs, with Paul gutting out 36 minutes despite hurting his right shoulder during the first half. Paul looked sloppy at times after returning from injury, sometimes losing the handle on his dribble, laboring while shooting and leaving some of his field goals short of the net. If anything, CPs performance showed how he was willing to adjust his roledo whatever it takes, as his GM would sayand put his trust in the teammates who made him want to join Phoenix in the first place. But Booker, finally playing on a decent team, was electric in his playoff debut, scoring 34 points and outgunning LeBron in the process. (He added eight assists and seven boards for good measure.) Ayton, who has been maligned for going No. 1 in the same draft as Luka Doni, more than held his own in his first postseason action. He was the best big man on the floor in a game that included Anthony Davis, putting up 21 points (on 10-of-11 shooting) and pulling down 16 rebounds, and controlling the paint with his relentless energy. The floor raisers, the guys Jones brought in to make Phoenix a serious organization again, also shined. Cam Payne helped keep the team afloat after Paul hurt his shoulder, and then pumped up the crowd after he was ejected. Crowder took the defensive assignment against James. ari had a huge block on Kyle Kuzma. And Johnson hit two threes off the bench. James Jones, wherever you are, take a bow, ESPNs Jeff Van Gundy exclaimed during the Game 1 broadcast. Youve surrounded your star players with what they need. No matter what happens in Round 1, it would be easy to be satisfied as a Suns fan to simply taste the playoffs after a decade of irrelevance. Jones is hardly content; hes excited to have such a high-powered matchup right out of the gate. (And the Lakers proved last year how formidable they can be after a Game 1 loss.) After all, it would have been easy for Jones to step into a less stressful job after ending his playing career. A finance major and National Honor Society member in college, as well as a player rep for the union during his career, Jones has varied interests outside of the sport of basketball. Hes also laid back, more likely to boast about having the same phone number since 1998 than he is to brag about the success of the team hes built. As a kid growing up in South Florida dreaming of being an NBA player, I was fortunate to live that dream out, Jones says. That was because I had great coaches, executives, people up and down the organization, fans, people who helped me. For me to be in a position where I can help make that dream come true for another player, its motivating. Of course, Jones and the Suns still want to win. Phoenix showed Sunday it wont roll over for the preseason title favorites. What Game 1 showed is that the Suns have so much more than simply a competent teamthey have a bona fide contender. It showed that even when one of their stars is hindered, the collective can overcome a defending champion. The floor has already been raised. Its finally time to have a conversation about Phoenixs ceiling. More NBA Playoff Coverage: Its Time for Bradley Beal to Get His Due The Superfans Are Ready Atlanta Is Falling Hard for the Hawks Read more of SI's Daily Cover stories here | https://www.si.com/nba/2021/05/24/daily-cover-phoenix-suns-james-jones-chris-paul |
Why is the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies falling? | Although the price of bitcoin has partly rebounded after last week's rout, the digital currrency remains well off its April 13 high of nearly $65,000. In early trading on Monday bitcoin fetched $38,477, up 12% from the previous day, according to Coindesk.com. The extreme volatility that has marked bitcoin's emergence in recent years was on full display when its price plunged as much as 29% earlier this month after financial regulators in China banned domestic banks and other financial institutions from supporting bitcoin. That includes processing payments, allowing customers to hold bitcoin in their accounts and converting bitcoin into yuan or any other currency. Such roller-coaster swings in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, which have also been buffeted of late, is raising questions about their risks as investments and viability as financial assets. Here's what you should know. A on May 18 statement posted on the Chinese Banking Association's website said financial institutions should "resolutely refrain" from providing services using digital currencies because of their volatility. Virtually every cryptocurrency fell after the industry group's statement. Bitcoin slumped to $30,202 before recovering to $38,038, down 12% on the day, according to Coindesk. Most cryptocurrencies lost between 7% and 22% of their value and shares of Coinbase dropped 5.4%. And China isn't the only country clamping down on cryptocurrencies. Many banks in the Middle East are also barred from dealing in bitcoin, while U.S., regulators appear to be leaning toward more actively monitoring cryptocurrencies. On Thursday, the Treasury Department said it would require businesses to report any bitcoin payment over $10,000, citing an effort to crack down on tax evasion. The value of bitcoin can change by thousands of dollars in a short time period. On the last trading day of 2020, bitcoin closed just under $30,000. In mid-April, it flirted with $65,000. The price bounced around after that, with some notable swings, before taking a decidedly negative turn last week. How bitcoin works Bitcoin is a digital currency that is not tied to a bank or government and allows users to spend money anonymously. The coins are created by users who "mine" them by lending computing power to verify other users' transactions. They receive bitcoins in exchange. The coins also can be bought and sold on exchanges with U.S. dollars and other currencies. Some businesses take bitcoin as payment, and a number of financial institutions allow it in their clients' portfolios, but overall mainstream acceptance is still limited. Bitcoins are basically lines of computer code that are digitally signed each time they travel from one owner to the next. Transactions can be made anonymously, making the currency popular with libertarians as well as tech enthusiasts, speculators and criminals. Bitcoins have to be stored in a digital wallet, either online through an exchange like Coinbase, or offline on a hard drive using specialized software. According to Coinbase, there are about 18.7 million bitcoins in circulation and only 21 million will ever exist. The reason for that is unclear, and where all the bitcoins are is anyone's guess. Yes, and a fairly big one. Musk announced in February that his electric car company Tesla had invested $1.5 billion in bitcoin. In March, Tesla began accepting bitcoin as payment. Those actions contributed to the run-up in bitcoin's price, and Musk also promoted the digital currency Dogecoin, which also spiked in value. However, Musk reversed course in just a short time, saying last week that Tesla would stop accepting bitcoin because of the potential environmental damage that can result from bitcoin mining. The announcement sent bitcoin falling below $50,000 and set the tone for the big pullback in most cryptocurrencies. A number of bitcoin fans pushed back on Musk's reasoning. Fellow billionaire Mark Cuban said that gold mining is much more damaging to the environment than the mining of bitcoin. A 2019 study by the Technical University of Munich and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that the bitcoin network generates an amount of CO2 similar to a large Western city or an entire developing country like Sri Lanka. But a University of Cambridge study last year estimated that on average, 39% of "proof-of-work" crypto mining was powered by renewable energy, primarily hydroelectric energy. The digital payment company Square and its CEO Jack Dorsey also the CEO of Twitter have been big proponents of bitcoin. Overstock.com also accepts bitcoin, and in February, BNY Mellon, the oldest bank in the U.S., said it would include digital currencies in the services it provides to clients. And Mastercard said it would start supporting "select crypto currencies" on its network. Bitcoin has become popular enough that more than 300,000 transactions typically occur in an average day, according to bitcoin wallet site blockchain.info. Still, its popularity is low compared with cash and credit cards. Yes, plenty of it. Tracking bitcoin's price is obviously easier than trying to figure out its value, which is why so many institutions, experts and traders are skeptical about it and cryptocurrency in general. Digital currencies were seen as replacements for paper money, but that hasn't happened so far. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has said the central bank prefers to call crypto coins "crypto assets," because their volatility undermines their ability to store value, a basic function of a currency. While some banks and financial services companies are getting in on it, others are staying away. Regulators aren't very worried about a possible crash in digital currencies dragging down the rest of the financial system or economy. Even with the recent sell-off, digital currencies have a market value of about $1.5 trillion, according to the website coinmarketcap.com. But that pales compared with the $46.9 trillion stock market, $41.3 trillion residential real estate market and nearly $21 trillion Treasury market at the start of the year. The European Central Bank said Wednesday that the risk of cryptocurrencies affecting the financial system's stability looks "limited at present." In large part, that's because they're still not widely used for payments and institutions under its purview still have little exposure to crypto-linked instruments. Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve said a survey of market contacts found roughly one in five cited cryptocurrencies as a potential shock to the system over the next 12 to 18 months. That's a turnaround from the fall, when a similar survey found none mentioning cryptocurrencies. Washington officials have been talking about regulating digital currencies more, and worries about a heavier hand have played a role in the recent swoon in prices. Gary Gensler, who took over as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission last month, has said that cryptocurrency markets would benefit from more oversight to protect investors. In a hearing before the House's financial services committee earlier this month, Gensler said neither the SEC nor the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which he used to head, has a "regulatory framework" for trading on cryptocurrency exchanges yet. He said he thought Congress would ultimately have to address it because "there's really not protection against fraud or manipulation." How bitcoin came to be It's a mystery. Bitcoin was launched in 2009 by a person or group of people operating under the name Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin was then adopted by a small clutch of enthusiasts. Nakamoto dropped off the map as bitcoin began to attract widespread attention. But proponents say that doesn't matter: The currency obeys its own internal logic. In 2016, An Australian entrepreneur stepped forward and claimed to be the founder of bitcoin, only to say days later that he did not "have the courage" to publish proof that he is. No one has claimed credit for the currency since. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crypto-price-bitcoin-down-2021-05-24/ |
Could Ohio be the next state to legalize college athletes profiting from name, image and likeness? | COLUMBUS Ohio could be the next state to allow collegiate athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness. State Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, will hold a news conference Monday afternoon to announce "major legislation involving collegiate athletics" accompanied by Ohio State University Athletic Director Gene Smith. To date, 16 states have passed legislation that allows college students to make money through advertisements, sponsorship deals and other promotions based on their sports success and popularity. Five of those laws Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and New Mexico take effect July 1. That presents a fairness problem for the NCAA, which regulates student athletics. Complicating matters further, each state has different rules on how students can make money from their own fame, whether universities can reject contracts and how athletes hire agents. Worried about a patchwork of laws, the NCAA has asked Congress to pass legislation on name, image and likeness. Former Ohio State University wide receiver and current U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, R-Rocky River, was one of the legislators leading the charge. But so far nothing has passed, and proponents aren't optimistic about legislation taking effect before July 1. Meanwhile, the NCAA Division I Council, which oversees the highest level of college athletics, delayed a January vote on rules allowing athletes to make money. The delay came after a warning from the Department of Justice that the new rules could violate antitrust laws. Smith co-led a working group that developed rules on how schools could implement name, image and likeness. He has advocated for regulating students' endorsement opportunities rather than restricting them entirely. Facing a July 1 deadline from several states and little help from Congress to date, the NCAA is expected to vote on name, image and likeness rules during its June 22-23 meeting. Money has long been the dividing line between amateur and professional athletes. But in recent years, those athletes have advocated for being able to profit from their own work and success, especially as universities and television networks rake in cash from their endeavors. (Ohio State Universitys athletic department brought in a school record of nearly $234 million between July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.) For example, Opendorse, a digital marketing platform for athletes, estimated that former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields could have earned more than $1 million a year off of his name, image and likeness. But the changes could help lesser-known athletes with savvy social media presences, too. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has advocated for compensating players. He could have made as much as $700,000 off his success as the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner and leader of the national championship-winning Louisiana State University, according to one estimate. Amid that backdrop, Antani is expected to propose a law to legalize ways for students to profit off their own fame in Ohio. Any changes would need approval from both chambers of the Ohio Legislature and Gov. Mike DeWine's signature. Michigan already passed a law on the topic. It takes effect Dec. 31, 2022. Dispatch reporter Joey Kaufman and USA Today Sports contributed to this article. | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/24/could-ohio-allow-college-athletes-profit-their-name-image-and-likeness/5239021001/ |
What Does the U.S. Owe American Samoa? | The Justice Department urged the Supreme Court not to take up the case. It attacked American Samoas petition on two fronts. First, it disputed the claim that the federal government had disregarded its obligations under the Deeds of Cession in any way, noting that Congress had incorporated them into federal law in 1929. The courts narrow, unpublished decision rests on NMFSs factual conclusion that narrowing the LVPA would not have a significant impact on alia fishing and therefore would not affect any rights even arguably protected by the cessions, the Justice Department argued in its brief for the justices. At the same time, the Justice Department argued that American Samoa didnt have the legal standing necessary to bring the lawsuit. American Samoa had previously argued that it could sue under the parens patriae doctrine, which allows states and territories to sue on behalf of their citizens in some circumstances. Neither the district court nor the Ninth Circuit disagreed. But the Justice Department argued that the doctrine only extended to lawsuits brought by states and territories against private actors, not against the federal government. Moreover, the department argued, territories faced additional challenges when suing the federal government because they [owe] their existence to the federal government in a way that states do not. American Samoa warned that the federal government was threatening an amicable status quo. It is no exaggeration to state that more than a centurys worth of history rests on the validity of the Deeds of Cession, American Samoa argued in its brief. The islands government noted that other U.S. territories have taken different paths: the Philippines obtained full independence, Puerto Rico pursued a formal framework for self-governance from Congress, and Palau opted for a form of semi-independence that left some policy-making matters in U.S. hands. American Samoa, on the other hand, has remained an unincorporated, unorganized territory of the United States, it told the court. The decision to maintain this status is based, in large part, on the success of the framework established by the Deeds of Cession. The Supreme Court rarely wades into legal disputes surrounding U.S. territories aside from cases that delve into Puerto Rican governance. In recent years, for instance, the justices have turned down the chance to resolve a split in the lower courts over whether American Samoans are entitled to birthright U.S. citizenship. That aversion may not bode well for American Samoas petition in this case. But their refusal to hear the case could also invite broader debates and litigation over the islands legal and constitutional status going forward. And that, in turn, could raise more questions about whether the United States really means what it says. | https://newrepublic.com/article/162501/us-american-samoa-national-marine-fisheries-court-case |
Will progressives flex their muscle in the House? | : Progressives have started to flex their political strength in the narrowly controlled House, threatening to derail bills if their demands are not met. Six progressives bucked the party line last week, either voting present or against Democrats $1.9 billion emergency funding bill. They said they wanted to know if Capitol Police officers were indirectly complicit in the Jan. 6 attack, as they pushed to implement accountability measures. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), who voted present on the legislation, told your Huddle host and several other reporters last week that he decided how he was going to vote just before he walked on the House floor. The situation put frontline Democrats, who desperately wanted to see the bill passed, in a difficult position. The bill squeezed through in a 213-212 vote. I think it's very important that we'd be on record as supporting the Capitol Police, Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) told me. I know that there are some people who are concerned about whether there was any kind of inside job by some members of the Capitol Police and that's why we need the investigation that we voted ... but to withhold security funding -- we saw just how terribly unprepared the Capitol Police were. The second sign: As we first reported in Huddle on Friday, ten progressives sent a letter to Pelosi last week emphasizing that ending qualified immunity is a must in police reform negotiations. Ten votes is enough to tank any bill -- though the letter-writers didnt explicitly threaten to pull their votes. Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and some other Dems have recently signaled they are willing to drop their demands for qualified immunity in order to pass a bill that has other big changes. In 2010, the Tea Party wave crashed down on Washington in response to the Obama administration and a group of ultra-conservatives emerged who were willing to burn the House down if it meant getting what they wanted. Well see when they return in June. ENDLESS SUMMERTO-DO LIST: It may be shot girl summer, but these next few months will hardly be a vacation for congressional Democrats who have a long list of legislative priorities and a series of looming deadlines hitting in the next few months. Time, in other words, is not on their side. May 25: The most pressing -- albeit soft -- deadline is the one Biden gave for overhauling policing laws , the anniversary of George Floyds death, which is now only a day away. Negotiators say they are making meaningful progress but there are significant sticking points, such as qualified immunity. May 31: The Biden administration offered Memorial Day as a soft deadline to determine if a deal is possible with Senate Republicans on infrastructure, so we may soon have an answer of which path Democrats plan to pursue in getting this big agenda item passed. The White House's latest offer on Friday showed the two parties are roughly $1.5 trillion apart on their tax and spending plans. Some progressives are starting to lose patience . You could do police, S. 1 and infrastructure between now and July, said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). But he acknowledged: For the Senate, its a pretty heavy lift. June: Democrats are expected to use the month of June to figure out how to pass a budget, which gets especially tricky with tight margins. July 4: Speaker Nancy Pelosi is eyeing this holiday for passage of Bidens infrastructure plan, though some congressional Democrats are starting to suggest that the deadline may be slipping. August: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is vowing to bring Democrats major elections and ethics bill, known as S. 1, to the floor by August. The problem: Democrats need to see if Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) can be convinced to support the legislation -- they need his vote amid unanimous GOP opposition. Senate Dems are having another caucus meeting focused on S. 1 this Wednesday, according to a Senate Dem aide. September 6: Before summers end, Democrats also must determine the fate of pandemic-related unemployment benefits, with an extra $300 per week in federal jobless benefits set to expire Sept. 6. Its likely to be a divisive issue, even among Democrats, with moderates and liberals at odds over whether to extend the aid as vaccinations increase, but the nation continues to see troubling economic indicators. Republicans arent expected to support an extension, arguing that the benefits discourage returning to work, my colleagues report. September 30: Democrats must work to avert a showdown over both the federal budget and the debt limit by September, and they need to be in lock step in order to do it. Debt limit doesnt have a specific date but it is coming to a head around August and September and Sept. 30 is when current government funding expires. Another thing on the calendar: The Senate is expected to start ramping up the pace of judicial confirmations now that most of Bidens nominees are confirmed, further bogging down the floor schedule. As my colleagues write: Democrats are publicly grinning through the stress. But they also recognize that their summertime scramble will have enormous implications for the fate of the agenda that got Biden elected. Given the likelihood that next November's midterm could wrest away the party's grip on Congress, Democrats are eager for an intense burst of activity before Washington is overtaken by further preelection political paralysis. More here from Marianne and Sarah: https://politi.co/3uaLdo9 Related: As talks bog down, hopes for bipartisan deals on Bidens priorities dim, by NYTs Catie Edmundson: https://nyti.ms/3wtIzf0 | No bridge in sight for Biden infrastructure plan, by WSJs Rich Rubin: https://on.wsj.com/3fd5xBe | Biden will host the Floyd family but will miss his police reform deadline, by our Lara Barrn-Lpez: https://politi.co/3fbWuAj | White House willing to let infrastructure talks 'play out,' Richmond says, by our Brianna Crummy: https://politi.co/3u8Kioo A message from the Alzheimers Association: Alzheimers disease is on track to cost our country $1.1 trillion annually by 2050. Beyond the emotional toll Alzheimers takes on those living with the disease and their caregivers, it also threatens to bankrupt our health system. With millions of lives and trillions of dollars at stake, increased research funding and policies that improve care for those living with dementia will unburden their caregivers and relieve a crippling drag on our economy. Get involved here. HAPPY MONDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this May 24, where the Senate Majority Leader isnt afraid to bust out some lyrics . FRIDAYS MOST CLICKED: The Hills story on the House Ethics panel dropping the $5K metal detector fines against Reps. Clyburn and Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) was the big winner. ON TAP TODAY: The Senate will resume consideration of the Endless Frontier Act (a.k.a. the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021) starting at 3 p.m. And at 5:30 p.m., the Senate will resume consideration of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and will vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination -- so, we could see a potential final vote on her nomination as early as tomorrow. Schumer has also filed cloture on the nomination of Kristen Clarke to to lead the DOJs Civil Rights division as an Assistant Attorney General, which is expected to face a vote this week. Clarke has seen some fierce GOP pushback to her nomination, including being painted as a radical who is anti-police. Her nomination almost barely made it through the Senate Judiciary Committee after it became deadlocked. If confirmed, Clarke would be the first woman -- let alone, the first woman of color -- to hold this top DOJ spot. MORE ISH ABOUT THE COMMISH: The Senate vote on the Jan. 6 commission could come as early as this week and if it does, the thing that everyone will be talking about is which Republicans are open to or will end up supporting the potential investigative body and more importantly: how many. WaPo has a good whip count, with four GOP senators signaling they are a potential yes, including Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Bill Cassidy (La. ), and Mitt Romney (Utah). There are 11 Senate Republicans doing the IDK shrug emoji. You can follow it here https://wapo.st/3yCrnG6 . Already, 25 Republicans have come out as opposed to it. Related: Rep. Lucy McBath is living her son's legacy, by CNNs Dana Bash and Bridget Nolan: https://cnn.it/2Tezet9 | A year after George Floyd: Pressure to add police amid rising crime, NYTs Tim Arango: https://nyti.ms/3vhhxHl | Blunt looks to help Capitol Police after insurrection instead of creating commission: https://politi.co/3fdh3MU THE THREAT LANDSCAPE: Lawmakers worry the toxic atmosphere on Capitol Hill will follow them home, raising safety concerns, Marianna Sotomayor and Paul Kane: https://wapo.st/34cljWO A SIGN OF THE CHANGING TIMES: Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Sunday that he was in favor of changing the role of military commanders in the prosecution of service members on sexual assault charges, signaling his support for a bipartisan proposal that would instead assign independent prosecutors to handle sexual assault allegations in the military, WaPo reports. Sexual assault and harassment are pervasive problems in the U.S. military and American culture and we must take comprehensive action to halt sexual violence, hold violators accountable, and support survivors, Reed said in a statement to the newspaper. If Reed is on board with the bill that Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is pushing to pass, then that would be a big sign of how many senators have come around in calling for changes to be made to how the military handles sexual assault cases. More here from WaPos Amy Wang: https://wapo.st/2QLvSgn IN CHENEY NEWS: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) may be getting praise from Dems for standing up to former President Donald Trump and many of her colleagues over Jan. 6, but the former conference chair is staying in line with her party on state-level efforts to enact tougher voting restrictions. Axios Jonathan Swan pushed her in an interview on the linkage between Trumps baseless claim that the 2020 election was stolen and the subsequent GOP push for more restrictive voter laws. "I will never understand the resistance, for example, to voter ID," Cheney said to "Axios on HBO" on Friday. "There's a big difference between that and a president of the United States who loses an election after he tried to steal the election and refuses to concede. More from Swan: https://bit.ly/3oHlvXr Related: They tried to overturn the 2020 election. Now they want to run the next one, by our Zach Montellaro: https://politi.co/3woHncw | Top MAGA ally under fire for squishiness on Trump, by Marc Caputo and James Arkin: https://politi.co/3yx6YC5 ICYMI over the weekend: -Patrick Leahy signals he'll run for ninth Senate term, Burgess and Marianne report: https://politi.co/3feJutT -Rep. Meijer blasts Greene's Holocaust comment, Brianna also reports: https://politi.co/3ugsUhk -Survival of the fittest: Senate Democrats are encouraging blockbuster primaries, by National Journals Josh Kraushaar: https://bit.ly/34hAA8t TRANSITIONS Francisco Pelayo is now comms director for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). Pelayo is returning to the Hill after doing a short stint at IBM. He previously worked as the deputy comms director in Menendezs personal office. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is out doing a committee work week in members districts. The Senate is back in at 3 p.m. AROUND THE HILL 11 a.m.: The House Administration Committee has a hearing on voting and voter ID laws. TRIVIA FRIDAYS WINNER: Casey Burgat was the first person to guess that Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman served as soldiers and as postmasters at some point in their careers before becoming commander-in-chief. Lincoln served in the Illinois Militia during the Black Hawk War and postmaster of New Salem, Ill., while Truman served in the U.S. Army during World War I and postmaster of Grandview, Mo., although Truman delegated his duties (and salary) as the postmaster to a local widow who needed the money more than he did. TODAYS QUESTION: From Casey: Only two presidents have won the White House without having previously earned a college degree or having served in the military. The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to [email protected] . GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @Olivia_Beavers A message from the Alzheimers Association: More than six million Americans are currently living with Alzheimers disease. Without a medical breakthrough, that number is projected to reach nearly 13 million by 2050. In 2021, Alzheimers and other dementias will cost taxpayers $355 billion. Though federal research funding has made great strides from where it stood just a few years ago thanks to bipartisan Congressional champions, continued momentum will allow us to meet the national goal of effectively treating and preventing Alzheimers by 2025. While researchers work toward treatments, we need a better path to dementia care. With the bipartisan Comprehensive Care for Alzheimers Act (S. 1125/H.R. 2517), Congress has the potential to streamline todays complicated health care maze for people living with dementia and their caregivers. With increased research funding, we can ensure researchers have the resources needed to discover critical medical solutions. Congress must act now. Learn more at click here. | https://www.politico.com/newsletters/huddle/2021/05/24/will-progressives-flex-their-muscle-in-the-house-492978 |
What are the roles of Scotland's lord advocate, and do they clash? | By Philip Sim BBC Scotland political reporter Published 46 minutes ago image copyright Scottish government image caption James Wolffe and Alison Di Rollo were appointed as Scotland's law officers by Nicola Sturgeon in 2016 The search is on for a new lord advocate after James Wolffe QC announced he would be stepping down as the Scottish government's top law officer. Whoever gets the job will be faced by issues ranging from Covid-19 to the constitution, as well as questions over the very nature of the post itself. Outside of political circles, the lord advocate is perhaps best known as the head of Scotland's independent prosecution service, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). This means they have ultimate responsibility for the prosecution of crime and the investigation of deaths north of the border. Whenever an "indictment" is laid against someone in a criminal trial - the court document which sets out the charges against the accused in the most serious cases - it is done so in the name of "Her Majesty's Advocate". They are represented in court by a prosecutor from the procurator fiscal's office, but the case will literally be tried in the lord advocate's name as "HMA vs Joe Bloggs". The office of lord advocate dates back to the 1400s, and after 1707 was the chief legal advisor to the UK government on Scottish legal matters. After devolution, the lord advocate became legal advisor to the Scottish government, while a new office of Advocate General for Scotland was set up to advise the Crown and UK ministers on matters of Scots law. The law officer posts - including the deputy role of solicitor general - are part of the Scottish government. As well as advising ministers on legal wrangles and legislative plans, they can take part in the weekly meetings of the first minister's cabinet. This was dropped as a regular practice by Alex Salmond in 2007 in a bid to "de-politicise" the post, but the Lord Advocate can still attend when legal issues are expected to come up - and there have been more than a few of those in recent years. They can also sit on the government benches at Holyrood and make statements to MSPs or answer questions on behalf of ministers. And the lord advocate tends to represent the Scottish government in big court cases, with recent examples including the various legislative disputes over Brexit and the powers of the Scottish Parliament. Debate over the two "hats" worn by the lord advocate has been going on in legal circles pretty much since devolution. However calls for the job to be split into separate roles have been intensified by the row over the Holyrood inquiry into the government's mishandling of complaints against Alex Salmond. A particular point of contention was the intervention of the Crown to have one of Mr Salmond's submissions redacted over fears it did not comply with court orders, prompting a furious response from the former first minister and opposition parties. Mr Wolffe insisted he was not personally involved in any decisions around the Salmond inquiry, and dismissed claims that the move was in any way politically motivated as "wholly without foundation". However the furore brought fresh focus to the question of the dual roles of the lord advocate, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar saying there were "real questions" about the "separation of power" between the prosecutorial service and the government's legal advisor. Some have suggested shifting to a model similar to that used in England and Wales, where there is a separate office of "director of public prosecutions". In March, Mr Wolffe told MSPs that while other systems were available, he was "satisfied that the different responsibilities and functions can be combined with integrity" by the lord advocate. Whatever shape the role ultimately takes, the next lord advocate has a number of weighty issues waiting for them. The recovery from Covid-19 poses a range of challenges for the prosecution service, with an ever-mounting backlog of trials and a dispute over government resilience funds which recently saw defence lawyers go on strike. There is the perennial issue of independence, with ministers making plans to draw up a referendum bill - something the Lord Advocate would have to be happy was within Holyrood's powers, given they could end up defending it in the Supreme Court. The protracted row with Mr Salmond is not over, with the former first minister planning fresh proceedings against the government over the conduct of its top civil servant. There is also the storm over the failed prosecution of individuals linked to Rangers Football Club, and the payment of tens of millions of pounds in damages - something Mr Wolffe had to issue an "unreserved apology" for, despite the fact he wasn't in office at the time. There has also been controversy about yet another facet of the job, fatal accident inquiries. Some high-profile investigations have dragged on for years, with Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie writing the system off as "dysfunctional". The office of Lord Advocate has always been held by an eminent lawyer or judge. The next incumbent is likely to come from a select group at the pinnacle of the legal profession in Scotland. Mr Wolffe was formerly Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, the professional body for Scotland's court lawyers. His immediate predecessors were Frank Mulholland and Dame Eilish Angiolini, both QCs who had a background in the prosecution service and who served as solicitor general before graduating to the top job. However, the current solicitor general, Alison Di Rollo, announced her departure alongside that of Mr Wolffe. Although the role has changed hands immediately after the last three Holyrood elections, it is not fixed to political terms or which party is in government - Dame Eilish was appointed by Jack McConnell, then kept on by Alex Salmond. But given the issues ahead, there will be intense interest in political circles about who is going to get the job. Related Topics Scottish government | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57227039 |
Should the Bills trade for Falcons WR Julio Jones? | The NFL world has been abuzz following reports that Atlanta Falcons would like to trade Julio Jones in order to clear cap space. According to Sports Illustrated, they are under the cap by $500, 000 and are unable to sign their rookies, the cost of which is approximately $8 million. Joness cap number for 2021 is over $20 million, so Atlanta would save more than $15 million by trading him after June and before training camp, creating that space. Shultz adds that the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, and Tennessee Titans could be trade partners. Buffalo did, however, crack the list of 11 teams with odds to land the star receiver in a trade, six of which are fellow AFC contenders, including the Patriots who are reported to be both considering a move to add Jones as well as a destination he supposedly prefers on account of Cam Newton. Per Spotrac, the Bills have $3.2 million in cap space, and Jones has a 2021 base salary of $15,300,000 with a cap hit of $23,050,000. There are three years remaining on his deal, including an $11,513,000 base salary and a $19,263,000 hit in 2022 with $11,513,000 base and $19,263,000 in 2023. In short, it would take some creative maneuvering and restructuring. With extensions for Josh Allen and Tremaine Edmunds on the horizon, GM Brandon Beane would need to work his magic for it to work. At age 32, Jones is a generational talent with three years remaining on his current contract. Here are some reasons to make the trade: Home-run hitter Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones. Credit: Jim Matthews/Green Bay Press Gazette via USA TODAY Sports Draft analysts remarked on how Buffalo is missing a "home-run-hitter" playmaker, projecting them to take Clemson RB Travis Ettiene in round one. Julio Jones is that and more. Between Josh Allen's emergence in the passing game along with a core of Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, and Gabriel Davis, Jones would command CB1 coverage and open up the passing game even more while offering the type of game-changing playmaking ability that could put Buffalo over the top as they look to overtake Kansas City in the AFC and win a Super Bowl. Jones could help them do both. Story continues Rounding out receiving core Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones. Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports While the Bills stood pat with their running back core, they did continue to draft at the WR position. In fact, it was one of the position groups of depth in this draft and one of two the team met with players from the most ahead of the draft. The team took University of Houston speedster Marquez Stevenson in the 6th round and brought in undrafted San Jose State WR Tre Walker as well. The team lost John Brown as a cap casualty but added Emmanuel Sanders on a one-year deal to fill the void left. As they already had some developmental talent at the position, continuing to add to the group could imply they are looking for someone to round out the core long term. Chess move Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones. Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports In Shultz's report, five of the six teams are in the AFC, and in the betting odds, the Bills are one of six AFC clubs listed. In both lists, the division-rival Patriots who went on a spending spree to expedite their post-Brady rebuild this offseason are ranked high as a destination. As seen annually with Atlanta, having Jones does not guarantee a team will win their division much less in the postseason. But for a team built to contend for a Super Bowl now and in the immediate future, he makes sense as a trade target. It also would make sense for him as he's staring down the last several prime years of his playing career. For the Bills, it makes sense both to add a talent that can help put them over the top into Super Bowl contention while also keeping a player of Jones' elite level off competitors roster. Win-now move Julio Jones #11 of the Falcons. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Already having talent in-house has not kept Brandon Beane from picking up the phone to check in on players of Jones' caliber in recent years. The GM looked into both Antonion Brown as well as Le'Veon Bell when each player was available for sign or trade. While the cap hit would require making some adjustments, Jones ability is unlike anyone else in the league at his position, Adding Jones allows Buffalo to move further into being an elite offense and would further separate them from the competition as a Super Bowl contender Competition Window Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports In adding the WR, the Bills would essentially be getting him on a three-year deal that would line up with their contention window in the next 4-5 years. With Allen under center, they'll likely be competing for the next ten-plus years. But with a lot of their drafted talent on more cap-friendly rookie deals, but also extensions on the horizon for some of those players adding a player to help put you in a position to win a Super Bowl now would help. Teams in the division are re-loading to make a run at the Bills and postseason, as are squads across the AFC. The competition is going to gradually only get fiercer, so it makes sense for a team built to win now to seize that opportunity through those remaining several years on Jones' deal. Versatility Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (12) wide receiver Taylor Gabriel (18) and wide receiver Julio Jones. Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports The Bills do tend to favor players who offer position versatility and can play in different roles. Julio Jones does offer that, even bringing prowess to the defensive side of the ball. This makes one wonder how differently the Arizona Cardinals' hail mary attempt might have gone last season had Jones been in a Bills uniform. https://twitter.com/HitStickTV/status/606206675884863488?s=20 Having dual All-Pro receivers lining up across from one another alone would create an unguardable mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses, but time will tell if Jones is in the cards for the Bills. 1 1 | https://sports.yahoo.com/bills-trade-falcons-wr-julio-120050697.html?src=rss |
Is Braden Smith the Colts best kept secret? | The Indianapolis Colts offensive line has been a well-oiled machine over the last three seasons and one of the more underrated reasons for that is due to the play of right tackle Braden Smith. In listing every teams best-kept secret, Bleacher Report landed on Smith for the Colts as he enters a contract year that could see him get paid among the highest right tackles in the NFL. Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson has been a staras much as an interior lineman can be one, anywaysince being drafted in 2018. This offseason, much of the media focus has been on the left tackle position, which lost Anthony Castonzo to retirement and added Eric Fisher after the draft. While right tackle Braden Smith hasnt received nearly as much attention as Nelson or the Colts left-tackle vacancy, he is a player on whom Indianapolis depends. Formerly a guard at Auburn, Smith entered the league as a second-round draft pick in the same class as Nelson. While the latter is a three-time first-team All-Pro, Smith has quietly been an anchor at right tackle. He has only missed three games and has played at least 75 percent of the offensive snaps each year. In 2020, Smith was responsible for only three penalties and did not allow a sack, according to Pro Football Focus. Smith might not pop on film as much as Nelson, but hes just as valuable to Indianapolis offensive front. Smith has been a key part of the offensive line ever since he moved to right tackle for the 2018 prime-time game against the New England Patriots. He was drafted to be a guard, but the Colts moved him to the edge out of necessity, and the rest is history. Now, Smith is likely to get a massive contract over the summer that could make him one of the highest-paid players at his position. Related | https://sports.yahoo.com/braden-smith-colts-best-kept-124843581.html?src=rss |
Will the India variant stop England ending lockdown? | New data released over the weekend added to concerns about the ability of the Covid variant first detected in India B.1.617.2 to spread in the UK, but brought relief by suggesting that the vaccines still offer considerable protection against this growing threat. Data shows that B.1.617.2 has continued to replace B.1.1.7, the so-called Kent variant that became dominant in the UK last year and in some places by a considerable margin. In the two weeks to 15 May, the variant accounted for 81% of analysed samples in Bedford, 90.4% in Blackburn and 64% in Wigan, according to the Wellcome Sanger Institutes Covid-19 genomic surveillance data, which excludes recent travellers and surge-testing specimens. Public Health England (PHE) data on the likelihood that a close contact of a person infected with B.1.617.2 will get infected themselves the secondary attack rate is 12.5%, compared with 8.1% for the Kent variant, which is more than 50% higher. This is good evidence that the India variant is substantially more transmissible than B.1.1.7, said Martin McKee, professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, cautioning that these numbers have not yet accounted for vaccination status. It could be that the secondary attack rate reduces when contacts are stratified by vaccine status or by whether they are within or outside the household, said Adam Kucharski, an associate professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. So, it might be the real number is a bit lower when you adjust for the fact that some of those contacts might be more or less risky than others. A preliminary PHE analysis showed that after one dose, both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines saw a drop in effectiveness to roughly 33.5% against the India variant, versus about 51% for the Kent variant. After two doses, the Pfizer/BioNTech jab had an effectiveness of about 88% against the India variant, compared with 93.4% against the Kent variant. With the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, the numbers fell to roughly 60% and 66%. With the ability to spread faster and a minimum three-month lag between vaccine doses among the under-50s, the virus has an opportunity to get a foothold because so many people in that age range are partially or are yet to be vaccinated, said Dr Stephen Griffin, an associate professor at the University of Leeds school of medicine. I think the major issue is the time it takes for the optimal response which means that we really need to get the second doses into people as quickly as possible. That could mean that you prioritise people for a three-week Pfizer or Moderna protocol in those areas, I think that would be sensible. Minutes taken at meetings of the UK governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) showed the scientists expected that a variant that substantially escapes immunity or is highly transmissible (more so than the Kent variant) could lead to a wave of infections potentially larger than that seen in January 2021 in the absence of interventions. The recent rise in case numbers of the India variant and the dramatic fall in cases of the Kent variant will continue and get more intense in the coming weeks, given that we are yet to see the impact of the third stage of lockdown-easing, which lifted a range of restrictions on 17 May, said Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia. The big uncertainty is if the vaccination campaign that weve got is enough to keep people out of the hospital even if they get infected. And if that holds, then we might end up seeing the infection circulating widely in the community, but not imposing unbearable pressures on the health system not leading to a huge increase in fatalities. Globally, it appears that hospitals are not exclusively filling up with elderly people there are a lot of middle-aged people, particularly in areas of high transmission, Kucharski added. I think we are in this period, particularly over the next couple of months, where we have a lot of people who have got partial protection and if you have got low case numbers that will probably be enough. But if you had very high case numbers, even if it is quite a small risk, at a population level that can still translate up into quite a lot of hospitalisations. Given that most cases of B.1.617.2 are a result of community transmission, and that the unlocking continues with a virus that is better able to spread exponentially, there could be a lot of illness, said Griffin. We need to learn the lessons that we need to be proactive and preventive, because being reactive just doesnt work. | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/24/will-the-india-variant-stop-england-ending-lockdown |
Which Incoming Transfer Will Have the Biggest Impact for the Vols This Fall? | Several of Tennessee's players are currently on campus, and the remaining players will start trickling back in over the next week. After June 1st, pre-season work goes into full swing, with likely only a break for the July 4th holiday. Josh Heupel & Co. have added key additions through the transfer portal, and they could take more, as players have from now to June 30th to declare to play for a team. This article is based on what the Vols have brought in through May 24th, as we make a case for which transfer will have the most significant impact this fall. Jack The Vols have made some noise with the amount of highly coveted transfers they have been able to land this offseason, but Texas transfer linebacker Juwan Mitchell tops them all. The former Longhorn led Texas in tackles last season and has tremendous size to allow him to make plays against the run. Tennessee's linebacker situation was looking rough through the majority of the spring practices, as three of the Vols linebackers are walk-ons and another is a converted long snapper, so Mitchell transferring to Rocky Top gives the Vols a valuable addition at a weak position. Mitchell's size gives him the ability to fill in gaps on the Tennessee defense, and his 6'1", 235-pound frame gives him the length to cover many places on the field, which will bode well for Mitchell when playing zone defense. Tennessee landed the best available player at a position in need, and with Mitchell starting right away, he will have a quick and significant impact in Knoxville and is a huge reason why the Vols no longer have to worry about the middle of the field on defense. Jake In swift success, Josh Heupel has hit pay dirt through the transfer portal. And Jack is right Juwan Mitchell should see the field instantly. When you combine that with Tennessee's lack of depth at linebacker, Mitchell may easily be the quickest transfer to see the field this season. But in terms of the biggest impact among incoming transfers, you don't just look for instant playing time. You also look at the scope of the season and who could, over the course of 12 to 13 games, register the greatest impact on his position group and on the team as a whole. For that literal and figurative honor, I would look no further than former Kansas defensive tackle Da'Jon Terry. At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Terry brings a dangerous combination of size and athleticism. He played basketball in high school, and he made his presence felt in Lawrence with 14 tackles and two sacks last season. When you combine those factors with his relationship with Tennessee defensive line coach Rodney Garner which dates back to Terry's high school days his impact should send ripples across a defensive line that needs all the pass-rushing help it can get. Moreover, those factors aren't the only ones that make Terry the biggest transfer portal splash for the Vols. His work ethic is what guided him to become a prized football recruit after his time on the hardwood, and it helped him generate similar buzz when he decided to enter the portal after last season. Terry is a self-proclaimed gym-rat, and he emphasized this during an early interview with VR2 on SI before his commitment. "I feel like they are getting a player that is going to come in and really work," he said at the time. "A smart player, a fast player, and a player that is going to work within the lines of the game. Just a compassionate player that loves the game." Terry's desire to learn the game, coupled with his ability to process information quickly, is another reason he should thrive. "I feel like Da'Jon is one of the fastest learners on the team," said Terry's former teammate at Kansas, Marcus Harris, last fall (via 247Sports). "He grasps all the information they throw at him. He applies that to the fieldHe makes it easier for the defensive ends. I feel like he's going to be something special." Matt Jake and Jack both make great points for their players, and the fact we have three different players making the biggest impact is a testament to how well Josh Heupel has done in the transfer portal. It is easy to make a case for Mitchell, as his path to the field is evident. He will impact Tennessee this fall, but as Jake mentioned, sometimes the biggest impact can be how you stabilize a position group. I think Terry is a tremendous addition to the defensive line, but I think Caleb Tremblay may have the greatest impact. I have talked to a couple of good sources who believe if Tremblay stays healthy, he will play himself into a draft pick under Rodney Garner. The once-coveted junior college recruit is set to make his last run at the NFL, and he will treat it just like a business trip. He fits the attacking style of play Garner wants to play up front, and he should have ample opportunity to make a name for himself inside of the position group. It would be silly to discount Joe Milton as well. He certainly has a case for the starting job and to be each of our picks. Milton will have to quickly learn Tennessee's install and make things come together on the field. Even if Milton does not win the job from day one, I believe he will still be a factor for Tennessee this fall. Quarterbacks with his size and athleticism do not come along each day. He will find himself getting touches and opportunities this fall, even if he is not QB1. Jack Foster and Jake Nichols contributed to this feature | https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/football/which-incoming-transfer-will-have-the-biggest-impact-for-the-vols-this-fall |
Do Cowboys Have Room For 1 More Impact WR? | Or will a No. And no, we are not talking about Julio Jones. Welcome to the Daily Blitz by DSP Media in partnership with CowboysSI.com. The wide receiver position was not one that the Cowboys needed to worry much about in 2020. There was talent and there was depth. The Big 3 of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb is maybe the most talented trio in the league at that position gathered on one team. Cedrick Wilson is that name. (And some would argue that rookie Simi Fehoko - and his "light up the league'' connection - merits mention here as well.) CowboysSI.com will be inside The Star this week for a first-hand look at the OTAs competition, but for now ... Lets discuss! Please join us daily for the Daily Blitz or each Tuesday night starting at 7 for sports talk LIVE on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter, or listen to the recorded podcast the next day at CowboysSI.com and TheBlitzcast.com! Please continue the conversation on Twitter: @BlitzcastNFL, @ColbySapp, and @IndyCarTim. And make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest videos and visual content! To be featured in our BlitzBox segment please reach out to us on Twitter with the hashtag #Blitzbox or send your questions to [email protected] and well read your question and answer it on the air on our next show. | https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/podcasts/dallas-cowboys-have-room-1-impact-wr |
Is There Still a Future for Will Grier in Carolina? | For the first month or so of the 2020 season it was a rotating door at the backup quarterback spot for the Carolina Panthers between Will Grier and P.J. Walker. From week to week, there would be no true idea as to who the backup to Teddy Bridgewater was going to be until gameday when the Panthers would release the inactives list. When Bridgewater went down with an MCL sprain in a week ten loss to Tampa Bay, it seemed like the perfect time to insert Will Grier and see what you have in him. However, Rhule sort of foreshadowed the decision to start Walker over Grier against Detroit earlier in the week when he told the media the following about Grier. "He's practiced really well and prepared really well. We could go the whole year not getting Will in the game and I would know exactly what we have with him because I see it day in and day out. I have no doubt about what he can do. He just has to go out and do it when the time comes. But I want to make sure I say it again, I think Will has a fantastic future and if he plays this week I have no doubt that he can play well and help us win." Don't get me wrong, I think P.J. Walker played well in his start against Detroit despite the two interceptions, but I don't necessarily understand the logic of not playing Grier. I get he wasn't drafted by Rhule, but he is a third-round pick regardless. Walker played for Rhule at Temple and was very successful help in guiding the Owls to back-to-back 10-win seasons. Rhule knows what Walker can do in a game because he's seen it with his own eyes. However, there is still a big question as to whether or not Grier has a future with the Panthers. There's a boatload of them, even some of the greats had awful rookie campaigns. I'm not saying Will Grier is Peyton Manning by any means, but there hasn't been enough of a sample size to say that Grier can't cut it as an NFL quarterback. If it's the latter, it may be in the best interest of both parties to part ways and allow Grier to have a fresh start with an organization that can give him an opportunity to win a backup job. The fact that Grier was inactive for nine of the final eleven games of the 2020 season seems to be a good indicator that he has some work to do in order to leapfrog P.J. Walker for the No. 2 spot. With OTAs set to begin today, Grier will need to make the most out of every single rep he gets. You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter: Facebook - @PanthersOnSI Twitter - @SI_Panthers and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_. | https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/gm-report/is-there-still-a-future-for-will-grier-in-carolina |
Why has a planes forced landing in Belarus become an international incident? | The diversion of a Ryanair flight en route to Lithuania by Belarus, leading to the arrest of a dissident journalist who was on board, has sparked international outrage and calls for tough sanctions against the former Soviet-bloc nation. Here is a look at what happened in the sky over Belarus and its aftermath. Ryanair Flight FR4978, traveling Sunday from Athens to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, was in Belarus airspace about six miles from the Lithuanian border when it changed direction and turned toward the Belarusian capital of Minsk. Ryanair said Belarusian flight controllers told the pilots that there was a bomb threat against the jetliner and ordered them to land in Minsk. The Belarusian military scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet in an apparent attempt to encourage the crew to comply with the orders of air-traffic controllers. Advertisement Once the plane landed, Belarusian security agents arrested Raman Pratasevich, who ran a popular messaging app that helped organize mass demonstrations against President Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus authoritarian leader. They also removed from the plane Pratasevichs Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who studies at a Vilnius university. Agents with dogs then checked the plane and the passenger luggage, and eventually let the flight continue to Vilnius hours later. The move led to the arrest of Pratasevich, a 26-year-old activist and journalist who left Belarus in 2019 and faced charges there of inciting riots. He was a blogger and co-founder and editor of Nexta, a popular channel on the Telegram messaging app that was a key factor in organizing protests in Belarus after a presidential election in August 2020. Lukashenko, who has run the nation of 9.3 million people with an iron fist for more than a quarter-century, was declared the winner by a landslide, but the opposition and some election workers say the vote was rigged. Months of protests followed, representing the strongest challenge to Lukashenkos rule since he took over in 1994 following the demise of the Soviet Union. The Belarusian authorities have unleashed a brutal crackdown on demonstrations. More than 34,000 people have been arrested since August, including opposition activists, and thousands have been beaten and abused by police to try to stem the protests. U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken called the incident shocking and appealed for Pratasevichs release. The European Union summoned Belarus ambassador to condemn the act against the jetliner, which was traveling between two of the 27-nation blocs member states. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it amounted to a hijacking, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called it a state-sponsored terror act. Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled to Lithuania after the August election, called on the International Civil Aviation Organization to begin an investigation, and the ICAO later said that it was strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing. An EU summit is considering a strong response, over and above previous sanctions on Belarusian officials for their involvement in rigging the August election and the crackdown on protests. Some EU leaders called for scrapping landing rights in the bloc for Belarus national airline or exclusions from sports events. Advertisement Belarus can rely on its main sponsor and ally, Russia, which has provided political support and financial assistance to Lukashenkos government amid the protests. | https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-05-24/what-was-behind-plane-diversion-belarus-arrest-activist |
Can Asias covid havens re-open? | Our weekly podcast at the sharp end of the global vaccination race A ZERO-COVID strategy has kept cases to a minimum in a handful of Asia-Pacific countries. Professor Gabriel Leung of the University of Hong Kong says zero-covid countries have become victims of their own success, Charlie McCann explains South-East Asias worrying new wave, and Nell Whitehead reports from Australia. Alok Jha and Natasha Loder are joined by Edward Carr, The Economists deputy editor. Runtime: 39 min Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Stitcher | TuneIn For full access to The Economists print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/thejabpod. Sign up for our new weekly science and data newsletters at economist.com/simplyscience and economist.com/offthecharts. | https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2021/05/24/can-asias-covid-havens-re-open |
Can a Hate Crimes Bill Stop the Rising Violence Against Asian Americans? | After a gunman opened fire on three spas in Atlanta in March, killing six Asian immigrant women, a childhood memory that Representative Grace Meng of New York had long buried came back to light. Its a memory familiar to most Asian American children of immigrants growing up in communities where they dont look like their classmates: the moment you realize your otherness. The moment you realize everyone already knew. For Meng, it was a school open house that her Taiwanese parents attended, still in their restaurant clothes. Her father, Jimmy Meng, would go on to become a successful business owner and the first Asian American elected to the New York State Assembly. At the time of the open house, he was a dishwasher. I pretended they werent my parents even though they were the only Asian parents there, Meng admitted. She felt embarrassed and ashamed for feeling embarrassed about these two people she knew had sacrificed so much for her and her siblings. Those dueling forces of self-hate are ingrained in much of the Asian American experience, as is the internalizing that follows. For decades, Meng tucked that memory so deep into a hidden crevice of her being that it took the Atlanta shooting for her to remember the complexity of that moment. I think I just suppressed that memory until Atlanta because it just reminded me how I was embarrassed a lot as a kid, even though I really shouldnt have been, she said. Across the country, Asian Americans are undergoing similar reckonings, and they have responded to the violence directed against them with rallies, campaigns, and civilian foot patrols of Asian neighborhoods. For her part, Meng, who serves as first vice chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, reintroduced legislation with Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii to empower the Justice Department to expedite review of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders on a federal, state, and local level. The bill also gives state and local law enforcement the resources they need to receive reports of hate crimes online and expand their cultural and linguistic competency in responding. | https://newrepublic.com/article/162230/grace-meng-hate-crimes-bill-stop-violence-asian-americans-aapi |
Shall I Compare Thee to a Cooladapt Tee? | Elizabeth Shvarts, a sixteen-year-old from Staten Island, was standing in the rain outside the Puma flagship store, in midtown, reciting a spoken-word poem to calm her nerves: Mother pheasant pluckers will peck the eyes of pleasant feather-fisted phuckers we lap dance under lions gaze. It was Sunday, and at 10 A.M. a store manager ushered Shvarts inside and up a neon-lit escalator, past a mannequin wearing a Cooladapt tank top ($40) and Velocity Nitro shoes ($120). A microphone, a tripod, and a professional videographer awaited her arrival. This is my first slam! she said. Its nice to be doing something outside the house. By ten-fifteen, Shvarts, who wore cuffed jeans and a denim jacket, had removed her mask, checked her lipstick on her iPhones camera, and begun to read: My mother doesnt smile in photos. (All poets got sneakers and a T-shirt.) Shvarts obliged, and began again: My mother doesnt smile in photos. Nor does her mother Or her mother or her mothers mother. They were moving the mannequins behind you! Shvartss lip quivered as she waited for another mannequin to be hauled away. Take a couple deep breaths, my love, the producer said. In normal times, the contest to join the New York City Poetry Slam Team is a sold-out performance held at the Apollo Theatre, in Harlem; this year, the twenty-second annual slam was virtual. The following week, a panel of judgesFlo Ngala (a personal paparazzo to Cardi B), Laura Stylez (a Hot 97 FM d.j. ), J. Ivy (a poet who collaborates with Kanye West and Jay-Z), Kel Spencer (a Grammy-nominated multimedia exec), and Jasmine Mans (a slam-team alumna)would select five teens for the citys team. Facebook Twitter Email Shopping Cartoon by Roz Chast Shanelle Gabriel, the interim executive director at Urban Word NYC, which hosts the contest, wanted to duplicate the excitement of the Apollo online. Rather than have the twenty finalists appear via Zoom, from their bedrooms or fire escapes, she decided that the competitors would record their performances at the Puma store. Everyones housing isnt secure. We didnt want to assume that everyone could create a quiet space to record their poem, she said. We also wanted to make sure theres no cats running around in the background. By noon, a dozen poets had arrived. Several paced the sneaker section, frantically whispering their metaphors, anaphoras, and onomatopoeias to themselves; others scrolled TikTok. A few snapped approval as fellow-finalists recited pulsing trochees and accentual slant rhymes. Alex Guzman, a nervous sixteen-year-old who wore glasses held together with Scotch tape, wandered into an empty room at the back and bellowed his stanzas into the dark: Im not the caster kid, ghost top, casper lid No one ever merciless Always mercy that or mercy this But never mercy kids Give em more work cause life is merciless. Across the store, Kai Giovanni, a high-school freshman from Bedford-Stuyvesant, who wore ripped jeans and hand-painted boots, joked around with their father, Thomas, an attorney for the City of New York. He says crap all the time, and he doesnt write it down, so I have to! the poet said. The dad laughed. At the mike, Meera Dasguptaa former New York City Youth Poet Laureate, and the reigning National Youth Poet Laureateintroduced her poem. (Amanda Gorman, who performed at President Bidens Inauguration, was the National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017.) I wrote this yesterday at 10 p.m., Dasgupta said. I had a poem already memorized. I was ready, but I didnt like it as much as I like this one: I am used to being watched like prey, something to be hunted. As an Indian American woman, you dont have to tell me to Cover my skin because I learned to fear being brown before I learned to fear being woman. When my mother plans my wedding while every day, I plan my funeral. Wear makeup and dress like a boat that has found a broken lighthouse at the shore. Smiling as I swim towards you, the jagged rocks. Smiling like another stranger. Another daughter. Another lover. Another sister. Smiling like a second on the evening news. Damn! He offered an elbow bump. | https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/24/shall-i-compare-thee-to-a-cooladapt-tee |
Are NFTs The Future Of E-Commerce? | Age 21 Kamil Sattar Is The Founder & CEO of E-commerce Mentoring And A Leading Industry Expert Of Dropshipping. getty I'm sure you've heard the NFT market is taking off. For example, Grimes recently sold a round of NFTs for nearly $6 million. A LeBron James highlight garnered more than $200,000. In addition to this, the band Kings of Leon is releasing a new album in the form of an NFT. Even a piece of Banksy's artwork was turned into an NFT. "NFT" stands for "non-fungible token." "Non-fungible" means you cannot exchange the item for another being of equal value. A $10 bill, for example, can be exchanged for two $5 bills; similarly, one bar of gold can be swapped for another bar of gold of the same size. These are examples of things that are fungible. An NFT, on the other hand, is a one-of-a-kind digital item that isn't interchangeable. As someone who is personally interested in the NFT space and runs an e-commerce mentoring company, I've been paying attention to how this tech could affect online business. I believe NFTs have the potential to disrupt online shopping, an industry expected to continue growing significantly. In e-commerce, I see NFT technology as one way to help streamline digital sales and enable lifetime product data tracking not previously possible. "eNFTs," as I call them, could also empower a more transparent commerce ecosystem. To further illustrate this, consider the potential use cases: From my perspective, NFTs could have the potential to replace SKUs with blockchain-based analog, as well as encourage one-of-a-kind products. The model could also support a more equitable profit-sharing system, particularly for emerging brands that are looking to establish themselves in e-commerce. Furthermore, NFTs could enable e-commerce data tracking, as users can have lifetime access to every data point across the product's life span. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. According to one Forbes article published in April, NFTs have the potential to make it "extremely easy" for users to see the entire supply chain history of a product they've purchased, as well as "make the entire transaction life-cycle of a product completely traceable." What This Could Mean For Leaders In E-Commerce Throughout my time in the e-commerce space, I have seen almost a mirror image in the development of applications, websites and information we are seeing now in cryptocurrency, and NFTs are an extension of that. Think about how when the internet was made, we found many new and exciting ways to use it, and platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Google and many, many more were created as a result. NFTs are the "new" craze right now, but I believe theyre just the beginning. I predict we will find new and exciting ways to use them as well, whether those uses are in the art space, e-commerce, clothing and fashion, and more. With e-commerce and cryptocurrency being such fast-moving industries, to stay ahead of the game, I encourage e-commerce brands to simply remain open to new projects and new ideas on a daily basis. From my perspective, every day, a new opportunity to stay ahead of the game and provide a better service to customers appears. Of course, there will likely be many changes and challenges along the way, one of which could be consumer adoption and educating the masses on the technology. We are also living in amazing, scary and unique times, and it can be hard to keep up with all the information. So, if you're in e-commerce and thinking of exploring NFTs, I recommend really doing your research and ensuring that information is from reputable sources. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/05/17/are-nfts-the-future-of-e-commerce/ |
Is Indias Pandemic Crisis As Bad As We Think? | It's so bad they're all wearing double masks. A Covid-19 patient is seen heading to Lok Nayak Jai ... [+] Prakash (LNJP) hospital on May 16, 2021 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Hindustan Times via Getty Images Few of us in the market really trust what we read, and even see, in regard to this last 15 months of a global pandemic. India has replaced Brazil for the new emerging market Covid disaster zone. Im not there. So in turning to the market, the quick answer is maybe Covids not as bad as we think it is, but the pandemics surely pounding Indias economy. It might even be worse than investors think, says Shumita Deveshwar, an analyst from TS Lombard. Rising local lockdowns amid high virus caseload hurt economic activity. TS Lombard Lengthy lockdowns in Mumbai and Delhi have helped bend the virus curve there, but Indias caseload is still high and far more geographically widespread than the first wave. People seem to be under more duress this time around than in the first wave, with some seeing multiple family members hospitalized or even dying from the fast spreading virus first found in Wuhan, China. High-frequency indicators, such as mobility, demand for electricity, auto sales and jobs, signal sharply weakening economic momentum in the first few months of the year. Downside risks are rising to the previously projected V-shaped recovery. We have been scaling back our GDP forecast, says Deveshwar. It now stands at 9% versus 10.5% in March. Health experts are forecasting that cases are peaking, and are in decline in crowded Delhi and Mumbai. Unfortunately, they are rising elsewhere so India is reporting infections of around 350,000 cases per day, and apparently this is not due to PCR test overload as India is not testing as much as we did in the U.S. As has been said by nearly every multilateral institution since the beginning of the pandemic, the lockdowns are leading to massive income loss. Some personal economic bruises will not heal for some time. Widespread job losses were still being reported as of last week, including in rural areas. This suggests that medium- and small-scale firms located in rural areas are facing stress, says Deveshwar. Demand for work under the government-funded rural employment guarantee program in April was the highest in 9 months as laborers turn to the state now for help. A Pew Research Center study estimates that Indias middle income group fell by 32 million people compared to the number it could have reached if the pandemic had not led to lockdowns. The poor (those who live on around $2 per day) increased by an estimated 75 million, reversing a years long reduction in Indian poverty levels between 2011 and 2019. Its all gone. After months of heavy buying, foreign equity investors have turned modest net sellers of late, Deveshwar says. Year-to-date, the MSCI India Index is up 5.5%, beating the MSCI Emerging Markets Index by about 300 basis points. Critical patients receive free oxygen inside the Engineering College in Uttar Pradesh on India May ... [+] 16, 2021. The state is home to nearly 200 million people. Less than 20,000 have died from Covid-19. (Photo by Imtiyaz Khan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Covid Slowing, But... The effective reproduction number (the R-naught) a key indicator of how fast the Covid virus is infecting people has declined below 1 for the first time since mid-February. The latest data put out by the COV-IND-19 study group from the University of Michigan shows the India R-naught at 0.99 as on May 15. Its really nothing to write home about, but at least its going in the right direction. The national R-naught was a nasty 1.61 on April 1, meaning for every one person sick with SARS-Cov-2, one and a half people on average would catch it, too. The death toll is just happening in crowded cities like Mumbai, which is interesting. The Dainik Bhaskar, a Hindi newspaper, sent out 30 reporters along the villages of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh state. They found more than 2,000 dead bodies across some 700 miles. The state government says only about 300 are dying daily. Authorities have been reportedly piling dirt and sand over more than 350 bodies lying in shallow graves in Kannauj, a city of roughly 85,000. Dogs were often seen gnawing at some of the 400 corpses just a short distance from a crematorium in Kanpur, the largest city in UP with close to four million people. According to Dainik Bhaskar daily, dozes of corpses have been seen at times floating down the river. Over 17,500 people have died of Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh, a state of that is so big, it has more people than Russia (199 million vs 144 million in Russia). To put that into perspective, 114,871 people died of Covid-19 in Russia. The good news is that active cases, by and large, and in freefall, despite the depictions of morbidity along the Ganges River, and the middle aged connected to oxygen tanks outside small medical centers with little to no room, even on a good day. Some 18.2 million have been vaccinated but thats a long way off from even a third of the population, which sits at 1.4 billion people. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2021/05/17/is-indias-pandemic-crisis-as-bad-as-we-think/ |
What Can We Do About Inflation? | This is a hell of a time, I know, to seek attention for a fresh approach to the problem of inflation. After five years of an administration that made curbing inflation its number one domestic priority and a surfeit of Nixon's, Shultz's and Stein's confident promises, glib forecasts and disastrous outcomes, after enduring the classic cure of a recession intentionally induced by tight fiscal and monetary policies, and after waiting out a long period of phased direct wage and price controls, only to see prices explode in 1973 to a degree unmatched since immediately following World War II, the American people numbly realize they are in for it, and that even higher price increases must be expected into the indefinite future. Frustrated and angered, the question people ask themselves has got to shift from What can the govemment do about inflation? to If more inflation is inevitable, how can I protect myself, and the devil take the hindmost? This is one reason why we stand poised today on the verge of an inflation far worse than any in current history. I intend to examine why this is so and to explore the choices we have for dealing with it. While the consumer price index rose by some nine percent in 1973, wholesale prices climbed on average at twice that rate. Since these must be reflected in consumer prices, this is a clear indication that substantially higher consumer prices are on the way. The skyrocketing prices of basic commodities in spot and future markets are even more dramatic signals. Wheat and soybeans at over six dollars per bushel, beef on the hoof at 49 cents the pound, potatoes over 12 cents, sugar over 18 cents, cotton about 70 cents, cocoa at 65 cents such producer prices range from two to several times their levels of a year or two ago, and the end is not in sight. Silver commands nearly six dollars per ounce, gold $150. Land values, and those of name paintings, jewelry and precious stones have risen to incredible levels. They all play an important role in the psychology of expectations and contribute to the feeling expressed by a man I know: Money is going out of style. The influence of continued oil and energy shortage will of course be with us for years to come. The prospect of huge budget deficits fired during the late 1960s by the Vietnam war stretches out into the indefinite future, not least because we have learned to fear economic stagnation even more than we fear inflation, hence stagflation. The extremely high interest rates we fostered to fight inflation themselves contribute importantly to higher costs and prices, and long-term rates especially show little prospects of declining. Environmental concerns occasion us to curtail the use of high-sulphur fuels, and of offshore drilling and pipeline construction, which increase the cost of purer fuels, and limit overall output. At the same time the massive investments required to reduce pollutants will not result in additional output and will thus contribute to higher costs and prices (at the same time they improve the quality of life). The giant Russian wheat purchase, which contributed so much to soaring grain prices, was to be sure a one-shot affair. But it coincided with the virtual exhaustion of our surplus food reserves, which for a long time operated to moderate price increases. Further it now appears that the disastrous droughts and crop failures that have beset Asia and Africa in recent years may recur more frequently than in the past due to an observed southward shift in the monsoon on which their agricultures depend. The devaluations of the dollar have increased import prices and costs in the domestic economy. At the same time, by making exports cheaper and achieving a favorable balance of trade, they reduce the quantities of goods otherwise available on the home market, thus contributing again to higher prices. As everyone knows the concentration of ownership and production in most of American industry supports an administered price structure more likely to rise than it is to fall when production declines. Underlying all these influences is the population explosion that is currently adding some 90 to 100 million lives year by year to the world's population, all of whom need food, clothing and shelter, and adding to the vastly greater quantities of all goods and services needed to improve the intolerable living conditions of some one billion of the earth's present population. | https://newrepublic.com/article/105050/what-can-we-do-about-inflation |
Should Joe Biden worry about soaring lumber prices? | That improbable question may be on the minds of some in Washington as skyrocketing prices of lumber to used cars to corn seed have emerged as troubling signs for the post-pandemic economic boom President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats are counting on to keep them in power. Consumer demand is shooting up as some Covid-19 restrictions fall. But the supply chain has had trouble keeping up, pushing prices higher and leading to shortages. Government data from April showed disappointing job growth and an unexpected jump in consumer prices. Basic commodities like copper and iron ore are at all-time highs; gas prices are over $3 a gallon, and analysts were warning of gas shortages even before the recent dayslong shutdown of a key pipeline; and a scarcity of computer chips has forced manufacturers to halt the production of cars, home appliances and more. Add it all up and some economists, like Clinton administration Treasury Secretary Larry Summers,worry that the country is about to experience its first real bout of rapid inflation since the 1970s, when swelling costs undercut the value of peoples' wages and savings and helped bring down President Jimmy Carter. "Inflation is the kryptonite of American politics," Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis said. "It doesn't matter which party you are. It destroys you." So far, the price hikes are isolated mostly to specific industries. Lumber this month hit an all-time high of $1,686 per thousand board feet, having surged by 406 percent from the $333 per thousand board feet it was trading at the same time a year ago and by 438 percent from its price five years ago. Just as the country is coming out of the woods of the pandemic, it is running out of wood. Prices have tripled, and some builders are having trouble finding any at all. Lowly plywood is so valuable that workers keep it under lock and key after a raft of thefts. Story continues In the forests of British Columbia, which supplies much of America's two-by-fours, logger Chace Barber has been feeding the seemingly insatiable demand by driving up to 16 hours to fetch logs he wouldn't have even bothered with when prices were lower. "I can't find a log trailer for sale anywhere. I've got two trucks I want to get hauling, and I can't find a trailer anywhere. You talk to the manufacturer and they say there's a year-and-a-half wait," he said. "And you can't find log truck drivers. Everyone who can and wants to drive a log truck is already driving a log truck." Image: A customer loads lumber at Home Depot (David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images file) Barber, who has become something of a timber influencer with over 300,000 followers on TikTok, has seen a surge of interest in the industry, with a growing number of people asking him how to break in, even though he cautions that the lumber windfall isn't really trickling down to workers. At the other end of the supply chain, builders have had to deal with surging costs and unreliable supplies that they say now add as much as $36,000 to the price of a new home. Home prices were already on the rise because of a longstanding housing shortage there are fewer homes for sale now than there have been in decades and on top of lumber, things like garage doors, insulation and windows have also risen in price or are on weekslong back order as manufacturers catch up with booming demand. "The fact is if this continues, you will see the homebuilding sector slow down and grind to a halt," said Jerry Howard, CEO of the National Association of Homebuilders, who said housing is often a leading indicator of economic health. "This problem with lumber and other building material costs is sort of setting another potential perfect storm for housing to lead us into a recession." Lumber's unprecedented price surge can be chalked up to a number of issues specific to the industry. Construction never really recovered after the Great Recession over a decade ago, so the supply chain shrunk its capacity. Add a beetle infestation in British Columbia, European producers' selling to China and tariffs that former President Donald Trump implemented on some Canadian wood. Then, early in the pandemic, lumber producers cut production on what turned out to be an erroneous assumption that building would halt with the rest of the economy. Instead, consumers stuck at home went on home improvement binges, while others decided to move to new homes, because they were free to work remotely. Image: Lumber is transported in Colorado (Hyoung Chang / Denver Post via Getty Images file) "Covid added additional fuel to an already existing inferno," said Thom Rafferty, a commodity trader at Millbrook Lumber Inc. outside Boston. "It has nothing to do with inflation." At a congressional hearing this month, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said she would make lumber prices a top priority. Builders and others want Biden to eliminate Trump's tariff on Canadian wood, which was reduced from 20 percent to 9 percent in the final months of his presidency. "The reality is that record high lumber prices are putting the American dream of homeownership out of reach for hundreds of thousands of potential homebuyers," Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said on the Senate floor last week. "American homebuyers, not Canadian lumber producers, are the ones who end up paying the cost." For now, most economists, including those at the Federal Reserve, think the price hikes are just temporary quirks of the economy's getting its idled engines back into gear. Like the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020, they hope it will come and go without really signifying anything greater. But no one knows for sure, and so many of the economic impacts of Covid-19 have been unpredictable. "We've had a very unusual hit to our economy," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told reporters at the White House this month. "Starting up an economy again, trying to get it back on track after a pandemic in which there are a lot of supply bottlenecks, is going to be, I think, a bumpy process." Biden is counting on a robust economic recovery to keep his popularity and his agenda alive as he tries to push through his massive infrastructure package, which would partly be paid for with tax increases. And Democrats in both houses of Congress hope a strong economy will help them hang onto their narrow majorities in next year's elections by overcoming the historical trend in which a president's party typically loses seats in the first midterms. But Republicans have already sought to make hay of the rising costs to argue against Biden's infrastructure plan. "You're watching food costs go up. You're watching housing costs, lumber costs. There is inflation everywhere," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said after a meeting with Biden at the White House on Wednesday. "So raising taxes would be the biggest mistake you could make." Meanwhile, some, like Melissa Miller, 38, of Saginaw, Michigan, already feel a pinch at the grocery store. "The food prices are going to kill us," she said. "It's do or die." | https://news.yahoo.com/joe-biden-worry-soaring-lumber-083000747.html |
How much energy can people create at one time without losing control? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Xuejian Wu, Rutgers University - Newark (THE CONVERSATION) Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question youd like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. Luis, age 9, Brookline, Massachusetts Above our heads there is a powerful energy source created by nature, the Sun. Because the Sun is 93 million miles from us, only one-billionth of the Suns total energy output reaches the Earth, creating a world blooming with life. The energy that the Sun gives the Earths surface every second is more than the total electricity generated from all power plants in the world in the entire year of 2018. Here on Earth, humans power machines mostly by harvesting energy: for example, harvesting the energy of falling water and converting it to electricity in hydroelectric power plants. To create energy, you have to convert matter to energy. Chain reactions One way to do that is to split atoms, the basic building blocks of all matter in the universe. Do so controllably and you can produce a steady flow of energy. Lose control and you release a lot of energy all at once in a nuclear explosion. The core of every atom, the nucleus, is made up of even smaller particles, protons and neutrons. The force holding the nucleus together stores a huge amount of energy. To obtain energy from the nucleus, scientists came up with a process of splitting a heavy atom into lighter atoms. Because the lighter atoms dont need as much energy to hold the nucleus together as the heavy atoms, energy is released as heat or light. This process is called nuclear fission. When one atom is split, a chain reaction starts: The split atom will trigger another atom to be split, and so on. To make the chain reaction controllable, scientists developed ways to slow down the splitting, such as absorbing some of the split particles. Nuclear power Nuclear power plants harvest the energy released by splitting atoms controllably. The worlds largest nuclear power plant is the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station in Japan. It consists of seven nuclear reactors, with a maximum capacity of about 8,000 megawatts. The worlds largest single nuclear reactor is a tie between the the two reactors at Chinas Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. Each Taishan reactor has a capacity of 1,750 megawatts. This amount of power is much smaller than uncontrolled nuclear reactions, such as atomic bombs. Nowadays, the energy output from detonating an atomic bomb is equivalent to the electricity the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant generates in half a year. A downside of fission is nuclear waste. The split atoms are usually unstable and emit dangerous radiation. Nuclear waste needs to be stored properly for many years. Fusion near and far Scientists have also discovered another type of nuclear reaction, one that produces energy without nuclear waste. As two lighter atoms combine into a heavy atom, the lost mass converts into energy. This process is called nuclear fusion. Fusion is happening in the core of the Sun. In every second, the Sun burns about 600 million tons of hydrogen into about 596 million tons of helium, yielding energy equivalent to trillions of atomic bombs. However, it is very difficult to achieve nuclear fusion on Earth. Fusion happens only at extreme conditions, such as the very high temperatures and pressure of the Sun. Scientists have yet to effectively demonstrate controllable nuclear fusion that produces more energy than it consumes, but they are working hard to do so. One way is to shoot high-power lasers from different directions at a tiny speck of hydrogen isotopes. Nuclear fusion energy would be a promising energy solution in the future. But dont forget, we have a huge nuclear fusion reactor above our heads, the Sun. With the improving efficiency of solar energy, we dont even need to create energy, just capture more of what the Sun gives us every day. Hello, curious kids! Ask an adult to send your question to [email protected]. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live. And since curiosity has no age limit adults, let us know what youre wondering, too. We wont be able to answer every question, but we will do our best. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/how-much-energy-can-people-create-at-one-time-without-losing-control-156827. | https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/How-much-energy-can-people-create-at-one-time-16182163.php |
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