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What is Washington state's favorite Trader Joe's product? | A dessert, it turns out According to Workwise, a customer relationship management company, Washington loves Trader Joe's A Dozen Macarons Varis. According to Workwise, a customer relationship management company, Washington loves Trader Joe's A Dozen Macarons Varis. 1 / 54 Back to Gallery To know Washington state food is to know a delicious stereotype: magnificent salmon, quinoa, organic ingredients, healthy and balanced values. But our favorite Trader Joe's product is not really any of those things (although, it being Trader Joe's one could make a case for the ingredients, as they are "exclusively from natural sources, without artificial flavoring"). According to Workwise, a customer relationship management company, Washington loves Trader Joe's A Dozen Macarons Varis. The French cookies, which come in packs of 12 in two straight lines, come with six flavors a pack: apricot, coconut, fig, salted caramel, lemon and pistachio. It's one of the Trader Joe's staples -- it was a runner up for favorite dessert in the chain's 10th annual customer choice rankings -- and, apparently, even more beloved in the western part of the country. According to Workwise, the cookies took the cake for the most beloved product in our region (the West, which encompasses Montana, New Mexico, and everything west of that in the continental U.S.) with six other states backing us up. RELATED: The most popular grocery store in the U.S. isn't Costco, report finds Across the country, the macarons were tied for second, with 10 states counting it as their most popular product. According to Workwise's data, the next most popular product for Washington is the sweet chili sauce, followed by the vegan banana bread. If you want to see more of Trader Joe's customers' favorite items, click through the slideshow above. | https://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/food/article/Washington-state-Trader-Joes-Seattle-food-macaron-13668014.php |
Is Tennessee basketball's Grant Williams in line to repeat as SEC Player of the Year? | Jordan Bowden made his case for Grant Williams as SEC Player of the Year a simple one after Tennessee pounded Kentucky on March 2. "Grant is the best player in the country to me," Bowden said. "He's unstoppable." The reigning SEC Player of the Year could repeat as the league's top player for the second straight year Tuesday. Arkansas' Corliss Williamson is the most recent player to win back-to-back SEC Player of the Year awards, doing so in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. Williams' case is impressive. He's the conference's leading scorer with 19.3 points per game. He ranks fifth in rebounds with 7.7 per game. He's second in the league in field-goal percentage at 56.9. The junior forward scored at least 20 points in eight SEC games, including a career-best 43 points in a win at Vanderbilt on Jan. 23. And he did it all for a team that spent the entire season ranked in the Associated Press top 10 and held the top spot for four weeks. CLOSE Tennessee had 13 turnovers in its loss at Auburn. Mike Wilson, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee On Friday, Vols coach Rick Barnes said Williams has improved in several areas of his game. He praised his standout's versatility and offseason work to improve his shooting and shooting range. "I dont think theres any one part (where) he hasnt gotten better," Barnes said. "I think even mentally, because hes had to face double teams. I mean, all kind of things from game to game. I think his mental approach has probably been his biggest improvement. Tennessee forward Grant Williams is the conference's leading scorer with 19.3 points per game. (Photo: Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel ) Williams' primary competition comes from Kentucky's PJ Washington, who is averaging 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and is third in the league in field-goal percentage with 52.1. Washington scored at least 20 points in eight of 10 games to tear through the middle of SEC play, but he cooled in the final few games. LSU's Tremont Waters also has a case. He scored in double-digits in every SEC game until he had a five-point outing at Alabama on March 2. He missed two games with injury, including LSU's 82-80 overtime win against Tennessee on Jan. 23. Waters is averaging 15.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. Williams won the Player of the Year award last year from the league's coaches. Georgia's Yante Maten won the media vote. Williams posted averages of 15.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore. More: Vols fall at Auburn, squander share of SEC title NCAA tournament tracker: Jerry Palm drops Tennessee to a No. 2 seed in East More: Tennessee basketball set as No. 3 seed in SEC Tournament | https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/mens-basketball/2019/03/10/tennessee-vols-basketball-grant-williams-sec-player-of-the-year-pj-washington/3096209002/?src=rss |
Is Career And Technical Education Good News Or Bad? | In the last two decades of education reform, a great deal of emphasis has been put on sending high school graduates to college. President Obama in his 2009 State of the Union address proclaimed that by 2020 America would "once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world" (though he hedged that a bit by later saying simply that everyone would need some kind of post high school education.) We've repeatedly used college enrollment and completion as a measure of K-12 success. While the modern reform movement paid lip service to "college and career," policies have always suggested that college is the superior part of that team. Now it is finally occurring to some folks that A) college is not necessarily the best choice for all students and B) the world needs people who do what Mike Rowe always called the jobs "that make civilized life possible for the rest of us." Done well, new studies show, it can boost both academics and wages for students. It might even help solve the mystery of the missing non-college educated male workers. And so Career and Technical Education (CTE) is coming back into its own. This movement does not come without some concerns. Mishandled CTE can end up replacing a full education with simple vocational training, reducing public education to a provider of free meat widgets for selected employers, but opening up a limited future for the students who receive the narrow education. CTE programs are most effective when schools partner with relevant industries, but that partnership can't be one-sided, with schools subordinated to HR departments. Badly mishandled CTE can also become a dumping ground for "problem" students, a type of education that some students are encouraged to "settle for" by adults who have decided that the student just isn't smart enough or good enough for college education. In short, CTE reflects our own culture's conflicted feelings about blue collar workers. On the one hand, we venerate the idea of hard work and getting one's hands dirty during an honest day's work. On the other hand, we tend to assume that someone sitting behind a desk making a six figure income must have some stellar qualities that the hard-working blue collar guy does not. CTE as a dumping ground for system-rejected students where they can be fashioned into fodder for dead-end employers is a bad, bad idea. Fortunately, because CTE is not a new idea, there are many schools that can show how to do it properly. I had the good fortune to work in a district that was part of a seven-district consortium operating a CTE school (called vocational-technical for many years, now called a Technology Center) that has been in business for around fifty years. Many of my students over the years attended that school, and it served them well. Here are some of the ways that school does CTE right. Students attend the Tech Center for half a day; the other half of the day they attend their "home" school. This insures that in addition to the technical education they receive at their shop, they get the same core of academics that all our students study. They don't have to give up their full high school education to get their technical training. The Tech Center is not a dumping ground. In fact, students who don't maintain good academic standing at their home school lose the privilege of attending at the Tech Center. The Tech Center is staffed by people who really know their fields, and so the programs have a good reputation for providing students who are well-trained not just in the particulars of their field, but in the work ethics of them. And the learning is hands on. The construction students build a house. The auto body students work on cars that have been brought in for service. Welding students work toward their certification. Students graduate from the program educated and employable. The experience is not seamless. Within the school, there are people who look down on tech students just as their are people in the world who look down on blue collar workers. And tech students themselves have to navigate the contrasts between two different systems; in the morning, a student may be trusted to operate heavy machinery outdoors, and in the afternoon, that same student has to sit in a desk indoors and ask permission to pee. But it's a system that by and large works and serves students and employers well. It's not cheap, and it's not easy to set up. It is certainly not setting up a "vocational ed" room in some back hall where students are sent when the school doesn't want to deal with them any more. If CTE is coming to your school district, it could be good news or bad. The trick, as with many education programs, is to look at the specifics and make sure that the program is going to be done right. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2019/03/10/is-career-and-technical-education-good-news-or-bad/ |
Is spring break safe? | Along with March Madness and St. Patricks Day, March marks the start of spring break: a week when college students flock to warm destinations and drench themselves in liquor, tanning oil and salt water. It also beckons danger. In recent years, public officials have raised concerns that spring break is becoming rowdier, putting college students at risk. Last March, during one of the busiest Saturdays of the season, crowds overwhelmed South Beach's entertainment district in Florida, causing police to temporarily shut down a busy causeway. In Texas, home to popular spring break sites including South Padre Island and Port Aransas, drunken driving is an ongoing issue. Last year, Texas had more than 400 crashes involving young drivers under the influence of alcohol during the period when students come for spring break, said Emily Parks, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Transportation. The accidents resulted in 11 deaths and nearly 40 injuries. It wasn't clear how many of those involved were in Texas for spring break. Public officials in some spring break hot spots are preparing an aggressive response to the seasonal uptick in crime, including a heavier police presence and safety campaigns that urge young travelers to obey the law. Spring breakers in Miami Beach will notice fliers on trolleys and in hotels, reminding them of Florida's public disturbance, drug and alcohol laws. It's part of a new campaign titled, "Come on vacation, don't leave on probation," which highlights the consequences of common spring break crimes. Anyone caught smoking marijuana or drinking in public will be arrested, the police website warns. More police will monitor the beach and popular strips, Miami Beach Police Chief Daniel Oates said. His agency received an additional $700,000 in funding from the city so more officers can work overtime throughout March. Police decided to take a harder line on student misbehavior after an increase in crime during recent spring breaks. Oates said substance abuse and sexual assault have been among the toughest challenges the department faces. In the fall, Oates sent out more than 200 letters to universities and colleges and to national fraternity and sorority organizations, imploring them to educate students on proper spring break behavior if they visit Florida. "We mean it when we say this behavior won't be tolerated," he added. Transportation and public safety agencies in Texas launched a similar initiative, called "Plan While You Can," to encourage spring breakers to drive sober or have designated drivers. Police will be out in the Port Aransas region looking for drunk drivers, Parks said. Safety concerns have also arisen at popular spring break destinations outside the United States. The State Department has issued travel advisories for the Bahamas and Mexico, urging travelers to exercise "increased caution" in those countries. The advisories do not rise to the level of warnings against travel but note that criminals target visitors for sexual assault, kidnapping and robbery. In some cases, travel warnings are more dire. Jalisco state in Mexico, which includes popular getaway Puerto Vallarta, for example, has a Level 3 travel warning, which encourages tourists to reconsider visits, on the State Department's website. "If the government says you shouldn't travel there, the risks are serious," said Sheryl Hill, CEO of Depart Smart Inc., a travel safety company that works with college students. Thousands of college students are expected to descend on Mexico for spring break this month. StudentCity, a popular travel service that about 25,000 spring break vacationers are expected to use this year, has trips planned for Cancun, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. StudentCity spokesman Michael Rush said the company monitors travel advisories but typically doesn't announce lower-level warnings to students. Vacationing students receive general safety tips through email, including an on-site emergency contact. Company representatives meet students at airports and hotels, and monitor sponsored events. StudentCity started sending students to Mexico at the beginning of March. "Everything's going smoothly," Rush said. "I've actually noticed students are generally more aware of smarter safety practices. . . . We've had less damage reported at hotels compared to 10, 20 years ago." Josh Levinson, a 20-year-old junior at the University of Iowa who is planning on going on StudentCity's trip to Nassau, Bahamas, said he was unaware of the lower-level travel advisory for the region. "I haven't really thought about the safety aspect because we're going to be at a nice resort," he said. "I think the group I'm with has common sense, so I'd hope if something were to happen, we'd be able to figure it out." Other students said they've paid attention to the heightened dangers of spring break and prepared. Sarah Tew, a 22-year-old senior at James Madison University who is visiting Miami Beach this week for spring break, said she has noticed "the police are cracking down." Tew said she has her name, allergies, medications and emergency contact information set as her phone's lock screen, and shared her location with the people she's traveling with via the "Find My Friends" iPhone application. Spring breakers can take a few easy steps to protect themselves. Travelers can enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive travel and security updates to their phone about their destination. Hill, of Depart Smart, recommends college students check their travel insurance, to make sure they have the appropriate coverage if they're traveling outside the United States. College students may also consider visiting a travel clinic to make sure they have the proper vaccinations and medicine for their trip. Public officials don't want to stop spring breakers from partaking in the sun-soaked, collegiate tradition - they just want them to party smarter. We want people to enjoy one of the best vacation spots in the world, but for their own safety, they need to engage in responsible behavior, Oates, the Miami Beach police chief, said. - - - Story by Morgan Smith 2019 The Washington Post | https://www.nola.com/news/2019/03/is-spring-break-safe.html |
Can Stem Cells Help Rams' Todd Gurley's Knee? | The Los Angeles Rams star running back, Todd Gurley, has been suffering from lingering issues with his left knee since he was drafted in 2015. It was bothering him so much this past year that he missed the last two games of the regular season. The Rams coach Sean McVay reported of the possibility of a stem cell procedure to treat his knee, similarly to Chiefs Jamaal Charles and Cardinals Chris Johnson, among many other professional athletes. Stem cells are non-differentiated cells of the body that reside in the bone marrow or adipose/fat tissue, which have the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body and serve as a repair system. Bone marrow stem cells have potential for differentiation, but the number of stem cells decrease dramatically as patients age. Alternatively, stem cells extracted from adipose tissue are found in much higher numbers than bone marrow, (approximately 500 to 2000 times greater) and do not decrease in number with age. Many reported stem cell treatments have used bone marrow extractions, which involve the physician siphoning out around 60 mm of bone marrow from the iliac crest of the pelvis, concentrating thousands of stem cells, and injecting it directly into the knee joint. The hope is the injection of mesenchymal stem cells would lead to improved healing and cartilage growth (since cartilage does not naturally heal itself).. Although 100s of professional athletes have utilized stem cell treatment, there is very limited research regarding its safety and efficacy. A year long animal study demonstrated structural regeneration with mechanical properties that was comparable with native cartilage (1). However, most of the human data is based on personal anecdotes and press releases, instead of peer-reviewed controlled trials. Publications are not clear about dosage or effectiveness, and have not yet been approved by the FDA. Therefore, some stem cell therapies fail to meet FDA criteria, and must be conducted outside of the United States. Considering the lack of research and variability in methodology, athletes may not have adequate information to understand the risks to make informed decisions, and should proceed with extreme caution (2). Stem cells are part of a larger discussion surrounding the use of biologics to prevent surgery or enhance healing after surgery. More commonly used is platelet rich plasma (or PRP). This is likely because it is more readily available, easier to produce, less expensive, and there actually is some good data to support its use for knee arthritis. That said, in cases where money isnt an issue, stem cells offer a theoretical benefit which is likely why it is being discussed here. Rams coach Sean McVay reported that Gurley would definitely not be undergoing surgery during this offseason. Considering the team and Gurley are looking into more noninvasive options, it seems more likely they will favor the stem cell route. Stem cell treatment is becoming increasingly popular among NFL players, but there still is much research to be done to determine its safety and effectiveness. References: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuadines/2019/03/10/can-stem-cells-help-rams-todd-gurleys-knee/ |
Could gene therapy cure sickle cell anemia? | Nearly 20 years ago, scientists stunned the world when they announced they had decoded the genes that make up a human being. They hoped to use that genetic blueprint to advance something called gene therapy which locates and fixes the genes responsible for different diseases. Now, a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health is doing exactly that in an attempt to cure sickle cell anemia, a devastating genetic disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year. For the past 15 months we've been following the scientists, and patients, who are ushering in a genetic revolution. Dr. John Tisdale speaks with Jennelle Stephenson Jennelle Stephenson: I'm excited. Ray Stephenson Today is the big day. It's the day after Christmas, 2017, and 27-year-old Jennelle Stephenson has come with her father and brother from Florida to the National Institutes of Health, just outside Washington, D.C. Jennelle Stephenson: Good morning. Dr. John Tisdale: Good morning. She's one of a small group of patients to receive an infusion containing altered DNA. Nurse: This is what they look like. Jennelle Stephenson: Merry Christmas to me. Brother: Best Christmas present ever. Jennelle Stephenson: Yay. The clear liquid in the bag contains Jennelle's stem cells that have been genetically modified. Dr. John Tisdale: There are about 500 million in there. Jennelle Stephenson: Oh, my goodness. The hope is the new DNA in the cells will cure Jennelle of sickle cell anemia, a brutal disease that causes debilitating pain. Jennelle Stephenson: We can go beyond a 10. It's terrible, it's horrible. Jennelle Stephenson: Everywhere. My back, my shoulders, elbows, arms, legs, even my cheekbones, just pain. Jennelle Stephenson: It's a very sharp, like, stabbing, almost feels like bone-crushing pain. Feels like someone's kind of constricting your bones, and then releasing constantly. More on the trial aiming to cure sickle cell Pain from sickle cell can occur anywhere blood circulates. That's because red blood cells, normally donut-shaped, bend into an inflexible sickle shape, causing them to pile up inside blood vessels. The resulting traffic jam prevents the normal delivery of oxygen throughout the body, leading to problems that include bone deterioration, strokes and organ failure. The gene that causes sickle cell anemia evolved in places like sub-Saharan Africa because it protects people from malaria. There, millions have the disease, and it's estimated more than 50 percent of babies born with it die before the age of five. In the United States, it affects a hundred thousand people, mostly African-Americans. For Jennelle, having the disease as a child often meant spending Christmas in the hospital. As an adult, she struggled through pain to complete college, but keeping a job was tough because something as simple as walking up stairs could trigger "a pain crisis." Jennelle Stephenson: I do. Yes, younger than me. Jennelle Stephenson: Right. Jennelle Stephenson: Right. Yes. Jennelle Stephenson: I did, actually. When I hit about 22, I was like, "You know, I'm-- for a sickle celler, I'm kind of middle-aged right now." Jennelle Stephenson: Honestly, everybody laughs at me for this, I just want to run, to be honest. Dr. Jon LaPook: Things that most people would take for granted. Jennelle Stephenson: Just basic things. One of the most cruel parts of the disease, Jennelle and other patients have told us, is being accused of faking pain to get narcotics, being labeled a "drug-seeker." During one trip to the emergency department, when she fell to the floor in pain, a doctor refused to help her. Jennelle Stephenson: And I'm looking up at her, and I'm in tears, and, I'm like, "I'm doing the best that I can." Dr. Jon LaPook: And you gotta be thinking. Jennelle Stephenson: I just, sometimes I don't understand, I don't get it. Like... Sorry. I'm in so much pain, and you think I just want some morphine. And it just makes me sad that some people in the medical community just don't get it. Dr. Francis Collins is director of the National Institutes of Health, the largest biomedical research agency in the world. He oversees a nearly 40 billion dollar budget that funds more than 400,000 researchers world-wide. Dr. Collins was head of the Human Genome Project at the NIH in 2000 when he made a landmark announcement: after a decade of work, scientists had finally decoded the genes that make up a human being. Dr. Francis Collins: I got excited about genetics as a first-year medical student. A pediatric geneticist came to teach us about how genetics was relevant to medicine. And he brought patients to class and one of the first patients he brought was a young man with sickle cell disease who talked about the experience of sickle cell crises and how incredibly painful those are. And yet, it was all because of one single letter in the DNA that is misplaced, a "T" that should have been an "A." And that was profound. You could have all of that happen because of one letter that was misspelled. The double helix of DNA is made up of billions of pieces of genetic information. What Dr. Collins is saying is, out of all that, it's just one error in the DNA code -- a "T" that should have been an "A" -- that causes sickle cell anemia. Fix that error, and you cure the disease. Correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook walks with Dr. Francis Collins But figuring out how to do that would take more than 20 years of research and a little serendipity. Dr. Collins was playing in the NIH rock band in 2016 when his bass player -- hematologist Dr. John Tisdale -- started riffing on an idea. Dr. John Tisdale: We'd finished setting up and went for a pizza before-- Dr. Francis Collins: I remember that. Dr. John Tisdale: --before the gig. And at this point I pitched to Francis that it was really time that we do something definitive for sickle cell disease. In the laboratory, Dr. Tisdale and his collaborators created a gene with the correct spelling. Then, to get that gene into the patient, they used something with a frightening reputation: HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. It turns out HIV is especially good at transferring DNA into cells. Here's how it works. The corrected gene, seen here in yellow, is inserted into the HIV virus. Then, bone marrow stem cells are taken from of a patient with sickle cell anemia. In the laboratory those cells are combined with the virus carrying that new DNA. Dr. John Tisdale: This virus will then find its way to one of those cells and drop off a copy or two of the correctly spelled gene. And then these cells will go back to the patient. If the process works, the stem cells with the correct DNA will start producing healthy red blood cells. Dr. Jon LaPook: I can hear people, our viewers out there, thinking, "Wait a second, how do you know you're not gonna get AIDS from the HIV virus?" Dr. John Tisdale: The short answer is we cut out the bits that cause infection in HIV and we really replace that with the gene that's misspelled in sickle cell disease so that it transfers that instead of the infectious part. "I believe that this looks like a cure. I gotta be careful. But from every angle that I know how to size this up, this looks like a cure." Dr. Jon LaPook: The stakes here are enormous. Dr. Francis Collins: Yes. Dr. Francis Collins: Make no mistake, we're talking about very cutting-edge research where the certainty about all the outcomes is not entirely there. We can look back at the history of gene therapy and see there have been some tragedies. Dr. Francis Collins: Yes. In 1999, 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger received altered DNA to treat a different genetic disease. He died four days later from a massive immune response. And in another trial, two children developed cancer. Jennelle Stephenson understands. This is a trial with huge risks and no guarantees. Jennelle Stephenson: This is it. When she arrived at the NIH clinical center in December 2017, Jennelle asked her brother, Ray, for some help. Jennelle Stephenson: There goes Ray cutting my hair. Oh, snip. She decided to cut off all her hair, rather than watch it fall out from the massive dose of chemotherapy needed to suppress her immune system so her body wouldn't reject the altered stem cells. Jennelle Stephenson: I don't know how to feel right now. I'm a little emotional. But I'm OK, it will grow back. A few days after the chemotherapy, Jennelle received the infusion of genetically modified cells. Nurse: Yes. Jennelle Stephenson: It's just a waiting game. But the wait was a painful one. Not only for Jennelle, but also for her father Ray. Who did what little he could as the effects of the chemotherapy kicked in, stripping Jennelle's throat and stomach of their protective layers. Jennelle Stephenson: Oh, that hurts. She was unable to speak for a week and lost 15 pounds. And because having a severely weakened immune system means even a mild cold can turn deadly, Jennelle had to stay in the hospital for nearly a month. Last spring, she moved back to Florida and returned to the NIH for periodic check-ups. Dr. John Tisdale: These are her red blood cells. It didn't take long for Dr. Tisdale to notice something was happening. Dr. John Tisdale: Right. All across her blood you can see these really abnormal shapes. This one in particular is shaped like a sickle. Nine months later, this is what Dr. Tisdale saw: not a sickle cell in sight. Dr. Jon LaPook: Was there ever a moment where you saw one of these normal-looking smears and thought, "Is this the right patient?" Dr. John Tisdale: Oh, absolutely. When you're a scientist, you're skeptical all the time. So, first thing you do is look and make sure it's that patient, go grab another one, make sure it's the same. And we've done all that. And, indeed, her blood looks normal. Jiu-Jitsu Teacher: Move. Switch your arms and move. Remember, Jennelle used to struggle just to walk up a flight of stairs... Jiu-Jitsu Teacher: And you fall. ...and a fall like this would have landed her in the hospital. Jiu-Jitsu Teacher: Boom. Yeah. Good job. You did it. Bam. Dr. Jon LaPook: Jennelle. You look amazing. Jennelle Stephenson: Thank you. Dr. Jon LaPook: I have to say, I was a little nervous when you were thrown and you went down on the mat. Jennelle Stephenson: It was nothing. It was nothing. My body just felt strong. Dr. Jon LaPook: Tell me about the adjustment that you need to make to go from the old you to the new you. Jennelle Stephenson: My body it almost felt like it was, like, itching to do more. And I was like, "All right, well, let's go swimming today." "Let's go to the gym today." I'm like, all right, my body loves this. I kinda like it because my, I guess all my endorphins started pumping. Dr. Jon LaPook: The endorphin high, something you had never experienced. Jennelle Stephenson: Never experienced before. Yup. Ray Stephenson: I was just saying, "Thank you, Lord. Thank you for medical science. And thank you for giving her a new life." Jennelle Stephenson: New life, indeed. Eight other adults with sickle cell anemia have undergone the same gene therapy as Jennelle. So far, all are responding well. Dr. Francis Collins says it will take years to improve the treatment to make it more widely available. Dr. Francis Collins: Here's another dream. There are 7,000 genetic diseases for which we know the precise DNA misspelling. Dr. Jon LaPook: You've been working on this for decades. You're at a moment which is significant. Dr. Francis Collins: To lead the Human Genome Project and to put that foundation in place. And now, to see that emerging not just as hoped-for advances, but real data showing cures for people. Dr. Jon LaPook: You just used the "curing" word. Dr. Francis Collins: I believe that this looks like a cure. I gotta be careful. But from every angle that I know how to size this up, this looks like a cure. Produced by Denise Schrier Cetta and Megan Kelty | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-gene-therapy-cure-sickle-cell-anemia-60-minutes/ |
How will Tulane recover from ugly sweep by UCSB? | In the third-base side home dugout is where Tulane has celebrated seven of its 10 victories this season, always with a celebratory "W" sticker getting slapped to the back wall near the painted-on slugger bird logo. There were no celebrations this weekend. Instead, a 16-6 loss to UC Santa Barbara that capped a three-game series in which the Green Wave (10-6) allowed 31 runs has coach Travis Jewett and his staff considering a variety of potential changes, mostly concerning the pitching. Tulane on Sunday (March 10) allowed eight walks and hit six batters and continued a recent trend of short outings by starters. In this case, Chase Soleskys day ended with nobody out in the second inning after he walked four and hit two batters. We thought (the control issues were) kind of going away but its rearing its ugly head right now, Jewett said. That doesnt mean it has to continue. There are changes in life. Weve got to make some right now. Obviously, this entire weekend we didnt get a quality start. I dont anticipate that being the same thing going forward. I think theres too much talent that way. Neither of the other two Tulane starting pitchers this weekend lasted beyond the fourth inning, and the shortened outing by Keagan Gillies on Saturday had Jewett thinking a change in the weekend rotation could soon be coming. The coach said Saturday he could consider moving Solesky into that rotation spot, but after the way Solesky pitched Sunday, Jewett may consider other options. Both pitchers have experienced moments of success. Solesky is less than a year removed from a debilitating back injury he feared could have ended his pitching career. But two weeks ago, he pitched into the seventh inning and held a lead against Ole Miss. As for Gillies, he was the team innings and ERA leader last season with 14 weekend starts, which showed his potential for durability and consistency. This season, he has struggled in all four starts. This weekend, pitching issues for Tulane extended beyond the starters. Josh Bates, the first reliever used Sunday, let one run score on a wild pitch as he also walked and hit a batter. Then, Brendan Cellucci, a reliever who entered in the seventh, allowed a walk and hit a batter among the three he let reach base before Ryan Green came in to give up a grand slam by UCSBs Tevin Mitchell. Before the weekend, Tulane showed signs of progress as a staff under first-year pitching coach Daniel Latham, a former Tulane closer who was on the mound the last time the Green Wave clinched a spot in the College World Series, in 2005. Under his guidance, Tulane held a much-improved strikeout-to-walk ratio of 133 to 70 before Sunday, although those numbers didnt hold up in the series finale. The five walks and five hit batters in the first two innings Sunday put Tulane in a 4-0 deficit without allowing a hit. After three innings, Tulane trailed 8-0. At the plate, Tulane hit four home runs to raise its season total to 25. The Green Wave came into the weekend ranked fifth in the country with 18 home runs. That firepower has Tulane thinking it can rally at any moment, no matter how far behind it trails. Us hitters, we know we can hit really well," said Grant Mathews, whose home run was the first of the four hit by Tulane. "There was no panic whatsoever throughout the game. Two more home runs by Kody Hoese and Hudson Haskin in the fifth inning cut the UCSB (11-2) lead to 9-4. Tulane trailed 16-4 before Luke Glancy added a two-run home run in the eighth inning. We talk all the time about playing one pitch at a time, you never know what could happen, Jewett said. We were maybe one swing away from getting 9-6, and all of a sudden it starts to get a little hairy. Maybe (usual closer Connor) Pellerin starts to get into the mix a little bit. He was sitting out there and it never get into that range where I would go to him. The game ended with Tulane players gathered on the turf in shallow left field as Jewett addressed the team. The team usually stays in the dugout for his postgame talk. Instead, he wanted to try something different. This, it seems, might not be the only change he makes this week. | https://www.nola.com/tulane/2019/03/how-will-tulane-recover-from-ugly-sweep-by-ucsb.html |
Could NASCAR Cup Series schedule changes affect ISM Raceway's races? | Yet more change is coming to NASCAR and ISM Raceway could be part of it, especially after a disappointing crowd for Sundays TicketGuardian 500. The NASCAR industry is in deep discussion about major revisions to the Cup Series marathon 36-race, February-to-November schedule once the sanctioning bodys existing five-year contracts with its host racetracks expires after 2020. One idea is to start before the Daytona 500, which would make the Avondale oval one of perhaps only three climatically-suitable venues. A date change also seems in order considering the tracks 42,000 new grandstand seats appeared about 10,000 short of fully occupied. I wish I could tell you (why), said Julie Giese, who succeeded Bryan Sperber as track president last November. I think well learn a lot after this event based on whos coming. Im a data-driven person and my marketing background will help. One of the things Id like to do with this event is create events within the event. November (NASCARs playoff semifinals) is very focused on the competition and weve seen a positive fan response for (ticket) renewals. AVONDALE, AZ - MARCH 10: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 MoneyLion Ford, and Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 Hooters Chevrolet, take the green flag to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series TicketGuardian 500 at ISM Raceway on March 10, 2019 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) (Photo: Stacy Revere, Getty Images) Sunday was just the tracks second race weekend following a $178 million modernization. That investment by parent company International Speedway Corp. makes it virtually unthinkable that Phoenix would lose one of its dates if NASCAR reduces its number of events. Would I say it makes sense to come to a jewel like this twice a year? said NASCAR President Steve Phelps. I would say it does. If a decision was made to run before the Daytona 500, obviously weather plays a huge factor in that. Our options would be limited. More Phelps I think there will be some meaningful changes our fans will like, Phelps said during an exclusive interview with The Republic, adding April 1 is NASCARs target date to reveal its 2020 schedule. What it looks like in 2021 and beyond, everythings on the table. I do. The NFL is a big player and they drive (TV) ratings and our ratings are typically a little lower during that time. There are a lot of crossover fans between NASCAR and the NFL. Its something that we would entertain. Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson said, Personally, I think its foolish for us to go up against the NFL. In my own heart, I also believe there is such a thing as oversaturation for any sport. I think the shorter season is helpful and would be welcomed by teams. NASCAR, Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota are working to introduce a Generation 7 body in 2021. We are hyper-focused on what the fans want and having a more relevant-looking car is what they are asking for, said Phelps. Cost reduction for teams is another key objective. Get crucial breaking sports news alerts to your inbox. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Varies Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Sports Breaking News Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Apron aches Giese said no drivers have spoken with her about the rough pavement on the apron below the yellow line in the dogleg. Aggressive dive-bomb passing moves onto the apron have increased since the start/finish line was moved to the dogleg last year. Ryan Newman raised the issue in an interview with The Republic, saying it gives him a headache (that lasts) 24 hours. Thats the first Ive heard of it and certainly want to learn more, said Giese. It is so violent that you know, when you go down there, youre bending things, said Johnson. I try to make sure I have a really good reason to go down there if Im going to bend the side skirts and smash the suspension down into the blacktop. It needs to be for a worthy cause. Bowman wallbanger The support of home-state family and friends didnt help Alex Bowman. The Tucson native struggled with handling issues and twice hit the wall. We have just been too tight since we unloaded and couldnt figure out how to fix it, said Bowman. Marathon man Johnson has added a race to his schedule the April 15 Boston Marathon. (Finishing) would be a great first step, he said. The competitor in me wants to go into uncharted territory and try to do a sub-three hour. Pit stops Kevin Harvick, the nine-time track Cup Series race winner, never led a lap and finished ninth. Phelps confirmed the Cup Series will go without a title sponsor beginning next year as NASCAR transitions to a three-tier sponsorship structure, premier, signature and official partner level, similar to the Olympics and World Cup. Giese said track fan amenities wont be affected by the bankruptcy of prominent sponsor DC Solar. Legal documents indicate the track is owed $1.5 million. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/motor/2019/03/10/could-nascar-cup-series-schedule-changes-affect-ism-raceways-races/3126669002/?src=rss |
Will an Uncommon James Shipping Crisis Further Fuel Kristin Cavallari's "Firing Spree"? | On Sunday's all-new Very Cavallari, the Uncommon James boss' employees were fearful of getting the pink slip following a shipping crisis. Not to mention, this in-store drama came about shortly after longtime employee Shannon Ford got the boot. To make matters worse, Cavallari was out of town in California for the Uncommon James photo shoot. "I'm on a firing spree," the mother of three informed best friend Kelly Henderson and hairstylist Justin Anderson. "I'm a little nervous to be here, because I feel like every time I leave s--t hits the fan with the store." Sadly, Kristin's nerves were justified as Head of Operations Brittainy Taylor learned from the company's customer service team that countless boxes were being shipped empty to patrons. | https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/1022101/will-an-uncommon-james-shipping-crisis-further-fuel-kristin-cavallari-s-firing-spree?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories |
Does Las Vegas really have a water problem? | Chase Stevens Las Vegas Review-Journal @csstevensphoto I have a problem with the idea that Las Vegas has a water crisis, because the actions of our local authorities do not support that notion (Review-Journal series). They continue to approve more housing construction, which naturally will cause a drain on the water supply. If there really were a problem, they would say no to those permits. In addition, local officials allow developers to plant trees in the middle of the road. Take a ride on Town Center Drive in Summerlin and look at the landscaping. This is a symptom of water luxury, not of a water crisis. Until the actions of the authorities demonstrate there is a water problem, Ill just shrug it off. Their words dont mean much without sincere actions. | https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/letters/does-las-vegas-really-have-a-water-problem-1615285/ |
Does Denmark have a 'pervasive' rape problem? | Image copyright Reuters Image caption Danish protesters hold signs saying "let's talk about yes!" and "no means no" at a rally last week In 2017 Denmark was named the second best country for gender equality in the European Union, beaten only by its neighbour Sweden. It was one of only nine countries to hit EU childcare targets, had one of the most gender-equal attitudes to housework, and was one of the few European countries close to achieving a 50:50 parliament, according to the Gender Equality Index. But in a report released last week, Amnesty International warned that Denmark also has "widespread sexual violence" and systemic problems in how it deals with rape. Several studies say that Denmark has the highest prevalence of sexual violence in Europe. The Danish Ministry of Justice estimates that around 5,100 women a year are victims of rape or attempted rape, while the University of Southern Denmark put this figure as high as 24,000 in 2017 - a high number for a country with a relatively high population. That same year, only 890 rapes were reported to the police, of which 535 led to prosecutions, and 94 in convictions. Speaking to Amnesty, victims said they often found "the reporting process and its aftermath immensely traumatising", either because they were not believed, they were interrogated by officers, and, in one case, important evidence that was later needed at trial was allegedly not properly collected. The National Danish Police tell BBC News that they are striving to improve how they deal with people reporting rape, and that they are working to new guidelines that were drawn up in 2016. 'A hindrance to equality' Some believe the Scandinavian country's image as a progressive utopia has actually added to the problem. "We have this general notion that we have already achieved gender equality in Denmark, that the fight is over and there's nothing left to fight for," Helena Gleesborg Hansen, vice president of the Danish Women's Society, tells BBC News. "And this is the biggest hindrance we see when we talk about gender equality." Denmark was one of the first countries to sign up to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention) - a wide-ranging international treaty that seeks to combat violence against women worldwide. But despite getting on board early, Grevio, the group set up to monitor whether countries are correctly implementing the convention, warned that it was still falling short in 2017. One fundamental issue, the group said, was the country's legal definition of rape. Crucially, Danish law defines rape as involving force or a threat of violence, rather than on whether or not there was consent. For this reason, the Danish National Police Guidelines say that officers should ask rape complainants about "resistance to the perpetrator" - that is, whether or not they tried to physically fight them off. But consent, Grevio said in its report, "is the central element in the way the Istanbul Convention frames sexual violence". Ms Hansen tells BBC News that the current law puts the onus on the victim to stop themselves being raped, rather than on the perpetrator to not commit the act - which in turn leads to a pervasive victim-blaming attitude. "We have all these myths around rape", including that rapists are often "monster attackers" who jump out of bushes to assault women as they walk alone, she says. However, "most rapes that happen are actually [committed by the victim's] husband, boyfriend, best friend, someone they met at a party. In these cases, there's a shift of the guilt onto the victim, because they know each other. Which is what I find strange, because rape and sexual assault are never the victim's fault - never." Focusing on whether or not there was a physical struggle, she adds, shows a lack of understanding of what can happen to a person when they are raped. "A lot of people in these situations freeze, or get very confused - or they may be asleep, or drunk, or sedated," she explains. "In the law right now, your body is accessible until you say 'no' and fight back. But we'd rather have it so your body is not accessible until you say 'yes'." Denmark isn't the only European country to have drawn criticism for having a force-based definition of rape. According to another recent report from Amnesty released in November, out of 31 European countries they looked into, only eight have consent-based definitions of rape. Of those, Germany only changed to a consent-based definition in 2016. Victims also used to have to prove that they physically resisted their rapists, but this was repealed that year too. And Sweden, Denmark's neighbour and the top country in the EU's Gender Equality Index, only brought in a consent-based law last July. Spain has yet to change its rape laws, but it's in the process of doing so now. Under its current law a complainant needs to prove there was violence or intimidation in order for their case to be treated as a "rape". Last year, this led to a gang of men who attacked an 18-year-old woman getting acquitted of gang rape - which in turn prompted a panel of legal experts to recommend the law be tightened to define any non-consensual sexual act as "assault" or "rape". In some respects, Denmark is ahead of other countries on the continent. Along with Norway, Sweden and Finland, rape complainants have access to free legal representation. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Denmark's National Police Guidelines tell officers to ask complainants if they resisted their rapist A lack of trust in the system Activists say that certain minority groups may find it particularly hard to get help. Nico Miskow Friborg, from the group TransAktion, tells BBC News that "generally, there's a lack of trust in the system among trans people, because of transphobia in different corners of the system. If they've had experience of police harassment, for example, or experience of transphobia and discrimination in the healthcare system." They add that many of the services set up to support people who have experienced violence - such as rape clinics and counselling - are either explicitly or implicitly promoted towards cisgender women, which can also alienate trans people in need. Amnesty also points out that Danish police don't record whether a rape complainant is cisgender, transgender or non-binary - only that they're either male or female. This means campaigners like Nico can't track how many trans people are affected, and how many of those are targeted specifically because they are trans. Bwalya Srensen, a founder of Black Lives Matter Denmark, adds that migrant spouses are particularly vulnerable, because their abusers tell them police won't investigate a rape where the rapist and the victim know each other. Denmark only fully criminalised spousal rape in 2013. "These are people they are married to or have children with who are doing this," she explains, adding that Denmark's tough immigration requirements mean that abusers with migrant partners "know the women can't escape". "They know the police will not listen to her, they'll listen to him," she adds. In response, the National Danish Police say they are committed to addressing the issues raised, and that they will "of course take the criticism from Amnesty into consideration". "Victims of sexual assault are in an extremely vulnerable situation, [which is] why the Danish police are focused on meeting the victims in a respectful and sensitive manner," a spokesman told BBC News. "In 2016 we initiated a large co-operation with other Danish authorities aiming at further strengthening our work when it comes to cases of sexual assault." One of the things they've been working on, he said, is improving the way victims are dealt with when they first file a report - an effort that "continues to be in progress". "Fortunately, the number of victims unhappy with the police [saw] a decline from 30% to 15% in 2018," he added. "This indicates that our new guidelines and initiatives have made a difference for the victims. But 15% is still 15% too many." Meanwhile, Denmark's Justice Minister Sren Pape Poulsen has told local media he also supports the call for improved legislation based on consent. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47470353 |
Can DNA testing show us what food to eat? | Your browser does not support playing this file but you can still download the MP3 file to play locally. The consumer market in DNA testing kits focused initially on tracing ancestry but in recent years there has been a growth in areas such as personalised medicine. For the FTs Future of Food series supported by Rabobank, Darren Dodd has been testing some of these products and he spoke to FT science editor Clive cookson and neuroscientist Miguel Toribio-Mateas about how useful they are. Contributors: Josh Noble, weekend news editor, Darren Dodd, editor of FT Health, Clive Cookson, science editor, and Miguel Toribio-Mateas, of Londons South Bank University. Producers: Ruth Lewis-Coste and Fiona Symon | https://www.ft.com/content/03c53264-b943-4a42-b8eb-ee2265643cb9 |
Should we remortgage our home to build an extension? | Q We have been living in our five-bedroom home for the last four years. I dont imagine well move for at least another six years or so, until both our kids have finished school. Weve recently looked into the cost of building an extension to the ground floor, creating a separate reception area off the kitchen plus another living space. We have had a quote of 37,200 (including VAT) for building the extension which is about the same as 7% of the value of the house when we bought it four years ago. So we would be looking to borrow an additional 40,000 to cover the costs of the building work with a bit to spare. The house a few doors up (a new-build the same size and build as ours with no extension or renovations) sold for just under 593,000 last month which is about 10% more than we paid for our home. I know nothing is certain, but the extension therefore feels to be a good investment, not only adding value for our family the key motivation but also against the financial value of the property. To afford the extension we would need to remortgage which would add about 190 to the 1,200 that we currently pay each month for our mortgage which has 24 years left on it. VL A Im a bit confused. A house a few doors up from your house sold for about 54,000 more than what you paid for yours even though the owners had done nothing to it. For me, it does not follow that the extension therefore feels to be a good investment. Building an extension will prove to be a good investment only if the value of your home rises by more than what it ends up costing you to have the build done. I would also question why you would want to have building work done without a very clear idea of what you will use the extra space for. Adding more rooms wont necessarily add value and, if done unsympathetically after the extension is built, the kitchen no longer has a view of the garden, for example, or the natural flow through the house is disturbed in some way or you end up with a tiny garden could actually have a detrimental effect on value. So before you go any further, I suggest that you get an estate agent in to help you decide what changes if any would be beneficial if, indeed, your family really does need the extra space. If you do decide to go ahead, as well as the cost of the build, youll also need to factor in the costs of possibly employing an architect (plus VAT), planning permission, building regulation checks as well as the cost of borrowing. In terms of the interest rate charged, adding to your current mortgage is likely to be the cheapest option. But because youll be paying extra interest on the loan for the next 24 years, it could also turn out to be the most costly way of financing the build. Email your homebuying and borrowing worries to Virginia Wallis at [email protected] | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/mar/11/should-we-remortgage-our-home-to-build-an-extension |
Will Bank Branches Go The Way Of Retail Stores? | OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FINTECH SNARK TANK The big banks have been taking some grief recently for closing branches in low-income neighborhoods. According to one article: Banks have shut 1,915 more branches in lower-income areas than they opened between 2014 and 2018, with J.P. Morgan, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America at the front of the trend. There are broad implications for neighborhoods when branches close. Less competition means fewer choices for banking services and, potentially, higher costs as a result." The criticism is misguided. Hello! Both arguments are without merit: There is a growing list of digital-only banks that consumers who have lost a local bank branch can bank with. As matter of fact, both Chase and Wells Fargo recently launched their own digital banks (Finn and Greenhouse). As a result, consumers in areas where those banks closed a branch may still be able to bank with those institutions. The megabanks are the high cost providers of banking services. Free checking accounts (and often lower overdraft fees) are generally found at credit unions and digital banks--not the megabanks. Critics of the branch closures often claim that consumers in lower-income areas are more reliant on bank branches. Research doesn't bear this out: According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, older, wealthier, and self-employed consumers use bank branches more than other consumers. A study from Cornerstone Advisors found no statistically significant difference in the percentage of consumers by income level citing "convenient branch locations" as a factor for choosing a bank. At all income levels, "lowest monthly fee" was the most-frequently cited factor (which might make you wonder why they're doing business with the higher-priced megabanks in the first place). (Select up to three) Household income Less than $35,000 $35,000- $75,000 $75,000- $100,000 Greater than $100,000 Lowest monthly fee 46% 46% 43% 43% Most convenient locations 43% 40% 40% 38% Overall value for the money 37% 41% 38% 36% Digital banking tools 36% 36% 32% 35% Rewards program 25% 27% 26% 30% In-branch experience 13% 13% 13% 13% Mobile payment tools 12% 14% 19% 14% Tools to manage financial life 11% 14% 15% 13% Source: Cornerstone Advisors It's the Technology, Stupid Actually, there's no need to wonder--they're doing business with those banks because of the technology. Across every income level, a nearly equal percentage of consumers cited "digital banking tools" as one of the most important factors influencing their choice of banks according to the Cornerstone study. That number is increasing year-over-year as the percentage citing "convenient bank locations" is declining--and that's happening at every level of income. If you think that lower-income and minority groups don't have access to technology to the extent other consumers do, consider that: 87% of African-Americans and 88% Hispanics have internet access--just one and two percentage points, respectively, less than white adults. There is a difference by income level: 81% of adults making less than $30,000 have internet access, but that percentage jumps to 93% for those earning between $30k and $50k. The percentage of consumers earning less than $30k who own a smartphone tripled between 2011 and 2017 from 22% to 67%. Among those making $30k to $50k, the percentage doubled from 40% to 82%. The argument that lower-income areas need bank branches, or that branch closures by a particular bank hurts consumers in those areas doesn't hold water. The idea that they can't use technology to conduct their banking--like more affluent consumers do--is pretty insulting. The reality, as we approach the third decade of this century, is that few of us require bank branches anymore. Yes, I've seen the studies that show consumers' channel preferences. Some of them are downright nonsensical. For example, one study reported that 44% of consumers said they prefer to do their standard daily transactions at a traditional branch with tellers. I'm guessing that "standard daily transactions" are things like checking your account balance, transferring funds between accounts, and paying bills. Sorry, but there is no way that 44% of Americans want to get up off their couches, get in a car, drive to a branch, and then wait in line to conduct those transactions. To house bank employees and safely store cash. Long ago, banks realized that it would be more convenient for customers if they moved employees out to geographically distributed physical locations rather than forcing customers to travel to a centralized location to do their banking. The main purpose of a bank branch was--and still is--to facilitate interactions between customers and bank employees. Todays technologies, however, enable those interactions to happen without the two parties being in the same location. The problem is that banks aren't using the new technologies as well as they should. The branch advocates really miss this point: Nobody cares about the brick-and-mortar (although I would concede there is some marketing benefit to having a branch act as a billboard, but that's a pretty expensive marketing tactic). They care about being able to get in touch, or interact, with someone. Bank Branches Will Go the Way of Retail Stores According to Business Insider: Retailers closed a record-breaking 102 million square feet of store space in 2017, then smashed that record in 2018 by closing another 155 million square feet of space." Retail has always been a few years ahead of banking--first with online transactions, and now with physical store closings. Banks that fight this trend aren't just prolonging the inevitable--they're wasting money. Money that could be spent on technologies--like Twitter, Slack, Facetime--that could improve how customers interact with bank employees. The banks left standing (pun intended) will be those that create effective and efficient communication strategies and processes. Those strategies and processes will involve technologies like chatbots, but will integrate with tools that enable customers to easily connect with employees--and enable them to avoid going to the branch. Which will be important, because there may not be a branch nearby to go to. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2019/03/11/will-bank-branches-go-the-way-of-retail-stores/ |
Will the Grant Sawyer buildings proposed remodel finally fix interior problems? | Amid ongoing workers compensation cases from employees of the Grant Sawyer State Office Building, the state is looking to allocate funds to address longstanding structural issues at the building just north of downtown. Gov. Steve Sisolaks proposed budget includes more than $8 million for an interior remodel of the 23-year-old building, as well as more than $6 million for the design and construction of a new 100,000-square-foot state office building to be located next to Grant Sawyer. Built in 1995, Grant Sawyer is the primary state office facility in Las Vegas and houses more than 700 government employees. If approved by the Nevada Legislature in June, the funding for the new building and the interior remodel would be the latest public money spent in a two-decades-long effort to address problems plaguing Grant Sawyer, sometimes retroactively, some employees say. Dangerous black mold and sick building syndrome characterized by fatigue, headaches, cold and cough symptoms and body aches due to poor indoor air quality have been documented by employees since shortly after the building opened in 1995. The mysterious illnesses have prompted several rounds of workers' compensation claims over the years, although the state Department of Administration isnt sure how many cases are active. The department overseas building construction and maintenance, among other responsibilities. In the last few years, employees have raised additional concerns about the building: leaking sewage, unpredictable and uncomfortable temperatures, falling ceiling tiles, foul odors, pigeon feathers seeping through the vents, and a return of the black mold despite assurance that the problem had been fixed. Many of these issues trace back to a subpar piping system, officials said. Some employees have left jobs at the building out of concern for their health, or worked permanently from home. Last year, the Secretary of States Office moved to North Las Vegas due to building-related ailments plaguing many of their employees. But it wasnt until December 2017 that the state hired an independent occupational and environmental medicine consultant, Dr. James Craner, to study the issues, in particular the mold. Craner found that the levels of black mold in the building did not, in general, pose an immediate hazard. However, Craner observed that the mold contamination seemed to affect some employees more than others. According to minutes from a June 2018 state Interim Finance Committee meeting, Chief Deputy Secretary of State Scott Anderson said that Craner advised employees most emphatically not to work in the building if they experienced sick building syndrome. Craner also recommended a remediation of the building to completely remove the mold. This, as well as a series of other renovations, were completed between July and February and cost approximately $5.8 million. They included upgrades to the HVAC system, roof repairs, carpet cleaning, ceiling tile replacements and plumbing improvements. Additional renovations took place earlier last year. Richard McCann, a lawyer with the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, isnt convinced the renovations adequately improved conditions for employees working in the building, some of whom he has represented in workers compensation cases. If theyre trying to renovate that enormous facility with 700 people in it by changing out some carpeting and moving things around, thats nice, but its not resolving the problems, McCann said. Lloyd May, a former employee in the Buildings and Grounds Department, alleges his bosses consistently ignored and instructed employees to cover up the mold problems. May worked for the department from 2006 to February, and served as the go-to maintenance person at Grant Sawyer in 2017 and 2018. May added that while working on the failing pipes throughout the building, he was routinely exposed to methane gas released from the sewage system. I felt nausea and had major headaches when I was working in that building because of the methane gas and with the black mold, he said. Louis Haynie, a retired Gaming Control Board officer, described similar symptoms from his time at Grant Sawyer between 2009 and 2017. Complaints sent to state officials from Haynie and his co-workers were never resolved, he said. The maintenance people in the building did the best they could with the limited resources they were given, but they had a budget of like $0, Haynie said. Haynies ailments subsided when he retired, but he said that some colleagues have suffered from long-term symptoms. Some who continue to work there, Haynie added, say they still feel symptomatic at times. Its literally poisoning you, Haynie said. I know several people have reached that point, and theyre going through the process of workmens compensation. Patrick Cates, former director of the state Department of Administration, admitted that employees at his department did not always respond adequately to complaints raised in the past, according to meeting minutes from the same Interim Finance Committee meeting last June. Mr. Cates said the Department of Administration began making significant personnel changes as soon as the depth of some of those problems came to light, the minutes say. The department accepted responsibility and began taking significant steps to correct the problems. The Sun was unable to reach current employees at Grant Sawyer who could speak to whether building conditions had improved since the renovations and personnel changes. One employee of the Gaming Control Board said no one would be able to comment on anything relating to Grant Sawyer. Despite the complaints raised by some employees, Grant Sawyer remains safe to work in, especially after the recent round of renovations, said Deonne Contine, director of the Department of Administration. She joined the department in late February. There are no concerns regarding the structure of the GSOB, Contine wrote in an email. Since the renovations were completed, Buildings and Grounds has employed three staff members to monitor the building during business hours, ensuring that it remains safe and comfortable, added Tawny Polito, the executive assistant to Contine. As for the proposed interior remodel, Contine said it would resolve issues entirely separate from the black mold and the renovations that took place last year. The proposed remodel includes roof-mounted air handling units, plumbing, sewer, elevators and life safety system upgrades and modifications, she wrote. The proposed remodel will also include replacing interior partitions, carpet, wall coverings and interior lighting. Meanwhile, the new building would help meet office space needs at Grant Sawyer. The space needs of the GSOB occupants is growing and a new structure will support that growth as well as implementation of the GSOB remodel, Contine wrote. It has not yet been determined which departments at Grant Sawyer would stay in the existing building, and which would be transferred to the new building. Both the interior remodel and construction of the new building would not begin until at least 2021. Although it appears that the state is closer than ever before to resolving problems at Grant Sawyer, the news of the planned interior remodel, proposed in August as the building was still undergoing other renovations, raised eyebrows for some members of the state Public Works Board. When that board reviewed the proposed interior remodel in August, some members questioned why a complete interior overhaul was needed for a building that hadnt yet turned 24. Im just curious, in 23 years, systems need replacing and maintaining and upgrading. But they rarely need to be completely gutted and overhauled, Chairman Bryce Clutts said at the meeting. So Im just trying to understand what happened with this particular building. When posed that question in an interview, Contine said it would be difficult to trace what state officials had signed off on the structural details of Grant Sawyer nearly 25 years ago. Theres a lot of legal things youd have to look into, she said. Nonetheless, another board member, Tito Tiberti, said at the August meeting that it would be helpful to find out how the building was originally designed and approved. This was not done right in the beginning, Tiberti said. I dont know what it could be. But this is a lesson. | https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/mar/11/will-the-grant-sawyer-buildings-proposed-remodel-f/ |
Which airlines use the Boeing 737 Max 8? | CONFIRMED AS HAVING GROUNDED Chinese-regulated airlines. These include: Shenzhen Airlines (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in July 2018) China Eastern Airlines (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in Dec 2017) Air China (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in Nov 2017) Others: Ethiopian Airlines Cayman Airways AIRLINES CONTINUING TO OPERATE THE 737 MAX 8 Norwegian Air shuttle (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in June 2017) - "in close dialogue with Boeing". Flydubai (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in July 2017) - "monitoring" AIRLINES THAT OPERATE 737 MAX 8 (as confirmed by Boeing's website) LOT Polish Airlines (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in November 2017) TUI Group (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in January 2018) Corendon Airlines (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in May 2018) Mauritania Airlines (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in Dec 2017) SpiceJet (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in Oct 2018) Okay Airways (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in June 2018) SilkAir (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in Sept 2017) Malindo Air (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in May 2017) Lion Air (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in June 2017) Sunwing Airlines (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in June 2018) Aerolineas Argentinas (delivery of first 737 Max 8 in Nov 2017) Others confirmed as using the Boeing 737 Max 8: Air Italy Oman Air Jet Airways Garuda Indonesia WestJet Southwest Airlines | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47523468 |
When does a restaurant stop being a restaurant? | In case you missed it: heres my review of Temescals FOB Kitchen, a neighborhood restaurant redefining what it means to be fresh off the boat. Its been fascinating reading and hearing the reactions to my first reviews at The Chronicle, now published about a week ago. I delighted in both the praise (Thank you!) and the pushback (Thank you again!). Its such a privilege to be writing for the Bay Area, and it was amazing to be so quickly folded into the vibrant debates and dialogues within our food culture. One highlight: I was told off by legendary New York Times food critic Mimi Sheraton, which made me feel like a toddler winning a lifetime achievement award. My review of Chez Panisse turned out to be a lot more polarizing than Id anticipated not a bad thing at all. Some were glad that a local critic gave it an honest evaluation as a restaurant that exists in 2019; others were put off by that concept entirely, arguing that, because of its cultural impact, it deserves to be treated differently. (I got a lot of private messages from both sides!) Obviously, I wrote the review, so you know where I stand. Sign Up for the Newsletter Follow Soleil as she dines around the Bay Area. Subscribe to Bite Curious. Like I wrote in the review, most diners, especially the ones making a special trip out just for the experience, arent going to be terribly worried about how well-executed the food actually is. Despite that, I thought it was important to note that I had mediocre experiences there, and to contextualize those experiences within the restaurants stated purpose. As long as a restaurant or any business is charging money for a product or experience, I think its fair game. Thats not to say that I wont let restaurants get their sea legs when theyre fresh and new, or that I wont consider restaurants contexts and missions when thinking about what value they add to our culture: I know what In-N-Out Burger is for, and its not about pushing any conversation forward (or making good fries). And an announcement: Im also working with The Chronicle on a podcast series about how the food culture of the Bay Area exists in dialogue with the world at large, which I hope we can debut in the next few weeks! Well be talking about fried chicken and the Great Migration; hofbrau houses and detective fiction; and Soylent and visions of the future. Best Song I Heard in a Restaurant This past weekend, I went on a taqueria crawl around Menlo Park with some friends. Our last stop was Las Parrillas, which has some beautifully soft tongue tacos. The music was blasting, with old-timers queuing up at the jukebox to put on their favorite banda song. Dmaso by Gerardo Ortiz was the standout banger: a song about the glories of drug trafficking (Note: I do not endorse this.) that just happened to have some killer synthetic horn riffs. Photo of the week Ive been coming across bookshelves in restaurants a lot lately, and each one seems to have a different function: as a brands vision board, reference library or art piece. Some at more established venues, like the one at Chez Panisse, above, are dedicated to the owners own work; others, like the shelf I saw at the Fillmores Isla Vida, are a collection of cookbooks and nonfiction that reflect the cuisine at the restaurant in broad strokes. (At my moms restaurant in Mexico, she displays books that I wrote or am featured in. Sigh.) What Im reading Theres been a wave of debate online and even among my own friends about online recipes that begin with essays or journal-style prose. Some people think its an inconvenience when all they want is to make some chicken; others, mainly food writers, find the preceding sentiment invalidating of their whole schtick. But its not like food bloggers invented this format: cookbook authors like Simon Hopkinson, who wrote the classic, Roast Chicken and Other Stories, have been doing it for ages. Last week, Nik Sharma wrote a sweet essay about this very thing (and chutney!) for The Chronicle. In case you missed it: The Chronicles pop culture critic, Peter Hartlaub, investigates the apocryphal story of Julia Childs visit to local Vietnamese food dive, T Lan. Childs final word on the place: The food was very good. ... It was a very dirty place, but I enjoyed it and had no ill effects. At GQ, writer Brett Martin profiles Tunde Wey, the chef and performance artist and my occasional co-conspirator. I love this quote from Tunde, which I think sums up my modus operandi pretty well: In critique, you have to be hyperbolic. In practice, you need to be nuanced. But one feeds the other. Its hyperbole that creates the space for the nuance. Or to point to the hidden and understated? Bite Curious is a weekly newsletter from The Chronicles restaurant critic, Soleil Ho, delivered to inboxes on Monday mornings. Follow along on Twitter: @Hooleil | https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/When-does-a-restaurant-stop-being-a-restaurant-13678152.php |
What lessons can the clergy sex abuse crisis draw from a 4th-century church schism? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Cavan W. Concannon, University of Southern California Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (THE CONVERSATION) A string of sex abuse scandals have rocked Christian communities recently: In the Roman Catholic Church, revelations related to sex abuse by priests continue to unfold across the globe. Within the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., media reports have brought into public view allegations of sexual abuse dating back decades. These scandals stand alongside abuses by prominent male church officials that have occurred in independent Christian communities, such as Harvest Bible Chapel, Willow Creek Community Church and Mars Hill Church. Such scandals have led to widespread doubts about church officials and institutions. And this is not for the first time. As a scholar of early Christianity, I know that in the fourth century, Christian churches in North Africa faced a similar crisis of trust in their leaders. Known as the Donatist controversy, it caused a schism that lasted for centuries and offers a parallel for thinking about the impact of these crises on contemporary Christian communities today. Traitors during Christian persecution Christians in the Roman Empire occasionally experienced periods of imperial persecution. These periods were often memorialized in Christian tradition through stories of famous martyrdoms. The stories often portrayed Christians as courageous and virtuous in the face of imperial violence. The most infamous period of persecution occurred in the early fourth century A.D. Spearheaded by the emperor Diocletian, it was also the final imperially sponsored persecution of Christian communities. While persecutions were sporadic, local and rare, they often put difficult choices before Christian clergy and laity. Some renounced Christianity. Others handed over sacred books or church property and outed fellow Christians to the authorities. Christians called the latter traditores, a Latin term meaning those who handed over, the root of the word traitor. Whether and how to welcome such traditores back into Christian communities after the persecutions was a topic of intense debate among Christians. Traditores were considered to have betrayed their communities to save themselves. This sense of betrayal was particularly felt with respect to clergy members who had become traditores. The issue came to a head in A.D. 311 in North Africa when Caecilian, the bishop of Carthage, became embroiled in controversy after it was alleged that one or more of the bishops who presided at his consecration had been traditores. In the eyes of many Christians in North Africa, Caecilians virtues did not matter. The presence of a traditor among those who ordained him invalidated his ordination. The Donatist schism Caecilian was supported politically and financially by the imperial administration. Caecilians opponents pressed their case in regional councils and before local magistrates. They even appealed to the Emperor Constantine, who wrote in a letter to the Vicar of Africa in A.D. 314 that he had grown tired of receiving requests from Caecilians opponents. They brought charges, which ultimately proved to be false, against Felix of Aptunga, one of the bishops that had ordained Caecilian. Charges against other bishops soon followed. In A.D. 313, Donatus was consecrated bishop of Carthage and became the leading voice of Caecilians opponents. These Donatists, as they came to be called, created their own massive network of churches that stood in opposition to those allied with Caecilian and the Roman state. Constantine soon grew fed up with the Donatists and the schism that they had created in the church. From A.D. 316-321, Constantine used the force of the state to coerce the Donatists back into the fold. Constantines attempts to intervene led to violence that resulted in the deaths of Donatist Christians. His intervention did little to end the schism. Constantine soon gave up state-sponsored persecution of the Donatists. In A.D. 346, the Emperor Constans, who succeeded Constantine, tried again to end the schism. His agents used imperial funds to woo clergy back, but also used violence. Macarius, one of Constanss agents, led a campaign of suppression, in which Christians killed other fellow Christians. Macarius became infamous among Donatist communities. The Donatists considered those who died to be martyrs. These martyrs and their memory were celebrated by Donatist communities. Donatus was said to have questioned the very role of the emperor in the controversy, saying, What has the emperor to do with the church? By the fifth century, Donatist churches were thriving and sparring with Catholics. And Donatist churches remained active in North Africa until the Islamic conquests of the seventh century. Donatist beliefs The Donatists believed the sins of traditores risked the salvation of individual members and the health of the community. How, they asked, could sacraments administered by an offending priest be recognized by a holy God? And if those sacraments were not effective, the salvation of the individual and the community were at risk. For the Donatists, only sacraments performed by uncompromised clergy were effective. In their attempts to respond to Donatist critique, the Catholic Church settled on a strategy developed by Augustine, an influential fifth-century Catholic bishop in North Africa. Augustine, who describes the sparring between Donatists and Catholics in his writings, argued that the sacraments were effective regardless of the morality of the clergy involved a church doctrine known as ex opere operato. He said that as the sacraments were the work of Christ, they did not depend on the moral character of the officiating priest. What can be learned today Today, in the face of the sex abuse crisis, contemporary Christian communities find themselves asking questions about institutions that condoned, hid and promoted abusive clergy. This might be a moment to revisit the Donatist critique. They created their own churches because they feared not only for the efficacy of the sacraments but also for the character of a church that made it too easy for traditores to continue to remain leaders. Widespread sexual abuse by Christian clergy represents a very different crisis from that faced by the betrayal of the traditores. However, I believe the Donatists offer a lesson for Christian communities about the risks to the integrity and cohesion of institutions when they shield the abuser rather than protect the victims. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/what-lessons-can-the-clergy-sex-abuse-crisis-draw-from-a-4th-century-church-schism-112351. | https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/What-lessons-can-the-clergy-sex-abuse-crisis-draw-13678603.php |
Is porn making young men impotent? | Up to a third of young men now experience erectile dysfunction. There is an ad campaign adorning the tunnels of the London Underground bearing the slogan ED IS DEAD next to a photograph of a wholesome-looking man in his prime. Dont worry, it says in smaller writing beneath. Eds not a guy. Its a guy thing. Its short for erectile dysfunction. The posters are promoting a new brand of sildenafil (most commonly known as Viagra), which we are supposed to think is slaying the problem. But, as it stands, ED is far from dead. Viagras core market used to be older men in poor health, but according to the latest studies and surveys, between 14% and 35% of young men experience ED. Its crazy but true, says Mary Sharpe of the Reward Foundation, an educational charity focusing on love, sex and the internet. Until 2002, the incidence of men under 40 with ED was around 2-3%. Since 2008, when free-streaming, high-definition porn became so readily available, it has steadily risen. The evidence, clinical and anecdotal, is mounting that pornography use is a significant factor. Clare Faulkner, a psychosexual and relationship therapist based in central London, is among those who link ED and pornography use. I now have ED clients in their early 20s, she says. Part of the problem with pornography is that it is a very dissociated experience. Stimulation is coming externally, which can make it very hard to be in your body. It also perpetuates the myth, she says, that men are rock hard and women are ready for sex all the time. Lone viewers of pornography become accustomed to being fully in control of their sexual experience which again, says Faulkner, isnt replicated in the real world. Being faced with a real, complicated human being, with needs and insecurities, could be deeply off-putting. In online forums dedicated to porn-induced erectile dysfunction (PIED), tens of thousands of young men share their struggles to stop using pornography, their progression from soft porn to hardcore and the barriers they face in forming real-life romantic and sexual relationships. It is hard to prove outright that pornography causes ED, but these testimonies replicate findings from the clinical literature: that if men can kick their porn habit, they start to recover their ability to become aroused by real-life intimacy. Some young men have started their own grassroots support movements, such as NoFap (slang for no masturbating), founded in the US by Alexander Rhodes. (Sharpe observes that young men now equate masturbation with pornography they dont see them separately.) Rhodes, now 31, started using internet pornography at around 11 or 12. I was in the first generation of people who grew up on high-speed internet porn, he said in a recent online discussion. By the time he started having sex at 19, he continued: I couldnt maintain an erection without imagining porn. High-speed internet porn was my sex education. Last year, he told an audience at the USs National Center on Sexual Exploitation: Children of the United States and much of the developed world are being funnelled through an online experience where exposure to pornography is practically mandatory. The young age at which Rhodes started watching pornography is not unusual. In 2016, Middlesex University found that 93% of 14-year-olds had seen explicit material online, with 60% of children having first watched it in their own homes. And an Irish study published earlier this year in the journal Porn Studies found that 52% of boys started using pornography for masturbation at the age of 13 or under. Social media can be a gateway, says Sharpe. Porn stars have Instagram accounts so theyre getting kids to look at them on Instagram, and within their material theyll say: Look at my latest video. One or two clicks and youre looking at hardcore porn. Kids of 12 or 13 arent supposed to be looking at hardcore adult material. The Reward Foundation isnt an anti-pornography organisation, says Sharpe, but excess porn is changing how children become sexually aroused. And it is happening in their formative years, at an age when theyre most vulnerable to mental health disorders and addictions. Most addictions and mental health disorders start in adolescence. She and Faulkner believe that the rise in pornography use may at least partly explain why millennials are having less sex than the generation before them, according to a study published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior. Gabe Deem, the founder of the pornography recovery group Reboot Nation, speaks openly about his own experiences. When he was 23, he said: I tried to have sex with a beautiful girl, a woman I was extremely attracted to, and nothing happened. I couldnt feel any physical arousal and couldnt get the slightest bit of an erection. As with other addictions, says Faulkner: People need stronger doses to get high. Its always about pushing the boundaries to get the same excitement. Which means what theyre watching gets more hardcore and potentially frightening. Ive had clients tell me theyre not comfortable with the material theyre watching. When researchers study the brains of compulsive pornography users, says Sharpe: Theyre seeing the same brain changes that are common in all addictions. Some still dismiss the rise in ED among young men as performance anxiety, but Sharpe says while that may be true for some, What were hearing from clinicians, sex therapists, doctors and people dealing with compulsive sexual behaviour is that more than 80% of issues are porn-related. The Reward Foundation has been running workshops with healthcare practitioners across the UK and found that doctors and pharmacists dont even consider asking their young male patients who have ED about their pornography use. Theyre giving them Viagra and thats not working for many of them, says Sharpe. Its not dealing with the underlying problem. When the drugs dont work, Sharpe has heard of young men getting penile implants (prosthetics implanted in the penis to help erections). One of the medical participants at one of our workshops last year said a patient had had two such implants. No one had thought to ask him about pornography use. On a recent school visit, Sharpe recalls, a teenage boy asked her how many times a day masturbating to porn was too many. Theyre using it all the time, says Sharpe, and nobodys telling them its a problem. | https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/11/young-men-porn-induced-erectile-dysfunction |
Will Anti-OPEC Legislation Make A Difference (For Anyone Besides Lawyers)? | President Trumps recent tweet urging OPEC to relax caused a sharp but brief drop in oil prices, not so much because traders thought that his tweet would change OPEC behavior but because they knew other traders would react to it. Thats the way the market works, for good or ill, but its not terribly relevant in the long runmeaning more than a day or so. The thought apparently is that preventing OPEC (and other producers) from colluding to alter their production in order to influence prices would have a positive effect on the U.S., its citizens and economy. Aside from the legal question of whether foreign governments can be held legally accountable for actions taken overseas where they are not illegal, which I am dubious about but not qualified to comment on, both the hypocrisy and the effectiveness of the action need to be scrutinized. First, there is the question of the very fragile U.S. glass house. There are numerous policies in the U.S. to control commodity prices, especially agricultural, and far beyond just the Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates the blending of ethanol with gasoline as a crutch to corn farmers in the electorally important state of Iowa. I mean, to support our energy security and um, way of life or something. To say nothing of all the other measures that interfere in free trade of agricultural products from avocados to sugar. But cartels are actually quite commonplace around the world historically, even in modern times. Agreements to cut production equally during recessions so as to allow producers to ride out a temporary weak market have often been employed and with government approval if not insistence, in other countries, steel being a prominent example. (Such was done in the U.S. before anti-trust laws, openly and legally, although Andrew Carnegie famously refused to cooperate with other steel producers in the nineteenth century.) Similarly, there have been many Commodity Price Stabilization Agreements aimed at supporting producers in the Third World. And OPECs behavior is no different from the quota system established by the Texas Railroad Commission in the 1930s in response to a glut that sent oil prices below that of water locally. The TRC compared demand to production capacity and set capacity utilization levels for producers in the state, while a number of other states adopted their guidance. Given that Perrier is now slightly more expensive than Brent crude, one presumes OPEC is proving less effective than the Texas Railroad Commission was in its heyday. (I havent ridden any trains in Texas, so maybe they are doing a bang-up job in that department.) Of course, the TRC had the Texas Rangers to enforce their orders (the peace officers, not the baseball team), while OPEC has, well, economists and accountants. Not that economists cant do a lot of damage. And while agreements amongst producers can influence the price of oil for months, even years under the right conditions, the sustainable price of oil is determined much more by the response of consumers to given prices and the willingness of nations to allow oil exploration and development in their territory. The 1970s oil price surge would have been overturned much faster had not countries like Kuwait, Libya and Venezuela decided to conserve their resources. Their production dropped 3 mb/d from 1972 to 1975, and by 1985 was down about 5 mb/d, largely without coordination. Ultimately, what OPEC critics are suggesting is that nations not retain sovereign control over their resources, that the U.S. (or the Congress) can decide whether or not they produce oil and how much. This is a bit of a throwback to the 19th century when, for example, the United States pressured Japan to sign trade deals that gave it significant control over Japanese trade policies. Its easy to imagine the outrage in the United States Congress if, for example, China insisted that American farmers plant more soybeans to bring the price down. (Kind of like the outrage I feel paying more for candy because sugar moguls contribute vast amounts to politicians.) Essentially, what the supporters of the move must be hoping (whether they realize it or not), is that if oil exporters cease cooperating, the price will drop and members with large resourcesIran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuelawould then increase investment sharply to meet demand when high cost producers cut back, including U.S. shale, Canadian oil sands, and some deepwater areas. Which would translate into a much greater market share for, most notably, the Middle East exporters. Not only would this be unpalatable in most U.S. political circles but it would increase their market power and probably lead to higher prices. Which would be accelerated if political unrest in a country that had ramped up production caused exports to cease, kind of like 1979. Oopsie. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellynch/2019/03/11/will-anti-opec-legislation-make-a-difference-for-anyone-besides-lawyers/ |
Which country has the best food? | (CNN) We love to write about food and drink . We love to celebrate the good stuff and lambaste the bad. This is our take on some of the best food cultures and destinations , but of course it's subjective. It's time to find out once and for all, which cuisine is king as you plan where you'll travel next: 10. United States America knows how to dish food that hits the spot. Getty Images This may be because most of the popular foods in the USA originate in some other country. The pizza slice is Italian. Fries are Belgium or Dutch. Likely German. But in the kitchens of the United States, they have been improved and added to, to become global icons for food lovers everywhere. There's the traditional stuff such as clam chowder, key lime pie and Cobb salad, and most importantly the locavore movement of modern American food started by Alice Waters. This promotion of eco-awareness in food culture is carried on today by Michelle Obama. Yum Cheeseburger -- a perfect example of making good things greater. Chocolate chip cookie -- the world would be a little less habitable without this Americana classic. Dumb All overly processed foods such as Twinkies, Hostess cakes and KFC. 9. Mexico Mmmmexico. Courtesy Denis Dervisevic/Creative Commons/Flickr Amongst the enchiladas and the tacos and the helados and the quesadillas you'll find the zestiness of Greek salads and the richness of an Indian curry; the heat of Thai food and the use-your-hands snackiness of tapas. It is also central station for nutritional superfoods. All that avocado, tomato, lime and garlic with beans and chocolates and chilies to boot, is rich with antioxidants and good healthful things. It doesn't taste healthy though. It tastes like a fiesta in your mouth. Related content World's 50 best foods Yum Mole -- ancient sauce made of chili peppers, spices, chocolate and magic incantations. Tacos al pastor -- the spit-roast pork taco , a blend of the pre- and post-Colombian. Tamales -- an ancient Mayan food of masa cooked in a leaf wrapping. Dumb Tostadas -- basically the same as a taco or burrito but served in a crispy fried tortilla which breaks into pieces as soon as you bite into it. Impossible to eat. 8. Thailand Open for more than eight decades, old school Bangkok cafe On Lok Yun -- located at 72 Charoen Krung Road -- is a local institution. Video by Black Buddha Street eats are a Thai attraction. Flip through a Thai cook book and you'll be hard pressed to find an ingredient list that doesn't run a page long. The combination of so many herbs and spices in each dish produces complex flavors that somehow come together like orchestral music. Thais fit spicy, sour, salty, sweet, chewy, crunchy and slippery into one dish. With influences from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar and a royal culinary tradition, Thai cuisine is the best of many worlds. The best part about eating Thai food in Thailand though is the hospitality. Sun, beach, service with a smile and a plastic bag full of som tam -- that's the good life. Yum Tom yam kung -- a rave party for the mouth. The floral notes of lemongrass, the earthy galangal, freshness of kaffir lime leaves and the heat of the chilies Massaman curry -- a Thai curry with Islamic roots. Topped our list of the world's 50 most delicious foods. Som tam -- the popular green papaya salad is sour, extra spicy, sweet and salty. It's the best of Thai tastes. Dumb Pla som -- a fermented fish eaten uncooked is popular in Lawa and reported to be responsible for bile duct cancer. 7. Greece Souvlaki is paradise on a stick. LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/AFP/Getty Images Traveling and eating in Greece feels like a glossy magazine spread come to life, but without the Photoshopping. Like the blue seas and white buildings, the kalamata olives, feta cheese, the colorful salads and roast meats are all postcard perfect by default. Lashings of glistening olive oil. Gift of the gods, olive oil is arguably Greece's greatest export, influencing the way people around the world think about food and nutritional health. Eating in Greece is also a way of consuming history. A bite of dolma or a slurp of lentil soup gives a small taste of life in ancient Greece, when they were invented. Yum Olive oil -- drizzled on other food, or soaked up by bread, is almost as varied as wine in its flavors. Spanakopita -- makes spinach palatable with its feta cheese mixture and flaky pastry cover. Gyros -- late-night drunk eating wouldn't be the same without the pita bread sandwich of roast meat and tzatziki. Dumb Lachanorizo -- basically cabbage and onion cooked to death then mixed with rice. Filling, but one-dimensional. 6. India Sweet and spicy chai tea. NOAH SEELAM/AFP/AFP/Getty Images When a cuisine uses spices in such abundance that the meat and vegetables seem like an afterthought, you know you're dealing with cooks dedicated to flavor. There are no rules for spice usage as long as it results in something delicious. The same spice can add zest to savory and sweet dishes, or can sometimes be eaten on its own -- fennel seed is enjoyed as a breath-freshening digestive aid at the end of meals. And any country that manages to make vegetarian food taste consistently great certainly deserves some kind of Nobel prize. The regional varieties are vast. There's Goa's seafood, there's the wazwan of Kashmir and there's the coconutty richness of Kerala. Yum Dal -- India has managed to make boiled lentils exciting. Dosa -- a pancake filled with anything from cheese to spicy vegetables, perfect for lunch or dinner. Chai -- not everyone likes coffee and not everyone likes plain tea, but it's hard to resist chai. Dumb Balti chicken -- an invention for the British palate, should probably have died out with colonialism. Related content The most delicious dishes in each region of India 5. Japan We meet up with Yumi Chiba to find out how she became one of the most renowned female sushi chefs in Japan. Japanese apply the same precision to their food as they do to their engineering. This is the place that spawned tyrannical sushi masters and ramen bullies who make their staff and customers tremble with a glare. You can get a lavish multicourse kaiseki meal that presents the seasons in a spread of visual and culinary poetry. Or grab a seat at a revolving sushi conveyor for a solo feast. Or pick up something random and previously unknown in your gastronomic lexicon from the refrigerated shelves of a convenience store. It's impossible to eat badly in Japan Related content 25 Japanese foods we love -- from tempura to miso Yum Miso soup -- showcases some of the fundamental flavors of Japanese food, simple and wholesome. Tempura -- the perfection of deep-frying. Never greasy, the batter is thin and light like a crisp tissue. The poisonous blowfish recently killed diners in Egypt, but is becoming more available in Japan. 4. Spain Churros: dough meets chocolate. Lauren Aloise Let's eat and drink, then sleep, then work for two hours, then eat and drink. Viva Espana, that country whose hedonistic food culture we all secretly wish was our own. All that bar-hopping and tapas-eating, the minimal working, the 9 p.m. dinners, the endless porron challenges -- this is a culture based on, around and sometimes even inside food. The Spaniards gourmandize the way they flamenco dance, with unbridled passion. They munch on snacks throughout the day with intervals of big meals. From the fruits of the Mediterranean Sea to the spoils of the Pyrenees, from the saffron and cumin notes of the Moors to the insane molecular experiments of Ferran Adria, Spanish food is timeless yet avant garde. Yum Jamon Iberico -- a whole cured ham hock usually carved by clamping it down in a wooden stand like some medieval ritual. Churros -- the world's best version of sweet fried dough. Dumb Gazpacho -- it's refreshing and all, but it's basically liquid salad. 3. France Freshly baked French baguettes -- mouthwatering. PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images If you're one of those people who doesn't like to eat because "there's more to life than food" -- visit Paris. It's a city notorious for its curmudgeonly denizens, but they all believe in the importance of good food. Two-hour lunch breaks for three-course meals are de rigeur. Entire two-week vacations are centered on exploring combinations of wines and cheeses around the country. Down-to-earth cooking will surprise those who thought of the French as the world's food snobs (it is the birthplace of the Michelin Guide after all). Cassoulet, pot au feu, steak frites are revelatory when had in the right bistro. Yum Escargot -- credit the French for turning slimey, garden-dwelling pests into a delicacy. Massive respect for making them taste amazing too. Macarons -- like unicorn food. In fact anything from a patisserie in France seems to have been conjured out of sugar, fairy dust and the dinner wishes of little girls. Baguette -- the first and last thing that you'll want to eat in France. The first bite is transformational; the last will be full of longing. Dumb Foie gras -- it tastes like 10,000 ducks roasted in butter then reduced to a velvet pudding, but some animal advocates decry the cruelty of force-feeding fowl to fatten their livers. 2. China Peking duck -- just one of many Chinese culinary delights. GREG BAKER/AFP/AFP/Getty Images The people who greet each other with "Have you eaten yet?" are arguably the most food-obsessed in the world. Food has been a form of escapism for the Chinese throughout its tumultuous history. The Chinese entrepreneurial spirit and appreciation for the finer points of frugality -- the folks are cheap, crafty and food-crazed -- results in one of the bravest tribes of eaters in the world. But the Chinese don't just cook and sell anything, they also make it taste great. China is the place to go to get food shock a dozen times a day. "You can eat that?" will become the intrepid food traveler's daily refrain. China's regional cuisines are so varied it's hard to believe they're from the same nation. It's not a food culture you can easily summarize, except to say you'll invariably want seconds. Yum Sweet and sour pork -- a guilty pleasure that has taken on different forms. Dim sum -- a grand tradition from Hong Kong to New York. Roast suckling pig and Peking duck -- wonders of different styles of ovens adopted by Chinese chefs. Xiaolongbao -- incredible soup-filled surprises. Dumb Shark's fin soup -- rallying for Chinese restaurants to ban the dish has been a pet issue of green campaigners in recent years. 1. Italy Nothing beats traditional Neapolitan pizza MARIO LAPORTA/AFP/AFP/Getty Images Italian food has enslaved tastebuds around the globe for centuries, with its zesty tomato sauces, those clever things they do with wheat flour and desserts that are basically vehicles for cream. It's all so simple. Get some noodles, get some olive oil, get some garlic, maybe a tomato or a slice of bacon. Bam, you have a party on a plate. And it is all so easy to cook and eat. From the cheesy risottos to the crisp fried meats, Italian cuisine is a compendium of crowd-pleasing comfort food. Many people have welcomed it into their homes, especially novice cooks. Therein lies the real genius -- Italian food has become everyman's food. Yum Ragu alla bolognese (spaghetti bolognaise) -- the world's go-to "can't decide what to have" food. Pizza -- mind-bogglingly simple yet satisfying dish. Staple diet of bachelors and college students. Italian-style salami -- second only to cigarettes as a source of addiction. Forget it. We want it all day and all night. Dumb Buffalo mozzarella -- those balls of spongy, off-white, subtly flavored cheeses of water buffalo milk. The flavor's so subtle you have to imagine it. | https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/world-best-food-cultures/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fedition_world+%28RSS%3A+CNNi+-+World%29 |
Will all EU countries have to adopt the euro after 2020? | Image copyright Getty Images Claim: After 2020, all EU members will have to adopt the euro. Verdict: This is incorrect. The UK, were it to be an EU member then, and Denmark have opt-outs which give them the right not to join the euro. A five-year old newspaper headline - claiming that all European Union (EU) countries would have to adopt the euro after 2020 - was widely shared on Twitter over the weekend. The headline was originally shared by BrexitCentral, a pro-Brexit website whose editor-at-large is the former chief executive of Vote Leave, Matthew Elliott. One of those who retweeted the post was the former Work and Pensions Secretary and pro-Brexit Conservative MP Esther McVey. In a now-deleted tweet to her 26,000 followers, Ms McVey asked whether the public was aware of this as well as "other things" the EU has "planned" after 2020. The tweet ended with the hashtags "trust" and "WatchOut". The short answer is no. Some European Union countries have negotiated "opt-outs" in areas of EU policy they do not want to join. In the case of the UK and Denmark, these opt-outs include membership of the euro currency. So if the UK were to end up not leaving the EU, it would retain all of its current opt-outs, including that one. A country can decide to give up any of its opt-outs, but only a national government can do this (ie the EU can't currently force a country to surrender them). Sweden Sweden, a country which has no opt-out, has also been able to resist adopting the euro. In 2003, a referendum was held in which voters rejected joining the currency. Since 1999, all new EU members are obliged to commit in principle to joining the euro once they meet certain criteria. However, there is also no mechanism that actually forces a new EU member to adopt it. There are currently nine countries which are in the EU but do not use the euro (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and the UK). Some countries, such as Poland, are theoretically in the process of joining the euro - but there is no fixed date about if and when this will be achieved. Following Ms McVey's original tweet, a number of comments appeared in her feed challenging the accuracy of the claim. In a subsequent tweet, Ms McVey said: "Even if you don't agree with the article I posted, I think we can all agree on one thing - we never want the UK to join the euro." BBC Reality Check also spoke to Ms McVey. She told us she is concerned about the direction the EU was heading in and how "opt-outs become opt-ins". "If anyone had said that the vote in 1975 would lead to the EU and free movement, people would have said it was rubbish and untrue. No-one would have predicted the common market. "No-one will know how the EU will change in the future." Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47523168 |
Are schools failing to teach critical thinking? | The ability to question things, analyze facts and debate ideas is one of lifes greatest skills. In sum, teaching critical thinking is one of the education systems most important tasks. Some teachers and parents feel public schools do their absolute best to encourage critical thinking among the masses. But critics say they are falling far short, arguing that lifes indispensable survival skill has been cheapened by memorization and standardized tests. As HuffPost's Frank Breslin puts it, "It is a rare high-school graduate who can pinpoint 20 different kinds of fallacies in a line of argumentation while reading or listening; who knows how to distinguish between fact and opinion...who can argue both sides of a question, anticipate objections, and rebut them...." Most agree that finding a high-schooler who can question the information put in front of them should be the norm rather than the exception. But instead of teaching students how to think, standardized tests and educational standards force teachers to prioritize information above process. In other words, students are taught what to think, rather than how to think. Breslin writes: While teachers do encourage critical thinking, there has never been a way of formally integrating this skill into existing curricula. Apart from a few teachers who do train their students in critical thinking, most teachers do not for one simple reason there is no time. State education departments mandate that so much material has to be covered that critical thinking cannot be taught, nor can the courses themselves be critically presented. In order to cover the curriculum, courses must be taught quickly, superficially, and uncritically, the infallible way of boring students. Learning flourishes within a debate. Students must argue in order to understand complicated topics and develop their own set of opinions, but the volume of material they are tasked with learning largely prevents such debate from taking place. Why Public Schools Dont Teach Critical Thinking -- Part 1 In the Esquire March 2019 cover story, "The Life of an American Boy at 17," Jennifer Percy profiles a 17-year-old living in the midwest. The story faced widespread criticism for contributing to the already-pervasive narrative of the binary white male. But buried within the many problems in the story was another red flag: the way Percy's government and law teacher explained differing opinions. The student's teacher uses two songs to explain both liberal and conservative points of view. Rife with sweeping generalizations and exaggerations, the songs likely make the general positions of both sides easy to remember, but fail to explain why the sides feel the way they do. Its safe to assume that these two tunes are not the only instruction these students receive on liberal and conservative ideologies, but the teacher continues with an exercise to put students knowledge to the test. Percy writes: [Mr. Inkmann] walks around the room making proclamationsabout smoking weed, loving guns, thinking gay men are great, thinking needle exchanges are wrongand the students say who would be more likely to agree with each one, a liberal or a conservative, supporting their decisions with lines from either song. When it is Ryans turn, Mr. Inkmann says something about a man marrying a woman and having lots of babies. Conservative, Ryan answers. He looks down and reads a few lyrics. I hate gay marriage, he reads, and abortions wrong. In an upper-level government course, students are taught to think in binaries realized through memorization. How this teaches independent thinking remains to be seen. The Life of an American Boy at 17 Some blame the concept of teaching to the test for the absence of critical thinking skills in schools. Its teaching critical thinking skills. It is absolutely imperative that schools start teaching these skills again. We have spent almost 20 years teaching to bubble/MC tests that there is a whole generation of kids who cant solve the simplest of problems. Jolyn Williamson (@Jolynerin) February 27, 2019 Although there is always room for improvement when it comes to teaching critical thinking to students of all ages, hope is not all lost. Forbes Natalie Wexler reports on her experience in one elementary school: In one second-grade classroom, for example, students thoughtfully compared attributes of ancient Greece to those of other ancient civilizations and, on another day, debated the pros and cons of Alexander the Greats drive to conquer other lands. (Most of these students came from low-income families, by the way, and many did not speak English at home.) Teachers succeed when they forgo short-term critical thinking programs and teach analysis at all times. The more discussion and writing, the better, and Wexler holds out hope that schools will continue to put these habits into practice for years to come. How Schools Can Turn Kids Into Critical Thinkers -- And Voters Many teachers feel that their methods are at the cusp of critical-thinking education. From art classes to STEM programs, instructors rightfully tout the ability to teach students how to analyze both their work and their lessons. Jen Lammey, an art education candidate, claims that critical thinking habits are crucial for students in art classes. She cites an article from Everyarteverychild.org that explains her methodology: Your job is to get your students to chase the quality of their own work and make the best work they can make. So it can be confusing. I think we get really trapped and stuck in thinking that it's our job to make really high-quality work, so that we can put it out in the hall and everybody will say that we have a good art program...What I'm really urging here is more autonomy on the part of the student artistthey need to be making the decisions if they're going to make a better mind. The more autonomy students have over their own thought processes, opinions and work, the more they will be able to question, understand and analyze opinions that do not align with their own. I found an article today that perfectly mirrors the exact thing we are learning in my art education class. We are teaching students how to THINK like an artist - perseverance, literacy, critical thinking skills, self-expression! https://t.co/mBr6kd7U3P Jen Lammey_Art (@JenLammey) February 28, 2019 One school proudly demonstrates its STEM Fair, where students invented their own gardens, arcade games and more. Fairs like these encourage innovation and creativity, which both come into play when it comes to forming one's own opinions. The whole goal of STEM education is to get American students from the middle of the pack in science and math to the top of the pack in the international arena. Teachers and policymakers alike know students wont get there without the ability to think critically. Therefore, critical thinking is an essential classroom priority. Our first STEAM Fair showcased student projects from a garden, arcade games, animation to a student created computer. Teaching for the future using collaboration, design, and critical thinking skills. #RCABSchools #Steam @CSOboston pic.twitter.com/FG47GoOKJ1 St. Patrick School (@stpatsstoneham) February 28, 2019 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.oregonlive.com/tylt/2019/03/are-schools-failing-to-teach-critical-thinking.html |
What Does It Really Take To Make It In VC? | Venture capital has risen to prominence in the last few years, sparked by the rapid evolution of tech, and demand for private cash to fund a constant stream of new innovations. Yet, despite its increased profile, there is still an air of mystery around what is actually involved in being a VC investor. From the outside, there is a tendency to romanticize VCs, as entrepreneurial saviors, who swoop in, wave their magic wands and decide the fate of hard-working startups. It can also seem like we get the easy side of the deal sitting back and waiting for the money to roll in, while frazzled entrepreneurs sweat away at the coalface. Weve also had our fair share of negative press, most recently due to the lack of diversity in the industry particularly when it comes to gender. Recent research found that a paltry 1% of VC money goes to female-founded startups, a figure that is unlikely to be helped by the fact that less than 10% of VCs are female. VC has traditionally been (and predominantly still is) made up of white males in their 40s. Although things are slowly changing, as a wider, more global spectrum of industries undergo tech transformation. Greater diversity amongst entrepreneurs demands a greater diversity of VCs. Plus, encouraging new categories of funds and investors will only lead to better results over time. Of course, there is no quick fix. But a good start would be for VCs to do more to bust myths around the profession and promote how it really works, to encourage a broader diversity of new entrants. With that in mind, heres what 20 years experience has taught me about what it takes to make it in VC: Ability to deal with uncertainty VC is a game of uncertainty, requiring the confidence to make big decisions with limited information. Your job is to identify great entrepreneurs and businesses, based on a minimal track record and very little data to help you. Its for this reason that we focus on people as much as ideas, to bet on founders that can cope with whatever obstacles and pivots lie ahead. In many cases, it comes down to gut feel as much as anything so you need to be comfortable with trusting your instincts. Being a mentor and problem-solver As a VC, your entire success depends on the performance of the entrepreneurs that you invest in, so a big part of your time is focused on helping them do the best job they can. You have to build relationships and trust quickly, in order to spot where the gaps are and plug them as soon as possible. You also spend a lot of time in a mentor capacity, asking the right questions to steer founders towards important decisions, while always balancing this support with ensuring expectations and metrics are met. Nurturing and leveraging your network Entrepreneurs, particularly if theyre first time founders, frequently dont know where to turn for the advice and expertise they need for different areas of the business. As a result, one of the biggest ways that VCs can add value is through introducing founders to useful contacts, whether thats potential employees, consultants, partners, or other investors. You, therefore, need to spend time building and honing your network, so that your portfolio companies can tap into it when they need to. Convincing investors Of course, you cant build a portfolio without any money, which is where your LPs (Limited Partners) come in. Theyre the family offices, foundations, endowments and institutional investors that contribute to your fund, and every three to four years, VCs dedicate a lot of their time and effort to raising their next fund going through numerous meetings to convince LPs that theyre a good investment. Plate spinning VC is about sourcing, investing, growing and exiting and you will, at some points, be doing all at once. You have two target audiences: your LPs and your portfolio companies, so you need to make sure you are serving both effectively. Plus, the fact that youre dealing with fast-growth businesses means you need to be always on. The best VCs go the extra mile for founders, being available, 24/7 as a sounding board or extra pair of hands. Ability to work autonomously VCs are usually managing a large, distributed portfolio, amongst a small team, which means you spend a lot of time working on your own, often while traveling from place-to-place. Meanwhile, your team members are doing the same, but in another part of the world. So, you need to have the knack of working on the move and be happy to collaborate remotely, as face-to-face meetings arent always possible Patience and a long-term perspective Finally, there is no short-term fix in venture capital, so you need to be in it for the long haul. Building good companies takes time - around five to seven years, or even longer - and the industry is flush with risks and potential issues that are constantly threatening to trip you up. It can be hugely exciting at times, but there is a lot of mundane and boring stuff in between those moments. The key is to see the full cycle from entering to exiting, to really understand what it takes. VC isnt for everyone. It can be a long old slog, and you definitely need a fair bit of luck along the way. But it can also be hugely rewarding, both financially and emotionally, if you get it right. Its great when you see startups respond positively to your input and hard work, and know that youve contributed to their business success. And with startups and technology evolving faster than ever, we need people from all walks of life, to provide the diversity of perspectives, that is so integral to making that happen. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kjartanrist/2019/03/11/what-does-it-really-take-to-make-it-in-vc/ |
What Can Sustainable Investment Firms Learn From Silicon Valley? | In the spring of 2002, the report Organizational Blueprints for Success in High-Tech Startups came out with details about the Stanford Project on Emerging Companies (SPEC). The project, led by professors James Baron and Michael Hannan, followed nearly 200 companies for eight years to understand the effect of early foundational organizational blueprints on company outcomes. Their timing could not have been better. In the mid-1990s, just as the commercial use of the internet was growing exponentially, they were creating their database on those companies. Ive been in the investment industry my whole career, and recently my partner and I created a discretionary global macro fund focused on sustainability. From that experience, I would argue that the industry is not too disparate from high-tech companies. In Silicon Valley, companies strive to be the first to produce the latest innovative product, software or service. To accomplish that, firms must hire and retain the best engineers, designers, and product and project managers in the industry. On Wall Street, companies strive to achieve the highest risk-adjusted returns for their clients. To accomplish that, firms must hire and retain the finest CIOs, traders, and portfolio and risk managers in the industry. The investment industry may rely even more heavily on their human capital in an attempt to create outperformance each day. While technology engineers can complete the majority of the work by the time their product is released, investment management is an ongoing process that requires the same marginal labor input daily. The SPEC report concludes by showing that from the handful of different blueprints, the Commitment blueprint was the one that did best in terms of time to initial public offering and longevity. The Commitment blueprint relies on workers emotional ties to their job, using peer and cultural control to hire for cultural fit. It starts organizational building early and hopes to retain employees up to the point of their retirement. The sustainable investment sector can learn a thing or two from that model. Investment companies should aim to train and retain employees for life to grow their businesses. Knowledge grows exponentially at compound rates, just like investments, and tech firms know that. Also, focusing on the long term increases alignment with clients through long-term, value-creating investment decisions and compensation packages that can be stretched over longer periods, eliminating some of the moral hazards inherent in the business. One of the more effective ways to embrace the Commitment model is to be particularly methodical about hiring employees, especially in the early stages of formation. This allows the founders to create a solid cultural foundation from the start. They can devote some time to drafting a mission statement, creating an idealistic organization chart and preparing an employee handbook that details the dynamic of the employer and employee relationship. After these initial formation activities are complete, the founders can then go out to the market very selectively, searching for that perfect candidate to fit the mold they have designed. The workforce that has been coming out of university in the past 10 to 15 years has particular values and goals, especially as they relate to the environment, society, and the companies and sovereignties that govern the world around them. Millennials do not see their jobs purely as an economic exchange; they want to be fulfilled by their work. Sustainable investment firms need to embody such personal and professional goals to foster a sense of achievement, worth and ultimately happiness for those workers. The Commitment blueprint looks like the perfect model for nascent companies in this sector. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/2019/03/11/what-can-sustainable-investment-firms-learn-from-silicon-valley/ |
Is Beto the Front-Runner or Already a Flop? | Read: Democratic operatives are building Beto ORourkes campaign without him It used to be about missing cyclesnow with Beto, its about whether he missed his moment, said one Democratic strategist watching the race closely, reluctant to go public with ORourke skepticism. Even some friends have struggled to explain what his delay has been about and, how, if hes had to agonize so long over whether to run, he could actually be ready for the campaign ahead, let alone the presidency. But there are numerous other donors, operatives and informal advisers who are more convinced than ever of his potential, confident that hell reset a race that so far has not had a breakout candidate. And he and his team are counting on the attention that comes from shaking things up, especially with most voters still far from tuned in. Read: Beto ORourkes national celebrity was his undoing With expectations so high, fans and rivals alike suspect that it wont take long to see if this works. He probably has only a week or two to be tagged as a front-runner or a flop. In his handful of public appearances, interviews and messages to supporters, ORourke has made very clear why he doesnt want Donald Trump to be president. But hes made no clear argument, in public or private, for why he might want to be president himself. According to people who have spoken to him, he is preparing to pitch himself as offering hope that America can be better than the current partisan and hate-filled politics, and that the country can come together. So far he hasnt landed on how hell propose to actually make that happen. This is an artist at work, and we havent seen it before, and its exciting, said Representative Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, a friend of ORourkes, arguing that its precisely because ORourke will run a different kind of campaign that the process of getting to it has been so unlike anyone else in the field. Christopher Hooks: What Beto won Instead of defining the race if he had jumped in back in December when interest in him was at its height, he let the race take shape without him and gambled that theres still time for him to reshape it. Instead of scooping up operatives and donors eager to sign on with a front-runner, he let months of indecision tick by as they signed up elsewhere, tired of waiting. "I hadn't planned on losing," is how ORourke repeatedly put it to people, including Chuck Schumer, when the New York Democrat, in some frustration, tried and failed to recruit him to run next year for the other senate seat in Texas. Last year, of course, ORourke was running a Senate campaign that had every Democrat in the country (as well as some Republicans who cant stand Ted Cruz) rooting for him. He was able to slowly ramp up, build his argument and his team and his comfort level on the campaign trail. Now he will start with a dozen other campaigns out to take him down, voters already having other interesting and inspiring options, and hell do it with the spotlight of a superstar on him from the moment he begins. | https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/03/beto-orourke-must-compensate-coming-late-2020-race/584515/?utm_source=feed |
Whats the Value of an Athletes Labor? | Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Subscribe now for as little as $2 a month! Support Progressive Journalism The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. The Nation is reader supported: Chip in $10 or more to help us continue to write about the issues that matter. Fight Back! Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nations journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and well send you three meaningful actions you can take each week. Thank you for signing up. For more from The Nation, check out our latest issue Travel With The Nation Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Be the first to hear about Nation Travels destinations, and explore the world with kindred spirits. Sign up for our Wine Club today. When a collective-bargaining agreement between professional athletes and team owners is set to expire, negotiations commence to shape the new one. If those talks fail, a lockout occurs, and everyone employed by the league, directly or indirectlyfrom the players to the refs to the peanut vendorsis forced to stop working until a new contract is approved. The National Basketball Association has experienced four lockouts. Ad Policy A fifth one is the setup for Stephen Soderbergs new film High Flying Bird. When sports agent Ray Burke (Andr Holland) is asked how hell handle an NBA shutdown that has persisted for six months, he seems strangely confident. Im not out, Im just outside, Ray says. Its not very convincing: His star client, top draft pick Erick Scott (Melvin Gregg), is low on cash and making rash decisions; the agency that Ray works for is threatening to fire him; and the NBA players union remains in a stalemate with the leagues owners. Rays mentor, Spence (Bill Duke), a retired player turned middle-school coach, refers to this larger conflict as the game on top of the game, and from his perch it looks like his protg is firmly benched. But Ray sees the sidelines as a useful vantage point, and High Flying Bird details the game he plays between the games. Arch and imaginative in equal measure, Soderberghs film teases out alternative ideas of work, ownership, and agency, in sports and beyond. Working from a script by Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight), Soderbergh structures the film around the endless negotiations that occur in the back channels of a labor dispute. The strain of the lockdown colors every conversation in the film, and Soderbergh frequently stages these encounters in spaces where the speakers struggle to assert themselves. Soderbergh shot the film on an iPhone, and the many elevators, offices, hallways, bars, cars, and living rooms in it feel cramped and confined. The characters fit into these spaces awkwardly, their voices lowered, their shoulders hunched. The forced intimacy of these small enclosures fosters witty exchanges and oddball asides, but Soderberghs larger interest in that discomfort is to highlight the divergent stakes of the lockout, and of work in general. As some characters spend the shutdown in repose, others lose their grip, the disparity clearly determined by both status and the perceived value of their labor. High Flying Bird opens in a posh restaurant where Ray and Erick are loudly whispering about the latters poor financial decisions. A rookie with no income beyond the NBA, Erick has been scammed by a loan shark and frets over his ability to repay the debt. Ray, familiar with the ways that rookies get targeted by con artists, scolds his client but remains calm and finally dismisses the issue, assuring Erick that, as his agent, he has things figured out. That claim to authority melts away when Rays company credit card is declined as he attempts to pay for their lunch. Erick doesnt flinch, but you can feel Rays confidence deflating as he reaches into his wallet for cash. He leaves Erick a package that he calls a bible and tells him not to open it until hes ready. They both could use a miracle. Later, Rays former assistant Sam (Zazie Beetz) requests a surprise meeting with Myra (Sonja Sohn), the players-union representative, in the back of Myras chauffeured car. Sam is attempting to learn why Ray would cling to being an agent despite appearing so powerless, and Myra uses Sams inquiry to glean that Ray is scheming to somehow end the lockout. They both gain something from the conversation, but its clear that their status dictates what they can do with the information theyve learnedas the rep for all the leagues players, Myra is emboldened to challenge Ray; as an agents assistant, Sam can only observe Rays plan taking shape. These moments illustrate the differing stakes for everyone with ties to the league, as well as the way these power disparities persist during the arbitration. When Myra exits her car to meet with Ray, you can feel the disequilibrium of their responsibilities: He reps a single player; she represents a corps. Dave Zirin Maori Davenports Case Exposes the Sham of Amateurism Dave Zirin Ray is a maverick within this dispute because he refuses to negotiate on unfair terms. Seeing his clients as partners rather than paychecks, he views himself as an advocate for athletes, someone committed to leveling the playing field. This determination gives Ray an agency that the lockout doesnt allow for anyone playing by the rules. On the one hand, he clearly undermines the integrity of the collective bargaining. But on the other, High Flying Bird subtly makes the case that Ray, as a black man, is a double agent of sorts. He sees the players as workers and victims, and he works whatever angle will net the best deal for them. The films strength is that it often complicates our picture of Rays cunning. He constantly misdirects, omits, and understates, frustrating the people around him and testing their patience. The results of his constant trap-laying and brokering are respected, but his methods are resented. Despite Ray effectively ending the lockout, his secrecy and prickly demeanor eventually cause Erick to fire him and his colleagues to distrust him. While this isnt a Pyrrhic victory per se, it does come at a cost. Ray has the ingenuity to shake up the status quo, but his pitch to undermine the league comes across as self-serving. When he talks of disruption and selling footage of a viral basketball game to YouTube and Netflix, he doesnt sound all that different from the leagues owners. (His love of three-piece suits doesnt help either.) Current Issue View our current issue Clips of interviews with actual NBA players Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Reggie Jackson dot the film, and the contrast between their cautious optimism and Rays exacting strategizing is sharp. The way they talk of getting their bearings and accepting the ups and downs of life in the spotlight demonstrates a long-term investment in the league. For Ray, moving outside the system places him above it; for the players, being within the system means understanding it on their own terms, harnessing their strength as individuals and as a collective. The odds are stacked against them, given the staggering power of the team ownersbut thats the point of their union. The players labor defines the league; it is through their bodies and lives that the league powers its spectacle. While there are many games being played around them, they are the game. Ray has his wings clipped by the end of the film, but High Flying Bird isnt some morality play about flying too close to the sun. Its more interested in the possibilities that emerge when black peoples needs are given priority. Rays last meeting in the film is with the real-life sociologist Dr. Harry Edwards. The door closes before we hear their conversation, but the cameo is crucial. Edwards penned the bible that Ray gives to Erick at the beginning of the filmthe 1969 memoir, manifesto, and study The Revolt of the Black Athleteand the book contextualizes Rays brusque tactics. Part guide to revolution, part history of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, which coordinated the 1968 podium protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Revolt offers Edwardss own activist experiences to illustrate how sports institutions prey on black talent. The tone of the book is spirited, defiant, and deeply personal. Before he became an academic, Edwards ran track, threw discus, and played basketball, so he had direct knowledge of the false promise of sports as a guarantor of equality. Playing at recently integrated schools, Edwards found himself mistreated by his teammates, coaches, and faculty. As an undergraduate at San Jose State, he discovered that his housing opportunities were limited because black tenants were discriminated against, and he was also shut out of the campuss social life. Because San Jose State lacked a nearby black community, Edwards spent his free time having dinner in a second-rate restaurant, viewing a third-rate movie, and then returning to a dull, depressing room in some isolated corner of the campus to talk sports or exchange banalities and wait for another day that promises more of the same. Athletic life was no less disheartening: A black athlete on a white campus cannot afford to make mistakes or perform occasionally at a mediocre level, Edwards writes. He is expected to be tireless. If he slows up, it is because he is not in shape. He is always supposed to go at top speed and if he doesnt, he has let the entire Negro race down. Though Edwards found solace in his studies, the bitterness of this experience remained with him. Like a piece of equipment, the black athlete is used, he bristles. Drawing from his own setbacks as well as the accounts of others, Edwards develops his core idea that black athletes are an athletic commodity. When he eventually returns to San Jose Statethis time as a professor after attending graduate school at Cornellhes dismayed that younger athletes like Smith and Carlos are still facing the same barriers he once did. The key to changing that, he realizes, is changing who owns the players labor. Citing high ticket sales and low graduation rates, he petitions for athletes to leverage their commodity status to reap the benefits of their hard work. Athletesand all students, reallyshould be able to make demands of the institutions they pay: for new teachers, new courses, new coaches, and fair housing. For Edwards, its a matter of dignity: To be treated unfairly is not to be recognized. Decades later, that fight for recognition and fair compensation continues in basketball and in sports at large. For student and women athletes, work continues to be artificially devalued. That athletes deserve to shape the conditions of their labor is Rays fundamental belief in High Flying Bird as well, and his tough-love approach to sports makes his priorities apparent. He wants the black people around him to not be broken by the decisions being made in the meetings theyre excluded from. He wants his clients to know the stakes before they play the game. The Revolt of the Black Athlete makes such demands feel possible and necessary for a healthy relationship to sports and society. Its a flawed book, given its neglect of womens sports (Edwards apologizes for this in the introduction to the 50th-anniversary edition), but its enduring value is its insistence that bargainingwith institutions large and small, Olympian and localis normal and requisite for any relationship that requests our time and our talents. In High Flying Bird, the lockout simply ends without any of the terms being disclosed, but through Rays finesse, Soderbergh makes it clear that we dont have to know the game to see that its broken. | https://www.thenation.com/article/steven-soderbergh-high-flying-bird-film-review/ |
What Is Preventing Widespread Adoption Of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Andy Marsh, Plug Power CEO, on Quora: The electric mobility (e-mobility) use-case demands solutions that support high utilization and extended runtimes, perform reliably in harsh environments, fuel rapidly, and expel zero emissions. Weve already created the first commercially viable market for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCVs) in material handling, an industry with these same demands, so weve been working to address these obstacles for many years. Some skeptics question the best use cases for FCVs. While electric vehicles win out for short-range applications, FCVs will ultimately win in asset-intensive applications, such as fleet vehicles, airplanes, drones, and autonomous vehicles that require continuous runtimes and lighter weight engines. Of course, one of the biggest challenges will be creating a robust infrastructure with enough hydrogen fueling stations to keep vehicles running around the clock. However, the benefits far outweigh the difficulties, and we expect to see widespread global expansion of hydrogen stations in the coming decade. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/11/what-is-preventing-widespread-adoption-of-hydrogen-fuel-cell-technology/ |
Does Classical Music Help Our Productivity? | The noise in our workplace is undoubtedly a huge factor in our productivity. Numerous studies have highlighted the impact open office environments have on our productivity, whilst research has also shown that the background noise of a coffee shop can also change how we think. Retailers have long used music to manipulate consumers, with fast food restaurants using faster paced music to chivvy diners along, whereas classier restaurants will have classical playing in the background. For a while, many argued that listening to classical music was able to boost our ability in various cognitive tasks, but that is a theory that has largely been debunked, both because it hasn't been something that has been replicated, and also because participants listened to music and then performed various tasks rather than doing both simultaneously. Musical influence New research has attempted to fill in that gap by testing the impact of music on our performance. They tested not only the nature of both the music and the task, but also the personality of the individual listening to it. They brought together a few hundred volunteers to perform a couple of cognitive tasks. The first of these involved spotting and then crossing out all instances of the letter 'A' in a body of text. The second task was slightly more complex and required the volunteers to study a list of word pairs before then having to recall them when they were shown a single word from each pair. As the volunteers completed each of these tasks, they had a variety of sounds in the background. Some listened to elevator-style music, whereas others worked in blissful silence. Those in the musical groups were subjected to a range of tunes, with some more complex than others, whilst others had music playing at varying volumes. In addition to completing the tasks, the volunteers also completed a questionnaire to establish their likelihood of being bored by certain tasks, whether they like external stimulation, and so on. High performers As you might imagine, the performance of each volunteer was a complex combination of the nature of the task, the style of music they listened to and their unique personalities. For instance, on the simplest task, if someone was generally not prone to boredom, they tended to perform better when listening to the most complex form of music than with either simple music or complete silence, albeit when the volume of the music was relatively low. If the volunteer was prone to boredom however, the opposite was the case, and silence was the best condition. The researchers suggest that this is largely because people who have a low boredom threshold tend to dislike external stimulation, so the quieter, more complex music provided just the right dose of distraction to enable them to focus properly on the task at hand. Their more prone to boredom peers however actually like external stimulation, and so when they heard the complex music they focused more on that than the task at hand. For these tasks, the nature of the music made no difference at all, either in terms of its volume or complexity. For complex tasks, the results were consistent: those with low boredom proneness were helped by having some music in the background, whereas those who were prone to boredom did better in silence. The authors believe that this is because for those of us who are prone to boredom, such a complex task provided all of the stimulation we required, and therefore the background music simply got in the way. This hypothesis was supported by the fact that the volunteers in this silent condition actually out performed their low-boredom peers. So the key seems to be understanding your personal boredom threshold, and adjusting your musical habits accordingly. If you're prone to boredom, you're better off performing complex tasks in silence than with any music in the background. Probably the most reputable method is the Boredom Proneness Scale that was developed by the University of Oregon in the 1980s. The 28 question test would give you a reasonable idea as to where you stand, and you can then adjust your work accordingly. There are various places online where you can take the test for free, but New York spinout The Cut was the first I came across. Good luck, and hopefully the finding will help boost your personal productivity. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2019/03/11/does-classical-music-help-our-productivity/ |
What Are The Most Promising Uses For Hydrogen Fuel Cells? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Andy Marsh, Plug Power CEO, on Quora: In a 2017 report titled Hydrogen Scaling Up, McKinsey places hydrogen as a central pillar of the energy transformation. It reports that by 2050 hydrogen has the potential to create significant benefits for the energy system, the environment and businesses around the world. It would avoid 6 Gt of CO2 emissions, create a $2.5 trillion market for hydrogen and fuel cell equipment, and provide sustainable employment for more than 30 million people. With this taken into consideration, hydrogen is well positioned to be the fuel of the future when it comes to the electrification of transportation. Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles have replaced battery electric vehicles as the no. 1 key trend in the automotive industry until 2025, according to KPMGs most recent report.Additionally, the McKinsey report mentioned above reported that, by 2050, hydrogen could power a global fleet of more than 400 million cars, 15 to 20 million trucks, and around 5 million buses, which constitute on average 20 to 25% of their respective transportation segments. Were already seeing fleet vehicle operators like FedEx invest in a combination of hydrogen and battery power electric vehicles because the range is 166% farther than with batteries alone increasing vehicle uptime while decreasing fuel and maintenance costs. As autonomous vehicles become mainstream, hydrogen will become even more common; for example, autonomous, fuel cell-powered electric Uber fleets could continuously pick up passengers without hours of downtime needed to recharge a battery-powered vehicle. There is also great potential for hydrogen in the drone industry due to the lightweight fuel and uptime numbers hydrogen delivers. And, as these vehicles become smarter (e.g. operated on 5G future wireless infrastructure and sensors) we we will need to embrace hydrogen as a clean backup power source for the generators that run these cell towers and networks. In the event of a disaster, if these sensors go down, entire cities transportation structures could become disconnected. Hydrogen-powered generators could keep these cell towers running in the event of a disaster, which would be a perfect solution for a connected society. Other opportunities beyond automotive include hydrogen-powered trains, airplanes, and freight ships. McKinsey reports that these hydrogen-powered trains could replace around 20% of the worlds diesel trains and that hydrogen could also replace 5% of the worlds fuel supply to airplanes and freight ships by 2050. This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/11/what-are-the-most-promising-uses-for-hydrogen-fuel-cells/ |
What's the difference between the internet and the world wide web? | Most of us use the words web and internet to mean the same thing but they're actually quite different. The world wide web, or web for short, are the pages you see when you're at a device and you're online. But the internet is the network of connected computers that the web works on, as well as what emails and files travel across. Think of the internet as the roads that connect towns and cities together. The world wide web contains the things you see on the roads like houses and shops. And the vehicles are the data moving around - some go between websites and others will be transferring your emails or files across the internet, separately from the web. Watch the clip to see Sameena explain the difference between the world wide web and the internet. Clip from BBC Bitesize. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/47523993 |
Is Alex Rodriguez cheating on JLo with Jose Cansecos ex wife? | The ring from Alex Rodriguez was on Jennifer Lopezs finger for barely 24 hours before Jose Canseco started stirring up all kinds of trouble. On Sunday night, the former Oakland As slugger tweeted that he was watching Lopez on her show, World of Dance. And then he dropped a bombshell: Little does she know that he is cheating on her with my ex-wife Jessica. Poor girl she has no idea who he really is. Another post said that Canseco was even with his ex-wife at her home when Rodriguez called. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald SHARE COPY LINK Singer Jennifer Lopez and former baseball player Alex Rodriguez have been dating since 2016. The celebrities, who both run their own empires, are clearly crazy about each other. In a follow-up post, Canseco went as far as to publish a phone number so that Lopez could hear all about Rodriguezs Lothario ways. The Las Vegas number goes to voicemail. A search by the Miami Herald indicates that the number belongs to Cansecos pal, Morgan Strelow. She has yet to respond. In two other tweets, Canseco challenged ARod to a boxing or MMA match anytime you want. Miami filmmaker Billy Corben responded, How about at the premiere of our new documentary SCREWBALL on March 29th? Screwball is a documentary about the 2013 Major League Baseball doping scandal, which included Rodriguez. The former New York Yankees star admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and was suspended all of the 2014 season. Canseco did offer to take a polygraph but we have to wonder. In the past, the Cuban native who grew up in Miami has thrown down some odd theories. Most recently, in January, the American Leagues 1988 MVP received backlash after he tweeted that aliens have been trying to teach us how to time travel but first we have to change our body composition which we are not willing to do. As for the alleged other woman in question: Jessica Canseco divorced Canseco 20 years ago. She lives in Los Angeles, where the ex-couples daughter Josie works as a Victorias Secret model. According to Jessicas Instagram, she owns a cosmetic tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. She also wrote the book Juicy: Confessions of a Former Baseball Wife and appeared on VH1 reality show Hollywood Exes. She said in a 2012 interview with RadarOnline that Canseco, despite being her first love, was tough to be married to due to his infidelity. The biggest issue with Jose was his adultery, she said. Lopez and Rodriguez have not commented on the matter. Their last mutual posts were a picture of the ring the Coral Gables resident planted on her finger in the Bahamas over the weekend. Experts estimate it is 20 carats and worth around $4.5 million. | https://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/celebrities/article227400704.html |
Why does TV give a pass to men accused of sex crimes? | Heavyweights such as Louis Theroux and Gayle King still allow accused men to share their narratives with vast audiences. This is wrong, dangerous and gets us nowhere in a broken world The idea that mens lives are ruined by women crying rape is a persistent narrative in our society. It is also wrong and dangerous. In the past week, two small-screen heavyweights have interviewed alleged sex offenders in primetime programmes. For his latest BBC documentary The Night in Question, on campus rape, Louis Theroux spent six months following Yale student Saif Khan, who was accused but subsequently cleared of sexual assault. I was making a documentary about young men accused of sexual assault on American campuses, Theroux said. Khan was acquitted of sexual assault. However, Theroux gave as you imagine is the point Khan enough rope; his account a thoroughly uncomfortable display of martyrdom and hubris. The film makes you angry. It makes you think about how, in campus investigations, a lower standard of evidence is required than in criminal court. It makes you question verdicts such as these. For CBS This Morning, Gayle King interviewed R Kelly in his first appearance since his arrest last month. (Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, involving four alleged victims. Three of the victims were minors.) The interview was pitched as Kelly breaking his silence. That he was interviewed at all arguably spoke more of a broken society. Kelly shrieked, spluttered, cried and stormed around saying he was fighting for his life. (And women are told they cant control their emotions.) Presumably and it was not dissimilar to Brett Kavanaughs tantrum at his confirmation hearing he wanted us to see how he was being torn apart by womens accusations. Much was made of Kings straight-backed stoicism as he reared up and loomed over her. The ugly power of R Kelly's photo with Gayle King Read more One particular image, like something from the stage at the Royal Opera House, dominated social media. A cynic may say this speaks of a TV network chasing numbers over public service. I saw people tweeting that King was taking out the trash, and, without indictment, perhaps we should be taking every opportunity we can to show up such accused men. Given the state of things beyond the TV studios and camera booms, it feels like we need an entire reappraisal of giving platforms to such men at all. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hard to stomach ... Gayle King with R Kelly on CBS This Morning. Photograph: John Paul Filo/CBS Let us remind ourselves that while Dr Christine Blasey Ford continues to be attacked on US television, Kavanaugh is still serving on the highest court in the world. Discussions of sexual assault routinely hinge on a womans agency over a mans. Theroux reached out to Khans alleged victim for his film but she declined to participate. Still, he made the film. And throughout, her absence rang and rang like a phone in the next room. Men like Khan, on the other hand, can lay out their life story and say: look, we were all drunk, but I am a man who respects consent. We can come to our own conclusions watching a film like Therouxs, but so-called blurred lines of consent is used as an argument by critics all the time. So, too, is the familiar sing-song of shes doing it for attention, she was drunk and asking for it, she said yes but now regrets it or shes doing it for revenge. The message, so often, is: treat reports of rape with caution lest you screw up a standup guys life. But remember that, in November, US education secretary Betsy DeVos proposed new sexual assault reporting rules for US campuses that, rights groups say, could help shield rapists and harm survivors. It bears repeating not just how devastating a trauma sexual assault can be to a persons mind, body and interpersonal relationships for a very long time, but how incredibly rare it is for an innocent man to face a rape charge. In 2005, a study was conducted for the British Home Office on the reporting of sexual assault to the police the most exhaustive research ever undertaken on the matter. The researchers found that, of 216 false complaints, a mere six cases led to arrest. Only two actually resulted in charges, which were eventually dropped. In the US, the data tells a similar story. The National Registry of Exonerations states that only 52 men convicted of sexual assault since 1989 when the records started later had convictions overturned because accusations against them were not true. As the writer Sandra Newman discovered in 2017, 790 people were exonerated for murder over the same time period. This makes for quite the comparison. None of these statistics were cited in Therouxs film. It is very hard to see the merit of platforming men such as Kelly and Khan. From a psychological perspective, it is potentially harmful. Rates of PTSD are very high following interpersonal trauma such as rape and sexual assault often up to 40-50%, says clinical psychologist Dr Georgina Clifford, director of the London Trauma Specialists Clinic. People attempt to block or suppress traumatic memories due to the distress they experience when they intrude into awareness. This can be internal cognitive attempts to compartmentalise trauma, dissociation etc or external, involving avoidance of actual or thematic reminders of the traumatic experience. It is common following sexual assault for individuals to avoid anything that reminds them of what happened. In light of the evidence for how many mens lives are actually ruined in contrast to how many women are undoubtedly living with embodied trauma for which they may never experience closure, it is irresponsible and, on a fundamental level unkind, to keep giving men accused of assault a chance to say, to millions of people, poor me. | https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/mar/11/sex-crimes-accused-tv-r-kelly-louis-theroux-gayle-king-give-a-pass |
What Does It Really Mean To Be A Brand? | Aaron Magness is the CMO at Brandless. I recently asked him to share a few insights on the process of branding. Paul Talbot: It seems somewhat paradoxical, building a brand for a business named Brandless. Help us understand what youre trying to do. Aaron Magness: Lets be clear, were intentionally building a brand. Were not an anti-brand or a generic brand, were just reimagining what it means to be a brand. With Brandless, we saw an opportunity to create a new kind of brand that is rooted in truth, trust, and transparency. Were in constant and direct conversation to find out what matters most to our community. We prioritize, offering high-quality products that match our communitys values and preferences, whether thats organic, Fair Trade, tree-free or cruelty-free personal care products. Weve also designed our label to be clear and direct, highlighting what matters most to our community. Its free of the typical brand clutter you see with most brands today, so people know exactly what theyre getting. Magness: Brand loyalty is just as relevant, if not more relevant, than ever before. People are rejecting the establishment and institutions across all different ages and demographics, and were also noticing this rejection applying to the megabrands people have grown up with. For the first time, were seeing consumers consider a wider variety of factors when shopping, including "shared experience, "connection," packaging design, and even societal impact of the companies theyre purchasing from. These value-based factors are actually leading to deeper and more personal connections to a brand. Magness: Consumers are overwhelmed with endless product choices. Our most loyal customers appreciate that we eliminate this paradox of choice by offering a unique and carefully curated assortment of products that are inspired by what they want, need and love. Magness: BrandTax is a term that we originally used to explain to people how we eliminate the many markups and middleman expenses that ultimately lead to higher prices for the customer. At Brandless, we are able to cut out these extra costs. Magness: My time at Williams-Sonoma really helped me appreciate that quality needs to come first and foremost. Then, Zappos helped me appreciate the importance of truly valuing the consumer as a person, not just a customer. This continued at Coastal.com where my eyes were opened to the inefficiencies in traditional markup-heavy categories and on to Betabrand, where we learned to understand the customer data for every decision we made. Brandless has allowed all of those experiences to come together. Magness: Today is such an exciting time for marketers. Established brands with the largest budgets used to traditionally win. Thats all changing. Were in a time where we can learn, engage, and create at a scale thats never been available before. The marketers that are more inquisitive than anyone else and are willing to listen and find ways for their brands to be a part of todays modern lifestyle have a real opportunity to leapfrog the rest. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultalbot/2019/03/11/what-does-it-really-mean-to-be-a-brand/ |
How many Boeing 737 Maxes are in the air and which airlines fly them? | First flown in 1967, Boeing Co.'s 737 has become the world's best-selling commercial aircraft. The fourth generation of 737s known as the 737 Max made its debut in 2017 when Indonesian discount carrier Lion Air became the first commercial operator. Yet two fatal crashes within five months Lion Air flight 610 in October off the coast of Indonesia and Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 in March outside Addis Ababa have put the 737's previously sound safety record under the microscope. 1. Plenty, but most orders have yet to be fulfilled. As of January, Boeing reported that it had delivered 350 of the single-aisle jets to 46 airlines. In total, orders from more than 80 operators exceed 5,000 planes. Most sales are the Max 8, the model involved in both crashes. (There's also, from smallest to biggest, a Max 7, 9 and 10.) The main operators include Southwest Airlines (31 in the fleet), American Airlines (22) and Air Canada (20). Norwegian Air, FlyDubai and several Chinese carriers also operate them. Click here for the full list. 2. At least in some places. A day after the Ethiopia crash killed all 157 people on board, China ordered the grounding of the 96 Max jets operating in the country. (Chinese airlines account for about 20 percent of 737 Max deliveries globally, and further purchases of the Chicago-based planemaker's aircraft were said to have been touted as a possible component of a trade deal with the U.S.) Ethiopian Airlines also grounded its planes, as did Indonesia. On the other hand, Southwest said it's confident in the safety of its fleet, including the Max, and American said it will keep a close watch on the Ethiopian probe. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which originally certificated the model, said it was "closely monitoring developments" in the investigation. 3. If you already have a ticket, you should be able to tell from the booking details. If you are making a booking online, many sites indicate the model. If not, websites such as http://flightstats.com allow you to dig into details of flights at least a few days in advance, including the make and type. 4. It has bigger engines, incorporates more automation, has a higher range (up to about 3,550 miles, or 6,570 kilometers) and uses less fuel. The Max was produced partly as a response to a new model 1 the A320neo from European rival Airbus SE. After the Lion Air crash, it came to light that the 737 Max has software that forces the plane's nose down in certain circumstances to prevent stalling. It also emerged that some pilots weren't aware of the system. Boeing said that shouldn't have been the case and issued further guidelines on how to override the plane's automated systems. 5. It's too early to say. In both cases, the incidents took place not long after takeoff as the planes flew erratically and pilots asked to return to the airport. Yet veteran crash investigators say there's too little data to draw a direct tie at this stage of the investigation. Others note that it would be surprising if the Ethiopian Airlines pilots had been unaware of the procedures highlighted after the Lion Air crash. A preliminary report into that disaster, which killed 189 passengers and crew, indicated that pilots struggled to maintain control following an equipment malfunction. Kyunghee Park, Bloomberg News | https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2019/03/11/many-boeing-737-maxes-air-airlines-fly |
Is Starbucks coming to Glendale? | A national coffee chain would be one of the tenants in a proposed building south of the future Aldi grocery store at 6701 and 6789 N. Port Washington Road. The site was previously an athletic field for Nicolet High School. (Photo: in.studio architecture) A new coffee shop will join Aldi and Associated Bank in a retail complex that will be built on the soccer field across the highway from Nicolet High School. ICAP Development bought the 5.9-acre upper field property from Nicolet for $3.8 million in August. ICAP plans to build a 22,000-square-foot Aldi store on the north side of the property, just south of the Pick 'n Save at 6969 N. Port Washington Road. A 2,900-square-foot Associated Bank branch would be built on the far south side of the property. In between the Aldi and Associated Bank, the developer plans to put up two buildings. One of those buildings would include a coffee shop with a drive-thru window and an outdoor patio, according to plans submitted to the Glendale Plan Commission on March 5. ICAP Development President Brian Adamson said he was not at liberty to disclose the name of the coffee shop, but said it is a well-respected national company. Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy said the architectural rendering gave him an idea of which coffee shop it could be, guessing that the company's logo might be green. Adamson insisted that he could not disclose the name of the tenant. The coffee shop would be one of several tenants to occupy a 6,600-square-foot building just south of the future Aldi grocery store. The building could contain one to three other tenants, which Adamson said could either be retail, medical or office tenants. ICAP had originally planned to construct the two buildings between Aldi and Associated Bank in the second construction phase. At the March 5 meeting, Adamson requested that the plan commission include the new building in the first phase of the project, leaving only one other building to be constructed in the second construction phase. The developer hopes to begin the first phase of construction in the spring and finish that phase by the end of the year. NEWSLETTERS Get the News from Now newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Top headlines from the suburbs delivered to your inbox twice a week Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-844-900-7103. Delivery: Tues, Thurs Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for News from Now Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters The plan commission agreed to approve the site plans for the building, but did not approve the architectural plans. The architectural plans will require approval from the plan commission at a later date. Plan Commissioner Joshua Wadzinski said he thought the architectural design of the building needed more work. He said the building lacked architectural interest and that the buildings are architecturally competing against each other. Adamson disagreed with Wadzinski's assessment, saying the materials and design of the building are consistent with the modern aesthetic of the Aldi and Associated Bank buildings. Contact Jeff Rumage at (262) 446-6616 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffRumage or Facebook at www.facebook.com/northshorenow. Read or Share this story: https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/glendale/2019/03/11/national-coffee-chain-neighbor-future-aldi-glendale/3126882002/ | https://www.jsonline.com/story/communities/northshore/news/glendale/2019/03/11/national-coffee-chain-neighbor-future-aldi-glendale/3126882002/ |
Which NFL teams do the best job of spending their money? | After signing a record-breaking deal that made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history, Khalil Mack went out and proved he was worth every penny. The Bears' world-conquering pass rusher was simply unblockable - no matter how many poor souls opponents threw in his path - and his 12.5 sacks helped transform Chicago's defense into the league's best. Mack's cap hit for the 2018 season was a reasonable $13.8 million. That figure will jump to $22.3 million in 2019 - a number the Bears are more than happy to pay after Mack's first season in Chicago. After that debut, I'm sure you could find plenty of Bears fans (and even members of the front office) who would tell you that Mack is worth any price you could name. But that's obviously not true. In a league with a hard salary cap, there is a certain price point where, no matter how well Mack plays, he can no longer be considered an asset. Those questions have been rattling around my head since Mack signed his deal, which came shortly after Aaron Donald, a similarly dominant and generously compensated player, signed a massive deal of his own. The goal of this series, which we're calling NFL Moneyball, is to attempt to provide (at least partial) answers to those questions. I will not only seek to determine the true value of every NFL player, as dictated by the market for players, but also the most efficient way to build a roster. To do that, I've developed a metric based on two factors: A player's production (based on his Pro Football Focus grade and snap count) and how much the league is paying for that production on average. I'll call this stat Value Above Market Price - or VAMP. Value Above Market Price, explained The goal of Value Above Market Price (VAMP) is to measure how much a player is being paid for his production by a team compared to the league-wide market rate for his position. NEWSLETTERS Get the Sports newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Sports news, no matter the season. Stop by for the scores, stay for the stories. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-872-0001. Delivery: Daily Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Sports Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters A player's VAMP is based on his production and cap hit in a given season compared to league averages. To calculate a player's "production score," I simply multiplied his Pro Football Focus grade by the number of snaps he played. Let's use Patrick Mahomes as an example. Mahomes scored a PFF grade of 92.9 and played 1,165 snaps in 2018. So his "production score" was 108,228. Then I had to figure how much the league was paying for each point in that production score, and I did so for each position. So for quarterbacks, I added up every QB's cap hit and divided it by the total "production score" of all QBs. That told us that in 2018, NFL teams paid $203.16 for every production point. (More on that later.) Using that number, I can determine how much Mahomes' production was worth based on the market price for quarterbacks. We'll call that number his "Real Market Value" Finally, to get Mahomes' VAMP, I just subtract his cap hit from his Real Market Value Essentially, Mahomes provided the Chiefs with an additional $18.2 million in production. He was the MVP in more ways than one. Figuring out how much players at each position were being paid for their production unlocked new insights about which positions executives around the league value most. It does not come as a shock that quarterback leads the pack by a wide margin, followed by the two positions tasked with harassing quarterbacks RK POSITION MARKET PRICE / PRODUCTION PT. 1 Quarterback $203.16 2 Edge rusher $113.28 3 Interior def. line $87.00 4 Wide receiver $85.82 5 Offensive tackle $79.73 6 Tight end $74.74 7 Center $72.75 8 Cornerback $72.57 9 Linebacker $68.19 10 Offensive guard $64.67 11 Running back $61.64 12 Safety $49.84 This chart is telling us that for every "production point" produced by an edge rusher, that player makes $113.28. Using that number, I can figure out how much Mack's production during the 2018 season was worth based on the market. PFF gave Mack a grade of 90.7. Multiply that by the number of snaps he played, 819, and you get a "production score" of 74,283. If the market pays edge rushers $113.28 for each point of production, Mack's contributions to the Bears in 2018 would carry a value of $8.4 million. That's nowhere close to the $13.8 million he actually counted against the cap. This doesn't mean that Mack is necessarily overpaid. It simply means the Bears paid a $5.4 million premium to have him on the roster. That's not necessarily a bad thing considering the importance of pressuring the quarterback in today's NFL. If you're going to splurge on a position, make sure it's one of the important ones. While teams should certainly do everything in their power to add blue-chip talent to the roster, VAMP shows that finding bargains can be just as important as adding stars. Those bargains allow teams to pay their stars while maintaining the depth to remain successful throughout a grueling NFL season. The best example of this is the Legion of Boom Seahawks, who dominated the league for a few years while their best players - Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Russell Wilson, etc. - were still playing on their rookie deals and providing surplus value. That allowed Seattle to go out and add veterans like Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Percy Harvin. Once the Shermans and Wilsons got paid and were no longer providing that surplus value, the overall quality of the roster took a big step back even if those star players had improved their individual games. Wilson, for instance, is now a far better quarterback than he was in 2013, but that inferior version of him (making under $1 million per season) was a far bigger asset to the franchise compared to now. I'll use VAMP to show that is the case. After determining every NFL player's VAMP, I averaged those numbers out for players on each team. Let's use the Chiefs as an example. Patrick Mahomes had the highest VAMP at $18.2 million, and Justin Houston had the lowest at -$12.4 million. I averaged every Chiefs player who played enough snaps to qualify for PFF's rankings and came away with a final number of $352,743 - so, on average, the Chiefs got $352,743 more production from their players than they paid for. Combining a team's average VAMP with the amount of dead money on their books in 2018 allowed us to rank teams based on how efficiently they utilized their cap space last season, and we found that the best teams in the league were those that did the best job of spending their money wisely. You're going to be SHOCKED when you see which team finished on top. Just kidding, it's the Patriots RK TEAM AVG. VAMP AVG. DEAD $ TOTAL 1 NE* $997,073 $208,073 $789,000 2 IND* $908,910 $241,570 $667,340 3 DAL* $1,232,667 $616,710 $615,957 4 PHI* $736,282 $281,273 $455,009 5 KC* $782,530 $429,787 $352,743 6 LAR* $642,891 $317,461 $325,430 7 PIT $327,053 $154,005 $173,048 8 HOU* $462,485 $292,285 $170,200 9 NO* $585,826 $429,775 $156,051 10 CHI* $375,920 $291,344 $84,576 11 DET $476,783 $464,775 $11,844 12 CLE $479,700 $489,090 ($9,380) 13 ATL $115,132 $173,073 ($57,941) 14 BAL* $185,268 $275,643 ($90,375) 15 SEA* $351,598 $516,974 ($165,376) 16 LAC* $117,914 $289,954 ($172,040) 17 NYJ $77,405 $490,467 ($413,062) 18 TEN ($366,970) $249,062 ($616,032) 19 NYG $178,783 $828,547 ($649,764) 20 GB ($471,430) $282,688 ($754,118) 21 MIA ($438,431) $379,152 ($817,583) 22 DEN ($337,807) $509,073 ($846,880) 23 BUF $370,816 $1,327,231 ($956,415) 24 CAR ($721,240) $237,523 ($958,763) 25 TB ($752,472) $210,623 ($963,095) 26 CIN ($802,389) $172,211 ($974,600) 27 OAK ($460,141) $547,062 ($1,007,203) 28 WSH ($783,623) $275,599 ($1,059,222) 29 SF ($860,085) $429,071 ($1,289,156) 30 MIN ($1,206,281) $134,154 ($1,340,435) 31 ARI ($772,384) $758,992 ($1,531,376) 32 JAX ($1,550,359) $392,692 ($1,943,051) (Asterisk indicates playoff team.) Nine of the top-10 teams made the playoffs. The Steelers - who might be the league's biggest dumpster fire right now - were the one team that didn't. Unfortunately, VAMP does not take team chemistry into account. No team outside of the top half of the league made the postseason. The Jaguars and Vikings are interesting case studies. Both teams are loaded with star talent, but by spending so much cap space on those stars, they were unable to build up the rest of the roster. And that really became a problem when those highly-paid stars did not perform at a high level (or were dealing with injuries), which was the case in Jacksonville and Minnesota. We know spending money efficiently is important. I ran a regression analysis to try to figure that out and found that there is a very strong relationship between spending efficiency and a team's point differential. Spending efficiency matters This may give you flashbacks to your stats class, but here's some proof of how well VAMP correlates to winning football games (you can move ahead if you're OK skipping the math): The correlation coefficient for these two measures was a very strong .74. The correlation of determination - in other words, what percentage of a team's point differential is determined by their spending efficiency - was a whopping .50 or 50%. Some context: For the 2018 season, the correlation coefficient for total yards gained and point differential is .70 and the correlation of determination is .474 or 47.4%. The regression numbers for our "production score" metric and a team's point differential are not significantly higher than those comparing VAMP and point differential. The correlation coefficient is .77 and the correlation of determination is .579 or 57.9%. In other words, production is only slightly more important than the price being paid for that production compared to the market. Like all metrics, VAMP is nowhere near perfect. There are plenty of weaknesses, which I'll acknowledge. The biggest might be its reliance on PFF grades to evaluate a player's production. They are, of course, highly subjective and I certainly do not agree with all of their evaluations. Jalen Ramsey, for instance, was given a 72.8 grade for the 2018 season despite playing well while being asked to shadow the league's best receivers every week without receiving much assistance. PFF grades are flawed, but there isn't another publicly available metric that we can use to compare performance across positions. And, for the most part, PFF does a good job of evaluating players. Another major weakness - and one I'll try to account for in subsequent posts - is the impact of players performing at a high level while on rookie deals that aren't dictated by the open market. That certainly deflated the value of production across the board and makes it nearly impossible for a veteran player to produce at a level VAMP would consider a bargain. But that's also, in some ways, an accurate reflection of how the league works now. By focusing on the 2018 season, I am also working with a smaller sample size. I'll continue to add information in subsequent seasons, which will give us more reliable data and allow us to draw conclusions with more confidence. In the meantime, I'll use VAMP to not only evaluate how teams are spending their money but also, and more importantly, to figure out how teams should be spending their money. Some other things VAMP will allow us to do over the next few weeks Set market prices for the top free agents of 2019 Look at the premiums teams pay in free agency Rank the most overpaid and underpaid players in the league Evaluate free agent deals and contract extensions Figure out which positions teams can/should overpay for and those they can skimp on And so much more We're just getting started, but we can already say one thing for sure: The teams that win in the NFL are those that get star production without paying the market rate for it. This is NFL Moneyball. | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ftw/2019/03/11/nfl-teams-spending-vamp/39180421/ |
What is LSU footballs projected win total in 2019? | LSU entered last season as an underdog with sportsbooks projecting LSU to win anywhere between six to eight games. It greatly exceeded those projections, going 10-3, winning the Fiesta Bowl and finishing as the No. 6 team in the country. This offseason, LSU has much greater expectations with plenty of talent returning and a top-five signing class. Most fans in Baton Rouge want LSU competing for an SEC title this season. The online sportsbook Bet Online, though, has LSUs win total over-under set at nine wins. LSU freshman Dantrieze Scott enters transfer portal Scott came to LSU as an outside linebacker and also spent time at tight end. The odds to take the over are currently -120, while the under is at even odds, implying more bettors are taking the over. Around the SEC, Alabamas win total is set at 11, Georgia is at 10 1/2, Florida is at 9, Auburn is at 8, Mississippi State is also at 8 and Texas A&M is at 7 1/2. LSU plays Texas the second week of the season Sept. 7. The Longhorns win total is 9 1/2. Heres a look at LSUs schedule in 2019: Aug. 31: Georgia Southern Sept. 7: at Texas Sept. 14: Northwestern State Sept. 21: at Vanderbilt Oct. 5: Utah State Oct. 12: Florida Oct. 19: at Mississippi State Oct. 26: Auburn Nov. 9: at Alabama Nov. 16: at Ole Miss Nov. 23: Arkansas Nov. 30: Texas A&M | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/03/what-is-lsu-footballs-projected-win-total-in-2019.html |
How did LSU basketball fare in the polls after winning the SEC title? | The LSU Tigers rose one spot to No. 9 in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll after it won the SEC regular season title outright on Saturday. The USA Today Coaches poll is set to be released later Monday. LSU also finished its SEC road slate with a 9-0 record with an overtime win at Florida on Wednesday. Counting Mondays newest ranking, LSU has been ranked in the Top 10 only 11 times since the 1990-91 season. Since the Associated Press started its rankings in 1948-49, this is just the 77th time in program history where LSU is in the Top 10. The last time LSU was in the Top 9, the Tigers had just beaten McNeese and Tulane to move from No. 10 to No. 9 in December 2006. The Tigers fell out of the Top 10 the following week after beating Texas A&M, but falling to Texas in overtime. The Tigers have now been ranked in the AP poll for 11 weeks this season, starting off in the rankings at the beginning of the year and then coming back into the polls after their hot start in league play. The 11 weeks in the rankings are the most for the program since the 2006-07 team was ranked for 12 weeks. LSU (26-5, SEC 16-2) was No. 10 in the both AP Top 25 and the coaches poll last week. LSU is one of four ranked SEC teams in the AP Top 25. Kentucky came in at No. 4. Tennessee dropped to No. 8. LSU rose to No. 9. And Auburn made its way back into the poll at No. 22. LSU begins play in the SEC Tournament on Friday. The Tigers will face either Arkansas or Florida. | https://www.nola.com/lsu/2019/03/how-did-lsu-basketball-fare-in-the-polls-after-winning-the-sec-title.html |
Which Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team will show up in Memphis for the AAC tournament? | CLOSE UC's Mick Cronin: Not OK with late season losses Scott Springer, [email protected] The stage was set Sunday for a grand exit for seniors Justin Jenifer and Cane Broome. A win would give the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team a second straight American Athletic Conference championship and they would reach 26 wins for the sixth time in the last nine seasons. More: Cincinnati Bearcats slapped on Senior Day by Houston 85-69 For most of the first half, despite sluggish shooting, the Bearcats seemed in control of their goals. With 1:53 left, UC went up five on Jarron Cumberland's second 3-pointer of the day, 33-28. Houston would then close out the half on a 9-2 run, capped by Corey Davis Jr. getting fouled near the buzzer and sinking both free throws. Houston would lead 37-35 at the break. With 13:33 left in the game, UC had gotten back on top 47-41 on a Keith Williams lay-in. Kelvin Sampson called timeout. His No. 12 Cougars then came out of their cage and scratched away the Bearcats 44-22 from that point for the 85-69 road win and the outright AAC title. Houston is the top seed in this week's AAC tournament, with UC the No. 2 seed. The Bearcats will play Friday night at 7 p.m. Eastern against the Tulsa/SMU winner at FedEx Forum in Memphis. The Golden Hurricane and Mustangs play Thursday night. AAC is A-OK says Kelvin Sampson: The Houston coach gushed over his team finishing 29-2 and winning the league after the game. Most impressive to Sampson was their 8-1 road record, with the only blemish coming at Temple. The Owls also beat UCF in Philly and Memphis hosts the tournament, so the coming week could be interesting. "This is the best I've seen the conference since I've been here," Sampson said. "Cincinnati, Central Florida, Temple, Wichita State's improvement, Connecticut had their moments, Memphis, to go 16-2 and 8-1 on the road is significant." Cronin, like his mentors, not OK with losing: Not only was it a loss, but UC fell by double digits for the first time this season since ing losing at then-No. 18 Mississippi State 70-59 Dec. 15. The 85 points by Houston was the most scored against UC since Xavier hung 89 on the Bearcats in the Dec. 2, 2017, Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. It's also UC's first two-game skid of the season. NEWSLETTERS Get the Bengals Beat newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-876-4500. Delivery: Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Bengals Beat Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters "If you asked me what's the most important thing you learned from Bob Huggins a long time ago (Cronin was with him 1996-2001) was that it was never OK to lose," Cronin said. "He never let it be OK to lose. Same thing with my father (Hep). Same thing with Rick Pitino. It's never OK to lose. The minute you allow that, you're in deep trouble. Tomorrow, we're going to have practice and see who wants to play like we play at Cincinnati." Board paddling: Houston outrebounded UC a second time, 42-28 Sunday. A month ago it was 42-36 Cougars on the glass and UC was out-boarded by UCF 40-33 in last Thursday's loss. Mick Cronin's declared that Monday afternoon the Bearcats on the roster would be playing for a plane spot to Memphis. "The beauty of college coaching is you get too much credit and all the blame," Cronin said. "If you can't accept it, you shouldn't be in our business. But, you get to decide. Around here, we've won a lot of games because no one gets 18 offensive rebounds against us, it just doesn't happen. You play a great team like that, you've got no chance if you give them that many opportunities. If you're going to get on the plane and represent the team that I coach, you're going to block out and go after the ball." He went on to say he was worried about where his team's head was, that they needed to worry about him. "They need to be embarrassed, just like their coach is," Cronin said. Last month, after a Jarron Cumberland 3-pointer with 6:11 left, UC didn't score and lost to the Cougars 65-58. Sunday, with 6:16 remaining, Cumberland left the game with UC down a dozen. He finished as UC's top scorer with 20 but was finished for the day. Cronin wasn't optimistic of his team's chances at that point and was displeased with his junior guard's defense. At game's end, it appeared a proverbial white flag had been raised. "We weren't going to win the game," Cronin said. "I don't send messages. If I've got something to say, I say it." Cronin said Cumberland was tired and asking to come out late in the game. Monday, Cumberland was picked unanimously First-Team All-AAC. Joining him are Shizz Alston Jr. of Temple, Corey Davis Jr. of Houston, BJ Taylor of UCF and Jeremiah Martin of Memphis. For perspective: An interesting tidbit comparing this year's team to last was brought up by Cronin. In last year's second-round NCAA tournament loss to Nevada, current starters Nysier Brooks and Keith Williams didn't even get into the game. Now, they're players he must rely upon in tough games. Bracketology: It's not a course offered a UC, but it might be wildly popular. Several pundits have made livings "guesstimating" where teams might land on Selection Sunday. For entertainment purposes, here are some of the possibilities. A true bracketologist works at your local hardware store or in construction. ESPN's Joe Lunardi has UC as a No. 7 seed playing the 10-seed Oklahoma in the West regional. CBS and Jerry Palm have UC as a No. 6 against 11-seed St. John's in the South, while Fox Sports and Howie Schwab say No. 6 against New Mexico State in the West. Final polls: In the last regular season Associated Press poll, UC dropped to No. 24 and Houston went up one spot to 11th. The USA TODAY Coaches poll has the Bearcats at No. 23. In the NCAA Net tally, UC is 27th and they're 34th in Kenpom.com. | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/university-of-cincinnati/2019/03/11/aac-basketball-tournament-2018-which-uc-bearcats-team-show-up/3074561002/ |
Did former Xavier coach Sean Miller say goodbye to Arizona Wildcats? | Some are saying that remarks the former Xavier head coach made after a loss to rival Arizona State sounded like a farewell. Arizona coach Sean Miller walks the sideline during the first half of a game against Washington State. (Photo: Casey Sapio / USA TODAY Sports) "There's no place that's more magical than McKale Center," Miller said. "There's no fans in the world that are more loyal. It has been an amazing honor to coach in McKale Center for the last 10 years. Thank you for everything." This comment by Sean Miller will surely spark some speculation. Talks about what an honor it has been to coach in the McKale Center the past 10 years. https://t.co/4de7xUJW0M Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 9, 2019 Certainly does nothing here to dampen the speculation. https://t.co/VRj0LjkqSW Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 10, 2019 Arizona enters the Pac-12 Tournament with an 8-10 record in the conference, 17-14 overall. And Miller was subpoenaed to testify in April - according to multiple reports - as part of a federal investigation into college basketball corruption. Miller is in his 10th season at Arizona. He was Xavier's head coach from 2004 to 2009, an assistant at XU from 2001 to 2004, and a Miami University assistant from 1993 to 1995. In February of 2018, Miller was accused of having wiretapped phone conversations discussing a $100,000 payment to ensure the commitment of freshman DeAndre Ayton intercepted as part of an FBI investigation, according to a report from ESPN's Mark Schlabach, who cited government sources. According to the report, Christian Dawkins of ASM Sports asked Miller whether he should go through Emanuel "Book" Richardson - a former Arizona assistant who also was Miller's assistant at Xavier from 2007 to 2009 - to finalize the payment, but Miller told Dawkins to go directly through him. In January, Richardson pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Richardson was accused of accepting $20,000 in bribes to steer Arizona players to specific advisers when they turned pro. He is scheduled for sentencing on April 24 and may face 18 to 24 months in prison. LOVE COLLEGE BASKETBALL?Subscribe today to get access to all of our coverage | https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/othercolleges/2019/03/11/did-sean-miller-say-goodbye-arizona/3130564002/ |
How To Turn an Innovation Failure Into Success? | Most people realize that failure is necessary for innovation, and failure in innovation is expected. In fact, failure is something increasingly celebrated. Companies around the world now talk about "wearing failure as a badge of honor." The idea behind celebrating failure is simple: innovation is an extremely unstructured process driven by countless variables within and outside your control. When a large part of your innovation output is based on seemingly random or uncontrollable events, the likelihood of failure is high. In order to be successful at innovation, organizations need to accept this reality. Failure is not only one step along the way to creating innovative offerings; it also offers valuable lessons that can only be learned from actually attempting the creation of new value. Even the most innovative companies fail more often than they succeed. Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft -- companies widely regarded as the most innovative companies in the world -- have had more failures than successes, more misses than hits. But the most innovative companies have a culture where they learn from failure, not just celebrate it. Wearing failure as a badge of honor is only good if it helps you succeed the next time. Unfortunately, many companies are notorious for repeating the same mistake over and over again; that is not the badge of honor you want. These companies dont understand failure or respect it enough to learn from it. Companies dont learn from failure, individuals do Trying and failing at something gives you a significantly greater conceptual understanding of how to do something. It is this deep understanding that converts failure into future success. As a result, companies dont learn from failure, individuals do. It's the individuals who have tried and failed that are likely to succeed the next time around. Ironically, at a corporate level, organizations are terrible at supporting individuals who have failed. In many cases whenever there is failure at something, the next attempt is with a different set of individuals. This squanders the institutional value of failure. The individuals who have tried and failed, and have learned valuable lessons in the process are often not in the same roles the second time around, or even at the same company. Their newfound knowledge from earlier failures lets them create new value in other organizations, while the company that suffered the initial failure is no better off as they have lost the people who have gained the most. No one wants to relive failures. Consequently, whenever an initiative fails, companies generally do a cursory review documenting why it failed. Companies dont like to talk about failure: they want to focus on future success. And this mindset takes away one of the biggest learning opportunities in front of them. We can only learn from failures if we treat them with respect. To do this, we must have a neutral and non-judgmental environment to truly understand why an initiative failed. How to learn from failure Generally, there are two reasons for an attempt at innovation to fail. The first is the inability to develop the product or offering in the way you desire. The second is the inability to get customer traction. If your failure is not being able to build a product as desired, the first step is to keep trying. Persistence pays off. Also discuss your roadblocks with people from different teams and with different backgrounds, or even different industries. In many cases, having a fresh set of eyes look at your problem can give you a fresh perspective. The science of innovation has shown that breakthroughs happen when different ideas and perspectives clash and co-mingle. Or sometimes it may be best to put the development effort on hold and let a different set of individuals take an initiative forward. Throughout the history of innovation, we have seen that ideas that did not work at one point in time found success at a later time with a different set of people. One of the most common reasons innovations fail in the marketplace is that the advantage they provide over current alternatives is not perceived as high enough. You can only learn from failure through a meticulous analysis of why an initiative failed. Failures are likely to result in future successes when organizations have an approach to evaluate why initiatives fail and then disseminate that information so the knowledge becomes institutional. If the efforts to succeed were genuine then they are so much wiser through their flops that it would be a shame to not put their valuable learning and experience into other important initiatives. While failure is uncomfortable, it is something that is likely to happen during the creation of new value. How you deal with it determines whether the failure is limited to a single short-term initiative or on a longer-term learning opportunity that could lead to a number of future success within your organization. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kmehta/2019/03/11/how-to-turn-an-innovation-failure-into-success/ |
What Does The A-Series Launch Mean For SunPower? | Last week, SunPower unveiled its new A-Series panels which are the companys first products that incorporate its next-generation solar panel technology. SunPower is likely counting on these panels to move down the cost curve, offering products that are increasingly competitive with mass-market offerings, while providing the signature high-efficiency that its products have been known for. In this note, we take a look at what the launch could mean for SunPower. See our interactive dashboard analysis on Whats Driving SunPowers Valuation. You can modify our key drivers to see how it impacts the companys valuation, and see all of our data for Energy companies here. How The New Panels Can Add Value To Residential Users The A-Series panels will be the first commercial solar panels to offer 400 to 415 watts of rated capacity and will come with a microinverter integrated. The panels will offer efficiencies of between 21.5% to 22.3% at the module level, much like SunPowers higher-end panels. These panels could benefit customers and installers in multiple ways. Firstly, the larger panel capacity of 400 watts would mean that fewer panels would be required for a given system, reducing installation costs while making the overall setup more space-efficient. In comparison, most residential solar panels have under 300 watts. As the panels also have inverters integrated into them, without the need for an external centralized inverter system, it could make the process of wiring much simpler. Inverters convert the direct current produced by a solar panel into an alternating current that can be used by residential users. However, SunPowers ability to produce these panels at costs that compete with lower-efficiency mass market panels will be key to their success. While the company has not disclosed pricing details, it had previously indicated that its next-generation technology based panels would be priced at par with widely available mono-PERC solar panels. The product effectively packs larger solar cells called the Gen 5 (65% larger cell than previous generations) and this should help the company reduce its overall cost per watt and panel assembly costs. Moreover, SunPowers panels are not subject to the Section 201 tariffs that its other silicon-based solar rivals need to pay for imports to the U.S., and this could also give it a relative cost advantage. During its Q418 conference call, the company indicated that it expects over 100 MW of NGT panel deployment during 2019, with capacity expected to ramp up to 250 MW by the end of the year. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/11/what-does-the-a-series-launch-mean-for-sunpower/ |
Is Amazon Getting Out Of The Direct Selling Business? | Sometimes speculated, often dreaded and nearly always terrifying to the companys product suppliers, Amazons third-party Marketplace may be being positioned as a near total replacement for the companys own product selling efforts. Thousands of companies that do business with Amazon were notified last week that they had been removed from the companys own list of vendors, defacto being pushed to do business on Marketplace. Amazon is only saying the move is part of its regular review process and while some are speculating there may be other reasons for the change, the push is seen by many as part of a longer-term strategy to eventually eliminate most of its own direct selling efforts. The move, specifics of which have not been confirmed by Amazon, appears to impact smaller sellers, perhaps those doing in the range of $5 million or less a year of sales through the company. In its most recent quarter Amazon said third party sales represented 52% of its total merchandise sales, by unit. Thats up from 43% over the past four years. That amounted to $13.4 billion in commissions for Amazon for the quarter, up 27% from the $10.5 billion figure a year ago. By comparison, what the company calls net product sales, essentially the products it sells directly accounted for $44.7 billion of its total $72.4 billion in revenue for the quarter. All of this comes amidst anecdotal reports from both former employees and sources in the trade that Amazons ultimate goal is to largely get out of the direct product sale business. By transitioning to a business model in which it doesnt own any inventory and only collects a commission on third party sales Amazon could have a cleaner balance sheet with less money tied up in buying goods itself. For vendors who have counted on Amazon buying products and paying for them regardless of when they were sold and for how much the traditional wholesale selling model the impact of this shift could be devastating. Many suppliers do not have the sophisticated systems in place to manage their online sales directly at the scale of Amazon, even though they could eventually come to own and control their sales data better than they do now. And what it would mean for prices is anybody's guess. If this is in fact actually happening, this big shift from Amazon could represent yet another fundamental change in the online businessjust as the industry was getting used to the last one. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenshoulberg/2019/03/11/is-amazon-getting-out-of-the-direct-selling-business/ |
Which Airlines Fly the Boeing 737 MAX 8? | After two fatal incidents involving a Boeing 737 MAX 8 in the past six months, several countries and airlines have grounded the aircraft until further notice. But North American carriers are sticking by the MAX 8, at least until further details are known about the latest disaster. Most recently, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines en route from Addis Ababa to Nairobi crashed shortly after takeoff Sunday, killing all 157 people aboard. A similarly devastating crash took the lives of 189 people in October, when a 737 MAX 8 operated by Lion Air crashed into the Java Sea just after takeoff from Jakarta. The Lion Air disaster appears to have been caused at least in part by issues with a system designed to prevent stalls, which occur when an aircraft is no longer generating sufficient lift. Its too early to tell if a similar problem doomed the Ethiopian flight. But with two 737 MAX 8 aircraft involved in fatal incidents in a relatively short period of time, Boeing is now facing tough questions about the planes reliability and safety. In terms of commercial aircraft, the MAX 8 is brand new, having first entered service in 2017. China and Indonesia have both grounded all 737 MAX 8 aircraft as of Monday morning. North American airlines, however, are taking a wait and see approach, giving investigators time to determine the cause of the most recent incident before taking major action. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now Heres a look at the North American carriers that fly the Boeing 737 MAX 8, and their responses so far to Sundays Ethiopian Airlines disaster. American Airlines American Airlines has 24 of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft in its fleet, has ordered 76 more, and has confirmed to TIME that it will continue to fly the aircraft in the wake of the crashes. At this time there are no facts on the cause of the accident other than news reports, the airline said in a statement. Our Flight, Flight Service, Tech Ops and Safety teams, along with the Allied Pilots Association (APA) and Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), will closely monitor the investigation in Ethiopia, which is our standard protocol for any aircraft accident. American continues to collaborate with the [Federal Aviation Administration] and other regulatory authorities, as the safety of our team members and customers is our number one priority. We have full confidence in the aircraft and our crew members, who are the best and most experienced in the industry. Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines has 34 737 MAX 8s in its fleet. It has a longstanding relationship with Boeing and exclusively flies various types of 737s. We have been in contact with Boeing and will continue to stay close to the investigation as it progresses, Southwest Airlines said in a statement. We remain confident in the safety and airworthiness of our entire fleet of more than 750 Boeing 737 aircraft, and we dont have any changes planned to 737 MAX operations. Aeromexico Aeromexico did not immediately respond to TIMEs request for comment, but has 6 of the aircraft in use (having taken its first delivery as recently as March 1) and has ordered 45 more. Air Canada Air Canada, which has 24 of the aircraft in use and has ordered 26 more, did not immediately respond to TIMEs request for comment. But the Canadian television station CTV reported that Air Canada said its fleet of the aircraft had performed excellently and had no plans to ground the model. WestJet Canadian airline WestJet told TIME it has 13 737 MAX 8 aircraft in its fleet of 121 Boeing 737s, and will continue to fly the planes. We are monitoring the situation closely and will not speculate on the cause of the incident, WestJet said in a statement. WestJet remains confident in the safety of our Boeing 737 fleet including our 13 MAX 8 aircraft first introduced in 2017. We have flown five different variants of the Boeing 737 since 1996, and the fleet currently operates around 450 safe daily B737 departures. Write to Billy Perrigo at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5549047/which-airlines-boeing-737-max-8/ |
Does Blake Shelton really love Soul Asylum? | When Blake Shelton performs at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center Friday, he may want to prove that he truly loves Soul Asylum. The country superstar claimed the Minneapolis band was one of his favorites during a recent episode of NBC's "The Voice" in which contestant Patrick McAloon performed a cover of their 1993 hit, "Runaway Train." But he may have just been trying to keep up with rival coach Adam Levine who had just gotten done telling McAloon that he thought the group was "heavily underrated." During the exchange that aired last week, microphones caught Shelton having what he thought was a private conversation with Kelly Clarkson. "What's the name of that band?" he whispered. "Soul what?" Seconds later, he was telling McAloon that Soul Asylum was one of his favorite bands. "Not true," Levine interjected. McAloon ended up selecting Levine as his coach. Watch the audition below -- and stay tuned to see if Shelton addresses the "controversy" during his Twin Cities concert. | http://www.startribune.com/does-blake-shelton-really-love-soul-asylum/506981952/ |
Can the Legislature change Washingtons track record on special education? | In Olympia, lawmakers are tackling an issue theyve largely ignored: Education for students with disabilities. Over the weekend, the state Senate unanimously passed two bills that would improve funding, accountability and programs for special-education services that federal law guarantees to 15 percent of Washingtons 1.1 million public-school students. They now await consideration from the House, which is expected to unveil its 2019-21 budget proposal later this month. Washington ranks near the bottom on federal special-education reports because of its poor student outcomes and segregated classrooms. Unlike the state legislatures 2017 overhaul of Washingtons school-funding model, this time, its not a court-ordered deadline thats pushing lawmakers to act. The urgency, they say, stems from the grim realities advocates have cited for years. None of this is new: More than one-third of students who receive special-education services dropped out of school during the 2014-2015 academic year, according to a report from the Department of Education giving Washington the countrys third-highest rate at the time. And even though most students here dont have severe cognitive challenges, a KING-5 story first reported, fewer than 20 percent of special-education students met goals on state standardized tests in English, math and science last school year. Special education is an umbrella term for services that adapt curriculum and teaching for a wide range of conditions. Students eligible for such services can have cognitive or physical disabilities such as autism, orthopedic impairments, deafness and ADHD. Despite these problems, the funding fix lawmakers devised to satisfy the McCleary lawsuit ruling largely lacked solutions for special education and districts cite problems with funding for students with disabilities as an argument for more flexibility on how much money they can collect through levies. You would think a state like Washington, which just hosted the Special Olympics, would be doing really well, said Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, chief Republican budget writer and one of eight lawmakers who drafted Washingtons new education funding model. The numbers are bad, he said, but more funding isnt going to be enough to improve them. Federal law requires that students with disabilities be integrated as much as possible. Some students do need to spend some time away from their peers for specialized instruction, but many parents and politicians say school districts here often default to segregation which could drive the low outcomes. They get so far behind academically, said state superintendent Chris Reykdal. School districts say, Lets isolate students to get them caught up in something, and then theyre missing core content. In the 1970s, researchers at the University of Washingtons Haring Center demonstrated that children with Down syndrome many of whom were institutionalized or not allowed to enroll in public schools at the time could successfully learn. Today, 63.3 percent of special-education students nationwide spend 80 percent or more of the school day inside general-education classrooms. In Washington, only 54.4 percent have that same high level of inclusion. Thirty-five years of research shows that students with and without disabilities do better when we teach them in the same classroom, said Christi Kasa, an inclusion expert and associate professor at the University of Colorado. Its all mindset, said Kasa, who contracts with districts that want to improve their special education programs. When I go in and restructure from segregated classrooms to inclusion I save them money. Funding proposals Education funding comes from state, federal and local sources and the state manages it through a complicated thicket of equations. Generally, for each special-needs student, the state pays districts the amount of funding each general-education student is allotted plus an additional 96 percent of that figure. The degree of that boost is known as a multiplier. For example, a school district may receive $3,000 per student, but for every special-needs student, the district would collect an extra $2,900 to pay for supports and services. But districts only receive those additional funds for up to 13.5 percent of their total student enrollment. As of last year, 198 district and charter schools special-needs populations exceeded that limit. One bill that sought to remove the cap failed early in the session. Two years ago, lawmakers increased the multiplier to bring districts more money to pay for ever-increasing special-education costs. Every state in the country is talking about this, said Emily Parker, a senior policy analyst with the Education Commission of the States. While enrollment in special education hasnt necessarily increased recently, she said, the overall cost of services has. Parker speculated that the severity of students needs or competition for specialists may contribute to that trend. The solution passed by the Senate on Saturday proposes a multiplier of 100 percent, meaning districts would get double their state per-pupil allotment for each student with a disability. But this change would generate only around $42 million more annually a figure dwarfed by the $300 to $400 million gap school districts are projecting. That boost could increase. Senate budget writer Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge) announced late last month that $400 million more would be added for special education in the next biennial budget. The leading solution would also improve accessibility to a separate pot of money districts apply to in order to receive reimbursements for extreme costs such as instruction and care in a residential facility. Still, theres no guarantee lawmakers will offer districts much relief. We wont see a big overhaul, House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, said last month. Districts have cited their special-education costs which amounted to $234 million more than what state and federal funding provided last school-year as a rallying cry to roll back the recent limits on local property-tax collection. So instead of fully funding the gap, the Legislature could give them that flexibility, said Dan Steele, assistant director of government relations for the Washington Association of School Administrators. But that solution mostly benefits big districts like Seattle, where voters overwhelmingly supported levies that could collect double what current state law allows. Its going to be a tough sell, Steele said, for smaller districts where voter support for levies isnt always as strong. The most ambitious proposal, crafted by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, would have phased in $300 million over the course of several years, and provided a financial incentive for districts that do a better job integrating their classrooms. The approach would have adjusted funding for different degrees of services provided to students and the amount of time they spent in general-education settings. But Democrats and teachers unions dismissed it, saying it was too cumbersome. When he first heard this idea, Steele, who has spent over a decade tracking education issues in Olympia, was similarly skeptical. But once he took the time to learn more, he said, he found it really does make educational and fiscal sense. There was still a bigger problem, he said: It wouldnt close the yearly gap. Steele said, Legislators have to deal with thousands of issues and sometimes they dont have the time to take to figure out how it works. Changing practices Parents rallied around causes beyond money. Beth Sigall, a Lake Washington parent whose son now attends the Autism Spectrum Navigators program at Bellevue College, said she hopes to solve a deeper cultural problem. Until we get past thinking about special education solely compliance with formulas and regulations, we probably wont move the needle much, Sigall said. Sigall trekked to Olympia with other mothers and testified in support of legislation that would offer families access to independent advocates and create local advisory committees so families could help make sure districts know their communitys needs. The bill, currently awaiting a full vote in the Senate, would also improve training for general education teachers on special education. Testifying alongside the cadre of moms: Nathan Sebe, an 11-year-old with autism who attends Jane Addams Middle School in Seattle. I was lucky enough to have good, trained teachers that have been understanding and helpful, Nathan said. But I can imagine that some other students who have disabilities may not have been as lucky. Another bill would have established some schools as demonstration sites for educators to learn about inclusion. The legislation died in committee last week, but Sarah Butcher, a longtime parent advocate and vice chairperson for the states Special Education Advisory Council, said lawmakers could resurrect the idea. If we keep students at the center of this conversation, it is so much more than funding, Butcher said. Paraeducators the support staff who provide more than half of all instruction in special-education classrooms have also gotten legislative attention. In 2017, lawmakers nearly unanimously approved new rules for how school districts train paraeducators. Now, the state board that oversees educators wants the Legislature to provide $25.5 million to pay for that training. Alexandra Manuel, executive director of the Professional Educator Standards Board, noted that teachers and school administrators must go through years of training before they can set foot in a classroom. She said, Thats not the case for paraeducators. | https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/can-the-legislature-change-washingtons-track-record-on-special-education/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_all |
How will Antonio Brown's legacy be affected by Steelers exit? | Antonio Brown met Jerry Rice five years ago. He was in California to work out, and he gave the GOAT at his position a phone call. I wanted to understand his mentality, Brown said back then. What made him who he is: the production, the Super Bowl rings. Jerry said Im on the right track. Brown was then entering his fifth NFL season, the year he amassed 1,698 receiving yards. He followed that performance with a 1,834-yard season in 2015, one of his six straight with more than 1,000 yards and at least 100 catches, a ridiculous benchmark. It was hard to imagine the receiver Rice deemed the best in the game playing elsewhere just a few years later, at age 30, not having shown any signs yet of physically slowing down. But early Sunday morning, the Steelers struck a deal to send Brown to Jon Grudens Oakland-soon-to-be-Las Vegas Raiders, reportedly for third- and fifth-round picks, plus a multi-million dollar raise from the contract Brown signed just two years ago. Its the same team and coach for whom Rice began his second act, though Rices came after 16 seasons and three Super Bowl rings in San Francisco. Its impossible to know now how whats transpired over the last few months, a messy chapter in which Brown strong-armed his way out of one of the most successful organizations in the NFL, will ultimately affect his legacy. Randy Moss forced his way out of town on four different occasions during his 14-year career, once playing for three different teams during a single season; Terrell Owens played for six NFL franchises, a hopscotch that, whether fairly or unfairly, delayed his being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame until his third try. Brown is changing teams for just the first time, and you could understand how a receiver whom coaches have long said outworks everyone else on the field was frustrated over not being named team MVP. Or why, as Brown explained on HBOs The Shop, he was upset when Ben Roethlisberger shifted the blame onto Browns route-running after the QB threw a game-clinching interception against the Broncos. But Brown is ultimately responsible for his break-up from the Steelers. In September, he had a heated sideline exchange with offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner during a loss to the Chiefs. The next day, a former Steelers PR employee tweeted that Brown wouldnt post the same numbers without Roethlisberger, to which Brown replied, Trade me lets find out. The point of no return came in Week 17, when Brown and Roethlisberger had a confrontation on the practice field on Wednesday. After Brown skipped the Saturday walk-through, head coach Mike Tomlin made the decision to sit him for a regular-season finale that the Steelers needed to win to have a chance to make the postseason. There was no coming back to that locker room after having been perceived as quitting on his teammates. Its a 180-degree turn from just two years earlier, when Brown was telling reporters he wanted to be part of the Steelers championship legacy, making his contribution to the hallway at the team facility that already included six Lombardi trophies when the team drafted Brown in the sixth round in 2010. He said he already knew what its like to be at the top of statistical categories, and said his remaining goal was to win a Super Bowl. How many balls can you catch110, 125? Tomlin said then. "What hes chasing is a little bit of football immortality. His legacy and those things are always evolving in championships and championship play. Brown is entering his 10th season. Rice played 20 years, something Brown picked his brain about. We dont know how much longer the best receiver of this time period will playanother decade, or another few yearsor what is yet to come. But in the arc of his career, this is a significant juncture: Brown leaves Pittsburgh, an organization that is tied for having won the most Super Bowl titles in history, without a ring. Thats a question only he can answer. Email us at [email protected]. | https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/03/11/nfl-antonio-brown-legacy-pittsburgh-steelers |
Which Seahawks will be free agents when the 2019 league year begins? | Browse through the following gallery for the full list of the Seahawks pending free agents. Browse through the following gallery for the full list of the Seahawks pending free agents. 1 / 33 Back to Gallery The NFL's legal tampering period has begun. NFL free agency officially begins later this week the new league year starts at 1 p.m. PT Wednesday, marking its start but Monday signals the commencement of chaos. It marks the time the Seahawks, and all other teams, can enter contract negotiations with unrestricted free agents. Deals can't be signed, but they can be agreed to in principle. The framework is hammered into place. RELATED: Seahawks' Clark won't sign franchise tag, threatens skipping training camp With its $30.946 million in cap space as of Monday ranked 14th-most in the NFL, per overthecap.com Seattle has decisions to make on its 12 pending URFAs. The 13th, cornerback Justin Coleman, has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $36 million deal to sign with the Detroit Lions making him the highest-paid nickelback in the league less than three hours after the negotiating window opened at 9 a.m. PT Monday: The #Lions are signing nickel CB Justin Coleman to a 4-year deal worth $36M, source said. The highest paid nickel in the NFL for the former #Seahawk. Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2019 RELATED: Report: Former Seahawks, Eagles DE Michael Bennett headed to Patriots Future Hall of Famer Earl Thomas is likely out the door, but what about veteran linebacker K.J. Will the Seahawks be able to keep the guards, D.J. We'll have answers soon enough. There are also the restricted and exclusive-rights free agents to keep your eyes on. RFAs, players with three accrued seasons (URFAs have four), can sign offer sheets with new clubs, but the old team has the right of first refusal or receive compensation if they don't match hence 'restricted.' The deadline for teams to offer an RFA tender a one-year deal of at least $2.025 million is 1 p.m. Wednesday. ERFAs, players with only one or two accrued seasons, are bound to their old team if they receive a qualifying offer but become a free agent if they don't. The team has all the cards in those scenarios. The deadline to offer exclusive rights free agents is also 1 p.m. Wednesday. The Seahawks have already locked up Frank Clark for 2019 on the $17.128 million franchise tag, and the team gave defensive back Akeem King a one-year tender worth $1.4 million (and as much $2.05 million). The aforementioned Coleman is reportedly out the door. Browse through the slideshow above for the full, updated list of the Seahawks' pending free agents with the 2019 league year just around the corner. Ben Arthur is a Seahawks reporter for the SeattlePI.com. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter at @benyarthur. | https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/seahawks/article/Which-Seahawks-will-be-free-agents-when-the-2019-13679620.php |
How Can Chinese Economy Slowdown And Trade Wars Affect General Motors' Valuation? | General Motors (NYSE: GM) reported its 4th quarter and full year results for Fiscal year 2018 recently. The company delivered good results on the back of higher pricing for the fiscal year. The company beat consensus expectations and reported a revenue of $147 billion and adjusted diluted EPS of $6.54 for the fiscal year 2018. The company also maintained a healthy interest margin of about 8%. We have a price estimate of $42 per share for the company. In addition, here is more Consumer Discretionary data. China has been the companys focus for some time now, General Motors is quite confident about a long-term benefit from China. But there are a lot of macro-economic issues in China. The Chinese economy is facing a slowdown affecting Car sales, which have fallen for the first time since last summer. In 2018 the economy grew at 6.6%, the slowest pace since 1990. This is causing investor concern and thus reduction in foreign investments. The trade frictions and tougher policies are also not helping the growth. The trade war has been on for about a year now and theres not much clarity on the resolution yet. So we decided to take a pessimistic scenario of these macroeconomic issues and see how it will affect General Motors Valuation. In this scenario we will ascertain the effect on GMs Gross Profit and valuation if China volume falls by 25% in Fiscal Year 2019 due the trade war between the US and China, and slowing of the Chinese economy. Consequently, the company would sell 2.73 million cars against 3.65 million last year in China. This would lead to a loss of revenue and gross profit of $600 million. But the Price estimate falls by only $0.80 (1.8%) i.e. from $42.40 to $41.60. This shows a lack of dependency of GM in the China market, but it also shows that GM has a lot of potential to grow in what will be the worlds biggest automotive market in the coming years. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/11/how-can-chinese-economy-slowdown-and-trade-wars-affect-general-motors-valuation/ |
Is Pokmon Go already pass? | Pokmon Go hit America with the force of a hyperactive rattata, but the augmented reality game may not be evolving the way its creators had hoped. Usage of the augmented reality game appears to have peaked, according to a research report from Axiom Capital Management analyst Victor Anthony. Active users on Pokmon Go have declined 35 percent from its peak, while engagement has almost halved from its peak of 80 percent, Anthony said in his report, citing data from the app-tracking firm Apptopia. When the game was released last month, it quickly became an unexpected cultural hit, with people of all ages wandering outside with their smartphones in hand to hunt for the virtual monsters. Some players ended up trespassing on strangers' yards and, in one case, even stumbled across a body. The popularity caused Nintendo's (NTDOY) stock to go on a roller-coaster ride, with investors bidding up the shares until they realized the company doesn't actually make the game. One very real concern has been how Pokmon Go's might impact internet stalwarts like Facebook (FB), since the more time consumers spend hunting Pidgeys means the less time they have for posting on social media. Given the rapid rise in usage of the Pokmon Go app since the launch in July, investors have been concerned that this new user experience has been detracting from time spent on other mobile focused apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter," Anthony wrote in the research note. He added, "The declining trends should assuage investor concerns about the impact of Pokmon Go on time spent on the above named companies." Active daily users peaked in mid-July, when the game attracted about 45 million daily users. Since then, the game has lost more than 10 million daily users, according to the report. The decline in active users and engagement raises questions about the future of augmented reality, which has been hyped as the next big thing in fields ranging from gaming to education. About $3.5 billion of venture money has been invested into augmented and virtual reality companies during the past two years, Goldman Sachs said in a report earlier this year. Augmented reality, when digital information is overlaid on top of what people experience, is projected to grow into a $120 billion market by 2020, far outpacing virtual reality. The question is whether Pokmon Go's rapid rise and slow decline represents the typical arc of a consumer fad, or if it signifies a deeper issue with how consumers engage with augmented reality. Interestingly, the fall off comes as its creator, Niantic, reduced the game's ability to track down nearby Pokmon. At the same time, it has been blocking some third-party services that had been trying to access the company's servers, which some users had relied on for tracking the animated monsters. In an Aug. 4 blog post, the company noted, "Running a product like Pokmon GO at scale is challenging." The next challenge may be to figure out how to keep consumers from checking out. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-pokemon-go-already-passe/ |
Is It Time to Worry About the Boeing 737 Max 8? | So no one knows, yet, what happened in the Ethiopian Airlines disaster, and anyone who feigns certainty now should be viewed with wariness. But here is an initial guide to the kinds of questions air investigators will be asking. The main known similarity at this point is that they both involved the same, relatively new model of airplane. This is a new version of the workhorse Boeing 737, known as the 737 Max 8. Both of the planes crashed soon after takeoffnot mid-flight, like the Air France disaster over the Atlantic 10 years ago, and not on approach for landing, as with the Colgan commuter-airline crash en route into Buffalo in 2009. The 737 is the most familiar and popular commercial airliner in the world. Its been in production since the 1960s, and more than 10,000 of them have been in service. If youve ever taken a ride on Southwest Airlines, youve been on a 737, because it is all that Southwest flies. Complete standardization of the fleet has been an important part of Southwests business model since the start. (When I was working for Texas Monthly, back in the 1970s, I interviewed the late Herb Kelleher, a founder of the then-nascent Southwest, who stressed that with a single model of aircraft, everything about running an airline became simpler. Any pilot who worked for the airline could fly any plane the airline owned. Any mechanic at any Southwest repair facility would have the right parts of any plane that arrived, because all the planes were the same. I wrote about this part of Southwests vision in 1975, during the era of airline regulation, in Texas Monthly.) Aircraft makers themselves have obviously invested in an evolutionary series of airplanes for different markets and circumstances. Thus we have, from Boeing, the long sequence from the now-obsolete 707, to the iconic and mainly decommissioned 747, to the 777 and 757 and 787 Dreamliner, and version after version of the 737. The version after version part is whats significant about the 737. Airlines like it because it is standardized. Training, crew certification, parts, maintenance, are all much more similar than if youre switching to a different modelsuch as a 787or making the more dramatic shift to Airbus. But airlines also want constant improvements: better and more efficient engines, improved avionics and other systems, and of course, more (and more crammed-in) seats. Thus the 737 range goes from the early 737-100 models, meant to hold around 100 passengers, to the latest models, which (depending on layouts) can hold 200 or more. The 737s have gotten physically longer over the years, to hold more passengers, and that is part of the drama involving the latest model, which went down in both the Indonesian and Ethiopian crashes. | https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/03/et302-boeing-737-max-8-blame/584572/?utm_source=feed |
Will the Raiders target LeVeon Bell next? | From time to time the Steelers play Renegade at Heinz Field, in order to fire up the fan base at the start of the fourth quarter. But the true renegade franchise always has been the Raiders, and their trade for Antonio Brown could be only the first act of pilfering Pittsburghs roster. When free agency starts on Wednesday or, more accurately, when the legal tampering window opens on Monday the Raiders could try to sign running back Le'Veon Bell. Scroll to continue with content Ad Rumors and speculation that the Raiders, who are slated to exit Oakland after this season and enter Las Vegas in 2020, could pursue Bell have percolated for months. Given that hell be hitting the open market unrestricted and unfettered, the Raiders could get him for no trade compensation. While that would close the door on a Marshawn Lynch return, Oakland residents would surely excuse the Raiders for slamming the door a man who has become synonymous with the town that the Raiders will soon be leaving. The mantra remains Just Win, Baby, and the Raiders didnt do much of that with Marshawn on the roster. With Brown and Bell, they could do plenty. And heres one semi-tangible clue as to where this could go. Our buddy Dov Kleiman has pointed out that Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has begun following Bell on Twitter. While it doesnt mean much, its intriguing and it could be a sign of things to come. Quickly. | https://sports.yahoo.com/raiders-target-le-veon-bell-145629607.html?src=rss |
Will The U.S.-China Trade War Matter In The Coming Decades? | STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Here's a side effect of the U.S. trade war with China. It is strengthening a long-running trend in East Asia. China wants to rely less on doing business with the United States. It wants to rely more on business with its smaller Asian neighbors. Rachel Martin spoke with Parag Khanna, author of the book "The Future Is Asian." PARAG KHANNA: So the trade war's outcome is fairly predictable because it's already been happening for the past 30 years. Asians have been integrating their economies. They have such tremendous complementarities. You have industrial centers, financial centers, natural resource providers. They're all trading more and more with each other. And in fact, trade between Asian countries is much larger than their trade with us. Now bring in the trade war where, because of the tariffs and the reciprocal tariffs, it's harder for America to export aircraft and soybeans, semiconductors, industrial goods and so forth to China, meanwhile to other Asians, as well, because we didn't join TPP. You take those two things together - trade war and TPP - and what the calculation from China is, well, we should be substituting for the United States. If you want China's strategy in exactly two words, it's permanent substitution. Let's no longer buy American semiconductors because you never know when the occupant of the White House is going to cut off our supply. So let's get them instead from Taiwan, from South Korea, from Japan. So if you break down the volume and the share of trade that's represented by different sectors of the American economy - again, natural gas, industrial goods, technology goods, agriculture and so forth - those things are all substitutable by someone else. RACHEL MARTIN, BYLINE: But supposedly, the entire reason for the trade war, for the pressure from the Trump administration is to open Chinese markets to U.S. companies. KHANNA: Right. And everyone does want China to open up. But they would not conduct the trade war in the same way because the White House has not calculated the reaction to their action. Other countries agree with us. Canada wants more market access in China, too. Europeans do, as well. But they are signing more trade agreements with Asian countries. So just fast forward about five or 10 years. The volume of trade between Europe and Asia, including China, will be something like $2.5 trillion a year. And our trade with the region will be barely a trillion dollars. MARTIN: At the same time, to the Trump administration's credit, they are trying to pressure China on legitimate grievances - the violation of intellectual property laws, of cyberattacks. KHANNA: It's not that they don't care, because Europeans have exactly the same concerns. The German business federation, the German government, major companies like Siemens pressure China all the time. They do it more quietly. They work through joint ventures and partners to access the market. We could learn a lot from looking at how they try to combat unfair trade practices on the ground rather than the approach that we are taking. I mean... KHANNA: To the contrary - let's remember that the technology sector in the United States is not only the tip of the spear, in terms of our innovation edge over the rest of the world. It's also the sector that's had the thorniest relationship with China. So digital media and tech companies in the United States have always had a diversified Asia focus. There is more Facebook users, for example, in India than any other country in the world. So they've always had a non-China-centered view because they haven't had market access in China. MARTIN: The book is called "The Future Is Asian," written by Parag Khanna. Thank you so much for coming in. KHANNA: My pleasure. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Copyright 2019 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. | https://www.npr.org/2019/03/11/702129533/will-the-u-s-china-trade-war-matter-in-the-coming-decades?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=asia |
Could an eye test help detect Alzheimer's disease? | Ninety-seven-year-old Scott Hughes and her identical twin sister Virginia were always close. When Virginia started having trouble with her memory and thinking, Scott knew something wasn't right. Virginia was later diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. "It was heartbreaking because she was so outgoing and loving," Scott Hughes told CBS News. "She wasn't going to be who she was before. And that is tragic to see in someone you love." With one twin having Alzheimer's and the other healthy, researchers at Duke Eye Center who are studying the link between eye and brain health thought the sisters were a good case to examine. They took images of their eyes and discovered the twin with Alzheimer's disease had significantly decreased blood vessel density in the retina. That finding spurred a new study of more than 200 people. "Cognitively normal, healthy individuals do not have these changes in their retina," explained Dr. Sharon Fekrat, an ophthalmologist at Duke Eye Center and author of the study. 97-year-old Scott Hughes, right, and her identical twin sister Virginia, who had Alzheimer's, took part in the study. CBS News She and her team found microscopic blood vessels formed in a dense web at the back of the eye, inside the retina, in 133 of the study's healthy participants. But in the eyes of 39 people living with Alzheimer's disease, that web was less dense and even sparse in places. The findings were published in the journal Ophthalmology Retina. Fekrat says the eyes may be a window to our brain health. "These changes happening in the retina in the eye may actually mirror the blood vessel changes happening in the brain of individuals with Alzheimer's disease," she said. Researchers say they plan to study people who have a genetic risk for Alzheimer's but don't have symptoms to see they may be able to predict the development of the disease. Virginia Hughes passed away 14 months ago. "Every night after dinner we had a conversation," her sister recalled. "Sometimes she would be able to respond and sometimes she wouldn't but she always knew that sister was calling." Scott Hughes says she's grateful she and her sister had a chance to contribute to the research together. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-an-eye-test-help-detect-alzheimers-disease/ |
Can U.K.s Labour Party survive Brexit? | The only bond that unites them is their fury at Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, and his handling of the opposition to the governments plan for Britains departure from the European Union, known as Brexit. And both are ready to ditch the party altogether. WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLANDTo understand the contradictions that are tearing the Labour Party apart, consider Ruth Wilkinson and Philip Handley, both Labour supporters. Wilkinson, 24, voted for Britain to remain in the European Union. Handley, 60, to leave. Ive always voted for the Labour Party, said the retired transport manager, who would prefer that Britain leave the bloc with no deal. But this is the only thing I disagree with Jeremy Corbyn how he handles Brexit. Im absolutely devastated about the direction were travelling in, Wilkinson, who works for a charity, said in an interview. The party that I hold dear, and the party that I would stand behind, is not doing anything to offer a solution or an alternative. Instead, he is now openly at war with his own members of Parliament, nine of whom have defected in the space of two weeks. And the party is bleeding both Remain and Leave voters, while facing serious accusations of institutional anti-Semitism. There is talk of an existential threat. Labour had far exceeded modest expectations in a 2017 snap general election and Corbyn had emerged as a surprisingly appealing figure, with young people memorably chanting his name at a music festival. He was seemingly primed to capitalize on the Conservatives infighting and missteps over the exit negotiations. Labours crisis is much deeper than earlier crises, said Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. There is a standoff between the party and the country, the party and Parliament and its difficult to see how you could cut your way through it. Brexit has proved to be politically lethal. Rather than pitting left against right, or the government against the opposition, it cuts across ideological lines, eating away at the cohesion of Britains largest parties, the Conservatives and Labour. But Labour faces even broader forces. In recent years, center-left, socialist-leaning parties across Europe have been fragmenting under an onslaught of right-wing populist parties catering to a broad swathe of voters older working classes and younger, urban people, loaded down with student debt. Labour had seemed to be bucking that trend, but now is scrambling to avoid a devastating split. Much of the blame, fairly or not, falls on Corbyn. From the beginning of the Brexit debate, he has sought to lie low, content to criticize Prime Minister Theresa May while placating the main Labour constituencies urban Remain voters and Leave supporters in rural areas or working communities, who make up about a third of the partys electorate. But as the Brexit deadline draws near, his efforts to appeal to both sides seem to be inflaming tensions rather than soothing them. Labour is running the risk of trying to compromise in several directions and antagonizing everyone, said Robert Ford, professor of politics at the University of Manchester. Even after suffering a string of setbacks and humiliations, May is still seen as the more capable leader, and the Tories consistently outpoll Labour in opinion surveys. Corbyn, never popular with the majority of his own Labour lawmakers, has suffered a slump in his personal ratings. The right-leaning Sunday Times recently claimed that 150,000 Labour members have ditched the party over Corbyns position on Brexit, a number the party vigorously denies. But there is no denying the defection of eight Labour members of Parliament, who left last month to form The Independent Group, citing Corbyns ambivalence over Brexit and his handling of anti-Semitism inside Labour. (Another lawmaker left, too, though that was because he supported Brexit and said he was disaffected by Corbyns leadership.) What were seeing now is that a series of deep divides, both recent and more long-standing, are coming out in the open, because a tipping point has been reached for many, said Ford of the University of Manchester. Corbyn moved quickly to stanch the rebellion, announcing that he would support a second referendum in the event of a Tory Brexit. But that seemed sure to anger Labours Remain voters. Labour has always been divided between a moderate, internationalist, social democratic left, and a radical, pacifist anti-imperialist left. But the moderate side of the party has basically nearly always won, Ford said. Corbyn was the first time, probably since the 1930s, that the radical side of the party was in charge, and the rest of the party really doesnt really like that, especially the members of Parliament. Corbyn himself embodies some of these contradictions: a lifelong Eurosceptic, he only grudgingly campaigned for Britain to remain in Europe during the 2016 referendum. Since seizing the party leadership in 2015, Corbyn has enjoyed spurts of popularity, with party membership shooting up to an all-time high of more than 500,000 in 2016. But he was never able to win over the majority of Labour lawmakers, mostly moderates, who dismissed him as unelectable. His success in the 2017 election shattered that notion, a point that paradoxically may be working against him now, analysts say. A lot of MPs in the party were basically expecting that he would go down to a crushing defeat, said Ford, and that then they would be able to regain control of the party, and this whole flirtation with the far-left would be some sort of horrible mistake and everyone would move on. That has not happened, and Labour lawmakers are starting to lose any reason to stick around, he said. | https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/2019/03/11/can-uks-labour-party-survive-brexit.html |
Is white-collar crime treated more leniently in the US? | Image copyright William Hennessy Jr The sentencing of Paul Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman, has sparked an intense debate about the way white-collar crime is punished in America. The perceived leniency of the sentence handed down by US District Judge TS Ellis was met with disbelief and outrage by many legal experts. Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison as punishment for a string of fraud charges, estimated to have cost the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) millions of dollars. The reaction on social media was swift, with many condemning the sentence and suggesting it was indicative of a wider problem in how the US legal system unfairly treats different types of criminals. Amy Klobuchar, Democratic Senator for Minnesota and presidential candidate, tweeted: "Crimes committed in an office building should be treated as seriously as crimes committed on a street corner." Duncan Levin, an expert in financial crimes and former federal prosecutor, called 47 months a "shockingly low" sentence. "The sentence is very lenient, end of story," Mr Levin told the BBC. "It is significantly lenient for a crime of this magnitude." He said that he was left "puzzled by the sentence" and suggested that it "had left a lot of people scratching their heads". Mr Levin added that given the "very serious" nature of Manafort's crimes, he would have expected a harsher sentence. "I think perhaps the judge felt strongly personally about Manafort's situation, and maybe that came into play in his decision." Paul Leighton, a professor of criminology at Eastern Michigan University who has written extensively on white-collar crime, agrees that the sentence is surprisingly low. He points out that 47 months is "below even what [Manafort's] attorney argued he deserved". Mr Leighton told the BBC that comparing Manafort's sentence to other white-collar criminals can be "problematic" given the many variables involved in each case. However, the high-profile case of ex-political lobbyist Jack Abramoff shares some of the traits of Manafort's case, including its connection to a wider investigation and the defendant's proximity to the political elite. Abramoff was sentenced to five years in jail in 2006 for defrauding Native American tribes out of at least $45m (26m) as well as tax evasion, bank fraud and conspiracy to bribe public officials. Throughout his trial Abramoff cooperated with investigators, which contributed to the conviction of 10 officials, including congressman Bob Ney. Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle said she had recognised Mr Abramoff's cooperation by sharply reducing his sentence. Jerome Kerviel, the French ex-banker who was found guilty of one of the biggest banking frauds ever he lost 4.9bn (3.82bn) through unauthorised transactions, served three years in prison in 2010. This sentence was seen as harsh by many outside of the US. Manafort's sentence is far shorter than the suggested range of 19.5 to 24 years put forward in sentencing guidelines cited by prosecutors. Sentencing guidelines are designed to help judges decide the severity of punishment, and take into account things like the number of victims and the defendant's past. For example, bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1m (768,500) in the US, but the guidelines enable a judge to work out where on the scale a case sits. Mr Levin acknowledges that "judges are entitled not to follow the guidance, that's part of the discretion they have in the US". "But the guidelines ensure that court to court and judge to judge, similar sentences are given to similar defendants," he explains. "It's about consistency, and this sentence is way outside the range expected." While many were shocked by the size of the disparity between the suggested and actual sentence, it fits a trend. A 2017 study, reported that the majority of federal judges in white-collar cases "frequently sentence well below the fraud guideline". "Federal trial judges now follow the advisory fraud guideline range in less than half of all cases." Mr Levin is keen to point out that he is not calling for harsher punishments to be introduced, and hopes that Manafort's case will start a general conversations about the extremes of sentencing. The US issues some of the harshest prison sentences in the world, and a recent study found the average time served is increasing. The short sentence was interpreted by many to be further evidence that white-collar crimes, committed by well-off white men, are not punished as harshly as others. Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that "justice isn't blind, it's bought" in reaction to the sentencing, while constitutional scholar Laurence Tribe tweeted that Judge Ellis showed "preferential treatment to a rich white guy". Neil Blackmon, a lawyer from Florida, tweeted that the sentence was a "scathing indictment of the justice system". Skip Twitter post by @nwblackmon It's fair to use the Manafort sentence as a scathing indictment of the justice system's tendency to treat and sentence defenders differently based on status. Neil W. Blackmon (@nwblackmon) March 8, 2019 Report Black men in America receive 19.1% longer sentences than white men for similar crimes, according a recent US Sentencing Commission report. The commission also found that judges are more likely to use their discretion to cut an offender's sentence if the offender is white. Scott Hechinger is a senior attorney at the Brooklyn Defender Service and advocates on behalf of people who often cannot afford legal representation. He says that race and class both inform how a defendant is treated. Mr Hechinger pointed to one of his clients who was offered a similar sentence to Manafort for "stealing $100 worth of quarters". Skip Twitter post by @ScottHech For context on Manaforts 47 months in prison, my client yesterday was offered 36-72 months in prison for stealing $100 worth of quarters from a residential laundry room. Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) March 8, 2019 Report "The majority of people in the system, disproportionately poor, black and Latino, are rarely if ever treated with same kind of mercy, sympathy and individualised justice [Mr Manafort received]," he told the BBC. "While white-collar criminal laws are rarely enforced, people in the communities I serve are targeted, over-policed, and often arrested merely for living." Paul Leighton agrees: "Judges and many in the legal system tend to see white-collar criminals - especially Caucasian white-collar criminals - as being good people who made a mistake, while the poor and minorities are more likely to have their crime seen as a reflection of their bad character." In the wake of the Manafort's sentencing, many lawyers pointed out the "white privilege" he enjoyed, compared to the harsh treatment of black offenders. Skip Twitter post by @martinwalsh White privilege: Paul Manafort hides $55m in secret offshore accts to avoid paying $6m tax, defrauds 3 banks of $25m, lies, shows no remorse, sentence recommend 19-24 yrs, gets only 47 mths. Crystal Mason accidentally votes in 2016 U.S. election, shows remorse, gets 5 yrs jail. pic.twitter.com/4MpjUja2ey Martin Walsh (@martinwalsh) March 8, 2019 Report Paul Leighton told the BBC that white-collar criminals often "get a break under the sentencing guidelines for being first time offenders", despite often having "long patterns of criminal conduct". Mr Leighton explains that financial crimes are frequently "complicated and the result of planning or at least many decisions that set up the crime, allow it to continue and possibly cover it up, but [defendants] are considered first time offenders and get the benefit". Georgie Weatherby is a professor of sociology and criminology at Gonzaga University, and she believes the public has a misconception about the seriousness of white-collar crimes. "The costs to society of white-collar crime are immense, but people don't feel them directly. How safe they feel in their homes, where they can walk at night, these are the issues people feel. They are tangible." However, the FBI estimates that white-collar crimes costs the US economy more than $300bn (228bn) a year, and can have serious impacts of people's lives. When companies or individuals illegally avoid paying taxes, there is less money for public services such as schools and infrastructure. In the US, white-collar crime also increases the cost of healthcare. The FBI predicts that "losses due to fraudulent activity approached 10% of the amount of money that we expend in healthcare." While Ms Weatherby notes that some high-profile white-collar criminal cases have caught the attention of the American public, such as the Enron scandal, she suggests "people have short memories" and any outrage "quickly dies down". Ms Weatherby adds that society romanticises white-collar criminals, and the money and power they often accrue, which affects the treatment they receive. "Defendants, particularly in very high-level crimes, often project an image of success. They have wealth, and access and are glamorous," she says. "Judges can get caught up in that, they can be drawn to it." Ms Weatherby told the BBC that white-collar criminals are "conceptualised as the American Dream gone wrong", which "leads to different outcomes treatment". Paul Leighton goes even further, and suggests that some Americans are "so anti-government that tax fraud is not seen as a crime, and even many law and other conservatives see tax fraud as patriotic". | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47477754 |
Why were three Huawei employees denied immigrant status in Canada for belonging to an espionage organization? | As a tense diplomatic standoff continues between Canada and China, two immigration experts are again pondering an unusual sequence of events that saw three of their Chinese clients denied permanent residence here because they belonged to an organization involved in espionage. That organization appeared to be Huawei Technologies, their employer. The decisions each made by the same officer in Canadas Hong Kong consulate in the space of a few days were eventually reversed and all three are now living in Canada. But the episode raises questions about how the federal government treats would-be immigrants linked to a company that has long battled accusations it spies for China and yet employs hundreds of Canadians. All in all, it was just a pretty strange type of refusal, said Victor Lum, a former Canadian visa officer himself whose company at the time, Well Trend United, represented the trio. It was already out in the open about Huawei and these kind of security concerns, said the Beijing-based immigration consultant. But even then I could recognize this is a bit of a stretch. Huawei is a company with thousands and thousands of employees, and the visa officer was simply refusing on the basis of the companys notoriety or reputation. Lum noted that files are usually assigned randomly to visa officers. If one officer handled applications from three Huawei employees, it was likely because a higher up decided they warranted special attention, he said. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), however, is shedding little light on the situation. Citing privacy laws, spokesman Rmi Larivire said he could not comment on the three cases, or say whether Huawei employees were scrutinized with particular suspicion at that time or since then. Decisions on applications are made by highly trained officers in accordance with Canadian immigration laws, said Larivire. All applications from around the world are assessed equally against exactly the same criteria. Huawei officials could not be reached for comment, though they have previously noted their employees who total about 500 in Canada regularly obtain visas and work permits between here and China, while many have actually immigrated. But the company is now at the heart of a cold war between the two countries, after chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. prosecutors. China later detained a former Canadian diplomat and a businessman, and replaced an alleged Canadian drug smugglers 15-year jail term with a death sentence, acts Western experts view as reprisals. It was just a pretty strange type of refusal Wanzhou has been charged in the States with helping Huawei evade U.S. sanctions on Iran, while the company was accused of carrying out corporate espionage against the T-Mobile cellphone company. Meanwhile, a Chinese executive with the firm was charged with spying by Poland in January, as Canada and other countries consider whether to let Huawei be part of new 5-G communications networks. The three Chinese applicants for permanent resident status all received letters in 2016 saying there were reasonable grounds to believe they belonged to an organization that engaged in espionage, subversion or terrorism making them inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Either the applicant or a spouse worked for Huawei one fairly senior, another a mid-level employee and the third a lower-level translator, said Lum. Documents recently obtained by the South China Morning Post indicate the tentative rejections were registered within four days of each other two of them within 37 minutes and were all handled by the same visa officer. Huawei was already attracting controversy at the time, with Australia and the U.S. banning use of its equipment in broadband networks over espionage suspicions. The company had repeatedly, though, denied the allegations. I wouldnt be surprised if Huawei cases were handled with kid gloves these days Lum said his staff in Shenzhen where Huawei is headquartered were taken aback, as they had successfully helped a number of company workers immigrate to Canada previously. (Meng herself was once a Canadian permanent resident.) So he called in Hong Kong-based immigration lawyer Jean-Francois Harvey, another Canadian. Harvey said it was the only time hed seen an applicant denied under section 34(1)(f) of the act through 26 years of practice and over 10,000 files. But the episode ended as abruptly as it began. After Harvey submitted letters stating the applicants were not, in fact, spies and publicized their cases in the Hong Kong media IRCC admitted them as permanent residents in 2017. It was reasonable to be suspicious, but not without any documentation, said the lawyer. I think it was a Google search (by the visa officer). But I dont believe that Google stands up in court very well. Toronto-based immigration lawyer Sergio Karas said its the first time hes seen the espionage and terrorism section applied to civilian professionals. Its typically invoked for suspected members of officially designated terror groups, or the spy agencies of such rivals as Russia, he said. For a tech company, Ive never heard of it. As Canada and China face off over the arrest of one of the companys executives, though, Lum suspects such scrutiny may have become more routine. I would not be surprised if the minister at immigration headquarters said OK, officers, if you get any Huawei cases, run it by headquarters first, he said. I wouldnt be surprised if Huawei cases were handled with kid gloves these days. Email: [email protected] | Twitter: TomblackwellNP | https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/why-were-three-huawei-employees-denied-immigrant-status-in-canada-for-belonging-to-an-espionage-organization |
Is Climate Change Really Scaring Investors Away From Big Oil? | It seems that the oil majors have found the perfect culprit to blame for their less than stellar stock prices. This week, several CEOs of oil majors are expected to name climate change and technology as the two most important factors "scaring investors away." Eldar Saetre, president and chief executive officer of Equinor ASA, speaks during the 2019 CERAWeek by IHS Markit conference in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Monday, March 11, 2019. The program provides comprehensive insight into the global and regional 2019 Bloomberg Finance LP The CEO of Norway's state-owned oil company Equinor mentioned these issues today, and BP PLC's CEO is expected to delve into these issues as the primary causes of the crisis of confidence he believes are driving BP's poor performance in the equities market. Both BP's and Equinor's CEOs believe the problems can be eliminated by fostering engagement between the companies and those who criticize them for their contribution to climate issues. The CEO of Royal Dutch Shell echoed the same concerns. Perhaps investors are more concerned with the fact that low oil prices have depressed these companies' revenue and profits. For example, ExxonMobil had earnings of $44.9 billion in 2013, but its net income for 2017 was only $19.7 billion. Long-term investors might be more concerned about the drop in investment from big oil companies in long-cycle, capital intensive projects. The companies have simply cut back on exploration and major projects that would be necessary to produce crude oil and natural gas in the long-run. Instead, companies like Chevron and Exxon are focusing on short-cycle projects in the Permian Basin that won't yield stable revenue over the long-term. No matter how much big oil tries to focus its investor relations on its climate mitigating activities, these companies cannot change the fact that their primary products are all hydrocarbons. It cannot be good for investor confidence to repeatedly question the morality of one's own business. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenrwald/2019/03/11/is-climate-change-really-scaring-investors-away-from-big-oil/ |
What went wrong at Superdry? | Image copyright Reuters Don't be fooled by the Japanese characters emblazoned on its hoodies - Superdry was always a thoroughly British success story. From a small stall in Cheltenham market, it went on to become a truly global phenomenon and a commercial success. But 16 years after its founding, the firm started by James Holder and Julian Dunkerton is on the decline. Its shares have lost more than 70% over the past year. In December it issued a profit warning, and last week the company announced it would cut up to 200 jobs. Now the blame game is playing out in public. 'Misguided strategy' The fallout began when Mr Dunkerton stepped down from the firm's board, in March of 2018. At the time, he departed quietly enough, citing "other demands on his time". But as Superdry's fortunes began to worsen, the multi-millionaire found his voice. He criticised the retailer's "misguided strategy" - including a reduction in stock both in stores and online - which he claimed he had always predicted would fail miserably. Instead, he wanted Superdry to focus more on the jackets and hoodies that made it famous, and offer a far wider range of variations on the web. Mr Dunkerton also dismissed Superdry's caution late last year that it was losing business due a prolonged spell of good weather in many of its key markets, causing customers to delay purchases of warmer clothing. Rival brands, he argued, had fared better, while facing similar economic conditions. Yet as Julie Palmer, a partner at consultancy firm Begbies Traynor points out, falling profits in retail "has not been a problem exclusively experienced by Superdry". Big chains, she argues, "are no longer in a position to bend the will of the customer to their own styles". Image caption Julian Dunkerton co-founded Superdry in 2003 Winter of discontent Superdry's styles have been at the heart of Mr Dunkerton's battle with the board. The firm says he oversaw the Autumn/Winter 2018 range, which subsequently flopped. But Mr Dunkerton claims he was cut out of the design process, and never signed off on the collection. Regardless of who was responsible for that particular decision, Superdry's brand was on the wane, according to fashion retail analyst Kate Hardcastle. Superdry customers, she says, "want to be seen to be on trend" and while the company was once seen as fresh, "newer brands filled the space and cheap competitors provided the look for less". Its rise, she adds, "was hugely motivated by influencers, who have moved on to other products". To make matters worse, Ms Hardcastle says, Superdry's bold branding is an "easy target" for counterfeiters, in a similar way that the Burberry check was vulnerable in the 1990s. Image copyright Reuters Both Mr Dunkerton and Superdry disagree - they see plenty of scope for the brand to regain its cool. But Ms Hardcastle says the company expanded too quickly, and in an attempt to maximise the brand's potential, it may have "diluted its appeal". "When something is a must-have, you have to be careful not to flood the market," she tells the BBC. "Soon it becomes commonplace and everyone wants the new best thing." Mr Dunkerton remains Superdry's biggest shareholder with an 18.5% stake. His aim now is to convince fellow shareholders to believe in his ability to turn the company around, and to bring him back into the boardroom. Mr Dunkerton's return may not be the "silver bullet" the company needs, says Julie Palmer, but she predicts that while Superdry bosses have labelled his bid "extremely damaging", shareholders "may yet flex their muscles". "A change back to what was successful before could be tempting, especially in a climate where we see high profile administrations on an almost weekly basis," she says. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47524589 |
How will Brexit affect the port of Cairnryan? | Image caption Lorry driver Billy Gunn believes has made the trip from Glasgow to Belfast more than 2,000 times over the last 44 years. William Gunn known to his friends as Billy is rattling along the A77 in a lorry packed with aluminium, heading for the ferry at Cairnryan. He may know this road better than anyone, having made the trip from Glasgow to Belfast and back more than 2,000 times over the past 44 years. "Doesn't bear thinking about" he laughs. "Always on a Wednesday. Back on a Friday." Happily Billy, 62, likes driving on a route which many people in south-west Scotland curse for its narrow lanes, tight curves and dangerous junctions. It's a clear run today but Billy fears that Brexit will clog up the ports and the roads. "I would imagine there would just be tailbacks of traffic," he says. "They'll be queuing on the streets probably." Billy's weekly journey takes him on the shortest route across the Irish Sea from Cairnryan to Belfast. Another busy passage runs from Holyhead, on the Welsh island of Anglesey, to Dublin but if Brexit were to lead to customs checks there, then more hauliers may choose to head north to Dumfries and Galloway to enter Northern Ireland instead. Image caption Billy takes the shortest route from Glasgow to Belfast Of course all of this is conjecture but that is the problem with Brexit. Nobody, from the prime minister down, seems to have a clue what is actually going to happen, leaving businesses and individuals alike struggling to plan. Ian Hampton, a senior executive at Stena Line, the largest ferry operator in the North Sea says Brexit may well affect the flow of trade. "There are a lot of goods that flow up and down the isle of Ireland," he says. "They take different routes to and from the United Kingdom, the mainland, so a decision on where that border could be could actually change the way trade moves." Mr Hampton has even suggested that supplies of food and other goods might run short. "On shortages, look it's a potential," he told The Nine news programme on BBC Scotland. "Goods will inevitably require checks as you move to being a third party country to the EU so therefore it could inevitably create delay." Image caption Stena Line's Ian Hampton said it was possible that supplies of food and other goods could run short. In Cairnryan, Lee Medd, business development manager at the Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of Commerce is more upbeat. He evinces a mixture of concern about increased traffic on the roads everyone here is worried about the roads and optimism about the prospects for the UK outside the EU. "I think to be honest we will see a much increased flow of traffic coming in and out of this port. It's already got a lot of traffic coming in from Ireland but it's going to be seen as the easy option," he says. "Business happened around the world before we were part of the European Union," he points out. "People have always wanted to do business with Britain. Britain has always wanted to do business with other people around the world. That will continue. Let's just crack on with it. This could be the best thing to happen to the United Kingdom." Image caption Cafe owner Romano Petrucci raised concerns about the ability of local roads to cope with increased traffic Romano Petrucci, who runs the Central Cafe in Stranraer, which has been serving up fish and chips for six decades, does not share that optimism. Cairnryan is a tiny place with little infrastructure and few places to park so any overflow would put pressure on larger Stranraer, still smarting from the decision to move the port out of the town after 150 years. Stranraer itself is capable of coping, says Mr Petrucci, indeed he would be delighted to see queues of hungry lorry drivers but he believes the roads would struggle to cope. "We've been completely and utterly abandoned for the last 20 years," he says. "We're the only place that doesn't have any dual carriageway for 50 miles in Scotland and yet we're a major port. So no we're not ready." Image caption There are plans to stack lorries on roads outside Stranraer post-Brexit, if necessary Some residents here say they are not convinced that the authorities are ready either. They have accused Dumfries and Galloway Council of failing to explain its plan for Brexit. Martin Ogilvie, resilience manager for the council, says the criticism is not entirely unfair, explaining that the uncertainty meant they had taken a decision not to scare people with speculation. But, he insists, they are prepared. "There are plans already to stack up the vehicles on certain roads through just outside Stranraer," he says. "It's almost like a rolling queue but we can't have these queues blocking the main trunk roads." Image caption Martin Ogilvie insists Dumfries and Galloway Council is prepared for the effects of Brexit The council, he insists, is developing options to get the traffic off the main roads and find somewhere safe to queue. One option is to use the old pier in Stranraer. Back in his lorry, still moving for now, Billy is disgruntled about the whole affair. The referendum campaign, he says, did not do much to inform the public about what would actually happen if the UK voted to leave the EU. "We were not told a great deal about it," he says. "Nobody even tried to explain the full consequences." "Even to this day, I don't think folk truly understand the full consequences of leaving Europe." | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-47524283 |
Is Gordon Hayward getting favorable treatment because of his popularity with some fans? | The Celtics have so many talented players. Yet, they started Gordon Hayward whose play clearly didnt merit it his first 15 games this season. Scroll to continue with content Ad Boston went just 8-7 during those games. Its main starting lineup Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford scored only 91.1 points and got outscored by 3.9 points per 100 possessions during that span. Several reasons: Hes earning $31,214,295 this season and is due $66,887,775 the next two years. He was going to factor significantly into the teams roster construction, regardless. There was plenty of financial pressure to get Hayward on track. Hayward suffered a season-ending injury in Bostons first game last season. He didnt get healthy until shortly before the season. Hayward reaching full speed was always likely to require a rocky transition into game play at some point. Celtics coach Brad Stevens coached Hayward at Butler. It always helps to have the coach so personally believe in you. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN: Story continues And then theres the element of Boston, Massachusetts. They dont just want a star. Of course, theyll take any star that they can get, because their priority is winning. But everybody and their mother knows that particularly when it comes to Boston, if we can have a white superstar, that would be even better. And they view Gordon Hayward as having that kind of potential. So, all of those things considered, the players recognize this, were aware of this. And ultimately those who were compromised by having to be on a court with Gordon Hayward were sensitive to it. Not because they dont like him. Not because hes not a good guy, because he is a good guy. Its just that they know he hasnt fully recovered 100 percent from his injury. So, hes not the same as he used to be. They know hes going to be a step slower. They know hes going to be compromised. I have spoken to people in the league who literally have said, Look man, no disrespect to Gordon Hayward, nice guy, but hes really, really compromised right now. Yes. I dont know. Apparently so, according to Smith. Boston has earned a reputation for its racism. That doesnt make everyone in Boston racist. That doesnt make anyone in the Celtics racist. That doesnt make Boston the only city with racism. But there is a perception, and sometimes perception itself matters. Discussion of race and the Celtics intensified two years ago, when Boston fans cheered Hayward, who was then visiting with the Jazz. Jae Crowder, whos black and was the Celtics starting small forward at the time, took exception. Celtics fans also also cheered visiting black players, Kevin Durant the year before and Anthony Davis this season. Durant and Davis are significantly better than Hayward. On the other hand, Durant (2016), Hayward (2017) and Davis (2019) each looked like the best player Boston could realistically acquire each of those summers. There are no clear motives here. Not every fan cheering for Hayward did so because hes white. Even the fans who prefer their team has a white star rarely admit it, including to themselves. But this is where perception matters. If Celtics players believe Hayward gets special consideration because hes white, whether or not he actually does, that would lead to problems with togetherness, supportiveness, attitude and environment all issues Boston players have said the team has faced this year. Kyrie Irving has taken the most blame. His leadership, impending free agency and general attitude have all made waves. But it doesnt have to be only one thing. Whatever is happening with Irving, the situation around Hayward could also be causing resentment. There are plenty of good reasons to lean on Hayward his contract, his upside as he gets healthier. More than with any other player, the Celtics have played best when Hayward is playing well. Itll be difficult for Boston to reach its goals without Hayward clicking. He and the Celtics have played better lately. The micro problem could be solving itself at least one micro problem. Like most things, Bostons issues are likely complex. | https://sports.yahoo.com/report-gordon-hayward-celtics-players-182429210.html?src=rss |
Why wasn't there a warning before Saturday's tornado in Mesquite? | The tornado that moved through portions of Mesquite on Saturday morning came with no official advance warning from the National Weather Service. It touched down at 7:35 a.m., a minute after the weather service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for portions of Dallas County, including downtown Dallas, University Park, Mesquite and Garland. No deaths or injuries were reported, but homes and a church were damaged. Surveyors also found roofing, fences, signs and poles in the tornado's path that had been destroyed. "This wasn't a tornado in the traditional sense with a clear funnel cloud," meteorologist Steve Fano said. Because there were no reports of a funnel cloud or clear indications of tornado development on computer radars, no tornado warning went out. | https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2019/03/11/wasnt-warning-before-saturdays-tornado-mesquite |
Do supermarkets know more about us than we do? | Retailers invest huge sums trying to understand this decision-making process, or influence it, in a UK grocery market worth almost 200bn. We know supermarkets can learn a huge amount about us by studying what we buy. But our research also suggests that we form personal bonds with products over time, as we try to self-justify our buying decisions. In short, we do not just buy what we prefer, we end up preferring what we buy; and this means we are more open to influence than we might think. Analysing the decisions we make in the supermarket can help us understand the choices we make in other areas of our lives. Shaped by our choices To explore shoppers' decision-making, we collected more than a million till receipts from one of the UK's major supermarket chains over several years. Unsurprisingly, we discovered that people's purchases reveal what they value and what their aims are. These range from very specific goals such as making a stir-fry, to general goals such as reducing their overall spending. Image copyright Getty Images But our relationships with products go a step further, according to a second study involving loyalty card customers. Analysing the buying decisions of 280,000 customers revealed that they fell into a self-reinforcing cycle, where they became more and more attached to a product. These cycles tend to last for several consecutive store visits before the pattern is broken and the process starts again with a different brand. Interestingly, when consumers break out of these self-reinforcing loops, they tend to do so across multiple products at a time. For example, when switching their brand of coffee, they are more likely to change their brands of yoghurt and washing detergent as well. Further analysis of the data ruled out simpler explanations, such as price or force of habit being responsible for these patterns. One explanation is that people come to like what they purchase, out of a need to "make sense" and explain their choices to themselves and others. For example, after buying the ingredients for a salad, a consumer might start to value healthy foods more to justify the purchase. This pattern of behaviour could be exploited to try to create a relationship with a selected product. In the loyalty card study, we sent the supermarket's instant coffee drinking customers coupons to try a different brand. Those in the switching phase were twice as likely to use the coupon as those still locked in to their existing coffee product. Beyond shopping This self-justified decision making is not limited to the weekly shop, but probably spills over to many areas of our lives. For example, studies suggest people defend their selection of everything from the jam they buy to the politicians they decide to vote for in an election. After we vote for a leader we may mimic their positions on many issues, including those we were undecided about or even to which we were opposed. More stories like this Finding a 'hidden gem' Image copyright Getty Images Human decision-making can sometimes be more logical, with takeaway food choices one example of this. A wide-ranging study looked at users of a popular food delivery app in 197 cities, to deduce how they decided from which restaurant to order. It is natural to think the app's users make their ordering decision based on ratings and popularity. In reality, we found they were more interested in finding "hidden gems" with fewer positive reviews. This may seem counter-intuitive and wrong, but this is actually how sophisticated machine-learning systems deal with uncertainty. The more reviews a restaurant has, the more trustworthy the rating is. When a restaurant only has a few reviews, even if they are not very positive, there is still a decent chance that the restaurant will be excellent. After all, those few reviewers may just be off the mark. In contrast, when a restaurant has many good - but not excellent - reviews, the odds are vanishingly small that the restaurant is exceptional. In effect, customers prefer to take a chance on greatness rather than a guarantee of mediocrity. Image copyright Getty Images We found that people ordering in cities with better restaurants are more likely to take risks. This is a smart move, because you are more likely to chance upon an excellent restaurant in a city with a good food scene. However, our research indicates that when people do explore and are burned by a bad experience, they return to familiar and unhealthy choices, like hamburgers. A method to the madness Although consumers might not be aware of it, their purchases reveal a great deal about them. While they may appear to be mindlessly browsing food delivery options after a night out, the data trail they leave reveals a method to the madness. We now know that when loyalty to one product is broken, consumers are likely to switch other products too. Shoppers could take advantage of this window to replace bad habits with good ones, but could also be more susceptible to advertisements for new products. Our understanding of human decision-making is improving all the time. Combined with advancements in AI, this could help unlock not just our food choices but all of the decisions that we make. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from experts working for an outside organisation. Brad Love is a fellow at The Alan Turing Institute, the UK's national centre for data science and artificial intelligence. He is also professor of Cognitive and Decision Sciences at University College London. You can follow him on Twitter here. Professor Love has previously worked as a consultant for Customer Data Science company dunnhumby. Edited by Eleanor Lawrie | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47357292 |
Should the Lakers trade LeBron James? | LeBron James is now on a minutes restriction for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are poised to miss the playoffs in James first year in the Western Conference. The bulk of NBA writers are now backpedaling after unequivocally claiming that James was worth a guaranteed 40 wins, even out West. Meanwhile, the dysfunction in LA is obvious. Scroll to continue with content Ad Theyre a team run on brand and brand alone, with an underwhelming court product that is not championship-level by any measure. And in the face of LeBrons brand, the Lakers have immediately let him have the right of way despite their own purported stature in the basketball community. James has come first, and with it has been a series of bad front office moves that, while initially pleasing to LeBron, were obvious mistakes to anyone watching. Now theres real rumblings about what can actually be done to fix LAs problem, particularly as its unclear whether stars outside of Anthony Davis really want to join James. Kawhi Leonard apparently does not. To that end, the most radical suggestion has been to simply trade LeBron. That was the idea put forth by Jeff Van Gundy this week, who said he felt as though exploration into the idea was necessary. Van Gundy suggested sending James to the Los Angeles Clippers for cap space, which would give the Lakers a better chance at signing Kevin Durant this summer. Via Twitter: | https://sports.yahoo.com/lakers-trade-lebron-james-220211398.html?src=rss |
Will Brexit be decided today? | Theresa May returns to parliament today after a last ditch dash to Strasbourg to win fresh concessions on her deal. Daniel Boffey in Brussels and Sonia Sodha in London explain how the process could now pan out. With both sides considering an extension of article 50, time is running out if Britain is to leave the EU as planned on 29 March. The Guardians Brussels bureau chief, Daniel Boffey, has been following every twist in the negotiations. He tells Anushka Asthana that the interpretation of the Irish backstop is still the key to breaking the deadlock. Meanwhile, trust between the two sides is at an all-time low. Back in London, Guardian and Observer writer Sonia Sodha lays out how the rest of the week could play out in parliament. Also today: environment editor Matthew Taylor on practical steps you can take to reduce your exposure to air pollution. | https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2019/mar/12/how-does-brexit-look-from-brussels-podcast |
Who's To Blame for Violence in the Mideast? | And now some fresh pickings from the political grapevine. Three members of the panel that selects winners of the Nobel Peace Prize now say they regret granting that honor to Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. Hanna Kvanmo says she would rescind the prize, if she could, and she blames Peres for violence in the region: "Peres is responsible, as part of the government....If he had not agreed with [Prime Minister] Sharon, then he would have withdrawn from the government." Former Norwegian Prime Minister Odvar Nordii also complains that Peres has not lived up to the ideals he expressed when he received the prize in 1994. Oslo Bishop Gunnar Stallsett also expresses disappointment in Peres. None of the three mentioned any misgivings about a man who shared the peace prize that year with Peres Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. Here's a novel theory from the indispensable French. Thierry Meyssan, the leader of a popular left-wing think tank, argues in a new book that the U.S. government actually staged a fake crash into the Pentagon on Sept. 11 that the whole thing was a hoax. In The Frightening Fraud, Meyssan cites conflicting eyewitness accounts and the lack of photos of the disaster disregarding ample photos, including recently released security-camera pictures. Meyssan also alleges there was a secret CIA base at the World Trade Center, and that Usama bin Laden is a "hired agent" of the U.S. government. The book offers no alternative explanation for the death of more than 3,000 people on that Tuesday in September. One Pentagon spokesman calls the book "a slap in the face" to the American people and the victims of Sept. 11. Equally galling, pardon the pun, is the fact that the book is selling well in France. The Southern Baptist Convention will boycott a hotel near the St. Louis airport because the lodging facility soon after will host an unusual three-day celebration of fleshly kink. A group called "Leather and Lace" will hold its "Beat Me In St. Louis" gathering at the hotel. The group advocates the "free expression of alternative lifestyles and forms of loving" including bondage, domination and sadomasochism. The three-day spree in St. Louis will include Dungeon Parties, featuring medieval torture devices and workshops that illustrate such non-traditional affection forms as caning and whipping. The Baptist convention regards the Leather and Lace event a direct attack on the fabric of traditional family values" of the Baptist church. Neither the hotel nor the tough-love advocates were returning reporters' calls today. One Latin-American organization is coming to the defense of embattled cartoon mouse Speedy Gonzales. The League of United Latin American Citizens or "LULAC" wants to see Speedy back on the air. The Cartoon Network gave Speedy a siesta in 1999 amid complaints that the cartoon contains anti-Mexican stereotypes. But LULAC's director of policy and legislation, Gabriel Lemus, says he's never heard any Mexican-Americans complain about Speedy. Despite that, the Cartoon Network has no plans to put Speedy Gonzales back on the air. | https://www.foxnews.com/story/whos-to-blame-for-violence-in-the-mideast |
Are more tropical cyclones coming? | Keep the brollies handy there is a chance a tropical cyclone is heading our way. WeatherWatch.co.nz head forecaster Philip Duncan says storms are brewing north of country and there's a chance they could be edging towards New Zealand in the coming weeks. He says they will have more of an update on Thursday. At the moment tropical cyclones are likely to form around the Solomon Sea, Coral Sea and also the Pacific between northern New Zealand and Fiji. There is some threat to New Zealand even if confidence levels are currently low at around 25 per cent, Duncan said. Advertisement The biggest of the storms looked to be the one furthest from New Zealand, up around the Solomon Sea. Duncan said data WeatherWatch.co.nz trusted from various global computer models suggested this cyclone has "severe" potential being in such ideal conditions. "The lows that may form closer to New Zealand look significantly weaker but still have the potential for some severe weather, but perhaps more importantly may bring some rain to dry areas," Duncan said. He said despite the three previous cyclone threats in the New Zealand area so far this year, all have been stopped due to high pressure before reaching the country. "High pressure looks to dominate in our area still, maybe for the rest of March, but there are some cracks showing in this solid belt of pressure and is why we've seen some soaking rains in recent days - so anything is possible," Duncan said. WeatherWatch.co.nz reports have stressed March was the peak of the South Pacific cyclone season so it was very normal to see tropical storms north of the country at this time. Weather Watch Tuesday Night: Auckland: Tonight: Partly cloudy, sea breezes ease, 17C. Tomorrow: Partly cloudy, light northwest winds then afternoon sea breezes, 24C. Hamilton: Tonight: Some cloud, light western northwest winds, 14C. Tomorrow: Morning cloud then sunny areas, light winds tend westerly in the afternoon, 25C. Tauranga: Tonight: Some cloud, light northerly winds, 16C. Tomorrow: Sunny spells, light winds, 26C. New Plymouth Tonight: Rain, 18C. Tomorrow: Rain, 21C. Wellington: Tonight: Mostly cloudy, risk of a shower. Breezy north to northwest winds, 16C. Tomorrow: Morning showers then mostly cloudy, breezy northwest winds, 22C. Christchurch: Tonight: Mainly clear skies, easterly winds ease, 13C. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny with some developing high cloud, a few late evening showers as northerly winds change southerly, 29C. Dunedin: Tonight: A few clouds, eastern northeast winds, 14C. Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, evening showers possibly heavy as north east winds change fresh southwest, 25C. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12212047&ref=rss |
Will I Limit My Career Path By Pursuing DO Instead Of MD? | Getting into medical school is not easy. In 2018, only 41% of all applicants were accepted, with a low MCAT score listed as the biggest application deal-breaker in the application. For students who are applying to medical school with a lower-than-average GPA or MCAT score, they might be weighing their options to see if there are is another way to earn the title of doctor. There are dozens of medical specialties out there and various degrees associated with the medical field. There is more to the name doctor then you might realize. However, the terms doctor and MD are often used as synonyms, but this is not always the case. Licensed physicians can hold either an MD or DO degree. MD Vs. DO: Different Approaches Both allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools instruct their students in the necessary scientific foundations to become licensed physicians. However, the approaches the two schools take are very different. To obtain your medical doctor degree (MD), you must attend an allopathic medical school. Allopathic medicine uses science to diagnose and treat any medical conditions. Osteopathic medicine is a little less-known and takes a more holistic approach. Doctors who receive their DO degree study something called osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), a method that involves moving muscles and joints to promote healing. When OMT fits within a patients treatment plan, it can be used to complement drugs or surgery, adding another dimension to medical care. Physicians with both an MD and a DO are licensed in all 50 states to practice medicine, perform surgeries, and prescribe medication. MD Vs. DO: Education There are more than 152 accredited U.S. allopathic colleges, whereas there are just 35 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine. Naturally, that means that there are more MDs than DOs, with roughly 25% of all doctors receiving their degree from an osteopathic medical school. The National Resident Matching Program surveyed all active medical school students who participated in the 2018 Main Residency Match. The number of seniors who attended allopathic medical school in 2018 numbered at 18,818 whereas the students of osteopathic medical schools numbered at just 4,275. There is a stigma surrounding DOs and the level of work and academic success you must have achieved to be accepted. Years ago, it was believed that earning a degree in osteopathic medicine versus allopathic medicine was the more easily-accessible path to becoming a doctor. As the gap has lessened, it can be just as difficult to be admitted into a DO program compared to an MD one. The average MCAT score for matriculants into a medical school was a 510.4, on the other hand, the average MCAT scores for matriculants into a college of osteopathic medicine averaged around 502.2. Once they enter into their respective medical schools, the path to becoming a doctor is very similar. Both MDs and DOs have earned bachelors degrees and then attend a four-year medical school. While in med school, they both learn the same basic knowledge regarding anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology. DOs spend an additional 200 hours learning about nerves, muscles, bones, and how the connection between them will affect their patients overall health. When doctors of osteopathic medicine enter into the workforce, they can incorporate that training into their day-to-day patient interactions if they choose. MD Vs. DO: Exams The allopathic and osteopathic paths to becoming a doctor begin to split once the students take their licensing exams. Students at allopathic schools take the USMLE series, while osteopathic students often take the COMLEX sequence. Both of these exams are three-step exams and prospective doctors take them between the end of their second year of medical school and their first year of residency. However, DOs can take the USMLE exam as well as the COMLEX sequence. While it does add considerably to the students workload, it is worth it if they are considering a residency program that requires the USMLE. These two exams might cover similar topics, but they are a bit different in the testing style. In general, allopathic students are better prepared for taking the USMLE examinations and tend to do better than osteopathic students. The mean USMLE Step 1 Score for all matched U.S. allopathic seniors was 233 while the mean USMLE Step 1 Score for all matched US osteopathic seniors was 227. Ultimately, the student needs to assess their own individual goals and interests when deciding if they should take the USMLE. The USMLE will increase the number of programs the student can apply to and will give them greater access to more specialized programs. However, depending on the residencies the student is interested in, the USMLE might not be necessary for an osteopathic student. Osteopathic students should be confident that they will do well on the USMLE before committing to taking it. According to the 2018 NRMP (National Resident Matching Program) Program Director, of the 1,333 programs surveyed, only 2% said that the USMLE was not required. 30% of the program directors said they would never admit a student who failed the USMLE on their first attempts, and 58% said they would seldom admit a student who failed. Of those schools, 46% of programs said that they do use the COMLEX-USA exam when considering which applicants to invite for an interview. Taking the USMLE helps put the students on an even playing field; the directors can compare the students more easily if they have all taken the same exam. MD Vs. DO: Residency According to the National Resident Matching Program, allopathic seniors preferred the specialties of radiology, neurological surgery, orthopedic surgery, and plastic surgery. They least preferred to match with a residency in pathology, family medicine, or internal medicine. On the other hand, osteopathic medical seniors preferred family medicine, pathology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and psychiatry more than other specialties. They were less likely to apply for a residency in otolaryngology, plastic surgery, radiation oncology, and orthopedic surgery. Overall, 91.8% of US allopathic seniors matched with their preferred specialty. 82.6% of US osteopathic seniors paired with their preferred specialty. As of 2019, MD students could only match with programs that were accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and DO students could match with residencies that are accredited by either the ACGME or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). However, this is all about to change. In July of 2020, the accreditation councils will merge to form a single GME Accreditation system, allowing MD and DO students to apply to any residencies. The purpose of this merger is to create a more consistent method of evaluating residencies. It will affect both current and future DO students, who no longer will have a safe haven of residencies that only DO students can apply to. That means that allopathic students will have more opportunities open to them, perhaps at the expense of weaker DO students. When choosing between DO and MD, you should consider what you want your future specialty to be, as your chances of matching with your desired program can increase depending on if you go to an allopathic or osteopathic medical school. Being a DO does not make you any worse or better of a doctor. Your residency and your action will determine that, not what letters follow your name. Research for this article was contributed by Moon Prep college counselor, Lindsey Conger. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristenmoon/2019/03/12/will-i-limit-my-career-path-by-pursuing-do-instead-of-md/ |
Do long-term, no-strings sex arrangements ever work? | For some people, the answer is yes, yes, yes It is 30 years since the release of When Harry Met Sally. Nora Ephron and Rob Reiners genre-defining romcom had so many hilarious, timeless lines, from: How long do I have to lie here and hold her before I can get up and go home? to: When I get a new book, I read the last page first. That way, if I die before I finish I know how it comes out. For Rachel, a bisexual woman in her early 30s, the answer is an enthusiastic yes, yes, yes! For about five years, she has gone through periods of regularly having sex with a friend she met at university, with the agreement that we wouldnt develop a deeper relationship, she says. We didnt contact each other frequently in between dates or ask for the sort of emotional support youd get from a partner. I cared about him, but I wasnt dependent on his affection and I didnt feel responsible for him beyond how youd feel about a friend. And wed have really good sex. Rachel always felt she knew exactly where they stood, because they talked about the nature of their relationship, discussing the limits of what they expected from each other. When you are in an arrangement like this, you have to talk about things rather than make assumptions, and I really enjoyed how honest we were both able to be. I found it incredibly freeing that he didnt ask anything from me. As someone who has never had this sort of relationship, I found it difficult at first to get my head around it not because I felt judgmental, but because I felt admiring. I think you have to be quite emotionally mature to be able to accept something for what it is, without trying to turn it into something more, or denigrate it for not being something it is not. Relationships like this, says Rachel, where you are enjoying sex for what it is without making it represent something deeper, ask you to think about how sex usually functions in society. She describes how, if you have sex with someone and get into a relationship with them, you are turning something that started off as a fun encounter into something that completely changes your life. You might end up spending most of your time with this person, making decisions about your life based on their input, using them as your main source of emotional support. People assume thats the natural trajectory, and sometimes thats great but sometimes its nice to just have sex with someone you like without those assumptions and expectations, she says. I ask her if there are any downsides: Probably not. It may sound too good to be true, but for psychosexual therapist Kate Moyle, it does not have to be. If both parties are really busy in their jobs, their social lives and family lives, and dont have the available emotional space for a relationship, why isnt this the perfect solution? she asks. You get to have sex with the same person, which can typically be quite satisfactory because you get to know each other and each others bodies, and there isnt the emotional dependency and stress of dealing with someones feelings. You dont lose your independence. She believes this kind of less demanding relationship is on the rise because of the lifestyles of young people. We are a generation who seem to work such long hours, with the complete dissolving of nine-to-five because of technology. That is part of the appeal of sex-only relationships for Laura, in her late 20s, who began seeing her then-colleague Mark four years ago. I have a busy life, a demanding job, and this situation works for me, she says. I dont even know how I would go about getting into a relationship with someone right now, the time and energy you have to devote to that. Its convenient to be able to say to someone at 11pm, Are you around? You cant really do that in a normal dating situation. Mark says: Its a bit like a relationship-lite. We usually see each other once a fortnight maximum, and the vibe is always quite intimate even though it is understood that it will never be any more than what it is. He adds: At times, when Ive felt unsure or anxious or worried or sad or lonely, its been incredibly comforting. And then at other times its just been really good fun we do get on really well, and we have amazing sex. For Laura, Its always a bit more exciting, because you dont fall into the same repetitive boring patterns of being in a relationship. You never get past that honeymoon period. It also means she can avoid dating apps. I dont like modern dating I dont like sacrificing an evening to meet someone Ill probably know instantly isnt someone that I have any connection with, and then have a drink and be polite or whatever, for an allotted amount of time, before I can leave. But for Laura unlike for Rachel there is a downside. There is something weirdly arrested about the whole situation. It is not that this kind of relationship is better or worse than more traditional monogamous relationships, but the nature of the thing is that it has its own limitations, she says. Its also not something you can explain to friends and family. Im seeing someone and its been going on a really long time but were not together you cant explain that to your mum, can you? She laughs. Things go wrong, in Moyles experience, when people change, or when they do not stick to the boundaries they have established at the start. Difficulties tend to come up when one partner meets somebody new, or if they decide to end it. There is a sense of a relationship even if they want it not to be a relationship, because we have a form of a relationship with anyone we are regularly connecting with. This is what Mary found. She is a mother of three in her early 40s who divorced five years ago, and she has been having regular sex with a male friend. But it is now proving more complex than she had hoped. She has developed feelings of attachment for him, and he for her. This might sound like a Harry Met Sally happy ending, but, as she explains, it is not. We werent supposed to. Its complicated because he wants to spend more time with me, and I dont want the same I dont want a relationship, as I am concentrating on my girls. It has been draining, as its getting in the way of our friendship. I think you have to lay down rules at the beginning and stick to them or someone will get hurt. There is a name for two people having regular sex with each other on the understanding that it will not grow into a loving, committed relationship in fact there are several names. Friends with benefits is one, non-relationships another. But, for the people I spoke to, none of these terms accurately encapsulates what is going on. For Emily Witt, the author of Future Sex, a book about contemporary sexuality, the name is important. If you dont have a name for what youre doing, if you dont have the words to describe your own reality, it increases your sense of alienation, she says. The best term she has found is erotic friendship, and, she says, erotic friendships have value. In popular culture maybe theyre seen as cheap or disposable or a waste of time, but I think theyre places where you can learn a lot. You get to learn somebodys sexual quirks and the diversity of what turns people on and what they want, you practise communicating your own desires and dont just assume the person can intuit them. That experience really is worthwhile. Yet, Moyle says, these kinds of relationships have traditionally been stigmatised: people such as Rachel, Mary, Mark and Laura are depicted as people who dont want to or cant commit, people who want it all. I guess it doesnt fit with the historically expected monogamous model, therefore its considered other, she says. But we dont have to conform to the traditional heteronormative model of man meets woman, they get engaged, married, have kids. This rings true for Rachel. We still hold on to this idea of romantic love as a kind of happy ending for women, she says. If Im sleeping with my friend whom I care about and who is kind to me, and Im not in love with him, or making plans around our bond, I dont think anybodys being shortchanged it just feels like a way to have fun together and enjoy closeness and human connection. That idea of romantic love is what provides the happy ending of When Harry Met Sally, but, as Witt says, that Hollywood thing, where any close friendship between people who might be sexually attracted to each other ends up in true love thats just not how it is. Perhaps if there were less stigma, and we knew more stories like Rachels, more single people would find themselves saying the films other most famous line: Ill have what shes having. Names have been changed | https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/12/do-long-term-no-strings-sex-arrangements-ever-work |
Can we tweak marine chemistry to help stave off climate change? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Wil Burns, American University School of International Service and Greg H. Rau, University of California, Santa Cruz (THE CONVERSATION) The worlds nations are nowhere near to meeting the global Paris Agreements goals on climate change of holding global temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius compared to 19th-century averages, much less its more aspirational goal of holding temperatures to a 1.5C rise. The most recent Emissions Gap Report from the United Nations Environment Program notes global greenhouse gas emissions show no signs of peaking. According to another study, the chance that humans can limit warming to no more than 2C by 2100 is no more than 5 percent, and its likely that temperatures will rise somewhere between 2.6-3.7C by the end of the century. These foreboding trends have led to an increasing focus on ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Among the methods being explored is the use of the ocean to absorb and/or store carbon by adding crushed rocks or other sources of alkalinity to react with CO2 in seawater, ultimately consuming atmospheric CO2. A closer look illustrates the potential environmental trade-offs of deploying marine carbon dioxide removal and the complex technical, economic and international governance issues it raises. Land versus ocean carbon capture and storage We and other researchers see the ocean as a logical place to look for additional carbon dioxide removal opportunities since it currently passively absorbs about 10 gigatons (10,000,000,000 tons) of CO2 per year or about one-quarter of the worlds annual emissions. In addition, the oceans contain vastly more carbon than the atmosphere, soils, plants and animals combined, and may have the potential to store trillions of tons more. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change focused heavily on land-based methods for carbon capture and storage. One prominent technique is called bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, BECCS, where plant biomass would be burned to produce usable energy and the resulting CO2 is pumped underground. However, there are a number of concerns about the potential negative impacts of large-scale deployment of BECCS and other land-plant-based methods, notably the worry that huge amounts of agricultural land would be diverted to grow dedicated crops. This could reduce access of low-income populations to food, place demands on water and have serious negative impacts on biodiversity due to ecosystem disruption. Speeding up geochemistry Perhaps the best-known and at times, controversial method for marine carbon dioxide removal is stimulating photosynthesis to increase CO2 absorption. For example, in regions where marine plant growth is limited by iron, this element can be added to enhance CO2 uptake and carbon storage where at least some of the biomass carbon formed eventually sinks to and is buried in the ocean floor. Other approaches include restoring, adding or culturing marine plants or microbes, such as Blue Carbon. Another technique being considered is to try to accelerate the chemical reaction of CO2 with common rock minerals, a natural process known as mineral weathering. When rain reacts with alkaline rocks and CO2, theres a chemical reaction, which can be catalyzed by biological activity in soils, that converts the CO2 to dissolved mineral bicarbonate and carbonate ions which then typically run off into the ocean. Mineral weathering plays a major role in removing excess atmospheric CO2, but only on geologic time scales 100,000 years or more. Various ways to accelerate mineral weathering and ocean carbon storage that have been proposed include adding to surface waters finely ground alkaline minerals or adding common, industrially produced alkaline chemicals, such as quicklime (CaO), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), and lye or caustic soda (NaOH). Once added to the ocean, these compounds react with excess CO2 in seawater and air, principally forming stable, dissolved mineral bicarbonate, thus removing and sequestering CO2. Such ocean alkalization could be achieved via distribution from shore or by ships. Another proposal is to manufacture alkalinity at sea using local marine energy sources: for example, employing electricity derived from the oceans very significant vertical temperature gradient. Reacting waste CO2 with minerals on shore and then pumping the resulting dissolved alkaline material into the ocean is also an option. All of the preceding would simply add to the already vast bicarbonate and carbonate reservoir in the ocean. An additional benefit of ocean alkalization is that it also helps counter ocean acidification, the other CO2 problem stemming from the oceans absorption of excess CO2 from the air. Acidification can interfere with the ability of calcifying organisms, such as oysters, clams and corals to construct their skeletons or shells, as well as impact other pH-sensitive marine biogeochemical processes. What we dont know The actual practical capacity of ocean alkalization to counter climate change and acidification remains uncertain. Considering the logistics, cost and impacts of extracting or manufacturing alkalinity and dispersing it, studies have estimate that air CO2 drawdowns of perhaps 30 parts per million or less might be realistic. This would be helpful given that the level of CO2 in preindustrial times was 260-270 parts per million and is now 410 parts per million. We calculate a global drawdown of atmospheric CO2 by 30 parts per million would require near-zero emissions from human activities, plus the removal and storage of some 470 gigatons of CO2. To achieve this, a minimum of roughly 500 gigatons of rock would need to be used to generate the required alkalinity. Current global rock extraction is on the order of 50 gigatons per year, so holding other rock uses steady while increasing this extraction rate by 50 percent could theoretically allow us to achieve the drawdown in 20 years. This obviously needs to be tested at vastly smaller scales to determine what global capacity and rates might be realizable. Nor is this just a matter of alkalinity production; there are potential negative impact of ocean alkalization on marine ecosystems that need to be considered. In addition to the effects of pH and alkainity elevation (either instantaneous or gradual), alkalinity addition would likely carry with it other elements or compounds, such as trace metals and silica, that can also affect marine biogeochemistry. Little research has been conducted on these points, but the results so far generally find no or positive effects on marine life. Further investigation is needed to fully understand the environmental and ecological consequences, including conducting small and medium-sized field trials. Any deployment would need to be subjected to strict monitoring requirements to assess both the environmental benefits and well as the negative impacts of large scale deployment. Some measure of confidence in the use of ocean alkalization might be found in the fact that natural mineral weathering and alkalinity delivery to the ocean has naturally occurred for billions of years (currently at the rate of about 1 gigaton of CO2 consumed and stored per year), apparently with the marine ecosystem well adapted to if not requiring this input. Nevertheless, the possibility of significantly and safely scaling up this natural process requires further research. Legal questions At a legal level, countries would need to address international governance issues associated with this approach. Presumably, the Paris Agreement would be one of the regimes involved given its focus on addressing climate change. Any role ocean akalinity could play in countries pledges to mitigate emissions would require provisions that mandate assessment of potential impacts of deployment. The Paris Agreement could facilitate this given its references in various provisions to the need to assess the impacts of response measures in the context of ecosystems, sustainability, development and human rights. Ocean-focused regimes such as the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter and the Law of the Sea Convention, and its Protocol, might also seek to be engaged in assessment and regulation, as well as the Convention on Biological Diversity. Coordinating the potential interventions of all of these regimes responses would be another challenge posed by deployment of ocean alkalinity, as would the many other carbon dioxide removal approaches that could have transboundary impacts. The specter of potentially catastrophic climate change by the end of the century has stimulated interest in an array of new technological options to remove CO2 from the ocean and atmosphere at large scale. But they could also pose risks of their own. Adding alkaline materials to speed up mineral weathering is one such approach that deserves serious consideration, though only after thorough scrutiny. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/can-we-tweak-marine-chemistry-to-help-stave-off-climate-change-93174. | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Can-we-tweak-marine-chemistry-to-help-stave-off-13681419.php |
Why is it so hard to create more Navigation Centers in San Francisco? | San Francisco has spent millions of dollars building and operating Navigation Centers since 2015, yet hundreds of homeless people who want to take advantage of the services they offer still find themselves without a bed every night. City officials want to build more but are having a really hard time figuring out where. The city has been on a continuing hunt for sites to build new Navigation Centers the enhanced shelters that offer the homeless a place to sleep as well as substance-abuse treatment and job training. Among the places considered and rejected: the shuttered AMC 14 movie theater and the former KRON-TV building on Van Ness Avenue, the never-used and empty 6x6 mall on Market Street, and a closed Pottery Barn in the Castro. Officials have also looked at parking garages, old churches and even the land around the horse stables in Golden Gate Park. But each one had its problems: Too big, too small, too expensive, too many things to repair or too far away from areas where the homeless congregate. The city settled on one potential new site last week: Seawall Lot 330 on the Embarcadero, which now is a parking lot owned by the Port of San Francisco. But it comes with its own problems, such as dense neighborhoods nearby full of expensive apartments whose residents might object. It also lacks basic utilities, like water and sewer service. It is also located in District Six, which might not seem like a problem because most homelessness services are clustered in the southeast quadrant of the city in Districts Six, Nine and 10. But supervisors outside of those districts are growing increasingly frustrated with the bureaucracy, logistics and millions of dollars involved in opening Navigation Centers, even when theyd welcome one to their district. The lack of success in securing sites has some wondering if they really are the best option for the citys homeless. It is frustrating, said District Five Supervisor Vallie Brown, who has been vigorously looking for a place to put a Navigation Center, or other type of shelter, in the Haight. I thought it would be a lot easier. Navigation Centers are temporary structures, often built on land slated for development. They have fewer rules than traditional shelters and offer robust services to steer people into permanent housing. San Francisco has created eight of them since March 2015. If the 200-bed Navigation Center is located at the proposed Embarcadero site, it would be the largest in the city. The Port Commission, which oversees the parcel, plans to take public comment on the proposal on Tuesday. In the process of deciding on the site, representatives for the mayors office and the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing vetted and rejected more than a hundred locations around the city. Thats because creating a Navigation Center isnt as easy as finding an empty building or open lot and setting up a few beds, said Jeff Kositsky, director of the homelessness department. It takes a tremendous amount of time and energy he said. Finding a site. If its an empty plot of land, the city needs to ensure it has access to water, electricity and sewer service. If its an existing building, it needs to be structurally sound, have proper utility access and be the right size. And thats assuming the city can first persuade the owner to sell it or lease it for a reasonable price. Then comes the cost. Building a Navigation Center from scratch, or renovating an existing building, can cost the city $2 million to $3 million, or more. The high price tag quickly becomes hard to justify when the site is only temporary, Kositsky said. Some of the Navigation Centers are costing us more than permanent supportive housing, Kositsky said. We are open to any and all opportunities so long as it makes sense in terms of the investment and time that it takes. Plus, he said, Navigation Centers arent the only type of shelters the department has created. Between July 2016 and December 2018, the city added more than 540 units of permanent supportive housing with over 1,000 more in the pipeline. It also opened 80 family shelter beds. Still, some supervisors are becoming increasingly impatient. District Three Supervisor Aaron Peskin unleashed his frustration on Kositsky at a recent committee hearing, blasting him for turning down three potential sites Peskin had proposed in his district over the past few years an old church, a city-owned parking lot and port-owned lot at Bay and Kearny streets. I still dont have that site ... because various government officials have gotten in the way of that, he said, his voice growing tense. Later that day, Peskin called for a new department leader. The city had a reason for rejecting each of Peskins proposals, however. The church was sold, the city lot was intended for an affordable-housing project and the port property was simply too expensive. We are operating with a high sense of urgency, Kositsky said. But we are also being smart about what we do. Meanwhile, some supervisors are questioning if Navigation Centers are worth the money and effort. Not only are they expensive and temporary, but they dont always offer adequate services for the mentally ill. Kositsky said he supports a new shelter model in the city, dubbed Safe Navigation Centers, that offer the same elements of a Navigation Center but are bigger and exist for longer. The proposed Embarcadero site would be the citys first Safe Navigation Center. District Eight Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who was originally against bringing a Navigation Center to his district, said while he is now open to one, he said he is looking for other models that would make sense for his district, such as a crisis intervention center or a space with drop-in services. Im not sure how Navigation Centers built in the Richmond, Sunset, Forest Hill or the Marina, for that matter would really address a problem of mental illness, Mandelman said. The mayor, supervisors and officials at the homelessness department all agree there is simply too much bureaucracy involved in creating more places for people to sleep and transition into housing. Mayor London Breed is backing two ordinances, which the full Board of Supervisors will consider in the coming weeks, to exempt shelters and Navigation Centers from the building permit process and expedite the hiring of contractors to manage the facilities. Community meetings Tuesday, 3:15 p.m.: The San Francisco Port Commission will hear public comment in the Port Commission Hearing Room in the Ferry Building. Tuesday, 6 to 7:30 p.m.: The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing will host a meeting at 600 The Embarcadero. Thursday, 5 p.m.: The Mission Bay Citizens Advisory Committee will hold at 225 Berry St. Read More Even when a location and price are cleared, the city still has another major hurdle: community pushback from those who dont want to attract more homeless people to their neighborhoods. Proposals for Navigation Centers, shelters or even housing for low-income seniors have received neighborhood pushback in recent years, from the Mission to Forest Hill. Even the proposal for Seawall Lot 330 is expected to face some some opposition at a community meeting Tuesday from residents resistant to putting a shelter near their homes. Ive been looking for some kind of facility that will help us meet the needs of the homeless in Upper Market, Castro, Duboce Triangle, Dolores and Mission, and also help those neighborhoods reduce the presence of homeless folks seeking shelter, Mandelman said. But, nothing is going to happen without some degree of buy-in from the neighborhood. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @TrishaThadani | https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Why-is-it-so-hard-to-create-more-Navigation-13680594.php |
Do we have too many holidays? | On March 11, the date of publication, America is recovering from a late Mardi Gras and gearing up for St. Patricks Day. You might think two holidays in one month is more than enough, but if thats the case, youre missing out on some major occasions for celebration. March 11 is also National Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day and National Fill Our Staplers Day. Some say these obscure holidays are getting out of hand, while others revel in the fun. March is not just a time for green beer and shamrocks; it's also a celebration of oatmeal nut waffles, staplers and plumbing. You're not alone. Nevertheless, according to National Day Calendar, Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day commemorates the "healthier version of the classic waffle." The utility of this day remains to be seen. The existence of this obscure holiday and others like it only detract from more legitimate holidays...like National Pancake Day. Plus, some of these holidays do have utility. National Fill Our Staplers Day occurs twice a year right after daylight savingsit's that time of year to check the batteries in your smoke detectors AND the staplers on your desk. You're welcome in advance. Plus, wed be lost without National Napping Day. These holidays are a win-win for everyone. There are over 1,500 national holidays or "days," giving everyone literally hundreds of reasons to celebrate things that need not be celebrated. Or maybe you're mentally preparing for International Body Piercing Day in June. These days are fun every now and then, but they've gotten out of hand. In truth, most of these days arent there just to make you happy or inspire you to spend a few extra minutes thinking about your sea monkey experiment as a childtheyre marketing ploys. According to Chron: All one has to do to register the special day is send an application to the people at the National Day Calendar website. Right now the site is so bogged down with requests for recognition that its only accepting applications from companies and organizations. National Day Calendar adds to prospective celebrators: The build-up to a National Day, Week or Month is great. News stories, increase in product sales, fundraising opportunities for non-profits, top of mind awareness and much more can be generated annually. Whether youre eating your oatmeal nut waffles today or not, some company wants you to. And that makes each of these holidays a little less sweet. Getting a national day declared for your favorite thing isnt as hard as you think Fear notnot all holidays were inspired by capitalism. National Napping Day was created by a professor and his wife in order to promote healthy sleep habits. Pi Day on March 14 simply celebrates a transcendental number with all manner of round foods. You just cant get more innocent and worthy of celebration than that. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. | https://www.cleveland.com/tylt/2019/03/do-we-have-too-many-holidays.html |
Can Oracle Continue Surprising The Market In Q3? | Oracle will report its fiscal Q3 results on Thursday, March 14. If the company can continue to build on Larry Ellisons Analyst Day narrative and again beat consensus expectations as it did in Q2, the stocks valuation could have some upside. We have a price estimate of $58 per share for Oracle, which is around 10% higher than the current market price. Our interactive dashboard on Oracles Price Estimate outlines our forecasts and estimates for the company. You can modify any of the key drivers to visualize the impact of changes on its valuation, and see all of our technology company data here. In Q2, Oracle registered its seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit EPS growth. In addition to the cloud business, the highlight was the ERP and HCM business having reached annualized revenues of $2.6 billion, representing annual growth of over 20%. All About The Cloud During the companys Analyst Day in October, Larry Ellison stated that if Oracle could move Oracle database and other workloads to the Oracle cloud, it could potentially be a $100 billion opportunity. He also shared expectations that the beginning of this transformative opportunity could come in 2019, without giving specific timelines. In context of the momentum seen by the company (Oracle had seen nearly 200 of its ERP customers move to the cloud in Q2) and the value proposition that customers have been able to achieve, we will be watching closely to see if this opportunity begins to show in the companys revenue figures. While we expect to hear about competitive wins, we will also be listening for developments on the case involving Google allegedly having infringed on Oracles IP (Java) and specific milestones around when cloud business growth can potentially offset the decline in the legacy businesses. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/12/can-oracle-continue-surprising-the-market-in-q3/ |
Is It Time To Worry About The Golden State Warriors? | The Golden State Warriors are showing some signs of wear and tear as they try to do what no team has done since the 1960s Boston Celtics and reach their fifth consecutive NBA Finals, and win their fourth title in five years. Another disappointing home loss to the lowly Phoenix Suns has sparked a new round of Warriors-related concern. With only a month left in the regular season, its certainly not an ideal time to be spluttering. This week they head out on a tough road trip that could very well be a precursor to their Western Conference playoffs schedule with trips to Houston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio. In truth, the home loss to the Suns shouldnt really bother anyone. Good teams lose to bad teams all the time. Even the 73-9 Warriors lost at home to a young, struggling Minnesota Timberwolves team late in the 2015/16 season. A letdown game after one of the more engaged efforts of the season to beat the second-placed Denver Nuggets may be frustrating, but its not going to doom anyones season. As for the vibe of tiredness, Coach Steve Kerr said yesterday that I think this year actually reminds me a lot of last year. After an air of general boredom loomed over the season, the Warriors had a particularly lethargic 7-10 finish to the year. That was promptly followed by an impressive 16-5 playoff run, which included flipping a switch to turn their 10th ranked defense to 1st overall in the playoffs. Well, there are some important differences from last year. Firstly that 7-10 finish coincided with a long stretch of injuries, with Steph Curry out for six weeks, and all of Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson missing multiple games. While there have been a few injuries here and there, the Warriors are not facing anything like that scale of an injury crisis. Secondly, the reported vibe feels different. Last year it clearly looked like they just bored with another long regular season. This year theres more angst in the air. Greens shouting match with Durant set the tone early, but Durant himself unloaded on the assembled media a few weeks ago. During the Suns loss, Steve Kerr was caught on camera saying what he jokingly claimed was I beg to differ with Draymonds approach tonight, even if amateur lip-readers may have mistaken that for a more profane statement. Make no mistake about it, this is a long, weary road for any team. It may only be year three with Durant, but its year seven for Curry, Thompson and Green, year six for Andre Iguodala, and year five for Shaun Livingston. Just on this run to the last four Finals, theyve already played an extra 83 games. Thats an entire extra season, with every game played at playoff intensity. Theres a reason no other team in the modern NBA has managed to do what the Warriors are attempting. As Steve Kerr said yesterday theres a reason you pour champagne on each other when its all said and done, because it is hard. Whats perhaps more worrying is the repeated home beatdowns against playoff contenders. Another year means not just more mileage on the Warriors after multiple seasons playing to June, but also another year for opposing teams to catch up. So far this year at Oracle the Warriors have lost to the Milwaukee Bucks by 23, the Toronto Raptors without Kawhi Leonard by 20, and the Boston Celtics by 33. Theyve also lost to the Houston Rockets, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers too albeit while missing some pieces. On the credit side of this equation is the fact that they followed up the loss to Milwaukee, where they missing Green and Curry went down in the second half, with an impressive road win against the Bucks, locking down the leagues then top-ranked offense and limiting them to just 95 points. The Warriors also took down the Celtics and 76ers for another pair of impressive road victories. This week theyll get their shot at revenge against the Rockets and Thunder as well. The Warriors secret weapon If weve seen one thing with the Warriors over the last five years, its that they usually seem to find a way to overcome obstacles. Indeed, their secret weapon has been their versatility. During their first title run in 2015, they faced two very different challenges along the way. The first was when they found themselves down 2-1 against a physical Memphis Grizzlies team who were simply manhandling them. The Warriors responded with a personnel change, playing David Lee a bit more off the bench to give them some more size, and more importantly with a very crafty tactical move to have Andrew Bogut guard Tony Allen by completely leaving him open. It gummed up the Memphis offense to such a degree that Allen had to be taken off the court, freeing up the Warriors perimeter players to take advantage. Then, famously in the 2015 Finals, the Warriors made another nifty tactical change by going small, playing the original Death lineup with Green at center, and running the Cleveland Cavaliers off the floor to win their first title. Since Durant joined theyve been tested less, but last years playoffs were an interesting case in point. With Curry out and the Warriors defense middling, Kerr went straight to his break in case of emergency option and started Andre Iguodala right out of the gate. That helped jumpstart the defense, and the Warriors made it through to the Western Conference Finals to meet the Rockets. There they faced probably their biggest challenge since the Thunder in 2016, who had them on the ropes with a 3-1 lead before the Warriors came storming back behind an all-time playoff shooting performance from Klay Thompson in Game 6. But an underrated part of that series was the Game 5 response to the Thunders physicality from Bogut, as the Warriors largely ditched the small ball in the face of the Thunders relentless attack. The Rockets probably shouldnt have been so difficult to get through but the Warriors lost Andre Iguodala late in Game 3, and then up 2-1 proceeded to lose two close games before Thompson had another legendary Game 6 performance, and the Warriors finally clicked into gear late in Game 7 to pull away. Chris Pauls injury undoubtedly helped them, but the Warriors ability to put multiple defenders on the court who could switch had Houstons offense on the ropes all series. The biggest challenge was to get the ball moving again after Houstons defense had baited the Warriors out of their patented motion-based offense. This time, staying small and switchy got the Warriors out of a jam. The challenge this year is different As the famous saying goes Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. But past performance is also no guarantee of future success. This year the Warriors will be put to the test with several teams in the West poised to push them, and an absolute bear-fight going on in the East for a chance to take a shot at the champs. If the Warriors do make it to the Finals they will face a legitimate challenger. But theyve got to get through the West first. This weeks road trip is a case in point. The Rockets are surging, winners of nine straight games. Chris Paul is back and looking healthier, and James Harden has had a historic offensive season. Whether the defense is good enough to do to the Warriors what they did last year is another question, but the Warriors will need to go small again to combat all the switching. Well probably see plenty of DeMarcus Cousins on Wednesday night as Kerr tries to see how he holds up, but that is not necessarily what will happen in the playoffs. On the other hand, Cousins just showed out against the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, with one of his better defensive displays. The Thunder game on Saturday should prove to be another test in which Cousins will be crucial. Whats more, the Warriors should have their old friend Bogut back for that spicy matchup. That gives them the size and physicality to deal with any teams that try to beat them up, which they may well need along the way this year. The one constant For all the differences between this years struggles and last, from their relative health to the less-friendly vibe to the sheer number and variety of contenders, the Warriors track record of showing up when it counts is still the most important factor. Chief amongst the reasons for this is Kerrs proven proclivity to proactivity with his playoff adjustments. You know when the going gets tough, the Warriors are going to play their best lineups. Sporting a net rating of +22.7 in 151 minutes across 33 games, built off a defensive rating of 98.3 points per 100 possessions allowed against an offensive rating of 121 points scored per 100 possessions, its our old friend the Hamptons 5. Plus a change. Indeed as I outlined in the last outbreak of Warriors-related panic, Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green are players who like May, June. While Cousins offers them a new dimension offensively, particularly against the burlier teams, if the Warriors are threatened and he cant keep up you can bet his minutes will go straight to Iguodala and the Hamptons 5. Ultimately we wont know for another couple of months whether or not the Warriors struggles this year are for real or not. But this week is an opportunity to test their versatility against two of their biggest threats in the West. Given just how challenging their road could be this year, its worth paying attention to the results. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmurray/2019/03/12/is-it-time-to-worry-about-the-golden-state-warriors/ |
Will Self-Regulation Be Enough To Keep Ad Fraud Legislation At Bay? | With the vast sums of stolen money involved -- Juniper Research reported $19 billion in 2018, while others believe this is a conservative estimate -- its perhaps surprising that it isnt already a bigger story. But now, a serious momentum is beginning to grow around the issue, with both law enforcement agencies and political figures becoming increasingly engaged with it. For instance, the FBI is currently involved in a number of investigations into media buying practices and were partly responsible for cracking the so-called "3ev" ad fraud scheme last November. And Senator Mark Warner, the vice chair of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, has been pressing the Federal Trade Commission to do more to tackle the problem, most recently in response to the exposure of another major fraud ring making hundreds of millions of dollars. This might set alarm bells ringing for fraudsters who, for the most part, have been allowed to act with impunity up until now. However, it should also be a wake-up call for an online advertising industry that turned a blind eye to a plethora of dubious practices and created an ecosystem in which bad actors have been able to thrive. As the industry comes under greater scrutiny and increased pressure to crack down on fraud, this apparent complicity over the past 10 years or so will not go unnoticed. Perhaps the main reason that ad fraud hasnt already hit the broadsheet headlines is because, as far as the public is concerned, its a victimless crime. Of course, ad fraud is far from a victimless crime. Just as the reckless practices of the financial industry threatened the worlds economy following the 2008 crash, so it is that ad fraud is helping to fund new existential threats in the form of terrorism and election-rigging. The money made by black operatives online has the potential to impact all of our lives, not just the bottom line of those companies being stolen from. Its a truth that not only legislators are starting to wake up to -- certain parts of the advertising industry have also begun to acknowledge the scale of the problem and how far it reaches. For example, the Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) aims to provide the industry with a means to demonstrate self-regulation. As it says itself, If we dont do this, the government may look to impose legislation. This isnt just scaremongering; a recent publication from the U.K.s House of Lords, Select Committee on Communications, states, It is in the interests of the whole industry to take greater steps to self-regulate through independent third parties such as JICWEBS If businesses fail to do so, the Government should propose legislation to regulate digital advertising. It is only when a problem has become too big to ignore (i.e., when it potentially has wide-ranging consequences for a significant proportion of the population) that legislation is introduced. It is an act of last resort when an industry has failed to properly police itself and protect its customers. Nobody wants legislation to be brought in -- often, not even the legislators -- because for both sides, it is time, resource and cost-intensive. And in the digital age, it also tends to be ineffective, with online criminals quickly finding ways around it or already ahead of its reach. Self-regulation through the likes of JICWEBS is certainly an important step forward, but the industry not only needs to be seen to take the problem seriously, but it also has to do something about it. Just as organizations that handle large quantities of other peoples money, such as banks and insurance companies, are required to have chief security officers sitting on the board, so should advertising agencies trusted with budgets of billions of dollars look to make similar appointments, with a chief verification officer in place to oversee the accuracy and legitimacy of the online services theyre providing. Advertising groups also need to open themselves up to third-party oversight, whether its allowing professional auditors to look for any financial irregularities in the figures theyre providing to clients or working more closely with dedicated experts in traffic and data verification. And yet, the industry still drags its feet over such measures. For many agencies, the problem is a technical one that they dont really understand, while for others, they simply dont want to admit the problem exists for fear of a deluge of clients demanding their wasted budget be returned. The unfortunate truth is that many agencies are content to wait until the legislators force them to change the way they work because at least then they can charge on the cost of new procedures and increased manpower to their long-suffering clients. In this current scenario, legislation, for all its faults, is inevitable. The best the industry can do is continue to push for as much self-regulation as possible and for bodies such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Media Rating Council (MRC) to seek the ear of legislators and attempt to influence the nature of the regulation to be introduced in the hopes that the industry doesnt find itself hobbled as a consequence of its own inaction. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2019/03/12/will-self-regulation-be-enough-to-keep-ad-fraud-legislation-at-bay/ |
Is Tongue Tie Overhyped? | But the tongue-tie madness in pediatricians offices, lactation rooms, and online groups have some researchers wondering whether people are all twisted up over nothing. Moms might start worrying about tongue tie when breastfeeding fails to be the peaceful bonding experience they envisioned, when theyre dealing with cracked nipples and the pain of trying to nurse a baby who cant latch properly. They might call a local lactation consultant to help. If the consultant suspects a tongue tie, shell typically refer mom and baby to a pediatric dentist or an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat doctor), who will perform a procedure to clip the stringlike piece of tissue underneath the tongue. In some cases, the childs pediatrician is not involved in the decision. The procedure, called a frenotomy, frenulotomy, or tongue-tie revision, is a relatively straightforward one. A doctor or dentist holds holds the babys tongue taut toward the roof of his mouth and cuts the lingual frenulum to release it, usually with a laser or sterile scissors. This allows for greater range of motion for the tongue, provided the frenulum doesnt reattach. Read: Parenting looks nothing like what the experts say During the procedure, the baby will be restrained with a swaddle, but theres no need for general anesthesia (just a topical numbing), and the risk of possible complicationsbleeding, infection, damage to the tongue or salivary glands, reattachment, or airway compromise is low . Babies tend to be quite young when the procedure is performed, typically less than three months old. As medical procedures go, its quick and easy. And the results can be immediate. After a frenotomy, some babies have an improved latch , which makes breastfeeding less painful for mothers. While the popularity of frenotomies has exploded in recent years, many medical professionals and researchers say its not totally clear whether they address the issues theyre supposed toor whether a lot of babies are having an unnecessary procedure. My son has both a tongue and lip tie, as diagnosed by a lactation consultant shortly after his birth. After helping my newborn son latch, she spent the next 20 minutes telling my husband and I that we needed to take him to a pediatric dentist immediately to have his tongue tie lasered, or he would never latch properly, would have trouble eating, would need braces and probably develop a speech impediment, and could develop craniofacial issues or sleep apnea. After his feed, the consultant weighed my son, and was astonished to find that he ate three ounces in 12 minutesa huge amount for a four-day-old. My husband and I talked it over and decided that if our son didnt have issues eating, and the pain of breastfeeding went away, then we would forgo the lasering. Plus, our pediatrician was unconcerned about it. | https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/03/breast-feeding-and-tongue-tie/584503/?utm_source=feed |
What Was the Best Sequel in History? | Nell Freudenberger, author, Lost and Wanted Elizabeth Bishops lush and gorgeous sequel to the first English novel, the long narrative poem Crusoe in England, shows colonialism turning on the colonizers. The television show morphed out of a lackluster film about a girl who fought the forces of darkness. Buffy tackled first times, girlhood, and the death of a parent. It spoke volumes to badass women who wanted to take care of business while kissing a hot vampire. Taylor Jenkins Reid, author, Daisy Jones & the Six The best sequel in history has to go to Beyoncs solo career. From Crazy in Love and Single Ladies to Lemonade and Beychella, Beyoncs second act has been an unparalleled feat of cultural domination. Cathy Schulman, producer, Five Feet Apart My favorite sequel is Aliens. Not only does the original movie feature cinemas breakthrough female hero, but she takes no prisoners in the sequel and leaves her former victimhood in the dust. Reader Responses Ernest Davis, New York, N.Y. Einsteins special theory of relativity, which was revolutionary, was followed a decade later by his general theory of relativity, which was mind-boggling. Graham Roumieu David Chill, Los Angeles, Calif. Four days after throwing a no-hitter against the Boston Braves on June 11, 1938, the Cincinnati Reds Johnny Vander Meer followed that up in his next start with another no-hitter, against the Brooklyn Dodgers. It is the only time a pitcher has thrown two consecutive no-hitters in the history of Major League Baseball. | https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/04/q-what-was-the-best-sequel-in-history/583261/?utm_source=feed |
Is Algeria on the cusp of freedom, or does Bouteflika have one last play? | In the first line of Abdulaziz Bouteflikas letter to the nation on Monday night, the Algerian president said the country was living through a sensitive stage of its history. On this, at least he and his compatriots are agreed. The 82-year-old politician, who has had a series of strokes that have left him in poor health, has been in power since 1999. The announcement thathe would not be seeking a further five-year term caused widespread celebration. This was the principal demand of the hundreds of thousands possibly millions who marched peacefully through cities and towns across Algeria on Friday in protests on a scale not seen for decades. Algerian president says he will not run again after weeks of protests Read more But joy gave way to doubt as the presidents statement was more carefully scrutinised. And though Bouteflika cancelled elections scheduled for 18 April he gave no indication of whether he would actually step down when his mandate expires next month. This was described as the last ruse of Bouteflika by the influential daily newspaper El Watan. Many analysts have pointed out that Bouteflika does not have a constitutional right to stay on, as he apparently intends to do, past the end of his mandate. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Young Algerians protest against President Bouteflika in Algiers on Monday. Photograph: Mohamed Messara/EPA Four of Bouteflikas long-ruling counterparts in Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and Egypt were all ousted following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. Bouteflika, who came to power in the aftermath of Algerias 1954 to 1962 independence war against France, has promised deep reforms. These will be thrashed out at an inclusive and independent national conference to involve the largest possible and most representative participation of the Algerian society. The conference will lead to a transformation of our nation state, and fix the date of the next polls, the president said. This is all too distant and too vague for many Algerians, especially the young, who are seeking real change to an ossified political system dominated by opaque cliques of officials, businessmen and politicians amid soaring unemployment, widespread corruption and a chronic shortage of accommodation. The departure of the unpopular prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, is not likely to satisfy protesters either. His replacement is Noureddine Bedoui, the high-profile 59-year-old interior minister. A pure technocrat, Bedoui is one of the few senior officials who use social media, according to Jeune Afrique magazine, and is a friend of Nacer Bouteflika, the presidents brother. If a victory has undoubtedly been won, the crisis is far from over and the threat of real instability remains, commentators say. Abdelaziz Rahabi, a former diplomat and minister, said Bouteflikas determination to cling to power was pushing Algeria towards the unknown. Several hundred students protested on Tuesday, while many more are likely to take to the streets on Friday. The size of those crowds will be watched closely by observers trying to divine the future of a vast and strategically important African and Mediterranean state. Others are looking to the past, and taking a more sanguine view. Kader Abderrahim, a Paris-based expert on the politics of Algeria and the region, told France Culture radio that if in 1962 Algeria had experienced independence, history would remember that in 2019 the country had found its freedom. | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/12/algeria-president-abdulaziz-bouteflika-reforms-protests-crisis |
Was it a slur? Or did some one yell "rag it"? | Was another player on the other team happy to have a player alone in the offensive zone telling him to hold the puck as long as possible to kill the clock. Article Continued Below The league and the Maple Leafs are investigating the allegation that someone on the ice used a homophobic slur. Its not a cut-and-dry case. An F in front of ag is not entirely audible. Really could be an R. Really could be a second voice. One thing is for sure: NHL players are under a microscope and microphone -- like never before. They are role models in every way, and in Toronto that means accepting all, and slurs like the presumed by many to be uttered here are unacceptable, even in the heat of battle. Perhaps especially in the heat of battle. Anyway heres the Twitter battle. Its @TheFlintor, whose quick tweets for replays often get used in this space. Dont know the person at all, but hes got a gift for GIFs. Email me at [email protected] and Ill answer it in Fridays Mailbag. I thought I heard "rag, rag, rag" at the end. If somone said the slur, and the league knows who, then a suspension is warranted. But let's wait and see. Twitter, not surprisingly, was in a rush to condemn. Morgan Rielly took the brunt of it, on the mere suggestion that he might have said something in appropriate. Given that I'm often attacked for headline that is the tweet -- rather than the substance of the story -- I'm going to guess that most people haven't sought out the audio. I guess, why put in the work when you can condemn and move on. I'll be curious to see the reaction if the NHL finds the evidence inconclusive, or even if the players are exonerated. | https://www.thestar.com/sports/breakaway_blog/2019/03/12/was-it-a-slur--or-did-some-one-yell--rag-it--.html |
Can Project Runway Make It Work Without Tim Gunn? | Around nine minutes into the series premiere of Project Runway, which aired way back in December 2004, a star was born. Dressed for academia in a navy sport coat, khaki pants and wire-rimmed glasses, Tim Gunn, then the 51-year-old chair of the Parsons fashion design school, greeted his mentees in a warm baritone that would become TVs most comforting sound. He uttered his first make it work soon after, followed by a round of critiques in which he showed even his most difficult pupils remarkable patience. By the finale, Gunn was an icon of empathy, grace and good tastea role that yielded several book deals, a C-suite job with Liz Claiborne and nearly 15 years as the heart and soul of the show that made him famous. So it was jarring to hear, last fall, that Gunn and host Heidi Klum were leaving Runwaywhich was also slated to return to its original network, Bravo, after 11 seasons on Lifetimeto work on a new reality fashion project for Amazon. Though he sometimes seemed to be on autopilot in recent years (and with apologies to Klum, an amusingly mercurial presence with loads more personality than her merely competent successor, supermodel Karlie Kloss), Gunns impeccably crafted shoes were always going to be the hardest to fill. Maybe its fitting, then, that his torch has been passed to the only other enduring star Runway can claim credit for creating: Christian Siriano, the design phenom who quickly parlayed his season four win into an empire. A red-carpet staple known for making celebrities of all sizes, ages and gendersfrom Leslie Jones to Kelly Clarkson to Judith Lightlook fabulous, Siriano certainly has the right resume. (His latest look to go viral was the binary-defying tuxedo gown Pose actor Billy Porter wore to the 2019 Oscars.) Not really. Which is why its a relief to see Siriano making the role his own in Project Runway season 17, which debuts March 14 on Bravo. Less an avuncular guru than a mega-successful contemporary whom contestants might resent if he werent there to help, hes pointed out that Tim was never a designer, he never worked in the industry, he was a teacher. Though Siriano has evidently retained his signature bluntness, hes also toned down the sassy arrogance that marked his first Runway stint, at 21. In the premiere, his thoughtful, surprisingly soft-spoken critiques feel more practical and specific than Gunns mini therapy sessions, if not quite as endearing. The addition of Siriano and Kloss isnt the only change accompanying Runways return to its original network. In place of the exacting Zac Posen, two new judgescharismatic former Teen Vogue editor Elaine Welteroth and Brendan Maxwell, a designer and Lady Gaga vet who barely makes an impression in his first episodeflank Nina Garcia. Although adjustments to the format are minor, an Instagrammable new Brooklyn warehouse workroom and Bravos relatively subtle editing and product placement are notable upgrades. (I cant say the same for the addition of a segment where looks are photographed for social media. At least its short.) All of these tweaks shift attention to the shows real subjects: the contestants. That new crop of aspiring brand names is fascinating, as both designers and people. Along with the token oddball (Hester Sunshine) and the snob (Cavanagh Baker), theres Renee Hill, whose incredible productivity makes sense when you learn that she began her fashion career after raising nine kids. Kovid Kapoor, a starry-eyed bundle of energy who grew up gay in the Indian Himalayas, bonds with Runways first trans model Mimi Tao over their experiences of oppression and vows to make her a garment that does justice to her goddess-like strength. Its new characters like these whove kept the show vital for 15 years, and its largely to their credit that its equipped to survive the departure of its most cherished presence. Contact us at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5547685/project-runway-2019-review-bravo/ |
Will Machine Tests Replace Resumes For Good In 2019? | Weve seen predictions about the "death of the resume" for nearly a decade now. So many things have promised to take its place, from social media profiles and personal chatbots to futuristic "brand bios." New and advanced HR companies are aiming to replace resumes with a variety of data tools and interactive tests, and their results are promising. One approach thats been popular and effective for some years now is the skills test. Providers like HackerRank, GapJumpers and CodeFights help companies evaluate their candidates technical skills without ever having to look at a resume. The pros of using a merit-based test over resumes are apparent: The tests blind personal data that could induce bias (education, previous job title, age, etc.) and focus purely on candidates talent. But there are also some major drawbacks: Skills tests ignore essential soft skills, like management, working as part of a team, etc. Plus, they can only be applied to technical roles for the time being, so they cant really replace the resume across all industries. The perfect complement to skills tests, then, are personality tests. The answer lies in some creative problem-solving and incredibly powerful technology. Companies like Traitify and SquarePeg took note of the need for standardized personality tests, building their own versions that take anywhere from 90 seconds to 60 minutes to complete. They asked candidates to answer a set of unique questions in lieu of a resume to test for traits like risk aversion, patience and the ability to take charge. They then used this data to build archetypical profiles to measure incoming candidates against, which proved over time to increase employee longevity by as much as 54.3%, increase candidate quality by as much as 30% and reduce time to hire by as much as 40%, according to partner case studies. The biggest breakthrough in the category came a couple of years ago when a company called Pymetrics teamed up with Unilever to replace resumes with neuroplasticity tests, using AI to help analyze the results. In Pymetrics application process, candidates play 12 quick "games" that test various psychological/personality features. The AI then compares responses to the company's most successful hires, helping select and advance those whose traits indicate a successful new hire. The pilot showed fantastic results: Average hire time went from four months to four weeks, and there was a "significant" increase in racial diversity. The rate of offers made to final candidates jumped from 63% to 80%. Similar methods are now reportedly being adopted at Goldman Sachs and Jet.com, which could mean the fabled resumes end is finally approaching. But a lot of obstacles stand in the way of these tests widespread adoption. Some users have voiced their displeasure and that the tests inconvenience hurt their ability to participate. Personality tests have also faced legal issues for discriminating against people with mental illness, according to Bloomberg. This has caused a large number of employers to shy away from these tactics. Lastly, while technical tests are limited to technical roles, these personality/neurological tests have largely been limited to intern and entry-level roles. So it looks like these tests arent quite ready to dethrone the resume just yet. Some AI companies are finding smarter ways to work with resumes rather than against them. From AI powerhouse IBM to startup Eightfold.ai, companies are developing AI technology that can understand resumes like a real recruiter -- minus the bias, fatigue and inconsistency that humans are prone to. While resume-parsing has existed for years, this new technology goes beyond simple keyword matching. In the case of Eightfold.ai, its resume reader is able to understand when a candidates skills and experience would make them a strong fit for a job they may have never held before. Youre really looking for people who have not done it, but can do it, Chief Executive Ashutosh Garg told The New York Times. With the resumes ubiquity and reliability, it may be more effective to build AI-powered tools around the resume instead of over the top of it. Replacing the resume may be effective in partnerships with specific companies or roles, but HR and recruitment at large show no signs of giving up on the resume just yet. Be on the lookout during these next few years for big changes in HR, and keep your resume up to date if you want to be ready for them all. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/03/12/will-machine-tests-replace-resumes-for-good-in-2019/ |
Can 350 More San Francisco Parking Garages Get People On Public Transportation? | Its a counterintuitive strategy: get more people riding public transportation by making life easier for drivers. The two apps joining forces - transit trip planner Moovit and private parking finder SpotHero - arent creating convenience around driving so much as parking. That, Moovit learned in an internal survey, is what keeps people from using congestion- and emissions-reducing shared mobility on the way to work. In the survey, Moovit users who both drive and use public transportation as part of their daily commute in San Francisco, Washington D.C., New York and Los Angeles reported parking challenges that informed the details of the partnership between the two apps from unrelated companies. Parking, particularly street parking, is generally hard at an urban destination, providing a reason to take transit instead. But end-to-end public transit isnt always possible. Not everyone lives walking distance from the bus or train stop. For those willing to split the trip among modes of transportation, the drive to a stop also ends in irritation and lost minutes as would-be riders trying to make a particular departure time circle the block looking for a parking spot. Of Moovit's respondents, 79% said parking ability impacted the decision to drive their daily commutes and 73% said parking at transit stations is frustrating. "We discovered that many drivers, had they only known where to park their cars, and what transit line they should take, would actually change their habits," Moovit growth and marketing chief Yovav Meydad said in a phone interview. In other words, old-fashioned park-and-ride could work, even for congested cities, if more parking were available. Enter SpotHero. Moovit users can now reserve and pay for a parking space in 350 private garages in San Francisco within the Moovit app. Instead of Moovit's standard wayfinding of entering a final destination and then viewing options among public transportation, ride-hail, bike share and scooter share, users will first find parking using SpotHero's functionality. Once parked, they'll navigate to a destination with Moovit. That personal navigation help includes real-time transit arrivals and departures, but one can also plan the remainder of the day. The combined parking and trip planning is in the Moovit app only; SpotHero provides Moovit its functionality but will not change its own user interface. In Moovit's last app partnership to experiment with combining transportation modes, it powered Uber to offer transit options in Denver earlier this year. The integration announced in January could scale to more cities, part of a broader trend of multiple providers synchronizing different forms of mobility-as-a-service in urban centers. This new system of tech-driven park-and-ride goes live today and for now is in San Francisco only. Moovit does not release local user numbers or demographics and so can't say exactly who the early adopters could be. Worldwide, Moovit reports it has registered 360 million users since its 2012 founding, and now launches, on average, a new city every 15 hours. It is in more than 2700 cities in 90 countries and is used in 44 languages. SpotHero is available in cities in 36 U.S. states and Canadian provinces. The two companies overlap in presence in the most congested U.S. cities, creating potential to expand the offering. That is part of the plan, SpotHero vice president of business development John Horton said via email: "Looking ahead, SpotHero will continue to identify ways to leverage our parking platform to improve mobility in cities across the country." However no timeline or cities have yet been specified, other than staying in the country. "Over time, additional integration will happen across more locations across the United States, and users will be able to view dynamic information on how many spots are available and be re-directed to SpotHero's application to reserve, book and pay for SpotHero's parking," Moovit global marketing and communications manager Kate Azima said by email. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewalmsley/2019/03/12/can-350-more-san-francisco-parking-garages-get-people-on-public-transportation/ |
Are CEOs Really Abusing Buybacks to Get Richer? | The forces battling against share buybacks have a powerful new ally: The Securities and Exchange Commission. In the past few weeks,team of progressive Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have locked arms with normally pro-business Republican Marco Rubio of Florida to denounce the boom in repurchases for killing jobs and spreading income inequality. Now, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md) is claiming that Americas CEOs and other top executives are abusing buybacks to dump shares at inflated prices. In December, Van Hollen requested that the SEC review whether insiders are deploying repurchases to boost their compensation instead of using those dollars to make the investments that strengthen their companies and create new jobs. In a March 6 letter to Van Hollen, SEC chairman Robert J. Jackson wrote that the agency had performed an extensive study revealing that when companies announce buybacks, an unusually large number of executives sell shares in the days that follow. Jackson noted that a buyback announcement signals that management believes its shares are too cheap, causing stocks to rally, on average, by about 2.5% in the days that follow. Executives, says Jackson, pounce on that bounce to sell shares. That creates the risk that insiders own interestsrather than the long-term needs of investors, employees and communitiesare driving buybacks, wrote Jackson. The Van Hollen letter isnt the first time Jackson skewered repurchases. In a June speech on the topic, Jackson questioned whether boards and CEOs are choosing buybacks because theyre the right thing to do with the companys capital, or instead to pocket some cash at the expense of shareholders. For Jackson, buybacks are guilty of nothing less than breaking the pay-performance link. Surprisingly, the SEC study found that while top managers apparently orchestrate, and benefit from, a short-term pop to cash out, the gains quickly reverse: Ninety-days after the announcement, the companys shares underperform the market on average by 8%. It may be sound policy for the SEC to restrict insiders freedom to sell shares right after a buyback announcement. But the crucial issue is whether the SEC will join the bi-partisan buyback foes in Congress, and move to impose new restrictions on repurchases. Its possible. Chairman Jackson is now taking the position that CEOs are likely making crucial decisions on whether to reinvest in the business or return cash to shareholders based not on whats best for the company, but on boosting their own pay. That view is questionable. CEOs and other top managers get most of their comp in equity awards, chiefly restricted shares and stock options. Those grants typically vest over four or more years. C-suite executives might have an incentive to cash out using buybacks that deliver a quick bump, but weaken the enterprise and depress the share price in the years to come, if they heldand were systematically sellinga lot more unrestricted stock than they hold in equity awards theyll collect in the future. The SEC letter to Van Hollen does not cite the dollar amounts of the buyback-related insider sales for individual executives, or compare them to the trove theyre still holding, either in unvested awards or in unrestricted accounts. If indeed CEOs can get richer by raising the value of their shares in the next five or six years than cashing on an ephemeral spike by pushing buybacks, then they should be deploying capital where it achieves the highest possible returns possible, at least over the medium-term. And thats a strong possibility that Congress and the SEC should consider before restricting repurchases, a policy that risks damaging unintended consequences. For CEOs and their lieutenants, the principal lever for raising the stock price is growing earnings-per-share. Dominating the U.S. economy are mature behemoths in steel, autos and packaged goods that generate far more profits than they can profitably reinvest in new plants, warehouses, fabs, or labs-even such formerly go-go names as Apple and Microsoft now fit this profile. Heres why these stalwarts, and many other players that need to make tough choices between reinvestment and repurchases, have a powerful incentive to return cash to shareholders: If a company reinvests a big portion of profits at less than competitive returns, say in pokey old-line businesses or expensive acquisitions, earnings-per-share will badly lag what EPS would have been if the cash had gone to shareholders in dividends, or the new favorite, buybacks. And once again, its rising EPS that drives share prices, and wins CEOs a bonanza on their options and restricted stock. Put simply, buybacks per se dont raise EPS or share prices, but not returning cash can be a killer. THOUGHT EXPERIMENT Lets look at two companies that well call Superb Steward Corp. and Lacking, Inc. Each is a typical S&P 500-sized outfit, with 1 billion shares outstanding, a market cap of $50 billion, and a share price of $50. Both earned $2.5 billion last year, so EPS is $2.50, and they share a P/E multiple of 20. Each pays out 40% of its earnings in dividends. The difference is that Steward distributes another 30% of profits in buybacks, and retains the remaining 30%. Lacking reinvests all of the earnings not paid in dividends, or 60% of the total. For each company, and the stock market as a whole, the cost-of-capital, or the competitive return investors could garner from equally risky stocks and bonds, is 5% real or adjusted for inflation (equivalent to the inverse of the 20 P/E). Add 2 points for inflation, and investors expect a 7% total return. As you probably guessed, Superb Steward does a great job in allocating profits. It makes a competitive 5% gains on the 30% of earnings it reinvests, and recognizes that it cant find profitable places to park the other 30%. So each year, its profits rise by 3.5% (30% reinvested earnings at 5%, or 1.5%, plus 2% inflation), it delivers 2% in dividends, and repurchases another 1.5% of its shares (30% of $2.5 billion in earnings are $750 million or 1.5% of its $50 billion market cap). In six years, by early 2026, its total earnings will grow by 23% (3.5% per annum) to $3.08 billion, its share count will fall by around 9% to 913 million shares (shrinking 1.5% a year due to the buybacks). The combination will lift its EPS to $3.37, and its share price by 35%, from $50 to $67.40 at the steady multiple of 20. By the way, if Steward had found good places to invest the 30% of profits it returned in buybacks, the result would be exactly the same. Thats why buybacks per se dont raise EPS and earnings. The extra profits from the reinvested earnings would have exactly compensated for leaving the share count constant at 1 billion. By contrast, Lacking thinks its found great places to plow all of the 60% of profits-after-dividends into its basic business. But Lacking is an aging stalwart that suffers from hubris. Its corporate culture relishes building new factories in plodding bedrock industries, and bulking up on mergers. Lackings CEO is an empire builder who prizes size above all else. As a result, Lacking generates only a 1% real return on those reinvested profits, still positive, but far below the 5% market minimum. Over the next six years, Lacking will delver profit growth of 2.6% a year (60% of earnings x real return of 1% = .6%, plus 2% inflation), so that by 2024, its earnings will wax by 16.6% from $2.5 billion to $2.9 billion. Its EPS will be $2.90 (because it still will have the same 1 billion shares outstanding). And its share price will be $58.00 at the same 20 multiple. Steward grew its EPS and share price at twice the rate of Lacking, 35% versus 17%. By early 2025, Stewards shares would be over 16% more valuable than Lackings. Flipping the calendar to 2025, the skill Stewards CEO displayed in keeping profits in-house only when they generated good returns delivered many more millions in gains on options and restricted stock than the earnings-burning grandee garnered at Lacking. Over our six year window, Steward reinvested $5 billion of its earnings in businesses that grew briskly, created jobs, and generated strong returns. It handed another $5 billion back to shareholders. In turn, pension funds, endowments, and individuals had the freedom to funnel those funds into the fast-growing, cash-hungry businessesthe Apples and Amazons of the futurethat deliver competitive returns on new capital, and create lots of jobs. Lacking tied up $10 billion, all of its non-dividend profits, in ventures that barely grow with inflation, and probably shed jobs. Memo to the SEC: An unfettered financial market may be the best machine for channeling capital to the highest and best uses. And for lawmakers and regulators, the right solution may be keeping their hands off the gears. | http://fortune.com/2019/03/12/are-ceos-really-abusing-buybacks-to-get-richer/ |
Do Americans care about Britains next royal birth? | NEW YORK (AP) Gwynne Wilcox jokingly calls herself a duchess because she celebrates all things Meghan Markle. The New York attorney wore a Markle mask in the office for Halloween and served scones to colleagues. If not for work demands, would have been one of those people standing outside a Manhattan hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of the pregnant Duchess of Sussex when pals threw her a recent baby shower. Wilcoxs interest hasnt waned a bit since the American actress wed Prince Harry last May 19, announcing her pregnancy nearly five months later. While some admirers in the U.S. lost their must-see royal fervor after the big nuptials, plenty remain hanging on every tidbit about Markle. For Wilcox, it has a lot to do with race. I think it will be hard to beat the excitement of the royal wedding, but I do believe the royal birth is going to be very exciting on this side of the pond, said Wilcox, who is African-American. The birth of the royal baby, whose mother is African-American, will be intriguing worldwide, especially given the history of England, Wilcox added. People will be excited to see who the baby looks like from birth and how the earl or ladys personality will develop over time. Markle, as a divorced, American, Roman Catholic-raised woman of color, has shaken up the British royal family tree with her modern sense of style and reported eco-friendly touches to her nursery. Her baby, expected in April, will fall seventh in line for the throne, right behind Harry. Theres plenty of baby fever, to be sure, but the royal family warned recently it will block internet trolls on its social media channels and may report offenders to police amid concern about online abuse aimed at Markle and Kate Middleton, the mother of three as wife of Harrys big brother, William. Lately, much of the social media abuse has centered on rival fans of Markle and Middleton. Colleen Gwen Armstrong, a publicist and pop culture blogger in New York, said she was very excited for the birth of Prince George, the first baby Cambridge and third in line for the throne, especially since Waity Katie took so long to snag William. But its Markle shes really interested in. In my mind I picture her and Prince Harry having a girl and naming her Diana. That would be lovely. With all of her mystique, Im very curious about what type of mother Meghan will be, Armstrong said. Part of Meghans allure is the fact that shes done everything untraditional, which also includes her holistic approach to pregnancy, according to reports. The data analytics company Crimson Hexagon, which crunches data on public conversations playing out across the internet from Twitter and Reddit to comment threads on blogs counted more positive sentiment than negative in the U.S. since announcement of the birth last October: 56 percent to 44 percent of more than 104,634 posts analyzed. While Meghan Markle is an American, the conversation surrounding the royal baby and her pregnancy is smaller overall than that of Kate Middleton, but the U.S. is much more interested in Meghan than they are in Kate, evidenced by the fact that U.S. volume doubles U.K. volume about Meghan, but U.K. volume about Kate was much higher, the company said in a statement. Count New York singer and musician Tessa Lena among indifferent Americans. I absolutely do not care! No, no, no. I dont see why anybody should care, she said. Is anyone going to get richer, healthier or happier because somebody whom they have never met had a baby whom they will also never meet? Some who admired Princess Diana, the late mother of Will and Harry, have continued their warm embrace of the sons. Other fans of the Duchess of Sussex are close to her age, which is 37. David Demko, a first-generation American born to Czech immigrants, is none of those things. Hes 70 and the Orange Park, Florida, grandfather of seven. He wishes all young couples well, including those expecting children, in celebration of the universals of the human experience. What is not universal about a royal birth is its opposition to our cultural notions about equality and equal opportunity, he said. Nicholas Corlis, 24 who lives in Houston, Texas, is among those not captivated. I do not care about what the royal family does because they have little to no effect on me, and U.S. politics are already wild enough for me to keep up with, he said. I just see them as another rich family. I think keeping up with the royal family is often more appealing to women because they can picture themselves in Markles shoes. He holds no ill will, however: Im happy for Markle and relate to her being American, I suppose, but I dont think that really matters. I dont see their marriage as some kind of achievement representative of our country. | https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/in-the-us-interest-in-britains-next-royal-birth-is-mixed/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Have podcasts sold out? | They used to be the Wild West, DIY and free for all, but now the big boys have arrived and theyre pushing us to pay. Heres how podcasts went from punk to mega bucks All you need to make it in podcasting is an idea, a laptop and a microphone. At least, thats been the received wisdom since the medium began its current boom six or seven years ago: its an inherently amateur, democratised means of communication, with the vast majority available for free. Last week saw the launch of Luminary, a podcast platform with $100m of venture capital funding behind it, and deals already signed with Malcolm Gladwell, Lena Dunham, Trevor Noah and Conan OBrien. The big boys have arrived, and their podcasts arent going to try and eke out profit by running ads for mattresses, beer clubs or build-your-own websites. We want to become synonymous with podcasting in the same way Netflix has become synonymous with streaming, Luminary chief executive Matt Sacks said, explaining that the service would paywall its best content and charge users an $8 monthly subscription to unlock it. This follows Spotifys decision to intensify its shift into speech-based audio by purchasing Gimlet Media, the studio responsible for Crimetown, Reply All, StartUp and various other hit podcasts, reportedly for more than $200m. The streaming giant has also signed the likes of Amy Schumer to produce exclusive podcast content. Spotify has an advantage here that isnt just about its spending power. Its customers are already over the hump of agreeing to pay for content, because theyve done it to listen to music without adverts. Yet the people backing Luminary clearly think paid-for podcasts are the coming thing. The Chinese podcast market is driven by paid-for subscriptions, so we know it can work, says James Cridland, editor of podcasting newsletter Podnews and a former BBC and Virgin Radio executive. But its a big shift for Western podcast listeners, who have been used to free content, to have to start paying. Its a further indication of the Wild West nature of podcasting, says Steve Ackerman, MD of radio and podcast production house Somethin Else. There are lots of different models being tried out and youd be a brave man to bet which ones going to succeed. Ackerman points out that one of his clients already operates on the paywall model: Audible, which was purchased for $300m by Amazon in 2008, is best known for audiobooks but increasingly focuses on podcasts, dramas and other subscriber-only content. The longterm success of Luminary, Audible and other paywalled ventures will obviously depend on convincing consumers to pay. The flipside of that is whether the currently dominant business model, of podcasts available at no charge but which include adverts, can sustain itself. Theres every indication it can. Whereas digital journalism has struggled to convince readers to click on ads or even to not use ad-blockers to avoid them altogether, podcast listeners are receptive to sponsor messages. Skipping ads is as easy as tapping the button in the app that springs the audio forward by 15 or 30 seconds, but research last month by Business Insider found that most listeners dont do that; a 2017 Canadian survey by Statista put the figure for podcast fans who dont skip ads as high as 77%. Facebook Twitter Pinterest An expert of the host read phenomenon ... Adam Buxton. Photograph: Sky Atlantic/Ben Meadows Part of the explanation for that is the growing phenomenon of the host read, where a shows presenter also voices the ads. Its also down to the way podcasts are consumed, says Ackerman. It tends to be in tandem with some other activity. Lots are entertaining in their own right. Anyone who subscribes to, for instance, The Adam Buxton Podcast will know what Ackerman means. Free, ad-supported podcasts offer their authors a creative freedom that has to be sacrificed if the content is paid for up front, and exclusively owned, by a big content provider. In that scenario youve in effect got a commissioner, explains Ackerman, although he adds that this compromise is well worth it if the podcast has high up-front costs: Anything thats scripted narrative or drama those are expensive. Higher production values are where paid-for podcasts make sense. Old-school, lo-fi podcasts will, Luminary hopes, not be in the same league as what might be the moneybags new platforms key commission Anthem: Homunculus, a 10-part musical by Hedwig and the Angry Inch creator John Cameron Mitchell, starring Glenn Close and Patti LuPone. Im very interested in pushing podcasts to a cinematic level of storytelling, Mitchell told The New York Times. Spotifys new acquisition Gimlet, meanwhile, is perhaps best known for the original drama Homecoming, which started as a podcast before being adapted for TV. On Amazon Prime it had Julia Roberts and Bobby Cannavale in it, but the podcast version was scarcely less starry: Catherine Keener, Oscar Isaac and David Schwimmer were all in it. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Julia Roberts in the TV version of Homecoming though the podcast was scarcely less starry. Photograph: Jessica Brooks/Amazon Prime Million-dollar productions bankrolled by big companies whose subscription cost listeners are willing to pay, and free podcasts funded by ads that listeners are happy to sit through, are both likely to have a place in this rapidly expanding arena. Research by the podcast ad agency Acast in March last year found that almost a quarter of Britons listen to some podcasts, and that a fifth of those had only started in the previous six months. PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimates, meanwhile, that ad revenue from podcasts will top $1bn globally next year. Its not a straight choice between two funding models, either. Another big new podcasting player, Himalaya, which matches Luminarys $100m in startup capital and has links to Chinese podcasting giant Ximalaya FM, is a free app, but will give users an option to tip podcasts via small online payments. This echoes how smaller podcasts can already become going financial concerns, beyond selling ads: asking their fans to fund their favourite podcast directly, usually via the pay-monthly content support service Patreon. Football-banter podcast Top Flight Time Machine is one such show. It was growing in popularity and we wanted to do more, says Andy Dawson, who co-created the podcast with Sam Delaney and is also known for co-hosting Athletico Mince with Bob Mortimer. We saw other people doing Patreons you see people doing them for a Twitter account, which is a bit brazen so we thought, lets give it a whirl. We thought we might get 1,000 subscribers by the end of this year. But weve got 1,150 already. Each of them pays $4 per month. Were making a reasonable living, almost, from a podcast we really love doing. Here, its not that listeners are paying to access a hallowed VIP content area, staffed by superstars: far from it. Podcasts are by nature quite intimate, says Dawson. If its successful, the listener feels as if theyre part of a gang. We get lots of people on Twitter throwing the catchphrases and running gags back at us. Thats the secret to them wanting to do the Patreon thing. I dont think its the end. I think thats [still] the crux of what podcasting is: anyone can do it, thats the beauty of it. | https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/mar/12/have-podcasts-sold-out |
Which airlines operate Boeing 737 Max jets? | Use of aircraft has been suspended in some countries following Ethiopian Airlines crash Following the crash on Sunday of a Boeing 737 Max 8 jet operated by Ethiopian Airlines, a number of countries have suspended operations of the aircraft in and out of their airports, and some airlines have said they are grounding their fleets. Ethiopian Airlines crash a visual guide to what we know so far Read more Regulator bans The UK, France, Ireland and Malaysia have suspended the operation of all 737 Max models in their airspace. The German transport minister, Andreas Scheuer, told German broadcaster n-tv on Tuesday that German airspace was closed to Boeing 737 Max aircraft. Singapore and Australias regulators have suspended the operation of 737 Max planes flying into and out of the country. Chinas regulator has ordered domestic airlines to suspend 737 Max 8 flights. Indonesia, South Korea and Oman have grounded their airlines 737 Max 8 jets for inspections. The US has said the plane is airworthy and does not need to be grounded. Airlines that have grounded the planes These airlines have either grounded their own planes or been told to do so by the relevant civil aviation authority: 9 Air Aerolneas Argentinas Aeromexico Air China China Development Bank China Eastern Airlines China Southern Airlines Eastar Jet Ethiopian Airlines Group Garuda Indonesia GOL Transportes Areos Hainan Airlines Lion Air Malaysia Airlines Norwegian Air Shuttle Shandong Airlines Shenzhen Airlines TUI Travel Xiamen Airlines Airlines continuing to operate the Boeing 737 Max These airlines are still operating the 737 Max, though flights will be affected by airspace and airport bans: Air Canada Air Italy American Airlines Fiji Airways Flydubai Icelandair LOT Polish Airlines S7 SCAT Airlines SilkAir Smartwings Southwest Airlines SpiceJet Turkish Airlines WestJet Airlines | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/12/which-airlines-operate-boeing-737-max-jets |
How Will Harley-Davidson's Valuation Be Affected By A 50-Basis-Point Reduction In Financing Costs? | Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) recently released its Q4 and full year results for the Fiscal Year 2018. The company reported $5.72 billion in revenue, up by 1.2% year on year. The Net Income reported was $531.5 million, up by 1.9% YOY and EPS was $3.19, up by 5.6% YOY. The CEO during the investor call mentioned that the company has met or exceeded all planned milestones, the execution is on track, and the company is energized with new and different people, riders and non-riders. We have a price estimate of $40 per share for the company. In our interactive dashboard, Effect On Harleys Valuation if 10K more motorcycles sold due to a 50 Basis points reduction in Financing Interest rate, we provide a scenario in which we consider the effect on revenue, profits, and valuation if a reduction of financing costs by 50 basis points increases sales volume by 10K units. In addition, here is more Consumer Discretionary data. In 2019 the company expects to make motorcycle shipments in the range of 217K to 222K and expects the gross margin to be down YOY, but with the operating margin expected to be flat. The company is trying to gain traction by releasing lightweight motorcycles and is expected to release middleweight motorcycles by 2020. Further, in July, 2018 the company had announced the More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan, the acceleration of their strategy to build the next generation of Harley-Davidson riders, grow motorcycling, and return the business to growth through 2022. In this scenario we will ascertain the effect on Harleys revenue, profits, and valuation if a reduction of financing costs by 50 basis points increases sales volume by 10,000 units. If we put this scenario into the model, the revenue will increase by $131.9 million, up by 2.3%, and Net Income by $25.4 billion, up by 4.7%. The Trefis Share Price in the scenario will increase by $1.90 and will be at $43. This is an approximately 5% increase on the current Trefis Price. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/12/how-will-harley-davidsons-valuation-be-affected-if-a-50-basis-point-reduction-in-financing-costs/ |
What's The Revenue Potential Of Qualcomm's RF Front-End Business? | Qualcomm has been ramping up sales at its RF Front End business which includes the various components that come between the antenna and modem of a wireless device as it looks to increase its share of smartphone component content as the wireless industry shifts from 4G towards 5G technology. The move could also help the company partly mitigate the impact of lower modem shipments and revenues, as its key customer Apple has shifted away from using Qualcomm chips on its latest smartphones. In this note, we take a look at how the RFFE business could scale up and how it could contribute to Qualcomms top line. We have created an interactive dashboard analysis on the revenue potential of Qualcomms RF Front End business. You can modify our forecasts to arrive at your own estimates for the business, and see all of our Technology company data here. How Qualcomm Could Add Value In The RFFE Market While most flagship 4G phones that had Qualcomm modems relied on third parties for RF front end chips, Qualcomm is looking to change this going into the 5G era. 5G devices generally require a tighter coupling between the various components, and their systems are typically more complex to design, considering the high-frequency bands involved (sub-6 GHz and mmWave bands). Qualcomm should be well-positioned in this regard, since it provides end-to-end solutions for the RF front end, including power amplifiers, filters, RF transceivers, and antenna tuners meaning that the entire modem to antenna portfolio can be built using Qualcomm components. This may not be possible using a single third-party vendor. Moreover, since the RFFE also has a direct impact on a devices battery life, as well as reception, call quality, and data speeds, OEMs may prefer to stick to a single vendor like Qualcomm for their RF needs. While Qualcomm does not break down the revenues from its RF Front End business, the company noted that RF Front End sales almost doubled year-over-year during FY18, while noting that it expects to grow RFFE revenues by a double-digit percentage in fiscal 2019. The company says that a majority of the 5G designs its working on with its first-generation X50 modem come with RF front-end attached. Moreover, the companys second-generation 5G cellular modem unveiled in February, the Snapdragon X55, will be packaged inside its new mobile applications processor, increasing its reach to more mobile vendors. Qualcomm shipped 804 million mobile station modem chips over 2019, and we expect the number to fall by over 10% in 2019, as Apple has stopped using Qualcomm modems on its latest flagship smartphones. We expect the metric to recover to 762 million by 2021. We estimate that about 3% of devices with Qualcomm modems will have its RFFE components in 2019, with the number rising to 20% by 2021, due to the acceleration of 5G network deployment and an increasing number of 5G handset launches. This could translate into just over 150 million RFFE packages shipped by 2021. If we assume an average selling price of $12 for these components (for perspective, the iPhone XS Max uses RF and Power amplifier components worth $15.50), it could add about $1.8 billion in revenues for Qualcomm by 2021. This would translate into roughly 8% of the companys projected revenues for the year. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/12/whats-the-revenue-potential-of-qualcomms-rf-front-end-business/ |
What part of I-440 is affected due to the reconstruction project this week? | CLOSE TDOT's long-awaited I-440 Reconstruction Project extends approximately 7.6 miles, from Interstate 40 to Interstate 24 in Davidson County, and should be complete by August 2020. TDOT, Nashville Tennessean NASHVILLE The Interstate 440 reconstruction project continues. The job started at the beginning of March, with contractors beginning 24-hour-a-day, six-day-a-week work on the medians. Constant lane closures along the entire 7.6-mile corridor are expected for the next year and a half. Ramps in some areas will also be intermittently closed. Here's where traffic along the interstate has been shifted this week: From Belmont Boulevard to Interstate 65 Next week, it shifts here: Interstate 65 to the Nolensville Pike area Buy Photo A view of traffic on I-440 near the I-65 exit during morning rush hour on Monday, March 4, 2019. Nashville's I-440 reconstruction project has started. The 7.6-mile corridor will be affected for the next year and a half. (Photo: Shelley Mays/ The Tennessean) Between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., I-440 is reduced to two lanes and reduced one lane between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Shoulders will be closed and merge lanes will be shortened. The estimated end date for the entire reconstruction project is August 2020. "The best thing you can do, truly, is to avoid this corridor," said Will Reid, TDOT's assistant chief engineer of operations. Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund. Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/03/12/440-construction-lane-closures-nashville/3138713002/ | https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/03/12/440-construction-lane-closures-nashville/3138713002/ |
Is Texas high school basketball going to use a shot clock? | The Fort Worth Star-Telegram caught up with UIL Director of Athletics Susan Elza at the boys basketball state tournament to talk about the potential of a shot clock in Texas hoops, rule changes and instant replay. The shot clock has been a discussion point the last few basketball seasons. Its a topic, but not one on the forefront. There are coaches that are interested in it, but theres an equal amount of coaches that arent. We rely heavily on the coaches organizations to give us feedback on it, like the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, the Texas Girls Coaches Association and the Texas High School Coaches Association. I think coaches are interested, but there are some, whether its their team or the game itself, they dont think its quite ready for it. I dont think the topic is going away, I just dont see us making any abrupt movement toward changing it. Of course, its not within rule of the national federation, thats the rule we follow, and theyve allowed us to conduct experiments through tournaments. Weve done three this year. Sign Up and Save Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram Its looking like itll return here for the next two years. The contract hasnt been signed or delivered, but I think thats the intent. Its the same as any sport. There needs to be seating accommodations, locker rooms, needs to be convenient to get in and out along with ample parking. There are a ton of options that will fit the criteria. It costs to play at venues like this, is there availability, there are so many to run through. Dickeys Arena is certainly nice and weve toured it. I cant give you an answer at this point, its all about reviewing and understanding right now. We will keep our eyes open. We have a cooperative relationship with the THSCA. We added the new tackling certification and all those preseason spring training limitations. No matter who you talk to in the UIL or THSCA, theyll say the game is safer than it has ever been. Our eyes are open, the medical advisorys eyes are open to anything that can make the kids even more safe. With football, we took a lot of steps forward last season. I cant look into a crystal ball and tell you whats the next thing, but if its going to put our kids in a position to be safe when theyre participating then well be proactive toward it. We will use it again this year. We have a football committee that makes recommendations. We visited every coach at state and they were all overwhelmingly in favor of it. Although it delayed a couple of games with so many reviews, youd rather see them get it right. There were 28 replays, 18 reversed, 5 confirmed and 5 stood. It was a success. Coaching challenges have been questioned, whether or not we should bring that back. Some coaches said its a strategy they dont have to worry about, some would like that option. We will continue to look at it. What is the next big thing being discussed in any sport. Im on the volleyball committee for the national federation, which we have a cooperative relationship with and it doesnt matter what sport, baseball, softball, soccer, instant replay is being talked about and how it could fit into high school games when schools may not have all the camera angles. Its something down the road, I cant tell you how many years down the road, but every state that plays interscholastic sports has been keeping an eye on it. You dont want your sports to get behind on it, but you also dont want to jump forward without getting it right. | https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/dfwvarsity/article227410794.html |
What exactly is a blizzard? | Youve heard the word. With Colorado one of Americas more blizzard-prone states, its probably a good idea to brush up on what exactly a blizzard means. From the National Weather Services official definition, you need three things for a blizzard to officially be taking place: -Sustained winds (not gusts) of 35 mph or greater -Snow reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less -All of that to take place for a period of three consecutive hours or longer In short, a blizzard is a reference to visibility, and not necessarily the amount of snow that might or could fall in a particular storm. If you hear that a Blizzard Warning is issued for your location, that means youre probably not going to be able to see much, if at all. RELATED: 4 key things to consider when checking the weather forecast Technically, snow doesnt even have to be falling from the sky for a blizzard to officially be taking place. A ground blizzard is when loose snow on the ground gets picked up by strong winds, reducing visibility. First and foremost, prioritize staying off the roads in a blizzard. Next, because of the strong winds usually associated with a blizzard, be prepared to potentially be without power for a few hours, or perhaps even a few days. Stock up on extra supplies in advance of a blizzard, and think of a nearby location with a generator in case you lose power and heat for a lengthy period of time. Colorado snow events are often accompanied by strong winds, particularly on the gust-prone eastern plains. The typical setup for a Colorado blizzard usually involves a strong area of low pressure centered in eastern parts of the state or western Kansas. That low location allows the low to pull in enough cold air on the northwest side of the storm, while the lows strength creates the strong winds that are the hallmark of any blizzard. RELATED: Why Wednesdays blizzard could be the states strongest storm in decades Springtime tends to produce the majority of Colorados blizzards think of the March 2016 blizzard that paralyzed Denver with over a foot of snow. Warmer air from the south gets juxtaposed with retreating Arctic air, creating a clash of air masses that helps to strengthen low pressure. Its also part of the reason why, climatologically, March and April are officially Denvers two snowiest months of the year. Before all else, when you hear the term blizzard, think difficult travel. It means that travel is next to impossible, or ill-advised at the very least. This week, a major blizzard is set to slam Colorado with wind gusts that could approach 80 mph. Chris Bianchi is a meteorologist for WeatherNation TV. | https://www.denverpost.com/2019/03/12/blizzard-definition/ |
Will taxpayers be reimbursed for the $41 million spent on fire-damaged Louis St. Laurent building? | As I recently reported, taxpayers spent $41 million trying to repair the fire-damaged Louis St. Laurent building in Gatineau but the federal government will now abandon the structure. That move leaves as many as 1,800 Defence department employees scattered in other locations across the national capital region. Public Services and Procurement Canada says it has stopped work on the building, which was damaged by a fire on April 21, 2016. To date, PSPC has spent $41 million to stabilize the structure of the building and start the demolition and decontamination, department spokeswoman Michle LaRose noted in an email. She said necessary emergency work was done and completed in March 2017. Other work was performed on repair design. Procurement Canada noted that, As per the terms and conditions of the lease-purchase agreement, PSPC had to repair the building to its pre-fire state. That is unknown at this point because of ongoing legal issues. Given the litigation proceedings between PSPC and the current owner, we cannot comment further, Procurement Canada stated in an email. The fire started on the sixth floor of the Louis St. Laurent building, and part of the roof caved in as a result of the blaze. Public Services and Procurement Canada says it is now working on a plan for long-term accommodation for the 1,800 Department of National Defence employees who used to work at the building. But there is no timeline on when that plan will be ready or when the employees will be sent to a new facility. The employees are currently dispersed among six different locations in Gatineau and Ottawa. | https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/will-taxpayers-be-reimbursed-for-the-41-million-spent-on-fire-damaged-louis-st-laurent-building |
How is the Boeing 737 Max 8 different from other Boeing 737 airplanes? | The crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on Sunday five months after the Lion Air crash of the same type of plane in Indonesia has raised many questions about the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. There are currently two types of Boeing 737 planes in use around the world that sound similar but are in fact very different aircraft with distinctive technology. The Boeing 737 Max 8, the model involved in the two deadly crashes, is the newer successor to the Boeing 737 Next Generation line of aircraft. Boeing 737 Next Generation (737NG) is the overarching name given to a fleet of aircraft that began production in 1991. It includes the Boeing 737-600, Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-900 variations with different seating capacity. The 737NG featured improved fuel capacity, a 25 percent larger wing capacity, and an ability to fly 900 more nautical miles than earlier 737 models. Southwest Airlines was the world's first airline to take delivery in 1997, and by April 2012, 4,000 Boeing 737NGs had been delivered around the world. Two decades after the debut of the 737NG, Boeing announced plans for a new model: the Boeing 737 Max 8. Today, there are over 350 Boeing 737 Max 8 airplanes in use worldwide, although a growing number of airlines and nations have decided to ground them in the wake of the second crash. Among U.S. carriers, least 69 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft are in service for Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines. When it announced plans for the 737 Max 8 in 2011, Boeing said the new aircraft would be "the most fuel efficient, most capable airplane with the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle market." The Boeing 737 Max 8 flew its first flight in 2017. One important distinction from previous 737s is that the Boeing 737 Max 8 has a different software system. That software is now a focus of investigators. The Max 8 is outfitted with bigger, more fuel-efficient engines than earlier 737s, and the weight and positioning of those engines shifted the plane's center of gravity forward, increased the potential for the nose to pitch up after take-off. To counteract this risk, Boeing developed software known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. Max 8s come equipped with a sensor that reads the plane's angle relative to the wind flow, prompting MCAS to automatically trigger the plane's nose to angle downward if it gets a specific reading. However, problems could arise if the MCAS system gets erroneous sensor readings. The system automatically pushes the plane's nose down, potentially surprising pilots who are unfamiliar with the system and overriding their commands. This is what investigators believe happened to Lion Air Flight 610 before it crashed in October, and investigators are are also looking into whether it played a role with Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. (The FAA stresses that the investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines crash has just begun and it is too early to draw any conclusions about the cause.) According to The New York Times, when Boeing first rolled out the 737 Max 8, the Federal Aviation Administration determined that there were not enough differences between the new model and the prior iteration of 737 to require pilots to go through simulator training a decision that saved the airlines time and money, and made Boeing's new plane more competitive. That means, however, that pilots remained unfamiliar with the MCAS system, even though it plays a key role in controlling the plane under certain circumstances. And even though the system could be influenced by a faulty sensor reading, The New York Times reports "there is no evidence that Boeing did flight-testing of MCAS with erroneous sensor data, and it is not clear whether the FAA did so." Furthermore, older 737s are equipped with technology that allows pilots to manually control the plane by simply pulling back on the control column. Yet, per The Times' report from February, that feature was disabled on the Max 8 when MCAS is activated another change that pilots were unlikely to have been aware of. Both Boeing and the FAA have released statements vouching for the safety of the 737 Max 8 planes. Boeing said Tuesday, "We have full confidence in the safety of the MAX," and the FAA said Monday, "The FAA continuously assesses and oversees the safety performance of U.S. commercial aircraft. If we identify an issue that affects safety, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action." -CBS News' Kris Van Cleave contributed reporting. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boeing-737-max-8-boeing-737-800-how-are-the-planes-different/ |
Is The U.S. Ready For A Gas Tax Increase? | House Democrats are talking enthusiastically about passing a big infrastructure bill by summer. President Trump keeps hinting at it, and so do congressional Republicans. Everyone, it seems, acknowledges the need for more money for repairing or building roads, bridges, public transit and the like. Heres what they dont agree on: How to pay for it. Full disclosure: I just spent $800 (!&%!) for two new tires and a front-end repair thanks to some of Marylands biggest and best potholes. There are so many, I cant even tell you which one of the monster ruts did the deed. Lawmakers seem to put the revenue discussion in one of three buckets, at least when they are willing to talk about it at all: Raising the motor fuels tax in some fashion, rolling back some of the high-income or corporate tax cuts in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), or expanding public-private partnerships (P3s). Bipartisan support Lets start by ruling out changes in the TCJA. If there is going to be a bipartisan bill that Hill Republicans will support and Trump will sign, it isnt going to include changes to the TCJA the GOPs centerpiece legislative achievement in 2017. Besides, while Democrats want to reverse some of the laws tax cuts, many have other plans for the money. For example, presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) would squirrel it away to help pay for her big new refundable tax credit for low- and moderate-income households. Plan B is a hike in the federal gas tax, which is supposed to support the Highway Trust Fund. But for more than 25 years, the tax has been stuck at 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents for diesel fuel. Congress not only needs money to pay for new spending, it must find $166 million over 10 years just to pay for currently planned projects. Raising the gas tax terrifies most members of Congress, even those from heavily-Democratic big city districts. Gas prices at the pump fluctuate wildly and many consumers would not notice an extra dime or more of tax. Yet, politicians fear that every time the price at the pump rises, voters would blame it on higher taxes. Uncharacteristically, many businesses support raising the levy. Even the US Chamber of Commerce, which usually can be counted on for its knee-jerk opposition to any tax, any time, likes this one. Chamber president Thomas Donohue favors a 25 cent per gallon hike in the federal fuel tax. States on their own Faced with deteriorating roads and the inability of Congress to act, states have raised the gas tax on their own. From 2013-2018, at least 28 states have raised their levies, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, though many increases have been modest. Raising the existing tax is just one option. Another is reforming the levy. And one way to do that is to base a tax on miles driven rather than gallons of fuel purchase. Such a levy would tie a drivers taxes to his use of the roads. Several states, including Oregon, California, and Colorado, have experimented with such a vehicle miles traveled tax, and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) has proposed a national demonstration project. Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) has proposed a similar tax. The third alternative is for government to partner with private investors who would finance projects in return for revenue from tolls or other user fees. The idea has been around for years, and was a key element in President Trumps initial infrastructure proposala plan that fell flat with Congress and seemingly generated little enthusiasm even in the White House. P3s The track record for these partnerships has been decidedly mixed. A few years ago, my TPC colleague Tracy Gordon looked at the pros and cons. Her conclusion: While P3s certainly could play a role and perhaps reduce public costs, governments need to carefully manage them. And, in the end, theyd likely play only a minor role in financing infrastructure since only some kinds of projects can support fees (for example, it is hard to put a toll on city streets). And keep in mind that P3s dont provide new revenue. The cost of the project still has to be paid back somehow. President Trump has not made the funding issue any easier by steadfastly refusing to talk about any new tax. That effectively leaves the issue up to a deeply divided Congress. Until lawmakers can find a way to agree on some form of new revenue, dont count on a major infrastructure bill anytime soon. And watch those potholes. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2019/03/12/is-the-us-ready-for-a-gas-tax-increase/ |
How Much Can Merck's Share Price Grow If Keytruda Gets 10% Share Of Oncology Drug Market? | Mercks (NYSE:MRK) Keytruda has been on a strong run with sales exceeding $7 billion in 2018. This can be attributed to its superior benefits in lung cancer, and various regulatory approvals for multiple indications. While the drugs peak sales are touted to be as high as $16 billion, we forecast the sales to be around the $10 billion mark by 2026. This would represent roughly 5% share in the global oncology drug market in 2026. In this note we discuss the potential upside to Mercks earnings and share price if Keytruda were to capture an incremental 5% share in the oncology drugs market by 2026. You can adjust various drivers to see the impact on the companys earnings and price estimate, based on Keytruda sales. Also, heres more Healthcare Data. The global oncology drug market was valued at around $77 billion in 2018, and it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% to $196 billion in 2026. Increased acceptance of immunotherapy will likely be the key growth driver in the coming years. Also, the mergers & acquisitions, and strategic partnerships in the overall industry are giving smaller companies better distribution networks. However, there will be certain disruptions in the growth, primarily from the loss of marketing exclusivity for some of the drugs, which will face generic competition. Some such drugs include Roches Rituxan, and Avastin. Keytruda is the market leader in the immuno-oncology space, and it now has 15 approvals in the U.S. for 10 different types of tumors. The drug has superior benefits in treatment over its peers. In first-line non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, Keytruda in a chemo combination showed 51% reduction in the risk of death, compared with chemo alone. The drug was initially approved for advanced Melanoma, but saw its usage expand to multiple other areas. In fact, in 2018 itself, Keytruda received 7 FDA approvals. Keytruda has a large addressable market because of its approval for lung cancer. The commercial opportunity is huge due to the larger population of potential patients. Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancer types in the world, both in terms of incidence and mortality. As such, the drug is expected to see strong growth in the coming years. Given its benefits, expansion of the overall market, and if the drug is able to secure further approvals for other indications, it could garner an incremental 5% share of the global oncology drug market. Note that Keytruda is currently being tested under 9 programs in its phase three trials, including gastric, liver, and breast cancer indications. Any fresh approvals will further bolster the drugs sales. This will result in its sales of roughly $20 billion, as compared to our base case estimate of $10 billion in sales in 2026. If Keytruda manages to capture an additional 5% share in the oncology drug market, it will result in $1.00 incremental earnings on an adjusted basis. We use 27.5% adjusted net income margin, similar to that for overall Merck in calculating the EPS impact. We use a price to earnings multiple of 17x to arrive at a $17 impact on Mercks share price, which offers roughly 20% upside to its current market price of $80. Our estimate of Mercks earnings multiple is slightly higher than some of its peers, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, given Mercks visibility of Keytruda growth, larger late stage pipeline, and some other segments, including Animal Health, that could offer steady growth in the long run. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/03/12/how-much-can-mercks-share-price-grow-if-keytruda-gets-10-share-of-oncology-drug-market/ |
Why did three successful Dallas-area hotel investors just buy American Bank? | For Chirag Patel, Mehul Patel and Mital Patel, it's a little bit business and a little bit personal. The three investors in Lewisville-based hotel company NewcrestImage bought North Dallas' American Bankin a deal that closed Friday for an undisclosed amount. The bank has around $55 million in assets. NewcrestImage is regarded as one of Dallas-Fort Worth's many business success stories. It was started by three immigrant families three sets of two brothers who came to the U.S. and started their own hotel companies. The company owns 28 hotels with another 15 properties currently under construction. NewcrestImage made a name for itself when it opened its first dual-branded hotel in North Texas in 2013. Dual-branded hotels allow owners to cut costs by leaning on a shared staff to serve two experiences to customers. The practice emerged after businesses began struggling amid the economic downturn of the late 2000s, according to the company. NewcrestImage will open its next dual-branded hotel in Frisco this June that will become part of a four-hotel campus in the mixed-use development of Frisco Station. | https://www.dallasnews.com/business/business/2019/03/12/three-successful-dallas-area-hotel-investors-just-buy-american-bank |
What Will Happen When Betelgeuse Goes Supernova? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Corey S. Powell, former editor in chief of Discover, on Quora: Betelgeuse has inspired a lot of astronomical scare-stories because it is a nearby red giant star that is expected to explode soon as a powerful supernova. What these stories often gloss over is that nearby and soon are relative terms. The way astronomers use them is quite different from the way we use those words in everyday conversation. First, lets look at soon. Astronomers estimate that Betelgeuse is approximately 10 million years old, and it began expanding into a red giant 40,000 years ago. That means it has begun nuclear fusion of helium in its core, creating oxygen and carbon and starting down the pathway to core collapse and eventual supernova detonation. Exactly how long it will take for that to happen is unknown; astronomers can only make estimates using models of stellar evolution. Those models, in turn, depend on Betelgeuses mass and rotation period, both of which are imprecisely known. If Betelgeuse is almost 20 times as massive as the Sun, as most studies indicate, then it will explode sometime within the next 100,000 years, leaving a celestial splatter similar to Cassiopeia A (shown here). Its more likely to blow up later in that time-frame, but its not impossible that it could explode tomorrow. Still, even if you assume that an explosion could happen randomly any time within that period, the odds of Betelgeuse exploding in your lifetime are less than 0.1%. Then again, if Betelgeuse is closer to 15 times the mass of the Sun, as implied by a few other studies, and if it is rotating slowly, then it could take a million years or more to go supernova. In that case, the likelihood that you will live to see Betelgeuse go boom is a good, solid zero. illustration Now, lets look at close. Its not so easy to measure the distance to a bright red giant star like Betelgeuse. Different methods give answers ranging from 520 light years to nearly 700 light years, about 150 times as far away as Alpha Centauri. (Betelgeuse looks bright in our sky because it is so intrinsically large and luminous, as shown in this.) Even at the low end of the distance estimates, Betelgeuse is too far away to do significant damage to Earth. As Charlie Kilpatrick explains, the material ejected directly by the Betelgeuse supernova will have expanded and cooled to insignificance long before it reaches Earth. Radiation from the Betelgeuse supernova will certainly have some measurable effects on Earths environment, but probably only a minor impact on life. Betelgeuse is too far away to significantly ionize Earths atmosphere, for instance. One way to evaluate the risk is to look at the consequences of past nearby supernovas. Its not easy to find evidence of them, which is one strong indication that only the very closest supernovas present much of a risk. A recent study claims to find chemical evidence of two supernova explosions between 1.7 million and 3.2 million years ago. These explosions allegedly happened on the order of 300 light years from Earth, meaning they hit us with radiation 4 times as strong (give or take) as what wed expect from Betelgeuse. Theres no clear sign that they had any effect on life, however. Its possible they caused a period of climate cooling, but its also possible that the changing climate was completely unrelated. At any rate, there was no mass extinction during that era. Statistically speaking, supernova explosions should occur within 100 parsecs (300ish light years) every 2 million4 million years. Whatever effect theyve had on ancient life is too subtle to recognize in the fossil record. So its safe too say that even if Betelgeuse were to explode really soon, in your lifetime, it still isnt close enough to pose much of a risk. One less thing to worry about! This question originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. More questions: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2019/03/12/what-will-happen-when-betelgeuse-goes-supernova/ |
What was the world wide web like 30 years ago? | Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sir Berners-Lee's proposal, which led to the world wide web, was submitted 30 years ago today Dial-up tone, clunky websites and internet AOL free trial CDs - it's clear that the earliest versions of the world wide web came with quirks and frustrations. Thirty years ago today, Sir Tim Berners-Lee submitted his proposal for the world wide web. To celebrate its anniversary, tech firms, early web users and retired politicians are flooding #Web30 on Twitter with nostalgic posts remembering their first interactions with the world wide web. Here are a few of the people heralding what was once called the information super highway. The High Performance Computing Act was passed by US Congress in 1991, which helped develop accessible web use. Former vice-president Al Gore was one of the earliest supporters of the act. Skip Twitter post by @algore In 1991, the High Performance Computing Act paved the way for what used to be known as the Information Superhighway. I was proud to write the legislation and to help ensure the Internet supports a free democracy, a standard we must continue to protect. #Web30 #ForTheWeb Al Gore (@algore) March 12, 2019 Report A few years later, in 1994, former US president Bill Clinton and then prime minister of Sweden, Carl Bildt, were the first global leaders to exchange emails over the world wide web. Skip Twitter post by @BillClinton In 1994, I was proud to be part of the first Presidential email exchange with another head of state, @carlbildt, then-Prime Minister of Sweden. In my message, I thanked him for his support as America ended the trade embargo on Vietnam. #Web30 #ForTheWeb Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) March 12, 2019 Report By 2000 - the first year the US-based Pew Research Center tracked internet usage - half of the population was already online. It is impossible to forget the crackling sound of the dial-up tone in those early days. The screeching and ringing have come to represent the earliest web portals and is even up on Google's homepage to celebrate the 30th anniversary. The earliest computing technology was conceptualised in the mid-19th century by British mathematician Charles Babbage. The first computer wasn't built, however, until 1939. Soon after, the first computer company was founded. In the 1960s, two MIT Graduate students theorised and then created a technology that was able to transfer small packets of information from one computer to another. This interconnectivity, first called the Arpanet, marked the first traces of the internet. Skip Twitter post by @BillGates I was lucky to be a young person when the digital revolution was just getting under way, and my Microsoft colleagues and I had the chance to help shape it. Celebrating #Web30 leaves me feeling nostalgic about 1995. https://t.co/krIFxTGd1q Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 12, 2019 Report The technology was primarily used for US defence strategy throughout the Cold War. This was until two decades later when Tim Berners-Lee sought to streamline a connection between a larger network of computers. Thus, the internet browser and the world wide web was created. Today, we think of the internet as millions of links networked on a variety of browser options like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer. We can thank Berners-Lee for it because a "browser" was first coined in his 1989 information management proposal. The first ever web address that started it all was http://info.cern.ch/ and it still exists today. More on #Web30 Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Web creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee discusses what went wrong Early websites Companies like Amazon and Craigslist and early web designers have taken to social media to share their first ever website. The simple designs were limited to basic HTML code that could provide simple on-screen text and hyperlinks to other websites. Today, other coding languages like CSS and JavaScript can animate elements to pages that are otherwise dull. "Back then, we were still thinking of books and newspapers. We didn't think there were any rules for accessibility or design," says Will Francis, a technology and social media expert based out of London. Aside from design limitations, Mr Francis explained that getting your website discovered was one of the main challenges. In 2000 when Mr Francis made his first site, not many people were doing the work that he was, he says. "It felt like a new frontier and that was exciting," Mr Francis told the BBC. "But, we've gained so much since and I certainly wouldn't want to roll the clock back." Reporting by Bryan Wood | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47544387 |
Should New Vision Academy charter school parents have been notified by MNPS about issues before closure? | CLOSE Charter school, New Vision announced that the school will close with six weeks left in the school year. Students will have to find a new school. It is a question that Metro Nashville Public Schools officials were posed with by numerous frustrated and angry parents of the now-closed school. But district officials, including Director of Schools Shawn Joseph, have held firm that it is the job of a charter school to report problems and fixes to parents. "We don't necessarily work directly with charter school families. As a charter, they are the charter schools' families, " Joseph said in a Friday interview with the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee. Joseph, however, said communicating issues with parents at independently run charter schools is something the district might look into. There is a possibility a notice of violation can be relayed to parents or placed online, he said. "This event requires us to think about ways we can continue to communicate broader and be more transparent and have discussions about best approach as we move forward," Joseph said. During last week's district meeting, parents of the charter school said they were notified of the school's closing last week in letters sent home with students. Before that, numerous parents said there was no communication from school leaders about problems. NEW VISION ACADEMY CLOSES: Parents express frustration to Nashville schools on next steps DAILY BRIEFING: Stay up to date with the top stories delivered to your inbox every morning The school was told by the district that the south Nashville church building it used was housing too many students than the fire code allowed. At least 64 students were going to be forced out, but instead, the school's leaders decided to close down the school. Buy Photo Parent Shirley Maldonado expresses her anger and concern to MNPS Executive Director of Charter Schools Dennis Queen during a parent meeting on Thursday, March 7, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn. Parents are scrambling to find other schools for their children to attend. (Photo: Mark Zaleski/ For the Tennessean) The district is working to place 158 students in schools by Monday. And New Vision was already under state and federal investigation for financial irregularities and complaints from teachers and at least one parent for failing to comply with federal laws regarding English-learning students and students with learning disabilities. Parents, however, were surprised about the numerous issues that were mounting at the charter school. They said they noticed staff and building changes in the last year, but they were unaware that the school was under investigation. Charter schools are funded by taxpayers but operate independently, picking their own curriculum and managing their own budgets. The schools also have their own communication with parents. Joseph said the district will do everything to ensure the 158 students seamlessly transition into district schools. "It is a small enough group of families to make sure that we have someone from the district touching base with each one of them," Joseph said. NEWSLETTERS Get the Daily Briefing newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Start your day with the morning's top news Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-342-8237. Delivery: Daily Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Daily Briefing Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters He added: "It is emotional, it is not easy and it is not ideal. It is something we don't want to ever happen to any set of families." A subscription to one of our Tennessee publications gets you unlimited access to all the latest news and the ability to tap into stories, photos and videos from throughout the USA TODAY Network's 109 local sites. Reach Jason Gonzales at [email protected] and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales. Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2019/03/12/nashville-schools-mnps-notify-parents-next-time-charter-school-issues/3129179002/ | https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2019/03/12/nashville-schools-mnps-notify-parents-next-time-charter-school-issues/3129179002/ |
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