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How much water may be tucked away in nearby asteroids? | Would-be explorers have high hopes that caches of water scattered throughout the solar system will fuel future rockets. In new estimates, scientists grapple with just how much water might be out there, looking specifically at near-Earth asteroids as a potential resource. Astronomers have spotted nearly 20,000 such space rocks, and we even have up-close observations of a handful: Japan's Hayabusa2 mission and NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission are each currently orbiting such an object. Not all of them necessarily carry water but some do. "We know that there are minerals with water in them on asteroids. We know that from meteorites that have fallen to the ground," lead author Andrew Rivkin, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland, said in a statement. "It's also possible that Earth's water came largely from impacts." Related: Asteroid Bennu Had Water! NASA Probe Makes Tantalizing Find In addition to the scientific drive behind understanding how life came to be on Earth, mapping water across the solar system is important because water which can be split into hydrogen and oxygen might also be used to make rocket fuel. If that scenario becomes common, it would dramatically reduce the price tags of round-trip journeys to space, since rockets leaving Earth would no longer need to be powerful enough to lift the weight of their homebound fuel. To make their calculation, the team relied on ground-based telescope observations of these asteroids. But those observations are tricky, because the signature of water in Earth's atmosphere can interfere with asteroid measurements. So, the team used a slightly different signature one that doesn't actually represent water but has only been found in conjunction with the signature that does. By combining those observations with other measurements as well as data about meteorites that have fallen to Earth from asteroids, the team calculated a basic estimate for how much water could be trapped inside near-Earth asteroids. According to that estimate, there may be between 100 billion and 400 billion gallons (400 billion to 1,200 billion liters) of water spread among these space rocks. Ideally, the team would like to run similar calculations based on data gathered from space, where Earth's atmosphere won't interfere with the direct signature of water. But those measurements would rely on the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which is currently planned for 2021. The research is described in a paper published in December in the journal JGR Planets. Original article on Space.com. | https://www.foxnews.com/science/how-much-water-may-be-tucked-away-in-nearby-asteroids |
What is a bomb cyclone? | In our explanation of why Wednesdays storm will likely be Colorados strongest storm in decades, we mentioned the term bomb cyclone. No, it wasnt, and its extremely rare for the Plains to see such an event. Current computer model guidance suggests that this weeks event will be one of the rare Plains storms to meet this criteria. First of all, yes, a bomb cyclone is a real and official term, and not meteorological hyperbole. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the official definition of bombogenesis, or a bomb cyclone, is a 24 millibar drop in the barometric pressure of a midlatitude (non-tropical) storm in 24 hours or less. The lower the pressure, the stronger the storm. So that definition is a reference to the rapid intensification of a storm, something thats rare to see over a continental landmass like the Plains. Normally, an adjacent ocean or significant body of water is needed to create a bomb cyclone, particularly during the Northern Hemispheres winter months. The difference in temperature between the normally warmer ocean (particularly in the Atlantic, with the Gulf Stream pumping up warmer water from the south) and the cold landmass often creates the fuel source for powerful East Coast lows. RELATED: Why Wednesdays blizzard could be Colorados strongest storm in decades In this weeks storm, however, a sharp contrast between a warm, subtropical air mass and a cold, Arctic one to the north is creating the conditions for a bomb cyclone. It takes an unusually large air temperature difference over land for such a disturbance to take place, but itll likely happen this week. Chris Bianchi is a meteorologist for WeatherNation TV. | https://www.denverpost.com/2019/03/12/bomb-cyclone/ |
Whats the word for unexpected joys? | Theres Crazy Mike, and theres Crazy Michele. Both tell me that the other ones strange, which makes me wonder what the two of them say when Im not there. Crazy Michele called the other day and said she had to leave work because she had just lost her wallet, and she had been searching all morning and had to go home to cancel her credit cards. (Ive lost more wallets than boyfriends. Brian said that he tried to lose me once, but Im his bad penny.) Just go home. If I need anything, Ill call Crazy Mike. She called me three minutes later to say, My wife found it! Behind the couch. Suddenly the day is good. Shes right. Dodge the bullet is a little too literal for our profession, but there ought to be a phrase. Like the time I forgot to do the dishes, and it was Friday the 13th , and I figured my husband Brian would be mad when he got home, but then the bungalow caught on fire, and what with the firefighters and the smoke, Brian never even noticed the plates in the sink. On Friday night, Brian called to say, Theres a flat on the Bridance (his car). I need to take the Kipcap (my car) to work. Now, my luck leads to potholes, and Ive run over every loose nail in the outer, outer, outer, outer Excelsior, so I knew my weekend was ruined: Fulfilling the stereotype, I have no automotive skills, so fixing a flat meant calling AAA, waiting a few hours just so that a surly mechanic could grumble at me, You dont know how to put on a donut? followed by another few hours sitting in a tire shop leafing through 2012 copies of Sports Illustrated, trying not to feel like an inadequate husband. But 57 minutes after I dialed, the mechanic said, Your cars ready. The repairs on us, as youre such a good customer. Theres a reputation: most flat tires north of Daly City. But then, the Fisher-Paulsons excel at disaster: triplets go away forever, and Zane goes across the desert, so an hour-long crisis feels like ... serendipity. Horace Walpole coined that word in 1754, and it was a reference to the Three Princes of Serendip, who forever discovered treasure by accident. It was once voted one of the hardest words in the English language to translate. The Dalai Lama said, Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck. Somewhere in the world, triplets turned sweet 16 this week. And 15 years ago this month those triplets moved out of the bedlam bungalow. We were at an adoption support group the next week, and this woman knitting a baby blanket said, Those werent the children meant for you. Your forever family is another destiny. I wanted to snap the knitting needles out of her hand. But without that loss, then Zane would not have moved in. Nor Aidan. And for a decade and half, I have felt abundant and blessed. Even when the road was hard, there are four of us who are family. (Six if you count Buddyboy and Bandit, and believe me, they count.) The French would say, Cest un mal pour un bien. Crazy Mike would say, Broken eggs make a great omelet or in Paris, quiche. I asked Sister Lil what word she would use and she said, Well, its kind of a miracle-lite, not like a burning bush, but more like, Thank God I dont have to explain that one to the Reverend Mother. Maybe the word is lagniappe, from New Orleans. Mark Twain described it as an old Quechua word, meaning unexpected extra, like a bit of licorice root or a spool of thread. Like when Brian and I take Ms. On Geneva Avenue? And the chef smiles, a little something for the beginning of the journey. But then I get it. Each of us has more than enough catastrophes along the way. So each of us needs to take a moment to savor the little unexpected joys. Take time to smell the lagniappes. Kevin Fisher-Paulsons column appears Wednesdays in Datebook. Email: [email protected] | https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/What-s-the-word-for-unexpected-joys-13682721.php |
Does Twitter's Decline Mean The End Of The Global Town Square? | Twitter has long positioned itself as the global town square in which the world comes together to have a shared conversation across geographic and cultural boundaries. Such was the early vision of last decade's social platforms, that they would bring us together as a society and overcome the ability of elites to dictate the global conversation. Instead, even as Twitters CEO touted his companys global reach in 2013, the platforms growth had leveled off and over the half-decade since, Twitter has shrunk almost in half, shed its vaunted geotagged resolution, centralized around an ever-older set of elite accounts and transitioned from a place to hear from the world to a place to retweet from afar. The great dream of social media was that it would give everyone a voice. From heads of state to ordinary citizens, everyone, no matter where they lived, what they looked like, what their background or place in society was, would be equal. Most importantly, these social platforms would be free to publish to and consume and would not preference the wealthy and powerful over the traditionally disenfranchised. Elites would no longer control the global conversation. We would finally have our long-elusive vision of communicative democracy. Instead, as our social platforms have matured, they have increasingly reverted back to the centralization and elite control of every other form of media that preceded them. Worse, they have emboldened and empowered repressive governments throughout the world to use them to censor speech and surveil their citizenry. They have undermined democracy, flooded us with fake news and contributed to genocide. They have even normalized an entire planet to the idea of a privacy-free future in which surveillance and the commercial trade of our intimate physical and digital information is simply a way of life. Twitter was long the exception among its peers. While most other platforms focused on facilitating private communication, Twitter fashioned itself as a global marketplace of ideas in which messages were sent to the world and shared publicly by default. This relentless chronological firehose was imagined as something that could finally level the playing field for everyone. It seems such a dream was not to be. In the place of this utopian dream is a town square that is shrinking by the day. From a peak of more than half a billion tweets a day to just over 300 million a day as of October of last year, Twitter has shrunk precipitously. Its user base is steadily aging without a sufficient influx of new users, meaning it is becoming increasingly insular. Most importantly, even as Twitter has shrunk, it has steadily transitioned from a place where people came together to talk about their own beliefs, narratives, ideas and experiences into one where they merely share the thoughts of others from afar. We are hearing less and less from ordinary people across the world telling us their thoughts and livestreaming their experiences. Even our ability to put those remaining experiences on a map is shrinking rapidly as users are less and less willing to share their locations and those that do choose to report only city-level resolution. Twitter is the only major social media platform that offers an easily accessible realtime firehose of itself. That firehose makes it possible to uncover the trends we didnt know to look for. Facebook and Instagram force us to know what we are looking for and even then restrict us from accessing it all. Twitters decline is slow enough that it is not in danger of disappearing anytime soon, but the signal it provides us about the world has changed dramatically. Putting this all together, the early dream of Twitter as a global town square in which ordinary people would share their GPS-tagged experiences in realtime is fading. In its place, Twitter is becoming a traditional broadcast medium in which ordinary people merely rebroadcast the same elites as always. In the end, the more the web matures, the more it becomes just like that which came before. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/03/12/does-twitters-decline-mean-the-end-of-the-global-town-square/ |
What happens now that May's Brexit deal has been defeated again? | Theresa Mays second attempt to pass her Brexit deal has again been badly defeated, this time by a majority of 149. As promised in advance by Theresa May, the next step will be motions on successive days to see first if MPs want to rule out a no-deal departure and then, if they do, whether they wish to extend article 50 and delay the Brexit process. The Conservatives will have a free vote on no deal. May stressed that Wednesdays vote would not rule out no deal for ever just for now. And if MPs decline to rule out no deal, she said, it will become official government policy. Whatever happens, its not good news. Badly losing two Commons votes on your governments flagship policy is unprecedented for a modern prime minister, and in any other political era would herald their imminent eviction from Downing Street. There had been speculation that May could even resign if she lost again. While she has not, she is badly weakened, and the challenges will surely come. For now, MPs focus is on seeking to shape Brexit, and few would probably want to immediately take on her onerous task. But as with everything in this matter events could move very quickly. Its possible. Speaking after the defeat, Mays spokesman refused to rule it out, reiterating the PMs belief that departure with a deal is the better option, and that hers is the best deal on offer. In the interim, he said, MPs had some very significant decisions to make. That depends, not least on whether MPs support this. May is adamant that if there is a pause it should be brief and not one that would require the UK to take part in the upcoming European elections, taking place in 10 weeks time. But any Commons motion on extending article 50 will be amendable, and parliament might take another view. The Conservative hard-Brexiters from the European Research Group played a key role in sinking the deal, and their leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, told reporters beforehand he assumed that the next step would be a no-deal Brexit. However, this is something of a roll of the dice, especially as the consensus is that there is nowhere near a Commons majority for such an exit. Before the vote, the Tory MP Nick Boles warned the ERG that if they voted against the deal then centrist Tories would do whatever it takes to frustrate you, including a delay to departing the EU and cross-party efforts to seek a majority for a softer Brexit deal. Seemingly not, at least not yet. After the vote her spokesman reiterated the prime ministers opposition to any Brexit deal that involves a customs union. Meanwhile the EU has indicated that it has no appetite for further talks. While pushing for a second referendum is still among the partys official demands, in responding to Mays defeat, Jeremy Corbyn spoke mainly about again pushing Labours Brexit plan which involves membership of a customs union, or the idea of a general election. But again, things could change quickly, and those MPs who back a second referendum have not given up on the idea. That is what some Conservative backbenchers loyal to May were warning would inevitably happen if she lost the latest vote. This is likely to have been intended as an extra warning to would-be Tory rebels, one that went largely unobserved. An election could still happen, but that would involve extending article 50 for longer than the government wants. | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/12/what-happens-now-that-mays-brexit-deal-has-been-defeated-again |
Who is William 'Rick' Singer, the college admissions cheating scandal's alleged ringleader? | William "Rick" Singer, founder of for-profit college prep business Edge College & Career Network also known as "The Key," is allegedly the mastermind behind one of the largest college admissions scams to ever hit the U.S. and went to great lengths which included pricey fees to ensure his clients' demands were met. Singer, 58, has been called the "ringleader" behind the scheme, purportedly collecting roughly $25 million from dozens of individuals including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin over the course of nearly a decade to bribe school coaches and administrators into pretending their children were athletic recruits to ensure their admission into top tier colleges, prosecutors say. The Newport Beach, Calif., businessman agreed to plead guilty in Boston federal court Tuesday to charges including racketeering conspiracy and obstruction of justice. As a part of his guilty plea, Singer said he would pay at least $3.4 million to the feds, The Boston Globe reports. 3 OF THE MOST BIZARRE DETAILS OF THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CHEATING SCANDAL On his website for The Key, Singer describes himself as a dedicated father and coach who understands the pressure put on families surrounding college acceptances. The Key calls itself "the nations largest private life coaching and college counseling company." "As founder of The Key, I have spent the past 25 years helping students discover their life passion, and guiding them along with their families through the complex college admissions maze. Using The Key method, our coaches help unlock the full potential of your son or daughter, and set them on a course to excel in life," Singer stated online, providing biographies for seven other "coaches." Andrew Lelling, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, reportedly claimed Singer's clients paid him "anywhere between $200,000 and $6.5 million" for his unique services. FELICITY HUFFMAN, LORI LOUGHLIN AMONG 50 SNARED IN ELITE COLLEGE CHEATING SCAM, AUTHORITIES SAY Parents of prospective students conspired with a college entrance consultant to beat the system and ensure their students were admitted or had a better chance to be admitted to certain colleges or universities, including Yale, Stanford, Texas, UCLA, USC, Wake Forest and others. "According to the charging documents, Singer facilitated cheating on the SAT and ACT exams for his clients by instructing them to seek extended time for their children on college entrance exams, which included having the children purport to have learning disabilities in order to obtain the required medical documentation," the U.S. Justice Department explained, in part, in an online statement. "Singer would accommodate what parents wanted to do." Andrew Lelling However, that was just one of many ways Singer ensured the students got accepted to elite schools such as Yale, Stanford, Texas, UCLA, USC, Wake Forest and others. "Singer would accommodate what parents wanted to do," Lelling said, adding that it "appears that the schools are not involved." Prosecutors say the consultant represented to parents that the scheme had worked successfully more than 800 times. Singer also served as CEO of the Key Worldwide Foundation (KWF), a non-profit he claimed was a charity. Bribery payments were disguised as donations to KWF in sums up to $75,000 per SAT or ACT exam, the Justice Department said, noting that many students didn't realize their parents had staged anything. "This is a case where [the parents] flaunted their wealth, sparing no expense to cheat the system so they could set their children up for success with the best money can buy, Joseph Bonavolonta from the FBI Boston Field Office said in a Tuesday news conference. In total, 50 people including more than 30 parents and nine coaches were charged Tuesday in the scheme. Fox News' Katherine Lam,Travis Fedschun and The Assocaited Press contributed to this report. | https://www.foxnews.com/us/who-is-william-rick-singer-college-admissions-cheating-scandals-alleged-ringleader |
How did the US college admissions scheme work and who was charged? | There are 50 people charged in the case, including actors Felicity Huffman, known for her role on the TV show Desperate Housewives and the feature film Transamerica, and Lori Loughlin, a cast member on the TV series Full House. Defendants in the case include parents and college athletics coaches. The wealthy parents were part of the biggest college admissions scam ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, prosecutors say, accused of conspiring to get their kids into elite colleges through bribery and cheating. The FBI investigation was dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. Administrators of the SAT and ACT college exams were bribed to allow someone else to pretend to be the student and take the exam in their place, according to a criminal complaint. In other cases, the proctors gave the students answers or fixed their wrong answers after they had taken the test. The children sometimes faked learning disabilities so that they would be able to take the tests at facilities where staff had been paid off, the complaint says; parents paid between $15,000 and $75,000 a test to participate in the cheating scheme, which was allegedly masterminded by William Singer, who ran a college prep company called The Key. In another part of the scheme, college coaches allegedly received bribes to designate applicants as recruited athletes which gives them a leg-up in admissions regardless of their athletic ability, and sometimes when they didnt even play the sport they were supposedly recruited for. Clients paid Singer a total of $25m to bribe coaches and university administrators, prosecutors say. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A students handwriting sample for a test taker to mimic from a criminal complaint. The admissions scam has been going on since 2011, authorities say. The schools include Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, the University of Southern California, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Texas. Singer set up the Key Worldwide Foundation as a tax-exempt charity, charging documents say. Payments from parents for their kids to participate in the cheating scheme were made as donations to the purported charity, and the foundation was used to pay bribes to SAT and ACT test administrators. Charges include mail and wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering. What we do is we help the wealthiest families in the US get their kids into school, he told a client in one wiretapped conversation in 2018. They want guarantees, they want this thing done. They dont want to be messing around with this thing. In another wiretapped conversation, a mother discussed with Singer plans to have someone else take the ACT on her sons behalf. I know this is craziness, I know it is. And then I need you to get him into USC, and then I need you to cure cancer and [make peace] in the Middle East, the mother said. The boy, who was apparently unaware of the scheme, received a score of 35 out of a possible 36 on the faked ACT. In one case detailed in court documents, a parent paid Singer $1.2m to get a student into Yale in 2017. The womens soccer coach at Yale allegedly received a $400,000 bribe from Singer to designate the girl as a recruited athlete even though she did not play competitive soccer, and the coach knew it. The student got in. Singer created fake athletic profiles for the students, the complaint says, sometimes staging photos of them playing the sport or allegedly doctoring pictures put applicants faces on the bodies of athletes. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Cooper Field at Georgetown University, one of the universities named in the case, in Washington DC. Huffman paid $15,000 to cheat on her oldest daughters SATs, the complaint says. In October 2017, when Huffmans daughter was approved for extra time on the SAT, she wrote in an email: Hurray! She got it. When a counselor at her daughters high school said she would proctor the exam herself, Huffman wrote: Ruh Ro! Looks like [my daughters high school] wants to provide own proctor. They managed to get the test moved to West Hollywood Test Center, a site Singer said he controlled, where a proctor would help students cheat. Huffmans daughter got a score of 1420 on the SAT, about 400 points higher than what she got on the preliminary version of the test, authorities said. Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, agreed to a pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team despite the fact that they were not rowers, the complaint says. | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/12/college-admissions-fraud-scandal-felicity-huffman-lori-loughlin |
How were students in admissions scandal able to cheat on the SAT so easily? | William "Rick" Singer founder of the Edge College & Career Network, departs federal court in Boston on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, after he pleaded guilty to charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. 1 / 27 Back to Gallery After the Federal Bureau of Investigation released documents incriminating nearly 50 people in a college admissions scandal Tuesday, many wondered how applicants were able to cheat on standardized tests without raising eyebrows. Thirty-two parents, including actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, were named in the indictment, which alleged the defendants principally parents of high school-aged children conspired to use bribery and other forms of fraud to facilitate their children's admission to elite universities, including Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of California - Los Angeles and others. Particularly glaring in the 204-page indictment is that the majority of the children, whose parents were charged Tuesday, had seamlessly secured disability accommodations on their standardized tests. This enabled them to have additional time on the exams and to take them alone with the proctor at a private testing facility that was located, in some cases, thousands of miles from the test-takers' residences. LATEST: Click here for updates on the developing story Typically, the ACT and SAT are administered to large groups of students at their high schools on specific dates with strict time limits. Students with disabilities ranging from visual impairment to dyslexia and so on can request extended time on the tests and in some circumstances, can ask to take the test alone, under the supervision of a proctor employed by ACT, Inc. or the College Board, which administers the SAT. To verify the student's disability, the College Board requires the student submit proper documentation, such as the recommendation of a physician, school official or psychologist. According to the College Board website, the organization "will consider any accommodation for any documented disability." Accommodations include, but are not limited to, time extensions, a private testing room, extra breaks or a scribe who writes dictated answers. In the case of what the FBI are calling "The College Entrance Exam Cheating Scheme," parents would connect with a representative from the Key Worldwide Foundation, a nonprofit corporation based in Newport Beach, Calif. The founder of The Key is identified as Cooperating Witness 1 in the indictment. ALSO: How Stanford is wrapped up in the college scandal CW-1 allegedly instructed clients to purport their children had learning disabilities to obtain medical documentation that the College Board and ACT, Inc. typically require for granting time extensions. In one instance, CW-1 told defendant Gordon Caplan to instruct his daughter "to be stupid" when the psychologist evaluated her, the documents allege. Once the disability documentation was obtained and the students granted extended time, which often enabled them to take the exam over two days instead of one in a private setting, CW-1 reportedly instructed clients to change the location of the test center to one of the two test centers he claimed to "control": the West Hollywood Test Center, at a private college prep school in West Hollywood, or the Houston Test Center, located at a public high school in Houston. The complaint claims CW-1 instructed parents to "fabricate a reason," like a "bar mitzvah or a wedding," that required their children to take the test in Houston or West Hollywood instead of at their own high schools. CW-1 allegedly bribed test administrators at the test centers to allow a third party to take the exams in the place of the students, to serve as a proctor while providing the students with correct answers, or to review and correct the students' answers after completion of the exam. "In many instances," the complaint stipulates, "the students taking the exams were unaware that their parents had arranged for this cheating." ALSO: Tweets by Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin take on new meaning after scandal Clients paid CW-1 between $15,000 and $75,000 per test, with payments typically sent as "donations" to the KWF charity, documents show. Tuesday's revelations "are not surprising to any of us," said Kristen Hansen, Director of the College and Career Center at Piedmont High School in Piedmont, Calif. "I regularly see things that make my stomach turn," she said. Hansen noted a "recent trend" of students securing testing accommodations that allow for extended time. Often, "these students don't need to have severe learning differences to be eligible." "It looks like what happened here relates to schools not having the resources to accommodate all of the students who need additional time," she said. This, in turn, spurs the creation of private testing centers, which are regulated by the College Board. "The regulation of these centers is something that has to be looked into," she said. "Are they being monitored on video, and so on?" The College Board provided the following statement to SFGATE: "Today's arrests resulting from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts send a clear message that those who facilitate cheating on the SAT - regardless of their income or status - will be held accountable. The College Board has a comprehensive, robust approach to combat cheating, and we work closely with law enforcement as part of those efforts. We will always take all necessary steps to ensure a level playing field for the overwhelming majority of test takers who are honest and play by the rules." Regulations only go so far. The underlining problem, Hansen said, is that "college admissions have become so competitive, people feel like they have to do something to get better scores." "Colleges have sort of created this," she continued. "A lot of schools still put a ton of weight on standardized testing," including the University of California. Some programs are trending away from testing requirements, acknowledging that a single-day exam can be influenced by a handful of variables, ranging from the student's access to test preparation services to the temperature in the testing room. "It's one day of testing that has so many inconsistencies and inequities associated with it," Hansen concluded. "This issue pre-exists the scandal." Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at [email protected]. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. | https://www.sfgate.com/education/article/sat-act-cheating-scandal-huffman-test-students-13682741.php |
How Can We Become More Emotionally Intelligent About Money? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Remember, much of your emotional connection to money is grounded in these deep memories from childhood, and you may not be consciously aware that your money history isnt serving you in healthy ways. By taking this step of self-discovery to examine how money and your feelings about it shaped your experiences, you can begin to identify a variety of fear-based responses like hoarding, anxiety, guilt, and jealousy that may be a product of your money history. This understanding can help you build the capability to shift your thoughts and feelings, leading to greater freedom and contentment with money. You can also share your money history with your spouse/partner, identifying areas where money triggers and trips you up on a routine basis. When my wife and I are discussing financial decisions and tension rises, its helpful for us to gently remind each other of my frugal money upbringing and her anxiety-ridden home life where money was concerned. We can appreciate the challenges faced by the other person and not become as frustrated by the emotional reactions we each bring to the table. Its much easier to support and encourage each other in the moment when we keep in mind where each of us is coming from. The goal in improving our Money Emotional Intelligence is to foster better communication and compassion that can lead to more productive decision-making around money. Ive developed a free tool called the Money EQ Assessment to help people evaluate their own money emotional intelligence. It can be found at www.moneyeq.com or at my website: www.jcchristianson.com. The Money EQ Assessment is based on the premise that reorienting our thoughts and beliefs about money towards an abundance and stewardship mindset will foster happier feelings and better outcomes where money is concerned. In this way, money becomes a tool that positively influences your life and those closest to you. 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/2019/04/18/how-can-we-become-more-emotionally-intelligent-about-money/ |
Did We Just Get Gaslighted By The Attorney General? | WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 18, 2019: U.S. Attorney General William Barr (center) at press conference about the release of the redacted version of the Mueller report (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Getty Images Just prior to this mornings release of the redacted Mueller report by Attorney General William Barr, a psychiatrist colleague of mine texted me and said, Im thinking about the psychological impact of AG Barrs overt defense/advocacy of Donald Trump. I suspect there will be massive dismissal of most if not all of Trumps unethical behavior and personal deficits. My colleague was right. But more damaging, I think Barr gaslighted all of us, meaning that today, we have to work just a little harder than usual to not go insane. There are different kinds of psychological impact. The easiest to recognize is the impact of an event on feelings. More insidious is a negative impact on our capacity to think. To refresh your memory, the term gaslighting comes from the 1944 Ingrid Bergman/ Charles Boyer movie in which a devious husband plays various tricks on his wife and then denies her sense of reality, pushing her towards a mental breakdown. He says (falsely) that the evidence she has from her perceptions, her memory and her sense of reality is not true. Today the term is used to refer to a power dynamic in relationships that comes under the heading of emotional abuse. Predictably, Trump crowed in a tweet following after Barr's performance, For the haters and the radical left Democrats Game Over. Later in the day, at an event celebrating the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride, Trump said, Im having a good day too. Its called no collusion, no obstruction." Echoing the President, Rep. Jim Jordan(R-Ohio) wrote on Twitter, No collusion! No obstruction! Complete cooperation from the president. No executive privilege asserted. But wait. Heres a quote from Muellers actual report: At the same time, if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgment. Mueller says clearly that if they could have said definitely that the President did NOT commit obstruction they would have said soand they did not say so. Heres where the gas-lighting comes in. First, its important to know that there are three things necessary to make a case for obstruction of justice: an intent to obstruct, knowledge that this obstruction is related to an actual investigation and corrupt intent. Direct excerpts from Mueller's report clearly show corrupt intent, stating, for example, that various actions Trump took were to protect himself from an investigation or to prevent further investigative scrutiny of the presidents and his campaigns conduct or to "deflect or prevent further scrutiny of the Presidents conduct towards the investigation." Barr, however, blithely and globally ascribes non-corrupt motives to the president. From his press conference today: "Nonetheless, the White House fully cooperated with the Special Counsels investigation, providing unfettered access to campaign and White House documents, directing senior aides to testify freely, and asserting no privilege claims. And at the same time, the President took no act that in fact deprived the Special Counsel of the documents and witnesses necessary to complete his investigation. Apart from whether the acts were obstructive, this evidence of non-corrupt motives weighs heavily against any allegation that the President had a corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation." It may be the attack on our perceptions and sense of reality thats the most damaging to the national psyche. The most recent example occurred on the day Julian Assange was arrested. I don't know anything about WikiLeaks. It's not my thing." Minutes later, video clips of him saying how much he loved WikiLeaks and praising WikiLeaks at numerous rallies were on the air. With Trump, his denying what we know we see and hear is so common and silly that it doesn't affect our sense of reality. It doesn't matter if he says he never heard of WikiLeaks. We have faith in our memories and the evidence in front of our eyes that he is lying. So the reaction is a laugh or a snort of disgust, but not a tremor in our sense of sanity. But it's different with Barr, who still has a veneer of truth-telling. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J) said today, Its impossible not to feel dystopian dread at what Trump and his enablers are trying to do. He's right to label today's psychological affective reaction to the Barr appearance "dystopian dread." If Barr had said today, Although Mueller believed there was evidence of corrupt intent, I see it differently that would have been annoying but not crazy-making. To generalize the point, its okay to say you disagree with someones findings, opinions, beliefs or priorities. And absolutely you can have different feelings. But dont mess with reality if you want to have any chance of a coherent and functioning body politic. Or business team. Undermining a person's sense of reality is pernicious and damaging to any kind of human endeavor. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/prudygourguechon/2019/04/18/did-we-just-get-gaslighted-by-the-attorney-general/ |
Is going all-out on both ends of the court taking a toll on Giannis Antetokounmpo? | CLOSE What I'm Hearing: HoopsHype's Alex Kennedy spoke with a handful of NBA players and polled them on who they think will win the title this year. Survey says! USA TODAY MILWAUKEE Considering his recent right ankle sprain and right knee soreness, any sign that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo appears to be laboring can trigger alarms that something meaningful could be bothering him. The last thing the Bucks need during their playoff run is anything that would cause Antetokounmpo to be less than his best or, worse, unavailable. During Wednesday night's Game 2 win over the Detroit Pistons at Fiserv Forum, there was one stretch during which Antetokounmpo looked like he was struggling. It came in the midst of a third quarter in which he powered the Bucks back from a one-point halftime deficit, scoring 13 of his 26 points and grabbing four rebounds to help shift the game in Milwaukee's favor for good. But it took a lot out of him, and it showed. Giannis, he tends to play so hard and give so much. He does a ton for us defensively and were trying to play fast and he may have the ball a lot," coach Mike Budenholzer said. "He leaves it all out there so sometimes he just gets a little bit winded. MORE FROM THE NBA PLAYOFFS With just under six minutes left in the quarter, Antetokounmpo had yet to sub out. He'd already been a focal point on both ends and taken at least one hard fall going for a tip-in. After grabbing a defensive rebound with 5:37 on the clock, Antetokounmpo turned and navigated his way across the court, Euro-stepping around Pistons center Andre Drummond for a layup attempt. Drummond contested, Antetokounmpo missed and the combination of the challenge and his own momentum sent Antetokounmpo sprawling to the ground. Antetokounmpo lingered on the court. He slowly got up, but never got back on defense. Luckily for him, Eric Bledsoe came up with a steal and passed it ahead to Antetokounmpo for the cheap dunk. Antetokounmpo then barked a bit at the officials while getting back on defense, grabbed another rebound and again took the ball up the court himself. CLOSE SportsPulse: The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are off and running and look like the top contenders in the East. USA TODAY's Jeff Zillgitt breaks it down. USA TODAY On Milwaukee's next defensive possession, Antetokounmpo got back, bent over and immediately put his hands on his knees. He then walked, clearly laboring with his hands on his hips, as the Bucks returned to offense each of the next two possessions. Budenholder called timeout with 3:55 remaining. I was just tired," Antetokounmpo said, noting he was frustrated at the end of the game because of the way his body was hurting. "I think we were just playing fast. ... "I was probably in the game for 8 minutes straight. Usually, I stay in the game 6, 6. I was trying to be aggressive, trying to defend, rebound, run and do more and try to be more active, and obviously I just got tired. Coach Bud saw that and thats why he took me out. Game 3 is set for Saturday in Detroit. Antetokounmpo logged just under 30 minutes in Wednesday's win after playing 23 minutes Sunday in the Bucks' Game 1 victory. His numbers have been stellar. He has averaged 25.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in the series despite the limited playing time. He's been no stranger to playing limited minutes this season, playing 32.8 minutes per game, down nearly four minutes from his average last season. After playing 40 or more minutes in 17 games last season, Antetokounmpo did that just twice in the regular season this year. In the first round of last year's playoffs, Antetokounmpo played 40-plus minutes in six of Milwaukee's seven games against the Boston Celtics. At some point this postseason, the Bucks are going to need Antetokounmpo more. He recognizes that and knows he'll have to be mentally and physically ready for those moments. He carries a heavy physical burden with everything he does on both ends, which is why Budenholzer has been so careful with his management. Antetokounmpo, who always wants to stay in games, has learned to trust Budenholzer throughout the season and knows when he needs to be out there he will be ready. "Usually, Id rather be in the game at the end of the game, probably fourth quarter, but it depends," Antetokounmpo said when asked when he doesn't want to rest. "When Im going and Im making plays and Im defending and Im running the floor and Im finding my teammates, I like to be in the game. "There have been times when Coach Buds left me in the game and there have been times hes said, No, sit your butt on the bench. Youre going to go back in. All I can do is just trust him." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is part of the USA TODAY Network. | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2019/04/18/giannis-antetokounmpo-bucks-tired/3513268002/ |
What happened to the 3-sport athlete? | There were no video games. No internet. No iPhones. No club programs, combines, or camps to allow a kid to stay in the same sport all year. For Danny White, growing up in Mesa in the 1960s and going to Westwood High School, it was football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball and track in the spring. "It sure kept me out of trouble," said White, who, in 1999 was named by The Arizona Republic as the Arizona Athlete of the Century. "My dad would drive me from the baseball field to the track just to long jump and high jump and back, while I changed uniforms in the back seat. "The good ol' days." While, three-sport athletes still exist, there are not as many in this age of specialization, which began in the late 1990s. Finding those who are elite in three sports might be lost. Guys like Nathan LaDuke, Jon Volpe, Rodney Peete, Randall McDaniel led a 1980s explosion of athletes who were the best of the best in three sports in Arizona. Maybe not since Mike Nixon graduated from Phoenix Sunnyslope in 2002, has there been an exceptional male three-sport athlete. Nixon was the state's Football Player of the Year as a two-way player at quarterback and safety, a center on the state championship basketball team and an All-Arizona catcher in baseball, signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers out of high school. For girls, it's hard to find a three-sport athlete who excelled the way Nicole Powell did at Phoenix Mountain Pointe. A 2000 graduate, she was arguably the greatest female basketball player in state history and was a three-time state badminton singles champion, a state discus champion in track and a state doubles runner-up in tennis. She went on to enjoy a 10-year WNBA career before going into coaching. She is now the women's head basketball coach at Grand Canyon University. "We don't have what you call three-sport stars, but we do have some good athletes that are stars in football and maybe one other sport," said former Buckeye football coach Bobby Barnes, now an assistant coach at Goodyear Estrella Foothills. "They really do three sports to just keep busy and in shape. Barnes said he personally doesn't recommend three sports. "I believe there needs to be a real down time from competition," he said. "Football now extends into most of the summer so that really isn't down time like it used to be. Plus the more sports a young man plays, the more coaches there are pulling on him." When Gilbert Mesquite athletic director and football coach Scott Hare graduated from high school in 1995, he said there were only two athletes, including himself, who played three sports. Stay in the know. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. The best athletes, he said, played two sports. He liked seeing his football players participate in other sports. But now, especially with the Arizona Interscholastic Association saying it's OK for coaches to work with their athletes year-round, it is more difficult for athletes to shift from sport to sport to sport. "The coaches want to win but not just during the sport of season," Hare said. "The coaches want to win during the club season also. "A coach does not want to go to a summer league game and have four of the best athletes missing. Even me, who believes in the multiple-sport athlete, if we have a voluntary workout and a player misses the next day, I ask where they were. Now my reaction tells that kid whether I am disappointed or not. The kid feels the pressure not to disappoint the coach." Hare said his dad used to say that he would rather have a football player compete every day in a different sport than to have a player merely going through drills. "Learning how to work with different personalities and learning how to win and lose helps develop an athlete," Hare said. "I will support a kid who only wants to do one sport but if any athlete or parent asks me, I will always say there are four years of high school and the kids should get as much out of it as possible." Tyson Grubbs follows dad's path Phoenix Desert Vista junior Tyson Grubbs is hoping to medal in a few weeks at the state track and field championships in the sprints and jumps. He is also gearing up for what he hopes to be a breakout senior football season after missing half of his junior year with an injury. Wrestling helped him shift gears and keep his competitive battery charged. "It's trying to become the better overall athlete," Grubbs said. "Coaches tend to look at guys who are multiple-sport athletes." Elliott Grubbs, Tyson's father, grew up in Phoenix, played multiple sports at Alhambra, where that was the norm. Elliott Grubbs said his son started running when he was 7. Desert Vista High School track athlete Tyson Grubbs who plays football and wrestles. (Photo: Nick Oza, Nick Oza/The Republic) "We felt that track was a building block for almost every other sport and you can never be too fast," said Elliott Grubbs, whose younger son Devon is a freshman running back and sprinter who last week picked up his first Division I college football offer from Arizona State. "He began playing football at the age of 9. He loved watching it on TV. It was a great way to teach him how to be a good teammate and accountability." Tyson Grubbs played Little League and middle school baseball and considered playing in high school, but the sport conflicted with the spring track son. "As he entered high school, football became his primary sport and track his secondary," Elliott Grubbs said. "I encouraged him to try wrestling to develop better balance and increase his overall strength. He finally picked it up during his sophomore year. Ive never really pushed him to try a sport except for wrestling. I felt pretty strongly about that one. He was up for almost anything new to try." Grubbs said he was most concerned that by specializing his son would burn out physically and mentally. Pushed out of her comfort zone Before she committed to Michigan to play softball her freshman year at Phoenix Country Day School, Audrey LeClair, now a senior, said the college coach encouraged her to play as many sports as she could. This spring, she decided to add track and field to softball. She has excelled in both. While dominating at the 2A level in softball, LeClair, in her first year doing track, has won the titles at meets in the long jump and high jump and finishing as high as third in the 100-meter dash. This followed a basketball season in which she made all-region for a third consecutive year, averaging 12 points. Phoenix Country Day third baseman Audrey LeClair has signed to play softball at Michigan. (Photo: Danny Miller) "Doing both (softball and track) has been hard on the schedule aspect of it all, but it has been a lot of fun, and a lot more than I have expected," LeClair said. "I really enjoy doing both for a number of reasons. ' LeClair said combing the sports has helped her hunger to win more. She has automatically qualified for state in the long and high jumps and the 100 meters. The same week she did that, she went 9-for-9 with five walks and 13 runs scored, getting a win in the circle, on the softball field. "I stay in shape and thats always a good benefit," she said. "But most of all they are both fun and a good way to be with my friends and teammates before I graduate." Different way of life Tim Salmon, who enjoyed a long, successful Major League Baseball career with the Angels, was a three-sport star at Phoenix Greenway in the 1980s. But he may have not been the best athlete in his home. His younger brother Mike was The Republic's Athlete of the Year in 1989, when he starred at multiple positions in football, in basketball and in baseball. Playing different sports was just the way it was growing up in the '80s, Salmon said. "It's an awesome experience to represent your school in multiple sports," said Salmon, now the head baseball coach at Scottsdale Christian. "It refined my athleticism both physically and mentally in different ways that benefited me in the big leagues." To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. | https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/04/18/specialization-reducing-number-three-sport-athletes-arizona/3512501002/ |
Are Edmonton officers 'de-policing' in the wake of street check debate? | Edmonton police have been conducting fewer street checks since the controversial practice came under scrutiny, leading some to question whether officers are de-policing. The Edmonton Police Commission received a statistical report on street checks at its Thursday meeting the first such report since Edmontons debate over street checks began in 2016. Insp. Warren Driechel told commissioners that officers submitted 4,947 street check reports in the last six months of 2018, down 35 per cent from the 7,649 filed during the same period the year before. Overall, street checks have been on the decline since 2016. Part of the reason for that decline is a change in how street check reports are processed, Driechel said. But police commissioner Laurie Hawn asked whether de-policing the emerging trend of officers dialling back their emphasis on proactive policing out of fear video of the interaction will end up on social media, result in an allegation of profiling or a disciplinary charge is playing a role. Is de-policing happening when you go out and you ask the front lines? Chief Dale McFee said. My answer is yes. When you go out to parade a pre-shift meeting of officers and you ask the question, Are you doing less checks out of fear? thats real, he said. We need to let our officers know that this is part of police work. Be professional, record it. Thats what the public is asking and treat people with respect. Street checks are often referred to as carding a type of interaction in which police stop, question and in some cases ask for ID of a person who is not suspected of a crime. In 2017, Black Lives Matter obtained street check data from Edmonton police which suggested black and Indigenous Edmontonians were disproportionately subjected to street checks. A third-party researcher hired by the police commission to study the practice said he could not draw the same conclusion due to the poor quality of the data. Part of the reason for the decline is overhauled reporting mechanisms, police say. In 2016, police centralized street check oversight, which reduced the number of erroneously submitted street check reports describing interactions that werent actually street checks. Police now audit a selection of street check reports to ensure officers arent profiling or using inappropriate language. A review panel found the latest batch of reports included one inappropriate racial description a subject was described as African, instead of by physical description. Other subjects were described as wearing skimpy or gangster clothing. McFee said police need to build relationships in marginalized communities, and that perceptions of bias undermine those relationships. The perception is reality, he said. If its perceived as a problem, its going to be a problem. But he said street checks need to be a part of policing especially under his plan to focus more on community safety and well-being. We need to do wellness checks, he said. We need to get into community safety and well-being and that means were going to have to check some people, and were going to have to have dialogue and were going to have to have conversations. Under todays definition, thats a street check. He added there continues to be confusion about what a street check actually is, and that the street check audits are focused on street checks that are unlawful. What were trying to sort out is the street checks that are unlawful, he said. And Im seeing that theres very, very few that are unlawful. [email protected] twitter.com/jonnywakefield | https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/are-edmonton-officers-de-policing-in-the-wake-of-carding-controversy |
Should we really give red meat the chop? | The timing could hardly have been worse. Yesterday, just as every cook in the land was kicking off preparations for their Easter family feast, we were presented with another frankly terrifying report about red meat and cancer. Oxford University research on half a million people found that eating red meat just once a day increased the risk of bowel cancer by a fifth. Even those who kept to the Government's current recommended limit of 70g a day - equivalent to a rather paltry third of an 8oz steak or two rashers of bacon - still had a 20 per cent higher chance of developing colon cancer than those who ate about 20g a day. For those of us making weekend plans for a naughty fry-up, traditional roast lamb or Easter Saturday barbecue (sue me - I married a Brazilian), it was enough to make you choke on your hot cross bun. The link between meat and cancer is not a new one - in 2015, the World Health Organisation classified processed meats as a group 1 carcinogen, alongside arsenic, alcohol and asbestos. Though much of the evidence so far has been based on association rather than a proven cause, scientists believe the link is down to a compound in red meat called haem, which reacts with cells in the gut causing DNA damage. Advertisement Explore Eat Well's collection of plant-based meals on Bite.co.nz In processed meat such as bacon, ham and sausages, the preservatives used to extend shelf life and enhance taste have been shown to be cancer-causing and, here, the evidence is stronger. And, of course, it's not just bowel cancer: a 2017 study in the British Medical Journal linked meat-eating with a raised risk of dying from a range of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Like many, the bombardment of health and environmental warnings have prompted me to cut down and eat more vegetarian dinners, but I'd struggle to give up steaks completely. That's not just because of meat's taste, but its unparalleled ability to fill me up. Yet the amount that's considered safe to eat appears to be shrinking. Meat-eating is a great British (and New Zealand) tradition. It's worth remembering, in this age of the vegan sausage roll, that red meat - that's beef, lamb, pork, veal, venison and goat - is a highly nutritious food. Along with protein and vitamin D, it's a particularly good source of iron and vitamin B12, important for energy and a healthy nervous system. Studies show that a worrying number of girls and young women are deficient in iron and B12. "That's due in part to the movement towards vegetarianism and veganism, and red meat becoming unpopular," says Helen Bond, dietitian and spokesman for the British Dietetic Association. Bond says there's no need to go completely vegetarian if you don't want to, but we should all be aiming to make two-thirds of our diet plant-based, and stick to the recommended 70g meat a day. (Studies such as the National Diet and Nutrition Survey suggest the average woman abides by this recommended limit, but men continue to exceed it, with those aged 64 and over the worst offenders, and showing no signs of cutting down). "It's not the devil's food, and I certainly eat it," says Bond. If you're having meat every now and then, along with lots of fibre and fruit and veg and wholegrains, then that will be a lot better for you than a wholly plant-based diet with lots of cheese and processed foods." Lauren Wiggins, director of services at charity Bowel Cancer UK, agrees: "Studies like this week's don't suggest we need to stop eating meat altogether. It's moderation, really: we recommend no more than 500g of cooked red meat per week. Meat is just one factor influencing the risk of bowel cancer, along with alcohol and smoking, for example." If you want to keep eating meat, the advice is to choose high quality, lean cuts to reduce the amount of saturated fat, and cook from scratch as much as possible, making your own burgers and meatballs, for example. "The problem with supermarket mince is you can't see what's gone into it," says Bond. "I ask my butcher to mince a beef steak for me instead." Other ways to minimise the health risks include avoiding cooking at high temperatures - such as barbecuing - as some studies show this increases the rate of cancer-causing compounds. Bond says roasting meat at a low temperature is "fine, and if you can use a rack to reduce the fat content, even better". Others, though, are more sceptical about the recent demonisation of meat. Food writer Joanna Blythman, author of Swallow This: Serving Up the Food Industry's Darkest Secrets, has long believed the true culprit behind many modern health problems is processed food. "We've been eating meat for millennia with no problem," she says. "My feeling is the dangers of depriving yourself of red meat are actually much higher than of eating it. "It's a highly, highly nutritious food - it's hyper-satisfying, which means it's actually hard to overeat it. Liver, for example, is, along with mackerel, eggs and oily fish, among the most nutritional foods you can find. If you think a bowl of cereal or avocado on toast could ever match something like that, dream on." Blythman says studies linking meat with adverse health outcomes are often based on crude questionnaires that don't take into account the type or source of the meat being consumed. "As I understand it, when it comes to good, hard science and randomised trials, there is no evidence against red meat - the only possible evidence is against processed red meat because of all the additives. So there's this generic idea that all meat is bad, without looking at the differences between meat from animals on a local farm that has been reared wholly on grass and the very industrialised stuff." Rather than cutting out whole food groups, her mantra is simply to eat food as close to its natural form as possible, and to eat local and seasonal. So whatever your plans for the Easter weekend, there's no need to deprive yourself of a serving of a well-sourced, well-cooked leg of lamb. Just don't forget the vegan Easter egg. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=12223778&ref=rss |
Can New Enquirer Owner Charles Cohen Breathe New Life Into Tabloid? | Getty Cash-strapped magazine publisher American Media Inc. (AMI) said it plans to sell The National Enquirer and two smaller sister publications The Globe and The National Examiner for $100 million to entrepreneur Charles Cohen, a business associate of its CEO David Pecker. Cohens purchase price doesnt make sense to me. It is comparable to Merediths 2018 sales of Time magazine for $190 million and Fortune magazine for $150 million. Time and Fortune, which have their challenges, dont have the baggage of the Enquirer. Cohen, though, is no stranger to the media and owns a magazine company called Hudson Publishing According to the New York Post, Cohen provided Pecker with half the $22 million AMI spent to acquire the European celebrity gossip magazine OK! In 2011 through a joint venture. Cohen sold his share of the partnership back to the publisher a year later for $11 million, effectively making it an interest-free loan, the paper says. His late sister Claudia Cohen was a well-known New York gossip writer and was married to billionaire Ronald Perelman. Chatham Asset Management head Anthony Melchiorre, which controls AMI, reportedly pushed for the sale of the supermarket tabloid after growing disgusted with its business practices. Federal prosecutors investigating the Trump Campaign granted Pecker immunity from prosecution for his role in a $150,000 payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal to buy her silence about her affair with President Donald Trump. Pecker, who is a friend of Trump, also came under fire after Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos accused AMI of trying to blackmail him after it revealed he was having an extra-marital affair. Boca Raton-based Florida has denied Bezos claims, which he reportedly recently met with federal prosecutors to discuss. Not surprisingly both Pecker and Cohen are characterizing the Enquirer sale as a win for both of them. "The sale of these brands shows their vitality in today's newsstand marketplace where they continue to generate nearly $30 million in profit annually," Pecker said in a press release. "James and his team at Hudson have a proven history in publishing and have the market-based knowledge and long-term vision needed to ensure the growth of these brands. In a statement, Cohen called The Enquirer a brand with extraordinary potential across multiple platforms. He plans to accelerate the Enquirers partnerships with Investigation Discovery and REELZ, create more podcasts and open more theme National Enquirer theme parks. Paul David Pope, one of the sons of late Enquirer founder Generoso Pope Jr., considered making a bid with partners for the supermarket tabloids but decided to take a pass after determining that their best days were behind it. When I stepped back to do a deep analysis of it, I saw the paper had too many financial and legal issues making it impossible to resurrect even if they gave the paper away. It would be a bad deal, Pope said in a statement to Forbes. The nature of the National Enquirer is part of my blood because it is my fathers history and legacy. However, all businesses are cyclical and sadly this is at the end of its cycle. The business is done. Its time to kiss it goodbye. Pope has a point. For one thing, The National Enquirers web footprint is weak. Data from comScore indicates that the National Enquirers website attracted 583,000 unique visitors in February. The audience for People.com, the web platform of Merediths People magazine, topped 75 million during the same time, more than double the 34 million people who visited TMZ.com the 20 million people who checked out Usmagazine.com and 8.3 million users who dialed-up RadarOnline.com. AMI also owns Us magazine and RadarOnline. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanberr/2019/04/18/can-new-enquirer-owner-charles-cohen-breathe-new-life-into-tabloid/ |
Do Ontario schoolyards make the grade? | Tiffany Chen is perched atop one of the tallest structures in the playground at Torontos Rose Avenue Junior Public School. But the fifth grader isnt there to play. She clutches a clipboard, studies her surroundings and answers a survey, checking off boxes about the presence of features such as bike racks, fields, gardens and pavement markings for games such as hopscotch. Tiffany Chen, 10, left, and Zynah Irshad, 10, who are both Grade 5 students at Rose Avenue Junior Public School, rate their schoolyard as part of a Wilfrid Laurier University research project. ( Rene Johnston / Toronto Star ) She and some of her classmates are participating in a unique project looking into whether Ontarios schoolyards promote activity, learning and a connection with nature, and the variation between those in higher-income communities versus lower-income. Feedback from the students, and others across the province, is key to the success of this project, dubbed Schoolyards Count. Its believed to be the first assessment of its kind and is being spearheaded by a Wilfrid Laurier University researcher and Ophea (Ontario Physical and Health Education Association), which provides resources to gym and health teachers. Researchers are asking teachers, students, parent councils and interested citizens to spend about an hour auditing the quality and condition of schoolyard features. They hope at least one-fifth of Ontarios roughly 5,000 schools participate. Theyre also seeking data from the province on average family income per school. Article Continued Below Schoolyards matter, explained Chris Markham, executive director of Ophea, during the launch of the project, which was recently held at the school. Not only does a well-designed and a well-equipped schoolyard promote physical activity, it also contributes to improvements in all aspects of student well-being. Research demonstrates that the built environment is essential to boosting long-term health and learning of kids. According to the 2018 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, just 35 per cent of 5-to-17-year-olds in Canada get the recommended 60-minutes of daily moderate to vigorous activity. Meanwhile, it notes, theres mounting evidence showing physical activity not only boosts physical health, but also improves thinking and learning, emotional regulation and self-control, problem-solving abilities, stress management and the ability to cope with anxiety and depressive symptoms. The projects lead researcher Kelly Gallagher-Mackay, an educational policy expert and assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier, says the goal is to release an interim report in the fall, and a full report next year. So far theres no commitment from school boards or government to change things, but she says often a push for change comes from outside. Good research, particularly if it builds on the work of those working in the sector has the power to shine a light on important issues and shape policy agendas for those responsible for implementation, she says. Were more likely to be successful in doing that if we engage the public, which is a huge benefit of citizen-science. We dont only get more and better data, we help arm communities with facts to support change at every level. Grade 5 students Alina Hashemi , 10, left, and Ramla Sheikh, 10, rate the Rose Avenue Junior Public School playground in St. James Town as part of a research project measuring the quality and equity of playgrounds in Ontario. ( Rene Johnston / Toronto Star ) The Toronto District School Board looks forward to seeing the report, says spokesperson Ryan Bird, adding, We think the audit can be a useful tool to help guide discussions about improvements that can be made to school grounds. The board already has data on school ground components, such as tree inventory and accessibility; current photos of many playing fields; and site plans that include sports fields, running tracks and baseball diamonds. Plus, its in the middle of creating a new high-tech computerized mapping system of its properties, which will allow it to analyze and run reports on site features. We work with a very large number of schools every year to make all sorts of improvements, big and small, says Bird, adding the TDSB works on 100 fields a year, has a tree planting program and is improving bike parking. What will be more powerful in the future is getting to a place where we can look more holistically at our school grounds. So we think the Schoolyards Count audit is taking us down that path. Article Continued Below Back at Rose Avenue Junior Public School, Gallagher-Mackay says the fact kids spend half their waking hours during the week in school means we need to ensure they have equitable, rich opportunities for active, outdoor play and daily doses of everyday nature. As she speaks, children are busy filling out the survey and wandering around the playground, occasionally hopping on and off structures. Ten-year-old Nithies Magendran says he doesnt like the fields artificial turf he says real grass is better and hurts less when you fall. There should be more nature. Theres a lot of cement. The field is fake grass. We need more (real) grass. The survey also asks about how schools fund improvements and maintenance of their schoolyard. It will also allow us to look at important questions of potential inequality in schoolyards if, as many worry, uncontrolled parent fundraising is giving some schools an unfair advantage, says Gallagher-Mackay. Ministry of Education guidelines allow fundraising for things that complement, but dont replace, public funding, such as schoolyard improvement projects, which include playground equipment, shade structures and gardens. Fundraising is a staple at many schools as noted in a report by the advocacy group People for Education, which found that in 2018 the top 10 per cent of fundraising elementary schools raised 37 times the amount raised by the bottom 10 per cent. A lot of schools do fundraise for playgrounds, says Gallagher-Mackay. We are curious to know if the concern (is warranted) ... that fundraising is leading rich kids to have better playgrounds. That doesnt seem like a good outcome. I think all children need to have access to really rich opportunities for outdoor play that is stimulating. Ramla Sheikh, 10, left, and Alina Hashemi, 10, right, read through a playground survey with EcoSchools leader Alorani Hahn as they rate the facilities at Rose Avenue Junior Public School in densely populated St. James Town. ( Rene Johnston / Toronto Star ) Rose Avenue Junior Public School isnt in a high-income area. This inner-city school is nestled amidst highrise rental towers in densely-populated St. James Town, which is home to many new immigrants. The playground was funded by the TDSB and a significant charitable donation from Manulife. Gallagher-Mackay describes it as a beautiful and very well-used schoolyard that offers lots of opportunities for outdoor play and education. It includes sophisticated play structures, and lower-cost elements such as tires, boulders and logs, which get kids jumping around. And, it has gardens and trees. But some schools arent so lucky, she says. There arent policies on what kinds of features schoolyards should include, which has led to variation across the province. She says some school administrators are reluctant to have certain play structures because insurance providers worry about the possibility of physical injury. She calls it risk management gone crazy, noting injuries are typically very minor, theyre not that frequent and the long-term health risks of inactivity are far more severe. Its a sentiment echoed, in part, by Outdoor Play Canada, which is a network of organizations that promotes play. Access to active play in nature and outdoors with its risks is essential for healthy child development, reads its position statement on active outdoor play. We recommend increasing childrens opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature. The students of Rose Avenue Junior Public School have plenty of ideas on how to improve their yard and boost activity. Alina Hashemi suggests a tire swing; Zynah Irshad recommends a tunnel slide; Arqam Shaikh votes for a treehouse. And Tiffany, still seated atop a play structure, pipes up to say a zipline would be a great addition. Isabel Teotonio is a Toronto-based reporter covering education. Follow her on Twitter: @Izzy74 | https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/04/18/do-ontario-schoolyards-make-the-grade.html |
Why Do We Believe What We Read On The Internet? | Getty In the early days of the modern web there was a running joke about not believing everything one read on the Internet. It seems somewhere along the way our distrust of unknown information gave way to blind trust in anything and everything we see online. The January 2017 rise of the rogue Twitter accounts claiming to be disaffected government employees resisting a new administration they did not agree with marked a watershed moment in just how far societys information literacy had fallen. Suddenly the nations scholarly and scientific elite suspended all disbelief and simply blindly accepted that a set of anonymous Twitter accounts were who they claimed to be. Despite refusing to produce even the slightest evidence supporting their claims to be run by US Government officials, the accounts managed to convince a wide swath of the nations most educated and evidence-based elite, including many in the journalism community more accustomed to debunking unsupported myths than embracing them with open arms. Even when the anonymous accounts began fundraising, there was nary a concern raised among their supporters that some degree of identity confirmation was needed. In a strange twist of irony, the very communities that had long lampooned and lambasted the publics information illiteracy and failure to carefully research claims they found on the internet, suddenly found itself happily embracing a myth it had not a bit of evidence to support, just because they read it on the internet. Much of the modern digital misinformation landscape owes its rise to the collapse of the traditional gatekeeper model that has historically governed the informational landscape of societies. Citizens are taught from an early age to accept information provided by elites, ranging from the government to the mainstream news media to academia, on face value without question. This model historically worked to some degree because governments had the force of law and physical coercion to enforce their version of truth regardless of whether it reflected reality. Accepting the governments version of events, at least publicly, kept one safe from immediate physical harm. The news media in the post-World War II era reorganized to provide a form of mutually-reinforced objective recounting of events, while academia faced peer review and editorial processes to weed out questionable theories and experiments. While imperfect, these systems of checks and balances at least helped moderate the flow of false information. In Western societies, these gatekeepers carefully controlled the flow of information, dictating the events and narratives that shaped the national conversation. The modern confluence of a breakdown in trust in our institutions, coupled with the collapse of the gatekeeper model has meant that society has suddenly been thrust into an informational void without the proper training in how to rigorously evaluate the information in front of them. Instead of browsing a small carefully curated set of high quality informational streams, our online citizenry are thrown into an ocean of almost limitless low-quality information, forced to expend considerable effort to forage for the rare bit of accurate insight. Rather than professional journalists carefully researching stories and filtering out rumors and falsehoods, these dedicated gatekeepers have increasingly been bypassed by modern digital platforms that allow the public to access information directly, without these protective filters. In essence, rather than turning to the professional research librarian at the local library that is deeply familiar with reference materials, we turn to a web search and click on the first link, regardless of how questionable the site. Unfortunately, our education systems have not adapted for this new digital age. In a world in which everyday citizens must fend for themselves in the digital free-for-all, students must be taught how to conduct what amounts to the kind of investigative research historians specialize in. Instead of promoting speed over accuracy, schools should teach students to step back and prioritize getting stories right rather than being first. Even within the community of professional online researchers, there is often a lack of familiarity with basic historical research principles like the difference between primary and secondary sources. Historical research has much in common with the skillsets required of the digital age. The verification and evidentiary mindset of historical research are particularly relevant to the online sphere. Much as historians must piece together conclusions by evaluating a conflicting and chaotic information environment that is filled with gaps, untrustworthy and biased sources, false information and competing perspectives for which there may be no single correct answer, so too does discerning fact from fiction on the web require a similarly skeptical approach to information. Unfortunately, todays academic institutions increasingly see misinformation as merely a buzzword to sprinkle liberally on grant applications and in paper abstracts like fairy dust. Unlike their WWII-era colleagues who rotated through government and battle tested their theories in the real-life world of combat propaganda in defense of their very homelands, todays misinformation scholars rarely have even the slightest practical experience in the topics they claim to be experts over. Sadly, this has led to a world in which so much of the digital misinformation scholarship emerging from academia lacks any grounding in reality. It is equally important that we not conflate technical literacy with information literacy. Policymakers promoting programming and data science courses in schools often equate such efforts as steps towards combatting misinformation but knowing how to code has nothing to do with knowing how to think critically about the information in front of you. In fact, as Silicon Valley has reminded us so many times, blind faith in algorithms may actually make the spread of misinformation worse. Putting this all together, in the end, to truly create an informed society resilient to misinformation, we must look beyond the quick fixes of simplistic rankings and naive algorithms, to teach our citizens to be information literate consumers of the world around them. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/04/18/why-do-we-believe-what-we-read-on-the-internet/ |
How does a Central American migrant caravan form? | SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador "When does the next caravan leave?" I'm from Guatemala." ''What papers do I need for my kids?" The questions pile up on the phones of hundreds of Central Americans, all with the same goal: Get as many details as possible before leaving their country. Costly phone calls with relatives and friends in the United States to work out the route or find the best smuggler are a thing of the past for many Central Americans. Now would-be migrants create chat groups and organize using social media to leave in caravans. "The social networks have had an empowering role in this new way of migrating," said Abbdel Camargo, an anthropologist at the College of the Southern Border in Mexico. "They organize themselves en masse in their home countries, formed by entire families, and the networks serve them as a mechanism for safety and communication throughout the journey." The roots of the migrant caravan phenomenon began years ago when activists organized processions - often with a religious theme - during Holy Week to dramatize the hardships and needs of migrants. A minority of those involved wound up traveling all the way to the U.S. border. That changed last year: On Oct. 13, hundreds of people walked out of Honduras and as the days passed and they crossed Guatemala, the group grew to more than 7,000 migrants. U.S. President Donald Trump seized on the new phenomenon to ramp up his anti-immigrant policies. Since then, and parallel to the usual clandestine migrant flow north, smaller caravans have continued to leave the so-called Northern Triangle of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. And increasingly they're organized over Facebook and WhatsApp as they try to join together in large groups they hope will make the trip safer, and without having to hide from authorities. The most recent caravan left the bus station in San Pedro Sula in northern Honduras on April 10, and journalists from The Associated Press have been following various online migrant chats since late March. They say the mother of all caravans is going," one message said. lmer Alberto Cardona, a 27-year-old shopkeeper from Honduras, saw an announcement on Facebook just days after being deported from the U.S. to San Pedro Sula and said he didn't think twice: He collected his three children, ages 3, 6 and 9, and headed north again on April 10. He and his wife had left with the first caravan in October and made it to Tijuana, across the border from California. They obtained Mexican humanitarian visas that allowed them to temporarily live and work locally, but decided to cross the border and turn themselves over to U.S. border agents to request asylum. It didn't go well and they were detained in facilities in different states. He was deported first and his wife was still locked up when he started the journey again, this time with his children. "I think it will go better this time; it looks like a lot of people are getting together," he said by phone near the Honduras-Guatemala border. It's not clear who is launching the chats. The AP called the number of the person who created one of the WhatsApp chats. The woman who answered said her husband had lived in the U.S. for eight years, was deported and now wanted to return. After a few minutes, a male voice was heard and then she suddenly hung up and no one answered again. In that group, members give bits of advice: Everyone should bring their passports and those thinking of traveling with children or coming from far away should arrive a day before the caravan leaves. "To take a child you just need a passport and permission if the mother isn't going." ''Take a photo with the mother and the baby." Some chats appear to be created for a set departure date. Others remain active from earlier caravans or with an eye toward future ones. They usually have various administrators who give advice from points on the route. WhatsApp group members' phone numbers are from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and even the United States. Friends and relatives share invitations. People aren't afraid to ask delicate questions in the chats: "Group, in Mexico can you find someone to take you to the other side?" And suspicions come out: "Don't trust." ''Remember that in Mexico there are a lot of kidnappings." "'There are no coordinators, that's what people have to say so there aren't problems." The messages also explore ways to seek protection against the robberies, extortion, kidnappings that have long plagued those crossing Mexico. Some express fear that the gangs have tried to infiltrate: "This dude works with the Zetas, a friend of mine from Olancho told me he knows him and that he's still with them," said someone who shared a photo of the alleged criminal. Attention to the recent caravans soared in late March, when Mexican Interior Secretary, Olga Snchez Cordero met with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and without giving details, said that "the mother of all caravans" was forming with more than 20,000 people. Shortly thereafter, Trump threatened again to close the border with Mexico and suspend aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. While some in the group that left San Pedro Sula referred to it as "the mother of all caravans," it had fewer than 3,000 people when it arrived at the Mexican border. The caravans often grow when they reach Mexico because other migrants who are already waiting in the border area tend to join. As of mid-April, there were more than 8,000 migrants, including those who left San Pedro Sula on April 10, at various places in the southern state of Chiapas, according to Mexico's National Human Rights Commission. For those hoping to join, the chats provide information in real time about where to meet up "Caravan where are you going?" ''We're waiting for you here" and also about roadblocks, places in Mexico where visas are being processed or sites where there's been a problem. Members also upload photos and videos to let their families know where they are and how they're doing. And though the April 10 caravan is still in southern Mexico, people in some groups are about forming others: "Another is leaving April 30, Salvadoran friends." | http://www.startribune.com/how-does-a-central-american-migrant-caravan-form/508790042/ |
Will Democrats 'Follow The Mueller Report To Where It Leads'? | Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP Imagine, if you can, a scenario in which Attorney General William Barr declined to put out a four-page letter to Congress describing the Mueller report three weeks ago. Imagine, too, that he didn't hold a press conference Thursday before the redacted report's release. The narrative that set in after Barr stepped into the limelight might be very different. Barr declared in his letter that President Trump and his associates did not conspire with Russia to sway the 2016 presidential election and that the president was not going to be criminally charged for obstruction of justice, even though the special counsel's report didn't "exonerate" him. Barr went further Thursday, playing down the possibility that Trump obstructed justice. The president, after all, was "frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency," he said. Translation: Not much to see here. And then the 448-page, two-volume report was released. It told a more nuanced and for some, damning story about the president's role and the Trump campaign's interactions with Russians. And it's putting Democrats in a bind about what to do next and whether to push forward with possible impeachment proceedings. The report concluded that no one on the campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russians, but it found "numerous links," and the "campaign expected it would benefit" from the Russian efforts. The Mueller team concluded it was not. But Barr said four times Thursday that there was no "collusion." Collusion is the language of the president and has a much broader definition than a legal conspiracy that can be proven in a court of law. Trump addressed potential obstruction in a tweet Thursday denying he did anything wrong despite the details explicitly laid out in the report. On obstruction, Mueller's team found a lot of evidence for it. The report points to 10 separate instances of the president's attempts to slow down investigations or oust officials like Mueller or then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump, though, was thwarted at times by those close to him, aides and allies who decided for either legal or political reasons not to follow through on the president's requests. The most notable example was Don McGahn, Trump's White House lawyer, refusing to lean on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller. He decided "that he would resign rather than trigger what he regarded as a potential Saturday Night Massacre," according to the report. All of it left Democrats crying foul, upset with Barr. "What we've learned today is that Attorney General Barr deliberately distorted significant portions of Special Counsel Mueller's report," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement. "Special Counsel Mueller's report paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies and improper behavior and acting as if the law doesn't apply to him. But if you hadn't read the report and listened only to Mr. Barr, you wouldn't have known any of that because Mr. Barr has been so misleading." Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, who is also running for president, called on Barr to resign, calling him an "embedded Trump ally." "You can be the President's defense attorney or America's Attorney General," he said, "but you can't be both." Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, a former longtime chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when Democrats were in the majority, said the Mueller report "amounts to a formal presentment of misconduct that reached the highest levels of the Trump campaign and administration." He added, "Robert Mueller did his job. Now it's time for Congress to do our job." The Mueller report notes that Department of Justice guidelines are "that a sitting President may not be prosecuted." But Mueller's team also points out, "if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment." And the report points to Congress: "With respect to whether the President can be found to have obstructed justice by exercising his powers under Article II of the Constitution, we concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a President's corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice." And therein lies the quandary for congressional Democrats, newly in charge of the House and in charge of potential impeachment proceedings. Many Democrats feel Trump's actions, particularly the president's efforts at potential obstruction, are impeachable offenses. But veterans on Capitol Hill have seen what a partisan impeachment attempt did politically to Republicans 20 years ago when they impeached then-President Clinton. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who would shepherd impeachment proceedings, was careful during a press conference Thursday. "The special counsel made clear that he did not exonerate the president and the responsibility now falls to Congress to hold the president accountable for his actions," Nadler said. "That's one possibility," Nadler said, but, he added, "It's too early to reach those conclusions." Instead, Democratic leaders want the full, unredacted version of the Mueller report, the underlying documents and for both Barr and Mueller to testify. Barr is offering for select congressional leaders to view a less-redacted version; Barr is testifying May 2; and he said at his Thursday press conference that he had no objection to Mueller himself testifying before Congress. Nadler has requested that Mueller testify no later than May 23. But, at some point, Democrats will have to face the important to-impeach-or-not-to-impeach question. "Based on what I've seen so far, the House has to seriously consider impeachment, with Robert Mueller having laid out a very detailed case for it," said Luis Miranda, a Democratic strategist and former Democratic National Committee spokesman, whose emails were among those hacked during the 2016 campaign. "Democrats were elected to a majority in the House to exercise congressional oversight and to carry out their Constitutional duty as a co-equal branch of government. Trump is unlikely to resign or be found guilty in the GOP-controlled Senate, but if you were elected to the House you have a distinct responsibility, even if it doesn't square with 2020 electoral interests. "It would be hard to go back to voters and ask them to trust you with their vote if you don't follow the Mueller report to where it leads." At least two other strategists disagreed precisely because of those 2020 interests. They didn't want to be named because of how their comments could affect relationships with Democratic clients. "Impeachment proceedings only help Trump," one of those strategists said. "[Republican] voters that don't like Trump will now vote for him [if impeachment is started], because they see doing so as protecting the party. You'd also further invigorate Trump's existing supporters. The unfortunate thing is that the report actually makes a good case for obstruction." Party leaders may use congressional investigations to see if something worthwhile emerges that wins over some Republicans. That's necessary, another strategist said, because "it would take time and energy and not produce fruits of the labor" otherwise. In other words, this strategist said, it's not worth it unless Trump is going to be removed, because as it is now, "there's enough to wage a political fight" that can win in 2020. That is exactly the kind of argument Democratic leaders make. Many firmly believe they need Republican cooperation. That line seemed to be echoed again Thursday by one of Pelosi's top lieutenants. "Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told CNN's Dana Bash. "Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months, and the American people will make a judgment." For now, Democrats are sticking to calling for the unredacted report, demanding Mueller testify and seeing what turns up under other rocks they're turning over in the myriad congressional investigations they now control. Trump's presidency may be "an exercise in normalizing extraordinary behavior," as the Washington Post's Dan Balz notes, but Democratic leaders believe the most likely way to remove him from office is... at the ballot box. | https://www.npr.org/2019/04/19/714865550/will-democrats-follow-the-mueller-report-to-where-it-leads?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr |
Can anyone break Alan Shearer's Premier League goals record? | Shearer made Premier League defences suffer over 14 seasons Alan Shearer scored his 260th and final Premier League goal for Newcastle against Sunderland on 17 April 2006. In the 13 years since, no player has come within 50 goals of this record tally for the competition. But there are currently a small crop of attacking players with aspirations of claiming Shearer's crown, led by Sergio Aguero and including established goalscorers such as Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku and Mohamed Salah. Here, BBC Sport does the analysis to see if any of these players are capable of breaking the record and, if so, what more they have to do to surpass one of the Premier League's most iconic milestones. Shearer's goals Shearer's total of 260 is particularly impressive, given that it does not include the 23 goals he scored for Southampton in the old First Division, before it was rebranded as the Premier League in 1992. Those 260 goals were amassed over 14 Premier League seasons, in 441 games. This equates to a goal every 1.67 games and an average of 18.57 goals a campaign. An injury picked up 10 minutes after scoring his last goal - from the penalty spot at the Stadium of Light - would ultimately bring his career to an end, at the age of 35. Shearer began his career with Southampton but joined Blackburn for a then British record 3.3m deal before the very first Premier League season in 1992-93, then joined hometown club Newcastle in 1996, this time for what was world record fee of 15m. The rivals for Shearer's crown As it stands, there are three current Premier League forwards with more than 100 goals to their name and, realistically, enough time on their side to threaten Shearer's tally. Manchester City's Sergio Aguero (162), Tottenham's Harry Kane (125) and Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku (113) fall into that camp. Beyond this trio are a set of young forwards who have a less substantial tally to their name but have both the demonstrable prolific touch and enough seasons left in their career to mount a challenge - Manchester City's Raheem Sterling (66), Liverpool duo Sadio Mane (62) and Salah (53) and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford (27). For the fairest purposes of showing what each needs to do to beat the record, we're presuming each plays in the Premier League until the first season in which they are 35 years old, matching the age at which Shearer ended his English top-flight career. Guide to what each striker needs to do in their remaining seasons up to the age of 35 to break Shearer's record Fitness and form No top player can avoid injury entirely during their career. Shearer missed a number of games because of this. A knee injury forced him to miss around half of his first season at Blackburn, while at Newcastle, there was an ankle problem that restricted him to 17 appearances in 1997-98 and issues in 2000-01 that saw him play 19 times in the league. Aguero has tended to pick up knocks each season, as a result of the combative way he plays, while Harry Kane is likely to sit out the rest of this campaign with an ankle injury. Shearer's efficiency understandably dipped with age, something that is also likely to affect his challengers as they progress through their 30s. He averaged a fraction over 20 goals a season in his first 10 Premier League campaigns, but 14 for his final four. And then there are inevitable dips in form, the strength of the team in which they play and a possible move away from the Premier League - all of which would affect (or end) these players' ability to break the record. Games required to beat record (based on current scoring rate) Player Current PL games per goal Goals needed to beat record Games needed to beat record (on current scoring rate) Games needed per season (if playing to age of 35) Sergio Aguero 1.44 99 143 29 Harry Kane 1.45 136 198 20 Romelu Lukaku 2.20 148 325 33 Mohamed Salah 1.57 208 327 37 Sadio Mane 2.50 199 498 63 Raheem Sterling 3.35 195 654 60 Marcus Rashford 3.93 234 920 66 This is potentially harsh on some of the players, particularly Rashford and Sterling, whose goalscoring rates are increasing season on season. Rashford is currently enjoying his most prolific season to date in front of goal, while Sterling is one goal away from matching his best campaign for goals - last season's 17. However, what it illustrates is that Kane is currently best placed to break the record, with Aguero the other main likely contender. The rest require either a remarkably consistent run of fitness and form or a notable uplift in their scoring rate to even be considered a candidate to end Shearer's long-standing reign as the Premier League's greatest goalscorer. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47545895 |
What is the state of women's football attendances after recent records? | Atletico Madrid set a club world record attendance when 60,739 fans watched their match against Barcelona Record attendances at recent women's football matches fly in the face of claims that 'no-one cares about women's football'. Last month a new world record for a club attendance was set in Spain as Atletico Madrid welcomed 60,739 fans for the visit of Barcelona, while Juventus packed in 39,000 for the visit of Fiorentina to break the Italian record. And last weekend the domestic record tumbled in France as well, as Lyon won the Division 1 Feminine title in front of 25,907 fans. Juventus striker Eniola Aluko believes big crowds can become the norm in women's football and now Manchester United have been promoted to the Women's Super League, a first Manchester derby could allow English football to follow suit. Although some of the tickets were discounted or free, the crowds at Atletico and Juve demonstrated there is an appetite for big one-off games. They were marketed well, with Atletico offering free tickets to their members, and charging from five to 25 euros for non-member tickets, which amounted to 27,000 seats sold or 45% of the attendance. Both clubs also chose games against traditional rivals in an attempt to draw new fans to women's football and played them at their men's team's stadiums. Their regular attendances are significantly lower: league leaders Atletico have averaged about 600 fans per game this season, while Serie A Femminile leaders Juve have an average of about 450. Atletico's cup encounter with Barcelona in February, however, drew 3,800 fans. Other leagues can call upon larger fan bases. Showpiece games are already popular in England, where a record 45,423 watched Chelsea beat Arsenal in last year's FA Cup final. In the Women's Super League, Europe's only fully professional women's division, Chelsea and Manchester City enjoy the biggest crowds, averaging 1,864 and 1,409 respectively last season. In France, newly-crowned champions Lyon are a dominant force, and their success makes them the best-supported team in France with an average of 1,428 fans last season, while second-placed Paris St-Germain averaged 1,010. In Germany, two-time Champions League winners Wolfsburg are the best supported team with 1,689 fans on average last season, but there are also four other teams whose average is more than 1,000. But European teams are dwarfed by NWSL teams in the United States. Portland Thorns attracted an average of 16,959 last season, making them the best-supported team in major women's football leagues. Portland Thorns' whopping crowds contribute to an NWSL average of 6,017 fans per game across the league last term, the highest it has been for four seasons and up by about 1,000 since 2015. That contrasts with the WSL, which has seen a dip since the 2015 World Cup, and also coincided with a move back to a winter season. Last season the average crowd was 833, compared to 1,128 in 2016. In Germany, there has been a similar drop since a league high of 1,185 in the 2013-14 season. After two further seasons with an average above 1,000, it dropped to 849 last season. In France, hosts of this summer's World Cup, the average attendance at Division 1 Feminine games is 609, down from 708 the previous two seasons. In Italy, where most teams are amateur, the league says the average attendance among smaller teams tends to be about 200-300 whereas at bigger teams it is about 800. England boss Phil Neville is among those who say English clubs should follow Juve and Atletico Madrid's examples and "throw open" their stadiums for one-off games. The Football Association says it is in talks to host games at men's stadiums next season, and a first Manchester derby in women's football would not be a hard sell. Crystal Palace are set to play the last game of this season's Championship (the tier below the WSL) at Selhurst Park on 28 April against local rivals Chalrton. But games will need careful consideration. In a congested market, there is plenty of football already available to watch, so pricing, timing and location all need to be right. Some people have suggested playing women's games before or after men's fixtures at the same stadium. This already happens on occasion in rugby union. When Chelsea staged the home leg of their Champions League tie against Wolfsburg at Stamford Bridge in 2016, it was watched by a crowd of 3,783. Blues defender Mille Bright, who played in the 3-0 defeat, told BBC Sport: "The atmosphere wasn't great because the crowd was all on one side of the stadium. "My worry with offering free tickets is that it attracts one-off crowds, but we want to make the game fund itself. There needs to be a balance between crowds and ticket sales." | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47871431 |
Is 'blaccent' really that offensive? | I say, sure, if she can pull it off. That calls for a little explaining. Allegations of cultural misappropriation rose with ferocity in conservative media over the past week since the New York Democrat, widely known as "AOC," spoke with what the Washington Examiner called a "Southern drawl" during a speech at the Rev. Al Sharpton's annual National Action Network convention in New York. AOC was responding to President Donald Trump's dismissing her as a "young bartender" in an earlier speech to the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual spring dinner. "I'm proud to be a bartender," she said. "Ain't nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong with working retail, folding clothes for other people to buy. There is nothing wrong with preparing the food that your neighbors will eat. There is nothing wrong with driving the buses that take your family to work." The audience sounded like it was with her all the way as she stretched her words into a drawl and declared, "Ain't no-thin' wro-o-ong with that...." Indeed, there is not. Bartending's honest work, honestly described by AOC, and it's a profession that benefits from the ability to communicate and quickly build rapport with people, even when they might be slurring their words. Yet AOC's online critics, eager to get the triple-bang thrill of mocking her, Sharpton and liberal political correctness, turned into armchair linguists and piled on. "In case you're wondering," John Cardillo of Newsmax tweeted, "this is what blackface sounds like." Ryan Saavedra of The Daily Wire charged that AOC "speaks in an accent that she never uses" -- although Ocasio-Cortez later cited video evidence that she has spoken similarly in the past. David Almasi opined at Project 21, "It's hard to believe she didn't get called out by the majority-black audience for pandering or worse." That's OK. I found it hard to believe when candidate Trump didn't get called out at conservative evangelical Liberty University when he quoted from "Two Corinthians," which Christians usually call "Second Corinthians," followed by "That's the whole ballgame; is that the one you like?" Yet aside from a few snickers from the crowd, his audience welcomed him for making the appearance and he later received more than 80 percent of the evangelical vote against Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls. And Clinton was on the minds of AOC's conservative critics. She was widely mocked for adopting what some called a "blaccent" before a mostly black audience in Selma, Ala., in 2007. The Drudge Report called her "Southern Fried Hillary." Many of her mockers conveniently omitted the rest of her quote, in which she pointed out that the words come from a well-known freedom hymn composed by the Rev. James Cleveland. In an excellent defense of AOC's oratory, John McWhorter, a linguist and an African-American, argues in The Atlantic that her speaking style was not "verbal blackface"; she was "code-switching." "Few find code-switching surprising when Latinos do it between English and Spanish, alternating between the two languages within a single conversation or even sentence," he writes. "The concept perhaps seems less familiar when done between dialects of the same language, but this, too, is extremely common." Indeed it is. Our elders pressed my cousins and me to master the Queen's English in order to succeed in mainstream America. But if you were to wake me up suddenly in the middle of the night, I might reflexively curse you with the Alabama-born black accent of my home community. Comedian Trevor Noah, host of "The Daily Show" and a mixed-race South African, apparently caught that irony when he titled his show's new outrage segment "Ain't Nobody Got Time For That" instead of, say, "Things That Annoy Me Today." AOC grew up Puerto Rican -- an amalgam of Spanish, African and indigenous cultures -- in the Bronx, a salad bowl of ethnic diversity that undoubtedly gave her an edge on code-switching. She obviously doesn't hesitate to use it, as I mentioned earlier, when she knows she can pull it off. But, yes, there always is a risk that some people will take it the wrong way, accidentally or on purpose, especially when politics are involved. Yet instead of being too quick to shame others for linguistic incorrectness, whether from the right or the left, I think we should all be less punitive and more patient. Our language should encourage us to learn more from each other, not find new excuses for a fight. [email protected] | https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190418/is-blaccent-really-that-offensive |
Did rising rents kill the Bay Areas urban homesteading movement? | Over the course of almost a decade, Sheila Cassani and Matthew Yungert built a backyard farm in the middle of Oakland. They dug vegetable beds, built a chicken coop of reclaimed wood, installed a beehive and planted fruit trees. They shared vegetables from their lush garden with neighbors and dreamed of someday harvesting them alongside their newborn daughter. Their urban homestead was featured on a farm tour, in the media, even in a book. Then their landlords gave them notice that their son was moving in. The family and their chickens, bees and vegetable garden all had to go. For a period starting around 2009, excitement about urban farming was everywhere. The media was agog over backyard bees and chickens. Frothy stories about goat milking proliferated. People in the grips of the recession, newly awakened to acting globally and eating locally, eagerly pursued control of their food through urban farming. The Bay Area was ground zero for urban homesteading fever. A dedicated cadre of serious urban homesteaders were hard at work here, bringing visibility to urban agriculture. Not only were they creating mind-blowing farms in their backyards, they successfully worked to change laws barring city folk from keeping goats, chickens or bees and to simplify regulations allowing the sale of vegetables grown in urban areas. But its tough maintaining an urban homestead with livestock and a large garden in one of the most expensive areas of the country. And as economic pressures in the Bay Area have increased, many of the original advocates of urban agriculture have left the Bay Area, downsized or even stopped farming. Some, like Ruby Blume, have escaped to a cooler climate. The founder of the Institute for Urban Homesteading and the moderator of the Bay Area Homesteaders email listserv left the cauldron of the Bay Area real estate market for a 22-acre farm in Grants Pass, Ore., where she keeps sheep, cows, chickens, rabbits, pigeons and bees. Many of the people I started out with in urban homesteading are moving out of the Bay Area, she says. People who really want that lifestyle are leaving to create it. Others, like Rachel Hoff and Tom Ferguson, have downsized. When the 2008 recession hit, their income from construction-industry jobs plummeted and they started growing produce and raising livestock on the land surrounding their Vallejo home. Their family gained national attention when they decided to forgo the grocery store for a year and live on what they were able to grow or buy from local farmers. A single year turned into three, but the pressure of Bay Area economics and the need to work full-time jobs made a return to the shopping cart inevitable. The rabbits had to go, as did a number of the turkeys, chickens and goats. The vegetable garden was scaled back as the time to harvest and preserve dwindled, though they now run a business providing vegetable seedlings to other local gardeners. Cassani and Yungert tend a vegetable garden at their new Oakland home, but they havent re-created their beloved urban homestead. Cassani, who wrote her undergraduate thesis on Bay Area home food production, says, We want to do more, but were jaded and less motivated because we felt the burn of having to leave all that hard work behind. As Shirley Bassey sang, It's all just a little bit of history repeating. According to Eli Zigas, who works in food and agriculture policy for the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association, weve been here before. Historically, every few decades theres a wave of interest around growing food in cities: the victory gardens of the war effort (in World War II), the back-to-the-land movement of the 1970s, and so on, he says. We saw a wave of projects get started in the past 10 years. I think some of that interest has waned, but out of each wave we get lasting institutions. Last decades surge of excitement around urban farming may be following the inevitable arc of history, but the seeds the movement sowed have taken root. Urban homestead seeking mature, responsible, delightful roommate, read Jeannie McKenzies advertisement for a room in her Oakland hills home last fall. Were a good fit for someone who wants to try their hand at goat milking and cheese making. Like other longtime urban farmers who remain in the Bay Area, McKenzie is finding creative ways to maintain an urban homestead. She and her housemates each put in around two hours per week sharing chores and goat-milking duties. Collective efforts like McKenzies are on the rise. People are being really resilient and creative in maintaining the ability to grow food, says Yolanda Burrell, who co-founded Oaklands Pollinate Farm and Garden Supply. Families have taken down their fences to make collaborative gardens, and theres lots of chicken co-ops with people who take turns caring for the chickens. Interest in permaculture, a farming methodology that incorporates long-term edible crops, is increasing, too, as people search for ways to grow food that fits busy Bay Area lifestyles. Immediately post recession, the breathless media coverage of urban homesteading seemed to depict it as a completely new field dominated by white women, overshadowing the non-white communities who brought their own micro-farming traditions and cultural foodways to the Bay Area. While theres still work needed to remedy that imbalance, community and school-based urban farming efforts in communities of color are on the rise. At Acta Non Verba, where children and families from East Oakland participate in farming activities, the program has a wait list and has added staff to accommodate growth. Other food justice organizations like Valley Verde in San Jose, Phat Beets Farm and City Slicker Farms in Oakland, and Planting Justice in Oakland and El Sobrante are all broadening their reach. Community- and school-based urban farms are expanding their reach as well. On an early spring day at the University of San Franciscos urban farm, located on the edge of its campus, oxalis flowers the color of a yellow highlighter nod among rows of fava beans and leafy greens as a cluster of backpack-toting students filters in for their class on community garden outreach. Since the university started offering a minor in urban agriculture in 2010, the school has barely been able to keep up with the demand for classes. Novella Carpenter, whose bestselling 2009 book Farm City helped ignite the urban farming fever, teaches at the university. The pigs, rabbits and goats that she once kept at GhostTown Farm, her West Oakland household, are gone now, though she still keeps chickens. Shes in the process of leasing the farm to a group growing herbs from the African diaspora. The urban farming movement isnt about Hey, look what Im doing by myself in my own backyard anymore, Carpenter says as she waters baby tomato plants in the USF greenhouse. Its about what were all building together. Samantha Nobles-Block is an East Bay freelance writer. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @radishandfig | https://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Did-rising-rents-kill-the-Bay-Area-s-urban-13779296.php |
Did Beyonc just surprise-drop the best live album of all time? | While I didn't attend an HBCU, both of my parents did. I grew up going to HBCU football games. I remember waiting in anticipation for the halftime show. To watch the drum major strut out and the band play soulful versions of my favorite songs. To see the beautiful black dancers in the stadium bleachers absolutely kill it. My cousin was a Jackson State University Prancing J-Sette (the innovators of the style of dancing seen at Beyonc's Coachella performance), which is still a source of pride for my family. Homecoming takes me back to that place. It makes me proud to be black. It makes me proud to be black and from the South. | https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-beyonce-coachella-homecoming-live-album-20190419-story.html |
Is the President Untouchable? | In other words, the report is strong in theory, but perplexing in application. Of course, a criminal prosecution of a president cannot proceed without recognition that it is no small matter for a prosecutor to put at risk a democratically elected government. At the same time, the report contains a wealth of evidence that the president disregarded the law whenever it suited him, and especially whenever it was in his personal and political interest. In any normal case like this, the amount of detail of bad or shady character would have swung the case very much against the president. He routinely lies and urges other people to lie; he directed his White House Counsel to fabricate evidence that he had not ordered the counsel, as he indeed had, to arrange for Muellers dismissal. While it is true that prosecutors should prosecute crimes and not people, they rarely fail to be affected by evidence that the person under investigation routinely hatches criminally questionable schemes. The Mueller report certainly seems to support the proposition that a president can expect the benefit of the doubt in this respect. Here after all is a report in which the prosecutor concludes that the Presidents efforts to influence investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. This is a remarkable statement. If he were still the chief executive of the Trump Organization, it would not have worked well for Trump to defend against multiple criminal accusations by noting that his staff sometimes intervened to stop him. For the chief executive of the United States, this peculiar argument seems to have some bite. David A. Graham: No one listens to the president In fairness to Mueller, his report is a product of the cycle of adjustments made to the mechanism for investigating presidential misconduct. The Watergate episode suggested the need for an independent process, free of conflict of interest. This ushered in the period of the independent counsel, which later came to be seen as fraught with dangers of partisan overreach and a president hobbled presidency beyond reason by sustained, expensive and at times ill- motivated investigations. Once that statute was allowed to die, the special counsel regulations under which Mueller operated were meant to provide some measure of independent enforcement, while restricting the avenues for partisan misuse. Now a special counsel reports to the attorney general, an employee bound to follow his or her superiors orders and to comply with Justice Department policies and standards, including the OLC immunity opinions. He reports his conclusions on a confidential basis: only the attorney general can authorize a public release. The special counsel must refrain from expressing a judgment about potential impeachable offenses. Just as the independent-counsel law after the Watergate period was an answer to the lawlessness of the Nixon administration, so the special-counsel rules respond to the excesses of Ken Starr and the Clinton impeachment. Mueller was operating within a network of built-in limitations. | https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/mueller-report-special-counsel-limits/587488/?utm_source=feed |
Why did 5th-grade girl Raniya die after SC classroom fight? | Friends and family members celebrate the life of 10-year-old Raniya Wright Raniya Wright was laid to rest after a celebration of her life at Saints Center Ministries in Walterboro. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Raniya Wright was laid to rest after a celebration of her life at Saints Center Ministries in Walterboro. The prosecutor leading the investigation into the case of a fifth-grade student who died after a classroom fight in South Carolina said the girl died of natural causes, and no charges will be filed, Solicitor Duffy Stone said during a press conference. Investigators released their preliminary findings Friday in the death of 10-year-old Raniya Wright during a press conference Friday, broadcast live by WCSC. The solicitor said Raniya had a neurological problem that caused her death. The fifth-grade girl died two days after a classroom fight at an elementary school in Walterboro, South Carolina. On March 25, Raniya and another fifth-grade girl got into a fight at Forest Hills Elementary School in Colleton County, about 50 miles from Charleston, according to the school system. Raniya was unconscious in the nurses office by the time paramedics arrived and had to be airlifted to a hospital in Charleston, investigators said. She died less than 48 hours later. Since Raniyas death, her family and the community have criticized investigators and the school system for not sharing more information about what happened. Raniyas family said the girl faced problems with bullying at the school. After a Colleton County School Board meeting this week, Raniyas grandfather said the school did not address the bullying problems. The system failed her, grandfather Ernie Wright said, WCBD reported. It shouldnt have taken a death. My daughter called the school like two weeks about the same girl and the school didnt do anything about it, he said, according to WCBD. Its not like this happened yesterday, this was going on two weeks before it happened. Investigators and the school district have asked for patience several times since Raniyas death. In a statement released before Tuesdays meeting, school board members continued to urge people to be patient as the investigation continues, Fox Carolina reports. We have spent the past three weeks grieving together and mourning her passing. We realize and appreciate the people wanted to know exactly what happened in that classroom and the incident at Forest Hills Elementary School on March 25, and whether that altercation contributed at all to her death two days later. The final investigative report has not been released by the solicitors office or the Colleton County sheriffs office, the statement said, according to the TV station. This is a breaking story and will be updated. | https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article229455799.html |
Is There Hope Around The Corner For Chris Sale, Mookie Betts And The Boston Red Sox? | Getty The headache wasnt supposed to last this long, and a bacon cheeseburger with a Pedialyte chaser cant remedy this brand of hangover. Coming off what was arguably the best season in franchise history featuring 108 regular season wins and their fourth World Series title in 15 years, the Red Sox took a conservative approach to spring training with the understanding that it might take the pitchers in particular a little longer to hit their stride come April. They didnt expect things to be this bad, though. Bostons staff enters Fridays action with an MLB-worst 6.01 ERA. Coupled with a lackluster offense, the Sox have played miserably and sit at 6-13, good for last place in the American League East and eight games behind division-leading Tampa Bay. The most disappointing of the bunch has been ace Chris Sale, who has lost all four of his starts behind an unsightly 8.50 ERA over 18 innings. After agreeing to a five-year, $145 million extension in March, the seven-time All-Star finds himself in the midst of the worst stretch of his career, the most recent debacle coming against the shorthanded, scuffling Yankees. The lanky left-hander spoke at length following the following the five-inning, four-run outing, his frustration evident as he stood amongst a gaggle of reporters in the Bronx on Tuesday. I stink right now. I don't know what it is, Sale said. I've just got to find a way to pitch better. I mean this is flat-out embarrassing for my family, for my team, for our fans. This is about as bad as it gets. Returning with almost the same set of characters that ran away with the division and breezed through the postseason, the clubs -42 run differential thus far ranks last in the AL, with the only team worse in all of baseball the rebuilding Marlins at -49. The Red Sox didnt lose their 13th game last year until May 14 and havent come out of the gate this slowly since a 4-15 start in 1996, rebounding to finish 85-77 that season but missing the playoffs. We always have a sense of urgency. We show up every day and we play hard regardless of the results, we're showing up, sophomore manager Alex Cora said after dropping the second of two to New York. We just got to play better. It really doesn't matter if we're 8 1/2, 7 1/2, 6 1/2 (games back). We got to play better and we haven't done it consistently. There are legitimate reasons for optimism heading into an all-important three-game set with the Rays this weekend, one about as urgent as an April series can be. Signs of Life from Sale Getty Boston isnt going to dig their way out of this hole without a return to form from Sale, 29-12 with a 2.56 ERA and 0.924 WHIP over the past two seasons with 545 strikeouts in 372 1/3 innings. Traditionally one of the games most durable arms, diminished velocity on the 30-year-olds four-seamer and lack of bite on his trademark slider in the first three starts raised red flags from Beacon Hill to Back Bay. Despite taking the L after another underwhelming performance, Sales fastball sat around 95 mph Tuesday night, hitting 97-plus several times in the third inning. The sweeping break on his slider also looked more like what weve become accustomed to, generating some off-balance swings from Yankee hitters. Something positive out of today is that the stuff was there, Cora said. Slider was better. I think he's getting closer to the guy that we know he can be." Nasty Nate Getty Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi returned to Boston on a four-year, $68 million deal this winter after a strong October showing where he posted a 1.61 ERA in six postseason games (two starts). Acquired in a late July trade with Tampa Bay, Sales rotation-mate had allowed six home runs over his first three starts this year, contributing to an 8.40 ERA. He was much better on Wednesday, holding New York to an unearned run on three hits and a walk over six strong innings, fanning six in the clubs 5-3 loss. Eovaldi worked fast and looked in control, something the Sox need more of if they hope to turn things around. Betting on Betts Getty Mookie Betts had a career year, leading the majors in runs scored (129), batting average (.346) and slugging (.640), all amounting to a 10.9 WAR figure and a championship ring. Like many of his mates, the reigning AL MVP has stumbled in the early going, slashing a paltry .200/.305/.371 with just six extra-base hits in 82 plate appearances. He's searching offensively. There's some pitches there that he knows he can catch up with it and he's missing his pitch right now, Cora said. The homegrown right fielders batting average on balls put in play is .208, which means hes hit into at least some bad luck, a trend that always works itself out over time. "Obviously I haven't played very well," Betts said. "I'm just trying to make adjustments pitch by pitch and make something happen." While reproducing last years gaudy numbers may be a stretch, theres no reason to think that Betts wont regain his status as linchpin of the lineup. Familiar Faces Getty It was next to impossible for the Sox to avoid regressing a bit, considering how outstanding they played for the duration of 18, but not to this well-below-average level. Aside from future Hall of Famer Craig Kimbrel (whos still available, by the way) manning the ninth, this is essentially a group that couldnt be stopped just a season ago. Overreaction is expected in this case, especially in a high-profile market like Boston, but theres a good chance well be looking back at these three weeks as just a blip on the radar. Gotta get back to where we were, Sale said. We know who we are. We know what we have in this locker room." Then again, by the time they get back to being themselves the uphill climb may be too much to conquer. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottorgera/2019/04/19/is-there-hope-around-the-corner-for-chris-sale-mookie-betts-and-the-boston-red-sox/ |
Will Subdued Client Activity Adversely Impact UBS In Q1? | BLOOMBERG NEWS UBS (NYSE: UBS) is expected to publish its Q1 2019 results on April 25. Trefis estimates the Swiss banking giant's earnings to be CHF 0.25 per share on an adjusted basis in Q1, which reflects a 39% decline from the prior year quarter. The fall in earnings will likely be due to lower revenues and lower net income margin. We have summarized our quarterly and full year expectations for UBS based on the companys guidance and our own estimates, in our interactive dashboard How Is UBS Likely To Have Fared In Q1?. You can modify any of our key drivers to gauge the impact changes would have on its valuation. Total Revenues for UBS have largely trended lower over recent quarters. Revenues fell from CHF 8.2 billion in Q1 2018 to CHF 7.0 billion in Q4 2018. The decline can primarily be attributed to sub-par performance of Trading division towards the second half of FY 2018. Total Expenses for UBS have remained fairly stable around CHF 5.9 billion over the last 12 quarters. We expect the trend to continue in Q1 2019. We estimate UBS total expenses to be CHF 5.8 billion for the quarter; a figure 4.6% lower than what it reported a year ago. Key Driver #1: Net Interest Income: This represents interest earned through loans and other assets net of interest paid to deposits. Net Interest income has remained relatively stable over the past few quarters. However, this figure fell sharply in Q2 2018 due to higher funding costs for long-term debt and lower banking book interest income, partly offset by higher deposit revenues. We expect net interest income to be CHF 1.5 billion in Q1 2019, a figure 17.7% lower than what it reported a year ago. Key Driver #2: Net Fee & Commission Income: This income includes fees for general banking products, services and revenues from wealth structuring solutions and other asset management-related fees. Net Fee & Commission Income has been the largest contributor to UBS revenues over recent quarters, contributing approximately 59% of total revenues over 2018. We forecast the net fees to decline by 7.3% (y-o-y) to approximately CHF 4.4 billion in Q119. Key Driver #3: Personnel Expense: This includes salaries and benefits paid out to employees. Personnel Expense is the single biggest cost driver, and was roughly 53% of total revenues over 2018. We expect UBS to report CHF 4.0 billion of personnel expense in Q1 2019, 4.2% higher than what it reported in Q4 2018. Brexit uncertainty and the escalating U.S.-China trade disputes have an adverse impact on investor confidence and client activity levels. These heightened global geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties are likely to weigh on UBS revenues, particularly its Trading Division revenues. Additionally, the low interest rate environment in many European countries is also adversely impacting UBS revenues, primarily from net interest income. Explore example interactive dashboards and create your own. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/04/19/will-subdued-client-activity-adversely-impact-ubs-in-q1/ |
Why isn't Isle Royale a part of Minnesota? | Isle Royale sits roughly 20 miles east of mainland Minnesota and 55 miles west of Michigans Upper Peninsula, yet the island in Lake Superior belongs to Michigan. Thats a question Andrew Heintz has pondered for years. Heintz, a Star Tribune reader from Golden Valley, is an avid hiker who has backpacked along Minnesotas North Shore, but has yet to cross Isle Royale off his bucket list. The query is not unusual. A Minnesota backpacker or boater will ask the question ... quite regularly while a Michigan one wont ask it at all, said Timothy Cochrane, a former Isle Royale park ranger and author of a book about the Ojibwe and Isle Royale. Its also the latest entry to Curious Minnesota, our community-driven reporting project that invites readers into the newsroom to ask questions they want answered. The answer to Heintzs question can be traced to faulty maps, copper fever and the dispute over a strip of land in northern Ohio, but first we first have to ask why the island belongs to the United States at all. Isle Royale is, in fact, closer to Canada than either Minnesota or Michigan. Americas Founding Fathers had something to do with it. In 1783, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, among others, signed the Treaty of Paris, an agreement which ended the Revolutionary War and established the nations borders. American negotiators might have been interested in Isle Royales copper deposits and persuaded their British counterparts to draw the American border north of the island. Theres this age-old rumor that somebody whispered in [Franklins] ear and that he sort of fudged the lineup and around a big island close to the Canadian border, said Seth DePasquel, the parks archaeologist. The question is did he really know? Its unclear how much early European explorers knew about the areas copper reserves, but archaeological evidence suggests that Native Americans began mining copper on the island which they called Minong or The Good Place at least 4,500 years ago, DePasquale said. The eras maps, which showed Isle Royale south of its actual location, also bear some of the responsibility. Once part of the U.S., the state designation came down to timing. Thats the bottom line. Michigan territory and the state of Michigan were created significantly before Minnesota, and thats why Isle Royale was included within those boundaries, said Ken Vrana, director of the Isle Royale Institute at Michigan Technological University. Michigan became a state in 1837 while Minnesota gained its statehood more than 20 years later in 1858. This westward wave of settlement allowed Michigan to claim Isle Royale without challenges from neighboring states. Nonetheless, a near-war between Michigan and Ohio led to Isle Royales official designation after a dispute about their shared boundary. Michigan wanted the border drawn east from the bottom of Lake Michigan. That boundary ran south of Maumee Bay, an area near present-day Toledo and a shipping and farming hub, said Bob Myers, the director of education at the Michigan Historical Society. Ohios preferred border made land around Maumee Bay its territory. The border debate escalated when both states mobilized their militias in 1835. The conflict didnt last long, resulting in a single casualty. The states compromised, agreeing that Ohio would get the border it wanted, and, in exchange, Isle Royale and much of the Upper Peninsula would join Michigan. And thats how Minnesota got cut out of the Isle Royale equation. History just wasnt on its side. Emma Dill is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune. | http://www.startribune.com/why-isn-t-isle-royale-part-of-minnesota-curious-minnesota-investigates/507518931/ |
How Do the Major Streaming Services Compare Against Each Other? | Cable companies are under siege. As more and more people get frustrated with high cable and satellite bills and being forced to pay for a slew of channels they never watch, streaming services are seeing their subscription numbers grow. And a new wave from major players is on the way. Disney+ will debut Nov. 12 and is hoping to rapidly gain a significant audience, undercutting Netflixs pricing, and offering a slew of exclusive shows alongside a formidable Disney library of catalog shows and films. And Apple has its own service set to launch this fall. The mission of streaming services varies from offering to offering. Some, like Dish Networks Sling TV or AT&Ts DirecTV now, are basically repackaged offerings of cable channels. Others, though, are finding original content is the key to luring customers. One water cooler show can make their service a must have. The problem with so many services having must-watch shows is cord cutters (and people supplementing their cable subscription) often end up paying a lot more. If you were to subscribe to all of the streaming services below, youd add $115 or more per month to your expenses. Thats too much for most people. So, to help you pick and choose, heres a breakdown of the offerings and prices of the major streaming services with original content: Disney+ Exclusive offerings: Disneys leaning into its deep catalog of films and TV shows to support Disney+. If you want to watch any film in the Marvel superhero universe, any Pixar release, or any Disney classic, this will be the only place to do so. (Disney is pulling its films from Netflix, which will cut its operating income by about $150 million.) All totaled, the service will offer 7,500 episodes of current and off-air TV shows, 400 archived Disney (and Fox) movies, and 100 recent theatrical releases. But Disneys also offering 25 original series and 10 original movies and specials, including series based on High School Musical and Monsters Inc., and The Mandoloriana Star Wars series set five years after Return of the Jedi that wowed attendees of Star Wars Celebration last week. Monthly cost: $6.99 per month (or $69.99 per year) Simultaneous streams: TBD Free trial period: TBD Apple TV+ Exclusive offerings: Apple brought out some major celebrities when introducing Apple TV+ earlier this month, including Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg. Many of those stars will be contributing to the service as well. Winfrey and Prince Harry are making a show about mental health. Battlestar Galactica creator Ron Moore is making a science fiction drama called For All Mankind. Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carrell are collaborating on a scripted drama called The Morning Show. Spielberg will bring back his Amazing Stories series. A remake of the 1981 film Time Bandits is in the works. Meanwhile, Sesame Workshop, creators of Sesame Street, are planning a childrens show. And thats just scratching the surface. Apple TV+ will differ from many competitors, in that it does not plan to offer any catalog content, focusing exclusively on original shows. Monthly cost: TBD Simultaneous streams: TBD Free trial period: TBD Netflix Exclusive offerings: The most established of the streaming services, Netflix has a deep catalog of original shows that have already captivated audiences, including Stranger Things, The Crown, Black Mirror, and BoJack Horseman. The company has also revived several TV series that were binge favorites of users, including Arrested Development, Full House, and Queer Eye. Beyond series, it has also built an award winning film studio, winning three Oscars for 2018s Roma and one for 2017s Icarus. And this years Bird Box became a cultural phenomenon. Monthly cost: $8.99-$15.99 per month Simultaneous streams: 1-4 Free trial period: 30 days Hulu Exclusive offerings: Hulu got a late start to original content, relying instead on its deep catalog of network shows. But it has made up some ground with hits like The Handmaids Tale and Runaways. Stephen King is one of the biggest collaborators, due to both the series Castle Rock and the adaptation of his 11.22.63 novel. Hulu also took a page from the Netflix book and gave second life to some canceled series, including The Mindy Project and Veronica Mars, and has said its open to reviving the canceled Marvel shows that used to air on Netflix, including Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Monthly cost: $5.99 per month ($44.99 per month to include Live TV) Simultaneous streams: 1 (2 with the Live TV package) Free trial period: 30 days Amazon Prime Video Exclusive offerings: Prime Video is one of the features included in an Amazon Prime membership, so the offerings extend far beyond original video programming. Amazon, though, has invested heavily in its own shows, wooing the crew from BBCs Top Gear after they left that network. It won an Emmy award for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. And other shows, including The Man in the High Castle, Tom Clancys Jack Ryan, and Transparent, have received tremendous critical acclaim. The services affiliated production company, Amazon Studios, has also ventured into the cinematic world, with the most notable success being The Big Sick. Monthly cost: $8.99-$12.99 per month (or $119 per year) Simultaneous streams: 2 Free trial period: 30 days CBS All Access Exclusive offerings: While CBSs streaming platform is largely built around its network offerings, it offers a handful of exclusive original shows, including Star Trek Discovery, the Christine Baranski-led The Good Fight and Jordan Peeles remake of The Twilight Zone. It will also be the home for the Star Trek follow-up Picard, which follows the commander made famous in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Monthly cost: $9.99 per month Simultaneous streams: 2 Free trial period: 7 days ESPN+ Exclusive offerings: Beyond deeper coverage of major sporting events, ESPNs streaming service offers exclusive original shows and in-studio programs, such as The Boardroom executive produced by Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryants Detail, LeBron James More Than An Athlete, and upcoming episodes of Dana Whites Contender Series. Youll also be able to watch all manner of live sports ranging from baseball and soccer to UFC fights and tennis from Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open. Monthly cost: $4.99 per month Simultaneous streams: 3 Free trial period: 7 days HBO Now Exclusive offerings: You wont find anything here that you wont get if you already subscribe to HBO with your cable or satellite provider, but if youve cut the cord and still want to keep up with Game of Thrones, Westworld, and any of the networks other shows, this service give you access to both all of the live channels as well as a complete on-demand catalog of both original content and recent motion pictures. Monthly cost: $14.99 per month Simultaneous streams: 3 Free trial period: 7 days | http://fortune.com/2019/04/19/how-do-major-streaming-services-compare-against-each-other-netflix-hulu-disney/ |
Does Steve Yzerman hiring in Detroit make Edmonton a more or less likely landing spot for Ken Holland? | Later today, the Detroit Red Wings will welcome home Steve Yzerman as their new General Manager. While no doubt some Oilers fans were hoping that Stevie Y would consider bringing his act to Edmonton that was never, ever in the cards. There has been a months-long campaign to re-unite Yzerman with the Detroit organization and it was the primary reason why Stevie Y left Tampa Bay in the first place. For the time being, at least, Detroit will position this as Holland as staying on as Sr. Vice-President. Holland and Yzerman are very good friends. There is no way that Holland would just bring in Yzerman and then walk away, cold-turkey, and steal his friends thunder. Not gonna happen. But I am made to believe that the Edmonton Oilers have indeed spoken to Holland about potential opportunities here. No that could mean a number of things, of which I suspect the General Managers job is probably the one that interests Holland the least. And thats why I have never thought that Holland was a realistic top candidate to become the Oilers G.M., before or now. President of Hockey Operations, on the other hand, is a role that the Western Canadian native could have some interest in, with a younger G.M. (like a Keith Gretzky) reporting to him. Not everyone is sold on that model, as they point toward more recent hockey decisions and cap management in Michigan. And those are fair enough criticisms. I would only suggest to you that Ken Holland has probably forgotten more about managing an NHL team than most of us know. As for the comparisons some are making between Peter Chiarelli and Ken Holland, the Chiarelli resume doesnt even approach Hollands. Theyre not even in the same league. But keep in mind that Bob Nicholson and Ken Holland are friends and partners, working closely together at Hockey Canada during the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. Even if Holland is staying put in Detroit he could still have served as a good idea man in Nicholsons search, from which candidates might be good possibilities to what things to look for in each applicant. If there is one thing that always served Nicholson well prior to his time in Edmonton it was bringing really smart hockey minds together in one room for specific, short-term projects. Holland could count as one of those, if only temporarily, in the search for a General Manager. I believe thats the far more likely scenario. I still believe that Kelly McCrimmon would be the #1 candidate outside of the Oilers organization. But it is also likely that of the top candidates, the two that it would have been most difficult to secure their clubs clearance for an interview would be Las Vegas (McCrimmon) and Washington (Ross Mahoney) because their respective teams are in the playoff hunt. And who could blame them. Other men whom I think the Oilers will have already have talked to (or soon will have) include Pat Verbeek, Mark Hunter, Mike Gillis, Bill Geurin and potentially even Laurence Gilman. It sounds like Nicholson is almost done his first round of interviews. And who knowsthere may only be one round. And I am also made to believe that Keith Gretzky is still very much under consideration as well despite some reports to the contrary. So stay tuned. Find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins Recently, at The Cult STAPLES: Now is the time for Bear, Jones & Lagesson to show their stuff McCURDY: Why over-ripe is not the right path for the Oilers | https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/does-steve-yzerman-hiring-in-detroit-make-edmonton-a-more-or-less-likely-landing-spot-for-ken-holland |
What Can Tony Hawk And Shaun White Teach Us About Entrepreneurship? | Phil McCarten/Invision/AP When you think of Tony Hawk or Shaun White, do you think of them as entrepreneurs or do you recognize them as simply a skater and snowboarder? If so, it should surprise you to learn about the successful multi-million dollar companies built by these two action sports athletes. From products to clothing to video games and real estate, these two entrepreneurs have achieved a fair amount of success. They may have never intended to create businesses but they certainly seized the opportunity to create products or companies that leveraged their passions or interests. Listed below are insights from the two entrepreneurs on the key things that helped them to achieve success. Entrepreneur insights from Shaun White: Visualize what success looks like. Sounds pretty simple but it is actual quite important. When you start a company, you might get so hung up in the "run" that you actually forget why or where you are actually going. Shaun talked about how much time he spent visualizing even the little details that would be involved in his final success. But with that kind of intentional "acceptance" in his mind of exactly how he could win, he believed it made him feel like he would win. That created such a positive "mindset" that he just managed himself and his environment to win. Incremental goals will get you to the big goal. Shaun talked about how he set his goals, not on getting to the Olympics but winning small local contests, then regional events, then national and X Games events. It's a reminder that when you start out with your company, do the little things that will lead to the medium things with finally lead to the large wins. Start with a local market, then regional, then national. Own Your Business and Your Brand. Shaun talked about how in the early days of working with sponsors and partners, they did what they wanted, not necessarily what Shaun wanted. So, after a few years, he stepped up his control with both sponsors and business opportunities. He talked about how he would spend hours reviewing creative, fabrics, materials, etc. that would go into a product with his name on it. If you build a company, don't outsource the strategic management of your brand and never your business strategy. Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP Entrepreneur insights from Tony Hawk: Its You and Your Passion: When Tony first learned to skate, admittedly, he was not that good. But he liked it and got better. Then he loved it. And he decided to be really good, an expert if you will, in spite of quite a few people telling him that skateboarding would never really amount to much for him. Be passionate about what you are doing and become an expert. Peanut Butter and Jelly: In the really lean four years after Tony launched Birdhouse, the skateboarding industry took a nose dive and his income was greatly reduced so he mostly ate super affordable food. Most people wont give up their comfortable life or salary to make something happen. If you want to create an amazing company, you have to be prepared to sacrifice. Trust the People Around You: The real message here is to surround yourself with people you trust. Tony talked about when his businesses got started a lot of people gave him advice and seemed to be more interested in quickly making money as opposed to building a brand and company. Tony wisely brought his brothers and sisters into the companies as they were the people he trusted. Instinct and the Long-term View: By Tonys own admission, he had no strategic well thought out plan to start and grow his companies. They were born out of opportunities. One such opportunity was the very first Tony Hawk video game. As it was on its way to becoming a hit, the game manufacturer offered to buy out his royalties on future games with a large amount of money upfront. For a guy who was just coming off Top Ramen, that had to be tempting. But his instinct told him the skateboard industry was going to rebound, the X Games notoriety was going to continue, BirdHouse board sales would gradually increase and he really wanted to control his brand, so he declined. Probably the best move of his life as the Tony Hawk video games went on to gross more than $1 billion in sales. Control the Brand, the Money Will Follow: One of Tonys core beliefs was to never really pursue anything for just money. His comment, You will just spend the rest of your life chasing money and you will never have enough or be happy. Its much better to focus on things aligned with your passions, become an expert and if possible create a company. But if you create a company, again, take the long term view and control every aspect of the brand. If what you are doing meets a need or solves a problem for a large customer group, the money will follow. Most importantly, you will be happy, even if you are eating Top Ramen. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernhardschroeder/2019/04/19/what-can-tony-hawk-and-shaun-white-teach-us-about-entrepreneurship/ |
How Has The Landscape Of Online Payment Processing Changed Over Time? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Kamran Zaki, President at Adyen, on Quora: Just like technology, payments are evolving at an unprecedented pace. Consumers can shop via more channels than ever before and connected devices are driving the way we research, shop, and buy. We have gone from the advent of online shopping in the 90s to purchasing and transacting via smart home and voice-enabled technologies today. The resulting landscape is increasingly complex for companies as they strive to offer consumers a wide variety of payment choice while at the same time trying to offer a consistent and simplified customer experience. Consumers are also more sophisticated than ever before and have a low tolerance for bad commerce experiences. Recent research we conducted shows that 1 in 2 online shoppers have abandoned an online purchase based on lengthy payment forms. Related to this is the rise of new payment methods like mobile wallets and underlying infrastructure like tokenization, both of which aim to simplify and accelerate consumer access to goods and services. 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/2019/04/19/how-has-the-landscape-of-online-payment-processing-changed-over-time/ |
What Does The Future Hold For Data Science Jobs? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Brad Klingenberg, Stitch Fix VP of Algorithms, on Quora: In many companies, particularly in less tech-forward industries, data science plays a back-office or supportive role in the business. I think this will change in industries with ready access to data and feedback loops. One of the most interesting aspects of data science at Stitch Fix is the unusual degree to which the Algorithms team is engaged with virtually every aspect of the business - from marketing to managing inventory and operations and of course in helping our stylists decide what our clients will love. In most cases, the best way for the team to improve the business is not to just provide insights into data for human consumption, but to integrate algorithmic products and decision making into business processes. More broadly, data scientists contribute significantly as business partners with experience in thinking carefully about uncertainty, learning from data and taking a scientific approach to problems. At Stitch Fix data isnt our product, but its our business. And were lucky to have developed a culture where data science has its own seat at the table. I expect the coming decades will have these themes - greater integration of algorithmic decision making and data scientists taking more strategic roles - drive significant change in many industries. 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/2019/04/19/what-does-the-future-hold-for-data-science-jobs/ |
Can IBM's World Wire Be The Answer To Cryptocurrency Payments Or Do We Need More Options? | ASSOCIATED PRESS If cryptocurrencies were the flavour of 2017, and 2019 is all about enterprise blockchain usage, then it is also important to note the quiet amalgamation of these two that has been bubbling under: the institutionalised cross-border blockchain payment solution. Everyone knows that one of Bitcoins most significant assets is its borderless nature and that it can be used as a cross-border payment solution. However, the decentralized nature of Bitcoin has hamstrung its widespread adoption somewhat, and several companies have thus spotted a niche in the traditional market. First, there was Ripple, one of only three blockchain-first companies that was recently named in the Forbes Blockchain 50 list, that has made its mandate to partner with large and institutionalised financial institutions and banks. Ripple has, as of January this year, announced over 200 partnerships with well known financial institutions to offer cross-border payment solutions. Ripple, as a blockchain-first startup, was always in danger of being usurped by prominent and powerful names coming in to steal its market. Some believe this has already happened. JP Morgan Chase this year also announced its own blockchain-based cross-border payment solution experiment, the JPM Coin. The competitive battle for a viable and workable solution has continued as blockchain backer IBM has also come forward with their own solution, the Blockchain World Wire. IBM already has a considerable stake in the burgeoning blockchain market with Hyperledger Fabric the most-used in the Forbes Blockchain 50 list, accounting for 26. Many businesses and companies might see the value in using IBMs solution, while the man in the street, who is fed up with the traditional financial system, might be more inclined to use decentralised options like Bitcoin. Pros and Cons Looking down the line of Ripple, JPM Coin, and World Wire, we can see straight away that these cross-border payments are all vying for a similar market. Ripple wants to be the go-to for banks, JPM coin is born of a bank, and even the World Wire solution has applications predominantly for financial and enterprise institutions. None of these solutions are designed for the other side of the market; the consumers and the individuals who want to be able to cash in on the effectivity and affordability of sending money across borders through the blockchain. Now, many here will say Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies, fill this niche; they are tools for the people and intended to help those who want to work outside of the traditional financial regime. But, it must also be remembered that cryptocurrency adoption is nowhere near broad enough to reach critical mass. It means that on the one end, where JPM Coin and World Wire find themselves, there are strong ties to the traditional banking systems and the pain points that brings - in terms of bureaucracy, legacy and lack of innovation. Then, on the other hand, there is the decentralised cryptocurrency sphere which still has a massive Wild West reputation, this leaves a vast market stranded in the middle. The biggest barrier for something like World Wire to get off the ground is the traditional banking system and its resistance to innovation, explains Elizabeth White of The White Company, a business trying to provide cryptocurrency solutions that appeal to both consumers and businesses. Large intentional banks have been using systems like SWIFT for decades and have whole wire departments dedicated to processing transactions. While blockchain would significantly modernize, automate, secure and speed up the whole process, it would require retraining and reworking a bank's entire operations to implement, White Said. IBM is using World Wire to compete with SWIFT for international bank transfers. While the system has a lot of potential and has a real chance of supplanting SWIFT; Individuals or companies cannot use World Wire, so they would still have to go through the regular banking process to send international payments. For many banks, moving to XRP, JPM Coin, or World Wire is just not worth it because their customers are not yet demanding the speed and low cost of blockchain transactions, and in fact banks are making a lot of revenue on wire fees and the like. There is also some apprehension amongst many banking professionals about using blockchain because sadly there are quite a few that still don't understand the technology and may even associate blockchain with money laundering, completely missing the significant anti-fraud prevention advantages of distributed ledger. A hybrid system The evolution of the cryptocurrency space has been necessitated thanks to its turbulent and tumultuous past. It began as this magical internet money that could disrupt every sector imaginable and caught the imagination of swaths of people, but it also opened the doors for fraudsters, scammers, and speculators. The backlash has been a much more controlled, regulated and measured approach into 2019. This has opened another door for the enterprise companies and major institutions to join in, but these polarised sides have left a big gap open in the middle. It is this middle ground of no-coiners that remain, waiting to be roped in... Perhaps when the right system comes along, and that system is a potentially combination of the two sides we have now. White, and the White Company, believe they are on the right track to reach this left over target market as they are providing stability and security of major financial institutions thanks to offering things like insurance from a major UK Bank Lloyds, as well as utilizing a blockchain, Stellar, which is also backed by IBM. But, they also feel that the offering of an easy to use and user-friendly front end, with a stable coin, and opportunities to trade other cryptos, will help entice even more users. Our payments platform, for example, is built on Stellar, which is a dedicated payments protocol supported by IBM, Deloitte, Stripe and others, and is focused on optimizing speed and efficiency of payments, adds White. If it is to be looked at across a spectrum - decentralised cryptocurrencies on one end, enterprise cross-border blockchain solutions on the other - a middle ground needs to be built and established. Users want the security of banks and financial institutions, without the bureaucracy and legacy associated with it. A path to the future It is quite agreeable that blockchain tokens, digital assets, cryptocurrencies, or whatever sort of label lands on them, are the future. But that future is still being laid out by the financial giants, as well as the decentralised communities. There does however need to be a middle-out growth that will help entice the vast majority of users into this new and mostly misunderstood space. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/darrynpollock/2019/04/19/can-ibms-world-wire-be-the-answer-to-cryptocurrency-payments-or-do-we-need-more-options/ |
How Can We Change Our Workaholic Culture? | originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Janelle Bruland, Entrepreneur, Leadership Coach, Author of The Success Lie, on Quora: Society has made us feel guilty for taking time off, so much so that we wear a badge of honor for working the most hours of anyone else on the team. Think about the standard company handbook, where you earn vacation as a reward after a year of service. When it comes time to take it, there often seems to be so much work to do that it is not worth it to take the time off. This general attitude toward the importance of work and the unimportance of rest and recovery has led to the workaholic mentality that is common in our world today. I have found in my own life, and in working with and observing other executives, that it is imperative to take time for regular personal renewal before we can be effective in our businesses. Perhaps as a result of personal beliefs or societal dogma we think personal renewal is only for those who deserve it an award for achievement. The rest of us who are undeserving wear the hours worked as a badge of honor, boasting that we work 70 or 80 hours per week. Declare Time for Rejuvenation In order to fix the workaholic mentality and prevent burnout, we need to declare time for rejuvenation. We have to fight against the part of our work ethic that tells us time off equals slacker, when it simply is not true. Research shows that downtime replenishes the brains stores of attention and motivation, enhances productivity and creativity, and is essential to achieve our highest levels of performance. Those in leadership positions face many forces that compete for our time and energy. It is easy to fall into the trap of overworking to the point of exhaustion, and rarely taking time for our own renewal. As a busy executive, I have decisively and purposefully incorporated recovery time into my schedule. One of my habits at the beginning of each calendar year is to schedule blocks of time for the entire year. I may from time to time need to adjust dates, but when I take away a scheduled renewal time in my calendar, I simply move it to another date versus allowing myself to delete it. Taking the time for rejuvenation is key to effective leadership. We set the example for those around us. Certainly, we want to bring our best selves to work. When we are fresh and operating with peak energy, we create a positive environment for our teams where they too can flourish. We approach work with renewed vigor and creativity. Others see a renewed passion it is electric and contagious. Imagine the ripple effects we could have on our teams when we showed up in this way. Imagine what things could be accomplished if others followed our new example improved results, increased morale, even fun at work! Here is my challenge to you: Schedule periodic and consistent breaks from your work real breaks. This means literally unplugging from your work for a period of time. If this sounds impossible, start with a short period of time even just a couple of hours and work your way up. You will be amazed at the difference in yourself. Making this choice also allows your team to step up and empowers them to perform. 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/2019/04/19/how-can-we-change-our-workaholic-culture/ |
Which English Club Has The Best Chance To Win A European Trophy This Season? | Getty It's been a banner year for English clubs in European competition, and they're not done yet. The semifinals of both the Champions League and Europa League are now set and four of the final eight competitors left in the two competitions hail from England. Liverpool and Tottenham will represent England in the Champions League semifinals, while Arsenal and Chelsea will fly the flag in the Europa League semis. But beyond the chance that English soccer bags two European honors, there's also a possibility we get to see two all-England finals. Liverpool and Tottenham and Chelsea and Arsenal sit in separate brackets in their respective tournaments. We've seen all-Spain and all-Germany European finals on a few occasions in recent memory. But the last all-England final was the classic Manchester United-Chelsea Champions League final in 2008, won by United in a penalty shootout. Let's take a look at all of their title chances, starting with the two fighting to win European soccer's grandest prize, the Champions League. Liverpool 36 percent chance to win Champions League via FiveThirtyEight Liverpool manages to have the best chance of any English club to win a European final despite it having arguably the toughest challenge in the semis. To get to the finals, the Reds will have to overcome Barcelona and four-time European champion Lionel Messi. Liverpool's strong odds are partially because of the fact that it is simply the best English club remaining in either competition a quick glance at the English Premier League standings will tell you that and partially because if it does get past Barca, its final opponent will be relatively weak in comparison. While Ajax and Tottenham have been brilliant in their runs to the semis, they are still a class below Liverpool, which also has the memory of its defeat to Real Madrid in last season's UCL final to spur it on. Tottenham 15 percent chance to win Champions League via FiveThirtyEight There will be some who say that Tottenham are only in the semis thanks to VAR disallowing a Sergio Aguero goal in the dramatic second leg of its quarterfinal against Manchester City or VAR confirming Fernando Llorente's goal that gave them an away goal advantage earlier in that match but, while true, that thought does Spurs a disservice. They defeated City 1-0 in the first leg of the tie at the new White Hart Lane and continuously battled back in the 4-3 second leg loss. But despite the growing sense of confidence surrounding the club, it will be difficult to win a final because of the circumstances. Tottenham is likely without Harry Kane for the rest of the season, and it still has to put effort into the Premier League lest it falls out of the top four. Spurs are walking on the razor's edge, but if they do it successfully, this will be the greatest season in club history. Chelsea 35 percent chance to win Europa League via FiveThirtyEight Maurizio Sarri's first season in charge at Stamford Bridge has been frustrating in many regards, but the Blues have done all that's been asked of them in the Europa League. With its 4-3 win over Slavia Prague on Thursday, Chelsea broke the record for most European wins by an English club in a season (11), and it has a chance to add three more before all is said and done. However, it will face a tougher challenge than Slavia in the semis when it faces off with white-hot Eintracht Frankfurt, which sits fourth in the Bundesliga on top of its unexpected Europa league run. Despite Frankfurt's form, Chelsea remains a strong favorite to advance, coming in with a 65 percent chance to qualify for the final, according to FiveThirtyEight. Arsenal 26 percent chance to win Europa League via FiveThirtyEight Aside from Liverpool-Barcelona, the showdown between Arsenal and Valencia will be the most evenly-matched contest of either European semifinal. And like its arch-rival Tottenham, Arsenal also has to strike a balance between the Premier League and European competition or run the risk of falling out of the top four and getting knocked out of the Europa League and failing to qualify for the Champions League for the third consecutive season. There are a few factors that will play in the Gunners favor, though. First, they lost to a much tougher opponent, Atletico Madrid, in the Europa League semifinals last season, so they should know what it takes to get over the hump and qualify for the final. Second, they are coached by Unai Emery, the most successful coach in Europa League history. Emery won three consecutive Europa League titles with Sevilla between 2014 and 2016. If there's any coach who can spur Arsenal on to a European title, it's him. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/cybrown/2019/04/19/which-english-club-has-the-best-chance-to-win-a-european-trophy-this-season/ |
Will the Benettons use Alitalia to fly in from the cold? | MILAN/ROME (Reuters) - Italian transport group Atlantia could join a rescue of loss-making flag carrier Alitalia to try to win favor with the government and secure the future of its own domestic business following a deadly bridge collapse last year, sources said. FILE PHOTO: An Alitalia Airbus A320-200 airplane comes in to land at Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy October 24, 2018. REUTERS/Max Rossi/File Photo Atlantia, controlled by the Benetton family, faces the loss of its entire national motorway concession in a bitter dispute with the government, which erupted after last years disaster on its toll network killed 43 people. The government blamed Atlantia for the tragedy, saying it had failed to adequately maintain the aging bridge, and vowed to revoke the concession, worth 58 percent of group revenue. However, sources familiar with the matter said Atlantia could mend relations with the government by joining a rescue of Alitalia, which Rome is desperate to save, and possibly be rewarded with a reprieve on its motorway concession. Atlantia has publicly scoffed at the idea, but sources say it stands ready if Rome signals a quid pro quo is possible. The government has not given such a signal but a political source says it may do if it sees Atlantia as key to saving Alitalia. Atlantia, which also runs Alitalias main airport hub in Rome, has denied it is in talks to join a rescue consortium, saying its hands are already full with complex business challenges, including the fate of its motorway concession. However, a source familiar with the flag-carriers thinking said Alitalia expected Atlantia to sign up to a rescue as early as this month. The source did not elaborate. Atlantia declined to comment for this article. Another potential investor in the rescue bid, state-owned rail group Ferrovie dello Stato, which has had initial talks with Atlantia, also believes the Benetton-controlled group could yet be tempted to join, said a source familiar with those talks. Atlantias door is not closed ... it is now up to the government to take the lead in the talks, said a second source familiar with Alitalias thinking. Alitalia, put into special administration in 2017 after workers rejected a previous rescue plan, needs to find investors ready to inject fresh funds by the end of April, in advance of an end-June repayment deadline for a state bridging loan of 900 million euros. That loan, however, may be rolled over, daily Il Sole 24 Ore said. The government, formed by the right-wing League party and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, is keen to save the airline because it wants to avoid mass layoffs at Alitalia, which has around 11,600 employees. However, political sources said it was still unclear whether the ruling coalition, especially the 5-Star party, would be ready to make such a peace with Atlantia. The party was the most critical of Atlantia after the bridge collapse. For 5-Star even the hypothesis of freezing the procedure for revoking the concession is not politically sustainable, said a senior 5-Star source. The prime ministers office did not reply to a request for comment. CLOCK TICKING Ferrovie and Delta Air Lines are looking to invest in Alitalia but they still need to find other investors to stump up another 400 million euros for a rescue worth a total of around 1 billion euros, sources close to the talks said. Ferrovie and its adviser, investment bank Mediobanca, have discreetly sounded out Atlantia after being turned down by a string of other companies. Reuters was unable to immediately reach a Delta spokeswoman. Atlantia has been burned by Alitalia once before, having lost 190 million euros when it participated in a rescue in 2008. We have many open fronts, we cant afford to open a further, particularly complex one, Atlantia CEO Giovanni Castellucci said on Thursday, speaking to shareholders. In addition to the bridge disaster, Castellucci said he was also dealing with the government over its lengthy approvals process which was blocking 4.9 billion euros in group projects. Some financial analysts say a quid pro quo would make sense. We reckon a possible agreement over Alitalia would be positive for Atlantia, because it would lead to a rapprochement with the government, broker Equita said in a note this week. For now, Ferrovie is ready to take a 30 percent stake in Alitalia, Delta Air Lines would invest 100 million euros for a stake of 10-15 percent and another 15 percent would probably go to the Italian treasury, sources familiar with the matter say. But there is still a question mark over who would take the remaining 40-45 percent of the carrier. British budget airline easyJet walked away from talks with Ferrovie last month, state-controlled defense group Leonardo and postal operator Poste Italiane said they were not interested in the deal. If Ferrovie and Delta cannot find co-investors, Rome would face its least favored option: a takeover by German carrier Lufthansa which has said it would only rescue Alitalia if the government were first to carry out major job cuts. | https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alitalia-m-a-atlantia/will-the-benettons-use-alitalia-to-fly-in-from-the-cold-idUSKCN1RV111?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 |
What's Openand Closedon Easter Sunday 2019? | Easter is one of the holiest days in Christianity. Its a great time to get together with friends and family. But after the egg hunt, you might be curious about whats open and whats closed (especially when you realize youve forgotten a key ingredient of the days big meal). The good news is many grocery stores and restaurants will be open on Easter, but if youre looking to hit a department store, its a bit more hit or miss. Heres a comprehensive look at which stores are open and closed on Easter 2019. It will be hit or miss as you hunt for a place to buy more. Even if a store is listed below as open, its smart to check with them regarding hours Acme: Open on Easter. Aldi: Some locations are open, but many are closed. Bi-Lo: Open on Easter. Bravo Supermarkets: Open on Easter CostCo: The bulk grocer will be closed. Cub Foods: Open on Easter. Food Lion:Open on Easter. Harris Teeter: Open on Easter. H-E-B: C-L-O-S-E-D Ingles: Open on Easter. Kroger: Open on Easter. Lucky Supermarkets: Open on Easter. Publix: All stores will be closed. Safeway: Open on Easter. Sams Club: All stores will be closed. ShopRite: Open on Easter. Stop and Shop: Open on Easter. Trader Joes: Open on Easter. Wegmans: Open on Easter. Whole Foods: Open on Easter. Winn-Dixie: Open on Easter. Hopefully, you wont need a last minute bonnet or chocolate bunny. Many major department stores have opted to close for the day. Bass Pro Shops: Open on Easter. Bed Bath & Beyond: Open on Easter. Belk: Closed Sunday. Burlington Coat Factory: Closed Sunday Cabelas: Open on Easter. CVS: Open on Easter. Dillards: Closed Sunday. Home Depot: Open on Easter. Ikea: Open on Easter J.C. Penney: Closed Sunday. Kmart: Open on Easter. Kohls: Closed Sunday. Lowes: Open on Easter. Macys: Closed Sunday. Michaels: Closed Sunday. Neiman Marcus: Closed Sunday. Nordstrom: Closed Sunday. Old Navy: Open on Easter. Rite Aid: Open on Easter. Target: Closed Sunday. T.J. Maxx: Closed Sunday. Walgreens: Open on Easter. Walmart: Open on Easter. Most major restaurant chains will be open on Easter. Chick-Fil-A, of course, is closed, as it is every Sunday. And Chipotle will take the day off. Youll also want to double check on franchised restaurants, such as McDonalds, Wendys, Dominos and Dunkin Donuts, since individual owners might opt to close for the day. | http://fortune.com/2019/04/19/stores-open-closed-easter-sunday-2019/ |
Is mail delivered on Good Friday? What about Arizona schools, banks and the stock market? | A depiction of the three crosses of Calvary for Good Friday. (Photo: WildLivingArts, Getty Images/iStockphoto) April 19, 2109, is Good Friday. It's a Christian religious holiday symbolizing the day Jesus was crucified, and falls prior to Easter Sunday each year. It's also the beginning of Passover for the Jewish people, commemorating their liberation from slavery. Passover ends April 27. Good Friday is not a federal holiday. It is also not an official Arizona state holiday, as it is in about a dozen other states. Yes, mail will be delivered on Good Friday. Yes, banks are open on Good Friday. U.S. stock markets are closed in observance of Good Friday. Many of Arizona's public schools are closed. Most recognize the day as a "spring holiday." Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2019/04/19/arizona-mail-delivered-good-friday-schools-banks-and-stock-market/3518854002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2019/04/19/arizona-mail-delivered-good-friday-schools-banks-and-stock-market/3518854002/ |
How Effective Are School Lockdown Drills? | Enlarge this image toggle caption Heather Ainsworth/Colorado Public Radio Heather Ainsworth/Colorado Public Radio On the morning of her 16th birthday, in her AP music class, Megan Storm thought she was going to die. The sophomore at Lake Brantley High School in suburban Orlando, Fla., said she heard an announcement over the intercom that the school was in a code red lockdown it was a drill, but Storm said students were told that. She and her classmates hid in the dark, behind an instrument locker. "It was just really quiet. And we all sort of huddled together," Storm said. In the 20 years since the Columbine High School shooting in April 1999, a generation of American children have learned not just how to prepare for a fire or tornado or earthquake but also how to hide from a potential shooter. Some drills are sedate, where teachers lock doors, turn out lights and tell kids to hide in a corner. Others are hyper-realistic, with plastic pellets and fake blood. At Lake Brantley High, Megan and her classmates heard loud noises that sounded like gunshots and door knocks. Other students were crying and texting their family and friends. "I wish I had brought my phone," she said. "I thought I was going to die." And then, a second announcement: The lockdown was just a drill. The loud noises turned out to be nearby construction crews. Megan resumed classes and went home at the end of the day. She then "got off the bus and just immediately broke down," said Megan's father, David Storm. He and other parents were highly critical of school officials after that botched drill in December 2018. In response, district officials said future drills would be announced before they actually start. Helping schools make informed choices It's generally up to state or local governments to decide how, or if, to drill their students. But they have little hard data to base their decision on. "Research on security measures is in a very sad state," said Jeremy Finn, a professor of education at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Just a three-hour drive east from Finn's office in western New York, a researcher is trying to change that. Jaclyn Schildkraut, an associate professor of criminal justice at the State University of New York at Oswego, is helping the Syracuse City School District implement lockdown drills, and collecting data on how effective they are. She decided to tackle the question, in part, because of the lack of research into school security overall. The relative rarity of school shootings makes it difficult work, and Finn added that it's difficult to measure a security program's effect on a negative a shooting that didn't happen. Schildkraut also said that too many schools have gravitated toward unproven yet tangible measures, like metal detectors and bulletproof backpacks. "As a nation, we're throwing a lot of money at problems and we don't know if those things are going to work," she said. "But they make us feel better because we can see them." Lockdowns, when well executed, can slow a gunman If lights go out and doors are locked, Schildkraut said, the perpetrator will have fewer opportunities to kill students before police arrive. So since last fall, Schildkraut and a team of undergraduate assistants have run drills at some 30 schools in Syracuse. They arrive, unannounced, at a school and ask the principal to read an announcement to inform students that a lockdown drill is about to start. Then Schildkraut's team fans out and checks every classroom in the school. "We look at the proportion of the rooms that are secured properly, the proportion that have their door locked, the proportion that have their lights off, etcetera," she said. Schildkraut keeps data for every classroom and then drills the same school again months later to check for improvements. She also surveyed more than 10,000 Syracuse students on how safe they feel at school, both before and after the drills. She hopes to present some of her findings at the upcoming American Society of Criminology conference. Eventually, she'll submit it to peer-reviewed journals. It would then be accessible to any school district in the country trying to make the tough decision of how to keep their students safe. Schildkraut is understanding of parents who worry about lockdown drills and said they are clear examples of them getting out of hand. But she said they are as necessary now as fire drills, or duck-and-cover nuclear bomb drills 50 years ago. "You have to give kids tools to keep themselves safe," she said. Her own motivations are deeply personal. Schildkraut grew up near Parkland, Fla., and her brother went to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which experienced a deadly shooting last year. The Virginia Tech massacre in 2007 pushed her to get back into school and pursue criminology. She has a newly published book about Columbine's legacy. "While I may only be one person, I really believe that I can make a difference," she said. "And if it takes tough love, or it takes teaching moments, or it takes coming down on administrators, or whatever needs to be done, like they have to understand the seriousness of this. That 'not one more' really means, 'not one more.' And maybe that doesn't mean not one more to everybody, but it does to me." Jahira Edwards, a sophomore at Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central, has been through a handful of Schildkraut's drills. For one of them, she said she was momentarily confused as to whether it was just a drill. Then she figured it out. "I knew it was a drill because somebody knocked at the door, and like everybody was scared. I'm like, 'No, if he actually wanted to shoot us, he would come in, not just knock at the door.' So I was like, 'It's a drill,'" she said. Edwards is the type of prepared student Schildkraut wants. All the drills have had another impact on Edwards: They make her think about how vulnerable she is at school. "I try not to think, 'Oh, it couldn't happen at my school,'" she said. "But I know it could." | https://www.npr.org/2019/04/19/715193493/how-effective-are-school-lockdown-drills?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr |
Can Edmonton Oilers afford to slow-play Evan Bouchard? Can they afford not to? | Lots of feedback and some pushback to my previous post in which I noted how the Edmonton Oilers played their last 25 games in a lost season without a single Entry Level Contract anywhere on their active roster. In theory this was an early step in CEO Bob Nicholsons declaration that We want our younger players to develop more in the American Hockey League. I think that we bring them up a little bit too early in hopes that theyre going to be ready when theyre really, really close. I think we got to leave them down there until theyre over-ripe. While I took issue with the last word of that comment I prefer ripe to over-ripe certainly there is plenty of truth in the rest of Nicholsons statement, moreover it can be extended beyond the AHL to other development leagues. Consider: the last five NHL seasons in a row, the Oilers have started out with a freshly-minted draft choice on the NHL roster. In 2014, #3 overall pick Leon Draisaitl started the season with the big club, played 37 games with just 2 goals and 9 points, then was sent back to junior in mid-season after the Oilers helped negotiate a trade of his WHL rights from Prince Albert to Kelowna Rockets. Draisaitl would go on to become playoff MVP and Memorial Cup MVP. The following year he played briefly in Bakersfield but was in Edmonton to stay before the end of October. started the season with the big club, played 37 games with just 2 goals and 9 points, then was sent back to junior in mid-season after the Oilers helped negotiate a trade of his WHL rights from Prince Albert to Kelowna Rockets. Draisaitl would go on to become playoff MVP and Memorial Cup MVP. The following year he played briefly in Bakersfield but was in Edmonton to stay before the end of October. In 2015, #1 overall pick Connor McDavid became the best player on the team the day he set foot on the ice. A collarbone injury would limit him to 45 games (16-32-48). became the best player on the team the day he set foot on the ice. A collarbone injury would limit him to 45 games (16-32-48). In 2016, #4 overall pick Jesse Puljujarvi stayed in Edmonton for half the season, playing 28 games (1-7-8). Once his contract vested he was sent down to the minors for the duration. The two subsequent seasons have seen J.P. bounce around between the AHL and NHL each year as he has struggled to make an impact in the bigs. stayed in Edmonton for half the season, playing 28 games (1-7-8). Once his contract vested he was sent down to the minors for the duration. The two subsequent seasons have seen J.P. bounce around between the AHL and NHL each year as he has struggled to make an impact in the bigs. In 2017, #22 overall Kailer Yamamoto played 9 of the Oilers first 14 games (0-3-3) before being returned to junior. After turning pro in 2018-19 he again started the year with the big club, then bungeed around for a bit. He was essentially the poster boy of Nicholsons (Jan. 23) comments above, being sent down to Bakersfield for the duration right after Peter Chiarelli was fired. played 9 of the Oilers first 14 games (0-3-3) before being returned to junior. After turning pro in 2018-19 he again started the year with the big club, then bungeed around for a bit. He was essentially the poster boy of Nicholsons (Jan. 23) comments above, being sent down to Bakersfield for the duration right after Peter Chiarelli was fired. In 2018, #10 overall Evan Bouchard played 7 of the Oilers first 8 games (1-0-1) before he was returned to London for his final junior campaign. While McDavid is McDavid and the Draisaitl mid-season reset worked out all right in the end, its more concerning that the early-season experiments the last three years havent born fruit and indeed may have worked at cross-purposes to the players long-term development. Fact is none of them save #97 was productive out of the gate, the others combining in their Draft +1 campaigns for one seasons worth of NHL games (81) with just 4 combined goals, 21 points, and a net -19 so its hard to make the case they helped the team a whole lot either. All but McDavid were sent out partway through the season. Not sure that it does the prized young players any favours as they bounce around like balloons at a kindergarten party, up, down, around, pop! The #Oilers have assigned 2018 10th overall pick Evan Bouchard to #Condorstown. Hell join the team in Colorado. pic.twitter.com/YkKsvzm0Lt Y Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) April 18, 2019 Current poster boy is Evan Bouchard, currently in the process of joining his fourth (!) team of the season. Edmonton, London, Canadas U-20 side, now Bakersfield. Three of them powerhouses; the other, the Oilers. Lets hope he emerges from this peripatetic season as a stronger player and person. Arguably that progression worked for Darnell Nurse, who similarly played for the Oilers (2 GP), Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Canada, and Oklahoma City Barons (4 playoff games) in 2014-15. Nurse would play just 9 AHL games the following season before being fast-tracked to the NHL. Given Nicholsons comments, thats the current expectation for the right-shooting puck-mover, who will still be 19 as next season begins. To say Bouchards 2018-19 season has had its ups and downs would be an understatement. Edmontons #1 prospect broke camp with the Oilers and scored his first NHL goal before being sent out without playing another game; had a key role with Team Canada only to see the host team crash out of the World Juniors in the quarter finals; and posted a playoff-leading 21 points in 11 games before exiting those OHL playoffs in ignominious fashion as his Knights blew a 3-0 series lead & fell in seven games to Dmitri Samorukov and the Guelph Storm. Now its onwards and upwards to first-place Bakersfield, who open their own playoffs with road games tonight and tomorrow against the Colorado Eagles. How much Bouchard actually plays for the Condors is an open question, as he joins a first-place team with a deep crew on the blue already including developing youngsters Caleb Jones, William Lagesson and a returning Ethan Bear. Logan Day is on an AHL contract but has played 64 games, while veteran Ryan Stanton and captain Keegan Lowe have been bellwethers of the blue all season. Another vet, Brandon Manning, is an (expensive) option, as is Jake Kulevich, a 25-year-old AHL contract who has been useful in the 6-7 role all season. Whether and how to find a role for Bouchard is just the latest test of coach Jay Woodcrofts pledge to develop players in a winning environment; it will be interesting to see how the Bakersfield bench boss plays it. ___ Back to the Oilers. So far in this post I have spoken of the top-end draft picks, the ones with a decent-to-high probability of becoming NHLers. Nicholsons remarks that we bring them up a little bit too early can certainly be said to apply to Puljujarvi and Yamamoto. The failed organizational plan appears to have been to allow the two young right wingers to battle it out for a single job, which would be OK in theory if said job wasnt in the top six. But the hole that was created when Jordan Eberle was sent packing two summers ago has been crying to be filled from within ever since, and the sad fact is that neither youngster has proven ready to seize the day. Veteran tweener Ty Rattie didnt get it done either. Plan B C, such as it was, involved the promotion of veteran bottom-sixers Zack Kassian and Alex Chiasson into the top lines, but the process was time-consuming and messy, and at no point could the situation at RW be deemed a position of strength for the Oilers. On left wing the situation was even messier, as Milan Lucic is being paid as a top-line player for years to come but has proven incapable of the task. The versatile Draisaitl filled one hole on the port side, but there was a gaping hole at 2LW which none of Lucic, Tobias Rieder, Jujhar Khaira, or the traded Drake Caggiula was able to gain traction. As for that bottom six, the inability to fill from within remains a major organizational weakness. In our last post we noted that McDavid and Draisaitl were the only players on the entire active roster under the age of 24. No young players in depth positions to be seen. Instead the forward ranks were swollen by a hodge podge of NHL vets like Rieder, Kyle Brodziak, and Ryan Spooner cum Sam Gagner who were expensive, slow or both. Now add Lucic to that mix. One thing they all had in common was they were unproductive. Same can be said for the back end, where the twin acquisitions of Alexander Petrovic and Brandon Manning on Dec. 30 solved absolutely nothing, despite both players arriving with plenty of NHL experience on their rsums. Now the system is clogged with seven experienced defenders in the $2 to $5 million range, creating a logistical problem before any young player, be it Bouchard, Jones or someone else, can get a real shot. The latest player to successfully transition from Oilers draft pick to minor leaguer to NHL worker bee is Jujhar Khaira, and he scored all of 3 goals in 2018-19 as he bounced around from centre to wing to injured reserve. Oh yeah, he was drafted in 2012 and has now finished not just his ELC but the two-year bridge contract that followed it. Of players the Oilers have drafted outside the first round since then, only Jones, a fourth round pick in 2015, contributed to the NHL club in 2018-19 (17 GP, 1-5-6, -9). With expensive free agents, veteran castoffs, desperation trades. waiver wire pickups, and AHL-NHL tweeners, thats how. Yeah, no. In a future post well have a look at how other, more successful NHL teams have been finding room for their own young players. In the immediate short term, though, we at the Cult of Hockey will focus on the first two games of a high-flying showdown between the Condors and Eagles. Well have player grades and a podcast after Game One later tonight. ___ Latest podcast Weirdly enough, and if youre hardcore enough, its an exciting time to be an Oilers fan. Edmontons AHL franchise is loaded with young talent and ready to compete for the league championship. David Staples and Bruce McCurdy of the Cult of Hockey dig into the Bakersfield team, who to watch, and who to expect might make the Oilers next year. ___ Recently at the Cult of Hockey LEAVINS: On Steve Yzerman, Ken Holland, Detroit & Edmonton STAPLES: Now is the time for Bear, Jones & Lagesson to show their stuff McCURDY: Why over-ripe is not the right path for the Oilers STAPLES: Four things Oilers prospects must do to succeed in AHL playoffs McCURDY: Game review Condors wrap up top seed in West, lose Currie to injury LEAVINS: Who actually broke Oilers player personnel dept & who could fix it Follow me on Twitter @BruceMcCurdy | https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/can-edmonton-oilers-afford-to-slow-play-evan-bouchard-can-they-afford-not-to |
Is the middle of a sidewalk a bad place for a stop sign? | When a sign post is embedded in the middle of a sidewalk, it seems like a really poor place to put it. But a city expert argues it is not as big a problem as it might seem. And he just might be right. A stop sign in the middle of the sidewalk at the corner of Glen Echo Rd. and Doncliffe Dr. would seem to be an impediment to anyone who uses a scooter or wheelchair, but a transportation services employee disagrees. ( Jack Lakey for the Toronto Star ) We got notes this week from a guy who walks in the upscale area of Glen Echo Rd. and Doncliffe Dr. complaining about a stop sign at the northwest corner of the intersection. Weve decided not to name him or the wet-behind-the ears alleged expert who responded to his emails in the interests of not embarrassing anyone. The guy sent us copies of emails to 311 on Tuesday, in which he raised a good point: I dont know what they were thinking when the city put a stop sign in the middle of the sidewalk. Article Continued Below The sign has been there for a while. It would be impossible for anyone with a stroller or wheelchair to use that section of sidewalk without going around it on the grass. He added that in winter, the sign would be even more of an obstruction. Nine months! This is disgraceful. He then got another reply from a transportation services official who included his job title technical trainee and said there are no sidewalks present on the west side of Doncliffe Dr. The location does not obstruct pedestrians crossing Doncliffe Dr. Although there are better places for this sign, this would not be addressed until the corner is reconstructed. The reader was outraged, saying, Why would the corner have to be reconstructed? He added that the technical trainee was making a mountain out of a molehill. We went there and found that the post for the stop sign is indeed planted in the middle of the sidewalk at the northwest corner. But the sidewalk on the west side of Doncliffe ends about one metre past the sign. Beyond that, there is no sidewalk. Anyone using the crosswalk from the east side of Doncliffe to go west on Glen Echo would not be inconvenienced by it. Article Continued Below Normally, wed be all for moving it. Even in this case, its not a bad idea. But the technical trainee is right; the post does not seriously inconvenience anyone, even those using a wheelchair or scooter. STATUS: Weve forwarded the readers emails to Allen Pinkerton, whos in charge of traffic signs and markings, to ask a bona fide expert if he thinks it should be moved. Well let you know as soon as we hear from him. Wherever you are in Greater Toronto, we want to know. Email [email protected] or follow @TOStarFixer on Twitter | https://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/the_fixer/2019/04/19/is-the-middle-of-a-sidewalk-a-bad-place-for-a-stop-sign.html |
Can employees record conversations in the workplace? | The expulsion of the former Attorney General, Jody Wilson-Raybould, from the Liberal Party caucus has generated a national debate about workplace behaviour. What the prime minister described as unconscionable was Wilson-Rayboulds decision to release a secret recording she had made with Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick when they discussed a proposed deferred prosecution agreement for engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. Despite the efforts by lawmakers to protect individual privacy, employment lawyers are seeing more and more clients who record workplace interactions, writes Soma Ray-Ellis. ( VINCENT TULLO / NYT ) The secret recording created a firestorm and raised questions about what can and cannot be done in the context of workplace interactions and what privacy rights people have when interacting with fellow employees. The discussions are of particular interest as Wilson-Raybould was not an ordinary employee, she was the countrys top lawyer. In general, Canadians appear surprised by the action of Wilson-Raybould. Yet, despite its extraordinary nature, taping of conversations in the workplace are becoming more frequent. Many employees are resorting to such actions because they believe it is the best method to prove perceived impropriety and safeguard themselves against unfair consequences. Article Continued Below In an era where mass media justice is almost as important as the truth, people feel pressured to get their side of the story out first to control the narrative. Wilson-Rayboulds actions raise the question whether it is legal to tape a conversation without the consent of the other party. Canada is a single party consent jurisdiction. This means individuals may record their own conversations without the knowledge of other participants. As long as one of the individuals taking part in the conversation consents to it being recorded, then it is legal. However, Wilson- Raybould was not just an employee. She is a lawyer by trade and at the time of the recording, she was the attorney general of Canada. Practicing lawyers are exempt from the single party consent rule in their professional lives. The Rules of Professional Conduct in the various provinces prohibit lawyers from the use of any device to record a conversation with a client or another legal practitioner without first obtaining consent of all the parties participating in the conversation. In this case, most-likely, Wilson- Raybould was not bound by any profession rules and as such, the taping was not illegal. While there may be no issues legally, when it comes to ethical considerations, Wilson-Raybould has a much weaker case. As attorney general, she would have been involved in highly sensitive conversations with work colleagues on a regular basis. While some may argue the political fallout proves Wilson-Raybould had justifiable concerns, the breakdown in trust is troubling. Privacy laws Article Continued Below Canadians need to be aware that taping conversations or monitoring of emails and voice mails is a real phenomenon in Canadian workplaces. Nevertheless, federal privacy legislation requires consent for the collection, use and disclosure of employees personal information. There are various provincial privacy legislations that also require the same. As such, both employees and employers should proceed with caution in taping workplace conversations and interactions. This also applies to opening mail, snooping in confidential files and financial information and disseminating unauthorized cellphone videos and tapes of co-workers in what are deemed to be private activities. Despite the efforts by lawmakers to protect individual privacy, employment lawyers are seeing more and more clients who record workplace interactions. Most of the time, they argue such a move was the only recourse to protect themselves against a colleague or supervisor who had put them in a vulnerable position. If employees begin to believe any conversation with a colleague could be taped and distributed, there is a heightened risk that any trust within the workplace will be eroded and create a fractured work environment. Workplace taping is typically rooted in perceived experiences of bullying, harassment and discrimination and as such, we need to focus this national discussion of how we address the underlying factors that lead to taping workplace interactions. Soma Ray-Ellis is a partner and chair of the employment and labour group at Gardiner Roberts LLP. Read more about: | https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/04/19/can-employees-record-conversations-in-the-workplace.html |
What is the Jeopardy Winning Streak Record? | James Holzhauer may have won his 10th straight game on Wednesday, but even he is not yet close to Jeopardy's longest winning streak in history. Jeopardy contestant Ken Jennings won 74 straight games in 2004 and earned more than $2.5 million before losing to Nancy Zerg on Nov. 30 that year. At the time, Jennings's extended winning streak gave the game show a huge ratings boost and turned the software engineer from Salt Lake City, Utah, into a household name. Jennings was born in 1974 outside of Seattle, Washington and graduated from Brigham Young University in 2000, where he headed the schools national quiz bowl team. Holzhauer, a 34-year-old professional gambler from Las Vegas, has won $697,787 on the show. He now holds the top four spots for the single-game winnings record, bringing in $131,127 during Wednesday's contest. | https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2019/jeopardy-winning-streak-record-74-straight-games-ken-jennings-james-holzhauer |
Would It Be So Bad If Instagram Hid The Number Of Likes On Posts? | Getty Earlier this week, tech blogger and reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong posted a screenshot to her Twitter account showing that Instagram has considered making the number of Likes a post gets invisible to all but the original poster. Wong generated the screenshot after discovering the code for a design change test for Android users. The screenshot shows an Instagram post without a publicly-viewable like count and a message titled Testing a Change to How You See Likes. The message reads: We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get. During this test, only the person who shared a post will see the total number of likes it gets. The story was first reported by TechCrunchs Josh Constantine, who rightly called the potential move a seemingly small design change test with massive potential impact on users well-being. While Instagram hasnt faced the same bad press that Facebook has (despite being owned by Facebook since 2012), researchers have found it to be one of the most toxic social media platforms for users, especially young ones. In 2017, the Royal Society for Public Health conducted a survey of 1,500 14- to 24-year-olds in the UK, asking users about their experiences with the 5 big social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram) to gauge how they affected wellbeing and relationships. Instagram was found to have the most negative influence overall, affecting users sleep, body image, and FOMO (fear of missing out) and contributing to anxiety, depression, loneliness, and bullying. Getting Likes seems to be the primary goal of many people posting to Instagram (as opposed to, say, cataloging life moments for posterity). Young people especially report that getting Likes is a source of self-esteem, even as they recognize it as having a toxic influence. A simple Google search will bring up dozens of Quartz and Reddit threads from teens concerned that they are obsessed with Instagram Likes. Unfortunately, awareness does not beget restraint obsessing over your Instagram feed has a lot to do with culture, psychology, and biochemistry. First, theres the Millennial argument (which, one might argue, extends to Generation Z as well). People under 24 are the most frequent users of Instagram and report the most negative effects from its use. Commentators have argued that young peoples love of metrics, measurements, and quantification coupled with their expectations of feedback and their experience with positive reinforcement make them especially vulnerable to a love of Likes. Psychologically speaking, this need for validation (via Likes) has become bound up with self-worth and even whether or not an experience is deemed important. Teen users have reported deleting Instagram photos that didnt receive what theyve deemed enough Likes, raising questions about how your so-called audience determines not only what you memorialize but whether or not you even remember it. To top it off, our brains respond to Likes on Instagram. In a 2016 Cosmopolitan article, Sarah Z. Wexler called Likes the free, quick, legal crack of our time. A 2016 study by UCLA researchers measured adolescents behavioral and neural responses to Instagram Likes, calling them a quantifiable form of social endorsement and potential source of peer influence. They found that subjects were more likely to like photos that had already been liked many times, illustrating the influence of virtual peer endorsement. Using fMRI imaging, they were also able to show that viewing photos with many Likes was associated with greater activity in neural regions implicated in reward processing, social cognition, imitation, and attention. A follow-up study in 2017 replicated these results and also showed that younger users (high school students, in this case) showed greater activity in the brains reward center when viewing photos with many Likes. This is your brain on Instagram. Instagram seems to understand their role in this if theyre even considering tampering with their Likes feature, which is sure to draw ire from marketing firms, influencers, and other brands. There is, of course, a larger conversation here about the role these entities play in making Instagram a potentially harmful activity for young people a simple Google search will show dozens of articles about how to take advantage of human psychology and frailty to get more likes on your posts. But in the meantime, its interesting to see a social media entity stepping up to at least implicitly acknowledge the role they play in providing a platform for potential psychological harm. When queried about Wongs original Tweet, an Instagram spokesperson told Business Insider that they werent testing this feature at the moment, but said, Exploring ways to reduce pressure on Instagram is something were always thinking about. An important sentiment as the platform now exceeds 1 billion users worldwide, half of whom use the platform to share and view photos every day. This idea that Likes put deleterious pressure on users was also echoed by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in a TED talk this week, in which he said that if he could go back and recreate Twitter he would have never included a Like feature. But it seems that whats done is done. Now you can expect to find thousands of likes on posts rejecting the idea of a perfectly curated Instagram and fishing for Likes. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessicabaron/2019/04/19/would-it-be-so-bad-if-instagram-hid-the-number-of-likes-on-posts/ |
Why is Denton Countys chief appraiser lodging a protest against property tax protesters? | Well, he said it. Asked at a recent editorial board meeting of the Denton Record-Chronicle why there was a record number of property tax protests last year, Denton County chief appraiser Rudy Durham had a quick answer. As I watched live on Facebook, Durham, who is also Lewisville's mayor, blamed me. "There's a consumer watchdog that is encouraging people to file a protest. Not so people can get their properties corrected. He wants to mess up the system and shut it down and prove a point is what he said. "This is Dave Lieber of The Dallas Morning News. And that's his words that he was trying to shut the system down. I don't know if it's personal or what." A bit later, his deputy chief appraiser, George Clerihew, doubled down, saying, "We just ask that you do a little homework first, not like Dave Lieber said, file a protest to break the system and that type of thing." Overwhelm, not shut down Yeah, it's personal. It's personal for millions of Texans who are in shock at this confusing, unfair, unequal, non-transparent tax system based on estimated guesses of a property's value. Two years ago, I announced my apparently successful "Everybody file a protest" campaign. (We even have a flag!) If more property owners filed protests, I wrote, "appraisal districts will be overwhelmed with workloads like never before. There's nothing wrong with this. It's your legal right as a Texan to file a protest every year, even if your taxes don't go up, and even if your school taxes are frozen because you're a senior or disabled." I explained that appraisal districts rush to finish because of deadlines. "Overload the system like never before, and in return, appraisers would have to settle cases in greater numbers than ever to clear their calendar by the state's July deadline," I added. Heck yeah. | https://www.dallasnews.com/news/watchdog/2019/04/19/denton-countys-chief-appraiser-lodging-protest-property-tax-protesters |
Who Will Say No to Trump Now? | The question is no less urgent now that the Russia investigation is over. Other inquiries are still active that could draw the presidents ire. Foremost among them is the Southern District of New Yorks ongoing investigation into the Trump Organization, which began with Trump lawyer Michael Cohens conviction for illegal hush-money payments. Federal prosecutors in D.C. are reportedly probing the Trump inaugural committees donors and expenditures. Mueller also listed more than a dozen redacted matters that he referred elsewhere in the Justice Department, though its not clear whether any are connected to Trump or his associates. Sometimes, Trumps underlings would defy him in lackadaisical ways. Muellers report details how Trump summoned Lewandowski, his former campaign manager, in July 2017 and instructed him to tell Sessions to curtail Muellers inquiry or consider himself fired. Lewandowski failed to schedule a meeting with Sessions, who had already recused himself from the case, then tried to get White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rick Dearborn to pass along the message instead. According to Mueller, Dearborn agreed to deliver the note but didnt follow through. Trump does not seem to have followed up on the matter. He harshly criticized Sessions in a New York Times interview the same day, which seems to have sated Trump. At other times, his subordinates defied him more directly. McGahn told Mueller about two separate instances where Trump ordered him to call Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and fire Mueller. McGahn didnt carry out the order in either event because he knew it would trigger a constitutional crisis on par with Richard Nixons purge of the Justice Department during the Watergate crisis. McGahn was concerned about having any role, Mueller wrote, because he had grown up in the Reagan era and wanted to be more like Judge Robert Bork and not Saturday Night Massacre Bork. In these episodes and others detailed by Mueller, what saves Trump from disaster is a group of subordinates who try to dampen his worst impulses instead of inflaming them. The president seemed to understand this dynamic on some level. When his rage subsided, those subordinates rarely seemed to face immediate consequences for their disobedience. [McGahn] had not told the President directly that he planned to resign, and when they next saw each other the President did not ask McGahn whether he had followed through with calling Rosenstein, Mueller wrote about one of Trumps attempts to fire him. Over time, however, those staffers have left Trumps orbit after losing his favor. Among those who remain are figures like Stephen Miller, the domestic-policy adviser whom Mueller describes as drafting the original letter in May 2017 to fire Comey. Muellers account notes that other Trump advisers like McGahn, Steve Bannon, and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus tried to dissuade the president from his decision. Miller isnt described as one of them. In other circumstances, hes worked to undercut Trump officials who resist his extreme and often legally dubious immigration policy proposals. Miller persuaded Trump to purge the Department of Homeland Securitys upper ranks last month in favor of like-minded hardliners. | https://newrepublic.com/article/153634/will-say-no-trump-now |
Is An Online MBA Worth It? | Courtesy of the Kelley School of Business Online MBA degrees are becoming more popular than ever as big brand schools get into the marketplace and enrollment in them grows. For students who don't want to quit their jobs and need the flexibility to gain some sense of balance between their personal and professional lives. Our own surveys of recent alumni of these programs show exceptionally high student satisfaction in online MBAs, particularly as the best schools. At the top of the satisfaction curve, it's common for more than half the students to attribute a raise or a promotion at work as a direct result of their online program. Even more surprising, 40% or more of the students say they have changed jobs entirely thanks to their online degrees (see Online MBA Programs That Deliver Great Career Outcomes). "If you are in an industry that you really like, if you are with an organization that you feel very comfortable with, but you need to develop greater breadth or depth of your skills, then considering an online program is a great option for you," says Indiana University's Kelley School of Business Dean Idie Kesner. "Youre not ready to step away from your job, but you have these opportunities and you know you need more. You know you have gaps and you need to fill those gaps." She recently made those comments at one of three one-hour-long panel discussions on online MBA programs I had the pleasure to moderate at Kelley. "Our online students have about a 29% increase in their average salary as they're going through the program," says Kesner. "And 64% of our students have received a promotion either while they're going through the program, or within six months of graduation. So there's evidence to indicate that they're getting a lot out of this program and they're leveraging it back in their organizations." In general, online MBA programs are really good for those who want to accelerate their careers in an existing company or industry. Because you lack the opportunity to do a summer internship that helps a person transition into a new field, it is often assumed that an online MBA isn't the ideal option for a career switcher. But Kelley is at the forefront of the schools that is changing this mindset, using one-on-one career coaching, mentorship, and experiential learning immersions to substitute for that summer internship full-time MBAs often use to pivot in a new career direction. The school recently put four business development officers in four different parts of the country: Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston and Bloomington, Ind., for the midwest. Those four officials have one assignment: cultivate relationships with companies and gain MBA job postings for Kelley's graduate students, particularly its Kelley Direct online cohort. In the last four months alone, this team has generated more than 800 new job postings, many at companies that had not previously recruited the school's students. "Weve actually been generating jobs at a two to one clip that would be a better fit for a Kelly Direct student than for an in-resident student," explains Eric Johnson, executive director of Kelley's Graduate Career Services during one of our panels together. "In theory, a Kelley Direct student could start a new job on February 1 or October 1. An online student is really in the experienced hire marketplace, which means we dont need jobs that only start in June and July and August. "If I go to a company, like Apple, and they say, Man, we need somebody now, we cant wait until June. My team could say, Well, we actually have a population of students who could do that, in addition to some alums that we can do some outreach to. We have students whod be qualified for this right now. Let us get that job posting in front of them, well collect some resumes for you. Its improved our ability to deliver on the corporate customer experience as well as meet our students where theyre at." That's just one of the ways that an online MBA program is definitely proving its worth. But it's important to make an informed decision before writing out a check to any school. The bottom line is that an online MBA experience is worth the investment--if you invest the time to do the right due diligence on these programs and get the right fit for yourself. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/poetsandquants/2019/04/19/is-an-online-mba-worth-it/ |
Can Katy Perry Lift Daddy Yankee's 'Con Calma' To Crossover Pop Success? | Getty Since its January release, Daddy Yankee's latest single "Con Calma" has performed more than respectfully with the reggaeton-dancehall combo peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and inside the Top 50 of the all-genre Hot 100 singles chart. But a new Spanglish remix enlisting Katy Perry seems to be a play to help the Latin hit truly crossover in the United States. Daddy Yankee's "Con Calma" is a reinterpretation of reggae singer Snow's single "Informer," which spent seven weeks atop of the U.S. charts in 1992. Daddy Yankee's original rendition saw the Puerto Rican rapper delivering his sections in Spanish with Snow coming through with a bridge in English sprinkled with Jamaican-English slang, presumably for added crossover appeal. With little changed to actual song production, Katy joining for a remix sees the song's percentage of English lyrics jumping exponentially with the pop star singing some lines in Spanish, but they are quite simple sentences ("Hola, me llamo Katy"). Throughout the songs there are loads of fun and flirty lines that reference the stars different backgrounds ("You could be my Puerto Rican dream, I'll be your California gurl now," Perry sings in a nod to her 2010 smash single). But whether intentionally tongue-in-cheek or not, Perry's new lyrics teeter into some tired Hollywood stereotypes about Latin culture (like the line "A little mezcal got me feelin' spicy" with the word "spicy" being called out for fetishizing Latinx women or playing off an idea that Latinx people have quick tempers) and opening the song with her purring "Ay, Daddy!" feels more eye roll-worthy than sexy. The original version of "Con Calma" with Daddy Yankee and Snow has already topped the charts around the world including throughout countries in Europe, South and Latin America, and even hit the Top 40 in Snow's Canada. The track seems to be getting a very similar treatment to Daddy Yankee's humongous crossover hit "Despacito." The Luis Fonsi collaboration that also charted high around the world while gaining some buzz in America, before its Justin Bieber remix took it to the next level. Just like the Biebs, Ms. Perry also sings in both English and Spanish as the latest U.S. star embracing Spanish-language music, but Perry's lines are far simpler and far fewer than what Bieber did in "Despacito." Altogether, these few missteps with the lyrics and a lack of Perry interacting deeper with the Latin hit could stall this remix from gaining the true crossover success it clearly aims to capture. See the lyric video to the "Con Calma" remix below: | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbenjamin/2019/04/19/daddy-yankee-con-calma-remix-katy-perry-snow-lift-to-crossover-pop-success/ |
Does MLB punishment for Keller, Anderson fit the crime? | Royals pitcher Brad Keller talks about outing, altercation with White Sox Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brad Keller talks about his start against the Chicago White Sox and the benches-clearing altercation that started when he hit Tim Anderson with a pitch at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 17, 2019. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brad Keller talks about his start against the Chicago White Sox and the benches-clearing altercation that started when he hit Tim Anderson with a pitch at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 17, 2019. Heres the problem with baseballs unwritten rules: Theyre unwritten. And since the rules arent carved onto stone tablets, different people interpret them differently, and that can cause problems. Take the Brad Keller-Tim Anderson incident that took place in the sixth inning of Wednesdays Royals-White Sox game, for instance. This particular incident actually started in the fourth inning of that game. Lets go back and take a look. Showing up your opponent Somewhere high up on the Ten Commandments of Baseball is this: Thou shalt not show up thy opponent. Thats pretty vague and can cover a multitude of sins. Subsequent events would suggest the Royals thought Anderson broke this commandment when he hit a home run and then threw his bat. Its been described elsewhere as a bat flip or bat spiking, but it was really more of a bat javelin throw. Anderson then doubled down on his original sin and yelled something at his teammates and also had words for Royals catcher Martin Maldonado before he left the plate. But its not only what Anderson did, its when he did it: the fourth inning. If a player hits a walk-off home run, hes pretty much allowed to lose his mind as he rounds the bases; walk-offs are a big deal. But hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning of a yet-to-be-decided game doesnt qualify. As the ever-blunt former Royals catcher Jason Kendall once said of players who hit a single and then point to the heavens in thanks, If God was helping you, why didnt He make it a triple? Not everyone agrees about whats worth celebrating and when its appropriate to celebrate. After Ian Kinsler criticized Latin players for over-celebrating during a World Baseball Classic, then-Royals Brayan Pena and Christian Colon pointed out that exuberant celebration is part of Latin culture. And as long as the celebration was directed toward a players teammates, not a players opponent, Pena and Colon didnt think it was disrespectful. On the other hand, Tim Anderson is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Not MLB punishment that was handed down on Friday but on-the-field justice. If you believe in old-school justice, a pitcher who wants to retaliate has to do it in the right way. A pitcher never throws at an opponents head because thats life-threatening and possibly career-ending. If a pitcher develops the reputation as a head-hunter, his own teammates may be upset: if its the American League, theyre the ones who have to go to the plate and face possible retaliation. Its not unheard of for a headhunters teammates to tell him to knock it off before he gets someone hurt. But once again the unwritten rules have been interpreted differently in different generations. Sal The Barber Maglie got that nickname because he was known for close shaves. Apparently Don Drysdale credited Maglie for teaching him the art of the brush-back pitch; they didnt call it chin music because the pitches came in around the knees. But National League pitchers who employed brush-back pitches at least put their heads where their fastballs were, by going to the plate themselves. This is why the unwritten rules can get complicated; there are always exceptions and sub-clauses. Its safe to say that these days everybodys making too much money to risk permanently injuring an opponent and perhaps being permanently injured in retaliation, so Keller retaliated in the currently acceptable way. He threw a fastball below the shoulders and behind Anderson: a fastball behind a hitter will cause him to back up right into the fastballs path and keeping it below the shoulders prevents serious injury. Anderson got hit in the wallet and at that point had two choices: accept his punishment and go down to first base or charge the mound. But, like too many players in todays game, he tried to split the difference. Huffing and puffing Anderson is the one responsible for clearing the benches and did that by taking a step toward the mound. A step toward the mound is supposed to be intimidating and indicate the hitter is thinking about charging the pitcher, but its what old-school players call a Tommy Toughguy move. Guys who really want to charge the mound do it in a sprint; guys who dont really want to charge the mound, but still want to look tough, do it in a saunter. Casually moving in the generally direction of the mound gives the catcher time to get between the hitter and the catcher which Maldonado did and gives the hitter an excuse for not charging. That step toward the mound triggered the benches to clear. If things got serious, the White Sox and Royals needed to support their teammates, which in most cases is another Tommy Toughguy move, this time by an entire team. In most baseball brawls, nobody really wants to fight. Brawls are a good way to get hurt usually by someone falling on a player, rarely by a punch and fined. But the unwritten rules say everybody has to come out onto the field and show their willingness to fight. I once asked a player what he and his teammates did when they really didnt want to fight and he said you find your best friend on the other team, grab each others jerseys and make dinner plans. Once Anderson got a crowd between himself and Keller, he became much more aggressive and animated because there was no chance hed actually have to fight. Heres another old-school term: huffing and puffing. Guys who were held back by a single hand on their sleeve when they could have charged the mound suddenly become mad-dog killers when they have enough people in between them and their opponent. Had Anderson simply taken his punishment and base without all the huffing and puffing, the benches would not have cleared. The alibi After the game, Keller stuck to the old-school playbook and said the pitch got away from him. A pitcher cant say, yeah, I hit that guy on purpose and if he ever shows me up again Ill hit him again, because that can lead to larger punishment from MLB. So everyone sticks to the it got away alibi even though anyone who knows what he or she is looking at holds a different opinion. And speaking of different opinions, Pete Grathoff has posted a mash-up of the incident with the Chicago and Kansas City announcers perspectives, which were about what youd think theyd be. Depending on which broadcast a fan listened to, Anderson was pure as the driven snow or got exactly what he deserved. But there was moment when a Chicago announcer it sounded like Jason Benetti, not Steve Stone went over the top about Andersons ejection: Thats insane. Getting thrown at, youre in danger, of course youre going to be mad. Tim Anderson was never in danger unless his brains are located in his backside. On the other hand, the Chicago announcers know Anderson better than I do, so maybe they had a point. The people who defend bat-flippers, crotch-grabbers and huff-and-puffers usually say the player is just being himself and adding some excitement to the game. A Chicago announcer once again it sounded like Benetti said the Royals had to retaliate because fun is not allowed in baseball. Im guessing the fans in attendance had more fun when the benches cleared than they did during the rest of the game combined. And if Anderson gets to have fun, be himself and add excitement to the game, so does Keller. Mark your calendars: The Royals play the White Sox in Chicago again on May 27. Should be interesting. | https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article229477609.html |
Whos Really Buying Property in San Francisco? | Every Uber ride in Minneapolis makes a Bay Area Victorian a smidge more expensive. Every small business running ads in Little Rock, Arkansas, raises a tower a tiny bit higher. Every Pinterest board in Provo, Utah, reshapes this place, where people went to prom and repaired mufflers and dreamed of parrots and poetry. San Francisco is now the town that apps built. Read: Tech billionaires obligation to the cities around them And while digital space is seemingly infinite, San Francisco has an extremely limited housing supply. Only 5,471 properties changed hands last year out of almost 400,000 housing units. The common wisdom is simple: housing Armageddon. But even the end times have a structure. Much of what the world knows about the tech worlds effects on San Franciscos real-estate market comes from three sources: house-hunting lore (They bid 400 grand over asking! All cash!), realtors talking up their industrys prospects, and aggregated market data from firms like CoreLogic. The numbers point to crazy market dynamics: The median home price hovered around $1.3 million in 2018. But precisely because the tech industry has become so ubiquitous, blending in seamlessly with the old-line wealth generated by hometown firms like Bechtel, McKesson, Levis, various banks, and more obscure fortunes, its been hard to disentangle what all those engineer salaries and options are doing in the world. At least until Deniz Kahramaner got interested. Hes a 20-something Stanford-trained data scientist turned real-estate agent, and he wanted to understand who was driving the local housing market. When he founded Data Bay Area, a real-estate group affiliated with the unicorn start-up Compass, he came into a common data set of property records. Title companies, which are the internal machinery of the real-estate market, generate business for themselves by giving away the data on who owns all the properties in a city. Historically, realtors have used it to spam people, Kahramaner told me. But as he looked at the records of every property purchase in San Francisco, his data-science background saw not marketing information, but analytical potential. Most realtors think about where property is purchased, not necessarily who is doing the buying. I thought, Wow, this is an incredibly rich data set. You can see who bought what, he said. Why is no one analyzing this! ? So he did, creating an unprecedented data set about the nature of San Franciscos home buyers that allows his analysis of the potential effects of the IPOs on the city to go one layer deeper. His research suggests that the boom is going to be spikier than anticipated, concentrated in just a few neighborhoods, at least at first. It will also proceed more slowly than most people are anticipating. Shares are generally locked up for six months after a company goes public, but the bulk of the money probably wont enter the market for a year or two, Kahramaner believes. | https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/04/san-francisco-city-apps-built-or-destroyed/587389/ |
What did the Mueller report reveal about Trump's overtures to the Russians? | Special counsel Robert Muellers sprawling, 22-month long investigation culminated Thursday in the release of a meticulous examination of Russias efforts to sow discord in the 2016 presidential election and the Trump administrations actions to block investigators. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images) President Donald Trump returns to the White House following a trip to Minnesota on April 15, 2019 in Washington, D.C. In December 2017, the special counsel informed the presidents lawyers that Trump was, indeed, a "subject" of their investigation -- a formal designation that meant his conduct fell under the scope of their probe. But there was little known publicly about what actions he took, personally, that most interested the investigators. Two episodes unearthed by Mueller reveal how deeply interested and personally involved Trump was in his campaigns efforts to find and disclose emails belonging to Hillary Clinton and her campaign -- particularly when examined alongside his public remarks on the campaign trail. In July 2016, around the time Trump encouraged Russians "to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," Mueller found that "the Trump Campaign was planning a press strategy, a communications campaign, and messaging based on the possible release of Clinton emails by WikiLeaks." In explaining how the campaign came to adopt this "press strategy," Mueller described -- with interspersed redactions -- a time in late summer of 2016 during which "Trump and Gates were driving to LaGuardia Airport." The beginning of the next sentence is redacted, but the end of that sentence suggests Trump took a phone call from an unidentified person, and "shortly after the call," Mueller wrote, "candidate Trump told [former Trump campaign deputy director Rick] Gates that more releases of damaging information would be coming." (Carlo Allegri/Reuters) The Mueller Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election is pictured in New York, New York, U.S., April 18, 2019. While redactions, codified as being due to an ongoing investigation, obscure the full story, it is clear that Trump welcomed updates about WikiLeaks activities. By July 2016, news reports had tied WikiLeaks document dumps back to the Russian government. By late July 2016, Trump was "repeatedly" asking Michael Flynn, a senior campaign adviser and short-lived national security adviser, to "find the deleted Clinton emails," according to Muellers report. Flynn eventually contacted multiple individuals to look into the matter, Mueller wrote, even as WikiLeaks continued weekly dispatches of the Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee emails and internal documents. For his part, the president has insisted from the outset that he had no role in alleged collusion with Russians. In fact, in his first public comments about Muellers appointment as special counsel in May 2017, Trump told reporters, "there is no collusion between -- certainly myself and my campaign -- but I can always speak for myself and the Russians. Zero." In his 448-page report, the special counsel unequivocally affirmed Trumps stance in the eyes of the law. "Collusion," itself, does not appear in the federal code, but corresponds loosely to a crime of conspiracy. "Although the investigation established that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts," Mueller wrote, "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." | https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mueller-report-reveal-trumps-overtures-russians/story?id=62511529 |
What is it like to strike rich while metal detecting? | Image copyright Gareth Millward Image caption The coin dates back to the reign of Henry VII Four years after finding a new hobby, Gareth Millward was about to experience the same rush felt by many explorers and metal detectorists before him - the discovery of "treasure". Last summer, the 37-year-old, from Middleton in Derbyshire, literally struck gold when out near Ashbourne with his trusty metal detector. When he started hearing the right noises, he began to dig, and to his amazement unearthed a rare gold coin dating from the reign of Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty and the only Welshman to sit on the English throne. "It was unreal," Mr Millward said. "I stood there with it for a while and took photos and rang people. "I didn't know at first it was so unusual. I knew it was a medieval gold coin and would be valuable, but I didn't know which king it was and things like that. "Within an hour, I found out and I was quite excited. It's hard to say, I can't really remember, but I was shouting about in the field." Mr Millward has found a number of unusual objects on his trawls of the countryside, including silver coins and historical trinkets. He said he spends as much time as possible out in the fields of Derbyshire. "I got started as a bit of fun," he said. "Me and a friend went halves on a cheap metal detector and went looking for stuff. "I got quite into it and bought a better detector and it's become my favourite hobby. "I go out 10 hours a week on average - unless it's raining, I'll be out." Image copyright National Portrait Gallery Image caption Henry VII, whose reign the coin dates to, became king after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Luckily for Mr Millward, the hot summer of 2018 meant last July he was blessed with perfect weather, allowing him the chance to stumble across the long-lost coin, valued at about 4,000. "At the end of the heatwave last year, it was a very hot day, and I went and knocked on the door of this house," he said. "The chap let me go detecting and pointed me in the direction of the field he was happy for me to go in. "I started and went towards this river, and within about 20 minutes I found it." Mr Millward said: "He was a little bit sad, because he said his dad would have loved to see it, but he'd died a few weeks before. "He said I was allowed to keep it, so I've not had to sell it and split the money, which is nice. "I've brought it back a few times for him to see it, and I've got to know the family." Image copyright Derby Museums Trust Image caption The coin is listed on the Portable Antiquities Scheme online database Mr Millward registered his find with the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and the coin now features in its online database. It is one of just 15 gold coins registered with the PAS to have been found in Derbyshire, with gold coins making up 3.7% of coins the scheme knows to have been found across England and Wales. Under the Treasure Act 1996, finders of potential treasure in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are legally obliged to notify their local coroner - and can face an unlimited fine or up to three months in prison if they do not report their finds. As Mr Millward only found a single coin, he did not have to get in touch with the authorities, but by registering where he found it, he has helped experts to build a better picture of the country's historical record. Alastair Willis, finds officer for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, welcomed Mr Millward's decision to register the coin. "It's quite good he came in to report it, because we don't get that many medieval gold coins, we get more Iron Age ones," he said. "It's definitely an unusual find - you tend to find more things the further east and south you go in the country." Mr Willis advised people to register any find with the PAS to help historians and archaeologists, and encouraged amateur detectorists to avoid digging into unploughed fields. "If you're on ploughed land, you're not disturbing the evidence that archaeologists need to date the material," he said. Mr Millward has kept the coin, which is the star item in his growing collection. "I get quite obsessed with the things I find - they're beautiful, and the more I find, the more I want," he said. "Unless I suddenly need some money, I'll keep it." Mr Millward hopes to carry on ploughing the same secret plot for treasure - and it isn't the prospect of financial failure he fears. He said: "What I dread is going back and seeing every man and his dog with a metal detector in my field." Image copyright Gareth Millward Image caption Mr Millward says he will keep the gold coin in his collection Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-47935811 |
Could change in law have prevented Phoenix man from killing his family after psychiatric referral? | Austin Smith (Photo: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office) Five months after Austin Smith was referred by Phoenix police for psychiatric care, had his guns taken away, and later got them back, he had another encounter with police. This time, he confessed to killing his wife, two childrenand a family friend. Smith, 30, was arrested April 11 on suspicion of killing the four people at two different crime scenes and wounding two others. Phoenix police confirmed officers had contact with Smith last Nov. 21, when they responded to his residence in the area of 7100 W. Minnezona Drive. At that time, a neighbor reported Smith had a gun and was yelling that people were trying to kill him, according to a statement released by Phoenix police. Officers found Smith had a handgun. He was cooperative with the officers at the time and did not act aggressive, according to the statement from Sgt. Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix Police Department. "However, because of his behavior, the officers petitioned Smith into the Urgent Psychiatric Center and impounded three guns he had for safekeeping,'' the statement said. Federal Gun Laws According to the Gun Control Act of 1968 transferring a firearm to a person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution is prohibited. Once Phoenix Police petitioned and dropped Smith off to the Urgent Psychiatric Center, officers no longer had access to Smith's status, Thompson said. In Smith's case, there was no record of an adjudicated order or that he was committed, Thompson said. A week later, on Nov. 28, Smith returned to the Phoenix Police Property Management Bureau and requested his guns back. For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com. "A records check was conducted and Smith was found to have no outstanding warrants and he was not a prohibited possessor,'' the statement said. "Therefore, in accordance with the law, his three guns were returned to him." Federal law prohibits any person from purchasing or possessing a gun if he or she has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution. In order to qualify for adjudication as a mental defective, a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority would have to determine that a person is: A danger to himself or others. Lacks the mental capacity to contract or manage his own affairs. Is found insane by a court in a criminal case. Is found incompetent to stand trial or found not guilty by reason of lack of mental responsibility. NEWSLETTERS Get the AZ Memo newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Get the pulse of Arizona -- Local news, in-depth state coverage and what it all means for you Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for AZ Memo Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Smith was not "committed" to a mental institution either because federal law states that the term "commit" does not include a person in a mental institution for observation or by voluntary admissions. According to Thompson, Phoenix police found no mental health order restricting Smith from obtaining a firearm and were obligated to return Smith's property. Gun Laws in Arizona Arizona law mirrors federal gun laws in many ways, including that the person must be "found to constitute a danger to himself or herself or others or to be persistently or acutely disabled or gravely-disabled pursuant to court order, and whose right to possess a firearm has not been restored." Last year, Gov. Doug Ducey pushed for a gun-safety bill to prevent school shootings that ultimately failed to gain traction in the House of Representatives after passing in the Senate. Included in the bill was addition of a restraining order to keep guns out of an unstable person's hands, similar to those adopted in other states in the wake of the Parkland high school mass shooting last year. "Extreme Risk Protection Orders" give families, household members or law enforcement officers the power to temporarily remove a persons access to firearms before they commit violence, according to the Giffords Law Center. "The legal basis for that policy is dangerousness, so it doesn't have to be anything to do with mental illness, although it could be related to mental illness,'' said said Laura Cutilletta with the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, based in San Francisco. "It could be that someone is suicidal; it could be that someone is abusing substances; it could be a number of different things, and there's a lot of different factors." Such an order would allow a person's guns to be removed from them "for a temporary amount of time'' with a court order, she said. Cutilletta said that under current gun laws, people can fall through the cracks based on the different categories of prohibited people and records not being sent into the proper databases. "I think that Extreme Risk Protection Order laws can save lives and they have been shown to do so," Cutilletta said. "I think that you need to give officers tools, and the Extreme Risk Protection Order is a very important and useful tool for law enforcement to protect the public. If you don't give them the tools that they need, then unfortunately and sadly you can expect more tragedies." Ducey's 2018 gun safety bill stalled after the restraining order piece was scaled back by lawmakers so that only law enforcement not family members, teachers, school counselors, and others could petition a court to remove a dangerous individual's guns. CLOSE Phoenix police are investigating a multiple-location shooting on April 12, 2019; 4 have died and a suspect has been taken into custody. Ali Phillips, The Republic | azcentral.com 4 killed, 2 injured in under 30 minutes The killing spree began on April 11 around 8 p.m., at a home in the 7100 block of West Minnezona Ave., when Smith confronted his wife after she arrived home from a local bar, according to Maricopa County court records. After killing his wife, identified as Dasia Patterson, 29, Smith turned his attention to his children killing two, sparing one. Smith then drove to his brother's apartment in the 3600 block of North 39th Avenue, just south of Indian School Road, where he made contact with a family friend, confronting him with his belief that Austin's brother was involved in an affair with his wife. Smith shot the family friend, Ron Freeman, 46, according to the court documents. Officers arrived at the apartment at 8:18 p.m. after reports of gunshots fired to find a man dead at the scene, identified as Freeman, according to Phoenix police. Two other people were also shot and wounded at the apartment. A 47-year-old woman was shot multiple times and was in critical condition, as well as a 33-year-old man who was in serious condition. In 2014 Smith was arrested for unlawful imprisonment and misdemeanor assault, but he was never prosecuted or charged. Smith was booked into Maricopa County Jail on four counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, and three counts of aggravated assault. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2019/04/19/could-change-law-have-prevented-austin-smith-phoenix-killing-his-family-after-psychiatric-referral/3499915002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2019/04/19/could-change-law-have-prevented-austin-smith-phoenix-killing-his-family-after-psychiatric-referral/3499915002/ |
What should stay-at-home moms get at divorce? | MacKenzie Bezos helped Jeff start Amazon and then stayed home to take care of the family (and become a successful novelist). She is one of the more than one-quarter of American mothers who stay home (only 7% of men do so). That number includes about 10% of all highly educated mothers (those with a masters degree or higher) who opt out of the workplace to take care of their families. These women opt out to support the careers of their husbands and to engage in the intensive mothering that is expected of them. While the women may explain they are voluntarily deciding to stay home, that choice gets strong public support: more than half of Americans believe that mothers will do a better job of caring for a new baby than believe that both mothers and fathers would be equally good -- and only 1% believe that fathers, not mothers, would provide better care. Thus, for many heterosexual couples, its more of a foregone conclusion. When these women get divorced, the law in virtually all states requires that property be distributed equitably, but only a few states require equal distribution. Thats where this gets complicated. Consider whether that means the stay-at-home mom should be entitled to half of all assets, and whether we do not adequately value the often invisible and unpaid labor that so many women do to enable their husbands to build wealth and find professional success. This question of how to value caretaking at divorce was at the core of an innovative recent study by two Vanderbilt professors. Law profs Joni Hersch and Jennifer Bennett Shinali recruited more than 3000 subjects to find out their thoughts on the property that a stay-at-home spouse should receive on divorce. All participants read the same basic fact scenario. Getty John and Susan began dating in 1995, shortly after they began their first professional jobs. They married in 1998, and both continued to work until 2003, when the first of their three children was born. After the birth of their first child, John and Susan decided they could live comfortably on Johns income. Susan left her job in 2003 in order to focus on raising their three children, and she has never returned to work. (p. 12) They were all also told that John was the one who had filed for divorce after 17 years of marriage. But then, they were given one of six different scenarios with variations in the spouses educational levels and occupations as well as in accumulated property, and asked how the property should be divided. Women were more likely to give Susan a larger share, and their decisions as to Susans entitlement varied little, regardless of the spouses educational level or occupation. By contrast, mens awards differed, and they were more likely to give a larger award to Susan if she had a higher education. When it comes to why they made these awards, most participants believed that Johns financial contributions were an important factor. Beyond that, more men than women rated a breadwinners entitlement to earnings as important, and more women than men believed that the value of staying home was an important factor (although the good news is that a majority of both sexes did recognize the value of caretaking). This study shows the impact at divorce of being a stay-at-home mom who gives up her own career: she is unlikely to receive half of all property earned during the marriage. And other studies show that she will probably not get long-term alimony. The study also shows the tough questions of just how we think of the institution of marriage today, according to June Carbone, my co-author of Marriage Markets and a law professor who teaches at the University of Minnesota Law School. She suggests that an alternative to trying to value caretaking is instead to treat marriage as a promise to share equally, irrespective of contribution and irrespective of fault (although she doesnt necessarily favor that approach). As a society, we are still working through what is right when a marriage ends, how to value caretaking versus breadwinning (and leading). For MacKenzie Bezos, this doesnt make a difference, of course. Based on her divorce settlement, she will become the third richest woman in the world. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/naomicahn/2019/04/19/what-should-stay-at-home-moms-get-at-divorce/ |
Will we see more of Chris Noths series Gone? | Chris Noth, Danny Pino and Leven Rambin in "Gone" (WGN America) Question: Gone is a great series on WGN America. I would love to see this show continue. Unsigned Matt Roush: Heres the thing about WGNA programming: None of it is original to the channel anymore. The shows now airing on WGNA are all acquisitions, and in the case of Gone, its a show that first began airing in late 2017 in international markets and only now found its way to an American outlet. Only one season of 12 episodes has been filmed, and its hard to imagine more being made. This isnt WGNs call. They bought the show as is, and if more were to come, they might buy that, too. But I wouldnt count on it. Question: I just wanted to give praise to After Life on Netflix. What a wonderful show about a topic as hard as grief. I hope they make Season 2 as wonderful. Unsigned Roush: I had much the same reaction to this terrific tragicomedy. Initially, I was worried because the maudlin tone of Ricky Gervais previous series for Netflix, Derek, had been such a turnoff. But After Life turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Im hopeful it will be as enjoyable the second time around, although the character arc of Gervais Tony through the first season felt satisfyingly complete. Still, I know Id watch another short season. To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to tvinsider.com. | https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/tv/will-we-see-more-of-chris-noths-series-gone-1645503/ |
Is As extending Khris Davis a sign of contracts to come? | Fittingly, the catalyst for Khris Davis contract extension with the As was a power surge. At Fridays announcement of Davis two-year extension, which will keep the designated hitter in Oakland through 2021, general manager David Forst said talks between the As and Davis camp had spanned some 18 months. And then Davis opened this season by hitting 10 home runs in the teams first 18 games. I was worried that if he kept hitting homers we werent going to be able to sign him, Forst said. When he gets hot like he did on that (last) road trip, theres no ceiling. Im happy to say that Khris performance escalated the timing on this. We knew we wanted to keep him, and if we waited too long, the opportunity might be gone. Now Playing: Davis, 31, whose 143 home runs since the start of 2016 lead the majors, will earn $16.75 million in 2020 and 2021, consistent with his $16.5 million salary this season. The deal could be seen as team-friendly given Davis numbers; Davis, though, restated Friday his desire to stay in Oakland. Over the years Ive been with Oakland, Ive learned a lot, Davis said. I kind of see it like a baseball school almost. Its so much youth in there that theres just a drive that I want to be a part of. And I think we could get to the playoffs again and again. No doubt in my mind. The comparison to a baseball school was ironic, as Davis deal runs counter to the As history of trading top players before they reach free agency. Forst noted that he hasnt been part of many news conferences to announce player extensions. Its not a secret that a lot of players have left, Forst said. You have to go back to Eric Chavez (2004) basically for players that weve been able to keep into free agency. So yes, this is special. And I think we picked a special guy to do it with. The As, who won 97 games last season, have a young nucleus that includes first baseman Matt Olson, 25, third baseman Matt Chapman, 25, center fielder Ramon Laureano, 24, and shortstop Marcus Semien, 28. Forst was asked if Davis extension might signal a renewed effort by the As to keep their core players long-term. I hope thats not overstating it, Forst said. All the work thats going into staying in the city of Oakland, staying in a new ballpark from my end and from (executive vice president Billy Beanes) end, the reason to do that is to keep our team together. Its what weve never been able to do. Manager Bob Melvin, who lauded Davis impact in the clubhouse as well as on the field, said he thought Fridays announcement had a different feel to it. I think committing to KD kind of shows you what we hope is the strategy down the road, Melvin said. And thats to sign some of these other guys, too. Davis teammates attended the news conference, filling a row of couches to one side of the room. They also wore Davis-themed shirts at batting practice. Theyre going to make fun of me all day for this, Davis said. Chapman, who along with Olson wont become arbitration-eligible until 2021, said players took note of the As committing to keep Davis. I think it just fires us up, Chapman said. I think a lot of people have their own opinions about whether players are going to stay or not. And to see Khris get locked up like that is a step in the right direction. And it makes me happy, because I know Ill get to play next to him for two more years at the very least. Said Semien: Its great ... Weve got a nice core group. Its hard to find a good young core group of position players in this league that get along well and play well together. And thats what you want to win. So well see what happens. Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @matthewkawahara | https://www.sfchronicle.com/athletics/article/Is-A-s-extending-Khris-Davis-a-sign-of-13781996.php |
Is 4/20 on the way to becoming marijuana's Hallmark holiday? | Today may be the day that marijuana officially loses its cool. April 20, 4/20, the once underground national holiday for dope smokers, appears to have sold out to The Man. The origins of 4/20 are as disputed as the last pack of gummy bears after a long smoking session. Some say it was once police code for marijuana smoking in progress apparently untrue and others claim it was invented by high school stoners in Marin county, California, who would meet at 4.20pm to get high. No matter what the origins its big business for a rapidly growing industry the Black Friday of getting high. Sign up for the US morning briefing This years 4/20 falls on a Saturday and is expected to be the biggest sales day yet for legal marijuana, exceeding an 111% sales spike record last year. Stoners will gather at Denvers Civic Center Park to celebrate, with clouds of marijuana smoke drifting over the crowds, some still in tie-dye and preaching cosmic one-ness. 4/20 doesnt have a Hallmark card yet but it cant be far off. Of the hundreds of tie-in promotions this year, Lyft is offering a $4.20 credit on a single ride in Colorado and in select cities in the US and Canada. The fast-food chain Carls Jr is using a Denver outlet to test a hamburger infused with CBD oil. Canada's legal weed struggles to light up as smokers stick to black market Read more But there is a serious side to it. This year the ice-cream maker Ben & Jerrys is calling on consumers to pressure lawmakers to expunge prior marijuana convictions for anyone arrested for smoking pot. Considering those arrests are four times more likely to affect African Americans, the social justice implications are clear. According to Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University, 4/20 is on its way to becoming a mainstream national holiday and thats largely a function of the booming marijuana business. Arcview, a cannabis investment and market research firm, estimates US retail sales of cannabis products jumped to $10.5bn last year, a threefold increase from 2017. Its still a celebration of marijuana but the conversation has been expanded by brands that tie into the cannabis industry and for marketers to tie into something that has a coolness to it, Yarrow says. That conversation, she adds, is increasingly focused on people wondering what role cannabis may play in their life. The stoner dude mentality is still there but there is another that is more focused on marijuanas medicinal properties and thats growing in stature, said Yarrow. The marijuana business could soon be dwarfed by the market for products using CBD, a cannabis compound from the hemp plant that supposedly has health benefits but doesnt get you high. CBD, which is not listed as a controlled substance, can now be found in candies, coffee and other food, drinks and dietary supplements, along with perfume, lotions, creams and soap. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gus Dabais stands outside his Sidewalk Wellness store in San Francisco, where CBD oil-infused products are popular items. Photograph: Eric Risberg/AP According to Louis Zerobnick, a veteran Colorado cannabis promoter, the CBD industry has the potential to become a far larger business than an industry based on THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. As it is, he says, the marijuana industry has moved far beyond its hippie-stoner roots and is increasingly dominated by big industry and big banking. A lot of the old hippies arent going to make it in this new industry. Although theyre responsible for it, and did the activism to make it happen, you find that marijuana companies want to bring in people who have worked in other government-regulated industries. Thats the level of professionalism thats now required to turn it into a real business, said Zerobnick. Zerobnick thinks 4/20 could one day exceed the size of other semi-official holidays, including Valentines Day and Halloween. Its a national, non-denominational, non-racial holiday mostly celebrated by getting high, Zerobnick said, reeling off events scheduled in Florida, Chicago and the High Times Cannabis Cup in California. For people who use cannabis 4/20 is as big as Christmas. And in the meantime Big Business is moving in to harsh the original stoners buzz. John Boehner, the permatanned former Republican speaker of the House, is a director of one of the USs largest cannabis businesses, Acreage Holdings. Coca-Cola has joint venture with a cannabis company that could lead to Coke High. Big tobacco is waiting in the wings. The 4/20 the counterculture pioneers who campaigned for legalization may well be wondering if there is a high price for a legal high. We dont necessarily like it but everybody knows it, says Zerobnick. At the same time that a lot of old hippies wont make it, he says, many could become billionaires when theyre bought out and their strains turned into commercial success. | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/apr/20/420-marijuana-hallmark-holiday |
What's the best thing to do with an old diesel car? | I live in the new ultra-low emissions zone, so Ill have to pay 12.50 a day. Every week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and its up to you to help him or her out a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturdays paper. I have a 15-year-old diesel car in south London. I live in the new ultra-low emission zone, which from 2021 will mean I have to pay 12.50 a day. I could sell it, but its probably worth less than 1,000. I could pass it to my 22-year-old son, in Shropshire, but I suppose thats just exporting the pollution. Email your suggestions to [email protected] or write to us at Money, the Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. | https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/apr/20/whats-the-best-thing-to-do-with-an-old-diesel-car |
What is the story of Passover? | Getty Images Jewish people all over the world are celebrating the festival of Passover. Pesach is Passover in Hebrew, which is spoken in Israel and in many Jewish communities around the world It is one of the most important dates in the Jewish calendar. At Passover, Jewish people remember a story from a very long time ago. You can read about the story in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 12 in the Hebrew Bible called the Torah. Over 3,000 years ago, a group of Jewish people called the Israelites were being kept in slavery by the ruler of Egypt called Pharaoh. A man called Moses went to see Pharaoh many times to ask him to let them go, but Pharaoh refused. Getty Images Pharaoh would not let the Jewish people free from slavery Moses told him that if he did not release them, God would make terrible things called plagues happen to the Egyptians. But Pharaoh did not listen, so the plagues came. These ten plagues included the River Nile turning to blood, frogs covering the land, insect infestations, animals dying, Egyptians getting skin diseases, the sun stopping shining and the first-born child in Egyptian families being killed by an angel. God is said to have told Moses to tell the Israelites to paint lamb's blood on their doorposts. This way, the angel would know that Jewish people lived there. It would pass over that house and not kill the first-born child. This is where the name Passover comes from. Getty Images The Israelites were told that if they painted their doorposts with lamb's blood, then their first-born child would not be killed by the angel For the last plague, even Pharaoh's own son was killed. He summoned Moses and told him to take the Israelites out of Egypt immediately. Finally, after 200 years of slavery, the Jewish people were free. The Passover celebrations last for several days. People clean their houses very carefully, to make sure they get rid of any crumbs of chametz. These are crumbs from food that has been allowed to rise, like normal bread. Jewish people aren't allowed to eat this during Passover. This is because the Israelites had to leave Egypt so quickly that they did not have time to let their bread rise, so food products that have risen are forbidden during Passover. Getty Images A special type of bread that hasn't been allowed to rise, called Matzah, is eaten during Passover At the beginning of Passover in the evening, family and friends will get together for a meal and a special service called a Seder. There is a special Seder plate which has certain things on it: A lamb bone - This symbolises the sacrifice and blood from the lamb used on the doorposts A roasted egg - This is a symbol of sacrifice, but also of the Israelites' determination when they were going through such a difficult time, as the cooked egg is hard A green vegetable to dip in salt water - The green vegetable is a reference to new life, while the salt water symbolises the Israelite slaves' tears Bitter herbs, often horseradish - This symbolises the bitter suffering that the Israelites had to go through Charoset (a paste of chopped apples, walnuts and wine) - This is a symbol of the material used by the Israelites to make bricks while they were working as slaves Getty Images The Seder plate is laid out in a special order, with each food having a particular meaning Special food is eaten to remember the story. As Jewish people cannot eat bread that has risen, they eat a special type of flat bread which hasn't risen (known as unleavened bread) called Matzah. During the meal, the door is also left open for the prophet Elijah, who is an important religious person, as it is believed he will come to announce the coming of the Messiah. Families also read the Haggadah - a book that tells the Passover story - with songs and blessings. Children will ask questions and everyone will discuss the story. For Jewish people, Passover is a big celebration of freedom and life. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/39565685 |
Is China Conducting A Crackdown On Religion? | In recent months, the persecution of religious groups in China has been making headlines. The picture that these news stories create is one of China as a state that actively interferes with religion one way or another. This much is clear from the treatment of Muslim Uyghurs, Christians and other religious groups. The discrimination and persecution they have been subjected to have intensified in recent months to the level that it can no longer be ignored by the international community. Getty The Situation Of Muslims Reports suggest that China is participating in the practice of forced conversion whereby Muslims are forced to eat pork and drink alcohol. In a letter dated April 3, 2018, addressed to the US Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, representatives Marco Rubio and Chris Smith indicate that between 500,000 and a million people are or have been detained in re-education camps in Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It alleges that this practice of re-education is the largest mass incarceration of a minority population in the world today. The letter states: Thousands are being held for months at a time and subjected to political indoctrination sessions. Many have reportedly been detained for praying, wearing Islamic clothing, or having foreign connections, such as previous travel abroad or relatives living in another country. Reports have emerged of the deaths of detainees in these centers, including the death of a well-known Muslim religious scholar who may have been held in such a facility, and there are reports that torture and other human rights abuses are occurring in overcrowded centers secured by guard towers, barbed wire, and high walls. The Situation Of Christians Christians have also been subjected to various methods of discrimination and persecution in China. The treatment complained of includes the closures of churches, the ban on the sale of bibles online, the removal of crosses and the arrest of priests and worshipers. Reportedly, there are plans to contextualize the Bible to make it more culturally acceptable and Christian preaching is to be adapted to include the core values of socialism. Limiting Religious Freedom For All This situation will only deteriorate. China recently revised its Religious Affairs Regulations. As a result, the right to freedom of religion or belief has suffered significant restriction. For example, the regulations state that citizens can enjoy freedom of religious belief but that no organization or individual may compel other citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion. While the provisions appear not to have any practical implication upon the enjoyment of the right, the empirical reality suggests otherwise. The concept of compelling others may be abused to include scenarios where religious organizations provide humanitarians assistance, housing or other support and such support is considered to forcing others or compelling others to convert. Indeed, such an argument has been used as a means to persecute in other countries. Another example of the recent deterioration is the requirement for religious groups to register with the relevant bodies. Similarly, building or using a place of worship must be registered as well. The process may take a very long time. Without such registration, any meeting of an already registered religious organization would be illegal and would trigger legal consequences, including a fine or even arrest. Furthermore, religious organizations cannot be run by foreigners. This prohibition also applies to foreign funding. The crackdown on religion in China is not invisible. Indeed, the state of religious freedom in China was a prominent topic during the recent Universal Periodic Review in November 2018. Some of the issues identified were that, for example, Tibetan and Uighur children and children of Falun Gong practitioners seeking to exercise their right to freedom of religion and conscience had been arrested, detained and subjected to ill- treatment and torture and that Tibetan childrens ability and freedom to study and practice their religion was restricted by measures such as those imposed on Tibetan monasteries and nunneries placing them under close control and surveillance. In the course of two cycles of the UPR only, China received several recommendations concerning the right to freedom of religion or belief, most of which China accepted. The recommendations have yet to achieve anything. Changes will only be able to deliver on its promises when China establishes a national human rights institution to oversee the implementation of human rights. Furthermore, it cannot be forgotten that the other states and international actors play a part in establishing a dialogue with the Chinese government and advocate on behalf of the persecuted religious groups in China. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2019/04/20/is-china-conducting-a-crackdown-on-religion/ |
What If Everything Mueller Told Us Had Been New? | Trumps critics saw the enormous amount of incriminating material already in the public domain before the report landed and assumed that much more would come out. The president seems to have shared that worry. When he learned of Muellers appointment, Trump exclaimed, Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. One of the lessons of the Mueller investigation is that no matter how many times the president shouted about fake news, the majority of the actual reporting on the case was solid and accurate. (Conversely, Zack Beauchamp notes that many of the highest-profile stories critical of the dominant narrative turned out to be wrong.) But the press certainly did inflate expectations. BuzzFeed and others spread salacious rumors from the Steele dossier, talking heads on cable news tried to fill space by imagining the next revelation, journalists shared their wilder speculations on Twitter, and the resistance media made an industry out of connecting the dots. Read: The resistance media werent ready for this Some of those dots turned out not to connect to much of anything, though. Of the many theories not borne out by the report, the biggest was criminal coordination between the Trump team and the Kremlin. Mueller found no criminal conduct, though he hardly cleared anyone of collusion: He noted that there were multiple links between Trump Campaign officials and individuals tied to the Russian government, including Russian offers of assistance to the Campaign, some of which were welcomed. Mueller also dismissed as tangential the role of Carter Page, who served as a foreign-policy adviser to the Trump campaign. Thanks to his extensive history in Russia, and because the FBI had previously warned Page that Russian intelligence was trying to recruit him, he became an object of immense curiositywhich only grew after Page delivered confusing and contradictory testimony to Congress. Mueller wrote, however, that while Pages contacts with Russians may have been eccentric, the investigation did not establish that Page coordinated with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. Another focus of the resistance media was a change made to the GOP platform at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Language about providing lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine to combat Russian aggression was stripped out. Apparently not. According to Mueller, it appears that J. D. Gordon, a foreign-policy adviser to Trump, was going it alone when he deleted the phrase. Read: Imagining Trumps America without Robert Mueller There were in fact significant connections between Russia and Trump officials. The resistance media did not dream up the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between a Kremlin-connected lawyer and campaign officials including Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner. Mueller decided not to press charges because he felt it would be difficult to prove that the opposition research promised by the lawyer was a thing of value under campaign-finance law, and because he concluded that Trump Jr. wasnt aware that he might have been breaking any law. (The University of California at Irvine law professor Rick Hasen argues that Mueller erred in this judgment.) | https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/what-if-everything-mueller-told-us-was-new/587590/?utm_source=feed |
How long can Social Security survive? | CLOSE If you're planning on relying solely on your social security check for retirement, you may want to reconsider. Here's why. USA TODAY Without fail, 63 million beneficiaries receive a Social Security benefit check every month, and this figure is only set to rise in the decades that lie ahead as baby boomers reach the eligible age for a retired worker benefit. Currently, more than three out of five retired workers rely on their monthly stipend from the program to account for at least half of their income, with more than a third being lifted out of poverty as a direct result of their payout. The program is simply that important to the financial well-being of our country's retired workforce. But it's also a program facing what could accurately be described as the toughest test of its more than eight-decade existence. (Photo: Getty Images) Social Security's nearly $2.89 trillion in asset reserves could soon be gone Over time, a number of demographic changes have weakened Social Security. For instance, the ongoing retirement of baby boomers, and lower birthrates threaten to lower the worker-to-beneficiary ratio. In plainer English, there just aren't enough new workers entering the labor force to replace the number of boomers who are retiring. We've also seen rising levels of income inequality and increased longevity adversely affect Social Security. Designed in the mid-1930s as a program that would provide retired-worker benefits for perhaps a few years or up to a decade, the average 65-year-old is now living 20 more years. That's a problem when the full retirement age will have risen by just two years (from 65 to 67) between 1940 and 2022. According to the June 2018 Social Security Board of Trustees report, it's not good. The trustees intimated at the time that Social Security would begin expending more than it's collecting in 2018, which would represent its first net cash outflow since 1982. Although this forecast proved wrong, thanks to a growth surge courtesy of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the beginning of 2019 has demonstrated a $9 billion net cash outflow from asset reserves, through March. As time passes, these net cash outflows are expected to increase in size, eventually leading to the complete depletion of the program's nearly $2.89 trillion in asset reserves by 2034. What happens after 2034 is often a source of contentious debate among the public. Let's take a closer look. As the trustees project in the 2018 report, an across-the-board benefit cut of up to 21% would be needed by 2034 (assuming no additional revenue is raised or cuts enacted, by Congress) to sustain payouts through 2092. Once 2092 rolls around, another nominal reduction would need to be passed along to then-current and future recipients. Essentially, this means that while the current payout schedule isn't sustainable without a serious cash infusion, the program itself isn't insolvent. Unlike a business, which goes bankrupt if it doesn't have a steady stream of revenue, Social Security does have two steady sources of cash flow. The first is the 12.4% payroll tax on earned income. In 2019, all earned income between $0.01 and $132,900 is subject to the payroll tax, with any wages and salary beyond $132,900 exempt. In 2017, the payroll tax brought in $873.6 billion of the $996.6 billion collected that year, demonstrating how vital it is as an income source for the program. The taxable limit (i.e., the $132,900 figure) increases annually, on a percentage basis, with the National Average Wage Index, as long as there's a positive cost-of-living adjustment passed along to beneficiaries. The second source of recurring revenue is the taxation of Social Security benefits. Signed into law in 1983, and introduced in 1984, the taxation of benefits allows up to half of an individual's benefits to be taxed at ordinary federal rates if their modified adjusted gross income, plus one-half of their benefits, exceeds $25,000 (or $32,000 for a couple filing jointly). In 1993, a second tier was added allowing up to 85% of benefits to be taxed at ordinary federal rates for individuals and couples above $34,000 and $44,000, respectively. In 2017, this tax brought in $37.9 billion but is expected to generate $561.2 billion, in aggregate, between 2018 and 2027. In other words, as long as the American public keeps working, and Congress doesn't change how Social Security is funded, there will always be a steady stream of cash flowing into the program for disbursement to eligible beneficiaries. Or, put in another context, Social Security could survive forever if nothing changes. (Photo: Getty Images) Survival and sustainability are two separate topics However, it's important to understand that while Social Security is in zero danger of going bankrupt, a growing number of beneficiaries means that, even with a steady stream of cash flow, there won't be enough money coming in to sustain today's payouts. In effect, benefit cuts would be needed from time to time in order to sustain the cash-flow balance of the program. As long as the funding mechanism doesn't change, your children's grandchildren will receive a Social Security benefit but it could be much smaller on an inflation-adjusted basis than what you or your parents received. But this does bring to light the very real need for lawmakers on Capitol Hill to work together to create a solution that strengthens Social Security over the long run. Currently facing a $13.2 trillion cash shortfall between 2034 and 2092 in order to sustain the current level of payouts, lawmakers could choose to raise revenue, cut expenditures, or enact some combination of the two. Democrats would prefer the former, whereby the earnings cap associated with the payroll tax (the $132,900 figure mentioned earlier) is either increased significantly or removed entirely. This would no longer allow more than $1.2 trillion in earned income to escape taxation and should generate a boatload of extra payroll tax revenue for the program. Comparatively, Republicans want to see the full retirement age gradually increased from a peak of 67 in 2022, for those folks born in 1960 or later, to as high as age 70. In doing so, future generations of workers would have to either wait longer to receive their full monthly payout or accept a steeper reduction to their benefit if claiming early. Either way, it would mean lower lifetime outlays, which would save Social Security money. Naturally, the better solution is a combination of the two, since each brings something to the table that the other fix lacks. But because Congress is highly partisan at the moment, bipartisan cooperation is pretty much off the table. And without cooperation, it's going to be almost impossible to achieve the 60 votes needed in the Senate to amend Social Security. So, to sum up: Social Security could be around forever, but it does need some sprucing up from lawmakers to avoid a series of expected benefit cuts in the future. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. 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Is It Last Call for Ommegangs 'Game of Thrones' Brews? | For eight years, Game of Thrones has been a cash cow not just for HBO, but also for the tourism industry in the shows filming locations, T-shirt sales, and in the case of Ommegangthe craft beer community. Counting the new For the Throne golden ale, the upstate New York brewery has released 14 unique beers inspired by the hit show and, like its fans, is staring at the end of a long journey, albeit a much less violent and nudity-filled one. Ommegang, named for an ongoing Brussels festival that began in 1549, teamed up with HBO in 2013, releasing its 6.5% ABV Iron Throne Blonde Ale in 750ml bottles with the House Stark sigil and the titular royal seat of Westeros on its black and gold label. The partnership stemmed from the networks desire to find a European-style brewery that reflected the shows daring and prestige while capturing its medieval tone. This was before Game of Thrones was the cultural phenomenon that it is today, says Ommegang President Doug Campbell. HBO wanted to do a licensed beer but they didnt want it to feel corporate-y because it was still this small, hipster kind of property. They wanted somebody who was small, high-end and had a brand image that had a little mysticism, and we were all three of those. Being fans of the show, it was an easy decision for the brewery to make. The beer was an immediate hit, selling out 14,000 cases, double the original production estimate. Continuing with new brews was a no brainer, so the company returned that fall with Take The Black Stout and the Fire and Blood Red Ale the following spring. Ever since, Ommegang has released a new iteration of the one-off beers timed to the season premieres, then another during the holidays, with some special editions in between. All told, Ommegangs Thrones line has brought in over $1 million a year, according to industry publication Good Beer Hunting. Much like the shows writers room, the Ommegang brewers gather around a table in their innovation room before every season to discuss plot lines. The general guideline is to keep the beers theme vague enough to account for any huge plot twists, hence names like Valar Morghulis Dubbel, Three-Eyed Raven Dark Saison, Valar Dohaeris Belgian-Style Tripel, Bend The Knee Belgian Golden, and Winter Is Here Double White. We dont get any advance notice about the script. Sometimes well have a little cat-and-mouse game with HBO in that well say, What about this? and theyll say, Well, maybe [you] dont want to talk about that person. It would look pretty stupid to launch a beer for a character that just got killed off, Campbell says. Frankly, were all fans of the show and dont really want spoilersI would like to enjoy it and along with the rest of America. He adds that HBO doesnt micromanage Ommegangs flavors. Theyve never once asked us for a sample. They give us that leeway. That freedom extended to 2018 during the gap between seasons seven and eight. With no plot to peg its new releases to, Ommegang instead brewed four beers for its Royal Reserve collection: Hand of the Queen Barleywine, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms Sour and Blonde Ale Blend, Mother of Dragons Smoked Porter and Kriek Ale Blend, and King in the North Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. We didnt have to figure out where the plot was going next, Campbell says. We had a lot of fun with it. While theyre not in danger of beheadings, the Ommegang crew does feel the pressure of meeting high standards from both the shows notoriously finicky fans and diehard craft beer aficionados. They cant risk disappointing either, especially not if they want to keep everyone coming back for new, non-Thrones beers after the series ends. Somebody asked me the other day, Have you ever had a real sort of blowback from either one of those communities? And we really havent, to be honest, Campbell says. There is genuine overlap between the two groups, fundamentally born from an innate sense of geekiness, which I mean very endearingly. Real Game of Thrones fans, the ones that were reading the books before there ever was a show, are motivated by the same thing that our craft beer fans are. They want something that is pure and going to stand the test of time. As long as we dont try anything gimmicky or something that would disrespect our craft or the show, were in a great place. So far, Campbell says no Thrones beer has been called a dud. Fans treat the bottles as collectors itemsempties sell for around $20 apiece on eBayand creator George R.R. Martin is an admirer. To hear that the man whose mind spawned this whole universe thinks highly of your product is pretty humbling, he says. Its support like that built the companys confidence to the point where it can try new things like its current offering, the For the Throne Strong Golden Ale, which is fermented with Pinot Grigio and Viognier grape juices and bottle finished with a Champagne yeast. Were exposing a lot of people to what we can do as a brewery, many more people than we would on our own, so lets make sure we give them something where weve challenged ourselves, says Campbell. Thats the perfect example. While that sounds like the perfect brew to end on a high note, Campbell isnt so sure that Ommegangs days with HBO and the world of Game of Thrones is entirely finished, especially with at least one spinoff show in the works. This fall, the brewery will also have a three-beer best of collection, as voted on by the fans, to once again see release in time for holiday shopping. Its been a great partnership and if theres an opportunity to keep working with HBO, we would certainly do it, he says. We dont know anything else about what comes next with any more than anybody else. I will say were still doing some work with them and theyre holding us in suspense right now. We are considering different things. Thats as far as I can go at the moment. | http://fortune.com/2019/04/20/ommegang-game-of-thrones-brews-series-ending/ |
What Is The Number One Killer Of People Ages 5 to 29? | Getty It is the leading cause of death among children and young adults around the world. It is the ninth leading cause of death overall globally. It resulted in about 1.35 million people dying in 2016 alone. It will probably become the seventh leading killer worldwide by 2030. If you are currently a member of Generation Z, this is what you are at greatest risk of dying from: road traffic injuries. That's because according to the 2018 Global Status on Road Safety from the World Health Organization (WHO), such injuries constitute the number one killer of those who are five to 29 years old. That's why Bloomberg Philanthropies started its Initiative for Global Road Safety to address the road safety problem. Unless you are Aquaman or live in a very remote location, you probably regularly deal with road traffic in some way. Even if you are five years old and don't have a real car or a driver's license yet (by the way, you shouldn't have either), you still have to worry about this major global problem. Pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists comprise over half of all traffic-related deaths. Breaking it down further, 26% of all road traffic deaths were pedestrians and cyclists, 28% were drivers of two- or three-wheeled vehicles, 29% were car occupants, and 17% were "unidentified road users." Add to the deaths, the up to 50 million who survive road traffic accidents but suffer injuries each year. Although getting run over by a pig or a cow is probably no picnic, the rise in road traffic injuries is certainly connected to the rise in automobile and other individual motorized vehicle usage around the world. Contrary to what you may see on the Flintstones, cars really have only been around for less than a century-and-a-half. But the growth in the number of motorized vehicles over a relatively short period of time has been remarkable. As the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates, in just a three-year period, 2010 to 2013, the number of registered vehicles around the world increased by 16%. It can be challenging to measure the total number of motorized vehicles since many vehicles may go unregistered and that's not counting the DeLoreans that are time traveling. But there are estimates that over 1.2 billion cars are out there. The trouble is the rise and spread of such vehicles have been so rapid that many of the existing surrounding systems haven't been able to keep pace. Or in many cases, the wrong systems were in place in the first place. This is true all around the world, but especially in many low- and middle-income countries. To address these system, Bloomberg Philanthropies' Initiative for Global Road Safety first looked at what may be contributing to these problems and how best to address them. This included collecting and analyzing lots of data on road safety. As Kelly Henning, MD, who leads the Bloomberg Philanthropies' Public Health program, explained, "Down to the city level, all the work that we do is data driven. This meant increasing the surveillance that is occurring and the strength of data." Sarah Whitehead of Vital Strategies, an implementing partner of the Initiative, added, "In many places, there isn't a data use culture. There are many gaps in data, and some like the police may tightly hold the relevant data. It is important to get higher quality data." Courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies Former New York City Mayor and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies Mike Bloomberg said, "Over the last decade, weve invested $259 million to implement solutions that are proven to prevent road deaths and injuries such as wearing helmets and seat-belts, reducing speeding and drinking and driving, redesigning city streets, and advocating for safer vehicles." Bloomberg Philanthropies and their partners have been focusing on the following five categories of interventions to try to curb road traffic injuries: 1. Changing driving and riding behaviors. These interventions aim to reduce the behaviors that make driving for everyone, including those not driving, far more risky. One is driving while impaired. Traditionally, the most common culprit has been alcohol. If you don't understand how alcohol may affect your thinking, your reasoning, your reaction times, your muscle coordination and thus your driving ability, put down your beer and your driver's license and step away from the car. You don't even have to be anywhere near the legal limits of blood alcohol levels to have problems driving. As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) relays, 2017 saw 1,837 people killed where drivers had blood alcohol levels that were below the legal limit (that is between 0.01 to 0.07 g/dL). There is no question that alcohol-impaired driving remains a major problem. Just take a look at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for some stark statistics for the U.S. alone: "Every day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This is one death every 50 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $44 billion." Certainly, alcohol is not the only thing that can cloud your mind. With marijuana use increasing, driving while under the influence of marijuana is certainly a growing concern, pun intended. Then there are opioids. A study of two-vehicle crashes published in JAMA Network Open found that drivers who had tested positive for prescription opioids were 2.18 times more likely to have initiated the car crash. Another risky behavior is not wearing seat belts. A seat belt is potentially more comfortable to wear (and safer) than a tight thong or a pair of skinny pants. Yet, according to the NHTSA, nearly ten percent of Americans (or 27.5 million people) still don't wear their seat belts. This despite the findings that buckling up can prevent fatal injuries by 45% to 65% A third example of a risky behavior is speed. Not the movie or the drug (although you should not take speed or watch the movie and drive), but driving fast. Per the NHTSA, driving over the posted speed limits contributed to 26% of all traffic deaths in the U.S. in 2017. A final example is not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle. Without a helmet, the only thing that's protecting your head is your hair, which no matter how big it is will not be enough to prevent fatal head injuries. 2. Improving infrastructure. These interventions recognize the fact that streets, sidewalks, and everything around them form complex systems that can either protect people or put them at risk, depending on how they are designed. For example, narrowing streets and the turning radii around corners can prevent cars from speeding and widening sidewalks and adding safer crosswalks can give pedestrians more protection. Changes that have occurred under the Bloomberg Initiative have included constructing a 300-meter pedestrian walkway close to a school in Accra, Ghana, and nearly doubling the total extent of safe bike lanes and establishing the first slow-speed zone (with raised pedestrian crossings and curb extensions) in Fortaleza, Brazil. If you want to see other ways that roads, sidewalks, and the spaces around both can be designed to facilitate safety, take a look at the Global Street Design Guide, written by the Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI) and the National Association of City Transportation (NACTO). Skye Duncan, Director of the GDCI, walked through a lot of the different ways that design principles are being implemented in different cities around the world and explained how the "behaviors of both drivers and pedestrians are affected greatly by the design around them." Duncan added, "The guide can serve as a blueprint to help undo the design that has occurred in many locations. This will help protect people and make locations much more accessible to everyone." Bloomberg is a believer in such design changes. When he was Mayor of New York City, between 2007 and 2013, his administration's Department of Transportation redesigned 137 street corridors and 113 intersections, which helped create 180 more acres of safe space for cyclists and pedestrians. Janette Sadik-Khan, who is currently the Permanent Chair of the GDCI Initiative, a principal at Bloomberg Associates, and an author of the book Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution, had helped implement a number of road safety design initiatives when she had run New York City Department of Transportation in Mayor Bloomberg's administration. It is probably no coincidence that traffic deaths in New York City fell by 45% from 2001 to 2017 and that traffic fatalities fell by 34% where the Department of Transportation had made major engineering changes. Sadik-Khan explained that "there shouldn't be an auto-centric approach to designing streets. Streets and sidewalks are also about moving people." 3. Adding and augmenting sustainable urban support. Robert Frost once spoke of taking the road less traveled by and how that made all the difference. He probably wasn't talking about road safety, but fewer cars traveling on the road will naturally lead to a lower risk of accidents. Therefore, part of the work of the Bloomberg Initiative has been trying to further develop alternatives to cars and motorbikes. This includes augmenting mass transit systems, bike routes, and walking infrastructures. 4. Establishing more rigorous vehicle standards. Around the world, cars can be like clothes, varying substantially in design and in some cases leaving you really exposed. While there are established safety standard in countries like the U.S., Japan, and Germany, many low- and middle-income countries may have little or no regulatory standards for vehicles. The Bloomberg Initiative has been pushing for greater safety standard in a number of different cities. For example, in Accra, Ghana, efforts helped remove over 200 defective motorbikes from the road. 5. Strengthening policies and regulations. Henning said that "There is a need for the right policies and regulations, as well as strong police enforcement as people have to understand the consequences of behavior. Governments need to buy into road safety and have the political will to reduce fatalities." Examples of changes that have occurred under the Bloomberg Initiative are new provisions in Shanghai, China, on seat-belt use for all vehicle occupants, child restraint-use and helmet use, greater enforcement of helmet use and red light laws in Accra, Ghana, and training of city officials and traffic police in road safety practices in Mumbai, India. A big part of the Bloomberg Initiative has been bringing more attention to this global killer. If you were to ask people what is the leading cause of death among children and young adults around the world, you may get other answers, ranging from drugs to Thanos. That's why Vital Strategies has been putting together campaigns to increase awareness such as this video on speeding for Bangkok, Thailand: And this video on drunk driving for So Paulo, Brazil: Pretty powerful stuff, even if you don't understand Portuguese. Yes, road traffic injuries are a leading killer. But as Bloomberg said, "The good news is we know the interventions that could prevent many of them." In other words, the roads to reducing deaths are there. We just have to take them. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2019/04/20/what-is-the-number-one-killer-of-people-ages-5-to-29/ |
What killed the SC 5th grader after classroom fight? | 911 Call of school counselor reporting Raniya Wrights unconscious state A school counselor from Forest Hills Elementary School called 911 to report that Raniya Wright was unconscious. Wright was pronounced dead two days later. Up Next SHARE COPY LINK A school counselor from Forest Hills Elementary School called 911 to report that Raniya Wright was unconscious. Wright was pronounced dead two days later. Its hard to know when the back and forth between Raniya Wright and another fifth-grade girl started. But on March 25 the two had been arguing on and off all day until the situation boiled over into a fight. The fight lasted only five to 10 seconds before a teacher broke it up, investigators said. But less than 30 minutes later, the 10-year-old was unconscious in the school nurses office. She died two days later. An autopsy found Raniya died of natural causes, a neurological condition called arteriovenous malformation, 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffy Stone announced Friday. The other student will not be charged in the case. This does not appear to be a case of bullying, Colleton County Sheriff R.A. Strickland said during a press conference Friday. This is a hard case to accept. Raniyas death has left the Walterboro, South Carolina community grieving, and asking how something like this could happen. School officials and the sheriffs office asked for patience with the investigation in the weeks since, to the frustration of Raniyas family and community members. This account of what led to Raniyas death is based on records released by the Colleton County Sheriffs Office Friday evening detailing the investigation, including statements from students and teachers who knew the girls or witnessed the fight, and Raniyas medical history. It also incorporates public statements made by county officials, law enforcement, Raniyas family and their lawyers over the past three weeks. Pastors and residents of Walterboro pray on their knees at a vigil after the death of Raniya Wright. David Travis Bland The day she collapsed Raniya did not want to go to school that day, her mother Ashley Wright said Friday. In witness statements from 18 students who were in the class during the fight, the fifth graders described arguing that started at the beginning of the school day. These statements, Maj. Jason Chapman cautioned, do come from fifth-grade students and differ on some facts. But they do line up on several key points in the days timeline and with investigators findings. The arguing between Raniya and the other girl, whose name was redacted in the report and will be referred to as Student 2, started at the beginning of the school day, several students told investigators. In P.E. I saw and heard Raniya and (Student 2) insulting each other in class, one student said. Others said Student 2 kicked Raniya after the argument, then Raniya pushed Student 2. In an interview with investigators, the P.E. teacher said he saw the two standing up and exchanging words as he was taking roll. He couldnt hear what they said, but it wasnt friendly, he told officers in an audio recording of the interview provided to McClatchy. He said he did not see any physical contact during the class. The class finished lunch at noon and walked back to the classroom, stopping at the bathroom on the way, according to a timeline provided by investigators. In the incident report, investigators determined Raniya and Student 2 had been exchanging words throughout the day. The class had a substitute teacher that day. Back in the classroom, the girls classmates said Raniya and Student 2 started throwing balled up paper at each other. While they were in the classroom, according to the students and police, Raniya got up from her desk and walked to the front of the class. She hit Student 2 in the back of the head. Then Student 2 got out of her seat and hit back. Some of the students said Student 2 had Raniya in a headlock and was striking her in the head with her fist, according to the incident report. Several students said Raniya hit her head on a bookshelf during the fight. The substitute teacher broke up the fight quickly, Sheriff R.A. Strickland said Friday. It lasted five to 10 seconds, he said. In a written statement to police, the substitute teacher said she had already taken recess away from the two girls for arguing. She said she had her back turned to the girls when the two started fighting behind the teachers chair. An assistant principal was nearby and took the girls one at a time to the principals office, according to the incident report. Neither student showed any sign of injury, Chapman said. Raniya told an assistant principal her head hurt, according to the report. An administrator began walking her to the nurses office when she said she couldnt walk and went down to her knees, then the floor. She had to be carried to the nurse, where she vomited and then became unresponsive, the report says. A school counselor called 911 at 1 p.m. Paramedics arrived 18 minutes later and took Raniya to the Colleton Medical Center, according to the report. From there, Raniya was airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where she died two days later. SHARE COPY LINK Raniya Wright was laid to rest after a celebration of her life at Saints Center Ministries in Walterboro. The question over whether bullying played a role is harder to pin down. Raniyas mother, Ashley Wright, and her attorney have said repeatedly that Student 2 bullied Raniya. Her daughter did not want to go to school because of this girl, Ashley Wright said during a press conference Friday outside the sheriffs office. My daughter loved school. Im very upset with the school system, starting out, only because of the fact that Ive been complaining about the person that she fought numerous times to them, Ashley Wright said on Good Morning America in early April. Thats what really breaks me down and makes me question to myself why nothing was never done up until now with this happening. Im thinking they got it handled, and they failed me. Margie Pizarro, an attorney representing Ashley Wright, said the mother had called the school several times to complain about her daughter being bullied. Chapman, the sheriffs office investigator who also has a child in the school, said Friday: Bullying did not play a part in this incident. He declined to talk more generally about bullying at the school and in the past between Student 2 and Raniya. We did not investigate the Colleton County School District for bullying, he said. A teacher at Forest Hills, who was close to Raniya and her mother, said she had never heard of bullying problems. Raniya spent time in her classroom first thing most mornings when she got off the bus before her first class, she told investigators, according to an audio recording of the interview provided to McClatchy. She never mentioned anything about bullying. She never mentioned that anyone was bothering her, the teacher told investigators. I feel like, if something was wrong she would have told me. She said Raniyas mother also never told her about bullying problems. According to the police report, Wright stated this had been an ongoing situation between her daughter and (Student 2). Ms. Wright stated over the last few weeks her daughter started complaining about going to school and not wanting to be there. She also stated that Raniya was telling her of issues with (Student 2) picking on her. Ms. Wright stated she did not go to the school and speak to them about these issues. This is not where the story ends, Pizarro said. She said her firm is conducting a separate investigation into what led to the fight that day and Raniyas death. An undiagnosed condition Raniyas mother described her daughter as healthy and active at Fridays press conference. She described a girl who loved to play basketball and was an usher each Sunday at her church. It wasnt until after her death that doctors diagnosed Raniya with a brain arteriovenous malformation, Solicitor Duffy Stone said Friday. She had a history of complaining about headaches, he said. The solicitor and investigators sat down with the team from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston to get an understanding of the brain condition that they determined caused Raniyas death. Its a relatively rare condition, Stone said. A brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a tangle of abnormal blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. The arteries are responsible for taking oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain. Veins carry the oxygen-depleted blood back to the lungs and heart. A brain AVM disrupts this vital process, the clinic explains. Doctors dont know what causes AVM, the Mayo Clinic says, but researchers believe most brain AVMs emerge during fetal development. The AVM fact sheet lists brain hemorrhage as one of the possible complications from the condition. Medical records provided by the sheriffs office show Raniya went to a doctor complaining of a headache seven times since the beginning of 2017. According to the investigation report, the teacher who was close to the family told officers, Mom felt bad she did not take Raniya to the doctor before, even though Raniya had been complaining about headaches. | https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article229498314.html |
What happened in the Premier League on Saturday? | Phil Foden scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester City Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League table on Saturday while Brighton edged further away from the relegation zone. Phil Foden's goal gave City a 1-0 win over Tottenham in the early kick-off to send Pep Guardiola's side one point clear of title rivals Liverpool. Brighton ended a run of four successive defeats with a goalless draw at Wolves. It moved the Seagulls three points above 18th-placed Cardiff, who host Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool on Sunday. Brighton had goalkeeper Mat Ryan to thank for a string of fine saves at Molineux, where a draw meant hosts Wolves slipped to ninth in the table. Elsewhere, Aleksandar Mitrovic scored from the spot as relegated Fulham won 1-0 at Bournemouth, while Gerard Deulofeu netted twice as Watford saw off bottom side Huddersfield 2-1. Harvey Barnes grabbed a point for Leicester in an entertaining 2-2 draw at West Ham, after Lucas Perez had put the Hammers in front with 10 minutes to go. Michail Antonio had headed in for the hosts in the first half, before Jamie Vardy's neat finish pulled the Foxes level after the break. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47997002 |
Did Thunder star Paul George violate an unwritten NBA rule during Game 3 vs. Blazers? | CLOSE SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt breaks down how the Celtics and Raptors were able to win in Game 3 and what they have to do next. USA TODAY Sports Baseball isnt the only sport with unwritten rules about what is considered acceptable or unacceptable. With Oklahoma City up 12 points on Portland with six seconds left in Friday night's Game 3, Thunder forward Paul George instead of dribbling out the clock as is convention took a pass from Raymond Felton and threw down a double-clutch reverse dunk just after the final horn sounded. The move didnt sit well with the Blazers, who lost 120-108, but still have a 2-1 lead in the first-round Western Conference playoff series that has turned into a heated affair featuring a must-see matchup between Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard. A little something extra from PG ... even though it didn't count. pic.twitter.com/zTLrrTZdWY NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 20, 2019 Several Blazers players took exception to the dunk just as some took exception to Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Andersons recent bat flip after a home run. Players from both teams exchanged words after the game before heading to their locker rooms. The game had been decided," Lillard said, and if that's something they needed to do to make themselves feel more dominant or feel better, then so be it. Thunder coach Billy Donovan reasoned that the Blazers took a shot instead of running out the clock, so it was fair game for George to do the same. MORE NBA: Both teams played the game all the way out, Donovan said. Asked about the dunk, George replied, Next question, a tiresome answer that Westbrook also uses. One camp says no big deal, hes entitled to the dunk given the victory. The other camp says no, its disrespectful. The Thunder have brought out the taunts in the series, from Westbrook faux rocking a baby to sleep after making a shot against Lillard to Dennis Schroder doing the watch tap that Lillard usually does to let people know its "Dame Time." Westbrook and Lillard have gone at it on the court with their play and their talk. Even though Westbrook had his best game of the series in Game 3 with 33 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, Lillard has outplayed him overall, averaging 30.3 points, 5.3 assists and four rebounds while shooting 42.9% on 3-pointers. Game 4 is Sunday in Oklahoma City (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT). Follow USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt | https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/playoffs/2019/04/20/paul-george-dunk-thunder-blazers-unwritten-rule-heated-series/3528534002/ |
Whats caused Californias housing crisis ? Could it be our cockamamie tax system? | Californias critical housing shortage and the poverty and misery that come with it are at last beginning to get the attention they deserve. But in the list of causes that get the blame the California Environmental Quality Act, NIMBYism; redundant state and local regulations and in the proffered remedies, one culprit is often overlooked: the powerful impact of Proposition 13. In effect, the initiative passed in 1978, skewed the tax structure to protect current homeowners and made it increasingly tough and as we now know, often impossible for prospective home buyers to buy a home. Because it limited tax increases on any home or business to 2 percent a year until it changed ownership, Prop. 13 made commercial developments much more attractive to local leaders. Many commercial properties auto malls, for example generate sales taxes; none requires the new schools, parks and other public services that homes do. And in de-linking property taxes from current property values, Prop. 13 also reduced owners incentive to put under-used land and other property to its highest and best uses. At the same time, local governments imposed hefty fees on residential development to pay for the schools and infrastructure they required. The way California fails to tax land under Prop. 13, said Lenny Goldberg, the former head of the California Tax Reform Association, leads to the worst possible outcomes low density sprawl, inflated land costs, and underutilized commercial strips in areas with tremendous potential for more beneficial development. The data shows the lowest taxes are being collected on parcels marginally used for parking lots, car dealers, gas stations, strip malls, warehouses, etc. Californias land-use patterns over the past 40 years are notorious for the combination of sprawling development and low-density housing. Notwithstanding the string of homeless encampments in Californias vacant spaces and under its freeway interchanges, the long delay in confronting the housing crisis or even debating it isnt surprising. In the long list of proposals now being offered in Sacramento, almost any remedy will hit deeply held values and entrenched interests. Probably the most common of those cherished values are neighborhood integrity and local control. And almost every bill now pending in the Legislature would curb the power of local governments to restrict or delay affordable housing development. Among the scores of housing bills: Senate Bill 330, by Sen. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley, which would impose a 10-year moratorium on downzoning lowering the number of units that can be built on a parcel in cities and counties with high housing costs; prohibit housing moratoriums or caps on new housing construction; and suspend the collection of housing fees on affordable housing development. Senate Bill 50, by Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, which would ban the imposition of parking requirements and raise height limits to facilitate construction of apartments and condos near public transit stops and job centers. Assembly Bill 1279, by Assemblyman Richard Bloom of Santa Monica, which would identify places with low housing density where developers could more easily build condos and apartments for low and middle-income families, and charge fees on expensive projects to subsidize affordable housing. In the meantime, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who wants to have 3.5 million new homes built by 2025, is suing the city of Huntington Beach for violating state housing laws enacted during the Brown administration and has warned other cities that there will be more suits. But, even if many of the pending bills were to pass and the state continues to subsidize affordable housing, unless the tax system is changed, the critical housing shortage is likely to persist. And ironically the disincentives to new housing generated by Prop.13 could get worse if the initiative to roll back Prop. 13 and make businesses pay more while keeping the protections intact for homeowners passes in 2020. An otherwise worthy measure, the so-called split (tax) roll would tax only commercial property at current value, and not by the price when it was bought, as Proposition 13 now does. That will create new pressure on owners of underutilized high valuation commercial property to develop or sell that land. And it could generate as much as $10 billion a year in additional tax revenue for schools and local governments. But it may also put the incentive for local officials to favor commercial development on steroids. What would happen, wrote Joel Fox, the former head of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, in a piece for CALMatters, when local governments choose between green-lighting a commercial venture that would bring in gobs of new revenue for government as opposed to approving a housing project? Theres double irony here: Fox, a longtime defender of Proposition 13, here implicitly concedes the stifling effect that it has long had on housing development. But the housing argument could also be a weapon for a no vote on the split roll initiative next year. Conversely, it could also be, as Goldberg, argues, that the measure will bring much more property to better uses, housing included. Either way, the housing crisis may become a major element in the debate. Peter Schrag, the former editorial page editor of the Sacramento Bee, is the author of the recently published The World of Aufbau: Hitlers Refugees in America. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters. | https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/What-s-caused-California-s-housing-crisis-13782723.php |
How much of Europe does China own? | Image copyright AFP Image caption China now has a majority stake in the Greek port of Piraeus The European Union has introduced a new mechanism for screening foreign investment. It's widely believed to have been prompted by concerns over China's economic ambitions in Europe. It will allow the European Commission - the EU's executive arm - to give an opinion when an investment "threatens the security or public order" of more than one member state or undermines an EU-wide project such as the Galileo satellite project. In March, the European Commission called China a "systemic rival" and a "strategic competitor". The Chinese Ambassador to the EU urged the bloc to remain "open and welcome" to Chinese investment, and not to "discriminate". China's ownership of EU businesses is relatively small, but has grown quickly over the past decade. A third of the bloc's total assets are now in the hands of foreign-owned, non-EU companies, according to a report from the European Commission in March. Of these, 9.5% of companies had their ownership based in China, Hong Kong or Macau - up from 2.5% in 2007. That compares with 29% controlled by US and Canadian interests by the end of 2016 - down from nearly 42% in 2007. So, it's a significant increase, but the total amount is not huge, comparatively speaking. China in the EU Foreign direct investment into the 28 member states Although the levels of Chinese foreign direct investment in the EU have been increasing rapidly, it peaked at 37.2bn in 2016 amidst a slowdown in Chinese investment globally, according to the Rhodium Group and the Mercator Institute for China Studies. In European countries outside the EU, investment also dropped in 2018. A large proportion of Chinese direct investment, both state and private, is concentrated in the major economies, such as the UK, France and Germany combined, according to the Rhodium Group and Mercator Institute. Analysis by Bloomberg last year said that China now owned, or had a stake in, four airports, six maritime ports and 13 professional soccer teams in Europe. It estimated there had been 45% more investment activity in 30 European countries from China than from the US, since 2008. And it said this was underestimating the true extent of Chinese activity. In March, Italy was the first major European economy to sign up to China's new Silk Road programme - known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It involves huge infrastructure building to increase trade between China and markets in Asia and Europe. Officially more than 20 countries in Europe (including Russia) are part of the initiative. For example, China is financing the expansion of the port of Piraeus in Greece and is building roads and railways in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and North Macedonia. This could prove attractive to poorer Balkan and southern European countries, especially as demands for transparency and good governance can make EU funding appear less attractive. However, analysts point out that Chinese loans come with conditions - such as the involvement of Chinese companies - and also risk burdening these countries with large amounts of debt. Globally, China's outward direct investment has slowed over the last year or two, after more than a decade of expansion. "This is mainly the result of stricter controls on capital outflows from China, but also of a changing political environment globally concerning Chinese investment," says Agatha Kratz of the Rhodium Group. China's global investment slows Total investment outflows (FDI) The Trump administration is taking a tougher line towards China's economic activities. Governments elsewhere are more cautious - particularly when it comes to investment in sensitive areas of the economy, such as telecommunications and defence. But there's little doubt China is now a significant player in Europe, whether through direct investments or via the new Silk Road project. Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-47886902 |
Why did the chicken cross the globe? | Meet Monique, for the past five years, she and Guirec Soude have been sailing around the world. Emma Beddington reveals how the French sailor chose to brave the high seas with just one feathered shipmate At the tip of Brittanys wild, wet Ctes-dArmor peninsula is the village of Plougrescant. Beyond that, butting right out into the sea, lies Yvinec island, a tiny outcrop intermittently accessible depending on tides via a rock-studded expanse of dunes and seaweed. To get there I have taken two planes, a train and a puzzling automobile. It has been an epic journey, but I cant possibly say that to Guirec Soude when he picks me up for the last leg in his 4x4. I may have got lost in a Brest industrial estate at midnight, unable to make the hire car headlights work, but the 26-year-old Breton sailed around the world solo for five years. During that time he was trapped in Arctic ice for 130 days, survived 15m waves, nearly capsized repeatedly, was imprisoned briefly by Canadian coastguards and became the youngest sailor to navigate the formidable Northwest Passage between the Pacific and the Atlantic solo. Well, I say solo. Sole human. He was accompanied by a chicken, a Rhode Island Red named Monique. I said to myself, If she annoys me, I can always eat her. It feels weird to say that now! We formed a real bond From January 2014 to their return to Brittany in December 2018, the pair covered 45,000 miles. They crossed the Atlantic, travelled to the North and South Poles, across to Cape Horn, back to the Caribbean and home, punctuated by stops to repair the boat, wait out the weather, or earn money. Every adventure, encounter and disaster (there were plenty of all three) was recorded in jaw-dropping pictures and funny videos on their increasingly popular social media accounts (they now have 125k Facebook and 42.8k Instagram followers). That was where I discovered and fell hard for the pair. A handsome, fresh-faced young adventurer and his stoic brown hen on their plucky little boat felt like a gift: an uncomplicated shot of sunshine in a dark time. Their story is an internet-age Boys Own adventure: Guirec paddleboarded through icebergs, met polar bears, caught huge fish and even saved a drowning poodle. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Best dressed chicken: Monique braves the Greenland cold in her jumper. Photograph: Guirec Soude Meanwhile Monique shared his breakfast (and, indeed, his paddleboard), bewitched Inuit kids who had never seen a hen, and perched on deck, contemplating the vastness of various oceans. No surprise then, to learn that their childrens book, The Hen Who Sailed Around the World, has already been published. Guirec (sans Monique) meets me in Plougrescants car park a slight, garrulous and smiley figure in a big jumper and we head off at a slow trundle across the bay to Yvinec. It is a private island (acquired cheaply after the war by the Soude family), current population four. In addition to Guirec and Monique, theres Bosco the dog, a rangy part-husky giant who waits on the headland to greet us. (I got him in Alaska: I swapped him for a chainsaw.) Girlfriend Lauren, who met Guirec through his Facebook page, is the fourth, part-time resident, helping out with his increasingly time-consuming social media commitments and public engagements. Guirec: Youre sort of Breton now though, arent you? Lauren (firmly): No, Im Parisienne. They share the handsome stone farmhouse in which Guirec grew up, a dreamy place with cornflower-blue doors and shutters and huge open fires. The sea is everywhere: we take a tour, clambering up the rocks so Guirec can point out the inlets, coves and best crabbing spots of his stretch of windswept coast. If ever a place were perfectly designed to raise an ocean-going adventurer, its here. His was a wild childhood: the youngest of eight siblings raised by an indulgent father, he was largely left to amuse himself. I spent more time on water than on land. I got my first boat at seven and even before that, I would go out to sea to drop off my lobster pots and catch fish. This island made me. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hen party: Guirec Soude and Monique in the galley. Photograph: Guirec Soude Sea always won over school: Guirec went to 13 in total, leaving with no qualifications, but a nagging desire for adventure. When I turned 18, I could have got a job, but I wanted to travel. I wanted to go far away. His father, Stany, had crossed the Atlantic twice. Guirec grew up on those stories, poring over pictures in old photo albums. He headed to Australia, but this was no gap year frolic. Penniless, he slept in the streets at first, worked as a fruit picker and shrimp fisherman, captaining hard-drinking sailors twice his age until he earned enough to buy his own boat on his return to Brittany and set sail. I told my parents it would be fine, I had a phone and a beacon. Which was totally untrue His initial goal was modest enough: to cross the Atlantic, solo. He had no idea the trip would last five years, though even at the start he hoped to go further. I already had an idea of heading to the ice, he says. In my head I dreamed of going around the world who doesnt? (Me, I think loudly, though I nod in agreement.) But I had no idea what I was getting into, I knew nothing about sailing. The boat he bought, an 11.7m craft more than 10 years older than Guirec himself, turned out to be a corroded disaster he was strongly advised by more experienced sailors not to take to sea. On top of that, Guirec had never sailed a boat of that size. Undaunted, he patched the holes and called it Yvinec, in honour of the island. I practised for a couple of hours around here, then I left. Aged 21, without a clear itinerary, any money or even a functioning radio. What about his family, I ask, appalled. My parents asked what would happen if something went wrong. I told them it would be fine, I had a phone and a beacon, which was totally untrue. Facebook Twitter Pinterest I made her a little sledge and we went exploring. She loved it: Guirec and Monique in Greenland. Photograph: Guirec Soude Monique joined the crew on an early stop in Tenerife. I knew I wanted to sail alone, for sure, but I wanted a pet. I thought a chicken would be brilliant, because I could have fresh eggs at sea. He had absolutely no experience of keeping chickens and was warned that a hen at sea would be too stressed to lay, but (a theme may be emerging) he persisted. Monique was presented to him in a cardboard box by a friend before he set off to cross the Atlantic. She was named after a personalised Breton breakfast bowl left in the boat by a previous owner. That way we both had our own bowls. It was something of a gamble. Honestly, I didnt think shed get to the other side, shed fall in or something. Guirec built an on-deck coop to keep Monique safe when waves threatened to sweep her overboard, and another in the cabin, where she slept, laid eggs and stayed safe, warm and dry, even in the worst weather. Defying the experts, Monique laid an egg on her first day aboard. Gradually the pair adjusted to life deux. I said to myself: If she annoys me, I can always eat her. It feels weird to say that now! We formed a real bond. She was so endearing, she made me laugh so much, it felt as if I had always known her. Seemingly imperturbable, she enjoyed the run of the deck (when seas were very rough she would roam the cabin), dodging waves, pouncing on flying fish that landed on deck and stealing the bream and tuna Guirec caught to complement her diet of grain, dried insects and table scraps. She loves fish, he says. It gave her eggs a salty taste. On long stops, Guirec brought her off the boat with him to eat grass and scratch around in sand or pebbles. As a long-time chicken owner and lover myself, it seems an odd, but not a bad life for a hen, apart from the solitude: most chickens I know are deeply social creatures. Monique seems to have accepted Guirec as her flock. They were always together, rarely spending a night apart. I didnt want to. Sometimes it was a bit tricky, I couldnt always do everything I wanted, but I was happy to share it all with Monique. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Lunchtime on deck: Monique with the bowl she was named after, That way we both had our own bowls. Photograph: Guirec Soude Of course, taking a hen on a round-the-world trip could be a cynically brilliant ploy to create a USP in the crowded, and crowdfunded, field of contemporary adventuring, but the affection with which Guirec talks about Monique (or Momo as he calls her) sweeps away any scepticism. I love the guileless way he says us whenever hes discussing their adventures not a royal we, but a man-plus-chicken we. Once wed crossed the Atlantic we said to ourselves: We enjoyed that, we can go further. Their best experience though it sounds nightmarish was the four months spent wintering in Greenland in 2015-16, voluntarily frozen into the polar ice. It was a childhood dream, but with wind chill, the temperatures dropped to -60C, and the boat was almost destroyed by assaults from huge icebergs and compression between waves of unstable ice. Several times they nearly had to abandon ship. I didnt really think I would die, but I thought I would lose everything I had worked for since I was 18. I talked to Monique: she understood, she could tell something was wrong. Guirec had chosen not to bring a radio or phone on this phase. I wanted to be alone with nature, cut off from the world. A few days into their stay, an Inuit acquaintance came to find him, holding a phone with a message from one of his sisters: their father had died of a heart attack. It was impossible to get back in time for the funeral. I had just made a video saying, At last, were finally here. I was buzzing, it was the best day of my life. He shows me another video of him just after he found out, tears streaming down his face. My father really looked after me. He did so much for me when I was little. I was so unhappy, but I thought: Ill transform all this sadness into extra strength. I was so proud I got to show him I that I was able to fulfil my ambitions. Facebook Twitter Pinterest We can tackle this: Guirec with Monique who knows the ropes. Photograph: Guirec Soude Despite all this, Greenland was our best experience, our most wonderful memory. We saw the Northern Lights all the time; there were Arctic foxes and caribou. I made Momo a little sledge and we went exploring. She loved it. She also laid 106 eggs in 130 days, a vital complement to his dwindling rations of rice when fishing proved impossible. I lost 12kg, honestly she kind of saved my life. After Greenland (and an unscheduled 10-day break in France with a perforated appendix, which gave him the chance finally to meet Lauren face-to-face) came the Northwest Passage, an otherworldly place of whales, narwhals and midnight sun. So close to magnetic north the autopilot malfunctioned, Guirec navigated manually for 32 days, barely sleeping. I had hallucinations. I thought Lauren was on board. The rest of the journey took in Canada (and that encounter with customs: after some impassioned pleading he was released and allowed to keep Monique), the dangerously stormy 40th and 50th parallels, Antarctica and South Africa, before the slow return to Brittany, dogged by bad weather until the very last day. How strange must it be, doing interviews and sponsor events after five years of magic, danger and solitude. But Guirec was ready to get home to this warm house, with proper food and a hot shower on his beautiful island. I was desperate to get home. Everything was really tricky right up until an hour before we got into Paimpol. Then there was the crowd screaming, all my family, loads of boats to welcome us It was a really special moment. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Cool head: Guirec navigating icebergs on a paddleboard. Photograph: Guirec Soude Hes also keen to use this time to spread the word about the fragility of the ocean ecosystems he encountered, something that became a bigger part of his mission as the journey continued. The trip has made him vocal about global warming the Northwest Passage is only navigable now as a result of melting polar ice and the scourge of plastic waste. On our walk around the island, Guirec detours to pick up every bottle and wrapper we encounter, and hes in the process of organising a community clean up of the coastline around Plougrescant. Its a real problem and so close to my heart. There were times when Monique and I were at sea, when we would turn around just to go and pick up plastic buoys or bottles. Sometimes it took us an hour because we couldnt get hold of it! Monique and I would like to cross the Arctic. There are loads of things wed like to do, but well see Inevitably, though, hes already planning the next adventure: this one wasnt enough. I would have liked to do so much more. It went so quickly: its horrible how quickly life passes. Monique and I would like to cross the Arctic. There are loads of things wed like to do, but well see. Obviously I insist on a fan meet-and-greet with a top-tier avian influencer, but she has a whole island to roam around. Thankfully, she mainly stays close to Guirec, so I get to feed her mealworms and admire her scratching in the dust. Later she perches on the window ledge watching Lauren prepare lunch and takes a luxuriant dust bath in the afternoon sun. Guirec is building her a henhouse with a sea view; he might get her a few friends. For a hen who has seen such wonders she seems entirely ordinary, going about her hen business, inscrutable eye busily searching out the next worm. People ask me that all the time. But if I had lost Monique, I would have been terribly sad and I wouldnt have got another hen. It would have been completely different. Also there were loads of places I wanted to go and couldnt because of Monique. I said to myself, Shit, I must really love my hen. The Hen Who Sailed Around the World by Guirec Soude is published by Little, Brown at 12.99. To order a copy, go to guardianbookshop.com | https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/apr/21/why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-globe-french-sailor-guirec-soudee-monique |
Why does our Easter weather vary so much? | Image copyright James Carlisle Image caption This century, Easter Sunday has been as early as 23 March in 2008 and as late as 24 April in 2011 It's more likely to snow at Easter than at Christmas. After last weekend and earlier in the week, that may may not come as a surprise. However, this Easter looks like being close to a scorcher at least for part of the weekend. The main reason is wind direction - where our air is coming from. If winds are from the north, their source will be towards the Arctic, which is surrounded by a very cold sea. If winds are from the south they are coming from Spain and Africa, which are starting to warm up. Strengthening sun We live on an island surrounded by ocean and sea temperatures in our neck of the woods are lower in March and April than in December. This means that when our weather comes from the north or west it moves over cold water sucking up moisture from below creating clouds and potentially rain or snow. Image copyright Danny McGuigan Image caption If the air is from a cold source and there is a noticeable wind, the chilling effect on the skin can be extreme Cold air combined with rising temperatures over the land are the ideal ingredients for heavy showers hence the term April showers. And if the air is cold it can easily lead to wintry showers - snow, hail, sleet or thundersnow. Sunshine in spring is crucial as to how the air feels. The Sun strengthens quickly during April and in a suntrap it will feel warm, regardless of what the thermometer reads. But if the air is from a cold source and there is a noticeable wind the chilling effect on the skin can be extreme. It's a bit like being on top of the Alps surrounded by snow - the air is cold otherwise the snow would melt - with blue sky, sunshine and no wind. The Sun feels warm on your face but any wind would make the weather feel Baltic. This is known as wind chill, and the wind-chill temperature is how the air feels on bare skin. The other thing to consider, of course, is that Christmas is fixed and Easter moves around the calendar. Image caption When our weather comes from the north or west it moves over cold water sucking up moisture from below, which can lead to snow This century, Easter Sunday has been as early as 23 March in 2008 and as late as 24 April in 2011. It's no shock, then, that the coldest Easter weekend was recorded when Easter was early. Good Friday 2013 saw the Antrim Glens record a maximum temperature of just 1.7 degrees on 29 March. This Easter weekend we gain sunshine, lose the cold easterly wind, which originated over Scandinavia, and our air starts to drift in from France and Spain, sourcing back to the Mediterranean. So we move from windburn and continuous "huddle" weather to t-shirts, shorts and possible sunburn. Time to clean off the barbecue and sample al-fresco dining, even if it's just a coffee in the garden. Happy Easter - don't let those chocolate eggs melt! | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47940469 |
Which team has won the most Premiership points in 2019? | When BBC Scotland asked the same question of 2018 in December, Kilmarnock topped the pile with 74 points from 32 games, albeit having played two matches more than Celtic, who had one point fewer. Neil Lennon's men can edge closer to the title with victory at Hibernian on Sunday, after Rangers' win at Hearts on Saturday delayed their Old Firm rivals' triumph. Surge for glory Celtic went into the new year on a low, having lost to Rangers for the first time in 13 meetings. That 1-0 defeat at Ibrox on 29 December kept the Parkhead club, who had a game in hand, above Rangers only on goal difference. Since then, however, they have motored clear - they sit eight points above Rangers before Sunday's game in hand at Hibs - with a superb run. Celtic have taken 35 points from a possible 39 in 2019. Goalless draws at home to Aberdeen and Livingston are the only blemishes. They have not been prolific, averaging just short of two goals per game, but their defensive record of three goals conceded in 13 games is six fewer than Rangers. The Ibrox men are next in the form table, but two defeats and three draws in 13 games since the turn of the year have left them trailing. Rangers are the highest scorers in 2019, with their tally of 33 goals eight better than Celtic. And Hearts are the only top-six side who sit in the bottom half of the form table for 2019. Their haul of 14 points from 13 games is the seventh highest in the division. Fir Park a fortress Motherwell failed to secure a top-six finish, but are matching Celtic as the best-performing home team in 2019. Celtic have taken 20 points from eight matches at home - an 83% success rate. Motherwell have played two matches fewer at Fir Park, but their record of five wins and a defeat gives them the same 83% points to games ratio. Dons relish road trips Aberdeen's win at Kilmarnock on Saturday puts them top of the away form league table with 16 points from seven games, although Celtic have a perfect road record of 15 points from five matches. Hibernian's revival under Paul Heckingbottom - they remain unbeaten after eight league games since he took charge - has made them a force away from home. They have won all four away matches under the Yorkshireman, including a memorable Edinburgh derby success against Hearts. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47998024 |
Should the University of Arizona back its students or the Border Patrol? | The University of Arizona students may not have feared for their lives, but the menace of the Border Patrol is viscerally real on a campus replete with immigrants and Dreamers. Fenton Johnson, a professor of creative writing who was teaching a class down the hall from the original incident, wrote a public letter to Robbins. Having been given no notice of the planned visit by uniformed agents, Johnson said, he immediately and reasonably assumed they were on campus to detain students. Johnson even feared they might try to enter his classroom. It was that prospect, he wrote, not the demonstration, that distracted me from teaching my course. | https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-cantu-border-patrol-university-of-arizona-20190421-story.html |
Is China Using Huawei To Break U.S. Intelligence Sharing Arrangements? | Getty "Huawei hampers U.S. efforts to spy on whomever it wants," the company's rotating chairman Guo Ping claimed in the Financial Times in February. "The more Huawei gear is installed in the worlds telecommunications networks, the harder it becomes for NSA to collect it all." At the time, the suggestion was that this was a straightforward argument. Huawei, the company's leaders claimed, would not collaborate with any country's intelligence agencies on back doors and collection, and so "if the US can keep Huawei out of the worlds 5G networks by portraying us as a security threat, it can retain its ability to spy on whomever it wants." The U.S. is concerned that Huawei is subject to Beijing state influence and, with their networking equipment deployed worldwide, could be tasked to collect information for espionage purposes or be told to 'press a big red button' to disrupt the communications networks in foreign countries. China and Huawei have both denied all this to the hilt. The country and the company have insisted that Huawei is independent and uncompromised. There are no mandates for government taskings, no ethical conflicts. And with the lack of a 'smoking gun', it has proven impossible to force any kind of sea change in Huawei's global position. Huawei - carrying on regardless "In Huaweis thirty years of proven security track record," the company's communications chief told me. "Weve never had a single incident related to security, all of which can attest to our assurance from a cybersecurity perspective. Our track record has demonstrated we have very strict security assurance. We are an industry benchmark for our peers." And yet there has been an intensifying argument between the U.S. and its allies about the integrity of their networks - the disruption and distraction over the last 12-months have been material. And so perhaps it doesn't matter whether there are genuine security issues or not, all that matters is that certain governments think that there are. Huawei is largely undamaged by events. Yes, they have subsidized slowing equipment sales with explosive smartphone sales. And, yes, they are evidently not about to work at scale in the U.S. any time soon. But they have inked multiple 5G contracts around the world. They stole the show at MWC. And, as far as Beijing is concerned, Washington has been using and losing political capital in a campaign that pitches unproven threats against assumed economic benefits. And with the primacy 5G investments coming from commercial network operators with targets to meet and shareholders to please, unless there are government mandates to the contrary, they will carry on with Huawei regardless. There may even be benefits to Huawei from the U.S. campaign against them. With the debate turning to risk mitigation and security assessments, they have argued that the industry should be a level playing field. "We are the most scrutinized company in the world, with the most rigorous examination," the company's U.S. Chief Security Officer told me. "But in terms of the security of networks globally, now it's important that our competitors also have their products evaluated." Illustrative April Earlier in April, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported that "America no longer requires Germany to ban China's Huawei Group when 5G is introduced." According to the newspaper's government sources', the U.S. is "highly satisfied" with the security arrangements proposed by Germany's Federal Network Agency, setting out the standards for 5G "regardless of the provider," the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitungquotes even reported that senior American officials called the approach "perfect." At the time, that seemed to align with concessions from U.S. intelligence officials that they will have "to figure out a way in a 5G world that were able to manage the risks in a diverse network that includes technology that we cant trust. Clearly referring to Huawei, Sue Gordon, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, said that "you have to presume a dirty network. Thats what were going to have to presume about the world." Just a week later, that was confirmed by Germany's Federal Network Agency in a Financial Times interview. The agency's president, Jochen Homann, said that "the position the Bundesnetzagentur takes is that no equipment supplier, including Huawei, should, or may, be specifically excluded." How then to read the joint public statement from six retired U.S. generals, including the former Director of National Intelligence and the former NSA Director, claiming that "Chinese-designed 5G networks will provide near-persistent data transfer back to China that the Chinese government could capture at will." Or that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that "when you have telecommunications that are deeply connected to state-owned enterprises connected to China, we dont see there is a technical mitigation risk that is possible." Or senior U.S. cybersecurity official Robert Strayer warning that "our overall concern is beyond intelligence. More data flows between the United States and Europe than anywhere in the world so we need to make sure that were able to interoperate and provide all that critical infrastructure that facilitates our economy and our general public. If there are untrusted vendors in another countrys network, [it will] harm our ability to co-operate in a number of aspects." Or that where it had seemed the U.K. would go along with the rest of Europe and opt for managed risk mitigation, the U.K.'s spy agency instead published a scathing report on the Huawei's security through its dedicated Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC), reporting that it "continued to identify concerning issues in Huaweis approach to software development bringing significantly increased risk to U.K. operators." A senior official with the U.K.'s spy agency publicly slammed equipment from Huawei as "shoddy" and like engineering "from the year 2000." And now to the latest twist. A report on Saturday claimed that CIA evidence proves Huawei has "received funding from branches of Beijings state security apparatus... American intelligence shown to Britain says that Huawei has taken money from the Peoples Liberation Army, Chinas National Security Commission and a third branch of the Chinese state intelligence network." The evidence was shown to the U.K., but clearly not to others. In intelligence, there are lines that cannot be crossed. As I suggested yesterday, it now seems that there are multiple layers of security envisaged depending on the country involved, and that will likely influence what intelligence is shared or withheld. The U.S. can change arrangements with most of the world, but not with the Five Eyes, and especially not with the U.K. Seen through that lens, the twists and turns of the last few weeks are much easier to understand. The intelligence-sharing arrangements thrown into the mix by the Huawei situation include Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and even Israel. The intelligence world order is being changed. The Huawei situation may or may not have impacted on the push of Chinese 5G technology around the world - whether there are back doors or levers of control remain the subject of continuing debate. What is not up or debate is that transparent and backroom intelligence-sharing arrangements are being stretched, stressed and maybe even fractured. Even if Beijing didn't see this coming, as soon as reports came in that the U.S. was threatening to withhold intelligence from countries deploying Huawei equipment, it would have had an impact on Beijing's gameplan. And so, whatever else has happened, Beijing has benefited from the rethink now taking place as to what can be shared and with who. The country famed for playing the long game has done exactly that. Whether or not you see this as an unintended consequence of what has happened or something more nefarious will likely depend on your politics. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/04/21/has-china-been-using-huawei-to-break-u-s-intelligence-sharing-arrangements/ |
Is It Better To Buy A Home With Cash Or A Mortgage? | Getty The idea of living mortgage-free can be particularly enticing for individuals nearing retirement. At this time, its also common for empty-nesters to consider selling the large family home in favor of a smaller property or condo thats easier to maintain. Homeowners who have lived in a house for a long time and now have a low mortgage balance or perhaps no mortgage at all may consider whether its advantageous to buy a new property with sale proceeds in cash instead of getting a mortgage. Although pre-retirees may be hesitant to carry debt into retirement, the leverage can pay off. Using leverage Leverage is when your expected rate of return on your investment portfolio is greater than the interest rate for a loan. If you can borrow money for less than an amount you can reasonably expect to earn by investing the funds instead, then it makes sense to consider the loan. Of course, deciding whether to buy with cash or get a mortgage involves more than the spread between your expectations and the current interest rates, but its a useful starting point. Ultraconservative investors, buyers during periods of high interest rates, or individuals seeking variable rate mortgages may find it more difficult to make leverage work for them with any level of reasonable certainty. Heres an example: Assume that the Millers, age 60, are selling their house for $700,000 and their mortgage payoff is $200,000. Theyre planning to buy a condo for $500,000 and put 20% down. The Millers can get a 30-year fixed mortgage for 4.5% interest and their expected average annual return on their investments over the long-term is 6%. The couple plans to work through age 66. If they obtain a mortgage, theyll make the mortgage payments out of their income while theyre working. Without a mortgage, theyll invest the funds instead. If they retire with a mortgage, the Millers will tap their investment account for the payments once they stop working. In this example, its best to use leverage. Through the power of compounding, after 30 years, the Millers investment account would be nearly $260,000 greater if they bought the home with a mortgage compared to if they paid for the condo in cash, excluding taxes. Its helpful to note that many of the variables in this analysis are correlated. If the Millers increased their purchase price, the benefits of getting a mortgage would also increase. However, if the spread between current mortgage interest rates and expected investment returns narrows, the benefits of getting a loan will shrink. A complex analysis Unless youre comparing a fixed mortgage to holding a 30-year bond, there are several key assumptions that homebuyers must make for the analysis. Since theres no way to know with certainty what will happen in the future, its important to consider every aspect of the decision. Here are some additional financial considerations: Taxes. Homeownership has tax benefits and a mortgage plays a key role in realizing those benefits. Taxpayers who itemize their tax deductions can typically deduct mortgage interest on the first $750,000 of first or second home indebtedness, though there are other considerations following the 2017 tax reform legislation. This can be especially valuable for retirees who have lost many of their other options to reduce their taxable income (e.g., 401(k) contributions). Though tax implications are an important part of any financial decision, its important not to let the tax tail wag the dog: the laws can change at any time. Homeownership has tax benefits and a mortgage plays a key role in realizing those benefits. Taxpayers who itemize their tax deductions can typically deduct mortgage interest on the first $750,000 of first or second home indebtedness, though there are other considerations following the 2017 tax reform legislation. This can be especially valuable for retirees who have lost many of their other options to reduce their taxable income (e.g., 401(k) contributions). Though tax implications are an important part of any financial decision, its important not to let the tax tail wag the dog: the laws can change at any time. Market volatility. Even if an investor realizes an average annual return of 6% (as assumed in the example above), the actual return will vary considerably from the average in any given year. The sequence in which the returns occur can have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the analysis. For example, in the Millers case, if their rate of return was -4% in year one and 6% for the rest of the 30-year analysis, the benefit of getting a mortgage would be reduced to $56,000, down from $260,000! Similarly, if the market were to outperform the average return in the first year of the simulation, the relative advantage of getting a mortgage versus buying with cash would increase. Even if an investor realizes an average annual return of 6% (as assumed in the example above), the actual return will vary considerably from the average in any given year. The sequence in which the returns occur can have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the analysis. For example, in the Millers case, if their rate of return was -4% in year one and 6% for the rest of the 30-year analysis, the benefit of getting a mortgage would be reduced to $56,000, down from $260,000! Similarly, if the market were to outperform the average return in the first year of the simulation, the relative advantage of getting a mortgage versus buying with cash would increase. Adjustable rate mortgages. An ARM changes the analysis a bit as additional complexities and unknowns are introduced. An adjustable rate mortgage is usually most advantageous when homeowners dont plan to live in the house for much longer than the initial fixed period. In this situation, buyers will also need to consider the likelihood of remaining in the home longer than expected, how the rate increases are determined, and their expectations of future interest rates. Although the risk is increased, when an ARM is appropriate, its a great example of using leverage. Practical considerations when buying a home Buyers may also face logistical challenges or the pressure of a competitive market. Especially for individuals who have lived in their home for a very long time, decluttering, downsizing, and moving can be quite a challenge. Unless you can negotiate a sale-leaseback, or manage to perfectly align both home closings, cash buyers may be forced to stay in a hotel or rent during the gap. Getting a mortgage may make the transition easier for some buyers who already have a down payment and still qualify for their loan while carrying both homes, as they may be able to buy a new home before selling their old one. Convenience has a price though, and theres a risk the home wont sell as quickly or at the price you expected. All cash offers are the preferred tool for buyers in competitive markets. If a mortgage is preferable but youre struggling to compete with noncontingent offers, one option might be to buy the new house or condo with the cash proceeds from the sale of your old home and apply for a loan after closing. While buying or selling a home is an emotional decision, its important not to let your personal feelings cloud your better judgement. Buying too much home or deciding to purchase with cash solely because you can could dampen your retirement lifestyle in the long run. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinmcfarland/2019/04/21/is-it-better-to-buy-a-home-with-cash-or-a-mortgage/ |
Will Zillow's Flip ... Flop? | Zillow is making a sizable bet that it can automate the labor-intensive process of buying and selling homes. But unlike most other areas of technology, many customers may prefer doing things the old-fashioned way when it comes to the roof over their heads. Tech-enabled iBuying offers speed and convenience for a customer, eliminating the need for repairs, stagings, showings and, in some cases, even real-estate agents. For Zillow, which works with agents, it means physically taking on home inventory, quickly fixing it up and selling itessentially home flipping. Commissions associated with iBuying are generally higher than what traditional real-estate agents charge, as customers pay for the added convenience. (Zillow dislikes the term home flipping, describing its business as a service for a fee, in which the fee depends on such factors as market conditions and the work to be done on a home.) The potential market is vast: Zillow expects it to generate $20 billion annually at scale. Investors seem to understand both the potential and the risk. Zillows shares soared 25% on Feb. 22, the day after it announced on its fourth-quarter earnings call that it was doubling down on iBuying. But the stock has since shed most of that gain. Margins on iBuying are thin: Zillow said it expects to earn just 2% to 3% on transactions at maturity. And for customers, an increase of even a few percentage points in commission dollars on a home adds up in a big way. Redfin, which in 2018 did 9% of its business in iBuying, said earlier this year it expects the process to be fundamentally limiting for some customers because of its inherent financial risk. Article Continued Below Barclays downgraded Zillow to Underweight last month, expecting aging and mispriced inventory to weigh on margins. Still, some analysts are forecasting a quick ramp-up. Cowen analyst Thomas Champion estimates that iBuying will represent 41% of Zillows revenue by the end of this year, compared with just 4% in 2018. Bullish analysts see cross-selling opportunities for Zillows iBuying business with mortgage origination, which carries higher margins. Zillow isnt alone: several pure-play startups are going all in on iBuying. In March, Opendoor raised $300 million at a reported valuation of $3.8 billion. Others include Knock, led by the founding team members of Trulia, as well as Offerpad and Perch, among others.Well-funded private competitors may further pressure Zillows margins as they race for market share, though Zillow has a sizable advantage as the established market leader. Mr. Barton reckons that Zillow can streamline the real-estate process with iBuying, much as Netflix did streaming videos. But real estate is a vastly different business from movies and even other online markets. For one thing, it is low-volumejust 5.5% of homeowners moved in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And when people do move, most want their hands held87% of home buyers and 91% of home sellers still use an agent, according to a 2018 survey by the National Association of Realtors. Taking a chance with Netflix sets you back $12.99; gambling with your home requires putting all your chips on the table. Write to Laura Forman at [email protected] | https://www.thestar.com/wsj/markets/2019/04/21/will-zillows-flip-flop.html |
Could population growth propel Phoenix and Tucson to merge? | The Downtown Phoenix skyline as seen on Sept. 24, 2018. Downtown Phoenix has evolved from nearly a ghost town in the 1990's to the vibrant downtown today. (Photo: Michael Chow/The Republic) Phoenix and Tucson may still merge by 2040. A 2005 prediction for the cities with downtowns separated by 120 miles didn't seem far fetched when proclaimed by growth experts during the housing boom. But when the bust started in 2007 and stretched to 2011, such a prediction seemed unlikely. Now, metro Phoenix is on another growth streak. New census data shows Maricopa County grew faster than any other county in the nation for the second year in a row. Population projections for metro Phoenix could mean it will join with Tucson somewhere in Pinal County in about two decades, if the numbers are right and the Valley's growth engine doesn't stall again. For more stories that matter, subscribe to azcentral.com. 'Super-sized' Arizona Sun Corridor Urban researchers began identifying what they believed would be "super-sized" metro areas or megapolitans 15 years ago when growth was rampant in the Valley and several other parts of the country. The forecast for Arizona was for a swath nicknamed the Arizona Sun Corridor from Prescott in the north all the way south to Sierra Vista and the Mexico border to emerge with more than 10 million residents by 2040. That seemed like a lofty goal a decade ago during the recession. But metro Phoenix, which includes part of Pinal County, has nearly 4.86 million people living here now. Metro Tucson has nearly 1 million residents, and the Prescott area has about 100,000 residents. Maricopa County added 81,244 people between July 2017 and July 2018, up from 74,000 people during that same period the year before. Tucson and Prescott aren't growing as fast. But still the possibility of Arizona's growth corridor doubling in population in a decade doesn't seem unbelievable. With that said, the formula for Arizona's population growth has been wrong before. Valley 101 explores Lessons on the boom population Housing has played an outsize role in metro Phoenix's population forecasts since the 1950s when the area's affordable new housing began drawing lots of residents. But during the boom of 2004-06, speculators bought multiple homes with no plans to move into them. Some lied on mortgage documents and got Arizona driver's licenses even though they lived out of state. Those new homes and home sales artificially drove up prices and were calculated as part of metro Phoenix's projected growth. When home prices began to fall in 2007, many of those speculators walked away from Valley houses. As many as 50,000 new homes in the Phoenix-area sat empty in 2008-2009. Those houses had been tracked during the boom as part of the area's expected explosive population growth. The recession hit, and the fake demand for homes and bad subprime loans backed by Wall Street led to a record number of foreclosures. New neighborhoods in the Valley's edge suburbs from Pinal County to Buckeye were half built and almost empty by 2008. Those "ghost town" neighborhoods became a symbol of the housing crash. In 2007, the forecast was for 105,000 people to move to metro Phoenix in 2008. That didn't happen, and some growth watchers still think the Valley might have lost more people than it gained in 2008-2009. CLOSE Arizona has recouped the number of jobs lost since the recession, but growth has recently started to slow. Nicole Schaub, Arizona Republic Fixing Phoenixs growth Arizona estimated the state had 6.7 million residents in 2009. But census data released in 2010 showed only 6.4 million. The overly optimistic forecasts also led to too many new schools, shopping centers and roads being built on the edges of metro Phoenix. In 2010, Arizona hired its first demographer to find out what had gone wrong with the state's growth projections. Now, the state's population growth numbers aren't as dependent on housing, and tallies during the crash have been revised. Arizona's population, now at almost 7.2 million, is expected to grow 1.6 percent in 2018 and 1.5 percent 2019, adding a bit more than 100,000 residents both years. Most of Arizona's residents live in metro Phoenix and Tucson. Here are 10 developments with the lowest prices To hit those six-digit growth forecasts, metro Phoenix must keep enticing residents with housing they can afford and jobs. Right now Casa Grande, almost in the middle of Phoenix and Tucson, has new homes priced at $170,000. That's $150,000 less than what the typical new home in metro Phoenix is selling for now. And many of the new home buyers in Casa Grand work in nearby metro Phoenix suburbs, Gilbert, Chandler and Mesa. Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8040. Follow her on Twitter @Catherinereagor. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral today. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/real-estate/catherine-reagor/2019/04/21/could-phoenix-and-tucson-merge-2040-population-growth/3509155002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/real-estate/catherine-reagor/2019/04/21/could-phoenix-and-tucson-merge-2040-population-growth/3509155002/ |
How can Arizona not require schools to teach about the Holocaust? | Opinion: Arizona's academic standards don't require lessons on the Holocaust - essentially saying the modern-day genocide doesn't matter. Holocaust survivor Alexander White answers students' questions at Phoenix's Central High School. (Photo: Christine Keith, AZR) Hitler wanted me dead. I wanted to live. Dr. Alexander White softly uttered those words, belying the steely resolve behind them. I hung on every word this slight man uttered as I spent several minutes speaking with him at the We Remember: the Liberators exhibition, which opened recently at the Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center in downtown Phoenix and runs through Sept. 11. Now in his mid-90s, Dr. Whites eyes are still bright despite the horrors he witnessed firsthand as a survivor of the Holocaust. Born in June 1923 in Krosno, Poland, White was a teen when the Nazis invaded. Of his 34 family members, only White and two cousins survived. Holocaust survivor wants kids to know He credits his father with the words that sustained him during his dark days at the Luftwaffe Labor Camp, followed by six months in the concentration camp at Krakow-Plassow. Be a mensch a person of integrity and honor were the last words his father spoke to him before boarding a train to Auschwitz. White never saw his father again. But his survival was also thanks, in part, to the work of Oskar Schindler. Yes, that Schindler. White Alexander Bialywlos, as he was known at the time was Number 270 on the famous Schindlers List. With help from Schindler, White eventually made it the United States after the war. He became a physician and U.S. Army officer before opening a practice in Chicago. Now retired in Scottsdale, White spends considerable time speaking in middle and high schools, as well as college classes. He gives voice to what he experienced at the hands of the Nazis, allowing students to catch a glimpse of what he saw with his own eyes. Two-thirds don't know what Auschwitz is White fights against time his biggest enemy feeling a sense of urgency to ensure the history he experienced, and survived, is not lost. It is a justified imperative. According to a recent Newsweek article, One-third of Americans think substantially less than 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. In similar findings, The Washington Post reported that two-thirds of American millennials recently surveyed cannot identify what Auschwitz is. I wish I could say the state of Arizona is leading the way in ensuring the next generation learns about the Holocaust so we can prevent this atrocity from ever again blotting the record of human history. Unfortunately, I cant. NEWSLETTERS Get the Opinions Newsletter newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Our best and latest in commentary in daily digest form. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-800-332-6733. Delivery: Mon-Fri Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Opinions Newsletter Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters Arizona doesn't require Holocaust lessons According to House Concurrent Resolution 2032, the Holocaust is not currently a required topic in Arizonas academic standards. My husband, Rep. Lorenzo Sierra, co-sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 2032 to express support for educating students about the Holocaust in grades 8-12. Rep. Michelle Udall (R-Mesa) sponsor of the Resolution, worked with Holocaust survivors, the Phoenix Holocaust Association, and legislative staff to write the resolution. Udall, an educator and former member of the Mesa School District governing board, explained to me that the Holocaust is mentioned in the states K-12 Social Studies standards as one way to teach one of the history strands, but it is an option, not a requirement. Put another way, Arizona has not deemed it important for the states 1.1 million public school students to learn about a modern-day genocide that took the lives of six million Jews and five million Slavs, Roma, disabled, homosexuals, and political and religious dissidents killed during the Holocaust. Teach it so history isn't repeated Dr. White and the Holocaust survivors and liberators I met at the exhibition have already borne witness to history in ways you and I cannot imagine. The survivors suffered depravity and evil with dignity and a sheer will to survive that defies understanding. The liberators endured hardship and saw horrors they carry with them to this day. Stratton Hermann, who served in the Army's 89th Infantry Division and has received the Bronze Star, Silver Star and Purple Heart, carries shrapnel one-quarter inch away from his heart. Yet he told me he would do it all again, without question. These elderly men and women have already served history and our society with honor and distinction. It should not be up to them to act as educators and teachers, providing the education our state has abdicated. Surely the least we can do to honor the lives of these living memorials is to ensure current and future generations of Arizonans learn the lessons of history so they are never again repeated. Our states Department of Education and members of the Arizona Legislature would do well to take to heart the words of Dr. Whites father. Be a mensch. Be a good person and do the right thing. Change the laws so Holocaust education is required for every Arizona middle and high school student. Rhonda Cagle is Chief Communications and Development Officer for Imagine Schools, a national network of non-profit public charter schools. She is an occasional contributor to The Arizona Republic. Follow her on Twitter: @RhondaCagle1. Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2019/04/21/holocaust-arizona-state-standards-should-require/3478420002/ | https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2019/04/21/holocaust-arizona-state-standards-should-require/3478420002/ |
What must a black man do to stay alive? | The latest victim was squatted by the side of his car. I can see why he would be afraid to reach anywhere on his body to get the gun because that also could have been misconstrued as a threat. After 40 seconds and 15 commands, it appears to me that he began to comply and was killed. I suggest that when an episode between African-American men and police escalates that African-American men lie face down on the ground. I know this is demeaning, but it may save your life until police departments work on this fear of African-American men. Or it seems that way in Charlotte, anyway. Why dont we place the blame where it belongs. I dont care what color my skin is, if I walk into a fast-food restaurant with a gun and threaten people, my odds of being killed by the police go up. If police arrive and tell me numerous times to drop the gun and I dont comply, my odds go way up. I want to thank the CMPD officers in this case for protecting the public. Lets look at the flip side of the outcome. The headline could have been Local man kills 5 at fast-food restaurant. Bill Hite, Indian Land Glad to see proposed blue light bill go Patrick Hopkins In response to No blue lights for Congress on NC roads (April 18): I was disappointed to learn of a bill that would have allowed members of Congress to drive with blue lights flashing in North Carolina for safety and security. This struck me as a self-important measure submitted by an elected official who seemed to want to set lawmakers apart from the populace they represent. This was about privilege. Thankfully, common sense prevailed and the bill was dropped. This has nothing to do with partisanship or Donald Trump. We were attacked, simply for being American. To downplay this is nothing more than a slap in the face. Rep. Ilhan Omars remarks are an attempt to minimize an attack on our country. Plain and simple. Her comments, not the video of the atrocities of that day, are what incite contempt against her. And believe me, I will remember this on Election Day in 2020. Teresa Bradley, Rock Hill Not all history is glorious; teach it all In response to NC lawmakers pass bill requiring schools to teach the Holocaust (April 17): Human history has no shortage of carnage towards people just for being who and what they are. Teach our children about the Egyptians enslaving the Hebrews, the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades, the plight of Africans reduced to sub-humans and Native Americans stripped of everything and demonized for it and the Holocaust. Children need to know human history is not all glorious, it has also been shaped by hate and genocide. We must stop this cycle now. Teach our children well! Regina Eger, Mooresville Break up pattern of housing segregation In response to Charlotte leaders consider how to undo legacy of housing segregation (April 14): Sue Friday Breaking up Charlottes pattern of housing segregation has been a stated goal for decades. A current barrier, other than the property values mantra, is the failure to realize that the goal of diversification can also be met through the current negative gentrification. Surely there is a way to make housing patterns work both ways without causing a massive loss of affordable housing. To say minorities prefer to live among each other has always been a way of perpetuating segregation. And upper income NIMBYs must accept that low income and low class are two different categories. | https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article229469279.html |
Does Facebook Survive Because Of Its Size Or Because We Gave Up On Privacy And Security? | As Facebook has weathered a never-ending deluge of privacy and security-related scandals over the past year, the only constant has been the lack of consequences for the company. To date it has suffered no massive fines, no major troublesome new legislation and most importantly, no mass defections of its users or advertisers. In fact, the company actually set new profit and growth records amidst all the scandals. Facebook has become such a critical part of modern life that it is almost impossible to imagine a world without it. Our governments communicate policy proposals and new laws via its pages and use it to listen to their constituents. Elections are increasingly allegedly decided by which candidate has the better social media strategy to leverage its communicative power. Media outlets rely on Facebook to drive traffic to their sites, while businesses increasingly use it to communicate, turning their once-dynamic websites into static shrines. Like the company we love to hate but cannot live without, Facebooks abusive relationship with its two billion users grows worse by the day because the company increasingly realizes that its users simply have no choice but to accept whatever harm it wishes to bestow upon them. The depressing answer is that in 2019, it is entirely conceivable to picture a startup weathering such a scandal without losing any of its customers. In fact, the network effect means that once a site reaches a certain number of users, it is hard to move on, especially as sites move to address the limitations that allowed predecessors like MySpace to collapse. Even the discretion-first social network Ashley Madison appears to have fully recovered from its infamous 2015 breach, touting impressive growth in the years since. In fact, the company notes that all of the media coverage of its breach was actually a huge boon to growing its business. Putting this together, Facebooks lack of consequences for its breaches leaves us with only two uncomfortable possibilities: either the company has become simply too big to regulate or else the public simply no longer cares about its online security or privacy. All evidence points to the latter. In the end, the fact that other social networks that have experienced breaches have also managed to grow considerably in the aftermath points to the same sad conclusion: we really dont care about our online safety, security or privacy anymore. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/04/21/does-facebook-survive-because-of-its-size-or-because-we-gave-up-on-privacy-and-security/ |
What's the story behind the marooned Minneapolis White Castle? | Then again, you might not even have realized that it is an antique store. It certainly doesnt look like one. Its more like an apparition from a distant fast-food era, a time before the Golden Arches. It is a former White Castle, but not just any White Castle. Its No. 8. And its historic. It was a jewelry store for a while. Before that, it was an office for a construction company. Now its Xcentric Goods. Once a month, said Clark Miller, one of Xcentrics partners. They walk in the door, look around, confused, and you think, If they cant smell the onions, its not a White Castle. The interior gives no hints of the buildings previous use, and you might be startled to see theres a basement. Theres a story behind that, too. Yes. It was moved twice, in fact. The restaurants were designed so they could be dismantled and relocated. You could take them apart like a Tinkertoy, Miller said. The company leased the land under the restaurants, and, if it was unable to reach a new deal when a lease expired, the folks at White Castle HQ in Ohio would shrug and say, All right, were off, then. White Castle was founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kan. It was such a success that the very next year, the company started opening franchises throughout the Midwest. And soon the chain was at the center of a burger war that began and ended in Minneapolis. While attending the University of Minnesota, Thomas Saxe had been impressed by his trips to the fancy new White Castle restaurant. The bright white bricks and shiny interior connoted healthfulness and hygiene, and because the grill was visible to the customers, you could tell the meat wasnt gray or flyblown. He decided to start his own chain and called it White Tower. White Castle was not amused and sued Saxe in 1929 in a Minnesota court. White Tower lost, altered its designs and confined its stores 230 at its peak to territories where White Castles were scant. You might wonder: Since White Castle No. Alas, no. This White Castle was built in 1936 in the new porcelain-clad steel frame style. The towers had turrets and crenelations like an idealized castle, although the design was supposedly inspired by the Chicago Water Tower. (It was such an innovative design that No. 8 has its own Wikipedia page.) In 1950, the owner of the property refused to renew the lease, so No. 8 was moved to 329 Central Av. SE. In 1983, the company opened a new, much bigger White Castle just down the block. Before the smaller one could be demolished, however, the citys Landmark Preservation Commission, fearing the loss of a unique commercial structure, bestowed upon No. 8 the mantle of a Historic Structure. A White Castle is not Mount Vernon, Norene Roberts, commission member, was quoted in a 1984 New York Times story about No. 8s legacy. But without the White Castle, wed miss an awful lot of the American experience and our social history. Its one thing to say a building must be preserved; its another to ensure it. The owner of the land under the building wanted it for a parking lot, meaning that the structure had to be sold and moved. The building itself was dirt cheap. The catch was that the buyer had to take it away. The White Castle building on the move in 1984 from Central Avenue in Minneapolis to its current home on Lyndale. Looking for an unusual space to convert into an office, Calamity J. Construction ended up paying $10 for the building, and then another $10,000 to move it. Which they did, in 1984, to its current home at 3252 Lyndale Av. S. White Castle did not abandon its embassy. The sale included rules that the owner must follow: no food, liquor, or porn could ever be sold in the unit. Thus it has ever been. Because were on the National Historic Register, we cant add a sign, Miller said, Thats why its not attached to the building. And were the only portable building on the Historic Register. Weve been here six years, and we love it, he added. Its iconic and we have a parking lot. Too bad its historic, or they couldve added the citys first drive-through antique lane. | http://www.startribune.com/what-s-the-story-behind-the-marooned-minneapolis-white-castle/508773862/ |
Are Facebook's Privacy And Security Scandals Actually Helping It? | Getty Implicit in the steady drumbeat of coverage over the past year about Facebooks seemingly endless deluge of scandals is the idea that high-profile security and privacy breaches are a bad thing. Historically it was certainly the case that a company that suffered a massive breach of intimate customer data would find itself in full-on damage recovery mode, likely hemorrhaging customers and fending off lawsuits. Yet, Facebooks remarkable ability to escape the past year unscathed and in fact post record profits and growth numbers suggests we may have entered a new era in which privacy breaches can actually help a company, rather than harm it. One of the more remarkable elements of the Facebook story over the past year is the way in which in the face of almost weekly stories of egregious safety, security and privacy breaches, the company has suffered almost no consequences. In fact, the company has posted record financial and user growth over that period. The most common explanation put forth by commentators has been that Facebook is now simply too big to fail. Its integration into every corner of our lives means we simply have no choice but to go along with whatever it does to us. Take the example of Ashley Madisons infamous 2015 breach. Unlike a Facebook or Twitter user account, being uncovered as an Ashley Madison member could bring severe consequences, including public humiliation, job loss, divorce and financial ruin. Yet, rather than convince the public that Ashley Madison could not be trusted with their intimate information, the company has apparently enjoyed a spectacular renaissance, posting huge growth numbers since its breach. Of particular note, the company attributes its success to the intense global media coverage it received in the aftermath of the breach, which catapulted it into household name status. In Facebooks case, it was roughly a decade ago that the company was in a similar situation, facing a global outcry over its then-unthinkable privacy changes, with calls for mass user defections, new legislation, lawsuits and protests to force the company to reverse course. None of this came to pass and by staying the course and largely ignoring the global outcry, the company was able to completely reset societal expectations around privacy. Looking back on this watershed moment, the immense global attention the Facebook received during this period, with endless media coverage, policymaker statements and societal debate, cemented Facebook firmly in the public eye as the dominant social media platform. Moreover, by standing firm in the midst of all of that outrage, the company established a precedent that, unlike ordinary corporate America, public outcry would not shift its stance on privacy or security issues. The lack of any mass defections from the site and its explosive growth during this period called its critics bluffs and taught both the company and the public that when push came to shove, the public would back down on security and privacy debates. There are considerable parallels between that period in Facebooks history and today. In both cases the company was weathering public outrage, policymaker threats and intense negative media coverage. Yet, all of that attention actually benefited the company back then, leading to explosive growth. Facebooks ability once again to ride the latest wave of public outrage almost entirely unscathed suggests that in our modern era there is little the public is willing to do when it comes to actually backing up their words with actions. For all the public cries that Facebooks privacy and security actions are utterly unacceptable, no-one is leaving the platform. In fact, all of the attention being drawn to the platform is actually accelerating its growth. Putting this all together, the ability of Facebook and a growing number of web companies to survive their privacy and security scandals with little consequence suggests we may need to rethink the common assumption that such scandals are bad for companies. In the end, we must confront the possibility that security and privacy scandals are actually positive developments in today's world that cement companies dominance and lead to waves of explosive growth in their aftermath. As the saying goes, there is no such thing as bad press. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/04/21/are-facebooks-privacy-and-security-scandals-actually-helping-it/ |
What Is Now The Prime Method Of TV Delivery And Do Viewers Actually Know Or Care? | TV content delivery is one of the hot topics of discussion amongst TV execs the world over, but it has become largely inconsequential for those who are consuming that content. The method of TV content delivery was once the hot topic of conversation amongst viewers too. TV content has been delivered via many routes over the years - analog terrestrial, satellite and cable, then moving on to digital terrestrial, satellite and cable. Each of these delivery methods competed to be the sole provider of multi-channel TV services into the home and they were bundled up with phone and internet services in a bid to dominate the subscription landscape. Fast forward a couple of decades and TV content arrives into multiple screens in the home and on the move and the viewers neither know nor care how it got there. Services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube are streamed into homes through what is known as over-the-top (OTT) delivery and they sit on smart TV screens' electronic program guides alongside the traditional linear channels that are still arriving via digital terrestrial, cable or satellite. They are presented in such a way that the viewer is unaware of how they are transmitted. Most consumers no longer rely on a single method of TV delivery. Hybrid TV delivery has become the norm. This new way of consuming TV has fuelled the growth of streaming services, but the traditional linear broadcasters have felt threatened by it. As part of their fight back, broadcasters across the world have launched their own OTT services and/or made their content available to existing streaming services. OTT hasn't had the last laugh, however. There is still one area where the traditional broadcasters hold the upper hand: live content. Streaming services are not yet capable of delivering perfect quality live programming to audiences on mass. OTT services do stream live content, but it is often beset by buffering, poor sound and picture quality or a slight delay. And, the technology to deliver perfect live content at scale via OTT is a long way off. So, TV content will continue to be delivered via a mix of routes and the viewers will increasingly subscribe to a combination of these services in order to see what they want when they want it. How that content arrives on the screen will remain of little concern to viewers. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/annatobin/2019/04/21/what-is-now-the-prime-method-of-tv-delivery-and-do-viewers-actually-know-or-care/ |
Why did people stop building statues on Easter Island? | Easter Island's statues are famous. Towering stone figures against the island's green landscape, they've inspired replica statues in Japan and emojis on smartphones around the world. As correspondent Anderson Cooper reports this week on 60 Minutes, there are at least 1,000 moai scattered across the Pacific island, each of which represents an ancestor of the local population, the Rapa Nui. Even though the Rapa Nui still believe the moai represent their family linesand give off a mystical force called manathey stopped building the statues centuries ago. That is a very good question," Cooper told 60 Minutes Overtime's Ann Silvio. "And it's not a question, I think, that there's any clear or one answer to." Cooper and his producer, Keith Sharman, spoke with a local Rapa Nui historian to explore some of the theories. Cristin Moreno Pakarati, who also trains tour guides on the island, explained that locals stopped making moai during a time of high deforestation. Without trees, islanders had to build specialized rock gardens, which kept the soil humid. The task required a lot of time and communal efforteffort that would otherwise have been used to transport the giant statues around the island. Another potential reason the Rapa Nui stopped building moai was a rise in the Birdman cult. Living on an isolated island without large mammals or reptiles, Rapa Nui came to revere what animal they did see: birds. Over time, as Moreno Pakarati explained, birds became the medium through which the island's ancestors manifested to the people, rather than the stone moai. "As the Birdman cult rose, and as there were stresses on the island and people had to start this rock-garden farming, they had less time to make moai," Cooper explained. Today, the centuries-old statues are beginning to feel their age. Hundreds of years of sun, wind, and rain have battered the moai. Rainwater and airborne seeds seep into the pores of the stone, gradually breaking it apart. Birds and a type of algae called lichen have damaged the stone further. Without new moai to replace the moai as they decay, the islanders are now trying to figure out how to preserve their statues. "It's not just archaeologists," Cooper said. "It's also local people trying to preserve a way of life and a belief system that has great power for them." To watch Anderson Cooper's 60 Minutes report on Easter Island, click here. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-did-people-stop-building-statues-on-easter-island-60-minutes-2019-04-21/ |
Could antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" become a bigger killer than cancer? | When antibiotics were first used in the 1940s they were a revolution in medicine. Before that, diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis were often a death sentence, and even an infected scratch could be fatal. Since then, antibiotics have saved hundreds of millions of lives. But now many of these drugs are becoming ineffective. Scientists say it's a problem of our own making. We've used antibiotics so freely, some bacteria have mutated into so-called "superbugs." They've become resistant to the very drugs designed to kill them. A study commissioned by the British government estimates that by 2050, 10 million people worldwide could die each year from antibiotic resistant bacteria. That's more than currently die from cancer. To understand the danger posed by superbugs, we start with the story of David Ricci. Cases of antibiotic resistant bacteria In U.S. neonatal intensive care units Increasing In 2011, at the age of 19, David Ricci volunteered to teach orphans in Kolkata, India. His walk to work ran alongside these train tracks. David Ricci: I remember the trains, when they would pass by, were just really close to you. And had caught my sleeve and threw me in front of it. David Ricci: Probably about 50 meters. David Ricci: My leg was pinned between two of the wheels as soon as I tried to stand up and realized that, you know, my leg was like hamburger. David Ricci Ricci survived the amputation of his leg and a medical evacuation home to Seattle, only for his doctors to discover a microscopic organism that could kill him. David Ricci: My doctor said: "David, I need to tell you something really hard. You have an infection we've never seen before." David Ricci: They'd never seen it, they didn't, they didn't even know how to treat it. The infection growing inside Ricci's leg was caused by bacteria with genetic mutations that turned them into superbugs, resistant to 19 different antibiotics. Study finds 1 in 3 international travelers return with drug resistant bacteria His doctor told us that in desperation, he had to reach back in time to an antibiotic called colistin that was discovered in the 1940s. For decades it was rarely used because in high doses it can cause irreversible organ damage. Ricci suffered kidney failure three times. David Ricci: It felt like my organs were disintegrating. It's just felt really, really strange, something I'd never felt before, like I was dying from the inside out. But after six months, the colistin helped beat back Ricci's infection. And he learned to walk again. We went to the neighborhood where the superbug that nearly killed David Ricci was found in 2009 in Delhi, india. Ramanan Laxminarayan: This is old Delhi Ramanan Laxminarayan with correspondent Holly Williams Ramanan Laxminarayan is an economist and a senior research scholar at Princeton University. He's been tracking the rise of superbugs for nearly 20 years. He says what happened to Ricci was more than just bad luck, it was the result of our misuse of antibiotics. Ramanan Laxminarayan: We took antibiotics for granted. We thought that we could use them like sugar pills, that they were safe and that resistance was just something that biologists worried about that you'd never actually see in real life. Holly Williams: You've called antibiotics a shared global resource. Ramanan Laxminarayan: It's a lot like, you know, the fish in the ocean. If you fish, there's less fish for everyone else. So every time you use antibiotics, there's less effectiveness for everyone else. If there's a frontline in the fight against superbugs, it's in places like this: the neonatal intensive care unit at Chacha Nehru Children's Hospital in New Delhi. Sixty-thousand Indian babies are dying every year from drug resistant infections. Holly Williams:. Dr. Mamta Jajoo: Yes. Dr. Mamta Jajoo Dr. Mamta Jajoo told us the antibiotics she routinely used 10 years ago are no longer effective. That's forced her to use colistin, the toxic "last line" antibiotic given to David Ricci. Dr. Mamta Jajoo: Colistin. Dr. Mamta Jajoo: Yes. Dr. Mamta Jajoo: Yeah. Dr. Mamta Jajoo: He's improving. The baby's improving. He started opening the eyes, looking here and there, and hopefully by tomorrow we'll take him out of the ventilator. That's good news for this baby, but the World Health Organization warns our arsenal of antibiotics is running out and we could be facing a post-antibiotic era. Ramanan Laxminarayan: Much of what we consider modern medicine depends on effective antibiotics. It's not just about newborns dying of infections in faraway places. Ramanan Laxminarayan: Everything that we think of whether it's cancer chemotherapy, transplants, hip replacements, knee replacements, colorectal surgery, all of these require effective antibiotics to perform. To understand how quickly bacteria become resistant to even the most powerful drugs, we visited Harvard University biologist Michael Baym. He showed us an experiment first done in the lab of Roy Kishony. On what looks like a miniature football field, Baym pours a solution containing ciprofloxacin -- or cipro -- a broad spectrum antibiotic. Michael Baym: This one has no antibiotic. Michael Baym: This one has just over what the bacteria are able to survive. Michael Baym: It should kill them. Michael Baym: Ten times as much. Holly Williams: Okay. Michael Baym: A hundred times as much. The center zone of the table contains a thousand times more cipro than bacteria should be able to survive. Then Baym drops E. coli bacteria at both ends of the table. Michael Baym: There are about a million bacteria in there. Michael Baym: In that little drop. So the bacteria start at both sides and they race to the center. In just a few days, some of the E. coli bacteria figure out how to resist the cipro and survive in what should be a deadly environment. Michael Baym: And if you look very closely right here, they're starting to grow into the center. Michael Baym: By far the strongest. Michael Baym: Exactly. Holly Williams: And yet, they're beginning to evolve, to mutate. Michael Baym: This is evolution happening. Each one of these little things that you see on it, that's a mutant. That's a mutant that's developed resistance and started to grow. Michael Baym: In 12 days. Each time we take an antibiotic, bacteria can develop the same kind of resistance in our bodies, which is why the overuse of the drugs is so dangerous. Americans are among the highest consumers of antibiotics in the world. More than 250 million prescriptions are written every year. One-third of them unnecessary, according to the centers for disease control. And in India and many other developing countries antibiotic use is on the rise and you can often buy the drugs over the counter, no prescription required. Ramanan Laxminarayan: Yeah, exactly. All you need here, is the money to pay the bill. For just a few dollars we bought ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin, both vitally important antibiotics used to treat infections all over the world. And then, without even discussing symptoms, we asked for a bottle of colistin, the same powerful antibiotic that saved david ricci and the babies in the intensive care unit. Ramanan Laxminarayan: This is colistin. Ramanan Laxminarayan: Absolutely. Humans aren't the only ones being dosed with colistin. Ramanan Laxminarayan took us to this poultry farm outside Delhi. Holly Williams: Oh, watch out. Where they mix their feed with four different types of antibiotics, including colistin. Antibiotics make animals grow faster and stave off infection. It's a practice pioneered in the United States, where over a dozen different antibiotics are approved for use in farm animals. Ramanan Laxminarayan: If you look around us, the chicks are eating constantly. There are antibiotics in that feed, which means that their bacteria are being exposed to the antibiotics on a constant basis, and constantly selecting for resistance. Holly Williams: What does that mean, "selecting for resistance?" Ramanan Laxminarayan: It means that the bacteria in those chicken are being exposed to antibiotics, which kill off the bacteria that are sensitive to the antibiotics, leaving behind only resistant bacteria which don't respond to antibiotics. Ramanan Laxminarayan: Because they're being fed antibiotics every single day of their lives. And once a superbug evolves in animals, it can spread to humans through soil, water, and the handling or eating of meat. That's exactly what happened in China when pigs that were fed colistin developed a genetic mutation called MCR-1. It makes bacteria resistant to colistin. The findings were first published in 2015. Just three years later, MCR-1 was found in more than 40 countries. In 2017, 69-year-old Jeff O'Regan became one of the first Americans to be found with MCR-1. He arrived at Massachusetts General Hospital delirious, and with a fever of 106. Jeff O'Regan: Yep. I became, like a famous person at the hospital. Very strange. Within a day or two of that a lot of different doctors were coming in to visit me, asking me a lotta questions. Jeff O'Regan: They were asking me where I've been in the last six months, what my travel is. You know, everything about my life. Microbiologist and infectious disease doctor Sarah Turbett was worried the infection could spread, so she put O'Regan in isolation. Dr. Sarah Turbett: We had not. This was the first one that our lab had isolated. Holly Williams: MCR-1 was first spotted in pigs in China. Dr. Sarah Turbett: It's a great question. It's not completely clear how it ended up in Jeff. It's entirely possible that he picked this up during his travel. I know he's been to the Caribbean, and MCR-1 has been reported in the Caribbean. And so it's possible that when he was there, he ate something that maybe wasn't well cooked or he picked it up and it just colonized his gastrointestinal tract. The Centers for Disease Control is now tracking MCR-1 and told us they have found isolated cases in 19 states. The superbug is still in O'Regan's system and with colistin now no longer an option, he's relying on the one antibiotic left that can fight it. Jeff O'Regan: Right now that's my last line of defense. Jeff O'Regan: I've been told that. Holly Williams: Some people might hear this and think, "Well look, the best way to protect myself is just to not travel to India, not travel to other developing countries." Ramanan Laxminarayan: There are resistant bacteria that are developed in the United States itself that you are susceptible to. You know, this is a global problem. It doesn't stay confined to any single place. Ramanan Laxminarayan: You as an individual can have a huge impact by first recognizing that taking antibiotics inappropriately is gonna do you far more harm than good. So even if you didn't care about resistance for other people, you might consider the fact that the antibiotics won't work for you when you really need them. Produced by Denise Schrier Cetta. Associate producer, Megan Kelty. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-become-a-bigger-killer-than-cancer-60-minutes-2019-04-21/ |
Why Do We Blame Social Media For Being Addictive Instead Of Ourselves? | Getty There has been a growing backlash over the last few years against the addictiveness of social media. Commentators and policymakers have lamented the behavioral engineering and psychological manipulation used by social platforms to maximize the amount of time their users spend within their walled gardens, contributing content and racking up monetizable ad views. Yet, at the end of the day, we make a conscious choice to spend all of that time on social media. It is certainly true that social media platforms have invested considerable efforts in maximizing the psychological appeal of their products. Design features like individual-level personalization keep us enticed with a never-ending stream of irresistible content, endless scrolling ensures we never have to break our attention, gamification encourages us to contribute our own content and a societal shift towards realtime information produces a constant fear of missing out if we don't stay on top of every social update. Most importantly, social platforms do not charge a monetary entrance fee, instead collecting their revenue from the silent manipulation and monetization of our behaviors and interests. The lack of pay-per-view fee means there is no financial incentive to minimize the amount of time we spend on social platforms. The societal pressures of appearing engaged and informed do precisely the opposite, pushing us to spend as much time as possible consuming and contributing. At the same time, behavioral engineering can only explain so much of our social media addiction. Grocery stores place fast food items at the front of their stores to grab shoppers as they come in, while bombarding them in the checkout line with endless impulse items. Yet, while we may criticize grocery stores for these actions, we dont label this placement a public health crisis in immediate need of legislation. Similarly, the rise of almost infinite television selections in the late 1990s prompted economic and cultural debate regarding oversaturation, but there were few real efforts to reign in the spread of television. Today, few are endorsing an end to the music and movie streaming services that similarly provide us endless entertainment selections with the same kind of personalized customization and interfaces designed to encourage us to spend as much time as possible consuming their content. We view these services as fantastic advances in reducing the friction of consuming entertainment. When media outlets began wholeheartedly embracing clickbait headlines, we were disappointed but there were few calls by policymakers for new legislation banning the practice. In fact, it was Facebook that helped discourage the practice by penalizing such articles in users news feeds. The perennial popularity of celebrity gossip magazines would suggest that alone would hold considerable appeal. If it is connectedness that we view as the root of all internet evil, then blaming platforms is of little use. Even if Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were to change their interfaces or cease to exist, some other platform would merely rise from their interface ashes to feed our addictions. Much of the worlds great communications researchers and psychologists were employed during the two world wars in the search for technologies and processes that could grab and hold the attention of the public, yet they instead merely debunked and discredited existing scholarship that claimed the existence of such tools, rather than construct the ultimate attentional weapon. If it is the ability to be ever-more connected to our friends, family and our objects of fandom, then we must ask whether the march of telecommunications technology makes this progression inevitable. If it is the interfaces of our social platforms that have broken the secret psychological code of the human mind, then all is lost as our wartime fears of a century ago will find fulfillment as companies and governments are able to place any thought they wish into our minds. In the end, the real question is how weve allowed society to revert from responsible adults back to mindless children in just two decades. When we finally have the answer to that question, perhaps we will understand a whole lot more about just what the coming future of the web might look like. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/04/21/why-do-we-blame-social-media-for-being-addictive-instead-of-ourselves/ |
Will the Supreme Court help hide where food stamp money goes? | Behind Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media is the Freedom of Information Act, a 1967 law pivotal to your right to know: Our view With so much of government already shrouded in secrecy consider the redacted Mueller report released last week it bears remembering that the ultimate boss in a democracy is the public. President Abraham Lincoln spoke of a "government of the people, by the people, for the people." And, within reasonable limits, the people have every right to know how government spends their hard-earned tax dollars. That's true whether it's more than $25 million on the Mueller investigation or $70 billion each year on the nation's food stamp program, which is at the core of a crucial freedom-of-information dispute to be argued Monday before the Supreme Court. At stake is whether the high court will water down part of the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, the 1967 law pivotal to your right to know. The case began with a FOIA request in 2011 by a reporter for the Argus Leader in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, seeking U.S. Department of Agriculture reimbursements to individual stores that sell food under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. The Supreme Court is set to hear Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media on Monday. (Photo: Susan Walsh/AP) FOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE: FOIA wasn't meant for private parties The Argus Leader part of the USA TODAY Network was looking into potential SNAP-related fraud. USDA rejected the request, citing one of several FOIA exemptions. In this case, it was the release of financial information that would likely cause substantial competitive harm to a private business. That argument fell apart during a 2016 nonjury trial, when a judge failed to be convinced that merely releasing SNAP-related sales data would cause competitive harm to the individual stores. It didn't help USDA's case that before trial, the agency surveyed all 321,988 SNAP retailers, and only a few hundred were opposed to releasing the food stamp sales numbers. USDA conceded defeat. But a trade and lobbying group, the Food Marketing Institute sensing a sympathetic, pro-business majority on the Supreme Court intervened and appealed. The institute hopes a majority of justices will diminish or even reject the "substantial competitive harm" standard that has been used in FOIA cases for decades. Weakening FOIA with a wide exemption for confidential data would be a loss for the public. A decade after the act became law, the Supreme Court defined the objective of FOIA as ensuring "an informed citizenry, vital to the functioning of a democratic society, needed to check against corruption and to hold the governors accountable to the governed." The government doesn't need more ways to withhold information from taxpayers who deserve accountability and transparency. USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view a unique USA TODAY feature. To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter. To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to [email protected]. If you can't see this reader poll, please refresh your page. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/04/21/supreme-court-freedom-of-information-food-stamps-editorials-debates/3476054002/ | https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/04/21/supreme-court-freedom-of-information-food-stamps-editorials-debates/3476054002/ |
Who are Sri Lanka's Christians? | (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross (THE CONVERSATION) Over 200 people including several Americans were killed in several coordinated bomb attacks on churches on hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter. Several Christian communities spread across the island nation were targeted in the attack: Suicide bombers detonated one set of bombs at churches in the cities of Colombo and Negombo on the western coast, home to many Sinhalese-speaking Catholics. Another was detonated in a Protestant church 200 miles away in Batticaloa, a city in the Tamil majority eastern side of the island. As a Catholic religious studies researcher and professor, I lived in Sri Lanka in the fall of 2013 and did research on Catholicism in both the southwest and northern parts of the country. Approximately, 7% of Sri Lankas 21 million are Christian. The majority of them are Roman Catholic. Sri Lankas Christians have a long history that reflects the dynamics of colonialism as well as present-day ethnic and religious tensions. Entry of Catholicism It was Portuguese colonialism that opened the door for Roman Catholicism into the island nation. In 1505, the Portuguese came to Ceylon, as Sri Lanka was then called, in a trade agreement with King Vira Parakramabahu VII and later intervened in succession struggles in local kingdoms. Among those converted included Don Juan Dharmapala, the king of Kotte, a small kingdom near present-day Colombo on Sri Lankas southwestern coast. Later, when the Dutch and the Dutch East India Company displaced the Portuguese, Roman Catholicism was revived through the efforts of St. Joseph Vaz. Vaz was a priest from Goa, Portugals colony in India, and arrived in Sri Lanka in 1687. Popular folklore credits Vaz with a number of miracles, such as bringing rain during a drought and taming a rogue elephant. Pope Francis made Joseph Vaz a saint in 2015. By 1948, when Sri Lanka gained independence from Great Britain, Catholics had established a distinct identity. For example, Catholics would display the papal flag along with Sri Lankas national flag during independence day celebrations. But tensions rose in 1960 when the Sri Lankan government compromised the Catholic Churchs independence by taking over church schools. In 1962, there was an attempted coup by Catholic and Protestant Sri Lankan army officers to overthrow the government of then prime minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, allegedly in response to increased Buddhist presence in the military. Ethnic and religious divides The 25-year-long Sri Lankan Civil War, starting in 1983, divided the Catholic community. The war was fought against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, who sought a separate state for Sri Lankas Tamil community in the northern and eastern parts of the island. The rebels included Catholics in military positions. But, the Sri Lankan army also had Christian members holding leadership ranks. Catholic bishops from Tamil and Sinhalese areas could not develop a coherent response to the conflict. They would not even agree on recommending a ceasefire during the Christmas season. Recent years have seen the rise of militant forms of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Christians have been among its targets. For example, the ultra-nationalist Buddhist organization, the Bodu Bala Sena (also known as Buddhist Power Force) demanded that Pope Francis apologize for the atrocities committed by colonial powers. While being Catholic and being Sri Lankan are not considered to be contradictions, Catholicism in Sri Lanka still struggles with its colonial past. Part of global Catholicism At the same time, Catholicism has a strong cultural presence in the country. For example, in the North, there is a large pilgrimage site, Madhu, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which Pope Francis visited in 2015. There is also an internationally known healing and prayer center, Kudagama, northwest of the Buddhist holy city of Kandy. Sri Lankan Catholics have also become prominent in global Catholicism. The cardinal archbishop of the capital Colombo, Malcolm Ranjith, was mentioned as papabile, or candidate for pope, prior to the conclave that eventually elected Pope Francis. Protestants of Sri Lanka Sri Lankas Protestant community is quite small, constituting only 1% of Sri Lankas population. Like Catholicism, it was through colonialism that Protestant Christianity gained a foothold on the island. With Dutch traders and governmental officers came Calvinism and Protestant missionaries who worked in Sri Lankas coastal areas. While Calvinist Protestantism declined under British colonial rule, there was a revival in the Tamil-speaking northern areas of the island. The American Ceylon Mission began in 1813 and established a number of medical dispensaries and schools. Jaffna College, opened in 1872, remains an important Protestant educational institution that still has ties to America. The churches in Negombo, where I did research work and where one of the attacks took place, are beautiful Renaissance and Baroque-style structures that are centers of activity throughout the day. Not only are there daily masses, but Catholics often come to light candles and pray to the saints. During worship ceremonies, women wear veils as was the Catholic tradition in the West until the mid-20th century. Shrines to the Virgin Mary are a common sight on Negombos roads along with arches decorated with coconuts, which are the usual markers of a parish festival and procession. In honor of this Catholic culture, Negombo is popularly called Little Rome. But now this Little Rome with its beautiful churches, beaches, and lagoon will also be known as the site of a horrific act of anti-Christian violence. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/who-are-sri-lankas-christians-115799. | https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/article/Who-are-Sri-Lanka-s-Christians-13784372.php |
Could Raiders seek O-line help in first round? | Last April, the Raiders and head coach Jon Gruden made the widely unexpected decision to select an offensive lineman in the first round of the NFL draft. Doing so this year might come as less of a surprise. The Raiders, who traded back from No. 10 to No. 15 last year and selected tackle Kolton Miller, most likely wont use their first pick again on an offensive lineman, especially if they remain at No. 4. But with two later first-round picks as well as an early second-rounder, they could try to address a lingering question up front. In trading Kelechi Osemele to the Jets last month, the Raiders dealt their starting left guard of the past three seasons. Osemele started all but one game from 2016 through 17, making the Pro Bowl both seasons, before injuries limited him to 11 games in 2018. Denzelle Good, who appeared in four games after being claimed off waivers by the Raiders from the Colts late last season, signed a one-year extension last month and is an option to start opposite returning guard Gabe Jackson. Good started the Raiders final three games at right guard last season after Jackson was lost to an elbow injury. The Raiders also could look to this weeks draft to bolster an offensive line that allowed the fifth-most sacks in the NFL last season. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah had the Raiders using the 27th overall pick on Boston College guard Chris Lindstrom in a mock draft released last week. Gruden, meanwhile, allowed for the possibility of adding a guard in the draft while addressing reporters at last months owners meetings. Gruden was asked whether Jackson, who played left guard in his first two NFL seasons, could return to that side next season to replace Osemele. Were going to have to wait a little bit and see how it goes in the draft, Gruden said. Do we add one more piece or not? Defensive linemen are expected to populate Day 1 of the draft, so some top blockers might be available late in the first round, in which the Raiders hold picks No. 24 and 27. Cody Ford (Oklahoma), Lindstrom and Erik McCoy (Texas A&M) have been projected as possible late-first-round picks as interior linemen. Jonah Williams (Alabama) is a possible tackle or guard widely expected to be gone by the time the Raiders select at No. 24. The Raiders staff should be familiar with both Lindstrom and McCoy, having coached them on the North Team at the Senior Bowl in January. Dalton Risner (Kansas State), seen as either a guard or tackle, also played for the North team at the Senior Bowl and had a moment with Gruden at one practice, chest-bumping the coach following a blocking drill. Along with Osemele, the Raiders saw Jon Feliciano, their primary backup at both guard spots in recent seasons, leave in free agency. And last season in particular reinforced for the Raiders the importance of having depth along the offensive line. After drafting tackles Miller and Brandon Parker with two of their first three picks, the Raiders planned to have Parker sit and learn behind Donald Penn. After Penn sustained a groin injury in Week 4, though, Parker became the starting right tackle, and he and Miller struggled at times as quarterback Derek Carr was sacked a career-high 51 times. The Raiders responded by making Trent Brown the leagues highest-paid offensive lineman with a four-year, $66 million deal last month. He and Miller are expected to start this season, though the Raiders have not specified who will protect Carrs blindside at left tackle. That, coupled with changes at guard, leaves the Raiders line relatively unsettled heading into the draft. Jackson can play either position, right or left guard, Gruden said at the owners meetings last month. Trent can play right tackle at a high level, hes proven that; he can play left tackle, hes proven that as well. Were going to solve all that here in the next couple of weeks. Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @matthewkawahara | https://www.sfchronicle.com/raiders/article/Could-Raiders-seek-O-line-help-in-first-round-13784429.php |
Why Are We Still Using Century-Old Discredited Theories To Explain The Power Of Social Media? | Getty Social media is increasingly described as an all-powerful force shaping societal discourse, capable of toppling governments, swaying elections, promulgating propaganda, maximizing misinformation and undermining the very fabric of democracy. Yet, much of our understanding of the power of social media comes from the discredited propaganda theories of century ago that viewed media platforms as all-powerful tools for controlling populations and shaping societies. Looking beyond the false hype and hyperbole, we see that social media is a lot less powerful than we might think. For social platforms to lie at the root of every societal ill, from internet addiction to misinformation to foreign influence, would suggest that they have mastered the art of propaganda and behavioral engineering that has eluded humanity almost since the dawn of civilization. In many ways our fixation on social medias influence mirrors that of the great societal debate that arose at the dawn of the motion picture era a century ago. With the rising popularity of movies in the 1920s and 1930s and with World War I still fresh on societys mind, an emerging concern of considerable societal attention was the impact that movies could have on children, leading to the Payne Fund Studies to better understand just how influential movies were on the public. One of the outcomes of these studies and the retrospective look at wartime propaganda was the conceptualization of media messages as a magic bullet that could be fired into the minds of the public to convert them to a particular point of view or focus them on a specific narrative, overriding an individual's existing beliefs and tendencies. Much as Facebook is described today as having the power to shape the national discourse, flooding us with misinformation, swaying elections and addicting us beyond control, so too was the media once described as having almost limitless power to control the population, both domestically and abroad. In fact, one of the driving forces behind the Payne Fund Studies was the idea that the novel medium of movies was so powerful that the decisions of a small number of filmmakers could fundamentally rewrite societal norms and tear apart the very fabric of our existence, much as we speak today of social media platforms having that same power. Similar to today, this "magic bullet" theory arrived at a moment of great technological disruption in which unprecedented new communications technologies were upending the flow of information and the role of gatekeepers. New technologies were the perfect scapegoats upon which to hang all of society's problems. It is well worth returning to the scholarship of the era, in a time when the power of the media was viewed as so great that it could overwhelm a persons most deeply held convictions. As Lavine and Wechslers famous book War Propaganda and the United States offered in 1940, we live in a propaganda age... public opinion no longer is formulated by the slow process of shared experience in our time public opinion is primarily a response to propaganda stimuli. Over time this absolute power to overwhelm all beliefs and convictions gave way to a far more nuanced and complex understanding of how societies produce and consume information. Seminal studies like McComb and Shaws 1972 The Agenda-Setting Function of Mass Media clarified that media could exert considerable influence by drawing attention to issues, but that those effects were mediated by a complex interdependent web of backgrounds, beliefs and connections. In an eerily prescient preview of today's fixation on misinformation, David Riesman observed in 1941 that "[T]he fear of propaganda [has] created a large number of citizens who don't believe what they read in the papers, and who feel surrounded by conspiracies and lies." The Librarian of Congress warned at the time that "it is the very simple technique of repeating and repeating and repeating falsehoods, with the idea that by constant repetition and reiteration, with no contradiction, the misstatements will finally come to believed." As one author summed up the information environment at the time, it was "like a real combat zone, the war of words engendered a fog, a miasma that dazed and confused the otherwise rational participants in the democratic process and drove them paranoid." Much as FCC Chairman Newton Minows vast wasteland speech on the state of television half a century ago raised every one of the issues we today ascribe as novel issues unique to social media, so too did the communications scholars of just under a century ago grapple with the same issues we today see as the exclusive domain of social media. Read contemporary publications and coverage of the Payne Fund Studies and propaganda theories of the age, replacing the words mass media and propaganda with social media and "behavioral engineering" and even century-old research papers and news articles read as if they were published today. Study the works of Hadley Cantril, Harold Lasswell, Paul Lazarsfeld and other figures of the era and one will see that, like Minows 1961 television speech, the very concerns we claim today are unprecedented outcomes of social media are merely the age-old issues that arise every half century with the debut of a major new telecommunications technology. The Magic Bullet theory emerged at a time of great upheaval in the informational landscape, as the new medium of motion pictures represented a technology that was viewed as having almost hypnotic powers to sway populations against their every conviction, in spite of all evidence to the contrary. Minows 1961 vast wasteland speech marked yet another major transition point in which a new technology was upending the natural order of the communications landscape and raising a host of existential societal issues. Today social media represents the latest technological inflection point and once again we are grappling with all of the same questions we have confronted roughly every 50 years. It is particularly striking just how closely the current societal conversation about social media has hewed to the discredited theories of a century ago of all-powerful communications mediums and how quickly weve forgotten all of the quantitative knowledge weve gained in the decades since. Putting this all together, we are describing the power of social media today in remarkably similar terms as those used a century ago in an era when the media was viewed as all-powerful, capable of everything from toppling governments to influencing elections to promulgating propaganda to maximizing misinformation to addicting us to undermining the very fabric of democracy to beginning and ending wars with a few words. In the century since, we learned these fears were greatly exaggerated and we developed far more nuanced understandings of the interplay between the public and the communications mediums through which they interact and engage with the world. Yet, much like the rise of television half a century ago, it seems each great technological revolution is accompanied by the same existential fears that these new tools will rip apart the very fabric of human existence, turning us all into mindless zombies controlled by the airwaves or internet signals. In the end, perhaps instead of listening to yet another commentator proclaiming how Facebook will be the end of our world, we should spend that time reading works by scholars like Cantril, Lasswell and Lazarsfeld, the quantitative studies like McComb and Shaws and reread Minows vast wasteland speech. Perhaps seeing that our modern world is not so different from those of the past and that these exact issues seem to resurface every half century or so with the latest communications technology revolution, might help all of us tone down the rhetoric just enough that we can have a rational and informed debate about our digital future. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2019/04/21/why-are-we-still-using-century-old-discredited-theories-to-explain-the-power-of-social-media/ |
How Old Are the Characters on Game of Thrones? | Warning: This post contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8. In the second episode of the season 8 of Game of Thrones, Arya proved that shes grown up since the first season when she ran through the crowds at Winterfell sporting an oversized helmet. Not only has she evolved into an impressive warrior but a woman who knows what she wants: The night before the Battle of Winterfell, Arya seduces Gendry because she wants to know what it feels like before they face their death the next day. One important thing to note: The HBO TV series aged up several of the characters from George R.R. Martins books. Heres a guide to characters ages during season 8 of Game of Thrones. Arya Stark Helen SloanHBO Arya says that shes 11 years old on the first season of Game of Thrones. The show has moved at about the pace of one year per season, which means that Arya is currently 18 on Game of Thrones. Maisie Williams, who portrays Arya on the show, is 22 in real life. Sansa Stark Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark. Helen Sloan/HBO Sansa Stark is two years older than her sisterr Arya, which means that shes about 20 years old on the show. Sophie Turner is 23 in real life. Bran Stark Bran Stark sees past, present and future. Regardless, Isaac Hempstead Wright, who plays the greenseer, is 20 years old. Daenerys Targaryen Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones HBO Daenerys was about 17 years old when the show began: We hear that its been 17 years since Roberts Rebellion when Dany was born. So shes about 24 on Game of Thrones now. Actor Emilia Clarke is 32. Jon Snow Helen SloanHBO By the same logic, Jon Snow who was born in the Tower of Joy during Roberts Rebellion is also about 24 years old by the time of the Battle of Winterfell. Kit Harington, who plays Jon, is 32 in real life. Gendry Helen SloanHBO This one is a little more complicated. Gendry is the illegitimate son of Robert Baratheon, which would place him somewhere in his teens at the beginning of the show. In the books, hes said to be five years older than Arya, though the show seems to do away with that math since Gendry states in season 2 that he had worked for Blacksmith Tobho Mott for 10 years. Assuming he was somewhere between the ages of 16 and 20 when the show began, that means hes probably somewhere between 23 and 27 now. Actor Joe Dempsie is 31. Theon Macall B. PolayHBO In the first season of Game of Thrones, Theon says he has lived with the Starks since he was eight years old. In the same season, Ned Stark says the Starks havent gone to war in nine years, the last war being the Greyjoy rebellion that ended with Theon becoming a ward to the Starks. So assuming Theon was 17 when the show began, he would be 24 years old. Actor Alfie Allen is 32 in real life. Write to Eliana Dockterman at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5575054/game-of-thrones-how-old-is-arya-stark/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29 |
Who Has a Valyrian Steel Sword on Game of Thrones? | Warning: This post contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8. Ever since Jon Snow managed to take out a White Walker at Hardhome, weve known that Valyrian steel is capable of killing the Night Kings lieutenants and hopefully the Night King himself. So with the long-awaited battle between the living and the dead set for the third episode of Game of Thrones season 8, lets review the status of every Valyrian steel sword that has made its way to Winterfell. While there are plenty of dragonglass weapons which are capable of killing the wights to go around, only a select few of Westeros key players are wielding Valyrian steel. Heres a list of everyone who has a Valyrian steel sword leading up to the Battle of Winterfell. Jon Snow Helen SloanHBO Sword: Longclaw Ancestral house: Mormont Given to by: Lord Commander Jeor Mormont Brienne of Tarth Helen SloanHBO Sword: Oathkeeper one of two swords that Twyin Lannister forged from House Starks ancestral sword Ice Ancestral house: Stark Given to by: Jaime Lannister Jaime Lannister Helen SloanHBO Sword: Widows Wail one of two swords that Twyin Lannister forged from House Starks ancestral sword Ice Ancestral house: Stark Inherited from: Tommen Baratheon, who inherited it from Joffrey Baratheon Jorah Mormont Helen SloanHBO Sword: Heartsbane Ancestral house: Tarly Given to by: Samwell Tarly Honorable Mention: Arya Stark Helen SloanHBO Weapon: Valyrian steel dagger Formerly belonged to: Petyr Littlefinger Baelish, who claimed he lost it in a bet to Tyrion Lannister Given to by: Bran Stark Write to Megan McCluskey at [email protected]. | http://time.com/5575060/game-of-thrones-valyrian-steel-swords/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29 |
Who was Leonardo da Vinci and what can we learn from him? | Leonardo was born in 1452, apparently in a Tuscan village called Anchiano, not far from Vinci, and died in France in 1519. He may be best known as an artist but he was also an engineer, thinker and inventor. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Leonardo da Vincis restored the Last Supper in Santa Maria delle Grazie cathedral in Milan. Photograph: EPA Even talking about Leonardo as an artist and Leonardo as an engineer has little sense if we try to think like a Renaissance man, because everything was so much connected at that time, says Claudio Giorgione, curator at the Leonardo da Vinci National Science and Technology Museum in Milan. Leonardos most famous paintings include the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, while his drawings such as Vitruvian Man showcasing the proportions of the human body have become instantly recognisable. As copies of Leonardos notes and journals, such as the astonishing 12-volume Codex Atlanticus, became widely disseminated, appreciation of his observations, theories, and sketches of anatomy and contraptions also became famous. These included ideas that would only become a reality hundreds of years later, such as flying machines although Giorgione warns against embracing hindsight and seeing Leonardo as a visionary. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Leonardos famous Vitruvian Man drawing shows the proportions of the human body. Photograph: Alamy Perhaps surprisingly Leonardo wrote his diaries in the mirror image of normal script, although quite why remains something of a mystery. As the illegitimate son of a well-to-do and rising notary someone involved in drawing up and witnessing legal documents Leonardo was not able to follow in his fathers footsteps, but the boys artistic talents were spotted and an apprenticeship was sought in Florence. As a teenager Leonardo trained in the workshop of the famous Renaissance artist Andrea del Verrocchio where all sorts of activities were on the go from drawing and painting to sculpture and metalwork including making armour. While still training with Verrocchio, it is thought that Leonardo could have been involved in making the huge gilded copper ball that sits on top of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore he was certainly on the scene when it was hoisting into place in 1471 and made sketches of the lifting devices used. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, showing the gilded copper ball. Photograph: NickolayV/Getty Images/iStockphoto The artist engineer is a known figure in Renaissance Italy, says Prof Martin Kemp, a world-leading expert on Leonardo from the University of Oxford. In 1472 Leonardo was registered as a painter his own right, although he continued to collaborate with Verrochio. A it of both. He was certainly good with a brush: among his commissions, in the late 1470s, Leonardo was asked to paint an altarpiece for a civic palace and was later commissioned by a group of monks to paint a scene of the Adoration of the Magi. But he had an eye for opportunities. Hoping to work for Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, in the early 1480s Leonardo moved to Milan and wrote a letter boasting of his prowess as a military engineer, including such lines as Should the need arise, I will make cannon, mortar and light ordnance of very beautiful and functional design that are quite out of the ordinary. His abilities as a painter come bottom of the letter in a throwaway line. He was certainly pitching himself as an engineer, says Kemp. While it is not clear if the letter swung it, Leonardo was later to be found working at the Dukes court. Certainly not many artists would also have been architects or engineers. But Leonardo was unusual in being not just a jack of all trades, but a master of several. The versatility as such would not have been altogether surprising, says Kemp. [But] I think the range and skill across the board would have surprised people enormously and he had a lot of accomplishments, including as a musician. And his talents, and studies, went further into maths, Latin and beyond. He also went into what we would now call science, ie more theoretical, more experimental, more exploratory areas, says Kemp. And while other artists might have been probing some aspects of anatomy muscles, bones, tendons Leonardo took the study to a new level. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Leonardo da Vincis anatomical analysis of the movements of the shoulder and the neck. Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images At one point he draws the network of nerves in the shoulder and upper torso called the brachial plexus and he says on one of his diagrams this is as necessary for a good draughtsman as is the conjugation of Latin words for the good grammarian. But as Giorgione points out, Leonardos myriad talents were underpinned by a supreme skill: his drawing. Leonardo was not the only one to draw machines and to do scientific drawings, many other engineers did that, and very often the object of the representation is the same, but what Leonardo did better than others is to make a revolution of the technical drawing, he says. By the late 1480s, his aim was to understand how nature works which is rather a big ambition but he was looking at a fundamental set of mathematical laws, including optics and including the actions of the human body and he saw that as a unified enterprise, says Kemp. That might explain why many of his ideas for machines were rooted in nature for example his idea of a flying machine changed over time as he began to look at the way birds fly, an approach we now call biomimicry. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Leonardos design for a flying machine with a human operator. Photograph: Granger Historical Picture Archive/Alamy If he looked at plants he looked at branching and came up with a law for the branching of plants which he then equates to the branching of rivers and the branching of blood vessels, says Kemp. So it is a continuous spectrum of analogous things he was looking at in nature. Giorgione adds that Leonardo was hoping to unify painting, architecture and engineering with thinking and writing. But that was not easy because the world of the mechanical arts and the world of the liberal arts, so the arts of thinking, were separated at that time, he says. It wasnt all just pen-and-paper musings. There is evidence that he had tested the wings for his flying machine to see how much lift he could get, says Kemp, adding that in a collection of Leonardos writings known as the Codex Leicester owned by Bill Gates and about to go on show at the British Library there is evidence that he had specially designed tanks constructed so that he could explore various aspects of fluid dynamics. Facebook Twitter Pinterest A model of Leonardo da Vincis flying machine at the Science and Technology Museum in Milan. Photograph: Viktor Gladkov/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy He also made a glass model of part of the heart to explore its function. The use of experimental apparatus at such a time, Kemp adds, is extraordinary. He was emphasising all the time you must rely upon experience, not just book learning, you need hands-on experimental knowledge, says Kemp. His thoughts were, at times, spot on: not least he pushed back against the idea that fossils unearthed on mountains were the result of a great, biblical flood. He also made discoveries about how blood moves through blood vessels and the role of valves. But he did not realise that the blood circulates. He was not always right and that is good because it makes him a human and not a superhuman, says Giorgione. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Leonardos design for a military machine for firing arrows with a crossbow. Not exactly. In 1476 he was charged with sodomy but a lack of evidence meant nothing came of the anonymous accusations. In terms of his work, he also seemed to avoid trouble not least because he didnt actually publish his notes and, as Giorgione points out, detailed observations of the world, such as those made by Leonardo, are only a part of what would later become the scientific method. Kemp adds that when Leonardo was in Rome in his 50s working on concave mirrors for starting fires, he fell out with his German mirror makers who denounced him for his work on anatomy which led to some frustrations in his anatomy work. The question of Leonardos legacy, says Kemp, is something of a red herring. It is a bit like asking what did the Romans do for us, it is essentially a self-centred question, he says. You can appreciate the enormous quality of what he did without necessarily saying this is only worth looking at if he had an influence. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Leonardos study of the proportions of a human head, showing the mirror writing he used in his diaries. Photograph: Alamy However, Kemp says the idea that Leonardo was known only for his paintings is a simplification, as his writings and drawings were transcribed and available to scholars, albeit a small number, throughout the centuries, suggesting they could have inspired others. Giorgione agrees noting a device sketched by Leonardo for rotating meat on a spit by using currents in the air and a small turbine decades after he sketched his idea, a rather similar gadget turns up in an illustration of machines by another Italian engineer, Vittorio Zonca. There are a couple of reasons we get chummy when talking about Leo. As Giorgione points out, part of the reason is that we tend to talk about cultural icons by their first name for example the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, whose full name was Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri, is commonly just referred to as Dante. Galileo Galilei is also known by his first name. But there is another reason Leonardo doesnt have a proper surname in the modern sense as it simple refers to the area he and his family came from. In Italian it doesnt work to say da Vinci, says Giorgione. 7 June 8 September: Leonardo da Vinci: A Mind in Motion at the the British Library, London. Explore pages from some of Leonardos notebooks: the Codex Leicester, the Codex Arundel and the Codex Forster. 24 May - 13 October: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing at the Queens Gallery, Buckingham Palace. With more than 200 drawings by Leonardo, this offers the chance to see his take on everything from architecture to the human body. Until 14 July: Verrocchio, Master of Leonardo at the Strozzi Palace in Florence. Find out more about Leonardos master as well as Verrochios most famous pupil. Chteau du Clos Luc in Amboise, France where Leonardo spent his last years and died is hosting a of events throughout 2019. Until 13 October: Leonardo da Vinci Parade, National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. See machine models based on sketches by Leonardo. | https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/apr/22/who-was-leonardo-da-vinci-and-what-can-we-learn-from-him |
Were intel warnings "ignored" ahead of Sri Lanka terror attack? | Colombo, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lankan police investigating the Easter Sunday bombings that killed at least 290 people were examining reports that intelligence agencies had warnings of possible attacks and may have failed to act on the intelligence, officials confirmed on Monday. Police chief Pujuth Jayasundara issued an intelligence alert to top officers on April 11, according to French news agency AFP, warning that suicide bombers from a radical Muslim group were planning to attack "prominent churches." No group had claimed responsibility for the Easter attack as of Monday. AFP quoted law enforcement sources as saying all 24 people arrested since the blasts were suspected members of an "extremist" group, but the sources did not specify which group. It remained unclear whether those in custody were suspected members of the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) group, which was the focus of the warning issued on April 11 by Jayasundara. NTJ has been linked to the vandalization of Buddhist statues in Sri Lanka recently. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the country's law enforcement agencies would carry out an investigation into "why adequate precautions were not taken." Two government ministers alluded separately to suspected intelligence failures. Witness to Sri Lanka bombings describes chaos in aftermath Telecommunications Minister Harin Fernando tweeted, "Some intelligence officers were aware of this incidence. Therefore there was a delay in action. Serious action needs to be taken as to why this warning was ignored." He said his father had heard of the possibility of an attack as well and had warned him not to enter popular churches. Mano Ganeshan, the minister for national integration, said his ministry's security officers had been warned by their division about the possibility that two suicide bombers would target politicians. The police's Criminal Investigation Department, which is handling the investigation into the blasts, will look into those reports, Gunasekara said. | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sri-lanka-bombings-intelligence-warnings-terror-attacks-ignored/ |
Could Shorter Races Actually Help NASCAR Last Longer? | Getty Next on NASCARs docket is the 500-mile Cup spring race from the superspeedway at Talladega, Ala., which Big Bill France designed to be bigger and faster than Daytona. Talladega was so fast that it was dangerous -- a place where cars could fly, and not in a good way. That primal need for speed has always been, and still is, a drawing card for NASCAR. The famous race at Indianapolis was 500 miles, not 1,000, because officials then wanted the race to be completed in one day. That is no longer an issue, but races are too long. Even the 188 laps in a 500-mile race at Talladega are a lot to click off. NASCAR all but conceded that its Cup races were too long two years ago when it split its races into three or four stages. The yellow flag was thrown after a predesignated lap, the field was bunched back up, the stage winner got some points, and the race resumed. From a competition standpoint, it was just about one of the worst ideas ever -- like resetting the scoreboard back to zeroes after each quarter of a football game. But NASCAR had added incentive to race hard early in races (not to mention more commercial breaks). But basically, all but the three Cup races on road courses still feature cars running around in literally hundreds of circles for between 2 and 3 hours. More short tracks, more road courses and fewer races are among the ideas being bandied about by NASCAR and its fans to re-inject some excitement into competitions that are attracting smaller live crowds and television audiences. Not every race needs to be shorter; there could still be a 500-mile race at Talladega, a Daytona 500, a Southern 500 and even a Coca-Cola 600. But there could be even 50-lap and 100-lap races elsewhere. A couple of shorter races could be bundled into a doubleheader. This might be something NASCAR is thinking about, anyway. The 2020 schedule includes a pair of 400-mile Cup races at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania on back-to-back days. Better than stages. Take a look at the 1960 NASCAR Grand National season. The World 600 was added at the newly built Charlotte Motor Speedway that season as stock-cars answer to the Indianapolis 500. The World 600 was to be a test of both speed and endurance. Of the 43 other races on the schedule that year, 28 -- twenty-eight! -- were 100 miles or less. Junior Johnson won a 38-mile race on the quarter-mile track at South Boston, Va., that included 12 lead changes. Three days later, Glen Wood won a 50-miler at Winston-Salem. There were only four Grand National races that year of at least 500 miles, at Daytona, Charlotte, Darlington and Atlanta. The closest of those four races was Johnsons 23-second victory in the second Daytona 500. Joe Lee Johnson won the first World 600 by four laps. Stock cars were much less durable 60 years ago, which explains why only 18 of the 60 cars entered in the World 600 were running at the finish. In contrast, 35 of 40 cars were running at the end of the Coca-Cola 600 last May, a race won by Kyle Busch. So the need to prove that these cars can withstand a long-mileage test is long gone. People dont have as much free time or the attention spans they used to have. The recent slide in attendance is a sign that NASCAR might not need all of those long races at big stadiums anymore. There is too much down time for fans between the spectacle of the pre-race ceremonies and flying start of a colorful pack of cars, and the excitement of a car taking a checkered flag (and doing the obligatory smoky donuts). End of story, full stop. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/davecaldwell/2019/04/22/time-to-tighten-up-the-show-nascar/ |
What Next for the Democrats? | David Frum: Mueller helped Trump keep his most important secrets That said, a failure to act, to do anything meaningful to bring this president and his gang of corrupt miscreants to heel, would rightfully enrage most liberal voters. Remember that the rage Republican primary voters felt at their party establishment in 2016, over broken promises to bring Obama to his knees, led to the nomination of Trump. A parallel rage among Democrats could lead to a deeply divided party and a disastrous presidential nomination. There is, I believe, a reasonable path forward that, besides being politically palatable, has the added advantage of being the right thing to do. It starts with a coordinated and in-depth examination of the Mueller report by the House. What we need is for the Judiciary, Intelligence, and Homeland Security Committees to conduct a series of deep dives into the areas of communication and coordination between Trump and his campaign with Russians and their surrogates, like Wikileaks; the multiple categories and areas of obstruction of justice that Mueller outlined; the threats to our intelligence operations and our justice system from Trump and his operatives; and the moves by Russia to interfere in and influence our elections used by Trump and unchecked by Republicans. Other committees, such as Ways and Means and Banking, need to be ready to do the same thing as more information emerges from the SDNY and the New York Attorney General, among others, about Trumps financial dealings, including with the Russians, and about Russian money-laundering. The witnesses need to include Robert Mueller and Rosenstein, of course, but also the range of figures mentioned in the report, and also a range of experts in areas such as ethics, constitutional violations, intelligence operations, and election administration and security. Read: The Mueller report could alienate the voters Republicans need Democrats need to stage and coordinate hearings across committees and subcommittees, to make sure they do not overload Americans ability to pay attention. Most important, they need to structure the public hearings in a dramatically different way than usual. Each committee needs to use experienced counsela good examples might be former U.S. Attorney Preet Bhararaand limit if not abandon opening statements, except from the chairs. No five-minute rounds of questions going down the line of every committee member, leading to utterly disjointed discourse, making it easy for hostile witnesses to evade, filibuster, or otherwise avoid follow-ups and get through a five minute period, which is then followed by a five-minute breather with an ally on the Republican side, and then another five-minutes from the next member of the panel that may have nothing to do with the previous round of questions. | https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/after-mueller-democrats-should-probenot-impeach/587638/?utm_source=feed |
Where does term Minnesota Nice come from, and what does it really mean? | The term Minnesota Nice is so familiar to longtime residents that when it first appeared in this newspaper in 1986, the writer didnt bother to define it. For newcomers, however, the phrase and the complex web of behaviors it describes can be confusing. While theres no official definition, the term typically refers to Minnesotans tendency to be polite and friendly, yet emotionally reserved; our penchant for self-deprecation and unwillingness to draw attention to ourselves; and, most controversially, our maddening habit of substituting passive-aggressiveness for direct confrontation. Sara Skinner, a recent transplant from North Carolina, first encountered the expression at the Childrens Theatre production of The Abominables, as an overzealous hockey mom sang about the friendly veneer masking the ruthless competition of tryouts. What are they talking about? she said. Since then, she realized that she has experienced Minnesotans particular brand of niceness. She also has tried to explain it to refugees and immigrants at the Life in Minnesota class she teaches at the International Institute of Minnesota in St. Paul. Skinner posed a question about the roots of Minnesota Nice to the Star Tribunes Curious Minnesota project, which invites readers to ask questions for reporters to answer. She wondered about our shy reserve, nonstop apologizing and underpinnings of saccharine or sullen resistance. Is it Scandinavian? she asked. Thats one of the three theories weve pinned down. The others credit (or blame) our agrarian history or Garrison Keillor. But first, some background. Sussing out the origins of Minnesota Nice is difficult, in part, because of the lack of consensus around its meaning. Minnesotans wearing T-shirts sporting the slogan likely see it as genuine kindness: a reputation for pushing a strangers car out of a snowbank or refraining from honking at a terrible driver. But to others it denotes the shadow side of nice: acting chipper even though youre mad enough to push somebody into a wood chipper. It can be seen in really a positive way, but also a less positive way that suggests that its all a facade and the facade is Fargo, said Stephen Gross, a history professor at Minnesota State University, Morris, referencing the black humor of the Minnesota-bred Coen brothers 1996 movie. This duality, Gross suggested, reflects a similar tension between Minnesotans habit of portraying themselves as liberal, gracious and hospitable and their reputation for interpersonal aloofness. The Scandinavian angle One popular theory: We can thank (or blame) our Scandinavian immigrants for Minnesota Nice. Minnesota has more residents of Scandinavian ancestry than any other state; they make up roughly 30 percent of the population. Although German ancestry dominates, at closer to 35 percent, the states Nordic influence has been more widely recognized. (The Scandinavians were more active in early politics, their son-ending surnames gave them greater visibility, and the local NFL team is named after their iconic, seafaring tough guys.) Prof. Kari Lie Dorer, head of Norwegian language and Nordic studies at St. Olaf College in Northfield, sees a link between Minnesota Nice and the culture brought to the state by Norwegian immigrants. Minnesota Nice attitudes resemble the Law of Jante described in a 1930s satirical novel by a Danish-Norwegian author that forms a code of conduct for residents of a fictional town, Lie Dorer explained in an e-mail. (Rule No. 1: Dont think that you are special.) The rules portray Scandinavian social norms that no one person is more important than any other, and that an individuals needs should be subordinate to those of the group. This mentality leads to Norwegians frequent use of the passive voice (It would be an idea to), which is simply considered polite. But in Minnesota, indirect language is frequently used when the speaker feels frustrated or angry. The same words can be interpreted as having more of a passive-aggressive connotation, Lie Dorer wrote. Rural theories Another idea: The states early demographics and economy let to our polite reserve. When Minnesota was settled, geographic pockets were dominated by specific ethnic groups. Isanti and Chisago counties, north of the Twin Cities, were Swede country; Norwegians headed west to the Red River Valley; those of German ancestry established themselves in the Mississippi and Minnesota River valleys. In this rural ethnic mosaic, Gross explained, people of different cultures lived near one another, but didnt really intermingle. A Transplants Guide to Surviving and Thriving in Minnesota, pointed out that Minnesotas historically robust agrarian economy and cold, hard winters required residents to have at least cordial connections with their neighbors. The farmer wave (raising a finger or two from your pickups steering wheel) showed a reserved friendliness, but it was also a survival strategy. If you were trying to get your crops in at the end of the year and your plow broke, you have to get along with your neighbor because it could be a life or death issue, Bonnema said. At the same time, since Minnesotas farmers experienced less friction with their neighbors than, say, New York City apartment dwellers, they didnt have much experience navigating interpersonal conflict, making them reluctant to engage. Former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, now head of the Minneapolis Foundation, has long served as something of an ambassador for the state, so hes well-versed in explaining the culture to outsiders. After tossing out a few jokes (Minnesotans will give you directions to anywhere but their house. If you want to make a friend in Minnesota, go to kindergarten.), he riffed on the rural theory. The Twin Cities area is the locus of a talent shed drawing people from rural areas throughout the Upper Midwest, he said. Unusual for an urban center of its size and sophistication, the metro area is made up primarily of people who are from a small town, or one or two generations removed. So city dwellers still act like country folk. In a mega-metropolis such as New York or Shanghai, people adopt a certain level of anonymity in public spaces, where you dont acknowledge others, Rybak said. By contrast, he described his daily rides in the IDS Towers elevator as more like a town hall meeting. Youre really rude if you dont turn to the person next to you and at least say something about the Twins or the weather, he said. Finally, the dark-horse theory: Minnesota Nice is a myth, a marketing vehicle created by our cultural narrators. Before Mohr and Keillor became popular, Atkins said, Minnesotans differentiated themselves through corny Iowa jokes asserting their superiority over the Idiots Out Walking Around to the south. No longer content to shrink in the shadows of taller buildings, we may have tossed the rotting Minneapple moniker of the 1980s and rebranded ourselves, as Keillor liked to say, above average and genuinely nicer (or fake nicer) than the rest. | http://www.startribune.com/where-does-the-term-minnesota-nice-come-from-and-what-does-it-mean/502474301/ |
Will a property sales price record raise the rest of Dallas' skyline values? | When German investors paid a record $504 per square foot for the 2000 McKinney office tower Uptown in 2016, Dallas' real estate market was on almost every investor's radar. This week's sale of the new 1900 Pearl office high-rise in downtown Dallas blew past that old record with a sales price almost 40 percent higher. The $700-per-square-foot price tag on the Arts District tower raises the Dallas real estate market to a new level. "Setting new pricing highs does benefit the overall market as it raises the price per square foot ceiling that investors look at for all property classes relative to acquisition price and future sales," said Andrew Levy, senior managing director with HFF. Levy said rising commercial property prices in Dallas reflect the higher incomes owners are getting from the buildings. "The recent buildings that are selling have in-place rental rates that are 30 to 40% higher than the buildings that established the previous highs," Levy said. Sales prices for prime office properties have steadily increased and show no sign of heading down. Also in 2016, the 19-story 17Seventeen McKinney office tower in Uptown sold for an estimated $510 per square foot. And up in Plano's hot Legacy area, the Legacy Tower office high-rise fetched more than $400 per square foot and the Granite Park VII office tower sold to German investors last year for more than $500. Of course the top prices are all on trophy buildings. There are plenty of value-add buys on the market in Dallas. Some of the downtown towers still up for grabs in Big D are likely to fetch less than $150 per square foot far below today's construction costs. "The 1900 Pearl record sale price comes at a time when a lot of high-profile trophy assets are coming to market," said veteran Dallas broker Scot Farber of Younger Partners. " It will be interesting to see what the pricing of some of the other buildings comes in at. "Dallas continues to receive national and international attention, and investment groups are continually adding the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to their lists of where they would like to invest." There are certainly lots of options for building buyers. Five more downtown towers are still on the market. The flood of capital coming into the North Texas real estate market ensures that there will be lots of tire-kickers for properties on the market especially offshore buyers. "As far as international capital, there is definitely an increased level of interest in the D-FW market," said JLL's Jorg Mast. "The Toyota location has put us on the map globally, especially as it relates to Asian investors." | https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2019/04/22/will-property-sales-price-record-raise-rest-dallas-skyline-values |
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